A New Situation

Chapter 15: Unsettling Presence

It was already night time when Teito, his friends as well as the Turks arrived at the bar where Cloud and Tifa are living at. Rude carried Tifa upstairs to her room while Reno also helped put Cloud in the bedroom upstairs carefully since they were in a bad state. As for Labrador he was holding onto Castor and Frau's shoulders as they helped lower their friend onto a nearby couch and unlike Cloud or Tifa, Labrador was not knocked unconscious of his injuries but he was not feeling so good.

Labrador was not really bothered by his physical state as a Seven Ghost he has the ability to quickly heal wounds than an ordinary human. Castor was done looking over his friends wounds declaring that Labrador should be fine at the moment but was concerned at what happened at the church. Castor asked Labrador if something happened during the fight with one of the silver haired man and what made him stop.

"Labrador, what on earth happened during that fight with one the Silver Haired Men? You were capable of taking him on yet you stopped why? The purple haired bishop looked at his companions in the room as they were alone at the moment with the Turks upstairs being company for Tifa and Cloud when they regain consciousness.

Labrador revealed what happened during the fight:" When I was attempting to subdue the man I began to receive visions of the future and saw the reason why Kadaj and his brothers are enacting their plans the way they are. They rounded up the children infected those with geostigma to start an event called reunion and they wanted to see their mother again as it was in the form of a blue creature that looks female."

The four other people in the room were shocked at this new information as Teito came forward:" You saw the future, Bishop Labrador? What did you see and how do they involve us and Cloud?" Labrador contemplated how to tell his friends of everything he saw so far but with little information he was given he had no idea what to make of it and would like to contact Aerith to see what danger will approach.

The lavender bishop asked Teito if he could use a paper to write down what he saw so that he could describe it to them hoping to make sense of what those visions could mean.

"The visions I have been having shown me a scene where Cloud is at a falling apart building located somewhere in Midgar, which is probably the old Shinra building; he was clashing swords with a short haired man with green eyes and then a black box was cut open with green liquid pouring out the other man fell onto the buildings surface and began to change. By the time Cloud clashed with the figure it changed into a long silver haired man wearing leather clothing. This man was Sephiroth the enemy of Avalanche and the Calamities son."

Then Castor processing the information heard so far connects since they are in the past the events Labrador sees may have already happened back in their time but only parts of it. It is determined that in the book of legends that Cloud as the warrier will have to battle the one winged angel Sephiroth as there is no changing this event. " So Cloud will clash swords with Sephiroth in this period and that the five of us that are trapped here are not to interfere with the outcome of Clouds fight with Sephiroth and Avalanche can't deal the final blow either but they can help in the battle."

"Castor let Labrador finish what he is about to say, I have a feeling that those visions will affect us somehow." Replied Lance whom was cautious about this turn of events since as the ghost with the ability to see into the past he was not permitted to actually time travel into the past to meddle with events that took place. What is more alarming is how they were sent to past to obviously help battle a force that was not present in the previous timeline.

"As I was saying, the next visions were much different in a way that Sephiroth is no longer seen but instead I saw the five of us standing with a figure in front of us it seemed to be a young man with green glowing eyes and was holding a materia but this materia is not anything like Tifa has it was otherworldly ancient relic with the symbol of Verloren. Not only that the man we saw looks exactly like Cloud with some differences on how the figure has white streaks across his hair alongside the dark blond."

Teito become alarmed at this as the vision Labrador saw meant that they would meet someone that looks exactly the spitting image of Cloud with several differences but a materia with Verloren's symbol is strange. "How can this be possible someone that looks like Cloud being not human and carrying a materia with the symbol of the Kor's curse that identifies with Verloren is strange? What connection does this person have with Cloud and how can a materia be associated with Verloren?

The lavender haired bishop was not sure on what connection the person has with Cloud but judging on how worried they look for Cloud, the figure seems to believe that Avalanche are the ones causing Clouds injuries. So Labrador revealed more information that shook the group: "Cloud was unconscious during the vision he was being carried by Vincent Valentine who was accompanied by a young black haired girl, a red wolf and a dark skinned male with a machine gun on his right arm. They seemed shocked at seeing someone with a resemblance with Cloud and not only that the man used that materia and a dark glow activates with skeletons emerging from the dirt and are in command under this mysterious being. The vision stops after this as I can't see what happens next and then the last one I had I couldn't see who was talking but it was two males speaking and I caught two names August and Hadern. The one called August spoke to the other that they wanted the approval of their siblings and that he won't let Hadern endanger his descendant. Hadern on the other hand focuses on August in terms of importance and claimed that August won't be in the shadows of the seven anymore.

