"Cloud, wake up!"

Cloud opened his eyes. Instead of lying in a pool of his own blood at the bottom of the Nibel Reactor, he found himself lying on a bed of yellow and white flowers, surrounded by a white light. Cloud's hand went to where Cyrus's blade had skewered him only to find that the wound was closed and the pain was gone. He tried to get back on his feet only to be stopped by a slender arm softly pushing him back down.

Cloud looked to see who the arm belonged to…a smiling, beautiful woman with honey-brown hair and green eyes. She wore her hair in a ponytail tied with a ribbon, and her dress was a matching color of pink. When she spoke, her voice was gentle and calming. "Aeris…"

"The one and only," Aeris sweetly replied as she continued kneeling at the blonde warrior's side. "But, I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Am I…dead?" Cloud asked timidly.

"Not quite!" a lively, boisterous voice exclaimed as a tall figure in a standard-issue black First Class SOLDIER uniform emerged from the distance. He was as tall as Cloud and had almost the exact same build. The only thing that stood in direct contrast between Cloud and this man was the huge spiky mess of black hair on that man's head. He knelt down beside Aeris and draped his right arm across the girl's shoulders as he flashed a big, toothy grin.

"Zack…" Cloud murmured as he once again tried to sit up. Zack responded by shoving him back down and saying, "Whoa, whoa! Take it easy, Cloud! You have to rest a little bit. Can't be saving the Planet at 50%, now can you?"

Cloud relented as he meekly asked, "Where am I? The Lifestream?"

Aeris shook her head. "Not exactly. Think of this place as your subconscious, and us as memories. We saw you were having a tough time and decided to lend you a hand."

"Yep! It's one of the benefits of being in love with a Cetra!" Zack declared as Aeris gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "All right, all right, I'll get serious."

"You two haven't changed a bit," Cloud remarked with a small smile. The smile was brief, but it was there long enough for Aeris to notice.

"Is that a smile? From Cloud? It seems you're the one who's changed. For the better, if you ask me."

"Gotta agree with the lady, Choco-head," Zack affirmed. "We were worried about you for a while, but we've seen how far you've come over the past couple of years. It's nice to know you've started to forgive yourself."

"Yeah…" Cloud quietly said as he turned his gaze upward. After a few seconds, he said, "Aeris? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course! What's on your mind?"

"What Cyrus is trying to do…he claims it's the will of the Planet. Is…is he right? Does the Planet really want Cyrus to succeed?"

Aeris pondered that question before answering, "To be honest, I don't know. I know there are some spirits in the Lifestream wishing for Cyrus's success, but I know Zack and I don't want that at all. Why? Are you losing your will to fight?"

Cloud shook his head, "It's just that…I want to do the right thing. And while Cyrus is insane, he does make one very good point: we humans are selfish. I claim to fight for the Planet, but that's not it at all…"

"Oh yeah? Then why do you fight, kid?" Zack inquired.

"…I fight to protect. Yeah, I fight to protect those closest to me. Up until now, fighting to protect meant saving the Planet, but Cyrus is different. His plans won't hurt the Planet, but will hurt those I want to protect. My friends, Denzel, Marlene…"

"Tifa?" Aeris asked.

Cloud nodded. "I was afraid of telling her how I really feel, but…I love her. And, I think I always have. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her because I…well, I never thought I deserved her. But even if she doesn't feel the same way I do, I want to protect her. I want to keep the promise I made all those years ago at the well."

Aeris giggled. "Well then, isn't that reason enough to fight?"

Cloud was a bit surprised at Aeris's response, but he finally understood what she was trying to tell him. "Yeah, it is. Thanks for helping me see that."

"No problem," Aeris said with a smile as she and Zack stood up and started heading off into the light. Aeris turned around and continued, "Oh, and Cloud? When you see Tifa again, tell her what you told us. I bet she really would like to hear it?"

"Yeah!" Zack added. "It's time to stop being so afraid of your feelings, pal. Just suck it up and sweep that pretty lady off her feet! You've got your forgiveness, now it's time to be happy! You hearin' me?"

Cloud closed his eyes and smiled as he gave his two friends a thumbs-up. Both Aeris and Zack nodded as they disappeared into the light, hand in hand. Cloud felt the ground beneath him dissolve as he started to gently fall out of his subconscious and back into reality.

