Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy. Pass the soda.

Author's Notes: Apologies for the late update. I HAD finished this a few days ago, but stupid FFnet wouldn't let me update because of my upload ban (read chapter 10 of Housemates and my bio for more info)...anyhow...

WOO! SPRING BREAK!

We are at the fiftieth chapter people! We started at the end of FFX-2…and in fifty chapters, we've gone from 1000 years in the past to the Summoner's School of Baaj to Luca to Kilika to Besaid to Luca again to the Mi'ihen Highroad to Mushroom Rock Canyon to Djose to the Moonflow to the Rondola Highlands to Nibilo to the Valka Peninsula and now to Guadosalam!

(GASP)

Whoo…said too much. To the reviews!

Assamite: Well, the little figure looked nifty (should I call you 'Kaishu'?). And what the heck is a 'gwailo'? o.o;

(listens to 'Sin, Attack!') Musically, it sounds better than your other pieces. It took me a while to get the melody working along with the scene, but I've got the basic gist. Good stuff.

And as for the whole 'without order is chaos' thing…that guy GARIN talked to was a receptionist that would, in turn, direct him to another receptionist, and so on and so forth until he reached the Boss. For Aaron…well, reread that segment in chapter 39. You'll understand.

As for Kurik…well, he's only appeared in this story TWICE (on Besaid and in the last chapter). I tend to think some Ronso speak normally like humans, while a majority speak like Kimahri. I also think there are some who tend to 'slip' back into their natural speaking patterns. You know; like someone who slips back into their Southern accent at times? (boots him off a cliff)

Chigy: Well, it's not like it's something he can do often; for all we know, he's now dead. ;)

Wolfy16: Then you shall see!

mtbanger: Welcome to FFX-3 banger! I'm glad the double aeon idea amazed you.

Anime obsessed fan: Well, I think Grand Summon is an overdrive that ALL summoners can use.

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: Yo! Been a while since you reviewed. Thanks for your condolences about Housemates…you bet I'm going to upload it again. ;)

As for my aeon hint…I'll reveal my little 'hint' when I get to what's left of Remiem Temple. I'll say this though…try to think 'outside' the box when searching. ;) But if you figure it out…don't say anything. You can SAY that you figured it out…just don't say anything.

By the way, when are you going to correct my name on your bio? You've still got me as 'Super' Sonic 007. ;P

Shadic the Hedgehog Author: Hooray for gratuitous Al Bhed usage!

Before we start, let's go over the boss battles we've encountered thus far (this includes aeon battles and summoner battles):

Sand Worm (Fiend Generator, Baaj)

Machina Maw (Baaj Temple)

Dullahan (Luca Temple)

Sinspawn Scorpio (S.S. Mika)

Queen Vlantae (Kilika Island)

Elemental Dragon (Kilika Temple)

Nira: Machina Maw and Blitzan (Besaid Island)

Blitzan (Besaid Temple)

Wolf King (Mi'ihen Highroad)

Savin, Purga, and Terros: Kefka (Mi'ihen Highroad)

Silex (Mushroom Rock Canyon)

Kefka (Djose Temple)

CESS Operative #34 (Hunter's Guild)

CESS Operative #13 (Subnova)

Turo Kerio in C-1 Battle Mech (Subnova)

Steel Titan (Rondola Highlands)

Folgin and his Fiend Army (Nibilo)

Terrible Teela (Nibilo)

Nira: Elemental Dragon, Blitzan, and Eternal Servant (Valka Peninsula)

19 bosses thus far. Pretty decent.

Begin!

xxxx

Yo. This is the author speaking.

Fallen Angel of Oblivion, you reading this?

xxxx

Chapter 50: The Farplane

xxxx

/12:21 ST, Eastern Edge of Valka Peninsula/

"He has a pulse," calmly said Cid. He was kneeling beside the unconscious Hirum, who was still on the ground.

Trigon was also kneeling beside him. "Thank goodness. I was worried that he was completely gone. After all, most summoners who attempt to summon more than one fayth at a time end up dead."

It was mere minutes after the aeon battle that had taken place between Hirum and Nira. Hirum had been the victor. However, Hirum's gutsy move had nearly cost him his life. Serena was sitting right beside Hirum's head, on the verge of tears; she didn't want her charge – for she was a guardian who was to protect the summoner with her life! – to die! Mog sat on her had as usual…but he had a strange look of nonchalance on his face. Aaron stood right behind Cid, keeping a concerned eye on his old friend. As for Teela, she stood several feet away, looking rather indifferent.

However, Nira and Kurik Ronso also stood by. Although the female summoner hated Hirum for being a dropout…she had to admit that she was concerned for him, as a fellow human being. She asked, "So…he'll be fine?"

"Yes. Some rest will do him good." Trigon quietly stood and gazed at Nira as his mask switched. "Don't ya have somewhere to go, missy? Go ahead and leave…Hirum's our charge."

Nira frowned. She knew when she wasn't wanted. Still… "Kurik. Give me an elixir."

Kurik grunted out of agreement as he pulled the carapace of the Helm fiend off of his back. He set it down on the ground and looked at it. Small slots were carved into the rocky carapace – probably by the Black Ronso's horn – and in those slots were small glass vials of various magic liquids. He grabbed an elixir out of one of the slots; it was a small orb filled with red liquid. Kurik quietly handed it to Nira.

Nira quietly held the elixir before handing it to Trigon. "Condolences for making the dropout nearly kill himself."

