Standing frozen unable to move I stare at the scene before my eyes staring at the tall silver haired man with a long 10ft sword dripping with blood in hand, knowing that if he turns around he would see me and I will be done for if I don’t get away before he does but I can’t even remember how my legs work to even head for the hills and really I don’t want to run I want to see his face see who the murderer is see what his eyes look like see if they were dark abysses into pure darkness because there is no way this man had normal eyes or even has a normal face as well there is no way this man is the hero every little kid looks up too as a role model, he can’t be the hero I have heard stories about can he? “Sasia run..” my brother Heiana whispered in my ear while pulling on my arm “we have to get out of here” he whispered again “I-I can’t...” and that was it I spoke too loud and he turned around and he saw my brother glance at him for a moment than to me and I saw his eyes green like the mako energy familiar as though I had seen them before somewhere “Heiana I can’t breathe” I say choking on the smoke the whole town was up in flames people who were still alive had already looked for a place to hide “I know Sasia it’s going to be alright just take deep breaths I know he sees us but I know we are going to make it out with our lives” he says grabbing my hand and squeezing it tight “c’mon Sasia remember how your legs work so we can like y’know run... hah...” he says trying to be funny but I could hear the terror in his voice he was scared but he was staying strong for me when he shouldn’t be I should be the one telling him it’s going to alright I’m going to get us out of here it should have been me I am the older sibling the one who is supposed to look out for the younger one but it was always Heiana who looked out for me so I decided to take action I decided that from now on I was going to look out for him instead of him looking out for me so I spoke “you can kill us but not until I have at least tried to fight you, I will not let you hurt my little brother I won’t Sephiroth” Sephiroth’s reply is cold but his words wrap around me as though I have heard them before this whole night looked like I had lived it before, “humph, you’ll fight me?” he pointed his sword towards me, Heiana yells “no please you can’t Sasia he will kill you!!” he grabs my bare arm I can feel his panic just by his touch I look at him he know the look I am giving him and he let go, I unsheathed my rose engraved swords took a deep breath and leaped towards him swinging hard and gracefully he blocked my attack without a problem he swung at me and I barely dodged we fought like that for awhile when he spoke again “you won’t give up will you?” I looked at him because in those words there was almost kindness “I’m not giving up even if I know that I will probably fall I will keep fighting till my last breath” I say looking him in the eyes when I saw it, confusion he was so confused he didn’t know what he was who he was “you’re noble there was a time I was just like you” when he struck out I blocked it best I could but he still got me the small cut he had made on my side started to bleed I squealed lightly at the pain and once again leapt out and attacked he blocked my attack once again knocking my swords out of my hand and knocking me to the ground, he walked towards me when he reached me he looked down his long silver hair falling over his face he looked mesmerizing but monstrous at the same time if we weren’t in this situation I would have found him quiet attractive “who are you? You... can’t be Sephiroth... because he’s my hero... and you’re a monster!” I yelled the words up at him it hurt because of how hard I hit the ground when he knocked me down my chest felt as though it was going explode “have I always been a monster?” he said so quietly I could barely hear he was asking me the question but I could tell that he was asking himself the question too he looked at me he wanted my answer “you’re not a monster you can’t be, monsters don’t help people they don’t save lives either, you do... I can see it... in your eyes you’re so confused you’re hurting I know you are... I-I –I want to help you... please let me help you” I said by now I had stood up I was looking up at him looking into his eyes I reach my hand towards him he pulled away but then he reached out, we held hands for a few moments before he realized what he was doing he pulled back and spoke in a deep cold voice “you should run... Sasia” he says my name and I hear compassion when he said it; I looked over at my brother and he gave me a look which seems to say Sasia run we have to run forget him you can’t help “if I ever see you again I will try and help I promise” I say I didn’t know why I said it either but I wanted to help I had never wanted to help anyone that much in my life maybe he reminded me of myself confused of who I am, I turned around grabbed my swords sheathed them and ran, I glanced back and Sephiroth was gone “come on we’ve got to get out of here before we are trapped” Heiana said I grabbed him we went through so many gapes and each time trying to figure out what part of town we were in bodies lay everywhere some had burned from the fire others murdered by Sephiroth, I wished I could close my eyes and wake up from this nightmare but I wasn’t asleep this nightmare was real and happening before my eyes I could feel the heat from the bright sparkling flames and just that