Chapter 28: Warning

Early the next morning, the group packed up their things, mounted their chocobos, and set out toward the east, intent on quickly reaching their destination. Charlie rode toward the back of the group, keeping a wary eye out for fiends and trying to avoid thinking about the new, rather embarrassing dream her unwanted "passenger" dropped on her earlier. "Nightmares or Perv-Land…" she grumbled internally as she scanned the landscape. "Why can't I ever get something in my head that doesn't involve me waking up in a sweat?"

Just then, Rikku fell back beside her, shaking slightly with nerves, and asked, "She's not stopping, is she, Charlie?"

"Who, Yuna?" The Al Bhed nodded, and the older girl continued to speak. "Yuna's made her choice. All we can do is go along with it for the moment."

"But I can't just let her go!" the thief wailed.

"I'm not saying you have to. We'll save her from the Final Aeon, I promise."

"But how?"

"I'll come up with something," Charlie replied, doing her best to sound confident.

"But what if you can't?" Rikku persisted.

Charlene let out an exasperated sigh and all but shouted, "Rikku, would you please stop with the 'ifs' and 'buts'! You're only getting yourself worked up, and that's getting me worked up, and I don't feel up to dealing with a headache this morning!" The thief fell silent, so Charlie took the opportunity to add, "Let's think about it together, okay? If we can't come up with something soon, we'll just find another way."

"Okay!" Rikku nodded, looking more cheerful.

Just then, a bestial scream, followed by a very human yelp, ripped through the air, and from the sound, it was not far from their position. "What in Yevon's name was that?" Wakka wondered, startled by the sound.

Then the shriek came yet again, along with another cry for help, and the party quickly spurred their chocobos toward the source of the cries. Within a couple of moments, they found a gap in the cliff that led to an arena, where an old man was lying on the ground, barely fending off what looked like a huge black and red chimera. Before the monster could strike a finishing blow, however, Lulu struck it with a Blizzaga spell and drove it back long enough for the old man to escape. While the beast was distracted, Auron and Kimahri quickly dismounted their chocobos and advanced on it, intending on destroying it before it could recover. Before they could actually attack, however, the old man shouted, "Don't kill it! I need it alive!"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Charlie yelled, as she and the others joined the battle. "Why in bloody blue hell do you need that creepy thing alive?"

"It's my newest creation, and I don't want all my hard work to go to waste!" the stranger calmly replied.

"So what are we supposed to do, then?" Rikku wanted to know.

"Just see if you can't back it into that pen over there," he said, pointing at a large cage several yards behind the chimera.

The task proved difficult, but not impossible, since it definitely did not like having Lulu's various spells explode in its face. Finally, they managed to hold the thing off long enough for Kimahri to slam the door of the cage shut and lock it, trapping it inside. "Thanks," the old man said, wiping sweat from his brow. "I thought I was a goner."

"If we hadn't heard your scream, you would be," Auron growled, clearly annoyed by the delay the battle caused.

"What is this place, anyway?" Rikku asked, quickly cutting off any possible arguments.

"It's an old arena built back in Mi'ihen's time. The Crusaders used to use it to train, but after that fiasco down in Mushroom Rock…there probably won't be anyone training for a long time." Then the old man's face brightened, and he said, "Wait! You kids can train here, if you want!"

"No, thank you," Yuna replied, slightly unnerved by the man's enthusiasm. "But we would be very grateful if you could show us the way to Remiem Temple."

"Huh? Oh, you mean that old temple beyond the cliffs! Yeah, there's a path behind the arena…but you'll have to use your chocobos to get to it."

The group thanked him and started to depart, but then stopped when he flagged them down, a grubby package in his hands. "What is it now?" Charlie demanded, impatient to resume their journey.

The man caught up to their chocobos, then shoved the dirty package into Yuna's hands. "This has been passed down through my family for generations," he breathlessly explained. "But I think that it's time for it to go to a new owner."

The summoner carefully untied the string holding the cloth together, and stared down at the dusty crystal of the ancient staff she now held. "Um…thank you?" she said, not quite sure what to think of the "gift".

"What is it?" Wakka wondered aloud, peering at the staff.

The arena owner shrugged, and then replied, "Nirvana. My grandsire told me that it's supposed to be one of the Celestial Weapons of legend, but it lost its power ages ago."