Trigon held the elixir quietly as Nira and Kurik walked westward along the Valka Peninsula. The machina-man then turned around and walked toward Hirum, vial of elixir in hand. His mask switched back to the smiling one as he knelt beside Hirum. "Cid. Please tilt Hirum's head back."

Cid nodded as he raised Hirum and tilted his neck backwards. He opened Hirum's mouth as Trigon twisted the cork that sealed the vial. Once it was open, he slowly poured its contents into Hirum's mouth.

"What is that?" asked Serena.

"An elixir," answered Aaron. "It's a magical liquid concocted by potion-makers and some skilled mages. When it is consumed, it replenishes the body's stamina and mana, as well as restoring the body to its prime condition. However, it takes about ten minutes for the full effects to kick in." Aaron suddenly remembered his trip on the Haf Yka, when Teela had created a faux elixir out of chilled red wine and shoopuff sap. "Heh…just make sure Teela doesn't get her hands on that."

He expected to be chewed out for that by Teela.

But he didn't. He turned around to see her reaction…but he found out that she wasn't there. Huh? Where'd she go?

Little did he know that a transparent blob of light-blue goop was moving westward towards Nira and Kurik.

xxxx

"Man…I never thought he'd be crazy enough to summon two aeons at once," grumbled Nira as she walked in front of Kurik. She couldn't wait to get to the beaches; she was going to take a little break from her pilgrimage. Besides, she was feeling plenty of aches from all of the traveling she had done recently. She deserved a break!

"I am not surprised. He is summoner, like you. Good summoners do what it takes to succeed," said Kurik, his gravelly voice breaking through the silence.

Nira snorted. "It doesn't matter if he won or not. He's still a dropout. He's gone to the temples illegally…and one day, it's going to catch up to him."

"Oh really?"

Mere seconds after the foreign voice interrupted their walk, a brown-haired girl seemingly sprouted from the rocky ground in front of Nira. She thrust her right hand for the summoner's neck, causing the blue-haired girl to yelp out of shock. "Who are-?"

"Shut. Up," ordered the sudden attacker with a menacing tone…and to prove her point, she squeezed harder. Nira finally got the point…literally. The claws of the Coyote fiend were growing from her fingernails. The skin was barely holding out; any tighter, and Nira would be bleeding.

Kurik roared, "NIRA!"

"Don't move or she starts bleeding," curtly said Teela. Kurik obliged, but his body became tight and tense. He snarled at the thief.

"Better." Teela then turned her steely gaze towards Nira. "You think you're so awesome, don't you? Even though you got your head handed to you by Hirum, you still think you're superior. Tell me why."

Nira frowned; how dare this crazy guardian do this to her? "Because he defied the rules of the temple! He's a DROPOUT! Need I elaborate?"

"Sorry. Wrong answer."

POW.

Kurik roared as he helplessly watched Teela slap Nira across the face with her free hand. The thief continued to speak. "Step out of your narrow view, because it's royally screwed up. Now answer me again…WHY do you think you're superior? You've been beaten by Hirum TWICE."

"I…I just am…the Maejins proclaim that all those who defy the rules of the Summoner's School of Baaj are lower than trash…" Nira continued to remain steadfast.

Poor choice.

Teela spat in Nira's eye. "WRONG." Another slap to the face. "Let me make something clear to you…you may think you know what went down that day, but you're wrong. I, on the other hand, DO."

Nira scowled…and then her eyes widened, as if remembering something. "You…you were the girl with Hirum when he exited the Cloister of Trials at Baaj…"

"Right. And I saw that dumb little 'Council of Maejins'…wanna know the verdict? 3 to 2 in favor of Hirum becoming a summoner." Teela grinned at the look of disbelief on Nira's face.

Nira gulped to express her disbelief; after all, she couldn't shake her head. "I…I don't believe it. Even if the majority voted for Hirum, Neru could've turned them down with a simple 'Nay'…"

"Oh, you mean the old fart? HE was one of the three who voted for Hirum in the first place."

"LIAR!" roared Nira. "The High Maejin would NEVER put a mere boy above the code and honor of the SSoB!"

Teela smirked. "Guess he made an exception this time around." She suddenly reared her arm and heaved Nira at Kurik. The Black Ronso adeptly caught his charge in his muscular arms.

Teela chuckled as Kurik checked Nira's neck for wounds. "Should we meet again…remember this moment."

Kurik, certain that Nira was uninjured, roared as he turned to strike Teela…only to find nothing there. Only the glowing trails of pyreflies were left in her wake.

The Black Ronso scowled as he looked around, trying to find Teela. All he saw was a light-blue puddle of goo moving eastward at high speed along the ground. Hmm…could it be her…but how…to transform like that…?

Shaking his head, Kurik knelt down beside Summoner Nira. "Are you okay?"

"That liar."

Kurik was stoic as Nira stood, her face scrunched together into one of anger and disgust. "How dare she slime the Maejins and the SSoB like that…how dare she…how dare she…"

But Kurik could tell from the shaky tone in her voice that Nira's steadfast faith in the virtue and ethical purity of the Maejins had been shaken by Teela's talk…and Hirum's performance in battle.

xxxx

"…urgh……agh…"

"He's waking up," said Cid.

Hirum slowly sat up, rubbing his head gingerly. "Man…anyone get the driver of the shoopuff…I feel like crap…"

"Considering how hard ya pushed yourself, I'm not surprised!" Trigon gave Hirum a congratulatory slap on the back, causing the summoner to inadvertently wince.

