Hey all! Sorry this one took so long, but I've been distracted. School just got out and I've been so busy for the last few weeks that writing Chapter Twenty just slipped my mind. But, anyhow, I'm back with another Chapter and the beginning of Part Two. ^_^ Hope ya likes. I'll be getting them up a bit faster now that things are beginning to straighten up. The conclusion draws nigh!
Part TWO: Memories of the Past
Chapter Twenty: The Fayth of Guardian
Oh..
My eyes fluttered open, welcoming in the calming rays of sunlight. The sky was a tranquil blue with traces of fluffy white clouds here and there, and dotted with what looked like living rainbows, twisting in the air gracefully and swishing past my face every once in awhile.
Pyreflies? Guardian's voice mused in my head. He sounded confused. Where are we?
He and I both twisted my head from side to side, taking in the scene. We were in the middle of a ruined city, complete with twisted skyscrapers and roads that looked as though an earthquake had ravaged them. Debris was strewn everywhere in the form of metals bent into odd shapes, pieces of torn rock, and shards of shattered glass.
Zanarkand? It can't be! Guardian roared, taking full control of me. I felt my body bolt into a standing position and run over to the nearest building. No! This can't be Zanarkand!
A pyrefly floated in front of my cerulean eyes, hovering there for a few seconds and then floating away, it's luminous tail seeming to tease us.
You aren't in Zanarkand. You are dreaming, Sophia's voice said gently. It is a common side effect of what I intend to do. You aren't the only wandering spirits here. Yuna, Oryon, Ruka, Sanya, and all of the rest of them are here, too.
The pyreflies had begun condensing around an area at the edge of the water and the images of three men and a woman shimmered into view.
You look at Lord Braska, Sir Jecht, Sir Auron, and Lord Braska's wife, Sophia said. You stand in Old Zanarkand. We are in the same year that Yuna and her guardians ended Sin's reign over our world.
Can they see us? I asked curiously, taking a step towards the small group.
No, Sophia answered.
Guardian was getting worked up. I could feel his frustration, anger, and a bit of despair. I don't want to be here. . he growled.
What's wrong? I asked, startled at his unusual behavior. He didn't answer.
"You're sure that this is the spot?" Auron asked Braska's wife. She nodded.
"Can you see the pyreflies concentrating around that particular area of the sea?" she asked, pointing towards the waves. Auron nodded. "That is where the temple lies."
Guardian hissed slowly. Temple. . . more like prison!
"Well? Are we goin' er what?" Jecht asked. "C'mon!"
Braska's wife took a step forward and shattered into a rain of pyreflies that zipped down into the water quickly.
Wow! I exclaimed.
Guardian barked out a derisive laugh. Wow she says.. he said to himself amusedly. Don't envy them because of that, he muttered to me. You have to die to be able to do that, and it's not a pleasant experience, believe me.
Auron followed her, with Jecht not far behind. Braska strayed for a moment, watching the pyreflies dancing innocently above the rippling waves, swirling their little tails here and there. He seemed reluctant.
His wife appeared beside him again. She wrapped her arms around one of his and looked deep into his eyes. "What bothers you?" she asked, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.
He sighed. "Is this right? Should we really go through with this? It seems to me that it could only bring more grief," he said.
"I've given this much thought," his wife said. "I wouldn't have asked you, Auron, and Jecht to do it if I didn't believe in this."
Braska smiled at her and ran his fingers through her hair playfully. "Alright, alright, you convinced me. Let's go."
The two seemed to concentrate for a moment, and then shimmered into the beautiful signs of life and death that made their visible forms.
~*~*~*~
I cried out as we were suddenly thrown into a different area, dark and sullen, with foreboding statues of gargoyle-like dragons seeming to watch us with shining ruby eyes.
Why have you brought me back here? Guardian raged.
I've done nothing, Sophia said calmly.
You're playing with me, just like that sorry excuse for an aeon, Bahamut! Guardian roared, his voice booming through my head.
Calm down! I said, trying to comfort the frenzied aeon.
You're speaking out of your mind, boy. I am not 'playing' with you; I'm trying to help you! Sophia said sounding annoyed.
Guardian wouldn't hear it. Help me how? By showing me what I've tried to forget? he asked skeptically.
We had begun moving towards the temple entrance, which was barred shut, and for a moment I forgot that Guardian and I were only there spiritually. He gave a pained whimper inside of me as we drifted through the door and down a hall, scratched and scathed with strange markings and littered with tiny rocks. Some of the scratchings on the walls were recognizable words, and a few seemed to be names, but I caught only one correctly as we passed.
Yuna?
We had come to another doorway, carved in an image greatly resembling Guardian. We passed through the door and came to a small, raised glass circle, and a statue of Guardian standing with the great blue sword in his hands.
That sword looks just like the real thing! I said, watching the water in it slosh around.
That's because it is, Guardian growled. He separated from my body for a moment and stomped over to the statue. He snorted in its face heatedly and looked it square in it's diamond eyes. Why don't you get up and do something about it? he asked the statue, bringing back a fist and trying to throw it at the image. Why don't you find some way to fix it? Guardian slumped to the floor and looked at his claws sorrowfully. It's time to wake up, he muttered, and retracted himself into me.
"Are you ready?" Auron asked, turning to Lord Braska.
The Grand Summoner nodded. "Only if you and Sophia are."
Sophia? I asked, alarmed.
"I've been ready for a while," the blonde haired woman said, spreading her arms wide. "Summon his fayth."
But. . isn't Lord Braska dead? How could he summon? I asked.
No one ever said you had to be alive to call a fayth, Sophia said.
Braska bent down onto his knees and folded his hands. The glass circle began to glow slightly, and the image of a man appeared above it.
That's you, isn't it Guardian?
Guardian snorted. Yeah, that's me.
The man seemed to be a teenager almost into adulthood. He had slightly spiked blonde hair, the same color as Guardian's skin and my own hair, and he had the same blue eyes as the both of us, only a bit more depressed.
You. . you said that Yuna was here? Guardian asked Sophia.
Yes, Sophia answered.
Guardian sighed. I don't know whether to be relieved or not.
I was confused. Everyone knew something that I didn't. What does Yuna have to do with this? I asked.
Do you remember, Guardian asked, the story of Yuna's pilgrimage?
How could I forget?
Guardian smiled. How well?
My confusion grew. Almost down to the last word, why?
Guardian laughed and said, Describe for me Yuna's lost Guardian, the one who claimed he was from Zanarkand!
~*~*~*~
Uhm.. you should know who Guardian-san is now. Uh huh. Yup.. big clue there. ^_~ Is anybody else excited about the FFX sequels? Two of them! I can't wait!