Chapter 8

Somewhere in town, the stranger sat on the solid cement floor that covered the entire city’s ground. He was just sitting there, looking at the crowd passing by. Each of the person that past by have a life of their own, which they run themselves. But for him, his didn’t know what brings him to this place, bring him to the people he knew, and the incidents that occurred.

He was here for a purpose. Not to serve, not to destroy, not to just follow his mission. He was destined to be a person, a person with feelings, not the cold hearted one he used to be. He was destined to have experience what feelings actually are......

“You.”

The stranger recognized the voice without the need to turn his head. He just continue sitting there, as if nothing had happened. The voice called out again, but he just ignored. From a third-person’s point of view, he heard nothing.

“Answer me!”

The voice shouted. The man saw a few by passers stopped to looked at what happened. He still didn’t reply but continued sitting there, ignoring the voice no matter how many people that passed by looked at him and the person behind.

“You deaf?!”

The voice shouted again. This time, the man had some reaction. He moved a little but didn’t turn around to face the speaker. He just sat there, and then voices slowly came out.

“I believe Aeris told you about us, right?”

The man answered casually and the person behind kept quiet. That person was nobody other than the anger shot-up-to-the-top Cloud. The man said as if he didn’t give a damn about what he did and what will happen later. He just continue sitting there, waiting for a reply.

“Why must it be Aeris? After what you did to mum?”

Cloud asked with an angry tone. The man still haven’t turned his head yet.

“Both Aeris and I have physical and emotional needs, it’s nothing.”

Cloud was stunned when he heard those words. That man just took things for granted. That was the lamest excuse he ever heard. He expected an apology or at least a sign that he was sorry. But that man wasn’t. As if he had nothing to do with it. As if his affair with Aeris is nothing.

“Why you...”

Cloud said and the loud sound of the flick of his sword was heard. This time, more people stopped by being nosy. They didn’t know how brutal this battle can become.

“Control yourself. There are a lot of innocent people here.” The man looked around and warned Cloud. Charging footsteps were heard. They then rapidly grew faster and faster and then a rushing sensation was felt.

“I don’t give a damn about that!!”

Cloud shouted and a gush of strong wind was felt from behind the man. The man quickly jumped up high into the air and then turned around, and flashed out streaks of lights. Cloud gave a cry and then felt pain in his left shoulder and his right thigh. Blood started flowing out.

“You...”

Cloud said and his fury was about to explode. His sword started to smoke and then a fire started to flicker at the tip of his sword, slowly growing into a fireball. Cloud then viciously swing his sword and flung the fireball towards the man. A stream of fire that gazed by like a dragon sped toward his target. The man didn’t dodged. He intercepted with his palm and then shove it towards the sky, sending it towards safety. The man looked at Cloud, and pointed at him.

“You know what you are capable of. These people had nothing to do with this and I suggest you stop now.”

The man speaks the truth. Right now there are people gathering around the two, watching in awe what magic and stunts that were happening in front of them. This is way better than TV. So good that they might get killed if Cloud cast a more destructive spell.

“Damn you!”

Cloud shouted and he dash viciously towards the man, the man ducked and he flashed out a few more streaks at Cloud. Cloud used his sword to deflect them and sent a few of the streaks flying towards audience, one missed an old man by an inch. This is way too dangerous to watch. Cloud has gone berserk!

“Stop it!”

Cloud stopped and the man reached for his pocket and held smalls blade between his fingers, all eight of them. He made a stance and prepare to throw it at anytime. But Cloud then dashed at him with all his might with his sword ready. The man wanted to flash those blades at him but he was afraid those blades will be deflect at the crowd again, so he immediately reached for his pockets again and pulled out two larger sized dagger, preparing for hand-to-hand combat.

This is beginning to excite the audience.

“Omni...”

Cloud held his sword with both hands and the surrounding eluded into darkness. His sword glowed brightly and brought awe to the audience. The man readied another stance and was prepared for everything. Cloud dashed towards the man and the man studied every move Cloud made and immediately came out with ways to avoid and block it. He was ready.

