The Sorceress' Sabbath
A Halloween Tale
A Final Fantasy VIII fanfic
All characters and locations from said game are owned by SquareSoft.
By Robertdogwood
Rated PG-13
On the morning of October thirty-first, Selphie, Quistis, Zell, and Rinoa were sitting at a table in the Quad Area. Squall was involved in morning staff meeting and Zell's girlfriend had already left for her shift in the library.
Traditionally this day was known as the Sorceress' Sabbath. Beginning at the time of the Great Hyne it was held to be a very sacred holiday. Within the last two hundred years it had come to be viewed as a chance for children to be given candy and for adults to dress up in silly costumes and go to parties. This was certainly not true for the sorceress' themselves. To them it was their holiest of holy days.
"Almost everybody in the entire Garden is coming," Selphie spoke excitedly of the party that she had planned for that evening. Turning to Rinoa, Selphie asked, "Will you be able to come?"
Rinoa explained patiently, "Selphie, you know I'll be busy participating in the ceremony of the Sorceress' Sabbath."
"Don't tell me you still put any credence in that old thing?" the young woman asked rather sarcastically. "Come on, Rinoa. We're gonna have a great time and it's just not a party if you're not there."
Even though she was feeling rather impatient with the energetic SeeD, Rinoa understood beneath it all Selphie was very upset and not talking about the fact that Irvine had been sent with a new SeeD named Kendricks on a mission to Trabia and no one had heard from him in over a week. Consequently Rinoa just nodded and smiled in answer to Selphie.
Turning to Zell, Selphie exclaimed, "I've booked that new musical group, The Deling City Marauders to play."
"Oh that's great," Quistis praised. She didn't really care for them personally but she was attempting to break the tension some that had formed at the table as a result of the interactions between Selphie and Rinoa.
"And the winner of the costume contest will get a two day pass. I have it all set up with Headmaster Cid," Selphie further explained.
"That sounds like a lot of fun and I'm sorry I'll be missing it," Rinoa interjected while standing up from the table. She slightly nodded at the people still sitting at the table and explained, "Sorry, but I have to get going."
Looking at his watch, Zell exclaimed, "Hey, look at the time! I'm gonna be late." He jumped up and stated, "Catch you all later," and ran through the Quad Area.
Selphie and Quistis also stood up. "Rinoa, would you like to meet me for lunch at twelve-thirty?" Selphie asked, attempting to make a peace offering with her friend.
"No, I can't," the ebony-haired young woman explained. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm on a three day fast in preparation for this evening's ceremony."
Three days! thought Quistis. That just doesn't sound right to me without medical supervision.
Selphie scrunched up her pretty face at the thought of not eating or drinking for three days. "Well, ok, but if you change your mind, meet Quistis and me in the cafeteria. We're still on, right?" she asked the blonde SeeD.
After her friend nodded at her, Selphie declared, "I've got to hurry or I'll be late for a class I'm instructing." Selphie hurried away also.
Quistis inquired, "Mind if I walk along with you?"
"Of course not, Quisty," Rinoa murmured. What have I been acting like to cause my friends to feel they need to walk on egg shells when they're with me?
"Where are you headed?"
"Down to the baths," the young sorceress answered.
As the baths were located in the basement, Quistis explained, "I'll walk with you to the elevator. I wish I could go with you but I have an appointment with Cid."
Rinoa appeared appropriately disappointed, but she was actually quite relieved. She didn't believe that her good friend would understand the ritual procedure she would need to undergo while taking her bath.
The two young women walked along through the SeeDs and students on their way around the rotunda of the Garden. "Rinoa, I don't know of a diplomatic way of putting this so I'm just going to say it straight out. I'm worried about this fasting of yours and I think it's detrimental to both your physical health and your emotional balance."
Rinoa felt just the slightest stab of irritation at her good friend's feedback, but she was positive if she were to express it, it would be held against her somehow. Instead she offered Quistis a weak smile and responded, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. There's no reason for you to worry. Besides, it's just once a year, it has to be done and it's almost over."
The elevator doors opened and, just before the ebony-haired young woman stepped on the elevator, her friend leaned over and offered a gentle hug. "Good luck and I'm sure everything will go fine."
When the elevator initially lurched slightly on the beginning of its downward trip, Rinoa did have to admit that she felt a little lightheaded. This seemed to pass after arriving in the basement and Rinoa was then able to hurry to the dressing room. The young sorceress was delighted to notice that the baths were devoid of people because of the odd hour and that she would have it all to herself.
