When Cloud opened his eyes he was still feeling the effects of the drug that was in the dart he had been hit with. He wasn't fully conscious yet and his vision was blurred. The floor he was sitting on was metallic and he was lying against a thick white wall. He could hear footsteps that were echoing and getting closer. As the sound came nearer the person's shoes became more visible. Cloud tried to lift his head up to see who it was but his head felt too heavy for his neck to lift. When the person was close enough he squatted down and said "Your finally starting to wake up huh? Good. Had me worried for a second." He said warmly. Cloud thought he recognised this person's voice but he could not think where he knew it from. Almost immediately Cloud fell unconscious again.

A few hours hours later Cloud woke again. He reached for the back of his neck with one hand and his back with the other where he ached. His eyes scanned the room, he quickly concluded he was imprisoned in a cell somewhere, apart from him the cell was empty. At first Cloud was unsure what he was doing in this cell but after a few moments his mind recollected what had happened to him to get him here. At first he felt depressed, because getting back to edge was going to be impossible if what Perlaxes had said was true.

"Wait a sec!" He said snapping out of it. "What am I saying, there's no way I am going to just believe that I woke up on another planet just like that. Besides, Perlaxes looks almost identical to Sephiroth, so Perlaxes might be Sephiroth in disguise." Cloud nodded, agreeing with himself. "Sephiroth would say that this is another planet to try confuse me make me give up. Well I'm not giving up that easily." Cloud, feeling both comforted and motivated by his words he stood up ready to do what he could.

Suddenly, a loud cheer erupted through the prison, almost making Cloud jump out of his skin. It was the kind of cheer a crowd made when watching a show. Cloud walked over to the bars of his cell and looked down the cell block, where the sound of the cheer had come from. A soldier that stood nearby noticed Cloud and began to walk over.

The soldier wore a white mask and a blue uniform that was like the troopers uniform, except it looked more comfortable and had no flashy parts on it. He also wore a gun belt that contained a firearm like a pistol and on his back was a long katana, it was so long that the end of the blade hovered half an inch above the floor.

When the soldier reached the cell he asked, "So, your lord Perlaxes new favourite?"

Cloud turned his head and saw the soldier standing there. Cloud knew he worked for Perlaxes so thought it best to ignore him. He looked back where the cheers were coming from.

"Hey!" the soldier shouted, getting Cloud's attention. "Don't think because your the kings favourite your better than me. I could slice you in two right now, don't think I wont!"

Cloud was in no mood for this. Cloud glared at the soldier. He was angry but what could he do when he was behind bars with no sword? Cloud turned away, hoping the soldier would leave him alone.

The soldier quietly sniggered then shouted, "Hey boys! We got a prisoner who thinks he's a hotshot." Laughs echoed through the Cell block from other soldiers that Cloud could not see. "Maybe we should teach him a lesson." he said, lightly touching the keys that hung from a ring on his trousers that caused a light jingle.

Cloud stepped back from the bars as the soldier began to look through his keys. Cloud stood with his arms up, in front of his face and his left foot in front of the other. Cloud was no martial artist like Tifa, but he had learnt a few things from her in the last 6 months.

Just as the soldier was about to turn the key they heard a loud shout,"Hey! What have I told you about bothering the prisoners?" The soldier quickly took the key out of the door and moved away from the cell, making the keys jangle noisily against his leg as he did. He was clearly terrified.

Cloud put his arms down and took a step towards the bars to see what was going on.

"S-sorry sir, the prisoner was acting like Something special and I-"

"I don't care if he called your mother obesely ill. You don't speak to or challenge the prisoners. You don't try to enter their cells unless your superior tells you otherwise, understood?"

When the man was stood a few metres in front of the soldier, Cloud was able to see him. Cloud felt there was something familiar about him.

"Y-yes sir."

"Honestly," He sighed, "your not kids any more, your part of Perlaxes army. Act like it!"

