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Chapter 8 - The Good Within
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Tifa and Cloud sat in the closed bar watching the television. It showed Kalm, which now had fire fighters attempting to put out the blaze but they knew that the flames were too powerful.
"That bastard" said Cloud turning off the TV by throwing a glass at it.
"Zak or Sephiroth?" asked Tifa
"Both of them" said Cloud getting to his feet
"Where are you going?" asked Tifa
"To find them" said Cloud
"They'll bury you!" she said
"Then get the others together" said Cloud "Nothing like the end of the world to get friends together"
"How are you going to find them?" asked Tifa
"I just will" said Cloud leaving the church.
Zak was now sat in the basement of the Shin-Ra Mansion messing around with his new magical powers.
Are you having fun? Thought Sephiroth
"Incredible amounts" said Zak flicking a fireball which ricochets off the shelving unit and came back into his hand before it vanished.
I don't want to have to spoil your fun said Sephiroth
"Yes you do" said Zak
Good point thought Sephiroth But still; you do know that Cloud Strife and his friends will be here very soon to probably kill you.
"I know" said Zak "But he's out of practice"
Not for long, he's one of those people who will just keep coming back for more
"You only get one death" said Zak
Maybe not, Cloud is a genetic clone of myself and he might be able to survive, just like myself
"Typical" said Zak turning one of the red books into ash in his hand.
Cloud's motorbike roared out of Midgar along the highway. He skidded diagonally across the road and onto the pavement, causing pedestrians to shout insults and at him, Cloud sped down a flight of stairs which led onto the fields which led towards Kalm. He opened the throttle wide and went speeding across the grassy open plains to the small two-lane road. Cars honked their horns as Cloud dodged and weaved between them, narrowly avoiding death each time a car would weave out in front of him. When the road cleared Cloud changed into the motorbikes final gear and shot away like a flash towards the smoke clouds of Kalm.
The fire fighters looked up as the black motorbike skidded to a halt. Cloud removed his sunglasses and looked up at the smoke clouds.
"What are you doing here?" asked a fire fighter walking over to Cloud. With his Mako-Enhanced vision Cloud could pick out cloud formations and a few of them were slightly shunted to the sides. Using his sixth magical sense he saw that something powerfully magic had punched through them and knocked them sideways.
"Nibelheim" whispered Cloud
"Pardon me?" said the fire fighter
"The man who caused this" said Cloud "He's gone to Nibelheim"
"How do you figure that?" asked the fire fighter looking at the sky then he looked back at Cloud's mako-green eyes
"Ah, Soldier" said the fire fighter. Cloud slipped on his sunglasses and jumped back onto the motorbike and fired it up. In a haze of dust he had left the fire fighter standing alone.
"Tifa!" shouted Cloud into his mobile phone "Zak's gone to Nibelheim, have you managed to contact anyone else?"
"Yes" said Tifa "Cid is picking the rest of them up and then bringing them to Midgar"
"Once he's picked you up come to Nibelheim" said Cloud "I might need your help"
Suddenly Cloud's phone went dead as he rode into the train tunnel which led to Costa Del Sol. Cloud's mind was filled with ruinous scenarios when he meets Zak in Nibelheim. A train almost turned Cloud to paste as his thoughts took his focus away from the driving.
"Motherfucker" said Cloud quickly and in a single breath as he managed to dodge it, but not completely. The trains mirror clipped Cloud's left elbow shattering it. Cloud gasped but managed to keep the bike steady. He was nearing the Costa del Sol coast. He used some of his curing magic to numb the pain until he was able to concentrate more. His head was buzzing from the agony in his left arm, his vision blurred. A train streaked up behind him and Cloud saw it at the last moment. Hitting the breaks on his bike Cloud skidded a full three hundred and sixty degrees riding opposite the train. He grabbed a hold of the train with his right arm and pulled himself closer. The tunnel was near ending and there would be no room for him to ride opposite the train. Cloud used stronger remedial magic and his left arm was usable, almost. The tunnel end was coming awfully close. Cloud braked again, this time he grabbed the back carriage of the train and used the rappelling cable, which he had used to get into the decimated North Cave, to latch the bike to the train. Cloud leaned his head against the bike letting out a breath he had been holding, though he had not noticed this as everything had happened so fast.
The train pulled Cloud for miles, Cloud did not know where it was heading but all he knew was that it was going in the general direction of Nibelheim.
