{This is spoken in Sin's telepathy.}
Final Fantasy X belongs to Square Enix, not me!
Yuna and her guardians continued their journey through the Thunder Plains as they continued to fight through the occasional fiend, including several Iron Giants. After a seemingly long trek, they reached Macalania Woods.
"All right!" chirped Rikku, "we finally made it!"
Yuna and her guardians began to venture through Macalania Woods. They soon ran into Lucil and Elma.
"Hey, Lucil," said Patravi, "how are you doing?"
"Elma and I are doing fine," replied Lucil, "but we've received several reports of summoners disappearing these last few days. Please, be careful."
Lucil and Elma soon left for somewhere else. Yuna and her guardians then continued through Macalania Woods. Along the way, Kimahri used his Lancet ability on a Chimera, which allowed him to learn Aqua Breath. Tidus practiced his sword fighting by fighting the occasional Xiphos as Patravi sliced up some Iguions. Wakka pummeled some Wasps with his Blitzball as Lulu zapped the Blue Elements with her Thundara spells. Auron struck down some Murussus as Rikku and Yuna teamed up to fight the occasional Chimera.
When they reached the end of the woods, Auron stopped before a fallen tree.
"Wait," muttered Auron, "it is here, somewhere."
"What's here?" asked Yuna.
"Something you should see," replied Auron.
"But dad," protested Patravi.
"It won't take long," assured Auron.
Then, Auron pulled out his blade and hacked away at the fallen tree, which revealed a hidden path.
"Follow me," commanded Auron.
Auron led Yuna and the rest of her guardians down the path, which led into a spring.
"Hey Dad," asked Patravi, "what's this place?"
"This is what spheres are made of," explained Auron, "it absorbs and preserves people's memories."
"I see," sighed Yuna.
Suddenly, a blue amorphous creature emerged from the spring.
"What the fuck is that?!" exclaimed Wakka.
"Fiends are also attracted to these places," mentioned Auron.
Everyone wasted no time as they charged into battle. Tidus, Kimahri and Patravi tried their luck as they slashed at the Spherimorph, but it seemed to do no damage at all. Wakka couldn't inflict much damage with his Blitzball either. Meanwhile, Lulu and Yuna paid attention to the Spherimorph's behavior the instant they noticed that it has been casting elemental spells on the party. Soon, the Spherimorph nearly burned Rikku with a Fire spell, and then Lulu cast a Blizzara spell on the fiend.
"Rikku," asked Lulu, "are you ok?"
"I'll be fine," answered Rikku.
Without warning, the Spherimorph began glowing green for only a moment before its color changed back to blue. Rikku tossed a grenade at the fiend, triggering an explosion. Of course, it didn't do much damage, but then the Spherimorph cast a Blizzard spell on Wakka, nearly freezing him in the process. Yuna responded by burning the fiend with a Fira spell.
Within an instant, the Spherimorph instantly shifted its elemental properties once again before it cast a Water spell, which soaked everyone. Yuna then summoned Ixion into battle as he unleashed his Thor's Hammer ability on the fiend. Within an instant, the Spherimorph dissolved into pyreflies as it dropped a sphere.
Auron picked up the sphere and brought it before everyone.
"Isn't that sphere old?" asked Wakka.
Auron shook his head.
"I left it here ten years ago," answered Auron.
Within an instant, he began to play the footage of the sphere.
A muscular man with black hair and a red bandana was racing towards a Travel Agency in the Calm Lands. There, Auron and Braska were resting under an awning.
"Hey guys!" shouted the man, "I saw an awesome giant creature! Let's go check it out!"
"Not right now, Jecht," groaned Auron, "we're leaving for Mount Gagazet in a few minutes."
"Is it a fiend?" asked Braska.
"I don't think so," answered Jecht, "but it looks like some sort of mutated whale."
"Sin!" exclaimed Braska.
Braska quickly jumped to his feet and emerged from the awning as Auron followed suit.
"Braska," demanded Auron, "where are you going?"
"Sin is in the Calm Lands," answered Braska, "we have to investigate as soon as we can! I hope he doesn't cause any trouble."
Braska then raced through the Calm Lands with Jecht and Auron following him. Ahead, Sin was hovering at the western cliff. After a while of sprinting, Braska, Auron and Jecht managed to reach the cliff, as Sin turned to gaze at them.
{Are you Summoner Braska?} asked Sin.
Braska nodded.
