THE DEVIL BEHIND THE DISGUISE PART 7- MANSION OF MEMORIES
FINAL FANATSY 7 DOES NOT QUAVER AT MY FEET. I'M NOT THAT POWERFUL...YET
I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS CHAPTER TO ZACKS-CLONE-YOU HAVE HELPED ME TO CONTINUE THIS STORY, I COULDN'T WRITE SOMETHING THIS LONG WITHOUT SOMEONE LIKE YOU!
The door of the mansion and Cloud inhaled the familiar musty smell. He walked across the varnished, wooden floor, footsteps reverberating off the mouldy walls. Watery light filtered through the stained glass windows. The mansion had not changed much, with the exception that it had gained a few layers of dust. Cloud headed towards the winding staircase. He ran as quickly as he could, as he was keen to see if what Hojo had said was true. As the air got fouler the rooms grew darker. Cloud suddenly remembered this was the place where he met Vincent Valentine. It wasn't the happiest of greetings...
'Why did we bother to get this key, Cloud?' asked Aeris, slotting Odin into Princess Guard.
'I don't know...I'm not even sure where it goes'
Cloud, Aeris and Red XIII made their way down the dingy passage. Aeris tried a door on the left but it didn't open.
'Cloud! Try this one.'
The lock clicked open. The room smelt of rotting flesh. Various torture instruments were dotted around the room. Chains littered the floor. In the middle of the room, nailed shut was...
'...a coffin?'
Red XIII padded up to it and listened intently. He started to growl.
'Theres somebody in there...and they're alive'
Aeris walked forward and jammed Princess Guard under the lid and prized it off. A cloud of dust rose out. As it cleared they peered into it with bated breath. At first all they could see was a mass of red and black fabric. On second inspection a pale body lay seemingly asleep and completely unaware of anything around him. He was slim and still. Suddenly his eyes flicked open as if he had been in some kind of trance. He lifted his left arm, or what should have been his left arm. Instead, elbow down there was golden claw. Cloud could see bronze screws had been drilled through his elbow. Dry, cracked blood clung onto them. It was repulsive. He flexed the claw before slamming it down on the edge of the coffin, splintering the wood. He opened his eyes entirely. For a second or two his and Cloud's eyes met. A familiar swooping sensation hit the pit of his stomach...
Cloud slid his hand over the door where he had first met what he thought was a vampire. He clenched his fingers once. And turned away.
'I'll leave some of his secrets untouched- it's the least I can do'
He turned to head back up the stairway only somebody was blocking them. Hojo stood on the threshold breathing heavily.
'Changed your mind? Shying away from the truth?!'
He raised his hand towards Cloud and pointed a syringe with blue liquid at him. 'Join my mother creator and I!' He yelled.
Quick as a flash a guillotine blade fell from the ceiling. Cloud shielded his face with his arm just in time. There was a horrible splattering sound as he felt something warm cover his arm. He opened his eyes and recoiled. Hojo lay in two pieces still wearing a manic grin. Most of his vital organs hung out. Oozing blood everywhere.
'Cloud!'
Red XIII ran up to him.
'Are you all right? -I thought I was too late.'
'How did you-why did you....where did that-'
Cloud stammered 'Hojo always threatened me with this weapon when I was his prisoner'
'Well-anyway... thanks'
Cloud gasped. 'Listen Red...'
he told Red XIII all the events from Lucrecia's visit, although he left out the snide comments about Vincent and himself Hojo had made. Nanaki listened intently before speaking.
'There is something strange in the air... I can feel it- big changes...departure'
When they left Nibelheim behind, Cloud was surprised to see the highwind.
'I thought you might want some faster transport'
Cloud couldn't help grinning. As he sat in the aircraft there was only one thing on his mind. How was he going to get Vincent to understand?
ANOTHER CHAPTER OVER BUT YOU WON'T HAVE LONG TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!
-THANKS AGAIN ZACKS-CLONE!