The sound of clashing metal echoed throughout the Nibel Reactor as Cloud blocked Cyrus's first strike. Cyrus continued the attack with rapid thrusts and slashes, forcing Cloud to back out of the pod containment room onto the entry catwalk.

Cloud countered with a series of blows, all which Cyrus either dodged or blocked with the shaft of his scythe. Cyrus shrugged off Cloud's last blow and immediately went back on the offensive, repeatedly slashing with his blade as Cloud used his sword for blocking.

Until today, Cloud had never fought someone who wielded a scythe. Based on his first exchange with Cyrus, however, he was able to determine the majority of what Cyrus's main strategy was. He used both hands to slash with the blade in large yet quick arcs, and every time Cloud block him, Cyrus would run the shaft across the blade of Cloud's sword in an attempt to drive his scythe's edge into Cloud. Such quick responses forced Cloud to be constantly on his guard, and the few times he was able to get any offense in Cyrus were all for naught, as the Repentant was as quick at defending as he was at attacking. Cyrus's combat style reminding Cloud of a twisted dance of some sort, as the scythe seemingly became a part of Cyrus's body. Cyrus sent Cloud reeling back with a powerful blow that staggered the blond warrior. Cyrus smiled maliciously as he held his scythe behind his back as he said:

"What's wrong? Are you not the great hero of the Planet…the man who defeated the nightmare Sephiroth not once but twice? And yet you cannot even get past my guard? How pathetic!"

Cloud's rage overtook him as he ran as Cyrus, his sword high above his head. He jumped up and unleashed a Braver attack that would have cleaved Cyrus in two had the Repentant not raised his weapon and blocked the blow with his scythe's shaft.

"Or maybe…" Cyrus continued as he leaned in close while holding Cloud's fusion sword off, "…you've never fought anything like me before. True, you're a far better warrior than me, and if this were a test of one's own strength you would most certainly have killed me by now. Fortunately, that is not the case. The knowledge of the Cetra combined with the power of the materia fused in my body have made me stronger, faster, better than you. With the wisdom of the Planet flowing through my veins, I cannot be stopped!"

As Cyrus finished speaking, he pulled his scythe to the left and drew first blood as the blade dug into Cloud's right arm. Cyrus pulled back the scythe as the blade cut deeper. Cloud quickly backed up as the gash continued to bleed heavily. Cyrus smirked as he shook the blood off from Avalon's Key.

Cloud, in spite of the bleeding, took First Tsurugi in his right hand as he removed one of the smaller blades. He gripped both swords with a renewed determination as he ran towards Cyrus. The Repentant readied himself as First Tsurugi came in from the left. Cyrus blocked it with Avalon's Key as Cloud brought down his offhand sword on Cyrus's face. Cyrus backed off as the blade made a small cut across the bridge of his nose, ruining his glasses.

Cyrus shouldered his scythe as he went to wipe the blood from his face. Cloud took the initiative and went in for the kill. Cyrus immediately countered with a powerful Flare spell which knocked the blonde warrior down onto the catwalk before he ever got a chance to get close. Cyrus finished wiping the blood away from his eyes as he glared at Cloud with his hazel eyes. Somehow, without his glasses, Cyrus's stare almost seemed to pierce the warrior's soul and freeze Cloud's blood in his veins. It was like he was looking up at the demon disguised as the Repentant for the first time.

Then, Cyrus smiled his wicked grin as he took his scythe and drove its blade into the catwalk. In one move, he managed to slice cleanly through the steel supports, causing the section Cloud was laying on to plummet towards the Lifestream below. As Cloud fell, Cyrus pursued him as he continued his assault. Cloud did his best to block Cyrus's slashes with both First Tsurugi and his secondary sword as he and the Repentant continued falling.

Finally, their descent was halted as both Cloud and Cyrus landed on a platform that stood a couple of meters above the pool of Lifestream. The Shinra Electric Power Company used this lower platform to monitor the Mako levels and ensure that the reactor was utilizing the Mako at peak efficiency. The platform was semi-circular in shape and was as wide as the reactor's diameter. Cloud and Cyrus both got to their feet at the same time as Cloud added his offhand sword to First Tsurugi and grabbed the fusion sword with both hands.

"If I can't out-slash him, I'll out-muscle him," Cloud thought as Cyrus steadied Avalon's Key and ran toward him, looking like he was preparing another flurry of slashes. Cloud dropped to his defensive stance as Cyrus did something completely unexpected: the Repentant slammed the tip of his scythe into the ground and used his weapon to pole vault over Cloud. Cyrus twisted in the air as he landed behind Cloud and brought his blade down across the warrior's back.

