(Just so no one is confused, this entire chapter is a flashback. Okay,
read on!)
Chapter 10
Cloud's Past
Siena'shon had always been a peaceful, quiet little village. But then, it wasn't possible to find the place, unless you were a Cetra. Not that Cloud worried about such things.
On this particular day, he could be found sitting in a tree, staring up in annoyance at an apple that was just out of his reach.
"Cloud!"
He blinked, then looked down at his mother who was looking up at him, frowning.
"Come down from there. You need to be practicing what I taught you yesterday."
"Mother, I _did_ practice!"
"Oh? Show me."
Cloud stood up on the branch, then jumped.
"~Float!~"
He stopped mid-fall, then managed to float to the ground, landing on his feet. His mother, Adera, smiled in approval.
"Very good. But you still need practice."
The boy let out a scowl, at which Adera could not help but chuckle.
"Come along," she said, patting his spiked hair fondly.
Cloud glanced back at the apple he had been trying to get longingly for a moment. Adera smiled. Holding her hand out, she gestured for the object, which shot into her hand. Then, she handed it to her son.
"When can I learn how to do that?" he asked excitedly, grasping the apple.
"Soon, my son. Soon."
For this she was granted a huge grin. Then, the spiky haired boy bit into the ripe flesh of the fruit he held and chewed happily as he followed his mother.
Adera glanced down at him as he quickened his pace to keep up with her long, graceful strides. His hair was much like his father's, blonde and unruly. In all other aspects he was like her. Adera was certainly a beautiful woman,with waist length blue hair and fair face. Yes, Cloud reminded her so much of herself sometimes...
The explosions came suddenly, shaking the earth. Cloud clung to his mother tightly to keep from falling over. The woman narrowed her sapphire eyes. Taking Cloud's hand firmly in her own, she ran towards the disturbance.
When they reached it...
Adera turned her son quickly away from the sight of their village's inhabitants laying dead, their bloodied corpses strewn about everywhere. She searched franticly, before finally coming to see...
She choked as her eyes came to rest upon the body of her husband. His clothes were stained with his blood, eyes staring up at the sky lifelessly. It was then that Cloud managed to break from his mother's hold and turned around. He could only stare in horror and disbelief. And tears now came unbidden to the both of their eyes. Adera fell to her knees, her face downcast, the eye water dripping to the ground from where it had run down to her chin.
"They _will_ pay for this...I swear it...they _will_...."
Cloud looked at his mother's trembling form, wanting to comfort her but not knowing just how. He wiped his tears away only to have more come forth. He sniffled, then just cried, letting himself give in to his sorrow. Adera wrapped her arms around her son, and together they wept; one for pure grief, the other for sorrow, pain, and thought of revenge.
After a moment, Adera pulled back so she could look into her son's eyes.
"Cloud, you must listen to me."
The boy responded with a small nod. Then he felt his mother place her materia pendant about his neck. He looked down at the smokey black crystal, then back at her.
"You must protect this, understand?"
"I-I do."
She smiled sadly at him. Then, she stood, took up the sword that was his dead father's, and drove it into a rock nearby, halfway to the hilt. The purple and blue blade glinted softly in the fading sunlight. She looked behind her quickly, knowing that the Crisis' spawn would be here in moments. She turned to Cloud again.
"My son, you must leave now."
"Mother, what-?!"
"Do not argue! There is no time left! Just remember to return here when you are old enough to retrieve your father's sword! You alone can draw it now."
"But-!"
"GO!"
The creatures were upon them before another word could be spoken. Adera drew her staff from air, and held it before her in defense.
"Run, Cloud! Please!"
"Mother-!"
"I will be fine! Now go!"
Finally, Cloud nodded, heading off towards Cetra-mora. The last he saw was of his mother being overtaken by the monsters.
And then it began to rain.
