Bound through the Ages

by phoenix catcher

Complete. Harry/Tidus/OMC. Harry's past came with a punishment. Immortality. This is a story set alongside the game from the viewpoint of someone cursed to watch Spira destroy itself over and over again and knowing your own secret can only make it worse.

10. Dreaming

Bound through the Ages

Chapter 10; Dreaming

Macalania Woods

Tidus spent several hours slowing stripping Harry's torso and using potions and old fashioned first aid to close the wounds. Harry had promised that the internal wreckage wouldn't cause him more than pain and that after a few days worth of internally turned Curagas he'd be back to his old self. He'd be weak for a few days probably and in a bit of pain for more but Harry was used to pain and he knew when he could pamper it and when to push through it.

Tidus was gone when Harry finally awoke the next morning and rather than showing the group his extremely bloodless face he donned the brown cloak of before and pulled it over his head. He walked back to where the group had made their camp with the aid of the Jewelled Staff once more and as he walked into the clearing all eyes turned to him. Rikku and Lulu sat with the supplies sorting them out into three manageable packs while Wakka and Auron were talking quietly with each other. Kimahri, unsurprisingly, was at the path that led to the main track.

"Where are Yuna and Tidus?" Harry asked, glad that his voice was back to normal.

"Yuna go to think." Kimahri told him.

"Tidus went to find her." Rikku told him.

"What is she thinking about?" Harry asked as he moved closer to the fire and reached out bloodless hands to warm himself. It was the major problem with bleeding out, not only did it make his movement painful but he was very cold all the time. He saw Rikku's eyes widen and she hurried to grab his hands in her own. Harry leant his elbow on the staff to take his own weight.

"I think she wonders about her place in the Pilgrimage." Auron told him eyeing his hands as well.

"What happened to your hands?" Rikku asked.

"I have eight holes in my torso and she wants to know about my hands." Harry chuckled. "It's an unfortunate side effect of not having any blood. Blood circulates heat and thus I'm cold."

"How can you still be alive?" Wakka gasped.

"That's the problem isn't it." Harry told him bluntly. "The rest of me is just as pale but at least my wounds are healing. In a few days I'll be able to fight as I once did. For now though I must use what magic I can spare to heal my internal injuries. We won't venture into Gagazet until I'm healed though. There is no point sacrificing safety for speed."

"I had hoped to pass through the Ronso clans before word of our betrayal to Yevon reached them." Auron told him.

"I saw the Ronso party leaving Bevelle before I came to find you. They'll be home by this afternoon." Harry sighed. "I would rather confront them at the gates and convince them to let us through than having them hunting us for the entire trip through the mountains."

"I hope you are right." Auron nodded.

"It's not a matter of being right." Harry shook his head. "We have no choice."

"That's always the best decider." Auron nodded.

"But it is normally the cause of all bad decisions." Harry eyed Auron and knew the man had seen his challenging stare. Before anything else could be said Tidus and Yuna ran back into the camp together. Yuna looked a bit embarrassed and Tidus looked just as strained but Harry let it go. He trusted Tidus but he'd also known that Yuna had a thing for Tidus ever since the start. He was too old to be the jealous type. They came up short when they saw Harry. "Before we start I will say this only once. There will be no further discussion about this power Seymour was hunting. You can think about it all you like but it's not to be spoken of again. It was a bad idea when it was created and nothing has changed."

Yuna nodded but she didn't seem perfectly ready to forget it. He looked around the group one last time before looking back at Yuna. "Are you ready to finish your pilgrimage or has Yevon destroyed that desire?"

Yuna nodded her head. "I'm ready. The reason behind this is still there even if Yevon isn't."

Harry nodded even though he knew that her reason was that one day they'd be rid of sin if only they fought hard enough and for long enough. It was a reason that Harry agreed with, Sin wasn't immortal like Harry was, it was only that it's heart and magic was refreshed every time it was killed. Auron knew the truth as well even if they both hid it, even from their own friends.

"We move out soon." Auron told them. "We'll cross the first half of the Calm lands today and stay at the Al-bhed way station. As things are in Bevelle not many would risk stopping at a place owned by an Al-bhed."

"Agreed." Harry nodded. "They won't expect the party to stop so close either so any tracking parties will likely ignore it and look deeper into Macalania. If we stay there for a few days to heal then we'll have an easier time of it and there is a couple of stops I'd like to make within the Calm Lands for Yuna's sake. One will have to wait until I am healed and the other Yuna will have to train for."

"What are they?" Yuna asked.

"Both are Aeons." Harry told them and continued as Wakka, Auron and Rikku hefted the packs and they began to prepare. He'd be honest this time. "While I didn't outright lie before in my wording, I omitted certain details. The Final Summoning is not the most powerful Summon, it is second. I know not where Anima, the fourth is, yet the third, the Magus Sisters, and the fifth, Yojimbo, are within the Calm Lands."

"Do we have time to divert?" Auron asked.

"It would be foolish not to gain these Aeons, Auron." Harry told him. "They are immensely powerful yet gaining either is not easy. While I can help you gain Yojimbo, Yuna must gain the sisters herself."

"Well we can decide on all this later." Lulu announced clearly unhappy with the conversation topic which didn't surprise Harry at all. Harry nodded and pulled himself up to place his weight on the Jewelled Staff. Tidus came up to his left, close enough to steady him if needed and offer his support but not close enough to upset Harry's balance.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Calm Lands

Harry paused as they walked out of the forest and onto the edge of the cliff that was almost a wall that bordered the northern edge of Macalania Woods. The group came to a halt at the spectacular vista before them. Vast plains stretched out before them, easily several days travelling distance while to the left a giant crack ran across the plains before they continued off to the left to a distance shimmer of ocean. Opposite them was the Gagazet mountains, a dark shadow on the northern horizon.

"This is the Calm Lands." Harry told Tidus loud enough for everyone to her. "Traditionally Summoners face Sin here and bring about the Calm. There are no human towns north of this point. Only the Ronso in their mountains."

"Was this always open land?" Tidus asked.

Harry paused and realised they were all looking at him. "It's hard to trace it back that far." Harry told them. "It wasn't a shift in land but a complete rewriting of the world. But when Zanarkand was at its height this was the no-mans land between Bevelle and Zanarkand."

Auron led the party down a thin path that led down the cliff face and Kimahri had to help Harry navigate the path in his weakened state. As they approached the ground the difference between the northern plains and the lands below Bevelle became clear. The Fiends here were fierce and they swarmed the area.

"They are attracted to the area because of the number of times Sin has been destroyed here. They are more powerful this time around because this is where Braska defeated sin." Harry told them all. "It also makes it slightly more secure. Sin doesn't normally approach the place of his last defeat."

It was a painfully hard trip across the plains. Harry led them towards the rift in the ground and then north towards a pylon sticking up from behind a group of small hills. The Fiends here were hard to defeat, requiring the hardest of strikes or the most powerful of magic, especially the elementals.

Harry only really helped out when they were in trouble but Tidus' new sword was well suited for facing the elementals since they were fire and ice both of which the Shifting Glacier could seriously hurt. Yuna took care of most of the healing but Harry's expertise with curing ailments quite common to the Calm Lands made him invaluable. Even with his less than active role, when they eventually reached the Al-bhed way-station Harry was happy to simply ask for a room and stumble into it to rest. It was still early afternoon but Tidus followed him into the room and helped him strip down and clean off his wounds.

Harry exhausted himself casting healing spells but felt his body move more towards being complete once more. He slept away the rest of the day and night and woke up with a naked Tidus curled up to his side as the sun rose the next day. He waited for Tidus to wake up before he turned another round of internal Curagas on himself.

"You're looking better." Tidus told him. Harry glanced down at the back of a raised hand. His skin was looking a little healthier and his previously non-existent veins were a pale blue colour.

"With my wounds closed my body will start recovering my blood." Harry told him.

"I hate seeing you like this." Tidus told him.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Honestly?" Tidus asked after a moment. "Because it makes me think I'm not good enough for you."

Harry laughed suddenly and had trouble keeping the grin off his face. "Sorry. I shouldn't laugh." Harry told an offended looking Tidus. "It's just if anything I'm not good enough for you."

"That's stupid." Tidus shook his head with his own little grin. "You're immortal."

"Being immortal isn't as impressive as you'd think." Harry told him before reaching out with cold hands. One hand settled on the exposed skin of Tidus' chest between his jacket and the other came around to hold the back of his neck. He leaned in and kissed Tidus lightly on the lips. Tidus' hands came up to the zip of Harry's leather vest and pulled it down so his hands could rest on Harry's cold chest. Harry pulled away but held Tidus' face only inches from his own. "All the years mean nothing if you have nobody to spend them with."

Tidus smiled and kissed him once more, briefly. "We'd better go find the others. Auron wants to begin training as soon as possible."

Harry and Tidus made themselves more presentable and made their way out of the room. Now that Harry was in better shape he wore his normal clothing. He looked rather ill with his pale features and his red leather vest was a bit worse for wear but there was only his own team and the small Al-bhed family that lived here to notice it. They found the others outside the main entrance. Because of the way-station's strange design the rooms were built back inside one of the hills while the main desk sat recessed and a large canopy of sturdy metal and canvas stretched out over the communal area.

They all gaped at him as he and Tidus walked out into the sun. "Yes, I'm aware I look rather out of sorts." Harry chuckled.

"Will you come with us to train?" Auron asked.

