A cold wing blew across the group. No one knew what to say. Wakka slowly walked over to the summoner and wrapped his arms around the boy.
"Tidus. Your father..."
"Is Sin..." Tidus whispered. "I don't know how or why he did it. I felt him, inside, and when I did I knew it was true. My father is Spira's suffering. Sorry."
"Even knowing this...you know what you have to do." Auron said.
Tidus nodded. "I know. Let's get him. I think he would want that."
The group nodded.
"Just...don't apologize anymore, Tidus." Lulu said. "Your father being Sin is not your fault."
"Thank-you Lulu..." The blonde said quietly.
"Why'd all this have to happen?" Rin asked.
"...We'll learn that when we arrive. Soon."
Tidus nodded, "Let's go..."
The group continued along their way through the small canyon. When they came out on the other side everyone, except Auron, gasped at the sight. People. Thousands of them trapped in the mountainside. They all had their backs to the group. A greenish mist was resonating from the mountainside and drifting over the ground. A huge funnel of green mist could be seen in the distance.
"Is this...?" Rikku blinked.
"The Fayth." Tidus said, frowning. "A summoning. Someone is using these Fayth. Someone is drawing energy from all of them."
"This many? Who could be so powerful and what exactly are they summoning?" The black mage asked.
Rikku ran up to Auron. "Hey! You know something! Tell us!"
Auron remained expressionless and started to walk away. "Look not to others for knowledge. This is your journey, too."
"Tidus will die y'know!" She called.
"No...Auron's right."
Rikku turned to give Tidus a look.
"This is our...my...journey."
The summoner reached out and gently touched the shoulder of the nearest Fayth. A jolt of pain ripped through his body and he fell to the ground.
"Tidus!" His guardians called, running to his side.
Tidus opened his eyes, but he wasn't on Mt. Gagazet. He was back in the Besaid Temple. He looked around. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor and when he tried to get up he found he couldn't. Suddenly the floor dropped out from underneath him and he was falling. He cried out as he fell into the darkness. The air suddenly grew stifling hot. The darkness around him exploded into searing hot flames. They licked at his flesh, burning him. Tears pricked at his eyes but he didn't cry. He fell through the flames and found himself in Kilika Temple. He looked around. Suddenly a transparent image of Wakka appeared to his right.
"Tidus? Baby? Can you hear me?" The image asked.
"Wakka!" Tidus cried.
The image vanished and suddenly Tidus was shot forward. The wall in front of him turned into flames which he zoomed right through. He was falling through a tunnel of fire now. Sweat rolled down his face and stung his eyes. Suddenly the flames turned into lightning bolts. The bolts moved along his skin making his insides prickle. He quickly found himself deposited in the Djose Temple. Breathing hard, he pushed himself up.
"Wakka!? Rikku? Lulu!!?" He called. No answer.
A ghostly image of Rikku appeared right in front of him making him jump.
"Tidus!? Are you ok!? Wake up...!"
Rikku vanished and so did Djose Temple. Tidus looked around at the inky blackness that surrounded him. His throat tightened. He felt panicky. More sweat broke out on his skin. A chilly wind blew over Tidus making him shiver. Snow started falling from the darkness above, landing on Tidus. He blinked. What in the hell was going on? He looked around. Wherever the snow hit the darkness changed color. It suddenly started blizzarding. The snow was so wild that Tidus had to close his eyes. He didn't open them until the snow died down. He opened his eyes and looked around. Now he was in Macalania Temple.
"What the...? What's going on?"
Tidus panicked as Macalania Temple was suddenly full of water. His hand flew to cover his nose and mouth. The floor of Macalania Temple dropped out and Tidus and the water splashed into a new temple. Bevelle Temple. He coughed up a mouthful of water and sat up.
"What do you want with me!? What's going on!?" He cried.
Purple mist and pyreflies filled the temple. Once they dissipated he found himself in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth. An image of Lulu popped up on the other side of the room.
"He's not waking up. This could be bad. Here. Set him over here..." She said.
The image of Lulu vanished and the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth started caving in. Tidus covered his head as the roof of the cavern collapsed and he found himself in the darkness once again.
"Hello!?" He called, tears running down his cheeks. "Wakka!? Auron!? Anyone!!?"
Wind started to blow fiercely and fire burst up from the floor. He backed away from the flames, eyes wide. There was a flash of red light and suddenly he was in Remiem Temple.
"Stop! Please! I don't know what you want!" The summoner cried.
Remiem Temple vanished and the blonde found himself in a run-down palace. A brunette woman with blue eyes was staring at him. He swallowed hard and walked a few steps closer to her.
"Hello?"
"You are the only one to free every Fayth. Please. Free me..."
Tidus blinked. Now he was looking up at a very worried Wakka and Kimahri.
"Tidus? You awake?" Wakka asked warily.
Bursting into tears Tidus wrapped his arms around Kimahri's neck. The Ronso held his summoner close.
