After fighting their way through the fiends of Zanarkand, they finally stood before the impressive Yevon Dome, the center of Zanarkand.
Tidus looked up at the ruined building and sighed. 'This shows that mine and this Zanarkand really were different... the blitzball stadium was standing here in my hometown,' he thought.
The spirit of an elderly man walked up to them. "Welcome in Zanarkand, travellers. You have done well by coming this far. Now, I invite you to the chambers of Lady Yunalesca. From her, you will receive the Final Aeon."
"Finally," Ranma said. "It better is worth all the trouble we went through to get here."
The old man smiled. "I think you will find it favorable," he said. "Now, follow the Lady's trial, and she will grant you an audience..."
"Another trial," Tidus groaned. "I thought we left that behind at the last temple..."
Yuna chuckled. "Well, we just have to use our heads, right?"
Nabiki snorted. "Well, several people in this group will have a hard time with that..." And she glanced at Wakka and Ranma.
Akane smirked. "Well, how lucky we are that someone as smart as yourself is in our group, right sis? I bet you can solve the riddle as quickly as possible, can you?"
Nabiki took that as an attack on her pride, so she just huffed and went ahead. "Follow me, kids, and you'll learn something."
Kasumi giggled. "Well, I think this riddle will be solved within five minutes."
----
Even considering that Nabiki was busy satisfying her pride, it took them several tries until they solved the confusing puzzle in the main hall of the dome. Those flashing floor tiles nearly broke their brains apart. But when Ranma finally stepped on the final, correct tile (completely by accident, as Nabiki insisted), the circular platform in the middle of the room lit up, and was ready to take them down to the Chamber of the Fayth.
But when they arrived there...
"W-what?" Wakka shouted in surprise. "T-this statue is broken."
Yuna concentrated. "The fayth has left this statue a long time ago. But what does this mean? Is there no Final Aeon?"
Once again, the old man appeared before them. "This statue once contained the fayth of Lord Zaon, the groom of Lady Yunalesca. He was the one that gave his life to become the Final Aeon. But by now, his spirit is long gone... but do not worry. Lady Yunalesca is waiting for you in her chambers. She will bless you with the Final Summoning."
He disappeared.
"Well, about time," Ranma snorted and stormed into the next room. "The longer we wait, the more chances Sin has to destroy another town." The disaster of Kilika was still embedded in his mind.
"Ranma, w-wait," Yuna shouted. "We have to demonstrate the proper respect."
Ranma pouted. "Respect? Well, she has defeated Sin once, I admit... but I bet she didn't come up with a way of getting rid of him for good..."
"Mind your mouth now, ya?" Wakka shouted angrily. "If she thinks we're just a bunch of ruffians, she'll never give Yuna the Final Aeon."
Akane gave her fiance a small hug. "Calm down, Ranma. Whoever she is, she has the reason why we're here. And just because we had bad experiences with unsent people doesn't mean she has to be bad as well."
Ranma sighed. "Okay, you're right. I'll try to be patient."
"That's a good boy. And now, get in."
Ranma chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."
----
The chamber was also in ruins, but is was much more well-preserved then the rest of the building. A red carpet was covering most of the floor, and a broad stairway lead up to an impressive double door.
And down those stairs came the spiritual form of Lady Yunalesca, wearing nothing more then she did in the recording of Seymour's sphere, back in Guadosalam.
She gave the assembled group a cool smile. "Welcome, travellers. I am Yunalesca. Welcome to Zanarkand. I congratulate you, summoner. You have completed your pilgrimage. I will now bestow upon you that which you seek. The Final Summoning... will be yours. Now, choose. You must choose the one whom I will change... to become the fayth for the Final Summoning. There must be a bond, between chosen and summoner, for that is what the Final Aeon embodies: the bond between husband and wife, mother and child, or between friends. If that bond is strong enough, its light will conquer Sin. A thousand years ago, I chose my husband Zaon as my fayth. Our bond was true, and I obtained the Final Aeon. There is nothing to fear. You will soon be freed of worry and pain. For once you call forth the Final Aeon, your life will end. Death is the ultimate and final liberation. Your father, Braska, chose this path."
The pyreflies within the room floated together and formed three figures... the figures of Braska, Jecht and Auron... a final record of this pilgrimage group, as it was facing the end of its journey.
----
"It is not too late," a much younger Auron just told Yuna's father. "Let us turn back."
Braska shook his head. "If I turn back, who will defeat Sin? Would you have some other summoner and his guardians go through this?"
Auron was taken aback. "But... my lord, there must be another way."
Jecht stepped forward. "This is the only way we got now! Fine. Make me the fayth. I've been doing some thinking. My dream is back in the other Zanarkand. I wanted to make that runt into a star blitz player. Show him the view from the top, you know. But now I know there's no way home for me. I'm never gonna see him again. My dream's never gonna come true. So make me the fayth. I'll fight Sin with you, Braska. Then maybe my life will have meaning, you know."
"Don't do this, Jecht," Auron protested. "If you live... there might be another way. We'll think of something, I know."
But Tidus' father shook his head. "Believe me, I thought this through. Besides... I ain't getting any younger, so I might as well make myself useful."
"Jecht," Braska said.
Jecht turned around with a smile. "What! You're not gonna try stop me, too?"
Braska shook his head. "Sorry! I mean... thank you."
"Braska still has to fight Sin, Auron," Jecht exclaimed. "Guard him well. Make sure he gets there." He turned towards the stairway. "Well, let's go!"
"Lord Braska! Jecht!" Auron shouted. They turned around.
Auron looked at them seriously. "Sin always comes back. It comes back after the Calm every time. The cycle will continue and your deaths will mean nothing."
"But there's always the chance that it won't come back this time," Braska said. "It's worth trying."
Jecht seemed to think about that, then he nodded. "I understand what you're saying, Auron. I'll find a way to break the cycle."
"You have a plan?" Auron asked uncertainly.
Jecht smiled and nodded. Together with Braska, he went up the stairs and vanished.
----
Aura angrily raised her sword and cut several times through the image of her male self. Finally, after it had vanished as well, she calmed down. "And the cycle went on," she said in a small voice.
Yuna looked around. Yunalesca was gone. "She will be waiting upstairs for me... She's waiting for my decision."
Tidus stepped forward. "Yuna, you know my opinion. I can't let you do this if it kills you."
"Same here," Ranma nodded. "Maybe the Final Aeon is no Esper, but perhaps I can use it anyways. And maybe it won't kill me, because I didn't went through your summoner training."
"It's worth a try," Akane agreed.
Wakka shook his head. "You're all crazy. You just want everything how you like it best? Guys, this is not how this world works, ya?"
"Do you hear something, Ranma?" Nabiki said while turning her head away from Wakka. "Because I thought I heard the opinion of someone that only clinged to one single way of thinking, without paying attention to the alternatives."
"Stop that," Akane angrily hissed at her sister.
"I decided," Yuna said with a determined voice. "I'm going to Lady Yunalesca. I want to ask her if there is another way. Maybe she knows something we don't know."
"Good idea," Ranma nodded, and so it was decided.
Together, they went up to talk to Yunalesca once more, but... will she really have another solution?
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(Posted Sat, 05 Aug 2006 18:57)
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