Categories > Games > Final Fantasy 7 > Fayth and Fallen Angels
A/N--Disclaimer: The author of this story does not own the characters, movies, or past/future games referenced herein (e.g. Final Fantasy VII/Dirge of Cerberus/Advent Children/X/X-2) and makes no claim to that effect. All are copyrighted Square-Enix properties and are used within the context of the creation of an unpaid, independent work of fan fiction expressly for the purpose of expressing the author's creative tendencies.
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Prologue
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There was nothing. Then there was something, pulling, as if he was being called. And then, the pulling shifted. He felt one of his own. His spirit smiled. Such arrogance. He was not so easily won.
He tasted salt. And then he knew, he was alive.
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Chapter One
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"...And in the sunset of the evening, the One-Winged Angel faded into a swirling of feathers and smoke, leaving the half dead body of Kadaj. Kadaj himself faded into swirls of light, leaving Cloud standing in the rain. A shot rang out. In one last stand, the clones Yazoo and Loz confronted the charging Cloud, culminating in a fiery explosion.
"In the end, the Ex-SOLDIER was sent back to the land of the living. He made peace with himself and his feelings for Aerith. Denzel, along with other children were cleansed of the Geostigma, and were free to live a happy childhood." He paused to adjust his glasses. "Shall I go on?"
"Please do. I've a while before the Lady Summoner arrives."
"How fortunate! Let's see...ah yes. Many people, however, tired of the calamity that seemed to haunt Midgar, and the specters of chaos that had followed to The Edge. The WRO, lead by Reeve Tuesti, a former Turk, had been blamed, as all leaders inevitably are, for the carnage wrought by Kadaj's gang. Its numbers dwindling, its leaders criticized by the masses of residents wanted two things back: their false sense of security and the electricity that gave it to them. The WRO, though skilled at governing the citizens of The Edge, was less than qualified to fulfill the needs of a society so dependent on the endless energy ShinRa had provided, and the way of life that necessitated the security of that existence. It was a this time that ShinRa, Inc., under the leadership of its President, moved to atone for its many sins, and in doing so, effected the advent of the greatest Sin of all.
"In an effort to appease the masses of the displaced residents, ShinRa, for the first time in its history, genuinely attempted to make right its wrongs. With the support of a tenuous alliance with the WRO, plans were announced for two new settlements on the Northern continent: one on its southern region, and another on its northern. The Southern settlement was built on the ruins of the forgotten, ancient Cetra capital, Ajit. It would serve as the seat of government for both settlements. The government itself would be composed of ShinRa executives, WRO members, and common citizens. A fourth delegation comprised representatives from the smaller villages all over the Planet, including Wutai, Costa del Sol, and Nibelheim.
"The Northern settlement became the more populated of the two, receiving settlers from not only The Edge, but others from all over the other two continents. Aided by the proprietor of The Gold Saucer, a famed recreational site for travelers, and the vast technology of the restored ShinRa Company at its disposal, the northern settlement developed into a city of light that rivaled the Midgar of the past.
"With the promise of new beginnings in the hearts and minds of its citizens, the settlers turned the two cities into modern marvels of civilized government and technological wonder. The southern settlement, graced with the architecture of the Ancients and the power of its leaders, became the shining city of Bevelle. The northern, a city that never slept, with entertainment and modern luxury for its entire people, became the famed machine city, Zanarkand. As each city grew in size and magnificence, its people struggled to maintain autonomy from the government, much as they struggled against the ShinRa Corporation in the past. Reeve of the WRO, caught in the middle, sought the voice of the people of Zanarkand, as he thought it best for them to appoint a leader for themselves. That individual became Reeve's closest advisor. And the name of that individual was none other than Yu Yevon, a great Summoner whose presence and quiet strength commanded the unconditional respect of all his people.
"Bevelle, lead by the former ShinRa President, Rufus, recognized the seeds of dissent all too well. Playing the only card that remained in his hand, he awakened an elite army left buried beneath the ruins of Midgar, their services retained for just such an occasion. These soldiers were known as the Deep Ground SOLDIERs. They were a motley army altered and constructed by the Company's former top scientist, Hojo. Among them emerged the first of those that came to be known as the Guado and the Ronso, as well as other humans with supernatural powers. All were gifted with the ability to use the powers of the Planet that for normal humans required the utilization of crystallized materia. The most sacred of these gifts was the ability for some to summoning what some referred to as Aeons, without the use of materia used for summoning. This was the final genius of Hojo's madness: the ability to create new species of man was one thing; the infusion of the powers of the Lifestream into those species was the culmination of his life's work.
