I didn't do disclaimers on the first chapter because I thought that the quote alone would be more effective; however, now I feel compelled to inform you that I, in fact, do not own FFX.

Thank you all so much for the reviews of this story! It really means a lot to me.

"Don't do this Jecht! If you live, there may be another way!"

-Auron

"Ramb! E haat ramb!"(Help! I need help!)

Auron heard the babble of voices above him. His hazy vision swam in and out of focus. Dizzy, he turned to his side and vomited on the floor.

Wiping his mouth on a handkerchief that was thrust into his hands, Auron sat up. His vision was becoming clearer and the dizziness was gone. Slowly, he reached his fingers to his face. They came away sticky with blood, but he couldn't feel it. He didn't feel the pain that should have come with such a grievous injury.

He lay back down on the makeshift bed, dazed.

"Ra'c kuehk ehdu crulg! Rinno!"(He's going into shock! Hurry!)

Squinting his eye, Auron recognized that the man attending to him was an Al Bhed. Auron let out a small sigh to himself and unconsciously balled his fist in anger. The Al Bhed were another group of people cast aside, another casualty of Yevon.

When he had first entered the priesthood, Auron had been strong, assured, and had possessed the self-righteous arrogance that many clergymen displayed. He had been a recipient of every advantage.

Auron suddenly coughed into his palm, interrupting his feverish thoughts of the past. Flecks of blood spotted his hand, which was already caked with a brown crust of dried blood and dirt. The tanned Al Bhed man attending to him ran his hands through his long blond hair and looked down worriedly at the battered warrior he had just sewn up.

"Drana'c hudrehk suna fa iyh tu,"(There's nothing more we can do,) the man said to his friend who had turned and was now in the hallway outside. The young man then turned to Auron.

"Nacd famm,"(Rest well,) he said, before turning the lamp down and closing the door.

Auron's vision swam again. Maybe the Al Bhed man was right. He did need some rest. Auron closed his eyes. The sound of his labored breathing seemed deafening in the darkness.

Suddenly, beneath his eyelids, Auron saw a small arc of light. He heard the ethereal scream of a pyrefly and sat up quickly. His bandage tore off and he cried out in pain as the small creature swirled around his arm. Auron held out his hand and the pyrefly neatly landed on his palm, it's cries echoing through the small room.

As the pyrefly landed, he felt a small tug on his hand. He winced in pain, and watched in horror as his hand became transparent. Auron scrambled to his feet, leaning on his sword heavily so he could stand.

"No!" he cried out, swatting at the pyrefly. It screamed and was soon joined by a host of pyreflies that swirled around his body.

"I still have work to do!" Auron cried out, tears of pain and loss running down his cheeks. "Go away!" He dragged his sword around, trying to cut at the host of pyreflies. In his weakened state, the sword scraped across the ground, emitting a loud screeching noise as it gouged the tile floor.

"I made a promise…" he said tightly, his breathing heavy. His wound was fully opened now and blood was slowly dripping down his body and onto the floor. "I need…I need to go to Zanarkand. I…promised Jecht."

The pyreflies converged in front of Auron, howling and screaming. They then swirled up to the sky, leaving the room in silence. Auron stumbled into the bed, his sword clattering to the ground. His vision swam, separated, and then everything went black.

Sometime later in the night, Auron awoke. His quickly rose to his feet. He was no longer bleeding, and the large cleft that traveled down his torso wasn't throbbing anymore with a dull pain. Auron studied his opaque hands, before reaching up to touch his face. It no longer hurt, and he could now see out of both eyes.

Curious, he fumbled for the ridge on his face that had gouged his eye. It was still there, but the wound seemed to have scabbed over, and he ran his finger down the scar to his neck.

Realizing what had happened, Auron threw back his head and began to laugh bitterly.

"So," he said to himself, "I too, am now an unsent." He continued to laugh as he gathered his things from the small bedroom. Reaching into his pocket, he threw 1,000 gil onto the small cot for the Al Bhed to collect in the morning.

"After all, he deserves something for bandaging me up so well," Auron laughed into the darkness before quietly exiting the room.