Fenrir: This is my first serious ff fic, so I hope u enjoy reading it
All was quiet, except for the sound of the brave man's steady breathing. The air was heavy with anticipation. The hero turned his head as his sapphire orbs scanned his surroundings. He ran a hand through his golden locks and a sudden feeling of being watched rushed through him. He reached for his trusty blade which rested on his back, but his hand only met the roughness of his violet clothes. He panicked. He started to run through the blackness that engulfed him. What was he to do? He needed help. He wanted someone there to hold hid hand, like when he was a child. Then a voice called out to him, a light, gentle voice that calmed his nerves.
"Stop, my prince."
At the sound of the angelic voice, the blonde individual stopped. He knew that voice. He loved that voice. He wanted to hear that voice again. His quavering lips formed an opening of the mouth as he spoke,
"Aeris…"
Cloud awoke with a start. Sweat travelled down his face, dripping onto his bare chest. His breathing was deep, and as he inhaled, he couldn't stop thinking about his dream. Or was it a dream? It seemed so real. He pondered over this in his mind. Of course it was a dream. He heard Aeris' voice, but she's…
"Aaaargh!" he cried as he rose from his bed, pulling a t-shirt over his head. He walked over to the window of his room. It was still dark outside. All the residents of Nibelheim were in their houses, dreaming peacefully. The moonlight reflected off the water of the well, which was still, calm, pleasing to watch.
It had been only one month since Sephiroth had been vanquished, but the events of his journey still haunted Cloud in his dreams. This wasn't the first restless night he had spent thinking about Aeris. And it wasn't always Aeris. Images of dead, limp bodies lingered in his head. He dreamt about the destruction of his home, and could feel the intensity of the inferno in his heart. But worst of all was the shadow of his nemesis, the man responsible for all the deaths. The man responsible for his misery.
"It's in the past!" Cloud told himself, "He's gone. There's nothing you can do!"
He often had to tell himself this. He always needed to convince himself of these facts. A lot had happened since that time. Cloud divided the materia between the party. The emerald magic materia. The cerulean support materia. The golden command materia. The cherry independent materia. And the ruby summons. All the orbs went their separate ways, as did the party. They all departed form Cloud to return home, all except one,
"Cloud, are you alright?" asked the soothing voice of Cloud's childhood friend, Tifa, "I heard you talking, are you ok?"
She advanced into the room, her long, chocolate hair trailing behind her like a discoloured veil. Tifa was the only member of the party not to leave Cloud. And he was thankful for that. It was pleasing to see a friendly face, one he had known since he was young. He had been living in Tifa's house for a while now, and was beginning to feel like it was his home. He liked the cosy atmosphere, the spacious rooms, and he even enjoyed playing the piano from time to time.
"No, I'm fine." was Cloud's simple reply. He turned back to the view of Nibelheim, admiring it's beauty once more.
"Now, I know that's not true." answered Tifa, a slight look of concern on her face, "Have you been having bad dreams lately?"
"No." Cloud responded, biting his lip. He hated lying to Tifa, but he wasn't in the mood for a long conversation. He just wanted to try and get some sleep, but he knew his chances were slim with all these demons haunting his mind.
"OK then," Tifa had a tone of uncertainty in her voice. "A lot has happened you know. What with the whole Sephiroth thing, and everyone leaving, and Aeris…"
She had touched a sensitive spot, for she could see Cloud shiver,
"I'm fine, honestly," he said quickly, walking towards Tifa, "I just need some rest, that's all." He opened his bedroom door, and waited for Tifa to leave, before closing it again. Once again he was alone. He slowly pulled back the covers of his bed, slipped back in, and re-covered himself with his quilt.
And all night, he was disturbed by the ghosts of his past…
When Cloud opened his eyes again, he did not find himself in the security of his warm bed, but instead he was standing outside the great industrial city of Midgar. The many reactors were billowing smoke and other pollution causing substances. The sky was dark. No, it was more than dark, it was pitch black, as was the ground, and the mountains. All was black except for the looming, monstrous city. He must be dreaming. He dreaded the mysteries that awaited him in this haunting dream, for he knew they would not be pleasant.
