(blinks for a moment) 250 reviews...woohoo! (starts running around)
Yuna: (looks at me strangely) Calm yourself, please.
(stops) Eh? Oh...sorry, Yuna. Anyhow. Onwards to the replies!
Iron Reaver: Uh, if I remember right, all your complaints about my comma use were in the sentence itself. Having too many, that is. Nothing of the sort was said to my recollection, but I could be wrong. (shrug)
ShadowStar05: The chaos...the glorious chaos...
ninfan: Not very well, that's for sure.
XxCougarxX: Heh, I love cliffhangers. And plot twists. But I digress. Yeah, I had planned that part out since the Luca scene. Just had to wait for it.
desert-tiger: I can taste it, and you're slightly off. Tastes like ham. Yeah, the sequel will be fun to write. You'll see a completely different side of Ben in it, too. Just wait.
SS5Matt: Okay, this is a tough one. I've been writing Destiny's Call since December of last year. Most of what I had was done completely as I went along. Certain parts like Ben losing it against the Iron Giants, Ben becoming a summoner, the Farplane scene, and a few others, were done in advance. Most notably, the scene with Ben singing at Macalania Woods. But, the story as a whole could be said as being written as I went along.
Auron's Fan: Yeah, some of the cool stuff happens in X-2, but the really interesting things that happen...happen after that. (grin) Actually...Ben's died twice. But been revived both times. So...(shrug) Hey, what can ya do? But on the topic of Seymour/Wakka...you got me. They both seem to have a bubble of something around their heads, but as to what it is, or how it works, your guess is as good as mine. I'd think spiky hair would be hard to draw, but that's just me.
Alright, now that that's settled, onwards to the Cloister of Trials of Zanarkand!
Chapter 37—Decisions Of The Heart
The Zanarkand Cloister of Trials is...odd. It almost reminds me of a memory game of sorts, but this is a little different. A screen at the back of the room is showing a pattern. The floor is decorated with tiles that we must step on to match the pattern. And right now? We're having trouble with it. For the most part, we'll either step on an incorrect switch and reset the puzzle, or misstep and fall onto a wrong one.
"Finally!" I exclaim, seeing the door to the next part open. Walking through, I hear Tidus groan as another set of tiles, bigger this time, is revealed on the floor of the next room.
"Ugh...this is the same thing guys. Just bigger," I say, walking over to the screen to see the pattern.
It takes roughly 20 minutes to get it right, but finally we get the final pattern correct, and pinkish light shoots from the circular chasm in the center of the room. Walking over to it, we suddenly hear a roar, and the room seems to shift out of existence, being replaced by a bluish-purple void. There are platforms arranged in a circle, six in all, and we land on them as something appears in the center.
"Oh man...Spectral Keeper...I don't like this," I say, looking at the strange creature in front of us. The Spectral Keeper is like a thin, orange, mantis-like creature towering over us. Two arms extend from its thin middle, ending in sharp, scythe like hands. It also has a sharp tail, which everyone notices as we prepare for battle.
(Play FFX theme Path of Repentance)
"Waterga!" Lulu cries as she takes the first attack, a large burst of water magic slamming into the fiend.
"Rah!" Tidus yells, running up and slashing the Spectral Keeper, who retaliates with a claw strike. The strike is slower than normal, though, Tidus having apparently used Delay Buster on it. Easily dodging the strike, Tidus moves back to Yuna's side as Kimahri uses Lancet on the fiend. The Spectral Keeper turns, and strikes Kimahri with his tail. Everything seems fine for a moment, until Kimahri's skin takes on a more reddish shade to it, and he growls. Running past Tidus, he brings his poleaxe down towards the Spectral Keeper, who roars in pain at the more powerful strike.
"Hey, Kimahri! What gives?" he shouts, and my eyes go wide.
"Tidus, he got Berserked!" I yell, as Kimahri slashes downwards again.
"Esuna!" Yuna cries, the magic seeping into Kimahri and restoring him to normal.
"Enough! Armor Break!" Auron yells, running up and slashing at the Keeper. As he moves back, the platform he's standing on starts to glow. Auron looks around for a moment, before leaping off the platform, just before it explodes.
"You okay?" Wakka yells, throwing his blitzball at the fiend. Auron gives a short nod, now standing next to me and Rikku on a platform.
"Take this!" Rikku yells, throwing a grenade at the Spectral Keeper, which explodes. As the fiend grunts in pain, Rikku runs up and slashes down with Godhand, cutting across the fiend's skin.
"Blizzaga!" I cry, the ice blast smashing into the fiend as well. Lulu also adds in a Firaga spell, which causes the Spectral Keeper to roar in pain, and fire a powerful Thundaga spell at both of us. Wincing sharply, I stagger back from the hit, careful not to fall off the platform. Lulu picks herself up off the ground after a moment, and Yuna points her staff at Lulu.