"Thank you Aeris. Thank you Zack," Cloud whispered as he shifted his focus on the task at hand…stopping Cyrus Thresher…

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cyrus sat cross-legged at the edge of the platform, a meditative stance that Nimuria had taught him years ago. His scythe was to his left as he held the Clear Materia in both hands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he began reciting the Cetra Prayer of Life. The ancient words flowed from him as he felt a sharp pang in the pit of his stomach. Cyrus ignored the discomfort as he continued reciting the prayer, hoping with all his soul to reach the Planet and gain the energy needed to make the Clear Materia glow.

Once he finished his prayer, Cyrus opened his eyes and looked down at the Lifestream. A few seconds later, Cyrus had his response as tendrils of energy arose of the Lifestream and rested above where he was sitting.

"Yes…yes! The Planet has heard my prayer! Holy Lifestream…lifeblood of the Planet, grant me the strength to use your gift and bring about the new age!" Cyrus pleaded as he held his hands up as if to receive the energy in an embrace.

To Cyrus's horror, however, the spirit energy did not give in to Cyrus and his prayer. Instead, the energy bypassed him and began to enter the body of Cloud. Cyrus angrily pocketed the Clear Materia, grabbed his scythe, and stood up as the Lifestream began to fuse itself with the fallen warrior. Cloud's wounds, even the killing blow in his stomach, began to close and seal themselves as Cloud gingerly made his way to his feet, his sword grasped firmly in his right hand.

"What is this? What sort of trickery is this?!" Cyrus demanded as he stood ready to fight.

"No tricks, no deception. The Planet has chosen," Cloud answered as his voice started to echo. The energy surrounding Cloud began to pulse and vibrate as Cyrus stood by.

"LIES!" Cyrus hissed as he rushed over to Cloud and brought Avalon's Key down on the warrior. The spirit energy stopped Cyrus from drawing blood as it sent the Repentant flying back towards the end of the platform. Cyrus staggered back to his feet as Cloud took his sword in both hands and started to speak.

"I spoke with Aeris, Cyrus. She helped me realize what was worth fighting for."

"And what might that be, traitor?" Cyrus angrily inquired.

"To fight for friendship…to fight for love. To give your heart and soul into protecting something precious…that's what it means to be human. That's how we learn…how we can atone for the mistakes our brethren committed. You fight for your own self-satisfaction, and because of that, you'll never achieve forgiveness."

Cyrus was seething to the point of convulsing as he furiously replied, "NONSENSE! I have the means to atone, and I will have the power! The Planet will be saved, and humanity will be washed away in the storm! I will be FORGIVEN!!!"

Cloud sighed as he stood his head. "I'm ending this now. Omnislash…"

The swords that made up Cloud's fusion sword began to glow and separate from First Tsurugi. The blades formed a circle around Cyrus as he stood in shock at what was transpiring.

Then, in an instant, Cyrus felt the full force of First Tsurugi slashing up on him. The blade not only cut Cyrus deeply, but also sent him flying up as the halo of swords followed him. Cloud pursued him and continued his assault, using each blade to deliver a series of powerful cuts and blows. To Cyrus, it seemed as if with every new blade Cloud used he left a copy of himself in the same blue-green energy he was surrounded in. Each slash sent Cyrus rocketing higher and higher as the wounds kept piling on and on until the Repentant and Cloud were back up at ground level, right above the ruined catwalk from earlier. Then, Cyrus looked up in fear as the blonde warrior held First Tsurugi and descended upon him with a thunderous slash. Cyrus felt as if a behemoth had driven its horns clear through as his body violently crashed onto the steel floor below him. The images of Cloud vanished as the ring of swords returned to First Tsurugi, reassembling the fusion sword once again.

Cloud landed gently onto the catwalk as he sheathed his sword. Cyrus, who had suffered gashes and contusions too numerous to count, somehow gathered the strength to drive the tip of Avalon's Key onto the floor and use the scythe to pull himself to his feet.

Blood was flooding out the Repentant's wounds as he said in between gasping for air, "This…isn't…over. I will…not…be killed…until…my penance is complete."

"Cyrus…Master Cyrus…it's okay."

Both Cloud and Cyrus heard an otherworldly voice as a figure appeared before the dying Repentant. To Cyrus's surprise, it was the spirit of Nimuria, who stood before him with her arm outstretched. For the first time, Nimuria was smiling.

"Master, it's time. The Planet is calling you…it's calling you home."

"I…can't," Cyrus protested. "Not until I've…been forgiven."

