Ahhh Aerith and Tifa would have an amazing friendship! I just want to bash some common sense into Cloud! What has he done? That block head doesn't even know what he has done! With that rant free of my body, I congratulate you Anne. You have made a hero I both despise and admire, friendship is sacred and the wound he has thoughtlessly made between these two sweet and honorable women is a wound I can't stop wanting to punch Cloud in his stupid face for! Shadow she is fierce, strong, noble, wise, and fighting the darkness. I can feel it in her resentment for each memory with Sephiroth, I could watch her face grimace each time he was mentioned, it was a slimy film coating each word she spoke of him and his deeds. She is the true hero of this story.

I just want Tifa to smash Cloud over the head, He is such a blind fool. I am loving the Sisterly love displayed by the characters! They care so much for Shadow, I even love their nickname Shade. That even if they have harsh feeling for one another, they still work together for their mutual love and respect for Shadow. I enjoyed the parts where we explored the good and horrible effects of gossip, seeing rumor and superstition manifest and then observe it's direct effect on Shadow, was a powerful eye opener. (Albeit That particular rumor was probably spread by a official to keep the common rabble out of that area, and not have to thin security by posting them on the hall.) Getting to see the Sisters sneak around in a area you had previously hinted to being abandoned, You painted a eerie environment I felt the emptiness represented loss and the wilted and rotten represented Sephiroth's betrayal. Finally the big ticket event in this part, seeing the Dream and how Badass Shadow was in it, I think those dragons have bitten off more than they can chew.

Cold thunder beating under thick sheets of black steel, This is what the heart becomes when the mind breaks. The fracture is a gear missing teeth, it rotates but sometimes the Chain isn't pulled by the Cog. The soul grows quiet, and voices of the past return to berate and crush. You forget to love yourself, forget to dream of the future, forget what you have forgotten. This is how one becomes walking hell... Cloud is a hellhound now, giving up is something we can't do, our Jaws lock on, our eyes burn coldly, we spend the rest of our lives Hunting... Sometimes we end up chasing our own tails, or chasing a phantom we made up, just so our waking nightmares seem unreal. Cloud isn't in love with Aerith, she defines something his mind keeps saying is impossible, because she keeps proving this definition to be true. He has something to hold on to that isn't hell, a tiny piece of heaven, God possibly. Something that guides and judges him, a light leading out of hell. Somewhere along the line, you become the monster you are fighting. and if you catch it, normally after it's to late, then you just end up fighting yourself. A war against a enemy that knows everything about you, and it projects it upon everyone around you. Someone needs to tell Cloud that he is standing on the first step Sephiroth stood upon long ago, that this path never ends well. That madness is your friend until it doesn't need you anymore, once it can take hold of the wheel you are forced to sit back. Your conscience fades away, time fades away, you fade away. when Madness crashes it doesn't take responsibility, it leaves you in your wrecked state, mocking you for ever thinking you didn't need it, Blaming you for the wreck, reminding you that it will always be the only one there for you. Should you ever decide to fight it, know that it gets stronger when it is scared, but it would never fear something that couldn't defeat it. Fight cloud, Fight for Shadow, Fight for Tifa, fight for yourself God damn it... just what ever you do don't fight Sephiroth, fight Sephiroth's cause, Defend others from his attacks, Just don't fight that Monster directly.

Shadow is Amazing! She kicks so much ass, and Laughter on the battle field such music! Yuffie is going to be an excellent addition to Shadow's team. Sephiroth fucked up when he turned against his family. I love all the details about the city and the monsters, but my favorite part was seeing Shadow practice her principles, she stands for her people, she believes in truth and justice. Simply put a coward like Sephiroth never had a chance, My only regret is that Shadow can not free Cloud from his Geas. Well at least the heavens have shown their favor over Cloud.

I did pretty good on my practice ACT and the English portion won't let me ignore this Phrase.

No, she did not doubt that. Not anymore. They had to stop Sephiroth before he killed again. He would never be satisfied until he got what he wanted. He'd proven that when he'd been sixteen years old.
Perhaps.
"He'd proven that when he was only sixteen."

Stay true to yourself, and remember you have a reader in perpetuity.

Yet another beautiful piece Anne, I cannot to read more by you.

I could feel Clouds Mental energy being drained, and that reluctance to follow suggestions or sit where one is placed is a welcome sign of life under his troubled brow. I don't like Rufus, my gut says he's only loyal to himself? Seeing Zack, Shadow, and Aerith tease cloud was nice, it was a happy moment that distracted from the darkness of the First Chapter's end. I'm Glad Barret has found his way into the story, He was as Tanky as he hit hard! His bold behavior and unwavering loyalty made me feel that the dangers that threatened wall if not quelled by Shadow alone, will certainly be stopped by their joint effort! Never Trust a Tengu, This is a long waited plan, not some attack of opportunity. I loved the Go reference you keep pushing. It really secures the reality that everyone is preparing for war, and reinforcing all the political and family Drama. I'm glad everyone is safe in Shadow's hands.