She quickly doffed her outfit and entered the bath area. Rinoa added the necessary herbs to the bath. Rinoa would need to immerse herself in them for a long enough period of time for her literally to be coated with the herbal content if possible. This was done in order to hopefully gain the optimum results from the ceremony later.
Thirty minutes later Rinoa arose from the bath and threw a dressing gown over her wet body. She was not to towel herself off because the herbs needed to remain on her as much as possible in order for her to receive maximum benefit from them.
Rinoa hurried through the Garden back to her room drawing some looks of askance from various SeeDs and students, although most people at the Garden were used to Rinoa by now doing what appeared to them to be odd things at odd times.
Entering her bedroom she happened to notice her reflection in the mirror that sat on her vanity table. Hyne! No wonder people were staring at me, Rinoa thought, as her hair was standing out in all directions. She set about brushing and grooming her hair back to where it was a semblance of its' usual fashionable coiffure.
I'm glad now I don't have to go out anymore until this is over this evening. Squall had naturally asked her if there was something he could do as her knight to help her, but Rinoa had assured him the biggest help he could be would be to assuage people's concerns about her and keep them from bothering her while she participated in the ceremony.
She removed the extremely damp dressing gown and she laid down on her bed. The dark-haired woman soon fell into any uneasy sleep. Much later in the afternoon Rinoa woke up. Glancing at the bedside table she saw by the alarm clock that it had grown late in the day and it was time for her to begin her preparations.
She was grateful that she had been able to sleep for that long. Rinoa had just stood up from the bed when suddenly a loud knock came upon her door causing fear to inexplicably race through her body.
"Yes, who is it?" she asked.
"It's me, Selphie! Let me in."
"Selphie, I'm not dressed," Rinoa explained. "And besides I need to get ready to perform the ceremony."
"Oh, Rinoa," Selphie whined. "Can't you forget that old fashioned stuff and come to the party with us?"
"No Selphie, I can't." Rinoa had difficulty hiding the exasperation in her tone. "It's my responsibility to do this. It's only one night out of the entire year. Now go to your party and have a good time, please."
Okay for you, thought Selphie as she turned on her heel and stomped away. See if I care!
Rinoa let out a large sigh. She realized she had hurt her friend's feelings and she hadn't meant to. Selphie could be so hard to deal with once she got a certain idea in her head. Oh well, I might as well begin. It's going to take most of the evening as it is.
Rinoa pushed all the furniture and other items away from the center of the room. After accomplishing this, she took a piece of chalk and as carefully and accurately as possible proceeded to draw as large a circle that the room would allow.
The young sorceress next drew her astrological sign within one portion of the circle. It was the connected dual fish of Pisces with one fish swimming toward enlightenment and the other toward profanity. Piscean elements balance the righteous and criminal both.
Before beginning the rest of the ritual, the young woman slipped on her brand new white robe over her bare body. Rinoa was not being purposely vulgar. The robe had been purchased especially for the occasion, had previously been blessed by Rinoa and there was to be nothing blocking it from contact with her body.
Rinoa next set up four candles and lit them. They were set up as perfectly equidistance from each other as she could place them. The candles were sitting just outside the circle; one at north, east, south, and west and were considered to be lighting the sacredness of the circle.
She then blessed the candles and also some salt and water in a container which were then placed in the circle. This was done to bless the circle and also herself as she would soon be kneeling within it.
After accomplishing all that, the young sorceress turned off the other sources of power and knelt in the middle of the circle. She attempted to empty her mind of all earthly considerations as she prayed to the Great Hyne for the wisdom needed to continue to be a positive force for the next year. Finally Rinoa began to occupy a space of consciousness usually not experienced by human beings.
……….
Meanwhile in the Garden grand ballroom the party was well underway. Selphie was delighted with the turnout. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time, and were busy dancing, laughing, and talking with each other.
The contest to decide who had the best costume would be judged shortly, and the cafeteria staff had handled the food requests extremely well. And yet…Selphie felt so empty without Irvine. This was why it had been so important to Selphie that Rinoa come to the party. She knew Quistis would be preoccupied with spending her time with Seifer, but Rinoa would always have time for her because Squall hated these functions and would come up with any amount of lame reasons why he couldn't attend.
