3 - The Riddle

[AltruisticCrono]

Sephiroth X remained motionless on the cold, damp Midgar street. How…and why did Dark Crono save him? The question continued to float around in his mind…

Meditative footsteps slowly walked around his body.

Even opening his eyes became a challenge. Although he escaped the torment of Valtiel, X was far from relieved. He knew that darkness itself stood above him. Drawing upon his vital energy, he formed a singular, painful word.

X - …You…

The footsteps continued to circle X – never ceasing, never altering.

Dark Crono – No…(a slight pause). Your perception is false…. by choice, I merely did the opposite. By giving you life, I simply delay your eventual death. However, that is only half-truth…

Perceiving that X was listening to every word carefully, he smiled a little.

Dark Crono – You alone must find several pieces of the mirror... Verily, a distorted mirror becomes misleading. That’s precisely why I want you to search for the truth in the illusion.

Without any struggle, Dark Crono grasped the Masamune from X’s hand and swung it once over his fallen body.

Dark Crono – Find the ancient plague that men die over… and friends become traitors.

Recite these words and you will find the way:

Race ahead of thyself, but not when alone…
the Valley weaves into a single line of darkness.

With his final words, he thrust the Masamune into the alley wall – embedding it a few feet into concrete.

All became silent and nothing remained but a single breeze to comfort X.

[ZaCloud]

(Co-Written by Zacloud and Sephiroth X)

*Sephiroth X laid there in total shock and confusion over what Crono had just done, both in the form of the riddle and the simply sight that Dark Crono wielded the Masamune right in front of X. Deep in thought X’s thoughts went wild.

Sephiroth X- How could he wield the Masamune? Only I can do that?!… What did that riddle mean? What the hell is going on here!!

*X mustered up some more energy and reached up to pull the Masamune from the wall that Dark Crono had embedded it into. And as his fingers wrapped around the handle of the blade, what felt like a cold electric rush ran through X’s entire body. He felt such a horrid dark taint tap into his very soul, a taint left on the Masamune from Dark Crono. It was horrible, the screams of tortured souls and endless agony, and at the same time it left the same helpless feeling that always happened when Dark Crono paralyzed X with that damn golden eye. Then X felt one more thing shoot into his mind from the taint left on the Masamune, an all too familiar feminine scream, and within the blade of the Masamune for a split second he saw the screaming image of Catrina.

Sephiroth X- “No!”

*Sephiroth X’s hand shot off the Masamune and his weak body fell back to the floor back in pain like it did before, the evil taint he felt was too overwhelming for him in his current state… and as X tried to get the vivid images out of his mind he started to slip in and out of sleep…

*Zack's steps slowed, and he slowly looked to his left, stopping completely. Something seemed to beckon him in that direction. Something familiar. He looked at Bax, who had stopped as well to look at him questioningly.

Zack- "Umm... I'm gonna check on somethin', Bax. I'll meet you back at the room."

*The Phoeniyan nodded and continued walking, as Zack took off at a brisk jog down the sidestreet. Soon, his pace swelled to a full-on run, then ebbed back into a jog, then a walk. He began looking around, searching for why he felt he should have come this way.

*As X laid there drifting in and out of sleep, thoughts ran through his mind like traffic on a freeway... everything from someone other than himself wielding the Masamune, to Dark Crono's short riddle... as much as he wanted to sleep, his mind seemingly wouldnt let him. Then off in the distance X heard the echoed sound of footsteps boucning off of the walls ever so slowly getting closer. All X knew was that he was in Midgar, other then that he didnt know anything about his location so he didnt know what kind of person he was about to meet... and in his current state he could be vulnerable to anything.

*Zack's steps stopped, and his eyes widened. He could see a patch of familiar silver ahead, visible despite the darkness of the alley he was near. His heart quickened as surprised relief and worried horror both rang through his frame at the exact same instant. It was Sephiroth, definitely! But was he...?

Zack- "Sephiroth!!!"

*He shouted as he ran up to the downed man's side, sliding into a kneel and quickly brushing some of the long silver locks aside, checking the neck for a pulse.

*As a feeling of relief set in, Sephiroth X managed to will up his smirk and quietly said

Sephiroth X- "I'm alive, kid"

* Zack nearly jumped back, then emitted a shaky laugh of intense relief.

