Chapter Text 正文
I want to destroy Shinra, even if I have to tear the world apart for it.
我要摧毁神罗，哪怕为此撕裂整个世界。
The words were still ringing in Cloud’s ears as they descended the pillar, climbing down ladders and stairs the same way they had come up.
当他们沿着支柱下行时，克劳德耳中仍回荡着那些话语。他们攀着来时的梯阶与钢梁向下退去，作战靴在金属支架上敲出空洞回响。
Sure, Cloud didn’t like Shinra either, but… the way Sephiroth had looked when he said it was something else, and Cloud could even believe that he meant it. He would actually destroy the world itself, just to bring Shinra down. Cloud thought of the cataclysmic sight of the man earlier, helicopters falling from the sky like a meteor shower as he floated victoriously over his slain foes, wing majestically spread out behind him, beautiful and terrible, like the incarnation of a destructive god—and shuddered.
诚然，克劳德同样憎恶神罗，但......萨菲罗斯说出这句话时的神情截然不同，甚至让克劳德觉得他是认真的。为了扳倒神罗，他当真会毁灭整个世界。克劳德想起不久前目睹的末日图景——直升机如流星雨般从天空坠落，男人展开单翼悬浮在战利品上空，宛如毁灭之神的化身，既美丽又可怕——不禁打了个寒颤。
It wouldn’t actually get to that point, would it?
事情总不至于发展到那个地步吧？
Then again, Cloud knew how easily the other man could end the world in fire and ashes, just like he had Nibelheim. But Cloud wouldn’t let him, not as long as he still had breath in his lungs.
不过，克劳德深知那个男人能多么轻易地让世界在烈火与灰烬中终结，就像他对尼布尔海姆所做的那样。但只要克劳德还有一口气在，就绝不会放任他如此。
On their way down, they passed by members of the Neighborhood Watch who were busy carrying away bodies and tending to the injured or dead. They didn’t see Jessie or Biggs, so they must have been taken away to safety already. He tried not to think which category they had been sorted into. They had to live. They had to see that their efforts hadn’t been for nothing, and the sky hadn’t fallen as they had all feared.
下行途中，他们与社区巡逻队擦肩而过。队员们正忙于搬运尸体、照料伤亡者。没见到杰西和比格斯的身影，想必已被转移至安全地带。他竭力不去猜想二人被归类到哪一类别。他们必须活着——必须亲眼见证自己的努力并非徒劳，苍穹也未曾如众人所惧那般倾覆。
It still hadn’t really sunk in that they had made it, that they had managed to save the pillar and everyone. It didn’t feel real, and Cloud wondered if he was just dreaming; if he would wake up to the world destroyed after all, his second home turned to ashes.
他们成功了，他们设法保住了支柱和所有人，这一事实依然没有真正沉淀下来。一切都不像是真实的，克劳德甚至怀疑自己是否只是在做梦；是否一觉醒来世界仍会被毁灭，他的第二个家仍会化为灰烬。
People looked up when they walked by, their tired faces radiating quiet but heartfelt gratitude, even despite the heavy and subdued atmosphere around them. They had seen too much tonight already, suffered too many losses to feel any real joy, and so it was more a grim acceptance that they had survived another day.
人们在他们经过时抬头望去，疲惫的面容上浮动着平静却由衷的感激，尽管周遭的空气依然沉重而压抑。这一夜他们见证了太多死亡，承受了太多失去，已无法感受到真正的欢欣——幸存者们更像是怀着一种阴郁的认命感，庆幸自己又熬过了一天。
Cloud looked away all the same, abashed, feeling undeserving of their gratitude.
克劳德还是窘迫地移开了视线，觉得自己不配得到他们的感激。
He thought of Biggs grinning and telling him to go be a hero, of Jessie calling him one too.
他想起比格斯咧嘴笑着叫他去当英雄，杰西也称他为英雄。
But he wasn’t. 但他不是。
They nearly hadn’t made it. If they had just been a little slower, if they had just made one mistake...
他们差一点就没能成功。要是再慢上一点，要是犯下一点错误......
And still, he held on all the same, tightly, too tightly, and with both hands. He could only hope that he would be able to stop it all from slipping from his grasp the next time too. Or the time after that. And then the time after that—as many times as needed.
可他依然用双手死死地攥紧这一切，攥得那样紧。他只能暗自希望下一次也能阻止事物从指缝间流逝。或是下下次。再下一次——无论需要重复多少次。
He nodded silently at another worn, haunted face. While he did, he noticed that their gazes seemed to be particularly drawn to Sephiroth’s form. He supposed it was only natural; the man had made quite a spectacle of it all. The same profound gratefulness was reflected in their eyes as they looked at him, but instead of basking in it or smugly bragging about it or taking all the credit for it—or even mocking them and arrogantly throwing their appreciation back in their faces—as Cloud may have expected from a self-proclaimed god, he just remained silent.
他对着另一张饱经沧桑的憔悴面容默默点头。行礼时，他注意到人们的目光总是不由自主地被萨菲罗斯的身姿吸引。这倒也无可厚非；那人确实将这场处刑演绎得极具观赏性。当他们望向自己时，眼中同样映出深切的感激，但这位自诩为神明之人既没有沐浴其中得意自夸，也没有将功劳尽数独占——甚至没有像克劳德预期的那样以傲慢姿态将感激掷回他们脸上——只是沉默以对。
The watch members didn’t ask questions, despite the fact that Cloud knew they had to be bursting with those, and he realized that they didn’t out of respect.
警卫所的成员没有提出疑问，尽管克劳德知道他们必定满肚子疑惑。他忽然意识到，这份缄默本身就是最高的敬意。
It was palpable in the way they moved out of the way when Sephiroth approached, eyes quietly shining with fierce emotion and acknowledgement as he walked past them.
当萨菲罗斯靠近时，人群纷纷退让的举动将这种情绪具象化。他经过时，人们眼底闪动着炽烈的情感与无声的认同。
And Sephiroth, he... seemed to almost return their respect, accepting the gratitude gracefully and nodding just like Cloud without saying a word, expression almost neutral and colored with none of his usual mockery or cold amusement.
而萨菲罗斯...他仿佛在用某种方式回应他们的敬意，彬彬有礼地接受着感激，像克劳德那样沉默颔首，神色近乎漠然，不带丝毫惯常的讥诮与冷傲。
The first time it happened, the man had looked like he didn’t know what to make of it; it was as though he hadn’t really expected anything at all, despite almost single-handedly taking out Shinra’s forces.
第一次发生这种情形时，那个男人露出了无所适从的神情；仿佛单枪匹马击溃神罗大军的他，根本未曾料想会得到任何回应。
When they finally reached the bottom of the winding staircase, they looked up to where it stretched up and supported the steel sky. There were fires still burning here and there, but they were weakening and dying, exhaling the last fumes from their lungs before crumbling to ashes.
当他们终于抵达螺旋阶梯的底端，抬头望去，阶梯向上延伸支撑着钢铁苍穹。零星火苗仍在各处燃烧，但已势颓力竭，在彻底化作灰烬前吐出最后一丝余烬。
The pillar still stood. 支柱仍矗立着。
They headed for the undercity next, after deciding to go to Aerith’s house in the Sector Five Slums where they suspected they would find Marlene. That giant dome of light was gone by then, though Cloud wasn’t sure when it had disappeared. The parts around the pillar and the outer areas were as deserted as they had been earlier, most of the residents likely busy with pulling bodies out of collapsed buildings, trying to save who and what could be saved, in the aftermath of the battle.
