Darkness Falls Chapter 32

By Gemini83

Cid ran through the forest as fast as his tired lungs would take him.

‘Damn it,’ he thought to himself, ‘I’m too old for this. Maybe if I get through this, I’ll quit smoking...nah...’

Besides, Cid liked to blow the smoke in peoples’ faces, sometimes, if they really annoyed him. Well, if Shera asked nicely...

There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. If those bastards hurt her...

And then he came upon the fleeing Drahk, and Cid had to stop himself from pouncing on them right on the spot. The leader had Shera by the throat. Cid had no doubt the wraith would kill her at the first sign of trouble. Cid mulled it over a little longer, then chose his course of action. He hoped it would work.


Without warning, a blast of Ultima surrounded the outsides out the group, vaporizing the dark figures on the fringes of the group. The others were blinded momentarily. That moment was all Cid needed to rush into the lead Drahk, knocking the wraith down. He scooped up Shera in his arms, and made a run for it. The Drahk were still too disoriente to follow just yet.

“Wow,” heaved Shera, “I was...wondering when...you’d get around to me...”

Cid laughed, “I save her from perilous danger and she jokes about it.”

“Well,” smiled Shera, “if anything, you do have a sense for the dramatic.”

Cid frowned as her heard sounds of pursuit behind him.

“Shera, run into the clearing. Find cover with the others, I’ll be right behind you,” urged the Captain.

Shera had no chance to argue, for she was pushed forward. Cid disappeared behind her, into the depths of the forest.

The Captain turned to the rushing enemies, who crashed to a halt before him.

“All right you freaks,” taunted Cid, “come and get me.”

He drew out his spear, the blade gleaming in the moonlight. The wraiths stood back for a moment, then closed in...


Shera ran on despite her worries, trusting that Cid knew what he was doing. A pair of eyes, hidden in the shadows watched her progress...


Elena and Reeve had been separated from Barret. Now the trio were fighting against their own pockets of enemies.

The Shinra President and the Turk fought back to back, taking their toll of blood from each wraith that dared to come close. They had been backed against a cliff’s edge, and would not retreat any further. Elena had drawn out two wicked looking knifes for close in fighting, while Reeve continued to bash away at the enemy with his armored fists. Their enemies fell in droves, moths burned from the fires of the suns which blazed before them.

“How many more of these weirdoes do we have to kill before they get the picture?” demanded Elena.

“That’s the problem,” said Reeve, bashing away another Drahk, “I don’t think they care.”

Elena grimly cut and hacked at her enemies with brutal efficiency, striking with killing blows each time, “let them come, I feel powerful enough to take on an army.”

Reeve remained silent, guarding her back, hoping she was right...for it was an army they were fighting.

And the two might have won the battle, if a ball of light hadn’t suddenly fallen at the ground beneath them.

Elena barely had time to register what was happening before Reeve pushed her out of the way. The explosion covered human and Drahk alike in a torrent of fire.


Barret was mowing through his enemies, daring them to take him down. He fired round after round into the wraiths, not allowing himself to give in to the tired ache he felt in his bones. That was when he saw an explosion in the corner of his eye. He turned to see the blasts, and cried out in dismay as he saw Elena and Reeve disappear in a flash of light.

But Barret had his own problems, for a blast shot through his leg. Barret barked out in pain, and collapsed to the ground, cradling his damaged leg. Barret forced his eyes to stay open despite the pain. But he could already see it was over. The wraiths were closing in...


Cid doggedly cut through his enemies, slashing in wide arcs with his spear, taking out as many of the beasts as he could with the minimum amount of movement. He breathed harshly as he cut the dark shapes in half, leaving them to bleed and be trampled to death by the moving battle. In the back of his mind, however, Cid knew that it was only a matter of time before they got him. They were many, while he was one. What’s more, they didn’t care how many died as long as they got the job done. Typical bad guys...they were complete bloody psychopaths.

Cid played his trump card, summoning forth a flare. So close to them, however, Cid couldn’t help but be jarred by the force of the attack. He flew through the air, landing with a rough thud. He quickly rolled to his feet, ready for action.

He was pleased with the results. A good many of the suckers had fallen for it. But the attack had taken a bit out of him, Cid was tired.

A wraith rushed up to the Pilot, raking him across the thigh with its sharp claws. Cid slashed downward with his spear, decapitating the Drahk, but the damage was done. Cid was limping. He grimaced...if that attack had gone any higher, he’d be singing soprano by now.

More dark figures came after him, and Cid struggled to keep up with their attacks. He swept his blade in a wide circle, clipping several Drahk along the arc of the attack. But another wraith came up from behind. Cid barely had time to turn before the wraith grabbed his arm and bent it back. The Captain cried out in pain as the bone snapped. He kicked the Drahk away, and backed off. Cid breathed harshly, letting his broken arm hang limp. He wielded the spear with his other good arm.

The Drahk came after him, sensing his weakness. Cid simply changed his fighting style. If there was anything he’d learned over the course of the last few months, it was versatility. Cid speared the first attacker through the chest, felling it easily. Using his momentum, he let go of the spear, pole vaulting into his next assailant feet first. Cid landed and turned, bringing up his foot, to catch yet another Drahk with a spinning roundhouse. Bringing his good hand to grab the wraith, he ground his knee into the beast’s head with a sickening crunch. The Drahk doubled over in pain, and Cid rolled over its back to kick yet another wraith away.

