Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Story DLC: Knight of the Cetra DLC ft. Zack Fair Scenario

DLC Mission Title: Knight of the Cetra

Episode 1: Holy’s Gambit

Starting Location: Sector 5 Church to Gongaga

Scenario Draft:

Chapter 1. A Familiar Beginning

Zack is in the same world as Cloud and the others, he’s at the church where we last saw him at Rebirth’s End. Zack looks around to see no one. He calls out, and no one answers. He then wonders to himself, “If I’m here… are my parents alive too? I have to find out.”

“A few days later…”

Chapter 2. Journey to the Past

After traveling by Chocobo and hitching a ride by ferry boat, Zack arrives at the boundary of the Corel Shores and Gongaga. “I’m finally here.” He looks around and says, “All this time, …at least it still looks the same. Well, here goes.”

Zack navigates through the jungle of Gongaga, taking down a few monsters along the way. He reaches the entry to the village where he grew up.

Chapter 3. Unexpected Encounter

He walks in, takes a few steps, and stops to take in the sight of everything. “I can’t believe it. I never thought I would see this place again.”

Among the people in the village going about their day, one of the GYC’s members (Gongaga Youth Coalition), Sotetsu, stops what he’s doing and notices someone new in SOLDIER clothing entering their village and immediately goes to warn Cissnei (Captain, of the GYC).

Sotetsu goes to Cissnei, who is speaking to other GYC members by the Chocobo stable at the South Gate of the village. “Excuse me, Captain. There’s something I think you need to see right away.”

Cissnei replies, “That important, huh?” Sotetsu approaches to whisper in Cissnei’s ear. “There’s someone who just entered the village wearing a SOLDIER uniform, and it’s not Cloud.”

Cissnei’s face shows sudden shock. She excuses herself and follows Sotetsu to where he saw the SOLDIER (Zack).

Sotetsu points Cissnei in his direction. “Look, he’s heading to the south side of the village towards the Fairs’ house.”

Cissnei quickly goes to head him off. She catches up and stops a few feet behind him with her weapon drawn. “Hey! SOLDIERs aren’t welcome here!”

Zack turns around, starting to say, “Look, I grew up …” As soon as Zack turns around, Cissnei sees his face with that black spiky hair and can’t believe who she’s seeing. She says to him in an unsure tone of voice, “Zack?”

Zack replies, “Yeah, do I know you?” Zack looks down to see the weapon she’s holding. “No way! Cissnei? You look… different?” Zack sees her older now, in a different uniform than he doesn’t recognize, and notices how attractive she is now (internally).

Cissnei says, “What are you doing here? Never mind, hold that thought. We need to talk in private. Follow me, my house is just over there.”

Chapter 4. Revisiting the Past

They enter Cissnei’s house and sit. Cissnei says to Zack, “I can’t believe you’re here. I mean, I thought you might have died, and I can’t help but feel partially to blame.”

Zack replies, “Yeah, I thought it was the end for me too, but somehow I made it out. It felt like I was being given a second chance. It’s weird. One moment I’m being shot at by a whole platoon, and then a bunch of crazy things happened.

I was in Midgar and I found Aerith unconscious. Then I saw a flash, and all of a sudden I saw Cloud and we fought Sephiroth together.”

Cissnei interrupts Zack, “Wait, slow down. You saw Aerith? Unconscious? She warned me you might show up one day,” Cissnei pauses, then continues, “but I thought she was a little loopy from those Gongaga mushrooms,” she says jokingly.

Zack says inquisitively, “You saw Aerith? Here? What did she tell you?” Zack pauses and with an unsure tone says, “I feel like she might be the reason all this is happening to me. I feel lost with no leads. All I could think of was trying to see my parents again, hoping they’d still be around.”

Cissnei says, “So predictable.” She approaches Zack and continues, “I said I’d keep an eye on them, didn’t I? They’re doing good. So, you might want to think twice before just showing back up in their lives again, especially if you don’t know how long you’re gonna be around.”

Zack stops and thinks about what Cissnei says and reluctantly agrees with her. Zack says quietly, “So what should I do?”

Cissnei says, “Maybe you should get some rest and think it over. Consider the consequences. We can talk more in the morning. I’m gonna go out on patrol. Rest well.”

As Cissnei begins to leave, Zack speaks out to her. “Cissnei!”

“Yeah?” she replies.

“Thank you,” Zack says.

“For what?” she replies back.

“For keeping an eye on my folks,” Zack tells her.

She quietly says, “Hmph,” with a slight smile. “You’re welcome.” She then says good night and continues to walk out.

