~A Spirit's Rising~
Blood.
Pain.
Blood.
How long had it been since he had felt such pain, in the physical sense? Most likely the same five thousand years he had been on the Endless Road. It was pain...no, pure agony, but it was there, yet it was not. He stared down blankly at his shoulder. It hurt, but it did not. His sense of pain had been numbed after so much time. He watched, almost facinated, as the blood dripped slowly to the ground. It was a puddle, now; a puddle of red. He lifted stained fingers to his lips, tasting it. So this was what life tasted like. His was bitter, as it so obviously would be.
He slowly raised his head to look at the Stone Guardians. They actually fell back a few inches at his empty eyes. Empty _violet_ eyes.
Cloud had become the Demon. And the Demon was _not_ happy.
*Now use it! The decimation of the "Heart of Darkness"!*
One gloved hand was raised, and the Guardians charged. From the hand burst Darkness, enveloping them, and when it had passed, nothing was there. Cloud sunk to his knees, spent.
*Damn you and your weak body...* the Demon muttered. *Now, you ought to treat that wound before you bleed to death.*
Using his sword as a support, the Shadow Hunter stood and turned towards the door into Hollow Bastion.
Only to be faced with two _more_ Stone Guardians.
'Shit...!'
He was sent flying once more by a large fist, but caught himself clumsily with his remaining wing. His position in midair was awkward, as he was hanging more to his right, this interfering with his defense.
And then one of the Guardians burst into flames. After a moment, it vanished in an explosion of dark fog, like any other Heartless. Cloud recognized the Flare spell, but who had cast it...?
He landed on the ground, only to see a young man standing at the remaining Guardian's back. It was...the Spirit Hunter he had seen before. His name had been Squall, hadn't it? The Heartless turned it's attention to the newcomer, growling at him. The young man drew his weapon, a gunblade. Cloud had seen few of that sort of blade, and found himself examining it despite the current situation. The Guardian punched at Squall, who avoided it rather skillfully, then attempted to slash at it.
"Don't waste your time!" Cloud called. "Weapons aren't effective!"
The Spirit Hunter nodded slightly in his direction to express his understanding, then cast another Flare on the creature. It also dissappeared in a dark fog. After he was sure no more were coming, he turned to Cloud.
"Hey. Catch."
The blonde caught the Elixer that had been thrown. Murmuring his thanks, he downed the medicine. He could feel the place where his wing had been torn out pulsating as flesh melted back into place. He looked at the spot from the corner of his eye, then scowled. He had actually enjoyed flying, too...
"What's your problem?"
"It's nothing," Cloud said with a shrug. "I was just hoping my other wing would grow back."
Squall raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think Elixers heal _that_ well."
"I suppose not," Cloud agreed. Then, "You know, I could have handled that fight myself."
"Maybe. But if that was the case, why did you just sit there and watch?"
"Oh, I was merely assessing your level of skill just in case someday I end up having to kill you."
For that, Squall stared at Cloud blankly. Cloud frowned, but did not continue on the subject. Squall, however, did.
"Did you learn anything?" he asked.
"Not really," Cloud replied, "Only that you cast Flare rather well."
"So," the Shadow Hunter continued after a moment, "I hear you are called Squall Leonhart."
"I was once. I'd prefer it now, however, if you'd call me Leon. I've heard you're called Cloud Strife."
"Unfortunately I still answer to that name."
The two were silent for a moment, as people often are, just gazing out at the Rising Falls as though none of the previous events had taken place. A bit more time passed, then, finally, Cloud turned towards the door.
"I'm going to go," he said to Squall--no--Leon.
"Yeah, okay. But one question."
"Yes?"
"Is this Hell?"
Cloud chuckled darkly.
"No, but you aren't all that far off."
Blood.
Pain.
Blood.
How long had it been since he had felt such pain, in the physical sense? Most likely the same five thousand years he had been on the Endless Road. It was pain...no, pure agony, but it was there, yet it was not. He stared down blankly at his shoulder. It hurt, but it did not. His sense of pain had been numbed after so much time. He watched, almost facinated, as the blood dripped slowly to the ground. It was a puddle, now; a puddle of red. He lifted stained fingers to his lips, tasting it. So this was what life tasted like. His was bitter, as it so obviously would be.
He slowly raised his head to look at the Stone Guardians. They actually fell back a few inches at his empty eyes. Empty _violet_ eyes.
Cloud had become the Demon. And the Demon was _not_ happy.
*Now use it! The decimation of the "Heart of Darkness"!*
One gloved hand was raised, and the Guardians charged. From the hand burst Darkness, enveloping them, and when it had passed, nothing was there. Cloud sunk to his knees, spent.
*Damn you and your weak body...* the Demon muttered. *Now, you ought to treat that wound before you bleed to death.*
Using his sword as a support, the Shadow Hunter stood and turned towards the door into Hollow Bastion.
Only to be faced with two _more_ Stone Guardians.
'Shit...!'
He was sent flying once more by a large fist, but caught himself clumsily with his remaining wing. His position in midair was awkward, as he was hanging more to his right, this interfering with his defense.
And then one of the Guardians burst into flames. After a moment, it vanished in an explosion of dark fog, like any other Heartless. Cloud recognized the Flare spell, but who had cast it...?
He landed on the ground, only to see a young man standing at the remaining Guardian's back. It was...the Spirit Hunter he had seen before. His name had been Squall, hadn't it? The Heartless turned it's attention to the newcomer, growling at him. The young man drew his weapon, a gunblade. Cloud had seen few of that sort of blade, and found himself examining it despite the current situation. The Guardian punched at Squall, who avoided it rather skillfully, then attempted to slash at it.
"Don't waste your time!" Cloud called. "Weapons aren't effective!"
The Spirit Hunter nodded slightly in his direction to express his understanding, then cast another Flare on the creature. It also dissappeared in a dark fog. After he was sure no more were coming, he turned to Cloud.
"Hey. Catch."
The blonde caught the Elixer that had been thrown. Murmuring his thanks, he downed the medicine. He could feel the place where his wing had been torn out pulsating as flesh melted back into place. He looked at the spot from the corner of his eye, then scowled. He had actually enjoyed flying, too...
"What's your problem?"
"It's nothing," Cloud said with a shrug. "I was just hoping my other wing would grow back."
Squall raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think Elixers heal _that_ well."
"I suppose not," Cloud agreed. Then, "You know, I could have handled that fight myself."
"Maybe. But if that was the case, why did you just sit there and watch?"
"Oh, I was merely assessing your level of skill just in case someday I end up having to kill you."
For that, Squall stared at Cloud blankly. Cloud frowned, but did not continue on the subject. Squall, however, did.
"Did you learn anything?" he asked.
"Not really," Cloud replied, "Only that you cast Flare rather well."
"So," the Shadow Hunter continued after a moment, "I hear you are called Squall Leonhart."
"I was once. I'd prefer it now, however, if you'd call me Leon. I've heard you're called Cloud Strife."
"Unfortunately I still answer to that name."
The two were silent for a moment, as people often are, just gazing out at the Rising Falls as though none of the previous events had taken place. A bit more time passed, then, finally, Cloud turned towards the door.
"I'm going to go," he said to Squall--no--Leon.
"Yeah, okay. But one question."
"Yes?"
"Is this Hell?"
Cloud chuckled darkly.
"No, but you aren't all that far off."