The Son of Auron: The Hope of Spira
Chapter 14
The Reborn Past
Wakka smirked when his Blitz ball hit another approaching Guado, and Lulu saw it.
"Do not get arrogant, Wakka, we must be careful," she warned.
Wakka shrugged and continued hurling the weapon at the enemy.
As he attacked, he slowly felt his overdrive growing stronger.
Suddenly, his sight blurred and he missed a Guado target.
"Lu!" he yelled, "I can't see, some bastard must have cast a darkness spell on me."
But Lulu didn't answer his call, for she had been silenced.
Lulu looked up and saw a group of Guado closing in around them.
They soon parted to reveal a powerful looking Guado casting spells at other nearby soldiers.
Then concentrating on Lulu and Wakka the Guado drew a long knife and approached them.
He was about to cut Wakka's throat when a large object suddenly collided with him, causing the knife to miss Wakka's throat, instead slicing the skin on Wakka's arm and saving his life.
Wakka's sight returned when a remedy was tossed at him from Lulu.
He looked and saw the entire Guado group piling on an unknown soldier.
Suddenly, one Guado's torso was severed by the Axe of Darkness.
Wakka soon saw Wantz cutting his way through the pile, soon standing victorious.
"Hey, Hey!" Wakka called out, "Not bad for a newbie, ya?"
Wantz blushed at this statement.
Far above, Cid was busy raiding the Guado snipers perched along the bordering walls of the Calm Lands.
Suddenly, a voice came on his intercom which said, "AIRSHIP MASTER CID- THIS IS T SQUAD, WE HAVE SIGHTED A SMALL GROUP OF SNIPERS CARRYING A LARGE MACHINA CANNON. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A WEAPON SINCE OPERATION MI'HEN!"
Cid looked down and sure enough, the powerful weapon loomed in the distance.
He quickly turned on the airship speakers and said, "ATTENTION ALL GUNNERS ONBOARD, CONCENTRATE ALL OF YOUR FIREPOWER ON THE LARGE T-826 MACHINA LOCATED AT COORDINATES X-18526, Y-735243!"
As he said this, the cannon was slowly locking on to the Highwind.
Cid grabbed the intercom again and said, "YOU HAD BETTER BE HURRYING UP WITH THOSE DAMN MISSILES!"
Soon, Cid heard the sirens blaring around him signaling that the airship had been targeted.
Then, his intercom buzzed on again and said, "SIR, WE HAVE THE MISSLES LOADED AND WE ARE PREPARING TO FIRE."
"HURRY!" Cid shouted back.
He then looked up and saw the barrel of the cannon beginning to spin.
He suddenly lost sight of it as hundreds of missiles and bullets shot across the cockpit and toward the cannon.
They made a direct hit and the cannon blew in a fiery shock wave, taking out several enemy ranks with it.
Cid grinned broadly as he stared at the large cloud of smoke surrounding the weapon's remains.
Then, his smile faded and his throat went dry when he glimpsed a large beam of mana energy headed straight for the airship.
The cannon had fired just before destruction.
Cid was about to signal an evacuation but he knew that there wasn't enough time.
He simply picked up his intercom and said, "HANG ON TO YER HATS DOWN THERE, WE'RE IN FOR A ROUGH LANDING!"
Just when he finished saying this, the mana bullet made a direct hit in the central body of the airship, splitting the vessel in two.
The two fragments came crashing down next to a Guado squad.
A few moments passed and soon, Cid and a few other officers came limping out of the doomed vessel, carrying the wounded along the way.
Cid set his haul down on the grass, and watched his ship burn.
"Hey!" a Guado officer shouted behind him. Cid did not turn so the officer continued, "Finally, boys, some hostages to torture. With all of the other of us fighting and Lord Seymour keeping us here until further notice, I was afraid that I would miss some action."
Cid then began to hear the clicking sound of shackles being fastened to the survivors of the crash.
He also heard something he was afraid he'd never hear again, "POPS!"
"Rikku," he said under his breath as a reply to his daughter's distant voice.
Then he heard another Guado say, "Okay gramps, let's go, or we will burn you with that wretched airship."
Cid heard several Guado approaching and he slowly reached his right hand don to his belt to retrieve a foot-long metal handle lettered with a variety of buttons.
"Come on old man let's go," the Guado said again getting closer.