他们决定前往五号贫民窟的爱丽丝家寻找玛琳，于是众人朝下城区进发。那时笼罩在圆盘废墟上的巨大光罩已经消失，不过克劳德不确定具体消散时间。支柱周边与外围区域依旧如先前般荒凉，大部分居民可能正忙于从坍塌建筑中拖出尸体，试图在这场战役的余波中抢救尚存的生命与物资。
They walked up to the gate leading to Sector Six without encountering anyone, only to find it already open. There were all the signs of a violent confrontation having happened here: the floor was littered with the bodies of troopers who looked like they had been bludgeoned to death by a crowd, and there were dents and deep scratches in the large metal doors. The panicking slum-dwellers must have forced their way through the gate in the chaos earlier.
他们走向通往六号区的大门时全程未遇人影，却发现闸门早已洞开。此处显然发生过激烈冲突：地面横陈着士兵尸体，死状像是被暴动人群用钝器击杀，巨型金属门体上布满凹痕与深长刮擦痕迹。想必是先前混乱中惊慌失措的贫民窟居民强行突破了这扇门。
They entered the park of Sector Six where some people were huddled and crying in the corners, not paying any attention to them. As they left the park, a road started. It wasn't asphalted, only wooden planks covering the rough ground to make it a little more even.
他们走进六号街的公园，角落里蜷缩着几个正在啜泣的人，没有人注意这群外来者。离开公园后，一条由木板铺就的土路出现在眼前——这不是正经铺过沥青的公路，只是用木料勉强覆盖住凹凸不平的地面，让道路显得稍微齐整些。
Barret was walking ahead despite not knowing the way to Aerith’s house, though Cloud supposed that he at least knew how to get to Wall Market. Tifa was at his side, trying to distract him from his agitation and anxiety over Marlene.
巴雷特一马当先走在前面，虽然克劳德怀疑他根本不认识去爱丽丝家的路，但至少这人应该知道如何前往围墙商店街。蒂法与他并肩而行，试图用闲聊缓解他因玛琳而产生的焦躁情绪。
It was a dark road, and Cloud was hanging back with Sephiroth. He glanced over to the silent man walking next to him, and spoke up, keeping his voice low:
暗色笼罩着道路，克劳德与萨菲罗斯缀在队伍末尾。银发人始终沉默地走着，克劳德用余光瞥了他好几次，终于压低声音开口：
“So… Aerith is an Ancient, like one of those you talked about and who you said are almost extinct now?”
“所以…爱丽丝是古代种？就像你之前说的，那个濒临灭绝的种族？”
“Yes, although she only shares half their blood.”
“是，不过她只有一半血脉。”
Then, the question he’d been puzzling over for a while now: “Are you also an Ancient?”
然后，他问出了那个已经困扰自己许久的问题："你也是古代种吗？"
Again, he thought of Sephiroth’s words in the Nibel reactor, along with the ones he’d uttered to Aerith just a few hours ago in the busy streets of Wall Market.
他又想起了塞菲罗斯在尼布尔反应炉里说过的话，以及几小时前他在围墙商店街热闹的街道上对爱丽丝说的那些。
“No,” Sephiroth said, quietly. His bangs obscured his expression from sight. “Though I thought I was one, for a time.”
‘不是，’塞菲罗斯轻声说道，额前的刘海遮住了他的表情，‘不过曾经有一段时间，我以为自己是。’
“Jenova... lied to you, didn’t she?”
“杰诺瓦……对你撒了谎，不是吗？”
Sephiroth’s lips quirked, a dark look entering his eyes. “One of her many lies.” Then: “But also one of Shinra’s.”
萨菲罗斯的嘴唇微微抽动，眼神变得阴沉。「她无数谎言中的一个。」随即又道：「不过也是神罗的谎言。」
Before Cloud could ask what he meant, Tifa suddenly said, “That man… Tseng. He said something about Aerith being an Ancient. I’ve heard of them before, but…”
克劳德还没来得及追问，蒂法突然开口道：「那个叫曾的男人...说爱丽丝是古代种。我以前也听说过，但......」
Barret then began to explain how the Ancients were said to be the original stewards of the planet who had the ability to commune with it. It fit with everything Cloud had seen of Aerith, her strange behavior when they had approached Don Corneo’s mansion, her seeming ability to talk with the Ghosts they had fought; even her talent for making flowers grow in the dirty, polluted slums.
巴雷特开始解释古代种作为星球最初的守护者，据说拥有与星球对话的能力。这完美解释了克劳德在爱丽丝身上看到的一切特质——靠近科雷欧宅邸时她的异常举止、与幽灵战斗时看似交流的能力，甚至是在肮脏污染的贫民窟里种出花来的天赋。
She could apparently also hear the whispers of the lifestream, and so could Sephiroth. But he wasn’t an Ancient. What did that make him?
她显然还能听见生命之流的低语，萨菲罗斯也是如此。但他并非古代种。那他又算是什么？
A god, that voice like obsidian and smoke seemed to whisper into his ear, making him almost shiver, but he shook it off and nodded in response to what Barret said.
神啊——那个如黑曜石般低沉、如烟雾般缥缈的声音仿佛在耳畔低语，激得他几乎战栗。他甩开这种念头，对巴雷特的解释点了点头。
“That’s probably why the Turks wanted her so badly.” His eyes grew contemplative. “Especially since the Ancients have become nearly extinct after the Calamity impacted and threatened the planet two thousand years ago.”
“这大概就是塔克斯如此迫切想要抓她的原因。”他的眼神变得深邃，“毕竟两千年前那场危及星球的灾难过后，古代种几乎已经灭绝了。”
“How do you know all of that, Cloud?” Tifa’s eyes were dark with suspicion.
“你怎么会知道这些，克劳德？”蒂法的眼眸蒙上怀疑的阴翳。
Cloud straightened, caught off guard by her question. “I… Sephiroth told me…”
克劳德身形一滞，被她的质问打得措手不及。“我...是萨菲罗斯告诉我的...”
“Oh?” Barret said. “So the Shinra man also knows a thing or two about the planet, huh? I’m surprised.” He sneered.
“哦？”巴雷特说，“所以神罗的走狗对星球也颇有研究？真让我惊讶。”他嗤笑一声。
“I know more about the planet than a fanatical eco-terrorist like you will ever know,” Sephiroth replied, smooth and silken. “And I know she doesn’t care about you, or any of your foolish, misguided attempts to save her.”
“我对这颗星球的了解，可比你这种狂热的生态恐怖分子深刻得多。”萨菲罗斯的声线如丝绸般柔滑，“而且我知道，她根本不在乎你，更不在乎你们那些愚蠢又自以为是的救赎把戏。”
That seemed to be the final straw for Barret, the machinery of his gun whirring. “So you wanna go at it, huh, asshole? Fine with me.”
当他意识到萨菲罗斯没有跟上时猛地刹住脚步。回望时只见银发男人身形微微摇晃，随即踉跄着就要栽倒。克劳德立即冲上前扶住了他，在对方触地前将人揽入怀中。
“Stop being so childish. Both of you.” Cloud ignored Barret’s sputtering, angry protests, while Sephiroth just coolly raised a brow at him, making him feel like he was the one being childish instead.
