Chapter 10
Cloud ran frantically to reach him, but by then it was far too late. Light exploded from inside the box and spread out far and wide, as if it had some obsessive need to fill the black cloudy sky. As it enveloped him his world was plunged into an eerie silence. A woman in pink materialised before him. His panic quelled slightly and he stopped, taking in her beauty, as she was haloed by the light. He wondered briefly was she made of light. It suited her.
"Let's go, Cloud," her echoing voice whispered, offering her hand to him. His own hand seemed to reach out of its own accord. She smiled; it was hauntingly real. "I'll take you to the Promised Land."
"No," he said sharply to her, but more to himself. With great difficulty Cloud took one laboured step back and lowered his hand. "No, I can't go yet. I won't go yet! You're not real!"
She disappeared. The light faded, and Cloud's body felt like it was ripping in two. Blood flowed freely from his arm, and as his vision blurred he redoubled his grip on his sword.
One by one each of the children were falling. Denzel's trance was deeper than ever. There was a serene look on his face, as if he thought the world didn't exist. Cloud shook him but it was no use; slowly, the boy's legs gave way and he fell. Cloud caught him and gently lay him down.
Kadaj was holding the box with shaky, uncontrollable hands. His face was a picture of surprise and fear of the unknown. Though the light had faded to a great degree, it was still inside the box, pulsating quietly. Cloud noticed numbly that the pain in his arm was in the same rhythm as it.
Small spheres of light rose from each child's body and floated toward the box. Each one was absorbed after every pulse, to which the box grew brighter and soon began to sound like a heartbeat.
Cloud was rooted to the ground. The pain was getting worse as each light was taken in. He suddenly realised that all the kids like he had geostigma, and that maybe this light was the same pain trying to break out of him.
The last bead of light was absorbed, and the box blew apart. His arm also exploded in a new type of agony and he crashed to the ground, unable to stand.
"Mother!" Kadaj yelled, his shock evident. The light appeared to take on a bird-shaped form and flew up his outstretched arms. It hovered at his face for a second before diving into his chest. The boy screamed and clawed at his skin, trying to get whatever it was back out of his body.
Cloud's pain subsided as the light disappeared. He stood up slowly, shakily... to stare into the eyes of Sephiroth.
"It's been a long time, Cloud," he said in his deep, condescending voice. The blond warrior lifted his sword just in time to block a crushing slice from the General's Masamune. Apparently the transformation had affected Kadaj's Souba as well. Cloud was knocked back with the force of the blow. Sephiroth laughed as he watched him get back to his feet.
"You've become weaker," he commented offhandedly. "Not been training at all have we?" His voice was laced with sarcasm.
"Shut up," he snapped.
"Oh, how original." Their swords met again in a ferocious clash, making Cloud's hands jitter. Sephiroth relentlessly executed attack after attack and it was all Cloud could do to defend. His body was weak and tired and he knew his formal idol knew that as well.
"Why are you here?" he demanded, twisting to the side and attempting his first attack. The silver-haired general brushed his sword away as if it were made of paper.
"I was called by Mother," he said, looking somewhat bored. "She wants order restored to the world."
"What's going to happen to the planet?"
"You're not going to live to find out," he replied, slicing his sword forward in a stronger attack than before. Cloud couldn't block it; the Masamune sailed past his guard and pierced his left shoulder. He forced back the cry that threatened to escape his mouth. He would not give him the satisfaction.
"Hmm," Sephiroth said, mildly impressed. "That was headed for your heart. I misjudged you."
"You always had a tendency to do that," he replied as he felt himself sag against the steel, though his mind was begging him to do otherwise. He couldn't fight anymore, his body wouldn't let him. Where had all his strength gone to? There was nothing, he had nothing left.
Sephiroth slid the Masamune out of Cloud's shoulder. He noticed numbly that his blood was spun across it as intricately as a spider's web. It was all he could do to hold his sword, even if it was held at his side.
"Pity," he said, shaking his head mockingly from side to side. "I thought the man that killed me could at least manage something more impressive."
Cloud breathed heavily, drawing in laboured gasps of oxygen. He winced as the sword pierced his side. Sephiroth could have killed him many times over by now. He was just drawing it out for his own sadistic pleasure.
"Tell me," he ordered. "What do you want most in this world?"
A beautiful woman appeared in his mind, lit by the eerie light of the trees of the forgotten capital. She smiled before she ran off.
"Then, I'll be going now. I'll come back when it's all over."
