Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sqauresoft Characters such as Cloud,
Tifa, and Barret etc. I do however own all of my own Characters Such as
Gale Amber, Stratus Strife and so on.

The Forgotten

Chapter 37: Arriving to a Battlefield.

The air around them was clouded with dark ominous clouds and raining dark ash as their Chocobo's raced through the lands towards Ranish City. Stratus and Gale headed the movement and where the first to reach the broken and burnt gates leading into the city. Stratus pulled on the reins to his bird and it skidded to a halt, his face was that of shock at the scene before him. Bodies lined the streets of the former glorified city that was know nothing but rubble leading to a large tower that was one source of evil on their world. The outer wall surrounding the city had been smashed to pieces on all sides leaving the city nothing but a barren wasteland of rock and metal and glass. Stratus hoped of his Chocobo and walked down the main street, stopping as he reached the first body, that of a young girl not much younger than his sister. He bladed his fist and clenched his teeth, trying to control his anger.

"Stratus?" Gale pleaded. "Are you okay?"

"They killed her." He chocked back a sob. "They killed her! What had she done to deserve this?" At this point he rest of the group had arrived and remained silent, all shocked at the sight before them, even Blain.

"She was just a little girl." He continued. "Probably never even hurt a fly. Yet they killed her. In cold blood." With this he let out a deafening roar and kicked a stray rock into the air.

"I understand you grief Stratus but we must go." Akira cut in. Stratus closed his eyes for a few moments before continuing on into the fallen city. They got to the tower in no time and discovered the remains of more civilians, piled up and burning in a blaze of fire. The door had been knocked of its hinges and the frame around it had crumbled leaving a huge gap for them to enter. They did and found themselves yet more dead bodies, these belonging to both Forgotten and Ranish soldiers. At the end of the hall was an elevator that didn't work and to its left a flight of stairs leading up the tower.

"Guess we take the stairs." Lance mumbled as he stepped towards them. A gunshot rang through the hall and he stepped back as a bullet hit the spot he had just occupied. They looked up to see Talenous above them on a balcony with his gun aimed at Lance.

"Go no." Lance said. " I'll take care of him."

"But Lance-" Gale started.

"But nothing." He cut her off. "Besides, I have a score to settle with him." Lance unbuckled his shotgun and spun it on his finger before aiming it at the general. "Go!"

The group did so; Stratus lingered a little longer as the rest hurried up the stairs.

"Good look Firecracker." He smiled.

"You too." Lance smiled back and then Stratus was gone.

"Touching." Talenous chuckled. "I never knew you swung that way." Talenous followed this with his usual laugh.

"Shut up and fight!" Lance bellowed and fired the first shot. Talenous moved to the right and fired back. Lance dodged to his left and kept going, firing as he went. They both stopped, Lance by the elevator and Talenous at the other end of the balcony.

"I see why he called you Firecracker." Talenous chuckled and fired again, his aim was perfect.

----

Stratus caught up to the rest within seconds and they found themselves at the end of line, the stairs having caved in halfway up to floor four. The gap was too large for most to make.

"Some should continue on up and the rest should go back down and see if they can find another way." Cloud said.

"Agreed." Red replied. "I believe Gale, Stratus and myself should continue on whilst the rest go back."

"I want to go too." Tifa added.

"Okay then, good luck you guys." Cloud called back as he ran back down the stairs to floor three.

"Ready?" Stratus asked and with the nods they jumped the gap and continued on up the stairs.

----

The rest of our heroes headed back down the stairs to the door leading to floor three. They reached the floor to find many Ranish soldiers lining the walls, blood smeared on them and the walls. Some of the guards had a huge gash across their chest, some on their throats and some didn't even have heads. Amongst the dead bodies were few Forgotten creatures that had been either killed by the soldiers or caught in the crossfire. Cloud crept down the corridor, his sword held close and ready to defend himself. The others followed suit and they found themselves in a large room, small makeshift cubicles, some turned over and some still up right where scattered around the room. Propped up against the nearest cubicle were a Ranish soldier, clutching his wounded shoulder and gasping for air. Blain stormed up to him and rammed his boot into the wound, causing the man to scream in pain.

"Blain!" Cloud shouted and stepped up to him. "Hold it. Leave him alone."

"Why should I?" Blain argued. "He is part of Ranish."

"Just cool it." Cloud gave him a piercing gaze and he removed his boot.

"Help." The guard wheezed. "Please. Help me. They're monsters. They killed everyone without a second glance. Piper told me to help the civilians but Talenous told me not too. I was confused. I tried to help but they where too powerful. Please. I tried. I really did."