"S-sorry sir."

"Shut up! I don't want your empty apologizes. I will report this to your captain and if you make this mistake again you will be sorry, I promise you."

The soldier stayed silent, Satisfying what the man's desire was all along.

"That's better." he said, giving the soldier an approving look. "Know when to shut up."

The man turned his head, looked at Cloud then grinned. He began to walk over to the cell. He had brown eyes and short black hair. He had a slim muscular body and was tall as Cloud.

As the man got closer Cloud began to recognise him, not his face but his movement, the way he walked. He knew who he was.

"Hello again Cloud." he said half politely, half mockingly. "Sorry about the staff, that one is still young and foolish. I take it from that look in your eyes, you have guessed who I am?"

"Yeah, I know who you are, but you never said what your name was."

"You didn't ask. If you were so interested you should of asked while I was delivering you to the king."

"I didn't think about it back then, I thought you were just one of many troopers."

"No. But that is what the king and I wanted you to believe. We couldn't send an ordinary trooper to bring you here, he or she might of failed and that's a risk we could not take with someone of your talents."

"So you knew all along what the king wanted with me, didn't you?"

"Of course, I am Jermaine, the kings right hand man after all." he said posing with pride.

Cloud angrily gripped the bars on his cell harder while grounding his teeth.

"Save your energy for the arena Cloud, your going to need as much energy as you can to survive what Perlaxes has in store for you."

"Arena?" Cloud questioned, extinguishing his anger and loosening his grip.

"Didn't the king tell you? The reason he wanted you, was to add you to his collection of gladiators in the arena." Cloud's eyes widened as he remembered the king's last words to him before the drug took effect. "He has been looking for a worthy challenger for a long time and he has finally found him, you." he explained, wearing a wide grin.

With a frustrated and determined look in his eyes Cloud said "I don't really understand what's going on here, but I wont let you or the king use me as your play thing, one way or another I will get out of here."

"You think so?" he asked, acting terrified. "That's what everyone has said including the favourite and they have either died or are still imprisoned. I would say the chances of that happening are rather slim, wouldn't you?"

"I am not giving up, that's what Sephiroth would want."

Perlaxes' right hand man gave Cloud a puzzled look and asked "Why are you speaking about Sephiroth like he is the reason your here?"

"Because I know Sephiroth, he is a master of illusions and your boss, the king sounds and looks exactly like him, so..."

Jermaine cut Cloud off by starting to laugh maniacally. The head belonging to the soldier who Jermaine was discipling earlier suddenly shifted in the direction of Perlaxes right hand who's body jumped at the sound of the outburst. Cloud was shocked for a moment then his expression changed to an irritated one as he crossed his arms.

"You are deluding yourself Cloud. I already know what your going to say and your wrong. Your right about them looking and sounding alike but Perlaxes isn't Sephiroth."

"How would you know?" Cloud asked, with a frustrated tone.

"A long time ago, Sephiroth and Perlaxes battled each other."

Cloud's eyes widened as he gasped in disbelief.

The right hand man smiled at Cloud's reaction and said. "Not only did Perlaxes challenge and fight him Cloud, the king defeated him."

Cloud couldn't believe what he was hearing, no one but Cloud had managed to defeat Sephiroth before.

"Sorry Cloud, but your wrong, they are not the same person."

Cloud didn't respond straight away, but after a moment he looked back up at Jermaine with a look of realisation in his eyes. "Although you may of seen them both fight that doesn't mean that they did fight."

"What do you mean?"

"Like I said, Sephiroth is a master of illusions, he could of created an illusion of himself then fought that illusion, disguised as Perlaxes to make you believe that Sephiroth and Perlaxes aren't the same person."

"Why would he do that when no one has ever questioned if they are the same person until you came along?" he asked, believing Cloud's theory was ridiculous.