The blonde-haired sword wielder looked around for someone else, anyone else to share this nightmare with, but there was no-one around. His gaze returned to Midgar, and the city almost invited him to enter. But before Cloud could reply to the invite, he was suddenly being drawn in by the city. Houses and buildings rushed past him as he progressed through the city. When he eventually stopped, he landed atop a bed of flowers, most of them only just sprouting. His hand gripped a spray of leaves, and he remembered their soft touch. They were the same flowers that he landed on when he first met her…
He quickly stood up, looking around, taking in his surroundings. There were rows of benches, pews, extended up to the entrance. There was no artificial light in the place, only the cracks of the roof seemed to emit an eerie light, that shone directly down in front of him. He knew where he was. He was in the church in the Slums, or at least, somewhere that looked like it, because he did not feel the same joy he felt when he was in the church. Instead of the enlightening presence, there was a colder, more sinister atmosphere, that chilled Cloud to his bones. His gaze returned to the alluring pillar of light that stood before him. It glowed a green that soothed Cloud's nerves, just like a drug would. He stared at the illumination, awaiting the next twist of his nightmare.
A figure began to form in the light, gradually growing in size, as if walking towards the lone soldier, who was still stood upon the sprouting flowers. And they were actually sprouting. Their stems began to grow, embarking on their journey to flowering. Normally, Cloud would have been startled by this sudden spurt, but he felt emotionless in this sad dream world. The mysterious figure now stood directly in front of Cloud, but it was still just a silhouette. However, it was clear who it was.
It was definitely a woman, for she was wearing a dress, that flowed down to her ankles. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, fixed in place by a ribbon. She had a slim figure, and although Cloud could not see her face, he knew that it was the woman who had stolen his heart, and then departed from this world, only returning to haunt him in his dreams. He recognized the sweet aura of Aeris, and breathed a sigh of relief as her bodily features became visible.
"Aeris, thank god you're here, I was getting worr…" Cloud began, but then saw the look on Aeris' face. It used to be so bubbly and full of life. Her lips used to shine, like a delicate rose. Her cheeks were so rosy that it looked like she was always blushing. Her emerald eyes were so calming that one look at them would calm your nerves. But now her face was dull, lifeless, depressing. Her lips no longer shone, but just sat there on her face. The cheeks were not rosy any more, but muted and colourless. And her eyes, her angelic eyes now only showed a murky grey colour. A tear fell from the corner of Cloud's cerulean optics, and landed onto the now dead flowers.
"NO!!" he cried at the statue, anger leaking from everywhere in his body. How dare his mind turn Aeris into this lifeless demon. And she really was a demon, for in a second, the human body morphed into a fierce wolf, that snarled and bared its teeth. Then the church filled with a plethora of monsters of all shapes and sizes, each unique in its ferocity. Cloud tried to run, but his legs would not move. He was stuck there, glued to spot by this incredible, invisible force.
The scenery changed too. No longer was he in the sanctity of the church, but in complete blackness once again. The beasts were now approaching, gaining speed. Cloud could hear each individual fiend's snarl, and sense there evil ambience. They hurdled themselves towards the frightened warrior, who was helpless and without a weapon. They collided with the spiky-haired man, their rigid bodies ramming into Cloud's side, but no pain could be felt. He tried to scream to get out of this lurid place. But no sound could be heard, except for the growls of the brutes. Then the wolf that used to be the lifeless form of Aeris paced itself up to Cloud, and opened its monstrous mouth. He could see its yellow canines, dripping with saliva that looked threatening. Although he couldn't breathe, Cloud imagined its breath was putrid. Then, unexpectedly, Cloud was sucked into the monster's great orifice, and blackness consumed him.
For the second time that night, Cloud awoke with a start, his shirt now sodden with sweat, his breath even more winded than the last time. Why has he been having these dreams so frequently lately? Why can't they just leave him alone? All these questions churned around in his mind, but no answers came. The morning sun was now shining through his window, creeping into the room. He exited from his bed, and opened his door. Once out, he was met by the sound of music, tinkling softly, soothing him inside. It was coming from Tifa's room, and he recognized the resonance of the piano. For a couple of moments, all the worries of the previous night had left his mind, and he was high, high on the lack of responsibilities. He sunk to the ground, his body meeting the softness of the carpet. And that was where he stayed until he was interrupted by the conclusion of the music, and he slowly stood up on his feet and walked downstairs, responsibilities once again fluttering about inside of him.