was enough to convince me that there was no waking up because this wasn’t a dream at all “Heiana this way through there the Canyon Lake is that way, if we can get there then we can stop and figure out what we do next” I say to my brother holding him he is starting to panic he is always so brave but now he doesn’t know what we are going to do our home and town is burning to the ground people we know and love are dead and we have nowhere to go, he has dirt smudged all over his face he’s sweating and his Blonde hair looks brown in the fires orange blaze his blue eyes looking down into mine this is one of those times that he needs his big sister and this time I’m going to be there, I put my hand on his cheek “It’s going to be alright I will figure this out now come on I’m not going to let you burn to death” we run our shoes heavy on the ground the sound of fire crackling in our ears the heat on our bare skin it fades we have stopped running all I can see is darkness, a faint sound of crickets and Heiana’s breathing filled my ears silence took me over I begin to feel dizzy my world starts spinning and I almost collapse but I feel my brothers warm hands grab my arms and stop me “not today Sasia... Or tonight... Ugh this is so confusing” he starts laughing “I’m sorry Heiana I think I breathed in a little too much smoke” I say while he starts poking at me “its fine, you don’t have to apologize you got it bad for the ex hero now homicidal maniac and you almost fell on your butt trying to imaginatively slap yourself in the face so you’ll feel better but it failed obviously because I’m still holding you up... Oh yeah I’m sorry for poking you it’s just I can’t see a thing and I’m just making sure you’re still here and haven’t run back to the town to find him” after he finishes I push him “I don’t have it bad for Sephiroth you are insane he is... crazy” I can’t see the look on his face but I know which one he is giving me “my dear big sister... YOUR crazy, you and him perfect match” I began to hit him and yell insults through my clenched teeth “lovely you both like hurting people... see what I mean perfect match” he laughs “I don’t like hurting people, I just take pride in beating you up for your stupidity” I say to him laughing hard “I don’t know how we can act like immature kids in this situation” he says a seriousness seeping into his words “yeah want to know a really bad thing?” I say staring back at the orange in the distance “I really would rather not but what is it?” I let out a deep breath “we have to go back unless you want to stay here because Dante he is still in town, he’s at Shinra Manor I think it’s where I last saw him” Heiana starts to laugh like a lunatic “brilliant well as much as I love you and I don’t want your head cut off by that guy and his 10ft sword I am so not going with you bye-bye I am staying here, oh yeah and while you’re doing that you might as well try and pick up some things that you think we can use and if you see food don’t hesitate to pick it up because I’m hungry and you’re going back into barbeque land” I slap him and say “that’s our home you’re talking about! Bye Heiana if I’m not back by morning just get out of here alright promise me that won’t you?” he sighs and hugs me “you will come back before then I know you, you can take him” I smile and hug him back “thank you, brother” I turn around and start running back to town through the dirt and grass the smell of smoke starts to get stronger as I draw nearer to the flaming houses I run as fast as I can I run up the stairs leading towards the outskirts and Shinra Manor, I make a swift turn left towards the old mansion I push the half open rusty gate it makes a faint squealing sound and I start running again along the stone path towards the entrance I twist the handle and push open the door I whisper to myself “it’s going to be alright I’ll just get the dog and get out of here” I walk towards the stairs leading up to the second floor almost every one of them creaks as though it would give out under my weight “I hope I don’t fall through this bloody crap” I pick up speed turning right then almost straight after that I right again “he isn’t here “Dante isn’t even here... Where is he? The Mako Reactor? No if he isn’t could he be dead already? Back in town burning? He is just a puppy I hope he is alright I have to find him” I run down the same stairs slipping on the last one and falling flat on my face “ouch that hurt so bad” I make a face of total pain my nose is bleeding too “yeah I’m mighty because I have a bloody nose” I get up and pinch my nose and continue running I feel like a total idiot and a little embarrassed and part of me hopes Sephiroth didn’t see me running with my fingers pinching my bloody nose. I start getting tired I stop pinching my nose continue running towards Mt Nibel my legs begin to tire and I just about trip over my own feet “uh I’m not falling over again.. it hurt bad enough the first time” I stop and stand still for a few minutes “I should hurry and get Dante but it’s just so dark I can see a thing and the smell of smoke is making me so dizzy I feel like falling over. Ugh look at me I’m like talking to myself” I start running again. I run into something hard a wall maybe? No it’s too warm to be a wall and not quite that hard “ugh... what the? Oh no my nose is bleeding again” I pinch my nose “huh? So something did run into me” the voice that speaks sounds familiar “wait I didn’t run into a wall? Ah who are