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Nov 1, 2022

An Astral Myth: Chapter 4

Summary: Cloud Strife is a student at Midgar U, who decided to take art history as an elective. But when an assignment on an “obscure god” (nothing Shiva or he gets stabbed with an ice pick) causes repeated dreams of swirling pink clouds in a blue sky, Cloud has to find out what it means. Now he's face to face with the man he knows as a god. Too many questions, and too many answers.

Inspired by this art by @hueyoart and the concept by @ehrenyu on Twitter.

Please Enjoy!

Chapter 4: The True Myth

Cloud couldn’t stop the ridiculous tightening of apprehension in his chest, completely battling that accursed warm weight that unnaturally settled within. He wasn’t sure if he should stay seated or stand up to greet him. This god- man- that approached him radiated intimidation from his gaze, posture, height, aura, everything. Cloud wanted to scream, or run, or bow, or whatever it would take to keep this meeting bloodless. He broke their gaze, searching for an escape, any solace despite the artificial feeling coaxing him calmer than he should be. Maybe he should hop the fence right now-

“Cloud Strife.”

He winced.

That deep voice cut straight through his thoughts and he froze, staring silently at the owner of the voice. He stood up, trying with everything in his mind to keep his plan together. It’s only one conversation. He wouldn’t say anything if he wanted to kill him. “Sephiroth Crescent.” …Right? Cloud couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes. He could only hope that if this went well, the man in front of him would mistake his fear for anxiety.

Sephiroth nodded and held out a hand, but Cloud flinched like a feral animal. His sky blue eyes winced in a silent apology before he glanced at his empty palm and back to the blonde. “A pleasure to finally meet you.”

Oh. With barely three sentences shared between them, Cloud already screwed something up. He swallowed his sudden panic and shook the offered hand. “Y-yeah. Same.” Smooth, Strife. You complete idiot.

However, Sephiroth didn’t seem to mind. He gestured at the table and pulled back the seat across from Cloud. “Let’s get started.”

His blue eyes squinted in confusion for a second before the request registered in his mind. This man was probably used to endless meetings or presentations. Cloud needed to get his questions out quickly then, for both of their sakes. Honestly, the lack of small talk would probably save him from saying something else wrong too. He nodded and returned to his seat. “At the beginning?”

He nodded coolly. “Yes. When did they start?”

The dreams. “About a week ago, now.” Gods. Less than a week and this was ruining him from the inside.

His silver brows crossed. “‘A week’?”

Cloud nodded again before trying to meet his eyes. “What about you?”

He tapped the table anxiously with a black gloved hand. “A month.”

Cloud’s gaze widened before hardening in realization. “When they found the statue…”

He gave a small huff in reply. “You’ve done your research.”

Cloud almost laughed, a few sad exhales leaving his lips. “You have no idea…”

“Believe me. I do.” A solemn counter, the smallest flash of frustrated memories blinked in his expression before cooling.

“I spent most of the past week researching this.” He didn't want to ‘one-up’ the manager in a pity party, but he wanted to give context on what he did and didn’t know. “Even made a moogle drive organizing everything.”

“Can you send that to me?”

Cloud squinted in confusion. “Why?”

“We don’t…” He glanced away, searching quickly for the correct term, “‘remember’... the same things.”

The sudden silence between them stung. “...what?”

He leaned back and crossed his arms. “From what I understand, we each know half the story.”

The blonde nodded. It made sense. He knew so little about the God of the Stars, but just about everything involving his mother. He shook his head softly in disbelief. “No one's translated Reunion past the ‘Star God’s’ arrival.” He glanced away. “Well, not accurately. At all.” And his mind did not fill in the blanks of the translation with the truth past the arrival, only the knowledge that they was wrong.

“...I know…” He clenched his arm. “But I know it. Most of it. I think…”

Cloud’s eyes widened. Sephiroth was just as lost and confused as he was. He wasn’t speaking with a god with some kind of vendetta against him. He was speaking to another person in the exact same predicament, confused and frustrated and trying to keep it together. His anxiety softened at the solidarity.

