Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Ninety-ninth Sacrifice ❯ XVII ( Chapter 17 )

XVII

990 S.A.

 

“So,” said Jecht, descending Mt. Gagazet on the Zanarkand side, “This is Zanarkand.” On this side there was no snow, and even less life. Everything was the same color. The once glorious buildings of a metropolis were now reduced to mounds of rubble that were almost indistinguishable from the earth it was built upon. Jecht felt a tear come to his eye when he witnessed the disarray his home had fallen into since he had last seen it. Not only that it was a miles wide heap of rubble, but it was the home of a monster that had been plaguing the continent of Spira for about a millennium.

“Aye,” said Auron. “C'mon Jecht, we have to keep going. We can't get killed by fiends here, so close to the end.”

 

After a few hours of climbing down the steep slopes of Mt. Gagazet's north face, Jecht noticed, “There's nothing here? Why is that?”

“Not on the mountain,” said Braska, nodding to an extensive concrete bridge. “See there? There's machina, fiends, and dead soldiers.”

“My type of fun,” said Auron, slipping his right arm out of his jacket and gripping his overlarge katana with both hands. Raising the sword high above his head Auron ran into the crowd of fiends.

Sighing, Jecht said, “Wow, that guy's a special type of crazy.”

“Yep,” said Braska, waving his staff around in a summoning. Out of the sky appeared Bahamut and Braska climbed onto its back. “Well,” he shouted to Jecht, “Aren't you coming! We're so close to the end, can't you taste it?”

Contemplating what Braska had just said, Jecht took in a great breath of air. The city of Zanarkand may have looked different, but it still had the wonderful scent of the northern sea. Taking his sword out, he ran forward and hacked down any fiends that got past Auron and Braska's Bahamut. For hours it seemed they hacked away a path through to Zanarkand proper. That's when Jecht saw what made his heart skip a beat.

Right in front of him was the blitzball stadium, home of his team, the Zanarkand Abes. The stadium was in ruins just like the rest of the city. However, the two gladiator statues at the front were still intact and the doors were open. In this area there were no fiends, possibly out of reverence. Jecht found the whole scene eerie.

“Braska, where do we go now?” Jecht asked, watching Auron approach the front doors of the old stadium.

A ghost of an old man appeared at the entrance of the stadium. Answering their question, he said, “Through the stadium is the temple of Yevon Zanarkand. There you shall receive the Final Aeon to defeat Sin. The Lady Yunalesca awaits.”

“Oh,” said Jecht, gulping a deep breath of air. He did not totally believe in ghosts, but the dead soldiers he fought along his journey were enough to convince him of life after death. When he entered the stadium he felt a presence of anger. There were ghosts of people he knew everywhere angry that he could live and not have to experience the horror that they did. The ghosts of his past must have had to live through a tremendous horror: the floor they were walking on through the old stadium was the broken supports for the ball of water needed in blitzball matches.

All over the place they kept seeing previous summoners and their guardians. One summoner they could pick out was Lord Ohalland. Falling behind because he was wary of the ghosts that Braska and Auron either didn't notice or didn't care about, Jecht saw the two walk through another portal. Running to catch up, he nearly ran into Auron, who was standing agape. “What is it? Why did you stop?”

“I don't know, I just have a heavy feeling on my heart. Like, something bad is going to happen.”

“Oh, get over it you two,” said Braska, walking forward. “We're so close to our goal. Let us stop worrying about people who have been dead for a thousand years and the people we have to save in the present.”

“Yes sir,” the two guardians said in unison.

They walked in a steadfast march that was now only fuelled by the knowledge that with the next step they could save the world. The first to reach the door to the temple was Braska. Stopping Braska before he entered the temple, Jecht said, “You don't have to do this.”

“Thank you for your concern Jecht,” said Braska. “But if I don't do this, then who else will? We've heard about other summoners taking this pilgrimage, but we haven't seen them.”

“Well, there's no sense in trying to change your mind,” said Jecht, “I've said my piece.”

“But I haven't!” burst out Auron. Before now, he was so sure in what he had to do. Though, ever since they came to Zanarkand, Auron had begun to doubt himself. Braska, I don't want you to die!”

“I must lift the veil of sorrow covering Spira, if only for ten years.”

Ashamed, Auron shut his mouth and stared at his feet. After a pause, Jecht said, “Trials here too?”

“It's what's to be expected,” chortled Braska.

“Gimme a break. I was expecting, y'know, parades and fireworks!”

