Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ And Then There Were Two ❯ Anger ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 3: Anger

None of the AVALANCE members interrupted the two brothers as they told them their reasons for traveling, what happened to them and who was lost on the way. The room was silent after Bryan and Andy finished recounting the horrific event that took place in the mountains of Nibelheim. Vincent still stood in his corner while everyone else remained glued to their seats transfixed on what they heard.

Cloud was the first to break the silence, “the creature you said killed your grandfather, did it look sort of like a human?”

“Yes, it did,” Bryan answered.

“Yeah, you should've seen that sucker. It had these huge biceps and claws about the size of swords,” Andy added.

“I think those are the same creatures that are stuck in those mako pods up at the reactor,” Cloud said pensively. “All the pods were secure the last time I was up there, but it's possible one of them may have escaped.”

Tifa's head shot-up after listening to Cloud's theory, she remembered hearing about the creatures powering the rectors. Apparently they had been part of Hojo's experiments. Cloud had said that all of the creatures were once First-Class SOLIDERS. There wasn't any scientific research done to prove the findings, but most theorized that the over-exposure to mako warped their bodies until they turned into hideous creatures.

She stole a glance over at Vincent who hadn't moved or flinched from his dark corner. She knew that he, as well as Cloud, was a victim of countless experiments from the late ShinRa scientist. Though Cloud underwent mako-related experiments and tinkered on the edge of becoming one of the monsters Cloud encountered in the reactor, he was never tortured and humiliated like Vincent.

“Will you all help us? Please, help us get our baby back,” Marie pleaded.

“We'll help you. Won't we?” Tifa said as she turned to both Cloud and Vincent.

“Yeah, if it involves those creatures, we have to. Everything ShinRa left behind has to be destroyed,” Cloud stated like an ultimatum.

Vincent stepped out of his dark corner and started to head up to his room after Cloud gave his response.

“Vincent! Where are you going?” Tifa demanded.

“I'm going to get my gun and head out to the mountains to see if I can find the boy,” he said flatly.

Tifa only shook her head and smiled as she watched him leave the room. She was afraid that his cold demeanor reflected his feelings about the situation. But under that cloak of mystery was the real Vincent Valentine: warm-blooded by nature, but cold-blooded when necessary. She knew that it was better for him to check the mountain paths for Marie and William's son. She would never be able to face the couple if their son were dead and Cloud was never loquacious with strangers. Vincent had experience with these situations and knew how to detach himself emotionally when necessary.

Now that they agreed to help the travelers, the group decided to rest for the evening. There was no use in heading up to the mountains tonight when there was a dangerous creature on the loose. It would also take time to gather the materia and supplies they needed to ensure their safety. Putting the most needy first, Tifa escorted everyone to one of the many unoccupied rooms in the mansion. Cloud had offered to get dinner at the local pizza parlor so she didn't have to cook for seven people. She also wanted to catch Vincent before he left to explore the mountain paths. She was working at such a frenzy getting clean sheets and towels for their guests that she almost missed him as he was about to leave the house.

“Vincent, wait!” Tifa quickly shouted as she scrambled to put things in their proper place.

The stoic man turned around and waited patiently for Tifa to finish her tasks before asking her the reason for the delay. He smiled underneath his cloak as he watched her run and reach out towards him as if he was going to fly away if she didn't catch him in time.

Tifa finally reached him and quickly caught her breath before speaking, “Do you even know your way around the mountain paths?”

“It shouldn't be too difficult to maneuver. I've traveled them before when I was a Turk.”

“Well, a lot has changed so wait here just a moment while I draw you a map,” as she went into the den to get a pen and some paper.

She came back shortly and started drawing a few lines here and there along with directions and landmarks. Vincent watched her as she paused for a few moments trying to remember something. He wanted to reach out and touch her long silken hair or wrap his arms around her while she was diligently working. He knew he couldn't though, at least not yet.

“There! All finished,” Tifa said proudly as she handed him the hand-drawn map. “This should help you while you're in the mountains. There are a lot of twists, turns and small paths that not many people know about.”

“Thank you Tifa,” Vincent said as he took the map.

His hands lingered on hers for a brief moment as he locked his eyes with hers.

