Intro; sorry for taking so long... I coulden't think how to start this one :(
Warnings; This chapter will contain rather grim and gory scenes. No to mention a dose of Vincent Valentine :P
Chapter 1; Awake in Hell
-a demon gate...
-the pale demon...
-black tendrils...
-darkness.
Sephiroth groaned as he slowly came to. He sat up, immediately regretting it as he felt a shooting pain on his back. His white wing was bleeding, badly and looked like it had been torn on something. His black one was bleeding but in a much better condition than the other,
"Damn..." He managed to stand up and fold his wings behind his back. Angels healed a lot faster and could heal worse injuries than humans but he knew that he wouldn't be able to fly for a while. He sighed and looked around. He seemed to be in a crater, about 30 feet deep. The ground around him was black and charred. The most noticeable thing though, was the sky, it was a fierce shade of red. The air was filled with the smell of acrid sulphur and the heat was intense. Sephiroth inwardly grimaced. He had been pulled into the depths of hell, where no creature had ever escaped without being corrupted and turned into a demon. 'No' he couldn't think about that now. A silver glint caught his eye. 'Masamune' He lifted his hand towards the blade and it disappeared in a flash of green flame only to reappear in his had instantly. 'Zack and Cloud fell with me. I must find them and get them home' he moved towards the edge of the crater and started to climb towards the top.
Cloud
Cloud woke with a start. He was in a cave covered by what looked like a red cape with all his injuries bandaged and treated,
"So your awake." Cloud felt himself shiver as he turned towards the source of the deep silky voice. A demon sat at the cave entrance with a neutral expression on his face. He had pale skin with crimson eyes. A red bandana, the same colour as the cape, stopped his long raven hair from falling into his face. He wore a black shirt and black pants that were old and torn in several places. A lot about him looked human but his demonic features stood out clearly. Both his hands to his elbows were black and both his nails on his hands and toenails were long and golden. He also had two demonic wings folded neatly behind his back. The hairs on Cloud's neck stood on end. He had heard the tales about fledglings being captured by demons and the demons consuming their souls.
"W...who are you, what do you want?" Cloud inwardly cursed himself for stuttering.
"Vincent Valentine. May I ask what your name is?" Cloud practically jaw dropped. He hadn't really expected an answer, never mind such a polite one.
"Cloud... Cloud Strife,"
"Hn..." Vincent then stood up. He was easily taller than Cloud, possibly as tall as Sephiroth. Cloud also noticed the incredibly intimidating gun strapped to Vincent's side. Vincent walked over to Cloud who crawled away from him as soon as he got close. Vincent put his hands up defensively "I'm not going to hurt you." Cloud paused for a moment. The guy had an honest enough face but he couldn't ignore that aura of power emitting from him. This was one guy who he didn't want to get in a fight with. Vincent gently lifted Cloud's bandaged arm and started to change the bandages. Cloud couldn't help but notice how soft the man's hands were. At first sight they looked like they would be rough but they felt more like snake skin.
"Your injuries seem to have healed. You should be able to move safely now," Cloud nodded.
"Thanks... and I'm sorry for how I reacted before,"
"Don't worry about it," Vincent lowered his gaze for a moment before taking the cloak that covered Cloud and standing.
"Come on," Cloud looked up confused. "The others," Cloud thought for a moment before realising what he meant 'Sephiroth and Zack'. He stood as Vincent folded his wings behind his back and putting the cloak on over them, hiding them perfectly. He then started to walk at a brisk pace out of the cave. Cloud had to run to catch up to him. He looked up towards the red sky and gulped. Had he really been pulled into the Hell Gate? He shook his head now wasn't the time to panic. He had to get to Zack and Sephiroth. They would know what to do... if they were still alive. After a while of walking across rock, uneven terrain. Cloud started to get impatient. He was worried about the others. And they didn't seem to be getting any were.
"Wouldn't it be quicker to fly?"
"This is Bahamut's territory. He commands that no-one is to fly here or their life is forfeit. He has few rules but the ones he has he enforces."
"Bahamut! As in, Bahamut the dragon lord?" Vincent nods in response and Cloud gulps. "So this really is hell..." Cloud looked ahead. They were heading towards a strange forest with trees as black as ebony without leaves. It was intimidating but at least the terrain looked a lot smother ahead. Suddenly Vincent freezes. "What?" Vincent doesn't reply he just turns to look towards the forest. For a moment nothing happens but as cloud was about to ask again he heard a woman scream. Vincent immediately grabs him and pulls him behind a rock pulling him close. "Wha...MPH!" The demon throws his hand over the angel's mouth.
