Lenne didn't understand the latest letter he sent her. It had been three weeks since he left and she was running out of time. Her enlistment was in two more weeks; it was supposed to be two weeks ago, but she had been able to prolong it. She doesn't know if she'd be able to keep it up any longer; it's already be so long.
The words that were always elegant were scrambled crazy on a crumbled and stained piece of paper. Lenne could vaguely make the words out, Shuyin was thanking someone though, explaining about what he's heard, Vegnagun. What was Vegnagun? Weapon, Beville's weapon to win, he was thanking someone for showing him how to operate it, how to use it...
"Shuyin, what is this?" Lenne whispered staring at the letter.
He must have mixed up the letters, sent hers to whoever this letter was supposed to go to while she got this one. Where did her letter go then? Lenne looked back at the envelope and saw her address; she looked at the letter again and only saw the person's name. There was a sinking feeling that Shuyin was about to do something bad, something wrong, something that could never be undone. Vegnagun; what exactly was that? Beville's secret weapon... she needed answers. Who would know about Beville's secret other than Beville's though?...
Bahamut. The Palace of St. Bevelle. Even though she was a Zanarkand, the priests there still welcomed her and treated her no different, as if war was not ranging between them. The priests were neutral; they might be willing to help her and explain to her what exactly Vegnagun is. It was a quick journey to Bevelle, only four days by foot and even faster by Aeon. If she road on Bahamut's back she'd make it there in a matter of hours, which was a good thing too because judging on the date of Shuyin's letter he sent it out four days ago. Lenne hoped she wouldn't be too late in saving him and finding out exactly what was going on.
Summoning Bahamut was sure to cause commotion outside of of Zanarkand walls, him not exactly being a stealthy Aeon. They were bound to think she was deserting, but that didn't matter right now. Shuyin asked her what mattered to her most, what was most important. Of course it was him, of course it was. She has a duty to her city though and to her people, but Shuyin meant much more to her than that.
She would return and make things right, maybe try herself to be useful other than a warrior killing on the battle field. She was bound to have more use than that, she could do so much more than that. Why didn't Lenne think of a better answer than fighting? Shuyin obviously had... or maybe hadn't, but he was searching for a different way. Why hadn't Lenne done the same?
"Shuyin, I hope I'm not too late." Lenne whispered as she grabbed her staff.
She ran to the rooftops of their apartment and started summoning Bahamut, pleading for his help which he so happily gave her. The sky was vast and endless as she soared through it, so many possibilities, so many open roads to take. If only she could have flown like this when it all happened; maybe she could have seen there was more than one way.
There was always more than one way.
"Summoner Lenne, what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing back here?" Priest Cyrus asked pushing up his glasses.
Lenne remembered him from her Pilgrimage and it seemed he still remembered her as well. He was the head priest at this temple; he was sure to know the answers to her questions.
"Cyrus, I need your help. Please, is there someplace where we can talk privately?" She asked him.
Cyrus hummed and nodded, "of course Summoner Lenne, of course. If you would just follow me; I'll lead you to my private quarters."
Lenne sighed out a breath she didn't know she was holding and followed the priest deeper inside of the temple. Memories flooded back to her about Shuyin; them walking these very route to face the Trails and gain Bahamut. Everything was so much easier with Shuyin around; he made life so much better. Cyrus held the door open for her and closed it right after they walked in, Lenne getting herself comfortable on the couch while Cyrus went and got tea.
"I must say, have you come in search of your Guardian? He came to visit a while ago, a week maybe? Didn't say much, ask me questions about Beville in which I could not answer. Is he the reason for your visit?" Cyrus asked returning with a tray in his hands.
"Shuyin?! He did?!" Lenne gasped, her eyes widening.
"Yes, strange boy. He talked about ending this war; people have been talking about that for years though. I highly doubt such a man, even your Guardian, is able to do that on his own... unless, are you here to negotiate with us in Zanarkand's honor?"
She wasn't, but why did that sound so good to her ears?
"I can do that?" Lenne asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Of course, even though Beville doesn't believe in our teaches, we still hold great power because of our belief in the Aeons. If you are here to negotiate and end this war between us then you have St. Beville's priests full support."
