Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Ninety-ninth Sacrifice ❯ VII ( Chapter 7 )

VII

983 S.A.

 

Braska watched the shore of Kilika melt into the horizon. Only last year had he been commissioned by the temple to study at this island. Instead, he became a part of an Al Bhed ship that sailed the high seas of Spira and proudly raided ships protected by nations favored by the teachings of Yevon. A year ago he had no family and no friends other than one old maester. Now he had wife and a child on the way.

These days Braska was much more sure footed on the craft than when he first stepped foot on it. To keep his place among the Al Bhed he became part of the crew. He was now very adept at all forms of seamanship. He even knew how to speak Al Bhed now, a talent not well respected among followers of Yevon.

After traveling with AL Bhed and integrating himself into their lives for a year, Braska came to understand the world better. He still believed that when Yevon commissions summoners to defeat Sin they are doing it for the greater good, but there was something he realized was rotten in the whole system. He surmised that a world and a system that revolved around a circle of death instead of life like Spira was rotten to the core. Braska just wasn't sure how he could combat the rottenness. Though, he would still become a summoner, but that was seven years away.

Sara was unaware of the fate that Braska had laid upon himself. She was not under the impression that their lives would be spent together forever, but she had grown to love him; much like the comfortable way that Cid and Mitsuki had. They even had a baby coming along, just as Cid and Mitsuki when he first met them. The only differences in Braska and Sara's story were that Braska knew precisely the maximum amount of time he would live and that they were of two very different races. Braska did not want Sara to know the destiny he had laid out before himself until Sin had risen again. Not until they had a stable life … and a seven year old child.

Cid came up from behind Braska and clapped him hard on the back. “Off to Mi'ihen!” he exclaimed loudly. “This shipment is due there soon!”

“What's got you in such high spirits?” Braska asked, turning to face his brother-in-law. Having lived on the same ship for over a year now, the two were more like brothers.

“It's always nice to have a legit job,” he smiled heartily. “That and my little boy said his first word this morning.”

Braska loved hearing about his nephew through Cid's eyes. Even though he saw the boy almost every day, Cid always had something new to say about him. “Oh yeah, what was it?”

“Cid!” he proclaimed. “The first word out of the little tike's mouth is the name of his dear old pops!”

“Shouldn't he call you dad or something?” asked Braska, imagining the little boy calling Cid by his first name.

“Na, he'll get to it in his own time.” Cid, pausing for a moment to look over the rock islands that dotted the sea, asked, “So, have you and Sara thought of any names for your kid yet?”

“Sam, after your father if it's a boy,” replied Braska, “and Yuna if it's a girl.”

“Yuna?” Cid flecked his eyes to Braska's face, then back out to the sea. “Why Yuna?”

“The first High Summoner,” replied Braska wistfully. “Yunalesca. I'm one of her direct descendants. Though, there are quite a few of us in Bevelle.”

“Geez, and I almost forgot that you were Yevon. I can't believe you and Sara got married.” Cid paused a moment to think. “Um, does Al Bhed law count for you Yevon folks?”

“No,” replied Braska. “It's basically ignored.”

“So, to you, you and Sara aren't really married.”

“Not legally, in my home,” replied Braska, understanding what Cid was getting at. “But, I'll never leave her, you know that. I may not be an Al Bhed by birth, but I am part of your culture now. I've broken off all ties to my old life.”

“You better never leave her, or your kid,” said Cid. “That child, I feel sorry for the life they are going to live. Being stuck between Al Bhed and Yevon, I wouldn't want to put that on my child's shoulders.”

Braska only let his eyes drift like clouds over the horizon. “Yes, but I am capable, even if you doubt me.” Pausing a moment, Braska looked around the boat. “I should go see to Sara.”

 

***

 

A young man with messy black hair tied back loosely in a piece of fabric awoke in a room that was not his. He was naked, of which was discomforting in the cool morning air. The cold, dewy wind blew across his naked belly uncomfortably, which was what primarily awoke him. He noted, slightly embarrassedly, that his clothes were strewn around the room; as were the clothes of his bed mate.

The slight cotton sheet that was her blanket did little to conceal her naked body. Bright morning light pierced through her sheet revealing her feminine features, of which he was already quite familiar. This was not a girl that he loved, just a girl who he slept with occasionally. No one in his small village really made him feel the sensation of love that was mentioned in story books.

The young man did not feel love for or loved by anyone, romantically or platonically. He had a family, but they did not care for him. His world was contained within one little village, on the coast of Mi'ihen, north of Luca. All he enjoyed was the training he had undergone so far in the ways of bushido, from an old hermit who lived outside of this village on a small island.

Beside him the naked girl rolled over and grunted his name. “Auron,” she said once again before drifting back into a fitful sleep.

Auron frowned and gathered his clothes. He hastily threw on his clothes, wary of the noise he created. More than once the girl's father had caught them in bed together and had given him a sound beating for it. Auron's parents, who were lowly farmers, were just as angry with him and threatened to throw him out if he didn't pull his act together. Heedless of their warnings, Auron still slept with the girl almost every night and would go right after with his father's boat to see the old hermit. When people get older they enjoy the early morning more, and Auron respected that about the old hermit.

