Disclaimer: This is gettin' so old.. but noone wants to get sued.. Chapter 1!

Okay, Saturday has arrived here in Sweden. It's morning and I'm bored. So why not let on a new chapter. Two chapters on one week. Hmm, don't know if that would be a good thing, or a bad thing. Heh, either way. Hopefully you'll all enjoy and review. Would be really nice then Now on with the chapter!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 13 - Beginning

"I can't go any further." Baralai exclaimed loudly as he bent over in fatigue, despertely trying to catch his breath. "It's a wonder I managed to get this far."

"We can't stop here, Baralai!" Gippal shouted in panic. "Didn't you see what was back there in Guadosalam? Couldn't you feel the death or even smell it? Could you even sense that sudden forc that seemed to chase us?"

"Of course I did! Do you think of me being blind or stupid? Of course I felt it, just as much as I saw it! But I'm telling you, I can't go any further at the moment." Baralai replied tiredly.

"We'll rest for a minute or two then." Nooj spoke up from where he stood ahead of them both. "I can't sense any danger lurking around at this moment."

Gippal gave a fustrated sigh before giving in. "Fine, but only for a few minutes. I for one do not want to join the Guados fate."

"I don't think any of us do," Baralai muttered from his position. "Do you think Leblanc and them was there as well when this happened?" He nervously asked Nooj. It was too late to get the question back now he concluded.

"I don't know..." Nooj only muttered, hiding what he feared to be true. "Last I heard from her was a couple of days when she mentioned going over to the Temple of Macalania. I hope she did what she told me..."
"No worries, Nooj. I'm sure she did." Gippal said trying to encourage his friend as best as he could. "But right now I want to know what we should do about what we saw back there in Guadosalam."

"I'm thinking of talking this over with some of the high priests back in Bevelle. Maybe they might know anything of what brought this horrible fate upon the Guados."
"I don't think that would be such a good idea," Nooj stated. "Letting them know of this will eventually lead to all of Spira knowing. You very well know that both the Yevonites such as The Youth's cover most of Spira with information and connections. Letting anyone inside those expeditions know anything would eventually leak out... We can't afford that when we still know nothing of what's going on."

"What do you suggest then?" Gippal curiously asked Nooj as he had earlier done in their Crimson Squad days when he was their leader.

"I'm thinking about talking this over with Yuna first. She's saved Spira twice, she probably knows more than any of us together when it comes to life and death in this world." Nooj replied in haste.

"I don't know, Nooj. Don't you think that after saving Spira two times is enough? I agree on you that she is indeed the best one to turn too, but I have to disagree as well. She's done enough for Spira as it is, dragging her into this would be mostly unfair to her." Baralai sincerly explained to them.

"Everything is already unfair towards Spira, Baralai. I understand that she deserves her time of peace, but to let this slide by as nothing is not something we can afford if you think about how many times Spira been put through danger. I'm not counting on her to go out on another adventure, I'm only to seek her guidance."

"Then may I suggest leaving now back to your camp, Nooj. There I can contact Rikku without being scared for all our lives." Gippal suggested slightly agitated.

"Very well, let's hurry. Try keeping up as much as you can, Baralai."

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"What do you mean, Yuna?" Tidus found himself asking her. But he only recieved her shaking image when she silently shook her head as the tears freely ran down her face.

He hated to see her this sad and vulnerable. His concern was more than evidant on his face as he gently stretched his arm out to her. He took a hold of her shoulder and brought her slender figure close to him. He felt her softly lay her head down on his own shoulder with a deep breath as more tears found their way out of her eyes. She quietly sobbed into him and it broke him into million pieces.

But that was when she finally opened herself up to speak some, and he only listened carefully.

"Everything is just piling up again. It hasn't even been a week ago since Shuyin and Vegnagun. You have been on the brink of death since the moment you arrived, and now Spira's threatened again.

When will it stop, Tidus? Will it ever stop?" she asked in pain and in sadness.

Tidus swallowed down his own urges to break down and cry right then and there with her before saying the only thing he could think of saying. "I don't know."

