Warnings for This Chapter: They come up a plan to defeat Sin
Last Time on 'Secret Kingdom Hearts'…
"What?! What do ya mean there was no Final Aeon?!" Cid yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Sorry, Old Man. But, the Final Aeon could only happen if Yuna sacrificed one of us to be her Final Aeon. We refused and ended up defeating Yunalesca. Now, our goal is to defeat Sin without using a Final Aeon and killing Sin for good." Tidus explained with his arms folded and while leaning against the wall.
"Well, I'm glad that you guys put an end to such a stupid tradition. So what's your next move?"
"We need you to take us to Bevelle. I need to speak with Maester Mika. Now that there is no Final Summoning, I thought that he might be able to give us some advice on where to go from here." Yuna informed.
"Anything you need Yuna, consider it done. Besides, I would never miss a chance to harass those know-it-all Yevonites." Cid laughed.
"Dad! You and Brother are only supposed to fly the airship and leave the harassing to us." Rikku sighed in slight annoyance.
"Awe. You're growing up to be just like your old man." Cid laughed as he hugged Rikku.
"Let go of me you old man! You're embarrassing!" Rikku yelled while trying to get free.
Everyone laughed except for Tidus. He looked around and noticed that Auron wasn't there. The blond left the room unnoticed and went to his and Auron's room where he found the older male.
"I thought I'd find you here." Tidus spoke, snapping Auron out of his thoughts.
"Stalking me now, are you?" Auron teased.
"You're funny." Tidus said with an eye roll before moving to sit next to Auron on his bed. "So why are you in here alone anyway?"
"Thinking. But now I'm done and in need to tell you something."
"What's that?" Tidus asked in curiosity.
"It's about what Jetch said before he became the Final Aeon and Sin." What Auron just said intrigued Tidus and caused the blond to listen to everything Auron had to say. "He asked me to take care of you. He said that he wanted me to find a way back to his Zanarkand and to take care of you."
"But, I thought there was no way back?"
"I thought the same thing, so what he asked of me was confusing. But, I found a way back. I rode Sin to Zanarkand."
This shocked Tidus and made him jump to his feet. "You what?!"
"Sit down and I'll tell you the story." Auron chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm. Tidus nodded and did as he was told in order to hear the rest of the story. "After Braska and Jetch defeated Sin and everything went to hell, I returned to Zanarkand and confronted Lady Yunalesca. Her answers to my questions pissed me off, so I went to attack her… She ended up striking me down before leaving me to die. I was lying on the floor about to die when I suddenly remembered the promise I made to both you and Braska. You see, Braska asked me to take care of Yuna too, but I couldn't do both. Yuna was here and you were in the Dream Zanarkand. So, I crawled my way to Mt. Gagazet. There, I found Kimahri and asked him to take care of Yuna before I died. Once I was dead, Jetch found me. With his help, I was able to ride him back to Zanarkand where I took care of you until it was time to bring you to Spira. For you see, Sin is the gateway between your Zanarkand and Spira. That is the only way you are able to return to the life you once knew." Auron explained.
"So it is true. Once we get rid of Sin for good, my Zanarkand will disappear." Tidus said more to himself out loud.
"So you know?" Tidus nodded. "And you're not scared, worried, or frightened?"
"At first, yeah I would be. But now… I know that it needs to happen. In order to save Yuna, Spira, my father, and the dreaming Fayth, I need to destroy Sin once and for all." Tidus answered.
"You do realize that you will also disappear, right?" Auron asked.
"Yeah, I know. The Fayth told me. But, that still does not change my mind. Sure I would like to live a peaceful life with Yuna, but it means that she will be safe and can live to see her 18th birthday, then I won't worry about it. How she might react to it though… is another story." Tidus laughed nervously.
Auron smiled as he placed his hand on Tidus's shoulder. "You're pretty brave… for a cry baby." He chuckled.
"Yeah, you're really funny." Tidus smirked with a roll of his eyes.
Just then Ke'Ania opened their bedroom door. Come you guys. We're arriving at Bevelle." She said before leaving the room.
"Ready to save Spira, together?" Tidus asked with his bent arm in front of his face and a smirk.
"Lead the way." Auron smirked back as he hit Tidus's arm with his own.
Together, the two of them would make sure to see their stories to the very end.
Onto Chapter 31 of 'Secret Kingdom Hearts'…
Chapter 31: Beginning of the End
Normal P.O.V.
Everyone stood silently in the bridge as Brother moved the airship to hover over Bevelle's Highbridge. "Alright kiddos, this is where you get off." Cid announced.
"Here? Can't you land this thing on the ground instead?" Tidus complained.
"The airship is too big to land close enough to the Highbridge, so I did what next best thing." Cid informed as he moved to a control panel. "As you all know, we're currently hovering over the Bevelle Highbridge with no way to land this airship. So, the only other way to get you eleven on the ground, safely, is by letting you slide onto the Highbridge by a line leading from the airship to the ground of the Highbridge. Great idea, right?"
"I don't know about great, but it does sound easier than walking." Sora smiled as he placed his laced hands behind his head.
"Glad you agree." Cid smiled before pressing a red button. "I just opened the hatch and unlashed the line that'll take you guy to the ground. Be safe while bargaining with that ancient Yevonite. Rikku will contact me when you guys are ready to be picked up. Good luck." Cid saluted.
The group nodded back in appreciation before turning to exit the airship. Once everyone slid down the line safely, they waved bye as the airship took off.
"Let's go." Yuna commanded, leading the way.
Everyone moved to follow her. But, when they were close enough to Bevelle's entrance, two guards stepped in their way and held them at gun point.
"Haul, infidels! You shall go no further!" One guard yelled.
"Not you guys again. I swear, don't you guys ever quit?" Wakka sighed in annoyance.
"Please, let us through. We must speak with Maester Mika." Yuna pleaded.
"None of you traitors shall past! You eleven will be gunned down where you stand!" The other guard yelled.
"I see these Yevon-idiots still haven't learned their lesson." Rikku smirked as she pulled out her weapon.
"Well I'm up for re-teaching the lesson… the hard way…" Ke'Ania smirked, with black and yellow eyes, while summoning her Keyblades.
"STOP!" A voice called.
Everyone lifted their heads to see Shelinda running towards them.
"Captain?" The guards gasped.
"You will not harm Lady Yuna. Please, lower your weapons." Shelinda commanded.
"But, Captain Shelinda. We were given orders to kill these traitors on sight." One on the guards argued.
"Lady Yuna and her guardians are not traitors. Maester Mika has told me that it was that was an evil rumor spread by the Al Bhed. Maester Mika said so himself."
"WHAT?!" Rikku yelled as he clenched her fists in anger.
Ke'Ania placed a hand on her Rikku's shoulder before moving to whisper in her ear. "Let's wait till she helps us before questioning it."
Rikku let Ke'Ania's words sink into her head. Once they did, she took deep breaths to calm down as she lowered her fists. "Fine." Ke'Ania while removing her hand and turning to face the scene.
"What are we to do?" One of the guards said to the other.
"Stand down, as I have said." Shelinda ordered. The guards hesitantly nodded their heads before moving to stand by the front door. "Are you guys alright?" She asked as she walked towards Yuna and her group.
"We're fine. Thank you. I did not want to fight them if it could've been avoided." Yuna bowed.
"Yeah, thanks for your help, but what was it you were saying about the Al Bhed spreading rumors about Yuna?" Rikku asked with irritation laced in her voice.
"I do not truly understand it myself. As of late, all of Yevon has been in a state of confusion. Why, just yesterday they called me out of the blue and made me Captain of the guards. It' s all very unsettling." Shelinda informed.
"What? Short on believers?" Auron chuckled lightly.
"Yes, actually. And it doesn't stop there. It seems as if the chaos in the temples are worst than it is here. I do not know what is going on nor what to do. No one is doing anything about it either. All the priests do is sit around blaming one another. It's horrible. I have never seen anything like it. I worry as to what will become of Yevon, but I must be the rock that stands when Yevon id crumbling. I must thank you Lady Yuna."
"Oh? For what exactly. I didn't do anything." Yuan questioned.
"For the courage you've displayed throughout your entire pilgrimage. I must say… it has inspired me truly." Shelinda smiled. Yuna bowed in a thanking manor.
"Um, guys. This is all good and dandy, but do you think you can take us to see Mika? We need to have a little talk with him." Tidus asked.
"Why yes. Of course, follow me." Shelinda said before turning around and leading the group into Bevelle
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"Maester Mika? Lady Yuna and her guardians have requested an audience with you." Shelinda announced.
"Send them in." Mika ordered. Everyone filed into the room and waved goodbye to Shelinda before she left. "What is it that I can do for you all?"