Bishop Lance was shocked at the revelation and then connected the dots to what was implied." Then this means that who ever that entity was that was holding materia with the Kor's symbol must be connected to Verloren and we do not know if they are good or bad. The two names August and Hadern must be connected to this mystery and their names have meaning in Barsburg that might make sense. August is the name of the eighth month of the year as well having the connotations of being respected and impressive with the other name Hadern translates to Crescent association with the moon."

The young apprentice Teito listening to the conversations had some suspicions about what all these visions could mean with some about Cloud. Some other things to worry about is the eighth ghost Frau discovered on how they could be involved in the original Seven Ghosts lifetime thousands of years ago that they were kept a secret. "You don't think these visions could relate to the eighth ghost?

Castor said that it could be a possibility but not everything is clear yet until they could get to that location Frau was talking about to confirm the existence of the eighth ghost to learn more about them. "It is a possibility the eighth ghost could be involved in this mission we are on but we do not know the identity of the eighth ghost at the current time." Just as Labrador was done with describing his visions they heard a movement from upstairs. It seems to be the Turks went downstairs and informed the group Tifa and Cloud are now awake and were just finished talking and are now expecting them. So the group head upstairs to where Cloud and Tifa are expecting them. Tifa greeted them in a grateful way. "Thank you for helping in protecting us at the Church Labrador and I apologize you had trouble because of me." Labrador reassured the women it was no problem and that she does not need to blame herself for what happened as Marlene would of been in danger.

Cloud was standing right next to his bed after he was having a conversation with Tifa for him to stop running and to let her with their friends help him so he won't be alone. In fact, they discussed that Denzel and the missing children were taken away and are at the Forgotten City. Cloud planned on taking Fenrir to ride to the location to help rescue the kids but may run into trouble.

"Teito, you and your friends can go with Cloud to the Forgotten City to help rescue Denzel, Marlene with the missing children but be careful on running into those Barsburg soldiers going after you." Teito was about to reply to that suggestion until Castor interrupted. "Thank you for the offer Tifa and that we would like to help Cloud with trying to help rescue Denzel and Marlene."

Tifa was relieved that they decided to help in the rescue even though they did not have to but chose to. "I am glad that you accept the help but be careful there most of you have not been there but bishop Frau does so it is better to follow Cloud so you do not get lost in that place."

Cloud who was listening to the conversation was not so sure having Teito alongside the bishops coming with him would be a good idea or had a feeling they are much interested in going to Forgotten City other than rescue the kids but for something else. Eventually Cloud agreed to the suggestions and told Teito with the others to have some rest and they would start heading out tomorrow to get ready.

Three days have passed since the incident that Teito and the four bishops were given motorcycles to use as transportation to their destination. Bishop Lance's clothes have changed a bit as he was no longer wearing his bishop clothes but a dark green leather coat with a black shirt underneath and black jeans. Tifa stated that because Lance was the only one of the group of five to wear bishop clothes he should wear civilian clothes so that he would not stand out lest the Blackhawks immediately know where he came from. While Teito, Frau, Castor and Labrador were not wearing the church outfits at the time being transported to the past they were told to use a new pair of clothes on their journey to the Forgotten capital while their old clothes will be left in the guest rooms they temporarily had so when they come back they could wear them,

Castor's outfit was a black coat with a brown coloured shirt underneath and black pants with brown boots. Both Frau and Labrador's outfits were still kept the same so they didn't have to change their clothes as they looked fine and Teito's clothes were replaced with a blue long sleeved shirt with a collar and already adds his cloak from when he landed and with a black cobalt pants. There was some awkward tension in the room as the group had to adjust wearing clothes that would fit this time period.

Once they were outside what greeted the bishops plus apprentice was three motorcycles and Cloud waiting for them on his vehicle about to get ready to leave not without seeing the others about to leave. Castor noticed that there were three motorcycles available and thought about which person should be paired and one person alone.

"Frau, Teito you can both share one vehicle and me and Labrador are to have one while Lance could have the last one." No one complained about the arrangement so they settled off leaving the bar with Tifa waving the boys goodbye and for Cloud to return safe. Sometime later Cloud with the bishops were riding the motorcycles for quite a long while until finally seeing the sights of the glowing trees and the ruins.