Serena immediately hugged Hirum from behind. "Mr. Hirum, please don't do that again! We'd have failed as your guardians if you died…"

The male summoner smiled as he gingerly stood up; his legs felt shaky, and his knees felt wobbly. "Heh…it was nothing…it was worth it…to see the look on Nira's face…"

Aaron sighed. Leave it to him to put a smile on this. He turned around…and to his surprise, he saw Teela, looking particularly uninterested. "Where've you been?"

Teela flashed him an annoyed look. "Why do YOU care?"

never mind, thought Aaron with an exasperated frown.

"Uup," mumbled Hirum as he attempted to walk, only to stumble one step later. Aaron quickly caught him, however. "Maybe we could just help you walk to Guadosalam."

Hirum managed to smile. "…that sounds…nice…" Hirum propped his body against Aaron's shoulder; the Al Bhed was grateful that his friend wasn't heavy.

So they journeyed eastward for another several minutes…and then they came to a stop along the cliff edge. Needless to say…the sight was awe-inspiring.

To the north were the thick thunderheads and black clouds of mighty storms; the storms of the Thunder Plains. The clouds stretched on beyond the horizon, blocking anything that could be seen.

To the south, one could see the Moonflow and the bustling activity of hovercrafts and tourists. Immediately northward of the Moonflow were the marshes and forests; weaving through those regions were dirt roads…all of which led to one spot.

A massive doorway carved into a root.

The root stretched upward at a 30-degree angle, stretching on for about fifty yards before joining with another root to create one. That one root was one of several dozen that seemed to be suspended in midair, even though they actually delved deep into the soil. Together, the roots were individual threads forming a massive web of light-yellow wood with tints of green. The roots all conjoined at the base of a massive tree; its diameter was easily over 1,200 feet long. The tree's bark appeared to be of a yellowish tint, with a mostly light brown texture…but running along the tree were what appeared to be green lines that looked like veins. It gave the impression that the massive tree was alive. The tree stretched over 4,000 feet into the sky…and that's when the branches came into being. They stretched outward for hundreds of feet, eventually forming the outline of a mushroom cap shape. The oak leaves on the outside were deep green…and below those was a layer of purple leaves…and the center of the branches' leaves were colored a shimmering blue color. Growths of wood dotted the roots and sides of the mighty tree at various spots; those were some of the many dwellings that lay within the natural monolith. There was even a growth shaped like a large platform; this platform served as a small place for airships to dock. Finally, there were a number of pyreflies that drifted near the roots of the oak…after all, within the tree was Spira's only gateway to the Farplane. To the immediate north of the tree were the aforementioned storm clouds of the Thunder Plains.

"The Great Guadulien Oak…home of Guadosalam…" whispered Hirum.

xxxx

The Great Guadulien Oak.

Guadosalam was carved out of its innards.

In Guado folklore and legend, it is said that Yevon grew the Great Guadulien Oak to serve as humanity's gateway to the Farplane; otherwise, how would the summoners be able to send the fallen? Although that legend was debatable in its authenticity, there was another that was widely accepted by the Guado in general.

You see, they believed that their first ancestors had been born from the great tree itself. How else could one explain the Guado's biological differences to humans? Their hair was twisted and rough like the branches of a tree, and their veins often showed like those of the Great Oak. Plus, there was a rather pleasing ring to the whole idea.

But even so, the Guado were caretakers of the Great Oak. They made sure that the soil its roots absorbed was wholesome and full of nutrients. They made sure it received the sun and water it needed…and in some cases, they would have a majority of their black mages cast water spells on the soil – in the case of a drought – to make sure the oak would remain alive. In return the tree granted them food, water, and shelter from its own wood. It was not known whether or not the Great Guadulien Oak was actually cognizant…but there was no doubt it was an entity of magic.

After all, it was the world's only gateway to the Farplane.

No one knew how the gateway had come to be…it just was. Perhaps it had always been that way. Perhaps the oak's roots delved all the way down to the core of Spira, where the Farplane lay. No one knew.

But there was something people DID know; in the year 653 A.S.D, they had gotten their own temple.

xxxx

/12:53 ST, Southern Entrance to Guadosalam/

Guadosalam was one hour ahead of Luca.

Hirum – now having regained enough of his stamina to stand on his own – and his guardians stood quietly in front of the large, cave-like doorway into Guadosalam. Lining the ceiling of the blue and yellow flowers shaped like bulbs; they grew out of the wood of the Great Oak, and they were glowing with light. They provided illumination in the dark innards of the tree.

Trigon whistled. "Dang! This place looks bigger than I remembered."

"Well, it IS a tree, numnuts," sarcastically said Teela. "Trees grow."

Aaron suddenly interjected, "Well, Trigon's body is mechanical, so he technically doesn't HAVE the qualifications to be called 'numnuts'."

This remark got a slap on the head by Teela. "Nobody asked you!"

"Who goes there?"

Hirum and his Guardians stopped as they reached the mouth of the cave entrance. Standing guard there were two male Guados in slim, curvy green armor. The armor was segmented all over, allowing for good flexibility. Two slots were visible on the backs of both hands, which were also armored. With the exception of their heads, the green armor covered every square inch of their bodies. Their lean faces, root-like blue hair, and narrow yellow eyes revealed their stern nature. Clutched tightly in their hands were BTC-4 laser rifles.

The one on the left walked forward and said, "State your reason for visiting Guadosalam."

Teela snorted as she walked past the left guard. "Who says we have to tell you?"

CHOOM!

