The group didn't leave the Calm Lands immediately. Remora wanted to save as much good memories as possible, so she asked the group if they could stay awhile because she wanted to learn how to ride, and tame, a chocobo for herself. It took an hour or two, but the others weren't in any rush. The challenges she was assigned were all accomplished, leaving her with some valuables that were useful in the future. She was sure that the chocobos were having just as much fun as she was, and she missed being with them at once by the time she was finished. At the very moment, the group was at the limits of the Calm Lands, and was very close to Mt. Gagazet. The only thing Remora knew about Mount Gagazet was that it's the homeland of the Ronso, it's all snow and rock, and mainly that's the place where she landed when she entered Spira. She wondered if her visit back there would be more satisfying. But they were still currently on green grass, about to cross a bridge to reach the entrance, but two figures stepping out of another path stopped them in their tracks. Two Guado warriors.
"Halt!" One of them said. The other stepped past him.
"Summons from Lord Seymour. Come with us at once."
Seymour was just a passerby in Remora's mind. "When doesn't he want us?" And Yuna obviously stood her ground.
"We have nothing to discuss with Maester Seymour!" She yelled out at them.
"Yeah, so out of our way!" Tidus said afterwards.
The Guado didn't seem to care about their rebellion. "Lord Seymour's commands must be obeyed. You will come!" The other Guado turned and nodded his head towards the lower path.
"I warn you, the maester doesn't need you alive." He said, looking down at where he came. After a few seconds, there were very loud and heavy stomping noises that shook the area around them, too slow to be an earthquake though. A few seconds later the frequencies became louder, and something that looked like a rock came into view, but once all of it stepped up to the group's ground length, it looked like a giant golem. The Guado immediately retreated as the massive rock figure walked sluggishly over to the group, ready for any possible attack.
The golem had crumbled over and became nothing more than a pile of rocks and stones. The Guado had vanished so the group figured that it was safe to continue forward. They crossed the bridge painstakingly, looking all other directions to make sure nothing was following them, as they made their way towards the entrance. The others crossed the bridge as the entered through the large hole in the rock wall, but Remora turned around to look back at the scene of the Calm Lands, her very last view of it. She sighed a little to herself to also see that the sun looked a little dim at her distance from it. That's how she felt about leaving the Lands, and everything else. A voice not far called out to her.
"Remora."
Remora turned around slowly to see that Auron waited up for her, but the others had already vanished. He nodded his head back to let her know that they had to leave. She nodded slowly before walking along until she was neck-and-neck with Auron. His shades were apparently lifted so that no one could see his eyes, but Remora could tell that he was smiling down at her. She smiled back, not exactly sure if she meant to or not, and walked with him through the entrance of Mount Gagazet.
Mount Gagazet was exactly the same way Remora saw when she first woke up there. The ground was cold and stone, and all of their surroundings were mountainous and covered in snow. It was chillier than Macalania to Remora's surprise, and she wondered if the Ronso heard of her arrival from the moment she landed in Spira as well. The group walked up to a more wide and flatter area, and to their surprise there were a couple of Ronso already around it, and their faces were filled with scorn and suspicion. One of the Guado stepped out from a corner that was hard to see, and Remora barely recognized him, but she did realize it was the third maester from Bevelle.
"Summoner Yuna, Remora, and guardians, leave here at once!" Kelk Ronso shouted out towards them. The group looked around at the only Ronso once more, and they had all gathered to surround them. "Gagazet is Ronso land, sacred mountain of Yevon. The mountain will not bear the footsteps of infidels!"
Two other Guado stepped forward an inch or two farther than Kelk, and Remora recognized them as well. They were the ones that Kimahri had to deal with in Luca and at the Moonflow; Biran and Yenke, and neither of them looked happy to see the group, let alone; let alone, Kimahri.
"Enemy of Yevon is enemy of Ronso. Leave, traitors!" Biran shouted.
Yuna shook her head. "I cast Yevon aside! I...I follow the temple no more!" Fang had crossed her arms and smirked in agreement with Yuna's assertiveness, but it only made Kelk Ronso more peeved.
