PROLOGUE

The lake had remained untouched inspite of the terrible catastrophe that struck the earth two months ago. It’s crystaline waters sparkled blue and green under the ribbons of light that barely penetrated the tall thick trees. A beautiful shell-shaped structure stood in solitaire on the lakeside like a guardian. A mysterious place filled with an Ancient knowledge. This is the place where the light of hope was born during the earth’s darkest hour.

He saw her smiling at him , and he smiled back. She was on her flower bed, kneeling, praying, like the last time he saw her. She held out her hand to him and he felt himself running up the steps to meet her peaceful green eyes and to hold her in his arms before they were separated again.

"Aerith!" Cloud called as he raced up the seemingly eternal staircase. The scenery of the lake and the shell-shaped structure faded away into space and only the stairway and the lovely angel was all he could see. Then a blinding flash of light tore away his vision and he found himself lying down on his bed. He sat up and looked around. "A..dream..?" Cloud murmured in disappointment.

He was back at the Villa Strife in Costa Del Sol which they had made as their home base since Midgar was almost destroyed by Meteor. He lay down once again and stared at the ceiling his thoughts drifted from events from the past to his battle with Sephiroth and Meteor and to their recent victory against the Ruby and Emerald Weapon. Then his thoughts focused on Aerith, the girl who prayed for Holy, the girl whose courage saved the earth. Cloud remembered opening his eyes and being greeted with an angelic vision. Her face, her smile, her gentle touch, the scent of her flowers, her cheerfulness and her honesty, he was surely going to miss. He pounded his fist against the bed, he knew he was never going to see her again and it was all because of him. Although Cloud understood her great sacrifice for the sake of the planet, sometimes he still longed for her company. He didn’t understand why, but then there was always Tifa, his childhood friend who was always there for him. He cared for her very much, too, however he could not seem to let go of Aerith, he still could not accept her death.

A soft knock at the door interrupted Cloud’s thoughts and a tall dark man entered the room. "You better hurry up and check out the news, kid, some guy called Marduke Racoon just purchased the Shinra Mansion at Nivelheim." He said roughly.

Cloud lay back on his bed and continued to stare on the ceiling. "So, what’s that got to do with me, Barret?" he replied coldly.

Barret’s fist shook a little. He hated Cloud’s ‘I don’t care attitude’ from the first mission they went on. "Well," he said in a low voice. " Racoon’s throwing a party and is gonna exhibit the artifacts he excavated recently." Cloud continued to stare at the ceiling as Barret spoke, not finding the news interesting at all. "Anyway, the guy knows Cid and we’ve all been invited." Barret continued holding out a white envelope and tossing it on the bed beside Cloud.

"I don’t want to go back to Nivelheim." Cloud said firmly, glancing at Barret from the side of his eye. "Besides, I don’t care much about parties now, I want to rest." Again, Barret felt like slamming his fist down the boys spiky yellow head, but calmed himself with a smile. "Alright then, guess we’ll all be going without you." He said as he headed for the door.

"Oh, by the way, if you should know…" Barret stopped and looked at Cloud, "Racoon’s main exhibit is the Black Materia." The room shook as the dark man slammed the door close as he left.

"Shit…" Cloud whispered, spooked by the news. The Black Materia was supposed to have been destroyed together with Seohiroth and Meteor. How did that man find it? What was he going to do with it and why? He sat up on the bed and put his head on his hands, frustrated. Sephiroth used the Black Materia to summon Meteor, now at another greedy man’s hands what would happen to the earth? Cloud stood up and strapped his sword on his back and headed outside where the others were waiting. He had to see things for himself and if there should ever be any trouble, they were the only ones who could help.