"Nooj!" Nooj turned around to face the voice, frowning. He, similarly to Wakka and Lulu, hadn't changed one bit. He still had his old hairstyle and his red suit (same mechanical leg…), but he had now thrown in an equally red cloak, and he had now a scar on his left cheek from the Vegnagun battle.
"Brother, Buddy. It would be foolish to ask why you are here. I am ready to leave."
"What about Paine?"
"Paine…Isn't here right now. She is in the forests of Kilika, meeting with someone. She will not return soon."
"But are you available?"
"I am."
"Great. Follow us, please." Tidus promptly turned around and marched away, with brother and buddy following behind in amusement. Shinra and Nooj, however, stayed at the back, conversing in low voices.
"Shinra."
"Yeah?"
"the boy acts as though this is our first meeting. I was there when he first resurfaced in Besaid, yet he still does not recognize me. Why is this?" Shinra motioned from the to slow down, then spoke.
"Tidus doesn't remember anything but the last thing he saw— Yuna and the other five guardians: Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Rikku, and Auron— and his very last memory. It took a lot of work just to get him to remember the basics…Yevon, the Youth League, and the Machina Faction, other stuff like that. It's best if you act the same towards him. I don't know what will happen if he senses that something is wrong, but I don't wanna find out." Nooj Nodded, and they continued on their way.
"Hey! Look! The airship! I took us back!" Said Tidus proudly, turning to them with a grin. "And I haven't even been here before! How great is THAT?" Nooj smiled kindly.
"That is quite a feat, Tidus. You'd make a good navigator." Tidus' grin widened, and he walked back whistling. Nooj quirked an eyebrow.
"Cheerful character, isn't he?" Brother laughed.
"Yes, he is. He is fun to be with. A very good man. Always looks on the brighter side."
"Brother's right, man. Whatever you say about Tidus, he's a great guy." Buddy agreed. A corner of Nooj's mouth turned upwards.
"True, the boy is quite up front. Strange, also, in an innocent, childish way." Buddy snorted.
"Him? Childish? Yeah, he is right now. But when he fights, he knocks 'em out like a madman. And the childish man did knock up the high summoner." Nooj made a face at the coarse language, but laughed nonetheless.
"I suppose so."
"Hey! You four! Hurry up! You're taking longer than I do to get up!"
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Air Auron…Why? Why does it seem like I've heard this name before? From a long time ago?
I looked up. Both Rai and Kimahri were looking at me with worried expressions. I blinked.
"What's wrong?" Rai shook his head.
"It is nothing. Come. We begin." Suddenly everything grew dark, and the cave room thing disappeared from view. I was about to squeeze my eyes shut, when I realised that a field had materialized before me.
"Walk." Said Rai.
"Walk where?"
"Wherever you want to." I looked left and right, then spotted a hill sloping upwards, somewhat far off. I started walking in that direction, and Rai and Kimahri followed.
"This place is called the Calm Lands. When you get out of Gagazet, this place will be the first one you set foot on. After that, there is Macalania woods, then Bevelle—" Kimahri shook his head for some strange reason, and Rai continued. "Actually, Bevelle isn't the best place right now. They are…quite busy over there. We will take an alternate route, however, which will lead us to the thunder plains— Ah…Kimahri, I wish to speak with you."
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(Note: This is still in the simulated calm lands, and Seymour is present, but it's in 3rd person now, and it's the conversation between Rai and Kimahri. Just so you don't get confused…I'm only using this bubbly looking thing when its with the same person—like Seymour or Yuna— but when it's a change of scenery.)
"Rai?"
"Both Guadosalam and Bevelle are quite risky to be taking him. What should we do."
"…Which would be less dangerous?" Rai thought for a minute.
"Well…if we take him to Guadosalam, there is a slim chance that they will not recognize him. Though you have concealed most of his features, some still remain. His character is still somewhat Guado."
"Bevelle is a dead end, though. There is no way out. But perhaps you can seek help from the praetor. He is a kind man. He will understand Kane's situation" Rai looked confused.
"Kane?"
"That will be his new name. Means warrior," Kimahri recited. "It will give him courage…hopefully." Rai nodded, then returned to Seymour.
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(Note: back to Seymour—I mean…Kane's point of view.)
I felt pretty left out right now. Didn't anyone tell those two that it was rude to talk about other, especially when they were there? It is rather tiring after about the ninth time (Yes. I was counting. You do that when you are bored). Finally, after what seemed like a while of childish whispering, Rai and Kimahri returned. I scowled.
"Are you quite finished with the incessant whispering?" Rai tapped his chin in mock thought.
"Perhaps." Kimahri laughed. By now I wanted to take his stupid staff and smack him over the head, like he used to do to me.
We had reached a sunlit area of the calm lands now, and I could see the place clearly. It was a lot larger than I thought. There were cliffs cutting the place off, going down to who knows where.
"Where do those cliffs lead to?" Rai shrugged.
"No one knows. And no one wants to know. No one wants to find out, for that matter, so what is down there is probably best left unsaid."
