Chapter X
Home
When I woke up, I felt the sun burning on my skin and my throat was dry. I coughed a little and scratched the sand of my tongue. Looking around I was first blinded by the light, and after my eyes focused, I saw nothing but sand. I knew where I was. Sanubia Desert. The machina was still on its way and as I looked down I saw the Al Bhed drinking water from a bottle. God, was I thirsty... I felt painful bruises on the places the iron claw was holding me. Exhausted by the pain and thirst I blacked out.
I woke up with water flewing down my throat. I coughed and sat up straight gasping for breath. At first I thought I had fallen into the water and was drowning, then I saw a man with goggles holding a bottle of water. He had almost drowned me! "Lady Summoner, you alright?" I looked around. The room was dark and cool, and the air was moisty. I coughed and snapped the bottle out of his hands and drinking with big gulps. "Cra'c ymnekrd," he said and I saw another man behind him. He was older, I guessed fourty, and was also wearing goggles.
After I had drunk all of the water I tried to stand up but fell down again. "Lady Summoner, lay down. You are not in good shape." "Thanks to you!" I said hoarse and coughed again. "What's the big idea? First you kidnap me and then you're all worried!" "Our thoughts exactly, Lady Summoner. We are worried." The man who had been crouching in front of me threw another bottle of water in my lap, then stood up and left. The older man sat down next to me. "My name is Cid, don't worry, you have nothing to fear of us." I opened the second bottle and started drinking.
"You are now in the home of the Al Bhed. You are safe here, we'll take care of you." "What am I safe from?" I asked. "You just seperated me from my guardian, he's probably worrying sick about me!" Cid smiled and nodded. "We are keeping you safe from the Final Summoning." I could smack myself in the head. Great! Another Audax! Just great!
"So you're the ones who are behind the disappearing of the summoners." I rubbed my eyes and realised my entire face was covered in sand. I quickly whiped it off. "So, how long are you guys planning on keeping me here?" "As long as necessairy." "As long as necessairy?" "Until you finally give up on your pilgrimage." I shook my head and gave him a sardonic look. "You can wait for a long long time, my friend." He grumbled quietly and stood up. "I hope you enjoy your staying, Lady Summoner. Don't worry, you won't be alone very long." After he left the room I kicked the bottle and screamed. "You can't keep me here! Let me out!" I tried the door but it was locked. I kicked that as well.
Cid was right. Nearly an hour later another summoner was thrown in. I knew her. That brown skin and long black hair. "Hiya Dona," I mumbled. She was apparently shocked to see another summoner in there. "Oh it's you," she said as if she had known me for ages. But back at Kilika, everytime I tried to talk to her, she had ignored me. I was out of her league. "Jentl," I said. "I'm a summoner, just as yourself." "So, those whits of the Kilika Beasts were actually telling the truth," she said surprised. I grinned slightly amused. "We're the same now." She grinned back at me. "You'd wish."
The grin slid from my face and I stared at the floor taking another sip. The door opened again and two Al Bhed enterred, carrying diner plates. "Ouin tehan." They handed it over and left again. Dona stared at it with a face of disgust but I just started eating. After all, I hadn't been eating all day long. Dona dropped the plate onto the ground and paced up and down the room. After finishing my diner I was still hungry. I peeked at Dona's plate. "You not gonna eat that?" "No." I put it on my lap. "You sure?" "Knock yourself out."
After also finishing hers I was finally full. "So how long are they keeping us here?" Dona demanded as I threw the plate on top of the other. "Until we decide to give up on our pilgrimage and go home." Her eyes widened. "That's all?" I eyed her, one eyebrow raised. "Huh?" She looked at her nails. "I was already planning to stop. It was becoming too hard. After I get out of here I'm going back to Kilika." I felt hate. Hate for Dona. How selfish... It was hard for me as well, I had almost lost my guardian, I had seen hundreds of people finding their deaths, but did I give up? No, I found strength in these expiriences and determination. I would not quit. I would made it to Zanarkand, summon the Final Aeon and bring back the Calm.
Of course, it would BE much easier if I just turned and went home, just like Dona. Sometimes I thought of it, after I had discussed it with Audax once more. But I could not quit. If I gave up now, and they would come up with another foolish Operation Mi'ihen, Sin would kill them again. And hundreds of people would die - again. That's why I could not quit. That's why I had to go on no matter how many times I would get kidnapped. It was, as I told myself every day, the only way.
But then again, how would I get out? I'm sure they wouldn't thrust me at my word. I was deeply in thought when the door opened again and another summoner was lead inside, accompanied by Cid. "Don't worry, this is for your own good," he whispered and went out again. Yuna stroke her silky brown hair from her face and looked at both me and Dona. Then she smiled. "How are you, Dona?" "Not too well," she muttered. Yuna smiled sadly, then looked at me. I stood up and prayed, and so did she.
