FINAL FANTASY

PATH OF DARKNESS

Chapter Eight

The Omni Battle

For a moment all was still on the platform save for a slight breeze which ruffled Cloud's hair. Omni growled low in its throat. Sephiroth suddenly walked forward holding his sword casually at his side. Omni charged forward, its whips flying at Sephiroth who swat them aside with the Masamune before ducking beneath a seven fingered fist and bringing his blade around at Omni's leg only to have it stopped on the beasts thick hide.

Sephiroth leapt into the air to avoid the pincer as Omni swiped at him with it. Omni turned its head upwards and belched out several black and purple energy spheres which flew right at Sephiroth who dodged in mid-air only to realize

they could follow him. Sephiroth spun full circle lashing out with his sword destroying the spheres before turning with a downwards slash on Omni's head sending it flying off of its feet and landing several feet away.

All that in about fifteen seconds.

Omni quickly recovered its feet with a feirce snarl before opening his mouth releasing a massive red beam of energy right at Sephiroth. Sephiroth tried to lower into the ground but found he could'nt, he looked up just in time to catch

the blast head on. The resulting blast shook the whole platform and sent Sephiroth flying backwards though he managed to land on his feet in front of the group.

Smoke curled up into the air above Sephiroth as he slowly rose to his full height. "What happened?" He wondered out loud looking at his hands. "You no longer serve Jenova, so she no longer grants you her power."

Aeris said.

Omni rushed them snapping its jaws as the petrifiers flew out of its back and flew at the group. "SCATTER!!!" Squall yelled jumping to the side. Everyone was quick to follow jumping off to the sides. Omni turned mid step

to pursue Cloud, who jumped onto its large ugly head and brought his sword down upon its skull with a loud clang as the blade bounced off harmlessly.

Squall fired off a thundaga spell into the things back while Aeris healed Sephiroth and Rinoa cast a protect on Cloud just as one of the large tentacles that was on Omni's back slammed into him. Cloud jumped off Omni's head flying through the air to land next to Aeris

while Sephiroth jumped onto its back and sent a series of lightning fast slashes into the back of its head.

Squall dashed underneath Omni swinging Revolver into its belly pulling the trigger with each impact. Omni rose onto its rear legs sending Sephiroth flying backwards to the edge of the platform. Cloud leapt through the air a bluish glow

surrounding him as he pulled his sword back, then swung it around like a baseball bat into Omni's head flipping it off its feet. "FLARE!!" Rinoa shouted sending a powerful blast of flame into the beasts belly

knocking it higher into the air. Before the group could continue their offensive the whips rose up and each one fired an individual beam that forced the group to dodge around again, only barely avoiding the attacks.

Omni hurtled back down landing on its feet.

Cloud jumped into the air only to be knocked back to the ground by one of the tentacles causing him to cry out in pain as his arm snapped like a twig, but Aeris healed the wound before he even reached the ground while Rinoa

launched a firaga spell that dissipated harmlessly on impact against Omni.

Sephiroth ran forward slashing Omni across the face sending it stumbling back, then leapt backwards to avoid the whips.

Squall moved over to Aeris and asked "Why do'nt you just open the ground beneath it like last time?!" "Can't!" Aeris replied using her magic to deflect another barrage of petrifiers. Cloud raised his blade and brought it over his shoulder

releasing a green burst of energy that slammed into Omni sending it stumbling backwards slightly as Squall sent a blizzaga spell at it, only for it to have no effect.

Rinoa raised her hands and summoned a barrage of meteors that hurtled into Omni with a series of explosions that forced it to bend its knees slightly. Sephiroth dashed by knocking its legs out from under it with a lightning fast strike of

the Masamune, but it recovered in mid air catching him around the waist with the pincer.

Cloud leapt onto the things shoulder and jammed his sword into a lobster like joint on the pincer, then pried and twisted thus ripping the pincer free and sending it flying off to the side with a spray of blood.

Sephiroth flipped onto his feet and sent a thankful nod at Cloud before leaping forward with another slash at the enraged WEAPON.

Squall jumped onto its back and brought his blade down as hard as he could only to have it deflected by one of the whips, which lashed at him again and again. Squall parried the hits with masterful skill, only to be caught across the leg and sent flying crashing into the ground. Omni's massive fist came down on Squall but Cloud jumped in front of it and knocked it aside with a powerful swing of his sword.

Omni roared furiously and stomped at them with its massive feet. Cloud grabbed Squall and dragged him away from the massive feet while Sephiroth launched a side attack with Masamune. Aeris and Rinoa focused their magic

to keep him from getting ripped to shreds by the whips and tentacles.

Squall rolled to the side barely dodging a stomp as Omni moved over them, only to be knocked off by Rinoa's tornado spell which hurtled it across the platform where it quickly regained its footing and rushed them once more.

Rinoa quickly healed Squall's leg before launching thre firagas that exploded against Omni's side. Icharged them even faster with its whips whirling about in the air furiously and its tentacles pulling back for an attack.

Cloud and Squall jumped in oppositte directions as Sephiroth landed on its head and began hacking away at the bases of its whips. The tentacles flew at him but he leapt above them flipping sideways through the air continuing his attack unabated.

Aeris and Rinoa slumped forward having exhausted their magic for awhile.

Cloud dashed underneath Omni dragging his sword along its chest, dodging as the fist came crashing down upon him. Squall jumped at it swinging his blade upwards as he jumped into the air unleashing a powerful explosion on Omni

knocking it sideways.

"ENOUGH!!!" Sephiroth shouted as he whipped the Masamune around and under Omni WEAPON. Then with a grunt of effort he brought his blade up as he came down launching Omni into the air and over the side

of the platform with a final roar of defiance.

Sephiroth landed lightly on his feet, then sheathed his sword and turned towards the path into the light.

"The world source must be there." Aeris said. "Looks like it." Cloud said, then he walked forward, and the others followed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN: I would like to thank those who have reveiwed this story, and hope that you will continue to do so. For those who have'ent reveiwed, please do. You're opinions are all welcomed. Though i do ask that you

do not badmouth my works unless you can kindly suggest a way for me to improve. Also this story is the second installment in a series. The first one is in the finalfantasy 8 section under action/adventure with

Squall as a secondary character. So for those who might have trouble understanding whats going on, go read the first one which is titled Two Worlds. Please R&R.