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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
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Chapter 62: The Hidden Kingdom
The Highwind sat parked on the chilly beach of the east coast of the Northern Continent as the golden chocobo carrying Cloud and Aerith disembarked from the ramp, ran on several yards of beach sand, and immediately began to tread the ocean water.
Aerith and Cloud named their golden chocobo Ajax. He was a fast creature, darting the ocean water so fast that there was no danger of sinking. Aerith was riding in front, with Cloud sitting behind, with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. No reason was ever given as to why she wanted to ride up front.
"You have to ride bitch," was all she would tell him.
Soon, Round Island became visible. Ajax showed no signs of sloth nor fatigue as he quickly darted up the island wall. Aerith held on for dear life as Ajax sped vertically up, turned over the ledge, and sped vertically down. He sped across the swampland that no airship could land in. Finally, he came to a stop at the small part of the island that was actually dry.
Cloud and Aerith dismounted on the dry grassland. Aerith struggled to maintain her balance as Cloud held her up.
"Please don't puke, Aerith. Please don't puke!" she pleaded with herself aloud.
She sighed in relief when she realized that was not going to happen.
"How about a date at Gold Saucer when we're done here?" Cloud teased.
"You're terrible!" exclaimed as she playfully smacked his behind.
It was then that they noticed that they were facing a wall. It was roughly four or five yards high, and the tops of buildings were seen poking out behind it.
It was a city, but there were no skyscrapers. All of the buildings were make of stone. At the center of the city was a castle. To the southeast of the castle was a larger building that appeared to be some sort of abbey. There was no modern technology of any kind.
"It's like it's eight hundred years ago!" Aerith exclaimed.
"They had no outside access," Cloud pointed out. "Nothing has changed for them in centuries."
"How did they get there?" she asked.
"Damned if I know," he answered.
"You think Knights of the Round's in there?" she inquired.
"I don't see where else it can be," he replied. "I'm not seeing any caves or temples outside."
He quietly scanned the wall before finding an opening with an arch above it.
"Well, shall we?"
Aerith followed him to the arch, though she gave a "God-only-knows-what-we're-going-to-find-in-there" vibe.
"Halt!" shouted a loud voice as they reached the threshold. "Who goes there?"
Both Cloud and Aerith looked upward. The voice had come from the top of the arch. A sentry was standing up top.
"My name is Cloud Strife. This is Aerith Gainsborough."
"What business have you here?" the sentry demanded.
Cloud and Aerith looked at each other.
"Should we tell them the truth?" Aerith suggested.
"I can't think of any reasonable lie," he answered. He then turned to the sentry.
"We're looking for the Knights of the Round," he announced.
Almost as if in response, several more sentries came from the arch. They quickly surrounded them with swords drawn.
Aerith and Cloud looked at each other as if to say: "That was the wrong response."
IN THE ROYAL HALL...
Cloud and Aerith were led through the central market and to the castle. They were able to see sword shops, blacksmiths, and other trades long gone. Of course, they spent most of their ride contemplating their possible fates. They had multiple swords pointed at them at all times. Even though Cloud had a sword, he was no match for a multitude of sentries.
Eventually, they arrived at the castle. The two front doors creaked open as the sentries continued to lead them through a hall. The floor was decorated with red carpet, and the walls were decorated with candles and portraits of what appeared to be kings and queens. There had been no kings nor queens anywhere else in the world for generations.
At the other end of the hall was what appeared to be a throne room. A man and a woman were sitting on two seats that were side by side. Standing to the right was a man to was dressed like some kind of archbishop.
"Are these the visitors?" asked the male individual sitting on the throne.
"They are, sire," replied one of the sentries.
The man turned his attention toward the captive couple.
"I am King Pyrus," he greeted. "This is Queen Jilline, and to the far right is Archbishop Werl. Welcome to Savara."
With that, the sentries lowered their swords and backed away.
Both captives felt a wave of relief.
"I'm Cloud," Cloud introduced. "And she's Aerith."
King Pyrus looked at both of them hopefully. "And where do you two come from?"
"We're from off the island," Cloud replied.
"Outsiders!" King Pyrus joyfully exclaimed. "Praise to the Silver Messiah!"
Cloud and Aerith gave each other the skeptical eye.
"The Silver Messiah appeared to me," King Pyrus explained. "He told me you were coming. We have not seen any outsiders in ages!"
Cloud decided he would need to get to the point; they were running out of time.
"We came here for a reason," he began. "We're seeking the Knights of the Round. If it's kept here, we need it."
The smile on the King's face faded. Silence filled the throne room.
"That belongs to the Silver Messiah," he said sternly.
"It can never be removed from the abbey," added the archbishop in the same manner.
Cloud sighed. As always, this would be harder than expected.
"I'm certain you've noticed that strange object in the sky," he said.
"It is the Second Moon," the archbishop said. "A gift from the Silver Messiah to announce his coming."
Aerith, tired of their superstition, decided that it was time to tell the truth.
"That Second Moon is actually-"
"SILENCE!" ordered the archbishop. "Women are not to speak in the hall!"
Aerith looked at Cloud, as if to say: "I'm on the conservative side, and even I think these people are backwards!"
