The World That Never Will Be Chapter 11
by the infamous and notorious tocasia
11/21/2018
CHAPTER 11
No, no, no. He wasn't alone, not really. Well, physically in this spot, but Cloud had friends; he had light around him, even if he had darkness inside ...and didn't deserve friends, because he was always pushing them away.
He'd really screwed up, letting it get so bad. The darkness was trying to eat him alive. A telltale throbbing pressure blistered in his back and shoulder.
Instead of doing something smart, like talking to Tifa, or Aeris, or even Winnie the Pooh...
...he'd thought about Sephiroth. He'd called to Sephiroth...
So stupid.
A mistake, it was a mistake! He hadn't meant to!
And now Sephiroth was in his head and the pain...!
The wing erupted, and Cloud focused on not screaming. His fault, all his fault.
He was a traitor to his friends' light. The weak point that let the nightmare in.
At least, if he stayed put, the inevitable battle wouldn't destroy Aeris's restoration work in the town. If he was successful, no one else would get hurt. If he wasn't...
Over there, the air shimmered and pulsed and darkened, sunlight repelled from widening edges.
Sephiroth stepped from the portal, carrying something. Carrying his coat? ...carrying someone.
Cloud waited for him to drop the bundled body, and wondered which of his friends it was. Whose dead face would he see this time? Cid? Tifa? Leon? ...smaller. Not Yuffie, too!
But Sephiroth set the (alive?) person down and actually steadied them so they wouldn't fall! And the first words from his nemesis's mouth were encouraging ones?
"We've made it. Are you alright?"
"Yes. I think so," said the young woman, blinking fervently. Eyes the same color as Cloud's; her blue hair was styled in a similarly sensible cut. Sephiroth's overlarge coat obscured her clothes. Maybe blue fabric near the hips? and silver boots? With spurs? Hard to tell.
Sephiroth smiled... smirked, grinned, whatever. Never pleasant. "Hello, Cloud."
"Is that your enemy?" the young woman asked Sephiroth.
"Yes."
A flash of white light and a keyblade appeared in her hand!
This was bad.
Cloud stumbled to his feet, sword ready, cringing at the movement of the wing that balanced it.
Under a discontinuous sky, Aqua's eyes stung. As vertigo lapsed, she beheld deep navy boulders, the bottom of a gorge; dry ocean-rocks, igneous rough and weathered sharp. Was it the shadow of the canyon that kept them dark and cool, or something more sinister? Wide, open space. Acclimated to treacherous landscapes, she didn't relax.
But this was the Realm of Light, wasn't it? She tasted real air, the horizon didn't bleed...
Sephiroth helped her up.
The man (Cloud?) hefting the huge broad-bladed sword (it was wrapped partially in bandages; that was odd) abandoned his seat on a rock, looking completely dejected. He massaged his shoulder, incidentally ruffling spiky blond hair, and grimaced at the spasms of an unfeathered wing as demonic as Sephiroth's was angelic. He wore black too, and had glowing eyes too, but they were blue, a bright cerulean that made her irrationally jealous. He was... pretty.
The comparatively blinding nature of this purer place made it difficult, but...
She saw a heart conflicted by light and darkness; the darkness was winning. It was an ugly thing, wild, destructive, untamed. Uncontrolled, desperate, afraid.
Aqua might've felt sorry for him, if she hadn't known he was the enemy.
He stalked forward; her last obstacle to weary freedom's jubilation...
Cloud addressed Sephiroth with hatred beyond anything Aqua had ever seen. "You! Why do you always show up when things are already awful? Why can't you just stay in the darkness where you belong?!"
"I think you know the answer to that."
"Why are you here?" Cloud practically spat.
Sephiroth gestured to heighten the drama he so obviously relished, "You tell me. You summoned me." Entirely too smug for honest concern, "What horrible mishap must have befallen you, that you dedicate your prayers to your sovereign incarnation of despair?"
"I don't want to tell you!"
"How disappointing. You always were a disappointment, Cloud."
Why wasn't Sephiroth taking this seriously? He'd described his enemy as dangerous, and nothing Aqua could sense contradicted his warning! What if Sephiroth lost?
Then she wouldn't lose! She adjusted her grip on Master's Defender. You can do this, Aqua.
Cloud jabbed a finger at her rudely. "Who is that?"
"I like to think of her as a friend."
"Who is she, Sephiroth?! Did you enslave her too? Let her go!"
What? No! Sephiroth had saved her! Xehanort was the one who...
"You can't protect her from me, Cloud. Not only are you incapable of it, but you are unnecessary."
"Shut up! She doesn't need any more of your lies!" To Aqua, he yelled, "You can fight him! I know you can! I see your light!"
She would've scoffed at his divisive tactics, but Sephiroth was faster.
"Don't worry Cloud. I won't let you die."
Sephiroth would show mercy to a hated enemy? His sneer didn't quite look like mercy, but... Aqua smiled with righteousness confirmed. If she had the choice, she'd aim for her attacks to subdue.
But... hadn't Cloud killed Zack? He might not deserve forgiveness!
