FicWad

Chapter 7: The Devil's Rise

The horrified screams of the crowd could already be heard as Lulu and Auron stepped onto the dock. Their eyes met immediately and they nodded in unison both moving into some reflexive action. As unrushed as ever, Auron headed for the Stadium leaving Lulu to Summon Ixion in a hushed panic. On the outside she was level and calm, but her heart was thudding so loudly she was beginning to worry that the retreating Guardian might hear it. But worry could not over come her now, she had a job to do.

Raising her arms to the sky, staff in hand, she gathered her energy. Prying feverishly in her head, she called out to Ixion and the storm clouds gathered above. As she brought her hands down, placing them both on the handle of her staff, three large lightning bolts connected with the dock and began spinning in an ever shrinking diameter. As the deadly pillars neared her, Lulu raised her staff catching the energy of them at its decorative tip. Tossing the ball of lightning towards the empty air, it tore a whole into space itself and opened for Ixion. The Unicorn jumped from the hole and ran at Lulu, slowing slightly as it reached her so that she could jump onto his back.

With the Summoner securely mounted the Aeon jumped off the dock and ran into the air. Small sparks formed around the horse's hooves that allowed it to climb higher and higher into the air. Their destination was the stadium and as Summoner and Aeon neared it the fiends could be seen flying over the stands. The duo loosed a volley of attacks on the huge birds, causing them to fall towards the fans and burst into pyerflies before crushing them.

Lulu urged Ixion into the pit of the stadium where they both continued to protect the panic stricken people. This only lasted a few moments before the life slowly seemed to drain from the air around them, pausing the actions of all in the stadium.

It became dark and Lulu looked to the sky. It was black and rippled like tar, red bolts of lightning rushing over it. A large anchor dropped from this hellish sky attached to an enormous chain. It crashed into the ground, creating a small hole in the ground that mirrored the sky above. The chain appeared to strain and retreat into the darkness above to reveal the demonic creature straight out of nightmares.

"Anima...." Lulu said in a whisper, he red eyes locked to the Aeon she had seen only a few times before. Only one person held the power to summon this devastatingly powerful being; Seymour. That was who her eyes searched for now and she found him in the Maester's balcony. He was concentrating on keeping the Aeon in check, something that had always been hard.

Lulu rushed Ixion towards him as Anima quickly disposed of the fiends that attacked the audience. Just as she reached the balcony the sky returned to normal and the life returned to the stadium, the dark Aeon was gone. Leaving all fiends crushed in its wake. The impressive power caused the people to cheer for their new Maester.

-Luca Stadium: Maester's Lobby-

Seymour sat on one of the couches placed at the center of the lavish room, one arm stretched out across the back, his right ankle resting on his left knee with his other hand draped over it. He was watching as Lulu talked to the Warrior Monks and his own Guado soldiers. Just like in the years past she was seeing to his safety; ordering the soldiers to gather information and see that all the citizens were safe.

Even though she was not an official commander in the ranks of the Warrior Monks they still followed her orders as if they were given from the Grand Maester himself. One of her many gifts, no man ever denied an order given by the half Guado woman. Her presence alone demanded respect and obedience. It was something Seymour had always admired her for, even as a child she held the same demeanor that he had to struggle to obtain over the years.

So lost in thought was the young Maester that he failed to notice his former Guardian had dismissed the soldiers and was now staring at him with an expression torn between amusement and impatience. She sighed heavily and placed her hand on her hip, her usual sign of annoyance. "Seymour, are you listening to me?"

Her biting tone was a clear wake up call to Seymour and he pulled himself up off the couch. "Sorry, I was lost in my own world for a moment." He walked over to the sphere screen that was framed by two doors and stared at it. The sound was muted but the words flashed across the bottom as the reporter updated the city on what they knew about the attack which was nothing.

Satisfied with himself for his plan being executed without a single flaw, Seymour allowed himself a small smirk that could not be seen by Lulu. "What was it you were saying?" He said, dropping the smirk from his face as he turned to face the fledgling Summoner.

Lulu heaved another aggravated sigh, "I was saying the you should stay here until we hear back from the soldiers. We don't know how the fiends got into the city or if all of them are gone. Mika is safe on the ship, its best you stay here considering..." She let the rest of her sentence drop off into nothing as she moved to look at the sphere screen as well.

Seymour laughed humorlessly, "Considering his health last you saw him." He finished for her. "I am now his heir, I must be careful. Right?" He said, turning his head to smile down at her over his shoulder.

The younger Summoner gave him a withering look, "That is only part of it, Seymour." She said as she walked away from the sphere screen , "You are so naive sometimes." Lulu said, throwing her arms into the air and turning to look at him. "Do you forget that not too long ago people didn't think it right that you were allowed to become a Summoner. Now just a few short years later you are Prince of Yevon. Do you not think that someone just might want you dead?"

Somehow she still managed to make Seymour feel like a child, even now that he was a Maester. "You worry too much." He said, walking over to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "The people love Mika and whatever he says they will follow. Even if he appoints a sacrilegious half-breed as his successor."

Lulu looked up at him, the frustration leaving her features, "You're right, but still you must be careful. Kinoc is power hungry and will not take well to being passed over."