“Please be careful and come back safely,” she said with compassion.

“You have my word that I will,” he promised.

He stood at the doorway for a second, contemplating whether or not to hold her for a moment before he left, but decided against it. He had a job to do and there was no time to think about romance. Closing the door gently, he walked out in the afternoon sun and slowly made his way towards the precarious mountain path.

“You are a fool Valentine. You could have so much but you're always too afraid. Take the girl, make her yours!”

“Chaos, be still! Unlike your race, we humans like to have consensual love.”

“That truly is a laugh. It certainly explains why yourrace meddles in the most inane things. How do you stand it Valentine? How do you live as a human being?”

“As you should know Chaos, I'm hardly human anymore. You and your three friends have ensured that,” Vincent said bitterly.

“What's the curse of immortality if you don't have some fun with it.”

“Trust me, I do not consider spending the rest of eternity with you, fun. But if you must know, I was barely what you would call human even before Hojo changed me.”

“Once a Turk, always a Turk,” Chaos finished for him.

Vincent smirked as all his internal monsters were cackling over their little parley. He suddenly felt as if he reached some mutual understanding with his internal beasts, something that he had never achieved before. He was either letting his monsters take one step closer to becoming more humane, or he was taking a step closer into becoming more of a monster.

He made his way up the treacherous mountain paths and silently thanked Tifa for the map. He was certain that without it he would be walking around in circles. As he cautiously hiked up the terrain, he didn't see anything suspicious. He wasn't sure how far the travelers had hiked before they were attacked. Suddenly, he sensed movement from up above him along the ledges. He knew that there was a creature lurking along the cliffside but whether or not it was the monster he was looking for still had to be determined.

Vincent held his gun tightly to his body, ready to fire in a split second if necessary. A few pebbles fell in a dusty heap along the path and Vincent knew that the creature was going to attack. Vincent kept his ground and tuned his ears to the sounds around him. He didn't want to give the creature any impression that he was ready to fight. Within a matter of seconds, the creature leaped from its hiding place on top of the cliffs to pounce on its prey. Vincent caught its sudden movement and turned around with his gun cocked in lightening speed.

Along the mountainside, a gunshot rang out and echoed loudly through the Nibelheim Mountains. Birds flew out of their nests from the sudden shock and woodland creatures scurried home. Silence filled the air as seconds turned into minutes. Nothing seemed to move or breath. There was no movement or indication that anyone or anything ever took the mountain path that Vincent had followed before he encountered the creature. All that was certain was that there was no sign of Vincent Valentine.

Cloud came home with the pizzas as promised and everyone in the ShinRa Mansion feasted on the hot sustenance, everyone except Tifa. It had been a few hours since Vincent had left to explore the mountains and there had been no sign of him. The sky grew darker by the minute and his dinner laid ready at the table. She was worried.

She tried cleaning and entertaining the guests to get her mind off of the silent man, but like how she couldn't calm Marie from worrying about her baby boy, Tifa couldn't stop thinking about him. Even Cloud grew concerned over the long delay of their comrade. He knew of Vincent's capabilities and it took more than one monster to take the man down. Cloud had a feeling that tomorrow would be a long day.

Tifa tried to enjoy the scrumptious dinner that Cloud brought home, but her stomach was tied in too many knots to digest the pizza. Luckily for her, the hot food along with a hot shower was all her four guests needed to relax and get to sleep. They had a trying day and they needed their rest if they were going to face the mountain path once more. Cloud and Tifa had agreed to escort them to Rocket town to ensure their safety and kill the creature that preyed on the travelers' companions. It was the least they could do for them and they had a duty to protect other unsuspecting travelers who wanted to venture into the mountains.

Dinner had come and gone and three slices of pizza were all that remained. Tifa insisted that they save the remaining slices for Vincent. She refused to give up on him and knew that he would come back. He had promised her that he would and Vincent was never one to go back on his word. Even Cloud kept his promise that they made at the well many years ago.

Tifa suddenly remembered that she had agreed to take a walk with Cloud this evening. They had been so busy with their guests and planning their trip tomorrow, it had completely slipped their minds. She knew that it was far too late for them to be out at night and they couldn't leave their guests alone in the mansion by themselves. She had to find Cloud and apologize.

