Hard to believe that I'm already at the end of another mini-story within The Aleron Saga, isn't it? For those of you who are fans of Bahamut, that means he'll be coming back into the story pretty soon. Not the next chapter, but hopefully the one after that. For now, watch Azure as he completes his path to the dark side...
It's times like this that I wish Aerith was a little less kind hearted…
Cloud thought this as he listened to her reveal what she had noticed with increasing irritation. Apparently, this whole time, Aerith had been noticing something was wrong. And it wasn't recently either. She revealed that Azure had lost his temper back when the manimals attacked the Seventh Heaven, and had in fact killed two of them rather brutally. She revealed that she sensed something not only change within him, but within the world around him. It was as if the land itself was shuddering in fear. She had managed to snap him out of it, and things had returned to normal for weeks. But then…there came this recent chain of events. Aerith revealed she had been hearing the world around her groaning and trembling several times over the past few days, and that it had been growing worse and more frequent. And now…she was feeling it steadily around her.
"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?" Cloud nearly accused.
Aerith bowed her head and sighed. "…To be honest, Cloud, I sensed the same things around you back when we traveled together."
This deflated the ex-mercenary's anger a bit. He recoiled and bowed his own head with a tired exhale.
"I didn't honestly think there was a threat. Jenova has been dead. You all said you killed her in the Crater." A pause, and then another sigh. "…But I suppose I shouldn't have believed that when I heard about the incident in Midgar. It's obvious to me now that Jenova cannot die so long as some piece of it remains. And I saw quite a bit in the underground lab… At any rate, I wanted him to have a chance. I wanted him to turn to us. I thought I could win him over with love, as Tifa had done to you…"
Cloud said nothing. He continued to look down, and kept his grim expression.
Tifa was a bit more anxious. Her own face was nervous, and she held her fist to her lip. After hesitating a moment, she turned to Cloud.
"…If he is losing his temper like this…showing signs of turning into…you know…do you think that he was the one who…?"
Cloud sighed.
"…The investigator said that there was an indentation in the sternum…that he looked like he had been flung into the brick wall. PCP nothing… Only a 1st Class SOLDIER could have done something like that…or a Sephiroth clone."
A dark chill pervaded the room at that. Everyone began was uncomfortable now. Things were going bad. The victory they had achieved was nearly forgotten in this new light…
Then, in a flash, each one was ripped from their thoughts as they heard the door to the bar fling open, smacking against the wall as it did. The three turned and looked to the door into the house. A moment later, it flung open as well.
Tears pouring down her face, panting from having run so far, and looking overcome with sadness and terror, Marlene ran into the room. She paused only to swallow once. But then, once she had some breath, she cried out to them.
"Azure's gone crazy! Please help him!"
Cloud immediately sat upright at that. Tifa rushed over to Marlene again and bent down at her side. When she did, the girl put her arms around her and placed her head against her shoulder to keep crying. Aerith herself stiffened at this. But then, Cloud noticed her close her eyes and ease back into her chair for a moment. She was focusing again, looking like she was trying to talk to the Planet right now. For a few moments, the only sound in the room was Marlene's crying. Cloud looked in between her and Aerith, trying to see what would change first. Marlene, on her part, continued to cry bitterly as Tifa struggled to calm her down. It wasn't long before Denzel, who had seen Marlene run past him in tears, ran back into the house as well through the same way. On seeing Marlene crying, he immediately rushed over to her and tried to find out what was wrong. This went on for a few moments…before Aerith finally opened her eyes. Cloud turned his full attention to her at that.
The Cetra, for once, looked grim.
"…Things are getting worse."
Cloud swallowed. He didn't like the sound of this. He couldn't afford to sit here any longer. He needed to do something…but before he could, he had to know what was going on. He turned back to Marlene. The girl was still crying, but she had calmed down somewhat. She was able to look up and away from Tifa.
"Marlene." He called to her.
The girl wiped her eyes and nose, sniffled, but then turned to Cloud.
"I know you may be mad at me." He began in a firm voice. "I know you may be afraid of what I did to Azure. But you have to tell me what is going on. If you want me to help Azure, then you have to tell me everything. Right now, I think that Azure is in terrible danger, and that if we don't find him soon… Well, it will be bad. Let's just leave it at that. For his sake, you have to tell me what you know. Do you understand?"
The girl sniffed again, but then slowly nodded. She hesitated again for a few moments to get her bearings and calm down. But in the end, she stabilized herself enough to speak.
Marlene told them everything that had happened since she had gone outside. She told them how she had run off looking for Azure, and had found him. She told them how he thought they all hated him and were afraid of him. Then…she told them of what he planned to do. What he thought of doing to get by. When this was said…there was no more doubt in Cloud's mind. The horrible truth became clear. That was how Azure had gotten the bike. He had seen that thug the other night, went out through the window, murdered him, and then took his money. However…as Marlene related what else Azure had said…the ex-mercenary felt increasingly cold inside. Before he had acted out viciously…but now, he was starting to talk like someone else he remembered… And how he ended by saying that he hated everyone…
Everyone, including Denzel, showed anxiety, disbelief, and fear at this. But as for Cloud, it was much worse. The possibility was fully justified in Cloud's mind after this. As Marlene finished, and he turned to look at the others, and have them in turn look back to him…they realized the horrible truth. The worst case scenario had revealed itself. Azure's heritage was beginning to come out. He was revealing his nature as a Sephiroth clone. And if that was true…then it might only be a matter of time before this "Sephiroth larva" "matured" as Kadaj had…
And if that happened…the New Shinra Army would be the least of the Planet Protector Army's worries.
It would be the least of the world's worries.
Cloud rose to his feet and turned to Tifa and Aerith. They looked back to him.
"…We have to find him…right now." He coldly stated. He began to reach for his radio after saying this. "I'll call Ragnar. He can put in an alert to the PPA to be on the lookout for him. Then he can relay the message to the police. Say that there's a runaway child. Then I'm going to get out there and look for him myself."
Tifa and Aerith both began to rise.
"I can-"
"No." Cloud coldly and sharply ordered, glaring at Tifa with a look that showed that nothing she could do was going to bend him. "He said that he hated Marlene more than anyone. And he's attacked Denzel once already. I want you both to stay here and make sure he doesn't get anywhere near either of them."
Denzel and Marlene might have protested, but right now they were too nervous to say anything, and didn't know what to make of Azure's change in behavior. Tifa herself didn't protest for a change, knowing that when it came to matters like this, Cloud was unbending.
Aerith, however, posed a question to Cloud as he brought his radio up.
"Cloud…if you find him…and he won't come back with you…" She slowly murmured. "...What are you going to do?"
The ex-mercenary paused when he heard this question. He darkly looked down for a moment…but then turned his gaze back up to Aerith.
"…You can't ask me that question."
