Chapter 13 : The Gift

Aerith stepped at the center of the altar and knelt down. She looked around her and saw her teammates watching her, ready to protect her, she sighed as she bowed her head and clasped her hands in prayer. As she closed her eyes, she began to hear the voices of the planet, jumbled sounds, not one word was clear to her. She raised her head again and found herself locked in a gaze with Cloud.

He was watching her closely from a distance, very far away, out of reach, still afraid that he might lose control of his body again. He knew Sephiroth was alive and that they still shared the same part of themselves. JENOVA's cells, the things which bound them together. Somehow, he remembered hearing the little voice in his head a few days ago when he confessed his love for Aerith. He wanted to stay by her side, but knew that it would be safer that way.

Aerith closed her eyes once more and tried to concentrate, again the voices were jumbled, all of them speaking at the same time, it grew louder and louder, then she suddenly opened her eyes and found herself back at the altar with her friends. She glanced at Tifa who stood with her back turned to her by the altar's steps looking elsewhere. That was when she felt the pang in her chest, she felt the pain Tifa was keeping in her heart. And she felt ashamed.

Aerith looked again at Cloud who seemed worried and restless. His eyes asking her if she was alright, she bit her lip and went back to her meditation. Her hands were trembling as she felt her eyes well up with tears, when she felt them pushing against her eyelids, she stood up and faced the other way, where nobody could see her face and she wouldn't see theirs.

Cloud dropped his weapon and started to move towards the altar to check if she was alright, but stopped when she knelt down and started to pray. He scanned the area, it was still in ruins since the last battle, the ceiling was open, an advantage to them that they would see the Beast approaching. Then he looked towards the altar and saw Tifa staring at the water. He understood why. They haven't talked about it yet, he knew it was painful for her, but he could not find the courage to face her, yet. He shook his head and let out a deep sigh. 'When this is over, I'll tell you everything, Tifa. I promise, I won't keep anything from you anymore.'

An hour passed in silence, Cait Sith would occasionally poke his head through the opening to check if everything was alright, when finally, they heard a rumbling sound. They saw giant wings flapping in the air and the scorpion-like tail hanging from the giantic form of Beast. Cloud held his breath as he reached for his sword. The others did likewise and stared at the opening where the Beast peeked through.

With a flash Vincent drew out his gun and fired at the Beast's eye, blinding it momentarily with the non-materia attack. It withdrew and screamed in pain, now was their chance, Cloud leaped on to a platform, closed to the Beast and stabbed his huge sword through its tail. Another cry form the Beast pierced the sky as the Highwind flew by to distract it, Cloud, Vincent and Red XIII ran towards the Sleeping forest in hopes of distracting it.

The Beast healed itself almost instantly and ran after the Highwind, damaging one of its motors. Smoke came out from its side as it quickly began to lose altitude. Before the Beast was able to run after it again, a huge blast came from behind it, diverting it's attention to Barret's Catastrophe attack.

They came at him from all directions, keeping it busy by hurting it and making him heal himself from time to time. They led it farther and farther away from the Ancient's City and were heading towards the Northern Mountains.

"I'm worried, I want to fight with them!" Yuffie, cried, holding up her Conformer Shuriken.

"Yuffie, no, we have to stay here and protect Aerith." Tifa looked back at Aerith, even though she saw her as her greatest rival, she knew that Aerith was their only hope of saving the world. 'Again...' Tifa thought sarcastically. 'Why must she always be the hero? I don't believe this, not even death was able to stop her from sweet-smooching us all. She's really beginning to make me---' Tifa's thoughts were cut short as a tremor made her lose her balance. She looked at Aerith who was still kneeling down with her back turned form them. 'Then again...she is my best friend...'

The Beast was being pushed out of the City and into the valley that lead to the Northern Mountains. It fought back, but the weary heroes did not falter at all. They kept on fighting, giving it their best shot. All of them hoping that what ever the Planet was giving them would come sooner.

"Shit...I have a bad feeling about this.." Barret said as he finished bombarding the creature with bullets. He looked at Cloud as he re-loaded his gun arm. "Cloud, I'm worried---get back to the city and check on the girls."

Cloud glared at Barret, puzzled. "They'll be alright...we need to push the Beast back a little longer."

"Don't be a f@#$% idiot, kid!" Barret grabbed Cloud's arm and looked him in the eye. "Don't you see, Racoon ain't here...this monster's leading us away from the City too..."

"Holy---" Cloud stood there in shock, realizing the big mistake.

"Get out of here, kid! They know our plan!" Barret dashed into the woods and joined the others in the battle with the monster, Cloud, on the other hand, dashed back into the City, running as fast as he could, hoping that he was not too late.

"AWW! Let me go, you---!" Yuffie trid to fight back against the powerful grip of Racoon around her neck. Strugling to kick his arms away, but he simply laughed. Tifa lay unconsious on the steps of the altar, she had hit her back on the floor and blacked out after Racoon hit her with a Flash attack. Aerith was still in her deep trance, praying for the Planet's gift to come.