Zack lays down and goes to sleep. As he sleeps Zack faintly hears a voice (ethereal) and it wakes him up. (It’s evening time.) His mind is racing, and can’t sleep anymore.

All he wants to do right now is go see his parents. He walks towards a desk in Cissnei’s house and grabs a pen and paper and begins writing a letter dated in the past to leave behind for his parents.

Zack walks out of Cissnei’s house and approaches his parents’ house. He gets there and looks through a window carefully so as not to be noticed.

He sees his dad asleep in an armchair and his mom reading a book at the table. Zack smiles and he realizes Cissnei was right. Zack takes one last look and walks back to Cissnei’s house for the night.

Cut to Cissnei looking out atop the watchtower in Gongaga. Cuts to a closeup of her and flashes back to when Cloud and the team split up in Gongaga to head to the reactor and Cissnei is waiting with Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie.

Aerith approaches Cissnei and says, “Can I talk to you alone for a second?”

“Sure,” Cissnei says.

Aerith then tells her stuff that would sound kinda crazy. Aerith says to Cissnei, “Do you remember when you said that you saw the Whispers?”

“Yeah,” Cissnei says.

Aerith asks, “And that person you said you were waiting for? Was it Zack?”

Cissnei reacts with surprise.

Aerith continues, “I know this all sounds crazy, but if he does ever come back, it’s because the planet will be in great danger.”

“So, is this one of the abilities an Ancient has? This is all starting to make sense,” Cissnei says.

Aerith tells Cissnei, “Just promise me one thing: if you ever see him, tell him that if he’s gonna be strong enough to help Cloud beat Sephiroth… he’s gonna need to do this.” Aerith’s voice fades out before revealing to the player what “it” is (a trial). Cissnei, with reservations, agrees to follow through with Aerith’s request.

After the flashback, Cissnei heads back to the village done with her nightly patrol and rests til morning.

(Next day)

Cissnei tells Zack what Aerith told her, and that it’s going to be dangerous.

“I understand,” Zack says.

Cissnei tells Zack, “I’m gonna go with you and watch your back.”

Zack tells her that that won’t be necessary and that it’s too risky.

Cissnei tells him, “That may be so, but for a long time now I’ve thought about what happened all those years ago, and I can’t help but feel guilty.

Now I have the chance to make things right as best I can. So I’m coming with you and that’s that.”

(Cissnei joins Zack on his mission for the DLC.)

Zack & Cissnei Synergies:

**Synergy Attack:** Cissnei jumps onto Zack’s Buster Sword and he launches her into the air. While airborne, Cissnei throws her shuriken at the enemy. Zack rushes down the enemy for a three-hit combo: the first two slashes land, then Zack hits the shuriken back to Cissnei with his sword.

As she comes down to land, she catches her weapon and closes in on the enemy, doing a three-hit combo while Zack finishes the last hit of his combo simultaneously with a spinning Braver slash.

(When initiating the synergy attack close to an enemy, the Buster Sword launch animation counts as the first hit.)

Zack’s Offensive Synergy Skill: Shuriken Surf

Zack calls Cissnei to throw her shuriken and Zack hops on surfboard style, holding his Buster Sword parallel with the star, doing double damage (shuriken + sword strikes). Great for pressuring multiple enemies. The player can tilt the joystick to influence the direction.

Zack’s Defensive Synergy Skill: Shuriken Shield

Zack calls Cissnei to throw her star in front of him, blocking enemy strikes and projectiles. As the enemy or projectile strikes the shuriken, Zack does a jumping roundhouse kick,

(1st kick reflects the enemy’s strike or projectile back at the enemy, tap the button again with good timing to execute 2nd kick sending the shuriken at the enemy for a follow up hit before return to Cissnei.)

Chapter 5. Secret Training Facility

Zack says to Cissnei, “This location Aerith wants us to go to is up north. “How are we gonna get there?”

Cissnei tells Zack, “At the southern end of Gongaga along the shoreline, there’s a secret training facility the Turks use where shipments come in from Hojo and Scarlet’s research labs.

They come here to be stored until they see fit to test out their experiments on the local fiends or in case any resistance movements suddenly appear in the region. They won’t be caught flat-footed like in Junon.

“I’ve seen some of Shinra’s military speedboats in some of the cargo bays there. We could probably use one to get to the north. I have a keycard that gives me access to the facility, but my card doesn’t work everywhere in there. But I’m sure we’ll figure things out.”

As Zack and Cissnei proceed south through Gongaga, there is some expositional dialogue (regarding how Cissnei’s life been post-Turks) and building up some experience with monster battles. They make it to the training facility.