Braska smiled at how Jecht still had the ability to lighten the situation. “When I defeat Sin then you can ask for them.”

Looking to each other for strength, the three companions entered the temple. Sighing, Braska studied the room, he proceeded to step on some lighted up panels, and soon there was a staircase to a lower level that opened up on the middle of the floor. Proceeding with another set of light panel tests, the fruits of their labors was the hole in the floor to light up on all sides.

Every man groaned inwardly when they saw yet another keeper that they had to defeat to prove their strength. Defeating the Spectral Keeper took them a long time, but they couldn't lose after having undertaking such a huge journey. They could not die just before they reached the finish line.

Upon defeat, the hole in the floor turned into a lift that went to another, lower level. The next room was a brightly lit, ovular room. At their feet was the aeon statue, just as in all of the other temples. Looking at the statue that rested below his feet Braska breathed, “There's something wrong. There's no fayth in this statue.”

“What do you mean?” asked Auron.

Behind them came the deep and resonating voice of a woman. “That statue has not housed the soul of Lord Zaon for some time.”

“Yunalesca,” said Braska, greeted by confusion from both Auron and Jecht.

“Lord Zaon was the first Final Aeon. His soul has long since disappeared and his fayth can no longer be used as the Final Aeon.”

“What?” shouted Jecht. “No Final Aeon?”

“Do not worry,” said Yunalesca, her voice ancient and foreboding. “I can still provide you the means to summon the Final Aeon.”

“Who are you?” asked Jecht, unawares that Auron and Braska were kneeling.

Smiling with ancient wisdom, the woman answered, “I am Yunalesca, daughter of Yu Yevon.”

Auron raised his head in confusion. “Didn't you die hundreds of years ago?”

“Yes I did,” said Yunalesca in an ethereal way, “But I stayed unsent to guide summoners on their journey to defeat Sin.”

“How did you keep your body and not turn into a fiend?” asked Auron, now on his feet.

“Simply because I wanted to, young one.”

Standing graciously, Braska said, “I am the summoner of this group and I require your assistance in summoning the Final Aeon.”

“Are you ready for what you must do?” asked the woman, her voice echoing in the void.

“Yes, I am,” said Braska, bowing his head again.

“Then choose,” she said, almost floating from the ground. She spread her hand out in the direction of Jecht and Auron.

“Choose what?” asked Jecht, severely confused at this point.

“Which one of your guardians will become your Final Aeon, to defeat the creature, until it shall rise again?”

Jecht was still confused, while Auron was growing angry. “What do you mean `choose'? What creature are you talking about?”

“The creature,” she said in a voice as cold as ice, “That you call Sin.”

Swallowing his pride, Jecht stepped forward. “I'm not getting any younger, I should do something useful with my life.” He also wanted Auron to live for as long as he could, being as young as he was. Auron reminded him of his son, if only fleetingly.

“You work this out amongst yourselves and tell me when you're ready,” she said, retreating back into her room behind the huge door she had come out of.

“Braska, Jecht,” exclaimed Auron, “You will both die from this! Why do you not see that this is a lost cause! Sin will only appear again in ten years.”

“But there's always the chance that it won't,” noted Braska, standing by the steps.

“Auron,” said Jecht, looking to his young friend. “I need you to do something for me.”

“What, Jecht?”

“I need you to take care of my boy. He's such a crybaby, he needs someone to … hold his hand, y'know. Can you do that for me?”

“But, that's impossible,” exclaimed Auron. “How am I supposed to get to your Zanarkand?”

“If there's a way to get here from there, there's a way back,” grinned Jecht. “You'll find a way.”

“I'll take care of your son,” said Auron. “I'll guard him with my life.”

Nodding in recognition that the two had settled on an agreement, Braska called out to Yunalesca. When she came out of her doors again, Braska said, “I choose my guardian, Jecht.” Indicating Jecht with his hand, Braska added, “I choose Jecht as my Final Aeon.”

“As you wish,” said Yunalesca, as calm as day. With one swoop of her hand Jecht disappeared and Braska was left alone with only Auron.

“What do we do now?” asked Braska, no emotion present in his voice.

“To the Calm Lands,” said Yunalesca, disappearing behind her doors once again.

“Well,” said Braska, turning to Auron. “Care to be my guardian for just a short time longer?”

 

***

A day was all it took for the two to clamber over Mt. Gagazet to get to the Calm Lands. Almost every battle with Sin was fought here, and another was about to ensue. Braska sat on the grass, enjoying the breeze. Auron was fidgeting near him, unable to stay still.

