Homecoming

I raced through the streets as the city fell apart around me, Tidus a few steps behind, the screams of the panicked crowd fading into the background. Just as he'd warned me, Jecht had been unable to keep from attacking his beloved Zanarkand. Buildings toppled, lights flickered and went out, elevated walkways cracked and broke under the assault of Sinscales and blasts of water.

As we encountered a swarm of the fiends, I considered the events of the last few minutes. For a youth who had barely even held a sword before, Tidus was acquitting himself well against the spawn. Once past an initial moment of awkwardness, his father's old weapon suited him well. Being a natural athlete surely helped; I had even seen him execute a crude but effective leaping maneuver. Like Jecht, he would pick up the nuances and get a grasp of this new situation soon enough. As for myself, I had never stopped training, spending time with my weapon nearly every day, and the work had paid off. I could now compensate for my monocular vision, and fighting came naturally, slicing through their hard scales as comfortable as reuniting with an old friend. Though genuinely sorry to see the devastation of this place where I had lived for so long, I had to admit that part of me was excited. I was in battle, where I belonged. And soon I would be back in Spira. My home.

We cut our way through the enemies, but more kept coming and soon they surrounded us completely. Dozens of the creatures gathered on the street and lifted up their flickering wings, presumably in preparation for a deadly spine attack.

I grunted. "This could be bad." Looking around, I saw a fuel tanker propped up against the ledge of the walkway, precariously balanced. Perhaps it would explode if we could push it to the ground. "That!" I nudged Tidus and pointed. "Knock it down."

"What?"

Years of command experience came back to me as I replied in the tone that Kera had always called my captain's voice: "Trust me."

He looked dubious, but he obeyed the order, bashing his sword repeatedly into the vehicle, metal screeching against metal, while I held off the Sinspawn. After a few moments, I heard the tanker explode. The sound was soon joined by the cracking noise of a crumbling building. Glancing up, I saw the walls tumbling down, the ever-present billboard of Jecht falling onto our heads. In the other direction, I could see that Sin was near, hovering over the next part of the road.

"Go!" I shouted to Tidus, then took to my heels. A chasm opened up in the road before us as chunks of the building fell, taking out Sinscales along with the steel and concrete beneath our feet. I glanced at the boy, and he nodded as the two of us jumped one widening gap, then another.

On the second leap, I landed upright, but Tidus just missed, grasping the ledge with gloved hands and struggling to pull himself up, calling for my help. I was about to drag him to safety when I was distracted by a voice.

"Took your time, didn't ya?" Jecht's silent chuckle resonated within me. "Well anyway, let's go."

I looked up and saw Sin overhead, an oculus beaming pure white light appearing in its underbelly, the dense gray hide forming into concentric circles around it. A powerful force sucked us up into that hole, along with the piece of road on which I stood and rubble from toppled buildings all around us. "You are sure?" I said aloud.

"'Course I'm sure! I'll explain in a minute. Just grab the kid so we can get outta here."

I reached down and wrapped a hand around Tidus's shirt, lifting him into the air. He grunted and struggled. "This is it," I told him, some impulse compelling me to add, "This is your story." I looked up at Sin, at Jecht. "It all begins here."

"What?" Tidus gasped. "Hey! Hey!" But his voice came from farther and farther away as I gave myself up to the force that pulled me in, dragging me out of Zanarkand and into the center of Sin.

My vision went blank white for a moment, then resolved. I was back in the silent, empty city that I had seen once before, the first time I'd been transported inside Sin. I recognized it now, of course -- it was Zanarkand, Jecht's home, possibly built from his memories. And he stood next to me on the platform once again, staring over the cityscape, arms crossed over his chest. To my eye, he had not aged a single day. "Hey," he said in a quiet voice.

"Hello," I responded.

"How is he?" Jecht asked. He didn't say who he meant; there was no need.

"He's a fine young man," I said, laying my hand on the railing. "Excellent blitzer. Shows promise with the sword. You'll be proud."

He nodded.

I turned to look at my friend. He returned the glance, then started. "Damn, you got old!"

I chuckled. "It has been ten years. And maintaining this unsent existence is... draining."

Jecht's shoulders slumped slightly. "Hell, Auron. I didn't mean for you to--"

Waving him off, I shook my head. "It's all right." We fell into silence for a moment. Then I raised the question that burned in my mind. "So. Do you have a plan?"

"To stop Sin for good? Maybe." He paused in thought for a moment. "Here's my idea. Find a summoner and get 'em to Zanarkand -- the one in your world."

"And then what?"

"Dunno." He glanced upwards. "But don't sacrifice anyone. No Final Aeon. You hear me? That's important. Real important. He'll just feed on 'em like he's feeding on me."

My brow furrowed. "'He'?" I asked.

"No time to explain now. Just trust me on this one." Jecht glanced around, then continued. "If Yunalesca will help you, fine. If not, if she gets in the way, you may have to take her out."

