The Son of Auron: The Hope of Spira
Chapter 7
Macalania's Spirit
Exiting the temple, the group found a crowd gathering in the square.
"We got another one!" rang Gatta's voice above the crowd.
Yuna and the others rushed over to the mob.
"Move! Come on," said Tidus.
They were interrupted by the scream of a man rushing into the crowd.
Finally a great burley man blocked him.
"Woah there buddy. Wait like everyone else," he growled.
The frustrated man just slugged the guy in the face.
Yuna then realized that she knew this young man.
Wantz rushed to the body in the center of the crowd.
"O'aka, what have they done to you," cried Wantz?
"Brother I-" stammered O'aka.
Wantz interrupted him, "Who? Who did this to you?"
He slowly lifted a finger, pointing somewhere in the crowd. "It was-"
Before he could finish his statement, he fell limp.
"NOOOO!" cried Wantz.
He lowered his head.
A few seconds passed and he noticed that his brother was still pointing into the crowd.
He followed it to the burley man he had punched who was now coming to.
"YOU!" he screamed, whipping out a small hand ax from his supply pack.
He met the man with the blade of his weapon before the victim had even gotten up.
The body crumpled to the ground.
A few seconds later, a head fell beside its owner, a look of shock implanted on the face.
Wantz was breathing heavily, his face white with terror.
"Holy shit! We're all gonna die!" yelled a blind man dressed in black dress clothes.
Everyone ran screaming.
The blind man though, hit a tree and fell uncontious.
Jack turned his head, "Yuna, send him."
Yuna nodded her head and walked toward O'aka.
She stopped before the corpse.
She began her majestic performance as a pale Wantz walked toward his brother.
He cradled his sibling's head in his arms as it dissolved in a golden wave of pyreflys.
At the same time, many other bodies vanished in the same fashion.
"I do not see what that will do if Mi Yevon releases the spirits." Said Wakka
"If we left them they would become mindless fiends," said Yuna.
"If Mi Yevon succeeds, the residents of the Farplane shall maintain a clear mind."
"O'aka can return?" asked Wantz.
The Tidus explained to him of the new threat and what they had to do.
"So you see, if O'aka returns, all will be lost," said Tidus.
Wantz took a moment to let this all sink in.
"I shall avenge my brother's death," he said.
"May I serve you on your pilgrimage?" he pleaded.
"He's just like me," said Wakka to Lulu.
"Can you manage?" asked Yuna.
He nodded.
"You may assist me then," she said with a smile.
Wantz bowed with sorrow.
"Welcome to the group!" said Rikku.
"Hey Yunie, where do we go next," she asked?
"Well, I suppose that we should up grade Wakka's weapon at Macalania," she replied.
"Let's go then," said Lulu.
They all started off, all except Jack.
Rikku fell back.
"You coming?" she asked.
Jack was still.
"It's too easy," he said.
Rikku frowned, "What do you mean?"
Jack said nothing.
Rikku changed the subject.
"I've been thinking about last night"
He stopped he, "As have I. It will not happen again."
Rikku froze in shock, "No, it's not that. I want to be with you."
"I do too but I just can't," Jack said.
"But why?" she asked.
"I don't want to hurt you," he spoke as he turned and walked after the others.
Rikku just stood there, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Finally, she worked up the courage and ran to catch up to the others.
Meanwhile, nobody else seemed to notice the dark figure watching the group leave the town.
He wore a brown cloak with a hood concealing his face.
It wasn't the man slayed by Wantz that had killed O'aka, and it wasn't the large man that O'aka had been pointing at.
He had been pointing past the man.
He had been pointing at him.
He held up a chrome hand.
It was a machina hand.
He balled it into a fist.
"We shall meet soon enough," he whispered.
"Soon enough."
Jack checked his Cell-O-Porter.
"Looks like we don't have enough power to get to Macalania," he said.
"Then we'll use the -sniff- airship," said Rikku, teary eyed.
She walked up to a nearby save sphere and called Cid.
They then were transported onto the ship.
"Well, well, well," said Cid's voice as he stood before the arrivals.
"Where were you?" he asked.
Tidus sighed, "I'm not telling the whole thing again."
So Wantz, with it fresh in his head explained it, mentioning how he had come as well.
When he finished, Cid was wide eyed.
"I gotta get this together," he said as he entered another room that clicked shut behind him.
"Where did he go?" asked Yuna.
"Don't ask," replied Rikku.
"O.K. let's just go to Macalania," said Lulu.
