First off, I have to apologize. It's been a while since I've updated, due to other time constraints and projects. When I started this story, I said I would update every Wednesday and Saturday, but it seems that I have to push it back to every Saturday. BUT! I really want to thank you guys for your patience, too. I haven't recieved any death threats or hate mails because I haven't been able to update, so that's a good thing, I guess? LOL. Anyway, here is Chapter 5 in all it's glory.

Chapter 5: Ifrit

"Vidina! Vidina, wake up!"

Vidina sleepily roused from his slumber and looked at Lukas, aggrivated. "What's the deal of waking me up this late?"

"Look, we need to head to the temple, now."

"Are you crazy, man? In case you lost a couple brain cells, I'll remind you that there's a monster in the forest, attacking the village!"

Miraya walked up. She had also been awakened by Lukas and she had a look of concern on her face. "It turns out that the 'monster' is actually the next Dark Aeon, Ifrit. Lukas snuck out to fight it and ended up injuring it. It only makes sense that Ifrit headed back to the temple, where it could use the flames inside to recuperate."

Vidina nodded as he took in the information. "I get it. So now would be the best time to go and unlock the seal, because while Ifrit is recuperating, the Kilikan army has a chance to regroup."

"We can't let them do that," Lukas began. "If they do, and launch an all-out attack on the temple, Ifrit will wipe them out. Then Kilika's going to be destroyed again."

"So what do we do?" Miraya asked. "I mean, it's not like we have anyone that could close the seal."

"We should probably figure that out after we fight Ifrit." Lukas responded. "Right now, we need to defeat it. Then we can come back and find someone who knows how to perform the sending."

"So that's it. We're going in right now and taking Ifrit out," Vidina reasoned. "Let's grab our gear. If Ifrit is anything like Valefor was, we're gonna need to be quick on our feet." With that, they left the hut and headed for the gate. In the shadows near the hut, a shadowed figure stood, clenching a fist.

"Those idiots!"

Kilika Woods was indeed quiet. It seemed as though the Kilikan forces had ceased their frantic search for the monster, and Lukas knew they didn't have much time. Dawn was approaching, and Lukas decided that dawn would be the time for the army to launch their offensive against Ifrit. Suddenly, he stopped. "Do you guys hear something?"

Vidina and Miraya listened intently. "I don't hear anything, Lukas," Miraya replied.

Lukas shrugged. "It must have been my imagination." But I'm sure someone's following us. We'd better be a little more careful if we're going to survive.

Walking up the steps of the temple, Lukas looked up at the trees, where a faint glow of violet overshadowed the trees rustling in the wind, indicating the location of the temple. He looked at the other two, who had also noticed the eerie light. "Come on," he said.

Stepping up from the final steps, Lukas observed the scene before him, and immediately felt goosebumps on his skin. The torches around the entrance were lit, but instead of the warm fires that burned from them, cold black flames lapped menacingly at the air.

"I'm guessing he wasn't exactly expecting a nice, cozy visitor, ya?" Vidina joked.

Lukas also noticed that the door was shut. Pulling on the handle, he found out that it was locked. He tried kicking the door, but nothing happened. "It would seem that the door here is locked really well," he observed.

"Out of my way," Miraya commanded. She knelt down to examine the handle. "It's a pretty complex lock, with a various combination of tumblers."

"So does that mean we can't get in at all?" Vidina queried.

"I didn't say that." Reaching into her pocket, Miraya pulled out a small piece of metal that was shaped as if it had been bent by a forceful impact. Pushing it carefully into the lock, she maneuvered the metal in a way that neither Lukas and Vidina could quite comprehend. Seconds later, there was a click as the door opened.

"Whoa! That's amazing!" Vidina exclaimed. "How did you learn how to do that?"

Miraya looked at Vidina like he was crazy. "My mom's a treasure hunter, remember? We do stuff like this all the time! Anyway, Ifrit's waiting, and the Kilikan army is on it's way, so are we going to just stand here or are we gonna do something about it?" With that, she began walking through the entrance of the temple.

Lukas looked over at Vidina, then shrugged as the two followed.

Navigating the Cloister of Trials wasn't easy. Fire spewed from the walls in several places, nearly causing severe burns. After finally reaching the door outside the Cavern of the Fayth, Miraya stopped short. "Wait."

"What's wrong?" Lukas asked.

"We should take a little bit of time to heal up before we face Ifrit. The envirnment in the temple is a little unstable, don't you agree? Ifrit could be acting the same way."

"You don't call attacking the village 'unstable'?" Vidina pointed out.

Miraya rolled her eyes and handed each of them a potion. "Just drink this. It'll heal our burns and restore our health. We're gonna need it if fire is involved."

The potion had a sort of fruit-like taste as it went down, but it did what Miraya said it would. Everyone felt much better after drinking it. Lukas went up to the door. The glyph on the door was indeed warm to the touch, but inside, the Chamber was dark, and no sound was coming from inside. Lukas was apprehensive. "Did it already leave to attack the village again?"

