Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VII : Atonement ❯ Chapter 28 - One-Winged Angel ( Chapter 28 )

Author's Note: Must.....not.....fall.....asleep.........~sound of skull against wood, followed by snoring~

Chapter 28 - One-Winged Angel

Aeris knelt on the platform that stood in the middle of the Ancient Capital. Her eyes shut softly, she clasped her hands together, ready to begin her prayer. A white orb lay on the creamy, white marble floor. Aeris knew what she had to do.

She had to once again save those she loved the most. It was her duty as a friend, a lover, and a Cetra.

She had to save the planet at any cost.

Aeris began to mumble a familiar incantation in a little known language. Like music, the words flowed into sentences.

She sensed Jenova's presence coming for her as she finished the prayer and the small orb flared and glowed a pale sea green color. She was ready. There was only one thing left to do.

She carefully picked up the glowing orb and placed it in her jacket pocket before grabbing her Princess Guard, which she had leaned up against the railing of the platform. The sound of flesh sliding along the floor echoed through the capital as Jenova approached.

Aeris was shocked to find Jenova in her true form; she appeared as the monster she truly was.

"There you are you damned Cetra," Jenova hissed. "You are ruining everything!

Aeris held up the Princess Guard as if she were going to protect herself, but took the full force of the blow as Jenova furiously whipped a tentacle at her. Pain lanced through Aeris' back, but she didn't cry out. If Jenova heard her pain, she would be slower to kill her. A tentacle struck out again, and this time it wrapped around Aeris' midsection, pinning her weapon and her arms tight against her sides.

Aeris put up a fake struggle as if she were trying to escape, but her blood seemed to freeze as Jenova let out a piercing laugh.

"You think you can fool me?!" Jenova laughed, bringing Aeris' body up to her eye level. "I don't make the same mistake twice."

Aeris was too stunned to speak.

"I'm going to cause you a great deal of pain, my little Cetra," Jenova said sickly. "You won't interfere anymore. Your screams will lead Sephiroth to me, and then I will kill him myself. Maybe I'll let you meet him after your silly prayer fades away unused."

Aeris swallowed hard, feeling the tentacles squeezing around her.

"I will make sure your screams reach far places," Jenova threatened, her voice thick with anger. "I will -"

Jenova was cut off mid-sentence before she let out a blood-curdling shriek.

Aeris glanced over Jenova's shoulder to see Sephiroth behind her; Masamune's blade sunk into the giant mass of flesh that made up Jenova's body. Jenova spun around in fury, pulling the blade's hilt from his grasp, and knocking him off his feet. She wrenched the sword out of her body, groaning with pain as her blood flowed out of the wound and spilled onto the creamy marble floor. With a cry of anger, she flung Aeris and the sword away from her. The sword flew straight at Sephiroth, but he sidestepped it, catching it by the hilt as the blade flew clear of him. Aeris hit the side of a nearby thick stone building.

Sephiroth got quickly to his feet and barely had time to dodge Jenova's next attack before he murmured a Cure3 spell on Aeris. He turned to fight Jenova, but instead saw her fleeing from the Capital, leaving behind a trail of blood.

Sephiroth ran to Aeris' side instead of following her. The others could hold Jenova off.

"Aeris? Are you alright?"

Aeris' face was wet with tears and her cheeks were flushed.

"I have failed," she said.

"We didn't fail."

Aeris looked up into his eyes. "Not yet," she said softly. "There is one way left." Her eyes gazed into his, warm and calm. "Kill me, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth gave her a shocked look. "Are you kidding me!? I couldn't do that!"

Aeris reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the glowing materia orb. "Everything is ready. There's only one thing left to do and I can save him."

"Save him? You mean, Cloud?"

Aeris nodded solemnly. "Please, Sephiroth. I love you, but I have to save Cloud. It is my duty to save the world from Jenova."

"But Aeris, Cloud is already saved."

Aeris' eyes widened slightly. "What?"

"You must have left before it happened. Cloud gave himself to me. Jenova doesn't have claim over him anymore."

"But I still have to stop Jenova. I have to -"

Sephiroth stood up then, helping Aeris to her feet as well. "It isn't just your responsibility. If I don't get rid of Jenova, I can never be truly free. You've already done your duty once. The Ancients gave this mission to me."

"But how can you stop her?"

Sephiroth smiled. Leaning forward slightly, a golden aura spread over his entire body, flooding the area with bright light. Sephiroth's body began to change slowly. His legs pulled up and turned to wings of feathered white that fluttered gently, suspending him in the air. One large wing sprouted from his back and glittered in colors of purple and blue. Then, finally, a golden halo materialized above his head.

"You can't! Her cells will be free in you! She could control you!"

Sephiroth's eyes sparkled happily. "My love, I am now your One-Winged Angel, as I once was to Jenova. But today, I shall be Jenova's archangel; her Angel of Death." He held his arms out to her, and she welcomed his embrace. Holding her tightly to his chest, he flew with blinding speed out of the Capital. There was only one more thing to do.

He would only have to call upon his servant once. Sephiroth was pretty sure he wouldn't hesitate to obey - his servant had a settle to score as well.

* * * * * * * * *

Newfound energy flowed though Cloud's body like hot chocolate; warm and comforting. His soul was more at ease than it had ever been in his entire life. Sweet freedom sand in his heart and his mind, and Cloud drank it up with pleasure. Cloud was on his feet, a new man and ready for action.

It hadn't taken Cloud long to come out of his state of stupor after Jenova fled his mind. A cure spell and a little time had returned his strength and he felt more alive than ever. Feeling Tifa's embrace, his arms tight around her, made the world seem more real to him. The control he had in his limbs as he held Tifa close was invigorating after they had been numb to him for so long. It was an incredible feeling to have his body as his own again.

Cloud wondered in Sephiroth had felt this same way.

"Where is Sephiroth?" Cloud asked when Tifa released him.

"He ran off that way," Tifa pointed, "toward the stairway to the Ancient Capital."

"Why?"

Tifa shrugged. "Aeris was missing. I guess Sephiroth thought she might be there."

A hissing noise caught Cloud's attention. His superior hearing alerted him and he spun around, unsheathing Ultima Weapon.

"Here she comes, guys!" Cloud shouted. "Get ready!"

Jenova's figure was quickly approaching. She flew at an incredible speed toward them, her face a mask of hate and fury. Blood flowed from her back, but it was obvious that the wound was already healing.

Cloud was ready to meet her attack as Jenova closed in on them, but he couldn't block the lightning fast tentacles that threw him quickly to the side. He cursed in disgust as he was forced to watch Jenova fly away.

Then he heard someone shout out his name.

Cloud spun around in time to see Sephiroth, in his One-Winged Angel form, flying at him, his arms reaching out to him. Aeris was standing beside Tifa in the distance.

Cloud grinned. "Let's go!" He turned and Sephiroth grabbed him from behind, his arms wrapped around Cloud's waist as they flew to catch Jenova.

"I guess you're not a failure after all," Sephiroth said calmly, gliding higher into the air.

"I can't do what you are doing."

"You could," Sephiroth stated simply. "Besides, you did do the one thing I never could."

"What's that?"

"...Escape Jenova..."

A/N: Finally, an update. <grin> sleepy.......so......sleepy.......... (review please!)