Cloud huffed and crossed his arms, refusing to let himself be cowed as he glared back at the two men.
Finally Barret turned forward again, muttering angrily under his breath as he lengthened his strides, Tifa hurrying to catch up to him, and then the both of them were walking ahead again, leaving the two ex-SOLDIERs behind—and how strange that thought was, the Great General Sephiroth no longer being a SOLDIER when he’d been the face of it for so long.
He abruptly stopped in his tracks when he noticed that Sephiroth wasn’t following. He glanced back and saw how Sephiroth swayed slightly before stumbling. Cloud immediately rushed to his side, catching him before he could hit the ground.
Somehow Cloud caught him in a way that had his nose and lower face pressed up against Sephiroth’s neck near his pulse point for a moment, and Cloud had to resist the instinctive impulse to breathe in—to turn his nose into that flesh and press closer.
克劳德以一种近乎狼狈的姿态接住了他，刹那间他的鼻尖与下半张脸紧贴着萨菲罗斯颈侧的脉搏点，少年不得不绷紧全身肌肉，强压下本能想将鼻翼埋入那片肌肤深吸一口的冲动。
It was a ridiculous thought; they stood so near already, practically in each other’s skin, breath mingling, silky silver strands sliding around them and feeling cool where they touched the side of Cloud’s face.
这念头荒唐至极——他们此刻近得几乎能感受到彼此肌肤的温度，呼吸在咫尺间交融，垂落的柔滑银丝缠绕着二人，发梢触及克劳德脸颊时泛着微凉的触感。
For a moment all he saw was dark, full lips that glistened with faint moistness. Then he lifted his eyes to meet Sephiroth’s, giving him a hard stare. “What’s wrong with you?”
克劳德抬眼时，视线先是撞见那湿润微光的饱满深色双唇。他强迫自己将目光上移，直直望进对方瞳孔，冷声质问："你又怎么了？"
Still leaning against Cloud, seeming almost wryly amused at his own state, Sephiroth said, “My body still appears to be a little... weak. I only rebuilt it recently out of the lifestream.” He smiled. “It’s nothing.”
萨菲罗斯仍倚在他身上，对自己此刻的虚弱状态显出几分自嘲般的有趣神色："这具身体似乎还残留着...虚弱感。毕竟不久前才用生命之流重塑。"他唇角微扬，"不碍事。"
Bullshit. “Doesn’t look like nothing to me.” A frown tugged at Cloud’s mouth.
鬼话。"我看可不像没事。"克劳德嘴角紧绷成凛冽的弧度，眉头紧蹙。
“It’ll pass,” Sephiroth said, dismissively.
“会过去的。”萨菲罗斯轻蔑地说道。
Cloud’s frown deepened into a scowl, and then realization hit him.
克劳德眉头愈发紧蹙，随即猛然意识到什么。
“You said you fell from the sky after flying here all the way from the North Crater, then I found you unconscious in that alleyway, and just now you stumbled and almost fell to the ground… Are these all the same thing?”
“你说自己从北方大空洞一路飞行坠落，接着我在巷子里发现昏迷的你，刚才又踉跄着差点摔倒……这些都是同一回事吗？”
Sephiroth nodded imperceptibly; Cloud felt it, heard it in the slightest whisper of his hair as the strands shifted. “I must have overexerted myself.” His eyes grew dark, thoughtful. “The battle must have taken more out of me than I had thought.”
萨菲罗斯几不可察地点了点头。克劳德却感受到了，那点头的幅度轻得像是发丝轻动时发出的最细微的窸窣声。“我大概是透支了。”他瞳色愈发幽深，陷入沉思，“这场战役的消耗远超我的预期。”
Cloud tried to think of all the fights they’d been in that night already: there had been the one in Don Corneo’s mansion, then the one in the sewers, and lastly and most recently there had been the impossible feats he had shown when defending the pillar and absolutely decimating Shinra’s army and all of their reinforcements.
克劳德开始回溯今夜经历的战役：先是科尼欧公馆之战，再是下水道突围，最后是方才在支柱处展现的神迹——他竟以一人之力全歼神罗大军及其所有增援部队。
… and then he had also erected a giant Barrier because Cloud had told him to think of the civilians.
……此外他还架起了巨型屏障，因为克劳德曾叮嘱他要顾及平民。
He immediately felt a stab of guilt, which he ruthlessly squashed.
他立即感到一阵内疚，又无情地将这种情绪压了下去。
If he hadn’t said anything at all, then the number of casualties would have climbed much higher. He couldn’t regret that; it had been the right thing to do.
如果当时自己什么都不说，伤亡数字会飙升得更高。他无法为此后悔，这本就是正确的抉择。
“You should take it easy,” he said, perhaps in a tone that was fractionally gentler than the usual one he used when talking to Sephiroth. “We can actually handle ourselves, you know? We don’t need you to push yourself and do crazy feats.”
「别太勉强自己。」他说这话时的语气，或许比平时与萨菲罗斯对话时略微柔和了几分，「我们其实能应付得来，明白吗？不需要你勉强自己搞些疯狂举动。」
“But if I hadn’t overexerted myself, you would have failed,” there Sephiroth’s curious and bright green gaze found Cloud, “wouldn’t you have?”
「但若我不拼尽全力，你们就会失败。」萨菲罗斯用那抹好奇而明亮的翠绿目光攫住克劳德，「不是吗？」
Cloud’s brief spark of sympathy shriveled up and died at once.
克劳德转瞬即逝的同情火花立即枯萎殆尽。
The words were matter-of-fact, but also incredibly cruel. They had probably not been meant as a taunt, but they still hit the same way, as if Sephiroth had said that Cloud lacked the power to protect anything, and that he would have failed again just like he had failed to protect Nibelheim. And Cloud hated it—hated that he had to rely on this man, this murderer, who had burned down Nibelheim, because his own power wasn’t enough. Because he was still so weak.
那话语平淡无奇，却透着令人窒息的残酷。或许本非嘲讽，却如利刃般直刺心脏，仿佛萨菲罗斯在说克劳德根本没有守护任何事物的力量，注定会像当年无力保护尼布尔海姆那样再度失败。克劳德痛恨这一切——痛恨自己不得不依赖这个屠戮尼布尔海姆的凶手，只因自身力量如此贫瘠。因为他依然如此孱弱。
In the end, he still wasn’t strong enough.
终究，他还是不够强大。
For a moment, he was filled with such burning hate for this man, such passionate, burning loathing, that it blinded him.
刹那间，对这个男人的熊熊憎恨填满了胸腔，炽烈的憎恶如此灼目，几乎令他失去视觉。
His grip was too hard. It had to be leaving painful marks in Sephiroth’s pale flesh in the shape of his fingers, but the other man didn’t say anything. He didn’t even seem to feel anything at all.
他指节发白地攥紧对方，苍白的肌肤上必然已烙下紫红指痕，但银发男人始终缄默。他甚至仿佛感受不到丝毫痛楚，连眉梢都未曾颤动。
It had to hurt, but Cloud did want to hurt him, so instead of letting go, the iron grip of his fingers became even more unforgiving, almost punishing, around the man’s arm and waist.