A clash was heard.

Another. A third one followed.

Another again.

The man skillfully blocked the first few attacks with his two short daggers and then dodged the second batch of frenzy attacks. Those attacks were so fast and strong but the man can either block or avoid every one of them. Then, Cloud lifted his sword high up and prepared for a final death blow, with his sword glowing brighter than ever. He jumped, charged towards the man in full speed, and then slashed right down, with a bright streak of ray dividing the darkness.

The man kicked against the solid concrete floor and Cloud’s sword smashed right into the concrete, burying half of it. The audience were astonished. Never they had seen something like this. The earth shook the instant he smashed his sword into the ground. Imagine what will happen to the man if the death blow hit him directly.

Cloud immediately pulled out the sword and charged at the man. This time, the man counterattacked. He bent down in a swift and dodge’s Cloud’s attack, stepped two steps forward and slashed his two daggers upwards, sending Cloud flying backwards, injuring Cloud badly on his chest. Cloud crashed onto the floor but he immediately recovered and pushed himself up and attempted another attack. This time, the man slashed him twice in Cloud’s right arm right before Cloud could attack, forcing him to withdraw the attack and backed out. The fury in Cloud’s eyes grew, his sword trembled and a bright brown glow emerged. The earth started to shake and pieces of rocks and dirt lift up and formed shapes.

“No...stop...!!”

The earth shattered even more. Bright light appeared from beneath the earth.

“Run! Run for your lives!”

The man shouted at the audience but no reaction. He cast a minor fire spell and sent it blowing up in front of the stunned audience. The crowd grew wild and they started to flee the place. In just a short while, the crowd had all left the area, leaving the two fighters alone.

The man shouted at Cloud to ask him to stop. Cloud act as if he was possessed and the earth shook even more violently. Suddenly, the man threw his two dagger at Cloud and struck his sword. Cloud’s sword was set loose from Cloud’s grip and the earth that was shattering died down and the surroundings became calmer and quieter. Cloud fell onto the floor, buried in fury and defeat.

“What are you thinking?! You could have killed everybody in this town!”

The man scolded when he approached Cloud that was laying on the floor. Cloud, his eyes still with fury, moaned.

“Why...why...Aeris...after what you did to mum...”

“I had a reason for leaving your mother. And I didn’t know you knew Aeris when I had a relationship with her.”

The man spoke and cast a cure spell at Cloud. Cloud’s wounds sealed up but his heart hadn’t yet. He was still filled with hatred.

“Cloud!”

The man turned his head and saw Aeris came running towards his direction. Aeris knelt down beside Cloud and comforted him. Cloud shrugged her off and limped back to Cid’s house with the help of his sword. Aeris looked at the man for a moment, and then went to catch up Cloud. The man just stood there, looking at what that just happened.

The destroyer and the protector. Two people from different worlds. How on earth they can get along together?

The man just looked into the sky that started to become dark. The streets was filled with holes and debris after the fight with Cloud. Boy will those tenants nearby be frightened. They might move out to someplace else as long as the two was not seen.

He looked at the moon and saw it shining brightly. He jumped up and he flew like a bird into the sky, landing on the roof of a house nearby. He stared at the moon and recalled his past. It was a night with a beautiful moon when she opened his heart, towards something he never experienced before. She was everything to him.

He recalled his days with Aeris and remembered every detail of those days. Those lonely nights together, far away from everybody, believing that there will be no disturbance, just to settle down and spend the rest of his life with her.

But then it’s over. He didn’t blame anybody. They got together only because he need someone and she was grateful because he revived her. Nothing much. Not really a relationship which he would give himself for.

Aeris is one beautiful girl. Her looks, her heart, her charm, her kindness and tenderness...She is a goddess. There is nothing more he could ask for. But she still lacks of something. There is something that he still couldn’t get out of her, something that only one person in the world could give him. Aeris isn’t ‘her’.

