A/N: This chapter is in Zack's POV. I do not own Final Fantasy or the characters, only Kunsel's design concerning his face.
Chapter Fourteen:
My eyes opened slowly. Smoke clouded my vision but I forced myself to sit up, carefully. The smoke suddenly cleared and all I saw was ruin. I tried to shift my weight but my leg began to ache tremendously. I winced in pain and looked down. Sharp rocks were buried deep into my legs, I touched my shoulder as well and pressed down on it, wincing. I began to mentally panic.
The sounds of moans and groans suddenly became real to me and I looked around hesitantly. Soldiers were unconscious, severly injured, or...dead. I tried to move forward even though the pain was unbearable. I could still walk, so I might as well take advantage of what I have while few no longer had their own set of legs.
"Kunsel....!" My voice sounded far off to me, but I continued to call out to my comrade. I tripped over something and I fell down, hard. I winced and looked back at what I tripped over. My eyes widened suddenly and I scrambled to turn my body back to the source. I touched it, moved its arm and realized...this was Kunsel.
"K-kunsel...?" I shook his body lightly and his head turned.I smiled weakly, laughing a little. "Y-ou're ok...ay..." My words trailed off. My vision cleared itself up again. I looked down at my friend, gasping. His neck was badly damaged along with the features in his face. I crawled away from him, my heart pounding against my rib cage. He wasn't alive, was he...? He didn't look it...not at all. I forced myself to stand and ignored my own pain for a moment. "A-anyone....?...." I said more to myself. I heard from behind me a weak groan. I rushed over to the sound and my eyes automatically recognized the soldier's hair color. His blue eyes stared up at me and I stared back in shock rather than relief. This was his first day out on the field and already this happens to him...
"Cloud..." I whispered to him. Cloud's eyes suddenly became half lidded and his lips quivered as he tried to speak: no words were spoken. The blonde tried to move his body but couldn't. I ran my hands down his body, feeling all the holes that now covered his body. Sharp shards of glass and rocks penetrated his flesh and I winced knowing exactly how he feels. "S-sir..." He whimpered suddenly. I shushed him and ran my hands over the fresh wounds again. I had to get him to a medic and fast. Judging by where the boy was hit. I couldn't really do much in this location, the supplies had to be mixed in with the rubble of the base. I stood up and touched my legs, searching for where the pain was the strongest. I grabbed a large shard that was in my leg and pulled suddenly. I bit down on my lip to keep myself from screaming or even crying. Blood spilled from my wound but I could move even better now. I reached down and picked up the boy, slinging him over my shoulder. "Come on, kid...." I murmured to myself. I quickly left the base and, being as stealthy as I can, manuvuered through the forest.
Carrying Cloud was suddenly becoming difficult for me. I set him down for a moment and relaxed before picking him up again, this time putting the boy on my back. A loud roar was heard overhead and my eyes looked up at the dark sky. I could see the clouds suddenly becoming thick with unfallen tears and wished for it to hold on just a little bit longer until I reached a medic, or someone...anyone on our side.
When Wutai troops came around, I instinctively hid behind a tree, set the boy down and waited. I, over and over again, ran my bayonet through the enemy's chest, slit their throats, letting their blood stain my uniform along with my own. My hands shook as I pulled the blade out of the Wutaian's body and let their body hit the dirt without giving them a second glance. I went back to my wounded comrade and picked him up, trecking through the battle ground once again.
The rain suddenly began to fall.
The sound of it rang through my ears, blocking off one of my senses to the enemy. I cursed the sky and adjusted the grip I had on Cloud's legs. I felt his body falling away from mine and I forced him to rest against my back.
"Come on, you're gonna make it." I said to him in a whisper. His eyes were barely open and his mouth hung open slightly. It seemed as if he were lifeless, but I could feel him breathing. The rain poured down on our heads as I trecked forward. The wound in my shoulder suddenly began to burn but he kept him up high, not letting him go.
