Castle

Summary: After killing his father to take the throne, Cloud is the strongest demon alive. His mother sent him to Earth as a vampire, and gave him a task for him to become the ruler of Underworld. He had to fall in love, and have that love returned. Cloud knew a demon could never love or be loved. One unique human will prove him wrong.

Author's note: Finals are over and now I can soar into another story!

Chapter 1

Cloud sat on the throne, his eyes misted as he looked at the remains of his father. Cloud's body was covered in blood, his horns tainted red with his emotions. His wings flared behind him, blocking out the light of the fire. He sighed softly, letting his wings move back to his sides.

His father had done his job as the ruler of Underworld, but Cloud felt he started to get weak. He started showing signs of sympathy, which could not be tolerated here.

People came to Underworld for a reason.

Sex before marriage, being gay, doing drugs or drinking did not get you into the Underworld. Experimentation is the way of humans; the council of gods knew that. In the Underworld, it mattered what you did after that, or how you did it.

If you killed another person after doing drugs or getting drunk, Underworld would be your last stop. Especially if you were sober while you did it. If you got an abortion once or twice, no big deal. Sometimes mothers weren't ready. Get multiple because you don't want the responsibility, welcome to Underworld sweet heart. Use a condom. If you're gay, nobody cares. Sometimes you can't help who you love, or so the humans say. If you rape somebody, Underworld your ass will go. Underworld was not complicated. If you force another being against their will or take another life for an unjust cause, you already failed the test of life. All you had to do was learn the value of yourself and find what you believe your calling is.

For a demon whose lived a hundred years, Cloud knew his value and knew his calling.

He would be the next of ruler.

He will become the feared god of sin.

"Cloud." Cloud looked up from his father to the shadows, his mother stepping out with a frown on her face. Cloud gave her a small smile, wondering how long she had been standing there. She couldn't have stopped him anyway.

He was the strongest.

"Being the ruler of this realm isn't so easy." Cloud frowned, standing up from his throne, walking slowly down the steps to his mother. She did not move or tense, her eyes calm as she regarded him silently.

"What do you mean? I am the strongest now. I am the ruler." Cloud stopped in front of her, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Shall I have to dispose of you too, mother?" His mother smiled softly, looking to her dead husband.

"There is a task every prince must take to become ruler. You will not be exempt." Cloud raised an eyebrow, wondering if this was his mother's way of confusing him. Cloud's boots clicked loudly against the ground as he walked around his mother, his eyes glowing brightly in the near dark room.

The only light was from the windows, where the pit of the Underworld sat with the souls of the damned. Cloud was tempted to throw his mother in there, but the pit did not affect demons. They were so tainted it spat them out. Same thing happened with certain humans who become demons of this realm.

"What is this, mother?" Cloud asked, stopping in front of her again. His mother looked to him, her eyes glowing just as bright.

"You have to fall in love." Cloud laughed, the sound deep and demonic. Most humans would have run in fear at the sound of it. When Cloud finished laughing, he wiped tears of mirth away from his eyes, looking to his mother with a sneer.

"Demons cannot love. It's impossible."

"Your father loved me, Cloud." Cloud would have rolled his eyes and walked away, but his mother was not finished speaking.

"And, to finish the task they must love you in return. If they do not love you, you will have to keep searching for someone who will. It took your father twenty years to find me and for us to fall in love. Due to your ignorance, it might take longer." Cloud wanted to slap her, but reframed from doing so. His mother may not be stronger, but she had mental strength beyond Cloud's abilities.

"Cloud Strife, you will be stripped of your armor and demon heritage. When you enter the realm of humans, your body will adjust and you will thirst for their blood. Drink from more than a hundred humans and you will be stuck in the realm forever. We cannot have a glutton as a ruler. Do you agree to these preceding's?" Cloud frowned, opening his mouth to say something.

Cloud grunted when his mother punched him, his body flying across the room. Cloud felt his armor burn away, his horns and wings torn off. Cloud felt like he was suspended in water, kicking violently to get to the surface.

When did he need to breathe?

Cloud broke the surface, gasping for breath. He swam until he felt solid ground, rising out of the water before falling to his knees. He shivered from being cold, a feeling he had never felt before. He looked at his hands, his claws gone. Cloud touched his head and shoulders, his horns and wings really gone.

When Cloud got back he would kill that bitch.

