Allow me to apologize in advance for the shoddy fight scene.

9: Hanged By A Thread

"Only if you let it feel that way," a soft voice from his right punctuated the night. Wardani twisted his neck only a fraction to find Yuna stood at the top of the stairs. She smiled warmly in greeting. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all, the wind's a terrible partner for conversation I'm afraid." Wardani returned the smile with a slighter one of his own.

Yuna's eyes turned up to the heavens, and she gradually made her way to the side of the observation deck. There was little more than a foot between them, and for a short period silence resumed. The wind carried wisps of smoke from Wardani's pipe out to sea in little clouds. They wafted away, curling and winding as if stretching from a long rest, lazily spreading apart until they dissipated. It was a comfortable night. Neither too warm nor cool, the sea was tranquil, and the soft murmurings from the other passengers endowed a certain homeliness. A good omen from where she stood, and she prayed it remained as such.

"It feels good to be on our way, at last." She linked her hands together, and tipped her head to one side. "The closer the day came, I admit I was beginning to feel anxious. Now that it's come, and going, I'm relieved."

"You dread a monster, yet find only a kitten. Mm?" Wardani chuckled, eyes back out to sea.

"Something like that," Yuna confirmed with a nod. "I'm glad to have had you all by my side. I doubt I would have possessed the courage to take this step alone."

"Oh," he smirked wryly, "I'm sure there are other reasons you appreciate our company."

Yuna responded in kind, turning her nose up with obvious melodrama. "If you're just going to make fun of me, perhaps I ought to leave."

"If you're so thin skinned, maybe you shouldn't be playing where there's thorns then, eh?" He fired back, tapping the bit of his pipe against his lip.

"I would hardly call it 'playing'," her reply was mockingly indignant.

"The opposite being intentional, then," Wardani reminded her smoothly. "Which would infer that one who pricks themselves with a purpose in mind looks for the wounds to heal back so the skin is stronger."

"You assume blood is even drawn at all." Yuna smiled, a victorious twinkle in her eye.

Wardani scoffed. "Well, aren't you just fairly conceited."

"Are you conceding?" Yuna sang. When her guardian did not respond, she broke out into gentle musical laughter. "It's no fun when you let me win," she informed with a teasing pout.

"What kind of guardian would I be to try and steal some of your glory?" He asked, turning his upper body.

Yuna nodded slowly. "I wouldn't expect you to be so concerned about that."

"The way I recall, summoners are the embodiment of the peoples' hope, aye? They need to appear larger than life, bear the weight of the world on their shoulders. Hero business and all. It would hardly be sporting to go and dim that limelight any."

"Wouldn't it be counter productive to falsify any lessons, then?" Yuna inquired.

Wardani shrugged dismissively, preferring not to dig that particular hole any deeper. "Aye, I suppose you've a point there."

"Besides, I had hoped my guardians – my friends – of all people would not treat me differently." An odd look briefly settled on her face. Wardani, in the scant moment he had to inspect it, could not gather if it expressed embarrassment, humility, or weariness. It was gone almost instantaneously, all the same, leaving him without an answer. "I understand.. how a summoner must be a symbol for Spira, but I would like to be myself around all of you."

Wardani stopped himself from clarifying: Almost yourself.

"All you had was to give the word," Wardani admitted. "More than happy to oblige."

"I knew you wouldn't object," Yuna giggled. "You're hardly one to stand for ceremony."

Wardani harrumphed, standing up straighter. "My Lady, I would almost take that as an offense!"

"I am doubtful of that; and please, not with the title." Yuna somberly requested.

"Well, I was only joking," he reminded her.

"I know, but.. even so." She put on a cheery smile and turned toward him. "Just like you always would, all right?"

Wardani tipped his head to her in submission. "If you keep hassling me about it, I'll have to start doing it purposefully," he joked.

"Then I'll need to hope you have a good memory," Yuna replied, taking his warning in even stride.

Wardani snorted, narrowing his eyes at her. "The fact you have to worry about tha- What were you going on about, now?" He furrowed his brow, looking a bit disoriented out of the blue.

Yuna smacked him lightly on the arm. "Stop that!" She commanded with a soft laugh.

"Only if you can say it with a straight face," he stipulated.

Yuna shook her head. "You're impossible."

"One of my better traits, I'd think," Wardani said with a halfhearted shrug.

Yuna rolled her blue-and-green eyes, fingers traveling through her hair as it was tossed wildly by the wind. Their chatter having ceased, the summoner and her guardian stared in silence toward the dark horizon, concealing whatever lay beyond its threshold just as the ocean swallowed secrets of its own. Wardani's thoughts turned toward the future, and what threats it might have in store. It was like a cabinet of horrors, the lock weakening and the boards wearing thin. At any moment the doors might be breached, and all the troubles they could imagine would come pouring out. There was no telling what precisely might emerge, but its malignancy was evident already.

"You meant fiends before, did you not?" Yuna inquired out of the blue, continuing the desultory conversation.

"They're a good enough example, but I was more referring to whatever might come our way." Wardani had half a mind of where she was headed.

A cheeky smile lit up her face. "Who was the one that slew them?"

Wardani groaned, his eyes turning to dulled daggers as they flashed to her. "That's a bit low."

Yuna giggled again, not losing hold of the mischief in her two-toned stare. "It's also a bit true." Before her guardian could say anything more, she closed the distance and laid her hand on his arm. It stayed his tongue, and he silently met her eye. Her countenance warmed, and she looked about to cast away the night with her radiance. "Goodnight," she finally murmured, dipping her head in a passing bow, and slipped away down the stairs.

He offered no response, watching pensively as she went. Perhaps it was the lack of her presence, but he felt more tense once she was gone. It was equally likely the distance, and inherent difficulty to defend her, troubled him. Which he thought was silly, as Kimahri doubtlessly would stand guard at her door – just as he was sure the Ronso had been waiting patiently at the foot of the steps.

Before, his concerns had been elsewhere. Now they were firmly rooted with Yuna's safety. The same thoughts from before danced madly around in his mind, tightening his nerves into every conceivable knot imaginable. Her point was fair enough, the aeons gave her tremendous power whenever she needed it. However, she had to summon them first, and in that interlude she was vulnerable. That, he supposed, was what they were there for.

