Authors Note: Operation Mi'hen comes and goes along with its sweeping tragedy. Seymour does his best to instill confidence to Yuna as the sorrow bears down. Meanwhile desperate news arrives from Guadosalam for the young Master. Please rate and review as I love nice comments!
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Chapter 11
The two Guado followed him diligently, keeping up with his pace as they made excellent time on the crossings. The going was slow on foot but the fiends that stopped them were dissipated almost as soon as they approached by his powerful magic.
Soon they could see a gate as they came around a bend in the path. Sinspawn was being trudged through in cages and the knights guarded the pass jealously. Seymour even spied a group of Summoners who had been denied from passing. Suddenly his heart leapt and picked up pace as he saw the familiar figure of Lady Yuna among her flock of guardians. Delighted to see her again he approached her calmly. In respect Yuna bowed to him and he made the familiar bow to her also.
"So we meet again, Lady Yuna." He chided in a warm tone to her.
Yuna stood, slightly surprised that he already knew who she was.
"Y-Yes?" she said nervously holding her hands together in front of her shyly.
"You look troubled. Is there anything I can do?" he asked her gently.
Yuna gasped a little in surprise from his offer.
"W-Well…" she said hesitating not wanting to trouble the Master, turning to look at the blocked gate hindering her passage.
"I see." He said walking onwards past her towards the gate, eager to take care of her problems.
A knight rushed forward to meet him.
"Master Seymour, Lord Jyscal sent word you would be coming in his place, let me show you to the command center." He said eagerly to him.
Seymour held up his hand quickly.
"Hold, I have a request." He said stopping the knight in his tracks.
"Yes Master Seymour?" he asked.
"I need to have Summoner Yuna and her guardians let through to the command center." He turned his head slightly to Yuna who was waiting behind.
"But, but, Master Seymour sir." He said hesitantly knowing the tight restrictions he had been charged with.
"Do not worry, I will take full responsibility." He said calmly knowing the knights fears.
"Very well, they may pass." He said retreating back to his post.
Seymour turned to Yuna "It is done." He said gesturing for them to come through.
Yuna bowed in appreciation to him.
"Thank you, Master Seymour." Yuna said bowing again to him.
Seymour continued on the road, a knight came up to him as he walked.
"Let me fill you in sir, the crusaders and the Al-Bhed have come together with a plan to kill Sin. We are gathering the Sinspawn from all over Spira to draw him, we plan on using the Al-Bheds machina and our knights to defeat him once he appears."
Seymour felt a surge of rage go through him as he heard this. He reached out and grabbed the arm of the crusader almost holding him aloft before him.
"You fool! Sin cannot be defeated like this! All you are doing is inviting him to slaughter all of you!" he said in an outburst of rage.
"Master Seymour!" the knight cowered in surprise. Seymour let him go gently.
"I apologize for my outburst." Seymour said lowering his voice.
"You may come with your Father's authority Master, but I assure you, this operation will take place with or without the blessings of Yevon's Maesters." He said determined. "The least you can do for us is give us your support. Please say something encouraging to our knights."
"I will do no such thing, I would rather not encourage people to their graves." Seymour said offended that he had asked him.
"Very well… At least stay and watch as we defeat Sin once and for all."The knight said coldly to him walking away. Seymour watched as they left to their devices.
Down the path Yuna and her guardians approached. As Seymour saw them he approached them. Seymour stopped as he spied a familiar figure, one of legend, Sir Auron, guardian to the High Summoner Braska who had brought the last calm.
"Ah, Sir Auron, it is an honor. I would be most interested in hearing what you've been doing these past ten years." He said to him curiously.
"I've got nothing to say about it." He said grumpily moving away from him down the path.
Seymour reeled in surprise, confused by his cold response to him.
"I…see." He said lowering his head in guilt wondering how he had offended the legendary guardian. Seymour turned his attention to Yuna.
"Sir Auron must be a great asset as a guardian." He complimented her.
"Your grace!" Yuna said in surprise as Seymour spoke to her bowing fervently.
"Please, there's no need for formalities." He said assuring her.
One of Yuna's guardians stepped forward to him, nervously wanting to ask him something.
"Excuse me…Master Seymour" Wakka said timidly with one hand on his head as if he had to hold it in place. Seymour turned to him.
"Why is your Mastership… presently…present here…sir?" he said in broken words, trying his best not to offend him.
"Please, speak as you normally would." He urged the nervous guardian.
"Isn't this operation against the teachings of Yevon? Aren't you going to stop them?" he said somewhat outraged at the whole notion of the operation.
Seymour chuckled softly.
"Your dedication to the teachings is admirable. It's true, but I am less concerned about this being against the teachings." Seymour said looking back in the direction of the gathered army. "They are foolish, if it were in my power I would stop them but they have made it clear to me that they will go through with this with or without the blessings of Yevon's Maesters. But it is not because they go against the teachings or use machina that is my concern, you see, I know their deaths are inevitable."
