Chapter 1:Another Time

Zero stood panting heavily as he stared into the eyes of his opponent, His reverse blade SOLDIER sword firmly in his right hand. His first class SOLDIER uniform was torn, tattered and covered in his own blood. His forehead and short spiky black hair was matted with sweat, and a river of crimson liquid poured all the way down to his cheek, courtesy of the large gash on left temple. His muscular, toned body was cover in bruises, slash wounds, burns and most particularly…stab wounds; which bled profusely and hurt like the devil.

Zero cursed under his breath, it had been years since he had faced an enemy with such a high level of skill that rivaled his own, but then again…there was no other opponent that was stronger than the one that stood before him.

Yes…his opponent, clad in a long black cloak, wielding a long razor sharp katana, long silver hair and a pair of emerald cat eyes. He was the blight of the earth, the reaper of lives, slayer of men, the silver SOLDIER, the hero turned destroyer. He, was Sephiroth.

"Your skills have improved since last we met." The ex-operative stated in a low casual tone, hiding his utter ruthlessness.

Zero lowered the part of his cloak that masked his lower facial region, "…And yours have as well…" He retorted.

Sephiroths gaze fell upon his opponents blade, " Do you think you can win with that dull thing?" He hissed, "Are you so arrogant that you believe you can defeat me with that worthless toy?"

"I don't think I can defeat you…I KNOW I can…"

Sephiroth lowered his head and gave a low chuckle, "Is that so? Well…" The ex-operative suddenly vanished in a flash and reappeared directly in front of his nemesis, so close that Zero could feel his breath against his face. Shit! Zero threw his head backwards, just barley managing to avoid a potentially lethal blow to his head.

He somersaulted backwards trying to gain some distance between him and the fallen hero, but the gap was quickly closed as Sephiroth used a quick burst of flash step and continued to assault him. Metal clashed and clanged, sparks flew, blood flowed and torrents of released spirit energyset the sky ablaze. This isn't good. We've been at this for hours. I'm wounded, bleeding and tired…so tired. But Sephiroth…I've landed a dozen successful blows on him, yet he pivots, dodges and counters like he's never been hit a day in his life.

"You shouldn't think about other things in the middle of a life or death battle…" The silver haired swordsman said as he flashed stepped behind his exhausted opponent. "It could prove FATAL…" And he struck with a force so powerful, so devastating, that it was comparable to that of the god of war himself.

Zero spun and managed to block the attack before it struck him, but the sheer power of the blow lifted him off his feet and sent him reeling into the bank behind him. He slammed into the wall so hard that blood erupted from his mouth, and he slowly slid off.

Without missing a beat, Sephiroth threw himself forward and swung a powerful downward slash. Using a quick burst of flash step, Zero managed to evade yet another deadly strike and create a gap between him and his foe.

Using the distance between them to his advantage, The first class operative executed a series of slashes that sent four crescent shaped beams of spirit energy barreling toward the fallen hero.

"That's laughable." Sephiroth jeered as he weaved in and out of the blasts, and fired a beam of energy of his own. Zero jumped onto the ceiling, avoiding the blast, pushed off and flew with the speed of a cruise missile toward the former hero.

"Are you becoming so desperate that you would try something as foolish as this?" Sephiroth spat, "Humph, so be it…" And he delivered another powerful downward slash. And then, something happened. Something far beyond the abilities of normal warriors, something so utterly improbable that the fallen hero's eyes widened and his mouth gaped. Zero's body suddenly split apart as if it were smoke in the wind. "wha…?" Sephiroth was suddenly struck hard in the shoulder, he turned and slashed in the direction of the attack but hit nothing and was then struck again in his neck and buckled. Another devastating strike hit him from behind, he staggered and then spun his entire body around 180 degrees and tried to slash at whatever was striking him, but nothing happened.

Then, yet another attack struck him directly in his exposed upper body, he clenched his chest tight, that attack had been the strongest and most painful yet. I don't understand…how is he doing this? How is he able strike without being struck himself? Another blow impacted upon Sephiroths head, there was a sudden flash of white then his vision began to go dark, he was starting to lose consciousness. How? How can he be doing this? He again slashed around the entire area he occupied, but hit nothing. There was a small *crack* as something blunt and extremely hard impacted him and made his head jerk violently, then another blow from the blunt object, this time lifting him off his feet a little.

Then, Sephiroth realized…Zero was punching him, in a fit of rage. The former hero began to cut, slash, stab and destroy everything in the already demolished room. Sephiroth ceased his rage-induced assault and stood motionless.

Silence now. He scanned the around the room, looking for any sign that he just may have landed a lethal blow to his elusive foe. Then, Sephiroth felt the crushing power of hundreds of sword blows rain down upon him simultaneously, striking at every part of his body with deadly accuracy.

The former hero dropped on one knee and nearly fell over under the sheer brutality of the assault, blood erupted from his mouth with each painful cough he gave. "SEPHIROTH!" Zero screamed as he charged the silver haired man and his body materialized back into its original form.

Sephiroth tried desperately to will his body to move, but it would not obey him. I…cant…avoid him! The first class operative lunged forward, his fist glowing with blue spirit energy, and struck the fallen hero square in the jaw and sent him reeling, backwards into a nearby wall. Sephiroth slid off the bank, and collapsed onto the floor, "RRRRAAAHHH!" Zero jumped into the air, flew down and planted his heel in the fallen hero's back. Sephiroth let out a quick yelp of pain and ceased to move, Zero stood over his defeated foe, silent and motionless, his arms at his side clenching his fists. Sephiroth rolled himself onto his backside and stared at the first class operative with dreary eyes. Zero removed the sunglasses that hid the remainder of his hidden features, Sephiroth smirked.

His eyes were a bright hazel color, they were glowing brightly, a side effect from the mako that flowed within his body. His appearance was set in a deep fearsome scowl and his eyes flared with fierce ruthlessness and rage. "Fufufufufu…even after all these years…you still have those demonic eyes." Sephiroth said as he lay bloodied and beaten on the floor, Zero glared down at the former hero. "Its over Sephiroth…" the first class operative shot back, he threw his arm out and summoned his reverse blade SOLDIER sword in his hand and pointed it at the madman's neck, "I've waited for this day…for fifteen years.

This time, you wont come back." Sephiroth chuckled under his breath, "It doesn't really matter." he laughed, staring Zero directly in the eye.

"No matter how many times you make me fall, as long as you are who you are…I will continue to torment your existence."

"You wont be doing anything." Zero assured him, "Your going to pay for what you did to her…"

The first class operative raised his blade in the air and prepared to deliver the final blow to his long-time foe, "My vengeance…ends now…" Then, Zero felt the familiar sensation of cold steel piercing his flesh, he looked down and saw the long blade of Sephiroth's sword run through his heart. His grip on his own sword wavered until it slipped out his hand and clanged onto the floor, Zero staggered backwards and fell onto his back and ceased to move.

The first class operatives thoughts were speeding through his mind, unable to comprehend what had just transpired, he had been so close…so close. He had overcome so many hardships to make it to where he was, he had fought so hard for this very chance. Over the years he fought, bled, screamed and generally went through hell and back to make it to where he was. But now, so suddenly, so inexplicably, so…unexpectedly, the life that he had dedicated to his revenge…was coming to an end. But it had not always been like this.

There was a time before he became the powerful warrior he was today. There was a time before Zero was known as "The demon of Midgar." A time where something other that rage consumed him. A time where in spite of the hatred that plagued him…he would break a blood oath to an unjust one. A time when he would no longer be bound in blood…