At the same time, she was forced to call Valefor because her guardians had been in danger. As desperate as it had appeared, Wardani knew they could have handled it despite the odds. Garudas were deadly, but there were far worse fiends in the world. Vastly more dangerous threats in general populated Spira, and they were all waiting for them. Lulu was right to have been worried about Luca, its distance factored or not. They had their work cut out for them, that was more certain than anything. More assured even than their ability to protect her. With that thought, he exhaled exhaustedly.

XXX

He was suspended in the ocean.

Beneath there stretched a vast darkness of inky blue, reaching down to depths immeasurable. He wanted to keep his eyes up, toward the sky, to search for any passing vessels, but it was like they were tied to lead weights. No matter where he looked, they would be pulled down again. Down, down toward that all consuming deep below. Anything could be lurking there, amidst the blackness, and he would never know until it surged up to meet him. That horrid thought crippled him. Not even an idea of what might be his undoing, creeping up out the corner of his eye to drag him down to the crushing void.

Treading water, fighting to keep his head above the surface. Every breath came dangerously close to a lungful of water. Strangely, he was not panicked. No consternation twisted his gut and sundered his thoughts into a bog of muddled, suffocating notions. He felt fear, but he could not find the strength to fight it. Not when he could see no hope. When there was nothing to latch onto, or steady his footing. Only swallowing emptiness lay below, and his fortitude was beginning to fail.

Wardani jerked awake with a gasp, brow slick with sweat. His eyes darted around madly, searching for anything to lock onto. They caught only the night's sky and its vast peppering of stars. He had resigned to sleeping above the bridge, himself. The bunks below were simply too small and cramped for his liking. Suffocating in their proximity and number, set in row after row. Stuffy, as well. A gentle breeze ran through his hair like the fingers of a phantom drifting past, and his thoughts started to settle. The dream faded beyond memory, fragmenting and unraveling until not even traces remained. The knowledge alone, that he had indeed dreamed, stayed.

Groaning at having been torn from his rest, Wardani slowly sat up. He nearly stood out of habit, but at the last moment his sleep-clogged mind reminded him of where he was. With an audible sigh, he reached into his satchel, repeating the ritual he had gone through just the night before. He crossed through the most recent log, and arbitrarily dropped his quill onto the paper. The ink needed to dry, which gave him a few more moments to unwind from the nightmare's lingering tension. It had been a rush of adrenaline, accompanied by an unwelcome sensation of fear. Even with the source obscured, it obdurately haunted him.

His throat was parched for a strong drink.

As the minutes wore on and his head cleared, he began to feel sleep's call right at the edge of his thoughts, tugging relentlessly at his eyelids. After putting away the book, quill, and ink, Wardani decided to go for a walk rather than return so hurriedly to sleep. He tromped down the steps, only partially mindful of the noise he might be making for those below. Upon reaching the deck he looked about for anyone, hoping he could have some relative solitude for now. During the day there would be no time for that, with the passengers wandering about the ship.

At night there was only a skeleton crew awake, and most of the sailors would be down below recouping for the next day. He meandered around the deck for a time without any aim or purpose. A desire to stay awake was all that motivated him, and he clung to it unerringly. Even when there was nothing at all in sight to occupy his time. He found himself inspecting the Liki's meager rigging initially, but that quickly turned as unvaried as it sounded, and he sought out more engaging ventures.

Wearing a mask of boredom, Wardani drifted below deck. With luck, there would be Crusaders to torment.

Fortunately for him – not for his targets – it appeared to be the case. Stood outside the door at the end of the hall were Luzzu and another Crusader, one Wardani did not recognize as having been stationed on Besaid. That smelled of escort, meaning whatever the Crusaders had under wraps was important enough to warrant dispatching even more soldiers to ensure the safety of their cargo. Keeping his interest equally tucked away, the battlemage approached the duo.

"Evening," he addressed them, his voice ponderous and rough as sandpaper.

Luzzu exchanged looks with his comrade, and gave the man a nod. "Early morning, by my reckoning," the Crusader responded. "Greetings all the same."

"Is it, now?" Wardani had not really looked at the moon's position, but he had been up 'til rather late, so it was likely. "Eh, means better business for me. Sooner more of the commoners are stirred, the sooner I've got something to do."

"Which brings you down to us," Luzzu perceived aptly, a nondescript smile on his lips.

Wardani pulled a hurt expression. "You make it sound as if I'm promiscuous with whom I consort, man."

The other Crusader shot Luzzu a questioning look.

"Welcome to my stint on Besaid," was the soldier's curt explanation.

"Hey!" Wardani snapped, keeping his voice low. "That's more 'n just a bit uncalled for, aye?"

"I'd say it's perfectly merited." The look on the redhead's face was bordering on smug.

Wardani did not seem as amused. "Don't be starting, now." His lips peeled back in a dangerous grin; thin, but not lacking for heart behind it. "You won't be finished 'till.. well, you are."

"I'm not sure if I should feel honored or insulted that you wait until you're this bored to come looking for me," Luzzu pondered, shaking his head mournfully. Or at least it appeared so. "If what you said is to be believed."

Wardani sighed, attempting to conceal his irritation. "Oh, come now. You know my word's good as gil, don't you? Besides, are you really going to argue?"

Luzzu raised a brow. "Can I ask to complain?"

A growl worked its way up the battlemage's throat. "Wipe that smirk off your face, you thrice-blighted little-"

"Looking forward to the game?" Luzzu interjected, having decided to try and put the conversation onto an actual rail.

Wardani narrowed his eyes. "No. What's behind the door?"

The accompanying Crusader visibly tensed, and Wardani shot him a cursory glance.

Luzzu appeared physically taken aback. "You know better than to ask for that."

"Blast," the battlemage sighed, shaking his head. "I suppose it was worth a stab."

Luzzu suppressed a laugh. "Was that all you came down here for?"

"Of course not, man!" Wardani hissed. "Pointless endeavors aren't mine to shoulder. Call it a whim, I suppose." He crossed his arms and propped his shoulder against the wall, keeping himself as loose and relaxed as possible. Generating an air of nonchalance to try and defuse any lingering friction. "Don't suppose you've got any plans for while we're in Luca, then?"

"Unfortunately, no." Luzzu shook his head, this time genuinely downcast. "We're likely to be on too tight a schedule to take in any games."

"That's a shame," Wardani snorted. "Can't even catch Wakka's last failure."

"Your assuredness is noted," Luzzu remarked offhandedly, voice heavy with irony.

