Writings of an Owlmoose

Summary: A chance meeting between two of Spira’s greatest warriors — Nooj the Undying and Sir Auron, the legendary guardian — will change the course of history.

Previous Chapter ~ Main Story Page ~ Next Chapter

---

Death Shall Have No Dominion

Chapter Thirty-Three

Baralai opened his eyes. The idea that he might still be alive seemed rather improbable to him, but when the first thing he saw was Yuna’s gentle face, he concluded that he was probably not on the Farplane. The stabbing pain in his back and the hard floor beneath him served as further confirmation, and he winced.

“Relax,” Yuna said softly. “Everything will be all right.” He felt her slim hands on his injured shoulder, then running down his side, and the pain lifted as a feeling of lightness and well-being took its place. “The battle is over. You’re still in the gatehouse — the Al Bhed healers who stabilized you were afraid to move you. Someone will be along to get you to a more comfortable bed soon. Your wounds were grave, but you’ll be just fine with a few days of rest.”

“Thank you for your help, Lady Summoner,” Baralai replied. “To be tended personally by you is a great honor.”

Yuna smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. Baralai noticed, then, that her face was drawn and her eyes red, as though she had been weeping. “I lost someone I loved today,” she murmured. “I will do all I can to spare others that same fate.” And with those cryptic words she disappeared from his sight. He only had a moment to wonder at what she had meant when two new faces appeared in his view: those of Gippal and Paine.

“Baralai.” Paine knelt by his side and caught his hand up in hers. “I was so worried.”

“So was I,” he admitted. “But Yuna says I will recover.”

Paine brushed a lock of hair back from his face. “You’d better.” There was a tiny wobble to her smile.

“Can you sit?” Gippal asked, his expression uncharacteristically serious.

Baralai nodded. “I think so.” Gippal stepped around to Baralai’s other side and knelt as well, supporting his lover as he carefully lifted himself up. He looked at Paine, then Gippal, then back to Paine. “What happened?”

“We won,” said Paine, smile more genuine now. “There was surprisingly little resistance from the warrior monks — I can only assume that you had something to do with that. Kinoc is dead, and Mika is gone. Yevon is no more, and we hold Bevelle. We won.”

Baralai started. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Gippal grinned and patted Baralai’s arm. “We did it, man. Just like we said we would.”

“Lady Yuna said something about a loss? Do you know whom?”

Paine sobered slightly. “One of her guardians. The Ronso, Kimahri. I didn’t know him really, but she’s quite upset of course. I think it’s hit my uncle pretty hard, too. I hope it doesn’t affect his plans to take out Sin.”

“Ah.” Baralai sighed and leaned into Gippal’s chest. “Is Nooj….”

“He’s fine. He wanted to see you, too, but there was no way he could climb up those rungs. But he’ll be waiting once we get you down.” Paine squeezed his hand. “But before we do–”

Her words were abruptly interrupted by the sudden appearance of a disembodied head rising above the level of the floor.

“Excuse me, I don’t mean to be in the way,” stammered Aquelev in an unaccustomed apologetic manner. He balanced on the footholds outside and gazed intently around the gate house. “Nooj is about to break something. He says he can’t get anything done until he knows Baralai is okay. Is he?”

Baralai burst into a fit of weak laughter. “I never thought I’d live to see Nooj worrying about a failed priest. Tell him I’m fine and will see him once they get me moved into the infirmary. Oh, tell him it’s on the same level as the dormitories and there’s a lift just off the main room.” He was still chuckling when Aquelev’s head disappeared as quickly as it has surfaced. “So, Paine. You were saying?”

“Right.” She looked back and forth between her two friends, smiling brilliantly. “I have wonderful news for you both.”

-X-

Squab wandered though the halls and rooms of the great cathedral building at the heart of Bevelle feeling strangely bleak and empty. They had won, the conquest unquestioned and Yevon defeated as thoroughly as any enemy ever had been. And yet, there was no sense of triumph. Where was the exhilaration of taking a stronghold with so few losses? Where the head-spinning joy of occupying the very innermost defenses of a worthy foe? Why was there no spontaneous celebration among the rebel army which had — against all expectations — brought down this ancient power and freed the good people of Spira from the dictatorship of the mendacious clergy?

