"Do you want to talk about it?"

Cloud shook his head. He stood up, still unsure how to process that nightmare. Then he remembered the incident and there were only two of them in here with him.

"Noctis? Ignis? Are they okay?"

The pained expressions made his heart sink.

"Ignis lost his sight. Noctis is sleeping off that nightmare."

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say.

He felt horrible. Sephiroth drew him away on purpose. But he didn't think he meant for him to become a target by the Leviathan. Cloud shoved that thought process down the drain.

"It's okay. You don't have to right now, but can you tell us your side of the story? The last any of us saw you was when you tried to get to her."

"I couldn't. Leviathan won't let me. I tried to get away. But Leviathan kept trying to drown me. I almost drowned but then..." For some reason he was hesitant to bring up Sephiroth. Or if that was a dream.

"Well, we found you passed out. We carried you while we helped people evacuate."'

So they didn't see Sephiroth. Cloud didn't know how to take that.

The next day Noctis awoke. The mood of the group changed. As they began to plan over the next trip, the tension grew tighter.

"Ignis should stay."

"No, I'm going. And that is that."

"Damn it! How will you be able to fight? Besides, we have another fighter. He has every right to be a Glaive, too."

"No!" Cloud shook his head. "I can't. I'm not worthy."

"What are you saying? You're worthy enough for us. Why do you say you're not?"

The blonde swordsman breathed in deep. His chest already hurt before the words could be said.

"No matter how hard I try to stay in the light, I constantly feel the pull. And I'm beginning to think that what I thought happened to Gaia wasn't just Sephiroth's fault. So I can't accept the offer if I'm to become a threat."

"What makes you say that?"

"I... I understood the Leviathan. She called me Destroyer of Worlds."

"You can understand her? How?"

"I don't know. While I was trying to find Sephiroth I heard her speak. And then in a dream, I met him. He was telling me to remember what happened to Gaia."

"But that could mean anything - "

"What do you think it would mean then? Other than that conclusion I made it happen?" Cloud looked them in the eye, tearing up.

"But... Gentiana never called you a threat."

"And if I didn't remember what happened to turn Gaia into a meteor? Would that have blinded her from the truth?"

Silence met his words.

"I shouldn't be going with you. That right is for Ignis."

"No. We're both going. When alone you're going to be more vulnerable to darkness. Trust in us to help you stay on the right path." Ignis urged, making Cloud look down to the floor.

"If we have to, we'll tie you up." It was a half serious joke.

"... Fine." Cloud relented.

The train ride was so full of tension, Cloud stayed out of it. Their arrival wasn't much better. Gladio was an asshole and Noctis was ready to punch him, but never let himself get to that point. Cloud admired how the prince held it together.

At the camp site they had beans in a can. It was a heavy reminder that Ignis couldn't cook as he would have. They all missed his cooking. The next morning Noctis surprisingly woke up early. He turned to Cloud.

"I heard her, you know. When she called you Destroyer of Worlds. I'd like to incline that maybe Sephiroth had control over you at that point."

"... Thanks." Cloud nodded, the first word he said in the last few days. The others overheard them, but that didn't ease the glares sent his way by Gladio.

He doesn't trust you. Sephiroth observed.

Shut. Up.

If you can't remember on your own then I'll help.

I don't need it. Cloud forced him out of his head.

"You okay, buddy?"

"Yeah... Just a mild headache." Cloud wished he hadn't said headache. They were beginning to see a pattern with these headaches.

"Is he talking to you?" Gladio narrowed his eyes.

"I'm ignoring him." Cloud knew better not to lie.

"What's he saying?"

"Being a manipulative bastard. I pushed him out of my head. Let's get a move on." Cloud was done with the interrogation.

"See, some improvements have been made. It's better to stick together." Ignis commented.

"I still don't like it." Gladio didn't outright say it, but the implication was clear. He didn't want Ignis in the battle field.

Ignis chose to ignore this comment, and so the others followed his lead. He chose to continue on. Perhaps he'll find a means to fend for himself in battle.

When the group came across a giant monster with a huge mouth and tentacles that even with Cloud's help they were having trouble. At one point his ankle was caught. He turned to slice it with First Tsurugi when he was suddenly inside the monster's mouth.

"Cloud!"

"Hang on buddy!"

"Damn it!"

It was hard to breathe. Cloud blindly reached for where he thought was where First Tsurugi was. He realized with great horror that he dropped it soon as he was engulfed. Cloud started kicking at the sharp teeth.

Outside the boys were attacking with all their might. The monster moved in a way that exposed a part of it's body that had been hidden in the water. A ball of magic energy hit the target. The monster shook it's head violently as electricity spread all throughout. Cloud gasped as it hit him too. Then a splitting headache made him curl up into a ball.

A vision of a memory came forward.

Cloud lowered to his knees before Sephiroth. His will to continue fighting died with the last of his friends. Sephiroth landed on the ground, one hand extending out to him.

"Will you join me, Cloud? Together we will rule the cosmos in search of the Promised Land."

After a long moment of consideration Cloud reached for the hand. Sephiroth pulled him to his feet. The blonde stood on shaking legs. The wounds were too much. He almost lost balance. Sephiroth steadied him.

"Together we'll be bound. From now on our lives are intertwined with fate." His body dissipated, and suddenly Cloud's body healed at a rapid rate. He felt the presence of Sephiroth within his mind.

It was a great pressure that needed release. Cloud raised an arm up and from his hand all around Gaia burned from the core up. Mako encased his body as the planet became a meteor.

Cloud was snapped out of his vision when suddenly the monster spat him out into the water. He coughed as he tried to steady himself. Hands helped him up and pulled him a somewhat safe distance.

"Cloud? Can you fight?" Prompto noticed how the other blonde had trouble finding his legs.

"My sword - " Cloud couldn't say more as another series of coughs overtook him.

"Take the oath and it'll come to you." Noctis pressured, holding out his hand.

Cloud shook his head.