Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Dreams ❯ Rekindled ( Chapter 25 )

Thanks reviewers!!! I love you all!!! Responses at end.

 

Chapter 25: Rekindled

 

“Somehow, I expected more,” commented Gilgamesh, raising an eyebrow at what remained of Midgar. From the events six months prior, Diamond Weapon's attack, the destruction of Meteor, and more recently, the monster army attack, the town was in less than suitable shape. To be honest, it was hanging on by a thin thread. Midgar seemed more suited for demolition than rebuilding.

 

“Hard to believe it was originally created as the pinnacle of design, the best that ShinRa could devise,” Seraph added in solidly, slowly climbing down from Masa's back to allow the black chocobo to rest.

 

The demi-god and he had left Kalm and headed straight for Midgar, only stopping once for a small rest before continuing on their journey. The former General had felt a strange sense of urgency, as if he had to be in the once glorious city before a certain time, and pushed Masa to move her quickest. As a result, the chocobo was more than tired, barely able to stand on her own two feet.

 

He stood on the outskirts, with a bit of indecision. There wasn't a chocobo stable in sight, and Masa desperately needed a rest. He scanned the lower section of Midgar once again, moss green eyes finally settling on a small abandoned building on the edge. It would have to do.

 

He led the black chocobo to the small building and opened the door, which was thankfully unlocked. The former General removed the saddle and harness from her back and settled them down on the floor. It was very dusty within the structure, but enough light streamed in from the windows that Masa would have no trouble seeing.

 

The chocobo warbled happily and immediately settled down for a nap. The dark-haired man patted her gently on the head, hefted his pack onto his back over one shoulder and left the building, searing its location within his memory. Gilgamesh was waiting outside, looking more than bored. He was tapping his foot impatiently.

 

“You'd think after being alive so long, you would pick up a little thing called patience,” Seraph commented with bemusement as he passed by the demi-god and headed into the lower realms of Midgar, commonly called the slums. He believed his current section was Sector 5.

 

Gilgamesh snorted. “Or maybe I have been alive so long I no longer have any patience.”

 

Seraph waved a hand of dismissal. “You're just irritable.”

 

The demi-god didn't respond, only shot him a glare and snorted derisively. The two continued into Midgar, passing by many abandoned buildings but very few people. What few residents they did find, regarded them with thinly veiled suspicion from their makeshift shelters and their tattered clothing. The dark-haired man couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing it was his deranged actions that caused much of their suffering. He wondered if there was anything he could do to atone for his mistakes.

 

“Stop that!” Gilgamesh ordered, breaking their companionable silence.

 

Seraph furrowed his brow and cast a look at the demi-god. “Stop what?”

 

“The broody feelings of worthlessness, and don't ask how I know; it is all over your face. If Gaia did not have a reason, she would not have bothered.”

 

Seraph sighed and was about to respond when a light sound caught his ears. He cocked his head to the side and drew to a stop, listening intently. It was vaguely recognizable sound, but it was one that demanded his attention.

 

Gilgamesh stopped moving as well, giving him a look of confusion. “What are yo…“

 

But a look from Seraph silenced the demi-god.

Then the former General heard the sound again. Like that of weeping, and it came from the alley next to him. Focusing in on the crying, Seraph moved slowly towards the darkened passage, surrounded on either side by abandoned houses. He peered into the shadows but couldn't see anything save three trash cans. Then he heard the sniffling again. It was quiet and muffled, but definitely not a product of his imagination. Satisfied that someone was indeed within the alley, Seraph stepped inside.

 

“Hello?” he called out, hoping to draw out the individual. No one responded. The dark-haired man turned back to Gilgamesh, but the demi-god had disappeared. Seraph shrugged elegantly and went to investigate, certain that if there were tears, he was in no danger.

 

He pushed past the mouth of the alley and gingerly stepped over the litter and debris that covered the ground, eyes scanning for signs of life. It wasn't until the moved past the trash cans that he found the source of the crying.

 

It was a boy, no older than four. He was crouched back into the smallest space he could fit into, his head buried in his arms. He was dirty, and his clothes were torn, but he didn't appear to be hurt. There were no other people around him. The child had scraggly brown hair, but that was all that Seraph could make out.

