Final Fantasy VII: Reborn Book One: The Nightmare
Returns By Samuel
Gayton
After five years, the fragile peace is shattered as the evil of Jenova
is released upon the Planet. As Sephiroth returns from the Lifestream,
bent on bringing about the Apocalypse and the rebirth of his mother, Cloud
travels to the City of the Ancients in search of the woman he lost so long
ago.
Is he prepared to give up his friends, and ultimately his life, for
the Planet he has sworn to protect?
Chapter 1: The Awakening
“My name? Soon the world will know my name!” Sephiroth
Chapter 2: Calm Before The Storm
“We will not succumb to the powers of Jenova, for it is
a disease that infests the soul and bends the mind to it’s own evil will.”
Commander Duane
“Fine! Let it be born! Whatever it is! This thing will destroy us all!” Cloud Strife
“Now the nightmare truly begins.” Vincent Valentine
“You do not understand! These are our children! These babies are our flesh and blood!” Commander Grissom
“Hey Sephiroth! Get ready for ass spectacular kicking of your ass!” Reno
" It's Tifa, She got the Cancer. " Barrett Wallace
Final Fantasy VII: Reborn Book One: The Nightmare Returns By Samuel Gayton
Chapter 1: The Awakening
Junon Harbour, 22:00
Upwards he pushed.
Below was the darkness of eternity, above, sensation. The chance to
taste, to smell, to hear, to touch.
He knew not what he was; only that he must go up, up, up. Out of the
dark and into the light.
His head broke the surface of the water and he breathed.
Then he remembered who he was.
And what he was to do.
-
Priscilla ran towards the man wildly, her arms flailing about.
She shouted “Hey! Heeey! Are you okay?” But the man lay motionless
by the sand.
She reached him cautiously: Grandfather had told her to be careful
after the time when she was attacked by a monster and resuscitated by Cloud.
But she was sure that this was not a monster. Wasn’t she?
Priscilla shuddered as she approached him.
“Mister?” She repeated. “Are you all right? Mister?”
Suddenly he looked up, making Priscilla jump.
He brushed the silver hair from his face before answering.
“Who are you?” he gasped, drawing his katana.
Priscilla squealed with fright.
“P-P-Please, sir” she stammered out. “I’m Priscilla. Who are you?”
The man smiled cruelly and raised his sword.
“My name?” he whispered. “Soon the world will know my name.”
Priscilla screamed as he brought the blade down on her head. She stood
motionless for a moment before she crumpled to the floor.
Sephiroth smiled. He had forgotten what is was like to kill.
-
Rocket Town 17:30
News of Priscilla’s death spread through the world like a plague. No
one knew who or what could kill a tiny child. People didn’t want to.
The rumour had reached Rocket Town by the next day, and in half an
hour, Cloud and the others took the Highwind to Junon.
En-route to Junon, Highwind Airship 17:52.
They travelled mostly in silence. Cid was swearing softly to himself.
“Sweet Jesus.” muttered Barrett. “Who did this?”
“She was a girl.” said Vincent. “An innocent child.”
Reeve looked up. “Someone’s going to pay.”
Red XIII growled softly.
Cid swore again.
-
Junon Harbour 18:07
Junon was in shock. Priscilla’s death had stunned them all.
As Cloud stepped out of the Highwind he noticed the stench of rotting
fish had got worse: everyone was too afraid to go down and clean up the
shore.
Priscilla’s Grandfather was weeping on a bench. A sympathetic ring
of town folk had gathered around him.
He looked up when Cloud entered the circle.
“Cloud...” he choked. “Why are you here?”
But inside, he knew.
Cloud couldn’t find anything to say. “I’m sorry.” he managed.
“Who did this?” cried Barrett suddenly. “Who?”
“I...I don’t know...” sobbed Priscilla’s Grandfather.
“I don’t mean to be cruel,” interrupted Vincent, “But we need to...
What I mean is...”
“We need to see Priscilla’s body.” Finished Red XIII.
The old man looked up and nodded.
“This way.” he said softly.
-
Priscilla was lying limp on a table. Someone had made obvious efforts
to reconstruct her face. Even with the surgery, she still looked barely
human.
A massive red cut had been slashed across her face, the impact of the
hit had crushed her skull and contorted it to a grotesque shape. Her mouth
hung open in a silent scream. A yellowish fluid was leaking out of one
eye.
Even worse was the body. The wound had sliced her rib-cage open: several
blue veins hung out of her body. A second, more precise hit had opened
her bowels, long tubes poking out in between stitches.
They all piled into the room murmuring, but the conversation stopped
when they saw Priscilla’s body.
Yuffie made a gurgling sound and ran out of the room, hand over her
mouth. When she came back traces of sick were dribbling down her chin.
“Oh god,” she breathed. “Who could do that to a little girl?”
“I know.” said Cloud.
All heads in the room turned round to face him.
“It’s him.” cried Cloud. “He’s back.”
-
“Tell us again, Cloud.” said Tifa. “And slower this time.”
“All right.” Cloud said, drawing a deep breath. “You all remember five
years ago, when President Shin-Ra was murdered? Those of us who were there
remember Sephiroth’s sword, Musarme. That is one of the most powerful weapons
in the world and only Sephiroth can use it. Anyway, when Sephiroth destroyed
Nibelheim there were a lot of people who had been cut up real bad by Sephiroth
and his Marsume.” Cloud paused and glanced over at Tifa. “And I know first-hand
what the wound looks like. That,” he said, looking at Priscilla, “is it.”
There was a silence.
“You’re sure?” said Reeve slowly.
“Sure.” answered Cloud.
“But that’s impossible!” shouted Yuffie. “We busted Sephiroth five
years ago. I know, I was there!”
“Obviously, Sephiroth has somehow resurrected himself.” said Red XIII
“How, I do not know.”
“The question at the moment,” interrupted Vincent, “is not how did
he do it, but what are we going to do about him.”
“Yeah!” cried Cid. “If I know Sephiroth, then he knows who stopped
him from becoming a God, and if I were him I’d be pretty pissed right now!”
“Damn it!” yelled Barrett.
“What are we gonna do now?” asked Reeve. He looked hopefully at Cloud.
Cloud was silent for a moment.
“Cid, get the Highwind ready. We’re going to meet some old friends.”