“It’s complicated…”

Cloud would’ve chortled at the reflection of his own feelings, a small attempt to release the every growing tension, but the sorrow and exhaustion in the silver haired man’s voice iced any warm feelings in an instant.

He shook off his previous thought before asking, “Your knowledge should start at the beginning. Perhaps you should explain first.”

Cloud nodded softly. “Yeah. Yeah- okay. Let me-” He took out his phone, rapidly moving between apps, “Let me get the document.”

“You don’t simply ‘know’ it?”

He shook his head. “No? I only know when I’m reading.”

Sephiroth hummed in an emotion Cloud didn’t recognize.

“I’ll just send you the document through Warker.”

He nodded before taking out his own phone. During their pause, a waiter came over and asked them for their orders. Sephiroth answered before Cloud even had a moment to think. Only appetizers.

Cloud guessed the manager had somewhere else to be after this. Or he didn’t expect this to take too long.

“I got it.”

The student nodded and opened his document on his own. He re-read this so many times. He should have it memorized, but certain details were still fuzzy. They couldn’t afford any miscommunication.

Jenova came to our planet, Gaia, on a meteor dating back about 66 million years. She came to Gaia out of both curiosity and by accident. Because we are one of the few planets with life in the cosmos (or at least the ratio of life to lifeless planets is very very small). Her own curiosity upon spotting our planet turned the trajectory of her meteor, without her knowledge, until it was too late. Regardless, our people accepted her as a new God, worshiping and praising as she wished. She was strikingly beautiful and impossible to look away from, almost like the night sky. Her eyes were red dwarf stars, and her hair was silver as mercury.

Cloud expected some kind of weird look from the manager, but the sky blue eyes stayed fixed on the screen, drinking in each word like the first rain in a desert.

Jenova’s presence or aura, carrying the weight of the cosmos, was too much for the planet to handle. Both the Lifestream and the oceans gravitated toward her like the moon. All types of plants, animals, fish, insects, and fungi suffered or completely died off as a result, even though she was on the planet for only days.

Again, she did not know she caused this. Very few life filled planets were ever graced with her presence. Her incredible power tipped the necessary balance for life, simply too imperious for the fragile conditions to remain.

The people of the planet, the current species at the top of the food chain, asked the goddess to leave for the sake of their world. They asked kindly. They explained the situation and the best of what they could identify. They used logic and few emotions in an attempt to persuade her.

The small anger in her eyes nearly damaged them at a glance alone. She was still curious. She wanted more answers. However, she agreed to leave the planet after seven of our days, for the sake of their pleas.

That anger alone caused diseases and mutations to plague the inhabitants, similar to how overexposure of mako. It didn’t take long for her to notice, but she firmly believed Life’s persistence for survival would overcome it. This unconscious side effect shouldn’t be strong enough to permanently damage the planet.

Being the Cosmos, she saw everything on a large scale. She didn’t know that simply walking on this planet would mirror walking along a dirt path, crushing the ants below the soil despite never seeing them to begin with.

Cloud nearly cringed at his odd wording, hoping he was keeping up with the manager’s speed reading. He never talked or wrote like this, but he followed the feeling when he typed this out by editing one of the first sources he found.

Every planet she visited was affected differently, but none of them had life on this scale. The people were not asking her to leave out of fear, but for the sake of their world. Seven days was too long. Their world was falling to her in only three.

Then Gaia, the Goddess of our Planet, spoke to the other goddess and explained the results of her presence. Intentionally or not, Jenova was killing Gaia (both the planet and the goddess). The Planet made a deal with The Cosmos: to feed her curiosity, let her heal and then send a proxy when it was time.

This proxy would be taught all the knowledge of herself and the creatures that called her being their home. Her people would be informed when the time came, and they would prepare for the proxy. They would respect the proxy as they respected her.

Jenova agreed, on two conditions: Gaia must accept any proxy of her choice, and the people must obey her proxy unquestionably.

