Verdant Streams (FFVII Fanfic)

The story FFVII from the point of view of the Lifestream. It's been there for every single Compilation title, yet is one of the most neglected characters in FFVII fanfics. And the explanation for it's actions being that of something that is so inept that it can't take care of itself never set well with me.

This take on The Lifestream was heavily influenced by info in the Deleted Text Series, a lot of concepts from The Elder Scrolls franchise (particularly those behind Deadra and Aedra), and a heavy helping of my own headcannon.

Instead of putting chapters up only when I'm finished with them, I'm going to be putting up whatever I've written every couple of days. That way I won't have the pressure of getting an entire chapter out in a timely matter and you guys can discuss smaller chunks of the story at a time.

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Chapters:

Prologue: The Monster in the Iced Pole
--Part 1

PROLOGUE: The Monster In the Iced Pole - Part 1

Beneath the surface of the Planet life flows in streams of energy. "Minerva" it hears the Cetra call her, "The End and Beginning of All Knowledge". It likes the name, for she is the source of all life and knowledge and all life and knowledge will become a part of her.

For millennia the life source called Minerva flows undisturbed. Life from outside of her see her as a beacon in the void of space and many of the voyagers of the void find a home on her Planet so long as they are willing to share their knowledge with her. The mighty Bahamut clan give her knowledge of dragons and in return she gives them pools of life to live in; Alexander, a derelict construct of some far off world, shows her even base matter can have life of its own and in return Minerva grants it a resting place.

The life that springs from her increases its knowledge to the point that Minerva decides some will continually exist apart from her so they can expand their understanding. Ramuh learns how lightning travels and communes with Minerva on top of the highest mountain on the planet; Leviathan explores the depths of the waters and rests in the life that streams under what will be Wutai.

The era of pure knowledge gathering ends when a rock falls from the void. It cracks the shell Minerva flows though and another life form crawls from it. Like Minerva it is a being of sentient energy. Unlike Minerva it seeks to grow itself not by the gradual accumulation of knowledge, but by taking the energy from others. The rotting flesh that houses it comes in contact with the pure energy of Minerva and devours all knowledge near it. Minerva screams.