Zack- "Heheh... Oh man... I should've known. What could ever--"

*His eyes closed, then reopened, their color seeming darker yet more piercing than before, his expression now grim.

Zack- "Who did this to you? You look like you've been through Hell."

Sephiroth X- Basically

*X slowly tried to push himself up from sitting on the ground, but struggled to do so. Zack quickly reacted to help, leaning forward and pulling X up carefully, supporting his weight with seemingly no effort.

Zack- "We were on our way to the gym, it won't take long to get to it. Do you need a doctor?"

Sephiroth X- “A doctor is the least of my concerns right now i think...”

*Sephiroth X reached out to grab the Masamune from the wall, hesitantly he wrapped his fingers around the swords handle again and felt the initial shock of the dark taint again but this time quickly felt it fade away into a cold chill that rattled X's bones before finally leaving… X felt very fortunate… the taint wasn’t permanent.

Sephiroth X- “Plus... a hospital isnt exactly on my list of places i want to be for a while...”

*The young blonde nodded slowly. Even though he didn't know what had happened, he would never truly question X's words.

Zack- "Alright... Let's get moving then."

*His jaded facet wasted little time and began the journey back to their haven, footfalls firm, his grip on his mentor equally so.

*As they paced down the alleyway, X asked*

Sephiroth X- “You said ‘we were on our way to the gym’... who else are you with?”

Zack- "Bax, and also Prodigi. To let you know, he doesn't seem able to regenerate from wounds anymore; he lost his wings last night."

Sephiroth X- “Bax and Prodigi still... heh, they'd have a fit if they found out were i went alone”

* The teen was quiet for a while, then said,

Zack- "So they know something I don't? I'll have to hope I'm not next then..."

* Zack thought if something could trouble the other two, and strike Sephiroth down so badly...

*X muttered quietly*

Sephiroth X- “...It was Valtiel...”

*Zack's eyebrows narrowed and his frown deepened.

Zack- "Him... And that Dark Phoenix... Why did you go alone, or was meeting him not your intention?"

Sephiroth X- I was... looking for something... I meant to find Valtiel...

Zack- "Did you find that something?"

Sephiroth X- “....More like... he... found me.”

*Zack sensed he didn't mean Valtiel in that statement. Normally, he wouldn't push for anything, and humbly let people keep mum if they wished, but this current part of him felt that this could be very important to everyone, not just to X.

Zack- "I wish to know more about this at some point. But first we'll concentrate on getting you back on your feet. We're almost there."

*Zack’s words went in one ear and out the other as X slowly slipped into a very preoccupied state as he matched Zack’s pace. The last words of Dark Crono repeated over and over through his mind

*Soon, they arrived at the old gymnasium, their steps echoing through the vast main hall as they went through to get to one of the bedrooms. Bax gaped in astonishment, and began to move forward to relieve Zack of his burden. The blonde shook his head, not wishing to put X through the unnecessary pain of transfer.

Zack- "I'll need warm water, washcloths, and the first-aid kit,"

*He instructed, and the bulkier man quickly went off to comply. Zack managed to climb the stairs, and carefully helped Sephiroth onto the nearest bed.

Zack- "Get the coat off if you can. I know you're tired but it looks like these wounds've been here for a while."

*He turned to Bax as he arrived to accept the medical gear.

*Sephiroth X saw Bax hand Zack the medical gear and hesitantly started shaking his head back and forth...

Sephiroth X- "Just leave the medical stuff here... I... I need some time to think..."

*The boy looked at him, then nodded, placing everything on the bedside table.

Zack- "We'll be around for now if you need us..."

*He turned his face back toward X, eyes once more wider and brighter, but full of concern and sympathy.

Zack- "We'll keep watch, an'... well I dunno what happened but if there's anything I can do let me know."

*He headed for the door, hands woven unevenly together under his lowered chin like a worried child.

Sephiroth X- “Oh and Zack...”

*Zack stopped and looked back at X, head perked back up.

Zack- "Yeah?"

*X moved himself so he was sitting at the edge of the bed now, he turned his head and nodded to Zack...

Sephiroth X- "Thanks"

* Zack's tensed shoulders lowered a bit, and he managed a bit of his familiar smile. He nodded.

Zack- "You're like family to me, Seph... It was nothin'."