"Listen," began Cloud. "That thing in the sky is not a moon of any kind. It's Meteor, summoned by evil magic. The person who summoned it killed some very powerful people. We tried to use our best weapons to destroy it, but it still grows closer each day. And in a few weeks, it's going to crash into the planet, and all life will die. That is, unless, we destroy the man who summoned it."
"And why would you need the Knights of the Round?" inquired the archbishop. "Even they could not destroy a moon."
"This person is now in the center of the planet," Cloud continued. "He's become extremely powerful. We need the Kinghts of the Round to help destroy him. A simple sword won't do." He then turned to Aerith. "This woman here also cast a spell. This spell will destroy Meteor once it arrives."
The archbishop was still less than impressed.
"If she cast a spell, what do you need to destroy this man for?"
"He is blocking the spell from happening," Cloud replied. "That's why we have to go to the planet's core and force a showdown.
The archbishop turned to King Pyrus.
"It's your call," he said. He then turned to face Cloud and Aerith once more. He began to glare.
"I will have to decide," said King Pyrus. "I will let you know by tomorrow morning."
Both Cloud and Aerith groaned inside. They were certainly hoping for a quick resolve, and they were not going to get one.
"But first," King Pyrus continued, "we feast."
THAT EVENING...
Both Cloud and Aerith found it a relief when they realized that they were not going to be killed. Cloud was especially disappointed that King Pyrus would not yet allow them into the Abbey, but he realized he could think of a plan later.
Before dinner, Cloud and Aerith were asked to changed into more "fitting" attire. As the Savaran culture frowned on non-marital sex, they were asked to change separately, and were given separate rooms for the night. Neither found it satisfactory, but the upside was a pleasant surprise when they saw each other dressed for the era for the first time.
Cloud was dressed in a medieval tunic and trousers. Aerith was dressed in medieval dress that covered her arms and shoulders.
"You look like a princess," Cloud complimented.
Aerith was anything but happy with her attire.
"They told me it was 'inappropriate' for women to wear pants," she muttered.
They sat down in the castle's dining-room. Chicken was served for dinner, but, as there were no forks, everyone ate with their hands. Aerith found it disgusting, but realized she had no choice and dug in like the rest of them. She did, however, excuse herself as soon as she was finished.
After several minutes, Cloud noticed she was gone. He quietly excused himself and began his search. After only a few turns, he found her outdoors, standing on a balcony.
She signaled for him to come over.
"Don't you want to spend time with your princess?" Aerith asked.
Cloud was looking forward. He could see the city wall, beyond which lay the swamp. He then noticed that his companion was looking toward the sky.
"You okay?" asked Cloud.
"Just thinking, that's all," she replied.
"About what?" he asked.
"Why the premonitions have stopped for me," she answered.
"I'm not having any, either," Cloud said. "At least not about this place."
"That's because we didn't do this in the original timeline," she said. "But mine stopped after the altar." She then looked up at the sky again. "What was so special about the altar?"
Aerith silently gazed at the stars.
Cloud frowned. The answer to him was cut and dry. In the original timeline, she did not fake her death; she had actually been killed.
He supposed that he would have to tell her. He needed to find the right time to do so, and he was well aware it would not be pleasant. Upon finding out the truth, she would most definitely be upset, and it would certainly show. He would have to have the discussion in private somewhere. It would have to be some time when she would not need to concentrate.
"I just figured it out," she announced suddenly.
Oh, shit, he thought.
"What?" he cautiously asked.
"Casting Holy stopped the premonitions," she replied.
Cloud was silent. Of course, she was wrong, but he wondered whether her naivety was a bad thing or a good thing.
"Yeah, that has to be it," Aerith continued. "It can't be any other way."
She then turned to Cloud.
"Is it true what you said back there?" she asked. "That Sephiroth is blocking Holy."
Cloud nodded.
"Memories of the original timeline are still slowly returning to me. Yes, he did block it, so we had to go down there."
"Obviously, we took care of it," Aerith observed.
"Mostly," Cloud said.
"Mostly?"
"I remember how Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo came along two years later. They were avatars of Sephiroth; his spirit still survived."
"It almost sounds like he's more dangerous dead than alive," she pointed out..
"In any case, we need to get inside that Abbey," Cloud pointed out.
"King Pyrus said he'll decide tomorrow," Aerith reminded him.
"And what if he says 'no?'" asked Cloud. "He'll send us on our way as soon as he declines. We need to get it tonight."
"Against his orders?" Aerith asked.
"We don't really have much of a choice," Cloud insisted. "This is probably one of those now or never situations."
"What if we get caught?" she asked.
"Then we'll hop on Ajax and get the hell out of here."
Aerith shook her head. "I don't know. This seems wrong."
"Allowing them to die along with the rest of us seems more than wrong," he insisted.
"You're right," she said. "But to them, it's sacrilegious."
"They will understand," assured Cloud. "When we take Knights of the Round and no Silver Messiah comes for King Pyrus, they will all understand."
"Alright," Aerith said. "You win. Just one thing, though."
"What's that?" he asked.
"Can we change back?" she finally replied. "I need to wear pants when we do this."
Cloud smiled, knowing he could count on her.
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Premonitions: Uncut