Chapter 2

Enter sin

I don't know how long I slept, it could have been a few hours, for all I knew it could have been a few weeks. Why would it matter? Suddenly I realized that I was no longer in the dark abyss that I thought I had been trapped in for eternity. No, I was somewhere else but I didn't know where.

The bright beam of the sun beat down on me as I squinted and allowed my eyes to regain their focus. I looked up noticing a large pillar of stone towering above me. It looked familiar somehow. I looked around some more to notice more pillars and a large amount of debris and other stuff lying awaste about the area. It seemed like another world of relics and artifacts left behind by a people long ago.

Walking around a bit I finally realized where I was although it saddened me. This was Luca's Blitzball stadium, or at least what was left of it. This most have been the aftermath of that terrible earthquake, but how did I survive that fall? Then it suddenly hit me.

" My team! They most have thought I had been killed in the fall." I had to find them to show them I was fine.

I ran out of the stadium and down to my house where they probably all were telling my mother about my horrific death.

Won't they be surprised? I thought to myself almost laughing aloud.

I ran down the streets that was usually bustling with people, but now it seemed very quiet and empty it made me feel alone and alittle frightened. I continued to walk down the strangely empty streets of Luca when I thought I saw something rush by.

" Most be my imagination." I thought quickening my pace just in case.
It looked as though the earthquake had caused damage to all of Luca, not just the stadium since almost everything was in some way destroyed. I wondered where everyone was at a time like this I would think at least someone would be on the streets.

I finally reached my house which had also sustained damage. I hoped my mother was okay as well as my team. I entered the front door hoping to find them all sitting in the living room mourning over my death, but when I looked inside, nothing.

I walked up and down the familiar hallways of my home trying to find something that could help me find out where everyone was, but to no avail. I went upstairs to check, and there I found my mother's journal, a memoir she kept of everything. I opened it, the pages were torn and tattered but it was still readable, this is what one of the entries said that filled my heart with sorrow:

Today my son went to his Blitzball championship he had been planning it for such a long time, and now it had finally come. I couldn't be prouder although I wish he wouldn't have slept in this morning of all mornings. Vex had to come and get him up, I'm sure he was embarrassed it wasn't the first time. I watched as he rushed out the door wishing his father could also be here to cheer him on. I'll give him all my hope though.

As I was sitting in the living room I heard the announcement that the Luca Torrents had won, I was overjoyed and couldn't wait till he got home so I could congratulate him, but he never did come home.

I got the terrible news from Vex and the rest of the team later that day when the violent earthquakes had passed. My son had not made it. After a daring rescue he was unable to escape the collapsing of the Blitzball stadium. I was unable to control myself I fell down and wept. First my love and now my son. Why did I have to go through this? Vex and his friends left thereafter and I retreated to my room to mourn over my son. Now what was I supposed to do I had nothing left...Nothing.

The next day they issued a evacuation of Luca. The giant earthquakes had returned and there was no stop to them. The city was beginning to crumble we had to leave we had no choice. I'm going to leave with Vex and his family and someday return to Luca that is why I am leaving my journal behind so I can come back to it and remember. Oh how I wish you were here...

The pages were blank after that I wouldn't be able to read anymore anyway. My poor mother how she must have felt I left her all alone. I set her journal back on the dresser and went downstairs. I must have been knocked unconscious for awhile it seems they evacuated a long time ago no wonder no one was around. I guess none of them had returned yet.

I left my house unsure of what to do next. Where would I go now? There really wasn't much of anywhere I could go, there didn't seem to be anyone that could get me off this place. So I wandered around examining the ruins of Luca that now surrounded me.

I decided to retrace the steps of the day I ran through hordes of people to get to the stadium. I started going down the side street Vex and I had used as a shortcut when I once again saw a blurry figure go by. I decided to follow it since it may be someone that could help me get off Luca so I could search for my mother and friends.

I followed it's abnormal twisting movements through numerous side streets and alleyways. Whoever it was they were extremely fast, and obviously didn't intend on speaking to me.

Finally he went down a side street I knew to be a dead end, maybe now I would get some answers. I turned into the side street and froze because there standing before me was a giant fanged creature. It stood there as it bared it's sharp sickening teeth at me as it prepared itself to attack. I wanted to run but my feet just wouldn't let me. What were fiends doing in Luca? They had never been there before. It most have come after everyone fled Luca that was the only explanation.

I didn't know what to do since I was trapped between a terrifying fiend and my disobedient feet. I was no warrior, I didn't know how to fight.

