Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy.
Chapter Three: First Strike
Auron kept quiet for a time, as usual. There was nothing of real interest to say. But he was now wondering. Why exactly DID Sin come back? Auron tried not to think about it, to keep his mind clear, but it kept nagging at him. However, Auron was quiet good at concealing his problems.
The Cloister of trials appeared to them on the way out. The floor collapsed and they were forced to find a way to recreate it by using the Macalania Spheres. It proved to be a bit of a puzzler, but they soon figured it out. However, to save time and sanity, I will not go into it. They all continued through the barren Macalania land. Jecht was complaining less about the cold. He'd adapted well. So the journey was quiet for a while.
The trio spotted a shop, and decided to restock on items. They stepped inside and a man stood with an open yellow vest and blonde hair down to his shoulders and goggles holding it back in the front.
"Rammu! Famlusi du Rin's Dnyjam Ykahlo!"
Jecht raised a brow. "What the heck?"
The man looked closer, then crossed his arms.
"Famm, famm, Summoner Braska! Ed ec ehtaat kuut du caa oui ykyeh!"
"Oui duu, Rin." Braska said.
"Fred pnehkc oui rana?"
"I am on a pilgrimage, Rin."
"Ah, I should have guessed."
"Thank you for finally speaking words we all understand!" Jecht said. "What language was that, anyway?"
"Al Bhed." Auron answered. "He is an Al Bhed."
". . .?"
"Long story. Tell you later. But that's Rin, a friend of Braska's late wife."
"Late?" Rin asked.
"She died." Braska explained.
"Oh, I am sorry."
"It's alright. I'll avenge her death by killing Sin."
"Oh?" He looked a bit troubled. "Well, we do all long for a new calm."
"I know. Oh, and this is Auron and Jecht. They are my guardians."
"Hela du saad oui!"
"He said, 'Nice to meet you.'" Braska said.
"So," Rin said. "What can I help you with?"
* * * *
Braska stared Sin down. The vile menace glared back.
"It is time to put an end to this!" Braska shouted. He twirled his staff around, and the world grew darker. Auron watched as the ground began to tremble.
A great abundance of people were around, watching and hoping. Auron stood silent. He'd already tried his hardest, but Braska wouldn't stop.
A great hole in the ground erupted as a black, formless beast erupted from the earth. The Final Aeon had risen.
"Now," Braska said, "DESTROY SIN!!"
The aeon roared and a black beam shot from it. Sin roared in pain as the beam ripped through it. A massive hole was blown through Sin and it fell, shrieking in agony. It hit the ground and deteriorated into a million pyrflies. Sin was defeated.
The masses around instantly broke into cheering and applause. But Auron would not cheer, for he knew what was next. The Final Aeon turned to Braska and extended what looked like a hand. Braska did not move. He knew this would be coming. The Final Aeon fired another Black beam. Braska was consumed in the attack and obliterated. Then, the Final Aeon vanished.
Auron fell to his knees in anguish. Braska was gone. But the crowd was still cheering! The summoner that defeated Sin had just died, yet they cheered?! Auron stood back up.
"Shut up! SHUT UP!! Do you not see?! Braska is dead!!"
And the crowd returned, "Who cares? Sin is gone!" They continued cheering and celebrating. Auron could not believe it. They didn't care about the summoner at all. They just saw him as another expendable victim to Sin, who was born to die.
Suddenly, the earth trembled again. A ball of energy formed from nothing and expanded. The crowd stopped cheering and stared. The expanding beam took form. Then, the glowing stopped and they all saw what it was. Sin had reformed itself.
The crowd began screaming in fear.
"Do you see now?!" Auron shouted to them. "It ALWAYS comes back!!"
Sin roared and a black ball formed in front of its mouth. Everyone began to run, but Auron would not flee. He stayed in place. Sin fired an immense black ball.
* * * *
BOOOOOMM!! Auron was tossed out of bed and hit his head on the nightstand, then landed on the ground. The entire foundation rocked for only a second, then returned calm. That was, until the people inside began running about, wondering what it was. Then, Auron heard voices.
"Sin! Sin has come!!"
Auron did not hesitate. He grabbed his sword, which was at the side of his bed and ran out, not bothering to put on his red coat. He only wore his black pants and sleeveless shirt and stopped to put on his black boots, then ran out the door.
He ran into Jecht in the hall.
"Auron! What the heck is going on?!"
"Where's Braska?!"
Just then, Braska came out of another room, also confused. Seeing he was okay, Auron ran out, past the crowds and out the door. The cold air nipped at him, but he ignored every aspect. He saw it floating overhead. It was a black, evil form flying across the sky. Sin. He knew it. He felt it in him. It was flying away, fortunately. It had just let everyone know it had been there.
Auron lowered his sword and finally breathed. Sin. The abominable creature of mass destruction and death. Why had it ever existed? Why was it here? And why wouldn't it die?!
Auron looked back at the crowd. They were speaking amongst themselves. They were all afraid. Braska was speaking to them all. The crowd listened, full of fear, but begging for encouragement. They silently pleaded for Braska to bring the calm.
Auron's thoughts went to his dream. It was only a dream, but would soon become a reality. The crowds would worry about the summoner, make sure he got to where he was supposed to go, but when Sin was gone, it didn't matter what happened to him. Then, another Sin would come and they'd worry again and call out for more summoners. It was an endless cycle of hypocrisy.
* * * *
Auron didn't sleep too much more that night and got up early. He was the only one up besides the staff. They had decided to stay the night at the agency. Everyone was quite shaken from Sin's overpass that night. Auron didn't let it bother him. Sin was gone for now. But his dream still haunted him.
He sat in a chair and took the time to think about what was going to happen. After a while, Braska entered the room.
"Up so early?"
"I couldn't sleep so well."
"Because of Sin last night? That stuff doesn't usually bother you."
"I wasn't that. It was.something else."
"What?" Braska asked, sitting.
"Nothing."
"That answer always given by you. You sure you're okay?"
"Yes, my lord. Thank you."
Jecht came in a little while later. "You guys up already? Man."
"Should we get going then?" Auron asked.
"Yes." Braska said.
"Already?" Jecht said.
"That's right. I don't know what Sin was doing, but it can't be good."
Jecht sighed. "Alright, whatever."
They all quickly packed everything and left the building. Suddenly, Jecht stopped.