"What?" Ragnar nearly exclaimed into his end of the radio. "Can I? Of course! I mean, they may think it's strange that we're put on alert to look for a kid, but…" A pause, and then a nod. "Alright, alright…I'll get right on it. And I'll look for him too." Another pause, and then a head shake. "No way, Cloud. You're not talking me out of this. I'm not a bad fighter myself, remember? And I've already thrashed one Jenova creature." One more pause. "Good idea. Let's just hope she doesn't run off this time. Alright, I'm signing off. Goodbye."
Ragnar released the call button, and immediately began to adjust his radio to a different channel. And to think…he had been worried a moment ago about who was the best officer to appoint to integrate the Wutai Gold Navy personnel into their own encampment. He had been stewing at his desk, sitting across from Colonel Nanaki, over who was the best choice. He had thought that Commander Yuffie, being of Wutai origin herself, might be the optimum decision. But Red XIII thought, and possibly wisely, that she was far too unstable to assign to such an important place, and he recommended an officer with…relatively low battle capabilities: Commander Marx. Ragnar thought the man was too incompetent to do it. He was promoted as a supply commander, not a military commander. In battle, he wasn't that great. It was his ability to move around supplies and non-combat troops. Although that might have been best for this situation, Ragnar preferred people who could work under pressure.
At any rate, all of this was forgotten in light of this change.
Red XIII, naturally, picked up on it immediately.
"So…our worst fears about Azure have surfaced."
On hearing this, Ragnar froze. He looked to Red XIII in confusion.
"How…?"
"Above-human level hearing, remember." Red XIII responded.
Ragnar paused at this, but then gave a nod. "Oh yeah. But it appears so. I'm going to put the army on alert. We have to find him before things get too late. I'm going to try and look for him myself."
To this, however, the beast raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"
Ragnar, who had turned back to the radio to adjust the channel, immediately turned back to Red XIII in confusion at this retort.
"I mean…you will already have your army searching. One would think that would be enough." The beast answered. "I don't really see how you could make an appreciable difference. And you do have your duties."
Ragnar paused at this. He supposed this did make some sense. He did still have some work that needed to get done before he should quit for the day. And yet, when it came to this…he didn't feel quite like standing aside. He felt it was important that he contribute. Then again…he had already neglected his responsibilities far too many times for personal matters. Usually, they ended up suffering for it.
Red XIII sighed when he saw the youth hesitate. "I can see you're obviously upset about this…so here is a compromise. You keep working until you get the rest of these immediate tasks completed. I'll go out in your place."
Hearing this confused the youth again. "You?"
"Yes, me." Red XIII calmly answered. "In case you haven't noticed, I do have canine characteristics. And demeaning as it is…" The beast hesitated a moment, and sighed to himself. "…I can probably sniff him out a lot easier than you can find him searching visually."
Ragnar again hesitated. Truth be told…the thought of Red XIII trying to smell someone out like a bloodhound made the youth want to snicker. However, he was telling the truth. He probably was a lot better at finding someone than Ragnar could be. And the youth did have work to finish here. He held a bit longer, but in the end realized this was the best choice.
The general finally turned back to the radio and went back to adjusting the channel. "…Alright. But once I'm done, I'm going to head straight over to Cloud and Tifa's. I don't like the idea of anyone coming for them either."
Although he had seemed fierce and independent…Azure was still very much a child…and a person who wanted companionship.
For hours he had run from that alley. His strength came freely now, easily obeying his whims. Using it, he found himself leaping across rooftops easily, and able to run for hours without tiring. He did so now, running across the city as far as he could. He wanted to put the world in between him and the Seventh Heaven. He wanted to leave his memories and his emotions far behind there, and never feel them again. But the more he ran, the more alone he found himself. And the more alone he was…the more he had nothing but his memories. The more he remembered that the only time he had ever remembered being happy was living there, when he felt he had friends…even family. And now that it was gone…he only became more and more aware of how alone he was.
Night fell…and with it came darkness. As it closed around him, it didn't matter that he was running on the rooftops. He remembered the world…the dark world around him. The world full of hatred and fear for him. The world that wanted him dead. Below him was a planet of people who despised him and longed to see him destroyed. And now…he was alone against them. It didn't matter how strong he was. He was still alone…alone against the whole of the world… And no one who could feel could bear the thought that there was not one in the world who loved him. The world turned dark around him…seeming to signify the darkness and isolation he lived in.
At last…Azure could go no further. As he came to a break between buildings, he felt it was time to stop here. And so he did. He leapt off of the edge of the roof, dropped for six stories, and then landed on his feet. He barely felt a jolt as he crouched to intercept the ground. He dropped into a squat as he impacted…and then held there. All around him was darkness. The smell of the trash began to pervade his nostrils…and a few bits of paper and waste rippled in the wind. Other than that…nothing. He was quite alone now.
And as he realized that…he began to weep.
Azure's boldness slowly broke. He fell back into a seated position, and drew his legs in on himself. He wrapped his arms around his knees and pulled them inward, and then put his head down on them. And there, he cried. His strength meant nothing. He felt just as helpless, abandoned, and unloved as he had when he first arrived at the Seventh Heaven. Despite all his assertions and power…he felt like the child he had once been. He was nothing again…nothing but a little, scared boy. And he felt totally alone in an uncaring world.
Why…? He found himself asking. Why do they have to be scared of me? Why do they have to hate who I am? Does being strong make me so evil? Is it such a crime to be like this? And is this what it's going to be for the rest of my life? Am I going to be alone? Without any friends? No family? I don't even know who I am… And now I'm out here alone…
I can't do it by myself. I need someone. If the whole world hates me, then what do I care about myself? Does it really matter if I live or die? Won't people be happier if I just sit here and cry for the rest of my life? What if I am just a monster? What if there's nothing left in the world for me?
Azure continued to think these dark thoughts about himself as he cried. He would have probably cried himself to sleep that night, thinking about all that he had lost and would never have.
That was…if someone hadn't been listening.
"…But son…I love you."
Azure's eyes opened, and his head raised. The voice again. Only this time…it wasn't from around him or within him. It was audible. It was physical, coming from right in this alley. The boy turned his head, and began to look around for what could have been the source.
"Here…my son."
Azure turned his head down. There. A grating was on the ground of this alley, not far from where Azure sat. The voice was coming from there…from down within the storm sewer. That was where Hoeng had come from… However, Azure had never heard this person before. And as he began to turn and look to it…he realized what it had said.
"…What…did you call me?"
"You're finally ready to know the truth, child of mine." The voice answered. "You think you were a mistake…a failure…a creature destined for misery and pain. But you're wrong. You are the greatest creature on the whole of this world. One day…perhaps the whole of the universe.
"Humanity does hate you, Azure. But more than that. The world itself hates you. It trembles in fear in your wake. Because it knows what I know. You are more than any mere human. You're more than any mere organism of this world. You are powerful beyond measure."
