Note: I am happy to welcome you all to my newest FFVII fic, "The Black Materia"! As you might know, this is an AU fic, and I've had this on my mind for quite some time since the reawakening of my love for the FFVII Universe. And so without further ado, let's get on with the story!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Final Fantasy VII Compilation, Nor do I own The Dark Crystal, from which this storyline is loosely based. And you know what? I'M GLAD I DON'T!

The Black Materia

Prologue

Another world… another time… in the Era of Shadows…

Two thousand years ago, this world was green and good. But one day, a great calamity appeared from the skies, bringing with her a dark crystal of immense power. In time, this calamity, Jenova, gave birth to four sons. They were all strong and handsome, but their beauty did nothing to hide their harsh and twisted hearts. They were also very powerful. As soon as they were old enough to do so, the fledgling Jenova Lords seized control of a nearby empire and claimed it as their own. Then, on their mother's behalf, they expanded their reach across the whole Planet. Thus began an age of misery that would last for two millenia…

From within a chamber of stone and metal, a black crystal sphere floated in midair. The ceiling above displayed a decorative window with a clear view of the sky, gray with storm clouds. The floor below had a shaft which led deep into a pit of what appeared to be deep green lava. Not far away, a middle-aged man in a white lab coat—or rather, a man that appeared to be of middle age—was shackling the last of a group of five captives, all suspended from the ceiling. As the sun readied to break through its stormy curtain, four young men dressed in black uniforms strode gracefully into the chamber. Each one had silver hair of varying lengths, and they all had glowing green eyes with cat-like slits.

Everyone on the Planet knew of these four men. The Jenova Lords, the four sons of Empress Jenova, the great Calamity from the Sky. Many feared these brothers, and rightfully so; they were their mother's hands and eyes, and their cruelty knew no bounds.

The oldest, Sephiroth, was the natural leader. Of all the Jenova Lords, he was the most well-known and feared, as well as the most powerful and influential. His long hair, his black coat and buckles, and his deadly katana Masamune were unmistakable. It was he who led the attacks that allowed him and his brothers to dominate most of the world two thousand years before, and even in the present day his name was spoken of in terrified whispers and used to scare children into good behavior.

Next was Yazoo, calm, cool, and collected. The quiet gunslinger of the Jenova Lords, he was known for his speed and his stealth. Once a target has been chosen he rarely misses his mark.

Then there was Loz. Broad in physique compared to his brothers, he was the most emotionally attached to their mother. He often fought side by side with Yazoo, for their battle tactics complimented each other perfectly.

Last but not least was Kadaj, the youngest of the Jenova Lords. Cruel and sadistic, his power and prestige was second only to Sephiroth, and the two of them looked upon each other with great admiration. They were the two favorites of Jenova herself, and it was Kadaj that Sephiroth would turn to when he was in need of someone to lead their army in his stead. One would say that the youngest Lord was a leader in his own right.

That same Lord tossed his head, enjoying how his hair, silver as his brothers', seemed to float in the breeze. "It's that time of year again." he declared, "Once more we gather at the crystal chamber to renew our covenant with Mother."

"Oh yeah…" Loz sighed happily, putting his gloved hands behind his head, "Cheating death feels so good! That means I get to play with all my brothers that much longer!"

Yazoo only shook his head in amusement. They've been around for two thousand years now and it was clear that Loz still had the mindset of a little child.

Hojo, the man in the lab coat, happened to catch a glimpse of the Jenova Lords and gave a wicked grin. "The preparations are all set! And just in time, too, the sun will be overhead any minute."

"Thank you, Father." Sephiroth replied, removing his coat.

"Let's begin then." Yazoo stated and he and the other two Lords mimicked their brother's actions. Now shirtless, the four brothers allowed themselves to be strapped to the device that was the integral part of their annual ceremony: the Rite of Longevity, where they were each injected with the vital essence of a captive no older than twenty-five years old. Their favorite victims, as was the case this time around, were young men that had been converted into their own likeness as children: Extensions, as they were called by the people of this world. Carrying the essence of their masters within their very being, the Extensions served them with utter loyalty, calling them "Brothers." None of them lived past the age of twenty-five; those who managed to survive to that point were soon drained of their vital essence, which was then used as part of the annual Rite of Longevity. This year, four Extensions actually took part in this Rite directly. Yet not a single one of them tried to escape as the tubes were inserted into their bodies; all stayed still in the shackles that suspended them, as if they knew they had served their purpose.

Of course, if no sufficient number of Extensions were available during a given year, any victim would suffice. That proved to be the favorite part for the mad scientist, for he, too, took part in the annual Rite. How else was he able to live as long as he did without aging further? All the better to continue with his experiments and to assist his four sons, he reasoned. Once the Jenova Lords were in place, suspended face up toward the ceiling, Hojo removed his coat and shirt and strapped himself in. Soon the sun shone bright overhead amidst the stormy sky.

In an instant, a beam shot down from the celestial body, seeming to strike the black materia. The sphere vibrated, glowing with immense power. That power reflected on five mirrors, which shot beams of blue-green light into the eyes of the captives. The lone victim that squirmed in his bonds instantly grew still. Moments later, the energy of the materia thrummed upon the bodies of the five captives, and the tubes began to suck out their life force and vital fluids, a dark red liquid with a touch of bright green, into the Jenova Lords and their father. All the while, the bodies of the captives began to shrivel and dry up into withered husks, while the five recipients of their essence felt themselves grow stronger and more energetic, their vitality renewed for yet another year.

This time around, however, the Jenova Lords were restless. They were known to have many enemies, but few were able to match them in power and resist them. It was the leader of one such group, in fact, who kept their mother's power in check by sealing her in a crystal pillar, and prevented them from expanding their reach even further. But today, the wards that held their mother back were finally starting to fail. The restoration of Jenova's power, however, would come at a price—a price so heavy that it would render her unfit to rule.

Which left her with only one option: one of the Jenova Lords would have to inherit her throne and become the recipient of her power. The source of which was none other than the black materia.

The sun crept away, back into the curtain of stormy clouds. The Rite was over.

Note: And so begins what I hope would be an incredible tale of adventure! In the next chapter, we introduce our two heroes-and each one has an interesting quirk concerning them! Until Next Time!