Chapter three

Waking the dead.

“Tell me what happened”

“Mom”

“Can I call you?”

“Embrace your dreams”

“...Then I’m not standing by you.”

Pain shot through his body as he sat up in the bed he lay in. Bandages covered him from head to toe and the beeping from the heart monitor pierced through his ears. Closing his eyes he tried to faces to the voices he heard. His Mother, Aerith, Angeal...Alexis. It was then he opened his eyes and looked up at the female that now stood in the doorway.

“You gave us quite a scare, good to see you’re awake.” The female said.

“Where am I?” He asked “Who are you?”

“You are in the Shinra Hospital in Wutai; I am Elena of the Turks.”

“I recognised the uniform.”

"Tseng will come by to see you soon.” Elena turned to walk away. “Oh and Zack.”

“Yeah.” He asked as he looked up.

“Don’t give up.”

Zack watched as the blonde Turk walked away, the door shutting behind her. Her words settled into his heart and a simple smile graced his lips at the familiar words. Zack scratched his head as his thoughts turned to the people he had been thinking about. Soon, as quickly as it had come, they had vanished and replaced with the image of a blonde haired man.

“CLOUD.” Zack yelled as he remembered the past.

Turning he pushed himself out of bed, wincing at the pain that shot through him. Slowly he swung his legs over the bed and gently lowered them to the floor. Bit by bit he placed his weight on each leg and smiled triumphantly as he succeeded. But as he placed his full weight onto his bed his battered legs gave away beneath him. An arm quickly wrapped itself around his shoulders and helped the injured Zack back onto the bed.

“What in Gaia’s name are you doing?”

“Tseng what...Let me go I need to find Cloud?”

“Cloud is fine; he is currently reunited with his old childhood friend Tifa Lockhart. As far as I’m aware he has also became quite acquainted with Aerith as well.” Tseng explained.

“Aerith.” Zack whispered as her face planted itself in his mind. “How long have I been out?”

“Nearly two months. But the Mako in your body sped up the recovery process.” Tseng explained.

“Guess I can’t hate Shinra for everything then.” Zack grumbled.

“Zack, we may need you back in. Rufus Shinra...”

“No.” Zack interrupted. “I’m not going back, not after what happened.”

“It is not a request; it’s an order from Rufus Shinra himself.” Tseng replied simply.

“Rufus, he’s still around.”

“Yes, he is now President. His father was murdered.”

“By who?” Zack asked.

“Sephiroth.”

“...Are you sure.”

“The very same sword, only he could wield it.” Tseng added.

“But, Cloud killed him. I could have sworn he...”

“...Failed.” Tseng finished. “Sephiroth’s body was never found and now we have reason to believe he is still alive.”

“Let me guess, he’s trying to take over the world.” Zack said flatly.

“Yes, apparently he is planning to bring his mother Jenova back.”

“The calamity that fell from the sky.”

“The very one.”

“So where do we go from here.” Zack said after a few moments of silence.

“You get better.” Tseng said as he turned to leave. “Oh yes one more thing.”

Tseng stopped and reached into his Navy jacket, pulling out a file he turned to the black haired ex-SOLDIER. Smiling the Turk leader handed the classified file to him before turning and leaving the room. Zack watched after him before staring at file with a dumbfounded look. He soon noticed that it was his name on the front and that it held some envelopes. Opening the file a collection of letters fell out all signed by such elegant hand writing he recognised immediately.

“Aerith, I guess these must be the other eighty eight letters.” Zack mumbled as he opened the first one and began to read, the ever so charming smile plastering itself across his face.

Elsewhere a group of two females and a male came to a stop outside a village, small and ruined. In the background a destroyed Reactor could be seen and a foggy haze casted itself over the village of Gongaga. The male shook his head sadly as one of the females placed her hand on his shoulder.

“It was never your fault Cloud.”

“Yeah but it feels like it Aerith.”

“Come on, I could really use a rest.”

“Tifa’s right.” Aerith agreed.

Cloud nodded and let the two girls go on ahead. He looked around at his surroundings and flashes of his lost friend came before him. Pain shot through his head as he stumbled backwards, images of Zack smiling, shouting at Cloud to run. Shortly followed by the image of him lying on the ground dead. Shaking his head once more Cloud sighed as he walked into the village.

“Guess it’s time to tell his parents.”

End of chapter three.