Zhang Tao pointed the palm of her right hand forward and at Andre as he continued up the stairs.  Using some kind of telekinesis magic, he was blown off of the stairs and to the ground.

"Andre!" Julie cried as she and Jesse hurried over to him.

Jesse pulled out his sword and stood ready for battle.  He stepped in front of his two friends in order to cover them.  "Let us through!" he yelled.

"I am sorry.  We cannot," Zhang Tao replied in her usual gentle manner.

"Just as Lord Shao Jin has his orders, so do we." Xu Lin told them, "And we have been order to keep you back at ALL costs."

Julie helped Andre up as the both of them stood ready beside their friend.

Andre twirled his lance and pointed it at the two Guardians, "Bring it on."

Shao Jin threw Anthony to the floor.  Anthony lied on his chest and looked around to see where he was. 

They were on a stone pathway that floated over a round magma pit.  The path led all the way to another stone platform where a pillar of red light shined upwards.  That was where the fayth awaited.

"I have to get there…" he said to himself softly.

"Seriously Lord Anthony…you seem like such a nice person and all, but…" Shao Jin began to say in a condescending tone.  He reached into his coat and pulled out a small dagger, "…I can't let you live."

Anthony gasped as he had just gotten onto his knees, "What?!"

"To the Farplane with you!!!" Shao Jin yelled as he threw the dagger towards Anthony.

Anthony put both of his arms in front of him and shouted, "Protect!!!"  Surrounding him was a sphere-shaped grid of magic.  The dagger hit the barrier and simply fell to the ground.

"Ahh…a White Mage as well…" Shao Jin realized, "I suppose other means will have to be used then."  He reached over to his belt and pulled out his pair of nun chucks.  He twirled them around for a while and finished in a fighting stance. 

Anthony put his hand outward as his moon inspired staff appeared.  He held it, awaiting Shao Jin's next move.

"Hagghh!!!" Shao Jin yelled as he leaped into the air and towards Anthony.  He pulled back his arm and whipped the nun chucks at Anthony.

Holding it with both hands, Anthony used his staff to block the attack.

Xu Lin put both of her hands on her belt and took off shuriken to attack with.  With immense and rapid speed, she lunged each and every one of them to her target.

Andre knew he could handle it.  Twirling and spinning his lance he was able to block every single one of the shuriken that came at him.

Jesse came up from behind Xu Lin and attempted to swipe down with his sword. 

Using a vanishing ninja technique, Xu Lin permeated through the floor beneath her and disappeared, causing Jesse to miss.

"Where'd she go?!" he asked.  He looked around to see where she was, and couldn't find her.  He looked down to his feet, where she emerged from the ground.  She came up with much force in an uppercut position.  She knocked Jesse back and to the ground.

"Jesse!" Andre yelled as he ran over to battle with the ninja master.

Xu Lin pulled out a katana blade and began to trade blows with Andre.  Andre would swipe down, to the side, to the other side, and upwards in attempting to land a hit.  Xu Lin was just as quick as he was, and was able to dodge or block each attempt.

Andre decided to use a different approach.  Using his lance, he tried to swipe underneath her to trip her.  It was to no avail, however, for Xu Lin leaped upwards, and flipped backwards.  When she finished the rotation, she kicked Andre in the chest with both legs, pushing him back.

Xu Lin decided to make her next move.  She leaped forward into the air and towards Andre, while executing a range of combinations simultaneously in the air.  She kicked him in the chest twice, one with each leg.  She twirled around to perform a spinning kick, hitting him across the face.  She then spun around once again, elbowing him in the chin and the punching him with her other arm.  To finish it off, she kneeled against him, grabbing him by his shirt and then flipped over him, causing him to flip as well, and finally throwing him across the room as he finished the rotation.

Andre was thrown so far across the room that he crashed into the wall.

"Andre!!" Jesse shouted worriedly.  He immediately leaped into the air, as his sword began to glow.  He looked downward while in the air to his target.  He spun around while shouting, "Gusting Wave!!!"  He unleashed the intense wind at Xu Lin.

