Claire's POV
The ability to see the fate of mankind was a burden I wouldn't wish on anybody, but it was the price I had paid for my freedom from Sephiroth's hold. The worst part of it all was the fact that all I could do was watch. Ignorance is bliss. I always hated that phrase.. Being clinical and precise about everything was always important to me, but I finally understand that sometimes it can be a blessing. Over time; for lack of a better word, I had explored the city that I silently guarded, and stumbled upon a coliseum. It was quite literally an amphitheater of death.
I walk through to the pit, picking up the pace as I hear the sound of a battle erupting through the tunnels. When I finally get there, I find an armoured man that stood about ten feet tall, with a staff, fighting what looked like a toy moogle. I can't help but frown at the tiny toy's pitiful attempt to fight back, only to be swatted to the ground like a fly, despite it being a courageous act.
"I have no use for one so weak.. And in Valhalla, the weak serve the strong.." The armoured knight said with a demonic tone. "Only the strong can avoid death's embrace.."
"Wait!" I shout, causing them both to turn.
"I am the Arbiter of time. Not even the Guardian can stay my hand from my duty.." The knight said.
"You said the weak serve the strong.. I'm the strongest thing here.. The moogle serves me.." I command.
"...As you wish." He mutters angrily.
"Come on, before I change my mind." I tell the moogle, who nods in relief. "You got a name?"
"Mog, Kupo.." He say's wearily as he follows me back to the temple.
"Well Mog, are you of any use to me?" I ask, unsure what I should do with him now that I had spared him. "To be honest, I thought moogles were just in fairytales.."
"I'm quite real, Kupo. I can change into whatever you need, Kupo." Mog tells me.
"I doubt you could turn into what I want.." I sigh, thinking of the blonde. "...Show me."
The little moogle gives me a nod and vanishes in a poof of smoke, just as I feel something cold and metallic dropped into my hands. The tiny cloud dissipates to reveal a strange looking sword with a large, blue and pink hilt that had a crystal in the center that was the same as the Mog's 'antenna'. I brush my thumb over the edge to find it was razor sharp. Quite impressed with the little creature's ability, I toss it into the air so he could return to his original form. To my surprise, the blade splits down the middle and opens up, turning into a bow, before finally Mog appears.
"Not bad." I nod.
I'm about to speak again when I see another vision. The man falling from the gate.. He was only young, with brunette hair and a strange looking sword. I've seen him before.. at the end of time.. Noel Kreiss, the last of humanity. Maybe you can bring my sister to me. It was a strange and twisted thing to be able to see a person's entire lifespan, but knowing the kind of man Noel was, I knew he could be trusted.
"You okay, Kupo?" Mog asks, floating close to my face.
"Fine." I lie.
All that was left was for me to wait until the end of time. Half of me wanted the day to never come but I'd do anything for a distraction from my thoughts. Just a few moments away from playing out scenario's that could have been. Stopping Sephiroth and living happily ever after. As selfish as it sounds, there isn't anything that I wouldn't give to have Cloud and my sister by my side, but I know it would be nothing short of a miracle just to see one of them again.
Tifa's POV
I follow Cloud in silence as we are only a few hundred meters from the center of the crater. He walks as if he's in a trance; probably trying to process what he'd just saw. I feel disgusted in myself for lying to him for all this time, but I thought that I could protect him by hiding the truth from him. I guess I was wrong... I often wonder about Zack, but was too terrified to bring it up in fear of Cloud suffering a breakdown. Pushing the thought to the back of my mind, I check my equipment for the battle ahead. Within moments, my eyes fall to the center of the crater, where a small opening that looks like it goes deep into the heart of the planet.
"I think maybe we should-" I begin, but Cloud continues on, slowly walking down the steep slope that leads us to a cave full of crystal and three unexpected enemies.
"H-Hey! Where did you come from!" Scarlet roars as she spots Cloud walking right towards them with me right behind.
"This place is going to get rough. Better leave things to me and get out while you still can." Cloud replies, but I can't help but notice that something was off with his voice.
"Leave things to you? Hmph... I don't know what you mean." Rufus says smugly, but my eyes are on Hojo who is grinning to himself silently.
"This is where the reunion is happening. Where everything begins and ends." Cloud continues.
I go to try and shake some sense into the blonde, but I spot Barret rushing down the ramp, panting heavily.
