Raziel's End Part I

When Sephiroth had come up to Raziel, and specially requested that the match be held at night, he had been curious. Why would a day walker like him wish to challenge to the lord of darkness at night. He probably wants to make an example of me in front of Alucard. Most people thought the match was a moot point--Raziel, Sephiroth's first victim. Raziel intended to show them differently. The fools, I am immortal, I am the chosen, Sephiroth is a human, and a human will never stand to me. He gathered his glyphs, and grasped his sword, the Soul Reaver, and then he said aloud, to no one but the ebbing sun, "By the light of the darkness, I will win, and his soul will be mine."

Suddenly a group of bats flew in the window and into a shadowy corner, and then from the shadow emerged the face of another vampire, Alucard, "Come the break of day, and you may not see this world, Raziel."

"Do you mock me, Alucard?" Raziel said turning around to stare at the son of Dracula.

"I merely say, that Sephiroth is not human, there is no feeling inside him. You're trinkets will fare little use against his skill and strength."

"Make no mistake, Son of Dracula, my power is far beyond the likes of which this world has ever seen."

"Then I wish you good luck, and I look forward to your return from the spirit world." Alucard said, slinking back into the shadows. The swarm of bats left through the same exit they came.

"You're time will come as well, half-blood." Raziel said to himself as he watched the bats fly away.

----

"Well," said Cloud trying to look calm, "This should be interesting."

"If by interesting you mean total annihilation, yes this should be interesting," said Sonic. "This guy's gonna tear him apart. No way anyone can save this guy's sorry butt."

"Raziel is immortal, no one can bring him death," said the wise Auron.

"Oh, that's cool then....." said Sonic, nodding although clearly not understanding.

"He is fated to walk this world and the spirit world forever, a fate far crueler than death." continued Auron looking down at the hedgehog.

"Wow, bummer......"

Cloud stopped paying attention to the conversation of Auron and Sonic, for someone who was so upset over his friend’s loss he sure got over it really fast. The sun was evaporating beyond the horizon, Looks like they're opting for a night battle, strange.....why would Sephiroth agree to such a term. As the higher seed it's his choice. Unless of course he's trying to make an example of Raziel.

"Hey Clod, you fought this guy, do you think he could kill air?" Sonic asked tugging on Cloud's arm.

"What?" asked Cloud.

"The geezer over here says," Sonic straitened his posture and made a stupid face and contorted his voice to sound like Auron's, "You could not kill Raziel more than you could kill the air you breathe so could he kill the air?"

"It wouldn't surprise me Sonic, it wouldn't surprise me," said Cloud, scowling at the entrance Sephiroth would be entering through. ".........On second thought yeah, it really would surprise me."

----

Sephiroth sat silently in the waiting room. He picked up his sword, the legendary Masamune. A katana with a blade crafted out of the finest metals, with an incredible reach of six feet. There was only one person who could wield a blade of that magnitude, and it was he, the son of JENOVA. He looked out of the window to see the sun go down, light still dwindled in the skies but darkness was not far away. It was almost time, time to show those pitiful weaklings the meaning of the word power. Time to show them how much strength he'd gained since his defeat by Link. Time to show them fear. And they would fear, he would make sure of that.

---

The Battle

The stadium was packed to capacity with a crowd that had been filling in the seats since well before sundown, anticipating the final match in the South division. Unlike the two previous night matches, the brilliant blue-white glow of a waxing moon in the clear night sky illuminated the field of battle. The field had been stripped of its barriers and was once again open for all to see. Two doors opened, and the blackness within seemingly gave birth to the two challengers.

The cheers and boos of the massive crowd died on their lips as the cold blue eyes of Sephiroth surveyed them. His imposing gaze panned from the vampire Alucard to the defending champion before coming to rest on another blond swordsman and the woman with whom he sat. Raziel's eyes were fixed on his opponent and burned with the fire of bloodlust. At last, I slake the thirst it has been my curse to abide for weeks.

As the combatants took their positions, the eerie silence was broken by the whistle of the Masamune slicing the air in a fencer's salute. Sephiroth raised his blade with both hands and assumed a combat stance, tip curved down to point at the fallen vampire's heart.

More by an instinctive understanding between the two warriors than by any announcement, the battle began. The sons of Jenova and Kain closed gradually on each other as they circled, both awaiting the other's first move. The tension snapped as Sephiroth lowered his blade into a one-handed stance and closed his eyes. He waved his free hand before him as his mouth silently formed the word, "Wall." In answer to his command, a shimmering barrier of light rose from around his feet and faded as it tightened around his body. Raziel, seeing his opportunity, charged.

As Raziel's dash brought him within range of the Masamune, Sephiroth's eyes opened and his blade flicked upward in an arc toward the vampire's torso. Raziel's finely honed inhuman reflexes were all that prevented his evisceration, as he brought his own weapon down to parry the strike.

The metallic clang echoed through the arena. Masamune and Soul Reaver, two swords widely famed and feared in their respective realms, strove against one another in the middle of the field. Both warriors clasped their hated blades two-handed, straining to gain an advantage. There was a shrill scraping of metal on metal as Raziel inched closer to his opponent.

The two stood nearly face to face now, the stark beauty of the former SOLDIER's face contrasting sharply with the nightmarish hideousness of his opponent's. Their eyes were locked in a clash of wills. "Human filth," spat Raziel. "None of your ilk has crossed blades with me and lived."

"But I am so much more than human," whispered Sephiroth. As he spoke the last word of his revelation to the vampire, he stopped forcing his sword against the other. Raziel lurched forward, caught off balance by the sudden lack of resistance. Sephiroth now slashed upward, feeling the Masamune bite deep into the hand that was now where the vampire's blade had been.

Raziel snarled, but he welcomed the pain. Pain is life! When death comes it is soft and subtle. The surest proof of life is the ability to feel pain. The son of Kain started to swing his blade upward at Sephiroth, but was interrupted by another spell. "Fire," mouthed the swordsman, snapping his fingers. A great blast of intense heat threw Raziel back to the arena wall, ripping the Masamune free of his hand.

There were many benefits to undeath, however. Even as Raziel rose to his feet again, his maimed hand was healing and the ache of the burns subsiding. Under cover of its shadow, Raziel climbed the stadium wall. His claws held the stone like insect feet, allowing him a rapid ascent. When he reached the top, he pushed off from the wall with both feet and glided on his tattered wings toward his opponent.