What is it all for?

Why am I standing here, soaking myself to the bone?

Why am I on this futile quest to try and save the world from Sephiroth and Meteor?

I feel lonely, lost, and.helpless.

The dark and cloudy skies above and the sharp winds below share my emotional despair. Whether in sympathy or in mocking me, I know not.

In the distance I can just make out the hazy traces of Midgar. This cliff I'm standing on was where Zack had died, and I was born as the Cloud I am today.

At the same time, I see the image of my soul being reflected by the blade of Zack's.no, MY Buster Sword.

The rain; every drop I see, every drop I hear, makes a deafening sound with its constant descent. I yell at the top of my lungs for it to stop, but my yell is in useless as the howling of the wind drowns it away to nothing.

And so the torrent continues falling with the essence and ferocity not unlike the Leviathan materia stored away in Cid's Highwind with the others.

I never really noticed it before. the weight, it's heavy, just holding it in my hand it is draining my strength now. Am I still plagued by fear? I'm just a failed clone after all. Why fear death when I was never really alive to begin with?

Then I feel hand on my shoulder, I turn around slowly and find my soul again reflected in the dark eyes of. Aerith? But she's.dead.

"Cloud, it's time to leave." she says softly in that familiar sweet voice of hers. She looks as beautiful and innocent as when I last saw her falling slowly beneath the waters of the Ancient City.

I back up a step and shake my head furiously. Pushing wet strands of my blond hair out of my mako-infused eyes, I look again, and the image of Aerith turns into Tifa.

"Cloud, its alright, it's just me." She holds out her hand. "Come on; Cid, Vincent, Barret, and the others are all waiting on the bridge for you."

I was useless in saving my home of Nibelheim, Zack, and just as importantly, Aerith. so who would I have to watch die now?

Yeah, it will be all right, I tell myself; but somewhere in my heart, I know the dark truth that it won't be.

I drag my heavy sword through the muddy ground as I slowly follow her back to the glowing lights and cold metal of the Highwind.