Chapter Fourteen

Sephiroth contemplated the mountain fortress that loomed before him. Condor had once harbored the Phoenix, the great fire bird, and its roost, but the bird had flown years ago. It had been thought the purpose of Condor's existence had flown with it.

But, as usual, things did not go the way of thought.

After the fall of Midgar, civilization lacked a military central strength. True, Cloud had opened his school in Nibelheim, but there were only so many students he could teach, so most applicants were kindly sent away. And a door opened for Condor to step through.

Not all of the Shin-ra military and SOLDIER core had been destroyed by the meteor and subsequent attack by Holy. Some had been on assignment in other areas, and those had gathered in Condor. After careful consideration, most had tossed their Shin-ra and SOLDIER uniforms to the sea, and those who didn't were thrown the sea next. The remaining group took up residence in Condor, becoming the major military force on the planet within a few years. The Condorians had chosen to support their newfound legacy, as the monsters in the area had grown more fierce over the years.

Years of military rule had turned Condor into an intimidating fortress. Sephiroth felt some trepidation approaching it, knowing that his return would remind many of what they tried to destroy from their pasts.

"Halt," the guard at the towering gate called to him as he walked up the narrow path. "What is your business here?" Sephiroth looked the man in the eyes, surprised that he was being treated…normal. Did the guard not recognize him?

"I am seeking an artifact that was stolen from…a very sacred place," Sephiroth replied after a moment, "I was told I might find it here." The guard studied him for a minute, as if trying to remember something.

"You look familiar," the guard finally said. "You stay here, I'll be right back." The man's form disappeared from view, leaving Sephiroth feeling very foolish and unprotected standing before the gate. A few minutes later, he heard something of a commotion from behind the gate, them several people suddenly poked their heads over the gate to peer at him. A quiet conversation quickly started up. Sephiroth could understand them, but chose not to show he could. The less they know about his abilities, the better.

"That's him alright," one of them whispered. "The Great Sephiroth."

"I heard he went crazy. Or that he was dead. Killed by an alien."

"Someone told me that it was 'im that started that whole mess with the Weapons and Meteor."

"But it's Sephiroth!"

The last seemed to decide the group, as the conversation stopped and they all turned their attention back to him.

"What is your business here?" The man asking the question was somewhat older than the rest of the group, having not spoken during the earlier conversation. Sephiroth studied him a moment, deciding he was probably the leader of the group.

"As I told the guard earlier, I am seeking an stolen artifact," he said, trying to appear non-menacing without seeming pathetic. He did, after all, have something of an image to hold up to.

"And what do you call yourself?" The older man seemed to be having a hard time saying "Sephiroth."

"I am Sephiroth," Sephiroth replied evenly, trying not to be too amused by the not well muffled gasps that came from the gate. Another long silence followed. Finally, the forms disappeared from the top of the fate once more. For a moment, Sephiroth worried that they had decided to destroy him, for fear of their lives. He concentrated lightly in the barrier materia in his bracer, ready to summon it at moment's notice.

It became apparent that his worry was unfounded as the gates creaked open, revealing a crowd of people, both in uniform and civilian clothing. They all stared openly at him, fear and awe fighting for control over their expressions. He shrugged inwardly, years of having such looks placed upon him had somewhat hardened him against them. He could hear the whispers as he passed into the compound, whispers that contained words like "crazy," "mad," "meteor," and some even said "hero." He wasn't sure to be proud or ashamed of the last.

"You really look like him," the older man who had talked to him from the gate said, approaching from the middle of the crowd. "And I don't think anyone else could possibly carry off such an act carrying that sword of yours without appearing awkward other than the real Sephiroth." He nodded at the Masamune appreciatively. "My name is Kedric, and I am the Lord of Condor. I would bid you welcome, but you must understand my hesitation in that matter, as your reputation…" Kedric trailed off, looking discreetly at the crowd gathered around. "Perhaps you would like to join me for a little refreshment?" He waved off at a group of strategic looking towers. "Then we could discuss the matter of this artifact you seek."

Sephiroth nodded curtly, following Kedric from the gate to the towers. He tried to not act too aware of the squad of soldiers that had closed in around him as an escort as they walked through Condor. Kedric seemed earnest - Sephiroth liked the man immediately - but he had a city to look after, so his hesitation was not only understood, but expected.

"So," Kedric said after they had settled into his office with cool fruit drinks, "you are looking for an artifact you claim is stolen?"

"Yes," Sephiroth said with a nod, looking around the office. Kedric had dismissed the squad once they had arrived at the interior of the tower compound, clearly a show of faith on his part. Sephiroth had tried to act as non-threateningly as possible, hoping the man would notice his attempts.

