Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Seduction of the Darkness ❯ Chapter 8: A New Fire Ignited ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8: A New Fire Ignited

Vincent didn't know what Hellfire wanted to talk to him about. All her message had said was to meet in his room at eight o'clock. There was no indication of what would transpire at that meeting, but the ex-Turk had a feeling that something was about to happen.

The door opened and he raised his head, taking in the beautiful woman before him. Hellfire was clad in a flowing velvet gown of the deepest black that swept to the floor and bared her white shoulders. Her hair was loose and flowed down her shoulders. She looked an angel of the night, a queen destined to rule the cold darkness that seemed to be an integral part of his life. She looked at him, her beautiful face devoid of her war makeup. She seemed so innocent, so fragile, yet Vincent knew that it was only a facade. But the soft look in her green eyes wasn't masking anything.

'I take it you got my message,' she said softly. Her tone was no longer distant, which was a good start compared to the coldness over the past few days. Vincent nodded, privately relieved that she was speaking to him normally. Hellfire walked over to him as he rose to his feet.

'Deep Ground spies have been told to start looking in other cities,' she said. 'It won't be long till they find you.'

'You should leave,' he replied. 'As long as you're with me, things will only get worse.' But Hellfire narrowed her eyes and shook her head fiercely. Defiant against all the odds.

'I'm not leaving the one person who actually understands what I'm going through,' she snarled. She wasn't going to run away and leave her friend to fight alone. 'They can drag me back to their base half-naked and riddled with bullets, but I won't give them the satisfaction of giving in.'

'We're in a war, Hellfire,' said the ex-Turk. 'You can't throw away your life for loyalties.'

`I'm not afraid to die.'

'That's the very answer I didn't want to hear.'

`You think you can rid yourself of me so easily?' snapped the young woman, refusing to be swayed. `You can't fight these men alone, Vincent. I know I have a choice, and I've made it. I'm staying and you can't do anything to persuade me otherwise.'

`I'm not trying to influence your decision,' said Vincent. `I'm saying that you don't have to do this.'

`Why are you even trying in the first place?'

`I don't want to see you die because you let your emotions carry you away.'

'You didn't have a problem with that when you were mooning over Dr. Crescent. Or Dr. Rui,' snapped Hellfire. Vincent rounded on her, crimson eyes blazing with rage. But she didn't waiver under his fiery gaze. 'She's dead, Vincent. Both of them are and it's time for you to accept it and move on. I mourn their loss but it's over… Lucretia wouldn't want you to spend what you have left of your life staring at her lifeless body for hours on end. And Shalua wouldn't like you blaming yourself for her death, either.'

'It's my life and how I choose to live it doesn't concern you,' he growled. How dare she even think of saying those things? She never even knew them. But in his heart, he knew she was right…Lucretia and Shalua wouldn't have wanted this. Hellfire shook her head, fighting the storm of emotion that raged within her.

'You don't need to live this life, Vincent,' she said, her anguish colouring her words. 'You can live a normal life, you don't have to save the world from everything that threatens it.'

'You've heard my story,' said Vincent, his crimson eyes fixed on her face. `I choose this life because there are things in this world that are worth saving. I don't have any fears of being alone.'

`Bullshit!'

`It's the truth. I've always been alone.'

'That's because you don't let people in in the first place!' exploded Hellfire. 'You think you've got it so damn hard, even when there are others that have suffered a similar fate to you, or worse. You're not in The Jenova Project anymore. You can let it go.'

Vincent turned his head away, unable to look her in the eyes. A fire burned in his heart but it wasn't anger that had ignited that fire. It was her. Her words and her voice had kindled a different kind of flame within him and he felt as though his soul was on fire. Hellfire searched his face, trying to get him to look at her. But he didn't dare: he was on the verge of losing his control.

`Why do you care about me so much?' said Vincent. `You've been with AVALANCHE for almost a month now and you speak to me as though we've been friends for years. Why should the way I end my life upset you so much-`

Hellfire lunged forth and took his head in her hands, pressing her lips hard into his mouth. The ferocity with which she kissed him threw the gunman off his guard and he stood there as the sensation of her soft lips sank in. He responded to her automatically, running his hands through her hair…

Before pushing her away with such force that she staggered to keep her balance. She stared at him in disgust as he glared at her. Then he quickly tore his gaze away from her. She searched his face briefly before nodding to herself.

'I see,' she said icily. 'You may fool everyone else, Vincent Valentine but, you don't fool me. Underneath that cold and bitter mask, you long for friendship. You long for love. But you can't let yourself be loved for fear of being hurt again. The truth of the matter, Vincent, is you've lost everything and you don't want to start over because you want to hold onto that which is lost so you refuse to move on. Even when there are people who care about and love you, you can't stop running.  You're pathetic.' She turned her back on him and stalked to the door. She slammed it shut as she walked out.