“Auron, would you please stand still? You're distracting me.”

“Sorry, Braska,” said Auron, sitting down in a cross-legged fashion.

“Why are you still here?”

“I'm your guardian to the end.” Feeling a rumbling in the ground, Auron shot to his feet. “It's here!”

Braska stood up slowly. When he stood up straight, he was face to face with the monster that had destroyed two of his families. “Auron, I want you to leave.”

“But why—”

“I said leave! Go up Gagazet! Now Auron!”

Always obedient, Auron and nodded and ran towards the path that led up Gagazet. Braska was left alone to defeat Sin by himself.

Gulping air in, gaining strength for what he had to do, Braska whispered, “I'm so sorry Yuna.” Raising his staff above his head, he felt his life force drain away into Jecht's power as the Final Aeon. Braska never had the chance to witness his friend as an aeon before he died. In his summoning, his life force was so drained that he sent himself to the farplane, mostly because that's where he wanted to go. He could now be with his dear Sara forever.

 

***

 

Jecht could not understand what was happening to him as he flew through the air. Sin, using some sort of gravity attack, sucked Jecht in his Final Aeon form into some other universe that only belonged to the monster. Once inside, Jecht saw a man on a platform. Nodding to Jecht, he transformed into a monster that was Jecht's size. Jecht now realized that he had become a monster like this man had.

Anger welling up inside him like he never before felt, he lashed out at this monster. Jecht was angry for his wife dying a thousand years ago, his son disappearing in the annals of time, his friends dying for a corrupt system to glorify a sociopath that should have died a thousand years ago. Soon, all of his fury dissipated, and he was alone. He was now Sin, the monster that destroyed Spira every ten years. He felt himself slip into a darkness, but he kept pushing to keep from being totally sucked in.

 

***

 

Sin was gone and all of Spira was due to be in celebration. Angry for what his friends had to endure for the safety of the continent, Auron made his way back to Zanarkand. He had it in his head to talk to Yunalesca about the whole ordeal.

Coming into her chambers, she was not surprised to see him. “Oh, young guardian, why are you back? Your summoner has defeated Sin, why do you seek me?”

“What's the sense in all of this! Did they die for nothing? This happens every ten years, and ever ten years there's someone who has to die! When will it all end?”

“It will never end,” she said simply.

Auron's mouth was agape. “But, Yevon teaches us that if we are good and do no wrong then we can get rid of Sin! Is this all a lie?”

“Spira exists in a spiral of death, and has for a thousand years. Sin will never be defeated, and it will continue to be resummoned every decade.”

“Then the pilgrimage and the teachings are all a load of crap! Is that it?”

The unsent woman laughed, pyreflies flying around her in a great mass. “The teachings and the pilgrimage give the people hope, and the Calm gives them peace until the next time the monster will rise. It is a never ending cycle. Without hope, Sin would swallow up Spira, and all of the people along with it.”

“So, there's no end to it then?” shouted Auron, tears streaming down his cheeks. “My friend died for this useless cycle that does no one any good?”

“He died to give them hope, and that is all that the people of Spira have.”

“No!” shouted Auron, raising his sword. Running towards Yunalesca, he brought his sword down as hard as he could on her, but to no avail. Before he hit her, she threw her arm in her face. With a powerful and precise energy whip she sliced through his right eye and dislocated his brain from his spine. Auron was dead in an instant.

Uncaring of what she had just done, Yunalesca left Auron's dead body on her floor and walked away, leaving him to turn into a fiend. Though, Auron was a stronger person than that.

Auron pushed himself heavily from the ground in Yunalesca's chamber. He was sure that the blow she had given him would have killed him. However, he was standing, and that to him was evidence enough that he was alive. From where Yunalesca had hit him he could no longer see, though.

Getting up, he remembered the promise he made to Braska on Mt. Gagazet. “I have to go find Yuna, take care of her.” As he walked, he felt even more tired than before, but he did not want to stop. The tired he felt was as though he wanted to sleep but couldn't for some reason. He didn't feel listless in his muscles, just his eyes. But, Auron felt as though he could not sleep until he found Yuna.

 

Having spent almost a day to get to Zanarkand from the Ronso base on Mt. Gagazet, Auron found it surprising that he could get there in only about twelve hours. He did not notice that none of the fiends attacked him on his way over Gagazet. He wasn't even fazed by the snow, unlike last time. Feeling exhausted by the time he was back at the Ronso base, Auron collapsed in the snow.

