Ceaseless Oblivion

A word of warning before I begin: like I mentioned before, this story is going to take a turn for the horror/supernatural, ESPECIALLY in this chapter. This is the second climax for this story, the third coming soon. Meaning, a lot of blood/gore, and heartbreak if you are a Cloud fan. I feel awful for doing this to one of my favorite characters of all time…but it has been planned since last September. And what my Muse wants, my Muse gets! I apologize…but it has to happen. I did research on…what is to happen in this chapter, and I will clarify it with more scientific/anatomical reasoning at a rare authors note at the end. The monsters I make up are of my own inventing. Drat, I just revealed too much again!

Songs for this chapter: For whatever reason, as I was exercising, "Blurry" by Puddle of Mudd came on, and I thought that the chorus reminded me nicely of Sephiroth and Cloud's relationship. Especially the "You could be my someone, you could be my scene. You know that I'll protect you, from all of the obscene." That reminds me so much of this pairing.

I own nothing. Believe me, if I owned this amazing idea and characters, I would make it known throughout the world. Genesis would quote LOVELESS all day, and I would never tire of it. Angeal could flex his triceps for me, and Vincent and I could go shopping for more red cloaks. In my dreams, I know…but dream I do! *laughs*

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What deep wounds ever closed without a scar? ~George Gordon

When one was thrown out of their previous way of thinking, either by force or other means, complications are bound to arise. The matter of acceptance is dealt with, if that person knows that there is no return to their original way of living. Their thoughts would never be the same.

This was Sephiroth's predicament. His life turned into one chaotic mess after the next, leaving a path of complete destruction in its wake. He had been fed lies, like a starved orphan boy, and he ate them up, as if it were the most delicious food he had ever tasted in his life. He never questioned Jenova, or thought to look into her true existence and purpose on the Planet. No. He just let it be, and always had the thought that she was watching over him, somehow.

Then, he made the mistake of catching word of Jenova, and twisting around information in his mind. The ShinRa mansion basement had been his refuge as he rummaged through journal after journal, displaying that there was a Project S and Project G, and how Jenova was within him. For whatever reason, something in him snapped. It was the sound of his humanity falling away from him, inside. It longed to be purged away, for the humans had taken his mother, and placed her in a glass case, only to examine her. And that was unforgivable.

Though, he recognized that he had made a complete error in judgment. He knew that now, and if he could, he would take the hands of time, bend them backwards and snap them in half if he could redo Nibelheim all over again. Cloud would still be living there with his mother, that Tifa woman would not have a huge scar across her stomach from him, and human lives would be living now. They could breathe, without tasting his foul air. They could live, without the fear of the youngest General of SOLDIER going insane. And above all, they could be, without the thought of sudden tragedy by his hand. For, he had caused an immense tragedy. His hands had slain, bled, and ripped through lives, as if they were little more than scraps of paper. It was hard to come to terms with, but he was managing.

The true acceptance was in knowing that, somehow, under this crazy yet divine plan he had been forced into, he had fallen in love with Cloud Strife. If there was one thing he could tell someone in this situation-had they been placed into a dark world like this-it was that falling in love with your past enemy was a bit trickier than it sounded. It was laughable, for he had not been one to show affection freely. Zack had been his friend, and he always managed to make him smile. Angeal and Genesis had tried to become his companions and friends…but that only served to make him more miserable. He was good at keeping people out. And when all else failed, one should stick to what they knew best.

It was maddening how one young man could make him feel so elated. Sephiroth had had the inane assumption that nothing could be gained through a journey in this realm. After all, oblivion was nothingness, and saying that one could receive enlightenment from such a place was absurd at best. It was a paradox yes, for the best ideas and revelations came within seconds, forming into an idea, and germinating bright roots and vines from said volition. But also, it was a bit ridiculous. What Goddess would take two men from their lives, and hurl them into another way of living? One that had a lesson to teach no doubt.

And learn this lesson he had. There were things here that he had not even dreamed of before coming here, such as, the truth of his lineage and origin. Yes, he truly was human, just a scientifically engineered one, with more strength and power because of it. But that did not make him some sort freak. Though, he was not normal in the least. If he began spouting out how he was a bastard of an anomaly, he would never stop talking. Instead, he decided to just accept that he was different, and go from there. When everything else fell apart, it was best to go forward, instead of looking apprehensively back at past pains.

Also, he had never known true friendship until now. Zack was willing to follow his orders, yes, and he respected him greatly. Angeal and Genesis were his left and right hands at times, and yet he held them at the length of ten arms. No one would understand his thoughts, he had once believed. Therefore, there was no sense in wasting time in telling others about himself. He was demanded to be a machine, an ever fighting automaton that only stopped to sleep, eat, and train. There was no one who told him otherwise, no one telling him that for five minutes, he could stop his tireless pursuit for SOLDIER and the corruption of ShinRa, and simply, be.

Cloud treated him as an equal now, despite what they had gone through previously. They had been through everything together, and it only served to gouge a deep line of respect for the younger man. He was nearly flawless in battle, and he was kind when it came to the forced killing of an animal so that they could eat. He had never known anyone quite like him in his life, someone who respected others-and animals even-as well as he did. Somehow, in this situation, he had managed to become friends with this man. Sephiroth never would have thought that he could ever look the man who ruined his life in the eye, much less summon up the will to befriend the man. Cloud was better than him, but he aspired to be just like him, in a positive idealization of sorts. This was nothing more than the want to be like another, in a greater sense. Since Cloud treated him like an equal, he could do the same. They were on the same plane of living now, because they were forced to be together. It was as if someone had beaten down both of their pedestals, smashing and corroding them until they had no other option than to see eye to eye with each other. And Sephiroth would not have wanted it any other way.