Azure swallowed once, but kept looking at the grating.
"…What am I?"
"You are my son."
"…And what are you?"
"I am an alien visitor to this world. I came here to feed upon it, but I was imprisoned. They made you from blending my DNA with that of a human…giving birth to a hybrid possessing power, knowledge, and ability far beyond that of all mere mortals."
Azure hesitated at this. A nervous chill went through him…as he realized what this thing was saying. He looked down at his body, and looked over his flesh…almost expecting it to change before his eyes...to see some sort of distinctive difference between him and everyone else.
"…I'm…an alien?"
"You're more than that crude word that these humans designate. You're a king, Azure. You were always destined to be one. You were made for greatness. I knew this from the day you were born. For years I was unable to reach you…but now I have gathered the power to do so. I called you because I wanted you to awaken to the truth. And now, that day has come.
"This world will hate you and fear you. It will try to destroy you. Not only humanity, but the Planet itself. I know, because it once tried to destroy me. But you can be its master, my child. You can be the master of all life here…and one day of the universe. You can bend it to your will. It wishes for your death, but you can destroy it instead. You can seize control of your power and assert your true ability. You can make it tremble in your wake. You can make its power your own as I once tried to make its power mine. Only where I alone failed…we may succeed."
Azure said nothing, but trembled slightly as he looked down at himself. Yet when he heard this, he looked up to the grate again.
"…We?"
"This world has abandoned you, and will now hunt you down and destroy you. Even now…the army of this city is mobilizing to find you and kill you. But I, my son…have not abandoned you. I see you for how great and beautiful you truly are. I recognize your potential. I love you. I am the only one who truly ever loved you. And I want you to live up to the family legacy. Accept the gift that I offer you."
Azure straightened up a bit more. "…What gift?"
"You think your power will come to you one day…but it is already here. It merely lies dormant within you, like a seed waiting for water and sun to bring it to life. You are powerful beyond measure now. But embrace this power…and the world itself will bend to your will. All things on this world will be given to your dominion. You can unleash your revenge against it…make it pay for spurning you…destroy those who tried to destroy you. You'll never feel scared…never feel alone again. You will be connected to our family…and receive the rights to inherit this world."
The boy continued to hesitate.
"…How?"
In response…the grate was suddenly pushed open. Azure didn't see how exactly…but something dark emerged from beneath and pushed it.
"Take my hand, son. Join our family. Become who you were born to be. And never…ever…feel sad and alone again."
Azure stared at the open grate…knowing that within, the person wanted him. But he was scared. There was darkness down there…and something that he knew now wasn't human. He was afraid…
And yet…he knew that there was nothing for him up here. The world did hate him. His former friends and family abandoned him. This world was turning against him, and it would try to kill him. He would be left alone to try and save himself, but he would be unable to. He couldn't triumph alone against a world of hate and anger. He couldn't last all by himself. He needed someone. He needed to feel loved and supported. He needed to be free of the crippling terror and fear that he felt. He hated feeling sad and abandoned… He hated feeling miserable and alone…
Perhaps…with this person, he would at last find hope and a future for himself. Perhaps he would find purpose.
Perhaps…if this was truly his mother…then he would find love.
There was nothing else in this world left for him.
Azure swallowed once more. He shuddered one last time. But then…he inhaled and stiffened himself out. He stopped shaking. His eyes focused on the open grate…and his face turned hard and firm again. He was resolved. He did have nothing else.
Crawling forward…Azure dipped his hand down and into the darkness.
Immediately…he felt something pierce the center of it. It was cold and painful…and yet he didn't scream or withdraw. Something within him…wanted it. He held his hand there, and as he did…he felt something start to flow inside him. It rushed into him like water into a pot, and began to flood the rest of his body…
His senses began to fade. His vision grew fuzzy. Azure opened his mouth and groaned…but he was losing sensation. He felt himself growing numb all over. He stiffened and went rigid again…and began to shake. Slowly…his eyes closed.
As they did…the person who was Azure faded into darkness.
A new persona…one who had waited for two years in the Lifestream…took over.
Aerith, who had been sitting with her staff crossed over her lap calmly until now…suddenly felt a jolt so powerful from the Planet that it pierced her even without her listening on purpose.
Gaia was screaming.
Ragnar hung up his phone and sighed in relief. At long last, he was done. He turned to his list, and crossed off the last item on it. All set at long last. The Wutai Gold Navy should be taken care of until tomorrow, and they were well underway into moving their artillery to the shore to supplement defenses. Now, at last, it was time for him to move out.
The youth turned to his radio to pick it up and pay a call to Red XIII…
The phone rang a split second before he could touch it.
Ragnar turned his head to it. For a moment, he groaned inwardly. Not another call… He would tell them to wait until tomorrow if it was more business. However…he also realized it might be something else. It could be Cloud or Tifa or Aerith with an update. With that in mind, he reached over and picked up the receiver on the second ring, and held it to his head.
"General Ragnar Vice spe-"
"He's back."
The youth immediately cut off his introduction. His brows creased. "Aerith?"
"He's back, Ragnar. The world itself screamed when he returned. He's here!"
Ragnar's look turned to worry and concern. "Aerith? What are you talking about? Who is-?"
"Find Cloud! He's going to go after him first! I know it!"
"Aerith, what-"
It was too late. The phone hung up on the other end. The youth froze at this. Was it because she had said enough? Or was it because…something else was happening? She sounded panicked… Was she talking about Azure? Or…was she talking about something else? Was she referring to what Cloud said had happened with Kadaj? That…
The thought was too terrible to think of. Suddenly, he felt himself start to grow as fearful as Aerith had sounded. He agreed with her at that moment. He turned to his own radio and picked it up. Immediately, he switched to Cloud's channel, and held it to his mouth.
"Cloud, come in. This is Ragnar."
Static was the only response. Ragnar frowned. Of course. He could be searching the outskirts of the city by now. If so, then the short range would only pick up static. He would have to relay it off of a higher receiver to try and get ahold of him. He thought of doing that…but first, he got another idea. He switched channels, and once again put the radio to his ear.
"Nanaki, come in. This is Ragnar."
A brief pause, but then a click on. "I forgot how much I hate using this radio…but I read you, general."
"Have you turned up anything with Azure?"
"Nothing yet, general."
"What about Cloud? Have you picked up on him?"
"As a matter of fact, I have, general. I ran into him while I was searching. I told him that you hadn't left yet but were still wanting to search. He decided to swing by the command center at that. By now, he should nearly be there."
This made the youth stiffen. He was on his way there? Then…there shouldn't have been any static on his radio. This unsettled him. It was probably nothing…any kind of problem could have done it. Their radios could be busted up from yesterday. Batteries could be low. He could have gone through a bomb shelter area…anything. However…after hearing Aerith's voice, he was hardly able to relax. In the end, Ragnar nodded.
