~*Part Three*~

Chapter Nineteen

The next morning…

The dew was still fresh on the blades of grass and the leaves of the trees.  As Tidus looked down from the crest of the hillside he could now see the fog clearing out and the walls of Bevelle peeking through the white mist.  The air was warming, knocking off the early morning chill. The sun was behind him, just now rising up over the hillside, causing him to shield his eyes when he turned to face his fiancée, his friends, his allies, and his army.  As he looked over the hill at the small armada gathered in front of him, he couldn't help but feel more nervous than he had in his entire life.  He was more nervous now than he was before any blitz game, or any boss fight, or even last night before he asked Yuna to be his wife. 

His eyes drifted to hers.  She was casually clicking the safety on and off of her pistols.  She offered him a warm smile.  Tidus swallowed hard as he thought of something to say to his comrades.  Everyone's eyes gazed up to him, somehow expecting a dramatic speech.  It was then that Tidus found the perfect words that captured the moment.

"For Spira," he said.

"Heads up!!" Rikku yelled immediately as she threw two Firaga gems into the air that she had been working in her hands.  Suddenly the mixture exploded sending hot red-orange sparks high into the sky.  The air became alive with a deep rumbling that shook Tidus' chest as the two great airships, the Rekrfeht and the Falcon ascended from the horizon. 

Streams of missiles came pouring out of the bays of both ships.  Yuna watched overhead as the missiles streaked towards the walls of Bevelle.  Suddenly it seemed as if half of the stone on the east side of the city was thrown outwards in the blast.  She raised her arms to protect herself from the raining rubble.  Another payload of missiles raced out and struck the remaining side of the wall that was still intact.

Once the debris from that blast settled Tidus looked backwards over the hill to his army.  "CHARGE!!"  he screamed, turning and bringing his Brotherhood to a hilt.

The mixed army of Ronso, Spirans, Al Bhed, mages, men and women charged up and over the hill towards what remained of the city wall.  Tidus couldn't help but notice that a few Crusaders had walked through the rubble and were waiting on them; their weapons were drawn as well.  I hope you're right about this old man, Tidus thought as he pushed his legs faster and faster towards the impending battle that lies ahead.

By the time that Tidus had reached the wall there were a good thirty Crusaders waiting for him.  He looked at one in the face and saw fear etched across his expression.  Tidus launched himself at that Crusader first, thrusting his sword in his abdomen.  Yuna was trying her best to keep up with Tidus, however when the fighting actually started she fell behind him as soon as she could.  She began unloading clips as fast as possible, feeling the slight recoil of the pistols in her hand.  She was always a few feet behind Tidus at all times.  It seemed as if he felt her presence, as he continually took the offensive knowing that Yuna was protecting his backside.  By now there were a flurry of bullets whizzing by as the Al Bhed formed a horizontal line behind the main offensive.  Each Al Bhed was brandishing a rifle in his or her arms, sending a spree of lead at each Crusader that poked their head out of the rubble.

Without warning the gates on the far side of the Bevelle wall opened up and hundreds of Crusader Guards poured out into the fields. 

"Look out!!" Wakka screamed, ducking as a series of Crusader bullets whizzed by his head.  Wakka turned his attention to the Al Bhed guy to his right who dropped at Wakka's warning.  As he knelt down and looked closer he realized that he was missing a large portion of his forehead.  Wakka let out a sigh, seconds before screaming in agony.
"AHHHH!" he yelled grabbing his right calf.  He pulled his fingers away and the tips were coated in blood. "Damn it," he screamed, lifting his leg up to take the pressure off. 
"Hold still," he heard Lulu say as she reached in and produced an elixir.   Immediately Wakka's pain alleviated and he sat his foot down gingerly.
"Thanks ya," he said looking up toward his wife.  His expression changed as he saw the shadow of a Crusader descend upon him and his wife. "Lu, down!" he screamed fumbling for his blitzball.  Wakka instincts told him that he was a second too late, and that this was a battle that he couldn't win because the opponent already had the advantage.  But damn it he had to try.  It was then that the Crusader's expression changed as well.  Instead of the casual smile of knowing he had a kill, his face transformed to pained recognition and his gaze dropped to his torso.  Sticking out of his chest was the sharp end of a warrior's spear.  The Crusader then casually dropped his hand to touch the blade, as if unsure if it was real or not.  Kimahri then ripped his spear to the left, cleaving the poor Crusader in two while saving his friends.  Kimahri abruptly turned and went farther into the battlefield.

