The four heroes stopped their walking, as the morning sun shined brilliantly in the sky.
"Oh my god…" he gasped in astonishment, looking upwards.
Standing before them was a gray steel wall the height of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. Nothing could be seen from outside the walls. However, in front of them, was an entrance inside. It was a pair of doors made of the same metal. It seemed to be at least two stories high.
"What is this place?" Jesse asked, still big-eyed with wonder and curiosity.
"This is the Withstanding City, Bazaar," Julie answered him.
"It's the next stop for now," Andre added.
Jesse looked around to see that the city's walls stretched across the land all the way over to a lake in the distance, and towards the mountain range nearby.
There really was no other way around the city. They would have to pass through in order to continue.
Anthony walked forward towards the entrance door to find two male guards. They were both tall and strapping young men who wore helmets that covered their eyes and bore spears in their hands.
"State your business," one of the guards ordered.
Anthony performed the Yevon prayer as he said, "I am Summoner Anthony, and these are my Guardians."
"You are Lord Anthony?" the guard gasped.
Anthony nodded, "Yes."
"Oh my! Milord, word of you and your promise has traveled fast across these lands," the other guard told him. He seemed very cheerful and almost like a young fan seeing their favorite celebrity.
The two of them showed much respect for him.
"What brings you to Bazaar?" the guard inquired.
"We are simply passing through," Anthony replied in a kind voice.
"We also would like to see where the nearest Yevon temple is located," Andre stated.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for," the other guard told him, "Bazaar is a city with much life and information."
"Oh, but milord Summoner, I hope you can stay a little while longer," the first guard said.
"Why is that?" he wondered.
"The Bazaar Tournament of Arms begins tomorrow," he answered.
"What's that?" Jesse asked.
"All of the best warriors from around the world enter to compete in the Bazaar Stadium for the title of champion, of course!" the other guard explained to him.
"It sounds exciting!" Andre shouted, "Maybe we could…"
"We have a duty as Guardians, not spectators," Julie interrupted him.
"Aww…!" Andre complained.
"In any case, Lord Anthony, enjoy your stay in the Withstanding City of Bazaar!" the guard spoke, as the doors began to slowly open.
Little by little the crevice between the doorway enlarged, to soon reveal the majestic city.
"Wow…!" Jesse sighed in amazement.
"This is incredible!" Julie added.
They entered through the doorway as they saw the true form of the immense city. The blue and green colored buildings were wonderful. Some of them were even as tall as the outer walls. The roads were made of light gray brick, and were lined with gold. There were bright silver lampposts along the sides of the roads, where the people passed on through. And as for those people, there were hundreds of thousands of them. They crowed along the streets and the businesses. Some entered the stores located in the buildings, while others went over to the sellers on the sidewalks who pitched their tents, selling items at bargain prices. It was a hustling and bustling place that everyone seemed to enjoy.
"I've never seen such a place like this before," Andre spoke, "There's so many things to do, and people to meet!"
"I remember that the priests told me that before Sin arrived on the Earth, that there cities like Bazaar all across the globe. They told me there used to be thousands of them, maybe more," Anthony told them all, smiling. It was nice to be in a place where everything was so unfamiliar.
The four of them made their way through the crowds and headed towards an intersection surrounded by buildings. It looked like a city circle where many gathered. There was a large spouting fountain in the center, where pigeons walked all around. Some citizens even fed them.
Anthony sat down on the edge of the fountain, as a pigeon flew over and sat down on his shoulder. "Oh!" he giggled, "You need a break too?"
"Julie, why do they call Bazaar the 'Withstanding City'?" Jesse asked her.
"I have been told that it is because Sin had attacked here a couple of times before, and yet the city still stands. That's why the walls are up in order to protect the people," Julie answered him, "It's a rare sight to even be able to see. There aren't many cities left on the Earth."
The pigeon that had once rested on Anthony's shoulder, now stood upon his finger. Anthony smiled at the creature, lifting his hand up to send it flying off into the far reaches of the sky.
He and the rest of the group, as well as the crowd, were startled when the beats of loud drums and the music from trumpets began to play in the distance. The crowd wasted no time in heading in its direction. In addition, the noise level increased as the bystanders talked amongst themselves about what was happening.
