Chapter 27: Calm and Chaos

The next morning, Charlene awoke with a sense of dread lying like a cold weight in the pit of her stomach. Throughout the night, the presence within her had sulked about her refusal to give in to its wishes and plagued her with dreams ranging anywhere from mildly disturbing to frightening enough to make her wake up sweating with terror, and she paid for it this morning with exhaustion. Despite her tiredness, however, Charlie got up with the others without complaint and helped break camp before they departed on the next leg of their journey. "I have to figure out a way to block this thing out," she thought to herself, her gaze darting through the sapphire gloom as they walked through the crystal forest. "If I don't, it's just going to keep attacking me until it finally gets what it wants."

Finally, the strange trees of Macalania gave way to a narrow path through a canyon, and that, in turn led to an enormous prairie that stretched on for countless miles, only broken by the mountains to the north and east, and a massive gorge to the west. "Oh wow…" Charlie gasped as she stared at the seemingly endless expanse of gently rolling grassland. "What is this place?"

"The Calm Lands," Lulu smoothly replied. "Long ago, the high summoners fought Sin here. The road ends here…beyond, there's no towns, no villages, only endless plains."

"Many summoners stray from their path and lose their way here," Auron added.

Yuna stared up at the clear blue sky in silence, and then tipped backward into the grass. "I've always known where to go," she softly replied as she continued staring skyward.

Charlie walked over to the summoner and helped her to her feet. "I won't let you die, Yuna," the guardian said, "I'll save you from this, I swear!"

Yuna smiled back at her, and said, "Thank you. Let's go."

…

Despite the gentleness of the name, the Calm Lands were anything but, as fiends of all shapes and sizes roamed at will. What normally would be a relatively short trip became twice as long, due to all the monster attacks on the group as they made their way across the prairie. For the first few days, the fiends consisted mostly of small fry, like bugs and wolves, but things took a turn for the worse when Rikku accidentally stumbled across a pair of giant black snakes similar to the ones found back in Djose. Hissing with anger, the two fiends slithered out of their resting place in the tall grass, waving their forelegs menacingly. "I don't think they're going to let us pass!" Rikku announced unnecessarily.

The two snakes caught up with the party then, and the fight began in earnest. Wakka and Lulu proved to be formidable assets to the group, as their long-range attacks managed to keep the fiends distracted long enough for Charlie and Rikku to dart in and deal damage before escaping again, while Auron and Kimahri attacked relentlessly. Before long, both monsters were bleeding profusely, but they clearly did not intend to back down from the fight. The larger of the two snakes suddenly crouched low to the ground, raised its tail high into the air, and shook it violently. Then the air wobbled, as a high-pitched keening sound rang out, forcing everyone to cover their ears in an attempt to block out the terrible noise. "Someone make it shut up!" Wakka cried, dropping to his knees along with everyone else.

Just then, Yuna stopped covering her ears and pointed her staff skyward, the magical fireworks of summoning surrounding her as she did so. The sky turned dark, and a massive black dragon dropped out of the clouds, flaring its sunset colored wings as it dropped to the ground beside Yuna. "Bahamut…" Charlie breathed, staring at the aeon in wonder.

Surprised by Bahamut's sudden appearance, the snake fiend stopped its relentless screeching, while its smaller counterpart darted past it, intent on mauling the dragon. It lashed out at the aeon with its clawed arms, but then let out a strangled hiss of disbelief when Bahamut halted the oncoming attack by grabbing the snake by the throat. The fiend flailed wildly, desperate to break free, but its attempts proved futile as the great dragon choke-slammed it into the ground. Then Bahamut stomped on the serpent with his massive, clawed foot, breaking its spine and killing it instantly.

As the smaller fiend faded into a cloud of pyreflies, the larger one let out a shriek of rage, before flinging itself at the aeon in a state of berserk fury. Before it could reach its target, however, Bahamut retaliated by firing off several bursts of dark energy, which completely disintegrated the giant snake. When the dust settled, all that remained was a scorched spot over which the dragon stood, roaring in celebration of his victory. When Yuna moved to release the aeon, Charlie said, "Wait!"

