Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy and all its characters

Author's Note: I'm really sorry for many erorrs in previous chapter 3, so I upload the revised one. I hope I've corrected all of the wrong sentences. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

The darkness of the corridor has nothing to fear this Ex-SOLDIER, Cloud Strife. With a Geostigma's host on his back and a flashlight in his left hand, he walked through the paths of slimy and slippery corridor, looking for a set of stairs to lead him to the second floor.

It seems like time was walking slowly before him, and it seems like he was going around in circle within the strange building since all he saw was long corridor before him and wooden doors on each corner. Desperate, he let Selene on her feet. He looked at her wan face, her brown eyes showed pathetic weariness from a long time in this prison-like-world. 'No way I can leave her like this.'

Selene poked his shoulder, snap him out from his reverie. Her little thumbs played a sign. Knowing what she meant, Cloud hand her his cell phone.

'You can leave me here.' The text displayed.

"No, I won't leave you alone, Selene."

'I'll walk with you, so you won't get tired.' It had made him attach a faint smile. But that faint smile won't help him to find that damned stairs. If there's any map for this peculiar building, it would be a shining apocalypse for his dark confusion.

But the apocalypse didn't came to him, he needed to find the stairs by his own.

Then, a loud bang was heard, it made him looked up fast, nearly broke his neck. The bang had him startled, his heart pounded fast. Not long, a bang came again, and again, now in steady pace. Selene tugged him on his pants, trying to calm him down. She asked for his cell phone again.

'That was Marlene. I think we are close.'

After reading her text, his spirit has been filled again. While carrying Selene on his back (though he knew Selene would walk with him), he listened to the banging sound, which has became slower and weaker. He ran to the direction from where the sound came from, and not long, he found a set of stairs. His eyes brighten up, his legs brought both of them to the second floor of the building, and oh! How strange the second floor was.

The stairs end up in a small room, no, a tiny room, with only one door on the wall which facing him. The banging sound was no longer heard. He let Selene down, Selene then set her ears on the wooden door, listening.

"BANG!"

The last banging sound was heard, it had them startled. After recollected themselves, Cloud's hand approached the door handle, and opened it slowly. And oh, what was that? A black liquid exited the room, drenching their feet. Cloud's eyes widen, but Selene seems not to care about the liquid. She stepped inside the dark room, not waiting for Cloud's flashlight to light the way, but it followed not long after.

Once inside, they didn't see anything but mainly many surgery utensils. The floor was black and slippery as well. A muffling sound was heard from behind them, and the flashlight discovered a very unpleasing scenery. A little girl was tightly tied on the door, up-side down, her hands were handcuffed behind her. It was clear that her feet were tied with somekind of thick tape, her mouth also was covered with the same type of tape. Strands of hair was loose from her messy braid. So, she banged the hard door in that condition?

Selene took off the tape and let Marlene pant from her exhaustion. Scalpel in hand, Cloud cut the rope that hung her, and caught her before she fell to the floor head first. He let Marlene in sitting position, he cut the bondage from her fragile feet. Then, Selene came with a peculiar key in her hand, maybe it belongs to the handcuffs.

They waited for Marlene to recollect herself. Her pants and heavy breathings started to become slow and steady. His hand found her small hand, and she managed to looked up to her savior. "Thank you... sir." She managed to say it to him.

"Marlene, don't push yourself." She let out an audible sigh of joy, she was tied like that for 2 days without food. His eyes watched the little girl, he could say that she was awfully weary, and with a Geostigma mark on her right cheek, trailed down to her neck.

"I'm Cloud. I'll get you out of this place." He said sternly, only got a pair of widen eyes from little Marlene in front of him.

"Would you really, Mr. Cloud?"

His put his hand on her head, a reassurring smile attached on his handsome face, "I promise."

Oooooo

Denzel's POV

'Where am I?'

My body felt so heavy, I even couldn't move a finger. I felt something different on my head, there was something binding my head. What happened? Where's Cloud?

"You're awake."

Who's that?

"How are you? Still feeling sore on your head?

She, she must be an angel.

"Hey."

I felt her hand on my upper arm, massaging it lightly. I longed that touch, a motherly touch. Huh? Is she?

"M-mother?"

I managed to open my eyes, but I didn't see my mother, well, I didn't really remember my mother's face but I remember she doesn't have dark long hair and reddish-brown eyes. No, she wasn't my mother.

"Who are you? Where am I?" I invade her with my questions. Then a slight pain came over me, to my head to be exact. My hand came to my forehead, but only felt a bandage wrapped around it.

"Relax." She said with a genuine smile, it managed to made me relax my stiffen body. When I got a clearer vision, the first thing I saw was her face, and... she was beautiful. "You need more rest," she said while tucking me with a light blanket, "My name is Tifa Lockhart. You're now in my room."

I tilted my head to face her, "Why am I here?"

"I don't know, I found you laying on the floor, groaning as if you're in pain. So I treated you wound."

'So, she knows that I'm a Geostigma's hostage?'

"I presume it was Aerith?" she said all of a sudden, her eyes showed an unreadable expression, like hiding something.

"H-how'd you know?" I choked out.

"I was one of her victim too. It was a long time ago."

Then, I realized something amazing behind her. A pure white wing emerged from her back. I could see balls of tears ready to slide down from her eyes, but she wiped them away as soon as they wet her cheeks. I felt her hand on my belly, caressed it softly. "It must be so painful for a child to bear with such disease. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do something bad to me."

"Yes I have. If I was able to be a succesful project, she wouldn't have to use you to replace me."

Her words had made my eyes widen.

To Be Continued