Final Fantasy VII Crisis From The Sky Part Six: Story Time With Tim

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome! Here we go again for another posting of FFVII Crisis From The Sky, my fanfiction novella covering that part of FFVII’s history where the Cetra first encounter the creation that falls from the skies to nearly wipe them all out. It isn’t one of my better works, but it does still hold up fairly decently. But, if you haven’t gotten caught up yet, why not click on the links below and start following the adventure?

Final Fantasy VII Crisis From The Sky Part One

Final Fantasy VII Crisis From The Sky Part Two

Final Fantasy VII Crisis From The Sky Part Three

Final Fantasy VII Crisis From The Sky Part Four

Final Fantasy VII Crisis From The Sky Part Five

With that out of the way and everyone all caught up, let’s get on with the next part! And thanks for reading and read to you again soon!

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* * * * *

What are you doing? I can feel you here. This power is so savory. I must acquire this creature. What is it they called her? Those that came with her… Oh, yes, he thought to himself as he stood, staring into the dark outer circle surrounding the perimeter of the cavern. He had given pursuit the second he made contact with her eyes. She was the one he’d been looking for. Every civilization had a direct descendant from their progenitor. And this one was the Cetra’s. He smiled in spite, and spat out his words.

  “Cierra, isn’t it? What a beautiful name. You Cetra, there is a power in you. This power is marked by the lifeforce flowing through this planet. You should know something about me, I was created to destroy. When my usefulness was through, and the threat of my self-affiliation was recognized, they cast me aside; thrust me into the endless abyss. However, I have but one purpose, to spread the seed of chaos. When the time comes, I will seek out my creator, and destroy him. And those who employed his unique talents… but, first, I need power, and intellect. You fit both bills…” he uttered in grinning disdain.

  Enson watched as the form of Cierra emerged swiftly and thrust her weapon towards his abdomen. He didn’t try to evade her and let her jam the sword through his body. The smile waned only slightly as the pain shot through his system. He grabbed her head and pulled Cierra closer to his body. She threw him to the floor and he pulled her with him. They rolled across the floor jamming the weapon all the way through his form. Before the life could flee him, though, he forced her eyes towards his visage. His essence flowed from his form and into hers. Shrieks of terror and anguish filled his ears with savory joy. Yet, she resisted.

* * * * *

Cierra winced as the force entered her body. No! Get out of my head! Get out of my body! What are you!? she screamed internally and let out a shriek externally. The power of the entity was overbearing. Though, she sensed a greater power within herself, elsewise, the creature wouldn’t wish for her so badly. However, she was ill prepared to fight a mental battle with an entity that had did just so for eons.

  Time passed in her mind as she saw what the thing had done over its long existence. Chaos to many worlds had been wrought by the creature in servitude of a warring Civilization. However, that civilization had entered an era of peace, and their biological weapon was no longer needed. This weapon was taking control of her mind and she slammed her hands into the stone floor, screaming with the effort of internal warfare.

  An avalanche of stone cascaded from the ceiling practically burying them both. The shockwave had, surprisingly, come from her own aura. Cierra was devastated to know what she could have become and even more disgusted that she was losing. Her torso and her right arm remained unburied as she struggled with the vacant gaze of the creature whose body was quickly fading in life. Huge stones were crushing its back and its horrible stare lingered towards her eyes. She couldn’t look away.

  “Ugh! Get off me! Tiamus… help me…” she said, closing her eyes under the weight of the debris.

  The creature Enson went limp upon her. Sweat poured from every gland in Cierra’s body and then she only saw the dark. She collapsed underneath the stone and her breathing grew shallow. A stale wind blew from the widened hole above, causing a thin layer of snow to coat the two bodies under the stones.

* * * * *

Twenty-five warriors sat atop their Choboa staring at the remains on the battlefield. Already, a sheet of snow was covering the corpses. It was easy to tell, though, that this was the contingent that Cierra had led.

  Sion looked the field over and felt a thick fear settle over him. These were fifty warriors that died under a brutal onslaught. Those he led were only twenty-five. How could they hope to be victorious over a calamity that could bring about so much death?

  “I don’t see her here. She must have escaped to Collust. What do we do now, Sion?” Nilo inquired as he trotted his Choboa beside Sion.

  A sigh came forth from Sion’s lips. He wasn’t sure what they could do anymore. Things had just gone from worse to hopeless. He looked towards the distance and where he imagined what Tohen looked like. He shook his head.

