Before starting the story, I thank my Beta Reader, Twilight's Oblivion!

SPHERE 0

Summoner Ankoku Yami – Day Before His Pilgrimage

Here, I, Summoner Ankoku Yami, will tell, through a series of spheres, the story of my Pilgrimage in hope future generations may remember me and my actions. This is the first day, the one before I took the journey where my Summoner duties are to be fulfilled. These are my life. My reflections, my studies, my thoughts.

In case history leaves no information besides these spheres of the place where my story is set or, even more oddly, ending up in another world, I will jot down some notes about the setting of my Pilgrimage. I made a division of section to let others decide what to skip.

Part 1: About Spira (Main Source: Guide of Common Knowledge of Spira for Early Teens, by Gandof Groy)

GEOGRAPHY: It is composed of one continent and several islands. Spira consists of many diverse climates: the tropical seaside islands of Besaid and Kilika, the temperate locales in the Mi'ihen and Mushroom Rock regions, the polar extremes of Macalania and Mt. Gagazet, and the arid desert of Bikanel.

HISTORY: 1,000 years ago, Spira was a world full of technology and machines, dubbed machina (MAH-ki-nah). Two city-states, the machina-heavy Bevelle and the Summoner magic city of Zanarkand, were at war with each other. It was the first time Sin appeared. Sin, a whale- like beast, was created from the sins of their forefathers due to their use of technology. Why our mind gave our inner darkness the image of an aquatic mammal is still a mystery to me, for I find no rationality in it. Still, Sin turned around and completely destroyed the real Zanarkand, proceeding to decimate the incoming Bevellian army. From that point onwards, Sin destroyed any large city, quickly becoming a terror to all Spirans and uniting Spira under a common fear. So far, the only five people able to stop Sin (though temporarily) have been Summoners, who, through a Pilgrimage, obtains the Final Summon and creates a period of Calm at the cost of their own lives.

CULTURE: Machina has been shunned by Bevelle's edicts, and only the outcast race of the Al Bhed tries to regain some of the lost knowledge. From a probably relatively common kind of magical fighters, Summoners have become a sort of special cast of their own: help and privileges are granted to them during their pilgrimage in exchange for their coming sacrifice against Sin. Yevon dominates every aspect of Spiran life, spreading their teachings and pretending to be our benevolent ruler. Blitzball, a kind of sport I am pretty fond of, truly unites the whole world around a common passion, the sport which survived Sin's coming and which holds annual tournaments in Luca's stadium, oddly left untouched by Sin's wrath.

Part 1-b: About My Home (Main source: Geology of Spira)

My island, Vulanoc, is far south and shares the tropical climate and kinds of fiends (i.e. monsters generated by human souls) with the island of Besaid. Yet, being a volcanic island, it can also happen to have a high level of humidity and sometimes winters are very bothering!

People there, before the arrival of Sin, used to be blood-seeking warmongers, but today are left only hints of our traditions such as dressing in black to show how heat and humidity does not affect us as well as being aggressive, though mostly in battle. Women's style of dressing mirrors a bit the one you call 'gothic'.

About Me

My name, as I said above, is Ankoku Yami, son of Yami Kurai, son of Kurai Hikari. On Spira it is not unusual to use our father's name as a second one. After all, the choice to find two people whose name and father's name is identical is rationally minimal.

I can consider myself good-looking while not sounding arrogant with my black shoulder-height hair, deep hazel eyes, peach colored skin, and lean physique. I'm 5'6'' tall and weigh 58 kg a good height and weight for someone like me. I wear a black jumpsuit under a white and light blue jacket with detached sleeves at both arms and legs, lots of zippers and pockets: quite a practical outfit.

During my first five years, I traveled a lot with my family. My father's job was to… well… bring happiness to the ones who were plagued by Sin. Not a Summoner, as when he was young he could not receive the education necessary… To avoid letting me seeing the atrocities happening, both he and my mother made me read books. Lots. I can boast to have read over one thousand of books of various genres and I remember the latest hundred word by word.

Unfortunately, one day, when I was four, Sin attacked my homeland. My parents didn't expect this, so I bore witness from a safe distance on a ship. I was lucky to have not been there. Only two words could describe what I saw: Total Destruction. I was so shocked I fell from the ship railing I had been leaning over. This left me with a bit of hydrophobia, but as long as I don't have to touch water of considerable depths, it's fine, otherwise…

Anyway, not long after a Summoner came to perform the Sending. It opened a world before my eyes. It may have been a childish reaction to an event too mature to be comprehended, but since that day I knew I wanted to be a Summoner.

My father was at first a bit skeptical about this, but I could be stubborn when I wanted to and when he saw I wasn't swayed by the destruction of Sin or the death of High Summoner Braska, he supported me as much as he could. He brought many books about fighting, magic, summoning, and, most importantly, he gave me my first Summoner staff as a gift. I spent the next ten years studying, no time for play, no time for friends. I learnt both Summoning, White and Black Magic and some fighting skills (not very good at most of them, but at least balanced enough, as Balance equals success) After my sixteenth birthday, I considered myself ready for the Pilgrimage.

Reflection On The Arguments Described Above

To say that my goal is to fight a big monster and to die with it, while being literally true, is a nearly blaspheme definition of my true intentions. Aside from a long travel to Zanarkand where I will receive the one weapon which can chop Sin up, I'll have to train both my body and my mind to be sure to focus enough on this skill. But such power is useless without a pure heart.

I have to be a perfect Summoner: everyone must look up at me, I have to make them see a perfect man when they look at me, only good feelings must arise from their heart. Indeed, while the apparent stableness of the Spiran Government, beneath the surface unity of Spiran mainland, distrust and old anger still boils deep: one has to wonder if the various warring factions wouldn't have blown each other to smithereens without Sin's dreadfully pacifying presence. Sometimes, literature leaves hints, which are that, nihilistic… It's creepy, especially for one of my young age.

I promise over my honor of Summoner, I will be the one who will bring the Eternal Calm. If I need to do this in order to have a safe Spira, I will defy even death... Maybe.

Intentions during my Pilgrimage (Scratches Only, Being Read On My Notes)

The one thing that would help me the most on this journey is learning Sin's nature. Once I've got that, I might even be able to control that monster, though I would have most likely destroyed that once for all rather than let it live.

A long, swift plan, which can include any possible happening… I am a Summoner, I must not fail. Determination is on my side, my journey is fifty percent done. May Yevon and the Fayth help me.

I will travel alone by boat at first. It is more of a ritual thing than anything else, it will symbolize my journey and the will behind my strength and intellect.

My first stop is on Besaid, for there is the closest temple where I will learn my first summon. Once there, I will exploit the oncoming Blitzball game between Besaid Aurochs and Luca Goers. In this gap of time, I will continue planning on how to reach my next step. (Most likely the temple of Djose, but I will need to further weigh the options.)

Inventory (Being Read On My Notes)

My Summoner staff, 25 Potions, 5 Elixirs, 15 Ethers, one Tent, a change of clothes (It was so difficult finding two identical outfits), 1 Chest Plate to wear under my jacket, 1 map of Spira, 1 compass, many papers, a few pens, many spheres to record my report, and a list where I annotated anything I wrote above.

In a few words: Swift plan + good inventory + determination = Good Start.

So I am happy to say I will leave Vulanoc and begin my Pilgrimage. I am ready to fulfill my duty as a Summoner, hoping to end pain on Spira.

Ankoku Yami, Out.