Annnnnnd here's the next chapter! Hope I didnt keep you waiting too long.
R&R and enjoy!
-AZF
The party gathered around the campfire they had built in the foothills on Zanarkand. The others were telling stories, reliving their cherished moments of the pilgrimage. Auron was vaguely listening, too many things were trying to process in his head all at once and he had a raging headache. Memories of Braska, Jecht, and him sitting here came and went. Memories of his shelter here when he was injured came and went. They were close now, he hoped everything was going to remain according to his plan. Even one deviation would be desatrous, he briefly glanced at Yuna just to make sure she hadn't suddenly become steel willed about dying and was relieved she had not. She had a sad expression on her face, mostly because this was the place that took her father from her and in her she would shortly follow, or so she thought.
They were so close now, he was so close to avenging his friends. He barely heard the conversation taking place, his mind seething over thoughts of 'her.'
"Hey! There was more, right? I mean like that time...uh...anyone," Tidus began and looked around for help once everyone had fallen silent.
"I think..." Yuna began.
"Yes," Tidus asked quickly.
"I think that we should stop...maybe. For now." Tidus looked away and Yuna looked down. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder before walking up the hill and staring out into the city. He still couldn't believe it, it was all ruins. He could still make out some buildings thought, especially the blitzball dome. He stood up there while the rest of the party sat in silence below before Wakka stood up.
"I don't know about any of you, but I'm just about tired of sitting here, ya?"
"Yeah, let's keep going," Tidus said jumping down and nodding. The rest followed and gathered their weapons, Yuna and Tidus sharing a glance.
"Let's go." Tidus nodded and they began down the road to their final destination. The fiends were tough and strong but that neither hindered nor stopped them. They pressed forward silently, rarely speaking. Wakka looked up at the sky and stared at the river of pyreflies floating up ahead.
"Looks like the Farplane," he said.
"Close enough," Auron replied. They fell back into silence until they reached the dome and pyreflies swirled in the doorway until they formed an image of a green man in priests robes. He approached Yuna slowly.
"Journeyer of the long road, name yourself." Auron's vision became dunked for a moment his memory took over his eye sight, Yuna and Braska stood before him in his mind's eye as both spoke.
"I am summoner Braska. I have come from the city of Bevelle."
"I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the island of Besaid." His double vision ended and he blinked to clear his eyesight as the gatekeeper looked deeply into Yuna's eyes.
"Your eyes, my dear. Show me the long road you have travelled." He paused as he continued his deep staring, Yuna feeling a sense of dizziness wash over her as she felt this strange man's subconscious connect to her own and her memories of her pilgrimage were relayed to him, "very good. You have journeyed well. Lady Yunalesca will surely welcome your arrival. Go to her now, and bring your guardians with you. Go." The gatekeeper bowed to her before leaving and the party walked inside. Pyreflies spiraled lazily before two forms became visible. Two women were in crusader's uniforms, one with her back turns to the other and a deep look of concentration on her face before she spoke.
"If it might benefit the future of Spira, I will gladly give my life. It is the highest honor for which a guardian might ask. Use my life, Lady Yocun, and rid Spira of Sin." The other woman nodded and they both disappeared as Rikku cowered in fear at the ghostly apparitions.
"What...what was that?"
"Our predecessors," Auron answered and everyone turned to look at him.
"She said "Lady Yocun," didn't she," Lulu asked as the wheels spun in her head and she put two and two together, "Wait! She guarded High Summoner Yocun?"
"This dome is filled with pyreflies. It's like one gigantic sphere. People's thoughts remain here. Forever," Auron replied and more than one of them began wondering if they would encounter any of his memories here, Auron on the other hand already felt the pyreflies pulling at his mind, trying to gain strength enough to project his memories instead of the weak versions they held. He willed them to stop but he felt dizzier and dizzier the more they walked. He had to pause briefly in the battles to shake off a light headed feeling. He was almost relieved when another apparition greeted them to find it was not one of his memories.
