Last Exit for the Lost Chapter 31
Death in the Family
By Damodred
They stood, appraising each other in silence for a moment. Tifa's thoughts
were suddenly slow, relaxed and very coherent. It was as if someone had tightened
her perception, and reduced her alarm. She realized several things, but wasn't
sure what to do about any of them. She was still puzzling over her sudden
indecision when Sephiroth spoke. "You will not succeed, Vincent." Valentine
winced over his son's choice of appellation. "My son," he appealed, "Do you
not understand? I simply want us to be a family again...your mother was young
and beautiful. It was not her time." His voice assumed a pleading quality.
"Can you not see? We can do this, you and I. We can take our revenge on those
who had harmed us, and live together in peace..." "The only one who had harmed
you is yourself," stated Aerith, quietly. Vincent's eyes blazed an unholy
red and his voice took on an echoing quality as he rasped, "Be SILENT,
woman!" Tifa clasped her hands to her ears, fighting the urge to submit to
his presence, as the command he aimed at Aerith took effect and its backwash
flooded over her. Sephiroth's eyes flashed green as he unsheathed the Masamune
and ran towards Vincent. The insane man stood laughing quietly as he reached
over his shoulder and brought out a blade of his own. He parried Sephiroth's
first wild slash effortlessly, but soon a look of concentration took over
his face as Sephiroth became calmer, and more deadly.
Yuffie gazed at the scene horrified, her mouth open in stupefaction. She
couldn't understand how the situation had degenerated. She took in Aerith,
paralyzed by Valentine's force of will and unable to break out of the spell.
Shera was cowering behind the altar as the swords rang their steely cry,
strike and counterstrike, flashes of light coming from the mystical blades
illuminating the Black Materia. Tifa was still standing in the same place,
a faintly bemused look on her face. Yuffie started as Tifa nodded sharply
to herself and approached the Black Materia.
Sephiroth knew he could not win this fight; it was that simple. He could
perhaps wound his father, or drive him away, but not truly kill him. For
as much as he denied the family tie, it still existed, and he was physically
unable to kill Valentine. He knew it was only a matter of time before Vincent
realized this and used it to his advantage. He recognized the sword that
his father was using; it was the legendary Atma blade, which took its power
from the user and then magnified it. Vincent's will and power were astounding
in magnitude, and Sephiroth had already twice narrowly avoided having the
Masamune shattered by deflecting the blow and absorbing it. He also sported
several cuts; for all his talk of family, Vincent was certainly showing no
restraint. His fangs were bared, and his ears were becoming slightly pointed;
the feedback of the power the Atma blade was channeling from him was causing
him to revert to his magical form. His eyes were now glowing fiery red, and
there were no traces of humanity left in them. Sephiroth grimaced, ducked
a particularly fierce blow and hardened his resolve.
A slight tremor shook the Temple slightly as Tifa made the first adjustment.
It seemed so clear now, she didn't understand why she didn't see it before.
All she needed to do is turn this facet like so, then channel a bit of power
into that aperture, which would in turn swivel that opening,
and then...
Shera stared wide-eyed as Tifa made minute adjustments, pausing momentarily,
her head to one side, as if listening to someone. She shifted her gaze to
Yuffie, noting that the ninja girl had her shuriken ready, and a determined
expression on her face. Good for you, Yuffie, she thought, and pulled
herself together. She walked over to Aerith, trying to ignore the whirling
adversaries and examined the Ancient. Aerith's eyes were glazed over, and
her mouth was open, yet the rest of her body was rigid. As Shera watched,
however, the Ancient's features tightened slightly, and her head tilted to
the side as well. Shera took a deep breath and hoped for the best. Was the
ceiling getting lower?
Tifa suddenly remembered there was something else she had to before ending
this. She turned her head, forcing her will away from the task - why was
it so difficult - and examined Aerith. Yes, she now could see where the paralysis
took hold. She inserted a small sliver of her will and gave it a slight twist.
Task done, she returned to the Black Materia, now awake and active. It appeared
to suck in the light around it in thin strings of light, so the whole effect
was very unpleasant to watch.
Aerith stumbled, her mind still in disarray. She didn't understand how Tifa
gained so much power, but she knew the potential had been there, and perhaps
it took a major crisis to bring it out to the fullest. She took in the scene
quickly, and walked towards Shera and Yuffie. "We have to get out of here!"
she shouted over the rumbling of the Temple and the clash of the swords.
A sudden cry of pain made her whirl around, to behold Vincent holding a hand
to his side, red viscous blood pouring from between his fingers. With his
other hand, he reached into the folds of his cloak, withdrew a small object
and threw it to the ground under him. A dark hole opened beneath him, emanating
a lurid red glow, and he sank into it, closing his eyes. It closed as soon
as he was gone. Sephiroth walked over to Aerith, limping slightly, and raised
a questioning eyebrow. Aerith felt a sudden rush of relief, but suppressed
it quickly and said "We must leave now. I sent Tifa instructions on how to
destroy the Materia. She knows she only has a few minutes to leave after
her task is done, but the way out is simple." Yuffie glanced uneasily at
the tall woman standing by the Black Materia, now looking as indistinct and
hazy as the materia itself. "Are you sure one of us shouldn't stay...." "Yes!
No!" Aerith snapped, then put a hand to her head. "I'm sorry...I mean yes
I'm sure. We should leave now." She fought a surge of dizziness and unfamiliar
fear and walked out, briskly. The others followed.
Looking at the entrance of the Temple, Aerith shuddered. It was awful.
It was as if I was cut off from the Planet she sent to Sephiroth. I
couldn't kill him...What is that? his startlement was very strong, a
sure sign that he had been shaken. Aerith broke off contact and peered at
the edge of the forest. "I think it's Cloud," she said, slowly.
The crumpled figure lying repose between the few sparse trees was indeed
Cloud. He appeared to be physically unharmed, and was clutching his sword
tightly, despite being unconscious. "I'll see what I can do for him," said
Aerith, shakily. As she knelt down by the SOLDIER, Sephiroth asked, looking
uneasy, "If you were cut off from the Planet during your paralysis, how did
you contact Tifa?" Aerith paused, her hands shaking slightly, "I..." Beside
her, Cloud's eyes suddenly snapped open and he sat up, cradling his sword.
His mouth opened and he screamed in rage and loss, "TIFAAAAAAAAAA!" He then
collapsed, unconscious again as the Temple shuddered and rumbled behind them.
.