Stella looked up at the white moon as it lit the path in front of her. Her argument with Marcus earlier that day only made her resolve to start her pilgrimage stronger. Spotting the ship bound for Besaid, she boarded it and settled in a room below deck. This was her story and she was going to decide what direction it was going to take.
Stella arrived in Besaid a few days after her argument with her uncle. "He is wrong about this." She thought, trying hard to confirm her decision to do this. She marched toward the temple where a Monk was guarding the entrance. "You're kind aren't welcome here." He said blocking the door.
"My kind? You dare impede a summoner's pilgrimage?"
"You, a summoner? That is blasphemy. Now get out of here!"
"I follow the Teachings of Yevon just as everyone else in Spira. I have the right to pray in this temple. I don't care what happens to me I just want to help the people." She said lowering her head.
The Monk's stern expression soften, "Very well and may Yevon be with you." he said performing the prayer.
Stella's expression quickly changed to one of joy, "Really?"
"Really. Go on." He moved aside, clearing the way for Stella to enter.
"Thank you." she smiled and performed the prayer.
She walked into the temple and the whispers began.
"What's an Al Bhed doing here?"
"She will bring Yevon's displeasure for sure."
Stella shook her head and walked up to the Cloister of Trials. "You can't go in. Summoners and Guardians only." A villager shouted angrily.
"But I-I am a summoner."
"Liar! Yevon would never allow your kind to become a summoner."
"I only want to help."
"We don't need your help!"
"Stop it now! Would you bring Yevon's wrath by stopping a summoner from completing her duty?" The Monk from before said entering the temple.
"But sir, she's an Al Bhed, a heathen."
"And she is still a summoner, a gift from Yevon. Al Bhed or not."
"How can you tell?"
"Her eyes, they burn with resolve. The fire and determination of a summoner is in her eyes. Now let her pass."
"Thank you again." Stella said smiling. The monk nodded and she entered the cloisters.
Several hours later, Stella emerged from the cloisters and was met by the monk.
"So my Lady Summoner…"
"I am a fully fledged summoner." She smiled weakly.
"My Lady I can't help but notice that you do not have a guardian."
"I don't need one. I'll be fine."
"But I must object my lady. How will you protect yourself?"
"My Aeons."
The commotion outside disrupted their conversation. They ran outside to see a crowd had gathered around a young man that appeared to be a few years older than Stella.
"Heathen!" a villager shouted at the boy.
"Get out of our village before you bring Yevon's displeasure." Another yelled.
The man stumbled toward the village's exit as the villagers chased him away. "I didn't want your help anyway!" he yelled turning and walking away.
"Thank you so much for your kindness. But I have to go now." Stella said quickly to the monk. She ran to catch up with the young man, "Hey! Wait!" She touched his arm and he whirled around. His dark eyes burned with anger and his black hair was matted to his head. "Oh you came to yell at me too?" he asked burying his hands into his pockets.
"No. I know how it feels for people to yell at you. You're not from around here are you?"
"Finally someone has noticed. No I'm not. I'm Garet by the way."
"Stella. If you're not from around Besaid, then where are you from?"
"Zanarkand."
Stella stopped walking and gave Garet a confused look, "No wonder the villagers yelled at you. You're running around telling people you're from the sacred ruins. Don't do that anymore!"
"Sacred…Ruins? Are you sure we're talking about the same Zanarkand?"
"There was only one Zanarkand in Spira. And Sin destroyed it almost one thousand years ago."
It was Garet's turn to stop walking, "Sin?" Sin was that thing that brought him to Spira wasn't it?
"Yes Sin. Don't you tell me you don't anything about Sin?"
Garet shook his head.
"Did Sin's toxins get to you? That can make you say loopy things."
"No I don't think so. Tell me more about Sin."
"A long time ago there was a war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Zanarkand was losing. Legend has it that when Soldiers from Bevelle climbed Mt. Gagazet, all they saw was rubble of a once great city."
Garet shook his head again, "This can't be my Zanarkand. My Zanarkand has life and people and blitzball. It's not ruins."
Stella smiled as a wonderful idea blossomed in her mind, "Come with me. I am on my way to Zanarkand and I need a guardian."
"What's a guardian?"
"I need someone to protect me on my pilgrimage."
"Pilgrimage?"
Stella sighed and began her explanation.
"Mika!" Marcus yelled as he entered the temple in Bevelle. Several Warrior Monks emerged and pointed their weapons until they realized who he was. "Oh Captain Marcus."
"Where's Mika?" Marcus demanded.
"Here I am, Marcus." Mika walked into the room and greeted Marcus.
"I need a favor."
"All you have to do is ask."
"Stella. I need your help. I want you to stop her."
"Stop her from doing what?"
"Don't play games with me Mika. You know Stella's a summoner."
"Why do you want to stop your half-niece?"
"How did you know Stella was my half-niece?"
"Your Al Bhed mother was a summoner was she not?"
"Yes but what she does have to do with anything?"
"She quit her pilgrimage when she discovered she was pregnant with your stepsister, right?"
"Yes…How do you know all of this?"
"You're uncle."
"My uncle told you my mother married after my father died. I can honestly say that my dad's family wasn't too happy when they found out he had married an Al Bhed. And when he died she married my stepfather, an Al Bhed." He shook his head, "But this has nothing to do with Stella. I want her pilgrimage stopped."
"Why would you want to bring Yevon's disapproval on your family? Summoners are Spira's only hope."
Marcus sighed in anger. There was no use Mika wasn't going to be any help. He was going to have to stop Stella himself.
