The Second Coming

PROLOGUE:  THE END1

As he stood in the unknown space after beating Sephiroth for the final time, Cloud let his arms fall to his sides for just a moment of pure relaxation.  He savored the moment; not because Sephiroth was dead, though he certainly didn’t mind, but because he was finally free.  He’d settled his past, saved the Planet, and was no longer stuck in Sephiroth’s shadow.  And as the Lifestream flowed up and around him, he felt a deep reverberation in the back of his mind.  It didn’t hurt, and it wasn’t at all unpleasant.  It felt pleasing, almost a humming sensation.  It was the Planet, he realized.  The humming grew until it finally formed two words in a language he’d never heard, spoken deeply and softly.  “Fehtút kitak.”  Cloud had little time to ponder the meaning of the words as a stretched down to him.2

The team stood on the Highwind’s deck as they watched Meteor slowly push through Holy.3

“Wait a damn minute!  What’s going to happen to Midgar?” Barret nearly shouted.  “We can’t let that happen!”4

“I had everyone take shelter in the slums, but the way things are now...” Cait Sith replied, looking down as he wiped away an imaginary tear.5

“It’s too late for Holy.  Meteor is approaching the Planet.  Holy is having the opposite effect," Red stated grimly.  "Forget Midgar, we’ve gotta worry about the Planet."6

Cid turned the Highwind around and flew about aimlessly with no real course in mind.  As the Lifestream came up and headed toward the cosmic battle over Midgar, the team could only stand in stunned silence as it collided with Meteor, forcing them to shield their eyes from the light as Meteor was torn to pieces and finally destroyed...7

ARE THESE THE CREATURES?8

Cloud’s eyes snapped open and saw that he was next to two people he instantly recognized.  Zack and Aeris.  Cloud tried to say something, but couldn’t, for his mouth was gone.  Not just gone, but simply gone.   Aeris and Zack’s mouths were too, but their eyes held no hint of fear.  Come to think of it, Cloud thought, he wasn’t afraid either.  He heard a reply in the background in a language he didn’t understand, and then the same huge voice from earlier.9

THESE TWO HUMANS AND ONE CETRA ARE TO BE SEALED IN TIME UNTIL THEY ARE NEEDED ONCE MORE. 10

Cloud had no time to mull this over as his brain and body shut down.  His last thought was of the two words the Planet had said to him before, and of Tifa.  Oh, he wanted to Tifa again, just one more time...11