He was floating. It felt like he was floating in water. What water he wondered. A river? An ocean? He didn't know. He didn't really care. He was comfortable and didn't want to get up. He knew he was awake but he didn't want to open his eyes. He was to tired. He just wanted to sleep more. He floated there for a long time. He wasn't sure exactly how long. Maybe he should get up now. His mother must be getting worried. Sleeping all day. She would say it's waste of time. But he was just so comfortable. Where was his mother? Is she here?
"thump thump"
He heard something off in the distance. He wasn't quite sure what it was. It sounded so far away. When was the last time he had heard anything? It had always been so quiet and peaceful here. Why was it so quiet here? Where was his mother? Surly she would have woken him up by now.
" Thump thump"
It happened again. It was louder this time. What was it. He wanted to see it. But then he would have to open his eyes. He didn't want to wake up yet. It was so comfortable here. He wanted to stay floating here. His mother would make him get up though. Maybe he should just take a quick peak.
"Thump thump"
Cloud struggled to open his eyes. They were so heavy, they felt like anchors. His eyes opened to see him back in his room. He looked over and saw his door closed. His bed felt so much more comfortable then it normally did. It seemed as if it was inviting him back to sleep. Cloud thought that would be a good idea and closed his eyes once more.
"THUMP THUMP"
The thumping grew much louder now startling Cloud awake. What was he hearing. Cloud reluctantly climbed out of his bed and looked around his room for the loud thumping. He opened his closet with all his clothes but found nothing. His desk where he does his homework, but still no sign of this Thumping.
"THUMP THUMP...THUMP THUMP
The sound was beginning to become more and more frequent. Cloud was beginning to get worried, what is it he was hearing. Cloud looked out his window thinking that maybe something was happening at Tifa's. But there was nothing. There was nothing outside. Cloud looked closer and found absolutely nothing. Tifa's house wasn't there, the entire town wasn't there. It was just nothing. A white void.
" Where am I?" Cloud asked. His voice echoed around the room as if it was asking him the question back. This wasn't normal. What was happening. Cloud suddenly got the feeling that he wasn't really in his room. This wasn't his house. Cloud rushed over to his door and quickly walked outside into the middle of Niblehigm square?
" What the? How did I...?" Cloud wondered as he looked back and saw the door to his room had disapeared.
"THUMP THUMP"
Cloud saw many people rushing over to the edge of town. Near the Shinra manor. Everyone looked excited. It seemed like something was going on. What could it be? Cloud followed the villagers toward the Shinra manor. To Cloud's suprise a crowd of people had turned up. It looked like they were crowding around these two people specifically. Cloud tried to get a good look at them.
One stood really tall, he had long Silver hair. From the description as far as Cloud could tell, this was the SOLDIER hero Sephiroth. What was he doing in Niblehigm? He didn't look very interested in what was going on. Cloud then looked to the other person. He was also pretty tall, he had spiky Black hair and a huge sword. Who was this guy. Cloud didn't recognise him at all.
Suddenly Cloud felt his head burst with pain. Cloud clutched his head as if trying to stop the pain. But the pain faded as quickly as it came. Cloud looked back at the scene before him but it was different this time. Sephiroth still stood there sure, but this time it looked like Cloud himself was standing with him. Except he almost looked older. He also had a large sword but it was different from the one the black haired guy had. What was he seeing.
Suddenly Sephiroth looked into the crowed and found Cloud looking right at him. Cloud wondered what was going on. Sephiroth was looking right at him. Was he confused by there being two Cloud's. Cloud then began to feel like more eyes were on him. Cloud looked around to the crowd and saw everyone was staring right at him now. Cloud began to feel really uneasy. He began to back out of the crowd, hoping they wouldn't do anything, but they did.
Sephiroth raised his arm and pointed his finger right at Cloud, giving him a creepy smile. The crowd then completely turned toward Cloud and began walked towards him. Cloud was really freaked out now. He tucked tail and ran back toward town. The crowd all chasing after him.
Cloud ran right back to his house and tries to open the door but it seemed to be locked tight. He rushed over to the Lockhart's door but it was also locked. Cloud looked back to the crowd but they were now all people with black robes. They rushed after Cloud reaching out trying to grab him. Cloud rushed away from the houses and ran over to the school, hoping that place was open.
