Sanity
Chapter 6 - AVALANCHE
"Yo, yo, this sucks," Reno complained, as he lounged across the back seat of within the small compartment bay of the caravan that his team, led by Tseng was currently occupying. "I mean, escort duty? C'mon, we're better then that, right Rude?"
Rude, who as sitting adjacent to Reno made no reply, instead continued to stare out into the morning sun through the small window in that was cut high into the compartment wall.
"Common partner, back me up here… Like I know that this shit is important and all, but Yo this is so boring!"
" Reno, be quiet!" Tseng snapped, obviously irritated as well, despite his calm demeanour that covered his face, "We're on a mission, the materia within this chest is of high grade mako concentration, and as such, the chances of an AVALANCHE ambush is high, we are to guard this until it reaches Midgar."
"Wow... AVALANCHE might be here?" Reno jumped upwards suddenly curious.
"Of course... This was all in the debriefing... Perhaps staying awake in the next one may help? Tseng offered, slightly humoured.
"Um sir..." Elena, the blond rookie spoke up.
Reno craned his head backwards to see Elena, who was red at the cheeks, at having to ask a question that was plaguing her mind.
"Yes? Rookie?" Reno asked.
"I meant Captain Sir... Sir..." Elena whispered, turning her head to face Tseng, who, after a smile and nod allowed Elena to ask. "Why... Why didn't we just take the helicopter?"
A small smile crossed Tseng's lips, "We're to stage an ambush... On the ambushers"
As though embarrassed by the simplicity of the answer, Elena hid her face downwards, causing a small chuckle to resound from Reno, who now was leaning over the small crimson chest within the centre of the compartment, in which the materia orb they were transporting was being contained in.
The snapping of whips, the creaking of wood, the slow churning of wooden wheels over rugged terrain filled the midday sky, as the large shabby box like caravan slowly moved through the trails towards Midgar, two old worn out Chocobo's, one red, one green, lead the caravan body, where a cloaked figure, in a large feathered hat, snapped a whip high above the two Chocobo's heads, two fishing like rods, with a choco nut was suspended above the heads of the Chocobo's, further motivating the Chocobo's onwards.
The wagon itself, once well decorated and modern, was now out of date and worn out, its once shining elaborate golden red paint and trim, was now faded, beyond recognition of its previous glory, the perfect ploy for a trap.
"Anything yet Rude?" Tseng asked, not expecting any different answer from the other half dozen times he had asked the question, since they had left the miners guild in Costa del sol, after retrieving the precious crimson materia orb.
"No," Rude replied, in the same monotone voice that the group had become accustomed to, over the years they had been together.
"Still boring…" Reno muttered under his breath, careful this time to not allow Tseng to hear him.
High above the grass land, within the shadowy depths of the tree's, dressed in mismatched camouflage uniform, several members of the terrorist group known as AVALANCHE sat perched, waiting, their prey slowly coming within site.
"Wait for it." The leader whispered into his communications headgear. "Just a lill longer..."
"Come on, come on boss, how much longer?" An eager young voice whispered back, blood lust filling his venomous voice.
"Calm down Edgar." Another whispered her own eagerness evident regardless.
"Just a few more minutes..." The leader continued, as he spied down at the incoming caravan, where, if the reports were true, was a high concentration of condescend mako energy. "I can feel it..." he whispered, in recognition of the power the materia was resonating.
"Argh! Common, common, common." Edgar breathed into the microphone, faster with each word he spoke, as he slowly bounced up and down on his knees, trying desperately to retrain his excitement.
"Anything yet Rude?" Tseng asked once more.
"Nothing yet." Rude replied.
"Just a few more moments..." He paused, circling the magnifying lenses nob, to zoom in closer to the caravan, "Wait till their below us..."
The caravan slowly entered the grassy plains.
"Now!" The leader ordered, as he flung his arms downwards, causing a dozen men and women to drop from the high depths of the trees, freefalling downwards, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting caravan.
"They're here." Rude spoke up, his automatic already in his hand, as he peeped through the window, at the now converging terrorist members that was gathering around the caravan, Tseng, Elena and Reno's weapons, were too already in hand, before the terrorists had landed.
Stopping the caravan in its tracks, by raised weapons, the AVALANCHE members began to swarm around the caravan, taking up positions.
"Attention occupants!" The leader shouted towards the caravan, as soon as his men had surrounded it, "We are members of the earth protection group known as AVALANCHE, surrender your cargo and we swear you won't be harmed, resist us, and be put to our cause in replenishing our mother earth's much needed life force!"
The wind blowing through the trees was his only response.
"I repeat, we only want what is inside, surrender the materia, and we will spare your lives!"
"Yo partner, you have the leader spotted?" Reno asked a small smile on his face.
"Yes." Rude replied taking aim through the thin wooden walls, Elena too was taking aim at what she was hoping to be the second in command.
"This is your last chance, surrender or die."
"Do it!" Tseng ordered, crouching down.