Xu Lin permeated into the ground once again, dodging the attack.  She reemerged right in front of where Jesse landed.  She kicked him in the chest, but Jesse managed to grab her leg.  However, she then flipped backwards, kicking him in the face, and then we she finished the somersault, punched him in the chest with both fists.  The blow sent him flying back into the wall behind him.

Anthony flipped backwards into the air, as Shao Jin's nun chuck hit the ground where he was once standing.  Anthony landed a few more feet away, not sure of what he should do next.  He still held his staff firmly.

"Just give it up boy," Shao Jin spoke, "It is useless to try and stop me."  With incredible speed, Shao Jin ran over to Anthony.  He shot his nun chucks at Anthony's staff, wrapping around it, and then pulling it away from Anthony's hands.  He then wrapped the nun chucks around Anthony's arms, restraining him.

"Urgh…!!" Anthony grunted as he tried to break free.

"Looks like you're stuck now," Shao Jin said to him.  He approached Anthony, soon standing right in front of him. 

Anthony knew he had to do something quick before this went any further.  There was only one thing that would help him now.  He closed his eyes as four round violet colored magic circles appeared, rotating around them.  Magic was emitting from the ground below. 

"What?!" Shao Jin gasped as he released Anthony and somersaulted away from the magic.

"Valefor!!!" Anthony cried as out of the four circles, four comets shot straight upwards, and then immediately came together to form the Aeon, Valefor.  Valefor landed next to Anthony.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," Anthony replied.

"You summoned your Aeon I see," Shao Jin smirked.

"You are a disgrace to Summoners and the Yevon Religion," Valefor spoke to him, "You are not worthy of calling yourself a Summoner!"

"Don't talk to me about worth you beast!" Shao Jin snapped back.

"Get ready Valefor," Anthony told him.

Valefor began to hover just above the air.

"A duel it is then!" Shao Jin shouted, "I'll show you my own Aeon!"  Shao Jin pointed his arm forward and then upwards, "I summon thee…Pandemona!!!"

Out of the ground in between the two Summoners a tornado of wind quickly formed and spun around rapidly.  Out of the wind an Aeon emerged.  This Aeon didn't look like any animal or any common creature for that matter.  This Aeon looked much more like an alien of some sort.  He was much taller than Valefor and stood on two feet like any human.  He had skin the color of amethyst, but his legs were gray and green.  For the most part, his body's silhouette was like a human's.  At his head, he had three large yellow eyes in the shape of vertical ovals.  He had a pink and green feathery type tail at the back of his head.  At Pandemona's right shoulder was a special object that looked like a three barrel cannon.  He had long pink claws and at the sides of both of his feet were gray colored wings.

"Pandemona…" Valefor spoke.

"Pandemona…Attack!!!!" Shao Jin ordered as the Aeon began to fly towards his opponent.

Julie, the Black Mage, and Zhang Tao, the Tao Sorceress, faced off at each other.  They were about to have their own duel of sorts.

"Do you really think your Black Magic can overcome the Arts of Tao?" Zhang Tao asked her very snidely.

"I will show the magic that was taught to me by a High Mage," Julie replied.

"Show me your power then," Zhang Tao requested.

Julie pointed her arm forward as her voice echoed, "Thunder!!!"  Out of thin air, two bolts of lightning struck downward on Zhang Tao.

She responded with a Tao barrier, which was a Chinese symbol glowing in front of her.  "Is that all?" she asked, "Very well then.  I shall show you true power."  A ring of fire encircled around her as she began to incant a spell in her native language.

Julie couldn't understand a single word, but knew she had no defense magic to assist her.

Zhang Tao finished with one word that stood out, "…Huo!!!"  Pillars of flames began to shoot upwards around Julie. 

Julie had been hit a couple of times and knocked to the ground.

"You see…I have my own elemental magic as well," Zhang Tao told her.

