The rays of the morning sun found its way through the cracks of an abandoned cave. Somehow, the beam had pierced through layers of rock, dirt, and sediment reaching a tiny hole, which now illuminated the darkness. What was once black became a glowing green.
Long, oddly shaped and cut crystals of enchanting green mako became illuminated by change in light. As if greeting the new morning sun, each edge glistened in the warm sunlight. There was not a single sound in the cave, apart from the wisps of the scarlet lines blowing in cool breeze.
Out of this silence came a soft moan and the pull of a few of the ribbons.
In the middle of the cave, hanging among the frayed scarlet ropes and barriers of crystals was a figure. The body, clothed in torn and shredded pieces of various black fabrics, was suspended in the web of bindings, like a fly trapped in a spider's web. Shoes and gloves were absent, revealing over-grown and sharpened nails, embedded with soil and rock. They resembled wolfish paws.
Most of the body's pale complexion was marred with scars and blackened blood, unattended and unhealed for ages. Apart from that, the body that hung in the air ressembled a marble edifice. In fact, one would assume the body was dead, if not for the steady rise and fall of the diaphragm.
The only other color was a mane of straw yellow hair. Knotted and messy, it hung in an assortment of angles off his head.
If one were lucky enough to see it, the figure had dimmed ocean blue eyes. They had seen war and strife. There was little point in hiding his emotions anymore. No one cared if he cried.
Entwined in his hands was a ball colored in the darkest black night: the Black Materia. It was his sin as an enabler, holding the key to Armageddon, Omega, WEAPON, Meteor, the delight of Jenova's eye, destruction of the Lifestream in his frozen, iron grip.
He could still recall the day he arrived in this Hell. How the red ropes had appeared out of nowhere and wrapped him in this tangled state. He had tried to fight, he screamed and cried for mercy, but it was all in vain.
It was so ironic: he had the power to save the world, yet he was unable to save himself.
But he was beyond the point of regret. He had spent too many nights crying and moaning, screaming for forgiveness. There was no more remorse, no more cares. There was nothing.
The ribbons creaked and groaned as his eyes silently focused on the light that was entering the cave. He wondered how his comrades were doing, if they would ever find him again…or forgive him.
Still focusing on the light, he forced his mouth opened slightly. His dry and cracked lips moved in silence, trying to form words that would remain unheard by deaf ears. A quiet hope…
But that hope was shut by the tightening and contraction of the scarlet ropes. His jaw shut and a pained grunt echoed in the cave.
Forget it, came a voice from inside his head. It was a voice that was all too familiar in his nightmares.
You'll never let go of me…
His eyes winced as tears started to form and rolled down his face. The bindings around him constricted once again.
We're the same…Accept it.
Through the agony, the figure's mouth moved to form a windless, 'no'.
The ropes tightened, but the blond decided not to fight back. Instead, he succumbed to the strain and inevitable darkness. He was too weak and tired to fight against it. Moments later, his blue eyes became fully black and his head drooped down, hanging limply in the air. His mouth was agape, in a relaxed terror. Before everything faded away, the voice cruelly commented: nothing but an empty puppet.
Sensing the trapped man had finally blacked out, the ropes slackened and slightly lowered the figure in the air. Everything was loose, leaving the man to face the darkness alone, without hope of freedom.
Author's Note: I came up with this after seeing a piece of work on Deviant Art called Save me from myself by *GuiltyOne. Her other stuff is great too, but this one in particular stood out. I also know this is a total drabble, so I may rewrite it in the future.
Much thanks to Rika Yokoshima for Betaing.