The Final Fight For Spira

by starcade

After the defeats of both Sin and Vegnagun, a final menace threatens unspeakable horror on Spira, as well as a new spiral of death. Only those called to fell Sin and Vegnagun can stop it.

3. Besaid: Getting Their Bearings

"Final Fantasy X: The Final Fight for Spira"

Part 3: "Besaid: Getting Their Bearings"

Landing on Besaid Island

The party came off the Celsius, and literally hit the ground running. There were so many fiends in the field that they absolutely could not deal with them just in parties of three -- all seven of them had to be in the fight. Yuna, of course, had to hold back and heal (and conserve magic power) as best she could.

It wasn't as if Major Numerous was overestimating them. In fact, he and Dark Yevon had simply operated on the assumption that simply overwhelming the party with this many fiends (even simple birds, simple wolves, and small flans) would be enough to fell them on the Prominence, before they would even begin to approach the main village, much less the temple…

… where Dark Valefor now awaited the party, should they get there.

Of course, for the party, this was actually fun -- as they were basically working off battle rust. Wakka was having almost too much fun picking off birds as he went… Lulu was using magic to take away the flans. Rikku was stealing potions left and right and handing them to Paine -- who was using the Dark Knight sphere to Darkness away hordes of the small-level fiends at once. Tidus was slicing and dicing his way through the mass to begin on their way down the hill from the Prominence toward the city itself.

Kimhari was, almost too gracefully, using his spear to exert his strength after the flans, wolves, and birds which they were facing.

Yuna was spending most of her time also healing Paine, as Paine was sacrificing her health, from time to time, to clear a path of the hordes of small fiends laying siege to Besaid Island.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they made the village gate.

Besaid Village -- Main Gate

At which they were met by a familiar face…

The same face that the Eternal Calm party met when they returned to Besaid…

Dark Yevon Summoner: "Forget us not, High Summoner. For we, born of Sin and living for Sin, wish to bring the force of Yevon back to the people of Spira."

Kimhari (immediately drawing his spear): "You wish nothing but the deaths of countless souls of Spira."

Dark Yevon Summoner: "Such is the way it must be, Ronso. Or do you not remember…"

Tidus: "We remember! And we refuse to let Spira fall into that spiral again."

Dark Yevon Summoner: "You shall have no choice. Should you assault the temple, Valefor will blast you all and kill you. Then nothing will stop us from taking Yuna!"

Rikku: "You will never take Yunie!! I made my mistake, and will not let you do the same."

Dark Yevon Summoner: "It would be so easy to have Major Numerous kill you all now. But he has to maintain the seals until the time comes which you are all dead…"

Paine could only come up with one reaction to that...

Paine: "What an asshole."

Dark Yevon Summoner: "PREPARE TO CHARGE!"

With that, the Dark Yevon Summoner thrust his hands skyward. After all too familiar of a crest, Dark Valefor emerged from the skies, perched itself on the top of the temple…

And then, the Dark Yevon Summoner said: "BEHOLD!! DARK VALEFOR!!"

Then, both he and Dark Valefor disappeared into the temple.

The first order of business for the group was to dispatch the remaining fiends which were in the village, but outside the temple. Then, they checked for any damage which had been done to the village.

Thankfully, the damage was minimal, as the Aurochs had joined with other former Besaid members of the Youth League to dispatch the fiends in the village, to large extent, before they could do significant damage.

The party used its accumulated gil to purchase supplies -- especially Phoenix Downs for those who might be knocked out and Ethers for Yuna and Lulu.

Once a secure lookout was posted, the party was able to rest comfortably for a while and to relax aching muscles from their previous fights. Though they had fun, it was clear that they had regressed a little bit in ability.

Wakka: "Woo! That was tough…"

Lulu: "Well, you've put on a bit of weight there, honey…"

Wakka: "Hey! Hey, now!!"

Tidus: "You OK, Yuna??"

Yuna: "Yeah. Nothing got to me. I was just healing all you guys, mostly Paine."

Paine: "It was nothing. I did more damage to myself than they could do to me as I swept the field clean."

And then Paine smiled…

It was the first time most of the others had seen the "new Paine" -- the one with the confidence and the ability to have fun.

Rikku: "Yunie, Paine's changed!!"

Paine: "You realize that you did it. Both of you. Both you and Yuna…"

Yuna: "It was our pleasure."

The Gullwings hugged as the rest of the group smiled.

Except for Kimhari, who was a silent guard, standing in protection of the party in various huts in Besaid Village.

Since all of the fiends were taken care of, they had a restful night -- and, after a hearty meal for breakfast, prepared to assault Besaid Temple.

But as they were ready to begin, time stopped again.

The fayth again stepped forward to greet the party.

Fayth: "Hello, friends. I am so glad to see you safe and sound in Besaid Village. It looked like the Dark Yevon summoners tired us in summoning legions of fiends to dispatch you, but you emerged without a scratch."

