When all is Done

Rufus glanced sharply at Sephiroth as the silver-haired man approached and propped his large sword against the tree. His green eyes met Rufus' and Sephiroth slowly shook his head, showing that Cloud was still alive. Rufus kept his face the same until Cloud appeared, at the campfire with a large boar on his shoulders. Cloud laughed at the pile of carcasses as he placed his own there.

"I see I'm not the only one who got lucky." He grinned at the King. Rufus made a half-smile back before raising his glass.

"Well done. Care to join us in a toast?" He asked. Cloud rubbed his hands and nodded in reply.

"I'll wash the blood off first." He said, holding up his dirty hands. Rufus nodded as the blonde ran to the forest towards the river. Sephiroth once again met his eyes and, with the slight approving nod of the King, grabbed the large sword before following the younger man.

Cloud climbed over the rocks and slid down the path until he landed by the crystal waters. He placed his hands in the cool liquid, rubbing them together to clean the blood off. He closed his eyes as he started washing his face, unaware that Sephiroth was creeping towards him.

Aerith burst through the double doors and ran down the steps into the courtyard. She turned around desperately. Trying to figure out how she could reach the hunting party and save Cloud. As she moved her head to face the doors, she felt her heart clench painfully and dropped to her knees, tears falling from her eyes.

"What have I done?" She whispered, hands hugging her chest desperately.

Sephiroth smirked as Cloud crouched before him, oblivious to his presence. As the blonde washed his face, Sephiroth took another step closer before driving his sword through Cloud's shoulder, his only weak spot. The dragon-slayer gave an blood-curling cry of pain, turning to see who had attacked him. His blue eyes narrowed as they flashed with agony and he attempted to climb the rock to reach the silver-haired man. Sephiroth remained calm and still, watching as Cloud's strength left him and he slipped down the rocks.

Cloud gave a breath as he tried to block out the pain, tried to will his body to live. He heard Sephiroth's footsteps walking away but he could not find the strength to stand or even crawl anymore. He frowned as images flashed in his mind, voices echoing in his head.

"You're the Queen of the Northern Continent?"

"Does it make a difference?"

"No, not to how I feel about you."

"Good, because no matter what happens, I will love you forever."

"Are you infatuated with my sister too?"

"My heart is already pledged."

"Would I know her?"

"No, she lives far away."

"I will bring my love to Nibelheim with me."

Cloud's eyes slowly closed as the words 'my love' kept echoing repeatedly. A picture of Tifa appeared in his mind but slowly, her black hair turned brown, her crimson eyes became green.

'my love'

"Aerith," He whispered in his last breath.

Sephiroth returned to camp, where the men were gathered around the campfire. He walked over, standing behind Rufus and Vincent.

"Is Cloud not back? We should leave before dark." He said. Vincent looked around him before putting his cup down.

"I'll go and get him." He replied, running down the path that he had seen Cloud use. He did not notice Rufus' nervous swallow nor the glance his brother threw at the silver-haired man.

He ran down the path to the river, calling Cloud's name. When there was no answer, he quickened his pace to the rocks where he saw the blonde lying motionless in a pool of blood.

"Cloud!" The Prince cried, sliding down to kneel next to the dead man. Vincent looked around him in a panic

"Help!" He called frantically. "Help!" Soon the men from the camp were racing towards him, thinking he was being attacked. When they saw Cloud lying next to the Prince, the men crowded around him, trying to revive him and heal him. But soon they had to accept, Cloud was dead.

Tifa jumped as Vincent's hawk entered the room and immediately clutched her chest to calm her pounding heart. She could faintly hear the doors of the courtyard opening and she ran to her window. Her eyes widened and she let out a choked gasp as she saw Cloud's body being carried in on a stretcher. She turned and ran down the stairs, bursting out of the doors and throwing herself next to him.

"Cloud!" She wailed hopelessly, clutching his hand in hers. Rufus cleared his throat.

"An ambush." He explained. "Saxons." Tifa looked up, catching Vincent's confused glance at his brother. She also noticed Sephiroth do the same.

"Murderer." She hissed.

"What?" He replied after a moment. "Why would I kill the man who has done so much for Midgar?"

"Envy," She answered in a cold tone. "And greed! You wanted the materia for yourself!"

She took her hand away from Cloud's, bringing her other to roughly remove the ring that Cloud had given her. The one that determined the owner of the materia.

"Take it!" She yelled, throwing it to the ground next to the feet. Sephiroth and Rufus glanced down at the same time, before reaching for it. Rufus grabbed it just before the silver-haired man.

"You!" He cried. "You tricked me! You wanted the materia for yourself!"

"We planned it together!" Sephiroth argued, unsheathing his sword as Rufus took his.

Vincent stepped back, a look of horror crossing his features. Tifa remained where she was, looking at Cloud's face instead of the two men who had caused her loved one's death.

Sephiroth struck first, aiming for the King's head. Rufus blocked it, pushing the sword around until he could attack Sephiroth. But he too blocked. Vincent ran forward with a few other men to hold the pair back.

"You bastard!" Rufus hissed. Sephiroth struggled against the four men holding him.

"Don't act so innocent! You had just as much to do with it as me!" With one last struggle, he freed himself from the men and lunged forward, stabbing Rufus through the stomach. Vincent tried to hold the older man up as he fell from the attack but Rufus soon went limp in his arms.

"He killed the King! Kill him!" He ordered as Sephiroth took the ring from Rufus.

"All those who ally themselves with me will be granted materia from the treasure room!" The silver-haired man cried out. The guards who had stepped forward to attck him stopped at the proposal and immediately turned so that they were guarding Sephiroth.

"And finally, you shall be betrayed." Came the voice of the Queen.

"As he betrayed me."

Aerith stepped out from the doors, dressed in her fighting outfit and her staff in hand.

"Sephiroth, face the fate that my Gods have given you." She warned.

"Your Gods are dead." He replied coldly.

She merely raised an eyebrow at the words as guards approached her. She swung her staff out, blocking attacks from both men. She stepped to the left, swinging her weapon into the back of one of the men's legs before taking his sword and stabbing him. She blocked the attack from the other, swinging around to attack his leg.

Her eyes fell on Sephiroth as the other guards fled. He immediately readied his sword. Tifa looked up slowly, watching the Queen fight with awe.

Sephiroth attacked first with a powerful blow, which Aerith blocked. She swung the sword out to the left but he blocked causing her to go to the right. Again, she was blocked. She took a step back, ducking from his attack to her head.

She took the chance to cut his leg, causing him to fall to his knees. With the last of her strength, she brought the sword up above his neck and Tifa closed her eyes, turning away as she heard the thud of a large object, knowing exactly what Aerith had done.

Aerith took a breath, dropping the sword as she did so. Her gaze turned to where Cloud lay and then to the ground. Without another word, she walked back inside the castle, knowing what she would have to do.