When I went outside, the air was so clear and magical, it fizzled with white magic, and I could tell that Summoners had left their mark. Everyone was spread out and waiting for Auron to arrive, it's odd; he's not usually the one who oversleeps. I walked over to Lulu, who looked particularly well rested.
"Who was that guy who came earlier?"
"That was Father Zuke. Wakka and I were his guardians, hut his pilgrimage didn't last long. He was the second summoner that I guarded, and they both ended up here." Lulu said softly.
"That was before, I told you about when I was too into the game to be a good guardian, so when he wanted to call it quits I was with him, yeah? He only went halfway," Wakka explained.
"Well, you're both good guardians now."
"Thanks," He said softly. It felt weird talking to Wakka, but I had to get over it sometime.
"So we're traitors now?" Yuna whispered softly.
"What does it matter what they call us? You're doing what's right Yuna."
"You're right, thank you." Yuna said, she had this girlish grin that said I love you. 'This may have gotten a little out of hand' I thought. Auron finally made his way out.
"We are blamed with Kinoc's death, we should stay clear of monks, and you should know that Klek ronso left Yevon." He said tipping his sunglasses.
"Really?"
"Yevon is in disarray, it should be easier for us to travel" Auron said as we headed off.
Rikku and I discussed making sure we keep Yuna safe, we decided to think of a plan, but she was having a little trouble. An Al Bhed at the edge of the area told me that Cid would come get us when they were done with repairs but until then I had to keep Yuna safe. As we searched the Calm Lands for an exit we ran into that wandering summoner, I think her name was Belgamine.
"Oh, you again. You're quite the notorious traitor these days." She said with a glint in her eyes.
"What's it to you?" I asked standing in front of Yuna, she didn't need any more trouble than she'd already had.
"Ah, you shouldn't take what the Maesters say too seriously for summoners, destroying Sin is everything. We are no tools for Yevon, understand?"
"Yes," Yuna said with a small nod.
"So are you up to the task?" she asked with a mischievous smile.
"I do not know, but I will do my best."
"You've got spirit, but you'll need more to beat sin. An Aeon duel! Show me what you're made of… but before we begin…" Belgamine healed Yuna; Auron seemed particularly interested in the battle. We both stood by and watched.
Belgamine let loose a barrage of ice, and Shiva appeared.
"Choose your Aeon well summoner." Yuna closed her eyes and concentrated as she wrote letters of fire with her wand. Ifirit jumped out of the sky making the ground tremble. He ripped up a chunk of the earth, lifted Shiva up in a ball of fire and hurled the ground at her. She landed hard, but still stood proudly. Shiva cast a double Blizzard on Ifirit, but Yuna had Ifirit cast fire on himself to heal. Yuna has become a much better summoner. Ifirit shot bursts of flames and Shiva danced over and kicked him, it went back and forth for awhile. Ifirit hit a second overdrive and that was the end of it, he held her up in a wreath of flames and crushed her between two chunks of ground and pyerflies spilled out everywhere as she disappeared into thin air.
"Stop, that is enough. Impressive. Remarkable talent, traitor or no, you may have what it takes to beat Sin. Take this, you have earned it." Belgamine gave Yuna an 'Aeon Soul' whatever that is.
"Thank you," Yuna said with a soft smile.
"I think you will do just fine. But if you ever feel like you want more training, seek the hidden temple of Remien, I will be waiting there. Farewell."
We went on to the north, and came upon a rigid rock wall. We followed it till we found a break; inside we found an old crusader training center. Some how we got roped into collecting all the monsters so that it would be reopened, I'm still not entirely clear on how that happened. We searched the Calm Lands up and down, and on our way we ran into a woman on a chocobo.
"I hope you're not planning on crossing this place on foot," she said mockingly.
"I want to ride a chocobo!" The looked like so much fun, all fluffy and as fast as a transport.
"Well these plains are home to lots of wild chocobos. First we must train them to be dependable mounts. I am training some chocobos now, but they're not quite tame yet. I'm sorry I can't lend you any. Walking might be faster than waiting for one of my chocobos."
"Let me train one!"
"That's easier said than done. It's not that simple, you know. You're sure you want to try?"
"Of course!"
"All right, come with me."
She taught me how to get the chocobo to run in a straight line and after that we were chocobo bound. At the edge of the cliff we ran into an old man.
"This gorge is called the scar. They say that when the high summoner cornered Sin, Sin tore the earth here asunder with the last of it's strength. The high summoner and Sin struck each other down at the gorge's bottom. Lord Gandolf's sacrifice brought us the calm." We all looked over the gorge, it was amazing, but I didn't want to think about anymore sacrifices.
We ran around on the chocobos for a long time, and found nothing of any interest. The air was cleaner that anything like home and almost as nice as on Besaid Island. I had once considered making a home on that island but now, it didn't seem like there was anywhere for me to go. As we passed by the entrance back to Makalenia the chocobos got spooked and jumped over a pile of rocks to a place that we had never been before. We passed through the crevice and found a giant temple suspended between two great walls of rock. We followed a long thin bridge and a walkway up to the large stone door, there were glyphs on the door, I recognized them from the Maesters chamber.
