The Awakening of the Dark Harbinger is the twelfth episode of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-. The episode depicts the Nibelheim Incident from the perspective of the Turks: Zack Fair, Sephiroth, and Cloud Strife travel to Nibelheim and are guided by Tifa Lockhart, though what Sephiroth sees in the Nibel Reactor causes him to have a breakdown before burning down the town.
Story[]
Called in due to reports of the staff manning the Nibel Reactor disappearing, Tseng pilots the Player Turk to the Nibelheim mountains where they were supposed to parachute to the reactor, but a rogue wind causes them to parachute off course. Forced to traverse the mountainside the Player Turk comes across Tifa Lockhart chasing after her cat.
Following the discovery of multiple dragons around the reactor, the Player Turk falls back to Nibelheim to await further instructions. Taking Tifa with her/him, the ropeway back to town is destroyed by a dragon, forcing the pair to traverse the rest of the way on foot.
When Sephiroth and his company are sent in to deal with the monsters, the Player Turk recruits Tifa to guide them up the mountain. Following the investigation party's return, Sephiroth locks himself away in his hotel room for several days until coming out and massacring the town. Leaving to return to the reactor, the Player Turk follows after him, clearing the path along the way for the incoming Shinra forces.
After confronting Sephiroth, the Player Turk is knocked unconscious, coming to when Cloud arrives. As Cloud goes after Sephiroth deeper in the reactor, the Player Turk looks over Tifa until Zangan arrives to take her away. The Player Turk witnesses Cloud's stand and Sephiroth jumping into the mako pit and informs Tseng of the events.