Seeing more in Seymour

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Final Fantasy Ten. (This is my fan fiction, meaning certain things that happened in the game will not be mentioned or will be twisted in the ways I see fit. Thanks, enjoy!)

Yuna and her guardians were nearing the command center. Yuna could feel the tension. The soldiers looked confident, for that she was glad. At least these men were putting everything they had into something they believed in, this reminded Yuna of herself. She put her all into what she believed in, and she believed in bringing The Calm once more. Yuna saw a tent and walked in gingerly, her guardians surrounding her. A chubby bald man with a cap rushed to Auron, and hugged him.

"I'd heard from Seymour, but I didn't know if we'd actually meet. Good to see you Auron, ten years is it?" The bald man asked, obviously having a hard time remembering the exact time. Gatta called to the man.

"All troops are ready to move at your command, sir!" He said as he saluted.

"Good, dismissed." The man said, waving him off. Gatta then rushed back to his post. "Tell me Auron, where have you been these past ten years?" Auron looked at the man, the scar on his right eye fully visible.

"We don't have time for this now, do we Kinoc?" Auron asked, irritation evident in his voice. Kinoc walked close to Auron and lowered his voice.

"This plan won't work, you know that. We'll just… let them dream a little longer." Kinoc said without a trace of guilt in his voice. Seymour had been walking over to Kinoc and his guado ears had heard the comment.

'Yevon help us. Yevon, please let a miracle occur here.' Seymour thought, now he knew that he shouldn't be supporting this. 'Why didn't I trust my instincts? Now these men are going to die, and their deaths will be without purpose.' Seymour had to control the sudden urge to cast 'Death' on Maester Kinoc. Seymour stopped, took a deep calming breath, and then called out to Kinoc in a voice near to pleading.

"Maester Kinoc..?" Kinoc held up his hand.

"Oh yes, proceed." Seymour let his head drop, everything was prepared and these men were ready to fight, even if it meant their lives. He realized that there was nothing he could do to stop it the effort was too far-gone. Kinoc patted Seymour on the back hard, and forced him to walk to the pedestal. Auron couldn't believe that Wen Kinoc was a maester, he was over the warrior monks and the crusaders, he had no business being a Maester.

Yuna saw the look of confusion on Auron's face, this only worsened her bad feeling. She looked to Seymour, and saw his face contorted. She wondered if he was okay.

"I kind of… think we don't belong here." Yuna said aloud. Tidus over heard her and was about to speak when an officer of high rank began to speak.

"Prepare yourselves, we are readying the electrocution device, be ready to defend yourself. This area is now unsafe." He said and walked to stand behind Lord Kinoc. Yuna looked around nervously.

"Will Sin come?" She asked worriedly.

"Sin always returns for its spawn." The officer stated.

"You won't have to, it'll come.." Auron said in his all knowing voice. Yuna looked into his eyes, which she couldn't see clearly through his dark sunshades. She knew he was more intelligible about Sin than anyone else here. Yuna knew he had somehow survived a direct fight with Sin before, she only prayed he could do it again.

The cage was electrocuted and the sinspawn were screaming out loudly. Sparks flew everywhere, and lightning bolts ran along the cage. In an instant the sinspawn had escaped and had mutated into one giant fiend. All the soldiers stood below, oblivious to the mishap. Tidus, Kimahri, and Auron stood in front of the beast, and in no time they finished it. It fell to the ground with a loud thump, and Sin could be seen in the horizon, swimming toward them. The soldiers below readied themselves to attack as Sin scales peeled off, and formed little swimming monsters. The fleet took on the little monsters, Sin put up a shield of sorts to defend itself from the blasts of the Al Bhed machina. Sin shrieked, a sound grotesque enough to make cringe. The ground trembled on the cliff's edge, and Yuna fell to the inner walls.

Upon rustling, Yuna saw that the sinspawn was back, towering over Seymour. He was fighting it alone. Auron ran beside him and unsheathed his sword, silently allying with him. Yuna thought for a moment, and couldn't pass up the chance to fight beside him. She ran to him, staff at the ready.