"Then you will die by those words!"
"So be it." Remora said to him with a sharp tone in her voice. She dealt with enough drama as it was; it wasn't their fault everything else in the past happened. Yuna continued her defense.
"Yevon has warped the teachings and betrayed us all!"
"Nothing but low-down tricksters, eh?" Wakka said.
"He's got a sharp point." Fang said, slightly laughing.
"Yeah! Yeah!" Both Tidus and Rikku said.
"We have no regrets." Yuna finished.
Yenke decided to speak now and pointed a finger at Remora. "Blasphemers!"
Kelk shook his head as if in pity. "Two summoners and their guardians..."
Lulu stepped forward, looking like she was going to plead something. "Lord Kelk Ronso, if I may. Have you not also turned your back on Yevon?"
Auron took a step forward. "But still, you guard Gagazet as a Ronso, not a maester. Yuna and Remora are much the same."
"Elder Kelk! Let Biran rend them asunder!" Biran yelled.
"No escape! Not one!" Yenke replied.
"We won't flee." Remora stated. "We're going to fight, and continue our ways."
"You both have been branded a traitor, but still you would fight Sin? Lost to the temple, hated by the people, yet you continue your pilgrimage? Everything lost! What do you two fight for?"
"We fight for Spira. The people long for the Calm. We can give it to them. It's all we can give." Yuna said, her head looking down but soon rising to look Kelk in the eye. "Defeating Sin, ending this pain...it's what Remora and I can do."
"Even sacrificing yourselves?" Kelk questioned. He looked slightly aggravated but focused, and looked as though he had a big decision to make. He pondered long and hard before finally making a move. "Ronso, let them pass!" The Ronso had then backed away from the encirclement and went back to their original spots, looking a little relieved themselves. Kelk nodded his head towards Yuna, yet Remora was pretty sure that he would be talking to her as well. "Summoner Yuna...Summoner Remora, your wills are stronger than steel. Tempered steel that even the mightiest Ronso could not hope to bend. Yuna, Remora, we bow to you're will! Now go!"
Yuna smiled and bowed. "We thank you." Everything looked the way it was before the group arrived at the Gagazet gate. Now they were about to step through it as soon as they felt prepared. Zanarkand, from what Remora learned, was just on the other side.
"Gaah! My neck's hurtin'." Wakka cried out, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
Tidus stopped to reply to him, as well as Fang, but Tidus spoke first. "Zanarkand's on the other side, huh?"
"Yeah. Your home, ya?"
"As if you believed me."
"Well, they believed us when we said we were from Earth, a different planet. That's way more hard to believe than living in a city that was wrecked a thousand years ago." Fang stated.
"Hm. She does have a point." Wakka stated. "The one on the other side here is just a pile of rubble, ya? But somewhere out there is your Zanarkand. Somewhere, ya? Yeah! You'll be home soon."
"I...hope you're right." Tidus replied weakly.
"Hey, I had my doubts too about returning home soon, but I believe it's possible to see it again. So why shouldn't you feel the same way? Get a grip, okay?" Fang said.
"Yeah! Cheer up! Let's do this!" Wakka then said. Tidus nodded with a small but reluctant smile and then he and Wakka walked over to where Lulu was. Auron had passed by next to Fang without her realizing it.
"It is as I thought." He stated, looking ahead of the snow path. Fang turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What is?"
"Yevon is in turmoil. Mika keeps trying to build it up, yet it crumbles around him."
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't care less about what happens to Maester Mika, or Yevon." Fang replied shrugging, looking uneasy. Auron turned his head towards her.
"Because neither you or Remora are of this world, yet Remora has the potential to understand. To those who truly believe in the teachings...a time of much pain is going to pass." His tone had no emotion in it, but Fang could have almost sworn that she saw his pupils dilate when he spoke to her. He walked away from her at this point and then she was technically alone again. She decided to join over to where Remora stood, who stood not too far away from Yuna.
