cLerith raven:
gawd, I'm amazed I've gone as far as the Last chapter!! I've written some stories, but never even got past the third chapter… CLorith reaLLy brings out a part of me that isn't there… hehe ()
thanks for everyone who read this story!! I'm gLad you Liked it, and I'm amazed at the same time… I didn't actuaLLy think this would be any good… hehe…
Your Guardian Angel
Chapter 9: I'm Your Guardian Angel
Cloud held Aerith close to him, his head rested on her shoulders. He tried to keep the tears in his eyes from falling, but it was no use. Sephiroth watched as Cloud cried over Aerith's body.
"Aerith… why?" Cloud asked.
Aerith stirred, she wasn't dead yet. She grunted before saying, "Hey, I'm your Guardian Angel, remember? I can't possibly let anything happen to you."
Cloud looked at her with awe, and then he smiled. "I thought I'd lost you…" he whispered.
"Cloud, Angels don't die… I've told you that…" Aerith said. "But, I'm no ordinary Angel, and so I've retained my physical body… heh," she added.
"But, what's to happen now?" Cloud asked. He looked deeply into her radiant green eyes. She looked so innocent even though she was crying.
Aerith looked away; she knew that the answer would bring him more suffering. After a while, she sighed. "Angels never die, they just vanish," she finally replied.
Cloud looked down and just hugged her again. Aerith suddenly grunted; her wound had hurt.
"I'm not gonna last much longer…" Aerith admitted. "Cloud… I'm really glad you're safe…" she whispered as she placed a hand on his cheek.
Suddenly, green and white arkings appeared all over Aerith's body. And there was one very special mark that appeared on her forehead, a crescent moon. These markings glowed very bright. Sephiroth closed his eyes, blinded by the glow, but Cloud's eyes remained open.
"Aerith?" Cloud asked. Aerith smiled as her whole body fades away, from her foot up to her head. Cloud managed to hold Aerith's hand for one last time before he felt it vanish.
Cloud clenched his fists. He looked around and found what he was looking for… his sword. He stood up and walked over to where it was. He picked up his broadsword, and a red-orange aura covered him. "You'll pay for this…" he whispered. "Sephiroth!" he shouted as he turned and looked up at his opponent. "You'll pay!" he screamed as he jumped up and strike at Sephiroth.
"Hmph, I'd like to see you try!" Sephiroth taunted. He blocked Cloud's attack with ease. "Let's dance," he teased.
Cloud gritted his teeth and charged at Sephiroth even more. His rage was evident with every blow.
--
The Oracle Twins sat beside each other, solemnly praying, chanting words in a different language. They were reaching into someone's consciousness, an Ancient Angel's consciousness. They searched through many dimensions for a while, and finally, they found her.
"Aerith…" they both called out. They opened their eyes, and their pupils turned into viral slits.
--
Aerith was walking along a dark path. No one else was there, she was very alone. She stopped walking and fell on her knees. She felt weak, aware of the fact that she was there, without anyone there for her, beside her. She held her body and closed her eyes.
'So, this is the dark abyss where Angels fade into?' she thought. 'It's so lonely here, so cold.'
Suddenly, a warm light appeared in front of her. It was calling her name. Aerith looked at it. Slowly, two pairs of hands emerged from within the light. They were calling her name. She recognized their voices.
"The Oracle Twins…" Aerith realized. She reached for Oracle Twins' hands. As her hands came in contact with theirs, she felt magic, strong magic, course into her body, deep into her soul.
Aerith closed her eyes as the Oracle Twins pulled her out of the darkness she was in. When she opened her eyes, she was in a white place. The Oracle Twins were standing right in front of her. She looked at them with awe and confusion.
"How did you reach me?" Aerith asked.
"Aerith… an Ancient Angel is the only person who could save Sephiroth from the darkness he's in," Alyssa said.
"An Ancient Angel can never fade away completely…" Nicole added. "A part of your consciousness still exists in the human world," she added.
"How did you reach me?" Aerith asked again. She couldn't understand what was happening.
"Aerith, you left a part of you, of your soul and heart, in the human world," Alyssa began. "With that little consciousness, you remained and never completely vanished. That consciousness is what we sensed and used to reach you," she replied.
"Where is that consciousness?" Aerith inquired.
"A part of you is inside Cloud, inside his heart and soul," Nicole replied. "You and your memories are inside of him, in his mind and body," she added.
What Aerith heard made her smile. She was glad that Cloud treasured her.
"Aerith, find Jenova… She can't completely rest, for she too, wants something that remains in the human world," Alyssa told Aerith.
"That is Sephiroth…" Aerith realized. The Oracle Twins nodded. "Where is she?" she asked.
The Oracle Twins turned around and waved their hands in front of them. Slowly, an image appeared of a silver-haired woman in a black robe appeared. She was sitting alone, staring into space as if she was lifeless.
"Go through here, Aerith," the Oracle Twins instructed. "This is a portal to her world," they added. Aerith nodded, and the Oracle Twins faded away. Aerith did as the Oracles told her and went through the portal.
--
The Oracle Twins opened their eyes. They had succeeded in what they had set out to do, to guide Aerith.
"She knows what to do," Alyssa said as she put a hand on her twin's shoulder.
"She's a wonderful person," Nicole commented. "She will be able to do anything," she added.
Alyssa nodded and smiled. "After all, she's an Ancient Angel," she said.
--
Jenova sat alone, unmoving. She was thinking of someone, of Sephiroth. Nothing seemed to make sense to her. She thought he had felt the same way about her, but he never told her that. She held her body, feeling so alone.
A light appeared in front of her, making her look upward. Aerith walked out of that light and looked at her, smiling at her.
"Jenova, right?" Aerith asked.
