~Chapter 14~
The Crusaders were running everywhere trying to round the fiends and Sinspawn back up. The big one was standing in front of the Maesters and Summoner party, looking down at them with its mean little eyes.
Auron surveyed the scene before him. "We cannot battle this creature; we have very little time."
"What?" yelled Maester Kinoc. "Why not?"
"Because you are a fool, Kinoc. You knew they'd call to Sin if they were agitated, and sure enough, they did. And now, they're loose. Did you really think you could contain them?!" Auron bellowed, and it felt like he was shaking the very ground beneath him.
"Look!" Yuna yelled, pointing at the sea.
"Showtime," Seymour said lazily. "Troops, be on your ready!"
The sea was crashing back and forth; Auron recognized it at once.
"Jecht is here," he whispered softly to Tidus.
The sea fell away from the huge mass underneath it, revealing Sin in its full form. It towered over all of the cliffs as it rose out of the sea, seemingly taking in the scene around it. One thing was on its mind.
Kill.
"Fire!" The Commander yelled; his troops obliged by pulling the ripcords on the Al Bhed cannons, sending missiles soaring straight at Sin. The more hits it took, the less it seemed phased, and the only thing accomplished from the barrage of cannon fire was getting more Sinspawn to drop off of Sin's body. The water-going creatures charged to the beach, only to be met by the ground assault of Crusaders, Luzzu among them. They fought with swords rather than guns; these Sinspawn weren't hard to kill. But Sin was gathering energy; it radiated around it like a glowing bubble. Suddenly, like in Chicago, it started firing missile-like projections and seemed to be building a sphere of pure energy above its head.
The missiles hit the Al Bhed and Crusaders hard; one flew right at the Summoner party in the command center. "Look out!" Auron yelled, making the others run. The missile missed them, but it scattered them as well. Tidus landed flat down on the beach, spread eagled, and passed out.
The sphere of energy was finally released from Sin. It flew across the water and hit the sea line on the beach. Crusaders, Al Bhed, and Sinspawn alike were instantly annihilated, vaporized before they could do anything about it. Those further away from the initial attack suffered quite a bit more: limbs were torn off and bodies were mangled. Sin continued on to the other side of the beach, but it stopped, surprised by what it saw on the other side of the cliffs.
It was a huge tower, with two prongs pointed at Sin itself. The Al Bhed man inside the tower was currently lining up crosshairs on a scope, marking the spot where the laser cannon would strike Sin. The around-100- man crew prepared the laser for fire, finally yelling at the marksman, "Fredic cuan sulla, semiche! Heda fut, qui!"
The marksman checked his aim once more, and pressed a big blue button next to his seat.
The tower's prongs exploded with laser energy, sending the searing, pulsing beams right at Sin. Sin, for its part, was quicker; it had created another sphere that it surrounded itself in. The beam hit this, and the Al Bhed in the tower watched, it was easily a beautiful and terrifying sight.
Suddenly, Sin quickly lurched forward, causing the laser to backfire into the prongs. Energy overloaded beyond maximum capacity, and the tower exploded, killing every soul in it.
Not far away, this explosion caused Yuna to regain consciousness, and as she watched, she saw the tower go up in flames. Seymour was there with her, as was Auron. Shocked, Yuna got quickly to her feet, watching the scene unfold before her in horror.
Tidus awoke on the beach. A rancid smell met his nostrils, and as he stood, he saw the full extent of Sin's attack, causing him to fall back to his hands and knees, throwing up. He looked up, and got violently sick again, vomiting on the sand in front of him. When he was strong enough, he rose, and walked among the maimed bodies of unknown Crusaders and Al Bhed. Tidus saw very few whole bodies on the beach with him; mostly, they were ripped and torn apart. He finally stumbled over to the cliff face, where, to his surprise, he found someone alive.
It was Gatta.
"What's going on?" he asked hysterically, his hands over his head. He was crouching under an outcropping of rocks, trying to hide. "Why. WHAT'S GOING ON!?" His yell scared Tidus, who was silently crying, when suddenly, he felt a sensation of burning hatred. Jecht had done this. And as he watched, he, as Sin, was just now leaving.