  “We pray,” were Sion’s only words as he turned his Choboa and headed back for Collust. The Predecessor ceased its forward momentum and stared through its three long stalks at the far distance. It could feel the anxiety of Mother Tiamus. Something had gone wrong. The Calamity had been underestimated. Only a handful of Cetra stood, now, between the Calamity and its dark desires. Tiamus could not wait for much longer. Were the Calamity to be left unchecked, she would perish into the ashes of history.

  The Colleia Basin lay out before the Predecessor and presented too much of a hindrance to its progression were it to continue walking. Massive wings unfolded from protective flaps drawn flat against the upper torso. With little effort, the creature lifted into the air and made headway to Collust.

  The Predecessor allowed its long tail to trail behind it in the wind. Six needles waggled in the air at the tip of the tail in testy demeanor. A slight shadow from the scorpionesque beast drew its outline on the snow-covered fields of the basin. It would wait for the right moment to strike, allowing the Cetra time to battle against the Calamity.

* * * * *

Particles of snow drifted across the form of Cierra who lie trapped beneath fallen stone. She awoke and opened her eyes to soft light filtering into the cavern she had battled Enson within. Enson lie dead on top of her and she tried to remove his body. The stone prevented any massive movement.

  She shut her eyes and drew in a breath and, instinctively, the innate power that was buried within her shell. She held her right arm out to the side and called forth an invisible force to shatter the debris. Dust and snow littered the air making it difficult to see and move. This didn’t stop her from moving forward to the exit, though. Wiping her forehead with the sleeve of her wet and frigid right arm, she stepped over Enson and paid him no further attention.

  A short time later, she found herself back at the entrance to the cave. She strained her eyesight against the sudden brightness after having been within the cavern. She stumbled into the open air and fell to the ground. With some effort, Cierra got upon her hands and knees. With shallow breaths, she regained her composure and issued forth a smile to the frozen ground.

* * * * *

Exhaustion overpowered the group of twenty-five warriors as they re-entered Collust. Depression eked its way through the consciousness of all who returned. The Cetra way of life was coming to an end. Those that had remained in Collust, had at last abandoned their city. Which left these warriors very solemn as they walked through the city.

  “We will hold position here. The Calamity will come for Collust and we must make sure to prevent it from leaving the Knowlespole,” Sion commanded.

  “As you wish. Though, I wonder how we will hold this Calamity back?” Nilo questioned bringing his Choboa up beside Sion.

  “I guess we’ll find out,” Sion quipped. “I’m heading to the chambers to see if the Supreme Chancellor remained. He had mentioned he would, and, if that’s the case, we should protect him the best we can.”

  “We’ll gather what weapons we can find. Hopefully, we’ll find something that can be advantageous for us,” Nilo commented.

Sion nodded and guided his Choboa towards the Grand Council chambers. The city made from ancient shells, was a lonely sight to behold when there was no one around. Essentially, Collust had become a ghost town. He shook his head slowly, feeling forlorn over how quickly everything had gone wrong in their lives. Shadows lurked around every bend, reminding him of his failure to counter the looming threat. Now, there was only the vague hope of fighting back the Calamity.

  He dismounted his Choboa outside the chamber perimeters and entered the massive complex built into the side of the mountain. Shortly, he found himself staring into the empty amphitheater as he briskly walked towards the smaller meeting chambers at the eastern border. Entering the room, he glanced around looking for any sign of the Supreme Chancellor and his Viceroy. He saw two forms hunched in their seats at the end of the chamber Council table. With great uneasiness, he edged towards the two and drew his sword. They weren’t moving and he saw blood caking the Supreme Chancellor’s robes.

  “This can’t be… Chancellor? Viceroy?” he beckoned the lifeless bodies to speak. When no answer was forthcoming, which he hadn’t expected, he held his sword to his side and inched closer to the table center. The torches in the chamber had been extinguished and a skylight above cast a dual ray of light upon the two men.

  “It’s intriguing, you know,” a familiar voice halted Sion in mid-step, “I expected so… much… more.”

  The voice manifested itself from behind the Chancellor’s chair. A woman with long hair walked slowly into the beaming light, grinning with an insanely evil grin. Sion recognized her at once and was both thrilled and alarmed.

