Warped Perspective

Chapter 9

These days are spent in some tension, everyone waiting for something to happen. The children and non-fighters are sent to a hiding place. There was no sense in keeping them in harms way. Along with the tension is the disbelief. With all wars there is a disbelief, part of the mind unable to fully believe your about to enter a fight that may kill you. That your friends and family could be wiped out. Zackery also aware that Cloud was waiting nearby.

Then attack came at dawn. The watch gives the rest of the town the signal, no one was caught defenseless. One of the few reasons Wutia will l stl stand that day. The first wave was composed of normal fighters from Tylunar. The following waves have the enhanced fighters mixed with normal soldiers. The last wave was the creatures Tylunar has developed. The major damage is done by the enhanced fighters.

During the skirmish Cloud appears on the scene. He wades across the battle field, killing anything that gets too close to him. Zackery, who knew Cloud was coming, was already making his way over to him. He is forced to dodging and parrying blows along the way. Madnol also trying to make his way tow Clo Cloud. Chancey and Xavier were too busy giving some of the wounded fighters backup. Kain is dealing with the monsters.

It is Zackery who reachs Cloud first. The radius of free space around Cloud is very noticeable. Cloud waits for him, a sadistic smile on his face. Around his neck, set in a necklace, was holy. Zackery begins fighting Cloud with all his might. Cloud keeps up his defense. Cloud then puts his hand out. Zackery gets this feeling of Paralysis. The rest of the people also feel a forced paralysis overcome them. Cloud, with one gesture, froze the whole battlefield. Cloud puts his sword away and waves his hand infront of Zackery in a odd gesture. Zackery feels pain flare through his body. Cloud then gestures for some of his men to leave Wutia. Zackery feele sae same compulsion to follow and his mind blanks out.

Meanwhile, Madnol is aware of his paralysis. He uses his spheres to lift the spell. He sees he is one of the few able to move. Some of the men, including Zackery, are moving in a trance away from the battle field. He orders his Brass Spheres to cancel the spell Cloud cast down on the others. All the people in the trance almost out of Wutia. Madnol tackles Zackery to the ground before Zackery can leave.

d isd is still nearby and sees Zackery pinned beneath Madnol. Madnol is too busy making sure Zackery stays down to see the sword Cloud hurled at him. Xavier gets to view his brother being ran through by a sword. The sword is thrown with such inhuman strength that it lifts him off Zackery and six feet backward. By then most of the paralysis is lifted by his brother’s spheres. Xaveir runs to his Madnol’s side. Madnol is out cold and severely wounded. Chancey runs over and helps Xavier pull the sword out. They barely get a compress on the wound that bled more severely. Chancey then uses one of her few potions on Madnol. This slows the bleeding down to somethmanamanageable and his wound begins to close. They put him out of the way and begin to help the other wounded.

Zackery is still out cold himself and is also put out of the way. Very few regular soldiers or monsters are still live. Many of Wutia’s fighters were also hurt, dyiead.ead.ead. 1/3 of the Wutain men are now dead. 1/3 of them wounded, their fates still uncertain. The last 1/3 are able to help with the wounded. Of the Tylunar men, mostly normal soldiers and monsters were killed. 75% of the invading army now dead or dying. The last 25% left with Cloud.

A mass grave is set up from the dead. The name of each man taken to be recorded later. That night some of the men died from too much blood loss and shock. Most of the wounded pull through.

Next day, the rest of the Wutia populace is allowed back in town. Both Madnol and Zackery are also awake the next day. Madnol was still weak from blood loss, but his recovery looks good. Kain was slightly wounded during the fighting. He declined the potions, saying they are needed more sever cases.

Later, Kain learns that not all the enhanced soldiers were sent to the Wutia. Some stayed in the Tylunar headquarters. While the other men fought In Wutia, the remaining attacked the Turks. Very few of the Turks are left alive in Tylunar headquarters. Syliara, a Turk who also didn’t Tyl Tylunar’s involvement in Jenova research. He asks her to meet him in Wutia as soon as possible. Then, there was Able. Able is someone Kain never quiet trusted.

