AUTHORS NOTE: *sighs dreamily* i have a confession! Clouds little "dream" he has when he's passed out cold (below) is one of my favourite parts so far in my ficcy.. but i mean.. I know it isn't too professional saying that about your own work, but who cares! I like it! anyway.. hope you all do too!! and please don't forget to review this!!! (spiffy title, ne?? heehee!)

Angel Reborn
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CHAPTER THREE

CLOUD
in
"There's something about Hades"

~Costa Del Sol - the beach cave~
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A young blonde mercinary floated weightlessly on the darkened ocean, his body occasionally being carressed by a passing wave before it receded from his saturated clothes. He stared up at the glowing full-moon, the hint of a smile playing gently on his lips as he did. Hearing his name being called from the shore, he slowly rose to peer across the powdered sands to the figure that was running towards him. Long graceful legs sent droplets of water flying in all directions as they moved, an arm was raised and waving, and tinkling laughter drifted on the breeze - setting the beautiful night alight like a million stars twinkling in the heavens above. The young mans eyes lit up with delight at the sight, reaching out towards the divine creature as she neared him - sending pearls of salt water cascading over his face and hair. She indeed grew more and more enchanting each time he gazed apon her, and now as those eyes that danced with merriment looked into his own, his heart could not help but skip a beat with the wonder of it all. She began to teasingly splash him with waves of water, darting out of the way just as he tried to retaliate with his own, more sizable attempts. The game continued on until they both fell exhausted into each others arms, awash with gales of delighted laughter and beating hearts. Her profile caught in moonlight as she looked at him made him tremble amongst the mild currents, cool blue eyes drunk in her beauty as if it were the rich honeyed nectar of some exotic fruit. Droplets of saltwater glittered on her long dark eyelashes and she cupped his chin delicately in a soft palm, drawing his swiftly beating heart to rest against her own..

'CLOUD!! Come on! get up!.. QUICKLY!' Yuffie shook the dazed mercinary roughly, hauling him to his feet with a mighty tug. Cloud blinked his sharp blue eyes at the bright sunlight invading his vision and dissolving the wonderful dream he wished he never had to let go of. His left arm was tingling strangely and he looked down at it in puzzlement, remembering how the giant fiend had sprung apon him and tore at it.

'I healed your arm.. but no time to chat now - we need to help Tifa!!!' Yuffie quickly explained, turning to the place where Tifa presently stood performing a dolphin kick with little effect.

'It's too strong, Cloud! It has some sort of strange forcefield protecting it - none of my kicks and punches are connecting!' Tifas eyes were frantic and she beckoned them over quickly. Yuffie cast Ultima onto the beast from where she stood, hoping to catch it off gaurd.. but much to her suprise Cloud and Tifa cried out in unison at seeing her action and quickly sheilded themselves. The band of sizzling materia smashed against the monsters forcefield, seeming to pearl off it like water on a waxy surface and than, much to her horror, Ultima came shooting back in her direction - eveloping the three friends in a thick wave of eerie green gas. Cloud was the first to recover, gritting his teeth against the dizziness that threatened his mind and body.

'Just as I thought, it's protected by Reflect.. and that's only the beginning. Be on your gaurd, we don't know what that monster is capable of!' The two girls nodded in agreement and turned back to the beast with rekindled determination blazing in their eyes.

Yuffie cast Esuna on the monster quickly, knowing that the status change materia would dispell the effects of Reflect immediately - leaving the horrible fiend open for one of her allies to cast upon. It worked perfectly, the wall of magic shielding the monster tore open from the force of the conjuration, slowly dissolving into tiny sparkling particals that, in another minute, had completely dissappeared into thin air.

Smiling brightly, Tifa took her turn - Summoning the darkest god of them all, master of the underworld and ruler of all evil, the all-mighty Hades. The three lept back as the large brimstone slab slammed into the place where they had once stood, shaking the ground with it's weight and fragmenting the grass around it into ashen shreds that were quickly picked up and carried off by the heated winds that whipped about the area. Four flaming brimstone columns quickly followed suit to their predecessor, taking place evenly around the large circle of heated stone - their flames being coaxed by the rising winds and dancing off into sparks that showered down around the smouldering edifice. Some of them drifted over onto Yuffie, making her yelp loudly and brush them off - simultaniously using curative magic to heal the red welts that rose on her delicate skin. 'Hades always has me in a trance with all his fire and brimstone! It's just sooooo amazing!' She babbled in wonder - clenching her fists and jumping about ecstaticly.

