Chapter 11 - Macalania Woods
Tara and Gian paused as they entered the glistening blue expanse of the Macalania Woods. Gian looked at his summoner.
"I've been through the Macalania Woods many times, but I've never been to Macalania Temple. That's where we need to go."
"I hope it's quiet. It sure is pretty!"
After a short rest, the pair joined hands and resumed the trip through the woods. They reached a point where they saw open space on the horizon. The guardian remembered something that was once told to him by previous visitors of the woods.
"I wonder if this is still here?" the guardian mused aloud.
"If what is still here?"
Gian walked toward a section of the mountain face that was covered by medium sized boulders, and started to remove them, revealing an entrance.
"Something I've always wanted to see," replied the guardian. "Don't worry. It won't take long."
The cave was mostly dark, but there was light towards the back. A small lake was revealed.
"Tara, take a look at this. This lake... this liquid... this is what spheres are made of."
"Really? How cool!"
The lake turned a dark color, and something emerged from within. A pulsating ball of sphere fluid had poised itself in front of the pair. It shot a stream of fluid at the guardian, drenching him, prompting a giggle from Tara.
"Well that wasn't very nice of it!" she quipped.
"Are you kidding me?" replied the soaked guardian.
The sphere floated above Tara and changed form into a solid block, and began to fall. Gian hurriedly pulled Tara out of the way.
"Okay, it looks like we're going to have to deal with this thing." He drew his sword and slashed at it. The being morphed itself so his sword went right through it, doing no damage.
Tara raised her staff. "Thundaga!" A powerful lightning bolt struck the being, causing it to convulse, and then disintegrate into pyreflies.
"I think I've seen enough here, how about you?"
"I agree, let's get out of here," Tara replied.
They continued down the open path where they saw an open area where a building was in process of being built. Off to the side of a pile of building materials was a sign that read "Travel Agency."
"How about that, Tara? We beat Rin for once!"
"Well, I guess that's good.. .and bad! Now there's nowhere for us to stay, except the Temple. I suppose that won't be so bad, will it?"
"It should be okay."
A familiar face presented himself. "Hello Sir Gian, we meet again."
Tara was not happy to see the Al Bhed Commander. "Seriously? You again?"
"What is your name, anyway?" asked the guardian.
"My name is Stenn. Sir Gian, are you going to hand over the summoner, or are we going to have to do this again?"
"What do you think?" The guardian drew his sword.
No machina robots were present, so this was to be an old-fashioned fight.
"Enough of this, Stenn. Just you and me. And if I win, you leave us alone for good."
"And if I win?" Stenn questioned.
"Stenn, I'm a ten year veteran of the Bevelle Guard. You're not going to defeat me and we both know it. Why are you so determined to kidnap Tara? What has she done to you? What have I done to you? We don't have to do this. We just want answers."
"I'm doing it because... I have to."
It was not much of a fight. Stenn was outclassed from the start. The Al Bhed found himself disarmed in mere moments, with the tip of Gian's sword at his throat.
"You win!" Stenn resigned himself to defeat. "I will keep my word."
Two of the other Al Bhed tried to make a move for Tara. She glared and raised her staff. It was enough to make the Al Bhed think twice - knowing what the summoner was capable of.
The Al Bhed regrouped and ran off.
"I sincerely hope that's the last we ever see of that bunch!" Tara stated.
"I wouldn't count on it," the guardian dryly remarked.
"Hey, look!" Tara pointed to a snowmobile that the Al Bhed arrived on, and apparently left behind. "You think we can use that?"
"Depends on how much trust you have in my driving," the guardian quipped.
"Oh boy..." Tara shook her head, laughing.
"Shall we?" Gian sat on the vehicle and turned the ignition switch. Tara climbed onto the seat directly behind Gian and wrapped her arms around his midsection.
"Okay, this works for me!" the guardian chuckled.
She poked him. "Just go, already!"
Gian's driving was apparently good enough to bring the pair to the entrance of Macalania Temple in mere minutes. The pair greeted the Temple custodian and entered.
There were only two hallways between the main entrance and the antechamber that led to the Chamber of the Fayth.
"What, no trials?" the summoner remarked.
"I guess not. Well, I suppose you should go do what you came here to do."
"Be right back!" The door to the Chamber of the Fayth slid upwards so Tara could enter. It closed behind her.
The guardian spent the time wondering to himself just what it was that the Al Bhed could be up to. Why the sudden interest in summoners? Why did they insist on interfering with their pilgrimage? He had no answers.
A short time later, Tara emerged from the Chamber of the Fayth, seemingly unaffected.
"You okay?" the guardian asked.
"I'm fine. The joining doesn't really drain me anymore like it used to. I guess I really am getting better at this!"