"Damn, Tifa! You sure can run fast- What the hell are they doin' here!?" Barret pants as he rushes over to Cloud.
Before I can open my mouth, Cloud holds out his hand and asks for the black materia. I go to shot but no sound comes out and I feel like I'm being choked. Barret frowns at Cloud, but eventually gives him the obsidian orb that could doom us all.
"Kinda glad.. Don't like holdin' that thing at all.." Barret sighs.
"I'll take care of things from here.." Cloud says, before turning to the rest of us. "Everyone, thanks for everyting.. And... I'm sorry.. Especially you Tifa.. I'm really sorry.. I never lived up to being 'Cloud'.."
"HAHAHAHA! This is perfect! It means my experiment was a complete success!" Hojo cackles as I feel a little part of me die inside. "What number are you? Where's your tattoo?" He adds, now sounding annoyed.
"You never gave me one.. You said I was a failure.." Cloud mutters.
"Only a failure made it here!? Miserable failure!"
Barret raises his gun arm to fire at Hojo, but is knocked off balance as the ground starts to shake. I'm almost positive that I saw a huge eye flicker inside the crystalline walls, but my attention turns to Cloud, who's feet lift off the ground slowly, and he begins to ascend up to the roof of the cave which is covered with a web of thick roots and crystal.
"My theory was correct. Even if Jenova's body is dismembered, it will eventually become one again. That's what is meant by the Jenova reunion. I have been waiting for it to start. It's been five years.. I thought they would gather at Midgar, where it's body was stored. But Jenova itself began to move away from the Shinra building. You see, it was all Sephiroth's doing." Hojo smiles.
As Cloud reaches the root system at the top of the cave, the whole thing shudders, loosening enough to lower a crystal 'egg' into view. We all gasp when our eyes fall on the upper half of Sephiroth's body, encased inside a crystal tomb. Even Rufus is begging Cloud to stop, but all we can do is watch as his hand pierces the crystal with the materia, giving it to Sephiroth. The whole crater seems to erupt in anger as Hojo just stands there and laughs. It was the President who was the light of reason.
"Everyone to the airship! There's still more I wish to know." Rufus orders.
My eyes remain fixated on Cloud, but I feel Barret's hand grip my arm, pulling me away. The whole cave collapses in on itself, and the last thing I remember was an ocean of water consuming Cloud and then myself...
Cloud's POV
The icy water snaps me back to my senses, just in time to watch myself get consumed by the planet. Monstrous beings burst out of the water around me, causing currents that suck me further down into the pits of hell. The cold liquid feels like razor blades on my lungs as my body forces me to take a breath. The dim light from above fades as I sink to my demise.
"Giving up already?" I hear Aeris voice speak to me.
"I'm dead?.." I say, almost in relief.
"Do you want to be?" She asks.
"I deserve to be.." I sigh. "...I'm sorry.. I couldn't save you.."
"You where never meant to save me.. You came.. That's all that matters.."
"What do you mean, I was never meant to save you? You knew this was going to happen?" I ask I disbelief.
"I did.. I told Claire not to blame herself, but I don't think she remembers.. But if you want to stop Sephiroth, you're going to need Claire.."
"Aeris... She's gone.." I say with a breaking voice. "How could she stop Sephiroth?"
"Only you can stop Sephiroth.. But everyone needs a reason to fight.. Something personal.. Something beyond the desire just to continue living.. But being out of sight doesn't mean gone, silly.. If you want, I'll send you to her.. And maybe you can find the real you too.." Aeris offers.
"The real me?.."
"Sephiroth wasn't lying when he showed you what happened in Nibelheim. But you weren't created.. You were born in Nibelheim and you grew up with the dream of becoming Soldier first class.."
"You know what happened to me?" I ask with hope peaking my voice.
"I do now.. But I can't tell you.. It's something that you'll have to discover on your own.. Claire has been sent to her own world.. She was injected with Sephiroth cells taken from your body.. upon her return she has corrupted time itself. Her, and two worlds full of people will die if the paradoxes are not resolved. Perhaps you'll find your own answers while solving theirs."
"But I don't belong in her world. Wouldn't I be a paradox?" I question, unsure of the ever complicating tale.
"Not even time can divide two people who belong together.. Besides, you have something the planet will recognize." She says softly.
"...The knife..." I mutter to myself. "What do I have to do?"