 

The ex-SOLDIER's heart sighed at the pitiful site, and he knew he couldn't just turn away and leave the youth to fend for himself. Monsters still roamed the city, and though they had stayed well enough away from his well-armed self and his anima, they wouldn't think twice about devouring a small child.

 

The man moved forward and knelt down in front of the child. His mind went blank as he was unaccustomed to talking to children. Seraph sighed to himself for a moment before deciding to just wing it.

 

“Hello; are you here alone?” he asked, voice soft and pleasant.

 

The child continued to sniff as he slowly raised his head to look at him, brown eyes red-rimmed and watery. His brown hair was falling into his face. He nodded once but did not say anything before his lower lip trembled; he began to sob once more.

 

“Where are your parents?”

 

The boy didn't respond, only shook his head from side to side as his body wracked with his sorrow. The child was obviously very miserable and probably hungry and scared as well. He dropped his head back into his arms.

 

Seraph watched him for a moment, pity rising in his heart. He couldn't just leave the boy on his own, he wouldn't survive. There wasn't much to it than to take the child with him. He sighed and held out a hand.

 

“What's your name?”

 

The boy raised his head and looked at him but didn't say anything. It was as if he had gone mute. He watched the dark-haired man for a moment, eyeing him warily before slowly unfolding his limbs and reaching out a small hand, several sizes smaller than Seraph's own.

 

The former General smiled softly before taking the boy's hand and climbing to his feet, the child rising with him. Just then, a stomach growled at the same moment that a somewhat dirty hand wiped angrily at tear marks across a face.

 

Seraph would have laughed in amusement if he had thought the kid wouldn't have become angry, scared, or would have run away.

 

The man reached around with one hand and dug into his pack before pulling out something similar to a granola bar. Not candy or anything tasty like a child would really enjoy, but it would help to push away the hunger pains. He unwrapped the granola and handed it to the brunet.

 

The kid took it, looked at it, and then took a tentative bite, chewing slowly. After a moment, he started to gobble the thing down, as if he hadn't eaten in days. Perhaps, he had not. Seraph couldn't be sure as the boy still wouldn't speak.

 

There was a noise at the mouth of the alley, and Seraph's head snapped up, instantly alert for signs of trouble. However, it was only Gilgamesh standing there with arms crossed and a strange look to his face. He regarded the dark-haired man with interest as Seraph slowly led the unnamed boy to the mouth of the alley.

 

“Who's the kid?” questioned the demi-god.

 

Seraph shrugged. “I don't know. He won't say anything, but he's all alone. I suspect his parents either abandoned him or they are dead.”

 

Gilgamesh frowned and looked away. “They are dead.”

 

“How…?”

 

The demi-god tilted a head at one of the nearby houses. “If this is where he lived, then they are dead. I will say no more except that there is a monster out there that is no longer hungry.”

 

Seraph's face instantly darkened as his grip on the child's hand unconsciously tightened. Anger rose up within him on a tidal wave, and he wished that there was something in front of him that he could slay. If the boy had seen his parents killed… no wonder he was hiding behind the trash and refused to speak.

 

“No choice then,” the dark-haired man murmured. “I'll have to take him with me until I can find somewhere for him to stay.”

 

The demi-god shrugged his shoulders. “Not like I'm going to argue.”

 

With that said, the ex-SOLDIER, the boy, and Gilgamesh walked further into Midgar. The child kept close to Seraph, occasionally clutching at his shirt as he angrily scrubbed at tears on his cheeks.

 

The dark-haired man was still appalled by the amount of destruction and death that Midgar represented. He could remember when ShinRa first talked of the glorious city that would be their home; how it was supposed to benefit everyone and be a place for those who would dream of a better life. With cheap energy and clean places to live, Midgar was supposed to be THE place to call home so that people could be protected by ShinRa.

