A Generation of Aeons
Chapter Sixty

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or X-2

Last Time:

Takoire shook his head. "Just leave it in the past where it belongs. The only thing that matters now is the future. For the longest time, I wouldn't let it go, but I have to. It needs to be done. Maybe it was my fault or maybe it wasn't that my brother is the way he is. But I can't think like that. Sareth's not my brother anymore. He stopped being my brother after I first left for lord marshal's training."

They heard a chuckle. "Oh come now, brother, that really hurt."

Coming into view from behind the mists of the Farplane, a young man adorned in a Bevelle military uniform came towards them with a wide grin on his face.

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"I dunno, Sareth," Takoire answered, "those seven months of torture hurt, too."

Sareth laughed again, standing less than five steps away from the group. "All right… maybe I deserved that." He nodded to Lenne. "I see you've brought me your summoner, brother, and I do appreciate the sacrifices."

"They're not sacrifices," the guardian replied calmly, "they're friends I've made, and the only reason Lenne's with me is because she's too stubborn to listen. I was planning to take you on alone."

His brother held out his hands. "It's not too late you know. If you hand over Lenne now, we could conquer Spira together as brothers and restore the Bevelle royal family. I promise not to hurt her. I could even give her to you as your bride. You could live your life with her. Wouldn't you like that, brother?"

Takoire glared. "Lenne's not yours to give. If she wants to help you, you can ask her yourself."

Sareth smiled, looking to the high summoner. "Lenne? Think about it. If you choose me, you could have the peaceful life you've always wanted, and I'll even let my brother live… but if you choose him, you'll only bring yourself destruction."

"If you were the last person in Spira, I still wouldn't choose you," she answered bitterly.

Takoire smiled, pulling out his sword. "Hm… sorry, bro, but I think she decided."

"Tsk, tsk, you're going to regret that," Sareth commented casually, "and what do you have to help you out of this jam? Two Crimson Knights and a book worm? Do you really think five people alone can stop me and my aeons?"

Lenne smiled. "Hmph. You'd think as the Bevelle lord marshal's son, he'd have learned to count."

"I know I did," Takoire added. "Lemme see. I count two high summoners, two Crimson Knights, two guardians including myself, and one mage/guardian. I think that comes to a grand total of eight people."

"Are you blind?" Sareth retorted.

Darka, or what appeared to be Darka, smiled boyishly; something the Crimson Knight of Besaid would never do. "Why is it so hard to believe, Sareth? You did send assassins after me…"

The once illegitimate ruler of Bevelle stared hard at the Crimson Knight before Kiron allowed his image to come through. The shape of his face overlapped Darka's, and his rakish blue hair shadowed Darka's blonde. "I understand," Sareth started, "you're that Zanarkand rat. You're possessing that one's body," he turned to Gaia's form, "hm, could that be you, dear Seru?"

Seru let her image come through as well. "I warned you that if you so much as touched Lenne and Takoire I would show you a world of pain. I'm here to make good on that."

"And I suppose it's Yunalesca's bitch over here," Sareth smirked, turning to Garren, Zaon's image coming out.

The seasoned warrior said nothing.

Sareth smiled devilishly, bringing out a long staff that he had carried on his back. It was a highly decorative metal rod that stood up to his shoulder before becoming a blade. Its base was a deep purple color and had writing and symbology engraved into with gold filaments creating what looked more like a work of art than a weapon. A long blade protruded up from the top.

Spinning the rod in his hand, Sareth bowed his head slightly towards them. "Let the games begin."

Sareth disappeared for a second time behind the innumerable waterfalls.

Everyone pulled out their weapons, holding them out in a tense defensive position.

"I think it's pretty safe to say that Sareth's going to summon all of his fayth aeons," Seru commented.

Takoire remarked sarcastically, "Really? Hey, Kiron, get to work!"

"I'm working on it!" Kiron yelled back. He stood with absolute stillness, Garren's sword held up by the palms of his hands, and his eyes shut in deep concentration.

Two bursts appeared from beneath the field of flowers without warning. The first shot straight above them before landing gracefully before them as if the feat had been nothing at all. Its sleek body emanated power in the form of a white tiger, and silver stripes ran down its face and body.

