A/N: I'm way too stressed lately. Which leaves me digging a deeper hole with myself with my stories on here. Maybe this one can just scratch the itch enough to work on other projects.

Cloud Strife was special, even if the rest of the village didn't see it. Nibelheim wasn't a large village. But it was one of the mill villages with fishermen, farmers, trappers, a blacksmith and lastly a Seer.

Cloud was born during a horrible storm. His mother was the village Seer. She was terrified as the storm worsened along with her contractions. She was terrified for her husband, who was out at sea with his fishermen brothers.

But her focus had to be with the baby. All the while other wives came to help her as she screamed above the howling winds. The birth had been difficult. And many feared the village would lose both the child and the mother.

Just as the thunder raged above in the heavens, so did a violent contraction that felt as if an axe had been thrown at her back. As the seas rose she felt the water break finally. It was only a matter of time until the babe began to crown.

Only the child didn't want to be born.

As the storm raged, the Seer began praying for an end. A mercy. She prayed to Freya, Odin, even Thor in the hopes he would calm this storm. She sensed the shadows leering for her and the child's soul to be whisked away in the final act of tragedy.

And still she persevered. If anything she will sacrifice herself so her child could live. If it is what was destined then so be it. So long as her only offspring had a chance.

Then by some miracle the storm stopped.

The silence was frightening. After hours upon hours of hearing the rage of Thor, the torment of thunder and lightning echoing. The silence filled the Seer with dread.

Until a shrill cry broke the silence.

Tears streamed in relief when she thought she didn't have more to shed. The other women were quick to move about, finally able to help. When it was deemed the babe wasn't affected from being delayed in birth for so long he was placed upon the Seer's chest.

Soon as the child heard his mother's heartbeat he calmed. She cradled him gently. He was so small. So fragile. A ball of flesh and thin bones and yet so perfect in her eyes.

The moment he opened his eyes the clouds above cleared. To give way for the sunrise on the horizon. The sign for the storm finally passing. And thus the Seer declared the child's name.

"Cloud Strife." She found it difficult to breathe. However she was still able to find her voice. Surprisingly when she had spent much of the night screaming until her throat was raw.

Later that afternoon the news was brought to her. Her husband and most of his fishermen brothers had perished in the storm. The only survivor was a young lad who by some grace of the gods had found a piece of wood to cling on for dear life.

Since then the Seer wasn't the same.

Her visions didn't come when necessary. Or if they did they had to be enhanced by herbs or a special concoction. Before the loss of the love of her life she had proven to be the most powerful Seer yet in Nibelheim.

With the loss of her wisdom not so strong many turned to Cloud to take up the mantle. However fate seemed to be cruel. For years Cloud showed no signs of having the same talents as his mother.

The disappointment was strong in the village. And Cloud grew to resent them. But his mother remained patient. She knew it was in her son. However it seemed Cloud required a special key to unlock it.

What that was has yet to be seen.

So, instead of training under his mother, Cloud turned to the blacksmith. It worked out in a way. The man did have a wife, but they never had children. And eventually Cloud and Cid came to an understanding of sorts. Better than anyone else who attempted to train under Cid anyway.

So while the village was slightly apprehensive that their Seer would be their last, there was some hope. Perhaps if Cloud ever have offspring then it could pass along to them. And as the years passed as he began to develop from his training the forge, Cloud began to notice how everyone treated him.

He felt like he was some rare honeycomb dangling in front of everyone. Really, he had to thank his mother for that. He inherited her face. If a bit sharper, a nudge more masculine.

The blond hair. However his had the tendency to spike up. And nothing he did could tame them. So he let them be. Which prompted all of the chocobo jokes.

And then lastly were his eyes.

It was difficult to say whether they resembled the sea or the sky. The few who were close to him knew what kind of mood he was in by his eyes.

If he was broody, then they were deep. Unforgiving and strangely mysterious as the sea. The rare times he wasn't in a mood, they were more akin to the sky when a storm cleared.

Upon nearing his sixteenth summer, Cloud knew it will be only a matter of time before people began to hand him gifts in the hopes to sway him. It didn't matter if it was man or woman. Although the village agreed it would be better with a woman in order to produce offspring who can replace the Seer.

However, Cloud showed no interest. With anyone. He seemed indifferent even with the two most popular girls. Tifa was the daughter of the jarl. Jessie was the daughter of a farmer, but she had talent for a shieldmaiden to rival Tifa.

To Cloud, they were simply friends. If barely that. He was most wary around Tifa, given the fact her father is known to be the most disappointed that Cloud didn't share in his mother's gifts.

So because of that he had to hold Jessie at an arm's length too. Cloud wasn't one for stirring drama. Let alone show favorites. Although if he had a choice, it would be Tifa simply because she had an eye for reading his moods somehow.

But it wasn't enough to gain his interest.

If anything Cloud thought of Tifa as his sister. Jessie was more of the annoying cousin who wouldn't leave him alone. Given she was a few years younger. But he wasn't so sure if that justified her clingy behavior.

And then there were some of the men.

None of them caught any interest from Cloud. However he couldn't help but eye the muscles as they practiced their axe swings. So far he pulled it off as admiration that the weapons he created in the forge for the reason behind the stares.

To be fair, Cloud was growing to be popular making weapons and armor. He had every right to scrutinize all of his works once they were freshly made. He was a well known perfectionist.

Then, as his name day drew close, Cloud began to have strange dreams. He wouldn't remember them at first. But he would always awoke in a sheet of sweat.

