Chapter 18 - Aftermath
The airship parked at the exit of the Thunder Plains. It was a short trek through the Macalania Woods to get back to the Highbridge in Bevelle.
Tara and Gian made their way through the woods. Gian stopped, noticing something that was not there previously. A path made out of pure light, reaching above the woods.
"Tara, let's check this out," spoke the guardian. Together, they made their way up the path and reached the top, where they saw a dull orb. Next to the orb was a plaque which read:
From lands afar, two warriors arrive.
Centaurus and Perseus, the symbols they wear.
Weapons of ages, they are destined to find.
The burden of all will be theirs to bear.
They looked at their medallions. "We have the symbols," Gian remarked. "Now we just need to find the weapons."
They pair began to hurriedly make their way down the Bevelle Highbridge. They were stopped by Kinoc.
"No!" Kinoc shouted. "You can't come in here! You are forbidden! Traitors!"
Years of frustration came from deep within Gian, unleashed in a single punch. Kinoc laid unconscious on the Bevelle Highbridge. The guardian drew his sword and glared at the guardsmen who had accompanied Kinoc.
"I strongly suggest you not interfere. We'll be gone soon enough."
Tara and Gian made their way through the palace, and into the courtroom where Grand Maester Mika awaited.
"You!" the old man glared. "Why are you here? Surely you've obtained the Final Aeon from Yunalesca. You must go defeat Sin, quickly!"
"Well, we did meet her," Gian replied.
"We fought, and defeated her," Tara stated, firmly. "Summoners will be sacrificed for the Final Summoning no more."
"What?" the old man screamed. "Children! Infants! Do you realize what you've done? You've taken away the only means of calming Sin!"
"We'll find another way," Gian stated.
"Preposterous! There is no other way! Yu-Yevon's spiral of death will consume us all!" The old man began to sob.
"Spira won't die," Gian responded, "and who's Yu-Yevon?"
"He, who crafts the souls of the dead into unholy armor, armor called Sin. Clad in it, Yu-Yevon is invincible... And the only thing that could have pierced that armor, you have destroyed! I have no desire to watch Spira die. But nothing can stop it now!"
The old man raised his arms and disappeared into pyreflies.
"An unsent?" The voice came from the back of the courtroom. Seeing another Maester, the guardian instinctively began to reach for his sword. He stopped when he saw Tara run right into the man's open arms.
"Gian! Come meet Maester Navor!"
"You know him?" The guardian asked.
"Of course!" the summoner beamed, "Navor was my teacher in Kilika before joining the clergy! Navor, this is Gian, my guardian."
The maester's eyebrow raised as a huge smile appeared on his face. He extended a hand toward the guardian.
"Ahhh, so you are the Gian that Kinoc keeps rambling on about," the Maester chuckled.
Shaking the man's hand, Gian replied, "Well, I'm afraid there's gonna be a little more rambling coming your way."
"Gian," Navor spoke in an almost fatherly tone. "What did you do?"
"Commander Kinoc has interfered in our affairs one time too many," Tara explained.
"I, um... had to deal with him out on the Highbridge. I knocked him out cold. For all I know, he may still be there."
Maester Navor's belly laugh filled the entire courtroom, which surprised the guardian.
"Kinoc is a self-righteous ass," Navor responded, drawing a chuckle from Gian. "If you ask me, he deserves whatever he gets. You don't worry about him. How can I help you?"
"We need to know if it is possible to defeat Sin without the Final Summoning," Gian explained. "You may not know of this yet, but Yunalesca is no more, and the Final Summoning went with her."
The Maester looked into the eyes of the guardian.
"I believe your guardian has figured it out, Tara, I can see it in his eyes," the Maester replied. "Although it may not seem to be the case, you do indeed possess all the information you need. You know what must be done. Clearly, as a Maester of Yevon, I cannot give the solution to you, even as much as I might wish to. Do what, in your heart, you know to be right. Rid us of this curse, and then things all across our land can change for the better."
Tara hugged the man once more then prepared to leave Bevelle.
"Take care of yourself, Navor. We'll be back to see you again once this is all over with."
As they started to head back to the Highbridge, Gian stopped. He looked over at Tara.