The summoner and, surprisingly enough, the dragon both gave her a peculiar look, but then Bahamut dropped to all fours, bringing himself nose to nose with Charlie. His softly glowing white eyes caught hers, and the voice of the fayth ghosted through her mind. ::Go on. I don't bite.::

Blinking slowly, Charlene reached out with her trembling left hand, and touched the aeon's face. Surprisingly, the armored scales were warm to the touch and smooth, like a piece of obsidian on a bright spring day. Finally, she pulled her hand away, and Bahamut vanished. "Thank you," she whispered softly, before noticing that everyone else was staring at her.

"What was that all about?" Rikku wanted to know.

"Uh…well…Bahamut and I just have an understanding, that's all," Charlie lamely replied.

"You have an understanding with an aeon?" Lulu said as she raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Uh…yeah?"

"How?" Wakka demanded.

Charlie looked at the blitzer, and then shot a desperate look at Auron. Thankfully, the swordsman understood her distress and said, "Discuss it later. We're leaving now."

…

"Wow, look at all the chocobos!" Yuna exclaimed a couple of days later, as a huge flock ran by.

"Yeah! I wonder if we could ride them." Rikku thought aloud. "It'd definitely make our trip faster."

Just then, a woman on another chocobo rode up, and said, "Hey, did I just hear you say you wanted to ride a chocobo?"

"Actually, yes, we would," Yuna replied. "My guardians and I are on a pilgrimage, and we'd greatly appreciate it if you'd lend us a few until we get to the other side of the Calm Lands."

The chocobo owner gave the summoner a long, measuring look, and then said, "Nope, I can't help you."

"Why the hell not?" Charlie angrily demanded. "It's not like you've got hundreds of customers begging for the damn things!"

"Arietta doesn't let just anyone who comes along ride one, you know!" the woman replied, clearly referring to herself in the third person. "You have to pass a test, first."

"What test would that be?" Auron wanted to know, clearly annoyed by the delay.

Arietta the Chocobo Lady looked everyone in the eye in turn, and then said, "One of you has to race me. If you win, I'll let you use my chocobos, free of charge, but if you lose, you'll just have to keep walking."

The summoner and all her guardians looked around at one another in silence, until Rikku finally asked, "Okay, who's racing then?"

"Count me out!" Wakka swiftly replied. "I have a hard enough time staying on one at normal speed, ya?"

"I guess I could do it," Charlene said, albeit reluctantly.

Before anyone could say anything, a dark yellow, almost gold colored chocobo strutted over to the young woman and butted its head against her, clearly ready for a race. "Well, it looks like Chico's ready to go!" Arietta laughed.

Charlie sighed gustily, climbed onto Chico's back, and then asked, "Where are we supposed to race to?"

The chocobo wrangler pointed to the twisted remnants of a tree off in the distance. "We ride to that tree and back here, and whoever gets here first is the winner. Are we clear?"

"Definitely."

Suddenly, Arietta's chocobo warked loudly, and then took off as fast as its legs would go. "If you're going to race, then I suggest you get started!" Arietta taunted as her bird continued to run.

"You cheating rat!" Charlene furiously replied. "You aren't going to beat me that easily!"

The young woman dug her heels into the chocobo's ribs, and Chico let out an indignant cry before bolting after its rival. Charlie and her chocobo trailed behind for most of the race, because she did not want to force it to speed up beyond its endurance. Toward the end, however, Chico, deciding it did not want to lose in such an embarrassing manner, put on an amazing burst of speed. Surprised, all Charlene could do was hang on for dear life as her mount shot forward and passed Arietta just in time. "What the hell was that all about?" the guardian demanded, jumping off the chocobo's back as soon as it came to a stop. "You make us go through your damn test only to prove that you're a cheating…wait, why are you laughing?"