Punching in the location, the airship took off.
Several minutes later and the craft came to a stop.
It landed.
Walking down the shining path, Jack stopped at a hollow in a tree.
Reaching inside, he pulled out a wooden stick, carved at one point.
He examined it before dismissing the weapon.
By now the others had walked on ahead.
"Hey! You coming?" called Wakka.
Jack ran to catch up with the others.
Arriving at the large crystal, Wakka presented the relic.
It absorbed it along with his World Champion.
He waited.
Without warning, the gem began to crack.
"What's happening?" asked Yuna.
The celestial jewel split.
In the center stood a little girl holding Wakka's weapon and relic.
She wore a white silk dress and her face matched the color.
"I am the spirit of Macalania.
I can not help you," she said. "This item is only able to be upgraded at the home of its founder." She said.
"Where's that?" asked Tidus.
The girl smiled and vanished.
Laughter echoed around them.
After it ceased, Yuna spoke, "We must go to Zanarkand. Yunalesca is the key."
"I knew that it was too easy," said Jack.
After boarding the airship they found it just as it was when they left.
While walking down the halls, they passed the room that Cid had entered.
They heard a toilet flush from inside and Cid stepped out.
"Nobody go in there for a while," he said.
"Now anyway, I've got it together and I think that you should go to Macalania."
"Uh pops, we've been gone for hours," said Rikku.
Cid blushed, "Well, time flies."
They filled him in on what happened.
He then noticed how pale they were.
"Well help my time, you gotta be worn out! We're not go to Zanarkand until you guys get some sleep."
Try as they might, he stuck with that and they gave in.
Because there were only two vacant rooms, the men had to sleep in one while the women slept in the other.
Later that night, Tidus, Wakka, and Jack were still awake because of Wantz's snoring.
"I can't take this!" said Wakka.
"He could wake the Farplane with all that ruckus."
"Yeah," said Tidus. "Now we're awake and all, let's talk."
"Hey Wakka, how's it going with Lulu?" asked Tidus.
Wakka shrugged, "I don't know, I just need to find something that we have in common."
"What about you and Yuna?"
Tidus smiled, "I haven't really gotten the time to work my mojo on her."
Wakka laughed, "Like you ever had a mojo!"
Jack laughed in the corner.
The two men then noticed that he had been awake the whole time.
"And do you have something going on with Rikku," Tidus teased.
Wakka made a whooing sound.
"I am not sure," he said. "I long to be with her but I can't."
"Why?" asked Wakka.
"I have my reasons." He said.
Wakka and Tidus spoke no more to Jack; they didn't want to pressure him.
Several hours later, after everyone had finally fallen asleep, Tidus awoke.
He had been dreaming about Yuna.
He fell a longing that he had never felt before.
Standing, he stood and walked out the door.
Tidus was tired but he still continued on until he arrived at the lift to the deck.
He boarded it as it lifted up to the outside of the ship.
Arriving outside, he strolled to the edge.
This was where he had stood when he had disappeared.
He lied down and stared at the sky.
The moon was full and beautiful tonight.
Tidus found him self saying these words.
As he gazed, he began humming the hymn of the faith.
He didn't notice the doors of the ship open.
Yuna walked up behind him, and began humming herself.
Surprised, Tidus jumped in shock, turning around to find Yuna behind him laughing.
"Hello." She said.
Tidus replied to the greeting.
"May I join you?" she asked.
Tidus nodded.
Yuna sat down next to him.
She gasped, "Oh Tidus, the moon, It is so beautiful."
"Yes, it is isn't it." Said Tidus.
"That is the thing that I like most about Spira. It is home to so many beautiful things." He said.
Yuna smiled.
"Tell me, that place that you spoke of, Destiny Islands, what was it like?" she asked.
Tidus smiles as if recalling it all.
"I remember a beautiful ocean, with water as clear as the sky.
The sand was like sugar to the touch.
A luscious green jungle was in the center of the paradise.
There was always a secret little cave that Sora and Rikku would hide in, though I never went there myself.
To be honest, I was reminded of Besaid," he said.
"Sounds wonderful," said Yuna.
For a while, the two just admired the moon.
Tidus stood and spoke, "Yuna."
"Yes," said Yuna?
"There was something that I wanted to tell you when we stood here on year ago after the defeat of Sin."
"What is that?" she asked.
"When you said that you loved me," Tidus said taking her hands in his.
Yuna looked away first and then back up into his deep blue eyes.
