Chapter II: 'Temple Secrets.'
The air seemed to darken, the screams and cries of the villagers drifting to her hearing, forcing her to react. Yuna quickly ran forward, Rikku and Paine not far behind, their hands tightening around the individual grips of their weapons. Different types of fiends continued to emerge directly ahead of them, their numbers growing, whilst a few broke away to head into the nearby temple. Yuna tried to remain calm, pushing aside all the questions and confusion burning in the forefront her mind, concentrating solely on the fiends.
As the three of them drew closer, a deafening roar suddenly sounded as the fiends let loose a soul-chilling battle cry. Without another word of warning, they suddenly attacked. Yuna quickly dived to one side, escaping the viscous lunge of a fearsome Coyote, the wolf-like fiend instantly feeling the cold steel of Paine's waiting blade. Rolling back onto her feet, Yuna let off a quick shot in the direction of another, hearing it yelp in pain before it finally keeled over.
"Yuna? What's going on down there?!" Brother's sudden voice echoed loudly down the communications system, filled with pure concern. "Shinra's detected a sudden surge in fiend activity! Systems go haywire! Yuna? Yuna?!"
"Ugh…" Rikku fell backwards, narrowly avoiding the downpour of several Watera spells from a group of Flan Azul's. "Not now, Brother!" Trying to keep her distance, Rikku knew that her knives would have minimum effect on their translucent forms. Combined with the spells that were constantly aimed her way, she simply had no time to try and attempt a dressphere change. "Um, guys! I could do with a bit of help here!"
Yuna looked up from where she fought, taking a moment to glance over at Paine who was preoccupied with several armoured fiends known as Sallets. "Hold on, Rikku! Let's switch!"
Rikku quickly nodded, rushing forward to engage the Coyotes that Yuna was previously fighting and leaving Yuna to take care of the Flans. The following fight was then made much easier because as a Thief, Rikku's speed and agility was easily capable of excelling those of the Coyotes, allowing her to take them out in next to no time.
Yuna slowly paused as she reached the gel-like fiends, preparing to use a technique, before the sudden sound of spell casting caught her off guard. Before she had a chance to react, Yuna cried out in pain as the Watera spell hit her head on, drowning her in a torrent of streaming water. Thrown off from her feet, Yuna began to cough roughly, forcing the water out from her lungs. As she continued to shake the dizziness out from her head, she witnessed the fiends closing in.
"Yuna!" Paine rose her sword to block the clawed hit of the remaining Sallet, managing to knock it back so that she could rush to her side. "Yuna, are you alright?"
"Ugh … I – I will be…" She coughed, her features completely drenched and her body slightly aching. She then turned her gaze upwards. "Do you think you can distract them for a moment?"
"Of course. Do you have something in mind?"
"If you can keep their attention from me for a moment, that'll give me the time I need to sphere change and take them all out at once."
Paine nodded in understanding. "Ok. No problem."
Concentrating hard, Paine lifted up her dark-silver broadsword high into the air, feeling the jolts of electricity begin to dance along the length of the blade - forming the beginnings of her Thunder Blade technique. Quickly running forward, Paine circled the fiends from one side, forcing them to turn and face her which was when she unleashed the elemental attack, destroying a single Flan with the powerful slash.
Yuna took this moment to initiate her sphere change, allowing her gun to slip from her grasp as an aura of pure white light surrounded her form. Her clothing was soon replaced with a stunning dark purple outfit, a large mage's hat adorned her head and a staff with a phoenix insignia finished the look of the dressphere – she became a Black Mage. Taking no moment to pause, she rose her staff as she focused on the Thundaga spell, seeing the sky grow dark with shadow as a blaze of lightning tore the fiends asunder.
The Flan's screams soon died down and the sky gradually brightened once more. Yuna took a step back, breathing deeply to regain her loss of breath. From the corner of her vision she witnessed Rikku and Paine finishing off the last of the fiends, the threat seeming to be over. Closing her eyes, she let the power of the dressphere fade, turning back into a Gunner. Her attention was then turned to the temple.
