A/N: This should have been up a few days ago. I was just being lazy. I have no excuse. -_-

...Yay for a long chapter!

Disclaimer: I didn't own Final Fantasy VII back when I started chapter one...I don't own it now.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kadaj found himself in a corridor. These walls were familiar to him, after all, he had been here many times, and he could never forget the sight of his many nightmares. The hall was endless, claustrophobic with how narrow it was.

But he was not afraid. Not this time.

He walked with uncertainty, but that was only because he didn't know what he would face. Sephiroth could be at the other end. Though he hated that thought, and though he loathed having him taunt him again, he knew he could not harm him. Not even in his dreams. His battle with him was over.

He felt a shiver down his spine, a gust of air rushing passed him. He followed its direction, but nothing had passed by, nothing stood behind him. It was only him and the walls. So he continued walking, running his fingers along the cold wall, letting his bare feet carry him across the cold floor.

"Kadaj," a voice spoke, lifting his spirits.

From the darkness at the end of the hall, came a little light. His mother walked out before him, a beacon in his nightmare, a tonic for his soul. He ran to meet her, overcome with joy, relieved beyond measure that she was there, that she was always with him. Her gentle smile was directed up at him, the love and affection clear in her eyes. He fell to his knees, drawing into her and her warm embrace.

They didn't speak to each other. She remained silent, allowing him to bask in the comfort, to forget his troubles. He held her for so long, it could have been hours...

"Why?" he asked in the end. He clutched her tightly, his fingers digging into her dress, "Why did you give me life?"

"Don't you know?" she asked.

"I thought I did. I thought..." He drew away from her, sitting back on his knees so that he could gaze up at her face. "Is what Genesis said true? Am I here to destroy Jenova?"

She reached for him, laying her fingers softly on his face. Her touch was warm, soothing. "Whatever purpose I created you for, Kadaj, the choice is yours. No one can decide for you, not even me."

"But I don't know what to do," he replied, "Tell me, and I will do whatever you want me to. What is my mother's will?"

Kadaj was suddenly bombarded by pain. A terrible noise, like the scraping of metal against metal, rang through the hall. He covered his ears in a vain attempt to block it out, his head vibrating painfully.

"Your mother's will is a lie," his voice echoed, resonating through his entire body, forcing itself into every inch of his being. "She did not give you life!"

"Mother!" he cried.

"I gave you life!" Sephiroth continued, "You were born into this world because I willed it. You are mine!"

"He cannot control you, Kadaj!" Aeris reminded him.

"I'm not yours!" he yelled at Sephiroth. The intensity of the noise grew, the pain running from his head all the way down his shoulders. He felt things pulling at him, voices from the distance screaming his name.

"You will do my will, Kadaj, or the world will suffer. I will take those you love from you. I will make you suffer!"

"No!"

Kadaj flung himself upright, his terrified screams filling the room. He pulled himself from the bed, from beneath the stifling covers, and fell to the floor. He hit with a heavy thud, scurrying away in a disoriented, terrified mess. Breathing heavily, he looked around the room, reminding himself of where he was.

They were still in Healin. Everything was entirely still, entirely quiet. Nothing was amiss. It was just his dream.

For a long while, he remained perfectly still, afraid to move. He lifted his shaking hands, wiping them down his face, wiping away his tears. He let out a long breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He eventually willed himself to move, and pushed himself up from the floor, slowly staggering to the nearby table. He leaned against it, staring down at its blank surface, at his katana set on top of it.

"It was just a dream, dreams can't harm you," he told himself in a whisper, closing his eyes as a fresh stream of tears ran down his face.

The noises still echoed through his mind, haunting him now. A ripple ran through the air, shifting it. Slowly, Kadaj turned around, looking at the floor beside his bed in horror. From the tiles, black smoke rose, filling the air and congealing. He gasped in horror as the creature took form before him, its shrill shrieks echoing around him. He grabbed his sword within a blink of an eye, ripping the blade from its sheath and charging the creature without fear.