"Oh, man!!"
"What??" Auron asked, a little on edge.
"My sphere! I totally forgot about it!" He pulled it out. Auron sighed.
"This again?"
"Yeah! I want to show it to my family! Braska! Get a shot of me in front of the agency!" He gave it to Braska then moved in position. Braska turned it on.
"Auron, could you stand a little closer to him?"
Auron sighed. He wanted no part in this, but whatever. He moved into the picture a bit.
"Good. That should do it."
Jecht looked at Auron. "What's the matter? Afraid I might bite?"
"Jecht . . ." Auron groaned.
"Hey, Braska!" Jecht said, "You should get one too! It'd make a great gift for little Yuna!"
"I suppose."
"Lord Braska," Auron said, "we shouldn't be wasting our time like this!"
"Relax, man!" Jecht said. "What's the hurry?" He moved out of the picture.
Auron grew frustrated. "Let me tell you what the hurry is!" He said, going after him.
"Auron!" Braska said, shutting off the sphere.
Auron grabbed Jecht's shoulder and spun him around.
"The hurry is that there could very well be Sinspawn on the road!"
"What are Sinspawn?"
"Fiends that fall from Sin's body. If they are not destroyed, Sin will come back for them. You don't want Sin to come back, do you?"
"Well.no."
"Then we should hurry, don't you agree?"
"Alright, alright. I get the picture!"
"Good. Now let's move!" He shoved past Jecht and led the way. He overheard Jecht.
"Yeesh, what's his problem?"
* * * *
"By the way," Jecht said. They had left the barren cold land and were not traveling through Macalania Forest. "What's with the Al Bhed, anyway?"
"They don't believe in Yevon." Braska said. "And because of that, they are disgraced by many, especially temple leaders."
"But . . .you didn't seem to have a problem with them!"
"I know. Before I became a summoner, I was trying to bring peace between the two races. That's how I met my wife. Rin was a friend of hers, and soon, a friend of mine."
"But how come Yuna asked if I was Al Bhed in Bevelle?"
"You said your world was full of machina. But, like we said, machina are strictly forbidden. But Al Bhed use them anyway."
"So these Al Bhed are like a bunch of outlaws. So why did Rin have a shop right out in the open?"
"Well, many Al Bhed still try to be friendly to humans. Besides, Rin keeps nothing sacrilegious in his shops. He only sells items and weapons and give people rest for the night. He's done nothing harmful, so he should not be harmed himself."
"And the people passing by see that?"
"Yes. Even some temple priests agree."
"But . . .how do you know if they're Al Bhed or not?"
"Their eyes." Auron said. "Human's pupils are round, while Al Bhed's are spiral."
"Whoa, freaky."
"You get used to it."
They were silent for another minute until Jecht raised another question.
"So . . .these Sinspawn things . . .how tough are they?"
Suddenly, there was a great roar and the forest shook. Then there was shouting.
"I think you're about to find out." Auron said, "Come on!" They ran to a side path that led deeper into the woods. Just a few feet into it, it spread out into a great clearing. There was an immense pool in the back, and something had risen out of it. It was a blue beast, in a sort of strange form. It looked like a monster on two legs, but its details were undefined. And the skin kept shifting a bit, like a rubbery monster.
"What the heck is that?!" Jecht exclaimed.
"A Sinspawn." Auron said. "A strange one."
"It's made of water!" Braska said.
"Hey! Look!" Jecht said, pointing down to what the monster was attacking.
"Maester Jyscal!!" Braska exclaimed. The monster loomed in on him.
Auron drew his blade and charged. Once he was in striking range, he shouted, "Shooting Star!!" then swung upward. The monster was blasted into the pool.
"You alright?" Auron asked, helping the maester up.
"Y-yes, thank you."
"Hey!" Jecht said, "You're that Jyscal Guado guy, aren't you?"
"Yes, so we meet again."
Just then, the monster came back out, angrier.
"Save the introductions for later." Auron said. "Let's go!" He charged.
The monster swung at him, but Auron blocked it with his massive blade. Jecht then came up and slashed at it. The beast flinched, then countered, knocking them back. Then it inhaled deeply, and sprayed a watery blast at them. While they shook it off, Braska zapped the monster with a Thundara Spell. It roared in pain as it was hit by its weakness. Then its whole body glowed for a second then stopped.
"What was that?" Jecht asked.
"Let's not wait to find out! Thundara!" he zapped it again. But this time, the monster absorbed it.
"What the?!" Then it fired its own Thundara blast right a Braska. He shook it off.
"It shifted elements?!"
Auron wasn't going to stand by. He ran forward again and slashed it, but then it just zapped him. Braska tried a Watera spell and it worked. So then the beast shifted again. This time, it breathed an Icy blast at Jecht, who was coming up, then at Auron. Braska struck it down with a Fira Blast and yet again, it shifted.
"This is giving me a headache!" Jecht groaned. The Morpher exhaled a burning wave at his enemies and they ducked under the flames.
"That does it!" Braska said. He raised his staff, then knelt to the ground and thick ice chunks fell all around him. Then, from the sky, a transparent being descended into the ice. Then it took on a form. It looked like human female, with long, blue hair and its whole body had a light-blue tint. She was wrapped in a blue cloth. She gripped it and tossed it away and the ice around her shattered. The cloth landed in Braska's hands.
"What now?" Jecht asked.
"Shiva, the Macalania Aeon."
"This could turn the tables." Auron said.
Shiva raised her hand and brought it down and an icy blast hit the Morpher. It shook it off and mutated into the ice element and breathed its chilly breath, but Shiva absorbed it all. The monster became confused and morphed again. This time, it breathed a fiery blast.
Shiva was shockingly fast and moved away just in time, then struck again. The Morpher tried again, but to no avail. She again dodged and countered. Finally, the monster went in for a physical assault. It swung down, but Shiva moved and blasted it again. But this time, but Morpher was able to kick her away before roasting her in an inferno.
The aeon was hurt, but still got back up. Now she was mad. She closed her eyes and concentrated and then twirled around. Ice gathered all around her and formed into a white beam in her hands. Then she fired it all out at her opponent. The monster was helpless to defend and it was trapped in thick layers of ice. Finally, Shiva stopped and snapped her fingers. The ice shattered and the Morpher fell to the ground.
