The door behind the guardians opened. Tromell Guado stepped inside. Bewildered, he stared at the unmoving body of his master.
"What... what happened here?"
Wakka was nearly as stunned as the elder Guado. "What... what have I done?" he whispered.
"Wait a minute," Tidus shouted. "It's not our fault. Seymour struck first! He's the bad guy!"
"You did this?" Tromell looked up at them. His face was a grimace of sorrow and anger.
Auron stepped forward. "Yuna, send him," she said.
Yuna rose her rod, ready to send Seymour to the farplane. But Tromell interfered. "No! Stay away from him, you traitors!"
Two Guado ran in, picked up Seymour's body and carried it out of the room. Tromell threw them one last, hateful glance and left as well.
"Traitors?" Yuna gasped. Wakka held his head. "We're finished..."
"What's the deal with them?" Ranma asked angrily. "Seymour killed his father. Seymour wanted to kill us as well. So why are we suddenly the traitors?"
"It won't be that easy to convince them," Auron remarked. "Let's get out of here."
They stepped out into the Cloister of Trials. Tidus spied ahead, but came back while shaking his head. "No way! There are dozens of them just waiting for us. They'll capture us for sure if we go that way."
"But there is no other exit," Yuna said in a worried tone. "What are we gonna do?"
"We have to stay and atone for our sins," Wakka said grumpily. Nabiki glared at him, but didn't say anything.
Suddenly the Aeons came out of the antechamber. In their hurry, Ranma and Yuna totally forgot to send them away.
'Looks like we have to melt a part of the temple's ice walls,' Leviathan said in a deep voice. 'You don't mind, do you, Shiva?'
The cold woman shook her head smiling. 'Go ahead,' she answered.
Leviathan turned to Carbuncle. 'We need some fire.'
'Got it,' the little imp nodded. He used his magic to cast a fire spell and threw it at the wall. Slowly, the ice melted into a big puddle of water. Leviathan rose his head and let out a small roar. Instantly, the water turned into a swirling whirlpool.
'Quickly,' the sea serpent shouted. 'Jump inside!'
"You're kidding, right?" Tidus asked while staring down into the water.
'It's an elemental passageway,' Leviathan explained. 'Every Aeon that is connected to an element can create one. Shiva and Fenrir can dig tunnels through the earth or ice, Ifrit could lead you through fire and lava without you being burnt. This water portal allows you to escape from here. Now, quick! We have no time!'
Ranma sighed. Water. Always water. It has to be water.
"Well, just my lucky day," he grumbled. He called back Carbuncle and jumped inside.
With a loud 'splash', he vanished.
The others looked puzzled at the point where he vanished.
'Hurry up, follow him,' the water Aeon urged them.
Akane shrugged and jumped after Ranma. One after another, everyone followed them. Yuna got ready to jump, then turned around to Wakka. "Wakka, are you coming?"
Wakka was upset. "If we run away now, there's no way they'll believe our story. I think I'll stay here."
Kimahri just walked over to Wakka, grabbed him and said: "Wakka is coming now."
"Heeeyyy! Put me down, ya?" the ex-blitzball player yelled. Kimahri just smirked and threw him into the water, then jumped in himself. Yuna called back Shiva and followed them.
Just before the priests and Guado came inside the room, the big serpent dove into the whirling waters himself, and the portals closed.
"Damn," a Guado swore. "We lost them."
Suddenly, Goba Guado appeared next to them. He finally found a way to enter the temple without being thrown out by a vengeful nun. And he found some hot water, too.
"Quick," he yelled. "We have to prepare Lord Seymour's body for the ritual. If we don't hurry, he'll turn into a fiend."
Tromell threw the rotund Guado a glare. "And just where have you been all the time? Lord Seymour could have used your assistance, and now see what they did to him."
'Of course, you old fool,' Goba thought angrily. 'That was Lord Seymour's plan all along. But you'd never understand this...'
"Enough of this," Goba shouted. "Just take Lord Seymour into his chamber, so we can start the reviving ritual."
'Oh yes, Lord Seymour will return... and as he faced death, he will be more powerful than before. Take care, pig-tailed summoner... for when you meet him the next time... you'll die!'