Teela suddenly stopped. The right Guado guard stood in front of her…and the slots on his right hand had sprouted two lime-green energy claws two feet in length. Those two claws were right in front of her neck. "You should tread lightly girl. We are both Guardsmen; members of the Guadosalam Security Force. After the incident at the Moonflow, we have heightened security. In the meantime, you will do as we ask…so let me say it again; state your business."

Teela snarled.

"Pardon my dear guardian," suddenly said Hirum as he calmly – yet smugly – pushed Teela behind him. "She IS a bit trigger-happy, but it's just one of the quirks I have to put up with." Much to Teela's annoyance, Hirum had a smirk on his face. "My name is Hirum. I'm a summoner…and I'm here to visit the temple."

The left Guado Guardsman glanced down at Hirum…and then at the Eye of Baaj badge pinned to his red robes. "Ah…I see. A graduate of that school…and I assume the rest are your guardians?"

"That assumption is correct," suddenly said Trigon, his scarred mask at the forefront. "We are merely here to visit the temple. After that, we shall leave for Macalania."

"…very well." The two Guardsmen moved aside. "You may enter Guadosalam."

"Thank you," said Hirum. He bowed once before walking past the two Guardsmen, with his guardians following him in silence. The two Guardsmen went back to their posts as the newest visitors entered the tall root.

The further on they went, the more extravagant the innards of the root became. A number of walkways branched away from the root, carved out by hand. They revealed the great empty space beneath the Great Oak…and a great number of wooden bridges connected the roots together, forming a massive web of rope and lumber. Even further on, the wood became thicker. Actual homes were carved out of the living wood. The dangling vines of Guadulien irises joined the glowing flowers that lined the ceiling of the root, adding more color to the vibrant display. The tree's green veins became more pronounced as well, and the wood became smoother as well. The further inward they went, the more pure the wood became.

Finally, they emerged in the trunk of the Great Guadulien Oak.

Walkways carved out of the wood stretched upward, joining the various homes, stores, and hotels together. The oak's veins were most prominent here; if one looked at them, they could see pyreflies flowing through them. If one placed a hand on them, they could feel a minute pulse. There were also a few paths that led to the outside of the tree and onto the wooden knolls and platforms. A number of people – mostly Guado, with some humans, Al Bhed, and Hypello for good measure – walked along these walkways, making Guadosalam seem more like a city than at first glance. Even though the glowing flowers provided individual illumination for the innards of the dwellings, the prime source of light came from a purple sphere embedded into the bottom of a massive house suspended in midair near the top of the Great Oak's innards. Several struts of thick wood suspended the house, with one walkway leading to the main doorway. The door itself was constructed of bark from the Great Oak, painted in purple. The actual dwelling itself was quite nondescript; aside from a few towers the stretched upward, the wooden mass that served as the home for the building looked like a blob instead of a carefully constructed abode. Then again, Guadosalam had no obvious design to it, no obvious logic behind its seemingly random assortment of walkways, bridges, and dwellings. Maybe the Manor of the Lord was simply fitting the theme.

Oh, did I forget to mention that the aforementioned 'blob' was in fact the Manor of the Lord, the home for all Lords of the Guado?

Whoops.

However, one structure was hidden from sight; it actually sat outside of the tree and amongst the blue leaves of the Great Oak. It was the Temple of Yevon-Guadosalam.

Finally, the last notable feature of the city was the pit in the bottom of the trunk; that pit was actually a stairwell that led to a small root of sorts. That root led to a vortex called the Eye of Yevon.

The Eye of Yevon was the gateway to the Farplane.

Serena looked around out of shock. "Wow…it's so big…"

"Guadosalam. The only city on Spira that lives in a tree. Whoopdee-doo," muttered Teela, not sounding particularly enthusiastic.

Aaron quietly gazed upward at the Manor of the Lord. Up and beyond that sat the temple. "So Hirum…do we move on to the temple?"

Hirum was silent; his dull blue eyes were transfixed on something.

The pit. He absent-mindedly messed with one of the two locks of his hair using his index finger; finally, he said, "Not yet. I want to visit the Farplane."

"Would I be correct in assuming you wish to see someone?" said Trigon, as if stating a fact instead of asking a question.

Hirum quietly nodded. He had a few people in mind to visit…both of his parents…and his old friend.

Siana.

In all honesty, he had never really discovered the fate of his friend. He had just assumed her death after seeing the graves of her parents, as well as the ruins of her house…and the remains of a Sinspawn right outside her home.

But was she really dead? He didn't know.

But he wanted to know.

"I'm going. If anyone wants to come, they can follow." With that said, Hirum quietly walked towards the pit.

Serena silently looked up at Mog. "…I want to go. Want to come?"

Mog shook his head, muttering, "Kupo…kukukupo…"

"Oh, I see…okay then. Go on Mog!" cheered Serena. Moments later, the little moogle flapped his wings and took off into the air.

At this, Aaron glanced at Serena and asked, "Uh…do you understand him or something?"

"Yep!" With that said, Serena bounced off after Hirum. By default, this meant Cid went with her.

Aaron frowned; did Serena understand the language of the moogles or something? No…she didn't act as if she understood before…could it be…?

Had her psychic powers manifested themselves again?

Speaking of powers, he suddenly remembered his talk with Mr. Kane. Terrance Gorio…who was he? Why did Kane want me to research him?