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Luzzu was watching all of this from the top of the east side of the castle wall.  He was smiling, easily amused at the scene playing out before him.  Even at this hour in the morning, he seemed professional, casual, and it appeared that he had things all under control. 

"Where are the airships now?" he asked his aide.

"They've retreated to the south.  Apparently they're useless now."

"Just like this skirmish below us," Luzzu said.  "Useless.  What does this little rebellion think it can accomplish this morning?  Deprive me of sleep?  That's about the only good it will do them."

"Sir," the aide started.  "Should we start asking for a surrender and take prisoners?"

Luzzu appeared to ponder the question, as he reached up and swiped a strand of his fiery red hair out of his eyes. 

"No," he finally said.  "Kill them all."

"Are you sure?" the aide asked.

"How many reserve Crusaders do we have?"

"Another three squadrons."

"If those people want a fight, send in the reserves.  Let's see where their resistance lies then.  Probably next to their leader's dead body."

"Yuna sir?" the aide asked.

"Yes," Luzzu asked, a smile forming on his lips.  "And while you're at it bring her to me.  Alive is preferable, dead is just as good."

"Yes sir"

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Tidus was slashing his sword so fast he could barely see it.  It seemed as if he had some kind of blue-green aura in front of him, as the blade was going so swiftly.  He lunged forward feeling the sword plunge into a body.  He then twisted his body and flashed the sword to his right impaling it into another Crusader's temple as he was taking aim in the other direction.  Even though Tidus was fighting as if he was in a winning position, he could tell the odds were dwindling with every Crusader joining the fray.  He jumped headfirst into a group of five Crusader Guards.  He didn't even bother to slash the closest one, instead going behind him moving towards the others.  He knew that Yuna was directly behind him.  With the sound of a few bullets and body fluids spraying past him, he knew that it was a good choice to ignore that specific fighter.  He slashed his sword only six times and that particular group of fighters had met the end of their collective lives.  Even though he was still fighting intently, he knew it was almost that time.  He just needed some kind of signal or event to persuade him. That signal came in the form of Yuna's screaming from behind him.

He turned around with his mouth gaped open, hoping that maybe his mind was playing a trick on him.  But sure enough, Yuna was on the ground, with the knife end of a rifle gouged into her ribs.

"AHHH!" Tidus yelled as he spun around and hacked the Brotherhood at a tremendous speed towards the Crusader that had attacked Yuna.  The poor fighter was decapitated before he even knew that he was attacked.

"Are you alright?" Tidus asked, bending down on one knee. 

"Yes," came Yuna's struggling response.  "Just…" she started.  "You have to pull it out before I can cast a spell."

Tidus reached his hands down and grabbed the rifle.  He tried to bring himself to pull it, but he found himself locking up and gazing at the blade end, now deep within Yuna.  The rifle was now shaking in his hands.

"Tidus," Yuna said painfully.  "Please"

He focused his mind, concentrating on what he had to do.  In one quick motion he jerked the gun as hard as he could, sending a stream of blood onto the ground.  Almost instantly Yuna yelled "Cure" and a field of magic surrounded her. 

"Alright?" Tidus asked, putting the rifle down and grabbing the Brotherhood.

"Yes but…Tidus!!" She screamed.  Immediately Tidus flattened his chest to the crimson stained ground as Yuna took aim with her guns.  An instant later Tidus heard two shots ring out and a heavy weight fall on him.  Disgusted by the fact that a dead person was on top of him, he rolled to the right and jumped on his feet.  It's time, he thought. 

"RETREAT!!" he screamed grabbing Yuna's hand and turning and running as fast as his legs could carry him.

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"Sir."

"Yes," Luzzu replied. 

"It appears as if the force is retreating."

"Already," he asked, grabbing his aide's pair of binoculars.  "Why so soon?" he asked no one in particular.  "The fun is just starting."  He then focused the lenses and saw that, indeed, the resistance was fleeing.  He scanned the battlefield until he found what he was looking for. 