"Open your eyes."
Claire's POV
A terrible feeling of dread swamps my heart as I look onto the rolling waves of chaos that caress the dark sand. Movement catches my eye on the beach, and it's a sight I hoped to never see. Caius paces softly with the young Seeress held tightly in his arms. I can't take my eyes off him as his boots break through the water's surface and he makes his way further into the ocean. He slowly lowers her body into the waters of chaos and Yeul dissipates into light, slipping through his fingertips. It was like a light had been switched on in my mind as she faded away. The one determined to destroy us all was Caius..
"This eternity.. It was never your desire. Is that not so, Yuel?" He says softly before his fist clenches and the water erupts with thousands of Meonekton, that swarm towards the temple like a hive of angry hornets. "Warrior Goddess.. Now we cross swords!" He roars, drawing a demonic looking blade from his back, which glows with the power of Chaos.
Feeling the tension in the air. Etro's Eidolons are stood before me, ready for my order as my own swarm of wyvern take to the skies to meet his army head on. I draw my sword as Stiria and Nix launch themselves at Caius, who is now on the blackened sand.
"Loose yourself in battle and rejoice!" Caius roars as he slashes down on the sand, sending a beam of purple energy ripping up the coastline.
Stiria and Nix reach the purple eyed guardian in seconds and unleash their blizzard attack, entombing Caius in a jagged mound of ice. As I leap off the building and onto a waiting Odin, the immortal man's hand bursts through the ice as Stiria continues her attack, and catches her by the face, rendering her helpless.
"Embrace the terror.." He says to the Eidolon as he throws her into her into her sister, knocking them both down. "Husk of the wandering comet... I summon thee!" He shouts as he spots me atop Odin, heading straight for him.
Light bursts into the sky like a laser beam, as the earth in front of me explodes from the surface and hovers above, blocking my view of the enemy. A purple glyph of light is imprinted on the dark clouds, bathing everything below in violet. The clouds above begin to spiral around the center of the magical glyph, until a comet pierces them slowly, followed by multiple air to ground strikes, which bombard the battlefield, killing both friend and foe alike.
Understanding my every thought and need, Odin leaps into the air and onto the nearest of the floating platforms that once made up the coast. I spot Caius on the highest platform, and with great agility, my trusty companion leaps from rock to rock, slowly getting me closer to my target as burning blue rock fall from the heavens like bombs. By now, I've nearly made it to the purple haired protector, but the rock Odin is stood on gets turned to dust by the falling meteors and I'm thrown from his back, loosing my sword in the process. I land on a smaller lump of rock below and quickly spot my ornate weapon sticking out of the next platform. Desperate to be reunited with my weapon, I kick off the gravity defying rock towards my sword, gripping it loosely and using my momentum to fire myself high into the air so I'm looking down on Caius.
"Caius Ballad!" I shout, making sure he was looking at me as I attacked him.
The man grunts and sends a beam of purple, plasma like energy towards me as I fall towards him. Quickly bringing my arm up, I wrestle with the force of the energy before finally finding the strength to redirect it up, destroying him comet summon. I can only hope the meteor Cloud has to deal with is so easily stopped... Finally, even I have to abide by the will of gravity, and I fall to the ground, landing behind Caius.
"Impressive.." He says in his deep tone.
"Save it." I reply bluntly.
There was a brief pause, where neither one of us wanted to be the first to turn, but filled with rage I spin on my heels to attack, only for my sword to meet his. I parry his weapon away but he leaps back, creating a gap and the time needed to regain his guard. Evenly matched, we trade blows, neither of us able to cut the other with our weapons. Caius' demonic sword skims over my head as I duck down, countering with a stab, which the man catches with his bare hand.
"Damn you.." I growl.
"Enough.." He sighs, dragging the tip of my blade over his heart, which glows red through his deep purple attire. "Let's end this.."
"That glow!?" I gasp, Pulling my blade form his grasp when I realize that he possessed the heart of Etro.
"Cast your shadow over all." He shouts as his eyes begin to glow red. "Wings of night!"
The last thing I see is the eye of his sword as I'm blasted back, through an ever glowing cloud of dense, lilac smoke. My feet touch down on one of the few remaining floating platforms, when an ear splitting roar bursts through the smoke. Red eyes are the first thing I see, moments before a clawed hand swipes down towards me. Quickly leaping from the platform, I get above what I mistake to be his Eidolon, Bahamut, as it crushes the rock with ease. This Chaos Bahamut was not a separate entity to Caius, but part of him. I slash at it in vain, only to be swatted out of the sky.