"Oh Cyrus, you don't know how wonderful that sounds to my ears. That wasn't the reason I came, but it will be the reason for me to come back. As you said before, yes I'm searching for my Guardian Shuyin. He came here searching for a way to stop this war and sent me a weird letting with the words Vegnagun written in it, I was hopi-"
"Vegnagun," Cyrus gasped and dropped his cup on tea.
It broke and splattered on the floor, Lenne's eyes widening as she jumped up.
"Vegnagun should not be touched; Vegnagun should not be used; Vegnagun should not be spoken. If he awakens it shall be the destruction of us all." Cyrus chanted.
"Cyrus? Cyrus what's wrong? What's happening?" Lenne asked.
"If you're here to use that weapon I must ask you to leave now and never return; you aren't welcomed back to St. Bevelle Temple speaking that name." Cyrus said abruptly standing up.
"No Cyrus, I came here for information about Vegnagun, not how to use it. I'm afraid my Guardian is the one planning on using his powers-"
"Impossible! Only the creators of Vegnagun know how to harness his power! Only the Bevelle's know!"
"Then please read this and help me," Lenne pleaded pulling out her letter.
Cyrus snatched it from her hands and began scrolling through the words.
"I'm trying to make him stop from making a terrible mistake; I have a bad feeling from this Cyrus. Please tell me, what is Vegnagun and what exactly does it mean for us?" Lenne asked.
"Dear me, dear my... we are all doomed. He knows the code, he knows how to activate it. Spira shall be no more." Cyrus gasped dropping the letter.
"What does that mean?!" Lenne asked getting impatient.
She was tired of being left in the dark, tired of not knowing! Here she was trying to help and here Cyrus was predicting the end for all of Spira!
"Let me help us, help me save Spira by telling me exactly what Vegnagun is so I know what I'm going up against." Lenne said.
"None can defeat Vegnagun once it is activated; it tooks us years to create for it to only be a familiar. Humans, summoners, even Aeons don't stand a chance. We're doomed."
"Cyrus!" Lenne yelled his name out.
Cyrus seemed to snap out of his ramble and stare at the summoner. If the world was ended to doom, there would be no harm in telling a Zanarkand thier cities biggest secret and failure. She might even be able to help since it was her Guardian after all about to activate the weapon. She could be there salvation.
"We created a weapon, a colossal weapon, the scientest at Bevelle, to completely wipe out Zanarkand. It was only supposed to be able to do just that, but we went to far. We made it too powerful, too fearsome, the greatest machina yet known to our kind. Scientist named it Vegnagun and it was the key to finally ending this war. Our end result was more than what we expected though, Vegnagun not only had the power to destory Zanarkand, but all of Spira. We made it too advanced; we gave it the skill to sense emotions and thus know whether a certain person means to do it harm or not. Such a weapon that size couldn't be controlled by a controller so we tried to program it to understand that we were the allies, that we weren't the one it was created to destoryed. We failed. Vegnagun was unable to tell friend from foe so we locked him away deep under our city to prevent if from ever being used. That is Vegnagun and if your Guardian is planning on activating him, no one will survive."
Lenne gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes opening wide as she shook her head in disbelief.
"No," she whispered, "there must be something, some way."
"We created that weapon to be industructable, so that it couldn't be taken over or taken apart in the war. Once Vegnagun is running and in operation there is no stopping him. How your Guardian was able to figure out all the keys I have no idea, but you must hurry Summoner Lenne. I fear if you don't this could be all of our last day."
"Help me! Take me there! Take me to Vegnagun, show me the way and I will stop him!"
Cyrus nodded, "very well. We must leave at once, let me inform the other priests."
Shuyin no. Shuyin why? Are you truly that desperate? Do I truly matter that much to you that you would doom the whole world? You didn't go to Vegnagun without all the facts, did you really believe he would listen to you? Lenne shook her head and clenched at her heart; this was her fault. This was her fault. If only she would have listened, if only she could have changed his mind.
She wasn't going to let his hands get tainted, she wasn't going to allow him to do this. Lenne was going to save him. He promised her a home, a family, and she wasn't going to allow him to throw that all away.
"Shuyin, please let me not be too late," she whispered closing her eyes shut.