"Don't worry we'll help you." Cloud answered.

"Oh thank you." The guard coughed and went to continue but a loud bang sounded and his head jerked back with a snap.

"Pathetic weakling." A voice murmured from behind them. The group turned to see a familiar looking soldier aiming a gun at them. His uniform was stained with blood but you could clearly see his rank and name. Major Ryes.

"You." Rain spat. He remembered him.

~ - - ~ (A/N: Incase you forgot this means flashback.)

The brute struggled to his feet, noticing Rain back turned to him and his mother's prone form to his left. He charged and grabbed her waist, dragging her of her feet as she screamed.

"Mother!" Rain cried as he dived for the man, who had a hold around her neck now, ready to snap it if he got any further. Rain stopped and a look of panic crossed over his face.

"Don't move another inch kiddo or I snap your mommas neck like a twig, snap." He made a snapping sound before bursting into laughter.

"Let her go!" Rain bellowed, balling his hands into fists.

"Not a chance." A loud whirling sound caught him off guard and he snapped his neck to the right, looking for the source of the noise. Rain took the chance and swung his stick into the man's leg, earning a loud bone crack snap. Rain continued forward as the brute howled in pain and dropped his mother, he jammed the stick into the floor and flung himself into the mans face, hitting him square in the head a with a boot and sending him flying backwards of the stand and into a pile of dirt.

~ - - ~

"So we meet again." Ryes said with a smirk. "This time you wont be so lucky kiddo."

"We'll see." Rain smirked back and twirled his stick round with one hand above his head then brought it down to his side. "You guys go on."

"Right." With that the rest left Rain and Ryes to their unfinished business.

Ryes fired and Rain moved to the side, effectively dodging the attack and stalling him. Rain ducked behind a cubical as Ryes ran round the corner and aimed his gun at the thin air.

"Come no out kid." The major hummed and began to sing song. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." Rain stayed silent, listening intently to the man's voice as he drew closer.

"You cant hind all day kid."

Just a little bit further.

"Boo!"

Now. Rain swung the stick as the man bounced round the corner and hit him directly in the shins, making him yelp and drop his weapon. Rain continued by bringing the stick up into the man's head, hearing a satisfying crack as the majors nose broke in two. Ryes stumbled back, clutching at his now broken nose as the blood began to pour out into his hands.

"Fucking brat!" he whined and went to kick but found his leg hitting the side of the cubical. Rain took the chance and swung the stick up directly between his legs and into his man hood. Ryes again cried out, this time his voice less manly. Rain continued to attack, hitting his knee, his left arm, and his right arm and then with a twist his head. Ryes eyes rolled back and he slumped down to the floor, barely conscious after the last shot. Rain wandered back to the man's gun and picked it up, studying it as he strolled back leisurely to the half conscious soldier.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you not to play with guns?" And with that he shot Ryes right between the eyes and threw the gun at this lifeless form.

----

As Rain battled the brute Ryes Cloud and the rest raced to the other end of the floor three, where they found another staircase. They climbed and climbed until they reached fifteen, where they discovered a pile of debris blocking their path once again.

"Damn!" Blain grunted and kicked a loose rock. "This whole place is falling apart! At this rate we wont ever reach the top!"

"Calm down." Akira said. "Let's search this floor for another way up."

"Yeah." Agreed Cloud and they began searching the floor. This one consisted of several small gyms, some with mats laid across the floor for martial arts training and some with weights for weight lifters. At the end of the corridor of rooms was a large metal door that looked like an elevator. As the group closed in on the metal doors a shrill noise from behind them made them stop and turn. Behind them they saw a group of five Forgotten. The first was tall and muscular; his arm's the size of barrels and legs to match. He towered above the others and could barely fit in the corridor. The next was the smallest, his hair toppled down his back and stopped just short of the floor and his hideous smirk was the only thing stopping you from underestimating him. The next two where twins, taller than the last bit much shorter than the first, their dark red skin making them almost in visible in the dimly lit corridor. Their eyes shone a pale yellow and was the only sure sign that they where really their. Finally there was the bony, green-scaled demon. His eyes where completely white, giving him the appearance of a blind man.

"I knew this wouldn't be easy!" Blain grumbled. "Akira. Take care of the president. I'll hold these guys of for you."

"You sure?" Cloud asked.

"Course I'm sure." Blain spat back and drew his trusted Uzi and Katana. "Go!"

----