A series of precision gunshots exploded from within the trailer, two shots caught the leader in the chest, before he even had time to react, another, seemingly slightly less accurate, caught the second in command, Lupus once through the shoulder and once through her stomach, both collapsed, Lupus writhing in pain, as she clutched her now blood soaked clothing.
Reacting immediately to their commander's deaths, the AVALANCHE members opened fire with their AK-47 machine guns, ripping through the old wooden caravan; only to their surprise have each bullet recite off of a golden triangular prism of light.
"Reversed energy flow," Reno spoke up, a huge sloppy grin covering his features, as he spun his electro rod around in one hand, while tapping a finger on his head. "The latest in Shinra anti-terrorist technology."
Rude and Elena fired, and the shield opened partially with each, to allow the bullets to pass from the inside.
The remaining six AVALANCHE members dove for cover, as bullets whizzed above and below, one staggered just before reaching the cover of the large tree's, as a single bullet pierced his thigh, causing him to collapse, and slowly try and crawl his way to safety, a second shot, this time with precision, caught him in the back of the chest, between both shoulder blades, he made no further motions.
"You may surrender, and we will spare you lives!" Tseng shouted from within the shield, as Elena and Rude, continued to blast out precision shots.
"Die Shinra scum!" A voice called back, malice filling his voice, as a quick burst of machine gun fire pebbled against the shield, still unable to penetrate, "Cowards!" Edgar screamed.
A shot by Elena caused him to duck back to cover, and a large chunk of wood exploded away from the tree trunk that he was taking refuge behind.
Reaching into her pocket, Elena produced forth an add-on accessory, a large cylinder which she screwed onto the tip of her weapon, as well as a secondary cartridge which she replaced with the current. Twin red lines were wrapt around the base of the new cartridge.
"I give you my word, as Leader of the Turk organisation, that none of you will be killed, should you surrender!"
"Fuck you Turks!" Edgar responded from behind his cover, before firing a quick burst of fire around the base of the tree.
Elena took aim at the tree trunk in which Edgar was cowering, and then with a small look and nod from Tseng, she fired.
The red tinged round pierced half way into the tree trunk, before detonating, causing wooden shards to scatter outwards, piercing Edgar's entire body. A loud crash followed, as the large tree fell, finishing what was left of Edgar's life.
"Surrender!" Tseng ordered once more.
From each side of the caravan, the remaining AVALANCHE members discarded their weapons, raised their hands above and onto their heads, and slowly walked towards the Turks group, who were still within the safety of the shield.
"Yo, yo, that was easy," Reno grinned, lowering the shield.
"DEATH BEFORE HONOUR!" One of the survivors shouted, as she ran forward, ripping away her top to reveal several cases of plastic explosives.
"DEATH BEFORE HONOUR!" The others shouted following suite, jumping in the air around the now shield less Turks, each activating their kamikaze explosives as they did so.
" RENO!" Tseng shouted, unnecessarily, as Reno was already activating his electro rod, whilst Rude and Elena fired, taking out two of the remaining four.
Explosions ripped forth, as the kamikaze terrorists exploded from their strap on bombs. Fire washed over the Turks, as Reno's shield came up a second before.
"That was close Yo!" Reno muttered, his grin gone, as he looked around at the ash that was now the forest, his shield flickered, before finally dissipating as Reno's electro rod's last ounce of energy was drained.
"Check for survivors." Tseng sighed, knowing the chances were slim, as he opened his GPS cell phone to call in the closest outpost to send a pick up team, and possible medical team.
"Yo boss!" Reno cried out, from across the opposite side, where an ash and blood soaked terrorist lay. "We have a survivor!" Reno's grin once more covered his face, as he peered down into the masked face of the second in command, whose blood was still slowly piling out of his open stomach wound.
Reaching down, Reno ripped out the vest that held the explosives, shaking his head down to the person below, beneath the mask, behind the agony, the second in command knew what was to come.
"Fuck... You…. Turks," The second managed to spit out, before a kick from Reno across the temple silenced any further statements.
With her bloodied bandages being her only pieces clothing, the AVALANCHE member was chained spread eagle by her hands and feet vertically in the centre of the darkened room, blood dripped slowly onto the floor below, from many fresh wounds, numerous interrogation devices surrounded the walls within the room.
A single spotlight shone down upon her semi naked body, through the faint light that was illuminating her half unconscious body, she could dimly make out various instruments lining the walls, as well as the bloodied knives that were in front of her, on a small silver tray, there most recent effects still causing blood to trickle from her open wounds.
"Kya-ha-ha!" Laugher caused the terrorists eyes to slowly shift towards a figure within the darkness, slowly reaching out to grasp another object, a long cylindrical rod, with a ball point head.
"Will you tell me what I wish to know terrorist?" The voice asked from within the darkness, as the figure reached out with the cylinder, exposing a slender, delicate arm as the interrogation device was pressed against the still partially opened gun shot wound on her stomach.
"I refuse" The women hissed in defiance, despite the obvious pain, humiliation and fatigue that was plaguing her body and mind.
