Rebirth

Chapter 41 - Rage

"TIFA . . . NOOOOOOOO!" Cloud screamed. He sank to his knees at the ledge Tifa had
jumped from and looked down upon her body two floors below him. Gone was the grey
coat and sword; she looked so frail and broken lying on the concrete, wearing only
Barret's old t-shirt. He threw his head back and let out an anguished howl that
reverberated around the city. The men below heard the scream and rushed out of the
house to look up at the tower above them.

Kadj had reached the tower just in time to see Tifa fall. He stopped in his tracks with a
look of shock on his face. "No!" he whispered as he raced to her body. Above him,
Cloud saw Kadj run towards Tifa. Something in his mind snapped. He snarled and
jumped down between the approaching Kadj and Tifa, his sword drawn.

Barret and the others turned as Kadj raced for the tower and saw Loz and Yazoo standing
by their bikes. Red sprang away after Kadj. Barret, Reno and the others to face Loz and
Yazoo.

"Don't touch her," he snarled with murder in his voice. Kadj skidded to a stop and pulled
his sword out of its scabbard. Cloud charged at Kadj with a scream, swinging his huge
sword down on his head. Kadj spun out of reach and stood to face Cloud. The two men
ran at each other and clashed, their swords slashing and whirling through the air. Kadj
parried and blocked Cloud's furious attacks as he was pushed back through the building
away from Tifa. Cloud's rage fueled his spent muscles. His mind was full of wild hate
for Kadj; he represented everything that kept Cloud from Tifa and he wanted Kadj's
blood. He charged and forced Kadj to retreat. Cloud was too fast for him. All Kadj
could do was block Cloud's blows. He could not gain his balance to launch his own
attack on Cloud. They battled on, Cloud pushing him higher and higher in the building.

Red reached Tifa's body and turned to look at the others down on the ground. They were
locked in battle with the brothers. He could make out Vincent's red cape swirling and
flying around Yazoo, bullets whizzing all about. Barret, Reno, and Cid took on Loz. He
turned back to Tifa and nudged her, smelling her scent.

"She's alive!" he thought to himself. He looked over her injuries. Her shoulder was
impaled by the sharp piece of metal on which she had fallen. She had a number of cuts
where Cloud's sword had nicked her during their battle, and she was unconscious. He
nudged her again, trying to rouse her from her slumber.

"Tifa, wake up," he said softly in her ear. She stirred and moaned with pain as she came
around. "Don't move, Tifa. You're hurt," he said.

"Cloud . . ."

"He's around here somewhere, now please just lay still. You have a piece of metal in
your shoulder."

She gingerly felt along her arm to her shoulder with her fingers and stopped when she felt
the hard sharp metal protruding through her flesh.

"It hurts," she said softly.

Cloud and Kadj had reached the top most level of the building. Kadj's sword arm had
grown heavy and his feet slow. He struggled to stay out of the reach of Cloud's sword
but he stumbled and fell to the ground. Cloud saw the opening and moved in for the final
killing blow. Just as he struck, Kadj gathered his remaining strength and launched
himself into the air. His leap took him high above Cloud where he hovered for a few
seconds. As he began to fall, his body started to spin. He spun so fast that Cloud could
only see a blur of white and grey.

"My daughter lives!" Jenova's crystal clear voice sent a out a concussion that knocked
Cloud to his knees. A blinding light filled the sky as Kadj stopped spinning to hover over
Cloud's. A single black wing unfurled from Kadj's shoulder blade and flapped briefly
before wrapping him in a final embrace. The light suddenly extinguished and black
feathers came fluttering down around Cloud.

Cloud collapsed in exhaustion. Now that his battle was over and his rage spent, his body
finally gave out. He sat on the roof with his head in his hands and his sword on the
ground next to him. "I've done it again. I watched her die and did nothing to help her,"
he thought.

"She's not dead, Cloud."

He heard the voice behind him and turned to see Red.

"What? She must be, I saw her fall . . .," said Cloud.

"She's alive and she needs you. Come," Red answered. He jumped off the ledge to the
floor below and ran back to Tifa. Cloud followed after him, Jenova's words returning to
him.

They reached her moments later. She lay where Red had left her with her eyes closed
against the pain in her shoulder and back. Cloud skidded to a stop and knelt next to her.
He touched her cheek and her eyes opened. He laughed quickly and smiled when he saw
her beautiful round burgundy-colored eyes looking up at him. He gently gathered her in
his arms, careful not to nudge the metal in her shoulder. She groaned as he moved her
and squeezed her eyes shut against the pain.

"She's hurt, Cloud. We have to get her to a hospital," Red said quietly. Cloud nodded.
He stood carefully with Tifa in his arms and held her close. Her head lay heavy against
his shoulder.

"She's gone, Cloud. I don't hear the Others anymore," she whispered.

"You did it baby, you beat her," he said quietly to her.