Silmeria - Happy reading.
Disclaimer - I claim no rights to Final Fantasy VII
Chapter Twenty-Six: Sentinel and Guide
"You brought me a gift?" Weiss leaned back against his chair lips curling into an amused smile that sent a horrific shiver down Cloud's spine. He met Weiss but one time, but it was enough to realize that the man had several screws loose upstairs and if he wasn't careful then he would be leaving this city in a body bag. He winced as Nero dragged him closer to the so-called throne that Weiss sat on grunting when he was shoved to his knees. He kept his gaze lowered and refused to acknowledge the Alpha who gave a small huff at his blatant disrespect.
"Cloud Strife and Zachary Caelum Fair - The Alpha Guide and Sentinel of Midgar." Weiss rose from the chair and settled on the stairs next to Cloud who stiffed at the movement. "I haven't seen a couple so celebrated since the union of Xavier and Catherine." Weiss lowered his head, a small grin pulling at his lips at Cloud's silent confusion. "Oh? You're wondering why I'm mentioning Xavier and Catherine? Or the comparison?" Weiss leaned away still wearing that small grin. "It's amusing that he doesn't see the same clues that I see in him. He doesn't admit it, but he and Xavier are similar and if he had the opportunity he would wipe Edge from existence if he didn't have to face repercussions." Weiss tapped Cloud on the nose with a small, hushed chuckle that sent a shiver down Cloud's spine. "Unfortunately I don't have the same morality as Alpha Fair and why should I? Rosso has been put down like a dog so tell me why I should give a damn about my people? When all along they cheered and danced in the streets when they heard of her death?"
Weiss leaned back folding his legs one over the other. "Did you wonder why the streets were empty? Edge deals in minerals and their productions and we're considered the world's top suppliers of metals. So, it was strange when it was so quiet, right? No trains or smoke rising into the air and ruining the planet?" Weiss leaned in with another small, hushed chuckle. "Do you want to know where they are, Cloud? The children or the elderly or even the adults?"
"I-"
"Nero," Weiss called out rising from his seated position and waving a hand in Cloud's direction and brushing off his presence as if it was a bug underneath his boot. "Why don't we escort Cloud to the underground levels? I'm sure he would love to see the citizens of Edge."
Cloud didn't have the air to protest when he was swept out of the so-called throne room and into a small, suffocating hallway where a number of windows were lined up. He was roughly pulled to his feet and pressed into the glass.
"This is what happens when you disobey." Nero pressed Cloud's face further into the grass eliciting a hiss of pain for the action. "This is what happens when you betray."
Even pressed against the glass, Cloud managed to open his eyes, his heart-stopping at the sight: dozens upon dozens of people were trapped in cages, their clothes stained with blood and faces bloody and smeared with dirt. But, that wasn't what Cloud was terrified to see. No, it was armed men reaching into the cages and picking off the people as if they were animals.
"No." Cloud wanted to turn away from it, but Nero kept his head pressed against the window forcing him to see as these innocent people were killed and dumped into large vats of acid as if they were pigs to slaughter. "Let me go-" Cloud struggled against Nero's grip grunting when his head was knocked against the glass with enough force to make a small crack.
"You don't want to see it?" Nero taunted pressing against Cloud forcing him further against the glass. "Isn't this what you came to find? Evidence that Weiss is deprived? That Midgar was in the right to declare war?"
"I-"
"It's too bad," Nero continued as if he hadn't heard Cloud at all. "That all these people had to be sacrificed because of you. Do you realize that these innocent people would have still been alive if you and that incompetent Alpha hadn't interfered with our city? If Alpha Fair hadn't killed Rosso?"
"You can't blame your actions on me or Zack," Cloud grunted, pushing back against Nero's larger body. "It was Weiss' decision to kill his people and it was your decision not to stop him. The destruction of Edge and the death of Rosso is no one's fault but Weiss'! I won't take the blame for any of this.-"
Cloud was struck across the mouth launching him back to the floor. He rolled out of the way before Nero could take another swing at him.
"I won't take responsibility for the actions of you and your brother." Cloud's hands tingled before he felt that all too familiar numbness of ice magic. He was well aware that if he engaged in a battle with Nero he wouldn't win let alone survive, but he had to make enough noise to draw attention.
Nero huffed, giving Cloud's hands an amused stare. "And, what, exactly, are you planning on doing with that pitiful excuse of an ability that you call magic?" Nero waved a hand towards the window and Cloud flinched as multiple gunshots rang out that was followed by a swift silence. "How many of them do you think have tried to use their magic to escape? How many do you think tried to be heroes before they bit a bullet?"
Cloud's hands shook before he clenched them into fists. He wouldn't die. He couldn't die. He had so much to look forward and Nero and Weiss were mere stepping stones to a bright future.
"Come." Nero giggled, a maniacal light entering his eyes as the hallway was submerged into darkness as Cloud charged towards him with eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination. "Let's continue where we left off, shall we?"
"He told you that he saw my mother?" Aerith sat in the chair still as stone watching as Zack paced back and forth. "Why-" Aerith swallowed to hold back her anger and frustration towards Zack. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Honestly?" Zack stopped in the middle of the room. "Cloud had just woken up and he was on pretty decent drugs."
