This is what happens when you spend a weekend playing both FFVII and FFXV before watching Return of the King from the LotR movies. This is far from a complete story and most likely will remain that way for a long time, which is why I'm announcing the following:

The story/drabble below is a collection of scenes that I did write which combines the three series into one epic tale…or would be epic tale…I'm offering this as an idea for inspiration to anyone who would like to pick this up and write a story for it of their own. You can use anything you see below or write something completely new. I didn't put any fancy details into account when writing I just let my imagination take the keyboard and run wild.

I would have tried to make this work on my own for a later story, but I've got enough on my plate at the moment and it'll be a long time before I make room for any new major story and this has the makings for it, at least I'd like to believe.

If you do choose to pick this up and give it a shot then let me know. I'd like to see what you come up with. : )

FFVII, FFXV and all their respective characters belong to Square Enix

The Lord of the Rings belongs to New Line Cinema

Enjoy!

Medieval Times

An age of darkness covered the planet of Gaia. It was a time of great peril where every day could be your last. Technology did not yet exist. It was the time after the end of the ancient race. The people of Gaia were trying to survive after the great plague. It was a distant memory still told to children to keep them in line, but there were those descended from the infected whom declared war on the world and proclaimed their mother who went unnamed would one day rise up and claim her rightful place among the stars and that she would sail the cosmos with this world as her vessel.

Such rogues descended on smaller lands, robbing and killing – pillaging to their black hearts' content. There were few who challenged them in the smaller towns. The young men and boys old enough to wield a sword had been sent off to the bigger cities to defend their borders against larger hoards of villains. They were promised that their homes would be protected, but those promises were empty and often forgotten.

One warrior however went against the king's command and defied the ruling lords and did what they would not.

He came upon another village being plundered and heard the screams as mothers and children were being slaughtered. Urging his black horse onward he charged through the broken gates and drew his sword. A great hulking beast of a blade and went to work. He leaped off his steed and charged into buildings, cutting down foe after foe. Rushing out of each ransacked home with dead enemies and thankful townspeople in his wake. He heard a scream coming from a burning home and saw a mother on her knees outside, crying for her child.

Ignoring his own safety he rushed in and made for the upstairs where he heard the little girl's cries. He burst through her door and she scurried back, afraid he was another bandit. When he saw her his gaze softened and he held his hand out to her. "Come on. We can't stay here."

She saw not a scary demon then, but a young man with short blonde hair and kind, blue eyes that promised safety and protection. She grabbed his hand and he pulled her close before picking her up and running out of the house. The doorway collapsed seconds after he emerged.

As he turned back to look the mother ran up to them and he carefully handed the woman her child.

"Oh thank you, thank you," she breathed as she kissed her little girl.

The warrior watched her go with a soft gaze, remembering his own mother. The memory vanished as he heard a horse sound in the distance. He turned towards the direction of the noise and grasped the hilt of his sword. The leader of the bandits was there, staring down at him with a group of a dozen or more glaring alongside their leader.

"You dare challenge my forces?"

"It's no challenge defeating a number this small. To me it's a light workout."

The leader's glare intensified. "You have some nerve speaking to me like that. Do you even know who I am?"

"A man who's too afraid to face me one on one," the blonde returned.

The bandit next to him announced his master's title. "This is Lancaster, second in command to Master Don Corneo. Who dares to challenge him?"

The blonde couldn't help but smirk at the fear he obviously bestowed on these witless fools. "I must be quite the threat if you won't even try to announce yourself with your own voice."

"Impudence," Lancaster shouted back. "Tell me your name so I can mark it on your grave!"

The blonde folded his arms as his smirk grew. "Get in line. There are about twenty bandit lords who want me dead and all of them cower behind their hoards, too afraid to face me. Will you be the twenty-first?"

Lancaster tried to hide it, but even his own men could see the fear in his eyes as the warrior remained confident and relaxed in his presence. He tried to put on a brave face, but it was faltering fast. Finally he made his decision. "Move out! I've seen enough of this stinking ruin of a town!"