"Maester Mika… we've come in need o your advice." Yuna started off.
"Advice? On what, my child."
"Wait a minute. Before we get to that, I have one question. Why are you blaming the Al Bhed for labeling Yunie as a traitor?" Rikku asked with her hands on her hips.
"It was the only way to regain some order among the believers. If I were to say that an Al Bhed has labeled Lady Yuna as a traitor, most would believe that." Mika answered calmly.
"Wow. Do you Yevonites ever choke on the amount of complete and utter bullshit that comes from your mouths?" Ke'Ania snorted in annoyance.
"So you lied to your followers for convince? How could you?" Lulu questioned in shock.
"9 out of 10 followers of Yevon have studied the teachings and are easily fooled when told certain pieces of information. Making it easy to quiet them when needed." Everyone gasped at Mika's explanation.
"Are you all completely insane? What kind of leader blames another race just to save themselves?" Sora seethed with anger.
"Why you miserable old bag of bones!" Rikku shouted as she lunged at him. But before she could reach him, Donald and Goofy were there to stop her. "She struggled against their hold for a few minutes until she settled down and moved her green eyes to glare at Mika. "You're going to regret your birth once I get my hands on you."
"Maester Mika, despite how disappointed I am with you and the teachings, I must still ask you for advice… about the Final Aeon."
"You have obtained the Final Aeon from Lady Yunalesca?"
"That's the thing we wanted to talk to you about. You see… we did meet her, but…" Yuna started.
"But we sent her packing on a one-way trip to the Farplane." Tidus finished.
"WHAT?!" Mika gasped in shock as he grabbed his chest.
"Summoners and guardians will be sacrificed for a useless and false tradition no more." Auron glared.
Mika's old eyes widen to an impossible size as he moved to grab the railing to keep him steady. "Fools! Do you realize, what you have done? You've taken away the only means known to man of calming Sin. No there is no hope for us."
"Are you running away? Grand Maester?" Auron teased with an eyebrow arched.
"Because of you… there is no hope for Spira and now destruction is inevitable. Now, no one can defeat our executioner. You have doomed us all." Mika said while holding his heaving chest.
"Maybe there's another way? I am sure we can work together to think of a new, permanent way?" Lulu suggested.
"No. No, there is no such thing. The Final Summoning was Spira's only hope. Now that it's gone… There's no stopping Sin. There will be no Calm. You have cursed all of Spira to be engulfed by the Spiral of Death. Because of you, Spira will die and I refuse to watch!" Mika shouted before sending himself to the Farplane.
"Damn him! How dare he disappear on us without even accepting our offer to help save Spira." Wakka growled.
"It's baffling." Lulu sighed heavily.
"Are you two still shocked by what these Yevonites have to say anymore?" Rikku asked as she dusted herself off once Goofy and Donald let her go.
"When you've believed in something your whole life, only to have it shatter right before your eyes, it is hard to take in so easily." Lulu explained.
"I will have to admit, I never believed in Yevon, even when Wakka was telling us about it, but it sounded like a nice religion for the people of Spira to believe in. But now, after seeing all of this… it's still a little unbelievable." Ke'Ania sighed with her arms crossed.
"Yeah well, when your race of people has been discriminated against for so long… this kind of behavior is almost expected." Rikku huffed.
"That sad fact aside, what do we do now? We still have to come up with a plan to stop Sin. Does anyone have an idea yet?" Sora asked.
"I might." Everyone gasped and turned around to see Bahamut's Fayth floating before them. "Hi there."
"Who are you?" Wakka questioned with slight fear in his voice.
"I am the Fayth for the aeon Bahamut. I felt the Lady Yuna's distress and decided to come to her aid."
"You have a plan?" Auron asked suspiciously.
"Not a full proof one, but it's at least something to help you guys get started on your own plan."
"That's great!" Donald cheered.
"But, I cannot tell you here. It's not safe. Follow me to my room. There is where we can form a solid plan."
Everyone nodded before following Bahamut's Fayth to his chamber.
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"So, what's this plan of yours?"Tidus asked.
"You are an eager one, so I will get right to the point. It has been a long time since your father became Sin, ten years to be exact. This makes me believe that our options for a plan are limited. So, the other Fayths and I have thought long and hard about this and have come up with something that you eleven may be able to work with. We believe that the Hymn is the key."
"The Hymn? How is that going to work? I thought the Hymn was to sooth the hearts of the faithful, and last time I checked… my old man wasn't all that faithful to Yevon." Tidus questioned.
"This is true, but one thing we observed while your father was in Dream Zanarkand was that he would constantly sing the Hymn, not knowing what it meant, where it came from, or what it was. He would just sing it and be at peace. He would even sing it before each Blitzball game. Now, it is true that ten years have passed since your father became Sin, but we are still slightly connected to him and know that the real Jetch is in there. If you can get it so that he will be able to hear the Hymn of the Fayth, then you might be able to slow him down."
Everyone took in what Bahamut's Fayth was saying before nodding in agreement.
"That sounds like a good plan." Rikku acknowledged.
"Yeah, but what about actually stopping Sin. Calming it down won't be enough to defeat it." Ke'Ania added.
"We didn't exactly get that far…" The Fayth admitted shyly.
"Before we defeated Lady Yunalesca, she told us about Yu Yevon. He's the one who creates Sin, so our the next part of our plan has to defeating him and Sir Jetch." Yuna informed.
"Ok, so what do we know?" Wakka asked.
"We know that we can use the Hymn to slow Sin down." Lulu added.
"We also know that if we want to if we want to defeat Sin, then we'll have to go inside." Auron said with a light shrug.
"That's it!" Goofy cheered as he jumped up and down.
"What's it? Well don't hold out of us ya big palooka, did you think of something?" Donald asked with his hands on his hips.
"If we want to defeat Sin forever, then we have to defeat Yu Yevon, which is inside of Sin."
"But we know that already." Rikku said in confusion.
"Yeah and plus it's not like Sin is going to sit still while we enter him. I don't get it." Ke'Ania also said in confusion.
"If we can get find away to play the Hymn loud enough, then we can slow Sin down enough to fight the outside. Once we damage it enough to make it land somewhere, then we might be able to create an opening for us to enter Sin through. Once we're inside of Sin, we'll have to defeat Jetch first, but once that's over all we need to do is defeat Yu Yevon and that means that we can defeat Sin once and for all." Goofy smiled brightly while everyone, even the Fayth looked at Goofy in shock and amazement.
"That's… actually a really great plan…" Auron said, still stunned at Goofy's plan and not caring that his sunglasses were sliding down his nose.
"That's one smart talking dog." The Fayth smiled.
"That is a great plan, but there's still one problem… Lady Yunalesca told us that Yu Yevon combines with aeons to create the new Sin. How are we supposed to fight our ultimate enemy without you guys?" Lulu asked with worry in her voice.
"It is true that Yu Yevon does create the ne Sin out of aeons that go against it, but that's not all there is to it. You see, once a summoner fights Sin with the Final Aeon, the Final Aeon kills the summoner, as you all know. Once that happens, Yu Yevon comes and takes over the Final Aeon so that he can create a new Sin. But the reason for that is because when a summoner fights Sin, they only use their Final Aeon to defeat the previous Final Aeon and not Yu Yevon himself. For centuries, people have believed that defeating Sin meant defeating the previous Final Aeon that became Sin. On one ever thought to defeat Yu Yevon until now."
"So what you're telling me is that I can still use the aeons as long as we make sure to defeat Yu Yevon along with Sir Jetch?"
"That is correct, Yuna. Your swords and magic are not strong enough to defeat Sin, Jetch, and Yu Yevon on their own. You must use us, Yuna. Promise me that you'll use us in the fight against Sin."
Yuna nodded at the Fayth's request with a smile. "I can't do it without you guys."
"I'm glad to hear to hear you say that." The Fayth smiled back before turning to Tidus with a sad expression. "But, you know that once you truly defeat Yu Yevon, Jetch, and Sin… we Fayth will awaken and the dreaming will stop… don't you?"
"I know." Tidus sighed with his eyes closed. "But, I'm grateful for everything that you've done and for continuing to help us. I don't mind that you'll stop dreaming. You've been dreaming for too long anyway." That dirty blond guardian said with a sad smile.
"Yes. We've been dreaming for too long. We're so very tired. Please… help us wake up."
"I promise." Tidus nodded.
The Fayth nodded before turning to the rest of the group. "I wish you luck on your journey, but might I suggest your first move. Yuna, you still have two aeons left to obtain. I suggest that you retrieve them first and while you're at it, be sure to talk to all the Fayth. They would like to offer some advice before to take on Sin."
