Chapter 7 - Blessed are the Meek...
Van woke up in a cold sweat. His hair was plastered around his face and he was gasping for air.
His dream had started off so pleasantly, he knew but he couldn't remember, and then...it had gotten worse.
He tried to recall the dream-any of it- but just couldn't. The details were trickling away faster than he could hold onto them.
That's when he heard it.
"Singing? At this hour?"
It was definitely singing. A girl, by the sounds of it. And it was so beautiful and so sad.
Van got out of his bed, expecting the song to stop once his feet hit the cold floor and really woke him up, but it didn't. He walked towards his door and was about to hit the Open button on the keypad, when the door slid open as though it was expecting him.
Van walked out into the corridor and noticed the song was a little louder. Either that or he was just getting closer.
He followed it down the hallways and through the Garden until it led him right outside of the Library.
The song was louder now. Whoever was singing was definitely in this room.
Van walked into the dark Library, and noticed a dim, flickering light coming from over there, just out of sight around some bookshelves.
"Who the fuck is reading and singing in the middle of the night?" he thought to himself, incredulously.
He followed the light around the shelf...and saw no one.
The only thing that was here was an empty table, save for one book on it.
But, the book was glowing.
Van walked up to it, still hearing the song, and went to open the cover.
As soon as his fingers touched it both the song, and the light died completely, plunging Van into complete darkness.
He fumbled around for a moment and, after whacking his shin off a table leg which he cursed in a very unsaintly manner, he found a light and turned it on.
He looked back at the book and sat down in a chair at the table. The book had no title. Still rubbing his shin, he opened the cover and immedietly heard the song again.
Van began to read.
...and read
...and read.
Minutes turned to hours in the blink of an eye as the song captivated him, possessed him. Whatever power the song had held him tight, and didn't let go until Van had read the final word in the book.
Then the song stopped.
And Van smiled.
********************************************************************0****************************************************************
"Argh, just listen!" Van exclaimed, barely able to contain himself.
Squall took a deep breath, and motioned for Van to continue.
"I was doing some reading, and...I think I've figured out a way to get back home!"
Quistis blinked. "Reading?"
"Yes, in your library. It was a book on G...er, GFs? Apparently, these creatures are what serves as gods in your world. They all have different powers, etc. etc. SO, I was thinking of harnessing their power, to transport myself back to my own timeline!"
Van had left out the fact that a mystic song had led him to the book which gave him his knowledge. He didn't want to seem completely insane.
"And, you're sure this plan of yours will work?" asked Squall.
"According to what I've read, there shouldn't be a reason it wouldn't. I just need 6 people to assist me with it."
"Six?" Quistis asked. "Why six?"
"Six GFs are required for the ritual. So, one person to summon each GF. But, each has to be summoned at the right time. So, I need 6 people who are willing to take directions from me."
Squall pondered.
"Well," said Quistis, "I suppose it couldn't hurt to try. We can have Selphie and Irvine help. Zell, myself and you, Squall, make five. Rinoa could make up the sixth?"
"Not Rinoa. Seifer." Squall argued.
"Seifer is as likely to take directions as you are," Quistis countered. "I'd rather this plan have a chance of working."
"I can take directions."
The three turned their heads to the door where Seifer was leaning against it casually.
Quistis looked ready to tear his head off for eavesdropping but Van had already moved in.
"You'll help me! Oh, thank you!"
Van ran up to Seifer and gave him a hug.
Quistis, Squall, and hell, even Seifer himself looked stunned.
"Er, yeah, sure...no problem," Seifer sputtered.
"Oh, this is so great. I'm going to get to go home. Okay, let's call everybody. I want to start right away!"
********************************************************************0****************************************************************
A page had gone out summoning the required individuals to Squall's office. The group had shown up within 15 minutes, with the exception of Zell.
"Shall I go collect him, myself?" Quistis asked.
"Uh...I don't think Zell is gonna come," Van said, a little sheepishly.
"Why?"
"We, sorta...uhm..."
"Zell was bein' bullheaded last night, and him and Van had a few words," drawled Irvine, coming to Van's rescue.
"Oh..." started Quistis, glancing at Squall.
Squall sighed and walked back to his desk and hit his PA.
"Rinoa Heartily, please report to the Commander's office immedietly."
Squall came back over to rejoin the group looking less than thrilled, "Happy now?"
Quistis smiled politely.
A few moments later, there was a knock at the door, which then opened. A woman dressed in blue came walking in, "You called for me?"
Van turned to see the new person and was floored. She is so pretty.
Everyone turned to look at him.
"Er...did I say that out loud?" Van said, blushing.
Rinoa giggled. "Well, yes. But, thank you. You must be Van. I've alot about you this past week."