"Look out!" Vidina cried, tackling his friend from out of nowhere and away from the door. An explosion was heard inside as a giant flame rushed out from the blackness. Regaining themselves, the two looked up at the door as the blackened beast saundered from the cavity of the Chamber. Glaring at the two, it let out a fearsome roar and jumped into the air, coming down with its claws extended. Lukas and Vidina barely had time to get out of the way as they grabbed their weapons and prepared for battle.

"Whoa!" Vidina breathed. "He's fast!"

The beast again jumped into the air, pushing itself off a wall and plummeting in Vidina's direction. The boy tried to escape, but was sideswiped by Ifrit's massive paw. Miraya tried to sneak up behind it, but the beast quickly turned around and blasted her backwards into the wall. Lukas tried to jump over Ifrit, but Ifrit saw it coming. He jumped upwards and slammed into Lukas, who fell to the floor, his sword clattering away across the floor. He looked up just in time to see the feral being again plummeting towards him, claws arched to draw first blood.

"Hey!"

Both Lukas and Ifrit stopped short as they looked towards the door. There stood Charity, facing the monster with a determined look on her face. "You're a real idiot, you know that? Ifrit's too fast for just you to defeat him!"

Ifrit wasted no time in charging towards her.

"Charity!" Lukas cried. "Look out!"

"STOP!" Charity cried as she threw out her hand at the monster. Ifrit howled as it strained its muscles to move, but to no avail. The spell held him tight.

"What are you doing here? You're going to get hurt!" Lukas exclaimed.

"Why do you think I was appointed to be your guide? I'm the daughter of a summoner who knows what you're up against! As for Ifrit's speed, that's why I've got this." Charity pulled from her pocket a glowing sphere that shimmered in the faint light.

"What is that?" Lukas asked. At that moment, Ifrit roared again as it began to move slowly.

"The spell's wearing off. Just watch!" Charity announced. "Change!"

Within seconds, her outfit began to change shape. A flowing blue fabric appeared around her legs, and her yellow vest changed to a color of deep blue. Light blue ruffles appeared around the neck of the vest, and a red shoelace bow appeared on Chairty's back. Jumping into the air, Charity grabbed onto a pole of light that appeared and changed into a microphone. Cowhide boots appeared on her legs and stopped their height just short of her knee. A mid-length black skirt girded her hips. Landing on the ground, Charity began to dance. Ifrit again let out a piercing angry howl as it moved, but not as fast as before. "And now," Charity began, "I begin my Slow Dance." She turned to Vidina, who had regained himself at the far side of the room. "Your Blizzard Blaster! Use it now!"

Vidina nodded. "Got it!" With that, he took his father's signature stance and wound back. The blitzball in his hands began to form a ball of ice, and when it was complete, he let the ball fly. Ifrit screamed as the ball exploded on impact in a flurry of ice and fell to the floor, weakened. Charity kneeled down to the aeon, stroking it's red fur before standing back. "I'm sorry, but for the sake of Spira, we have to do it."

"What do you mean?" Vidina asked.

Without responding, Charity once again resumed dancing. Ifrit moaned one last time, as if allowing the ritual to continue. Pyreflies filling the air, Ifrit sighed as its body burst to form the beautiful sparkling creatures. Moments later, the room grew darkened once again, and a somber silence lingered.

Miraya finally regained her stance as she pulled herself up from the floor. She looked around. "Is Ifrit gone?"

Vidina nodded. "Yeah. Charity performed the sending."

Suddenly, Altima appeared in the doorway to the Chamber. "It is a good thing that you have performed the sending."

"Altima..." Lukas began. "I saw the pain in Ifrit's face. Is this really the only way to unlock the seals in each temple?"

"I'm afraid so. However, Ifrit is again freed, and the stability of the temple was once again restored. However, Sin is growing stronger, and is heading towards the next seal. All of the temples have been bound in the power of darkness. For Sin to grow stronger, it feeds off of that darkness."

Charity nodded. "I get it. By sending each Dark Aeon, the seal once again is restored to light. Therefore, with no darkness to feed on, Sin's strength ceases to increase."

Altima nodded. "Correct. The next seal is at Djose, where the Aeon of Lightning, Ixion, awaits. Go, so that by opening the seals, we are able to stop Sin." With that, she disappeared.

"So," Vidina remarked. "We head to Djose, then?"

"Tomorrow morning," Chairty replied.

Lukas looked at her. "You're going?"

"Do you have anyone else who can perform the sending in as much of an awesome matter that I can?" Charity retorted without batting an eyelash.

"Touché," Lukas acknowledged.

"Anyway, let's stay at my house tonight. My father is wounded, and I would like to be sure that he is okay before I leave."

Lukas looked at Miraya and Vidina. "Is that okay with you guys?"

They nodded.

"To Dona's, then."