Gaia agreed.

Cloud took a second to read Sephiroth’s face, expecting something full of shock or confusion or questions. Yet all he saw was calm, almost solemn focus on his words.

With honor of their agreement, Jenova left the planet, and her virus stopped. Millenia of millenia passed before Gaia informed her people of the messenger’s title and coming arrival only 2,000 years ago.

Her inhabitants, now humans, quickly prepared for his arrival, building shrines, houses of worship, sacrificial altars, and collecting the most knowledgeable books on their world, or at least taking record of where the remaining books and topics could be found. The humans never saw Jenova, but from Gaia’s description alone, they built statues and relics and other symbols of praise and respect. Each region of the planet sculpted her differently, and accidentally led to the belief of false gods/goddesses from the misunderstanding alone. Humankind had five years to prepare, and most cities wasted no time in their construction of respect.

Not once in Gaia’s billions of years of existence did she expect The Cosmos to send the most cherished son: Sephiroth, God of the Stars, as the proxy of the cosmos. Gaia was given no other information about the son, and humanity left empty houses of worship and shrines to fill with the image of the new god after his arrival.

From afar, Sephiroth looked like a shine of light, like a star in the night sky, wings and halo obscuring the light to the illusion of a simple twinkle, a sparkle, a completely different aura emitting when he finally landed on the planet, calming and magnificent turning to imperial intimidation.

Their food arrived on the table just as the manager finished reading the tale. They both acted politely as the waiters arranged the table before returning to the real topic at hand.

Cloud watched as the manager’s eyes snapped to him after completing the transcription. “That’s all I know.” He glanced away, squinting in frustration with a shake of his head. “That doesn’t explain the streak or the statue…”

Sephiroth closed his phone and slid it into his pocket. “I can take it from here.”

The college student simply grabbed a notebook from his bag. Upon the odd look from the other man, he explained, “I don’t want to forget anything.” There was too much at stake for another miscommunication to hold him back. This past needed to be much larger than him.

Sephiroth nodded, waiting for the student to fish out a mechanical pencil. A gesture in allowance from the student signaled his final breath before beginning. “The arrival of…” He hesitated, tensing his shoulders.

Cloud gave him a weird look.

“...His… arrival caused the Northern Crater.”

Oh no. Oh gods. That hesitation. Something was wrong. If this man was already fighting the urge to speak like the god, then he might need to run. Cloud adjusted his tension and his posture on the seat, in case he needed to bolt out of the establishment to avoid a sudden stabbing.

Sephiroth only tensed and cringed as he tried to explain from an outsider’s perspective, “Compared to Jenova, the God of the Stars was not as understanding of mistakes and misjudgments. He was fully ready to destroy Gaia and take its life for himself in retaliation for commanding his mother to do anything. He did not care that it became a mutual agreement. He only acknowledged that the pathetic creatures of Gaia spoke against The Cosmos itself.”

Cloud gulped.

“However, with the respect, passion, and structures humanity treated him with upon arrival, he waited. His mother still desired knowledge of this planet’s people and creatures. He could not justify his rage with this planet against his mother’s wishes without greater reason. The knowledge, feasts, and shelters they prepared for him were extravagant. Some priests and worshipers spent nearly all their time with him, catering to his every whim and curiosity. The most devoted spoke of meeting his mother one day, when either the planet could withstand her presence, or they found their own way across the stars. Humanity did almost everything perfectly. Almost.”

Why do we never learn? We will absolutely cause our own extinction. Cloud shook off the intrusive thought to continue writing notes.

“One: he hated sacrifices, and stopped the first attempt of someone nearly giving their life for his existence. Sacrifices served no purpose other than meaningless loss of life, in his eyes.

“Two: despite all the efforts of humankind, a rebel faction grew. They were afraid. He was a god, more powerful than the planet they stood on. They feared a single snap of his fingers would evaporate their existence, and tried to prevent it themselves. They feared the side effect of Jenova’s anger through him. And they tried to kill him.”

