Author's Note (Prologue): With this…
We begin the cycle anew. Zack, then Cloud then…who knows? This and the next few chapters up to Chapter 11 are really just prequels for twelve onwards…whenever I write them, so just bare with it for now. I totally understand if you just want to skip over this part, but to shed some light on the future of this whole thing, I'm doing this now.
Otherwise jumping around won't mean much.
Prologue-like substance part 2 of 6.
Chapter VII – (Reality of Zack)
Define 'Hero'
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There was nowhere left for us to go. We'd made it as high as we could. It was the final floor and the darkness lingered below on the previous level. I had to pick up the pace with the little game in the simulation that the others had set up, having gotten used to fighting the tough enemies that appeared on every floor, dicing them up as best as I could before they reformed. I didn't necessarily have to destroy them to move on, which I discovered early on; they just needed to be, in a sense, killed once. Even if everything was awry around us, the show must go on. The annihilation game didn't end until we were annihilated, I guess.
Any minute now, we would be engulfed in the same lightless world as the others.
For once, I didn't know what to do.
There wasn't as much ruckus, like beforehand, where crashes and battle sounds were heard constantly and without end. Now, it was getting quieter with each passing minute.
What was going on? Had someone finally been defeated…?
I closed my eyes and quickly dismissed the thought. I couldn't keep going like this, wondering whether or not Angeal or Sephiroth or Genesis were even still alive.
If nothing else, now I knew what I had to do. "Go find a place to hide and seal it off as best you can. Don't come out no matter what you hear," I instructed Cloud sternly once he entered behind me, stepping past him and crossing again over the threshold. We were currently in the replicated President's Office, where things were relatively safe and the lights were on, but I doubted that would matter in a little while. "I'm going back down."
"I'm not going to just stay here," he instantly complained on cue, exiting the office with me and remaining on my heels as I trekked hurriedly towards the stairwell. I could hear the irregular pattern of his steps; he was still limping and probably pushing himself to continue keeping up with me.
"I am a superior officer who is giving you a direct order, Cadet!" I know it sounded harsh and I knew that if I looked at him, I would regret it for years to come. I was just glad that I didn't look back to see his face. I just kept my eyes forward, walking tall and putting on an appearance of severity. "You can't hold your own against those things."
"Zack…" He sounded surprised. So was I really; it didn't seem to slow him down though. He didn't say anything and I kept my gaze on the approaching entrance to the floor. "You're my best friend. I won't let—"
"That doesn't matter. I'm telling you to go back and I mean it." I can't promise that I'll be able to even protect myself, let alone you.
"I won't, Zack." It's awfully reassuring to know that even though you're not as strong as me, you'd have my back regardless. "We'll face this together."
"You can't make a difference if it comes down to it. If things get chaotic, I can't guarantee anything." But really, the best way you could help me…
Is if you stayed here.
"Let me try."
"Don't make me regret asking you nicely." There was nowhere left for us to run. Only to fight. I reached and grasped the hilt of the sword strapped to my back just for the sake of grabbing something, but didn't remove from its place. Having a sword in my hand cleared my head. "You'd only be in my way."
If I had looked him in the eye at that point in time, I was sure I would witness an expression that would be engraved in my memory forever.
No matter how inconsiderate the truth sounded, sometimes, it didn't need to be said. I wasn't wrong in saying what I did. I didn't want any needless bloodshed going on during my watch. A hero didn't let bad things happen when he was around, so… It was for a good reason.
Right?
Hearing him back away and run off, I knew he would follow my orders. After all, I did threaten him with rank.
Then again, that probably didn't matter. I pushed that aside and focused on the situation, bursting through the door to the stairwell, being greeted by blackness as soon as I passed the threshold.
I couldn't help but hesitate for a second. Could I really do anything? Could I even make difference?
Confidence… I really needed more of that stuff.
As Angeal was always saying, I do best when I take matters into my own hands. So I charged headfirst, traveling deeper into the darkness as I descended the stairs with haste.
I'm a First-Class SOLDIER, too. As long as I remembered that, maybe that would help me in the long run.
It only took a few minutes for me to reach the base level, mainly because I kept chickening out the tenth floor.
Holy crap… I had never been so scared in my life. It was deathly quiet, not a sound or a sliver of light. I didn't have perfect vision in this darkness, but I was able to pinpoint where objects were out to a certain distance. I could see just fine, but not that far away.
