Braska's translation notes: The last section of the book is badly damaged, as if it had sat open to the weather. Only the last few pages are intact, and they are only partially filled with writing. At least this writer seems to have understood the language of Zanarkand and there are fewer grammatical mistakes.
I found this journal hidden in a small niche behind a certain carving in the fayth chamber. I don't know what to believe of its contents, but the deceit and betrayal it speaks of sickens my heart. I can only wonder why these things were done, why Yevon allowed them to happen. Yevon must have deserted those people or maybe they deserted him?
Summoners exist again. Once it was determined the machina – machines – couldn't destroy Sin, the Church of Yevon decided the people needed at least the hope of defeating Sin, so they created the custom of the Journey. Each Summoner makes a Journey, or pilgrimage, across Spira to visit each Temple of the Fayth, visible proof that the church is trying to defeat Sin. I think it's to focus the people's attention on the Summoners, and not on what the Church is doing elsewhere. It has also had the effect of reinforcing the tradition of repentance and brought the Church more power. It remains to be seen if the summoners can succeed; the fayth have changed over the years - past teachings said that the fayth fought alongside their summoners as full, conscious partners, but it seems this is no longer true. It is as if they sleep now and assist us unknowingly, as if in a dream; no summoner has actually spoken with a fayth for several generations.
A summoner has defeated Sin for the first time, and we have hopes it is gone for good. It cost us the life of the strongest summoner in fifty years however, and we have no-one to replace him. The hymn of the fayth is sung continuously in all the temples now, since it seems to keep the fayth from fading. Two of the fayth had already gone before we discovered this; gone forever, in temples which did not allow the hymn - one was in the main temple in Zanarkand, the fayth of Lord Zaon. We no longer know how the fayth were created, so we have lost something irreplaceable.
Note: Several page gap between these two sections of the journal – the ink is badly damaged by water so I am not sure of the exact translation.
…seen off the coast of Bevelle - Sin has returned, barely ten years after it was defeated. Summoning does not appear to be the answer either. I have decided to leave a more tangible legacy than past authors of this journal, a clue to this information from our past, carved into stone. It will have to be a riddle; else the others will destroy it. Maybe someone yet to come can decipher it and have the strength to finally right the wrongs we have done.
We know what we are, for we have committed atrocities in the name of Yevon - but know not what we may be, if we are redeemed by faith and righteous action.
We hold our fayth as a shield, so they may protect us, and as a weapon, so we may protect Spira.
Sin stands before us, and our past actions have damned us from the Farplane.
But all eyes are closed in dreaming - the fayth sleep and we deny our past - open them, that we may know Sins true form and atone.
"Are you sure you're not peeking?" Braska guided Leyona slowly down the kitchen stairs, his hands on her shoulders, laughing as she tried to peek under the scarf covering her eyes. "No, don't touch it! You can't see yet, you have to wait!"
Leyona laughed as Braska tickled her to get her hands away from the scarf, and finally she quit trying to peek and allowed him to steer her down one of the garden pathways towards the center of the courtyard behind the mansion.
"Why are you taking me out here Braska? I have things I need to do inside!" Leyona protested laughingly, "I am supposed to be helping with the painting!" They had started repainting the red sitting room, getting it ready to become Leyona's office.
"Shush! Just bear with me for a minute…you'll like it, I promise." Braska stopped Leyona with gentle pressure on her shoulders and turned her slightly to the left. "Ok, now you can take off the blindfold…"
"Oh, Braska!" Leyona gasped as she pulled off the scarf covering her eyes and saw the fountain in front of her. Once dirt filed and dry, its stone border broken and stained, now it was clean and filled with sparkling water. In the center was a white marble statue of a delicately featured maiden holding a small jug, water cascaded from the jug and rippled into the now clear pool at her feet. Several small, brightly colored fish swam slowly under the leaves of a blooming water flower. The paving around the fountain had been cleaned and reset smoothly and newly planted aromatic herbs peeked up from between the stones. Leyona looked around the courtyard and noticed the newly cleaned flower beds, neatly trimmed hedges, and reset stones on the paths leading to the far corners. All the dead undergrowth had been cleared, and the once neglected flower beds were ready for planting.