"And what, exactly, are we supposed to do with it?" Auron testily demanded.

"I'm not sure, to tell you the truth, but I figure that if anyone can reawaken that relic's power, it would be your little group."

…

Remiem Temple was a strange, almost hive-like building hanging over a seemingly bottomless pit, and the only way the group could reach it was by dismounting their chocobos and crossing the narrow bridge in a single file line. Once they made it across, the three sigils on the massive stone door glowed red, blue, and yellow, and then the door opened, allowing everyone access inside. The interior of the temple consisted of a single large room with a softly glowing door on the other side. The sight of that door struck a sudden sense of unease in Charlie, as the darkness within her stirred angrily. "This place…something about it scares me," she thought to herself, while trying not to tremble.

Just then, a strange female voice rang out in her mind, accompanied by an iridescent red light. ::That thing inside you does not belong here,:: she said.

"No…it's not me that's frightened, but the monster! It's afraid of the fayth!"

::I fear NOTHING!:: the creature screamed, clawing at her mind in rage.

Another voice, this time accompanied by a shiny blue light, lashed out at the darkness and yelled, ::Demon! You will not profane this sacred place with your evil!::

::Oh really? What do you plan on doing about it?:: the monster sneered. ::The only way you weaklings can get rid of me now is by killing my host, and I KNOW you will not do that!::

::Maybe not…:: added a third, shimmering yellow voice. ::But you are not invincible, as you claim to be…::

"Welcome, Yuna," Belgemine said, suddenly stepping out of the shadows and startling Charlie out of the unusual conversation in her mind.

"What happened to this place?" Yuna asked.

This temple used to be a great religious center, but the main path was lost during Lord Ohalland's battle with Sin, and it fell into obscurity," the older summoner explained.

"So why do you stay all the way out here?" Charlene wanted to know.

"It's a long story, so it would probably be easier to show you."

Just then, Belgemine's form turned transparent, and several pyreflies drifted out of her body, floating lazily before returning to her. "You're an unsent, too?" Charlie asked incredulously.

"Yes, but don't send me just yet," the undead summoner replied, turning to look at Yuna. "With the help I can give, a young summoner might be able to defeat Sin."

"I will do my best," Yuna replied.

Before either of them could make a move, Charlene backed toward the door, causing everyone to stop and stare at her. "You okay?" Wakka asked, clearly concerned about her odd behavior.

"Yeah…" she replied, struggling to hear everyone over the shadow's noisy (and painful) temper tantrum in her head. "I'm just going outside to get some fresh air, that's all.

"Wait a moment and I'll go with you," Rikku said, scampering to catch up with her.

Once outside, the two girls sat down on the steps and stared out at the gorge in silence. "So…" Rikku began, after a while, "What made you want to come out here all of a sudden?"

"Mostly, it was the fact that Yuna and Belgemine wanted to have an aeon battle in a confined space with no real room to dodge any stray attacks," Charlie explained.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that myself. It doesn't seem like a good idea to me."

Suddenly, one of the chocobos, having noticed the two guardians sitting outside, made its way over to them, chirping loudly all the while. Once it drew close enough to identify, Rikku jumped to her feet and ran to greet it. "What is it, Ryusei?" the Al Bhed asked, petting the bird.

Ryusei warked at the little thief, and nudged her toward one of the side paths of the temple. "You want us to follow you?" Rikku wondered.

"Well aren't you a regular Lassie?" Charlie mentally snorted. She then followed her friend and the rather insistent chocobo, and caught up to them at a small gate that blocked off a narrow path leading under the temple. "So this is what your bird wanted?"

"I think Ryusei wants to run down there or something…" Just then, Rikku noticed a message engraved below a small hourglass near the gate and read it aloud. "This is the place where chocobos come to prove their worthiness to lead the flock. If you have found this, then you must have a chocobo that wishes to take this challenge. If you and your chocobo can reach the bottom before the sand runs out, then you will have proved your worthiness, and be duly rewarded."

"So, Rikku, are you going to do it?" Charlie asked, warily eyeing the track.

"Me? Why me?"

"Because I'm terrified of heights and it's YOUR chocobo that wants to do it!"

The Al Bhed stared at the gate for a long moment, and then looked back at Ryusei. Apparently sensing its rider's doubt, it quickly gave Rikku the Spiran equivalent of puppy-dog eyes before letting out a rather adorable chirp. "Aww…don't do that! I'll race with you."