Inside the training facility, they enter a room with a VR console. Cissnei takes her keycard and activates the console. The VR console powers on and doubles as a platform elevator that descends into a restricted access storage area at sea level.

When they proceed below, they eventually find an area that has the speedboats. Cissnei uses her keycard to open the bay door to drive the boat out, but the keycard doesn’t open the bay door.

“Shit!” Cissnei says.

A recorded voice over the speaker system begins to announce, “Attention all research personnel… vacate the area… Security measures have been activated. Highly dangerous fiend mobilized. Repeat, all personnel evacuate the area. This is not a drill.”

Zack asks Cissnei, “What’s going on?”

“I guess since my keycard isn’t authorized for this level, it automatically activated security measures.”

Zack sarcastically replies, “That’s nice. So this is what you meant by us ‘figuring it out,’ right?”

“Well, I knew something was probably gonna trip us up, just wasn’t sure what or when. Didn’t have much of a choice, though.”

All of a sudden, they hear loud hissing. Zack and Cissnei look at each other and then look around.

Zack says, “Uh, whatever that is, it’s probably not good. We need a way out for that boat ASAP.”

Cissnei says, “I’m working on it.”

**Boss Fight: Hojo & Scarlett Fusion Monster (Half Fiend/Half Machine)**

In an adjacent room, a chamber suddenly depressurizes and the door opens. A large monster walks out crying in sadness, then looks at its arm and sees weapon parts that, unbeknownst to it, have been fused to its body. The creature then looks at the reflection from the glass of its enclosure and sees more of its body with machine parts and screams in anger. The creature then blasts a hole through the wall from one of its new weapon augmentations, revealing Zack and Cissnei, who it instantly focuses its anger and misplaced blame.

“Oh boy,” Zack says. “We’ve got company.”

Zack and Cissnei start to fight the fiend. Zack asks Cissnei, “Any ideas?”

She looks around while keeping her distance from the fiend. She sees the projectile attachment on the fiend’s arm and tells Zack to go towards the bay door and get its attention. “Try to get it mad.”

He says, “What do you mean? It’s already mad!”

“Well… get it more mad! Get it to fire its missile then get out of the way.”

“Gotcha!” he says.

Part of the gimmick of the boss fight is to stand in front of the bay door and get the monster to blast at you while you dodge, causing the missile to blow the bay door open for the speedboat. They successfully take down the fiend, start up the speedboat, and head out of the facility and out into open water.

Chapter 6. Ruins of the Temple of the Ancients

Zack and Cissnei take the boat up north to Northwood and venture into the ruined remains of the Temple of the Ancients. “Man, look at this place,” Zack says.  As they make their way closer to the ruins, Aerith’s white whispers lead Zack to the area where Aerith and the others did their trial.

They notice one of those trial rooms is still intact from the implosion when Cloud and the others made their escape. When Zack reaches the key pedestal, the white whispers encircle Zack, and green energy opens the door to the trial room. As the doors open, the whispers nudge Zack in that direction.

Zack’s Trial

Zack looks at Cissnei, then hesitantly enters and goes through his trial. Much like the others, Zack’s trial deals with his past. He sees the time when he had to fight and kill his mentor, Angeal.

“What is this? Why am I seeing this? I don’t want to see this again. I should’ve found another way. I didn’t have to kill him. Angeal is dead because of me.”

Now Zack sees the scene where Sephiroth kills Aerith.

“No! This isn’t real!”

Zack notices he’s unable to move, powerless to do anything but watch. He sees Sephiroth descending from high above, about to impale Aerith.

“SEPHIROTH! Cloud! Stop him!!!”

Sephiroth appears behind Zack suddenly and whispers to him, “You are useless. You couldn’t save Angeal, or Aerith, you couldn’t even save yourself and you won’t be able to save the others either.”

Sephiroth disappears, and Zack is visibly shaken. He says, “I never make the right decisions when things matter most.”

Zack begins to question himself, “Aerith, somehow you brought me back to make a difference, but what if I’m the wrong person? I’m only here because of you. The stakes are too high, and I don’t want to mess things up. I don’t know if I can do this.”

The trial vision ends, and Zack starts walking back outside.

Exiting the trial, Cissnei asks Zack if he’s okay.

“Yeah. It was a lot to take in, but I’ll be okay.”

Cissnei walks up to Zack and puts her hands on both his arms and tries to shake a little sense back into him. “You got this, Zack. This time you’re not alone.”  Cissnei reassures him.

(now that Cissnei has touched Zack the white whispers will be visible to Cissnei)

They begin moving towards the Sleeping Forest. As they get closer, they see a large fracture in the ground exposing some of the planet’s energy. It senses people coming, and the ground begins to quake.