Slowly, I nodded. "With pleasure," I muttered.

"Now, I ain't sure what happens after that," he said. "Still workin' on that part. Just get to Zanarkand. I'll have it figured out by then. I hope." He lowered his head and looked me straight in the eye. "Auron. You're gonna have to kill me, y'know."

"I know," I said.

"Make sure he does," said Jecht. "Make sure he won't hold back from what's gotta be done."

Once again, I nodded. "I will."

"Good." He turned back out over the deserted city. "Don't take too long, okay? I'm holdin' back as much as I can, but I'm still Sin. I've wiped out whole villages, killed Crusaders and ordinary folks, so many people dead. And I want it to stop. Stop me, Auron. You and my boy. Please."

I looked back at him, unflinching. "I will. I swear it. Whatever it takes, I will do it."

He sighed. "Thanks. Well, we're here. See you later."

"Goodbye," I started to say, when the familiar lurching and swirling began again. The world dissolved into bright nothingness one more time as I felt the platform evaporate, and then everything faded away.

The next thing I knew, I was on another beach. But this time, rocky cliffs stood behind me and the sun was setting. Some familiar ruins rose up from the ocean. I recognized them and knew exactly where I was: the shore below the Mi'ihen Highroad. If I climbed the cliff face, I would probably appear in the clearing near the traveler's rest.

It didn't take much thought to decide that Luca would be our destination. If my sense of the date was correct, the annual blitzball tournament would start in a few days. Chances were good that I could find a summoner on pilgrimage and join up with their party. Then Tidus and I--

Tidus. Suddenly I realized that I was alone. Where was the boy? Had Jecht set us down in different parts of the world by accident? Apprehension gripped me -- Tidus would not know where he was or how to get by, only that Sin had somehow transported him away from Zanarkand. There had been no opportunity to explain. I could only hope that someone would find him and assume him to be affected by Sin's mind-fogging toxin, and that he would be quick to play along.

I thought over my options and chose my original plan. Tidus was so obviously a blitzer that whoever first encountered him would likely bring him to Luca. Going there was still my most sensible course of action. Something told me that I didn't want to be seen and recognized, though, not just yet. I wondered, then, if anyone would even know who I was. I hoped not; much easier if I could be anonymous, just another soldier. I was a little old to be a Crusader, but I could easily pass as a retired warrior monk -- since, I thought wryly, that's exactly what I was. Even if it had been years since I'd thought of myself in those terms. Still, safest to stick to hidden trails, just in case. During the months I'd served in Luca, I had learned the paths and byways of the Highroad quite well. It would take me an extra day or two to reach the city, but it was a worthwhile trade. So I settled in to wait for dusk, breathing in the fresh ocean air with a sigh of pleasure. It was good to be back.

Liss walked into the mess hall, looking around for any sign of her regular dining companions. She spied Maura and Kenna immediately, seated at their usual table. Typically, Sam and sometimes Repparu would join them, but the boys were nowhere in sight tonight. Letting out a careful breath, Liss went to pick up her meal, then carried her tray to the table where her friends were chatting and eating. She slipped onto the bench next to Kenna, who glanced up. Across the table, Maura did the same. They paused their conversation briefly, and a grin flashed across Maura's features. Then they returned to their talk of blitz, a discussion of the upcoming season.

Relieved not to be pelted immediately with questions, Liss turned to her meal -- roasted meat and vegetables, both dishes palatable though no better -- and her thoughts about the hour that had just passed. Sam had held her as she wept, and then the two of them had talked. After she'd filled in his gaps in her father's story, the conversation turned to more personal matters. He'd told her of his feelings for her, and she admitted to her fears about getting involved in any sort of romantic entanglement.

"All I can see is my mother," she'd said. "Her sad face, her lonely eyes. I realize it doesn't have to be like that, but it's all I know about love, the only way I've ever seen. I understand that I have to get past it some day. But I need some time to figure out how."

"Okay." He'd run his hand softly over her hair and down her back. "If you need time, then I'll give it to you. I think you'll be worth waiting for." She'd sighed at those words and at his touch, leaning her head into his shoulder. Being close to him felt incredible, making her warm and shivery all at once. There was a part of her that wanted to be even closer. But every time she thought of moving in, a cold hand clamped down on her gut. What if she fell in love with Sam and then something happened to him? What if it broke her as the loss of Auron had broken Arelle?

Take it slow for now, she thought, taking a bite of meat and slowly chewing. And be grateful that Sam is willing to be patient. For a teenage boy, he was showing remarkable maturity and restraint. He hadn't even tried to kiss her today. In all honesty, she wasn't sure whether to be more glad or sorry about that.

"So Liss, what do you think?"

"I think life is really complicated," Liss replied automatically. Then she shook herself aware in time to see Kenna and Maura exchange a fondly amused glance.

"Kenna was asking what you think about using rifles as opposed to blitzballs as weapons," Maura said, grinning. "But if you want to talk about other things..."

