ARRIVAL.

[insusurromods]

𝑰𝑵𝑺𝑼𝑺𝑼𝑹𝑹𝑶: 𝑨 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑳𝑫 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑫𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑵𝒀

𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 you moved under your own power. The shadows that dwelt in the corners of your vision vanished, the world is bright and the shackles of destiny fall from your liberated limbs.

You're free.

But before you can take that next step, before you can alter your fate, a terrible howling fills your ears. It's an ill wind full of malice, one that rips you off of your feet and back, back, back from this chance to seize your destiny. The shadows coalesce into a single entity, its hands locking around your throat. It cannot let this stand.

You think that maybe this is the end. The world goes dark as it rushes past you, this is the end.

Except you wake to the feeling of rain on your skin.

The cliffs around you bare the scars of a fierce battle. Before you, a massive city faces the sea. Behind you, greenery sprawls for miles. Midgar has never looked so beautiful, but it has also never looked so unlike itself. The Sister Ray points proudly towards the sea. A bustling city crawls out from its shadow, looking wealthier and more robust than the slums ever did. You don't have long to ponder this.

Because you aren't alone. Others are coming to, looking just as confused and uncertain as you do. Some are battleworn and bloody, as if they were pulled from a fierce battle. Others appear to be in perfect health, as if they were simply pulled from a long slumber, though no less confused and lost. The howling that filled your slowly begins to fade, and as it does, the rain begins to clear.

𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐀𝐑 is within a few hours walking distance. 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐌 lies not much further in the opposite direction. There is no presence urging you to walk to one or the other, no voice from on high telling you what path your feet should walk. Underneath this infinite blue sky the choice to go - or to stay - is entirely yours.

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓?

Comments

akjhfkjsh oh thank you ; ; i'm very sorry that i'm so slow

[vehementi]

[Still as a stone, Sephiroth remains in his seat. Arms folded, legs crossed, tipped just so against the back that his head can comfortably lean forward. It's about as much rest as he'll allow himself. He is otherwise alert-- acutely mindful of every noise, every shift. A million thoughts echo back and forth through his mind, trying desperately to make sense of even one thing.

He comes to no viable conclusions-- only more questions.

Zack stirs from time to time, and Sephiroth will spare a watchful glance or two, but it's not until he hears Zack's groggy voice that he sits up properly. He's anticipating resistance-- for that mournful and angry tone to bleed back into Zack's voice. Sephiroth steels himself, but then he looks and-- Zack's grinning at him. A surge of warmth - of relief - washes through his rib cage, spreading further and further out until it inevitably reaches the corners of his mouth and creeps into his eyes.

Never before did Sephiroth think he'd be so glad to see that twinkle of mischief in Zack's eyes--

Are you the angel sent to carry me home?

--and if a vibrant hum manages to press past Sephiroth's lips... well. Surely he's not laughing.]

Not quite. If anyone here deserves such a title-- [He nods his head towards the door.] --it would be the doctor.

[Gradually, however, Sephiroth's expression sobers. It doesn't need to be said, really, but--] You were... not in good shape.