Anthony stood up from the fountain and looked across the mass of people to see if he could tell what was going on.
"What's going on?" Andre asked.
"A concert maybe?" Jesse suggested.
"It seems to be something of great importance," Julie spoke up, "Everyone in the city is gathering."
Anthony headed towards an elderly woman who was on her way to where the crowd gathered. "Excuse me miss," he said politely, "But could I inquire of the event that is occurring?"
"Oh, my dear boy! The four Holy Maesters of Yevon have arrived!" she told him emphatically, "They will be hosting the tournament!"
"Thank you," Anthony smiled.
The woman hurried as quickly as her legs could carry her.
"The Maesters of Yevon are here?" Julie wondered. She then began to grow with excitement, "What an honor!" She quickly walked back towards the entrance of the city.
"I've got to check this out for myself!" Andre shouted in anticipation. He ran after Julie.
"Come on Jesse," Anthony said, "Let's join them. We must pay our respects to the Maesters."
"Who are they?" Jesse asked him.
The two of them began to walk towards the crowd.
"The four Holy Maesters of Yevon…" Anthony started to explain, "They are the leaders of the Yevon religion. They uphold its teachings and provide service and funding to the temples and its followers."
"Wow…so they are important," Jesse realized.
"I hope I get to meet them," Anthony smiled.
The four of them tried their best to make it through the crowd and as far to the front as they possibly could.
The gates in which they had entered, opened once more. Four white horse drawn carriages ran through and stopped in front of the audience. The carriages were all the holiest of white and lined with the most extravagant gold.
Soon after, the music stopped. There was a stage to the side of the entrance where the musicians had been playing. A white bearded elderly man walked up on the stage and began to speak.
"Welcome citizens and visitors of Bazaar!" he shouted, "As most of us all know by now, the annual Bazaar Tournament of Arms begins tomorrow!!"
The crowd clapped and cheered.
"Those who believe that they are the strongest have all come here to compete!" he told them, "Most have entered already, but if you feel you have what it takes to be crowned champion, don't hesitate to sign up. Today is the last day to do so."
"The last day, huh?" Jesse thought to himself as he watched.
He and the rest of the group were towards the middle of the crowd.
"In any case, we all know that the tournament is always sponsored and watched by the heads of the Yevon Religion: the four Holy Maesters!!!" he yelled excitedly.
The crowd had another uproar.
"And now I introduce each one of them to you," the man told them, "First, we have Maester Chekhov of the North!"
The crowd continued to applaud as the first Maester stepped out of the carriage.
It was a man; a tall, and stalwart man. He had a broad and bold face with chiseled features, in which some were hidden behind his thick brown beard and mustache. He had eyes as a blue as the deep sea, and had a bit of wrinkled skin. He wore a long burgundy colored gown that covered almost his entire body. His sleeves were extremely wide as he put them together in front of his chest in a horizontal manner. He also wore a furred black hat on the top of his head. His clothing seemed like winter wear, indicating him being from a colder place than that of Bazaar's warmer weather.
He stepped down, being helped by his own bodyguards. These bodyguards were dressed as traditional Russian soldiers. They had their tall black hats and dark red jackets.
Maester Chekhov waved to all of the cheering audience members.
"Next is…Maester Janga of the South!" the announcer told the crowd.
The following carriage pulled up where the other had parked, as two guards helped the next Maester out. These guards wore no shirts, but only a simple loin cloth and white body paint. They had extremely dark skin, and short black hair. They held two pointed spears at their sides.
A Black woman stepped out from the vicinity of the carriage. She had even shorter hair than that of her personal guards. She had big cheekbones and wonderful, warm smile. She was a thin, but healthy middle-aged woman. Her dress was sleeves, hung just above her breasts. The dress had the colors of green, yellow, red, and brown that were inside the patterns of African art. She had a golden bracelet on one wrist, and a golden brace on her bicep. To finish it off she wore a matching necklace-like piece that draped on her forehead.
Maester Janga performed the Yevon prayer to her people in Bazaar in order to greet them.
"Now we have Maester L'ariel of the West!" the announcer continued to shout.
Just as the others did, the following carriage pulled up to the front. This Maester's two guards opened the door to help their superior out. These guards were dressed in conventional platinum medieval-type armor. Each of them bore a sword and a bow.