This was it I was going to finally get the wish I wanted, for someone to come and kill me. But this isn't what I meant, I wanted to take back everything I had said; I wanted to live. The creature was ready to pounce on me and I was about to become an evening meal. I stood there unable to move, unable to produce anything from my mouth. I closed my eyes covering my head with my hands. This was it, I thought as I stood there feeling there was nothing I could do but accept my fate, and when I knew the creature had to be right over me...Nothing? What was going on? I looked up to see a man standing there in front of me.

"Oh great! Now we're both mince meat." I screamed continuing to cover my head.

When I knew it was all over I heard a bloody gurgle and another strange sound. Now its only me, I thought until I looked up. Standing there was the man impaling the large beast with a slightly large sword. The creature squirmed around a bit giving off angry hisses as it gasped it's final breath. Then it laid still, a stickly purple liquid, oozed from it's body. I didn't feel so well now. The man looked down at me offering me a gloved hand which I gladly accepted as he pulled me back on my feet. Standing again I glanced a final time at the blood-thirsty creature that had almost eaten me, then turned my back unable to look anymore.

" Uh...Thanks for helping me ba"

" Shhh! They are still around." The man said covering my mouth with his hands.

" They? Whose they?" I asked in a muffled tone.

" Where one falls there are always twenty more to take it's place."

" Okay?" I said confused now. What in Yevon was he talking about?

"Come, we must hurry before they find out about their fallen comrade."

" Huh? Oh you mean that thing." I said pointing at the now still creature.

He nodded and walked out of the ally, I followed not knowing what else to do. I certainly wasn't staying with smiley, and this guy didn't seem, so bad.

We hadn't gotten far when I started hearing a very familiar rustle behind us. Although the rustle seemed to be a lot bigger then it had the first time I had heard it, but where was it that I heard it before? Then suddenly with a terrible dropping feeling in my gut I remembered where. I knew what I was going to see when I turned around, and I don't know why I turned around; but I did. There standing behind us were at least twenty more of those horrendous fiends. I froze again unable to move. The mysterious man saw this and quickly picked me up and started running.

The creatures were right on his tail and gaining speed. If they kept up this pace they would catch us in no time, and I knew he couldn't fight off twenty of these deadly creatures.

" They're going to catch us!" I screamed.

" Stop yelling! I know what I'm doing."

I sure hoped he knew what he was doing. He did seem pretty confident so I decided to trust whatever he had planned. I just hoped he decided to put that plan into action pretty soon.

The cat and dog chase continued down alleys and streets until we reached a dead end, and we were both cornered.

" Now what!? I thought you had a plan." I yelled.

" I do, just shut up and wait."

I did as he said but I didn't know how much longer we had to wait. I was sure these fiends weren't just gonna wait around until he decided to use his grand plan.

Before I knew it he started inchanting something I had never heard before. What did he plan on doing? Suddenly a large dark light appeared making the fiends back off a little before they decided they would attack. They started pouncing all twenty of them. I saw them right over my head before I closed my eyes.

Through slightly shut eyes I could tell I was being carried away in some sort of dark beam of light.

" You can open your eyes now, they can't fly so were safe for the time being."

I slowly opened my eyes to make sure he was telling the truth, and sure enough he was. We were now flying over Luca and across the sea. This was pretty impressive, but now the only question was, where were we going?

We didn't fly very long when we landed on an up-turned dirt pathway. I had no clue where we were since I had never been out of Luca before. I wanted to explore a bit but as I started walking away the man grabbed me and pulled me behind some overgrown grass.

" Ouch! What was that for?" I asked rubbing the back of my neck.

" Shhh! Be quiet and lay low." He demanded.

" How come?"

He pointed to the center of the road where we had just been standing a few seconds ago. A giant bat like, dog like creature now stood there investigating the ground and it's surroundings. It looked this way and that searching for, something. In a failed attempt to find whatever it was looking for it flew off in an angry blur of fury and matted fur. When it was gone I decided to ask my question.

" Okay! What the HELL was that!?" I asked more then a little astonished.

" That particular one is called a Krelick." He explained.

" Yeah, yeah, thats nice. I meant what are all these fiends doing in Spira...in Luca? There were never fiends here before, at least not that I knew of, and I had been around Luca a couple times, so I was pretty positive."

" They are Sin's new defenses, and good defenses at that."

Sin? How could that be? We were living in the calm there is no way Sin could be back this soon. Sure I knew the calm wouldn't last forever, but it had only been a few years since Sin had been destroyed and all of Spira had entered the Calm, I remember the day. Was the summoner's work for nothing? Or is it something else? Something more? Did I really sleep that long?

" Come, we must not dawdle." The man told me.

I thought about what I should do, follow him or stay here and get eaten by that Licki, or something like that. Well the second option didn't seem all that flattering so I guessed I was going to follow until this guy decided to kill me himself.

