The name of that secluded place was Planet's Core. Away from the places where warriors of Chaos and Cosmos usually clashed, few would go there. This was very much the reason Squall was standing there to being with, because he wanted to remain alone. He couldn't remember ever wanting to be so alone, so much that he didn't even bother chasing Ultimecia or fighting one of her allies. The lion didn't want to meet anyone.
His memories were haunting him nonstop. Even when awake he could still see and hear the explosion that took Lightning's life. Of course, he and Jecht searched the place, but the only thing they found there was the flash's gunblade, severely damaged, and much rubble. Almost all of Kefka's Tower was wiped out in the explosion.
By that time, Jecht suggested that they should speak to Cosmos, since she could feel the presence of her chosen anywhere, at anytime. So they did, clinging to the very last scraps of hope, until the goddess said with a heavy tone that she couldn't feel any trace of Lightning. That was a shock to all warriors of harmony, but to Squall it was much worse, as if someone had just tore off one of his limbs.
Ever since then, the lion returned to his old ways, avoiding contact with other people. However, this time he had no mission, objective or wish. Squall was completely lost.
"You surely look miserable. But I guess there's no blaming you, her death was all your fault."
Squall recognized that voice, although he couldn't remember from where. As he turned to see the one who just arrived there was no mistaking the man. The spiked hair and the huge sword were Cloud Strife's trademark.
"Get the hell out of here."
Squall wanted to be alone. Cloud didn't want to leave him so. There was no avoiding a fight at that rate.
"It's really ironic that your rival is a witch who controls time, and you really must be wanting to turn back time right now, huh?"
"I said get the hell out of here."
Squall summoned his gunblade, he was one taunt away from jumping at Cloud to kill him.
"I'm not going anywhere. You're the one who invaded the place where I like to hang around."
The lion unleashed a chunk of ice, which was easily deflect by the Buster Sword. That was merely a feint, though, and Squall jumped the very next moment, swinging his gunblade. Cloud defended himself with his iron glove and couterratacked, although his strike missed the agile target.
"Let me test you, warrior of harmony."
-
Squall was slightly more skilled than Cloud, but the soldier was no pushover. His swipes were powerful enough to send the lion flying, should he choose to block instead of dodge. The chosen of Chaos had no time even to draw a breath while defending against a flurry of strikes and the warrior of Cosmos had to use all his agility to evade the powerful blows.
After some time, though, Cloud's will to fight was all gone, the soldier already satisfied. He finally decided to end the battle by jumping away from the opponent and letting go of the Buster Blade, which disappeared immediately. Squall watched all this with a disapproving stare.
"Are you chickening out now?"
"No, I just realized that you are quite strong. If you were there, then surely you would've been able to protect that pink-haired woman."
Hearing that from an ally would make Squall very mad, but from an enemy disgusted the lion to the very bones. However, what Cloud said next held back his adversary's anger.
"Luckily I was around that place and saw when she escaped, although the explosion still caught her. It was a close one, though."
"What do you mean?"
"She is alive. Not exactly well, but should be back to the conflict soon."
"Cosmos said there no trace of Lightning! How can I know you're not a liar?"
"I'm not lying to you!"
Squall sighed and strived to prevent the anger from clouding his judgment. He looked deep at Cloud's eyes, trying to see any trace of dishonesty. He failed.
"She nearly died and was very weak, maybe that's why your goddess couldn't locate the woman."
The lion had to admit what Cloud said made some sense, even more so due to the fact that a great amount of energy was unleashed at Kefka's Tower. It wasn't so difficult to believe Cosmos's ability to sense her chosen on that area was dulled.
"Where is Lightning now?"
"I hid her in a gateway on Pravoka after she fell in the Crescent Lake. Let's go now, I'll show you the way."
The possibility presented by Cloud was by no means impossible. However, why would an enemy help Lightning with apparently nothing to gain? And not just any enemy, but one who was once defeated by both the flash and Squall. The lion would not trust the soldier before such doubts were sated.
"Why would you do such a thing?"
"Because I too know what it is to fail to protect someone dear and how much it hurts."
"What?"
"I can't remember everything, but there's a feeling that tells me I should have saved someone, a person that was very precious to me."
Squall was really astonished by Cloud's sudden confession, but knew that he was speaking the truth. He could feel the sincerity in each of the soldier's words.
"When I fought the two of you I realized how much you cared about each other. And I don't want other people to suffer the same way I do, even if it's an enemy."
"I see."
There were good people on Chaos's side as well. That came as no surprise to Squall, who usually dismissed notions such as "good" or "evil". However, to receive help from the enemy was something he would have never expected. Even so, the lion was very thankful.
"So that's your little secret, Cloud?"
A soft and ghostly voice chilled the soldier's spine. Between him and Squall appeared the one-winged angel, Cloud's worst nightmare: Sephiroth.
"I thought you were acting a little odd, but to think that you were helping our enemies. How very disappointing, Cloud."
Holding his sword down, the champion showed no sign of worries, even though Squall could attack him at any moment. His confidence was endless and one of the reasons many feared Sephiroth. In fact, not even the possibility of having to fight both Squall and Cloud could preoccupy him. Much to the contrary, it seemed like an interesting challenge.
"I can still forgive you though. Help me destroy this lonesome boy and then the woman you saved. If you do I'll keep your secret like the good friend that I am."
Cloud never intended to fight against the warriors of Chaos. He just wanted to help Lightning and then pretend nothing ever happened, but now there was no way to avoid a decision. Either he stood with Squall and against him.
