What Lies Beneath
Chapter 17
The Long Walk
Sephiroth's presence radiated power. The level of evil, hatred, and anger dominated the church. Cloud could feel it and instantly stood in front of Aerith because the second strongest feeling he felt in this room was her fear. This man, this hideous monster invoked every ounce of fear that Aerith had so long tried to hide. Even in his death her level of fear was enough to place her in her own prison. But that was just it, he was dead. Aerith had nothing to fear from him. Just like Zack and Tifa he was no longer of this world and he could very well vanish forever.
"Aerith," Cloud said, his voice strong. "You don't have to worry anymore. He can't hurt you anymore."
Sepiroth could hear every word as he slowly descended to the ground. The sinister smile on his face was full of confidence. Cloud however remained firm, finding Aerith's hand and holding it tightly in his.
"He's dead" Cloud confirmed. "He's not real!"
"Dead but very much alive," Sephiroth added. "You think if I was just a figment of her imagination that I could do this?"
He waved his hand and a gust of wind blew through the room and the church doors slammed shut. Cloud looked at Sephiroth's arm glowing with a evil black light and smoke surrounding it. Then with a snap of his wrist the light surged through the air at the two. Cloud did not have time to react and took the blunt of the blow. He and Aerith tumbled back hitting a pillar. Aerith moaned and Cloud looked at her his hand still firmly clutching hers.
Sephiroth laughed as landed on the ground before the flowers. As he walked through the patch of flowers, the flowers slowly began to shrivel up and die. Cloud got up helping Aerith in the process but keeping her behind him and his eyes on Sephiroth.
"So Aerith," Sephiroth casually said, "You finally found a champion to face me. Someone who will finally rid me of this world?"
Aerith could not speak to frightened to even try and Cloud could feel it in her trembling hand. Cloud glared at Aerith's tormentor. Cloud could not comprehend how he was still walking the planet. Did Aerith do it? Was her fear of him still so great that even with his death he still tormented her and it allowed him to walk again? The blonde-haired man wanted to ask her the questions but with Sephiroth right in front of him he knew it was not the best of times to do so.
"Come out from behind him Aerith and face me," Sephiroth taunted. "Or are you going to keep hiding behind other people like the little coward you are. Are going to let him die so you can try and kill me again in cold blood?"
"Shut up!" Cloud snapped. "You were the one who killed Zack! Aerith, Zack doesn't blame you for his death! It was not your fault."
"That annoying little puppy tried so hard to save her and failed miserably. Just as you failed to protect your own girlfriend."
Cloud felt his blood boil. Sephiroth smirked before he turned is gaze on Aerith, who shrank away.
"Come here Aerith," he ordered calmly. There was no threat in his voice, he did not need it.
Aerith obeyed, head hanging as she slowly began to walk to him. Cloud watched her past, seeing the impending dread in her eyes.
"Aerith stop!" Cloud yelled, grabbing her hand.
Startled, Aerith looked up.
"You don't have to go to him," Cloud explained. "He's not here Aerith! He is not real."
Sephiroth remained calm and called her again, "Aerith, come here."
She looked over at him and went to move but Cloud refused to let go of her hand. He pulled her back to him.
"Aerith, you know this isn't real. He has no power over you anymore." Cloud tried to reason. "Let's leave this place. Let's leave Midgar together."
Her eyes widened, hope filling them. The very idea of leaving this church, this city, and her past behind her sounded almost unbelievable.
Sephiroth was becoming impatient. "Aerith, I told you to come here."
There was a sharpness in the voice that made the girl tense on instinct. Cloud ignored Sephiroth. He was not real. He could not intimidate him. He had to remember that or he would be in the same position as Aerith.
Aerith looked at Cloud. "Can I really leave here?"
"Aerith!" Sephiroth's voice echoed throughout the church. "Come here now!"
Aerith yanked her hand away from Cloud. She took steps away from him. Cloud's eyes remained on te brunette. She was shrinking away before his eyes, becoming a slave to this awful man. How much abuse did she go through that a dead man could have such a hold on her? He watched Aerith walking toward Sephiroth. He grabbed her hand. He pulled her back and placed her behind him.
"Aerith, he can't control you anymore," Cloud said.
"She belongs to me," Sephiroth said. "I own her."
Cloud glared at him, "I've told her and everyone else, and now I'm tell you! She. Is. Not. Property."
Sephiroth looked past Cloud. "I think Aerith would beg to differ. Aerith what are you to me?"
Cloud looked over his shoulder at her. She could not even look at Sephiroth.
"I'm..." Aerith could not bring herself to say such words. She looked up at Cloud. Cloud gave her a nod. Aerith gave him a small smile. "Not... your... property."
"Aerith I am going to give you one last chance." Sephiroth warned.
This time Cloud made sure he was directly in front of Sephiroth. He wanted to make sure the silver haired man was looking at him.