----
Ranma blinked and looked around. She was surrounded by sea water, but she could breathe freely. Also, it just felt like normal air to her.
When she looked down, she could see that she wasn't standing on solid ground, but on the back of an enormous serpent that was gliding through the sea.
"Leviathan?" she blurted out. "You... you've grown!"
'Inside the ocean I'm always much bigger than elsewhere,' came the reply. 'It's my natural habitat.'
Ranma looked around. Leviathan chuckled. 'If you're looking for your friends, they are behind you.'
Ranma turned around, and really, further behind her, she could see the others. She ran towards them.
"Hey, are you all right? She asked them. They were still amazed at the surrounding water and ocean life, so only Akane answered:
"Yes... yes, I guess so. Umm, where are we?"
'We are in the west ocean,' Leviathan explained. 'We're travelling towards Bikanel Island.'
"What?" Rikku asked. "To Home? Why?"
'Because... you have to be there.'
"Oh, come on..." Tidus sighed. "No more riddles, please."
"Care to explain a little more detailed?" Ranma asked the sea serpent.
Leviathan chuckled. 'No.'
Ranma grumbled. "Oh, for the... what's that supposed to mean?"
'Let's just say that our employer foresaw your destinies, and that on Bikanel island, there are several people that need to listen to reason.'
"I understand... I guess." Nabiki said. "And how much longer until we get there?"
'I'd say one day at most, perhaps even less.'
"But... what about our pilgrimage?" Yuna asked. "Even if Seymour is dead... and Yevon is after us... I want to continue my journey."
"Wait... wouldn't it be hard to visit the other temples without Yevon's permission?" Akane wanted to know.
"Perhaps," Auron said. "But not the priests or the maesters decide who is receiving an Aeon... only the fayth! And when I look at how Leviathan and Shiva were ready to help us, I'd say they are on our side."
'Indeed,' Leviathan confirmed. 'The priests may be blind to the plots of the Guado called Seymour, but we don't see why we shouldn't help two young promising summoners as Yuna and Ranma to save the world from Sin.'
"Well, I'm against it," Wakka snapped. "We are criminals and have to go on trial."
"Don't you still get it?" Nabiki shouted. "Being a priest or maester doesn't mean someone can be corrupt. And Seymour wanted to kill us, for heaven's sake. Did you prefer to die then to defend yourself?"
Wakka didn't respond.
"After this is all over, we should go to Bevelle and speak to Maester Mika," Yuna suggested. "We should tell him of Seymour's plans. I'm sure he'll understand."
"Well, let's just rest until we reach Bitchanel Island," Tidus said.
"It's Bikanel Island, stupid," Rikku pouted.
They all sat or lay down on Leviathan's broad, scaly back as comfortable as it could possibly get.
Rikku stood next to Ranma and looked at Nabiki. "I really admire her," she said in a quiet voice.
"Really?" Ranma asked. "Nabiki? Why her?"
"I don't know," Rikku replied. "She's just so... mature, I guess. I admire her for handling every situation that easily. Without her, I don't know if I managed to live through all of this until now."
"Hey, wait until you get to know her better," Ranma smirked. "And better make sure you don't owe her any money..."
"Still, I wish I could be more like her," Rikku sighed while sitting down.
Kimahri, who overheard their conversation, stepped closer. "Only those who try will become," he said.
"Huh?"
"I guess he means you have to work hard if you want to be like Nabiki," Ranma explained.
"Oh, I will," Rikku nodded.
Kimahri shook his head. "Kimahri think Rikku should stay Rikku."
"Hey," Rikku shouted while standing up. "Are you saying I'm never gonna be like Nabiki? Kimahriii!"
Ranma just laughed at that.
She sat down and stretched her arms. 'Oh man, I'm really tired after all this,' she thought.
'Rest for a while,' Leviathan advised. 'Afterwards, you'll feel better. I'll wake you when we reach Bikanel. And don't worry: Ocean fiends won't dare to attack me. They really wouldn't stand a chance.'
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(Posted Sat, 29 Jul 2006 11:50)
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