Cloud’s face opened in shock, his lips slightly parted as he stared at the eyes of the man in front of him.

They were changing, the normally round pupil curled and squished to cat-like slits.

Just like the god in his dream and the photo on his phone.

“They caused the very thing they meant to avoid. The god released the virus through a thin gray fog. When they did not die fast enough for his rage, he nearly amassed a nova to incinerate them all.

“His worshipers begged him to reconsider. Begging for forgiveness.

“And so did the planet.”

Cloud felt his stomach drop and the warmth of that odd feeling return. Something was coming. Whatever he was about to learn was more important than all the lore he read on his own combined.

“Only when the goddess pleaded did he diminish the deadly sphere. Her voice, somehow, reminded him of his mother. And he remembered her desire to see this planet again someday.

“So he stopped his summon and his virus.

“But he wanted retaliation. Punishment for humanity’s audacity, stupidity, and utter lack of control of their fear. They needed to remember forever. No one should forget his name.

“He wanted a sacrifice. And only one stepped forward.”

…me…

“This was odd, as it was one of the few worshipers he barely interacted with. A boy, less than halfway through his life with so much to live for. Why would he throw his life away like this?

“That devotion unlocked something in him. Something he needed to test.

“His sword absorbed light around it like a black hole. The sacrifice he desired was much more than losing a life. A sacrifice through his hand would link them to the next cycle of stars. They would both return. And when they returned, they would meet again. The follower would find him first, and fulfill the pact.

“The god wanted proof the planet was worth his mother’s return someday. The follower needed to prove that humanity was worth saving, worth her time.

“If he failed, the god knew he could keep the planet alive while destroying its parasitic apex predators. He would start with his sacrifice’s most cherished, then claim the planet without mercy.

“But the boy still agreed.

“They sealed the pack, the promise of reunion, with a sword through the worshiper’s heart.”

Cloud’s breath hitched.

“...From what I understand, there are two reunions.” Sephiroth sighed, looking away as his eyes returned to circular black pupils. Human again. Human. “You and I, and Jenova and Gaia. Whether it is peaceful or deadly, is up to you. Us.” He corrected the last of his statement with a frustrated growl.

His head shook slowly, softly. “I don’t understand… How am I supposed to ‘prove humanity is worth saving’?”

“I have absolutely no idea.” That’s encouraging. “You- We- have a week to figure it out.”

“Can’t I just convince you or something? Do you want humanity to die?”

Sephiroth shook his head. “Name me one person who truly believes we won’t end up causing our own extinction.”

Cloud winced, silent for a moment.

“I’m actively trying to change my own thoughts, but even when I do convince myself, something triggers them back.” He locked eyes with the boy before him. “I need your help.”

“What triggers them back?”

He glanced away. “These memories… I know they’re changing me. I don’t know how much longer ‘I’ have left. These thoughts…”

Cloud held his breath.

He closed his eyes, his hand curling and entire body tensing, like he didn’t want his next words to leave his mouth. “She looked very nice on Friday…”

Blue eyes darkened as sudden rage claimed the student. He grasped the pepper spray in his pocket, leaning closer without a care for self preservation. “If you touch her-!”

“I Don’t. Want to,” He struggled to explain as he held a hand to his head, his sky blue gaze rapidly moving to every detail in sight to avoid the understandable reaction. “But I’m losing myself. Every day. A little more. I’m losing myself…”

Cloud leaned back hesitantly, keeping his weapon at the ready.

“When that meteor- Mother- Jenova- lands,” He winced and cringed his way through his own explanation. “I will lose all of my ‘human self’, and return to the god I was.” He hated it. He hated it all, but this boy was his only hope.

Cloud saw that now.

“That will be your final chance to prove this planet and these people are worthy.”

Cloud stared in hopeless bewilderment, his voice breathless. “How am I supposed to do that…? I can barely prove to myself that we’re worth anything! And that was before all of this.”

He took a breath. “My only suggestion, is to prove the planet is worthy first. We both know that will be easier.”