Shiva was leaning on a knee now, but the monster seemed gone. That is, until it shot out of the water and gave a great punch, knocking Shiva into a tree. The aeon fell to the ground, became once again transparent, and faded away.
"Well, it started to work." Jecht said.
"It did!" Auron said, "Look!" The Morpher was hobbling. "It has greatly weakened. Let's go now!"
At that time, the monster raised its hands. Red beams formed a bubble around it.
"What was that?" Jecht asked.
"The White Magic move called Shell." Braska said. "My magic is nearly no good now."
"Then it's up to us." Auron said. He ran again and struck the monster and it countered with a flame. Jecht struck as well, but was too burned.
"Man! That fire attack is gonna get the best of me!" Jecht said.
"Oh, no it won't." Auron said. His blade glowed yellow. "This monster puts too much trust in his magics!" Then he ran up and slashed. "Magic Break!!" There was a violet shatter, then nothing. It breathed its flames again, but they did nearly nothing. Now he was at their mercy. It tried to smash Auron, but he parried and the monster fell back.
"My turn!" Jecht said. "These are the kinds of moves we learn in Blitzball!" He ran forward and did a horizontal flip, then another, then on his last one, he struck, "Spiral Cut!!"
Finally, the monster fell onto its face and deteriorated into nothing.
Auron put away his blade, then turned to the man that had been attacked, whom Braska was attending to.
"Are you alright, Maester Jyscal?"
"Yes, thank you." Braska helped him up.
"What're you doin' out here?" Jecht asked him.
"I was returning to Guadosalam, when this fiend struck. My attendants were quickly wiped out. Praise be to Yevon that you all appeared!" He did the prayer.
"It was no ordinary fiend." Auron said. "It was a Sinspawn. Sin passed over last night."
"Yes. I saw." He turned to Braska. "I, as well as all Spira, do hope you'll bring the Calm quickly."
"Even though another Sin will be born anyway." Auron said aloud. Jyscal gave him a look.
"Yes, but a rest from Sin is worth anything."
Auron wanted to say something back, but held his tongue.
Jecht was still staring at the spot where the fiend had been. "Is there some significance to this place? I mean, how come you were here? It's off the trail."
"Many journey off for just a moment to get a glimpse at this. It's quite majestic. This is what spheres are made of. They absorb and collect the thoughts and memories of people."
"Cool." Jecht said. He gazed at the place for a moment.
"Well," Jyscal said, "I must be going back to Guadosalam. Good day to you."
"Lord Jyscal, wait." Braska said. "We'll go with you. We're going to Djose temple anyway, so we'll be passing through. We can protect you along the way."
"A summoner offering protection?" Jyscal said with a raised brow. "An odd thing, but much appreciated. Very well then, come along."
They all began walking and got back on track.
"Um, hey, Auron." Jecht said.
"Yes?"
"What's a maester?" He made sure to say it in a quiet tone.
Auron shook his head. "Give me a break! That's one of the simplest things in Spira!" He sighed. "There are four maesters. Together, they all lead Spira. Maester Jyscal is trying to bring the Guado and the Humans together. He's bringing the teachings of Yevon to the Guado."
"Ah, I see. So . . .is it Lord Jyscal or Maester Jyscal?"
"Either works. He's Lord because he leads the Guado, and Maester of Yevon."
"Man, Spira is so confusing."
* * * *
Auron, Braska, Jecht, and Jyscal passed through the forest with little interest. The climate got warmer, at least. The then, the sky began growing darker.
"Storm's coming." Jecht said.
"Actually," Jyscal said. "We're nearing the end of the forest."
"What does that mean?"
Jyscal raised a brow. "Don't know your geography so well do you?"
"He barely knows where he is now." Auron said.
"It's because of Sin's toxin." Braska added.
"Ah, yes. Well, it means that we are nearing the Thunder Plains."
"Thunder Plains?"
"Yes, you know, the eternal thunderstorm."
Jecht shot Auron a look. "You said nothing about any eternal storm!!"
"So? I thought you could take anything. It didn't seem necessary to tell you."
"Yeah, well . . .so what? Eternal storm, big whoop! I've been swimming during thunderstorms, man!"
Jyscal then stopped and stared at Jecht. "Why?"
"Lord Jyscal," Auron said, "I would advise you not to ask why he does the things he does. The answer is always one of two. He's lying or he's an idiot. Usually it leans toward the second one."
Jecht then flipped him off.
"Don't get along so well, eh?" Jyscal said.
"Not at all." Braska said. "I would know."
"Well, guardians should be able to get along, I mean, how can you fight Sin when you're fighting each other?"
"Exactly." Braska concurred.
The guardians looked at each other and shook their heads. Braska sighed. It seemed they would never get along.
A little bit later, the forest ended and the Thunder Plains began. Auron had been here before, and wasn't the least bit afraid of the lightning. He looked back and saw the nervous look on Jecht's face.
"Swimming in thunderstorms?"
Jecht quickly changed his look to a confident one. "You bet!" He was silent for a second. "But, eh, how . . .do you guys cross?"
"Stay near the lightning rod towers." Auron advised, "But not too close. Avoid wide open areas."
"Let's move." Braska said. They quickly moved across the plains, staying near the towers. Lightning lashed all around them, dancing across the skies and striking the open fields. One got too close and Jecht jumped out of his skin.
"WHAHH!!"
Auron had to laugh. "I wish you had been recording."
"Oh, speaking of which," he pulled out his recording sphere. "I bet they'd like a shot of this place." He hesitated, then held it out to Auron. "Here."
"What? Why me?"
"I wanna get a shot of myself in this one! Just do it!" He put it in Auron's hands.
Auron rolled his eyes and turned it on. He began moving it around, to get a good look at the place, watching the lighting dart from the sky and strike the towers.
"Stop wavin' it around!" Jecht exclaimed. "Keep it steady!"
"Why am I doing this?" Auron asked to no one in particular, then he shut it off.
"HEY!!"
"I don't care!" He looked over at Braska, who was looking at a broken down lightning tower, reading the label. The man that had put the lightning rod towers in the first place had been working on this one when he was struck dead by a bolt. It was never repaired, as sort of a memento. Without that man, travelers couldn't have ever gotten across the plains.
"Auron! Turn it back on!"
He groaned and rubbed the bridged of his nose. "Alright!!" He flicked it back on, now focusing on Braska, who appeared deep in thought.