The warrior remained perfectly still as they rode out and retreated, but he couldn't help the smug smile that stole across his face.

The sound of more horses in the distance announced the arrival of the group charged with protecting these lands. Late as usual the warrior thought to himself.

The group of fifteen riders in armor ascended the hilltop and looked around before the leader of the group addressed the warrior. "Warrior, what has transpired here? Are you responsible?"

The blonde stared the man down for a minute before answering, "This was the work of Lancaster and his men."

"And are you one of them," the man asked.

The blonde smirked as he answered, "I'm no coward. I don't flee at the sight of a greater foe. I ride out to meet them."

The man smirked in reply. "Well said warrior, but that does not answer my final question." He waited a minute longer to make sure his men were prepared before speaking again. "If you are not with the bandits then are you the lone warrior whose been roaming these lands of his own free will against the summons of the lords?"

The blonde's good humor faded. "And what if I say yes?"

The leader looked to his archers and nodded and they pulled their arrows taught. "Then I have orders to take you in or take you down should you refuse to come with me."

The blonde glared at him before sheathing his sword which rested on his back. "I answer to the summons of those who are in most need of help. The kings have plenty of men who fight and die in their names, believing that their homes are safe and protected. I choose to stay behind and try to give them something to return home to."

The man's gaze hardened. "You will come with me."

"I'm afraid I'll have to refuse," the warrior replied. "You're all perfectly grown men. You can take care of yourselves. You don't need me to hold your hands back to your protected walls in the capital."

"That insolent tongue will be your undoing," the man replied as he raised his arm to give the signal to fire when the warrior reached into his pocket and threw down a smoke bomb. Black smoke filled the air and the horses whined and whinnied in response.

When the smoke cleared he was gone. The captain looked around as his horse still turned in its fear. "Find him! And bring him back alive!"

Several hours later the warrior arrived back at his makeshift camp, thankful that it had remained hidden. He dismounted from his horse and pet his muzzle. "Good work Fenrir. You can charge into battle like thunder and then flee like shadow when you need to."

He pulled off his gloves as he bent over the edge of the stream and washed his face, relishing the cool flowing water. He'd forever be grateful to the young Lady Yuffie who had taught him in the art of the ninja, or at least that was how she had put it.

He rested for a bit before setting out to hunt and returned with a wild duck he had felled with his arrow. It was a decent shot, but not perfect. He never did claim to be a marksman. With a meal cooking over the fire he pulled out an old letter from a happier time and read it.

My dearest Cloud,

I hope this letter finds you well. The field isn't easy to tend without your talented hands, but I've managed well enough on my own.

Tifa from down the way often stops by to help and she planted a surprise for you when you return. Expect a strawberry treat when you arrive.

It was bitterly cold the other night, but thanks to Master Zangan I never worry about running low on fire wood.

How is life where you are? I'm sure you have some wonderful stories to tell and I cannot wait to hear them all.

Be safe out there and don't do anything foolish. Remember, you can do anything you set your mind to and with

A true heart you can achieve great things.

All of my love,

Mom~

He tucked the letter away and looked up at the sky. The sun had set a few minutes before hand and only a thin line of light blue brightened the horizon as stars were just starting to appear.

"I can't come home yet mother. Not until I have a story worth telling."

Cloud froze as he watched the man from afar. Zack was just thankful they were hidden well in the thick of the bushes. "Oh man, I never imagined an evil like that existed. What do you think Spiky, think we can take him on together...Cloud? What's wrong?"

Cloud wasn't paying attention however. His mind had transported him back to that day four years ago…

He had been summoned away just like the other boys in his village. None of them were his friends and he was reluctant to go, unsure if the local patrols were enough to protect his family if the king needed every able-bodied man and boy. Still, he believed the captain when he said "I swear upon my honor that nothing evil shall befall this village."

