Disclaimer: I do not own either FFX or FFXII.

Author's Notes: If it weren't for a certain scene that's about to happen, I would never have finished this. I always managed to get lost. Thank you for your reviews!

Chapter 37: The Vio Purifico

Ashe stood in the middle of a dark room. The walls, ceiling and floor were all of stone, and it was cold and damp, and she was alone. She didn't know where anyone else was, if they were even in there.

She took a deep breath and tried to ease her nerves. She had to find the others, she knew there were fiends down here, and she didn't want to always rely on her aeons. She decided to walk down the hallway straight ahead of her and she hoped she would find someone.

She could hear grunts and the sounds of a fight up ahead and started to run towards the sounds, hoping it was one of her friends, and that they were alright. She arrived in time to see Basch kill a fiend, and it disappeared into pyreflies, he had his spear with him.

"Basch!" Ashe said and ran towards him and hugged him.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he patted her back. "You are not harmed?"

"I'm alright, they didn't do anything but bring me here. Are you alright?" Ashe asked letting go of him and looking into his face.

"I am well… Have you seen anyone else?"

Ashe shook her head. "You're the first I came across, we must find the others!"

"Yes, and the sooner the better. We need to get out of here." Basch looked around the room they were in. "They have a cruel sense of humour. Leave us here to die, but leave our weapons to give us hope…" Basch muttered under his breath, he turned to Ashe. "Do you have a staff?"

Ashe shook her head. "I lost mine in Macalania temple, and I suppose they didn't see it fit to give me one."

"I see… Perhaps there is another down here that you can use."

Ashe nodded and the two continued on their way, trying to find the others.

Balthier, Penelo and Vaan had been thrown into a tunnel filled with water, forcing them to either constantly tread water, or swim around, trying to find a way out. They were currently doing the later, Balthier ahead of the other two. They weren't sure where the others were, and they had to get out, fiends were in these tunnels, though they had a feeling, Yevon didn't use the fiends to kill them, since they let them have their weapons, they obviously planned on leading them to exhaustion, and to break their wills and let them die that way. But all three of them were determined to get out of there, find the others and get far from Bevelle.

They reached a large room of the underwater passage, and could see pyreflies floating down in the water, converging around one area, Balthier drew his sword, Penelo his daggers, and Vaan, his Blitzball. I do believe I'll introduce him to a better weapon. Balthier thought as he looked at Vaan.

A bright light erupted from the gathered pyreflies it dissipated and a very green and turquoise looking Evrae had appeared. Balthier smirked; it looked very much undead, which could mean a very easy defeat. Penelo looked from Evrae, to around the room, and noticed one of the walls was actually a door, with two locks on either side, she looked back to Evrae, then decided to swim towards one of the locks to examine it and smiled.

Ashe and Basch walked along the dark corridors looking for signs of the others, they entered another large room and saw Auron sitting on a pile of rubble with his sword out, he turned his head and looked at them as they approached.

"Are you alright, Sir Auron?" Ashe asked him.

"Yes, and you are unharmed?" He asked, Ashe and Basch nodded. "Good, we must fund a way out of here." Auron said as he stood and shouldered his blade.

"And find the others." Ashe said looking around the dark room, she could hear distant sounds of another battle. "You hear that?" She asked the others.

They both nodded.

"Let's go." Auron said and lead the way, Basch and Ashe followed.

They walked down another corridor, killing a few fiends as they went, and came into another, very identical to the last ones, room with Fran casting Thundaga on a fiend, killing it, she turned to face them, and relaxed her shoulders with a sigh.

"Are you alright?" Ashe asked, hugging Fran.

"Yes, especially now that you're here." Fran said, patting her head and hugging her in return.

"Have you seen Balthier, Penelo or Vaan?" Basch asked.

"I have not." Fran replied, Ashe letting go of her.

"I don't think they're here." Ashe said.

"We'll meet up with them at the exit, let's go." Auron said and continued to walk on.

Balthier held his bleeding shoulder, which Evrae had just scratched, his plan wasn't going as well as he had hoped, and this didn't help. He heard a loud noise behind him and turned to see the door opening and Penelo waving them through, Balthier and Vaan swam as fast as they could towards her, and Evrae was soon following. As soon as Balthier and Vaan were clear, Penelo lowered the gate. Evrae was heading through the door when it feel on top of its head, crushing it. Its body once again disappeared in a cloud of pyreflies. Balthier sheathed his sword and held his shoulder again, he looked ahead, they still had a fair distance to cross before they would be out of there.

Ashe, Fran, Auron and Basch stood, in front of them was Issaru, blocking their path.

"What are you doing down here?" Ashe asked him tentatively.

"I have been ordered by Yevon to dispose of the traitors." He said with pain etched in his voice. "The temple's word is law! I must do what they ask… Forgive me Lady Ashe."

He threw her a staff he was holding, and began to summon. Ashe caught it and looked at him, she had a feeling she knew which Aeon he was going to summon. Auron, Fran, and Basch stood beside Ashe, ready and waiting.

Bahamut appeared, with his black scales, rainbow coloured wings, and gold claws, and landed beside Issaru with a large crash. He stood up tall and folded his arms and looked at Ashe and the others. Ashe held her new staff firm and stared at Bahamut, he was beautiful, and she could tell, was very powerful.

