Chapter 33 – Rest in Peace
Scalding heat rained down from above burning Paine's skin. From the ceiling descended an array of fiery meteors, each one twice the size of her body. Rikku clutched onto Paine, her pupils shrunken from terror. Trema stood with his arms stretched to the sky, ready to call down his ultimate attack by his will. No expression showed on his face.
Kinoc bellowed with evil laughter. "Yes, yes! Kill them, kill them, kill them! Annihilate them with your power, then burn them to cinder and ash! Make them regret ever being born!"
Staring deeply into the eyes of Paine, Trema didn't flinch. He said nothing, fixated on scanning over her body. She felt as if he could sense every thought racing in her mind. The heat from the meteors radiated down onto her, transforming the immense arena into an oven. Even with sweat pouring down his face, Trema stood carefully still, waiting to unleash his fiery avalanche hovering above. Consumed with feverish glee, and undaunted by the intense heat, Kinoc reveled in his moment of triumph.
"With you disposed of, there will be no more stumbling blocks in my way. Since I have all the rest of the worthy warriors wrapped around my finger, it will be an effortless task to capture Spira. I will enslave the masses, and kill at least a thousand a day!"
Trema shot his gaze towards Kinoc. The burning meteors still hung in the air like dangling ornaments. Paine relaxed ever so slightly, noticing Trema had not followed through with his final strike. Her breath stuck in her throat, wondering what he waited for. Turning to face Kinoc, Trema listened with absolute fixation to his unending banter.
"I will evaporate everything from this world except my will. Blood shall pour from my hands. No one then shall oppose me! It will be wondrous to eradicate the rest of the warriors in Spira!"
"What do you mean?" shouted Trema, visibly upset by Kinoc's words.
Kinoc flustered for a moment, realizing that Trema had not eradicated the girls with his conjurations yet. "What are you waiting for, blow them to smithereens!"
"No. Not until I know what it is you hold for the future. You promised me that the warriors I trained would be free to seek their own paths."
Kinoc's face tensed. "Well you see, it is my almighty grasp that will determine the future paths of Spira. Do you think I would allow a decrepit idealist like you to make any important decisions?"
"You've betrayed your word," rumbled Trema. "You promised me a fulfillment of my desires."
"Stop bickering and kill them, or I will eliminate you and your puny warriors myself!" Kinoc ordered.
Trema's face wrinkled with anger. He shifted his hands in the air toward Kinoc. The flaming rocks above him followed suit. They mirrored a similar burning fury, pointing directly at the unsent Maester. Trema began to march forward, his smoldering meteors shooting off clumps of cinder and ash. Stepping backward, Kinoc became discomposed, nearly tripping over himself. His eyes fixated on the burning rocks now suspended above him.
"What are you doing? Unleash your fury upon my enemies!" he shrieked, the red glow of the meteors reflecting in his eyes.
Trema shook his head. "No! It seems I have made a grave error. I should not have vested my faith in such a tyrant like you. I must undo my crime!"
With a flick of his wrist, the swirling balls of fire rained from the sky on top of Kinoc. With a thunderous crash, their impact engulfed the area where Kinoc stood. Erupting in a fury of flames and smoke, everything in his wake incinerated to ash. A cloud of debris, still flickering with bits of hot cinder, blocked out the aftermath from sight. In shock from what they just witnessed, Paine dared not to speak. She instead tried to locate Kinoc through the billow of suffocating, black smoke. Emerging from the cloud fluttered a handful of pyreflies, the only light in a sea of black ash.
"There's no use in searching for the Maester. He is gone, never to return to Spira or any other world," spoke Trema softly.
He then turned to face the girls, and slowly walked up to them. His expression weighed heavy, filled with regret and sorrow. To one knee he fell, cowering in front of them. Paine felt her hands trembling. She grasped them together tightly, focusing on the pressure, trying desperately to process what happened.
"Why?" Rikku finally stuttered out.