"THUMP THUMP..THUMP THUMP..THUMP THUMP"
The thumping was getting louder and louder, Cloud didn't know what was happening. Why were these people chasing him. Why was Sephiroth and this older Cloud here. Cloud made it to the school door and thankfully it was open. Cloud rushed inside but instead of the school he was in a huge creepy looking house. Cloud was beginning to get scared. He didn't know what was going on why was he in this house suddenly. Why were those guys chasing him. This was a nightmare.
" It's a nightmare...I'm dreaming!" Cloud realised. Cloud wasted no time and pinched his arm. To his suprise he felt the pinch. It didn't wake him up. Cloud tried pinching himself again, and again and again.
" Why can't I wake up!" Cloud yelled. Suddenly a sound came from deeper in the big house. It sounded like someone was saying something. Cloud didn't want to move from the spot he was in now. Everything about this dream was terrible, he didn't want to see more. He wanted to go back to his comfy bed. He wanted to be floating like before.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
Someone was banging the door behind Cloud. It was like someone or something big was trying to get inside. Cloud backed away from the door slightly as it started to break apart slowly. The banging began to get stronger and stronger. Cloud looked around trying to find a place to go. The house was massive he could go to many rooms but he heard things coming from these rooms. Sounds that made his skin crawl. He didn't want to find out what was making those sounds. Suddenly the door burst open and more of those creepy guys in black robes fell to the ground.
" Re...union" One of these guys said. Cloud didn't understand this at all and ran. At this point he didn't care where he was going he just ran. He ran down a hallway trying all of the doors to see if they were open. But none were. Cloud kept going but stopped when he heard a familiar voice calling to him.
" Cloud! Cloud! Where are you!" His mother called out.
" Mom!?"
" Cloud!"
" Mom where are you" Cloud yelled out as he followed her voice to one of the rooms. Cloud tried to open the door but it was locked.
" Cloud, get in here!" His mother yelled, it sounded like she was in a panic. Cloud kept on trying to open the door baring his path from his mother.
" I'm trying!" Cloud yelled back.
" Oh my god... Cloud honey you need to open the door." Claudia said more panicked then before. Cloud was slamming as hard as he could into the door trying to ram it open but it just wouldn't budge.
"CLOUD OPEN THE DOOR" His mother yelled in panic. Cloud slammed and slammed the door but it just wouldn't open.
" Please don't do thi-" a thin blade pierced the door between Cloud and his mother. Cloud's eyes widened as he looked at the sharp blade, covered in blood.
" Mom...Mom answer me!" Cloud called out trying to reach her, but she didn't respond. Cloud backed away from the door and right back to the wall. The sword then retracted from the door leaving a small hole in its place. Cloud closed his eyes and slowly slid down the wall to the floor.
"THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP"
The thumping was getting louder and louder. Cloud didn't know what to do anymore. We're was he supposed to go? What was he supposed to do. Cloud looked down the hallway he was in but it had morphed it seemed into an endless one. All Cloud could see was doors and more doors. There was no end in sight. Suddenly the door blocking his path from his mother began to creek open slowly. Cloud looked up to see inside. Cloud saw his mother limp on the floor.
" Mom..." Cloud called out but she didn't respond.
From the side of the door a gloved hand slowly creeped into view as it gripped the door frame. Slowly the tall imposing figure of Sephiroth came into view for Cloud once again, but this time, he was covered in blood. His mother's blood. Cloud couldn't move, he was absolutely petrified. His slitted pale green eyes pierced right into Clouds very being. Sephiroth gave Cloud a smile and reached out to grab him.
" I found you!" He said just as he was about to grab hold of him. Suddenly another door down the hall burst open. Sephiroth stopped what he was doing and looked down the hall. Cloud looked as well and to his suprise he saw his older self come out of the room. His older self charged at the Platinum haired man with his large sword out. The two clashed blades in front of the little Cloud.
" RUN!" The older Cloud said to himself. Cloud didn't need to new told twice and quickly ran down the hallway to the room his older self came out of. Cloud quickly closed the door behind him and locked it for good measure. He heard the struggle outside for a few moments before it grew quiet once again. Did his older self win? Did Sephiroth kill that Cloud? He couldn't hear anything anmore. Maybe they were gone. Cloud took a few moments to calm himself before he looked at the room he was in. It looked to be a bedroom. It was pretty basic. A bed, dresser and a night stand. The only thing that seemed off about the room was the single yellow flower that was in the center of it.
