After latest news pretty much suggested that a remake would only happen once hell freezes over, they recently asked fans about their opinion for a remake of FF7 on their official Square-Enix Members Twitter account. It was immediately flooded with positive replies, so many in fact, that the author asked everyone to stop replying.

This is pretty much the first time Square-Enix themselves asked people about a remake.

Two days later, they even asked about fans’ opinions for a remake of FFVIII.

Here are the links to the respective twitter entries:
http://twitter.com/SQEX_MEMBERS_JP/status/9915740773
http://twitter.com/SQEX_MEMBERS_JP/status/10021366399

Source:
Japanese S-E Members Twitter
Cetraconnection.de

Hey dudes, remember me? I’m that dude who was doing that commentary on towns but he forgot and didn’t do it since forever! Real talk though, I was sort of under the impression that nobody cared about this, so I slacked on it as well. In a way to try to make up for it though, I’ll ramp this up to an update every day or two days at the most, to keep your eyes glued and to those with short attention spans, keep you interested. After this, I’d love to extend my commentary to other things like characters or even something else, but please, show your love! I need appreciation, ya know? Also, I want to emphasize that I encourage DISCUSSION on this. Please by all means, discuss, discuss, discuss! I always bring forth interesting questions for you guys to ponder and discuss among yourselves! Anywho, let’s get started.

Fort Condor

I could only find one decent image of Fort Condor. Oh well.

Yeah, so Fort Condor. It’s a pretty interesting place, I guess. From a gameplay perspective, the only reason this place exists is for the Fort Condor minigame, which in itself is pretty decent. It costs quite a bit of money, and you have to keep going back and forth to it to get decent prizes, but hey, it’s one of the more overlooked minigame experiences of FF7 because of how costly, finite, and out of the way it is. Luckily though, it becomes a crucial plot point for the Huge Materia further in the game, and you get the awesome Phoenix Materia for winning!

I have to wonder though, why does the Shinra Army have trouble (or rather why are they taking so long) to capture this place? They don’t have the Wutai Army nor Old AVALANCHE to distract their distribution of power anymore, so by the time FF7 rolls around, there should be nothing stopping Shinra from stomping all those dudes out. Never really thought about it up until now. I’m doing Junon next. As in, right now. Stay tuned.

Junon

Earlier I said Midgar was my favorite town in the game. Junon is very, very close. If Midgar is the rich older businessman with the hot wife that runs shit, Junon is the good looking playboy underwear model that’s banging the businessman’s wife on the side. Junon is fucking swagger overload. Rufus resided over this city during his tenure as Vice President, and if you ask me, he got the better deal (and he seems to think so too, it seems that throughout FF7, Rufus operates from Junon).

The first thing that stands out about this city is its giant cannon. If any of you remember, Square capitalized this in it’s advertising of FF7 by having the above two page rendering of Junon featured invideo game magazines with just the text ‘Final Fantasy VII’. I am absolutely positive this alone influenced scores of FFVII sales. The final nail that made me absolutely fall in love with the city is this scene

Yo seriously what the fuck!? If you don’t like this scene you have no soul. It’s pretty powerful, because this is one of the only instances of the game where I was actually rooting for Shinra. “GO SHINRA, KICK HIS ASS, DON’T LET WEAPON PUNK YOU OUT”. I also got a lot of respect for Rufus as well, who’s so badass he just watched the entire fight from his giant ass office window. It’s pretty awesome, man.

The whole thing made me think, WTF does Junon need all of that artillery for? Yes, during FF7, one of the townspeople mention the city was built during the Wutai War, so I suppose Wutai, or at least it’s navy, must have been absolutely monstrous to necessitate a giant artillery city. I just wish that was more elaborated upon, every time SE gets the chance to elaborate more about the Wutai War and the capabilities of Wutai they always punk out. Bah!

NEXT, COSTA DEL SOL! Keep your eyes open, everyone.

This is Cookie Monster, overlord of what is deemed Great and Just.  I’ve been telling the site staff to make an announcement about this for months.  And for their reluctance, I’m posting myself.   We have made a twitter account that you all can find and follow right here.  We will be updating it soon.  So, let the tweeting begin, we hope to see you there.

From Team Teamwork, the same folks who made the Zelda soundtrack remix The Ocarina Of Rhyme, comes the newest music mashup of Vinyl Fantasy VII.

Although this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, if the idea of hip-hop music remixes of Final Fantasy VII tracks, featuring the vocals of Murs, Ghostface, and MF Doom get you excited, feel free to check it out at the link below.

• Vinyl Fantasy VII

So after a brief hiatus to allow Hitoshura to complete FFXIII, we finally have some new translations from the CC Complete Guide, in our effort to complete the entire keyword collection section! You can read the following new translations here. Enjoy everyone!

Here at the Lifestream.net, we’re usually looking for new and interesting angles to examine Final Fantasy Seven from, and it is with this in mind we are announcing our new front page feature- essays and articles written and submitted by you- the fans. Towards this end, we are proud to present the first of what hopefully will be many user editorials, an essay by a girl named June- also known as Messenger of the Ancients- reposted in its entirety with her permission. For some context, this essay is in part a response to my and Squall of Seed’s recent articles, as well as the Love Triangle Debate that has plagued much of Final Fantasy Seven Fandom, so you may wish to familiarize yourself with these before reading. In any case, please, sit back, relax, and enjoy the essay.

Experience

I will first start off by saying that I have not been a fan of Final Fantasy VII as long as many people here.  I only saw it a few years ago when a friend showed it to me in Japan.  When she played the game she played so that Cloud loved Aerith.  Many choices came up to have Cloud love Tifa, but she always was nice to Aerith.  To me this game was showing a man who fell in love with a girl he met, then lost her at the hands of evil.  But he still wished to see her and look for her in the end of the game.  It was very sweet.   I remember my friend telling me that some parts will change if you have Cloud love someone else, like Tifa.

One day I looked up what parts of the game would be changed if Cloud loved Tifa.  I was surprised to find out that not that much changed.  The two important scenes that would change would be the dating scene, and scene with Cloud and Tifa under the Highwind.  This is normally called the Highwind scene. If Cloud loves Tifa, the Highwind scene will have small amount of possible romance in it but it is unclear how the scene end.  The ending to the game is always the same.  Cloud will say that he wants to seek or find Aerith again.  To me this showed that, even if you played the game to make Cloud love Tifa, that would not matter because in the end, the game chose Aerith for you.

When I saw the movie, Advent Children, it made sense that Cloud and Tifa did not seem to have any romance going on.  Cloud seemed to focus on Aerith, even living in the church he met her in.  He wanted to find her, to see her again, and when he did, he was able to fight again.   While I do not think that if Cloud and Tifa were lovers, that Tifa could just make Cloud feel better after his hard life, I did think that Cloud living in the church and wanting to see Aerith just one more time was very extreme for just a friend that he lost.  Zack died too, but Aerith was still the one he was trying to find.  The end of the movie has Cloud smile at Aerith as she smiles back.

