Disclaimer: I do not own FF7. Any references to the game belong to Square Soft. The Nexus on the other hand is mine.
Revelation
He stood in the middle of a town square, fire raging all around. People he did not know ran screaming all around him. His body was rooted to the spot, for reasons he could not fathom, he was a spectator. The body of a young woman fell in front of him, bleeding and moving feebly. Her blonde hair was stained black with soot and red with blood. Her hands scrabbled at the dirt and she looked up, pleadingly, to him. He could do nothing.
A dark figure walked towards him and the girl…wading confidently through the flame. The heat haze obscured his vision…but the figure looked sinister, carrying a long sword that reflected the fire in red tints. It moved slowly, deliberately towards him…dread welled up inside of him as the figure came closer. One more step and the figure was clear. It was a man, long white hair, untouched by the inferno, fell to the man's knees. Blazing green eyes peered at him as the fire drew glints from deep within their depths. The man was dressed head to toe in black, a swirling black coat donned his shoulders; black straps crossed his chest, and black boots that seemed to blend into the black pants. The man was magnificent.
The man stopped and grinned at him, holding the six foot sword negligently in his hands. He glanced down at the woman who was looking up with hope in her eyes. A mere flick of his wrist and the blade was buried in her back. Blood rushed from her mouth in a gushing froth, covering his knees. He reeled in shock at what the man had done. The man smiled and stepped back from the body of the girl, leaving the sword pinning the body. The man gestured to the sword and spoke "Take it". He couldn't help it, he screamed.
* * * * *
Kiv awoke as her patient screamed. He was writhing on the bed, several of his wounds had reopened and blood dripped from his lips. She pushed his shoulders down, pinning him to the bed. With surprising strength he fought her, lashing out in every direction. A dream…it must be a dream…he caught the side of her face with his fist, wrenching himself free from her hold. She tasted blood and felt the sting of her cut cheek. Not a dream…a nightmare! Too much more of this and he will destroy what healing I've been able to accomplish…
* * * * *
The man seemed amused by his screaming. "You are weak…full of fear, what a pity. Perhaps I was wrong, you are not worthy"
He felt a rush of anger torturing innocents and he says I'm not worthy?
The man smiled and walked closer to him…as if hearing his thoughts. "These are not innocents, as well you know that" The man knelt and lightly placed his fingers on the girls wound. His hand came back bloody. "They are cretins, filth, crawling on this planet and devouring it from the inside out. The blood they will pay for their sins will revitalize the planet as it will revitalize you." The man reached towards him with the bloody fingers and he couldn't move. Bloody fingers trailed along his lips, leaving a crimson smear. The man leaned closer still, grinning. "You will partake of this, and you will heal. You have no choice." In a swift movement more akin to a snake than a man, the man leaned forward and pressed their lips together, kissing him. The kiss forced his lips open, and the blood poured in.
He was choking on the warm, salty blood as it poured and poured… such a large amount. The blood made his head swim, even as the intimate embrace of the silver haired man held him upright.
* * * * *
Kiv fought still, she had the man's wrapped tight in sheets, so he no longer fought her. She could sense a great deal of energy swelling around him…and that worried her. In the nexus, energy was always more potent he could burn out his mind…She only had one choice…to use the energies he was gathering and hope his weakened body could handle them…
* * * * *
The man held him, cradled in his lap like a child and stroking his hair like a lover. And as he held him he whispered "Any moment now…any moment….we will force her hand. And we shall be whole again." He felt energies coalesce around him and the man, gentle…full of restrained power. The energy sought out his body, he felt it burn through the shock and pain. It was like no healing he had felt before, it was wild and barely controlled…and more intoxicating than blood. The man holding him smiled "Yessss…"
The power became dazzling bright, he shied away from it. His mind fled form the brilliance that was invading his body. He found his way blocked. He was snared, and the healing overcame his mind in a wild crash. Then it receded, and he was still there, held gently in a net of energy. A new voice echoed faintly, as if exhausted, in his mind "…well done…healed…awaken…"
* * * * *
Kiv leaned back from the bed, exhausted from channeling so much energy. The glow in the room dissipated and pain wracked her body, making her double over as the last of the energies burned along her synapses. Damn the consequences of wild energy…she gasped in her mind. And again I learn the lesson of letting people heal slowly…
* * * * *
He awoke once more, constrained, held, but in a place he remembered. He could smell the clean air and the feel the now familiar bed he laid on. Better yet, he could feel strength in his body, wholeness. He felt the air around him shudder and a slight intake of breath floated in the silence. He took a deep breath, pleased that he could, and called out "Hello?"
The air shivered once more and he heard someone pulling themselves to their feet, then the voice he remembered answered him. "Awake once *gasp* more I see?"
"Yes…I feel different. Am I better now?"
There was a moment of labored breathing then "Yes, physically to some extent. I can remove the bandages now if you wish."
"Yes please"
Kiv stopped clutching her sides and gently sat at the edge of the bed, fighting the pain of energy burn. With a careful claw she cut away the bandages on his eyes. His eyes were closed, so she couldn't see if the healing had also restored those "Open yours eyes please" He opened his eyes, two brilliant emerald orbs stared at her and she sighed in relief.
* * * * *
He blinked, readjusting himself to sight, and more particularly to the sight in front of him. A young woman sat on the bed near him, long blonde/white hair trailing to her feet. Her eyes were gold ringed in silver and slit like the eyes of a cat. Her face was delicate and yet brought to mind the Great Plains cats he had seen, minus the fur and made human. But there was a slight mar, the left side of her cheek seemed to be bruised and painful, some blood trickled from her mouth. Despite that, she was smiling at him, and he could see two small, sharp fangs. "Are you real?"
She laughed, a low, purring sound, then she winced "As real as I can be" She extnded a claw from her delicate finger and continued to remove his bandages. He let her, and looked around the room he was in. There was a pallet set up right next the bed he was sitting on she must have slept near me to keep an eye on me. I wonder who hurt her? "Lady…"
"I am called Kiv by most"
"Lady Kiv, if I may be so bold…who hurt you? You are bleeding…"
She seemed to withdraw and absently reach a hand to her face, catching the blood from her mouth. "This is nothing" She went back to unbandaging him.
He continued to look around the room. A simple chest, a stand with clothes on it, a mirror... He inspected the clothes stand. It held a black coat, black boots, and black pants, all in the process of being mended. Something stirred in the back of his mind…he looked in the mirror…silver hair and emerald eyes stared back at him.
* * * * *
End of chapter two!!!! This may have been a little slow, if it was I apologize.