"CLOUD!!!" Tifa's scream echoed, reaching until the end of the tunnel. She sprinted towards him but was easily thrown off by a force by Sephiroth, who had his sword stabbed through Cloud's chest.
"TIFA!" Cloud choked, seeing Tifa lying in the corner of the cell unconscious. The blade that had passed through his body was soaked in blood. He only stood there, his wide blue eyes looking down at the blade pierced right out of his body. He heard Sephiroth chuckle right behind him. Glancing toward your direction, he saw Noctis still kneeling down right in front of you, mumbling 'wake up' as he held your face. "N-Noctis." Cloud gasped.
It took a while before Noctis turned, and when he did, Cloud saw the tears filling up his eyes. Noctis had his mouth dropped open when he saw Cloud with a sword stabbed through his chest. Right now, he was so speechless. He couldn't process what he was thinking right now. First Ravus died, now his rival— or now he could say his friend, was right there bleeding like he was. Both of them were injured, helpless. He looked behind Cloud's shoulder and saw a certain man, once again. The familiar face had been seen a few times by him, yet he didn't know who that man was or where he was from. He had never seen anyone so. . . frightful. Despite of the caressing face Sephiroth showed, it was as if his own face had added into the sickening part of his voice.
Sephiroth beamed at Noctis when he saw him. He then pulled back his sword out of Cloud's, which sent the blond falling down to the ground yet Noctis caught him before he could even reach the floor, the two of them now sitting as they looked up to Sephiroth. The green eyed guy chuckled, "This is the moment we've been waiting for!" He cried, pointing his sword towards the two young men. He raised another hand. Automatically the door slid to the left, closing behind them. "My my, can't you believe it? Here are my old friends, and two new ones to oppose me?"
"Never we will be your friends, Sephiroth," Cloud gritted his teeth as he held the wound on his chest. "Why are you here?!"
Sephiroth chuckled. "Ah, I guess I must have been too excited to surprise you. By the way, Cloud. You should have thanked me for giving you a sign that Noctis and that precious girl were in danger. But you didn't," he smiled wickedly, "probably because you blamed me for having them captured, eh?"
"OF COURSE YOU ARE TO BLAME!" He shouted, anger rising inside him as he pulled his Buster sword out of its sheath, struggling to get on his feet yet he still managed to face Sephiroth before him. Despite of the pain hurting his body, he still drew his sword, "Yes, you warned me about them. But you had already known that they were in danger before I knew!"
Sephiroth smiled, closing one eye, "Why, of course. Of course I knew that," he also drew his long sword, "I know everything!"
Noctis watched the intense aura rising between the two. He remembered Cloud telling him that back in their world, Gaia, a man named Sephiroth and another name that he couldn't remember, were the most powerful beings that they have succeeded to defeat. But they have returned, and now they would have vengeance. That's why, maybe Sephiroth knew that the ones who had defeated him years ago were now here in Eos. So that's why he was here. Noctis gulped and tried to stand up. His skin was now pale and his lips tinted purple. It was a miracle he could still find himself alive, breathing and moving. "Then why are you here?" He asked, courage filling up inside him. He shouldn't just sit there being helpless.
Cloud turned his head over his shoulder at the sight of a bleeding Noctis, who even had the courage to stand up, but after a while he soon shot his head back to Sephiroth who responded to Noctis' question.
"Certainly because I wanted to take revenge on a certain person who had succeeded to kill me years ago," he said while playing with the blade with his fingernails.
"And how did you know Cloud is here in Eos?" Questions filled inside the prince's head. He wanted to know more about this guy. Yes, Cloud had told him he was too powerful, but he also needed to know his weaknesses.
"I have my own ways, Crown Prince. It is just that I had already found out that they are now in a different planet. Let's just say I was resurrected by a someone," he emphasized the last word to Cloud, "and I had been told that I wouldn't be able to reign over my power in Gaia. So I migrated towards Eos. Ah, Eos! This planet is more interesting than I ever thought. Full of mystical creatures and beautiful natures and magnificent people that, I wanted to destroy them!" He let out a laughter and intentionally swung his sword to the right which Cloud quickly avoided.
