The Song of Eternity
Canto 6 : Galactus
Verse 5
The Coming of Galactus
The herald of doom has gone,
But the destruction incarnate is coming.
Doom analyzes the unknown,
And Vincent moves on.
In a lab on another floor, Vincent, Logan, Doom, the Silver Surfer, and the Fantastic Four were dressing their wounds. The Silver Surfer worked busily to help the Fantastic Four, while the others tended to their own wounds. Logan stood at the door, keeping watch for any newcomers, smoking a cigar as his healing factor kicked in. Doom stood silently watching the others. Vincent pulled out a master magic materia and bathed himself in green light, healing his wounds.
As he put his materia away, he noticed Reed and Doom glancing at the orbs quizzically. Finally, the Surfer finished healing their wounds with his power cosmic and they moved to a larger meeting room with a huge computer array covering one wall. "Who wants to start?" the Thing asked the four unexpected guests.
"We should start with them," Doom indicated Logan and Vincent. "I may be able to understand my story better after hearing his," Doom explained.
"Go ahead Valentine," Logan said as he leaned back in a chair and smoked his cigar.
"My name is Vincent Valentine. A million years ago, I helped save this world from an alien, Jenova who had possessed my son. Sephiroth, my son, was reborn 5 years later and I stopped him with the help of my allies, only one who may still be alive today. Then I went to sleep for half a million years until Starmore awoke me. Most of this world was being controlled by Jenova, who was controlled by Starmore's enemy, Garland. We killed everyone infected. I went to sleep for another half a million years until Xavier and Logan woke me up after receiving a call from someone who must have been Starmore, telling them where I was," he explained.
"I came here because Xavier said Richards might know something important to tell me," he finished.
"Interesting, I knew I recognized that thing you turned into," Richards said. "Tell me what it was while I check something out," he said as he turned to the computer and began pressing buttons like mad.
"That was Chaos. A demon bonded to my genetic structure. There were three other demons as well up until earlier today," he explained.
"Then you voluntarily became the host of this 'Chaos'," Doom stated.
"Yes. To stop my son I hosted the demon," Vincent said. "I don't regret a bit of what I did. How do you know so much about demons?" he asked Doom.
"I dabble in the arts," Doom explained.
"Here we go," Richards said as a picture came up on the screen. It looked like a cave drawing of Chaos attacking a city. "An ancient Atlantean legend of a demon purging most of the world," he explained. "Then of a greater evil, destroying and scattering the people of Atlantis itself," he said as he hit a button and a sketch of a being of pure darkness appeared.
"That's Starmore," Vincent nodded.
"Very strange," Reed mused. "Silver Surfer, please go over what is going on with Galactus," Reed commanded after a minute.
"I was patrolling space when I encountered Firelord," he explained. "I went to speak with Galactus, but he ignored me and continued on his path. When I tried to get his attention, he and Firelord attacked me. I barely escaped," the Surfer finished.
"In the future I came from, Reed and Storm," he gestured at Johnny," were killed by Firelord in this initial attack. Afterwards, when Galactus attacked, Sue and Grimm attacked him with the help of the Surfer and the Avengers. They failed. I escaped with my time cube to try to save this world," Doom explained. "But, these two were not in the city for the battle," he gestured at Logan and Vincent. "This has never happened before, the only things that ever change when I use the machine are things I try to change. I believe it may have something to do with this Starmore of yours. Is he a temporal anomaly by chance?"
"He's never traveled through time, he says it is impossible. He has been as close to death that one can be three times though. His body was completely destroyed once," Vincent explained. "He says it has something to do with his Starlight power," Vincent continued.
"Hmmm, maybe a form of the power cosmic," Reed theorized.
"The dying might explain the shift in the time stream," Doom muttered.
They both mumbled for a bit before Sue broke in. "Science guys, back to Earth here, get on with the plan," she yelled.
"Sorry honey," Reed apologized.
"Galactus will be here in three days, I will return once I am prepared," Doom said as he teleported out of the room.
"I'll get in touch with the Avengers and Xavier. Ben, Johnny, Vincent, and Logan, go see who you can find out there in the city. If we lost last time, I want to be prepared this time," Reed ordered.
"Gotcha stretcho," the Thing responded. "Let's get going boys," he said as they got up and left Reed, Sue, and the Surfer to contact the others. After they exited the bottom of the elevator they stopped and talked to the very nervous security guard. Logan and Vincent waited outside while Ben and Johnny explained things.
"How ya holdin' up?" Logan asked as he puffed on his cigar.
"Good enough, who is this Galactus," Vincent asked.
"Big guy, probably older than you are. He has to devour worlds to stay alive, but he promised not to come back here a while ago," Ben explained. "He's bad news," he said as they stood out in the sunshine. "Who should we look for first?"