"You've gotta tell them ya!" Wakka yelled urging him. Seymour shook his head.
"They have chosen their path, even I can not deviate them from it." He said solemnly.
Wakka gasped in frustration looking towards the operation.
"Is there anything we can do?" Yuna asked hopefully amid her guardians.
"Pray… Stay close to save the few who might survive, and send the many dead." Seymour said solemnly holding his staff in his hand. "It is our duty as Summoners." He said looking at her with sad gentle eyes.
Yuna nodded looking down shyly from his gaze.
"I advise you to find a safe place until we are needed." Seymour said before quickly walking away to the command center.
At the command center there was a perfect view of the shoreline below, a place to oversee the battle that was coming.
Seymour was greeted warmly by another Maester, a chubby short fellow who introduced himself as Maester Kinoc.
"Ah Master Seymour." He said greeting him. "Its too bad that Maester Jyscal couldn't join us."
"Even if he could I'd doubt he would lend his approval to this slaughter." Seymour said coldly to him.
Maester Kinoc laughed. "Well you know you could always defeat Sin for them." He said referring to Seymour's final Aeon he had acquired.
Seymour gave him a sharp glare, offended by his light hearted comments.
"I would rather not waste my Mother's life. Sentencing her to kill millions while my soul lay on the farplane, that is not the reason she became my Aeon."
Kinoc laughed again at Seymour.
"Don't take it so personal. We all know it's hopeless let's just let them dream a little longer. Just enjoy the show." He said in an unbelievably cold sentence.
"You laugh so much, though it is you who are humorous in irony. The people charge you with their safety as a Maester of Yevon, yet in your good conscience you urge them towards their doom." Seymour said with a sneer.
"Why you!" Kinoc said in outrage. "If you weren't Jyscal's son I would…" he said shaking his fist towards him.
"You would what?" Seymour said calmly.
Kinoc looked at him in rage, but fear crept up in the back of his mind knowing just how powerful this mere Master was compared to him.
"I should tell your Father about this!" He threatened.
"Oh please do." Seymour said calmly walking away from him.
Seymour spied Yuna and her guardians entering the command center, he felt relief in seeing them there, knowing it was a safer place for them. He looked towards sir Auron and gave them a warning.
"All of you be prepared, as it is not completely safe here." With that Seymour turned, following Kinoc to the post where they were issuing orders.
The knights were herding large numbers Sinspawn into a single cage which they would use to lure in Sin. For the moment it held the most danger for them as he knew how unpredictable Sinspawn was. Each monster on its own was like a piece, a body part, which had the ability to assemble with other pieces to become more powerful. Seymour knew from his experience putting all that Sinspawn into one cage was a grave mistake.
The Al-Bhed flipped a switch and the cage became electrified and the Sinspawn emitted much shrieking, in their suffering, calling out to Sin.
Seymour watched as the sky turned dark and black tendrils appeared in the water below, creeping out towards them like feelers on an insect searching.
"It won't be long now." Kinoc commented to himself. "Tell them to attack as soon as Sin appears."
A wave swelled on the horizon and Sin revealed himself. A massive grey whale like beast he rose out of the ocean covering himself in a strange shell like armor.
The rocks Seymour stood on rumbled underneath his feet as a barrage of canons unleashed their fury, concentrating their fire onto Sin. The explosions were simply deflected by Sin's armor and only encouraged it as he dropped loads and loads of spawn into the ocean beneath him to attack. The Chocobo knights on the beach below charged forth to meet and fight the spawn. Seymour watched in horror as Sin charged a ray of energy, about to unleash his fury onto them. Like a bomb Sin launched his attack towards them in a blinding flash of purple the attack vaporized the knights below and hit the command center like an earthquake. Seymour rushed over to where Yuna had been, fearing for her safety. She and one of her guardians lay scattered on the ground from the blast. As Seymour started to rush towards her a loud shriek sounded from behind him.
It was the Sinspawn from before. It had assembled itself into a gigantic monster; apparently they had been fighting it while the battle had begun. The Sinspawn reared up launching itself and its giant claws towards the weakened summoner to finish the job. Seymour placed himself in the creature's path and with his staff clashed into its giant claws holding it back from her.
Yuna came to, having to quickly remember where she was. She rose up to see the giant Sinspawn Gui snarling in place, her eyes darted down quickly to see the reason for its impediment. Master Seymour stood between her and the beast; he was holding it back with a most determined look upon his face. She was taken for a moment, realizing to herself how strong he must be to hold off such a gigantic beast. She looked to her right, seeing Sir Auron watching also, and he quickly rushed in to help him. Yuna followed him to help. Seymour pushed at the giant beast and it pulled back sizing him up, Seymour looked over to see Yuna standing beside him to help. In his mind he was relieved that she was alright.
"Stand back Lady Yuna." He cautioned her, still worrying for her safety.
She turned to him cradling her staff in her hands gently. "Y-Yes." She nodded.