The flower looked as if it glowed in the dark room. He couldn't help but feel drawn to it. Cloud approached the flower cautiously, considering this may be the next horror awaiting him. Cloud reached out and picked the flower up. To his suprise, he began to feel that same warmth from when he was in bed. It felt nice and comfortable. Suddenly the flower petals began to fly off of the flower and fly through the air. They flew until it touched a brick wall. From the contact with the flower petals the wall began to shake. Cloud braced himself for whatever it was he unleashed. The wall shook for a moment before a portion of the brick wall collapsed, revealing a secret passage.
" Whoa" Cloud couldn't help but find this a little cool. In this house of horrors he would take what little amusement he could get. Cloud approached the passage and took a brief look inside. From what he could tell it looked like a big hole going down underground. There was a narrow wooden path winding down the hole. It was pretty dark down there too. Cloud wasn't sure if he should go down there.
"THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP"
The thumping returned, reminding Cloud of the dangers that await if he continued in this house. Cloud looked back to the door he had locked. It was the only other way out of this room besides the passage way. Remembering that Sephiroth was on the other side of that door, same with the weird guys in black robes. He didn't want to deal with then again. Making up his mind, Cloud took a deep breath before taking his first step down the secret passage.
Cloud descended down and down and down the hole. Cloud couldn't help but feel like he had been walking down this secret passage for a good while. He stopped to look down and see how far he still had to go but he couldn't see the bottom. He looked up to see how far he had come but to his suprise he couldn't see that anymore ether. How long had he been walking? Could he even reach the bottom? If he turned around, would he even reach the top again?
THUMP THUMP
Cloud began hearing the thimping once again. He didn't want to be anywhere near whatever was making that noise so he continued walking down the wooden path before him. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief as the thumping began to grow fainter the more he descended. With no other plan he carried on.
After what seemed like hours Cloud checked once more to see if he was close to the bottom, and to no suprise he was not. What he wasn't expecting however, was for him to begin hearing voices. They were mumbled at first, he couldn't quiet make out what they were saying. But the more he walked the clearer they became.
Why do you need to go to go to Midgar? Why can't you get a job here, And Be with with us?
Shinra is offering a lot of money for this job. I promise I will be back for Cloud's birthday.
YOUR NOT GOING!
But Mom...I have to go. I can't explain it...but I need to go.
I'll be a SOLDIER, The best of the best. Like Sephiroth.
The great war hero huh...isn't it hard to become a SOLDIER?
What about your family?
My mother's name is Jenova, she died shortly after I was born. My father... hahahaha it doesn't matter.
Nothing matters anymore...my baby girl is gone...
I think... she's okay.
Are you sure?
Positive...I'll need your help if things go south.
You can hear it too.
Hear what?
Listen.
Suddenly Cloud heard a wailing scream as loud as a jet engine. Cloud covered his ears trying to lessen the noise but it broke through with no issue. Cloud couldn't take it he fell to his knees and curled into a ball trying to cover his head. Trying to make it stop. And then as suddenly as the wailing began, it stopped. Cloud opened his eyes and looked around. He was no longer in the endless hole. He now looked to be in a cave.
Cloud stood up and examined the cave. This time there seemed to be a clear exit as there looked to be a door at the end of the cave. Cloud also noticed a door off to the side of this cave. Cloud wasn't sure which of these doors he should go through, or what new horrors waited for him. Suddenly the flower in his hand began to glow. Cloud had almost forgotten about the flower. The flower glowed and the petals that showed him the secured passage returned. They began slowly flying down the tunnel. It looked like they were leading the way. Cloud decided to follow the flower petals, he had nothing else to go on at this point.
The petals never got too far from Cloud, they always stayed just close enough. It was as if they were guiding him somewhere. But to where? Cloud kept his eyes on the petals, not letting anything else distract him, but then they suddenly disappeared. Cloud looked around for the petals wondering what could have made them leave. Cloud suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of dread. His skin had bumps, he began sweating, his stomach felt like it was flipping over. Cloud felt like he wasn't alone anymore. He slowly turned around and saw why the flower petals dissapeared.
