Darkness Falls Chapter 38
By Gemini83
Aeris met Veletta, face to face, staff to staff, and dared her to do anything
about it. Now the Mistress of Evil was in a furor, screaming as she thrust
her weapon at the Cetra. Aeris ducked under the blow, the raised herself
to her full height, bringing her staff around to hit Veletta squarely in
the ear.
The Drahk lord shouted in pain and fell back, grasping the side of her head.
When her hand came away, filled with blood, a cold rage took her.
“You dare to strike me?” spat Veletta.
She rushed at Aeris, bringing her staff down hard, cracking the floor. Veletta
moved, and, swinging to the side, Veletta smashed her staff into Aeris’
ribs.
Aeris flew back, and fell to her knees, coughing out blood. She felt tenderly
at her side, and grimaced. It felt as if some of her ribs were broken. She
looked up as Veletta towered above her.
The evil woman brought her staff down again, and Aeris blocked with her
own.
“Insolent pest,” hissed Veletta, “do you honestly think you
can win?”
Aeris remained silent, and continued to hold her own.
However, Veletta soon backed away in pain, sheltering her breasts with her
arms, stemming the flow blood. A burning sensation ran up her front, and
Veletta knew Methos must have been wounded. It was because of the bond she
shared with him that she was in pain. Perhaps Veletta had been too hasty
in joining her blood with Methos’. A light grumbling sound came from
behind her, and Veletta slowly turned. She shrieked and jumped back as a
strange beast snapped its jaws at her.
“Away from me monster,” shouted Veletta, firing a blast from her
staff at the creature.
The ice dragon was engulfed, but slowly emerged from the attack.
“What madness is this?” demanded the Mistress of Evil.
The dragon chased after her, but stopped as it regarded Aeris. It rumbled
a greeting, and Aeris vaguely felt something in the back of her mind, calling
to her. Then she knew what it was.
“It is a manifestation of the Planet’s will Veletta!” shouted
Aeris, “surrender now, or fall!”
Veletta’s eyes blazed with fire, “NEVER!”
She gathered her energies, and summoned forth a creature of her own...it
seethed and twisted, eventually forming into the shape of some strange fire
beast. It looked vaguely familiar...
“A Reaver?” gawked Aeris.
Veletta laughed cruelly, “ah, you’re acquainted with them. This
is no ordinary Reaver, it is made of pure fire, flames of hatred which shall
destroy you!”
Aeris calmly braced herself for attack, mentally reaching out to the dragon
of ice, using that same hidden power she had used to control the
WEAPONS.
The two beasts, ice dragon, and fire beast, glared at each other, snapping
their jaws as they circled. Then the two behemoths leapt, changing into raw
energy as they struggled to consume each other.
Aeris outstretched her staff, pouring more strength into the attack, Veletta
did the same. And their they stood, two women of power, chosen by destiny,
forcing themselves to fight through sheer force of will. But in the end,
Aeris’ convictions were stronger than her foe’s. In the end, she
had the love and support of her Planet, while Veletta had nothing but the
cold hatred of her own dead heart.
The blue energy swallowed the gleaming red force, and Veletta’s fire
beast screamed as it was destroyed.
Undaunted, the Mistress of Evil leapt past the still seething energies, bringing
her staff to bear down on Aeris.
The Cetra’s eyes glowed a blinding green, “I am the Guardian of
this Planet. I will not allow you to defile this world!”
Veletta sneered back, “you can never win. Why do you persist on fighting
me? For love? To protect those who care for you?”
Her lip curled in an almost feral grin, “for Kaede? Do you think a man
such as he could ever live with one such as you?”
Aeris glared coolly back, “you have never known love Veletta, you could
not understand.”
Veletta laughed harshly, “how naive, like a fairy tale princess. Kaede
is no hero in shining armor girl. He has slaughtered, the beast lurks within.
And once I kill you, I will show him your broken body. Then he will go mad,
and he will become one of us forever!”
“No!” shouted Aeris.
She pushed upwards, flinging Veletta away. Aeris ran towards the Drahk lord,
swinging her staff. Suddenly, Aeris screamed in pain, clutching at her side,
and fell unconscious...
Kaede groaned, forcing himself to ignore the pain.
Methos sneered into his face, “I got you...brother.”
Kaede looked down, and saw he had been run through by Methos’ blade.
It wasn’t immediately life threatening, but it wasn’t good either.
Enraged, tired, and past caring about any personal pains, Kaede thrust his
fist into the Chaos Lord’s body, releasing a flurry of punches. He finished
by bringing his knee into the Drahk’s exposed stomach.
Methos grunted as he fell. He barely had time to think before Kaede kicked
him away.
Kaede stumbled, falling to his knees, and gasped in pain. That had been too
close. He only hoped Aeris wasn’t in trouble, as a result of his wounds.
The Rite of Blood had its strengths and weaknesses. He had tried explaining
to her before, but, as in all things, they were having to learn by doing.
Not the best way to learn sometimes, thought Kaede in retrospect.
Methos heaved a tired breath as he raised himself to his knees.
“Do you always fight with this kind of fervor?” he mocked, “is
that why the Council of Planeswalkers fears you so, considers you a
freak?”
Kaede wouldn’t allow himself to be baited into a rage, silently rising
to his feet once more...
Sephiroth fell back, clutching at his sides. That had been a powerful attack.
He hadn’t known the little shit had that kind of power. No matter, it
still wasn’t enough to stop him.
Cloud’s friends were slowly gathering around him. The swordsman finally
fell from his daze. Cloud glared at Sephiroth, and slowly advanced toward
him.
“That’s enough,” he shouted, “give up, you’re
beaten.”
Sephiroth caught a gleam from the corner of his eye...the White
Materia.
He sneered back, lips curled in a wolfish grin, “not
nearly.”
Like lightning, Sephiroth scooped up the White Materia. Reaching into his
belt, he pulled out something else. It was now time to enact his
plan.
He laughed, “tell me Cloud, do you know what this is?”
Cloud stopped, and stared at what Sephiroth held.
“That’s...the Black Materia,” whispered Cloud.
“Yes,” answered Sephiroth, “now witness the true powers of
the Ancient technology!”
Sephiroth brought the two orbs together. The White and Black Materias engulfed
each other, becoming one. The sphere in Sephiroth’s hand began to fluctuate,
hues of white and green swirling through the seas of black within the
orb.
Cloud shook his head, trying to make sense of it all.
“What in the Planet’s name have you done?” demanded
Red.
Sephiroth laughed once more, as the Fortress began to rumble ever so
slightly.
“Fools!” shouted Sephiroth, “tremble before me! It is the
beginning of the end!”
Author’s Note: Whew! Almost there. As always, thanks for reading, and keep up the feedback, I live for it.
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