"Cloud."
"Puppet."
The nickname came from his left. Which meant the one on the right was the imposter. Cloud turned and lunged forward. He leaps into the air and swings downward with his sword. The imposter snarled, and the illusion dissipated.
Ardyn parried. Something hit him in his gut and sent him flying back. Cloud felt his insides burn. Everything felt like it was burning. He landed on his back and the breath knocked out of him. He hears screaming and the song of Masamune before she strikes.
Then time slowed, and darkness all around him. The smell of flowers invaded his nose. Someone knelt down beside him.
"I should be angry at you for what happened. But I can't find it within myself to be angry. At least not when it comes to you."
Huh? Was this an illusion?
"I assure you, I am very real. And it took quite a while to find you. Sephiroth tried to hide your whereabouts. Or perhaps it was someone else. I don't know. The point is I found you."
He opened his eyes. There she was, clear as day. She smiled down at him knowingly.
"He never got the chance to tell you, did he?"
"Tell me what?" Cloud didn't understand what to believe anymore.
"What you are, silly. You're not human."
"You mean the experiments?"
"No. I mean what happened when you accepted his gift. You are beyond human, beyond Cetra. Together the two of you control Destiny."
"What do you mean?" He was lost.
Aerith sighed. "Think of the White and Black Materia, and you'll figure it out. You and him are the living embodiment of those Materia. I've done what I can to heal you. It's time to go back."
"Aerith wait - " Cloud sat up. She disappeared. All around everyone stared at him with odd expressions.
"You okay there, buddy? You almost burned to a crisp there."
"Yeah... What happened?" He asked.
"Didn't think you were telling the truth that your lives were bound together. Until I saw him doubled over as you almost died." Gladio motioned to Sephiroth, who hung back away from them. But his green eyes watched Cloud.
Suddenly he remembered what Aerith told him. And then it all clicked together. Cloud got to his feet and made his way over to Sephiroth. He smirked as he read the mako blue eyes. The blonde swordsman stopped in front of his former nemesis.
"Took you long enough." Sephiroth taunted.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Cloud glared.
"And ruin all the fun? Besides, would you believe me if I told you everything from the start? Or would you brush me off as insane?"
Cloud crossed his arms with a sigh. He wasn't going to admit out loud that Sephiroth was right. Even so the smug curve of his lips made it well known he knew.
"Mind catching us up to date?" Noctis asked them.
"I figured out what I am. And what my power is. Not entirely sure how to use it still. Not that I would." Cloud informed.
"You mean the power to destroy planets?"
"I won't destroy Eos. There's still hope for it to be released from the darkness." Cloud assured them. He turned back to the silver haired man. "You're up for taking him down?"
"After all he's done? Gladly. Let's rip him to shreds."
"Follow my lead." Cloud turned and walked a random direction. "Hey! Ardyn! You want my power, right? To destroy planets? Come and get it."
He held out his left arm. A glow illuminated from the limb. He felt the power surge from within. Cloud willed himself not to release it. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Laughter echoed around them.
"Hey! You said you were going to be on our side!?" Gladio snarled in fury.
Suddenly Ardyn appeared out of thin air. He grabbed hold of Cloud's glowing arm. In an instant the blonde swordsman twisted to grab Ardyn in return. The glowing spread to Ardyn's body. He screamed as the Starscourge was forced out of his body. Ardyn gasped as he knelt down.
"I can take life. I can also give life. If I so wanted to, you'd be either dead or cured of your madness." Cloud paused to let the words sink in. After a moment he released his hold on Ardyn and the Starscourge enveloped him.
"But I have no intention of doing any such thing. Instead I'll be helping them take you down."