"I'm just really happy, that's all!" Arietta answered, dismounting her own bird. "It's about time someone actually passed the test, you know."

"Well, of course we passed, despite your attempts to cheat," Lulu coolly replied.

"No, no! You pass because you didn't abuse Chico by pushing him too hard. If you had done so, he would've bucked you off and we'd just leave all of you out here to walk the rest of the way. Since you didn't do so, you can borrow chocobos from me any time you'd like."

Everyone stared at Arietta, not quite sure that she was completely sane, while she turned around and picked out mounts for everyone. Once she rounded them up, she said, "You can ride them anywhere in the Calm Lands, and they won't run off as soon as you climb off them. If you try to leave the area, though, they'll stop and refuse to go any further. You understand?"

"Yes," Auron testily replied, quite ready to leave.

"All right, then you're good to go…except for one thing."

"What now?" Charlene wanted to know. "You don't have another stupid test, do you?"

"No," the chocobo lady replied while rummaging through her pockets. Finally, she pulled out a small shining object and handed it to Charlie. "Take it."

The guardian took the item and stared at it. It was a gold coin, larger than a gil, with a circle engraved on it, and a dot inscribed in the middle of the circle. "What is it?"

"I have no idea, but you're the first person to pass my test, so I figured I'd give it to you. Anyway, I've kept you people waiting long enough, so I'm gonna go now."

With that, Arietta left the group with their chocobos, and Yuna turned to Charlie and asked, "What did she give you?"

"I'm not really sure, but it looks like it has something to do with these." She pulled out the bronze disc with "Tzedek" engraved on it, and then put the gold coin in the depression in the center. The coin fit, but obviously did not match. "I've been finding things like these ever since I got here, so maybe they have some purpose."

At that moment, Kimahri obviously grew tired of waiting on everyone, so he mounted his chocobo and rode off in silence. "I think we should get going now," Yuna sheepishly said.

…

The trip across the Calm Lands proved much easier with the assistance of the chocobos, as they were faster than any fiend living there was. In fact, they had almost reached the Al Bhed-owned rest area in the center of the plains when they ran into a familiar face. "Oh, you again," Belgemine flatly stated when she noticed Yuna. "You're quite the notorious traitor these days."

"Oh? What do you plan to do about it, then?" Charlie demanded, glowering ominously at the older summoner.

Belgemine chuckled at that, and then said, "Ah, you shouldn't take what the maesters say too seriously." Then her tone turned grave again. "For summoners, defeating Sin is everything. We are no tools of Yevon, understand?"

"Yes," Yuna shyly replied.

"So are you up to the task?" the older woman asked.

"I do not know, but I will do my best."

"You've got spirit, but you'll need more to beat Sin." Belgemine paused for a moment, staring intently into the young summoner's eyes, and then said, "I tell you what: come to the hidden temple of Remiem, and I shall give you the training you need."

"I will," Yuna promised.

"Very well. Until then, I bid you farewell."

The summoner then walked away, leaving everyone to watch her practically vanish in the tall grass of the plains. "That sounds like a good idea," Rikku said, staring thoughtfully at the sky as it turned purple and red with the setting of the sun. "But it might need to wait until tomorrow."

No one argued with the Al Bhed, instead following her lead as she headed toward the rest area. Once there, everyone restocked on supplies and relaxed as a bald man in monk's robes approached them. "Father Zuke!" Lulu cried, her face lighting up with recognition.

"Long time, no see," Zuke replied, his tone showing he was clearly happy to see her, too. Then he turned to Yuna and asked, "You are Yuna? Well, you certainly don't look like Maester Kinoc's murderer."

"What'd you say?" Wakka yelped, appalled by the accusation.

"Please, tell us what has happened!" Yuna implored.

