Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Premonitions: Uncut	By : Hippo_and_Friends_with_Benefits Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 3901 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
- 35
- 36
- 37
Chapter 36: The March North: The Northernmost Town
The group set out at eight in the morning. Everyone was rested up, and ready to push forward. Everyone had one thing on their minds, and one thing only: getting to Sephiroth and putting an end to him for good.
Maybe today would be the day we get Sephiroth, Cloud thought as he trudged amongst the rest through the snow. We'll find him. He could be lurking around any bend in the path, or hiding behind any rock on the horizon. We could find him at any moment. And when we find him, I'll make sure I'm the one who kills him.
Cloud's thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Tifa beginning to stumble. A sudden instinct began to rush through Cloud, and he immediately ran to Tifa, catching her in his arms as she fell.
"Thanks!" said his friend with a smile as she helped herself to her feet.
"You okay?" asked Cloud.
"I almost fell on my butt," Tifa replied. "But yeah."
The group continued, though Cloud had forgotten what he was thinking about; he assured himself it would come back to him sooner or later.
Gradually, Cloud began to perceive several buildings in the distance. As the group got closer, they could see people moving about, around the outdoors and from building to building. Each and every roof was covered in snow.
Inevitably, they entered the village. There were no more that seven or eight houses, all beautifully illuminated. To the east, there was a boy sledding down a small hill. To the north, Cloud could see a steep hill downward, followed by an endless field of snow.
A few feet away, there were two girls, looking to be about ten years old, building a snowman.
"It's almost finished!" said the first girl, smiling at Cloud.
"Next time, I'm gonna make an even bigger one," said the second to the raven-head.
"I'm sorry," began Tifa, "but we've never been here before. Where are we?"
"You're in Icicle Inn," said the first girl. "The northernmost town in the world. It's good to meet you all. My name is Lily. This is Jolie."
"Nice to meet you, too," Cloud replied. "I'm Cloud and this is Tifa."
"Nice to meet you two," Jolie said. "But you may want to wear a hat."
"A hat?" asked Cloud.
"Yeah," Lily replied. "You don't want one of your spikes to freeze and then break off, do you?"
Both of the girls broke out laughing.
Cloud did not seem too pleased.
"Come on!" said Jolie as she placed her hands on her hips. "Don't be a crank!"
"People won't want to be around you if you can't get a good laugh in!" said Lily.
In response, Cloud sighed and sat down facing away from them. Kids were the last thing he was in the mood for.
"Are you mad at us?" asked Lily.
"Yeah," added Jolie. "Are you really that mad over something so little?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Cloud saw Tifa pull the two girls aside. "Listen, his girlfriend was just…"
Cloud smiled. His friend Tifa was always there, always ready to stand up for him.
"We're sorry," Lily said as she sat down next to him and put her arm around his shoulder.
"Yeah," added Jolie as she sat down on the other side of him. "Why don't you come inside?"
"We're just passing through," Cloud said. "We're going after someone."
"You mean that guy with the big sword?!" exclaimed Jolie.
Cloud nodded. "His name's Sephiroth. He's one bad guy."
"Well," said Lily, "now he's a dead bad guy." She pointed to the slope at the northern edge of town. "He was here last evening. Surely he froze to death by now. You see, beyond that slope is an endless field of snow. But it's further north, and full of wind and blizzards. Many people have gone in there. Ain't none of them've come out."
Jolie hung her head in sadness. "Including Grandpa."
"Is there a way to safely cross?" asked Tifa.
"That guy's dead as a doornail by now," Lily insisted. "Nothing to join him over."
"I need proof," Cloud said. "He's a very dangerous man."
"Maybe mom or dad knows," Jolie suggested. "Do come in."
INSIDE...
"I'm afraid I can't help you that much," the father said from the other end of the table as everyone sipped their hot coca. "My girls are right. Whoever ventures north of town would most certainly end up freezing to death."
"My husband left twenty years ago and still hasn't come back," said the grandmother. "He should at least be at the foot of the Gaea Cliffs. It's marked with a check on the map."
"My father's dead," corrected the father. "Only one or two out of twenty have ever returned from the northern snow field."
"So it is possible to survive it," Cloud pointed out.
"And there's a map," Tifa added. "Where's the map?"
"You know that empty house at the west end of town?" Lily asked.
Cloud shook his head.
"It's where he lived. It's unlocked because it's full of stuff nobody would want to steal. They're afraid to touch it."
