Chapter Five:

For someone who had never before seen the sun, Kisrel was beginning to find its presence irritating. It burned at her eyes, and made her skin crawl. Luckily, she didn't stay outside for too long, as she was shuttled like cattle into The Temple.
Dome made no secret about her quarrel's about this, occasionally muttering things like:
"Can't believe this-so stupid-she'll tell...." but Kisrel decided to ignore her all together.

They entered the courtyard, a wide open space, inhabited by a few Al Bhed, who mingled and discussed various things, but Kisrel didn't understand them. Several heads turned when the six of them entered the courtyard, followed by a chorus of cheers. Apparently, Zavv was incredibly popular. Kisrel was left standing behind a medium-sized group of people, unacknowledged. She took the brief moment of peace to survey her surroundings. Everything was done in a flame or sun motif, which shimmered and glowed in the morning light.
The doors seemed to be made of pure glass, outlined in copper and bronze. Few statues graced the pavilion, but there was no lack for visual stimulation.

In the middle of the courtyard, stood a fountain of cascading blue light. Light made of water, falling in sparkling sheets to pool in the bottom of a burnished silver. It's edge looked so inviting, Kisrel made no attempt to stop herself from sitting down and staring into the water. Her face was brown and dusty, her black hair streaked with green slime. But her eyes had aquired a new light, a dark sheen that she almost found frightening.

A hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her speculation.
"Come, daring Kisrel, and meet my entourage!" Zavv boomed, enthusiastically, puffing his chest out like a chocobo. Kisrel glared at him through heavy lids, but he just laughed and slapped her hard on the back.
She was introduced to a dozen Al Bhed, half of whose names she couldn't pronounce let alone remember.
Some took her hand and smiled shyly, some just stared at her and some actually snarled at her. She took them all in turn and reacted the same way always. Not reacting. She knew Zavv and Dom studied her, to see if she would crack, if she would give way. It only hardened her resolve to forfeit them that satisfaction.
Finally, Zavv waved the spectators off.
"Go on, get back to work. Lazy stiffs." he kicked one of them playfully on the butt, a young girl, far younger than Kisrel, who squealed and scampered off, but probably not to work. She was playing ball with some of the young boys, kicking it around and bouncing it off the walls. Kisrel was shocked. Such behavior would never be allowed inside a New Zanarkand temple. But this was not, as she was constantly being reminded, New Zanarkand.

Life bustled around her, leaving her behind as the day wore on. No one spoke a word to her, no one asked if she wanted help, or wanted to help. And she didn't offer. She sat on the fountain, letting its fine spray pelt her back. She was beginning to chafe under the harsh light of the sun, but she didn't want to shed her black body suit. It wasn't that what she had underneath it was indecent, it was just that she wanted to be ready if she was ever to make an escape.
But escape from where? She had no idea how long they had travelled, how far they had gone. She knew nothing of the world she called home, and therefore, there was no realistic way she could risk running off, unready for whatever challenges might come her way.
She reached inside her jacket, which she had finally taken off (though had taken great pains to keep it near) and reassured herself with the tactile feeling of the Sphere. No one had searched her-they had granted her THAT decency.

She had resisted touching the water, afraid to break its purity. But it was so hot...and she was so tired...

"NO!"
She wavered, close to blacking out. She tapered near the water-the cool blue water, that sang its siren song so well...
She pitched forward, but missed the water.
Then there was nothing...

Kisrel awoke to feel strong arms supporting her. She opened her eyes, to find herself face to face with a dark skinned Al Bhed, wearing blue goggles that obscured his eyes. The corners of his mouth twitched upward, but when he spoke it was with seriousness. Or not.
"Well that's what you get for wearing all black in the sun, little lady."
Kisrel muttered something about the bloody sun, and the Al Bhed threw back his head and gave a deep hearty laugh. She shook her head and looked around.
Everything was just as before, she had only been out for a few minutes. She didn't recognize her Al Bhed support column' as one of the myriad of faces she'd been thrust towards during her short stay at the Sun Temple.

Zavv was there too, his arms folded across his chest, and an amused expression lighting his face. His humor made her angry, but she kept it contained. She turned back to the dark skinned Al Bhed.
"Thank you, sir. I hope I didn't taint your sacred pool."
The Al Bhed chuckled, and motioned Zavv over.
Which he did, although 'sauntering' might be a more appropriate term. Zavv motioned to the Al Bhed, who had not yet removed his hand from Kisrel's shoulder.
"This is Khai. He's just returned from-" Zavv waved his arm vaguely in the direction of the wall around the courtyard, "-out there."
Khai nodded, then stood up. Kisrel stood as well, though she weaved a moment, as she regained her balance. Her ineptitude was painfully obvious to her. She had no doubt that Dom was laughing her head off somewhere, but she willed herself not to care. She rarely had cared what ANY one had though of her save Toka.
Kisrel gave Khai a more direct look, since that seemed to be the norm around here.
He wore no shirt, but did wear a blue vest, revealing a broad dark chest, tanned with exposure and scarred from sand and the evidence of many battles. His hair was short, much shorter than Zavv's, and a little curly. It looked like it had been brown at one time, but had bleached out to a pale brown. He looked older, wiser than some of the others, but he smiled a lot, revealing a row of square white teeth. Kisrel found herself feeling safer in his presence, he had that quiet strength she always imagined the High Warrior possessed.

