Chapter 19: the high road
We all walked up the stairway that Alice and Wakka you're sitting on. We didn't know what they talked about that whole time but I really didn't want to know for some reason. As we got to the top of the Stairway we came to a dirt road. A very long dirt road. We saw people riding Chocobos to the travel agency.
"We forgot to mention one thing to you guys" said Niko
"What is it?" asked Alice
"Um...okay...The, uh...well...You and wakka have to go somewhere else when we get to the travel agency up the road here?"
"What do you mean somewhere else?" asked Wakka
"and how far away is that somewhere else?" asked Tidus
"It is at Besiad Island" replied Niko "and Alice and wakka have to protect your home base, which is where you trained"
"You guys probably won't see each other until you conquer sin" said lulu
"What?" yelled all four of us in shock
We all looked at each other. A tear suddenly ran down Alices face. I walked up to her and gave her a comforting hug.
"At least you will be with Wakka" I whispered in her ear
"Yeah, but I will miss you" she replied
"Me and tidus will be fine, you will always be in my heart and we will still see each other" I said "We may visit you soon"
Tidus shook Wakkas hand
"Protect Alice okay?" asked Tidus
"Don't worry" Wakka said then smiled
"Okay, let's get going"
We started walking down the dirt road and then we came up to a big Statue of someone. Then some guy came up to us and started telling us about the man in the statue
"This is a statue of Lord Mi'ihen eight centuries ago, he found legion known today as the crusaders. In just a few short years after founding, their ranks grew through Spira. The maesters of Yevon feared and uprising and accused the rebellion. So Lord Mi'ihen walked along this very road to go face their charges and retreat them. He succeeded in winning the Measters trust and his legion became an arm of the Yevon clergy. It was then that Yevon gave them the name "crusaders" which they kept ever since and the rest is history"
On the other side of the dirt path there were parts of an old city
"Do you know what those ruins are from?" asked the old man
"Some old city" replied Tidus
"Correct" said the man "A city most ancient!" I walked up beside Tidus "Terrible testament to sins power. I tremble every time I see them. Compared to sin, humans are mere mudpuppies"
"But I believe humans are the only one capable of defeating sin" I said
"A good reply, I am relieved to hear you say that m' lady Black Mage"
"Oh" I said in surprised that he knew who I was
"Where are my manners?" said the old man "I am Machen, a Scholar, at your service. M' lady. I am on a Journey, studying the history of our world, Spira, seeking its stories and secrets...My travels have taken me too many places, and I am troubled by what I have seen. Fragile smiles on peoples faces crumbling at the mere mention of sin. They are counting on you, M' lady. Give them a reason to rejoice once more"
"I will" I replied
As we started walking down the dirt road more, three chocobos stopped In front of us.
"Lady Black Mage, I presume" said a lady riding a Chocobo
"Yes, I am Sandra" I said as I bowed
"I am Lucil, captain of the Djose Chocobo knights"
"And I'm Elma, we've been charged to guard the Highroad" said another Woman riding on a Chocobo
"There have been reports of a large fiend appearing in this area with a taste for Chocobos. Do take care Sandra. If you are to rent Chocobos"
"Thank you." I replied "We will be Careful"
"Good" replied Lucil "We should get back to our rounds. Farwell. Oh and good luck to your guardians as well"
"Our prayers are with you" said Elma
They all rode there chocobos opposite ways to protect the people walking on the Highroad
"A large fiend?" tidus asked then thought for a moment "Let's go get him"
"Why?" asked Auron
"It's the right thing to do" replied Tidus
"It's the right thing to do?" said Auron laughing
What'd I say now?" asked Tidus
"Jecht said that a lot, too" Aurin Replied "And every time he said it. It meant trouble for Braska and me"
"My lady Black mage!" said a lady running up to us
"You're a black mage?" asked a little girl
"Yes, my name is Sandra?" I replied kneeling down
"I'm Calli" said the girl
"Nice to meet you Calli" I said nicely
"Lady Sandra, are you going to bring us the calm?" asked Calli
"Yes" I replied "Very soon"
"Yay!" said Calli running around me
"Were looking forward to another calm, Lady Sandra" said the Woman
"I'll do my best" I replied
"And good luck to your guardians as well"
The lady and the little girl walked away. In the distance we saw the girl turn around and wave good bye. We all waved back
"What's a calm?" asked Wakka
"The calm is a time of peace." Replied Lulu "It comes after a Black Mage defeats sin and lasts until sin reappears"
"Sin dies and is reborn" I added
"I get it!" said Wakka "I thought it was weird, Sandra's dad defeated sin ten years ago, right? But sins still here! Didn't make sense till now. What if it just comes back?"
