This is unfair.
This is so fucking unfair.
You feel your insides about to burst, as if your very soul is bathed in acid. Your heart is beating frantically right at the back of your throat, as if you're about to vomit it out. Your arm feels heavy and tired but you bring it down yet again, and the warrior monk cries out.
He deserves it. He deserves much worse.
All of them deserve it, for what they've done – what they're doing – and you'll stop at nothing before justice is served by your own hands. Maybe you were unable to stop them before they took what's most precious to you… but you can, at the very least, get your revenge. Make sure that they'll never do it again. Make sure that they'll never again ruin someone's life as they've ruined yours.
Another monk's footsteps echo throughout the corridor.
As soon as he runs across the corner, his fate is sealed. He deserves it, and this isn't near enough. You won't stop till you take down every single one of them for what they've done. For stealing your light.
Wait for me, I'll write you letters.
Oh, you would have waited a lifetime, gladly… You would have waited till the sun sets in the east and rises in the west, till rivers stop running to the sea, till summer grows cold and winter burns fiery hot. You would have waited, if only you could believe that he'd return to you… alive. That this war wouldn't swallow him, as it's swallowed already so many with powers like his. He's the best of the best and that's why they shoved him right at the frontline, to wage a war he never agreed with and to defeat enemies he's never made. He's always been light, your light, and they wanted to use him to lighten the path of the darkness they've created themselves. You know, you have no doubt that they'd never let him return alive. They'd turn him into the martyr to be cherished once the war is over, to have statues made of him and songs sung in his tribute.
No one would know of how he loves to sing to you instead, with that sweet voice that only an angel can have, till you fall asleep with your head on his lap. No one would know of your lips smiling against each other as you kiss, your hands entwined and your fingers laced together. No one would remember the vivid green of his eyes, and how they always light up when he turns around to see you.
He's always looked at you like you're the most precious treasure on this earth. Even when you couldn't see the good in yourself, or perhaps especially then. You always feel beautiful whenever he looks at you, no matter what you've done in your past. He's got this way to see the good in everyone, to make them feel worthy of love and care.
He's always been light, and he would never tell them no.
He would never refuse to fight for our people, even if it comes at the cost of his life.
This is why you're here.
You're finally at the end of the winding maze of corridors, and kicking the door open comes with little effort. There's shrieking and panicking inside, the word of your presence in the building has traveled faster than your steps. It doesn't matter. They'll stop talking soon.
You venture inside the room, and you could have smiled at the expressions of terror you see on their faces. It's not enough… You gave them a chance, you pleaded and begged to be heard by them, so they would reconsider their decision and bring him back. So that they wouldn't use him as a pig for slaughter, whilst they remain bunkered here and safely tucked away from the horrors of the war waging outside the thick walls of the temple. They didn't listen… and you won't listen, now. Your arm draws up–
"You must stop!"
This voice reaches the very marrow of your bones, and you freeze for a couple seconds. It's enough for someone else to rush into the room and past you, and you know this is not just someone – he's never been just someone. He's your light, he's always been your light. The other half of you, the best half of you. He's now in front of you, having positioned himself between you and the cowardly maesters behind him, his arms wide open to prevent you from getting to them. As if their wretched lives are worth saving. As if their crimes can be forgiven.
"What are you–"
"Please, you must stop this! What are you doing?"
You two tend to finish each other's sentences often, or to say the same thing at the same time – just like right now. It's always made him smile. But he's not smiling now… his eyes are wide in shock, his lips are pressed into a tight line.
"…I'm here to take you back home."
He heaves a deep breath, almost like he's pushing back tears, and the cowardly rats behind him begin scampering away towards the room's back door. And you're dying to chase them and smother them all under your boot… but you can't, not when he's here. Not when you can finally be with him again, after weeks of fearing he might be dead and rotting already. Dropping your blade, you close the distance between you both and wrap your arms tightly around him. He immediately holds you back and whimpers your name in a tone that both breaks and heals your heart, bringing his hands to cup your cheeks.
"You're crazy… Look at what you've done…"
"I told you, I'm here to take you home. There's no way I'm leaving without you."
"I– I saw the guards outside…"
Not even something as grotesque as war has changed him. He's still got the same innocence, the same benevolence, the same unwavering desire to keep everyone safe and protected. For a moment, you regret that he has to see you like this… that he has to see what you had to do to get to this point, to be with him again. But you shake your head, pushing those thoughts away. It's too late for that. They made their choice and you made yours, and you're reunited with him again. That's all that matters.
"I will do whatever it takes to save you."
His eyes widen again and his bottom lip trembles ever so softly, again as if he's on the verge of tears – but, finally, you see his smile blooming. It's like watching the dawn break after a dark night. He leans in, still cupping your face, and takes your lips in his – and, for a moment, everything is right in the world.
"I can't go… you know that I can't. They need me–"
"I need you! Fuck them, fuck them all! They started this war because they're so power-hungry and couldn't settle for our city only, they wanted the whole world to command and play with! And now they wanna use you to clean up their shit? You're coming with me! There's no way I'll ever let them take you from me again!"
He parts his lips and is about to reply, but a sudden sound pierces through the air. The sound of weapons being reloaded. Your hold around him instinctively tightens even more, and you both glance at the back door just in time to see the room filling up with a squadron of warrior monks – one by one, they take position. The cowardly rats rose the alarm, and security is here and ready to cut the evil by its roots, it seems.
He looks back at you, and again you feel your heart sinking. You're not afraid of dying, you've never been… quite frankly, you would have died a long time ago, if it wasn't for you crossing paths with him. He saved you from yourself. He showed you that you had a place in this world, right beside him. And now… now it's about to be over. For you, for him. You could try to retrieve your blade… but that would mean letting go of him. And you just promised, for every living soul to hear, that you'll never let them take him from you again. And you won't.