"I will be sure to do that. Thank you for all your help and the advice." Yuna bowed in appreciation.
"Good luck. You are all brave soldiers in this fight for Spira. And we Fayth will be here to protect and guide you the whole way through. Please Yuna, call on us whenever you need to. We'll be waiting for your summoning." And with that, Bahamut's Fayth disappeared before their eyes.
"What was that all about?" Lulu asked curiously.
"Huh?" Tidus looked at her with a confused look.
"That stuff he was saying about the Fayth dreaming and what you were saying back to him about you being grateful? Is there something you're not telling us?" Lulu questioned again.
"It's a long story and I cannot say it right now. It's… something I'll have to tell you guys later…" Tidus turned to leave, but the suspicious face Yuna was making stopped him. "Don't make that face. We're about to defeat Sin permanently and save Spira and you forever. You should be happy." He smiled with his hand cupping her cheek.
"You're hiding something… aren't you?" She asked without her face moving.
Tidus's smile disappeared as he slowly removed his hand from her face. "I'm not hiding anything. He said turning away from her.
"Really?" She pushed.
Tidus's shoulders tensed slightly, but noticeably. "Promise. Now come on. We have to get this plan underway."
No one said a word as they followed Tidus out of the chamber. Yuna was the last one to leave, but before she did, she sighed sadly and deeply. "You're a terrible liar."
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"So? What did that old bag of bones say?" Cid asked once everyone was in the bridge.
"Nothing. We told him that Yunalesca was gone, he got scared and sent himself to the Farplane. The best decision he's ever made, if ya ask me." Rikku huffed with her arms crossed, purposely leaving out the fact that Mika blamed them for calling Yuna a traitor in hopes of keeping him a little calmer.
"Figures. Can't rely on those Yevon scumbags for anything except lies. So, what's next kiddos?" Cid asked with his arms crossed.
"The Fayth and Goofy helped us come up with a plan to finally defeat. We're going to use the Hymn of the Fayth to calm Sin down before damaging it enough to create an opening to enter it. Once inside, we're going to fight Sir Jetch, the current Sin, and Yu Yevon himself. Once we do that, Sin will be gone for good and I'll be able to perform the sending. But first, we're supposed to get the last two aeons and talk with all the Fayth before taking Sin on. I want to get that done today, so come tomorrow… we'll take down Sin for good." Yuna explained with determination in her voice.
"Sounds mighty good to me. Just tell me where to go and I'll take you there." Cid smiled.
"Well first we have to figure out which two aeons I'm missing." Yuna informed.
"Well there's the aeon sisters Belgemine is guarding and Anima, the aeon Seymour could summon. That's in Baaj Temple." Rikku said.
"Baaj Temple? Where's that?" Tidus asked.
"It's by Bikanel Island. It's the temple we found you in." Rikku answered.
"Well that solves that, so let's go." Sora cheered.
"Wait a second. There's something I have to show you guys." Ke'Ania said before running to her room. When she returned there were three jewels in her hand. "I found these during our journey, but forgot to give them to you guys. They're the jewels Belgemine was talking about." She lifted a yellow Sun Crest and a Mars Sigil into the air, making Tidus and Auron move to grab them. "I found those after we defeated Lady Yunalesca. This one…" She held up a Saturn Sigil. "I found after we defeated Seymour. I figured they belonged to you." She smiled as she handed the jewel to Kimahri.
"Thank you… Kimahri will use it wisely…" The Ronso smiled.
Auron and Tidus said their thank yous before they added their jewels to their weapons.
"Well since we're passing out fancy jewels." Cid started as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a Mercury Crest and Sigil. "I want you to have these, Rikku."
"You had the jewels that go to my weapon? But how?" Rikku asked as she took them.
"I never told you the story behind your weapon, but I think you're old enough to hear the story." Cid took a deep breath before speaking. "Originally… what weapon was your Mother's. Before she died, she said that if anything were to happen to her to give you her weapon and the jewels that go with it. I still don't know why she wanted me to give these to you, but she said that when I finally did give them to you… you'd understand what to do with them."
Rikku looked down at the jewels with a bright smile and light, happy tears in her eyes before hugging her father's middle. "Thanks. I promise that I'll make you two proud."
Cid smiled as he hugged her back. "I know you will. You always do."
Lulu stared at the scene with a sad smile as memories of her and Chappu came flooding back. That's when she remembered that she had a jewel to give Wakka. "Here Wakka. This is for you." She turned to the red headed man with a light smile and a Jupiter Sigil.
"You had this all along?" Wakka asked.
"Yes, it was Chappu's. He didn't know what it was for, so he was going to use it to make the jewel for my wedding ring. But, I want to give it to you instead. You'll get more use out of it than I will."
Wakka took his fingers and covered them over hers while shaking his head. "I can't accept this. This is the last thing you have to remember him by. That memory is worth more than helping me. I will help you guys win without it. You keep it."
Lulu only shook her head as she placed her hand over his and placed the sigil in Wakka's grasp. "I no longer have the desire to keep this. It is true that this is the last material object I have of his, but I don't need it. I have Chappu in my memories… it's better for me to have him in my memories, that way… he'll never truly be gone." She smiled sadly.
"Lu…" Wakka whispered.
"Besides… Chappu would want you to use it, especially in a fight to defeat Sin permanently. After all… you won't be able to survive without it." Lulu teased before turning around.
Lulu spoke the truth about how she prefers to keep Chappu in her memories. Chappu has been gone and, although she truly loved him, there was no use of her continuing to mourn over him. She knew that he wouldn't want her to. He would want her to move on when she was ready. There is nothing more he can do for her. So now… its time she found a new source of happiness.
Lulu felt her heart jump in her chest when Wakka wrapped his arms around her from the back and buried his face in her raven braids. "Thank you, Lulu."
Lulu smiled truly for the first time as she placed her hands over his and leaned into him. "You're welcome."
The black mage closed her eyes in true bliss. "Chappu… I believe that… I have finally found a new source of happiness. I just hope you're happy for me in the Farplane."
Forcing his head away from the scene, Auron reached into his pocket and pulled out a Saturn Crest to give to Kimahri. "Here, old friend. I meant to give this to you after I asked you to watch over Yuna. But, I died before I was able to do so. But, I feel like nows the right time."
Kimahri took it with a nod before placing both of his jewels into the two slots in his blade. "Kimahri thanks Auron for the Saturn Crest. Kimahri will guard Yuna better with Saturn Crest and Sigil attached to Kimahri's spear."
"Um guys? I don't really know how to read this, so where are we?" Sora asked, breaking the calm and content atmosphere.
Everyone broke away from their own little worlds to see what Sora was talking about. They walked over to the map and saw a drowned island on the map. "Yahoo! We found Baaj Temple!" Cid cheered before ordering Brother to take them in closer.
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The ship was lowered enough for the group to walk off the airship and onto the ground. "Be careful you guys. You never know what could be down there." Cid warned.
"Don't worry, Dad. We'll be back up before you know it." Rikku smiled.
Cid nodded before turning to enter the ship. Everyone watched as the hatch moved to reconnect to the ship.
"So, we ready?" Tidus asked.
"You said that this is where you first arrived when you came to Spira, correct? What can you tell us about this temple from your personal experiences?" Lulu questioned.
"Well, I don't know much. I do know that when I first arrived, there was a boney giant fish fiend that tried to eat me. I don't know if it's still down there, so we'll have to be careful. And, if I remember correctly, then we must also watch or step. This place isn't the most structurally sound place." Tidus answered with his arms crossed.
"Wait. You mean the Baaj temple is underwater?" Yuna said in shock.
"Yes. This place was once a great island city. But after Sin attacked it, the city and temple was left to nothing but ruins and ended up sinking into the water surrounding it. That was about ten years ago. Around the beginning of Lord Braska's Calm and when Seymour became a priest among the Guado. Here, in Baaj Temple, it is said that the aeon Seymour could summon, Anima, can be found within this temple." Lulu explained.
"But, what is Seymour's connection to this place? Could it be because his of Anima? Or is it something deeper?" Ke'Ania said curiously while thinking.
"The only way to find out is to ask the Fayth ourselves." Wakka stated.
"Stand still everyone. I will cast a spell to let us breath under water." Yuna ordered. She waved her staff and casted a water breathing spell. "Be careful everyone."
The whole group nodded before jumping into the water. They followed Tidus and Rikku to the entrance of the temple, but stopped when they heard a noise. All of them turned around and saw a growling Geosgaeno.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Ke'Ania yelled with het Keyblades in her hands.
"That's the monster when I first arrived. I figured it would still be here." Tidus informed them with his sword in his hand.
