Clouded Horizons

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Clouded Horizons is a series of Final Fantasy fanfics created by Nightfire04 (AKA TV troper Nightfire). It currently[when?] consists of three stories, two of which are complete and one which is ongoing.

Final Fantasy X: Destiny's Call

Destiny's Call is the first story in the Clouded Horizons series. It is a self-insertion story set in the Final Fantasy X universe, and details the adventures of sixteen year-old Benji Powell through the world of Spira. It is also mostly a novelization.

It can be read at Fanfiction.net here.

Since the story's completion, the author has begun rewriting the story due to a feeling of sub-par writing and the five or so years of experience they've gained since then, a revision they have titled Chronicles of the Chosen. That, too, is available on Fanfiction.net here.

Tropes present in Destiny's Call and Chronicles of the Chosen:

Final Fantasy X-2: Eternal Requiem

The second story in the Clouded Horizons series, Eternal Requiem is also a combination self-insert/novelization-esque fic that follows the events of Final Fantasy X-2 as Benji returns to Spira after a brief time back on Earth to assist Yuna and her new-found friends once again. The story tries to expand on the world, but the author believes it failed, and considers this story to be the weakest link of the three, with mediocre writing and planning. Currently, a rewrite is planned, but has not been posted at the present time.

It can be read at Fanfiction.net here.

Tropes present in Eternal Requiem:
  • Old Shame - While it seemed to have decent amounts of success online, the author believes that they tried to do a myriad amount of things with the story, but failed.
  • Self-Insert Fic

Final Fantasy VIII: Dimensional Legend

The third story in the Clouded Horizons series begins in Spira six months after the end of Eternal Requiem with the opening of a new annual fighting tournament in Luca, but soon after expands into something much larger than that as the reason behind Ben's travels is revealed and expanded on. Soon after, he finds himself in the world of post-game Final Fantasy VIII and winds up in the middle of situations much larger than he expected. This story is the largest of the three; the author expects it to exceed roughly a thousand pages in Microsoft Word when complete.

It can be read at Fanfiction.net here. Currently, 58 chapters are posted.

Tropes present in Dimensional Legend:
  • Aloof Big Brother - Katanas DeValle is this to his brothers, sometimes, but Revolver DeValle fits the trope a little bit better despite being the middle child.
  • An Ice Person - Ben is this (more so later than early on), as is Yuki Kurabasa.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking - Present with the Gilead Order; Arragious Nicholai is the former Captain-Commander of the Order, and he's proven more than capable of taking on a Pillar of Reality in an even fight.
  • Brainwashed and Crazy - Seemingly, Ben, as of chapter 58.
  • Color Coded for Your Convenience - Members of the Ethereal Magi wear colored sashes to indicate their ranking within the hierarchy. From lowest to highest, the ranks are: Black - Apprentice, Green - Templar, Red - Vindicator (equal with Judicator), Blue - Judicator (equal with Vindicator), Purple - Prelate, Orange - Praetor, Gold - Executor (only one).
  • Evasive Fight Thread Episode - Set up between Angel and Ben in chapter 6, All or Nothing - their fight is interrupted by the appearance of fiends in Luca Stadium during the last round of the SFA Grand Championship. As of chapter 58, What Lies Beneath, averted; they're poised to go at it again in chapter 59.
  • Filler Arc - The first 10 chapters of the story, detailing the SFA Grand Championship, serve as both this and an introduction to the story. Chapters 34 to 39 also detail a filler arc involving a takeover of the Galbadian government's main complex.
  • Flash Step - Kari Inihara, as a former member of the Order of Grim Angels, is capable of doing this. Etchel Beoulve also proves he can do it too by saving Kari's life at the end of chapter 56.
  • Jumped At the Call - Ben did this at the start of Destiny's Call, and has been doing it ever since with every call. Thankfully, he's also been careful to not jump off a cliff in the process.
  • Mega Crossover: Characters and ideas from many other games, anime, books, and movies - Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, Riviera: The Promised Land, and .hack//G.U. are just a few. Whether it works well or not is up for debate.
  • My Kung Fu Is Stronger Than Yours - The entire series, really, given how much inspiration was derived from Shonen anime and the like.
  • Now It's My Turn - Rubedo Alaberti does this to his opponents once he's finished examining their fighting style during combat. Manes found this out the hard way during his first fight with Rubedo.

Rubedo: I've watched you long enough. Now it's my turn.

  • Original Character - Plenty. There are many, many OCs in this story, split between the author himself and his co-authors.
  • Self-Insert Fic - In a sense; while Ben is in the game worlds of both Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VIII, he isn't joining the game's plot or characters; both universes are now post-game (or games, in the case of the former).
  • Story Arc - This story will be much longer than the others in the series, and it is divided into a number of different story arcs, or "Parts," each within one of three "Books":
    • Book I: Mortal Conflict
      • Part I: A Hero's Challenge: Chapters 1 - 14; details the SFA Grand Championship and the journey from Spira to Gaia, as well as some of the acclimation to the new world.
      • Part II: The Zodiac Brave Story: Chapters 15 - 33; details the plans of the first Pillar of Reality, Fayt, to kill Freya's newest Planeswalker and use the resulting fallout to usurp her position as Creator of the Ethereal Plane.
      • Part III: Element of Treachery: Chapters 34 - 48; details an insurgent event in Galbadia that leads to the takeover of the Presidential Palace, as well as the revenge-driven plans of the second Pillar of Reality, Destine.
      • Part IV: Dissension in the Ranks: Chapters 49 - current; details the return of the Gilead Order's exiled leader, Arragious Nicholai, to the Ethereal Plane and his plans to enact vengeance on those responsible.
  • Talking Is a Free Action - Averted in chapter 55, Overcast, when Tetsuya Kurabasa gets cut off from speaking by Kirce Valtroux, courtesy of an Alchemical lightning bolt that pierces his lung.
  • The Rival - Darius DeValle to Ben, at least for most of the story.
  • Tournament Arc - The SFA Grand Championship, which was created for the story itself and did not happen in the original events, serves as this trope.
  • Villainous Breakdown - Kirce Valtroux went through a short and continually-escalating one in chapter 55, Overcast, culminating when Yuki Kurabasa used a Limit Break on her for attacking her brother, right before Rinoa Heartilly showed up and scared her off with a single word.

Kirce: You. Can't. Beat. Me! You're just kids! Weak, arrogant kids that need to learn a lesson!

  • What the Hell, Hero? - A minor example, but Yuna takes an opportunity during a conversation between herself and Ben in chapter 57, The Ties That Bind, to call him out on his increasingly distant attitude towards his friends.

Yuna: We see you every so often, but you don’t stop and talk as much as you used to – you’ve always got something to do, somewhere to be...
Ben: I know, but...it's important-
Yuna: More important than your friends?

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