Having made up her mind, the Al Bhed quickly mounted the bird and motioned for Charlie to flip the hourglass. The swordswoman did so, and when the gate opened, Ryusei took off like a shot, quickly vanishing below the temple. The seconds ticked by like hours as the guardian awaited her friend's return. After what seemed like an eternity, the last grains of sand slipped to the bottom, signaling the end of the time limit, and Charlie muttered, "I hope they didn't fall to their deaths down there."

Finally, she heard Rikku let out a triumphant yell, and stepped back as the thief and her chocobo returned to the starting point. "I thought you both fell off or something!" Charlene exclaimed, overjoyed to see her friend alive and well.

"We almost did," the Al Bhed replied, "But Ryusei's a lot better than he lets on."

"Yep. So what was the 'big prize' that sign was going on about?"

Before Rikku could show her, however, the temple door opened, and the rest of the party emerged, looking completely unscathed. "So how did it go?" both girls asked in unison.

"Yuna did well," Kimahri rumbled, neatly summing it up.

"Yes…" the summoner added, flushing slightly, "But she said that I can't complete my training until I receive all the aeons."

"Oh dear…that's going to take a while, isn't it?" Charlie asked.

"Probably, but it'll really help out a lot, ya?" Wakka cheerfully replied.

"What were the two of you up to out here?" Lulu suddenly demanded.

"I raced a chocobo and won these!" Rikku answered, finally waving her prizes where everyone could see them. In one hand, she held a grubby, ancient looking piece of parchment, and in the other, she held a star-shaped, cloudy-looking mirror. "Aren't they neat?"

"What are they?" Auron wanted to know.

"I dunno…I think this is a map, though," the Al Bhed replied, waving the parchment at the swordsman.

Auron took the raggedy paper, unfolded it, and peered at it closely. "It's definitely a map, but I can't read it," he finally said.

"Well let me look at it!" Charlie said, taking the map from him. She stared at it for a long moment, turning it this way and that, and then pronounced, "I can't read it either." Auron glared at her, and then she added, "I can't read it, but I do recognize some of these symbols drawn on these locations! Fourteen of them are astrological symbols for planets, and…"

"Charlie…" Lulu sighed, shaking her head with annoyance. "Why don't you save that for later? We really need to leave now."

The younger guardian blinked, taken aback by the sudden interruption, and said, "All right, whatever you say." "I'll figure it out eventually, I guess, but I really wish that everyone would quit interrupting me when I talk!"

…

Sometime later, the party left their chocobos behind as they finally made it out of the Calm Lands, and into a canyon spanned by a pair of wooden bridges. They managed to cross the first one unimpeded, but before they could head for the second one, a pair of Guado blocked their path. "Lord Seymour has requested your presence, so come with us," the first one said, his tone brooking no argument.

"We have nothing to discuss with Maester Seymour!" Yuna coldly replied.

"Exactly, so I suggest you get out of our way, before you get hurt," Charlie added, drawing her sword.

The first Guado gave the party a dismissive look, clearly unimpressed by their show of force, and said, "Lord Seymour's commands must be obeyed. You will come!"

"I warn you, the maester doesn't need you alive," the second elf added, finally putting his input into the conversation.

"Doesn't need us alive…what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Charlie thought, shivering slightly as a trickle of fear ran down her spine.

::It means that we will all be one with our master!:: the darkness cooed, apparently delighted at the prospect.

"Oh no the hell we won't! I'll be damned before I let that happen!"

When the group made no signs of surrender, the two Guado raised their hands in signs of summoning, and several huge thumping sounds erupted under the second bridge. "That…doesn't sound good," Wakka stated, readying his blitzball for battle.

Just then, a huge stone golem emerged from the path under the bridge, and advanced on the party. Raising its massive fists, the monster roared loudly and charged forward, forcing everyone to scatter. The golem managed to catch up to Rikku, but before it could smash her, she chucked one of her many grenades at it. The following blast slowed it down enough for her to escape, but did very little in the way of damage. "Well, I'm out of ideas!" the little thief shouted, throwing another grenade at it before rejoining the group.

The stone giant was slow, but strong and well armored, making it a grave threat. None of the party's attacks seemed to have much effect against it, and it was gradually wearing them down. "This isn't working," Yuna said as she cast another Cure spell on Auron. "I'll have to summon an aeon."

