WHERE ANCIENTS FEAR TO TREAD
CHAPTER 7
Booted feet crunched loudly upon broken twigs. The damp air did little to lend to the atmosphere of this new domain. Dark shadows overlapped rugged cliffs influencing the low hiss of water as it continued pouring down from open cracks in the imperfect walls. To say that this new setting was eerie was an understatement.
Even so, Cloud continued to walk forth, ignoring all possible danger points, bent only on pursuing him mortal enemy.
"This sure is a f#cked up place." Cid commented loudly, making his way through the barely decipherable landscape. They had just entered the mountain caves. Cid was in an especially bad mood. After fighting the sand creature, he was forced to ride piggyback on Cloud's Chocobo as his was killed in the fight. Vincent stoically refused to ride with them, stating simply that he would run along side them. Both men were surprised to notice he easily kept up with the speed of their creature and if need be, could easily outrun it.
Now upon entering the caves, they were faced with an even greater plight, lack of vision.
"Ah f#ck!" Cid swore. "I just had to step into 'that'!"
Cloud looked over towards his blond companion to see the man angling back, nearly falling over, as he lifted his boot away from something slimy and muddy.
Despite everything, Cloud had to stifle a laugh at the gruff man's predicament.
Vincent, who stood only a few feet away, casually glanced over at Cid with an indifferent expression. "Hmph, Chocobo $hit. I wouldn't have guessed you would come across 'that' in these kinds of caves."
"Hey shut the hell up!" Cid retorted angrily. "This is bad enough as it is! I don't need your comments on something like this. Its bad enough you don't talk much but do you have to speak when it's only at my expense?"
Vincent said nothing, merely turning around and resuming his trek forward. However, maybe his imagination was playing tricks on him, but Cloud could have sworn he noticed a small grin make its way onto the cloaked man's face.
"What are you staring at!" Cid yelled. "C'mon spikes, get the led out! We've got a long way to go!" Cid briskly walked forwards while at the same time, scraping the bottom of his boot against the damp surface.
Cloud quickly walked forwards, catching up to his companions.
"So why are you after Sephiroth?" Cloud asked while walking along side the blond haired pilot. "What bone do you have to pick with him?"
Cid turned his face towards Cloud, giving him a sour look. "I could ask you the same thing. In this line of work, telling others about their past is a bad thing kid."
"What do you have to hide? Is it that embarrassing?"
"It aint like that!" Cid yelled, his face turning red.
Vincent, who was at the head of the group, stopped momentarily to turn his head. He cast his eyes towards them then brought them back to the front and continued forward.
"And that's another thing." Cloud continued. "What's up with that guy? He's like a walking ghost or something! What is it that the two of you are hiding from me!"
Cid angrily grabbed Cloud's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Cloud trained his eyes onto the pilot's to find that he was staring into stern pupils.
"Look kid, stop while you're ahead. Some things are better left unspoken got it?"
Cloud balled up his fists angrily. "The last time I heard that philosophy my best friend ended up dying because of it! Whatever it is you're hiding from me, I can take it!"
Cid narrowed his eyes. He knew this conversation would not be pleasant. Yet, the spiky haired mecenary did have a point. If they were all going to be working together, it was best he know the details rather then find them out the hard way.
Cid let a heavy sigh escape his lips. "Ok kid… The fact of the matter is-"
BOOOOM!
If the blond haired pilot was going to say anything more, it was lost to the ears of everyone else as a huge explosion suddenly ripped into the walls of the cave. Everyone screamed in alarm as huge boulders suddenly came crashing down. Vincent skillfully flipped out of the way of an approaching rock then angled himself along side his two companions.
"What the hell?" Cid shouted in anxiety.
Vincent angled his eyes towards his blond haired partner then pointed one of his metallic clawed fingers towards the path in front of them.
"We've been set up."
"What?"
"Someone knew we were coming apparently, and so they blocked out our escape route."
Cloud quickly unsheathed his sword and held in poised forwards in his tight grip. "If that's the case then we've gotta move quick. Lets beat this trap, otherwise we'll be dead and buried before we realize it!"
Without waiting for a response, Cloud shot forwards, running at full sprint. The boulders were endless as they showed mercilessly down towards the anxious group. Cloud was unheeded however, as he continued running as fast as his legs would carry him.
One boulder suddenly shot out towards him faster then the others. Cloud caught sight of it at the last minute. Gasping slightly, the blond man tightened his grip then swung his huge buster sword towards it hacking the huge rock in two. Cloud had no time to be impressed at his handy-work. The continuous shower of rocks and debris spurred him on beyond instinct. Cloud ran at a frantic pace, speeding against the clock of fate.