"I thought you might like to plant some flowers? I know you mentioned you like flowers, and now you can plant whatever you like." Braska grinned as she sat on the low wall surrounding the fountain to dip her fingers into the cool water. A red and black fish rose to nibble on her finger and she giggled when it wiggled away as she tried to touch its side.
"When did you get this fixed? I mean, you've been so busy helping me inside …when did you have time for this?" Leyona smiled up at her husband, and reached for his hand, squeezing it in thanks.
"Roggis found a gardener to help for a few weeks, just until we get the flowers growing the way you want. He has been working for a couple days to get all the dead bushes out, and he finished the fountain last night." Braska grinned at Leyona and leaned over, pulling a small bag out of his pocket. "Here, the fish look hungry. Give them just a pinch of this." He handed Leyona the fish food and watched as she sprinkled a small amount onto the water, giggling as the fish darted over to gulp the bits of food.
"Thank you Braska, this is a wonderful gift!" Leyona looked around the courtyard, her eyes going soft as she imagined the barren flower beds full of blooms and butterfly's hovering over the colorful blossoms. "Pink flowers I think and white…maybe yellow?" she looked up at Braska and smiled as she thought of all the possibilities.
"I think anything you plant will be beautiful, as beautiful you are Leyona," Braska said softly, bending over to kiss her gently.
It had been a long summer's work, but finally the garden was finished. It wouldn't bloom until the spring, but the new bushes were planted, along with a number of blooming trees, and hundreds of bulbs. Spring would be glorious, and Leyona smiled slightly as she took a last look out the second floor window at the garden she'd worked so hard on. Yes, Spring was going to be wonderful.
"Leyona, are you ready yet?" Braska called up the stairs impatiently. They were supposed to have been at the dock an hour ago, but Leyona kept finding last minute things to pack. "Hurry up, please? The ship will leave without us if we don't leave NOW!" He heard muffled thumps and several swear words in Al Bhed, then Leyona finally appeared at the top of the stairs, dragging yet another trunk to add to the pile already loaded on the trolley.
"I'm ready now! Sorry, but I couldn't find my hair brush!" Leyona stepped back as Braska reached the top of the stairs and picked up the trunk. "Be careful with that one please? I put extra packing in it, but some of the gifts I bought are delicate."
Braska sighed, according to Leyona fully half of the mountain of baggage was delicate, and she'd insisted it had to stay in the cabin. It would be a wonder if they had room to move once they got to the ship. At least the majority of it was gifts for her friends and family, and would be transferred to a ship heading for the Al Bhed salvage barges once they reached Luca. Cid was still not talking to his sister, but her uncle Aja had softened recently, his attitude softening enough for him to actually add a short note to a letter his sister had written. Leyona had decided to send a number of things she knew the Al Bhed on the barges would enjoy, now that winter was approaching. The gifts were going onto one of the last supply ships heading out before the winter storms made travel impossible, and the Al Bhed returned to their settlement on Bikanel Island to wait for spring. He was hoping this was the last trunk…any more and they would need another trolley. He'd never realized how complicated traveling with a woman could be.
"Roggis? Take care of everyone please?" Leyona patted his arm as she stopped on the top step to wait for Braska to exit the house. The elderly man nodded as he held the heavy front door open for Braska to maneuver the last trunk outside. "We should be back within a couple months, and you can reach us through the Luca office if anything comes up before we get back. Braska will be meeting with all the Captains for the Southern routes, so he won't be hard to find." Leyona smiled as she watched Braska secure the last trunk, then leaned over and kissed Roggis on one wrinkled cheek, making him blush profusely. "Make sure you eat and get enough rest, and keep up on all the gossip for me," she whispered, giving him a light hug goodbye. He nodded mutely, embarrassed and pleased at the same time. She had won him over within the first week and he didn't care what anyone else said - he liked the new mistress, Al Bhed or not!
