Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Legacy of the Lifestream	By : butabara Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 2387 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not Own FFVII or its affiliates. I make no money from this execise in literary creativity.

Chapter List
- 49
- 50
- 51
Chapter 50: The Phoenix and the Heart

White and flowers. Green mist. The scent of rain in the still air, even though everything – everything – was bathed in light. Harmony whimpered as she lifted from the bed of wild, yellow flowers beneath her, the stab of pain fading so quickly she almost didn't even remember it.

Reality washed over her just as quickly; voices and images, her own choked pleas, begging a brother Guardian to save the falling Cetra, by ending her life.

...Yes, that's right. She was dead.

There was a hazy memory, tingling just on the edge of her consciousness. Darkness – darker than the storm Chaos had summoned – had pressed into her vision. Numbness slackened her grip at Sephiroth's coat. Damning cold stole into her veins but she saw. She saw it, when Kadaj and Yuffie burst through the treeline. Even through the distance and blackness closing in, she saw the look on his face when he realized what he was seeing.

And then nothing. She wanted to feel guilty. She wanted to cry. For Kadaj. For Sassi. For Kiku, her precious, powerful daughter that she was never going to see again. For Fionn and Miri, the beautiful young Cetra that carried the burden of carrying on the power of their people. Sukai, fighting her own battle. The baby inside the inventor that Harmony would never meet. Yazoo. Loz. Tifa. Yuffie. Zack. Cloud. Angeal and Genesis. Barrett – she'd not even seen the loud gunner since she'd been in this world, though he screamed at her through the phone in those first weeks. Cid. Vincent. Sytherea. Aerith. Sephiroth.

But… Nothing. She felt peace. Oh, there was yearning of course. A flicker of anguish that, like the physical pain of her injuries, seemed to vanish almost instantly. But there was… something. A feeling, though maybe not quite that. Not a memory, though maybe exactly that.

A vision. A 'witch-twitch'. A glowing red orb fuzed into her skin just above her hip, attached to glowing blue. It was hot; searing. Flames licked at her fingertips, at her lips, at her soul. A great, avian shriek sounding off just beyond the edge of her senses. Colors tickling at her brain, as vibrant and brilliant as the glow about her Cetra- no, brighter.

What is that? She thought, and as though she'd spoken aloud, it answered.

“I am the Phoenix.” His voice was sweet, and warm. It felt like… it felt like coming home. At the same moment he'd spoken, the heat in her skin began to blaze hotter than anything Harmony had ever felt. It stole her breath, which was odd, she thought, considering she was dead and didn't really need to breathe.

“You're the summon that Ten gave me.” Harmony gasped, slapping her hand to her hip. Again: silly, because she was dead and the materia was in her body on the physical plane.

The soft chuckle that met her was like a song, and she realized that the words she heard were actually a gentle melody; birdsong, sung by the most powerful bird she'd ever even heard of. But, she remembered in a blast of understanding, this was more than just a bird.

“Yes. And you're right. I am more than 'just a bird.'”

Against her will, Harmony's features fell to exasperation – leftovers of life, she supposed. “Are you actually completely telepathic?” She deadpanned.

Again, a soothing hum of amusement. “Well, yes.” the phoenix said. “But we'll have time to discuss that later.”

Harmony let out a slightly rueful chuckle of her own. “Right. I'm dead. I have all of eternity.” A colorful burst of smoke filled her vision and she squeaked, unsure of what she should expect but positive that the powerful summon had decided to reveal himself at last.

Oh, God. He was beautiful. Human, mostly, of course. All the summons were once Cetra, after all. In place of his hair were hundreds of feathers, shining red and orange and gold in various shades and when he tilted his head curiously, they shimmered and danced like fire. His eyes were burning gold, set it in light, copper and sunshine flesh. High cheekbones brought out the otherworldly tilt of his eyes, and the bizarre thought that she should ask him where he bought his highlighter formed before she could stop it.

He must have caught the thought, for he smiled and the expression filled her soul with such… trust. Peace. Light. Life.

