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Prophecy's Refrain	By : butabara Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 1023 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not in any way own FFVII or its affiliates. I make no money from writing this story.

Chapter List
- 45
- 46
- 47
Okay, folks! Here it is! The beginning of the end! Only 4 chapters left, after this one! A few shockers, too! Just when you thought I'd give them a break. Ha. I'm not that merciful :).
So here it is! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! R&R!
Chapter 46
"How was your flight?" Colleen asked politely as she helped Austin carry his bags to his room.
"It was long." Austin said with a small smile. "How long did you say you've worked for the family?"
The old woman smiled softly, nostalgic. "Just about forty years now. After Master Flint and the Lady Guardian died, we were charged with keeping the Manor until Miss Sassi decided to come home."
Austin nodded. He was interested in this new developement with his apprentice. "What can you tell me about Guardians?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. Only that I never saw Lady Clarise away from Master Shannon."
Austin nodded. "I see. Well, thank you for helping us settle in. When did you say Sassi and Harmony would be back?"
"Oh, the dears just went to Drombeg. Little Bird was looking for something, I think, but I don't know what. I'd say maybe an hour and they should be back. They left early, and said to expect them at dusk."
"Thank you."
Colleen nodded and closed the door behind her. All these powerful people were so strange. But, she supposed, it certainly made her life interesting.
!#$%^&*()
"And then I was all like 'Hiya! Take that old man!' and my Dad was all 'Oh, Yuffie! You beat me! You are the Greatest Ninja Ever!'" Yuffie said, waving her arms about.
Michael chuckled. The two were in the kitchen, Yazoo having finally-although grudgingly-untied the detective. He had sworn never to repeat what he saw, but refused to take a blood-oath. He didn't need to sign a contract in blood that would kill him if he ever even thought about breaking it. They'd just have to trust him.
"And then you became a true ninja?" He asked. This young woman amused him. He'd been shocked to hear that she was a princess in her own world- even though he was still having trouble believing that part of it... He'd seen so much in the past week, people from a different dimension really wasn't all that odd, compared to the other things. Though he had to admit... he was slightly miffed that they would not allow him to leave, and that 'Yazoo' he sneered the name in his head, had taken it upon himself to assign a guard to him at all times.
"Yep!" Yuffie answered his question cheerfully. "That's me! The Single White Rose of Wutai!"
"So when do you become queen, or empress, or whatever?" Michael asked, trying to make conversation.
"I become Empress whenever I feel like it. Godo-that's my dad-can't force me to accept it until I'm ready."
Michael nodded at the enthusiastic ninja. She really was sweet, underneath the obnoxiousness. 'Figures.' He thought, 'I find a girl that I like and she's from a different world. Literally. One she'll be going back to in just over a week.'
He finished his meal and stood, smirking ruefully as Yuffie's eyes sharpened to follow his every move.
"So, do you fight?" She asked suddenly.
Michael gave her a thoughtful look as he sat back down. "You mean like you do? No. Nothing fancy, just the basics they teach us when we join the force."
"Fight me."
"What? No way! You'd kick my ass for sure!"
"You don't know that, and there's only one way to find out."
Sure enough, she was pulverising him. He was currently hunched over, hands on his knees and panting. The sweat poured off of his angular face, starting at the tip of a dark eyebrow to drip from a determined jaw. He could see Yuffie out of the corner of his eye, and hear her gloating laughter.
"Is that all you've got? That's pathetic!" She crowed.
"You're gonna think 'pathetic' when I beat you into the grass!" Michael growled back.
Yuffie chuckled and skipped to him, sticking her leg behind his and tripping him. She stood over him, giggling. "I'm thinking it now! And how are you going to do that? You can't even-Ah!"
With a quick shot of his leg, Michael knocked Yuffie's foot from under her, the clumsy ninja losing her already fragile balance and toppling onto him.