"I'm going to summon Shiva, she has her overdrive." Ashe told the others quietly.

The stood back from her, and Ashe took a deep breath.

Balthier, Vaan and Penelo climbed out of the water and were now on the Highbridge that lead out of Bevelle, they were soaking wet, and Balthier's shoulder was still bleeding, since he couldn't take a potion in the water. He looked over and saw Ashe, Basch, Fran and Auron getting out of a tunnel.

Balthier walked up to her and hugged her tight. Ashe blushed but gladly hugged him as well, enjoying his strong embrace.

"Are you alright?" He asked her quietly.

"Yes, are you?" She asked quietly.

"Now I am."

They let go and looked at each other and Ashe noticed his shoulder.

"Let me fix that for you." She said quietly and cast Cura on it, and it closed completely.

They heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Seymour walking with four guados and Maestor Kinoc, Balthier turned and stood slightly in front of Ashe and glared at the approaching Seymour. They stopped in front of the group, and Kinoc fell to the ground, he didn't look to be alive.

"Kinoc." Auron said looking from Kinoc's body, to Seymour.

"Why you!" Vaan said glaring at him.

Seymour chuckled. "I have saved him." He said in his sweet voice. "He was a man who desired power, and power he had, but he feared to use it. He worried about unseen enemies and schemed petty schemes, chased by his fears and never knowing rest." He paused, looking at them all. "Now he has no worries, he has been granted sleep eternal. Death is peaceful, with all the pains of fears of life swept away." He paused again. "You see, if all life were to end in Spira, so would its suffering. You see? That is why I need you, Lady Ashe." He held out his hand. "Come with me to Zanarkand. With death on our side we will free Spira! I will become the next Sin, I will destroy Spira, and thus, I will save Spira."

"You're nuts!" Vaan yelled.

Ashe glared at Seymour, she wasn't sure what to say to him, if anything was worth being said. Basch rushed forwards and stabbed Seymour in the heart with his spear. Seymour stood, and still smiled.

"Very well, I will give you the death you desire." He spoke calmly.

He held up his hand and a glowing sphere of energy formed above his palm, the guado around him and Kinoc's body disappeared into pyreflies and rushed into Seymour. His body began to transform, into what looked like metal. Basch backed away from him, withdrawing his sphere as Seymour began to float upwards. What looked like stone wings grew on Seymour's back, they didn't move even as he floated, and he looked at them with a face, that looked like a metal mask, even his hair looked like metal. A black, almost scorpion-like creature circled around Seymour, then settled by his shoulder.

Basch turned to the others.

"Run! Protect Ashe!" Basch yelled to them.

"No way!" Vaan protested.

Auron drew his sword and pointed it at Vaan.

"Go." He told them forcefully.

They all looked at each other and Seymour, hesitating, but finally relented. Balthier grabbed Ashe's hand and began to run, Vaan, Fran, Penelo and Auron following, leaving Basch with Seymour. They ran swiftly up the highbridge, though Ashe and Vaan were hesitant. Ashe freed her hand from Balthier's and stopped running, they all turned to face her.

"I won't leave Basch behind!" She said quickly.

"He is a guardian, protecting you is everything!" Auron said forcefully.

"Auron!" She pleaded.

Balthier walked forward.

"We are you guardians, we'll follow you wherever you will go." Balthier said, he knew she wanted to go back, and so did he.

"Wherever I go?" Ashe asked, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Wherever." Balthier confirmed, smirking.

"Let's go!" They said together and began to run in the other direction towards Basch.

Vaan and Penelo took off right after them; Fran and Auron stood a moment longer and looked at each other, smiling.

"Shall we follow?" Fran said.

Auron smirked and took off after the others, with Fran close behind.

Basch fell to the ground with a grunt and a thud, a large slash on his right shoulder from the beast circling Seymour. He heard footsteps behind him and sighed. I should've known. He thought. Ashe knelt down beside Basch and healed his shoulder, Balthier helped him up. Soon they all stood facing Seymour with weapons drawn and harsh gazes.

"Even though he was not the man I once knew, Kinoc was still my friend Seymour you will pay for his death!" Auron said angrily, his glare intensifying.

He rushed forward and swung his sword at Seymour, the black creature moved in front of him to take the blow, a large gash appearing on its back, it took energy from Seymour, who grunted in pain, and healed its wound. Balthier and Ashe looked at each other, both getting the same idea. Auron stepped back to avoid being struck by the creature, and Fran cast Firaga at Seymour, who grunted. Basch and Auron were striking Seymour's metal body, while Balthier was striking the black creature, which would always take energy from Seymour to heal its wounds, which was very effectively weakening Seymour. Seymour would often cast Blizzara on the party, though Ashe was healing everyone quickly, and cast Shell and Nulfrost on everyone to lessen the damage it caused.

Seymour's breathing was getting very heavy and laboured and they knew that he was nearing his end… Again. The creature made to strike Ashe, but Balthier jumped in front of her and slashed it, causing it another large gash. It took some more energy from Seymour, and it was all he had left. In a cry of pain and a cloud of pyreflies, he disappeared. They saw guards coming from the distance and took off down the highbridge, heading for Macalania woods, to escape.

Author's Notes: I may re-write the fight scene, I'm not estatic about it, I'm just way to excited for the next chapter to right this part decently. Those who have played ffx know what's coming.