Had it all been too easy? There was little to crow about when the mighty tree one felled proved to be rotted within, nothing but splintered wood and a narrow band of bark holding up the colossus. Critics could say with some justification that a boy walking past might had leaned against the bole and the tree would have fallen at his touch. In a very real way, so cheap a victory made an army look foolish, having mustered its power and numbers to crush– what? A fantasy?

The captain had been hunting Lucil. She was in none of the places he had expected to find her. The leaders had not yet been called to a general meeting to summarize the great victory, so she was not in the vicinity of Sir Auron and the others. Nooj was off somewhere and also not to be found; maybe she was with him? Or perhaps she was tending to the prisoners? The captives, the warrior monks who had surrendered without a fight and the religious monks who had seen their faith destroyed, were being housed and fed so that their re-education could begin. In past discussions, Lucil had expressed hope that many would eventually join the once rebel, now official army and become a part of a new, unified Spira. Yes, that might be the place to start looking for her.

Squab approached a clot of soldiers, leaning on their weapons and gossiping. “Have you seen Captain Lucil?” he asked.

To his surprise, one of the women grinned in his direction. “Yeah. She’s checking in the infirmary to see who’s hurt and how bad. It’s that way.” She pointed to the left.

Following her directions, Squab made his way through the increasingly dense crowds and managed to shove himself into the small lift just before the gate closed and it began its rumbling, jerky trip to the upper floor. He should have thought of that. Lucil had the true commander’s concern for her troops and would naturally have gone to see to their well-being. He blushed hotly at the realization that he did not have that instinct; it was a failing he must work to remedy.

When he emerged, the first thing he spotted was the fiery hair of his target, swirling like a living flame in the middle of a long ward. She was laying down the law to a hapless Yevonite healer who was all but cringing under the lashings of her words. His heart lightened; he had known she was not dead, but he had needed to see her with his own eyes to be sure.

-X-

The stifling heat of the infirmary had forced Lucil to unbutton her high collar and turn back the edges. She understood that warmth was essential to the well-being of the injured and willingly adjusted her clothing rather than order the windows flung open. When she had found her way to the room, she was relieved to see no one she recognized amongst the first wounded being bedded down and attended by the healers. Most of the damaged bodies seemed to belong to warrior monks from Bevelle itself, those who had not taken steps quickly enough to remove themselves from the field of battle or to surrender when they saw the battle was lost.

A small stir caught her notice. A white haired man in green robes was being assisted to a bed, his arms draped around the shoulders of two companions in order to support his limping steps. Lucil wondered why so many of the people in the room were moving in the direction of the three when she suddenly recognized Paine as one of the elderly man’s props.

“Paine!” She called out but her friend did not seem to hear. At least she did not turn, continuing to concentrate of getting her burden settled on the bed and his robes removed.

Lucil approached the area and noted that the man was not an elder as she had thought but was a young man, draped in the garments of an aspiring priest of Yevon. She watched with curiosity as the other member of the trio, an Al Bhed, tenderly adjusted the pillow under the wounded man’s head and, after removing his shoes, pulled a cover over him.

“Paine,” Lucil asked again. “Who is this and what are you doing?”

The female warrior spun. “Lucil! I didn’t see you. This is Baralai. He’s an old friend of ours, you met him back at Mushroom Rock Road and you remember Gippal?”

It all came back to her then. She had not had the opportunity to get to know the two young men well since they had left the army almost immediately after she had met them, and the events since then had driven them out of her mind. Now she put the faces back together with the names. “Good Ifrit! I had not realized. This is the man who …” She caught her tongue as she pointed to Baralai who was smiling up at her with his usual aplomb.

Paine took her arm and led her away a bit from the scene. “Yes, let’s not spread the word that he’s the one who opened the gates just yet. I doubt that a pack of wounded warrior monks could do him any damage, but I don’t want to risk it.”