  “Cierra! …What are you doing here? The Council told me you had set out to the east! What happened here?” he questioned quickly, still maintaining a grip on his weapon. Cierra slid herself towards the table edge and sat upon its surface. She brushed back her hair and stared at Sion. She wasn’t herself. And, Sion was starting to get a very bad feeling about all this.

  “What happened? Heh. They couldn’t handle the pressure and well… see for yourself,” Cierra said, motioning towards their limp forms.

  “So, you must be the Calamity. Release my wife,” Sion demanded, coming to a straight posture.

  “I am your wife, Sion,” she replied with an innocent expression and propped her right hand on her chest.

  “I know my wife. Her aura is one of beauty. I sense from you only hate!” Sion pointed his sword at Cierra, or what was once Cierra.

  “You would be the first to see. The Cetra, well those lavishing themselves within these frivolous structures, aren’t real perceptive. City life has definitely, dulled their wits,” Cierra spoke with malicious tones and stood to walk around the outside of the table, “Those nomadic simpletons put up more of a fight. These two were kind enough to instruct me as to the location of the remaining Cetra bands. With the exception of a few tribes wandering around the Northern Boundaries, of course. Those, I will deal with after I satiate my thirst.”

  “Release Cierra, please…” Sion beseeched the shadowy creature within her form.

  “Let loose this kind of power? This woman wasn’t using what was hers by right! She squandered away her meaningless existence playing sub-servient slave for you! Mother, housewife, Councilwoman… but, this power beckons for the truth,” she held her left hand up in an emphatic fist of raw hatred. “Allow me to demonstrate her potential for you!”

  Cierra held wide her arms and looked up towards the ceiling. Her body lifted off the ground as an invisible wave surrounded her. Sion stepped back a few paces as she summoned forth a fierce thunderclap. The shockwave ripped through the room and pushed Sion back towards the far wall. He held up his arms in a feeble gesture of blocking the unexpected attack.

  Seconds felt like an eternity to him until the wave subsided. He found himself standing just a fraction of a step away from the edge of what used to be the back of the chambers. He looked down to see the city sprawled out below. The precarious step he maintained gave way and he found himself careening down the side of the mountain slope. Sion twisted himself to keep his feet and legs pointed down at the impact zone he was fast approaching. A swirling birth of snow and debris was tossed into the air at Sion’s landing.

  Sion coughed up bits of rubble and black soot covered cumulation. Crawling out of the debris, and feeling very lucky to have survive, he looked up to see his wife, the Calamity, floating on an invisible field and out into the open above the city.

* * * * *

Nilo heard an explosion and looked up to see the front wall of the Grand Council chambers blow outward. He was shocked at the event and even more so when Sion fell out the newly formed exit. Then, Cierra floated out of the fresh ruin. He could only stare as the woman floated over the city and began to survey the terrain as if looking for something to destroy. He wasn’t misguided in the thought when, a moment later, she lifted her hands causing several homes to implode. This was followed by a shockwave that blew him off his feet.

  He sat up from where he lay on his back and saw Sion running around the bend of the neighborhood. He jumped to his feet and rushed towards Sion.

  “What in the world!?” Nilo began, unsure of what it was that he was seeing.

  “Cierra’s succumbed to the Calamity,” Sion stated and crouched behind a building.

  “No… what do we do?” Nilo quietly asked, numb at the thought.

  “We have to save her!” Sion shouted and rushed out into the open, waving his arms like mad, trying to get her attention.

  “Sion! …how pray-tell do you think we can do that?” Nilo asked himself.

  By the gods! Cierra! Stop this! Sion shouted internally, waving his arms hoping she would hear his silent plea and become herself again. However, she only answered his gesturing with another shockwave that destroyed four homes outright, and damaged thirteen others. He looked around and saw that Cierra was tearing Collust apart. He couldn’t understand why. The Calamity wanted to spread the virus and capture the souls of those it infected. But why are you destroying the cities? Or is it… because we are all that stands between you and the Cetra? he thought and saw Cierra’s smile broaden as if in answer to his unspoken question.

  Dozens of arrows immediately filled the air, as the warriors that remained counter-attacked Cierra’s barrages. The arrows were nearly dead-on and only missed by inches.

  “No! Stop! Don’t hurt her!” he shouted to his men, who couldn’t hear him over their own shouts of fear and anguish.