Yuffie lay shocked for a moment before pushing herself up on her hands and scowling at him. The glare slowly faded as she took in his features. His eyes were crystal blue-even more so than Cloud's eyes- and his jaw was sharp. His nose was the most prominent feature, not crooked, but not straight. It had obviously been broken at one point in his life. Along his jaw she could see the faint shadow filling in from him not shaving that day.
'Hey... He's kind of hot... Leviathan!' She thought, scrambling off of him and trying desperately to hide her furiously blushing cheeks.
"Come on. Lets get back inside. Its getting dark, and the other's will be back soon. His Royal Femi-ness will be mad if he finds out I let you outside."
Michael sighed and nodded, standing and hurrying to follow her.
"You're good." Yuffie called over her shoulder. "You have potential. Too bad I don't have time to turn you into a proper ninja."
'Yeah,' Michael thought, watching the sway of Yuffie's hips as she walked in front of him. 'It really is.'
!#$%^&*()
"That must be their rental. They beat us." Harmony said as the group blinked into existence. She lost her balance and plopped down to the ground, thanking Kadaj when he smirked and helped her to her feet.
"I thought they might." Sassi said. "We did stay a full hour longer than we planned." She wobbled slightly, still light-headed after blinking so many people back and forth.
"Well lets get inside! I can't wait to see what color Celeste's hair is this week." Harmony giggled.
They found most of the coven in the Garden behind the estate, enjoying the mild weather and beautiful yellow flowers that had bloomed-despite the season-where Aerith and Sassi's Cetran Gospel had obliterated Jenova.
"Hey guys!" Harmony called out, smiling as the group all jumped to their feet and surrounded herself and Sassi.
"Are you okay?"
"I sense massive power!"
"Did you find out how to send them home?"
Those were just a few of the many questions they were bombarded with.
"Guys... Guys! Calm down! Lets go inside. Where's Austin?" Sassi said, pushing her way through her coven to get to the sliding doors.
"Oh, he found a box in the library with lots of scrolls in it, and wanted to look through it. He said you wouldn't mind." JoDee said, pointing to the library inside the manor.
Sassi felt a wave of discomfort fill her and slowly made her way into the library.
"Austin?" She called.
"Ah, Sassi. Good to see you again. How do you feel?" The older man asked.
"I'm fine." Sassi answered uneasily.
"And this difference in power?"
"It'll take some getting used to, but I'm okay. What are you doing with my scrolls?"
"Oh, I was just looking through the instructions on how to conduct the ritual to open the gate. Is that a problem?" His tone dared her to deny him.
'This is why they never should have elected him High Priest. He abuses it.' Sassi thought. "No, of course not. There are just some... personal things in there. Letters from my grandfather and such." She said.
"Oh. Well, don't worry. I didn't look through any of those," Austin said, "I just looked at the scrolls that talked about the portal."
Sassi nodded. "Well, now that we're all here, we can start memorizing the spell. If you'll hand me the box, I'll go and gather the others and I can tell you all what we found at Drombeg."
Austin smiled and placed the scroll he was holding back inside the box, closing the lid and handing the wooden container to Sassi.
"Lead the way then."
!#$%^&*()
"Wow this is so cool!" Melissa said, looking at the photos Sassi had taken. The screen of Sassi's computer showed an infrared image of the stone ground of Drombeg. The infrared lens Sassi had used showed hundreds of bright red lines criss-crossing back and forth, invisible to the naked eye.
"What is it?" Cloud asked, leaning forward for a closer look.
"Ley lines." Sassi answered. When the non-magical members of the group gave her a perplexed look, she turned to Harmony for help in explaining.
"Each line is like an energy highway." Harmony said, feeling an air of nostalgia hit her. She had just explained ley lines to her students a few days before the men found her. "Normally, you can't see them. You have to have a deep-set psychic power to see them without technological help. That's why Sassi knew exactly where to look and what to photograph. Retro-cognitive Psychometry is a psychic gift. Think of each line as a super-heated highway of spiritual energy, and where they collide is like an intersection. Which is why when Tseng stood at the center of the circle, he could feel his hair standing on end. The intersections are where the energy collides and bleeds into this world."
