They were almost out of the palace gardens when Tidus stopped.

"Tidus? What is it?" Wakka asked.

The blonde grabbed a bunch of lilacs from the nearest bush. "I think that if I'm going to defy Yevon I should at least bring a present to the Water Fayth..."

"D-defy Yevon?"

"...I want you to come with me into the Chamber of the Fayth."

"What!?"

"I can't explain it...but I feel I need to do this..."

Wakka sighed slightly, but then nodded. "Ok. I'll go with you."

"Thank-you..."

Wakka smiled and grabbed Tidus' hand. They took off again for the temple.

********************

Above them Lulu and the others were fighting their way through the guards. Rin and Rikku detonated another set of flash bombs.

"Where are we going!?" Rikku asked.

"Bevelle Palace is also the Temple!" Auron replied. "We head there!"

Rikku tossed a Rolling Thunder at the nearest machina. Since the flash bombs didn't work on the machina they were the only things following the group.

"I hope Wakka didn't drop Tidus." Rikku said. "Cuz if he did I'll break his teeth."

Lulu chuckled and cast a Thundaga spell on one of the ground machina. "I'm sure Wakka kept a firm hold on Tidus."

Kimahri's upper lip twitched.

"This way!" Auron called.

Everyone followed the swordsman down a flight of stairs.

"There's the gardens. We're almost there." Rin said.

Lulu shot a flying machina down with a Flare spell.

"Good shot." Kimahri grinned.

"Thanks."

"Temple, temple, temple!" Rikku squeaked, pointing.

Auron raised his good eyebrow at the girl before patting her on the head. "Very good, Rikku."

Rikku stuck her tongue out at Auron.

"I'm guessing this is the Water Fayth..." Lulu murmured, admiring the huge waterfalls at the temple's entrance.

Auron nodded. "Tidus and Wakka are probably already inside. Let's go."

The group cautiously entered the Temple and looked around. It was quiet except for the sound of the waterfalls outside.

"Whoa!" Rikku exclaimed, peering over the railing at the spiral staircase. "That goes a long way down."

Suddenly something started glowing on the railing beside her. Rikku frowned and looked over to see a small control panel attached to the railing.

"What's a machina doing in the Temple?" She asked.

"Yeah. Isn't that a no-no?" Rin added.

Lulu shrugged and examined the machina. "It turns the first four steps into a lift. I suppose that comes in handy...unless you want to walk down all these stairs."

Rikku peeked over the railing again. "I'll take the lift."

The guardians assembled themselves on the first four stairs. Lulu activated the control panel before joining her friends.

"I'm getting dizzy..." Rikku moaned after a few minutes.

Lulu looked over the railing. "We're almost at the bottom."

The lift came to a stop a few minutes later and everyone walked off. They walked down a marble catwalk until their path was blocked by a waterfall.

"Another machina." Lulu said, pointing to the wall beside the waterfall.

"So this is the true face of Yevon." Rikku replied.

"The betray their own teachings..." Auron muttered.

Lulu pressed a few buttons on the control panel and the waterfall split in two, revealing a door.

"The entrance to the trials. Are you ready for this?" Auron asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Lulu sighed.

*******************

Wakka sat back and watched as Tidus placed the lilacs in front of the Water Fayth's statue. The blonde took a deep breath and started praying to the Fayth. A young boy, no older than twelve, appeared in front of Tidus.

"Hi." The boy smiled.

"Hello." Tidus replied, returning the smile.

Wakka was dumbstruck. He'd never seen a Fayth before. The boy looked over at Wakka then at Tidus.

"You brought someone with you..."

"I know..." Tidus replied.

"That's ok. I need the company..." The Fayth looked at Wakka. "Hi there."

"Uh, h-hi." Wakka stammered.

"For me?" The boy asked, picking the lilacs up.

Tidus nodded.

"Wow! Thanks! None of the other summoners ever brought me a present."

"You're welcome."

The youth tilted his head to the side and looked at Tidus. "You seem like a strong person. I believe you deserve my services. What name will you call me by?"

"What...is your name?"

"Nathaniel Leviathan."

"I will call you Leviathan then..."

The boy smiled and flew at Tidus. There was a brilliant flash of light. Tidus' eyes rolled up in his head and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Tidus!"

Wakka gathered the summoner in his arms and headed for the exit. The door was starting to slide open when he heard Rikku's voice.

"Wait! Don't come out!"

Too late. The door opened all the way and Wakka found himself staring down the barrels of at least twenty machina weapons.

"Step forward." Kinoc said, breaking through the guards.