However two months later when he returned home injured and rejected for being too weak and was blamed for slowing down his company he was sent home in disgrace. That's when he discovered that his town had been burned to the ground and everyone who dwelled within dead. He found his mother's body in her home not two feet from her favorite chair. As Cloud went to work single-handedly digging graves for everyone and salvaging what he could he saw every last detail of damage and he found out a lot.

The attack was done by one man. It was impossible to tell by the footprints as time and weather had washed them from the ground, but the marks left by the weapon of choice, a thin yet powerful blade. No weapon he had ever seen matched the markings he saw and although he had never laid eyes upon the culprit until today he had pictured such a man, though he did not expect him to look quite so thin.

This man was tall and slender with long silver hair that went past his mid section. His eyes glowed the most evil of green and that confident stride combined with the mirth on his features as he walked away from another ruined village. Cloud knew there was no one left alive for the village was dead silent. Even the livestock hadn't been ignored.

Finally Zack's voice reached him. "Cloud, come back to me!"

The blonde's gaze shifted to his friend and the ravenette sighed with relief. "You scared me. I thought you had become frozen with fear, though I don't blame you. That guy won't be easy to fight, even if we team up."

Cloud stood then and without another word strode forward with Zack's panicked whispers following behind.

He emerged from the bushes and strode towards the warrior. Instinct made his draw his sword as he approached. The man sensed him coming even before turning.

"Have you come to avenge a fallen loved one?"

Cloud glared pure hatred at the man. He planned to kill him anyway. It seemed he was used to this by the way he had addressed him, but he wanted to make sure he knew what he would be fighting to avenge. The mother's murderer deserved a rare kind of anger and Cloud wasn't about to waste it on someone who wasn't guilty. "Just answer me this; did you attack Nibelheim four years ago?"

The silverette inclined his head upward. "Four years is a long time and I've destroyed so many towns…I'm afraid I don't remember. Can you describe it in better detail?"

Cloud bristled as he prepared to strike. "One of the houses had a garden on the side. It grew mostly vegetables save for a patch of strawberries!"

The man slowly turned and Cloud would deny how the man's gaze made his blood freeze.

"I remember that one well. I love the sound of screams and remember them every night to help rock me to sleep. The woman who owned that garden had the most unusual of screams. She kept calling for a cloud, but I thought she was praying for rain. I never expected it to be a name. Is it yours?" He took a moment to watch the blonde's reaction before he continued. "You appear too young to be her husband, her son then? If you've come to avenge her then I welcome you to try. I've had a few of that challenge me, but perhaps challenge isn't the right word. I don't have much free time to play with angry children."

Cloud was shaking with rage as he stared at the man before him. He gripped his sword tightly as he addressed him. "Bastard. You're first mistake was expressing joy at the cost of people's lives and you second mistake was boasting about it!"

"And here we go," the man mused to himself. "Anything else before you attack?"

Cloud's eyes seemed to glow blue with anger as he replied, "And your last mistake was making an enemy of me!"

He raised his sword high and began his charge only to be stopped when another blade clashed against his. Cloud stopped and looked only to be stunned by who it was. Zack stood firmly between the two and was struggling to keep his friend back. "This isn't the way to do it Cloud! Use your head! You're blinded with anger and pain. You'd never think clearly in battle, especially not against him. He's too dangerous to take on right now."

The man's smug grin only grew. "What's this, a warrior with a brain? I thought I was the only one."

Zack waited until Cloud lowered his sword and turned his head away before turning to face their enemy. "We are nothing alike. I uphold honor and friendship above all else while you have none. What kind of sick man prays on defenseless towns and villages while the able bodied men are away?"

"You think I only pillage," came the man's reply. "This is something I do when I'm bored and forced to take some leave time because my Queen is not yet strong enough to command every day. But she is gaining strength and soon she will make her return, once the last one falls."

Zack glared at him before his eyes widened in realization. "You…you can't be General Sephiroth?!"

The man's wicked smile only grew. "So you have heard of me."

Zack instinctively took a step back, realizing he could kill them whenever he liked, but he didn't and it only made Zack even more nervous.

