Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Rebirth ❯ Endless Stories ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight: Endless Stories

The undead Guado being touched down at the lookout point in the Farplane. There was no one there to disturb his landing or warn the other underling Guado of the impending danger that drew ever closer to them. Ever since the attack on Guadosalam about four days ago, the Guado were too scared to even mention the place. This situation can be used to my advantage, he thought to himself as he pushed through the barrier and withdrew his wings.

He began walking through the passageway that connected the Farplane and Guadosalam, all the while chanting. "Surgite! Inventite! Veni hortum veritatis! Horti verna veritatis!"

As he chanted on, the ground underneath became alive as fiends began coming up from it. The spell he was chanting was one of the most powerful summons possible. The fiends that came grew together to make one massive beast that looked like a giant Chimera.

"Welcome, my servant Hecate. You are to destroy this city completely. Leave no building unscathed. Afterwards return to the ground from whence you came." Seymour said as he took flight again down through the gateway to the Thunder Plains.

As he flew onwards towards Macalania, Hecate began laying waste to the city of Guadosalam. First the Mansion and the other houses, then the Item Shop, and finally the Inn; all destroyed by Hecate. Since all of the Guado were still staying in the Inn when Hecate began his assault, they escaped through the forest to the northern dock at the Moonflow.

Finishing his work, Hecate became sand and flowed back into the ground. Meanwhile, the group was drawing ever closer to the Highbridge in Bevelle.

***

"So, you sure that you should only journey until you gain Bahamut?" Rikku asked him as they touched down outside of the massive machina city of Bevelle.

"That's what Jecht and Braska said the fayth told them. That's all I have to go off of right now so it's what I'm doing." Tidus replied.

"I think we can trust the fayth's judgment on this matter. After all, he was the one who awakened the first part of our minds and gave us the wings, you know." Yuna said.

"Ya man. I think Yuna's right. But still be on your guard, bruddas. He also warned us that Seymour is still coming, ya' know. We ought to look out for any sign of danger until Tidus has Bahamut, at least."

They walked on through the gates at the Highbridge after stocking up on items from O'aka like they had promised him they would. Shelinda met them outside because it was guarded since the news about Seymour had spread. "Maester Hiroc has been awaiting your arrival, Mr. Tidus. He has also been expecting the rest of you as well, Lady Yuna. Please follow me." She said as she began leading them through the endless maze of passageways and streets in Bevelle.

The city sure had changed since the last time Tidus had seen it when Mika finally decided to go to the Farplane. It was no longer just slightly mechanical as it was earlier. It was now a fully operation metropolis sprawling in all directions. It was the largest city in Spira with the newly rebuilt Zanarkand being second.

"I need to know before Lord Hiroc announces the truth, Lady Yuna. Is the deceased Maester Seymour actually living again?" Shelinda asked as they passed over the airship docks and boat harbor built along the sea.

"I am afraid so. He is no longer what you would call living, though. He was brought back to life by the pyreflies after we destroyed him back at the Farplane. He will stop at nothing to be able to rule this world and the next. We know that he is coming after us first, however." Yuna replied.

"Then you must stay here at the temple and let the guards protect you! Surely you are not thinking of fighting Lord Seymour are you?" She asked.

"You know it. As soon as Yuna and I go pray in the Chamber of the Fayth, all of us are flying out again." Tidus answered.

"But he will surely kill you!" Shelinda nearly cried.

"Don't worry about us, we can handle ourselves in a battle. Especially after I obtain Bahamut."

"How will you kill what is already dead with just your swords and magic? It is impossible."

"Nothing's impossible if you set your mind to it." Rikku replied as she and everyone else grew out their wings and took off into the air about twenty feet above Shelinda.

"Incredible! I had heard the reports from the priests at Macalania and Djose but to see it with your own eyes is amazing!" Shelinda replied as they landed again, right outside the door to Hiroc's quarters.

"Nothing to worry about. I'll concentrate right now and pass along these abilities to you." Tidus said as he began thinking. Shelinda soon grew wings and then withdrew them.

"How is this possible, though?" Shelinda asked them.

"The Fayth gave us the power to create and destroy anything as we like. While Tidus and I are going to the Chamber of Fayth to pray, I would like you to assist Sir Auron, my father, and Sir Jecht in giving this power to all the warrior monks in Bevelle. After you do, we need you to gather them into a massive army in the Calm Lands, okay?"

"Anything for you, Lady Yuna and your companions. May I ask why you wish for them to be there?"