Trema let out a solemn sigh. "I was never under Konoc's control, not like the others were. In these dark depths, he promised me that I could once again lead warriors. Strong warriors, in battles of our choosing. And the sphere containing the far history of Spira would be destroyed."
"I don't understand," murmured Paine to him. "Why kill him?"
"He had no intention of letting warriors be free. It was this I knew but never wanted to accept. Too long have I let him do his bidding unchecked. Such a despot as him surely would have brought doom to Spira. You girls, you had the will to fight against his tyranny. I could not slay such valiant fighters in the face of a devil such as Kinoc."
A sudden whoosh blew from the smoldering cloud of smoke still hanging in the air. From it, stepped a priest flanked by two guards. They approached Rikku and Paine. Both the girls readied their weapons, but these men had no arms fashioned against them. The priest explained that with Kinoc destroyed, his control over them was broken, and his fiends evaporated to pyreflies. With Kinoc dead, Bevelle was saved and they were the victors. Paine turned around to tell Trema, but he was gone.
"Hey Rikku, where's Trema?" she asked, poking at Rikku's arm.
One of the guards overheard and scratched his head. "Trema? He hasn't been heard from since he entrapped himself down in these depths."
The girls looked perplexedly at each other, but neither one spoke anything more of it. After the torment she'd just endured, Paine felt it was better not to ask. The guards led Rikku and herself to a hidden elevator. Paine blew out a sigh of relief, anticipating sunshine on her skin again. Before they exited the underground, a tiny whisper echoed in her ears.
"Be strong, young warriors. Thank you."
Paine smiled and nodded slightly to herself. For what she hoped to be the final time in the murky depths of Bevelle, Paine left for the surface. Outside she surveyed the destruction. The scene before her chilled her bones—smoldering buildings, dead bodies, and debris littered much of the great city. Yet from the soldiers to the citizens and the priests of New Yevon, the same words were spoken: they would rebuild.
One final task remained for Paine to overcome. Although after the horrific calamity in Bevelle, Paine desired down to her core not to tell Spira of its hero's demise. She would be strong, for Yuna, and strive to close this chapter. Word spread throughout the land of the death of their beloved summoner. Even though the news of Kinoc's defeat injected some joy into the peoples of Spira, knowing their savior had fallen because of the endeavor soured their hearts. The remaining Gullwings agreed to ensure Yuna had a proper funeral. Spira needed to grieve.
While the remaining Gullwings discussed with the temple to arrange a public funeral, Paine contacted Lulu and Wakka in Besaid. To her expectations, the news devastated the former guardians. At first, Wakka objected to a funeral hosted in Bevelle and not Besaid, but he came to his senses and realized people from all across Spira would attend. With no body to bury, he understood the reasoning. While Paine and Rikku led preparations in Bevelle, Brother, Buddy, and Shinra traveled around Spira, ferrying those farthest from the city.
As word of the funeral traveled, the people migrated. A full day before the funeral, Bevelle overflowed with mourning people from all over Spira. From Kilika to Guadosalam, and Bikanel to Luca, the streets bustled with all walks of life from across the land. Never had so many people from around Spira been in one place at the same time. Paine did her best to greet as many mourners as she could in amongst the planning, especially those friends she knew who cared for Yuna deeply.
Most surprising to the city's denizens, the entire tribe of Ronso traveled down from their mountain for the procession. Rikku immediately ran up to Kimahri, grief-stricken and defeated, and wrapped her arms around him as best as she could. For a moment, Paine enjoyed the heartwarming scene before the sight of another Ronso shocked her. Garik held his head low amongst the Ronso.
"How is it possible?" blurted out Paine, alarming many around her.
Garik solemnly bowed his head. "When Garik fought with Yuna, Garik accidentally slipped off Mountain's edge and fell into ravine below. It took many days of climbing, but Garik survived. Ronso wanted to tell Yuna, but Ronso could not find Gullwings until too late."
Paine wanted to tell her, too. Yuna felt so guilty when she believed Garik died, thinking her rage caused him to plunge into the chasm. This grief weighed heavy on her heart in those last weeks, which led to her end. If only Yuna could know.