Cloud rose to his feet, his entire body screaming for him to rest. Cloud was confused; walking up a hill in the darkness that surrounded him. His eyes adjusted to the darkness well enough, Cloud getting to the top of the hill. He looked around, the area surrounded by trees and a near endless road. Cloud growled in anger, wondering which way he should take to find a place to rest his suddenly way to weak body.

Cloud looked down when he felt a cold breeze against his manhood, seeing he was completely naked. He saw a light, looking to his left to see something advancing towards him.

It suddenly stopped a few feet from him, an old man getting out of the thing. Cloud could smell he was human, and suddenly his jaw started to hurt. His throat constricted, Cloud suddenly so very hungry.

"Are you alright kid? Get in the car with me before you freeze to death!" Cloud moved towards the old man, a blanket pulled from the thing. Cloud was covered and ushered into the thing, Cloud's hunger only getting worse as the old man got in.

"What are you doing out here all alone naked boy? This is Nibelheim, you'll freeze to death." Cloud looked to old man, baring his sharp canines.

"I was hungry." Cloud lurched forward, slamming the old man's head into the window. He dug his teeth into his neck as the old man groaned in pained unconsciousness. Cloud suddenly saw all of his memories, learned everything he knew. Cloud drank his blood till his body started to pale and shrivel beyond it's already wrinkle form. Cloud pulled away, his hunger gone for now.

Cloud dug a hole and buried the man there before cleaning himself up, getting back into the car and rummaging through the man's stuff. He managed to find a pair of pants and a long sleeve shirt, pulling on a large jacket. The clothing didn't really fit him, but the old man had clothing from his dead grandson about his size in a closet. Cloud drove the car, using the old man's memories to find his way to his home.

Cloud jumped out in the middle of the night, stopping when he felt a strange pull at his mind.

'My lovely one.'

Cloud blocked out the voice and went into the house. He found the closet and changed into more flattering clothes. He wanted to rest, but he needed to go to the so called haunted house the old man had feared. Cloud wanted to know if there were other demons here.

Cloud left the warmth of the house and went to the haunted one, seeing the locks on the gate had been broke. Cloud entered more cautiously, taking in deep breaths to detect any scents. He smelled a lot of them, but one was standing out more than the others.

"Excuse me?" Cloud looked over his shoulder, a girl with big tits standing by the gate he just went over. Cloud didn't want to give her his attention, but she started to blabber. Cloud turned away, the girl saying something about the house was a bad place to be.

Cloud didn't care.

He didn't want to be his own species alone on this cold world.

Cloud didn't know when he cared about being alone, but he felt that was his need as a vampire. Or just part of his task. Maybe what his mother called pitiful love would fill that emptiness. Cloud entered into the house, walking silently as he followed the fresh scent in the house.

Cloud almost felt dizzy smelling it, and wanted to roll in it. Cloud pushed those thoughts away, probably just dealing with the hormones. This new body was confusing, but he knew he would understand it eventually. Cloud followed the smell throughout the house, and to a secluded room.

Cloud entered the room, his eyes stoic as he saw the multitude of books. He walked over, taking a book from the shelf. He skimmed through the pages, learning to read the language just by seeing a handful of words. A demon didn't need to be educated, but just reading a few words would allow them to be able to read and understand entire languages.

Cloud was glad the gift had not been taken away.

The scent suddenly became overwhelming, Cloud looking up at the sound of a voice.

"Sephiroth, you can't stay down here forever. The men want to go home since there's no immediate threat to the people here." Cloud heard the voice and tried to distinguish if the smell came from that human. After some deep thought, Cloud moved forward, stopping a few feet from the entrance to another room.

The room had two parts, the other part having slightly older looking books. Cloud felt two pairs of eyes on him. He stayed calm, knowing he could easily take the two men out. Cloud breathed, taking in the scents of the two men.

Cloud's eyes shifted from both men who had gone unbearably quiet. One, who the voice probably belonged to, had shaggy black hair and electric blue eyes that glowed faintly. Cloud didn't pay much attention to him, his eyes shifting to the other man. He had long silver hair, common more with demons than humans. Cloud sniffed his scent, finding out he was the one who carried the scent.

His jade eyes glowed brighter, but he lacked the strength to overpower Cloud. He wasn't a demon, but he wasn't exactly all the way human either. He reeked of an abnormal scent, and Cloud had a feeling it was probably from another realm. Underworld, Heaven, and Earth were only three of thousands of realms. It was possible for a strong being to transcend the realms and implement it's seed into another being of a different realm.