Her eldest guardian did not like the idea of her going to the front of the fight, but knew that it would be wrong to keep her from battling, so he said nothing as she pushed her way between Charlie and Kimahri, and called Valefor into the fray. The bird aeon dropped from the sky like the wrath of God and struck the golem a heavy blow with her talons before heading skyward again. Over and over, Valefor struck the monstrosity like a falcon, leaving cracks in its armor every time she did so. Finally, the aeon moved in for the finishing blow, but at the last moment, the stone fiend raised its enormous fist and brought it down across her back, slamming her into the ground. Apparently, this was too much for the unfortunate Valefor, as she collapsed into a cloud of pyreflies.

Then the aeon's killer let out a roar of triumph, which sounded distorted through its cracked armor, and charged at Yuna, intending to smash her, too. Before it could reach her, however, Wakka flung his blitzball over Yuna's head, and it crashed into the golem at incredible speed before bouncing away. Yuna then used the opportunity to back out of reach as the rest of the group returned to the battle. "You okay?" Wakka asked, hurrying forward to collect his weapon.

"Yes, thank you," the summoner replied, albeit with a pained smile.

"Wow…having your aeon die must really hurt!" Charlie noted, wincing in sympathy. Just then, a loud cracking noise came from the golem's direction, and she snapped out of her reverie in time to see the fiend's chest area collapse, revealing a bright red jewel embedded in the center of its body. "What the hell is that?" she wondered aloud, gaping at the strange object.

Instead of answering her question, Kimahri sucked in a deep breath, opened his mouth, and spit out what appeared to be an enormous seed. The odd projectile rocketed across the distance like a giant bullet, and smashed the red crystal into tiny pieces. With the jewel gone, the golem suddenly stopped moving, and then fell apart, become nothing more than a pile of rubble and limbs. His work finished, the Ronso looked back at Charlie, and then said, "Weakness."

Charlene blinked, disturbed by the way the fight ended, and then shook her head and hurried to rejoin the others before they left her behind. "That must've been what Lulu meant by Ronsos learning 'the fiends' way of fighting'…anyway, it was really weird, that's for sure!"

Just then, she realized that everyone was heading for the path leading below the bridge. "Where does this lead?" she asked.

"Down into the valley," Lulu tersely replied.

"You really know your way around, ya?" Wakka said, trying to be friendly.

The mage ignored him, however, and continued into the valley, leaving the others to follow. Down at the bottom of the path, beyond the Life Spring; lay a long, narrow stretch of land hemmed in by the cliff on one side, and a ravine on the other. At one end of the valley, there was a cave with purple fog emanating from it, while the sound of water echoing from the other end revealed a waterfall. "Hey, where are we?" Rikku asked, eyeing the eerie cave.

"The fayth is inside," Lulu replied, "As are the fiends."

"A fayth?"

Before Charlie could make any further thoughts on the subject, Wakka let out a gasp of realization, and whispered, "Lu…this where?"

The black mage nodded solemnly, and then answered, "The summoner I guarded on my first pilgrimage…died here." Then she turned to Yuna and said, "Yuna, let's go. The fayth awaits."

Auron, who had been studying the sky, finally turned his attention to the group and said, "It will be getting dark soon, so it will have to wait until morning."

Lulu looked as if she wanted to make an argument, but then thought better of it, instead turning her attentions to assisting with the setup of camp. Charlie, on the other hand, volunteered to go down to the waterfall and replenish everyone's supply. She normally disliked fetching water at the end of the day, but it gave her a chance to get away from the others and collect her rather tired thoughts. "Lulu lost her first summoner? How? Scratch that, I'm not sure I really want to know…but is the fayth in that cave really worth risking Yuna's life?"

::What does it matter? She is going to die anyway!:: the voice within her crowed, apparently over the "attack" it suffered at Remiem Temple. ::She can die in the cave, or die by our hands… either way; it is death all the same…::

"Shut your mouth!" Charlie snarled back at it. "Yuna's not going to die! I promised that she won't!"

::That is too bad, isn't it?:: it laughed. ::You made a promise you won't be able to keep!::

With that, the terrible voice left Charlie alone, although she could still feel its presence within her, and she carried everyone's flasks back to camp. She must have looked as exhausted as she felt, because Rikku gave her a concerned look and said, "Charlie…I'll take first watch tonight, so why don't you get some sleep?"