"Well, how about we put it down for good." Wakka smirked with his ball in his hand.
Lulu waved her hand and added lightning to everyone's weapon. The fiend gave a loud growl before rushing at them. It raised a large fin and tried to hit Rikku, but the blond moved out of the way. Sora came up on its side and slashed at it. The fiend opened its mouth and created a whirlpool. Ke'Ania was beginning drawn in. Sora saw this and moved to grab her hand. But before he could get to her, Ke'Ania was already being sucked in. When she was inside of the fiend's stomach, it closed its mouth.
"Ke'Ania?! Are you ok?" Donald asked.
"I'm fine, but it won't be when I get out of here!" The long haired girl growled.
"Just hang on. We'll get you out." Goofy said as he swam towards the fiend.
He used his shield to slice at its ribcage, but stopped when Ke'Ania shouted in pain. "That hurts."
"I'm sorry."
"Wait, Ke'Ania can feel everything that the monster feels? Then how are we supposed to attack it?" Sora asked in panic.
"Just hold on you guys. I'm going to force my way out. And when I do, someone needs to be there to slice this creature in half." Ke'Ania ordered.
"I'll do it." Tidus volunteered.
Ke'Ania nodded before dismissing her Keyblades. "Alright you over grown salmon. I'm going to make this a painful as I can." She erects her claws. Once they were as sharp and as long she wanted them to be, Ke'Ania latched onto its ribcage and used them to climb to the top of the fiend's throat. She used her claws to harshly slash at its throat. The fiend gagged and thrashed at the treatment. Within a few more moments, Ke'Ania burst through its mouth with as much force as she could. "Now Tidus!"
"On it!" The dirty blond rushed at the fiend. When he got close enough, Tidus added some power to his sword and made a clean cut down its center. The fiend screamed before it turned into Pyreflies and disappeared.
"Are you alright?" Yuna asked as she swam over to Ke'Ania.
"I'm fine, but I don't want to ever be swallowed by anything EVER again."
"With that done, let's continue." Lulu suggested.
The group swam towards the opening and made it inside with nothing getting in their way.
…
…
…
"What is this?" Yuna asked while the rest of the group filed into a room with six statues and a seal in front of the Chamber of the Fayth.
"This is technically the Closter of Trails. The reason behind gathering all of the treasures from the other temples is so when a summoner and their guardians come to this temple, they have to give place them in front of these statues to unseal the chamber. The only trick is to figure out which treasure goes with which statue." Auron explained.
"So, you're saying that we have to put the treasure we got from each temple with the statue built for that temple?" Donald questioned.
"Basically." Auron shrugged.
"How do we do that?" Goofy asked curiously.
"Hey look, guys. There are symbols on each of these spheres in front of the statues. All we have to do is match each gift with each aeon's symbol." Ke'Ania cheered.
"That's great, except one problem… Who remembers which symbol goes with which aeon?" Sora asked.
"I do. It is a summoner's job to memorize which symbol belongs to which temple and aeon. I'll place the treasures where they need to go." Yuna said as she pulled out the treasures. She moved to place the first treasure in front of the first statue and continued until all the statues had their treasures. "That should do it."
Once she stood up, one by one, the statues began to glow with their aeon's symbol before the seal on the chamber was broken. "Way to go, Yunie!" Rikku cheered.
"Let us go." Yuna ordered.
Everyone moved to follow behind her into the Chamber of the Fayth.
…
…
…
Yuna moved to sit and pray before the Fayth. Soon, a woman's voice could be heard singing the Hymn of the Fayth before a woman wearing a long blue dress appeared.
"I welcome you Summoner Yuna to the Baaj Temple." The woman spoke.
Yuna took a long hard look at the female Fayth. "Are you… Seymour's mother?"
The Fayth nodded. "I am. I'm glad that you know who I am, but I did not expect you to still call on me for aid against Sin… knowing who my son is and what he has become."
"I need your help to not only defeat Sin, but to also stop your son. My guardians and I have fought and defeated Seymour on a number of occasions, but I fear that he is not deceased yet." Yuna explained.
"If you hate my son… then you are in the right. I know what my son has done. I have seen the villain he has become. Deceiving, wanting to become Sin, wanting to save Spira by destroying it, and being in an alliance with the Darkness. These are just a few crimes that he has committed. But I must ask. If you do hate my son, then you should hate me as well. For you see… it was me that made him what he is today."
"What do you mean? How is it your fault for the way Seymour is?" Wakka asked.
"Ever since Seymour was born, he has been alone. He was not accepted by neither Guado nor Human. Normally, the Guado are very tolerable of other races, especially humans, but the 'tainted' blood running through our son's veins almost caused a rebellion. In order to protect Seymour and me, Jyscal had to move us to this temple. Back when this temple used to be a glorious structure, Seymour grew to love living here. Here, he was not subjected to racism or cruelty. He was happy here. Knowing this, I decided to become a Fayth. Not only was the previous Fayth fading, I also did it to give him some power and the ability to live independently. But, when I gave him power to taste, he craved more. He wanted more power to get revenge on the people who discriminated against him. I became a Fayth so that he could use my power whenever he needed to. But, that was before he plotted against the people of Spira. Before he turned to the ultimate power he could have." She informed.
"You mean Sin?" Donald questioned.
"Yes. He wants to seek out Sin and use its power to destroy Spira. Please, use my power to defeat Sin, my son's obsession with it, and my son. Please… save him from himself, Summoner Yuna."
Yuna looked at the pleading woman with said eyes. "I will. I promise." Yuna nodded.
"Thank you. I wish you and your guardians the best of luck." Seymour's mother smiled before fusing with Yuna, giving her the power to control Anima.
"Let us go. We must go obtain the last three aeons and speak with the rest of the Fayth before tomorrow." The summoner ordered.
The group nodded and wordlessly followed Yuna back to the airship.
…
…
…
The airship came to land in front of the temple and the group of eleven walked off of it and into the temple. Once inside, Belgemine stood, waiting for them.
"Ah, Summoner Yuna and guardians. It's good to see you again. You eyes have told me that you've been through more adventures since the last time I've seen you. That's good. You all have more experience under your belt. How's the plan to defeat Sin coming? Did you find out about the Final Aeon?" She asked.
"Yes. We have and we now have a new way to defeat it. Tomorrow morning is when the plan will be executed." Yuna answered.
"I'm glad to hear that. So, knowing this… you must be ready to finally obtain the aeons I am guarding, correct?" Yuna nodded. "Good. To test how worthy you are, I will summon all of my aeons and they will battle one of your aeons. If your aeon can stand up against all of mine, then you will receive not only the Crystal Mirror, but also the Flower Scepter. If you have these two in your possession, then you will not only be able to talk to the three Fayth in the chamber but you will be able to upgrade your weapons when all of you obtain their jewels. To sweeten the deal further, I will also hand over the Moon Sigil needed for you to upgrade your staff. All of this will be yours… That is… IF you can beat me." Belgemine smirked.
"I am ready." Yuna said with determination burning in her eyes.
"Very well. I shall summon first." Belgemine began summoning all of her aeons. Soon, her Valfor, Ifrit, Ixion, Shiva, Bahamut, and Yojimbo appeared before her. "Now… choose your aeon."
Yuna nodded before throwing her arms out and three spheres flew up. Yuna then threw her hand into the air, causing a black, red and yellow cloud to form. By doing that, an anchor appeared out of the cloud and dug into the ground. The chain rattled as it pulled Anima up from the ground before removing the hook from under its chin. Upon its arrival, Anima gave a mighty roar.
"So you choose Seymour Mother's aeon? Good choice, but let's see how great of a choice it really is. My aeons, attack Summoner Yuna."
The aeons moved at once and ran alongside each other to slash at its torso. Anima hissed in pain.
"You can do it." Yuna cheered with one hand on her aeon.
Anima looked at Yuna before turning back to the five aeons before it. Slowly, Anima turned to the side and shot its Pain attack at Yojimbo. The attack hit and caused Yojimbo to disappear in Pyreflies. Bahamut his impulse, Shiva shot ice crystals, Ixion let his lightning explode, and Ifrit fired a fireball. Anima shot Pain out of its eye and quickly eliminated each aeon one at a time. Soon, there was only Bahamut left. The flying aeon flew towards Anima and sliced at it again. Anima used Pain, but missed.
"Anima… use Oblivion and end this now." Yuna asked.
The aeon nodded before turning towards Bahamut. With a final roar, Anima's auras wrapped around Bahamut before making it sink into the ground. The aura engulfed the both of them as the bottom half of Anima's body roared and removed its chains. Bahamut's body shook with each blow Anima delivered before roaring and unleashed a powerful energy.