All was quiet, except for the sound of the brave man's steady breathing. The air was heavy with anticipation. The hero turned his head as his sapphire orbs scanned his surroundings. He ran a hand through his golden locks and a sudden feeling of being watched rushed through him. He reached for his trusty blade which rested on his back, but his hand only met the roughness of his violet clothes. He panicked. He started to run through the blackness that engulfed him. What was he to do? He needed help. He wanted someone there to hold hid hand, like when he was a child. Then a voice called out to him, a light, gentle voice that calmed his nerves.
"Stop, my prince."
At the sound of the angelic voice, the blonde individual stopped. He knew that voice. He loved that voice. He wanted to hear that voice again. His quavering lips formed an opening of the mouth as he spoke,
"Aeris…"
Cloud awoke with a start. Sweat travelled down his face, dripping onto his bare chest. His breathing was deep, and as he inhaled, he couldn't stop thinking about his dream. Or was it a dream? It seemed so real. He pondered over this in his mind. Of course it was a dream. He heard Aeris' voice, but she's…
"Aaaargh!" he cried as he rose from his bed, pulling a t-shirt over his head. He walked over to the window of his room. It was still dark outside. All the residents of Nibelheim were in their houses, dreaming peacefully. The moonlight reflected off the water of the well, which was still, calm, pleasing to watch.
It had been only one month since Sephiroth had been vanquished, but the events of his journey still haunted Cloud in his dreams. This wasn't the first restless night he had spent thinking about Aeris. And it wasn't always Aeris. Images of dead, limp bodies lingered in his head. He dreamt about the destruction of his home, and could feel the intensity of the inferno in his heart. But worst of all was the shadow of his nemesis, the man responsible for all the deaths. The man responsible for his misery.
"It's in the past!" Cloud told himself, "He's gone. There's nothing you can do!"
He often had to tell himself this. He always needed to convince himself of these facts. A lot had happened since that time. Cloud divided the materia between the party. The emerald magic materia. The cerulean support materia. The golden command materia. The cherry independent materia. And the ruby summons. All the orbs went their separate ways, as did the party. They all departed form Cloud to return home, all except one,
"Cloud, are you alright?" asked the soothing voice of Cloud's childhood friend, Tifa, "I heard you talking, are you ok?"
She advanced into the room, her long, chocolate hair trailing behind her like a discoloured veil. Tifa was the only member of the party not to leave Cloud. And he was thankful for that. It was pleasing to see a friendly face, one he had known since he was young. He had been living in Tifa's house for a while now, and was beginning to feel like it was his home. He liked the cosy atmosphere, the spacious rooms, and he even enjoyed playing the piano from time to time.
"No, I'm fine." was Cloud's simple reply. He turned back to the view of Nibelheim, admiring it's beauty once more.
"Now, I know that's not true." answered Tifa, a slight look of concern on her face, "Have you been having bad dreams lately?"
"No." Cloud responded, biting his lip. He hated lying to Tifa, but he wasn't in the mood for a long conversation. He just wanted to try and get some sleep, but he knew his chances were slim with all these demons haunting his mind.
"OK then," Tifa had a tone of uncertainty in her voice. "A lot has happened you know. What with the whole Sephiroth thing, and everyone leaving, and Aeris…"
She had touched a sensitive spot, for she could see Cloud shiver,
"I'm fine, honestly," he said quickly, walking towards Tifa, "I just need some rest, that's all." He opened his bedroom door, and waited for Tifa to leave, before closing it again. Once again he was alone. He slowly pulled back the covers of his bed, slipped back in, and re-covered himself with his quilt.
And all night, he was disturbed by the ghosts of his past…
When Cloud opened his eyes again, he did not find himself in the security of his warm bed, but instead he was standing outside the great industrial city of Midgar. The many reactors were billowing smoke and other pollution causing substances. The sky was dark. No, it was more than dark, it was pitch black, as was the ground, and the mountains. All was black except for the looming, monstrous city. He must be dreaming. He dreaded the mysteries that awaited him in this haunting dream, for he knew they would not be pleasant.
