The Devil
By MDuck9
It was a sad time. Not just for Cloud, but for the planet. It was cold. It was dark. The sky, the life, the world was dying. Sephiroth had once said "Wake up!". At this time, Cloud would have given anything to wake up, and learn that it was all a dream. But, this was no dream. This was a nightmare. It is all just one big never ending nightmare. The sky wasn’t blue, it was black. The wind wasn’t soft, it was harsh. The children weren’t laughing, they were crying.
Cloud was standing in a sea of blackness. No sound, none at all. Cloud couldn’t even hear himself breathing. It was a sickening silence. He couldn’t see anything, not a thing. It was almost as if he had no eyes to see with. Cloud was convinced that he was… in hell. He wasn’t that far off either. For he is about to meet the devil.
Cloud tried to speak. He tried to call for help. But, no sound came out of his mouth. He couldn’t even think. It was almost as if his mind wasn’t there. Cloud’s eyes started to water. A bitter coldness overwhelmed his body, and a single teardrop trickled down his cheek. The teardrop dropped off of his chin, and fell to his feet. When it landed, at the exact same moment that it landed, Cloud could see where he was.
Cloud could hear, think, and speak. But, he couldn’t change a thing. Yes, Cloud saw where he was. He was standing in front of Aeris. She looked up at him, and smiled. Cloud, was witnessing Aeris’ death all over again. Cloud knew what was going to happen next. He had seen it once before, and didn’t want to see it again. He tried to shut his eyes, but he couldn’t. Sephiroth had appeared, and was falling down to Aeris, with his Masamune out and facing down. Within one second, within one last heartbeat, the blade of the Masamune went right through her back and right out of her stomach. Sephiroth looked at Cloud, and as Sephiroth’s evil grin appeared, Aeris’ loving smile faded. Sephiroth pulled the sword out of Aeris, and she started to fall. Suddenly, Cloud could move, and he caught Aeris before she hit the floor. He gently held her as he kneeled down to one knee. Her blood was everywhere, all over Aeris, all over Cloud, and all over Sephiroth’s evil blade.
Cloud held Aeris close to him. His eyes were watering, his mouth was dry, his heart was broken, and his love was dead. To Cloud, it was as painful now, as it was the first time it happened. He gently placed Aeris’ body down, and stood. He turned to Sephiroth, and gave him a look. A look so fiery, it could’ve burned an ocean. He drew his sword, and slammed the blade right into Sephiroth’s chest. The blade had gone right through his chest and out of his back, but that wasn’t enough. Cloud twisted the sword, so that if Sephiroth wasn’t dead already, he would feel more pain. He pulled the sword out of Sephiroth, and watched as Sephiroth lifted his head, and gave him an evil smirk.
The blood poured out of Sephiroth’s wound. Cloud could see right through Sephiroth’s chest, right past the cold blooded insides, and right out to the light peeking through the wound. Sephiroth titled his head slightly to the left, and stated to laugh maniacally.
Just then, everything went pitch black, just like it was before. Cloud tried to yell something, but no words came out, just as before. Cloud couldn’t see, think, or speak. Everything was once again silent. Everything was once again lifeless and empty. Cloud feel to both knees, the ground as cold as ice. He looked up and yelled "AERIS!!!!". This time, his voice not only worked, but it was so loud that it could have crumbled a mountain. The name "Aeris" echoed through the blackness. And just as quick as before, without warning, the blackness faded into light and color.
Cloud could see where he was again. This time, he was somewhere else. This time, he was on the ship to Costa Del Sol. Everything was so real. The way the ship moved, the people on board. Cloud looked around, and saw Aeris in a Shinra Uniform. He walked up to her, and she turned to look at him. She smiled at Cloud and said "Hey Cloud! I heard the Airship was big, but that was amazing! Do you think I’ll ever get to go on it?". Cloud nodded.
"I’ll take you on it one day." Cloud replied with a single tear running down his face and off his chin.
Just then, everything and everyone seemed to pause. Everything turned tinted red, and Sephiroth appeared in a flash of light. "Poor Aeris." Sephiroth said with an evil expression on his face. "It’s too bad she had to die so young." He continued.
Cloud looked to Sephiroth. And pointed at him. His hand, no, his whole body was shaking. He could barely get the words out, but he did. "You killed her. You’re the one who took her away from me." Cloud said with an overwhelming sadness in his voice.
Sephiroth’s cold heartless eyes centered onto Cloud’s. He drew his Masamune and pointed it at Cloud. "I don’t think so. Tell me Cloud, why didn’t you push her out of the way, and take my blade in her place?" He said with a coldness in his voice that seemed un-human.
Cloud’s hand slowly dropped back to his side, and he looked to the floor. Cloud didn’t have an answer to that question. He shut his eyes. He shut his eyes so tight, that even the tears couldn’t get through. His entire body was shaking. His legs were barely stable enough to hold him up.
"I’ll tell you why." Sephiroth continued. The coldness in Sephiroth’s eyes deepened, and his evil grin grew. "Because Cloud,… you are a puppet."