"NO!" Tidus yelled, running down the bloody beach to the water line. "DON'T YOU RUN FROM ME, YOU BASTARD!"
He splashed into the water, swimming after the huge whale-like creature that was leaving the area.
Yuna was hysterical. "Everybody. Stand back! I'll Summon!"
"You can't beat it," Seymour said quietly. "You're not strong enough. Your powers are still too weak."
Yuna wasn't listening. She was starting to twirl her staff.
"You can't," Seymour said, in a forceful voice that scared Yuna. Teary eyed and shell shocked; she turned to Auron, who shook his head.
Tidus was practically washed back onto the shore as he came out of the ocean, soaked and chilled to the bone. The rest of the group was already there, nursing various wounds, such as the large gash on Wakka's forehead or the nasty cut on Lulu's arm. Even Kimarhi was sporting a new scar on his chest. Yuna and Auron were bruised, but nothing else. Tidus had been the only one to escape injury from Sin, though his muscles ached from the attempted chase. Auron was talking to the Maesters, Yuna was dancing, performing the Sending ceremony, and Tidus sat and watched everything going on in front of him. "I hope you are satisfied," Auron said coldly to the Maesters. "Those who turned their backs on Yevon died, while the faithful lived on. So Kinoc, I ask you again: Are you happy with your results?"
When Yuna finished the Sending, Seymour walked over to her, and said mournfully, "The people of Spira are depending heavily upon you to be a light in these troubled times. However, you may find that you need someone to, ah, lean on in times of need." He looked deeply into her eyes. "Lady Yuna, take me as your pillar of strength. As Lady Yunalesca had her Lord Zaon."
"Maester Seymour!" called Maester Kinoc. "We are leaving!"
"Until next we meet, Lady Summoner," Seymour said, bowing deeply before her. He stood and followed Kinoc to a buggy pulled by Chocobos and stepped inside.
Tidus looked up and saw Auron standing over him. "Many stories ended here today," Auron said heavily. "But yours goes on, I see."
"What?"
Auron shook his head. "You know very well 'what.'"
Auron walked away, forcing Tidus to get up and follow him. He had, as usual, distanced himself from the rest of the group. He looked at Tidus.
"Sin is Jecht," he said plainly.
"Yeah, I know. I could almost feel him, but that doesn't mean I believe you," Tidus said, adding the last part quickly.
"Sin is Jecht. He came here for you."
"So he killed all those people just for a chance to see me?" Tidus asked in rage.
"He wanted to show that to you," Auron said. "Do you know why?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Tidus asked sharply.
"So you would kill him."
Tidus stared open mouthed. Auron sighed.
"As long as he is Sin, he will keep killing. He wants you to stop him."
"You gotta be kidding," Tidus said. "How do you know all of this, anyway?"
Auron looked at him before turning to walk away. "I'm not done talking to you!" Tidus yelled. "Don't you run away!" "You're the one running," Auron answered coldly, continuing to walk away. The group saw this, and headed after him, leaving Tidus lost in his own thoughts. After a bit, he followed them, walking up a small, sandy hill past a sign that read, "Now leaving Mi'hen Highroad, entering D'Jose Highroad."
As they walked, Tidus noticed that he wasn't the only one lagging behind; Kimarhi had fallen into step with him. Yuna turned and called to them, "C'mon, hurry up, you two!" in a cheery voice.
"Boy, she's awfully cheerful," Tidus muttered. He then heard a deep voice next to him say:
"In dark times, she must be. She must shine bright."
Tidus gasped. Kimarhi was speaking.
"Now are dark times. Yuna tries hard. "
"We should help her, then," Tidus said.
"If we worry, she tries harder. Do not frown," he finished. He started to catch up to the others when Tidus called, "Don't worry, be happy?"
Kimarhi turned. "Kimarhi tries hard, too."
And he walked swiftly to Yuna, as did Tidus, and the Summoner party continued on their way.