"How did you come to be searching for it?"

"I was commissioned."

"By whom?"

Sephiroth met Kedric's eyes for a moment, wondering how much he could tell the man. For all of Condor's protests that the military elite that made up most of it's population was no longer affiliated with Shin-ra goals, he had to wonder if it wasn't Condor that was behind the looting at the Ancient's City. After all, if Shin-ra goals were still active here, no matter how discreet, then one of the first places they would look for items of power or mako-energy would be the ruins. If they found that he was their enemy in that venture, it would put them both in a very uncomfortable situation. One which Sephiroth dearly wished to avoid.

"Bone Village," Sephiroth finally said, hoping that his initial liking of Kedric would not prove wrong, despite the misgivings he had about the motives behind the looting.

"Ah…" Kedric sipped thoughtfully at his drink, turning his back to Sephiroth. The older man stared out the window at the compound sprawled out before him. Kedric was silent for many minutes, sipping at his drink every few breaths, obviously searching for the correct answer to give the Sephiroth.

"The relics of the Ancient City, I imagine," the military leader finally said, more to the window than to Sephiroth. In fact, if Sephiroth had not been listening so closely for an answer, he wouldn't have caught Kedric's words.

"I take it you know why I - or rather, Bone Village - wants them back," Sephiroth replied in a tone nearly as soft, louder only because the man standing opposite probably did not possess hearing that was enhanced by mako poisoning.

Kedric turned back to Sephiroth then, a strange smile momentarily gracing his face. "Glad to know that some of those old rumors were correct," he said, taking another sip from his nearly finished drink. "You do have extraordinary hearing. Hmm. Guess that means that some of those other rumors might be true." Sephiroth chose not to comment, as there was nothing to gain by confirming whatever it was Kedric was trying to pry from him.

"You see, Sephiroth, while we have struggled, and perhaps even, prospered a little, since the… incident, it's no secret that monsters are becoming tougher and more numerous - and our abilities to cope with them are not increasing to match the need for protection. We thought… some of us… that there might be some knowledge, or weapons, anything really, left in the ruin of the Cetra that might help us. We knew that the Shin-ra higher ups were very concerned with the Cetra and the city in general, but we never really what they were so excited about, beyond extending mako energy wealth." Kedric sighed deeply, setting his now empty glass on the desk that separated the two men. "To be short, we grew desperate. When word came across that people were searching the ruins of the Ancient's City, we thought we might as well send a team in to see if there was anything that might be of help. They brought back a few things… nothing that we have been able to decipher for any use. I'm happy to give them back to you, but I must inquire - Why did Bone Village commission you?"

"When the relics left the continent, a monster showed up that started sinking all ships that came to dock there. They couldn't send word for help, nor could they defeat the monster. It didn't take long for them to connect the relics with the appearance of the monster. I was… traveling in the Northern continent at this time, and I had come to Bone Village to book passage to the south. Obviously, I couldn't go until the monster had been defeated.. and after I killed it, they asked me to find the relics and bring them back, as they fear that another monster will come if the relics aren't returned."

"So it was coincidence…" Kedric said, studying Sephiroth carefully.

"It seemed that way, yes."

"As I said, I have no trouble giving the relics back to you - for return to the rightful place - I never meant any harm by having them brought here, and they certainly haven't helped us any… but, surely you would grant me a small favor in return?" Sephiroth took a quiet deep breath, prepared to hear another request to kill some huge monster that they could not defeat. "Would you train a few here, as you were trained?" Sephiroth stared at the Kedric in shock, totally unprepared for that request. "Of course, having you stay here would be unreasonable, given your quest, and not entirely useful for us, to have just one excellent SOLDIER, but if you could train a few, who could in turn train more…"

"SOLDIER training," Sephiroth started, still trying to compose himself. Such a request! Had people so totally forgotten the wrongs they had done to ask him to train their military elite? "It takes years, Kedric, I just couldn't train them… slipshod… it would be a wrong to them and…" He trailed off as Kedric motioned he wished to say something.

"I don't mean now. I understand that there are other relics that you must collect and return. I meant after your quest is complete. I'm offering you a position here - weaponsmaster - we are in dire need of one. None of the SOLDIERs lived past two years after the incident - did you know that? We are all just the general Shin-ra regs, not a whole lot to save the world with. We need training, dearly. I know that that Nibelhiem has it's school, but that ba--" Kedric stopped himself, but not before Sephiroth caught the anger in his voice. "They won't have anything to do with us," Kedric said, regaining control over his voice. "They think we are still Shin-ra, ruthless and uncaring. The graduated students even steer clear of here, despite generous solicitations."