"What do you see there, my lord?" Auron asked.
"Oh, I was just . . .thinking."
"Quit playin' around!!" Jecht shouted. "You're gonna spoil it!!"
KAZAP!!
"WHOA!!"
They ran over to Jecht, who slowly got back up, groaning.
"Are you alright?" Braska asked.
"Now there's a scene for posterity!" Auron said with a grin.
"Yeah, yeah . . ." Jecht mumbled.
They all laughed, even Auron, who decided to shut the sphere off. Jecht got up again slowly, shaking it off. Braska also used a cure spell.
"But seriously, you okay?" Braska asked.
"I'll be fine. Auron, delete that."
"I think I'll keep it on there."
"Gimme that!!" He snatched it.
"But don't you want your child to be able to see that you can endure anything?"
Jecht thought about that. "Hey! You're right! Okay! I'll keep it!"
Auron shook his head. That was the only way to work Jecht.
They moved through the Thunder Plains, staying not too far, but not to near, to the Lightning Rod towers. There was another of Rin's travel agencies, but they passed it up, knowing it was better to just cross through the plains as quickly as possible, which wasn't easy with the fiends and such. After a few hours, the ground seemed to slop downward and go into a cave of some sort.
"What's this?" Jecht asked.
"Guadosalam, of course." Jyscal said.
"Eh? You guys live underground?"
"Not quite, but we prefer the cave protection."
ZAP!! Jecht jumped three feet in the air. "So do I!" He ran forward and the others chased after him, not wanting to get caught up in the storm.
Guadosalam was . . .a confusing place, to say the least. There were walkways all over at different elevations leading to who knew where all over the place.
"This place is like a beehive!" Jecht said.
"Watch your tongue." Auron warned.
"Come." Jyscal told them all, leading them to a large "home" in the back of Guadosalam. Guados walked all around them, looking and watching as Lord Jyscal returned. They were fairly tall and lanky, most of them, with large hands and feet, as well as odd hair in various designs.
"Lord Jyscal." A guardian in the front said, bowing as they approached. Then he looked around him. "Where are your guardians?"
"They were killed by a sinspawn. Thankfully, these three came before it got me too."
"Oh, Praise be to Yevon!" He said, doing the prayer." Then he opened the door and allowed the lord to walk inside, accompanied by Braska, Auron and Jecht. The house was large enough, that was for sure, with an odd design to it. It was more of a mansion of a house, really.
Jecht whistled. "This place is kinda nice. Kinda weird, but kinda nice."
"I . . .will take that as a compliment." Lord Jyscal replied, a bit baffled.
"Seymour!" Jyscal called. "Where are you?"
"I am here, father." A young voice called out, walking out of a hallway. He looked around 13. But Auron noticed something different about the boy. He didn't seem like the other Guados.
"Come! I want you to meet some people."
The boy was more plain-faced than the Guados, but still had blue hair in an odd fashion.
"Seymour, this is Summoner Braska. He is on a pilgrimage right now to defeat Sin. These are his guardians, Sir Auron and Sir Jecht. Everyone, this is my son, Seymour."
The boy did the prayer. "Pleased to meet you all."
Jyscal turned to the group. "You are all welcome to stay here for tonight, as my thank you for saving my life."
"Saved you life??" Seymour asked.
"Yes. A sinspawn attacked me in Macalania Forest."
"Thank you all again. Sin flew over Guadosalam, but did not cause trouble."
"Good! I am glad to hear it. Come! All of you! We will eat soon."
Auron still wondered, but Jecht was the one to ask. Thankfully, he did it quietly.
"Um, Lord Jyscal?" he asked, standing next to him. "I . . .noticed Seymour looks . . .different from the other Guados."
"Oh, yes. You see, his mother was a human."
Suddenly Auron remembered. Jyscal was trying to bring the Yevon teachings to the guado. And his marrying a human woman was a sign of unity.
"Oh." Jecht said.
"Therefore, he has traits of both species."
"Okay . . .just . . .curious."
"It's quite alright."
Braska stepped up to Jecht. "Very nice." He walked on. Even Auron had to admit that one to himself. But still, something didn't feel right about Jecht. He still didn't trust him that much.
They all ate with Lord Jyscal and Seymour that night. Auron could tell Jecht was puzzled, but didn't both asking. But Jecht asked him anyway.
"To avoid looking stupid, I'll ask you." He said to Auron. "Where's Jys-Lord Jyscal's wife?"
"She died."
"Oh . . .a lot of people did here in Spira, don't they?"
"You have no idea."
"Did Sin kill her?"
"No. She became a fayth."
"Oh . . .wait, what?!"
Auron sighed. He really wanted to eat.
"A fayth, you know what they are."
"Yeah, the things that give the summoners Aeons, right? So she . . .died willingly? Why?"
Auron looked around, then began whispering to Jecht. "Later."
Jecht nodded inconspicuously and got to eating.
"So, Summoner Braska," Jyscal said. "From Bevelle, right?"
"Correct."
"So your next stop would be in Djose. Three aeons to go." He sighed. "You sure have a ways to go, don't you?"
"Very much so. And fiends are becoming unbearable. But my guardians have shown there skill the whole way." He chuckled. "The trip so far has been entertaining, to say the least."
"Good!" Jyscal said. "Laughter keeps you going."
"It does. The trip seems to go by quickly."
"Good. We all wish for it to do so, so you can defeat Sin quickly."
"Even though a new one will be born." Jecht muttered.
"True, but even for a little while, we can live in peace. That's worth it."
"Yeah, I know."
"You will do well to remember it to replace your regrets. Even when Braska reaches the end, remember that it is all worth it."
Jecht chuckled. "You make it sound like he's going to die." He got back to eating, but a silence fell over the room. Jyscal raised a brow, but Braska shook his head. That brought more confusion, but Jyscal nodded.
Auron looked at Jecht. He didn't have a clue. But he was more concentrated on what Jyscal said. "It's all worth it." He was wrong. It shouldn't be this way. No one should have to pay such a price when it would end nothing.
Author's Note: So so so so so so so so SO sorry about the incredibly long wait. Stuff kept happening and my computer was unusable many times, but also, I admit, I was too lazy. And I had a while of writer's block. But that's all over, and I will try to get the next chapters up faster, okay? So, we got a little look at the future in this one. You like? Please review, and thanks for your patience. Lata.