Khai critiqued her, but she didn't find it as discomforting, since he didn't look like she was meat for a slaughter.
"So this is your fallen bird, eh, Zavv?"
Kisrel's eyes narrowed and she sent a dagger glance in the direction of the now blushing blonde.
"I don't think SHE sees it that way, Khai. Anyway," he cleared his throat, "We still haven't figured out what to do with her."
Kisrel growled quietly, though she knew she heard it. There were few things she loathed more than being discussed as if she weren't present. She tilted her chin up in a quiet gesture of defiance and said, quiet calmly:
"I don't see why that decision is up to you."
Khai laughed again, slapping his hand against his billowy white pants.
"You sure can find 'em, buddy," it looked like he winked, but that was impossible to see behind his dark goggles. Zavv shrugged, helplessly, than laughed as well.
"So have you showed her yet?" Khai asked, innocently. Zavv sombered instantly. Kisrel marveled at the fact he could change expressions so quickly. She kept her own face safely neutral.
"No. I thought it best to wait for your return."
Khai nodded, obviously understanding something they both thought best to keep from Kisrel. She was becoming perturbed. Macalania was who knew how far away! And if she kept getting set back like this SHE would be two hundred years old.
Before she could question further, Zavv struck out his hand. Kisrel stared at it, uncomprehending.
"I think he wants you to take his hand," Khai offered, dryly. Color stained Kisrel's cheeks, but she took the gloved appendage anyway. If only because she knew it would bother the hades out of Dom...

'There' as Khai so distinctly described it, turned out to be the Temple itself. It wasn't as large as the Temple in New Zanarkand, but it had a majesty all its own. Where the NZ Temple was dark and subdued, this one screamed with life and bright lights.
There were windows-WINDOWS!- that allowed the sun to stream in, illumniating a rich carpet alive with golds and reds that seemed to swarm before her eyes.
The fires here were orange, not blue, and they flickered quietly, as if afraid to break the restful silence that enveloped the whole structure.
Zavv didn't let go of her hand as they headed into what had to be the inner-sanctum.. It was darker in here, lit only by dark fire.
Dom waited for them inside, and Kisrel received some inner satisfaction at seeing that her initial assessment had been correct. Dom took one look at their locked hands and scowled, screwing her pretty face up into an odd shape. Kisrel made no move to let go.
Khai followed closely behind, a half-bemused expression on his face. But he quickly became intently serious when he stood before Kisrel and said:
"What we are about to show you has not been revealed to any but us in-" he faltered, as if unsure, 'A very, VERY long time."
Kisrel didn't even ask why they felt the need to show it to her, she just silently allowed herself to be led along-Khai in front, her next to Zavv, and Dom in the rear-along a dark hallway, lit by low burning torches. Until they came to an INNER-inner chamber. The Temple was bigger than it looked from the outside. The air was cooler down here, and Kisrel found herself wondering, in a dispassionate sort of way, if there was a wind tunnel circulating somewhere.
In the center of the small room (and it was small, barely fitting the four of them) was a Sphere.
"Of course," Kisrel muttered. The others ignored her. Zavv took her hand, and pressed it against the Sphere. Light, harsh and cold, blinded her.

The Al Bhed were building something, though at this early stage, it was hard to tell what. They scurried about like ants, bustling and calling out comments to one another. In the center of it all, stood, of all things, a small boy.

The screen darkened, but before her eyes could adjust to the darkness, another scene opened.

Carnage. Everywhere. Bodies, and parts of bodies strew here and there, cries and moans and screams. Pain. Deeper than any physical wound cutting like a blade to the soul.
"We should never...have...built it..."

The Sphere went cold in her hand. She found the faces of several sad people staring at her, wondering how she would react. She took a deep breath, but before she could say anything, the world shook.
Dust fell off the walls, and Kisrel found it hard to keep her balance. The floor moved as if it was water, and Dom let out a cry, more anger than fear. Zavv retook Kisrel's hand as Khai yelled:
"This way! Move it!"

It seemed to take a lot less time to get out as it did to get in. Just like in the Sphere, Al Bhed ran all over, taking up arms and positions.
"What is it?" Kisrel asked, breathlessly, but no one deigned to answer.
They reached a ladder, Khai moved up it so fast he looked like a monkey. Zavv moved slower with more grace, and Dom was nimble as a reed. For her part, Kisrel held her own, making good time up the rung. She thrust herself over the top and stood on the wall overlooking a vast desert. And a monster.

It tore under the sand like an underground tornado, ripping up all in its path. Admittedly, that wasn't much, but the fact that it was just sand, did nothing to alleviate its terrifyingly awesome might.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"A Sandworm," Zavv replied, through tightly gritted teeth. Kisrel turned to him. He stared straight ahead, letting no emotion but intense concentration show, though a muscle in his strong jaw twitched.
"But the fiends are gone, there should be NO more sandworms," she argued. He didn't turn to face her.
"This one is no fiend. At least, not in the traditional sense. This Sandworm is a machina." Her eyes widened, and she looked out again. But it was HUGE, no machina that she knew was that size. There was just...no...way...
"What is it doing?" she wondered, aloud. He answered:
"It's coming home," as if that was explanation enough. But it wasn't. Not for her.
"What? How do you know?"
This time he did face her, and the expression, the pain, in his eyes was heart wrenching.
"I know because...I built it."