When violet eyes get brighter, and heavy wings grow lighter, I'll taste the sky and feel alive again. And I'll forget the world that I knew, but I swear I won't forget you, oh if

my voice could reach back through the past, I'd whisper in your ear- Oh darling I wish you were here.

Vanilla Twilight- Owl City

I hope you enjoy this chapter, though there isn't much to enjoy about it. Here it is, Fallen Angel.

Pain.

All that existed was pain.

Coursing through him with a fiery anger that he'd only felt during the experiments in Hojo's lab. Leeching over his body, licking it, then consuming like a hungry fire.

Excruciating. Horrible. Endless.

Though at least it was real.

For the last few weeks, Cloud's world had seemed to be a complete dream, but at least the pain was real, at least he could feel it.

His consciousness writhed within its holds, struggling to escape the tight embrace that the darkness had wrapped him in.

Though it may have been the single most horrible thought that had ever entered Cloud's head, he forced himself to concentrate on the pain.

To feel it.

To let his body be swallowed, submerged until he knew nothing but.

Live.

He opened his eyes with a gasp, as if coming up for a breath of air.

He was blinded for a moment as the light found its way to him, and squeezed them shut, flinching internally when the full impact and pain of the bullets hit him.

Warm blood wet his shirt, and he felt as if in a lucid dream, his mind clearer that it had been but still muddled from weeks spent motionless.

He could see broken bodies lying all around him.

SOLDIERS that were slowly blending the mud with crimson, their lifeless corpses oblivious to the rain that had begun to spatter them, soaking their torn and bloodied bodies.

It was a gruesome sight, one of mass destruction.

A crimson sea of broken remains, their hearts silenced, a bated breath, their last; screams frozen on cold pale lips.

He watched their stiff forms, trying to catch his breath.

His eyes roamed the gray and red landscape for a moment. It seemed none had been left alive, and if they were, they'd fled with what sanity they had left.

No one should have to see such carnage, such violent slaughter.

His eyes went on, searching for signs of Zack-

He wouldn't have just left me for dead?

Cloud brought a heavy arm to his stomach where blood was oozing out, the smell mixing with that of the gunpowder that had been left in the air, slowly being washed away with the

cleanly scent of rain that the clouds over head had brought.

He shook his head slowly, his neck stiff from carrying the weight of his limp head over the weeks. Zack wouldn't.

He continued his search, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and blood loss as his they finally came to rest on a shape, lying broken atop the cliff, and his heart sank, knowing exactly who it

was.

Despite the agonizing pain that wracked his body, he slid onto his stomach, digging his elbows into the mud and slowly, one agonizing inch at a time, he made his way onto the cliff.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The rain was the only sound.

Zack stared at the skies, watching the unmoving clouds, not feeling the rain that landed on his face, rolling off in rivulets, not even the pain of the bullets in his chest, the pain that he'd

only seen in the eyes of many dying men, but never felt himself.

He felt nothing but the warm trickle of blood as if ran down his face, leaving a trail of scarlet behind.

Some trailed down the bridge of his nose, like tears making their way to his lips, while others trickled into his hair and ears.

His thoughts were absent of their usual complexity.

They were simple minded, mostly memories. Fragments of a whole, whispering throughout his consciousness.

A sudden fragment of memory was brought to him as he watched the sullen heavens above him.

The sky frightens me. I feel like it's sucking me in...

He stared at the skies, wondering why she'd said she was afraid of them.

He thought of her then.

Her intoxicating scent, one that could surpass nothing in sweetness. The scent of spring lilies that enveloped him every time she embraced him. Her warm green eyes, eyes that belonged

among the flowers she so prominently tended to.

Her rosebud lips, pink and soft, emitting the most tender of smiles, for him, and him alone.

He closed his eyes, feeling her tender touch on his arm, incoherent words that came from her lips, a sweet sound that could only be her voice, much like the sound of bells.

He opened them again, watching the skies.

He heard a dull scraping of gravel, and soft panting.

"Z-Zack."

Cloud whispered, his voice soft and quiet from lack of use.