Too tired to argue, the young woman shuffled to her bedroll, practically fell onto it, and was asleep as soon as she became still.

…

Charlene awoke with a start, panting heavily, sweating profusely, and cursing the wonderful dream that caused both conditions. "You okay?" Wakka asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I just had another nightmare, that's all," she lied. Then she got to her feet, picked up the Brotherhood, and walked off into the darkness. "I'm going to the waterfall for a few minutes to clear my head," she called over her shoulder before the blitzer could ask his obvious question.

The young woman carefully picked her way through the dark path until she reached the small cascade at the end. She looked around for any possible enemies, and then, seeing none, stripped off her yellow jacket and armguard before plunging her head under the falls. The water was ice-cold, and did a great deal to chill her heated body, but it could not soothe her troubled thoughts. "Why did I dream that? What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Eh…what am I thinking? Nothing is wrong with me!" she said aloud. "Any woman with a pulse and hormones would react like that!"

::Maybe not, but Auron is the last person you need to think about in that way… especially since everyone you love has a bad tendency of dropping dead,:: the darkness within her snickered.

"You shut up!" Charlie growled, balling her hands into fists. "That has nothing to do with it!"

::Oh really?:: The presence shifted, and a horrifying image of a mountain of corpses, all dead by her hand, appeared in front of her. ::You know as well as I do that I will win, in the end, and I will make sure that you'll get to see the light in your friends' eyes fade as I slaughter them all!::

Suddenly, a hand touched Charlie on the shoulder and she inadvertently let out a shriek as she spun around and spotted Auron standing behind her. "You scared the hell out of me, you damn psycho!" she hissed, glaring up at him.

"You shouldn't have come out here alone," he replied, quickly hiding his amusement at her reaction.

"I don't need someone to hold my hand!" she snapped. Then she sighed, "I'm sorry. I've been having trouble sleeping lately."

"Why?"

"Was there something you wanted?" she asked, quickly changing the subject, "Or did you follow me out here for the hell of it?"

Auron eyed her suspiciously, but answered her question by handing her one of the practice blades and then removing his collar and glasses. "You didn't think you'd get out of training, did you?" he asked, watching her carefully.

Charlene responded by lashing out at him with the sword, swinging it full force at his torso. The swordsman blocked it easily, but the energy she put into the blow still surprised him. He shoved her back, and then blinked in surprise when she flung herself at him again, and then again, as he kept deflecting her blows. "What is she hoping to accomplish?" he wondered, dodging another desperate strike. "She'll only wear herself out this way."

Charlie continued attacking Auron, knowing good and well that he could easily defeat her this way, but not caring in the least. "If I exhaust myself enough, maybe the dreams won't follow me. I don't know which are worse: the nightmares or the ones about him…"

Just then, the older guardian aimed a strike at her head, which she managed to block at the last moment, but only barely. They stayed that way for a moment, their blades locked together, but then he shoved her backward yet again. Charlie staggered back several steps, lost her balance, and nearly fell into the ravine, when Auron darted forward, dropping his practice blade, grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. Then they spun around, their momentum carrying them further, until they slammed into the canyon wall. "Damn it, that hurt!" Charlie yelped, wincing in pain from her squashed position between Auron and the wall.

"It would have hurt a lot more if you fell down there," the swordsman replied, stepping back and letting Charlene off the wall.

The young woman opened her mouth to deliver a scathing retort, but shut it again when she felt an annoying, but delicious flush creep through her body. "Oh God…why the hell does this have to happen now?" she asked herself, shutting her eyes against the wave of desire that tried to overwhelm her. "He smells good…like something spicy, but unfamiliar... Why does he have to smell so damn good?" Charlene opened her eyes again, she noticed Auron looking down at her with a peculiar softness in his gaze, and she had to shut her eyes again, fighting off another, stronger impulse. "I'm not staying here in Spira!" she silently cried. "I can't be with him!"

"But you care for him," her heart said, "And he obviously cares for you more than you thought."

"I…I can't do this…I don't want to lose him. I don't want to lose someone else I care about."

"Is loving him really all that bad?" her heart asked.

"He's Yuna's guardian!" she wailed.