From what seemed like hours have passed by since they are approaching their destination Teito took notice that it is night time and everything seemed to quiet as if someone was expecting them to arrive and plan to ambush them. Teito was wondering if they are their yet as seeing how Teito, Lance, Castor and Labrador never saw what Leben's cuvere is like they had to rely on Frau's help to locate where it is.

"Frau how long until we reach the cuvere you described to us and can you direct us to where it is?" Asked Teito who was anxious on what he would find and he was not sure if he would be allowed inside the sacred place seeing he is neither the pope or one of the Seven Ghosts but was instead a host of the eye of Mikail.

The taller blond haired bishop heard what his apprentice was asking and replied that yes he knows where he is going and that he is using a part of his ghost powers to sense the nearest ghost energy or zaiphon as a sign they are near.

"It will be a short while to arrive at the cuvere in which I am only using my ghost abilities to track down another zaiphon energy in the area so that it could help direct me to the location. Castor warned Frau not to say their plans out loud in case Cloud could accidentally overhear them. From what Cloud was informed the bishops with their apprentice are only going with him to rescue Marlene and Denzel not that the bishops are interested in exploring more of the forests with a cave surrounding the Forgotten city.

"Guys do not talk so loud we do not want Cloud to accidentally overhear us and for now we should follow Clouds lead to where the children could be in hopes that we may meet the leader of the Silver haired men." Frau agreed with what his friend is saying and that their plans for this trip should be kept a secret from Cloud that may not be involved with the eighth ghost. However, Cloud moving in front of them on his motorcycle did not hear them and was thinking about something else.

Suddenly a huge red energy emerged from the forests at it struck at the spot to where the bishops and Teito are at making their vehicles lose balance and fall down making the group leave their position to confront their attackers. Teito looked back to Clouds direction only to see Cloud was too far away for him to hear them to help since he is still searching. Teito hopes that Cloud can handle himself and that he would come back with Marlene or Denzel. Instead the group of five focused on the oncoming threat in front of them. It was the Blackhawks that set their zaiphon to attack them.

One of the soldiers was a pink haired girl Kuroyui who clashed her sword against labrador in anger seeing the person responsible for her begleiters coma. The girl angrily exclaimed at the bishop:"Profe you have hurt my dear begleighter you shall pay for this. I was so sad Haruse had to sacrifice himself to take in Teito Klein but the eyes power was too great and instead rendered him in a coma." Castor took action by pushing the disheartened girl away from his friend willing to stand in for Labrador should anything bad happen.

With Lance he ended up getting into a confrontation with the middle aged man named Katsurugi. From what he could tell about this person is that he is a very powerful zaiphon user and one wrong move could cause Lance to receive an injury. Katsurugi draws out his sword ready to charge at his opponent.

The Barsburg solder asked Lance if he was also a ghost like the others and which ghost identity. "Tell me Mr. Bishop which one of the Seven Ghosts are you seeing how I did not see you before not like the other three and judging by your zaiphon energy you are powerful enough to fight me one on one?"

"Like I would tell you Black Hawk about myself." Replied Lance who was using only his zaiphon to attack his enemy as Lance's bascules was left behind back in his time so this made the blond haired bishop make do with the abilities he has now.

Meanwhile with Teito he was filled with anger seeing the man who murdered his best friend Mikage in front of him so Teito rushed in bringing out his offensive zaiphon in making it more fierce.

Teito exclaimed at Ayanami:" I can't believe that you are sent here as well Ayanami and tell me why are you even bothering working alongside those silver haired men they won't care what you want." Ayanami kept on doing the younger males attacks as Ayanami drew out his red zaiphon to attack the boy. From what was known in Barsburg, only the warsfiels have a red zaiphon that distinguished them from other ordinary humans. That is because the warsfiels are the followers of the God of Death Verloren and are also given the ability to command the wars a dark creature resulting from a person's wish being granted by a kor and then kill the human taking their bodies.

Chief Ayanami glaced at Teito as he spoke:"It is none of your concern what I am after Teito Klein and it is my orders to take you back to Barsburg in our time not where this is. Tell me Klein why are you planning to go with Zehel on the journey to Seele surely you would know of what will happen should you reach there." Teito took in his enemies words and thought deeply on why exactly going to Seele was important and that Teito connected that it was to find where Pandora's Box location was where Fea Kruz hid it. He also had no idea what will happen to him once he reaches the Land of Seele, according to Castor he told Teito to visit Seven God houses to seek something called a cursed ticket. At first Teito thought these tickets might be some paper tickets the gods houses give to a traveller in person but otherwise think it is something different.