They shared a quick hug and kiss, and then began to make their way out of the Temple. As they reached the end of the hallway, they could feel the floor section that they were standing on starting to dissolve. Hurriedly, they jumped backwards to a stable section. Then that section started to dissolve. They jumped back once more, and found that section destabilizing as well. They ended up back at the exit of the antechamber with a small stairwell to their left.
"What was that you were saying about no trials?" the guardian questioned.
"Ugh," Tara replied. "I knew it was too good to be true."
The pair spent the next hour placing and removing spheres, moving platforms from one location to another, and finally hit upon the correct combination that stabilized the upper floor section. With the floor section in place, the pair left Macalania Temple.
Seeing that the snowmobile was gone, Gian looked over toward Tara.
"Well, it looks like we're gonna have to hoof it back to the woods."
"As long as it's quiet, I don't mind," the summoner replied, smiling.
It was a quiet hike until they reached the far end of the bridge that led back towards Macalania Temple. They found themselves confronted by two unfamiliar Al Bhed and an extremely large behemoth.
"Time to meet our new friend," Tara quipped as she began her summoning ritual.
As Tara twirled her staff, several large icicles rained down in a fan-like pattern in front of her. A shrouded form descended from the sky. The icicles exploded as the being pulled off its veil, revealing a eerily beautiful female aeon. The aeon tossed her veil towards Tara who gently caught it.
Gian was awestruck at the magnificent beauty of the aeon, knowing that behind the beauty was an ancient and incredibly strong power.
Shiva began to gather energy into what appeared to be a glowing ball of ice. She reached upwards and then leaned forward, hurling the energy ball forward where it completely covered the Al Bhed, behemoth, and surrounding area in a solid sheet of ice. The aeon snapped her fingers and the ice exploded. The ice shards instantly defeated the Al Bhed but the behemoth was still standing.
Enraged, the behemoth slashed at the aeon with its huge claw, slicing her arm open. The aeon paused, as droplets of blue blood began to stain the ice. Gian hurriedly sprang into action, running his sword straight through the behemoth's midsection, executing his signature maneuver. The behemoth roared loudly and fell face forward in defeat.
Shiva dropped to her knees, staring at her arm that was dripping with blue blood. A couple of blue tears fell from her eyes. Gian walked over to the aeon and knelt in front of her. The aeon gazed curiously into the eyes of the guardian as if she were seeing something familiar, as her tears stopped falling.
"You're injured. Let me help you," the guardian spoke softly, in a comforting manner.
Shiva nervously held her arm out. Gian examined her wound and covered it with his hands, noting that her skin was very cold and tingly to the touch. He began to concentrate, and finally spoke.
"Curaga."
A green wave flashed from the guardian's hands, washing over both of them, centering itself where it was needed the most. Moments later, he removed his hands from her arm. All signs of her injury were gone. Standing, Gian held his hands out to the aeon to help her back to her feet.
"You're all better now. Thank you for helping us," the guardian offered. The aeon took the guardian's hands into her own and returned to her feet, still gazing into his eyes. Finally, she smiled and disappeared in a flash of light.
"Looks like you've made a new friend in Shiva," the summoner observed.
"Shiva, huh? I've seen aeons before, but I've never seen one like her. She's incredible!"
"Just remember, I'm the one you love!" the summoner teased.
"Now, now.. jealousy doesn't become you!"
"Ohh you!" Tara reached for a handful of snow and threw it right at Gian, splattering him in the chest.
"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be, huh?" The guardian reached for his own handful of snow, and returned the favor.
Tara instantly pounced on Gian, and the two began to play-wrestle along the snow bank, when suddenly the behemoth stirred to life. With a loud roar, the behemoth rose to its feet and jumped, smashing the ice section that the pair was standing on. They fell through as the behemoth dissolved into pyreflies.
After regaining consciousness, the pair took looked upward and saw the bottom section of Macalania Temple.
"Where are we?" the summoner asked.
"We're below the ice. Look, that's Macalania Temple up there."
"What's that singing I hear? I've heard that in every temple I've been to."
"I believe they call that the 'Hymn of the Fayth'. That's supposedly Yevon's gift, to sooth our souls."
"Well, it's creepy!" Tara observed.
Gian felt the ground shake around him. He looked around and was terrified with what he saw. He looked to the rear and saw a fin. He looked to the right, then the left, and saw what appeared to be shoulders.
"Um, Tara... I don't really know how to tell you this, but..."
Tara was immobilized with fear. "Is this... is this... Sin?"
Sin stirred to life in a rage, spinning violently, creating a whirlpool that both summoner and guardian were sucked into, and everything went dark.
Gian awoke to find himself in what appeared to be a desert oasis.
He was alone.