"So its like a path to a different dimension." Genesis said.
"Yes, exactly." Sassi said.
"So at all of the portals around the world, the ground will look like this? And you see this all the time?" Rufus asked Sassi.
"Yes. You learn to ignore it, unless it's needed. They won't hurt you. As a matter of fact, if you stand at an intersection and stay there, your power will be magnified by a significant amount. If you stay on that spot."
"Interesting." He nodded.
"So when we cast the spell," Celeste started, "It will charge the ley lines to the point that they burst, and the explosion of power will create a tear in the inter-dimensional barrier... allowing the portal to open, and you all to cross over to your world."
The group nodded their understanding.
"There's something else we wanted to talk to you about." Sassi said, her voice suddenly sounding timid. "You remember what you read about the Guardians and Cetra not being originally of this world? Well... Harmony and I think we know the real reason these guys were sent here. We think that the Lifestream decided that it was time for the two powers to return home. They came here for us, guys. For Harmony and me."
The coven wore shocked expressions. "That makes so much sense..." A small Native American woman whispered. "The powers that be don't just send people to different worlds to learn a lesson. If they died in their world, the lesson should be considered learned."
"Does this mean what I think it means?" Austin asked, "That you and Harmony will be going back with them?"
"Yes." Harmony said, her voice strong. "The power came from that world. It was sent here to be protected from the Evil that was Jenova. Now that Jenova is gone, the power must be returned. I don't like the idea of leaving. I fear that in doing so, we are upsetting the balance of their world. But as a Guardian-which is something none of you could ever understand, no offense-if Sassi leaves, I follow."
"So you would abandon your coven?" Austin said, becoming angry.
"We are not abandoning you. There are two apprentices just waiting for an opening. They're ready to become true members of the coven." Sassi reasoned.
"This is insanity!" Austin shouted. "You two are our most powerful members! You cannot just leave! Think of what we could do now that the power has been unsealed? We could... Gods... We could rule everything! We could force peace! The wars would end, famine and hatred and sickness would cease to exist! We could be Gods! The Saviours of the Earth! And you want to just leave?"
Every person in the room stared in absolute shock at Austin's outburst.
"Austin!" Sassi chastised, "That is not what this is about! Having this power isn't about glory or even the power itself! As High Priest you should know that! The people don't know about us for a reason! We protect from the shadows... as it should be! Glory. Fame. Power. To give in to these is to open the path to darkness, you know that!"
"And what of protecting this world?" He hissed.
"How are we supposed to protect the very world that is hunting us?" Harmony snapped. "Sassi and I can never set foot into the United States again! We're being hunted like animals! And if they find us, what then? Our powers will be exposed, and the safety and integrity of this very coven will be compromised! We'll be nothing more than labrats! They'll stick us in underground cells. Poke, prod, and torture us in the name of science and power! Think of Hojo. How many would be willing to do as he did?"
Austin's shoulders slumped. "You're right." He said. "I'm sorry. I just hoped that we could use this power to better the world."
Sassi's eyes softened. "Austin, I understand that. But you have to think of this: A lot of evil things were done in the name of peace. I'm not saying what you want is evil, but you know what I mean. Think of the chaos that would rain onto the Earth if we made it okay for others like us to openly use their power..."
Austin nodded. "I get it. I'm sorry. Let's move on."
"Alright." Sassi nodded, sensing that it was probably a good idea to change the subject. She grabbed a stack of papers and handed them to Harmony, the brunette witch then passing them out to the other ten members of the coven.
"We've made copies and translated the spell, so we all know what we're asking the Gods for. The spell will have to be done in Gaelic, though, and Sassi and I will work with all of you that do not speak Gaelic over the next two weeks. We can't afford any mistakes, and one mispronounciation could destroy the whole spell."
The others nodded, still on edge about the argument that had just taken place.
