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Shattered Dreams	By : Crya2Evans Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 991 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 64
- 65
- 66
Caution: Unbeta�d but readable.

Chapter 64: Crimson Tears

�There�s no fuckin� end to
�em,� Cid wheezed, taking another unconscious step backwards. For as many as he
had killed, he was glad that the monsters dissolved to ash otherwise corpses
would have surrounded them. They were odorous enough alive. To make matters
worse, most of the enemies were kinds that Cid had never seen before, as if
that bastard Hojo were still alive and experimenting. It was a sobering
thought.

He speared another strange
penguin-lion crossover creature as he snorted. �We�re never goin� to get to
Balaam if this keeps up!� he added for good measure.

Vincent rolled his eyes as
he rapidly reloaded his gun, half-fearing that he might run out of ammunition.
Not that many hadn�t fallen to his claw already. It had been a good decision to
replace it on his hand and for once, looking at it did not bring the same
revulsion as it did before.

�Leave the pessimistic
proclamations to me,� the gunman teased.

Cid chuckled dryly as he
wiped a thin stream of sweat from his brow, allowing a brief moment�s respite
to sweep his gaze over the battleground nearest to them. He, Vincent, the
Turks, and Nanaki had been separated from the others when the monsters
attacked, but he assumed that they were fine. After all, Sephiroth wasn�t a man
that went down easy and Archer was too damn stubborn to die.

When the lights had
disappeared, only to be promptly followed by the sound of a large boulder
scraping across the ground, the friends had immediately drawn as close to each
other as they could, even though they couldn�t see each other in the darkness.
Erebus had whispered to Vincent that they weren�t alone, and in the same moment
that Sephiroth called for Suzaku to relight the torches, Asclepius had quickly
cast a barrier over all of them, the pink and purple sparkles filling the air
barely bright enough to pierce the gloom.

And when Suzaku�s flames
revealed that they were surrounded, the only thing on their minds was a
collective �oh shit.� Behind them, it was plainly visible that a large boulder
now blocked each of the three exits. Standing before them, a demi-deity and a
huge group of the larger creatures were grinning maliciously, just waiting to
be challenged.

There had been no warning
before the monsters attacked and within seconds, they were in a battle for
their lives against a certifiable horde of foes all hungry for blood and
flesh-rending.

A low growl was Cid�s only
caveat before he whirled to the right and sliced his spear through the air,
efficiently gutting a monster he couldn�t even recognize. Another one of Hojo�s
insane creations. Blood spattered to the ground but Cid had no time to
contemplate it as he half-turned, tossing out a few random spells from his
arsenal. The sound of Vincent�s gun was reassuring at his back.

To his right, Tseng was
holding his own against the hordes. Twin blades flashed into the torchlight,
one of Fire and one of Ice, simultaneously tearing through one beast after
another. Reno was near to him, fluidly moving through the horde and zapping
anything that came close. The redheaded Turk would have had a grim look to his
face, were it not for the fact that he was smiling so broadly, almost appearing
as if he were having fun.

�Ain�t nothin� like the
sneaky kill�em missions, is it, boss?� Reno called out, jabbing his Electro Rod
into the gut of one creature and smirking when a smaller, weaker demon threw
itself at him, only to ripple as it struck an invisible barrier. There was a
hiss and a cry of pain as the monster was repelled over twenty feet away,
crashing down into a beast that had been poised to strike Nanaki from behind.

Piece of cake.

Silvery eyes narrowed
slightly as Tseng shook his head. �Concentrate on the battle, Reno,� he
reprimanded in an even tone, twin blades flashing as he whipped the Tenken. He
only half-watched as blood spattered to the by now gore-soaked ground, already
whirling to face another opponent. It seemed they were endless.

�Survive this battle and
perhaps then I�ll allow you to bore me with your version of a joke.�

A bark of laughter escaped
Reno�s mouth. �So, he does have a sense of humor, yo.� But the chuckles died in
his throat when a sudden chill raced up his spine, sending his entire body into
a cold shudder. His skin prickled and fear spiked through him, a fear that was
not his own. At the same time, a cry of terror filtered through to Reno�s ears.

He could feel it.

Reno whipped around,
aquamarine eyes automatically searching for his anima, only to widen in shock
when he found her pinned beneath a huge creature, twice the size of a Behemoth
and equally deadly. His fingers tightened around his weapon as another sharp
stab of fear assailed him and Reno sucked in a deep breath. Behind him, Tseng
suddenly whirled around.

�Asclepius!� The Wutaiian
cried, in a voice that was not his own, startling Reno with its intensity. �My
child--� His words cut off as he suddenly gasped and grabbed his own head,
nearly doubling over in pain.

Reno jerked and swiveled,
stabbing his Electro Rod through a monster that thought it would attack his
boss from behind. As electricity jerked through the beast, he pulled his weapon
free and turned back towards the cry of fear he had heard.

