Chapter 3 - Siren's Efforts
"My, this is quite the revelation," she said, almost as though to herself.
"Is that what you call it, Shiva? I can think of other words," came the inevitable reply.
"Hmm? I was not aware you knew of many words to begin with, Ifrit."
"You dare accuse me of having a lack of words, when your favored will remain silent for days if he can get away with it?" Ifrit snarled.
"He is stoic. I can think of no one better to wield my frozen power," Shiva countered simply.
"The conversation is getting out of hand, surely we can discuss the new boy to our land?" sang a sweet new voice.
Ifrit growled but did not argue. "How did he get here? Where did he even come from!"
"I believe," said Shiva, "that that is what we were trying to figure out before you lost your cool and Siren had to silence your tirade."
"It is irrelevant how he got here. What matters is what we're going to do about this. Do you not sense his power?" wheezed a fourth voice into the mix.
"Yes, yes I do," snarled Ifrit, "It is unlike anything I have sensed before. But, it is even human?"
"I highly doubt it," wheezed the voice. "But, I intend to make him my chosen."
"That would be very unwise, Diablos. That power you sense is his faith. If he is not from this world, that very power may pose health concerns," Shiva warned.
"If his faith is as strong as we think it is, it will carry him through it," Diablos wheezed.
"Has being in that lamp of yours crushed your brain?" Ifrit roared.
Siren laughed musically. "Oh, his faith is strong, this much is true. But, you won't consume him. He'll consume you.
"What are you prattling about?" the time god wheezed.
"To junction a boy not from our world, with faith like his, will cause you to unfurl."
"Besides, Diablos, home your senses in a little deeper. He has already been claimed," said Shiva.
"Yes. I can sense it now. But, it is not by one that I recognize."
"Are you suggesting there is a Guardian we don't know about?" snarled Ifrit.
"I think for now, we should let things be. And later on? Well, we shall wait and see," sang Siren "I mean, we're going in circles and nothing will stick, but I find that time often does the trick."
"I suppose we have no choice," Shiva said with a sigh. "We need to know more."
"Then I shall leave it in your capable hands," wheezed Diablos as his presence faded from the group.
Ifrit let out one last snarl before he too faded.
"Good luck, child, you'll need it." Shiva said before she faded as well.
Siren stayed where she was a moment longer. She focused her senses thoroughly on the boy, trying to get a read on what power may have claimed him. In the end, she had deduced nothing, but did make one tiny discovery. "You have such strong faith but little else. You possess no strength to defend yourself."
Siren sighed sadly, and was about to fade away when an idea struck her. "I wonder..."
She took a deep breath and let out an unearthly call. One that only she, with her voice, was capable of. It rang out into the darkness and across the ages, calling, calling for the Guardian that she did not know. The one who had claimed their wanderer so far from home.
She waited until the last of her echoes faded into silence. She waited for a long time thereafter. Still she waited to see if anything had heard her call and had come looking. But nothing happened. No mythical Guardian came.
"As I figured, but it was worth a try. There are not many who can escape my cry.
And then she faded too.
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Zell was getting angry. Van had told them his story of how he came to end up here, and Squall had the fucking audacity to make him tell it again about 6 more times to see if he could poke any holes in it.
Apparently, the Commander had become convinced the kid was an international spy out to steal the secrets of Balamb Garden.
"Alright, one more time from the top," said Squall. "Last time. I promise." he added seeing Van's face fall.
"No. No more times. He's done." snapped Zell, coming to Van's defence. "What the hell is wrong with you, man? Why are you being such an arrogant prick?"
"Because, Zell, some of us have responsibility and take our jobs seriously." Squall snapped right back.
Zell looked like he might have well been slapped. Admittedly, Squall did feel a little bad for taking it that far. But, he wasn't going to voice that.
"Stop it, both of you! I am not a spy nor do I give a damn about your military fighting center-"
"Training center," corrected Quistis.
"Thank you, training center. But, I will not sit idly by and watch two friends, who have known each other for upwards of ten years, might I add-"
"13 years," offered Quistis.
"Thank you, more than 10 years, rip at each other like a pair of wild dogs because they can't agree on whether or not I'm a terrorist. Now, both of you, apologize to each other!"
Van looked furious. Squall looked just as furious and was glaring daggers at the kid. Zell didn't know what to say or look. He also didn't think it mattered as someone just told- no, demanded-the Commander apologize to someone else. Zell didn't know whether to laugh or pick up the kid and run.
Squall could see that the kid wasn't going to budge on this. Van stood his ground and glared down the commander of Garden like a child who had stolen a cookie before supper. Either the kid was delusional, or he had some serious power that he was hiding under his soft features.
"...Whatever. I'm sorry I snapped at you Zell." Squall turned around and walked back over to his chair behind his desk.
Zell's eyes went wide. No way. There is no fucking way that kid just got the 'Prince of Ice', Squall Leonheart to apologize...by scolding him! He forced a quick recovery before Squall realized the same thing and returned the apology. "Hey man, I'm sorry too. I just feel bad for Van having to wake up somewhere he doesn't know, and then get treated like he's gonna blow up the place."
"I'm glad you're friends again," hummed Van. But, if you'll excuse me, I really need to get back home. Could someone here point me to the outside? My prayers don't work in here because you guys put powerful anti-magic spells into your walls."
Squall blinked. "What are you talking about? We can't put magic into walls."
"You didn't? Then how did you get your barriers up all over the place? My magic is weak here," asked Van.
"Your magic? You mean your para-magic?" Zell looked at him curiously.
"What is para-magic? I'm talking about plain ol', everyday magic. You know?"
"Look, kid," Squall started, as he placed his hand to his forehead, "magic doesn't exist. It's para-magic or nothing."
"Magic...doesn't exist? Oh no. How far back in time have I been sent?"
Zell noticed the kid starting to look a little panicked and tried to calm him down. He walked over and placed his arm around his shoulders-Hyne, he smelled good-and gave him a gentle shake. "Hey, hey slow down. Breathe. What do you mean, back in time?"
"Th-the Temporal Phase. I thought it just warped me to somewhere else, but, it sent me back in time! I have to get out of here."
Van shrugged Zell off of him and dropped to his knees. "Oh, holy Goddess, hear my prayer."
Van brought his clasped hands out in front of him and unlinked them. He made a shape of a cup and began gathering light into it. It glowed slowly and very dimly. He snapped his hands upwards, changing the cup to into flat palms and the light burst outwards. Van's form shimmered...and then the light died completely.
"What's going on?" Van cried. "This...this can't be happening." Even if he had been sent back in time, his Goddess was endless. She should still hear his prayers...unless...
"I...haven't been sent back in time...I've been sent to a different timeline. My Goddess..doesn't exist here."
Van silently thanked the fact that he was already on his knees, because he was sure his legs wouldn't support him right now. The cold hard truth of the matter slammed into his gut like a lead weight. He was alone. Completely alone.