Jenova nodded and asked, "Who are you? And how did you know my name?"
"Let's just say that, Sephiroth's told us about you," Aerith replied. Jenova was awestruck; she was puzzled at Aerith's words.
"What? He did? He really did?" Jenova asked, a small smile appeared on her lips.
Aerith nodded and said, "He's been desperate to see you… so desperate that he couldn't rest until he found you."
Jenova tilted her head and looked away. "Where is he?" she asked.
Aerith pointed her hand on an image beside her. It was showing Sephiroth as he fought with Cloud. She then explained everything that she needed to know about what has happened to Sephiroth.
"Go to him, Jenova," Aerith said. "So you can both rest…"
Jenova smiled and stood up. She walked over to the portal and slowly touched it. "Thank you," she said with a nod before she walked through the portal. Aerith smiled.
--
Sephiroth and Cloud continued to swing their swords at each other. Sometimes, Cloud would manage to hit Sephiroth, but the latter would only counter him with a powerful blast of magic.
Cloud was panting, and so was Sephiroth. Cloud was holding his sword in a lousy manner, he was evidently tired. Sephiroth's wings were down and he was heaving, showing his weariness.
"Sephiroth, just stop this! Let's end this now!" Cloud shouted at Sephiroth.
Sephiroth grinned evilly. "Yes, I am going to end this, right now!" he shouted. He held up his hand and prepared to shoot Cloud with a powerful blast of blue-gray magic.
Cloud tried to raise his sword to block what Sephiroth was about to shoot at him. But his hands were too weak and he ended up dropping to his knees.
Sephiroth grinned even more. "Die," he said. He was about to let the magic go when a spirit of a woman appeared before him. Sparkles of light glittered around her, encircling her. Her arms were wide open, as if welcoming him into her arms. The magic he held in his hand slowly vanished as he stared into her eyes. "J-Jenova?" he asked.
Jenova smiled and nodded at him. She held out her hand to reach him. Sephiroth did the same, and they held hands.
"Sephiroth… stop all of this," Jenova said.
"It's too Late for that now," Sephiroth said, looking down. "There are so many sins I've committed."
"Every sin is forgivable, Sephiroth," a gentle voice suddenly said. It was Aerith. She appeared beside Jenova, in her spirit form. "Now, rest. Rest with Jenova," she added.
Sephiroth nodded and closed his eyes. His wings began to fade away. Jenova looked at Aerith, then at Cloud. "Thank you," she said before they both vanish with the wind.
Cloud stared at Aerith, although she had her back turned on him, she could feel the weight of his stare. She turned around and looked into his eyes, just like he was doing.
"Aerith…" Cloud gasped.
"Cloud," Aerith breathed.
"You're not staying, are you?" he asked. He sighed deeply.
"I came to see you, one last time," Aerith declared. "And to say… goodbye," she whispered. She walked closer to him and held his hands, but they just went through. She was fading away…
Cloud looked at her, hurt was in his eyes. "Why did this have to happen?" he asked softly.
Aerith slowly stepped back and said, "This is what was meant to be…" Aerith smiled before she finally disappeared.
Cloud looked up and fell on his knees. The necklace he had on around his neck bounced off and fell on the ground. He buried his face in his hands, crying.
--
Aerith watched as Cloud cried in the reflection in front of her. Tears slowly fell from her eyes and she clutched her chest. It was hurting her so much deep inside. 'I'm so sorry, Cloud," she thought.
"Aerith… is he important to you?" a voice from behind her asked. Aerith turned around and saw Holly, smiling at her.
"Yes," Aerith replied.
Ifalna came flying downwards, and landed beside Aerith. "Then go to him," she said as she placed her hands over her daughter's shoulders.
"How could I? I'm… lost…" Aerith whispered.
"You are not lost, Aerith. Have you forgotten? A part of you is inside Cloud. You are still there," Holly explained.
Aerith looked up at Holly and smiled. "But, how could I get back?" she asked.
"Follow your heart, Aerith… It will show you the way… back…" Ifalna said as she smiled.
Aerith put her hands together and lifted it up to her chest, right in front of her heart, and closed her eyes. She remembered every moment she had spent with Cloud, through the good and bad. What happened next surprised Aerith.
A bright, white light appeared from within Aerith. It then beamed outwards, towards the reflection in front of her. She looked back at Ifalna and Holly who were smiling at her. They nodded then disappeared into the darkness. Aerith took a deep breath before stepping towards the light.
--
Cloud was blinded by the bright light that appeared from the necklace beside him. He covered his eyes with his hands and tried to keep his eyes open. When everything went back to normal, Cloud saw the necklace beside him and put it back on.
Suddenly, the necklace beamed towards a dark part of the trees. There, a familiar figure standing near the dark part of the forest. The shade had covered her face, but he knew that she was smiling. He knew that smile very well.
"Aerith?" Cloud asked as he stood up. "Is that… really you?"
Aerith stepped out of the darkness and smiled even more at Cloud. "What do you think?" she asked.
Cloud ran towards Aerith and held her tight. "You're back!" he exclaimed. They broke apart and he looked into her emerald green eyes. "Are you leaving me again?" he asked.
Aerith giggled and shook her head. "I never left, Cloud. I'm your Guardian Angel, remember?" she said with a chuckle.
Cloud smiled and wrapped his arms around Aerith's waist. He pulled her closer to him and said, "I'm glad you're here."
Aerith tilted her head. "I was always here with you," she said.
Cloud held Aerith's cheek and slowly leaned over to kiss her. Aerith closed her eyes and kissed him too, wrapping her arms around his neck.
It was almost dawn, and the sunrise looked beautiful with the two lovers. They broke apart and hugged each other, both with smiles on their faces.
THE END
Or is it??