"I'll have to pass. Memories can be particularly…painful." Of course, he had another reason for not going; those that he knew were not to be revealed to Hirum or Teela. Not yet. With that said, Trigon turned his gaze upward as his mask switched. "I'm going to the temple. We'll be waiting for you there." He then began ascending one of the nearby walkways.

Aaron sighed. It was only him and Teela now. "Well Teela, what are you going to do…now…?"

She wasn't there anymore. She had already started following Hirum, Serena, and Cid to the pit.

"…never mind." Oh well; at least he would be alone. When it came to gathering information, he always worked best alone.

Aaron immediately set off for the Guadosalam Library; he had been here before, and remembered where it was.

So everyone had gone off to their own thing.

xxxx

/7:12 NT, High Maejin Neru's Office, Summoner's School of Baaj/

Neru – High Maejin of the SSoB, former Grand Maester of Spira – was silent. In his hands was a sphere-com. The thunderous rains pounded against the nearest window, lending a dreary look to the darkened room. Then again, it always rained. Plus, it was nighttime, so the melancholy atmosphere was rather fitting.

Even so, it didn't help the fact that the call he was on right now was unsettling. Especially considering that it was the dead of night in Baaj, while it was still evening in Bevelle. "So Grand Maester…to what do I owe this extremely late call?"

"Apologiesh for the shudden call…but I have a matter of grave importanshe to shpeak with you about."

Neru frowned; Masho was not one to mince words, so this had to be important. "Speak then."

"You know of the reshent happeningsh at the ruinsh of Nibilo, yesh?"

"Yes. It was all over the news." The benefit of the SN Set in today's world was that information could be obtained quickly and easily. Programs dedicated to nothing but breaking news could show just that: news. "An airship was sighted above Nibilo's ruins. Apparently, some people were taken from the ruins and onto the airship…of course, that's just going by eyewitness accounts of the Ronso tribe to the north."

"That rumor ish not a rumor. The onesh picked up were a shummoner called Hirum and hish guardiansh."

Neru arched an eyebrow out of obvious surprise. "Really? Well this IS interesting…"

"What disturbsh me ish the fact that one of hish guardiansh wash a brown-haired girl I've met before."

"Hmm…you must mean Teela," said Neru as he suppressed a yawn. "She's an old 'acquaintance' of Hirum's. They go back a bit…even if their relationship – if you can call it that – is bumpy at best. Why?"

"…she ish the girl that went to every temple from Beshaid to Bevelle almosht seven yearsh ago. She ish the curshed one."

Neru frowned; he knew what Masho was specifically referring to. "The 'One of the Gray Flesh', as you called her back then. What does that have to do with her being taken in Nibilo?"

"…I may be acting paranoid…but there ish the posshibiblity that the ABTShee and the BTShee have an interesht in her…and if not now…then shoon."

"Why? For her abilities?"

"…yesh…and if they deshide to look it up, I fear they will liken her to a man named Terranshe Gorio…"

Neru's eyes darkened. "…you mean the only other one in Spira's history to be like her. The only other one to possess the Gray Flesh."

"Exshactly."

"…I see why you worry. This is troublesome." Although the ABTC and BTC were both almost two centuries old, it had only been within the last fifty years that their 'policies' toward each other had become…extreme. That had been during Neru's reign as Grand Maester…and he had been quite the roadblock to their heated rivalry. Of course, when Masho had become Grand Maester in 985 A.S.D, the ABTC and BTC had gotten more active again. Such was life. "The ABTC has the Special Weapons Division, and the BTC has the Special Military Division…they don't exactly have ethical standards…and if they set their sights on Teela…"

"Yesh. I fear for her. She may be curshed…but she ish carrying a burden not meant for mortalsh."

"Indeed…and I assume you called for advice on how to handle the situation?" This kind of call wasn't uncommon; sometimes, Masho would callhis predecessor for advice on something.

"Yesh."

"Very well then…here's my advice to you."

From the outside, his words were inaudible over the falling rain, the crashing waves, and the booming thunder.

xxxx

/1:20 ST, Moonflow/

Lutzwin sighed irritably. Even though the shoopuf ride was slow and – admittedly – relaxing, he was becoming impatient. Although the sight of the morning sun's glow on the river was pleasant to the eye, it did nothing to calm him. "Kuvod…I still don't understand why we couldn't have simply rented a boat."

Kuvod chuckled on the opposite side of the shoopuf carriage, his lips contorted into a smirk. "My dear Lutzwin, you're far too anxious and edgy. Take the time to enjoy the slow ride."

"I HAVE been patient. We could've gone with a hovercraft on the Mi'ihen Highroad, but you had to take walking on-foot, and then chocobos. We could've rented a hovercraft to cross Mushroom Rock Canyon, but you chose the cable cars. We COULD'VE gotten to the Moonflow by hovercraft, but you chose to WALK. You've done nothing but make our trip LONGER!" Lutzwin breathed heavily, his rant finally over.

This caused Kuvod to smile. "I'm only acting logical. Renting hovercraft draws too much attention. After all – even though you're on leave – Gestohl wouldn't be happy if he discovered you're tracking Teela…"

"…I see your point," muttered Lutzwin, his blue Guardsman armor shining in the morning light.

A few minutes of silence passed.

Then, Richard Kuvod said, "I should have you know that one of the people traveling with Teela is an Al Bhed name Aaron."

Lutzwin was silent.

Then, he silently stomped his armored foot on the floor. "Wonderful…just wonderful…as if I didn't have enough troubles…why HIM of all people?"

