Darkness Falls Chapter 33
By Gemini83
Vincent and Yuffie held each other tightly as the fire engulfed them.
Surprisingly, it didnt hurt.
Vincent opened his eyes slowly, realizing that he was still alive, what
just happened?
Yuffie looked around, and saw that the wraiths were either gone or burning
away on the ground around them.
I dont know Vince, she replied.
Vincent let Yuffie slowly help him to his feet.
He coughed into his hand, which came away red.
Vincent looked at it, and grimaced, realizing it was definitely not the red
of his cloak.
You look like hell, whispered Yuffie.
Ive seen better days, replied Vincent.
He faltered forward, and the young ninja moved to catch him in her arms.
Vincent leaned against her shoulder, resting his head on her neck. He sighed
tiredly.
Then a growl came from behind him, and Vincent knew they were still in
danger.
Yuffies body went rigid with fear,
dont...move.
There were still several Drahk left alive, eager to spill their
blood.
Vincent scowled, Yuffie...my belt.
The ninja felt for Vincents belt, her hand brushing up against a
handgun.
You know how to use it? asked Vincent.
Yuffie shook her head almost imperceptibly, but Im a quick
learner.
Vincent pulled a sardonic smile, you would have to be...do
it!
Yuffie grabbed the handgun, raised it in the direction of the wraiths, and
fired. The kickback nearly floored her, but she braced herself and fired
again, emptying round after round into the dark figures.
Vincent spun around, holding onto her waist with one hand to steady himself.
With his other hand, he drew his most powerful shotgun...
Scores of the beasts fell, but there were still too many for the two to take
on alone. All too soon, they ran out of rounds. Yuffie set her back against
Vincent, drawing her shirukens. Vincent raised his hands, now armored claws.
He was too weak now to completely transform, but he still had some fight
left in him.
The two grinned savagely at their enemies.
I never thought Id go like this, stated Vincent, dragged
down by sheer numbers.
Dont worry Vince, returned Yuffie, Im with
you.
The ex-Turk sighed, and there is none I would rather spend my last
moments with.
Yuffies tone became serious, Vince, what you said...about loving
me...was it true?
Vincent nodded, you are my heart and soul now.
Yuffie smiled back, well, well just have to straighten things
out when this is over.
We will, lied Vincent.
They werent going to live through this, and both of them knew
it.
Any further comment was silenced as another blast of light blinded
them...
Reeve, Elena, and Barret stood back to back, ragged and weary. They were
dead tired, and in no condition to fight, but the Drahk wraiths circled around
them like vultures around carrion. The three waited for an attack. It came,
but not in the form they expected.
Grand spark! came a cry from behind the demons.
The Drahk wraiths let out shrill screams as they were engulfed in wave after
wave of electricity. One by one, they fell to the ground, dead and
convulsing.
A figure came out from the darkness, revealing himself as...
...Rude! shouted Elena.
Yuffie and Vincent opened their eyes once more, to find all their enemies
had been decimated. Nothing remained now but burning husks wasting away on
the blazing fields. The fires soon died down, and a figure slowly treaded
its way through the smoke.
Yuffies eyes widened, not daring to believe,
Nanaki?
Vincent nodded to the Cian warrior, cut that a little close, dont
you think?
Red shrugged, sorry, I got a little, preoccupied.
Thanks, said the ex-Turk.
Dont mention it, replied Nanaki.
Wait a second, pleaded Yuffie, you KNEW he was
alive?
Vincent nodded, I became aware of him just after the first
blast.
Yuffie turned to the quadruped, so you were the one who did
that?
Red nodded, Ive been working on fine tuning the Cosmo
Memory.
Vincent nodded his thanks again, how did you get back? We thought you
dead.
Lets explain when we join up with the others, replied
Nanaki.
Fair enough, answered Vincent.
Yuffie was still trying to make sense of it all while they trekked back to
meet the others. Then something crossed in her mind, and she punched Vincent
lightly on the arm.
What was that for? asked Vincent calmly.
Two things, answered the ninja, first, you shouldve
told me Red was alive earlier.
Well, said Vincent, that might have thrown off the sneak
attack.
Fine, whatever... she grumbled.
And second? he asked.
Yuffie smiled, you could have told me you loved me
before.
Vincent remained silent.
Yuffie turned to look at him, and tried to hide a laugh as she saw his cheeks
were as red as his cloak.
Well, answered Vincent slowly, a man gets...
Intimidated? suggested Red.
I wouldnt go that far...
Oh of course, smiled the Cian, lets just
say...apprehensive then.