Wakka inwardly growled but went to stand with his friends.

"You are to stand trial." The Maester informed them.

Auron could barely stop himself from laughing, "And I suppose this will be a fair trial...?"

Kinoc snorted, "Of course it will."

The Maester motioned to the guards and they took Tidus and his guardians into custody. Two hours went by before Tidus finally roused. Another hour went by before they were escorted to the Maesters Chamber. Tidus was thrust onto a pedestal by himself while his guardians were forced to stand way behind him.

"The High Court of Yevon is now in session. The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but absolute truth, in Yevon's name."

Tidus looked up to see Maester Kelk Ronso speaking.

"To those on trial: Believe in Yevon, and speak only the truth." The Ronso continued. "Summoner Tidus. You swore to protect the people of Spira, correct?"

"Yes." Tidus answered.

"Then consider this. You have inflicted dire injury upon Maester Seymour Guado,..." The blonde looked to Kelk's right to see Seymour leering down at him. "...conspired with the Al Bhed, and joined in their insurrection. These are unforgivable crimes that disturb the order of Yevon and brand you a traitor. Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such things."

"Your Grace. The real traitor is Maester Seymour Guado! Not only did he kill his own father he too is dead!"

"What!?" Kelk exclaimed, looking at the other Maesters.

"Oh? Hadn't you heard?" Was Seymour's smug reply.

Kelk bristled a little and Rikku decided to speak up.

"It's a summoner's duty to send the souls of the dead to the Farplane! Tidus was only doing his job as a summoner!" She exclaimed.

"Grand Maester Mika. You must send Seymour...!" Tidus pleaded.

Kelk looked over his shoulder at Mika before stepping aside. The old man walked right to the edge of the podium's railing and stared down at Tidus.

"Send the unsent to where they belong, hmn?"

"Yes!"

The Maester laughed. Tidus frowned.

"Maester...?"

"Send the dead...hmm?"

Tidus' eyes widened as a few pyreflies exited Mika's body and swirled around the man.

"You would have to send me too..."

The summoner shook his head in disbelief.

"Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader. Even in death, he his invaluable to Spira." Kelk said.

"Enlighted rule by the dead is preferable to the misguided failures of the living." Kinoc added.

"Life is but a passing dream, but the death that follows is eternal." Seymour finished.

"Only the power of death truly commands in Spira. Resisting its power is futile." Mika said.

Rage boiled inside Tidus. He clenched his hands into fists.

"But what of Sin? I am a summoner, my lord! I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings. Are you... Are you telling me that, too, is futile? And I am not alone! All the people who have opposed Sin...their battles, their sacrifices...were they all in vain?"

"Not in vain. No matter how many summoners give their lives, Sin cannot be truly defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped. Yet the courage of those who fight gives the people hope. There is nothing futile in the life and death of a summoner."

"Never futile...but never ending." Auron muttered.

Mila smirked and nodded at Auron.

"Indeed, that is the essence of Yevon." The old man continued.

"Lord Mika...!" Tidus cried.

"Yevon is embodied by eternal, unchanging continuity, summoner."

"No!" The blonde protested.

"Those who question these truths...they are the traitors!"

"You're the traitors!" Tidus shouted.

Anger flashed in Mika's eyes. "Guards! Take Summoner Tidus away and take his guardians to the holding cages!"

Guards flooded the chambers. They separated Tidus from his guardians and everyone was dragged off.

-------------------------

Wakka shivered. They'd been sitting in these hanging cages for over an hour. There was a dull roar of water way below them. The redhead looked over at Kimahri. The Ronso was making notches in the bars of the cage.

"Tidus kissed me..." He said.

Kimahri stopped making notches.

"And I kissed him..."

The Ronso looked over his shoulder and smirked. "Kimahri says...about time."

Wakka grinned and looked over at the next cage. Lulu and Rikku were hanging in that one.

"I will. I will shove a grenade so far up Seymour's ass..." Rikku hissed.

Lulu started laughing. Rin and Auron were in the last cage.

"I hope Tidus will be ok." The Al Bhed said.

"He's strong. He'll make it." Auron replied.

"He'll make it? What, so he can go off and die?" Rin sighed and shook his head, "Why does it seem that everything in Spira revolves around people dying...?"

"The spiral of death..."

"What?"

"Summoners challenge the bringer of death, Sin, and die doing so. Guardians give their lives to protect their summoner. The fayth are the souls of the dead. Even the maesters of Yevon are unsent. Spira is full of death. Only Sin is reborn, and then only to bring more death. It is a cycle of death, spiraling endlessly."

