Author's note: FFX and all of its greatness belongs to Square. "Volcano" belongs to Damien Rice. This is my first fan ficcy so be nice! I hope you enjoy.


"And what I am to you

Is not real

And what I am to you

You do not need

And what I am to you

Is not what you mean to me

You give me miles and miles of mountains

And I ask for the sea"


Damien Rice "Volcano"


Chapter One:

The sun was bright, too bright. He could hear the waves washing back and forth, kissing the sand ever so slightly as they meet between the sea and the shore. His eyes were closed but even still, they hurt from the harsh light. He moved his hand up and shielded his eyes. Then slowly, he opened them. The blue sky flooded his vision. He struggled to get up but was too tired so he remained where he was. Time passed and eventually, he fell asleep.

Where am I?

He felt someone hitting him on the face, he tried to brush the hand aside but it was persistent.

"Damn it Jecht, leave me alone," Auron said, unwilling to wake up from the strange dream he had of Spira.

The hand kept slapping until Auron finally opened his eyes in defeat. Staring at him was not his friend and fellow former guardian Jecht. Instead, a young woman with deep brown eyes and straight black hair stared down at him.

"Who the?" Auron asked in surprise. He stared past her and looked at the clear blue sky. He scrambled and sat up and looked around. He was sitting on a beach. The waves continued to wash up the shores as it had earlier. He saw a path leading away from the beach to a forest. He sat and wondered in amazement.

"Where am I?" Auron asked the young woman. The young woman looked at him and Auron watched and took in the details. She was young, perhaps 20 or so. She was garbed in a black dress, no sleeves and it hung to her knees. From her knees down, she wore a pair of black boots. Auron recognized the puzzled look on her face, he was sure he had one of his own. Auron asked her again and this time he got a response.

"I believe we're in Spira," the young woman said. She got up and held her hand out towards Auron. He took it out of politeness and felt her strength as she helped him got up to his feet. He could tell before he fully extended himself that she was small. Barely reaching his shoulders when stood next to the young woman, he felt very tall and indeed he was. With his one good eye, he stared down at the young woman.

"My name is Auron," he said, "What's your name?"

The woman hesitated before answering him, "Kaeli," she said.

"Kaeli," Auron said, tasting the name, thinking to himself that it was very pretty and apt for the young woman. He looked at his surrounding and took a deep breathe. It felt wonderful to feel the sensations. The air was sweet and cool. Auron could feel the sun beating down on him and everything, everything around him was a vivid and bright. He couldn't really believe his was in Spira. Perhaps it was a dream, but something, his instinct, told him it was not.

He turned his attention back to Kaeli and asked, "Where exactly in Spira are we?"

She looked past him and said, "It's what Spira calls, Kilika."

Auron looked at her amazed, realizing that he was in Spira, in Kilika. He couldn't understand how he was in Spira. The last thought he had was being with Jecht and the others in the Farplane. How did he ended up in Spira? He stretched out his arms and felt very much alive. More alive than when he was an Unsent, perhaps, even more alive when he was alive. He could see that the young women continued to stare at him, waiting. He smiled at her, feeling very energetic and happy. Happy to be alive, but then his smile dimmed, perhaps, his wasn't alive. His mind whirled around and around.

What's going on?

The woman finally waited long enough because she extended her hand once again to Auron. He looked at her and not knowing if he should trust her or not, decided to take a chance. He reached for her hand and clasped it in his own.

The woman pointed towards the path with her other hand and said, "The town is that way. Perhaps there'll be someone there who can answer your questions." Auron looked at the woman in surprise thinking to himself that she was either very perceptive or she knew something about his current situation. But now was not the time to speculate about the woman named Kaeli, Auron had to figure out why he was in Spira. Together, they walked up the path and when they approached the outskirt of Kilika, Kaeli wriggled her hand from Auron's. He was slightly disappointed by the lost of contact, but before he could examine it further, Auron was shocked to see how different Kilika was. The last time he saw the town, it was destroyed by Sin. Devastated, Kilika was torn and uprooted. Now, it was bustling with people and huts. People talking to one another and stands and stalls were selling food, clothes, weapons, and other items. The town stretched on and on. As Auron walked along side Kaeli to a building that was bigger than the rest, he noticed that people were staring at him.

"This is the inn I'm staying in," Kaeli said, "The gentleman who runs the place is very knowledgeable of Spira and its history. He can probably answer most of the questions you have." Again, Auron couldn't shake the feeling that Kaeli knew something about his situation. Her statements alluded as much, but since Auron just met her, he couldn't really tell. He did know that for some reason, his instinct told him to trust and since he always trust his instant, he trusted Kaeli.

"Thank you Kaeli," Auron said, "I don't know..."

Kaeli cut him off, "It's okay," and with that, she walked away.

Auron stared at her as she made her way up the stairs. He then turned his attention to the owner of the hotel and before he could say anything, the old man exclaimed, "Sir Auron! It's you! But how?!"

Auron thought, so much for answering the most important question, but he brushed it aside and asked, "What year is this?"

The old man nodded, and said, "It's been two years Sir. Two years since you, Lady Yuna, and the others saved Spira from Sin. Two years we have all lived in the Calm." The old man swallowed and took a deep breath before continuing, "Two years and they told us that you perished. Perished! Saving us from Sin. Obviously, that was wrong, for here you are." The old man nodded again, "There was much confusion. With the teachings of Yevon falling apart...well..." The old man trailed off. Then shaking his head, the old man smiled at Auron. "Please, Sir Auron, stay at my humble inn. You are here! It is much cause for celebration...indeed, where have you been?" the old man asked.

Auron simply stood there as he listened to the old man talked. He still didn't know why he was in Spira, and neither did the old man. When the old man asked where he had been, he decided to divert the old man's attention and took the old man's offer to stay at his inn. The old man forgot his question and immediately led Auron off to the "best room." Auron followed him and when he was shown to his room, he thanked the old man and more or less closed the door in his face. He examined the room with a keen eye. He noted the light by a drawer and was puzzled by it. He walked towards the light and noted that it was not fire-based. He was about to examine it some more when the door knocked. Fearing it was the old man again, he remained quiet. The knocking persisted until finally, the door knob twisted and in peeked the dark haired head of Kaeli. He leaned against the drawer and stared at her. Kaeli walked in the room and shut the door quietly behind her. She turned and faced Auron and quietly walked across the room and sat on a chair that was by a table.