You wish you could have saved him.
"I'm sorry–"
"Don't be."
He's quick to shush your apology, as if he knew it was coming – he's always been able to read you like an open book. You, the most complicated little shit you've ever known. His smile is back, now so pained but still so genuine, and he snuggles further into your arms.
"I wanted to save you…"
"I know. And you did. You're here for me, and that's all I need… this moment is enough."
It's so fast. All you feel is a series of jabs at your chest and arm, still wrapped around him so fiercely. Next thing you know, the world has tilted on its axis and you are both falling. You land on your face, and you imagine the floor must be hard under you – you don't really feel it, you don't really feel anything. There's still no pain, and it's so odd… you'd imagine you'd be screaming by now.
Is it because no pain can compare to the sight you see, as you reopen your eyes?
He's right in front of you, on his back. You can't see his eyes, not with the way his golden bangs are covering half his face. How many times have you brushed these bangs away from his eyes? But you know. You know it's over.
This world has failed us… But what's worse, I failed to protect you.
Ironically, you're the one crying.
I'll find you again, I promise…
In a different life, in a different world. I'll find you.
I promise.
You'll always be my light.
Vanitas suddenly jerked awake, gasping twice in a row – first, as he was pulled out of a nightmare, and then again as he rolled over in bed… only it wasn't a bed at all, and he ended up all but sliding right off the couch and falling straight on his face. In a matter of seconds, the door was being opened and the team's manager was peering inside the room with a confused frown.
"The hell you doing, Van? Don't you do anything stupid right before the big game!"
Since Vanitas' response was a muffled grumble that sounded a lot like asffdkdfkfd, the manager simply rolled his eyes and closed the door again – no doubt, having his plate full of last-minute preparations for the match. Van made himself sit on the floor, still rubbing at his sore cheek, and took a good moment to breathe in and process what was going on.
It'd been just a nightmare… and already he couldn't remember much of it, but his chest felt heavy as though he'd swallowed a bag of bricks. Can you grieve for someone you don't even know or for something that never even happened? Because that's exactly what he was feeling… an odd sense of grief. As if whatever he'd dreamed of had filled him with a deep sense of sadness and loss. As if that dream had wrenched something out of him, and he was left incomplete.
What a dumb thing to feel, right?
A dream was just a dream!
Swiftly standing up, with that sort of agility that only professional athletes had a right to have, he stretched with his arms up in the air and let out a content noise as it caused his back to pop. The manager was right, it was almost time for the match… it wasn't the time for accidental naps and much less to let dreams get to him and lower his focus. What would the Radiant Tempests be without their star player, after all?
Vanitas' humbleness had never been one of his talents.
As he was about to leave the room and go find his teammates, however, something distracted him by the window. The sky was looking dark, far too dark for an event that was supposed to start at sunset… Was it going to rain? Walking closer, he realized fast enough that those weren't clouds – he wasn't sure what it was, actually. All he knew was that this huge thing was moving, drawing closer and closer to the building.
"The fuck…?"
Instinctively, he stepped back and away from the window – as if this could make any difference, really. A sort of growl echoed throughout the building, causing the floor to shake under his feet, and suddenly he could hear the faint sound of people screaming in the streets. Of houses falling, of explosions blowing. Before he could even begin processing all this, let alone react, the huge creature shifted and Vanitas could see a… a sort of a face, horrible and grotesque. This was a monster, a monster as big and as large as the blitzball stadium beside it… the stadium where he was supposed to play in less than half an hour. Stupidly enough, he was so startled that he could only think that the match would have to be cancelled and they'd have to refund the money for the tickets.
As if offended by this, the creature opened that hideous excuse of a mouth and began inhaling – effectively sucking in everything around it, like a gigantic vacuum cleaner. Trees, roofs, cars… and the window. The window shattered in front of him and Vanitas gasped, bringing his arms up to try and shield himself. One second later, he was being swept away and dragged into the air that the monster kept sucking in and in, screaming as he was drawn closer and closer to that putrid mouth–
Vanitas suddenly jerked awake, gasping. He didn't feel like being sucked through the air anymore, but a blinding light made him whimper quietly as he stirred and forced his eyes semi-open. Promptly, an impossibly gentle touch came to his forehead.
"Take it easy… I healed you, but you still need rest."
The voice was so gentle, as well. This voice felt like running your hand over the soft fur of a puppy's belly – not that Van had much experience with that, because he was actually a cat person. Other than this… he felt absolutely wrecked. Nothing was exactly hurting, but he just felt so tired. He wasn't even sure if he was awake or dreaming, feeling his head so light like it was floating miles above his body.
Am I dead?
It was plausible, wasn't it? If it was the case, though, he was too stubborn even for death itself, because soon he was trying again to open his eyes. The same bright light made him flinch once more, but he endured this first shock and, very slowly, he could see a blue sky above him. There was a mass of fluffy white lazily passing by, which he assumed to be a cloud… and, eventually, his vision focused enough for him to notice someone's face staring down at him.
Or, well… he was also assuming it was a person's face. The outline was foggy, as if it was blending in with the surroundings, and the features were blurry even from this up close. All he could notice for sure were bright green eyes, messy locks of golden hair, and a smile so gentle that it prompted the following words out of him.
"Are you an angel…?"