"I'm sure I'm not needed." Harry told him. "I need to mend my vest and I'll start getting our supplies sorted out. There are things in our packs we'll no longer need and we'll need warmer wear and tents. All the same have Tidus or Lulu send up an exploding fire spell if you get into trouble."

Harry watched them go after they'd eaten a breakfast cooked by the Al-bhed and then settled down in the sun and stripped off his leather vest and got himself a needle and thread so he could repair the gun shot damage.

He had a good conversation with Gent, the eldest of the three boys that lived at the way-station with their parents. Gent, who was eighteen years old, was an expert on the Calm Land's terrain and fiends and he talked for hours about all of it. Harry knew it all but he let Gent talk since the young man was obviously glad to have somebody that spoke Al-bhed fluently to talk to.

Tidus returned late that evening along with the others and after a hot meal at the way-station Tidus and Harry found their room once more.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Two days later

Harry sat waiting for the others to awaken. He was almost fully healed now with only the odd bit of pain from his chest at odd moments, he was easily well enough for them to continue their journey but there was the Aeon's to gather first. If Yuna was ready.

Tidus was the first to join him since they'd risen at the same time but Tidus had lingered in the shower for a while. He sat beside Harry and leaned into his side. Their displays had become rather common place with the others and not even Yuna was surprised at them anymore. "Harry, can I ask you a question about the past?" Tidus asked after a moment.

"Sure." Harry shrugged.

"I wanted to know about Bahamut." Tidus frowned. "Did you know each other?"

"I know all of the Fayths, Tidus." Harry told him. "Except for Anima."

"I mean before he became a Fayth." Tidus pressed.

"Yes." Harry told him and leaned forwards with his elbows on his knees. "I lived in Zanarkand for four hundred years. That time was split into two different times. I helped build the city after the Great Cataclysm and then I travelled before I returned there. People knew I was immortal then. I was too well known to ever hide what I was. But still, they normally respected my privacy. I normally had a Mage apprentice or even a Summoner apprentice that I trained. During the war an unarmed transport ship was ambushed by a Bevelle ship and sunk along with all of the people on board except for two. I survived along with a three year old boy called Christopher."

"What happened?" Tidus gasped.

"We drifted for several days. I wasn't at any risk but Christopher weakened with every day until a Zanarkadian ship found us." Harry explained. "Christopher nearly died but I nursed him back to health and he became attached to me. It's hard to say whether I became his father or his older brother but either way a bond was formed. I raised him and when he turned twelve he became a Summoner. Stronger than any I had seen before. The Fayths loved him dearly."

"Why was he so upset at seeing you?" Tidus asked.

Harry stood and turned away feeling unshed tears in his eyes. "They all knew about the Great Aeon back then and they knew I protected it with my life. Christopher knew this yet when the war was lost all the Summoners joined together and summoned the Great Aeon hoping that in numbers they could control it. I told them they couldn't, that nothing could but they didn't listen to me. Christopher didn't listen to me and because they didn't everything was destroyed."

"So you hate Christopher for that?" Tidus asked from his place still sitting on the bench.

"I could never truly hate Christopher, Tidus." Harry told him. "I love Christopher like a brother or son but it is hard not to feel hurt. In time they might have forgiven me for my first involvement but when I failed to stop them the second time it was my fault."

"What could you have done?" Tidus asked. "Kill them all?"

"What is a few hundred compared to ten million?" Harry asked and Tidus recoiled. "That is the approximate number that died in the second Cataclysm."

"So you were right about the Great Aeon still being the worse evil." Tidus sighed. "Sin can't have killed that many."

"No. Sin can't." Harry sighed. "But the Great Aeon killed more Tidus. You know your history. How many people were killed in the Great Cataclysm?"

"Two thirds of the population." Tidus whispered.

"Do you know how many people that is Tidus?" Harry pushed relentlessly. He turned to look at Tidus who shook his head. "Almost four billion."

Tidus gulped painfully. "I'm sorry, Harry."

"It doesn't matter anymore, Tidus." Harry shook his head. "You can't choose your past."

"Something's always confused me." Tidus spoke up after a moment's silence. "You keep saying that everybody knew who you were but if I'm from Zanarkand in the past how come I've never heard of you."

"Oh, Tidus." Harry dropped his head and rubbed at his face with his hands. "It won't be long now and you'll know why. I just can't tell you yet."

"Why not?" Tidus demanded.

Harry turned damp eyes on Tidus. "It's too hard."

"What are you guys talking about?" Rikku yelled making Harry turn back to the scenery so they didn't see his tears. Tidus turned to take in the entire group coming out of their rooms.

"Nothing." Tidus told them.

"Yuna?" Harry asked without looking at her. "Are you satisfied with the power of your Aeons?"

"I think so." Yuna frowned.

"They know what I'm talking about." Harry pressed, still looking out over the horizon. "Do any of them say that you're not ready? Don't lie."

"They say I can do it." Yuna told him.

"Very well then. It's a four hour hike to the Remiem Temple and that's without fighting Fiends on the way." Harry told her as he turned his head slightly to the right. "Save your strength, you'll need it to fight her."

"Her?" Yuna asked.

"She's old." Harry told her. "Though not as old as me."

With that they set off south east of the way station. Harry slowly brought himself back up to working order with his sword and agility, using all his abilities to their fullest shocking even Auron who looked more nervous than before. Harry coached both Lulu and Tidus in magic and Tidus in swordsmanship, pushing Tidus' Overdrives, making him use his Initiate, Divergent and even pushing his Soul Overdrive until after several hours he managed it in a blinding burst of white light that blasted through a dozen nearby Fiends.

Harry was proud of Tidus' progress, he was becoming a natural warrior and he was already learning mid-level spells from Harry and Lulu while he was sparring at every moment against Wakka, Kimahri, Auron and even Harry. Harry also had learnt over the last few days that Rikku was teaching him some of her tricks too. Wakka, Lulu and Yuna were a bit peeved at the idea of Tidus learning such underhanded tricks but in Harry's opinion there was nothing wrong with any method of fighting if it left you the victor. Well, in most cases, using human shields or capturing an enemy's loved ones as hostages were against his rules.

Harry stopped the group about ten miles east of the path they'd come down on their way into the Calm Lands and without a comment he began climbing the cliff. Tidus began following him without question though the others hung back. Harry reached a small ledge barely large enough for a single person to fit on and then slipped seemingly through the rock. He paused a few inches through the tight squeeze at a very slightly larger space and waited for Tidus to catch up. Tidus paused at the entrance before turning sideways to follow Harry in.

As Tidus reached him Harry pulled him in front of him, having to squeeze Tidus tightly against his front for Tidus to fit passed him. Tidus ground back for a moment to tease him and Harry bit lightly on his ear. "Stay in this bit while I go tell the others to follow us. We'll have to swap so I can lead again and this is the only part large enough for anybody to pass."

Tidus nodded and let Harry slide back along the passageway back to the entrance. He leaned over the side to see Rikku, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri and Auron looking up at them. "You guys are going to have to come up but this passageway is very narrow so leave your packs and Kimahri, it's a good thing your smaller than a normal Ronso, but still you're going to have to breathe in."

Harry waited until Rikku was halfway up the wall before he slipped back into the crack and lingered only long enough to tease Tidus on his way passed him. He stayed still until Rikku, then Wakka and finally Yuna had joined them in the passage before Harry continued edging sideways, having an easier time navigating the tunnel than Auron, Wakka and especially Kimahri. The girls and Tidus all had it easy and Harry's only trouble was when his sword handle or the Jewelled Staff tied to his sheath caught onto something over his head. Tidus helped him out at times though and everybody had to lend a hand to each other in the course of the hundred metre shuffle through the passageway that twisted twice leaving them in darkness.

When Harry's hands lost track of the wall to his sides he stopped. Tidus bumped straight into him and a few seconds later Harry heard Tidus whisper an apology to Rikku when she squeaked at walking into him. He waited until he heard Auron warn Kimahri they had stopped before he spoke up. "I'm going to cast a fire spell, watch your eyes. Kimahri, get that?"

He got a grunt in return and held up his left hand into open air and cast a fire spell. Red light burst into being lighting up a vast darkness around them that Tidus tried to see passed him. Harry turned to looked at first Tidus and then all of them down through the tight passageway before he turned back to light a small recess on the right of the entrance and then the left. He snuffed out his own spell just as fire streamed away along the walls of the cavern, splitting away at intervals to reach down to the centre of the cavern until, just when the lines would have met at the back, fire exploded up around the centre lighting up a beautiful hanging temple like building. It hung from the roof of the cavern on massive chains.

"What is this place?" Yuna gasped from back along the passageway. Harry eyed the chain bridge that led from the entrance across to the Temple and then stepped out onto it. With a flex of his legs he jumped up a couple of feet and landed with a thud. The chain bridge shuddered but held strongly.

"Harry!?" Tidus yelped at him.

"I was just testing it." Harry shrugged. "All of you come out, it's sturdy enough."

"So who built this place?" Yuna asked.

"This is Remiem Temple. The cavern was found several hundred years before the Bevelle-Zanarkand war and used to great affect for insurgents after the Bevelle forces had pushed into no-mans land. The Temple was built after the war by a band of rather successful criminals. The three sisters that led the group did many unspeakable things including the plaguing of ten small villages over a dispute about tributes." Harry lectured as they slowly walked over the bridge. "For the thousands they killed they were punished and the triple Fayth of the Magus Sisters was formed. They have since attuned for their crime but I shall pity their sentence only after those that don't deserve their fate are freed."