She had last seen him walking towards his room so she started her search for him up there. Once she finally made it to his room, she found the door open and expected to see Cloud lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling, but there was no Cloud. Where did he go off to? Tifa resumed her search for him around the mansion. She didn't find him in the kitchen or the den where she expected him to be, she walked back up the stairs hoping to find him back in his room when she heard the piano playing from the ballroom.

It was one of the tunes she had taught Cloud how to play when they were children. A smile crept up her lips as she made her way to the ballroom to confront her childhood friend. She finally reached the room and silently watched as Cloud fumbled with the keys. He was definitely out of practice, it showed in the awkwardness he was playing and the offbeat notes that resonated from the grand piano. Cloud had been concentrating so hard on trying to play the piece that he never noticed Tifa standing at the doorway.

“Dammit, how did this stupid song go anyway?” he said frustrated.

“Hey, it's not a stupid song! That happened to be one of my favorites as a kid,” Tifa teased.

Cloud stood upright after hearing Tifa's voice and knocked the piano bench over. “God, Tifa. You scared me! How long were you standing there?”

“Not that long Cloud. But want some help with the piece?”

“Nah, I was just about finished anyway,” he said as he put the bench back in its rightful place.

“In that case, let me play a song or two,” she said as she slid alongside Cloud on the bench.

She absentmindedly started to play the same song Cloud had tried earlier, but she had been practicing so the song had flow and melody. Cloud sat and stared at Tifa's face as she focused on the piano. He always wondered why she chose to be a fighter when her fingers and hands were so delicate. She seemed so meek, yet deep down inside she was a strong person. Cloud knew that, she had given him her strength many countless times when he thought he couldn't take one more step or breathe one more breath.

Tifa finished playing the piece and turned to face Cloud who had been silently admiring her. She blushed when she realized that he had been watching her this whole time.

“Cloud?”

Cloud didn't answer, but only gazed into her ruby-red eyes admiring its clarity.

“Cloud?” Tifa asked again but a bit louder.

“Huh? What?”

“You zoned out for a while. What were you thinking about?”

“Oh, nothing in particular,” he said while scratching the back of his head to try and hide his embarrassment.

Tifa chuckled at his behavior. He had been much more open and friendly these past few days, especially today. Then she remembered the reason why she came to find him. “Oh, Cloud I know you wanted to take a walk tonight, but with all our guests here and everything happening, is it okay if we do it later?”

“Yeah, that's fine. I kinda figured it was a bad day to do that sort of thing. But maybe tomorrow,” he said cheerfully.

“Yeah, tomorrow,” Tifa repeated softly.

Cloud let his hand gently touch her cheek as he rose from the bench and walked to the door. He took one more look at Tifa who sat on the bench still blushing from when he touched her cheek. I'm going to have to tell her soon.

“Goodnight, Tifa. Sleep well,” Cloud said as he tried to imitate a bow.

“Goodnight Cloud,” Tifa said as she smiled.

Tifa held her hand up to the cheek that Cloud touched and smiled. That was the first sign of affection he had ever given her. Her heart beat erratically as her eyes lingered on the door where Cloud was. She left the ballroom and made her way back downstairs to the den walking in a love-struck stupor. All her thoughts were on Cloud as she hummed a joyful tune while cleaning up the kitchen. It wasn't until her eyes landed on the three remaining slices of pizza that her thought wandered back to Vincent. He still hadn't returned.

Thoughts of love and romance were replaced with worry and concern as she looked outside the window to see if there was any trace of the lone gunslinger, but she only stared out at an empty void. The moon emitted an eerie blood-red glow and Tifa shuddered. She needed to get her mind off of Vincent and staring out the window helplessly was not going to ease her worries.

She quickly grabbed her book and tried to concentrate on the story she had been reading earlier that day. Her eyes scanned the words, but none of them were sticking to her conscious. Her mind was too distracted to concentrate on a novel. She needed to put her mind at ease and decided to go up to the mountains to find him. Before she could reach the stairs, she heard the front door creak open.