"Well," A small blonde, Jennifer, spoke up, "where do we start?"
Harmony smiled. "We'll start with the spell. Five of you come with me, and the others go with Sassi. We'll start working on pronounciation right now."
!#$%^&*()
"This is a beautiful spell." Harmony said to Kadaj as they settled into their bed for the night, setting her copy onto the bedside table.
"I wouldn't know." He said with a smile. "I don't speak Gaelic. And I wouldn't dare risk Sassi's wrath by trying to sneak a peak."
"Sarcasm is unbecoming." Harmony giggled. "Here..." She reached over and picked up the piece of paper with the spell written on it, showing it to him. "It says 'Life in two. Merge, combine. Allow a crossing. Energy to entwine. Where once was closed, shall now unwind, Earth and Gaia, a path we bind."
"Say it in Gaelic." Kadaj said, his eyes closed. She was right, it was rather beautiful. She did as he asked. "I like it better in Gaelic. Will you talk to me in Gaelic?"
Harmony smiled. "What do you want me to say?"
"Anything you want."
"Okay... Is breá liom tú, Kadaj. Shíl mé riamh ba mhaith liom a fháil riamh duine éigin a bheith leis. Grá dom scanraithe. Ach ansin tháinig tú chomh maith, agus bhris tú dom amach as mo phríosún. Éigean leat mé a fheiceann tú. Chun mian leat. Agus is féidir liom. Cé go bhfuil eagla orm an méid a luíonn níos faide ná an geata, tá áthas orm go rachaidh mé chun aghaidh é a bhfuil tú ag mo thaobh." She said, adding the emphasized accent to his name.
"What does it mean?" Kadaj asked, half asleep.
Harmony took a deep breath. It was easy enough to say it to him in Gaelic... But now, faced with saying it to him in a language he would understand, she was shying away.
Kadaj chuckled at her silence. "That bad, huh? Okay. You don't have to tell me."
Harmony smiled bashfully and lay down beside him, wrapping him in her arms and snuggling into his warmth. "Good night, Kadaj."
"'Night." He slurred.
Harmony listened to his breath for a long while. When the heartbeat thudding in her ear slowed and his breath leveled out, she whispered against his skin, softly.
"I love you, Kadaj. I never thought I would ever find someone to be with. Love scared me. But then you came along, and you broke me out of my prison. You forced me to see you. To want you. And I do. Although I am afraid of what lies beyond the gate, I am happy that I get to face it with you by my side."
As her eyes drifted closed, she didn't notice the small smile that played across the Remnant's face, nor did she feel his arms tighten around her as she drifted off.
!#$%^&*()
Loz stared at Sassi as she sat reading at the kitchen table. Her reading glasses sat low on her nose, giving her a sweet, yet sultry look. He watched her nibble her bottom lip in thought every now and again. He watched her brush stray strands of hair out of her face.
She was carrying his child. He'd created life. In a lifetime filled with pain and death, he'd created something good. They'd created it. He'd never thought to tie himself down, and even when he met Sassi, he liked her, sure. But he wasn't looking to love her. He wasn't even sure if he did. But, he did know that he wouldn't mind sticking around to find out.
"You wanna get married? We should get married." He blurted, suddenly.
Sassi froze and her shocked eyes found his. She stared hard for a minute, and then smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"Okay. Sure. Why not?"
!#$%^&*()
"So you'll let me go once you guys are back in your world?" Michael asked. He sat on Sassi's grandfather's desk in the library, Yazoo standing before him attempting to intimidate the detective. It was working.
"Yes." He drawled. "When we're safe on the other side and you can no longer get to Sassi and Hari."
"And what about my job?"
Yazoo smirked, a cruel look adorning his features. This was playing out perfectly. With any luck, after he showed Michael the file he found, they'd never have to worry about him opening his mouth to anyone. "I'll leave your explanations to you. Look." He turned Sassi's monitor toward Michael, clicking the mouse and opening the photo on the screen.
