A new world
It was a beautiful, sunny day when it happened... Over a year had gone by since the world was nearly destroyed by chaos...
Cloud strife, the hero who beat the mighty Sephiroth sat on the cliff edge to the south of what was once the greatest city in all of Gaia. Midgar, now a remnant of its former glory, only the outskirts of the city to the east housed life.
A loud ringing broke the silent serenity of the barren land. Opening his eyes, Cloud reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
"Hey Cloud! Everyone's finally made it to kalm. We'll wait here for you and we can leave for Edge together. Don't be too long!" Tifa shouted cheerfully.
"I'll be there soon" said Cloud in the most convincing voice he could muster.
Cloud slowly got to his feet and stared at the gigantic sword impaled into the ground. His cerulean eyes staring back at him in the blades reflection. Recently cloud would spend hours sat in this barren mountainside to escape the noise of Edge. Despite the mountains dry and hostile environment a small patch of flowers bloomed around the sword. Their fragrance filled the air around him with a beautiful aroma.
"It's time for me to go my friend... I'll be back tomorrow" he whispered quietly.
As he turned away a strange glow caught his eye. Piercing the perfect, white clouds a large ball of fire... no a meteor emerged and began its blazing decent towards the centre of Midgar. Horrified Cloud watched on, now with his hand tightly wrapped around the worn leather handle of his friends buster sword as the burning rock struck what was left of the Shinra tower. A blinding flash hit the battle hardened soldier first before the shockwave and thunderous noise shook the cliff edge like an earthquake, kicking up dust high into the air.
The dust settled to reveal a fiery crater where Midgar once stood. Cloud stumbled back in shock, pulling the massive sword from the ground as he regained his balance. "This can't be happening" he thought, his mind racing. His panic was quickly interrupted by the muffled ringing of the phone in his pocket. Still clenching the buster sword with his right hand he thrust his left hand into his pocket and briskly pulled out the phone. Cloud flicked the phone open and placed it to his ear to hear Tifa's frantic and panicked voice on the end of the phone.
"Did you see it!?" Tifa exclaimed
"Yes... we need to get to Edge as quickly as possible.. Or what's left of it anyway.. Set off now and I'll meet you along the way" said Cloud calmly hoping Tifa didn't pick up on his worried tone. He slammed the phone shut, not waiting for a response and looked down at the patch of flowers where the sword was only moments ago imbedded.
"I may need to borrow this for a bit longer" he muttered sincerely, looking at the blade Zack gave to him.
Cloud ran towards his motorbike and jumped on, placing the buster sword safely into one of the many sword compartments before firing up the polished black and gold motorcycle and setting off towards Edge as fast as he could. As he crossed the vast, sandy plains his mind raced with what had struck the city. It was too small to be THE meteor surely... besides the only one who could summon it is gone..
Tifa and the rest of the team were barrelling down to edge as fast as Barret's truck would go. They could see the dust trail in the distance left by Fenrir, Clouds motorcycle which paled in comparison to the acrid, black smoke billowing from the crater where Midgar used to be. Yuffie held on tight to the door handle with her head out the window waiting for the inevitable vomiting to start as Barret's even more erratic driving than usual seemed to find every lump and bump on the road. Mercifully, minutes later they had reached the mangled remains of what was once Edge.
"Hey! Wait for us!" yelled Cid as loud as he could at the disappearing figure that was Cloud strife in the distance as they all exited the worn and beaten truck and gave chase.
Cloud looked around the once bustling town to see if there were any survivors. Climbing over the rubble he continued on towards the edge of the crater frantically looking in all directions for any signs of life. Is peace really too much to ask for..
Everyone had caught up with cloud and continued with him to transverse the collapsed structures on the edge of the crater.
"AAAgggh! This is hopeless!" barked Barret. "Who could survive this?"
Nanaki ignored his negative shouting and pressed on in search of life. He couldn't help thinking that Barret was right though.
5 minutes past... Then 10... That's when they heard her..
"help me! Someone please help!" a muffled voice cried weakly
Nanaki, first to hear the young girl's cries for help, darted towards the sound of the noise, with the others sprinting behind him.
"It's ok little girl, your safe now. What's your name?" Despite looking like a ferocious lion, Nanaki's soft and gentle voice made the young girl leave her hiding place and come out from underneath the collapsed wall that was once someone's home.
"Mortifera" she whimpered. "My name is Mortifera"
Barging past everyone and nearly stepping on Nanaki's tail, Cid knelt down next to the young girl who looked to be about 7-8 and grinned from ear to ear. "What a strange name. I'm Cid. I'll look after you little lady! Hold my hand and I'll keep you safe" he said cheerily, holding out his dirty, calloused hand.
There was a brief moment of silence before Cloud spoke again. "I want to see what made this crater. There's no point leaving till we know what's happened. I'll take point. Cid you stay at the back with the girl." While Cid usually took orders from nobody, Cloud's cerulean stare was met with an understanding nod.
They had finally reached the craters edge. A few more steps and they would be over the crest and they would see what the cause of such destruction was. Cloud, marching in the lead was the first to see just how vast and deep the crater was. The only clue that a city once stood here was pieces of broken metal half buried in the land. Together the pack of friends stood in awe at the craters edge. What seemed like an hour had passed before Vincent's sombre tone made the group come back to reality. "There doesn't appear to be anything in the centre of the crater"
"I want a closer look. There must be something left" Cloud spoke in a hurried voice before taking his first weary steps into the crater, Tifa not far behind in his wake.
The warm ground beneath Cloud's feet was rock hard and unforgiving. Never the less the blonde haired soldier quickened the pace, only to flinch at Vincent's whispered voice in his ear. "What do you think of the little girl? There's something about her... The only survivor is a child and she doesn't have a scratch on her"
Cloud should have been used to it by now but Vincent could always make him jump. He could move silently like a ghost and seemed to be able to get so close without you knowing. I'm sure he smiles slightly when he sees me flinch...
Despite the shock of Vincent's voice in his ear Cloud shrugged the question off. "Just luck I suppose" he muttered, seeming unconcerned with Vincent's worry.
"I'm sure i've heard her name before too... Doesn't Mortifer mean death?" Vincent replied so quietly it was barely audible.
Cloud slowed but kept walking to the centre of the crater. What if Vincent was right.
"what do you suggest we do?" Cloud mumbled, more hushed than before.
"Well there is only one way t-"
"UUGGGHH!"
Everyone snapped around at the sound of Cid's lifeless body hitting the ground with a thump, blood pouring from his chest and staining the earth around him. To the right of his limp body stood the little girl, crimson liquid dripping down her arm from the heart she squeezed tightly in her hand.
All recoiled in shock to see their comrade lying lifeless on the warm earth. Tifa let out a shriek as Cloud pushed her gently to one side and drew his blade from his back.
"What the hell are you?! Why are you here?!" he roared at the little girl.
"My name is Mortifera and I'm here for my sister" she said calmly, still holding the blood soaked heart of his friend. "I'm here for Jenova"