A note from the Hime no Argh herself–
A new day, a new chapter. I've finally gotten back on track with writing this story and things are going well. My spring break was very productive, but unfortunately it's almost over. Oh well, there's the summer coming, though I'm sure I'll be finished with the story by then.
Anyway, enjoy this chapter, please do review, yadda yadda.
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Chapter 21
Miralesca's Offer
Eventually Yuna drifted off to sleep, leaning on Tidus's shoulder. He kept awake, watching the morning hours pass to noon through their small window, wondering how long they would be stuck here. Would they be left to rot in here like years, like O'aka?
No. Their friends would know that they had disappeared by now, and they would figure out that the Yevon Order was behind it. They would come to the rescue soon, maybe even today. He had to believe this.
As the afternoon wore on into evening, however, it was not their friends who came, but an escort of guards. Yuna stirred as one of the guards unlocked the door to their cell.
"Let's go," the guard growled.
"Where?" Tidus demanded.
"You'll find out when we get there. Let's go."
Tidus felt Yuna press close to him, as if afraid, and suddenly wanted to refuse, but the guards were armed with rifles and clubs. Yuna could get hurt if he fought, he knew, so he put an arm around Yuna's waist to steady her, and together they followed the guards.
Their escort brought them to a dark, marbled-floored room and left them there, bolting the doors shut. Recognizing the carvings of aeons on the walls, Tidus realized they were in the place where he, Auron, Jecht, and Kimahri had met the High Priestess.
Yuna went to examine the carvings on the walls, tracing Valefor's outline with her fingers. "I thought it was all over after we defeated Sin," she said quietly. "All this violence, this corruption. I suppose it was naive of me to hope that the world would become a better place."
"It is a better place," Tidus protested. "People don't have to be afraid just to gather in one place anymore. Everyone can use machina, and the Al Bhed aren't scorned. People laugh. Of course the world is better, and that's all thanks to you."
"It isn't all thanks to me. It's thanks to all my friends, and especially you, Tidus." Yuna sighed. "But people like these–like the priests and that woman–"
The creaking of the large double doors as they swung open caught their attention, and Tidus and Yuna both looked quickly to see who the intruder was.
"You," Tidus snarled.
Miralesca's dark, glittering eyes rested on him thoughtfully for a moment, then shifted to Yuna. "So you have been reunited," she said quietly. "Congratulations."
"You lied," Yuna said, just as quietly. "About your name, your intentions, everything."
"No, I didn't," the priestess replied. "In fact, I never lied once. My name is Mirana–my real name. I've been calling myself Miralesca for years, in honor of my ancestor, but I was born Mirana.
"And I never lied about my intentions, either," she continued. "I truly did wish to see you two reunited."
"You just never said why," Tidus snapped.
She looked at him again, and a small smile formed on her lips. "Well, for that accusation I can only plead guilty."
"Then why?" Yuna demanded. "Why go through all the trouble to reunite us just to capture us and bring us here? Are you going to declare us traitors and leave us in our cell to rot?"
"I see you have been speaking with the prisoners. But they, like you, only know one half of the story. The machina generation has gone along so blissfully unaware, blind to the struggles and motivations of Yevon's followers. They do not know our desires, our designs, our reasons for what we do."
"Then explain it to us," Yuna said quietly.
Miralesca nodded. "I will tell you everything. I only hope your minds are clear enough to understand."
* * *
"I was born to be a priestess," Miralesca explained. "It became very clear from an early age that I resembled my ancestor, Yunalesca, almost exactly. What else was there to do for a descendant of Yunalesca living in Bevelle? They trained me in Yevon's religion from the time I could walk and talk, and considered me as a summoner candidate. Of course, before I came of age Lord Braska brought the Calm, and by the time that was over I was already a high priestess, second only to the maesters, and invaluable to the Yevon clergy.
"Then Sin was destroyed for good, Yevon with it, and there was no need for our religion any more. With all Spira turned against us the order began to fall apart. Seymour and Mika were dead, Kelk wanted nothing to do with Bevelle. Everyone seemed to have forgotten there was one high priestess left, and she was ready to lead.
"However, I was already working in the shadows long before the coming of the Eternal Calm. I do not deny that Yevon's order has throughout history involved the manipulation of every person around you, friend or foe. It had always been so. I, like so many others, was determined to change this; thus I, like so many others, walked the path of manipulation and corruption in order to eliminate it.