I found my self practically tip-toeing through the stairwell's exit, sword poised in front of me in defense. My eyes jerked around the room, wary of whatever possibilities might arise. I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly, which isn't the proper way, but who cares at this point?
This room that they fought in, the lobby, you would expect it to be unrecognizable since a battle took place but… It seemed untouched. As if no one had been here previously. They did say they were going to be down here right? They didn't take their skirmish outside did they? Or, well, the nothingness that used to be outside. Where were they?
This is creeping me out, man…
"A-Angeal?" I called, maybe whispered as I planted myself beside the front desk, still scanning outward as far as I could.
No answer. Okay. If I kept forward from where I was, I would be at the main entrance to the building. In order to get there I'd have to cross the room.
That was the main problem.
"Angeal?" I tried being louder, but that didn't work. This time, I'll go as loud as I can and brace myself for anything that would follow. "Angeal!" I blocked preemptively, not sure if something would lash out at me, but there wasn't even a response or reprimand.
So I was going to have to do this the hard way.
If I went about it the normal route, going from where I was straight to the entrance, surely I'd be cut down. Those data things had the upper hand here by having sight. They could easily take me out in no time.
However, if I kept against the wall, there was only one way they could attack…
I could circle around the perimeter, and as a last resort, go stand in the center and see what I find.
So the plan was set. I got against the left wall and stayed against the left wall for a good minute or so, walking along while keeping my eyes out into the middle of the room. Thanks to some deity somewhere, I made it to the entrance without getting accosted along the way.
What the…? Black mist, or whatever it was, flowed just beyond the doorway. What was this, a horror movie? If it was, I would like to change the scenario to something that made sense. This black fog was lingering beyond the doorway, impossible to see through even with my enhanced sight. I heard nothing coming from it either.
Why was this here in the first place? This stuff barricaded whatever was outside, or maybe it was keeping me in. I didn't know. Maybe I could cross through it. Perhaps it was they key to stopping this whole thing.
The moment I reached out to touch the misty darkness, I was bowled over by an oncoming person and thrown to the side. I hadn't even registered everything, simply taking it in stride as I rolled and got to my feet again, ducking when another swipe came at me from out of no where—leaping away when I saw a spell coming in my direction.
I wasn't thinking anymore, only feeling what I had to do. This sense of calmness in the face of death itself surprised me. I didn't expect to move so smoothly, but I was.
With the split moment of peace I was able to discern what had originally knocked me down, stabbing his sword into the ground to keep his balance but collapsing anyways. It had been Angeal, whom had pushed me out of the way from an oncoming strike I wouldn't have seen coming through the dark haze. He struggled to get back to his feet but couldn't do it, kneeling while using the…Buster Sword?! Seriously? This was really bad if he resorted to that. He'd always told me he wouldn't use it, but here he was…
In an instant, I was in front of him, ready for whatever came at me.
"What are you doing here…?" He asked breathlessly, not bothering with formalities.
I didn't either. "I'm here to help."
Was Angeal the only one who had survived? Naturally I spoke too soon because the real Sephiroth and Genesis emerged from that blackness, striking out at their own replicas. The only way I could tell apart both parties was by looking at their appearances. One was unruffled from all this and the other wounded beyond belief. I couldn't imagine how they were still standing with some of these injuries. Breathing hard, staggering, a dangerous amount of blood seeping through their clothing—it was unbelievable.
Sephiroth's wound to the chest…
Genesis' laceration on his side…
How were they still fighting?
"Why aren't you…with Cloud?" Genesis asked after noticing me, leaning heavily against a wall for balance, unfocused eyes on me. He let out an annoyed sigh, pushing himself off the wall and back onto his own two feet. "You need to get out of here." Despite how terrible he looked, he was ready to jump back into battle.
Sephiroth hadn't acknowledged me, concentrating on his enemy while in a motionless battle stance.
When you have a reason to fight, you're going to fight, huh?
It wasn't long after they had made their glorious entrances that both Sephiroth and Genesis engaged the replicas, only to be thwarted easily. Genesis' weapon was knocked away and before being pounded into the ground by an aerial attack; Sephiroth's slash was evaded and he was blasted to the opposite end of the room by a Fire spell and crashing into the back wall, sliding down and into a heap as he hit the floor.