That other part of her laughed at her feeble excuse. "So are you. It's not against the law for guardians to be more than friends, is it? I hope these aren't your only reasons for fighting yourself tooth and nail."

"Charlie…" Auron whispered, brushing her hair out of her face and unknowingly silencing her internal conflict. "What am I doing? I should know better…" he thought to himself, although he did not remove his hand from her face.

Meanwhile, Charlene leaned into the caress, coming very close to purring like a cat as she returned the gesture by raising her left hand and lightly running her thumb along his scar. His good eye closed, relishing the contact in spite of himself, but when he felt his self-control fray, the swordsman pulled away slightly. For some reason, that struck a spark of panic in Charlie, and she quickly threw her arms around his neck, pulled him down, and kissed him. Auron froze for a moment, surprised by the younger guardian's move, but then his own control snapped and he returned the kiss and wrapped her in a crushing embrace. Then, almost of their own volition, one hand moved to the back of her head, while the other traced a path of lightning up her spine, sending electric tingles throughout her body.

At the same time, she combed her fingers through his hair and ran them down the back of his neck, letting out an annoyed growl when she hit the edge of his leather armor. That growl then became a giggle as Auron accidentally struck a ticklish spot on her ribs. "No fair…" she murmured. "You have armor on, so I can't get you back for that!"

Auron's only response was a chuckle, barely audible, but genuine nonetheless. Fire burned between them, threatening to consume them both, when that horrible voice chittered in the back of her mind. ::Oh, poor little child!:: it sang, effectively bringing her raging hormones to a screeching halt. ::You really love him, don't you? That's so touching… I hope you enjoy it while it lasts!::

Charlie broke off the kiss, trying very hard not to scream at the darkness, and whispered, "God…Auron, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have done that!"

The swordsman gave her a confused look, but released her and stepped back. Then he retrieved their abandoned practice blades, replaced his collar and glasses, and said, "We should return to camp now." "I'm the one who should apologize. I should have stopped this when I knew where it was leading."

Charlene followed him, thanking every deity she knew of that he couldn't see her blush. "I feel like I'm losing my damn mind!" she thought. "He's not even supposed to be a real person, but…I love him. And I don't want to, not with this monster living inside me! It keeps getting stronger, and I'm afraid of what it will do if it takes control of my body!"

Finally, they made it back to camp, just as Wakka and Kimahri were switching places. "Charlie sleep," the Ronso rumbled, giving her a meaningful look.

"But I thought I was…"

"Now."

"Okay, okay!" Charlie replied, waving her hands in surrender. Then she trudged back to her pallet, flopped onto it, and snarled, "Good night, you two!"

She did not think she'd be able to sleep, not with her body nagging at her, but miraculously, slumber claimed her, and she finally sank into dreamless oblivion.

…

Once Kimahri was sure Charlene was truly asleep, he turned to Auron, who stared broodingly into the fire, and asked, "Does Sir Auron think it wise?"

The swordsman looked up at the Ronso. "You mean Charlie?"

"Sir Auron need Charlie. Kimahri knows this."

"I know," Auron sighed. "I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it."

"Kimahri also know Sir Auron should not stay. After journey ends, what then?"

"I wish I knew."

…

The next morning, the group packed up their supplies and ventured into the mysterious cavern where the next fayth laid waiting. The inside was full of more of the purple smoke, as well as large clouds of pyreflies, which lit everything with an eerie glow. Unfortunately, the mazelike darkness of the cave was also full of fiends, which made for slow going. ::Leave this place…:: hissed the demon, who apparently did not like being close to the fayth. ::I want out of here, NOW!::

"Shut UP!" Charlie bellowed, drawing odd looks from everyone else.

"Charlie…no one said anything," Yuna told her, clearly concerned for her friend.

"I…I'm sorry," she replied, shaking her head in an attempt to clear it. "This place is just creeping me out, that's all." "That's all I can say because you won't believe the truth… Hell, sometimes I'm not sure I believe me."

"What's a fayth doing in a place like this, anyway?" Rikku asked, quickly changing the subject.

"They say it was stolen from a temple long ago," Lulu answered.

"What was the point of that?" Charlie wondered.

"With no fayth, summoners cannot train," Auron replied. "Without training, they cannot call the Final Aeon. Without the Final Aeon, they cannot defeat Sin. That is why."

"Cause then the summoner won't die!" Rikku concluded.