Her heart beat rapidly as she watched the large wooden door gradually open wider and wider until the darkness from outside started to pour into the well-lit room. Her body couldn't move an inch as her eyes were fixed on the person walking through the door. It was Vincent.

Tifa scanned his body to see if there were any noticeable injuries, but he kept his body hidden behind his red cloak. She didn't see any damage done to his cloak and he didn't appear injured. After establishing that there were no injuries a part of her felt relieved, but the other part was upset that he had worried her.

“Vincent! Where have you been? You have no idea how worried I was. I almost ran out there to get you,” Tifa was practically fuming.

She was about to berate him further when he held out his hand to get her attention. He held a powder-blue blanket with little teddy bears that Tifa thought was adorable, but it was stained with a dark crimson liquid. She choked back a gasp as she looked to Vincent for any hope on his face. He only shook his head as he walked closer to Tifa until he was right in front of her.

“I'm sorry, this was all I could find.”

“Then, he's . . . dead,” Tifa said sullenly.

“Yes,” Vincent said flatly. “Are they asleep?”

“Yes, they're asleep. Should we wake them?”

“No, let them have this one night to dream and hope.”

Tifa nodded her head sadly as she slowly reached her hand up to touch the blanket that dangled off of Vincent's hand. Vincent handed the blanket to Tifa as she gazed upon the mangled material. Tifa always loved children; he could tell by the way she played with Barret's daughter, Marlene. Even though Tifa never met Marie and William's son, she was distraught that the boy was gone.

“I should wash it for them, so they don't have to see all the blood on it.”

“I think they would appreciate that. Did you need my help?”

“No, you should get to bed. You've been out all evening hiking in the mountains. You've done enough for tonight. Thank you though,” Tifa said as she forced herself to smile. “Oh, we left some pizza for you. It's in the kitchen if you're hungry.”

“Thank you. I suggest you get some rest as well. Goodnight Tifa,” Vincent said as he bowed gracefully.

“Goodnight Vincent.”

He felt her hands wrap around his body in a tight embrace. He welcomed her warmth and returned the embrace as he dipped his head lower so he could feel her hair against his cheek. Vincent wanted to hold her forever, just like this. Tifa was the first to release her embrace though Vincent could have sworn she hesitated. They didn't speak any more words as he grabbed the saved slices of pizza and made his way towards his room.

He made sure that Tifa was safely in her room before entering his own. The fireplace was crackling as he shut the door. Vincent smiled knowing that she had lighted the fireplace to his room. It was pleasant feeling the warmth emit from the fire splashing bits of light around his dark room. Tifa was like that fire, spreading her warmth to Vincent whenever she was near. She was a light he feared he would never have.

He gazed at the fire as sparks popped off of the burning logs in odd intervals. Vincent opened his desk drawer to put away his guns and materia he took on his expedition. He riffled through his pockets and came across the map Tifa had drawn for him. The folded piece of paper had some dark red stains on it: stains from blood. It's amazing the things you'll do and the secrets you'll keep for the sake of love. Vincent dropped the map in his desk along with all his other items and shut the drawer before getting himself ready for bed.

Morning came and the occupants of the ShinRa Mansion busied themselves with preparations for their long arduous journey. Tifa had wrapped the boy's blanket in some white tissue paper. She wanted Vincent to give the bundle to Marie, but he had insisted that she do it. It was easier for women to comfort each, especially about a sensitive topic as the death of her son.

Marie had been staring at Vincent all morning, hoping for him to talk to her and tell her that he found her son. She clutched the hem of her shirt as she watched the tall man walk past her and escort her husband into a private room to talk. She wasn't sure why the man refused to look her in the eye or speak to her. She was about to interrupt the conversation between her husband and Vincent when Tifa walked up to her.

“Morning Marie, I hope you slept well,” Tifa said cautiously.

“I did. Thank you Miss Lockheart,” Marie smiled. “But I wanted to speak to Vincent to see what he found. Did he tell you how his trip went last night?”

“Yes, yes he did,” Tifa almost flattered.

“What did he see? Is my baby . . . dead?” Marie asked, knowing all to well that if Jacob were alive he would be in her arms right now.

“I'm sorry Marie, but this is all Vincent could find,” Tifa said as she handed him the tightly wrapped bundle.