you?” I panic wondering who it is “wait your that girl with those... those eyes” he says I feel that he has stepped back as though he’s trying to ward me off like some mosquito he didn’t want to get bitten by “S-Se-Sephiroth!” I try stepping back and end up falling on my butt “are you alright?” Sephiroth says apparently he can see me but I can’t see him I can’t see anything my hair starts sticking to my face cold sweat was form all over my face, back and neck “why are you being so nice to me...” I don’t even mean it as a question it’s more a thought I said out loud by accident. I’m terrified but I feel something licking my hand “Dante...?” I whisper slowly not realizing I have said yet another thought out loud “is that it’s name? It’s been following me or awhile” Sephiroth speaks even though I can hear in his voice that he knows I didn’t mean to say it out loud, Dante starts licking my face and cleaning up the blood that had fallen onto my exposed chest skin “ah stop Dante you’re tickling me” I begin giggling trying to stop my cheeks begin to heat, am I blushing? I think to myself this time not say it out loud “Sasia why are you still here?” the way he says my name makes my heart skip and near jump out of my chest I mind slap myself “I was looking for Dante I couldn’t leave him here...” I sigh and stroke Dante’s soft gray coat “hmph well goodbye Sasia” I can see him walking away the sun is rising I could see a lot better now “wait so you’re not going to kill me?” he turns around as soon as I say wait the look on his face my me think he was expecting me to say something else “why? I have no reason.” He says looking into my eyes even though he’s three metres away from me he’s still completely locked eyed with me he slowly moves his gaze and turns around he begins to walk away again “don’t go!” I yell the words falling out of my mouth before I can stop them I run towards him wrapping my arms around his mid section feeling his hair brushing against my cheek and I realize what I am doing “Sasia...?” He says I feel his chest vibrate as he says my name “I-I uh...” I pull back and he turns around grabbing my wrist with his black leather gloved hand “what are you doing?” he says I stare at him looking into his eyes “I don’t know” I try pulling back once more but he doesn’t release or loosen his grip it isn’t a tight enough grip for him to hurt me, looks down at his hand gripped around my wrist he stares with a shocked look in his eyes “I... what am I...” he releases his grip around my wrist stepping back and turning around he walks off but he glances back at me his lips curling it what looks like a half smile I keep my eyes on him as he vanishes Dante had ran up to me and is now licking my leg as though to tell me to go back to Canyon lake and get Heiana so we can start again create a new life but I don’t want to that’s the last thing I want to do is start anew start again I don’t want to I want to remember I want to remember it all especially him I won’t forget him I won’t forget our meeting I won’t leave it in the closet I don’t want any skeletons in there not at all.
Dante and I make it back to Heiana where he is anxiously throwing stones in the lake “you hang in there Heiana?” he turns around his arms flying around me and he just about suffocates me in his embrace “I thought you were dead Sasia I was so scared I didn’t know if you’d come back never do that again yeah? Because if you do I am not just going to be angry I will kill you myself!” he says shaking me “whoa well this is déjà vu, you mind not shaking me? I feel dizzy enough as it is and you’re going to make my nose bleed again” I say Heiana looks and me and looks as though he’s about to explode “how’d that happen? You just got Dante didn’t you? You didn’t run into Sephiroth at all?” he says with his hands still gripping my shoulders “I fell over and landed face first. Yeah I did just get Dante” I lie I don’t want to tell him not right now not for awhile anyway I’ll wait he isn’t in the right place for me to tell him “okay we should probably find a place to stay and I can get a job so we can get money and then we can buy a place and we can start again” he says with hope in his voice “yeah, but where do we go?” I say with a sad tone to my voice “how about Wutai? Or Kalm? What about Junon?” he says grinning widely “Kalm sounds alright” I smile at him I give him a big hug pull back and mess up is dirty blond hair “well Sasia, Dante shall we head to our new home?” Dante looks up at Heiana with his big deep brown eyes the water of the lake glistening behind him he looks majestic like a wolf that belongs here “you want to stay Dante don’t you?” I say to him crouching down and hugging him he whimpers in my ear and in that instant I knew exactly what he wants, he wants to stay with us but he doesn’t want to leave the Nibel region he barks and runs in the direction we’re headed “I guess that means he’s coming” Heiana says laughter in his voice after what had happened last night he still managed to laugh and smile I join him every now and again but I always question it my parents died last night but how can I keep smiling?

A year has passed since the fire Heiana and I are living in Kalm but I did my own travelling by myself it seems that I am constantly searching for something but what it is I don’t even know myself maybe it’s an item of some sort, possibly a friend, or maybe love? Cliché right? That’s just what I think of myself these days


TO BE CONTINUED