The second shot from a waterfall, a dragon of shining blue scales and piercing icy blue eyes. It came to fly just before them as if the air was nothing more than another ocean, bowing its head to them.

"Kiron…" Lenne found herself ogling at both Byakko and Seiryu, "as far as I knew, you weren't a manifest summoner. So how'd you manage to summon two aeons at the same time?"

"Combined with the Head Summoner Darka's powers of manifestation, as well as his own powers as a high summoner, he only called out to us for our essence; not our physical manifestations," Seiryu's voice ringed through their respective minds. "High Summoner Kiron only called to us, we brought ourselves to this place."

"Ha, ha, ha," they heard Byakko chuckle, "humans' pride never ceases to entertain me. They want to take credit for everything!" The tiger aeon looked to Lenne. "Now, Lenne, call forth Suzaku! Ha, ha, ha, ha! We have some work to do!"

Scoffing, Lenne looked to Kiron, Seru, and Zaon, all with curious looks on their faces, and lastly her guardian who only offered a shrug.

"Indeed," Seiryu started, his voiced tainted with disapproval at the other aeon, "you need only to concentrate on Suzaku's image, and he will come."

Heeding the aeon's words, Lenne closed her eyes, putting herself in a kind of trance. Within her mind's eye she clearly saw the picture of the aeon of Besaid; its brightly colored red wings and golden crown of feathers.

A gust of wind suddenly stirred within the Farplane; a cloud forming in the vicinity to both Byakko and Seiryu. As Suzaku opened his wings, the cloud dissipated, and the aeon bowed his head.

"I have come to aid you," the aeon stated and turned to Kiron. "You, summon Genbu's essence; channel it into yourself and your guardians. He will not hold back."

The mist just before them began to give way as a group of fayth aeons came towards them closer and closer. One flew ahead of the rest, a dark looming figure; a man on his shoulder.

They gripped their weapons tighter. "If you're going to summon something," Seru noted, "you should probably get around to it now."

Byakko began to run towards the oncoming threat with Seiryu and Suzaku just above. The tiger aeon turned his head back towards them, giving off a cat-like grin. "We'll hold them off for now, but we'll need your help sooner of later! Oh… and Lenne, summon that lazy Cheribum's essence already! He's opened himself up to you!"

Lenne's eyes widened immediately at Byakko's words and looked to her friends. They all seemed completely oblivious to what had just been said. Hadn't they heard him? Hadn't they heard what the Cheribum had done?

"Lenne!" Kiron called to her. "Are you gonna summon the shadows or the essence? Lenne!"

"Both!" She turned to him. "Kiron, summon both of them! With both you and Darka working together you should be able to manage it!"

"What? What are you gonna do!"

For the second time, Lenne began to focus herself, blocking herself off from all the distractions. Receiving no answer in reply, Kiron did the same, holding the Crimson Knight's sword in his hands. As Takoire, Zaon, and Seru ran out toward Sareth and his aeons, two circles of light engulfed the high summoners, and a strong gust almost seemed to come up from the symbols themselves.

Their eyes shot open at once.

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There was nothing around her, complete darkness.

"Hello?" Lenne's voice echoed across what seemed like an endless distance.

"Hello, Lenne," a voice answered.

Glancing behind, a form slowly came to stand out from the darkness. It appeared to be a young man, and as he came closer, his features became clearer. The young man had familiar jet-black hair and startling stormy gray eyes. He was dressed in what Lenne recognized to be the old uniform of a Bevelle high summoner prior to the war with Zanarkand.

"You're surprised by me," the young man remarked, his voice also remarkably familiar.

Lenne stepped back cautiously. "You look like-"

"-your guardian. Indeed. Or rather… you're guardian looks like me."

"Who are you?"

"You are the one of the few in time who have ever known my name, Lenne," the young man answered. "I am called Kokon."

She scoffed. "Kokon? That's impossible. Kokon is the name of the Cheribum, and you're-"

"-human?" the young man finished, raising an eyebrow. "Is it so hard for you to believe?"

"Yes."

Kokon nodded, a small smile on his face. "Let me tell you a story about something that happened to me a very long time ago. One that not even my own descendents are aware of."