"I love you too," he said.
A tear slid down Yuna's cheek.
Tidus released one hand to wipe it away.
Yuna looked up.
She had longed for this moment since Tidus had disappeared.
He put his arms around her waist and she put hers over his shoulders, drawing each other close.
Finally, they kissed long and passionately.
As they kissed, the moon began to vanish as the sun began to rise.
The sky changed from navy to scarlet before the two lovers.
Finally, as the new day grew brighter, they broke their seal of true compassion.
For a moment, they gazed into each other's eyes, too speechless for words.
"I don't want to lose you again," said Yuna.
"I felt pain like I had never felt, every day that I was away from you." Said Tidus.
He took a deep breath and reached into a pocket inside his overalls.
"My mother gave this to me before she died," he said.
He pulled out a splintering, wooden ring.
"She said that it shall reveal my truest love."
Yuna looked at it,
Beyond its appearance, she felt it calling to her.
"I have been too scared to try it on anyone," he said.
Smiling shyly, he added, "Now I know, that its time has come."
He gently slid the ring on her finger.
Watching, he waited but the ring remained as it was.
Losing patience, Tidus shook his head in disappointment.
"I must get some more sleep, you may keep the ring," he said sadly.
Yuna felt her eyes welling up.
She just stood there, watching Tidus leave.
Just as he neared the lift, Yuna then felt strange warmth coming from her ring finger.
She looked at it.
The ring was growing brighter from the dull brown that it had once been tinted.
"Tidus!" she called.
Tidus turned, and to Yuna's surprise, Tidus had been weeping.
Realizing what was happening, he rushed to her as fast as he could.
The ring grew brighter until it took form of a clear glass ring.
"Wow!" exclaimed Yuna.
She then noticed something.
Looking closer, she saw that within the crystals of the ring, an image of a garden appeared.
The entire garden was made up of roses, glistening in the morning dew.
Tidus, seeing this as well, said, "My mother also said that when it has found its true master, it shall reveal the wearer's soal for her to look apon whenever she pleases."
Breaking her gaze of the ring, she found Tidus embracing her hands once again.
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening on the brink of tears.
"Yuna." Tidus spoke clearly.
He started again, "Yuna, I have longed to be with you my entire life. Since a child, I felt like part of me had been missing a piece, like my heart wasn't complete.
That day, the day that I first laid my eyes on you at the temple of Besaid, I felt that space become almost completely filled.
Even now, I still feel emptiness.
I must end it.
Stepping closer so that her face was inches from hers, he said, "Yuna, will you marry me?"
Yuna couldn't hold back the tears any longer.
"Yes!" she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck with excitement."
The next morning, the others woke up and ate breakfast on the airship's bridge.
When they arrived, they found Tidus and Yuna looking happier than usual.
When the two told them the news, everyone was happy as could be.
After the excitement settled down Cid arrived to report that they were docked at the Zanarkand Dome.
The group disembarked on the land.
"Now, if anything goes wrong and you need assistance, just give me a holler. I'll be circling up ahead," warned Cid as they continued.
Wantz had been frightened so much that the party left him on the airship.
The group encountered a few fiends but diminished them quickly.
They continued forth until Tidus stopped in his tracks.
Where he stood, he had once walked before his Blitz ball game where Sin had attacked.
Trying to get the memory out of his head, he pressed on.
The party later reached the inner wall of the dome.
Warily, they entered the stone structure.
Inside, everyone recognized the area as the same one where they had fought Braska's Final Aeon.
They stopped to stare at the dry dome.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by a deep thunderous laughter.
The dome caught fire similar to the way it looked when they had dueled against Jecht.
The party turned as a something rose from the depths.
"Arms!" shouted Jack.
The guardians whipped out their weapons.
"Ready!" shouted Tidus.
They waited until the laughter ceased and the creature landed on the grounded.
It was a man.
He was the husband of Yunalesca.
He had a thick beard and wore a metal breastplate with a matching pair of steel gauntlets.
He wore chain-linked pants and he had a long mane of hair, most of it covering his face.
"I am Zaon, Yunalesca's husband."
"So, you have come to seek the aid of my wife," he said his voice echoing around the room.
He then began cracking his knuckles. "But I'm afraid that that would be and offense to Mistress Mi Yevon, so I have no choice but to stand before you."
With one hand, he snapped his fingers and two large stones rose from the arena.
"These are a few new tricks from Mi Yevon. They are called Mi Pagados. They are far superior to those Yu Pagados that you battled last year."