It is because of this, I always thought that Aerith was Cloud’s true love and did not see that in Tifa and Cloud.  When I moved to where I am now, I was able to find a copy of Final Fantasy VII for kind of cheap, so I bought it.  I played it like my friend did and was fine with that.  I have never played the game so that Cloud loves Tifa, but I’ve from what I read it does not matter that much.

The second thing I want to start off with is that living in another culture has taught me how important experience is.  Many times, someone’s experience will reflect on what conclusion they come to.  The right conclusion for some, might not be right for others.  What seems clear to some, may not to others.  This does not mean there is not ever a right or wrong, and in many cases there is a right and wrong, but even right and wrong can be up to a person’s experience.

The final thing I will say to start off with is that sometimes stories do not end up how we wanted to.  This does not mean we can not enjoy them, or that they are bad.  It just means things do not always happen how we want them to. Sometimes we lose things, even ideas, but then we have to remember what we do have and enjoy that.

Hate

When I first came to the Northern Crater from a youtube link I found, I did not know that this war had been going on for so long.  There seems to be a lot of hate for both sides.  I don’t think there should be this hate.  My dad likes Cloud and Tifa together, and I like Cloud and Aerith but we don’t hate.  Because of this hate I almost did not want to respond to this, but both sides seem to want the truth, so I will give them what I know.

Conclusions

So, the Clotis want to say they win with this new scan.  I am not sure how one can really win or lose with this, but to make everything easy I will say this to start off .  If this page saying that Cloud and Tifa shared romance under the Highwind is what would make Clotis win, I would have no choice but to say they win.  I did not think Cloud and Tifa were together when I watched the movie, or when I read Case of Lifestream White.  But I did kind of think it was possible after reading some texts in the Reunion Files.  A line in Reunion Files says Tifa is a sweetheart (Japanese word, koibito) to someone.  Now it does not say a name, so you would have to look somewhere else to find the answer.  On this new scan, it says Tifa and Cloud verify feelings, and the feelings would be of romantic love.  It also does not mention a low or high version of the scene Under the highwind, just that they verify feelings.  This would make them sweethearts or koibito to each other.

I have been asked if the feelings match.  I do not disagree with the other translation I have seen, but I do think that in this case 合う is not on its own.  It is part of the verb 確かめ.  In this case 合う means they confirmed what they feel together.  They feel it together and that is what they are confirming.   This is how I read the statement but I would not say it is impossible for me to be wrong.  I have also been asked if these feelings are not romantic.  The page is about romantic love, so yes they are romantic feelings.  There is a box at the bottom that talks about family and brotherly kind of love, and FFVII is not talked about.  So Cloud and Tifa are sharing romantic love for sure.

I have seen relationship charts, but to me they seem to be doubtful.  The one had the phrase “more than friends, less than lovers” with a question mark for Cloud and Tifa.  It also showed Aerith’s picture and had a question mark after her name.  Other charts do not tell us for sure if two people share romance even when it is obvious that they do.   Other charts do not show love at all with any characters.   I have also seen Nomura say that he is not sure if Cloud and Tifa got together after FFVII or not, but many later interviews have more different answers.

My best conclusion on this entire love triangle is that it was meant to be guessed at early on, but they slowly began to give us clues to the answer.  This page is a big clue.  We know Cloud and Tifa share romance for each other, and we can guess that they got together after FFVII.  There is an interview where Nojima states that things did not go well at the start, but this is where Advent Children happens.  Then, Marlene and Denzen might help them work it out.  It is unclear what happens after Advent Children with Cloud and Tifa, so this is when we make our own conclusions from our experience.

Winning and Losing

So, does this mean I lost?  No, it does not mean I lost.  It seems very silly for this to be about winning and losing.  I did not talk to friends about this to win or lose.  I wanted to talk about ideas and theories, so that is what I did.  I do not feel that I lost anything.  I think the real people who lose, are the people who think this is about winning and losing.  I feel more like I won.  I have made new friends, and this event has helped me improve my writing and reading, which is something I needed.   So if you want to say you win because of a scan, go ahead.

What do you win?  Do you get a new car?  Do you have better health?  Do you get a lot of money?  No, you do not get anything.  Don’t be so silly and enjoy what you have instead of trying to win everything.

The End of Cloud and Aerith?

No this is not the end.  Do not even think something like that.  First of all, in the scan, there is also a picture of Cloud and Aerith on a date.  The text below it tells us that one of Cloud’s company will invite him on a date and it could be anyone dependent on Cloud’s behavior.  To me this seems to be almost dismissing the date scene as nothing, but I would not say that they are dismissing Cloud and Aerith or saying they do not matter.  The text at the top of the page talks about the heroes of the game.  Both Aerith and Tifa are heroes in FFVII and even though there text says anyone can come, the picture is of Cloud and Aerith.  If this date scene was not important, it would be be pictured at all.  If Aerith was not important, she would not be there.

The story did not end up how I would have thought or how I wanted.  But people who think that if Cloud and Tifa got together, Cloud did not love Aerith seem to be missing something.  Cloud and Aerith have a special bond.  It was not something anyone else in Avalanche had with her.  There are statements that say that Cloud and Aerith’s bond was different than the one Cloud and Tifa have.  We are always being reminded of this.  Case of Lifestream White is a good example.  Aerith is still willing to call Cloud her sweetheart or koibito, even though it is after FFVII.  The one thing she is worried about is making sure Cloud is safe.  Cloud is similar in that the thing that mattered to him the most was his forgiveness from Aerith.  It was not until he got forgiveness that he was able to fight again.  When asked what was most important to him, Cloud thought of Aerith first.  What Cloud and Aerith have may not be completely based around romance, but it is based around a strong bond and a strong love, that no one else has with her.  He feels this and he knows this and this is why he wishes to see her again at the end of the game.

Am I saying that Aerith is more important to Cloud than Tifa?  Well, this is where we need to find our own conclusions, but I want to say this.  Cloud and Tifa being romantically involved does not make the bond that Cloud and Aerith share any less special.  If Cloud was with one hundred girls it would not make their bond any less special.   Their bond was one of the main ideas of the game, and one of the main ideas of the movie and will continue to be a main ideas.  It is not something that should be ignored or just thrown away.

Will Cloud stay with Tifa?   Again, we need to make our own conclusions, but I want to say it again that whether he does or not, does not make what he shares with Aerith any less special.  Aerith will always be there to watch over Cloud, and to realize that and to understand that really does make me feel like I won.  People who miss this idea or just think Cloud and Aerith have nothing are the ones who really lost.

These are my thoughts and conclusions on this whole love triangle based on what information I know.  Will I change my mind?  It is possible, it has changed once.  I thank you for reading and hope that I helped people who might have been having trouble or were confused.  I am sorry if I made anyone angry or sad, but remember what I said, it is not about winning or losing.  It is about love and a strong bond that two people share.  And that is something I can enjoy and something I think anyone can enjoy.    So have fun with your game and the love the characters have, and remember, it is not about winning or losing.  It’s about the experience you share with each other and the conclusion you come to in the end.  And I wish you all good luck with both and once again, thank you for listening.