"Blast it," he said, watching Yuna running step-for-step along side Tidus towards the hillside.  "She lives to fight another day," he said dropping the binoculars and giving them back to his aide.
"Not now," he thought aloud.  "I won't have it.  This ends today."

"Sir?" his aide questioned. 

"Send the remaining three squadrons of Crusaders over that hill and kill any survivors they see.  We must not have another battle after today.  Let us crush our opposition once and for all."

"Yes sir," his aide replied.

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Tidus was still holding Yuna's hand pushing his legs as fast as he could.  With a quick look back he noticed that his allies had taken the idea as well.  He also noticed that his enemies had chose to pursue also.  Tidus blinked and turned around, going faster and faster away from the bloodshed behind him.  As they raced across the hillside Tidus suddenly stopped and dropped to the ground out of sight, with Yuna falling beside him.  They began rolling down the same hillside that he addressed his friends earlier today.  He then heard the dull thud of other bodies falling down and rolling down the hill as well.  When Tidus quit rolling, he raised his head ever so slightly to watch the scenario unfold. 

Within seconds the Crusader army had topped the hillside, only to see most of their opposition rolling towards the bottom of the hill, where fresh reinforcements were waiting.

"VENA!!" Brother yelled to the top of his lungs.  Tidus could feel the wake of hundreds of bullets whizzing overtop of his head as they raced to the now dumbfounded Crusader guards.  More bullets streamed out, hitting their marks and dropping Crusaders like flies.  When all of the Crusaders had either met their death or retreated out of view, Tidus raised his Brotherhood and the bullets immediately stopped.  He then found his feet and helped Yuna to hers.  "Now!" he screamed running back up the hillside, with fresh reinforcements behind him racing upwards, killing anything that moved. 

Tidus immediately stopped when he reached the crest of the hill.  He couldn't believe what his eyes were telling him.  It seemed as if Bevelle had reinforcements of their own.  They're sending everyone now, he told himself while watching the armies march his way.  Everyone and their mothers.  A smile crept across Tidus' face as he charged forward yet again.  When he was but a few feet away from the armada, he reached for his sword, taking aim at the closest Crusader.  He raced forward and plunged his blade deep into somebody's ribs.  A shotgun blast rang out to his right and he quickly glanced that way.  He saw Abel pumping his weapon and firing again into the heart of the opposing army. Suddenly green light filled the air and a loud whine sifted through the battle.  Seconds later Lulu unleashed Ultima and thirty Crusaders started their voyage to the Farplane.

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A smile crept across his face as he watched the battlefield play out in front of him.  Actually, it was more of a smirk.  Everything was planning out as he suspected it would.  Below him his chocobo fidgeted uneasily.  Sir Auron reached into his right breast pocket and pulled out two Firaga gems.  He gazed at them with his one good eye as he silently prepared himself for what lay ahead.  Auron closed his eye and squeezed his hand, putting his entire strength into the two gems.  He felt heat starting to flow from his palms.  He then heaved back and thrust the concoction as high as he could into the morning air.  A couple of seconds later, hot red and orange sparks flew in all directions.  Abruptly the forest began moving as if it were alive.  Tree branches shuddered and foliage gave way as roughly a hundred armed warrior monks riding black chocobos emerged from the forest line, unnoticed yet by both armies.  Auron and the Bevelle chapter of Yevon Warrior Monks were strategically placed between what was left of the castle walls and the flank of the Crusader army.

"CHARGE!!" Auron said in his trademark authoritative voice as he led his militia into the field of battle.  He spurred his chocobo, urging it faster and faster.  When Auron was but a few feet away he reached for the hilt of his Katana.  The Crusaders were still unsuspecting, even when Auron braced himself and swung his Katana full force into a fighting Crusader Guard.

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Author's notes:

1—Haha, what did everyone think about that one?

2—Squaresoft owns everything, including my soul.

3—Recommended reading:  This Is My Story, by Tuatha Danaan.  A very good Auron fic.

4—Thanks to those who have reviewed: Lance Robinson, SG, Finmister, Rose, and Target.  I hope the next few chapters are up to everyone's expectations, as things are coming soon to a close.

5—Oh, to answer a question I had by Lance, Auron is a dream of the Fayth now, which is why he is not yet in the Farplane.

6—Thanks to everyone for their continued support!!