There was one slight complication -aside from all of the rest-that made Sephiroth's head spin. Never in his life had he been taught to love. He had been taught how to hate, and hate he had. He had been subjected to the finery of swordsmanship, and how to lead, command, and deliver speeches in front of hundreds of people who hoped to join SOLDIER. However, he was never once taught to love. How could one learn something that was never revealed, or shown to them? That was like asking a toddler to learn to know how to sprint before it could crawl; an impossible feat.

Hell, he didn't even know what love was! Was it the feeling in ones chest they received when they looked to the face of the one they were bestowing that affection to? Or, was it something else, something mental, physical, and uplifting that blended into another emotion? He had no idea.

Still, he claimed he loved Cloud, and yet, he had no idea what that entailed. When one knew that they loved someone, what did they do? Did they profess their emotions and feelings to that person, knowing that the threat of rejection was there, as well as the ridicule of leaving ones comfort zone? Or, was it something else? Sephiroth was clueless.

So, in this moment, as he and Cloud were walking on another level of oblivion-figuratively and literally-he decided to recite a mantra: what would Genesis have done? Granted, there were other role models to look to in this time. Zack for example, for he had managed to love a woman before, during, and after death. His relationship with Aeris was a tale for the ages, a legend in this "true love" outside of the realm of fairy tales. Though, Zack was not attracted to men. Genesis had been into one man in particular, and that had worked out beautifully, once he had died. He and Angeal had a relationship in the Promised Land, and as far as he could tell, it was working out.

Aside from Zack's brief little mental comment, the trio of friends he had were being oddly silent. It was only because they could not help him anyone, in assisting him in the escape of this land. Nevertheless, he chose Genesis for he had been the one to make the first move on Angeal, all of those years ago in the Banora Village apple orchards. He wanted to be the one to finally, say something to Cloud. He would not be able to die fully without professing himself after all. That would be the coward's way out, dying without saying what had to be said, for the sake of his mental and physical sanity.

Genesis would tease, and flirt in a playful manner toward the one that he wanted. He would let it be known, for the man was not known for being secretive. If anything, he was the most boastful man that he had ever known, and he loved the sound of his own voice. Once, he had said that he sound of his voice was "the component of nocturnes" or something to that effect. He would have marched right up to the one of his affections, and said something regarding the way that he felt for him. Poetry would be in order too, for the man loved the written word more than he did good food at times.

Sephiroth decided to take a different approach at this. He would ease into the bantering, flirting, and maybe, after that, make his intentions known. Mentally, he reeled back. What was this? The Victorian era, in which a man was pacing in his quarters, trying to figure out the correct words to say to the woman of his affections? No, it wasn't, for even if it had been, he would have still been into men, very, very secretively.

All that mattered now, was telling Cloud that their friends could no longer help them.

Sephiroth cleared his throat, and began. "Cloud. Genesis came to me the other night, and told me a bit of disturbing news." Cloud had been surveying the area that they were in from a vantage point in the skies. Upon realizing that he had been trying to speak to him, the winged blonde circled down, and landed smoothly on the ground. He rose from his crouched position, and gave him a look of earnest confusion. It made his lips part just slightly, by half a centimeter. It took everything in Sephiroth's abilities to not grip the back of the man's head, throw him to the earth, and memorize every inch of the man's mouth. 'Goddess, help me.'

"What's the news?" The man's voice caught a little, and had Sephiroth not known Cloud as well as he did, he would have not caught on to the man's apprehension. His words had made him nervous.

"Our friends…can't talk to us, or visit us here any longer. From now on, we are on our own. I believe it is the Goddess who ordered this." Sephiroth caught the slight raise in Cloud's eyelids, and the sudden dilation of his pupils. This was upsetting news to him.

Cloud looked to the ground first, and Sephiroth wondered what he was thinking. Never had he longed for his past telepathy like he had right now. Was he terrified? Was the thought of only relying on him that horrible a thought? Sephiroth instantly banished those thoughts. They were silly to think of. Besides, if he wanted to find some way to be confident enough to proclaim his….emotions to Cloud, he was going to have to not think such depressing things.

"Well, it would have happened sooner or later. I guess we'll…see them when we leave?" Cloud looked up from the ground, caught his eye, and shrugged. The effort would have seemed childish on anyone else, and even a little bit tentative. But for whatever reason, on Cloud, the effort was flawless, and extremely sexy.

Sephiroth nodded, too stunned to think of a reply. 'Say something, you idiot!' "That's a good way of putting it Cloud. I think they are not allowed to assist in our…survival of this land, or help us in anyway. Even in our dreams."

Cloud bit his bottom lip suddenly, as if he were considering something. When had he picked that habit up? Was it a defense mechanism, an unconscious gesture he had done from the information he had received? Or, was it something else, something that was picked up for the sake of conversation? Sephiroth had no idea, and quite frankly didn't care. All that he cared about now, was in understanding and feeling those lips against his own.

Finally, Cloud spoke. "It'll be alright. We'll see them soon, won't we? Besides, it's not like we haven't proved that we can't defend ourselves. I'll watch your back, and you'll watch mine."

Sephiroth shook his head, and consciously, he licked his lips. The thought of placing his mouth on Cloud's was exhilarating to think about, a head rush and blood flow that made his heart knock against his ribs. Also, it made his tongue do strange things. Great Shiva, when had he become such a sexual creature? Ever since he fell into the abyss of desire, the oblivion of enthrallment. His eyes traced Cloud's mouth, the points and contours of his lips, and the almost point of his jaw.