"Kya-ha-ha-ha" The interrogator laughed, as she thumbed on the button for the electro rod, as she pressed it deep within the wound.
Electricity pumped forth from the device, sending shock waves through the terrorists open wound.
"Tell me what I wish to know!" The interrogator continued, increasing the voltage.
Screaming the terrorist still refused to speak anything coherent, until finally many minutes later, the device was retraced, and shut down, immediately causing her screaming to cease, only to be replaced by small whimpers, as she shuddered in agony, quivering as the remnants of the pain still echoed in her mind and body, her nerves still twitching from the shocks.
"I will..." The prisoner whispered, so softly that the interrogator leaned into the light exposing well manured blond hair, plush lips, and well kept well tanned skin.
"Yes?" The interrogator asked leaning until her face was inches away from the prisoner.
"I will never... Expose... My secrets! To you... Scarlet..." She spat with what little energy she had left.
A small chuckle sounded from Scarlet before she gently placed her palm on the sides of the AVALANCHE member's bloodied face.
"Yes... You will... My Dear..." Scarlet whispered softly into her ear, as though a lover would, thumbing on the object once more, as she pushed it against her stomach, screams of pain immediately sounded once more, whilst the sound of Scarlets laugher followed.
"You will tell me." Scarlet laughed, gently kissing the tip of the prisoners jaw before licking upwards through the blood, a sign of dominance. "And then you will die knowing, that you betrayed all those you hold dear."
The women continued to scream, tears blurring her eyes, but never allowing a single tear to pass.
"And then we will have won..." Scarlet finished before once more increasing the volume of the shocks being generated, until at last the prisoner lost consciousness.
Scarlets laugher still continued to echo throughout the empty room, as she pressed a small button for the materia recovery to begin, so that once more, as she had for the last three weeks, continue to interrogate the prisoner, for all the vital information that was required.
"How do we know this isn't just another terrorist trap?" Zack complained as he hacked at the thick vegetation of the jungle he was slicing a path through with his machete.
"We don't," Sephiroth replied simply, as he two hacked through the vegetation to the side of Zack, Cloud followed behind, flattening the grass for the caravans and vehicles behind them.
"You really serious about this?" Sephiroth asked sceptically, to the topic if Zacks and Aeries marriage.
"Yea I am... I almost lost her once... I won't take that chance again."
"When's the date?" Cloud asked, as he stomped down another thick patch of grass while kicking the hacked vegetation aside.
"She's agreed that we should wait till this whole terrorist situation is over."
"I see." Sephiroth replied as though it were a bad idea, before slicing through another thick branch leaving it where it was to allow Cloud the task of clearing it.
"You can be real evil sometimes, you know that?" Cloud muttered to Sephiroth, as he leaned down to push the heavy branch away from the travel route, glaring at Sephiroth as he did so.
"I know." Sephiroth replied with a faint smile. "It's almost like a calling."
Cloud simply rolled his eyes as his friend's comments. "You're such an ass."
"I know" Sephiroth replied, cutting another branch, which was off to the side out of the route, before causing it to fall in Cloud's path.
"Weren't we here a few months ago?" Zack asked as they, after the many hours of trudging finally entered a small bank of water, split of two sides.
"Think so" Cloud answered, as he finished clearing the path, which wasn't made any easier by Sephiroth cutting branches that weren't needed to be cut.
"Yes" Sephiroth confirmed, as he stared out ahead towards the sound of the crashing of a waterfall.
"Then it's rubbish, no ones here." Zack finished, kicking the ground in frustration, causing small pebbles to scatter into the water.
"The Shinra says it's here…" Cloud responded, doubt in his voice.
"It's here," Sephiroth finished, "we just missed it last time..."
"You mean the Turks screwed up right?" Zack responded, stopping to face Sephiroth as he folded his arms across his chest.
Sephiroth merely smiled.
"It's here." A voice sounded from behind them.
Turning the trio turned to face Reno, Rude, Tseng and Elena, who each stood arrogantly at the edge of the forest, a small transmitter map in their hands.
"It's always been here." Tseng continued.
Zack smiled. "Then you screwed up last time?"
"Yo that's bullshit!" Reno yelled back, his hands in his pockets tensing at the truth that they had indeed fouled up, something that wouldn't be forgotten between the rivalry of the SOLDIER's and Turks.
"Calm down." Rude muttered to Reno, placing a gloved hand on his partners shoulder.
"Incompetence." Sephiroth smirked, glancing sidelong at Reno as he did so.
"That is it!" Reno yelled, pulling away from Rude, his electro rod in his hand a second later.
Both Zack and Cloud's hands were on the hilts of their blades within that same instant.
"That's enough." Tseng ordered, his tone light, yet his command obvious.
Glaring, Reno retraced his weapon, stepping back into his partner's side as he did so.
Sephiroth continued smiling slightly, amused as always, at the pride of the Turks, and their reactions to Zacks jibs.
"Back to business," Sephiroth commanded, as though he were the leader of the combined groups, "which way?"