"Heh. A lot of people are focusing on Teela and those around her, correct?" cracked Kuvod. As he spoke, he pulled out the tracking device Taberr had given him…and, thankfully, the tracker beacon Taberr had slipped onto Hirum was still there.

Right now, the beacon was settled directly on the region of Guadosalam.

"Even though you're getting impatient Lutzwin, be a little less eager…we've almost caught up with them." Kuvod then flashed Lutzwin a grin. "I'm certain you want to catch up with them after all. Especially Teela."

Lutzwin, despite his frustrated disposition, couldn't help but smile. "Yes…" After all, he had an old grudge to settle.

xxxx

/12:25 ST, Besaid Island/

Besaid Island was in the same timeframe as Luca.

Right now, on a cliff overlooking Besaid's western beaches, two summoners were battling. The battle was almost over.

"Elemental Dragon. Crush his aeon."

The result was easy to see.

With the sound of metal being crunched, the mighty Elemental Dragon crushed the Machina Maw aeon with one foot. Moments later, the spare parts of the aeon dissipated into pyreflies.

The summoner that had summoned the Machina Maw was a Besaid native; although he was an SSoB graduate, the M-Maw had been his only aeon. He hadn't even been able to claim Blitzan yet. He didn't even have a guardian. His clothing was simple and scant; much like Besaid natives usually wore.

He had stood no choice against the dark-haired summoner he had faced.

The Elemental Dragon was dismissed by none other Terros. His pale blue eyes glared quietly at the summoner he had just defeated. "Useless."

Terros' guardians immediately began taunting.

"You thought you could defeat Terros? Fool!" boasted Savin, his biceps bulging. "No one can defeat the greatest summoner of Baaj!"

Purga merely juggled an orb of fire magic with one hand. "Heck…even WE could beat you. You're pathetic."

The Besaid summoner flinched as he fell to his knees. His voice was shaky and rattled with fear; he had been defeated so quickly. "F-F-F-Fine…you win……now…I'll be on my way…"

Terros' mouth shifted into a terrifying and cold grin. "No."

The summoner frowned. "…w-what do you mean…?"

Terros held both hands forward. "You are nothing but a weakling." The right hand glowed with a red aura. "You amount to nothing." The left hand glowed orange. "I defeated you with ease…and only the strongest can be summoners. The weak are nothing more than trash…and the weak have to be weeded out."

The Besaid summoner's face suddenly became filled with pain as he finally understood what Terros was getting at. "No…y-you can't! That's not-"

"Right?" Terros chuckled. "Fool. There is only the goal: the destruction of Sin. I will use whatever means I have at my disposal to reach that goal. If YOU tried to face Sin, you would be annihilated. It would be as if you walked straight into the jaws of death." A cold smile adorned the summoner's face as the aura coating both hands glowed brightly. "I'm simply saving you the trouble of going on a pointless journey. Hope you enjoy the afterlife."

Then, he clenched his right hand into a fist.

"FIRAGA!"

The Besaid summoner was enveloped by a massive fountain of red fire.

Terros clenched his left hand into a fist.

"FLARE!"

The summoner was enveloped by white and orange non-elemental flames.

The summoner didn't even have time to scream. The flames devoured his body in a flash.

Seconds later, the flames died away.

The only thing left of the Besaid native were ashes.

Needless to say, Savin and Purga were noticeably…well, shocked. Savin feebly asked, "Uh…Terros sir…was that…really necessary…?"

Terros flashed him a cold glare. "I can easily do the same to you. Never forget that."

Savin froze.

Terros then turned around and walked away. "Come. I have an aeon to claim."

Terros quietly walked ahead of Savin and Purga, both of whom followed slowly and fearfully. The ashes of the Besaid native blew away in the wind.

No one else would ever learn of his fate.

xxxx

/Sphere Room, Unknown Area/

Rosho sighed. It had been one of many in the past few hours.

To be truthful, he was frightened. He had been witness to the meeting of the Maesters, and the talk between Neru and Masho.

He was worried.

The ABTC and the BTC were monsters, in a sense. Perhaps more monstrous than Sin.

Because EVERYONE knew Sin was a monster.

Many people perceived the ABTC and BTC to be nothing more than legitimate companies in the technological market.

How wrong…how wrong…

Because those two companies were ruthless when it came to competition…and they were willing to do whatever it took to come out on top.

And right now, Hirum, Teela, and Trigon were right in the middle of it…because those three were the three keys to the plan. The other guardians in Hirum's group were irrelevant in the long run.

Rosho sighed as he used a rag to clean the glass dome covering his head. Sometimes, he wondered why he worried so much. It wasn't like he could do anything to help out. Not at this point anyway.

After all, he was just an old man.

xxxx

/1:34 ST, Tree Branches, Great Guadulien Oak/

Outside of Guadosalam – on the branches near the top of the Great Oak – Mog sat quietly. His narrow eyes gazed northward. Even though he saw the great dark clouds of the Thunder Plains, he was actually thinking about what lay beyond them.

Macalania Forest…or, at least, what remained of it.

Mog sighed as he flexed his tiny wings; he was eternally grateful for what Serena had done for him. Thanks to her use of him as a conduit for her magic, his own magic stores had grown considerably in a short amount of time...so in gratitude, he had let her know the moogle tongue; when they spoke,the Psy Mage would be able to understand them.

Speaking of moogles, there weren't many left. Aside from him, there were only a few dozen moogles left. The rest of them – of which there were thousands – were in the depths of that dead forest…sealed away by an unseen threat.

"Kupo."