He then began stroking his beard, "And am I missing something?"
He thin held up a finger as if he had had an idea.
"Oh Yes! I remember! The fact that I can become a Final Aeon. Well, you must be feeling lucky. You get to perish before the first fury of the first aeon!"
Wakka spat, "Yeah we'll see, you should be honored you shall die from the hands of the last vanquishers of Sin!"
"We shall see!" roared Zaon.
With that said, his finger, still raised, was shot up higher.
"FEEL THE WRATH OF MY TORMENT!" shouted Zaon.
The fire within the dome shot into his raised finger.
He leaped up, still holding up his energy.
He slammed it down into the ground.
The fire shot into the target and created a pool of fire.
Zaon just stood in the center of it, smiling.
Suddenly, burning ropes shot out of the earth and began wrapping themselves around him.
He began to laugh as the fire began to cover every inch of his skin.
When the ropes finally covered the whole human, the ropes ceased.
Before Yuna and the others, stood a fiery figure.
Then, where the flames concealed the where his eyes were, suddenly exploded.
Now, two dark red eyes stared back at them.
Before the viewers could do anything to stop it, the pool of heat suddenly shot up into a flaming spiral of death.
The burning shape of Zaon grew, and grew until it was too big to stand on the platform.
Yuna noticed that the fiery demon's flames were turning from scarlet to black.
The spiral ended and the creature of satin flames stood still.
The fire then hardened to make Zaon appear to be shelled in a black cacoon.
Seconds passed and the aeon just stood there.
Then, its outer case began to quiver.
All of a sudden, two burning black wings shot out from the back.
Soon, many cracks and crevices began to appear on the cover.
Out of the sides, two strong, black arms broke free of the encasement.
Soon the legs, the main body, and three barbed tails were ejected from the egg.
The beast shook what shell was left off, revealing its head.
It had three long, curving horns sprouting from it, two grew above the pointed ears, and one protruded out of the back.
The glowing eyes glared down at them under a thick mass of long hair.
Ice cold air that was emitted from the slitted nostrils sent chills down everyone's spines.
The hinged jaw bared fangs the size of a large dagger.
"NOW!" he said in a booming voice that could scare a dragon, "WE SHALL TEST THE MIGHTY STRENGTH OF ZAON AGAINST THE SO CALLED 'HOPE OF SPIRA'! NOW DRAW YOUR WEAPON AND WE SHALL TEST OUR SKILLS TO DEATH!"
Jack held out Olo Eopia in front of his face as Stangmar pulled out a large scepter with the emblem of Yevon engraved into the handle, and a large gemstone appearing to be a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald, and a diamond fused together at the head of the staff.
"NOW PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE FURY OF ZAON!"
He brought the scepter down on the boy.
Jack tried to remain calm while bracing for the blow to arrive, but he was nervous for he had heard legends of the weapon that Zaon wielded. It was said to be the rod used by Yunalesca on her pilgrimage.
It was known as the Scepter of Ligth (Yes it is spelled correctly). It was known to bring down anyone who opposed its power.
Jack readied himself as he watched the staff get closer. Closer. Closer.
Author's note: Before I get on with the other stuff that I have to say, I just wanna tell everybody thank you for your reviews.
Also, I want to make it clear that one of my friends reviewed one of my stories at my house. This is why the first review says Callik so I don't want you thinking that I posted that review. I also wanna say that I am sorry that it took so long to post this on the account that I have had a lot of school work. ATTENTION: PLEASE RE-READ CHAPTER 1 AND 5 IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT IN A WHILE. TRUST ME! And as for this chappie, please don't flame me for the cliffy. Also, if you have some criticism, ease up in the reviews. I plan to work on the choppy sentences in later chappies. Just know that I'm trying. At a last note, I want your opinions. Now that you've gotten a taste of the relationships in the story, I just want to ask you to let me know in reviews if you want me to focus on Rikku and Jack or Tidus and Yuna. It's your choice, just let me know which one you want. I'm not too good with relationships in my writing so sorry if you dislike that part. I also wanna add that if any one finds that I interfere with anything that disrupts the FFX story line itself, please tell me in my reviews as some of you have already done. I had originally called Yunalesca's aeon Stangmar because I haven't played the game in a while. I've started a new game and hope to get every detail.
Until chapter 8, later.
Callik
PS- Don't worry readers, O'aka's death was worthy of bad reviews, but like Kimarhi, I shall try to get him back, so don't flame.
