Chapter XVI

"Sir Fiohn," A guard stood in the new lords presence nervously. Beadlets of sweat were building on his forehead, as he struggled to wipe them away his eyes hesitated further. Fiohn shook his head dissapprovingly " How many times have I asked you to address me as Preator. Baralai is not coming back." Sourly Fiohn pursed his lips and motioned the guard to continue.

"I'm afraid Lady Yuna is..." Fiohn's interest was peaked he swiftly ,like a hungary wolf,encircled the guard. " What about Lady Yuna?" He scowled fiercely. " She's gone."

Fiohn wasn't impressed, " I knew it. This I trust is Paine's doing?"

"No, actually I saw her leave. Someone attacked me and took my clothes."

"Who was it?"

" Lord Baralai"

" Are you sure?!"

"Absolutely, it was him. It just had to be. Who else would have enough interest in Lady Yuna to attack me to get by the other guards?!"

"So that means that Paine didn't kill him." Fiohn rubbed his beard. " Then I'm afraid I shall have no choice. If this is the game those two want to play, so be it."

"What would you like us to do."

" You make it sound like it was up to me. Lady Yuna has bestowed this fate upon herself."

" Yes, sire."

" Dispatch the guards, kill them. Deploy Warrior Monks to all of Spira. I'm declaring martial law to any Yevonite and death to all Al-bhed."

" Sir is that not a bit much? How shall you explain that to the council?"

" It is none of your concern. I know the council had specail interest in this marriage, however I'm the preator now."

" Yes sire."

" Listen to me! I had better have both their heads presented to me impaled on your sword or I shall have yours!"

"Yes sire."

Outside the hall were two figures. Standing in the shadows cast by the edifice.

"Did you hear that?!"

" I knew it. It wouldn't be too long before those damn Yevonites did something like this."

"No! Yunie and Baralai are still alive!"

" Not for long."

"Then we'd better get to them quick. C'mon old man!" The young girl was Rikku. Her slick blonde hair flickered hints of gold in the light as she and Cid slithered past the guards on their way to the Via Purifico. "Do we have a plan, Rikku?" Rikku shook her head. " I was thinking more along the lines of jumping in head first and trying to catch up to 'em!" Cid paused for a bit. " And if the kill us?!" Rikku tugged on his arm. " They won't." Cid darted a glance at his daughter. As much as it pained him to accept it she was exactly like her old man.

Uncertainty loomed forward as Yuna struggled to keep up with Baralai. A feat made increasingly more difficult by the secound as she struggled to stay alive. She searched hesitantly for any small pocket of air. Unfortunately all she had forseen ahead was an abyss of what appeared to be an endless and deep azure stomach of a monster that had shallowed them both. As long as Baralai held on to her hand she kept at least a small hope alive.

Yuna began to kick her legs furiously hoping that she could propell herself through the Via Purifico. However as felt herself tire and she had not gotten any futher. Her body began to panic. She had to take at least one breath. It had only been ten minutes before her lungs began to surrender leaving her helpless against the massive creature that was the Via Purifico. Baralai equally dismayed continued to press on, although he felt as if something were crushing his lungs, flattening them to a pulp until he was left with no other alternative but to take a breath. Seeing Yuna struggle, he leaned in closer as the strength of her grasp began to fade. It felt that she could barely wrap her hand against his. Yuna was thrown into a slow stupor until she began to lose conciousness.

Baralai was about to readily quit his fight until he saw something up ahead. Brillant white lights shot up though the abyss, surely they must lead to a way out he thought as he racked his brain trying to remember the structure of the Via Purifico. Northeast of them a irregular structure began to materialize. "The exit!" Baralai thought to himself. The pressure of the water was unsurmountingly heavy. It pressed against his back as he tried to swim towards the lighted area. It all started to flood back to him. This was the way out. By the time he had reached the exit Yuna had already shut her eyes. Nervously Baralai reached out for the lever. The door opened painfully slow as the water around them both began to drain into the opening. Baralai's eyes searched til he found a small inlay. He perched Yuna and himself onto it.

Yuna's body had become frighteningly pale. Her face peaceful as if she had be taken into a deep sleep. Baralai gasped his lungs reclaiming oxygen. Worried that Yuna may have past on he threw his lips against hers and breathed in as hard as his lungs allowed. Coughing between breaths he tried desperately to expell the water that was drowning Yuna. All of it seemed to have no avail. Yuna did not respond. Baralai pushed with more force against her chest. All seem futile. She still remained peaceful. Tiredness started to command Baralai and finally he heard a sound, like music, Yuna's cough. Yuna had finally reacted. Baralai eased his shoulders, " Praise Yevon.". Yuna hack fierociously trying to empty her body of what had been plauging her.

"Baralai..." Yuna drawled with battered breath.

Baralai threw his head back rather than respond. His eyes looked weary and lifeless as if he had just awakened. However he mustered enough strength to run his hand through Yuna's head. Almost as if trying to calm her. Both of them looked unto eachothers eyes as sleep came over them. As Yuna shut her eyes she kept seeing the man she had lost and couldn't help but wonder if she was finally destined to join him, but Baralai also haunted her. She had a chance to be with Tidus but instead she decided to remain a bit longer.

" The...worst...is over." Were the last words she her before relasping into sleep.

" Yuna! Yunie! Wake up! I'm so happy I found you!" Yuna stirred a bit before prying her eyelids open.

"Baralai?" Yuna panted.

" No it's us!" Yuna awoke to find Rikku and Cid by her side. Yuna sighed in relief. She wanted to convince herself it was just a nightmare. In her nightmare she saw everyone she cared for. She was so close to being with Tidus, yet someone was keeping her here. Could it be possible that she gave up her chance to be with Tidus at long last to stay on Spira? It appeared to be real. She was still there. Except she looked around her and saw that her savior was no longer there.

Yuna's head was pounding. " Where's Baralai?" She inquired only to be met with dissapointed glances. " We didn't see him." Rikku replied still squeezing the water from her drenched hair.

"You must have!" Yuna glared in all directions " He was right by my side. He saved my life!"

"Yuna, I'm sorry about Baralai. I'm sure he'll be just fine. But I think there is something we need to talk about." Rikku placed her hand on Yuna's shoulder. " But for the mean time, I'm glad your still alive, cuz!" Rikku tightened her eyes together and embaced Yuna.

"C'mon we'll worry about Baralai later. First we've gotta get the hell out of here!" Cid motioned to the girls.

" Alright! But have you thought of exactly how to do that?!" Rikku retorted.

" I've called in a favor."

" Oh,no! That favor, wouldn't be from who I think it is...would it?!"

" Gippal."

" I was afraid of that!" Rikku moaned. " There is nothing more dangerous than you two lunatics working together!"

Cid and Rikku continued to argue into the distance. Yuna walked steadily behind them, lingering her glance to where her and Baralai laid. Wondering if she'd ever see the man who had saved her life again. She was living through a nightmare but even they could be sweet sometimes.