By the end of the attack, Bahamut had fallen to the ground as his body disappeared into Pyreflies.
"Stop. You have passed." Belgemine stated.
"You did it! Great Job, Anima!" Yuna cheered.
The aeon nodded one last time before being dismissed.
"I'm proud of you, Yuna. You have bested me. You have also proven to me that you have what it takes to defeat Sin permanently. I wish you the best of luck and am happy to hand over these" She smiled as he handed Yuna the Flower Scepter, Crystal Mirror, and Moon Sigil. "I wish you safe travels and good luck with Sin tomorrow. But, before you go. May I ask you one favor?"
"What is it?" Yuna asked innocently.
"Can you send me? I've roamed around Spira long enough. I do not need to remain here any longer since Sin will be defeated."
"How do you know we won't fail? You seem awfully sure that we'll succeed." Ke'Ania teased.
"It's because I have seen what you lot can do. If you cannot defeat Sin, then no one can. But, I know that all of you will succeed without question. I will be watching from the Farplane. I wish you the best. Yuna if you please."
Yuna bowed before moving to begin the sending. Everyone watched as the former summoner finally disappeared. Once she was gone, Yuna went to the sealed door, touched the two objects together, and led everyone to the Chamber of the Fayth.
…
…
…
Yuna began to pray, awaking the three female Fayth within the chamber.
"Summoner Yuna, you have proven yourself. So, we offer our strength to you so that you can defeat Sin. Just promise us that you'll use us." One of the Fayth said.
"I promise." Yuna bowed.
"Good. Now, you will receive our power."
The aeons moved to fuse with Yuna. Once that was over, Yuna turned to her guardians. "Let's go meet with Yojimbo's Fayth. Rikku, ask Uncle Cid to meet us by the cave."
"You got it." Rikku smiled. She put the radio to her lips and gave the instructions to her father. "He said that's fine."
"Good. Let's go, everyone." Yuna ordered.
…
…
…
The group made it to the Fayth with no trouble. Now, they stood in front of the Fayth's statue.
"Fayth of Yojimbo. Please come out." Yuna pleaded.
The Fayth and his dog appeared above the statue. "Yes, what can I do for you, Summoner Yuna?"
"I need your strength~"
"To defeat Sin, correct?" The Fayth finished. Yuna nodded. "Summoner Yuna, when you came to me the first time, I gave you my strength to defeat your most powerful enemies, but Sin has more power than anyone you'll ever face. So, I offer you the maximum amount of strength I can give you. I trust that you will use me in the fight against it and I will be there to lend to you whenever you need it." The male Fayth nodded while his dog barked.
"Thank you for assisting me. Now, we must go and visit the other Fayth." Yuna bowed in respect.
The group turned to leave, but stopped when they heard someone speak. "Wait." The Fayth called. "You, black mage."
"Yes?" Lulu said as she turned around.
"You were the former guardian of Lady Ginnem, were you not?"
"Yes. She used to be my summoner, but when we met her in this cave she was no longer the summoner I used to know… She was no longer the friend I used to have. So, we had to defeat her, to save her from herself." Lulu informed.
"I know that. That is why I want to give you this." Yojimbo's Fayth pulled out a Venus Sigil and held it out. "Lady Ginnem has protected me since her death in this cave, so I want to give this to you. Use this to save Spira like you saved your friend from herself."
Lulu's red eyes widen as she slowly moved to accept the sigil. "Thank you, Fayth. I will use this to protect Spira and my friends."
Fayth smiled and disappeared while Lulu put the jewel in the torso of her doll. Yuna smiled with her hand on Lulu's shoulder before the group left to head to the airship.
…
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…
"Now where to?" Cid asked.
"We go to Besaid. The Fayth await us." Auron stated calmly.
"You got it." Cid nodded before turning to give Brother the next destination.
"Sir Auron, may I have a word with you?" Rin questioned.
"Sure." Auron nodded and followed Rin to his room. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I overheard you and the rest of the group talking about these jewels." Rin started as he held out a Mars Crest.
"Where did you get that?" Auron gasped lightly while taking it.
"Do you remember when I found you on the brink of death and I treated your wounds?" Auron nodded. "Well, the day after you left, I found this jewel hidden under the bed in the room you were staying in. Figuring it was yours, I kept it safe with me until I could find you again. But, when I hadn't found you in the past ten years, I just decided to hold onto it. As the years passed, I actually forgot about it. Seeing you on the Mi'ihen High Road reminded me of the treasure I was holding for you. So, I asked Cid to take me to one of my inns to retrieve the jewel. And now that I have found you, I would like to give it to you. It is what you will need to defeat Sin with Lady Yuna and the rest of your friends tomorrow, correct?"
"Yes. Thank you, Rin. I guess I can count on you to help me out." Auron smirked as he placed the Mars Crest into his blade.
"I wish you and your party the best of luck in your battle tomorrow." Rin bowed. Auron nodded. "Well, we better be getting back. We'll be landing in Besaid soon."
…
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…
Airship landed on the beach. The first thing Lulu, Wakka, and Yuna did when they stepped off the ship was smell the ocean's familiar and missed scent.
"I really missed this place." Yuna sighed with a smile.
"I feel like we'll be here for a while." Sora laughed.
"Hopefully not too long." Wakka chuckled.
"Well, just in case we are, how about we put the first part of our plan into action." Rikku winked before running to talk to Cid. Rikku only returned to the group after the airship flew off.
"Where is the airship going? And what do you mean put the first part of our plan into action? I thought we weren't starting until tomorrow?" Ke'Ania asked in confusion.
"Well, while we were on the airship, I figured out a way to get the Hymn of the Fayth loud enough for Sin to hear. In order for Sin to hear the Hymn it has to be extremely loud, right?" Everyone nodded at her logic. "Well, what better way than to get everyone in Spira to sing it together, loud and proud!" The blond Al Bhed cheered.
"That's a great idea, Rikku!" Goofy cheered right along with her.
"Yeah, why didn't I think of it?" Donald thought.
"It's because you're not as awesome as me." Rikku giggled.
"That's a good plan but that doesn't explain where the airship is flying off to." Auron added.
"Well, if we want to get the word out there, then we're going to need some help. So, I asked my father to send all of the Al Bhed to different parts of Spira to tell as many people as they can to sing the Hymn of the Fayth when we play it out of the Airship's speakers. If everyone sings it, then there's NO WAY Sin could miss it!" The girl jumped up and down in excitement.
"Hn. I must say, that is one heck of an idea. Good job." Auron smirked.
"Why thank you." Rikku nodded.
"So, what do you need us to do?" Tidus asked.
"Well, since we're already here and since we have to go to Macalania Woods to upgrade our weapons later, we'll cover all of Besaid and Bevelle. The Al Bhed on the airship will cover the rest of Spira. Yuna doesn't need all of us to go into the chamber to speak to the Fayth, so while she, Tidus, and Kimahri speak with Valfor's Fayth, the eight of us will spread the word in Besaid." Rikku suggested.
"That's fine with me." Lulu nodded along with the rest of the group.
"Great, then let's get started." Rikku smiled brightly.
…
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…
When they arrived, some people came up to Yuna and the gang to say 'hi' while others went about their day.
"Tidus, Kimahri, and I will go speak with the Fayth. Good luck with spreading the word." Yuna bowed.
"Don't worry, Yunie. You can count on us. We won't let you down." Rikku smiled. She waited until the three of them were out of sight before turning to the rest of the group. "Alright you guys, since there's only eight of us, let's pair off in groups of twos and spread out. The island isn't that big, so if there are two of us in each, then we'll be able to cover the island much faster." Rikku hypothesized.
"Fine with me. Sora and I will be a group." Ke'Ania stated while moving to stand next to him, causing to blush lightly.
"Donald and I will be a group!" Goofy smiled as he picked Donald up and help him to his right side.
"Hey! Put me down!" Donald squawked.
"Lu and I will cover the majority of the village." Wakka volunteered.
"I guess that leaves you and me, Rikku." Auron said as he moved to stand in front of the young girl.
"Just try not to scare the villagers we tell." Rikku smirked with her hands on her hips.
"I think they'll be more scared of your ADHD, then me." Auron teased before moving to get start their duty.
"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?!" The girl yelled as she chased him.
Everyone else shook their head as they moved to get to work. Lulu was about to head towards the lounge until Wakka's hand stopped her.
"Before we get started, there's something I need to give to you." Wakka said. Lulu was about to say something, but Wakka cut her off. "It can't wait."
Lulu nodded and followed Wakka to his hut. Wakka searched around for a little bit while Lulu sat on his couch. She sat there with a bored expression. After watching Wakka search for five minutes, she gave a heavy sigh.
