THE DEVIL BEHIND THE DISGUISE CHAPTER 10- THE FINAL BATTLE

I DO NOT HAVE ANY RIGHTS OVER SQUARESOFT CREATIONS-DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?

I'M SORRY THIS TOOK A LONG TIME I'VE BEEN PRETTY BUSY WITH ANOTHER SITE- WELL HERE IT IS THE FINALE, BUT STAY TUNED FOR THE EPILOGUE THOUGH .

Cloud coughed as he inhaled a mouthful of dust. He looked around and saw the unconscious shapes of the others. The bookshelves full of dusty volumes informed Cloud that they had landed in the library. But why had the lifestream brought them here? Aeris's sword lay a few inches from his outstretched hand. It ached to move. A few minutes later he had passed out due to the mental strain. When he came round Barret, Cait Sith, Red XIII, Cid and Vincent were looking over him, exchanging anxious looks

'I'm ok' he shrugged them off as he picked up the sword. Cloud listened intently, he thought he heard-yes- voices echoed from the next room. He lunged at the door and tore it open. An extremely peculiar scene met his eyes.

A fire crackled merrily in the grate of a small, circular room. The fire threw shadows across several embroidered chairs. A man in a beautiful suit sat in one of them, reading a book. A woman in a satin ball gown sat on his lap, arms around his neck. In the corner a young lady with an oriental look to her painted dragons on a scroll. She looked no older that eighteen. The man looked up at him and smiled.

'I must welcome you to my abode here. This is my family' He stood up, as did the woman. Cloud stared transfixed at the woman. She had glassy eyes like garnets, bronze-brown hair and drop pearl earrings...

'Tifa!'

Cloud ran up to her and shook her by the shoulders. His hands went straight through her as if she were made of smoke. She was untouchable.

'Then...' he turned around to look at the oriental girl- dark shoulder length hair and tanned skin.

'Yuffiie?' Can you hear me?' Cloud shouted to her. Finally she looked up. He breathed a sigh of relief. The man merely laughed.

'They cannot hear you'

'Father, who are you talking to?' Yuffie asked

'Nobody at all.' He turned back to Cloud.

'Do you realise why they can't hear you now?

'Something like this happened before...but...you're not holo'- the man cut across him.

'If you are trying to say we are simply holograms then you are only half-right...are you sure it's us that are not real or is it you?'

'Stop messing with my mind!' Cloud cried out in anger and collapsed on the ground, hands over his head.

'You're just like him...so twisted...so cruel...you are him!'

'Dear dear that did take a long time, didn't it? You haven't even realised whom my undercover spy is- they may be closer than you think. You never suspected. My faithful servant injected themselves with Jenova cells but alas- failed to get you- but redeemed themselves by putting you in a bad light amongst your little friends. I hired assassins, even bewitched the mind of Mr. Valentine- though he resisted. He knew something was wrong- I needed to stop him from letting the cat out of the bag-so-' he casually waved a hand at the holograms so they disappeared.

'So' he said again 'Do you know who my real puppet is? Would you like to meet them? He smiled and disappeared through a door by the fireplace. Cloud swore it wasn't there before, but followed, still gripping the sword tight.

The next room was dimly lit- even though there were no lights; instead the lighting came from the ghostly glow from a single tank at the end of the room. Inside it was a figure suspended in the green liquid. The body was indistinguishable- they were covered head to toe in what looked like tarnished armour. Jenova's mask rested over what would be a face. Cloud touched the glass. Suddenly an image flared up in his mind- girl in a black and white dress screaming-

"It's my marble! It's always been black! Aaaaaah.....!"

He tore his hand away from the glass as if he had been burnt. As he looked back at the tank the mask fell away as she moved her head. Her long brown hair swam around her as her unconscious head lolled on the shoulder-

'Tifa!' Cloud turned to face Sephiroth. 'What have you done to her!?'