Chapter Three: First Strike
Auron kept quiet for a time, as usual. There was nothing of real interest to say. But he was now wondering. Why exactly DID Sin come back? Auron tried not to think about it, to keep his mind clear, but it kept nagging at him. However, Auron was quiet good at concealing his problems.
The Cloister of trials appeared to them on the way out. The floor collapsed and they were forced to find a way to recreate it by using the Macalania Spheres. It proved to be a bit of a puzzler, but they soon figured it out. However, to save time and sanity, I will not go into it. They all continued through the barren Macalania land. Jecht was complaining less about the cold. He'd adapted well. So the journey was quiet for a while.
The trio spotted a shop, and decided to restock on items. They stepped inside and a man stood with an open yellow vest and blonde hair down to his shoulders and goggles holding it back in the front.
"Rammu! Famlusi du Rin's Dnyjam Ykahlo!"
Jecht raised a brow. "What the heck?"
The man looked closer, then crossed his arms.
"Famm, famm, Summoner Braska! Ed ec ehtaat kuut du caa oui ykyeh!"
"Oui duu, Rin." Braska said.
"Fred pnehkc oui rana?"
"I am on a pilgrimage, Rin."
"Ah, I should have guessed."
"Thank you for finally speaking words we all understand!" Jecht said. "What language was that, anyway?"
"Al Bhed." Auron answered. "He is an Al Bhed."
". . .?"
"Long story. Tell you later. But that's Rin, a friend of Braska's late wife."
"Late?" Rin asked.
"She died." Braska explained.
"Oh, I am sorry."
"It's alright. I'll avenge her death by killing Sin."
"Oh?" He looked a bit troubled. "Well, we do all long for a new calm."
"I know. Oh, and this is Auron and Jecht. They are my guardians."
"Hela du saad oui!"
"He said, 'Nice to meet you.'" Braska said.
"So," Rin said. "What can I help you with?"
* * * *
Braska stared Sin down. The vile menace glared back.
"It is time to put an end to this!" Braska shouted. He twirled his staff around, and the world grew darker. Auron watched as the ground began to tremble.
A great abundance of people were around, watching and hoping. Auron stood silent. He'd already tried his hardest, but Braska wouldn't stop.
A great hole in the ground erupted as a black, formless beast erupted from the earth. The Final Aeon had risen.
"Now," Braska said, "DESTROY SIN!!"
The aeon roared and a black beam shot from it. Sin roared in pain as the beam ripped through it. A massive hole was blown through Sin and it fell, shrieking in agony. It hit the ground and deteriorated into a million pyrflies. Sin was defeated.
The masses around instantly broke into cheering and applause. But Auron would not cheer, for he knew what was next. The Final Aeon turned to Braska and extended what looked like a hand. Braska did not move. He knew this would be coming. The Final Aeon fired another Black beam. Braska was consumed in the attack and obliterated. Then, the Final Aeon vanished.
Auron fell to his knees in anguish. Braska was gone. But the crowd was still cheering! The summoner that defeated Sin had just died, yet they cheered?! Auron stood back up.
"Shut up! SHUT UP!! Do you not see?! Braska is dead!!"
And the crowd returned, "Who cares? Sin is gone!" They continued cheering and celebrating. Auron could not believe it. They didn't care about the summoner at all. They just saw him as another expendable victim to Sin, who was born to die.
Suddenly, the earth trembled again. A ball of energy formed from nothing and expanded. The crowd stopped cheering and stared. The expanding beam took form. Then, the glowing stopped and they all saw what it was. Sin had reformed itself.
The crowd began screaming in fear.
"Do you see now?!" Auron shouted to them. "It ALWAYS comes back!!"
Sin roared and a black ball formed in front of its mouth. Everyone began to run, but Auron would not flee. He stayed in place. Sin fired an immense black ball.
* * * *
BOOOOOMM!! Auron was tossed out of bed and hit his head on the nightstand, then landed on the ground. The entire foundation rocked for only a second, then returned calm. That was, until the people inside began running about, wondering what it was. Then, Auron heard voices.
"Sin! Sin has come!!"
Auron did not hesitate. He grabbed his sword, which was at the side of his bed and ran out, not bothering to put on his red coat. He only wore his black pants and sleeveless shirt and stopped to put on his black boots, then ran out the door.
He ran into Jecht in the hall.
"Auron! What the heck is going on?!"
"Where's Braska?!"
Just then, Braska came out of another room, also confused. Seeing he was okay, Auron ran out, past the crowds and out the door. The cold air nipped at him, but he ignored every aspect. He saw it floating overhead. It was a black, evil form flying across the sky. Sin. He knew it. He felt it in him. It was flying away, fortunately. It had just let everyone know it had been there.
Auron lowered his sword and finally breathed. Sin. The abominable creature of mass destruction and death. Why had it ever existed? Why was it here? And why wouldn't it die?!
Auron looked back at the crowd. They were speaking amongst themselves. They were all afraid. Braska was speaking to them all. The crowd listened, full of fear, but begging for encouragement. They silently pleaded for Braska to bring the calm.
Auron's thoughts went to his dream. It was only a dream, but would soon become a reality. The crowds would worry about the summoner, make sure he got to where he was supposed to go, but when Sin was gone, it didn't matter what happened to him. Then, another Sin would come and they'd worry again and call out for more summoners. It was an endless cycle of hypocrisy.
* * * *
Auron didn't sleep too much more that night and got up early. He was the only one up besides the staff. They had decided to stay the night at the agency. Everyone was quite shaken from Sin's overpass that night. Auron didn't let it bother him. Sin was gone for now. But his dream still haunted him.
He sat in a chair and took the time to think about what was going to happen. After a while, Braska entered the room.
"Up so early?"
"I couldn't sleep so well."
"Because of Sin last night? That stuff doesn't usually bother you."
"I wasn't that. It was.something else."
"What?" Braska asked, sitting.
"Nothing."
"That answer always given by you. You sure you're okay?"
"Yes, my lord. Thank you."
Jecht came in a little while later. "You guys up already? Man."
"Should we get going then?" Auron asked.
"Yes." Braska said.
"Already?" Jecht said.
"That's right. I don't know what Sin was doing, but it can't be good."
Jecht sighed. "Alright, whatever."
They all quickly packed everything and left the building. Suddenly, Jecht stopped.
