"Don't get up, in fact, don't move at all," was the instruction before Anne could stand to take a better look at the man at the top of the stairs "You are filthy. I'd rather not have to clean up after you."
Anne's jaw dropped at how rude this man was. Sure, insult and belittle an unarmed girl who nearly got killed whilst trying to navigate the perilous woods, it's not like they're tired and scared. Anne jumped when the doors shook, the beast on the other side roaring angrily.
"Oh and look what you brought," the man sneered as he slowly descended the black marble steps "Don't fret, it won't come through. This fortress is impenetrable."
Anne looked up at him as he looked down at her, as if he was a master looking at a slave in disgust.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"Um, running away from the monster that looked like it wanted to eat me?" Anne gestured to the doors.
"I can see that," the man rolled his eyes "but my question is why are you here in Phoenix's kingdom?"
Anne sucked in a breath, silently counting to ten to avoid snapping at him.
"Would you believe me if I told you that my Chocobo dragged me into the woods then left me alone?"
"Daddy didn't teach you to tell the truth to grown-ups?"
Oh, if she had her nailed bat, she would so bash this bastard's head in for using that patronising tone.
"How old do you think I am?"
"Too young to be prancing around in the woods wearing those rags."
Anne stood up and lifted her chin at him challengingly.
"What about you?" she asked "Why are you here in the kingdom? Can't be very comfortable living here."
"Didn't your mother tell you to not talk back?"
Anne swallowed and counted to ten again, glaring up at the blonde. Anne hadn't met her mother; she had died whilst giving birth to her. It was often a sore spot as Anne felt responsible but it didn't drag her down. Her mother died whilst giving her life and she was grateful for that. Anne squared her shoulders and stood as tall as possible. Kind of difficult when you're only five feet tall.
"Do you not have anything better to do than insult me?" she asked coolly.
"Do you have anything better to do than dirty my floor?"
Anne swung a punch at him but was easily subdued. The look of disgust on the man's face when he grabbed her was clear and Anne growled angrily.
"Really, girl, did your mother drop you on your head when you were a baby?"
Anne gasped as he shoved her away and she fell back onto the floor. The doors shook again as the beast continued its rampage outside. Anne lifted her head after taking a moment to recover and glared at him.
"Didn't your father teach you to not hit a defenceless girl?" she hissed "Or was he too busy working to provide for your expensive taste?"
Clearly this was a typical rich kid, judging from his spoilt behaviour and expensive clothing. Anne braced her fists as the man sneered at her.
"Do you not know who I am?"
"Should I?"
The man scoffed as he dusted down his suit after getting some dirt on it when he manhandled her.
"I am Rufus Shinra."
Shinra, Shinra… Anne took a moment to try and recall the name. She lowered her guard to really think after something in her memory reacted. Shinra… She had heard that surname and the first name was just about ringing a bell or two. Anne was stood there for a minute or two before she looked sharply at him.
"You're a myth," she stated.
Rufus rolled his eyes, looking frustrated as Anne braced her fists.
"A myth?" he grumbled "And pray tell, what does this myth say about me?"
"You're supposedly guarding some sleeping prince and searching for Phoenix's crystal," Anne shrugged "But you know how fairy tales are, they're just that. Stories to keep children in line and entertained."
Rufus smirked as his hands sparked with energy and Anne hopped away in alarm.
"It didn't mention my powers?" he taunted as the energy turned to dark purple flames "It didn't mention how Daddy Dearest made sure I would be able to snatch and enslave Phoenix when he is found? That I will be able to snap that pretty little prince's neck when he finally awakens from that pathetic coma?"
"No," Anne muttered as she backed off, fists shaking in the air "No, you're a myth, this isn't real!"
But the flames swirling around the man's body was all the proof she needed. His image was written to the letter in her father's storybook and the more Anne thought about it, the more she realised that he was the splitting image of the Rufus Shinra that was mentioned.
"Dark energy lives within the heir," she muttered as he began rising "to snuff out Phoenix's light should he appear. Then he shall use his darkness to murder the prince once the Queen's spell is lifted. Rufus Shinra, son of the Conqueror, will harness the Wings of Rebirth to awaken his father and continue the quest to take the Promised Land."
Rufus smirked wider as the dark energy constricting his body took the form of wings. Anne felt the dark energy emanating from him, leering at her and practically promising her death.
"You won't even suffice as a monster," he sneered as Anne pressed her back to the wall behind her, fists dropped when she realised she couldn't go against him "I shall burn you where you stand!"
Anne's heart leapt as the beast roared, seeming as desperate as her, and closed her eyes as he swooped down for her, flames beckoning for her to submit herself to become ashes. This was it, she was dead, goodbye, cruel world! Anne grimaced and waited. …And waited. Then her chest began thrumming with a comforting warmth. Her necklace began vibrating against her skin, as if telling her not to give up. She couldn't give up now! Anne gasped as she felt energy flow through her body and the comforting warmth encircled her body. She felt stronger, she felt more alive, she felt…metal? Anne began recognising chainmail tickling her stomach, a strong chest plate supporting her breasts, more chainmail covering her legs, boots and gauntlets. Anne opened her eyes as a metal helm secured itself around her head and a sword materialised in front of her. A weapon! Anne snatched it without a thought and swung it to clash against Rufus's outstretched hand.