" There you are..." Sephiroth was there. He stood a few meters away from Cloud and had a hungry smile. The blood still present on his clothes and his sword. He raised his hand and suddenly the floor began to turn to tar. Cloud began sinking down into the floor. He tried to move his legs but the tar made it difficult. Sephiroth began to approaching Cloud, walking on the tar as if there were a layer of glass over it. Cloud struggled to move and get away. He moved as fast as he could, waddling through the thick tar. Cloud saw that he was still a far way off from the door at the end of the tunnel. He wasn't going to make it. Sephiroth was going to get him. Cloud was finished. Sephiroth reached out to grab Cloud once again. Cloud closed his eyes and awaited the inevitable.
" Don't give up!" A voice called out. Cloud opened his eyes and saw his flower was glowing a radient light. Sephiroth backed his hand away from the shining flower and gave a brief scowl. Did he not like the light? Cloud looked at the glowing flower and back to Sephiroth who seemed to not like the light. Cloud aimed the flower toward Sephiroth began wailing in pain. Sephiroth clutched his head in pain. Cloud was actually doing damage. Cloud began moving toward Sephiroth with the flower as his weapon. Sephiroth looked as if he was melting into the tar below. Suddenly the image of Sephiroth shifted to that of one of those robed people from upstares before melting completely into the tar. Cloud was speechless. He managed to push back Sephiroth. Or whatever the robed guy was. He began to feel like maybe he can get out of this nightmare.
Cloud noticed the tar below him began to bubble a bit. Why is it doing that? Cloud didn't want to take any more chances so he held his glowing flower out to defend him. Suddenly an arm reached out of the tar and grabbed onto Cloud.
" AHH. LET GO!" Cloud yelled as he fought to get free from this arm. But more arms began reaching out of the tar trying to get at Cloud. Cloud ripped the arms off of him and began running as fast as he could away from them. But more and more reached out of the tar. They kept pulling him into the tar. Cloud reached out with the flower hoping it did something, anything. And it did.
The flower glowed once again and the tar disapated around Cloud. Cloud's eyes widened as the flower began pulling him out of the tar. The flower then began to drag him down the cave and away from the tar pool and beside the door half way across the cave. Once again on solid land Cloud breathed a sigh of relief.
" Bravo." Cloud jumped to his feet upon hearing a voice. Cloud looked to the source of the voice and saw Sephiroth standing in front of him with an amused smirk on his face. Cloud didn't even think twice and shoved the flower in his face. But nothing happened.
" That trick won't work on me." Sephiroth said as he grabbed the flower and crushed in in his hand. Cloud fell backwards onto the ground in pure terror. Sephiroth towered over him menacingly. Sephiroth lifted his sword placing the tip just above Cloud's heart.
" You are mine!" Sephiroth said but suddenly The door beside them opened and the what looked like a red cloak flew out and wrapped around Cloud before Sephiroth can stab him. The red cloak dragged Cloud inside and it shit the door behind them. The Cloak threw Cloud to the ground and hovered there for a moment. Just long enough for Cloud to see it clearly. It looked like it old and tattered. It honestly looked more like a cape Cloud thought.
" Thank you." Cloud thanked the cape. He immidiately realised how stupid that sounded but it saved him so he would let it go. Just as he thanked it, the cape faded away.
Cloud looked around this room he found himself in and found only one thing of note. There were coffins. There were four coffins in the room. Three of them leaned against the wall while the last one sat in the centre of the room. Cloud couldn't help but think a vampire or something must be in there. The coffin in the centre of the room suddenly flew open, startling Cloud. He braced himself for the worst but to his suprise instead of a vampire, there was a flowerbed inside the coffin. The flowers in the coffin were the same as the one that Sephiroth crushed.
" Get in" Cloud heard the flowers say. At this point he didn't have a reason to distrust the flowers so he entered the coffin and lay with the flowers. It felt nice. It felt simmilar to his bed but a little different. It felt right. Maybe he would rest his eyes for a little bit. Cloud closed his eyes and fell asleep, just as the lid flew back on the coffin.