Cid laughed grimly as he drew his spear from the dead Drahk. Kaede wasn’t the only one with moves.

There were two left...

The first one rushed, and Cid swept his spear to the side, slitting what he assumed to be its throat. The wraith sputtered, coughed, and fell. Cid, extended his leg again to catch the other one with another roundhouse. But it ducked under the leg and punched him square in the chest. The world went black as Cid landed hard on the ground, but his fighter’s instincts kicked in, turning the fall into a roll.

He finished the roll and brought his spear up...just in time to impale the wraith as it ran up to follow up its attack. Cid breathed heavily as he lifted the impaled Drahk with his good arm, and forced his broken arm to brace the spear, holding it upwards at an angle. The wraith flailed about on the blade, trying to fight its own demise. Cid used his last remaining energy to fling the wraith against a nearby tree. It slammed against the trunk with enough force to break every bone in its body, then fell to the ground silently, never to rise again.

Cid was breathing in heaves now, “that’ll...teach you...to sell me short. I win, you bastards...”

He collapsed to his knees, completely drained of energy, “oh man, I’m wasted.”

Cid fell to his side, and the last thing he said before the world turned dark was Shera’s name...


Elena was holding on to the edge of the cliff with one hand. This normally wouldn’t have been a problem. However, she was holding Reeve’s hand in her other, the only thing between him and certain death on the breaks below. The additional weight of his armor wasn’t exactly helping.

She gritted her teeth as she struggled to hold on to both, her arms feeling as if they were about to fall off. Reeve wasn’t moving.

“Reeve?” pleaded Elena, “Reeve, wake up. Reeve...ANSWER ME!!!”

“Ugh,” he replied groggily, “I’m still here...”

He had a moment to realize their predicament, then let out a curse.

“I couldn’t agree more,” answered Elena, “but right now we have to get out of this.”

“Help lift me up,” asked Reeve gently.

“You don’t ask for much, do you?” replied Elena, “okay, hold on.”

Reeve didn’t have much choice. He watched helplessly as Elena’s face furrowed in pain. Her arm muscles bulged from the strain of bearing so much weight.

Elena gritted her teeth even harder, forcing her aching muscles to pull up Reeve through sheer willpower. Her arm was on fire. However, she succeeded, and Reeve was now beside her, holding onto the cliff’s edge as she leaned back against his arm.

Elena breathed heavily, her arm feeling limp from the strain, “let’s not do that again.”

Reeve held onto her waist, supporting her, “thanks for the save Elena. Relax I’ve got you now.”

Elena looked down at his arms and smiled wryly, “don’t get any ideas pal.”

Reeve sniffed, but smiled back, “don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time for this later. Right now, I’ve got a plan.”


Several of the Drahk skirted closer to the edge of the cliff. Looking down into the chasm below, one wraith was met by a pair of feet. They wrapped around its neck and pulled, sending the demon screaming to its death on the rocks below.

Elena flew from the cliff’s edge, jumping into the rest of the shades, sending them reeling back.

Reeve jumped to the surface a moment later.

Elena looked back and raised an eyebrow, “nice throw.”

Reeve flexed his armored muscles, “this suit has its uses.”

“Yeah,” answered Elena, “and it’s heavy as all get out.”

Barret screams caught their attention. Elena quickly threw a grenade in the direction of the yelling, clearing the Drahk away from Barret. The tall man forced himself to his feet and limped to Reeve and Elena, who rushed to meet him as well. Barret collapsed in the ground, and Elena and Reeve, brought out their guns, training their weapons on the Drahk as Barret edged closer.

“Thought you guys were goners,” said Barret through gritted teeth.

“Almost,” replied Elena.

Reeve looked at Barret’s leg and winced, “does that feel as bad as it looks?”

“Worse,” answered Barret, but he forced himself to his feet, resting most of his weight on his one good leg.

The three stood back to back, aiming their weapons at the Drahk wraiths that were slowly surrounding them.

“Damn,” cursed Barret, “there are too many of them.”

Elena sighed, “well guys it’s been nice knowing you.”


Author’s Note: Chalk down the fifth chapter in thirty two hours!!! Even with the skeleton work done, I’m smokin!!! However, it is getting rather late and I’ll hate myself in the morning when I have to get up at six. Don’t ask. Anyway, complete surprise next chapter, or at least I hope it is. However, if some of you readers out there (namely Arachnia) know me too well, you may have anticipated what’s going to happen next. Anyway, thanks for reading, feel free to drop a line.
P.S.: How’d you like the tough-as-nails Elena I’m trying to portray? I like her, especially in the scene where she lifts up Reeve with one arm, now that takes muscle! No, she’s not biped up on steroids, all my characters look normal! Well, except for the reptiles or the S&M freaks with face paint. But the good guys definitely look normal...except Red, he’s an alien wolf/lion...never mind...

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Chapter 33

Final Fantasy 7 Fanfic