"No, I do not exactly know what will happen to me once I reach that location. So do not stand in my way Ayanami I will travel to the god houses to collect the cursed tickets." The silver haired man looked at the boy as if he does not believe that this boy could ever achieve an impossible task.

Just as Ayanami was about to use a powerful attack on Teito, he sensed an unsettling aura came by and signalled his men to stop. Teito with his companions were at first confused why all the Blackhawks stopped until looking behind them to see a female figure approaching them. Bishops Lance and Castor recognised the girl as it was Reina the girl who helped rescue them some time ago.

"It can't be its Reina the girl who saved me earlier and the one who could use two different zaiphon." Teito looked at Castor and then stated,"You mean this is the girl both you and Lance saw before meeting up with us and that she saved you Castor from Ayanami."

Castor nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, Reina came to save me at the last moment when Ayanami was about to finish me off and then she used powerful materia as a diversion. I have a feeling she is not a normal human and she seemed to sense I am not one either."

The rest of the Blackhawks including Kuroyuri were stunned seeing the mysterious girl again except Hyuuga and Ayanami since they were clearly expecting to see her again. Kuroyuri questioned the figure."It is you, just as we suspect you are not an ordinary human, Why do I say this it is because chief Ayanami had a kor following you and he managed to see through its eyes on the abilities you had displayed. Tell me are you a part of the Seven Ghosts?

Reina's expression to being asked whether she was a Seven Ghost was neutral as opposed to the bishops and Teitos expressions that they have just heard that Reina is not human all along but could be one of the Seven Ghosts of this generation in the past. The blond haired girl said she was not one of the seven."I am not one of the seven." Kuroyuri became upset at this answer."You deny you are a ghost and claim to be a human, but we have evidence seeing you are far from human."

Then the silver haired warsfiel approached as he revealed what he saw."From the Kors intel it saw that you had drained energy from that geostigma ridden boy as he was dying and not only that anything you touch became in danger of dying. You were able to cast illusions on those dying victims make them hallucinate someone that are not there as well taking their life energy into yourself."

"What are you talking about Ayanami there is no one that could have a deadly ability to kill a living being with deadly touch not like Verloren unless…" Castor stopped for a moment on what he learned, judging by Reina's answer given she did not deny she was a ghost but only she was not one of the seven. This realization made Castor think about who Reina could be."Wait a moment, Reina are you actually the last ghost related to the seven Ghosts? From this outburst the rest of the Blackhawks were confused on what Fest accused that strange girl of being like stating if she was a ghost related to the Seven ghosts and such a thing could not be possible could it?

Reina moved fast that almost make Frau, Labrador and Lance not know where she is until she landed beside Lance as she draws out a green zaiphon that no one saw before. The zaiphon that she summoned could be described as being green like the lifestream and it surprised both groups.

"You are right I am not an ordinary human and there are some things that are meant to be kept a secret." In a bright flashing light all the warsfiels covered their eyes at the action and once it died down the bishops as well as Teito Klein vanished. Ayanami felt frustrated at the turn of events and the girl in front of them claimed she was a ghost but not one of the Seven Ghosts like how could that be contradicting the only way for her to be a ghost is if the Chief of Heaven somehow created a secret ghost that Verloren never knew the existence of. This realization made Ayanami think No, it can't be that the Chief of Heaven created another fragment of me after the Seven Ghosts and why would he let this one live?

Chief Ayanami what do we do now we do not know where Teito Klein is heading nor do the bishops and that girl seemed to be a powerful zaiphon user?" Asked Konatsu who was stunned at what he saw and it is still unbelievable that there suggests the existence of an eighth ghost is possible and that the stories he heard as a child never said anything about this figure.

Hyuuga who heard his subordinate asking Ayanami about what to do now is also stunned about learning of a being possible related to the Seven Ghosts that have fought Verloren. Hyuuga also asked his boss about whether it is possible for another ghost to exist. "Chief Ayanami is is truly possible for an eighth ghost to have existed all this time?"