“I feel like a fool. I just didn’t connect the one you talked about in the briefings with this kid. I don’t have the best memory for faces, I fear.” Lucil placed her hand over her eyes in confusion. “I’ll get a healer. Is he hurt badly?”

“No, Yuna already …” Paine broke off, ignored as Lucil grabbed the sleeve of a passing Yevonite healer and yanked him to duty at once. It was while she was vigorously explaining just what would happen to the mage if he did not at once remedy all the damage affecting the man in the designated bed that Squab caught sight of her.

“Is everybody all right?” he asked as he approached.

Lucil looked sharply at Squab. “Of course not. We have a number of casualties, mostly caused by those machina soldiers the Maesters had kept in storage all those years. And Yuna’s Ronso guardian is dead. Hadn’t you heard?”

He nodded miserably. “I heard. I was wondering if you think we’re going to lose any more.”

He looked so forlorn she took pity and patted him on the back. “No. I don’t think so. That Baralai was the worst hurt and he’s looking pretty good now.” She laughed confidently. “I guess he has to. Lady Yuna herself did the initial healing.”

“And you’re all right?”

“Sure am. I see you came through intact as well.”

They both ran out of things to say and an uncomfortable silence reigned between them.

“Are you finished in here?” Squab asked hesitantly. “Let’s go get some food. You know they’ll call a conference pretty soon.”

Lucil stared toward the door. “Not too soon, they won’t. Look who just came in.”

Towering over the masses of shorter figures, Nooj had bullied his way into the infirmary and was brushing aside all the lesser mortals as he made his way toward the bed which held Baralai.

Squab tugged at Lucil’s sleeve. “Let’s get out now. He won’t want to see us for a while.”

She did not resist as he drew her through the door at the other end of the large room.

When they found themselves in the relative privacy of the corridor, away from the stuffiness and heat of the sick room, Squab turned up the collar of Lucil’s tunic and fastened the buttons.

“Don’t want you to catch cold coming from that hot house to here,” he explained as he adjusted the garment. “That would be stupid after you survived all these fights.”

She signaled her agreement. “Right. I’d never live it down. By the way, I saw how you handled that ambush in the temple. Good move! You didn’t even pause. That monk looked like a fool all ready to split you like a melon and you just ran him through. You’re better than I thought.”

Squab blushed, the change in color discernible even in the dim light of the passageway. “Aw, he was a pushover. No problem. Most of ‘em didn’t want to fight.” He punched gently at her shoulder.

“That’s true but you did good work anyway. It won’t always be this easy and I like knowing I’ll have a trustworthy partner at my back.” She carefully looked past his eyes.

“Not much longer before this job is done and we have to start looking for another place, right?” He could not totally control the joy in his voice.

“Right. Let’s go eat and make some plans.” Without warning, she leaned over and kissed him firmly on the mouth, then took his hand in hers and led him in the direction of the kitchens.

-X-

Jayn had set soldiers to searching every corner of the temple for the dead, to gather them together in the main courtyard for a sending. The grim task was almost complete, the bodies laid out in rows, some swaddled in ceremonial wrappings, others simply laid to rest with eyes forever shut and arms lying by their sides. Defenders and opponents of Yevon alike wandered the courtyard, searching for friends and enemies, heads lowering when a familiar face was found. One of the honored dead drew every eye, however, the blue-furred body standing out among the others: Kimahri Ronso, famed guardian to Lady Yuna. The tale of his heroic death had already spread throughout the ranks, and everyone who walked near him paid their respects, with a salute or a bow and a word of condolence for the summoner, who had not left his side since arriving on the scene.

Yuna said nothing in response; frozen with grief, she could only look blankly at her fallen protector. Her surviving guardians surrounded her, each mourning in their own way: Tidus wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he fought the tears that threatened to well in his eyes, Wakka kneeling by Kimahri’s head and murmuring soft words of prayer, Lulu holding Yuna’s hand and Rikku sitting unusually still at her feet. Auron stood a bit apart from the rest, his mind blank and bleak as he contemplated the young Ronso’s death.

He had taken a place next to Yuna on the lift ride down from the heights. She had been crying, softly and with dignity but also obvious misery, and he had pulled her aside when the doors opened and the others exited.