Other friends arrived. O'aka and his brother Wantz came bearing bouquets of the most colorful flower bouquets that could be picked in Spira. They asked if they could personally lay them at her resting place. Paine of course agreed. While she still didn't understand Rikku's affection toward the shifty peddler, Rikku recollected all the times O'aka and Wantz aided Yuna in her pilgrimage against Sin. Any man ready to sacrifice his freedom in a Bevelle dungeon, Rikku explained, was worthy of laying flowers in honor of her cousin. Paine hinted a smile at Rikku's emphatic words.
The old troop of Crusaders, at least the ones still alive, arrived soon after. Both Lucil and Elma came shortly behind them. Even Clasko traveled from the Calm Lands, riding on his adorable chocobo. LeBlanc's entrance surprised Paine the most, trailed closely by a teary-eyed Logos and Ormi. Differences aside, as LeBlanc admitted, she liked the Dullwings, especially Yuna.
"When I heard that . . . well, you know, I didn't believe it. I'm so sorry loves," Leblanc said, comforting Rikku.
"I take back all the mean things I said about her!" balled Ormi.
"Me too!" balled Logos.
Paine couldn't help but smile at their humble apology. Though she shouldn't have been so amazed at the vast swatches of people who adored Yuna, Paine severely underestimated Yuna's impact on the world. A shadow crossed her heart; she felt a little guilty for so poorly understanding the woman behind her friend.
As the sun set on Bevelle, the reality of the situation sunk in for Paine. By the time the sun would rise again tomorrow, it would be time to say goodbye forever. Not a soul in Bevelle wanted to do so. Rikku could practically hear Yuna's voice scolding her for dwelling on her sorrow. Paine told her it was alright for her to grieve. Just like Rikku, in each person's eyes, Paine witnessed their heartache and sorrow.
Retreating under the shadow of night, Paine walked back to a hostel she and Rikku had been staying at just outside the edge of the city center. Surprised to see Rikku already standing by the entrance door, Paine quickly jogged up to her.
"Hey, what's up?" she asked her friend.
Rikku kept her head dipped, looking at her feet. "I, uh, needed a minute. Um, Wakka and Lulu are inside."
Paine felt her chest tightening. "Oh. I'd ask how are they, but—"
Rikku shook her head. "I hate this."
Tears swelled from her green eyes, enough to make them sparkle in the moonlight. Inhaling deeply, Rikku refused to allow herself to fall apart. She wiped the corner of her eyes with her finger and turned around with her back toward Paine.
"Don't bottle it up," whispered Paine, gently placing a hand on Rikku's shoulder. "It's okay to cry."
"No, not yet. Tomorrow I will. But not now, not in front of Lulu," replied Rikku before she opened the door to go inside.
Lulu sat on a wooden rocking chair inside the parlor room of the hostel. Wakka stood next to her, his arms folded tightly against his chest. With an expression of utter hopelessness on his face, Paine's heart sank to see him at this moment. Lulu could not restrict her tears, especially when Paine and Rikku emerged from outside. For one who always stood stoic, she couldn't stop the outpouring of grief that burst forth from her heart. To Lulu, Yuna truly was her little sister.
Standing up to pace around the room, she recalled back to the night when she talked to Yuna about her adventures. Lulu felt overpowered by guilt for not noticing how much pain and turmoil Yuna held inside herself. Lulu knew Yuna worried about her future, but she couldn't believe Yuna felt so far gone as to push her into taking her own life.
"Hey, Lu, none of this is your fault. It's nobody's fault, ya. She had a lot of, uh, stuff rolling around in her head." Wakka tried to console his wife but failed to find the right words to do so.
"I know, but now that she's gone. What I wouldn't give . . . just to see her one more time," cried Lulu, rushing into his arms.