"The doctor informed us that he died on the table - - twice." Sephiroth kept a hand on Aerith's shoulder giving it a tight squeeze when it tensed underneath his hand. "It is possible that he met her during his brief stay in the Lifestream and it was enough time for Lady Ifalna to inform him of his duties."
"It was enough time to get him to run out of Midgar." Zack bit back. "I want to know how he escaped a state-of-the-art hospital and managed to get past the blockade."
"He was determined," Aerith murmured finding the strength to smile at the thought. She didn't know him too well, but Cloud Strife was certainly tenacious. She would be eager to get to know him when all of this was over. "Do you know where he went? Where he could have gone?"
"He told me he needed to go to Edge." Zack couldn't find the courage to look Aerith and Sephiroth in the eye as he dolled out his answer. "He told me the Goddess wanted him to go to Edge."
"We have declared war on Edge." Sephiroth retorted quite flatly. "Edge's soldiers are stationed on the territory line and patrol 24/7 and you're telling me that's where Cloud was headed."
"Yeah."
"Do you think he managed to get into Edge?" Aerith couldn't believe it. If Cloud managed to sneak into Edge - "Do you think he's safe?"
"No." Zack murmured disheartened. "Cloud's not a soldier and he's not magically trained as one either. I love him but I have no doubt that either Weiss or Nero caught him." Zack shook his head at the distressed look Aerith gave him. "I am positive that he's alive. Hurt? Yes, but I am certain that he's alive."
"We need to retrieve him before Weiss and Nero decide to send him back in a body bag." Sephiroth gave Zack a stern stare. "We can't cross over to Edge without engaging in combat and Junon has decided to remain neutral in the conflict so we can't rely on their forces."
Before Zack could give his input, the door clicked revealing Cid's disgruntled face. The older man stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He nodded in Aerith and Sephiroth's direction.
"What do you have for me, Cid?"
"You were right." Cid handed him a small piece of paper. "I have a couple of witnesses spotting Cloud going out of the western entrance - towards Edge."
"Right," Zack swallowed and took the information in and took an effort not to break down. The conversation before had been speculation, but now? Cid's information had been a confirmation. Cloud was in Edge and most likely captured and Weiss wasn't the type to negotiate.
"What about Edge?" Zack asked ignoring the look of concern Cid and Aerith were giving him. He was worried about Cloud, but he was in the planning stages of the war and he didn't-
He had people and a city to keep protected.
"It's quiet." Cid responded with a strange, thoughtful look. "The information from the drone brought back empty streets and patrolling soldiers."
"It's possible that half the people could have been moved to the mines and the others to the evacuation shelters." Sephiroth's lips twisted at the information. The people? Gone? He stared down at his Guide. "Do you feel anything?"
"It's difficult to express." Aerith began softly twisting her hands in her lap. "There's-there's a loss of life, but that's not out of the ordinary. People are born and people die all over the planet but I don't sense a distortion with it."
"An increase?" Zack prodded carefully. Unlike Sephiroth and Aerith, he was well-tuned to insanity and Weiss was insane with bells and whistles attached. He wouldn't put it past the man to massacre his people. His Guide was gone and whatever the bond was taping out was loose and his people were suffering for it.
Aerith shook her head. "None. It feels fine."
"That's good news right?" Cid cut in with a shrug. "It means he's not out killing his people."
"Or it could mean that he's murdering a certain number per day in an effort not to gain attention. He knows we have a Cetra and the moment he starts mass murdering he's going to gain her attention. Weiss might be insane but he's far from stupid."
"So, what do we do?" Aerith asked. "We can't go through the front door -"
"And we can't go over the territory line." Sephiroth finished. "We can't do either without initiating combat."
"We don't have a choice in the matter." Zack walked over to the table and pulled up a map of Midgar and Edge. "We're going to need to make some noise on the territory line. Cid? If you would be so kind and take ten SOLDIER's and the Highwind and rattle those soldiers?"
"That's it?" Cid raised an eyebrow at the number and the fact that Zack knew about the airship. "What do you think ten SOLDIER's and an airship going to do?"
"It'll be enough to make some noise on the border and it'll give us enough time for me and Sephiroth to sneak in through the mines and into the backdoor."
"I'll be going as well," Aerith called out, frowning when Zack looked damn ready to protest. "If you're right and Weiss is killing and hurting his people then we're going to need a healer and not to mention Cloud could be injured as well. To the point where potions aren't going to work. You're wonderful at magic, Zack, but you're awful at healing magic."
"Thanks for the backhanded compliment, Aerith." Zack drawled sarcastically. "If you're coming then you're with me and Sephiroth."
"Alright."
"Cid? I need you to make enough noise for us to get in and get out, alright?" Zack met Cid's eyes from across the table. "The mines are large and a maze not to mention dealing with Weiss and Nero." Zack swallowed and was forced to keep his eyes locked with Cids. "Do you understand what I'm asking of you?"
Cid huffed at the implication and gave a short nod. "Yeah. I'll make them dance long enough for you to get in and out." He understood what Zack was asking of him and he needed a stiff drink at the thought of it. Not only was Zack asking him to be a distraction, but he was asking him to make the first strike.
He was asking him to officially start the war and Cid would be more than honored to kick it off.