Wardani, not one to take a differing opinion lightly, turned now to the other Crusader. "Who've you got your money on, then?" When the man appeared hesitant to answer, Wardani shook his head impatiently. "Don't mind him, he's toothless," he said, waving a hand as Luzzu.

The Crusader shifted, glancing uncomfortably at the redhead. For a moment it appeared he was to remain reticent, but soon enough murmured, "Beasts. Caught them practicing when we exchanged boats at Kilika. They look to be in top condition."

Wardani angled a hand at the man, turning hardened eyes back to Luzzu.

Luzzu's smirk was as collected as his posture, and he faced the battlemage unflinchingly. "I'm remaining loyal."

Wardani felt a stab in his chest. "Pardon, was that a jab at me?"

"Not at all," Luzzu shook his head. "Though your defensiveness is also noted."

Wardani grumbled something under his breath, Luzzu catching only Lulu's name. "We'll see where loyalty's gonna get you when the Aurochs end up at the bottom of the rungs again as always."

Luzzu could sense the battlemage's frazzled calm, in his voice and stance. He had gone rigid all over and not taken even the slightest second to think over what had been said. He had reacted immediately, like a reflex. Taking this into account, he cleared his throat and dismissed the remark with a shrug. "I suppose we will. How's the voyage been for you so far?"

"Slow," the battlemage grumbled, obviously still recovering from his sudden outburst. "I just want to hurry up and get to the damned island. Don't like being cooped up like this. Nowhere to go, nothing to do. It's like I'm caged." He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Almost feels like I can't breathe, sometimes."

Luzzu almost mentioned the guardian's similar experience with waiting in the antechamber for Yuna, but decided against it after witnessing his previous reaction to a similar remark. "The more you think about it, the longer it will seem."

Wardani chuckled, a hint of acid in the throaty noise. "Aye, the problem being that cycles back in-and-in on itself, and I wind up thinking about it even more!"

Barely more than a day into the journey, and already his frustration was becoming evident after only an inch of digging. That was not good. "Perhaps you could try and help out around the ship, put some of that energy to good use."

The battlemage gave him a look that almost stung. "Don't even joke about that, I'm not much into charity."

"Giving or receiving?" Luzzu inquired dryly.

"Both." Wardani's response was sharp and instantaneous, joined by an equally keen glare.

"Then don't think of it as that," Luzzu directed. "Do you really want your agitation-"

"It won't be a problem," Wardani cut him off wearily, rubbing his temple now. "Nice try, but you fell short of the cliff. Looks like it's the plummet for you." He smirked sourly at the Crusader, and pushed off the wall. "Thanks for the chat, men, but I think I'll carry back on upstairs. Keep up with the good work, Yevon's smiling down on you, and whatever else the temple puts in your tea." He chortled, ambling back toward the portal.

One he was gone, the soldier opposite Luzzu cleared his throat. "Who was-"

"A pain in the ass," Luzzu answered, shoulders trembling as he quietly laughed.

XXX

Wardani got in a few more hours of sleep before the sun relentlessly took back the sky, outdoing the moon and all of the other stars. With the sky again burned blue, and a fresh wind in everyone's spirits, the day was alive all over again. Aside from everyone being settled, nothing was even remotely different. The routine was the same as before, with the guardians keeping mostly wherever Yuna was, only Kimahri actually following close behind. The monotony was ridiculous, and Wardani had not a clue how anyone else could stand it, but stride along they did. His mind was reeling with crazed thoughts, muscles fired with unused energy that begged, implored, and even beseeched that he do something to get rid of it all!

Chin in his palm, elbow on the side of the ship, he watched through eyes hazed over with ennui as everyone went about what was essentially a replay of the day before. He cursed them all for being able to bear the torturous tedium, and then berated himself for being unable to deal with it as easily himself. This was not something he was accustomed to undertaking. On Besaid he always had things to do. Plenty of people needed help with important tasks, and if there was nothing left at his forge he assisted without complaint, though not lacking his usual light vitriol. His hands and thoughts were occupied, and he was.. happy. In the end, he was at least marginally want for a good night's sleep. Now there was nothing. Absolutely nothing, to be exact.

Even if somehow there had been nothing – absolutely, utterly, and completely nothing – to do on Besaid, he could have gone hunting. Whether he wanted fresh game or fruit, or to thin the herd of fiends a bit, the jungle always presented something to pass his too-free time. Water fiends were not much of an issue in the wide open ocean. They traveled in schools, but never in enough numbers to overpower even a ship the size of the Liki. His eyes flicked to the water as this came across his mind, searching for any of said beasties. Not flitted nearby, so his gaze went elsewhere – back to the rest of the nothingness going on about him.

Truth be told, he almost wished for such an attempted siege just to break the uniformity.

"On the bright side, that cloud's different," he muttered numbly to himself, shutting his eyes momentarily immediately after – about as close to slapping himself he was going to get.

A bit of yellow snagged his attention, and for once it was not Wakka's stupid paints. Rather, it was Tidus' jacket. Wardani's brow creased involuntarily, and he watched where the teen was headed. As the boy made for the back of the ship, Wardani straightened and began to follow. He kept to the shadows, figuratively speaking, and lingered far enough back not to catch the blitzer's eye. The teen paused just at the rear of the bridge, and immediately Wardani snapped his head around in a bid to locate Yuna. She was not at the bow, nor had she passed by him. Judging by where he last saw her and the boy's comportment, Wardani surmised he aimed to try and talk to the summoner.

"Let's see 'bout that," the battlemage hissed, stomping over to the boy. "How's your father, lad?" He abruptly asked in announcement of his presence, causing the teen to start.

Tidus wheeled about, eyes wide and flying up to Wardani's face. He immediately glowered. "Oh."

Wardani raised a brow. "That s'posed to be snarky, then?"

"What do you want?" Tidus asked with a disgruntled sigh.

Wardani's shot a quick look at the vessel's stern. Sure enough, there was Yuna, hand shading her eyes and peering out across the water. He quickly fixed the teen with his stare again and snorted. "You take an attitude with me, and I'll see you pitching in to scrub the deck, yeah?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Tidus internally bemoaned his extreme misfortune. "Are you just here to bug me?"

"My presence is a blessing," the guardian returned without humor in his tone.

Tidus rolled his eyes. "I'll be sure to ask the next priest that. We're going to Kilika's temple, anyway."

"That mouth's gonna get you into some hurt, kid," Wardani warned through gritted teeth.

"You know that from experience?" Tidus asked, shifting his weight and looking up simperingly at the guardian.