Another female Maester exited from her vehicle. She was the most elderly of them all. She was much shorter than the rest as well. Her fair white hair was tied into a bun at the back of head, and held in by a sparkling pearl net. She had gentle and wrinkled face and her eyes were filled with history and wisdom. Her gown was made appropriately to her size and age. It was a long white robe that was lined with silver jewels and shimmered in the sunlight.
Maester L'ariel simply bowed and waved to the people as they continued to cheer on.
"And now…finally…the newest Maester of Yevon…" the announcer began to say, causing everyone to get restless with anticipation.
"Oh, it seems he's here too," Julie whispered.
"Who are you talking about?" Andre wondered.
"The new Maester that was appointed not too long ago," she answered him.
"Oh, now I remember!" he said to himself.
Anthony was silent, and proper as he waited to see the final Maester.
Jesse looked on across the crowd to see the Maester's guards head for the door. His eyes squinted as he gently grabbed the center of his chest. Something was wrong.
"What is…this feeling?" he thought to himself, "Something…isn't right."
While everyone down below in the crowd awaited the unveiling of the new Maester, someone else looked on from above. A silhouetted figure kneeled down on the edge of a roof building just overlooking the event. He could not be seen for the sun was right behind, casting a shadow.
For this Maester, there were three guards. Each of them wore brown cloaks. Their faces could not be seen and their identities seemed to be secret.
"I give you all…Maester Dogurasu of the West!" the announcer finally spoke.
The crowd began to cheer and applaud loudly as the new Maester revealed himself.
He was a tall Asian man. His hair was as black as they come. It was long and reached the center of his back. However, the bottom of it was tied into a thin braid, wrapped in silver rings. His eyes were the dullest of grays and seemed eerie with mystery. He wore a traditional Japanese kimono for men. It was a very dark indigo color that brought out the color in his eyes. It was a multi-layered ensemble. A V-neck type top, in which one side ran across the other, covered a white under-shirt. Just above his stomach was a round silver crest with the Yevon symbol engraved in the middle. The kimono top was tucked into the hakama pants, which are extremely wide pants, the same indigo color, and run all the way down up the his ankle. He wore a matching haori overcoat that had sleeves that were much longer than his arm and wider as well. To finish it off, he wore black ankle socks that were covered by his rectangular, wooden tatami zori sandals.
Maester Dogurasu walked over towards the front of the crowd, followed by his guards. He smiled to his people, but not the same, warm, and gentle smile that his colleagues had given. It seemed to have different intentions and feelings behind it. It was more of an enigmatic grin, than a smile.
He stopped a few feet in front of the crowd and held his arms up to quiet the crowd.
After a few short moments, the audience silenced to hear the Maester speak.
"Hello, citizens and visitors of Bazaar!" he began. His voice was extremely deep and filled with power. "I appreciate the gratitude and recognition that you have given us, especially me. I am but a novice to the duties of Maester, yet you welcome me so warmly. For that, you have my deepest and sincerest gratitude."
"I don't know about this guy…" Jesse mumbled.
"Eh?" Anthony wondered.
Jesse shook his head, "Uh…no, nothing."
The silhouetted figure continued to watch from above. He grinded his feet and clenched his fists. It seemed he was plotting something.
"I know that this year's Tournament of Arms will be the best ever!" Dogurasu continued.
The crowd roared after those words.
"Now, let us prepare and…" Dogurasu was about to say when he felt a sudden rush in his very soul. He looked across the crowd and spotted Anthony. It was as if everyone else was in the shadows, while the young man was covered in a holy spotlight. "You…" Dogurasu whispered.
The other Maesters watched from the sides and started to wonder as to why Dogurasu stopped speaking.
"I…apologize for stopping so abruptly, but…" he continued, "It seems we are all in good company."
The crowd began to talk amongst themselves, wondering what he meant.
"There is a Summoner among us today," Dogurasu told them.
The chatter in the crowd increased.
"How did he know?" Andre asked.
"His intuition…is quite tuned," Julie added.
"Please, young Summoner. Come to me so I may meet you," Dogurasu said.
The crowd in the front began to move off to the side, leaving a path for Anthony to get through.
Anthony looked around nervously. The spotlight had been put on him and there was no way out of it. He took in a deep breath and made his way across to the Maester.