这必然会很痛，但克劳德确实想要伤害他。于是他非但没有松手，反而用铁钳般的手指更不容抗拒地扣住男人的臂膀与腰肢，几乎带着惩戒意味。
Sephiroth was weak—he’d said so himself. Cloud could do anything to him in this state, and the other man wouldn’t even be able to stop him. He could show him who the weak one between the two of them was.
萨菲罗斯很虚弱——他自己亲口承认的。克劳德此刻能对他为所欲为，而对方甚至无力阻止。他可以向他证明两人之间究竟谁才是弱者。
But he wasn’t like Sephiroth. He never wanted to be like him.
但自己终究不是萨菲罗斯。他绝不愿变成他那样。
If Nibelheim had taught him nothing else, then it was this.
如果尼布尔海姆的惨剧曾教会过他什么，那便是这件事。
Just the mere thought of becoming like Sephiroth was enough to make him shudder in violent revulsion, even though he had once longed for nothing more than that.
光是想象自己成为萨菲罗斯那样的存在，就足以让他厌恶到浑身发抖——即便自己曾经对此无比渴望。
Sephiroth only stared back at him evenly, while he struggled to beat back the black, venomous hate, the part of him that wanted to rip flesh apart and taste blood.
萨菲罗斯只是用平静无波的眼神回望着他，克劳德却正竭力压制着体内那股想要撕开血肉、饱尝鲜血的阴鸷恶毒恨意。
But even with eyes that had gone cold, Cloud continued to hold Sephiroth until it looked like the man could stand on his feet again without falling. He stayed close just in case, hand hovering somewhere behind Sephiroth’s back, ready to catch or support him at any moment. It was basic human decency. Unlike the other man, he wasn’t a monster.
但即便那双眼睛已然变得冰冷，克劳德依然搀扶着萨菲罗斯，直到对方看起来能够独自站稳才松手。他始终保持着安全距离，手掌悬停在萨菲罗斯后背随时准备搀扶——这不过是基本的人性善意。与那个男人不同，他并非嗜血怪物。
They finally arrived at Wall Market with its colorful lights and packed streets, but they were only there to pass through and didn’t stop to talk with anyone. People noticed Sephiroth this time though, staring at him and whispering, finally that spark of recognition in their eyes that had been missing the last time. The rumors of the great general returning must have reached their ears, and even when they left Wall Market and entered Sector Five, they saw people talking about what happened, some parroting what the news had told them like obedient, little sheep; a version of the story that painted Shinra as the hero who swooped in to save the residents of Sector Seven from big, bad Avalanche.
他们终于抵达了霓虹闪烁、街道拥挤的围墙市场，但此行只为借道而过，并未驻足与任何人交谈。不过这一次，人们注意到了萨菲罗斯，纷纷盯着他窃窃私语，眼中终于闪现出上次没有的恍然之色——关于那位传奇将军归来的传闻想必已传遍街头巷尾。即便离开围墙市场进入五号贫民窟后，仍能听见人们议论纷纷。有些如同温顺的小绵羊，复述着新闻灌输给他们的说辞：那个将七号贫民窟居民从穷凶极恶的雪崩组织手中拯救出来的英雄，正是神罗公司。
It was exactly the same kind of bullshit that Tseng had spouted, making Cloud grit his teeth, and Tifa had to hold back Barret more than once before he could make a scene.
清冽纯净的自然花香扑面而来，与米德加及贫民窟里的一切人造气息截然不同，让他不由驻足。这里与华美精致却藏污纳垢的围墙商店街形成鲜明对比，更像是被城市边缘小心藏匿的隐秘庇护所——市集喧嚣处人声鼎沸，此地却笼罩在令人心神安宁的朦胧柔和光芒中，全然没有霓虹灯那般刺目眩晕的浮华。
When they reached Aerith’s house on the other side of the Sector Five slums, it was a relief. Although Cloud knew that Barret was just worried about his daughter, the lies broadcast all over the news not helping with that, the other man’s impatience had been starting to get on his nerves and he had snapped back more than once, earning himself Tifa’s quietly disapproving glance when he did.
The scent of flowers wafted over to them, so fresh and clean and organic and unlike everything else in Midgar and the slums that it made him stop for a moment. It was the opposite of Wall Market, with its carefully crafted beauty and deep rot. This seemed more like a secret sanctuary that was hidden away, located at the outskirts of the city and quiet where the market was loud, wrapped in a dim, soft glow that was soothing instead of garish and nausea-inducing.
The garden was just as he remembered, small waterfalls breaking up the monotony of the flowers and greenery to create something more balanced and harmonious. The gentle sounds of trickling and splashing, crystal-clear water reached his ears and made him think of the rivers of Nibelheim in spring, after the thick ice had thawed and melted, meaning they had survived another winter.
花园仍如记忆中那般，小型瀑布错落其间，打破了花木葱茏的单调感，营造出更为平衡和谐的景致。潺潺水声与清冽的流水声传入耳际，令他想起尼布尔海姆春日里厚重冰层消融后的溪流——这意味着它们又安然度过了一个严冬。
But of course Barret had no mind to take any of it in, heading straight for the house at the end of the wooden walkway and forcing his way through the front door like a man possessed.
但巴雷特显然无心赏景，径直冲向木栈道尽头的房屋，如同被附身之人般破门而入。
Cloud resisted the urge to curse, and he and Tifa quickly followed after Barret. When they entered the house, the scene was just as Cloud had suspected: Elmyra backing away from Barret as he demanded to know where Marlene was.
克劳德强忍住咒骂的冲动，与蒂法紧随其后。踏入屋内时，果如他所料——埃尔米拉正被步步紧逼的巴雷特迫得连连后退，对方正厉声质问玛琳的下落。
“Barret!” Cloud said, and the man looked at him startled, as if just now realizing what it must have looked like, a stranger just barging in like that.
“巴雷特！”克劳德喝道。男人闻声惊愕转头，仿佛此刻才意识到自己方才破门而入的唐突行径在旁人眼中是何等模样。
Awkwardly, even embarrassed, Barret rubbed the back of his head and apologized to Elmyra. He explained their purpose for coming here and started describing his daughter in detail. When Elmyra said that Marlene was sleeping upstairs, Barret was instantly at the stairs, bounding up the steps, only slowing down when Elmyra sternly reminded him that the little girl was still asleep.
巴雷特笨拙而局促地挠着后脑勺向埃尔米拉道歉。他说明了众人的来意，开始事无巨细地描述女儿的特征。当埃尔米拉告知玛琳正在楼上熟睡时，这个壮汉瞬间就冲到了楼梯口，三步并作两步往上窜，直到被女主人厉声提醒"孩子还在睡觉"才放轻了脚步。
The man looked almost abashed, and Cloud sighed internally. Barret may be brash and impulsive, but it was clear that he cared deeply for Marlene.
男人难得露出难为情的神色，克劳德在心底叹了口气。虽然巴雷特行事莽撞冲动，但对玛琳的舐犊之情却是真挚得令人动容。
Walking up the staircase to the second floor, he and Tifa watched as Barret sat by his daughter’s bedside, gently placing his large hand over her head, too afraid to make even the smallest noise that may wake her. He practically sagged in relief when he saw that she was alive and unhurt.