Pools of energy explode out of the rift and spread around the area. The energy reaches many of the fallen monsters surrounding the perimeter of the temple ruins, resurrecting them from the planet’s energy and causing them to attack.

Just before approaching the entrance to the Sleeping Forest, Zack and Cissnei see the corpses of the two demon gate guardians that Cloud and the others defeated, and it freaks them out.

“What the hell are they?” she says.

Zack replies, “I don’t know, and I’m not sure I want to find out either, lets keep going.”

As they walk past the corpses, they feel a rumble and look back. The energy begins to levitate one of the corpses, the energy begins forming additional body parts and appendages the creature didn’t have before. Its eyes begin to glow as it transforms into a mega version.

Boss Fight: Resurrected Demon Gate Abomination Unbound

After defeating the demon gate monster, Zack and Cissnei proceed into the Sleeping Forest.

Chapter 7. Fleeting familiar

“How are we gonna find our way through this fog?” Cissnei says.

Zack looks around and senses what he feels to be Aerith’s energy and hears faint echoes. A white whisper swoops past Zack, pauses for a moment, then continues on as if to lead him through the forest.

“This way,” he says.

“Was it a whisper?” Cissnei asks.

Zack nods. “yeah, a white one.” They make it through the forest and approach the forbidden capital. There are a few enemies guarding the entrance to the forbidden capital that they clear out.

Zack manages to get to the forgotten capital, and the white whispers wall off Cissnei preventing her from going with Zack. Zack looks back and tries to free her of them but it’s no use. Cissnei says, “Go on, I’ll be fine.” Zack says, “Ok, I’ll be back,” and proceeds without her.

Zack eventually passes where Aerith fell and feels cold. He heads down to the water level where Aerith’s White Materia fell into the water and is looking around, wondering now what.

A few minutes pass, Zack crumbles to take a knee and skips a nearby rock into the water. “Now what,” he says. Moments later, a white light beams down from above and behind him, Aerith’s spirit emerges. “Hellooo!”

“Aerith? You’re here! Is it really you?” He tries to embrace her but his hands pass through. “Wait.. you’re not? What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry, Zack. I know this isn’t the way we were supposed to meet again,” Aerith says. “I’m so happy to see you. At the same time very sad. Everything is in danger. The planet, our friends, everyone. There’s not a lot of time left.”

Aerith approaches Zack and strokes his face, her energy passes through him, down through his heart, passing through his arms into his Buster Sword.

A new Materia appears fused to the Buster Sword and shines with a prismatic color. Zack sheds a tear.

Aerith picks Zack’s chin up with her finger, smiling, and says to him, “Before you find the others, there is one more place you need to go.

“Aerith,” Zack replies, “I already went through that crazy trial, now what do I need to do?”

“There is someone else you need to meet,” Aerith says. She continues, “In the trial, you saw things—things from your past, memories in the Lifestream, your fears, your weaknesses. Even though you’ve learned to let them go, there’s still one thing you need to overcome.

There’s an island not far from here. A large red gate will lead you the way. On that island is where you’ll find him.” Aerith suddenly looks out just past Zack’s shoulder and sees a black feather slowly fall into view.

“We will meet again, but for now, …I have to go. Thank you, Zack, and remember you’re not alone.”

Zack calls out to her, “Aerith!,” “Please!” Zack tries to walk towards Aerith but the white whispers hold him back and he drops to his knees. Zack tries to break free and see Aerith through the whispers but she’s already gone. Then his voice begins to say softly in a sigh. “I have so much to tell you.”

The whispers let go of Zack, and he slowly gets up. He scratches the back of his head and then starts to walk out of the Planet’s sanctuary back towards Cissnei.

As he starts walking past the area where Aerith fell, the materia in his buster sword begins to pulse slowly and Zack pulls his sword up to look closer and observes what’s happening.

The same energy that was infused into him when Aerith touched his face is coursing through his heart and arms again and unknowingly he starts to bring his sword into his focus stance and close his eyes as if hearing Aerith whisper to him what to do.

Zack focuses and looks inward discovering Aerith has given him an ability. In-game ability name: Aerith’s Blessing. 

at charge Lvl 1: A stun move (makes enemy flinch)

at charge Lvl 2: A stun move that drains MP “Soul Drain”

at charge Lvl 3: A stun move that conjures an Arcane Ward

*ENDGAME only unique ability* to be used In Remake Part 3 Final battle with Sephiroth (Zack can use Aerith’s blessing to summon a white whisper)

In the final battles against Sephiroth on the battlefield there will be a small magic field on the ground called “Holy’s gate.” When Zack charges his Buster Sword on this area it conjures a few white whispers to attack and interrupt Sephiroth. (effective against some attacks and builds stagger.) 