The urgency in Tseng�s
voice called to the dread that resonated within Reno and the Turk started
forward, body on automatic as he idly stabbed at a monster that sought to get
in his way. His eyes were trained on the beast, huge maws snapping at
Asclepius� neck as the bubbly deity writhed about beneath it, in a desperate
attempt to remain uninjured.

But before Reno could get
any more than three steps, a black blur whirred past him, nearly knocking him
aside. He gaped as Erebus appeared in a swirl of black cloaks out of seemingly
nowhere, raging like a rampant bull. He slashed through three beasts that stood
in his way without a second glance, storming across the battlefield until he
reached Asclepius.

The scythe in his hand
rose and fell quickly, glinting eerily in the orange torchlight. The large
beast didn�t even stand a chance as Erebus grabbed Asclepius� arm and dragged
her out from under the monster, jerking her protectively against his body with
one arm. She didn�t bother to squirm in his hold, looking visibly relieved as
he ruthlessly consumed the beast in a cloud of swirling blackness.

The monster roared and
spat, straining against the clinging tendrils of the overshadowing dark. Erebus
didn�t spare it another glance, his heart still pounding madly in his chest
from fear for her. He turned away from the dying beast, finally feeling as if
he could release Asclepius. He spun her around to face him, both of his hands
clenched tightly to her shoulders.

�You are defense,
Asclepius,� he snarled, feeling his entire body trembling from the force of the
fright that had wracked him. �You don�t belong here.�

Garnet eyes opened
impossibly wide. �What?� she demanded, hands curling into fists at her side.

He shook his head.
�Just... go somewhere safe. The battlefield is not for you,� he suggested
angrily.

She stared at him for a
moment, glaring angrily though he could see tears shimmering in her eyes. For a
moment, his resolve faltered and he opened his mouth to apologize or something.

�Fine,� she spat, her jaw
set with anger. �I�ll only help when Reno calls for me. Like a good, little girl.�� Before he could say anything, she promptly
disappeared in a sparkling twinkle.

He regretted his harsh
words in that instant but there was nothing he could do at the moment. He would
have to explain to her later, somehow mollify her anger but for the moment, he
would return to battle. Erebus took a deep breath and summoned up his scythe
once more, turning to rake his gaze over the battlefield. His eyes caught sight
of Vincent and Cid, working their way through a small contingent of Razor Weeds
with their goal obviously set for the exit and the two demi-deities blocking
it.

A Behemoth came pounding
across the bloodstained ground, heading straight for Erebus. He ignored it,
sending another spray of consuming darkness towards the creature before he
hurried across the ground, making his way to Vincent�s side. From the corner of
his eye, he caught sight of the Turk finding his way to them as well, leaving
Nanaki and Reno to cover their back. A wise strategy.

�Byakko,� Erebus hissed as
he drew up beside Vincent. His gaze swept over the deity next to the demi-human
form of Byakko, immediately recognizing the others. �Lionel is to his left, and
the one in the red overcoat is Lancelot, they are both Arthur�s knights.�

Vincent nodded, cocking
the Hell Fire with smooth movements as his claw clicked at his side. On his
other side, Cid growled low in his throat, hands tightening on his spear.

�Don�t matter who they
are,� the pilot muttered, eyes narrowing with fury. �We take them all out.�

A deep chuckle echoed around
them, mocking them as their attention turned towards Byakko, standing before
the huge boulder that blocked their exit. Byakko was in his humanesque form,
fur sprouted all over his body with flashing crimson eyes. He had his arms
crossed over his broad chest, and gleaming claws, much like Nanaki�s weapon,
glittered on each hand. He laughed again as their faces darkened with anger.

Byakko sneered. �Well,
aren�t you familiar?� he scoffed, flicking one clawed hand at them as his gaze
zeroed in on the furious pilot. Beside him, Lionel and Lancelot stared with
dead expressions, not even blinking as they gripped tightly to their weapons, a
staff and a spear respectively.

�What the hell�re you
talking about?� Cid demanded, the sounds of the battlefield behind him barely
filtering through to his conscious. He trusted that Nanaki and Reno would watch
his back, however.

The demi-deity laughed
scornfully before flicking a wrist, causing his subordinates to attack without
warning. Something unholy glinted in Lancelot�s brown eyes as he launched
himself at Tseng. The Turk quickly brought up his swords in retaliation and the
deity�s spear met it with a fierce clang as Tseng was pushed backwards, almost
tripping over a corpse. Some of Hojo�s creations didn�t dissolve like the
others, leaving them to wonder what the foul scientist had been up to.

�Tseng!� Vincent yelled
over his shoulder, already firing several rounds into some of the lesser demons
that were flying over him.