"With the support of several of my colleagues and underlings, I took power over what remained of Yevon's clergy. I eliminated the class of maester and made the position of high clergy a single position of unquestioned leadership, which I of course assumed, christening our clergy the Yevon Order.
"And our purpose? Despite what you may imagine, I truly do, and always have, wished to help Spira become a better place. Of course, who in Spira now would accept the help of Yevon's clergy? Sin was gone, and as far as they were concerned, Yevon with it."
Here Miralesca paused thoughtfully. "Funny, isn't it, the way people's minds work? With Sin to threaten their lives and all they held dear, most of Spira's people lived as honestly as they could, genuinely desiring to be good people, for they believed this would be enough to atone and send Sin away for good. A false hope, perhaps, but one that kept honesty and honor alive. Now, however, Sin is gone. Now nothing threatens the lives of those who do not live honestly and honorably.
"Since I gained power in Bevelle, I have traveled throughout Spira to get the measure of its people and see how the faith of Yevon could once again be instilled in their hearts. And I have noticed the remarkable change. Oh, it is nothing to you, who live away on your happy little island, surrounded by Spira's best–your friends, those who helped you, everyone who wished to free Spira of its pain and suffering. But I have been in the places you have not seen, met the people you have not met, and this is what I have discovered–corruption, evil, disregard for the well being of neighbors. Honesty and honor are slipping away.
"Why the change? It is because of you, because of what you have done for Spira's sake. Isn't it funny that for so many centuries people have managed to live peacefully under the threat of Sin, always doing what they can to atone? Isn't it funny that when that threat is gone, suddenly there is no need to atone any more? I tell you this now, for I am certain–without that great threat, corruption and evil will only continue to spread.
"Do you see it now? Do you realize what you have done? You are known to Spira as the ones who destroyed Sin, but I disagree. You did not destroy sin at all. You perpetuated it.
"You are here to atone for your crimes against Spira. This is why I call you the harbingers of sin, the traitors of Spira."
* * *
For several long moments after Miralesca had finished Tidus and Yuna stared at her in nothing short of amazement.
"That's insanity!" Tidus cried at last.
"No, it is not," the priestess said calmly. "It is the truth. Our purpose–the purpose of the Yevon Order–is to restore the desire to live honestly in the hearts of Spira's people, through any means necessary."
"You mean through fear tactics," Yuna supplied angrily. "You want to spread your order over Spira and rule with an iron fist, like the Yevon clergy before you did. That's why you locked up all those people, isn't it? You don't have Sin to threaten Spira with any more, so you'll resort to dirtier methods!"
"It is not a good thing, what we do," Miralesca said quietly. "You can go as far as to call it evil. But the end justifies the means. Would you see all of Spira fall into corruption and evil?"
"It won't happen!" Tidus snapped.
Miralesca's eyes flashed. "And why not?"
There was silence. Yuna and Tidus exchanged an uncertain glance.
The priestess nodded. "You agree with me. Without Sin, there is no incentive."
"Maybe so," Yuna admitted. "But this is exactly what I spent my summoning days fighting against! There shouldn't be an incentive! What right do you have to scare people into being good?"
"What right do you have to condemn Spira to sin?" Miralesca demanded.
Yuna bit her lip. "I don't know," she said quietly. "Maybe none."
"Then you and I are on the same level, Grand Summoner," Miralesca informed her. "Now, listen if you want to know why I have brought you here. I have called you Spira's traitors, and I stand by this claim. But you can atone for your sins. Work with my clergy in creating a new world."
"Are you crazy?" Tidus demanded, his voice cracking. "Join Yevon's priests? I'd rather die!"
"Then you will," Miralesca stated flatly.
The two of them stared at her in silence. "What?" Yuna finally whispered.
"This is my offer," the priestess said calmly, gazing at Yuna with level eyes. "Agree to repent your sins and join our clergy, or die as traitors at dawn tomorrow. You have tonight to consider your fate."
* * *
To be continued.
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Reader Question
Q: I have just recently signed up with fanfiction, and finished writing the first chapter to a story I plan to put up. I have tried over and over to upload it, but every time I try, I get a message that says my story is too short to post or whatever. Can you tell me what I'm supposed to be doing about that (I already tried making the thingy longer)? Oh, and if this makes any difference, I have a Mac (a stupid, STUPID Mac).
–Courtesy of Forbidden Wings
A: Well, this question has nothing to do with my story, but since it seems like you have a big problem and unfortunately I don't know the solution, I decided to put it up here so that someone who does know the solution might see it. Readers, if you have any idea what the problem is, please help this poor author.