The Crusaders were running everywhere trying to round the fiends and Sinspawn back up. The big one was standing in front of the Maesters and Summoner party, looking down at them with its mean little eyes.
Auron surveyed the scene before him. "We cannot battle this creature; we have very little time."
"What?" yelled Maester Kinoc. "Why not?"
"Because you are a fool, Kinoc. You knew they'd call to Sin if they were agitated, and sure enough, they did. And now, they're loose. Did you really think you could contain them?!" Auron bellowed, and it felt like he was shaking the very ground beneath him.
"Look!" Yuna yelled, pointing at the sea.
"Showtime," Seymour said lazily. "Troops, be on your ready!"
The sea was crashing back and forth; Auron recognized it at once.
"Jecht is here," he whispered softly to Tidus.
The sea fell away from the huge mass underneath it, revealing Sin in its full form. It towered over all of the cliffs as it rose out of the sea, seemingly taking in the scene around it. One thing was on its mind.
Kill.
"Fire!" The Commander yelled; his troops obliged by pulling the ripcords on the Al Bhed cannons, sending missiles soaring straight at Sin. The more hits it took, the less it seemed phased, and the only thing accomplished from the barrage of cannon fire was getting more Sinspawn to drop off of Sin's body. The water-going creatures charged to the beach, only to be met by the ground assault of Crusaders, Luzzu among them. They fought with swords rather than guns; these Sinspawn weren't hard to kill. But Sin was gathering energy; it radiated around it like a glowing bubble. Suddenly, like in Chicago, it started firing missile-like projections and seemed to be building a sphere of pure energy above its head.
The missiles hit the Al Bhed and Crusaders hard; one flew right at the Summoner party in the command center. "Look out!" Auron yelled, making the others run. The missile missed them, but it scattered them as well. Tidus landed flat down on the beach, spread eagled, and passed out.
The sphere of energy was finally released from Sin. It flew across the water and hit the sea line on the beach. Crusaders, Al Bhed, and Sinspawn alike were instantly annihilated, vaporized before they could do anything about it. Those further away from the initial attack suffered quite a bit more: limbs were torn off and bodies were mangled. Sin continued on to the other side of the beach, but it stopped, surprised by what it saw on the other side of the cliffs.
It was a huge tower, with two prongs pointed at Sin itself. The Al Bhed man inside the tower was currently lining up crosshairs on a scope, marking the spot where the laser cannon would strike Sin. The around-100- man crew prepared the laser for fire, finally yelling at the marksman, "Fredic cuan sulla, semiche! Heda fut, qui!"
The marksman checked his aim once more, and pressed a big blue button next to his seat.
The tower's prongs exploded with laser energy, sending the searing, pulsing beams right at Sin. Sin, for its part, was quicker; it had created another sphere that it surrounded itself in. The beam hit this, and the Al Bhed in the tower watched, it was easily a beautiful and terrifying sight.
Suddenly, Sin quickly lurched forward, causing the laser to backfire into the prongs. Energy overloaded beyond maximum capacity, and the tower exploded, killing every soul in it.
Not far away, this explosion caused Yuna to regain consciousness, and as she watched, she saw the tower go up in flames. Seymour was there with her, as was Auron. Shocked, Yuna got quickly to her feet, watching the scene unfold before her in horror.
Tidus awoke on the beach. A rancid smell met his nostrils, and as he stood, he saw the full extent of Sin's attack, causing him to fall back to his hands and knees, throwing up. He looked up, and got violently sick again, vomiting on the sand in front of him. When he was strong enough, he rose, and walked among the maimed bodies of unknown Crusaders and Al Bhed. Tidus saw very few whole bodies on the beach with him; mostly, they were ripped and torn apart. He finally stumbled over to the cliff face, where, to his surprise, he found someone alive.
It was Gatta.
"What's going on?" he asked hysterically, his hands over his head. He was crouching under an outcropping of rocks, trying to hide. "Why. WHAT'S GOING ON!?" His yell scared Tidus, who was silently crying, when suddenly, he felt a sensation of burning hatred. Jecht had done this. And as he watched, he, as Sin, was just now leaving.