沿着木楼梯走上二楼时，他和蒂法目睹巴雷特小心翼翼地坐在女儿床边，宽厚的手掌悬在女孩头顶迟迟不敢落下，连呼吸都屏得极轻。确认孩子安然无恙的瞬间，这个父亲几乎要如释重负地瘫软在地。
When it seemed like Barret was finally able to leave Marlene out of his sight again, they went downstairs again. Elmyra didn’t beat around the bush. She knew that Shinra had taken Aerith.
当巴雷特终于舍得暂时离开玛琳的视线后，众人回到楼下。埃尔米拉没有拐弯抹角，直言她知晓神罗带走了爱丽丝。
Cloud said, “Because she’s an Ancient, right?”
克劳德说："因为她是古代种，对吗？"
Elmyra stared at them before nodding, drawing the conclusion from his statement that Aerith must have trusted them enough to tell them. Cloud didn’t correct her, though he felt a little guilty for it, eyes shifting when she started explaining how she met Aerith.
艾尔米拉盯着他们看了一会儿，然后点点头，从他的话语中推断出艾瑞丝一定非常信任他们才会透露这些。克劳德没有纠正她，尽管内心为此感到一丝愧疚。当艾尔米拉开始讲述她与艾瑞丝相识的经过时，他的目光游移不定。
She told them how her husband hadn’t returned from the war—a common story, Cloud thought. But her husband had told her in a letter that he would take leave and so she had waited for him every day, without fail. Then one day she met Aerith and her mother at the train station, the latter unfortunately passing away soon after, leaving Elmyra to adopt and raise Aerith as her own daughter. And although she had thought nothing of it at first, from what she could gather it seemed like Aerith and her mother had escaped from some sort of facility.
她讲述了自己的丈夫在战争中一去不返——一个司空见惯的悲剧，克劳德暗想。但丈夫曾在信中承诺会请假归来，于是她日复一日、风雨无阻地守候。直到某天，她在车站遇见了艾瑞丝和她的生母，然而那位可怜的母亲不久便撒手人寰，留下艾尔米拉收养并独自抚养艾瑞丝成人。虽然最初未曾深究，但从零星的线索中，她隐约察觉到艾瑞丝母女似乎是从某个设施中逃出来的。
“I know,” Sephiroth said. “I was there when it happened.”
“我知道。”萨菲罗斯开口道，“当年我就在现场。”
Cloud startled and whipped around, immediately on guard. He didn’t know when the man had come in, but it must have happened some time ago, long enough for him to hear Elmyra’s story and step out of the shadows now.
克劳德浑身一震猛然转身，瞬间进入戒备状态。他根本不知道这个男人是何时潜入的，但显然对方已蛰伏多时，久到足以听完艾尔米拉的叙述，此刻才从阴影中现身。
“Who—who are you?” Elmyra asked, as startled as Cloud and understandably confused.
“你——你是什么人？”艾尔米拉惊问道，她和克劳德同样震惊，声音里透着情理之中的惶惑。
“You…” Her eyes narrowed before widening. She shot up from her chair and started to back away when she realized who he was. “You are with Shinra, aren’t you?” she hissed, seeming both fierce and fearful. “What are you doing here? What do you want from me? What do you want from Aerith?”
“你……”她瞳孔骤缩后又猛然放大。意识到来者身份后，她霍然起身后退，座椅在地面划出刺耳声响。“你是神罗的人吧？”她嘶声道，惊惧与敌意交织，“来这里做什么？想从我身上得到什么？想对爱丽丝做什么？”
Sephiroth was a looming figure in the corner, looking up slowly from between his bangs as he smiled. It was a chilling expression. He walked forward, seeming not to notice how Elmyra cowered away or perhaps not caring. His lips parted and he looked like he was about to speak—
角落里的萨菲罗斯如鬼魅般缓缓抬头，银发缝隙间渗出森然笑意。他向前踱步，对埃尔米拉瑟缩的姿态视若无睹——抑或毫不在意。薄唇轻启，吐息间似要倾泻致命低语——
Vibrating with quiet fury, Cloud said, “Get out. Now.”
克劳德周身震颤着压抑的怒意，一字一顿道：“现在立刻滚出去。”
Sephiroth halted in his step and looked at him. There was nothing human about his reptilian eyes, or the way he tilted his head, curious and bird-like.
萨菲罗斯驻足回望。他偏首时恍若猛禽端详猎物，竖瞳里淬着非人的寒光。
Barret placed himself in front of him, blocking his path, Tifa not too far from him. Sephiroth looked at them, from each face in the room to the other, all of them sharing the same hostility. Cloud’s own eyes remained cold as ice.
巴雷特横亘在前，蒂法亦逼近身侧。萨菲罗斯环视屋内众人，每一张面孔都燃烧着相似的敌意。而克劳德冰封般的蓝瞳始终未起涟漪。
Sephiroth held their hostile stares. Then his head ducked and he looked down briefly, an almost inaudible breath escaping his lips; it sounded like he was laughing at them.
萨菲罗斯迎着众人充满敌意的目光。他忽然低头短促地笑了一声，喉间溢出的气息轻得几乎听不见，像是在嘲弄他们的自不量力。
Cloud’s jaw clenched so tight he could hear it crack, but then Sephiroth turned on his heel and walked out the front doors, leaving as silently as he had come.
克劳德咬紧牙关，下颌发出咯吱的摩擦声。但银发人旋即转身走向玄关，离开时的脚步声与他来时同样寂静。
After he had returned to the shadows where he belonged, they turned to Elmyra.
当那道银青色身影彻底消融在他本该栖身的阴影中后，众人将目光转向了艾米娜。
“I’m sorry,” Cloud began. “He…” is a soulless monster and doesn’t know how to act like a normal fucking person? He shook his head. “He isn’t with Shinra anymore, and he’s also… not a danger right now.” But even Cloud could hear the doubt in his voice.
「抱歉，」克劳德率先开口，「他......」是个没有灵魂的怪物根本不懂怎么做正常人？金发人烦躁地甩了甩头，「他已经脱离神罗了，而且现在...暂时......不会构成威胁。」可就连他自己都能听出话语里的犹疑。
Elmyra snorted, clearly expressing what she thought of that. And though she still seemed a little rattled, she sat down at the table again and soon resumed her narration, telling them how Aerith said strange things or knew things she shouldn’t know, like her husband’s death. Cloud nodded at this; it matched up with the oddities he himself had observed. Then she told them about Tseng’s visit, which was when she learned that Aerith was an Ancient. The Turks hadn’t taken her away because she needed to come willingly, otherwise it wouldn’t work. Which was why she didn’t want them interfering. Surely, Aerith was being treated like a guest and they would let her go and come back home in due time.
艾尔米拉嗤之以鼻，显然对此说法不屑一顾。尽管仍有些心神不宁，她还是重新坐回餐桌旁继续讲述，说起艾瑞丝如何会说些古怪言语、知晓本不该知道的事——比如她丈夫的死讯。克劳德听到这里点了点头，这与他本人观察到的异常现象相吻合。接着她提起曾来访的事，那时她才知道艾瑞丝是古代种。塔克斯没有强行带走她，因为必须得到她本人首肯，否则一切便失去意义。所以她才不想让他们插手。毕竟艾瑞丝被奉为上宾，时候到了自然会放她回家。
Cloud doubted this assessment and said as much, heading for the door with purpose, but Elmyra stopped him, begging them not to make it worse, her hands white-knuckled on the table.