Yuffie threw her hands up in dismay, oh, it doesnt matter. For
a person who almost had her ticket punched, I dont feel that
bad.
I do, and you should as well, countered Vincent, it seems
strange to me that youd feel otherwise.
Yes, but youre weird, joked Yuffie.
I still care about you...
Yuffies expression turned softer, and she turned to Vincent with slightly
teary eyes. Vincent responded by wrapping a timid arm about her
shoulders.
Well then... hazarded Red, lets get out of this alive,
then catch up on old times later.
Couldnt have said it better myself, said
Vincent.
Elena couldnt believe her eyes. It was Rude! Of all the people to save
them, it was a person who was supposed to be dead.
You old dog! laughed Elena, is it really
you?
Of course, answered the Turk calmly.
Barret laughed, has to be. No one else could just pop up like that
and still talk in two word sentences.
How did you make it out? asked Reeve.
We jumped ship, came a voice from behind, bailed out in
an escape pod before she blew.
Elena turned around, Reno!
Reno waved back, then re-shouldered the weight he was carrying. Shera was
by his side. Between the two of them, they were half-dragging a barely conscious
Cid.
Barely being the operative word, for the Captain was keeping
up a steady stream of curses to make even a hardened sailor blush.
Somebody help me out here, he groaned, Ive had to
listen to this idiots talking all the way over here.
I wouldnt complain so much if you werent so heavy,
retorted Reno, especially for such an old cuss.
Quiet dear, save your strength, whispered Shera to Cid, at
least were still together. Thanks for coming after me.
I had to, answered Cid, I cared too much to let you
go.
So does that mean I get to stay with you this time?
Oh definitely, smiled the pilot, you get into far too much
trouble without me to look after you.
Shera straightened her glasses and remained silent.
God I love it when you do that, whispered Cid.
Shera smiled at him.
Oh spare me all this maudlin nonsense, groaned Reno,
isnt my job hard enough as it is?
Barret laughed, give it a rest kid. Cid, you look like
hell.
Cid nodded, Im getting tired of doing this crap, somebody get
me a Goddamn wheelchair.
Barret barked out another laugh, I think I have a better claim to it,
but Ill be fine.
Barret was standing completely on one leg now, while Rude began to prepare
a leg brace for him.
Cid grinned up at him, you dont look to great yourself. How do
you feel?
Like someone threw me in a blender, then glued me back together,
answered the large bear of a man.
That sounds about right, laughed Cid harshly.
Come on guys, said Yuffie, no time to be resting on the
job.
The others turned around.
Well, said Elena, will wonders never cease? You made it
out too Red?
The Cian merely nodded, just in time to save our friends here
too.
Yuffie sniffed, Vincent would just have turned into his hunky other
form and torn them apart. Right Vince?
Vincent sighed, I feel a bit too tired to do that just
now.
Reeve looked to the horizon, come on guys, our destinations that
way.
The others turned to see the Fortress of the Ancients not too far in the
distance. No one had mentioned it yet, but Kaede and the others still
hadnt turned up since the landing. They had been too busy fighting
the army of wraiths to pay it much mind. Perhaps thats why Kaede
hadnt been seen, he had bypassed the wraiths while the others held
them off.
Maybe they went ahead while we were fighting these guys, suggested
Barret, never really thought about till now.
But perhaps it was because they were too frightened to think of any alternatives,
or because there was only so much one could deal with at a time.
Elena shuddered, those...Horsemen will be there.
Reeve hugged her, dont worry, itll be alright. And when
its over, well go on a real vacation, just you and
I.
Elena smiled up at him, and held him closer, Id like
that.
Come on people, grunted Cid, lets move
out.
And just like that, the group was on its way to the one place where it would
all end. They were walking, slowly but surely, to where the fate of the Planet
would be decided once and for all...
...The Fortress of the Ancients...
And Heaven help them if they lost...
Authors Note: Chapters are just streaming out from my fingers, sixth
in 36 hours! I hope that doesnt mean the quality of writing has declined.
Anyway, I am finally within spitting distance of the ending. WARNING: almost
exclusively Kaede from here on in, if youre growing used to all the
bouncing around. Unless I get tired of writing, which I dont anticipate
happening just yet, Im still going to give you two endings, but I will
try to tie them together or something. As always, thanks for reading. Catch
you later.
P.S.: Why are there so many attempts at jokes now as opposed to the rest
of the story? Simple, I am naturally writing like this, perhaps as a side
effect of making so many back-to-back action chapters. Sorry if you dont
like it, please bear with me. That is all.
.