Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Rebirth ❯ Aftermath ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven- Aftermath

Yuna woke up about five hours after she and Tidus had finally fallen asleep in each other's arms. Tidus was still sleeping soundly as she got up and walked back into the common room in the Inn. Auron and Kimahri were still awake and standing near the front door to the Inn, guarding it she supposed. They were deep in conversation and hadn't noticed her yet so she got a little closer to try to hear what they were saying.

"Kimahri think that we should finish pilgrimage up to Bevelle. Then Kimahri go gather other Ronso and we start looking for Key." Kimahri said, always finding some way to talk in third person like most Ronso did. "Kimahri think that we need large group to help find Key quickly."

"I agree Kimahri. After Bevelle, I'll stay with the Tidus and Yuna. However, I think that the others should be used to gather what truly loyal allies we have. I don't know why, but I have a strong feeling that it's not over yet." Auron said, with his constant seriousness present even now. "I know we can trust the Crusaders, Al Bhed, and Ronso but I am not so sure about the warrior monks and their maester, Hiroc. I don't trust him after how the maesters betrayed us three years ago. Before we go in to more detail, however, we might want to acknowledge a guest in our midst." Auron finished as he turned to face Yuna and just nodded.

Kimahri walked towards her and checked she was; just like him, always worrying about her before himself. After he was done, they both walked back over to Auron and started planning again.

"As I was saying, I don't trust Hiroc. After your original misguided views about the maesters, Yuna, I have no doubt that the Yevonists would try to put one of their own back in office. There is an unique aura about Hiroc, much like that of an unsent but changed, somehow." Auron said.

"Are you saying that Hiroc might be an unsent?" Yuna asked, intrigued.

"Possibly. I don't know what is wrong about him but something is not right. He is not who he seems so we must be on our guard at all times." Auron replied.

"Kimahri and rest of guardians besides Auron will gather allies. Wakka and Lulu get Crusaders and Rikku gather Al Bhed. Ronso will fight to death if needed." Kimahri said, still talking in third person.

"I don't think we'll need all those allies just to find the Maorix Key, but it might be useful. Once all the guardians get everyone else, lets' concentrate on providing them with what we have." Yuna said, referring to their unique intellectual talents.

***

Back in the darkest reaches of the Farplane, the half-human, half-guado being known as Seymour clung desperately to life. With every ounce of his energy and life that he had remaining he started to chant something to try to heal himself and preserve his life.

"Ardente veritate, u…urite mala mundi. Ardente ver…veritate, incendite tene…tenebras m…mundi." He said as he completed the chant. It was an ancient spell that he had learned from Yunalesca in case something like this ever happened.

As he finished the spell, he began to feel his body come alive again. The pyreflies that were continuously coming to the Farplane every time a person or fiend died started to gather together and remade his body and healed him. He made a mental note to thank Yunalesca if she ever used the `rebirth' spell as she called it, as he laughed out loud.

Once the pyreflies finished their work, he looked down at himself. Instead of the fiendish armor that he used to wear, it was a semi-body armor that looked like Anima's body, but with out the venous flytrap style wraps he had around his sides. Out of the back of it and his back protruded a pair of wings that resembled those of and angel except they were red like the color of blood.

He began to beat his wings back and forth, harder and harder until his new appendages lifted his body off the ground. Smiling to himself, he started to fly upwards towards the semi-permeable barrier at the top of the Farplane. He soon realized, however, that it would take more than three days to reach it even flying at top speed. I must have been unconscious for a long time before I landed, he thought to himself as he just settled himself in for the long ride.

"I will have my vengeance on those mortals for this setback before I finish my plan. I must eliminate them once and for all before I attempt anything. They have proved to be more than a nuisance; I'll give them that. No matter, the Key of Maorix is mine and everything is falling to place as it was foretold." He said, smiling at himself and his plan with the smile that could kill a Marlboro.

Meanwhile, the group had all awakened and was setting of for Macalania Temple beyond the Thunder Plains.

***

Tidus just walked on the ground towards the Travel Agency while he watched the group try to dodge to bolts while flying. Not very smart to fly during a storm, he thought to himself as he put his hands behind his head and just kept walking, dodging the lightning himself whenever necessary.

He turned around after he heard someone land behind him and saw Yuna withdraw her wings and walk up beside him.

"Come on, let's go." She said as she started walking towards the Travel Agency. He smiled, she was every thing to him and he couldn't bear to lose her, but what would happen after this was over. Would the fayth be kind to him unlike last time, or would we just simply disappear again.

I guess I'll just take it one day at a time with Yuna, then. He thought to himself as they reached the front door to the Travel Agency.

As the rest of the group came through the door and checked in their rooms, Tidus went over to the Traveler's Sphere and healed himself. Realizing that it had been nearly eleven days since the Blitz Tournament in Luca, he decided it was time to play. He looked over to Wakka who nodded and then Tidus touched the Save Sphere.