When Cloud opened his eyes he was surprised to see he wasn't in the dark cave from a moment ago, or even in Niblehigm at all. It looked like he was on a cliff. The sun was out and the sky was clear. It looked like a beautiful day. Cloud saw something off in the distance, it was massive. It looked like it was a city. It had these big buildings all around it, with smoke coming out of them. Were those Mako reactors? Was that Midgar? Cloud remembered seeing Midgar in the news but he had never seen it in person. Why was he near Midgar? Cloud suddenly felt on edge. What if this is another trap that's going to mess with him some more? Cloud once again tried pinching himself but it didn't work. He tried again and again and again.
" You know, you'll bruise yourself if you keep doing that." A voice said. Cloud looked up to see who had spoken to him. Cloud saw a woman sitting at the edge of the cliff looking at Midgar. The woman had long blackish hair and she wore a black kimono.
" Mrs Lockhart?" Cloud asked. The woman turned around and sure enough here she was. Mrs Lockhart gave Cloud a smile.
" Hey kiddo." Cloud shook his head. this was a dream, she wasn't real. None of this was real. She died, she is dead. She is just a figment of his imagination.
" Are you going to stand there all day? Come sit down." Mrs Lockhart said. Cloud considered for a moment that this was just something to lure him in but he still felt that warm feeling from before. Maybe it was okay. Cloud approached Mrs Lockhart and sat beside her. The two sat in silence for a moment before she broke the ice.
" It's pretty isn't it?"
" What?" Cloud asked.
" Midgar... From here, I can't help but find it pretty." Mrs Lockhart said.
" I guess..." Cloud said. He looked her over and saw she looked like she did before she got sick. Her skin had a healthy glow, she looked well rested. She simply looked amazing. Not at all like the woman who died in front of him.
"Your not real...are you?" Cloud knew the answer but he wanted to here it from her. She turned to him and smiled.
" What do you think?" She asked.
" You died...you died right behind me. I said you would beat your illness. But then you died...I feel so stupid for saying that." Cloud said. He had felt bad about saying it. She must have thought the worst of him in her last moments.
" Don't say that. You were trying to cheer me up. And you did." She said.
" Yeah...but you still died..." Cloud mumbled as he looked to the ground.
" Everyone dies one day. It's just part of life." A new voice said. Cloud looked to where Mrs Lockhart once was and found him mother sitting there instead.
" MOM!?" Cloud yelled in suprise. He didn't wait for her to confirm anything before wrapping her in a hug.
" Mom I thought you...I saw you laying there...you were..." Cloud tried to say it but it was too horrible to finish. Claudia wrapped her boy in a tight hug.
" I know. What you saw there was just an illusion. Nothing more." Claudia said reassuring him. Cloud just nodded and found comfort in being in his mother's arms.
The two stayed like that for a for a few more moments. Cloud looked out at the scenery and couldn't help but think that it was beautiful. Maybe one day he would see Midgar up close. Of course that's if he ever woke up. He didn't know how long he had been dreaming. How long was he floating. How long was he in that secret passage way. He didn't know. But if this was a dream, then the person he was holding, wasn't his mother. He wanted to hug his mother for real. Cloud let go of his dream mother and looked out to Midgar.
" I wanna wake up..." Cloud said. Claudia smiled.
" Why do you want to wake up?" a voice said. One that Cloud didn't recognise. Cloud looked over and saw a man sitting next to him now. He looked like Cloud kind of. But he was a little different. His hair for one was short, maybe an inch long. It was blond like Cloud's too. Cloud took a moment to recognise him. He had seen him before. In old pictures with his mother, before he was born.
" D-Dad?" Cloud asked. The man gave Cloud a smile.
" It's good to see you kid." His father said. Cloud just looked at him stunned. He had never seen his father before. This was nuts. He knew he was dreaming but this whole dream had been crazy, and now he was seeing his father?
" What...I mean...huh? What?" Cloud stumbled to find the words. His father smirked.
" You didn't answer. Why do you want to wake up?" His father asked. Cloud took a moment to gather himself before answering
" I want to see mom." Cloud said. His father smiled. And pointed out toward Midgar.
