I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its affiliations (Disney)
Crying for chaos is just too different from Damnation Unwinding for me to discard it in favor of the latter which are both going to follow different directions.
Crying for Chaos
-The Nightmare-
-The nightmare returns-
Darkness covers the planet while the miasma of amnesia curdles and with it, the Lifestream. The citizens of the planet stare in awe and horror as the nightmare once again threatens to convert the planet into his vessel.
We all saw Sephiroth's return. His ascension into the sky could only mean one thing. The events of what transpired long ago were beginning to repeat again. I knew that with Omega's current state the regulation of the planet was unbalanced. It was new to me that with my victory over Omega I had left the planet vulnerable for the damnation that was soon to come.
The impending destruction of our planet did not impede our fight over the shadows that came in Sephiroth's wake. The crying of the Lifestream could be heard as we discovered the shadows disturbing it, corroding it, and feasting on it. The various creatures of all sizes began feeding on the mako and materia hidden all over the planet.
We defeated scores of the damning creatures. Strange alliances were formed to ensure for the better of the planet. Shinra, Wutai, and the WRO combined their strength in an effort to provide the planet's Lifestream with some protection. So many had died already.
We took heavy hits. We lost Red XII to the many giant shadows that littered Midgar's ruins. There was no time to mourn his passing as the shadows grew in numbers. Then in the final days of our planet's decadence we were all reminded of Sephiroth's threat. The flora started to decay signifying the rapid hollow forming planet.
The will to fight the shadows was slowly subsiding. Slowly but surely the shadows were picking us off one by one. Cloud after Red XII, and then Yuffie, Barret, Tifa, Cid, and Reeve. With the alliance crumbling under the surge of shadows I was left with Shelke on the last day.
Looking up at the building I could feel the outlining of a grimace playing on the edge of my lips. I could only remember the pain it had blessed me with. The presence of the building had left my body twitching. The scars were enough remembrance without this infernal feeling. This place was the bane to my soul.
'Shinra Mansion'
I couldn't stop to feel the growing set of dread that was slowly sinking in. The unconscious bundle in my arms wouldn't allow it. Looking to see if she was okay I was greeted with the site of opening eyes.
"Vincent, I'm sorry I'm such a burden," she said while coughing up a few droplets of blood.
"Shelke stay with me, I can't lose you."
I could feel my voice bordering on hysteria as I stared into her sickening face. Bringing her closer to my frame I tried to quiet the spasms that were now wracking through her body.
"Vincent there was always…" tried Shelke before coughing another bout of blood.
"Please Shelke, don't…"
"It's ok. I'll return to the planet and watch over you."
I knew that was a lie meant to comfort me. We all knew that if we were killed by those things there would be nothing left of us in this world. No remnant, no returning to the Lifestream. How she stated this as a simple fact, had unnerved me. She had been bruised and battered by the onslaught of shadows in our earlier battles.
I could only watch each day as she succumbed to her ailments never fairing any better. She sustained too many wounds from the creatures for her to have a chance of getting better. I knew that wasn't the superficial wounds that were causing so much pain, but the internal wounds I knew she had.
Not able to respond to that, I let the silent tears fall down my face. Placing her head in the crook of my neck I was able to see the oncoming shadows racing towards us. As quickly as I could I slammed the mansion's doors shut and bolted it down with all the latches and corresponding locks to the door.
Making my way up the steps, I could feel the tremors caused by the shadows' efforts to get in. There was no use fighting, there was no sense left in it.
"Vincent there was something I wanted to ask of you before I-I pass," cried out Shelke.
"You see before deepground I had never…"
I could sense my eye brow raise in concern and bewilderment as I gazed at her crimson shaded face. Feeling another tremor rise up my spine I urged her to continue with a simple nod of my head.
"I had never really kissed anyone before. After Omega I had hoped to, but with my body and my mindset I couldn't really find anyone my age or someone that was as young as my body. It would've been too awkward in either case."