克劳德对这种说法心存怀疑，直言不讳地表达了质疑。他毅然朝门口走去，却被艾尔米拉拦住。妇人双手紧紧攥住桌沿，指节发白，哀求他们别让事态恶化。
Tifa touched his shoulder, eyes warm and kind as she said that maybe Elmyra was right. He knew that she was worried too, but her eyes, if not her words, told him that there was no trying to convince Elymra, at least not right now, and maybe it was better to try again later. Barret backed her up by suggesting they should go back to Sector Seven, maybe check up on Tifa’s bar. 重试 错误原因
Still, Cloud hesitated. 克劳德还是犹豫了。
After hearing Elmyra’s story, he just felt such a… deep, nameless pang for Aerith, for this young woman he barely even knew. Growing up in a lab, losing her mother so young, being monitored by Shinra all her life… She had never really been free.
听完艾尔米拉的故事后，他对爱丽丝——这个几乎素不相识的年轻姑娘——产生了一种深切而无名的痛楚。生长在实验室，幼年丧母，一生都被神罗监视......她从未真正自由过。
And though she was weird and mischievous and he didn’t know what to do with her teasing most of the time and they hadn’t known each other for long, he somehow felt strangely close to her, as if they had known each other for much longer than that.
尽管她古灵精怪又爱恶作剧，尽管他总不知该如何应对她的揶揄，尽管他们相识不久——但某种奇异的羁绊让他觉得两人仿佛早已熟识，仿佛共同度过的时光远比现实更悠长。
Going back to Sector Seven now… it felt too much like a betrayal, like he was abandoning her. And he’d always had a hard time letting go.
此刻返回第七区...这感觉像是背叛，像是要抛弃她。而他向来学不会放手。
Still, that was exactly what he forced himself to do as he relented and followed Tifa and Barret outside where Sephiroth was already waiting for them. He appeared to have been gazing at the flowers, but he looked up at their approach.
可他还是强迫自己妥协，跟随蒂法与巴雷特走向屋外。萨菲罗斯早已候在花圃边，方才似在凝视鲜花，此刻闻声抬起了头。
At the sight of the man, coldness immediately filled Cloud’s chest, chasing away whatever soft feelings the thought of Aerith stirred in him. Cloud glared at Sephiroth and just started walking. He didn’t tell the man where they were going, and the others likewise didn’t.
银发人的身影让克劳德胸腔瞬间结满寒冰，方才因思念爱丽丝而泛起的温软心绪荡然无存。克劳德怒视着萨菲罗斯径自迈步，没有告知对方目的地，同行者也默契地保持着沉默。
As they set out for Sector Seven, he only hoped they weren’t making a mistake.
当他们动身前往七号街区时，他只希望他们没犯下错误。
*
For their way back they took the underground passage, the one Aerith had shown Cloud. He wanted to avoid Wall Market because they risked pulling too much attention on themselves due to Sephiroth, now that people finally recognized him as the famous war hero.
返程时他们选择了地下通道，那条克劳德曾由爱丽丝指引走过的路。他刻意避开围墙商店街，因为如今人们已认出萨菲罗斯是那位传奇战争英雄，他们可能因此招致过多关注。
The passage was actually a collapsed expressway, another casualty of the Sector Six plate falling down, and serving as another reminder of what Sector Seven might have looked like, if they hadn’t made it. When they encountered the first monsters, Cloud thought he may have been a little rash in his decision to choose this route as he remembered Sephiroth’s earlier weakness.
这条通道实为坍塌的高速公路，是六号街区圆盘坠落的又一遗迹，无声提醒着若当初救援失败，七号街区此刻也将是这般惨状。遭遇首批魔物时，克劳德想起萨菲罗斯早前显露的虚弱，突然觉得自己选择这条路线或许有些鲁莽。
But the man seemed to be back to normal, easily holding his own against the monsters and even completely destroying the Sweeper Prototype that had the misfortune of crossing his path in two swings of his Masamune, though the second one had seemed quite unnecessary. After that, Cloud thought no more of it.
但男人似乎已恢复如常，游刃有余地与魔物周旋，甚至仅用正宗刀挥动两下便将不幸挡路的清扫者原型机彻底摧毁——尽管第二击显得毫无必要。目睹此景后，克劳德便不再担忧。
Once they were in the park, they took the entrance of one of the round playground structures that led down to a tunnel. This, too, Aerith had shown him, and Cloud noticed with a start that they were retracing the same steps the two of them had taken not so long ago. The realization filled him with a strange, bereft feeling.
他们走进公园，从一处圆形游乐设施的入口下去，进入一条隧道。这地方也是爱丽丝带他来的，克劳德猛然意识到他们正在重走两人不久前走过的路线，心底顿时涌起一阵怪异而怅然的失落感。
Walking out of the tunnel’s exit, they found themselves in Sector Seven again, and Cloud felt the tension drain out of him as he saw the undercity was still there and mostly intact. It hadn’t turned to dust and ruin just because he had looked away for a moment.
走出隧道出口时，他们又回到了第七区。看到下城区依然存在且大体完好，克劳德紧绷的神经放松了下来。这片土地并未因他片刻的移开视线就化作尘埃与废墟。
But there was still a lot of damage, and they soon were helping Marle and a few others lift up debris from a woman who had been buried underneath it.
但仍有大量损毁痕迹，他们很快加入玛蕾与几位居民的行列，帮忙抬起压在某位女性身上的瓦砾堆。
When that was done, and the woman was sent away to a place where she could get treated, Marle folded Tifa warmly into her arms, clearly glad to see her alive. Then she spotted who was walking among them.
救援结束后，伤者被送往治疗点。玛蕾将蒂法紧紧拥入怀中，显然为她的生还欣喜不已。这时她注意到人群中某个身影。
“General,” she greeted. 「将军」她问候道。
“No longer a general,” Sephiroth corrected her.
「不再是将军了」萨菲罗斯纠正道。
“Alright, Sephiroth then. You know where to go from here?” Marle’s eyes were sharp, perceptive, and somehow Cloud had a feeling she was talking about more than Sephiroth finding his way around Sector Seven. 重试 错误原因
Sephiroth looked at her contemplatively for a moment, before nodding. “I do.” 重试 错误原因
“Good,” Marle said, staring seriously at him. And then she continued in a slightly less heavy tone, “It was an impressive thing you did there. You have my sincerest gratitude—all of you have it.” 重试 错误原因
The proclamation was as uncomfortable as the silent expressions of gratitude earlier had been, and Cloud had to fight the urge to avoid her eyes. 重试 错误原因
Marle turned back to Sephiroth again, and Cloud was almost glad for it. “They are all calling you the Angel of the Sector Seven slums, but I’ll tell them not to call you that to your face. I have a feeling you wouldn’t like that very much—or am I wrong?” 重试 错误原因
Sephiroth blinked at her slowly, looking almost surprised. “Thank you,” he said.
萨菲罗斯缓慢地朝她眨了眨眼，神情近乎惊讶。「谢谢。」他说。
“Don’t mention it. After all you’ve done for us, it’s the least I could do.” There was an almost wry grin on Marle’s lips.
「不必客气。毕竟你为我们做了那么多，这只是举手之劳。」玛蕾的嘴角勾起一抹近乎自嘲的笑意。
Then she told them to go see if the bar was still standing. Since she appeared to have things well under wraps, they heeded her words and left.
