Author's Note: My apologies to Amberlee for quoting the same song she did. I just thought that these lines were appropriate for the chapter. Thank you everyone who has read and/or reviewed my story. Your reviews are very encouraging. Please excuse my failing at writing the Ronso dialogue. I even tried to improve it some, but I just can't get it right. I also added a few things here.

Kimosei stance- I'm not sure the spelling is right so forgive me if it's not. It is a low stance, in which one bends their knees and spreads their feet. Very similar to the stance Auron uses in Luca when facing off the fiend.

Another winter comes

His icy fingers creep

Into these bones of mine

These memories never sleep

-Sting (from "Ghost Story")

Then the mountain rose before me

By the deep well of desire

From the fountain of forgiveness

Beyond the ice and the fire

Cast your eyes on the ocean

Cast your soul to the sea

When the dark night seems endless

Please remember me

-Loreena McKennit (from Dante's Prayer)

The icy wind tore at Auron's coat and hair while the snow grabbed at his boots. He had gone almost completely numb some time ago. The good thing about that was that he didn't have to feel the pain of his wounds anymore. He just had to keep moving.

One foot in front of the other.

Exhaustion had already set in and he found that his mind wandered frequently. One of its favorite paths was the one that led to guilt and sorrow. He had lost his temper and now it was very likely that he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to either Jecht or Braska. He had to keep trying though.

Occasionally fiends would attack him, giving him a moment's reprieve from his tormented thoughts. The number of fiends had gone down with the defeat of Sin. They no longer had a focal point for their anger and hatred, so most just accepted their deaths and passed on to the Farplane. The remaining fiends were mostly the smaller ones with an occasional grendel.

He looked around him. Up to now he had been walking in a haze, not taking in his surroundings, just letting his feet guide him. He was standing about one hundred feet from an icy cave. Just beyond the entrance the path wound around a corner and out of sight. That path led back to Zanarkand.

Memories again. Auron shook his head and continued on.

The wind blew the top layer of snow up, creating a cloud of frost. Auron trudged on, using his sword for support. The path before him wound like the body of a snake. At least fiends would show up well against the bright snow, but then so would he. He glanced down at his attire. He probably looked like a bloodstain on the pure white snow. A grim smile crossed his features. That seemed like an appropriate summation.

He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of a low growl. Instinctively he hefted his sword on to his shoulder and crouched down into a kimosei stance his broken shoulder facing the enemy. A grendel stood a few feet from him, its head down, its mouth open in a snarl. A slow creature with huge horns that could impale a man easily, the grendel posed a minor threat. Auron eyed it, looking for weaknesses. He would wait for it to attack. He didn't have the strength to charge it. The grendel, seeming to see this, growled again and lowered its head further, to charge. It would impale this dying man on its horns so that he could join it in its misery and hatred. Auron wasn't about to let this happen, sidestepping the attack, he flung his sword down on the grendel's back, nearly cutting the creature in half. The grendel screamed in pain and rage, swinging its huge tail at Auron. It would at least hurt this man who had killed it. The massive tale slammed into Auron's right side, nearly knocking him off his feet. He gritted his teeth in pain as he felt his chest wound rip as the attack jarred every bone in his body. The creature collapsed to the snowy ground and dissolved into pyreflies.

Auron leaned heavily on his sword. He couldn't take many more fights if he was going to make it down the mountain. He slipped his hand to his wounded chest. His hand came back covered in blood.

Damn it.

He looked at the wound carefully. It wasn't bleeding too badly. He could save his remaining potion for later. He did, however, take a sip of sake from the jug at his side to help fight the pain. The alcohol coursed through his body, briefly warming him. Attaching the jug back to his belt and continuing to use his sword for support, Auron trudged on.

The path continued to wind on. It seemed like it would never end. Many times he would stumble, but luckily he caught himself each time. He had a feeling if he let himself fall to the ground he would never get back up.

One foot in front of the other.