Marie took the bundle graciously and held it to her heart. “This was his favorite blanket. He could never fall asleep unless he had it with him.”

Tears started to drop in the tissue paper that covered the remnants of the blanket. It had taken her and William five years to finally have a child. They had pampered and adored their son for the three years he was alive. Marie felt like a piece of her died up on the mountains along with Jacob.

Her husband had learned of his son's death through Vincent and he also felt empty inside. He went over to his wife and embraced her while she cried on his shoulder.

“I'm sorry we left him. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me Marie,” William softly begged his wife.

Marie wanted to be angry, wanted to yell and scream and him for running away, but her husband loved Jacob as well and the guilt of leaving him behind was probably eating at his soul.

“I forgive you. I know we had to run,” Marie sobbed.

Vincent and Tifa left the couple alone so they could mourn. Andy and Bryan hadn't asked about their nephew, but already speculated that he was gone when they saw the blank expressions on Vincent and Tifa's faces. The family said that they were on their way to a funeral, but it looked like they would have to plan for two more.

& nbsp;

After everyone had gotten themselves ready, they embarked on their journey through the mountains. The group stuck close together with Tifa leading while Cloud and Vincent covered the back. The air was tense and there were no birds or animals roaming the area. Cloud had an uneasy feeling about the eerie silence. He had wanted to ask Vincent what went on up on the mountains, but never got the chance to ask.

Finally the swordsman stopped and turned around to motion for Vincent to catch up to him. The gunman saw Cloud's silent plea to talk and slowly made his way towards his comrade.

“Vincent, did you see anything when you went up here last night?”

“No,” he said flatly.

“I'm worried Vincent. If this creature is what I think it is, then we'll have to be extremely cautious,” Cloud said softly so no one else could hear.

Cloud hoped that he was wrong. He and Vincent could probably handle one of those creatures. He had his sword and Vincent always had his transformations should the monster overwhelm them. His main concern was for Tifa who, though a capable fighter, wouldn't stand a chance against this creature fighting with only her fists.

The soft rustling from the bushes alerted the two men. Cloud quickly scanned the area and panicked as he and Vincent had drifted too far from the group. They sprinted to catch up with Bryan and Andy who trailed behind hoping that the rustling in the bushes was just a squirrel or a rabbit. They were only a few yards away when a blurred gray figure leaped out of the bushes and dove into Bryan, forcing the man to fall off the cliff with the large creature.

The group stood in horror as Bryan screamed for his life as the sounds of ripping flesh echoed along the cliffside. Cloud and Vincent tried to find where Bryan landed, but the bottom was littered with jutting rocks and crevices, it was almost impossible to discern where the bodies would have landed. Marie tried to cover her ears to block out the blood-curdling screams that bounced off the rocky terrain.

Cloud was frustrated and upset at himself for letting the creature kill one of the travelers so easily and quickly. Shit, I fucked up! We gotta get out of here. Without giving a second thought, he quickly barked out his orders.

“Run! Run up further along the mountains,” he yelled.

Everyone was in full agreement of his command and followed suit as they ran as fast as they could up the path. Cloud was hoping that the creature had fallen far enough down the path that it wouldn't be able to catch up to them. He also hoped that the creature would be able to sate its appetite off of Bryan. Cloud silently mourned for the man. He never stood a chance against the creature. It moved far to fast for Cloud to even get a glimpse of it.

He watched as William and Marie started to tire and slow down. He hoped that they had trekked enough distance that the creature wouldn't chase them. He was also getting a bit tired as he carried his large Ultima Weapon strapped to his back. They needed to rest.

“Tifa, you can stop!” Cloud yelled as he panted.

Tifa stopped running and walked over to Marie who was gasping for breath. The poor woman wasn't used to such strenuous exercise. The group rested and sat in silence. No one wanted to say anything for there was nothing they could say to ease the pain of another loss.

Cloud let his eyes gaze upon the faces of his comrades. Tifa and Vincent had quickly recovered from the sprint. Cloud knew Tifa had been working out, something he should have been doing but neglected. William, Marie and Andy looked worn out. These people were not fighters or athletes, they were simple everyday people stuck in an unfortunate situation.