"Oh, man!!"
"What??" Auron asked, a little on edge.
"My sphere! I totally forgot about it!" He pulled it out. Auron sighed.
"This again?"
"Yeah! I want to show it to my family! Braska! Get a shot of me in front of the agency!" He gave it to Braska then moved in position. Braska turned it on.
"Auron, could you stand a little closer to him?"
Auron sighed. He wanted no part in this, but whatever. He moved into the picture a bit.
"Good. That should do it."
Jecht looked at Auron. "What's the matter? Afraid I might bite?"
"Jecht . . ." Auron groaned.
"Hey, Braska!" Jecht said, "You should get one too! It'd make a great gift for little Yuna!"
"I suppose."
"Lord Braska," Auron said, "we shouldn't be wasting our time like this!"
"Relax, man!" Jecht said. "What's the hurry?" He moved out of the picture.
Auron grew frustrated. "Let me tell you what the hurry is!" He said, going after him.
"Auron!" Braska said, shutting off the sphere.
Auron grabbed Jecht's shoulder and spun him around.
"The hurry is that there could very well be Sinspawn on the road!"
"What are Sinspawn?"
"Fiends that fall from Sin's body. If they are not destroyed, Sin will come back for them. You don't want Sin to come back, do you?"
"Well.no."
"Then we should hurry, don't you agree?"
"Alright, alright. I get the picture!"
"Good. Now let's move!" He shoved past Jecht and led the way. He overheard Jecht.
"Yeesh, what's his problem?"
* * * *
"By the way," Jecht said. They had left the barren cold land and were not traveling through Macalania Forest. "What's with the Al Bhed, anyway?"
"They don't believe in Yevon." Braska said. "And because of that, they are disgraced by many, especially temple leaders."
"But . . .you didn't seem to have a problem with them!"
"I know. Before I became a summoner, I was trying to bring peace between the two races. That's how I met my wife. Rin was a friend of hers, and soon, a friend of mine."
"But how come Yuna asked if I was Al Bhed in Bevelle?"
"You said your world was full of machina. But, like we said, machina are strictly forbidden. But Al Bhed use them anyway."
"So these Al Bhed are like a bunch of outlaws. So why did Rin have a shop right out in the open?"
"Well, many Al Bhed still try to be friendly to humans. Besides, Rin keeps nothing sacrilegious in his shops. He only sells items and weapons and give people rest for the night. He's done nothing harmful, so he should not be harmed himself."
"And the people passing by see that?"
"Yes. Even some temple priests agree."
"But . . .how do you know if they're Al Bhed or not?"
"Their eyes." Auron said. "Human's pupils are round, while Al Bhed's are spiral."
"Whoa, freaky."
"You get used to it."
They were silent for another minute until Jecht raised another question.
"So . . .these Sinspawn things . . .how tough are they?"
Suddenly, there was a great roar and the forest shook. Then there was shouting.
"I think you're about to find out." Auron said, "Come on!" They ran to a side path that led deeper into the woods. Just a few feet into it, it spread out into a great clearing. There was an immense pool in the back, and something had risen out of it. It was a blue beast, in a sort of strange form. It looked like a monster on two legs, but its details were undefined. And the skin kept shifting a bit, like a rubbery monster.
"What the heck is that?!" Jecht exclaimed.
"A Sinspawn." Auron said. "A strange one."
"It's made of water!" Braska said.
"Hey! Look!" Jecht said, pointing down to what the monster was attacking.
"Maester Jyscal!!" Braska exclaimed. The monster loomed in on him.
Auron drew his blade and charged. Once he was in striking range, he shouted, "Shooting Star!!" then swung upward. The monster was blasted into the pool.
"You alright?" Auron asked, helping the maester up.
"Y-yes, thank you."
"Hey!" Jecht said, "You're that Jyscal Guado guy, aren't you?"
"Yes, so we meet again."
Just then, the monster came back out, angrier.
"Save the introductions for later." Auron said. "Let's go!" He charged.
The monster swung at him, but Auron blocked it with his massive blade. Jecht then came up and slashed at it. The beast flinched, then countered, knocking them back. Then it inhaled deeply, and sprayed a watery blast at them. While they shook it off, Braska zapped the monster with a Thundara Spell. It roared in pain as it was hit by its weakness. Then its whole body glowed for a second then stopped.
"What was that?" Jecht asked.
"Let's not wait to find out! Thundara!" he zapped it again. But this time, the monster absorbed it.
"What the?!" Then it fired its own Thundara blast right a Braska. He shook it off.
"It shifted elements?!"
Auron wasn't going to stand by. He ran forward again and slashed it, but then it just zapped him. Braska tried a Watera spell and it worked. So then the beast shifted again. This time, it breathed an Icy blast at Jecht, who was coming up, then at Auron. Braska struck it down with a Fira Blast and yet again, it shifted.
"This is giving me a headache!" Jecht groaned. The Morpher exhaled a burning wave at his enemies and they ducked under the flames.
"That does it!" Braska said. He raised his staff, then knelt to the ground and thick ice chunks fell all around him. Then, from the sky, a transparent being descended into the ice. Then it took on a form. It looked like human female, with long, blue hair and its whole body had a light-blue tint. She was wrapped in a blue cloth. She gripped it and tossed it away and the ice around her shattered. The cloth landed in Braska's hands.
"What now?" Jecht asked.
"Shiva, the Macalania Aeon."
"This could turn the tables." Auron said.
Shiva raised her hand and brought it down and an icy blast hit the Morpher. It shook it off and mutated into the ice element and breathed its chilly breath, but Shiva absorbed it all. The monster became confused and morphed again. This time, it breathed a fiery blast.
Shiva was shockingly fast and moved away just in time, then struck again. The Morpher tried again, but to no avail. She again dodged and countered. Finally, the monster went in for a physical assault. It swung down, but Shiva moved and blasted it again. But this time, but Morpher was able to kick her away before roasting her in an inferno.
The aeon was hurt, but still got back up. Now she was mad. She closed her eyes and concentrated and then twirled around. Ice gathered all around her and formed into a white beam in her hands. Then she fired it all out at her opponent. The monster was helpless to defend and it was trapped in thick layers of ice. Finally, Shiva stopped and snapped her fingers. The ice shattered and the Morpher fell to the ground.
