I'm not sure what to make of this yet. This is just a strange idea I
had tonight, that I figured, "what the hell, might make an
interesting fic". This may be the last time you ever see this, or I
could finish it up...it won't be very long either way. The language
style of the first part of this thing is an experiment for me, and I
really hope I didn't screw up too badly. C&C welcome. Disclaimers at
the end...


	-Systema-

	Slain, yet not slain, he walketh the path of the fallen.
	The fallen calleth to him, sobbeth to him, pity him, jeer him.
	Hath he more than his spirit, he wouldst slay them.
	From a point distant from, though near to, his perception,
	A Voice calleth unto him.
	And the Voice sayeth: "Yea, though thou wert denied thine 
	rightful place atop the spheres, though thine mortal 
	flesh wert rent asunder by the power of thine final foe,
	Woe thee not, for thou shalt receive a second chance
	to claim what is thine by divine right."
	Unto the Voice, he sayeth, "How thee knoweth mine tale,
	I know not, nor care. Thine identity, I shall not accept
	should it be offered. Thine words, however, hath gained
	my interest. I would hear thine proposal."
	Sayeth then the Voice, "Indeed thou art brave, to speak
	such words unto mine ears. Indeed, then, I know thou art
	the one most worthy of thine desired place among the
	spheres. Upon a plane, a world much like thine own,
	The traitors attempt to transcend the spheres."
	"I sneer upon the traitors," he spat. "Those who are
	unworthy of existance...dareth they think they should
	be as you or I?"
	The Voice spake again, "Indeed. Seventeen of the fallen
	hath traversed the void, hath faced the traitors. Sixteen 
	hath failed. The seventeenth of their number shalt also
	surely fall, for he understandeth not the blasphemy of
	the traitors."
	"Then, I shall replace the unworthy one," declareth he.
	"Indeed so shall you," proclaimeth the Voice. "Thine
	flesh shall be restored to thee, in tenfold better 
	condition. Thou shalt receive the power to enact thine
	vengeance. Thou knowest what thine task is."
	"I know my task," sayeth the worthiest among the fallen.
	"Goeth thee, then," commandeth the Voice. "Thou who hast
	been denied the final sphere, alloweth not the traitors 
	to achieve thine own place before thee."
	And lo, the avatar of the fallen departeth.


	*****

	TOKYO-3    2015

	Nagisa Kaworu walked silently toward NERV headquarters, lost in
thought. He was no longer certain of his station. He knew what he had
to do, but...was it truly worth it?
	The feel of an unsettling presence interrupted his train of thought,
and he turned to peer down a darkened alley. Seeing nothing unusual,
he turned to walk away.
	"Tabris," a voice whispered fiercely.
	Kaworu whirled, staring down the alley. "Who...?" This was
unexpected. He didn't think it could be one of the old men of
SEELE...
	"Tabris...the seventeenth of the fallen...I have been sent to
replace you."
	Allowing his true nature to show slightly, Tabris snapped, "Who are
you? What do you mean, replace me?"
	"The fallen no longer deem you worthy. You will fail. I have come to
prevent your failure."
	Before Tabris could react, a flash of steel blinded him. He did not
even have time to erect an AT Field, before a razor-sharp blade cut
through the flesh of his shoulder, halfway to his chest. 
	"You...call yourself worthy...?" he spat, sinking to his knees.
"Not...finishing me with one stroke..."
	The voice from the alley chuckled. "I wanted you to see the face of
the one who surpasses you, before I destroy you." A silhouette that
had not been there before filled the entrance to the alley.
	Tabris coughed up blood, and gurgled weakly, "Who...?"
	The tall, lean figure emerged from the alley. Sharp, piercing blue
eyes met Tabris' red eyes, as the slight breeze stirred the tails of
the black cloak, and the long strands of silver hair. Raising the
obscenely long sword he held in a relaxed grip, the killer grinned
evilly. "I am known as Sephiroth. Farewell, Tabris."
	With one final slash, Sephiroth beheaded the Seventeenth Angel. As
the boy's body ceased its twitching, Sephiroth calmly sheathed his
blade, and headed for his destination. He paused, and almost as an
afterthought, reached into Kaworu's pocket, withdrawing his NERV ID
card. Pocketing it within his cloak, the Ascendant Angel continued
onward.


Neon Genesis Evangelion property of GAINAX.
The character Sephiroth property of Squaresoft.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
This .sig is best viewed with Netrape Aggravator
or Microsoft Internet Exploder.

---
The Eternal Lost Lurker
EternalLostLurker@worldnet.att.net
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Garden/9502

Estuans interius ira vehementi...
-------------------------------------------------------------------