Cloud knew that he had to make sure that no one else died today. He had his resolve and nothing was going to stop him from fulfilling it. Feeling revitalized, he quickly scanned his surroundings and noticed they were close to the bridge taking them to the reactor. He guessed that they would be safe at the reactor. Once they made it there they would be halfway towards Rocket Town.

“Is everyone ready to go?” Cloud asked the group.

Tifa and Vincent nodded their heads in response while William helped his wife up on her feet and indicated to Cloud that they were ready as well. Andy sat on a rock and didn't even hear Cloud. He was staring at the ground, still shocked at the events that just took place. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Cloud who again asked if he was ready to go.

“I told you that sucker had talons the size of swords, didn't I?” Andy laughed uneasily.

“Yes, yes you did,” Cloud said sympathetically.

“You know, that could have been me. I was walking right next to him and talking to him. One minute he and I were just joking around and the next, I feel this whoosh of air and then he's gone.”

“There was nothing you could've done,” Tifa said softly.

“I know. And don't think I blame you all either, cause he was right in the middle. It could have been one of you all as well. But I'm talking too much,” Andy said as he stood and tried to conceal the tears that were forming.

Cloud let him walk off towards the bridge. He knew that he needed his space. Tifa and Vincent walked next to William and Marie to protect them from another attack from the side. Cloud walked up to the bridge and cautiously watched how it swayed slightly as Andy slowly crossed it. Cloud needed to catch up to him before he walked too far and set his fears aside as he took a step on the wooden boards.

Andy knew he probably shouldn't be so far ahead of the group, but he didn't want them to see him so upset. He was angry with himself for letting Bryan get taken by the monster. He was the one who had insisted with William to keep on traveling by foot since they had three members of the famous AVALANCE group to protect him. He was so naïve and careless. He should have known that it would be near impossible for three trained warriors to protect them from a bloodthirsty monster like that.

He stepped off the bridge onto the other side and stopped suddenly when he saw the trail of blood along the mountain path. The heavy scent of blood filled the air and he knew that the creature was near. He slowly took a step back and eyed the bushes where the trail of blood stopped.

“Everyone, get back! It's here!” Andy yelled.

He felt the bridge move slightly as the group quickly made their way back. Andy pulled out his hunting knife that he always kept with him in case of emergencies. There certainly was no better emergency than this one.

Andy heard someone quickly making his way towards him and he silently wondered what idiot didn't hear him yelling.

“Andy, let me pass. You need to get back with the others. I can handle the creature.”

It was Cloud. “It's in the bushes right now. If we're quick enough we can cross the bridge and then cut it so it won't follow.”

Before Cloud could respond, the creature had leaped out from its hiding place and roared with its arms out-stretched towards the sky.

“I guess I spoke too soon,” Andy said.

The two men were fixated on the large beast standing on the other side of the bridge. Its grayish skin had splotches of red blood from its earlier kill. Its snout was also covered in the sticky liquid. The creature started to advance towards the bridge and walked on it in a very humanlike manner.

“Cloud, take William and Marie and get out of here!”

“No, Andy, you can't fight this thing. Let me handle it.”

“Do you seriously think you can swing that giant slab of metal you call a sword on this bridge? Besides, I'm in front of you and there's no possible way for you to get past me without causing us both to fall off.”

Cloud was at a loss for words. Andy was right. There wasn't anything he could do on the bridge. “Well, if we can't fight then you're coming with me.”

“No, Cloud. If I move from where I am, he'll get to you all on the other side. Just go! I'll be ok,” Andy said as he turned and winked at the spiky-haired warrior.

Cloud hated to lose one more person, but he was ousted by logic once more. Putting his hand on Andy's shoulder he said one last thing to him, “you're a good man. I promise to get your brother and sister-in-law to Rocket Town safely.”

“Cross your heart and hope to die, Cloud. Now get the fuck out of here!”

Cloud quickly turned around and made his way back to the other side.