"No! Mother, no! I don't want you to become a fayth," a small blue haired child wept and rubbed his eyes with his sleeves. The mother only gave him a look of pure sadness and pity.
"There is no other way. Use me and defeat Sin. Only then will the people accept you."
"I don't care about them! I need you, Mother! No one else!"
"I don't...have much time left." The apparitions vanished and Wakka looked startled.
"Hey, wasn't that..."
"Seymour," Rikku finished for him and they concluded that it must have been. They cotinued, battles followed by walking followed by more battles until Tidus let out a yell as an apparition of his father formed in front of him. Jecht turned to look at Braska while Auron stood off to the side.
"Hey, Braska. You don't have to do this."
"Thank you for your concern," Braska said calmly. Yuna feared at the sight of her father but she held it in. Rikku watched with interest and pain, seeing her friends and husband in the last part of their journey.
"Fine," Jecht said gruffly and folding his arms over his broad chest, "I said my piece."
"Well, I haven't," Auron blurted out, "Lord Braska, let us go back! I don't want to see you...die!"
"You knew this was to happen, my friend," Braska said calmly, turning to look at his friend.
"Yes, but I...I cannot accept it," Auron said lowly and hanging his head. Braska just chuckled.
"Auron, I am honored that you care for me so. But I have come to kill grief itself. I will defeat Sin, and lift the veil of sorrow covering Spira. Please understand, Auron." The images faded and everyone cast a glance at the present Auron.
"Are you all just going to stand here all day gawking or shall we continue," he asked irritated. They nodded and turned away and began walking. Rikku laced her fingers in between hers and squeezed his hand.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"As am I."
"For what?"
"Subjecting you to more, this isn't the last memory."
They stopped for the day, everyone thoroughly exhausted but watches had to be set. Auron and Rikku took the first watch, dinner was skipped, no fire made, everyone laid down and soon snoring filled the air. They sat in silence listening to their snoring companions.
"I didn't realize how hard it was," Rikku said softly.
"What was?"
"Saying good bye like this, I didn't understand those first couple of months why you were like a zombie...I still didn't completely understand. Now I do," she gently pulled him into a hug, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Auron said softly and gently stroked her hair. "There will be more, I hope you're ready."
"I am...I'm sad but...I also want to see what happens next. You won't...do anything stupid right? When you see her?"
"I can't make any-"
"Yes you can! Promise me Auron! Please! I can't..." She stopped, her eyes tearing up and she gripped his jacket, "I can't lose you too. She almost took you from me once!"
"Alright...I promise I won't do anything stupid." Rikku nodded and buried her face into his chest.
"I love you," she said her voice muffled from his breast plate.
"I'm sorry what? I didn't quite catch that." She looked up at him and he was grinning slightly.
"I hate you."
"No, I'm fairly certain that's not what you said before."
"How would you know? You didn't hear me." She stuck her tongue out at him. He chuckled softly.
"Alright, you win."
"I always win love."
"If that's what you think." Rikku scoffed and used his chest as a pillow, watching the pyreflies swirl slowly and briefly light up the darkness. They sat in silence, enjoying one another's closeness and listening to the not-so-peaceful sounds of their companions snoring. When their watch was over, Kimarhi and Lulu rose and took their place. The large Ronso leaning against a broken slab and Lulu sitting against a portion of the wall. They sat in silence before Lulu spoke.
"We're close now, it's hard to believe."
"Come long way," Kimarhi grunted.
"Reflecting back...it's incredible the steps everyone has taken, we've learned much and matured much."
"Kimarhi agree. Many have grown more than others."
"Yes...do you know anything about the Final Summoning?" Kimarhi shook his head and she sighs, "And Sir Auron keeps us in the dark, I know he knows but I don't understand why he refuses to tell us anything that will help."
"Kimahri not understand much either but know gives Auron much sadness. Kimahri have bad feeling."