Sephiroth chuckled at the warrior's reaction. "You are smart. You know when to flee, but your friend there doesn't seem very wise. Is the farm boy reckless or is he just stupid?"

Zack never let the man leave his sights, but he turned enough to look at Cloud who looked like he wanted to charge in for an attack anyway. "No Cloud, trust me, you can't win. Even together we'd be slaughtered. This man is a living nightmare."

"You don't have to tell me that. He's haunted my dreams for years, but now I have a face and a name and I'll never forget it and one day I will end it."

Sephiroth threw his head back and laughed. "You have spirit I'll give you that. You know, you remind me of another foolish man who thought he could avenge your town. A local captain who said he had to uphold a promise that he'd protect the land or die trying. You can assume the latter prevailed."

Cloud's mind flashed back to the captain who had promised to protect his home. All this time Cloud thought he had simply ignored the destruction and ran away since no one had seen him since, but to hear that he had been there and tried to keep his word made Cloud feel cold and hollow.

Zack turned back to fully face the general, unsure of how they were going to make it out alive, when the general himself did something unexpected. He sheathed his sword. "Relax wise one, you have both earned a chance to see another sunrise. You've amused me which is something not easy to achieve. I shall let you live and see if this was a fluke or if you shall continue to provide entertainment the next time we cross paths."

The man mounted his grey-white horse and began to head out when Cloud shoved past his friend. "The next time we cross paths is the day you die!"

General Sephiroth returned the blonde's glare and then smirked at him. "Then I shall look forward to it and we shall see which general prevails."

With that he turned his horse and set out at a gallop. Cloud eyes never left him until the man vanished from view. Only then did he realize that Zack's hand was on his shoulder.

"Cloud are you insane?! That man has never been beaten! There are nightmares about him that go back from when I was a kid!"

"I'm going to join the king's forces."

Zack nodded, yeah well fine, but you still gotta – wait what?"

Cloud's gaze was sure and confident as he replied. "You heard Sephiroth. He said may the best general win."

Zack shook his head. "He meant that he would emerge victorious, like he always does."

"Not if I meet him as an equal in rank," Cloud replied. "I'm not the same timid farm boy I was when I left home. I've changed."

"I'm not saying you're not a badass warrior, but the only thing that will kill Sephiroth is old age."

Cloud however would not be deterred. "No one is invincible. He will slip up and I'll be there to take advantage of it."

Zack sighed before his smile returned. "Well, it's clear I can't stop you, so sign me up. I'll be right there to back you up every step of the way."

Cloud nodded his thanks before they left the burning town behind.

…

What they didn't expect was to be followed. Almost half way back to camp they noticed a young boy trailing them. Only when he fell did they stop and approach him. He had a nasty gash and burn on his forehead that needed tending to so they brought him back to camp. They had him bandaged before he woke up.

When he woke up he sat up when he saw the blonde.

"Are you really going to kill that man?"

"Whoa, easy kid, that's a nasty injury you have," Zack told him.

"Answer the question. Are you going to kill that man?"

Cloud nodded. "I don't know when, but I will be the one to kill him."

"Then I'm coming with you. I want to be there when it happens," the kid replied.

Zack shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that's impossible. It's too dangerous for a kid like you."

The boy glared at Zack with tears in his eyes. "I don't care! It's too dangerous anywhere these days! Besides, that monster killed my family and destroyed my home!"

Zack sighed, "I know and I'm sorry we couldn't help, but,"

"He can come with us."

Both Zack and the kid turned to Cloud.

"Seriously," they both asked in unison.

"Kid's got as much right to witness his demise as I do. The only difference is he was there to see the horror unfold, I only witnessed the aftermath of mine."

Zack noticed the depressed look in his friend's eyes. "Cloud, you know it's not your fault you weren't there. You were obeying the king."

"Yeah, and then when I was sent home out of pity I found what my weakness meant. Whether I had been there or not I would have made no difference."

