INTRASEGMENT 1

(time: 40 years ago)

The creature was irritated. Not by Yu Yevon; that weak-minded fool had been forced to give up his pathetic struggling long ago; his mind might as well have been cabbage now. Not by the planet the misreably weak humans called home either; Spira was the reason the creature was here. Still, the creature was irritated as it reflected on the past nine and a half centuries. For more than that amount of time, the creature had ruled over the planet as that which humans called Sin. The creature's control was so absolute, even it's slave was worshipped as the figurehead of a major religion. The fools, the creature thought to itself. They worship the man who kills them. And there was no chance of them changing their beliefs just yet, not while the creature still orchestrated the activities of the praetors through its influence. No one had suspected the truth, not even the high priests of the temples, for almost seven centuries. And no one would find it out until it was far too late.

But now, as it had foreseen, there was a problem. Though the creature retained control of the planet, it had not achieved its aim, not by the half. For though Sin was the most powerful creature Spira had ever seen, it had one mortal foe: the summoners. They were just like the slave the creature used, each with the ability to call Aeons; more importantly, their "Final" Aeons were the only ones capable of defeating Sin, time and time again. Of course, they died in the process, and the creature needed only to take over their Final Aeon to recreate Sin. But that took precious energy, energy the creature needed so desperately to accomplish its goals. As long as summoners could defeat Sin, Sin was essentially useless, a project nearly a millenia in the making that was ultimately worthless to the creature's ultimate goal.

More annoyingly, the primitive "temples of Yevon" supporting these summoners had managed to find and seal the gates to the one alternative route the creature had for gathering up the energy it needed, making it seemingly useless as an option.

The only thing that appeased the creature now was its foresight. It had considered the possibility of such a situation centuries ago, and had begun a process to reopen its second, more viable option. And now at last, It was time for the next phase of its centuries old plan. The time...the place...the people...all in place for the next step, at last, because the creature had ensured for almost a millenia that they would be.

Even in death, the creature mused as it directed Sin through a secret portal to the dream world version of Zanarkand, the former home of the human it now controlled, nothing is entirely useless. Sin would be destroyed, and its work would seemingly be for naught. But that was how the creature had planned it, how it had forseen it would be. Yevon would be branded the one responsible for a millenia of crimes, while the creature's careful work and preparation would go unnoticed and unknown.

Yes, it is finally time to accelerate my plans.

CHAPTER 2: Knowlege Lost

(time: present)

The rest of the day, thankfully, went without further trouble.

By the time the fiends had all perished, more guards had been scrambled across the fairgrounds; the entire perimeter was now so secure that it would take a wave of fiends twice as large as the last to break through. It was incredible that nothing further happened, that the fiends didn't strike again. But the guards kept their posts, and no one would be hurt.

Still, the festive mood was dampened to a large degree for the remainder of the day.

The contest winners, now tired from the recent fighting, were standing in front of the Guests of Honor and the leaders of Spira. The planet was now under a unified government, the Spiran People's Order, formed after the brief tensions between the three factions 28 years ago. Baralai, head of the Defense Ministry, stood pacing. The near-catastrophic failure of security that day had been roughest on him. He motioned for the young fighters to take seats.

"I feel as though we must commend you all once again," Baralai began as soon as they were seated. "If it hadn't been for your courage and valor in battle, we would be dealing with a hundred casualties at least today."

Gain cracked a grin. "I think you've already got a hundred casualties at least in fiends to deal with, sir."

A few of the guards snorted slightly with laughter. Baralai silenced them an annoyed look, then continued speaking. "Certainly, that is true, Gainberg. A hundred fiends is a lot to deal with, alive or dead. You four, however, certainly seemed up to the task."

"Especially you, Zeth," Gippal chimed in, his good eye flashing next to a mechanical one. "Where'd you learn to handle an axe like that? That's what I'd like to know." Zeth glanced over at the Head of Development and gave him a half-smile. "I used to chop wood for the Kilika temple," he replied, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "I was...good at it. There's not really much else to it."

Gippal snorted slightly, nodding as though to say he understood when he really did not. "Well, I've got elite soldiers who wouldn't be able to match you. I'm impressed."

A few indignant-sounding coughs came from the guards across the room. Zeth guessed they were among Gippal's elite.

Nooj, the head of Public Relations, helped himself to a standing position with his cane. "Now, though, there remains one problem: namely, where did over a hundred fiends come from, when just yesterday they were a rare sight? Moreover, why did they carry out a systematic attack on the fairgrounds? That, we must discover with great haste, or else it will probably reoccur." Nooj paused, thinking. "We've managed to maintain the Eternal Calm for thirty years, more or less, and I don't want outbreaks of fiends spoiling it for Spira." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Excal, though, seemed unconcerned with the proceedings. "Well, it seems you have quite a problem to deal with," he said momentarily. " But I think we should allow you some time to work it out. I, for one, need to return to Bevelle, see my folks..."

