Chapter 70 – Barricades of Infinity


Landing like a cat onto yet another worn, black platform in a dimly lit corridor, Yuna gazed around her environment. No fiends in the immediate vicinity gave her a minute to catch her breath. Soon joined by Rikku and Paine, she took a pause in the action to reload her pistols.

"Does this place ever end?" complained Rikku.

Paine huffed. "It sure doesn't seem like it."

"Did that stupid little machina really come this way?"

Yuna nodded. "It had to have. There's nowhere else for it to go."

"We've been chasing this thing forever," said Rikku. "Just how long is this . . . this wherever we're at?"

"I wish I knew. I don't understand why the temple would have built this endless maze," Yuna barked.

Paine folded her arms together. "Endless is right. How many of these floors have we jumped down now?"

Rikku shrugged. "Ninety . . . something. Maybe? I lost count a while ago."

"This really can't go on forever," said Yuna. "Let's keep going."

Leading her friends down a straight corridor, she climbed over a small wall and leaped across a gap in the floor. She hopped over more raised sections before spotting two fiends—one cloudy, bluish mushroom and one lizard-like creature. They meandered at the end of the corridor like guards on a patrol.

"Well, there's no way to sneak past them," Rikku observed.

"No need to sneak by when we can just flex our muscles and cut them down," said Paine while pulling out her sword.

"My muscles hurt as it is."

Yuna chuckled. "Then let me go first."

Rushing up behind the fiends, she fired a shot at the reptilian creature. It snarled back in pain before lunging at her with blinding speed. Connecting with its sharp claws, it ripped down her left shoulder and arm. She burst out a cry in pain, using her other arm to push the fiend off from her.

Interposing herself between Yuna and the fiend, Paine used her shoulder to knock it to the ground. Rikku lobbed a grenade at the fast-darting lizard, exploding above its head in a magenta-colored blast. When the grey smoke cloud around it dissipated, the fiend sat curled up on the ground stunned.

Wasting no time, Paine flung her arms around, slicing with two swoops of her sword, splitting it into a veil of pyreflies. The mushroom behind her discharged a cloud of its own, spraying toxins around the hallway. Stumbling backward, Yuna waved her hand in front of her face, coughing uncontrollably. Her eyes burned and watered.

She watched Paine slump down to a knee beside her. Rubbing the tears from her eyes, she looked around for Rikku. Spotting her, Yuna couldn't make out why her cousin fidgeted with two red crystals until she launched them at the fiend. The crystals combined to unleash a fiery explosion that engulfed the fiend. Through the flames, a stream of pyreflies poured out.

"Phew! That thing was stinky," said Rikku, wiping sweat from her brow.

Yuna high-fived her cousin. "Nice work!"

"Way to get the kill. If I never see another mushroom again, it'll be too soon," grumbled Paine.

Resuming their trek, Yuna led them down the corridor again. She nimbly tiptoed by a Tonberry strolling by, thankfully oblivious to her presence. Extending out her ear, she noticed the sound of chattering metal creeping nearby. Peeking around a wall, she located the tiny machina that had stolen the book.

Holding her breath, she waited for the right moment to pounce. It skittered around a wall, pacing back and forth until it tapped on something. The wall vanished, revealing a hidden corridor behind it. Slipping out from behind the wall, Yuna dove for the machina. The sound of her boots sliding against the floor alerted the machine in enough time for it to jump away.

She growled. "It got away again!"

Rikku poked her head around the wall. "Where did it go this time?"

"Down," answered Yuna with a frown.

Paine sighed. "Well, away we go then."

Leading the way, Yuna jumped down after the tiny thief. She saw it scampering up another long stretch of corridor. Racing after it, she extended her arms to keep her balance running down the steep decline. The machina's miniature legs gave it a distinct advantage as it lengthened its lead over the Gullwings. Dusty banners of Yevon hung from the ceiling at the top of a peak the hallway made.

Barring down on the thief, Yuna stopped herself immediately at the sight of an impossibly large Tonberry standing guard at the bottom of the downslope. Rikku and Paine bumbled into her back, running into her like a brick wall.

"Hey, why did you stop?" yelled Rikku.

She pointed to the oversized green fiend. "That's why!"

The Tonberry ambled closer to Yuna. "Do not think you will escape my reach."

