Chapter 21
The Guardian Beast
We came to the summit and I sighed. There they were, all the fayth. Their power being drained from them.
"Wh-What are those!?" Wakka asked.
"Those are fayth. A summoning! Someone is using these Fayth! Someone is drawing energy from them all!" Yuna said.
"This many?!" Rikku asked.
"Who wields power on this scale, and what could they be calling?" Lulu asked.
Rikku looked at me and walked forward.
"Hey, you know something don't you? Spill the beans!" she said.
"Look not to others for knowledge. This is your journey too." I said.
"Yunie might die you know?" Rikku said.
"No…" I looked at Tidus. "Auron's right."
"Huh?" Rikku and Amahy said.
"This is our….my story." he said.
Amahy looked puzzled and Tidus touched the wall.
"Whoa!"
He fell backwards and Amahy ran forward. I myself was concerned.
"Tidus! Come on wake up!" She said.
Yuna knelt down beside him and shook him lightly.
"What's gotten into you? Hey!" Wakka said
"Wake up! Wake up!" Rikku begged.
He wasn't responding to any of them.
"Wake up! Wake up, please!" Yuna begged.
Amahy finally slapped him right across the face and he sat up.
"Are you alright?" Yuna asked.
He stood up and Yuna sighed in relief.
"Hey! We were so worried about you!" Rikku said.
"You okay?" Lulu asked.
"I….I'm okay."
I didn't believe him and from the look on her face neither did Amahy.
"What happened?" she asked him.
"Nothing….I blacked out. I was dreaming. You called me….and I woke up."
He gave an exaggerated stretch.
"Nothing like a good nap! Well, I'm ready lets go!" he said.
We walked through the caves and we came to a flooded passage.
"Looks like we got a job to do, ya?" Wakka said.
I smirked and nodded.
"If anything should happen in the water, we're relying on you four. If it gets dangerous pull out quick." Lulu said.
"Right." Wakka said.
"Be careful." said Yuna.
I winked at her.
"No fiend has been able to kill me yet." I said.
"Emphasis on the word yet. You're too reckless for your own good." Auron grumbled.
I smiled and hugged him.
"I'll be fine."
I kissed his cheek and then dove into the water with the others.
Auron's POV
I was worried about her the entire time she was down there. I leaned against the wall and waited. Lulu walked over to me.
"I know what you are."
I sighed.
"I thought so. You're very perceptive."
She smiled sadly.
"I never wanted Amahy to go through what I did with Chappu. But I can't change what she feels now or what she will feel later. She loves you and for that I'm happy, but I know when the time comes…"
Her voice trailed off and she looked down.
"I dread that moment as well. I tried to keep my distance from her at the beginning. I should've known she'd never let me pull away from her. Finally I just couldn't do it any longer. Even though I know it'll be hard for us both in the end, especially for her, I couldn't stay away anymore. I love her more than anything and anyone."
She smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that. We will….all be sad to see you go. I know how it happened. Amahy's dream must have been of the past. It was brave what you did, but foolish."
I chuckled.
"I know, I know. And I hate myself for it, because now I will never be with Amahy."
She put her hand on my shoulder.
"At least she has you now. So cherish her and be with her with all the time you have left. That way she'll still have her memories." She told me.
I looked her. Lulu was quiet but she was wise. I nodded and then Amahy and the others came back. I walked over to her and she smiled at me.
Amahy's POV
As we walked through the caves of Gagazet Auron stopped.
"They'll be upon us soon. She has sent fiends to test our summoner's strength."
"Who's 'she'?" Yuna asked.
"Yunalesca." Auron said.
I balled my hands into fists.
"Lady Yunalesca?" Yuna asked excitedly.
"In Zanarkand, she awaits the arrival if the strongest." Auron said.
"She is…still alive?" Yuna asked.
Not for long.
"As much as Mika and Seymour." he answered.
I sighed sadly.
And….you.
"I see."
"Lost your nerve?" Auron asked.
