The Crusader's Desperate Attack
[Our team of heroes continue their journey and prepare to head through Mushroom Rock Road, up to the Crusader's compound, where a line of defense against Sin has been set up. They arrive at the first checkpoint before entering and listen as Seymour speaks to the Crusaders gathered.]
Crusader: All hail Maester Seymour!
Seymour: Brave Crusaders of Spira, protectors of all Spira. Believe in the path you have chosen, let faith be your strength! I, Seymour Guado, maester of Yevon, will bear witness to your deeds today.
Crusaders: Sir!
[Meanwhile:]
Wakka: What's goin' on? Why's Maester Seymour backing the Crusaders, eh? They're using the Al Bhed's machina! They're violating the teachings!
Yuna: Even going against the teachings they're willing to risk it for the greater good. Wakka, I think Maester SEymour sees that, too.
Wakka: Lulu?
Lulu: Hmm... I can only speculate.
Auron: Ask him yourself.
[Seymour walks over.]
Seymour: Ah, Sir Auron. It is an honor. I would be most interested in hearing what you've been doing these past ten years.
Auron: I've got nothing to say about it.
[Auron walks off.]
Link: Hmmm...
Seymour: I...see. Sir Auron must be a great asset as a guardian.
Yuna: Your Grace!
Seymour: Please, there's no need for formalities.
Wakka: Excuse me... Maester Seymour? Why is your Lordship...presently... present here...sir?
Seymour: Please, speak as you normally would.
Wakka: Isn't this operation against the teachings of Yevon? Aren't you gonna stop them?
Seymour: It's true... I should. However... Both the Crusaders and the Al Bhed truly wish peace for Spira. This Operation Mi'ihen was born from that wish they share. Although it may be sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure. And I, Seymour Guado - the person, not the maester of Yevon... As a denizen of Spira, I wish them well in their endeavor.
Wakka: But, using machina... That's bad, isn't it?
Seymour: Pretend you didn't see them.
Wakka: Beg your pardon, but that's not something a maester should say!
Seymour: Then, pretend I didn't say it.
Wakka: You're kidding!
[Seymour walks away.]
Link:(narration) Since I first saw him, I never did like Seymour... but, some of the things he said did make sense. And... what is this feeling. This aura i sense, its familiar... is it 'him'?
[Seymour parts ways and a few moments later Clasko approaches.]
Clasko: Excuse me, Lady Summoner Yuna?
Yuna: Yes?
Clasko: The command center... Maester Seymour requests your presence there, ma'am.
Yuna: Thank you.
Clasko: Take that road to the command center. It's not far. We're still in the midst of preparations this way. Sorry.
[The crew heads down the road and come to a lift. They take a lift up to the top ledge. There is a lot of machina cannons.]
Wakka: Curse these...!
[He kicks one.]
Link: He's really not a big fan of them is he...
Lulu: Chappu... He left the sword Wakka gave him in Besaid. And he fought with an Al Bhed machina weapon instead.
Wakka: That's got nothing to do with it! I just hate these sacrilegious contraptions!
[From the ledge, the party can see the beach buzzing with activity. Crusaders coax sinspawn from cages into one larger cage, until it's packed.]
Wakka: It won't work anyway.
Yuna: Don't say that. It might be a hopeless campaign, and it might mean defying Yevon... But the Crusaders and the Al Bhed - they're doing their best to defeat Sin. They want to rid Spira of Sin forever. And that's just what we want, too, isn't it? Isn't it?
Wakka: Hmph! All right, all right! But I still think machina are bad news! They're forbidden for a reason!
Lucil: Lady Summoner! There you are!
[Lucil comes over.]
Lucil: The command center is that way. Maester Kinoc is also there.
Yuna: Maester Kinoc, too?
Link: (to himself)... something seems fishy here.
Lucil: Yes. Please hurry, my lady.
[They head to the command center. Gatta is there.]
Gatta: The operation will begin shortly. Please check all your equipment.
Wakka: Um, you all right?
Gatta: Of course not! I came here to fight Sin! But they stick me here!
Auron: If you want to prove yourself...
Gatta: Huh?
Auron: "First you must complete the tasks you are given."
[The party heads into the command center. Maester Kinoc gets up to meet them, or, more particularly, Auron, whom he tries to hug.]