Final part of the Before Crisis chapter summaries

As well as the 24 episodes of the main story, players of Before Crisis were given the opportunity to learn a bit more about the history of some of their favourite Turks through a trio of side stories involving Tseng, Reno and the Legendary Turk respectively.  While Tseng’s mission was a compulsory episode to be completed between Episode 22 parts 1 and 2, the other two became available following completion of the main game, with Reno’s episode released in time to coincide with the release of Crisis Core.  Each offers a unique insight into the actions and mentality of the three.  Now, with the summaries of these Special Episodes exclusive to TheLifestream.net, I hope you can enjoy delving a bit deeper into the world of Final Fantasy VII.

Read on to find summaries for the Special Episodes of Tseng, Reno and the Legendary Turk…

Special Episode of Tseng

 Costa del Sol  [ μ ] – εуλ  19XX/XX/XX

  As a rookie Turk, Tseng is given the assignment of investigating the strange kidnapping of a Shinra soldier from one of Shinra’s Mako Reactors.  He is under the command of his idol, Chief Verdot, who has sent him to search a mysterious unregistered vessel that has appeared in the Costa del Sol harbour for information.  Concluding that the only purpose of kidnapping a Reactor guard would be to learn more about the Reactor itself, Tseng believes that the rescue of the soldier is important before he reveals any secrets.

  Boarding the ship, he finds anti-Shinra militants patrolling its passages.  He defeats them and arrives at the control room, where he notices the kidnapped guard on one of the monitors.  Finding the tortured soldier in the confinement room, he discovers a more sinister plot.  The soldier explains that the enemy have been buying stolen Shinra weapons from a black market weapon seller, and have been stocking them aboard the ship.  Torn between his duty as a Turk to investigate the stolen weapons further and his determination to complete his mission to rescue the soldier, Tseng opts for the latter, and escapes the ship with the man.

  Several days later, Verdot tells Tseng that he was wrong to choose the guard’s life over company secrets and that he has failed in his duty as a Turk.  President Shinra orders that the Turks destroy the weapons and all their data, as well as locate the leak within the company who gave the weapon seller information on the stolen weapons’ existence.  Verdot tells Tseng that they will be going together, leaving Tseng stunned as he feels he doesn’t deserve to be included in such an important mission after his previous failure.

  Arriving back at the ship in Costa del Sol, Tseng and Verdot fight their way through the passages against the enemy.  Verdot heads to the hanger where the weapons are being stored while Tseng is ordered to the control room to find and delete all files regarding the weapons.  As he erases the files from the computer system, anti-Shinra operatives break in and escape with a hard copy of the data.

  Meanwhile in the ship’s cargo hold, Chief Verdot discovers an army of Proto Golems.  Approaching the Shinra weapons, they come to life and begin to attack him.  Tseng goes to help his mentor, but Verdot orders that he complete his own task of deleting the files and retrieving the hard data – such is the duty of a Turk.  Finally locating and defeating the enemies, Tseng collects the data and makes his way to the hold to aid Verdot.

  Together, they battle and destroy the large numbers of the machines.  Afterwards, Verdot tells Tseng that he is impressed by what his subordinate has learned but, as the two try to leave, there is an explosion.  As the ship sinks, the ceiling collapses, and Tseng is trapped beneath a steel girder.  He tells Verdot to escape and make sure the Turks accomplish their mission, but Verdot goes against what he has taught Tseng and saves the young man’s life.

  Tseng wakes from intensive care days later to find that Verdot has a scar on his cheek to show his bravery for rescuing him.  He feels guilty but Verdot explains that it reminds him of his daughter and that life is about more than just a job.  They are informed that the Shinra leak has been located in the area around Kalm and that Verdot has to lead the mission to eliminate the threat.  He agrees, knowing that it will give him more time to spend with his wife and daughter, Felecia.  Tseng is commended for uncovering the weapon plot.

Script not available.  Watch video part 1 here or part 2 here.

Special Episode of Reno

 Midgar  [ν]-εγλ 0001/04/01

  Following the mysterious theft of confidential documents from the files on the 45^th floor of the Shinra Building a number of hours before, Reno and Rude are sent to guard over the document room and search for clues to the missing files.  Reno complains that he is bored of the work.  Suddenly, an alarm goes of to say that there is an intruder in the building, and a security robot enters the room.  It targets the two Turks due to the high security level, but they defeat it and the others on the 45th floor in defence.

  Verdot contacts them to say that there is a problem with the security robots and the building’s control system that arose simultaneously with the intrusion.  He tells them that Cissnei is looking into the relationship, but they have to stay and continue their investigation.  As he hangs up, Reno notices a bearded man in a lab coat watching them from the shadows, and he chases the fleeing man while Rude tries to cut him off, concluding him to be the person who stole the data.

  The man escapes into the elevator before they can reach him, but Reno blasts a hole in the door and jumps onto the roof of the descending lift.  The hatch on the ceiling is locked and the password has changed due to the security level.  The elevator suddenly stops a long way from the ground floor and then begins to accelerate upwards.  Reno is worried that he may be crushed if he can’t open the hatch.

  Tseng is able to relay the passwords to Reno but, as he breaks the code, a large Shinra weapon crashes onto the roof of the lift.  Reno battles the machine, but it is too strong.  As they approach the height of the shaft, the robot knocks him to his knees, and is crushed into the ceiling, halting the lift and saving Reno.  Sighing with relief, Reno turns to see the hatch pop open and Rude’s head appear.  Rude tells him that they suspect the thief has escaped from the building and they are to continue their investigation as well as help stop the malfunctioning security robots which have escaped onto the streets of Midgar and began attacking civilians.

  On the streets of Sector8, Reno and Rude split up to try and find the machines.  Reno saves a number of people and contacts Cissnei to ask about her situation, only to discover she is in trouble.  Helping Rude against a number of robots, the two make their way to the fountain at the town square where they find Cissnei cornered by two Genesis Clones.  Tseng appears, and then newly promoted First Class SOLDIER Zack, but Reno tells them Cissnei has everything under control.  Tseng orders Reno and Rude to continue their mission to contain the security robots.

  As they head along the streets, they again spot the man in the lab coat.  Gaining Verdot’s permission to follow him, they chase him into the Plate underground.  They are attacked by numerous security robots which seem not to notice the scientist, and Rude concludes that it must have been him who tampered with the Shinra control system.  Cornering the man, they discover him to be Professor Hollander.

  As they close in, two Genesis Clones appear from a hidden passage and fight the Turks, giving Hollander time to escape.  After the battle, Verdot calls and tells them to return to Sector8 as SOLDIER has taken over the investigation of the stolen documents.  Reno is angry by this and says that he should join SOLDIER if he wants to get to do the exciting missions.  Rude replies that if he did that, they would no longer be a partnership.  Reno smiles, knowing that he wouldn’t want that.

Script and video not available.