Finally Harmony's brain caught up with the glorious spectacle, and she breathed a panicked gasp and scrambled to her knees. Her palms pressed to fragrant lilies, elbows bent to allow her to press her brow to yellow petals.

“Sorry, sorry! I don't know where that came from!” She rushed.

“Why are you bowing?” the phoenix asked, and he sounded a bit confused.

Harmony blinked, shocked, but didn't move. “Be-… cause you're a summon spirit? One of the great Cetran warriors chosen by the Lifestream itself to fight Jenova? You… You trapped your souls inside orbs of mako… That… That deserves respect, sir.”

“Ahh...” the Phoenix hummed. “Harmony. Darling girl… were you not also chosen?” Harmony thought she should have flinched at the shock of his warm hand on her shoulder, but that overwhelming warmth only intensified the trust and serenity she felt in his presence.

It took her a moment, but finally she gave into his gentle tugging and sat up. Her eyes were slow to slide sideways, once more finding his glowing golden irises swimming, teeming with life and staring right at her. She swallowed thickly. “Chosen?” She whispered.

The phoenix offered a short huff, another sound of amusement. His grip was soft when he stood and pulled Harmony to her feet, but his gaze was serious. “I know you've not truly attempted to understand exactly what you are-” he started.

“What?” Harmony interrupted, “Of course I have! I'm a Guardian! Our purpose is to protect and love our Cetra with our whole souls, with everything. To maintain the balance of life by doing so. I know that-...” She paused when she glanced at him and caught his bemused, arched brow. “...Sorry.”

“Are you finished?” He drawled. Harmony nodded emphatically. He sighed and nodded his acceptance. “Good. Harmony, I know what you are. I know what you think you are. But I know that you have forgotten… No. I know that you have never known what the Spirit of the Guardian is.”

“Well… What is it then?” Harmony asked, and she was aware of how utterly lost she must have sounded. “Just what am I, if I'm not a Guardian?” Had she really spent all these years thinking she was something important, something powerful to protect the Cetra she'd bonded with, when that wasn't true?

“Oh darling girl.” the Phoenix chuckled. “You are absolutely a Guardian. But not just a Guardian. Harmony, you are the Guardian. Why do you think your bloodline was chosen to be sent away with the one Cetra? You come from the most powerful line of your kind to exist. You feel compelled to protect your Cetra, yes? You can't stop. It is… reflex, right? You react before you even know what you are reacting to.”

Harmony blinked and shook her head. “Wait, are you saying that other Guardians don't react like that?” The phoenix nodded and Harmony narrowed her eyes. “But Sephiroth-”

“Was gifted. Not bloodborn. And the power given him, is a less powerful version of yours. Your family were the first. They offered freely. Keena and her daughters performed magic lost even to us, the Cetra, to call to the Lifestream. It was not the Lifestream that gifted the Red Lions with this power and human form, Harmony. It was them. They did not ask – they demanded.” He explained.

“But I don't understand what that has to do with being the Spirit.” Harmony said, and the frustration was clear in her tone.

“Keena did not offer herself to protect just the Cetra. Keena wanted this world protected from Jenova. Not the people on it, not the animals that roam… Keena was protecting the Lifestream, itself.”

If Harmony was alive, the shock would have killed her all over again. What?! What?! “But what about my bond with Sassi?” She whispered, features tight.

“Well you are a Guardian. It is natural that you bond with a Cetra. Your Cetra. The one that you were born for. You just have a greater responsibility… and in truth you have completed your duty honorably. You gave your life for your Cetra. To save her from a fate worse than death. To save the planet from the taint that Chaos will bleed into the Lifestream.”

“Is… She's okay?” Harmony asked and finally, finally she felt the sting of tears burning at her eyes.

The phoenix's lips curved, a smile so sweet, so proud that it broke Harmony's heart. “She grieves. But she's her. You saved her. Though I have to admit, her Jenova-darkened lover had just as much a hand in it.”

“Loz.” Harmony laughed around a sob. “God, I owe him forever.”

“You could, you know.” The phoenix cut in. Harmony's eyes went wide and she shot her gaze to his. He simply smiled that god-like smile once more and lifted his arms to his side. “The phoenix is my chosen form, and within me, all the power it offers. My gift to those whom summon me is the Rebirth Flame.”