Chapter 7
Macalania's Spirit
Exiting the temple, the group found a crowd gathering in the square.
"We got another one!" rang Gatta's voice above the crowd.
Yuna and the others rushed over to the mob.
"Move! Come on," said Tidus.
They were interrupted by the scream of a man rushing into the crowd.
Finally a great burley man blocked him.
"Woah there buddy. Wait like everyone else," he growled.
The frustrated man just slugged the guy in the face.
Yuna then realized that she knew this young man.
Wantz rushed to the body in the center of the crowd.
"O'aka, what have they done to you," cried Wantz?
"Brother I-" stammered O'aka.
Wantz interrupted him, "Who? Who did this to you?"
He slowly lifted a finger, pointing somewhere in the crowd. "It was-"
Before he could finish his statement, he fell limp.
"NOOOO!" cried Wantz.
He lowered his head.
A few seconds passed and he noticed that his brother was still pointing into the crowd.
He followed it to the burley man he had punched who was now coming to.
"YOU!" he screamed, whipping out a small hand ax from his supply pack.
He met the man with the blade of his weapon before the victim had even gotten up.
The body crumpled to the ground.
A few seconds later, a head fell beside its owner, a look of shock implanted on the face.
Wantz was breathing heavily, his face white with terror.
"Holy shit! We're all gonna die!" yelled a blind man dressed in black dress clothes.
Everyone ran screaming.
The blind man though, hit a tree and fell uncontious.
Jack turned his head, "Yuna, send him."
Yuna nodded her head and walked toward O'aka.
She stopped before the corpse.
She began her majestic performance as a pale Wantz walked toward his brother.
He cradled his sibling's head in his arms as it dissolved in a golden wave of pyreflys.
At the same time, many other bodies vanished in the same fashion.
"I do not see what that will do if Mi Yevon releases the spirits." Said Wakka
"If we left them they would become mindless fiends," said Yuna.
"If Mi Yevon succeeds, the residents of the Farplane shall maintain a clear mind."
"O'aka can return?" asked Wantz.
The Tidus explained to him of the new threat and what they had to do.
"So you see, if O'aka returns, all will be lost," said Tidus.
Wantz took a moment to let this all sink in.
"I shall avenge my brother's death," he said.
"May I serve you on your pilgrimage?" he pleaded.
"He's just like me," said Wakka to Lulu.
"Can you manage?" asked Yuna.
He nodded.
"You may assist me then," she said with a smile.
Wantz bowed with sorrow.
"Welcome to the group!" said Rikku.
"Hey Yunie, where do we go next," she asked?
"Well, I suppose that we should up grade Wakka's weapon at Macalania," she replied.
"Let's go then," said Lulu.
They all started off, all except Jack.
Rikku fell back.
"You coming?" she asked.
Jack was still.
"It's too easy," he said.
Rikku frowned, "What do you mean?"
Jack said nothing.
Rikku changed the subject.
"I've been thinking about last night"
He stopped he, "As have I. It will not happen again."
Rikku froze in shock, "No, it's not that. I want to be with you."
"I do too but I just can't," Jack said.
"But why?" she asked.
"I don't want to hurt you," he spoke as he turned and walked after the others.
Rikku just stood there, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Finally, she worked up the courage and ran to catch up to the others.
Meanwhile, nobody else seemed to notice the dark figure watching the group leave the town.
He wore a brown cloak with a hood concealing his face.
It wasn't the man slayed by Wantz that had killed O'aka, and it wasn't the large man that O'aka had been pointing at.
He had been pointing past the man.
He had been pointing at him.
He held up a chrome hand.
It was a machina hand.
He balled it into a fist.
"We shall meet soon enough," he whispered.
"Soon enough."
Jack checked his Cell-O-Porter.
"Looks like we don't have enough power to get to Macalania," he said.
"Then we'll use the -sniff- airship," said Rikku, teary eyed.
She walked up to a nearby save sphere and called Cid.
They then were transported onto the ship.
"Well, well, well," said Cid's voice as he stood before the arrivals.
"Where were you?" he asked.
Tidus sighed, "I'm not telling the whole thing again."
So Wantz, with it fresh in his head explained it, mentioning how he had come as well.
When he finished, Cid was wide eyed.
"I gotta get this together," he said as he entered another room that clicked shut behind him.
"Where did he go?" asked Yuna.
"Don't ask," replied Rikku.
"O.K. let's just go to Macalania," said Lulu.