"NO!" Tidus yelled, running down the bloody beach to the water line. "DON'T YOU RUN FROM ME, YOU BASTARD!"
He splashed into the water, swimming after the huge whale-like creature that was leaving the area.
Yuna was hysterical. "Everybody. Stand back! I'll Summon!"
"You can't beat it," Seymour said quietly. "You're not strong enough. Your powers are still too weak."
Yuna wasn't listening. She was starting to twirl her staff.
"You can't," Seymour said, in a forceful voice that scared Yuna. Teary eyed and shell shocked; she turned to Auron, who shook his head.
Tidus was practically washed back onto the shore as he came out of the ocean, soaked and chilled to the bone. The rest of the group was already there, nursing various wounds, such as the large gash on Wakka's forehead or the nasty cut on Lulu's arm. Even Kimarhi was sporting a new scar on his chest. Yuna and Auron were bruised, but nothing else. Tidus had been the only one to escape injury from Sin, though his muscles ached from the attempted chase. Auron was talking to the Maesters, Yuna was dancing, performing the Sending ceremony, and Tidus sat and watched everything going on in front of him. "I hope you are satisfied," Auron said coldly to the Maesters. "Those who turned their backs on Yevon died, while the faithful lived on. So Kinoc, I ask you again: Are you happy with your results?"
When Yuna finished the Sending, Seymour walked over to her, and said mournfully, "The people of Spira are depending heavily upon you to be a light in these troubled times. However, you may find that you need someone to, ah, lean on in times of need." He looked deeply into her eyes. "Lady Yuna, take me as your pillar of strength. As Lady Yunalesca had her Lord Zaon."
"Maester Seymour!" called Maester Kinoc. "We are leaving!"
"Until next we meet, Lady Summoner," Seymour said, bowing deeply before her. He stood and followed Kinoc to a buggy pulled by Chocobos and stepped inside.
Tidus looked up and saw Auron standing over him. "Many stories ended here today," Auron said heavily. "But yours goes on, I see."
"What?"
Auron shook his head. "You know very well 'what.'"
Auron walked away, forcing Tidus to get up and follow him. He had, as usual, distanced himself from the rest of the group. He looked at Tidus.
"Sin is Jecht," he said plainly.
"Yeah, I know. I could almost feel him, but that doesn't mean I believe you," Tidus said, adding the last part quickly.
"Sin is Jecht. He came here for you."
"So he killed all those people just for a chance to see me?" Tidus asked in rage.
"He wanted to show that to you," Auron said. "Do you know why?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Tidus asked sharply.
"So you would kill him."
Tidus stared open mouthed. Auron sighed.
"As long as he is Sin, he will keep killing. He wants you to stop him."
"You gotta be kidding," Tidus said. "How do you know all of this, anyway?"
Auron looked at him before turning to walk away. "I'm not done talking to you!" Tidus yelled. "Don't you run away!" "You're the one running," Auron answered coldly, continuing to walk away. The group saw this, and headed after him, leaving Tidus lost in his own thoughts. After a bit, he followed them, walking up a small, sandy hill past a sign that read, "Now leaving Mi'hen Highroad, entering D'Jose Highroad."
As they walked, Tidus noticed that he wasn't the only one lagging behind; Kimarhi had fallen into step with him. Yuna turned and called to them, "C'mon, hurry up, you two!" in a cheery voice.
"Boy, she's awfully cheerful," Tidus muttered. He then heard a deep voice next to him say:
"In dark times, she must be. She must shine bright."
Tidus gasped. Kimarhi was speaking.
"Now are dark times. Yuna tries hard. "
"We should help her, then," Tidus said.
"If we worry, she tries harder. Do not frown," he finished. He started to catch up to the others when Tidus called, "Don't worry, be happy?"
Kimarhi turned. "Kimarhi tries hard, too."
And he walked swiftly to Yuna, as did Tidus, and the Summoner party continued on their way.