Wakka remained silent, only holding her tighter. Paine clenched her hand into a fist in an unconscious reaction to the sight of Lulu's crumbling. Never had she seen the black mage in such a state of agony. Paine didn't much like seeing any of them in tears. She had an important question for the two of them, but was now the right time to ask? She frowned, knowing that if she waited, the right time would never come.
"Wakka," she said with hesitation." I need to know if either of you wants to speak tomorrow."
Moving her head out of his chest, Wakka looked at Lulu. "Do you, Lu? You don't have to if you don't want to."
She shook her head, wiping the tears from her swollen eyes. "No, I want to. I will."
Paine nodded and immediately turned to face away from Lulu. Her head pounded and her chest felt like a great stone pressed down on it. She would burst into tears herself if she stayed around anyone else crying at this point. Rikku walked over to Lulu. Kneeling down, she hugged her.
"I wanted the baby to meet her," cried Lulu, her voice trembling. "I wanted my child to see her."
Paine's heart weighed heavy in her chest. She hadn't even thought of Lulu's baby. In a month or so it would be born. She never realized, as perhaps Lulu herself never realized, how important it was to Lulu for Yuna to see her baby.
Lulu covered her face with her hands. "I thought Yuna would eventually settle down in Besaid. I know she would make a great aunt, and she could be my babysitter."
Wakka retained his wife snugly in his arms, her tears trickling down his chest. Rikku stood back up, gazing into his eyes. She nodded along with Paine, realizing Lulu needed to be alone. The two left the parlor, heading upstairs. Paine leaned against the wall of the hallway, covering up her red eyes with her hand. It took her a few moments, but she regained some of her composure. She could be a wreck after the funeral, Paine thought to herself, but not now.
Rikku tugged at her arm. When Paine looked at her, she noticed a faint glimmer of a smile spread across her face. Though teardrops still swelled from her swirly emerald eyes, Paine detected a hint of contentment.
"You can cry, too, ya know," Rikku spoke softly.
Paine chuckled. "I've never been much of a crier, even as a little kid. I don't know if I want to start now."
A streak of moonlight poured through the hallway window. shining across Rikku's face. Paine saw her, half in light and half in shadow. It mimicked how she felt inside, a glass half empty. Hugging her friend, she led Rikku to her room before retiring for the night herself.
Tossing and turning in her bed, little sleep was to be had by Paine. The muffled sound of crying reverberated through the walls. Lying on her bed, she closed her eyes, stifling back an occasional outburst of weeping from bubbling up out of her, until her mind went blank. Slowly the night faded, and the unwanted sunrise rose from the horizon. Though she wished to melt away in her bed, the trickle of morning light through the window coerced her to rise. Pulling aside the window's curtain, she saw the sun barely peeking through the mask of murky, grey clouds running swiftly across the sky. Occasional beads of rain dripped on the window.
She leaned her head up against the glass. Blowing out a long sigh, Paine fought to muster up the will to get herself ready and leave the room. Down in the streets below, people were already gathering to await the procession.
"What would you think of all this, Yuna?" she whispered out loud. "Did you even realize how loved you were? Maybe I'll write a memoir for you someday."
The streets around the temple bustled full of people as far as the eye could see, all leading up to the temple's entrance. Hovering screens projected the procession for those not close enough to see for themselves. The Aurochs from Besaid, Donna and Barthello from Kilika, Tolbi from the Moonflow, Tromell from Macalania—they all came to honor the summoner Spira cherished. Even the venerable Maechen came to pay his respects. He beseeched Paine to allow him to speak at her funeral. Rikku and Paine both were a little worried, thinking back to his multitude of long-winded stories. In the end, it seemed too appropriate for him to speak to say no.
Rikku also had a painful question to ask him. "Maechen, why did Yuna's body disappear?"
After some further explanation, he responded, "If one has truly fallen from all hope, then their soul banishes itself from existence. It is unfathomably rare that anyone would have so much grief burdening them, but I may suppose."
Rikku didn't say a word back to him. She merely looked at the ground, a solemn tear falling from her lashes. Paine stood dumbfounded, unable to process his words. Gripping her hand tightly into a fist, she tried to cast such a thought from her mind. She couldn't dismiss the possibility of what Maechen said. With other guests quickly approaching, she pushed it all aside.