"Tara, I just realized something. Back there, you made reference to 'when this is all over with.' And instead of dreading that subject like I normally do, I actually believe we'll indeed see the end of this together!"
Tara smiled. "Have you figured out a way?"
"You know, I think I have," Gian replied, "The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward thinking that there is no secret weapon, or technique, or whatever, to defeating Sin. I think we just might have it within ourselves to do it. Meaning, when the time comes, we just give it everything we've got and hope for the best!"
Tara saw the hope on Gian's face, and she began to smile once more. "Do you really think we can do this?"
"I tell you, I think we can!" Gian explained. "I mean, it was always thought that Yunalesca was one of the most powerful summoners in Spira, right? We took her down, really without that much effort, if you think about it."
Gian could see the figurative wheels turning inside Tara's mind. He continued.
"And don't forget Belegmine. You said you were surprised that an expert in the field said you were now more powerful than any summoner who ever lived. I don't think it's any surprise. I tell you, Tara, I really think we're gonna do it!"
The little boy in purple, Fayth of Bahamut, appeared from out of nowhere. He spoke to the guardian.
"Hello. Remember when I told you that one day we would talk? Today is that day. Please, come to my room." The Fayth then disappeared.
Tara and Gian made their way back towards Bevelle's Chamber of the Fayth, where the little boy appeared once more. Tara smiled at the little boy.
"I must thank you for the aeon."
"You are most welcome," the boy replied, smiling. He then looked towards the guardian. "Have you figured out a way to defeat Sin?"
"I think we have," Gian replied. "We defeat Yu-Yevon, who hides deep within Sin."
"Yes," the boy stated. "If you defeat Yu-Yevon, it will all end for good. Tell me, what do you know of Yu-Yevon?"
"He's the one who causes Sin to return," Tara stated.
"Sin is his armor," Gian replied.
"Yu-Yevon was once a summoner in Zanarkand," Bahamut explained. "He was extremely powerful. He had no equal. But during the Great War, Bevelle's machina assured their victory from the very start. Yu-Yevon was determined to not let Zanarkand die. So he set out to preserve it, any way he could. He led the remaining residents of the village onto Mount Gagazet and turned them all into fayth - fayth for the summoning. He is neither good nor evil. He exists for one reason, and one reason only. To summon."
"We've seen the fayth on Mount Gagazet," Tara replied. "But, fayth for the summoning? What summoning?"
"The summoning of a Zanarkand that never sleeps. It exists, somewhere in Spira. But nothing lasts forever, you know."
"That's right," Gian replied, "Because we're ending it. But, should we find this Zanarkand first?"
"No," the Fayth replied, "Well, I suppose you could if you really wanted to, but there's nothing there for you. You would just be wasting your time. It's just a memory, a specter of a city, and nothing more. Please, just end this. We're very tired."
"You've been dreaming a long time, haven't you?" Tara asked.
"Yes. And when the time comes, please call us. We will help you. Your swords and magic may well be enough, but we will help you nonetheless. Seek out my friends in the other temples. They will have words for you as well. And thank you."
The little boy began to fade away. Gian looked over at Tara.
"They've been fighting alongside us the whole time, and now they say they'll help us?"
"I don't understand it either," Tara replied, "But I think we will, when the time comes."
The pair left Bevelle, and boarded the airship once more.
"Where to, now?" Tara asked. "We've been everywhere in Spira. Is there any place we haven't been yet?"
"Y'ain't been everywhere yet," Cid remarked. "I got two locations on the screen over here. Not sure you wanna know..."
Gian looked over at Cid.
"Okay, I'll tell ya." the Al Bhed leader chuckled, "But you're not gonna like it! There an old temple in the middle of the ocean, due south of Home. I think it's the old abandoned Baaj Temple. And one other place, The Omega Ruins."
The guardian swore under his breath.
"How could I have forgotten about the Omega Ruins?"
"Hey, don't look at me!" Cid laughed. "Well, pick one!"
"Let's go to Baaj," Tara answered. "I don't like the sound of 'Omega Ruins' at all!"
"Stenn!" the Al Bhed leader bellowed, "You heard the lady, take us to Baaj!"