~*~

Vincent sat on his bed, the softness of her lips burned forever into his memory. Now he knew the truth of her affection towards him, he didn't know what to do. Their friendship had now become complicated because she chose to follow her desires. But now he realised that he felt the same way for her. But he couldn't act on his desires as freely as she did. It would only destroy her and make his life a living hell. He'd already lost two that he loved dearly….he didn't want to lose another due to reckless passion.

Yet the more he thought of their now complicated relationship, the more he considered throwing caution to the wind. He'd been wallowing in his own pain for so long that he'd forgotten what it was like to be loved. Hellfire had seen to it that particular flaw of his was brought to the surface. Had he truly been so blinded by his sins that he couldn't see what lay in his heart?

He didn't have time to ponder this for a low rumbling shattered his thoughts and Vincent's gaze flew to the open window. A missile streaked through the air and collided with the city wall with a devastating explosion. Screams of panic filled the air, punctuated by the rapid rhythm of gunshots. He got to his feet and Hellfire raced into his room. He saw that she was clad in her black war attire, her sword strapped to her back and her double-barrelled revolver in its holster, which was belted around her waist. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail but loose tendrils of black framed her features.

`What's happening?' she asked, their fight seemingly forgotten in her urgency.

Vincent didn't answer as he stepped onto the windowsill, gripping the side for support as he looked out at the destruction and surveyed the scene below. She walked up to the window and looked down. It appeared that Deep Ground had pushed forward their attack, for the sky was filled with choppers and ships and the soldiers were on the ground shooting at innocents who were fleeing from the dogs they'd just released. A chopper swooped down and hovered in front of Vincent's window. The gunman didn't move from his perch, waiting for something.

The chopper fired.

`Hold on.' Vincent suddenly grabbed Hellfire around the waist and leaped into the air. The missiles struck the building in a burst of flames and the gunman kept a tight grip on the woman as he sailed through the air. He flipped through the air and fired at the craft. The shots pierced the chopper and the military craft faltered in the air. Vincent landed on the rooftop of the other tower and sprang off again, firing at the damaged chopper. The chopper fell and crashed in a devastating show of light and fire. Vincent dropped Hellfire a few metres from the next rooftop and both of them landed in a crouch. They rose to their feet and gazed out at the devastation.

`I guess the attack was more well-planned than we thought,' said Hellfire. Vincent nodded. He suddenly sensed something and whipped around. A pack of dogs were chasing down teenagers who desperately tried to evade their attackers. He turned to prepare himself for another jump when a strong hand gripped his arm. He turned and saw Hellfire staring him in the eyes.

`Wait, please,' she said. `I…I want to apologise for what I said earlier. I didn't mean it. I was just so worried about you and-`

Vincent stopped her by laying a hand over her lips. `Now's not the time for that,' he said, his tone surprisingly gentle considering the fight they'd had earlier.

`But this could be the last time we-`

`It won't,' he cut her off, his voice still in that gentle tone. `I swear to you it won't be our last.'

His firm but gentle statement stunned her into momentary speechlessness. But she recovered and stared at her friend. `It won't?'

`You have my word on it.'

It seemed to quell her fears and she nodded. `All right, go. But don't get yourself killed. I'm not through with you yet.'

`That I don't doubt.' A glint of amusement lit up his eyes and she grinned, feeling better.

Vincent leaped into the air and landed on a bridge nearby. She drew her sword and leaped into the air, streaking towards the group of soldiers that were piling hostages into a large container. She swung her sword in a vicious arc, severing a trooper's head from his shoulders and cutting another in half as she landed. She ran through a third trooper and slit the last of group from shoulder to navel. She rose to her feet and turned to the frightened captives.

`Go to your homes and lock your doors!' she said. `Quickly before more of them arrive!' The people were startled out of their stupor and ran. A little girl no older than nine stopped to gaze at the young woman with gratitude and awe.

`Thank you,' she said softly. Hellfire gazed at her and nodded, a small smile on her lips. The little girl ran, her legs pumping as she caught up with her waiting mother who swept her into her arms and fled. Hellfire turned and saw that there were too many to take on by herself, but she knew she had no choice. She twirled her sword and charged the oncoming wave with the fury and speed of a raging beast. She snarled as she cut a swathe through them, artfully blocking gunshots and kicking a trooper behind her in the head. She impaled one on her sword and used his body to knock three of them off their feet before dispatching them. She cut the hand holding a gun from a soldier whose scream of agony was cut short by her plunging her blade through his heart. She heard a gunshot behind her, followed by a yelp and she whipped around to see Vincent whirling in a vicious arc and dispatching the nearest trooper with his fearsome claw. He turned to her and nodded as she gestured to the attacking wave. He turned and fired off a volley of rounds that quickly ended the lives of the oncoming soldiers. But more kept coming.

