Grar, lossa feedback. Ieee! More story!
Chapter 20 Into the Ice
Silence...
Auron knelt into the water, his heavy eyelid struggling to stay open after his most recent activities. Hunched, his sculpted bare back faced the rim of the water as his ungloved hands brought the refreshing liquid to his rough face, buying precious little time until he would collapse from exhaustion. It had been so long since he had felt this way, so at peace. It was like perhaps a piece of him that had been gnawing away at his core had been removed, and found wondrous release with Rikku just an hour ago. Before, should he have done such a thing, it would have been a joke, just a game for those still alive. Tonight... tonight had had such meaning to his ancient and dusty heart.
Behind him, he heard Rikku scurrying around, doing Yevon knows what. He was actually too deep in his thoughts to hear her enter the water. She enwrapped her arms around his bare torso, submerging them both as they sat upon the pool's floor. The small body of water was shallow enough, for their heads remained above the surface. Still on his lean back, Rikku brought her head next to his, nuzzling his ear. "That was nice..." She whispered, wrapping her hands over his chiseled chest. "I didn't know dead people could do that."
Auron shut his eye at the sensation of her breath on his ear. "Well, neither did I," he countered, so tempted to just keep the eye closed and sleep in the water. Rikku drew her hands under his arms and under water, where she began to massage the thick muscles at the shoulder blades. He moaned, his head falling back against her shoulder, eyes closed. Her hands removed the knots and twists she found, her fingers traveling the length of his lower back and then returning to the base of his neck. A few minutes later, she realized her massage had worked perhaps too well, as he slept soundly upon her shoulder. Uhoh.
"Hey, wake up, Auron. Hay!" She pleaded, pondering the horror of asking Kimahri to help drag the naked swordsman back to camp. She shuddered. Well, at least she was dressed.
But Auron remained oblivious to her pleads, his face peaceful and calm. An evil grin spread itself across Rikku's face. Mwaha! She quickly leaned back letting the man slip into the water with a slight plop. Gurgling, Auron broke the surface, eye wide open. His eye narrowed as the Al Bhed attempted to flee deeper into the pool. He dove, his thick body slicing through the water.
Rikku whipped around, half expecting Auron to be chasing her or at least glaring at her. But... he wasn't there. Um... where did he go?
She yelped as she was pulled below the water, powerful hands dragging her down. She found herself face to face with a grinning Auron, as his hands wrapped themselves around her neck and pulled her close.
************************
The two made their way back to camp relatively dry about an hour later. All was calm and peaceful, minus that look Rikku caught Kimahri giving them behind their backs.
Rikku huddled beside the fire, chilled. Auron checked on Yuna, and the others, please to find them all sleeping peacefully. He placed a gloved hand upon Rikku's shoulder, urging her to follow. She stood shakily, mourning the loss of warmth as she left the fire.
Auron lay upon the soft bedroll with a heavy sigh, easing his weight beneath the covers. Rikku sniffled. No more bedrolls? Auron took hold of her ankle, inviting her to his side with a single look. She slid next to him, pressing her face into the hollow of his neck. He pulled the covers over her slender shoulders as they both fell to sleep, cradled against each other.
***********************
The following morning they stood outside the mysterious cave beneath the bridge that separated the Calm Lands from the foothills of Mt. Gagazet. Lulu was already entering the cave, followed by Tidus and Auron. Rikku shuddered. She had a really bad feeling about this.
Upon entering the cave, strange clouds of colored mists filtered into the air. Hours of wandering left them in an open chamber, staring into the eyes of a woman summoner. Lulu choked when she saw her... Oh no, Rikku thought. It was Lulu's old summoner, the one who died. Unsent, like she and Auron, the woman's gaze was harsh. "Be strong," Auron whispered to Rikku, gripping her hand tightly. Yuna gazed to Auron, and he told the summoner with out words to send the woman before them. Yuna nodded, while the two unsent behind her slid back, behind the other guardians and out of view.
As Yuna began to dance, Rikku let out a silent gasp. An incredible pull was yanking upon the very core of her being, painful and agonizing. She fell to her knees, a blinding haze of white clouding her vision. Beside her Auron did the same, but quickly wrapped his arms around her quaking shoulders. He himself winced, fighting the overwhelming call of the farplane. He mashed his lips to hers, struggling to hold them both to this world through a touch, a taste.
The battle of wills was over almost as soon as it started, as the dead summoner waved a red-hazed hand, causing Yuna to freeze. Rikku collapsed into Auron's chest, gasping silently.