*X turned his head away again and as he heard Zack shut the door behind him, Sephiroth X slowly stood back up inside of the small bedroom. His hand reached the Masamune once again, and X held it out infront of him slightly staring blankly into the blade as the words of Dark Crono echoed again...

"Race ahead of thyself, but not when alone…
the Valley weaves into a single line of darkness."

*Sephiroth X set the Masamune down alongside the bed and slowly walked to the lone window in the bedroom and looked out into the concrete jungle that was Midgar. X knew that tonight would be a sleepless night for him, one that would probably be followed by many more. What did the riddle mean?... X would need time to recover himself from his ordeal with Valtiel, so he could at least enjoy his time wth Zack and the others again for a while... but as X looked off into space, he knew that his quest was still far from over.

[Sephiroth X]

*The night went by and Zack slept peacefully knowing his mentor was at least safe. Questions did run through the boys mind as to specifically what happened to X during his absence, but he didnt want to push. It was coming around to some point in the morning and through his bedrooms window he could feel a couple rays of faint sunlight beam onto his face. And just as Zack started to open his eyes he thought he heard something from downstairs... was somebody here? Quizically, the boy got up out of his bed and walked out from his bedroom and looked into the main open part of the gymnasium.

*The lights in the gymnasium were still dimly lit, the faint beams of sunlight coming from the windows were all that lit it up, just like Zack's bedroom.

*Zack did see someone down there and wasnt suprised to see who it was, but more or less suprised to see what that person was doing.

*The shape of his figure being cast out from the ambient lighting, Zack saw Sephiroth X in the center of the gymnasium without his main overcoat on (how Seph looks at the end of FF7), his eyes were closed and he was swinging the Masamune around in what looked like a hybrid of some intense training and tai-chi style meditation.

*What suprised Zack was seeing Sephiroth X up and about so soon, he had only found him last night and in unbelieveably poor condition. Now X was already back to training, seeing if he could push his weakened body at all. Perhaps even Zack had underestimated X's determination to some extent.

*With every mellow swing of the Masamune, a small thin cloud of dust would seem to kick up from underneath X, and as the faint sunlight beamed into the gymnasium it casted an ominous glow around X as the light reflected off of the airborne dust.

*Sephiroth X's body was still visibly bruised and battered, but the determination he had in his soul was allowing him to will away the pain. After a few more mellow swings, Sephiroth X stood there in his traditional battle stance with his eyes still closed... as the thin dust in the air started to descend again, all was calm. And then after a second or two passed, X's eyes shot open and he exploded into a flurry of emphatic swings and lunges with the Masamune. It was if he had thrown himself into his own fictitious battle for his life, every swing of his sword sent a echoing whoosh sound through the gym.

*Sweat started to pour down X's body as he pushed himself further physically, and pushed himself mentally as he willed away the pain his battered body was sending him.

*Zack watched in a slight bit of awe, he had never seen such a fast recovery... had not expected to have seen X in this kind of condition for days... But as he watched it happen, he slowly began to understand why... why X had to push himself, and perhaps why he alone confronted and fell before Valitel... Zack remembered the story that X had told him about Catrina and Dark Crono, how X had described Dark Crono as something close to the embodiment of a mans worst nightmare, and how X would take revenge on Dark Crono for the impact Crono had on his life...

*Zack began to realize that X had no room in his life for recovery, and could sense the determination almost radiating off of X.

*Sephiroth X's imaginary attacks became much more powerful now, all of the dust around him was no longer on the gym floor but rather in the air. And after one last overly emphatic swing, a loud whoosh sound echoed through the gym for a few seconds before dying away. And X stood there in the follow through position of that last attack, and X took quiet deep breathes of air, as the dust settled around him.

*X refocused himself, and he could sense that Zack was in here with them...

*But they were not alone, Zack and X. Quietly, and without the knowledge of either of them, as the dust settled in the air it also spread across the gymnasium as well. And as some dust began to fall and settle around Zack, the dust began to take a familiar shape standing next to Zack... taking the physical shape of a spirit that had been watching for quite some time as well, Catrina.

*And as the two of them, Zack and Catrina, observed X for this moment... The only thought that dominated X's mind was his determination to finally confront his nemesis, he was finally beginning to understand the weight of his destiny... and was beginning to accept it...