"Of course Cloud. You know you can always count on me." Genesis, right then, would have given his love interest a look that said he could count on said person for a lot more than simple protection in battle, and turned around, walking away. Should he do that? Hell, what had he gotten himself into? Though, love, and the feelings required and gained from such a desire, could not simply be shut off. In a sense, he was doing nothing wrong.

Instead, Sephiroth reached forward, and tousled Cloud's spikes. "Believe me when I say this Cloud, that I would give my life for you. Whatever we face here, we can do it together." Yes, it was clichéd. Yes, it was, how one would say, cheesy. Though, the words had the effect Sephiroth wanted. Cloud's cheeks flamed, and Sephiroth resisted the urge to smile for that. He had said something that gave the man a positive reaction! That was far better than the angry slant Cloud's eyes had assumed when they had hated each other beforehand. "I'll protect you here. We don't need the assistance of friendly ghosts or visions of the past in our dreams." Since when had he become such a romantic? Since he had fallen in love, that's when.

Cloud nodded his head, almost furiously. "I know. You've proven that to me, quite a lot lately. I'm sorry I ever doubted you." To this, Sephiroth busted into laughter. Hell, why shouldn't he have doubted him, much less continued not to? He had ruined his life, and destroyed all of those that he had ever held dear. So much blood was still on his hands, staining his palms. However, the closer he got to this divine finish line of this dark world, the sooner he would see clean hands, and a pure form.

The blonde gave him a look that said that he had gone insane, and then laughed a little as well. "I get it, I get it. Still…I don't doubt that you would protect me. If anything…you've become a hero again." Cloud shoved him a little to the left, affectionately of course. "Now, enough with this mushy shit." He pointed to the horizon then, as if he were trying to show directions to a tourist. "We keep going straight. We are on some sort of face of a cliff. To the right, I saw a huge cluster of trees that we cannot avoid. Also, there was this…shimmering dot, and I believe that was where the stream was coming from." Cloud gestured to the stream that had somehow, remained to their left. "It trickled down from the cliff side from some source, a spring of some sort. This world makes sense now."

Sephiroth nodded, understanding a little more of this world now. It was merely another planet that he had been forced to endure, a place with no light aside from the tears in the black sky, pouring golden light through its wound. Also, Cloud's skin was still aglow from within, as were his wings. If anything, it was as if a world were created, without a sun, moon or stars, blacking out everything. There was vegetation, animals, monsters, and nature, everywhere. It was just some sort of in between that he and Cloud had to get past, in order to take the steps into the Lifestream, and at last, the Promised Land.

"Well done, Strife. Now, since I can walk on my own again, shall we go?" Cloud nodded, and gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, sure. I just think we should watch ourselves, just in case we are suddenly attacked." He rubbed the back of his neck for emphasis. "I felt as if I was being watched as I was in the sky. It was like a lot of eyes were on me, and not in the good guardian angel sense. Something is out there, and it wants us. We need to be on our highest guard."

Sephiroth nodded and looked around the area they were in. There was soil, water, and some trees a mile away. However, even the light from Cloud's skin and the skies was of little comfort to the ominous and malicious intent of whatever was in the darkness. Something was out there indeed, and they had to be very careful.

"At least we have a small heads up from the Goddess. Our weapons would appear if something were to happen." Cloud looked around, shuddered, and began walking. His eyes roved the land, as if expecting the shadows to take form, with huge and gaping mouths, bent on devouring him into the blackness of a hateful heart. Sephiroth had to admit, he was paranoid as well. There were things out there that could hurt the both of them, and they were intelligent enough to watch them, and not suddenly attack them. It was a dark logic, a black magic intelligence that would attack if given the opportunity.

"Yes. Even still, they appeared after the fact last time. That would give some sort of monster the right to tear out our vocal cords before our weapons showed up. We need to know how to fight with our bare hands then." He paused, looked to Cloud, and gave him a small smirk. "Meaning, for awhile, we need to spar."

Before, the thought of sparring with him had made Cloud turn white, corpse white. But now, the man's muscles were relaxed, all tendons working the way that they were supposed to had the man been at ease. For, he had proven that he could trust him, and his motives. He had nothing against Cloud anymore, for he had let go of his envy of his abilities, and all that was left, was a blistering secret. Love always found a way to be a fire.

Cloud nodded, and smirked. "Come at me then." He pivoted his hips, and placed his feet a few inches apart. His fists came up, and a small smile was on his lips. This was not cockiness, but friendly rivalry.

Sephiroth attacked him then, taking punches, delivering blows, and whirling around Cloud as if he were a separate planet, orbiting him, gravitating on his own axis. For, that was his life now. They both were being repulsed and attracted to one another by their own chemistry, their cells fighting their thoughts, and their bodies longing for the touch of another.

Cloud dodged him, blocked hits, took a few, stooped low, and swept Sephiroth's feet from underneath him. Or, tried. Sephiroth leapt at the last moment, and gripped Cloud's forearm. He flipped the man, but was met with a swift punch to his jaw. Cloud flipped in the air, landed smoothly, and panted. Sephiroth merely cracked his neck and continued attacking the man, knowing full well that the pounding of his heart was not merely from the exercise. It was from knowing that right now, he could touch Cloud, and he would not reprimand himself later for it. Right then, he was purposely touching the man, the way that he had longed to for what seemed like an eternity and a half. Cloud would not look at him oddly had he gripped his forearm, punched him, or did other attacks. For, all of his actions were the opposite of what he was doing.