A young couple who Selphie slightly knew whirled by in a dance. "What's the matter, Selphie? The party's great!" one of them called out to her.
Selphie smiled and waved. She wondered how Rinoa was doing by herself and whether she was going to be able to attend any of the party. The normally good hearted young woman questioned if she should go check on the sorceress to see if she were alright. But no…Rinoa had practically ordered her to get the hell out this afternoon. Let her stew in there by herself. It'll do her nasty attitude some good, thought Selphie ungraciously.
……….
Rinoa had been praying for hours. Combined with her fasting of the last few days and remaining in one position all evening, she could barely feel her own body and was, in fact, only slightly in tune with her immediate surroundings. Her mind was free floating just picking up sensory impressions from wherever she might venture when she suddenly discovered herself in an almost completely dark environment. And it had become cold…frigidly cold.
There wasn't a sound. It was so uncomfortable Rinoa was ready to move on to somewhere else when she suddenly heard a moan.
Who's there?! the sorceress screamed in her mind. She was very scared and not expecting a reply.
She was stunned when she heard a voice murmur lowly, "Rinoa? Is that you? Where's Selphie?"
It's Irvine! she realized excitedly. Irvine, where are you? What's wrong?
There was no further answer except for Irvine moaning Selphie's name over and over. Forcing herself to remain calm, Rinoa peered intently into the dark until she could make out Irvine laying in the snow in one of the forests in the snowfields. Kendricks appeared to be laying beside him.
The young sorceress realized Kendricks was dead. Irvine appeared to have suffered many wounds from some wild beast. Irvine! she screamed in her mind. There was no answer except for his continual low groaning. Rinoa felt herself beginning to panic, but using the power granted to her through the hours she had just spent in prayer, she was able to resist her fears.
Searching her memory for what Edea had taught her, Rinoa briefly considered attempting to hypnotize Irvine into obeying her. The young sorceress quickly decided against this because Irvine was probably physically unable to do what she would command. This left only thing she could try – telekinesis. And she had only been able to perform that twice; both times only for a short distance and while being in the same room as the object.
But maybe…just maybe, Rinoa realized, she might be able to pull it off because of the power that was currently running through her from the Great Hyne. She strained mentally as hard as she could, not even bothering to use language. Instead, Rinoa pictured in her mind Irvine pulling himself to his feet and looking around.
Very very slowly, Irvine first rolled over to his knees and then reclaimed his footing. I don't believe it! Rinoa thought, truly astounded.
Rinoa suddenly became terrified when she realized she, and ultimately Irvine, would be completely unable to defend him if a wild creature should suddenly attack. The young sorceress realized too late that she might have taken on more than she could handle. Maybe she should have immediately told someone to contact Trabia Garden to try to help locate him.
Well, it's too late for that now, she thought ruefully Plus I'm sure they've been looking for him anyway and haven't been able to find him.
Rinoa shuffled Irvine out of the forest to the snowfield much as a child would run a remote control toy. The young woman realized Irvine had escaped the forest because it wasn't as dark in the immediate area, although she still had no idea where he was in relation to Trabia Garden.
Rinoa again attempted to contact Irvine in his mind. Irvine, can you hear me?
"Whaa…?" he mumbled, not even being certain who was speaking to him.
Which way is Trabia Garden? Walk toward the Garden!
Rinoa squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as possible to avoid being distracted by the shining of the Trabian moon light bouncing off the frozen snow in order to concentrate as efficiently as she could. Suddenly she could make out the Garden! It lay approximately one half mile northeast from where Irvine was now standing.
I see it, Irvine! Walk! Walk quickly!
As Irvine continued to just stand in a wounded weakened stupor, Rinoa gathered up what little strength she had left inside herself and used it to give Irvine a giant push. He began to shuffle his feet slowly in the correct direction.
……….
"How's the party going, Selphie?"
"Oh, Squall! You startled me. I think it's going real well. Are you finally finished with your duties?" Selphie asked him. She had been unable to keep a bit of irony out of her voice.
Squall flushed and nodded. Glancing around the crowded ballroom, he asked, "Where's Rinoa? I don't see her."
"Oh, she hasn't shown up yet."
"She hasn't? That's odd. She didn't say anything to me about her ceremony taking this long. I'm going to her room to check if she's okay."
"Here, I'll go with you."