"Everything all right, Stormcloud?" His mother picked up on this after a week of him being awoken in distress.

"I'm fine." Cloud brushed it off.

He knew she didn't believe him. But what can he even describe what was wrong when he didn't even know himself? She must have sensed this for she let it go.

Until the dreams became so vivid.

Cloud stood in the middle of Nibelheim. And it was burning. All of it. The people, the buildings. Burning so hotly and bright that it was blinding. He could feel the heat on his skin. Inhale the smoke into his lungs.

And beyond him some several feet was a figure. Tall, taller than anyone Cloud had ever seen before. He couldn't see a face for the figure had their back turned to him. But he did make out long silver hair.

At first he thought it was a trick of the light. But there was no denying the distinguishing feature. It stood out due to the blackest of black outfit and armor.

Cloud stood frozen in fear. Despite the heat he felt his veins grow cold. It was a strange sensation. On his skin he felt overheated. Yet underneath he was frozen as a lake in the harsh winter.

Yet he felt a growing hatred. It rose higher than the flames that surrounded them. Burned hotter than the fires of a forge. Never had Cloud felt so much hate in his bones. It was dizzying.

Slowly the figure half turned. And Cloud couldn't distinguish more features when his heart had enough. He awoke screaming loud enough the whole village awoke in panic.

The jarl rushed to their hut as the Seer calmed her son. Cloud frantically pushed away as more shieldmaidens and brothers followed the jarl, expecting the worst.

Only to find Cloud coming to curled up in a corner. His eyes wide with desperate fear. His breathing erratic as if he ran to escape for his life. The blond refused touch from his own mother for several minutes as he slowly calmed from the nightmare.

"What is going on?" The jarl angrily inquired when the fear was mostly gone from Cloud's eyes.

"I think, my lord, he had his first vision in a dream." The Seer knew it.

"...Well then, I'll leave you to your work with him. Once he's fully calmed down send him to the longhouse." The jarl turned and left, the other shieldmaidens and brothers followed.

When everyone left Cloud still found it hard to breathe. Every breath was heavy and labored. It took him a moment to realize a cup was brought to his lips. Gratefully he swallowed the cold water.

"Tell me the dream, Stormcloud." His mother insisted with a kindness. Yet there was worry in her eyes.

"The - the village was burning. Everything. Everyone. I stood in the middle. I see the silhouette of someone wearing black clothes and armor. They had long silver hair. I felt - felt so scared. And yet a hatred burned in me greater than the flames. But soon as they turned to me I couldn't - "

Cloud looked away. He couldn't be brave. It was evident that he shrieked loud enough to wake the whole village. His whole body trembled as he recalled the dream that was so vivid.

He distinctively heard his mother leaving. Then he heard the slightly rushed crushing of herbs. It snapped Cloud out of one panic and straight into another. He rushed towards the sound to confirm she was making a concoction.

"No - no please!" Cloud knew what she aimed to do.

"You have to learn more of what this vision means."

"But - "

"If I don't push it on you now the jarl will demand of it. You know this. At least this will save us a bit of time from being forced to do this."

He gulped. Cloud knew it true. Still he was terrified. Why did it take so long for him to start having these visions? What did it mean? Who was the person in his dream?

As he pondered she finished. The bowl was placed in his hands. They held it delicately. And before Cloud could chicken out of this decision he gulped down the bitter concoction.

Cloud felt his body collapse not long after.

When he opened his eyes again he was standing as before with the village burning. The heat, the smoke, the roaring of the flames was just as intense as before. In front of him Cloud fixated on the figure.

Definitely a man. Now that he had time to examine the armor he could identify the gender. And some sick part of him admired the craftsmanship.

The figure beckoned Cloud closer.

To his horror Cloud felt his body obey. Yet the hatred he felt earlier came back. It was as if his body and mind were separate. His body obeyed this man while his mind watched in horror.

Together they left the village behind. They began traversing up a mountain path. Cloud glared heatedly at the back of the man's head. So far he hadn't got a good look at the face and he wasn't sure if it was good or bad.

Climbing this mountain was tiring. Still they continued onward. There was a strange determination to reach the top. And what felt like an eternity they did reach.

Cloud couldn't help but gasp. It was like they stood at the top of the world. Together side by side as equals. This felt strange somehow, when before Cloud was forced to come along behind the stranger.

Finally he looked up to meet the greenest of green eyes. Bright and yet dark at the same instance. Cloud was so hyper focused he still didn't study the face very well. He was too enchanted by those other worldly eyes.

Then a wing sprang out of the man's back. The movement startled Cloud. It was enough he would have fallen off the edge. Until a hand grasped his wrist.

Cloud steadied himself and the hand let go. He watched as the figure flew. He didn't get far before returning to float before the blond. And with a smirk the mysterious man held out his hand.

Cloud stared.

Then he awoke with a strangled noise in his throat. His body was overly hot and drenched in sweat. His lungs screamed for air and Cloud forced his body to function and breathe.

Cool water touched his lips and Cloud gulped as much as he could muster. He didn't care how he looked at the moment. It was a welcome to help ease the heat in his body.

And then he was exhausted. Cloud felt horrible for doing this, but he laid back down. Before he could drift away to hopefully a dreamless sleep his mother spoke.

"I need you to tell me what you saw. I'll relay to the jarl while you rest."

Weakly Cloud mumbled everything. When he was done he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. The last thing he felt was his mother's hand on his sweaty forehead.