Mog tilted his head to see another moogle walk toward him. This one was larger than him by several inches…and there were a few dot-like scars running across his right arm. Mog asked, "Kupo?"

The larger moogle nodded. "Kukukupo. Kupo."

Mog frowned; judging from what the other moogle said, five moogles had entered Macalania Forest on their own. They had attempted to fight and defeat the threat on their own…but they had not returned. "Kupo…"

The other moogle sneered. "KU."

"Kupo!" Mog wasn't sure why the other moogle was so hesitant about his plan; HE knew that Serena and her human companions would be able to come through.

The fate of the moogles depended on it.

xxxx

/1:49 ST, Library of Seevo, Guadosalam/

Aaron sighed as he sat in a chair; the chair was actually carved out of a large bump in the wooden wall. The chair had been contoured and smoothened out so that one could sit comfortably in it. As he held a book in his hands, he glanced around.

The Library of Seevo – named in honor of the former Maester that had given his life to stop Sin – was basically a large, cylindrical room with a diameter of 250 feet and a height of 400 feet. The actual bookshelves were actually remnants of the wood that had once filled the whole room; since this room was to become a library, part of the wood had been left intact so they would serve as the shelves. These bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, and they were all lined with hundreds of books. Light was provided from the ever familiar glowing flowers…but there were also some shafts carved into the wall that let sunlight in.

Aaron quietly pulled his communication module out of his backpack. Okay…I've got the book…now to connect to the main ABTC database. To be honest, he had been surprised to find a book that contained information on Terrance Gorio. It was titled 'Folklore of Spira'; obviously, it dealt with famous – and infamous – tales, legends, and myths of Spira's history.

Of course, he wanted to confirm anything he found in the ABTC database. That's why he pulled out a microphone from one of his belt pouches and connected it to the module. He tugged at the sleeve of his skintight blue tank top, waiting for the module to power up. Once it did, he quickly selected the 'Information Access' option on the screen.

After selecting it, white words appeared on the translucent green screen.

'PLEASE ENTER INFORMATION SPECIFICATIONS'

Aaron spoke into the microphone. "Main ABTC Database."

The screen flickered a moment as the module connected to the main database for the Al Bhed Technologies Commission. Moments later, another set of words flickered into existence.

'INPUT CODE'

Aaron whispered into the microphone. "Those armed with knowledge shall be victorious."

Aaron was in. He quickly did a search for all articles pertaining to Terrance Gorio. As the module searched through the database, the Al Bhed quickly opened the Folklore book to find the pages dedicated to Terrance.

Minutes later, he had found the pages, and he had gotten all necessary articles in the ABTC database.

So…he read.

As he continued to read, he reached for one of the several green tubes sticking out of the wooden wall near his chair. They were directly connected to the veins that ran through the Great Guadulien Oak…so why were these tubes sticking out?

Well, watch.

Aaron grabbed one of the tubes, pulled it toward his face – the tube was very stretchy – and began sucking on it. He silently began drinking from the veins themselves.

You see, the very liquid that flowed through the Great Oak's veins was a drinkable substance. Throughout Guadosalam – mostly in the dwellings – these tubes, which were connected to the veins of the tree, dangled out of the wall. The liquid itself tasted like water, but it possessed a hint of fruity taste.

Aaron smacked his lips as he finished sipping from the veins. He let the tube slide out of his hand before continuing his reading. And thus, he continued to read.

And read.

And read.

The more he read, the more he frowned…and the more his mouth dropped out of shock. "No way…no way…" He was muttering to himself…out of excitement.

If this information was true…then…then…it meant that what had happened to Terrance Gorio had happened…to Teela…

A smile came to his face as he thought about the possibilities. Sure, he had thought about the usefulness of Teela's abilities…but after Folgin, he came to the conclusion that the 'Boss' would have nothing to do with fiend-related research.

But with THIS new information…

Aaron smiled. He could pull some strings; the ABTC wouldn't even NEED Serena if his new suspicions about Teela were true! The thief's value had just quintupled; the ABTC would jump FAR ahead of Teela if they could properly examine her.

His smile became wider. It was perfect! All he had to do was convince the Boss to green light his plan. He would have the resources to relocate Teela to the Sanubia Desert Complex at Bikanel, because he KNEW she wouldn't go without a fight. And he would finally get her out of Hirum's hair! What could be better?

Aaron's smile turned into a grin. Perfect. To make sure everything was a done deal, he reread everything.

xxxx

/2:00 ST, Eye of Yevon, Guadosalam/

"It's about time we got here!" irritably said Teela.

Hirum ignored Teela's words. His dull blue eyes stared ahead at the image before him.

The root they had walked in was the longest of them all; it had taken an hour to get here, after all. The wood was dark and purplish in comparison to the trunk of the tree, and the veins here were red in color. Twenty yards ahead of the group was a small ramp that led to a bridge suspended in midair. That bridge connected to the symbol of Yevon, which floated in midair. It floated due to some kind of unseen force, and the actual symbol was made of ivory. As for the eye…well, replacing the eye was a vortex that glowed with the colors of the rainbow.

It was the Eye of Yevon. Pyreflies floated around the relatively dark expanse: they were harbingers of what lied on the opposite side of the Eye. Standing guard beside the ramp were four Guado Guardsmen. It was a precaution; after all, if there was going to be a repeat of the Vegnagun incident – where the Farplane became an actual threat – they wanted to have someone there to alert the populace.