"Like you?" Wakka asked. It was the first time he had asked Harry about his own punishment.

"My crime was worse than theirs." Harry said simply just as they reached the hanging Temple. "We will be able to accompany Yuna only until she declares her intent to fight then we must leave. Yuna must do this alone if she is to wield the sisters."

"Valefor believes I have it in me to win." Yuna told him seriously.

"Then I have no doubt. She was always the smartest of my friends when we were children." Harry nodded.

"That's just so weird." Wakka grunted.

"Try ignoring their screams at Harry." Yuna sighed. "They've been screaming at you for days, Harry. What did you do?"

Harry grunted and turned away. "Yuna, please don't ask that again." Tidus pleaded.

Harry turned back as if the conversation hadn't happened. "You may be very weak after the joining and I doubt you'll be capable of summoning the Sisters just yet but they'll be invaluable later."

Harry walked up the stairs up to the doors and pushed his way through them. As soon as they were open fire ran through them and lit up the inside. What had seemed to be a complex Temple turned out to only be a shell with one large, highly decorated, room within. In the centre of the room stood a figure dressed in green, with an elaborate headdress.

"Lady Belgemine!" Yuna gasped and bowed hurriedly.

Instead of responding, Belgemine drew her staff and swirled it to point at the ground, she bowed over it deeply. Harry bowed back since no other in the group could be saluted that way. "Sir Guardian." Belgemine said as she straightened up.

"Lady Belgemine, it is a pleasure to once again look upon you." Harry told her charmingly. "I heard from the others that you have been guiding this Summoner and it both pleases and concerns me that you stand on this line still."

She smiled at him but didn't respond to his cryptic statement that clearly confused the others. She turned and bowed the normal prayer to Yuna. "I apologise for my rudeness, Lady Yuna, but some courtesies must be honoured regardless of the presence of such a Summoner as yourself."

"You know each other?" Yuna asked.

Harry turned glittering eyes on her. "Belgemine took the task to guard this Temple when she failed to complete her Pilgrimage. She tests passing Summoners and decides whether they have the strength to wield the Sisters."

"I would have come out for you but when I did I saw Sir Guardian Harry amongst you." She told them.

"How long have you been here?" Tidus asked and saw Harry tense.

"Perhaps it would be easier to show you?" Belgemine offered and after a moment Pyreflies burst from around her, spiralling around her lazily before fading.

"When I said she failed to complete her Pilgrimage I meant only that Sin defeated her." Harry sighed. "I cannot stand with Summoners at the last."

"You were her Guardian?" Wakka asked.

"Almost five hundred years ago." Harry told him. "She was a brilliant summoner, worthy of the title High Summoner."

"That is a title only deserved by those who defeat Sin." Belgemine sighed.

"You forget who it was that named Lady Yunalesca as a High Summoner of Spira." Harry pointed out.

"Don't you mean High Summoner of Yevon?" Wakka asked.

"Not before Yevon took charge of the Pilgrimage." Harry snapped rather harshly before turning to Belgemine again. "Perhaps it is time to test Yuna?"

"Let us see if she is truly worthy of the Magus Sisters." Belgemine nodded.

Harry jerked his head at the others and led them from the room. Harry closed the doors and sat down at the top of the steps with a sigh. Tidus sat between his legs a step below him and Harry took the unvoiced offer to hug him. The others eyed them for a moment but moved to sit around as well. "You want to talk?" Tidus asked quietly.

Harry sighed but smiled down at his upturned head. "I knew Belgemine as a girl. Like Christopher, her parents died. Belgemine and her brother, Joshua, were placed in an Orphanage just outside Luca. The orphanage burnt down when they were eight and the two evaded the authorities to live on the streets. Joshua was caught stealing food from a shop and was locked up. The punishment for stealing food back then was death. Being eight, they may have gotten away with a slap on the wrist or a week in the stockade." Harry laughed. "I had a good standing in Luca at the time and I spoke for Joshua and had him released into my custody. I intended to leave them with a friend of mine but they made me laugh and they were so full of energy."

Harry paused to look around and saw that they were all looking at him. A loud crash from behind him made him grin. The fight within was clearly in full swing. "I took them into my house and raised them and eventually took them with me when I moved to Kilika, partly to keep Joshua out of danger. When Belgemine was fourteen she became a Summoner's apprentice in the Kilika Temple." Harry dropped his head for a moment. "I threatened to pull her out. I didn't want her to become a Summoner and we argued about it for the three years of her training."

"When she finally qualified, Belgemine announced that Joshua would be her Guardian. I didn't react as well as they hoped." Harry met Auron's eyes and for a moment they shared a pain that the others didn't understand. "I forbade them to go but they snuck out in the middle of the night and boarded the ship to Besaid to retrieve Valefor. I mean they were both skilled. I'd trained them both in fighting and magic but I didn't want to see..." Harry sighed and shook his head. "You know what I didn't want."

"What did you do?" Rikku asked.

"I did what any stubborn parent would do." Harry laughed suddenly. "I trailed them and protected them without their knowledge. I didn't want to admit to being wrong. In the end Shiva betrayed me to them, in full truth of what I was. From then on I accepted what they wanted to do and I joined them on their Pilgrimage. I was pretending to be Simon at the time and the Pilgrimage is easier with a star to lead the way through all the cities."

"So Belgemine died?" Lulu asked quietly.

"Her Final Summoning would have been strong enough but she was overwhelmed without Joshua at her side and killed before she could cast it." Harry sighed again.

"What happened to Joshua?" Wakka pushed. Harry flinched so violently it was like he'd been slapped. Auron, he noticed, had winced as well, knowing the truth even though Harry hid it.

"He died in Zanarkand." Harry told them with an emotionless voice.

"Perhaps it is time for me to join my twin." Belgemine spoke quietly from behind Harry making them all jump, including Harry.

Harry stood and turned to her just as the doors opened and an exhausted looking Yuna walked out. Kimahri moved to hold her up. "Do you wish to be sent?" Harry asked quietly.

"If Yuna would do it." Belgemine nodded.

"I would be honoured." Yuna nodded.

"Belgemine." Harry sighed and hugged her. She hugged him back. "You have done more in the five hundred years than any other Summoner, whether they defeated Sin or not. I name you High Summoner of Spira. Please, give my love to Joshua. I'm sorry I won't be able to join you."

As Harry stepped back Belgemine shut her eyes to hide her tears. "Goodbye, Uncle." She told him quietly. Yuna stepped in and with practiced ease she Sent Belgemine.

"So the true punishment of your Immortality becomes clear." Auron spoke up in the tense silence.

"Try to keep your amusement to yourself." Harry snapped before he could stop himself. He turned away from the others and crossed the bridge towards the entrance. With practiced ease he was through the passageway and back out onto the Plains. The others took longer and by the time they caught up with him he was long gone. It was a long time before Tidus gave up on ripping into Auron for his words.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The group didn't need to try hard to follow Harry, nor did they need to wonder if Auron's words had pissed him off or not. They could follow the trail of dead fiends rather easily. When they came across the carcass of a ten foot long lizard that Tidus could have almost called a Dragon there was many a pale face. It brought back their memories of what Harry had done to Seymour's Aeon in the Luca Stadium, it reminded them just how ruthless Harry really was.

Auron assessed matters and decided that they could reach the northern edge of the Calm Lands by night fall if they hurried. They could camp out before they entered the foot hills of the Gagazet Mountains and then hope that Harry found them. They needn't have worried as in the middle of the night Harry slipped into Tidus' tent and curled up with him for the night.

The others found him sitting at the edge of the previous night's camp fire in the morning but nothing was said about his disappearing act the day before. "There's a group of Guado Sentries blocking the road ahead." Harry told him as they broke down their camp with practiced efficiency, though the tents took a bit of work.

"How many?" Auron asked.

"I was tempted to kill them last night." Harry told him in way of answering.

"That's not helpful to estimate numbers." Tidus laughed.

"It would have been over in seconds." Harry laughed. "Though they have an old War Drone with them that could slow us a bit but a few spells to crack it's armour and it'll go down as fast as the sentries do."

"We have little choice." Auron shook his head. They packed the rest of their gear up quickly and Harry led them off the Plains and into the ravines that snaked up through the foothills. It wasn't long before they arrived at a set of footbridges blocked by three Guado Sentries and the War Drone.

Harry kept walking towards them without even pulling out his sword. Tidus wasn't so cavalier and he drew the Shifting Glacier with a hiss of ice against metal. The air took a chill as the sword read from Tidus' motions.

"You really think the three of you and this contraption can face all of us?" Harry asked loudly before the sentries could speak. They blanched at the sight of him and Harry knew that if the Guado could go pale they could. Harry found it rather ironic that the Guado were currently his greatest enemies and it had been he that had created them.

"We bring summons from Maester Seymour to Lady Yuna!" One of them yelled back after a moment. "She must come with us."

"The Guado have given up their rights to order us." Harry snapped. "Step aside."

"I have nothing to discuss with Maester Seymour!" Yuna shouted.

"Yeah!" Tidus waved his sword. "So out of our way!"

"Maester Seymour's commands must be obeyed!" The Guado cried as if what they had said was blasphemy. Harry then remembered that to disobey a summons from a Maester was just that. "You will come! I warn you, the Maester doesn't need you alive!"