Many more boulders came his way, yet they met the same fate as the first. Hacking left and right, the blond haired man continued to cleave his way towards freedom. The random thought occurred to him in the back of his mind if his other two companions were as fortunate as he. If they weren't, he could do nothing about it. The endless pool of rocks were so intense, he would have no time to dig them free. They did seem rather resourceful. He was sure, if they faced any real danger, they could easily dig their way out.
At least that is what Cloud told himself, second after exasperating second. The mercenary continued tearing his way through the growing stone prison. Cloud could feel his muscles straining now. He knew he couldn't hold out like this much longer, yet oddly enough, the more fatigued he became, the more he could feel a hidden power building up inside of him. Cloud absently attributed this towards desperation.
More rocks spilled, more noise erupted. Cloud ran even faster. He could see the light now. A bleak hazy gleam shining against the hell of death. Cloud desperately clutched for it now. Running even faster, pushing his reflexes to their limit. A final boulder was rolling down. This one was bigger then the rest. Cloud narrowed his eyes into angry slits. He would beat this. He would get out and have his revenge. A few rocks would not deny him this!
Cloud's body began to glow a soft green color and suddenly his speed picked up at an incredible rate. At the last possible second, Cloud leapt into the air, flying right under the boulder, just before it lodged itself into the ground behind him.
Cloud impacted onto the solid stone ground then proceeded to roll down the downward arch of the landscape from pure momentum. So fast was he going, the blond man desperately clutched and grabbed at anything that would halt his progress. His eyes widened in anxiety as he saw a sharp stone jutting up from the ground. He knew he would impale himself into it if he didn't stop his momentum now.
He threw his legs out, scraping them against the surface, creating even more friction. It didn't help. The blond man could see that any effort was pointless. At the last second, Cloud clenched his fists then, right before hitting the stone, he yanked his feet out, lodging his heels into the edge of the jutting stone.
A burst of pain shot through his nerves as the sharp object tone through the material of his boots, digging deep into flesh and spilling blood. Cloud ignored the pain momentarily, as he hoisted himself forwards then leapt from the position. Even more pain erupted, as the heel of his foot was violently torn away from the sharp stone object, creating an even bigger hole of blood and tendons in his foot.
Cloud was air born for only a short moment before slamming his shoulder painfully into the stone floor surface. He felt bones pop and tendons break as he continued sliding down until finally his battered, bruised and bloody body came to a complete stop.
Cloud didn't move, he couldn't move. He simply lay where he was, groaning slightly in pain.
The soft tap of footsteps suddenly jolted his mind back to the moment. With his good arm, he forced his body up slightly with much effort and pain.
Clapping suddenly began to echo off the walls. Cloud immediately narrowed his eyes then looked up. Suddenly he knew things had gone from very bad, to terribly worse.
Standing there in front of him, clapping in exaggeration, was Reno with a huge smug grin on his face. Flanking him were both Rude and another Turk woman whom he had never seen before. Cloud clenched his good fist knowing that this would not be a pleasant visit.
"Hello Cloud." Reno said smugly. "Remember me!"
If Cloud was going to say anything in reply, it was lost as Reno's foot promptly connected with the bridge of his chin sending him into complete oblivion.
****
Aeris wrapped her arms tightly about herself. However, whether it was from the frigid cold air, or the ghastly sight before them, was a mystery.
Red13, Tifa and she were all now standing directly towards the center of the sand dunes. Red wore an expression of slight shock while Tifa's expression was completely blank with the exception of the slight line of concern lacing the center of her eyebrows. Aeris could tell her friends were just as worried as she was. Lying there in front of them, was the burnt charred form of the sand snake in which the old man had warned them about.
They had stayed at the barn for only an hour more after Barret had left. During that time the old man had warned them of the terrors of the sand snake and of how many people it had taken to the grave when they had tried to cross through its domains. Aeris knew they were all apprehensive about facing such a threat yet at the same time they were determined to find their friend and help him in anyway. What they weren't expecting, however, was this.
They had been speeding all day and night to catch up with Cloud, yet at the sight of this, Aeris was beginning to think maybe Cloud didn't need any help at all.
"What do you suppose could have happened?" Tifa asked in a subdued tone of voice.
"Any number of things." Red answered solemnly. "These marks. Some of them are gunshot wounds. There is also a vague impression of a sword slice on his side there. See?"
"But wounds like those couldn't have done 'this' to the snake." Tifa argued, pointed towards the burnt, hardly describable dust impression of what used to be a snake. "Something really burnt this thing up."