Zack's calm violet-blue eyes turned toward Cloud. Frightened concern was etched on his friend's pale face, and blood ran down his arms as he leaned over Zack, soft spikes and eyes of

vibrant blue obscuring part of the sky.

He's- Alive.

Zack let out a light pained sigh, his breath bated as he shifted, his eyes flicking towards Cloud, their distant gaze focusing unsteadily.

"For the- both of us."

He said quietly, through barely parted lips.

Cloud hesitated, the sound of the rain in the background.

"Both-of us?" he stated hesitantly, like a child learning to speak.

Zack gave the slightest nod, his eyes never leaving Cloud's.

"That's right. You're gonna..." Zack paused for a minute, his eyes beginning to drift.

"You're gonna..." Cloud repeated gently-

Zack forced his eyes to stay open. Lifting his arm he placed it around the back of Cloud's neck. Cloud let his head sink to Zack's stomach under his arm's weight, and felt warm blood soak

the side of his face and spikes.

"Live."

Cloud let out a shuddering breath, tears stinging his eyes as Zack's hand shifted, a gentle but comforting gesture.

Cloud closed his eyes, feeling Zack's chest fight for breath.

"You'll be-" he paused, his voice unfaltering. "My living legacy." He said, his arm dropping limply to the ground beside him.

Cloud waited for a minute, his head raising slowly, revealing a bloody face.

He watched Zack's face for a moment, their mako infused eyes locking.

Zack broke their gaze, looking down his other arm towards the relic that he still clutched, his fingers wrapped loosely around the bloodstained hilt, the thick blade lying in a pool of

crimson.

"My honour, my dreams-" he said, carefully dragging the sword eyelevel with Cloud. He held up the hilt. "They're yours now."

He said, slightly stronger.

Cloud hesitated, taking the hilt carefully, as if fearing it would break.

Zack let go, gently pushing the hilt into his friend's hands. Cloud blinked, his eyes trailing from the blade, to Zack's eyes.

"I'm- you're living- legacy." He said, his voice wavering.

A smile curved onto Zack lips, and his eyes closed gently, blood trailing down his eyelids like tears of crimson.

Cloud stared disbelievingly at Zack's pale face.

His lips were curved into an innocent smile, his chest was unmoving.

His stomach sank, tears welling up in his pained blue eyes.

He let his head fall back, and screamed at the skies, tears spilling over onto his cheeks, running down his jaw, smearing the blood that was now cold against his skin.

We're friends right?

What're you gonna do when we reach Midgar?

I'll protect you- Cloud.

You okay?

Hey Cloud, be careful out there.

So, you want to be in SOLDIER? Hang in there.

Don't worry, you'll make it.

Don't hurt...Cloud

I'll never let the nightmares get you.

You'll be my living legacy. My Dreams. My honor. They're yours now.

He opened his eyes, watching as a single shaft of sunlight broke through the ashen skies, igniting the cliff-top in golden light.

His chest hurt from sobbing, his eyes still clouded in pain.

Unsure of how long he'd been kneeling there, Cloud slowly rose, using the Buster Sword for support and steadying himself.

He looked down at Zack's unmoving form, at the genuine smile that he'd left this world wearing, and found himself remembering words Zack had once told him.

Words he'd repeated after being told them himself by his mentor Angeal.

Embrace your dreams.

If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams.

"Thank you." He said, now raising his eyes to the single shaft of sunlight.

"I won't forget."

He felt a lump at the back of his throat, and closed his eyes momentarily.

Why is it so hard to say goodbye. He wondered, watching the clouds in attempt to calm his shaking body.

I don't have to- He thought, and his gaze returned to Zack.

He let a ghost of a smile form on his lips, before losing it among the sadness that had welled in his chest. He bit his lip, holding back the pain that threatened to overwhelm him.

"Goodnight."

He turned away, looking towards the shape of Midgar in the distance, silhouetted against the orange glow of the setting sun.

"Zack."

I hate writing death scenes :( Rest in peace Zack. This is not the last chapter, so keep an eye open for the next. I apologize for the length, and for the ending, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thankyou all,

Lucifer