"You seem to have forgotten that the Warrior Monks seem to have already tried to kill me." Harry laughed and twisted forwards with practiced skill. He drew his sword and sent it flying. The Guado that had been giving them orders didn't even get a chance to dodge before Harry's sword sliced his head clean from his shoulders before lodging in the post that held up the bridge. Pyreflies leaked from his neck even as the body slumped to the ground twitching.

Lulu sent a Death spell through the air but the two Guado dodged behind the War Drone and Lulu wasn't skilled enough to cast it when she couldn't even see her target. "Tidus, touch the sword to the ground and think of turning the ground under the Drone to ice." Harry told him from his side. The entire group were keeping their distance from the Drone trying to find a weakness. Harry already knew it though. They were weak on uneven or slippery ground though deadly in a staged battle on flat ground.

Tidus didn't question him and touched the tip of the white ice sword to the ground and barely had to concentrate before tongues of ice slid across the ground freezing the earth and forming a thick sheet of solid ice across it. It spread under the Drone's feet and Harry made his move.

He darted forward sending a powerful time curse at it to fix it in a bubble that ran at about half the outside speed. It's movements slowed even as it stepped forwards to meet Harry. It's first step ended in chaos though as its stone and metal foot couldn't find a firm grip. It pitched back as an auto-correct took over but only ended up tipping backwards, crushing one of the remaining Guado soldiers who was too slow to get out from under it.

Harry jerked his sword out of the post and levelled it at the last Guado standing who rather than surrendering lashed out with a stream of Fira. Harry hit the button on the handle of his sword and it shimmered with ice before Harry brought it between him and the oncoming attack. The flames licked around the sword and steam rose above Harry. He could have used his Bracer to nullify the spell but that wasn't so impressive. When the steam cleared Harry was in a defensive position yet his opponent was down. Harry winced at the sight of the side of the Guado's head. It was mashed into ribbons and Wakka's spiked Blitzball sat on the floor beside it. That really couldn't have been pleasant.

Harry turned back to the battle to see Tidus using his sword to good use as he iced the Drone's armour to make it brittle before breaking into its arms and legs. The Drone's shoulder plating was already broken apart and Harry took the opportunity to kill it quickly. While the others distracted it Harry boosted a jump with Aero magic and charged his sword with his Lightning element before bringing the tip of his sword down and driving it straight down through its brittle shoulder armour and into its core.

No sooner had he touched down on the ground the Drone collapsed backward. "We really don't want to stay here. Hurry." Harry took them over the bridge and jogged up the ravine. He stopped only when the ground shook and a blast of hot air struck them in the back. The others turned to see the debris of the Drone flung about across the ravine and a column of oily smoke rising up the ravine towards them. "I always did like watching them explode that way."

"You're strange, man." Wakka eyed him.

"You be two thousand and be normal, Wakka." Harry pointed out before turning to head up the ravine and away from the thick smoke. He led them through a couple of twists and finally to a second bridge but instead of crossing it like everybody had expected, including Auron, he turned along the gorge until he began to climb down into the bottom. There was a small stream at the bottom that licked at his ankles and he waited in the stream as the others followed him down.

"This is the top end of the scar that cuts through the Calm Lands. We need to follow this almost as far as the Calm Lands but we'll probably run across a small training camp." Harry told them. "Normally they are Freemen, unconcerned with the political world, they train here and trade with passersby on occasion. Even so I'll wear my cloak and I suggest Yuna wears one too. Somebody in Bevelle might have given our descriptions to them and paid them to capture us."

"So we just walk straight through?" Tidus asked as Harry pulled out his previous brown hooded cloak and a smaller pale cream one that he'd dirtied up a little after buying it from the Al-bhed way-station. Harry donned his own and strapped his sword and staff over the top while Yuna pulled her own on over her own staff to hide that she was a Summoner.

"This time yes, we'll pay for lodgings tonight on the way back to the route." Harry told them.

"Tonight?" Wakka gasped. "It's not even mid morning yet."

"It'll take most of the day to do what we are here to do." Lulu spoke quietly and Harry looked at her sadly.

"I'm sorry about this, Lulu." Harry told her. "If you wish to stay at the camp we can feign that you were injured and you can pretend to recover there while we go on."

"I failed once." Lulu told him. "I won't shirk my duties to protect Yuna."

"So be it." Harry nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Tidus asked.

Harry cuffed him on the back of the had lightly. "Mind your own business. You'll find out in time."

Harry walked beside Yuna with Tidus on the other side so it didn't look so strange that they wore cloaks. They looked every part the monks of Yevon that Harry had hoped and the others looked just like their escort so, even though they garnered some interest from the camp, they were ignored as they passed through it. Auron briefly exchanged a few words with a couple of men from the camp, very much mercenaries, saying that they'd be paying for lodgings on the way back through that night and that if the camp had supplies that they needed they would acquire those also.

As they walked on Harry noticed that Lulu became more and more nervous about their destination and Wakka hung at her side worriedly. Yuna looked like she wanted to rush to her side and it was easily clear which of the party knew what had happened. Lulu was in front of Harry when they reached a large cave entrance and she stopped the group and turned to face the rather daunting entrance.

"Where are we?" Rikku asked nervously.

"The Fayth is inside, as are the Fiends." Lulu told them without turning to look at any of them.

"Hey, is this where...?" Wakka stumbled to a stop in horror that he'd even started asking the question.

"Where what?" Tidus asked from beside Harry.

"The Summoner I guarded on my first pilgrimage died here." Lulu sighed.

"I found Lulu collapsed on the Calm Lands, wounded and exhausted. I took her with me to the Al-bhed way-station and from there we travelled together back to Besaid. That was the last time that I was out in the world." Harry told them. "I stayed in Besaid after that."

"Five years ago." Lulu sighed.

"You have come a long way since then." Harry told her kindly.

"Yuna, we should go." Lulu turned to the Summoner with new resolve. "The Fayth awaits."

"And he's probably rather bored." Harry laughed. "It's been eight years since I've seen him."

They headed into the cave which instantly began to slope downwards. It also began twisting and turning in an elaborate way that confused almost all that came down here. The other rather dramatic thing about the cave was the lingering Pyreflies and the skeletal remains of people in shadowed corners.

"What's a Fayth doing in a place like this?" Rikku asked.

"Don't ask me." Tidus gasped out as he edged into Harry's side away from a trio of skeletons.

"They say it was stolen from a Temple long ago." Lulu told them and looked to Harry but Auron spoke up first.

"With no Fayth the Summoners cannot trial." Auron told them. "Without training they cannot summon the Final Aeon. Without the Final Aeon they cannot defeat Sin."

"'Cause then the Summoners won't die!" Rikku jumped on the spot happily.

"That must be what the thief was thinking." Wakka pointed out logically.

"I kinda agree with him." Tidus sighed but looked at Harry. They all were, they wanted the real reason why the thief had taken the Fayth.

Harry started laughing. "I have no idea. I never knew Joel, Yojimbo always said that he just wanted the peace and quiet but I doubt that excuse."

"Joel?" Wakka gaped at him.

"The thief's name." Harry grinned in amusement but rolled forwards without warning when a horned Nidhogg, like a giant lizard, lurched out of a shadow with its jaws aimed for his throat. Harry was barely back on his feet when it screeched to a halt and leapt for Kimahri who sent it flying into the cave wall with a bloody strike from his halberd. It yelped and Auron jumped for it and put his sword straight through its neck to kill it instantly.

"They tend to do that a lot in here." Harry pointed out dryly as he shucked off his cloak so he was more prepared to fight. He drew his sword and held it lightly to his side. The others copied him but Harry paused when he saw Lulu, looking rather pale. He'd always intended to give her something before they went much further but this place was as good a place as any. "Wait up." Harry called and the group stopped before it could start moving.

"What is it?" Yuna asked nervously.

"Lulu, your focus is looking a bit exhausted." Harry pointed out.

"I only need it for the high level magic." Lulu told him determinedly.

Harry twisted his shoulder and reached back to pull the Jewelled Staff out of its bindings. "I never saw the point of those little focuses, they're not as powerful and you can't defend yourself physically with them. Try this for a while."

Lulu's eyes widened. "But that's Lady Grace's Staff. It was used to defeat Sin!"

"Trust me when I say I doubt she'd mind." Harry chuckled.

"Was she your Summoner?" Tidus asked.

"She was Simon's last true Summoner, his sixth." Harry told them. "I knew Lady Grace, she'd have destroyed that museum in fury if she knew that they weren't letting people use this for what I built it for."

"You built it?" Lulu gasped.

Harry shrugged. "That was a long time ago."

"You really mean for me to use it?" Lulu asked almost reverently.

"Sure." Harry told her and handed it to her after she stowed her old focus in Wakka's backpack. "Mind you, Lulu, apart from the Fayths that is probably the most powerful magical item in Spira. Don't abuse it and don't rely on it too heavily."

"But she can cast the most powerful spells with it!" Wakka was grinning.

"True, but she also has the ability to cast those spells through herself. She shouldn't carve a channel through a focus and rely too heavily on that." Harry lectured. "All mages should strive to never need a focus."

"Like you?" Tidus asked.

"Like me." Harry nodded. "A focus is a good back stop if you are weakened but they shouldn't be leaned on at all times like most Mages do. The same applies to Summoner's staffs."

