Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.
Chapter Eleven
Kadaj brought his sword around, placing the blade before his body. The sharp edge of the long sword clashed against it and energy erupted between them. The remnant felt himself spiraling down toward the ground, but it was of little consequence to him now. He had a much greater chance of being killed by the blade then dying from any impact.
He stared into Loz's eyes. Though the face looking back at him was that of his brother, he wasn't the same. There was no trace of Loz inside, only Sephiroth. He could feel his kindred energy radiating off his body. His words in Kadaj's mind were no different than the words that would occasionally come from his mouth.
But they were all lies. And Kadaj wasn't about to believe them.
He pulled away from Sephiroth, spinning in the air to avoid the swipe the greater man took for his neck. He tumbled so that he was upright, and found his footing when he reached the snow-covered ground. Immediately, he leapt again, soaring over his brother as he hovered above him. He flipped over his head and attempted to attack him from behind.
But Sephiroth was quick. He spun to meet him, a rain of feathers scattering in the air between them. His one wing was spread far as he used it to propel himself through the air, chasing after Kadaj.
The remnant was struck in the face by Sephiroth's hand, and knocked back to the snow-covered landscape. He tumbled through the frigid snowflakes, but brought himself upright again. An angry howl escaped his lips as he swung at the man, their swords colliding once again. He pressed into him with all the strength he could muster, but Loz was always stronger than him, and being possessed only made it worse.
Kadaj was thrown off balance and barely had time to lift his blade. Sephiroth's sword struck it awkwardly, threatening to dislodge the hilt from his grasp. He managed to hold onto it long enough to readjust his stance and fix his grip. He faced him and was forced to go on the defensive still. His brother stood firmly on the ground now, his blade cutting left and right.
They had been fighting for hours now. The site of the Forgotten City was far behind them, lost in the storm that seemed to appear in their wake. Trees had been shattered and uprooted in the aftermath of his clash with Sephiroth. Even Yazoo had fallen. Kadaj wasn't sure if he was still alive, but he couldn't let his fear and grief distract him.
In the end, he still had a purpose to fulfill.
He knew where Sephiroth was driving him. He was directing their fight so that they continued to press toward the Northern Cave. Sephiroth's own words and thoughts had betrayed his intentions. He was going to kill Genesis.
Kadaj wasn't about to let that happen, but even if he failed, he wouldn't let their plan be ruined. And he wouldn't let Sephiroth use his brother.
They had been used for too long, too often.
He jumped back from the one-winged angel just as a fire erupted between them. A blast of energy and steam rushed upward, clouding Kadaj's vision and disorienting him for a moment. Sephiroth was lost from his sight as he jumped further back, trying to determine what was happening.
In a flash of red, he spotted Genesis. With his red sword flaming, he leapt into the center of the battle. His sword clashed with Sephiroth's, meeting his weapon in a series of quick, precise attacks. He drove the one-winged angel back, forcing him to retreat.
A smile was on Loz's face. Genesis' emergence did nothing to deter him. It only made his objective that much easier to accomplish and for a second, Kadaj was afraid for the man who had become his mentor. He knew Sephiroth was bent on destroying him.
With a downward thrust of his wing, Sephiroth threw himself toward the sky, out of Genesis' range for the moment.
Following in suit, a large gray wing emerged from Genesis' back, stretching wide from his left side. Kadaj stared in wonder and amazement.
"Go!" Genesis yelled back at him, before he also took off into the sky, following after their opponent. The remnant stood there for a moment longer, gazing up at the two men as they clashed.
Genesis' command finally sunk in. He had his role to play, and a role only he could accomplish.
He took off running, cutting through the snow and heading in the general direction of the Northern Cave. He didn't look back at the two enemies fighting above him. He could hear the sounds of their blades clashing and of the power they both unleashed. The very air vibrated with it. Any destruction he and Sephiroth had left behind would be nothing compared to what those two former SOLDIERs could unleash.
He heard a rush of movement close by and looked back. He was caught off guard as Sephiroth flew right toward him, ignoring Genesis only long enough to land a strike. Kadaj tried in vain to avoid his cold blade and cried out as he felt it cut through the back of his shoulder. He stumbled and fell forward in the snow, but before Sephiroth could take advantage of his vulnerability, Genesis was driving him away from the remnant.
Kadaj took a moment to recover. He watched his droplets of blood stain the white snow below him as he shuddered from the searing pain. Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself to his feet. He turned around, facing Genesis and Sephiroth as they circled above him, the man in red fighting to protect him. He tightened his grip on his sword, watching in anger.
"Go!" Genesis said again.
As much as he wanted to stay there and finish the fight, he knew what a better victory would be. He calmed himself as much as he could and drew on the power that flowed deep inside of him - a power he had been denying himself for far too long. As much as he hated that part of who he was, it was a part he essentially needed if he was going to succeed.
The dark wing flourished from the wound on his shoulder, wracking him with an entirely different pain. But he bore through it as he thrust himself into the air, flying away from the fight and toward the end.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review. ^_^