"We intend to draw Seymour away from the city and to the open areas of the Calm Lands. There, we will destroy him and the fiends of Spira once and for all." Auron replied.

They stepped up to the doorway to Hiroc's quarters and were greeted by a man of island descent with a dark complexion and a ponytail. He looked like Auron did thirteen years ago but with dark skin. He was not at all what one would have thought to be a monk or even their maester. But then again, no one thought that the last Guado maester, Seymour, would be a murdering sociopath that wanted to destroy the world, Tidus thought as Hiroc shook his hand and the hands of everyone else, especially Jecht, Auron, and Braska because to him they were legends.

"So, before you people get back on the pilgrimage and head towards the temple, I need to ask you if the news about Seymour's revival and coming is true." Hiroc asked as he led them into the main room of his quarters.
"Yes. I'm sorry to say this but Seymour has resurrected again and is heading towards Bevelle by flight. He is going to destroy everything and everyone in his path until he reaches us." Braska said. "Already he has destroyed Guadosalam and the Travel Agency in the Thunder Plains."

"My god, we are all doomed unless you all can stop him."

"That is why our visit must be short. Tidus and my daughter must leave quickly and go receive Bahamut from the Fayth at this temple. We have already begun preparing the warrior monks in Bevelle with our abilities and sending them to the Calm Lands. We intend to draw Seymour there and then defeat him in sheer strength and magic."

"Yes, of course. You may leave now." He said, opening the door for them.

"Thank you, maester Hiroc. I hope one day I will be able to talk to you on a more personal basis." Braska said as he and every one else walked out.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lord Braska."

***

As soon as they had all left and the door was closed again, Hiroc began projecting his thoughts towards Seymour.

My lord, the people that you intend to kill have just left my residence. The boy and maester Yuna are going to the Chamber of the Fayth as we speak while their compatriots are helping the priestess give their abilities to all of the warrior monks. Little do they or the priestess know that they have just given you an army fit for your grace. They are massing the troops in the Calm Lands. I will be there and command them for you, your lordship, he thought to Seymour.

Very good my servant. When I arrive in Bevelle in a little over a day, have every last troop prepared. I will continue this charade and follow those annoying pests until the Calm Lands. There I will eradicate them once and for all. You will be greatly rewarded once you join me after they are dead, Hiroc, Seymour thought to him.

Thank you your grace. I will await your arrival and prepare my self for my death and rebirth.

Good, then you shall be granted eternal sleep and be my second in command for all eternity.

You are too kind your grace, Hiroc thought right before he broke the connection to Seymour and began to ready himself.

***

Tidus and Yuna finally stepped off of the moving platform that led them to the Chamber after finishing the trials. Walking side by side they stepped forward to the entrance to the Chamber as the stone guard slid upwards and the feather like veils moved away from their path.

Torches along the walls surrounding the circular statue where the fayth resided suddenly lit as they entered the main room. The room itself seemed as though it was singing as the Hymn of the Fayth slowly rose into volume until the sound volume was that of a loud chorus in unison, although there was only one voice singing.

The fayth that Tidus had met over three years ago in his Zanarkand rose out of his eternal resting place. "Welcome Tidus, I have been expecting you for some time now. Before you may accept Bahamut, I must ask you if you feel you are ready."

"Yeah, I'm ready. It's not like I have a choice anyway because you told Braska to tell us that we could only defeat that slime Seymour after I acquired Bahamut. Well let's just get this over with so that we can prepare for the battle in front of us." Tidus replied looking to Yuna and then back to the fayth.

"Before you do, I must warn you that the last step in the awakening of the true limits of your abilities will be anything but easy. The process of their awakening will be a painful one. After I have joined with you I will start to bring them to life but it will take time and patience."

"Just as long as you're done before Seymour gets here."

"I am not sure I will be. It is all up to how your mind reacts to my intrusion. If it welcomes me then it may only take minutes, but if it does not then it could take up to a day at most."

"Oh great. Thanks for waiting to tell me this until the last moment." Tidus replied sarcastically.

"Since I am unsure about the length of time this will take, we fayth have created weapons for you and your friends that are born of our minds." He said. Nine weapons appeared in front of Tidus and Yuna, each unlike any they had ever seen. "They utilize the abilities you have such as the ability to destroy or create with your mind. Whatever you do with your mind while using these weapons will be amplified and then done by the weapons. Such as, if you concentrated to destroy the fiends around you and the pyreflies they are made of, you would concentrate while you strike one of the fiends. The power flows through the weapons and to the ones you wish to destroy or heal. The weapons will help you to do what you concentrate on."