"Are you really ready for this?" Fang questioned. Remora closed her eyes for a moment before taking a long session of glancing over some of the Ronso that sat around the snowy corners or talked worriedly to their relatives, and then turned back to Fang. "I'm sure."
The group had gathered into their circle again, in agreement that it was time to leave the area and began to head through the trail. At that note, they began to walk towards the narrow path that separated the small area from the mountain trail. They reached the boundaries that separated the two areas, but Biran and Yenke appeared out of nowhere, blocking their path.
"Halt!" Biran shouted at them. Tidus let out a groan.
"Haven't you bothered us enough?"
"Seriously." Fang said in agreement. Biran looked at them as though he was only going to spare them.
"Summoners may pass. Guardians may pass." He started, and then his eyes averted farther back behind the group, where Kimahri stood. "Kimahri not pass! Kimahri shame Ronso brothers! Kimahri forget his birth!"
"Forget his people, forget his mountain. Little Ronso! Weakling Ronso!" Yenke said.
"Mountain hate the weak! Hate the small! If you will climb…"
Kimahri stepped forward in front of the group, facing Biran and Yenke. "Then I must prove my strength!"
Biran sneered. "Think you will win? You not forget who took your horn! Never forget!"
Yenke then stepped closer to Biran. "Kimahri never beat brother Biran. Never win!"
Kimahri growled a little. "This time I win! I will win!"
"Why you-" Tidus said before he started to run as if he were going to attack either of the two Ronso, but Kimahri immediately pulled him back. "This some kind of Ronso thing?"
"Biran, Yenke, and all of the other Ronso are all part of Kimahri's personal life, so it's his problem, and his only." Remora explained.
"Kimahri problem." Kimahri replied, adding emphasis to Remora's statement. Biran and Yenke backed away until they and Kimahri were in the battle formation of a triangle, ready to see who'll solve the real problem.
If she didn't agree with Seymour's offer, he would continue to follow her, and possibly take her life when she doesn't realize it. If she did agree, it would mean giving away her own life to him, but it also meant that Remora would be safe, away from most of her probation, and it would relinquish the pain that Vera felt right now. Seymour did do a lot of damage to her on their first encounter, and he only gestured it as a warning; and he still did. She's been in the hospital for four days so far, and she didn't seem to be healing properly as she was expected to. Her conditions were getting worse just by thinking about her decision. Her life meant Remora's safety, yet Seymour claimed that taking her life from her would guarantee safety for Remora, but in her world it would mean a lack of safety, and she wasn't sure if Remora was ready to live alone. She needed someone to prepare her for the upcoming event, and Vera wouldn't want to be gone and miss out on it. She already knew that Fang lived by herself, yet she didn't know how she was capable of being able to; she was only seventeen, but Vera wondered if Seymour's promise for Remora's protection meant the same for Fang. Despite that she wasn't a summoner, she and Remora were very close, and would probably give anything to protect her. It should be the same way for Vera and Remora; mother and daughter. If a best friend had to courage to sacrifice himself or herself for a loved one, then why shouldn't Vera?
The other day Vera finally told Rouge the whole story about how Remora and Fang disappeared and what they were going through. She put it in as much detail as Jeckt did when he told her. She did miss Jeckt, even though he had to learn that some things were meant to be unsaid, he did know how to say things that would change everything; everything and everyone involved. Rouge didn't believe her at first, but seeing the condition that Vera was in would make it cruel to deny her story, as crazy as it sounded to her, especially at her age. She even told Rouge about the deal that she and Seymour had, and it frightened her the most. Vera knew that Rouge loved her, and she loved Remora too, but she did make Vera realize something.
"How do you know he's telling the truth?" Rouge asked suspiciously as she was rubbing Vera's forehead with a wet cloth. She seemed to be sweating a lot the last time she went asleep.
"What do you mean? Any guy that had the guts and/or nerve to hurt me couldn't have been lying about this..."