"There isn't anything left of you, is there?" Lulu asked sadly, as they began combat with her late summoner. Auron and Rikku stated behind, dragging deep breaths into their heaving lungs. At least no one had noticed his or her ailment prior to the battle.
They fought a strange looking Aeon, and his... dog. The battle was mostly using magics, as the Aeon had strong defenses against physical attacks. Lulu cast thundaga over and over, as Yuna healed herself, Lulu and Kimahri. Wakka stood behind them, but in front of the quaking couple behind, oblivious to their struggles.
Rikku panted heavily into Auron's chest, his own breaths beating on her hair. "That... sucked..." Rikku whispered, clutching his red coat.
"Indeed," swallowed Auron, his breaths slowing as he relaxed, thanking whatever gods were listening that they were still on Spira.
A short while later, the late summoner was sent, and her Aeon gone. The troop went forward, to visit the faith. "Tidus!" Rikku hissed, getting the teenager's attention. "Did you think about what Lulu said!? We can stop the pilgrimage by not using the aeons!" Rikku bounced up and down happily. Tidus thought about it... it was an... idea. They ginned to each other with glee.
"Hey! Let's go, ya?" Barked Wakka, and they followed the others to the fayth. The chamber was large, with strange strands of cloth lying above the frozen statue of the fayth. Yuna knelt and prayed, summoning the form of a handsome man with his dog. He said he was Yojimbo, a forgotten fayth.
"What? He's charging us to use him? What is up with that?" grumbled Rikku, as Auron hushed her from behind. They argued over price for a few minutes, finally agreeing upon 210,200 gil. Rikku's jaw dropped. No way. That was a LOT of cash. This aeon had better have some sweet moves.
Half the day spent retrieving the aeon, the troop began their journey again, through the small tunnel and into the bright and frigid cold of the mountain. The ice and snow was a brutal elemental force, praying on the weak. Only the strongest of people would survive this mountain. Rikku swallowed at the thought. She paused, allowing a gap to form between herself and the group. Auron noticed this, and fell behind as well.
"What... was that?" She whispered, huddling next to his warm jacket. He raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she meant. "That... that horrible feeling," she said lowly, shuddering at the thought, or the biting cold, whichever.
"That is... what one feels when they are being pulled to the farplane. It is what draws souls from their bodies to journey to the final resting place," explained the swordsman, gazing up at the blinding white sky. His hair was tossed brutally in the wind, flecks of silver and black flying in front of his eyes. "It is most unpleasant if you attempt to resist." Rikku snorted. Yea, she'd gotten that part all right. Shivering, she huddled next to Auron, trying to hide from the biting wind that attacked her exposed flesh. Auron smirked. "After all this, I'd wonder why you hadn't purchased a jacket..." he chided. Rikku sneezed, sniffling.
They journeyed onwards for several more hours, pushing the limit to the fullest. At long last, Yuna requested leave, and they searched for a safe place to set up camp. Kimahri spotted a small cave several yards up ahead. The party fought the wind, dragging themselves to the site. Rikku was the last inside, sneezing fitfully in the process.
"Look, we weren't the first ones here," Tidus said, pointing to a stack of wood in the corner. Auron was pleased, they would be able to have a fire. Wakka and Tidus began preparations for building the little inferno whilst Lulu and Yuna searched their packs for something to eat. The little alcove was damp and cold, but it cut the wind, something the party was ever thankful for. Kimahri stood at the entrance, looking wistfully into the distance. Rikku came to the large cat-being's side.
"Are you going to see your family?" She asked, following the Rhonso's gaze to the high peaks above.
"Kimahri think so. Kimahri will fight."
"Why?" asked Rikku.
Kimahri sighed. "Kimahri not get along well with brothers..." he grumbled, trailing off. Not knowing what to say, Rikku just patted his arm and returned to the interior of the cave. Wakka had started a fire, thank the gods. She curled up next to it, unaware of sleep as it crept upon her.
Tidus almost tripped over Rikku's prone form. "Hay!" he yelped, colliding with the narrow cave wall. "When did she get there?" He asked, shaking his head as wisps of blond shook side to side. Yuna smiled and laughed quietly.
Auron moved from his place against the wall, and bent over, lifting the girl into his arms. He placed her gently on his pre-spread bedroll, pulling the blankets over her shivering form. He sat next to her, his eyes staring at a place unseen by the others. Only a little longer, and the end would come. Or perhaps, if Jecht had been correct, a new beginning...
***spaz has like, a temp of 102 and it SUCKS. Cold medicine is really scary stuff, so if this chapter is off, that's why. Eee. I'm going to go crash now.