"All I want is to live a happy and normal life together with you by my side. I want to love you, I want to tease Rikku and Paine about Gippal and Baralai. I want to get married and have kids." she rattled up in haste. "I want all of these things. Yet they seem so far away from me. Somehow I don't think that I'll ever be able to get what I wish for anymore."

Tidus faintly wanted to smile at what she had just said. She had just confessed of wanting to love him, to get married and have kids. Somehow those words couldn't made him any happier.

But when her sad and empty words of never achieving what she wished for brought his spirits back down. He indeed understood her words when she said them. Seeing that she never did get a moment for herself, he could only wonder how she had managed to keep herself up for this long. But he also refused to let her think in that way as well, he wanted her to believe in herself, in her own strength and in his love for her. If she could believe strongly enough, she would never have to be sad or doubt their future again.

"Yuna, that's not true. And you better know it." he started quietly while still holding her in his arms. "I know things doesn't seemed to be looking up right now, but please. I ask you to believe in me and in yourself. Believe in us and you'll see that we will one day get our happiness. If it's now or in the near future, we will achieve what we wish for."

Yuna released herself from his arms slowly as her eyes connected with his cerulean orbs in a moment of tenderness. "You promise?" she sniffed.

"I promise" Tidus answered with a smile. His smile brought a shy one across Yuna's face as her mood felt a bit lighter. And Tidus felt his breath being taking away in that small moment only.

"You're so beautiful." He breathlessly uttered as his eyes never left her gorgeous tear-stained face. A shade of pink found itself spreading across Yuna's face at his words and she soon felt his hand gently caress the side of her face. She could only lean into this feeling as it was the only thing she wanted and needed right then and there. She wanted to feel loved more than anything else by the man she loved dearly.

In mere seconds Tidus face was but inches apart from hers and she could feel his warm breath above her mouth. She closed her eyes right before he spoke those words of love again.

"I love you" and then his lips were on hers warmly. She felt the tingling feeling inside her stomach as she could only take pleasure from what Tidus's mouth was doing to hers. He was soft and gentle at the same time as he was rough and passionate. He was incredible as he brushed his lips skillfully over hers in pure delight. She softly put pressure against his lips as she somehow wanted more than she was recieveing. After a few moments of gentle kissing she felt Tidus's tongue carefully trying to pry her mouth open in premission to enter. She obligied without hesitation as she herself wanted more than what they had already shared. She was a woman of 19, soon to be 20 and she had never been loved this was by anyone. She had never allowed anyone come this far with her as she only wanted this with Tidus. After what soon felt as an eternity but in reality only was a few minutes the couple broke apart in need of oxygen.

Yuna tried to cover up her tomato-red blush that had grown upon her expression from what they had just shared as she desperetely sought the need of major oxygen amount.

Never had she experienced something this intense or passionate. It was a mix of fright and heat in which she couldn't possibly decide if it was a good feeling or not. As it all felt dangerous and adventurous at the same time. She thought herself of beginning to learn some of the mysteries of love in which no one could teach out. It could only be felt.

"You're simply amazing, Yuna." she heard Tidus breath out as he himself sought air. She smiled from where she was hiding behind her hair and felt the tingling feeling inside her stomach only increase.

"I have never loved anyone as much as I love you..." Tidus muttered in thought. It sounded almost more to himself than to her. Yuna looked up from her hiding at his features and saw him lean back on her bed with his arms holding him up as he gazed up at her ceiling in wonder. He looked outmost relaxed and quiet as he just sat there.

"I love you too." Yuna stated from where she sat in a thoughtful voice herself, and she soon looked up at the ceiling herself. It was somewhat relaxing that way.

Just sitting on her bed, slightly leaning on her arms as support and looking up at the ceiling of her room. It represented more than she had ever thought of before.

It was simple and clean. A ceiling that bestowed nothing more than it's own color and it's purpose of sheltering her and her home. It was a simple thing that did so much.

Much like herself. She was but a simple human being that still did so much for Spira. As her ceiling had to take on the rain and wind at night to shelter her, she sheltered Spira from harm.

Yuna saw herself in that ceiling, and she poundered quietly if she was seriously being sane or insane for sitting there and staring at her ceiling like that.

"You know how simple a ceiling can be," Tidus slowly spoke. "but not many people stop to think about how much it represents and do for us."