"Uh, uh; not afta today, ya?" Wakka suddenly said.

Excal shot him a glance. "What do you mean by that? I'm through here, am I not?"

Wakka was slightly taken aback, but Baralai spoke before he could. "In fact, there's another reason why we wanted to speak with you. You see, given how well you demonstrated your talents this afternoon, and due to the circumstances..."

"You want our help finding out why." Zeth said. Baralai glanced over at the young man. Hmm...keen fellow, this one, he thought to himself. "Err, yes, actually. With your skills, you would be a valuable asset to our investigative committee."

Excal snorted slightly. "Why should we be interested in doing the government's job?" he remarked dismissively. Baralai frowned slightly. "Government work pays, young man," he remarked, "and you will be no exception. If you agree to help us, we will pay you substantially for your efforts."

Excal hesitated slightly. "How much are you talking?"

"The prize money you won today will be pocket change in comparison. If the mission is a failure, we will still give you five million-"

"FIVE MILLION?" Gain practically yelped, his eyes suddenly very wide open. "Thats one and a quarter million each!"

"No, not five million for the group, Gainberg," Gippal corrected. "That's five EACH, and only if you find nothing. If you succeed, however, you'll get twelve million Gil apiece. Either way, you will also keep all spoils won in battles, if and when they occur."

Gain glanced over at his parents. "Well, if it's okay with Mom and Dad, I'd love to!" he said, looking as though his birthday had come early. Tidus looked over at Yuna, who nodded to him. "We were already asked, Gain. Just be careful, and make your old man proud, okay?" he said to his boy. Gain grinned exitedly. This, he thought, was shaping up to be a good day overall.

Zeth glanced over at Baralai, then over at the three amazed expressions on the faces next to him, his mind processing what he'd just heard. Twelve million Gil apiece was an incredibly large reward for such a task; somehow, the readiness of Spira's leaders to depart with it so easily unsettled him. It seemed that something else was worrying these men more than perhaps five hundred fiends could.

But twelve million Gil was certainly enough to compensate for whatever happened. Somehow, Zeth knew that the offer was for real, no matter what the reasons were; ultimately, it was too good for any sane being to turn down. Hesaid, "I guess there is no point in refusing; I have no reason to, anyway."

Excal, still wary of spending more than a day fulfilling someone else's responsibilities but attracted by the offer, reluctantly consented. "Alright, but I want to be paid as soon as we're done."

Sai, who had been silent until now, responded last. "I guess...yes, I'll participate. But tell me one thing: who will lead this operation?"

"You four will head a small detachment of our investigative staff. Your job is to provide them defense (as the events of today demonstrate such need) and to assist them in any way you can. Your priorities are: 1. Investigate the source of the fiends, 2. Discover the reason for their attack, and 3. Nullify it if possible, otherwise report your findings. The first two will be the job primarily of our staff. The last part may be up to you, but do not get in over your heads. If you need more assistance, send your request back to us and we will send out any force you need immediately."

Zeth now spoke again. "When do we begin this...security work?"

"You'll start tomorrow. Our staff will gather and pack your supplies tonight, and you will depart at nine o'clock tomorrow morning with the Trackfinders; first, though, you should eat and rest," Nooj said.

"All right! I'm all for the food!" Gain said, nearly bouncing out of his seat. Everyone seemed to feel the same way as he did; after the strain of the day, food was a welcome commodity.

Later that night, after the annual celebration feast, Zeth sat by the edge of the fair grounds. Things were beginning to quiet down now, and security was still at maximum, so he was taking the opportunity to relax and watch the people move about the place. Many people were leaving, as much from a need to return to their homes as from a fear of another attack.

Zeth disliked fiends. They always seemed to spoil the moment for everyone.

A few minutes later, he noticed what looked to be Baralai speaking with a hunched over figure not thirty feet away from where he sat. Whomever the figure was, he looked to be incredibly old. His beard hung well below his neck, and thick glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. Zeth's sharp ears could almost make out some of what he was saying. He seemed to say, "Terrible... what may happen if...think they should...may know some...long thought about..."

Zeth gave uptrying. It was still almost impossible to hear anything over the noise of the few remaing people, who had elected to stay the night in the vast array of tents within the fairgrounds.

Sighing, he looked up at the stars, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

The sky was dark.

But not completely so.

