Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Birth of the Bahamut ❯ A Time to be Alone. ( Epilogue )

Chapter 10: A Time to be Alone.

Red's dreams however, were troubled. Images of his father surfaced in his mind. Red relived parts of his childhood, his father teaching him to hunt, use magic; communicate with the nature around him. "Remember my son, there are things in nature that we will never see, but you must always pay them the respect that they deserve. The things you cannot see are as much a part of the Earth as we are. Our creed shows our respect, For my people, for-" Red XIII awoke with a start, his eyes unable to focus in the bright morning sunlight that filtered through the great hole in the cavern, blearily he saw everyone else.

They were all moving with purpose, getting everything ready so that they could all leave. The dragon Bahamut Zero was still standing to the side of the encampment, still as a statue, watching over them like … like … like his father. "My father?! What is happening to me?" Red thought wildly, he had managed to put his past behind him but now it was all coming back to haunt him! Red shook his head, "I need to get away, to clear my thoughts…" Getting up, he moved away through the trees.

Cloud looked up from the map he was studying to see the canine moving away into the trees. He was about to get and call for him when Zero interrupted his thoughts. "Leave him alone little one, he needs some time alone." Staring at the copse of trees where he last saw Red XIII, Cloud couldn't help but feel worried. But soon, his mind wandered to the dragon watching over the encampment like a monolith.

"Neo disappeared as soon as Belios' hold was relinquished, and the same for Bahamut and Thanu. But, why are you still here? We have separated, haven't we?"

The question apparently took the dragon by surprise and he fumbled for a few moments for words. Then he fell silent, thinking. Taking a deep breath, the dragon replied. "The hold that Thanu and Belios had upon the dragons were involuntary. They had no bindings within this plane besides Belios' spell. And now that it is gone, they cannot stay in the world unless summoned."

"What about you then?"

"I, uhmm, uh, I am able to stay because … of … you Cloud. I am anchored by your mind." Bahamut Zero fidgeted on his claws. Cloud couldn't help but feel suspicious.

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Red was sitting at the edge of a cliff, letting the sunlight from the top of the cavern warm his body. He was thinking of recent events and trying to figure them out. But, Red kept getting sidetracked with memories of his father. "Why couldn't you be alive Father, I-I miss you so much." He murmured in sorrow.

With a sigh, he moved onto other things. Dwelling upon it would not help. Sometimes it seemed as though the fight would never stop. It had been barely a year since Sephiroth, and the Earth was in danger this time from a spiritual plane. It was a barely understandable threat and only now that he was alone with himself, Red XIII could realize just what Belios had been planning. He was going to use the energy of the summons and merge the spiritual planes with the physical realm. But in using the energy of the righteous summons like Ramuh, there would only be evil summons left and the world would become a dark and desolate place. But was Belios truly dead? If his masters were even a fraction more powerful than he was, then he would most likely appear again. But there was something that cheered Red, Belios has remarked that many times he had come to the Earth in order to destroy it but always he was defeated. It gave Red hope that no matter when Belios should choose to reappear, there would always be people who would be able to banish him.

Looking into the sunlight, Red felt stirrings within him, a joy that he had not felt in a long time, since his father's death and when Shinra captured him. A single ray of sunlight lit up his face and a glimmering of his father entered his mind. "For my people…" Red didn't know how to finish his family creed, it had been lost when his father had died but someday, someday he might find out.

A commotion interrupted him. A deafening voice rang out in his mind. "You went where? Foolish child!" And the more physical voice rang out. "Yuffie!?" "What happened?" ""What the FUCK?!" That startling curse halted everyone and the dragon chose that moment to step in. "They are badly hurt. I think you had better heal them first."

Two elixir's were brought hurriedly and Red loped into the clearing just in time to see Kayin and Yuffie get up, a blue mist evaporating. Kayin was looking down, avoiding the looks of the people crowded around him. Yuffie however was telling them what she knew. "That thing grabbed me and pulled me through the portal! But I was knocked out and the next thing I knew was that I was here with Kayin beside me. He rescued me!" She said his name with an inflection that Red XIII couldn't help but smile. So, he thought, even in the aftermath of battle, hope blossoms. That thought gave Red a good feeling and he stepped into defend Kayin who was being yelled out by Cloud.

Cloud stopped momentarily at Red's interference, but before he could say anything. He caught Red's look. He looked from Red to Kayin and back to Red. "He had to do it." Red XIII said. And suddenly Cloud understood. He took a deep breath and put his hand on Kayin's shoulder. Kayin looked up in surprise.

"I'm sorry Kayin, I didn't realize. I was just worried. It was dangerous and you were so badly hurt. Are you okay?" He asked, seeing the young boy in a different light. Kayin replied.

"Yes I am. Thank you for understanding." And although Kayin was smiling at Cloud, they both knew that Kayin was truly thanking Red XIII for seeing past the obvious to the hidden. Kayin knelt down and put his hands on Red XIII's shoulders. "Red, thank you!" With that he hugged the canine and Red himself smiled broadly.

Everyone else had calmed down by now and the area seemed to be suffused with an aura of joy. The joy that only love can bring when people have lost faith in life. They would never believe again that the Earth was a cold dispassionate place, not worth fighting for. The earth was a place of verdant emotions, bringing the light of love into the lives of those who would fight for it.

The End.

Look for the Sequel!