The Wutaiian shook his
head, vigorously defending against the rapid-fire attacks as his brain pounded
in his skull, words trying to break through his mental barriers. �Don�t worry
about me!� he ordered through clenched teeth. �Take that bastard down.� He dug
his boots into the ground, stopping his retreat and darting forward, instantly
going on the offensive against Lancelot.

Vincent nodded in
understanding, turning his attention back towards the fight in front of him as
Lionel threw himself into battle with Erebus, with little regard for his own
safety. His eyes were dead, lifeless, as he moved quickly enough to tear a hole
in the other deity�s robes, sending pieces of the onyx fabric fluttering to the
ground. Erebus� eyes flashed as he growled and retaliated, thrusting out a
clawed hand and grabbing Lionel�s arm.

The man didn�t even scream as his clothing melted away and his flesh bubbled up
beneath Erebus� touch. He didn�t flinch or pull away, merely jerked his other
arm forward and shoved his staff into Erebus� shoulder. The cracking of bone
filled the air as Erebus growled in pain, wrenching angrily on Lionel�s arm in
revenge. The knight stumbled forward, succumbing to the greater strength as the
two began to grapple in earnest, nearly bowling over Cid who was left standing
alone, facing down Byakko.

Byakko snarled and swiped
at the pilot with one of his massive metal claws. Quickly, Cid stepped to the
side and blocked the blow with his spear. Another arm came down, chopping down
hard into his shoulder and nearly causing him to drop his weapon. Cid whirled
out from beneath Byakko�s arm and attempted to cast a Fire but to his surprise,
it sputtered and died, the materia flaring brightly once before cracking clean
down the middle and falling out of his spear.

Blue eyes blinked in shock
and Byakko wasted no time in waiting for him to regain his senses. In a flash,
he was behind Cid, moving abnormally fast, and slicing a claw across Cid�s
back. He tore easily through the pilot�s clothes, ripping into the tender flesh
beneath and causing Cid to stumble forward, gritting his teeth against the
pain.

He whirled on his heels,
quickly regaining his balance as his jabbed his spear behind him with a twirl
of his fingers. Great luck managed to land the blow on Byakko�s shoulder,
sending tufts of white hair into the air and scraping deeply into the flesh.
Cid smirked but Byakko was not pleased.

The demi-deity immediately
snarled and grabbed the weapon, pulling it from Cid�s arms with his greater
strength and tossing it aside where it clattered uselessly to the ground. With
his opponent weaponless, Byakko grinned maliciously.

�This is why I abandoned
you,� he taunted as the pilot threw a clumsy fist at him, clipping across the
cheekbone. �Humans are weak.� Byakko blocked the next fist easily, countering
with a quick move that Cid smoothly sidestepped, managing not to trip on the
huge rock beneath his foot.

�What the fuck are you
talkin� bout?� Cid exclaimed in return, lashing out with a boot and slamming it
into the busily chortling deity�s belly.

Byakko grunted and pounded
forward, his claws rapidly wrapping around the pilot�s neck. He squeezed with
little ceremony as Cid gasped and clawed at the hand. Talons snapped through
Byakko�s fingers, digging into the flesh of Cid�s neck and drawing red ribbons
of blood, causing the blond to hiss in pain as he flailed with his other foot.

Spots were just beginning
to dance in front of his eyes when a gunshot echoed through the air, ripping
through Byakko�s arm and causing him to drop Cid in surprise. The pilot dropped
to his hands and knees, gasping as he coughed and struggled to draw air into
his lungs. Byakko whirled in anger, blood dripping bright red to the ground as
he glared at Vincent, whose expression was equally cold. Another gunshot rang
out but Byakko was prepared for this one and he deflected it easily with his
claw.

�Get away from him,�
Vincent demanded, cocking his gun once more as his claw hand began to glow with
the beginnings of a spell.

Byakko laughed and idly
licked the blood from his wound with one rough tongue. �And if I don�t?� he
mocked, crimson eyes flashing.

On the ground, Cid could
feel blood streaming through his fingers and dripping steadily to the ground
from his many wounds. But he wasn�t going to stand aside and let Vincent fight
on his own either. He quickly swept his gaze across the ground, seeking out his
spear and finally spotting it several feet away, half-buried under a corpse. He
scrabbled across the ground towards it as another gunshot echoed through the
air.

Byakko turned into a blur
of cold air as he disappeared from in front of Vincent, only to reappear behind
him just as quickly. The gunman was prepared for that move however, and turned,
squeezing off another round before Byakko could even manage to raise an arm.
The bullet grazed Byakko�s neck as a rock threw Vincent off balance, but it
wasn�t wasted as it kept on going, sinking directly into the forehead of a
goat-headed beast standing behind Byakko.