Seymour removed his hands from her shoulders and shook his head with a smile, "Yes, Mother." He said sarcastically as he walked over to the couch and sat back down.

"Well someone has to watch over you. Yevon knows you get yourself into trouble enough." Lulu said with a smile...

-Luca: The Docks-

Auron stood on the docks, staring at his recovered charge as the young man processed all that he had been told. The aged warrior was hoping the boy would come out of his reverie confidant and ready to take on this new challenge. This was the day he had been trying to prepare the blond for, but he feared he was not ready for the monumental task of taking on Sin.

It had been a long week for Tidus and an even longer day. The emotion could clearly be seen on the younger man's face as he thought about what had happened and what was to come. It all seemed just like a passing dream. Sin, Summoners, and Aeons? These things were like stuff of fairy tale, but somehow in the past few days he had seen them all with his own eyes. Hadn't it just been a week ago that his only worry in the world was winning the Jecht Cup? Now he was thrown into something a thousand times bigger than some game.

Tidus' eyes scanned the waves with mixture of fear and anticipation. When would the monster creep out of the ocean to once more cause death and destruction? The monster that he had just been told was his father. As if he didn't have reason enough to hate the man already.

The blitz player turned to face his mentor, the usual cheesy grin on his face. "So what do you want me to do about all this, Old Man?"

Auron was relived, Tidus had handled it rather well considering what he had been through. "We are going on a Pilgrimage." The guardian said, turning his back on the blond.

"Wha...?" Tidus said, wide eyed and confused. Wasn't that something Summoners and their guardians did? He scratched his head, "I don't get it."

The legendary guardian sighed heavily, "We will be guarding a Summoner on their journey. It is the only way to release your father from Sin. Do you get it now?"

Tidus dropped his hand from his head, "Oh, I get it!" Then there was a moment of silence before the blitz player spoke again, "Wait, what Summoner are we going to guard?" A sinking feeling came into Tidus' stomach, what if Auron chose Dona? Or worse, that creepy Maester Seymour. But what if he chose Yuna?

"I am already in the service of one. Her name is Lulu. You saw her riding the Aeon in the stadium." Auron explained, walking away from the docks and heading towards the stadium.

Cocking his head to the side, Tidus thought back to the attack and tried to get a picture of the woman in his head. Suddenly his memory kicked in, in full color. "Oh!" he said, his eyes going wide then searching for Auron who was already walking away. The blitz player ran after his mentor, full of questions.

-Luca Stadium: Maester's Lobby-

Auron and Tidus were escorted into the Maester's lobby by two Warrior Monks. One was an old veteran, the other a young recruit who would not stop chattering on about the great blitz game Tidus had played. The whole way through the stadium was filled with the sounds of the two young men babbling on about blitz.

"An amazing blitz player and Lady Lulu's guardian too! You sure are amazing Sir Tidus!" The young brunette Warrior Monk said enthusiastically to his new idol.

"That is enough, Rajin! Leave Sir Tidus be!" The older man cut in abruptly, fixing the younger man with a hard glare.

"Y-yes, sir!" Rajin said, straightening up quickly and falling silent.

The smile that had been on Tidus' face quickly fell, "It's alright really." He said, hoping he hadn't gotten his new fan into too much trouble.

Just then the lift they were in came to a stop and the doors opened to a long hallway that appeared to wrap around the whole building. The four men stepped out of the lift and began walking down the hall in an uncomfortable silence. To Tidus, it seemed like to took and eternity to reach the heavily guarded doors of the Maester's lobby. The two guardian's were ushered into the room quickly and walked in on a conversation between the two Summoners.

"Well someone has to watch over you. Yevon knows you get yourself into trouble enough." Lulu said with a smile.

Seymour's eyes drifted over to the two guardians as the door closed, "Ah, Sir Auron. Its and honor." The Maester said, standing and giving a small, respectful bow to the older man.

Lulu turned as well, only her eyes fell on the younger of the two men. He wore the symbol Sir Jecht had tattooed onto his chest the last time she had seen him. Auron must have been able to find Tidus in all the chaos.

The blonde's eyes had fallen on Lulu just as she looked at him, his eyes meeting hers for only a moment before they moved on to apprise her further. It was easy to see that she was very different from the two Summoners he had already met. Her look was darker and even the feeling he got from her seemed shadowed.

The momentary silence that had fallen over the room was broken by Seymour as he took another step closer to Auron. "Lulu tells me you have become her guardian. I am grateful to you." He said holding out his clawed hand to shake the legendary Guardian's. "I would be most interested in hearing what you've been doing these past ten years."

Auron's eyes fell on the Guado's hand, but he did not bring his hand out to meet his. "I would rather not talk about it." He said, looking back into the Maester's eyes before walking past him and sitting in an armchair.

Seymour's brow furrowed, his hand dropping back to his side. He had not expected to be brushed off by the former Warrior Monk in such a manner. "I...see." He said, turning his attention to Tidus and smiling. "You must be Sir Jecht's son. Tidus, was it?"

Tidus was startled by his name being said and he jerked his attention from the busty Summoner to the man that was speaking to him. "Uh...yeah." He said as he snapped himself out of his stupor.