He looked up. A single memorial sat near the edge of the cliff. He sighed, thinking of the number of guardians and summoners that had died on this mountain. He briefly wondered if he would be added to their numbers. He shook his head. He didn't need to be thinking this. It would only become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Stumbling on, he suddenly realized where he was. Soon he would reach a pass that would lead him out to where the Ronso had greeted Braska, Jecht and himself. He was almost to the bottom of the mountain.

One foot in front of the other.

The pass engulfed him in its comforting embrace. Its walls blocked out the wind and Auron could feel some sensation coming back to his body. That was a comforting sign. It meant that he wasn't suffering from frostbite anywhere. He took another sip from his sake jug and moved on.

Must get to the bottom.

Passing through the cave, Auron stumbled out into the Ronso's meeting place. Behind him the two huge columns supported a horizontal beam, making up the huge gate that guarded the cave. He looked around the opening. Initially there was no sign of the Ronso, but after Auron ventured further into the opening they started to appear. He recognized two young Ronso and locked eyes with them. The two walked over to him.

"Guardian Auron!" the taller one said, somewhat surprised. Auron thought his name was Biran. "Summoner Braska, successful?"

Auron felt the slowly healing wound over his heart tear open at the mention of that name. He lowered his head to hide the emotions. "Hmph," was his reply to the affirmative.

"Fellow Ronso!" Biran called out. "Summoner Braska was successful."

A great cry of joy, at least by Ronso standards, rang around the opening. Auron quickly glanced around the clearing and saw arms raised in praise and a few Ronso bowing in the sign of prayer. He smiled to himself. Maybe Lord Braska's sacrifice was worth it. He started to feel a little lightheaded and looked down at his wound. It was bleeding profusely now. Before he knew it he collapsed to his knees. The two Ronso that were standing near him quickly faced him.

"Guardian Auron, hurt. Yenke, get potions," Biran commanded, gesturing to the slightly shorter Ronso. Yenke rushed off to the other side of the opening to do as he was told. After a few moments he returned with two high-potions. Auron was struggling to stand.

"Hold, Guardian Auron. Let Biran help you."

Auron stayed on his knees.

Biran uncorked the high-potion. "Where is guardian injured?" he asked.

Auron wordlessly opened his coat, baring his wounded chest. Biran nodded and poured the high-potion onto Auron's chest. The wound didn't heal completely, but it closed again, the bleeding stopped. Biran uncorked the other high-potion and was getting ready to pour it on Auron's chest again when Auron stopped him.

"Don't waste it. Only a healer can help me now," he said, rising to his feet unsteadily.

Biran nodded again. "What of Guardian Auron's arm?" he asked, glancing at Auron's left arm, tucked inside his coat.

Auron carefully removed his arm from the coat, holding it with his right hand. Biran poured the potion onto Auron's left shoulder. Auron felt his collarbone mend, the pain go away. He nodded his thanks and picked his katana back up, resting it on his shoulder again. He turned to go. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Biran and Yenke bow in the sign of prayer. A bitter smile twisted his lips.

Don't waste that on me.

He rounded the corner and slipped out of sight of the Ronso. The path ahead was flanked by huge columns. The second one on the right was broken. He counted six pairs before he reached the cave that would lead him off of Mt. Gagazet.

***********

I realize that a lot of people believe that Auron died on Mt. Gagazet. I did for a long time until I read the script more closely. When Auron tells Tidus how he dies he says, "Somehow I made my way, crawling, down Mount Gagazet. But my strength left me just outside Bevelle. That's where Kimahri found me. I told him about Yuna…just before I died." I plan on having Auron meet Kimahri after he leaves Rin's Travel Agency in the Calm Lands. From then on I plan on having the two travel together until Auron collapses, asking Kimahri to take Yuna to Besaid. I realize that some of this may not be true, but I wanted to give the two time to become the friends they obviously are in the game.

I hope that you are enjoying the story so far and thanks for reading.