"Leave them alone, Racoon and fight me!" Cloud yelled coming down from the opening that the Beast created in the ceiling of the structure. Racoon smiled and slammed the young ninja to the cold marble floor. "Shit." Cloud muttered as he saw Yuffie's body go limp. He continued jumping down the platforms and landing right in front of Aerith. Holding his blade up he dashed at Racoon.

With a wave of his finger, Racoon sent Cloud flying to one of the pillars before dropping him to the ground. He turned his attention to Aerith, magically turning her around, her eyes still closed, hands still clasped in prayer. Cloud felt his heart pound faster at the sight before him. Aerith, kneeling, the same way a year ago, just before she died.

"Do you remember this, Mr. Strife?" Racoon watched sadistically as Cloud struggled to get to his feet. As he reached for his weapon, Racoon senveloped Cloud in a blue bubble that slowly drained the air out of him. He fell to the floor, unable to move, gasping for air. Racoon laughed and walked behind Aerith,then he raised his arms and looked up towards the sky.

"Watch it happen once more, Mr. Strife. Watch how history repeats itself so easily to those who interfere with the destiny of us rulers of the earth!" Racoon laughed maniacally as Cloud struggled to reach out to Aerith, crawling on the floor, inch by painful inch. Then he looked up and saw a black figure descending rapidly towards them.

"..No..."Cloud gasped as he reconized the fiery green eyes, the glittering blade in it's hand, and it's silver-white hair billowing in the wind as he plunged towards the kneeling angel. It was going to happen again, he would lose her to him again, and once again...he was helpless. "...Sephiroth...no...please!" His voice was nothing more that a hoarse whisper, not even audible enough for her to hear.

As the blade neared its victim, Cloud shut his eyes, unable to bear the sight of his beloved being struck down once more. He heard the blade cut through flesh, slicing through the silence. A tear rolled down his cheek, it has happened again, he wished that he could die now.

Then he heard a cry of pain.

He opened his eyes and saw Sephiroth standing behind the limp body of Racoon, the masamune run through his heart. Aerith, was still kneeling in front of him, her eyes still closed. Racoon's blood trickled down his mouth and stained his clothes, Sephiroth twisted the sword further and tossed the half-dead man into the water below.

Then a gush of wind passed through Cloud's body, letting him breathe once more. He quickly rose to his feet and faced Sephiroth with questioning eyes. Sephiroth grinned. "I told you to trust me."

Cloud couldn't help himself from smiling, relieved that Sephiroth chose to kill Racoon when they were supposed to work together. Cloud rushed to Tifa's side and took her in his arms. Sephiroth stood by Aerith, watching her pray.

Suddenly, the Beast tore through the ceiling and wailed. It had run back into the city, the weakened warriors following behind. Rocks and debris falling from all over them, Cloud carried Tifa over his shoulder to a safer place and yelled back at Sephiroth who had grabbed Yuffie away from the falling rocks.

"Where is the planet's gift?!" Cloud screamed. Aerith was still onthe altar praying, not knowing that everything around her was beginning to fall apart. Sephiroth had jumped back to her side and knelt before her putting his hands on her shoulder.

"Aerith, what's wrong with you?" He said. Sephiroth looked at her, her face twisted as she held back sobs and tears. He shook her once more and she opened her eyes. "I know that the planet's gift is there...why won't you call it, Aerith?"

She did not answer. The Beasts tail came crashing down a few feet away from them, plowing through the ground, more rocks fell on them, Sephiroth shot a lightning bolt just in time to disintegrate a boulder that threatened to crush them.

Cloud looked at the Beast on a rampage, although he was worried about Aerith, he was even more worried that if they died here, there would be no way to stop that monster. What was the Planet's gift? Where is it? The he looked at Aerith and Sephiroth at the center ofthe altar, he felt his eyes burn, at the sight of them together.

"Aerith, what is it? Summon the gift now or all of our work will be in vain." Sephiroth, found it funny that he was now fighting for the planet he once wished to destroy. Then Aerith spoke, almost whispering she said, "I can't anymore---too much pain---"

"What pain?" Sephiroth shook his head, then he understood. Inspite of the love and happiness she gave to others, there was a great emptiness inside her. Her mission was to save the world, a cruel destiny for one so fragile. He took her in his arms and embraced her tightly. "Listen to me, I don't care about your pain right now. But you know that if you don't fight now, you will live in pain forever."

Aerith buried her face in Sephiroth's shoulder and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Cloud's eyes were burning, he was holding Tifa in his arms but he was garing at Sephiroth, unbelieving what he was seeing. The angel falling into the arms of the devil that killed her. Yet he felt more, was it jealousy? Then he looked up and saw the Beast's claws racing toward the altar at blinding speed. He tried to warn them to get out of there, but the rumble silenced him.

Suddenly, before the Beast crushed Aerith and Sephiroth, there was another cry, then the ground below them lit up with a million colors. The beast shielded its eyes as the waters of the lifestream gushed out from under the altar.

Cloud gasped at the sight. A huge black claw emerged from the water, and slowly climbed out, resembling a black half-dragon-half-knight in armor. It's green eyes glowing with anger and smoke coming out of it's nosetrils. Then it stood up spreading its humongous wings and staring into Beasts face.

"It's a---" Cloud stammered, watching in awe. "---Weapon...."