"Men can be deceiving, as well as their little schemes, despite that this isn't little at all. What if you were to die in his hands, but he continued to chase Remora? What then?" The cloth went around her neck to get off some of the dirt since Vera didn't exactly take a shower in two days. Despite that before then that she could walk long enough to go to the library on her own, the doctor claimed that her stamina was gradually decreasing by the day, and walking or anything else that was physical could lead to some fatal consequences.
"So you're saying that this could be an All For Nothing deal?"
"Exactly. That man that you used to speak to...Jeckt was it? When you told me about how he described Seymour to you, he didn't sound like a very trustworthy man at all..."
Rouge did have a point. As explanatory as Seymour's offering sounded, he was an enemy Remora, Fang, and all of Spira. The thought of Vera killing herself for him did seem to bring on some questions. It could be a miracle or it could be a waste. That's how Rouge put it. "What should I do?" Vera asked, sighing from the aggravation of her unknown choice.
"Well for one," Rouge started. She poked Vera's forehead with one of her long red nails. "Stay away from Seymour. If he tries to summon you, or succeeds in doing so, don't make an immediate decision; no matter how frightening or threatening he may seem." The finger lifted. "Second, reconsider. Jeckt told you that he had took the lives of many other summoners before he knew Remora...."
That idea had slapped Vera in the face. "That's right!"
"So, how do we know that you would be his last target? If he were to kill you, he would continue his genocide to gain max power in wiping out Spira. Remora would still be his next target even after taking your life."
The idea had shocked Vera. She had dealt with big liars in the past, but nothing like this. It was at times like these when she really needed Jecket to speak with her, but he must have completely faded by now. There was no possible contact left with him, and Rouge was the only one who currently understood what was happening, and knew how to make Vera's decision more easier. It still wasn't fair to her though, to know that no matter what choice she made, Remora would still be endangered.
"This isn't easy for me."
"It's not easy for anyone who knows. But this is your time to step up and try to shield Remora's vulnerability." Then Rouge gasped as if she had just remembered something important that she forgot a decade ago. "You said that you had the ability to get into mental contact with anyone in Spira, right?"
"Yes...so?" Vera replied confused. Vera stared into her eyes sharply and held her hands with her own very tightly.
"Call Remora."
"Strong is Kimahri. Biran is happy." Biran said slowly as he struggled to get up to his feet. Fang would have said that he got a taste of his own medicine, including Yenke, but she stood silent, for the Ronso problem was solved and needed no more turmoil. Biran turned around and looked up at the sky. "Sacred Mountain Gagazet! I honor the name of the brave warrior who defeats Biran! Remember always, Gagazet! That name is Kimahri!"
Yenke stepped forward. "Mountain knows Kimahri strong. Kimahri may pass."
Remora was astonished at the two Ronso's change of heart. Before they were entirely cruel and mocking towards Kimahri and showed him no respect. Now it was as though they were worshipping him. "Summoners!" Shouted Biran. Both Remora and Yuna turned towards him. "We Ronso will stop pursuers from temple."
"Truly?" Yuna asked with amazement.
"Penance for breaking Kimahri's horn, long ago."
"We crush enemies following behind." Yenke said.
"Kimahri crush enemies standing before." Kimahri replied.
Biran grinned. "You both are most fortunate summoners."
"We thank you." Yuna and Remora replied at the same time. They both exchanged bows towards the Ronso for their trustworthiness.
"Ronso will shine your statues brightly." Yenke said.
"Thank you. But I fear that no one will make a statue for a traitor such as I am." Yuna teased.
"Then Ronso will make!" Biran replied.
"With grand horn on the heads!" Yenke said vigorously.
"That...would be wonderful." Yuna replied. Remora too wasn't as sure if she wanted a statue with a horn on her head, but then it would symbolize how high her will is and how to Ronso respect that. Biran and Yenke disappeared again and the group was free to starting walking along the trail without any disturbances; as least they hoped. After a short break (since Kimahri deserved one) they began to walk through the trail, but two familiar faces stepped out of nowhere on a rocky glacier.