Julie gathered her strength and stood back up.  She pointed her arm once again, "Water!!!"  She unleashed a massive wave of water at Zhang Tao.

Zhang Tao held both of her hands together and quickly teleported away.  She reappeared only a few feet away.

Julie tried again with a different spell, "Blizzard!!!"  She let out a cold, icy wind.

Zhang Tao teleported once again, dodging the attack.  She kept on teleporting away as Julie kept firing spell after spell.  None of them made a direct hit.

"How can this be?!" Julie gasped.

"You have no power over me," Zhang Tao told her, "Let us try and different spell."  She held her hands together once more as a glowing Chinese character appeared in front of them.  Duplicates of this symbol emerged and fired at Julie.  They hit the ground creating small explosions, but managed to blow Julie back and knocking her unconscious.

Valefor and Pandemona flew across the chamber, attacking one another. Valefor would try to claw at the Aeon with his claws, while Pandemona attempted to hit Valefor with kicks and punches.

Valefor then tried to use his Sonic Wings attack.  It had no affect on Pandemona, for he was a wind-type Aeon. 

"Pandemona, use Aero Punch!" Shao Jin ordered from below.

Pandemona pulled his fist back and then let out a punch that released a large wave of wind.

Valefor was able to withstand it, however.

"Dammit!" Shao Jin shouted in frustration, "Each of them are canceling out their own attacks…"

Valefor dodged one of Pandemona's swipes, and then looked over towards where the fayth lied.  He knew Anthony could make it there.  "Milord, you must make it to the fayth while you can!" he shouted.

"Huh?" Anthony wondered.

"I will hold him off…" Valefor began to say, as he clawed at Pandemona's chest, "…while you pray to the fayth."

Anthony looked across the pathway and knew it was his only opportunity.  He picked up his feet and started to dash over towards the pillar of light.

Shao Jin quickly noticed, "Oh no you don't!"

As Anthony was running, a huge explosion occurred a few feet in front of him.  Out of the lava below, a brown and furred arm with the longest claws emerged.  Soon enough, a beast leaped out and in front of Anthony.

"Oh my god!!" Anthony screamed.

This beast stood on its clawed hind legs, but its front legs were much larger and seemed more like arms.  It looked like a mix between a bear and a lion.  It had huge black horns like that of a deer's antlers.  It had hair on its head the color of the lave below as well as the same fur on his hind legs.  He had four golden bracelets, one on each arm and leg.  He lived and breathed fire.

"I see you've met my new Aeon, Ifrit!" Shao Jin laughed, "I couldn't let you get to the fayth so easily!"

"This is an Aeon…?" Anthony gasped.

"Ifrit, use Meteor Strike!" Shao Jin ordered.

Once Valefor heard the command, he began to fly over towards Anthony.  Pandemona was close behind him.

An immense sphere of red and orange colored fire magic appeared in front of Ifrit.  He pulled his fist back and then punched into the sphere, launching it at Anthony.

Anthony didn't know what to do and had little time to do anything.

However, in that split second, Valefor came to his rescue.  He grabbed Anthony by his clothing using his beak and flew off.  And since Pandemona followed him, he ended getting hit by the attack.

Valefor set Anthony down safely a few yards away.

"Thank you," Anthony sighed in relief.

"Don't think you've one yet!" Shao Jin told them, "Now you have two Aeons to face!"

Pandemona and Ifrit stood before them.

"Oh no!" Anthony cried, "What are we going to do?"

Valefor didn't know what to say.  He wasn't even sure if he could take them.

Using telekinesis magic, Zhang Tao launched Julie into the wall and then flung her across the room and into another wall. 

Julie was badly injured, and had no defense against this type of magic.  But, she knew something had to be done.  "I sure hope this works…" she said weakly, "Stop!!!"  She performed the Time spell that made a clock appear over Zhang Tao as the hands slowed down. 