随后她吩咐他们去查看第七天堂是否安然无恙。见她已将局面控制得井井有条，二人便依言离开了。
While they walked to the center of the city where Tifa’s bar was located, Cloud ruminated on Marle’s words. The Angel of the Sector Seven slums. He couldn’t blame the residents for thinking that way. Sephiroth had saved them after all, and they likely had never even heard of a village named Nibelheim, though it made Cloud wonder why the man had helped them at all. He probably wasn’t helping them as much as trying to get back at Shinra for his own selfish vendetta, but if so, why had he listened to Cloud? Why had he burned down Nibelheim and left a bloodbath in Don Corneo’s mansion? Maybe it was an act of futility to try and comprehend the other man’s motives. He seemed to take with one hand as easily as he gave with the other, as arbitrary and ineffable as a god.
前往第七区蒂法酒吧的途中，克劳德反复咀嚼着玛蕾的话。第七区贫民窟的天使。他无法责怪居民们这般看待萨菲罗斯——毕竟是他拯救了他们。这些人或许从未听说过尼布尔海姆这个村庄，但这也令克劳德愈发困惑：他出手相助的动机究竟为何？与其说是施恩，倒更像是借机向神罗泄私愤。若真如此，又为何听从自己的劝告？为何既在尼布尔海姆纵火屠村，又在科诺恩公馆大开杀戒？试图揣度那人的心思或许终究徒劳——他予取予夺皆随心所欲，如同神明般反复无常且不可捉摸。
But no matter what the media was saying everywhere, at least the people here, and some of those in Wall Market, knew the truth. They had all seen it: that large dome of light, and the angel that had protected them from Shinra’s helicopters and troops.
但无论外界媒体如何大肆渲染，至少这片街区的人们——连带围墙商业街的部分居民——都知晓真相。他们亲眼见证过那轮笼罩天穹的圣光结界，目睹过天使如何张开羽翼庇护他们免遭神罗直升机与军队的侵袭。
On the way they saw a few fires and some partially or fully collapsed buildings, but nothing they wouldn’t be able to rebuild.
沿途零星散布着几处火场与部分坍塌的建筑，但这些损毁程度尚在可修复范围内。
Tifa’s anxiety was all but palpable. She tried to hide it, but she had always worn her heart on her sleeve. It was why she had gotten into trouble with Avalanche, unable to hide her doubt and unease with the group’s more extreme and ruthless methods; it was why Marle had taken her under her wing, treating her like her own granddaughter. Why her bar was so successful and the patrons kept coming back.
蒂法的焦虑几乎要凝成实体。她试图掩饰情绪，然而这个姑娘从来都是将真心晾晒在衣袖上的人。正因她藏不住对雪崩组织极端手段的犹疑与不安，才会被卷入这场漩涡；正因这份率真，玛蕾才会将她视若亲孙女般庇护；也正是这份真诚，让她的酒吧始终宾客盈门。
Barret also seemed to sense her distress, and both he and Cloud tried to keep close, as though to shield her with their own bodies. They weren’t good with words, not like Aerith was, and if she was here she would surely be able to think of something clever to brighten up Tifa’s mood, but she wasn’t and so that didn’t happen. But at least Barret and Cloud still had this: a gun-arm and a broadsword, ineffective against this enemy they may be; their bruised and battle-worn hands, ready to catch her and put her back together if she broke apart.
巴雷特似乎也察觉到了她的痛苦，他和克劳德都努力紧贴在她身侧，仿佛要用自己的身体为她挡下一切伤害。他们都不善言辞，不像艾瑞丝那样玲珑剔透——若她在此，定能想出些机敏的法子让蒂法振作起来——可她不在这里，自然也没有转机。但至少巴雷特与克劳德还拥有这些：一条枪械义肢与一柄重剑，虽对眼前敌手无甚效用；他们伤痕累累、久经战斗的双手仍随时准备在她支离破碎时接住她、将她重新拼合起来。
Seventh Heaven was located deep in the undercity, pulsing in the very heart of it, and Cloud would even argue that it was the sector’s heart and soul itself; a home and a hearth, the rules of hospitality, full stomachs and warm laughter that flowed as easily as the alcohol, just like it had back in Nibelheim. And he knew that it was Tifa’s way to regain some of what she’d lost: her family and friends, a community she had loved with all her heart the way Cloud never had. And somehow, some way, she had found the strength to start again from scratch; to painstakingly build this second home with her own two hands. She was so much stronger than he could ever hope to be.
第七天堂深藏于贫民窟腹地，在暗巷脉络间跳动着，克劳德甚至认为这间酒馆本身就是第七区的核心与灵魂——正如尼布尔海姆的旧时光重现，这里充盈着宾至如归的暖意、熨帖人心的待客之道、饱腹感与随酒液自然流淌的欢笑声。他知道这是蒂法寻回失落过往的方式：那些她曾用整颗赤诚之心热爱的家人、朋友与社区纽带，这些皆是克劳德未曾真正拥有过的羁绊。而她竟以某种不可思议的方式，在废墟之上汲取力量从头再来，用双手煞费苦心重建起这个第二家园。她的坚韧远非自己所能企及。
And this bar, the fruit of her labor, was just like Tifa herself; a home to many, people gathered around a hearth telling stories which she listened to. She was a warm fire on a cold Nibel night, attracting people who may be far from home and were looking for a place to rest their feet for a moment, and Cloud freely admitted that he was drawn to it, too.
这间凝结着她心血的酒吧恰似蒂法本人的化身：众人围炉讲古时，她总是静静倾听；她是尼布尔寒夜中的温暖篝火，吸引着那些远离故土的漂泊者驻足歇息。克劳德坦然承认，自己亦被这份光芒所牵引。
She was kind, but her kindness was one forged in fire. There was nothing weak in it, only steel and hard-earned strength, just like the thick calluses on her hands, her iron muscles wrapped in soft flesh.
她待人温柔，可这份温柔却是在烈火中锤炼而成。其间毫无软弱之处，唯有钢铁般的意志与千锤百炼的坚韧，恰似她掌心粗粝的厚茧，柔软肌理下包裹的钢筋铁骨。
She was the last link to a home that had been burned to ashes, and she and Cloud were the pitiful, meager remains of that, both strangers in a strange land with no home to return to. Except she had made a new one, for herself but also for him, and anyone else who needed shelter and was willing to stay for a while.
她是连接那座焚为灰烬故园的最后一根纽带，而她与克劳德正是其可怜而微末的残留，皆为无家可归的异乡异客。但她已亲手铸就了新家园——不仅为自己，更为他，以及所有需要庇护且愿意稍作停留的漂泊者。
Sometimes he envied the ease with which she connected with people, but mostly he was glad that she was his friend, and continued to be his friend despite the fact he couldn’t be making it easy for her, dancing this strange dance of closeness and distance, afraid of holding her too tight and hurting her, but unable to let go of her either.
有时他会暗自羡慕她与人建立联系的轻松自如，但更多时候只是庆幸她是自己的挚友，并且始终如一地维系着这份友谊——尽管他总在若即若离的怪异舞步中徘徊，既怕将她攥得太紧而灼伤，又无法彻底松手任其远离，这样的相处定然令她疲惫不堪。
Finally they arrived at their destination. The nearer they drew, the worse the damage seemed to grow, more burning debris and twisted steel beams lying around, making Tifa grow more and more tense, gloved hands curling into fists, and Cloud feared the worst; prepared himself for it.