"What do you mean?" Kimahri just shook his head and the two lapsed into silence. Wakka and Tidus rose for the next watch, the two yawning obnoxiously and given glares from Kimahri and Lulu that shut them up immediately.
"What was that for," Tidus asked.
"You two yawn loud enough to wake the dead," Lulu hissed, "I'd rather not have you wake Yuna, she needs all the rest she can get. As for Rikku, she is still trying to cope with the loss of her son and these restful nights will aid her greatly!"
"Kimahri would advise you to run if you wake Auron," Kimahri grunted and went to find a place to curl up. Lulu shot them a warning glare that Auron would not be the only one angry if woken up before she went to find a place close to Yuna to settle down in.
"Jeez, what's their problem," Tidus asked yawning.
"Everyone is exhausted Brudda, got to remember that ya?"
"Yeah I guess."
"So...this is your home ya?"
"Yeah...the city I grew up in. I started blitzball here, Auron helped me get a coach and...he helped me a lot in becoming who I am."
"So...you really did meet him here huh?"
"Yeah, he kind of raised me."
"So...was playing blitz here any different?"
"A little yeah, the teams I played against were a lot more violent. I've sent a few people out of the pool and into the stands. Where I come from, I'm the top man!"
"No kidding, eh?"
"I was in the middle of an important match when Sin cracked...an anniversary tournament for my old man. We were just about to win too!"
Wakka nodded and the two began discussing blitzball into the early morning hours when everyone awoke. They sat in silence, stretches and yawns going around before Rikku fumbled through her pack and handed out left over meals from a few nights ago. When they were ready they continued until they hit the stairway to the Cloister and more apparitions appeared.
"Are the Trials ahead," Jecht asked.
"Probably," Braska said and touched a small glowing orb off to the side.
"Here, too, huh? Gimme a break. I was expecting, you know, parades and...fireworks."
"You can ask for them after I defeat Sin." Auron stood wordlessly behind them and trailed along when they entered the Cloister. The party following their ghostly tour guides.
Tidus was the first to step in the room and jumped several feet high when the entire room flashed brightly. "What the-" he watched as a screen up ahead lit up with different shapes on the screen and the floor became alive with flashing nodes in the floor. He looked confused at the floor before looking at Auron, "what do we do Chief?"
"Did you even TRY to figure it out," Auron snapped and then sighed, "the shapes on the screen correlate to the nodes on the floor. You must find the correct shapes by activating their nodes. Activate a wrong one and the entire puzzle resets."
"Sounds pretty easy," Tidus said crossing his arms and grinning, "alright! Leave this one to me!" The party watched as Tidus walked to the other side of the room and looked at the shape, picking the blue L to find first and he looked at the nodes, "uh...how am I supposed to know which one it is?"
"That's why it's called a puzzle you numbskull," Lulu sighed. Auron walked forward and grabbed Tidus by the arm and dragged him to one of the nodes and stepped on it. The nods lot up with the shape of the blue L appearing and Auron places Tidus on the node.
"Don't move. One. Tiny. Inch," Auron said punctuating every word in a warning.
"Ok ok," Tidus said rubbing his head as Auron went around and activated each node. The room flashed again and the door on the left side of the room, six pedestals shooting out of crevices in the walls.
"There are six more puzzles like this," Auron informed them.
"Are you joking," Tidus asked dumbfounded.
"No," Auron replied curtly. Tidus groaned and Auron pushed on of the pedestals back in place before the party followed him into the next room which was a large version of the last.
"Do you remember where all the nodes are," Rikku asked looking at the screen.
"Not all of them but a few," Auron said and walked to the some of the nodes and activated them, using his comrades as backup in case he messed up. When he got to Wakka, he ran over and stepped on a nods that activated a white square and the blitzed tripped. Everyone groaned, "step back on your nodes," Auron instructed and everyone looked at him.