Cloud wasn't fast enough to stop Cyrus as Avalon's Key dug into skin and muscles. Cloud felt the pain as the blade shredded his back from top to bottom. The blonde warrior leapt away as he felt his strength being sapped away like the blood seeping from his arm and back. He struggled to stand back up and hold his sword as Cyrus mockingly tapped the shaft of his scythe on his left shoulder.

"So, do you still think I can't fight?" Cyrus condescendingly asked. "I've had many years to learn many things, and I knew that when I started this quest and formed the Repentant that people like you would come and hunt me down. So, in addition to my research into the Cetra, I learned the art of combat and forged Avalon's Key. Personally I despise fighting like this…but don't think for one second that my dislike of combat means I won't strike anyone down who stands in the way of my penance!"

"Shut…up," Cloud weakly said as he continued to fight the fatigue and pain.

Cyrus laughed as he sat his scythe's end down on the floor, blade pointing left. "You repulsive little bug. You are nothing more than the manifestation of humanity's sin…a freak of science created by one mad scientist's hubris and arrogance. All you are…all you will ever be is the broken legacy of the SOLDIER you once admired."

"SHUT UP!" Cloud screamed as he unleashed an overpowered Blade Beam. Cyrus had no time to dodge or block as the energy blade hit him and sent him rocketing into the reactor's wall. The Blade Beam dissipated as Cyrus slumped to his hands and knees, his chest still smoldering from where Cloud's attack had impacted. Cyrus was breathing heavily; but as he stood to face his adversary, Cloud was shocked to see that Cyrus suffered nothing more than a light slash across his torso. Cyrus's mocking attitude was replaced by one of rage as he picked up his weapon and rushed over with the primal lust to kill.

Cyrus furiously struck at Cloud with blows and slashes from his scythe. It took everything Cloud had to block Cyrus's assault with his fusion sword, but Cloud was beginning to feel his strength and stamina give in as Cyrus started to find holes in his defense.

A series of smaller slashes on his arms and legs later, Cloud knew he had reached his limit. Cyrus was different from every other opponent he had ever faced. While Sephiroth relied on his natural talents plus the added strength of his "mother" Jenova, Cyrus's inhuman power came from the Planet itself. During his fights with Sephiroth, Cloud had received help from the Lifestream and specifically Aeris…but now, neither was there to lend him strength.

Cloud's thoughts were shattered as Cyrus landed a blow with his scythe's shaft upside Cloud's head. The force disoriented the blonde warrior as Cyrus took advantage…by driving Avalon's Key deep into Cloud's lower torso. The blade cut clean through as Cloud felt the blood fill his lungs and flow from his stomach. Cyrus smiled as he swung his scythe and the body attached to it 180 degrees to the right. Cloud separated from the scythe as he fell to the floor in a heap, his fingers still wrapped tightly around his sword.

Cyrus looked at the body of his opponent with disdain as he shouldered Avalon's Key. He carefully pulled the Clear Materia out of his coat pocket as he declared, "You lose, Cloud Strife. I'd weep for you, but I have no tears to spare for traitors like you. I have a penance to serve, and forgiveness to achieve for myself and my Collective. If you are half as strong as humanity made you out to be, I dare you to stay alive long enough to watch me use this Clear Materia and usher in the end of the blight called humanity…"

Cyrus turned his back as he walked towards the edge of the platform. Cloud struggled to get up, but his body would not comply with his wishes. Cloud continued to cough up blood as his vision began to blur and darken.

"No…no! It can't end here. I can't die yet! I…I…"

Cloud's thoughts started to vanish as the darkness came to claim him. He was dying, and soon the rest of humanity would join him. He silently cursed himself and his weakness as the sight of Cyrus began to fade away. His spirit was about to sever its connection to its vessel…that is, until a feminine voice called out from the deepest recesses of Cloud's mind:

"Cloud? Wake up…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Notes:

Oh no! Cloud's dead! The Planet is DOOMED!

...or is it?

There's one final chapter...so stay tuned and find out!

FYI: I've recovered from the Santa Punch. Man, did it hurt like hell...

No reviews for the last chapter? That makes Cyrus Truth sad...please, please review The Exile's story. Pretty please?

Inner Voice: Cyrus, quit being such a sissy!

Me: Screw you, Voice!

Until next time,

"The Exile" Cyrus Truth