Zack makes it outside to meet up with Cissnei. She checks in on him and what happened in there.

He explains he saw Aerith and she told me we don’t have much time, and that there’s still something I have to do, someone I have to see before I can help Cloud and the others. 

“Supposedly there’s an island not far from here and there’s someone there that I need to speak with. That’s all she told me and that the entrance would have a large red gate.”

“What the hell?”, Cissnei says. “Why so cryptic? I’m sorry. She must have her reasons. It’s just the Ocean is huge. It could take forever to find this place.”

“I think I know now what she sees in you,” Cissnei says. “Ooh, … what’s that? You’re like a puppy. Lol”

“What!… what the hell is that supposed to mean Cissnei?”

“Relax, I don’t mean that to dis you. It’s kinda cute, actually. What I meant is that you have such a positive attitude and really great energy. Its infectious. It would make a lot of people want to be around you. Like in the old days…”

“Thanks…I guess. Well, I guess this journey is an opportunity for change. To be better. Maybe good enough to help save the planet and everyone on it.”

“Hey, I believe in you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. So let’s go and find this island.”

Zack says back to her. “Alright. Let’s go.”

Episode 2: Fate’s twisted sense of humor

Location: Northwood to Gilgamesh Island to meet Gilgamesh.

Chapter 8: Hidden 

Zack and Cissnei begin to travel south. (About 20 miles away from Northwood) Cissnei is driving the speedboat and Zack is standing a few feet behind, he looks around, trying to see any clues to the entrance or any red gate.

Cissnei says to Zack, “I don’t see anything that looks like a red gate near any of the land masses we’re passing. How about you?”

Zack continues to look around, and as he exhales with a sigh, he tells Cissnei, “Same here. But let’s try for another few miles, and then we can take a break at the closest port.” “Copy that,” Cissnei says.

A few moments later, as Zack continues looking out, he hears this low-pitched hum and feels a slight vibration from his Buster sword. He reaches back and examines the sword. He notices the new materia that was added during his meeting with Aerith is now humming softly and pulsing with a glow in and out slightly brighter than off again, almost like a detector frequency.

Zack then starts pointing the Sword in one direction, and the pulse fades away. “Hmm,” he says. He shifts the direction of the sword towards the landmass to his left side. Slowly the pulse and the hum return. He keeps moving the blade slowly. The pulse beats a bit faster. He continues moving slowly, and right then the materia stops pulsing and now the glow is solid.

With excitement, Zack loudly says to Cissnei, “Cissnei! It must be somewhere over there, towards the southwest. “How do you know?” She says. Zack tells her, “Just got a feeling.”

“A feeling? Ok, well, at least it’s a reason to get off the ocean, it’s starting to make me sick.”

They approach the landmass, and a foggy haze begins to surround the boat as they get closer and closer. Zack keeps an eye on the Materia and takes the wheel of the boat. As they continue, the weather starts to get cold, and the light outside begins to dim a bit. The fog in front of them starts to part to each side, and they see torch lights in the distance.

They keep going, and the red gate comes into view. “There it is. Here we go.” says Zack. “This is kind of creepy. Maybe I should wait for you out here, Zack.” Cissnei tells him. “Don’t chicken out on me now, Cissnei.” “Fine.” She says.

They enter the cavern lined with torches, and as they exit the cavern, it’s suddenly nighttime now, they get to a dock and proceed to follow the path to a Main Structure.

“Look at this place. Wow, it looks like no one has been here for some time.” Zack says aloud. Cissnei adds, “But it’s so well-kept. Someone has to be here. Be careful, something doesn’t feel right.”

They walk into the property and look around, they see a courtyard with a Cherry blossom tree and what looks like a figure standing in the moonlight.

“Hey Zack,” Cissnei says quietly, “look over there, I think there’s someone over there. Maybe that’s who we are looking for. OK, you go 1st. Zack begrudgingly says, “What!…fine.”

Zack leads on into the courtyard, and they do see a figure with its back turned. It looks like a ghost Zack says.

Cissnei, at this point, realizes who it is. But wants to play dumb to see if she can scare Zack. Cissnei says, “Zack, I don’t know if our weapons work against ghosts!” Zack answers back, “Well, I’ll try and uh… talk to it. Yeah.”

Cissnei quietly giggles to herself and says “Ok, you do that. I’ll wait here until you need me. You’re not scared right, Zack?”

“Me! Scared. I’m a soldier I’m not…”

Suddenly the ghostly figure turns around, and simultaneously Cissnei sneakily takes both hands and pushes Zack forward, saying in his ear, Aaaahh!