Van smiled but didn't know what to say. No one had told him about her.
She seemed to read his facial expression and just laughed. "Don't worry about it. I haven't been feeling very well for a while so I keep to myself mostly."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"Anyways," Squall interrupted, "I have work to do, so, what now?"
"Right, yes, well-" Van started, taking a step back to incorporate Rinoa into the circle and almost tripping over his hair in the process.
Seifer reached out a hand to steady him, which Van returned with a sheepish smile.
Selphie glared at Seifer who acted as though nothing had happened.
"As I was saying, each of you need to juncture-"
"Junction," corrected Quistis.
"Thank you, junction, a specific GF. Then we need to go somewhere with lots of space, preferably outdoors. Whereupon I will signal each of you in turn to summon your respective GF," explained Van.
Squall sighed. This was going to take longer than he thought.
********************************************************************0****************************************************************
The group had gathered in the fields outside of Garden, having equipped the proper GFs. Quistis and Squall stood facing each other, some 30 feet apart.
"Okay, everyone know what they need to do? Just watch for my signals if you get confused at any point." said Van.
"Alright," said Quistis, "so, Squall and I are to start things off?"
"Whenever you're ready. Rinoa, be on standby, your GF's timing is a bit difficult," Van said over his shoulder to Rinoa who was in the direct center of Commander and the Second-in-Command, and off to the side.
"Right."
"Okaaaay. Let's go!"
"Queen of the Frozen Oceans, I summon Thee!"
Squall's form faded away and Shiva appeared in his place.
"I am ready," she stated.
"Prince of the Blazing Pit, bring your flames here!"
Quistis, too, faded away leaving ifrit where she once stood.
"Excited, Shiva? Before long we shall-"
"Enough, Ifrit. Let us begin."
Both Ifrit and Shiva unleashed their powers upon each other. Ifrit's flames and Shiva's frost charged toward the opposite and collided in the center. Both being gods, and being each others opposite, however, they were perfect matches, and could not beat the other.
"Now, I summon Quezacotl to contain their energy, right?" asked Rinoa.
"Not yet! Wait-" cried Van, his eyes never leaving the slowing growing orb of coalescing energy.
The ball got bigger and bigger and began swirling faster and faster. Tendrils of fire and of ice began flaring off of it and streaking away.
Still it got bigger and faster, and still Van said nothing. Irvine was sure it was going to be too late; that the ball had grown out of control..
"Now!"
"Lord of the Skies, strike your thunder here!
Rinoa faded away, and the graceful form of the lightning god took her place. It spat it's bolt of lightning which wrapped around the ball and spread into a weblike net of crackling currents.
The fire and ice energy raged within it's constraints, but the lightning never yielded.
"Go Siefer!"
"Right. Entity of Space and Time, bring your dark magic to me!"
Siefer faded, and Diablos floated down and into view.
He pointed at the ball while charging up his own magic with his other hand. The ball came flying toward him and, when impact seemed certain, he cast his spell.
The ball was consumed, it's energy fueling the spell Diablos had spun, and a gate appeared before them all, tearing a hole through space and time.
"My turn, huh, darlin'?
Van nodded at the cowboy.
"Lady of the Voice, let's hear yer song. Come on down!"
Irvine vanished, and Siren took up his place.
Before she even opened her mouth, Van knew this was the girl he had heard singing last night. The one who guided him...
Siren took a deep breath. "Hear my notes, my verse, my chord. Come, Selenia, and collect what it yours," she sang.
Her voice, as only hers could do, drifted through the gate and retained enough power as to be not torn apart by the ebb and flow of time.
"Right, now Selphie!"
"Oh, right! Here I go! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...Wooo wooo! Doomtrain!"
As she disappeared out of sight, Doomtrain erupted into existence. "IMPUDENT GIRRRRLLLL!" it bellowed, as it torn through the gate.
All was silent as Van stood among the GFs, watching. Ifrit and Shiva both vanished returning their summoners to their place.
Van still waited, staring into the gate.
Quezacotl and Diablos faded as well, leaving Rinoa and Seifer behind.
Still Van waited.
Eventually Siren had to go, and returned Irvine to his rightful home.
Van bit his lip.
Nothing was happening. The gate still stood there, ominously. Threatening to devour any who dared enter it. Doomtrain had still not come back, and, subsequently, neither could Selphie.
Van slid to his knees and began to pray.
Wooooooo.
Van's eyes snapped opened as the oncoming sound of a rushing train filled the area. The source of the noise burst out of the gate and flew off into the sky. Doomtrain completed a large loop and descended back towards the waiting group where it gently touched the ground and came to a stop.
The whistle sounded one last time, and a jet of steam was released as the it's door slid open.
And out walked a woman
Van's eyes flooded with tears.
Selenia.