Neither of them got back up, though they tried, letting out grunts of pain as while trying to stand. They weren't going to give up it seemed, attempting to get back on their feet. If they did, it would be a miracle.
It was inevitable. They were going to die if I didn't do something. With wounds like those, I don't know how they survived this long, let alone kept moving.
And if they couldn't handle it, what could I do? Not much, but no harm in trying.
The focus of the three data things fell on me. No expression flashed upon their faces. It was as if they were saying: 'Oh look, you're still intact. We'll have to fix that.'
So how was I going to go about this?
The Angeal copy stood just in view to my left, not taking any sort of stance. He must have been confident enough to not worry about that with me. I might be able to take the Angeal one, but only for a short time. I'm his apprentice; I know some of his techniques. Though I can mimic his style, I couldn't match his strength.
If Genesis' thing came at me I'd have a seventy-five percent chance of parrying the attack head on, since I have actually sparred with him before—which is coming in handy right about now. I knew some of his moves, but only a handful. If he decides to cast a spell, I might be screwed.
And then there was the Sephiroth clone, which there was no preparation for. If the Sephiroth data thing came at me from my right, I would have to dodge depending on the angle because there was no way I could take a serious hit from him—if he was a true replica of the real Sephiroth, that is. If I dodged though, that would leave Angeal wide open behind me.
"Zack, listen," Angeal warned from behind me, still breathless. I would look back, but that could very well be the death of me. Whatever he wanted to say, it would have to be said quickly, before those things attacked. After that, I doubt I'd be listening to anything he wanted to tell me. "Run."
So that was what he wanted to say… "No. I'm not going anywhere." That was for sure.
"Just go!" He was basically hollering at me now.
I indignantly yelled back, "I'm not moving!"
"Get out of here—that's an order!" You can't pull rank on me, Angeal. Not today.
"I'm not going to run." I braced myself, ready and waiting. "I'm going to fight with you, even if I don't fight for long—"
"You don't get it!" Angeal bellowed over my voice. He had enough energy to drown me out.
"You have to go. They're after Cloud—you have to stay with him, Zack." Cloud?! But why?! Why didn't I catch this before?! Why didn't they just blatantly tell me that?! I would have stayed put! "You…can't…" He didn't finish his sentence; succumbing at last as I heard his body hit the floor. Alarmed, I started to turn around but was caught off guard.
Something extraordinary or awful was happening. The room itself was shifting. I thought it was over—someone had heard our calls and came to the rescue by shutting down the program.
But I was wrong. It only shifted to another area; those replicas still remained in their stance while surrounding me. They didn't move even as scenery changed.
Where were we now? Metal, concrete and plaster walls were replaced trees, grass, sounds of a river—but it seemed vaguely familiar. I couldn't place it. It didn't matter either. At least it wasn't unbearably dark anymore, though it was nighttime in this simulation.
I could now see where they would attack from, if they ever did attack. They were standing as still as before. Were they…frozen?
Was this really it? Was it over?
It couldn't be. Why was the program still working…? If it was over, why wasn't it off?
The moment I began asking myself these questions, Cloud burst through a thicket of bushes stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the state of the three first class SOLDIERs.
And the programs I was just beginning to believe were frozen moved to look at him.
And I wasn't quick enough to stop their plan, the Angeal and Genesis clones saw to that—two-on-one. I received gashes here and there thanks to Genesis' deft blade, Angeal moving in while viciously knocking the sword from my grasp and delivering a series of nonstop punches—the last one being an upper cut that sent me airborne. Genesis' copy, who hadn't had enough, caught me by the collar before I hit the ground and all but tossed me into the nearest tree; and I crashed clean through it with no interference.
And now there wasn't a damn thing I could do about anything anymore.
Wasn't I supposed to be a hero?
What did it mean to be a hero anyway?
Author's Note (End of the journey): Wooot. I finished yet another chapter. I'm on a role. I guess I'll just upload all my stuff.
So yeah, this chapter was Zack going from unsure about himself in the beginning, to confident and then back to uncertain. At least that's what I got.
Remember, beginning chapter 12 I'm going to start over like I did in the beginning with a consecutive series of chapters dealing with the main five's point of view. This stuff here is just background.
- Vincentre