-spazkit
Chapter 20 Into the Ice
Silence...
Auron knelt into the water, his heavy eyelid struggling to stay open after his most recent activities. Hunched, his sculpted bare back faced the rim of the water as his ungloved hands brought the refreshing liquid to his rough face, buying precious little time until he would collapse from exhaustion. It had been so long since he had felt this way, so at peace. It was like perhaps a piece of him that had been gnawing away at his core had been removed, and found wondrous release with Rikku just an hour ago. Before, should he have done such a thing, it would have been a joke, just a game for those still alive. Tonight... tonight had had such meaning to his ancient and dusty heart.
Behind him, he heard Rikku scurrying around, doing Yevon knows what. He was actually too deep in his thoughts to hear her enter the water. She enwrapped her arms around his bare torso, submerging them both as they sat upon the pool's floor. The small body of water was shallow enough, for their heads remained above the surface. Still on his lean back, Rikku brought her head next to his, nuzzling his ear. "That was nice..." She whispered, wrapping her hands over his chiseled chest. "I didn't know dead people could do that."
Auron shut his eye at the sensation of her breath on his ear. "Well, neither did I," he countered, so tempted to just keep the eye closed and sleep in the water. Rikku drew her hands under his arms and under water, where she began to massage the thick muscles at the shoulder blades. He moaned, his head falling back against her shoulder, eyes closed. Her hands removed the knots and twists she found, her fingers traveling the length of his lower back and then returning to the base of his neck. A few minutes later, she realized her massage had worked perhaps too well, as he slept soundly upon her shoulder. Uhoh.
"Hey, wake up, Auron. Hay!" She pleaded, pondering the horror of asking Kimahri to help drag the naked swordsman back to camp. She shuddered. Well, at least she was dressed.
But Auron remained oblivious to her pleads, his face peaceful and calm. An evil grin spread itself across Rikku's face. Mwaha! She quickly leaned back letting the man slip into the water with a slight plop. Gurgling, Auron broke the surface, eye wide open. His eye narrowed as the Al Bhed attempted to flee deeper into the pool. He dove, his thick body slicing through the water.
Rikku whipped around, half expecting Auron to be chasing her or at least glaring at her. But... he wasn't there. Um... where did he go?
She yelped as she was pulled below the water, powerful hands dragging her down. She found herself face to face with a grinning Auron, as his hands wrapped themselves around her neck and pulled her close.
************************
The two made their way back to camp relatively dry about an hour later. All was calm and peaceful, minus that look Rikku caught Kimahri giving them behind their backs.
Rikku huddled beside the fire, chilled. Auron checked on Yuna, and the others, please to find them all sleeping peacefully. He placed a gloved hand upon Rikku's shoulder, urging her to follow. She stood shakily, mourning the loss of warmth as she left the fire.
Auron lay upon the soft bedroll with a heavy sigh, easing his weight beneath the covers. Rikku sniffled. No more bedrolls? Auron took hold of her ankle, inviting her to his side with a single look. She slid next to him, pressing her face into the hollow of his neck. He pulled the covers over her slender shoulders as they both fell to sleep, cradled against each other.
***********************
The following morning they stood outside the mysterious cave beneath the bridge that separated the Calm Lands from the foothills of Mt. Gagazet. Lulu was already entering the cave, followed by Tidus and Auron. Rikku shuddered. She had a really bad feeling about this.
Upon entering the cave, strange clouds of colored mists filtered into the air. Hours of wandering left them in an open chamber, staring into the eyes of a woman summoner. Lulu choked when she saw her... Oh no, Rikku thought. It was Lulu's old summoner, the one who died. Unsent, like she and Auron, the woman's gaze was harsh. "Be strong," Auron whispered to Rikku, gripping her hand tightly. Yuna gazed to Auron, and he told the summoner with out words to send the woman before them. Yuna nodded, while the two unsent behind her slid back, behind the other guardians and out of view.
As Yuna began to dance, Rikku let out a silent gasp. An incredible pull was yanking upon the very core of her being, painful and agonizing. She fell to her knees, a blinding haze of white clouding her vision. Beside her Auron did the same, but quickly wrapped his arms around her quaking shoulders. He himself winced, fighting the overwhelming call of the farplane. He mashed his lips to hers, struggling to hold them both to this world through a touch, a taste.
The battle of wills was over almost as soon as it started, as the dead summoner waved a red-hazed hand, causing Yuna to freeze. Rikku collapsed into Auron's chest, gasping silently.
