Much like the deep crimson that had puddled under Tifa, so Cloud too became an island in the sea of his own blood. Except very much so in that case, Sephiroth's incisions had been made to bleed as if in some way Cloud deserved a larger pool. The sound of Cloud's wet inhalations and vocal chords was just glorious music to his ears after all this time.
It was only for a split second, though, that Sephiroth could register that flare of power that he'd not ever seen from his nemesis. That splitting second before a fist with the strike force of a battering ram cracked squarely into the space between his shoulder blades. Breath was knocked from him and the monster stumbled forwards, just barely catching a glimpse of the golden figure before-
"-nugh" The thick, golden guard stick came up seemingly out of no where and further buckled him; a first rush of -something else- passing his physical limitations and pressing against his soul. That Cetra-
Sephiroth had no idea as to what was holding him still, his focus reeling from those two first strikes as the tether with the Calamity in this world reverberated sickly in response. His whole form shook some more, was forced back and away with each strike as Cloud's limit break reached its finale. He teetered near to where his crystal, implanted in the ground, flared up with more black vapor as he neared it. Ripping metaphysical barriers down like a fire catching dry paper as the memories broke so much deeper than the bruised and ruptured bodily tissue that the attacks had dealt him.
At the end, Sephiroth dropped, without even realizing that he'd been lifted from the ground, bleeding black vapor from his outline as well as dripping scarlet of his own from the various holes and within torn black leather. Stuck on one knee, without his sword and instead his fist out in front as if to stop himself from falling forwards.
The mess of silver, black and red shuddered heavily and with an audible loud grunt of a noise he forced his weight backwards, from the shoulders as Sephiroth still pushed himself to get back up. His mind, what was left of his sanity, felt both splintered anew and violated by those images forced within it that weren't his own. All of those things stung more than any physical injury ever could. Pounded rapidly in his ears like his racing pulse which pulled fruitlessly at power to regenerate, power that the Calamity had already taken.
He knew, at the back of his mind that he only needed that last contact with his-
Suddenly, with the thick sound of edged metal being driven into a thick body of flesh, Sephiroth stopped abruptly. Eyes widened and pupils slitted...then didn't move again. A fresh, thick gobule of blood and thicker things spilled from his mouth as the point of the dagger sticking out of the front of him was withdrawn and the husk of what had been Sephiroth heavily fell forwards and then to one side.
Cloud might not see the assassin that had dealt the killing blow.
To finish~
It was only for a split second, though, that Sephiroth could register that flare of power that he'd not ever seen from his nemesis. That splitting second before a fist with the strike force of a battering ram cracked squarely into the space between his shoulder blades. Breath was knocked from him and the monster stumbled forwards, just barely catching a glimpse of the golden figure before-
"-nugh" The thick, golden guard stick came up seemingly out of no where and further buckled him; a first rush of -something else- passing his physical limitations and pressing against his soul. That Cetra-
Sephiroth had no idea as to what was holding him still, his focus reeling from those two first strikes as the tether with the Calamity in this world reverberated sickly in response. His whole form shook some more, was forced back and away with each strike as Cloud's limit break reached its finale. He teetered near to where his crystal, implanted in the ground, flared up with more black vapor as he neared it. Ripping metaphysical barriers down like a fire catching dry paper as the memories broke so much deeper than the bruised and ruptured bodily tissue that the attacks had dealt him.
At the end, Sephiroth dropped, without even realizing that he'd been lifted from the ground, bleeding black vapor from his outline as well as dripping scarlet of his own from the various holes and within torn black leather. Stuck on one knee, without his sword and instead his fist out in front as if to stop himself from falling forwards.
The mess of silver, black and red shuddered heavily and with an audible loud grunt of a noise he forced his weight backwards, from the shoulders as Sephiroth still pushed himself to get back up. His mind, what was left of his sanity, felt both splintered anew and violated by those images forced within it that weren't his own. All of those things stung more than any physical injury ever could. Pounded rapidly in his ears like his racing pulse which pulled fruitlessly at power to regenerate, power that the Calamity had already taken.
He knew, at the back of his mind that he only needed that last contact with his-
Suddenly, with the thick sound of edged metal being driven into a thick body of flesh, Sephiroth stopped abruptly. Eyes widened and pupils slitted...then didn't move again. A fresh, thick gobule of blood and thicker things spilled from his mouth as the point of the dagger sticking out of the front of him was withdrawn and the husk of what had been Sephiroth heavily fell forwards and then to one side.
Cloud might not see the assassin that had dealt the killing blow.