Chapter 9: Oddity’s Wisdom 

Zack belts out a scream and jumps back. Chadley says, “hello!”

Cissnei starts laughing. She says Hello to Chadley.

Zack, in surprise, says. “Wait! You knew who this was?” She tells him, “I just realized it a few minutes ago. But I didn’t know Chadley would be here. What are you doing here, Chadley?”

“Hello Cissnei. I’m here to collect more data. While Cloud and the others were here, I was able to collect some data, but because of the interference due to the unusual energy signature of this island, I couldn’t collect everything I had hoped to. So I had to physically travel here to gather the rest that I need.”

Cissnei says to Zack. “Zack, this is Chadley. Chadley, this is Zack. He’s a friend of Cloud. Nice to meet you, Chadley. Cloud’s my friend too. Are you a… robot or something?”

“I am a cyborg. I was created by Professor Hojo to be his research tool to aid him with all his experiments. It wasn’t until I met Cloud that he helped me to free myself of Hojo’s control. “Wow, Cloud did that! There’s a lot I need to catch up on.” Zack says in awe. Chadley asks, “What brings you both here?”

“Well, to make a long story short Aerith said we needed to come to this island to meet someone, and that’s all she said. “Interesting,” says Chadley. “The being that inhabits this place from time to time is an interdimensional traveler named Gilgamesh.”

“Can you take us to him?” Zack says. He isn’t here at the moment. However, I was able to open a rift before that he used to leave here. It may work again to bring him back.

“It’s worth a shot.” Zack says. Very well. Chadley scans the immediate surrounding area and identifies the spot. “Zack, I have located the convergence in time-space where we opened the rift previously.

Using the data I have collected from Cloud’s First encounter I have replicated the energy signature from Gilgamesh’s Spear that was used to cleave the temporal Rift open. Chadley sends energy imbued with the necessary data to Zack’s Buster Sword.

“Zack, please charge your blade and slash toward the area I have marked.” Zack nods in acknowledgment. Zack slashes, and the rift opens. After a few moments, we hear Gilgamesh’s voice yelling something unidentifiable. He then falls into the courtyard before the 3 of them.

Gilgamesh gets up in wonder brushing himself off and says, “Why have I returned here?” He turns around to see Chadley and says, “You! Why is it that you summon me back here?”

Gilgamesh looks around and sees Zack’s buster sword. “How could this be? Who are you? And why do you wield the sword of this realm’s mighty Bladesmen?”

Chadley tells Gilgamesh, “This is Zack Fair, a friend of Cloud.” “There is something that he needs of you.” “What?” Gilgamesh replies wildly and dramatically. “Has this realm not caused enough grief to me?!” Stealing my gengi accouterments?! 

“I shall not again have any of my precious belongings stolen by anyone of this realm or any other realm for that matter,” Gilgamesh declares.

Zack clears his throat and says, “I don’t mean to interrupt your soliloquy. But we asked Chadley to bring you here because this world and all worlds are on the brink of ending. This affects you too, I’m sure.”

“Zack is right,” Cissnei says. “I’ve read reports about you during my time with Shinra and the Turks. These reports go way back. They mention a being whose singular purpose is to travel all over in search of the finest warriors to battle and, in victory, claim their weapons as his prize. If all the worlds cease to exist, so will you and your quest.”

Gilgamesh turns to Chadley, “Whelp! Is this true?” “Indeed,” Chadley replies. “You once mentioned you were in my debt, and I would like you to honor that debt now.”

“Very well. What is it that you need of me?” Cissnei interjects, “We weren’t told anything specific, just that you would know what to do once you met Zack.”

“Ha! Is that so? You who carry the buster sword, stand before me. Kneel, let us meditate. (they both kneel and begin to meditate) Ahh, you are a great warrior, powerful, just, and noble. You also are not of this realm. This blade!” Gilgamesh pauses for a moment in confusion. “This blade has been wielded by mighty warriors from multiple realms. Dark magic is entangled with this blade! Ahh… it is clear now.”

“What is it?” Zack says. “You were able to tell all that from meditation?!” “There are many abilities I possess, Spiky Haired one,” Gilgamesh replies. “I do have something that may aid you on your quest to which all life depend. I cannot gift it to you. You must earn it in battle against me.”

Gilgamesh tells Zack, “I have seen your fighting style, young man. I have mastered the arts to counter your techniques. Good luck to you. You will need it.”

Zack and Cissnei begin to engage Gilgamesh in battle. Gilgamesh begins to unleash a flurry of techniques during the battle and they struggle to gain any momentum in the fight. Gilgamesh begins to block or parry most of Zack’s attacks. Cissnei says, “We have to try something else.”