" Where are we going?" I asked, trying to keep up with his quickening pace.

" To Guadosalam." He responded.

" What's that?"

" It's my home, I'm a Guado.

" Ohhhh...What's a Guado?"

" You sure do ask a lot of questions."

" Can you really blame me?"

" Shh! Just be quiet you'll get all your answers soon enough."

Well! I thought to myself, this guy could be a little more social, or at least make sense, he seemed to always talk in riddles.

We continued to walk down the path until we reached some sort of temple thingy. Like everything else it was in shambles, and looked as if it could fall apart any second. Why would this guy have to come to some place like this? I looked at his dark exterior hoping to find an answer without actually...asking him, he seemed to be bugged about all the questions I asked, and I thought that if I didn't want to be left behind I better do as he says and keep silent; as well as stay on his good side.

Getting a closer look at him he didn't look any different from...well anyone. He had silverish hair that gradually got longer as it got closer to his neck where it reached slightly passed his collar. His eyes were an odd pale blue green, that never seemed to stay focused on one thing for very long. He wore a black vest with unusual gold and silver patterns. He also wore black gloves and pants, making him seem more than alittle mysterious.

I was unable to get a clear answer just by looking at him since he didn't seem to know why he was here either. So I had no choice but to ask. I took a deep breath, and letting it out I finally asked.

" What are we doing here?" I asked soberly and silently.

" I'm looking for someone, but they don't seem to be here." He explained looking about. " Oh well."

He started walking again and I followed like a puppy on a leash. Once again he started inchanting something and we were instantly teleported, to where I did not know, but I had that feeling I was about to find out.

Finally! We had arrived somewhere, but that teleportation beam didn't make my body feel to good, and now I was extremely dizzy and nauseated. No wonder I never traveled anywhere.

As I was trying to gain control of my eyesight and balance again I could hear voices approaching us.

" Lord Vaeyin! Your safe! We were all very concerned that Sin may have gotten you."

" Don't worry yourself's I'm fine. Have those rebels come yet?"

" No my Lord."

Vaeyin? Lord? I was picked up from the side of the street by a Lord? This was news that hit me like a ton of Chocobos. What would some all powerful Lord want with me? Everything that had just happened was making me extremely ill, and that teleportation didn't help one bit. I couldn't stand it anymore I collapsed onto the cold stone floor, sick, confused, and wanting to go home.

It didn't take long for everyone else to notice me sprawled out on the ground, half conscious.

" Who is this my Lord?"

" He's the one that will tie the bounds of fate for all of Spira." Vaeyin responded

" Ah yes! This is the one you have been telling us about." The servant said, slight confusion mixed in his words.

" Yes, but I don't think that teleportation did him any good. He needs to rest, if you would could you find him a room?"

" Yes my Lord, right away."

I may have been knocked out, but I could hear everything they were saying. What did this so called Lord mean by me tying together the fate of Spira? Sounded pretty farfetched to me. I had never done anything important. I may have been the leader of the Blitzball team but that never said that made me "important."

I heard them talk a bit longer, nothing I could understand since I was growing less and less aware of my sorroundings. Then I heard everyone began to leave as I was picked up off the floor. Then I lost all consciousness and everything grew black again.

My head still hurt when I had finally awoke, oddly I hadn't been haunted by the nightmares that usually came to me while I was asleep. I sat up in a nicely padded bed and looked around me. It seemed that the Guados didn't worry about expenses all that much. Everything was extremely fancy and well organized, and if this was just a guest room then I couldn't wait to see the rest of Guadosalam.

I slowly got out of bed making absolutely sure I had my footing before I started walking around. I walked out of the bedroom doors which were engraved with large golden dueling dragons. I walked a ways until I found the path we had entered. I headed down to it when I was greeted by one of the Guados, I suppose. He looked a lot different from Lord Vaeyin in fact all the Guado looked the same except for Vaeyin. Was he really a Guado? Or did he look different because he was Lord?

" You are awake young master, we were worried." The Guado said. " Lord Vaeyin wishes to speak to you. Please follow me."

Maybe this was my chance to get the answers I wanted. This Vaeyin guy had to know something about how Sin had suddenly come, and about everything else that had happened. Maybe even where my mother and friends were.

I followed the Guado until we reached a crystalline door. He appointed me through the doors closing them behind me. I gulped afraid of the unknown, could this guy really be trusted?

I stepped forward little by little making out the odd markings that decorated the whole room. It was colorful...to colorful for a guy like this. It just didn't seem to fit. Just like everything else that had happened so far.

" Why don't you have a seat?" Vaeyin asked. Keep on his good side, I thought, so I did as I was told.