It was a Michael's Detective ID card, and underneath was written the most horrifying thing Michael had ever read.
"Michael Wilford, twenty-nine. Wanted for violating International and Federal Laws, and aiding and abetting wanted criminals. If seen, please contact the Seattle Police, or call the FBI tip line at..."
"Shit!" Michael hissed. "Oh God this is bad... this is bad this is bad this is bad!" He chanted, his face in his hands. "What the fuck do I do now? They'll never believe me!"
"I have a suggestion." Yazoo said, chuckling internally. Oh yes. Dangle the bait and wait for the bite.
"And what is that?" Came Michael's muffled reply.
"Come with us. That way, you escape prosecution, and we know that you can't harm the rest of Harmony and Sassi's coven. We both win."
Michael stared at him. "How do you know that I don't have family, or a wife waiting for me?"
Yazoo snorted. "Please. If you have a wife, you're a bastard because I see the way you look at Kisaragi."
'Damn. Busted.' Michael thought. "And what if I say no? You gonna kill me?"
"Of course not. But the coven might not be as willing to just let you leave. They'll modify your memory, and you'll spend the rest of your life in an asylum... the trauma from what you've seen making it impossible to remember-or repeat-anything you saw here." Yazoo knew that the coven would never do that to Michael... but Michael didn't know that.
"So what you're saying is that I have no choice." Michael growled.
"Of course you do. I'm just tossing it out there." Yazoo stood from his pose leaning against the desk and began walking from the room. halfway there he stopped, turning his head and speaking softly, so as to be sure that Michael was listening. "The decision is yours, Mr. Wilford."
!#$%^&*()
"I can't believe you're still going on about this!" JoDee cried. "You know that you can't force them to stay! Its a violation of everything that we believe!"
"Can you really, in good conscience, allow those women to just up and leave? They are the world's greatest chance at Utopia! That's what we fight for, right? We keep the demons, the beasties in the night, from harming innocent people. We keep the Mother as happy as we can, but you all know how angry she is becoming! I say we force them to stay and do their duty! All of them, including the other one... that... Aerith or whatever her name is." Austin hissed.
"You have lost your ever-lovin' mind!" Melissa quipped. "I won't go along with this!"
"Oh? You'll disobey your High Priest?" Austin asked.
"Damn straight!" Celeste joined in.
"Then you will be cast out." Austin said darkly.
"No they won't!" Came the enraged voice from the doorway.
Austin whirled around to find Sassi and Harmony standing in the doorway to the guest house, every one of their travellers behind them. "And who are you to say? You are not High Priestess."
"I move... for an emergency re-election. Austin Griers is no longer fit to lead the coven." Sassi said, her voice quivering with rage.
"I second the motion." Jennifer yelled.
Harmony nodded. "As the High Priest's apprentice, I call for a vote. All those in favor of stripping the power of our Priest say 'aye'."
"Aye!" The chorus was deafening, and unanimous.
And then the worst thing that could have happened, did.
"I call Austin Griers to stand and face me!" JoDee said.
Austin scoffed, still in shock at the rapid change of direction, and stood.
"What?" He snapped.
"I accuse you... of betrayal against two members of your own coven."
The entire group gasped and held their breath.
"What?" Elena asked, breaking the silence. "Why is that so bad?"
"Because it means he'll be killed." Harmony whispered back. "The only situation in which it is considered not only acceptable... but necessary to take life in our faith. If a member betrays the coven, the coven will kill them."
"Everyone!" Sassi croaked, "Out. Anyone whom is not a member of the Coven of Moon, leave this room, immediately. I call for a trial." She turned to Harmony. "I am so sorry to put you in this position, but as the Apprentice to the High Priest, this duty falls to you."
Harmony nodded, resigned and despairing. Within the next few hours, she might have to order the execution of a person she had once idolized and loved as a brother.
- 45
- 46
- 47
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Prophecy's Refrain