"Let's head to a bar, I can make some phone calls, save us the trouble of walking around," Logan suggested.
"That's what I call a plan," Johnny laughed as they walked a couple blocks, drawing stares and eventually stopping at a bar called Murphy's. "Pretty empty In here," he muttered as they entered the nearly deserted bar. There was a couple in a booth and a bartender behind the counter, but empty besides that.
"What can I get you…," the bartender stopped as he recognized half of the Fantastic Four in his bar. "Try to keep the property damage down this time," he said disheartened.
"We ain't gonna bust anything up, just gimme your phone for a bit," Logan said as the bartender nodded and handed it over. Logan went to the end of the bar and started dialing numbers.
"What about you three?"
"Beers for me and matchstick," the Thing said. "What about you Valentine?"
"The names of drinks are different now, I do not know what the common names of liquors are anymore," Vincent explained. "Just bring me a bottle of something moderately strong," he said, causing Ben and Johnny to look at him strangely. "I get drunk very slowly, most of it goes to the demon and keeps him incapacitated," he explained.
"Works for me," the Thing shrugged.
They sat watching a television over the bar for a bit before talking a bit more. "So what's the deal with you? You got that claw and you used some kinda magic on Firelord, mind explaining?" Johnny asked.
"No problem. The 'magic' is caused by materia, the crystallized essence of the planet, which apparently does not exist anymore in this era. It allows me to control a vast amount of 'magical' power, but was common science in my day," Vincent explained as he showed them the orbs of materia. "As for my claw," he took a long drink from the bottle," it was a gift from an enemy. Lucretia was the mother of Sephiroth. We were in love, but she married Hojo. When she had my child, she died and Hojo discovered it was not his child. He shot me, mutilated my arm, forced three demons into my body and locked me in a basement for thirty years," Vincent explained. "And you?"
"Not as interesting as you story, but fine," Ben whistled. "Went up in space a bit back and got hit by cosmic rays, when we landed we were like this," he shrugged.
Logan hung up the phone and came back over. "Got in touch with Blaze, Strange, and Daredevil. They'll get in touch with the rest of their people and meet us over at Four Freedoms tomorrow," he explained as the bartender brought him a beer. "Any more ideas?"
"Try to raise a ruckus and see if anyone notices?" Ben joked as the bartender's face went white.
"Or just let them do all the work," Vincent commented as he pointed at the TV.
The bartender turned it up as the newscaster continued speaking. "…and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four along with Captain America and the Avengers are asking all super-powered beings in the New York area to come to Four Freedoms Plaza tomorrow to discuss an event of dire emergency. It is unknown what this has to do with the explosions at Four Freedoms today, more news as it develops," the announcer finished as it went to commercial.
"Hmmm, looks like we don't have anything else to do here," Logan laughed. "Mind if we crash at your place tonight? No point in driving out of the city if Chuck and the kids are gonna come here tomorrow," he suggested.
"No, problem. Might as well stay here for a bit longer though, Reed won't miss us, he's probably working on some invention to stop Galactus already," Ben laughed.
Vincent watched out of the corner of his eye as the redhead at the table got up and went to the restroom. He quickly got out of his seat and walked over to man sitting there. "You will be there tomorrow?" he asked. The man nodded in response and Vincent walked back over to the others.
"What was that about? Trying to scare the locals?" Johnny asked.
"Nope, he was just makin' sure the kid heard," Logan laughed as he recognized the scent. "How'd you figure that one out Valentine?"
"His voice, it was the same," Vincent explained.
"Mind filling us in?" Johnny asked as he looked at the man, not recognizing him.
"Just someone I met earlier," Vincent explained as he sipped his bottle.
The woman came back and they left together. Vincent and Logan could here him say," MJ, it's gonna be a long couple days."
An hour and half and a lot of beers later, the four of them walked out into the setting sun, back towards Four Freedoms Plaza. Halfway back Vincent stopped and pulled his gun out, pointing at a spot of empty space in front of a brick wall.
"What're ya doin' Valentine? Tryin' to get arrested?" Grimm shouted.
Logan sniffed the air, smelling nothing but death suddenly. "Nope, he's found something," Logan growled as he unsheathed his claws.
"I can feel it too," Johnny said as he turned to flames and sensed the area in the air of different temperature.
"Come out now," Vincent ordered. The air shimmered and took the shape of a man, but looking black as night all over. "Why are you here, what is going on?" Vincent asked.
"Saving your life," the reply came. "Prepare for the coming days, I will strike when the time is right," the voice finished before the man disappeared.
"Who was that?" Ben asked.
"Travis Starmore."