“Hmm, fascinating,” Chadley says. “I must record this combat data.” Chadley recognizes that Gilgamesh is very different in this fight as opposed to the previous battle with Cloud and the others. He’s much more serious. “Perhaps he recognizes the gravity of the situation.”

(In this battle, Zack has to be more defensive-oriented and strategic. He must use Aerith’s blessing and Cissnei’s Synergy to cause Gilgamesh to get off balance and stagger.)

Chapter 10: Reforged

When Zack wins, Gilgamesh explains what Zack was missing before. “You indeed are a mighty warrior, your speed and strength few could match, but your technique became very predictable.

It was only when you leveraged your defensive skill with your ally that you gained the upper hand and caught me off guard. “Yeah, that was her idea,” Zack says, looking at Cissnei.

“It was cunning. She is a valuable ally.” Gilgamesh pulls one of his many weapons from his back and shows it to Zack. “This is Zantetsuken. This sword once belonged to a master who was known both for his offensive and defensive prowess.

“I may gift you the blade, but only IT can deem you worthy of its power. Honor was of utmost importance to its original owner. Concentrate your energy into the blade, and if it deems you worthy, so to the power will be revealed unto you.”

Zack takes a deep breath and says to himself quietly, “FOCUS ZACK!” He closes his eyes and draws his focus to the blade. Gilgamesh quickly stands and attempts to strike Zack. Zack’s eyes, while closed, sense Gilgamesh’s strike and instinctively through Zantetsuken, executes Odin’s reprisal (the blades weapon ability) knocking back Gilgamesh.

“Whoa,” Zack says. “I get it now. All this time I’ve just rushed into everything guns blazing. I’m used to just overwhelming my enemy with my speed and power. It was easy. I never even stopped to think there was more. A lot more. How foolish of me.”

“Indeed,” Gilgamesh says as he rises to stand, regaining his balance. “Speed and power are tremendous allies. A good defense multiplies that advantage considerably. You were blinded before. But now you see. The greatest offense comes from a great defense. Take what you have learned today, become greater. Only then shall you be unstoppable and a worthy Bladesman of Legend.”

“This sword’s ability will teach you to use your opponent’s force against them and leave them off balance and open to counter. Master its ability and it shall help you turn the tide.

I wish you all luck and pray for your success, Bladesmen from times of Crisis.” Gilgamesh mumbles to himself, “Why do these Bladesmen who carry that sword all have spiky hair? I do not understand.”

“Til we meet again!” Gilgamesh leaves again through the rift.

Chadley says, “Congratulations, Zack! what you learned today is extremely valuable. Based on analyzing limited combat data I have on Sephiroth this also is what makes him so formidable.

His offensive capability is great but his offense is usually initiated by defending. First blocking his opponents strikes looking for patterns and openings. Then seizing the right moment to parry and strike back with speed and force overwhelming them and taking them off guard. “I am sure Cloud will be excited to hear of this great news.”

Cissnei tells Chadley, “Hold on. I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s also not your news to be telling Cloud, Chadley.” Chadley looks at Cissnei in surprise. “I do apologize. I did not mean to upset you. I only thought it was good news.”

“It is, but maybe it’s best not to tell anyone anything. We don’t want any more attention drawn to ourselves, and telling Cloud that information may get out to the wrong people.”

Zack adds, “Cissnei is right. It might even make its way to Sephiroth himself.”

“I see,” Chadley says. “That indeed is a possibility. I agree. I do not want to endanger anyone or our mission. Thank you, Cissnei. It was very perceptive of you.”

Zack adds, “Yeah. She’s smart enough to be a Turk’s Supervisor too. Cissnei looks at Zack and says that was a different time. But thank you, both of you.”

Zack says goodbye and thank you to Chadley. “I am happy to be of service and am glad to have met you, Zack.” Cissnei and Zack make their way back to the boat and head back to Gongaga.

Zack’s encounter with Gilgamesh has bestowed upon him the Legendary Blade (Zantetsuken) of the Knight Summon Odin with the weapon ability: “Reprisal” (Odin’s Parry). Its Unique weapon materia ability: Prevents Instant Death.

Chapter 11: New Crossroads

Zack and Cissnei head back to Gongaga and dock into Gongaga port. They walk up the short pier a few feet away from the Port Shops and stop. “Thanks, Cissnei, again for everything,” Zack tells her, “and don’t worry about what happened in the past.