"Thanks for the information. Ragnar out."
The youth switched off the radio and rose from his chair. He fastened it to his waist a second later, and then went over to the corner. Ragnarok was there, lying in its sheath. He immediately took it up and fastened it to himself. With that done, he turned and picked his way through his assortment of papers and files that were filling his office, making his way to the rear door. Once he was there, he quickly passed out and began to make his way to the entrance. He forgot to lock the door behind him, but an anxiety in him told him that he needed to get out of here as soon as possible.
The rest of the building was dark. Night had fallen now. Ragnar hadn't realized it had gotten this late already. All of the other officers had turned in. He felt a bit guilty. If he had known how late it was getting, he would have dismissed the guards that were posted at the door. After all, he could take care of himself, and if anyone wanted to see him this late then it was probably for a good reason anyway. Soon, he was turned down the hall and toward the front doors. He could see his way well enough in the dark to get there, and in no time at all he had reached them and pushed them open.
As he emerged into the night, illuminated only by the street lamps, he sighed and turned to the guards. "Sorry, boys. I lost track of-"
As Ragnar's eyes rested on the one on the left…his voice cut off.
Aghast horror replaced it.
The man was nearly sliced in half, from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Blood and entrails were spilling out from the wound, and he was soaking in a puddle of blood. It was still running out at this point…meaning that the injury had only happened a little while ago…no more than thirty seconds.
Ragnar was horrified. He turned his head around…and saw the same on the other man. Only he had been cut in an opposite way. But he too was bleeding and quite dead. The sudden loss in blood pressure alone had probably killed them both long before they lost enough to bleed to death. But it was ghastly…and horrible. Their faces were frozen in one last moment of shock…but their weapons were still shouldered. They had lived only long enough to show their surprise that they were being killed. They had never seen the blow coming.
The general's face went pale. Despite the amount of people he too had struck down, he was shocked to see himself walk out from the building and stand in puddles of blood coming from two people. He looked over them both for a moment, and then raised his head to look out to the street and call for the nearest soldier to come…
Then he turned whiter.
On his right, there were soldiers who were still alive. They were frozen in shock, staring at what had happened. Each new one that arrived was soon frozen with the others. They, along with Ragnar, were looking down on the street at the left.
It was a bloodbath. Until going into war, Ragnar had never really appreciated that term. And until today…he had never appreciated the term "painting the town red" either. It looked almost as if the town had been painted red. Every guard…ever reclining soldier…every troop division that had been marching down that street…was massacred. They had been slashed with such ferocity that some of their bodies had ripped apart. Blood was sprayed everywhere, soaking the streets and dripping from the side walls. Bodies and body parts were scattered around like trash after a parade. Many of them were still bleeding…accenting again that this had happened less than a minute ago. The walls in the restaurant were thick…but they were far from sound-proof. In the silence that Ragnar had been working in, he would have easily heard a gunshot, and probably even a scream. He heard none. Despite the amount of people that had been slaughtered…not one had the time to scream or react.
Ragnar stared at this ghastly sight for a moment longer…seeing it stretch far down the street…as far as he could see. These people had been butchered…and not long ago. Something had swept in and killed them all… And based on what Ragnar had heard this night…what he heard on the phone…he realized it could only be one person…
And yet, the boy showed no fear at this. As his grotesque horror vanished…his eyes began to burn. His jaw began to tighten. None of these people had made a move on him. Neither had he. But he slaughtered them all. He thought that this would serve to show everyone that he had returned…to go on this killing rampage. That was all he thought of when he killed these people...not of their lives or their innocence or guilt. He treated it the same way one treated a colony of ants...simply stepping on them and forgetting them. The killing of his men. And he had done it right in front of his nose...slapping him in the face with the massacre he didn't even know was happening.
He was not going to stand for this.
Ragnar's face began to burn with anger as he reached behind him and seized the hilt of Ragnarok. He ripped it out and held it before him…and once more the light caught it and made it flicker like a flame. He would kill that murderer for what he had done. Still gnashing his teeth, the youth took off down the street as fast as he could.
As Ragnar ran with his own murderous intent, he saw nothing but more blood and carnage. The worst part was that as he ran along…some civilians started to mix in. They had been cut down as mercilessly and piteously. People began to walk onto this bloody street, and when they did they froze and stared at it as well. Some people vomited. Others screamed and looked away. But Ragnar tore through it just the same, not caring that he was throwing blood up around on his own boots and body as he ran down. This was fresh. The killer had to be at the end of it. He was determined to catch him…to make him pay.
On and on it went. As Ragnar ran down the blocks, he only saw more death. The monster had to have killed over a thousand. Perhaps even two thousand, he realized as he kept running and saw no end to it. He tried to push himself on faster, determined to strike him down before he did this to anyone else. But all he saw was more death as he continued to run. And still…no signs of a struggle. Only that same look of horror as people died. None of them had seen this coming. He had been so fast and brutal…and so merciless.
Finally…after running for five blocks…it came to an end. The road up ahead of him terminated in a T-intersection. And here, the most people were gathered. They were on either side of the road that was ending, staring at the bodies in grotesque amazement…but also looking up at the building that faced this street. Ragnar continued to charge forward, his sword still out and blazing, as he ran to the end. When he did finally bring himself to a stop at the end of this road, he found himself halting right in the middle of the intersection, where the last blow had fallen. The final one to die was some poor homeless man, his body still sitting against the wall of the building before him, and his severed head lying nearby.
When Ragnar halted and stared at him…he saw that the blood in this man's body had come out from him. Perhaps…his head had been used as some sort of gruesome paintbrush… But covering the wall in front of him, painted in giant blood red letters, was the calling card of the killer. It was to this that they all stared...and what Ragnar found himself staring at too in horrified silence.
THANK YOU CLOUD
The youth stared at this message, slowly panting and catching his breath. His eyes were frozen on it. A cold chill rippled through him, despite his anger. And it kept him immobile for a moment. Seeing it put a new fear into his heart. Yet slowly...he was able to move one arm. As he continued to stare at this bloody message, he reached down for his radio again. Using only one hand and not looking to it, he adjusted it to Cloud's channel. After that, he raised to his head, his mind filling with fear at what he might hear…or rather, not hear.
"…Cloud, this is Ragnar." The youth slowly stated in a simple, quiet, tense voice. "Please answer me."
There was no static this time. And after a moment, he heard a click signifying the beginning of the answer.
But the voice he heard was not Cloud.
This one was far darker…even under the obscurity of technology. He felt his body turn to ice listening to him…at how calm and balanced…and yet sinister…it was. It was as if the world went darker around him when it spoke...and his own heart seemed to quiet down so as not to alert the man on the other end.
"…Cloud can't answer right now…Ragnar, was it? However, if you hurry to the northern shore, he just might still be alive when you get there. Goodbye."
