Cliff
CLIFF and Lovel advanced deeper inside the research facility searching for Sephiroth. Guided by electric lights, they threw open several doors and proceeded even farther inside. Then, after a while, they spotted the door in the deepest depths of the facility. A plate reading, “Research and Development Sector” hung over the steel door.
Deep in his gut, Cliff knew Sephiroth was on the other side.
“Cliff…”
He nodded to Lovel and opened the door. The room beyond was vast and empty. Wrecked Golems were scattered about the dreary steel-reinforced room. Old bloodstains dyed parts of the room even after all this time, speaking volumes of the tragedy that had happened here four years ago.
At the farthest end of the room, a massive giant of pure silver lay senseless on the ground.
“That’s…Sephiroth!” Cliff breathed. Modeled after an archangel, the giant gleamed under the electric lights. Not even the word “giant” could accurately capture the sheer size of its colossal body. It easily surpassed four meters in height.
Supple arms and folded wings were attached to its torso. It still clutched a long spear in its hands. This was the militarized Silver Golem Prime Body that had massacred Ouka’s friends.
Unfortunately, Sephiroth wasn’t the only one in the room. Beside the Prime Body stood two men with their backs to Cliff.
“JAIR!”
The men turned toward Cliff. One was Jair, while the other man had a beard.
“You came? I take it Spinoza lost,” the bearded man remarked bitterly.
“I can’t believe you were Grinzam…!” Lovel uttered, her voice sharp enough to cut. At once, Cliff understood the man was the Rabbi known as Asusrad Grinzam, the cause of everything. But Grinzam himself quietly shook his head.
“That man no longer exists. He was killed by the Torah Church eight years ago.”
“And now you’re just the embodiment of revenge? Stop this nonsense. I don’t want Golems to disappear from this archipelago.”
Sadness flickered in Grinzam’s eyes as he demurred, “I can’t believe you would say that… Countless numbers of people have suffered at the hands of Golems, including you both. Putting an end to this archipelago’s distorted history with Sephiroth is my calling.” Conviction close to madness laced his voice.
Though Cliff was overwhelmed, he called out, “But Grinzam! You can’t activate Sephiroth without this cube, can you?!” He pulled the red cube from his pocket and thrust it out for Grinzam to see. “I’ll crush this if you won’t quit this ridiculous plan. And if I do—”
“Unfortunately,” Grinzam interrupted. “I no longer have a need for that cube.”
“You don’t…?!”
“I was searching for Miss Lovel because we didn’t have the cube necessary for activating Sephiroth. But we just got ahold of another one not too long ago—the last red cube that exists on this island, that is.”
“What?! Where did you get something like that from…?”
Grinzam didn’t answer Cliff. He looked at Jair and said, “Jair, begin.”
Jair nodded and faced Sephiroth.
“…My name is Jair. In the name of the 72 gods, I give thee the name Sephiroth.” Sephiroth’s chest began glowing with Jair’s ceremonious voice. Cliff stared on, too stunned to do anything. He didn’t know where they had retrieved the other cube from, but sure enough, one was embedded in Sephiroth’s chest before they had arrived.
“Don’t do it, Jair!” Lovel shouted, trying to stop him.
Jair sonorously chanted without looking back. “Live as one with me and return to dust with me. I order thee to destroy the Torah Church!”
His voice was portentous and solemn. It was a declaration of war to grant Grinzam’s long-standing wish. And something came to life to obey that voice. An automaton gripping a deadly spear came into existence for the sole purpose of slaughtering.
The monster that had killed many Rabbis right here four years ago—Sephiroth—slowly rose to his feet.