Hirum quietly walked up the ramp. Serena silently followed, with Cid right behind her. He held the BTC-4 laser rifle tightly should something unexpected happen. Teela was behind them both.

One by one, they entered the Eye of Yevon.

xxxx

They stepped onto a platform made of red wood…and the sight of the Farplane assaulted their senses.

Hirum and Serena immediately gasped the moment they exited the portal. Even Cid was surprised by the sight before them. Teela was not; she had seen it before.

High above them, clouds tinted with golden and orange coloring swirled around an upside-down mountain. The black mountain was lined with waterfalls that fell UPWARD along the slope. The peak was capped with snow as white as can be. Far in the distance to the east was a blazing sun, casting the sky around it in a bright yellow glow. To the west was a blue moon, and the sky around it was as black as midnight. The northern and southern borders between these polar opposites were like the sky was between day and night. From the clouds above were columns of crystal-clear water that crashed into the ground far below, creating a vast sea. Many islands sat in this sea, and lush forests, shimmering palm trees, and groves of multi-colored flowers covered them. Finally, an innumerable number of pyreflies floated through the air, basking the whole region with their cry.

The Farplane.

Serena was slack-jawed. "Wow…"

Hirum was just as mesmerized. "Unreal…" He had heard Maejin Yaima describe the Farplane for him…but it was nothing compared to actually seeing, hearing, smelling, and experiencing it.

Cid remained silent as he gazed at the horizons around him. Then, as Serena got near the edge of the platform, he quickly said, "Don't get too close."

"Okay," replied Serena. As she stepped back, she thought about how protective Cid was of her. In a way, he was sort of like an overprotective parent…and multiply 'overprotective' by a hundred.

Suddenly, two familiar images popped into being in front of her. The sight of them caused her eyes to tear.

It was Darien and Mariah…her parents. They looked just as they had when Serena had last seen them…except they were clean.

"Mommy…daddy…" Serena immediately embraced them.

Well, she tried to. Her arms went straight through them. Her face suddenly contorted into one of shock. She couldn't touch them. "Huh…? But…why…?"

Hirum's voice was melancholy as he gazed into the sky at the moon. "The images you're seeing are those reacting to your memory. The pyreflies react to that by manifesting themselves as the souls of the dead…so if the person you're thinking of is dead, you'll see them…" The summoner sighed as he gazed at the two figures that had materialized in front of him. "Even if they're not real…"

Those two figures were of his parents.

His father wore blue pants made of rough denim, and his muscular upper body was adorned by nothing more than a brown vest. Black sandals adorned his rough-hewn feet, and his skin was quite tanned. His black facial hair was neatly trimmed, and his black hair was shaven down to a millimeter. His blue eyes held a sense of fierce protection, yet kindness.

His mother wore green shorts that went down to her knees. An orange short covered her upper body, and large red sash was wrapped around her waist. She wore brown slip-on shoes on her feet, and beneath the shoes were white socks. Her skin was slightly tanned, making her whiter skin contrast against her husband. Her brown hair fell down to her hips, and her dull green eyes possessed great love.

"…it's still nice to see them," finished the summoner. As the two images disappeared, he sighed. Now…there's only one left…

"Hi…"

Hirum suddenly flinched. So did Serena, Cid…and ESPECIALLY Teela.

Hirum suddenly saw the image of his childhood friend appear in front of him.

Siana.

Her red eyes gleamed at them…and her body's image seemed to flicker, as if she wasn't fully there. Oh, and there was the fact that she had spoken.

Hirum sputtered, "S…Siana…?"

Siana giggled. "Silly Hirum…you don't know anything…" She then turned her gaze to Teela, who remained stoic under the young girl's stern gaze.

Siana giggled again. "You…the one whose hands have my blood upon them…tee hee hee…"

That statement caused Hirum to whirl around at Teela, who still looked stoic. Those words…does…that mean…does it mean…that… "Teela…she's saying…did…did you…KILL her?"

Teela said nothing. Finally, she lifelessly said, "You could say that."

Hirum's dull blue eyes suddenly flared open. "You……you……killed her…?"

On the sidelines, Serena's yellow eyes suddenly gazed into Siana's red eyes. "…why are you looking at me…?"

Siana giggled again. Tee hee…you can hear my thoughts, can't you…?

what? Serena suddenly gasped. You…can talk to my head?

All spirits of the Farplane can…it's just that your powers actually let you hear what we're saying… Siana giggled as she disappeared, her voice echoing through Serena's head. I think I'll let you see what the Farplane REALLY is…

Then, Serena suddenly felt as if a foot had kicked her brain. With a deafening thud, she fell to the ground.

Cid saw her fall. On impulse, he yelled, "SERENA!"

Hirum didn't pay attention to what had befallen Serena. Neither did Teela.

Teela suddenly said, "I don't want to fight you right now…but let me warn you: you don't want to cross me…BOY."

"I don't care…" growled Hirum. "I never found out what happened to Siana…I just assumed that she had died during Sin's attack…but to find that I've been traveling with her killer?" The summoner snarled as his hands glowed with an orange aura: the magic of Flare. "You know Teela…I was actually starting to respect you a little…but after finding out that you had killed my best friend…"

Suddenly, as quick as he could, Hirum dashed at Teela, roaring with all his might.

"…then there can be NO FORGIVENESS!"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 51: Fracture

xxxx

Author's Notes: Longest chapter ever!

Well, I think I touched on a majority of the characters here…and I've started a few new subplots too! Try and sink your teeth into the one involving Mog. ;)

See you soon, and please review!