Special Episode of Legend

Wutai  [ μ ] – εуλ 1999/11/10

  Tseng arrives at the Turks Headquarters having been summoned by Verdot and is told he will be participating in a mission with one of the Turks’ special agents.  He is introduced to the special agent, realising that the man is no other than the once-feared anti-Shinra activist ‘Death God of the Battlefield’ whom he crossed paths with on one of his first missions as a Turk.  Tseng is angered by this and aims his gun at the man, but Verdot calms him down.  The Legend says that he has wasted enough time, and leaves for Wutai.

  The Legendary Turk arrives at a secret Shinra military factory in Wutai that has been overrun by anti-Shinra opertives who have kidnapped a weapons dealer with important links to the company. Tseng informs Legend by phone that his assignment is to rescue the weapons trader and eliminate the enemies before they can leak the confidential information about the facility to the world.  The Legend enters the factory, killing many mercenaries that get in his way with his bombs.

  Planting bombs in strategic parts of the facility, Legend makes his way to the second floor where he discovers the kidnapped dealer being guarded by an old ally with whom he fought alongside in the infamous conflict of 1995.  The two fight and as the Legend emerges victorious, the man reveals that he know the truth regarding the negotiation incident in which Legend participated in 1997.  Legend’s bombs detonate, causing the building to begin to fall apart, and the man dies.

  Releasing the hostage, Legend recognises the man as the weapons dealer who had been part of the 1997 incident.  The man begs him to lead the way to safety, but Legend questions him about the incident.  Unwilling to admit the truth in order to save his own life, the man denies knowledge of what Legend is talking about.  Showing no mercy, the Legend abandons his duty of rescuing the trader, leaving him to die in the collapsing factory.

  As punishment for his actions, Legend is placed under house arrest at Costa del Sol.  Tseng is appalled at this outcome and questions Verdot.  Verdot explains that the judgement was made that even though he abandoned his duty, the Legend still ensured that the company’s secrets were not leaked and had thus completed his primary objective.  Verdot goes on the tell Tseng that in 1997, before he had recruited the Legend into the Turks, there had been an incident at a Mako Reactor where a weapons dealer had entered negotiations with Legend’s anti-Shinra faction.  The dealer had betrayed the activists, and only Legend survived, mourning the loss of his comrades and the little girl who had been so important to him.  When they deduce that the hostage must have been the same weapons dealer, Tseng begins to comprehend the Legend’s actions.

Costa del Sol  [ν]-εγλ 0001/01/10

  Two years later, with the Wutai War drawing to a close, Verdot sent Tseng to Costa del Sol to request Legend return to the Turks to help them with any trouble that may arise in the aftermath.  Tseng arrives in Costa del Sol to discover Legend has become a favourite amongst the ladies of the town, and finds him on the beach.  Tseng asks him to join the Turks again, but he refutes, saying that he enjoys the life at Costa del Sol and does not want to go back to the life where he brought nothing but conflict.  Tseng admits that he understands his actions with the weapons dealer and may have done the same thing if put in that situation.  Legend says that he is no longer worthy of the Turks and wants a fresh start, leaving Tseng to walk away, telling him that the Turks will be waiting for when he changes his mind.

 
Junon  [ν]-εγλ 0002/02/01

  One year later, with the Turks and the Shinra Army in shambles due to Verdot’s demotion and Heidegger’s incompetence, an attack by AVALANCHE on Junon leaves the city in chaos.  Deciding to act, Verdot calls the Legend and requests that he fight for the Turks against AVALANCHE.  Explaining the situation and how much his comrades need his help, Legend agrees to go to Junon and fight.

  Arriving in Junon, the Legend enters the battle, decimating large numbers of AVALANCHE operatives with his bombs.  As he fights, he realises how much he has missed the battlefield.  Seeing his immense strength and knowing that Verdot has regained control of his post, AVALANCHE begin to retreat, and the Turks again regain control over the city.

  Later at the Turks Headquarters, Verdot shows his appreciation for their efforts and informs them that they were helped by someone.  The Turks are stunned as Legend enters the room and realise that it was because of him that the battle was won.  He is introduced to the Turks as someone of great strength and when Verdot asks him if he has considered what he asked, Legend replies that he has decided to entrust his life to the Turks.

Script and video not available.

Intro and Episodes 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14, 15-17, 18-20, 21-22, 23-Epilogue, Rescue and WEAPON, Special Episodes

Actually, this post might better be characterized as a follow-up to the “Love Triangle Debate- over” article that Ryushikaze posted a couple of days ago. That article included selected translations from the section which I am now posting a translation of in its entirety.

I think you’ll find that the ramifications for the Love Triangle Debate are even more obvious when you can read the entire page. Do enjoy.

FOR THE ONE I LOVE
Through the long journeys, the love of the protagonists develop. Occasionally they become separated, but the two’s value to one another gives them the great strength to overcome whatever crisis may come.

III – The diligent soldier and the meek princess
The love between the soldier and princess of Sasune Castle was divided by social status; Ingus tried to supress his feelings, but Sara would not hide hers.

IV – World just for the two of us
When rescuing Rosa, Cecil frankly declares his true feelings. The two reunited, they tightly embrace for all eyes to see.

VI – Result of the chance encounter
The imperial general and the anti-empire organization member — Celes and Locke’s relation to one another is like ships passing in the night; it’s a long period before they get to communicate their feelings completely.

VII – Secret date
At the Gold Saucer, Cloud receives an invitation from one of his companions. Who comes around with the invitation is dependent on Cloud’s behavior.

VII – The night before the final battle
Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final battle with Sephiroth, without using words, he confirms with her that their feelings match.

VIII – Witch Rinoa’s knight
Just before she can be sealed due to being a witch, Squall retakes Rinoa. “I don’t care that you’re a witch” are his words to her, putting her mind at ease.

IX – For the one I must protect
Beatrix becomes the woman to whom Steiner will let no harm befall. For his homeland’s protection and for hers, Steiner brandishes his sword.

IX – Guidance on an investigation of life
Zidane left the company of his companions in front of the Iifa Tree. He survived for the sake of going back to “the place I’ll return to someday,” where the one he loves was waiting for him.

X – Macalania Spring
Yuna is betrayed by the temples she had completely believed in and had made the foundation of her life. Tidus decides to comfort her in this way.

Extra Thread
Scenes involving “love” other than romantic love
In the “FF” series, there’s not just the romantic love between men and women; there are various forms of love depicted. In “FFV,” there’s familial love between Galuf and Krile, as well as the brotherly love between Edgar and Sabin depicted in “FFVI”; and in “FFIX,” there’s an instance of love between Eiko and Mog that goes beyond race. Also, in “FFVI,” there’s the scene where Terra recovers her ability to fight and comes to understand the emotion called “love”; when talking about “love,” this is a scene that shouldn’t be left out.

During the event where Terra recovers her ability to fight, she regains her power and says “I’ll fight to protect the people I love”; she then throws herself back into battle.

To be specific, these translations are from the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario guide. Yes, that is its full and proper title, and, yes, it is quite long.

Anyway, what I’m presenting here for your merry consumption is a translation of the “Source of Power” section of the Ultimania (pg. 8). It offers some rather illuminating insight into interrelated sources of magic
in the FF series.