It howled at him mercilessly, but was given no time to attack before Kadaj drove the sword through its head. It disintegrated as quickly as it had appeared, its body of smoke vanishing into thin air, leaving no trace it had ever been there.

Disturbed, Kadaj stumbled back, realization sinking in.

He wiped the tears from his face, his hand gripping his katana more firmly than before. He rushed out of the room.

Vincent stood before the tank, watching Weiss suspended within, floating ignorantly in the water. He had been standing here for a while, merely staring at him, reminding himself of the complications he was now faced with. The footsteps approaching his side reminded him he wasn't alone, and he turned to look down at Shelke. She shared his interest for staring at the tank, her usually impassive expression now showing she was troubled.

"What are you going to do with him?" Vincent asked Rufus, who stood at the far end of the room, currently discussing something with Tseng. The president disengaged from the Turk, making his way over to Vincent, standing a few meters from the tank.

"We're having Weiss transferred to the WRO," he answered, "I think we can both agree that they're more well equipped to handle this situation than I."

"We should kill him," Shelke interjected, "He shouldn't even be alive still."

Vincent agreed. There were some things that simply weren't worth the risk.

"I'll leave that choice to the commissioner," Rufus said.

"What about Genesis?" Vincent asked, finally turning to face the president.

"I'm sending him to Reeve as well," he answered, "The WRO has more personnel, and more resources at their disposal to keep him apprehended. Though we're not sure what his actual goals are, I don't think its worth taking any chances. The life of this planet has been threatened enough."

Vincent nodded, glad the man had sense enough to hand this over to someone else.

He turned away from the president, making his way toward the door. He had to gather the three brothers, to start their journey back home. He let them linger a few hours longer to let Kadaj get some sleep, but nighttime was approaching, and he thought it best if they got home as soon as possible. There was no need to prolong this unpleasant experience.

The door before him suddenly flung open, and he stepped back as Kadaj ran inside. He was breathing heavily, his eyes full of fear and panic, his sword in his left hand. He stopped just before Vincent, staring at him in silence.

"Kadaj? What's wrong?" he asked.

An alarm suddenly sounded, ringing throughout the lodge. Vincent and Shelke looked around in confusion, turning to Shinra for answers.

"Go see what's happening," the president instructed Tseng. The Turk nodded, then quickly left the room to fulfill his orders.

Kadaj suddenly took Vincent's arm, gripping him fiercely, grabbing his attention. "It's Sephiroth," he hissed.

"What? Sephiroth?" he asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

The boy opened his mouth to speak, but he never let the words out. He suddenly turned away, wincing in either frustration or pain.

"Kadaj!" he said, grabbing hold of him and making him face him, "What's happening?"

"It's not me. I swear, it's not me!" he said.

"What?" he demanded.

Tseng came running back into the room, the look on his face grave. "We're being attacked, sir. There are Shadow Creepers all over the grounds."

"What?" Rufus demanded in shock.

"They've already killed two of our men."

The president took a second, the information sinking in. He abruptly left room afterward, the Turk following immediately after him. Vincent, Shelke, and Kadaj were left in the room, the remnant still distraught.

"Shelke, go find Yazoo and Loz, make sure they're alright and bring them to me," Vincent ordered, "Kadaj, come with me."

"Where are you going?" Shelke inquired.

Vincent drew Cerberus from his belt, looking back at her briefly. "We need to help stop them."

It was chaos. Kadaj and Vincent stood at the entryway at the top of the stairs, staring at the ground below, at the Shadow Creepers that littered the cliffs. Their loud cries filled the air, accompanied by the noise of their carnage. There were several dozen of them, and more kept coming, emerging from the clumps of trees and all advancing on the lodge. Several of the Turks were out there, scattered among the creatures, trying their best to fend them off.