"Hey, hey! Hope you're not being too hard on him, ya? Hahaha!" A jovial voice interrupted them.

Wardani looked positively distressed. "Damn my soul," he deplored.

"Happily." Tidus retorted under his breath, still managing to draw an irate glare.

Wakka came up to Wardani's right, just to clap Tidus on the back. "Haven't heard much outta you, Wardani," he grinned at the bigger man. "Must be a new record."

Wardani shook his head. "Not talking to you, or just keeping to myself in general? I've not been totally cooped yet, man. Regardless of how much you are aware."

"Again with the feelings, brudda!" Wakka turned his focus to Tidus. "Hey, if he's giving you a hard time, just let me know. I'll set him straight."

"That'd be a sight." Wardani scoffed. "For everyone else."

"See, Wardani's all talk, ya?" Wakka grinned, big and wide, showing no fear for the battlemage. "You get him in the grit, it'll all give way in no time. You stick around long enough, maybe you'll see."

"That's quite a lot of.. talk, Wakka," Wardani growled, his words coming very slowly. "Unless I start hearing some silence out of you, expect to start swimming."

Wakka waved him off. "Keep dreaming, brudda."

"Like the Fayth," Wardani gruffly rejoined.

Tidus had to admit – though not verbally whilst he was around – seeing Wardani get foiled by somebody like Wakka was pretty entertaining. With as much grief as the battlemage put him through, it felt good watching the guardian get something in return. At the same time, it was slightly intimidating. Wardani clearly had a short fuse, even if he was unsure it would become a problem. He could see the vexation in the man's eye, how he looked half ready to lash out physically. The barely contained anger bubbling just at the lid, white froth leaking over. Tidus was none too eager to see what happened when the pressure reached critical.

Karma was a bitch, but so was a broken nose.

Oddly wanting to act in order to ease the situation, Tidus stepped up. "So, what's Kilika like?"

Wakka scratched his chin, looking heavenward in thought. "Eh.. not to different from Besaid, ya? They do a lot more fishing, though. Most people live right by the ocean. Got a big dock with lots of boats. Always coming and going. Kind of like a little Luca, ya?"

Wardani nodded. "Apt enough. Each island's got it's own unique culture 'course; and the temple is way inland, so we'll have to traverse the jungle to reach it."

Tidus tilted his head to one side. "Why's that?"

"Probably because it's less a target for Sin, that way," he shrugged. One would think the village itself would have been built with a similar train of thought, like Besaid's had. True, Sin had attacked the village on several occasions, but Kilika was a far easier target and had been sacked more often throughout the years. Humans were stubborn however, and the people were hardy. They refused to budge, facing Sin down with questionable defiance even as more and more people lost their lives. They were certainly brave, Wardani thought, though they also lent a great amount of fuel for the "bravery versus stupidity" debate. "It's not been hit as many times as the docks. They like to think it's because of Yevon's intervention."

Wakka bristled. "What do you think it is, then?"

Wardani stared him down, nearly expressionless. "Ease of access." He turned back to Tidus, leaving no room for retaliation. "You might like it. I remember them being a bit less reserved than Besaid's people. Got more a warrior culture going on. Lots of fun. It's why they make such good blitzers. Wakka wouldn't know."

"One of these days, brudda," Wakka shook his head somberly, as if pitying the battlemage.

"One of these days," Wardani chuckled, "You're all going to wake up." The boat lurched as it cut apart a swell, and the three of them heard a soft cry from the stern. Without a moment to spare, Wardani and Wakka bolted around the bridge. They halted mere seconds later, both relieved to see Kimahri setting Yuna safely on her feet.

The summoner noticed them and flushed pink. "S-Sorry, I was trying to get a better look... It won't happen again."

Wakka folded his arms and shook his head. "She's got it in her head to live adventurously now that we're on the road, ya?"

"Aye, and starting with a cool dip it would seem," Wardani went right along, a similar look of playful admonishment on his face.

Yuna took offense to their teasing. "I don't see why everyone feels the need to make fun of me!" She voiced her pique.

"Just be more careful, Yuna," Wakka relented, rubbing the back of his neck. "No tellin' what might be following us, ya?"

"Fiends do tend to shadow boats, even if they don't outright attack," Wardani concurred.

Pleased that they at least dropped the jeers, Yuna gave them both a reassuring smile. "Of course. Thank you."

Confident that Kimahri was making true their expectations, they left him to his work and wandered back to Tidus. The teen had gone with them, but lingered behind as the guardians checked on her. He felt like the odd one out whenever they were talking to Yuna, as if he were watching someone in a club discuss private matters. It just felt wrong to intervene. Even then, the most he could have accomplished was ask if she was all right. While she might appreciate the sentiment, it would have been redundant.

"I should go check on the rest of the team," Wakka announced. He grabbed Tidus' shoulder, and the teen bit back a wince under the older blitzer's grip. "You come too, ya? We can maybe get in some practice up at the bow. No reason not to keep in shape."

"There's that tidbit 'bout exercising in futility," Wardani murmured wryly. "Somehow I don't think it was ever more literal, though. Kind of beautiful, that."

Wakka crossed his arms and looked confidently up at the battlemage, his feet apart and shoulders squared. "You gonna be willing to apologize when we're holding the Cup?"

"Seeing as that's not gonna happen," the battlemage skirted the question, "There's hardly a point in even asking."

"Maybe you can eat it then, brudda." Wakka motioned for Tidus to follow, and led the teen away to find the rest of the Aurochs.

Wardani tilted his head, as if considering the prospect. With a nondescript shrug, he breathed, "I'd fancy a nice steak, honestly."

XXX

When the door to the power room swung wide, the girl attending the chocobos was surprised to see someone she did not recognize come striding in. Most passengers preferred to keep to other parts of the ship, few ever ducking inside her station. Truth be told, Wardani was not entirely sure what he was doing there, either. "Hey there," she hailed him tentatively, brow softly knitting.

"Well-a-day, sorry for the intrusion, just needing to get away," the battlemage fired off rapidly, immediately leaning against the wall and closing his eyes.

The girl was at a bit of a loss. "Uh.. seasick?"

Wardani shook his head. "No, it's just.. too damned quiet up there!" He groaned, shoulders falling as he sighed. "Don't worry, won't be long," he assured her. "Pay me no mind."

