Game of Insomnia | ✓

Chapter 6: Etro's Blessing

It hit you more and more.

"ARGHHH!!!! STOP IT!!! STOP IT!!!" You screamed. Your felt your brain about to burst, your skull nearly cracking.

Do you want to know who you really are?

"Who I really am..." You stopped.

"The truth you found out...isn't the whole truth." You remembered Cloud telling you that.  You breathed deeply.

"If this is what it takes," you said. "Fine."

Alright. Good luck.

You shut your eyes close. And for a while you opened them, seeing a group of wild beasts growling, ready to attack you.

*

He only stared down at his sheathed sword. He sat on the wooden floor at the porch, the dim light coming from the swaying and crackling lantern making him feel a bit anxious. It was now morning yet the sun hasn't risen yet. Darkness remained in his sight. The night wind were less than destructive than the winds that have occurred a month ago.

His blond head shot towards the left when he heard the door creaking open, only to find Tifa going out of the doorway. He sighed in relief, turning back to his sword, whispering, "You scared me for a bit there."

"Did I?" The genuine tone in the female's voice never faded, it was as if she was raised to comfort others. Yet, she would never let a love of her life fade away, especially when the incident years ago in Nibelheim happened. It was a tragic death she didn't want to think about. She sat beside Cloud, who was probably looking forward to be with someone again for the meantime. "You seem to be overthinking," Tifa said.

Cloud looked away, "Not that much. I guess I had been sitting here since midnight."

Her eyes widened, "Good heavens! Why haven't you slept?"

"I don't know." There was anxiety in his voice that Tifa felt. She only looked down. The awkward silence between them settled for more than a minute, until Tifa spoke out.

"I heard you communicated with someone in Lucis."

"Yes, it's the prince."

"Is she alright there?"

He swallowed, his heartbeat going faster. He was internally shocked of what he was feeling right now; telling the truth made him nervous. He wasn't used to being concerned of you when people were around. But he had to tell Tifa. "She's. . . She's gone through a lot, yet there are still more to come in her way. But I know she's tough. She is. She has trained for several years," a smile formed in the corner of his lips. "She'll be okay. I know she will."

Tifa smiled. At least she saw him at least smile, although it wasn't, for her. She closed here eyes, "Did (Y/N) ever cry when you talked to her?"

"Yeah. . . She did." Well, it was true. I saw tears filling up her eyes, he thought.

"I guess it must be really hard for her. Finding out the truth," Tifa paused. Cloud looked at her confusingly when she stood up. The female's eyes were wide as almonds, as she took hold of Cloud's wrist, "We must call to Etro."

"I had been thinking about it when (Y/N) was summoned to Eos," Cloud told her, "that's why I was relieved it was you who went out to talk to me."

Soon they tiptoed into the house, not making a single noise. They silently reached the backyard without anyone knowing. Then they saw a life-sized statue of a certain goddess, the goddess of death. Etro.

Tifa took a deep breath, the coldness lingering inside her. She closed her eyes. Etro, we call to you.

At first nothing happened and Cloud thought the goddess wouldn't answer to their prayers, but after a while he noticed the statue's stiff face making a few moves that made him uncomfortable. He slightly feared moving statues, especially when they were possessed of a spiritual being. The statue moved its arms a little, then suddenly from the dark sky, a light appeared and shot earthward. It appeared before the two in the blink of an eye.

Etro floated before them; her feet didn't touch the ground. Her eyes were settled on Cloud, who shifted uncomfortably and looked to Tifa. The dark haired girl bowed slightly, "Thank you, Etro."

"You are just in the right time to call me," her eyes went to Tifa, "I assume she is now Eos, yes?"

Tifa nodded, "She is now in Eos."

A smile formed across the goddess' lips. She closed her eyes and raised her hands eye leveled, "My blessing is now bestowed upon this world. May nirvana be settled in Gaia, for eternity and so on."

The surrounding shook for a little, then the winds came again. "Is she going to be alright?" Tifa asked.

"She will be alright. But that doesn't mean she'll go on ahead without experiencing pain."

Anxiety washed over the male again, "Pain? I. . . " Cloud trailed off. "I hope she would be alright."

Etro's spirit brightened. "She will. And she shall not die." Yet.

"T-Thank you, dear Etro," Tifa smiled and bowed again as the goddess gave her back a soft smile in return. The deity soon shaped into a bright light, spinning skyward until the sky shook. And there was nothing but darkness, yet Tifa caught a glimpse of a light coming out from the horizon. The sun would rise now at any moment. She turned her head towards Cloud, who was staring down at the ground. "You okay?"

He exhaled. "Yeah. . ."

"She said (Y/N) will be alright. So we shouldn't worry that bad. I know, she'll experience more than a lot."

Cloud slowly nodded, and then looked up to meet his blue eyes with Tifa's dark ones. He placed his hands on Tifa's arms, "Thank you, Tifa. You helped me a lot. Thank you for being here with me."

She looked down and smiled, and was startled of the short hug Cloud gave her, but she wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. I will always. . . be here for you. You just have to listen to what my heart says.

*throws scene at you*
Here's your damn Clifa

Just kidding guys. Thank you so much for the reads. I'll try my best with the next chapter :))))