When they were within earshot, Cid muttered, "Nobody insults my ship."
Before the Guado could react, Cid flicked a switch on the metal rod, and spinning around at the same time.
A long spear shot from the end of the rod, sinking itself into the nearest Guado's chest.
Cid removed the weapon before the victim hit the ground to meet the other seven soldiers.
The old captain then dashed for the next two.
When he was between them, he stabbed the one on the right hand side, and at the same time, leapt into the air, and landed his feet around the other soldier's neck. (Looks like he is lying down between them in the air.)
Then, using his powerful leg mussels, he snapped one of the Guado's necks, landed on his feet again, and removed the spear from the other.
The remaining five now had him surrounded and were closing in.
Cid reached into his belt, withdrew a flashbomb and activated it while shielding his eyes.
The explosive went off in a blinding light and was over not long after it started.
Cid held his spear out to the side and began running around the Guado circle, slashing the throats of the blinded enemies.
After deactivating the spear, he began to unfasten the bolts of the Al Bhed hostages just as Rikku approached on her Chocobo.
"Wow, dad, where'd you learn to fight like that?" She asked.
Cid smiled and replied, "From your mother."
Rikku smiled and then said, "Well I guess you don't need help, I think we should..." but she was cut off by the gun barrel pressed against her back.
-
The Hope is defeated...The Farplane is doomed...
Mi Yevon has won...
Spira is no more...
These were the thoughts that echoed around Jack's still form.
The circled around his mind, taunting him, laughing at him, hurting him.
Jack's lips finally muttered, "No, stop, that's not true, leave me alone."
The words didn't listen to him and continued their mockery.
"Leave me alone," Jack said a little louder cringing his face.
This time, though, there came a reply, "Not until you can prove them wrong, Jack."
The voice was rough, scratchy, and deep.
Jack managed to slightly tilt his head to the side but was too weak to see the face.
All that he could see were a pair of black boots.
Jack painfully muttered, "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
The voice answered, "If you are too weak to stand then I guess my coming here was a waste of time, so if you will excuse me, I must be going."
"Wait!" Jack cut in and he began to slowly push himself off the ground.
As he began to get up, he began to see more and more of the stranger.
First, the black boots, then, a red robe... more robe... black sleeveless undershirt... one arm hanging out of the robe... old face... sunglasses... slightly graying hair... weak eyes, until Jack finally faced the man.
Jack said again, "Now tell me, who are you?"
The man changed the subject, "It's been a long time, Jack. Must have been even longer for you."
Jack frowned at this statement, "Do I know you?"
The stranger laughed to himself and replied, "You can say that, of course I wouldn't be surprised if you have forgotten me, it's been about ten years, maybe eleven."
Jack's eyes widened and he began to feel tears well up in his eyes.
Weakly he said, "D-Dad? Is it you?"
Auron nodded.
Jack said, "But, no, you're dead, and the Farplane is empty."
Auron responded, "And I shall be taken soon, but first I had to meet you face to face, for whether you succeed of fail, this may be the last time we see one another."
Jack raised an eyebrow and then said, "Dad... am I already dead? Did Kinos kill me?"
Auron paused for a moment and then said, "No, you were on the brink of death when I found you, but I healed you just in time."
Jack nodded and said, "I am so happy to see you Dad, but I want some answers."
Auron grinned, "Sure, shoot."
Jack continued, "Where are all of the other deceased ones?"
Auron said, "I can not answer that question because I don't know. I do have some information for you about the whereabouts of the core's location for Mi Yevon is already on her way there now."
Jack then said, "How do you know about all of the events that has happened?"
Auron responded, "If you have noticed, those of the Farplane can see Spira and what happens."
Jack looked down at the sky-ground and nodded.
Auron asked, "Why didn't you tell the others about the rest of the prophecy?"
Jack gasped, regained his posture quickly and said, "They may have tried to stop me from achieving my goal or not have agreed to come. Without Lady Yuna, defeating Mi Yevon is impossible, that's why it's considered her pilgrimage rather than mine."
"That's not the only reason you didn't tell them," Auron cut in.
Jack said, "I was just hoping that there was a way to prevent it from happening, that's all."
"Keep trying," Auron said, "This is not the first time something like this has happened to Yuna's party, you should tell Tidus and she before it's too late."
Jack shrugged and said, "I'll consider it." Just then, he remembered and cried out, "Tidus and Yuna! They fell and... are they all right?"
