Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Seduction of the Darkness ❯ Chapter 5: Assault on The Shera ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5: Assault on The Shera

It was pandemonium.

Alarms blared as crewmembers stampeded through the ship. The air was rent with a hundred voices all at once and each sounded frenzied as they assumed battle stations. Cloud, Tifa and Barret were sent to the convoy of trucks waiting in the docking area whilst the rest of the team headed for the dropping bays. Hellfire followed the team into a vast bay where dozens of strange boards were waiting. She frowned as she watched Yuffi and the first wave of fighters step onto the boards and prepared for take off. A computerised voice echoed through the bay as the hatch slowly opened, revealing exactly how fast The Shera was as Hellfire saw the ground fly past in a blur far below.

`Hatch open. Prepare for drop.'

She saw the light in Yuffi's eyes as she turned to them with a grin.

`See you boys later!' she said, waving cheerfully and turning back to focus on her squad. Without warning, the boards slid down the ramp and sailed through the door and into the air. She could barely hear Yuffi whoop with excitement as the shorthaired woman rode the air currents like a professional surfer. The attack was underway.

`Advanced squad away. Secondary squad, prepare for drop.'

Hellfire swallowed hard and was about to step onto one of the air-boards when she felt a strong hand grab her wrist. She turned and saw Vincent holding something out to her. It was long and slender, wrapped in cloth. She frowned as she stared at him.

`You almost forgot this.' The gunman whipped off the covering and she saw the beautiful sword in his hand. It was very much like her old one with an elegantly curved blade and set fast into a sturdy bronze hilt and an engraved cross-guard. The handle was wrapped in supple black leather and the blade was engraved with an angelic figure, except the wings were made of fire. She stared at Vincent who held the weapon out to her.

`A gift from AVALANCHE,' he said. She glanced between the sword and the gunman before she took the weapon from his grasp. She ran her hands along the blade before testing it. It whistled melodically as it cut the air. She turned to Vincent who stood silently watching her.

`Thank you,' she said. She sheathed it and gently touched his face, running her fingers over his lips. The command for preparation sounded again and she turned away from him, stepping elegantly onto her board. Vincent followed suit and loaded his shotgun, preparing for battle. She adjusted the strap of her scabbard so the weapon sat comfortably across her back. She swallowed down her fear as she gazed through the open hatch. She didn't think they were up so high above the battlefield until she noticed how small the battalions on the ground were.

`Did I mention I hate heights?' she yelled over the roaring wind. She thought she saw the corners of his lips twitch in amusement. He looked like he was about to answer her when the shriek of metal scraping metal assaulted their ears. Hellfire whipped her head around and saw the bay entrance explode in a burst of flame. Vincent shot a look over his shoulder at the wave of fire rushing through the bay and took off down the ramp. As soon as he went, the rest of the squad followed. Hellfire swallowed down the scream that was about to escape her as she bent her knees to balance herself. They slid down the ramp as breakneck speed and shot through the open hatch as the bay exploded. Hellfire glanced back at the damage and drew her sword from the sheath on her back. She glanced at the crimson-cloaked gunman and saw he already had his shotgun in his hand. He sailed through the air and rode the air currents towards the enemy. He was like a hawk focused on his prey and it was a terrifying yet beautiful sight to behold.

He flipped through the air to avoid a missile fired at him from a chopper about three hundred feet away. He fired. Hellfire watched in amazement as the shot struck the chopper blades and the craft fell to the ground in a burst of flame. Damn! she thought. He's a hell of a marksman. The distraction cost her for something hit the end of her board and she was sent spinning through the air. She felt like she was going to lose her breakfast, but instead she concentrated on keeping herself aloft. She stopped spinning and realised she was about to crash into the side of the ruins ahead of her. She swerved to the right and grinded the surface like a professional skater. A shower of sparks streamed from her board and she pushed off into the air again. She grinded a rusty rail with effortless grace and pushed off again. She knew she couldn't keep this up for long for the board was steadily losing altitude with every passing second. She glanced down at the ravine below her and knew it was only a matter of time before she plummeted to her death. She grinded the side of a broken tower and slashed at the approaching chopper. The blade was stronger than she thought for the rotor blades at the end of the chopper caught on fire and the chopper weaved unsteadily before it crashed into the side of the building. She glanced back and saw she was about to crash again. She tried to gain altitude, but it wasn't working this time. She braced herself for impact.