`They're trying to hem us in!' said the young woman, her back pressed against the crimson-clad gunman's. Vincent saw she was right: the Deep Ground soldiers were closing in, eliminating any chance of breaking through their ranks. He knew he couldn't shoot them all down: he only had thirty rounds left.

Then he was struck with an idea.

`Have you mastered that sword yet?' He knew that the sword he'd given her was a very powerful weapon, and he couldn't help but wonder if she'd discovered what it was capable of doing in her hands.

The young woman turned to give him a strange look. She wondered if he'd hit his head when he landed. `Yes.'

`Give me your arms,' he said. Hellfire twisted round to stare at him.

`What?!'

`Do it,' he snarled. She immediately obeyed. He hooked his arms through hers, pulling her against his back in one swift move. She gasped as she felt his shoulder blades against her neck.

`What the fuck are you-?'

`Trust me!' he barked. The soldiers were coming closer. He narrowed his eyes and the young woman could feel the lean muscles in his arms tense. She suddenly realised what he was planning to do.

`Are you sure about this?' she asked. Vincent didn't answer, keeping his focus on the oncoming wave. Three hundred yards….Two hundred yards….

`Brace yourself,' he said.

`Vincent…I'm not sure this is a good idea.'

`We have no other options,' he said. The troops were one hundred yards from them and they were closing fast.

`Then, I'm ready whenever you are.'

It was the answer Vincent was hoping for. He watched the soldiers carefully.

Fifty yards. It was time.

He leaped into the air, pulling her with him. Using his body's momentum, he flipped in mid-air, hurling the young woman over his back. She drew her sword and focused all her power into that elegant blade. It glowed with a violet light and her eyes flashed a brilliant green. She glanced at the gunman in the corner of her eye and saw him firing the last of his rounds into the advancing wave. His eyes flashed as he glanced in her direction. She nodded and concentrated. The violet flame raced up the blade and set her alight. She snarled as she felt the power surge through her being…

Suddenly, with an extremely high shriek like a falcon cry, Hellfire streaked towards the soldiers at terrifying speed. Her fiery blade glided through several necks without breaking pace and a burst of flame erupted from the impact. She ran her sword through three soldiers before hurling a tongue of flame at the reinforcements coming to help. They fell to the ground dead and the woman whirled in a vicious arc towards the pack of beasts that had been leashed upon her. She threw a mystical bolt of flame towards them, and where it struck the ground a ring of violet flame surrounded the pack, hemming them in. She could feel her strength waning as she turned to her friend.

`I don't know how much longer I can keep this up,' she called. Vincent glanced at her and saw she was nearly spent. Her hands were even trembling slightly. He took in the destruction she'd caused and was nearly stunned speechless, but he didn't show it. He had a feeling that this was only a tiny portion of what this woman could do.

`Try to hold them off for as long as you can,' he said. He turned and fired at the charging troopers. He was down to his last twelve rounds. She turned back and swiftly dispatched the soldier in front of her. The sword felt extremely heavy in her hands now. It wouldn't be long till she was overwhelmed by exhaustion.

Suddenly, soldiers started to fall and she was immediately aware of the rapid staccato of gunfire. She turned and saw Reeve, armed to the teeth with firepower, charging into the scene with a group of men behind him. He fired into the invading army and turned to Vincent who had dropped from the rooftops and landed just a few feet from the back-up squad.

`We came as fast as we could,' said Reeve. `How are we doing down here?'

`Deep Ground decided on an early attack,' replied Vincent.

`Well, it seems you've done pretty well on your own,' remarked Reeve. He glanced at Hellfire who was pushing on with her attack in spite of her condition. `I see what Cid meant about getting on her bad side.'

Vincent turned and saw the young woman slashing her way through the enemy ranks. She artfully blocked shot after shot fired at her with skilful grace and fluidity, but her energy was rapidly waning. She lunged forth and cut down a Deep Ground soldier inches from where Reeve was standing and stumbled to her knees. The gunman caught her before she hit the ground and her sword fell out of her hand. She was exhausted: he could see it in her slightly trembling frame. She glared at Reeve in mock anger.

`What took you so long?'

`We were delayed,' said Reeve. He looked at Vincent. `You should get her out of here.'

`I'm fine.' Hellfire staggered to her feet and picked up her sword.

`You can barely stand,' pointed out Vincent. But she shook her head.

`I'm fine, just needed a break,' she said. She raised her sword weakly, but the way she charged the oncoming enemy belied her weakened state. She cut them down and stumbled to her knees again. Vincent approached her and helped her to her feet.

`Let's go,' he said. She glared at him but the stern look in his features told her she wasn't going to win this argument. She nodded and leaned against the gunman.

`Take her back to the ship,' said Reeve, gesturing to the hover bike behind him. `We've got it under control. You've done enough.'

Vincent nodded and steered her to the bike, pushing her onto it and climbing into the seat behind her. He opened the throttle and after rising a few feet, he rode to the waiting Shera hovering above them.