Cloud walked cautiously through the towering trees of the dense forest, each step muffled by the damp earth beneath his boots. The sky above was a blanket of dark clouds, casting eerie shadows across the twisted branches.

Barret had sent him to scout the area after reports surfaced of strange disappearances and unsettling complaints from those who ventured near. Locals spoke of voices in the dark, flickering lights, and a sense of being watched. Naturally, the group assumed this had Shinra's fingerprints all over it—who else would be meddling with nature in such a sinister way?

And so, here Cloud was, navigating the stillness of the forest, every nerve on edge. He expected to find a Shinra outpost or maybe a lurking Turk agent. But instead...

He stopped.

There, just ahead, sat a figure on the forest floor. Cloud narrowed his eyes, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his Buster Sword. The air was suddenly thick with something foul. Wet. Metallic.

The figure made a horrible sound—something between the tearing of cloth and the crunch of raw meat. As Cloud crept closer, he saw more clearly.

It was a girl.

From behind, you looked small—young even. Your back was smeared with dirt, streaked with scratches and blood. Your skin was pale, and you didn’t seem to be wearing any clothes. But what truly made Cloud freeze in his tracks wasn’t your state... it was what you were doing.

You was eating a person.

Cloud took a slow, involuntary step backward. His heart thudded painfully in his chest.

“What the hell…?” Cloud muttered under his breath, eyes wide.

Then, raising his voice, he barked out, “Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

In a single swift motion, Cloud reached forward and grabbed your shoulder, spinning you around to face him.