As soon as he touched the sphere, Tidus was transported to the Aurochs' locker room in Luca. It was amazing what the Save Spheres could do. The rest of the Aurochs looked up at him as the next match between them and the Ronso Fangs was announced. Nearly in unison, they walked to the doorway that led to the Sphere pool and prepared their bodies and minds for the game.

Tidus swam out to the Midfielder position, flanked by Ropp as the Left Forward and Letty as the Right. Behind him, Botta and Jassu had taken up their spots as the two Defenders and Keepa was ready in the goalpost.

The scoreboard changed to the Aurochs' and Fangs' symbols with zeros underneath. The blitzball started spinning in the middle of the sphere and then as a buzzer went off, shot upward towards the top of the sphere, followed closely by Tidus and Argai Ronso.

Argai caught it first and began swimming towards Keepa and the Aurochs' goal. Ropp and Letty swam up beside him in a pincer formation and immediately went on tough defense. Ropp did a Nap Tackle III and got close to putting Argai to sleep, but he still failed against the giant Ronso. Letty then swam straight at him while his back was turned and performed a second level Wither Tackle and took him down.

Letty began swimming to the right side of the sphere and, as soon as Ganza and Irga Ronso were going to try to tackle him, forwarded the ball across the sphere to Ropp. Ropp swam nearly right up to the Fangs' goalkeeper, Zamzi Ronso, along with more than half of the Fangs. He dropped a pass back to Tidus.

Tidus had the ball above his head and did a somewhat slow back flip to do the Sphere Shot and sent the ball flying over the Fangs' goalkeeper and into the goal for the Aurochs' first point of the game at four minutes and forty-eight seconds. The halftime buzzer sounded shortly after.

Everyone got back into position for the second launching of the blitzball. Argai caught it again but this time threw it straight to Basik Ronso, his Left Forward. Since the Ronso were generally slow in the water, Ropp and Botta had caught up with him about the time he was halfway through the Aurochs' territory. Basik decided not to give them the chance to take the ball back and passed it past them to Ganza, who was very close to Keepa, the Aurochs goalkeeper.

Ganza dropped the ball in front of him and did a second level Volley Shot. As it shot back and forth through the water and eventually towards the goal, Keepa leapt diagonally upwards at it and narrowly caught it as it soared by through the water. Seven minutes had passed in the game time as Keepa through it back out to Jassu.

Jassu began swimming along the right side of Blitz Sphere as Ganza and Irga began chasing him to past the half way point in the Sphere. Irga was the first to catch him and did a nasty third level Venom Tackle and poisoned him. Jassu fortunately weathered the attack and forwarded the ball to Letty, sailing over Ganza's head.

Letty was already nearly next to the Fangs' goal when he caught the blitzball. Nuvy Ronso, the Fangs' other Defender, reached him. She tried to use a third level Drain Tackle but Letty evaded and kicked the ball at what seemed like the speed of a bullet towards the goal.

The goalkeeper didn't even have a chance to try to leap in front of the ball's path before it slammed into the upper-left corner of the goal. The crowd cheered crazily as the scoreboard change to Aurochs-two, Fangs-zero with only one minute left in the game.

Everyone swam back to their spots as the blitzball was set to launch again. The ball began to spin and then shot upwards in the water, followed closely by Argai and Tidus. Argai wasn't quick enough this time as Tidus caught it and threw it down to Ropp.

Ropp was already on the move to his forwarding spot when he caught the ball. Tidus was about halfway into the Fangs territory when Ropp threw it back to him. Immediately, Irga and Nuvy Ronso began swimming towards him to try to stop him from scoring one last time.

Jecht Shot time! He thought as he kicked the ball at Nuvy and then pounded it into Irga once it returned. Spinning high in the water, he connected with the rising blitzball with the force of two trains slamming into each other. It flew through the water and right past the goalie for one last point before the final buzzer rang for Time Up.

There is just something about winning a game of blitzball that not even defeating a very powerful fiend can beat, he thought as he climbed out of the water and walked over to the Sphere. Teleporting instantly back to the Thunder Plains travel agency he found that everyone else besides Kimahri had rented a room and had left to go rest already.

He nodded to Kimahri as a silent understanding passed between them. Tidus had been feeling the ominous presence since they had left Guadosalam. It was frightening and chilling, like standing knee deep in a pool of freezing water. Kimahri and Tidus both knew that somehow, someway it wasn't over yet.

Kimahri nodded back as Tidus walked off to the room Yuna had rented for them. Yuna had taken a shower and was recording something in a sphere while sitting on the bed when he walked in. She hadn't heard him close the door so he listened for a moment.

"Right now we're at the Thunder Plains Travel Agency for a rest. It has been about a day now since we fought Seymour inside of the Farplane in Guadosalam. I think that everyone that is with me right now feels the same thing that I do. It is a sense of apprehension that something is right. Like our battle with the Undead Alliance isn't over yet. I guess we'll just take it one day at a time until we know the truth." She said as she stopped the sphere.

"Hey." He said to her as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms on her shoulders. This was how it ended after Sin had been destroyed but he would not let it happen again.

They sat there for a few moments before Yuna turned around and a string of passionate kisses began.