" Look at that!" he said. Cloud looked over and saw as the sun quickly set and it turned to night. The Mako reactors lit up like Christmas. A green light exploded out of the reactors. It looked so cool. Cloud couldn't help but marvel at it
" Pretty amazing isn't it." A new voice said. Cloud was beginning to see the pattern. But this voice was familiar to him. Cloud turned back and saw none other then himself sitting there.
" Hey"' The other Cloud said.
" Okay, now I have a twin." Cloud complained. The other Cloud just laughed.
" Do you remember why you fell asleep in the first place?" The other Cloud asked. Cloud honestly wasn't sure. It felt like so long ago, what was he doing. He remembered Mrs Lockhart's funeral, going to Tifa's house. Then she stormed off...right?.
" We went to the mountain..." Cloud started
" And then?"
" I found Tifa...then we fell off the bridge." Cloud finished.
" That's right. You've been asleep for a while." Tifa said. Cloud was surprised that Tifa just suddenly appeared. It was as if he blinked and a new person was there beside him.
" What is going on?" Cloud asked.
" You don't need to worry about that. Just focus on yourself okay." Tifa said.
" Okay." Cloud said but he still wondered.
"'So how do I wake up?
" You will need to face the monster's." Tifa said before she stood up and walked away. Cloud turned around to ask her more but she had turned into someone else. It was Rye of all people.
" Something is keeping you in this dream. It's will is strong. It's been trying to get you for a while now." Rye explained. Cloud got up to his feet.
" Whats keeping me here?" Cloud asked.
" A nightmare. A calamity. A monster. All of these words would describe it. It is in essence our dark refection." Jenna said as she appeared out of nowhere. What was even happening anymore?
" So how do I get it to stop??" Cloud asked.
" The only way you can wake up, is if you proved to be stronger." Gin said as he popped in behind Cloud.
"How do I do that? I almost died so many times in this dream." Cloud said. Wait was he even dreaming? It sure seemed like it but everything was getting really weird. Suddenly his mother appears in front of him and is holding what looked like a sword. It looked like a regular old sword but it had a greening glow around it.
" This will protect you. Use it, and fight your way out of its grasp." his mother said. Cloud took the sword and couldn't believe how light it was. His mother then pointed over to a door. Cloud didn't see that door there before. It must have just popped in
" When you confront it, Remember who you care for most, they will give you strength." His mother said. Cloud was a little confused at this.
" They can?" Cloud asked, but before he got an answer the door opened and began sucking him in. Cloud tries to keep his balance by the suction was too strong and he flew into the open door.
Cloud opened his eyes to find himself back inside the creepy house. He was in the main hall area that he was in when he first came here. Cloud got back to his feet and picked up his newly acquired glowing sword.
" Okay... I just have to fight my way though. I got this...I got this" Cloud said trying to pump himself up. He went up the stares and began walking the way he want the first time he was here.
" Ugh gwaaa Re...union..." Cloud heard a voice say down the hallway to his right. Cloud saw a man in a black robe stumbling toward him. He reached out and tried to grab Cloud but he was to fast for the robed man. Cloud used his sword and slashed the creepy guy. Instead of cutting into him however he simply turned into smoke and dissapeared. Cloud sighed in relief. He looked at his sword and couldn't be happier he had a means of defending himself now. Cloud continued down the hallway.
The hallway didn't seem to stretch on on and now however. It looked as though there were only about three rooms down this way. Cloud walked through the last door on the right and found the secret passage way from before. Cloud looked down and saw this time he could clearly see the bottom. Cloud continued down the secret passage.
"THUMP THUMP...THUMP THUMP."
The familiar thumping had returned.cCloud figured he must be getting closer to what was trapping him here. As Cloud descended down the secret passage, more of the cloaked men tried to grab Cloud, but each one met a quick end with Cloud slashing through them. Cloud had to admit this was kind of invigorating. He didn't feel nearly as scared as he did before. He could make it out of here.
Cloud made it to the bottom of the passage and entered the cave. Cloud's eyes widened a little because he wasn't alone in the cave. There were a bunch of robed men and the tar monsters that came out of the ground. Cloud took a deep breath preparing himself for the toughest battle of his life, or dream life.