"Who?" asked Tifa.
"A scientist," Jolie replied. "He was conducting weird experiments up there."
"He was just a crazy dude," the father said. "The Shinra mercifully did away with him."
Cloud and Tifa looked at each other suspiciously.
INSIDE THE ABANDONED HOUSE
The house was dark inside, yet devoid of all activity; even the rats seemed to avoid it. There was dust everywhere. A few footprints were on the floor, but even those were covered in dust.
"Well, there's the map," Tifa said, noticing the map on the far edge of the house.
Everyone else's attention was focused elsewhere. Red XIII was checking out endless equipment on the floor. Barret was focused on the ceiling. There were odd lights up there, causing the concern that one of them might fall at any moment.
"You guys," shouted Yuffie all of a sudden. "What the hell is this?!"
Everyone saw what she was pointing to. There was a giant screen in the northeastern corner of the house.
"It looks like some sort of recording device," Tifa suggested.
"I wonder if it would explain what happened here?" suggested Vincent.
Without responding verbally, Cloud walked up to the screen and wiped the dust from it.
Suddenly, the screen lit up in a light blue background.
"Well, it still works," Yuffie observed.
Several titles were displayed on the screen.
"ON THE ANCIENT PEOPLES"
"ON THE DEFENSIVE WEAPONS"
"ON INTERACTIONS"
"ON REPRODUCTION"
"DAUGHTER'S RECORD-10TH DAY AFTER BIRTH"
"DAUGHTER'S RECORD-20TH DAY AFTER BIRTH"
"The hell are these?" asked Barret.
"I'm guessing videos?" suggested Cait Sith.
"How do we watch them?" asked Red XIII. "I don't see a mouse."
"I think we have to press them," Vincent suggested.
"We may as well start with the top one," Cloud said as he pressed it.
"ON THE ANCIENT PEOPLES"
The video revealed that it had been recorded in that very room. Two people were visable on the screen. One was a woman in a red dress and sporting long, brown hair. The other was a man with black hair and a mustache, wearing a lab coat and glasses.
"Professor Gast Faremis," Vincent said out loud.
"That was him?" asked Cloud. "I've heard of him, and that he's dead now, but I never knew what he looked like."
Meanwhile, on the recording, the two moved about the room.
"Camera's ready!" announced Gast.
The woman nodded.
"Then, Ifalna," he began, "please tell us about the Cetra."
"Two thousand years ago, our ancestors, the Cetra, heard the cries of the Planet," replied Ifalna. "The first ones to discover the Planet's wound were the Cetra at the Knowlespole."
"Tell us Ifalna," said Gast, "where is the land called Knowlespole?"
"Knowlespole refers to this area," Ifalna answered. "The Cetra then began a Planet-reading."
"Ifalna, what exactly does Planet-reading entail?"
"I can't explain it very well," she admitted, "but it's like having a conversation with the Planet. It said something fell from the sky making a large wound." She then paused, shaking her head. "Thousands of Cetra pulled together, trying to heal the Planet, but, due to the severity of the wound, it was only able to heal itself, over many years."
Gast scratched his chin. "Do the Ancients, rather, the Cetra, have special powers to heal the Planet?"
"No," replied Ifalna, "it's not that kind of power. The life force of all living things on this Planet becomes the energy. The Cetra tried desperately to cultivate the land so as not to diminish the needed energy."
"And even here so close to the North Cave, the snow never melts," he observed aloud. "Is that because the planet's energy is gathered here to heal its injury?"
"Yes, the energy that was needed to heal the Planet withered away the land," she affirmed. "Then the Planet tried to persuade the Cetra to leave the Knowlespole, but..." She began to shudder.
"Ifalna, let's take a break," Gast suggested.
Ifalna shook her head. "I'm all right," she assured him. "When the Cetra were preparing to part with the land they loved...that's when it appeared!"
"What?"
"It looked like our dead mothers...and our dead brothers. Showing us spectres of their past."
"Who is the person that appeared at the North Cave?" asked Gast. "I haven't any idea."
"That's when the one who injured the Planet, or the 'crisis from the sky', as we call him, came," sobbed Ifalna as she covered her face. "He first approached as a friend, deceived them, and finally gave them the virus. The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad, transforming into monsters. Then, just as he had at the Knowlespole, he approached other Cetra clans, infecting them with the virus..."
That was all she could say. Unable to bear any more, she dropped to her knees and continued crying.