"Maester Mika just issued a personal order, you know," the monk replied. "It said that you and your guardians murdered Maester Kinoc and fled. We are to kill you on sight…or so it says."

"What of Bevelle?" Auron asked, not caring about the order.

"Things are calm on the surface, but the depths are turbulent. After the death of Maester Kinoc, Kelk Ronso left Yevon."

"Convenient. Getting around will be easier with Yevon in disarray."

"Be careful, my friends," Zuke warned. "You have been branded enemies of Yevon, so you should avoid the temples for the time being."

"Thank you, Father Zuke, for your warning," Yuna said.

"Father, you came all this way just to tell us this?" Lulu wanted to know.

The monk chuckled, and then shook his head. "To tell the truth, I was a little curious to see this summoner you are guarding. I hope her pilgrimage goes well, for your sake, too."

"Thank you, Father," the mage replied, flushing slightly.

"I must depart, but I shall pray for all of you," Zuke said, while performing the prayer gesture.

Charlie watched the monk leave, scratching her head in confusion, and then asked, "Okay…so who was that?"

"Until half a year ago, he was a summoner," Lulu explained. "Wakka and I were his guardians."

"It was kind of a short pilgrimage," Wakka added.

"He gave up halfway…here on this plain. Now he is a monk at the Bevelle temple." Lulu let out a small sigh. "This is my third pilgrimage as a guardian. Father Zuke was my second, and my first…well, it ended here, too. I've never been to the lands beyond. Mt. Gagazet towers to the north, and Zanarkand lies beyond that."

"So Auron's the only one who traveled the whole way, huh?" Charlie thought. "No wonder everyone respects him so much!" Suddenly, she noticed Yuna staring at the ground, as though trying to peer through it, and asked, "Hey, is something on your mind?"

The summoner looked up, blinked confusedly for a moment, and then said, "So, we are officially traitors, then."

"Who cares? Let those idiots in Bevelle say what they want! That doesn't make it true!"

"It's okay, I'm not worried." Then Yuna chuckled nervously, and then added, "Well, maybe just a little. It's hard not to be."

"That's okay. If it gets too bad, you can always just scream your lungs out," Charlie cheerfully replied.

"I might just do that." Suddenly, the summoner's expression turned thoughtful. "I wonder if my father got lost here, too."

"I'd be more surprised if he didn't get lost, since I'm sure both Auron AND Jecht would've rather died than stop to ask for directions!"

"Maybe I'll ask Sir Auron about it…"

"Good luck with that," Charlie said, grinning mischievously. "You know how he is when anyone asks him about himself."

"That is none of your business!" Yuna replied, doing a comedic impersonation of the stolid guardian.

Both girls laughed loudly, drawing stares from the rest of the group, and then Auron walked over and said, "Enough. We leave early tomorrow, so get some rest."

…Flash…

Charlene stood in the midst of a desiccated wasteland before the battered shell of a house, one very familiar to her, though she could not say why. Suddenly, like a puppet on strings, her body started toward the house of its own volition, kicking the door off the hinges and walking inside. Everything in the house was in ruins, looking as if a tornado had called the place home. "What the hell is this place?" she wondered. "Why does it look so familiar?"

"Charlie…is that you?" a slightly raspy female voice asked, startling the young woman. Slowly turning around, she saw a haggard looking woman with grey-streaked dark hair half-crouched behind an overturned couch in the corner. "Charlie, oh God, it IS you!" she joyfully cried, quickly abandoning her hiding place to embrace her long-lost daughter.

"Mom? Mom, I'm home! I'm…" The young woman stopped, realizing that her cries only echoed in her mind. "What the hell…why can't I talk? Why can't I move?"

Her body once again took its own initiative and stalked toward her mother with ominous intent. "Charlie, what are you doing?" her mom cried, scooting back until she hit the wall.

"I don't know! Oh God, what's happening to me?" Charlene shrieked as she advanced on her mother, an evil-looking sword in her hand.