"What is this place?" Rikku said we were all in awe of our surroundings.
"A temple, there are Yevon statues around the walls," Lulu said searching about the parameter.
"But what temple is this?" Yuna said trying to read the glyphs.
"Try touch'n the door, ya?" Wakka said. When I put my hand on the door the three glyphs lit up and the door split apart. Inside there were great wooden pillars and the usual carvings of Lady Yunalesca and Lord Zaon along the ceiling. Belgamine stood in the center of the chamber.
"Welcome Yuna."
"What is this place?" Yuna said stepping toward her.
"Remien Temple. Once a great religious center in the Calm Lands lost after the battle with Sin."
"And this is your home? What? You got something against company?" I teased.
"It's a long story. Easier perhaps to show you," she let pyerflies escape her body. It occurred to me that the unsent look a lot like Aeons when they've been destroyed, but I couldn't figure out why.
"You're dead too?" I said, Yuna readied her wand and stepped closer.
"Don't send me just yet. There is still one thing left for me to do here. With the help I can give, a young summoner might just be able to defeat Sin. Well, Yuna? I challenge you; if you cannot beat me, you'll never beat Sin."
"Alright," Yuna nodded.
"There we are, now, before we begin," Belgamine healed Yuna just like she always had. "Now, are you ready?"
Belgamine summoned Valefore, and Yuna immediately squashed him with Bahamut. Second she summoned Ifirit and Yuna picked Shiva, it was the exact opposite of their last battle. Ifirit barraged her with Meteor Strikes, but Shiva just kept casting Blizzaras to heal herself and blasted him with as much ice as she could manage in her diamond dust attacks. The third attack was super powerful, Shiva froze Ifirit solid and when she snapped her fingers his body shattered into a million pieces. Belgamine's third Aeon was Ixon. Shiva tried to fight him off but she burst into pyerflies after a heavy lightning attack. Yuna summoned Bahamut and cast Watergas until Belgamine's Ixon was felled. The fourth Aeon she summoned was Shiva. Yuna summoned Ifirit; Shiva pelted him with Blizzaras while he shot Meteor Blasts at her. It looked like it was over when Shiva hit overdrive but somehow Ifirit guarded himself and withstood it. Ifirit killed her with his last Meteor. Belgamine summoned Bahamut, it didn't look good. The king of the dragons is the strongest Aeon yet, except maybe for Anima. Bahamut nearly crushed Shiva with his physical attacks alone, but she healed quickly and set up a barrier before he let loose Mega Flare. When Bahamut was finally getting tired Shiva froze him and crushed his body with her bare hands.
"Well, you have improved, and I am glad for it. Acquire more Aeons and challenge me again."
"More Aeons? But we went to all the temples…" I didn't get the way this world worked.
"Not all the Temples are so easy to find," Auron said softly.
"I will," Yuna said with a bow.
"Good, until then," Belgamine healed Yuna's wounds once more and then disappeared. We went back outside the temple and found a sphere sitting next to a chocobo. It said something about a chocobo race but I didn't catch it all. I figured why not, and Yuna said it was okay.
"Don't waste too much time," Auron said with his usual frown. He was right we had already spent over a week wondering through the Calm Lands. I told him it wouldn't be long and I was right, to beat the champion chocobo quickly, all I had to do was run down a spiral and at the end of it I found a 'cloudy mirror'. It didn't seem to work but I brought it with me anyway.
"Ready?" Yuna said with a small smile, she had been cheering all through the race.
"Ready," I said and then helped her back onto her chocobo.
The chocobos took us back to the normal calm lands area, and we had to search for the last of the escaped monsters. We were dead tired by the time we'd found it, it nearly knocked Wakka out but Lulu burned the slimy thing to death. We hopped off the chocobos at the Al Bhed trading post and took a rest. The next morning we got back on the chocobos and rode for the Arena. The keeper was thrilled to have his monsters back.
"Good, you've found them all. Here, I've created a monster from all the data of the monsters from this area. Want to fight it?"
"Sure!" I thought it would be fun, Auron didn't agree.
"Wait!" But it was too late, he'd already set the beast out on us it was a Chimeraragest. It was insanely strong; all of Yuna's Aeons went down with one hit. I cast Haste on everyone and Yuna healed like crazy. Auron Wakka, Kimahri and I beat it as hard and fast as we could. It took nearly an hour of healing and regrouping but we finally killed it.
"Good! Keep bringing me monsters from around Spira. Oh and the calm lands is due south." The keeper told us.
Yuna said her thanks and we headed on. I could tell everyone was a little annoyed as we rode to the ends of the calm lands. There was a bridge over canyons that lead off into the mountains. We left the chocobos in the calm lands and were ambushed as we tried to cross the bridge.