The battle was fierce and the Sinspawn was no meager opponent, constantly casting Demi and swatting at them with it powerful large claws. Seymour bombarded the fiend with his most powerful spells, slowly killing off each body part; Sir Auron laced the monster with deafening blows from his sword, while Yuna stood on standby, healing them when she needed to. Seymour kept a close watch on her guarding her zealously from any attacks aimed at her. The Sinspawn cried out as one of Seymour's spells finally finished it off. The jumbled legs and body parts that formed it turned a sickly grey and drooped downwards releasing a large number of pyreflies into the air.
"The others." Yuna said alarmed rushing off to the edge to watch what was ensuing in the battle with Sin. Seymour followed her closely, and walked up behind her as she watched the continuing struggle. The Al-Bhed had built a very large cannon at the edge of the bay and were now powering it up as Sin was in range of it. A large burst of energy came forth out of the canon and blasted into Sin. Sin fought back with its own charge of energy and it became a battle of power between the two.
Yuna held her hands together in hope as she looked onward, wishing and willing their victory. Seymour knew the outcome already, but as he looked on with Yuna, he willed them success also.
The machina concentrated its energy coming closer and closer through Sin's bubble shield, but suddenly as the bubble almost burst energy flew forth from it striking the tower. Sin trumpeted and the tower crumbled, falling as rubble into the ocean.
Yuna cried out, stepping forward in disbelief of what had just happened. In the distance Sin turned satisfied with the destruction and returned to the open sea, leaving behind a beach strewn with lifeless bodies and ruin. Seymour so wanted to console her at that moment, sharing her despair at the events that had just occurred, but instead he kept his distance.
"Everyone! Stand back I'll summon!" she cried out in desperation.
"You won't hurt it." Seymour said firmly from behind her. She turned and looked at him, fighting the tears swelling up in her eyes. "Your powers are still…too weak." He reminded her.
"But I, must do something!" she pleaded to him. Her cries of despair cutting him to the core Seymour shook his head at her sadly. Yuna turned back towards the sea and held her staff aloft, trying to summon in spite of his words.
"You can't!" Seymour warned her sternly.
Yuna gripped her staff tightly in frustration, she so badly wanted to weep, but she knew her tears would do no good for anyone.
"Lady Yuna, come, the sending needs to be preformed, it is…all we can do for them now." Seymour urged her.
Yuna hung her head, nodding quietly and followed Auron down to the beach. It saddened Seymour to see her in such sorrow as he watched her go down to the beach. There were so many dead Seymour took it upon himself to also perform a sending and did so quietly on the opposite side of the beach. He danced, elegantly waving his staff within his long fingered hands, guiding the spirits onward to the farplane, giving them their peace. As he finished he made his way back to Yuna, wanting to speak with her one last time before he set off. When he came down the path he saw Maester Kinoc talking to Auron. Auron had a look of displease upon his face as he spoke, and Seymour knew he was probably not at all happy with Maester Kinoc's bad leadership. They finished their exchange of words quickly and Maester Kinoc went onwards up the path. Seymour approached Yuna, who still had a broken look upon her face.
"You do not look so well." He said concerned.
"Try to show your confidence, the people look to you for strength. I would not expect you to repress your sorrow for the fallen, but if you must show it, do so in private." He advised her. "As a Summoner the people of Spira draw their hope from you, you have the power to bring happiness in these dark times, do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand." She said looking up towards him.
"Are you afraid?" he asked her gingerly.
Yuna nodded slightly not wanting to admit out loud that she was.
Seymour nodded back at her.
"Yuna, take me as your pillar of strength, As Yunalesca had her Lord Zaon." He said looking at her confidently.
Yuna flushed slightly and tilted her head at him in a speechless response. To herself she knew that Yunalesca and Zaon were lovers, she wondered if that had been an underlying message Seymour was sending her. She started blushing madly as she the thought went through her mind.
A Guado messenger was seen running down the path towards them. He rushed up to Seymour in a panic.
"Master Seymour, I bring you urgent news from Guadosalam: Your Father Lord Jyscal has gone missing." He hissed to him in obvious distress. Seymour took a step backwards in surprise of the astounding message.
"Calm yourself." He assured the distressed messenger. "Please arrange for a boat, have it set to go to Baaj Island. We will depart immediately." He said placing his hand onto his shoulder.
"Yes sir…Baaj?" he said skeptically at the destination. Seymour nodded quietly. The messenger questioned no more but ran at full speed toward the docks. Seymour turned back towards Yuna.
"There is an urgent matter that I must attend to. Farewell, until next we meet again." He said turning and leaving in a brisk walk.
"Master Seymour," Yuna said hesitantly as he was leaving. Seymour stopped and turned.
"Is there anything we can do?" she said as she couldn't help but overhear the urgent message.
Seymour smiled gently at her and her offer.
"No Lady Yuna, please continue your pilgrimage." He said politely refusing her help.
Auron turned to her as Seymour slipped off down the path.
"Leave the Guado to deal in Guado affairs." He said scruffily as they continued on.