Hearing the girl's father about to stir, Auron jumped out the window and sped down the hill. Losing his footing, he tumbled down, scratching his bare arms on the lose gravel, and splashed into the ocean. Grumbling loudly, Auron stood up, drenched to the bone. He didn't want to go back to his house to change, being more inclined to being wet.

Sloshing over to the boat he had tied to the rotting, shallow dock, Auron untied it. Getting in it, he pushed it off with and oar and began to drift. In the early morning, the ocean had a natural beauty to it that was hard to ignore. It was one of the pleasures in life that Auron really appreciated anymore.

As he made his way over to the hermit's island, Auron noticed something truly remarkable he never would have without venturing out on his boat. Only a few yards away from him sat an Al Bhed ship at anchor. There was nothing notable about it, other than it was Al Bhed and that it was just outside of Auron's tiny fishing and farming village.

A fleeting notion crept inside Auron's skull to row over to the boat. Gulping down what ever pride he felt in his sub-standard life he pumped his arms. He had all he need with him. Quite frankly, nothing from his life did he want to keep, other than his sword, which was in the boat with him.

Auron didn't have to call out to the boat for them to notice him. One man with very light blonde hair called out in Al Bhed to another and the whole ship came alive. Feeling a daunting presence on his throat, Auron called out. “Is this an Al Bhed ship?”

A confused blonde man shouted to someone on board, and a man who didn't look like an Al Bhed came forward. He shouted to Auron, “What is it kid? What are you doing?”

“I want to come aboard!”

The tall man with brown hair disappeared into the crowd of blonde men with goggles. Moments later, he brought out a shorter man with huge muscles. This man had an air of authority over the others. Looking down at Auron, he shouted almost angrily, “What do you want, runt?”

Auron gulped a breath of air. “I want to come with you! I've heard all about how you Al Bhed go raiding ships on the sea! I want to be a part of your ship!” Auron paused a moment to search his brain for something the hermit taught him. “Um, I even know a little Al Bhed! Um, bmayca tnehl sa!”

They responded to Auron's words with a resounding laugh. After their laughter had subsided and Auron's face was beet red, their leader said, “Now, why do you think we should just let you onto our ship? We ain't no charity, runt.”

Racking his head, Auron answered, “Because I'm good with my hands! And I'm a fast learner!” Grabbing his sword, he held it up. “I'm also trained with a sword! I can help you on your raiding parties.”

Auron felt his heart sink when the two men who could speak continental disappeared. He sat down on his boat and weighed anchor. He felt very conscious with twenty unfamiliar faces staring at him with goggles on while he waited for their deliberation.

 

***

 

“So,” asked Cid, standing with Braska on the interior of the deck. “What do you think we should do?”

“Mik broke his arm on the engine carbines a few days ago and we do need another sword.” Braska, with his height, could see the young man over the heads of the others, but only barely. “Let the kid on, he seems a little desperate.”

Cid grumbled and pushed through the crowd of onlookers that was his crew. When he was at the rail, he saw the young man jump up in his rickety old boat, almost falling out of it. “Fine, we've deliberated, and I will agree to let you aboard my ship.”

“Than―”

“Just one thing before you get too excited,” interrupted Cid. “You have to be able to speak Al Bhed within months and you have to do everything I say! Got it?”

Auron bowed his head, careful not to unbalance the boat. “Yes sir.” He said loudly enough for Cid to hear.

“Alright then,” said the Al Bhed captain. Motioning to the men near the side, they let over a rope ladder.

Auron, not being as malicious as he would have liked, strapped the sword to his waist and jumped into the water. He left his father's boat with all of its fishing gear anchored where it was, so it could later be found by the villagers. The ocean water bit his skin in its cold depths in the morning when he jumped in. Auron was an adept swimmer, but even the cool shallows made him flounder. Once he grabbed hold of the ladder, he pulled himself with all of his might out of the water. One on deck he did not fall to his knees but stood firmly on his feet in front of the captain. His skin was the red color of skin cells dying because they were frozen.

Cid looked the young man up and down, a curious look in his eyes. “So, kid, do ye have a name?”

“Auron,” he replied, careful to keep the shivers away from his words.

Braska, wary of the young man's well being, watched the conversation with caution. His brother-in-law was just the type of man who would put the kid right to work. Braska thought that it would be best if he warmed up first.

“We're heading out of this place pretty soon, so go help the guys raise the main sail. That should get you warmed up, out here in the sun, on the water.” Cid clapped Auron hard on the back and went back to the bridge. “Oh, and you can sleep in the crew quarters. You should be able to find it yourself.”

Auron nodded and went to do the task Cid had set out for him.

Braska shook his head when Cid turned to look at him. “Now, what are you shaking your head about?” Cid watched the young man work with enthusiasm. “You wanted him aboard, so what beetle crawled up your nose and died?”

Braska sighed. “You have no sympathy, do you? That boy had to have something bad going for him to make him want to come to us. He may not show it, but he's really depressed, and probably lonely.”

“So, what do you want me to do about it?” Cid began to think to his own, newborn son, and wonder whether or not he'd be like that one day.

“Just keep doing what you're doing,” replied Braska. “And, make sure if anything is going wrong that you tell me. He's of the Yevon, not the Al Bhed, he will understand me better.”

“Sure, whatever.” Cid crossed his arms and bent his neck to pop it. “Let him be your problem, I don't want any trouble.”

 

 

 

 

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