The demi-deity roared,
slashing out with a claw, only to be deflected by Vincent�s golden claw,
finally finding a use for the thing he had once despised. Byakko smirked,
revealing sharpened canines as he reached to attack with his other hand, only
to find it blocked by a reeling Cid, who was rapidly losing blood.�

The Hell Fire was raised
as Vincent balanced it on his arm, cocking it one smooth motion. Crimson eyes
widened but the ex-Turk merely smirked as he fired with little warning. The
bullet flew true, but missed when Byakko suddenly disappeared, using the same
trick as before. The lovers turned, eyes frantically scanned the battlefield,
looking for their opponent.

Tseng was still locked in
a deadly duel with his opponent but he appeared to be winning, with very little
injuries. Of Erebus, they saw no sign, not that Vincent was particularly
worried. He was certain that the demi-deity could take care of himself.

A pig-faced creature chose
that moment to attack and Vincent spun, quickly firing a round into the beast�s
chest. Byakko suddenly made his reappearance, grinning maliciously as he
swirled to existence behind Cid, sending a chilly burst of ice across the
pilot�s flesh. A clawed hand grabbed the pilot�s spear in the same moment as
fangs clamped down on Cid�s shoulder, biting through flesh and bone without any
effort.�

Cid cried out in pain, his
entire body seizing up as his fingers reflexively tightened around his spear.
His head throbbed with pain and words began to enter his mind in a hissing,
taunting voice. �You think I�d want to be connected to someone as pitiful as
you?� the voice jeered, accompanied by a rasping mocking laughter.

Drawn by the sound of the
pilot�s cry, Vincent whirled and shot again, rapidly reloading the Hell Fire as
he stormed closer. The bullet scraped across the beast�s head, taking off one
feline ear. Grey eyes flashed with fury as the bullets slid into the chamber
and as he cocked the gun to fire again, Vincent suddenly disappeared in a
flurry of fur and teeth. Some strange type of hybrid knocked him to the ground
and Cid couldn�t even see his lover beneath the bulk.

�Vince!� Cid snarled,
jerking to get free. He could feel the slimy warmth of Byakko�s blood dripping
onto him even as his own slithered down his arm. Fueled by concern for his
lover, he ripped his shoulder free from Byakko�s fangs, not caring for the
tearing of bone as he jerked his spear free from the deity�s grasp. He
half-turned, gritting his teeth against the piercing agony, and moving so fast
that even Byakko was surprised.

His spear pierced through
a white-fur covered gut in spray of blood and gore, a sickening crunch echoed
as the metal tip emerged from the other side.

�I don�t know what the
hell you�re talkin� bout,� Cid growled, twisting the Venus Gospel within Byakko
and causing the demi-deity to grunt in pain. �But I ain�t the one dying here
either.�

He jerked out the spear
and slashed it across Byakko�s throat before the demi-deity could even react.
Crimson eyes flashed with continued ridicule even as he met his death with a
fanged smirk. The white demi-deity dissolved in a cloud of greyish dust and
ash, presumably to return to Elysium.

Grunting, Cid�s spear fell
from his nerveless fingers as he immediately slumped, clutching one hand to his
wounded shoulder. He panted, trying desperately to draw in a breath. He
couldn�t feel his injured arm and blood seemed to trickle from his entire body,
so thick that he left bloody footprints in his wake as he immediately turned to
find his lover.

Sky blue eyes raked over the battlefield, catching sight of Vincent. He
released a sigh of relief at that, noting that his dark-haired lover was
perfectly unharmed. Cid grimaced as another sharp stab of pain shot through him
and he turned towards Vincent, only to suddenly drop to his knees when a magic
attack struck out of nowhere, catching him unaware. Lightning hit him in the
dead center of his back, short-circuiting everything inside of him.

A gunshot echoed in its
wake.

Already weakened from
blood loss, his knees hit the ground as his vision immediately darkened. The
world began to spin rapidly and the urge to vomit rose up in his throat. He
teetered forwards, barely able to keep himself up with the one working hand as
he only dimly registered that someone had called his name.

Then hands were on his
shoulders, forcing him to raise his bleary gaze and stare directly into worried
grey eyes. �Cid,� Vincent murmured fearfully. �Oh gods, you�re bleeding
everywhere.� One hand frantically dug into his pockets, trying to find a
materia or a potion or something. But his hands were trembling, he
wasn�t moving fast enough, and Cid was still bleeding.

Sky blue eyes were
unfocused as they looked at him, and Cid�s breathing was harsh, labored.
Vincent raised his gaze, looking for help. Tseng was just finishing off his
opponent; the knight dissolving in grey ash but luckily, Erebus was heading his
way. The battle had been won, most of the minor creatures defeated around them.
The exit was now unguarded.