"Are we ready now?" Braska winced when he realized he was whining like a little child and finished tying down the trunk. It was a good thing Auron wasn't here to see this – he'd be laughing about this, a lot, and Braska would never live it down. Auron had been distant lately, not wanting to cause trouble for them with the Temple leadership, and Braska realized he really missed him. He'd been working his Bo kata every morning in the partially repaired ballroom, but it just wasn't the same…he missed sparring with his best friend.
"I forgot how wonderful the sea looked at sunset," Braska murmured, his arms around Leyona as they leaned against the top railing of the ship to watch the sun sinking into the ocean. They were bound for Luca finally, and it felt nice to be away from the city. "Are you sure you feel alright now?" Leyona had been sick that morning, but had blamed it on the rough sea, and she seemed fine now. He still worried though; she hadn't been eating well lately, and seemed tired.
"Do you think you'll have trouble getting the Captains to agree to the changes you want to make in the shipping procedures?" Leyona asked quickly, trying to change the subject. "It's going to cause some problems with the suppliers, but I know it will really pay off once everyone implements the new warehouse procedures. You'll be able to close down a couple of the oldest ones, instead of repairing them."
"I know its going to be hard for some of them to accept, but we can't continue doing business the way my father did, not if we want to show a profit. We lost too many contracts the last few years, after my father got so sick." Braska sighed and hugged Leyona closer as the wind picked up and got cooler. Winter wasn't that far away, and this was probably the last opportunity to go to Luca until spring. He needed to do a complete inspection of all the shipping facilities, and convince several suppliers to extend their contracts. He'd been able to win contracts with the Crusaders to ship food and other supplies, but he was hoping to speak with the Crusader Commander in Luca about the building materials they would require if they intended to build the cannon emplacement on the cliffs along Mushroom Rock Road. The Crusaders had indicated that a representative would be willing to meet him to discuss their needs.
"Auron!" Braska grinned and jumped to his feet as the monk entered the main dining room of the small inn Braska and Leyona were staying at. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Bevelle?" he grabbed his friend's shoulder and clasped his arm, pleased at Auron's presence. Auron grinned as well and slapped Braska on the back, then pulled another chair over to the table where Braska and Leyona had been waiting for their breakfast to be served. "Leyona just left to visit the bathroom, she'll be right back. I know she'll be excited to see you." Braska waved a hand at the waitress, and motioned for her to bring more tea and another cup for Auron. "So, what brings you down here to Luca?"
"Well, it's the old good news – bad news bit," Auron said, taking the cup of tea from the waitress with a nod of thanks. He gave her his order for breakfast, and leaned over to watch her leave with a raised eyebrow at the scanty attire she was wearing. Braska smiled as he sipped his tea, amused by Auron's distraction.
"I was sent by Maester Mica to tell Commander Sellus to cease all cooperation with the Al Bhed." Auron frowned slightly as he sat straight once again and continued, choosing his words carefully. "Apparently the Maesters aren't happy about the progress the Crusaders have made with the Al Bhed engineer's. They are nearly ready to begin construction of a headquarters building, somewhere for the workers to live while the emplacement for the cannon is built. The Maesters didn't expect things to go so quickly I guess."
Braska sat back in his chair and looked gloomily down at the tea cup in his hand. "I was afraid of that. I knew it was asking too much for them to just stay out of it. What are you going to do now?"
"What I have already done…I delivered the message to Commander Sellus, and received his reply. I don't expect the Maesters will be happy with it however." Braska looked up sharply at Auron's smug tone of voice. "They basically he told the Maesters to take a flying leap off the top of the Temple, respectfully of course."
Braska looked for a long moment at Auron and then started laughing as he pictured the Maesters teetering on the top of the Temple spire, waiting for their turn to jump. "The crusaders aren't going to stop? That's great!" He sobered after a moment though, thinking about all the problems their defiance would cause. "The Maesters aren't going to be happy, not at all."