Kinoc: I'd heard from Seymour, but I didn't know if we'd actually meet. Good to see you, Auron! Ten yaers, is it?
Link:...?
[Lulu bends to Link's ear.]
Lulu: That's Wen Kinoc, one of the Four Maesters of Yevon. He leads the warrior monks and also commands the Crusaders.
Link: I see.
Gatta: All troops ready to move at your command, sir!
Kinoc: Good. Dismissed.
Gatta: Sir!
[Gatta leaves.]
Kinoc: Tell me, Auron. Where have you been the last ten years?
Auron: We don't have time for this now, do we?
Kinoc: This plan won't work, you know that. We'll just let them dream a little longer.
Link: By the godesses...
Seymour: Lord Kinoc...
[Seymour appears.]
Kinoc: Oh, yes. Proceed.
Auron: That Kinoc, a maester?
Kinoc: I heard that, Auron. A lot has happened in the last ten years. What were you doing, and where?
Auron: Fulfilling a promise I made to a friend. I still am.
Kinoc: Just tell me one thing: Have you seen Hyrule?
[Auron harrumphs and doesn't reply.]
Yuna: I kinda...think we don't belong here.
Link: To late for that now...
Guard: It is time at last. We must tell the Al Bhed waiting outside to begin the operation at once. The fiends may break through. This place is not safe. Make sure you're prepared to defend yourselves. Tell me when you're ready.
[The party tells him when they're ready.]
Auron: Link. Come over here a minute.
Link: Yeah, what?
Auron: Do not use the Fierce Diety. You are not ready.
Link: ... Yeah. I know.
Auron: If you have to use a mask, stick with the Goron and Zora masks.
Link: ... right.
Guard: Maester Kinoc. Please.
[Kinoc walks out on a jutting ledge to give the go-ahead signal.]
Yuna: Will Sin come?
Guard: Sin always returns for its spawn. To make sure, we're going to encourage them to call out to it.
Auron: You won't have to. It'll come.
Link: (narration) I remembered Auron telling me. Sin is my old man. Sin is Jecht. I sort of never believed him.
[The cage holding the sinspawn is electrocuted to coerce them into calling for Sin. Unfortunately, it breaks wide open and a large monster attacks the party.} `
Link: Well now! That, I can hit!
[The team fights the monster and defeat it very quickly. And Sin appears in the bay.]
Lucil: Let's go!
Cannoneer: Fire!
[Cannonfire peppers Sin, cracking sinspawn off of it. Some swim towards the shore, as Lucil gives the advancement order.]
Lucil: Charge!
[High above, at the command center...]
Auron: Look out!
[The party scatters on his word. Sin creates a giant barrier over itself and shoots it towards the beach, disintigrating the Crusaders and sinspawn that are fighting. The battle ends before it's even really begun. Meanwhile, Yuna and Link wake up to find the monster from before getting a second wind. Auron walks to help Seymour and Link as they triy to fight it off themselves; Yuna follows. No one else is conscious yet.]
Seymour: Stand back, Lady Yuna.
Yuna: Y-Yes.
Link: (equips the biggoron sword) This calls for some extra 'umph' in the swing!
[The sinspawn attacks knocking back Yuna and Seymour, but Link backflips out of the way. He draws the Biggoron Sword. and runs toward it, blade dragging the ground. The sinspawn attacks again and hits Link who is unable to dodge it. The smoke clears and Seymour and Yuna attack, taking the attention off of Link. Link appears out of the smoke and attacks with a Jump Strike, hefting the Biggoron Sword up and into the sinspawn. Finally the monster falls for good.]
Link: that's how you get it done.
Auron: Don't get cocky.
Seymour:... Indeed.
Yuna: The others?
[The Al Bhed machina offshore fires a large pulse beam at Sin, pushing its shield back. They amp up the power, but Sin shoots a blast through the barrier and destroys the structure that was the last hope for battle. Link runs down to the beach to check for survivors. Gatta is still alive, but...]
Gatta: What's...going on? Why? What? What's going on!?
[Sin leaves. Link notices and gives chase]
Link: Don't you run away from me!
[Link runs to the shore, putting on the Zora Mask; up on the ridge, Yuna is watching the aftermath.]
Yuna: Everyone, stand back! I'll summon!
Seymour: You won't hurt it. Your powers are still...too weak.
Yuna: But I must do something!
Seymour: You can't!