“You will mourn him; you can do no less,” he had told her. “But remember, he died protecting you. No guardian can ask for a greater honor than to trade his death for his summoner’s life.”

“I know,” she’d said with a hiccup. “And I will not let his sacrifice be in vain. I will go on, and we will destroy Sin in his name. But please, may I rest first? This is– I– it hurts.”

Laying a hand on her shoulder, he had squeezed it with a solemn nod. “Of course. We have a little time. We can discuss our next steps tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you, Sir Auron. Now I want to see if I can make myself useful as a healer.” And she had done so, visiting the infirmary as well as bringing young Baralai back from a grave gunshot wound. Now she was taking a well-earned break to say farewell to her childhood protector before she had to send him.

“Auron.” The guardian turned to see Kal standing at his elbow, face slightly ashen. “They found Kinoc; do you–”

He did not even need to nod to communicate his affirmative answer. With a brief word to Yuna, he took his leave and followed Kal to the opposite side of the courtyard, where his friend, rival, and enemy lay in wait.

-X-

“Baralai.” Someone had found Nooj a stool from somewhere, and he settled down into it as Paine and Gippal knelt on the other side of the bed. The wounded man weakly lifted his hand and Nooj took it. “They tell me you were injured in the process of opening the gates.” On Baralai’s nod, Nooj squeezed the hand he held and shook his head. “I am sorry to have put you in such danger. If you had died…”

“It would have been worth it,” Baralai interrupted. “I knew what I was risking when I agreed to infiltrate Bevelle. My life for the overthrow of Yevon? The trade would have been more than fair.” Gippal opened his mouth to disagree, but Baralai silenced him with a look. “No, Gippal, I know how you feel, but you can’t deny that what I say is true.” The Al Bhed bowed his head and looked away.

Nooj finally acquiesced with a nod. “Still, I can’t tell you just how relieved I am that you survived.”

Baralai’s answering smile was faint, but genuine. “So am I. Although I really haven’t much choice in the matter.” He lowered his voice so that only the three gathered around the bed could hear his next words. “If you are going to live, I don’t see how I can do otherwise.”

The hand that grasped Baralai’s went momentarily slack as Nooj stared down at his friend in surprise. Then his expression began to twist into a threatening scowl turned on Paine, but before the storm broke, his face mellowed into an exasperated glower. “You told them?”

“Yes.” Paine’s response was soft but unflinching. “They have the right to know. They lived through that nightmare in the desert as much as I did.” Their eyes locked across the bed, some silent communication passing between the lovers. Paine broke the moment first with a light laugh. “That’s everyone, I promise.”

Nooj’s response was a wry smile, after which he focused his attention on Baralai and Gippal. “All right. Yes, it’s true. I have consented to live and I expect both of you to preserve your own lives as well. Is that understood? If you choose to follow me, you follow me completely.”

Baralai and Gippal exchanged a quick look of mutual happiness and relief, and then Gippal grinned. “Aye Captain!”

Heads turned around the infirmary; everyone wondered why the commander and then his companions had burst into hearty laughter, but no one dared to ask.

-X-

The two men had been standing in silence for a long time, contemplating the body of their former companion. “I wish I knew what to feel,” Kal said.

“Yeah.” Thinking back on their long history together, Auron could not remember a time when he had not harbored mixed feelings toward Kinoc. He supposed it was only appropriate that the same should be true today.

“It’s been a decade since we were friends. But still, I wish it had ended differently.” Kal sighed. “So it really was Paine who pulled the trigger?”

Auron knelt by Kinoc’s side and took a closer look at the gunshot wound that had killed him. The results were ugly — a fair portion of his head was missing — but it seemed likely that death had been instantaneous. He wasn’t sure why this fact should come as a relief, but it did. “Nooj told Mika as much, and then I confirmed it with her. She said it was necessary. I have no reason not to believe them.” And if the pattern of the fatal wound suggested an execution more than a killing in self-defense, it was probably best not to question that too deeply.