"Well thank-you Mr. Sunshine." Rin grinned.

Auron chuckled a little. Rin stood up as the sound of footsteps approached. Kinoc walked up to the cage and smiled.

"Your sentence has been decided."

"Don't you mean execution?" Rin sneered.

Kinoc's fist shot through the bars, intent on smacking Rin right in the nose. Instead Auron grabbed the man's fist inches from Rin's face.

"Touch him and I'll rip your arm off..." The swordsman threatened.

Kinoc wrenched his fist from Auron's grip and motioned to the guards with him. The guardians were removed from their cages. They separated the group. Rikku, Auron, and Kimahri in one group and Lulu, Wakka, and Rin in the other. Each group was led off in a different direction.

-----------------------

Wakka watched as the guards pushed Lulu into a weird pool of water. Rin was next and then it was his turn. The trio swam down a large winding tunnel until they reached another pool. All three surfaced for air and to look around.

********************

"How fares the Ronso Maester?" Mika asked.

"It seems my father's murder troubles him." Seymour replied.

Mika snorted "Ever the Ronso. Hard-headed, hardly useful."

"However. The Summoner Tidus, son of Jecht...he may be of some use to us alive."

Mika turned away from Seymour. "He has disturbed the order of Yevon. He has lost his right to live..."

Seymour sighed slightly before bowing, "I understand."

"Keep it in your robe, Seymour. No one thrown into the Via Purifico has ever survived." Kinoc sneered.

"Yet there is still a small chance. Tidus is a strong fighter and an even stronger summoner. Place guards at the exit. Kill any who emerge..." Mika ordered.

Seymour smirked and bowed again. "Leave that to me, sir."

"First your father. Now your blushing bride?" Kinoc laughed.

The Guado glared viciously at his fellow Maester before turning to go.

"Wait. I'm going too." Kinoc said.

"You do not trust me?"

"Would you trust a man who killed his father?"

"So be it. Follow me."

*******************

Tidus cried out in pain as he was physically thrown into the Via Purifico. He smashed into the cement floor. The guards laughed and shut the heavy marble doors.

"Jerks..." Tidus mumbled, pushing himself up from the floor.

The blonde stood, dusted himself off, and cured his scraped up knees. He could see three green Sahagins waiting for him down the way. The summoner unsheathed Liquid Steel and charged. A few minutes later the fiends were nothing but sighing pyreflies. Keeping his weapon ready, Tidus continued on his way down the winding stone paths.

*****************

Lulu, Rin, and Wakka were swimming as fast as they could down water-logged tunnels. Lulu cast a Thundara spell on a nearby fiend, making the hair on Wakka's arms stand up. They were deposited into a huge antechamber. There was a huge locked door in front of them. It seemed to be the only way out. Wakka turned as someone tapped his shoulder. His eyes widened as he saw what Rin was pointing at. There was a huge cluster of pyreflies gathering above them.

******************

"Tidus!" Rikku shrieked, jumping the blonde. "You're ok!"

Tidus laughed and hugged Rikku. "Yes. I'm fine. I have news for you though..."

Rikku tilted her head, "Oh?"

The summoner blushed, "I kissed Wakka..."

"You dog you!" The girl teased, hugging her friend again. "Took you long enough!"

Tidus laughed and shook his head. "Who else is here?"

"Auron and Kimahri are here somewhere. We were all transported to different parts of the maze."

"What about everyone else?"

The teen shrugged, "Lulu, Rin, and Wakka were dragged off somewhere else."

"Ok. C'mon. Let's find the others."

******************

Wakka swam lower as the pyreflies started forming something. Lulu readied a Flare spell and Rin took his Nunchaku out.

[Great...another giant earthworm...] Lulu mentally grumbled.

Evrae Altana looked down at its prey and growled. Rin used his Overdrive right away, hitting the beast with eight consecutive combos. Lulu blasted the wyrm with her Flare spell and Wakka winged his studded blitzball at it. Evrae returned fire, hitting Lulu with a Stone Stare. She defended against it and shot a Thundaga spell at the fiend. Rin and Wakka attacked Evrae at the same time and it finally gave up. There was a small flash of light and it exploded into pyreflies. The group exchanged high-fives and continued on their way.

*********************

It only took Tidus and Rikku fifteen minutes to find Kimahri and Auron. They made their way down a hallway lit by red lights and into a fairly large room.

"Tidus." A familiar female voice said.

"Yuna? Why are you here??" Tidus asked.