Lenne's jaw dropped open. "Descendents?"

Kokon continued without notice. "The aeons did not always aid man. We watched quietly in the background, but I was curious. I persuaded the other aeons to make ourselves known to man and offer our aid. So it was done. But I was still curious by man. I watched man grow and become more and more complex, and even saw two families begin what became Zanarkand and Bevelle. I grew even more intrigued by the humans. Ten years after the man known as Bevle passed my test and officially founded Bevelle and himself as maester, I took on human form. I wished to experience what it was like to live as a human. For once, not knowing what was to come. I even allowed myself to change the events in history by taking on such a form. But I didn't care. I was curious.

"I became human as a normal man, as you see before you now. I was only able to keep a limited amount of knowledge in my human form and was constrained to the facts that occurred in my created lifespan of twenty-three years, that I was the Cheribum, of the other aeons, and how to return to my aeon state. I also wanted to experience all levels of society so I became a high summoner and settled in Bevelle. Then something unexpected happened," the Cheribum, or Kokon, was sounding more and more human with each word. Kokon the man had a gentler disposition than the aeon. He had a strong Bevelle accent and had the mannerisms that any common person from that time era would have. "I met a woman named Danae," Kokon's voice became nostalgic and almost wistful. "I fell in love with her." The way he spoke, Lenne would never have guessed that this Kokon was the mighty Cheribum, leader of the aeons. "In time, I married her, and we were happy. We had a daughter named Ayrie. After she was born, I did not wish to return to my aeon form. I wanted to live out the rest of my human life." He paused. "But just after Ayrie turned twenty-one, almost twenty five years after I had assumed human form, there was an accident. I sacrificed myself to save her and her mother." He stopped suddenly, as if pained by the memory. "When I died in my human form, I became the Cheribum again and was able to see what happened to my family. They lived peacefully, and I looked further and further into time and saw them even marry into the Bevelle royal family."

Lenne found her heart quicken. "Takoire…?"

"Yes," Kokon answered. "Takoire and Sareth are my descendents."

"But what about the prophecies and objects?" the high summoner persisted.

"The Bevelle line skewed because of my bloodline. I only gave them the metal and prophecies after I saw what would happen. If I hadn't given them, your guardian would have died long ago by his brother's hand. If not for the prophecies, he would never have run away, and you would never have existed. Therefore no one would ever have the chance to stop Sareth."

She froze. "That means if it wasn't for you… Sin would never have been created."

Kokon turned away shamefully. "Indeed. That is the reason why I do not believe in interfering. I changed one event in the course of time, and it ultimately cost the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocents. Your guardian and Sareth are the last of my true bloodline."

"True bloodline?"

"They are the last of my line to have the ability to trigger the objects. I gave the metal to the royal family because I knew that they could not be used until my bloodline crossed with theirs. Takoire and Sareth were those born to the legacies. But you are the one who will determine who shall inherit my full power of manipulating time. It is the true inheritance of my bloodline."

"Then I choose Takoire," Lenne answered immediately.

"It is not that simple," Kokon continued. "You and your guardian must discover the third object on your own, but I will give you my strength for a short time."

"Do you know-"

The man shook his head. "I cannot see past this conflict. This battle determines everything. Now go."

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Sareth launched himself from Bahamut's shoulder, Lenne was summoning and vulnerable. Now was his chance. Drawing his staff, he swung it over his head and let himself fall faster and faster towards High Summoner Lenne. He only needed to keep her alive long enough…

The force of a blade against his staff suddenly pushed him back on the ground. Takoire continued to push down, gritting his teeth. "You want Lenne? You gotta go through me!"

Sareth smiled deviously. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He pushed back on Takoire enough to roll away and stand up. He looked back to find Lenne gone.

"Hey," Takoire yelled to his brother, "if you're looking for her," he pointed to a distant point where the aeons, summoners, and guardians fought the fayth aeons vigorously, "she's over there."

"Fine, all the better. It just makes it that much fun with you out of the way when I get Lenne all to myself."