"You know, Wakka. Yuna and the others will be finished talking with the Fayth soon and we haven't started our duty yet. Whatever you want to show me, you can show me later~"
"Found it!" Wakka cheered in victory before moving to sit next to her on the couch. "Here Lulu. I want you to have this." The orange haired man said as he handed her a box.
Lulu took the box and opened it. Inside was a Venus Crest, but there was something familiar about the jewel. Lulu took it out, held it up, and examined it carefully before hurrying to put it back in the box and give it to Wakka.
"Are you off your rocker? I can't accept it. That's your most prized possession. You said it yourself, that was the last gift you received from your parents before they died. How could you think I would take something like that with no problem?" Lulu said in a nervous voice and with panic in her voice.
Wakka chuckled at her reaction before standing up and placing the jewel in her hand. "That maybe true, but you said it yourself… 'It's better to have them in my memory then have them remembered through a materialistic object' or something like that. Look Lu. You and I are entrusted with protecting Yuna and the rest of our friends. How are you going to do that if you don't have this to increase your doll's and your strength?"
"Yeah, but…" Lulu turned her gaze to the floor, but Wakka used his finger to lift her gaze to his soft one.
"I have my parents and Chappu in my memory and in my heart, just like you. I don't need this jewel to keep their memory alive. And besides, I'll feel safer knowing that your using this to protect yourself instead of it sitting in a box." Wakka smiled as he put the jewel into Lulu's doll before handing it back to her. He moved to give it to her as he kissed her forehead, causing the black mage to blush heavily. "Now, do us all proud and use this to protect yourself and everyone around you."
With that Wakka moved aside and was about to walk out of his hut until he felt Lulu's arms wrap around his waist from behind him, causing him to blush as well.
"Um… Lu~"
"Just… let this moment last… just a little bit longer." She whispered.
Wakka nodded before leading her over to his couch. He pulled her into his lap once he was seated comfortably. He wrapped her tightly in his arms tightly while resting his chin on her head. Lulu sighed lightly as she rested her head against his chest and used her hands to grip the front of his overalls. They stayed like this for a while, completely forgetting about their obligation to Rikku.
…
…
…
Tidus, Yuna, and Kimahri had just step off the elevator inside the temple and were on their way to the chamber. Together, the group of three walked up to the stairs before entering the chamber. When they walked in, Valfor's Fayth appeared before them.
"Fayth of Valfor, I must ask you to assist me in the fight against Sin tomorrow, will you assist me?" Yuna asked.
"Yes, Lady Yuna. I am here you guide and protect you during your battle with Sin. Call upon my strength when needed and I'll be serving at your side faithfully." The Fayth nodded.
"Thank you, for everything." Yuna bowed in respect.
"No. Thank you. It's because of your challenge against Sin tomorrow that we'll finally be able to stop dreaming."
"Dreaming?" Yuna questioned.
"The answers will come to you in due time." That Fayth said, looking at Tidus before looking back at Yuna. "But, for now, I offer this Moon Crest to you in great faith for your victory over Sin tomorrow." Yuna accepted the jewel and placed it in her staff before turning to leave. "Good luck to you and your guardians. I know that you'll prevail over the ultimate power of Sin like no one else before you."
Having said that, Valfor's Fayth disappeared and Yuna, Tidus, Kimahri moved to exit the temple.
…
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…
"I spoke with the aeon and received my Moon Crest. How did you guys fair with telling the villagers about the Hymn?" Yuna asked.
"It went great! Everyone here has agreed to sing for us!" Ke'Ania, Goofy, and Rikku cheered together.
"That's awesome. And with the Al Bhed helping us, tomorrow will go a lot smoother." Tidus smile.
"Kimahri likes plan to defeat Sin." He smiled with his arms crossed.
"Let's go. We still have more temples to cover and our weapons to upgrade." Auron ordered.
That group turned to leave, but stopped when the Besaid Aurochs called out to them.
"Lady Yuna! We heard that you were going to put an end to Sin once and for all. That's so cool." Datto cheered.
"We wanted to wish you good luck and will make sure that all of Besaid sings the Hymn tomorrow." Letty smiled, giving a thumbs up.
"Thank you, all of you. I'm glad to have so much support from you guys." Yuna bowed in appreciation.
"It's no problem. We're like family, ya. We're always going to have your back, Little Sister Yuna." Jassu laughed, causing Yuna to blush at her old nickname they gave her when she was younger.
"You guys better behave yourselves. I don't want no trouble while I'm gone." Wakka chuckled, using his commanding voice.
"Us? Trouble? Doesn't belong in the same sentence." Everyone laughed at Botta's joke.
"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever you say. Come on, you guys. We still have a lot of work to do." Wakka ordered, turning his back to the Aurochs.
"Wakka wait." Keepa called out, causing their former captain to turn around. "Before you leave… we wanted to give you this." He pulled out a shinny jewel.
"Wakka, it's your last jewel. It's the Jupiter Crest." Lulu gasped.
"What are you guys doing with this?" Wakka asked as he took the jewel from Keepa.
"We found it one day while practicing. We wanted to give it to you when you as a retirement present, but we didn't know you were going to suddenly retire on us while we were in Luca. By then we had left the jewel here and couldn't give it to you." Jassu explained.
"And when we heard you were in town, we rushed to find it. We wanted to give it to you for good luck. Even if you can't use it, we want you to have it for good luck." Datto informed with a smile.
Wakka nodded before taking the jewel and adding it to his ball. "Thanks guys. I really appreciate it."
"Now get out there~" Letty started.
"AND KICK SIN'S ASS!" The rest of the Aurochs cheered.
"You got it." Wakka smiled brightly.
The Aurochs watched as Yuna and her guardians disappeared from the village with bright smiles on their faces.
…
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…
The airship dropped them off at the Kilika Temple before flying to pick up the Al Bhed within the town. The group made it through the temple and to the chamber with no problem. When the group walked into the temple, Ifrit's Fayth was waiting for them.
"Summoner Yuna, the flames of determination and passion burn hotter than my enchanted flames ever could. I give you my power with great faith in you and your party." The Fayth bowed in respect with Yuna.
"Thank you, oh great and powerful Fayth." Yuna said as she rose from bowing.
…
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…
The group walked out of temple and began making their way to the airship until they were stopped by Dona and Barthello.
"Hello, Yuna and guardians." Dona started.
"Hello, Dona. I haven't seen you around lately. How are you and Barthello doing?" Yuna asked with a smile.
"We're fine. Every since we were reunited, Barthello has refused to let me out of his sight." Dona sighed with her hand on her head.
"He's just concerned for your safety. It's his duty to keep you safe, as your guardian." Yuna added.
"I know, and I am grateful. It's just that sometimes… a girl needs her space." Dona stopped shaking her head before turning to look Yuna in the eye. "So, I've heard that you're quite the trouble maker. First, getting rid of the Final Aeon, Lady Yunalesca, and a 1000 year old tradition? And now you have a plan to permanently defeat Sin? My, my, my. You are definitely something." Dona lightly laughed.
"I know, but I do not regret anything. I walk with my head held high, knowing that tomorrow will be the last day Sin will be around." Yuna smiled brightly.
"You really have grown stronger since the last time we met. Maybe you do have what it takes to defeat Sin. So, what is this plan of yous anyway?" Dona asked curiously.
"We're going to use the Hymn of the Fayth to calm Sin down enough for us to wound it. Once that happens, we'll enter Sin and defeat it from the inside." Tidus explained.
"That's the plan? Sounds like a good one to me." Dona said.
"Yeah, so make sure everyone in Kilika, Barthello, and you sing the Hymn of the Fayth tomorrow when you see a fly by." Rikku cheered.
"Anything to get rid of that menace. Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone is singing and whoever isn't… will face my wrath…" Dona laughed evilly.
"She's scary." Goofy and Donald shivered after jumping into Kimahri's arms.
"Well, I wish you all the best of luck. You're going to need it more than anything this time around."
"Thank you, Lady Dona." Yuna bowed before leading the group towards the airship.
Dona watched them leave with a light smile on her face. "They… are a brave bunch…" Barthello nodded in agreement at his summoner's words.
…
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…
The next destination was Djose Temple. While the group entered the temple, Cid and Brother road the ship to pick up all the Al Bhed from Luca, the Mi'ihen High Road, Moonflow and Guadosalam.
After the gang entered the chamber, Ixion's Fayth appeared before them. "Summoner Yuna. May my lightning strike down the enemies standing before you so that you may defeat Sin and rescue us and all of Spira."
"I will use your power wisely." Yuna bowed before leading the group out of the chamber.
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…
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"Lady Yuna… please, allow me time to speak with you."