Suddenly, Cid went limp in
his arms, lost to unconsciousness and Vincent�s heart stopped. Frantically, he
felt for a pulse, pressing his unclawed hand to Cid�s neck as he summoned up
his only Life to mind. He didn�t breathe again until he located the pulse, weak
and slow, but there.

Hopefully, Erebus would be
able to heal him somehow.

Hopefully, they would come
out of this alive.

-�� -�� -�� -�� -

Sephiroth blocked
Caradoc�s heavy sword with one hand, effortlessly continuing the duel. He
absentmindedly wiped sweat from his brow with his free hand as deadened eyes
stared at him over the glint of their interlocked weapons. He stared back just
as resolutely before he allowed his eyes to flicker to the other body that was
lying on the ground. Dinadan was slowly beginning to rise, not yet defeated and
in the back of his mind, he wondered where both Zack and Gilgamesh were.

Luckily, his duel with the
two demi-deities seemed to be an unspoken warning to the other minor monsters
to stay away. At least, for the moment anyways.

Caradoc shifted on the
edge of his vision and his eyes darted back to the duel. The demi-deity pushed
forward mindlessly, his face completely impassive. There was a brief interchange
of power between them before Caradoc surged forward, ending the stalemate.

The former General
recoiled quickly, regaining his momentum with practiced ease and slashing his
sword forward. His blade nicked Caradoc across the arm, drawing a slow upwelling
of blood as Caradoc swung at him. Their swords met in a bone-jarring clang,
blades scraping on one another. Gritting his teeth, Sephiroth waved his free
hand, tossing a Poison at Caradoc effortlessly.

The knight blinked in
confusion before he began to cough, a greenish tinge taking over his
complexion. Caradoc stumbled backwards and in the distraction, Sephiroth
pressed forward, taking the initiative. Until his senses flared to life,
sending a trickle down his spine. On instinct, he suddenly leapt backwards in
one smooth motion, just managing to avoid the axe that had come screeching
through the air, aiming for his head.

It appeared that the spell
he had thrown at Dinadan had not held out for long.

Empty grey eyes, all too
similar to Valentine�s, stared back at him unemotionally as Dinadan viciously
slashed at him with the battle axe. The noise of their blades meeting in
succession was lost to the din of battle. Then something flickered across the
placid facade before him. Sephiroth�s eyes widened as he hastily constructed a
shield around himself, moments before the first arcs of wind daggers slammed
into him.

He was pushed backwards by
several feet from the force of the close-range magic but he dug his heels into
the ground and tightened his fingers around the hilt of the Masamune. He darted
forward, moving far faster than he even knew he could, and found himself behind
Dinadan, primed to strike.

The demi-deity whirled to
defend and their weapons met once more with a jarring blow. There was an audible
crack as a slight fracture split across one head of Dinadan�s axe. The deity�s
brow twitched before he retracted, spinning on one heel to strike again.
Sephiroth snarled, irritated by the games they were unintentionally playing as
he ferociously countered, thus beginning another rapid exchange of blows that
would have been difficult to follow by anyone else� eyes.

A slight presence
impressed on the back of his mind and he knew without looking that Gilgamesh
was near.

(Dinadan had always been a
little reckless.) Gilgamesh chuckled within Sephiroth�s mind, sounding slightly
breathless. (More of a hack-n-slash, much like Zack, than any real strategy.)

�Lucky me,� Sephiroth
responded with a roll of his eyes as he twisted his body to the side to avoid a
jab from the axe, easily countering the somewhat desperate move.

Their blades locked as
Gilgamesh laughed again. (Ah, nothing like a good solid fight to make--)

Sephiroth�s honed battle
senses flared to life and he shoved all his strength against Dinadan, forcing
the man several paces backwards before he spun on a heel, Masamune raised to
defend. Until a blade, much larger than his, flashed out of the darkness, intercepting
Caradoc�s attack with ease. Zack threw a smirk at him over his shoulder.

�Miss me?� the
spiky-haired man teased as he turned back towards Caradoc, forcing his strength
into his arms and pushing against his opponent with a great burst of muscle.

Caradoc didn�t stand a chance.

Smirking, Sephiroth
returned his attention to Dinadan, summoning up an Ultima. With just one battle
now, he was certain it would be over quickly. As the axe-wielder rushed at him,
he released the green fire magic, watching as it engulfed Dinadan when he
didn�t even bother to block it. Sephiroth grimaced as the Ultima consumed him,
yet Dinadan still pressed forward.

On the edge of his vision,
he caught sight of Zack dispatching Caradoc with a right, uppercut and he
gripped the Masamune tightly. Moss green eyes looked into Dinadan�s expression
as he raised his blade and slashed it across Dinadan�s chest, slicing him at
least several inches deep. It was enough to kill him. Something flashed in the
deity�s eyes, it might have even been gratitude, before he crumpled to the
ground, only to dissolve into an ashy cloud.