"However, I need to tell you what you need to do now."

Tidus: "Defeat Dark Valefor, right??"

Fayth: "Yes. Each of the eight seals you saw around Major Numerous in Bevelle represents one of the eight aeons Yuna earned to help battle Sin. Dark Yevon summoners have, once again, prepared to summon immensely powerful dark versions of these aeons."

"Defeat each dark aeon in turn, and you will not only earn that fayth's help and the ability to summon your own version of the aeon, but you will also break that aeon's seal over what is now called Dark Bevelle."

"You will also loose the next seal to be able to proceed to Kilika. Now, go… Go defeat Dark Valefor."

Yuna nodded in the name of the entire party, and the entire party came to the doors of Besaid Temple.

Besaid Temple

Yuna: "The singing of the fayth is gone."

Rikku: "Too eerily quiet."

Tidus: "Stand prepared."

Kimhari grunted in assent.

Paine readied the Garment Grid…

Wakka was prepared, ball in hand.

The Dark Yevon Summoner came from the temple's depths.

Dark Yevon Summoner: "All seven of you shall perish at the feet of Dark Valefor. Summoner, you summon no more…"

Yuna came forward and said: "For now, but I have my friends, as I did when we defeated Sin."

Dark Yevon Summoner: "The Sin of ages past is nothing compared to the future of Spira…"

Kimhari: "AWAY!!"

And Kimhari shoved the Dark Yevon Summoner to the ground.

He got up, straightened his robes, said: "We'll see soon enough. Your death awaits you in the receiving chamber."

He then went up the stairs and through the door beginning the Trials…

The First Dark Trial

At the first door, there were symbols. They read:

CHOOSE THREE

Tidus: "Three of us. Only three can head in and clear the trial before we can face Dark Valefor."

Paine: "I'm game. These people haven't seen anything like the likes of the Garment Grid."

Kimhari: "Kimhari will stand guard."

Tidus: "Good idea. No telling if there will be surprises waiting for us when we emerge. Good call, Kimhari."

Rikku: "Valefor flies, right? So that's Wakka's department…"

Wakka: "OK, that's two. Who's #3?"

Yuna thought for a second.

Lulu: "Sounds like Paine's Dark Knight sphere can clear flans and the like, so I am freed up to stand at the entrance to guard the rear."

Rikku: "Should I steal and mix, or…"

Then the symbols reformed:

THE SUMMONER MUST ENTER THE TRIAL

Tidus: "I guess that answers our questions."

"Paine, it's you, Wakka, and Yuna."

Tidus then walked over to Paine and said: "Take care of her."

Paine nodded resolutely and answered: "I will."

With that, the three entered the trial and the door closed.

The Marlboro they met first would provide a stiff test, but they were up to it.

Then, unsent Guado summoners from Macalania provided One-Eyes, snow wolves, and other challenges.

Without much difficulty, though, they reached the antechamber before the reception area, where Dark Valefor awaited.

At that point, the door to the trial opened, and it was time for them to go down the elevator.

The Battle of Dark Valefor

The Dark Yevon Summoner growled.

Dark Yevon Summoner: "Insolent fools. But, no matter. You shall now face your fate and death right here and now. PREPARE TO CHARGE…"

"And now… CHARGE!!!!"

The first to charge, though, was Wakka -- who quickly set up for something big…

Wakka: "You're making me mad…"

Slots began forming over his head as he concentrated to stop them in the proper places. Just like old times, he did and a rain of World Champions seemed to head toward Dark Valefor.

Paine switched garments to a Trainer, and then a swarm of birds flew to her defense as Dark Valefor knew not what to do.

Yuna, basically only a healer right now, entrusted her power to Wakka.

Dark Yevon Summoner: "Take out the thrower, Valefor!!"

Dark Valefor, as if ordered to do so blindly, prepared to hit Wakka with the power of his Sonic Wings.

Before he could do so, though, Paine sent another swarm of birds to keep Dark Valefor busy -- which allowed Wakka to set up for another round of the slot machine.

He didn't miss this time either -- and, after that, Dark Valefor fell to the ground…

At that same moment, as a mass of pyreflies flew from the disintegrating form of the fallen dark aeon, a series of pyreflies flew from the chest of the Dark Yevon Summoner, shocked -- and now very dead -- and flew right into Yuna.

Yuna fell back from the blast, and the group ran to Yuna, who put up her hand.

Yuna: "Worry not. I am, once again, a summoner…"

Fayth: "You are. And you have broken the seal of Valefor over Dark Bevelle."

"Hurry -- you need to get back to your ship. It can now go to Kilika. Kilika Port needs defense from the dark summoners."

As if on cue, Yuna received a communication on her commsphere.

Brother (from a communication from the Celsius): "We're in super doo-doo again!! Get on the Celsius, on the double…"

Yuna: "Got it. Let's go!! Next stop, Kilika."

The group ran out, confident. If they only knew what challenges awaited them in the next cities, they might not be so confident.