"Yunie…" Started Rikku, panting heavily after the last of the fiends were taken care of. "You ok? Geese, that was some hit you took back there." As Yuna indicated that she was alright, Rikku turned her gaze to the frightened villagers. "Where did all those fiends suddenly come from anyway?"
"Who knows." Answered Paine. "But some however managed to get through into the temple. In fact, it was almost as if those we fought were only there to delay us…"
"Huh? Fiends – smart?" Rikku shook her head. "No way. They aren't intelligent enough to do something like that."
"Maybe. But they were obviously after something that must be inside. The only way we'll find out for sure is if we go after them. Right Yuna?"
"It's here, and I don't know if we alone can stop it…"
"… Yuna?"
"Huh?" Yuna suddenly snapped out of her thoughts, turning to face her two friends.
Rikku took the chance to look Yuna over, thinking that she must still be slightly dazed from the impact of the hit. "Um, are you sure that you're ok?"
Yuna nodded firmly, turning her thoughts to the matter at hand. "I guess the only way we'll know for sure is if we follow them." She turned to glance back at the forms of Lulu and Wakka. "Don't worry. We'll take care of those still inside."
"Alright, but be careful, ya." Wakka warned.
"We will."
As they turned to leave, Lulu called out to them. "Remember, like all the others, the inner sanctums of the temples have been sealed for the last two years. If the fiends have broken through then there's no telling what you might find inside."
Yuna silently nodded. Turning to face the impressive outer vista of Besaid temple, she prepared to brace herself for whatever might be within. It had been so long since she had last stepped into a temple, the very thought sent a cold chill down the base of her spine. Seeing that her friends were right by her side, together they stepped through the large doorway.
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He slowly moved forward, a dark shadowed form which grew more solid as the pyre-flies fused into a single defined shape, an almost human-like appearance punctuated by the two large wings which protruded out from his back. His sight remained transfixed onto the sacred chamber doors which lay just up ahead, soulless white eyes which seemed to glow with a deep intensity.
Outstretching his right arm, a sudden invisible force pulsed through the air, forcing the doors to open. A thin emotionless smile began to spread across his features, his goal now appearing in sight. Stepping into what was once the Chamber of the Fayth, his eyes scanned the intricate design that was carved onto the ground: the symbol for the Aeon, Valefor. Though the Fayth had now been long gone, their incredible power could still be felt; traces of which remained to this day.
As he attempted to crouch down low to lay his hand onto the design, his attention was suddenly drawn to one side as he sensed the feel and presence of the three human beings who had just entered the temple. For a long moment he did not move, silent telepathic thoughts sent directly into the minds of the fiends who waited within. Leaving them to keep the new arrivals preoccupied, his full attention was brought back to the image of the Fayth.
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"Yuna? Yuna, you there?" The static of the comms echoed loudly as Yuna, Rikku and Paine stepped into the relative darkness of the temple. Before anyone had a chance to answer, the background sound of arguing could be heard as Brother was quickly cut off and Buddy took over: "Yuna, it's me. We're getting some sort of massive energy surge from within the center of the temple."
"An energy surge? What could it be?"
"I'm not sure. Whatever it is, its giving off a lot of impressive energy readings which is disrupting all the ship's sensors."
"A sphere?" Suggested Rikku.
There was a brief moment of silence. "I'm not sure. From what Shinra is telling me, it could well be a powerful spherewave that we're detecting, but then again maybe it's something else. There's no way for him to be certain."
Rikku shook her head. "Oh great, that was so much help!"
"Hey … I'm just a kid." Came Shinra's response.
Yuna nodded. "Ok. Once we've investigated we'll keep you…"
"… Yuna!" Called Paine, suddenly.
As she turned to see what had startled Paine, Yuna suddenly gasped, words escaping her. Looking on in silent horror, she slowly took in the forms of the dead villagers lying motionlessly by the foot of the stairs. Bright sunlight from outside cast an eerie glow onto their unmoving bodies, merging with the shadows of candlelight which continued to flicker and burn all around. Rikku rushed over to the nearest body, knowing that the gesture was futile, but still needing to check for signs of life. There was none.