"There isn't anything left of you, is there?" Lulu asked sadly, as they began combat with her late summoner. Auron and Rikku stated behind, dragging deep breaths into their heaving lungs. At least no one had noticed his or her ailment prior to the battle.
They fought a strange looking Aeon, and his... dog. The battle was mostly using magics, as the Aeon had strong defenses against physical attacks. Lulu cast thundaga over and over, as Yuna healed herself, Lulu and Kimahri. Wakka stood behind them, but in front of the quaking couple behind, oblivious to their struggles.
Rikku panted heavily into Auron's chest, his own breaths beating on her hair. "That... sucked..." Rikku whispered, clutching his red coat.
"Indeed," swallowed Auron, his breaths slowing as he relaxed, thanking whatever gods were listening that they were still on Spira.
A short while later, the late summoner was sent, and her Aeon gone. The troop went forward, to visit the faith. "Tidus!" Rikku hissed, getting the teenager's attention. "Did you think about what Lulu said!? We can stop the pilgrimage by not using the aeons!" Rikku bounced up and down happily. Tidus thought about it... it was an... idea. They ginned to each other with glee.
"Hey! Let's go, ya?" Barked Wakka, and they followed the others to the fayth. The chamber was large, with strange strands of cloth lying above the frozen statue of the fayth. Yuna knelt and prayed, summoning the form of a handsome man with his dog. He said he was Yojimbo, a forgotten fayth.
"What? He's charging us to use him? What is up with that?" grumbled Rikku, as Auron hushed her from behind. They argued over price for a few minutes, finally agreeing upon 210,200 gil. Rikku's jaw dropped. No way. That was a LOT of cash. This aeon had better have some sweet moves.
Half the day spent retrieving the aeon, the troop began their journey again, through the small tunnel and into the bright and frigid cold of the mountain. The ice and snow was a brutal elemental force, praying on the weak. Only the strongest of people would survive this mountain. Rikku swallowed at the thought. She paused, allowing a gap to form between herself and the group. Auron noticed this, and fell behind as well.
"What... was that?" She whispered, huddling next to his warm jacket. He raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she meant. "That... that horrible feeling," she said lowly, shuddering at the thought, or the biting cold, whichever.
"That is... what one feels when they are being pulled to the farplane. It is what draws souls from their bodies to journey to the final resting place," explained the swordsman, gazing up at the blinding white sky. His hair was tossed brutally in the wind, flecks of silver and black flying in front of his eyes. "It is most unpleasant if you attempt to resist." Rikku snorted. Yea, she'd gotten that part all right. Shivering, she huddled next to Auron, trying to hide from the biting wind that attacked her exposed flesh. Auron smirked. "After all this, I'd wonder why you hadn't purchased a jacket..." he chided. Rikku sneezed, sniffling.
They journeyed onwards for several more hours, pushing the limit to the fullest. At long last, Yuna requested leave, and they searched for a safe place to set up camp. Kimahri spotted a small cave several yards up ahead. The party fought the wind, dragging themselves to the site. Rikku was the last inside, sneezing fitfully in the process.
"Look, we weren't the first ones here," Tidus said, pointing to a stack of wood in the corner. Auron was pleased, they would be able to have a fire. Wakka and Tidus began preparations for building the little inferno whilst Lulu and Yuna searched their packs for something to eat. The little alcove was damp and cold, but it cut the wind, something the party was ever thankful for. Kimahri stood at the entrance, looking wistfully into the distance. Rikku came to the large cat-being's side.
"Are you going to see your family?" She asked, following the Rhonso's gaze to the high peaks above.
"Kimahri think so. Kimahri will fight."
"Why?" asked Rikku.
Kimahri sighed. "Kimahri not get along well with brothers..." he grumbled, trailing off. Not knowing what to say, Rikku just patted his arm and returned to the interior of the cave. Wakka had started a fire, thank the gods. She curled up next to it, unaware of sleep as it crept upon her.
Tidus almost tripped over Rikku's prone form. "Hay!" he yelped, colliding with the narrow cave wall. "When did she get there?" He asked, shaking his head as wisps of blond shook side to side. Yuna smiled and laughed quietly.
Auron moved from his place against the wall, and bent over, lifting the girl into his arms. He placed her gently on his pre-spread bedroll, pulling the blankets over her shivering form. He sat next to her, his eyes staring at a place unseen by the others. Only a little longer, and the end would come. Or perhaps, if Jecht had been correct, a new beginning...
***spaz has like, a temp of 102 and it SUCKS. Cold medicine is really scary stuff, so if this chapter is off, that's why. Eee. I'm going to go crash now.
-spazkit