"You're gonna make it," I said to him yet again, and still I recieved no response.
A light buzz hit my eardrum and I stopped in my tracks. "Fair--I need--" The call transferred in and out and I frowned. I continued to walk as the signal grew fainter by the minute. What the hell was Reno trying to say....? I stopped again and rested Cloud against a tree, looking around cautiously. My bayonet was out and ready for anyone who dared to cross me. I pressed against the button attached to my vest and spoke. "Reno, can you read me?" I let the button go and heard nothing. I shrugged my shoulders and went back to Cloud about to pick him up.
"Z--Zack--I need backup, I repeat--! S-shit...!--" The call ended automatically. A loud gunshot was heard not too far off from me and my head whipped around in that direction. I cursed out loud and quickly picked up Cloud, rushing to the source.
"Shit...." I heard a familiar voice say in the distance. I braced myself against a tree and set the blonde down before peeking around the tree trunk with my hand gun in hand. Reno tripped, landing on a dead body of one of his own men. His stomach turned and he quickly got up on his feet, aiming his gun at the man before him. He reached for the button his chest and tried to call out to contact someone again. The rain suddenly began to pour down harder than before, blocking a clear view of who it was Reno was up against. The redhead's legs began to tremble underneath him and his gun suddenly slipped through his fingers when the taller man inched closer.
"I...d-don't wanna die...I don't wanna die...!" Reno said. My heart began to ache with not only understanding but with fear. I looked down at the dead surrounding him and felt something coming over me. He glanced down at Cloud and saw that he was getting much worse. I smiled weakly and rested my hand on his head. "Looks like I can't save you after all..." I pushed myself away from the tree and leaped into action. Reno saw me and automatically turned to run away from the battle completely. Tch, typical. My gun went off and I thought I hit the target. I smirked, feeling accomplished. I weakened him!
...For some reason, I regretted doing that.
My gun lowered a little and I took a small step forward. Something about this man...seemed familiar. Just as I took another step forward, the man turned his head. I jumped and pulled up my gun again. "Don't move!" I demanded. The man suddenly moved, quickly than I expected. The gun was knocked out of my hand and I watched it hit the ground. It went off and my arm blocked the man's punch. He suddenly knocked off my helmet off of my head and the rain covered my vision. My bangs stuck to my forehead and I almost went to wipe my face, but it was pointless.
My leg went up to kick the enemy but it was grabbed. I gasped, moving my other leg in response, hitting the man and catching him offguard. I smirked in accomplishment yet again, but it was wiped right off my face when my other leg was grabbed as well. My eyes widened and I felt my back being slammed into a nearby tree. The wind was knocked out of me and I hissed in pain. A hand suddenly went around my neck. His hand squeezed only once and I felt the air being cut off in an instant. My eyes hesitated to stay open and my hands fought against his grip. "Fuck....not today...not now...!" I reached down and felt around for my dagger without the man noticing. My hand grabbed onto the handle and swiftly ran the blade along the bigger man's arm. It stabbed him and he let me go instantly. I dropped to the ground but quickly got up to retaliate. I kicked him, slammed my fist into his face, making him stumble. I tackled him into the ground and grabbed him by his hair, holding my dagger to his throat.
"And now...you die, Wutai scu--...!"
I suddenly froze. My hand quivered, making the dagger unsteady against the man's neck. I pressed it against his skin, making him bleed only a little. My eyes closed for a moment and I let a laugh escape my lips. "...After all this time..."
His dark eyes stared up at me. They were cold and ruthless. The wound from my shoulder bled through my shirt and hit the man's face underneath me. The grip on my dagger was somehow nonexistant now. My hand let go of his black hair and hesitantly touched his face, my eyes suddenly burning.
"After all this time...." I repeated.
After all this time, I finally found you...Angeal.
A/N: Tehee~ Indeed, it is Angeal Hewley. :3 Hopefully, you guys figured out that the italics are the past and the non italics are the present. =O But yeah....
Please review or something. Thanks for reading!