"W-We're too late." Whispered Yuna.
"Keep it together!" Shouted Paine, immediately raising her sword. "We've got company!"
Yuna and Rikku quickly turned, looking upwards towards the entrance to the Cloister of Trials. A chorus of roars began to echo all around as several fiends emerged from within, blocking their path. Paine took a forceful step forward, taking a moment to decide on the best dressphere to utilise. Whilst Yuna held onto most of the mage type dresspheres – White Mage, Black Mage, Gun Mage and Gunner, and Rikku held onto the specialised dresspheres - Thief, Alchemist, Lady Luck and Trainer; Paine herself carried the warrior type dresspheres.
Initiating the sphere change, an aura of pulsing white light surrounded her form as she changed from a Warrior … into a Berserker. Within seconds her dark black outfit was replaced with one of faint blue and brown, her hands and feet forming into sharp animal claws, and two tribal markings appearing on the sides of her cheeks. A horned helmet finished the look of the dressphere.
Paine turned to the row of fiends. "Ok. We need to take them out quickly!"
As Rikku ran forward into battle, Paine closed her eyes, concentrating deeply to call forth a Berserk technique. This technique was a double-edged sword, though it would imbue her with increased speed and strength, a deep yearning blood-lust would come over her, and she would have little to no control. But something told Paine that if they didn't get through to what the fiends were protecting in time, they would be too late to stop whatever it had planned.
Yelling out a battle cry, a berserked Paine rolled forward, jumping upwards to deliver a clawed attack. The fight soon began to heat up. While Paine tore the fiends apart, Rikku took care of any that tried to circle or catch her off guard. With their combined strength they soon took care of all the fiends, filling the air with the soft drone of the pyre-flies.
"Phew. That's the last of them." Stated Rikku as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Paine cracked a smile, reverting back to her Warrior dressphere. "Hmph. We sure made short work of them."
It was only when Paine said 'we' that realisation suddenly dawned. "Yuna!" Turning to their surroundings, Rikku and Paine saw that she was no where in sight. Realising that the only possible answer was that she had gone up ahead alone during the commotion of the fight, the two quickly ran after her, a sharp pang of fear taking hold of their hearts.
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It felt strange. So strange to simply walk through the familiar Cloister of Trials, each step invoking a surge of past emotion. She continued to walk forward, not truly knowing what fuelled her movements, only knowing that a powerful presence was somehow calling out to her. Heading deeper into the inner depths of the temple, she found that the strange hold which gripped her continued to grow in power and strength. In what seemed like a dazed dream, she finally stepped into the Chamber of the Fayth.
Yuna instantly reacted, trying to take a single step back, but found that she suddenly couldn't. Her eyes focused on the dark entity which stood in front of her, its form so majestic and yet so powerful that it could summon the threads of destruction. Aside from the two large arched wings which immediately met her gaze, she saw that his muscular body was outlined with strange light-blue symbols, runic markings whose meaning was lost to the ages.
Without a word it turned back to face the floor, extending its right arm outwards to reveal a strange crystal blue sphere. The air soon filled with the sound of his voice as he invoked an ancient spell that caused the sphere to start to shimmer. As the spell reached its climax, the design of the Fayth suddenly began to pulsate, glowing with presence and power.
Yuna could only watch as an instant flash of light erupted, blinding her for a long moment. When her eyes finally readjusted, she witnessed the entity's form beginning to fade out, the pyre-flies dispersing all around him. Little by little, she gradually felt the use of her limps return.
"Soon…" It whispered, before finally disappearing from sight.
"… Yuna!" Rikku and Paine ran forward, their weapons at the ready. They managed to catch a faint glimpse of the last of the pyre-flies disappearing.
Paine turned to her. "Yuna, you alright? What happened back there?"
A void of silence soon followed, before Yuna simply nodded, her mind still dazed and confused. As Rikku and Paine escorted her back out of the chamber, the image of the entity remained burned in her mind.
End of Chapter II