He became aware of a new presence by his side: Lulu, who bowed her head and murmured a few words under her breath, then met his gaze. “Sir Auron. Are you all right?”

“As I can be,” he said with a quirk of his mouth, “given the amount of death that surrounds us today. And you? Are you all right?”

She flicked her eyes downward. “As I can be.” The slight quiver in her voice was the only other betrayal of emotion. “Yuna is ready for the sending. I sent Rikku to find Dona; have you seen Nooj?”

A glance around the courtyard did not bring the tall commander to Auron’s attention. He was about to shake his head when Kal tugged at his arm. “Over there,” the warrior monk said, “coming out of the infirmary.” All three heads turned to watch Nooj exit the temple, Paine a few steps behind, and make a beeline for Yuna, where she stood at the side of her lost guardian. He rested his right hand on her shoulder and spoke to her briefly — they were too far distant for Auron to make out the words, but from the look of things they were comforting ones. Once that was finished, Nooj took a place by Kimahri’s body and dropped his head, paying his respects. Then he slowly made his way to the temple doors, stopping in front of them.

When they saw that the commander had positioned himself before them, the members of the army in the courtyard began assembling at once in a group around him. They waited with eagerness to hear his words about the battle they had just won. The bitter-sweet taste of the victory would be made more palatable by the voice of their leader, so they hoped.

“Army of Spira,” he began. “You have earned that name by defeating the false forces of the evil rulers of our fair land. You are now the sole true and acknowledged army of our civilization. There is none other to dispute you. You have won a great victory but one which is touched with sadness because it is never a joyful occasion when one part of a country fights against another. A war among brothers is never to be celebrated. Our task now is to unite all Spirans in the final battle against Sin. Do not hold feelings of enmity toward those who defended Yevon. Instead, embrace them as a part of the great family which will emerge from this struggle and help build the New Spira when Sin is destroyed forever. We have lost good and valued soldiers in this endeavor and we must make their sacrifices meaningful by becoming one people again. Let there be no divisions by race or appearance. We are all Spirans and as such we will go forward into a future which has no limitations. Greatness awaits us as a united people. Let us not falter now.” He thrust his cane into the air in what had become a signal of victory.

The cheers of those who heard his words shook the buildings and were not limited to the soldiers. Those citizens of Bevelle who had sheltered during the fighting were reassured by the offer of inclusion and joined in the acclamation. Then the sounds of cheering melted away as Nooj stepped aside to be replaced by the two summoners, Yuna and Dona, and the mood shifted back as they began their dance of mourning.

-X-

Paine lay face down on the padded bench, almost purring as Nooj slowly massaged a healing ointment into the wide livid bruise left on her back by the metal foot of the mechanized soldier which had so nearly crushed her. Nooj had demanded the medication from Aquelev while firmly rejecting the other’s offer to apply it. The Al Bhed had finally given in but only after insisting that Nooj accept instructions in the proper way to use the fragrant gel.

“Ummm, that feels so good,” Paine murmured drowsily. “I could lie here and let you do this forever.” She let her body sink deeper into the cushions as her muscles relaxed under the increasing warmth.

“Do you realize how close you came to being a smear on the pavement?” he asked with a shudder, not pausing in his ministrations.

“Don’t remind me.” But she was too relaxed for the words to carry much heat.

“Aquelev says this will keep you from being stiff and will stop the discoloration. Is the pain easier?” His fingers dug more deeply into her back.

She turned her head to peer up at him. “Yeah. I was starting to ache and this really helps. Don’t stop.”

They maintained their companionable silence for a while as he rubbed and soothed her muscles and she cherished his touch, the feel of his hands reassuring her of his presence and devotion.

Finally, Paine rolled over on her side and reached up to stroke the face of her lover. “I’ve been wondering, why did you tell me to take out Kinoc? I thought you’d marked him for yourself.”

Nooj shifted in his chair. “I had but you needed the kill more than I did. You needed some sort of proper ending to your history with the Maesters.” As was his nature, he felt stating his conclusion explained everything.

“But Kinoc was not a direct part of my … my problems with Yevon.” She was surprised that he had taken her story so seriously and had obviously thought about it in detail.