Kadaj was the first to move, while Vincent was still standing there in shock. He leapt over the railing of the stairs, soaring through the air and directly into the chaos. He landed on top of one of the creatures, driving it to the ground and finishing it off with a strike through the head. It disappeared beneath him, his feet falling to the ground. He didn't remain stationary. His katana pierced the creature to his right, stopping it just before it reached him, it's sharp claws looking to maim his body. He kicked back the one that was attacking from his left, sending it tumbling into the pile of the rest of them. They scrambled over one another, jaws flashing in unintelligent, animalistic anger.

Kadaj jumped into the pile after it, his sword swiping left and right, tearing them down one after another, sending them back to the tainted place they came from.

Vincent was soon beside him, firing Cerberus. Several Shadow Creepers disappeared among them, killed from Vincent's accurate shooting. Kadaj only glanced his direction briefly, before heading for the next group of creatures.

He jumped into the air, soaring over Reno, as the Turk fought ferociously. He landed a few meters before him, turning abruptly and swiping at the creatures that engaged him. They were felled with one strike, leaving the Turk standing there in surprise. Before he had a chance to say anything, Kadaj was on the move again, fervently fighting the creatures he had once understood, the creatures he had once summoned himself to wreak havoc on the world.

Yazoo sped through the lodge, ignoring Shelke calling after him and running far ahead. He could hear his brother's footsteps echoing behind his, telling of his urgency. The both of them knew what was happening, and how wrong it was. Even from this distance, he could hear the noise of the battle raging outside, and feel the power of the Shadow Creepers as they tore through Healin, looking for blood.

He had questions, but he knew he would not find answers. Not now at least. They had only one thing to focus on, and that was putting an end to this madness.

Yazoo came to an abrupt stop when a Shadow Creeper appeared before him, darting out from the turn in the hall. The creature ran at him, shrieking loudly. He smiled inwardly at the fact that he once controlled these things, and now they were trying to kill him.

He kicked it back the moment it was within reach, and Loz ran passed him in an instant, continuing his attack. He lifted his fists high, slamming them down on the creature, fracturing its spine. He grabbed it by its barbed tail, heaving it in the air and throwing it down the length of the hall, right passed Shelke, into another Shadow Creeper that had been chasing them from behind.

Shelke turned to face them, her sabres glowing along with her eyes. The creatures with the broken spine disintegrated into dust, as the other creature rose, charging at them again. She ran to meet it, slamming her right sabre into the side of its head. It fell against the wall, shrieking in pain. It cried out even louder as she drove her sabre into its abdomen, sending shocks through its body.

Yazoo finished it off with a well-aimed shot.

Another cry rang through the hall behind them, telling them there were more not far behind. Yazoo sighed in frustration, stepping around Shelke to face them, Loz standing at his size.

Two more creatures emerged, racing toward them, their claws digging into the floors. Yazoo fired, striking one creature in the neck, the other evading him. Loz ran to meet the injured one, driving his fists into it, warding it off with his strength. Shelke met the other, striking it left and right, destroying it in a matter of seconds. The aftermath of their presence filled the hall, leaving them all with a distinct feeling of dread.

They could hear more behind them, and more before them. All over the lodge, people were engaged, trying to fend them off. And worse yet, there was a reason they were here.

Yazoo continued his original route, going for the entrance, prepared to cut through whatever Shadow Creepers got in his way.

Kadaj watched the scene around him, taking it all in in shock. He had killed countless Shadow Creepers, he had watched them disintegrate beneath his blade. And yet there were just as many as before, if not more. They kept coming, dozens at a time.

The ground before the lodge was a mess, over turned with battle marks, stained with the blood of the Shinra personnel who had been injured. The battle filled the night with screams of creatures and men, the noise of gunfire, the sound of swords cutting the air. All around him was turmoil - Shadow Creepers jumping on the Turks, Turks ganging up on the creatures, blood being drawn from those who weren't so lucky.

"End this."

He gripped his katana more firmly, crying out loudly as he struck to his right, severing a creature's head from its body. He moved again, ignoring the hopelessness of the situation, intent only on killing these things. He ran through them, striking left and right, killing them off one after another.