The iron grip of his hand was actually how he longed to wrap his arms around the man's thin frame. The many punches were his lips, kissing Cloud's and memorizing all of the smallest details of his mouth. And the other attacks, were what his body desired: intense love making. He would be so tender with the man, for he deserved good treatment, and not the pain of what he had once been forced to endure. As they arched into each other, he would grip Cloud's back, and ask if it hurt, and if he should be slower, or quicker. It was all on Cloud, for he had been the one who made him change. He was the one who made him take a long look at himself, his past actions, and the way that he had once been, and change all of it. His hope, change, and aspirations were all on this man.

Both men managed to place the other in a position that neither could escape from. Cloud had Sephiroth in a painful yet tender headlock, and Sephiroth had managed to grip both of Cloud's legs, along the calf muscles and behind the kneecap. Had he applied a lot of pressure there, they would both go tumbling, and fall face first into the ground. Not that Sephiroth would mind getting tangled and entwined in Cloud's arms, but he didn't want to win this fight.

So, Sephiroth did the one thing that went against everything inside of him, mentally and physically: he surrendered to another person. Sephiroth went limp, and hung like a frail rag doll in Cloud's arms, completely submitting to him. He closed his eyes, and cherished this warmth, even if it was only around his neck and face. Sephiroth longed to wrap his arms around Cloud's torso, gently ease Cloud's arm back, and kiss him as if touching him intimately were the secret to life itself. Youth could be found in another's arms and kiss. Though, for now, all he did was relax.

"Sephiroth…you gave up?" Cloud gently released him from his chokehold, and locked eyes with his own. Those lapis oculars were all he saw right then, all he dared to notice. His eyes roved everywhere on Cloud's face, from the sculpt and mold of his cheekbones, to the faint eyebrows above his wide, Mako enhanced oculars. If anything, the Mako only highlighted how beautiful his eyes were. There were flecks of gold around the iris, like some sort of gold sunburst bursting forth from a supernova, a brilliant rebirth in his eyes. He couldn't look away.

"Of course. I didn't want to risk hurting you. Besides, we have both proven we can fight and defend ourselves in combat." Sephiroth knew that right then, his eyes were telling the tale of his infatuation, and how he had allowed for this day to take place. Right then, he was showing Cloud, without words or gestures, how he felt for him. In his eyes, where words could not reach, and where sounds did not matter, he told him he loved him.

Cloud blinked a few times, and looked puzzled. "I don't get you…you know that? You have changed so much…and sometimes, it scares me at how…" he stopped talking, and looked to the ground. The hypnosis was more than a lapse of eye contact though, and Sephiroth was still in thrall.

Sephiroth gripped Cloud's forearm, and caught his gaze. "Cloud. Tell me what you were about to say. Complete your sentences, and prove that blondes are intelligent creatures." He flashed Cloud a smile, and he was surprised at how natural it came to his features then, spreading over his lips like cold liquid, forming a genuine show of emotion. Smiling had never come so easy.

Cloud flushed suddenly, from the tips of his ears, all the way to his throat. He cleared his throat, and managed to form words. Well now. What was this show of feeling? "I was going to say…you're just…pretty remarkable. You're amazing, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth knew, that had a drastic interruption not taken place then, he would have hurled logic, reason, and that bastard word of "timing" far away, and kissed Cloud. His hand would have gripped Cloud's neck, and with Cloud's shock, he would have kissed his lips. Though, a drastic interruption had taken place.

A hissing noise echoed throughout the land, and it rumbled low in the sky, like the cry and boom of thunder. Both men paused their reasoning's and mental rants, and turned to each other. Without wasting time, they positioned their bodies back to back, so that one man could look one way, and the other male another.

A light shimmered in the air, and Sephiroth saw, with a sick feeling in his stomach, his blade in this light. He often wondered how this was possible, weapons appearing in thin air like this, and glowing like it had been into a realm where time and sin had no meaning. Though, this was not the time for inward contemplations of weaponry.

Cloud gripped his Buster Sword, and he held Masamune's handle, all the while feeling apprehension thrum through his veins. They were under attack, from some unknown rogue of a creature. What would they face today?

"Cloud. If you need help, ask for it. Don't repeat what happened last time. Act, kill, and be done with it. Do not freeze up, hero." Sephiroth did not miss the escape of breath from Cloud's lips, one that let Sephiroth know that he was still getting used to the thought of being a hero to him.

"Just don't die. Stay alive, because…I want to go to the Promised Land with you. Stay alive, Sephiroth." Sephiroth felt a smile tug his lips. He fell to a fighter's stance, and looked to the sky, wondering what they would face this time. But whatever would happen, Cloud would be with him, and even if he had to repeat what had happened last time a thousand times over, and know that Cloud was sound and healthy, he would do it within one heart beat.

A sound reverberated around the lands, and Sephiroth could not help but think that it was the sound of someone trying to shake a large piece of rawhide. The sound was scratchy, deep, and guttural. He looked to the skies, and his eyes widened.

"Cloud! It's an airborne attack! Move your ass!" Sephiroth shoved Cloud to the right suddenly, just as a large missile rocketed past the space where they had been standing. Cloud revealed his wings, picked up Sephiroth, and took off like a light blue comet all in the expanse of three seconds.