"You don't look well," said Gast. "Let's call it a day."
With that, the video ended.
"What was 'it?'" Yuffie asked.
"Presumably Jenova," Vincent suggested.
"Ifalna," began Cloud. "Where have I heard that name before?"
"I've heard it, too," said Tifa. "But where?"
"It'll come back," Cloud assured as he pressed the screen again. "But now I think it's time to learn about some weapons."
"ON THE DEFENSIVE WEAPONS"
"Ifalna," began Gast, "can you comment on the thing called 'Weapon'?"
"Yes, professor," Ifalna complied. "The one the professor mistook for a Cetra was named Jenova. That is the 'crisis from the sky.' The Planet knew it had to destroy the 'crisis from the sky' because, you see, as long as Jenova exists, the Planet will never be able to fully heal itself."
"And back then, Weapon was a weapon the Planet produced of it's own will?" asked Gast.
"Yes," replied Ifalna, "but there is no record of Weapon ever being used. A small number of the surviving Cetra defeated Jenova, and confined it. The Planet produced Weapon, but it was no longer necessary to use it.
"So, Weapon no longer exists on this Planet?" suggested Gast.
"Weapon cannot vanish," Ifalna said. "It remains asleep somewhere on the Planet. Even though Jenova is confined, it could come back to life at some time. The Planet has not fully healed itself yet. It is still watching Jenova."
"Where is Weapon?" asked Gast.
"I don't know," Ifalna replied as she shook her head. "I can't hear the voice of the Planet well. Times have changed. The Planet is probably watching this situation closely." She then buried her face in her hands. "There might even be more than one. Maybe three or four."
"Thank you, Ifalna, that will be all for today," assured Gast.
The screen returned to the menu.
"Giant, living creatures out to protect the Planet," Tifa said.
"I guess it doesn't need us!" Barret pointed out.
"Don't jump to that conclusion," Tifa warned. "Until I see one in action, I have no idea if Weapon even exists."
Cloud, meanwhile, pressed the screen again.
ON INTERACTIONS
"Please tell me about your society," Gast began.
"Well," replied Ifalna, "it was a patriarchy. Each clan was led by a male elder, chosen by men to serve for seven years. He assigned all men their careers once they turned sixteen."
"What about the women?" asked Gast.
Ifalna shook her head. "We were basically expected to be housewives popping out children. Do you know how many children the average Cetra had?"
Gast shook his head.
"Nine," Ifalna revealed. "We are sensitive, and our brains more easily produce the hormones...in English, we get horny. A lot."
Both Gast and Ifalna began to laugh in unison.
"I suppose that is why you all had nine children," Gast suggested.
"I think what really shocks everyone is the gestation period."
"How long is that?" asked Gast.
"Four hours, on average," Ifalna replied.
"Four hours?!" exclaimed Gast.
"Yeah. We can wake up like any other morning and be parents before sundown."
The screen returned to the menu.
"Holy shit!" exclaimed Cid. "These people get horny fast but they get knocked up left and right. Kind of one of those no-win, damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't kind of deals."
Yuffie, meanwhile, folded her arms in disgust. "I'm glad that society is gone," she muttered. "I'm not living like a second-class citizen."
"What's the next one?" asked Tifa.
"'ON REPRODUCTION,'" Cloud replied. "Though I think we just learned everything we needed to know about that."
Just then, Cid reached from behind and pushed the screen.
"Cid!" exclaimed Cloud.
ON REPRODUCTION
5 MINUTES LATER…
Cloud switched off the screen. "Happy now?" sighed Cloud.
Everyone had a disgusted look on their face.
"Did we just see a baby come out of her...uh...beeeeeeep?" asked Cid.
"Yes we did," Cloud replied. "Didn't you see the Facts of Life video in middle school?"
"That was disgusting!" exclaimed Yuffie. "I'm never having kids."
"Remember how Johnny screamed 'Did you see that?!' at the top of his lungs?" asked Tifa.
"Of course," Cloud replied. "And I remember him asking me if that video made me horny afterwards."
"Can we just watch the next one?" pleaded Red XIII. "About the daughter?"
"DAUGHTER'S RECORD-10TH DAY AFTER BIRTH"
"What are you doing, Profes...I mean, honey?" asked Ifalna as she tended to her ten-day-old infant.
"Oh, I'm thinking of taping it on video," Gast replied. "But, the video's not working right."
"What are you going to tape?" asked the new mother. "Is there still something I haven't mentioned?"