The boy shook his head. "Yes it did. If you had been there you would have been killed, but you're alive now and I believe you can beat him."

Cloud looked over at the kid and they shared a common link. The boy saw the blonde as a child who wanted to be strong and managed to achieve his goal while Cloud only saw himself in the boy.

"What's your name?"

"Denzel. Mom said the name reminded her of a timid wolf cub; that and my messy hair."

He went to shake his head to show, but winced and held his head in pain.

"Easy there, you gotta rest if you want that to heal," Zack told him.

But Denzel wasn't ready to sleep just yet. "So who are you guys?"

"The mother hen over there is Zack, the finest warrior from Gongaga," Cloud told him to which said Gongagan puffed out his chest with pride. "And I'm Cloud of Nibelheim."

"Your towns have weird names," he replied. "So did mine, the place I lived in before we moved out was a huge city called Insomnia."

Zack's eyes opened wide at that. "THEE Insomnia, as in the home of the king Insomnia?

Denzel nodded. "That's it, why?"

Zack and Cloud exchanged looks before Cloud addressed the boy. "Do you know of a way to get there?"

Denzel nodded. "Most people took the mountain pass, but that's impossible now after the bridge collapse. The only other way is by boat."

Zack smiled. "Sounds like a plan. I feel bad that I didn't think of boat travel before."

"No one's perfect," Cloud replied.

Cloud pushed the doors open as he entered the throne room. Denzel stuck close to his side as the warrior strode forward. When he got to the throne and saw the man sitting there he fell to one knee as he bowed. "Hail King Regis, lord and ruler of the kingdom of Lucis."

Denzel looked up at the man and nervously copied Cloud's bow.

The man sitting on the throne told them to rise and the grief was clearly heard in the command. Cloud was surprised when he saw the age of the king. He had expected Regis to be older, but they were practically the same age.

"Your formal tidings are wasted," the ravenette told them. "King Regis is dead, slain in battle by the enemy general."

"When and where," asked Cloud.

"Just north of Kalm in the royal city of Insomnia, only two days ago."

"Where did the general head next," Cloud couldn't help but ask.

"To the west, why are you so interested in his whereabouts?"

Cloud rose to his feet and the man could see the determined look in his eyes. "Because my town, my family and most recently…" he paused to push back his grief, "my best friend have fallen victim to him. I have sworn to slay him to avenge everyone I ever failed to protect."

The prince nodded in understanding and revealed his sword. "I've found myself vowing the same thing." He looked at the two then and noticed the boy's look mirrored the blonde before him. He then stood and approached the warrior before offering his hand. "I am Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, son of King Regis and rightful successor to the throne. My kingdom remains under attack and every day I lose good men that I cannot protect. My father tried his best, but he couldn't keep his promise to protect their loved ones as the men left for war. I won't make the same promises because I know I can't keep them. What I can do it ask for the forgiveness of those my father let down and to ask for the aid of strong men to help me."

"What exactly are you offering," Cloud asked.

"A position in my higher armed forces in exchange for whatever information you have."

Cloud fought back the painful image of his friend. He knew exactly what Zack would have done had he been there. With a hand on his friend's shoulder he'd be ecstatic and say, "Alright Spiky! This is exactly what you've been aiming for! Now's the time to grab your destiny and never let go!"

Zack was right it was his time and he'd keep his promise to his friend. "I'll accept a position as general which is a title worth the information I have."

This caught the prince's attention as he nodded. "It's yours if you tell me."

Cloud had time to think while in his solitude and it made him realize something very important. "The general's name is Sephiroth and he has long silver hair with green eyes that glow like the devil. He's not heavily built under that armor, but he's still strong and deadly."

Noctis was surprised by this as was the guard posted nearby. "No one has ever seen his face!"

"I have," Cloud replied, "far too often. He burned down my home and that of Denzel's and killed many I hold dear. He spared me because he found my hatred for him amusing, but he will live to regret it until the day when I take his life."