" Now why don't you tell me a little about yourself Rhen."

What was this? I never told him my name, at least I didn't think I did. How did he know? Still, following his orders I told him about everything up until the part where I had fell from the stadium and blacked out, only to be woken in an entirely different world. Unfortunately for me I was just about to see how different this world really was.

" Well, it seems you have been through quite a bit since I found you, haven't you?" Vaeyin asked in his cold icy tone.

" I guess, I mean it wasn't at all easy."

" Of course. You must be tired, why don't you eat something to replenish your energy, and than get some sleep. I think it would help." Vaeyin said, pushing his chair away from the table as he stood up.

" Wait! Mister Vaey-, Lord Sir, um..." I said stumbling with words on what to address him as.

" Please, just call me Vaeyin."

" Okay, Vaeyin? I hope I'm not sounding rude but, why does everyone here seem to look identical; except for you?"

" That must seem pretty weird. You see, I'm not really an authentic Guado if you want to call it that. I'm actually human, like you."

I stood there, kind of baffled and confused, and at a complete loss at what to say next. " I think I understand, thank you." I replied bowing my head in the old Spira manner.

Vaeyin bowed as well as he proceeded out of the room. As he left the giant clot that had been stuck in my throat suddenly was gone, and my muscles and nerves stopped shaking. Sure he sounded like a nice guy, but somehow I knew there was something not quite right about this whole situation.

As I pondered over these thoughts I failed to notice the Guado servant entering the room. His sudden speech caught me off guard making me once agian, loose my thoughts.

" Young Master Rhen, Vaeyin has informed me to escort you to a room, if you so desire."

I didn't know what to think. The last thing I had wanted to do since arriving in this strange world was to sleep, for fear of those terrible visions returning. But now sleep seemed to beckon me, putting me in an almost relief-filled state. Unable to ignore my weariness I involuntarilly nodded my head, as my feet and legs did the moving for me.

I followed him down what seemed like endless hallways of doorways, until we reached the room I had awoken in with the two dueling dragons imprinted in gold on the front. The servant than slowly opened the door and escorted me inside. Before he left he muttered something, but I was unable to make out any of it, did it matter? Probably not, I hoped.

Plopping down on the nicely laid out bed I tried to put all the things that had happened to me, together. How I got here, what had happened to Luca, why were these Guados making such a big deal about me when I had never met them in my life, but what I was mostly trained on was, Sin.

Thoughts flowed through me like water rushing down a waterfall, all of them dispersing into a small muddle, confusing me even more. Why should I let it bother me? Was it really my problem? I guess it was now that I was stuck here.

As I let my thoughts slide me into a state of exhaustion, eventually leading me into a drifting slumber I wondered what all this would soon come too. It seemed since I got here all I had been doing is wondering, but there wasn't much else I could do. I was stuck and there was no way out. I also thought about this as my eyes grew emensely heavy, until everything was gone.

I had another dream, or should I say nightmare. In this nightmare I was running, running through an abyss of darkened oblivion. It was very similir to previous ones I had visited, and more than likely was the same.

Through the abyss I ran without any knowledge of direction, or where I might be headed. Still I continued to run at a tiring pace until I collapsed onto the charcoaled black ground, breathing heavily, a sense of anxiety rushing to my head. Laying in a pathetic heap in the middle of this blackened land I rested knowing there was no escape, no heartening light, only darkness.

What was to become of me now? I thought, as I layed there in the middle of a stream of nothing. I was about to fall asleep when a small but visable light appeared a few feet away from me. I blinked, surprised there was light in a place like this.

I imediatley got to my feet and reached towards the light, hoping it would pull me back into the real world, but as I grabbed for it, it began pulling itself away from me. Driving it further and further into the darkness. Afraid to loose sight of the light I pushed my body to run faster and faster, but gained no progress. This couldn't be! I said exasperated, and growing weary. I just had to reach it, so I mustered up every last ounce of strength, stamina, and speed, and sprinted the last few feet until my hand was completely engulfed by the light.

Thrilled I had finally reached it I gave a sigh of relief...until I felt a slight tugging on my hand, which soon became a violent pulling. I was confused and more then a little afraid as I tried to regain control of my hand once again. But it seemed the harder I pulled back the harder the grip on my hand became.

Suddenly unaware of the situation I was completely engulfed, only to be welcomed by Sin. I panicked, my mind entering a state of sheer and terrible fear. I tried to get away but it was impossible, there was no way to get myself free from the evil clutches of Sin. I then heard an oddly fimiliar laugh, but where from? I looked up then realizing who was making the absurd laughter only to realize the figure sitting upon Sin was...Vaeyin.