Liss felt a blush rising rapidly on her cheeks. "Not right now, thanks," she muttered. "Maybe later."

With a gentle chuckle, Kenna patted Liss on the shoulder. "It's okay, cfaadea. Whenever you're ready." She looked back at her other friend. "I don't know, Maur, the advantages of being able to use a sight to aim seem pretty obvious to me." The two fell back into their pleasant wrangling, and Liss cleared her mind of troublesome thoughts and began to listen in.

It took me four days to walk to Luca. I could have made the trip in half that if I'd pushed myself and taken the main road, but I preferred to take a more leisurely pace on hidden trails and lesser known byways. And I relished being in my homeland again. Though I had grown fond of Zanarkand, I realized now that I'd never really felt like I belonged there. The constant smell of fumes from machina fuel, the colorful lights burning at all hours of the day and night, the press of people -- it was all alien to me. Spira was cleaner, fresher, simpler, despite the threats of fiends and Sin.

Arriving in Luca was rather a shock. Except for the odd destroyed building here and new construction there, the place appeared almost exactly as it had when I had made it my home. I thought about Kera, remembering that she had lived here the last time I'd passed through, and considered taking a moment to find her. But from the look of things -- the excited crowds, the flying banners, the play-by-play blaring over the loudspeakers -- the tournament had already begun. I might not have much time for personal errands. And I didn't know where her home might be, or if she even still lived in this place. Still, perhaps I could make inquiries about my family while I searched for other information. Ever since Jecht had told me that he'd be bringing me back to Spira, I'd wondered if I could find an opportunity to right things with my sister. If she lived here, this might be the best time.

I stepped off the stairs from the Highroad and headed for a blitzer cafe that I knew. It seemed a good spot to pick up news about journeying summoners and by far the most likely place for someone to know the whereabouts of Tidus. If I knew the boy, he'd have picked up a blitzball and impressed someone with his skill within five minutes of his arrival. That being the case, they'd bring him here. Or so I hoped.

Once inside the restaurant, I took a glass of ale and headed for a back corner table. Heads turned as I passed, a quiet murmur of "Auron, Sir Auron, the legendary guardian, he's come back" rippling through the crowd, and the young female barkeep had gone pale at the sight of me -- "On the house, sir," she'd said as she passed me the glass, then bowed. So, I was known and would be recognized. I didn't know whether that would make matters easier or more difficult, but it was the situation that existed and I would deal with it.

Apparently, though, even the reappearance of a former legend -- a legend? How had that happened? I was just another guardian. Perhaps I had succeeded, by Yevon's weak definition of "success" at least, but how did that distinguish me from a hundred others? Perhaps it was only that Braska's pilgrimage was freshest in people's minds -- could only distract the masses from blitz and gossip for a brief moment. I sat back in my chair, sipping my drink, and absorbed the words of the patrons as they discussed the tournament and other matters.

"...believe the Aurochs and the Al Bhed got seeded! No way either team belongs in the finals..." "...Kilika two days ago. Not much left of the port, I hear..." "...that cocky kid on the sphere screen earlier? He said the Aurochs would be taking the cup." "Shyeah, right. Maybe they should plan on winning a game first..." "...sworn in two weeks ago, replacing his father. A half-Guado Maester, I don't know. He's pretty creepy looking..." "...the Goers decimated the Ronso in the first game..." "...true, I saw her myself, getting off the ferry from Kilika." "Well, I guess it makes sense, the High Summoner's daughter becoming a summoner herself." "Maybe that's why Sir Auron..."

At that last, my head whipped around, seeking its source. Little Yuna, a summoner? The speaker saw me looking at her and flushed, then bowed in her seat. "My apologies, sir, no disrespect to yourself or the Lady Yuna intended."

"It's all right," I said.

Embarrassment and curiosity fought a battle on the woman's features. Naturally, the latter won out. "So is it true, Sir Auron? Are you guarding the Lady Yuna on her pilgrimage?"

I turned the idea over in my mind. I had journeyed with the father and watched him die. Could I really shepherd the daughter down the same path, even if my intentions were rather different this time?

Of course I can. The thought was immediate. In fact there was something almost poetic about it, especially if I could find Tidus and induce him to come along. The three of us avenging the deaths of their fathers and bringing the Calm together -- yes. This felt right. I looked at the woman and nodded.

"Then Yevon be with you!" she said, her companion nodding and bowing.

The casual blessing, unheard by me for so long, hit me like a slap. It took more control than I would have expected to keep from flinching. But if I was going to guard a summoner, I was going to have to get used to it, even play along to a certain extent. Yuna would almost certainly have been raised to revere Yevon, and she would expect the same of me. Fortunately, I had gotten very good at masking my true feelings. There were some advantages to being dead, and the ability to impose emotional distance was one of them. So I merely inclined my head respectfully, then settled in to finish my ale and make my plans.