Prince Noctis could feel the flames of his passion and as he looked into the warrior's ice blue eyes he saw the general's death. With a nod and a smile Noctis summoned the guard. "Bring my newest KingsGlaive a fresh uniform."

"Yes, your majesty," the guard replied before he left.

"Your newest what," asked Cloud.

"My father had an elite group of generals called the KingsGlaive. His branch failed when he fell, but I have reformed it with my own men. So far their ranks numbered only three, now it's four with your help. It's a noble title and one not easily earned." He then turned away from Cloud. "And it wasn't your information that earned you that title. I can read what's in your heart like an open book and not only do I feel your pain, but I feel it's a title you rightfully deserve. Return here an hour after sundown to meet the others, your master quarters will be set up soon and your friend can wait for you there."

. . .

The living world came back to him slowly and painfully. Everything hurt and he half wished that he could go back to sleep, but something stirred him from his slumber sharpened his senses. He swallowed painfully before opening his eyes. The sight that greeted him wasn't one he was expecting.

A young woman with chestnut brown hair tied in a braid and a flowing pink dress was wringing out a damp cloth before bringing it up to dab his forehead. "I'm glad you're finally awake." Her voice was so warm and inviting that he couldn't stop himself from smiling.

"I must be in heaven, because there's no way a mortal could be so beautiful."

She giggled in response before dabbing his forehead on a cut causing him to wince.

"Sorry," she apologized before checking the bandage on his arm. "Do you remember what happened to you, or what your name is?"

The ravenette nodded, "My name is Zack. I was…I was in a battle. Sephiroth, the enemy killed my horse, I went on foot to face him and he charged at me. I dodged it, but his sword found me and I raised my sword to block when he knocked it loose…It hit the ground and I was falling. There was water and rapids and then nothing."

The girl nodded as she checked his other injuries. "I found you on the river bank. The water around you was dyed red and so were the rocks underneath you. It took a while to stop the bleeding, and you're still badly hurt."

Zack nodded in reply. "I feel it," he said. "Did anyone come looking for me?"

She shook her head.

"Oh man, he probably thinks I'm dead," he grunted as he started to sit up, but she pushed him back down. "No don't! Your wounds could reopen."

"But my best friend thinks I'm dead. He'd never leave me behind if he thought otherwise."

"Listen to what Lady Aerith tells you," came a new voice. A man with a large red cloak and long black hair appeared seemingly out of nowhere and bowed to her. "My lady, I've done as you asked and searched the city for news. King Regis is dead and his son prepares to wear the crown. I'm also aware he shall appoint four new generals to replace those that were killed."

"Thank you Vincent. Looks like we'll have to speed up If we're to make it in time to warn the new king."

"I thought you said I couldn't move," Zack asked.

"You can't, but the wagon can," she replied.

With a nod to Vincent the man moved over and gently helped the injured warrior into the carriage. Aerith made sure his wounds hadn't reopened before they began moving.

"How far out are we," she asked the hunter.

"About a day's ride if we cut our stops in half," he replied.

"Then that's what we'll do," she replied.

. . .

The priest placed the crown upon Noctis's head and bowed before him. "All hail King Noctis! Long live the king!"

The room sang out in unison, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

Noctis raised his hands to let the chanting die down. "Thank you all, I can never be the king that my father was, but I will do my best to uphold his ways and make life better for all within my kingdom. I look forward to the council of those who will help me protect this land and all those who live within." He waved his hand towards the group of four uniformed men who approached the center.

Vincent paid very close attention as he watched from his hiding place.

"Meet my KingsGlaive. Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia, Prompto Argentum, and Cloud Strife. These four generals will each command a section of my vast army and keeps our lands safe. I swear to you and my fellow KingsGlaive will agree that we will not rest until the evil general and his armies are brought to justice." He then turned to the four generals. "Cloud, it's time."

The blonde nodded and stepped forward. Vincent leaned in further to make sure he could hear clearly.