"No, that's not it," replied her lover. "I'm going to record my beautiful daughter. And when she's sleeping, her face looks like an angel."
"First, we have to figure out her name," Ifalna pointed out. "We can take the video later!"
"I've already decided!" Gast announced. "Since it's a girl, I'd like to name her after my grandmother."
"What was your grandmother's name?" asked Ifalna.
"Aerith," he replied.
"You are SO selfish!" teased Ifalna. "But Aerith is a good name!" She paused. It's a good name, considering it came out of that forgetful head of yours!"
"Right!?" asked the new father. "Oh, the video tape..."
Tifa gasped as the screen returned to the menu. "Now I remember that name! So she was born here...in this very room!"
"How could such a sweet girl be born in such a harsh environment," asked Cait Sith.
"And how'd she end up all the way in Midgar?!" Barret demanded.
"Do you think the last video would tell us?" suggested Tifa.
"One way to find out," Cloud said as he pressed the screen.
"DAUGHTER'S RECORD-20TH DAY AFTER BIRTH"
"Video again?" exclaimed Ifalna. "You just got through taping!"
"Please don't say it that way," Gast insisted. "It's our lovely daughter, both yours and mine! Don't you want to capture her childhood on videotape?"
Ifalna placed her hands on her hips. "If you keep doting on her like that, she won't grow up to be strong. Aerith is different from the other children. I wonder what dangers await her?"
"Never say that!" Gast dismissed. "I will protect you and Aerith no matter what!"
Ifalna let her hands fall to her side. "Really?"
"You and Aerith are my only treasures," he assured her. "I'll never let you go!"
She smiled. "I feel so much better now, darling. If I hadn't met you, I..."
Gast silenced her with a kiss. The video revealed it was a long kiss, and it also revealed that he placed his hand on her butt.
And then, they both jumped as a powerful knock sounded the door.
"Who could that be?" demanded Gast. "I was just about to...damn! How dare they intrude on our 'private time' together!"
"I'll send them away at once!" Ifalna said as she glanced seductively at him. She then opened the door a crack. "Who the devil?"
The door then burst open.
"It, it's them!" she exclaimed as she ran to Gast.
Three men entered the house. The first two were Shinra soldiers, armed and ready. The third was young, in his thirties, and was from Wutai. His hair was short, and his face was firmer, but the viewers quickly recognized him.
"I've been searching for you, Ifalna," cackled Hojo. "or should I say, Cetra!" He then turned to her companion. "Long time no see, Professor Gast!"
"Hojo," sighed Gast. "How did you know?"
"Believe me, I had to turn over a stone or two to find you," Hojo replied. "Two years I waited. "That's how much I wanted this new sample."
Ifalna immediately began to cry.
"New sample?!" exclaimed Gast. "You don't mean Aerith!?"
"Hmm, Aerith?" taunted Hojo. "What a nice name!"
"That's it!" shouted Gast. "I'm severing all ties with the Shinra.
Hojo, please leave."
"Oh, I'll leave, alright," Hojo said. "Just not empty-handed."
In response, Ifalna apporached Hojo and kneeled before him. "Please," she begged. "Aerith has nothing to do with it! All you want is me, right?"
"Ifalna!" exclaimed Gast.
"I'll need all of you for my experiment," Hojo corrected. "You understand don't you, Professor Gast? We can change the future of the Planet!"
In response, Gast also approached Hojo and knelt before him.
"Don't worry, Ifalna," he whispered. "I'll take care of this!"
Hojo, who had very acute hearing, would not allow it. "Please don't put up a fight," he warned. "I don't want any harm to come to my precious sample." He then stared straight at the screen; almost as if he was directly looking at the viewers. "What a funny looking camera," he observed. "Guard! Destroy it!"
One of the soldiers aimed his firearm and did as commanded. Static replaced any video.
"Talk about breaking the fourth wall!" Cait Sith exclaimed. Nobody laughed.
While the video was gone, the audio remained intact.
"Be careful with her!" Hojo's voice ordered.
"What are you doing, professor!?" shouted Ifalna's voice.
"Ifalna!" cried Gast. "Take Aerith and run!"
A gun fired. Everyone heard Gast's voice groan, followed by a thud.
"Darling!" cried Ifalna, and began to sob.
"I WANTED HIM ALIVE FOR AN EXPERIMENT!" shouted Hojo angrily.
"That shot was a stroke of luck!" defended the soldier.