"Thank you, Harry." Lulu told him and tested the weighty staff gently. The head stone glowed a fierce white and Lulu staggered.

"Bare in mind the last spell to channel through that was a powerful Holy." Harry chuckled.

"God, that spell feels..." Lulu gasped as her eyes glazed over. Harry snatched the staff from her fingers and she sighed out in disappointment before turning wide eyes on Harry. "Sorry."

"It's fine, spells as powerful as what I did to Seymour and the guards in the prison haven't been seen in the world for a decade." Harry handed her back the staff. "Are you okay, Tidus?"

Everybody turned to look at Tidus to see him shaking his head with an odd white glow to his eyes. Tidus opened and shut his mouth a few times before nodding as his eyes turned back to their normal gorgeous colour. To Harry at least. That affect would happen every time Tidus saw a Holy spell until he, himself, cast his Final Overdrive.

It took them almost four hours to reach the depths of the cave and there was a relieved sigh from them all as they entered a large cavern like room deep within the foot hills. Harry tapped his sword on the ground in a gentle pattern as the others leaned against the walls. They all had small nicks and bruises, especially Tidus who'd been hit in the chest hard from a flying stone, hurtled at them by a ghost. Harry had used a Cura to cut down the pain but he'd need better healing once they were clear of this place. White magic didn't work so well in places like this.

"Lulu, is this where?" Harry turned to look at her, she was the only one other than him still standing on her own. She nodded at him before the two strolled out into the middle of the cavern. The Pyreflies in the room began to swirl inwards and Harry heard a low moan in the air as his hair was blown about his face. "Show yourself, unsent!" Harry called making the others shoot upright, ready for another battle.

In front of Harry a figure emerged from a cloud of Pyreflies, she was a small woman, not much larger than Rikku and she wore the garb of a Summoner. "It is you, is it not, Lady Ginnem?" Lulu gasped and staggered forwards. "Please forgive me, I was too young."

"You were both too young to face this place." Harry told her. "Is there any human left in you, Lady Ginnem?" Harry asked the Unsent before him.

She ignored him and pulled out her Summoning staff. There was an influx of pressure that almost made Harry's ears pop. "Prepare yourselves!"

From the shadows behind Lady Ginnem appeared an eight foot tall man in thick red robes, Auror's robes, Harry recognised him but it wasn't his friend. It was a visage of the true Aeon taken out of the Pyreflies. Harry pulled out his sword. "Only attack if you are sure of victory." Harry told them all. "Even as a mere shadow of the real Yojimbo he is far beyond your skills."

"I thought the Aeons didn't attack you!" Tidus yelled at him, looking nervously as the tall man approached.

"It is a mere copy but still powerful." Harry yelled back.

The Aeon leapt forwards, spun in mid air, landing clear behind Harry, before he took a swipe at Auron who brought up his sword to defend himself. The Aeon twisted his sword in a way only Harry knew and Auron cried out as his wrist was twisted back and snapped. His sword fell to the ground. Yojimbo went to stab at him but an explosion of fire turned his attention onto Lulu who stood behind the Jewelled Staff.

"All of you get back!" Harry yelled but Kimahri ignored him and lunged forwards with a deadly sweep of his halberd that passed well clear of Yojimbo as the Aeon bent backwards under it. Yojimbo kicked Kimahri square in the chest sending the powerful Ronso, his only equal in size, flying backwards. "Weasel!" Harry yelled using an age old insult to attract Yojimbo's attention. Even though it wasn't really him it responded to the insult like normal and swung to see Harry behind his own sword.

It leapt at Harry and swung his sword in a skilled strike. Harry parried the blow before twisting his sword away from Yojimbo's to avoid the same fate as Auron. He spun and sent a strike at the Aeon's neck before blasting out with a wave of Firaga from his other hand even as Yojimbo blocked his strike. The Aeon was silent as it's innate abilities  protected it from the fire but it still staggered back. Harry ricocheted his blade off of Yojimbo's and spun in a tight circle. His sword whistled through the air before slicing across Yojimbo's front and for the first time in a thousand years a single swordsman had bested Yojimbo in a duel.

But it wasn't the end for the Aeon and his sword seemed to blur as strike after strike flew at Harry. Harry blocked one after another and even lashed out with a few of his own. Tidus cried out in shock as with a deft flick Yojimbo battered Harry's sword out to his side and before Harry could bring it back to block the Aeon's sword had slid passed Harry's throat, leaving a short trail of blood across Harry's throat as the Immortal threw himself backwards to save the rest of his neck.

Blood sprayed from Harry's neck and both Kimahri and Wakka tried to hold Tidus to keep him back but Tidus still managed to slip passed them and he launched himself at Yojimbo. Ice lashed out around him but Yojimbo parried his strike before utterly freezing up. Tidus staggered backwards in surprise just as Yojimbo burst into Pyreflies which scattered throughout the room. Through the Pyreflies the group could all see Harry with his sword through where Yojimbo had just been standing.

Harry gasped in air to ease his muscles before looking at Tidus. "Don't do something like that again, Tidus. He can't kill me, he could have killed you!"

"Sorry, Harry." Tidus gasped out looking down at Harry's throat. Harry winced and pulled his hand across his neck, smearing the blood that was slowly flowing down onto his vest. His hand glowed white as he channelled a Curaga into the wound and it healed over smoothly.

Harry stepped forwards to stand in front of Tidus. "I love you, Tidus." Harry whispered to him.

Tidus beamed at him happily before eyeing Lady Ginnem over Harry's shoulder. Yuna stepped away from where she was tending to Auron's wrist and pulled out her Summoning Staff to begin the Sending Ritual on the placidly waiting Unsent Summoner as Lulu watched on.

Harry ducked down between where Auron and Kimahri were leaning against the wall. "How are you both?" Harry asked.

Kimahri grunted to show he would be fine but Auron shook his head. "I'll need more complex healing than we can achieve down here." He told Harry.

"We'll get this done and then get back to the camp. I can heal you once we reach it." Harry promised. "You can all stay here. Tidus and Yuna can come through with me."

"Lady Ginnem and I..." Lulu paused. "We heard that a great sacrifice must be made to attain the Stolen Fayth's assistance."

Harry snorted in amusement. "Not for me."

He led them towards the back of the cavern and through a gap in the back wall that had clearly been a much larger entrance before it had been shrunk with bricks and mortar. Inside was a dark room that lit up when Yuna entered. In the centre of the room was a dark red slab of crystal that emitted the only light in the room. Inside the crystal was the magically frozen form of Harry's first close friend. Yuna automatically offered the prayer and almost instantly an image shimmered into being above the Fayth. He wore red Auror robes slightly thinner than the version that Yojimbo fought in.

"Greetings Summoner." Yojimbo nodded his head slowly. "I am the Blade of Vengeance. They dare only whisper my name. Yojimbo. You seek my aid yet my aid once destroyed the world. Do you desire a power that will destroy the World?"

Harry was surprised, he'd heard his friend's speech before but it had never been this. He would always determine the character of the Summoner before speaking to Harry. Harry waited to see what Yuna would say. "I seek a power that can help me save the world. Not destroy it."

Yojimbo tilted his head to the side slightly and studied Yuna. He nodded before turning directly to look at Harry. "I am sorry old friend but the playing field is changing. You have made your decision and thus so have we. We wish to end this now and through this one we shall. Fight us you will but fail you we shall not. Your sacrifice will not go forgotten."

"What are you talking about?" Harry frowned.

Instead of answering Yojimbo turned to Tidus. "Protect him for you are the answer to his pain. The time is close and you, Tidus, shall soon learn of your true potential. A potential to rival even the Immortal One."

Harry stared at his old friend in surprise and made to step forwards only to feel that same ebbing of pressure before the image of his friend flew forwards into Yuna who gasped and blacked out without a chance to retain her consciousness. Yojimbo may lose power in his subtlety but he was still one of the most powerful Aeons, his joining was harder than the triple Aeon because of the sheer power of his form.

Harry caught Yuna and carried her from the room. He felt a caress of air and warmth against his skin and shook his head in amusement. His friends all had their quirks. Tidus and Harry collected the others and Harry passed Yuna over to Wakka to carry so he could help fight since Tidus, Kimahri and Auron were all injured in different ways.

"So it was Valefor, Ifrit and Yojimbo that helped you cause the Great Cataclysm?" Tidus asked on their way out of the cave system.

"Yes." Harry nodded. "They were my best friends when we were children."

"Why were your punishments so different?" Tidus asked.

"They are more similar than you can imagine but my role was slightly more involved." Harry sighed and shook his head when Tidus went to continue questioning him.

It took another four hours to escape the caves and reach the camp and it was already late evening. Harry paid for hot food, a place to sleep and hot water for them all to bath in. They were more than happy to help a party of hidden monks and their escort, especially when it became clear that some of the escorting men were wounded.

Harry went with Tidus, Auron and Kimahri into the almost permanent hut that the camp had allowed their group to use. It had a small central area and two sleeping quarters on opposite sides. He made Kimahri and Tidus sit down before telling Auron to soak his wrist in some water to rid it of the dust and dirt from the caves.

"Alright, Kimahri, you're first." Harry told him and tried to push him flat back on the hard bench. Kimahri grunted and fended Harry off. "If you didn't plan on letting me help why did you come in here. Knock it off, Kimahri."

"Ronso not human." Kimahri told him. "I heal in time."

"Oh, that's just stupid." Harry snorted. "I've been around longer than the Ronso race, Kimahri. I know more about what's in your body than you do."