Cloud had never addressed such a crowd so formally and he felt nervous, but the time for shying away was over. He had loved ones to avenge and now a kingdom to protect. With that thought filling him with pride he found the courage to speak. "The general can hide behind his armor no longer. I have seen his face. He's tall, but not heavily built. He's still strong and everything the tales have said. I've seen his evil work firsthand a number of times. Silver hair that flows behind him and eyes green as an emerald – he's a man in his late twenties to early thirties. His blade is the deadly Masamune. The only way to bring him down is with a volley of raining death. No warrior should approach him and expect to win in a sword fight."

With his part finished he bowed his head to his king and stepped back. Noctis nodded in response and picked it up from there. "Take the advice of General Strife to heart. I myself have not met the demon, but he is not to be challenged by any one man."

Vincent had heard all he needed to and left silently.

. . .

Aerith and helping Zack sit up to eat when Vincent returned. Minutes later they were all sitting around the campfire.

"So what did you hear," she asked.

"Noctis is King and he has named his new generals." He named them off but stopped when Zack chocked on his soup. "Say that last name again!"

"Cloud Strife," the hunter repeated.

Zack leaned forward, injuries forgotten. "Blonde spiky hair, blue eyes and was he shy standing before the crowd?"

Vincent blinked before answering, "You know him."

A huge smile beamed on Zack's face. "You're damned straight I know him! That's my best friend! I can't believe he made general! Please, Vincent. You gotta find him and tell him I'm okay!"

. . .

Cloud rode Fenrir carefully into the night. He feared no man, but he did expect a trap. He was a KingsGlaive general now and that position could have many enemies. He approached the wagon where the three sat by the fire before he dismounted.

"If this is a trap, know that I won't go easy on you."

"Hah! Wow, you really are taking your new title seriously, huh Spiky?"

Cloud's eyes widened and he stumbled in his stride. There was just no way…

He quickly approached the firelight and was greeted by the enormous smile of Zack Fair. "What's the matter Cloud? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Zack…how…how in the world…"

"Did I survive," his friend finished for him. "You can thank these two, Lady Aerith and her friend Vincent. They brought me back from the brink of death."

The blonde fell to his knees and looked straight down. Zack's eyes widened with worry when he heard his friend sniffle. "Hey, it's okay man. I'm alright, or at least I will be. I still got some healing to do, but I'm gonna be okay."

"I…I thought…" Cloud stuttered, tears slowly falling, "I shouldn't have left. I should have searched downstream."

Zack winced as he made his way over to his friend and grasped his shoulder just like he always did. "Cloud, it's okay. I don't blame you. It's actually perfect that it worked out this way."

Cloud lifted his head and Zack's smile vanished as he saw the unshed tears his friend wasn't even trying to fight back.

"How is this perfect?"

Zack sighed and shook his head. He gathered his returning strength and grabbed the back of his friend's neck before pulling him into a hug. "Little brother."

Cloud huffed with amusement at the nickname. Zack waited until he felt his friend's tense muscles relax before pulling him away. "It's perfect because he doesn't know I'm alive. He probably already knows you're a general and that's fine. He'll be expecting you to challenge him, but he won't expect me and we can make that work to our advantage."

A/N: I know the grammar and details aren't perfect, but this is a raw first draft of what would have been future chapters. I didn't bother changing anything really, except that at first I was going to make the main royal city be Midgar, but changed it when Noctis and his friends entered the mix, since royalty was a big theme in the 3rd LotR movie. Whoever wants to pick this up can change it or keep it the same.

A few years down the road I may come back to this as well and pick it up and write my own story for it, or I might not. There's just too much work ahead for me to worry about it now, but I couldn't let this idea go to waste and sit on my computer collecting dust.

I don't really care for credit, since what I have is just an idea with a few half-written chapters, but if you'd like to include a shout-out that'd be cool. And also PM me when you've gotten it started and I'll be happy to read it. I'm on FF to write, but I'm an avid reader with over 400 stories in my favs list. One more isn't going to hurt me none. xD