He spotted Vincent nearby, slashing a creature with his claws, finishing it off with Cerberus. His red cloak stood out among the darkness, whipping behind him from his quick movements. Not far from him stood Cloud, the blonde wielding his sword expertly, killing creature after creature. There were several people fighting, each one of them fighting with a power a mere Shadow Creeper could never counter. Yet Kadaj wondered if it would be enough.

He was aware of his brothers entering the battle, but he could take no time to find them. He was forced to defend himself as a group of creatures jumped on him. He was knocked onto his back, a Shadow Creeper on top of him. Before it could sink its teeth into him, he kicked it off, propelling it far behind him. The other creature which tried to get on top of him was cut down, and he kicked another in the face.

He threw himself back to his feet, jabbing his blade back and through the face of another. A familiar shuriken zipped through the air just before his face, cutting down half a dozen of the enemy during one revolution. It spun back around to its owner, and Yuffie grabbed the weapon amidst her run. She sped passed the remnant, flinging the weapon again and continuing onward.

He heard the dying scream of one of the Turks, the noise haunting. He tried in vain to block it from his mind, as he continued to fight.

"End this."

A creature leapt at him from behind, and he spun to face it. But he wasn't fast enough, and it reached him before he could repel it. He cried out in pain as the claws sank into his shoulder, drawing blood. In an instant, Loz was before him, grabbing the creature by the head and yanking it off his brother. He broke its body on the ground, making sure it disappeared, before fighting off another.

Kadaj grabbed his bleeding wound, trying in vain to keep the blood inside. He struggled against the pain, breathing heavily, his body wracked with shivers. He closed his eyes, hearing nothing by the screaming thoughts of the creatures for that moment.

Burying his pain, he grabbed his sword again, charging next to his brother and continuing the fight. He let his pain and his anger fuel him, let all his stress out through the killing.

Yuffie's cries filled Healin, laced with pain. He spotted the young ninja on the ground, a Shadow Creeper on her, its teeth in her shoulder, is claws in her side. Vincent's voice was full of fear as he called her name, tearing through all the creatures in a desperate attempt to get to her. Reno was at her side sooner, slamming his rod into the thing's head, dislodging it from her body.

Vincent reached her a second later, lifting her from the ground, draping her wounded body over his shoulder.

Pain blocked Kadaj's vision. For a moment, the entire world went white, and all he was aware of was a searing pain in his back. He fell to his knees, the world coming back to him in an instant. He drove his sword behind him, through the creature at his back. He felt it vanish, but the wounds it inflicted remained. He let out a shuddering breath, gathered all his strength, then rose again.

He was back on his hands and knees a second later, the pain too much. He felt his blood dripping from the claw marks, soaking his torn shirt, running down his sides. He lifted his head, looking through his tears at the scene around him. He watched the creatures appear from within the ground, emerging with the insatiable urge to kill, jumping on the person nearest to them.

He had lost sight of his brothers among the chaos. Vincent was before him, fighting desperately, protecting Yuffie on his back. He watched in horror as a Shadow Creeper leapt at him, catching his arm between its teeth. It bit into his flesh, paining Vincent though he didn't scream. Cloud was by his side soon enough, slicing the creature in half. Vincent staggered, the weight of Yuffie and the pain in his arm too much.

"End this."

Kadaj screwed his eyes shut, clenching his jaw. "I will end this," he hissed. Using whatever strength he had left, he pushed himself to his feet, ignoring his pain and his loss of blood. He cut down only the creatures that stood in his way, as he trudged back to the lodge.

A/N: I'll admit...that action sequence was kinda painful to write. :/ Hopefully I did okay though. Heh heh heh...

One more chapter left! I know I only said there'd be two back when...whenever I said it, but I changed somethings. So last one will be up sometime next week. I won't be lazy this time, I promise. XD

Please review. XD