It swung the giant knife clutched in its hand in a chopping motion, lurching closer to her. She backed away, her hands trembling too rapidly to draw her pistols. Behind her, the slow clunking of more footsteps sounded.

"Leave this one to me," declared another oversized Tonberry. "It's been a long time . . ."

Sidestepping to clear space for the other Tonberry to proceed, Yuna clasped her hands against her chest. Her mind fluttered in amazement—the Tonberry she befriended many dozens of levels ago had come to be her knight in shining armor.

Rikku blinked with a blank expression on her face. "Wait, is that the Tonberry you made friends with a while ago?"

"You always had a way with them," Paine said, shaking her head.

The friendly Tonberry motioned for the Gullwings to escape. They sprinted around the hostile Tonberry while their newfound ally distracted him. She started to run down another corridor but stopped to turn and watch the Tonberries ploddingly enter combat with each other. Her friend glanced at her, his knife clanging against his foe.

"I suppose living and dying for yourself is fine, but there is something . . . empty about it. I understand that now, thanks to you, Sister."

Feeling her chest tightened, she nodded to him. For a fleeting moment, she connected with the fiend in a way she never imagined possible. Running to catch up with her friends, Yuna led them through the endless, winding corridors until they came to another ledge. At its terminus, she spotted the tiny machina jumping down a hole.

Rikku peered down the hole. "Looks like we have to go down some more."

"Yeah, but that floor below looks a little different than all the others. I think I see fog," noted Paine.

Yuna nodded. "And the machina is close, let's go!"

Hopping down from the ledge, Yuna fell into a low-hanging blanket of mist. Unlike all the other endless levels she trekked through, the air held a clammy coldness to it. She spotted the book chittering a little ahead of her, appearing to float above the fog, which shrouded the machina underneath. When she looked up, she noticed it ran toward a figure not far down the path.

Walking closer, Yuna made out a man in purple armor with gold trim standing stern, his white cape fluttering with the movement of the heavy air. Four, golden ornaments jutted from his helmet. He knelt, picking up the tiny machina which skittered up to him like a puppy. He claimed the book from its grasp.

Yuna's jaw dropped. "It can't be! Lord Zaon?"

He looked up at her. "Greetings, High Summoner. You've come a long way."

"Please, give me back that book. I need it," she said, extending out her hand.

He frowned and shook his head. "Alas, it's not mine to give. It has already been claimed."

"By whom?"

A maniacal laugh echoed out of the mists behind Lord Zaon. Emerging from the dense, white fog, Issaru came forth. Interposed on his body flashed the transparent ghost of Shuyin. He strutted up to the first summoner with a cocky grin spread across his face.

"I told you before, Bevelle holds many secrets in its dark underbelly. Some of them are still useful."

Yuna clenched her fist. "So, you knew about the book, too."

"Kinoc's lackey Trema knew about it," Shuyin recalled. "He wanted to dispose of it along with so many spheres. Thankfully your friends prevented him from getting the chance."

"You're meddling with things you can't possibly understand!" Paine shouted.

Shuyin held up the book in his hand. "Perhaps, but with this, I will."

"When will you stop?" cried Yuna. "When will you ever rest?"

Shuyin's eyes narrowed, focusing solely on Yuna. "I told you I won't be stopped until I'm reunited with Lenne. Unlike you, I haven't given up on my love."

Yuna gasped, feeling like her head had been crushed by some unseen force. As much as she tried to acknowledge the dream was over, and she had to move on from Tidus, she couldn't reject the truth in his words. She had given up.

"Maybe Yevon's ancient hero can show you the folly of your surrender," he continued.

Giving Yuna a parting snicker, Shuyin retreated into the darkness of the mist. She started to lunge forward to pursue, but Lord Zaon intercepted her.

"I will be your adversary today," he announced. "Show me your strength, High Summoner."

Rearing his head back, pyreflies burst out of Lord Zaon's body, swirling around him in a sparkling, rainbow of light. Blinded by the sudden flash, Yuna retreated to her friends. She watched the shadowy remnant of the man transform into an indigo and gold, armored fiend. Two legs became four, and its body grew to an extravagant height, dominating the space she stood in. Razor-sharp teeth protruded from its mouth. A sphere shined brightly in its chest.

Without hesitation, it leaned forward, swiping down with one of its massive claws. Yuna bore the full brunt of its attack, batting her to the ground. Rikku ran up beside her cousin, slashing wildly with her curved blades. The fiend didn't retreat but thrust the back of its other claw at her. Backflipping out of its attack, Rikku evaded the strike.