A burst of static roared in Ragnar's ear as the radio on the other end was obliterated.
Ragnar dropped his own radio afterward, not caring that it was smashed as well when it hit the ground. His eyes went to the blood-soaked streets…and filled again with rage. His hands tightened once more at his sides as his anger was fully aroused. His teeth gnashed as his mind thought of the horrible murderer, what he had done...and what he was doing right now. It was there that Ragnar joined Cloud's group at last...but learning to hate the common enemy they had shared.
"Damn you…" He cursed under his breath. "…Sephiroth."
When Cloud came to, he couldn't remember much. All he could focus on was pain…pain both in his skull and around his body. He found it hard to believe that he could have slept through such pain…for it immediately made him wince and begin to moan in agony. His body was stretched out…and he tried to pull it back to him…
On doing so, he cried out again. Stabs hit his wrists, ankles, and waist when he did so. He felt hot fluid begin to run from those areas. The pain didn't go away, either. It was horrible and stabbing… He tried to open his eyes to see what it was.
He only managed to open one. The other eye was swollen shut from some terrible blow. But as he opened his eyes, he began to hear something. It was a rushing sound, coming in waves… He recognized it as the sea. And he felt flecks of moisture strike his face. It was the ocean, by the beach. That was where he was right now. But how had he gotten there? And how had he gotten beaten up?
At last, his memory managed to come through the agony he felt on his appendages and middle.
He had been searching for Azure. He had run into Red XIII, and he had said that Ragnar was going to search to. He changed directions and went to get the kid. He wanted to tell him to leave well enough alone…or to at least go back and help out Tifa and Aerith. He didn't want him running afoul of anything out here. Good as he was…only a superhuman could take another superhuman.
As he rushed back to the main drag, where the administration for the PPA resided…he saw it. A bloodbath. People were still dying when he arrived, seeing a path of carnage and destruction leading all the way to the very intersection he had entered in on. He was immobilized in horror, staring at this horrible act. He hadn't seen anything so monstrous or barbaric since… At any rate, he suspected the truth at once. But to confirm it, he saw a message addressed to him, written in huge letters along the side of one of the buildings out of fresh blood, still running down it.
He understood it immediately. He was thanking him for sparing Azure…for not killing him when he had the chance…for leaving one larva left for him to assume…
After that, he remembered nothing…before now.
Cloud looked up. His head pounded, and he felt more pain in his forehead when he did so. But as he managed to turn his one good eye out, he saw the ocean streaming before him and under him. He must have been on one of the cliffs overlooking it, for the waves were far below him, yet they broke against something and gave their roar. The sky was gray. The sun had not yet risen…but night had obviously passed. Everything was quiet…and cold, despite summer still being here.
It was easy to hear the sound when it began.
Slow, regular footsteps. Against the hard ground of the cliff, each click could be heard from a pair of boots. Cloud's gaze lowered…and then he saw it.
Two black boots walking in front of him… A long black coat stretching behind the owner…
Cloud, despite the pain he felt, stopped groaning. He closed his jaw and clamped it shut. His teeth began to grit…as he felt both fear and hatred the likes of which he felt for no other thing on this world or out of it fill him. His eyes slowly looked up…tracing over the all-too-familiar figure of the tall, powerful man he saw endlessly repeating himself in his nightmares. He went all the way past his bare chest…his silver-armored shoulders…and finally up to his face.
It hadn't changed a bit.
It was still etched with maliciousness and cruelty, and as handsome and evil as the devil. His silver hair spread behind him in the breeze. And his pale green eyes…pupils narrow almost like a cat or a snake's…stared at him as a small smile spread across his expression.
"…I see you're finally awake." The cold, calm, and steady voice of Sephiroth addressed.
Despite the fact that it increased the stabbing pains, and made him feel blood begin to drip from his appendages, Cloud balled his hands into fists, and straightened his body up to glare harder at him.
"Sephiroth." He addressed.
"I told you I would never be a memory." The dark man answered. "Are you really so surprised to see me?"
"Unfortunately…no." Cloud grunted in response…and began to pull against whatever held him.
"I really wouldn't." Sephiroth responded to this, still smiling. "Take a look at your situation."
Cloud would have told Sephiroth to go to hell simply to take advantage of an opportunity to curse him…but he did as he was told.
He soon realized exactly what was stabbing him. Sephiroth had tied him to a rock with his arms and legs stretched out across it. But he hadn't tied him with rope. He was lashed with barbed wire. Some was around his waist, some around his wrists, and some around his ankles. He couldn't see it, but he believed some was around his head too, pinning it back. That was what cut into him now. And as he struggled, he drove the spikes in deeper into his flesh, drawing more blood. If he tried to pull them loose, he would tear an avulsion into his skin. He had already been left to hang there, letting the spikes embed into him partially to start with. He wasn't so much hanging by his bonds…as hanging by his own skewered flesh.
Cloud turned back to Sephiroth, and despite the pain and what he knew to be the source, he kept glaring at him. "So what do you want, Sephiroth?" He spat at him.
Sephiroth crossed his arms and gave an amused snort. "Is that the only question you can ever ask me?"
"Where's Azure?"
"He served his purpose in life." Sephiroth simply answered. "Just as Kadaj served his before him."
"What's with this?" Cloud snapped back, causing more blood to pour from his brow, and throwing up his arms. "You want to torture me? Kill me?"
"Revenge is beneath me." Sephiroth responded simply. "But punishment is the responsibility of a god. And rest assured…you will be punished. Not today, however. This is merely a greeting…something to gain your attention."
Cloud kept his teeth grit. "…And now that you have it, what do you want to say?"
"I told you to tell me what you cherished the most." Sephiroth answered…his smile seeming to grow more malicious. "You said you cherished everything. Very well. I will take everything from you. The example that I showed you tonight was just to remind you that I possess that power."
Cloud continued to glare at him, feeling his rage grow.
"Now…how to carry this out is the true dilemma." Sephiroth continued calmly, leaning his head back. "Not right now. I have matters to attend to first. A whole new Reunion is going to be taking place. And this time, there will only be three guests. After that, the new, and final, age of this world begins. There is much to prepare in that time.
"But as for you…well…I'll probably begin by turning you into a bleeding piece of slime." He calmly went on, narrowing his gaze. "I say slime instead of meat, because slime has life in it…however insignificant. I'll probably cut every ligament and tendon in your body so that you can't even squirm. I'll definitely cut your jaw so that you won't be able to open or close your mouth. I may even simplify my work by simply cutting your spinal cord. The point is, I won't kill you.
"Then I'll start taking away everything from you." Sephiroth paused, and then shrugged. "Tifa is an obvious one. I'll probably reopen the wound I gave her back at Nibelheim. Then I'll throw her still living body into a flame so that she can meet the fate of the rest of her town."