The guardian shook his head. "It's not going to happen." He blew his blade down against Sareth for a second time, giving his brother barely any time to bring up his own weapon in defense. Takoire attacked relentlessly, barely giving his counterpart time to get his own blade in. Years of bottled up anger, aggression, grief, and vengeance suddenly unleashed itself as Takoire attacked again and again. He was the one who had been trained to be his father's successor. He was the one who would have inherited the title of lord marshal of Bevelle. He was the elder son and true inheritor of the Guardian of Ages' prophecy…

He was the better fighter… and Sareth knew it.

Sareth wiped his mouth with his sleeve, now stained with blood. Drawing his staff back to his arm, he closed his eyes for only a second as the sky turned dark, and the Farplane itself seemed to quake in fear. Takoire had time only to glance back for a single moment to see a giant, dark entity being pulled from the depths of hell itself. Then Sareth saw it…

He found an opening in his brother's defense and brought down the blade on the tip of his staff. Takoire stepped aside, the blade of his brother running his black uniform through. In a sidestep back, he threw out his left sleeve and snapped it back at Sareth.

"Argh!" The dagger had sheathed itself in the once Bevelle ruler's shoulder. He groaned, pulling the metal out; the metal laced with dark red blood. He switched his staff to his left hand. "I'll see you die!" Sareth yelled, coming toward his brother for the last time. Takoire's right arm snapped back out and returned in front of him.

The second dagger buried itself in Sareth's heart.

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The Cheribum's essence flowed through every part of her body, giving her strength, speed, and agility she never thought were possible. It enhanced everything in her. She had channeled an aeon's essence before, but this was something else entirely. Time even felt like it had slowed down, and nothing had a boundary… but something told her she wouldn't be able to stay in such a state for long.

She had spotted her guardian and Sareth fighting, but the others needed her help. She ran as fast as she could. Kiron, Seru, and Zaon were surrounded, even with the natural aeons helping them. Suzaku attacked Valefor furiously in the air above the Farplane, outnumbered by two other fayth aeons unknown to Lenne. The tiger aeon Byakko slashed out at both the fayth aeons Ifrit and Yojimbo, while Shiva, Ixion, and Bahamut faced the three humans.

It hurt Lenne to watch the scene play out, the fayth aeons had not only once been her allies, but her parents, and her grandparents' too. How could she possibly try to intentionally hurt them?

But she had to.

As she ran towards them, almost within reach, she saw the ice maiden Shiva and two of the smaller aeons erupt into pyreflies, and then another of Sareth's aeons erupt within Suzaku's talons.

She watched Ixion rear up on its hind legs, aiming to fall on Garren/Zaon. Lenne ran underneath the lightening fayth aeon, drawing her sword, she swung it out at the aeon's knees, causing it to crumple over. As it landed on its side, the unicorn-like aeon burst into a thousand more pyreflies, giving the three, with Lenne, enough time to combat Bahamut.

Suzaku destroyed another of the lesser aeons as Seiryu summoned an icicle through one of the magus sisters.

They were winning the battle.

It was only a matter of time.

Channeling Genbu's essence, Kiron fed a portion to both his guardians, and Bahamut soon became encircled in a circle of bright light as Seru cast a holy against him.

Lenne looked into the aeon's eyes just before the spell was complete. It had guilt and longing in its eyes. It erupted into a swarm of pyreflies.

Suddenly, the brightness of the Farplane darkened, and a black circled formed among the endless field of flowers. A dark entity came above ground that looked as if it had been dragged from the deepest and darkest parts of hell itself. Rusty chains pinned it down, and only one eye was revealed.

"Cheribum… it's Anima…" Lenne heard herself say.

Kiron turned to her. "We can't handle this one alone!"

Lenne turned and watched her guardian running towards them, Sareth lying crumpled on the ground. She could feel herself losing the Cheribum's energy with each passing second. Focusing hard on the aeon Anima, she centered the last of the Cheribum's essence into bringing it down.

Anima erupted in a roar and a shower of light.

"I will have my way!" the high summoner heard Sareth yell.

She turned just as he threw a knife at her… but instead of finding a way into her, in the blink of an eye, Takoire stepped in front of her.

And the dagger found him instead.

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Author's Notes:

Final Revision