Escaping from hell

From the very first second he opened his eyes, the pain shot through his body, like intense waves of electricity. It would be only after he was returned to his cell that he would realise it was really electricity… Cloud collapsed on the hard cement, unable to move because his nerves were totally fried off. And when Zack touched him, his whole body started to shake, everything turning black… Blue eyes slowly closed and his limbs went limp all of a sudden.

- C'mon! Don't die on me! C'mon, come back!

Pushing frantically on Cloud's sternum, Zack hoped to bring back his dying friend. The dark-haired man could breath a sigh of relief few seconds later when he jerked back to life. However, the blond resumed in his trashing and screaming. It took a long time for Zack to calm him down. A lab assistant came a little after, sliding their meal in the small cell. The SOLDIER crawled to it, looking over the disgusting goo supposed to be a broth. He knew he had to eat all of that, hell, he did not want to stay here forever. The daily treatments that Hojo gave him just weakened him, but he had to get stronger, and quick, or else… He took a sip and almost spat it back.

- Ugh… It won't be easy… C'mon, Cloud you'll have to eat some of that, too…

But Cloud did not respond. He was still racked by the tremors of his previous encounter with Hojo. Zack grabbed a hold of his friend, sitting him up, and he brought the bowl to his lips, forcing the thick liquid into him. Turning him on his side afterward, he gulped his share reluctantly. But Cloud started to vomit everything, menacing to choke at any moment and quickly Zack was forced to support him.

- Hold on, he whispered, I'll get us out of here…

And Cloud blacked out.

********

Quickly, Hojo seemed to take a liking in experimenting on Cloud. He was taking him away for days before returning him in the cell, while Zack was constantly fighting against numerous beasts and was being injected each time with more Mako. Day after day, the dark-haired man was hearing his friend scream in agony and it hurt even more than his physical wounds. Then, one day, after months of experimenting, they were locked into Mako tanks and put to sleep. When they were awakened, the torture started anew. Each day Cloud seemed to weaken and was starting to display evident signs of mild Mako poisoning. Two more times they were locked in the Mako tanks, and the last time, the sleep program was not engaged. By that time, Zack was forced to keep talking to the blond, for he feared he would drown in madness. Cloud was still reacting very strongly to Sephiroth's name, though, but wasn't able to remember anything very coherent. His Mako poisoning had gotten worse and he was constantly raving about hearing /her/ without understanding. And finally, one day, during the feeding time…

********

Cloud looked up one more time. In front of him, all he could see was blurred. There was that dark patch moving, just in front of him and suddenly the thick liquid he was floating in disappeared, leaving him to lean heavily against the cold glass once again. Soon the scent of the lab penetrated his senses, his whole body reacting to it in the form of a painful heaving fit, he was so used to his little cell by now that the stagnant air outside and the torture associated to it was making him sick. Cloud struggled mentally to stay in the Mako tank, but his body stumbled outside to meet the hard cement. He stayed still, waiting. He heard a rustle of clothes, then someone picked him up and started to put him a pair of pants, bringing warmth to his very cold flesh. Cloud forced his eyes to open, and saw two glowing, brown eyes looking at him with worry. Eyes that he hadn't see in years, it seemed to him.

- ……Za… ack?

- I know, I know, those are a little smelly, but, hey don't complain. I'll get us out of here. Just hold on…

The blond went totally lax after hearing that voice. It was pure relief to hear his friend. He felt himself being lifted from the floor and closed his eyes. Cloud could not do more than that. His body refused to obey him, he was feeling sick and dizzy but Zack was there… So Sephiroth should be near-

********

- She's trying to control me… Please…

He saw those beautiful eyes darkened by the effort for control, and then the silver hair brushed his face then fell away, as his own life flowed out of his chest. He though he could hear him cry out in agony down there and tears leaked out his clouded eyes, wishing that the Lifestream would take him to Sephiroth quickly.

********

- Shhh… Cloud…

Zack held Cloud in his arms, trying to soothe him. The blond was very sick, but never before he had burst in a such emotional seizure. He was trembling and in his barely audible speech, Zack though he heard Sephiroth's name and held him even tighter. Poor Cloud probably just realised his lover was gone, and was terribly hurt. The fire was almost dead but the dark haired man hadn't the strength to go search for wood right now. They had ran away from Shinra for days, they were now resting in a forest near Cosmo Canyon. Zack hoped the people there could help his friend. But the ordeal was taking his toll on the ex SOLDIER. In three days he had eaten absolutely… wait a minute, he had had nothing in three days. His stomach growled to prove his point but he ignored it and curled around Cloud's now still form to keep him warm, falling quickly into oblivion.

********

- Bugen! Bugen!, called Jake, Bugen, quick, come to the inn!

- Ho! Ho! What is it? It seems serious, said the elder.

- Two men collapsed in the stairs of the village. One of them is very sick, the other is exhausted. Both have been taken to the inn and Cyan is with them…

- I'm coming, ho ho ho! I'll see what I can do.

Bugenhagen stepped into the inn and walked to the room where were resting their two mysterious guests. His attention was immediately caught by the little blond. The poor young man was looking rather frail and weak, sweat glistened on his forehead and Cyan was looking over him worriedly. Bugenhagen started to examine him but quickly realised that he couldn't do much more than to try to feed him and hope he would get better. He had never seen such an illness although he could think of one in particular… Maybe his friend would be able to tell him more when he would wake up. What he did few hours later. Cyan gave him a serving of soup he gulped down, and after the presentations, Zack told them their story. Cloud and Zack stayed a few days in Cosmo Canyon, a time the dark haired man used to regain his strength. The elder, Bugenhagen, had tried to heal Cloud, but with no avail. His condition improved, though, now he could walk around a little with the help of Zack. Hitting the road again, they traveled up to Costa del Sol, avoiding the very occupied Gongaga. They passed for regular and took the boat ride back to the main continent. But that just could not do for Cloud. His motion sickness caught up with him and he passed the three days in a semi-conscious state, unable to eat anything but broth. Upon arriving to Junon, Zack had to drag his friend out and hide until the night fall. A lot of SOLDIERS where there… Finally, the dark-haired man managed to catch a ride with an old man to Fort Condor.