Wind whipped around the side of the mountain. But the wind couldn't be making that eerie noise. No, there was something unnerving about that howl. He wasn't hearing it with his ears. It was in his mind. It was as if some great being called out in fear.

The sky's darkness was broken by the light of the stars, which seemed to be pulsing with unseen energy, and by the most ominous looking ball of fire ever seen by man.

And that was getting closer.

As he looked over the ocean, the object grew larger as it approached, as though drawn by something, toward the water.

About ten miles out, something pulsed in the water, too. Something blacker than the night itself.

And the fireball was approaching the blackness. Fast.

The ball grew larger as it approached. He wanted to run. But he wouldn't move, couldn't move. The ball was enormous, nearly the size of a blitzball pool. Still, though he urged his legs to run, his body seemed intent on staying. And then, all at once, the deadly ball struck the water.

A huge flash of light erupted. Even now, he wouldn't move. He just waited. Time slowed. The unholy explosion nearly reached him-

And then he awoke.

Excal sat up in bed, covered in sweat. It took him less than two seconds to realize that it had been a dream.

Excal lay back down. Nightmares didn't usually plague his sleep, and this one was beginning to annoy him. He had the same dream days before. For a brief moment, he considered his own reaction. Dreams about large explosions, he thought, couldn't be all that common. Was he experiencing something else? Maybe he was.

What, then? he mused to himself, scorning the thought as soon as he thought it. It's not like it means anything to me.

Satisfied with being annoyed, he let the thought pass. Tomorrow, he would have to begin the ridiculously overpaid job of, in all likelihood, being continuously assaulted by meaningless irritations like this. And he, for one, wasn't looking forward to it, despite the reward.

Five small rings swung in a line, each attached to a length string in front of a target.

It was early in the morning. Even the birds hadn't begun to sing yet, and the light of dawn had barely begun to creep over the past night's sky.

Sai was holding very still, intently watching the swinging rings, as though waiting for a fish to swim into a net. The rings' wide swings had begun to slow, sweeping gentler and gentler arcs. In Sai's hand was the Adamant Bow, an arrow already quivered in it.

She held the short but powerful bow drawn, the arrowhead steadily pointed in the direction of the target.

The small holes in the rings begun to align. Very slowly, a definite channel to the center of the target, small and shifting with the movement of the rings, was being formed between them.

The channel was barely wider than the smooth feathers of Sai's arrow. Finally, the rings barely came to a stop.

The arrow flew, and hit the center of the target.

None of the rings moved, not even by a hair. The arrow's nock seemed to float in mid air, dead-center with the ring channel. Sai relaxed slightly, satisfied.

"I can see why you won the archery tournament so easily!" a bemused voice said behind her.

Sai turned to see one of the festival winners, Zeth, leaning against a support pole connected to one of the tents.

"I was getting a better feel for this new bow," she replied, realizing with some embarrassment that she had not heard him come. Too much focus on any one thing, she knew, was a sure way to be caught by surprise in combat; moreover, it limited her ability to completely understand a situation.

Zeth glanced down the range, noting that the target was new and otherwise unblemished, save for her arrow. She had made a single shot, no more. "Well, it certainly didn't take you very long to do that, did it?" This made her laugh a bit, a slight smile emerging at the corner of her lip. "Well, I've had practise," she said mildly.

She looked at him again. For the first time, she considered his large form. Imposing though his tall and muscular frame seemed, he seemed nevertheless to carry himself with a calm stillness, the early morning light glowing on his messy brown hair. His attire seemed strange to her, seeming somehow simpler than the clothes most people she had seen wearing. The flexible yet metallic armor he wore over them was unlike anything she had ever seen. Seemingly made of thousands of tiny metal scales framed with bar like supports around the outer edges of the armor, the entire piece was at once solid and fluid, holding its shape while flexing to let him move freely. A small axe was tucked almost casually in his belt, its blade flush with his abdomen. He was clearly cut out as a warrior, she thought.

"So, what do you think it is?" she asked momentarily, glancing toward the fairgrounds.

"What what is?" he replied, following her line of vision to the hills beyond.

"What do you think made those fiends attack? They don't usually congregate like that."

"They've been known to attack in large numbers before now. Fiends will attack anyone, and a large gathering of people is a prime target when seen. What bothers me is that the government seems intent on recruiting us to take care of it."

Sai frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Zeth turned to look at her. "Why would they want to pay a fortune for four twenty-something year olds when they can call upon a far greater force to handle the same task at a much smaller cost? It's as though they know something else is going on."

Sai considered his response. He had a very good point; still, it was nothing like what she would have expected a simple fighter to have thought so readily. There was more to him than first met the eye. "So, where do you think we should search first? The reports said the fiends came out of the wastes of Macalania."

