Final Fantasy VII Advent Children 2

Chapter 12

" Prepare to die, Cloud Strife! You will pay for what you have done to us!" Kadaj screamed, infuriated. He charged at Cloud, who held up the Buster Sword in defence. 

The clang of Souba's steel slamming into Cloud's sword was immensely loud, and a shower of sparks soared through the air. The blonde was knocked flying yet again, with a look of shock on his face.

' He was strong before, but not this strong!' He cried in his mind to Sephiroth, hoping the ex-general would have some sort of plan to stop this maniac.

' JENOVA has fused minds with him completely, causing the JENOVA cells in him to spread. This spread of parasitic cells has not only made him immensely strong, it has also guaranteed his death if he is separated from her.' The silver haired man in his mind explained. ' There is no choice but to somehow kill him, in order to release him.'

' But how do I kill him?! He just flings me back and attacks again!' Cloud screamed in agony as his body slammed into the ground.

' Somehow, you have to separate him from JENOVA, and then you'll have to destroy him.'

' You're not much help sometimes, Sephiroth.' Cloud muttered in his head, before forcing himself to his feet. He staggered a bit, and slowly regained his balance. Painfully, he held up the Buster Sword in front of him again.

"It's no use Strife!" Kadaj laughed wickedly at him, throwing an attacking Cid to the dirt below and stepping on him. "Give up! You're going to die, that's inevitable!" His eyes flashed with aqua light and another burst of blue beams flew from his hand.

" Great." Cloud grunted, rolling onto the ground and out of the way. With Cid and Vincent down, and Tifa gone, he was alone to face his enemy.

Kadaj looked at him, an angry glare taking over his features. "This time I won't miss you..." He hissed, before running at him, full speed. He swung his two-bladed sword at Cloud. Cloud simply stared, for this time, just as Kadaj had said, it was going to hit.

He braced himself to be sliced in half, closing his eyes tightly. Suddenly, he heard Kadaj scream and drop to the ground. He opened his eyes to see Kadaj holding the sides of his head, tears of pain streaking his face. 

His eyes were flashing between black and green, and Cloud could see the struggle he was going through in his mind. Kadaj slowly and shakily turned his head toward Cloud, one eye black, the other green.

" Help...me..." He whispered in his own voice. The silver haired man stared at him like a child who was being beaten, and indeed JENOVA was giving him quite a mental and physical beating right now.

"How?" Cloud just stared in shock at the younger man.

" Destroy me... Now... While you have the chance... Kill me!" Kadaj gripped his head harder, his teeth clenched together to the point that the blonde was surprised they didn't shatter.

' Do it! Remember what I told you!' Sephiroth yelled.

' You seem to like the thought of death again.' Cloud suddenly felt the rage coming from the other presence in his mind. He could tell that by bringing up what Sephiroth had done before, he had managed to enrage him.

' You know very well I was under the same influence he was... Don't you dare compare me now to the monster I was... The only way to stop this now is to kill him!' He was practically snarling in Cloud's head.

Cloud stared at the now sobbing man in front of him. No. Not a man. A BOY. He hesitated with delivering the fatal slash to him; this boy hadn't even had a chance to live. He hadn't even had a chance to grow up and live a happy life. If he ended his life now, Kadaj would never see any of the good things life had to offer...