Chapter 18

To the north of the quiet town of Kalm, the horizon that divides the sea and the sky is lit beautifully with the orange shine of the sun during sun set. A beautiful sight, with two chocobo riders, riding at top speed towards the town.

“What’s the rush?”

Cloud, that was one of the riders asked the chocobo rider beside him. The chocobo rider beside him kept quiet for a moment, and then spoke.

“Trouble. There will be trouble back at Kalm.”

Cloud heard that and felt puzzled. He had no idea what is going on although they had been rushing back from the Ancient City for about a day already. Trouble? What kind of trouble?

“I don’t know what trouble there will be, but I sense disturbance.”

The man next to him answered. Cloud felt like his mind was being read right through. Even so, he had no idea what the man is talking about. He waited for the man to say more.

“Remember the two Jenovian Conjurers that attacked you at Costa de Sol?”

Cloud thought for a while and then he remembered. He hadn’t seen both of them since that attack. He thought that both of them are dead after whatever that had happened, but now he is not so sure. What the man said made him feel that he is going to encounter them again.

“The presence of the two of them had been constant and mild all the while, but only yesterday, I can’t sense the presence of one of them and the other is getting stronger and stronger.”

The man explained what he felt and Cloud took some time to think of what is happening. From his understanding, one of them might not be on this planet already but the other one is approaching towards their direction. The other Jenovian conjurer can’t be stupid enough to come face to face with Cloud and the other man, and the only town in between them and the Jenovian conjurer is…

“We have to go faster. His presence is getting stronger and stronger already.”

The man said and sped towards the direction where Kalm is. Cloud kicked the side of the Chocobo, and rode at high speed, hoping to reach Kalm before the other Jenovian conjurer did.

“Achoo!”

A sneeze.

“Achoo!”

Two sneezes.

“Ah….”

Well, obviously, someone is having a cold.

“Hm…it’s almost 6 already.”

Tifa said to Barret while wiping some glasses. Barret that is sneezing his contents out took a look the clock and realized that it’s time to pick up Marlene from school. To Barret, there’s no joy more than to pick up Marlene from school everyday. Barret quickly stood up, with a haggard look on his face, walked toward the door.

“Hi, Barret.”

The door opened and Barret saw Aeris outside the door with a coat on. It is starting to get cold these days and one would easily catch a cold. Even a tough man like Barret can get a cold too. Aeris looked at Barret that is having a cold, and spoke with a smile.

“You can’t go anywhere outside with that cold. I will go pick Marlene up. What do you say?”

Aeris volunteered to help. Barret wanted to resist but Aeris quickly intercepted.

“Come on, Barret. Can’t you trust me?”

Barret shook his head and Aeris just smile back. Aeris slowly pushed Barret into the door and closed it. Barret can see Aeris leaving from the window. Somehow, Barret just doesn’t feel right. He felt like sending Aeris away, towards something…

Aeris approached Marlene’s school and saw many children with their parents around. It was cold the children are so cute with their coat and warms clothes on. Aeris looked around and saw Marlene standing among other children. Her eyes sparkled when she saw Aeris and ran towards her.

On the way home, Aeris held Marlene’s hand to make sure that she don’t go too far away. Marlene is a very curious girl and she always get stranded away when she sees something interesting. If something happened to Marlene, she won’t want to see the reaction on Barret’s face. It’s too painful…

“Aunt Aeris! Look!”

Marlene shouted and pointed to a mog that is jumping around in an alley. Aeris wondered. It’s very strange to see a mog here, in this place. It is during that moment, Marlene jerked off from Aeris’s hand and ran towards the mog. Aeris chased up from behind but Marlene was going too fast. Aeris can see Marlene going into the alley, and then the mog just disappeared.

“Where are you?”

Marlene looked around for the mog she saw. All In a sudden, a shadow appeared above Marlene and Aeris shouted. Marlene turned around and before she could see anything, she was snatched into the air and then she disappeared. Aeris’s face got pale and she ran into the alley without hesitating. The moment she entered the alley, she could see a shadow hovering above her, with Marlene in it’s arms, screaming. Aeris could easily cast a powerful spell and strike the shadow down but she wouldn’t. Doing this will might hurt Marlene.

“Long time no see.”

The shadow said and Aeris recognized that voice. Though she only heard it once, but she remembered it clearly. It was one of the Jenovian conjurers from the attack at Costa de Sol.

“What do you want?! Marlene has nothing to do with this!”

Aeris shout with rage in her voice.

“Now, it has to do with everything.”

The shadow said and Aeris started to understand everything.

Marlene is a hostage to the Jenovian conjurer. Aeris couldn’t bear to snatch Marlene back because she knew what he is capable of doing and he won’t hesitate to do it. The only way to get Marlene back is…

“I believe the one you wanted is me, right?”

Aeris guess what the shadow wanted and the shadow had a smirk on his face.

“Looks like you are quite smart too. All right, we will finish this quickly.”

The shadow threw his other arm in the air and then cast a spell. Instantly, Aeris is surrounded with a bright light and then the light came closer to her. Aeris can cast a spell to counter this but she wouldn’t. She rather let the Jenovian conjurer take her rather than hurting Marlene.

In Just in a split second, Aeris became numb and her entire body turned to stone. She turned into a statue and Marlene burst into tears while seeing this. The Jenovian conjurer let go of Marlene and Marlene fell onto the floor, crashing down. Marlene was still crying of her pain and the Jenovian conjurer picked up Aeris’s statue and left the place. Marlene ran out into the street, hoping to find somebody to help Aeris.