***

Lulu was walking over to the Items lady when she heard an odd sound. It was indescribable out there. She could still hear the storm but something was not as it seemed out there. She looked at Kimahri as if to ask him if he had heard it as well and saw that he was looking around while his lion-sized ears were twitching. He grabbed his Spirit Lance and stood near the door.

The sound slowly grew louder and louder until everyone else was awake because of it. Tidus came out of his room and was already pulling out his Caladbolg when suddenly, the sound stopped completely.

Wakka walked up to them and asked, "What was that just now."

"I don't know Wakka. I think that you, Kimahri, Auron and me should go outside and check around just to be safe. I don't know about you, but ever since we left Guadosalam I've had this weird feeling it the pit of my stomach." Tidus said to him as he walked towards the door.

They walked outside and began checking around near the Inn for anything unusual. Kimahri still guarded the door and was ready for battle with his Spirit Lance drawn and out in front of him. Suddenly, Braska and Jecht stepped out of the shadows from behind them.

"Hey, you're back. How ya' doing? Was that just you now, thought?" Tidus asked them.

"Yes it was. We're fine, however; we bring troublesome news from the fayth at Bevelle." Braska replied. "He informed me about your battle and victory over the Alliance but he also told me to regroup with you and deliver you this message from him. `The same power that you have unlocked within yourselves has been awakened by the last remaining undead, Seymour. You must warn those you meet but continue on the pilgrimage at least until you reach me.' That is all."

"But that's impossible! I killed Seymour myself and then used my mind to destroy all the pyreflies in the Farplane to ensure that he wouldn't be able to make it back. How can he still be alive?"

"You're forgettin' something, son. There are fiends being destroyed in every corner of Spira at every moment. The pyreflies return to the Farplane and Seymour probably used them to revive himself." Jecht said.

By that time, everyone that was still in the Inn when they went outside had come out and knew the truth. It was unanimously decided that they would leave within the hour and continue towards the temple at Macalania. As everyone was gathering their gear as well as warning the employees at the Inn about the trouble coming their way, Tidus noticed something strange happening outside. The fiends who would normally just attack whenever and wherever they wanted were all heading south as if they were going to Guadosalam.

"Seymour's new found abilities." Lulu said from behind him. "To the fiends he is like them because he is made of pyreflies now but he is controlling them, it seems."

"Damn it! You mean that Seymour now has control over the fiends now brudda?" Wakka asked her. "Oh this is great. We had trouble just beating his army back at the Farplane but now we got to destroy all the fiends in Spira too, ya' know."

"Not necessarily. Once I finish my pilgrimage in Bevelle, I don't know why but I feel that the full potential of my mind's abilities will be awakened. The fayth said that once I unlocked those parts of my mind, I and the ones that also have the power would be able to create or destroy as we want." Tidus replied, deep in thought. "At any rate, we might want to hurry. Screw the lightning and let's fly at top speed towards Macalania, okay?"

"Got it. I'll tell everyone else to get ready for a little dodging."

As they walked outside the Travel Agency, O'aka's kid brother Wantz passed by and took their picture as he waved. After he started running again towards the Macalania Forest near the O'aka Merchant Empire headquarters, the group grew out their wings and took off.

It was much more of a challenge to fly around up here while the storm was in constant motion. Dodging left and right whenever a lightning bolt would strike, the made their way north towards Lake Macalania. Once they finally made it past the Thunder Plains and started out above the forest, they dropped down to the ground to warn O'aka about Seymour's coming.

"Ah, it's that bastard again, wouldn't ya' know. First he throws me in jail for selling me goods and then my brother here nearly dies when he assaults Mt. Gagazet. I'd like to kill him again and see how he likes it." O'aka said to them. "Well, if lady Yuna says that I should leave me shop and beware of this guy, I will. After all, ye've been good to me, that you have."

"Thanks O'aka. Be near the Highbridge at the entrance to Bevelle in about a day or so and you'll have a few customers." Tidus said as they took flight again towards the lake.

"You got yourselves a deal, that you do."

Passing over the Travel Agency next to the lake about three hours later, everyone but Auron, Tidus, and Yuna dropped down to warn its inhabitants as they continued past the lake to the temple in about a half an hour. Auron stayed at the entrance to the Trials to stand guard if any intrusion were to be made and warn the priests about their Lord Seymour's coming. Tidus and Yuna continued down past the room where they fought Seymour and his aeon for the first time and on to the curved ice ramp to where Shiva was waiting for them.

Tidus performed the blitzball sign or the Priests' prayer to Yevon and the Fayth appeared. "It is time for you to begin the hardest journey you have had yet. Only you and your compatriots can defeat Seymour now that he controls the Key of Maorix. If you fail the world will fall." She said as she leapt into him.

Exiting the Chamber of the Fayth, they just flew up to the temple entrance from where they were to skip the Trials. Everyone who was there when they had arrived had fled to the Airship docks above the lake and took off towards the southern part of Spira. Auron just nodded and they took flight back to the Travel Agency.

Meanwhile, Seymour had finished about three fourths of his journey to the world of the living and was drawing ever closer.