The silver haired man's glossed eyes cleared, a small frown touching his lips. Cloud looked to his book, wondering what he could find so interesting in this old room of books.

"What are you doing down here kid?" Cloud looked to the black haired man, his fidgeting taking away from his intimidation. It seemed Cloud was in forbidden territory, but did not really mind. He would have told the truth, but these two men were not demons. Cloud could tell they merely were infected with the life of the earth. It was as if Cloud started to consume the fire of Underworld. Soon it would grow cold and fade from existence. Another would take it's place, but not before the end of days happened.

"I am lost. An old man brought me here. And I am not a kid." Cloud could tell his voice came out soft, even though he radiated power. The black haired man smiled, moving closer to Cloud who stood with stoic eyes.

"Just short huh? How old are you?" Zack asked, Cloud chewing the thought as he tried to think of a good age for his body. Saying he was a hundred would probably not pass in this realm.

"Sixteen going on seventeen next month." The black haired man beamed, obviously trying to distract Cloud from the silver haired man who wouldn't look away from Cloud.

"Well, I'm Zack and I'm eighteen. What's your name?" Zack asked, Cloud blinking up at him.

Did this man usually radiate happiness or was he already allowed the path of heaven?

"Cloud." The man seemed to stop in his steps, his eyes widening slightly. Cloud was a name of power in Underworld, since the clouds were said to be a pathway to heaven if you could reach it. Most demons couldn't, killed by the pure light. Cloud in Underworld basically meant the destroyer of all things dark, which would be suitable for when he became ruler of Underworld.

All humans would know that he would punish them eternally for their sins.

"Seriously?" Zack asked.

But apparently that didn't mean the same here.

"My mother named me Cloud. Make fun of it and I will slit your throat." Cloud saw the man's smile curve at the edges, showing a frown. Zack did a salute, his face serious.

"Yes Cloud!" Cloud vaguely wondered if he was making fun of him. Either way, Cloud had to keep looking for his own kind. To find that, he needed to go to the place with the most sin.

"If you're lost, where did you come from originally? We can take you back on our way to Midgar." Cloud searched the old mans memories for Midgar, seeing a pillow of smoke and large buildings. For a second Cloud thought it was Underworld, but there was no fire. Cloud decided that would be his first place to stop.

"Midgar." Cloud said the word slowly, chewing over if he should say he had no money or family to go to.

"Why did the old man bring you here?" Zack asked after a long moment of silence, Cloud looking back to his face.

"He lived here. I have no memories of where I'm from or where I was last." Zack sighed softly, the man behind him finally speaking. If Cloud remembered correctly from Zack's words before he entered, this man was named Sephiroth. It was a nice name, but in Underworld it would mean nothing. These two would probably only be worth the rank of cadets in the Underworld.

"He probably drugged you. We will take you back to Midgar to get tested." Cloud nodded, his stoic expression breaking into one of confusion with the intensity the man looked at him. Sephiroth rose up, putting the book away before going to Zack's side. They both towered over him.

"We will leave tomorrow morning. Where is the old man so we can take him in for questioning." Cloud thought back to what he did, wondering how he could cover that up.

"I don't know. He left before I came here." Sephiroth nodded, moving past Zack and putting a hand on Cloud's shoulder and silently leading him out of the house. Zack followed behind, grumbling about Sephiroth and his mood swings. Cloud was distracted by Sephiroth's heat radiating from his glove to his shoulder.

His entire body was on fire, in a strange way.

'Destroy this world my child.' Cloud was for sure the voice was from a being from another realm. He traced it back to it's source with his mind, the being immobilized. It had the mental strength of his mother, but Cloud could easily overpower it.

'Not before I destroy yours.' After Cloud stopped searching after thinking those words, the voice in his head stopped. The being had obviously thought he was weak, but as the next leader of the Underworld, it would take a lot more than mind trickery to make him do it's bidding.

Cloud was led back out into the cold, a few men standing by the gates by the big boob girl. Apparently she had called for help in fear he would be hurt.

"Everything is fine. We will leave your village tomorrow morning," Sephiroth told them, his voice making Cloud's body shiver lightly. It could have easily been mistaken for the cold, but Cloud couldn't help but notice Sephiroth pulled him closer.

Was he empty too?