The angel laughed quietly, in a way that made Vanitas think of crystal. Then he must have said something, because Van could see his lips moving… but he couldn't understand what it was. All of it sounded like a long string of words stitched together, with no real start and no real end. Thinking this was too much of a hassle to deal with when he was so exhausted, Vanitas let his eyes flutter closed and got ready to return to sleep. Before conscience faded entirely, he felt a soft sort of movement under him that made him wonder if he currently had his head on someone's lap, and then felt something very similar to other people tugging his body up.
After that, he didn't feel anything else.
It could have been a minute or a century, between that last sensation and the moment when he now reopened his eyes. There was no blinding light anymore, and he also didn't feel as tired. In fact, he felt quite well-rested. Above him there was a ceiling made of what seemed to be straw, and the very characteristic smell of the ocean was suddenly invading his nostrils. There was also a vast array of muffled sounds coming from beyond the wall beside him: voices, people chattering and laughing, a small child crying, a dog barking, a strong yell announcing fish and clams, a flute melody coming from even farther away.
"Hey, he's awake!"
This made Vanitas realize he wasn't alone, and he turned his head to find two kids staring back at him. They couldn't be older than ten years old. One had a mane of fiery ginger hair and blue eyes so big they almost popped out of the sockets, and the other was similar enough to pass for his brother but had shaggy brown hair instead. They were dressed in clothes and accessories Van had never seen before, something like bright colored overalls with far too many buckles and no shirt underneath. Both also wore leather sandals and the ginger one had a bracelet that was clearly too large for his skinny arm.
"Hello! How are you feelin'?"
"You gave us a big scare, ya!"
The accent was also unlike any he'd ever heard before, but thankfully they spoke the same language. Taking a moment to reply, Vanitas sat up and glanced around what he could now see was a small hut. It was an only division and likely used for storage, given the amount of wicker baskets and crates piled up at one of the corners. What was he doing here, and where was here to start with…?
"I'm… fine."
The kids practically beamed at such a simple reply, coming closer. It was clear that they were as curious about him as he was confused about them, though they were trying their best to hold back their enthusiasm. Thankfully, this enthusiasm also led them to start talking and more-or-less explaining the situation, without the need for him to ask anything first.
"Can't believe you were washed off at the beach like that!"
"Did your ship sink?"
"You must be pretty good at holdin' your breath!"
"Hey, was it Sin that sank your ship?"
"It was the lord summoner that found you, he did! Said you had some bruises and scratches, so he healed you."
"You should go and thank him as soon as you're feelin' better, ya?"
"We're lucky to have him here with us, he always helps everyone!"
"He's leavin' soon, though… goin' on his pilgrimage."
"I bet he's gonna defeat Sin in a month, at most!"
"Then we'll get a statue of him for the temple, too. We'll put it right beside his father's statue."
"Besaid's finally gonna have a High Summoner!"
…Well, maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all. In less than a minute, Van already felt like the kids were talking both his ears off, and he couldn't even make sense out of most of what they were prattling about. Bringing his hands up with a wince, he had to make his tone louder than theirs in order to be heard.
"That's enough!"
It was like thunder striking the earth. Realizing what they were doing, and now admittedly a bit intimidated by this foreigner with golden eyes and jet-black hair, they stepped back and sheepishly huddled into each other.
"…Sorry, mister."
"Didn't mean to make you mad, ya."
That's all he needed. To be called "mister" on top of everything else. Did he really look that old to them…? Sighing, Van leaned over and rested his elbows on his thighs. At least they'd calmed down, and he might be able to finally start getting some answers.
"First of all… I got no clue what you're on about. What's with so many… sins? And what's a– huh, a summer-ner? How did I get here, and what is this place anyway?"
The kids exchanged a look between them. They still looked wary of him but, now, they also looked puzzled – as if Vanitas was the one not making any sense.
"This is the isle of Besaid. I'm Sicho, and this is my brother Sancho. Our ma owns the item shop down the road, right at the village's entrance."
"The lord summoner was out for his walk at the beach, when he found you… the Aurochs were there trainin' as well, he called them for help and they brought you here."
"You were asleep for almost two days, but the lord summoner healed you so we knew you'd be all right."
"Stayed with you for a long time, he did. But he'd to go to the temple, and we offered to watch over you till you woke up."
Vanitas listened with his eyes downcast, playing absently with the hem of one of his black gloves. To say this was a lot to take in would have been a bad understatement. He'd never heard of a place called Besaid, and he had no clue how he ended up apparently drowning near this island's shore… Last thing he could remember was talking to someone at the beach, still when he was out of it, and before that… he'd been at one of the stadium's locker room, waiting for the match to begin. He'd fallen asleep without meaning to, the manager came in to twist his ear for it, and then… then that huge monster came out of nowhere.
Suddenly jerking up, in a way that actually had the kids squeaking and jumping a mile, he ran to the hut's door and went outside. There was no looming shadow in the sky… no giant creature ready to swallow him again. There was also nothing familiar around this street, as far as he could see, and he glanced back inside.
"…Have you, by any chance, seen a big monster in the sky?"
He expected the kids to either laugh or look at him like he was insane but, surprisingly, they didn't find his question the least bit strange.
"Oh, you mean Sin? Is that why your ship sank?"
"We haven't seen it yet… but we keep hearin' rumors he's been spotted around Kilika."
Vanitas wasn't sure if the reply made him feel better or worse. Of course, it was good to know he hadn't lost it and hadn't imagined the whole thing… but, at the same time, it wasn't good that an abomination like that had popped out of nowhere and was going on a rampage. Was it the monster, this Sin, that'd somehow dropped him here on this island?
"Hey, mister… what's your name? Where you from?"
"…Stop calling me that. Name's Vanitas, I'm from Radiant Garden."
For a split second, they looked pleased to be given a name. Right before their faces dropped, as soon as he mentioned his homeland.