For me, this page is largely vindication of theories I’ve long held to be true. Please check out the “Spirit Energy and Memories” article in my Final Fantasy VII Plot Analysis FAQ for more on that.

I do hope you enjoy this translation. Stay tuned, as another set of translations is ready to go up, and will be joining this one shortly.

SOURCE OF POWER

The world that serves as the stage of each work is supported by some great power. In the early works, the power of the 4 elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Wind serve this essential role, appearing alongside crystals they correlate with. On the other hand, with “VII” and onward, a worldview on life and death was introduced to fill the role, and the “power of life” became the essential factor. In addition, the works beginning with “VII” filled their worlds with many manifestations of this “power.” They feature the crystalline objects of power named “materia,” “spheres,” and the like, and in each, they are deeply related to the story, being, for example, the means by which magic is used.

Root of the world: “I”, “III,” “IV,” “V”
[Crystals][Power of the world (Earth, Water, Fire and Wind)]
In “I,” “III,” “IV” and “V,” the world is supported by the 4 cornerstone powers of Earth, Water, Fire and Wind. In “I,” the crystals have the symbols of the four powers, and are the source of the 4 powers in the other 3 works as well; furthermore, in “IV,” a set of these crystals exist in each of the following: on the terran level, in the underworld, and on the moon.

Wondrous powers that permeate the world: “VII,” “IX,” “X,” “X-2,” “XII”
Power of Life ["VII," "IX," "X," "X-2"]
Source of magical powers ["VII," "X," "X-2," "XII"]

“VII” – Spirit energy (mako)
Power of life. Returns to the planet to bring about new life, but the substance called “mako” is drawn out of the planet as a power source and for other purposes at an abusive rate.
Condenses as: Materia

“IX” – “Mist”
Residual element of the souls that should return to the planet, but are discharged into the atmosphere. While it can be harnessed as fuel for airships, it has a negative influence on living things.

“X,” “X-2″ – Pyreflies
An energy that resides in the atmosphere, in water, underground, and in the bodies of living things, when they gather in high concentrations, they become visibile as clusters of light. When reacting to thoughts, they can assume substance.
Condenses as: Spheres

“XII” – Mist
Source of magical powers. When densely concentrated, it becomes visible as a fog. The stones called “magicite” hold mist within, and serve as the drive force for airships.

Circle of Life

“After death, a life will circle the planet and be born again as a new life. Lives enrich the planet and make it grow” — this worldview on life and death underlying “VII” is similar to ideas seen in “IX” and “X.” In the story of “IX,” it was defined by the idea that the crystals residing at the center of planets circulate life, and as the memories of living beings accumulate inside the crystals, the planets grow. In “X” and “X-2,” a power of life equivalent to that called “mako” in “VII” is featured via the phenomenon called “pyreflies”; it is related to the underground “Farplane,” where the dead reside — and, so, the idea of “the power of life returning underground after diffusing into the atmosphere” takes form here as well. Also, though the concept isn’t explicitly stated within the stories of “III,” “IV” and “XI,” as with the afore-mentioned works, it can be inferred that life circulates these worlds as well.

In “IV,” Anna, who lost her life, speaks of “becoming one with the great spirit” before vanishing; a worldview on life and death like that in “VII” and the others can be inferred here.

Stream of Life: “VII,” “IX,” “X,” “X-2″
1) A new life is born
2) That life dies and its energy then disperses
3) The dispersed energy returns to the planet, and enriches the planet to grow

“VII”
Lifestream
A current of the power of life (spirit energy) that circulates within the planet. An enormous swell of knowledge is woven throughout, and, when in direct contact, can cause the mind of an ordinary person to collapse.

“IX”
Crystal
The object at the center of a planet which stores the power of life and makes the planet exist. Once a crystal has aged, it returns to the cosmos and becomes the source of a new crystal.

“X,” “X-2″
Farplane
The place to which the deceased return. In “X-2,” an enormous swell of energy is determined to exist in its subterranean depths.

Final Fantasy Seven’s love triangle debate has been raging for the better part of twelve years now, and caused no end of interfandom tensions. For those of you unfamiliar with the whole debacle, I first congratulate you on your luck in remaining free, and I next explain that it is the debate over which of Tifa or Aerith Cloud Strife loves. Many a year, and countless hypotheses have been spent trying to argue that Cloud and Tifa are not a couple despite all the best evidence, and that Cloud and Aerith have a relationship despite the latter’s unfortunate condition. For some time, the love triangle debate has been in what could aptly be described as its death throes. Today, hopefully, we can perform a mercy killing.

Just this morning, our translator Tres dias, who is translating the FFVIII keywords and character profiles, who co-wrote the Dissidia FAQ with Mako Eyes, and who has written a comprehensive FAQ on this subject, received the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania Scenario in the mail. He wanted me to be the one to make this post, and it is my honor to now provide you with his scans, and translations, of page 394 of the guidebook, on ‘For the one I love.’

The header to this section reads

Of direct interest to we fans of Final Fantasy Seven, however, are two images and their associated text, which we have provided, zoomed in on, so those playing at home can check our work.

First, is a picture discussing the Gold Saucer date. The text describing it reads

Secret date

At the Gold Saucer, Cloud receives an invitation from one of his companions. Who comes around with the invitation is dependent on Cloud’s behavior.

Nothing so amazing, no, all it tells us is that the date itself is up to player control, so no one version is ‘official,’ but the next section is not only what hopefully will make for a swift end to the LTD, but also confirms a scenario I have been arguing in favor of for quite a number of years.

As you can see, the image is of Cloud and Tifa’s night under the Highwind. That on a page entitled ‘for the one I love’ is very conclusive in its own right. The text, however, takes it a step further, and reads

The night before the final battle

Thanks to Tifa, Cloud regains himself, and before the final battle with Sephiroth, without using words, he confirms with her that their feelings match.

Read that again. ‘without using words, [Cloud] confirms with [Tifa] that their feelings match.’ So, not only can we unequivocally state that these matching feelings are those of love, but that these feelings of love are confirmed without words. In other words, physically. So, yes, there was almost certainly sex under the Highwind that night. I do not wish to bore everyone with a regurgitation of all the related materials, but this does confirm  that yes, Cloud and Tifa’s relationship past this point are that of lovers. And that, my friends, settles the Love Triangle. Even if you don’t want to believe it.

Also of note is that this page shows all the other ‘canon’ couples in the main parties, Ingus and Sara, Cecil and Rosa, Locke and Celes, Squall and Rinoa, Steiner and Beatrix, Zidane and Garnet, and Tidus and Yuna in their moments of revelation. So Cloud and Tifa are certainly in good company, hugging together underneath the Highwind along all the other canon couples of Final Fantasy.

One last thing, before I go. I have one thought, from Tres himself, that he asked me to relate to everyone. That thought is, “All that’s left to say is: Abandon ’ship!” Wise words indeed, since that ship has been undeniably sunk, if you’ll pardon the pun, by canon.