"Auron!" Leyona cried as she returned to the table, continuing around it as Auron stood to give her a big hug. "I've missed you," she murmured into his chest, embarrassing him with her fervent greeting. "Will you be here in Luca long?"
"No, I have to return to the temple tomorrow, but I have the rest of the afternoon off," the monk answered, retaking his seat as Leyona sat back down beside her husband.
"Great! I want to do some shopping…" her voice continued as she started detailing all the things she wanted to purchase. Auron and Braska's eyes met over the table and they both started laughing. "What?" Leyona asked, but then started laughing as she saw their expression. "Well alright…maybe I don't need all those things, but there are a few things I can't get in Bevelle." She just couldn't understand their attitude towards shopping.
Their breakfast was soon served and they busied themselves with the fresh scrambled eggs, fried fish rolls in a breaded crust, spicy sausage, and hot bread rolls. Talk turned to catching up on the happenings over the last few months they'd been separated. Braska listened attentively to Auron's stories about the current temple politics and what had been happening with common acquaintances.
"I'm really concerned about that kid, the half-gaudo boy," Auron frowned as he continued sharing his news, playing with the last piece of sausage on his plate. "He gets picked on, and I'm not sure he isn't to blame for a lot of it. He has a sly way about him that puts people off. I've tried to spend time with him, but I'm just not comfortable around him and I'm not sure why." He shrugged at Braska's questioning look. "Its like when we were out on patrol, when everything looked peaceful but you knew there were fiends in the bushes, just waiting to attack?" He sighed, not satisfied with his explanation, but not having the right words to attach to his feelings. "He really needs a mentor, someone who can teach him to handle the bullies, without calling an aeon to do it."
"He's called the aeon?" Braska gasped, setting his tea down suddenly and sloshing it onto the tablecloth. "Was anyone hurt?" He leaned forward on the table, unsettled at the news. "What did the Maesters do?"
"Luckily, Maester Mica was nearby and he was able to get Seymour to release the aeon, otherwise there might well have been deaths. That child is…disturbed and I don't know how to help him." Auron set his fork down, changing his mind about eating the sausage as his stomach curdled at the thought of what might have happened if Mica hadn't heard the screams.
"What are the Maesters going to do?" Leyona asked curiously, nibbling on a plain bread roll. She hadn't finished her breakfast and had left her sausage and fish mostly uneaten. "It sounds like the boy needs a father figure, or like you said a mentor of some sort."
Auron sighed as he sat back, picking up his tea to finish the last bit in the cup. "The Maesters are talking about it but nobody really wants to take direct action. They need to find someone the boy can respect and come to trust, or the situation could get really dangerous."
Leyona smiled suddenly, as an idea came to her, and slid her plate towards Braska as he reached across her tea cup with his fork, aiming for one of her remaining sausages. She looked questioningly at Braska. "Do you think the Maesters would let you try, Braska? It would be good practice for you."
Braska shrugged, "I don't think they want me involved with temple business any more, so I doubt it." He reached for another sausage and hesitated. "Practice?" he asked, looking at Leyona curiously before spearing a link.
"Talking about trust…Auron, would you be godfather to our baby?" Leyona continued casually, watching Braska through half lidded eyes as he lifted the sausage off her plate, freezing with the fork mid way to his mouth as he realized what she'd said. Auron choked and started coughing as Leyona caught him half way through a swallow of tea.
"How can he be a godfather if we don't have…?" Braska began, and then his fork hit the floor, the sausage falling off and rolling towards the next table. The entire inn turned to look when Auron and Braska jumped up, Braska pulling Leyona into a tight hug and Auron thumping Braska on the back so hard he almost knocked them down. "A baby? A baby! When? How?" Braska's face turned red as he realized what he'd said and set her carefully down into her chair, kneeling in front of her. "I mean I know how, but…when?" he continued in a quieter tone of voice.
"In the Spring, when my garden blooms," Leyona whispered into Braska's ear in Al Bhed. She smiled as Braska laid a trembling hand on the slight rounding of her stomach. "You're going to be a Daddy."