Punching in the location, the airship took off.
Several minutes later and the craft came to a stop.
It landed.
Walking down the shining path, Jack stopped at a hollow in a tree.
Reaching inside, he pulled out a wooden stick, carved at one point.
He examined it before dismissing the weapon.
By now the others had walked on ahead.
"Hey! You coming?" called Wakka.
Jack ran to catch up with the others.
Arriving at the large crystal, Wakka presented the relic.
It absorbed it along with his World Champion.
He waited.
Without warning, the gem began to crack.
"What's happening?" asked Yuna.
The celestial jewel split.
In the center stood a little girl holding Wakka's weapon and relic.
She wore a white silk dress and her face matched the color.
"I am the spirit of Macalania.
I can not help you," she said. "This item is only able to be upgraded at the home of its founder." She said.
"Where's that?" asked Tidus.
The girl smiled and vanished.
Laughter echoed around them.
After it ceased, Yuna spoke, "We must go to Zanarkand. Yunalesca is the key."
"I knew that it was too easy," said Jack.
After boarding the airship they found it just as it was when they left.
While walking down the halls, they passed the room that Cid had entered.
They heard a toilet flush from inside and Cid stepped out.
"Nobody go in there for a while," he said.
"Now anyway, I've got it together and I think that you should go to Macalania."
"Uh pops, we've been gone for hours," said Rikku.
Cid blushed, "Well, time flies."
They filled him in on what happened.
He then noticed how pale they were.
"Well help my time, you gotta be worn out! We're not go to Zanarkand until you guys get some sleep."
Try as they might, he stuck with that and they gave in.
Because there were only two vacant rooms, the men had to sleep in one while the women slept in the other.
Later that night, Tidus, Wakka, and Jack were still awake because of Wantz's snoring.
"I can't take this!" said Wakka.
"He could wake the Farplane with all that ruckus."
"Yeah," said Tidus. "Now we're awake and all, let's talk."
"Hey Wakka, how's it going with Lulu?" asked Tidus.
Wakka shrugged, "I don't know, I just need to find something that we have in common."
"What about you and Yuna?"
Tidus smiled, "I haven't really gotten the time to work my mojo on her."
Wakka laughed, "Like you ever had a mojo!"
Jack laughed in the corner.
The two men then noticed that he had been awake the whole time.
"And do you have something going on with Rikku," Tidus teased.
Wakka made a whooing sound.
"I am not sure," he said. "I long to be with her but I can't."
"Why?" asked Wakka.
"I have my reasons." He said.
Wakka and Tidus spoke no more to Jack; they didn't want to pressure him.
Several hours later, after everyone had finally fallen asleep, Tidus awoke.
He had been dreaming about Yuna.
He fell a longing that he had never felt before.
Standing, he stood and walked out the door.
Tidus was tired but he still continued on until he arrived at the lift to the deck.
He boarded it as it lifted up to the outside of the ship.
Arriving outside, he strolled to the edge.
This was where he had stood when he had disappeared.
He lied down and stared at the sky.
The moon was full and beautiful tonight.
Tidus found him self saying these words.
As he gazed, he began humming the hymn of the faith.
He didn't notice the doors of the ship open.
Yuna walked up behind him, and began humming herself.
Surprised, Tidus jumped in shock, turning around to find Yuna behind him laughing.
"Hello." She said.
Tidus replied to the greeting.
"May I join you?" she asked.
Tidus nodded.
Yuna sat down next to him.
She gasped, "Oh Tidus, the moon, It is so beautiful."
"Yes, it is isn't it." Said Tidus.
"That is the thing that I like most about Spira. It is home to so many beautiful things." He said.
Yuna smiled.
"Tell me, that place that you spoke of, Destiny Islands, what was it like?" she asked.
Tidus smiles as if recalling it all.
"I remember a beautiful ocean, with water as clear as the sky.
The sand was like sugar to the touch.
A luscious green jungle was in the center of the paradise.
There was always a secret little cave that Sora and Rikku would hide in, though I never went there myself.
To be honest, I was reminded of Besaid," he said.
"Sounds wonderful," said Yuna.
For a while, the two just admired the moon.
Tidus stood and spoke, "Yuna."
"Yes," said Yuna?
"There was something that I wanted to tell you when we stood here on year ago after the defeat of Sin."
"What is that?" she asked.
"When you said that you loved me," Tidus said taking her hands in his.
Yuna looked away first and then back up into his deep blue eyes.
"I love you too," he said.