"Huh…"
"How can you be from there? It's been a ruin for a thousand years!"
"Hey don't lie to us just 'cause you're older, ya!"
Just like when he felt he was making a little bit of progress. Returning inside the hut, Van scowled at the kids.
"Are you little punks trying to pull my leg? I was there just before that thing– Sin came in and wrecked everything. Radiant Garden. I've lived there all my life. I play in the local blitzball team, the Radiant Tempests."
Star player, he might have added, but was way too thrown off by this sad excuse of a joke the other two were trying to pin on him. His city, in ruins? It was the brightest city! The city that never sleeps, all lit up and hustling and bustling even at night. Sure, there would be a lot of damage after what Sin did… but just the thought of it being in ruins was enough to make Vanitas shiver.
"But… no one even calls it that anymore…"
"We learned that at school, ya! Sin destroyed Radiant Garden a thousand years ago, as a punishment for the Great Machina War. It's been abandoned ever since, and folks started callin' it Hollow Bastion instead."
"So… you can't really play blitzball there. No one plays blitz there anymore."
Do you ever feel like someone stole the floor from under your feet? It was what Vanitas was feeling like, right there and then. Destroyed a thousand years ago…? His Radiant Garden, his home? Could it be that Sin actually brought him a thousand years into the future…? But he'd never heard of any war happening, he didn't even know what a Machina War was supposed to be! Suddenly feeling faint, Van rested back on the doorframe, just as Sancho stuck a finger up in the air.
"Wait, I know! I know what's happenin', it must be the toxin!"
Sicho immediately and enthusiastically nodded in agreement, like the two of them had just discovered the cure for every disease. "Oh, that's right! Sin's toxin, it messes with your head!"
"The priests say that being too close to Sin is, huh… it's like poison! There's somethin' that gets to your head, it does, and makes you see and hear and feel things that never happened for real. You start believin' in those fake memories too!"
Again they were getting too loud for their own good but, this time, Van didn't bother stopping them. Sin's toxin… could it be? Everything he remembered about Radiant Garden, about his whole entire damn life, was just a hallucination…? His friends, his mother… well, at least if his bastard of a father turned out to never have existed, this much he could feel happy about. But even the thought that maybe Xehanort was just a figment of his imagination wasn't enough to drown the panic he could feel growing in the pit of his stomach.
"Hey, I know! Let's take him to the temple!"
"The priests will know how to help, ya!"
Just like this, Sicho and Sancho were now tugging at him, each by a hand, and Vanitas also didn't bother to stop them – following along as if on autopilot. Wherever this Besaid village might be, it definitely wasn't a large settlement and it took them less than five minutes of walking to reach the temple. Even this building, that was supposed to be impressive, paled in comparison to the stadium that Vanitas could remember back home. Or back in his imagination… who even knew, at this point. They stood at the entrance, ready to venture in, when a lady's voice coming from a nearby hut reverberated through the air.
"Sicho! Sancho! Supper's ready and don't you dare be late today!"
Clearly, their mother. The kids looked at each other and let go of Vanitas' hands, already trailing back towards the temple's stone stairway again.
"Sorry Vanitas, we gotta go! Ma said she'd put us off dessert for a month next time we were late."
"Go in the temple, the priests will help you cleanin' off the toxin!"
As if it was something that could be gone after a shower. For a moment there, Van was jealous of how simple a child's mind can be. His life was simple up until half an hour ago, too. It wasn't like he had any better option, so he decided to follow through and visit the temple. Maybe someone in there would be able to give him explanations other than his entire life being a lie… or maybe he'd be told the kids were indeed playing a prank on him, and then he'd be able to breathe normally again – and then he'd go and mop the floor with the little rascals, of course, for scaring the living shit out of him like this. Vanitas wasn't above kicking the ass of helpless children, whenever they gave him a reason to.
With a deep breath, he pushed open the large door and walked in.
The temple was an incredibly stark contrast to the village outside. It was gloomy and dark and chilly, eerily silent but with some sort of chant echoing in the background. Van walked tentatively inside, taking a moment for his eyes to get used to this dim lighting before he ended up tripping on something and/or someone and making a fool out of himself. Gradually, he started discerning the statues displayed in a circle around the room's main area, with some villagers here and there in silent prayer. There were two doors at the back that likely led to adjacent rooms, and a stairway in between them with yet another door atop. Actually, this place was a bit bigger than it seemed from the outside.
There was also a distinctive man at the base of the stairway, dressed in some sort of intricate silky robes and sporting a dumb-looking hat on his head, and Vanitas assumed he must be one of the priests. Reckoning it was a place to start as good as any, he walked closer,
"Um…"
"Oh, you are awake – praise be to Yevon!"
Before Van had the chance to even explain who he was and what he was doing here, the man greeted him like an old friend and bowed in a manner that was entirely out of place. That was the common greeting between blitzball players, why was he even doing this in a temple, of all places…? Then again, maybe this priest played blitz. Weirder things had happened, especially in the last hours.
"Huh, yeah. My name's–"
His sentence was cut short by another priest approaching, in similar garb but in tones of green rather than blue. Having the decency to at least give Vanitas an apologetic look, he barged into the conversation (it if could be considered one, already) and took it for himself.
"How long has it been, now? Shouldn't we call for help?"
"You know that the precepts are very clear. Only summoners and guardians are allowed in the Cloister of Trials."
"Yes, but it's been almost a whole day…"
"I've been told some summoners spend as long as a week in the Chamber of the Fayth, before they're able to claim the aeon. Don't worry, my friend… he'll be all right. He is his father's son, after all."