"I get it now," Tidus said grinning as Wakka stepped on the node Auron placed him at and the entire puzzle lit up. A symbol appeared on one of the blue spheres around a hole in the floor. It raised out of the sphere like a hologram and moves to the middle before vanishing.
"Now what," Rikku asked.
"We do it five more times," Auron replied and vanished to the other room. A new puzzle appeared on the screen and they completed the process again and again, each time a new symbol appearing until they all shone brightly and formed in the middle marking their completion. However, instead of an elevator rising from the depths a large fiend rose in it's place.
"What the heck is this," Tidus asked and jumped backwards onto a platform.
"A fiend," Kimarhi growled.
"I can see that! Why did it come from down there?! Isn't the Fayth supposed to be down there?"
"Yes but this is not an ordinary temple," Auron replied and made the first move. He attacked the fiend causing it to screech before it lashed out at him with it's scythe-like arms. He flinched slightly as it cut into his arm slightly and Tidus followed up with an attack. The fiend's eyes turned onto Tidus who looked horrified and quickly dove for another platform, barely missing getting his leg chopped off.
"Hey! Get your own space," Rikku said and jumped to an empty platform and attacked the fiend.
"Sorry," Tidus called and attacked as well. The fiend became angry with all the attacks and swept it's arms in one big sweep hitting Tidus, Yuna, and Wakka all at once and creating a gale of wind in it's wake.
"Hey! I got an idea," Tidus said and concentrated before casting Haste on himself. He felt lighter than air and nimble as can be as he quickly lashed out of the fiend and danced out of arms way effortless, "Ha! Try and get me now," he taunted. The fiend hissed and took him up on the offer and lashed out at him again before the platforms he was standing on and Lulu's began glowing.
"Quick! Jump to another platform," Auron instructed. Tidus nodded and joined Yuna as Lulu joined Rikku just as the platforms exploded.
"In the name of all that is holy," Tidus exclaimed in shock, "you almost friggin blew me up," he yelled at the fiend.
"I hate to break this to you, but I don't think it cares," Lulu said and cast Firaga on it, the flames exploding onto it's body and sizzling out slowly as the fiend screeched and thrashed in agony. One the flames died down, the fiend's tail flicked angrily before it stabbed Wakka who became exceedingly red in the face.
"Take this you (insert stream of curse words here)," Wakka screamed at the fiend. The party stopped and gaped at Wakka in complete shock as he repeatedly attacked the fiend and streaming many colorful words regarding the fiend and it's mother.
"What's gotten into him," Rikku asked and attacked the fiend from behind. The platforms began glowing and she had to jump onto Wakka's platform while Auron joined Kimahri.
"I'm not sure," Yuna said and cast Esuna on him. Wakka blinked and calmed down.
"What happened," he asked as the party went back to attacking.
"You were inflicted with Beserk," Yuna said as the fiend finally collapsed into a cloud of pyreflies. The party took a much needed breather as the elevator finally rose.
"Yuna... We're here," Auron said.
"The hall of the Final Summoning," Yuna nodded and looked at the platform, nervousness suddenly taking over. This was it, her entire journey coming to this moment.
"Go."
"Yes," Yuna said bowing before she walked too the platform. It clanked before it lowered smoothly to the ground as Jecht's voice burst from below.
"Huh? What do you mean no Final Aeon?" Yuna came right up looking terrified and pale, her eyes wild and frightened.
"Sir Auron! Everyone," she cried and they all clambered onto the platform with her. The lift groaned under all their weight before descending. They came out and entered the room where the Fayth's stone lay.
"This isn't a fayth. It's just an empty statue," Yuna explained. The dome keeper from before appeared out of nowhere and making the more jumpy members of the party jittery.
"That statue lost its power as a fayth long ago. It is Lord Zaon, the first fayth of the Final Summoning. What you see before you is all that remains of him. Lord Zaon is...his soul is gone."
