CHAPTER 25

SERAH'S POV

I sit next to the boy named Denzel and watch as he covers up the little girl next to him as he told us her name was marleen he kinda of reminded me how Claire always took care of me when we was that young hell she STILL was always watching out for me in her own way but neither the less it was comforting knowing that Claire was always there for me I cant help but smile gently remembering the days of our past it might have always been rough but it was always worth something

"you know you remind me alot of how Lightning always took care of me and watch me even if I didnt want her to at times" I giggle lightly

"hmm" Denzel nods his head and leans against the wall next to me

"I take it Clouds a big role modle for you?" I ask watching as he closes his eyes

"Clouds more than that...i never really knew my dad...my mom went missing when meteor hit...i've been on my own since then...so when I was suffering from the geostigma of mako posioning...Cloud was the one who rescued me after I passed out and even while suffering from it and being kidnapped by Kadaj he never gave up...in a way Cloud is my father now and even tho Cloud and Tifa took us both in they're not our real parents but still im happy Cloud is happy with Lightning...but right now our main thoughts should be on getting Marleen you and that girl you know out of here then ima give Lola a piece of my mind" Denzel says with a determin look

My heart felt sorry for the boy I had no idea how much he has been through I dont know what it was but I got up and hugged the boy in my arms at first I felt him tense up but after a while he relaxed all of a sudden we heard the sound of metal clashing down the hall and thuds hitting the stoned floors

"Whats going on out there?" Vanille asked me from across the hall

"i'm not sure maybe the gaurds are training" I asked i mean we have been here for a week now whats the hope of being rescued right away I was hoping to find out what kind of plan we all could come up with but nothing

"Dont count on it" Denzel says getting off the wall and infront of Marleen in a protective stance

"Wh-Whats going on Denzel?" Marleen askes rubbing her eyes

"I think this place is under attack" Denzel says

"Cloud?" Marleen asks

"Maybe its Cloud and Light but i dont know" I watch the dungeon door as i see two shadows coming around the corner I stand next to Denzel...Claire did teach me some self defence back in the day just in case my weapon was taken from me I could defend myself but just as the shadows came closer I saw a tall figure with long brown hair and muscular and holding two swords in his hands I feel myself feel light headed and happy and suprised...

"NOEL?!"

NOEL'S POV

Hope and I bust through the door of some hidden base in the mountains beyond the church such as Lightning has explain to me

"How much further till we find Vanille and the others?" Hope asks running down the flight of stoned stairs

"How the hell should I know im just as concern for the others as you are.." its true that I was as concern as the others however even so if they so much as touched Serah i'll beat them all

"hey think we're near the bottom yet?" Hope asks running past me

"I dont know but I'm getting sick and tired of these stairs" I jump over the edge of the stairs falling twords the ground

"NOEL ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GOD DAMN MIND?!" Hope screams at me but I just ignore them and land on my feet taking a quick look around the area

"ITS CLEAR JUMP" i holler up next thing I know I feel a bunch of weight on top of me

"Hope...GET OFF!" I shove Hope off me and start running down the hall and look around the corner

"what you see?" Hope ask pulling out his Airwing

"two gaurds mild build one tall one maybe 5'6" one caring a sword one doesnt seem to have a weapon but i'd still be cautious tho" I reach on my back and grab my Howling swords and seperate them

"you take the short one i'll go for the tall one with the sword" I say as Hope grabs my shoulder

"wait hold on why do you get the sword one i want to fight em" Hope protests

"Hope this isnt up for discusion and put it this way the faster you take out the small fry the faster you get to vanille" I take his goal to my advantage

"guess your right but you owe me a drink" Hope says slightly irritated

"i'll buy you as many drinks as you can handle now on my mark" I watch as the two gaurds sit down and try to relax ...with them relaxing their guard should be down and Hope and I would have the greater advantage I hold my hand up with my hand flat we wait a few minutes to make sure it was the right time after 2 minutes i close my hand into a fist confirming the attack Hope jumps at the small gaurd who is supprise and jumps back and stubbles backwards..I see the other gaurd quickly grab his sword and try to bring it down on Hope as I quickly dash by Hope and clashes my Howling swords with his sword