"The Deep Ground Soldiers mission was dual. It was first to dispatch any and all members of the group that formerly defeated both the Company and its greatest General. Any individuals strong enough to destroy The Great Sephiroth not once, but twice--not to mention take down the corporate entity that created him--had to be eliminated. That much was obvious. Methodically, the members of the group were sought out and slaughtered. Unfortunately, the ShinRa President had discovered that the leader of the WRO, Reeve, had aided the group through the guise of a machina. Having been betrayed by one who had been in the former employ of the Corporation, and now lead the WRO, greatly displeased the President. As such, the Deep Ground SOLDIERs assassinated Reeve, leaving the mantle of leadership to the group's second in command, Yevon.
"It seemed that this was the opportunity that Yevon had been waiting for to seize power and turn the people of Zanarkand against the onslaught of Bevelle. Yevon taught that it was the use of machina-the devicess created by ShinRa that the people had come to rely on so heavily-that caused so much suffering in the world. Citing Bevelle's open aggression on Zanarkand's citizenry and the assassination of its most prominent leader, Yevon successfully convinced its people of the necessity to defend itself. Thus, war began.
"It should be noted that not all of the Deep Ground SOLDIERs were pleased with having been confined for so long under the Midgar ruins. Those who were tired of ShinRa dispersed across the land, along with some of the other freed "experiments" Hojo had obtained. Some even moved to Zanarkand, as a move of solidarity in the fight against Bevelle. These settlers came to raise their children there. They hoped that, when the fighting stopped, they would be able to live in Zanarkand, the city of light. Coincidentally, it was the former members of the Deep Ground Soldiers that introduced the sport of blitzball to the people of Zanarkand, a tradition that has flourished to this day.
"Bevelle knew that with the division of its Deep Ground SOLDIERs between itself and Zanarkand that the two parties were evenly matched. It would need something greater to tip the scales in its favor. A great machina was constructed for the explicit purpose of destroying the threat posed by Zanarkand, powered by the essence of the Lifestream in the form of pyreflies--"
Seymour held up a hand. "Yes, I am aware of the existence of Vegnagun. It was never used, and to this day is in the possession of Bevelle. You may omit that part, Maechen."
The old man paused a moment to adjust his glasses. "Well, yes, but it is a crucial part of the story..." Seymour's face remained in the same calm, patient expression of interest. Maechen noted, however, that his eyes had almost imperceptibly narrowed. Almost.
"Ah well, no matter. Where was I? These things do get away from me... Oh yes. Of course, with the War between the two cities waging for years, it came as a complete shock when The Planet seemed to turn on those who had saved it years before. It seemed that the warnings of Yu Yevon about the dangers of machina, so long falling on deaf ears, were made reality by the Planet-no doubt as a result of its lifeforce being drained for so many years. The embodiment of The Planet's pain was none other than the entity known as Sin. It decimated the land, eroding and changing its landscape into present day Spira. Sin destroyed Zanarkand, and decimated the army of Bevelle-"
"And, as the teachings of Yevon say, it was the grace of our Lady Yunalesca, daughter of Yevon, who saved Spira with The Final Summoning, instilling hope in the people of Spira for generations to come." Seymour looked pointedly at the old man.
"...So say the teachings," Maechen again adjusted his glasses, "and Your Grace does know them well."
An aide bent low and whispered something near Seymour's ear. With that he stood. "Forgive me, Maechen, but my presence is required outside. It appears my Lady Yuna has arrived."
Maechen turned as he stood, his lips pursed. "Pity."
"What was that?"
Maechen turned, his usual look of scholarly ambivalence replaced on his visage where momentarily disgust had been. The man was no fool, no matter how old he couldn't remember he was.
"It is a pity the Lady Summoner must witness what will surely be an unfortunate day on the path of her pilgrimage."
Seymour nodded. "It further appears the Operation will begin soon. You are more than welcome to observe the events from our base of operations...for posterity, of course," he added.
Maechen smiled. "Of course."
Seymour advanced toward the front of the tent and paused at its entrance. "One more thing, Maechen...The Great Sephiroth...you mentioned he was able to control the clones of himself while not being physically in their presence, correct? And that the one known as Cloud was said to have vanquished him at the bottom of the crater where he resided crystallized in the very energy that is said to have spawned Sin?"
"Indeed, my lord. Why do you ask?"
"I find it extremely interesting that a man who was said to be vanquished was able to reappear two years later possessing the body of yet another clone. That would seem to indicate that perhaps the original Sephiroth may still have existed, somewhere, neither disturbed nor discovered?"
"Hmm...I...don't know. It is possible...though as the records of that time were lost in the Great War, it cannot really be determined....It is one of those things lost to history, it would seem."
Seymour turned toward the entrance and looked out. The Lady Yuna and her entourage had arrived. He smiled.