Shiva was leaning on a knee now, but the monster seemed gone. That is, until it shot out of the water and gave a great punch, knocking Shiva into a tree. The aeon fell to the ground, became once again transparent, and faded away.
"Well, it started to work." Jecht said.
"It did!" Auron said, "Look!" The Morpher was hobbling. "It has greatly weakened. Let's go now!"
At that time, the monster raised its hands. Red beams formed a bubble around it.
"What was that?" Jecht asked.
"The White Magic move called Shell." Braska said. "My magic is nearly no good now."
"Then it's up to us." Auron said. He ran again and struck the monster and it countered with a flame. Jecht struck as well, but was too burned.
"Man! That fire attack is gonna get the best of me!" Jecht said.
"Oh, no it won't." Auron said. His blade glowed yellow. "This monster puts too much trust in his magics!" Then he ran up and slashed. "Magic Break!!" There was a violet shatter, then nothing. It breathed its flames again, but they did nearly nothing. Now he was at their mercy. It tried to smash Auron, but he parried and the monster fell back.
"My turn!" Jecht said. "These are the kinds of moves we learn in Blitzball!" He ran forward and did a horizontal flip, then another, then on his last one, he struck, "Spiral Cut!!"
Finally, the monster fell onto its face and deteriorated into nothing.
Auron put away his blade, then turned to the man that had been attacked, whom Braska was attending to.
"Are you alright, Maester Jyscal?"
"Yes, thank you." Braska helped him up.
"What're you doin' out here?" Jecht asked him.
"I was returning to Guadosalam, when this fiend struck. My attendants were quickly wiped out. Praise be to Yevon that you all appeared!" He did the prayer.
"It was no ordinary fiend." Auron said. "It was a Sinspawn. Sin passed over last night."
"Yes. I saw." He turned to Braska. "I, as well as all Spira, do hope you'll bring the Calm quickly."
"Even though another Sin will be born anyway." Auron said aloud. Jyscal gave him a look.
"Yes, but a rest from Sin is worth anything."
Auron wanted to say something back, but held his tongue.
Jecht was still staring at the spot where the fiend had been. "Is there some significance to this place? I mean, how come you were here? It's off the trail."
"Many journey off for just a moment to get a glimpse at this. It's quite majestic. This is what spheres are made of. They absorb and collect the thoughts and memories of people."
"Cool." Jecht said. He gazed at the place for a moment.
"Well," Jyscal said, "I must be going back to Guadosalam. Good day to you."
"Lord Jyscal, wait." Braska said. "We'll go with you. We're going to Djose temple anyway, so we'll be passing through. We can protect you along the way."
"A summoner offering protection?" Jyscal said with a raised brow. "An odd thing, but much appreciated. Very well then, come along."
They all began walking and got back on track.
"Um, hey, Auron." Jecht said.
"Yes?"
"What's a maester?" He made sure to say it in a quiet tone.
Auron shook his head. "Give me a break! That's one of the simplest things in Spira!" He sighed. "There are four maesters. Together, they all lead Spira. Maester Jyscal is trying to bring the Guado and the Humans together. He's bringing the teachings of Yevon to the Guado."
"Ah, I see. So . . .is it Lord Jyscal or Maester Jyscal?"
"Either works. He's Lord because he leads the Guado, and Maester of Yevon."
"Man, Spira is so confusing."
* * * *
Auron, Braska, Jecht, and Jyscal passed through the forest with little interest. The climate got warmer, at least. The then, the sky began growing darker.
"Storm's coming." Jecht said.
"Actually," Jyscal said. "We're nearing the end of the forest."
"What does that mean?"
Jyscal raised a brow. "Don't know your geography so well do you?"
"He barely knows where he is now." Auron said.
"It's because of Sin's toxin." Braska added.
"Ah, yes. Well, it means that we are nearing the Thunder Plains."
"Thunder Plains?"
"Yes, you know, the eternal thunderstorm."
Jecht shot Auron a look. "You said nothing about any eternal storm!!"
"So? I thought you could take anything. It didn't seem necessary to tell you."
"Yeah, well . . .so what? Eternal storm, big whoop! I've been swimming during thunderstorms, man!"
Jyscal then stopped and stared at Jecht. "Why?"
"Lord Jyscal," Auron said, "I would advise you not to ask why he does the things he does. The answer is always one of two. He's lying or he's an idiot. Usually it leans toward the second one."
Jecht then flipped him off.
"Don't get along so well, eh?" Jyscal said.
"Not at all." Braska said. "I would know."
"Well, guardians should be able to get along, I mean, how can you fight Sin when you're fighting each other?"
"Exactly." Braska concurred.
The guardians looked at each other and shook their heads. Braska sighed. It seemed they would never get along.
A little bit later, the forest ended and the Thunder Plains began. Auron had been here before, and wasn't the least bit afraid of the lightning. He looked back and saw the nervous look on Jecht's face.
"Swimming in thunderstorms?"
Jecht quickly changed his look to a confident one. "You bet!" He was silent for a second. "But, eh, how . . .do you guys cross?"
"Stay near the lightning rod towers." Auron advised, "But not too close. Avoid wide open areas."
"Let's move." Braska said. They quickly moved across the plains, staying near the towers. Lightning lashed all around them, dancing across the skies and striking the open fields. One got too close and Jecht jumped out of his skin.
"WHAHH!!"
Auron had to laugh. "I wish you had been recording."
"Oh, speaking of which," he pulled out his recording sphere. "I bet they'd like a shot of this place." He hesitated, then held it out to Auron. "Here."
"What? Why me?"
"I wanna get a shot of myself in this one! Just do it!" He put it in Auron's hands.
Auron rolled his eyes and turned it on. He began moving it around, to get a good look at the place, watching the lighting dart from the sky and strike the towers.
"Stop wavin' it around!" Jecht exclaimed. "Keep it steady!"
"Why am I doing this?" Auron asked to no one in particular, then he shut it off.
"HEY!!"
"I don't care!" He looked over at Braska, who was looking at a broken down lightning tower, reading the label. The man that had put the lightning rod towers in the first place had been working on this one when he was struck dead by a bolt. It was never repaired, as sort of a memento. Without that man, travelers couldn't have ever gotten across the plains.
"Auron! Turn it back on!"
He groaned and rubbed the bridged of his nose. "Alright!!" He flicked it back on, now focusing on Braska, who appeared deep in thought.
