Speculum

Chapter 4

The docks were full of people ready to bid Yuna a farewell and grant her luck on her pilgrimage. A few of the villagers even shed tears at Yuna’s departure. Yuna walked around, collecting gil and potions from the villagers as they tried their best to help her on her way.
Seymour watched from a distance, his face calm and collected. Part of him hated to see the pain in people’s eyes; the other part understood why they’d let Yuna go… Seymour’s eyes fell on his son who stood on the docks near Yuna… some things are worth dying for.
“Don’t leave without me! I’m up and ready! I swear!” Tidus’ voice called out from the beach as he ran towards the dock.
He started to run up towards Yuna when a long arm reached out and barred his path. He ran right into Seymour’s arm and fell backwards on his butt. The villagers turned towards him and narrowed their eyes; Yuna simply smiled and waved.
“Be silent and wait. Yuna is saying her good-byes.” Seymour said calmly.
“Ouch, sorry.” Tidus complained.
Seymour did not reply, but simply stared ahead and continued to watch Yuna.
Sion, on the other hand, ran up towards Tidus and grinned, “That was funny.”
Tidus stood up and rubbed his rear, “Yeah, I guess so.”
No sooner that he said that did Yuna look towards the boat, then towards the villagers of Besaid and smiled again.
“Thank you all, very much. I will bring the calm to Spira, I will bring you all hope.” She smiled and walked up the ramp and onto the boat, still smiling and waving at her people, the only people she considered family.
Seymour started to walk up towards the docks, thanking the villagers for their support while Sion ran up the boat and stood beside Yuna.
Tidus followed behind Sion as Wakka came up and wrapped his arm around Tidus’ neck, giving him a noogie.
“Quite an entrance you made there. You keep your head down, ya’?” Wakka mentioned.
“Ouch, okay, okay, okay!” Tidus whined, struggling to free himself from Wakka’s grasp.
“Are you two coming or what?” Yuna called out, smiling.
Seymour and Sion were already on the boat, standing next to Yuna as she continued to say farewell to those she grew up with. Wakka and Tidus soon jumped on the boat and the journey began. Yuna fought back tears as Besaid fell out of site and there was nothing to be seen but ocean blue.
Seymour walked up to her calmly and smiled down at her, “This is the start of your journey. Always remember what you are fighting for.”
Yuna turned to look at Seymour, only to follow his gaze to Sion, who was talking with Tidus. Her eyes fell on Tidus and she smiled, “Yes, I understand.”
“Sion.” Seymour commanded, causing Sion to high-five Tidus and run towards his father. The two of them retreated into the decks below.
“You like him, don’t you?” Seymour sighed, turning his head down towards his child.
“Yes I do,” Sion said boldly, “he’s not a bad guy, dad. I think you’re too hard on him.”
“That may be, but he says he’s from Zanarkand,” Seymour leaned against the wall, the stiff fabric of his clothes making it seemingly difficult, “I’m not sure how much he can be trusted.”
“Dad, please.” Sion placed his hands on his hips and shook his head at his father, then walked back up the stairs towards the deck.
“I beg your pardon, young man, but where is it you think you are going?” Seymour demanded with a playful innocence.
“I like sailing.” Sion smiled, then ran up the stairs and walked across the dock.
Tidus stood on the docks and watched Sion walk past him and leaned on the railing. Smiling, Tidus turned towards Yuna, a little hesitant. He slowly walked up to her and smiled bigger, “Hiya.”
“Hey,” Yuna welcomed him, “Glad you could make it.”
“Yeah, for a while there, I thought Seymour was going to stop me from even coming.”
“He wouldn’t do that, “ Yuna smiled, “He’s really not that cold, he’s just… skeptical,” she laughed lightly.
“That’s a nice way to put it.” Tidus laughed. “So, where are we going, exactly?”
“First to Kilika, I have to pray at the Kilika temple.” Yuna smiled.
“So, you pray at all these temples? What for, exactly?” Tidus asked.
“To obtain the aeon.”
“Oh, that thing you summoned in Besaid?” Tidus asked again.
“Yes. Until we reach Zanarkand, then I do the final summoning.” Yuna nods.
“Zanarkand…” Tidus sighed, leaning against the side of the boat, watching the waves of the water, “When do we get to Luca?”
“After Kilika.”
Just after Yuna mentioned Kilika, the boat shook violently and tipped, almost on its side. Yuna started to fall back and Tidus reached out for her, trying to grab onto her arm and pull her to safety. Unfortunately, Tidus’ grasp slipped and Yuna began to fall backwards. Seymour, as soon as the boat shook violently, was out on the deck and looking for Sion. Wakka had Sion, holding him and using the railing as leverage, called out towards Yuna. Before anyone could really react to Yuna’s fall, Seymour had managed to run his way towards her and clasped his arms around her tightly.
“Tidus! Take her and Sion back!” Seymour commanded.
Tidus did as he was told and grabbed Yuna’s hand and took her back towards Sion, helping Wakka keep the two safe, along with them.
“Seymour! What are you doin’?!” Wakka called out.
“Stand back!”
“SIN!” Sion called out as loud as he could, as Sin made itself known to those on the small ferry.
The creature’s head rose out of the water only to glance at the boat with its many eyes before crashing back into the sea, a dorsal-like appendage still sticking above the water.
“Lady Summoner, forgive us! Our families are in Kilika!” a young man said as he ran to the harpoon, aiming it at Sin.
Yuna simply nodded and held on tight to one of the pillars leading up to the second story of the ferry. top!top! You will only anger it!” Seymour grabbed the man, pulling him back violently.
“My family can’t suffer!”
“I will take care of this, step aside.” Seymour commanded, narrowing his eyes, and using his height to intimidate the man into listening, “Keep the people safe.”
The man stood back and nodded slowly.
“Dad!” Sion escaped Wakka’s grasp and ran up beside his father.
Seymour remained silent, focusing his energy on a single thing as he stood in front of his son.
“Seymour! What are you doing?” Yuna called out in desperation.
A gargantuan chain fell from darkened skies and slammed into the boat, but did not damage it… instead a huge creature emerged from the abyss the chain created… an aeon.
Yuna watched in awe as Seymour commanded the aeon to attack and a thick, bright light emerged from the horrific creature’s eye and exploded on Sin. Sin was obviously hurt from the attack, and its retaliation sent fiends down on the boat. Sion immediately casted fire on the fiends aiming for people, while the same attack from the mighty aeon destroyed the remaining. Tidus, Yuna and Wakka did their best in assisting in battle, but only more came crashing down on the boat, and the fighting continued for what seemed to be hours.
After countless assaults, Sin suddenly sank into the sea and disappeared. The waters shifted and crashed against one another, spraying water across the deck of the boat, soaking all who stood in the water’s way, then fell calm and quiet, with no sign of the creature.
Seymour’s aeon remained still, waiting for the next command, a hollow cry escaping its jaws.
The sudden silence was deafening. Those on the boat stood still and waited, dripping with salt water, frightened and looked around to see if Sin would return and to make sense of what had just happened. Several leagues away, Sin’s giant form burst from the sea again, racing towards Kilika.
Seymour’s face grew calm and quiet, his eyebrows narrowed at the form ahead of him. Water dripped down his sculpted features onto his chest as Yuna walked up beside him and watched in horror as the docks of Kilika could be seen ripped apart by Sin’s cataclysmic power.
“I must defeat Sin, I must…” Yuna whispered with a silent resolve. She would not fail.