A strong hand grabbed her by the arm and Hellfire found herself being pulled onto the back of an airboard. She glanced down to see her board crash into the side of a tower and sighed with relief. She turned to thank her saviour and found she had to lean to the side to avoid being lashed by Vincent's raven hair. She was beyond disbelief.

`How the hell did you get here so fast?' She had to yell to be heard. `You were on the other side of the battlefield!'

`You'd be surprised exactly how fast these boards are,' replied the gunman. A hail of shots sprayed them and he fired in turn at the troopers below them. He glanced over his shoulder and saw her raise her weapon, which was now lit with a violet flame.

They streaked past the troopers and, without warning, Hellfire leaped off the airboard, twisting her body in an aerial somersault before cleaving a trooper in half as she landed lightly on her feet. Vincent was about to go back when a hail of shots hit him. He snarled as one hit him in the shoulder but ignored it as he fired back in rapid succession. A gun turret exploded and seven troopers fell dead as he sailed past. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed the forces were retreating. He swerved to the left and turned around, streaking towards the ground. He skimmed the surface of the ground before he came to a halt near the young woman. She turned to him, her blade red to the hilt. It seemed she had been ambushed as soon as she hit the ground for she was bleeding from shallow cuts where shrapnel had hit her. But other than that, she was in one piece.

`It seems I didn't need to come back,' he said.

`Why do you say that?' asked Hellfire. Vincent gestured to the bodies around her. She looked down and shrugged.

`Short work when you know how to use a blade properly,' she said airily. The former Turk nodded. He snarled and inadvertently pressed against his right shoulder, gritting his teeth to stave off the pain. Hellfire's expression was one of great concern.

`Vincent?'

The gunman looked up and saw the young woman had her hand on his shoulder. She removed his hand and saw blood streaming from the wound. He looked at her, gently pushing her hand away and covering it again.

`It's nothing,' he said. `Just a flesh wound.' Hellfire gave him a look that clearly said “Don't you give me that” as she put her hand on his arm.

`Let's get back to The Shera and get you seen to.' She steered the reluctant Vincent to the hovering craft nearby and they returned to the ship without looking at the devastation they'd caused.

~*~

Vincent stood on the bridge alone, his shoulder tightly bandaged beneath his clothes. The bullet had been removed from his wound just a few hours ago, but it could have been worse had Hellfire not taken him to the infirmary against his wishes. He stared out at the setting sun, remembering the battle that morning and how the young woman's eyes blazed as she attacked the Deep Ground troops. He'd barely known this woman for a few days and already he wasn't entirely sure how to feel towards her. The way her face had lit up when she took in the beautiful sword…it was close to reverence. She lived by the sword, and he had a very strong feeling the way she lived would also doom her. He felt anger towards whoever had sent her to this world: one so delicate and fragile should not have to die on the harsh and unforgiving plains of war.

`I'm not entirely sure you should be up and about.' The voice was soft and feminine with an edge of steel. Vincent turned to see Hellfire walk in. She was clad in a soft, flowing dress of pure white silk with sheer veils attached to her wrists. The dress bared her shoulders and the skirt, except for the back which swept the floor, caressed the tops of the intricately filigreed silver knee-high boots she wore. A strange belt of the same design looped her slender waist. With her thick, wavy black hair flowing down her back, she looked like an angel fallen from the heavens. Except Vincent didn't think that angels would devote themselves to battle so ardently, as he'd seen with this woman.

