Post by Cloud on Jan 6, 2011 7:35:31 GMT -6
Cloud walked from the castle and onto the plateau overlooking his home. The sun was just coming up and the air was brisk, dew had condensed on the pipes that ran straight to the castle. Without a single word, Cloud walked through the passageway into the Burrow. He had recently donned his older attire, his traditional red scarf and classic right claw. His Buster sword was bandaged again, and his wing had mysteriously returned. His combat boots were dark and worn from repetitive use, and his old pair of padded jeans were fading in some areas. This was the way he liked it.
The familiar sounds of people walking and laughing, echoed through his head. It had been a long time since the people of Radiant Garden could cheerfully walk the streets and not worry. A pebble fell from the great wall beside him and he turned to strike. With his Buster Sword in hand he quickly surveyed his surroundings, "It's nothing, I guess I should continue on..."
As Cloud continued, he made his way to the small shop area. He knew that no one was there but it was always good to check. Cloud passed by Huey, Dewy and Louie's shop and walked up the stairs to the outlook. He stopped to look once more at his home as he stretched his wing and unclenched his left hand. The metal gave a small squeak as his fingers moved around inside. From here, Cloud could see the vast expanse of land he had sworn to protect. His eyes glanced over the castle, and then over to the courtyard below it.
Memories raced through his head as he saw event after event, finally stopping on Sora's fight with Demyx. Although he wasn't there personally, Sora's recollection of it seemed accurate enough. He stopped once more to ponder, "Sora.... where are you now I wonder?" Cloud seemed to snap back to reality once more as his eyes wandered down the path from the Courtyard leading to the cave filled with crystals. Pausing only for a moment, he thought if he should continue. He hadn't retraced his steps since he had gotten back, and he wasn't sure if he could handle it.
Past the cave, his eyes wandered to the opening where the battle of 1,000 Heartless had taken place. Cloud could remember the friendly competition he had going with Leon, and how it seemed so simple to him now. "I guess we didn't think we would make it out of there.... maybe that's why we had to compete, to give us some form of hope." Freezing in his tracks, Cloud's eyes wandered no more. He knew that beyond that opening, memories of him would wait. Almost silently Cloud muttered, "Sephiroth...."
Pushing through his hesitation Cloud moved his eyes to the Crystal Fissure, the place where it all ended. Through his mind, Cloud tried to fight back the memory but it was no good. With a rush it enveloped him, and Cloud was taken back to his epic battle.
Swords clashed as Cloud and Sephiroth fiercely attacked one another. Sparks flew as attack after attack seemed to be parried, the two seemed to be evenly matched. Once locked again Sephiroth glared at Cloud, "Give it up, you'll never beat me. Just fade back into darkness where you belong." Cloud pushed him away and readied his swing. As he charged Sephiroth, Cloud swung his Buster Sword with all of his might. Unfortunately, Sephiroth saw this coming and jumped back to dodge the attack.
"Never, I don't belong in darkness!" Sephiroth smiled as he vanished into thin air, causing Cloud to temporarily become disoriented. Sephiroth reappeared behind Cloud and swung his Masamune, but it was met with an equally powerful block by the Buster Sword. The fight seemed to go on and on and it left multiple battle scars on the area around them. Swords were clashing and the speed of the battle became overwhelming, Cloud was becoming exhausted.
Sephiroth took advantage of his weakness and tried to finish him off. All Cloud could do was block his attacks and hope for the best. A flurry of strikes came at him and Cloud began to tire and yet he took a single look at Tifa standing off to the side, and he instantly filled with hope. Cloud locked swords with Sephiroth and held him there to regain some of his momentum. "Hmph, you still think you can win? The darkness will swallow you whole." Cloud scraped the Buster Sword down the Masamune and pushed back Sephiroth. "I know that my light will rid me of your darkness once and for all!"
Sephiroth charged at Cloud and swung his sword but was blocked by the Buster Sword and propelled back. Cloud began to glow with a bright light as he began to feel power beyond anything he thought possible. Sephiroth charged Cloud once more and swung his large sword, but Cloud was ready. He bounded back onto the cliff side and sprang forward. With all his might Sephiroth jumped to meet him and the two swung their powerful blades. The result was a great light that enveloped the both of them. The battle scarred fissure lay silent.
Cloud came back from his memory to find himself clamping his chest and breathing deeply. Sweat was beading off of his forehead and beginning to dampen his scarf. Leaning on his sword, Cloud pulled himself back to his feet. His head hurt trying to remember what had happened after that. All Cloud knew was that he came out alive, and that's all he could ask for. Wearily, Cloud looked at the sun now high in the sky. The sound of people walking to the shops to open for the day greeted him as he made his way back to the burrow.