A vast array of flowers, not just from O'aka and Wantz, but from people of all walks in Spira lavishly surrounded the altar on which Yuna's empty casket rested. Raised above for all to see, a carving of an ornate hibiscus decorated the top. Its shiny walnut veneer reflected the few, shallow rays of light protruding from the heavens. Paine ran her hand against its smooth surface. Something so magnificent, she thought, would have made Yuna blush.
In the front sat those closest to Yuna: Rikku, Paine, Lulu, Wakka, and the rest of the Gullwings. It felt as if even the spirits from the Farplane watched her lying. Not a dry eye could be seen in the crowd, and the funeral had yet to commence.
Through force of will, Paine stood up and walked to the pedestal where she would begin it all. For a moment, she wondered where the leaders of Spira were: Gippal, Nooj, and Baralai. If anyone needed to be present, it should be them. Pushing that aside, she quickly dismissed the thought when she saw the sea of weeping mourners before her. She inhaled deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. Giving the casket a sidelong glance, she pulled the microphone close to her lips.
"Dear friends, and all that have come from across Spira, thank you . . ."
I know for all of you, this has come as a most unpleasant surprise. Especially at a time of danger and peril, Yuna's death has hurt us all. I know some of you knew her for much longer than I did, but even still, I found out what kind of wonderful person she was. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be caught up in my own shell.
I remember the first time I met her. She was sort of a backward girl. I really didn't take to her much at first. Rikku had brought her to the ship, saying something about a sphere and some man from her past. She joined us, the Gullwings, on our missions to hunt for spheres. But, so much more than that happened. As time passed, we became friends—closer and closer friends. She taught me, that I needed to cut through my inhibitions and grow and become a friend instead of bottling myself up.
Whatever . . . whatever you might think of her, you couldn't ever find a better friend than her. For that, I am in her debt . . .
Tears swelled up in her eyes. Paine paused for a moment, putting her hand up to her mouth. Breathing strongly in and out, she soothed herself. Stepping down, she nodded to Rikku. She had said want she wanted. Rikku walked up to the pedestal. Her hands shook with anxiousness. She already cried from the distressed words Paine just spoke.
Looking over the crowd, she began to tremble but did not let herself be overcome by it. "Yunie . . . Yuna, was my cousin. Um, most of you probably had never realized this, but she is, was, part Al Bhed. I know it was a shocker for Wakka . . ."
The first time I saw her was when I was very young. She, too, was just a little girl I believe. I don't know, but she was fun to play with. Two years ago she was on her pilgrimage to defeat Sin. We, the Al Bhed, were snatching up summoners so they wouldn't die from summoning the final aeon. But, well, I ended up becoming her guardian. I think it was at the Moonflow when we first came together. I explained everything to her, and she to me. That's when I became her guardian.
Those times were tough. She was to die summoning the final aeon to destroy Sin and bring about the Calm. I think back to how afraid I was for her. No, not just me, but Tidus as well. We both racked our brains trying to come up with some way to save Yunie. I didn't want her to die. The journey was long and hard. Even with so much anguish, and so much pain weighing down on her, she didn't give up. She was ready to sacrifice it all to save Spira.
And then Yunie retired once Sin was gone. She was saved, but Tidus wasn't. It was painful, especially those first few months. Losing him was the saddest I'd ever seen her. And now . . . now I know how she felt losing someone she loved.
No, but even then, she didn't give up. It was that kind of resolve that I loved the most about my cousin. She kept on going. I was so happy when she agreed to join the Gullwings. We could play happily together, I believed. Of course, we'd help her find Tidus again. If only I knew what would happen to her because of that. Oh . . .
