Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy Dissidia or any of it's characters or themes. All plots, names, and themes are © copyrighted to Square Enix.

Authors Note: It has been such a very long time since I have written any Final Fantasy fan-fictions that I am seriously doubting my ability. I've re-started Dissidia and have been in a very Cecil-Fan-Girl sort of mood the past few days that I really needed to write something. So, this is it. Nothing special. Just…angst. Because it's Final Fantasy and it hurts.

To trust thy Enemy, To love thy friend

With a yell, Cloud Strife brought his buster sword racing downwards, all of his strength and weight going into what he hoped would be the final strike. But in a blur of dark armor and long blonde hair the figure before him vanished, sending Cloud stumbling forward, his sword digging itself firmly into the ground. Yanking the sword free he spun in time to angle the blade and use it as a shield as the opposing figure came sailing down towards him from the sky, spear aiming right for his chest. With a growl he swung the sword, his opponent jumping back a safe distance.

Chest heaving, breathe ragged, Cloud glared daggers at the taller man standing across from him. He could not see if his opponent was being affected by their fight, so covered in armor as he was. But Cloud didn't care. He was angry. He was tired, and angry, and he would not forgive this betrayal.

"How could you do it? Why?" The spiky haired blonde snarled as he straightened up, squaring his shoulders. "How could you betray us like this? We were your allies, your comrades. We all fought for the same goal."

"Our paths are not so easily found. Our goals, not so similar. What do we fight for? Are we really all fighting towards the same end?"

"Yes!" Cloud barked, the muscles in his arms flexing slightly as his grip tightened on the handle of his blade. His heart was pounding, his blood boiling. "We're fighting for the end! The end of all this."

"So you fight to stop the fighting? But what are you fighting for? What can you fight for? We are nothing more than puppets, pawns in a scheme not even our alleged leader can full comprehend."

Cloud's gaze wandered towards the ground. What was he personally fighting for? What was it that drove him to fight? Was he just a pawn? A puppet to be commanded and controlled? He tightened his grip until his fingers grew numb.

"I don't know what I'm fighting for. But that doesn't mean I can stop. I will see this battle through to the end, I will fight for the light and for what is right. You once fought for what was right to. Why? Why would you betray us Highwind? Where did you take them? Are they even still alive?"

The Dragoon lowered the tip of his spear ever so slightly, his mouth drawing into a thin line. Silence fell between the two for a moment. The field was eerily quiet. A quiet that would distract from the fact that someone, somewhere out there, was in the middle of a battle, a single battle of many that made up the war.

"A never ending war. It repeats, over and over and over. We have all been here before." He spoke in a low tone, speaking more to himself than to his opponent. Cloud's brows furrowed and he tilted his head, not understanding what the other man spoke of.

"What do you mean Highwind?"

"We are losing this war Strife. We cannot dream to win against the forces of Chaos. But there will be another battle, another chance. A chance to try again, to do it right. I am not the only one who sees this. I am not alone in this thinking."

Cloud's eyes widened and he lowered his blade slightly. A chill ran up his spine and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.

"Kain, what did you do?" Drawing the blade back up, he glared at the other man. "What did you do with Bartz and Zidane?" The other man said nothing, causing Cloud to grind his teeth. "What did you do? ANSWER ME!" But the other man gave no answer. With a snarl Cloud drew back his blade, running his hand along the shaft. "Then I will cut you down as you cut them down." He growled, and with a burst of speed raced towards the other man, the blade of the buster sword glowing a bright blue.

Kain drew his spear to block the attack but the blade struck with such force that it sent him sailing backwards several feet. Digging his spear into the ground the Dragoon caught himself on it, using the shaft to steady himself. A gasp escaped him as the other man charged him.

Leaping up with a cry Cloud lifted the blade preparing to draw it down straight through the other mans helmet. His blue eyes glowed with an eerie mako glow and a bloodlust filled him. There would be no escape, no time to block, no time to dodge. There would only be blood. More blood, and the death of a traitor.

As the blade barely met with the top of the Dragoon's helmet a cry split the air and a dark pulse of energy shot the buster sword off course. The blade dug into the armored man's shoulder with Cloud's weight driving it between the plates of armor. With a cry of pain the taller man yanked himself away, jumping away quickly with his unnatural speed and agility. Cloud struggled back upright and turned to the intruder.

"YOU FOOL HE'S BETRAYED US ALL!" Cloud shouted as Cecil Harvey ran between him and the injured Kain who knelt not to far off holding his bleeding shoulder. Cecil's dark armor melted away, revealing the tall pale man beneath. He'd returned to his paladin form. He cast large weary blue eyes onto the shorter blonde, hands raised in defense.

"No please Cloud do not kill him." He pleaded. Cloud glared and snarled as he spotted the traitor quickly making a hasty retreat. He rounded on the Paladin.

"Do you know what you've just done?! He's a traitor. He's betrayed us all. He's slain our allies!"

"Please Cloud do not hate him, Kain is not in his right mind. He is my friend, let me go after him. Let me speak with him."

"HOW CAN YOU STILL CALL HIM YOUR FRIEND?" Cloud shouted causing the taller man to take several steps back, putting himself just out of the reach of the heavy buster sword. He had never once heard the shorter soldier raise his voice in anger, and he would not deny that it startled him. Cloud was usually of such gentle voice and quiet demeanor that to see him in such a state caused a heavy weariness to fall upon Cecil's heart. He would yet again pain for the sins of his friend.

"Cloud, I have known Kain since we were children. He has done many terrible things, but he is my friend, and I love him. He is a man of strong character but of weak self will. He is easily swayed, it is not his fault. His mind has been twisted by Chaos."