�Not bad,� Zack commented,
sidling up beside him and idly wiping soot from his brow.

Sephiroth snorted. �I see
you managed to watch your own back for once,� he commented, idly scanning the
battle as he cast a quick spray of Ultima over a cluster of demons. The
enemies� numbers were dwindling, nothing at all like the hordes that had
attacked at the beginning of the battle.

They were winning.

Beside him, Zack rolled
his eyes, swiping a stream of sweat from his brow. �Makes you think about the
good old days, doesn�t it?� he questioned, rolling his shoulders to ease his
aching muscles and flexing his fingers around the hilt of the Zanken. �Admit
it, Seph. You�re loving it.�

�Don�t be ridiculous,�
Sephiroth responded reprimanding, twisting his body to find the rest of his
fighting crew. However, in the smoke and ash that permeated the air as well as
the fact that several torches had been snuffed out during the battle, he
couldn�t see anyone. Cries of pain and the clash of weapons were both too loud
for his abnormal senses to hear as well. He had no choice but to trust in their
abilities, and believe that the subtle surges in power he kept feeling belonged
to their side and not the other.

A strange whistle, unique
to the sounds of battle, was his only warning before four forms emerged out of
the smoky haze, converging on he and Zack. The best friends were forced to leap
backwards to avoid a spray of flame in their direction, Zack nearly losing some
of his spikes. Instant recognition dawned in Sephiroth�s features for one of
the forms.

�Balaam,� he hissed, as he
and Zack stared down their four demi-deity opponents. They began to circle
around each other in slow movements, two of Balaam�s cronies holding the same
dead-eyed look as the others that Sephiroth had fought, and they were human...
or human-looking.

The coal-eyed demon
laughed, idly examining the talons on his claws. �Are you enjoying the trap
that I have created for you?� he questioned mockingly, a trident clutched in
his other hand.

(Stall them, Sephiroth,)
Gilgamesh suddenly muttered in his mind. (I am almost there and I will handle
Owain and Gawaine.)

The former General nodded
mutely, agreeing internally as he returned his attention to his enemies.

�We took great pains to
create it for you,� the woman on the left side of Balaam was purring, her eyes
roaming over Sephiroth and Zack appraisingly. �Though it is a pity that we have
to ruin such pretty faces.�

�Enough, Raidne,� Balaam
snarled, shooting her a quieting glance. �Leave your seductions to worthier
creatures. These mortals are not worth that much mind.�

Zack�s eyes narrowed to
icy blue slits. All look of teasing was gone from his expression as the serious
SOLDIER finally came out to play. Even Balaam looked a little nervous.

�You�ll regret ever
starting this damned war,� Zack hissed, boot sliding with a scrape over the
blood-stained, rocky ground beneath him.

�Will I now?� Balaam shot
back.

An eyebrow twitched as
they stared each other down.

Then a red cloak fluttered
out of the darkness. One of the knights at Balaam�s side abruptly turned as his
senses flared, moving to block Gilgamesh�s sword. The God of Destruction was
unperturbed, quickly slicing at him with another one of his blades. They were
quickly locked in a deadly duel, leaving only three others for Sephiroth and
Zack.

Raidne smirked and stepped
back as Balaam threw out an arm, casting the first spell. Zack darted forward,
past the magic, heading straight for the other knight with the dead stare,
leaving Balaam and Sephiroth to face off. Raidne seemed disinclined to join the
battle, standing off to the side and admiring her gaudily painted fingernails.

Clang!

Balaam�s spear grazed past
Sephiroth�s cheek, drawing a thin line of blood and the former General
retaliated quickly, ducking under the long reach before Balaam could retract
the spear and slicing upwards at his opponent. The Masamune caught in Balaam�s
wings, tearing through the velvety flesh and nearly lodging in the bone of a
joint.

Sephiroth didn�t waste any
time in trying to pull it free. As Balaam growled and slashed at him with a
claw, Sephiroth twisted his body to the side and slammed a fist into his gut.
He received a grunt for his efforts before Balaam chopped a hand down on his
arm with enough force to leave a bruise. He clenched his teeth against the
throbbing pain however and shifted his weight, kicking upwards with unnatural
speed and snapping one of his boots against Balaam�s knees.

There was a very audible
crack as Balaam howled and staggered backwards, finally separating their
interlocked forms. It was enough to release the Masamune from its trap in Balaam�s
wings. Panting softly, energy starting to wane after so many subsequent
battles, Sephiroth wiped sweat from his brow and blood from his cheek. He
flexed his fingers around the hilt of Masamune before suddenly jerking
backwards to avoid the long reach of Balaam�s trident which was even longer
than the seven feet of Masamune. The deity had recovered far quicker than he
had expected.