 

But as always, greed was factored in, and it became nothing more than another way for the mega corporation to squeeze money out of the poor. The entire ShinRa family was genetic pricks, only craving gil and power rather than having any sense of honor or nobility. One man's dream of a bright future had become an entire city full of people's monetary nightmare. After all, ShinRa could be blamed for almost every problem that the people of Gaia had suffered. His creation included.

 

“You know…” began Gilgamesh. “As interesting as it is to walk with you and a child while you disappear within your head to brood, I've something I need to be doing.”

 

Seraph raised a brow and eyed the demi-god. “What's holding you back then?” A strange tingling, almost like a warning, shot down the former General's spine, but he ignored it for the moment as the strange child tugged on his hand.

 

Gilgamesh shrugged. “Nothing.” And with that, he promptly disappeared, giving no other warning. The green-eyed man sighed and searched his mind, not surprised that the demi-god was not even present there. He really had gone somewhere else.

 

“Well…” Seraph noted as he ruffled the brown hair of the child. He felt another tingle, but his attention was once more drawn to the brunet. “It's just you and m… oomph!”

 

A heavy weight crashed into him from behind, driving him down to the ground. His forehead struck a rock and he grunted with the impact, feeling his skin split on impact and blood start to run down his face. A creature had landed on top of him, growling hungrily with its thick claws digging into his skin and back. He could smell the fetid breath of the creature as it snapped at his neck, and he heard the child's frightened whimpers.

 

Seraph growled angrily, blinking blood out of his eyes as he threw his elbows backwards, slamming into bony, hair-covered shoulders. Saliva dripped onto the back of his neck, and he winced, bucking up with his body to throw the weight off of him. His attacker yelped and backed away when his head connected with its maw.

 

The former SOLDIER wasted no time in clambering to his feet and drawing his sword, free hand outstretched for the child. The brunet was quick to run to his side and cling to the front of his shirt, hiding his face in Seraph's clothes.

 

Mossy grey eyes darted around the area, widening in surprise. The child and he were surrounded by about two dozen brown shaggy wolves, all at least three-quarters his size, some even larger. He recognized their kind immediately, from his last mission as a part of ShinRa.

 

“Nibel Wolves…” he hissed under his breath, trying to plan some sort of attack. “What are they doing in Midgar?” The wolves gathered around and were bearing their teeth at him, slavering all over the ground and crouched as if they were prepared to attack. Unfortunately for the dark-haired man, the wolves were much stronger looking specimens than the usual members of their species.

 

For a moment, Seraph wished that Gilgamesh, annoying though he could be, had not disappeared to Kami knew where.

 

With a fierce growl, the dark-haired man had no time to think. Three of the creatures took it upon themselves to launch themselves at him, claws outstretched. He gripped the pommel of his sword tightly before slicing through the air faster than any eye could follow. The three wolves fell to the ground in twitching pieces with the former General looking down on them impassively. Before the rest could react, he quickly cast poison on a few to his right and threw a stream of fire at a few to his left. Yelping and shrieks of pain could be heard.

 

Seraph angrily wiped at the blood on his face, getting it out of his eyes as he waited for the others to attack. The child continued to snivel in his shirt, not that he considered him to be of any help.

 

For a moment - as a wolf attempted to pounce on his back, receiving a beheading for its troubles - the ex-SOLDIER dearly regretted his five year sabbatical in the Lifestream as he was still severely out of practice. His fighting skills had become rusty over the time, though he had managed to regain some of them over the last few months. However, he was still nowhere near his top fighting form, not to mention he was lacking his true weapon of choice, armor, and most of his materia. But at least Jenova was no longer in his head.

 

Another wolf leapt at them, aiming for the brunet and distracting Seraph's train of thought, but the man quickly cut the monster down, looking around for some type of escape. There were buildings to other side of him, and the wolves were around him at all sides, even behind him.

 

Suddenly, the wolves began to laugh, if the strange shrill, wheezing sound could be called a laugh. The noise of many bones breaking and cracking filled the air. Seraph's eyes widened as the so called Nibel Wolves began to twitch. His stomach tightened with queasiness, not unlike how he first felt when he came upon the Nibel reactor almost six years ago.