The group turned around to see Isaaru, Pace, and Maroda standing behind them.
"What do you want?" Lulu glared.
"You shouldn't be showing your face. You should just be lucky Yuna allowed you to live for trying to kill her." Ke'Ania growled with her Keyblades in hand.
"I know. I'm very sorry for trying to kill Lady Yuna, but I was ordered to by the Maesters of Yevon. But, I have seen the light serve the temple no more." Isaaru explain.
"Stand down, Ke'Ania. Let's hear what he has to say." Yuna ordered.
Ke'Ania hesitantly dismissed her Keyblades before standing up and folding her arms with a huff.
"Thank you." Isaaru bowed. "Lady Yuna, there is a rumor that you have a plan to defeat Sin for good, correct?" Yuna nodded. "Is there any way for us to help you succeed?"
"Why would you help us?" Tidus asked.
"This is my way of asking for forgiveness from Lady Yuna. I'm sorry for trying to kill you because the Maesters asked me to. I was deceived by them and their teachings." Isaaru said softly with his head lowered.
Yuna walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. This caused Isaaru to look up at her with wide eyes at her small smile. "We were all deceived by Yevon, but now… it's time we make it right. If you want to help us save our home, then I need you to make sure everyone from Luca, the Mi'ihen High Road, this temple, and the Moonflow sings the Hymn of the Fayth tomorrow when you see our airship fly by. If you do this, then Sin will be calm enough for us to defeat it. Can you do that?"
"I will make sure that everyone is singing on your behalf, Lady Yuna. You can count on us." Isaaru promised.
"Good. I will see you and everyone else once the destruction of Sin comes." Yuna smiled before leading her group to the airship.
Isaaru smiled the retreating group. "If your father was alive… she would be so proud."
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…
"Alright Dad. We're going to go to the Macalania Temple. You and the rest of the Al Bhed cover the other parts of Spira." Rikku ordered.
"You got it." Cid smiled while giving a thumbs up before taking off in the airship.
…
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The group was lucky to not run into any Guado while they were in the temple, so their journey to Shiva's Fayth chamber was simple and easy. And just like the rest of the temples, when they arrived in the chamber, Shiva's Fayth appeared.
"You have been betrayed by Yevon and yet you do not hate them. Why is that young summoner?"
"It is because I do not have time to hate them. It is true that they have deceived al of Spira, but I am the one that will make it right. I am the one that will show the Maesters that Sin can be defeated without the Final Summoning, sacrifice, or Yunalesca's help. I will be the one to defeat Sin… once and for all." Yuna said with strong determination in her voice.
The Fayth was quiet for a minute before speaking. "Daughter of Braska, Summoner Yuna, your will and strength will be able to freeze Sin in its place. Please, use me to pierce Sin's armor."
"I can't do it without you." Yuna smiled.
The Fayth nodded before starting to disappear. "Good luck to both you and your guardians."
Ke'Ania waited until the Fayth disappeared to speak. "We've been to all of the temples and spoken with all of the Fayth. The Al Bhed are still out spreading the word about tomorrow. So, what are we going to do now?"
"We have to walk to the front of the Macalania Woods. Belgemine said that there is a road there that will lead us to the jewel rock. Once we use that rock to upgrade our weapons, we can head back to the airship and rest up for tomorrow." Yuna answered.
"Oh great. More walking." Sora sighed.
"For once, I agree with you." Ke'Ania sighed with a laugh.
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The group made it to the front of the Macalania Woods after a couple of fights with some fiends and Heartlesses, but there was no road waiting for them.
"Ok. We're at the front of the woods… SO WHERE IS THE FUCKIN MAGIC ROAD?!" Ke'Ania yelled with her hands in the air.
"Did Belgemine give some you any special instructions?" Tidus asked.
"No. She just said it'll appear." Yuna said curiously.
Rikku looked around and saw the Crystal Mirror and Flower Scepter glowing. "Yunie. Look. The mirror and scepter are glowing."
Yuna looked down and saw both objects glowing just like Rikku said. Yuna reached to grab both objects and held them together. Slowly and carefully, Yuna touched to two magical objects together. When they touched, something on the ground began to glow. Yuna moved to touch the two objects to the glowing part on the ground, creating a magical trail leading off the ground. Everyone gasped at the display. After a moment or two, the objects began to stop glowing. Yuna slowly removed them, relieved that the road was still there.
"Looks like this is it." Yuna stated nervously.
"I wonder where it leads?" Rikku asked to no one in particular as she moved to touch the road. "Is it even safe?"
"Why don't you test it out." Auron teased.
"Oh no. I'm not doing that! You do it." Rikku said as she backed away.
"We're never going to get anywhere at this rate. I'll go first." Lulu sighed as she moved to step on the road.
"Be careful, Lu." Wakka said.
Lulu took a deep breath. She lifted one foot and placed it on the road. When it seemed stable enough, she took another step and another and another until she was halfway up the road.
"It's perfectly safe. Come on." She called.
Everyone looked at each other before following her up the road to see where it led to.
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"Hey, we're here." Donald said as he ran up to the magical rock.
"Excuse me, Donald." Yuna said before moving to unseal the magical jewel rock by touching it with the Crystal Mirror and Flower Scepter. When the two objects touched, the rock began to glow brightly.
"Ok, so how do we do this? I wish this freakin thing comes with instructions or something." Tidus huffed as he searched around found nothing.
The dirty blond male stood up and scratched his head in irritation. That's when his sword began to glow. Tidus held the sword out in front of the jeweled rock and let it float there. The jewels in the blade, merged within it and began to transform it. Everyone gasped as they say the blade morph and form into something different than his Brotherhood. When the blade stopped glowing, a long, solid blue and gold blade appeared.
"Whoa." Tidus whistled as he took back his sword. "I feel a lot more powerful with this new sword. He swung it around for a little bit and was quite happy with how it felt in his right hand. "I can't wait to use this to fight against Sin. I'm going to name it Caladbolg."
"My turn." Yuna smiled. She held up her staff and watched as the same thing happened to her staff. When Yuna reached out to grab her staff, she could also feel the power radiating off of her staff and into her. Her new staff was now blue, golden, and had fuchsia in it with a ribbon around it. "I will call it Nirvana." She smiled.
"I wanna go next." Wakka said. He watched as the same thing happened with his ball. And when he got it back, his ball looked nothing like his old Blitzball. The ball was red, black, and gold with spikes on the edge and on both sides of it. "This ball looks like a champion. So its name will be World Champion."
"I guess it's my turn then." Lulu shrugged. The Black Mage handed her doll over as soon as she reached the jeweled rock. After it stopped glowing, Lulu received a doll dressed in a yellow and orange knight suit and holding a sword and shield. But the thing that made her chuckle was that it looked a little like an onion. "Onion Knight. I'll call you Onion Knight." She smiled.
"OHHH! Me next!" Rikku cheered. After the jewel rock gave her back her new transformed weapon, it looked mightier than her original weapon. It looked like a red and black giant claw. "I'll name it Godhand. That name seems pretty awesome." She giggled.
"Kimahri turn." When the Ronso received his spear back, he looked at it with satisfaction. The handle of the spear was brown with a gold blade and yellow and blue features under it. He began to spin it around to get a feel for it. He smiled at how naturally it felt wielding the spear. "Kimahri will call it Spirit Lance. Kimahri like that name."
"I guess I'll be the last one to go." Auron smirked. The warrior watched as his sword magically transformed into something dangerous. The blade is black and red, split slightly in half at the edge and curved around. The same thing could be said for the part of the blade by the hilt. The older guardian also swung his blade around before placing it on his back. "I like it, there for I shall call it Masamune."
"That's everyone, right?" Sora asked.
"Yep, so let's go to Bevelle to tell the people to sing the Hymn of the Fayth." Rikku ordered.
"How do you know those damn Yevonites will listen you us?" Ke'Ania growled lightly with her arms crossed.
"They will have to listen to us. With them in chaos and Sin on the loose, Yevon is looking for any solution. If we give them one, then we'll be able to temporary control Yevon." Auron explained.
"Then let's get going before we lose this opportunity." Lulu suggested.
"Before we go… Is anyone else wondering where the rest of this road leads to?" Wakka asked.
Everyone shrugged their shoulders and began traveling down the road. When they got to the end, they found themselves by the entrance where the Macalania Inn.
"Wow. This is really upsetting." Ke'Ania sighed.
"So, you mean to tell me that not only is this a shortcut through the woods, but also the safest way to travel?" Tidus said in shock.
"Well… at least we know for next time." Yuna laughed nervously. "Let's head back to Bevelle before it gets too late."