"What about that little alcove thing?" I pointed up to a small raised cliff over in a corner, next to the slope.
"That is the entrance to Remiem temple, where a summoner could once test his or her battle skills with the past summoner Belgemine. The magus sisters were also to be found at that temple." Rai turned to me. "I trust that you know of the Magus sisters?" I nodded.
"Unfortunately that entrance is blocked off. There was a small rockslide quite a while ago, and we haven't been able to get in since." Kimahri looked at the entrance wistfully, then turned away. This certainly gave me more to think about.
We were almost at the cliff when suddenly I felt a warm breeze. I blinked.
"Uh…Rai?"
"What?"
"Are Breezes in the calm lands usually warm?" Rai gave me a disbelieving look.
"What are you talking about?" I jerked my thumb backwards; Rai and Kimahri both turned around.
"Finally, a fiend. The program seems to be slightly outdated." Said Kimahri.
Fiend? Does he mean a foe?
We'll have to find out, I suppose.
"True," Rai agreed. "But it is still effective. Let us see how he will fare against this one." Rai looked over his shoulder at me.
"Kane, turn around." Remembering that this was my new name, I obeyed, and was faced with a most terrible sight.
They looked like great stone coloured serpents, with blazing red jewels on the ends of what one would call their faces. They had two writhing, twisting tentacles on either sides of their bodies, and every breath they exhales have in a rattling hiss.
"What the hell are those?"
"Anacondaurs," answered Rai simply. "This is part of your training. There are many creatures like these in Spira. Some will be useful and helpful. Others will kill you if they have the chance. These" he gestured towards the Anacondaurs "Are a member of the latter. Ten years ago, when someone died, a summoner sent them. If the summoner wasn't able to send them in time, they become fiends. The fiends are usually killed, and the souls are sent to rest. This is your training—" He pointed at the Anacondaurs. "Kill them."
"Summon your staff," Kimahri suggested. I did so. Then something hit me.
"Why aren't they attacking?"
"These aren't real fiends. They're a holographic projection made by the technology that was set up in the cave," Rai explained. "If these were real fiends, we would be having to bury each of your individual body parts." I winced, imagining a severed head and a hand of mine being thrown carelessly into a ditch and being covered up.
"Let us return to the battle. You are free to use your staff to hit the Anacondaurs. But you may only hit one at a time." I ran forwards with a yell, envisioning my glorious defeat, and the shocked expressions of their faces when the disgusting (holographic) creatures slumped dead to ground.
Instead of all that, my staff bounced off their scaly bodies with a deafening clang; the Anacondaurs twitched a little and hissed menacingly, but nothing else. Disappointed, I returned to my position.
"Did you know why that happened?" Kimahri's question surprised me.
"Because…I wasn't strong enough?" Kimahri nodded.
"You are still a beginner, and these fiends are very strong. For now, you are better of using magic?" Now I was getting confused.
"Magic? Like…The one you told me about before? The flying magic?" Rai shook his head. It really amazed me, the way they both functioned as one person.
"No. This is inner magic, but it of used for offense, not defense.
"There are many different spells— fire, blizzard, thunder, water, which advances onto fira and firaga, blizzara and blizzaga, thundera and thundaga, and watera and waterga. Then there are the other offensive spells— Bio, Death, Demi. Drain. Flare. Osmose, Ultima, darkness, silence, confusion, beserk, sleep, petrification, zombification, and death . These are all magic that can damage the enemy or inflict them with statuses that can aid you in battle."
"Then there are the white magics," continued Kimahri "Cure, Cura, Curaga, Auto-Life, Dispel, Esuna, Full-Life, Haste, Hastega, Holy, Life, NulBlaze, NulFrost, NulShock, NulTide Protect, Reflect, Regen, Scan, Shell, Slow, Slowga, Stop and Stopga. These will aid you, either healing you or raising your strength and defense against both physical and magical attacks; except for the slow and stop spells— they are used on the enemy. Their names already provides a description."
"What's haste?"
"It speeds you up and makes you faster."
"Can I try that?"
"It is as you wish," Rai replied. "Focus on speeding yourself up. All magic relies on and requires mental ability." I closed my eyes, blocking out all the noises around me— the fiends, the sounds of Rai and Kimahri shifting; everything.
Slowly, very slowly, an image started to form in my head. It was me, standing exactly where I was now, wielding the same black staff with the black gem. But the entire picture seemed to be moving on slow motion. I wanted it faster. I wanted me faster. The picture started to speed up, until I was moving at lightning speed; hitting, dodging, duck, casting, defending, even guarding—
Then I felt it. A slight twinge. Gradually that twinge transformed into a swirl of cool fresh breeze.
And just like that, it was gone. I opened my eyes to face a pleased Rai and a shocked Kimahri.
"Well Done, Kane. You have accomplished haste." The very word sparked my senses and made me feel stronger.
"So…This means that I have haste?"
"You had mastered all the spells in your past existence. This is why you are able to summon them with more ease than you think."