Only one Ronso noticed him, all of the others ignored him. It was the runt with the sawed off horn they were talking to the day before. “Oh, Kimarhi,” said Auron, placing a tired hand on the Ronso's shoulder. “Why do none of the other Ronsos notice me?”

“They do not heed you because Auron is dead,” said Kimarhi plainly.

Auron only laughed slightly. He felt as though he was losing oxygen to his brain because of the height. “Well, then if I'm dead, can you please find Braska's daughter for me? She's a seven year old girl named Yuna living in Bevelle. Please, can you find her and take her somewhere safe?”

“Yes, Auron,” said Kimarhi, laying Auron's head softly in the snow. Looking up, as many other Ronso did, he became alarmed and ran for the Calm Lands' trail.

“Oh, what is it?” asked Auron, opening his eyes. Right above him was Sin, but he was so tired that he didn't care. However, this Sin seemed different than the other one. “Oh, Jecht is that you?”

Inside his head, Auron heard Jecht's voice. “I thought you were dead.”

“The Ronso said I was, so I guess I am,” smiled Auron.

“Are you ready to go to Zanarkand?” asked Jecht, his soul within the fleeting body of Sin.

“Sure,” said Auron, still staring at the grotesque fish creature that his friend had become.

“Remember, he's a little kid with blonde hair, and he loves blitzball.”

 

***

 

10 B.A.

Auron was just getting used to his new body and his new environment of Zanarkand when he found Tidus. The boy was playing by the docks with another boy, a little older than he. They were passing the ball between each other, sometimes making a move, or a miss, and then they would start to squabble. Auron chuckled at how the sport hadn't changed in a thousand years. When the younger boy kicked the ball astray, the other said, “Stop doing that Tidus! Now you have to go get it.”

“It's not like you'd do any better, Shuyin!” said the younger, following the ball. It evidently rolled near Auron, who Tidus squinted against the sun to see.

“Learn that from your dad?”

The boy was alarmed by the strange man in outlandish clothes. Wiping his nose on his sleeve, he said, “That no good idiot? That's all he left me, that stupid move I can't even do.”

Picking up the blitzball, Auron kneeled next to Tidus and gave it to him. “You don't seem to like your dad that much.”

“He left me and Mom months ago! Never said no goodbye or nothin'!”

“Well,” said Auron, ruffling the little boy's hair. “Was your dad's name Jecht?”

“Yeah,” said the boy, sniffling a runny nose. “How'd you know that?”

“Because,” said Auron, “Your dad told me to come and take care of you.”

“I don't believe you,” said the young boy quickly.

“Well, you will in a while, because I intend to keep my promise to your dad.”

 

***

 

Wakka, Chappu, and Lulu stood on the shore, watching a boat dock. Besaid was such a small island that boats didn't dock there much. The most interesting part about the boat was the passengers: a blue Ronso, the likes of which the children had never seen, and a little girl in a purple kimono. Her hand looked so tiny in the Ronso's that Chappu just couldn't help notice and giggled.

While Lulu lectured Chappu on being kind, Wakka, Chappu's older brother who was thirteen, cam up to the little girl. “Hello there, I'm Wakka,” he said, extending his hand. When she took it, he asked her, “What's your name?”

“Yuna,” she said shyly, grabbing the Ronso's hand again. “And this is Kimarhi.”

“Wow,” said Chappu, “What are you?” The little boy looked up curiously.

“A Ronso,” said Kimarhi in a quiet growl.

“Where are you from?” asked Lulu, holding her moogle doll by its foot.

“Bevelle,” smiled Yuna. “And Kimarhi is from gaga … um … gaga ….”

“Gagazet,” finished Kimarhi.

“Oh, cool,” said Wakka. “Let me be the first person to officially welcome you to the island of Besaid.”

“Thank you!” piped Yuna. “I think I'm going to like it here a lot!”

“Let's go Yuna,” said Kimarhi. “Now we go to the temple.”

“Why?” asked Yuna, the three children watching them.

“Sir Auron wanted you to live at the temple here.”

“No!” cried Yuna, hugging Kimarhi's leg. “No, don't leave me! Everyone leaves me!”

Touched by the child's helplessness, Kimarhi didn't argue with her. “Alright. Kimarhi won't leave Yuna.”

“Never?” asked the little girl.

The Ronso shook his head. “No, never.”

 

 

 

 

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