UPDATE: If you wish to see the translation of the page as a whole, please follow this link to Tres’s translations of what the rest of this page says about revelation of romantic feelings in other games, and what the box in the lower right says about displays of non-romantic feelings.

So, given how long Voices of the Lifestream has been in existence, we’re not sure how many of you haven’t heard of it before, but since we here at Thelifestream.net are into all things Final Fantasy Seven and want to encourage fan projects of all sorts, we figured we’d tell everyone who wasn’t already aware know about this awesome fan orchestrated remix album to the great songs of Final Fantasy Seven, and let you listen to these awesome arrangements at the same time.

For those of you unfamiliar with OC ReMix, it is a project where numerous fan composers take video game sound tracks and put their own unique spin on the original works, to make a familiar yet unique versions of the songs you all know and love, and their Voices of the Lifestream project is no different. The ninth full album made by OC ReMix, it features forty five arrangements performed by forty two different remixers, and we here at TLS are proud to showcase these songs here on our website.

As for how, that brings us to our new embedded MP3 player. I’m sure you’ve all noticed by now that there is a spiffy new bar at the bottom of your browser window when you view the front page, and that is our new Streampad mp3 player, which you can use to listen to any or all of the album’s songs here on the website, or you can download them all yourself here on The Lifestream or at the the source.

Now, without further ado, get listening!

CD 1- Crisis

1-01 pixietricks, zircon – Deliverance of the Heart (Heart of Anxiety)

1-02 Big Giant Circles – Every Story Begins with a Name (Opening – Bombing Mission)

1-03 sephfire, sgx – No Such Thing As the Promised Land (Mako Reactor)

1-04 LuIzA – Materia Junkie (Under the Rotting Pizza ~ The Oppressed)

1-05 norg, SnappleMan – Full Frontal Assault (Let the Battles Begin!)

1-06 Another Soundscape – Too Much Fighting (Fanfare)

1-07 Daniel Baranowsky – Damn Those Turks! (Turks’ Theme)

1-08 Big Giant Circles, Liontamer, zircon – Adrenalyne Kyck (Hurry!)

1-09 zircon – Nomura Limit (Fight On!)

1-10 Xaleph – Son of Chaos (Shinra Company)

1-11 Sixto Sounds, zircon – Lunatic Moon (Red XIII’s Theme ~ Cosmo Canyon)

1-12 tefnek – motor crazycycle (Crazy Motorcycle)

CD 2- Dirge

2-01 djpretzel, Vigilante – Short Skirts (Tifa’s Theme)

2-02 Jeremy Robson – Valse Aeris (Flowers Blooming in the Church ~ Aerith’s Theme)

2-03 Hemophilliac – Embraced Empathy (Dear to the Heart)

2-04 Mustin – Serenity (Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY VII)

2-05 Dhsu – A Life Without Parole (Desert Wasteland)

2-06 Sixto Sounds, Suzumebachi, zircon – Scenes from a Memory (On That Day, Five Years Ago…)

2-07 Geoffrey Taucer, Tepid – Golden Fields (Farm Boy)

2-08 Trenthian – Crystal Sermon (The Prelude)

2-09 Rellik – Chasing the Storm (In Search of the Man in Black)

2-10 Tweek – Sephiroth’s Wake (Trail of Blood)

2-11 bLiNd – JENOVA Celestial (J-E-N-O-V-A)

2-12 Hy Bound – Mark of the Beatsmith (Mark of a Traitor)

CD 3- Advent

3-01 Red Tailed Fox – Suco de Melancia (Costa del Sol)

3-02 Shnabubula – Stone Eyes (The Great Warrior)

3-03 Pot Hocket – Daydreaming Again (Words Drowned by Fireworks)

3-04 Trenthian – Alien Exploration (Gold Saucer ~ Cid’s Theme)

3-05 Another Soundscape – Golden Feathers (Racing Chocobos – Place Your Bets!)

3-06 Red Tailed Fox, Shnabubula – Midnight at Club Corel (Mining Town)

3-07 FFmusic Dj – Ahead On Our Rave (On Our Way)

3-08 Darangen – Kweh! (Electric de Chocobo)

3-09 Jovette Rivera – The Crossroads (Cid’s Theme)

3-10 bLiNd, Leifo – Fading Entity (Listen to the Cries of the Planet)

3-11 Tweek – Frozen Landscape (Buried in Snow)

CD 4- Order

4-01 Pot Hocket – Sleep, My Sephy (Judgment Day)

4-02 Darangen – Collision (The North Cave)

4-03 Star Salzman – Airships Make Me Happy (The Highwind Takes to the Skies)

4-04 JigginJonT – Hydrophone Breakdown (Secret of the Deep Sea)

4-05 Fishy – Omnislash (Hurry Up!)

4-06 bustatunez, The Orichalcon – Rare Square (Countdown)

4-07 Steffan Andrews – Jenova Returns (J-E-N-O-V-A ~ Jenova Complete)

4-08 bLiNd – Beginning of the End (Birth of a God)

4-09 bLiNd, Fishy, pixietricks, Sixto Sounds, Steffan Andrews, Suzumebachi, tefnek – Black Wing Metamorphosis (One-Winged Angel)

4-10 Bladiator – The Golden Ivories of Gaia (Various Themes)

Anyway, I’m happy to report that I have some more translations to post. Not all of it’s from the FFVIII Ultimania, though.

Among what I have here are Ellone, Edea, Ultimecia and Adel’s profiles from the Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 1: Character guide. They’re not exactly the most interesting profiles ever, but they do confirm a couple of things that fans have long suspected, and it’s a cool novelty to at last have some kind of profile for Ultimecia — even if it only contains stuff we already knew.

A big thanks, by the way, to forum member Celes Chere for providing me with the scans from this book that I translated.

This post also includes the “A Day of Instruction at Garden” epilogue to FFVIII from the back of FFVIII’s Ultimania. Written by Kazushige Nojima, FFVIII’s writer, this is a short story depicting a classroom discussion at Garden about Hyne and witches. It’s pretty interesting, but not exactly riveting. Tells us a few things we didn’t know at any rate, including the name of the scholar who first coined the term “witches.”

By the way — if it reads kind of strangely, it’s in part because I didn’t go to any great, painful lengths to smooth out the language, and probably also because we’re only privy to the teacher’s words. The students’ input isn’t in the text, and can only be guessed based on what the teacher says in response.

Hope you enjoy!

(pg. 253)
The witch who is controlled by a will of hatred

Shattering a long silence, a beautiful witch who appeared on the world’s stage. She approached President Vinzer Deling of Galbadia, who was scheming world domination, and — as the trump card of that ambition — was appointed the position of ambassador; she murdered Deling during her inaugural address and immediately settled into her new seat of leadership, seizing full authority.

Burning with intense hatred toward SeeD, she ordered an attack by missiles against Balamb and Trabia Gardens. Converting Galbadia Garden into a mobile stronghold and mobilizing it into direct combact with Balamb Garden, which escaped the missiles, she tried to erase everything to do with SeeD.