"So…I can use…all the spells?" A memory of me using the ice spell on the blob monster back in the caves appeared in my head.
"Go ahead and try, Fire works well on these creatures." I didn't close my eyes this time; I wanted it to hit the enemy. This time I conjured up a small flame, provoking it to grow and grow until it was a beacon of blazing fury. I pointed my staff at the Anocondaur.
"Firaga!" The beacon of blazing fury was unleashed in two great explosions of flame, beneath each fiend; they shrieked and writhed in agony before collapsing in a shuddering heap, then fading into what looked like lights with tails.
Silence.
Then—
"YESS! YESSS! I WON I WON I WON I WON I WON!" I turned to Kimahri and Rai, and my yells of triumph turned to roars of laughter. They were both standing there, jaws hanging open; Kimahri was pointing in shock, and Rai had his arms haning limply by his sides.
"What? Didn't think I could do it?"
"No….We knew you could…but we didn't think you'd advance it!" I was confused again.
"What? Advanced it? That was firaga, wasn't it?" Rai shook his head.
"That was something different. Not only was it hour and a half times as strong, it was used on multiple enemies! This is outstanding!" Kimahri exclaimed.
"What should we name it?"
"Inferno." Rai's voice held some pride. "And I expect we need naes for the others, too— tempest, avalanche, and torrent."
"I like that." Kimahri smiled. He actually smiled. Then he turned to me.
"It may well seem that you don't need training. That…Inferno…as well as your flight magic seemed to trigger your inner magic to awaken. However, it may still be unstable, so I will come with the both of you until I feel that it is safe." I nodded.
"Okay. I feel a really, really tired…"
"Heal yourself."
"Um…This might be a little harder…"
"What you should do, instead of summoning a picture of you hurting the enemy, is to create a picture of you at full health, or strong at least."
"Alright, I'll try that." I concentrated on the picture of me at the Rhonso spa, and almost instantly I felt a warm, comfortable sensation wash over me. It was like stepping into a hot bath, combined the motherly touch of fingers.
"That feels good."
"It does, but refrain from using too often, or for personal enjoyment." I wrinkled my nose in disgust.
"I didn't need to know that!"
"Oh…no, no. I meant for a massage."
"Oh. Okay. That's a relief."
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Somehow I felt slightly disappointed when the "Calm Lands" faded and the cave arena thing reappeared. Rai seemed to sense my disappointment.
"Don't worry, Seymour. You'll get to battle Real fiends in the outside world. And even better, they drop some pretty interesting items, and Gil too."
"Gil? Like the gill from a fish? How am I supposed to use that? Is it something to cook?"
"Not exactly. It is spira currency."
"Oh. I knew that."
"Of course you did," said Kimahri patronizingly.
"Um…I apologise for interrupting, but I will need some time to gather my items before we leave."
"Of course." And with that, Rai disappeared.
"Hey, Kimahri?"
"Yes?"
"Who is Rai?" Kimahri paused, apparently thinking, before speaking.
"Rai…is the son of Auron. Sir Auron. You remember I told you about the high summoner Braska?"
"Yes. Was sir Auron one of his guardians?"
"Yes. But…Sir Auron…was one of the people who aided in your death, and ultimate demise."
"I see. Well…forgive and forget, really. I was, after all, trying to take over Spira."
"Thank you. I did not think you would take the news well."
"Well I did. So…How old is Rai?"
"He is your age."
"Then how old am I?"
"28."
"Oh. Wow. Okay. I'm young."
"You are, and you have your whole life ahead of you. Try not to…"
"Screw it up?"
"Yes. Oh, and before we leave, I have something to give you."
"What is it?"
"Well…Your current staff is…not quite capable of wielding the power you hold."
"Really?"
"Yes. Summon up your staff." I did so, and I was met with a shocking sight.
My staff was completely charred from top to bottom, and almost all of the gem was missing.
"This is what I am talking about. Also, remember that you felt immensely tired after your battle. So…I am giving you this." Kimahri closed his eyes, and a black cloud appeared around his hand, taking shape, until it formed a staff.
It was almost as tall as me, square shaped, and even blacker than my first staff. It was covered in thorns, and the top ended in a mass of complicated spirals on all four corners, forming the shapes of demon wings which all curved up to meet at the tip. Inside the wings stood a blood red stone, in the shape of a perfect sphere, with a small line of black in the middle, giving the appearance of a red eye. I gazed at it in wonder.
"I call it 'kiss of death.'"
"Its wonderful. Thank you, Kimahri."
"No. Thank you, for adding some colour in my life." At that moment, Rai reappeared.
" I am ready to leave." He looked at my staff.
"Nice staff." Then he gave a small, powdery blue, glowing sphere to Kimahri.
"there's no need to come. I know what to do if things go bad. But call us when you can."
"Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Positive."
"Alright. But I am still escorting you to the Entrance."
"Very well." He looked at me. "Are you ready?" I nodded.
"Ready and willing."