The girl nodded slowly, her befuddlement growing from a gentle prickling to a steady throb. "I, uh.. uh.. sure." She certainly looked lost. Her eyes were wide and unfocused, as if this sudden unexplained intrusion had thrown her for a loop and left her without proper mooring. Her head slowly ticked around until she was back to her task. Every now and again she would toss a quick look over her shoulder at the man, wondering what exactly he was doing. She hardly figured he really wanted to come down to the power room to relax, of all things. It was loud enough that a constant rumbling could be heard from outside, and the air was thick with the scent of chocobo. Not really a spa by any means.

Despite her inclinations, that was precisely what brought Wardani to the engine room. The near silence from above had become too much to bear. The constant overwhelming racket actually helped him focus for once, and as he listened to the grinding of the giant wheels he could feel himself settling rather nicely. Odd as it may have been, which he would readily admit.

The power room was one of the biggest on the ship, and for good reason. As with most boats it was propelled by mechanical means, but rather than use fossil fuels to generate energy a different source had been employed. The middle of the room was dominated by a massive contraption hugged by four steel wheels. Between and connected to these was a series of belts and gears, all feeding to the engine itself. A chocobo occupied each wheel, keeping them turning with inhuman endurance. The motion generated the energy needed to keep the vessel going, pushing them on to their destination. A crude, but effective system. To the right of the door, from entering, four hay-padded stalls waited, empty until the birds were allowed to take a break.

The steady thrumming of the machina drilled into his brain with a result not dissimilar from a massage removing tension from his muscles. Meager though it was, it did take his attention off his boredom. When he opened his eyes, Wardani moved fluidly off the wall into a steady gait, approaching the great yellow birds and observing them with passive interest. They were funny creatures. Despite their ungainly, almost awkward appearance, they were sturdy enough and very strong, even making capable mounts for cavalry units – mostly under the mandate of the Crusaders. A funny thought, as they hardly appeared menacing. Their vocalizations were especially disarming.

In the meantime, the girl attending the birds was beginning to piece something together. She eyed the weapons he carried, as well as his harness. They were not military – neither Crusader nor warrior monk – but neither did they fit those of, say, the average traveler. That left only a few other options, and with a summoner on board she was fairly certain which of those was the likeliest.

"You're a guardian, aren't you?" She asked, careful not to sound too confident just in case.

Wardani took a moment to respond. He was staring a chocobo in the eye, the bird looking back curiously. It was not afraid, but he could sense it was at least wary of him as a stranger. He turned his head slightly toward her, gaze remaining on the bird. "Aye, one of the summoner Yuna's retinue. Making due haste for Kilika," then, bitterly under his breath, "If you can call this stifling crawl 'haste'."

"I've heard a lot about her."

"Reckon you have, she's daughter of a High Summoner and all," Wardani nodded, not surprised. Word of her was bound to travel faster than that of any other summoner. When one had a legacy, certain expectations were levied, like it or not.

The girl performed the prayer, half aiming it toward Wardani. "Here's hoping all goes well, then. I haven't been up to see, but they say you all look capable."

"One way of putting it," Wardani shrugged. "We cover the basics, at least. Harder to find yourself blindsided that-a-way." The chocobo cocked its head, and he mimicked the action, absentmindedly wondering what it was thinking.

"I'm certainly looking forward to another Calm," she commented. Immediately after the words left her lips she blanched. "Uh.. that wasn't supposed to-"

"If it bothers you that much," Wardani snorted, still not taking his eye off the beast of burden, "You should go up and apologize to the summoner herself, don't you think?" The comment had struck a nerve in him, but he refused to let it show. There were people who actually appreciated summoners, he knew this, but everyone across the board thought of them as sacrificial lambs. They came, were carted off to meet Sin, and either died bringing the Calm or veritably in vain otherwise. He could not imagine what that had to feel like, to live knowing that everyone else wanted you to die for them. To in essence be the object of human selfishness, masked or otherwise. Only humans were as open about their desires for the fates of summoners.

The girl fidgeted nervously. "I.. guess that would be more appropriate."

Wardani drifted across the room, aiming toward the door. Stopping as he came even with her, he said, "She'd understand, don't fret over it. That'd be the last thing she'd want."

"Thanks," she responded evenly.

With a final nod, he left her to work and headed back outside.

XXX

The next day finally arrived without ostentation. The final leg of the voyage to Kilika was well underway, with only hours remaining as a barrier between them and their destination. Already they felt to be the longest, hanging heavily in their reluctance to leave. Everything seemed promising enough, at the very least. There was a strong wind in the sail, and the waters were the calmest they had been so far. No signs of storm in any direction, the endless blue sky stretching on and on as far as the eye could see. The waters were teeming with life, schools of fish moving by beneath the boat and attracting the attention of a handful of passengers. Some of the sailors had even decided to toss a couple of lines in. Hardly the nets of Kilika's many native junks, but this was no commercial fishing vessel.

Much against his better judgment, Wardani had actually lowered himself to assisting, as much as it pained him. A little bit of bait and lots of hungry tuna made for some easy catches. He mostly watched the tackle, occasionally hauling one aboard and handing off the catch to be taken down below. It was something, even if not much. Fishing had rarely drawn his attention, mostly because it was usually very slow. If work was to be tedious, it at least had to involve a lot of activity. The most he had to worry about here was just how much force was needed to drag up one of the animals. Impromptu games of tug-of-war were among the most engaging elements of this brief distraction.

A line went taught, and Wardani reached down to grab ahold. With the cord caught tight within his grasp, he wrapped it around his arm for better leverage. Boot planted against the side of the ship, he reared back with his entire body. The beast resisted, pitting its own considerable strength against him. He pushed harder, drawing it slowly up from the sea. When it was close enough that its struggle could be seen, he clenched the line with both hands and yanked it onto the deck with a wet splatter. A nearby crewman scooped up the flopping animal and carted it away, sending the guardian a congratulatory nod.

Wiping his arm across his brow, he leaned against the side of the ship, looking out over the gentle waters. Things certainly felt more alive than they had the two days past. That illusion went a good way to swaying his frustration into a lull. If anything, all this fishing was making him look forward to a kipper the next morning. Fishing was important enough to Kilika that only Luca's seafood cuisine beat them out – but, to be honest, Wardani preferred the more home grown feel of the island's cooking. Realizing where this was going, he quickly tore up the tracks to derail than particular train of thought.