"It says it's at the camp, same as our Intel informed us, two months ago, the prisoner Lupus, confirmed that this was their base, and still is their bases of operations.."
"We were there!" Zack argued once more, kicking more rocks into the stream, before looking back at the Turks "There was nothing there, but smouldering ruins… And you."
"It's there." Tseng confirmed.
"But..." Cloud started.
"It's there." Sephiroth finished, cutting off both Zack's and Cloud's complaints, "If Tseng says it's there... Then it's there..."
Tseng nodded, then indicated that they should begin moving towards the edge of the waterfall.
"Our troops are catching up." Rude noted, as the sounds of crunching feet and turning wheels sounded from the forest.
Nodding Sephiroth turned, and walked down the river, Cloud and Zack trailing behind, the Turks standing, waiting for the troops to catch up.
"See, what did I tell ya?" Zack complained, as he kicked over a charred barrel. "Empty, there's nothing here but junk."
"And more junk" Cloud added, probing a piece of charred cloth with his giant blade.
"It has to be here..." Sephiroth added, "We just need to wait and see.. Take a seat, the rest won't be here for awhile.."
Alone, with only the discrete lighting of the club as his companion, Zack sat alone, reminiscing, attempting to make sense of what had just occurred, hours before, between him and Aeries, a fight, one that had left him deeply disturbed, infuriated even at her, her questioning everything he believed in, questioning the SOLDIER program, a reoccurring argument none the less, something he thought they had put behind them...
'I guess I was wrong... What was she thinking?'
Settling yet another bottle of liquor down upon the table, where a small pile was forming, he raised his hand for another.
"That was quick.." Zack started, stopping though as he looked dup to a beautiful blond women, leaning down, her own glass in her hand.
"This seat taken?" She inquired, her large golden eyes shimmering, reflecting what little light was within the room.
"I umm, no.." Unsure of what to do, he allowed her to sit, what was one drink? Perhaps a distraction from his thoughts could be well welcome... He had come here after all in the hopes of finding either Seph or Cloud..
She smiled, pushing the drink towards him, as she settled in behind the opposite end of the table.
Several hours later, in the early morning light, that shone through his half closed blinds, Zack cradled his head within his hands, blinking attempting to remember what had transpired the night before, his eyes bloodshot.
"Oh god..." He groaned, shaking his head as if to clear the hangover immediately.
Glancing around the room, the first thing he realised, despite never being home enough to know the decorations of his room well enough, was still able to relies, that, from the level of space within the room, that this, in fact was not his own room.
"What the... Hell.." He stuttered, looking around the room, until his eyes rested upon a naked figure, wrapt in a sateen blanket beside himself.
"Oh god…" He whispered, the weight of what happened suddenly came crashing down upon him, "What have I done..."
Backing up, out of the bed, Zack reached for his clothing, careful to not wake the women still sleeping soundly within the bed.
Exiting the room, now fully dressed, with a look of guilt, sadness, remorse, and the look of someone who had betrayed those closest to him walked solemnly towards his room, high above several floors, to the higher suits of the ShinRa employees.
Stepping out of the elevator, he stagged towards his open door, confused he entered, to stand face to face with the worst image of his life.
Aeries, her beautiful smile gone, replaced by one of pure sadness, yet it was her eyes, that he would never forget, the look of betrayal, betrayal from the one you cared most for in the world.
"Aeries I.." He started, but stopped as she placed a hand upon his chest, a single tear slid down her cheek.
"No Zack... I.." Before she could finish she dashed past him, tears now flowing, what had transpired clearly evident within her movements, flowers fell from her basket, littering the floor abandoned as she ran out the door.
"Aeries wait!" He cried, sensing that now, he could loose her forever, yet still, his body refused to move, until finally he fell to the floor himself, weeping at what he had done to betray them two.
Over the next several weeks, he had called her, almost every hour, leaving messages, until finally he got the message that the phone service was unavailable, he went to look for her, at her usual places, but was either turned down by those that knew her, or was unsuccessful in his search.
"They're here." Sephiroth stated causing Zack's memory to end abruptly.
"Should be right around here..." Tseng muttered to himself as he scanned the adjacent area in which now the ShinRan squads were gathering, preparing themselves for a battle. "Here." Tseng finished, as he entered the very centre of the charred area, in which the explosions had originally been detonated from.
Each of the remaining Turks ran towards where Tseng was crouching, moving his hand through the soft dirt.
"Yo what's up?" Reno complained, staring at emptiness, "There's nothing here..."
"It's here." Tseng confirmed, eyeing something within the dirt, which the others seemed not to notice. "Give me a hand Rude" Tseng requested as he dug his hands around a small iron ring.
Nodding Rude followed suite, groping around in the sand, until he too found a small iron ring.
"On three" Rude announced, bracing himself as he did so.
"One…" Tseng too braced himself.
"Two…"
"Three" Tseng finished, as each heaved.
