Author's Note: I did not drop off the face of the planet. College sucks for free time, as I have stated before.

---

Chapter 7: Those who strike at time and fate

---

Several months later…

I am losing my mind.

This is no simple statement of utter despair and hopelessness at the thought of losing the one I once so gracefully loved to be gone in the recesses of time to never be seen in the light of mortal eyes.

This is no statement of grief and insanity for all the lives I have destroyed with my hands, whether bare or calling upon the forces of the cosmos to do my bidding as I sat in my dark fortress waiting for the hell spawn to come so I could take him down.

No, I am losing my mind for reasons I cannot explain. I remember things that I do not recall witnessing, I see things that have not happened, and there are people that I cannot place a name to, who know me as if they had been studying me.

I have been stalked, beaten, broken down, brought back up, and forced to love my own adversary of many years.

I have done the most amazing things with someone that I had not even considered doing such… pleasurable activities with.

And yet, I have not.

I will not let these events beat me, whether they really happened or not. I will not let a scourge of the mind wear my body to nothing. I will fight it with every fiber; every ounce of being that I have to stand against the growing adversity within the dark recesses of my mind and overcome the absolute terror that has befallen me.

The black wind howls, but it howls not for me.

Something is coming… something…

---

Commander's Log… supplemental…

During a routine check up of the SQUENIX sector, various anomalous readings caused our path to deter from what was originally scheduled. While most would see this as an erroneous sensor echo, I am not so quick to believe such a dissuading statement.

While not much has happened since the first readings of the anomalies, perhaps there may be something that brings this confusion to light. Or perhaps we are merely chasing ghosts through the SQUENIX sector, alterations that never truly die, echoes of sensor readings that may have happened years ago when the FFN first sent a vessel to this area.

Whatever the case, the crew is seasoned from the tactical data thanks to Sir Edrick Wardde, who was recently put in charge of all missions involving alterations. His work has been busy, but I am sure he is fine.

Though I wish I were still serving under him… what must be, must be.

- Commander Xraig Standell

---

"Sir, the anomalous readings have returned."

Xraig motioned to the operations officer.

"Mr. Bates, what can you tell me about the readings?"

"They are very faint, as if they are being shielded."

The commander put a hand to his chin, stroking his goatee.

"Shielding technology? Perhaps there is some kind of flaw within it that is causing our sensors to pick up on alterations through the shield."

"Or maybe… someone wants us to notice these alterations?"

Xraig turned to the new voice.

"Enisgn Lairb?"

The creator of Marx nodded.

"I am just saying, sir, this could very well be a trap."

Xraig nodded.

"You are right to be cautious, Ensign, but we must also be swift to deal with these problems."

He motioned to the operations officer, who began keying in commands.

Mr. Bates nodded briefly, before the main screen began to show a faded image, which slowly began to clear.

A smoking crater, where Guardia castle once stood, showed all that was left of a great civilization. Suddenly, the scene shifted, a forest fully grown, as if the castle had not existed at all.

"Hypothesis, Mr. Bates?"

"The alterations are being done on a small scale, I guess the perpetrators of the alterations are making changes to the past in order to keep us from finding them."

Xraig motioned to the forest, "I would say that is a hell of a good sign as to what direction they may be moving to."

Suddenly, the castle reappeared.

"Or… not?"

Mr. Bates coughed, "Perhaps… they are having an argument?"

"It's like waiting in line at a fast food restaurant, and you get stuck behind the asshat who doesn't know what he wants. As if he could not have decided before he got in the god-forsaken line!"

"I could not put it better myself, sir."

The entire ship suddenly went into full scale alert. As the klaxons sounded violently, Xraig turned to Mr. Bates in wild-eyed astonishment.

The operations officer clarified the situation immediately.

"We have a crossover on our hands sir. And it looks to be the worst in history. Oh yes, the one with powers of alteration has already projected themselves, with what seems to be others of the same mind. He has also called other beings from the SQUENIX sector in order to aid him."

Xraig narrowed his eyes.

"What other beings?"

---

"Mweheheheheheheee! Run, run, or you'll be well done!"

The clown man summoned various fiery energies to consume the budding civilization. As he was reviling in his glory, a motion behind him caused his destruction to reverse.

