The Story of Victoria Strife

Chapter 13: The Calm Before the Storm

The transport rumbled to a stop in front of the new safe haven, a remote estate nestled deep in the mountains, far away from the chaos of Midgar and the prying eyes of Shinra and Deepground. It was the kind of place no one would think to look—surrounded by dense forests and perched atop a cliff that overlooked the sprawling wilderness below.

As they stepped out of the vehicle, Victoria felt the weight of exhaustion hit her like a ton of bricks. Her body ached from the confrontation with Sephiroth, her throat still sore from where he had gripped her. But as she glanced around, she felt a small wave of relief wash over her. For now, they were safe.

WRO troops surrounded the estate, their rifles at the ready, scanning the area for any threats. Reeve had spared no expense in ensuring their security. Drones flew overhead, casting shadows against the fading twilight, while heavily armored vehicles were stationed around the perimeter.

Cloud was the first to speak, his voice gruff but steady. "This place should hold, at least for a while. We need to regroup and figure out our next move."

Red XIII padded up beside him, his fiery eyes scanning the landscape. "The terrain will work in our favor. It'll be hard for anyone to approach undetected."

Cait Sith, controlled remotely by Reeve, hopped off one of the crates unloaded from the transport. "Aye, but we can't rely on defense alone, ye know. Deepground's not goin' ta stop, and neither will Sephiroth."

Victoria nodded, leaning heavily against Vincent, who stood silently by her side, his arm still protectively wrapped around her waist. She knew the battle wasn't over—not by a long shot. If anything, this brief moment of respite only gave them a small window to prepare for the storm that was coming.

The remnants—Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo—stood nearby, watching the team with an unsettling stillness. They had offered their help, but there was still a tension between them and the others. Despite their shared goal of stopping Deepground and Shinra, old wounds ran deep.

Loz shifted awkwardly, his large frame towering over the others. "So... what now? We're just gonna sit here and wait?"

Cloud shot him a sharp look. "No. We plan."

Tifa crossed her arms, frowning as she stepped forward. "We can't be on the defensive forever. We need to find where Deepground is hiding their base of operations. If we can take them down, maybe we can stop this before it gets worse."

Yazoo nodded slowly, his cool voice cutting through the tension. "We know Genesis is behind this. He won't stop until he gets what he wants—revenge. But he's playing the long game, gathering power."

Kadaj, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. "If Genesis has aligned himself with Sephiroth... then this is bigger than just Deepground."

Barret let out a frustrated growl. "I've had enough of this! We take down Shinra, Deepground, Genesis, Sephiroth—all of 'em! No more runnin'."

The group fell into a tense silence, each person contemplating the weight of the situation. Reeve's voice, coming through Cait Sith, cut through the air. "I've got teams working to locate Deepground's primary base. But we're going to need more than just manpower. Genesis is a force we haven't fully reckoned with yet. And Sephiroth... well, you know what he's capable of."

Cloud's eyes darkened, memories of past battles flashing across his face. "We'll have to hit them before they hit us."

"Agreed," Vincent said, his voice quiet but resolute. He glanced at Victoria, who still leaned against him, her expression strained. "But we need to rest first. We're no use to anyone if we can't fight."

Everyone nodded, the tension easing slightly as the conversation shifted toward preparing for the coming battle. The group began to disperse, each heading toward the mansion to claim a room and get what little sleep they could.