"Gone," Wakka exclaimed in disbelief.
"You mean, there is no Final Aeon," Rikku asked both relieved and scared at the same time.
"But fear not. Lady Yunalesca will show you the path. The Final Aeon will be yours. The summoner and the Final Aeon will join powers. Go to her now. Inside, the lady awaits." He performed the Yevon prayer and vanished in a cloud of pyreflies. Yuna turned to walk through the blue gateway but Tidus stepped forward, his arms crossing over his chest.
"Yuna, wait," he said before he turned to look at Auron, "Auron, you knew this was going to happen, didn't you?"
"Yes," he said simply and quietly.
"Why didn't you tell us," Tidus yelled at him.
"If I had told you the truth, would that really have stopped you from coming," he said diverting the question with another question. He wasn't ready to explain yet, it needed to progress a little further for everything to fall into place. He could see the shocked looks of his companions, they were shaken and unsure of what lay next. He knew without a doubt any one of them would volunteer but it was up to Yuna to make the decision and he hoped it would be the right one.
"Yuna," Kimarhi said softly.
"I'm not going back," Yuna said giving her furry guardian a tone for the first time in her life. She looked at him with such determination and briefly, Auron almost had a heart attack wondering if she would choose her fsther's path after all.
"Kimahri knows. Kimahri go first. Yuna is safe. Kimahri protect," Kimahri said and Yuna nodded. Kimahri walked in first and the rest followed. They gathered into the hall and looked around before they heard soft footsteps.
"Someone's coming," Rikku said shaking slightly.
"Lady Yunalesca," Yuna breathed out as her gaze fell on the thousand year old summoner. She looked the same as she always had, barely wearing any clothes and showing off her perfect, fair skin and body. Her silver hair curling at the ends and her eyes as cold and harsh as ever but sporting a tender look as she looked at Yuna. Auron felt his blood boil at the sight of her, he had the most intense urge to run his sword through her but he remained in his spot.
"Welcome to Zanarkand. I congratulate you, summoner. You have completed your pilgrimage. I will now bestow you with that which you seek. The Final Summoning...will be yours. Now, choose." Everyone except Auron looked shocked, Rikku had known but that didn't stop the shocked look on her face as she realized everything to completely true. She now fully understood the severity of the situation. If Yuna chose, one of them was going to die with her and become Sin.
"..." Yuna was too shocked for words and stared open mouthed at the summoner before her.
"You must choose the one whom I will change...to become the fayth of the Final Summoning." Gasps went around the room except for Auron.
"There must be a bond, between chosen and summoner, for that is what the Final Summoning embodies: the bond between husband and wife, mother and child, or between friends. If that bond is strong enough, its light will conquer Sin. A thousand years ago, I chose my husband Zaon as my fayth. Our bond was true, and I obtained the Final Aeon. There is nothing to fear. You will soon be freed of worry and pain. For once you call forth the Final Aeon, your life will end. Death is the ultimate and final liberation. Your father, Braska, chose this path." Yunalesca turned and left as another apparition appeared.
"It is not too late! Let us turn back," Auron pleaded. Braska shook his head and had his back turned to him.
"If I turn back, who will defeat Sin? Would you have some other summoner and his guardians go through this?"
"But...my lord, there must be another way," Auron said.
"This is the only way we got now," Jecht said before he crossed his arms over his chest, "fine. Make me the fayth. I been doing some thinking. My dream is back in the other Zanarkand. I wanted to make that runt into a star blitz player. Show him the view from the top, you know. But now I know there's no way home for me. I'm never gonna see him again. My dream's never gonna come true. So make me the fayth. I'll fight Sin with you, Braska. Then maybe my life will have meaning, you know."
"Don't do this, Jecht! If you live...there may be another way! We'll think of something, I know," Auron begged refusing to give up.
"Believe me, I thought this through. Besides... I ain't gettin' any younger, so I might as well make myself useful."