"You already have been," Nimuria softly replied. "The Planet wants you to rejoin the Lifestream. You have fought hard, and the Planet wishes for you to finally rest. Let's go…together."

Cyrus hung his head low as he smiled. "Yes, let's go. I will…see you soon…my angel."

The spirit of Nimuria vanished as Cyrus fumbled through his pockets before producing the Clear Materia. He motioned for Cloud to come closer as he coughed up blood. He whispered, "I don't think I will be needing this anymore, Strife. I'm…leaving…to return to the Planet. Do what you will…and may the will of the Planet…be done…"

Cyrus released his grip on his scythe as his body, now devoid of its spirit, fell to the steel floor without so much as a thud. Cyrus Thresher, the Prophet of the Repentant, had returned to the Lifestream. Cloud took the Clear Materia and, after staring at it for a few seconds, hurled the orb down the reactor into the Lifestream below.

"Take care of that for me, Aeris," Cloud whispered as he stepped over the body of his fallen foe and made his way out of the reactor.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cloud had barely taken two steps out of the reactor when a familiar voice shouted over the Mt. Nibel winds:

"Cloud!"

Cloud turned around to see Tifa limping towards him, her leg heavily bandaged. Despite his joy of seeing her alive, he was immediately overcome with concern. He ran over to her and embraced her while exclaiming, "Tifa! You're wounded!"

Tifa, surprised by the blonde warrior's overt concern, calmed him down by saying, "I'm fine…just a small knife wound. It's nothing serious. What about you? Is…is it over?"

Cloud nodded as he continued to hold onto Tifa. "Cyrus is dead. I think he made his peace in the end. The Clear Materia has returned to the Lifestream."

Tifa nodded and smiled. "Well, then I guess Aeris can take care of that materia from here on out. So, we saved the world again, didn't we?"

Cloud chuckled. "Yeah…we did. Listen, Tifa…"

"Cloud?" Tifa asked. "Why haven't you let me go yet?"

"Because…because I never want to let you go again."

Tifa's confusion was replaced by butterflies as Cloud pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was hot and moist as Cloud drank in the taste of Tifa's lips. After a few seconds, Cloud backed off as he explained:

"Tifa…I love you. I always loved you. I just never had the courage to tell you because I thought I was never worthy enough to have your love. But I…I just want to be with you and stand by your side for as long as I live. I just…"

Cloud was silenced as Tifa put her index finger to Cloud's lips. "Cloud, shut up."

Tifa immediately threw herself at Cloud as she grabbed the back of his head with her hand and kissed him again. All the pent-up passion, all the emotions that the two had for one another flooded through them as they continued to drink one another in. A few minutes passes as the two refused to let one another go until they had no choice but to release the kiss and catch their breath. Cloud looked into the eyes of Tifa as she met his gaze. The two smiled not as friends or comrades, but as lovers who had finally tore down the barriers around their hearts and saw one another for what seemed like the first time.

They smiled, wrapped in one another's arms as the sound of airship engines roared over the mountaintops. The Shera lowered itself until its outer deck was at eye level with the cliff that housed the reactor. There, standing on the deck, were all of their friends waving and hollering as they knew that Cloud had been triumphant…in more ways than one.

Cloud looked at his friends and back at Tifa as he felt happy for the first time in his life. The future, once bleak and full of despair, now seemed wide open and full of hope to the blonde-haired warrior. He looked at Tifa with love in his eyes as he whispered:

"Tifa…let's go home."

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Notes:

Wow...I actually finished this story? Really? Wow, kudos to me!

So that's "The Rise of the Repentant." Hope you all enjoyed it!

Special thanks to the following people who favorited my story and kept me motivated: Kairi-loves Sushi (AKA Kishi ;-P), MoriMemento, alwayskh, Command76, forevermare, and last but not least Lioneh! You guys are all freakin' awesome!

Well, before I get started on my next project, I'd like to see if any of my readers have any questions about this story, my thoughts or what I was thinking when I was writing, what my next project is going to be, or anything like that. If I get enough of the questions, I'll add an additional chapter with your questions and my answers titled "Truth Talk."

If you have a question, send me a Private Message. I look forward to hearing from you.

*Sigh* For a moment like this, I don't feel a Review Beg Joke is proper. So, I'll simply ask that you consider leaving a review and that you let me know if you enjoyed the story.

Until next time,

"The Exile" Cyrus Truth