 

Something roiled beneath the fur of the wolves as their bodies convulsed and writhed, bones popping in and out of place. The monsters began to slowly stand on two feet as the strange wheezing laugh continued to echo throughout the area. Seraph was only glad that the boy's face was buried in his shirt and he couldn't see what was taking place. The lupine monsters were becoming more human, limbs twisting strangely and growing to grotesque size. He didn't even want to consider what had happened to make them able to do such a thing. He suspected Hojo might have had something to do with it.

 

One in the middle, the largest of them all with dingy, grey fur stood up nearly seven feet tall, laughing hoarsely. It settled its orange gaze on the former General and hissed.

 

“Foolish human…” it hissed at him, baring its teeth. “Resistance is futile. You shall be our food, especially the youngling.”

 

Seraph tightened his grip on his sword and frowned angrily, baring his teeth right back at the not-wolf. “I will not fall to a pack of mangy wolves!”

 

The creature laughed again before cracking its neck. The other not-wolves around him prepared to jump, all fifteen or so of them planning on attacking him all at once.

 

In the same moment, the not-wolf that must have been the pack leader leapt at him as a gun shot resounded through the area. Seraph didn't see what or where the bullet came from, concentrating only on the rush of the much larger and heavier not-wolf.

 

Fang met blade, and Seraph struggled to fight off the claws that scraped at his front. He quickly shoved the child behind him with his free hand before digging deep inside himself for the strength to cast again, throwing flame into the belly of the larger not-wolf.

 

The leader growled and chomped down on his blade, trying to bite the borrowed sword in two as it ignored the flame against its belly. Seraph kicked out at one of the not-wolf's legs, snapping the bony appendage in two and causing the large creature to stumble as it stood. He didn't waste any time in elbowing the monster across the face and pulling back his sword from its maw before slicing it clean down the middle, a bit of blood splashing back onto his face. The not-wolf fell before him in a twisted form, allowing Seraph a view of the battle as another set of gunshots resounded through the area in the same moment as a bolt of lightning echoed in the tiny alley.

 

He caught a glimpse of blonde hair and twin swords flashing in the dim light, but that was all as the boy behind him whimpered and grabbed his shirt. Seraph turned just in time to gut another one of the not-wolf abominations and toss a Fire at a second. The strange monsters were relentless in their assault, the battle requiring his entire attention. He wished heartily that his Typhoon summon materia worked or that Gilgamesh had not left.

 

As another not-wolf threw itself at him, a second approaching from the left, Seraph was surprised to catch a head of long, bluish-black hair, slicing the not-wolf that had attempted to sneak up on him from behind. It looked remarkably like one of his old friends… but he could have sworn that somewhere in his shattered memories he had killed Tseng… in the Temple of the Ancients.

 

His moment of distraction almost cost him his life. The Nibel Wolf that had leapt at him wrapped its teeth around his sword arm, biting down and trying to rip his arm from his body. He gritted his teeth against the searing pain as what felt like poison ripped into his skin and muscle. While the boy cried silently into his clothes, the former General balled his hand into a fist and pounded the creature over the head mercilessly. The not-wolf whined but held on tenaciously as another jumped on to his back, claws digging into almost the same exact wounds that the first attack had caused. Seraph growled with pain as he wrestled with the one still attached to his arm.

 

There was another gunshot, and the weight from his back disappeared as the not-wolf yelped and released his back, most likely dead. He grabbed his sword with his free hand and slashed violently at the monster on his arm, killing it instantly.

 

“Tseng! Hit the deck!” called out a female voice, drawing Seraph's attention. His head snapped up, and he caught sight of a blonde woman wielding a rifle and facing a man, who the former General knew he recognized. The sound of lightning crackled through the air as she called out and slung her rifle over her shoulder.

 

Another snarl alerted Seraph to an attack from behind. His attention was stolen from the blonde he did not recognize and Tseng to the not-wolf and its twin that were leaping at him. The child whimpered and clutched at his shirt as he quickly turned his sword, not bothering to return it to the other hand and swung the already bloody weapon. His side protested the motion, but he fought through the pain, knowing that he would soon quickly heal on his own anyways. The not-wolves screeched and hissed before dying on his blade.

