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Chap. 10


The dragon roared again before attacking. Its huge size belittled its swift speed as it slammed its claw at Yuffie.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!"

"Yuffie!"

They returned their attention back to the monster and Barret opened fired. But the bullets had no effect against its armored scales and it slashed out at him. Barret blocked the slash, but was still knocked aside. Cloud pulled out his Buster Sword and Zack pulled out a katana. The two of them rushed at it and it swatted out its tail. They jumped over it, but it instantly swatted back and knocked them down. It moved over to them when a gunshot caught its attention. Vincent was firing rounds at it and getting its attention. The dragon roared and charged at him, unaware that Red XIII and Tifa who was riding on his back were coming up behind it. Tifa jumped off and Red XIII charged into a ball. He hit the dragon with great force, causing it to slide of to the side while Tifa grabbed its neck and began to repeatedly punch it. The dragon roared and kept swinging its head left and right. Cid moved up to make the kill, but the dragon slung its neck again, managing to throw Tifa off and sending her into him. The two of them hit the ground as the creature made its way to them. Suddenly, Zack leapt into the air, sword in hand and he struck down. To his disbelief, the sword snapped in two and did nothing to it. Zack backed away and the monster began to come at him now. Suddenly Vincent jumped in the way.

"Stand back."

A red flash appeared and Vincent transformed into his Galian Beast form. He roared as he charged at the dragon in a berserker fury. The dragon screamed as it was getting injured and backed away. Vincent continue to attack, but he didn't notice the dragon's throat glow in red. A stream of fire came out, engulfing Vincent. The fire stopped and Vincent was on the ground unconscious and in human form. The dragon turned back to Zack and rushed to him. Suddenly Red XIII came up to him with the Buster Sword in his mouth.

"Take it."

Zack immediately grabbed the weapon and charged at the dragon. The dragon snapped at him, but Zack rolled to the side and raised the massive weapon over his head.

"Braver Strike!"

Zack struck down hard on the dragon and the creature's head severed off and lay limp on the ground. As he did, Cloud saw the entire event and nodded.

Later...

"So, Hojo is still alive." Vincent said darkly.

"Yeah. That means Jenova is here as well."

"We still have to stop them."

"Right, let's go."

"Won't you need this, Cloud?"

"No, you can use it better than I can. Don't worry, I can still fight. I learned a thing or two from Tifa."

"Yeah, I'll bet."

Cloud turned a quick shade of red and they all went down the cave Hojo had disappeared into. They eventually found themselves in a large cavern. Mechanical equipment was lined up along the walls. Below, a pit of Lifestream bubbled below. And before them was a large chamber of Mako in front of them. A human figure was inside it, but unrecognizable at the distance they were in.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Hojo reappeared out of the shadows. "It is truly a thing of beauty. It's only a pity you ingrates can't understand."

"What are you up to, Hojo?" Zack cried.

"Oh, you again? You just truly don't know when to die, do you? You've already served your purpose."

"W...what purpose?"

Hojo crackled, "Your body was the only other body than managed to incorporate the Jenova cells to your will. Its strength was needed for the resurrection."

Cloud yelled out, "Jenova?"

Hojo shook his head, "No, you foolish failure. Jenova is already alive. But she wanted to bring him back as well." He pointed to the chamber and Cloud knew instantly who he was talking about.

"Sephiroth."

"Yes. My son, Sephiroth. And you are too late! Hahahahahaha!!!!" At that very moment, the cavern began to shake and tremble. Everyone stumbled to the ground and saw as the chamber cracked open, Mako spewing out of it. The cracks increased and then the chamber shattered altogether. The figure that was in it now slumped to the ground on his knees, his back toward them. As everyone looked, the figure slowly began to rise. Platinum white hair frayed his back as he stood. He then arched his arm to the side and a slit opened on his back and out shot a single wing, black feathers arched all over it.

"Sephiroth."

Sephiroth turned to them, an eerie smile on his face as he lashed his arm out. The ground shook more and suddenly falls away. Cloud, Zack and the others fell all straight into the Lifestream below. The last thing Cloud remembered was seeing Sephiroth looked down at his, his face emotionless.

Then everything went dark...

Darkness...

This comes to me a lot....

I used to be afraid....

But now....

Now you wait, right?

Huh?

Hehe. You can wake up now.

I...don't understand.

Welcome...to the Promised Land.

Cloud opens his eyes and sees  everything in light. Yet it does not blind him in any way. A figure materializes out of the light, a woman.

"Aeris?"

"We meet again, Cloud."

I...I don't....

"Yes you do. Remember before."

"......Yes. It was your hand I saw."

"Yes. I wanted you to know that I am alright."

"But....Sephiroth....he....killed you."

"Yes, but as an Ancient, I didn't die off as easily. And as a Guardian, I can feel the trouble above. Jenova has returned."

It wasn't a question; it was a statement

"Yes. And they brought back Sephiroth."

"They did?" He half expected her to cringe at the sound of that, but remarkably she smiled.

"Then there is hope."

"Huh? I don't understand."

"I do not fully understand it either, but it is a feeling. Sephiroth may be the key to forever stop Jenova."

"?"

Aeris giggled, "Hehe. I missed that face. The look of confusion on your face is always funny."

Cloud frowned, but smiled as well.

"You should return. The others will need your help."

"But what about you?"


"Don't worry. I haven't left you alone yet."

The light suddenly grew brighter to the point were Cloud did have to cover his eyes.

Cloud.

Aeris?

Cloud, wake up.

No, Tifa.

Cloud opened his eyes again to find everyone on a rocky beach. Sitting up, he grasped his head, "What happened?"

Tifa pointed to the left. In the water, a fountain of Lifestream poured out onto the surface. They had been beached on the shores of the continent way outside of the crater.

"We were shot out of the Lifestream. It's a miracle we're alive."

"Aeris. I saw Aeris...in the Promised Land."

Tifa looked at him, "Cloud, what are you talking about?"

"She told me....that she hasn't left me yet. That Sephiroth was the key. But I didn't understand."

Tifa looked sadly at him; He really can't let her go. "Cloud. Aeris is....."

Suddenly the Lifesteam began to bubble out again. Everyone backed away as it intensified. It suddenly burst out high into air like a fountain. The green liquid then began to settle down and as it did, a figure came revealed. The Lifestream stopped altogether, revealing a lithe young woman, a woman long thought to be dead.

"Hello everyone."