"Sephiroth," Cloud called. "I'm going to free Aerith from you. Even if I have to defeat you to do it."
Cloud's free hand found his sword.
"So you finally wish to fight is that it?" Sephiroth asked.
Cloud let go of Aerith's hand and held his own sword out in front of him. Both hands gripping tightly. Sephiroth smirked and held out his left hand over the now dead flower patch. His left hand began to glow and the sound of the earth trembling echoed in the church when finally bursting from the dead earth was a sword. Sephiroth grasped his weapon and pulled it out the ground, inch by inch. Once fully free he held it before him and smirked at Cloud.
"Prepare to die." Sephiroth announced.
Cloud did not even blink as he saw Sephiroth lunged at him. Had he been a second too late Sephiroth would have ran him through with his sword. The strength his man possessed was much more vast than any opponent he had ever faced.
"Aerith get to cover!" Cloud ordered.
Aerith could not argue with Cloud. She ducked under the cover behind some church pews. With her somewhat safe, Cloud focused on Sephiroth. With sword in hand, Cloud and Sephiroth met, blades clashing. Sephiroth wielded his sword with such precision that Cloud felt completely amateur to him. Each movement was quick and Cloud ended up having to abandon using his sword to defend him to simply roll out of the way to not get hit.
Sephiroth flew at Cloud against, swiping his sword at him. Cloud felt the blade penetrate his forearm and after Sephiroth hit him with the end of is hilt. Cloud fell to the ground, his vision blurry. Sephiroth the brought his sword down to strike at Cloud when he heard Aerith scream for him to block. Cloud brought his sword up in the way
"Why are you tormenting Aerith" the blonde haired man asked.
Sephiroth glared at him, "She killed me. I want my life back."
"You can have your paradise!" Cloud hissed. "Go back into the life stream."
Sephiroth ignored Cloud's question.
"Or are you afraid? Maybe you can't..." Cloud stopped for a moment as a thought formed in his head.
"You can't cross over can you?" Cloud questioned.
Sephiroth's eyes widened but quickly went back to normal but it was enough for Cloud to realize what he asked Sephiroth was true. He could not become one with the life stream which, in turn, made it impossible for him for go to the promise land.
It all made sense now. Sephiroth was dead but he was not a spirit of the planet nor was he ever welcomed into the promise land as all those who died before him and after. Aerith had defied Sephiroth the one thing he wanted most even in death. Despite the constant torment and pain she suffered she still defied him and denied him the power that Aerith had offered Cloud and everyone else in the game. Therefore, Sephiroth had to keep Aerith here. He had to keep the fear in her because without it she would have left and Sephiroth would be trapped here forever.
Yet, it was Aerith who believed this was her prison and Sephiroth was her captor. This was why she needed someone to protect her. The constant reminder of Zack's death made her believe she needed someone else to protect her.
Finding what little strength he had left, Cloud managed to push Sephiroth off him and sent him flying across the room. He scrambled to his feet and found Aerith behind the pews watching the battle, praying that Cloud would stop him.
"Aerith!" he called out to her. "You have to listen to me!"
"Keep quiet!" Sephiroth yelled.
Cloud ignored him and continued, "Aerith listen to me! You aren't the one who is trapped here. You are the one who gets to decide your life, not me, not Zack, and not Sephiroth! You are the one in control of your life. You are-"
"I SAID KEEP QUIET!"
Sephiroth charged a dark energy ball and threw it at Cloud. Aerith screamed for Cloud to defend himself as she ran from hiding spot toward him. Everything felt like slow motion as Sephiroth launched his attack at Cloud. Cloud turned to see the attack but he was too late to defend himself as the energy engulfed him.
The impact caused Aerith to be thrown back. However, she instantly sat up and stared at the spot Cloud once stood. When the dust from the attack settled, in the center was Cloud's sword upright in the ground. On the hilt of the sword was a pink ribbon, the one Cloud wore around his bicep. The one Aerith had wrapped around him. Aerith ran to the sword, screaming and crying. Once she reached it she dropped to her knees sobbing uncontrollably, holding onto the sword.
"Cloud! Cloud! Cloud!" she repeated.
Sephiroth walked up from behind her, laughing as he did. Aerith pressed her cheek against the cold blade and let her tears flow.
"Your champion is defeated." Sephiroth snapped. "Can't you see how futile your efforts were? Everything you have done has been for nothing. You can't escape me Aerith. No matter where you go or what you do I will always be there! Now open the doors to the promise land. Give me the power that I desire."
Aerith listened to Sephiroth. Every ounce of sadness in her poured out of her eyes as she leaned against the sword for support. What could she do now? Sephiroth had won.
"GIVE IT TO ME!"
But he would never get the prize.
Aerith stood up but did not turn to Sephiroth. Instead she took Cloud's sword in her hand and pulled it from the ground. The sword was incredibly heavy and it took all her strength to pull it out. In fact, she could not even lift it after that.
Sephiroth watched her and began laughing. "What are you going to fight me now?"
