1 Lost Souls
"Barret, Hojo did say to go north, you know," said the spiky-haired youth known as Cloud.
"Yeah maybe, but this place ain't on no map I ever saw" the large black man exclaimed, looking around at Dumahs former castle.
"Shit! We're lost aren't we!?"
"Cid do you EVER stop swearing?" The red beast accompanying them asked.
"Mmmm…No."
"Come on, calm down," said Tifa, the peacemaker of the group "We've got a long way to go, Cait Siths asleep, Vincents on watch and Yuffies just been sick again."
As soon as she stopped speaking a small jolt shook them all, waking Cait Sith and causing Yuffie to go green.
Cloud leaned out the window "Hey Vincent what's going on?"
"We just ran something over, nothing important, I'm coming back in, and my watch is over."
"Okay, lets stop for a while and try to get our bearings," said the red beast, Nanaki.
"I'll help," Cloud offered
"And I need a smoke."
As Nanaki, Cloud and Cid got out they heard a low, raspy voice saying: "I must say you managed to hurt me a lot Human. But even the most ignorant human should know you can't kill a Zephonim by crushing him!" It yelled as it leapt onto Nanaki, its claws scraping down his back. He leapt up, knocking it back, only to find it leaping back towards him. He swiped at it with his claws and managed to open a gash in its throat and he turned away, confident in its death. But it was back, and as it made a leap round his front with lightning speed it dove for his throat. Instead of making contact Cloud hit it with the flat of the Ultima weapon, causing it to fly into the buggy. Two shots were heard, then the horrible sound of Vincent morphing into Chaos. The beast leapt up and ran followed closely by Chaos. In the dark all they heard was a quiet fluid noise and a scream, as the vampire died. After Vincent's return, they set off again.
"So Kain, I see that you have finally summoned the courage to face me. I must say I'm ashamed that you thought I, Raziel, destroyer of souls, could be defeated by such a lacklustre army as yours."
"Lacklustre! My dear Raziel, that is but a small portion of my clans armies, the greater part of my forces are away to the north fighting the greatest foe of mine. I met him briefly on my travels just before I created you and your brethren. He, completely independently crushed my first army in combat when I came to conquer his lands. He is more powerful than the Hylden and more dreadful than the mass and his name is Sephiroth. His magic far exceeds mine and his strength makes you look like an ant, he has the knowledge of all the guardians and their powers within him. He is like a dark god. And to defeat him, I will need your help.
"Ha!" Raziel laughed at the thought of the great Kain asking for his help. "You destroyed me, sent my brothers to kill me and now you want my help?!"
"I do not want your help Raziel I need it."
" I care not for your petty war, when this Sephiroth has destroyed you I will be content. I will go to my rest and be avenged."
"But you won't, he'll make sure of that. Once he's finished with me, he will start wiping out all the threats to his power and he WILL crush you like a bug, he can only be described of as Omnipotent
" No Kain, you see he does not even know that I exist and if he did I'm sure he would not try to kill me"
"And why is that Raziel?"
"Because I destroyed his greatest foe for him," he said. He powered up the reaver for the finishing blow and impaled Kain with it so fast that Kain had not a chance to react, let alone dodge the blow. Then his body exploded, leaving only his soul behind and so Raziel devoured it. As soon as he closed his cowl, Raziel felt the change coming on again. Kains power spread throughout his body, seeming to enrich him and torture him at the same time, for, as soon as he devoured Kains soul, Raziel could feel the abyss again. The burning sensation of having all his skin removed, his organs disintegrated all flowed back to him. Gradually the pain dissipated until there was only a slight discomfort at the small of his back. Suddenly, the pain that Raziel was feeling exploded. The formation of nerves as they burrowed through the flaps of tissue that used to be useless flaps again brought back the pain. Then, in one final peak, the bones exploded out of his back, causing him such agony as to be shifted into the spectral realm. After devouring the needed souls, Raziel prepared to take flight, but just before he could a voice erupted throughout his head, Kain was back, for one last stand within Raziel flowing down his arm to the reaver, causing it to shift into a deep black core with red wisps of energy curling around it. Raziel shifted back into material and continued on his way, with the new Kain reaver attached to his claw.
"You mean to tell me we're out of fuel in a land populated by giant spiders, creatures that summon blood out of your body to drink and things that look like Minotaurs?! Does the phrase "Oh shit!" Mean anything to you?"
"Cid it's not that bad, the creatures seemed to be getting fewer and fewer as we went north so maybe we're almost clear of them."
"Yeah but they're getting a hell of a lot harder to kill which means we need to use magic and I'm all out of Ethers" muttered Cloud.
"Maybe we'll find a town where we can rest and…"
Suddenly, a whole troop of Melchiahim sprung out of the ground.
"Oh well, looks like we're not gonna get to rest anytime soon," said Yuffie
As the vampires sprung into action the eight friends quickly ordered up a defence line.