"What the Hell is this?" Cloud shouted this through the melee, all the while flying as fast as his wings would allow. He set Sephiroth down on an area of land that was not being viciously attacked by some unknown airborne ailment, and raised the Buster. Sephiroth raised Masamune, and wondered what he would see now. Would there be more friends here, vicious phantoms that wanted his blood and suffering? Or were there small monsters out there, who only wanted to tear the skin off of his bones? He would soon see.

Sephiroth squinted, and saw that in the sky, there were three large creatures who were circling the area, like grim caricatures of buzzards, creatures that picked apart the dead until there was nothing left but a brittle skeleton. They were not buzzards, just huge creatures that were a mixture of colors, red and a shade of light green that reminded Sephiroth of bile.

But what was most horrifying, was the fact that what had landed on the ground, in missiles, were steaming sacs filled with…Goddess knew what. Sephiroth took one step forward, and saw that whatever the beasts had allowed to fall, might have been eggs. Or some sort of cocoon thing, their offspring.

"Dear Shiva…" Cloud had seen this too, and was slowly walking towards them. Step by step, both men walked towards the thick seed shaped sacs, and grimaced. The smell was of scorching flesh and rotted fruit, some sort of awful scent that would have made lesser men vomit where they stood. However, Sephiroth had smelt worse in his life. Though this… was the stink of death.

He examined one of the sacs, and saw that it looked like the shade of rotted meat. There were patches of black, oozing like cancerous sores on the fleshy membrane of the pod, along with deep red veins, throbbing and humming in time to whatever creature resided in such a thing. It thrummed in time to the monstrous heartbeat within the egg like thing, and Sephiroth wondered what was inside.

Within moments, he found out. Without any warning, the membranes and embryo's began to writhe and wriggle, stretching and fissuring with the sound of an ear splitting crack, the noise a broken bone makes when it is finally stretched to its limit. The abominable things had begun hatching.

Sephiroth readied himself, and with a release of miasma induced pressure, the sacs opened, and revealed one of the ugliest creatures he had ever seen. They were all red, and their jaws snapped out, showing thick pointed teeth, along with forked tongues. The heads were pointed to look like some sort of hideous lizard, a dragon like monstrosity that had no right to exist. Though, they were just babies, newborns in all reality. But even some children in this instance, need to be killed.

Four from the three sacs came out, screeching and screaming their way into existence, the same way a newborn wails its arrival into the world. Their howls grated against Sephiroth's ears, but he knew that that was the least of his worries. What he had to be concerned about, was in killing these things and remaining alive. They were small, maybe about three feet at most. Still, if there was one thing Sephiroth knew for certain, it was that all appearances were deceiving.

One of the newborns shrieked, and a small ball of black fire escaped its mouth. Sephiroth gripped the handle of his blade, and was prepared to charge into the maelstrom, not knowing the outcome, or what to expect. They could breathe fire, and their parents were above the skyline, watching them, observing them the way that parents do babies in their cribs, almost obsessively.

Cloud touched his forearm, and Sephiroth turned his head to where he could still keep an eye on the abominations. He didn't trust them, therefore, he did not break eye contact.

"Sephiroth. I'll take out the parents, and you deal with the little ones. Don't take unnecessary risks." His eyes met Sephiroth's, and for a split second, an instant carved out in halves, Sephiroth found himself captivated by liquid sapphire eyes. The moment had to end, the way all things do though.

"And if you need help, ask for it Cloud. Come back alive." Cloud nodded, gave him a quick look, and took to the skies, letting lose a ferocious battle cry. The cry alerted the attention of the vicious creatures on the floor of this land, and they all raised their heads to the heavens, and screamed a scream that made Sephiroth's head pound.

"Shut up!" Sephiroth ran into battle, his blade swinging, and his heart pumping adrenaline throughout his veins. He sliced the head off of one that sprang at him, and he slashed it into meaty ribbons, blood splattering his face and hair. Hideous thing after hideous thing came for him, snapping their jaws to the point of unhinging them, attempting to gouge out parts of his face with their teeth. Two siblings raised a three fingered clawed hand at him, but he only severed them, making them howl and hiss with anger.

A boom resounded throughout the world, and it caused little pebbles on the ground to rumble, as if there was a coming earthquake that everyone needed to be prepared for. Sephiroth hacked the creatures to bits still, not paying the sound any mind. He already knew what had made that awful noise. It was the sound of a tormented parent, one who was witnessing their children being hacked to pieces, and knowing that they could not do anything about it. That, and utmost rage in the throats of said parent.

Sephiroth dodged black fire from forked tongues, rolled to the ground, and readied himself. He had taken out four, and he had eight left, from the hideous dozen that had managed to hatch from three parents.

Cloud was shouting so loud at the things in the sky, Sephiroth could hear him clearly. He was thrusting the Buster around as if it were nothing, despite how heavy the blade had been. It was a legacy from a sword, one that he had taken hold of and had managed to lift, and kill with. That, and his own godly strength from his body he was using to his own advantage.

Limbs, torn wings, and huge gaping torsos with exposed ribcages and organs fell to the ground, like some sort of macabre rain, and Sephiroth dodged them. The claws from one of the parent dragon creatures speared one of its children through the chest. The thing sputtered, spewed a wretched flame, and was still. It was ironic, how the love of a parent could be meaningless after death, as well as the scene before him.

However, he did not have time to think of a philosophy on what he had just seen. If anything, Cloud managed to give him a hand with killing these things, even as he was holding his own in the sky, fighting like one of the soldiers of the Heaven's army themselves. A warrior angel, an avenger.