Sephiroth just stared at Kedric, unable to think of anything to say. After a moment, he turned away, pretending to study the books that lined one side of the room. His hand dropped unconsciously to the hilt of the Masamune, grasping it tightly. This is too unbelievable, he thought to himself, trying to keep his warring thought from showing on his face. Why would Cloud ignore people in need? Does his anger really run that deep? Resentment so strong that he would allow innocents to die? How am I to ever gain his forgiveness if he won't forgive those who had no direct contact with him during… the madness that took me. Aeris, this is impossible!

"Sephiroth?" Kedric asked, growing uncomfortable in the silence. "I know what they said about you in the past, about what they still whisper - that people are still afraid to speak for fear of calling your wrath down on them. I know that you were supposed to be dead, killed by those heroes in Nibelhiem. I know they say you called the Meteor, and a dozen other horrible things. I saw you, way back when things were still rosy, and I just can't believe you did those things. It just seemed like it had to be a demon that did those things, cause nothing human could do something so horrible to other humans, especially one that was so … well … military as you were. Now, if that demon happened to wear your form, or was even part of you, well, I have to believe it's gone now. Cause the man standing across this room from me did not do those things."

Turning to Kedric, Sephiroth felt his control preciously close to slipping. The glass of fruit juice in his hand, forgotten until that moment, suddenly shattered, splattering it contents on the floor. Kedric didn't flinch - or if he did, he hid it too well for Sephiroth to notice in his turmoil. Sephiroth shook off his hand fastidiously, annoyed at the blood that mingled with the juice, spilling on the floor. The annoyance, as mundane as it was, and the distant pain of his hand, brought his focus back into clarity. He momentarily concentrated on a cure materia to stop the bleeding.

"I'm sorry for that," Sephiroth said, motioning to the glass shards on the floor. "I haven't had anyone put the events so accurately before. Your faith in me, in what you believe, Kedric, is meritable, but ill-placed. I did do those things that you have heard." He met Kedric's eyes suddenly, grasping the man's attention with the intensity of the mako green in his eyes. "The demon that was inside me was there all along, it just needed an excuse to come out. I wish I could tell you it's gone forever, but, I'm not sure anymore." Sephiroth's thoughts drifted for a moment to Jyleth, and the uncontrollable need she stirred inside him.

"Admitting that the demon is there is enough for me to trust you," Kedric said. "For now." Sephiroth gave him a quiet questioning look. "I haven't heard of any horrible deeds done by the evil Sephiroth since the fall of Midgar. That means that you've been doing something for the past several years, but it hasn't been so evil or good that anyone has noticed. I imagine that you have been recouping your strength. Whether you were recouping for good or ill - well, that will show itself soon, I think, because you don't look like you are in need of any more recouping. I have to assume that if you intend ill, we are all dead anyway, but, if you don't, then I don't have anything to lose, do I?"

Sephiroth allowed himself to smile then. Kedric might claim he was only a regular conscript, but there was nothing regular about the way the man thought. Shin-ra had missed out greatly by leaving the man to rot on the ranks of the general army. But Shin-ra's loss had clearly been a gain to Condor.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Kedric," Sephiroth said. "If your mind is any measure of your ability, I imagine you could have put many in the SOLDIER core to shame."

"Now that," Kedric said with a laugh, "that is too much credit. I don't seem to fight real well. I can plan my way around any situation, but if I have to actually do… I don't know. One of those switches that makes a man a warrior doesn't work inside me. Shin-ra saw that immediately, and to the regs I went."

"Ah," Sephiroth said, nodding slightly. The conversation lapsed for a moment. "About the relics," Sephiroth finally said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Yes, of course, I'll see that they will be ready for you in the morning. Surely you will accept my offer of a night's food and rest? Perhaps I might be able to help you with the some of the other missing relics. I'll have the men who were sent on that mission gathered for questioning. There's a fair chance they talked to the other buyers. Would this be helpful to you?"

"Any information is useful," Sephiroth replied.

"Good, then, I'll send for you when they are found. Until then," Kedric walked to the door, opening it for Sephiroth, "Marcus, can you see Sephiroth my dining hall?" One of the soldiers standing outside Kedric's office, a young freckled man, snapped to attention.

"Yes sir!"

"I'll join you shortly," Kedric continued to Sephiroth. Sephiroth nodded once more to Kedric, then followed Marcus to dining hall. His thoughts wandered again to Jyleth. Now that she is away from me, she'll probably never want to see me again, he thought. The only reason she stayed before was because she didn't remember any other way to live. A strange feeling of loss overcame him for a moment, but he quickly dismissed it. It is better this way.