"He was expecting me so he must of foresaw my coming, which means he would of foresaw me questioning if he was Sephiroth in disguise too. He decided to create an illusion of his true self, then challenge and defeat him as Perlaxes for you to see so that when I began to suspect who he was you would stop my suspicion by telling me about the fight." Cloud said, almost impressed he had managed to say all that.

Plagued by confusion, Jermaine looked up at the ceiling, trying to piece together what Cloud had said while massaging his chin with his thumb and index finger. Then he began to laugh maniacally again.

Cloud knew Jermaine would say or express it was nonsense but, It was impossible to not get annoyed when he laughed like that.

"I have to admit Cloud, that's a pretty interesting theory and actually could be possible, but, I think your just being paranoid." he said with amusement heavily in his voice.

"You would say that," Cloud said with a seriousness in his eyes, "You and this whole world might be an illusion that Sephiroth made up, but even if I am wrong, I am still getting out of here."

"Well, good luck with that." he said unconvinced. "Well, I would love to stand here and chat all day about your Sephiroth theories but I have to go. Being the right hand is a busy job you know."

Jermaine reminded Cloud of the sarcastic and up themselves employers that helped Rufus run Shinra. Cloud gave him a look of loathing .

"No need to look at me like that Cloud. This is nothing personal, its just my job." he said with a grin.

"Personal or not you still enjoy it."

"I don't know where you got that idea from." he said in a not so serious tone, combing his hair back with his fingers.

Another cheer filled the cell block, getting both men's attention. Jermaine turned back to Cloud and said, "Before I go, the person fighting in the arena is going to be your cell mate. He was Perlaxes favouite until you came along." he said with a mischievous smile on his face

"And why are you telling me this?" he asked, wondering why Jermaine looked so happy about it.

"Oh, no reason. I just like to make sure our gladiators know the arrangements. Hmm, I think you both would be best friends in 'another world'." he said with the same mischievous grin. He turned away from cloud then began to walk towards where the arena was.

Cloud watched him as he walked down the cell corridor, suspecting there was a reason why Jermaine was smiling like he was just now. When he was out of sight Cloud decided that the time for questioning this place was over, now was the time to escape.

Cloud checked if there was anyone nearby and as far as Cloud could tell there wasn't. Cloud gripped the bars of his cell and began to test their strength by gently pushing and pulling them, trying not to attract any attention. Each time putting more effort in until he was trying as hard as he could and the bars still wouldn't move.

Cloud looked behind him and his eyes began to scan the cell, in the back lower corner he noticed a grating in the wall. He walked over to it, crouched down, pushed his fingers between the gaps in the grating then began to pull it gently, steadily increasing the effort he was putting in, but like the bars, the grating didn't move.

Cloud wasn't surprised these things didn't work. If they had then this prison would not be as good as Jermaine had made him believe. Cloud wanted to make sure though, that was definitely the case. Cloud realised he would have to try something far more risky and bold, then suddenly he just knew what he would do.

"Hey guard!" Cloud shouted. "I want you!"

After a few seconds the guard appeared and said "The favourite? What do you want?"

"I want to know why earlier you had the intention of 'cutting me in half' then as soon as the kings right hand turns up your too scared to open the cell door." This wasn't one of Cloud's usual tactics, he couldn't remember any other time he had done something like this, but this was an unusual situation.

"Shut up!" the guard responded loudly, raising his fist. "If he hadn't come at the right time to stop me then I would of."

"Really? I bet even if he hadn't come and told you off, you would of thought of some way not to go through with it." he said mockingly. "Admit it, your too afraid to hurt me."

"What! I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Sure your not. How a weakling like you became a soldier I will never know."

"Weak?!" he shouted with rage in his voice. "I'll show you weak." Without thinking the angry soldier didn't pull the sword from his back like Cloud had expected but instead pulled the firearm from his belt and aimed it at Cloud's head, taking Cloud completely by surprise. It looked like he was about to pull the trigger but the angry soldier turned his head towards the cell block and stared in that direction for a few seconds, turning back to Cloud he lowered his weapon.