Turning to check on another line, Wardani found himself suddenly and violently thrown backward. The bridge and his back met like a hammer striking stone, emptying his lungs and upsetting his vision. Stars flashed across his eyes in bursts, and he slumped to his knee, cradling his head. Fighting off a wave of dizziness, he struggled to get back to his feet. Disoriented and dazed, he cast his eyes about, demanding that they focus.

The sea, which had previously been calm, was now a churning grinder of swells. Sharp blue crests rose up without any foreseeable instigation, hanging briefly in the air before collapsing back into the ocean. Another one smacked into the Liki's port side, roughly jolting the passengers. The ship resisted, but ultimately the force was too great, and it began to lean. He caught the deck with his hands and watched as the vessel nearly capsized. At the last second it managed to even out, slapping the waters and rocking the crew and fare.

"Everyone, get below!" Came a cry from his right. The crew were scrambling to assist the passengers, and he could imagine the pilot was having a similarly titanic battle on the bridge as he wrestled with the wheel.

"Yuna!" Wardani roared, surging to his feet and rushing around the bridge. Another swell sent him into the side of the ship, and he clung for dear life as it almost tossed him over. It was like trying to hold onto a giant's back while the beast made to sling you off. From where he stood, he could see the summoner safely in Kimahri's arms. The other guardians were scattered nearby, even Tidus had his eye on her.

He made a split second decision, and pushed off the side of the ship. "This way!" He bellowed, raising his voice as high as he could to beat the roar of the waves. His arm outstretched for the rear of the ship. As passengers made their way over, he lent them whatever assistance he could amidst the vessel's tumultuous weaving. By the time they had all been ferried below, even the Crusaders had begun to assist. Most of the crew stayed above to tend to the rigging, only a few sequestering themselves below deck. From inside, he could hear the ship groaning miserably, the boards holding against the immense force each blow set upon them.

Wardani remained at the portal, hand tightly gripping the frame for balance. The Crusaders were working to calm the fare and instill order. The last thing they wanted was for it to turn into a meat grinder if things were further south. Luzzu sliced through the crowd, aiming for the door. He stopped at the foot of the ramp, catching onto the wall as the boat was sent lurching starboard. Wardani dug his feet into the floor, struggling to keep upright.

"What's going on out there?" Luzzu asked, raising his voice.

The possibilities were few, and none spelled anything good for the ship. Wardani could already feel his gut twisting into a knot. A terrible, foreboding sensation dragged his spirits down like a riptide, and he only hoped this would soon pass. Shaking his head, the battlemage replied, "The sea is angry, my friend! Perhaps we've crossed too long without an oblation." He threw a look over his shoulder, watching as a titanic wave began to rise up out from the sea. It struck him like a visage of a great god stirred from its sleep. An ancient terror dredged from far below, the force of its waking taking the waters up around it in a sheath that would soon come peeling off to meet them.

Its shadow fell across the boat, blanketing them in darkness. His chest tightened, and an awful chill ran through his blood. Before it could come down atop their heads, the Liki sailed out from underneath its puissance, and he watched as it toppled behind them. It did not drop so much as it leaned steadily lower until it met the lesser waves beneath, crushing them thoroughly. "Hold on!" He warned, just before the resulting aftershocks smashed into the stern, dipping the bow toward the sea. With his hold sure, he watched as the other passengers were thrown forward.

The Liki steadied before long, but rather than relief, he could feel only anxiety. That may have been the worst of it, or perhaps just a foreshadowing. He sucked in a deep breath to calm himself, and released his hold to go and assist the Crusaders. As single step was all he managed when a cacophonous crash of breaking water grabbed his ear. White froth erupted into the sky as if propelled by a volcano, only to come raining back down in torrents. The vessel was sprayed with seawater, the boards doused 'til they were dark. A low rumble resounded across the tiny ship, and he once again turned to look back outside.

His eyes immediately locked onto the source of the sea's abrupt turbulence. They traveled up, and he felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart by a cold spear. It doused his mind with fear, and for a moment he was transfixed in a state of arrant horror. Sight alone brought with it a calamitous sensation of loss, like an insect caught beneath a falling boot. There, towering above the fragile frame of the Liki, was a great fin. A colossal dark effigy, yet only a shard of the monstrosity now sweeping past them.

He blinked, and like a bucket of water to the face he was reminded of the situation. Turning to Luzzu, he simply pointed and yelled, "Sin!" Rather than screams, an abominable hush fell across the passengers. Having thoroughly apprised them to the severity of their current plight, Wardani made to rush back outside.

"Where are you going?" Luzzu demanded.

"The summoner's still out there!" Wardani barked. "Stay with the passengers, I've got to go to her!"

Someone cried, "Yevon be with you!"

As much as he was averse to such sentiment, at that moment he would not have complained were providence to guide them safely out from the shadow of this ruinous horror. Sin was racing by the boat at speeds they could not hope to match, and as Wardani stepped out onto the deck he momentarily dared to hope it was unaware of them.

That was before he saw the harpoon guns.

At the bow, two men fired off the guns, the wicked harpoons given flight. Flying true to their mark, they embedded themselves firmly into the fin as it pulled ahead of them. Wardani swore at the fools, and as the ropes went taught the front of the boat jerked into the air. For the second time in mere minutes, his head smacked wood.

Sin apparently took umbrage with the petty assault, stirring the waters until the sea was about to swallow the ship whole. Its hide rippled with convulsions, as if the flesh were crawling. Scales separated from one another, standing on end. They were ejected from its body, whistling across open air and slamming home into the ship. Pulling themselves from the wood, the dreadful things split awkwardly apart, the exteriors transforming into wings atop the backs of many-legged monstrosities. They took only a second to look about, and then set to work.

At the bow of the ship, the two brave men who had fired the harpoons were the first to go. Faces stricken with terror, they were unable to move before a rain of needles broke their chests. Their lifeless bodies hit the deck just as Lulu summoned down streaks of lightning. White, crackling arms that burned deep molten gashes into their targets. She looked unfazed, dark determination burning in her crimson eyes. Only malice for the fiends that she destroyed without a shred of pity. Wakka launched his blitzball, racking up kills with rebounding strikes that crushed the bodies of the sinscales.

Tidus remembered these from when Sin destroyed Zanarkand. He had fought them in droves atop the twisting roads amidst the city's skyline. Anger burning in his belly, he cast haste, drew his new sword, and rushed into the middle of the horde, hacking away at them. Legs and wings came apart, falling to the deck and dissolving into pyreflies. He had no heed for safety, his sight clouded by a red haze. One charged him, and for its trouble he stuck the crooked tip of his sword through its head. The carapace split with a wet crack, and it died. Whirling around, sword held out, he clove apart another of them. He was caught in a mad dash of violence without forethought.