"That must be what the thief was thinking," Wakka said, nodding sagely.

"You know…it'd probably have worked, if they had taken all the fayth," Charlie stated thoughtfully.

No one said anything, instead choosing to continue deeper into the cavern in search of the fayth. "You're hiding something," Auron said to Charlie, pitching his voice so that only she could hear him.

Charlene stiffened for a moment, but then forced herself to relax. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she muttered, striving for a tone of indifference.

"Lying isn't your strong point."

"It's nothing!" she hissed, shooting the older guardian a dirty look. "I can handle it by myself!"

Auron glared at her for one long moment, but before he could say anything, they reached the end of the path and found a particularly violent swarm of pyreflies awaiting them. "Another Guado fiend?" Wakka growled, ready for another fight.

"No," Kimahri replied, shaking his head. "An unsent."

The pyreflies flew around erratically, and then took on the form of a dark-skinned woman dressed in yellow and purple. Shocked, Lulu stepped forward and stared beseechingly at the woman. "It is…it's you, is it not, Lady Ginnem?" The ghostly figure did not answer, so the black mage bowed her head and continued to speak. "Forgive me. I was too young."

Then Yuna stepped forward and began the sending, but Ginnem raised her arm and brought it down again in a clear gesture of denial. A terrible crimson light flashed through the area, stopping the sending. Lulu stared mournfully at her former summoner, and sighed, "There is no human left in you now, is there? Very well…allow me to perform my last duty to you. My last as your guardian."

Lady Ginnem raised her hand again, this time in summoning, and Charlie found herself struggling not to gape as the new aeon appeared. This one appeared in the form of a samurai with burning green eyes and garbed in attire that blazed in all the colors of the dawn. As the samurai stepped in front of his summoner, a large animal that appeared to be a cross between a dog and a lion joined him. "So…which aeon is this?" Charlie asked, warily eyeing both warrior and companion.

"Yojimbo and Daigoro," Auron replied, also watching the pair. "They are…different from the others."

"Oh, well that's nice to know!"

Yojimbo proved to be not only inhumanly strong, as all aeons are, but incredibly agile as well, as he managed to dodge every attack thrown at him. The attempts at assault, in turn, left the assailant wide open to attacks from Daigoro. Fortunately, Wakka and Lulu's long-range attacks were an asset in this fight, as they kept the dog at bay long enough for Auron, Kimahri, and Charlie to put up a defense against its attempts to maul them. Finally, they were able to defeat Daigoro, but by that time, Yojimbo had disappeared, leaving everyone on guard as they awaited his next attack.

The group did not wait long for that next assault, as the samurai dropped from the ceiling, sword flashing in the dim light of the cave like a fang in the night. Instead of bolting like everyone else, Auron met the aeon's blade with his own, and the two of them became locked in a contest of wills. "Holy hell!" Charlie thought to herself, staring at the two of them in amazement. "I knew Auron was strong, but this strong? He's standing toe-to-toe with a freaking aeon for Christ's sake!"

Finally, the two warriors jumped back from one another, sized each other up, and then Auron charged, apparently intent on making an all-or-nothing final strike. Yojimbo, however, did not seem to like the fact that a human could stand against him, and flung an oddly shaped dagger at his assailant. The guardian tried to evade the attack, but the weapon still embedded itself in his left shoulder with a loud thump. Despite the injury, Auron did not stop his charge, swinging his sword one-handed with every bit of his strength. Yojimbo, surprised by the still oncoming attack, threw up his own blade in an attempt to stop it.

The aeon didn't bring his sword up in time, though, and Auron's katana sheared through his body, leaving a massive gouge that bled pyreflies at a rapid rate. In less than a minute, Yojimbo had vanished, leaving a now-defenseless Lady Ginnem to face the group. Instead of battling, however, Yuna stepped forward and finished the previously interrupted sending, allowing the undead summoner to finally find peace on the Farplane. "Strange," Lulu mused aloud. "I thought it would be sadder, somehow. Maybe I've gotten used to farewells."

"You're stronger now," Wakka told her, with no trace of doubt in his voice.

"Wakka…I hope you're right." Then the mage turned to Yuna and said, "Yuna, the fayth is inside. Go do what you came to do."

After healing Auron's wound, the summoner moved toward the pedestal that held the path forward, when Charlene stepped forward and said, "I'm going, too. This isn't a temple, so only God knows what's lurking in there."