"I'm sorry about this, Sephiroth."
"Don't worry, just do what I said."
"I'm sorry, but you're no friend of mine!"
The Buster Sword was stopped by Masamune and Sephiroth smirked. Deep inside, that was the outcome he desired. He was just waiting for a chance to fight Cloud once again, and now was the time to seize it. It was the time to remind Cloud of all the forgotten pain.
"You really have no will of you own, Cloud. It is better that you die."
A shot rang and Sephiroth lowered his head just in time to avoid the bullet. Evidently, Squall wouldn't stay out of the fight.
"You can't kill him, not now."
"Fool, you'll die here as well."
Both Squall and Cloud charged at the enemy, forcing him to continuously block and dodge. With his graceful style, Sephiroth was able to avoid all attempts of harming him and even managed to retaliate, but he was undoubtedly being pushed to his limit.
Every now and then one of them was injured, but nothing too serious. Even though Squall and Cloud had just fought among themselves, they were slowly winning, forcing Sephiroth into a much more defensive stance. And he was not Exdeath to win only by guarding himself.
The champion's blood was now boiling, reveling in a battle that truly suited him. It was time to go all out and as he blocked two strikes with his sword at the same time, a black wing emerged on Sephiroth's back. He then lashed at Squall and assaulted him with a powerful blast called Super Nova.
Enraged, Cloud shouted while showering the enemy with multiple slashes, all easily blocked by Masamune. In truth, the soldier could barely focus while his mind was invaded by a torrent of images and words. Tifa, Jenova, Zack. The more he attacked, the more he seemed to remember his past. Avalanche, Midgar, Nibelheim. However, Sephiroth took advantage of it and kicked the opponent away. Barret, Yuffie, Aerith.
Aerith.
"Sephiroth, you…"
"What is it, Cloud?"
"You killed Aerith!"
Cloud finally remembered the person he couldn't protect. Bursting in tears, he stood up once more and dashed at Sephiroth while every cell in his body claimed for vengeance. With a fierce blow, he knocked the champion off balance and omnislashed him mercilessly. Sephiroth fell and his black wing vanished into feathers.
"I… I won…"
The pain of a sword piercing the abdomen made Cloud gasp. Sephiroth was far from defeated and now lifted the soldier with Masamune, much like he did the first time they fought.
"Don't be foolish, Cloud. Nothing you do will redeem you."
Rising his right hand, the champion concentrated his energy, preparing to cast a fearsome spell. Cloud tried to break free, but Sephiroth's words brought back his guilt and lack of confidence. The soldier was overwhelmed.
"No time for laments."
Cloud was thrown upwards by a sudden impulse and collided against a meteor which was slowly falling. Delighted, Sephiroth watched as the comet fell to the ground, wounding the soldier heavily and knocking him unconscious.
"Seems I overdid it a little."
"I can't believe you really did that to someone who fights for the same cause."
Squall had a dead serious expression.
"Spare me. A fool who lets useless feelings control his actions in battle is better off dead."
Words were useless and the lion knew it. He had to defeat Sephiroth, but right now Lightning's safety wasn't the only thing weighing on his shoulders. To Squall, Cloud was now a true comrade, someone to be trusted. And he would never forgive what the enemy did to the soldier.
The battle resumed, but Squall did not strike recklessly, even though his every blow was fueled by anger. He managed to keep his cool and keep up with Sephiroth's pace. Both were tired and injured, but still clashed their weapons in an endless melody of conflict full of well-timed dodges.
Squall was the one to falter. After failing to avoid a strike, he had to desperately guard against the fury of Sephiroth's attacks, falling to his knees when the assault was finally over.
"You fought well, but it seems you've finally reached your limit. Yet perhaps I'll let you live as a token of my respect for your skill."
"What?"
"Of course, I'm still going to kill that woman Cloud was talking about. Just like him, you will drown in despair, unable to protect anything."
Squall lifted his gunblade and then brought it down as an enormous blade of pure energy. Sephiroth was impressed, but avoided it without much difficulty.
"I will defeat you, warrior of Chaos. And I will protect Lightning, even if that means sacrificing my own life."
A new voice suddenly joined the conversation. A feminine voice.
"I'm flattered, but don't you dare be selfish and actually do it, you idiot!"
It was Lightning, a little bit bruised, but with a confident smile on her face. Relieved, Squall smiled as well. The very first smile after a long time, but a much sincere one. Needless to say, Sephiroth was disgusted.
"Do you need some help with him, Squall?"
"Thanks, Lightning, but I can hold my own."
Sephiroth dismissed what Squall said as a mere bluff, a way to impress Lightning. However, now that nothing more was keeping him worried, the lion could fully focus on the battle. His following strike was blocked and his gunblade thrown upwards, just as he expected. Squall took this chance, when the champion believed him to be defenseless, to attack with a flurry of elemental spells.
"This is for menacing Lightning."
Still striking Sephiroth with magic, Squall recovered his now falling gunblade and shot the enemy's chest, knocking him back.
"And this is for what you did to Cloud."
The champion was not yet defeated, but had pretty much lost all reason to fight. He retreated, vanishing from Planet's Core, but his battle with Squall was far from over. The lion earned Sephiroth's attention and sooner or later they would have to settle their differences. Not today, though.
Squall himself had no intention of going after Sephiroth. He was glad to have Lightning back, to see her alive and well. He could cry, but if he did he wouldn't be Squall. Instead, he embraced her tight and wished he could never let her go.
He wished that he'd never be away from her again.