Her head still woozy, Yuna sat up, spying the fiend looming directly over her. Its shadow covered her entire body. Unwilling to relent, even for a second, she pulled out a pistol and fired three shots into its abdomen. The bullets cut through its thick abdomen with enough force to push it away. She took the opportunity to stand up and withdraw beside Paine.

"You alright?" Paine asked, keeping her eyes locked on the fiend.

Yuna rolled her shoulders. "Yeah, I'm okay. This is going to be tough."

"You're not kidding," Rikku said. "That thing is huge!"

"If anyone has a plan, I'm all ears."

Paine pointed to either side of it. "We need to coordinate our attacks on both sides. Be quick to strike and then back away. Hopefully, we can avoid getting slapped by its claws."

"What time?" asked Rikku, glancing over to her cousin.

Yuna grinned. "Showtime!"

Sprinting at the fiend in unison, Yuna ran to keep pace with Rikku. Their sortie split in front of the fiend's tree-sized legs. Yuna darted left, attracting its full attention. It roared and swiped down at her again with its massive claw. Planting a foot hard onto the ground, she shifted her weight to sidestep the impact. Stepping on its exposed arm to steady herself, she fired six shots into its head. She watched Rikku slice up its back on the other side.

Charging in, Paine switched places with Yuna and swiped with her sword across its legs. From the edge of her blade, watery magic splashed into the freshly created slice in the fiend. Wheeling around the fiend, she circled back to where Rikku and Yuna fell back to.

"Nice work, girls!" Rikku cheered.

Paine smirked. "We're not done yet."

After a few moments of weakness, the colossal fiend stood again and straightened itself. It drew in the static from the air in the room, forming a charge of electricity. Firing its arcane energy, it shot an arc of lightning directly at Paine. The bolt coursed through her, sending her flying back to the ground. The smell of charred leather filled the room.

Her hair standing up on end, Rikku lobbed a grenade at the fiend, but the explosion did little to dissuade its aggression. Letting out a low groan, Paine raised herself up on a knee, using her sword as a crutch.

"Nope, we're definitely not done yet."

Yuna helped her to her feet. "Are you still able to fight?"

"Of course I am," Paine responded, brushing off Yuna's hand. "Let's go in for another round!"

She glanced over to Rikku and nodded. Yuna watched both of her friends dance around the base of the fiend, hacking and slashing away at its limbs. It recoiled in pain, trying to swat away their onslaught like they were gnats buzzing around its body. When they relented, the fiend stretched out two tendrils on its back. Four glowing orbs formed on each tendril.

Yuna gasped. "I've seen this before! Take cover!"

She dove out of the way just before a battery of energy bolts peppered the floor around her. Hundreds of tiny explosions chewed divots across the room. The heat from the blasts singed the skin on her legs. Smoldering smoke hung in the air, blurring her view of the fiend and her friends.

The sound of steel clattering against flesh redirected Yuna's gaze. Thick smoke dispersed from the area where the towering fiend stirred. With black streaks across her arms and face, Paine continued to engage her adversary. She connected with a barrage of furious sword strokes, driving the fiend back to the other side of the cavernous room.

Still coughing from the hazy smoke, Rikku ran up to Yuna. "Hey, glad to see you didn't get cut into pieces, Yunie!"

"Thanks. I see Paine is wasting no time," replied Yuna, brushing herself off.

"We gotta figure something out before this thing kills us all."

Yuna scanned up and down the fiend, still locked in its duel with Paine. Her sword connected with it again and again but seemed to just not damage it enough to cripple it. Yuna's heart skipped a beat when the fiend hammered down hard at Paine with its claw. She ducked underneath, twisting herself out of its reach. Then Yuna noticed the glowing orb in the fiends chest again.

Its light pulsated with its movement and attacks. When Paine's sword struck against its chest, a tuft of pyreflies fluttered out of the orb. Yuna's eyes popped open when a thought crossed her mind—could that be the source of the fiend's power?

"Rikku, can you steal that sphere from the fiend?" Yuna asked, pointing at the white sphere.

Her cousin sputtered while trying to reply. "Uh, what? Are you crazy? Now's not the time to be sphere hunting!"