"Summoner Yuna, Summoner Remora!" Biran shouted as he and Yenke gathered around, as well as a few other Ronso warriors.
"What is it this time?" Tidus groaned. Neither of the Ronso answered. Instead all of the Ronso began to sing the Hymn of The Fayth, which was something that Remora didn't expect. The way they sung it sounded as though it was to purposly sooth them. The group stood awhile to listen to the Hymn, which was repeated a couple of times just to keep the feel of the moment, but Remora and Yuna bowed them a 'thanks' before leaving off towards the trail again. Remora remembered her conditions by the time she arrived at Spira. She was laying unconscious on a blanket of snow on the exact same trail, and her entire body ached of bruises and fatigue. She never got to see the Ronso back then, but she wondered if they would have reacted differently to an unconscious girl lying in their territory. Remora sort of wanted to know and sort of didn't. In fact, she realized that she probably should have asked one of the Ronso if they heard of her arrival on the dot. The group passed by one of the tiptop parts of the trail that looked as though it led to an open ledge, which had more of a blizzard going on than around the trail itself. The curved ledge seemed a bit dimmer than the rest of Gagazet, and Remora realized that at the point they were walking on, Rikku was slowing down her pace, so she and Tidus backed up a bit to catch her pace as the rest of the group walked ahead. Rikku's expression was blank.
"Zanarkand is on the other side, you know?" She asked quietly.
"We know." Remora replied. Rikku looked at her.
"You and Yunie are going to get the Final Aeon, you know?"
"We know." Tidus then said.
"I still haven't thought of anything." Rikku said. Remora figured that she tried to think about a way to avoid losing her life in the end. She knew it was what Rikku meant because not even she herself could think of anything either, and it would probably make her lose energy to think too hard.
"Me neither." Tidus said. They both stared at Remora emotionlessly for a long moment, it nearly frightened her.
"What are we going to do?" Rikku asked quietly but frantically.
"We'll do something! We just don't know enough yet. Until we do, we can't really help Yuna or Remora." Tidus explained. Remora nodded in agreement. "Let's go to Zanarkand. We'll find something there. It'll all come together. I know it!"
"Hey..."
"Hm?" Tidus and Remora both questioned.
"Just now you sounded like a leader, you know?"
"Star of the Zanarkand Abes! Didn't anyone tell you?!" Tidus said in a reluctant tone. Rikku giggled.
"A-haa!" She replied grinning. She must have seen something from the corner of her eye, because she then turned around with a confused face. "Huh?"
Then all three of them turned around. In the snowy bog that had covered their vision only by a little, they could make out some scary features. A tall figure with blue spiky hair and wearing a dark colored robe stared right back at them, the evil smile on his face.
"Ah, the son of Jeckt. And the daughter of Vera is here as well."
Remora was shocked just to see Seymour again, but just hearing her mother's name come out of his mouth- "What!?"
Tidus glanced at Rikku. "Rikku, run ahead and tell Auron!"
"You are not going to fight him alone!" Rikku shouted back, half talking to Remora also.
"Just go! Go!" He yelled. Rikku hesitated for a moment, but then ran off to catch up with the others, who didn't walk too far ahead of them. Tidus stepped close and in front of Remora on guard. Seymour lowered his head a little, but his gaze lay heavy on both of them.
"Now is your time to die. Prepare yourselves, son of Jeckt, daughter of Vera."
Remora was sure that Tidus was wondering who Vera was, but now was not the perfect time to wonder. Tidus stood his ground. "Not if I can help it!"
A jumble of footsteps pounded the snow behind the two and the group immediately came to view.
"Save some for Kimahri!" Kimahri shouted, his spear tight in his grip. Seymour's gaze immediately turned to Yuna.
"Lady Yuna, it is a pleasure." He said. He must have completely erased the thought that Remora seemed loyal to him, with the way he threatened her. Yuna cringed as he spoke to her, but Lulu leaned over to whisper something to her.
"Yuna!" She whispered loudly. Yuna nodded and took her rod out, about to begin the ritual of a sending, but Seymour didn't look frightened.