A tear slid down Yuna's cheek.
Tidus released one hand to wipe it away.
Yuna looked up.
She had longed for this moment since Tidus had disappeared.
He put his arms around her waist and she put hers over his shoulders, drawing each other close.
Finally, they kissed long and passionately.
As they kissed, the moon began to vanish as the sun began to rise.
The sky changed from navy to scarlet before the two lovers.
Finally, as the new day grew brighter, they broke their seal of true compassion.
For a moment, they gazed into each other's eyes, too speechless for words.
"I don't want to lose you again," said Yuna.
"I felt pain like I had never felt, every day that I was away from you." Said Tidus.
He took a deep breath and reached into a pocket inside his overalls.
"My mother gave this to me before she died," he said.
He pulled out a splintering, wooden ring.
"She said that it shall reveal my truest love."
Yuna looked at it,
Beyond its appearance, she felt it calling to her.
"I have been too scared to try it on anyone," he said.
Smiling shyly, he added, "Now I know, that its time has come."
He gently slid the ring on her finger.
Watching, he waited but the ring remained as it was.
Losing patience, Tidus shook his head in disappointment.
"I must get some more sleep, you may keep the ring," he said sadly.
Yuna felt her eyes welling up.
She just stood there, watching Tidus leave.
Just as he neared the lift, Yuna then felt strange warmth coming from her ring finger.
She looked at it.
The ring was growing brighter from the dull brown that it had once been tinted.
"Tidus!" she called.
Tidus turned, and to Yuna's surprise, Tidus had been weeping.
Realizing what was happening, he rushed to her as fast as he could.
The ring grew brighter until it took form of a clear glass ring.
"Wow!" exclaimed Yuna.
She then noticed something.
Looking closer, she saw that within the crystals of the ring, an image of a garden appeared.
The entire garden was made up of roses, glistening in the morning dew.
Tidus, seeing this as well, said, "My mother also said that when it has found its true master, it shall reveal the wearer's soal for her to look apon whenever she pleases."
Breaking her gaze of the ring, she found Tidus embracing her hands once again.
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening on the brink of tears.
"Yuna." Tidus spoke clearly.
He started again, "Yuna, I have longed to be with you my entire life. Since a child, I felt like part of me had been missing a piece, like my heart wasn't complete.
That day, the day that I first laid my eyes on you at the temple of Besaid, I felt that space become almost completely filled.
Even now, I still feel emptiness.
I must end it.
Stepping closer so that her face was inches from hers, he said, "Yuna, will you marry me?"
Yuna couldn't hold back the tears any longer.
"Yes!" she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck with excitement."
The next morning, the others woke up and ate breakfast on the airship's bridge.
When they arrived, they found Tidus and Yuna looking happier than usual.
When the two told them the news, everyone was happy as could be.
After the excitement settled down Cid arrived to report that they were docked at the Zanarkand Dome.
The group disembarked on the land.
"Now, if anything goes wrong and you need assistance, just give me a holler. I'll be circling up ahead," warned Cid as they continued.
Wantz had been frightened so much that the party left him on the airship.
The group encountered a few fiends but diminished them quickly.
They continued forth until Tidus stopped in his tracks.
Where he stood, he had once walked before his Blitz ball game where Sin had attacked.
Trying to get the memory out of his head, he pressed on.
The party later reached the inner wall of the dome.
Warily, they entered the stone structure.
Inside, everyone recognized the area as the same one where they had fought Braska's Final Aeon.
They stopped to stare at the dry dome.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by a deep thunderous laughter.
The dome caught fire similar to the way it looked when they had dueled against Jecht.
The party turned as a something rose from the depths.
"Arms!" shouted Jack.
The guardians whipped out their weapons.
"Ready!" shouted Tidus.
They waited until the laughter ceased and the creature landed on the grounded.
It was a man.
He was the husband of Yunalesca.
He had a thick beard and wore a metal breastplate with a matching pair of steel gauntlets.
He wore chain-linked pants and he had a long mane of hair, most of it covering his face.
"I am Zaon, Yunalesca's husband."
"So, you have come to seek the aid of my wife," he said his voice echoing around the room.
He then began cracking his knuckles. "But I'm afraid that that would be and offense to Mistress Mi Yevon, so I have no choice but to stand before you."
With one hand, he snapped his fingers and two large stones rose from the arena.
"These are a few new tricks from Mi Yevon. They are called Mi Pagados. They are far superior to those Yu Pagados that you battled last year."