During the day Sephiroth had been explaining to Zak what had happened when he had faced Cloud and his group. He went on to explain about Hojo and the Sephiroth clone and about how Cloud resurrected him using the black materia. By the time he was finished it was dark outside and Cloud was pulling into Nibelheim on him motorcycle.
On the way to Nibelheim Cloud had constantly been curing himself and was now slightly drained but his physical was fine. He was still out of training, out of energy but determined.
People looked out of their windows as Cloud pulled to a stop and drew his Buster Sword. He kicked open the gate and pushed the doors open.
Zak looked up at the roof of the basement
"Who's entered my home?" said Zak aloud
Your home? thought Sephiroth
"Considering you're living in my head, then yes my house" said Zak.
Cloud was strolling up the stairs when, below him in the basement, Zak waved his hand sending out negative shockwaves. The house shook to its foundations. Glasses in the basement rattled, silver cutlery in the old dusty dining area rattled around upon the wooden tables. Cloud grabbed the banister to keep himself steady. The staircase exploded sending wooden shards shooting around the main hall. Cloud landed on his feet upon the first floor landing.
"He's quick on his feet" said Zak smiling. Cloud flattened himself against the floor as the windows on the first floor exploded inwards sending the shards flying at Cloud like glass-knives. Cloud rolled off the first floor, landing back on the ground floor, letting the glass explode as it hit the floor. The chandelier cable broke above him and Cloud had to roll out of its way as it hit the floor cracking the thick oak floors. Cloud growled, Zak was playing with him; pushing him back to the front doors. One of the doors on the ground floor exploded sending shards of wood shooting towards him again. Cloud sprinted flat out at one of the doors on the ground floor; he had to get out of the open and out of the target range.
Cloud pushed open the dining room doors and slammed them behind him. Cloud slid down the door gasping, he was incredibly out of shape Sephiroth had been floating in the life stream for five years getting stronger while Cloud was sitting on his ass protecting some items which would never have been stolen in the first place as no-one knew that they were there. The cutlery rattled upon the table
"You have got to be kidding me" said Cloud. The cutlery exploded off the table and sped towards him. Cloud roared and rolled forwards bringing the Buster Sword to bear. He struck the cutlery with the speed that he had once had. The cutlery was sent soaring back across the room and got impaled in the wall.
"Now that was classy" said Zak smiling
I told you he was capable thought Sephiroth He just needed the right encouragement.
Cloud kicked down the door and jumped landing on the first floor and ran for the bedroom.
Here he comes said Sephiroth. Cloud managed to find the switch that opened the secret door to the basement. Sprinting flat out Cloud made it to the bottom in seconds and strolled through the dark-dank cellar. He threw open the door and walked inside.
Zak was sat watching Cloud who was walking up the isle towards him, sword raised.
"Sephiroth or Zak?" asked Cloud
"A little of both" said Zak. Cloud stopped just over a meter away from the desk
"So, you evil?" asked Cloud sword still pointed at Zak
"I don't know" said Zak. There was a tremendous yellow flash and Cloud crashed through his own specimen tank and crashed into the wall.
Nicely done thought Sephiroth. Cloud dragged himself to his feet, wiping small shards of glass from his shoulders, and picked up his Buster Sword and ran forwards raising it as he moved. Zak waved his arm again but Cloud rolled forwards as the shelving unit next to him exploded in a shower of long wooden barbs. Zak sat up straighter and fired a stream of flames at Cloud who blocked them with his sword causing him to stumble backwards. Cloud tapped into his own materia powers and sent a flash of lightning at Zak. Zak caught it in his palm. The sphere of energy increased in size and strength then he threw it back at him. Cloud struck the lightning aside and launched himself at Zak. Apparently Zak had discovered the knack of having a constant physical barrier that Sephiroth had often used in the field. Cloud collided with it and collapsed in a heap at Zak's feet. Zak held out his palm above Cloud's head. Cloud could feel the vibration of power.
Kill him said Sephiroth. Zak was trying but he could not bring himself to kill the man who had saved the planet. Zak kept on trying to destroy Cloud but it would not work. Sephiroth could read these thoughts
Fine he said Let him go. Zak lowered his hand and returned to his chair. Cloud straightened up slowly
"Why?" he asked. Zak just waved
"Get going" he said "You'll never get a second chance" Cloud was going to argue but decided against it and fled.