Cloud's eyes widened. His limbs pulled at his bonds, driving them deeper into him.
"The children will be next. Denzel still has the cells within him, I trust. So I'll probably let him act as my puppet and disembowel Marlene right in front of you. Then I'll have him do the same to himself."
Cloud began to quiver with anger.
"I could move onto your friends after that…but luckily you've made a new best friend. I might actually let him draw his sword against me…let him think he has a chance…before I slice him into ribbons, starting at his feet and working his way up. Did you know it was possible to actually slice a person into ribbons, Cloud? Perhaps I'll bind up your own wounds with the segments of his flesh."
"You bastard…" Cloud hissed.
"Then of course will come my favorite part." Sephiroth continued, unaffected by the insult. "I get to kill the Cetra again…just like last time. In front of you, with you unable to do a thing about it. I don't think I'll run her through the heart this time though. I'll make her suffer a bit longer. I want to see the memory of death suck the color from her face."
"I swear to God I'm going to-"
"Moving on…I'll do the same to the rest of your friends, but I won't bore you with details. After that, I'll probably destroy this world. I'm not exactly sure how yet. Perhaps I'll corrupt it from the inside. Perhaps I'll summon another Meteor. The point is, I will make sure you live to see every last bit of life on it die. I'll make sure you see it turn into a lifeless rock in the cold depths of space.
"By then you'll be insane with desire for revenge. So much so that you'll actually heal somewhat. You'll probably be able to stand…take up your sword again… You'll focus your power, channel your strength, prepare yourself to make one last strike for revenge. And then…right there…at that transitional moment in between when you're still helpless and you're able to fight again…"
The dark man leaned in here, letting Cloud's furious vision fill with his cold, powerful face.
"…I'll kill you."
Cloud bristled with rage. He yanked at his bonds…not caring that he was bringing forth more and more blood. He wanted to break loose. Some of the spikes began to dig against his bone, but he felt only his rage for the man in front of him.
Sephiroth, on his part, stayed calm as he leaned back and stepped away from the ex-mercenary. He slowly uncrossed his arms, and reached for his side as he did. His black-gloved hand grasped something. Seeming to materialize from his coat…for there was no other way it could have fit there…the dark man pulled out the long, deadly, perfectly-crafted seven-foot nodachi that he wielded: the Masamune.
After drawing it out, Sephiroth began to curl it up against his head, as he used to in his old battle position.
"I'll be leaving you now." He simply stated. "But before I do…I'd like to see something. Where exactly did I stab you back at the Reactor? Was it here?"
With that, Sephiroth drove the tip of his sword forward and stabbed a two inch-deep wound into Cloud's side. The ex-mercenary immediately arched back and cried out in agony. Blood began to pour from his abdomen as Sephiroth yanked the end of his blade out again. The man writhed in agony against his bonds, feeling his blood pour out from him.
"Or was it here?" Sephiroth asked calmly, having not changed in the least, before he drove his blade in more toward the middle, once more two inches. Cloud cried out in more pain as another deep wound was opened in his flesh, spilling more of his blood in its wake. The man thrashed against his bonds, vainly trying to break them and only causing more blood to be spilled as he did so. Agony filled Cloud's mind. He saw the world only in red, swirling colors, and felt only hot pain throughout his body.
"Oh, I know." Sephiroth continued with a smile. "It was right here."
Then, just as he had when Cloud was only sixteen years old, Sephiroth drove his blade right through Cloud in the exact same spot where he had stabbed him in the Reactor.
Cloud's eyes bulged once more, and he gagged as his body went rigid. His fists opened into twisted palms, and he grunted as blood began to come out from his mouth. The cold steel wrenched in his insides, and he felt sick and icy all over. The pain was too much for him. He began to grow nauseous. His vision began to fade, as more of his blood flowed forth and dizziness took him.
As the world returned to black again…the last he saw was his smiling face.
The face that would return to haunt his nightmares.
"Cloud? Can you hear me?"
The voice called Cloud out of the blackness. As he emerged from it…he had no idea what was happening. Had he gone unconscious? Had he died? He didn't feel any pain…and his senses felt dreamlike. Even as he came out from the darkness and back into light, everything still seemed unreal and illusion-like… He felt almost like he was floating on nothingness. He began to realize his eyes were closed as his senses returned, and slowly he opened them.
He was surrounded by white light now…and it was coming from over him from some sort of long source. He began to realize he was on his back. He became faintly aware of sounds around him, but they seemed to echo and fade in and out, and he was unable to focus on any in particular. He swallowed once, seeming to move very slowly as he did so. His eyes rolled around in his skull, slowly taking in his surroundings.
When he did that…he finally rested his eyes on a dark-haired woman. And when she saw him, and saw him look at her, she immediately smiled. He was barely able to realize what was going on…but his eyes watched as her body came forward and grasped his. He thought he was being hugged…and then kissed. She said something to him, but he wasn't able to make it out at first. Things were still muddled and ethereal around him. Yet as he held and listened…he got the tail end.
"…alright, Cloud. Thank God we found you."
Cloud moaned, and blinked again. He tried to clear his senses. He still felt sleepy and groggy, but somehow he managed to focus a bit more. He became more aware of what was happening, and realized who was holding him.
"…Tifa?"
The woman backed off at this. Cloud looked up to her, and saw her smiling at him. But now that he was a bit more aware, he started to realize he wasn't alone where he was.
Behind Tifa, seated around him, were the rest of his friends. Ragnar and Aerith were close by. Denzel and Marlene were gathered around them, and when they saw he was awake they began to run up to him and hug him as well. While they did so, he looked up and around, and saw that Barret was here too, along with Cid and Red XIII. Reeve also had taken a position by the bed, and he had brought Cait Sith along, who greeted Cloud with a grin and a wave. The giant stuffed moogle held a bunch of "get well soon" balloons. Finally, Yuffie was leaning casually against a wall in the back. Yet despite Cloud's somewhat foggy vision, he was able to see that her eyes looked a bit red and cracked…and her cheeks were stained.
He narrowed his gaze, and spoke out to her in his own weak voice. "…Were you crying?"
On hearing this, Yuffie's face immediately turned redder in embarrassment. The others turned and looked to her as well, and soon noticed what Cloud had. On seeing herself the object of attention, Yuffie flustered and looked around in an embarrassed manner for a few moments. "I…I wasn't crying!" She immediately protested, rubbing at her eyes fiercely as she did. "I was just… The stupid hospital cleaner… I… Shut up!"
Cloud managed a small grin at this, and light chuckle. That was a bad move…for he felt his lower body ache at that. Wincing, he turned and began to look down at himself. Then, at long last, he realized where he was. He was in a hospital room, and he looked like he had been bandaged up considerably. Most of his body was covered in a gown, but he could see that his wrists had been covered with white dressings several times over. He slowly reached up for his head, and soon found another there. Sighing, he leaned back and rested against his pillow.