When the older woman could go no further, the force controlling Charlie made her raise the blade high in the air, and then brought it down again with all the strength it could muster. Bright blood splattered everywhere, streaking the ashen grey walls with broad streaks of crimson. Her mother's now-lifeless corpse dropped to the floor, accusation and terror mingled in her glassy eyes, and Charlie's soul cringed as she heard the most horrible laughter rip from her throat in a paean of carnage. "Oh Mom…no…" she whispered, even though she knew the words would not come aloud.

Just then, she noticed the shattered and blood-soaked remnants of a large mirror on the wall next to them, and what she saw there nearly drove her mad. In the shards that still clung to the frame, she saw herself clad in pulsating dark armor frighteningly similar to Sin's, but that did not scare her as much as the look on her face. Whatever controlled her wore an expression of insane joy, and because of that controlling force, her eyes now glowed the eerie grey-violet of a midnight thunderstorm. What scared her most; however, was the tracery of flickering violet veins that streaked from her hairline to her cheeks in an uncanny imitation of the ones on Seymour's face. ::Look at you!:: the terrible presence in her laughed. ::This is the future that awaits you…but I'm sure you aren't worried, since you're used to destroying everything around you!::

"No!" Charlie shrieked as cold despair enveloped her. "Oh God…someone please tell me this isn't real! It can't be real! No, no, NO!"

…Flash…

Charlie sat up with a jolt, screaming with horror at the scene she just witnessed. The terrible voice in the back of her head laughed loudly at her terror and she screamed again. "Oh Mom, no!" she wailed, tears blinding her as they streamed down her face.

A pair of hands grasped her shoulders and shook her, snapping her out of nightmare, but from the intense fear that gripped her soul. "Charlie, snap out of it!" a gruff male voice ordered, his tone brooking no argument as she flailed in his grasp.

Charlene froze in place, recognizing the voice as Auron's, and stopped struggling. Once she calmed down, the swordsman released her and backed away. Looking around, she saw everyone staring at her with frightened looks on their faces. "Charlie, what happened?" Yuna asked, genuinely worried for her friend.

Shivering violently, the female guardian choked back a sob and said, "It was just a bad dream, that's all."

"Bad dream? It sounded more like a nightmare to me!" Rikku replied, obviously not convinced.

"You've been having a lot of those lately, ya?" Wakka said. "You always mumble and sound like you're fighting someone."

"Shit! I didn't know I was being loud." Charlie thought, flushing deeply. "It's no big deal, I swear. I've always had nightmares."

"But they seem to be getting worse…did something happen to you in Bevelle?" Lulu asked.

Charlene paused, her mouth hanging open slightly as the black mage's question hit close to the mark. ::Go ahead and tell them!:: the dark voice crowed. ::I'm sure they will be oh so willing to believe you!::

"Nothing happened," Charlie finally replied. "I'm fine, so please get some sleep and stop fussing over me!"

Everyone gave her doubtful looks, but finally backed off and left her in peace. For a couple of hours, she lay curled up on her bedroll, trying in vain to get back to sleep, but rest eluded her. Finally, the young woman gave up on sleep and got up to check on the others. Lulu, Yuna, and Rikku all slept peacefully, while Wakka kicked some imaginary blitzball into oblivion. Auron and Kimahri did not sleep, but alertly watched the darkness for any signs of danger, and seemingly did not notice that Charlie was awake…or so she thought. "Messy," Auron said aloud, startling the younger guardian.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, confused by his sudden burst of speech.

"Yevon. Mika and Seymour are not of one mind. Remember what Seymour said last we met?"

"Yeah…all that crap about 'saving Spira', right?"

Auron nodded. "I do not think Mika will concur, and if Yevon founders, so will Spira."

Charlene made a face. "Maybe so, but Spira really needs to take off the water wings and learn how to swim."

The swordsman laughed at her comment, but said nothing, so she returned to her bedroll and finally sank into an uneasy slumber.