I understood you were just doing your job and didn’t know what would happen. Having my back on this mission, you really came through for me, and I can’t thank you enough.” Zack walks up to Cissnei and hugs her. (In his mind, saying goodbye and thank you to a friend.)

While in Zack’s embrace, she closes her eyes and breathes a sigh of relief. She resists the urge to hold him tight as Zack lets go of her and steps back.

Cissnei tells Zack, “I have to stay at the village in case things go down, but I’m glad to see you again… even though it was just for a short time. Just seeing you again, knowing you are ok… at least for now, I can feel better about everything.”

Zack pulls out the letter that he wrote for his parents. “Cissnei, when you head back to the village, can you give this to my parents? I wrote it the other night at your house. I dated it a few years ago so they wouldn’t suspect anything. Just let ‘em know it turned up somehow. I’m sure you could think of something.”

Cissnei looks at the letter that Zack is trying to hand her and she looks back at his face. She pauses for a second then says OK. She takes it and asks, “Where will you go now?”

“I’m gonna head to Nibelheim. I have a hunch I’ll find some clues there.”

“Don’t be stupid out there, ok Zack. Everything is riding on this.”

“I won’t. Take care, Cissnei.”

Zack begins walking back to the boat while Cissnei watches him to see him off, debating in her head whether she wants to tell him something else. She thinks this might be the last time she sees him.

Zack jumps into the boat and turns the engine on. Cissnei watches as her heart begins to beat faster, and she can’t help but yell out to him.

“It’s ‘*******’,” she says. Zack looks back at Cissnei, “What?” he replies.

“My name. My… real name. It’s ‘*******’, … just in case. But don’t tell anyone, OK?”

“‘*******’ huh, I like it. I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

“You better,” she says.

Zack waves and speeds off on the boat. The camera focuses on Zack with the port and Cissnei in the background getting smaller. The camera dollies down to show the materia in his buster sword glowing as we fade out.

The End.

Post-Credits Scene:

The screen fades in, showing Cissnei arriving on the lower level of the Secret Training Facility in Gongaga from the VR console platform elevator where she and Zack fought the Fusion Monster. The atmosphere is quiet, with only the faint hum of machinery in the background and the area lit by pools of red lights and glows of terminal screens.

Cissnei approaches Chadley, who is waiting near a locked room, her expression determined yet cautious. Chadley greets Cissnei, “Cissnei, I received your message to meet you here. You said it was important. How may I be of assistance?” Chadley asks, adjusting his glasses.

Cissnei thanks Chadley for coming all this way, “Yes, I have a bad feeling there’s something big going down at Shinra that could affect Zack and Cloud’s mission.”

Cissnei takes a deep breath before replying, “It’s related to something I noticed earlier during my mission here with Zack,” Cissnei explains, her tone grave. I recognized the symbol on this door. During your time working with Professor Hojo, I assume you’re familiar with this symbol as well, am I right?

Chadley’s eyebrows furrow in concern, “Yes, only Professor Hojo, Heidegger, Scarlett, and the late President Shinra have clearance to those consoles.

“That monster Zack and I faced as we were trying to escape from here was way stronger than any we would normally encounter and it was wearing a suit with that same symbol.

On one occasion, a while ago when I was still working for the Turks, I was assigned by Tseng to escort a seemingly random soldier directly to Scarlett in the Shinra Building. I was given no information regarding the person. I just remember what they were wearing, and that the person also had the same symbol on their uniform as this door and that monster we fought.”

Shinra maybe on the brink of unleashing something extremely dangerous that Rufus probably doesn’t even know about. If you can help me get in this room and gain access to the files in the Console maybe we can find out details about their plans and how to stop them if we need to.

“Of course, my keycard doesn’t have clearance. That’s why I asked you to come here.”

Chadley nods slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. Without hesitation, he begins working on bypassing the security encryption, and within minutes, Chadley breaks the encryption. Lines of code scroll rapidly across the screen as the system grants him access to the classified files.

After a few tense moments, Chadley looks up, satisfied with his work, “I’ve gained access, Cissnei. It looks like video files documenting all the research of what’s going on in something called ‘Deep Ground.”

Interesting. The most recent footage is from a few days ago. The file is called “Act 4”. Chadley pulls up the footage and projects it through the nearby VR Console. The projection flickers to reveal an image of Genesis standing over Weiss laid out on an experiment chair.

Cissnei gasps, “What the hell?”

Fade out.

re·deem

/rəˈdēm/

fulfill or carry out (a pledge or promise). “Cloud’s promise to Aerith”, “Sephiroth’s Endgame”, “Aerith’s promise to stop Meteor and save her friends”

gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment. “Cloud’s memories”, “Zack’s autonomy over his life choices.”