"We rode the airship to the Calm Lands, then came to Bevelle. Maester Kinoc summoned us then. Ordered us to 'deal with the traitors.'"

"You're going to fight us?" Rikku asked.

The temple's orders are law. You're a traitor!"

Tidus stepped forward and summoned Cerberus as Yuna summoned Ifrit. Left Brother cast a Blizzaga spell on Ifrit. Ifrit fought back, casting a Meteor Strike on Middle Brother. All three of Cerberus' heads roared. Right Brother attacked Ifrit while Middle Brother healed his brothers. Left cast another Blizzaga spell then a Blizzara spell to conserve his magick skills. Ifrit fell to the ground and vanished into pyreflies. Tidus thanked and dismissed Cerberus but Yuna wasn't done yet. She summoned Valefor. The blonde sighed and summoned Shiva. She took care of Valefor in no time. Yuna's hands clenched into fists and she summoned Ixion. After dismissing Shiva Tidus summoned his new Aeon. A drop of water fell from nowhere and splashed onto the floor. The tiny splash grew until the whole floor was covered in water. From the water Leviathan, the water serpent, arose. The serpent roared, its sapphire-encrusted fins stretching forth.

"Wow..." Rikku murmured.

Leviathan's eyes started to glow. The Aeon shot a huge column of water at its opponents. Yuna and Ixion were slammed up against the wall. Ixion devolved. Yuna slumped to the ground. Tidus quickly dismissed Leviathan and went to go to Yuna's side.

"Stay away!" She shouted. "There's a way to the surface up ahead..."

"Thank-you..." Tidus said softly

Rikku nodded at Yuna before following Tidus. Kimahri nodded as well. Auron walked up to Yuna and she looked up at him.

"Your pilgrimage is over..." He said, walking off.

Tidus pushed the door to the surface open and was greeted by a wonderful sight. Wakka, Lulu, and Rin were just emerging from another door.

"Wakka!" He exclaimed.

"Babe!" Wakka grinned, sweeping Tidus into a kiss.

"Oh my..." Lulu smirked.

Auron sighed.

"How nauseatingly beautiful..." Seymour's voice taunted.

Everyone turned to see Seymour, three Guado Guardians, and a Bevelle soldier approach them. The soldier, who was holding Kinoc, let the Maester go. The man dropped to the ground, motionless. Tidus' eyes widened and he clung to Wakka's shirt.

"I have saved him. He was a man who craved power. And great power he had, but he feared losing it. Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never knowing rest. Now he has no worries. He has been granted sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away... Ah, yes. So you see... if all life were to end in Spira, all suffering would end. Do you not agree? That, Tidus, is why I need you. Come, Sir Tidus. Come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Spira, and for this... I will take from you your strength, Yuna, your life, and become the next Sin. I will destroy Spira! I will save it!"

"You're totally fucking nuts." Rikku said.

Kimahri roared and charged Seymour, stabbing the Maester with his spear. Not one drop of blood fell. All went silent. Seymour and Kimahri stared into each other's eyes. The Guado looked down at the spear lodged in his chest.

"Very well then. I will give you your death. You seem to want it so..."

Seymour held up his staff and dark energy started to radiate from it. The Guado, the soldier, and Kinoc dissolved into pyreflies. The pyreflies surrounded Seymour's body and he transformed into a white being with purple armor and huge, strange wings in the back. Seymour Natus floated up into the air and looked down at the group.

"Go! Run! Protect Tidus!" Kimahri shouted.

"Not on your life, Kimahri. I'm not leaving you behind." Tidus replied, stepping forward.

Rikku stepped forward too and the fight began. Mortibody tried to take a bite out of Tidus but the blonde hit it away with his sword. Rin hit the steel cord connecting Mortibody to Seymour with his Nunchaku. The cord snapped and Mortibody fell to the ground, useless. Seymour screamed in anger and blasted Rin away with a Demi spell. Auron and Rikku went to Rin's aid. Lulu cast a Fury Flare spell on Seymour while Wakka used his Overdrive. Kimahri sliced his spear through Seymour's side and Tidus cast Shell on everyone. Seymour tried to cast Firaga on Tidus, but it bounced off his shell. Lulu cast Flare again and Rikku tossed a Sunburst at Seymour. Kimahri and Tidus attacked Seymour again. Soon Rin and Auron were back in the fight. Suddenly Seymour's body began to quake and he made a weird choking noise. Everyone backed away as the Maester broke down in a cloud of smoke and pyreflies. All was eerily quiet.

"Quick. We leave now." Auron ordered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phew! Long chapter! @_@ R&R please.