"Crimson hounds!" Vincent hissed in Clouds ear. Cloud turned to look round to rock just in time to see a woman run out of the forest wearing rags and blood pouring from her arm followed closely by nine crimson hounds. Clouds eyes went wide and he started to struggle in Vincent's arms. "You can't help her!" The woman tried in vain to run away from the demons who seemed to only be toying with her. Finally one took a swing at her, tearing her stomach. Another knocked her over and started tearing flesh from the wound. Cloud went pale. Not because of the blood. Not because the creature was eating her. Not even because the demon pulled her intestines out. What really sickened him was while all this was happening the woman was still alive and, judging from her screams, could feel everything. The hounds swarmed the woman and Vincent used the distraction to pull Cloud out of their hiding place and sneak towards the forest.
For a while the two walked in silence. The colour was yet to return to cloud face and he could not get that scene out of his mind. "Why...?" Vincent paused to look at Cloud who had stopped walking. "Why... Why didn't we save her..."
"Cloud..."
"WHY DIDN'T WE SAVE HER!" Cloud screamed, facing Vincent. Vincent lowered his gaze. How could he explain to one who was permitted the perfect existence?
"That is their fate here..."
"Their fate? THEIR FATE!" Vincent cringed. All the noise that Cloud was making would be sure to attracted unwanted attention.
"Humans are punished here for the crimes that they commit in life. They suffer unbearable pain, face torture that would scar most for life and should they die, they are simply reborn again to suffer the same fate over and over again," Cloud puts his head in his hands.
"No crime could be worth that..." Cloud felt close to tears. What made it worse was how casually Vincent said it. Is that how common that kind of fate is here?
"Maybe... however, that woman may have been a child killer, an arsonist, or a masked murder," Vincent turned away from Cloud. "No one is here unless they deserve it..." Cloud could hear the bitterness in Vincent's voice but before he could comment on it Vincent spoke again. "Come, we are near one of the craters," Vincent started walking again and Cloud had to run to catch up to him,
"Crater... wait... you found me in a crater?"
"Yes." Cloud sweat dropped.
"Care to elaborate,"
"Another time. I smell demon blood." Vincent suddenly broke into a run drawing his gun. Cloud ran after him and it wasn't long before he heard the sounds of combat. He saw Vincent stop at the edge of a drop and guessed that must be the crater. When Cloud reached the edge the site he saw made his eyes go wide,
"Zack!" Zack was in the middle of the crater fighting three massive behemoths.
"I'm happy to see ya Cloud but I'm a little busy at the moment!" Zack jumped back as the behemoth took a swing at him. Instinctively, Cloud reached behind his back to grab First Tsurugi. When he grasped nothing but air he remembered that he didn't have it and looked toward Vincent. Vincent caught Clouds gaze and looked around for something to help the angel in the crater. He spotted two large boulders at the edge and pointed to them. Cloud turned to the boulders and realised the plan.
"Zack, when I shout you, jump!"
"What are you...?"
"JUST DO IT!" Cloud and Vincent ran towards the boulders pushing at the larger one. As it started to move towards the behemoths Cloud shouted "Now!" Zack Flew into the air just in time as the bolder hit two of the behemoths, crushing them. The third leaped into the air swiping at Zack, Just as Cloud and Vincent dislodged the second one. The bolder hit the demon as it was in the air, sending it crashing into the side of the crater. Cloud sighed as Zack landed at the next to his friend. "You ok Zack?" Zack grinned, ruffling Cloud hair.
"Thanks to you, quick thinking with the boulders,"
"That was Vincent's idea," Cloud said gesturing towards Vincent. As Zack's eyes fell on Vincent his smile immediately faded and he stood in front of Cloud, stretching his wings out to create a wall between Cloud and Vincent. "Zack what are you doing?" Cloud said behind Zack.
"He's a demon," Zack said while holding his Buster Sword out in front of him. Vincent's expression didn't change even with the giant sword inches away from his face.
"Yeh, a demon who just saved your life. Not to mention saving mine."
"That he did" the three all turned toward the new voice.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud said smiling. Vincent raised an eyebrow 'the Sephiroth... that would explain it...' Sephiroth walked to stand next to Zack.
"But one must wonder..." Masamune appeared in his hand, pointing at Vincent's throat. "...why would an Arch fiend help one of us?" Cloud and Zack's eyes both shot open and stared from Sephiroth to Vincent.
"Vincent is... AN ARCH FIEND!" Cloud shouted.
TBC
Whats and arch fiend? What dose Vincent know about Sephiroth? WHEN WILL I GET MY COOKIES? All these question will be answered in the next chapter... I think...
What do ya think of Vincent's demon look? he not wearing any shoes w
Vincent; -_- I hate you.
Me; I know.
Review responses;
Lilice-san; Thanks :P I know what you mean about Jenova... she just screams EVIL WITCH. But don't worry. The mighty bishis will kick her but XD cookies for you *throws cookies*
Amon2; Thank for the review. I hope you like how I added vinny and you get cookies *throws the cookies*
Cherry Maiden; you get cookies anyway *throws the cookies* thanks! I'll try not to disappoint ;D
No cookies left for me -_-