"Curaga!" she cries, a large wave of light and sparkles flashing around Lulu, healing her up instantly.
The Spectral Keeper seems to growl, before slashing its pointed tail at Yuna, who ducks as it flies overhead. Tidus runs up and slashes again, Kimahri joining him in a double attack. Both strikes hit, and the Keeper swipes them away, before slashing at Rikku. Rikku staggers back from the blow, and I narrow my eyes at the fiend, charging in with both my katana and wakizashi now drawn.
"Renzokuken!" I cry, jumping and striking at the Keeper several times, before I jump back, dropping my sword to my side and sheathing my wakizashi.
"Rough Divide!" Running in again, I leap upwards and bring the sword blade up as well, an aura of energy slicing into the creature and causing a roar of pain.
"Dark Buster!"
"Holy!"
"Thundaga!"
Wakka, Yuna, and Lulu all attack as I move away from the creature, World Champion bouncing off the creature's face. The Holy spell slams into the Spectral Keeper with a blinding flash of light, and the Thundaga spell connects with the fiend's chest as well. Auron brings an arm forward now, ready to end it.
"Farewell," he says simply, jumping into the air and bringing his sword down into the platform he's on, his Dragon Fang Overdrive causing an explosion to overtake the Spectral Keeper. Screeching, the fiend dissipates into pyreflies, as the strange realm fades away to be replaced with the familiarity of the Cloister of Trials.
(End FFX theme Path of Repentance)
"Yuna...we're here," Auron says, stepping over to the chasm, which now has a platform floating in it.
"The Hall of the Final Summoning," she replies, staring at the platform.
"Go," Auron says, with a short nod to the summoner.
"Yes," she says, bowing to Auron before stepping on the platform, causing it to descend into the pit. After a moment, we suddenly hear the elevator start to come back up, and Yuna stands on it as it ascends.
"Sir Auron! Everyone!" she says, causing us to walk over and get on the elevator, something in her voice telling us to come along. As the elevator descends again, we find ourselves in a small room, with a statue directly behind us when we stop.
"This isn't a fayth," Yuna says, looking at the statue. "It's just an empty statue."
Suddenly, the wall in front of the statue just seems to dematerialize into a barrier of blue energy, as the same man who approached us at the entrance to Zanarkand steps through.
"That statue lost its power as a fayth long ago," the man says, as we turn to face him. "It is Lord Zaon, the first fayth of the Final Summoning. What you see before you is all that remains of him. Lord Zaon is...his soul is gone."
"Gone?" Wakka exclaims, eyes widening.
"You mean, there is no Final Aeon?" Rikku asks, a tinge of hopefulness in her voice, it seems.
"But fear not. Lady Yunalesca will show you the path. The Final Aeon will be yours," the man continues, turning to face the doorway of sorts. "The summoner and the Final Aeon will join powers. Go to her now. Inside, the lady awaits," he finishes, doing the prayer gesture, and simply vanishing into thin air. Yuna looks for a moment, before starting to walk towards the blue wall.
"Yuna, wait!" Tidus yells, causing her to stop and turn, as Tidus turns to Auron. "Auron, you knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" he asks.
"Yes," Auron replies, nodding.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Rikku exclaims, now angry. Walking over to her, I put a hand on her shoulder as Auron replies.
"If I had told you the truth, would it really have stopped you from coming?" he asks her, to which she lowers her head. Kimahri walks over to Yuna now, standing in front of her.
"Yuna."
"I'm not going back," she says, looking up at the Ronso.
"Kimahri knows. Kimahri goes first," he says, stepping up to the blue energy door. "Yuna is safe. Kimahri protect." Stepping through, Kimahri vanishes, and Yuna smiles, walking through after him. Auron steps through a moment later, followed by the rest of us.
The room beyond the door is a large room, filled with murals, paintings, and statues of former High Summoners. At the top of a set of stairs near the back of the room, a cloud of pyreflies has gathered. Rikku points to them, drawing everyone's attention.
"Someone's coming!" she shouts, and the pyreflies suddenly coalesce into a solid form, as a woman steps out. The woman is clad in what appears to be nothing but a black bikini, with very long, flowing silver hair. What seems to be wings of some kind extend from her back, as she spreads her arms wide in welcome.
"Lady Yunalesca," Yuna says, staring up at the unsent summoner.
