Chapter 10
Sephiroth and his team trekked through the knee high snow on Mount Nibel. It was freezing cold. Genesis, Zack and Reno complained about it but the others stayed silent.
"How much further?" Zack asked.
"Not much longer. About another mile and we'll be at the edge of Nibelheim." Tseng replied.
Zack groaned then thought, "This is for River. We're going to save him from Hojo." He pushed on in the cold snow.
"Why does it have to be so freaking cold?" Reno complained, arms huddled around himself to try to keep warm.
"Reno." Rude warned and Reno fell silent.
Another bitter hour later they made it to the edge of Nibelhiem.
River dodged the blast of fire from the powerful Nibel dragon.
His feet hit the floor and he back-flipped out of the creature's aim.
He leveled his sword and ran at the dragon's back. He jumped over the tail.
The dragon turned around and at the same moment pained seared through River's wounds from yesterday.
The dragon's huge claw slammed into him and he flew across the room and collided with the wall. His body fell limp on the ground below.
Blood dripped into River's right eye as he struggled to sit up. Bones shifted as he moved. He could feel his left arm was bent awkwardly as well as his right thigh and ankle.
River saw the blurred image of the dragon getting ready to burn him. He had just enough time to create a small ice shield before fire swirled around him.
River screamed.
Sephiroth looked up towards the old Shin-ra Mansion as he heard something.
"River?" he whispered. It sounded like he was screaming.
"Seph?" Angeal asked, looking at his friend and commanding officer.
"He's in there." Sephiroth said, nodding toward the mansion.
"Are you sure?" Genesis asked.
"Yes, I heard him. He was screaming." Sephiroth answered, his voice monotone.
Everyone looked at Sephiroth startled.
"Hojo must be doing something to him." Reno said.
"Come on, lets see if we can make it to the mansion without being caught." Tseng said giving Reno, Zack, and Genesis a long stare.
They then trudged toward the old mansion.
River whimpered as he felt cool hands touch his burning skin. He looked up to see worried red eyes looking down at him.
"I'm sorry." whispered Vincent.
River shook his head. "...not your fault." he gasped quietly.
A glass of cold water was placed at his lips and River gulped the liquid down.
"Thank you." River said to Vincent.
Vincent nodded. He picked up River and was escorted by several guards back to their cell.
Once they were left alone Vincent looked down at River. "Chaos and the others are growing stronger. Maybe strong enough to break us out. Hojo has neglected his care over me." he told the little red head.
"Really?" whispered River.
Vincent nodded softly.
"We could get out of here?" River asked.
Vincent nodded again.
"When?" River inquired.
"Tonight. Hojo will be in the village tonight to meet with President Shin-ra." Vincent replied.
"Okay. So we'll escape tonight?" River said quietly.
Vincent nodded once more.
"Thank you, Gaia." whispered River as he drifted off to sleep.
Sephiroth's sword slashed through one of the guards guarding the mansion.
It was pitch black outside and only the small insects could be heard.
Sephiroth leaned around the corner of the mansion to look at the back entrance door.
No guards.
"Come on. Elena, Cissnei, guard the door." Tseng commanded.
Sephiroth nodded in agreement to his decision.
Soon they were inside the mansion.
They went through the building, easily dispatching five guards they came upon.
"How do we get to the labs?" Zack asked, looking around the study they were currently in.
"Maybe there's some secret passage to get to it." Reno joked. "Like pull one of these books and a bookshelf moves to reveal a hidden door." He pulled at a book. Reno then yelped and jumped as gears groaned and the bookshelf moved to the side, revealing a doorway.
The group looked at each other quietly before making their way inside.
Floor to ceiling mako tanks, some empty and some full of the greenish liquid were inside the room giving it an eerie glow. Two computers sat on a metal desk and a bookshelf sat in the back of the room. Another door led to somewhere else.
Sephiroth picked up one of the books that had sat on the metal desk. The book was titled 'Project Zero'. He flipped to the first page that held the basic info of the project. It contained... River's name...