Everyone sighed as they followed their summoner out of the woods and to the Highbridge.
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"Ah, Lady Yuna and guardians. I had not known that you left. Have you seen Maester Mika? It seems that I cannot find him anywhere." Shelinda asked in a panic.
"Sorry, but we haven't seen him either." Tidus lied calmly.
"That is very odd. Very odd indeed."
"Um, Shelinda?" Yuna started, capturing the woman's attention. "We've come to ask for your help."
"Oh? With what?" Shelinda questioned with interest.
"You see, we came here to discuss our plan to finally defeat Sin with Maester Mika, but since he is not here maybe you can help us."
"Oh. Anything I can do, Lady Yuna?" The orange haired girl asked.
"Yes. We need you to spread the word to everyone in Bevelle. We need you to tell them to sing the Hymn of the Fayth when they see a flying ship pass over them. If everyone in Spira can sing the Hymn, it will be loud enough for Sin to hear it. Once it hears the Hymn, then Sin will be calm enough for us to defeat it. Do you think you can do that for me?"
"Why of course, Lady Yuna. If it is to bring about the destruction of Sin, then I will do anything I can. You can count on me to make sure all of Spira will sing along with the Hymn." Shelinda cheered.
"Thank you. Tomorrow will begin a new day. And with everyone's help, we will create a world without Sin." Yuna smiled.
"It's a world only you can create. I wish you the best of luck." Shelinda smiled before turning and leaving.
Yuna watched the woman leave. After Shelinda was gone, Yuan turned to led the group back to the airship for the final time that night.
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That night, everyone sat down to eat dinner before resting for the big day tomorrow. Once everyone was finished, Brother and Cid grabbed the plates and were about to do the dishes when Wakka called out to Cid.
"Hey, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." Cid turned to Wakka as the orange haired man took a deep breath. "All my life, I hated the Al Bhed. I was taught that you guys were bad and wanted no contact with you. I even blamed you guys for the death of my brother, Chappu. But, after discovering the truth about Yevon and everything else… I would just like to apologize for the way I've been acting. I've been acting like a big jerk and… I just want you guys to know that I'm very sorry."
Cid laughed before hitting Wakka on his shoulder. "Apology accepted. Hell, I'll admit that I'm guilty of hating those damn Yevonites, I still do. But, thanks to my niece and daughter, I have found that not every Yevonite isn't so bad."
Wakka and Cid began to laugh and hit each other on the shoulder for awhile. "Well kiddos, Brother and I will clean up from dinner. I want all of you to get a good night sleep. Tomorrow is Sin's last day and I don't want Spira's heroes to be tired for it." Cid laughed once more before leaving.
Everyone began to talk amongst each other, except Tidus and Auron. The older guardian turned to the dirty blond with a nod.
"It's time." Tidus nodded at Auron's words before standing up.
"Everyone. I have… something important to say."
"What is it, Tidus?" Goofy asked.
"It's about the Fayth, Sin, my old man, and me…" Tidus took a deep breath.
"About the Fayth? Does it have to do with what the Fayth were talking about when they said they're sleeping?" Yuna questioned in confusion and curiosity.
"Yeah. I know why all of those Fayth were on Mt. Gagazet." Tidus said.
"You do? Then spill." Rikku commanded.
"While I was out, I met up with Bahamut's Fayth. I've been seeing him off and on for quite a while now, but I didn't find out who he was until we went to the Bevelle Temple. That's when I remembered that he was one of the kids I saw before and during Sin's attack. He told me that, when the war came to Zanarkand, all of its residences were killed by Bevelle and Yevon because they didn't want to bow to a new way of life and to a corrupt religion. The war devastated them and in an attempt to preserve their precious city, the remaining people of Zanarkand became Fayth and were gathered here by Yu Yevon to be used in a summoning like Yuna said." Tidus informed.
"So what is the summoning these Fayth are being used for?" Donald asked.
Tidus looked down before sighing and answering. "The summoning is… Dream Zanarkand. The place that I said I came from was not the real Zanarkand. I thought that when I first came to Spira that I had only traveled 1000 years into the future, but I was wrong. I didn't time travel. I was brought her by Auron, Sin, and Bahamut's Fayth. I'm not real. I'm just a dream. Everything I knew was a lie. My family, my life, my career, my adventures, everything about me is a lie. I am part of a dream that was created because the people of Zanarkand wanted to preserve their memories of their city. The life that I thought I lived actually belongs to someone else.. Who that person is, I don't know. All I know is that I'm not real and that I'm living someone, who died a thousand years ago, life." Tidus explained, causing everyone to gasp.
"That's not true! Please tell me that what you're saying is a lie." Yuna yelled as she stood up, causing her chair to fall to the floor. "Please tell me that you're lying." She begged as she moved to grip the front of Tidus's jacket.
"I'm sorry Yuna, but it's true. Bahamut's Fayth told me. But there's more to it." Tidus took a deep breath before continuing. "The Fayth also told me that they've been dreaming and summoning Dream Zanarkand for 1000 years. The cycle has been continuing since Sin was created, they've been at it for that long."
"But wait, what about the Calm? Do they stop dreaming during those ten years?" Ke'Ania asked.
"No. Because Sin is never truly defeated, they can never rest. As long as Yu Yevon is around, the Dream Zanarkand will continue. The only reason you were able to know my old man and me is because we're both touched by Sin. They used my father to try and end their dream, but when he couldn't, they came for me. They want me to end their dreaming and allow them to fully rest in peace. So, now more than ever, we have to make sure to defeat Sin once and for all." Tidus stated.
Yuna was still hanging onto his jacket, but no one cared.
"Alright fine, so we have our duty. But, what did the Fayth say will happen if we defeat Sin permanently? They'll stop dreaming and then what happens?" Sora asked.
"He said that when Yu Yevon turned them into Fayth and used them to create Sin, he gave it only two duties. One was to defend Dream Zanarkand at any cost and two was to destroy cities that rely heavily on machina. By doing this, it'll prevent anyone from discovering my Zanarkand. He also said that despite being a copy of someone from the real Zanarkand, we all developed our own person, thus allowing us to go to the Farplane if we die. They created a peaceful Zanarkand that didn't know about war or Spira or Sin, hence the reason I didn't know about Spira when I first came. They only want the people of Dream Zanarkand to know love, peace, and Blitzball. Because Dream Zanarkand is made up of their memories and because Yu Yevon was the reason they were turned into Fayth, they're all connected to Sin. If we break that connection and destroy Sin and Yu Yevon for good~"
"Then the Fayth will stop dreaming and Dream Zanarkand will be no more." Auron finished. Tidus nodded at his answer.
"So… what does that mean for you and Sir Jetch?" Yuna asked worriedly,
"It means that Jetch will be free to go to the Farplane and that I'll…" He paused because he felt tears coming to his eyes. He forced them back by keeping his eyes closed. "It means that I'll disappear."
Everyone gasped. "But why? Why do you have to disappear? Why can't you stay here? You're not a dream anymore. You've been touched by Sin, turning you real and bringing you here, so why must you disappear?" The fear and panic in Yuna's eyes and words pulled at Tidus's heart strings.
He pulled her into his chest as she lightly cried. "That's just it. It's because I was touched by Sin that I have to disappear. I'm connected to the Fayth and Sin. Once we defeat Sin… that'll be the end of me."
She cried a little longer before lifting her head to look at him. "Then I won't defeat Sin. If it means keeping you around, then I won't defeat Sin."
"No. It's true that I do want you to quit to keep you alive, but I won't let you quit to save me. My fate was already decided the moment Zanarkand was destroyed. You have to defeat Sin so that you can save Spira and set the Fayth free. Don't worry, I'll still be here to help you carry through with the plan, but I will not be here to celebrate with you. We have to defeat Sin, defeat my old man, and save your home. My world doesn't exist and it's time that it stopped existing. You and your world are still here and I intend to keep it that way." After having spoken that, Tidus turned away from Yuna and lowered his head.
Yuna looked at Tidus's back as more tears spilled from her eyes. She dropped to the floor and sobbed for her soon-to-be loss of Tidus, the man she loves. Upon hearing her cries of agony and heartache, Tidus clenched his fists and began to move out of the dining room and into his room. But, as he stood in the doorway of the dining room, Tidus turned his head slightly to see Yuna still crying on the floor. That scene and the sounds of her sobs and tears hitting the steel floor felt like knives in his chest. Not being able to stand the sight anymore, Tidus turned and lowered his head as far as it could go.
"I'm sorry, Yuna." He whispered before walking out of the room with tears sliding down his cheeks and chin.
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To Be Continued…
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Next Time on 'Secret Kingdom Hearts'…
The gang fight Sin for the last time…