Chapter 7: The Ultimate Battle
The dark clouds surrounds the sky of Midgar, making everyone watch the sky in worry.
Noli manere, manare in memoria
Noli manere, manare in memoria
Sephiroth, Sephiroth
Tifa looked up in worry as she kept both Denzel and Marlene safe, before she then heard a raindrop, making her turn her head up to the sky.
"Who was...?" She asked, only to then notice a woman that had blonde hair and a white dress, preying.
Saevam iram, iram et dolorem
Saevam iram, iram et dolorem
-Back with the battle-
Within midair, Cloud clashed swords with Sephiroth.
They leapt from roof to roof, clashing their blades together, before Sephiroth knocked him back.
Sephiroth, Sephiroth
Cloud managed to stop himself from falling mid air, before he searched around and saw Sephiroth coming at him, who knocked him into the building.
Ferum terribile, ferum fatum
Inside the building, Cloud rose from the ground to see Sephiroth leap in and slash at him , causing the blond to leap away before they leapt wall from wall, clashing their swords.
Noli manare, manere in memoria
Noli manare, manere in memoria
Cloud then leapt over as Sephiroth, slashing a pillar behind Cloud, before they locked blades into a stalemate, glaring at the other.
Sephiroth, Sephiroth
"It seems you improved a bit." Sephiroth commented.
"What do you expect?!" Cloud snapped, before he pushed Sephiroth forward, sending him out of the building and causing him to follow.
He landed on one of the window stills to see an arrow fired at him, which made Cloud quickly realize that Sephiroth could also use Link's items to his advantage, forcing the blond to leap away, dodging many arrows as he could.
Cloud then saw Sephiroth approach him, before clashing their swords once again.
But Cloud broke from their clash, leapt up and used his Cross Slash attack, only for Sephiroth to leap away, avoiding the attack.
"I have a little gift for you!" Sephiroth then announced, taking out the Gale Boomerang and threw it at Cloud.
Dodging it, Cloud flew at Sephiroth as the two locked swords again.
"And it's despair."
Sephiroth then knocked Cloud down, only for Cloud to stop his fall by stabbing his sword into the building.
Seeing Cloud in his helpless state, Sephiroth approached Cloud, standing above him as he held up one of Link's bombs.
"On your knees. I want you to beg for forgiveness." Sephiroth said as he tossed the bomb behind, which hit the top of the building and exploded.
Veni, mi fili. Veni, mi fili
Hic veni, da mihi mortem iterum
Cloud then took out one of his fusion blades from his Fusion Sword and saw Sephiroth making more rubble with his sword from the destroyed building and began slashing away at the rubble with both blades.
Veni, mi fili. Veni, mi fili
Hic veni, da mihiā¦
Sephiroth flew right down at Cloud as the two began clashing swords once again as they stood on the falling debris plummeting towards the ground.
Noli manere in memoria
Saevam iram et dolorem
Just before they hit the ground, Cloud leapt away from the rubble and escaped, as the ruins of the building then collapsed on the ground.
Ferum terribile fatum
Ille iterum veniet
Landing on top of the building, Cloud bent down and gasped for breath, for he was worn out and could feel almost all his energy gone.
It was almost the same time when he fought Sephiroth, but this time the blond found it harder to defeat his nemesis since he was still in Link's body.
But as he rose again, he was shocked to see Sephiroth rise up again, causing Cloud to leap back from a sudden slash attack.
Enough was enough.
Cloud then tried to slash Sephiroth, however, he leapt into the air, avoiding the attack, before jumping away, causing Cloud to follow.
Cloud twirled his Fusion sword around, before he split them up into six pieces to ready his Omnislash Version 5, the same move he used to beat Sephiroth before.
But this time, Sephiroth managed to dodge and avoid each move that Cloud unleashed.
As he went up and grabbed his main blade for a final attack...
It failed, for Sephiroth then impaled him through the chest, stopping his final assault, causing the blond to gasp out and release his grasp on his blade, to which his fusion swords fell to the ground.
"You don't think I won't forget that, did you, Cloud? It won't work twice like that other one you did. Now, I think it's time we end this!" Sephiroth stated as he then sprout his black wing and then begin to slash Cloud up many times, cutting him up and then sending him down, making Sephiroth smile darkly at the sky as his Supernova, which he had then summoned had emerged, flew past him and slammed into the ground where Cloud was, consuming the blond in a huge explosion.
Cloud slowly rose from the huge blast, his shirt now torn, his body was bleeding intensely, while sword gashes covered his face, arms, legs and chest.
However, despite such injuries, Cloud slowly rose.
'I knew it...' Cloud thought. 'I couldn't beat Link, and now I cannot stand against him now with Sephiroth controlling him.'
"Tell me what you cherish most? This time I'll take it away for good!" Sephiroth interrupted as he charged at him, making Cloud look up to see Sephiroth approach him, while the many memories of his friends and promise entered his mind.
"But Link's my best friend. I cannot leave him!" Fox said.
"Cloud... please. This is my wish for a lifetime. Please... bring Link back." Zelda said in his memories.
"Cloud, we'll handle these guys. You go and stop Sephiroth!" Ryu said.
Then all of a sudden, everything went white, making Cloud look up, confused for time around him had frozen.
"What are you're doing?" A voice questioned, causing Cloud to look behind him and saw a woman with pink hair.
"You cannot give up. Not after the promises you made to your friends." The pink haired warrior, better known as Lightning told to him.