Nevertheless, Zhang Tao pointed her hand at the clock as the Chinese symbol appeared and fired at the clock, destroying it.

"No!" Julie yelled.

Meanwhile, Xu Lin leaped upwards and performed a straddle, hitting both Jesse and Andre at the same time.  "This is way too easy," she said cockily.

Jesse wiped the blood from his mouth, "Dammit…"

"What…can we do?" Andre grimaced in pain, "Anthony might need us…"

"Pandemona, use your Overdrive: Tornado Zone!!!" Shao Jin ordered.

Pandemona's shoulder cannon began to vacuum enormous amounts of wind energy.  Once it gathered it all, he shot it back out at Valefor.  The wind create a massive tornado that surrounded the Aeon and spun him around like a rag doll.  The tornado shot Valefor into the rocky wall, creating a huge crater.

"Valefor!!!" Anthony shouted concernedly.

Valefor flapped his wings very weakly.  He was in bad shape.

"Oh no…" Anthony thought to himself, "He needs help, but…"  He looked over towards the fayth and knew that's where he needed to get to.  "If only Valefor could help make an opening…" he thought.  That's when Anthony remembered something!

"It's a shielding skill," Belgemine explained, "It is something that my Aeons and I have been able to acquire!  It is something we have learned from our opponents!"

Belgemine's words filled his mind.  He knew that it was the only way to win.

"Valefor!!" he shouted, "Remember what we learned today?!"

Valefor thought about it for a moment and then knew what Anthony meant, "I understand."

"Pandemona use Aero Punch!  Ifrit use your Meteor Strike!" Shao Jin commanded them.

The two Aeons released both of their attacks on Valefor.

However, this time Valefor had his own plan.  He used the shield attack that he had learned from Belgemine earlier that day.  He covered himself with his wings and fought back against the two attacks.  He then unleashed his wings and sent the attacks flying back at the two Aeons.  This time, the attacks combined together to create an even more potent one.  The larger attack hit both Aeons, stopping them for now.

"Milord, now!" Valefor shouted.

Anthony rushed over across the pathway, leaped over where Ifrit had emerged and broken the bridge, and headed towards the pillar of light.

"No!!!" Shao Jin yelled at the top of his lungs.

Anthony managed to reach the pillar just in time.  He looked down and saw the statue of a silhouette young woman.  It was the fayth of this temple.  Anthony then collected himself, performing the prayer of Yevon.  He looked up into the light to see a flash of the silhouette of his new Aeon. 

A small red light emerged from the fayth and entered Anthony's body.

"He did it!" Valefor shouted happily.

"No…" Shao Jin said to himself.  His plans were foiled.

Anthony walked back over to where the Aeons and Shao Jin were.  He saw his staff on the ground and picked it up.  He twirled in his hands and held it confidently. 

"The reason why you have lost…is because you don't have any trust nor faith in your Aeons," Anthony spoke willfully, "And now…I shall show you the fruit of our trust."

Anthony stuck his staff into the ground, and then  placed both palms facing each other and in front of him.  Magically, a sparkling and glowing orange feather emerged out of flaming light.  Anthony let it go as the feather floated down into the ground before him.  In that moment, the feather vanished, causing an enormous pillar of orange colored light to spring forth.  Out of this light, the new Aeon emerged. 

It was an enormous bird, larger than Valefor.  It was covered in the same sparkling feathers as the feather that summoned it.  Its tail had the feathers of a peacock, and showed the colors of the rainbow.  Its wings were as vast as ever and were lined with gold.

"I am Phoenix," the Aeon spoke.  It was a female.  "I am here to aide you dear Summoner," she said, looking over to Anthony.

"No!!!!!" Shao Jin's scream could be heard from the first chamber.

"Lord Shao Jin?!" Xu Lin gasped.

"He's in trouble!!" Zhang Tao cried.

The both of them began to hurry up the stairs.

"Now's…our chance!" Andre whispered.

"Ready, Julie?!" Jesse asked her.

She stood up, determined, "Yes!!"