[Sephiroth X]

*A few hours had past since X's early morning training in the main gymnasium. He had returned silently back to his room were he went to 'sleep' and gather a little more strength. He would not let on to Zack or anyone else that he was still physically recovering from his time with Valtiel, but it was obvious to X that at least Zack knew this and would accept it. And in a way Sephiroth X was using that assumption to keep himself relatively isolated and sharpen himself both by body and mind.

*Sephiroth X sat cross legged in the center of his bedroom with the Masamune laying across his legs. His eyes were closed and his face seemingly frozen in what looked like a painfull and concerned expression. All the silence and lack of motion on the outside was pure opposite on the inside however.

*X was having another... nightmare... a vision... haunted by his mortal enemy, and probably brought about by Dark Crono as well. This nightmare was similar to his past ones, symbolic, dark, malicious, and always holding some distinct link to Dark Crono himself.

*What was different this time was the timing of the nightmare... he had gone a long time without one of these semi-visions, and they usually came when he was in deep sleep... this time it came during a meditation, pronounced differences in the usual pattern which would suggest that perhaps it was Dark Crono's way of suggesting it was time for change...

*Sephiroth X saw similar things flash through his mind as before, very brief flashes of what seemed to be a destined battle between X and Crono,

Flash

*But then he started seeing images of his own past... just after having his memories unlocked in his mind, he saw visions of himself attacking the gates of Zion...

Flash

*Then he saw a darkened chamber and saw The Senator standing there...

Flash

*He then quickly saw The Senator standing in a stunned terror as Dark Crono toyed with The Senator's imfamous blade that he killed the previous Warrior of Prosperity with... bending it like it was a childrens toy...

Flash

*X saw the interior of Zion now; it was dark, nighttime, a light rain drizzled down onto the military city.

Flash

*There was a building, he saw the door.

Flash

*Inside the apparent building there were books, computers... a library perhaps?

Flash

*There were back rooms of this library... that led out to an alleyway that had no windows or any other doors in it... totally isolated from anything but the library...

Flash

*In that alleyway, X's mind was forced to focus onto one brick wall...

Flash

*As the last white flash went through X's mind, the bright white faded into a circular golden hue that sent bone chilling vibrations through everything in Sephiroth X's physical matter. And a phrase echoed through X again...

"Race ahead of thyself, but not when alone…
the Valley weaves into a single line of darkness."

Flash

*The last thing X saw before his nightmarish vision faded away was one more lasting image of Dark Crono and Sephiroth X stareing down at each other like statues in a monsoon like rain centered in a lonely street*

*There was a knock on X's door. And as the door opened Zack stood there*

Zack- Heya Seph if your there I...

*Zack saw X sitting there in meditation, and slowly Sephiroth X's eyes opened. He never looked Zack directly in the eyes, he stared off blankly into space dwelling on everything he just saw.

Zack- You alright?

*Then suddenly as if once puzzle piece fell into place, everything came together in regards to what he saw. His face suddenly went from the concerned mediation look into an emotionless but understanding one.

Sephiroth X- ... I know what I must do now ...

*Zack looked intrigued as he raised an eyebrow.

*Sephiroth X put one hand on the Masamune's handle and slowly stood up.

Sephiroth X- I wish I could stay a little longer Zack, but I must go.

*Zack slowly nodded.

Sephiroth X- The path I have to take is one that I seriously cannot bring anyone of you guys with... it is far too dangerous...

*X placed a hand on Zack's shoulder.

Sephiroth X- Plus I have a feeling Bax and the others might need your help more then you think, Valtiel is still out there someplace and it will take all of us to stop him.

*Sephiroth X began walking around Zack to the door, and Zack quickly followed behind. As they walked to the main gym they found it empty still.

Sephiroth X- Tell the others I give them my best and tell them good luck... This will probably be the last time I am close to any of them for a good while...

Zack- ... What do you mean?

Sephiroth X- ...Events are about to take place that could open the door to something that destiny has scuplted for me alone to fulfill... There might come a time were I get a chance to contact you one more time, if I do get that chance I will take it... you are like a brother to me Zack... Be safe...

*With those final words Sephiroth X jumped down to the ground floor and slowly started walking away to the gym's exit... Slowly disapearing in the dark shadows of the gymnasium... while at the same time walking towards a darkness that put him to his ultimate test...