Squall and Selphie hurried through the Garden to the women's dorm. Standing in front of Rinoa's room, when there was no answer to his knocking Squall became even more alarmed. Using his universal passkey which could demagnetize all the locks in the Garden, he eased his way into the room so as to not awaken Rinoa if she were sleeping.
They were both unpleasantly surprised to observe Rinoa laying in a heap on the floor in the midst of four candles. Selphie dropped to her knees beside the young woman. "Rinoa! Rinoa, are you okay?"
Seeing there was no immediate response, Squall whipped out his cell phone and put a call through to Xu. He had to speak loudly in order to be heard over the loud music at the party.
"Get the doctor on the double and send her to Rinoa's room." Xu wasted no time acknowledging the order, but instead Squall could hear her call out to the doctor who was also attending the celebration.
As soon as he disconnected the call and before he could check on Rinoa's physical condition more closely, he heard Nida call out for him over the intercom from the bridge. Squall connected his cell phone again, this time to the bridge and ordered Nida to patch through the communiqué to his cell phone.
"Yes, it is. Okay. Yes, that's good. Yes, we can do that. Yes, we'll send the Ragnarok tomorrow. Thank you, good night."
Selphie stood up. "I think she's basically okay. Her breathing is deep and steady."
"That was Trabia Garden. They found Irvine. He was badly injured and had lost a lot of blood, but they think he'll pull through fine. We'll transport him tomorrow in the Ragnarok."
Turning white as a sheet, Selphie murmured, "Thank Hyne," and then literally swooned and would have fallen to the floor if Squall hadn't caught her. He flushed crimson as he realized the doctor and possibly some of the interns could momentarily enter Rinoa's room and he would be caught holding Selphie in his arms in what would appear to be an embrace.
"Selphie, wake up," he hissed.
"I'm ok, Squall. Just give me a minute," she requested.
"We don't have a minute," Squall insisted.
He discovered how astute he had been when Doctor Kadowaki and two interns suddenly burst into the room. They paid absolutely no attention to Squall and Selphie, but on the contrary all their attention was immediately drawn to the young sorceress who still lay on the floor.
Squall self consciously attempted to explain, "Selphie almost fainted."
The doctor didn't even give a glance to Squall as she was busy monitoring Rinoa's vital signs. "Selphie will be fine, just give her a moment."
A few minutes later, per the doctor's orders, Squall carefully lifted up his lady love and gently carried her through the Garden to the clinic. Doctor Kadowaki explained that Rinoa's pulse, and heart beat were strong and steady. Her respiration was even and her blood pressure was normal. Rinoa was, though, slightly undernourished and badly dehydrated. She was to be kept in the clinic for, at least, overnight.
………
Two days later following the solemn and sad ceremony of the Garden burying one of its own as Kendricks was laid in his final resting place, Rinoa, Zell and Nicole, Quistis, and Selphie retreated to the coffee shop. Irvine was also with them, having returned to their Garden less than a day earlier.
During the conversation Selphie mentioned again what a miracle it had been that Irvine had somehow been able to amble into Trabia Garden on his own power resembling nothing less than a somnambulist.
"However did you manage it?" Nicole asked.
"I really don't know," Irvine admitted. "I have no recollection of it at all."
Rinoa cut her eyes away from the people at the table for a second. She was always uncomfortable with being involved in lying to her friends. She and Irvine had spoken almost immediately upon his arrival back at Garden on the previous day and they had reached the decision to tell no one of their shared experience. Both of them were concerned that people would not believe them and think them both mentally confused at best.
At worse, Rinoa worried that people would believe it and fear her sorceress power even more than they did already. Of course she realized that Squall had suspected that Rinoa had something to do with Irvine suddenly being discovered, but he of all people understood if someone wanted to keep something private.
"I still say," Selphie added again, "it was just an out and out miracle and I thank Hyne for it."
"That it was," Irvine agreed. "That it was,": he repeated himself while glancing at Rinoa for just a second before looking away. Rinoa smiled to herself and then took a swallow of her 'Sparkling Edea Water.'
The End
A/N As far as the powers that Rinoa displayed in this fic such as hypnotism or telekinesis, this information can be found on the following site; http://rinoa.nu/rinoa/ The information on this site was drawn from the Japanese game guide which is far more extensive than ours. I also obtained Rinoa's astrological information from this site. I drew some of the ritual from WICCA and just made up the Sorceress's Sabbath although it does make sense that there would be a day for Sorceress' to reaffirm their beliefs. The rest I made up whole cloth.