"Jecht," Braska said softly.
"What! You're not gonna try to stop me, too," Jecht demanded.
"Sorry. I mean...thank you."
"Braska still has to fight Sin, Auron. Guard him well. Make sure he gets there," Jecht said looking at his fellow guardian, Auron found the words lost in his throat and just stood there stammering. "Well, let's go," Jecht said looking at Braska who nodded. They walked up the stairs.
"Lord Braska! Jecht," Auron blurted out.
"What do you want now," Jecht demanded.
"Sin always comes back. It comes back after the Calm every time! The cycle will continue and your deaths will mean nothing," Auron said trying to reason with them.
"But there's always a chance it won't come back this time. It's worth trying," Braska replied.
"I understand what you're saying, Auron. I'll find a way to break the cycle," Jecht said.
"You...have a plan," Auron said skeptically.
"Jecht," Braska looked equally surprised.
"Trust me, I'll think of something," Jecht said breaking into loud laughs as he followed Braska into the next room. Auron watched them crestfallen and heartbroken before falling to his knees and hanging his head in despair. Auron watched himself, his anger and sorrow bubbling and boiling until he just couldn't take it anymore. With a snarl he slashed his katana through his specter self, trying to behead it before his image fades and he hung his head.
"And the cycle went on," he said quietly.
"We'll break it," Tidus said with an underlying comforting tone. Wakka looked at him.
"But how? What, you got a plan now," he asked.
"If one of us has to become a fayth...I volunteer," Lulu said.
"Me too, Yuna," Wakka chimed in.
"That still won't change anything, you know? You'd bring the Calm, and then what? That won't break the cycle," Tidus said, it was his turn for pleading now. He suddenly realized how Auron felt, none of his comrades were listening to a word he said and overpowering him.
"Listen... You wanna defeat Sin and keep Yuna alive... You don't want Sin to come back, ya? That is just not gonna happen, brudda, you know," Wakka said shaking his head.
"If you want everything, you'll end up with nothing," Lulu added.
"But I want everything," Tidus whined.
"Now you're being childish," Wakka reprimanded.
"I give up. So what would an adult do, then? They know they can just throw away a summoner, then they can do whatever they like. You're right, I might not even have a chance. But no way am I gonna just stand here and let Yuna go. And what Auron said about there being a way... I think it's true." He noticed the hurt looks on his friend's faces as his words cut through them as easily as a knife.
""You'll think of something,"" Rikku asked looking at him and Tidus nodded.
"Yes. I'll go ask Yunalesca. She's got to know something."
"You really think she'll help you," Rikku asked casting a glance at her husband who just shrugged but the look on his face told it all, she wouldn't lift a finger to help them.
"I don't know, but I have to try. This is my story. It'll go the way I want it...or I'll end it here," Tidus said and was about to turn to leave before Yuna stopped him.
"Wait. You say it's your story, but it's my story, too, you know? It would be so easy...to let my fate just carry me away...following this same path my whole life through. But I know...I can't. What I do, I do...with no regrets," Yuna said looking at him. Tidus nodded and watched her stride with determination through the doorway. The others followed and Rikku and Auron lingered.
"Is she...going to choose," Rikku asked fearfully.
"I can't tell..." Auron replied, "We'll find out shortly." She nodded and they joined their companions. Yunalesca appeared and strode closer to them as she met Yuna's eye.
"Have you chosen the one to become your fayth? Who will it be," Yunesca asked.
"Might I ask something first?" Yunalesca nodded and Yuna continued, "will Sin come back even should I use the Final Summoning to defeat it?"
"Sin is eternal. Every aeon that defeats it becomes Sin in its place... And thus is Sin reborn."
"So that's why Jecht became Sin," Tidus mumbled.
"Sin is an inevitable part of Spira's destiny. It is neverending," Yunalesca said.