Tidus snorted in amusement. Kimahri conceded defeat and lay back on the bed, probably truly relaxing for the first time in days. Harry expertly probed around Kimahri's ribs finding which ones were damaged. "The problem with you Ronsos is that you skin is so thick you can't see internal bleeding." Harry lectured before turning to rummage through Rikku's potions pack for a suitable potion to heal any damage to his lungs. "If you can't swallow this into your lungs, leave it in your mouth and inhale the scent."

Harry tipped a small spoonful of the potion into Kimahri's mouth and with a clearly well practiced jerk the Ronso swallowed the potion down his throat. "Are you going to make me do that?" Tidus asked nervously.

"We'll see." Harry laughed before funnelling a strong Curaga into Kimahri's ribs. "You're lucky. If you weren't a Ronso you'd probably have several broken ribs and probably a punctured lung. As it is you had a few fractured and a lot of bruising. Take it easy tonight, Kimahri. We'll need your strength tomorrow when we meet your brethren and I know you won't want to show any weakness in front of them."

Kimahri nodded and slowly sat up before heading from the tent to find Yuna. "Okay, Auron, come over here." Harry patted the bench. Auron sat on the bench without complaint. "Tidus, could you hold his upper arm in place for me?" Tidus did as told without question and Harry slowly explored Auron's wrist, finding where the bone was broken. He didn't even give Auron a warning and with a deft squeeze of his hands he snapped the bones back into place. Auron cried out in pain but the pain was gone in a moment and Harry flooded Auron's arm with a series of healing magic before handing Auron a potion to take. "Don't you dare use this arm for anything." Harry warned him. "I'll check it again tomorrow morning."

Auron nodded before retreating. "My turn?" Tidus asked.

"Lose the jacket, Tidus." Harry told him and patted the bench. Tidus sat down and pulled his jacket off. Harry pushed down his high shorts and let his hands linger on Tidus' stomach for a moment before slowly pushing him back and checking him over. He had a large yellow bruise across his chest that made him hiss in pain when Harry gently probed his ribs with his fingers. He had several bruised ribs but nothing too bad. Harry sent in a powerful Curaga and the bruise even faded very slightly. Tidus gasped out and a small smile reached his face. He drew in a deep breath and let his hands come up to his chest, prodding his own ribs.

Harry slapped aside his hands. "None of that." Harry chided. "Leave them alone. They'll be fine after a night's sleep."

"Thanks." Tidus grinned before sitting up, catching Harry's hands as they fell away from his chest. "I love you too, you know." Tidus said, echoing Harry's words from in the cavern.

"I never doubted it." Harry smiled back. "And you'll have plenty of time on the way over the mountains to show me."

Tidus blushed slightly and Harry chuckled. The two left shortly after to join the others with their hot food and then as they chatted happily with the rest of the camp, telling stories about their journey, they went off to bath in the hot water the camp had provided them.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next day

Harry checked Tidus and Kimahri's chests and Auron's wrist before they left their tent the next morning and they, as well as Wakka, met Lulu, Rikku and Yuna in the camp's catering tent where the camp dwellers fed them a warm breakfast. Auron and Lulu spent an hour getting supplies from the camp before the whole party of eight left the camp and backtracked to the main ravine. It was only there that Harry allowed himself and Yuna to take off their hooded cloaks, something that they'd both worn constantly while they were out of their designated shelters.

They headed up the ever steepening ravine until the track became dusted with snow. It was another hour or so before the chill began to spread through them and they all donned the warm coats that Harry had acquired for them back at the Al-bhed station. Harry had been careful in getting them so that they worked with the wearers fighting style and being an expert in most forms of fighting he didn't get it wrong

As they approached the entrance to a ravine with huge monolithic natural towers on either side of the entrance, Kimahri made a shift in his walk so that he was slightly in front and to the side of Yuna. Almost as soon as they entered the ravine it widened out and about a dozen Ronso were all around them. This was the normal place that they met visitors and very few knew where they actually lived. Harry had been to the Ronso cave towns numerous times in his years but only once or twice this century, about eighty years ago when he'd saved the life of the Ronso Maester while travelling through Macalania Woods.

This place, however, was foreboding and depressing, meant to bring home the fact that the Gagazet Mountains were a fatal place to venture into unprepared. Harry instantly recognised Maester Kelk Ronso standing with no less than three large Ronso bodyguards. "Summoner Yuna and Guardians," Kelk growled out. "You must leave here at once."

"Then we'll just pass right through." Harry hissed and strolled forwards so that he was between the Ronso and his group. He held Kelk's stare with a harsh one of his own. Harry knew all the Ronso customs, probably better than Kelk did if he was honest with himself.

"Gagazet is Ronso land, sacred mountain of Yevon." Kelk countered in his way of refusing Harry's request. "The mountain will not bare the footsteps of Infidels!"

"Gagazet is not a sacred mountain of Yevon." Harry snapped. "She allows passage for any to pass. You are not one who can counter that."

"An enemy of Yevon is an enemy of the Ronso." One of his bodyguards growled at Harry's words.

"I have cast aside Yevon." Yuna shouted back defiantly. "I follow the Temple no more!"

"Then you will die by those words." Kelk told her.

"So be it!" Yuna spat and Harry couldn't help but turn to her and raise an eyebrow. "Yevon has twisted the teachings and betrayed us all."

There was general outcry from both sides at this. The Ronso were shocked at the accusation while Harry's own group agreed with Yuna's words, especially Tidus and Rikku. Harry decided it was really his time to end this. "Grand Maester Kelk Ronso!" Harry shouted over them all and the words bounced back from the ravine walls. Everybody was shocked. They all stared at him. "You are the last living Maester of Yevon. You are, by law, Grand Maester. Spiritual Ruler of Spira."

"Such words!" Kelk was clearly startled.

"You would stand, as the Grand Maester of Yevon, and murder a Summoner and her Guardians?" Harry asked. "You would betray not just these teachings but Spira herself. You would betray the spirit of these Mountains?"

Kelk stared at him in shock.

"Elder Kelk, let Biran rend them asunder!" The bodyguard from before pleaded.

"Your blade cannot kill me, Ronso." Harry growled at him and in a twist of his body Harry was a pace to his right and his sword was sticking from the ground out of reach of his left hand. "Eight bullets threw me into the depths of Bevelle yet I rose and defeated Seymour. If you, a mere Ronso, can kill me than you may be called the Destroyer."

Kelk gestured Biran back as the Ronso looked almost ready to test that out. "If Maester Kinoc's words are to believed your declaration of Immortality was words of truth." Kelk spoke calmly. "Seymour has gone mad in his quest for power."

"And as is written in the Ronso Codec you cannot stand against the one who will face him." Harry said simply, quoting from the laws of the Ronso that none but a Ronso could ever know. The outcry from the Ronso was immense and the group found themselves being surrounded by furious, and armed, Ronsos.

"How do you know the sayings of the Codec?" Kelk asked.

Harry stepped closer to him but didn't lower his voice. "I was there when Liken Ronso and his three brothers wrote them. I journeyed with them to the Temple of Gagazet on the tallest peak in Spira."

Harry knew that there wasn't a single being there that wasn't shocked into silence. Harry waited them out. Kelk stared at Harry and Harry met his gaze steadily, his eyes showing countless years. Eventually Kelk turned to Yuna. "You have been branded a Traitor, but still you would fight Sin?" Kelk asked. "What is it that you fight for?"

"I fight for Spira." Yuna told him gently. "The people long for a Calm. I can give it to them. It's all I can give, defeating Sin, ending pain. It is all I can give."

Kelk bowed slowly and Harry retrieved his sword again. "Even sacrificing yourself?" Kelk asked. She nodded. "Ronso, let them pass. Summoner Yuna, your will is stronger than steel. Tempered steel that even the mightiest Ronso could not hope to bend. Yuna, we bow to your will. Now go! The sacred heights of Gagazet welcome you."

Harry snorted in amusement but turned to Kelk and bowed in the same way he had, slowly and with only a slight movement. "May she watch over you." Harry told him, again using a term of phrase that no non-Ronso was ever allowed to overhear. He enjoyed the chaos he'd left behind him as he and the others continued on their way, uninhibited by the Ronso Clans.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

That night

Only Harry, Auron and Kimahri weren't taken by surprise by how hard travelling the mountain pass actually was. Auron had obviously done it once himself, Kimahri, of course, had grown up in the mountain range and Harry had done this trip more times than he'd care to count.

It wasn't just the freezing cold winds, pelting blizzards and slippery slope but also the Fiends suited to the terrain that blended in with the snow and attacked with no warning. Keeping constantly alert was as tiring mentally as the trip was physically exhausting. By the time they reached a place that Harry and Kimahri decided was safe enough the others were fit to collapse in the snow and sleep for a week. Harry refused to allow it and sent Tidus scrambling up the ice wall to the side of the camp.

The camp site wasn't anywhere near large enough for more than a single tent and they'd need three. Harry had chosen the place because there was a series of ledges that climbed the side of the path with about two metres of wall between them. Each just wide enough to pitch their tents on. Tidus climbed to the second one and Harry tossed him up one of the tents before he tossed the second onto the first step. He followed Tidus up and between the two of them they pitched first their own tent at the top and then Yuna, Lulu and Rikku's on the other step. By the time they were back at the bottom Lulu, Auron, Rikku and Yuna had hot stew ready while Wakka and Kimahri had successfully pitched their own tent.