"I agree." Yuna said in awe. She wondered if she had been thinking her thought out loud earlier or if Tidus just read her mind.

"It gives us shelter, it gives us warmth and protects us from various of things. It does so much to us, but as we humans are.. we never really pay attention to it much since it's not living or has any kind of feelings or thoughts of its own. For us it's just an object to cover us from rain and cold. For us it's nothing more than a ceiling."

"You're a ceiling in someway, Yuna. You protect all of Spira as this ceiling is protecting us at this very moment." Tidus exclaimed quietly. "I know of what lies ahead of you, of us. I know that you're planning to save Spira once more. And I want you to know that I'm not with you till the end, but always." he said, repeating those precious words he had said to her two years ago in the spring of Macalania after they had shared their first kiss together.

"Thank you" Yuna whispered in a quiet voice herself. Two simple words of gratitude and love just slipped out of her mouth, and it was enough to last Tidus a life-time.

"How do you say about going out and meeting the others and talk this situation of yours over?"

"Sure, would probably be best that way. We don't have much time." Yuna replied without thinking.

"Don't have much time about what?" Tidus asked her curiously as he stood himself up stretching.

Yuna crossed a panic line where she had to pounder over what to answer him. Would she be honest and tell him everything about his condition and the problems they had at hand, or would she keep it to herself for as long as she could? "Saving Spira of course" Yuna answered, just partly telling the truth. She would have to tell him later on, it was a bit too soon at that moment.

Tidus nodded with a smile at her answer. "Oh yeah, of course"

Yuna felt bad when she saw his smiling face when he trusted her words without doubt and never questioning her if she was telling the whole truth.

"Yeah" she muttered back with a fake smile as her heart broke down inside of her knowing well that she somehow would regret not being completely honest with Tidus.

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Journal entry 005: Spira; Bevelle Undergrounds

Boss decided to take a small break while taking our way back through this place of secrets. She said something of wanting to lose weight

and so on refused to take upon the offer The Gullwings gave us of boarding their Airship out of the Farplane.

So we had to take the long way out through the Farplane and ended up here in the Bevelle Undergrounds. It's nothing short of the nervous feeling

I gained at The Farplane. This place of hidden secrets is bone-chilling. Bevelle, a place once thought to be one of the most treasured places in Spira

is nothing more than a place of conceit and evil. It's a good thing that the people of Spira that believed in the religion this place gave away haven't seen what I see now.

It would scare them to death, crushing everything they ever believed in. Yevon is dead, but there's still a lot of followers in its path.

I pity them somehow. Believing so much in this place without knowing of its secrets and evil deeds. Although I must now agree that there is no better praetor than

Praetor Baralai to control this place. I trust him in many ways.

But as I sit here, quietly writing this I can't seem to believe that much in this very place. Even with Baralai controlling everything, this place will somehow never fully

gain my trust. It has contained all to many secrets to fully be reborn. I can't shake this feeling of off me that it has more secrets than what we've already seen.

Before me I see this blackened door. It's just as black as any other parts of his underground, but I sense something special about this part.

As I look at it I see the barely seen inscription on it, but I can't read it. The language is foreign to my eyes. There's also a small box, containing 4 tiny buttons.

It seems to be an access box. Some kind of password. I wonder what's behind this door for it to carry these wierd inscriptions and an access box.

I believe it is not for me to find out, for as far as I know it's yet another dangerous weapon behind it. It could be another Vegnagun as far as I know.

Or it could be something more worse, something cruel. I don't know, and I don't want to find out. I only hope that no one opens this door and unleashes whatever is behind.

Boss is calling, time to go at last. I can't wait to leave this bone-chilling place.

I hope to never return here ever again.

Logos

"Fairly intresting. This place doesn't seem to have changed all that much. Bevelle still seems to be the place of hidden secrets." he said to himself as he finished reading the fifth entry of this Logos person he followed through the journal. He closed the book in his hand and went to stand up. Looking around himself he found it yet again that if this indeed was Logos room that he did have a sense of fashion and decoration. He let his slender rough hand carefully slide across the handgun that hung from the wall ahead of him and let the feeling of metallic steel run through him.
It had been eons ago since he had touched anything so cold yet beautiful. So when he now touched it he made sure that it would linger on with him for a very long time.