"Stand back, Lady Yuna." He said in a caring voice. Yuna nodded and took healing as her primary job. Seymour struck first and Yuna was astounded by his power. The sheer smack of his staff induced a phenomenal amount of damage. Yuna cast a lightning-nullifying spell. The creature cast lightning on Seymour, but did no damage. Seymour cast Thundara on the creature, and it fell over. Yuna prayed to Yevon that it wouldn't rise up again.

"The others!" Yuna yelled in realization, rushing to the cliff's edge. A giant machina gun fired at Sin, and Sin sent a defensive shockwave, causing the Machina gun to tumble to the shore. Yuna cried out as the machina exploded on impact. Seymour walked up behind her; he began to put his hand on her shoulder but thought better of it. He grimaced at the situation, if only he hadn't agreed to this, Yuna wouldn't have to see such horror so soon in her journey. Yuna looked from place to place, confused and upset. She cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Everyone, stand back! I'll summon!" She yelled. Seymour looked into her eyes.

"You won't… hurt it." He said as Yuna looked at him pleadingly. "Your powers are still… too weak." He said, with a look of regret on his face. He felt he was insulting her, but he simply wanted her to realize that if she did attempt to kill Sin there…she would not live to see tomorrow.

"But I must do something!" She nearly yelled at him. Seymour shook his head slowly.

'If only you knew what lie in store for you Yuna. If you knew of the terror ahead, you would save your energy for the final battle.' Seymour sighed and his thoughts shifted. 'I… am growing to love you, and I would die of misery if you passed away.' Yuna twirled her wand in a circle and began to call Ifrit.

"You can't…" Seymour called out to her. Somehow his words permeated the shell of desperation that clouded her judgment, and she dropped her wand.

The three survivors from the cliff carefully made their way down to the beach where the dead bodies littered the sand. Yuna tried her hardest not to cry, but could not help herself, she personally knew many of the fallen. Yuna knew the least she could do was to give these souls a proper sending. Seymour stood back and watched her, even in the midst of death Yuna kept her grace. She danced the sending unlike anyone else. Seymour had witnessed many of these dances before, but never had one been so captivating and beautiful. Yuna moved about so gracefully, as if the air around her were giving her special permission to bend it. Seymour never ceased to be amazed at the beauty of the pyre flies. Death was simply a part of life; he had come to realize that beauty could be found in even the darkest of places. The iridescence of the pyreflies was breath taking against the setting sun, and he watched them rise until he could not make them out anymore.

Yuna was absolutely exhausted after the dance. The day had been full of unexpected and unpleasant surprises. She watched as Auron walked up to Kinoc, she saw Seymour staring into the sky.

"A swift retreat, satisfied?" Auron asked accusingly.

"What do you mean?" Kinoc asked confusedly.

"Those who turned from Yevon died, but the faithful live on." Auron said. Seymour was suddenly struck by realization; he knew the purpose of this 'Operation Mi'ihen.' It was simply to set an example, and show the people of Spira what happens to those who go against the teachings. Seymour shook his head in disbelief, angered with himself that he had not figured this fact out sooner.

"The past ten years have changed you, I see." Kinoc remarked and then walked in the opposite direction. Yuna prayed the prayer of Yevon, not having eavesdropped on the conversation just held. Seymour walked up to her, startling her.

"You do not look so well…" He said, in a caring voice, he desperately wanted to touch her face and tell her that everything would be okay. But, somehow he couldn't find the courage to do so. "But now more than ever, you must be the people's strength, their confidence." He remembered when his father had told him something quite similar to what he told Yuna. She gasped in a sudden realization. "But you… are a summoner." He said as he faced the setting sun. "You," he said, looking into Yuna's mix-matched eyes," are Spira's hope. Until Sin is defeated you must not relent. Do you… understand?" He asked, his voice gentle and calming.

"Yes, I understand." She said, and nodded, her eyes looking to the sand. Seymour looked adoringly at her.

"Are you afraid?" He asked as if he already knew the answer. Yuna said nothing, and made no sign of answering him. "Yuna… take me as your pillar of strength." Yuna gasped and placed a hand over her heart. "As Yunalesca had her Lord Zaon." Seymour said with a soft smile playing on his lips. Yuna couldn't help but grin and cocked her head to the side. Seymour prayed to Yevon and bowed. He held the bow longer than normal, and then looked deeply into her eyes.

"Until next we meet, farewell." Seymour reluctantly looked away and headed in the direction of the Djose temple.