'Yeh well, If you keep on pinching materia at the rate you do, you'll be able to join him someday.' Cloud mumbled sarcasticly, unable to hide his own wonderment at the powerful summoning that was taking place. The center of the round slab glowed orange-red for an instant, before a sparking wicca symbol emerged to imprint heavily on the hard surface. The moment had arrived, and as the flames danced and flickered on the billowing winds a low groaning was heard from the brimstone stage - growing louder still as the darkly-robed skeletal form of the lord of the underworld arose from his place of fire to rest infront of the fascinated onlookers. Somewhere from within the hollow recessions of his dark eye-sockets two flaming orbs appeared, licking hungrily at the bone that surrounded their hold. Robes blacker than the blackest night slid back slightly to reveal two boney hands that rose above him in silent conjuration. A large cauldron slipped into view infront of Hades, bubbling furiously while expending a strange multicoloured light that radiated brightly off the dark lords bloodless skull and set the night around him awash with brilliance. A hideous grin was fixed on his mouth, but by it's own accord it grew even wider - making Hades look of the very essence of evil that he was. A dry rasping chuckle spilt from his parched lips and echoed hollowly between the four great pillars surrounding him, sending a chill down the audiences backs self-consciously.

It was around this time that Cloud realised something was seriously wrong. Hades was facing his group.. not the monster.. and that ment that..

Having sensed that Cloud had caught onto him, Hades began to wave his arms erratically about above the churning cauldron infront of him. Tormented wails and anguished screams rose from the contained liquid and manifested in Clouds head, causing him to fall to the ground and sheild his ears from the onslaught of dark magic that tried to worm it's way between his tightly pressed fingers. Somewhere above the noise he heard Hades begin to word a soulless chant with his crackling voice, flaming eyes burning into Clouds writhing form and that constant mocking grin that widened at his handiwork.

'STOP!! RETURN!!' Cloud screeched, commanding the summoned lord to return to his confine, but failing. 'TIFA! CALL HADES BACK! NOW!!' His desperation made him frantic and a stream of curses escaped his lips as he rolled about, trying to discourage the magic that billowed about him.

'CLOUD?!'

'JUST DO IT!! QUICKLY!'

Tifa focused all of her energy on the small orb of red summon materia that was slotted into her armband and drew it back into the glowing ball. 'STOP! RETURN TO ME!!' she commanded loudly, feeling a wave of relief as Hades flashed blue quickly to signal that her order had worked. The dark lord tried in vain to cast in the seconds he had left, but the thick black coil of magic that had curled over in the trio's direction was frozen halfway before being blown away in the passing currents of wind. As Hades began to be drawn back into the materia from which he came he let out a mighty bellow that shook the ground on which they all stood, than dissappeared with a final puff of ash and coals. Tifa gaped in shock as the red orb in her armor slot shattered into a thousand tiny particals, before hearing Clouds groan from nearby and hurrying over to assist him. Yuffie was already helping him to his feet and casting curative magic to ease the tension still in his head.

'Are you ok?' Tifa asked with concern.

'I'll be fine, lets not forget about our real enemy.' Cloud reminded them, nodding his head in the direction of the floating giant.

The monster glared at them, holding the same devilish grin that Hades had had when he turned on Clouds group - obviously amused at the events of recent times. Cloud regained his composure and cast Comet on the fiend with a smile, but it quickly turned to a frown when he saw the giant flaming rocks change their course and come back down upon him - causing him to dodge and duck quickly, but not to avoid one that managed to swipe his sholder.

'%$#&!!!' Cloud cursed painfully.

Having had it's fun, the ugly amphibious creature headed to the water - dissappearing into the ocean with a gurgle of it's waters and glowing green as it did. Cloud was momentarily roused from his pains by the sight, gaping with disbelief and running down the beach. He ran knee-deep into the cool waves and scooped up some of the glowing residue left on the surface with his fingers, watching as it glistened with a periwinkle sheen.

'Mako.' Cloud murmered to himself.

'Mako?' Tifa asked, walking up besides him.

'The creature was covered with Mako.. yet he wasn't effected negatively by it at all'

'He wasn't poisoned by it?'

'Didn't seem so.. he didn't look to be in any pain.'

'What I wanna know is what was up with Hades!!' Yuffie pointed out, a frown on her face. 'Why would he turn on us?'

'And why would his materia ball shatter when he returned?' Tifa questioned, indicating the empty slot in her armor.

'I really don't know, but we should try and find out about all these things as soon as we can.' Cloud insisted, sighing at the blood that had soaked through his clothes and down the length of his arm.

'Agreed!' the girls replied in unison.
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©Erica Runge - 24th of November, 2002. All main characters, etc ©Squaresoft and FFVII.