  It was a futile command anyhow, as Cierra responded with a motioning of her hands. This time, instead of a shockwave, there came an Avalanche from the ground. Sion had never seen such a thing before. Stone and dirty snow rose and covered those firing arrows. Then a fierce wind shot forth, piercing several warriors with small pebbles. Blood seeped from their wounds and they collapsed to the ground. Snow turned red under their slain bodies.

  Sion ducked behind another structure as a whirlwind ripped through the center of the city, shattering the markets and rest facilities for travelers. He grimaced at the destruction and wondered how to save his wife, and how he would survive the onslaught being brought upon them. This is hopeless… he thought.

  A screech pierced the air distracting Sion from his own considerations. Flying across the canyon rim was the Predecessor. It came to a hovering position just beyond the gully the led to Collust. Cierra paused her strike and saw the beast.

  Sion witnessed green flame spewing from the eyestalks and mouth of the Predecessor. At the same time, it unleashed a volley of spiked energy from the six needles on the tail. He wanted to scream for Cierra to watch out, but he saw her smiling. The green flame hit her invisible energy field and flow harmlessly around the spherical apparition. She lifted her hand and the energy spikes flung from her path and smashed into the sides of the canyon. Stone fell from the gashes and an avalanche of rock formed on the ground.

  Refocusing on Cierra, Sion saw her hands rotating around each other and then a massive ice wave struck out at the Predecessor. It raised its two clawed arms and blocked the ice. However, the invisible wave that drove the ice smashed into the beast. The Predecessor was encompassed by the icy wave and froze in mid-air. Cierra snapped her fingers and the creature shattered into millions of tiny shards.

  An awful cackling filled the air, and Sion saw Cierra spinning in the air in joyous rapture. She then continued her barrage on Collust. Only ten warriors remained and they were avoiding Cierra the best they could. The arrow assault was halted, since it only resulted in instant death.

  A chanting reverberated throughout the canyon, which gave pause to those engaged in the one-sided battle. Sion looked around in curiosity, What the…!? Now, what’s happening? he thought and then saw figures lining the top ridges of the canyon. Those figures were chanting hymns to Tiamus. I don’t believe it… the tribes…

* * * * *

I knew I should have exterminated you pests when I had the chance! Cierra thought angrily and raised her arms. The rhythmic chantings were giving her a headache and disrupting her focus. She was about to unleash a shockwave when a shout echoed up into her ears.

  “Cierra! Please! Fight it! Tiamus is here! Fight it!” Sion screamed from where he stood in the middle of an avenue.

  “Be gone with you, gnat!” Cierra responded and raised her hand to summon a blaze to engulf his body.

  Noooo! Came a pleading and exasperated voice in her head.

  Cierra grabbed her head and struggled against the voice. It was forceful. Much more so than it had been before. She looked at the gathered Cetra around the rim and heard the chanting growing louder.

  “Go… away! I own this now! You are nothing!” Cierra screamed to herself trying to force the voice to grow silent.

  I will not be silenced! You… eyaaa! You may have taken my body… but you’ll never assimilate my soul! the voice exclaimed. Cierra found her vision growing blurry. The Calamity was losing control.

  “I don’t need your soul, silly girl! I only need the vessel and the power it commands!” Cierra shot back and unleashed a massive shockwave that leveled several blocks of the downtown area.

  However, this caused a dizziness within the Calamity, and it fell from the air and landed upon a heap of rubble. Cierra rolled down the ruined slope and flopped unto her stomach. She lay face down for several moments. Sion had seen her fall and came running to her aid. Hearing his approach, Cierra got up unsteadily and tried to send another burning wave towards him.

  “I’ve had it with this species!” she screamed and shot her arm forward, but nothing occurred.

  She grabbed her head as the voice returned. This time, the Cierra within wouldn’t let the Calamity regain composure so quickly.

  “Sion!” she called.

  “Cierra! You’re back!” he replied and rushed forward.

  “No!” she commanded him and held her hand out for him to stop.

  Cierra held one hand to the left side of her head and blood was pouring from a wound there. Her eyes looked at him briefly then cast themselves away. The Calamity was fighting for control and wrenched at her gut nearly causing her to fall to her knees.

  “Kill me! Do it now…” she forced out, her breath fleeting as she waged war with the Calamity.

  Its evil and control were fierce and unrelenting. There was no way she could stave it off indefinitely. Only the chanting of the Cetra tribes above had allowed for her to break the concentration of the Calamity. She could sense several hundreds rushing down the mountain sides to counter the threat she posed. She was Cierra no more. This moment was all that she was given.