My pink hair ripples over my face, as the sensation of falling snaps my eyes open. I quickly turn to find the onyx coloured shores of Valhalla right below me, so I open my arms and legs, increasing the wind resistance and slowing my descent.
"Odin!" I shout, quickly finding my most trusted companion galloping across the shore to catch me.
He leaps into the air, catching me on his back as he lands gracefully back onto the sand. The beach behind me explodes when Chaos Bahamut launches his aerial assault on us, but Odin's pace keeps us from harm. I fire at the winged dragon with my gunblade, causing little more than annoyance to it. It casts a shadow over us as it flies past, before quickly turning. I clench my thighs around Odin, to tell him to slow, but the megaflare has already been launched at us. My trusted Eidolon veers right at the last moment, sparing me from the brunt of the blast and darts off into the city. I know being on the ground made me vulnerable, so I head for the sky bridge to help even the odds. The diagonal support strut would be the quickest way up, and reading my mind, Odin begins his sprint up the pillar. I turn around as I call upon my Eidolon's dual swords, slashing Chaos Bahamut away.
"What's he up to?" I question, when it disappears from view.
Quickly reaching the top of the strut, Odin leaps up high to get us on the bridge, but our enemy appears directly in front, leaving us nowhere to go. My eyes widen in panic as the blast of energy consumes us, but I don't feel any pain. Cold, mechanical hands wrap around me and hold on tight until the sensation of falling is over. Odin carefully places me on the roof of the building he's stood on before dissipating into the wind. A hiss above draws my attention to Caius, who lands gracefully across the roof from me.
"Right.." I mutter.
"... Let's not waste time.." He replies, glowing with dark energy.
He fires a 'ruin' spell at me, but my gunblade has already unleashed a round from it's chamber, causing Caius' attack to blow up in his face, sending him smashing through one of the bridge's pillars. Not allowing him time to recover, I bombard him with my own 'ruin' spells, shattering the emerald ribbon above us both. I watch as the structure crumbles and collapses, soon to bury the purple haired man.
"Power of chaos. Bend to my will!" He roars, pausing the fall of the broken ribbon and using them to leap towards me. "Giving up?"
"So you want to destroy everything?" I question.
"Oblivion is the fate of all things.." Caius says coldly as he pushes off the platform, launching himself towards me.
I parry his slash and send him crashing back down onto the gravity defying sheet of metal.
"Now it's my turn." He growls.
I turn my gunblade back into it's gun mode and open fire, but his demonic blade absorbs all off the damage as he throws himself towards me again.
"Pathetic!"
"Let's end this." I demand, summoning up all the strength I could muster.
"Not today!" Caius roars defiantly as he does the same.
We both attack; neither one of us willing to give an inch, until the inevitable happens. The blast consumes us both, knocking us both off our respective platforms.
"I must thank you. In these final moments, I have met my finest opponent." He praises me as he looks around for me.
"You're finished Caius!" I shout, attacking him from behind.
I strike him down and watch the man plummet into the earth as his control of the chaos slips from his grasp. The floating bits of debris fall from the sky and down onto Caius, sending up a dust cloud which briefly conceals the wreckage. I watch for movement in the dense dust cloud, not quite satisfied in my victory, when I brilliant light shines from above.
"Etro's gate?" I mutter to myself, watching the divine gateway between life and death open up just a crack and a shadow of a man fall. "Of course. The one from the vision.. I know your name.. Noel Kreiss."
My hand finds it's way over my heart, and I pray for Bahamut's assistance. The pink crystal rose that forms in my hand tells me I have the Eidolon's services as I throw myself off the skybridge. I release the crystal rose bud from my hand and shatter it with my sword, summoning up the dragon that once answered to an old friend. It catches me as I fall, and within a second, I'm soaring like a jet towards the falling man. Behind me I hear the earsplitting roar of Chaos Bahamut as I line myself up beneath Noel.
"Quickly!" I shout, catching his attention.
"What in the...?" He gasps, twisting in the air to the sound of my voice.
"I'm here!" I say, stretching out my hand to the young hunter.