The man leaned back against the roof and dreamed about his past again.

It was a cold and dark night, with on the slight moonlight that shone dimly onto Nibelhelm. It was snowing heavily here. But despite of the terrible weather and the chillness it brought, there was warmth in every house in Nibelhelm. This was a very special day. A day were love sprung and was shared by the people in town.

It was Christmas eve. A day where fathers and husbands come home early and share their happiness with their wives and children. It is a day of love, a day where all hostility disappear and only love and friendship matters. It’s a warm night.

But in the small house of the lonely man that stayed in Nibelhelm, the light from a candle was seen and a figure was sitting next to it. He was alone. Nobody spending Christmas with him. It was a lonely night for him.

He didn’t think so. All he know that is he started living in houses like everyone else. He stopped living in the woods because it takes a long journey to the blacksmith’s shop where he worked. He need to stay closer to his work place, to civilization.

Though he started living among other people, he didn’t know the meaning of this celebration and what all the other people are doing. To him, it’s a day where shops close early and nobody hang out in bars or nighttime hangouts. People stay up late at night with their loved ones, enjoying the warmth they share in front of the fireplace. To him, it’s nothing.

A knock was heard on the door. The man slowly stood up and opened the door. He saw her again. With mittens and earmuffs wearing a thick coat, with a cap and a basket in her hand. She came all the way in the snow here.

“Merry Christmas!”

The girl greet and the man stared back emotionlessly. The girl expected this reaction and took a peep inside his house. He was alone.

“I knew you will be alone tonight. May I come in?”

The girl asked but the man didn’t reply. The man made way for her and she walked in, still shivering from the chillness outside. The man closed the door and then threw some logs into the fireplace. When his house got warmer the girl took off her coat and her gear.

“Here, try this.”

The girl took out a bottle from the basket and handed it to the man. The man took a look at it, examined it, and then pulled out the cork and drank it right from the bottle. He gulped down the entire bottle and then felt a special warmth in his body. It feels...good.

“Do you have dishes here? I brought you supper!”

The girl said and showed the man her basket that had food in it. It smelled real good. The man walked to a corner of the house to fetch some dishes and cutlery. When he came back he saw something hanging on top of him, a weed.

“Put them down first.”

The girl took the dishes from the man’s hands and place it on the table nearby. She then walked closer towards the man and then brought her face nearer towards him. The man stared at her and she stared back. She then pressed her lips against his and then slowly wrapped her hands around his waist. Slowly, she let go and their lips parted. She smiled at him but the man had an astonished look on his face, but he immediately hid it. He looked away for a while and then spoke.

“What...that...”

“It’s a mistle toe. I should have guessed you haven’t heard about it.” The girl interrupted and pointed towards the mistle toe she hung when the man went to fetch the dishes. She looked at him and saw his face started to turn red.

“No...not weed...that thing you do with lips and tongue...”

The man said and the girl got a shock. This man was never kissed in his life before? Where had he been all the time? What was his teenage life like? She was his first girl?

“You never been kissed before?”

The girl asked the man that was still looking away. He looked like an innocent child, that hadn’t an idea about the facts of life. He need to be opened, to be slowly opened...

“Look at me.”

The girl said and she turned his head towards her. His eyes avoided hers but they soon met. They stare at each other for some time. Both sides filled with passion that had to be released. The girl pressed her lips against his again and she then slowly caressed his back, occasionally stroking his hair, touching his cheek...

The man suddenly pushed the girl backwards and she was shocked to see him act like this. He was still looking at her with those eyes but with a more shocked look. The girl walked a few steps towards him but him stopped her. They both stood there, looking at each other.

“It’s okay. It’s okay to let your feelings out.”

The girl continued but the man stepped a few steps backwards. The girl walked a few steps more towards him but he suddenly turned away from her and retreated to the door. He ran out of the house, leaving the door banging against the frame, with her staring into the cold, dark, winter night outside. He rather be in the cold than spending a night with her.

This is no ordinary man.