The two priests then glanced in the same direction and Van followed along with his gaze, out of curiosity. They were looking specifically at one of the statues, but he had no clue who that man carved out of stone was supposed to be or why he was important. Distracted from his initial purpose, he turned to the priests again.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, no… hopefully not, if Yevon is good. Our young summoner apprentice is inside, praying to get his first aeon. It's been a good while already, but I believe he will succeed."
Again with the whole summoner thing, and whatever this Yevon might be.
"Listen… if someone's in trouble in there, I can go lend a hand."
A good intention, especially for someone who tended to not go out of his way for the sake of others – yet now the priests were staring at him as if he'd sprouted a second head.
"I'm afraid that's impossible."
"Only summoners and guardians are allowed."
This was exactly why Vanitas couldn't stand religion, at the best of times. These two were the perfect example of it, refusing to follow common sense just because one scripture or the other talked against it. Their precious summoner or whatever is in danger? Well that's too bad, because going to help is a sin! Rolling his eyes vehemently, he watched them walking away to one of the back rooms still rambling of the same, as though they had no power to change fate. Speaking of sins, though… damn, he completely blew his chance of asking, didn't he? Maybe he could find another priest, one that didn't have his little holy head stuck so deep in his ass? Or maybe…
As if beckoning him, Van found his gaze drawn again to the door atop the stairway. Only for summoners and guardians, was it? He was neither, he wasn't even sure what they actually were… but heck if he didn't feel up for a little heresy, right there and then. Or ever, really. Wasting no more time, then, and taking advantage of the fact that the villagers were all too entertained in their praying to pay him any attention, he swiftly ran up the steps and tried the door. For something so important, it wasn't even locked, and he had no trouble sneaking within unnoticed.
This other room was less dark than the previous, and the chant was slightly louder. Odd glyphs shone in the walls, one of them reacting when Vanitas touched it in order for the other to vanish and reveal a passage. …So they liked their magic tricks, was it? Only a little bit impressed, he continued along the sort of maze that, in the end, proved rather simple to navigate – it was just a matter of touching more glyphs and moving a couple glowing spheres around, till everything was in the right place. The final touch was a pedestal that could be pushed around… which revealed an elevator-platform-thing as odd as the rest of this temple so far, which Vanitas used without questioning it any further. A few more steps forward and he was entering what seemed to be a rather richly decorated antechamber, where the chant was loud and crystal clear.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
A deep voice coming from his left startled him, as he turned to see a young man glaring in his direction. He seemed to be a bit older than Vanitas himself, probably somewhere in his early twenties – tall, dark brown hair and blue eyes, clothes somewhat similar to those of the priests but less ornated and instead complemented with pieces of armor. Was this the famous summoner that the whole village seemed to be obsessed with? Before he could ask, a second voice now coming from behind him sounded just as unwelcoming.
"Who let you in here? Don't you know this is a sacred place?"
A young woman, probably of an age with her companion. Blue hair, blue eyes, blueish clothes… almost everything in her was a mix of blue and dark. Neither of them looked pleased to see Vanitas at this sacred place, as she'd just called it, and this fact brought him an exquisite sense of pride. His intention wasn't to start a fight, though, and he rose his arms as if stating that he meant no trouble.
"Hey, calm down… it's no big deal. I saw the door open and I walked in."
It wasn't even a lie, the door up there had been unlocked. Van was just leaving out the part where the priests expressly forbade him from wandering in but he did anyway. The duo hardly seemed convinced, but they didn't look ready to start anything, either.
"Well, you can't be here. Go back. You're lucky enough that you didn't get hurt in the Cloister of Trials."
"What, you mean those spheres and scribbles on the walls? Even a baby could waddle in here, don't tell me you guys are having trouble because of that."
The girl looked downright about to punch him all the way into outer space. But she must have exceptional self-control because, instead of exploding, she folded her arms neatly over her chest and kept her tone even and unaltered.
"Who told you we're having trouble?"
"Some priests up there. They said the summoner's been in here for quite a while."
A sigh was what he got in response from her, as the other guy rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath. Before more explanations could follow, though, a low rumble echoed across the antechamber and the three of them turned their heads in the direction of the sound – Vanitas only now noticing yet another door at the top of some more steps. This one looked rather heavy and opened in a peculiar way, sliding up through an opening… though he didn't have much of a chance to study it, not when noticing someone slowly making their way out of that room.
It wasn't just someone.
The features weren't entirely known to him, but Vanitas knew who this was – it was the angel. Or, well… it was the person he recalled seeing at the beach, before waking up in the hut with Sicho and Sancho. The angel… no, the boy (goddamn it, Van, stop being awkward about a complete stranger, what's wrong with you) didn't look too good, though. As the heavy door began closing behind him, he managed to take a few unsteady steps forward but soon was losing his balance, and about to go for a tumble down the stair. Or it would have been so, if the girl didn't move as quickly as a bolt of lightning. She darted up the stairway and caught the boy in her arms before he could hurt himself, the two of them eventually sitting down without further incidents.
"Are you all right?"
Her tone was completely changed from the cold shoulder she was giving Vanitas half a minute ago, now sounding so sincerely sweet and concerned. She gently brushed back the boy's blonde bangs, leaving a hand on his cheek to stroke it with her thumb.
"I've done it… I have become a summoner!"
For some reason, his voice made the hairs at the back of Vanitas' neck stand up. It was a soft voice, and currently so weakened that it was barely audible over the chant that was emanating from beyond the heavy door… whatever must have happened in there, it clearly left him frazzled. Still, it carried such cheer in it that it was like, by simply listening to him, everything was suddenly right in the world.