 

“Get down!” ordered a voice from behind. Seraph had no time to react before a body was barreling into him, arms wrapping around his waist and bringing him and the child to the ground hard. Instinctively, the ex-SOLDIER landed on his side, shielding the boy. He barely registered dark hair fluttering past his face even as his nose was distracted by the mysterious spicy scent that invaded his senses. It made him think of the dangerously forbidden.

 

“Raijin! Thunder storm!” called out a woman's voice, echoing around the small area.

 

However, Seraph had no more time to ponder that as suddenly lightning crackled throughout the area, striking the ground. The smell of sulfur began to pervade through the area and not-wolves started to cry out in pain.

 

“What in seven hells is going on?” Seraph demanded as he covered his head and tried not to crush the boy beside him.

 

“I wish I knew…” mumbled the man above him. At the sound of the voice, so near to his ear, the former General knew he hadn't been mistaken. It was the man he had thought he had killed, Tseng of the Turks, once just a trainee now commander.

 

Thunder rumbled above and the smell of scorched flesh was prevalent. The lightning barrage continued for several minutes until suddenly, it all fell silent. Tseng and Seraph both looked up to see that a small, smoky fog had settled over the area and the blonde woman was standing by herself, head tilted to one side as if speaking to someone.

 

The Wutaiian moved off of the former General hurriedly, blushing faintly as he called out to the woman. “Elena? What happened?” he asked as he moved to help the stranger getting to his feet, surprised to find that the man looked vaguely familiar, though the Turk couldn't quite place from where. The stranger's eyes were a smoky green ,and his hair was black with silvery streaks, but there something recognizable in his facial features. Tseng couldn't shake the feeling that he knew him somehow…

 

Elena shook her head. “I'm not sure,” she explained. “Are you and your son alright?” she finished, rushing over to where Seraph and the dark-haired Turk were slowly getting to their feet. Her gun was slung over her shoulder, and her skin still crackled somewhat with electricity.

 

The former general locked eyes with his would-be rescuer for a moment, almost mesmerized by the silver. His face felt hot, and he realized that he was blushing, if only slightly.

 

The ex-SOLDIER fought the urge to shift nervously. “He's not my son,” Seraph explained, tearing his eyes away and looking around for his dropped sword. Tseng turned away from the former general, his sharp eyes instantly spotting the weapon lying a few feet away.

 

Elena dropped to one knee, bringing herself eye level with the brunet boy. “Hey,” she said softly, giving him a big smile. The child regarded her with sad eyes, idly wiping tears from his face. “What's your name?”

 

Seraph shook his head. “He doesn't speak… at least, not to me anyways.” He instinctively placed his hands on the boy's shoulders to steady him.

 

The Wutaiian frowned as he walked over to the fallen weapon, absentmindedly stepping over the bodies of the electrified not-wolves. He kneeled slightly and picked it up.

 

“Where are his parents then, if he isn't your child?”

 

“The monsters killed them. I was hoping to find someone to take care of him,” Seraph responded, squeezing the boy's shoulders gently.

 

Tseng handed the green-eyed man his sword and exchanged glances with Elena. She shrugged slightly and returned her attentions to the child.

 

“Are you sure you don't want to talk to me?” She dug into her pocket, producing some sort of chocolate confection. “Not even for some candy?”

 

The boy's eyes widened considerably as he eyed the plastic wrapped food, nodding slowly.

 

“Will you tell me your name?” she asked once more, holding out the candy to him. He took it quickly, opening the wrapper and taking a big bite of the chocolate, his eyes sparkling.

 

“Dnnnsbell,” he mumbled around a mouthful of candy.

Elena laughed quietly and ruffled his hair. “You are so cute. Can you tell me after swallowing the candy?”

 

He nodded, taking a deep gulp before speaking again. “Denzel,” replied the brunet before chomping down on his chocolate once again.

 

The blonde laughed and slowly stood to her feet, inclining her head towards Tseng as she did so, as if agreeing with him on something. Seraph gave them a strange look.

 

“We'll take him to Strife's,” clarified Tseng, idly wiping his brow.