"So it would seem."
Maechen watched him leave, and followed soon after. The righteous, he noted inwardly, were always the first to alter the record of history in their favor.
_________________________________________________________________
Prologue
_________________________________________________________
There was nothing. Then there was something, pulling, as if he was being called. And then, the pulling shifted. He felt one of his own. His spirit smiled. Such arrogance. He was not so easily won.
He tasted salt. And then he knew, he was alive.
_________________________________________________________________
Chapter One
_________________________________________________________________
"...And in the sunset of the evening, the One-Winged Angel faded into a swirling of feathers and smoke, leaving the half dead body of Kadaj. Kadaj himself faded into swirls of light, leaving Cloud standing in the rain. A shot rang out. In one last stand, the clones Yazoo and Loz confronted the charging Cloud, culminating in a fiery explosion.
"In the end, the Ex-SOLDIER was sent back to the land of the living. He made peace with himself and his feelings for Aerith. Denzel, along with other children were cleansed of the Geostigma, and were free to live a happy childhood." He paused to adjust his glasses. "Shall I go on?"
"Please do. I've a while before the Lady Summoner arrives."
"How fortunate! Let's see...ah yes. Many people, however, tired of the calamity that seemed to haunt Midgar, and the specters of chaos that had followed to The Edge. The WRO, lead by Reeve Tuesti, a former Turk, had been blamed, as all leaders inevitably are, for the carnage wrought by Kadaj's gang. Its numbers dwindling, its leaders criticized by the masses of residents wanted two things back: their false sense of security and the electricity that gave it to them. The WRO, though skilled at governing the citizens of The Edge, was less than qualified to fulfill the needs of a society so dependent on the endless energy ShinRa had provided, and the way of life that necessitated the security of that existence. It was a this time that ShinRa, Inc., under the leadership of its President, moved to atone for its many sins, and in doing so, effected the advent of the greatest Sin of all.
"In an effort to appease the masses of the displaced residents, ShinRa, for the first time in its history, genuinely attempted to make right its wrongs. With the support of a tenuous alliance with the WRO, plans were announced for two new settlements on the Northern continent: one on its southern region, and another on its northern. The Southern settlement was built on the ruins of the forgotten, ancient Cetra capital, Ajit. It would serve as the seat of government for both settlements. The government itself would be composed of ShinRa executives, WRO members, and common citizens. A fourth delegation comprised representatives from the smaller villages all over the Planet, including Wutai, Costa del Sol, and Nibelheim.
"The Northern settlement became the more populated of the two, receiving settlers from not only The Edge, but others from all over the other two continents. Aided by the proprietor of The Gold Saucer, a famed recreational site for travelers, and the vast technology of the restored ShinRa Company at its disposal, the northern settlement developed into a city of light that rivaled the Midgar of the past.
"With the promise of new beginnings in the hearts and minds of its citizens, the settlers turned the two cities into modern marvels of civilized government and technological wonder. The southern settlement, graced with the architecture of the Ancients and the power of its leaders, became the shining city of Bevelle. The northern, a city that never slept, with entertainment and modern luxury for its entire people, became the famed machine city, Zanarkand. As each city grew in size and magnificence, its people struggled to maintain autonomy from the government, much as they struggled against the ShinRa Corporation in the past. Reeve of the WRO, caught in the middle, sought the voice of the people of Zanarkand, as he thought it best for them to appoint a leader for themselves. That individual became Reeve's closest advisor. And the name of that individual was none other than Yu Yevon, a great Summoner whose presence and quiet strength commanded the unconditional respect of all his people.
"Bevelle, lead by the former ShinRa President, Rufus, recognized the seeds of dissent all too well. Playing the only card that remained in his hand, he awakened an elite army left buried beneath the ruins of Midgar, their services retained for just such an occasion. These soldiers were known as the Deep Ground SOLDIERs. They were a motley army altered and constructed by the Company's former top scientist, Hojo. Among them emerged the first of those that came to be known as the Guado and the Ronso, as well as other humans with supernatural powers. All were gifted with the ability to use the powers of the Planet that for normal humans required the utilization of crystallized materia. The most sacred of these gifts was the ability for some to summoning what some referred to as Aeons, without the use of materia used for summoning. This was the final genius of Hojo's madness: the ability to create new species of man was one thing; the infusion of the powers of the Lifestream into those species was the culmination of his life's work.