…

The makeshift Chamber of the Fayth was very small, with just barely enough room for Yuna and Charlie to stand inside with the statue. The summoner didn't waste any time dropping to her knees beside the singing stone, performing the prayer as she did so. "I wonder what this guy's going to look like," Charlie thought as she watched her friend's gesture.

::KILL HER!:: the darkness screeched, ::Kill her! Break that damn stone! DESTROY THEM BOTH!::

Suddenly, a man in a blue and white Crusader uniform appeared, accompanied by a dog, and the shadow retreated for the moment, but not without leaving Charlie with a massive headache. "I am the blade of vengeance," the fayth intoned with all the solemnity of a sentencing. "They dare only whisper my name: Yojimbo. Summoner, I ask you: what do you want of me?"

Yuna paused, carefully considering her answer. Finally, she replied. "I want to defeat the most powerful of enemies…with your help."

Yojimbo laughed at that, and then said, "Very well. If you desire my strength, you must pay my price. Make your offer."

"We have to pay you?" Charlie all but shrieked. "What the hell are you going to do with money? You're stuck in a rock!"

"Old habits die hard," the fayth sardonically replied. "So what will you offer me?"

"These," Charlene answered, pulling out all the mysterious discs she had collected. "They must be worth something, I'm sure."

Yojimbo stared down at the discs in silence, suddenly deep in thought. Then he looked up at both girls and said, "If you have those…then there is no need for payment. My sword shall guard you on your journey."

Yuna blinked, clearly confused by the exchange, but nodded in acknowledgement. Then she got to her feet, dusted herself off, and headed back to the pedestal. Charlie started to follow her, but then the creature within swelled to the surface with a vengeance. ::Kill her!:: it hissed. ::Take your sword out and plunge it into her back! I want to see her blood stain the sand!::

By this time, Charlie had drawn her sword without even realizing she had done so, but Yuna had already vanished. The guardian struggled to force the darkness back into quiescence, but it fought back, nearly drowning her in her own mind. "No, no, no, no, NO! You WILL NOT control me!" she screamed.

However, it was to no avail. The demon had gained the upper hand and was not about to relinquish it. She felt her legs begin walking toward the pedestal of their own volition, and struggled to fight it, although she no longer had the strength to do so. Suddenly, a wall of force appeared between her and the way out, effectively trapping her inside. "You will not harm anyone, demon," Yojimbo stated impassively.

"YOU!" Charlie shrieked in a voice that was not her own, rounding on the fayth in anger. "You haven't the power to destroy me anymore, slayer! You gave it all up to that ineffectual specter you call an aeon!"

"Maybe so," the fayth replied, "But I still have enough to do this!"

Unable to stop herself, Charlie flung herself at Yojimbo, an animalistic scream tearing out of her throat. Before she closed the gap, however, a burst of steely light exploded within her mind, causing both her and the monster controlling her to faint. When she woke up a few moments later, the headache was still present, but a wall of the same silver force that had hit her now kept her unwanted passenger at bay. Finally, she was relatively alone in her mind. "Thank you," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Unfortunately, that beast was right," Yojimbo sadly replied. "I don't have the power to kill him any longer. All I could do was bind him, and even that will not hold forever. You need to seek outside help, Charlene."

"From who?" she bitterly asked. "Who would believe me if I told them that Seymour put a demon in my head?"

"You could try trusting your comrades." Then the fayth dispelled the force that prevented her from leaving, and added, "That barrier I gave you will not hold forever, and if you do not find help by the time it finally falls, you will be lost to your demon…perhaps beyond saving."

A few minutes later, Charlene emerged from the Chamber of the Fayth, and found everyone staring at her as if she had just fallen from space. "What in Yevon's name were you doing in there?" Lulu demanded, clearly impatient with her fellow guardian.

"Hey, is it MY fault that the damn transporter decided it didn't want to work properly?" Charlie snapped, mentally kicking herself for the lie.

The mage eyed her suspiciously, but did not say anything else, and the group finally headed toward the exit. "Dear God…Yojimbo's right. I need to find help, but how can I tell everyone what almost happened?" An image of everyone's hate-filled gazes flashed through her mind, causing her insides to squirm. "No. I can't handle anyone else turning on me. I have to find a way to beat this on my own."