Harmony gasped, and choked on her breath. “You can… You can send me back!” She rasped.

“I could. There is, however, one thing you have to do.” He stepped back and rolled long, flared sleeves up, the material dancing like flame until it melted into the rest of his robes.

“And what is that?” Harmony asked.

“Convincing.”

She shook her head and narrowed her eyes in confusion. “After all that, I have to convince you to send me back?” She said in disbelief.

His next smile… actually made her a little uncomfortable. “It isn't me you have to convince.” He waved his hand through the air, a trail of fire following the motion and Harmony watched as the flames began to swirl.

“I don't understand,” she said as she watched the writhing flames. “Who do I have to convince, if not you?”

And then the flames solidified and feathered away, and in their place a woman stood. She was lovely; skin the color of deep rust, almost red, and eyes as dark as the pit. Dark red tattoos covered her, from her clavicles and across, down both arms to swirl delicately around long fingers. Her hair was like a burning sunset – it reminded her of Nanaki's fur, and at that thought, Harmony knew who she was looking at.

“You're Keena.” She said softly. “My… Grandmother? I don't even want to think about how many 'greats' I need to add to that.”

The woman tilted her head, the colorful beads in her hair clicking against each other. “Indeed.” She said slowly, and even her voice was as rich and earthy as the rest of her. “Though you know me as Hogosha no Kokoro.”

And with that, Harmony was fairly certain that 'confused' was going to be a permanent state. She took a stumbling step back. Shook her head then gripped it in her hands. “I'm sorry, what? You're the sword?”

“The spirit within it, yes.” Keena answered. “One of many whom have passed through. Generations of Spirits, all together; I was the first, however, and so must remain until a Spirit of equal or greater power takes my place. None have succeeded.

“We are the sword that pierces the darkness. We are the shield that protects creation. We are the voice that teaches. The hand that leads. And you, my blood, have certainly lived up to that expectation.” She stepped forward until her form nearly pressed to Harmony's, and the young witch had to crane her neck to look up at the spirit. “But your time is done, your duty complete. I have waited nearly three-thousand years to see my Cetra again, but now, my bloodline has finally produced a Spirit as strong as my own. Unshakeable love and devotion to your Cetra. The acceptance of your duty, while maintaining your own ideals and fighting for your own inner peace. That is true strength. True power. Because you are worthy, I am free.”

“So wait...” Harmony whispered, breathless as she tried to make sense of the information she'd just been given. “You're saying the Spirit becomes the Heart?” All of her hopes began wilting, the light and excitement that she may yet see her family again draining away as Keena's words grew in volume and echoed in her mind. Keena made a soft sound, and suddenly strong, warm arms were wrapped around Harmony, a great, heaving sob bursting from the young woman's lips.

“No one wants to die, my blood. No one wants to leave our loved ones behind. But know this… You will be connected with one. Your daughter – also my blood. She will carry the blade, and you will guide her. Teach her. Protect her, so that she may protect her Cetra. You will not be lost and lonely, aching in the dark for centuries, waiting for your descendent to find you.”

Harmony crumbled against the woman, and her arms flew up to cling to her. “I'm so sorry.” She sobbed. “I'm sorry you were alone so long, I… I had no idea...” she cried into her shoulder. “But Keena… Grandmother...” She sniffled and pulled away, and her features were torn with such grief, such desperation and fear and compassion that both ancient beings watching couldn't meet her eyes.

“Harmony...” the Phoenix mumbled, reaching for her as though to offer comfort. She ignored him.

“Grandmother.” She said, voice wavering. “I… I know you've been lonely. I haven't listened… I've neglected a lot of things for a long time. But I know, now. I know the line I was born into. And I… I know: You've been waiting a very long time, to see your Cetra again.” Water filled her lash line and her lip quivered. “...But mine is still out there. Chaos is still out there. And… And if I have a chance to go back, to protect her, to make sure that she knows how loved she is and that this never happens again… I have to do it. Please… Please, just give me a little longer...”
- 49
- 50
- 51
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Legacy of the Lifestream