"I can't let you live, Sephiroth!"
Sephiroth raised his sword in a neutral, defensive position, finally acknowledging the certainty of combat.
"Oh? Perhaps this time you're strong enough to make it stick? But I doubt it."
Cloud charged.
Aqua blocked, and gasped as pain shot up her arm. Cloud's forceful strike nearly tore Master's Defender from her hand!
"Why do you defend him?" Cloud snarled in her face.
She strained to hold her ground. "We're friends! He helped me in the darkness!"
"Sephiroth doesn't have friends! He's manipulating you, you should get away from him, he's..."
"That's enough, Cloud."
Sephiroth's violent rebuke sent Cloud flying, and he chased; relentless pursuit demanding Cloud's full attention, maneuvering him away from her in a deafening sequence of collisions. An edict allowing no reprieve.
With her gifted moment, Aqua... sank to her knees, disoriented, reeling with mental queasiness. So accustomed to fighting in darkness... she couldn't... she'd barely deflected a single blow!
She had to. She'd promised.
Aqua struggled out of Sephiroth's heavy coat; it would only slow her down. She ransacked both their pockets, searching for the treasures she'd collected in Midgar. Potions, ethers, anything...! She needed the boost! There! Her fist clenched around something! She pulled it out!
A dusting of black sand shriveled from her cupped palm. The resources she'd carried all this time, the items from the Realm of Darkness... hadn't survived the transfer to this reality.
Cloud repelled Sephiroth's assault. Shockwaves ringing in her teeth, Aqua watched the exchange, studying her enemy's ability, trying to think of a plan...
Sound traveled better in the Realm of Light. She heard their conversation over clashing blades.
"I'm going to destroy the darkness, Cloud."
"That doesn't make any sense! You're always raving about dragging me into darkness. You use darkness! You want me to believe you'd... do something good?"
"Everything I do is good."
"Yeah, right." Cloud probably rolled his eyes. "How does it benefit you?"
"I want to," Sephiroth gave a small shrug as if that was the perfect rationalization for anything. "And also..."
The swords shifted a few inches in Cloud's favor.
"...for Master Aqua."
"Her?"
"Yes. She's going to help me..."
A rapid flurry of strikes...
"It's going to be wonderful..."
...traded equally, wreathed in blue afterimages.
"So I can't let you kill me today, Cloud."
"Yeah, well, you aren't the only one who gets to decide that!"
Sephiroth broke contact first, and rebalanced his stance while endeavoring to look serene... but Aqua noticed the effort. Cloud was panting, hesitant to rejoin melee.
This was her opportunity! While they were apart!
She had the best precision with Blizzard. Icy needles unfolded in her hands, by will driven to pierce the flesh of her enemy! A direct hit, and Cloud's breath steamed, his skin paled, his lips shaded towards blue...
He resisted the rest of the spell, and did not freeze solid. Not chilled, not slowed...
...but it got his attention.
She countered a mighty chop! He had to recover; she paid him back. Eluded his dash, cartwheeled diagonally, trailing fire in her wake.
Lunge, slash, spin! Cloud parried all three! Aqua whirled to the side, he intercepted! His sword's dull edge, a crushing bludgeon; she staggered, wind knocked from her lungs...!
She caught her breath; jump-roped his low swing. Feigned a disengage...
Aqua's heartbeat drummed in her ears, far off glacial groans and the hum of her magic! She imbued her weapon with unyielding determination. Smoky plumes of ice surged along her keyblade!
Cloud took the bait, overstepping to attack where she wasn't. It was a gambit; she didn't have his brute strength, couldn't maintain the lock, but she'd gotten within his ridiculous reach!
Her aura was bitter cold; when they pulled close, Aqua expected Cloud to shiver. He did not. Apparently it was too much to ask that her icy key would shatter his sword. He looked at her like she was crazy, broke free, was about to swat her like a bug...
No, she wasn't that weak! Already she was remembering! This was how to move in the light. It was easier than in darkness. Her only opponent was the man in front of her, not the whole universe.
Aqua dodged. Cloud's bandaged butcher's cleaver didn't seem very capable of injury that wasn't death.
Master Aqua was holding her own quite nicely.
It was spectacular!
She became the center of a cyclone of white frigid wind! Bestowed with potent magic's grace, her frost-limned keyblade lengthened, transformed; she now wielded an energy blade larger than Cloud's! No longer at a disadvantage for reach, she went on the offensive.
Sephiroth marveled anew at the keyblade's versatility!
...and Master Aqua's command over it!
With Cloud distracted, he had time to... Hmm. Shadow Flare's homing projectiles wouldn't mistakenly harm his ally.
There was joy again! The excruciating high of the fight for survival! That which darkness had forbidden her to feel, reclaimed!
...sobered by the wicked thought that Xehanort had been right, her ordeal had made her stronger.
Instinct screamed for her to duck.
The barrage curved around her. Spheres of darkness blasted Cloud in quick succession, miniature exploding suns pulsing with netted brilliance. Magic entrancingly fine; cold blue inner stars, mandala electric.
