Loveless

Chapter 25

Days passed, then months, and before anyone truly realized it, a whole year had gone by. The war eventually ended, leaving Shinra weakened and scarred. Most of its forces had fallen, while a quarter of them had defected and followed Genesis. Those who remained were considered fortunate — they had survived both the war and Genesis's wrath.

Zack, however, spent that entire year carrying disappointment like a weight on his shoulders. He kept hoping Angeal would return one day, walk through the doors as if nothing had happened, and tell him it had all been a mistake. But that never happened.

What troubled him even more was Eloise.

Over the months, she grew quieter, more withdrawn. She spent nearly all her free time either in the simulation room or with Sephiroth. Zack barely saw her relax anymore. When he did, she looked tired — thinner, sharper somehow. And the injuries she carried worried him the most. They weren't minor scrapes from routine training; they were deeper, more frequent. Training with Sephiroth was clearly far beyond what a Third Class SOLDIER should endure, especially his little sister.

Something wasn't right.

His concern had been building for weeks, and he had finally decided to confront her about it when his phone rang.

"Zack here."

"It's been a while, Zack."

His breath caught.

"Sephiroth?!"

He hadn't expected to hear his voice so suddenly. This was his chance — finally — to ask what was really happening with Eloise, why her training had become so brutal, and why she seemed to be slipping further away.

"Come to Lazard's office," Sephiroth said calmly, leaving no room for argument.

The line went dead.

Zack stared at his phone for a moment before lowering it slowly. Whatever this was about, it didn't sound like a casual conversation.

When Zack arrived, he was disappointed to learn that Lazard had yet another assignment for him. It had nothing to do with Eloise — but everything to do with Genesis. Sephiroth would be accompanying him.

Zack tried to corner Sephiroth, desperate to ask about his sister, but the moment he opened his mouth, the words died in his throat. Standing in front of the First Class SOLDIER always made him feel small. Sephiroth's gaze was cold and unreadable, and Zack found himself unable to push past it.

At least there was one piece of news he was supposed to be happy about.

He had officially been promoted to SOLDIER First Class.

Yet the excitement he had once dreamed of never came. His mentor was gone. Most of his comrades were dead or had deserted. And something was clearly wrong with his sister. Instead of pride, the promotion only made him feel heavier.

As the meeting drew to a close, alarms suddenly blared throughout the building. Red lights flashed across the walls.

"Intruder alert."

Lazard immediately ordered Sephiroth to stay behind and protect headquarters, while Zack was sent toward the entrance. There was no need to say the name aloud — everyone knew who it was.

Genesis.

The alarms echoed through the entire building, not just the SOLDIER floors.

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Eloise heard them too.

She was already in the corridor when she crossed paths with Sephiroth. Unlike the others, he didn't look rushed. If anything, he looked like he had expected this.