Heartstrings
Vincent Unleashed
by TacomaSquall
Part Twenty-Two
Tenebrius' search for
AVALANCHE in the town of Nibelheim had been fruitless. He returned to the battlefield in time to
see Lord Chaos bark his message to Vincent Valentine, before the gunman collapsed
from exhaustion on the roof of the Research Center.
Tenebrius charged at
the traitorous Mako-twisted lord, only to see him use his ever-present Vanish
enchantment. As Tenebrius drew closer,
he realized that his master lay on the ground beside where Chaos had
stood. He paused for a moment in
unbelief, and then ran to Tenarrus' side.
Tenebrius scanned the
Lord of Nessos for any signs of life. None.
He cradled the body
of his lord in his massive arms and slowly walked towards the portal back to
Nessos. Rest in peace, my master.
* * * * * *
AVALANCHE came
running around the side of the Research Center, Barret and Yuffie in the
lead. From an injured member of the
Center's staff, they had discovered that Vincent was there and that he had
warned the Center of the impending assault by Jenova and her allies. As soon as they had discovered the news, the
heroes hurried to find their missing teammate.
Barret aimed the
Missing Score at Tenebrius, who was at the portal to Nessos. "Hold it right there, buddy!"
Tenebrius looked over
his shoulder and paused momentarily. "I
bear my master back to his realm. He is
dead."
Barret's face
contorted with rage. "Well, boo
hoo. You guys came here and attacked
us. Now, you get to pay the price!"
Cloud and Tifa walked
up to Barret. "Not now, my friend,"
Cloud insisted. Turning to the
Horseman, Cloud stated, "If you close the portal behind you, we will permit
your departure. There is no cause for
further bloodshed."
Tenebrius
nodded. "I have much work ahead. It will not be done, and all my master's life
will come to nothing, if I extend our conflict." The Horseman shook his head sadly. "For two millennia have I served him, only to see him die because
of treachery and a sniper's aim."
Cloud looked at his
companions. "Stand down. The battle for the Research Center is over."
Tenebrius looked at
the members of AVALANCHE. "You have
been worthy adversaries. Perhaps, we
shall meet another time." He smiled
ferally. "When stability has been
gained…"
Cait Sith spoke. "If you come again, seeking conquest, we
will throw you back through the portal. If you come in the name of peace, then we can talk." Veiled within the moogle's words was a
simple message. We beat you before,
and we will do it again, if necessary.
Unfazed by Cait
Sith's words, Tenebrius walked through the portal to Nessos. With a sudden twist, the rift closed
behind him.
At that moment, Maiji
spotted the semi-conscious form of Vincent upon the Research Center's
roof. "Is that your friend?" She pointed to where he slumped against the
side of the roof.
Yuffie whooped with
joy. "I knew he was okay!" She did a forward somersault in her
exuberance.
Cloud looked around
and saw no easy way to climb up to the roof. "There must be a way to get onto the roof from the inside." He broke into a loping run for the entrance
of the Research Center. His companions
trailed along behind him.
The companions raced
through the corridors of the Research Center, eventually, coming into the room
that once contained the safe that served as the Lost Number's prison. It had been converted into an employee break
area when the Mansion was turned into the Research Center. After the retreat from the Horsemen, Dr.
Cornell had ordered the break area further converted into a medical aid
station. There, they found Vincent,
being supported by two of the Center's staff. He was speaking with Dr. Cornell.
"Dr. Cornell, do
everything you can for these three. They helped me get through one of the toughest experiences in my
life." Vincent looked up and smiled at
his friends. It was unexpected, like
the sun breaking through a heavy overcast after a season of rain.
Yuffie ran up and
threw herself at the former Turk. She
wrapped her arms around him, as she murmured, "I thought I lost you…"
At the same time,
Vincent spoke. "Yuffie, I'm so sorry…"
They both trailed off
and looked at each other. The ninja
blushed a bright crimson, while Vincent looked away, his mystique and cool lost
for a moment.
Before either could
speak again, Cloud softly coughed. They
looked at him. "We need to go," he said
softly.
Vincent nodded. "You're going after Chaos, right?"
"Yeah. He plans on destroying the Barrier." Cloud's tone was brusque. "Evidently, the Barrier has a greater purpose
than just connecting the north and south. It has something to do with the Summon Materia."