Individual sinscales were hardly much of a threat, however in large numbers they could easily swarm their prey. Thankfully, much of the crew had decided to join in the defense of the vessel. They ganged together to repel the fiends, meeting them head-on in combat. They had meager training, but knew enough to severely deter the fiends from gaining any real headway.

Lulu held her arm out, fingers splayed. Anyone sensitive to magic could feel a well of it pooling around her until it was a choking weight. Her fingers curled suddenly into a fist, and the sky was split by bolts of white-hot lightning. They poured from the heavens with such fury that one might think the very stars had begun to launch spears from their seats. The brute things were no match for this onslaught, and fell rapidly amidst the reek of burning ozone.

Toward the rear of the ship, Wardani was helped to his feet by Luzzu, the Crusader's other hand clutched a drawn blade. "We're surrounded!" He informed grimly, casting his eyes about at the swarming sinscales.

Wardani made a disgusted noise. "Just means it's more fair for the buggers," he spat, drawing his sword once he was on his feet. A pack of them trundled aorund the side of the bridge. One flung its flickering wings forward, firing off needlelike spines. Wardani and Luzzu quickly ducked behind the corner, the lethal darts soaring out into the ocean. "Better they not know that, 'course," he growled.

He could hear their legs thunking into the planks, the wood splintering as they raced in for the kill. With a nod to Luzzu, Wardani rushed out to meet them. He swung his sword in a wide arc, catching two across their eyes. The cut was not deep enough to kill, but it stunned them. In the brief opening, Wardani flexed his left hand. Tiny arcs of lightning crackled down his arm to leap from his fingertips, gutting the scales. Another made to attack him, but Luzzu opted to assist. He raised his sword, catching their razor claws and slicing them off. His blade twisted and fell in a return stroke, cleaving the fiend open.

A noise from above drew Wardani's eye. Several sinscales had apparently hit the observation deck, and were crawling down from the high perch. One was already fairly low, and he thrust his sword upward in greeting. As it died, he moved out of the way of the others as they fired their spines. Another flick of his wrist, and lightning crawled through them, their bodies briefly glowing orange as the magically directed plasma devoured them.

"Stay here!" Wardani ordered, shooting a quick glance at Luzzu.

The Crusader was hesitant to obey, but acquiesced. "Good luck."

"Won't need it!" The battlemage ran ahead, slowing as the sky became filled with even more soaring sinscales. They hit the boat in waves, some narrowly missing him. The wise took the opportunity to kill them before they unfolded. Wardani had been tentative to use fire on a ship composed almost entirely of wood, but Lulu had no need for such worries. With expert ease she summoned tiny bursts of flames that caught, killed, and extinguished. Like the work of an ace sharpshooter: quick, precise, and clean.

Now the tide was beginning to turn.

The sailors found themselves grossly outnumbered, and the sinscales were as fearless as they were relentless. Without care or caution they made to destroy the humans, and the herd was beginning to thin. Bodies fell, littered with spines, others screamed when the beasts toppled them, dying as they were savaged by claws.

Yuna was horrified. She had never seen the direct consequences of Sin's appearance before, and though this was not even the faintest inkling of its strength, watching these people die tore into her. Every man that breathed his last was like a dagger twisting in her chest. She did as much as she could, casting healing spells and defensive magics, but it was impossible to be constantly aware of what was going on around her. The battle was sheer chaos, and her attention was as divided as it could possibly be.

Sin turned, wrenching the boat to port. The sinscales had the luxury of their sharp legs to keep rooted, but the others were hardly so fortunate. It presented them an opportunity, and with bestial tenacity they embraced the lull in their preys' opposition. Spines flew into the mass of sailors, wounding many and killing several. A spray of blood coated the deck as one man's jugular was opened. It had the same effect as being routed by an enemy army, and the survivors began to move away, aiming for some sort of cover.

At a time like this, Wardani longed for his spear, but to go and collect Krig would require a costly amount of time. It was beautiful for clearing out tightly packed enemies and keeping them at bay. His sword made due, though it forced him to fight at much closer range. He hacked through the scales as he would undergrowth in the jungle, seeking only to clear the way forward.

One of the fiends reached for him, and he crushed its head with a firm kick. As it fell, he noticed too late the wings of one behind it flickering. He quickly raised his arm as it fired, shielding his face. Each hit with the force of a punch, pushing him back. Most impacted his cuirass and lacked the strength to penetrate, but one went almost clean through his forearm. He hissed, cursing loudly in pain and anger. Not bothering to remove it, he rent the fiend's head from the rest of its body in retaliation.

No matter how many they killed, more and more continued to come. Sin's supply of these vermin seemed inexhaustible. The endless barrage was beginning to wear away at even Yuna's most steadfast guardians, only Kimahri showed no signs of wear. He stayed by Yuna, destroying any of the creatures foolhardy enough to come within range. He made short work of them, ensuring no harm befell his charge. He cut them down with a careless ease, hardly noticing them as they fell.

"This is pointless!" Wardani thundered, kicking aside one sinscale after having killed another. It scrambled upright, but he slew it before it regained its footing. He heard Tidus cry out, and turned to see the teen down on one knee, two spines spearing his right leg. He tried to stand, waving his sword to hold the sinscales off. The battlemage killed the closest few with thunder spells, giving the boy room to remove the spines. Yuna quickly healed him, permitting him full mobility again.

"Any ideas?" Lulu asked, her level tone slightly strained. The constant use of magic was beginning to show itself, slowly wearing her down. She was far from done, but even the mightiest magi could not go on forever without reprieve.

Wardani shot a glance at the harpoon guns. "We break the lines! Sin goes, we live," he stated simply, keeping his concentration mainly on the sinscales.

Wakka grit his teeth. It was the only way they could protect Yuna. "I'm with 'im!"

Lulu nodded, almost imperceptibly, and declared, "We shall clear a way." A watera washed through the sinscales, throwing them aside and opening a route to the very front of the vessel. Wardani rushed through immediately, jumping over a floundering sinscale.