Noctis scowled. But still, even though Sephiroth angered him, he mostly frightened him. "You didn't have to use her," he glanced towards you then back to him, clenching his fists. "You didn't have to do this to her!"
"She's very useful, you know that? Most specially that she is now under my control," a wicked smile formed across his lips, staring at Noctis. "I know that you are absolutely hurt of the sight laid before you now. It is a shame that you have only met for a short while, and now she is right in my hands."
"What did you do to her?!" Cloud snarled. "Free her. Now. You have to fight me first before you could even lay a finger on her!"
Sephiroth's once green eyes drastically turned pitch black that sent fear over the two. The air turned dense, and the heat rose. Sweat trickled down their faces. "If that is what you demand, then I would like to accept it."
Before Cloud could charge, he took a glance at Noctis. He mouthed a few words at him that Noctis didn't understand, but he made out one word Cloud mouthed. (Y/N). Cloud raged and charged towards Sephiroth who dodged his strike. The fight was on its way and now Noctis ran back towards you, summoning a knife then cutting off the ropes tied around your wrists. Before you could lose your balance he caught you and held you as he sat down on the floor with you lying on his lap. He stared at you. Your eyes were closed, and you showed no sign of breathing. Noctis held your face once more, "(Y/N), wake up please!" He begged, gently shaking you. "(Y/N), I need you (Y/N)! Please open your eyes to know that you're alive. Please, wake up!" Tears filled the prince's eyes. He couldn't stand to see how you were treated so inhumanely. He felt deep anger and hatred inside of him as he took a glance at Sephiroth.
The blade slid through Cloud's arm that made him wince. He looked down on the shallow cut that trickled blood on his upper arm. He growled and stroke his sword towards Sephiroth's but the man dodged it easily. He let go and charged again. "You bastard!" Cloud felt his heart racing while recklessly throwing attacks to Sephiroth. The way he treated you was so inhuman. "Get loose of her!"
"Never will I!" Sephiroth hissed. They both leaped meters away from each other. Sephiroth never ended up having at least a small scratch, while Cloud's body felt fatal. He couldn't believe to himself that he could still have the ability to fight Sephiroth, but not enough to defeat him. He panted, drawing his sword as Sephiroth beamed at him. "That's not how you fought me before. Maybe because you are too weak to handle me now," he chuckled. "Surrender, Cloud. I can still spare this lady you have right here." He slowly motioned his sword towards an unconscious Tifa.
"Don't you dare touch her," Cloud tightened the grip on his sword. "Or you will never even have the chance to breathe once in your entire life." His voice was monotonous, yet the rage exploded inside him.
Sephiroth let out an unpleasant laugh, holding his head. "Have you lost your mind? I am now way too powerful to be defeated by you. You just used trickery to kill me, didn't you? That's only because Zack and Aerith were there behind your back." His eyes never left Cloud, who stiffened when he heard those names. The grip on his sword loosened and he wasn't able to open his mouth. "Ah, look at you now," Sephiroth pointed his sword back to the male's direction, "aren't able to speak right now after hearing those names? Isn't it too much grief and pain for you? Do not think that I have already forgotten them, Cloud. I still remember them. I remember everything even after I was resurrected. I know everything about you. Even your weaknesses." He chuckled at the sight of him being unable to move. "Now, then," he slowly pointed the tip of the sword to Tifa's neck who was still unconscious. "Shall we add another member to the death party?"
His eyelids became heavy and his sight blurred, only seeing a dull figure of Sephiroth walking towards him with his sword pointed to his direction. His hands only fidgeted every time he forced himself to move. His shirt was now stained with blood. Sweat continued to roll down all over his body. He wanted to shut his eyes close. He just wanted all of this to be over.
A deep exhale escaped his mouth. Slowly, he felt his lids fluttering to a close. It was all hopeless. His life was slowly escaping its shell and was merely about to end.
So what if it looks hopeless again?