“Look, love. Yevon was ruled by the Maesters; therefore whatever evils committed by Yevon were ultimately at the behest of those Maesters; there were only two of the bastards left and we didn’t know if we would get a chance at Mika. You had Kinoc at the end of your gun … ergo … perfectly logical.” He beamed at her.

Paine laughed with sheer amusement at his reasoning. “So you gave me the word just so I could clear my history? You gave up your revenge for me?”

“Your need was the greater.”

“Oh, Nooj! I do love you! You’re like a great coeurl who lets his mate have the first bite of the prey they’ve brought down together.” She leapt from the bench and, planting herself on his knees, wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him to her breast. “I love you so much!”

He said nothing, only returned the embrace with equal fervor.

-X-

Auron made his way through the oddly quiet halls of Bevelle, toward the chamber where the final meeting of Nooj’s council was to be held. He had always thought of Bevelle as a quiet place, but as he strode down the corridors, footsteps echoing, he realized that he’d never before seen them this empty. Priests and warrior monks filled them, normally, going about their business in prayerful tones, the temple filled with the hushed buzzing of monastic life. Today, deserted, the halls felt haunted, strange, disconcerting. Auron shuddered and wished that he were already gone. Even when he and the city had both been alive, he had never been fond of Bevelle.

Soon, but not today. Yuna was in no state to continue just yet — she had performed the sending and exited the courtyard with perfect calm, and then had collapsed in Tidus’ arms. The two of them together had helped her the short distance to the room where visiting summoners on pilgrimage had traditionally stayed, and then Auron had left them there, trusting Tidus to comfort Yuna as only a lover could. The fayth would keep until tomorrow.

The small council had already gathered in the room by the time Auron opened the door. He was the last to arrive, but his usual seat, the chair directly across from Nooj, was still available. The others gathered around, listening and smiling as Cid held forth about his battle with Evrae. A cold luncheon was spread out over the table in the corner, and, after helping himself to a hunk of bread and a small portion of meat, Auron took his place and looked around the room at the leaders who had gotten them to this juncture: Lucil, Squab, Jayn, Cid, Kal, and Nooj himself.

“Sir Auron.” Nooj looked up from his food to acknowledge the guardian. “How is Lady Yuna?”

“Resting,” Auron answered. “It has been a difficult day for her, as you might imagine. She intends to visit the Cloister of Trials in the morning.”

“Of course.” The commander’s eyes met Auron’s, and he saw genuine regret there. “I did not know Kimahri as well as I would have wished, but he was a fine warrior and a dedicated guardian, and his death is a blow to us all. I have already extended my condolences to Lady Yuna and I wish to share them with you as well.” An unexpected pang of grief for the Ronso struck Auron then, and he found that he could not trust himself to speak. He nodded in thanks instead.

Nooj’s next words were addressed to the wider room. “So. Our previous goal, the overthrow of Yevon and the taking of Bevelle, is achieved. Naturally, the immediate question raised is this: what next? Do we continue onward, to Zanarkand and Sin?”

“No.” Auron quickly found his voice. “The destruction of Sin is still a job for a summoner, even without the Final Summoning. Yuna and her remaining guardians will continue on, and we have invited Lady Dona to join us, but an army is not required and would in fact be detrimental.”

Kal looked at his friend with concern. “You’re sure?” he asked. “Not even a handful of soldiers, help you get through the Calm Lands and over Gagazet?”

“I’m sure.” Auron rose from his seat, suddenly both weary and restless. This meeting was about building Spira’s future, and today he felt very much like a relic from the past. Perhaps it was the ending of Yevon or Kinoc’s death, or the smothering silence of Bevelle, but he discovered an impatience to move on, to get on with the business of facing Yunalesca and Jecht one last time. “Now if you will excuse me, I must meet with the others, to discuss our plans for the remainder of our pilgrimage.” With a tip of his head to Kal, then Nooj, he strode past the other officers and out of the room. The rest of the council glanced around, puzzled expressions on their faces; only Nooj watched him go, thoughtfully.