"What?!"
Anne could see out of the corner of her eye that amber flames were encircling her in a similar fashion to Rufus's dark ones. She pressed harder and he retreated back up the stairs. Anne landed back on the ground, catching her breath as she barely registered what had happened. Her arms were shaking after the clash of magic; Rufus was very powerful.
"You…" the blonde growled angrily as his magic faded "How did you come across Phoenix's crystal?!"
…What? Anne gave him a blank look then glanced at her necklace. The crystal was humming with energy and Anne twisted the pendant round to see that Phoenix's emblem was now visible underneath.
"Well that wasn't there before," she muttered.
"How could you have found it?! How?!"
Anne took in a breath as she looked up at the irate man and shrugged.
"…Would you believe me if I told you that my Chocobo found it and gave it to me?" she asked and winced at his glare "Thought not."
"But how could you harness such power, where were you born?!"
"Excuse me?" Anne raised her eyebrows.
"Where did you come from?! Why are you here?!"
Anne winced at his raised tone and shrugged.
"Nibelheim, born and raised," she replied.
"Impossible!"
Rufus looked angrier as he looked to the side then gave her a cold glare.
"Then perhaps you don't need to be killed by my hand," he said dismissively as he began to back off "I shall leave you to the beasts."
He disappeared in a flurry of dark flames and Anne relaxed. She jumped as the doors shook again and the beast on the other side roared. Anne shot up the stairs and turned to brace for the impending doom that awaited her. Only it didn't come from the beast outside. Anne spun on her heel as she heard a growl behind her and whined when she saw a massive dark coloured Behemoth towering over her.
"…Oh."
She raised her right arm as it raised its claw to attack her and a round shield materialised. She raised her eyebrows in alarm and winced as the claw came down and hit it. She practically vibrated at the collision. Anne was right handed but when it came to testing weapons with Cloud, she found it easier to defend whilst using her right arm and delivering weaker blows with her left. Defend, be patient and attack when the enemy was weak and unguarded was her strategy. Though she wasn't entirely sure it was the best. The Behemoth withdrew and Anne scurried around it to avoid getting attacked by its massive spiked tail. It then raised it and began flicking spikes at her.
"What the…?!"
Anne held her shield up.
"Barrier!" she yelled.
A dome appeared around the shield and projected itself out to intercept the spikes. Anne stared as the Behemoth roared and used its claws to attack the magic shield. Well, she didn't know where that had come from but she wasn't complaining. Anne backed off and tried to remember what she knew about Behemoths. They were very guarded creatures, they rarely left any openings for attacks. …Well that was helpful! The magic shield faded and Anne sidestepped away from the Behemoth as it pounced then crashed into the wall after missing its target. Anne backed off as it recovered and glowered at her. Maybe she could trick it? Anne raised her shield again, smacking the handle of her sword into it angrily.
"Pathetic beast!" she called "You shame your species!"
As if understanding her words, the Behemoth roared angrily and charged towards her. Anne spread her arms, bending her legs slightly in a small curtsey.
"Wings of Rebirth!"
She sprung up and avoided the oncoming collision with the help of the amber wings that appeared around her arms. She braced her sword above the Behemoth's back.
"Cursed creature, be gone!"
The wings burned brighter as she plummeted down and plunged the sword through the creature's spine. It roared in agony as it swayed left and right before rolling over on its side and a death rattle was heard. Anne fell off its body after it landed with a loud thud and pulled the bloody sword out with a disgusted look. She stood up on shaking legs and an image flickered in her mind.
Anne was kneeled by the Behemoth's head, the tip of the sword touching its forehead as if to honour it. Blinking at the curious vision, Anne slowly walked around the creature to mirror the image. Its eyes were staring ahead dully; the life having faded a few moments ago. Anne bowed her head, touching the tip of the sword to its forehead.
"Brave, noble soul," she murmured "Arise from the ashes and claim your life anew."
Anne jumped as the whole Behemoth suddenly went up in flames. She backed off as the body disintegrated until there was nothing but a huge pile of ashes. She placed a hand over her heart as her head spun. Well where did that come from? Anne felt a sense of déjà vu, like she had borne witness to this before. Maybe she had dreamt of this before? Anne frowned curiously but before she could ponder any further, she heard a pained groan from the ashes. Anne took a closer look and saw some of the ashes shift and her heart seized momentarily. Then she saw a human body appear from out of the aches and she crawled further towards it, brushing it clean.
"Ugh…Marlene?"
Anne's heart stopped as she recognised Barret's face.
"Aw, my head…"
"Barret?!"
Anne dusted the ashes off him and rolled him over onto his back. The burly man coughed as she shook him.
"Barret, where are Tifa and Cloud?!"
"Marlene, where are you?"
Anne sighed in frustration as she realised she wasn't going to get any answers any time soon. She began checking for his pulse and put him in the recovery position. A brief once over using her basic first aid knowledge reassured her that he was fine, just probably needed to rest for a bit. She brushed away the ashes in front of him, just to make sure he didn't inhale any of them, then took up her sword. She faced the stairs and took a deep breath. Tifa and Cloud were probably in this fortress too. She'll just have to find them. With a brave nod, she began ascending.