"This is the second time we meet, and I still don't know your name," she said with her soft gentle voice. "My name is Jentl, I am from Kilika Port," I introduced myself. She smiled. "So you are Summoner Jentl. I heard many things about you." "Good things I hope," I smiled shily. She laughed shortly. "They say you are the youngest summoner alive. Is that true?" "According to the priest from Kilika, I guess I am," I mumbled blushing. "After your dance Lady Yuna, I could not hold myself back. I had to begin my pilgrimage." "How are you doing so far?" she asked and then realised something. "How is your guardian?" "He's fine," I smiled. "We were just headed for the Moonflow when this machina turned up and brought me here." "I was seperated from my guardians as well," she whispered. "Apparently they don't want us to die. The Al Bhed, of course."
"But still I have to find a way out," I said and grabbed my staf. "Maybe if I summon an aeon he'll be able to get us out." She held my wrist. "We mustn't. These people mean good. I don't want any violence." I lowered my hand. "You are very determined, aren't you?" Yuna smiled. "Sin killed so many people, back at Kilika Port, my younger brother and father, and the Operation Mi'ihen. I want to stop him before he wounds Spira even more." "I understand your grief, but we must wait. Have patience, Jentl." "I can't!" I madly kicked against my diner plate. "Forgive me, Lady Yuna. But leave me for a moment, I need to think..." I sat down in a corner, closed my eyes. Somehow... I had to get of here. Come on, this place had to have some weakness. Three summoners, one space. Food every morning, midday, eve. Think. Some weakness...
I had no idea what time it was. Was it night? Morning? Eve? I did not know. I was tired, drained, and was starting too feel ill. First I though I was just imagining it, after all I had gone through. But the illness turned worse and Ibegan to have the feeling my diner would come out again if Iwasn't careful. Was it because of the diner? "I think I'm sick..." I told them after I couldn't sit up straight anymore. Dona rolled her eyes, not to my surprise. Lady Yuna told me I had fever, and called the guards.
By the time they arrived I could barely stand on my feet. I was lying on the ground, the shoulderbag underneath my head. Although sweat was dripping off my forehead, I was shivering. Two Al Bhed took me from the ground and carried me outside on a stretcher. I was delirious. I could hear voices all the time, my mum calling me for diner, screaming voices, Audax, Pyrefly barking. Suddenly I was laid onto a bed. It was as if I had dreamed the fact they had been carrying me around.
"Sin... Must stop..." I mumbled and felt a cold hand pressing on my forehead. "Blizzard..." "Cra ryc mudc uv vajan." The male voice echoed through my head. "Keja ran cusa fydan." Someone lifted me up at the back of my head and poured cool water down my throat. With lots of effort I swallowed. "Oui drehg cra'c paah buecuhat?" "Hu, cra'c zicd celg. Ymm fa lyh tu vun ran ec mad ran nacd. Cra'mm ryja du raym po rancamv." He turned to me. "You'll have to rest, Lady Summoner. We will put you to sleep." "Sleep..." I mumbled and pictured some Coyotes and Chimera's near me. "Sleep..." He laid his hand over my eyes and a couple of seconds later I dozed off.
"Jentl! Wake up!" "No, run! RUN!" "AARGH!"
I shot up straight, sweat rolling down my face and me gasping for breath. My top was sticking to my chest and my entire body was redhot. For no reason at all I started crying. Something had happened in that dream, something, awful. I jumped off the table and paced around the room, trying my very best to remember what the dream had been about. All I could recall was Audax' voice telling me to wake up. I almost got a heartattack because of the loud alarm going off all of the sudden.
"Ehdnitun ymand! Ehdnitun ymand! Ajanouha du draen cdydeuhc!" sounded through the Al Bheds home. Outside the room were screams and shouts and heavy quick footsteps. I rubbed my temples gently to ease the pain. It didn't work though, there was too much noise. Looking round I saw my staf leaning against the wall. I grabbed it and started searching for a way out. Banging the doors a couple of times I came too realise they were locked. Jammed shut.
"Hello? Can anybode hear me?" I called out for the Al Bhed. "Yhoputo?" Sighing irritated and tired I gave up shouting and sat down onto the bench. Silently I stroked the brown flower on my upper arm and hoped I would get out quickly, back to Audax. "E ryda ajano cehkma uha uv oui, zicd vun oui du ghuf dryd!" I yelled hoping they would hear. But if they hadn't heard my calls before they certainly wouldn't now.
"Hey! I think there is an Al Bhed in here!" I heard a dimmed voice shouting from behind the door at his companions. I jumped up and wondered. Could it be? The doors opened and I nodded. Indeed, it were Guado. I had heard from the man's accent. Two Guado enterred the room and observed me. "She does not look like an Al Bhed?" "We cannot afford any mistakes. Eliminate her." Hell with it! Raising my staf into the air they stunned and quickly yet elegant I summoned my newest Aeon, Bolt. Out of thin air, the mighty horse-like Aeon jumped past the two amazed Guado, carrying me on his back. We hastly galloped through the corriders, crushing the Guado and Al Bhed who crossed our path. We stopped briskly as I hearda young woman's scream resounding through the halls.
"Let me go!" Lady Yuna. I hessitated. Would I go help her? This would mean my only way out of here and yet... Lady Yuna had been of great help, emotionally. I tapped Bolt on his shoulder and we turned into the hall from which I thought I had heard the scream coming.