"Kefka, please try to keep the casualties to a minimum, or the FFN will be here sooner than we are ready for."

The clown turned to the man who spoke, a dark haired man, with a wicked scar running down his cheekbones. He was adorned in black clothing that looked to be made of the finest leather, and also seemed to allow for increased mobility.

The man motioned to the silver haired man next to him, who merely stood at the ready, with sword still in his sheath.

"At least be a little civil like Sephiroth here. He has not done anything that might upset the balance here."

The former general nodded, "Strike when the time is right, when they will be least likely to repair their losses. A simple tactic that even a clown should understand."

"Whatever, it sure beats the hell out of dodging Ultimas from that Esper witch!"

---

"Two, possibly more. Subjects confirmed to be Kefka of FF6-SQUENIX and Sephiroth of FF7-SQUENIX."

"Great spoony…" muttered Xraig.

"There are also unusual alterations involving character Magus."

"Why don't they just leave him alone?"

"The alterations were not completed by the current perpetrator."

"What are you saying?"

"He has been made aware of all the events before we stepped in to create our alterations."

Xraig shook his head, "Is there anyone else affected?"

"None yet, sir."

"I wonder…"

He turned to Chris, "Lead an away team to 600 AD, and see if you can figure out why Magus has been altered in this way."

The Ensign nodded, but froze for a moment, "Sir… if he has been altered in this way… he will remember me."

"It would be a good time to apologize then."

"I'll be ready to do that… sir."

---

The team materialized in front of the castle.

"Strange, I remember this place being sucked into a time gate."

One of the ensigns took out a scanner and started examining the massive structure.

"Apparently, there are many alteration specialists who care to think otherwise."

Chris nodded, placing a hand on the main doors to the castle.

"I wish I paid this much attention to detail back when I was altering the flow of the faniverse. Perhaps I could have truly appreciated what I was working on enough to not pervert it with mindless dabbling."

Indeed, the door was a monument to doors; one with knowledge in doors would have been rather impressed. The massive oaken portal, intricately carved with various runes depicting the usage of shadow magic, stood as a testament to modern and medieval architecture.

How is that for appreciation, damn it!

Chris looked around, "Did you guys hear something?"

The two ensigns shook their heads.

Chris gripped the handle of the door and opened, a loud creaking sounding to announce his arrival.

"No! Get away!"

Chris drew his lightsabre, as his status to become an enforcer had allowed him to use a more real recreation rather than a plastic facsimile.

The other ensigns merely took out their standard issue futuristic looking ray guns that shot laser beams of gratuitous pain.

"Magus!" yelled Chris, "We are not here to harm you!"

"No… it's you… the one… who…"

The Dark Mage came into view, clutching his scythe in a death grip.

"You caused me to do despicable things with that amphibian."

Chris shrugged, "I thought it would be funny."

"You obviously did not take my feelings into consideration."

"Until recently, I thought you were a character played to the whim of whomever decided to alter you. Now I know that only those who follow the correct guidelines can properly give you a path to follow."

"You sound like that other man… the one whose presence was like a beacon of light shining through the darkness…"

"And me?"

"You are but a candle compared to a star."

"That's a major hit to the ego, Magus."

"I will give you a major hit to your skull if you do not leave."

"But I am here to help you…"

The lost prince narrowed his eyes.

"How can I trust you? You forced me to do things that I would never have done willingly."

A new voice chuckled.

"Oh Magus… I did the same things. Yet you have come to forgive me."

It was a female voice, one that Chris had definitely heard before at some time in his life. The tone held some kind of superiority, the kind of tone he heard from fellow enforcers of the FFN.

When the person stepped into view, however, Chris found himself at a loss for words.

The perpetrator he once shared a cell with was smirking at him, surprisingly standing a decent distance away from Magus.

Mary Enverse, as Chris had learned in an FFN report, the MARYSUE, the catalyst for the troubles of CT-SQUENIX, had returned.

---

Author's Note:

Afraid I've hit a bit of writers block as of late. Once again, College does not help. I'm sure some of my loyal reviewers… if they are still around… would be happy to help!

- Novalon