His eyes burned with anger and he swung his sword up quickly with strength he never knew he had. Sephiroth saw it coming too late; it ran straight through his chest.
"You bastard," he said through gasps. "You already took... what I wanted most... away from me."
Despite his injuries Sephiroth laughed. He coughed; crimson blood spattered onto Cloud's clothing.
"Then I'm glad," he smirked, before closing his eyes. Light started to glow inside him and burst from his chest like a fireball. It rose higher and exploded into small beads of light which returned to the children. Both Kadaj and Sephiroth had disappeared. Cloud heaved a sigh of relief as he saw the colour go back into Denzel's cheeks. His sword suddenly felt very heavy so he dropped it. It hit the ground with a loud clang.
"Cloud!" he heard a feminine voice shout. He turned to face Tifa. She looked extremely confused.
"What happened? First I was fighting Loz and then he collapsed and turned into light which-"
Cloud fell to his hands and knees.
"Cloud!" she screamed, and ran to where he was. His breath was coming in heaving rasps.
"It's...okay," he said. "I've just, lost... a lot of blood, that's all."
"Look at you, you're hurt really badly. What happened here?"
"Sephiroth... reunion." It was an effort to say the words. "Denzel's... safe, Teef."
Tifa knelt on the ground and lay him down. Cloud's eyes were drooping. She knew he was fighting to stay awake.
"Thank you," she said. Cloud half smiled.
"Guess...it's the least...I could do," he replied. The pauses between his words were ever increasing. "Being away...so long."
Tifa grabbed his hand. A tear slipped from her eyes, which she closed. She stayed like that for several seconds before opening them again and looking at him with the brightest smile she could manage.
"Go," she whispered. Cloud's eyes misted with confusion, but he soon realised what she meant and nodded.
He closed his eyes.
The rest of the Avalanche team burst through the door of the roof.
"Tifa! Cloud!" yelled Cid. "We got here as fast as we-" he stopped shortly. The rest of the group stopped as well, and looked to where Cid's gaze was frozen.
Tifa was kneeling beside Cloud. She hesitantly let go of his hand and slowly bent down and kissed his forehead. She then stood up to face the rest of the group. Tears were cascading down her face, but no matter how many times she wiped her eyes they wouldn't stop.
"No," Yuffie whispered in disbelief. Cid laid his hand on her shoulder in both comfort to her and as a way to steady himself. Barret took a few steps toward Tifa.
"Barret," was all she could manage. Her voice cracked. She buried her face in his chest, while he held her tightly.
Authors note:
A few things I wanna say. I didn't edit this chapter as much as I usually do, so please, if you spot a mistake, tell me so I can correct it. Thank you.
The line "I'll take you to the promised land" I actually got from Kingdom Hearts. It comes just before Sephiroth uses his Meteor attack. Sin Harvest I hated much...MUCH more however. It took me ages to beat him, but once I –finally- did, I beat him three times in a row after that. The irony!
Sorry. (Especially you Foi!) I meant to update before I went on holiday, but I didn't, and things happened afterwards to me that further delayed this update. I was hurt and upset and not in the mood, frankly. But still, sorry. For those that are curious, I went to Hungary. But you probably weren't, lol.
I am determined to post the epilogue within a week. It's short, so it shouldn't take too long. Thanks for reading everyone. Reviews welcomed.
Now for the reviewers:
Adhar: The flashback? Yeah, I was actually wondering whether I would put it in or not, as it was compromising the pace of the story. A lot of that was heavily influenced by on the way to a smile, in the case of Tifa. But thanks for reviewing once again, and I hope you like the end!
Foi: I'm so, so sorry, Foi-san! bows I really did want to update quickly but... it didn't work that way, obviously. laughsI think you got your answer about the Cleris scene. I thought briefly that it was a cliff-hanger, but it left my head just as fast! I promise that the last bit will be up soon! If not, you can...um, flame me! Thanks for reviewing.
lilmione: Thank you again for such a detailed review. They are so helpful, and you bring things up that I never even considered. It might sound stupid but it made me so happy to think my story has more than one interpretation.
Rinoa had pretty clothes. I'll give her that at least. I got the Sims 2 recently, and I downloaded a Rinoa, Squall, Tifa, Cloud and Aeris! It was so funny because Cloud and Aeris got married, and any conversation that Cloud had with Tifa went bad! And it wasn't my doing! It just naturally progressed that way! Thanks for reviewing lilmione!
