Disclaimer: Definitely down own Square Enix, or we'd know SO much more about the Cetra!
AN: Final chapter! Can you believe this was originally a one-shot? Freakishly long for one IMO...VV /cries/
Forgotten Bliss
Chapter 5: Hollow Vengence
One last time, even asleep, and then I'll leave... He promised himself, as he reaced through the forest to Aeris' home with ever increasing speed. When he neared the edge of the forest, he saw something falling from the high balcony where Aeris' room was, a white cloak fluttering gracefully behind it.
"A-Aeris? NO!"
There was no thought as he ran down the steep slope to the bottom of the cliff where she was falling, all that mattered was reaching her in time. Before he was even halfway there, she landed with a sickening crunch.
"AEERIIISSS!" He screamed, leaping to where she landed. Her beautiful, oh so beautiful, emerald eyes stared up at him unseeing, and blood ran out of her mouth onto her chin. Her limbs were at odd angles, and sharp rocks protruded from her arms and legs, yet the amount of damage that covered her slim body could not have all been caused by the fall.
"Aeris..." He whispered, gathering her frail body in his arms. "No...I...I can't...this can't be...you're...you were...you were so happy...yesterday you were laughing and joking and dancing with me! This can't be!"
Sobbing, he buried her face in her hair and wept. I failed her...I failed her again!
Slowly, he looked up at the balcony she had fallen from...whoever did this to her would pay...they would all pay!
Screaming in fury, he drew his katana and leapt into the nearest window.
----
He shuddered as he heard gurgled screams coming from outside his room.
"What have I done to her?" He whispered. "My own daughter..."
Even his wife looked at him with disgust now...and rightfully so, he had sold out his own daughter...his only daughter...for such a pitiful price. He considered the gun that Shinahara had given him as part of the dowry. There were at least a few bullets in it.
He picked up the gun and looked at it a moment, before carefully cocking it, and pointing it toward his forehead.
"I don't think so." Came an icy voice from out of nowhere. "That's my job."
---
Blood soaked the black clothes he wore, and his blade shimmered a dark crimson. He had slaughtered anyone in his path. The fat father now quivered fearfully ashe looked up at Sephiroth's towering frame.
"Murderer." He hissed softly.
The pig of a man could not even open his mouth before his head was sailing to the floor, smoothly cut from his obese body.
Aeris' mother opened the door to the bedroom, bleary-eyed. "Husband--" She cut off in a scream as the man's head rolled into the wall near her, decorating the drab white with brilliant crimson.
She did nothave a chance to look upbefore she suffered her husband's fate.
A servant screamed down the hall, and bells began to ring throughout the village.
A slow smirk spread across his pale lips, now splattered with the dying blood of his victims. Good...let them wake...let them try to stop me...they will all fall...they will all pay for allowing that scum to enter here!
His laughter was far beyond theboundaries of sanity as he felt his blood rush in anticipation of the slaughter. This whole village will burn.
Still laughing darkly, he raced out of the room into more horrified servants.
--
Callously, he kickied the boy from his sword. That was the last of them. No one remained living in this village to tell this dark tale but himself.
Blood drenched his clothes and matted his silver hair, both his own and villager's. He had killed everyone with ease, but he still had his fair share of injuries...he was no superman that could fight off an entire village and come out unscathed...he could barely even stand anymore due to his loss of blood.
He found himself standing at the cliff facing the balcony where Aeris had fallen. Rain poured down in vain attempt either to quench the fire raging across the wood and stone huts, or to cleanse him of his blood.
"Aeris..."
The word brought to memory obscure memories...her smile...her laugh...her innocent beauty and indominitible spirit. She was so perfect...she had always forgiven everyone with a smile and a laugh, shrugging off the most grevious offenses as if they were nothing, and stubbornly refusing to allow him to avenge her honor.
And yet...he had found Shinahara so brutally murdered...and Aeris...she...
What did he do to her? What did I, in my selfish desire to run away, allow him to do to my beloved? Uncharacteristic tears welled in his eyes as he caught sight of Aeris' borken body still lying at the base of the cliff, sparkling emerald eyes staring up at him sadly.
"I didn't save you..." He whispered softly. "I wasn't there...I didn'tdo anything...none of it matters...you're still..."
He looked down at his blood-stained hands numbly. "What have I done?" He was trembling as he shook his head. "I didn't...I didn't avenge anything!
The memory of Aeris' mother floated in the back of his mind...she had supported Aeris through everything...she had no control over her husband's actions. Whenhe himself hadbroken hispromise and abandoned Aeris, her mother was still there...trying to comfort her.
"I...betrayed you...Aeris...I'm so sorry!" He sobbed,falling to hisknees. He felt light, as if he had no weight at all.
"Sephiroth..."
"Aeris...?"
"Sephiroth..."
He looked down to where he heard her voice comingfrom. She stoodfar below him, arms outstretched with a soft smile on her face.
"Come to me, my beloved."
"Mybeloved!" Blissfully, he flew to the warm arms of his beloved.
He did not even feel the rocks below.
...And so the story was lost.
END
AN: HAHA! I proved you wrong, Black Malva. :P
I kind of wanted to include an epilogue with Gast finding an obscure legend about this...and thus he and Hojo got the names...but...it seemed like it would detract from the story--so I reduced it to one line at the end.
Also, I wanted to include more with them together and all that...but the story was just too short to fit that. So there! Never say I don't finish my work anymore!
-Yusagi Sombermoon