"Don't say it isn't worth it...because it is" I said
Even for a little while, people can sleep in there beds without being afraid. That kind of time is worth anything. Don't say it isn't worth it. Those words I said that day, I remember them well.
We walked up a small incline and farther down the road we saw a brown carriage. We ran to see what it was. As soon as we got behind it, it started moving with a chocobo pulling it. And two men that were walking beside it looked very familiar. A moment later the carriage pulled to the side of the path and we walked up to the two men.
"Hey,
we saw the game!" said Gatta "You guys were great!"
"It was close" said Luzzu
These were the two men we saved from the giant fiend in Kilika woods.
"Hey!" said Elma riding her Chocobo up to Luzzu and Gatta "Stop loafing around!"
"Uh...The Black Mage and her guardians" said gatta trying to think of something to say
"This mission requires our full attention" said Lucil "We've no time to waste! Understood?"
"Yes ma'am!" said Luzzu saluting "Apologize ma'am!"
"Carry on." Replied Lucil going away with Elma down the path
"See?" Luzzu asked Gatta "Keep your head down and say "sir" a lot. And you'll do fine"
"Right...Sir" replied Gatta
I giggled softly as everyone looked at me. Looking at me in a way that I laughed for no reason
"Hey, Sandra...Eve though Yevon rejected us...We still believe in you." Said Luzzu "That won't ever change"
"Thank you, Sir Luzzu, Sir Gatta" I replied "But you know, It's not to late for you to go to Besaid and..."
"We should get going, sir!" Gatta interrupted
They both then ran off
As we were half way to the travel Agency, we ran into a guard yelling at a young lady
"We'll defeat sin anyway we can!" yelled the guard
"But Yevons teachings say..."
"Enough!" he yelled interrupting her
He walked away. The young lady looked down very disappointed.
"Are you alright?" I asked
"Lady Sandra!" She bowed "It is an honor, my lady. My name is Shelinda, I am a disciple of Yevon"
"What was all that about?" asked Niko "The crusaders operation?"
"You mean the one Gatta and Luzzu were talking about?"
"I heard they were to use forbidden Machina!" said Shelinda "I had to stop them."
"Huh? Why?" asked Tidus
"The use of Machina id strictly forbidden by the Yevon priesthood" replied Lulu
"That bad, ya?" asked Niko
"Let them use whatever they want!" said Auron "They still won't defeat sin"
"But it's not about defeating sin!" yelled Shelinda "The teachings of Yevon must be upheld"
"Yeah! Right!" said Niko
"But you don't understand!" yelled Shelinda "The crusaders wont even listen to me and its all because I'm just a Lowly acolyte"
"Don't say that!" I said folding my fists "Well I haven't been a Black mage for very long myself, you see? Still, I can't put myself down every time I fall. People are depending on me! They're depending on both of us!"
"Yes! Yes, you're right, my lady. Absolutely right!"
I slowly nodded
"Thank you so much, Lady Sandra" said Shelinda "Now I feel I have the courage to finish my training"
We walked up another small incline and we were at the Travel agency
"We rest here" said Auron "Alice and wakka, Luzzu and Gatta will be here in a while to take you to Besaid. You better wait out here"
They nodded
"But, this is an Al Bhed shop" complained Niko
"Is that a problem?" asked Auron
"They don't belive in Yevon, And in Luca the..." He paused "They Kidnapped Sandra!"
"Where were her Guardians?" Auron Sighed
Niko started Whistling Innocently
"Sir Aurons just concerned about your health" I sad
"I'm not tired one bit!" Niko yelled
"Well I am." Said Auron as he walked inside
We all walked in but Tidus and I turned around and waved to Alice and wakka. But I couldn't take a little wave; I ran as fast as I could to Alice and gave her a hug
I walked back to tidus and we walked inside the Travel Agency.