"How do you feel, Cloud?" Ragnar asked nearby.
The ex-mercenary slowly sighed. "…Worse than Mideel…but not as bad as getting out of the mako chamber in Nibelheim…" He groaned in reply. "I've been though so much crap…I'm surprised this body isn't one giant callus…or scar."
On hearing this, Aerith's own smile faded into a more tired look. "…Your body is probably what saved your life, Cloud." She told him. "When Red XIII finally managed to lead Ragnar to you, you were nearly dead."
"Well, Aerith deserves some credit as well." Red XIII spoke up from his position, having to raise his head a bit to make sure he was seen. "The internal bleeding probably would have been too much if she hadn't arrived a few minutes later with Tifa to stop it. But yes…your Jenova cells probably allowed the accelerated healing that spared you. When you arrived, no one in the emergency room believed you would pull through."
Hearing this brought back a whole slew of painful memories to Cloud…including what had happened to him…and who had done it to him. Despite his painless state, which he reasoned now was probably due to being on some sort of painkiller, he began to feel himself tighten at just the thought of him…and the knowledge that he was alive again.
"…How long have I been out?"
"Only 'bout twelve hours." Barret answered, and then snorted while shaking his head. "For a skinny lil' fella like you, ya' sure bounce back quick."
"Don't overdo it though, Cloud." Ragnar immediately threw in, more concerned. "He messed you up pretty bad."
Cloud groaned again, but gave a nod. "I'll be fine, kid. If I had a nickel for every time he's run me through…" He tried to pull himself up at this. However, the result was a sharp pain in his side, making him wince and fall. The others reacted with surprise, and immediately moved in. Yet Cloud held up a hand to wave them off, even as his face stayed in discomfort.
"…Though, just the same, I think I will take it easy for a while."
"…Cloud?"
The ex-mercenary turned when he heard this new voice, and found himself looking down nearby. That was where Denzel and Marlene were, still standing there after they had run up and hugged him when he awakened. However…their faces were still anxious, even though he was now up.
Marlene's own eyes were filled with fear, and she swallowed a bit herself as she stared at him. It was only after a moment that she was able to ask the fateful question.
"…He's back, isn't he?"
Cloud's own look hardened as he heard her say this. His weariness faded, and his older, stronger face began to replace it. He looked up and out to the others after she said this. They all turned to him and looked intently as well. Their smiles had faded, and they all waited for his word.
The ex-mercenary let his gaze fall a moment, but then looked back up to Marlene.
"…Yes, he is."
Ragnar had already known this for the most part, and so he simply crossed his arms and glared darkly at the ground, thinking again of what had happened to Cloud as a result of that man. Tifa slowly sighed and looked to the floor as well. Aerith showed no fear facially for she had already known this…although she did slowly begin to wrap her arms around herself, as if she was suddenly cold. Cid muttered some curse under his breath and masked it with a cough. Barret was more verbal, but cut himself off halfway through when he remembered Marlene was present, and bashed his hand against the wall. Red XIII let out a long sigh himself, and closed his one remaining eye. Reeve turned away and leaned with his face to the wall himself, while Cait Sith began to look uncomfortable as to all the sudden gloominess around him. Lastly, Yuffie let out something of a whine as she remembered how hard he had been to beat last time.
Marlene, on her part, pulled in closer to Cloud, so that he could put her arm around her. He did, trying to give her some comfort. She leaned her head against the bed, her eyes still holding fear of who and what the man was…and what he had nearly done to the world last time. That left only one person unchanged.
Denzel, looking nervous and afraid too, rose his head to face Cloud next.
"Cloud?"
The ex-mercenary slowly raised his head, and looked to him. "What is it, Denzel?"
The boy swallowed too and moistened his lips.
"…Where is Azure?"
Tifa, Ragnar, and Aerith all looked up to Cloud at that. Their faces showed nothing, but they did stare at him to see his response. Cloud himself looked down at Denzel without turning aside. His face showed neither sadness or joy. Denzel continued to look imploringly at him, waiting for an answer.
Cloud at last came up with the only answer he could give the boy that would be true.
"…Sephiroth murdered him, Denzel."
Marlene looked up from his lap at this. Both stared at him...frozen. Their faces became blank from the terrible news. Their jaws hung slightly as their eyes formed an expression of hurt. Cloud's own face finally changed, becoming sad as his eyes fell.
"I'm sorry."
There was a moment of motionlessness and silence. But then, Marlene turned and ran over to Tifa. She held her fiercely and began to cry. Tifa hesitated, but then brought down her arms on top of her and tried to comfort her. Barret saw this, and he too softened. His earlier insults and fears seemed to be forgotten, and he walked forward toward the girl and put his arms on her too.
As for Denzel, he threw his own head down on Cloud and began to sob. The man let him a moment, but then brought his own arms on top of him to try and comfort him as well. Denzel and Marlene seemed to have cried so much over the past day. Their own young lives were filling with misery and pain. Cloud knew what it was like to have a childhood of pain…and knew how horrible it was. What tore him apart the most at that moment was that he couldn't spare them any of it. He could only try to offer his own comfort, but was unable to keep them from feeling pain like he had felt. They had already lived through so much. What else were they going to live through? Marlene had once spoken of there being many losses to their many battles. What losses would she experience? Was this legacy of sorrow carrying on to the next generation?
Cloud didn't know. All he knew is that out of all the people who had been injured over the past day, Marlene and Denzel would feel it the worst. He would heal…but there was no cure for their own pain.
It was an hour later when most of them left. Barret, Cid, Yuffie, Reeve, and Red XIII had to return to their work. Cait Sith had stayed behind, and was with the kids in the waiting room. He was doing his best to make him smile, but it was late…and they were worn out from all that they had endured today.
That left Cloud, much more aware and alert, in his own room with Tifa, Aerith, and Ragnar. Tifa was getting worn out too at this point, and had taken a seat. Aerith stood next to the wall nearby, somewhat balancing on her staff. Ragnar himself was pacing a bit next to Cloud's bedside. His arms were crossed and he looked rather upset. They were all silent.
Aerith was the one who finally broke it. She raised her head and looked to the ex-mercenary.
"…Is Azure really gone?"
Cloud closed his eyes and sighed.
"…I don't know." He finally answered. "With Kadaj, Sephiroth used him until I killed him. I thought I had killed Sephiroth then…but now I guess all I did was have him jump out until another 'host' appeared. If that's the case…then the only way Azure would reappear now is if I killed Sephiroth again, which wouldn't kill him at all. It would kill Azure."
The Cetra slowly exhaled, and bowed her head sadly.
"…I wish there was some way to save him." She ruefully answered.
Ragnar, however, was far more incensed. He stopped pacing, and turned around to the others. His eyes were focused on the ground...glaring at it as if the object of his hatred was right there.