Auron shrugged and said, "They can only be forged by the hands of Mi Yevon, Jack. Don't forget that. And as for Tidus and Yuna, they are right behind you."
Jack turned to see his companions running up to him from the re-made crystal path.
Tidus was limping on one leg.
"Are you guys okay?" Jack asked worriedly.
"You would know!" Tidus shouted.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Jack with caution.
"You know what it means, you did it!" Tidus shouted again.
"Did what?" Jack asked.
"You mean you don't remember?" Yuna questioned.
Jack shook his head and Tidus said, "Yeah, right."
Yuna then began, "Back there, when we began walking down that pathway, you suddenly summoned a large knife and stabbed Tidus in the leg. After that, you started running down the rest of the tunnel."
Jack stammered, "But, no! The path was disappearing and you fell... and then Kinos and I...Dad, tell them what happened!"
But Jack turned but Auron was gone.
Yuna continued, "Jack, you stabbed Tidus less than a minute ago."
Jack protested, "No, The path was beginning to disappear and so I ran ahead. You guys fell and I was sealed in this room, and Kinos and I dueled."
The two looked at each other and Jack said, "I swear, that's what happened!"
"Yuna, we can't trust him!" Tidus insisted.
"No, he speaks the truth, I can see it, he isn't lying. I just don't know how that event earlier happened."
Jack then ran over to Kinos' pile of weapons and with drew Rhianon and held it up saying, "This is Rhianon, Kinos had it and I defeated him in battle."
Tidus frowned and then said, "All right, all right, I believe you. Does this mean Kinos is finally dead?"
Jack paused for a few seconds and said," Kinos...yes, he is dead."
"Then let's get on with our journey, we are losing time," Tidus said.
"Wait," said Jack. "OLO EOPIA!" he said summoning the great sword.
Holding the two swords in both hands he slammed them together in attempt to combine them into Callikiller. Nothing happened.
He tried again, and still nothing. He then dismissed the two simultaneously and cried out, "CALLIKILLER!" No result.
"I don't get it," he said. "Why won't it work?"
Yuna said, "Perhaps there is some other way to forge it, we may find a clue here if we keep looking."
Jack nodded and the trio continued down the next path.
-
"Very good, Cid, you still got it," the gun's owner said behind her.
"Let her go Boris, our rivalries are between us alone," Cid growled.
Lonar-Boris simply replied, "Oh, I don't plan on hurting her, yet. I am just going to use her as a... wager."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cid asked.
Two machina scouts suddenly came from behind Lonar-Boris and took his place behind Rikku with a similar gun in her back.
Lonar-Boris paced around and replied, "You see, Cid, when we were young, we were usually better than most of the other children. As we grew, we were still victorious at just about every type of challenge we accepted. Neither one of us was better than the other, but now that I look back on it, I recognized one event that we failed to try. And that is combat. So I am willing to bet something on my part and you are wagering your daughter."
Cid cut in, "What are you wagering that's so important?"
Lonar-Boris replied, "The master controls of all of you machina units," he said holding up a silver controller. "So if I win, I painfully kill your daughter, and if you win, you regain your precious machina, sound fair?"
Cid glanced at Rikku and said, "No, I won't risk my daughter's life for a bet!"
Lonar-Boris smirked and said, "Then, I will have to kill both of you anyway."
He was about to signal for the Machina to shoot when Cid cried out, "Wait! I'll do it, just you and me."
Lonar-Boris smiled a wry smile, "But of course just you and me, what kind of man do you take me for?"
"A traitor," Cid replied.
More machina scouts appeared and formed a circle around the two men.
Lonar-Boris entered something in the control, handed it to a machina and said, "I have programmed the scouts to give this control to the dominating man, but don't hope on stealing it during the fight, otherwise, it will kill Rikku."
Cid then said sharply, "Enough talking, let's end this!"
The two drew their extending spears simultaneously and began to circle one another.
Cid simply stared into the eyes of his opponent, trying to sense his fear, learn and take advantage of a weakness.
Lonar-Boris was attempting the same strategy, looking for the slightest flaw in Cid's form.
Finally, after for what seemed like an eternity, Cid lunged out with his spear before his enemy could blink.
His spear was sure to make a fatal blow but was deflected by another spear.
Lonar-Boris grinned and said, "You never were quite as fast as me, old friend."