[Meanwhile, Zora-Link is swimming after Sin but isn't making any progress.]
Link: (narration) Don't really know what i was thinking, chasing Sin like that, that day. Maybe I was angry. Maybe I wanted to go home. I kept thinking of Hyrule, of Zelda, my old man, of ... her.
[All goes dark... Link sees a part of the Farplane, with the newly-dead Crusaders still running around like they were in battle. Luzzu is there, forlorn. The Strange Boy appears, shaking his head. Suddenly there is a flash of light, and a Young Link appears in the courtyard of Hyrule Castle talking to someone.]
Jecht: What?
Link: People are talking... saying you don't train anymore.
Jecht: Let them talk. I'm still the best.
Link: They say you're no good 'cause you drink all the time.
Jecht: I can quit drinkin' whenever I want!
Link: The quit. Now!
Jecht: What did you say?
Link: You said you could!
Jecht: Heh. Tomorrow, maybe.
Link: Why wait?
Jecht: Why do today what you can leave for tomorrow? There he goes again... crying!
[The flashback ends.}
Link:(narration) I thought I sensed him there. Somewhere... Or maybe it was just Sin's toxin playing tricks on my mind. How many died today? (Link awakens on the beach with his mask beside him) People die, and Yuna dances. When will the dancing stop? Yuna won't stop dancing - not until Sin is gone. Those were my thoughts then...I think.
Auron: I see you're still here.
Link: ... yeah.
Auron: Many stories ended here today... But... Yours goes on, I see.
Link:...
Link:(narration) Sin had come and gone, but I remained here.
[Auron speaks to Kinoc and Seymour appears with some warrior monks.]
Auron: A swift retreat. Satisfied?
Kinoc: What do you mean?
Auron: Those who turned from Yevon died, while the faithful live on.
Kinoc: The past ten years have changed you, I see.
[Seymour goes over to Yuna as Kinoc and Auron part ways.]
Seymour: You do not look so well. But now, more than ever, you must be the people's strength, their confidence. Anyone else would be expected to show their sorrow. But you...are a summoner. You are Spira's hope. Until Sin is defeated, you must not relent. Do you understand?
Yuna: Yes. I understand.
Seymour: Are you afraid? Yuna, take me as your pillar of strength. As Yunalesca had her lord Zaon. Lady Yuna. Until next we meet, farewell.
[Seymour leaves, and the party soon follows. As the party walks, Link and Kimahri straggle a bit.]
Yuna: Hey, you two! Hurry up!
Link: Well, she's awfully cheery...
Kimahri: In dark times she must be. She must shine bright. Now are dark times. Yuna tries hard.
Link: We should lend her a hand then.
Kimahri: If we worry, she tries harder. Do not frown.
Link: Turn that frown upside down, huh.
Kimahri: Kimahri try, too.
Link: Give it a try.
[Kimahri 'smiles' menancingly...not on purpose, of course. Afterwards they soon come to a crossroads.]
Link: How much farther till we reach Hyrule?
Wakka: Still a ways.
Lulu: First down the Moonflow to the Guado city of Guadosalam... Then we cross the Thunder Plains to the temple of Macalania.
Link: ... great.
Yuna: And before that, we get to pray at the temple in Djose!
Link: Nothing ventured nothing gained?
Yuna: I have to pray to the fayth in every temple in order to earn the Final Aeon.
Wakka: That's a summoner's training. She's gotta prepare mind and body, all just to get ready for the Final Summoning.
Link: Must be tough, Yuna.
Yuna: I'll be fine with you here!
[The party heads on; Auron lingers with Link.]
Auron: Hey, new guy.
Link: You talkin' to me?
Auron: Who else?
Link: What can I do ya for?
Auron: Don't tell Yuna you know about Sin and Jecht. You know her... She would...distance herself from you. We do not want that.
Link: I see, I think. Yeah, but even if I did say something, no one would believe me, you know?
Auron: Yuna would.
Link: Good point... Come to think of it...did I really have to know about Jecht? What about my feelings?
Auron: Better than you finding out at a critical moment, becoming emotional.
Link: Me emotional?!
[Auron walks off.]
Auron: I heard you were quite the crybaby.
Link:(narration) Yeah, maybe when I was younger... and maybe ... after that event... Just a little.
Link: Hey! I still don't buy that story you know!