Rikku broke down into a fit of tears. She crumbled to the ground, burying her reddened face in her hands. Paine sprinted back up to her. Leading her down the stairs, the entire time Rikku's face was concealed in Paine's embrace, she sat her down next to her. The sound of her tears echoed throughout the streets. All were silent. This sorrowfulness only exacerbated Lulu's crying. She was to speak next. Tightly she squeezed Wakka's hand. He whispered in her ear that she didn't have to speak, but she shook him off. To the pedestal she ambled, her face raw and red, and her sight blurry from the tears in her eyes.
Lulu cleared her throat, speaking low and raspy into the microphone, "My little sister. That was who Yuna was to me . . ."
She may have been born in Bevelle, but her home always was in Besaid. When her father, Lord Braska, died defeating Sin, he asked for her to be taken away from Bevelle. With Kimahri holding her little hand, she came to our island. I remember seeing this young girl for the first time, so unsure of her new surroundings. Along with my husband and Chappu, we would always play together. Although I never truly told her this, these were some of the best days of my life. I guess you don't realize these things until after you've lost them.
Still, she made me angry at times. I was furious at her when she decided to become a summoner. Even after telling her not to, she did so anyway. I half-expected her to do so, regardless of what I told her, but still, I cared for her so much. And when she completed her training, I became her guardian. I knew how tough the pilgrimage would be. I guarded two summoners before her. And with it being Yuna, I knew it would be even tougher, for both her and me.
And those days were hard. Not only did she have to battle Sin, but she was at odds with Yevon during much of it. Seymour had pressured her into marriage, and even kidnapped her. We were chased by Yevon throughout Spira. It was a mess, but Yuna survived it. When it came to fighting Sin itself, she never backed down. I will remain always surprised that one person could have such tremendous resolve.
The darkest I'd ever seen her was when Tidus disappeared. We all knew they were in love. I guess it was easy to tell in retrospect. When he was gone, she cried in my arms for days. It was the lowest I think she ever felt in her entire life, but she even battled through that. That's why I thought she would be alright, especially when she joined in sphere hunting. Never did I think—
I'd just like to say thank you to all those who helped her along her journey. Goodbye, Yuna. You were the best person in my life. I love you . . .
Lulu rushed from the pedestal, knowing a river of tears would come flowing out. She again buried herself in Wakka's chest. Her echoing tears matched those now of many in the crowd of onlookers. They all wept for their lost summoner. The wind blew a cold chill across the city. Only a few streaks of sunlight radiated from the sky, casting some semblance of light onto the funeral below. Finally, Maechen stepped up to the pedestal. He would be the last to speak, in the promise that he would have some final words of comfort for the disheartened masses.
He paused for a moment, surveying the crowd. "In my long years on Spira, I have known many a summoner. Some were greater than others, but none greater than our Lady Yuna . . ."
At first glance, she seemed like a mere pup playing with giants. Never had I let her miniature stature persuade me of anything other than the enormous strength she encompassed. One could say her life was a never-ending uphill battle. Even with no parents to care for her, she developed a loving and affectionate personality that outmatched almost all. Her compassion for the people of Spira was undying, maybe perhaps a little too much for her to control. Still, I can assure you that she had no regrets about her feeling toward the people of Spira. Like her father before her, she saw it as her duty to save Spira from the perils it faced. And saved she did, ridding Spira of the spiral of death it was in bondage to.
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with her many times, both during her pilgrimage and during her sphere hunting. Each time fate crossed our paths, she took the time to listen to an old man's tales. I greatly appreciated her interest in learning about the past. It's something the youth of today lack so often, but I digress.
She reminded me of a story of a summoner long since lost to the past. She was a beautiful songstress, a glorious woman who in heart and mind was very similar to Yuna. Oh, her name was Lenne I believe. She lived during a time of great turmoil as well. It was a thousand years ago when the great war between Bevelle and Zanarkand raged across the land. It was a time when a steadfast resolve was needed to survive, and steadfast she was. Much like Yuna, she paid the ultimate sacrifice for defending that which she loved.