Aerith took a several steps, dragging the sword with her. Then she stopped and looked at Sephiroth. Sephiroth was taken aback by the look in her eyes. Not the look of despair, hopelessness, or even defeat. No, the look she gave him was that of pure defiance.
"We're leaving." she said.
"Leaving?" Sephiroth asked dumbfounded.
She slowly began to walk dragging Cloud's sword with her. She was taking a snail's pace down the long stretch of an aisle determined to get to the doors of the church.
"There is nothing out there for you. No matter where you go I will be there waiting!"
Aerith continued to walk, moving slowly, struggling with the dead weight of the sword.
"Even if..." Aerith gasped as she walked, "it were true... I will... never... ever... give you... the power... of the planet."
Aerith looked at him, stopping her walk only a quarter ways down the aisle. "And you Sephiroth cannot follow because this is your prison... not mine! For so long I believed I was trapped here because of you but now I know the truth. I was the one afraid to leave, frightened by you! For so long I wanted to die to be free of you but now... now I want to live!"
Aerith continued her walk but rage was boiling in the silver-haired man. If Aerith left he would be forever confined here. He instilled fear in her to keep her here but without that fear he was powerless.
He charged up an attack that shattered the pews. The shattered shards of wood moved around her, striking the girl and leaving wounds all over her. One such shard hit her in the legs and swept her feet from under her. She crashed to the ground but still clung to the sword that fell with her. Sephiroth smiled confidently at the fallen girl until she began to stir. Aerith stood up and lifting the sword with her.
Aerith began muttering to herself. Sephiroth glared at her, wondering what dribble she was spewing to herself.
"You can't leave here!" Sephiroth ordered. "You belong to me!"
Aerith ignored her and she began walking again, stumbling and panting as the weight of the sword put much strain on her arms.
"I'm going," Aerith said to herself. "To see the sky, the sun, the stars."
"NO!" Sephiroth shot a wave of energy at her. It her and it sent the sword skidding across the ground before colliding into the church door. Aerith looked up, finding herself halfway there. She was almost to her freedom and nothing, not even Sephiroth would stand in her way.
She got up again but found her legs threatening to collapse on her. Aerith winced but managed to keep moving. She hobbled toward the door. Sephiroth saw this and sent a blast a foot ahead of her causing the floor of the church to collapse. Aerith screamed as she felt the floor losing stability beneath her. She needed jump!
Just as the floor around her fell Aerith indeed jumped. Her tiny body crashed intp the collapsing pieces of the floor, just missing the tiny ledge that was left. Aerith's nails clawed into the broken pieces of wood that was now barely hanging on and even so much barely holding her. Beads of blood moved down Aerith hands and the young woman struggled to not fall into the abyss below her.
"You'll never leave this place," Sephiroth said. "How long do you think you can hold on before you drop?"
Aerith whimpered and tried to climb up but her hands were hurting badly. Her feet hung loose over the darkness below her. The door seemed so close but now she was just moments away from dying. Sephiroth hovered over her, black feathers fell around her as it flapped in the air.
"Give me your hand," Sephiroth ordered. "I'll pull you up."
Aerith looked at him.
"You'll be safe," he said.
Aerith tried to climb up again but her hand slipped and was now hanging by one hand. She wanted to cry. She looked back up at Sephiroth who was holding his hand out to her. If she would just take his hand, he would pull her up and she would be safe.
"I'll protect you Aerith," he said. "I'll keep you safe... forever."
She would be safe forever? She could go back and tend to her flowers forever. She would be able to live in Midgar forever. She would be with Sephiroth forever.
Never.
Aerith turned away from him and reached up and grabbed hold of a groove in the wood to pull herself up with. She continued climbing up until finally she saw the handle Cloud's sword poking out, like a hand for her to take. Aerith reached up and grabbed it using it to pull herself up and onto the ledge. She gasped for air feeling her body shake. After a moment she grabbed the sword and stood up.
"I told you!" she yelled, her voice hoarse. "I am leaving!"
Placing one hand flat on the door and the other with the sword in her hand, Aerith pushed open the church doors. The light of the outside blinded her. Tears flooded her eyes as relief washed over her. Behind her however, Sephiroth was in a fit of rage screaming at the girl to return to him, to obey him, to fear him.
"I will find you!" he screamed. "I will never let you go!"
Aerith looked back at him and then tilted her chin up. Holding the sword in both her hands she stood straight up. Despite the wounds, the blood, and dirt Aerith Gainsborough gave her tormentor the most defying look ever. She gave him a smile. The happiest smile she could muster as her emerald orbs shined brightly and full of life.
"Good bye Sephiroth," Aerith said, "You are nothing to me. Not even a memory."
She then turned to face the outside. After taking in a long breath Aerith took one step and another. She continued on walking out of the darkness and into the light.
X, X, X,
Author Note- Unedited Version. I'll have more to say after the epilogue.