Chapter 10

The Hymn of the Fayth started playing over the ship's speakers. Everyone in all of Spira knew to sing along as soon as they heard the hymn playing from a ship in the sky. The wind whipped Rikku's hair as she stood with her friends on the top of the aircraft, waiting for Sin to show up. With The Hymn of the Fayth playing, and with Tidus standing with them, he would show up at any moment.

She knew what they needed to do. She knew what Tidus needed to do. He was Jeckt's son, and he had the connection with Sin. He would ultimately be the key to defeating him.

At least, they all hoped.

"Everyone, stand ready!" Auron shouted, and everyone stood, ready for battle. Only minutes passed until they heard loud moaning. Rikku's heart sped up and adrenaline pumped through her body as Sin made his grand appearance. She was ready.

"Are you ready for me, dad?!" Tidus shouted, and he made the first attack, which made the large monster flinch.

Several of the others made an attack, and the beast still stood strong.

"There is a place near his left arm! I think it's a weak point!" Cid shouted over the intercom. "Try there!"

The group did so, and when the gills—if that's what they were—died, Sin turned around and the gills near his right arm shown in front of them. They attacked it several times, and it withered away and died. Sin flew off.

"Come, back, dad!" Tidus shouted. "We're not done with you!"

Rikku stared in awe as the large beast did exactly what Tidus said. She stared at her friend, confirming again that this beast was really his father.

The front of the beast faced them, and they all jumped onto his back and fought a machina. It shot a bullet at Rikku, and she clutched her arm, wailing in pain. But that wouldn't take care of her. She shot a water attack at the machine, and it started to glitch and sputter. She smirked, knowing that water was the worst enemy to electricity.

The machine died and disappeared. Rikku struggled to stay standing, her legs weakening, and the pain in her left arm unbearable. "Ahh…" she let out at the pain and buckled down onto Sin's thick skin.

"Whoa!" several of the group shouted as Sin moved and flung them off of him and they all landed on the top of the ship. Sin flew away.

"Ow…!" Rikku whined and held her bloody arm. Spots appeared in front of her eyes as her head felt extremely light. She let out a few breaths and then dropped to the metal, motionless.

She heard shouting voices faintly, and suddenly, something was poured down her throat. Strength wove through her whole body like a soft stream and she sat up. She met Lulu's purple eyes.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, wow, that was a doozy." She looked at her arm and found it wound and blood free. "Gosh, I thought I was going to die."

"It wouldn't be the first."

"I know, I know."

Lulu helped Rikku stand as the wind blew their hair. "Sin went away, but we're sure he'll be back," Lulu said.

"Yeah, I knew we wouldn't see the last of him yet. C'mon, the others are going back down."

Lulu nodded and the group made their way back down into the ship. Rikku stood near her dad and brother in the command center room, and the others stood around. Rikku eyed Auron. Ever since their talk on the top of the ship a several hours earlier, they haven't said a word to one another.

Auron met her gaze and he smirked. It seemed like talking wasn't needed at the moment. He turned his gaze away and came up near the sphere that showed a map of Spira. "We need our next move," he said to everyone. "The only real way to defeat Sin is to get inside of him."

"I was thinking the same thing," Tidus said. "It's time that we finish this. I need to show my old man that I'm capable of doing something extraordinary."

"Is that the only reason?" Wakka asked.

"Yeah, the whole plan was to use you because you're his son," Rikku said. "And you have that connection to him."

"That's right," Auron said. "That connection is what we need to finally stop Sin."

"Are you sure?" Rikku asked.

"I'm sure of it now. I know Jeckt—all he wanted was to be with his son and go back to Zanarkand. This is his chance to do so. Once Sin is defeated, and Jeckt is released, his dream may come true."

"You mean, I could go back to Zanarkand?" Tidus asked hopefully.

"Yes, it's possible. But I cannot be sure.

The room became silent and Rikku noticed tears in Yuna's eyes. She went and stood next to her cousin.

"Hey, Yunie, you alright?"

Yuna wiped her eyes. "I am just happy."

"Yeah, I know… you don't have to die."

She nodded, and Rikku embraced her. Tears came to her own eyes at the fact that her cousin didn't need to die—that no more summoners needed to die. They finally found a way.

"Hey, he's coming back!" Cid shouted, and everyone turned their attention outside the window. Sure enough, the large monster floated in the sky near the ship. Rikku's pulse rose in anticipation of finally getting rid of Sin once and for all.

"We must go," Auron said. "Once we're up there, we need to immediately take action."

"Right!" several of them shouted, and they all exited the command center room. Rikku quickly gave her dad a hug and was off down the hallway leading to the corridor where the platform was. As she ran behind the rest of her group, and they all turned the corner into the corridor, someone grabbed her arm and brought her back behind that corner.

