Chapter XIII

Escape from Guadosalam

I stared at the image of my father and didn't know what to say. I wanted him back with me again, holding me and soothing me like he had always done. Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he stay with me? I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. "You okay?" "I have to defeat Sin," was all I could say and faced Audax. He sighed and nodded. The words I had spoken so often, but they were true. I had no other choice but to defeat Sin and bring the Calm again. No one would have to die… except for me. My farewel sphere was a burden in my bag. Every step I took I could feel it burning in my side. Audax didn't know of it, and I would only tell him once I had summoned the final Aeon.

I said my father goodbye and left the Farplane, knowing I would return there soon.

"We'll leave tomorrow at noon," I told Audax that night, when we were getting ready to go to bed. "It's gonna be rough in the Thunder Plains so we better stock up enough Potions," Audax said and pulled out his shoes. "Don't worry, I can cast NulShock on both of us, we'll make it through," I comforted him and lied down in my bed. I was tired and my feet were still aching because of the journey. "Yevon, I'm so tired…" He sat down next to me on my bed and leaned against the wall. "After we're through the Thunder Plains, we have to cross Macalania Wood to get at the lake," he mapped out our route. "Are we gonna visit the temple at the same day or are we first going to spend the night there?" "We'll see how much time we've got left," I mumbled then yawned. "Can we talk about this tomorrow please? I really need to get some sleep…" "Sure."

Supportive as he was, Audax took out my shoes then tucked me in. "Sweet dreams," he mumbled and gave me a short kiss on my forehead. Once again I felt that little tingle in my stomach, a strange feeling I had whenever he touched me. I heard him crawling into bed as well. "G'night," I said, before he switched the light off and the room was consumed by darkness and moments later I was as well, by sleep.

"Jentl! Jentl, wake up!" I moaned as I felt two hands shaking me from one side to another. "Wha-?" I muttered then saw Audax' face. "Audax, come on, I wanna sleep…" He patted me on the cheek. "We have to leave." "Why? What time is it?" As I sat up I saw Audax quickly packing all his stuff and he turned to me. "Come on, pull on your shoes." With a sigh I did as he told me. Pyrefly was striding around the room, ibviously worried, stopping now and then to check the door. Something had made the poor thing very upset. "Audax, what's the rush?" He pulled me up. "There's things going on downstairs… Something about Lady Yuna, and about us." Finally I was awake. "What do you mean?" "Some idiot told the locals we were very close to her and that we supported her and blah-blah, and now they think we're against the Guado." I could not grasp everything he was saying, until I recalled what those teens had been talking about the previous day. About Yuna attacking Maester Seymour, and killing him.

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" I cried as I pulled on my cloak as well. He swung his bag over his shoulder. "Leave as fast as possible." I was afraid, since what happened to Audax, it was my first time be real afraid again. I wanted to leave this place as fast as possible. Audax guided me down the stairs, quietly, making sure no one could here me. It could not be much after sunrise, I even assumed it was still night. We sneaked through the corridor, downstairs where I could hear muttering in the lobby. I held my breath as Audax pushed me against the wall, and listened.

"They say she is staying here," a Guado mumbled. "Lots of travellers pass here, I am not very certain…" the inn-keeper spoke. I could feel my heart beating in my throat. Please leave, please just leave… "There is only one way to be certain that serpent rests here… We will search every room in this inn!" I suppressed a gasp and Audax held me tightly, pushed me fiercefully against the freakish wall. If we would lean to much into the stairway, we'd be spotted without any doubt. "I respect my guests. Some travellers came a long way and they need rest. If you are so determined to find this summoner, than do it tomorrow morning when my customers have left." Silence for a while, only my irregular breathing broke it. "Very well. We'll return when the sun rises." Footsteps were heard, a door opened and closed again. I sighed in relief.

I turned to Audax. "Everyone's looking for us. How are we supposed to get out?" Audax pondered for a while, keeping one eye on the door. Then a small smile spread on his face. "I guess we'll have to move fast." It took a while before I finally grasped what he was reffering to. I raised my staff. "Hastega." Our surrounding blurred and a soft buzzing was heard. "Move fast," I smiled. He took my hand and together we hurried towards the door, outside where I almost bumped into a Guado. Audax pulled me at my hand through the decelerated village. Although we were moving at incredible speed, that didn't mean we were unharmable. When I looked back I saw a couple of Guado chasing us in slow-motion, a pretty goofy sight, but we kept running. Towards the Thunder plains. Then suddenly I got struck down by lightening.

I collapsed onto the ground, shaking. After some time I came to realise both of us had been attacked by magic, casted by one of the Guado, who was clearly under the influence of a Haste spell. I heard Pyrefly barking loudly. Audax took me up from the ground. "This is gonna get tricky," he said. "Run towards the Thunder Plains, I'll meet you in the Inn in Macalania." "B-But Audax!" I objected, seeing how more Guado joined in. "RUN!" he commanded and gave me a push in the back. I nearly tripped, then broke into a run, Pyrefly following my steps. I did not want to leave him behind, but I had no choice. I could only cast white magic and it was very inconvenient to summon an Aeon in such an inclosed area. So instead I ran, down the path towards the Thunder Plains. Without looking back. When I saw the first lightening flash, I heard a scream far behind me, back in Guadosalam.

After casting Nulshock on myself and Pyrefly, I walked the Thunder Plains at a good pace. It had been hard to just keep on walking, but I knew that if Audax indeed was in trouble, there was little I could do anymore. Pyrefly yelped now and then, just as worried about him as I was, but we kept walking. In a matter of hours, and without being bothered by the lightening too much, we arrived at the Macalania Woods. I was amazed by its beauty. The trees had a certain mystical raidiance, glowing with a bright blue light. Pyrefly jumped up, fascinated by the butterflies fluttering between the trees.

It was a very beautiful place indeed, but also very easy for travellers to get lost. It was like a giant, living labyrinth and we had a dreadful time wandering of trail and walking around in circles. Edventually, we started to get colder, clearly indicating we were starting to reach the lake. I had often casted a look backwards, but no sign of Audax following us. This was the third time this journey my guardian and I were seperated and I was really starting to get sick and tired of it! Couldn't we for once remain at each other's side, damn it! A small white flake fell down on my nose and I looked up.

We had reached the end of the woods, and snow was now falling down on the white landscape. I had never seen snow with my own eyes before and it had something magical. Pyrefly sniffed in confusion at the thick snow covering the ground and I pulled my hood over my head. It was not really that comfy walking around in shorts and top through the ice-cold scenery, but it had to do. We reached the lake and the Inn after a couple if minutes and quickly fled inside. Pyrefly shook his fur dry while I checked in. I stayed there in the lobby, waiting for Audax. When I took a look outside the window I saw the snow had grown even thicker and the lake was hardly visible anymore. It was a true storm out there and I knew Audax wouldn't be able to make it here for the next hours.

Pyrefly yelped at my feet and I scratched him behin his ear. "Don't worry Pyrefly," I comforted the dog. "I'm sure Audax will arrive here when the snow has stopped." He laid his head against my leg and I sighed deeply. "I hope."

To make things worse, in the middle of the night the central heating broke down and the inn turned mighty cold. With every breath I took a small cloud emerged, then dissolved into the cold air. Downstairs, the Innkeeper had started a small fire in the stove, where the few guests had gathered to warm themselves. Pyrefly laid his head on my lap and I stroke him through his warm soft fur. It was still storming outside and it only took a couple of minutes before the innkeeper concluded we were snow-bound. With a sigh I stared outside the window, wishing Audax was alive and well in the travel agency in the Thunder Plains…