Zeth nodded. The wastes were all that was left now of the once beautiful Macalania woods. "That would probably mean they either came out of Macalania itself, or more likely from the direction of the Calm Lands. I doubt it would have come from Bevelle, but then again, Bevelle has had its share of secrets."

Sai nodded thoughtfully. Looking at Zeth once again, her eyes happened upon his for a brief moment. Something about them seemed different to her as they shone a light brown in the morning sunlight. As he turned his head away from the light, they were still shining.

"So, what do you use that little ax for?" she asked conversationally, wanting to think about something understandable for a change.

Zeth grinned slightly at her. "This," he said casually, "Is for throwing." In one smooth motion, he whipped out the hatchet, spun and threw it at the target. It spiraled end over end, deftly slicing through the strings holding up the rings and hitting the target. It split her arrow straight down the shaft in the process.

Sai considered him again as he went to reclaim his ax. There was definitely more to him than met the eye.

This will be a very interesting trip, she thought, joining him as he left for the far edge of the fair grounds.

Sai was, Zeth thought as they walked toward the edge of the fairgrounds, interesting in her own right. She was nearly five foot nine, he judged, and wore a simple but elegant blue silk outfit that billowed sligtly out of the tough leather plates protecting her front and limbs. A large quiver of arrows formed a cross on her back with her bow, the ends of both brushing the swinging ponytail of her dirty-blond hair. Her face, like her garment, possessed an intrinsic softness to it, though her blue eyes burned with the same definite intensity he could see in her poise, as though reflecting a hidden inner strength. Other than her bow and quiver, he noted what appeared to be an ornamental staff the length of a short walking cane clipped to her belt. Perhaps it was a souvenir from somewhere, Zeth thought to himself.

As they approached, Sai and Zeth noticed a group of about a dozen men and women standing and talking around a chocobo-drawn cart filled with bizarre equipment and other supplies. Zeth overheard two voices in a spirited arguement over large fiends.

"What? No way!" Gain was saying indignantly. "A chimera would never beat a behemoth! One behemoth could take on three chimeras and whip 'em all in one fell swoop!"

"Pssh! The chimera would hit it with Medigo Flame and roast it for lunch!" Excal replied in what was quickly becoming his usual irritated way.

This is going to be a long trip, Zeth thought, groaning to himself.

Presently, the which-fiend-could-pulverize-which arguement wound down, and the group was preparing to leave. Behind them, someone cleared their throat. Defense Head Baralai and an ancient looking old man, his beard longer than his face, with thick glasses and a green scolar's cloak, were standing behind them. "Excuse me, but would you mind taking me along with you?" the old man said, hobbling over to the group with somewhat surprising speed.

Excal wasn't at all pleased. "Hey, wha- who are you? Who's this old guy alluva sudden?"

Excal realized with a start that it was the same old man he had seen the previous night.

Gain seemed to know him better. "You must be- Maeachen! The thousand-year-old wise man from Zanarkand! My parents told me of you."

"And you must be Gainberg, I'm sure," Maeachen, the unsent scholar, replied with a warm smile.

"What brings you here?" Gain asked.

"Maeachen says he knows a few things that may be of use to you on your quest." Baralai said carefully.

"Well, then tell us, so we can be on our way," Excal said, apparantly irritated at the thought of having some boring scholar prattle on about who-knows what.

"Well, that's just the trouble, young Excalim. You see, my memory isn't what it used to be. I never even remembered that I was an unsent until almost thirty years ago! But, when I see and hear certain things in my travels, I am inspired to remember many important facts! I will not be a burden to you all; of that I can assure you."

Excal grunted in annoyed frustration.

Baralai now spoke again, apparantly ignoring Excal's lack of enthusiasm. "As he is now well over a thousand years old, Maeachen is sure to know something that will hasten your mission to completion. At this point, you should accept all help you receive. I have granted him permission to serve as an adviser in the investigation."

Excal gave up, sighing and rolling his eyes. "All right, but don't get in our way, old man." He said. walking over to the other side of the cart in a huff.

A minute later, the group left the fairgrounds to carry out their mission.

None knew what to expect from the journey, Baralai knew.

He, however, had a better idea, and didn't like its implications in the least. If the old scholar's predictions had any merit, fiends would be the least of Spira's worries.

As he watched them leave, he silently prayed to himself that the old fellow was just getting senile in his extreme old age.

Author's note: Though I won't say how or specifically into what just yet, this fanfic will extend beyond just the realm of Final Fantasy 10. Trust me though, the connection will be extremely important. This thing is going to be huge. Please review! Thanks!