"Firearms attract too much attention, it looks like you wont be getting a quick death after all. I'll have to slash you to death instead!" the soldier said in a excited tone, putting his firearm away.

Cloud was relieved, it may take more than a few shots to the head to kill Cloud but getting shot so many times in the head really hurts.

"Slash me to death huh?" Cloud doubted. "I bet you can't even swing that thing without it flying out of your hand."

"Just you wait until I get this door open, then I'll show you." he said, noisily making the keys clang on the keyring as he searched for Cloud's cell key.

After a moment he had found the key. He held it between his index and middle finger in front of his face as if it was a piece of buried treasure, making sounds that sounded almost like sniggers then hastily attempted to put the key in the door and missed the lock. getting it in the second time. Cloud took a few steps away from the door. The soldier turned the key and swung the cell door open.

"You asked for it prisoner!" he said loudly, as he took a step into the cell.

Although the soldier obviously had the intention to kill him, Cloud didn't look like he had any intention of defending himself. His arms weren't up like before and he was standing straight with his feet side by side.

"If you don't try and defend yourself I will still cut you into pieces you know? After what you said I wont show any mercy." he said, beginning to reach for the sword that was on his back.

As the soldier was about to touch the sword's hilt, Cloud jumped forward, surprising the soldier, and threw a big punch to his face, sending the soldier flying backwards to the ground and the impact knocking him out. Cloud took a few steps towards the inanimate soldier to see if he really was unconscious, keeping his arms up and his left foot in front of the other. When Cloud stood over the soldier, certain he had won, the soldier reached up and grabbed Cloud by his coat and pulled him down to him. Cloud managed to remove the soldiers grip from his coat by using a trick Tifa had taught him then lifted his right fist high and brought it down on the soldier's mask covered face with as much force as he could, raising his left fist he did the same again, then again with his right, then his left, then his right, then his left, each hit causing cracks to appear in the mask. After another several hits the soldier was defeated.

Cloud put the soldier over his shoulder, picked him up and carried him to the back of the cell. It wasn't the best hiding place but it would have to do. Cloud removed the sword from the soldier's back, putting it on his own. He moved to the doorway then poked his head round the door, taking care not to make his head too visible in case there were more soldiers nearby. The cell block was wide and didn't lack space. It had several floors of cells, making the ceiling very high. Both directions seemed to be clear of soldiers, the only question was which way to go? Cloud thought for a moment, trying to decide if it mattered, then he realised if he went towards the Arena Perlaxes and everyone there would see him trying to escape then he'd be more easily outnumbered. Cloud made his choice and began to sprint in the direction away from the arena.

As he ran through the block, he noted that the cell block, "looks like it goes on forever." but Cloud wasn't about to give up. Suddenly a three man group of soldiers appeared in the distance, standing in a lined side to side formation as if they were waiting for Cloud to escape. The block's length suddenly was the last of Cloud's worries.

The soldiers took their firearms from their belts and aimed at Cloud, readying themselves for when he is in range. Cloud pulled the sword from his back and readied himself. When he was in range the soldiers began to fire. Cloud swung quickly, blocking the incoming bullets. When Cloud was about to close in, the soldiers put their firearms back in their belts and reached for their swords, readying themselves. Cloud leapt high into the air towards the soldier on the left, lifting the sword above his head. The soldier blocked the incoming attack but the impact caused the sword to shatter. Cloud swung horizontally at the soldier before he could reach for his firearm, killing him. One of the two soldiers that was charging, swung an attack at Cloud. Cloud somersaulted backwards, avoiding the attack.