"That is the mystery…" Red pondered more to himself then his two companions.
"In any case." Aeris interjected, somewhat anxiously. "We can't just sit around here and brood all day. We've still got to find Cloud. He's the only one who can tell us what really happened."
"That's if he hasn't already reached Junon by now." Red seethed. "They seem to be making great progress without us. In more ways then one."
"That's besides the point." Aeris shot out. "Cloud's our friend. We can't just abandon him."
"Red, you should listen to Aeris." Tifa agreed. "Regardless of how little he needs our aid in physical battles, he's still our friend. And we don't turn our backs on friends. Besides, who's to say these new companions he's with are really companions at all. Like Barret said earlier, they could just be Shinra spies, waiting to take him out."
Red let out a derisive sigh of resignation. "Well in that case, I guess there's only one way we'll find out huh?"
"So it's decided then?" Aeris asked happily.
Red sighed again and nodded his head. Walking forward he began grumbling under his breath. "Why did I allow myself to get thrown into this mess in the first place."
"I heard that!" Tifa yelled, causing yet another sigh of annoyance from the exasperated tiger.
****
The landscape was bleak. Death was predominant in the air. Wilted flowers blew away in the harsh winds, scathing against dead grass shards. The sandy area was truly a desolate place indeed. Yet this was the best area for someone like Sephiroth.
The platinum haired man stood poised with a determined glare in his eyes. He currently stood before a group of six people. Each of these people were fully clad in large black cloaks with long hoods. Their faces were hidden behind tightly secured masks revealing only stark green eyes. Beneath their cloaks, they wore leather material, button down tunics military style in nature. The slight folds of their tunics were lined in white along with the adjoining buttons while the rest of the shirt was pure black. Their gloves were also the shade of darkness. And below, their baggy pants, similarly black, were joined at the knees with metal armored, white boots. These matched their silver, metallic elbow plates.
Each of these six men bowed respectfully in front of the platinum haired man, their broad shouldered cloaks flowing slightly in the wind.
Sephiroth smiled sadistically. "It joys me to finally be able to greet you, my minions." He said in the same evil dark voice in which he would address his destiny, had he been confronting Cloud and the rest of Avalanche.
"As I'm sure you are all already aware, you all are clones of me. Mere carbon copies of one who is perfect. You are all my shadows of darkness, aspects of a greater whole. As such, you will all swear ultimate fealty to me. You will all do my bidding and the bidding of Jenova, your queen. If you show any disrespect or display any action displeasing to me, you will be slain by my blade. Hojo may have been the one to create you but it was from my genetic make up that he derived you from. In that case, you are all technically my children. As my children, it would be in your best interest to follow me, your master. Is that understood?"
As one, all six of the clones nodded respectfully. "It is as you command great Sephiroth." They all replied in unison. "It is by your will that we pledge ourselves to you."
Sephiroth smiled crookedly once more. "Good… Very good. Now I shall convey my requests of you. You will all follow my orders. And my first orders are that you annihilate a renegade group known as Avalanche, mainly, the leader of their group, a man known as Cloud Strife. In addition, you are to spare one sole member in their party. She is known as Aeris gainsborough. Her destiny lies elsewhere as in accordance to her heritage. Is that understood?"
"We hear and we obey master." They all complied, once more in union.
Sephiroth nodded evenly then trained his eyes towards one clone in particular who wore Armored shoulder plates under his cloak, matching his knee and elbow plates. Sephiroth looked towards this clone and nodded his head.
"This clone here shall be known as S-C #1 code name Astaroth. He will be your commander. I have examined you all and I have seen fit to choose this one as your commander. The next in line, if this one falls is you." Sephiroth pointed towards another clone. This one seemed slightly more rigid then the rest. He was well built like the others but had a certain special glint in his eyes that none of the others had. He stood even more rigid at having been mentioned by the great Sephiroth.
"You." Sephiroth continued. "Will take over his place. You will be called S-C#3 code named, Raven. The rest of you will follow their lead. If both fall then I shall pick yet another. You will all follow me and do my bidding until I find the need to be rid of you."
One by one, Sephiroth picked out his minions and named them off. "S-C#2, Reaver. S-C# 4, Gaster. S-C#5, Chaos. S-C#6, Exile."
Sephiroth stood back to once more admire his group of hand picked assassins. "You are all aware of your place. You will follow me unto death."
As one, all six clones saluted their commander, bringing a wicked smile to his face once more. Things were getting a bit more interesting.
::::::::::To Be Continued::::::::::
Author's note: Thanks for reading and please stay tuned for chapter 8.