I catch him with some considerable force as he clings to my body, but he seems to be okay. We continue to climb, so that when I eventually turn, there should be enough distance between me and Caius to let us go unnoticed for a while. No harm must come to Noel.. He's the only one that can get Serah to me..
"Where am I?" Noel asks softly.
"Valhalla." I answer. "You prayed for a miracle, and that brought you here. Or am I wrong?"
"How did you know?!" He asks in disbelief.
"From Valhalla, I can see everything."
"But.. Who are you?" He questions, trying to make sense of the situation.
"..Lightning." I almost said Claire.. That name is gone now..
"Look out! Here it comes!" Noel shouts, pointing to Chaos Bahamut who had finally located us in the dull gray sky. "What now?!"
"Gonna get worse.." I sigh.
Standing up on Bahamut's back, I call upon the power Etro had bestowed upon me and a deep crackle echos through the clouds. My Eidolon dodges the blasts as I hold my blade up high in the sky. A lightning bolt arcs off my weapon and into the clouds, before raining down electricity onto my enemy, sending it crashing to the city. With Caius slowed down but not beaten, I head for the temple, where a time gate would be waiting for me. Gripping Noel by the scruff of the neck, I throw us both off the flying dragon and onto the temple. He lands less than gracefully as I dismiss my weapon.
"How do we fight him?" Noel asks, eager to continue the battle.
"This is not your battle. There is something else I need you to do." I say softly.
"What?"
"Bring my sister to me.. Her name is Serah.." I explain, taking a step towards the edge of the temple roof and looking down. "You need to use the portal. Your time-gazing friend should have told you how it works."
"That's a gate?" He says, not filling my with confidence. "But, why me?"
"Because you're the only one who can. You crossed the void and made it to Valhalla. You can find Serah, and together you can change the future.."
"I can change the future?" The hunter frowns.
"Yes.." I nod as I call upon Mog, who appears in an instant. "A good luck charm. Give him to Serah."
"Kupo!" The mog cheers as he turns into the bowblade, which drops into Noel's hand.
"You got it. I'll track her down." He nods as all of Valhalla starts to shake. "What's happening?!"
"Enjoying your little chat?" I hear Caius' bellowing voice from above.
"Caius!?" Noel shouts in disbelief, earning a smug grin from the man, who summons another of his comets.
"Get to the gate! I'm counting on you!" I roar, taking a stand in front of the young hunter.
"Okay!" He agrees, leaving me to deal with the man who holds Etro's heart.
I watch Noel throw himself off the building and reach his hand down to the gate, but Caius regains my attention as the eye in his demonic blade glows with power. The purple glyph of light which draws the comet near needs to be destroyed quickly, but I know the immortal won't make the same mistake as last time. I summon my weapon, but before it materializes my hand, the glyph shatters and the comet fades back to nothingness. My enemy looks as confused as I am when his destructive magic fails him, but he quickly composes himself.
"This is the end.." He growls.
Caius launches himself towards me with his sword curled over his shoulder, ready to slash me in half. I quickly bring my blade hand up, but there is nothing there.. When the glyph was destroyed I lost my focus and my weapon never came to me.. Was a simple mistake going to be my undoing? I close my eyes and accept the inevitable... The sound of steel on steel echos through the timeless city..
"What happened to 'For better or worse, you're stuck with me'?" Says a voice I never expected to hear again.
"Cloud!?" I gasp when my eyes see the man I love stood between me and Caius with his sword held high.
"You dropped this.." He says, taking out my survival knife from his pocket with his left hand and holding it back to me.
"You would have a delivery boy fight your battles for you, warrior Goddess?" Caius questions in disgust.
A/N: How was that?...
I was genuinely surprised that you all wanted to keep Noel. My mothers favorite saying turned out to be true. Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups lol. But alas, this is a democracy not a dictatorship so I will make it all work. Started replaying the game again yesterday. I fear I may have to break the seal off my limited edition guide book so I can get everything right and not miss anything in the worlds most complicated story. On a brighter note. My new ff13-2 Lighting play arts Kai figure turned up today so I'm in a very good mood =D
As you may have noticed, I have changed (Butchered) some things, like how Lightning and Mog met, but it's not too far off and doesn't really effect the story. Just bare in mind it won't (can't) be a carbon copy, story wise.
Thank you all for the reviews. This story is really starting to build a following and I'm glad everyone is enjoying it so far. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Wolf