Jesse and the rest of the Guardians followed him.
"Welcome Summoner," Dogurasu said to him, performing the prayer.
Anthony and the Guardians reciprocated the act.
"Please, Summoner. Tell me your name," Dogurasu requested.
Immediately Jesse knew he could not trust him. It was a feeling he couldn't shake since he saw him from a distance. Now that he was even closer, the feeling grew more potent.
"I am Summoner Anthony of Orlami," Anthony answered.
"Summoner Anthony, you say?" Dogurasu wondered, "Well, well. I have heard much about you my dear Summoner."
Anthony looked into the tall man's eyes. They were piercing yet captivating. There was something about them.
"So, you're the one everyone has been talking about…" Dogurasu mumbled to himself.
"Excuse me?" Anthony asked.
"No, nothing. Do not worry," he replied, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible, "Oh! And these are your faithful Guardians?"
"Yes," Anthony nodded as he introduced each one, "Lancer Andre…Black Mage Julie…and Swordsman Jesse."
"It is nice to meet you all," Dogurasu said. He stared over at Jesse, sensing a strange power within him. "Yes, nice to meet you all indeed," he added. He put out his hand to Jesse, offering a handshake.
Jesse was hesitant to even touch the man. There was just something he felt around this man's aura that not only plagued him, but feared him. Nevertheless, Jesse shook the man's hand.
That was when something strange occurred.
The minute they touched one another, they both received an eerie sensation throughout their bodies.
"This boy…" Dogurasu thought to himself, "Such power in his soul…"
"I can shake this feeling…" Jesse thought, "Malice…hatred…evil…"
They stared into each other's eyes and thought in unison, "Who are you?!"
In that moment, the silhouetted figure flew down from the sky. He kicked Jesse in the chest, breaking his fall, and knocking Jesse down.
Jesse looked up to see a man covered in a hooded black cloak.
The man ignored Jesse, somersaulted back up onto his feet, and headed straight for Dogurasu. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a fencing saber. The handle had red two pieces that were on the sides. However, at the push of a small button, the two sides opened upwards and pointed outwards horizontally.
"Haghhh!!!" the man shouted at the top of his lungs.
The three bodyguards stepped in front of Dogurasu in order to protect him.
This cloaked fencer knew he had to get through them first to get to his target. He raised his saber to the air, as it began to glow with blue energy. He ran toward the three guards and made a quick slash. The three became trapped in a cage of ice. To finish it off, the fencer made a lunge, in a fencing type manner with his weapon and cracked the ice, "Freezing Cut!" The attack knocked the three guards away from the Maester.
Maester Dogurasu stepped back, showing no fear.
"You'll be next," the fencer spoke in deep, hateful tone.
Dogurasu smirked conceitedly.
"Yahh!!!" the fencer yelled as he made a fencing jab at Dogurasu.
However, blade of a lance slashed out in front of Dogurasu, blocking the fencing saber.
It was Andre who had come to help the Maester.
Julie stood behind the fencer, while Jesse stood at one end with Anthony not too far behind.
"We won't let you harm the Maester!" Andre shouted, pointing his mighty lance to the criminal.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with," the fencer snapped back.
"You will not escape!" Julie told him.
"Hmph!" the fencer replied snidely. He went after Andre, slashing from side to side and making forward strikes.
Andre did his best to block each blow, but the fencer managed to lightly slash his hand. "Agh!" Andre cried in pain as the blood followed.
"Andre!" Anthony shouted worriedly.
The fencer took the opportunity to escape by leaping high into the air and over the rest of the Maesters' guards. He headed down the street.
"We must follow him!" Julie yelled as he started to run after him.
Jesse didn't know exactly what he should do. The sensations he felt from Dogurasu clouded his judgment.
"Come on Jesse!" Julie told him.
Jesse snapped out of it and followed her.
The other guards weren't too far behind.
The fencer was quick and turned to his right and into an alleyway.
When Julie, Jesse, and the rest of the guards arrived, he was nowhere in sight.
"He got away," Jesse stated.
"At least the Maester is safe" Julie sighed in relief.
"He was a strong fighter, that's for sure," he added.
The guards turned around and began to head back to their superior.
"Come, let's return." Julie told him. They both made their way back to the crowd and their friends.