"No. Nothing frightens me now, except Amahy when she gets angry."
I chuckled and shook my head. Auron chuckled and turned away.
"Braska would be proud. Of both of you, as would your mother."
I smiled at my mother, but I was still upset with my father.
"Then…..I must not let him down."
I sighed and Auron fell back to talk with me.
"Amahy I know what you're going to try and do. I'm begging you don't do this."
I looked at Auron.
"How can I not? She killed you." I whispered.
"And you think she cannot kill you too? I may be dead but I don't want you to join me!" he said.
I hugged him tightly.
"I won't. And I will find a way to bring you back. I promise."
He sighed and hugged me.
"I love you Amahy." he reminded me.
I smiled.
"And I love you too Auron."
He kissed my hair and we continued on. Once we made it out of the cave Auron stopped.
"It comes!"
I drew my sword and a large best appeared. My eyes widened.
"Is she trying to kill us all?!" I shouted.
We fought and Lulu got hurt badly. Wakka ran to her and kept her safe while the rest of us finished it off.
Once we defeated Yunalesca's fiend Rikku looked at Auron.
"Can't we rest a little?"
"No need. We reach the summit soon."
"That's why I wanna wait." she knelt down. "Soon means there's not much time left."
Yuna stepped forward.
"Rikku…."
"Fine. I'll think on the way." she said.
I sighed. We walked forward but Tidus and Wakka lagged behind.
"Hey, come on lets go."
"We are almost there, aren't we?" Tidus asked.
Wakka sighed.
"We've come a long way."
Auron chuckled. I looked at him in disbelief.
"What's so funny?" Tidus asked.
"You remind me of myself. Before, the closer I came to Zanarkand, the more I wondered…..when we arrive Braska will call the Final Aeon….He will fight Sin, then die. I thought my mind was made up long before. But when I stood here my resolve wavered."
Wakka walked forward.
"Huh, never would've figured. Legendary guardians choke sometimes too, ya?"
Auron laughed dryly and turned.
"Legendary guardian? I was just a boy. A boy about your age actually. I wanted to change the world too. But I changed nothing…..That is my story." he said.
He turned and started to walk away. Wakka went with him but Tidus and I lingered.
"Once we get there…..we'll both lose the ones we love."
"What're you talking about?"
I looked at him with tears in my eyes.
"Auron is an unsent."
His eyes went wide and looked at Auron.
"But there has to be a way to save him right?" he asked.
I took a deep breath.
"If there is I have not found it yet. Yunalesca killed him. So when I get to her…..I'll kill her."
"But Amahy if she could kill Auron she….."
"Could kill me too? She can try, she will fail. Many people and things have tried to kill me. All have failed. She's an unsent too, but I'll kill her for good." I said.
Tidus put his hand on my shoulder.
"Then I will too."
I smiled and hugged him.
"You are the best friend I could ever ask for. I look forward to getting to know you better once we've saved Yuna."
He smiled but there was something in his eyes that bothered me a bit. I let it go and we ran up to the others. When we could see Zanarkand everyone fell completely silent. I took Auron's hand and looked out over the city.
"Yuna I say no….if we go down there then you'll…."
"Rikku….you are a true friend and I thank you. But I must go down to Zanarkand."
"But there's gotta be a way we can save you Yuna!" she said.
I closed my eyes and looked down.
"All my life I knew this moment would come."
"Yunie…."
Yuna rushed forward and hugged Rikku.
"Thank you Rikku. Thank you for everything."
Tears threatened to fall but I wouldn't let them. I hid my face in Auron's shoulder and he put his arm around me.
All this time I thought I would be able to convince her. Now….I'm not so sure.
"Don't say that Yunie. It's not over yet!"
"Tell Cid, thank you."
"No….you can tell him yourself." Rikku said.
"Please…."
"Yunie, don't say that because….we're gonna see each other again okay?"
They separated and Yuna said,
"Kimahri…let's go."
We all walked off. We made our way down into Zanarkand.