Both of the masked soldiers stared at Cloud helplessly. With determination in his eyes Cloud pointed his sword at them and said "You and Sephiroth can't hold me here, I will escape and stop him." Both soldiers glanced at each other, afraid and confused then began to run towards Cloud with their swords raised. They both stood on Cloud's left and right and began to attack fiercely and quickly but despite their strength and speed they were unable to get through Cloud's defence. Eventually Cloud saw an opening for the left soldier and hit him, just as he was midway through his next swing, the swing was so fast that the soldier didn't see the blade coming, he dropped to his knees holding his stomach where the sword had hit then died. Cloud blocked the incoming attack from the remaining soldier who hadn't stopped trying to get through Cloud's defence. Cloud parried his next attack and pushed the sword through the soldier's stomach. The soldier let out a moan, dropped his sword, fell to his knees and tried to push the sword out of him. Cloud pulled the sword out, almost feeling sorry for him. The soldier died immediately.

Cloud looked ahead of where he was going and ran. Less than a minute later there was another team of three. They were stronger than the last team. It took more than one swing to defeat each one and they were making Cloud work harder than before. The same thing happened a minute after he defeated the second team, they were stronger than the previous team he fought and they were able to get through his defence a few times. After Cloud had defeated them he was hurt but he was not in any real danger yet and continued with his escape. Team four were completely different. Not only were they stronger than the last group, they had fully powered elemental materia equipped too. Their tactic was for two of them to attack Cloud while one would cast elemental magic. When Cloud had won the battle he was beginning to feel weak. More than half of the strength he had when he began this escape was gone. Cloud thought back to what Jermaine said when he told him that he would escape. "That's what everyone has said, including the favourite and they have either died or are still imprisoned." Is this what he was talking about?

Cloud met another team yet again. They were more challenging than the last team. This time not only did they have Elemental materia, they had Time and All materia as well. When Cloud approached, one of them cast haste on the entire party and another cast slow on Cloud. By the end of the fight Cloud had been hit with magic and metal so many times that he knew if he had another fight like the last he would be done for. Cloud looked behind him, it didn't seem like he had made much progress since he had gotten out the cell. It made cloud want to despair but he couldn't, well, he could but he wouldn't, he had to get home no matter what it took, but he knew that he could not handle another battle. Cloud began to run again and it wasn't long until he saw another team up ahead. Cloud knew the risk but readied himself anyway while the soldiers pulled out their firearms.

Cloud was about to come into the soldiers range of fire, but then Cloud suddenly spun around and ran in the opposite direction. The soldiers open fired but it was no use, the gunfire would never reach him. Cloud felt like going to the arena now didn't seem so bad. He would go out there, run through the stands to the top, jump on to the roof and run to the edge and escape. It was a risk, there could be more soldiers out there but Cloud was out of options, it was a risk he would take.

As cloud neared the Arena he saw two guards ahead of him who were escorting a prisoner back to his cell. Was this Perlaxes last favourite? The prisoner and soldiers were also aware of Cloud's presence. The soldiers pulled their swords from their backs. As Cloud got closer the prisoner began to look familiar.

The prisoner was a muscular well built male with black spikey hair and blue eyes. Cloud gasped, realising he knew who this was. The prisoner was nearly as shocked to see him too. "C-cloud?" the prisoner asked sounding surprised and confused.

Cloud's eyes were so distracted he did not see the tall bulky man in front of him who had appeared out of nowhere and was running towards him. When Cloud saw the huge man it was too late. Cloud couldn't stop himself from what he was running into or react in time to counter the fist that was coming towards him. The punch hit Cloud in the stomach with such force Cloud legs came off the floor as his upper body went over the big man's arm. Cloud let out a quiet shout of pain then fell to the floor, beginning to lose consciousness. Other soldiers came and ran past the big man. When they saw Cloud they circled him, surrounding him. One of soldiers who was not circling Cloud reached up and patted the huge man on the shoulder, congratulating him. Cloud turned his head, leant back on the floor and stared up at the dark haired man he recognised in disbelief, he tried to say something, but the pain was too much to speak. As his eyes darkened his last thoughts as he became unconscious was about the soldier he thought was dead, Zack Fair.