"Rather, the Barrier
is an aftereffect of the Cetra magic that imprisoned the Mako-twisted in
Materia in the first place," Grennek interrupted.
Vincent looked at
Cloud and raised an eyebrow quizzically. "He's one of the Frogmen of the Apocalypse. His name is Grennek, and he is here with this Sahugin," as he
pointed at Hieros, "and Zack's sister, Maiji, to help us stop Chaos." Cloud shrugged. "The Frogmen had a prophecy about the events of today from over
2000 years ago."
"I see." Vincent looked at the other members of
AVALANCHE. "I take it I have missed a
lot."
"Just Jenova's
return, a new WEAPON, the destruction of Mideel, Condor Fort and North Corel
and, somehow, Sephiroth reaching from beyond the grave to help us destroy
Jenova," Yuffie summed up.
Vincent frowned at
the Wutai-born ninja. "You speak
lightly of extremely grave matters." In
response, the ninja stuck her tongue out briefly at Vincent. The moment Vincent saw her expression, he
grinned. Yuffie turned beet-red.
"Cloud, you could use
an extra hand in your fight against Chaos. Count me in."
"It is good to have
you back, my friend," Nanaki purred. In
reply, Vincent ruffled the fur on the back of the Kyrrawlen's head.
* * * * * *
Lord Chaos stood on
the summit of Mount Nibel. Below, he
could see the Mako reactor that had figured so prominently in Cloud's past, now
abandoned to the mercies of the elements. The roof and walls were pitted by acidic rain from the fallout of
Meteor. The outdoor ladders were
corroded. What interested him, however,
was what lay within the reactor's core.
Chaos gestured, and
Phoenix appeared. "I offer you a
choice, firebird. This is your last
chance. Serve me, or face oblivion."
Phoenix screamed its
defiance. "I
will never serve you, betrayer!"
"Very well." Chaos plunged a
clawed hand deep into the Phoenix's breast. His hand closed around something, and he twisted it. The Phoenix screamed in agony. Chaos drew forth his hand. Chaos' arm was coated to the elbow in the
glowing blood and flesh of the Phoenix, and he held its still-beating heart in
his grasp. With a piercing cry, Phoenix
fell to the mountainside and died.
Chaos sighed. It would have been nice to have someone
else to do some of this work. He
gathered his magic and lashed out at the reactor site. Rapidly, he pierced the manmade walls that
sheltered that which he sought. A
seemingly-natural piece of brilliant amethyst. At last, I have found it. The
Keystone.
Chaos flew down to
the reactor, ready to complete his plan of domination, unaware that the Highwind
had taken off from the town below and was flying up the mountain.
* * * * * *
"You are going to do
what?" Hieros was incredulous.
"We are going to fly
the Highwind up to the summit of Mount Nibel, where we will, if
possible, rappel down to the ground. If
it is not possible, then we will jump." Cloud was trying to be very patient with the Sahugin. "We don't have time to make the climb, and
even with the risks, we can pull this off. We made a HALO drop into Midgar just before Meteor that was far more
difficult."
"But…"
"Listen, froggy. If you want to stay on the Highwind,
be my guest." Barret, on the other
hand, was not feeling so charitable. "We need to get there as quickly as we can, and we don't have time to
coddle you."
"It is too dangerous
for Grennek," Hieros protested.
"Let me be the judge
of how dangerous something is, Hieros." The elder Sahugin looked the resolute members of AVALANCHE. "The threat is severe enough that we need to
do as they say. I appreciate that you
wish to protect me. However, the choice
is mine to make."
Yuffie groaned. She hated flying, and the only thing about
jumping from an aircraft that was worth it was the fact that, sooner or later,
she'd be on the ground. Looking over at
Vincent, she smiled. He seemed
different, less withdrawn. She liked
it.
Cloud spoke. "Everyone, get your chutes on if you are
going. Get a partner and check each
other's straps. We reach the drop zone
in five minutes." He smiled. "Get moving!"
All the worries about
the world's fate had faded. He was
going into combat with his friends by his side. Somehow, they would find a way to defeat Chaos. They had to…
End of Part
Twenty-Two