Andy was alone with the creature on the bridge. The creature was slowly advancing towards the lone man breathing heavily as it watched its prey through its gray eyes. Andy was about halfway back towards the other side but the creature was only ten yards away and quickly closing the gap. He had no chance of making it out alive and silently cursed for not doing all the things he wished he had before going on this trip. As much as he wanted to think about the things he would miss, the lives of five people rested in what he was about to do.

“Come on you little fuck, come over here and get a little piece of me you fucking son of a two-penny whore!”

The creature growled in agitation and advanced even more hastily towards the man.

“That's it bitch, come and get a taste of me,” Andy said as he readied his knife. “Just a little closer shithead.”

The creature had closed the gap between them and pounced on the man. Andy watched as the creature jumped up and with a flick of his wrist, cut the rope holding the bridge together. The last thing Andy did was smile as he felt his body falling along with the flailing creature. He hoped that the fall would kill the monster and he would be the last victim for the day.

Cloud and the others watched as Andy and the creature fell to their deaths. Marie sobbed as she watched another member of her family perish. Tifa tried her best to comfort her, but two deaths in a row also affected the fighter. She knew that they would have to take the longer, more treacherous path to get to the reactor. Tifa only hoped that the creature was dead and they wouldn't have to worry about any more attacks or witness any more deaths. She smirked a bit as she remembered the mystery novel she was reading. So this is what it feels like.

Vincent and Cloud spoke briefly about what course of action to take next and both agreed to press on. Andy's death was especially hard on Cloud who felt helpless as the man sacrificed his life for him. Why must all the good people die? He died protecting us, just like Aeris.

The rest of the journey was spent in silence as they slowly made their ascent towards the Nibelheim Reactor. Tifa, Vincent and Cloud all kept their senses alert and jumped at every noise or irregularity in the air. The travelers finally had the reactor in their sights and breathed a bit easier as they walked up to the abandoned building.

The area still reeked of processed mako even though it had been shut off shortly after the Meteor incident. They carefully walked up the steps of the reactor and entered it, locking the doors behind them. The interior hadn't changed since Cloud visited the reactor. Tifa visibly shook in reprehension as she eyed the ground where she found her father murdered by Sephiroth's sword. This place held many bad memories for her that she would rather not revisit.

“We should be safe. I don't think the creature can get through a locked door,” Cloud said, hoping to ease the tension.

“How much further are we towards Rocket Town?” William asked as he held his wife.

“We're at the halfway point. There's a bit of a climb, but after that, it's all downhill,” Tifa responded.

“Do you think that that monster is dead?” Marie asked hopefully.

“It's possible, but we should still be cautious in case it's not,” Cloud said as he scanned his surroundings. “Either way, we should get some rest here while we have the safety of this building to protect us.”

“Cloud, do you smell that?” Vincent asked.

“It's only the mako, the stench is really heavy when you're standing right here. You know, this is where I killed Sephiroth the first time.”

“No, it's not the mako, it's something else: something metallic,” Vincent said as he focused his sense. “It's blood.”

“Shit! Vincent, come with me. Tifa, stay with William and Marie,” Cloud ordered.

The two men opened the door leading to the main chamber that held all the pods. They cautiously peered through the entrance making sure that there were no monsters lurking in the corners. There was no sign of any living creature in the area and the pair slowly entered the chamber.

All the pods were glowing eerily as the mako-creatures slept inside. There was one open pod that Cloud noted was from the creature Zack and Sephiroth killed many years ago. The other opened pod was up on the top level and Cloud and Vincent walked up to it only to see a sight they wished they never had.

Stuffed inside the pod were the remains of the creature's victims. Vincent saw the small shreds of powder blue cloth from Jacob's blanket and Cloud winced in horror as Andy's knife lay soaked in blood. Cloud and Vincent both looked at each other and knew that they were in danger. The pair wasn't sure how the creature got in and out of the reactor, but didn't want to stay and find out.

“We have to destroy this place,” Cloud said as he held his sword in front of him defensively.

“Do those gasoline tanks still have gas in them?” Vincent asked as he pointed to a tanker in the corner of the room.

“I don't know, but there's no harm in finding out,” as Cloud pulled out a mastered fire materia and cast the strongest fire spell he had.