Next two days are spent caring for the hurt and repairing defenses. Madnol is recoveriicelicely but is confined to bed. Zackery isn’t doing so well. He is withdrawn and prone tstrastraction. They leave him alone for now. Syliara reaches Wutia without a hitch. She is a bit shorter than Kain with brown hair and brown eyes. She also is no longer wearing her Turk uniform.

Syliara, “I am pleased to see you’re still alive. Who are your new friends?”

Kain, “I will introduce them to you at the meeting.

They hold an evening meeting in Madnol’s room. Zackery is the only one who doesn’t show up for the meeting. Kain introduces Syliara to them.

Madnol, “Nice to meet you. Guys, when will you let me out of bed? I am bored out of my fucking mind.”

Xavier, “When we know your wound won’t be reopened.”

Madnol, “Geez. . . Stop acting like an old man!“

Syliara, “So, this is the group who will save the world this time?”

Kain, “The last one looked just as rickety.”

Chancey, “How would you know?”

Syliara, “The irony of it. . . “

Xavier, “Irony?”

Kain, “My father was Tseng and my mother was Elena. Two Turks who were around during theeor eor Scare. They told me stories about that time period.”

Madnol was sipping was juice when he heard this. He inhales it wrong and starts to choke. Xavier slaps him on the back some.

Xavier, “So, we have the son of two Turks, two grandsons of Cid, and one grandson of Cloud. That is weird.”

Madnol recovers enough to speak, “Where is Zackery?”

Kain, “I didn’t find him this morning.”

Madnol, “Have someone bring him in. I am worried about him. Of course, I had much time to sit and worry, thank you very much!”

Kain has someone look for Zackery, while they continue their meeting. Kain drew a chart of the battle. He points out the radius effect of the Freeze spell.

Kain, “His magic abilities are very considerable. These people are also the ones given Jenova injections. They did the most damage. We were lucky to have killed as many as we did. Also lucky Cloud didn’t use this time for a killing spree.”

Madnol, “I got a question . . . . What is the difference between them and Cloud?”

Kain, “Cloud has both Jenova injections and some old style mako treatment. Shinra once tied to make super soldiers and subjected some of the people with Mako energy. The trademark sign was the intense glowing eyes. Cloud was in one of the more secret experiments. I don’t know the full details of it. Vincent would know more on how Cloud got both Jenova and mako.”

The messenger comes back to report he couldn’t find Zackery. Chancey says she would go look for him herself. She leaves quietly.

Syliara, “I better tell you about the attacks that also occurred at headquarters. Not all of the altered soldiers were sent here. On orders of the president, they were sent to kill some of the Turks. I managed to escape them, but the others were not so lucky. I don’t think Able was attacked though. One more thing . . . Ever since Cloud showed up and made some deal with Gujarono, both the president and Able have been acting odd. Gujarono isn’t acting in full command of himself anymore.”

Xavier, “Becoming a figurehead?”

Syliara, “Put bluntly, yes.”

Madnol, “Damn. . . . “

After some discussions, they realized Chancey has been gone for too long. They send someone to look for Chancey and they take a break. The messenger comes back with two notes. Chancey left a note saying she went after Zackery. They then read Zackery’s note.

“To my friends.

I feel I may be a danger to you all. I have decided to find Cloud myself and maybe settle something. I am sorry for those who have been hurt due to my error on releasing Cloud.

Zackery Strife”

Madnol, “Over dramatic asshole.”

Kain, “I suppose it was bound it happen.”

Xavier, “You are not worried?”

Kain, “Why should I be? I bugged everyone with tracking devices. I could find him anytime I want to.”

Madnol, “You had us bugged?”

Kain, “Encase someone is captured. I also have a bugging device on myself.”