"I wonder. Could it be my future behind that door?" he asked noone but himself.

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Jai nervously paced back and forth in his room in loneliness. The sweat running down his forehead was indication of the last hour he had spent nervously pacing around.

He felt his insides refusing to let him calm down as every fiber of his being seriously wondered if what he was doing was the right thing.

Betraying all in which he believed, betraying Yevon, Bevelle and even more betraying Spira was a huge problem for him as he had accepted a foolish way to gain power and respect in life.

He had sold Spira out in his own greed for control and in fright for his own pitiful life. He doubted that the way he had acted those past few days would ever make him worth the lives of Spira.

Selling his soul to undertake whatever command his new master Alyzzia gave was a mistake he wished to undo. Although it was far too late now. His mistake would lead to Spira's destruction.

When he agreed to go under her name he had known none of her real plans for Spira. It was only after his soul was sold and the bond of promise was made that he had really come to know of her real plans. And that he would gain power and respect, but he would never be able to use it as Spira would fall at the same time.

Jai cursed himself quietly for his mistake. He couldn't feel more disgusted with himself. Silently he let another curse out as he saw the fiery fire merge in front of him as Alyzzia's perfect figure soon stepped out of it in grace. Her black length of hair softly hanging even more gracefully as she walked past him and over to his chair which she usually used.

"What's with the cursing, Jai? Still not used to my graceful entré or are you just not happy to see me?" she mockingly asked with a cold smirk.

"Not at all, Alyzzia"

"What's the point in lying when you're still weak, Jai? I can still read your mind."

"I know. My apologies" Jai replied quietly as he met her cat-like eyes.

"You regret ever meeting me, right? Even more so, you regret selling your soul to serve beneath me." Alyzzia said as she felt his thoughts and feelings through-out the room.

Jai remained quiet at this as he didn't want to answer, fully well knowing that whatever he said would only make her see the truth anyways.

"It's quite okay, I think. If I were you I would probably feel the same. Such a shame that there's no turning back, isn't it?" she smiled.

"May I ask you what you found out while being down there?" Jai asked trying to change the subject into more important things than lingering on a fact that could now be un-done.

"My, aren't we curious." Alyzzia laughed. "Although I did find some rather enjoying news that actually might help us in many ways."

"What is these news you speak off?"

"Well, it seems that my dear brother and his army is way too busy searching for another escapee to even notice my absence from my cell. I would've thought that hiding up here would be harder when my brother's bounty hunters searched my way for rewards. But it seems that the other one who escaped was the one caught on their radars. Leaving me free for the time being."

"Another escapee from down under?" Jai frightfully asked as his jaw dropped.

"Yes, another one. Someone of which I know of actually. I would've thanked him for bringing their attentions to him rather than to me. But seeing that I might need him in achieving my plans I can't yet tell him of very much or he will get to suspicous. I know of his limits, and I very well know of his plans and wants. After all, if I were to be in his place, I would think exactly the same."

"I see. Does he have a name?"

"Oh, he has a name alright. I've always envied that name as it means such beauty and it represents everything we demons want to open up, including my brother."

"What kind of name?" Jai asked intrigued as the suspense rose within him. Could there be such a name that even Alyzzia envied it? A name that represented everything those below wanted?

"Avernus." Alyzzia let the name slip out of her tongue as if it was the most treasured word ever. "In latin it means Gate to Hades"

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Okay, cliché ending.. I dunno. Hah, I justed wanted it explained. Avernus does indeed stand for 'Gate to Hades' in Latin. Did some research on it. Fairly intresting to read actually.. But no more of that for now. Review and do tell of your opinions on where you think this story is going. As you see, the plot is gettin' a bit clearer. Alyzzia plans on using Avernus for her own deeds. What deeds could that be? Jai is still weak.. Poor guy. What is behind that door Logos mentioned in his journal entry? What does this mysterious man in Guadosalam mean with 'Could it be my future behind that door?' Who is he? Could he be the Avernus that Alyzzia spoke of? Well, awaits to see in the continuation of Once More. Don't forget to review!

Till next time,
Alexiel91