Slowly the small iron rings lifted. To expose a large metre thick iron plug of sorts, until finally enough was up to allow the remaining Turks to slide their hands underneath the sides.
"It's too heavy.." Tseng groaned, his arms begging to quiver, as he attempted to push it to the side, Reno and Elena too began to strain, until Elena's arms, followed closely behind by Reno's let go, causing the weight of the plug to be refocused entirely onto Rude and Tseng once more.
"Let go!" Rude ordered, knowing it was impossible for them to move the plug, in time as Tseng arms gave way as well, falling backwards onto the floor as they did so.
Several moments lasted, until, out of conceit of defeat, Rude too let go, knowing at least by himself, he could not lift and move the plug.
A small thud sounded, as the plug slid back into place.
"Move aside" Sephiroth ordered, walking into the area, as he placed his masamune onto the floor.
Bending down Sephiroth analysed the plug, brushing the entirety of the dirt and sand aside, exposing a small thin circular line, with a diameter roughly of twenty three centre metres, a total radius of forty six.
Arching an eye brow towards the Turk leader, Sephiroth placed one hand inside of each ring, before lifting upwards, the briefest of strain covered his facial features, before he too, let the plug fall back down into the earth.
"It's been moulded into the earth." Sephiroth stated, waving his hand behind his head, beaconing that his two comrades join him.
"This isn't the entrance then?" Tseng asked, traces of building frustration within his voice.
"No... It is.. But it's not the only one, that women tricked us, this would be a failsafe, the enemy would tell us this is the entrance, so that when we enter, the whole complex below would be aware we're coming..."
"That's if we can get in." Reno added, stomping his foot down onto the plug.
"Have the soldiers secure the perimeters, looking for any possible entrances or exits, caves, holes, loose ground, what ever you can find, my team will enter through here, flush them out, it's your jobs to ensure that they do not escape." Sephiroth ordered, giving his plans as Zack and Cloud entered to his sides.
Tseng nodded, then after indicating the positions his men is to follow, the Turk group split, to belay the orders to the generals.
"This is still bullshit yo!" Reno complained before he exited.
After several hours of searching, Tseng and his men confirmed two other locations that seemed as though they may lead into the complex.
"Roger that!" Sephiroth Confirmed, "We'll raid it once, send two squads into each, have another two guarding each exit" He paused, gathering his thoughts, "Have the remaining continue searching, should others be found, hold positions."
"Roger that," Tseng answered, traces of irritans that Sephiroth had taken command of the mission showing despite being well hidden.
"Send the squads in at five minute intervals after your command, Have you and your team enter first, hopefully they'll be too distracted by us to notice you, have the squads ready to deploy at a moments notice, should you and your team fail."
"That's our plan then?" Cloud asked, as he fingered the rungs on the floor.
"Guess so..." Zack finished, looking at Sephiroth sceptically.
"It's not full proof, but this must be ended now, we'll blitz attack, kill as many as possible, this hinders on our success and the Turks ability to infiltrate within our shadows, the squads won't need to be involved, if everyone does their jobs."
"I see." Zack and Cloud both stated, each holstering their hands within the rings.
"Go!" Sephiroth ordered, his masamune within his hand, ready to deploy, as numerous grunts surrounded the trio.
Heaving, the two lifted the large plug upwards, until at last, after several minutes, the plug came free, exposing its metre long length, with another heave, they pushed the large plug over onto the floor.
Immediately Sephiroth after sheathing his masamune behind his back, without waiting, leapt down the hole, Zack and Cloud followed closely behind.
Standing upon a raised stepping stone forged from bluish metal, within a large circular room, filled with dozens of tactical displays, and computers, a women, with deep brown hair, dressed entirely in a typical generals camouflage suit, topped with a large full length black leather jacket, stood with her arms crossed, analysing each report that flew across her terminal. Dozens of people sat around, buzzing information to one another.
"We've been breached!" She yelled, pressing several displays at once, causing people far off within the complex to immediately move into counter defence positions.
Plummeting downwards, his masamune still sheathed on his back, Sephiroth placed both hands together, unleashing a large fire blast below, searing and burning the guards stationed. Rolling as he landed, he darted forward, immobilising two more with his fists before Zack landed behind him, Cloud too landed briefly besides Zack, rolling before coming to a stop.
Not waiting for his comrades, Sephiroth ran forward, leaping over the crippled bodies pulling his weapon out of his holster as he did so. A quick slash cleared the smooth cemented one way hallway.
"Keep up!" Sephiroth called behind himself towards Zack and Cloud, who now were just starting to move again, punching forward, as another fell to the floor.
Continuing onwards, sprinting at full speed, sword whipping from side to side, Sephiroth left a trail of mangled and half mutilated corpses in his wake, killing each so fast, that none had time to even attempt to parry and block.
Nearing a fork in the pathway Sephiroth immediately leapt to the left whilst pointing to the right for Cloud and Zack to follow.