Sephiroth gave a cry when one of the little creatures managed to brush his left hand with flame, the same hand that had once been injured before in the battle a few days past. It was true that when something was injured, flesh or the body in general, life loved to make accidents occur to where the one hurt touched the injured area on accident. Such was the case with this. He hissed in pain, and sliced the things face to bits with a quick hand movement, scattering blood and brains every which way.

Six more to go. Sephiroth leapt over the broken bits of bodies, landed on one knee, and split open the stomach of a lizard thing that threw its body across his own. Blood and intestine was splattered everywhere, but Sephiroth would have preferred to bathe in the guts of another as compared to his own. He nicked the thing with the edge of his sword, and slashed it in halves in the air. Another cry was heard in the sky, for the parents that were forced to watch him lay their children to waste. Though, he had to survive, for there was no way that he would be stupid enough to die and let Cloud wander through this place alone. That was a fate worse than any other cruel punishment he could think of. Even the most sinful man would turn into a child in the dark.

Five now. Masamune sliced, hacked, and split the fragile skin of the newborns. Had they been older, their awful scales would have been as hard as cement, and they would have been much harder to kill off. Though, Sephiroth was not complaining at all. Had these things been harder to kill, he would still be on number two instead of the final four. He grunted when even more blood splashed onto his hair, but that was all. He could not lament the blood stains in his hair, for as long as these things were getting eradicated, that was all he cared about. Physical appearances did not matter when one was slaying demons.

Three more. They circled him, flicking their tongues at him, as if preparing to finally tear him to pieces, or unleash a fireball to kill him, at long last. It would not happen, for he would not let pathetic little lizards be the end of him. There was too much at stake for him to die now. Though, death was really not up to him.

One of these creatures hissed at him, flashing an ugly pink tongue in his face. Calmly, Sephiroth cut it off, and while the thing was writhing in obvious discomfort, he finished it, and the twin that came for him, baring claw and fang. He smashed the things face in with a quick arm gesture, and before it could blink, he cut off its head, and began severing both of them into bits, tearing them into fleshy threads and visceral organs.

The final one whimpered, low in its throat, as if it were trying to beg for mercy before Sephiroth inevitably came for it. There could be no mercy where these things were concerned. Quickly, Sephiroth gave it a pity killing, impaling it through the things heart, and then slicing it into sinew and bone, leaving nothing living behind.

He looked around, and saw a graveyard of revolting remains. There were jaws hanging severed from necks, blood and the gray tissue of organs littering the ground, and even the faint light from the sky did nothing to appease this grim sight. Sephiroth watched in awe as what was left of these things, from the sticky mess of their birthing sacs to the blood and gore of their remains dissolved into ash, becoming nothing more than gray dust on the wind.

"Ashes to ashes." Sephiroth looked to the skies, and saw Cloud doing battle with the final monstrosity. Cloud had managed to cut open its huge belly, and its entrails were falling out of the injury, falling to the ground in a mixture of ashes and blood. Sephiroth watched Cloud circle the thing, stab at it least two dozen times, and let the body split itself.

With a roar from a gurgling, blood spattered neck, it clawed at the air. Sephiroth saw Cloud leap in the air, but to Sephiroth's supreme horror, he was a little too late to dodge the blow. It gripped Cloud's leg, tore, and a piercing shriek hit the air, one that Cloud could not have disguised had he tried. The body of the crimson dragon abomination fell, in a mixture of bone and split wings to the ground, hitting the soil with a puff of dust and ash.

Though, Sephiroth was not in the least bit attentive to the gore. He had been watching Cloud attempt to fly, but after two weak strokes of his wings, his strength had given out. Cloud's wings crumpled, the way that the wings of a paper crane do when they are hit with open fire, and he fell, head over feet, his body contorting in the air as he freefell from at least twenty stories.

Sephiroth threw Masamune to the ground, and bolted into a sprint, begging his lungs and legs to do his bidding. If Cloud fell, he could crack his neck, have instant paralysis…or worse. If his spinal column was severed by the fall, then the fluid from his blood and brain would cause instant brain death, rendering Cloud nothing more than a corpse. Meaning, Sephiroth had to get the Hell over there, before Cloud managed to attain anything worse than a severe leg injury.

They said, that sometimes, a leap of faith is necessary to attain what one wanted. Sephiroth didn't want a leap, he wanted to fucking fly the Hell over there, just for the sake of another. 'Let him be alright! Let him be alright!' Sephiroth threw himself in the air, and managed to catch Cloud before he hit the ground with a sickening thud, facing way worse than a leg injury. Cloud screamed aloud, and the sound made Sephiroth feel sick. It was always hard knowing that the one you loved was in true misery.

"Cloud?" Sephiroth set Cloud on the ground, and Cloud's head fell back, tears streaming from his eyes. He was clenching the Buster Sword so hard, his knuckles were a white and pink color. Sephiroth eased the sword of out his hand, and placed it to the side. He didn't need it anymore. "Cloud…I'll make it better."

Sephiroth looked at the man's left leg, and winced. The bone was at an awkward angle, and the only way to let it heal properly was to set it back in place. He tenderly gripped the bone, looked Cloud in the eye, and set it in place. Cloud screamed long and hard, and rose from his position on the ground. He hit Sephiroth's shoulder with his head, and Sephiroth placed an arm around the aching and debilitated man. This never should have happened, for no avenging angel should be spited by some pitiful excuse of a demons hand.

