Chapter 1 - Snake in Paradise
As the Highwind lowered to the ground, I stood from my feet. The rest of the group had joined me on the deck now. Tifa, Cloud, Barret, Yuffie, Red XIII, even Cid. We all stood silently, and waited for the eventual touchdown, then made our way towards the city.
It wasn't long before we reached the lake where her body lay to rest. Everybody was solemn.
I don't really know how to describe the event. It was quiet...
It wasn't an eerie feeling, it was just remorseful. I can't quite describe it. I don't fully understand my own emotions for the time.
The feeling only grew more intense as we all stood in silence, at the solemnity.
That is, until we all saw her...
The earth felt unusually soft beneath their feet, for the time of year that it was, as they walked towards the small lake that lay at the end of the trail before them. Vincent looked around, at the very ancient surroundings that towered high up above him.
Yuffie rubbed her hands together, furiously, trying to warm them up, and puffed angrily, when she had no success. To her surprise, Vincent had walked up behind her, and draped his cloak over her shoulders, and now stood in his black t-shirt, and pants. She wanted to protest, but couldn't break the dreadful silence which engulfed the group, while they were in the city.
Vincent gazed around, marvelling at the wonderous details, he felt like he was witnessing for the first time over again, not paying any attention to the cold which was grazing his now bare arms. He had been to this city many times before, each time felt more spectacular then the last. The architecture was simply amazing. But it was more than the architecture that was alluring. It was the overall feeling of something he couldn't quite put a finger on.
When the group had finally come to a stop next to the lake, Cloud stepped forward, to sit on the edge of the earth, next to the water, and looked out silently, as if praying to some unseen force. Tifa stood behind him, gazing out over the water, apprehensively. Barret, Cid, and Red XIII stood to the side of a line of trees, and were also silent.
Silence was a huge theme at this gathering. A theme no one wanted to break.
That was until Vincent, standing behind everyone, hiding partially in the shadows noticed movement of a black figure along the far bank of the lake, and dashed out.
It was confusing that anyone knew of this secret sanctuary, and thus he felt it needed investigation.
Once everyone saw what Vincent had dashed off about, they followed cloesly behind, keeping their eyes open, and on that whom they felt was a trespasser.
As they grew closer to her location, she looked up suddenly, with a look of fright on her face, she dropped the flowers which were laid on top of her skirt, and dashed off for a small opening in the walls behind her, and vanished just as Vincent and the others reached the grassy patch.
He dashed up towards the wall, and peered into the hole, before vanishing inside.
The others waited patiently outside for a few moments, before Vincent reappeared again, with a furrowed brow, "I can't understand it..." he said, in his usual quiet voice. "She just vanished. I should have caught her."
"The bigger question here, is how she knew of this place at all, let alone the ways out." Cloud said, with a slightly bitter undertone.
"We should go..." Red XIII added in the silence, which had everyone lost in thought.
With a nod from Cloud, they all turned to leave, baring one last, solemn glace towards the lake, to give one last thank you to the girl who died three years prior, that very day, to save the rest of the planet.
It wasn't long, before Vincent and the others were in the Highwind. Vincent retired to a small room, for some rest, and lay on the single bed, staring up at the bare, metal ceiling. The image of this girl stained his memory. The look of fright, and insecurity was plain to see. The reason why she had felt insecure plagued his thoughts. Had she thought of them as the trespassers?
Vincent felt the touchdown of the airship, and sat up on his bed, finally deciding to put the memory behind him. He stood from the soft mattress, and made his way out of the room, ducking slightly to clear the short door without bumping his head.
Yuffie was already in full speed, heading towards him, with a smile on her face, "Thanks Vamp-boy." she chuckled, "I didn't really need it though." she bluffed, pushing her tough facade forward again.
Vincent nodded, acknowledging the girl's pride, and flung the cloak over his shoulders, as she held it out to him, "You're welcome, kid." he snickered, making his way onto the deck to head towards the place he called home; the city of Kalm.
Behind him, he could still hear Yuffie calling out insults to him, screaming she wasn't a kid. He paid no mind to her, and just headed towards his small apartment to rest. The rest, he felt, for sure, would again plague his mind with the image of the girl from earlier that day.
With a soft sigh, the man turned the key in the lock, and entered into the darkness of the house. He removed his boots, and cloak, and threw himself onto the bed which lay in a room to the left of the kitchen. The silence which surrounded him here, was far more welcoming and comfortable than that of the dead city of the ancients. But it indeed plagued his mind of the girl with the long, black hair, he had seen earlier that day.