Just then, Cloud opened his eyes and looked to where Sephiroth had been standing, but everything was different. Everything was black. Except, this time, it wasn’t like before. This time, there was a ray of light shining down onto Cloud. It was almost like the spotlight at a play. "Sephiroth!" Yelled Cloud.
Just then, another spotlight appeared about 30 feet away from Cloud. In that spotlight, was Sephiroth. "Yes Cloud?" Said Sephiroth with an evil smile on his face, and a cold shine in his eyes.
Cloud looked at him. His eyes met with Sephiroth’s. "Why are you doing this to me?" He asked as more tears fell from his face.
"Ha ha ha. Why am I doing this to you? Ha ha ha. Because I can, that’s why. Yes Cloud, I am doing this to you because I like to see the fear in your eyes." Sephiroth answered, the coldness of his words gave Cloud chills all over his body. "I am doing this because I want to be the one to crush your soul. I am doing this because I want to be the nightmare that keeps you awake at night. I am doing this because… I can." The coldness literally pouring off of Sephiroth’s body. The evil smile on his face was taunting Cloud.
Just then, the color of Cloud’s eyes seemed to deepen. He glared at Sephiroth, and drew his sword. "Not anymore. It stops here. It all stops here." Cloud’s voice was filled with pure hatred.
Cloud held his sword over his right shoulder, and started to charge Sephiroth. Sephiroth didn’t move an inch. Cloud grew closer to Sephiroth with every breath he took. Cloud was so close to Sephiroth now, he was ready to swing down upon Sephiroth with his sword. But, Sephiroth just looked into Cloud’s eyes and laughed. Cloud swung down with his sword, and a flash of blinding white light filled Cloud’s vision. Everything was silent…
Everything was white. But everything quickly faded into vision. Cloud was now standing outside. The sky was a dark gray. Lightening filled the gray sky, and the harsh wind almost knocked Cloud over. Cloud didn’t see any fresh water, only puddles of rain. He didn’t see any signs of life, only skeletons. All the grass and trees were dead. Right in front of Cloud, lay a city of ruins. He tried to identify the city, but it was too much of a wreck. He walked in closer to get a better look. The echo of his footsteps was the only sound of life. He stopped in front of a piece of metal. It looked like it had once been part of a building. It was very dirty, but Cloud could vaguely see some writing through the dirt. He tried to make out the words, but couldn’t. Cloud kneeled down and wiped the dirt off of the piece of metal. Cloud’s eyes opened wide with shock, and his mouth dropped open. "Shinra?" Cloud asked himself.
Just then, a terribly strong gust of wind blew by, causing Cloud to fall to the ice cold ground. He slowly forced himself up, fighting the terrific force of the wind. Cloud was once again on his feet, and he looked up. He saw Sephiroth sitting on the hood of a wrecked car, with an evil smile on his face. "Ha ha ha." He laughed.
"What is this?!" Cloud demanded to know. His eyes centered on Sephiroth’s.
Sephiroth evilly grinned at Cloud. "This Cloud, is your planet’s future." He answered. Those words went sent chills running through Cloud’s veins.
Cloud kneeled down once more, and saw a broken piece of what looked like Materia, lying on the ground. He tried to picked it up, but when he touched it, he burned his hand right through his glove. He shut his eyes tight, and made a tight fist. "I won’t let you do this to the planet. I am going to change this planets fate." He said with barely an ounce of strength in his voice.
"Ha! Cloud, you are just a puppet. You can’t change a thing." Sephiroth said coldly. Sephiroth’s expression suddenly changed from amused, to deathly cold. His face looking like that of a demon, he continued…"I however, am…"
Cloud looked up quickly and opened his eyes, giving Sephiroth a look so filled with hatred it almost intimidated Sephiroth. "…You’re The Devil." Cloud interrupted. His voice so filled with hatred, yet so calm.
Sephiroth nodded. "Yes Cloud, I see you finally understand. I am the Devil in the form of a human." His voice so deep, so filled with power and rage.
Cloud drew his sword one more time, and in a fit of rage, he jumped up on top of the car with Sephiroth. "How many times must you try and kill me. You can’t kill The Devil, Cloud." Said Sephiroth.
Cloud looked him in the eyes and raised his sword above his head. "I can try." He replied. He was just about to swing down the sword, when Sephiroth said…
"Ha ha ha, Wake Up!"
Just then, Cloud opened his eyes, to find that he was lying in a bed.
"Hey! He’s coming around!" Cloud heard someone say.
Standing at the foot of the bed, he saw Tifa, Barret, and some other guy that he had never seen before. "Ugh… where… where am I?" Cloud asked, while rubbing his eyes.
"You collapsed at the foot of the mountain. You’re very lucky that your friends found my cabin." The stranger replied.
"Where… where’s Sephiroth?" Cloud asked. He was in a very deep daze.
"Yo man, forget about Sephiroth for now." Barret replied.
"Yeah Cloud, you should take it easy right now." Tifa added.
It took Cloud a minute to realize that it was just a dream. A very real dream. No, it wasn’t a dream. It was Sephiroth speaking to Cloud through his mind. And it was something that would remain in Cloud’s mind for the rest of his life.
The End