"Cloud. The leg is broken. I am going to have to splint it, and find you a crutch. The only way it will heal is if I set it, and you keep it that way until it feels better. Do you understand me?" Cloud had been gripping his shoulder until Sephiroth couldn't feel his arm anymore, but as far as Sephiroth was concerned, he would allow Cloud to grip it until his entire arm fell off. He deserved it. He deserved to show pain.

"Y-yes…and…my ankle. Something happened to it." Sephiroth gave him a look that said that in order for him to look at the damage, that he would have to take off his boot. That would be painful.

"Cloud…I am going to have to remove your boot and sock. Please…like you once said to me before…scream. Cry. Fuck it. I will not judge you for crying, or for hurting. Please…express yourself." Cloud gave him a weary look, and nodded, closing his eyes. Two tears of pure torment fell from the blonde's eyes, and Sephiroth felt rage at the things that had attacked them both. He had emerged unscathed…but Cloud had not.

Sephiroth undid the laces on the boot, and Cloud winced, paling from the pain. He was delirious with pain, high off of it, a glazed look coming over his eyes. Quickly but carefully, Sephiroth removed the shoe and sock. Cloud weakly raised his leg, and Sephiroth paled. No…not that! Anything but that!

Cloud looked at him, and looked delirious with pain. It was the type of agony one could be sick from, that kind of intense feeling that one has when they break a bone, or burn themselves. "What's wrong…I still have a foot, right?"

Sephiroth nodded hastily. He had a foot…but it might have been rendered useless for the rest of his time here. And to think…at one time, he had caused this man worse pain than this. "Cloud. The tendon in your foot was severed. You would need massive surgery to repair it, a tendon graft…without it…I don't know how you will ever walk normal again."

Cloud's head fell forward, as if it was filled with lead and he was not able to support himself any longer. Sephiroth gripped the man's neck, and felt tears prick his own eyes, at the unjustness of the situation. This would have been a fine time for either Genesis or Angeal to burst in, and help the man, healing him with some sort of cure and procedure than only those in the Promised Land knew of. But that would not happen. Not even Aeris could help Cloud now, from this horrible and life altering predicament.

Sephiroth gripped the man for a moment, and thought of something. It might have been a desperate thing to do, but it was a smart move. As long as nothing horrible went wrong with this thought turned future action, Cloud's foot could be saved from permanent damage.

"Cloud…I had a thought. I am going to turn you over onto your stomach, and I am going to drip some of my blood into the wound. Jenova healed me within a few weeks with my terrible wound. This is worse than that was…however, I believe that if I do this, the tendon will suture on its own. I have no means of saving your foot otherwise."

Cloud looked up at him, and said with the pained expression in his eyes, that he would have been willing to accept help had it come in wearing a lock of his hair around his neck for the next two weeks. As long as it got rid of that monstrous pain, pain that had made him a silent man. He nodded, and Sephiroth gently, ever so tenderly, rolled him onto his stomach. Cloud gasped aloud, and then his hand clenched into a fist. Sephiroth rubbed the man's back three times, in soothing circles, and he longed now to take this pain, and place it onto himself, if only Cloud were allowed to speak and smile again.

Sephiroth gripped the handle of his Masamune, and sliced it across his palm. If his blood could heal Cloud, then he would give him all of it, willingly, without doubt or regret. If it meant that Cloud could feel better, he would do anything.

'Please, Goddess…I beg you. On my knees…let my blood save the man I love.' Sephiroth fell to his knees then, and dripped some of the blood into the wound. All of a sudden, Cloud screamed as if he had been dripping acid into the injury. Sephiroth gripped the man's hand with his right hand, all the while placing the blood into the heinous injury. Dear Shiva…the wound was steaming! He knew that his blood had never been a match for anyone else…oh Goddess, was he killing the man, poisoning him?

Cloud released scream after scream, and with each release of a shriek, it killed Sephiroth's heart. The man bowed his head in shame, in exasperation, and tears poured from his eyes, tears Sephiroth longed to never see fill such beautiful eyes ever again.

"I'm so sorry Cloud. But…I think it is helping." Sephiroth looked at the exposed muscle, and he heard the hiss. In order for one to get healing with this type of injury, one would have had to get the infection rinsed out with antiseptic, something that this land did not provide. Then, an incision would have had to be made, with or without anesthesia, and the surgeon would suture the tendon together, making two pieces become one. Also, if the damage was too severe, a tendon graft would have had to be used, in which part of the other foot tendon would be used to repair the tendon, and the tissue would forge and heal the foot.

Though…he was no surgeon, and had nothing to help Cloud. He was useless…but his blood was not. Meaning, he was of use. If Jenova reacted well with Cloud's own blood, the fusion would be made between the healing and regenerative powers in Cloud's bloodstream. Hojo had labeled the man a failure as an experiment in those four years he was kept hostage and prisoner in the Mako Reactor, but Sephiroth knew better than to take his "fathers" word for it. The man was much stronger than science could ever dictate.

Cloud breathed a sigh of relief then, as if the pain had subsided for now. "Damn…I felt as if I was dipped in acid…but now…I'm just…here." Cloud's eyes closed, and Sephiroth exhaled a breath he was not aware he had been holding. Quickly, he shredded his shirt to make a bandage for his hand, and he bound that up. Then, he looked around for wood or something sturdy to manage the break in the bone. He could not get a cast, for he had not the medical supplies for such a thing. A splint would work, but if Jenova was kind to Cloud-figuratively of course-then his leg might heal within a few weeks, as opposed to months of waiting for the bone to repair itself.