They ate together and Harry borrowed the Shifting Glacier to the surprise of the others. He circled the base of the camp with the sword using the sword's innate magic and his own to build an ice wall two feet thick and ten feet high. Almost instantly the strong wind vanished and they felt themselves relax. Harry didn't see the necessity of somebody staying awake on watch when he could ensure the Fiends remained out of their camp. Everybody would need as much sleep as possible. It would take another two days to reach the top and get into the cave network and they'd be lucky if no one collapsed.

After eating they all decided to just pack it in for the night. Harry and Tidus rigged guide ropes between the tents in case they had to get up in the night and by the time they settled into their tent it was almost completely dark. Tidus just about managed to get his chest bare before he collapsed forwards into his sleeping bag with a satisfied moan that was muffled by his pillow. Harry chuckled at him affectionately and kissed the back of his neck before stripping off his own clothes for the night. The cold didn't bother him all that much with his age and Tidus would be warmer if he could touch skin. Really the two had it much easier than the others who wouldn't share personal space.

Harry helped Tidus out of his shoes and trousers and then tucked him into their joint sleeping bag. Just before Harry got into the sleeping bag properly he noticed that Tidus was rolling his shoulders, trying to ease his own tension. Harry closed the sleeping bag before rolling over to straddle Tidus' upper legs. Tidus jumped at the unexpected move but groaned out into the pillow when Harry started kneading his hands into Tidus' aching muscles. Harry alternated his hands with his lips and he could feel their chilled skin growing warmer.

Tidus made to roll over and Harry took his weight from his legs to allow it. He smirked down at Tidus in the near pitch black tent when he felt the evidence of Tidus' state against his less than subtle show of the same state of arousal. "I like this way of staying warm." Tidus locked his arms around Harry's back and pulled him down for a deep and passionate kiss.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next day

Tidus normally stuck at Harry's side most of the time but along some stretches he disappeared to talk to the others. In all he had far too much energy but then again he was a seventeen year old boy. Yuna was always rather collected but Rikku was just like Tidus. The trio of seventeen year olds livened up the group immensely on this stage of the journey. Rikku and Tidus were walking together when Harry heard them talking together, yelling over the wind without realising that the wind was carrying their words to Harry rather clearly.

"Zanarkand is on the other side, you know." Rikku was telling Tidus.

"I know." Tidus replied.

"Yunie is going to get the Final Aeon, you know." She continued.

"I know." Tidus sounded so despondent that Harry felt immensely sorry for him. Almost as if he felt that Tidus would never forgive him if he didn't come up with the perfect solution right at that moment.

"I still haven't thought of anything." Rikku told him and then suddenly looked over her shoulder at the group. Harry feigned disinterest for the moment she was watching him. He wanted to know what Rikku was thinking, he'd been slowly assessing them all about the Great Aeon and so far it was split. Wakka and Lulu were eyeing the idea of a final solution. Yuna knew the risks involved and would rather sacrifice herself instead of risking thousands or even millions of people. Kimahri and Auron simply hadn't said anything about it but Harry knew that Auron had gotten himself killed over the pointlessness of the sacrifice.

Rikku was an Al-bhed though, they had a distinct hate of all things to do with the constant sacrifice and they were willing to fight wars if it brought them closer to permanently ridding themselves of Sin. It was possible that Rikku believed that thousands dead now justified ridding Spira of Sin for eternity.

"Tidus..." Rikku touched the young man on the arm. "Do you really think Harry is right? That it's out of the question to use that Aeon. I mean the Aeon is there for a reason right?"

"But what about what he said would happen?" Tidus asked.

"But people are already dying with Sin about. This is a way to finally end all that killing." Rikku argued.

"I trust Harry, Rikku." Tidus told her confidently. "He loves this world too much to not have thought it through carefully. If using that Aeon was an option than he would have done it centuries ago."

"Maybe you're right." Rikku sighed.

"It's not me you have to trust, Rikku." Tidus told her. "It's Harry."

Rikku nodded and stumbled on further ahead of Tidus to think. Tidus glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened when he saw Harry there. Harry flashed him a smile and Tidus sighed and continued along the route.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

They were only just shy of the peak when Harry tensed up as a foul stench reached him. It smelt like the zombies within some of the nastier places in Spira. Harry pulled his sword even as the rest recoiled at the smell. Harry slowly turned in a circle and was looking straight at the clouds around them when the deformed shape of Seymour Guado appeared out of the mist. He's again deformed his own body and soul, pushing to become more powerful regardless of the cost.

He was completely pale now, his skin drawn across his wasted body even as he hovered above another construct that was definitely more vicious than the guard he'd built to protect him from the group in Bevelle.

"Lady Yuna, it is a pleasure." Seymour drawled out, his voice laced with the same stench that pervaded the air. Yuna pulled her Summoning Staff to try to Send Seymour but he just sneered at her. "A Sending, so soon? Allow me to say something to the last Ronso before I leave. Yours was a truly gallant race. They threw themselves at me to bar my path. One after another."

"No." Kimahri growled but Harry was just as angry at what Seymour was suggesting. Harry squeezed Kimahri's arm tightly to control the Ronso's anger and to reassure him. There was no way that Seymour could have kill all of the Ronso in a matter of even three days.

"You could end the suffering of this poor Ronso." Seymour was still talking to Yuna.

"I don't understand you!" Yuna yelled back at him angrily.

"Allow Kimahri to die and release him from his pain." Seymour explained. "Spira is a land of suffering and sorrow caught in a spiral of death. To heal Spira, I will become Sin. Yes, with your help. Come with me, Yuna!"

Tidus pulled his sword and put himself in front of Yuna. Seymour focused directly at him. "Once I have become Sin your father will be freed." Harry saw Tidus breathe in sharply and he swallowed but his grip on his sword didn't falter.

"What do you know!?" Tidus growled out even as Yuna, Lulu, Wakka and Rikku stared at the back of his head in shock.

"Pitiful mortal." Seymour sneered at Tidus who was breathing faster.

"You can't say such words to me, Seymour." Harry snarled and stepped in front of the young man he loved. "I've defeated stronger men than you without trying."

"You are nothing once compared to what I have become." Seymour squared off against Harry. "I am beyond you now."

"It really disgusts me." Harry told him. "There are true innocents like Bahamut, Ixion and Shiva who made an honest mistake and have been trapped for a thousand years and then there are scum like you roaming this world. The world that I love. There's no way I can hurt you enough to make up for that but I'm damn well going to try."

Harry's struck out and his magic welled out without guidance. The air shimmered as Myst struck out searing the air and Tidus recoiled backwards, grabbing Yuna and Rikku and jerking them away from Harry. Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri and even Auron stepped back as the Myst struck through Seymour and the abomination screamed as his skin began peeling and falling away. His Construct shuddered as parts of it were ripped away. Harry's eyes glowed even as they widened in shock.

He'd intended to lash out with an Ultima but his Aeon had risen with his anger and he had to struggle to keep it completely contained even as wings of Myst tried to spread from him. "Harry!" Tidus yelled in panic. Harry turned to look at him through the waves of Myst, his friends were still retreating from him but Tidus drew his full attention even through Seymour's screams of pain. Tidus' whole body was covered in a white sheen and his eyes glowed a fierce white colour. He was completely channelling Holy like no other had ever done before.

The Myst died away with Harry's shock and his inattention cost him as he felt a spear of magic slam into his side sending him flying across the path and into the wall of the mountain. He managed to get to his feet but just as Seymour was raising an arm to impale him again Tidus was there with a nexus of thick Soul magic surrounding him. Flames of Holy magic licked up around Harry without hurting him before they spread out across the entire path, bathing everything in towering white flames. Seymour's screams were heard clearly over the throbbing in Harry's ears but nobody could see Seymour until the light faded and Tidus sagged backwards onto the ground.

Harry caught him even though his head was shot through with pain and he lowered them both back so that Harry's back was to the wall and Tidus was against his chest. Seymour hadn't had a chance against a blast of concentrated Myst followed by the direct attention of somebody caught up in a Holy powered Final Overdrive. His very being had been obliterated.

"What was that?" Rikku gasped and knelt beside Tidus. His skin burned in fever and his eyes were flickering backwards and forwards even with his eyelids half open.

"Tidus' Final Overdrive." Harry sighed and placed his hand over Tidus' forehead pressing down slightly so that Tidus could feel it in his dazed state. "He'll be fine in a few minutes once it wears off."

"What did you do?" Lulu asked. "That was no magic that I knew."

"I lost control." Harry told them, trying to avoid an explanation. They weren't amused by his attempt and simply stared at him. "I protect the location of the Great Aeon."

"So...?" Wakka pushed.

"The Great Aeon controls Myst." Harry continued.

"Myst is a legend!" Lulu gasped.

"Not so much." Harry shrugged. "Myst flows through my body but unlike the Great Aeon I have no control of it. It is affected by my emotions and within my Overdrives. Tidus seems to be similar."

Tidus began to stir after a few moment and groaned tiredly. "Harry?" He whispered. "What happened?"

"You had a little temper tantrum and Seymour suffered for it." Harry chuckled and mused his hair. "You activated your Final Overdrive. It'll come back to you in a minute or two."

Tidus sagged back and his head landed on Harry's shoulder. Harry tilted his head forwards as Rikku began exploring the back of his skull. "Yuna, you'd better heal this."