He reached the first, sword already raised as he neared the rope. With all the strength he could muster, he brought the blade down. The first swing bounced off, hardly cutting at all. Sparing a hurried glance toward the sinscales, he swung again. This time the blade bit deeper, severing more of the woven fibers. Muttering desperately for it to hurry up and break, he raised his arm for another swing. The third blow went deeper, and the tension snapped the rest away. The Liki shuddered, veering as the weight of Sin's strength was suddenly shouldered by the one remaining rope.

As if they knew what he was doing, the recovered sinscales swarmed Wardani. More fired their spines, and he jumped out of the way, landing on his side. Wakka and Lulu laid into them ferociously, thinning their numbers and allowing him time to get back to his feet. He scrambled for the second gun, already lifting his sword in preparation.

Something pelted him. Heat shot through his lower back, pain bringing him to one knee. Not needing to look, he could feel where three spines had managed to break through his chain mail. They did not feel deep enough to do any serious harm, but regardless it was a damned inconvenience at least. Picking himself back up, Wardani was about to continue his mission when Tidus rushed by.

The teen helped him up, crying, "Come on!"

Wardani surged to his feet again, fist tightening 'round the hilt of his sword, and the two of them rushed to finish the job. Tidus reached it first, and just as he was raising his weapon the gun broke free of the deck, soaring out to sea as Sin dived beneath the waves. The Liki pitched forward, and as if that was not enough, Sin raised its mighty tail from sea and brought it crashing down with a vengeance. The boat was further tossed, and a great froth fell upon it.

A terrible moment went by as the seawater slowly drained away, leaving them drenched and knocked to the deck. Wardani urgently picked himself up with his good arm, sword still in his hand. The boat had yet to steady, rocking up and down on its own momentum and swayed by the rough undulations. Stumbling to his feet, he performed a swift analysis of their surroundings. Yuna, foremost, was safe with Kimahri. He could see no more sinscales, the remaining few sent just before the gun gave way must have been washed off, he surmised.

Breathing a sigh a relief, Wardani sheathed his sword and immediately sagged to his knees. He wiped a hand across his face in a vain attempt to remove the water. With his hair so sodden, even more ran down to coat his skin regardless. Aside from the surging waves, everything was silent. A grim and uneasy peace settled in Sin's literal wake. He turned his eyes out beyond the bow, where he knew the abomination was headed.

"Everyone okay?" Wakka asked, looking around at his fellow guardians.

"I am fine." Lulu sounded off. Her countenance was a heavy amalgam of fatigue and disconsolation. She turned her gaze to Yuna, watching silently as the girl was helped to her feet by Kimahri.

"I'm unharmed," the summoner answered.

Wardani shook his head, reaching around to pull out one of the lingering spines. "I could use a fixer," he groaned. Bringing it to bear, he eyed it with disgust and tossed it over the side. He had the next two out of his back in seconds, and could feel the effects of a spell mending his flesh just as he pulled the last offending spine from his arm. Muttering curses that his armor had been damaged, he nodded thankfully to Yuna.

Yuna looked around, worry settling in her eyes when she realized that they were one short. "Where..." Tidus, who had been right next to the harpoon gun, was gone.

Wakka gasped. "He must have gone over!" He ran to the edge and peered into the choppy waters, concern etched across his face. Without warning, he dived overboard to search for him.

"Wakka!" Yuna exclaimed seconds too late, her half outstretched hand slowing to an awkward halt. Tucking her arm against her chest, she lingered for a moment, staring pensively at where the elder blitzer had been standing.

"That'd be a shite way to go out," Wardani muttered under his breath. He stood shakily, looking around at the bodies of the fallen crew scattered across the deck. At least half of the Liki's compliment had been killed in the skirmish. Their blood mixed with the water, unassumingly dark against the wet planks. He shook his head and sighed. "Poor bastards."

"They died bravely," Lulu commented solemnly, her attention similarly directed. "Yuna," she caught the summoner's gaze, holding it for a moment's interlude of silence, "Send them."

Yuna nodded, already aware of what she had to do. "Of course." Without another word, she raised her rod into the air and gradually began to dance. Languid and exact, her every movement correlated perfectly to swells of magic in the air. It rolled like the waves, washing over the bodies of the dead to carry their souls away to the Farplane and a peaceful rest. The Crusaders had begun to file out from below, checking to see if everything was safe. At the sight of Yuna, they halted. Some hung their heads in respect, others observed in silence. The sailors watched as pyreflies soared into the air, drifting up and away. Their friends, their shipmates, departing the world of the living for the land of the dead.

It went on for a minute or so more, until Yuna was certain that they had all been sent onward into the next world. She came slowly to a stop, hanging in place for a moment as she looked around – searching, feeling. None remained, of that she was certain. Bidding a quiet farewell to them, she went amongst the other passengers, ensuring no one else had come to any harm during the fray.

Luzzu wandered out from the milling press and found Wardani. His eyes turned out to the horizon. "It's going for Kilika," he stated, a dark edge of confidence in his voice, clearly expressing he did not want to be right.

"Looks that way," Wardani reluctantly agreed, silently wishing the beast would leave the port be. His doubts, however, far outweighed his hope. He knew, deep down, what they would find come evening when they sailed into Kilika's harbor. Fury burned cold within him, and he disparaged Sin.

"Yevon be with them," the Crusader sighed, shaking his head.
Minutes later, a font of pyreflies soared up from the sea. Tidus and Wakka followed shortly thereafter, both still in one piece. Sopping wet and bearing signs of a fight, they sat with their backs against the side of the ship, both gasping for air.

"Damn Sin!" Wakka pounded the deck, his eyes shut tight.

"What did you find down there?" Wardani asked, brow creased.

"Sinspawn," the blitzer answered. "We took care of it. Good thing, too. Might have come for the boat, ya?"

Wardani nodded, "Almost certainly." He turned his eyes to Tidus, a frown twisting his features. "How are you holding up, kid?" Having claimed to witness Sin destroy his home, he wondered if perhaps his story – his delusion – was the result of both Sin's toxin and grief. Nobody walked away from a tragedy totally unfazed, and he wanted to be sure the boy was not further unsettled by this encounter.

Tidus' eyes were burning with smoldering fury, one that was hesitant to die away. It twisted around inside of him, throwing up memories preceding his arrival on Spira. There was also a kind of loss in there, mixed amongst the ire. "I'm fine," he muttered.

Ordinarily, Wardani might have remarked about Sin's toxin further confusing the teen, but as he looked around at the bodies being carried away by the sailors, his appetite for jokes flagged. He only closed his eyes, aimless prayers drifting around inside his head.