As he entered the new corridor, a small clicking sound caused him to immediately swerve to the side, in time for a large hail of machine gun fire to speed towards him, the second the bullets ended, he sprang forth once more, pushing his palm forward, as torrents of wind struck forth, catching each of the seven shooters full on in the chest. As they flew backwards, Sephiroth darted inwards, lashing out with his masamune, slicing through each of the terrorist's ragtag armour.
Spinning on his heal as he slew the last one, he continued on, skidding forward at the last second as a large metallic door slammed shut behind him, catching the hem of his jacket as it did so.
Ripping free, he continued onwards, rolling and ducking, as door after door slammed shut in seconds after he passed by.
'Faster, I must be faster!' Sephiroth's mind shouted, as he slid through another doorway.
Another burst of machine gun fire caused him to duck and roll, only to re-elevate himself and like earlier, launch a gust of wind towards the enemy, and once more, sliced his masamune through each's torso.
Rounding another corner, after ducking through another closing door, Sephiroth skid to a halt, as he came to a dead end.
"No... There's something here..." He thought aloud, pressing his ear up against the wall, the faint hums of machinery and directional speech was what greeted him.
Circling his masamune in one hand he thrust with all his power, piercing the wall in front of him, his masamune slid to the hilt, before with a flick of his wrist and re-adjustment of his body, pushed the weapon forwards, slicing through the thick iron wall, that stood between him, and the AVALANCHE leader control room.
"This is not good." The leader whispered in horror, noting that eighty percent of the complex had fallen to ShinRan hands. "Damn it!" She screamed, watching a small real time video stream from a corridor just outside the room she and the remanning technicians and tactical developers were seating.
Onscreen showed the silver haired murderer Sephiroth, advancing towards her helpless men, slaying them one after another without mercy.
"This cant be..." Her usual non-chalet expression trembling with hatred.
"Madam Elfie!" A fearful voice cried out, leaping backwards from his terminal as he did so, pointing wildly to a small slit within the far wall, as a large metallic blade was slowly piercing the wall.
"Oh my god..." Elfie whispered, as the blade slashed to the side, ripping a section of the wall clean.
Stunned and unable to move or turn away, Elfie peered to see if it was true, her gaze was met by another, a cold merciless emerald gaze, as Sephiroth too glanced into the opened, a cold smile crossed over his lips, before once more beginning to make way for himself to enter.
"EVACUATE!" She screamed.
"This ends now!" Sephiroth cried as he crashed through the hole within the wall, before leaping above one of the control consoles, slashing his masamune through one of the slower workers as he did so.
Turning around from the nearest entrance, Elfie unsheathed her duel kodachi which were hidden beneath her large jacket, turning with grim determination to face Sephiroth.
Smiling Elfie jumped backwards, pressing a small red button on the wall as she did so, causing a large iron door to quickly slam shut in front of her. Sephiroth's shoulder bounced of the wall a second later, followed by the pouncing of his fists, as irritation grew within, at not having anticipating their leader's cowardly retreat.
"Coward!" He screamed, before pushing his masamune into the door once more.
Darting towards the head of the survivors, Elfie and her two close body guards quickly darted through the corridors, zigzagging, leading the group to the secret exit ways.
Machine gun fire, and the sound of screaming men, caused Elfie to charge forward, in time to see two young men, both dressed in dark blue, both with outrageously spiky hair, charging towards her.
Running forward towards the brunette women dressed in a large coat and blue uniform, Zack slammed his buster sword upon the ground, causing a large blue beam to slice forward, as he darted to the side, Cloud followed the mauver, as he two darted to the other side.
Spinning her twin swords in the air, she dismissed each of the beams with a single quick swing, and after quickly raising both her weapons to block the two absurdly huge blades before they crushed down on her, she turned, letting the blades slice down, causing both Zack and Cloud to loose their footing, a quick uppercut to each, sent them falling backwards.
A loud crash sounded from behind, causing her to quickly move past the two downed men, allowing them to live as she quickly ran towards the next hallway, her surviving team following closely behind, firing blindly behind them selves in the direction Sephiroth, who was constantly breaking free from the walls that closed in on him.
"Fire!" She shouted, as a wave of grunts fell upon them, only to be cut down by hers and her comrades' gunshot fire, and their swords.
"Almost there!" She shouted once more, ducking under a swing from a red haired tall lanky figure dressed entirely in black. Slashing upwards, she managed to slice open the young mans chest, with such speed that Reno had no idea what was happening, Reno fell backwards, impacting against the wall, unconscious, but still breathing.
Rude came in to avenge Reno's defeat, but too, with lightning speed from Elfie, was send falling, Elena too was quickly dispatched by a shot to the shoulder, sending her falling to the floor, with out so much as able to get off a single shot, for fear of shooting one of her own in the crowded hallway.
"Tseng!" Elfie spat in disgust as the leader of the Turks, walked slowly down the steps blocking the pathway, raising both his identical kodachi in the air.
The pounding upon the walls behind her grew closer as the door began to give way.
"We must hurry!" One of her body guards shouted in a panic, fearful that Sephiroth would soon be upon them.