"What do you see there, my lord?" Auron asked.
"Oh, I was just . . .thinking."
"Quit playin' around!!" Jecht shouted. "You're gonna spoil it!!"
KAZAP!!
"WHOA!!"
They ran over to Jecht, who slowly got back up, groaning.
"Are you alright?" Braska asked.
"Now there's a scene for posterity!" Auron said with a grin.
"Yeah, yeah . . ." Jecht mumbled.
They all laughed, even Auron, who decided to shut the sphere off. Jecht got up again slowly, shaking it off. Braska also used a cure spell.
"But seriously, you okay?" Braska asked.
"I'll be fine. Auron, delete that."
"I think I'll keep it on there."
"Gimme that!!" He snatched it.
"But don't you want your child to be able to see that you can endure anything?"
Jecht thought about that. "Hey! You're right! Okay! I'll keep it!"
Auron shook his head. That was the only way to work Jecht.
They moved through the Thunder Plains, staying not too far, but not to near, to the Lightning Rod towers. There was another of Rin's travel agencies, but they passed it up, knowing it was better to just cross through the plains as quickly as possible, which wasn't easy with the fiends and such. After a few hours, the ground seemed to slop downward and go into a cave of some sort.
"What's this?" Jecht asked.
"Guadosalam, of course." Jyscal said.
"Eh? You guys live underground?"
"Not quite, but we prefer the cave protection."
ZAP!! Jecht jumped three feet in the air. "So do I!" He ran forward and the others chased after him, not wanting to get caught up in the storm.
Guadosalam was . . .a confusing place, to say the least. There were walkways all over at different elevations leading to who knew where all over the place.
"This place is like a beehive!" Jecht said.
"Watch your tongue." Auron warned.
"Come." Jyscal told them all, leading them to a large "home" in the back of Guadosalam. Guados walked all around them, looking and watching as Lord Jyscal returned. They were fairly tall and lanky, most of them, with large hands and feet, as well as odd hair in various designs.
"Lord Jyscal." A guardian in the front said, bowing as they approached. Then he looked around him. "Where are your guardians?"
"They were killed by a sinspawn. Thankfully, these three came before it got me too."
"Oh, Praise be to Yevon!" He said, doing the prayer." Then he opened the door and allowed the lord to walk inside, accompanied by Braska, Auron and Jecht. The house was large enough, that was for sure, with an odd design to it. It was more of a mansion of a house, really.
Jecht whistled. "This place is kinda nice. Kinda weird, but kinda nice."
"I . . .will take that as a compliment." Lord Jyscal replied, a bit baffled.
"Seymour!" Jyscal called. "Where are you?"
"I am here, father." A young voice called out, walking out of a hallway. He looked around 13. But Auron noticed something different about the boy. He didn't seem like the other Guados.
"Come! I want you to meet some people."
The boy was more plain-faced than the Guados, but still had blue hair in an odd fashion.
"Seymour, this is Summoner Braska. He is on a pilgrimage right now to defeat Sin. These are his guardians, Sir Auron and Sir Jecht. Everyone, this is my son, Seymour."
The boy did the prayer. "Pleased to meet you all."
Jyscal turned to the group. "You are all welcome to stay here for tonight, as my thank you for saving my life."
"Saved you life??" Seymour asked.
"Yes. A sinspawn attacked me in Macalania Forest."
"Thank you all again. Sin flew over Guadosalam, but did not cause trouble."
"Good! I am glad to hear it. Come! All of you! We will eat soon."
Auron still wondered, but Jecht was the one to ask. Thankfully, he did it quietly.
"Um, Lord Jyscal?" he asked, standing next to him. "I . . .noticed Seymour looks . . .different from the other Guados."
"Oh, yes. You see, his mother was a human."
Suddenly Auron remembered. Jyscal was trying to bring the Yevon teachings to the guado. And his marrying a human woman was a sign of unity.
"Oh." Jecht said.
"Therefore, he has traits of both species."
"Okay . . .just . . .curious."
"It's quite alright."
Braska stepped up to Jecht. "Very nice." He walked on. Even Auron had to admit that one to himself. But still, something didn't feel right about Jecht. He still didn't trust him that much.
They all ate with Lord Jyscal and Seymour that night. Auron could tell Jecht was puzzled, but didn't both asking. But Jecht asked him anyway.
"To avoid looking stupid, I'll ask you." He said to Auron. "Where's Jys-Lord Jyscal's wife?"
"She died."
"Oh . . .a lot of people did here in Spira, don't they?"
"You have no idea."
"Did Sin kill her?"
"No. She became a fayth."
"Oh . . .wait, what?!"
Auron sighed. He really wanted to eat.
"A fayth, you know what they are."
"Yeah, the things that give the summoners Aeons, right? So she . . .died willingly? Why?"
Auron looked around, then began whispering to Jecht. "Later."
Jecht nodded inconspicuously and got to eating.
"So, Summoner Braska," Jyscal said. "From Bevelle, right?"
"Correct."
"So your next stop would be in Djose. Three aeons to go." He sighed. "You sure have a ways to go, don't you?"
"Very much so. And fiends are becoming unbearable. But my guardians have shown there skill the whole way." He chuckled. "The trip so far has been entertaining, to say the least."
"Good!" Jyscal said. "Laughter keeps you going."
"It does. The trip seems to go by quickly."
"Good. We all wish for it to do so, so you can defeat Sin quickly."
"Even though a new one will be born." Jecht muttered.
"True, but even for a little while, we can live in peace. That's worth it."
"Yeah, I know."
"You will do well to remember it to replace your regrets. Even when Braska reaches the end, remember that it is all worth it."
Jecht chuckled. "You make it sound like he's going to die." He got back to eating, but a silence fell over the room. Jyscal raised a brow, but Braska shook his head. That brought more confusion, but Jyscal nodded.
Auron looked at Jecht. He didn't have a clue. But he was more concentrated on what Jyscal said. "It's all worth it." He was wrong. It shouldn't be this way. No one should have to pay such a price when it would end nothing.
Author's Note: So so so so so so so so SO sorry about the incredibly long wait. Stuff kept happening and my computer was unusable many times, but also, I admit, I was too lazy. And I had a while of writer's block. But that's all over, and I will try to get the next chapters up faster, okay? So, we got a little look at the future in this one. You like? Please review, and thanks for your patience. Lata.