The girl smiled brightly at the news as she pulled him into a proper hug, their other companion promptly went to join them, soon they were helping him down the rest of the steps and out of the antechamber and up the elevator… and, just like that, everyone seemed to have forgotten about Vanitas entirely. Which was probably a good thing, given the circumstances. At least he wouldn't get lectured for being a heathen who'd so blatantly disrespected the holy precepts.
Surprises still were not over for the day, however.
Van made his own way back to the main chamber of the temple without difficulty, still mulling over the fact that the person who'd saved him was indeed the summoner, when the cheer coming from outside got his attention. The sun above seemed even brighter, as he crept his way out of the darkness of the temple, but he didn't need long to notice the crowd that was gathering. Fishermen, sellers, children, old ladies, the local blitzball team, even Sancho and Sicho… all whispering and gossiping excitedly, as if some sort of wonder was about to happen. The duo Vanitas had just met in the antechamber was there as well, closer to the center of this improvised circle, and he didn't fail to notice the way they were clinging to each other's hand. They were a bit of an unlikely couple, he thought, but at the same time… what did he know. Or cared. People always say that opposites attract and all that.
Once he stopped being distracted by the smallfolk, though, and as his vision adjusted to the brightness, Van eventually came to notice what should have been obvious at first sight. These people weren't just randomly gathered… they were gathered around someone in the center, and that someone was the summoner. Wasn't he half-dead just five minutes ago? Right now, he looked ready to put on some sort of show… and Vanitas couldn't help his curiosity. He quickly went down the stone steps and more-or-less politely pushed his way through, finding a nice spot at the front.
At first, it didn't look like it was going to be that interesting. The summoner gave one last look to his friends and then stepped forward, holding an ornate staff in shades of gold and green. He then began on what seemed to be some dance… which, honestly, Vanitas couldn't have cared less for, but even he had to admit it looked graceful. That boy moved a bit like the wind, at one point creating the illusion that his feet weren't even touching the ground.
Either way, the dance lasted only a few seconds, before he halted at a specific pose… and, just like that, like it was the most common thing in this world, glyphs like the ones in the temple appeared on the ground and, from there, swirls of light and color shoot towards the sky. Before Vanitas could wonder what the heck those were, a ray of light came shooting down from the sky instead, turning into a… a creature shaped like a bird but not really, that's the best way he could describe it. It landed beside the summoner and he stepped closer and, although most of the crowd were holding their breath, a few gasps of awe broke free as the boy reached a hand to start stroking the creature's head. Like it was just some sort of grown-up pet, and not a monster that could wreak havoc upon the whole village.
Now this was impressive.
Van was still trying to pull his jaw back up from the ground when the crowd erupted into cheer and celebration, the other two running over to the summoner to catch him in a hug. With another gesture of his staff, the creature returned to the sky and basically disappeared, but no one was paying much attention anymore – at this point, far too preoccupied with congratulating that young boy that, at first sight, didn't look like he was capable of harming a fly. Never judge a book by the cover, huh?
Soon enough, the villagers forgot every other chore or boring mundane thing they had to do and, instead, began putting together an improvised feast. A large fire was started at the same spot the creature had just been at and, around it, wooden tables were being lined up and gradually filled with food and drinks. It was then again that Vanitas recalled he never got to talk to the priests about his strange situation… but, well. He doubted that, after that display, anyone would want to talk of anything that wasn't related to the summoner, so he didn't bother trying. Maybe in the morning he'd find some answers… and, for the time being, free food didn't sound like a bad idea.
Still, the evening didn't progress as smoothly as it could have. Most people didn't pay attention to him, figuring he was just some foreigner who was visiting Besaid for one motive or the other, but Vanitas wasn't oblivious to the whispers and crooked stares coming from a select few – mainly, the devout. Guess it was to be expected, after his little stunt at the temple? They seemed particularly keen on keeping him away from the summoner and, while he found it hilarious at first, it got old pretty quickly. It wasn't like he was about to try and get close to the boy and then be burned at the bonfire for it so, eventually, he just found a quiet place behind one of the buildings, away from the crowd. Thankfully, this island's weather was warm even at night, so sleeping out wouldn't be too much of an issue.
As he was trying to find a comfortable position under a tree, though, Vanitas was caught by surprise when… something hopped on his lap out of nowhere. Squinting, because he was far away enough from the fire to not be able to notice a dark animal trying to blend in with his dark pants, he tried to hold it and was again surprised by how soft that fur felt. Was that a dog? It didn't sound or behave like a dog… or even looked like one. From what he could see, it had four legs and some really long, pointy ears… but it didn't seem like a rabbit, either. Whatever it might be, the vivid red eyes had no hostility in them as it stared intensely at Vanitas, and so he soon decided there'd be no harm in letting it stay for some cuddles.
"You are nicer than all those idiots, anyway."
The little thing gave him a purr-like sound that was a lot like it was agreeing with him, and that settled it. They would cuddle for the night. Again, though, as he was trying for the most comfortable position, Van was surprised and, this time, by a voice that sounded familiar enough.
"How did you do that? I don't think I've seen her warming up to anyone, before!"
Looking up, he found none other than the summoner staring down at him – or, more concretely, at the animal happily settled on his lap.
"Huh… didn't do anything, really. She's the one that found me." Apparently, it was a she.
"Really? That's amazing!" Just that casually, as if he wasn't some sort of hero around this place, the summoner sat by Vanitas' side – still staring at the little creature. "One of the children named her Flood. She's been hanging around the village for a good while, but she's very distrusting. She hisses at anyone who tries to get close, even if we're just trying to give her food."