Engulfed in withering ultraviolet mist, burnt terribly, he flinched, but didn't stop!
He launched into a combo she could hardly follow! Five slashes? Six?
Aqua misjudged, a critical blunder. Cloud scored a slice across her torso. Stunned, she crumpled and fell. She might die here. At least... it wouldn't be in darkness...
Cloud's footwork telegraphed a finishing stab. The ravaging sword would plunge all the way through her body... her blood would soak the bandages...
She yelped when his wing buffeted her instead! A glancing, accidental swipe? Cloud faltered backwards, sucked into the gravitational vortex of Sephiroth's spell, the raging pillars of fire. He'd flailed to spare himself the conflagration; his flaps were clumsy, but good enough.
Aqua hauled herself upright. Her wound wasn't mortal. A close call, too close! She didn't have energy for a Curaga!
She and Sephiroth were in a flanking position; Cloud refused to cooperate. Aqua couldn't deny her admiration of his skill. Despite his primary focus on Sephiroth, she was being circled into a wall...
Everywhere Cloud tried to get at Sephiroth, the keyblade girl was in his way!
Even if this wasn't her fault, he couldn't afford not to fight her!
Keeping track of them both was wearing him out. He blocked and blocked her giant laser sword, while Sephiroth harried him, diving from the air like some demented falcon.
Master Aqua's style, her fluid motions, seemed her own. She wasn't holding back much. Did that mean she wasn't Sephiroth's puppet?
Sephiroth liked to play with him. Sephiroth liked him better... alive...
Aqua's world narrowed to battle cries and grunts of pain, clashing steel and scuffling steps. Skidding thumps of unbroken falls and singed roars of flame, icy veins exploding. In the proximity of Sephiroth's projectiles, silence muffled in darkness's distortion.
She feared her approaching exhaustion. Her enemy was nowhere near as drained as she, although he fought with increasing recklessness, sometimes left himself open; she was too slow to punish. Her arms ached, she was pushing her limits. The power driving his hits was unreal.
Maybe Sephiroth could come from behind and run him through or something.
It almost happened. But the pressure on her guard was suddenly gone and Aqua pitched forwards, turned her trip into a roll, and saw...
...Cloud teleport behind Sephiroth.
She shouted a warning, "Watch out!"
Too late! Cloud slammed his massive sword down on Sephiroth's wing, and ripped it back up twice, angled right then left, two perfect slashes crossed!
Sephiroth recoiled in agony. "You're getting better at this, Cloud." He retaliated impossibly fast, arcing his deadly elegant blade in a huge, decapitating sweep...
...which Cloud somehow blocked. The collision spawned ghostly sparks, devoid of any warmth. "I'll send you back to darkness where you belong, Sephiroth!"
The next brutal strike knocked Sephiroth away! His boots scraped the ground with the force of his resistance; he ended crouched with one hand brushing the gravel...
Cloud started to glow, golden aura dominated by radiant bolts...
Omnislash. Cloud was charging Omnislash.
Master Aqua could not possibly survive it.
Sephiroth trembled on hands and knees. The flows of mana were different in the Realm of Light. His weakened reserves were not enough to cure his mangled wing. The pain was... indescribable.
He could not get up yet; he was healing too slowly! The darkness persisted in proving itself inferior to Mako.
Aqua was going to die.
Cloud, catalyst of his failure, was going to take another precious thing from him!
I will make you suffer!
I will deliver you to guilt past coherence, beyond the boundaries of human anguish! You will beg me to continue the torture. I will grant your flayed soul's humble wish...
...but that's nothing I wasn't planning to do to you already.
She will have a special memorial. And... when I wander again in darkness, I will make those lights real for her...
Sephiroth coughed, spat blood upon the unworthy ground, and prepared to witness the end of Master Aqua's journey as he'd promised.
He'd hoped... for more time...
Whatever he was doing, she had to interrupt it! Aqua spun her empowered keyblade overhead, summoning whipping wintry gales! She smashed it into the earth, releasing the channeled energy to spread from the devastating epicenter...
It didn't affect Cloud at all!
He flew at her, ablaze with killing intent!
A split-second to shield. Aqua threw every ounce of her strength into it. All her concentration. Maintaining the barrier became her world, her tether to reality! She would persevere! She would not relinquish her hold on her light!
Her shield reflected Cloud's attack. Flung into the air, careening wildly, he landed hard on his back, bounced. Shoulders jarred, his arms and neck flopped on impact.
She didn't dare dismiss the shield. She managed to limit her collapse so that she more sat down than fell over.
It wasn't just her vision going dark...!
Incredibly, Cloud was attempting to rise! He propped himself up with one hand... and was swallowed by darkness! Was he charging something else? She couldn't... she didn't have anything left...
But when the darkness dissipated, Cloud was still on the ground.
Sephiroth strode confidently toward her and his now... unconscious? enemy. Traces of a limp vanished as he walked. He was the source of shadows' congregation; sparks of it scattered from his fingers...
He whispered to her reverently, "Well done, Master Aqua."