With that, he spun around and pierced Cid's torso.
Rikku cried out as Cid dropped his spear and crumpled to the ground.
Lonar-Boris shook his head in disappointment, "Cid, that was no challenge at all, I expected better out of you, oh well, I guess Rikku and I have plans."
Cid tried to grasp his spear weakly, but the weapon was deactivated by his rival's boot.
Lonar-Boris raised his weapon over Cid's weak form.
Cid waited patiently for the blow to come but instead, he heard Lonar-Boris say, "What in the hell?"
Cid tilted his head up to see what had happened.
What he saw made his jaw drop.
A small portion of the sky had changed to a dark red glow.
-
"What's happening?" Wakka asked Lulu nearby.
Lulu didn't answer as a great iron hook dropped like an anchor from the strange red aura.
The hook hit the ground but made no impact as it made another red lava-like area, this time in the ground.
For a moment, the anchor remained within the ground, but soon, it began to rise, bringing a fearsome creature bound by chains along with it.
"Anima," Rikku said.
-
"The Aeon of Death!" a Guado soldier cried out and rushed over to the nearby barracks where Seymour stood in a tranquil state.
"Lord Seymour," the soldier said bowing, "Forgive me for questioning your judgment but is it wise to summon an aeon at this point in time? After all, they may be dependent after the Eternal Calm was established."
Seymour turned to him, still grinning and said, "It is not of my judgment, for I was not the one who summoned it."
The Guado soldier stood there, puzzled, "Then, why smile? Who summoned it? What is happening?"
"Do not fret, simply use your eyes to witness what is taking place," Seymour replied.
The soldier turned to see a series of clouds gathering above Anima.
-
"Look!" said Yuna.
The trio stopped and looked down to see the vision of Anima.
"We must be viewing the Calm Lands," Tidus said.
The clouds had merged with one another to form an enormous hurricane-like formation.
"What's going on?" Tidus asked.
"It's happening," Jack said.
"What is?" Tidus said.
Jack paused for a few moments and replied, "The rebirth."
"The what?" asked Yuna with concern.
"Let's hurry on," Jack said.
-
Rikku continued to observe the strange events with a frightened look on her face.
She suddenly jumped when a column of white light shot out of the hurricane's eye and enveloped Anima.
The creature began to writhe and twitch in pain, screaming so loud, the entire battlefield was forced to cover their ears.
-
Wantz had just severed two more Guado soldiers and a machina panzer when he began to notice what was happening.
Anima's chains and shackles began to break as the creature continued to suffer.
Finally, it let out a final scream and exploded into millions of pyreflys.
The seemingly endless light finally went out and the clouds began to disperse.
The pyreflys continued to float in place.
Then, they began to rise up quickly, gathering with one another and then, scattered into all directions.
Many flew towards the Calm Land grounds, where they began to take the form of different creatures.
Some were Guado, others were Ronsos, and some were humans. There were also many other varieties along with it.
The dead were revived.
All around the Calm lands, the soldiers who once fought just stared.
The dead also remained quiet but rather in a calm way.
Suddenly, one of the cries was broken by a young Guado soldier who rushed over to a spirit and said, "Brother! You are alive! I thought that Sin killed you."
The spirit nodded and said, "And it did, but I have been revived, by a greater evil. You must listen, if the dead remain here too long, we will live a mortal life once again. The Farplane is about to undergo destruction by a menace named Mi Yevon, Seymour's master. I must ask you now, Thecal, do you fight with me or against me?"
The young soldier was flabbergasted at what his brother had said.
The Guado spirit continued, "Look, my brother, more of us are arriving."
The soldier looked up to behold thousands of the former dead walking gracefully into the valley.
Three particular men paced towards the two armies.
One of them stopped and said, "Well, Braska, I guess you were right about where to go for a change."
The man in the center replied, "Come now, Jecht, this is no time to kid around. This is a war. We must show the Guado the truth."
Jecht jokingly shook his head and said to the third man, "Say, Auron, you get the chance to speak with that youngin of yours before you left? After all we waited for you, I at least hope you accomplished something."
Auron simply nodded and said, "We shouldn't waste time, let's go."
The trio continued onward down the slope.
-
Lonar-Boris laughed to himself as Cid struggled to grasp his spear.