Cloud thought back on the tale the silver haired man spun moments ago. “Don’t we have to make it stronger?”

His brow raised.

“You know, strong enough that Jenova can arrive without more damage?”

It took a second before he nodded.

“Then maybe…” Cloud wanted a place to start. There had to be something he could do to start this. There had to be. The Planet. The Planet. The Planet. Life. Lifestream. “...mako…”

That caught his full attention. “Mako?”

“Don’t Soldiers get mako injections? Maybe if we get them, we can learn something to strengthen the planet?”

Sephiroth shook his head and looked down. “No such luck. There’s not a single report of anyone hearing the planet after receiving mako injections.”

“True…” Cloud glanced away. “But we’re both clearly different than normal people right now.” A memory flashed through his mind. A dream, when the god finally approached without the weapon. So close. So very close. His eyes. “...And ‘the god’ had mako blue eyes in my final dream…”

He immediately snapped his phone out of his pocket and rapidly searched for something. “We should absolutely get them then. Today.”

Cloud froze. “Today…?”

His rapid typing continued as he spoke. “Yes. Today. Right now. You’re free, correct?”

His stunned thoughts forbade words to leave his throat. “Uh…”

Sephiroth nodded, putting his phone away before standing. “Let’s go.”

Cloud didn’t even realize he was standing too. “W-wait.” Oh great, his stutter’s back.

The man stopped. “What is it?”

“Hey, hands off my girl, alright?”

Zack.

Cloud turned around, and sure enough, his two friends were currently blocked by the black haired bodyguard the manager arrived with. The redhead stayed behind Sephiroth. That detail already felt like a lifetime ago, like a different person experienced it.

“You’re not taking him anywhere,” Zack growled.

“Not without us,” Aerith added, more like a kind plea than an attack. “We just want to make sure Cloud’s okay.”

Cloud immediately turned to the older man. He didn’t want a fight starting over him. “They’re friends. They’re just trying to help. Please.”

Sephiroth nodded and turned to the guard. “Angeal, stand down. They mean me no harm.”

The burly man gave a simple nod in return before turning to allow them passage, and both Zack and Aerith pushed through.

“If he agrees, just let us go with him,” Aerith asked the silver haired manager.

“Are you okay with this?” He looked to Cloud.

“Y-yeah.”

The sky blue eyes met the girl again. “Fine by me. We’ll take my car.”

“Wait, just like that?” Zack questioned. “No argument?”

“Of course. We have no time to waste. This is a simple request.” He turned to the redhead. “Genesis?”

“Yes?” His reply came immediately as he faced the manager.

“Do you know where we’re going?”

“Yes. I’ll drive. Toss me the keys,” He held out his hand for the offering, and it took no time at all for Sephiroth to place the metal strips in his hand.

“Then let’s go.”

With only a few more confused protests of delay, they all found themselves in the luxurious car on the way to the nearest Soldier facility.

Thanks for reading!

Author’s Notes: I made it. I JUST made it. I told you I would have this up by Halloween. And it’s…10 minutes before November first. I hope you enjoyed it! AUs are so weird and interesting to write with all the details I need to balance. I have a headache now, but it’s done! Thanks for reading!

Not sure what the next update will be yet, but I’m leaning towards Damaged Doll so keep an eye out for that by Thanksgiving.

Edit: Forgot to add this, sorry! Thank you specifically to @peachspore303 for being the ONLY comment on my "what should I update next" post. Hope you enjoyed it too!

Chapter 1 - Assignment Chapter 2 - The Chances Chapter 3 - Planning Chapter 4 - The True Myth Chapter 5 - Mako Injections Chapter 6 - B

#ff7 #final fantasy vii #cloud strife #Sephiroth #sephiroth #ff7 aerith #zack x aerith #zack fair #zack ffvii #genesis rhapsodos #ff7 angeal #ffvii angeal #this took away too long #I'm glad I finally got it up #I've been so busy...#I hope everyone waiting for this has a good time with all the lore!#thanks for reading!#happy halloween!

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