The tanker erupted in a ball of flame quickly engulfing a few of the mako-pods that were near the tanker. Vincent fired his gun into the tanker on the other end and watched in satisfaction as it too erupted in flames. The two men quickly left the room and shut the door behind them to keep the flames from spreading too quickly before they could escape.

Tifa, William and Marie looked at the two men confused as to what caused the two large explosions.

“Cloud, what's going on?” Tifa asked.

“We're leaving. This place isn't safe anymore!”

Cloud quickly led the group towards the exit with Vincent covering the rear. They were only a few feet away from the door when they heard the screeching of many monsters. Marie screamed as the loud banging of many hands were heard vibrating off the door to the main chamber. The explosion had woken some of the mako-creatures and they were now being burned to death.

The group hoped that the door would hold and none of the monsters would escape to attack them. The banging slowly died down and the screams quieted until the only sound was the beating of their own hearts that seemed to drown out the crackling of the fire burning in the next room.

After Cloud knew that all the creatures had perished, he quickly unlocked the door to the outside and opened it cautiously. There was no sign of the creature and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“It's all clear guys! Let's mosey!”

Tifa was relieved as she heard Cloud say those words. Though it seemed safer in the reactor, she never enjoyed the building with all the bad memories it held. She absentmindedly clutched her chest and traced her finger along the scar that Sephiroth had given her that horrible night. She was relieved that the place was finally being destroyed. She hoped all her nightmares would burn along with the reactor.

Tifa watched as William and Marie ran in front of her towards Cloud. They were almost there; it was only a few more feet. Before William could reach the door, a loud roar echoed from beneath them. It was the creature.

The creature leaped up from the bottom of the mako well and grabbed Marie by the throat. William and Cloud froze in terror as the creature faced them. It taunted them by squeezing her throat tightly so that his claws dug into her skin, slightly piercing it.

“Let go of my wife you monster!”

But the creature only took a step back.

Tifa watched the back of the creature and noticed how it was limping. Her eyes gazed at the creature's legs and saw that the creature's knee was contorted. Andy was able to injure it during the fall. She reacted on pure adrenaline and took a flying leap with her foot aimed at the back of the creature's head.

The monster sensed Tifa's movement and used its free hand to claw at the fighter, but it wasn't able to stop Tifa's foot from making contact with its head. Tifa's stomach caught the brunt of the creature's talons and she was almost flung over the catwalk to her death, but Vincent quickly grabbed her hand in the nick of time.

The creature roared in anger and with a flick of its wrist, snapped Marie's neck killing the woman instantly. He released his grip on the dead woman to let her body fall lifelessly down into the mako well.

William watched helplessly, as the body of his wife fell like a rag doll. He had lost everyone he held dear to his heart. This creature took his grandfather, his son, his brothers and now his wife. He didn't care what happened with his life, all he knew was that this creature needed to die and he had to make sure it happened.

William looked at Cloud who was trying to peer over him and check to make sure Tifa was safe. He saw the fire materia that Cloud was holding and quickly snatched it away from him while running towards the howling creature. He had used materia before when he was a teenager. His grandfather was teaching him how to use it in case of emergencies, but he had never really paid any attention to his lectures. How he wished he had listened a bit more carefully, but there was no time to regret actions from the past.

Charging at the monster, he dove head first into the creature's gut while casting a fire spell. I wonder if we all go to heaven after we die. If so, maybe I'll see them again. His last thoughts were of Marie and Jacob before he felt the fire engulf his entire body. The impact of William's hit and the fire spell knocked the creature over and both William and the creature fell down into the mako well in a scorching fireball.

Tifa, Vincent and Cloud watched as William and the creature fell to their doom in the glowing green mako. Tifa clung to Vincent, upset that everyone had died and Cloud punched the wall in anger for failing all of them. The warriors silently left the Nibelheim Reactor and watched as it slowly burned to the ground. Vincent healed Tifa's wound with a cure spell before they all hung their heads low and made their descent back to Nibelheim.

The AVALANCE group had never failed a mission before, never seen the death of so many innocent people in one day. It was a hard hit for the group, especially Cloud who blamed himself for their deaths since he was the leader. But the trio walked away and prayed that the dead had found some solace knowing that the creature was finally dead: at least they thought it was.

(continued…)