"Well," he said, "Looks like Lord Seymour's plans are taking effect. Now we can't be stopped. Spira will plunge into darkness and the two of us shall rise as the rulers of Spira. Oh, doesn't that sound fun, Cid?"
He turned to look down at his formal rival, but found the man on his feet facing him.
Lonar-Boris was about to activate his spear again, but Cid was quicker due to the bleeding hole in Lonar-Boris' chest.
Lonar-Boris fell to his knees, looked up at Cid again and whispered, "Is this real?" he then fell to the soft grass and never moved again.
Rikku was set free and the machina turned over the controls.
"Are you all right?" Cid asked.
Rikku responded, "Me? Look at your chest!"
Cid was still bleeding fiercely but he said, "I'll be fine." As he said this, he tossed an Al Bhed potion on himself. Rikku hugged him and said, "I was so scared you would die."
"Me? Naw, not for a wile missy!" Cid said.
-
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Seymour cried out to the reuniting peoples of Spira. "I COMMAND THE GUADO ARMY TO ATTACK ONCE MORE!"
The Guado army didn't respond and the same Guado spirit from before stood and said, "No, Seymour, we all know what you have plotted and we will not stand for it. We will instead stand as one now, a world united, to end your reign!"
Shouts of approval answered the Guado's speech and it caused Seymour to scowl briefly.
The grimace soon vanished from his face and he said, "Then I have no choice to use my other plan. You see, those are not the only Farplane inhabitants along side you now. You have forgotten another completely different species, and that my fellow people is..."
He stretched out his great arms and the ground began to quake.
Soon, the bright blue sky began to vanish, and was replaced by the same dark red matter that Anima came from. (Only, it covers the entire view of the sky.)
"BEHOLD!" Seymour cried out. "EVERY FIEND EVER DEFEATED SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME!"
At that, millions of fiends began to pour from within the red.
Hundreds of each type appeared and the stampede seemed endless.
Lulu began to tremble with fear but a heavy paw fell on her shoulder and a gruff voice said, "Lulu shouldn't be afraid, as long as Spira is united, we are unstoppable."
She turned and gave Kimahri a warm smile. (See! Told you I could put him back in!)
As the fiends began to circle the united army, the fiends coming from the red began to get fewer and fewer.
Wantz began circling on his heel with his axe drawn facing down the new enemy.
He soon felt another soldier begin to cover his back and facing the opposite way.
Wantz said, "So, you think we got a shot?"
The reply was familiar to Wantz, "Yes, brother... I do."
Wantz turned, a smile spread on his face and he embraced O'aka in a hug. (Oh yeah, another promise I made!)
They then returned to facing down the fiends, Wantz with his axe and O'aka with a pair of long daggers.
-
Seymour waved his hand slightly and the fiends charged at full force
"THIS IS IT!" Cid cried over the army. "All of us have a story now, some will end this day but I know that there is one story that no army can crush, and that story is Spira's story! I now stand here, not as your leader, not as your captain, but as a fellow comrade. Now, let us show them what our united strength is worth! LET US DEFEND SPIRA'S FUTURE!"
Battle cries were heard throughout the entire army as the army of Spira charged to meet the fiends.
This was not a battle to show one's strength, but one to show how the strength of all in a world never to unite as one since the first sun rise.
The time had come to prove the power of unity.
-
"This is it you guys," Tidus said.
"Once we continue on, there's no going back, are you prepared, Jack?" Yuna asked.
Jack didn't answer, instead, he walked patiently down into the deep trench toward the temple like construction in the center.
"Is this the Farplane core?" asked Tidus.
"No," Yuna answered.
The construction was surrounded by a series of lanterns casting golden flames in all directions.
The windows were of bright golden mirrors, which reflected light in all directions.
The doors were of the same crystal as the walls, only they were engraved with different pictures that couldn't be made out.
But, for some reason, a dark shadow loomed on the place.
"This," Yuna continued, "Is the Palace of Mi Yevon."
-
A/N: OOOOOOOOOOOOOh Boy, what a cliffy (Please don't hate me!) I am sooooooo sorry that it took me so long to update. My teachers have shown no mercy in the homework category and I have had a good share of tests to study for. I am sorry but I hope you enjoyed this chappie. I would post replies to reviews of the previous chapter, but I'll save them for chapter 15. I'll try to update as soon as I can but I can't make any promises. Please review. Thanks for your patience.
Callik