(Hope this clears things up for all of the people who wondered what happened to Cloud! And PLEASE REVIEW!!! *Looks at readers with pleading puppy dog eyes*)
-Diamond Weapon
Chapter 10
Cloud's Past
Siena'shon had always been a peaceful, quiet little village. But then, it wasn't possible to find the place, unless you were a Cetra. Not that Cloud worried about such things.
On this particular day, he could be found sitting in a tree, staring up in annoyance at an apple that was just out of his reach.
"Cloud!"
He blinked, then looked down at his mother who was looking up at him, frowning.
"Come down from there. You need to be practicing what I taught you yesterday."
"Mother, I _did_ practice!"
"Oh? Show me."
Cloud stood up on the branch, then jumped.
"~Float!~"
He stopped mid-fall, then managed to float to the ground, landing on his feet. His mother, Adera, smiled in approval.
"Very good. But you still need practice."
The boy let out a scowl, at which Adera could not help but chuckle.
"Come along," she said, patting his spiked hair fondly.
Cloud glanced back at the apple he had been trying to get longingly for a moment. Adera smiled. Holding her hand out, she gestured for the object, which shot into her hand. Then, she handed it to her son.
"When can I learn how to do that?" he asked excitedly, grasping the apple.
"Soon, my son. Soon."
For this she was granted a huge grin. Then, the spiky haired boy bit into the ripe flesh of the fruit he held and chewed happily as he followed his mother.
Adera glanced down at him as he quickened his pace to keep up with her long, graceful strides. His hair was much like his father's, blonde and unruly. In all other aspects he was like her. Adera was certainly a beautiful woman,with waist length blue hair and fair face. Yes, Cloud reminded her so much of herself sometimes...
The explosions came suddenly, shaking the earth. Cloud clung to his mother tightly to keep from falling over. The woman narrowed her sapphire eyes. Taking Cloud's hand firmly in her own, she ran towards the disturbance.
When they reached it...
Adera turned her son quickly away from the sight of their village's inhabitants laying dead, their bloodied corpses strewn about everywhere. She searched franticly, before finally coming to see...
She choked as her eyes came to rest upon the body of her husband. His clothes were stained with his blood, eyes staring up at the sky lifelessly. It was then that Cloud managed to break from his mother's hold and turned around. He could only stare in horror and disbelief. And tears now came unbidden to the both of their eyes. Adera fell to her knees, her face downcast, the eye water dripping to the ground from where it had run down to her chin.
"They _will_ pay for this...I swear it...they _will_...."
Cloud looked at his mother's trembling form, wanting to comfort her but not knowing just how. He wiped his tears away only to have more come forth. He sniffled, then just cried, letting himself give in to his sorrow. Adera wrapped her arms around her son, and together they wept; one for pure grief, the other for sorrow, pain, and thought of revenge.
After a moment, Adera pulled back so she could look into her son's eyes.
"Cloud, you must listen to me."
The boy responded with a small nod. Then he felt his mother place her materia pendant about his neck. He looked down at the smokey black crystal, then back at her.
"You must protect this, understand?"
"I-I do."
She smiled sadly at him. Then, she stood, took up the sword that was his dead father's, and drove it into a rock nearby, halfway to the hilt. The purple and blue blade glinted softly in the fading sunlight. She looked behind her quickly, knowing that the Crisis' spawn would be here in moments. She turned to Cloud again.
"My son, you must leave now."
"Mother, what-?!"
"Do not argue! There is no time left! Just remember to return here when you are old enough to retrieve your father's sword! You alone can draw it now."
"But-!"
"GO!"
The creatures were upon them before another word could be spoken. Adera drew her staff from air, and held it before her in defense.
"Run, Cloud! Please!"
"Mother-!"
"I will be fine! Now go!"
Finally, Cloud nodded, heading off towards Cetra-mora. The last he saw was of his mother being overtaken by the monsters.
And then it began to rain.
(Hope this clears things up for all of the people who wondered what happened to Cloud! And PLEASE REVIEW!!! *Looks at readers with pleading puppy dog eyes*)
-Diamond Weapon