Chapter - 9: Strife

"No one else should die for this stupidity…" Cloud said to himself as he reared his bike up and drove over a large patch of rubble.

This started so many years ago…

This ends today…

He pushed on the gas and sped over a ramp, into a clearing. The clearing was a higher section of Midgar, and the place where he was, was a street that ran out from the hill of metal and still stood erect, jutting out from the core like a cliff. Standing in the center of the clearing was Kadaj. He gazed down on the carnage below wistfully. Clouds bike jumped over another barricade, sending him over Kadaj and landing against a wall of broken piping and wires.

"Kadaj!" he screamed as he jumped off his bike, forgetting the kickstand and simply letting it fall.

"The awakening is nigh, brother!" Kadaj shouted, his voice was cheerful. "Welcome it instead of rebelling against it!"

"This ends now! You and mother must pay for all of the hell you've caused!" Cloud pulled his sword off his back and steadied it in front of him, taking pose.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Vincent, Tifa, and Cid stood in the center square looking around as many children stood around chanting. Cid put his cigarette between his lips and took a deep puff as Tifa glanced around looking for Denzel.

"Those are going to get you killed one day." Vincent said to Cid as he drew his gun and held it tight to his side.

"Not before my friends get me killed." suddenly Bahamut coasted overhead, flapping his wings and landing a ways away from them.

Cid's cigarette was blow out of his mouth by the wind, and fell on the ground. "Goddamn it!" he cursed before stepping on it and pulling his spear up.

Suddenly it became quite clear to Tifa what the children were chanting all around them.

Estuans interius, Ira vehementi
Estuans interius, Ira vehementi

The same haunting melody from that time two years ago. The rest of their team came up from behind them with Denzel in toe.

Barret moved past as he continued firing at the dragon-like creature, trying to force it backwards as Red XII jumped up on it and ran down its back, biting at its wing.

Sephiroth!

Yuffie reared her hand back and threw her weapon at the attacking monster once again. Cid stepped to his right from Tifa and Denzel to smack a leaping Shadowcreeper with his spear.

Sephiroth!

Reno's body ached with pain; he was getting tired of being beaten up every day.

"Aren't we all just having a great time?" Yazoo sneered from behind him, quite content with their easy victory.

Reno glanced at Rude whom only nodded in response.

"Most damn fun I've ever had!" he shouted as he spun his foot upwards at Yazoo's face.

The silver haired man ducked under the kick, but as he brought his head back upright, he noticed that in the motion, Reno had slid a steel baton out of the sleeve of his coat; the rod struck him square in the face.

Sors immanis, Et inanis

Sors immanis, Et inanis

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

They dashed at the same time, meeting in the middle with a loud metallic clang as Cloud and Kadaj's blades struck together. Kadaj held his twin bladed weapon underhanded as he pushed against Cloud's massive sword, testing his strength.

Both together, they pushed off, Kadaj leapt into the air and back flipped away. As he landed harshly on his feet, they charged at each other again.

Insanity met anger, as twin bladed katana met buster sword, and Kadaj met Cloud.

They held their blades together and waited for something to break as they pushed against each other as hard as they could. After a moment, Kadaj ran his sword up and down the length of the buster sword before he let up and instantly pushed back again. The action threw Cloud off and his huge sword went flying through the air behind him. As Kadaj came to rest on his feet, Cloud drew one of his smaller swords from inside the back of his overcoat and swung it hard at Kadaj in one fluent movement.