Glancing over her shoulder, Elfie quickly sprang forth upon Tseng, who, unlike Zack, Cloud, and his comrades, would not be so easily defeat-able as he would not under estimate her strength.
"Go on without me!" Elfie shouted, as she blocked a quick thrust from Tseng, only to have her parrying blow blocked by his second kodachi.
Nodding her personal body guards ran forward, past Tseng and Elfie, Tseng made no move to stop them, his entire attention begging focused upon Elfie.
"You're not bad old man." Elfie grinned, "But can you handle this?"
Her entire body shimmered red, golden and glowed emerald, all at once, as she simultaneously cast haste, barrier and magic wall upon herself.
The result, Tseng was immediately thrown backwards across the hallway from the ferocity of her new powers, skidding as he landed on his side, bouncing twice before crashing into the wall.
Without even so much as a look to confirm his defeat, Elfie ran outside, up the stairs, to see her party far ahead of her, already climbing to their safety.
"NO!" She screamed, as a group of guards opened fire from above the water fall, their bullets slicing downwards, penetrating both rock and flesh indiscriminately.
Each of her party slowly fell from the cliff, each being killed by the assault from the ambush.
"Damn it to hell!" She screamed in infuriation at the murderers, seeing what could be the only survivors the complex being shredded by gunfire.
Ramming through yet another wall, Sephiroth, who by now had collected both Zack and Cloud to his side once more, ran onwards, past the numerous slaughtered soldiers, as well as past Tseng, Reno, Rude and Elena, who after a quick check and confirmation, confirmed that they were all alive and only temporarily out of commission.
"She's strong." Cloud stated, as they all ran outwards, into the forest clearing.
"I know." Sephiroth stated, his tone indicating that no more discussion was to be said upon the matter until she was dead or in ShinRan hands.
"Elfie!" Sephiroth roared as they reached the foot of the cliff, the water fall was crashing down besides them, mere metres away.
Stopping within her tracks, already at the top of the mountain, with numerous bodies strewn around, hanging off the edge of the cliff, Elfie turned, staring downwards towards the three.
"Are you afraid of me Elfie?" Sephiroth bellowed enraged at the women who had slaughtered hundreds of his men and even more civilians in the name of justice.
A shard of ice soared downwards in response to this.
"Gah!" Sephiroth spat, side stepping the attack, before, without fear, and without waiting for his two friends to keep up, leapt upwards, finding small foot holds to latch onto and propel himself up even more.
With one final leap, and gust of his wind materia, Sephiroth soared to the top of the cliff, swinging his masamune downwards.
Elfie, enchanted with her own materia, easily blocked the attack, before side stepping, and lashed upwards with her own kodachi, only to, in turn, have her attack blocked with ease.
Landing Sephiroth slashed forward, using the length of his masamune to his advantage, forcing Elfie backwards, as again and again she blocked, and side stepped Sephiroth's lunges sweeping with his own blade.
Flipping backwards twice, Elfie raised one arm in the air, as a red materia orb glowed bright within her bangle upon her wrist.
Immediately the sky turned pitch black, causing Sephiroth to momentarily step backwards, unsure of what other cowardly tactics Elfie was to use, as he glanced to the sky.
The clouds within the pitch black sky swirled, until finally seconds later, a small twinkle of light shone through.
"I don't know what this is Elfie, but I will kill you!" Sephiroth roared, resuming his attack once more, lunging forward while sweeping his masamune back and forth through the air.
"Sephiroth! Above!" Zack and Cloud shouted from the edge of the cliff, as they finally reach the top.
Without hesitation, Sephiroth flung himself backwards, in time to see a giant lance pierced the floor on which he was momentarily standing, the shock wave from the lance's attack, caused his body to tumble across the floor, stopping at the edge of the cliff.
"Ha!" Elfie cried in victory, as she launched forward, kicking Sephiroth's stomach as she did so, spinning once more as she landed, a faint blue glow surrounded her twin swords, as yet another blizzard of ice launched itself at Sephiroth, the difference this time, being that Sephiroth was struck true, causing his body to skid off the side of the cliff, to finally land with a thud a dozen feet below.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud yelled in anger, leaping towards Elfie with Zack right beside him.
The two quickly darted to each side of her, then with precision, attacked simultaneously at both her sides.
Quickly Elfie raised her guard, blocking both of the weapons with each of her own, both SOLDIER's pushed downwards, attempting to force their blades through her guard. Elfie however, still having the effects of the materia upon her, managed to maintain her guard.
Groaning as he opened his eyes, mere seconds after he impacted, Sephiroth attempted to stand up once more, ready to resume the battle.
"SO THIS IS MY OPPONANT?" A deep, rumbling voice, that seemed to vibrate within the very air roared, its voice sounding as though it came form all directions, "YOU MANAGED TO SURVIVE MY GUNGNIR LANCE DID YOU?" The voice boomed again, "INTERESTING!".
A crack of thunder sounded, and Sephiroth brought his masamune to bear above him, in time to block a devastating blow that pushed Sephiroth deeper into the cracked earth.