********

Zack looked over his shoulder worriedly. He shouldn't have taken the path through the cave first… Now the Shinra were after them. It was raining, he and Cloud were soaked through and the blond was already suffering of a high grade fever now. The mountain wind slapped his face as he ran higher on the plateau but he finally found a small cave to rest. He really wished he had a fire material now. All he had was a thunder and ice, nothing that could be very useful…

- Ngh… aaaaggh!! *cough* Zaa… aaack…

Zack took Cloud in his arms, trying to warm him up.

- Hold on, he whispered, just hold on, Cloud. Midgar's not far from here. Once we're there, I promise you'll be warm and well, and I'll find you a doctor to cure you and we'll become mercenaries together, 'k? Look, I still have some potion that old man gave us at Cosmo Canyon… Here, c'mon, drink…

He managed to make him swallow a share of the sweet drink by holding him firmly to prevent the whole bottle to spill because of his spasms. Cloud coughed, and tried to tell something to his friend, but the poison running through his veins was making him so weak… But Zack was used to his babbling now and could tell only by the sound and intensity that he was cold. He gulped the remaining liquid and wrapped his arms around the blond, putting his head on his shoulder.

- ……Eph… Seph… Sephiroth!

Zack closed his eyes painfully.

- Cloud, he whispered, Seph is gone… He's waiting for you in the Promised Land. Please, don't… don't remind me, it hurts. I miss him, too. Sleep, now.

But after few hours the rain stopped and they had to get moving. Zack could hear already some troopers following him… He ran faster, holding Cloud's body close to him, hell, the boy was in a critical state, they had to get to Midgar, and fast. The ground was very slippery and Zack used it to his advantage, sliding down the slopes in hope of getting away without having to fight. Bracing himself, he jumped over a crack in the rock and ran behind a wall. He lay down his burden gently. They were too close now. He drew his Buster sword, intended on defending his friend with his life if he had to. Three troopers were nothing for a First Class SOLDIER and in no time he was back near Cloud.

- Let's go, the city is not far from- ugh!

A bullet grazed his left arm, but before he could retaliate, five troopers appeared above him, shouting to bring the SOLDIERS back on the track. Two of them and that same number of troopers invaded the small ledge. Zack felt his heart stop as his body was pushed down under the sheer force of the attack. Blood oozed from his abdomen, the world slowly turning black and he tried to reach Cloud, really, really tried but only an arm responded feebly, lifting itself from the muddy soil toward the trembling blond. Colours of the world danced before his eyes, the blur slowly turned to a soothing green and he felt no pain at all. A brown haired woman appeared in the mist. Aerith…?

- Come, brave young man, the woman said, Let yourself return to the Planet, let your spirit rest… Your time is over. Come with me, I'll show you the way.

The last shots made the dark-haired man's body jerk up, the green light surrounding him suddenly and Zack's spirit found itself buried into the woman's arms. He looked at Cloud, now alone in the rain, clutching his bloodied body, crying and calling his name.

- Zaaack!

- No! shouted desperately Zack's spirit, No! Cloud needs my help! I can't leave him! Not now!

Then, something happened. Cloud grabbed the hilt of the Buster sword, dragging himself toward the glowing city. The woman smiled, cradling the now limp spiritual form in her arms.

- Without your conscience, your spirit cannot go to the Promised Land. Why did you had to put it in this young boy? She whispered.

********

His body would collapse soon, he knew, but he continued to move forward. He had to. Something was gnawing at him, telling him he had to keep moving. Unfortunately, a woman passing by in a hurry bumped into him and this time, he knew he could not move an inch more. His legs buckled and he fell on the harsh cement. The brunette, however, came back to apologize, or so he thought until she said his name.

- Cloud? Cloud is that really you? Are you okay?

The blond looked up, confused, not sure if he should answer, the face in front of him seemed so familiar. He began to feel a dull throbbing in the back of his head… Yeah, he definitively knew her.

- Tifa… It's… been awhile, he rasped

- You call seven year a while!?! God, Cloud I was asking myself if you were still alive… Cloud? You're soaked, are you alright?

Just then a squad of Shinra soldiers passed in a nearby street and Cloud tensed. He had to hide and quick, because the squad leader seemed to search for someone here… He knew Shinra was probably searching for him, hunting him down. He tried to get behind Tifa, to be out of the view of any of those troopers… The girl saw this, unwrapped the coat she was wearing and hide his bright blond spikes with it.

- Come with me, I run a bar not far from here. You can hide there.

She helped him to his feet and lead the way. Cloud followed but soon his pace looked drunken, he felt his lungs stinging with the sensation of lacking air, the previous throbbing increasing into a painful migraine. Everything went black but he could hear someone shout in the distance…

End

*silence* Poor Zack. He was great. I'm sorry I had to make him die, he didn't want to…

Zack's spirit: It's alright, Htress, I'm with Aerith, now.

Htress: But I wanted you alive!!! Anyway, come visit often, 'k?

Next chapter: A mysterious voice