"The Deep Ground Soldiers mission was dual. It was first to dispatch any and all members of the group that formerly defeated both the Company and its greatest General. Any individuals strong enough to destroy The Great Sephiroth not once, but twice--not to mention take down the corporate entity that created him--had to be eliminated. That much was obvious. Methodically, the members of the group were sought out and slaughtered. Unfortunately, the ShinRa President had discovered that the leader of the WRO, Reeve, had aided the group through the guise of a machina. Having been betrayed by one who had been in the former employ of the Corporation, and now lead the WRO, greatly displeased the President. As such, the Deep Ground SOLDIERs assassinated Reeve, leaving the mantle of leadership to the group's second in command, Yevon.
"It seemed that this was the opportunity that Yevon had been waiting for to seize power and turn the people of Zanarkand against the onslaught of Bevelle. Yevon taught that it was the use of machina-the devicess created by ShinRa that the people had come to rely on so heavily-that caused so much suffering in the world. Citing Bevelle's open aggression on Zanarkand's citizenry and the assassination of its most prominent leader, Yevon successfully convinced its people of the necessity to defend itself. Thus, war began.
"It should be noted that not all of the Deep Ground SOLDIERs were pleased with having been confined for so long under the Midgar ruins. Those who were tired of ShinRa dispersed across the land, along with some of the other freed "experiments" Hojo had obtained. Some even moved to Zanarkand, as a move of solidarity in the fight against Bevelle. These settlers came to raise their children there. They hoped that, when the fighting stopped, they would be able to live in Zanarkand, the city of light. Coincidentally, it was the former members of the Deep Ground Soldiers that introduced the sport of blitzball to the people of Zanarkand, a tradition that has flourished to this day.
"Bevelle knew that with the division of its Deep Ground SOLDIERs between itself and Zanarkand that the two parties were evenly matched. It would need something greater to tip the scales in its favor. A great machina was constructed for the explicit purpose of destroying the threat posed by Zanarkand, powered by the essence of the Lifestream in the form of pyreflies--"
Seymour held up a hand. "Yes, I am aware of the existence of Vegnagun. It was never used, and to this day is in the possession of Bevelle. You may omit that part, Maechen."
The old man paused a moment to adjust his glasses. "Well, yes, but it is a crucial part of the story..." Seymour's face remained in the same calm, patient expression of interest. Maechen noted, however, that his eyes had almost imperceptibly narrowed. Almost.
"Ah well, no matter. Where was I? These things do get away from me... Oh yes. Of course, with the War between the two cities waging for years, it came as a complete shock when The Planet seemed to turn on those who had saved it years before. It seemed that the warnings of Yu Yevon about the dangers of machina, so long falling on deaf ears, were made reality by the Planet-no doubt as a result of its lifeforce being drained for so many years. The embodiment of The Planet's pain was none other than the entity known as Sin. It decimated the land, eroding and changing its landscape into present day Spira. Sin destroyed Zanarkand, and decimated the army of Bevelle-"
"And, as the teachings of Yevon say, it was the grace of our Lady Yunalesca, daughter of Yevon, who saved Spira with The Final Summoning, instilling hope in the people of Spira for generations to come." Seymour looked pointedly at the old man.
"...So say the teachings," Maechen again adjusted his glasses, "and Your Grace does know them well."
An aide bent low and whispered something near Seymour's ear. With that he stood. "Forgive me, Maechen, but my presence is required outside. It appears my Lady Yuna has arrived."
Maechen turned as he stood, his lips pursed. "Pity."
"What was that?"
Maechen turned, his usual look of scholarly ambivalence replaced on his visage where momentarily disgust had been. The man was no fool, no matter how old he couldn't remember he was.
"It is a pity the Lady Summoner must witness what will surely be an unfortunate day on the path of her pilgrimage."
Seymour nodded. "It further appears the Operation will begin soon. You are more than welcome to observe the events from our base of operations...for posterity, of course," he added.
Maechen smiled. "Of course."
Seymour advanced toward the front of the tent and paused at its entrance. "One more thing, Maechen...The Great Sephiroth...you mentioned he was able to control the clones of himself while not being physically in their presence, correct? And that the one known as Cloud was said to have vanquished him at the bottom of the crater where he resided crystallized in the very energy that is said to have spawned Sin?"
"Indeed, my lord. Why do you ask?"
"I find it extremely interesting that a man who was said to be vanquished was able to reappear two years later possessing the body of yet another clone. That would seem to indicate that perhaps the original Sephiroth may still have existed, somewhere, neither disturbed nor discovered?"
"Hmm...I...don't know. It is possible...though as the records of that time were lost in the Great War, it cannot really be determined....It is one of those things lost to history, it would seem."
Seymour turned toward the entrance and looked out. The Lady Yuna and her entourage had arrived. He smiled.
"So it would seem."
Maechen watched him leave, and followed soon after. The righteous, he noted inwardly, were always the first to alter the record of history in their favor.
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