`I can move about if I wish,' he said. Hellfire nodded and approached him, a strange look on her soft face.

`Are you all right? You seem disturbed.'

Vincent looked at her, taking in her beauty of form and face. She laid a hand on his arm and he was surprised at the strength in that slender arm. But in hindsight, he shouldn't have been after seeing her in battle. He frowned slightly, wondering why he thought these things about her. He turned away from her, suddenly unable to look her in the eyes. Hellfire searched his eyes and nodded.

`Sorry I asked,' she said. `I just wanted to know if there was anything I could help with. But seeing you keep your own counsel, I will not interfere.' There was hurt in her voice, but it was laced with understanding as well. Vincent looked at her and saw that she had turned her gaze to the setting sun. He glanced back at the crimson and gold sky, warring with himself. He finally came to a firm decision and turned to her.

'Come with me,' he said. He led her to his quarters and shut the door, bolting it so they had privacy. She sat down and turned to him, wondering why he'd brought her here. Vincent turned to her, fixing her with his brilliant eyes. He sat down and unfastened the shoulder drape, letting the cloak fall onto the bed. He then unfastened his leather shirt and pulled it open. She stared for his lean and slightly muscled body was covered with white scars. One of them was larger than the rest as though he'd taken a bullet in a previous battle. His right shoulder was still bandaged, but Hellfire's eyes were fixed on the scars. 

'Oh my God,' she whispered. She absent-mindedly laid her hand on his bare chest. Her fingers traced the scars over his heart, feeling the raised flesh. 'What the hell happened to you?' 

Vincent glanced up and looked at her. Her green eyes were filled with a strong emotion he couldn't describe, a desolate ghost of memory shadowing her face as she traced the scars with her long, slender fingers. Vincent watched her reaction, all the while puzzling over his willingness to show her the marks of his torture. He'd never shown his scars to anyone before this. Even Cloud had never seen the damage ShinRa had dealt him. He didn't know why, but he felt he could trust this seemingly fragile woman. He found himself telling the whole sordid story: ShinRa, the Jenova Project, even of Lucretia and Shalua. Hellfire listened intently, her eyes still filled with that emotion he couldn't describe. Vincent was surprised at himself: his friends didn't know the whole story of his horrific experience and he was baring his soul to a girl he hardly knew. He supposed it was the innocence she still held despite the fact she had spilled blood on the battlefield. He treasured that in her, for he had lost his long before he'd been turned into this…demon. He gently laid his hand over hers, feeling her cold flesh. Hellfire raised her eyes to meet his.

`So, this is why you're so distant, even among friends,' she said softly. Vincent nodded.

`That among other things.'

`I guess after having that happen to you, you would be silent.' She smiled gently at him, but the look in her eyes was serious. `Have you told anyone of this?'

`My friends don't know half of it,' admitted the gunman. Vincent looked her straight in the eyes. `You're the first I've told the entire story.'

`But why trust me with so much?' She had to ask. `You barely know me, and you're an even harder book to read.'

`I just…' Vincent looked down and away from her, trying to find the right words to express how he felt. They eluded him and he turned to her, locking gazes with her. `I feel I can trust you. Don't ask me why, I just do. I…I guess it's because I don't want you to lose your innocence the way I did mine.'

She looked at him, her expression very serious. `I don't think innocence ever leaves us entirely, Vincent.'

Vincent looked away, shaking his head. `You're very naïve, Hellfire.' He pushed her hand away and fastened his shirt before putting his cloak back on, careful of the bullet wound in his shoulder. Hellfire knew the conversation was over, so she rose to her feet and walked to the door. She laid her hand on the door and hesitated. She turned back to him, an expression of great sadness on her lovely face.

`Are sins ever forgiven?' she asked. Vincent looked at her, his crimson eyes filled with a brilliant light.

`I've never tried.'

Hellfire nodded. `No, I think you have…. you just never tried hard enough.' With those parting words, she shut the door behind her, leaving a deeply puzzled Vincent alone.