She was thought to be a wicked being, but after Squall’s team defeats her in battle, her witch powers are separated from her and she regains her sanity. Originally, she was a kind-hearted woman who raised orphans, until she became a slave to the witch of the future, Ultimecia.

[Caption next to a screenshot of Edea giving her speech]
After murdering Deling, she used her magical powers — specifically, a fascination technique — to drive the assembled populace into a frenzy.

[Translator's note: This confirms what many fans have long believed: That the crowd at the speech were so excited in part because Ultimecia was using her magic on them.]

[Caption next to a screenshot of Squall and his team talking with Edea at the ruins of her orphanage]
Having become a completely different person, Edea reveals the truth. At one time, she was the foster mother to the orphans, and was called Matron.

Impressive Words

“You don’t want to be a boy anymore?
“Come with me to a place of no return. Bid farewell to your childhood.”
-Timber: When recruiting Seifer

“I shall dance for eternity as the witch who brings you dread!
You and I.
Together, we shall create the final fantasy.
Within are life and death and sweet dreams.”
-Deling City: After murdering President Deling

[Translator's note: This is from Edea's speech in Deling City, obviously, and just as obviously, it's significantly different from the speech found in the English version. In fact, this speech may be the biggest change in the script I've run across. I'll include the entirety of the Japanese version of Edea's speech in this entry:

Ultimecia:
"......It reeks.
Filthy fools.
Since time immemorial, we witches have lived within illusion.
The foolish fantasy you produced.
Adorning their bodies in dreadful costumes, the witches who curse virtuous humans by means of cruel rituals.
The terrible witch who burns your green fields and freezes your warm homes with ruthless magic.
......Worthless.
Now that the witch from the illusion is come to be seen as a friend of Galbadia, you sigh in relief?
Who is dreaming fantasy after fantasy?"

President Deling:
"E...Edea...
Just what...?
Ede......!"

::Ultimecia telekinetically lifts Deling into the air and begins killing him with her magic::

Ultimecia:
"Reality is not at all gentle.
That being the case, you fools!
There is nothing for you but this!"

::Ultimecia telekinetically throws Deling's lifeless body::

Ultimecia:
"Escape into your own fantasies!
I shall continue to dance for your world of illusions!
I shall dance for eternity as the witch who brings you dread!
You and I.
Together, we shall create the final fantasy.
Within are life and death and sweet dreams.
The witch travels toward the eternal illusion!
The witch and Galbadia on to eternity!"]

“I have waited for this day to come. And also feared this day would come. Is today a joyous day? Or an odious day?”
-Galbadia Garden: After the witch’s spell on her has been lifted

(pg. 254)
A mysterious person who conceals a wondrous power

A little girl whose parents were killed during Esthar’s war, leading Raine to serve as her parent. She was also close to Laguna, until taken away by Esthar as a candidate to be Witch Adel’s successor; she would be pursued by witches for a long time after that, and have to live a life in exile. “Connect” is what she calls her ability to send a person’s consciousness into another person.

[Caption next to a screenshot of Squall and Ellone reuniting on the lunar base]
There was also a time she lived in Edea’s orphanage. Her departure was the underlying cause of Squall’s difficult personality.

Impressive Words

“(I got in twouble.)”
-Winhill: While talking to Laguna

“I remember those eyes. You just looked at me with the same eyes you had when you were little. Those curious, innocent, puppy dog eyes. I loved those eyes.”
-Lunarside Base: Said to Squall when “connecting” him to Rinoa

(pg. 259)
Former ruler of Esthar, who turned it into the world’s enemy

Once the ruler of Esthar, she is the witch whose desire to hold ever more power led to the great war. Due to Laguna, she was sealed in a tomb with packing crystal technology, and banished to the void of space, where she was kept under surveilance; however, she would eventually return to the planet below as part of Ultimecia’s scheme.

[Caption next to a screenshot of Squall's team fighting Adel]
The awakened Adel united with Rinoa, and though her power was diminished at the time, she still commenced battle.

Impressive Words
“You thought I would fall for that trick?”
-Esthar: When Laguna lures her in front of the hologram of Ellone

(pg. 259)
The witch of the future, who desires Time Compression

Filled with endless anger, a dreadful witch from the far future. In her time, she used the apparatus known as “Junction Machine Ellone” — which allows one person’s consciousness to connect to that of another person — to possess witches of the world’s past as she sought to capture Ellone, who possesses a special power.

Her ultimate goal involves using Ellone to send her consciousness to the past so that she may begin Time Compression and institute a “singular time.” She sought this goal in the past, in the present day of Squall and his team; the whole of time would be compressed, giving birth to a world where only Ultimecia could exist.

Initially, she “connected” to Edea, and via her memories, pursued Ellone’s trail; during this time, Edea was aware of all that was taking place, but had no control until she was defeated by Squall’s team of SeeD, at which point her witch powers transferred to Rinoa; at that point, Ultimecia used Rinoa as her puppet to free the evil witch, Adel, who had been sealed in space. Controlling the revived Adel, she again sought to bring Ellone into her hands.

[Translator's note: It would appear that the long-held belief of many fans that Ultimecia had taken control of Adel was on the money all along.]

[Caption next to a screenshot of Ultimecia in her final form]
To prevent Time Compression, Squall and his team traveled to the future and attacked Ultimecia in her previous forms. Finally, she took on this strange appearance with no face.

[Caption next to a screenshot of Ultimecia passing her powers to Edea]
For witches, it is not possible to die while they have their powers. Defeated, Ultimecia appeared at the orphanage of the past, and succeeded her powers to Edea, who was already a witch.

Impressive Words

“SeeD……SeeD……SeeD, SeeD, SeeD!! I loathe you…… Why do you disturb a witch so! Why can’t I be free?! Your existences shall be added to the algorithm of Time Compression!!”
-Ultimecia’s Castle: At the beginning of the final battle

[Translator's note: This opening to Ultimecia's address was translated in a significantly different manner for the English version of the game. Personally, I much prefer the English rendition, what with the "Kurse all SeeDs" line, and "Swarming like lokusts across generations." Beyond the line about the "algorithm of Time Compression," everything is pretty much communicating the same idea as in the English version -- that she'll send the SeeDs to an unpleasant realm where they will have to worship her. Though she's a lot more vicious in her wording in the Japanese at this point: "In intense pain, your minds shall shred and your memories fade. There will be nothing, and no thoughts of so much as nothing! To such a world I shall send you! You will be able to do nothing...... Well, nothing but revere me, the eternal existence!! Come now, who will be first? Ha, no matter who it is, it will all end the same...... I choose you bastards."]

“I am Ultimecia. Time shall compress. All existence denied.”
-During the final battle

Good morning.
Well, today is the tale of witches, eh?
To be clear, this won’t be on the test.
So, those of you who want to ignore the teacher will be alright.
If you study something else, that’s fine.
I think knowledge of this witch stuff will be interesting to all of you, though, as it involves real magic.
Also, this witch story is one your teacher personally likes very much, so please try to maintain your attention and lend me your ear for a little while.