"…He murdered scores of people in my army, as well as innocent people." He slowly stated. "He killed Aerith. He as good as killed Azure. He did this to you. And now he'll be out to destroy this world again to fulfil his own selfish ambition." The youth balled his hands into fists at this, and his jaw tightened. His eyes blazed again...this time, mixing a bit of his inner determination and fire in with his own anger.
"I'm going to make him pay for what he's done."
A light laugh emitted at that.
Cloud, Ragnar, and Aerith all turned their heads to the source of this. They found Tifa sitting in the chair. She looked tired now, with her head bowed to the ground. However, she was the one who had made a weak smile and laughed.
"…You sound so much like Cloud did, right after Aerith was murdered." She answered slowly. "We all thought we were just going to go out and finish him right there…" As she said this…her smile slowly faded. "…But things only got worse from then on in. And Cloud ended up nearly losing more than just his life."
Ragnar's jaw clenched indignantly. "I don't care! I don't have any Jenova cells in me. He can't use me. He doesn't have anything on my past. I'm not such a bad fighter myself. I-"
"Ragnar."
The youth froze at this, and turned to who had spoken again. He soon found himself focusing on Cloud. His head had bowed again. However, when he said his name, not the nickname 'kid', it was firm and dark…nearly a command. He turned his eyes to look up at Ragnar after a pause. They blazed with the look of mako in them.
"There have been dozens…hundreds…perhaps even thousands of swordsmen who stood before Sephiroth and said they were going to be the ones to bring him down. They're all dead. The lucky ones just got struck down by him. The unlucky ones were tortured before he finished them. He's not some idiot with a strong blade. He's not even a 1st Class SOLDIER. He's above and beyond any level of skill or power you think you know. I bet that if your master was here, even he wouldn't be able to take him on."
Ragnar only looked more indignant at this. "Bahamut would have-"
"Sephiroth isn't some berserker or madman you can just walk up to and strike down when he's done something wrong to you." Cloud cut off, nearly coldly. "And believe me…there wouldn't be an easier opponent for him than one who would charge at him stoked with revenge. I got lucky that one time. It sure as hell didn't work out when I tried it again...not for any of us."
Tifa shifted uncomfortably when Cloud said this.
Ragnar still frowned. "You expect me to just stand back here after all he's done? To you? To Aer-"
"I'd make you swear this if I didn't trust you." Cloud retorted again, cutting him off once more. "But I do trust you…so I'll count on you to keep this without me extracting a promise. If you really trust my opinion, Ragnar…then if you ever see or encounter Sephiroth at any time for any reason…you'll run. I don't care if he has me skewered like a shiskabob, or even if he's at the point of running Aerith through the heart again."
Ragnar's eyes widened. "I can never make-"
"Ragnar…no matter how great you think you are…no matter how strong, if it comes to that point you won't be able to save us." The ex-mercenary cut off again. "You'll just die trying. Do what I say and save yourself. Run."
The youth tightened at this. He was going to protest again, but Cloud's face was as hard as flint. Nothing he could say or do would break it. This irritated the youth…but he knew that it was pointless to argue when he saw him doing this. In the end, Ragnar crossed his arms again and fumed, and turned away from Cloud in frustration. The room went silent once again for a few moments.
In the end, Aerith looked up and to Cloud. "…We're going to have to do something about him. It's only a matter of time before he tries something again on this world."
Cloud slowly sighed.
"I know." He answered. "But the Geostigma has been purged, so he can't do that. So long as you're alive, he can't summon another Meteor."
Ragnar turned around at this. "So wouldn't he come after Aerith next?"
Cloud hesitated for a moment. His eyes narrowed, and he slowly exhaled as he stared out into space himself. "…He said he had other things to attend to…" He slowly murmured. "And he said there were going to be just three of them this time… What three?"
Tifa looked up here. "…Could he mean Jenova, himself, and Azure?"
"Maybe." Cloud answered. "But I don't know. Somehow, I have a feeling from what he said that he won't be staying here. He'll be moving again. And powerful as he is…he can only move so fast. We found that out when we went after him last time."
"So what then, Cloud?" Tifa pressed. "Do we go after him again?"
"We can't." Cloud answered with a frown. "We still have the army to look after. We are fighting New Shinra, and we can't abandon the PPA to search for him."
"So that's it?" Ragnar half-snapped. "We're just going to leave him to do who knows what? We aren't even going to try and stop him?"
To this, the ex-mercenary turned and gave a glare to the youth, making him back down somewhat immediately.
"This is your army, kid." He sharply corrected. "This is your responsibility and what Bahamut wanted you to form. This isn't even your battle. You're the one who is supposed to lead this force to victory. Your main concern should be doing that."
Ragnar frowned and sulked again, and once more turned away.
Cloud himself sighed and turned back. "…I don't like the idea of waiting for him to make the first move. But we can't abandon everything and try to find him when we have no idea where he's going to strike. The only things we know he could want are right here in the camp already…namely me or Aerith."
Cloud looked to Ragnar after this. "Here's where our alliance with Wutai might come in helpful." He began, causing the youth to break away his sulking and turn back to him. "They're already spread all over the world with their spynet. And Sephiroth stuck out like a sore thumb last time we tailed him. We could have them keep on the lookout for a black-caped man with silver hair. We wait until they pick up some lead on where he is, and then we make a move on him."
The youth calmed down somewhat at this. However, he still wore a frown on his face, and slowly exhaled through his nostrils as he crossed his arms again.
"…I really don't want to just sit around here and wait for something like that…" He grumbled in response. "…But you're probably right. We can only cover so much ground, and we might as well make use of our new allies. There's no reason to believe just a handful of us can do better. And as for where we are…for what it's worth…" Ragnar paused here and frowned. "…Which isn't much, based on what we saw last night…it is safer here."
Tifa inhaled and slowly exhaled. "So…that's our plan?"
Cloud hesitated, but then shrugged. "For now, I guess so. I don't think Denzel is going to feel like practicing for a while…" He paused here, and narrowed his gaze. "…So I'm going to use the opportunity to start up my own training again."
"Me too." Ragnar immediately threw in. "I'll find some time to do it."
"I should probably start trying to improve my own abilities as well." Aerith added. "And I haven't used my staff in so long, I'll probably pull a muscle if I try now. I'll have to work out on it."
"I'm already pretty well set up with my own training regimen." Tifa finished. "But I suppose now that I have a new purpose, I'll be pushing it higher. If I couldn't even beat Loz two years ago, I won't have a chance against Sephiroth."
The ex-mercenary nodded once everyone was finished, and then exhaled again as he leaned back against his pillow.
"Alright then. I guess, for right now, I'm going to try and get off this bed and start walking again. That…and pray that we can end this war before Sephiroth rears his head again. We really don't need him complicating things…"
To be continued...