He then began stroking his beard, "And am I missing something?"
He thin held up a finger as if he had had an idea.
"Oh Yes! I remember! The fact that I can become a Final Aeon. Well, you must be feeling lucky. You get to perish before the first fury of the first aeon!"
Wakka spat, "Yeah we'll see, you should be honored you shall die from the hands of the last vanquishers of Sin!"
"We shall see!" roared Zaon.
With that said, his finger, still raised, was shot up higher.
"FEEL THE WRATH OF MY TORMENT!" shouted Zaon.
The fire within the dome shot into his raised finger.
He leaped up, still holding up his energy.
He slammed it down into the ground.
The fire shot into the target and created a pool of fire.
Zaon just stood in the center of it, smiling.
Suddenly, burning ropes shot out of the earth and began wrapping themselves around him.
He began to laugh as the fire began to cover every inch of his skin.
When the ropes finally covered the whole human, the ropes ceased.
Before Yuna and the others, stood a fiery figure.
Then, where the flames concealed the where his eyes were, suddenly exploded.
Now, two dark red eyes stared back at them.
Before the viewers could do anything to stop it, the pool of heat suddenly shot up into a flaming spiral of death.
The burning shape of Zaon grew, and grew until it was too big to stand on the platform.
Yuna noticed that the fiery demon's flames were turning from scarlet to black.
The spiral ended and the creature of satin flames stood still.
The fire then hardened to make Zaon appear to be shelled in a black cacoon.
Seconds passed and the aeon just stood there.
Then, its outer case began to quiver.
All of a sudden, two burning black wings shot out from the back.
Soon, many cracks and crevices began to appear on the cover.
Out of the sides, two strong, black arms broke free of the encasement.
Soon the legs, the main body, and three barbed tails were ejected from the egg.
The beast shook what shell was left off, revealing its head.
It had three long, curving horns sprouting from it, two grew above the pointed ears, and one protruded out of the back.
The glowing eyes glared down at them under a thick mass of long hair.
Ice cold air that was emitted from the slitted nostrils sent chills down everyone's spines.
The hinged jaw bared fangs the size of a large dagger.
"NOW!" he said in a booming voice that could scare a dragon, "WE SHALL TEST THE MIGHTY STRENGTH OF ZAON AGAINST THE SO CALLED 'HOPE OF SPIRA'! NOW DRAW YOUR WEAPON AND WE SHALL TEST OUR SKILLS TO DEATH!"
Jack held out Olo Eopia in front of his face as Stangmar pulled out a large scepter with the emblem of Yevon engraved into the handle, and a large gemstone appearing to be a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald, and a diamond fused together at the head of the staff.
"NOW PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE FURY OF ZAON!"
He brought the scepter down on the boy.
Jack tried to remain calm while bracing for the blow to arrive, but he was nervous for he had heard legends of the weapon that Zaon wielded. It was said to be the rod used by Yunalesca on her pilgrimage.
It was known as the Scepter of Ligth (Yes it is spelled correctly). It was known to bring down anyone who opposed its power.
Jack readied himself as he watched the staff get closer. Closer. Closer.
Author's note: Before I get on with the other stuff that I have to say, I just wanna tell everybody thank you for your reviews.
Also, I want to make it clear that one of my friends reviewed one of my stories at my house. This is why the first review says Callik so I don't want you thinking that I posted that review. I also wanna say that I am sorry that it took so long to post this on the account that I have had a lot of school work. ATTENTION: PLEASE RE-READ CHAPTER 1 AND 5 IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT IN A WHILE. TRUST ME! And as for this chappie, please don't flame me for the cliffy. Also, if you have some criticism, ease up in the reviews. I plan to work on the choppy sentences in later chappies. Just know that I'm trying. At a last note, I want your opinions. Now that you've gotten a taste of the relationships in the story, I just want to ask you to let me know in reviews if you want me to focus on Rikku and Jack or Tidus and Yuna. It's your choice, just let me know which one you want. I'm not too good with relationships in my writing so sorry if you dislike that part. I also wanna add that if any one finds that I interfere with anything that disrupts the FFX story line itself, please tell me in my reviews as some of you have already done. I had originally called Yunalesca's aeon Stangmar because I haven't played the game in a while. I've started a new game and hope to get every detail.
Until chapter 8, later.
Callik
PS- Don't worry readers, O'aka's death was worthy of bad reviews, but like Kimarhi, I shall try to get him back, so don't flame.