Van wasn't sure what to say to any of this. Flood was already snoozing on his lap, unaffected by the reputation she seemed to have, but making friends with an animal that apparently hated everyone else in the village wasn't even what puzzled him the most. Why was the summoner here and talking to him, when the rest of the religious floozies had already branded him as an enemy of their faith? Maybe because he was so confused, and even a little bit suspicious, the reply that came out was rather on the blunt side.
"Maybe she just doesn't like idiots."
Now he half-expected to be smacked by the staff that was used to summon the other monster before, or even to have the monster itself thrown at him – but, instead, the summoner laughed in a tone so gentle that, again, it was like the wind rustling across leaves.
"That's not very nice!"
With a shrug, and still not letting his guard down, Vanitas simply murmured a whatever.
It seemed to be a good enough cue for the boy, as it made him shift to kneel on the ground instead, so he could do the same blitz greeting the priests at the temple had done.
"Sorry, I haven't introduced myself! I'm the one who found you at the beach and I healed you as best as I could… then I had to head into the temple to start my test, so Sicho and Sancho offered to watch over you. I'm Ventus, but everyone calls me Ven. Praise be to Yevon, for allowing us to meet."
There was something… unnerving about this boy. This Ventus. Vanitas immediately wanted to hate him, for being another one who was seemingly so into that stupid religion, but at the same time he couldn't. Maybe because he'd seen a sample of Ventus' power and that was definitely worth respecting, maybe because he'd actually approached Vanitas when the rest of his holy squad wanted nothing but to avoid him… thing was, he couldn't hate him. He couldn't bring himself to hate someone with such a kind, warm smile. Regardless, the frown stubbornly refused to leave his face, and he folded his arms as he offered yet another jab.
"Is it okay for you to be here with me, Ventus? You don't think I have the plague, like the rest of your friends?"
"What do you mean…?"
"I mean that, ever since I got here, and I don't even fucking know how I got here, all I hear about is this Yevon that has to be obeyed and this flawless summoner that is you – and I'm kinda over it already."
For some reason, this little outburst had Flood rolling over and climbing up to flop on Van's shoulder instead, suddenly agitated. It was as if she could feel his emotions and was acting on it, and he was liking her more and more with each passing moment. Ventus, on the other hand, was taken aback by what he'd just heard.
"I'm sorry… I didn't think I could be causing you trouble."
Why was he even apologizing? Again, Vanitas wanted to hate him for trying so hard to be mature about this and trying so hard to be the better person… but, again, he couldn't. One, it wasn't Ventus' fault that the village wouldn't shut up about him and, two, this didn't look like an act anyway. He sounded genuinely apologetic though he didn't have to, to start with.
"You know what, never mind. Forgot I said anything."
"You were there, weren't you? When I exited the Chamber of the Fayth?"
"…Yeah. I was."
"How come they let you in? You're not my guardian."
"They didn't. I sneaked in when no one was looking."
"…What? Why would you do that?"
"There was talk that the summoner – you – had been in there for a while, and apparently everyone was worrying about you but they didn't have the guts to do shit about it because the precepts must be obeyed, and blah blah blah. So I just thought I might go and help, myself."
Ventus' reaction was priceless. His deep green eyes widened as Vanitas summed up his brief adventure, and his mouth was slowly falling agape as well – till, at the end, he looked more like a fish out of water.
"You… you did all that to help me…? But… you don't even know me."
"So? You help me, a complete stranger. You don't need a reason to help someone. I thought a holy boy, of all people, would know that."
The fish-out-of-water promptly changed in response to this, to something that Van would call a blend of enthusiasm and awe. A mix that he wasn't too used to, truth be told, but Ventus was wearing it like second skin.
"You're right! You're absolutely right. Thank you for coming to help me– huh…"
"Name's Vanitas."
"Thank you, Vanitas! That's a name I never heard before… I like it. Where are you from?"
Van allowed himself one short-lived instant of pride that his name was that impressive to His Holiness, before the question that followed returned the scowl to his expression. He knew what to say, of course, but those kids' reaction had not been the best… what could he expect from someone so religious? Being intimidated wasn't something that came easily to him, however (neither was to consider the consequences of his actions), so he opted for saying the truth – even if defensively.
"I'm from Radiant Garden. And, yeah, I already got told that it's been in ruins for a thousand years and that I'm hallucinating because of a toxin and what not – don't bother. I dunno what to tell you. I am from there, I was there just before that Sin monster swallowed me and spat me out here. I was just getting ready for my blitz match, I was talking to our team's manager… and it just happened."
Having blurted all of this out at once, Vanitas made a pause to breathe in at the end. Ventus did look stunned, no surprises there… but what he said as reply, that was surprising.
"You play blitzball? That's so cool!"
"I– …huh. Yeah. I do." …Wait, what? That's what he took from that?
"What's your team called?"
"The Radiant Tempests… I'm the left forward."
"Oh, so you must score a lot of goals! I'd love to see you play, sometime!"
Van had to make himself stop, much as he'd have loved to keep bragging. Why was Ventus not even questioning the fact that he was from Radiant Garden…? Why wasn't he repeating the kids' tale about the war and the city being destroyed? Why was he… believing Vanitas?
"Hey, hold on… are you mocking me?"
"What? No… why would I mock you?"
"Why are you not giving me the same talk about the toxin and my city being in ruins and all that? Sancho and Sicho didn't believe me, and they must've spread the rumor because a lot of people are giving me these sickening pitiful looks… why would you believe me?"
Ventus shifted to sit cross-legged again, holding back his answer a little longer. Whether on purpose, to keep mocking him, or instead to truly consider what to say, Vanitas couldn't tell.
"I'm not sure… maybe I want to believe you."
"And why's that?"
