Chapter - 6: Pain

Some time later…

"Midgar…" Rufus sighed as he sat in his wheelchair on top of a shattered building, flanked by Reno and Rude. He surveyed the massive amount of wreckage that had remained shattered for the past two years. "Shin-Ra is dead…"

"Yes…it is." Kadaj said from behind them.

All heads turned to face him as he walked towards the former president of the company. When he had gotten within a yard of Rufus, Reno stuck out his hand in front of the silver haired man.

Without a second thought, Kadaj grasped Reno's wrist and twisted it sharply bringing the man to his knees with his arm behind his back. Rude acted fast and kicked forward at the younger man. Kadaj let go of his arm and caught Rude's foot. He held his left above the ankle with his left hand and quickly jabbed his right fist into the man's face, knocking him back. Reno came back around at his attacker with his baton, but Kadaj's left hand flew out like lightning and tightened shut on his wrist again. The silver haired man squeezed hard and twisted the baton free as he clasped his other hand around the man's throat. Reno blinked in disbelief as the shorter man raised him up by the throat and started choking the life out of him. Kadaj's strength was amazing beyond his rather small build.

Rude jumped on Kadaj's back, wrapped his arm around his neck and pulled back with great force. He smiled as he threw Reno hard into the metal floor, and then rammed his elbow back, slamming into Rude's stomach. He quickly came back around while Rude wheezed and kicked his legs out from under him before ending by dropkicking him while he lay prone.

As Kadaj recomposed himself, the Turks lay on the floor gasping in labored breaths as pain arced through their bodies.

"Mr. President, the time has come for the awakening." he said as he approached the wheelchair and raised his hand high. A white light bathed his hand in brilliance, as he thrust his palm high towards the sky. The glow flew up and parted the clouds high above as a fearsome roar boomed across the city.

Rufus's eyes widened as the shroud covering his head fell back; he blinked repeatedly and then looked back at Kadaj whom smiled wickedly. In a flash of movement, Kadaj drew his blade and drove it through Rufus's stomach, all the way out and through the back of the wheelchair.

"Kadaj…" Rufus coughed blood up as he looked one last time at his ruined city before all of the world went dark around him.

After a moment, he pulled his sword out and wiped the blood off on the sheet that had covered the president. He saw the box beside the wheelchair; it was a black briefcase with yellow caution tape wrapped around it. As he left with the box, Rude grabbed his ankle and cursed. Kadaj merely looked down at him and kicked him in the chest before leaving.

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The Highwind soared through the cloudy skies as it flew towards Midgar. Kane stood on the deck leaning over the rail, watching the earth run by.

"He's safe, do not worry." Vincent assured the rest of his old team as they looked out at Kane through the glass window.

"He's new, and this is a hard time to trust others, Vincent." Red said as he waved his flaming tail around.

"I have known him for awhile since two years ago." Vincent offered, cryptically referring back to the last time they were all together.

All of a sudden, Kane started waving his hands back and forth while shouting something; Vincent headed to the door and heard him say something about Kadaj before he leapt of the side of the Highwind.

"Is he crazy!" Tifa shouted as she ran outside behind Vincent to look over the edge.

Kane fell through the air and then spread his brilliant white cloak wide, slowing his fall as he flew towards an old worn church.

"We have bigger problems." Vincent grabbed Tifa on the shoulder and pulled her head up to look straight ahead.

In front of the airship was a massive dragon that swooped low and picked up a person from the center of the city.

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Kadaj sped into the church and through the empty isles towards the light that poured in the broken roof above. He rammed on the brakes and parked in a large patch of flowers as his bike skidded sideways to a halt. He twisted to the side and looked down at the box as he stepped off the motorbike. He broke down and started sobbing when he noticed the huge crack along the top of the box.

"Mother…" a tear rolled down his face. "…mother?" he slowly began to oscillate back and forth and let out a mournful scream. "Mother!"

He hadn't noticed the figure approaching from behind him as he kept sobbing.

"Go ahead, cry some more… baby." the familiar taunting voice of Kane came from behind him.

Kadaj stopped shaking and stood still before slowly turning his head around to look the other man in the eyes. His look of sorrow had turned to one of madness, his inner insanity shown on his face as he cracked a wicked smile.

"I think," he started. "You have something of mine."

Kadaj charged towards him, drawing his sword as he went, their steel struck as Kane quickly pulled his axe out from behind him to meet the incoming attack.