Another gun fired, followed by the soldier groaning, followed by another thud.
Meanwhile, Ifalna continued to sob.
"Take her!" ordered Hojo to the remaining soldier. Oh, and uh...don't forget the child!"
"Noooo!" cried Ifalna as she was presumably bounded.
"Hmm, a video?" Hojo was heard saying. "The Ancients. Weapon! A mountain of treasure! Thank you, Professor!"
And then, the screen went dark for the last time.
Everyone was silent.
OUTSIDE...
"Wow," Cloud said as everyone headed back to where the snowman was. "I think we all learned more than we bargained for."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Now that we have the map," Cloud continued. "It's time to continue."
"We'll head down the slope and take our chances," Tifa added.
"After all," said Cloud, "the world depends on us."
And then, Cloud suddenly heard a familiar, female voice.
"There they are, hurry!"
Cloud looked up at the south end of town to see two soldiers following a recognizable, blonde woman in a blue suit.
"Cloud!" exclaimed Elena. "I won't let you go any further!"
"What's down there?" Cloud asked, looking at the slope.
"It's a secret," Elena insisted. "It really doesn't matter! But you really got guts doing my boss in like that!"
"You mean Tseng?" replied Cloud. "That wasn't us. Sephiroth did it."
"No!" exclaimed Elena. "Don't think you can fool me, liar!"
"I'm not lying," Cloud insisted. "It was Sephiroth."
"Don't try to act innocent!" Elena snapped. "I'll never forget it!"
"Oh, man..." sighed Cloud.
"Looks like talking alone won't cut it," Elena decided as she raised her fist. "You're going to have to feel some pain!"
"Just you and me!" added one of the soldiers.
"No, I can handle him!" Elena insisted. "There's no way he can avoid my punch."
With that, Elena raised her fist and threw it in the direction of Cloud's face. Unfortunately for her, Cloud could avoid her punch with the greatest of ease. To make matters worse, she had flung her fist at Cloud with such force that she fell forward and rolled into a nearby ditch, knocking her out cold.
The two soldiers ran to her aid, lifting her up by her arms and feet.
"Is she dead?" asked one of them.
"She's breathing, you jackass!" snapped the other as they carried her away.
Cloud chuckled to himself as the three disappeared from view.
"Sheesh!" said a voice from above. "And I thought this town was quiet!"
Cloud looked up to see a man on the roof of a house.
"It's no different than anywhere else," Tifa assured him. "Those Turks have been causing trouble wherever they go."
"The Turks are the least of it," insisted the man. "When I first moved here, I saw a man with a black cape heading north. It seemed strange seeing a black cape against the snowy white."
"But we didn't dare talk to him," said his wife, who was sitting across the street from the house. "He had a giant sword. He could probably kill three people at once with it."
"Thank goodness our son was inside," the husband added. "I suppose sometimes bad things happen for a reason."
"My boy got hurt right about the time we moved here," said his wife. "I never should've bought him a snowboard."
"Can you do us a favor?" asked the husband from the roof. "Can you guys go in and buy his snowboard?"
"Excuse me?" asked Tifa.
"We don't want him getting hurt again," the wife said. "I've heard stories of people breaking their necks and dying while snowboarding. Please."
"He's got eight of them," added the husband. "One for each of you. When are you going to get an opportunity like that again?"
"What use do we have of snowboards?" asked Red XIII. And then, he took a long look at the slope at the north end of town.
"I'll be back," said Tifa.
Tifa walked into the house to find a ten-year-old boy in bed, his leg in a bandage.
"Oh my!" he said weakly. "A nilf!"
Tifa scratched her head. "A nilf?"
"You know," replied the boy. "Nurse I'd like to-"
"I'm not a nurse!" Tifa said crossly as she placed her hands on her hips. "I'm here to buy the snowboards!"
The boy sighed. "I got hurt on my snowboard, and now I can't go out for a while." He then directed his eyes to Tifa's chest. "Hey, I'll give you my snowboards."
"For free?!" exclaimed Tifa.
"You got it," he assured her. "They're in my closet."
Tifa found the snowboards where she expected. She collected them and headed for the exit.
"Just one thing," the boy said.
"What's that?" asked Tifa.
"Can I see your boobs?"
Tifa sighed. "Forget it."
"How 'bout your butt, then?"
"Thanks for the snowboards," she said as she went back outside.
MINUTES LATER...