Straining to maintain his grip and guard, Sephiroth looked upwards.
Above, a demon, above a pure white six legged horse stood pressing downwards with its gigantic blue aurora blade, its golden and white armour seeming to radiate power, its red eyes and black horns, caused even the mighty Sephiroth to show a slight hint of fear.
"HAHAHA! YOU SURVIVED MY ZANTETSUKEN AS WELL?" The demon lifted his blue blade of shimmering light once more, only to once again lash down with unrelenting strength. Causing Sephiroth to be pushed further within the earth.
"MORTAL! I AM ODIN! YOUR DEATH IS ASSURED!"
Grimacing Sephiroth pushed upwards, causing Odin's blade to slightly shift upwards, enough that Sephiroth managed to roll to his side, escaping the demon Odin's attack.
Panting heavily Sephiroth rose to his feet, onto once more be sent skidding back, as Odin once more lashed outwards.
Refusing to be defeated, Sephiroth jumped upwards, aiming a blow for the demon horned skull, only to have his blow blocked with the demons own, and easily as though Sephiroth was a rag doll, tossed him backwards with the slightest flick of his wrist.
Landing uneasily upon his feet, Sephiroth once more, just managed to block another devastating blow, which seemed to vibrate his entire masamune, another blow, caused Sephiroth to, as earlier be thrown backwards, this time into the cliff wall.
"This isn't good" Sephiroth muttered, as the demon king Odin, slowly advanced towards Sephiroth, its steeds nostrils flaring.
'Focus, focus, focus, focus!' his mind screamed, as Odin approached.
Swallowing heavily, Sephiroth once more attempted to charge, this time, planting his masamune into the floor a mere meter away, then using the blade as leverage, Sephiroth raised his feet as he soared inwards towards Odin.
Surprised or perhaps in arrogance, Odin's blade did not raise, and Sephiroth's feet impacted the very centre of Odin's armored chest.
"IS THAT ALL MORTAL?" Odin boomed, as he gripped the horrified Sephiroth's legs, swinging him like a sword to impact into the side of the cliff, the assault Odin suffered seeming to leave him completely unharmed.
Letting go, and re-handling his blade into his other hand, Odin thrust downwards, only to have Sephiroth be bounced past his attack, as Sephiroth managed to unleash another wind attack against the cliff.
"CLEVER MORTAL!" Odin roared, as he redirected his steed towards Sephiroth's half rising body. "BUT FUTILE!"
An explosion erupted, as balls of green light pulsated towards Odin, until finally they exploded again and again as the Ultima spell washed over Odin.
Panting heavily, bleeding from several places, Sephiroth charged forward, using the distraction to his advantage, leaping upwards scooping his blade up as he did so, Sephiroth thrust forward, until a small thud sounded.
High above the cliff, Zack, Cloud and Elfie still stood, each straining as their blades pushed into Elfie's, and Elfie's against theirs.
"You can't win terrorist!" Zack spat, forcing his blade in deeper.
"Unnatural freaks!" Elfie spat back pushing even harder back against the two attackers.
"HAHAHAHA, INTERESTING! IT SEEMS I HAVE BEEN WOUNDED!" Odin's voice boomed across the battle field, as the very tip of Sephiroth's blade pierced through the armor of Odin.
Sephiroth pushed deeper, but was unable to drive his masamune into the centre of Odin's chest, as Odin's fist was now enveloping the sides of Sephiroth's blade.
"YOU HAVE PROVEN YOURSELF WORTHY OF MY RESPECT! I SHALL ALLOW YOU TO LIVE!" Odin boomed, before shattering into a thousand balls of dark light.
Stunned, Sephiroth fell to one knee panting, unsure of why or what had just occurred.
"Elfie!" He whispered, remembering that the leader of AVALANCHE was just above the cliff.
"You... Can't win!" Cloud stated, driving his blade inwards more.
"I will win!" Elfie spat back.
Using his wind materia once more, Sephiroth soared upwards till he landed upon the top of the cliff, to see Elfie, Zack and Cloud engaged in a stand still.
"Sephiroth!" Elfie stated in fear, unable to move, unable to block as Sephiroth's masamune struck through her stomach, her materia protections shattering in shards of light, as Sephiroth pushed her backwards until she was wedged into the side of a large cliff wall.
"You have lost!" Sephiroth spat, pushing his masamune in deeper, turning the blade around inside as he did so.
"No... Sephiroth..." Elfie managed to smile, as blood trickled forth from her open mouth and wound, "I have won..."
With one final roar, Sephiroth withdrew his sword, to swing it headlong, decapitating Elfie where she stood.
"It's over!" Sephiroth finished.
A burst of static sounded from the inside of Zack's outfit, as his GPS phone received an incoming call.
"What is it?" Zack stated, still panting from the strain of the battle that had only moments ago ended.
"Sir", a hurried voice answered back, "Intruders have entered the upper plate! They're storming the building, we're loosing" A burst of static ended the transmission.