His feet skittered across
the ground and he stumbled, boot catching on an overly large rock. Balaam
grinned maliciously at this foible and pressed forward, swinging his weapon to
the right and catching Sephiroth in the side. The former General grunted as pain
raced through his chest but slammed his arm down anyways, locking it around the
pole.

He locked his elbow and
jerked, trying to yank it from Balaam�s grasp even as he regained his balance.
He darted forward, refusing to relinquish his grip on Balaam�s weapon and
attacked, slashing the Masamune through the air. Balaam growled and threw up an
arm for defense.

A bright splash of blood
spilled into the air.

Sephiroth smirked, pulling
the pole even closer to his body.

�Is that the best you can
do?� Balaam taunted, coal eyes flashing with crimson fire. He dug his foot into
the ground and cast a spell with his free arm.

A stream of flame, the
same that they had been forced to avoid earlier, hit Sephiroth full force in
the chest, sending him flying backwards. It was only with great effort that he
retained hold of his sword as he hit the ground several feet away, surviving
thanks to the shield he had cast earlier which was reaching its limits. He
smacked into the rocky battleground, his entire body jarring from the force of
the magic.

With a thud, Zack landed
beside him, grunting as he rolled over on his side and coughed audibly.
�Something is off with that guy,� Zack grunted as he pushed a hand into the
ground and struggled to rise to his feet. �He didn�t even wince when I nearly
cut off his arm.�

Sephiroth gritted his
teeth as he gingerly rose as well, both males staggering to their feet and
standing back to back. Their opponents began to emerge out of the darkness,
this time with Raidne standing at their backs.

�Don�t worry about it,�
Sephiroth commented. �Just defeat him.�

Zack nodded, flexing his
fingers around the Zanken and staring resolutely at his approaching opponent.

Until Raidne stepped
forward. �It�s a concoction of my own,� she informed them as she spread the
fingers of one hand towards them. �Have a little taste.�

A spray of gas, a
discouraging, sickly purple color surged towards them, far faster than they had
expected and immediately surrounded their forms. They coughed and sputtered in
the poison, dizziness striking so suddenly that they doubled over. Zack
immediately dropped to one knee, balling his hand up into a fist and punching
the ground.

A wave of power rippled
through the stone, sending jagged pillars of rock jutting up from the ground
and heading straight for Raidne. It was too fast for her to avoid and it struck
her immediately, sending the seductress flying into the air, far away from the
battlefield.

The knight and Balaam took
that moment to attack, having circled around their opponents. Sephiroth and
Zack stood back to back, locked in a deadly duel with their opponents, still
trying to blink the poison from their eyes. The exchange of blades among the
four fighting males would have been amazing to see, could anyone actually
follow the rapid clangs.

Then, a stroke of luck.

Zack�s opponent stumbled
and Zack took full advantage of that. He shoved a palm into the knight�s chest,
striking with the same force as a boulder. The other male went flying
backwards, digging furrows into the ground. Sephiroth barely noticed this on
the corner of his senses as he hastily blocked a blow from Balaam,
unconsciously taking a step backwards. Balaam sneered and slashed at him with
one of his claws and Sephiroth twisted out of the way, whirling on one heel to
slice upwards with the Murasame, cutting the winged deity across the waist.

Suddenly, an invisible
weight thumped Sephiroth in the chest, feeling as if he had been struck with a
hammer. He gasped, faltering in his stance as behind him, Zack let out an
unearthly screech of agony, abruptly dropping to his knees. The Zanken
clattered to the ground as his hands gripped his head, pain wracking his entire
body. There were voices, millions of them, screaming inside his head and it
felt as if they were tearing his brain apart.

Sephiroth turned towards
Zack, fearing that his best friend had been injured. His eyes widened in
surprise when he saw the naked despair on his companion�s face and that tears
streamed from his clenched eyes. Tears that looked eerily like blood.

Zack�s opponent appeared
out of the darkness then, aiming a sword for his defenseless friend and
Sephiroth moved forward to defend him. Fenrir flashed out of nowhere,
intercepting the attack. Anger gleamed in the deity�s eyes as he growled and
shoved the knight backwards.

�Stay away from him,�
Fenrir hissed.

Pain lanced through the
former General�s thigh in that moment, distracting him from Zack�s fate. He
growled as his entire leg throbbed, turning to find Balaam sneering
maliciously, twisting the trident in the wound. With a snarl, Sephiroth spat a
curse at the deity and slashed his Masamune through the air, smacking the trident
away.

�Idiot!� Gilgamesh hissed
in his mind. �Concentrate on the battle!� Sephiroth shot him an internal glare
as felt the warmth of the blood snaking down his thigh as his leg trembled, but
he pushed it away. He couldn�t think about that. He needed to defeat Balaam and
see to Zack, who was still trembling and weeping on the ground.

Balaam laughed just then,
at the determination in his eyes. �All mortals are weak,� he mocked.