"Welcome to Zanarkand," Yunalesca says, looking down at all of us. "I congratulate you, summoner. You have completed your pilgrimage. I will now bestow you with that which you seek. The Final Summoning...will be yours. Now, choose," she says, walking down the staircase. "You must choose the one whom I will change...to become the fayth of the Final Summoning." Everyone gasps at this except myself and Auron, as Yunalesca continues.
"There must be a bond, between chosen and summoner, for that is what the Final Summoning embodies: the bond between husband and wife, mother and child, or between friends. If that bond is strong enough, its light will conquer Sin. A thousand years ago, I chose my husband Zaon as my fayth. Our bond was true, and I obtained the Final Aeon. There is nothing to fear. You will soon be freed from worry and pain. For once you call forth the Final Aeon, your life will end. Death is the ultimate and final liberation. Your father, Braska, chose this path." As Yunalesca finishes, she turns towards the staircase and walks back up, stepping out into the room beyond. Suddenly, the images of Braska, Jecht, and Auron return.
"It is not too late! Let us turn back!" Auron exclaims, looking at Braska.
"If I turn back, who will defeat Sin?" Braska asks, looking at his two guardians. "Would you have some other summoner and his guardians go through this?"
"But...my lord, there must be another way!" Auron insists, as Jecht turns to him.
"This is the only way we got now!" he says, before turning to where we can only assume Yunalesca was standing. "Fine. Make me the fayth. I been doing some thinking. My dream is back in the other Zanarkand. I wanted to make that runt into a star blitz player. Show him the view from the top, you know? But now I know there's no way home for me. I'm never gonna see him again. My dream's never gonna come true. So make me the fayth. I'll fight Sin with you, Braska. Then maybe my life will have meaning, you know."
"Don't do this, Jecht!" Auron says, turning to the blitzballer. "If you live...there may be another way! We'll think of something, I know!"
"Believe me, I thought this through," Jecht says, looking over at Auron. "Besides," he continues, shrugging, "I ain't gettin' any younger, so I might as well make myself useful."
"Jecht," Braska says, looking at his guardian.
"What! You're not gonna try to stop me, too?"
"Sorry. I mean...thank you."
"Braska still has to fight Sin, Auron," Jecht says, looking over at Auron. "Guard him well. Make sure he gets there," he finishes, before turning back to Braska. "Well, let's go." Braska gives a short nod, and he and Jecht begin to walk away.
"Lord Braska! Jecht!" Jecht turns, looking a little annoyed at Auron.
"What do you want now?"
"Sin always comes back. It comes back after the Calm every time! The cycle will continue and your deaths will mean nothing!" Auron says, trying one final time to stop them.
"But there's a chance it won't come back this time. It's worth trying," Braska says, looking solemnly at Auron.
"I understand what you're saying, Auron. I'll find a way to break the cycle," Jecht replies, nodding.
"You have a plan?" Auron asks, causing Braska to look at Jecht.
"Jecht?"
"Trust me, I'll think of something," he says, beginning to laugh. Auron draws his sword, walking up to the image of his younger self, and with a roar of anger, slashes down through the image several times.
"Auron...it's okay," I say calmly, looking over at him.
"And the cycle went on," Auron says, somewhat sadly.
"We'll break it!" Tidus exclaims, clenching a fist and looking at everyone.
"But how?" Wakka asks, shrugging. "What, you got a plan now?"
"If one of us has to become a fayth...I volunteer," Lulu says, looking at Yuna. Wakka also turns upon hearing this.
"Me too, Yuna!"
"That still won't change anything, you know? You'd bring the Calm, and then what? That won't break the cycle!" Tidus yells, looking a little angry now.
"Listen...you wanna defeat Sin and keep Yuna alive? You don't want Sin to come back, ya? That is just not gonna happen, brudda, you know?" Wakka says, looking over at Tidus.
"If you want everything, you'll end up with nothing," Lulu adds. Tidus looks quite annoyed now.
"But I want everything!" he says, almost sounding like he's whining.
"Now you're being childish!" Wakka scolds, causing Tidus to throw his arms up in exasperation.
"I give up," he says, looking at all of us. "So what would an adult do, then? They know they can just throw away a summoner, then they can do whatever they like. You're right, I might not even have a chance. But no way am I just gonna stand here and let Yuna go. And what Auron said about there being a way...I think it's true."
"'You'll think of something?'" Rikku says playfully, causing Tidus to nod as I chuckle softly.
"I'll go ask Yunalesca. She's got to know something."
"You really think she'll help you?" Rikku asks, looking at Tidus
"I don't know, but I have to try. This is my story. It'll go the way I want it...or I'll end it here," Tidus says, determination filling his speech.
"Wait," Yuna breaks in, looking over at him. "You say it's your story, but it's my story too, you know? It would be so easy...to let my fate just carry me away...following this same path my whole life through. But I know...I can't. What I do, I do...with no regrets."
