Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Unknown Ally ❯ Chapter 1: Jolted Memories ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1: Jolted Memories

 

Vincent stood on the rooftop, breathing in the crisp air and gazing out at the city before him. The streets below were bustling with people carrying lengths of timber or slabs of concrete between them towards a group of people who were busy consulting with each other and hammering away at the skeletal structure of a house. It had been three years since the attack on Kalm, but it seemed that there was still quite a lot of work to be done. Several houses were being rebuilt and repairs were still being made on the fortified walls surrounding the city. And since he had been relieved for a little while, Vincent had decided to return to his hometown and help with the repairs.

 

He looked down and saw the official leader of the construction group looking up at him. He was gesturing to the wall and signalling to the gunslinger to see if there was anything else that needed to be done on the structure. Vincent nodded and leaped from rooftop to rooftop before landing on the parapet that overlooked the city. He knelt down and pressed his hand against the fresh mortar and stone that had been laid down that very morning. It didn't shift when he applied pressure to it and signalled to the official that the wall was strong again. The official nodded with a grin, congratulating himself and his team on a job well done. The former Turk rose to his feet and glanced down to see a group of men struggling with a slab of concrete that needed to be laid down for a house. They were no older than he'd been when he had worked with ShinRa, but the burden seemed to be overwhelming them. Vincent dropped from the parapet and landed lightly on the roof of the half-finished house before dropping down beside the men. He placed his hands beneath the slab and added his strength to the heavy slab, lifting it effortlessly. He helped the men carry the slab over and carefully leaned it against the finished wall. The men were exhausted, but Vincent didn't seem to break a sweat despite of the weight of the stone.

 

`Thanks, man,' said one of the young men. He had a shock of brown hair and green eyes. He reminded the gunman of Cloud. `We really needed the extra help.'

 

`I do what I can,' replied Vincent. He turned and walked away.

 

`Hey, hold up,' cried the guy. Vincent turned to him.

 

`Do you wanna come in for a drink?' he asked. The gunman looked at him.

 

`I don't drink much,' he said.

 

`Well, at least come in for a talk,' urged the young man. `You look like you need the break.'

 

Vincent was silent for a moment. He nodded and followed the young adult to his house. It looked like every other residence in Kalm, except this one was larger than most. Vincent discerned from the décor that the man's family was one of the wealthier ones that lived in the city as he looked around the strange house. The guy turned to him, setting down two glasses and a bottle of red wine. He poured himself a glass before holding out the bottle to the gunman. Vincent shook his head slightly, declining the offer.

 

`I see you're familiar to Kalm,' said the guy. `But I've never seen you before.'

 

`I'm not one for crowds,' replied Vincent. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

`Guess not. The people have gotten wary since the attack, even though it's been so long.' The young man took a swig of his wine. `What's your name, guy?'

 

`Vincent,' replied the gunman.

 

`I'm Axel. Sorry I didn't tell you before, I'm not one for formalities. It's just my head's been spinning the past few days. Work and all these weird rumours.'

 

`Rumours?'

 

`Don't you know?' asked Axel. `Something's been going down in the Western Continent. Some warrior's been taking down what's left of those Deep Ground guys after their base collapsed.'

 

That perked Vincent's interest. `Tell me what you know.'

 

Axel took another swig and continued. `Apparently individual camps are being wiped out. One of the survivors came here for medical treatment. He looked he'd been through a shredder. And he kept talking about a demon with a sword coming in and killing every soldier in sight. The look in his eyes when he told us this…' he shuddered. `It was like someone had ripped his soul out and left nothing but a shell. He died in the infirmary a few days later.'

 

`This soldier,' said Vincent. `Did he say anything else about this demon?'

 

`No, but he didn't need to. I saw her for myself. But that was like two years ago'

 

Vincent was suddenly fixed on the young man. `Her?'

 

`Yeah,' said Axel. `You see, I'm part of the perimeter task force Kalm implemented to protect the city. Kinda like the Turks, but fewer in number and not as skilled. Anyway, we'd gone to see what this Deep Ground guy had been on about. We infiltrated one of their camps, but it wasn't a camp anymore. It looked like hell had come to earth and left only corpses.'

 

`We split up to search for survivors. I went to the northern sector of the base. I was checking the tents when I saw a silhouette perched on a hill. At first, I thought Deep Ground had sent reinforcements….but then she moved closed to the base and in the light of the fire, I saw her face.'

 

Axel had a dreamy look on his face as he remembered. `She had black hair down to her waist and bright green eyes. And her body! It was like God had gotten Venus to make it for him and he just stuck a head onto it. She was one of the hottest chicks I'd ever seen in my whole life..'

 

Vincent felt his heart leap into his throat and he hoped his surprise didn't show on his face. `Did she say what her name was?'

 

`Something concerning fire, I was too busy staring to take much notice.'

 

`Hellfire.'

 

`Yeah, that's the one!' Axel snapped his fingers. He suddenly turned to Vincent. `Why'd you ask that?'

 

The gunman cast his gaze to the window, memories of his battle with the beast fresh in his mind. Axel's eyes widened.

 

`Do you know her?'

 

Vincent didn't remove his gaze from the window. `I saved her life.'

 

`Man,' whistled Axel. `I bet you spent a lot of time together.'

 

The gunman nodded absentmindedly. `We were close.'

 

`How long's it been since you last saw her?'

 

Vincent sighed. `Three years.'

 

`Three years?! If I was in your place, I couldn't go that long without thinking about her every day.'

 

The former Turk hoped his pain didn't show on his face. The boy didn't realise that he'd struck a deep nerve with the gunman when he said that. Because it was true. Not a single day passed where the young woman wasn't far from his thoughts. Every time he closed his eyes, he went back to the times they shared together on the Shera. Every moment where they fought side by side….the kiss they shared. He wondered where she was now, and if she'd forgotten him and his friends.

 

`Hey, you okay?'

 

Axel's concerned question brought Vincent round and the gunman turned to him.

 

`Is there anything else you know concerning Hellfire?'

 

`Sorry man.' Axel shook his head. `That's all I know.'

 

Vincent thanked the young man for the information and the company before departing from the residence and returning to his quarters, the beautiful young woman fresh in his mind.