the story, from beginning to end

Zack Fair joined Shinra at the age of 16. He enrolled in the program that brings the glory home, Shinra's army SOLDIER. Zack was trained with other cadets his age until his skills and talent were picked up upon by a First-Class SOLDIER, Angeal Hewley. Angeal, who saw Zack's potential too him under his wing and taught Zack all he knew about not only fighting, but life as well. He taught him many lessons in honor and respect. Zack attended missions with Angeal when they weren't training. This gave Zack a lot of combat experience, which quickly gave Zack a chance to be promoted to Second-Class.

Their time as mentor and mentee was cut short when Genesis left Shinra. Angeal was torn between his loyalty to his job and his loyalty to his best friend. Eventually Angeal was forced to leave as well, which left Zack feeling lost and alone without a mentor to take care of him and teach him. Zack is able to continue his training, despite his loses and eventually makes it to be a First-Class SOLDIER, a nearly impossible task. Zack still has the hopes of his mentor returning one day; however his hopes are shot down when he is forced to not only fight his mentor but also kill his mentor who lost his honor, pride, and dreams; all things that he taught Zack when he trained him. Zack falls into a depression, a slump, unable to completely reconcile his guilt.

After Angel's death Zack eventually fell into a routine of taking care of things at SOLDIER, he watches over cadets, especially one, Cloud Strife, and he passes the lessons his mentor taught him to these cadets. This however is brought to an end when Zack, Sephiroth, and Cloud were sent on a mission to Cloud's home town, a small village in the north Nibelheim. The events that occur there lead to revelations as to Sephiroth's unusual birth. It causes Sephiroth to go mad, and he nearly kills Zack before Cloud stops him. Neither could move from the cold floor of the reactor. They were captured by Hojo who intended to use them in experiments. This mission eventually leads to Zack's downfall.

After the Nibelheim mission Cloud and Zack were both placed into Hojo's care, where they were experimented on in Hojo's never ending quest to create more Sephiroth clones. During this time, they spent four years drifting in and out of consciousness, Cloud slowly becoming sick and poisoned with Mako, while Zack remained unaffected by the Jenova cells Hojo injected into both of them. While unconscious Zack has a vivid dream about Angeal, with the harsh encouragement Zack finds the strength to break free from the stasis he was kept in. Zack is able to knock out one of Hojo's assistants and release Cloud.

As they try to leave the mansion Zack catches sight of Nibelheim, the town that he saw burned to the ground in Sephiroth's rage. Zack is spotted by a SOLDIER, and finds that after his time spent in the lab, he is unable to fight against a 3rd Class. They return to the mansion, which had once again been left abandoned while Hojo was in Midgar, and rest. Zack finds SOLDIER uniforms and changes into one, along with Cloud, in order to provide freedom from their mako soaked clothes. As Zack takes off his pants he notices a note fall out of his pocket. The note says one thing, '23'. The Twenty-Three little luxuries that Aerith had spoken of, the most important one, to spend more time together. Zack then realizes he has one last mission, to return to Aerith in Midgar.

Zack and Cloud leave, Zack carries Cloud, across the region, on their way to Midgar. On the way they meet Cissnei, who lets them go; despite the mission she was assigned. She still has a soft spot for Zack even after all this time. Zack encounters Genesis clones, who are trying to get a piece of him in the hopes of stopping their degeneration. Zack passes through Gongaga, and loses his last chance to see his parents because of the ambush that would be waiting there. Zack travels on, reaching Banona, the home town for both Angeal and Genesis. He is forced to fight again; he defeats Genesis, and seemingly secures Cloud's and his own freedom from being used as test subjects in Hollander's lab. This victory also comes at a price, the lives of the Angeal clone that protected Aerith and him, and the life of Lazard who had joined Hollander in his quest for revenge. The two saved him. What the clone leaves behind is a note, Aerith's 89th letter.

"Are you doing well? Where are you? It's been 4 years. This will be the 89th letter I've written but I will not send out any more. I hope that you receive this last letter. Zack! The flowers are selling very well. It makes everyone smile. It's all thanks to you. Aerith."

Zack is confused. He wonders how four years could have passed. He hopes he can find Aerith and return to her before it's too late. He and Cloud continue their trek across Gaia on their way to Midgar. Shinra Headquarters is at war with itself. The TURKs and SOLDIERS both are hoping to reach Zack and Cloud first. Tseng wants to give Zack the other 88 letter, the army wants them dead. In the end, it's the TURKs that are too late. Zack fights, he goes against a few hundred SOLDIERs, as well as several machine guns and helicopters. He has no way of escape. Still, he tucks Cloud away as he fights for his freedom. He remembers his friends and comrades. Tseng, Cissnei, Sephiroth, then Angeal and Cloud, and finally as his life is fading Aerith, he wants to return to her side, to see her again more than anything else.

Zack is shot, point blank, by several machine guns before he finally falls. They end it. With Zack's final breath he entrusts his live, his legacy, his hopes, his dreams, and everything he has carried with him for the past five years, four imprisoned, and one running. Cloud becomes his living legacy and Zack's story comes to a close, as the blue skies fade and the rain begins to fall.