"Yuna's right," I say, adamantly. "This is also my story, and I'm not going to stand by idly and let it just do what it will with me. I'm done just standing by. It's time to take action. It's time to cast aside these traditions. It's time to find a new way, and fight for what we believe. No regrets. I've found my path, and it's time to walk it." As I finish, everyone gives a silent nod, and we run up the stairs and out into the room beyond, ready to confront Yunalesca.
As we enter the room, Yunalesca appears, and hovers above the ground.
"Have you chosen the one to become your fayth?" she asks. "Who will it be?"
"Might I ask something first?" Yuna says. "Will Sin come back even should I use the Final Summoning to defeat it?"
"Sin is eternal," she replies. "Every aeon that defeats it becomes Sin in its place...and thus is Sin reborn."
"So that's why Jecht became Sin." Tidus says, now piecing the puzzle together.
"Sin is an inevitable part of Spira's destiny. It is neverending," Yunalesca continues, Wakka looking at her in mild disbelief.
"Neverending? But...but...if we atone for our crimes, Sin will stop coming back, ya? Someday, it'll be gone, ya?"
"Will humanity ever attain such purity?" Yunalesca questions, causing everyone's eyes to widen.
"This...this cannot be!" Lulu exclaims. "The teachings state that we can exorcise Sin with complete atonement! It's been our only hope all these years!"
"Hope is...comforting. It allows us to accept fate, however tragic it may be."
"No!" Tidus exclaims, along with the ghostly form of Auron, who has now reappeared, as well as a ghostly form of Yunalesca.
"Where is the sense in all this! Braska believed in Yevon's teachings and died for them! Jecht believed in Braska and gave his life for him!" the young Auron exclaims, slashing his sword through the air angrily.
"They chose to die...because they had hope," the ghostly Yunalesca replies, causing Auron to scream and charge her. Yunalesca simply raises a hand and fires a blast of energy, striking the ghostly Auron and causing his sword to fly out of his hands. Falling to the ground without a sound, the ghostly Auron lies still as his sword stabs into the ground beside him. Both the images fade, as Yunalesca speaks again.
"Yevon's teaching and the Final Summoning give the people of Spira hope. Without hope, they would drown in their sorrow. Now, choose. Who will be your fayth? Who will be the one to renew Spira's hope?"
Everyone is silent for a few moments, before Yuna raises her head and looks at Yunalesca again.
"No one. I would have gladly died. I live for the people of Spira, and would have gladly died for them. But no more! The Final Summoning...is a false tradition that should be thrown away," Yuna says, defiantly. Smiling, I watch on as Yunalesca continues.
"No. It is our only hope. Your father sacrificed himself to give that hope to the people. So they would forget sorrow."
"Wrong. My father...my father wanted...to make Spira's sorrow go away. Not just cover it up with lies!" Yuna exclaims, angry now.
"Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try," Yunalesca states. Glaring, Yuna looks straight into her eyes, before speaking again.
"My father...I loved him. So I...I will live with my sorrow, I will live my own life! I will defeat sorrow, in his place. I will stand my ground and be strong. I don't know when it'll be but someday, I will conquer it. And I will do it without...false hope."
Shaking her head, Yunalesca rises up into the air, now looking down on us.
"Poor creature. You would throw away hope. Well...I will free you before you can drown in your sorrow. It is better for you to die in hope than to live in despair. Let me be your liberator."
"Now! This is it! This is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands!" Auron exclaims, drawing his sword and pointing it at the unsent summoner.
"Yuna needs Kimahri. Kimahri protect Yuna," Kimahri says, leveling his poleaxe at Yunalesca.
"Well, I'm fighting!" Rikku exclaims.
"I can't believe we're gonna fight Lady Yunalesca! Gimme a break!" Wakka yells, shaking his head and grabbing World Champion. Lulu turns to him, face impassive as ever.
"You can always run."
"Hah!" he says, looking over at the black mage. "I'd never forgive myself—no way! Not if I ran away now. Even in death, ya!" Lulu just smiles, looking back at Yunalesca.
"My thoughts exactly."
"It's time to end this! Cast aside the false traditions, and start a new way!" I yell, looking over at Rikku. "Rikku! I'm right here, no matter what! Let's do this together!" I say, causing her to smile and nod.
"Yuna! This is our story! Now let's see this thing through together!" Tidus yells to Yuna, who nods, gripping her staff tightly, as we all prepare to fight a summoner unsent for a thousand years, and end a tradition that has caused the death of summoners since the arrival of Sin.
Next chapter, all heck breaks loose as the gang goes up against Yunalesca! It's gonna be intense, so get ready! As always, please review!