"I think that sphere is powering it. Maybe if we detach it, Lord Zaon will fall out of his fiend form."

Rikku shrugged. "Well, it's worth a shot, I guess. I'll do my best!"

Rushing toward the fiend, Yuna motioned for Rikku to follow her. She fired two more bullets at the fiend's head, quickly attracting its focus. It growled at her and clenched its claw into a fist. Catching a fleeting glance at Paine's confused expression, Yuna ran up closer to it. She could practically feel its breath fall onto her.

Firing another shot, she taunted the fiend. Prepared for its retaliation, she spun to the side out of the path of its claws. The only way for Rikku to steal the sphere would be to get the fiend on the ground, she thought. Motioning for Paine to get back, Yuna looked up at the ceiling. Arching high above, the ornate, metal tiles hovered over her.

"Rikku, do you have something that could cause a big explosion?"

"Uh, how big?" Rikku questioned.

Yuna opened her arms wide. "As big as you can."

"Coming right up!"

"Let's give her some time!" Yuna shouted to Paine.

Paine regripped her sword. "My pleasure!"

Sprinting at the fiend to engage once more, Paine hacked at its legs while Yuna fired on its arms and head. She launched both clips of bullets in rapid succession until her pistol clicked empty. Glancing back at Rikku, who furiously worked on a mysterious device behind her back, Yuna reloaded her guns. Then she gasped when she saw the fiend spread its tendrils again. Energy coursed through the air as it charged its deadly attack.

"Hurry, Rikku!"

Rikku spun around with a large, oblong object in hand. "It's ready!"

Yuna waved a hand in the air. "Paine, get back as far as you can. Throw it up at the ceiling, Rikku!"

Though she looked entirely puzzled by Yuna's request, her cousin complied and wound up her arm. She hurled the device high up into the air, putting all her weight behind the throw. It spiraled above the fiend, spinning end over end. For a moment, Yuna lost it in the light of the charging energy blasts.

When it reached its peak, Yuna aimed her pistols at the device and fired. Connecting with two bullets, the device exploded into a deafening ball of white-hot flames. It burnt at the flesh of the fiend's head. The eruption tore apart the ceiling, causing half-melted metal plates to careen down on the fiend. Crushed under the weight of the fallen ceiling, it crumbled to the ground.

"Ok, Rikku—now's your chance!" Yuna screamed, pointing at the pile of debris covering the fiend.

Bounding into the pile of hot metal, Rikku scampered up to the orb. It still glowed, but it pulsated light much slower than before. She grasped it with both hands, ripping it from the fiend's body. In an instant, the once towering beast started to dissolve into a soupy cloud of pyreflies. The cacophony of chimes from their disbursement rang in Yuna's ear to her relief.

Walking back to Yuna, Rikku dropped the sphere out of her hands. "Ow! Geez, that thing is still hot."

"Great call, Yuna," congratulated Paine. "How did you know that would work?"

She chuckled. "I didn't."

"So, now what do we do? Shuyin still has the book." Rikku asked while blowing on her fingers.

"First, we should get the hell out of this place," said Paine.

Yuna nodded. "Agreed. I hate this place even more now."

Rikku flung her hands behind her head. "You and me both."

Yuna hung her head, discouraged by her failure to secure the second tome. Following slowly behind her friends, something inside her called for her to turn around. At first, she shook it off, but a lingering desire compelled her to obey. To her surprise, the fading vestige of Lord Zaon stood before her, just in front of the pile of smoldering debris. Yuna instinctively went for her pistols but stopped when she noticed a calm, peaceful expression on his face. She let down her guard and walked closer to him.

"You're free now," she said.

His expression remained stoic. "Thank you, High Summoner. You've given me more peace than you've found for yourself."

Taken aback by his words, Yuna couldn't find words of her own to respond to him. She merely dropped her eyes to the ground. Her chest tightened and she swallowed hard.

He continued, "Not all sacrifices are permanent, nor are all mistakes of the past eternal."

"I don't understand," she said, putting her hand up to her mouth.

"Allow me to show you my gratitude by giving you the opportunity to regain some of what you lost. It will be painful, but it will guide you to happiness again," he answered.

As his body faded into a litany of pyreflies, Lord Zaon raised his hand. Below Yuna's feet, a sparkling blue glyph appeared. A curtain of light formed around her. Through the light, she watched the former high summoner melt away until everything turned white.