"Neverending? But...but...if we atone for our crimes, Sin will stop coming back, ya? Someday, it'll be gone, ya," Wakka asked, his eyes going wide with disbelief. His tiny brain trying to cope and process with what she just said, his brain going into overload as she continues.
"Will humanity ever attain such purity," Yunalesca asked him.
"Uh..." Wakka stuttered unable to process words.
"This...this cannot be! The teachings state that we can exorcise Sin with complete atonement! It's been our only hope all these years," Lulu cried in outrage. She was taking it just as hard as Wakka.
"Hope is...comforting. It allows us to accept fate, however tragic it might be," Yunalesca said shaking her head.
"No," Tidus yelled as apparition Auron echoed him. Auron charged up to the front of the group, brandishing his sword.
"No! Where is the sense in all this? Braska believed in Yevon's teachings and died for them! Jecht believed in Braska and gave his life for him," Auron yelled. Yunalesca just gave him a pitying look.
"They chose to die...because they had hope." Auron gripped his sword tighter and let out a yell before charging at her. Leaping and ready to deliver a devastating blow before Yunalesca repelled him back with some form of magic and sent him flying through the air. He flew across the room before landing harshly on his head, flipping over, his body sliding across the floor slightly before laying there not moving. Rikku watched and her eyes filled with rage, turning her angry glare to Yunalesca and mentally cursing her in both English and Al Bhed and swearing revenge.
"Yevon's teachings and the Final Summoning give the people of Spira hope. Without hope, they would drown in their sorrow. Now, choose. Who will be your fayth? Who will be the one to renew Spira's hope," Yunalesca said and looked at Yuna. Yuna bit her lip and thought for a moment, Auron's heart was beating hard as if trying to rip it's way from his chest as he waited in anticipation of her answer. Don't do it Yuna, don't do it.
"No one. I would have gladly died. I live for the people of Spira, and would have gladly died for them. But no more! The Final Summoning...is a false tradition that should be thrown away," Yuna finally said with a firm tone.
"No. It is our only hope. Your father sacrificed himself to give that hope to the people. So they would forget sorrow," Yunalesca challenged her.
"Wrong. My father... My father wanted...to make Spira's sorrow go away. Not just cover it up with lies!"
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try," Yunalesca hissed.
"My father... I loved him. So I... I will live with my sorrow, I will live my own life! I will defeat sorrow, in his place. I will stand my ground and be strong. I don't know when it will be but someday, I will conquer it. And I will do it without...false hope." Yuna glared at Yunalesca and Auron could have run up and hug her with glee and then rub it immaturely in Yunalesca's face, if he did such things, he was Auron not Tidus and he had self-respect and dignity. This was exactly what he wanted, he was going to get his revenge.
"Poor creature. You would throw away hope. Well... I will free you before you can drown in your sorrow. It is better for you to die in hope than to live in despair. Let me be your liberator," Yunalesca said sadly but with a malevolent tone.
"Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands," Auron encouraged and drew his sword.
"Yuna needs Kimahri. Kimahri protect Yuna," Kimahri growled and pulled his spear.
"Well, I'm fighting," Rikku said and looked at Auron, he nodded and they squeezed each other's hand and understood what it meant. This was for everyone she had taken away and caused suffering to.
"I can't believe we're gonna fight Lady Yunalesca! Gimme a break," Wakka said.
"You can always run," Lulu suggested and lightning sparked between her fingers.
"Hah! I'd never forgive myself-no way! Not if I ran away now. Even in death, ya," Wakka said and grinned.
"My thoughts exactly," Lulu said giving him a half smile.
"Yuna! This is our story! Now let's see this thing through together," Tidus said smiling. Yuna nodded and smiled, reaching for his hand and squeezed it, he squeezed back and the party stood before the ancient summoner ready for battle. Yunalesca's hair began forming a life of it's own, fanning out around her almost like wings and her eyes flashed as she locked onto Yuna.
"Prepare to die summoner Yuna of Besaid."