After a short time, the commander cleared his throat. “Well. With that settled, it seems that our priority is to rebuild. Shall we discuss the best steps to that end?”

-X-

Paine could hardly control her face. She wanted to smile until her cheeks cracked, but it just seemed too undignified. Baralai had returned to his old room in the leaders’ section of Bevelle, there to complete his recuperation in comfortable privacy. It was there, as evening approached, that Paine found herself in the company of her closest friends. She was sitting on the foot of Baralai’s bed with one hand on Nooj’s thigh and the other clasped by the Yevonite. Gippal had draped an arm over her shoulder and she was as happy as she could ever recall being.

“For a while there, I really doubted that we’d ever be like this again,” she burst out, unable to hold her tongue any longer.

“And here we are,” Gippal interrupted, grinning around the party. “What’s our plan, Captain?”

Nooj looked warmly at Baralai. “First we get our hero here completely healed and then we start on the unification and pacifying of the rest of Spira. Sir Auron and Yuna’s party will leave shortly to take on the permanent elimination of Sin, so we have the mop-up work to do.”

“Do they have a plan for this ambitious undertaking?” Baralai asked skeptically.

“Yes. But it’s not our concern. They will do as they have decided. We have our own mission.” Nooj gathered his team with his eyes. “We need to establish a headquarters from which we can dispatch units where they’re needed. I intend to keep the army intact as a source for those units and remain as commander with the other officers who are already in place. Now, what do you three see as your immediate futures?”

Paine tightened her fingers on his leg. “You know what I will do,” she said comfortably and with confidence. “I’ll be at your side when you need me. I will have your back in any battle you fight.”

He placed his own hand atop hers. “I will try to be worthy of your trust and I can have none better at my side. Baralai, have you had time to think about plans?”

The slim man on the bed nodded his head, the fine white hair rippling as though brushed by a passing breeze. “When I was here planning how to open the gates, I wished I had mastered Alchemy. It would have helped to be able to mix sleeping potions and the like. Now that I have the opportunity, I think I will pursue that study. I will remain under your command if you’ll have me. I feel sure I can be of use to you as I learn more skills. Gippal, do you mind?” He looked with concern at his lover.

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Gippal answered. “It so happens I was planning to get more into how to handle the mechanics of machina fighters. I can do that here as well as anywhere else since all I need is a teacher and some samples to practice on. So you can brew your concoctions while I put warriors together,” he nodded toward Nooj with a quirked eyebrow, “and we can please ourselves in the time left over.”

Paine beamed around the circle. “Then we can all four stay together.” She sighed. “Then one of these days when we’ve solved all the problems of Spira and settled the world down, we can steal Cid’s airship and go exploring. I’ll be the pilot; Gippal will be the engineer; Baralai, you’re navigator and Nooj …”

“…can be the Captain!” The three completed the rubric as one.

“I’ll work you like dogs.” Nooj responded as the four joined hands and laughed together.

-X-

Three days later, shortly before dinner, Auron walked up to the open door of Nooj’s temporary quarters as three former Yevonites, still dressed in their formal robes, exited the room. They bowed respectfully to the guardian before walking away. Auron spared a quick glance to watch them go, then rapped lightly on the door frame.

“Come in.” Auron followed Nooj’s instructions and found him alone, standing at the window and contemplating the sunset. The younger man turned and nodded to the older. “Sir Auron.”

“Commander.” Auron walked up next to him and watched the late afternoon rays glitter on the sea. “How go your negotiations with the remains of Yevon?”

“Surprisingly well,” Nooj replied. “Priests from various temples are on their way for more formal negotiations. But it will be a few more days before they arrive, which is just as well — I want Baralai to have as much recuperation time as possible. And how go your preparations?”

“That is why I came to talk with you,” Auron said. “We are ready to leave for Zanarkand. Tomorrow morning, at dawn.”

“Good luck, sir.” Nooj looked soberly down at the guardian. “Will I see you again?”

Auron met Nooj’s eyes, then shook his head. “I have played at life long enough. Once Sin is defeated, I will ask Yuna to send me.”