"So what if it looks hopeless. If it were me, I'd still continue fighting." Another warrior said, revealing to be Vaan, who was joined by many other figures, some that Cloud recognised.
"An ace never gives up in battle. Not on his friends and not to his enemies!" Tidus said.
"You have friends, wanting Link back. You're not going to let them down are you?" Zidane smiled.
"You mustn't give up. You're stronger than this right?" Squall asked.
Seeing them, Cloud questioned. "W... why are you guys here?"
"Cosmos has brought us here to help you. Please, you cannot let your friends down." Terra said.
"They're counting on you to save their friend. You still have those two swords strap to your back." Bartz told Cloud, causing him to nod in reply as he slowly rose, drawing out the Buster Sword, before touching the handle of the Master Sword, making Cloud realise he had forgotten he still had Link's sword.
"That sword is very special. It also holds the bonds of those closest to Link. You have to use it to save him." Cecil explained, causing Onion Knight to add. "Use that sword too and it might bring Link around."
Cloud looked silent, but then nodded, knowing what he now had to do.
"You already beat Sephiroth more than once didn't you? This time won't be any different." Firion said.
"Link still has light in his heart. Find the light and Link will not let Sephiroth take his body" Warrior of Light stated.
"You're right." Cloud said, feeling his determination returning to him.
Then he saw a black haired man, wearing a SOLDIER uniform, smiling at him.
"Z... Zack...?" Cloud asked.
"You can do it Cloud. All of us support you. And you know what I've told you." Zack smiled.
"That's right. I am your living legacy." Cloud replied.
With Zack and Cloud's final talk, the entire area returned to normal, causing Cloud to draw out both the Buster Sword and the Master Sword, blocking Sephiroth's sword, holding them in place and stopping his attack.
"Link, I know you're still in there. See this Sword? This is your Sword. The one which won your battles many times." Cloud said, before stating. "And I'll use it to save you!"
Cloud's words just amused Sephiroth, making him say. "You're still trying to reach him. He's already lost."
However, Sephiroth suddenly stopped smirking when his right hand then glowed, as three familiar triangle appeared on his hand, the bottom right glowing the strongest.
Confused, Sephiroth questioned. "What is this?"
The Master Sword also seemed to glow in response as Cloud noticed the glow around Link's blade, making him then tell Sephiroth. "It's Link's Triforce of Courage."
Sephiroth suddenly yelled and grasped his head, dropping his sword, as he felt something was wrong with his mind.
"Don't tell me... You're still resisting...? Stop...! I command you now...!" Sephiroth ordered as he tried to regain control.
However, he was ignored as the Triforce of Courage kept glowing strongly, before Sephiroth then found himself trapped between two giant Triforces cages.
"Stop it! You're supposed to be under my control!" Sephiroth yelled out, struggling against the power of the Triforce, while Cloud saw that Sephiroth's left eye lashed from green back to a familiar Hylian blue.
"C... Cloud..." A different, though familiar voice came out from Sephiroth's mouth, which caused Cloud to gasp as he recognised it and called out. "Link! Can you hear me?"
"Hurry! You must end it now before it's too late! Defeat Sephiroth to free me!" Link called back, doing his best to maintain what control he had.
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
Cloud nodded as he held both the Buster Sword and Master Sword up and prepared for his final attack, his and Link's combined power.
"Triforce Omnislash!"
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
(Qui mortem invitavis)
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
(Poena funesta natus)
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
(Noli nomen vocare)
Mi fili, veni, veni, veni, mi fili
(Ille iterum veniet)
Cloud then dashed at Sephiroth and slashed him over and over with both the Buster Sword and Master Sword, to which all Sephiroth could do was yell out in pain, for he was still trapped and was unable to escape his prison or the attacks, to which he was slashed many times by both blades, cutting his body up more and more.
Sephiroth, Sephiroth
Cloud then ended it by leaping at Sephiroth, bringing the two swords together and brought them down together and slashed Sephiroth across the chest, causing Sephiroth to then fall backwards and out of the Triforce cage.
Sephiroth
As Sephiroth was thrown back, black mist began to exit Link's body.
The battle was now over, to which Link's body hit the floor, while the black mist retreated from Link's body and reformed into Sephiroth, who glared at Cloud.
"I told you before. I pity you. There's a lot of things that I don't cherish. And this time, stay where you are, in my memories." Cloud said.
"I will never be a memory. We will meet again, I promise you this, Cloud." Sephiroth snarled as he and the black mist disappeared back into the Lifestream.
With Sephiroth's defeat, the black clouds broke away and the sunlight brought a peaceful rain, which Cloud felt the drops fall on him as he walked over to the fallen Link's body.
To his relief, the silver hair was slowly changing back to it's usual blond, making Cloud smile as he then knelt beside his friend and lifted Link's head in his arms.
Both warriors were both shirtless and cut up badly as blood dripped from both of their damaged bodies.
Link then slowly opened his eyes, wearily, as he then smiled at Cloud.
"Cloud... is it all over now?" He asked, making Cloud smile and nod.
"Yeah. It's over. Get some well deserved sleep, Link. I wait for you to wake up for real" Cloud said silently.
Link smiled and closed his eyes and slept a well deserve sleep, to which Cloud then rested Link on the floor and sat by him, watching the rain pour on both of them.
A/N: Decided to add a bit of Dissidia reference to the party. 2 more chapters left.