"You don't sound like you're lying. And…"
The summoner's expression swayed, now. The smile was still there, but it'd become kinda… sad, in a way. Wistful. Almost nostalgic. Almost like whatever he was about to say affected him on a very personal level.
"You know… that monster that brought you here, Sin – Sin is Spira's sorrow. A thousand years ago, a dreadful war happened between Radiant Garden and Bevelle. Radiant Garden was famous for the powerful summoners, far more powerful than any summoners nowadays… but Bevelle eventually emerged victorious, by making use of the forbidden machina. Radiant Garden was destroyed and Sin was born in the aftermath of this carnage, to be our punishment and the reminder of our sins. Until we atone, by following the teachings of Yevon, it will continue to devastate Spira. The ruins of Radiant Garden were considered holy ground after the war, and eventually that place was renamed Hollow Bastion. Us, the summoners, we're the only ones who can face Sin… by going on a pilgrimage, training to be able to summon the Final Aeon. It has the power to defeat Sin and to bring the Calm back to Spira. And the end of the pilgrimage… it ends at Hollow Bastion. So, maybe that's why… I would like to believe that you come from a place that is different than that. That you come from a Radiant Garden that is still wonderful as the books tell it to have been, where war never happened."
Vanitas listened in utter silence, running a hand over Flood's back who'd meanwhile calmed down and returned to his lap. All of this was… it was a punch straight to the gut. There was a lot he still did not understand, like what the heck was a Final Aeon and what was a machina and why they were forbidden, but… something about the way Ventus told this tale had left a hand squeezing at Van's throat. Such a tragic war, something that'd happened at the place he'd always called home… how could that be? Why couldn't he remember anything about it? Sin was real, this much was undeniable… so did this mean that his Radiant Garden… wasn't? That he really had hallucinated the whole thing, his entire life? But then… where was he from? Who was he?
"I'm sorry that you have to go through this." Ventus' hand went to find Vanitas', giving it a gentle but reassuring squeeze. "It must be scary, not knowing what happened and not knowing what's real… and it must be very lonely. But remember: you are not alone."
…Right. Not sure if he wanted to scoff at the cliché little speech or if he'd rather keep enjoying the warmth of that hand, Van shrugged and did neither of those. "Anyway– you sure have guts, going for that big lump like that."
"I've decided to become a summoner a long time ago. Like my father before me."
"Does he live here, too?"
"No… he died, ten years ago."
"…Oh. Sorry 'bout that."
"It's all right… I am very, very proud of him. My father died for the people of Spira… he's the High Summoner Eraqus. He defeated Sin ten years ago, and brought us back the Calm."
Van couldn't help but frown, now. First of all, his own relationship with his father had ever been disastrous, so he couldn't relate to that much… but the things that Ventus was saying didn't really add up. "How come he defeated Sin if it's still around?"
"Sin… reappears. Several high summoners have defeated it in the course of the past thousand years, but it reappears again after some time. Sin will only truly be gone when we atone for what we did."
Again with the religious bullshit. This time, Vanitas didn't hold back his eyeroll. "What's the point, then? If you're–"
"Please don't tell me it's not worth it."
Being interrupted by someone as polite and composed as Ventus was not something Vanitas had expected, and so he made no attempt to resume the rant he'd been about to go on. Not when there was suddenly so much fire, so much conviction glistening in the boy's eyes.
"Even if Sin returns… if I can defeat it, I will bring the Calm back. For some years, people will be able to sleep peacefully at night, without having to worry if their home will be destroyed and their loved ones will be killed. Even if it's only for a short time… it's worth it, it'll always be worth it."
Without even trying to, Ventus had just skyrocketed in Vanitas' personal consideration – still with no patience for the religion talk, but he could certainly admire someone so selfless and so determined. Van would likely never forget his own horror when seeing Sin for the first time, just a few hours prior… If that abomination could be gone, even if for a time only, of course it was worth it. Shifting awkwardly, he patted Ventus' fluffy blonde head even more awkwardly so.
"…You're right. It is. And I'm sure you can do it, just like your dad."
"You really think so?" The smile was back in place, and Van thought he looked much better like this.
"'Course I do. I saw that– …huh, the thing you summoned early on, that was neat."
"Hey, don't call her a thing! She's an aeon and her name is Valefor."
Well, at least now he knew what an aeon was. It's the things that summoners summon.
"Whatever. My point is, you're powerful as hell. If you keep training, Sin won't stand a chance."
Ventus was positively beaming at the compliment but, before he could reply, a female voice coming from the public end of the road chimed in and cut him short.
"Ven? Where did you go?"
"…Oh. It's Aqua."
It was the girl from the temple, wasn't it? Same voice, it was easy enough to remember. The summoner looked sheepish all of a sudden, like he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do, and hurried himself to stand back up and dust off the back of his clothes.
"Sorry, I have to go. Everyone wanted to talk to me at the feast… I'm so tired and it was starting to overwhelm me, so I ran away for a bit. Good thing I found you here, I really enjoyed our chat!"
Vanitas didn't bother to point out that someone as important as a summoner who's about to go out and fight Sin should have the right to tell people to shut up, especially if they were being pushy. Despite everything, their talk was ending on an unexpectedly nice note, and he didn't feel like ruining it.
"No problem. And… good luck on your trip. Journey. …Thing."
"Pilgrimage, you mean?" With a grin of amusement that suited him as well as the sweet smile, Ventus was already stepping back to the road but not before one final remark. "If you're still here in the village tomorrow, we can talk more. I'd love to hear about your Radiant Garden!"
"…Yeah, sure. I'll be here." Where else could he go, really?
"Awesome! Good night, then, and sleep well."
"You too, Ventus."
"Ven! You can call me Ven."