Sephiroth told Cloud to relax, and that he would be back. To this, Cloud said he couldn't go anywhere if he had wanted to. The silver haired man looked around frantically, and ran into the bramble of the forest, looking for sticks. He found two sturdy ones, and raced back to the place where Cloud was dozing.

"Cloud…I am going to splint this right now. Once I am done, I am going to find shelter for us. Then, you will relax, and I will watch over you as you heal. I don't care about our damn progress in this land…all I care about it letting you get better." Sephiroth placed the splint on either side of Cloud's leg, and wrapped it up with tight strips of his shirt. This would have been so much easier had he had surgical tape…surgical anything! But of course, he would not have received such a thing from the Goddess.

After the makeshift cast was made, Sephiroth bid Cloud to drink from his cupped palm twelve times, for the water would cool him. Then, he placed it in the wound from the tendon, and Cloud fought back screams and more tears he knew. It would heal the infection Sephiroth knew, for if he did this, it would prevent gangrene from settling into the wound. Then, he gently cleaned off the blood and gore from Cloud's face and neck, and washed his hair with dripping water. Cloud's eyes were closed all the while, and he supported himself with his forearms, to the position he was forced into, on his stomach. He was being extremely brave.

"Now, let's find a place to stay." Sephiroth gently raised Cloud up, and Cloud leaned heavily on his right leg, blinking away sleep and drowsiness that came with too much pain. He knew of that sensation all too well. Sephiroth had Cloud lean on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around the man's thin waist, and they made haste across the land.

Cloud hobbled, nearly tripped, and faded into a place between unconsciousness and delirium. Jenova's cells always had odd side effects…but this? He began babbling about some childhood memory he had, one in which his mother had this nice birthday for him, and he had gotten wonderful presents.

Sephiroth chuckled a little, and found, to his supreme delight, that there was a large gathering of trees to the front of the forest. Despite everything, it looked inviting. The tree branches were placed in such a way, that they looked like they were leaning in, instead of branching out and fraying into leaves and jumbles of stick fingers. They looked like they were welcoming, and would protect him and Cloud for now.

Within a few minutes time, Cloud was laid outstretched at the base of one of these trees, and he was dozing off, nodding his head every now and then.

"Seph?" Sephiroth smiled. He actually loved the nickname, for in his mind, it was a term of endearment.

"Yes, Cloud? Is there anything you want?" Cloud nodded. "Yeah…lay by my side. Please. I just…I want to be with the one who caught me. You caught me…I was falling…" Cloud closed his eyes and Sephiroth's heart about broke. The man was so roughed up, from his torn pant leg to the blood splattered on his shirt, stains that would not go away so easily. Though, he had been severely hurt once before, and he managed to heal. The same could be said for Cloud.

Sephiroth wasted no time in lying down next to Cloud, and gripping the man's hand. He needed comfort right then. If anything…this was a parallel of how the one time he had gotten hurt, Cloud had joined him in the stream, and their hands had interwoven, entwining together. It was ironic really.

Before Cloud slept fully, Sephiroth wanted to say something. "Cloud. You were one of the most valorous sights I have ever seen today. You risked yourself in that sky, all to slay those…things. Never, ever think that you are useless, or a waste of space. You did what you had to do…and it is unfair that you were hurt so terribly." Cloud chuckled, and the sound sounded a little inebriated. "Thank you, Sephy Seph. I don't even…know what I'm saying right now." Sephy Seph? That was a new one, and it was something that Genesis would not hesitate to use, without a doubt. "It just hurts right now…but you're making it better. Believe me…you made a lot of things better. Thank you for…protecting me. I'm sorry I said such…hurtful things." Cloud then fell to his right, and began snoozing away, sleep that he had more than earned.

Sephiroth took this time to raise his head and body, gently unclench Cloud's hand from his own, and smile softly to the man. Even though the man was in such pain, and was suffering terribly…he still had thought of him.

It was that thought that made Sephiroth reach down, and brush his lips across Cloud's forehead. He lingered there for a moment, and gently traced Cloud's features with his fingertips, not understanding how this could have happened. But one thing was for certain. As of right now, he was Cloud's true protector, the way that Cloud had been for him when he was injured. He was paying him back in a sense, paying back his debt to this man.

"Just sleep now. I'll protect you, valorous one." Sephiroth gripped Cloud's hand, and let out a sigh. This was going to be much harder than he had ever anticipated, this journey.

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Yes, I went there again! I am sorry I had to do that, it tore at my heart to wound Cloud in such a manner. Now, onto my brief scientific/anatomical reasoning: in order for a tendon to be repaired, one would need surgery for it. The skin would have to be doused in antiseptic, and the patient would have had to be under anesthesia. The doctor would then suture the tendon together, either by the skin of the other tendon of the foot, making a graft. Now, seeing as how both of these men have none of that in this world, Sephiroth had to improvise. Sephiroth took a massive risk in combining his blood, for Jenova is in his veins, along with Mako. Though, Cloud has proven that instead of turning into a monster like the men in the Nibelheim Mako Reactor, he rose above that, and gained super abilities. He is an anomaly in that way, an awesome badass one that rose above the petty title of an "experiment." Yes, Jenova caused Geostigma. But this is a bit different, blood on blood contact, by a selfless man to an injured one. I would never have Cloud lose his foot/leg. Believe me, my Muse is not that cruel.

I still appreciate all reviews, they are like bread and butter to me! Also, I am back in college now, so my updates may vary. However, I learnt that if I bring my laptop to school, I can type five pages during my lunch break, when I don't have to meet with my math tutor. :) I suppose that's a good thing. Nevertheless, enjoy!