Cloud stood in a deserted square, silver buildings disappearing into the mist that hid the never-ending sky. The large parasite of fear crept along his cold heart, prompting a small bead of sweat to run down Cloud's narrow cheekbone. The dark haze that shrouded the city in mystery cast its eerie blue glow on his pale face, his eyes glowing in the cold atmosphere. Goosebumps popped simultaneously up Cloud's arms, his hairs standing on end in the perpetual nothingness that could be called a city. However, the city seemed to be nonexistent, as if it were an illusion in a bad dream.
Cloud slowly walked forward, his feet making echoes in the nothingness, his sword clutched tightly in his right fist. The world was strange and bizarre, with the atmosphere consisting of darkness, and the buildings glowing with a hypnotizing radiance that prevented shadows from being cast. Even with the bright glow, the buildings couldn't have been more menacing. They were flanged and spiked, with stain-glass windows and grotesque gargoyles.
Suddenly, a shadow as from a ghost leapt out from around a building, heading straight toward the largest building that stood in the center of the square. After recovering from the shock of seeing a ghost, Cloud quickly regained his composure and curiously squinted at the quickly moving object. It took only a few seconds for him to know what he had seen, and the vision horrified him.
Running towards the building was none other than a dark figure wearing white, his high collar partially hiding the dark face that held two red eyes. In the figure's right hand was a large white sword. Cloud understood that this was him, yet in a different image, an image from a different perspective, perhaps even a different world. He also noticed that upon the figure's back were two large white wings, the wings of an angel. Before Cloud could fathom the meaning of the figure, the dark Cloud had disappeared. In the blink of an eye, a white aura engulfed him, and within seconds he had appeared atop the tall building, two large white wings covering his torso.
Before Cloud could react to his astonishment, a large shadow passed over him, casting his flesh in a coldness that froze like ice. Evil as never before experienced by man crept across his body, and he was frightened, so terribly frightened that his body seized up, his muscles loosing all function. Blinking in confusion, Cloud suddenly noticed a figure moving towards him, the figure of the dark Cloud. Cloud looked at the figure curiously, and then watched as the figure morphed itself into a tall, dark figure.
Still frozen in shock, Cloud's eyes instantly widened, as the features of his nightmare came to reality. Neon green eyes glowed brightly in the pale fluorescent light, long silver hair sprouted from the figure's scalp, and a long, wicked sword dragged the ground behind the figure's steps. One large, dark crow's wing sprouted from the figures back, and every step it took left the trace and feeling of tainted darkness. Before Cloud could react, the blade of his attacker stabbed the air, sinking its steel edge deep in Cloud's chest.
The agony was unbelievable, with dark blood running down his torso and down further to pool at his feet. Cloud stared into his attacker's bright, cold eyes, and noticed the evil smile of stolen victory upon the devil's face.
"Death," whispered the figure, and at once, Cloud's wings morphed into that of a demon, and his body began to spasm violently, his muscles aching in unimaginable pain. A scream escaped his dying lips, and before he could let go of his suffering and accept the calmness of death, Cloud awoke from his sleep.
His body was covered in cold sweat, and the pain of the sword wound was still searing in his chest. Although it had been a dream, it had felt so real, and the thought of such an event being merely a nightmare made Cloud even more uneasy. Was this a sign for things to come? Cloud didn't know, but the thought of having to perhaps relive an event of this caliber secretly haunted his heart and he knew that he wasn't going to get any more sleep this night.
All of a sudden, the door slammed up against the wall, and a girl ran into the room. Showing more surprise than was usually common of him, Cloud immediately sat up to stare into the slender girl's pretty face.
"Are you okay Cloud? Are you feeling well? Did you have a nightmare?" Tifa asked unceasingly.
"I'm fine," Cloud responded, smiling at the girl who he had met the previous day after the battle.
"Just making sure," Tifa said silently, her face falling slightly.
"What's the matter?" Cloud asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing, it's just that I haven't seen you since we were younger, and I am just curious about your story…"
"My story?" Cloud asked perplexedly, "what do you mean my story?"
"Well I mean, I haven't seen you in so long, and with all this mess with the Heartless, and with the Keyblade Master found, I was just wondering what has been going on since I was away?"
"So many things," Cloud said silently, his voice falling gravely, his bright eyes showing no emotion, "I don't really know what to say. So much has happened, so many things that I regret, that I don't know where to begin."
"Well," Tifa said excitedly, "just start anywhere, I don't mind."
"It's not that I want to keep you shut out, Tifa," Cloud said, his voice getting graver by the second, "it's that my past haunts me. I don't want to repeat my past to anyone. In fact, I have only once told someone the darkness that I traveled in to, and that person was Aerith. The only reason why I had the heart to tell her is because it was I who left her when she needed me most. It was I who walked away in search of the very thing that would cause my nightmares less than a year later."
Tifa stared at Cloud confusedly, her big brown eyes showing enthusiasm and curiosity. "Please Cloud, I want to know, I feel left in the dark. I have been searching for you for almost 2 years, and when I finally found you before Sora defeated Xemnas, you ignored me and ran away. Why did you do that to me?"
Cloud stared at her in silence, his eyes still showing no emotion. "If I told you why, I would have to tell the whole story, unto which I am not sure I am ready to repeat."
"Please Cloud, you must tell me. We were really close once, why do you have to shut me out?"
Cloud was silent for a few seconds, his mind racing as to what to say. "Tifa, I care about you, that is why I walked away when you sought me."
"If you truly care about me, then please just tell me…"
Cloud stared at Tifa, his bright eyes glowing in the darkness. "Ok Tifa, I'll tell you."