I was stunned to say the least; she had never said something way out of her behavior that had left me speechless.
"Shelke I don't think…"
"Please Vincent, do this for me. Just do this one favor."
I could already feel the tendrils of a wispy black signaling her imminent death.
With the pounding of the doors becoming louder I had made my choice. I took her to the library and placed her on one of the more stable chairs. There were so many things going on in my head that I thought I heard the ever-so-familiar snicker that had plagued my nightmares, but it was gone as it had first sounded.
Would this be another sin added to my now very large repertoire?
I kneeled down on one knee so as to be leveled with her. Seeing her body sway back and forth I knew I had to hurry. Before I knew it, there was my hand caressing her cheek. Slowly I pulled her face before mine. I could feel her lips teetering on mine as I also witnessed the closing of her eyes. She put her arms around my neck of her own accord.
Making the final plunge I engulfed her lips with mine. As the kiss grew longer I could feel her trying to reciprocate the kiss. It was awkward at first but then as she grew bolder she then proceeded to run her small tongue across my teeth.
'Where had she learned that?'
Obliging I parted my mouth.
'What am I doing?'
I felt her delicate hands trace my jaw line.
'Was this Lucrecia's influence?'
I didn't desist; instead I pulled her closer to my frame not wanting to let her go.
'How depraved'
I could feel her elicited moans tremor against my lips through the kiss we shared.
'Excellent, Vincent, the person you sought to save from your taint is now consumed by it'
Finally breaking for air I could see her radiant smile. Even with this decadence she was still more of a human than I ever could've been. It sickened me.
"Thank you, Vincent Valentine."
I almost choked when she said those words, whether it was due to my rampant thoughts or the copper tasting liquid that was left in my mouth.
"It was a pleasure knowing you, that is."
'Show her how pleasurable it can be.'
A searing pain entered my brain as I heard this. Not wanting her passing to be defiled, I was able to subdue the pain with my will, confining the demonic influence to the back of mind to be attenuated. Her smile hit me full force when she looked into my eyes. Despite the blood that marred her lips she still looked beautiful.
'Like…'
'Lucrecia'
"Shelke I…"
The splintering of wood could be heard.
'They're here'
Turning around I was witness to one of the larger shadows. It stared at me for the longest time and then snarled from what appeared to be its lips. It apparently knew what I was, judging by the apprehension I felt it had for me. It then looked at Shelke and smirked for the lack of a better word.
I could feel its hesitation as it shied away from me. This was the first time I ever studied one of the creatures, so it was the first time that I noticed it was also staring at me with something akin to fear. It then occurred to me that through all our battles I would always have to play the initiator.
The smirk on my face only grew wider as I knew what was giving it this feeling.
'Chaos'
The delirium of it all was making me see shades of crimson in which more creatures encompassed the room waiting for me to give up the prize in my hands.
It wasn't until I felt the emptiness in my hands that I looked down and batted the crimson shades away and found her nowhere to be found. That's when I looked up and saw the floating form of Shelke hovering over me.
"We'll meet again," cried Shelke as she ascended into the sky.
Peering out one of the windows in my distress I was able to catch a glimpse of a descending Sephiroth into the Earth. I was probably the last one left alive on Gaia, and with that the darkness consumed me.
I wasn't aware of the ripping of the creatures' bodies but there was something that I was aware of. It was the sensation of falling, falling into the darkness that had always lurked in my inner thoughts. There I waited with the caged demons that tormented my sanity. I heard nothing, no whispering, no taunting, and no laughing. It was then that I realized what happened.
They were loose on this terra.
That wouldn't matter anymore. My body will be destroyed once Sephiroth finally takes this planet as his vessel. Nothing will survive this.
"I can finally rest"
Sorry for the dismal end. The next chapter will be a bit more upbeat.
Blurred Reality
Alchemist of Genesis