'Used her against you and I shall do it again! He smirked and opened the door to the tank. The green liquid gushed across the floor. Sephiroth caught Tifa and held her up- as easily as if she were a rag doll. He removed her armour and embraced her.

'Now see the true power of safer Sephiroth!' He bagan to laugh- a horrible ringing laugh that filled the whole room. His body morphed with Tifa tied helplessly to his torso.

Cloud was horrified. His breath caught in his mouth obstructing his need to scream- to yell out. Suddenly there was an enormous crash and odin stood framed in the doorway, Slephnir pawing the ground like an angry bull. He vaporised into thin air as the others bundled in through the door.

'Cloud- Aaaaaargh! What the hell?!'

A huge tentacle shot out of nowhere almost knocking Cloud out. The others had joined the battle- Vincent and Barret aiming rounds of bullets at the offending tendrils, Cait Sith shouting orders at his mog-in-a-box, Cid casting various spells and Red XIII snapping and biting where he could.

'Don't hit Tifa!' Cloud called. After a lengthy wave of attackers, Sephiroth flew up high and cast shadow flare over them. Quick as a flash- Caitsith, Cid and Barret dived in front of the others to cover them from the blow. It was so strong they were knocked out cold.

'We don't have any phoenix downs!' yelled Vincent, checking the inventory. Cloud hardly heard him. He was too busy warding off Sephiroth's attacks. A tentacle came shooting towards him. Red XIII dived in front of him. He roared as he was thrown aside by the force. He lay unconscious.

'Nanaki!'

His guard gave Cloud the time to get out of the way. He glanced across at Vincent who had morphed into chaos. He flew up high to avoid the pale horse and tried to strike the head. Cloud still couldn't hit Sephiroth. His attention rested on Cloud again and shot out several tendrils at him- they burrowed into his skin, he screamed- they were eating him alive.... There was a sharp tearing sound as Vincent leapt down and swiped at them with his claw.

'Cloud! This is no good! He must be stabbed in the head!'

Vincent nodded at him and turned back into chaos. Cloud grabbed a hold of his shoulders and soared up high with him. Cloud dropped onto Sephiroth's shoulders. There was no time to lose- he somersaulted over the beast's head (he was still quite acrobatic from his SOLDIER training.) He looked down at Tifa, who looked like she was in a deep sleep. Cloud drew back the sword and thrust it straight through Sephiroth's heart. Blood gushed out over his hands. Sephiroth looked lived. He raised one pointed tentacle and fired it through Cloud. He screamed in agony- as he realised- he was feeling the same pain Aeris felt. The ground spun underneath him- why wasn't Sephiroth dead? Then Vincent's words came back to him.

"...Through the head..."

With his last ounce of strength he pulled the sword out and drove it through safer Sephiroth's forehead. There was a horrible screeching sound as the monster died. Cloud couldn't hold on any longer. As he let go of the sword his fingers brushed the shining materia. His body slid off the tentacle and fell backwards onto the ground. He barely felt the shock when he hit it.

"Oh god"

He was aware of Vincent looking over him and Yuffie saying: 'He took me too- he didn't want me to tell...' Out of the corner of his eye he saw Cid giving Tifa his jacket and helping her up. He heard her bitter sobs.

'Oh Cloud! It's all m-my f-f-fault!'

Cloud tried to speak but he was too weak. He laid a hand on hers. His life was ebbing away...Someone was lifting his shirt and examining his wound. He gasped with the pain as they touched it. He heard Vincent say 'Its no use' in an undertone.

'Vin...'

'Cloud? Cloud?' Vincent shook him gently.

'I'm sorry.....Aeris'-sword...please...'

'Of course' he felt the blade being pressed into his hand and saw Red XIII, licking his cheek with his warm tongue.

'Good...bye....' Cloud exhaled his last breath as his eyes went blank and unseeing.

There was a shocked silence, broken by racking sobs and Vincent's slightly shaky voice:

"He fell the same way as Aeris, he would have wanted it that way. May they both see each other again"

THE END