"Whoa, hey, what—"

She swallowed her words when she saw that Auron had pulled her back.

"What's the big idea?" she demanded. "We have to get up there."

"I know. I just want to do one thing before we head up and start the final battle."

He took her into her arms and his spiced earthy scent and nearness immediately flooded her senses. Not wasting one moment, she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his broad back and clinging to his red cloak.

"What's this for?" she asked into his shoulder.

"I just wanted to. Before we go up to battle."

She nodded and snuggled into him. His hold on her tightened, and she felt his fingers dig into the material of her shirt.

"We're going to beat him," she assured him. "I can feel it."

"Yes."

He brought her out to face him, and he put a rough hand on her cheek. "Promise me something, Rikku. Promise that no matter what happens, you're going to be happy. Alright?"

She nodded. "I promise, especially now. Everyone's going to be happy after Sin's ultimately dead."

"Right." He let her go. "We must head up now."

"Okay."

They both made it to to the platform where their friends were waiting. They all loaded on and went up to the top of the ship. Rikku looked around at the empty sky, wondering where in Spira the huge monster was. She was about to ask when suddenly, a large vision of an eye appeared in front of them, and the ship zoomed into a different dimension. They all gasped as they looked around at their surroundings—fog. Everywhere.

"Where are we?" Rikku asked.

"Inside of Sin," Auron answered, and they exited the ship and stood on ground… or skin, whatever the brown turf was.

"Where do we go from here?" Wakka asked.

"We move forward."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

The group walked on through the fog and came to a set of stairs. They walked up and came to a small platform with large purple wheels behind it. Rikku cocked her head at the sight.

"What's this place?"

As an answer, someone appeared in front of the purple wheels. Everyone gasped and Rikku screamed. Standing there was, for the fourth time, Maester Seymour.

"Don't be scared," Auron whispered next to her, and she shook her head.

"I'm not scared. Not anymore. I'm just totally confused. Will this guy every go away?"

"Not until he is sent."

"Don't you ever give up?" Tidus demanded of the dead maester.

Seymour laughed evilly. "Sin has chosen me. I am a part of Sin. Immortal."

"Sin absorbed you?" Tidus asked, bewildered.

"Yes. I will learn to control Sin from within. I have all the time in the world. Since you killed Yunalesca, the only way to defeat Sin is forever gone. Nothing can stop us!"

"Well, we can!" Rikku shouted.

"Ah, Rikku…" he said shaking his head, "if only you had come to me when you had the chance. It would not have come to this. Do you still refuse? You and I can be side-by-side, holding all power over Spira!"

Rikku folded her arms. "Psht. Not a chance!"

"Very well. All of you, try to stop me! Your death mean's Jeckt's life!"

He began to turn into a large, shiny blue being with wings like a bat. Rikku and her friends attacked, and Yuna summoned two of her Aeons, but they were unsuccessful at killing Seymour.

"He's invincible!" Wakka shouted.

"I don't think so!" Tidus refuted and swung his sword at the shiny maester. It only made him flinch. "Alright, maybe you're right."

The others made attacks, and Seymour in turn attacked them. He laughed, and that made Rikku's blood boil. She ran up to swing a dagger at him, but his rock-hard hand caught her arm right before she could make her attack, and she dangled there, several feet in the air. She stared at his shiny blue face, which resembled crystals. But his eyes… they were the same light purple.

"Rikku, I give you one last chance," he said quietly in a vibrating voice due to his form. "Come to me and I will stop all this. I will leave you and your friends to defeat Sin without my interference."

She frantically shook her head, and winced at the pain of him grasping her arm. "No way."

"I promise I will leave you and your friends alone, and I will not touch the people of Spira." He leaned in, and she saw the flecks in his purple eyes. "I will be whatever you want me to be. I will change everything for you if you ask it of me."

She stared at his eyes, and was shocked at seeing a sliver of sincerity it them.

But it was too late.

"I'm sorry," she said to him. "But… you brought all of this on yourself!"

She plunged the dagger right into his crystal chest, through a crevice that was made by a previous attack. Seymour let her arm free and she fell to the ground. Ignoring the excruciating pain in her arm from the impact, she scrambled up as Seymour's monster started to change back to his normal form.

"No!" Seymour wailed and buckled to the ground, dying.

"Now!" Wakka shouted. "Send him, Yuna!"

"Right!" she said and started dancing. Seymour chuckled.

"So, you are finally sending me," he said to Yuna. "But even after I am gone, Spira's sorrow will prevail!"

Yuna continued dancing and Seymour's body disappeared, sending floating orbs into the sky. Rikku let out a breath or pure relief that she didn't know she was holding.

Seymour was finally gone.