"So the weapons amplify our power then act as a conductor to the intended target. So if I wanted to destroy all of the fiends, I will only have to attack one while concentrating, correct?" Yuna asked.

"No. Not until the limits of Tidus' and your abilities are reached will you be able to do so. They can only go as far as you can in your minds right now. Once your minds break their boundaries by utilizing their full potential, anything and everything will be possible simply by thought."

The first weapon was a double-edged blade made of two swords somewhat similar to Tidus' Caladbolg that were joined at their hilts. The sword blades were facing opposite directions and were dark blue like Bahamut's scales. At the beginning of the blades was the symbol from Tidus' old blitzball team, the Zanarkand Abes. Inscribed above each symbol were the words Laevatein X. The next weapon was a rod about four feet long that looked like Yuna's Nirvana weapon but it was more ornate and was white as snow. The weapon's handle seemed as though it held part of the ocean in it. The handle was the same design and color of Chappu's sword, Brotherhood. On it was inscribed the words White Phoenix.

The fayth reached down and grabbed both of them and handed the Laevatein X to Tidus and the White Phoenix to Yuna. The next weapons were for Lulu and Wakka. Wakka's new blitzball was like his World Champion except that there were two rows of blades that criss-crossed each other, making a cross in the middle of the ball. It was a deep shade of green and was called the Ultimate Champion. Next was Lulu's weapon was a doll dressed in a dress of the same design and type she used to wear back during the first pilgrimage named the Mage of The Ancients. Then there was a new spear for Kimahri. It was as though someone had taken the Spirit Lance and put another blade on the other half of the handle. The blades themselves were black with the tipping being the color of Spheres. It was named Angel Lance.

Then there was Auron's weapon. It was the fayth had made another Masamune and combined it with the first so that the sword blades formed a perfect cross. The handle was longer by about six inches but was the same color. Along the handle engraved in ornate, golden letters was the word Gatekeeper. Rikku's fayth-borne weapon was like the Godhand except it was now dark orange and the spikes along the main claws were extended to a length of one foot. On the black arm covering were two words, Hades Claw. However, there were two Hades Claws, one for each arm.

Finally there were two last weapons. One was Jecht's new blade. The weapon itself consisted of two gloves, each with a three-foot blade on the side of each. At the part where the blades reached the gloves was a half-handle that was about ten inches long. It seemed that when you flipped the blades outward in front of you they could come lose and form a sword much like Tidus' Caladbolg. The gloves were black and the blades were blood red. On the each of the blades were the words Dragon's Wings. Last was Braska's new rod. It was also like the Nirvana except the handle looked as though it were made of gold and the actual weapon part was colorless and clear but looked as though lightning was transferring back and forth through it. In the gold handle were inscribed the words Storm Holder.

The fayth then smiled and flew into Tidus' body to give him control over Bahamut. Tidus and Yuna gathered the rest of the weapons and left the temple to find that everyone else was waiting for them. They handed the weapons one by one to their respectable owners and then spread their wings.

"We'll wait here until Seymour arrives. Until then we must be on full alert for any sign of him. Once one of us sees him, we fly away and get him to follow us to the Calm Lands where all the newly empowered warrior monks are waiting in ambush, okay?" Tidus asked all of them.

"Got it, brudda. I just wanna say to all of ya that if any of us dies, it's been nice knowin' ya." Wakka said.

"Kimahri agree. If Kimahri dies, Kimahri will see all of you again at the Farplane." Kimahri replied.

"Don't talk like that, you guys. We have to just believe that we'll make it out of the fight alive. That's all we can do, you know." Rikku said.

"Yes, I agree. If we fight with all we have, we will not lose." Lulu said.

They all nodded and then took off in different directions. Tidus and Yuna flew to a high rooftop together to watch the sun slowly dip over the horizon. Wakka and Lulu walked back to the Inn while Kimahri took up a post near the Highbridge as he had over three years ago during their escape from Bevelle. Rikku flew off to the airship docks where her father was. Auron, Jecht, and Braska were the last to leave as they headed off towards the temple.

Man, it's like the last battle with Yu Yevon all over again. I just pray I won't disappear after this one again, too; Tidus thought to himself as Yuna rested her head on his shoulder. Before they had left the temple, Shelinda had told them that Seymour would arrive in about five hours. Five hours until the war begins. Well then the countdown begins, I guess.