The silver haired man was uneasy about what he learned so he said:"It is possible for it to happen I am not surprised if it turns out that the Overseer of Heaven had a hand in this and for Minerva to be involved." Just by mentioning the goddess; Ayanami remembered long ago on how Minerva was opposed to his action on finding the love of his life Eve by killing each living creature that could hold her soul. Verloren in the past went after Minerva's followers the Cetra/Ancients who were already at that point endangered because he thought one of them could have a soul pure as Eve only to be dissapointed. Minerva also attempted to fight him only to be overwhelmed as Verloren's lieutenant Rowell stopped her and then Verloren left the area Minerva was in charge of to head towards his latest destination where he will eventually be betrayed by Rowell and defeated by the ghosts and archangels. After Verloren was defeated by the Seven Ghosts, it was recorded in the stories that the Chief of Heaven gave a materia to Minerva to keep guard over only that this materia was not created by Minerva but was in fact a creation of Verloren.

Ayanami had been wondering what happened to that materia long ago and what that Goddess could of done with it. The materia Verloren once wielded long ago was extremely powerful as it was made from his life force and unlike his Scythe which could consume anyone unworthy of wielding it that is not its master, the materia was an orb of dark powers that could tempt humans into using for destruction and raise the dead from their graves. Verloren during the time one thousand years ago had used the materia against the Calamity from the Sky back before he met Eve. The materia did not always have a negative reputation but was originally used to allow others to speak with their loved ones. The original Seven Ghosts would not be able to lay a finger on that materia because the materia rejects them since they are mere replicas of its master and it was also foretold to the Warsfiel that there will be someone who could wield the materia and bring about a reckoning under Verloren's name.

Meanwhile with Teito and the others they were teleported in front of a cave that they did not see before except for Frau. Frau immediately stood up as he recognized where they are. "Guy's this is the cave I was mentioning it is where I found the evidence of the eighth ghost." Castor scanned the outside of the cave in a surprised look as it was starting to make him think of more questions until he notices that Rain is standing in front of the cave where the supposed Eighth Ghost Leben's curve is, could she know about it?

Lance was the first to talk to Reina:"Thank you for saving us from the Warsfiel Reina and how did you know where we were? Reina responded that she sensed where they were and that it is one of her abilities."Your welcome, I have found all of you because I was able to sense where you were located and it is one of my abilities." This shocked Castor as he heard she sensed where the group was or maybe she sensed those who are the members of the Seven Ghosts meaning his suspicions about Reina are confirmed. "What you said about being able to sense us no human could have that ability and judging by what we heard earlier at the battle you know the existence of the Seven Ghosts and you also claimed you are not of the Seven. Reina, just who are you exactly to be able to evade Ayanami like that?"

The blond haired girl processed what the brown haired bishop asked when she took off her left glove and then raised her hand up for the group to see. The reaction to seeing what she displayed was shocking as even Teito, Lance and Labrador were hit with the realization on what they are seeing while Castor looks on in disbelief and Frau was shocked at seeing the symbol of the eighth ghost Leben on the girls left hand as he realized who she is. Frau recognizes the symbol as a sphere inside a circle with two curved lines pointing downwards.

Reina then revealed to the group about what it means. "The symbol you have seen on my left hand is the symbol representing the Eighth Ghost. I am Leben, the reckoning spirit. Pleased to meet you Zehel, Profe, Fest, Relikt and the wielder of the eye of Mikail."

Note: Here is another chapter for the story and in the chapter we finally see the group meet Reina in person as well being taken to the location of the mysterious Eighth Ghost's cuvere. It turns out that Reina is not a human but is in fact a ghost just not part of the Seven Ghosts but is really the Eighth Ghost Leben. There are some things that are still unknown like what exactly is Leben's connection to the Strife family and who is the man that looks like Cloud in the vision? We will soon learn about it in later chapters but the revelation might be shocking.

It was also revealed here that Verloren also created a materia of his own from over one thousand years ago and that it may be similar to the scythe except it was crafted using Verloren's life energy. Whether or not the materia was sealed like Pandora's Box was or the Scythe had yet to be revealed but it was mentioned it was guarded by Minerva.

Next chapter we will see the bishops as well as Reina who is the current Leben enter the cuvere to access the Eighth Ghosts cuvere to see the memories from long ago. Teito may find out that when he attempts to enter it will not allow him. While with Cloud he fights Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo in a fight in an attempt to save the children and a ally arrives to rescue Cloud.