Stars glittered coldly in the dark abyss of night, a claw like sliver of the moon hidden behind wisps of clouds. The night was silent, only the rustle of a strong breeze pushing through emerald leaves, pushing the dancing verdant green shapes to the ground, where they would rest until their frames became dust. The breeze pushed the clouds away from the moon with a sigh.
Deep in the forest, a flickering flame danced, dying to its last embers. A figure wreathed in darkness lay unmoving beside the fire, the faint light catching onto cold metal, a limb that rested over the figure's chest.
It was another moment of silence, shattered by the call of an owl, before the figure moved. They sat up with a guttural, feral scream, and a chorus of fluttering wings signalled the flight of the owl. The figure rose to shaky feet and lifted a make-shift pillow off of the ground. It unravelled, and they pulled the crimson cloth over their shoulders. With a shadowed grimace hidden behind fabric, they stamped out the fire with metal boots and fled into the trees, tattered fabric fanning behind them.
Two people stood tall before the ruins of a once magnificent building. The sun peered over the horizon and the pair looked at each other. The shorter one, with ivory hair pooled around her shoulders stepped forward first, while the second, with ebony eyes glittering in his skull followed closely, weaving through ruins and ashes with grimaces and scowls alike. More figures stepped towards the ruins, wielding guns and swords. They followed their leaders without complaint, walking in orderly formation.
The ivory haired woman looked at her ebony eyed companion. "Are you prepared, brother?" She asked, her voice smooth and silky, kind. Benevolent.
The man with ebony eyes locked eyes with his ivory haired companion. "It is now or never, sister." His voice was equally smooth, yet it was filled with poisonous rage, born only of years of hatred and torment.
The blond narrowed his eyes, the colour of the sky he has always adored. He spun a spear before him, battering a beast to the ground, before he meticulously impaled the wolfish creature, leaving it dead on the floor. Glancing at the blood tipped weapon, he sighed, shook the blood off and continued his walk, heading towards the auburn forest in the distance.
Neatly sidestepping an attack from his left, and ducking under a slash from the right, he looked at his next adversaries.
A thrust of the spear to one side, and swinging the weapon with the creature still stuck to the end, knocking the other over. Both felled with one more jab before he closed his eyes, flicked off the blood, and set to walking again, wondering if a trek to the forest was really worth all the hassle.
The figure wrapped in darkness and crimson cast glowing eyes to the lightening sky, stepping out of the shadows. Carmine eyes shot down, and the sounds of battle reached strong ears. "Die, ya fucker!" The all too familiar voice called, and the figure sighed. Throwing out an arm with an almost melodramatic flourish, accompanied by a fan of an organic crimson cloak, before the figure shot forwards, moving at an inhuman speed, slowing only to circle the fighter and the beasts. Gunshots rang out from behind a veil of scarlet motion, and bullets followed. A triplet of bullets landing in the sides of three wolves, before they fell to the floor. The remainder howled in terror and fled, and the figure ceased moving, standing straight as his cloak fluttered behind him. A holstered gun visible for a bare moment as the cloak settled back to its original position.
"Vince?" The blond that was just recused from a pack of Nibel wolves asked. Sky blue eyes met glowing ruby and the blond offered a salute. "Been a while, Vince!"
"…Four years." Came the icy reply.
"Still the same as ever, eh?"
"Not much has changed, Highwind." The man with raven-wing hair replied, dipping his chin behind the red mantle he wore. Cid Highwind let out a bark of laughter and raised his hand to clap the taller male on the shoulder, but, as if remembering something, he dropped the hand and grinned instead.
"Ya should see Rocket Town, then! That place has changed!" Cid replied, still smiling at his old friend.
"That was the aim." Vincent Valentine stated, and an auburn butterfly fluttered to a comfortable place on the pale man's nose.
Cid could only blink dumbly in response.
The girl with ivory hair smirked, standing at the uppermost floor of the ruins, her ebony eyed brother behind her, a gloved hand resting on her slim shoulder. "Sister." He stated, drawing her attention. "What do you plan to do?"
"…" The girl stayed silent, turning cold, heartless eyes to her taller, male counterpart. Warm ebony eyes, like burning coals, filled with an emotion, though what it was, was hard to tell, met the cold gaze.
Cold blue eyes met warm black ones. Long ivory hair was flipped over slim shoulders. Short brown hair was brushed away from a strong jawline. Movements mimicking each other, two pairs of eyes narrowed, and each took a step backwards.
"Little brother," The girl said in her kind voice. "I want to recreate ShinRa in our own name."
"Sister you—"
"Oh brother, do not argue with me…" She smiled cruelly. "I shall create Toru!"
"…And I will help you." He replied in a monotone, though his eyes shone with shock, fear, and most of all, unease.
"Of course you will, Lucie~" The man's nose crinkled in distaste at the nickname, but he bowed his head in submission, albeit with a hint of hesitation. "After all, you are mine, dear, dear, little brother."
His body shook, and fists clenched. His sister placed a hand on his shoulder. He fell to one knee, his head still bowed, and sighed, the words forcing out of a closed up throat. "I am yours, Lilith. Forever."