他们终于抵达目的地。越是靠近，周遭的损毁痕迹便愈发触目惊心。燃烧的残骸与扭曲的钢梁横陈遍地，令蒂法的身躯逐渐紧绷，戴着手套的指节深深掐入掌心。克劳德的心直往下沉，他已预感到最坏的结果，并为此做好了准备。
Then they saw it: it looked scorched in some places, seemed to be missing most of one wall, the big sign in the front barely left hanging out of what appeared to be sheer force of will, but the bar was still standing. Seventh Heaven hadn’t been destroyed.
随后他们看到了：有些地方焦黑一片，一面墙几乎完全坍塌，店前的大招牌仅凭某种执念般的意志力勉强悬挂着，但酒馆主体依然矗立。第七天堂没有被摧毁。
Tifa’s eyes flitted left and right for several seconds as she took it all in like she wasn’t sure she could believe it, and then she sagged in such powerful relief that Cloud could see her bare shoulders trembling.
蒂法的目光急促地左右扫视数秒，像是在确认眼前景象的真实性，而后如释重负地瘫软下来，克劳德甚至能看见她裸露的肩膀正剧烈颤抖。
They were lucky, incredibly lucky. The rest of the area looked like a ruin, and it cemented the idea in Cloud’s head that reminding Sephiroth to think of the Sector Seven residents was the right thing to do. Without that protective spell Tifa’s bar wouldn’t have been left standing, and he didn’t think he would have been able to take it if her heart had been crushed a second time.
他们很幸运，幸运得不可思议。周边区域已沦为废墟的惨状，反而让克劳德更坚信提醒萨菲罗斯顾及七号街居民是正确的选择——若没有那道防护咒语，蒂法的酒馆绝无可能幸存。他不敢想象若她再次承受家园覆灭之痛，自己该如何面对。
Cloud laid a hand on Tifa’s bare shoulder until the tremors stopped and she seemed to be back to normal again. She shot him a small, grateful smile when they heard a meow. Looking a few feet to their right, they saw that it was a cat with white, orange and black fur.
克劳德将手搭在蒂法裸露的肩头，直到震颤止息，她似乎恢复了常态。一声猫叫传来时，蒂法向他投来感激的浅笑。循声望去，右侧几英尺处蹲着只白橘黑三色相间的猫咪。
“That’s Wedge’s cat,” Cloud said.
"那是威吉的猫。"克劳德说道。
Those greenish-yellow, slitted eyes that reminded him entirely too much of Sephiroth shone with quiet intelligence, and they followed behind the cat that seemed to lead them somewhere.
那双黄绿色、有着狭长瞳孔的眼睛让他不禁联想到萨菲罗斯，此刻正闪烁着沉静的智慧光芒，紧紧跟随着前方那只仿佛要引领他们去往某处的猫。
They didn’t walk far until arriving at the place where Wedge’s house should have been. It had not been as lucky as Tifa’s bar and appeared to have been completely destroyed, making Cloud’s fist clench anxiously as he quickly scanned the area. Wedge was nowhere to be seen.
他们没走多远，就到了威吉的屋子本该在的地方。这栋房子不如蒂法的酒吧幸运，似乎已被完全摧毁。克劳德不由得攥紧拳头，焦躁地扫视四周，但哪里都寻不见威吉的身影。
Wedge’s cat meowed again to get their attention. It stood by a hole that must have been created when helicopters and stray debris crashed down from the sky. Cloud stood at the edge and peered down, seeing smooth, man-made floors beginning not far below. The cat shot past him, bounding downwards with agile, silent paws, and Cloud grimly hurried after it, used to rough terrain from the mountains and careful to avoid the water spraying out of a broken pipe above him. He heard the others following behind him.
威吉的猫咪再次喵喵叫着吸引他们注意。它守在一个破洞旁——那想必是直升机与散落残骸从高空坠毁时砸穿的。克劳德立在边缘向下窥探，人造的平整地面在下方不远处延伸。猫咪从他身边窜过，踏着灵巧无声的肉垫跃入深渊。克劳德面色阴沉地紧追其后，自幼在崎岖山间练就的身手让他避开了头顶破裂水管喷溅的水流。他听见身后传来同伴们的脚步声。
It was as he had suspected. There was only metal where the eye could see, from the stairs to the support beams to the grated floors—it positively reeked of Shinra. As Tifa and Barret called out for Wedge, long fingers suddenly wrapped around his wrist.
正如他所料。目之所及尽是金属构造，从阶梯到承重梁再到格栅地板——整片空间都浸透着神罗的腐臭气息。当蒂法与巴雷特呼喊着威吉时，修长的手指突然缠上他的手腕。
Cloud jerked. Immediately his adrenaline spiked, panic filling his chest as he turned around to face the man.
克劳德浑身一震。肾上腺素瞬间飙升，他猛然转身直面来人，恐慌充斥胸腔。
As usual, Sephiroth radiated nothing but cold amusement, as if he greatly enjoyed startling Cloud and watching him struggle to fight down the naked animal fear—he probably did.
塞菲罗斯依旧散发着冰冷的愉悦气息，仿佛他非常享受惊吓克劳德并欣赏他竭力压制赤裸动物性恐惧的模样——他确实如此。
Cloud tugged at his captured wrist, but no matter how much strength he put into it Sephiroth didn’t budge. In the end, Cloud was still so much weaker than him.
克劳德拉扯着被擒住的手腕，然而无论施加多少力道塞菲罗斯都纹丝不动。归根结底，自己与他的力量差距依然悬殊至此。
“Let me go,” he snarled, even as his heart painfully jackrabbited in his chest. “I told you not to touch me without permission—”
“放开我，”他低吼道，心脏在胸腔里狂跳如脱兔，“我说过未经允许不准碰我——”
There was an ominous rumble, one they had heard a few times in the tunnel leading directly into Sector Seven, the walls shaking though they had thankfully held. It wasn’t surprising since the slums weren’t exactly well-constructed.
隧道深处传来不祥的轰鸣，他们曾在直通七号街区的隧道里听过数次这样的响动。墙体剧烈震颤着，所幸尚未坍塌。贫民窟的建筑本就不甚牢固，这也并不意外。
The rumble returned, louder this time, and the ground shook with it. Cloud felt like a ragdoll as Sephiroth yanked him closer by the unyielding grip around his wrist, pressing him up against the taller, larger body that curled around him, strong arms folding around him like a steel trap. It was as claustrophobic as it irresistibly pulled at him, the pulse of another body so close to his own, a wall of flesh and heat and darkness that he simultaneously wanted to sink into and get away from, suffocating him—
轰鸣声再度响起，这次更加震耳欲聋，连地面都随之颤动。克劳德感觉自己像只破布娃娃，被萨菲罗斯紧扣手腕猛地拽进怀中。那人高大的身躯将他压向自己，钢铁般的手臂如囚笼将他禁锢。这具近在咫尺的躯体涌动着令他窒息的压迫感，血肉与黑暗构筑的牢笼既让他渴望沉溺，又本能地想要逃离——滚烫的吐息缠绕着肌肤，他几乎要溺毙在这矛盾的漩涡里。
Then the ground opened up beneath their feet and swallowed them whole.
霎时间地面在他们脚下裂开深渊，将二人彻底吞噬。