The eight of them stood at the top of the slope at the north edge of town. This was the point where civilization ended. Beyond here, there was only Sephiroth.
"So we all know how to snowboard?" Cloud checked.
"I do," Cid said.
"Second," Barret announced.
"I'm afraid I don't," said Yuffie.
"Neither do I," said Vincent.
"I have four legs," Red XIII pointed out.
"I'm a big guy," Cait Sith, as he suddenly fell foward. "Climb aboard, you three."
Red XIII and Yuffie climbed on his back. Vincent followed, and pulled out his revolver, aiming it at the cat.
"Try anything funny and you're down a life," Vincent warned.
"Sheesh!" exclaimed Cait Sith. "I was just trying to be nice!"
"What about you, Tifa?" asked Cloud.
"I can snowboard," she replied.
"Since when did you learn?" asked Cid.
"When I was seventeen," Tifa replied. "My boyfriend taught me."
"Your boyfriend?!" exclaimed Cid. Suddenly, he lost his balance, and began to involuntarily descend the slope.
"I guess this is our cue," Tifa said as she followed him.
A moment later, everyone was either flying down the slope or riding on a giant stuffed creature. Everyone was taking great care to avoid crashing into one another, or, which would be considerably worse, flying off the path. The latter would prove to not be a problem for long, as snow walled the path off after a minute. Snow-cover rock arches passed overhead as well.
"This is fucking inhuman!" shouted Cid, breaking the silence.
"Come on!" shouted Tifa, who was ahead of everyone else. "Isn't this fun?"
"I'm getting too old for this!" Cid complained.
"How old are you, anyway?" Tifa asked.
"Thirty-two!"
"Damn, man!" shouted Barret. "I'm three years older than you and I can handle it!"
Meanwhile, Cait Sith pulled ahead of Tifa. He ended up being the first, along with those he carried, to enter what appeared to be a tunnel.
"Ooooooooooooooooooh!" sang Yuffie for as long as she could.
"Stop that!" Vincent snapped. "That's for kids!"
And then, without warning, the tunnel ended. The walls ended. The ceiling ended. And the floor ended.
Cait Sith soon found himself fifteen feet above the ground. And as he looked, he could see the ground get closer. And as the ground got closer, his fall grew faster.
"Oooooh shit!" he muttered.
SECONDS LATER...
"I guess we're still in one piece," said Cloud as he rose to his feet. "Everyone all right?"
"Of course," Barret.
"Got snow in my ear," Red XIII complained.
"I just need to catch my breath," said Tifa, who was on her back next to Cloud.
Cloud helped her up.
"Careful," warned Cid. "She has a boyfriend."
"I had a boyfriend," she corrected as she brushed the snow off of her body. "If you must know, I've had boyfriends in my teens, but they went nowhere and ended quite quickly."
"Why did you dump 'em all?" asked Cid.
"Who said I dumped them?" sighed Tifa.
"So where did we land?" asked Cloud aloud, trying to change the subject.
"Oh yeah, we got the map, right?" suggested Tifa. "Let's look."
Cloud pulled out the map and opened it.
"We're definately north of town," Red XIII said.
"It sure is cold," Cloud agreed. "We'll freeze if we stay here any longer."
"Then," replied Vincent, "needless to say, let's be off."
At first, there was a path surrounded by snowy rocks, just like south of the village. It was windy and hilly, and snow flurries were everywhere. The group even passed something that was not frozen; Cloud realized hit was a hot spring by touching it.
And then, before anyone realized it, the path was gone. The eight of them were surrounded by a field of snow. No rocks. No landmarks. Just snow.
"Snow," said Cloud. "As far as the eye can see."
"We better watch where we walk," suggested Tifa. "I'll place a landmark so we won't get lost."
The group continued north. Tifa placed a small landmark when she could, but she knew she did not have an endless supply. She gave Cloud a concerned look, knowing this was something they might not survive.
And then, a blast of icy wind seemingly came from all directions.
"What the fuck is this?!" exclaimed Cid.
"The north," Vincent replied calmly.
"My God!" cried Yuffie. "It's so cold I...I..." But she couldn't finish. She slowly collapsed from the cold.
"Yuffie!" shouted Barret as he began to run to her side. Then he began to slow down. And he collapsed himself.
"Cloud," began Tifa, "I…." But Tifa couldn't finish either. She had collapsed face-down in the icy snow.
And then, Cloud lost consciousness himself.
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Premonitions: Uncut