Andre leaped into the air and performed his Breaking Slice attack, as Jesse used his Gusting Wave attack.  Julie followed by using her Fire spell.

The two Guardians were caught off guard as the three attacks crashed into the them, injuring them badly.

"Yes!" Jesse shouted joyfully.

"We did it!" Andre added.

"I believe it is time that we end this, once and for all…" Anthony spoke, "Aeons…"

"N-No…No!!!" Shao Jin yelled.

"Valefor, perform Overdrive: Energy Ray!!!" Anthony shouted, "Phoenix, use your Overdrive: Phoenix Flame!!!"

Valefor flew into the air, pulling his head back.  The purple energy began to form in front of his beak, until he unleashed it in the form of a thick laser beam.  The attack hit Pandemona, for enormous amounts of damage.

Phoenix let out its bird call, as another pillar of light sprung forth around her.  With her wings closed, she began to lift up into the air.  The light that surrounded her now gather into the insides of her orange wings.  She then spread out her glorious wings as far outward as he possibly could, releasing the light.  The rays of light shined outward like the rays of the shining sun. 

The rays hit Ifrit, attacking him and causing huge damage.

Valefor and Phoenix landed next to their Summoner, as he stood confidently.

Xu Lin and Zhang Tao stood up weakly.  That's when Andre put the blade of his lance at Xu Lin's neck and Jesse pointed his sword at Zhang Tao's.

The two female warriors knew they were beaten because of their own mistakes.

"Hmph…!  Very well then!  We'll back down…this time!" Xu Lin yelled.

"Do not think that this match is over," Zhang Tao added.

"We'll be waiting," Julie replied.

The dark lights that the two Guardians came in appeared once more, as they entered them, teleporting away.

Julie sighed in relief, "We won…"

The three of them had cuts and bruises all over from the battle.

That's when Jesse realized something, "Oh no!"

"Anthony!" Andre shouted as the three Guardians headed for the door.

The three entered to find Shao Jin and his injured Aeons facing Anthony and his two Aeons.

"Anthony!" Julie shouted in relief, "You're all right!"

"Everyone!" he replied, "Are you all right?!"

"A bit beaten up, but we'll be all right!" Jesse smiled.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" Anthony told them.

"It seems like you have everything under control!" Andre joked.

"So…you've defeated my Guardians and my Aeons today…" Shao Jin smirked to himself, "Dismiss!  Pandemona, Ifrit!"

The two injured Aeons disappeared; Pandemona in the form of wind and Ifrit in fire.

"You're surrounded Shao Jin!" Jesse yelled, having his sword held above his head in a fighting stance.

"You have lost," Julie said confidently.

"At least for now…" Shao Jin grinned evilly.  Suddenly, the dark light used to teleport appeared next to him.

"He's getting away!" Andre shouted.

Anthony didn't say a word.  He would let this corrupt Summoner escape, this time at least.

Shao Jin looked straight into Anthony's eyes.  His eyes were burning with fire.  "Lord Anthony…you have NO idea what you are up against," he spoke in an ominous tone.  With that having been said, he stepped into the light as it vanished.

"It seems you have enemies to deal with now," Phoenix stated, looking down to her Summoner.

Anthony looked up to her, "It does seem that way…but, what did he mean by that…?"

The three Guardians rushed over to Anthony.

Julie embraced him, happy to see him safe, "We feared the worst when he took you!"

Anthony smiled, "I am all right Julie"

"Agh…!" Jesse grimaced in pain as he held his arm.

"Oh no!  Jesse!" Anthony cried as he hurried over to him, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah…" he grunted, "Just been a pretty long day."

Anthony looked at each one of his Guardians to see them bruised and wounded.  "You're all badly injured!" he shouted worriedly.

"It's all right," Andre tried to say nonchalantly when he felt a pain is his chest, "Ugh…"

Julie held the side of her ribs, "His Guardians…were strong."