Yuna did quick work and almost instantly Harry's head began to clear. She sat back once she was done and bit her lip, looking thoughtful. "He will become Sin." She muttered. "With my help."

"Lies." Auron told her even as he glanced at Harry. "Forget them."

"If he becomes Sin, Sir Jecht will be saved." She looked between Tidus, Harry and Auron with more determination. "You know something! Tell me!" Yuna demanded of Tidus who groaned and looked at her.

"Sin's..." Tidus sighed. "My old man."

"You hit your head?" Wakka asked in amusement.

"Sin is my old man. My old man became Sin!" Tidus told them all desperately. Harry hugged him, they'd never discussed it but both of them had known Harry was aware of it. "I don't know how or why he did it. I felt him inside and when I did I knew it was true. My old man is Spira's suffering. I'm sorry."

"Even knowing that Sin is your father." Yuna sighed. "You know I must."

"I know. Let's get him." Tidus nodded and made to stand. Harry helped him up. "I think he'd want that."

"You'd fight your own father?" Lulu asked.

"No problem there." Tidus chuckled.

"I'm getting confused." Wakka admitted. "How is all this possible?"

"We'll learn when we arrive. Soon." Auron told them all before turning his back and heading along the path. Harry winced, this was it. When Tidus discovered what he truly was.

Harry walked at Tidus' side in silence as they followed the rest of the group. Harry did something he'd never done before, he took Tidus' hand in his own. "I said I'd fight my own father." Tidus sighed. "Has it really come to that?"

"We have to fight Sin, Tidus." Harry told him quietly. "Your father wasn't perfect but I knew him after the point that he realised he had been a bad father and I know he'd want you to free him."

"Would you fight your own father?" Tidus asked.

"I wouldn't know." Harry told him. "My parents were murdered when I was still a baby. I never knew them."

"Who raised you?" Tidus asked.

Harry stopped and bit his lip as he looked at Tidus but he decided to just be honest, he'd long since forgotten to care about his childhood. "My negligent Aunt, her abusive husband and my bully of a cousin."

"Harry!?" Tidus gasped in shock.

"It was too long ago to bother me anymore, Tidus." Harry told him. He looked after the others who had stopped just before a turn in the road to look back at them but they seemed to be giving them a moment. Especially Auron who knew what was about to happen. "Tidus, do you remember I told you that one day I'd come clean to you about your Zanarkand, about how I've been there? I told you I'd do my best to be there with you when you found out well this is it."

"What?" Tidus frowned.

"This is where you find out about where you come from." Harry told him "You'll find out what I've been hiding from you since before I first spoke to you. I've known about this for a thousand years, I've lived there from time to time."

"I don't get you, Harry." Tidus frowned at him.

"Come on and you'll see." Harry told him quietly and tugged him along to catch up with the others. Auron waited for Harry to pass them before he motioned for the others to follow. He led Tidus around the corner and into what had been dubbed the Valley of the Cry through sheer ignorance. It was believed that it was a group of refugees from Zanarkand before Sin had destroyed it that had come here to pray for forgiveness for their transgressions.

Harry called it the Valley of the Summoning. The group came to a shocked halt as they came into view. The three walls of the valley were flowing with thick blue magic that almost looked like viscous water. The bottom of the valley was filled in the blue magic and in the centre the magic streamed up into the sky. The walls were covered in tiers of fixed statue like bodies.

"Wow!" Yuna gasped. Harry glanced at her in amusement. She had that right. They were all staring around them, especially at the closest of the Fayth, a proud man fixed as if from stone and throbbing with the blue magic.

"What are those?" Wakka asked, looking every bit like he'd just seen a ghost.

"Those are Fayth." Yuna told them in awe. "It's a summoning! Someone is using these Fayth. Someone is drawing energy from all of them."

"This many?" Rikku gasped.

"Who wields power on this scale?" Lulu gasped in shock. "What could they be calling?"

"You know something!" Rikku glared at Harry.

Harry turned his gaze on her and she flinched. "This isn't your problem, Rikku." Harry told her but then turned to Tidus. "This is your answer." Harry told him.

"Sir Auron?" Yuna turned to him pleadingly seeing that they'd get nothing from Harry.

"He knows not the full of it." Harry interrupted but reached out for Tidus' hand. Tidus gave it to him and Harry turned and pressed Tidus' hand through the streaming magic so his skin touched the chest of just one of the thousands of Fayths here.

Tidus went limp almost instantly and Harry lowered him to the ground caringly before sitting beside him. "What did you do to him?" Wakka narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"He is home again." Harry said quietly. "I must go with him." Before they could say anything Harry shut his eyes and slipped into the Sleeper's World.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Zanarkand

Tidus stared as he turned in a full circle. He was standing on the deck of his Houseboat, where'd he'd lived alone since he was twelve. This time though he wasn't alone. Before him stood a small boy, no more than thirteen years old and he was so familiar. "Welcome home." The boy told him with a warm smile.

"You..." Tidus gasped as he finally recognised him from both recently and further back.

"Remember me?" He asked. "We met in Bevelle."

"Christopher." Tidus gasped. For a moment Tidus saw only pain in the small boy's eyes.

"He told you." Christopher sighed. "I've met you before too. I've known you for a long time."

"I feel like I know you, too." Tidus frowned. "Where are we?"

"You're home again, Tidus." Harry's voice was such a welcome thing in this place and he turned to the right where Harry's body appeared where his voice had echoed. Harry looked just as real as the rest of this place. "This is your Zanarkand. It's as real as anything else."

"What's gotten into them?" Wakka's voice made Tidus spin around and saw his friend for an instant.

"Wake up!" Rikku shouted as she appeared for a moment.

"This is a dream?" Tidus gasped.

"Yes, Tidus." Harry told him and Tidus turned back to him.

"A dream!" Tidus gasped. "Are you crazy, we don't have time to be dreaming now!"

"You're wrong." Christopher glanced up at Harry and Harry sighed and shut his eyes and nodded. Christopher turned back to Tidus. "It's not that you're dreaming. You are a dream."

"What?" Tidus stared at Harry in surprise.

"Long ago there was a war." Christopher explained.

"Yeah," Tidus nodded. "With Machina right?"

"A war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Bevelle's Machina ensured their victory from the start. We'd never seen such power before. The Summoners of Zanarkand didn't stand a chance. Zanarkand was doomed to oblivion. So we tried to save it, if only as a memory."

"What did you do?" Tidus asked but he was looking at Harry, he already knew the answer.

"We ignored Harry's warnings. We wanted peace so much that we released what we couldn't control." Christopher's eyes looked so old and tired. "It destroyed everything, the armies, all the great cities including our own. The remaining Summoners and townspeople of Zanarkand that survived the war became Fayth. Fayth for the Summoning."

"The Summoning?" Tidus asked.

"This place, Tidus." Harry told him gently. "I called it the Sleeper's World. The memory of the true Zanarkand that was destroyed. It never sleeps but millions live their lives in it with no idea that they truly don't exist beyond the minds of those first survivors."

"I don't understand." Tidus shook his head, unable to work it all out himself.

"The dreams of the Fayth summoned the memories of the city into reality." Harry explained sadly. "They summoned all the buildings, all the people that lived here."

"The people!" Tidus took a step away from him. "They're all dreams? Me too?"

"Yes, you are a dream of the Fayth." Christopher stepped forwards as if to Harry's rescue. "You, your mother, your father, everyone. All dreams. And if we stop dreaming..."

All around them Zanarkand began to vanish from sight. Harry knew it could be rebuilt just as easily, just like when Jecht had broken into it and destroyed it before. All that remained was the deck of Tidus' Houseboat and the three of them. "No!" Tidus yelled at them both. "So what if I'm a dream? I like being here!"

"Tidus." Harry sighed. "They're tired, I can feel it in the dream. You, your mother and your father are different. They want to stop dreaming but you are a part of that dream."

"What am I?" Tidus looked at Harry like he'd been betrayed.

"You're more than a dream to me, Tidus." Harry told him but Tidus was already waking up.

"Maybe he will end our dreaming once and for all." Christopher told Harry.

"What you said before?" Harry asked. "You want to release my power?"

"It wants to be released, Harry. And we can no longer fight it." Christopher told him. "Maybe it will be a release for you too."

"At the cost of millions!" Harry snapped.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Christopher told him. "But we cannot go on forever."

"And I must?" Harry shook his head.

"We don't wish to hurt you anymore." Christopher told him.

"You never wished to hurt me before." Harry sighed and leaned down to hug Christopher who latched onto him with enthusiasm. Harry pulled himself back to his body long before they broke out of the hug.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Gagazet – Valley of the Summoning

Harry opened his eyes just as Tidus did. Tidus stared at him for a moment, shut his eyes and turned away from him. Harry winced and slowly stood up. "What happened?" Yuna asked.

"Nothing, I blacked out, had a dream and you called me so I woke up." Tidus told her as he, too, pulled himself to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Rikku asked.

"I'm okay." Tidus shrugged and Harry winced. "Don't we still have a long way to go today?"

Auron nodded and pulled the group away. Harry reached out to touch Tidus' arm pleadingly but he pulled away with a shake of his head. "Just leave me alone, Harry."

Harry watched him walk off and saw Rikku waiting for him. He couldn't really blame him but if Tidus reacted like this after finding this out how would he react when he found out that Harry was an Aeon?

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

End Chapter