Chapter 21
A/N: I know this is a really short chapter, but after a certain scene in this chapter the fight doesn't last long, so it was the most convenient time to stop. Also, this is what I consider a 'Prelude' or an opening to the final segment of this story. I thank all of you for your reviews and committment to my slow story, but I wish to personally recognize both Cloudlov3r's review and xCR1MS0N-T3ARSx's review.
xCR1MS0N-T3ARSx: Thank you for the boost of confidence. It seems like most love my story (or in some cases completely hate it) but being complimented on behalf of a whole such as for the gender (No, I don't take this as a sexist comment, and neither should anyone else), it justreally struck out at me. Thank you again Crimson Tears!
Cloudlov3r: Now you, as a flamer, have read through my story since the first day I put it out. I certainly use your opinion because I know in your case when your being complimentative or brutally honest. Some who don't like mine won't comment, but you did and I'm glad. I hope I have altered my style so it is easier to follow dialouge, and now that you mentioned it, the Limit Break thing is kind of corny unless done right. I take your advice seriously and thank you again for your painfully honest reviews :)
Vincent stepped forward slightly, feeling the sense of apprehension closing in on him. However, he strode forward with his usual suave and confidence and raised his gun, aimed straight at Lance's heart.
"Ryo, or Lance, as you call yourself, I do not know how you survived our last encounter…" Vincent's grip on his gun tightened, his eyes narrowed. "…but you will not leave this crater today."
Lance merely seemed amused at this, his smile growing wider. He shifted his body into a boxing pose, bouncing on the tip of his feet. "Come back your words, pitiful Immortal." Lance chuckled and suddenly crouched down, shooting himself forward with tremendous speed. Before Vincent knew what had happened, Lance's left arm had clothes-lined him, causing him to gasp in pain. Lance carried his momentum forward and into a circle, spinning a choking Vincent with him. Suddenly, Lance lurched his arm forward, hurling Vincent into a wall.
"Vincent!" both Red and Yuffie cried. Red leapt up, fangs bared. The air started to burn around him as he charged, and before Lance could react, Red has charged him from behind with enormous power.
Red leapt back from the attack, but as he landed, Lance spun about and hurled his huge sword, slicing at the air as Red gasped. His howl of pain echoed through the cavern as he fell, blood gushing from his side as he whimpered slightly.
Lance held up his hand and caught his blade again, shouldering it with ease and watching Yuffie rush to the lion-like creature dying a few feet from her.
"No!" screamed Yuffie, dropping to her knees besides Red with a Cure materia. "Red, don't you dare die on Vinny and me!" Red merely chuckled weakly, his eyes shut as he lay on his side.
"Red…" she whispered as she dropped her materia, not caring to retrieve it as it rolled away. She jerked her head up, her tearful eyes radiating determination and rage. "Bastard!"
Yuffie drew her shuriken and darted forward with godly speed, catching Lance by surprise. He barely had gasped in astonishment as she appeared below him. She pushed herself off the hard ground, flipping backwards and kicking Lance under the chin. He flew upwards as Yuffie's feet touched ground again. Once more she pushed off, but as she raced toward Lance, she shot her shuriken, piercing Lance's stomach, then returning, catching him again. However, this time he fell back down with the force of the ninja star.
As he fell past Yuffie, she somersaulted in the air, the back of her shoe connecting with the star and shooting it through Lance once more and embedding itself in the stone below. He thudded into the earth as well as Yuffie retrieved another shuriken and prepared to unleash her ultimate attack Creation.
However, as she raised her glimmering shuriken, Lance appeared in front of her, seemingly unaffected by her relentless attacks. He raised his left fist and punched her across the cheek, causing her to release her weapon and sail downwards.
Lance chuckled and raised his sword, facing the ceiling with his eyes closed. Yuffie hit the ground hard, coughing up blood as she did. Lance suddenly opened his eyes and chucked his sword straight down toward Yuffie, and she screamed in pain as the point punctured her left shoulder blade.
Lance burst out laughing, lightly landing on the ground. He stood over Yuffie, her body shivering in pain and he reached out and touched the hilt of his sword.
Then his entire forearm was destroyed.
Lance pulled back immediately, grasping his stub of an arm as he reeled in pain.
"What…" he said weakly through his short gasps of breath. "…the hell was that?" He turned around and looked straight into the triple barrel of a gun, a white angel standing over him. Lance's eyes widened in fear.
"What…the hell are you?" he asked, trying to stand but stumbling backwards. He eyed the wicked and mysterious weapon with terror he could not reason. "And what the fuck is that?"
The angel gazed at him unsmiling and unwavering, merely stepping forward slightly as he inched his gun forward.
"For the lives you took, Ryo…Golem…Lartsa…" The angel closed his eyes and pressed the barrel of his huge gun onto Lance's forehead, and Lance could feel a bead of sweat run down the side of his face.
"Deus…" he whispered, staring into the gun. "So is this the true power Master is afraid of? The power of the Almighty?"
The spirit spread his angelic wing, a flurry of feathers circling them. "There is nothing to fear," he said gently, his voice full of so much power that Lance quivered at the sound of it. "I am but a being at Lord Valentine's serving. However, he does not yet understand how to control his ultimate power. Gast knows this and is willing to destroy Lord Valentine at all costs before he masters his abilities and overpowers my conscious."
Lance looked into Deus's silver eyes, wide in amazement. "You…are a completely different entity?"
Deus shook his head. "As the other entities residing in this body, I am of my own conscious. However, Lord Valentine cannot control me yet. He has learned to conquer the power of Hojo's soul, Chaos, now it is merely a matter of time before he conquers myself, Lucrecia's soul, Deus." Deus hung his head. "I apologize Lance, but Cerberus beckons, and you cannot be allowed to endanger milord's friends any more."
And Deus fired the bullet.
The air around Lance's body seemed to warp, as did his body itself, seemingly twisted in a vortex of its own as the bullet punctured the skin. However, as it shot through, the body instantly disintegrated, leaving behind a smoking heap of flesh and bone.
Deus opened his gun, the empty shells dropping to the ground as he reloaded it. He clicked it into place and slung it over his shoulder, turning his head to gaze at his teammates.
"And so the final battle begins…"
A/N: Short, short, cliffy cliffy. I know! Anyhow, just wanted to say keep seated and buckled down for my next chapter, I'll be throwing in a lot of surprises. One more thing: This fanfic started as a Ticent, and it will end as a Ticent. Everything else in between is irrelevant. So don't worry everyone, Tifa will get the guy she deserves! (No, it is not Cloud...)