Their blades clashed. There was no way Cloud could lose this fight, the fate of the world depended on it. The two of them battled, their features glowing in the small shaft of light. They were both covered in cuts and bruises, but Cloud still retained his fighting spirit. With a mighty swing, Cloud knocked Sephiroth's sword from his hand, it clattered loudly into the darkness. Sephiroth stood, completely defenseless, there was an unnerving silence. Cloud approached Sephiroth slowly, his footsteps echoed around the dark cave. Sephiroth was shivering, he knew what was coming. Cloud stopped in front of Sephiroth and told him, "I looked up to you Sephiroth. My whole life was a struggle to be like you. But then you killed Zack, and Aeris. You would endanger the lives of everyone on the planet just to meet your own selfish ends. Your paths are marked by the bodies of innocent men, women and children!" He plunged his sword deep into Sephiroth's chest and whispered through gritted teeth,"I could never be like you." Sephiroth's face contorted with agony. He had failed, it was over. Light poured out of his mouth and eyes, so bright that Cloud had to shield his eyes. There came an almighty scream from Sephiroth. In a blinding flash of light and a shockwave so great that it knocked Cloud through the air, Sephiroth disappeared. Forever.
Cloud had experienced a lot in his life time, things no-one should have to be subjected to. His life had certainly been incredible. He had witnessed adventure, love, betrayal, battle, murder. He had made many friends. Many enemies. His eyes filled with tears as he remembered Aeris. It had been exactly a year since she had died, he could still remember it vividly. The way she had knelt at the altar, praying to her ancestors, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. Sephiroth. Cloud had had his revenge on Sephiroth, but the pain still remained in his heart. One year ago. Today would be the anniversary of her death, and he was headed to the abandoned city of the Ancients where she lay to pay his dues. He was stood on the deck of Highwind II, crying into the night. Alone. The wind lashed against his wet face, but he didn't care about the cold. A tear rolled down his cheek and splashed against the floor. He walked up to the rail and peered into the night, staring at the stars. He continued to cry to himself. Cid emerged from the door behind him, accompanied by a scruffy, red dog-like creature called Red XIII. Their arrival prompted him to hastily wipe his face and stop sobbing. The two joined him and stood in silence for a while. Cid took a packet of matches from his the strap of his flight goggles and lit a cigarette.
"You really miss her, don't you?"
Cloud turned his red face towards him, trying to look normal. Cid blew a cloud of smoke into the windy night and said, "It's all right, you don't have to hide it, I could hear you crying."
Cloud started to cry again, "I miss her so much."
Red XIII stood next to Cloud and said in a gruff voice,"We all miss her, after all we went through, she became a part of us."
There was silence for a moment. Cloud pulled himself together and asked, "Hey guys, do you think the others will be there today?"
Cid tapped some ash off his cigarette over the rail and said, "I don't know, it sure would be good to see them all again, it's been a while."
Red sat down on his hind legs and sighed, "I wouldn't be surprised if they're there right now."
Cloud smiled at Red and said, "I sure hope you're right."
They sat in silence for a while longer until Cid glanced at his watch and said, "We'd better get inside, we'll probably be landing soon."
Cid flicked the spent cigarette into the night and the three of them returned inside.
Cloud had experienced a lot in his life time, things no-one should have to be subjected to. His life had certainly been incredible. He had witnessed adventure, love, betrayal, battle, murder. He had made many friends. Many enemies. His eyes filled with tears as he remembered Aeris. It had been exactly a year since she had died, he could still remember it vividly. The way she had knelt at the altar, praying to her ancestors, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. Sephiroth. Cloud had had his revenge on Sephiroth, but the pain still remained in his heart. One year ago. Today would be the anniversary of her death, and he was headed to the abandoned city of the Ancients where she lay to pay his dues. He was stood on the deck of Highwind II, crying into the night. Alone. The wind lashed against his wet face, but he didn't care about the cold. A tear rolled down his cheek and splashed against the floor. He walked up to the rail and peered into the night, staring at the stars. He continued to cry to himself. Cid emerged from the door behind him, accompanied by a scruffy, red dog-like creature called Red XIII. Their arrival prompted him to hastily wipe his face and stop sobbing. The two joined him and stood in silence for a while. Cid took a packet of matches from his the strap of his flight goggles and lit a cigarette.
"You really miss her, don't you?"
Cloud turned his red face towards him, trying to look normal. Cid blew a cloud of smoke into the windy night and said, "It's all right, you don't have to hide it, I could hear you crying."
Cloud started to cry again, "I miss her so much."
Red XIII stood next to Cloud and said in a gruff voice,"We all miss her, after all we went through, she became a part of us."
There was silence for a moment. Cloud pulled himself together and asked, "Hey guys, do you think the others will be there today?"
Cid tapped some ash off his cigarette over the rail and said, "I don't know, it sure would be good to see them all again, it's been a while."
Red sat down on his hind legs and sighed, "I wouldn't be surprised if they're there right now."
Cloud smiled at Red and said, "I sure hope you're right."
They sat in silence for a while longer until Cid glanced at his watch and said, "We'd better get inside, we'll probably be landing soon."
Cid flicked the spent cigarette into the night and the three of them returned inside.