{Do you even realize how much danger you are putting yourself into?} continued Sin.
"I already know how dangerous the pilgrimage is," answered Braska, "we're you searching for me this whole time?"
Sin nodded.
{I request that you end your pilgrimage for your own sake,} requested Sin.
"You've got to be kidding!" protested Jecht.
"Why should I?" asked Braska.
{Do you value your own life,} pried Sin, {as you value your family and your friends?}
Braska placed his hand on his chin as he thought over the question.
"Braska?" said Auron.
"I value the safety of my family more," answered Braska.
{So you are willing to throw away your own life?} objected Sin, {if you continue the pilgrimage, you will die.}
"Are you sure about this?" asked Braska.
Sin nodded.
"Well," sighed Braska, "I'm afraid I cannot quit my pilgrimage, or Yevon will have me excommunicated, but would you mind doing me a favor?"
{Feel free to ask,} replied Sin.
"Should anything happen to me," requested Braska, "would you be willing to protect my daughters from any potential danger, especially Yuna?"
There was a moment of silence as Jecht and Auron stared at Braska, confused.
{As long as you are aware of your fate,} answered Sin, {I accept your request.}
Just then, the footage ended. Yuna took in a deep breath to hold in the shock from the message in the sphere.
"So that explains why Sin was there for me," commented Yuna.
"Exactly," replied Auron.
"Hold on a second," interrupted Tidus, "was that really my old man in that sphere?"
Auron nodded.
"Jecht, Braska and I went on a pilgrimage ten years ago," explained Auron.
"I guess that makes sense," sighed Tidus, "now that you think about it."
Yuna and her guardians left the spring and headed out to Macalania Lake. When they stopped by the Travel Agency, they noticed that Barthello was sulking on a bench.
"Hey, Barthello," said Patravi, "are you doing ok?"
Barthello turned to glance at Yuna and her guardians.
"Have any of you guys seen Dona?" asked Barthello.
"Who's Dona?" asked Tidus, confused.
"Dona is a summoner from Kilika," answered Rikku, "and Barthello's her guardian."
"I'm sorry, Barthello," stated Yuna, "but we haven't seen her. What happened?"
"We got separated on our way here," fretted Barthello, "damn it all! I've got to find her!"
"Panicking is not going to help you," said Auron, "right now, you just need to keep calm and search."
"But," replied Barthello, "if something bad happens to her…"
"Don't worry," chirped Rikku, "we'll help you!"
"Thank you so very much," sighed Barthello.
Yuna and her guardians then left the Travel Agency and headed for the frozen lake. Ahead, they all gasped in surprise when they laid their eyes on another machina just like the one in the Moonflow, except that it resembles some sort of battle tank. To make matters worse, a few warrior monks were restraining Maroda and Pacce while attempting to force Dona and Isaaru toward an ominous-looking generator.
"Dona!" shouted Barthello in panic.
Barthello sprinted towards the commotion with Yuna and her guardians following him. Not surprisingly, the warrior monks noticed them.
"Let them go, now!" yelled Yuna.
"Lord Nero would not forgive us if we did," replied a warrior monk, "seize her."
"No," interrupted another warrior monk, "Nero's orders are to kill Lady Yuna on sight."
"What?" exclaimed Wakka.
One of the warrior monks punched Isaaru in the stomach before hoisting him into the container of the generator. Then, the battle tank rolled toward Yuna and her guardians on the ice field.
Just as Lulu was about to cast a Thundara spell, the battle tank released a smaller machina that started floating in the air. Sadly, Lulu couldn't cast the spell on the machina.
"That's impossible," muttered Lulu.
"I think we have to take that thing down first," explained Rikku, pointing at the drone, "it's using an anti-magic field on us!"
Wakka then started pummeling the drone with his blitzball as Tidus, Auron and Kimahri began attacking the battle tank as they dodged shots from its Gatling gun that was hidden in the battle tank's compartment. Patravi struggled to free Isaaru from the generator as he was screaming in pain. It was apparent that the generator was draining Isaaru's life energy to power up the machina.
Meanwhile, Wakka was having a hard time taking down the drone as it kept moving too fast. Rikku pulled out a grenade and tossed it at the drone which instantly exploded on contact, and the ruined drone dropped to the ground.
"Nice shot, Rikku!" smiled Tidus.
Lulu and Yuna seized this opportunity and cast a few Thundara spells at the battle tank, which immobilized it. However, its main cannon began charging up.