It pains me to compare the two, knowing that their beauty and talents would have been used in better ways had not the world been in such jeopardy, but I know neither one of them lived with any regret. No, they lived with the hope that they could create a world without fear and despair. But just as it was a thousand years ago, one can only lift the world for so long before one becomes overwhelmed by its weight.
Had the two met in life, I feel certain they would have become cherished friends.
I think there is one thing Lady Yuna would wish you all to remember. It was the same when Lenne gave her final concert in Zanarkand before she left for war. Live life to the fullest, and do not let the pains of the world stop you from being alive. And that, I am saddened to say, is that . . .
The old man carefully left the pedestal and walked down the stairs. While his voice sounded firm, his body shook. Even an ancient man who witnessed a lifetime's worth of trials could not help but quake at the funeral of the greatest summoner ever to live.
After some more tears and hugs, the processions ended. The flood of people trekked back to the corners of Spira in which they lived, and Bevelle prepared itself for repair. The Gullwings, along with Lulu and Wakka, headed for Besaid. On the Celsius, Paine sat on Yuna's empty bed, staring out the windows of the cabin. For once in her life, she relished a time for quiet reflection. There would be no more sphere hunting for a while, not until Yuna's passing would become bearable, if that ever happened.
"Where ever you're at, Yuna, I hope you're with Tidus," Paine whispered to the blue sky before her.
Lulu and Wakka, along with the other islanders, welcomed the Gullwings to stay for as long as they wished. Even Beclem was glad for them to be there. Perhaps the Gullwings would continue sphere hunting, or perhaps they would not. The future remained frozen by uncertainty. Whatever would be decided, none of them would forget the friend they lost.
The swirling winds of the desert blew up hot sand onto her face. Around her, the endless rolling dunes blended with the horizon. A truly dismal setting, she thought, but one that suited her. Dressed heavily to protect herself from the harsh environment, the woman treaded onwards through the thick sand. Wrapped in a deep turquoise cloak, and her face covered with a black goggled mask, she wiped the splotches of sand granules from its lenses. She left a pair of distinct boot marks behind her, showing anyone with a bird's eye view of her long journey across Bikanel.
Blazing rays of heat shot down on her from every direction. She wished all the sweat she perspired had somewhere to go. The inside of her clothing felt sticky, prickling her skin. As much as she despised being trapped inside her thick clothing, she knew her body would cook if left unprotected.
At long last, she came to an encampment. There she saw what appeared to be a fleet of rusty-looking hovercraft and an array of tents forming a circle. The sun fell in the sky, dampening the burning light radiating on the desert below. A few dotted fires began to spark their light. Her face lit up with a smile—she was in the right place. Walking up to the camp, a pair of Al Bhed scavengers commanded her to halt.
"Cdub! Fryd ec ed oui fyhd rana?" the guard commanded to know.
The woman waved her hand. "E ys rana vun y zup. E fecr du cbayg fedr Nhadala."
The man directly in front peered ominously at the woman for a moment, but then nodded to the other scavenger behind him. Running off to one of the tents, he brought Nhadala out to see her. She brushed her short blond hair back, scanning over this mysterious woman venturing out from the desert. Adjusting her brown and white goggles, she took a long minute to eye up the new visitor.
"Oui fyhd du tek? Tu oui ryja ouin bybanc vnus Gippal?" she questioned with resignation.
The woman shook her head. "Gippal ryc paah seccehk vun xieda cusa desa. Dryd ec fro E cuikrd oui uid tuhisdca."
Nhadala folded her arms, still not believing this woman would work out. "Very well then. I assume you understand you'll be working hard out in the blazing sand?"
The woman nodded once, and Nhadala rubbed her hand against her chin. She then nodded as well and agreed to allow the woman to work at the excavation camp. She explained once again the dangers and hard work that goes along with digging in the treacherous environment of the Bikanel desert, but it seemed to her that the woman already understood the risks quite clearly. Nhadala would prepare the woman for traveling outside the camp herself. She led the newest crew member toward her tent.
"Sorry, I didn't catch your name," she said, turning her head back around.
The woman placed a hand on her hip. "My name is Lenne."