"Tidus. What happened?" Rikku asked. "Are you ok?"
"I..." The blonde sobbed. "I..."
"Shh. It's ok. Just relax first..." Lulu soothed.
The summoner clung to Kimahri's fur. Tears ran down his face until his cries dwindled down into dry, hiccuping sobs. The guardians had surrounded Kimahri and their summoner keeping as much space between Tidus and the Fayth as possible. Once he had calmed down he explained what had happened to everyone.
"Weird..." Rikku murmured.
Even Auron seemed puzzled.
Wakka hugged his lover close.
"Can we just...keep going?" Tidus asked.
The group nodded and continued on their way. They walked along the snow-laden path until they came to a cave. It only took them fifteen minutes to get through the cave. They came out on the other side of the mountain. It wasn't as cold as Mt. Gagazet but still very chilly. The group journeyed through a small canyon to a flat plateau. Auron held his arm out, stopping the group. The ground beneath their feet trembled.
"It's coming. She has sent fiends to test our summoner's strength."
Who is 'she'?" Tidus asked.
"Yunalesca."
"Lady Yunalesca..." The blonde repeated.
"In Zanarkand, she awaits the arrival of the strongest."
"She...is still alive?"
"As much as Mika and Seymour."
"Oh. I see."
"Lost your nerve?"
"No. Nothing frightens me anymore."
"Well brace yourself..."
The ground started to shake more violently. Tidus motioned for Auron and Kimahri to be at his side. From over a small hill the Sanctuary Keeper came lumbering. The summoner called Shiva. She used Diamond Dust on the huge creature while Auron hacked away at its armored shell. The Keeper knocked Auron off sending the man rolling through the dirt. Rin and Rikku ran to Auron's side. Kimahri ran forward but the fiend used a high-powered beam on everyone. The ground beneath the group's feet exploded and they all flew up into the air. Shiva was devolved into pyreflies. Tidus cried out in pain as he connected with the ground his ribs breaking. Wakka and Lulu slammed into the cliffside then slid to the ground. A small chunk of rock bounced off Rikku's knee. The blonde pulled himself along the ground. His whole body was shaking. A trickle of blood seeped from between his lips and rolled down his chin. The Keeper met eyes with Tidus and roared.
[I won't let him kill my friends...]
Using what was left of his strength Tidus summoned Bahamut. A blackish purple cloud formed in the sky and it started swirling. The cloud stretched down until it was a tornado. Huge, black, metallic wings cut through the tornado and the cloud vanished revealing Bahamut. The mighty dragon looked at Lulu then at Tidus. It looked back at the Keeper and roared. The Aeon did a backflip landing on all fours and performed Mega Flare. Tidus watched as the high-powered flare spell melted the Keeper away. Once Mega Flare was over the fiend was nothing but a melty-looking skeleton. Tidus thanked Bahamut and dismissed the Aeon. The blonde painfully pulled himself to his feet. He used a Curaga spell on Lulu and told her to destroy the skeleton. He cured Rikku, Rin, Wakka, Kimahri, and Auron next. Wakka ran to Tidus' side.
"Tidus? Are you ok?"
The teen nodded weakly and used a Curaga on himself. The sparkles of magick healed his broken bones and lacerations.
"Now you're getting it. Tougher Aeons for tougher fiends." Auron said, patting the blonde on the back.
Tidus smiled weakly. Auron smiled back before turning to go.
"Hey! Can't we rest a bit?" Rikku asked.
"No need. We'll reach the summit soon."
The Al Bhed looked at her feet. "I know. That's why I want to stop for a bit." She dragged her toe through the dirt. "Soon means that...there's not much time left."
Tidus looked over at Rikku sadly. "Rikku..."
"Fine! I'll think on the way!"
Rikku ran off. Lulu chased after her."
"Rikku...!" Tidus called running after the girl too.
Kimahri and Rin sighed at each other and followed the foursome. Wakka stayed behind. He sighed sadly and folded his arms. He walked a few steps then looked up to see Auron watching him.
"We're almost there...aren't we?" He asked.
"We've come a long way." Auron replied.
Wakka nodded and Auron smirked, laughing slightly.
"What's so funny?" The redhead frowned.
"You remind me of myself. I was willing to give my own life for my summoner but the more I thought about it...the less I wanted to see him give up his. I thought my mind was made up long before. But when I stood here, my resolve wavered."
"Huh, never would've figured. Legendary guardians choke sometimes, too, ya?"
"Legendary guardian? I was just a boy. A boy about your age, actually. I wanted to change the world, too. But I changed nothing. That is my story."
Wakka frowned. Auron turned and walked away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Changed the vision the Fayth give Tidus of course. Originally I was going to have the Fayth give the vision to Wakka and it would be something similar to FFX's vision (He's actually a dream and will vanish once Sin is gone) but I didn't think that would make much sense so I had Anima's Fayth send a vision to Tidus instead. R&R please ^^