Stopping before Merlin's house, Cloud looked back on his memories and couldn't help but smile. Lifting his enormous blade as if it were light as a feather, he placed it atop his right shoulder and walked to the door. With a well placed knock he could hear people within stirring to answer the door. Again Cloud smiled beneath his scarf, "I wonder what Aerith and everyone is up to?" The door opened as Leon answered with surprise. His trusty Gunblade rested on his left shoulder as he stood in the doorway looking at Cloud.
"Hey.... Leon, how's it going?"
The familiar sounds of people walking and laughing, echoed through his head. It had been a long time since the people of Radiant Garden could cheerfully walk the streets and not worry. A pebble fell from the great wall beside him and he turned to strike. With his Buster Sword in hand he quickly surveyed his surroundings, "It's nothing, I guess I should continue on..."
As Cloud continued, he made his way to the small shop area. He knew that no one was there but it was always good to check. Cloud passed by Huey, Dewy and Louie's shop and walked up the stairs to the outlook. He stopped to look once more at his home as he stretched his wing and unclenched his left hand. The metal gave a small squeak as his fingers moved around inside. From here, Cloud could see the vast expanse of land he had sworn to protect. His eyes glanced over the castle, and then over to the courtyard below it.
Memories raced through his head as he saw event after event, finally stopping on Sora's fight with Demyx. Although he wasn't there personally, Sora's recollection of it seemed accurate enough. He stopped once more to ponder, "Sora.... where are you now I wonder?" Cloud seemed to snap back to reality once more as his eyes wandered down the path from the Courtyard leading to the cave filled with crystals. Pausing only for a moment, he thought if he should continue. He hadn't retraced his steps since he had gotten back, and he wasn't sure if he could handle it.
Past the cave, his eyes wandered to the opening where the battle of 1,000 Heartless had taken place. Cloud could remember the friendly competition he had going with Leon, and how it seemed so simple to him now. "I guess we didn't think we would make it out of there.... maybe that's why we had to compete, to give us some form of hope." Freezing in his tracks, Cloud's eyes wandered no more. He knew that beyond that opening, memories of him would wait. Almost silently Cloud muttered, "Sephiroth...."
Pushing through his hesitation Cloud moved his eyes to the Crystal Fissure, the place where it all ended. Through his mind, Cloud tried to fight back the memory but it was no good. With a rush it enveloped him, and Cloud was taken back to his epic battle.
Swords clashed as Cloud and Sephiroth fiercely attacked one another. Sparks flew as attack after attack seemed to be parried, the two seemed to be evenly matched. Once locked again Sephiroth glared at Cloud, "Give it up, you'll never beat me. Just fade back into darkness where you belong." Cloud pushed him away and readied his swing. As he charged Sephiroth, Cloud swung his Buster Sword with all of his might. Unfortunately, Sephiroth saw this coming and jumped back to dodge the attack.
"Never, I don't belong in darkness!" Sephiroth smiled as he vanished into thin air, causing Cloud to temporarily become disoriented. Sephiroth reappeared behind Cloud and swung his Masamune, but it was met with an equally powerful block by the Buster Sword. The fight seemed to go on and on and it left multiple battle scars on the area around them. Swords were clashing and the speed of the battle became overwhelming, Cloud was becoming exhausted.
Sephiroth took advantage of his weakness and tried to finish him off. All Cloud could do was block his attacks and hope for the best. A flurry of strikes came at him and Cloud began to tire and yet he took a single look at Tifa standing off to the side, and he instantly filled with hope. Cloud locked swords with Sephiroth and held him there to regain some of his momentum. "Hmph, you still think you can win? The darkness will swallow you whole." Cloud scraped the Buster Sword down the Masamune and pushed back Sephiroth. "I know that my light will rid me of your darkness once and for all!"
Sephiroth charged at Cloud and swung his sword but was blocked by the Buster Sword and propelled back. Cloud began to glow with a bright light as he began to feel power beyond anything he thought possible. Sephiroth charged Cloud once more and swung his large sword, but Cloud was ready. He bounded back onto the cliff side and sprang forward. With all his might Sephiroth jumped to meet him and the two swung their powerful blades. The result was a great light that enveloped the both of them. The battle scarred fissure lay silent.
Cloud came back from his memory to find himself clamping his chest and breathing deeply. Sweat was beading off of his forehead and beginning to dampen his scarf. Leaning on his sword, Cloud pulled himself back to his feet. His head hurt trying to remember what had happened after that. All Cloud knew was that he came out alive, and that's all he could ask for. Wearily, Cloud looked at the sun now high in the sky. The sound of people walking to the shops to open for the day greeted him as he made his way back to the burrow.
Stopping before Merlin's house, Cloud looked back on his memories and couldn't help but smile. Lifting his enormous blade as if it were light as a feather, he placed it atop his right shoulder and walked to the door. With a well placed knock he could hear people within stirring to answer the door. Again Cloud smiled beneath his scarf, "I wonder what Aerith and everyone is up to?" The door opened as Leon answered with surprise. His trusty Gunblade rested on his left shoulder as he stood in the doorway looking at Cloud.
"Hey.... Leon, how's it going?"