"He's murdering our allies. Our friends. Or do their lives mean so little to you Cecil?" Cloud whispered, a snarl hidden in his voice. His glare stabbed through Cecil and caused him pause. He closed his eyes, his soul aching for the loss of their friends.

"Perhaps he thinks it was the right thing to do."

"And whose next? Terra? Tidus? And what about the little one? The Onion Knight? Kain has betrayed us. He is an agent of Chaos. He will pick off the weak one by one, leaving us alone and divided. Then who do you think will come to finish us off?"

Cecil bowed his head, his eyes still closed. He lowered his hands, curling his fingers till his nails dug painfully into his palms.

"Please Cloud."

"Do what you want." Cloud snapped, pushing passed the taller man as he shouldered his blade. "Their blood will be on your hands." He snarled, and as he walked away he added, "and if I meet Kain again, I will kill him. And if you try and stop me, I'll kill you to." And with that he walked away, not even bothering to look back.

Cecil stood in the barren waste for a long time, long after the sound of Cloud's footsteps faded into the distance. He looked up towards the sky.

"Kain, what have you done?" He whispered before bowing his head again. "You have betrayed us. Chaos's forces are closing in. We are terribly out numbered. And Cosmos has disappeared." His shoulders quaked ever so slightly, but he didn't dare let a tear fall. Lifting his head he began making his way across the barren waste, clouds of dust dancing about his ankles.

I do not know why I fight. Or how to find my crystal. I do not know if we shall win or if any of our questions shall be answered. But I do know that we can never give up. We can never stop tying. Kain. I will find you. I just hope that our meeting will not be the end of us both.

Sitting by the camp fire cape drawn around him Cecil had never felt more alone. Over the course of their seemingly endless journey he had had traveling companions. But now the companionship had failed, and he was alone. He wouldn't dare rejoin Cloud and Tidus, for no doubt Cloud had told the younger man what he had done. The thought of Tidus and his anger sent a sad shiver down Cecil's spine, and he drew his cape around him tighter.

In the distance an indistinct roar could be heard, but Cecil did not stir. He had retreated a bit from the enemy territory and knew that it was unlikely that he'd find any mannequins this far out. He was glad for it to, because he was tired. He was tired, and weary. He gazed into the fire with a sad expression, his thoughts busy and conflicted. Kain had abducted and possibly slain two of their friends. He'd betrayed them all. But Cecil could not give up on Kain that easily. He knew that whatever Kain was thinking, he thought he was doing the right thing. Could he blame him for his own misguided confusion? Could he blame him for something that wasn't his fault? For something he could not control. With a sigh he bowed his head, resting his chin on his knees and shielding part of his face behind his arms.

"Are your thoughts so weary that you have lost all of your sense brother?" The deep baratone voice startled Cecil, and the paladin was quickly on his feet lance-like-sword in hand. "An enemy could sneak up and over take you with ease." Golbez chastised as he slid from the darkness, his heavily dark armored figure an intimidating sight. But Cecil lowered his blade.

"Brother." He had seen Golbez many times over the course of the war, both fighting him and speaking with him. And over that long period of time the struggle within Cecil to see him as either enemy or kin did not grow easier.

"You trouble over Kain Highwind. Am I wrong?"

"Kain has betrayed us." Cecil bowed his head. "And now one of my allies seeks his life. I do not know what to do. Kain is my friend and I wish to help him, but I am ostracizing myself from my comrades, and soon even my life maybe forfeit."

"Your main objective should be to find your crystal. Find it, and defeat Chaos." Cecil's fist trembled and he took a step back glaring at the taller man.

"Why do you say such things? Why do you advise me? Why do you aid me in my quest when you are the enemy?" his lashing out did not seem to affect or offend Golbez in the least. But it only troubled Cecil more. He turned his back on his brother, no longer caring if he'd come to talk or fight. He retook his seat upon a half rotten log. "I'm tired Golbez. I'm tired of the fighting. Tired of the pain, tired of not knowing if I'm on the right path. I, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of those you fight for and of my allies." He gripped the blade that he'd set across his lap tightly. "I can feel the darkness inside of me. I can feel it turning in my soul. It cries out for the chaos. But my fear of it forces me to shy away."

"You fear the light as well."

"Yes. I am not worthy of the light. I don't know what to do anymore." Golbez could see how tired his brother and become. With each battle he was drawn into the more ragged he became. The more tired he became. The more doubtful. Golbez understood. He wanted nothing more than for the righting to stop. He risked his life every time he came to see his brother. He knew that some of the others knew. Knew of his treachery. But thus far they hadn't said anything. Either they did not care, or they knew that eventually he'd be found out. Either way….

"Find your crystal. Fight for what you feel is right. Do not worry about Kain. All will right itself in the end." He said calmly as he drew up behind his brother. "Your companions will need you. The final battle is close at hand." he stated before striking the younger man firmly on the back of the head.

Cecil's body lay crumpled and unconscious on the ground, the fire light casting dark shadows across his face. Golbez stooped down, and set the paladin's blade beside him, and draped the cape over him.

"But for now, rest. The night shall be your time of peace. And dawn will bring your hope."

Authors Note: Poor Cecil. He struggles so much. And he has serious trust issues. And not in the 'he doesn't trust people' but in the way that he trusts to much. I mean, Kain has betrayed him so many times and he's still his friend. Hell Golbez is a bad guy and he still loves him no matter what. Of course, Golbez loves him to. Oh it's all kinds of complicated. *sigh*