Crawled into my safe space, under a unbreakable force-field made with the thinnest sheet. I am given this mountain of comfort by you. That feeling when someone you love and respect becomes a Monster, That path wanting to destroy it takes you down, I know it all to well. My soul is grateful that you have spared Shadow years of being forced to speak of Sephiroth in honorifics, That the Family isn't simply going to cover this up to save face. Experience has already taught me, Cloud's Geis is a curse, to destroy my Monster I had to become worse than it, by the time I realized this I was no better than my Monster. Dig deeper or walk away was my only choices, I am grateful to this day my Best friend taught me how to walk away. This isn't poetry but my prayer that Shadow can teach Cloud to walk away before before he makes to many sacrifices, and that Sephiroth, Genesis, and anyone else Spinless enough to follow them find the fastest way to hell.

AHHHHHHHHHH REVERSE SIDE KICK! My fists were clenched I told myself I'd just have a inspirational peek then I couldn't stop! The Explosion from the start raw, unbending, It screeched with a fury that made the devastating fire engulfing the city seem powerless. Once again Shadow leaves me to feel that she is in charge, but this time the idea that she was going to possibly stall was gone, I know in my heart she is going to finish what Sephiroth started. The events of the alien world left me hoping, praying even that Shadow's instincts were pointed to a chapter further still. A prayer you did not answer, as a different fury enters the stage this one black and far more frail than it's pride will allow to see. My heart cheers as Shadow takes none of that shit. I forsake blinking as the seer determination of Cloud and Shadow refuse to allow fatal injuries to even stop them from dragging themselves toward ending this. I saw the black blind fury flee in fear from Shadow's righteous fury.

This chapter is painful, the weight of the previous chapter was knife I had not yet notice left a wound being aware and helpless is hell. I am a well of sympathy for Shadow having to take in and understand these visions while trapped like this. This Chapter is a stark reminder that some things defeat you the moment you seek it, by the time you achieve it you've lost everything. I hated reading each word Shadow thought as she compared herself to her brothers, because I think those thoughts too. But I kinda needed the "I won't be a shadow forever part."

This chapter is heavy, Shadow's powerful performance in part one is reinforced with all this delicious dimension. Each moment before the conclusion of the audience creates a tapestry of relationships, a Beautiful glimpse into a seemingly happy future. Then you make me watch as "Purebred wolves" behave like feral Mutts shredding this tapestry, Using politics to force the hand of a Elder against their own child. I just hope Fenrir in his age has chosen to send Cloud to a place that will forge him for the future. Maybe that's just me wanting to believe something this terrible could be for some good. Finally them Villains, I hate em they are scum, You already have me at the point where I know everything they do will just piss me off, Great work.

P.S. I do discord.

P.S.S F-word Genesis..(The malicious way.)

Gliding through memories, SO very real incredibly intense. Both the familiar and foreign memories like a roller coaster you could only ride in a dream. With a pace that was almost to quick, I was left wanting to ride again so I did and the second reading felt just as good! Like a poem this chapter moved me each time, after the fifth reading I realized I need to stop to leave a review. It's one of the good songs you listen to over and over again. The best part is how it ends, my mind is wound up in this surreal storm only to suddenly focus on the dragons Their eyes closed restfully bodies tangled like a pit of snakes only laying within the molten core of a planet. Peaceful, Ominous, and Powerful. Now I gotta read this chapter again. While I gain no joy from hearing you didn't write, but letting work slide just to read... Feels so Damn GOOD! I can not fault you. Looking forward to your next addition.

This is great! I haven't read the Deverry Cycle (nor know much about Final Fantasy to be honest), so it was somewhat confusing. But still - the way you described the fire and destruction was amazing - such raw emotion and power. And the fighting scenes are incredibly written - I loved them so much.

The fire was alive! It was so easy to imagine flames, that at times I had to remind myself to imagine buildings and debris. You captured something here because as Shadow is realizing that she can no longer deny her paramour is behind this, I'M over here mind blown as I'm realizing the fire is alive because a royal bastard is behind it all. the layering of this realization made me feel that despite I know nothing about Shadow I understood her moment of shock. At this point I was attached to her, I felt betrayed, I questioned my worth in Genisis's eyes, I was losing my home, I lost my father, and all I could think between each word was what could I do to save him from this madness. This is when your magic hits. I'm so caught up in whats going on with your left hand, I don't see what you do with your right. Shadow and I detach I'm still here but she is taking action, making a difference, and rising as a heroine. I not only feel like she is going to save everyone I feel like she is about to save me, save us. Maybe she will stop this maybe she is just going to buy us time. If that is your idea of Garbage, I'm moving into your trashcan. This Planet Needs you to keep this story going... I need to know how everyone gets dragged down as well.