" Aaaaaahhhhh" Cloud yelled out a battle cry and charged toward the monster's in his way. Cloud easily sliced through the slow moving robed men. A tar monster reached out and grabbed Cloud's leg tripping him to the ground. Cloud waves his sword back to his foot freeing it from the monster's grasp. Cloud cleaved through the quishy bodies of the tar monsters with minimal effort. When ever his sword seemed to touch the monster's they all just turned to smoke. Cloud sliced and diced his way through the tunnel taking out every monster in his path.
And then Cloud was finished. He had taken out all the monster's there. Cloud couldn't help but feel proud of himself. He did it. He fought back. Now all that was left was to find his way out. Cloud continued down the cave to the door at the end. The one that he couldn't reach before. Thanks to Sephiroth. Suddenly Cloud felt that dread return to him. Where was Sephiroth? He didn't see him in the group of monster's before. So where is he? Rather then pondering on this more, Cloud decided to run for his life. He rushed over to the door at the end of the cave and opened it, rushing inside.
Cloud quickly slams the door shut and locks it behind him. He takes a brief sigh of relief he made it, Where to now? Cloud turned around to examine where he was now but he has no idea where he was. It didn't look like he was in the house anymore. He saw a night sky, filled with stars and different colors sweeping around. There were no buildings around him at all. It looked like he was in the middle of space. Cloud looked around trying to find anything but it seemed the place was completely empty.
" HEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" Cloud yelled. Hoping he would get some sort of answer. To his suprise he did.
" Good to see you...Cloud." the voice said from behind Cloud. Cloud jumped as it startled him but also because he knew who that voice belonged too.
" Sephiroth!" Cloud said in fear. Cloud jumped away from the silver haired SOLDIER and gripped his sword tight.
" Stay back!" Cloud warned. He honestly wasn't sure if his sword would cut it against Sephiroth but he was willing to try.
" There is no where left to run. No one is left to save you. It's just us now." Sephiroth said as he raised his sword to Cloud. This was it. Cloud had to face Sephiroth. This was the last obstacle in his way. After this Cloud would go home. Cloud had to admit to himself how scared he was. But that didn't matter. He wanted to go home. He wanted to see his mom, he wanted to see Fenrir again. And he wanted to see Tifa. So Cloud gripped is sword tight and waited for Sephiroth to attack. Sephiroth smiled and slashed the air sending a wave of energy at Cloud. The energy impacted with Cloud's sword and he felt as if the whole world was pushing against him in this moment. But he still held on. Cloud held the blade in front of him, blocking the energy. Sephiroth continued to smile as the boy struggled to keep his attack at bay. The attack pushed Cloud further and further away from where Sephiroth stood. Cloud's feet began to tire, his arms were weakening.
He couldn't do it.
He was so close. Cloud had tried. He had fought against the monster's, he stood up to Sephiroth and yet the energy from his attack continued to overtake him Cloud felt his skin begin to burn from the heat of Sephiroth's attack. It hurt. Cloud couldn't do it. He was too weak. It seems like Sephiroth was stronger in the end. Cloud closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate.
" I'm sorry mom...Tifa..." Cloud said as The energy of Sephiroth's attack began to consume him. Sephiroth smirked at his all but assured victory.
But the energy of Sephiroth's attack starts to recede a bit. Sephiroth looked on shocked realising what was happening.
" Impossible!" The SOLDIER said.
Cloud felt his arms grow stronger and his legs able to keep him steady once more.
" NOT YET...IM NOT DONE YET!" Cloud yelled out as an orange aura flared around him. He took a step forward, then another step and then another. He was pushing Sephiroth's attack back at him. Cloud soon began walking, then jogging, then running through Sephiroth's attack. He ran through the energy at break neck speeds until finally he broke out of the energy attack completely. He now stood in front of Sephiroth, his skin completely scorched from the heat. A look of absolute anger and determination on Cloud's face. He and he took his shot.
" TAKE THIS" Cloud yelled as he plunged his sword toward Sephiroth. Cloud noticed just before he made impact with his chest, Sephiroth was still smiling.
A/N: Happy Halloween everyone. This was my attempt to write a trippy nightmare sequence. It was pretty fun to write. Hope it was at least decent. Hope you guys are enjoying the rewrite. I am having a lot of fun writing all this stuff out. I can't wait to get to the next part of this story tho. I got some neat ideas I want to put in. Anyways have a good day everyone.