"Everyone out of the way!" shouted Auron.
Unfortunately, it appeared to be too late, as the battle tank fired a powerful red beam of energy at everyone. Just then, Yuna managed to summon Valefor and Ixion into battle at the last minute as they summoned a powerful shield that negated the mana beam.
"Lady Yuna," asked Valefor, "are you all right?"
"We're ok," answered Yuna, "but Isaaru's in trouble!"
Ixion galloped towards the generator, where Patravi was still having a hard time to break open the container. Isaaru was on his hands and knees by then, and Patravi glanced at Ixion.
"This damn thing won't budge!" complained Patravi.
"Stand aside," commanded Ixion.
Patravi stepped a few feet away from the generator as Ixion launched a couple of spinning razor-sharp discs that converged on the generator, destroying it in the process. Fortunately, Isaaru managed to survive as he crawled out of the rubble. Meanwhile, Valefor fired a super-charged beam at the ground where the battle tank was standing, and after a moment, an explosion destroyed it.
Dona managed to free herself and reunite with Barthello as Maroda and Pacce rushed to Isaaru's aid. Yuna and her guardians gave the warrior monks icy glares, who were gaping in surprise and anger.
"You imbeciles!" roared a warrior monk, "Lord Nero will punish you for this treachery!"
As the warrior monks fled, Yuna darted toward Isaaru and cast a Cura spell on him.
"Thank you, Yuna," gasped Isaaru in relief, "I thought it was over."
"You're welcome," smiled Yuna, "Isaaru."
"Well," added Rikku, "I hope this doesn't happen again."
Yuna then approached Valefor and Ixion as Dona and Isaaru left with their guardians.
"Are there still more machina like the one that harmed Isaaru?" asked Yuna.
"After we informed Master of this kind of machina in the Moonflow," explained Ixion, "he sent us out to search all over Spira for similar ones and destroy them. Thanks to you, we have taken out the last one."
"Thanks," replied Yuna, "but according to those Yevonites, I think Nero Guado might be behind all of this. Should I take him out myself?"
There was a moment of silence as Valefor and Ixion glanced at each other before glancing back at Yuna.
"We don't know yet," answered Valefor, "would you like us to ask Master for you?"
Yuna nodded.
Valefor and Ixion then took off as Yuna rejoined with her guardians. Just then, they noticed Seymour as he arrived in Macalania Lake.
"Hey Seymour," sang Patravi, "what you doing?"
"I was heading for Macalania Temple," replied Seymour.
"Why?" asked Yuna.
Seymour turned his face away from Yuna.
"That is none of your concern," retorted Seymour, "Lady Yuna."
"Does it have something to do with your uncle?" pried Yuna.
Seymour fidgeted on the icy ground as he nervously glanced at Yuna and her guardians.
"You seem anxious," said Tidus, "are you ok?"
Seymour sighed as he lowered his head to where he was staring at the ground.
"My uncle has been acting strange lately," he muttered, "since Operation Mi'ihen, he refused to talk to me and he kept avoiding me when I tried to explain to him."
"Is that because you went against your uncle's orders?" asked Lulu.
"How did you know?" demanded Seymour.
"We heard your conversation with Maester Kinoc," explained Auron.
"Why are all of you so interested in Uncle Nero?" asked Seymour.
Disgusted, Yuna turned away from Seymour and clenched her fists.
"I don't like him," glowered Yuna.
"What?" exclaimed Wakka.
Yuna pulled out the sphere from Jyscal Guado as she approached Seymour.
"Jyscal gave me this when I sent him," explained Yuna, holding out the sphere.
After her guardians and Seymour gathered around Yuna, she began playing the sphere's footage.
Jyscal Guado appeared to be floating in the middle of nowhere.
"What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth. I swear upon it as a Guado. Listen to me very carefully, for I shall tell you the truth about my son, Seymour, and my brother, Nero. Seymour was rather a shy boy in his early years, even when he looks upon me, a maester of Yevon. But my brother, Nero, is more close-minded and more sadistic than I thought. I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado, the summoners and even my son for his abusive intentions. If he is not stopped, he will surely bring chaos and despair to Spira. I will leave this world soon, killed by my own brother. But surely, I will accept death as punishment for my failure to stop him from abusing the innocent. But whoever is watching this, I implore you to stop Nero. Stop my brother!"
The footage ended and everyone, except for Yuna and Auron, gasped in shock.
"I should've known," muttered Auron.