It was the wrong thing to
say, if there had been anything right to begin with.

Sephiroth growled, an
unholy rage filling him to the core until he could see nothing but blood
staining his vision. His entire body tingled as he felt the first rush of
magic, and to his surprise, the Masamune suddenly burst into the greenish flame
of an Ultima, though it still felt cool to the touch. He stalked forward, rage
blossoming inside of him as Balaam�s eyes widened in shock.

�You... but how did you?�
Balaam couldn�t even finish his question, fear suddenly reflecting in his
gleaming eyes.

�This ends now!� Sephiroth
growled, his entire body drawn taut with the urge to strike as quickly as
possible. Balaam backpedaled from him quickly, terrified at the demonic rage
that he was practically exuding from his pores.

His taloned feet turned on
a rock and he tumbled to the ground, lying all too painfully onto his wings.
They crumpled beneath him, twisting painfully and Balaam grunted. Sephiroth
swung his blade, putting the tip of the Masamune directly beneath the deity�s
chin. Coal eyes looked up at him.

�You wouldn�t strike an
enemy that�s already down,� Balaam snarled, trying to reign in his dignity.
�Isn�t it against some hero�s code?�

Sephiroth sneered.
�Unlucky for you, I haven�t always been a hero.� He jerked his arm, slashing
through Balaam�s neck in one easy swipe. Blood fanned out across the ground,
joining the other gore and muck.

The demi-deity gurgled
before he started laughing. �You�ve only killed a pawn, Mr. Anti-Hero.� He
sneered. �Balaam will destroy you in the ennnnnnd.� The last word was dragged
out as his body suddenly flattened, not dissolving like the others before
acting as if air had been let out of a balloon. His laughter continued to echo
around him.

Sephiroth�s senses flared,
a trickle racing up his spine and he turned to see Raidne standing over the
fallen form of his best friend. �Zack!� he cried, whirling towards her. He
wasted no time in darting forward and cutting her down, feeling little regret
as she dissolved away in a cloud of black ash.

Her smirk was the last
thing he saw as the Ultima flame extinguished from his sword and a strange
feeling of something leaving him wracked his body. He blinked, as if coming out
of a dream, finding that his body was trembling. On the edge of his conscious,
he barely registered that Gilgamesh had already destroyed the other knight but
he was more concerned about Zack.

He dropped to the ground
next to the prostrate SOLDIER, hands trying to shake him awake. �Zack,� he
urged, realizing belatedly that his own fingers were trembling. �Zack!�

But he didn�t even moan.

�What happened?� Gilgamesh
asked, dropping to one knee beside him. He laid one hand on the mortal�s
forehead.

Sephiroth shook his head
as he scooped Zack into his arms. �I don�t know... but we have to get out of
here. Get back to Midgar and--� He paused, noticing that Gilgamesh was shaking
his head. �What?� He could feel himself paling by the second, a cold fear
gripping his heart at the look in Gilgamesh�s eyes.

�It is no longer there,�
the demi-deity replied grimly. �Midgar has fallen.�

-�� -�� -�� -�� -�� -

A/N: Thanks everyone for
your continuous support. Please leave a review before you go and let me know
how I�m doing.

-�� -�� -�� -�� -�� -

Sorceress Fujin: Thanks!!

Dree: I�m sorry I made you
cry but then again, I�m not, because that means it was a good chapter! I�m
happy to hear you liked the Cloud I wrote though, he is a difficult character
to make likeable. But, his death had to be done. It�s been scripted since day
one. Thanks!!

Ri: Don�t chew all your
fingernails off! You�ll need them for later chapters, lol. Things are building
up to a head and I guarantee they are going to get even more tense. Thanks!!

SpookyMuffin: Yay, new
reader! I do so love hearing from them. All of my series in a week, hmm? That�s
a heavy venture. I know I�ve written a lot in this arc (seven stories total
with two more to come). Glad you like RenoxReeve! Shattered Boundaries was
mostly fanservice since I hadn�t intended on writing that prequel. I never
thought it would become such a popular pairing! Thanks!!

Hope: Keep clinging to the
edge cause more tension is to come. I�d love to say that the �not Goodbye�
means something but I won�t spoil the surprise. Needless to say, it will be
explained soon! Happy to hear that you enjoy my stories though. I�m always
excited when people tell me that. Thanks!

Samma: Yet, unnamed deity?
Is this the last of Cloud? Hwa ha ha! That remains to be seen. We still have
nine chapters to go! Thanks!!

Pooky: You don�t have to
bribe me! I�ll always write faster for my loyal reviewers. I am honored that
you would give me such a compliment. And here I thought my battle scenes
sucked. Thanks so much for that!
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Shattered Dreams

Caution: Unbeta�d but readable.

Chapter 64: Crimson Tears