A familiar voice immediately made his eyes open. It spoke right inside his head. A mixed feeling of nostalgia and euphoria was all he could feel and the hole on his chest that caused pain before wasn't felt anymore.
If it were me, I still wouldn't give up. You've already defeated him twice, right?
"Y-Yeah," a faltered voice escaped his mouth.
Well, this should be a cinch. Yeah, he could have gained a lot of power. But what's the point of using it the wrong way? There was a short moment of silence, then it spoke again. You really love (Y/N), right?
The question seemed to dust Cloud's cheeks with a tint of red. He really did love you, didn't he? A tiny smile formed in lips. "Yeah, I do love her. . . That's why I'm here. . . to save and protect her."
Zack's voice chuckled. Well, what do you say? Need a hand with him?
He exhaled, shaking his head. "I can do this."
Of course you can. You're Cloud. You are my living, legacy.
Adrenaline rushed through Cloud's body. The voice of Zack had proved him what he was and that he shouldn't give up. He finally made through his senses and took hold tightly of his sword, counterattacking Sephiroth. Their swords clashed, the deafening sound of iron echoing throughout the cell. The ground shook every time they attacked with their swords clanged to each other.
"I see that you've finally come back, Cloud," Sephiroth managed a smile while he kept on dodging Cloud's attacks.
"I have never come back. I have always been here." He said, warping away from Sephiroth and drawing his sword one last time. Closing his eyes, energy filled inside him. The deep wound in his heart cured, his breathing going back to normal. Still the adrenaline rushed faster than normal in his body. He felt so alive. Noctis sat astonished as he caught a glimpse of a blue light outer glowing from Cloud's body. Taking a deep breath, Cloud finally opened his eyes and didn't have a second thought to charge towards an attacking Sephiroth. But before he would, his sword disintegrated and a multiple set of weapons flew into the air. He immediately took one weapon and flew straight towards Sephiroth, slashing him in the side. The man winced and turned around to attack, but he was stabbed through his chest by another weapon of Cloud. Every time he turned to other directions, he ended up getting stabbed relentlessly by Cloud.
Noctis' eyes grew wide. He couldn't believe and process of what he was seeing. Blue rays of light filled the room and he couldn't believe of how Cloud became so powerful. The blond passed through Sephiroth with another sword as he slashed him over and over.
Omnislash.
"A trick! This is an act of trickery!" Sephiroth gnashed his teeth but he held his chest as his knees trembled. Pain rushed over his body while forcing himself, but soon his body stiffened. His heartbeat took to a stop. His eyes rolled into its sockets.
Cloud dropped on his feet whilst catching the last weapon. He then gaped at Sephiroth who stared mindlessly at him. "Stay where you belong. And never return."
"Aha. . . Ahahahahaha! Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!" An eerie, unpleasant laugh escaped through Sephiroth's mouth. His eyes bawled and gripped his head, saying his very last words before he disintegrated. "You could say this is the end of my life. Well it is. But not the end of my plans. Am I right with that, Mother?" He finally vanished, his life had ended.
Who, was Mother?
All of a sudden, Noctis felt a fidgeting of one's fingers. Cloud turned around and ran towards the two of you. "She's alive," Noctis let out a gasp as he held your hand. "(Y/N), wake up!" He squeezed your hand. Cloud knelt down and he and Noctis stared with wide eyes at you. Your hand that was held by Noctis moved, however you absurdly let go of his hand. They were puzzled of what you just did. Before a second could pass, you rose from the ground. They both startled of the action you just did. Cloud felt nervousness rising up inside him.
". . . (Y/N)?" Noctis managed.
Terror began to swallow Noctis and Cloud, as they saw you wield a rapier and you opened your eyes slowly, revealing red eyes— ready for a kill.
2,403 WORDS? AM I SERIOUS WITH THIS? Lmao. I think I'm gonna die writing this! Just kidding.
But, to be honest with you guys, I feel like I sucked writing this chapter. I just don't know why. It was a long journey though. Hope you like this update.