"Halt!" Two guado minions shouted as they blocked our path. "Summons from Lord Seymour. Come with us!"
"We have nothing to discuss with Maester Seymour!" Yuna said defiantly.
"Yeah, so out of our way," I shouted pulling out my brother sword.
"Lord Seymour's commands must be obeyed. You will come," they shouted lifting their spears.
"I warn you, the Maester doesn't need you alive," the second soldier shouted, as if he could have taken us all. As he walked over to the edge of the cliff a gigantic robot barreled its way toward us. As it moved the ground and even the cliffs shook around us. We made short work of it, a few thunders and a thundaga, Kimahri, Auron and I finally got a break. As I ran off toward the slope to follow the guado soldiers Lulu stopped me.
"This isn't the way in?" I asked looking at her.
"That way leads into the valley," she said softly.
"Wow, you know your way around, ya?" Wakka said patting her on the back, she just continued on without a word. "Huh?"
I went down into the valley anyway; I wanted to see what was down there. We came to the bottom of the gorge and I found a rusty old sword. I have it too Auron and went back to join the group. Lulu stood in front of a low cave.
"Are we going in?" She asked nervously.
"Where are we?" Rikku asked in a little panic.
"The faith is inside, as are the fiends." Lulu said, her red eyes heavy as the stared into the blackness of the cave.
"Hey, this is where…" Wakka asked, Lulu nodded yes but said nothing more.
"Where what?" I asked, no one ever tells me anything.
"The summoner I guarded on my first pilgrimage… died here. Yuna lets go. The faith awaits." We walked around the first bend; the entire place was filled with pyerflies and tremendous fiends. Rikku was pretty jumpy.
"What's a faith doing in a place like this?" She asked clinging to my arm.
"Don't ask me," I said giving her hand a little pat.
"They say it was stolen from a temple long ago," Lulu started to explain; it didn't seem like a thing worth stealing.
"With no faith, summoners cannot train. Without training, that cannot call the Final Aeon, without the Final Aeon, they cannot defeat Sin. That is why." Auron said calmly.
"'Cause then the summoner won't die!" Rikku whispered.
"That must be what the thief was thinking," Wakka said scratching his head, I was surprised that Rikku hadn't seemed to warm up to him again since we had entered the Calm Lands, she really was on my side.
"I kinda agree with him," I said squeezing Rikku's hand gently.
"Mmhmm."
We continued on through the cold dark caves. We followed the cave to a large cavern in the back.
"Feh, another guado fiend?" Wakka said as he and Auron scouted ahead of us.
"No. An Unsent," Auron said. A woman in yellow appeared from the shadows.
"It is… It's you, is it not, Lady Ginnem? Forgive me, I was too young." Lulu said to her. Yuna raised her wand to send her bit before she got the chance the fiend woman knocked her back. "There is no human left in you now, is there? Very well then. Allow me to perform my last duty to you. My last as your guardian," Lulu stood behind Yuna and focused her energy. Ginnem summoned this giant Aeon dressed in a ceremonial hakuma. It didn't even flinch when we attacked it, and then send a big red dog to attack us. Kimahri was knocked back and Rikku dived out of the way.
"It's so cute, why does it have to attack us?" Rikku complained. Lulu turned to her with a glower.
"Remember what I've taught you," Rikku nodded and together they finished it off Thundaga and Firaga lighting up the caves. "Strange, I thought it would be sadder somehow. Maybe I've gotten used to farewells," Lulu said. She talked about it like she wasn't sad, but even as the light from their spells was swallowed into the darkness I could see her eyes shimmering.
"You're stronger now," Wakka said putting his arm around her.
"Wakka, I hope you're right… Yuna, the faith is inside. Go do what you came to do." She waited behind with Wakka while the rest of us continued to a teleport pad that took us to the chamber of the faith. It was completely different from the fayth chamber in Bevelle. Yuna prayed to the fayth, and the room grew dark. A deep resonant voice filled the chamber with the hymn of the faith and then he appeared before Yuna.
"I am the blade of vengeance. They dare only whisper my name 'Yojimbo'. Summoner, I ask what do you want of me?" The fayth asked, the way he spoke reminded me of Auron.
"To defeat the most powerful enemies," Yuna replied.
"If you desire my strength you must pay my price. Make your offer." His asking price was 250,000 Gil, we only offered him half. "Do we have a deal?" His price dropped to 225,000 but it wasn't much of an improvement. We added 1 Gil to our offer and eventually bartered him down to 205,000 Gil. I'm still wondering what a dead guy can do with all that money.
"Adequate… You are my client hence forth. My sword shall guard you on your journey summoner," Yojimbo bowed and then slipped into Yuna's subconscious. After Yuna was finished we left the cave and headed toward Mount Gagazet. She stopped on the bridge and looked into the gorge. Sometimes Yuna would just stare off into the distance. I finally understood why, she was saying goodbye to the places she'd never see again.