"Do not worry dear Summoner," Phoenix spoke to him, "I have other powers as well."  Phoenix lifted into the air once more and quickly spread out her mighty wings.  Slowly but surely, sparkling orange and red lights began to float about.  As they touched each of the Guardians' bodies, they healed all of their wounds and ailments.

Jesse stood up completely straight and felt nothing, "But, what…?"

"We're healed," Andre said in astonishment.

"Thank you Phoenix," Julie smiled to her.

Phoenix bowed her head in acknowledgement.

The morning sun dawned upon the Town of Arjuna.  No one in the village had awaken just yet.  Well, that is, except for four warriors.

Anthony and the Guardians gathered the next morning in front of the radiant Temple of Rebirth.  They had all gathered supplies and prepared to head out of town.

"Looks like we're all set," Andre stated.

Jesse yawned a bit.  It was just the break of dawn after all.

Anthony was thinking to himself for a moment, as the final words of Shao Jin filled his head:

"Lord Anthony…you have NO idea what you are up against."

"Not only must I carry on with the perilous road of the pilgrimage…but, now I have enemies to deal with," he thought to himself, "Was Lord Shao Jin the true enemy?"

Julie saw him deep in his thoughts and walked over to him, placing her hand on his shoulder in comfort, "That Summoner keeps you troubled."

Anthony nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid.  He is an enemy, who attempted to kill me yesterday.  But, why?  For what purpose?"

"There are many intentions that could be implied in this," Julie told him, "You just have to be ready.  I sense that he will show up again."

"And we'll be ready for them!" Andre said confidently.

"Yeah!  That's right!" Jesse added, crossing his arms over his chest in a boastful manner.

Anthony and Julie laughed.

Julie whispered into the Anthony's ear, while smiling, "It's nice to see you laugh again."  She then quickly turned to her other comrades, "Shall we be off?"

"Right!" Andre and Jesse agreed.

The four of them headed towards the exit; a path similar to that of the entrance, but now it was descending instead of ascending.

Anthony looked around him to see his friends surrounding him.  It brought him much comfort.  "There will be many perils ahead of me…" he thought to himself, "There are even enemies now that I will have to contend with.  But, I know with my friends besides me…I can do it."  He looked over to his right to see Jesse.  He smiled warmly.

Jesse immediately noticed and grew a bit embarrassed.  He started to turn red and not pay attention as to where he was going.  Before he knew it, he had tripped over a rock in the ground and began to tumble down the path, screaming, "Ahhh!!!!"

"Oh my god!  Jesse!!" Anthony shouted to him.  He picked up his feet and ran after him.

Julie and Andre couldn't help but laugh at the comedic sight.  They soon followed them down.

Watching the group of heroes descend down the Blazing Mountains, Shao Jin and his Guardians stood on an upper level cliff on the mountains. 

"They made it past us," Xu Lin said, spitting to the ground, "This brings much shame…I will get them back for this."

"No one shall embarrass us," Zhang Tao added.

"There is very little we can do now," Shao Jin told them, still sounding a bit angry, "They…have escaped.  We shall come up with a better plan."

"That you had better…" a male voice echoed from behind them.

The three of them quickly turned around, and kneeled, bowing their heads.

The silhouetted male figure with the deep and dark voice that had appeared before, appeared once more.  His eyes glowed as bright as the rays of the sun.

"Milord," Shao Jin spoke.

"The plan has failed…yes?" the man asked.

"Yes…we underestimated the power of these children," Shao Jin replied, "Especially that of the young Summoner."

"That is correct.  This Summoner has power beyond the rest.  Nevertheless, you kill him like you have the others," the man ordered them, "I expect results!"

"You will have them milord," Xu Lin said.

"We do promise you," Zhang Tao agreed.

"Very well then.  You all shall head for the temple in Orlami Village.  A Summoner is already on her way there.  I want her dead," the man told them in such a malicious and unremorseful tone of voice.

"Yes, milord…" Shao Jin nodded his head.