"A sending so soon? Allow me to say something to the last Ronso before I leave." He said. He cackled a laugh that Remora thought she'd never hear. "Yours was...truly a gallant race. They threw themselves at me to bar my path. One...after another..." He cackled some more, but it wasn't the time to smile for the others.
"No..." Kimahri said once he realized what Seymour meant.
"Kimahri..." Yuna said, trying to calm him.
"How could you do this?!" Fang shouted at Seymour. Seymour's grin only widened.
"You could end the suffering of this poor Ronso."
"I don't understand you!" Yuna said, disgusted. Remora then backed up next to her.
"Allow Kimahri to die, and release him from his pain. Spira... is a land of suffering and sorrow caught in a spiral of death. To destroy--to heal--Spira, I will become Sin. Yes, with your help. Come with me, Yuna. As well as you, Remora. I just can't seem to finish the job without you. You'd make Vera proud."
Tidus and Auron stepped in front of them defensively to guard any attack or attempt of abduction towards them. Tidus had leaned his head back a little towards Remora's spot.
"Who's Vera?" He asked.
"I'll tell you later." She replied. She saw that Auron gave her a sharp glance and looked as though he wanted to say something urgent, but they would talk afterwards; after they took care of Seymour.
"Once I become the next Sin, your father will be freed again. And Vera will have all of her pain released."
Pain?! Remora thought. Tidus sagged a little, but then lifted his head angrily.
"What do you know!?"
Seymour didn't answer, but he had stepped off of the ledge and began to levitate. Rays of blue and gray surged around him, just as they did back at Bevelle. A Deja Vu moment for everyone else.
"Pitiful mortal. Your hope ends here." He said. His voice seemed to be blended with another harsher tone, making two speak at once. "And your meaningless existence with it!"
Pyreflies scattered all over the air as Seymour was once again vanquished. The blizzard around the area had vanished, as if Seymour was the one who caused it. Tidus stepped towards the ledge as the last bit of pyreflies vanished.
"And stay up there!" He shouted at the sky. Fang grinned at his assertive tone as she went to walk next to Remora as the group was about to leave again, but Yuna stayed in her spot.
"He will become Sin...with my help."
The group turned around to face her with awestruck faces. Auron walked forward until he was next to Remora. "Lies. Forget them." He said. He almost sounded aggravated.
"If he becomes Sin, Sir Jeckt and Vera will be saved. Remora looked up at Yuna frantically. She remembered how Seymour called her 'daughter of Vera', so the group immediately knew that Vera was Remora's mother, but didn't exactly know who she was. Remora's expression read worry and regret and Auron wrapped his arm roughly around her shoulders to guide her next direction.
"We're leaving." He replied again. He was about to turn but then Yuna learned a little too much.
"You know something!" She shouted at him. Auron only stayed silent, and Remora didn't know what to say. Neither did Fang. Yuna then turned her attention towards Tidus, who was just as tense.
"Tell me!"
Tidus sighed before giving out his confession. "Sin's...my old man."
Wakka gaped. "You hit your head?"
"Sin is my old man. My old man became Sin! I don't know how or why he did it. I felt him, inside. And when I did, I knew it was true. My old man is Spira's suffering. Sorry."
Yuna was silent, but her expression was blank, despite that her tone wasn't. "Even...knowing that Sin is your father...still, you know, I must..."
"I know. Let's get him. I think my old man would want that."
"You'd fight your own father?" Lulu asked, sounding slightly shocked.
I would. Fang thought to herself.
"Yeah. No problem there." Tidus replied confidently.
"Uh...'bout your old man...you sure this ain't some bad toxic dream or something?" Wakka asked. Tidus only sighed. Remora felt pity for him. "Then, Chappu... I, uh... I think I'll just pretend I didn't hear nothing. I'm getting a little confused, ya? Why... Why'd all this have to happen?"
Auron still had his hand around Remora's shoulder, but the grip loosened a bit, symbolizing ease. "We'll learn when we arrive. Soon."