"Barret, you and Tifa head left. Vincent, Cait and Yuffie head right and keep them all distracted from me, Cid and Nanaki" said Cloud, casting Regen on himself, Cid and Nanaki.
"What're you gonna do?" asked Tifa.
"I'm gonna try to get our limits to finish the battle"
"But Cloud…"
"They're getting close just do as I say!" he demanded.
"Okay".
As they ran to their positions and started firing, the three most experienced comrades prepared themselves and just let the vampires hit them. As their limit breaks came, Cid and Nanaki unleashed theirs simultaneously, the earthquakes from Earth Rave taking out their frontline and Big Brawl getting rid of all of the rest but one: their commander. As he ran forward to assault them Cid and Nanaki tried to get out of the way so Cloud could limit faster and get the battle over with. He stood there raining blows down on Cloud until Cloud was on his knees.
"Why human, do you actually want to die? You aren't putting up much of a struggle," he said, picking up Cloud by the throat. "Maybe I should just finish this now," he said, opening his mouth and leaning forward. But just as he did that, Cloud began to glow the familiar red glow of a limit break. The Melchiahim backed away from this figure, as Cloud summoned a column of air that began to swirl around him as he held the sword above his head and then, as the energy from the column was absorbed into it, in front of him. He then jumped forward, moving so fast that the vampire couldn't even see him as he tore its body to shreds, each slash causing the vampires skin to tear and crinkle, until he jumped high into the air, holding the Ultima Weapon above his head, the vampire looking fearfully up at him, not realising in its stunned state that this was its one moment to escape. But it realised too late as Cloud brought the blade down on the vampire cleaving it neatly in half.
Five minutes later after they were all fully healed they were preparing to pitch their tents when Barret spoke up.
"Hey Cloud where did you learn that sorta move, cos' it seemed pretty damn awesome to me. Yeah and how come we didn't get to fight those motherf…"
Suddenly he was silenced as lightning struck down on the tree they were under, setting it on fire. A branch toppled down to burn a few metres away distracting them from the real danger. A sudden noise made them spin around to see a roaring Turelim grab hold of Tifa and raise her above its head. Suddenly a strange light appeared to protrude out of its chest. Then it exploded leaving a blue figure standing just behind where the Turelim had been standing. It caught Tifa with one hand while opening its cowl to feed on the vampire's soul. As it set her down and swallowed the soul it spoke to them. And this is what it said: "Greetings to you all. I am Raziel".
"Barret, Hojo did say to go north, you know," said the spiky-haired youth known as Cloud.
"Yeah maybe, but this place ain't on no map I ever saw" the large black man exclaimed, looking around at Dumahs former castle.
"Shit! We're lost aren't we!?"
"Cid do you EVER stop swearing?" The red beast accompanying them asked.
"Mmmm…No."
"Come on, calm down," said Tifa, the peacemaker of the group "We've got a long way to go, Cait Siths asleep, Vincents on watch and Yuffies just been sick again."
As soon as she stopped speaking a small jolt shook them all, waking Cait Sith and causing Yuffie to go green.
Cloud leaned out the window "Hey Vincent what's going on?"
"We just ran something over, nothing important, I'm coming back in, and my watch is over."
"Okay, lets stop for a while and try to get our bearings," said the red beast, Nanaki.
"I'll help," Cloud offered
"And I need a smoke."
As Nanaki, Cloud and Cid got out they heard a low, raspy voice saying: "I must say you managed to hurt me a lot Human. But even the most ignorant human should know you can't kill a Zephonim by crushing him!" It yelled as it leapt onto Nanaki, its claws scraping down his back. He leapt up, knocking it back, only to find it leaping back towards him. He swiped at it with his claws and managed to open a gash in its throat and he turned away, confident in its death. But it was back, and as it made a leap round his front with lightning speed it dove for his throat. Instead of making contact Cloud hit it with the flat of the Ultima weapon, causing it to fly into the buggy. Two shots were heard, then the horrible sound of Vincent morphing into Chaos. The beast leapt up and ran followed closely by Chaos. In the dark all they heard was a quiet fluid noise and a scream, as the vampire died. After Vincent's return, they set off again.
"So Kain, I see that you have finally summoned the courage to face me. I must say I'm ashamed that you thought I, Raziel, destroyer of souls, could be defeated by such a lacklustre army as yours."
"Lacklustre! My dear Raziel, that is but a small portion of my clans armies, the greater part of my forces are away to the north fighting the greatest foe of mine. I met him briefly on my travels just before I created you and your brethren. He, completely independently crushed my first army in combat when I came to conquer his lands. He is more powerful than the Hylden and more dreadful than the mass and his name is Sephiroth. His magic far exceeds mine and his strength makes you look like an ant, he has the knowledge of all the guardians and their powers within him. He is like a dark god. And to defeat him, I will need your help.