Well, let’s begin.
First, when talking about witches, there’s a text that can’t be left out; I’ll read it, ok?

Starting.

“At this time, daylight had not yet come, and everything was covered in night.

There was a being called ‘Hyne.’
‘Hyne’ created the world, and battled many beasts all the while.
‘Because of the magic ‘Hyne’ used, he was able to win the battles with this power eventually.
Thus, ‘Hyne’ was the governor of this world.

‘Hyne’ seated himself upon his throne, from where he thought he could see all around.
However, from the location of his throne, ‘Hyne’ was unable to view the eastern sea because of a mountain.
Because of his long battles, ‘Hyne’ had become too tired to destroy the
mountain and needed a tool to carve it up; he had an idea of what to apply to this task.
This tool would be able to function of its own accord, and be able to increase its own numbers.
‘Hyne’ named these tools human beings.
Their males and females are the origin of human beings, and we descended from them.

The human beings increased their numbers while carving up the mountain.
When their work was finished, they decided to ask ‘Hyne’ what they should do next.
However, ‘Hyne’ was sound asleep due to his fatigue.
There being nothing they could do about it, the human beings made changes to the land at their own discretion.

When ‘Hyne’ awoke, the appearance of the area had completely changed.
He was most startled, though, by the number of human beings there were now.
‘Hyne’ decided to reduce the number of human beings, and used his magic to burn up smaller humans.
The small human beings were called ‘children,’ and were very important to the humans.
They wept intensely and protested to ‘Hyne.’
However, he told him they were his tools, and his words angered them.
They cursed his words when they heard them.

The humans began a rebellion against ‘Hyne.’
He retaliated with his magic, but the humans were able to increase their numbers in abundance.

Besieged, ‘Hyne’ bargained with the humans.
He offered them half of his own body and power. At the idea of having half of this power, the humans decided they should agree to the deal.

‘Hyne’ split his body in half and gave half to the humans.
With this, a peace was drawn between ‘Hyne’ and the humans.
However, humans began to quarrel with one another for the first time, coming together in groups that wanted the power of ‘half of Hyne’s body.’

A long, long battle began.
Many countries were established at this time.

The battle was eventually won by the clan of the dark king, Zebalga. Within a forest, they convened to command the power of ‘half of Hyne’s body.’
However, the ‘half of Hyne’s body’ was unresponsive to their commands.

Sage Vascaroon came to consult with Zebalga.
He was wise, and knew the answer to the problem with ‘half of Hyne’s body.’
‘Hyne’ had given them a corrupted part of his body.
What the humans had thought was ‘half of Hyne’s body’ was really just the ‘cast off skin of Hyne.’
When they heard this explanation, the Zebalga clan was furious.
They vowed to destroy ‘Hyne.’

However, the other half of Hyne’s body was nowhere to be found.
The humans began referring to the missing ‘Hyne’ as ‘Hyne the Magician,’ and sought him for generations.”

This text comes from those claimed to have descended from Sage Vascaroon, and is part of the compilation “The Legend of Vascaroon.”
After this part, it talks about Vascaroon’s many inventions and great
achievements, but Hyne doesn’t appear again.
Must be due to the author forgetting midway, huh?

Ah, what a shame.
This is, of course, folklore and hasn’t been verified by science.
Even now, the author can only be speculated.
It probably arose from various stories of the time being combined.
If you believe this book, Sage Vascaroon lived 980 years!
Hm? That’s strange, right?

Eh? Was Sage Vascaroon telling the truth about Hyne’s magic?
Ahahahaha.
Well, it’s impossible to prove, so even if you advocate this theory, you
shouldn’t teach high school students to believe in it, huh?

Well, there are people who believe the magic of Hyne is the origin of witches.
Witches actually exist.
There are various studies into their origin, but your teacher likes the “magic of hyne=witches” theory. Yes, that’s so, isn’t it?
It’s impossible to demand the origin of folklore, but it didn’t come from
zero, just as life didn’t come from nothing.
Therefore, I think there’s a bit of truth, even in legend.
No, I guess you could say I hope so?

Ah, let’s change the subject, shall we?
Let me introduce you to the “magic of Hyne=witches” theory.

Well, the word “witch” as it’s commonly used was designated by the scholar Temu about 500 years ago.
Temu combined folklore, legend and known facts, and is referred to as a
historical scholar by story writers.
Because of that, I like this Temu out of respect for his resolve as such a strange, daring scholar.

Temu recorded this in his own work, “The Whereabouts of Hyne.”

“It’s to be expected that the ‘magic of Hyne’ could not be found.
Because of people’s feelings at that time, it concealed itself in bodies, in the form of women, people who it was thought should be protected.
Occasionally, women played important roles in history, but I think this was the ‘magic of Hyne.’
Whether it is the descendant individuals who are in control, or the ‘magic of Hyne’ itself will be made clear with future research.
The ‘magic of Hyne’ in the form of women.
I name these ‘witches.’”

What does this explanation entail, huh?
You might say it has a negative connotation, which certainly has a simple persuasive power, right?
There is no evidence of what Temu asserted.
I still include it, though.

Eh? What became of the ‘cast off skin of Hyne’?
You can discuss that for classwork.
This is very, very interesting!
You can inquire about that name for geology classwork, right?

Ahahahaha.
We’re getting off the lesson plan, aren’t we, so let’s return to the tale of witches.

Lately, witches have been involved more and more in historical developments.
Yes?
Current witches?
Historically, there have been many witches, so it’s not clear how many exist.
This is part of why they’re considered a problem.
Basically, witches hide themselves from society, it is said.
For example, hm?
Even though Dr. Kadowaki understands witches, does everyone?
Hm? Generally, has that been a greeting up ’til now?
Yes, yes, it has been, hasn’t it?
However, such people don’t exist.
Yep, even on the part of the witches, that one’s a problem.
There have been many witches who abused the power of their magic.
Oh, oh, this brings up another opportunity for us.
Why is it that everyone has such an interest in the witches?
If there are enough of you, I could make a witch research club.

Okay, let’s return to the main subject.

Historically, there have been 3 important witches.
Ah, some time ago, I mentioned them.
Their names will be on the test.

Ahahaha, though there may not be many that easy.

Well.

One witch is said to have, in ancient times, stood up for the sake of the people in a country at the time of its collapse.
A movie was made about this witch and her knight, Zefer, which I think a lot of people have probably seen, huh?

Next was the witch who divided the world at the time of the Sorceress War.
She was a terrible witch.

And then, who’s the one most familiar to us?

Yes, yes, it is.
This witch cooperated in research on the mechanics of magic, thanks to which everyone can use magic, huh?

That?
Thaaat?
That time already?
Your teacher talks herself into a daze.
Squandered our available time.

It can’t be helped, so have a good day.
Prepare your memory for the names of the three witches.
Well, see you tomorrow.

[Translator's note: The part where the teacher is asked about a "greeting" probably refers to "Hyne's descendant," which Rinoa was addressed with by the Esthari officials who took her into custody during the game.]