"weren't expecting us was you" I say smirking slightly

"how did you even manage to get in here" the gaurd asks angry

"Wouldnt you like to know" I slash the gaurd across the mans chest and kill him i reach down and grab the keys and the mans sword and run down the hall with Hope right behind me

As I take off down the hall I see the badly lit hall with voices that sounded like a kid but the next voice i heard was one that gave me the strength to move faster as I reach the front of the gate I see a young man standing infront of a little girl maybe bout a year or two younger in a defensive stance and standing next to Serah...Serah lowers her stance soon as I walk closer to the door twirling the keys on my index but the young man next to me was giving me a challenging glare

"NOEL?!" was all Serah says

DENZEL'S POV

I keep my defensive stance to protect my friend thats who is now my addoptive sister Marleen there was no way that i'm going to let some crazy woman hurt her or Serah if there is one thing i learn from Cloud...or as I like to call him dad...is to give it everything you have to protect what you cherish most as I see the figures come around the corner I give him the coldest glare I could manage being that way was never my style but if its to show I mean buiessness then thats what im going to do it isnt until Serah drops her gaurd I watch her but keep my stance

"NOEL?!" Serah just stares at the man

"You know him Serah?" I ask keeping my eye on the mysteriouse figure

"yeah he is a very personal friend of mine" Serah smiles at the man then at me as I watch the man unlock the door

"Lets get you guys out of here" the man Serah called Noel says

"Noel give me the keys" Hope says as he snatches the keys from Noel and unlocks Vanilles cell

"Vanille you ok?" Hope asks her i watch as Vanille runs into Hopes arms and kisses him deeply and smiles at him

"i am now but how did you find us?" Vanille asks

"if you must know I came with Light and Cloud and we ran into Noel on the way"

"Wait a second so your saying that Cloud and Light are here to?!" Marleen asked excitedly I cant help but smile at her but turn back to Noel

"so dad and Light are here? then where are they?" I ask not easing my stance untile marleen puts a hand on my shoulder

"there outside the mountain a little down south fighting Lola head on in battle and as fa..."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE FIGHTING LOLA?! AS IN ALONE HEAD ON?! "I ask angry not angry at them but angry that they would fight that demon bitch head on

"Denzel its going to be ok" Marleen says hugging me

"she's right Denzel im sure everythings going to be ok trust me" Serah hugs me with Marleen

"look kid" Noel says grabbing my shoulder

I look at him waiting for him to speak

"your really worried bout Cloud and Lightning right?"

I just nod my head to confirm his quiestion next thing i know Noel grabs my wrist and places a sword in my hand as i look at him curious

"then lets fight and help Cloud and Lightning im sure that Cloud has taught you how to fight right?" Noel asks me with a wink

"well yeah but since after Cloud defeated sephiroth there wasnt really a real fight to learn much except monsters but that isnt anything" I say a lil annoyed

"hey everyone learns from something so how bout you lead us out of here i'll back you up" Noel takes his sword off his back

"And Denzel...you know Cloud and Light wouldnt want you to get involved expecially with someone as strong as Lola" Serah says still hugging me tho kinda makes me angry

"SO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO JUST SIT ON THE SIDELINE?!" I gently shove Serah off me

"No Denzel not at all however Serah's right Lightning told me she see's you and marleen like kids to her and she see's how important you both are to Cloud so if you both got hurt it be my ass and trust me I dont want to piss Lightning off...and I gave them my word but in at least leading us out of here will show Cloud and Lightning your learning is paying off" Noel says with a nodd from Hope and Vanille and Serah

"I...I guess your right...I didnt think of it that way" I look down a little bit guilty that I snapped at Serah..."im sorry Serah"

"Its ok Denzel I feel the same way sometimes bout protecting Lightning" Serah says with a smile

"I hate to break up the moment but shouldnt we be getting out of here in case more gaurds show up?" Hope asks

"yeah...ready kid?" Noel asks me

I grip the sword Noel gave me and lift it up and rest in on my shoulder..."What are we waiting for?" I ask as we charge out the dungon