 

Seraph looked up startled from where he had been cleaning the borrowed sword, only halfway paying attention to what the Wutaiian and the blonde were discussing.

 

“Cloud?” he questioned, instantly regretting the slip of the tongue.

 

Elena raised a brow, surprise registered in her brown eyes. “You know him?”

 

“Eh…” The former general desperately cast about in his mind for a good reason other than the obvious truth. “I used to be in the ShinRa army a long time ago. Hard to forget a weird name like Strife… much less Cloud,” he lied.

 

The blonde snickered. “True.”

 

Tseng shook his head in admonishment. “That's quite enough, Elena Elric.” His voice was vaguely monotone as he appeared to consider the origin of the Nibel Wolves… and the odd strange resemblance of the stranger. “Apparently, someone's parents like alliteration,” he murmured.

 

Elena's eyes widened in surprise. “Boss! Those files are supposed to remain a secret!” A small flush spread across her cheekbones, tinting her cheeks a rosy hue.

 

The Wutaiian, however, ignored her, turning towards the stranger. “Which brings to mind… we never asked for your name…?” It was a question more than a statement.

 

Seraph stuck out one black gloved hand. “Seraph Noire,” he introduced himself.

 

“Black Angel…” Tseng murmured. “That is how your name translates. I find that interesting.” He took the hand and shook it in greeting, eyeing the other dark-haired man thoughtfully. “You are decent with a sword, and you say you were once in ShinRa… what brings you to Midgar?”

 

The former General was again faced with another question he had to rapidly find an answer to. He decided to build on his earlier story and somewhat rely on the truth.

 

“I'm looking for someone… an acquaintance you could say… that I knew from my past.”

 

Elena laughed as she idly checked her gun for damage and reloaded the bullets. Denzel was watching them with wide eyes, as if he could truly follow their conversation, and he was observing Elena with hopeful, brown eyes, probably hoping she had another chocolate somewhere on her person.

 

“This acquaintance have a name?” she inquired.

 

Seraph nodded, frantically searching his mind for a name that hopefully was unknown to them. “Caryn… Caryn Weathers. The last information I found he was sent to work in Hojo's lab in Midgar. I was hoping I could find some information there about where he was sent next…”

 

Tseng shook his head as he sighed. “That's unfortunate… Hojo's lab was destroyed. Elena and I blew it to pieces under orders of the President.”

 

The dark-haired man sighed. Internally, he was cursing violently, wondering what he was going to do now. “Great. So much for coming to Midgar…” he muttered to himself.

 

“However,” the Turk commander began. “There may yet be some documents in the ShinRa building. We could take you there.”

 

Seraph nodded. “Thank you. That would be helpful.”

 

“Good. Well, no use standing here. The monsters still roam this area, and we need to get this child somewhere safe,” suggested Elena, frowning at the beaten scattered bodies of the wolves and not-wolves.

 

Tseng inclined his head in acknowledgment. “We will talk later about what happened earlier. Let's go.”

 

* * *

 

arora_kayd: Hee. I hope you got that research paper done. I'm glad you enjoyed the nicknames, I snickered while writing them. To be honest, I was surprised I didn't get the obligatory `go away Mary Sue!!' with Iliana. Thanks!! And reunions coming up soon.

 

Jeredu: Ah… I am so happy that you like my story so much. But seriously? Your favorite? That makes me all giddy with happiness. When I started this thing way back in Oct 05, I never thought it would become anything that it has. Your review made me want to go write and write and write some more. (Which I have, thank you). I feel so lucky to have such great readers like you all. This support has really been what keeps me going. Hard to believe that when I first started out NO ONE liked my story. It wasn't until Shattered Ice Chapter 25 or so, I think, when people really started to read it. And to think, I almost stopped writing it too. Well, that's behind me now. Thanks!!!

 

skittles (taste my rainbow): (I'm intrigued by your name…) I always love to hear from new reviewers. Thank you so much! I hope I can keep you interested.

 

MyLittleChibiYaoiMaster: (Took me a long time to type that, lol). Thanks!! I'm glad to hear from another new reviewer. I hope to hear from you in the future.