"Ha!" Raziel laughed at the thought of the great Kain asking for his help. "You destroyed me, sent my brothers to kill me and now you want my help?!"
"I do not want your help Raziel I need it."
" I care not for your petty war, when this Sephiroth has destroyed you I will be content. I will go to my rest and be avenged."
"But you won't, he'll make sure of that. Once he's finished with me, he will start wiping out all the threats to his power and he WILL crush you like a bug, he can only be described of as Omnipotent
" No Kain, you see he does not even know that I exist and if he did I'm sure he would not try to kill me"
"And why is that Raziel?"
"Because I destroyed his greatest foe for him," he said. He powered up the reaver for the finishing blow and impaled Kain with it so fast that Kain had not a chance to react, let alone dodge the blow. Then his body exploded, leaving only his soul behind and so Raziel devoured it. As soon as he closed his cowl, Raziel felt the change coming on again. Kains power spread throughout his body, seeming to enrich him and torture him at the same time, for, as soon as he devoured Kains soul, Raziel could feel the abyss again. The burning sensation of having all his skin removed, his organs disintegrated all flowed back to him. Gradually the pain dissipated until there was only a slight discomfort at the small of his back. Suddenly, the pain that Raziel was feeling exploded. The formation of nerves as they burrowed through the flaps of tissue that used to be useless flaps again brought back the pain. Then, in one final peak, the bones exploded out of his back, causing him such agony as to be shifted into the spectral realm. After devouring the needed souls, Raziel prepared to take flight, but just before he could a voice erupted throughout his head, Kain was back, for one last stand within Raziel flowing down his arm to the reaver, causing it to shift into a deep black core with red wisps of energy curling around it. Raziel shifted back into material and continued on his way, with the new Kain reaver attached to his claw.
"You mean to tell me we're out of fuel in a land populated by giant spiders, creatures that summon blood out of your body to drink and things that look like Minotaurs?! Does the phrase "Oh shit!" Mean anything to you?"
"Cid it's not that bad, the creatures seemed to be getting fewer and fewer as we went north so maybe we're almost clear of them."
"Yeah but they're getting a hell of a lot harder to kill which means we need to use magic and I'm all out of Ethers" muttered Cloud.
"Maybe we'll find a town where we can rest and…"
Suddenly, a whole troop of Melchiahim sprung out of the ground.
"Oh well, looks like we're not gonna get to rest anytime soon," said Yuffie
As the vampires sprung into action the eight friends quickly ordered up a defence line.
"Barret, you and Tifa head left. Vincent, Cait and Yuffie head right and keep them all distracted from me, Cid and Nanaki" said Cloud, casting Regen on himself, Cid and Nanaki.
"What're you gonna do?" asked Tifa.
"I'm gonna try to get our limits to finish the battle"
"But Cloud…"
"They're getting close just do as I say!" he demanded.
"Okay".
As they ran to their positions and started firing, the three most experienced comrades prepared themselves and just let the vampires hit them. As their limit breaks came, Cid and Nanaki unleashed theirs simultaneously, the earthquakes from Earth Rave taking out their frontline and Big Brawl getting rid of all of the rest but one: their commander. As he ran forward to assault them Cid and Nanaki tried to get out of the way so Cloud could limit faster and get the battle over with. He stood there raining blows down on Cloud until Cloud was on his knees.
"Why human, do you actually want to die? You aren't putting up much of a struggle," he said, picking up Cloud by the throat. "Maybe I should just finish this now," he said, opening his mouth and leaning forward. But just as he did that, Cloud began to glow the familiar red glow of a limit break. The Melchiahim backed away from this figure, as Cloud summoned a column of air that began to swirl around him as he held the sword above his head and then, as the energy from the column was absorbed into it, in front of him. He then jumped forward, moving so fast that the vampire couldn't even see him as he tore its body to shreds, each slash causing the vampires skin to tear and crinkle, until he jumped high into the air, holding the Ultima Weapon above his head, the vampire looking fearfully up at him, not realising in its stunned state that this was its one moment to escape. But it realised too late as Cloud brought the blade down on the vampire cleaving it neatly in half.
Five minutes later after they were all fully healed they were preparing to pitch their tents when Barret spoke up.
"Hey Cloud where did you learn that sorta move, cos' it seemed pretty damn awesome to me. Yeah and how come we didn't get to fight those motherf…"
Suddenly he was silenced as lightning struck down on the tree they were under, setting it on fire. A branch toppled down to burn a few metres away distracting them from the real danger. A sudden noise made them spin around to see a roaring Turelim grab hold of Tifa and raise her above its head. Suddenly a strange light appeared to protrude out of its chest. Then it exploded leaving a blue figure standing just behind where the Turelim had been standing. It caught Tifa with one hand while opening its cowl to feed on the vampire's soul. As it set her down and swallowed the soul it spoke to them. And this is what it said: "Greetings to you all. I am Raziel".