Chapter 6




Cloud braced himself for piercing pain, but it didn't come. Instead he felt his injuries

fade away, and a new invigoration inside of him.

"Wouldn't want this to be an unfair fight, now would we?" Aeris spoke.

Cloud answered by grabbing Ultima Weapon, which had served him so well. He knelt down, and

cast a summoning spell, Hades. He fully expected it to maim, or at least greatly weaken Aeris, but

to his shock, the magic appeared to have no effect. If any thing, Aeris seemed to absorb the magic.

Aeris responded with her own summon, but SHE changed into the beast summoned, Ifrit. Cloud was

knocked backwards, hitting the glass window, which cracked but didn't shatter. Aeris, now back to

"normal," laughed bitterly, and jumped forward, her trademark staff in suddenly appearing in her

hand. Cloud raised his arms to stop the blow, but it was too late, and he was knocked unconcious.


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Cloud awoke, but didn't open his eyes. He couldn't, he was floating, it was bliss. Heaven?

He didn't know. He just was swept away by feelings of oblivion.

(Cloud?)

(Oh no. Not the damn voices again.)

(Cloud? Are you alright? Cloud? Wake up, Cloud.)

"Wha..." Cloud said, opening his eyes.

"It's me. Aeris."

Cloud nodded, and leaned back, but the snapped awake with a guarded posture. "What are you

doing?" He asked fiercly.

"I was expecting a better greeting than that. Is this how you treat an old friend."

Cloud looked at her dumbly.(I'm confused. What's going on here? She tried to kill me, right?)

"What is going on!" Cloud said, thinking out loud. " You were just trying to kill me! What are you

doing? I don't get this."

"Kill you? I...oh...oh no."

"What? What do you mean, oh no!?"

"It must have been Syreen."

"Syreen?!? Who the hell is Syreen!?"

"She is my connection," at Cloud's blank stare she continued, "My connection to the promised

land. She is my guardian ancient."

"Guardian ancient?"

"She looks just like me, but has a cruel heart. She was alive, oh, about 3000 years ago."

"What is she doing back?" Cloud paused, "How are you back, for that matter."

"Me? I'm back just the way she said I was. She is back for revenge. She left the lifestream

to fulfill a obsession."

"But why now?" Cloud said, becoming agitated at his lack of understanding.

"Relax, Cloud. I'll explain everything."

"My friends? Where are they? What happened?"

Aeris' expression darkened, "Cloud, I don't know how to say this...they...they..."

Cloud jaw dropped, "They're-They're dead?"

Aeris could only nod.

(Oh no, why! Why did this have to happen. Why!)


Cloud was left to put his head in Aeris' lap, sobbing at his misfortune as she stroked

his hair.