  “Sion! Don’t hesitate! Now… ugh…” she fell to her knees and Sion rushed forward.

  The Calamity siezed the moment and brought up her fist, slamming it into Sion’s face. He reeled from the impact and drew his sword.

  “We can save you!” he responded, fearing the dread of truth.

  “Save yourself, Pion!” the Calamity responded and drew forth an invisible force to unleash at Sion.

  Cierra’s eyes grew dark and malevolent. Her hands grasped the air before her and spun a web of destruction. That destruction faded in that moment, however, as the internal battle shifted gears yet again.

  “Now…” she commanded and thrust herself towards Sion.

  Sion instinctively brought forth his weapon and Cierra’s body was pierced upon the blade as it ran through her stomach and out the rear of her ribcage. Sion stared into her eyes as he saw her life fading and felt the wretched, stabbing aura of sorrow.

  “I love you, Sion… Don’t look at me!” she spoke and turned her head and closed her darkening eyes, her right hand blocking his face. “You must destroy this body! Take it somewhere far from here… ensure the Calamity cannot return… It jumps… through… the vision of the soul… go and take care of…”

  Cierra continued as ripples of black energy sought its way past her eyelids. Sion could see little black strands of the energy trying to escape. A thousand needles cut off anything more Cierra had to say, as the tribal marksmen shot her full of poison darts. His tears moistened the hand she had placed in front of his eyes to prevent him from looking at her as it went limp.

  Nilo pulled Sion away from his wife. He fought his friend’s grasp to no avail and was drug away sobbing. No! Not Cierra! Tiamus… why must this be!? he cried and could sense the world weeping with him.

* * * * *

Nearly a week later, Sion followed the procession of Cetra tribesmen to the pass that would lead to the Northern Boundaries of the Knowlespole. At the center of the group, there was a casket containing the solidly wrapped form of Cierra. Ice and snow packed the coffin of his wife and served a dual purpose. One was to keep her from decomposing and risking the exposure of the virus that inhabited her lifeless body. The second was to prevent the Calamity from jumping to another soul.

  The tribesmen had communicated with Tiamus and had understood what must be done. They had traveled to where the final conflict would transpire and brought with them the thickest furs. Now, Sion could only stare at the stone coffin. A cold chill ran a course through his veins and he looked away towards the mountainous terrain surrounding them.

  Pinkish hues gave way to the splendor of snowy peaks far in the distance. Clouds were clearing and, finally, a gentle sun was shining down upon the Knowlespole. Soft kwehing of the Choboa calmed Sion’s unsteady heart as a slight breeze caressed his face.

  Once more, he gazed upon the coffin beside him on the cart being towed. For the first time in the week since her fall, he smiled. It was a bitter smile, but it was also accompanied by the feeling that Cierra had reached her Promised Land. And, for this, he was happy. Cierra…

* * * * *

Freezing water welcomed the stone coffin as it plunged into its grasp. A chanting filled the air as the Cetra gathered around the long, cavernous pit that led deep into the welling lifestream far below. Sion stared down into the hole in the earth, watching the coffin slide down the slope into the water. After everything was said and done, he turned his Choboa and walked a few paces to where Nilo waited.

  “You ready?” Nilo inquired, feeling the burden of all that had transpired.

  “Yes… It is time I joined my son in the southern isles… Cierra has returned to the planet,” Sion stated flatly and looked to the ground.

  “This is good,” Nilo replied, gazing at the pit a dozen tribesmen sat around.

  “You realize, of course, that I won’t be returning here…” he related to his friend.

  “Oh, that’s ok. I’ll miss home, but it seems, a little sun just may do us some good,” said Nilo with a slight smile.

  Sion chuckled slightly and turned south. Nilo motioned for the eight warriors going with them to mount their Choboa. The group left the tribal Cetra to care for the Knowlespole and, with Cierra’s gravesite to their backs, they began their journey.

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And another week has come and gone! Hope you enjoyed Final Fantasy VII Crisis From The Sky and that you’ll be back next week for my next posting. It was a good and long read but I think it worked out well. Thanks for dropping by and continuing to frequent my blog! If you’re new, I do hope you have gone through some of my older posts and found something to enjoy even further. So, read to you again soon and I appreciate your taking the time to read my posts!

~Timothy S Purvis

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