Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VII : Atonement ❯ Chapter 22 - More New Information ( Chapter 22 )

Author's Note: Just to show you that I do read reviews and they do mean a ton to me, I am going to explain something that someone brought up - why the hell is Cloud believing that Aeris is trying to hurt him. The answer is simple; Jenova is manipulating him. He was always a little shaken up that he couldn't help Aeris, and Jenova knows this. Cloud would do anything for Aeris, even if she was evil, simply because he failed to protect her and he accepts that she would want some revenge, etc. Don't worry all you Cloud lovers though, he'll figure it out soon…not that it will help him. Hehe. Sephiroth is my hero in this story, not Cloud, so deal! Thanks! Reviews please!

Chapter 22 - More New Information

Yuffie yawned, slapping a thick, forest-green book closed. "I hate reading," she whined. "There's nothing in this one either!"

"What was that one about?" Tifa asked.

"…Trees…"

Tifa laughed. "You're kidding! No wonder you were bored!"

Vincent glanced over at Sephiroth. "Tifa seem to be doing better," he whispered under his breath.

Sephiroth nodded, his eyes remaining fixed on the book he was holding. "Probably because she's doing something about the problem instead of sitting around. It keeps her mind off of the bad things."

Aeris nodded. "That's what it was like before. When we were fighting ShinRa, the worst times were when we didn't know what to do."

Hours passed as Sephiroth, Aeris, Vincent, Tifa, Barret, Red XIII, Cid, and Yuffie read through the books that filled Bugenhaagen's old shelves. The only sounds that filled the room were the sound of pages turning or the occasional sigh. Then, after a great deal of time, Tifa broke the silence.

"I think I found it, guys."

Books closed and chairs were pushed out as everyone got to their feet and surrounded her.

"Okay. It says here that the Ancients separated into two species thousands of years ago. Those with the power to communicate with the lifestream were called the Cetra, and those with the power of mind control were the Bactra. The Bactra had fewer numbers, but they were very powerful and could easily infect humans with their cells and control them. They turned against the Cetra and tried to dominate the Planet because they felt they were superior. The Cetra were a peaceful race, and the Bactra, with their army of human slaves, slaughtered Cetra villages. Cetra resistance did little against the Bactra force. In order to end the Bactra threat, the Cetra sacrificed themselves to the lifestream, leaving only women and children behind in hopes that their race would have the ability to recover.

"It says here that every Cetra has the ability to become the summon of Holy. By instinct and parental teaching, the Cetra have the power to manipulate the lifestream and create a White Materia orb. The materia orb contains the life blood o the Planet and the Cetra who creates it. If called upon by prayer by the creator of the materia, the orb glows a pale green color and the Cetra dies or is killed. Then, as long as there is no power obstructing it, the Cetra's freed soul takes on the form of Holy. The Holy is then able to attack or destroy its target with incredible power. Basically, all the Cetra who sacrificed themselves were praying to the Planet and died using the materia orbs they created in their lifetime. They became Holy and attacked the Bactra, encased them in lifestream, and imprisoned them within the Planet's mantle. After the Bactra threat was gone, the Cetra dwindled away. The species was never able to recover. The few Cetra that remain generally keep their existence a secret."

Sephiroth frowned. "We can't use the lifestream ourselves to encase Jenova in it," he muttered. "Is there anything about another weakness?"

Tifa scanned the page. "There is a report of a volcano eruption near a Bactra village. None of the Bactra in the village survived."

"Could that meant they have a weakness to heat or fire?" Cid inquired.

Vincent shook his head. "I don't believe so. I am sure I used a Fire3 spell against Jenova in the Northern Crater. It didn't seem to hurt her any more than any of our other elemental spells."

"Perhaps it has to be extreme heat," Aeris added. "I admit a Fire3 spell is hot, but nothing compared to molten lava."

"I got another question," Barret said. "Does it list any other powers those damn Bactra have other than mind control?"

Tifa turned the page and scanned it with her deep brown eyes. "It says mind control, ability to fly, ability to change form, and advanced healing through energy sources."

"Come on Tifa," Barret said. "In English please."

Tifa chuckled. "Well, mind control and flight is easy enough. It says also that any body that a Bactra infects, the Bactra can change its shape to imitate the body perfectly, as seen when she was using Sephiroth's form to confuse us while Sephiroth was dead in the Crater."

"Going by what Cloud said when he was attack Aeris and I," Sephiroth added, "I am assuming that she is using Aeris' form currently into order to fool Cloud."

"What about the last power?" Yuffie asked.

"It says here that the Bactra have the ability to heal their bodies abnormally fast when an energy source is provided. For example, a Bactra could use the energy of one of the humans it was controlling to heal its own wounds. Used this way, even a normally fatal wound could be completely healed."

"Is that what happened?" Aeris asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Did she use me?"

Sephiroth put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yes. That is probably what happened."

"It is assumed," Red XIII added, "that Jenova found your body in the lake near the Ancient Capital. She injected your body with her cells and then ripped your from the lifestream so that she could use your healing energy to heal herself."

"And she knew she couldn't keep me," Aeris said slowly. "Because I was an Ancient, her hold on me wouldn't last. So, she went after Sephiroth and Cloud."

Sephiroth nodded. "Yes, my dear. I am sure that is what happened."

Aeris looked up at him, her face wet with silent tears. There was new resolve in her face. "We have to save him," she said. "We have to save Cloud."

Sephiroth put his arms around her and held her close. "That is my intention. I will do everything in my power to do just that."

Aeris sighed. "Please. I don't want him to suffer because of me anymore."

Sephiroth nodded. "Yes. It is time to end this. No matter what, we have to kill Jenova. This nightmare won't end until we do."

A/N: Well? I hope you liked it! Don't forget to review! Until next time…