The blonde-haired sword wielder looked around for someone else, anyone else to share this nightmare with, but there was no-one around. His gaze returned to Midgar, and the city almost invited him to enter. But before Cloud could reply to the invite, he was suddenly being drawn in by the city. Houses and buildings rushed past him as he progressed through the city. When he eventually stopped, he landed atop a bed of flowers, most of them only just sprouting. His hand gripped a spray of leaves, and he remembered their soft touch. They were the same flowers that he landed on when he first met her…
He quickly stood up, looking around, taking in his surroundings. There were rows of benches, pews, extended up to the entrance. There was no artificial light in the place, only the cracks of the roof seemed to emit an eerie light, that shone directly down in front of him. He knew where he was. He was in the church in the Slums, or at least, somewhere that looked like it, because he did not feel the same joy he felt when he was in the church. Instead of the enlightening presence, there was a colder, more sinister atmosphere, that chilled Cloud to his bones. His gaze returned to the alluring pillar of light that stood before him. It glowed a green that soothed Cloud's nerves, just like a drug would. He stared at the illumination, awaiting the next twist of his nightmare.
A figure began to form in the light, gradually growing in size, as if walking towards the lone soldier, who was still stood upon the sprouting flowers. And they were actually sprouting. Their stems began to grow, embarking on their journey to flowering. Normally, Cloud would have been startled by this sudden spurt, but he felt emotionless in this sad dream world. The mysterious figure now stood directly in front of Cloud, but it was still just a silhouette. However, it was clear who it was.
It was definitely a woman, for she was wearing a dress, that flowed down to her ankles. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, fixed in place by a ribbon. She had a slim figure, and although Cloud could not see her face, he knew that it was the woman who had stolen his heart, and then departed from this world, only returning to haunt him in his dreams. He recognized the sweet aura of Aeris, and breathed a sigh of relief as her bodily features became visible.
"Aeris, thank god you're here, I was getting worr…" Cloud began, but then saw the look on Aeris' face. It used to be so bubbly and full of life. Her lips used to shine, like a delicate rose. Her cheeks were so rosy that it looked like she was always blushing. Her emerald eyes were so calming that one look at them would calm your nerves. But now her face was dull, lifeless, depressing. Her lips no longer shone, but just sat there on her face. The cheeks were not rosy any more, but muted and colourless. And her eyes, her angelic eyes now only showed a murky grey colour. A tear fell from the corner of Cloud's cerulean optics, and landed onto the now dead flowers.
"NO!!" he cried at the statue, anger leaking from everywhere in his body. How dare his mind turn Aeris into this lifeless demon. And she really was a demon, for in a second, the human body morphed into a fierce wolf, that snarled and bared its teeth. Then the church filled with a plethora of monsters of all shapes and sizes, each unique in its ferocity. Cloud tried to run, but his legs would not move. He was stuck there, glued to spot by this incredible, invisible force.
The scenery changed too. No longer was he in the sanctity of the church, but in complete blackness once again. The beasts were now approaching, gaining speed. Cloud could hear each individual fiend's snarl, and sense there evil ambience. They hurdled themselves towards the frightened warrior, who was helpless and without a weapon. They collided with the spiky-haired man, their rigid bodies ramming into Cloud's side, but no pain could be felt. He tried to scream to get out of this lurid place. But no sound could be heard, except for the growls of the brutes. Then the wolf that used to be the lifeless form of Aeris paced itself up to Cloud, and opened its monstrous mouth. He could see its yellow canines, dripping with saliva that looked threatening. Although he couldn't breathe, Cloud imagined its breath was putrid. Then, unexpectedly, Cloud was sucked into the monster's great orifice, and blackness consumed him.
For the second time that night, Cloud awoke with a start, his shirt now sodden with sweat, his breath even more winded than the last time. Why has he been having these dreams so frequently lately? Why can't they just leave him alone? All these questions churned around in his mind, but no answers came. The morning sun was now shining through his window, creeping into the room. He exited from his bed, and opened his door. Once out, he was met by the sound of music, tinkling softly, soothing him inside. It was coming from Tifa's room, and he recognized the resonance of the piano. For a couple of moments, all the worries of the previous night had left his mind, and he was high, high on the lack of responsibilities. He sunk to the ground, his body meeting the softness of the carpet. And that was where he stayed until he was interrupted by the conclusion of the music, and he slowly stood up on his feet and walked downstairs, responsibilities once again fluttering about inside of him.