Nooj swayed, as though the statement had been a physical blow. Whatever he had expected to hear, it had not been this. His face assumed the expressionless mask it so often wore when he was uncertain of what to say. In truth, he had almost forgotten his mentor was not as alive as any other man.

“Sir.” He jerked the word out clumsily. “I had hoped you would be a part of the New Spira. Your guidance would be invaluable. We shall need all the wisdom we can find to keep from repeating the mistakes of the past.”

“I disagree,” Auron responded. “You need to look to the future, not cling to the past. But even if I thought staying was the right thing to do, I could not.” He sighed heavily, the weight of ten years of death clinging to him like a shroud. “I told you before that I remained here to destroy Sin. Once that goal is accomplished, I don’t know that anything else would drive me to continue. I am not Mika, content to go on forever. Spira needs to be led by the living.”

Nooj digested the words, his eyes fixed on the ground between them. “You once pointed out to me the grief felt by those left behind. You were using it to try to persuade me to continue in this world. Are you willing to inflict that pain on those who care for you? You are Paine’s only close relative and she has come to rely upon you in many ways. It seems to me that you are being selfish to remove yourself so soon after she has re-discovered you. I love her and am not willing to see her hurt, not even by you.” He looked directly into the face of the Guardian, unrelenting in his gaze.

Auron winced. Nooj had hit a sore spot. It was true; he was reluctant to abandon Paine again, especially as he had already deserted her once before. “I know,” he said quietly. “Having to leave her again is my greatest regret among many. But you must understand: I do not belong here. My life ended ten years ago. Holding on to this pale imitation once my purpose is fulfilled would be extremely difficult. Perhaps even impossible.” He looked away, then, awash in the guilt he had been trying so hard not to feel. “I wish it could be different. I’m sorry.”

It was a measure of his increasing maturity that Nooj did not immediately react to the words of the older man but gave them the thoughtful consideration they deserved. Having searched the face of Sir Auron carefully, he shifted his position, putting more of his weight on his cane and began speaking.

“Sir Auron, I owe you much. You saved me from myself and put me in command of this army. No, I’ve heard all your protests and know why you make them. You have devoted yourself since I have known you to the cause of Spira and for that I have nothing but respect.” He paused and seemed to taste his coming words. “Thus, I am not prepared to argue with your perspective on your own condition. If you feel this is the time for you to go to whatever awaits you on the Farplane, I have no right to interfere. You have respected my choosing death or life as I have been so moved. I must, in all honour, offer you that same respect. All I ask is that you think very carefully and long about the choice — as did I. If it is necessary, I will buffer Paine as much as I can. You know that I will love and protect her for so long as life is in my body. As for the other things — well, I shall wish for your advice time and again. I know that already. But …” He opened his right hand in an accepting gesture and was silent.

Without hesitation, Auron took the offered hand. “Thank you,” he replied. “I know I am leaving her, and Spira, in the best possible hands.”

-X-

The next dawn found the two summoners and their guardians assembling on the Highbridge, including their newest member: Rikku, who stood between Tidus and her cousin, fairly trembling with excitement. They chatted quietly with Nooj and his company of three, exchanging well-wishes and handshakes and promises to reconnect once the next battle was done.

“Paine.” Auron drew his niece slightly aside from the rest of the group. She looked up at him, questioning. “I want to tell you how proud I am of you, and of what you’ve done. Spira is your world now; with Nooj by your side, I know you can make anything of it.”

“Goodbye, Uncle.” Paine hugged him, and he brought his arms around her slim frame, holding her for a brief moment. Then she stepped back with a smile. “Good luck. I’ll see you soon.”

He opened his mouth to tell her the truth, that she would only see him on the Farplane, and then he saw her looking back at him with hopeful eyes, almost-childlike in her happiness, and he found he could not. So instead, he closed his mouth, and simply nodded. “Farewell,” he said with a squeeze of her shoulders. Then he dropped his hands and went to where Yuna and the others waited. One last flurry of goodbyes, and the pilgrims turned their backs on Bevelle to walk down the Highbridge, the Calm Lands their next destination.

Just before reaching the gates, Auron paused for one last look back at the four gathered together: Nooj tall and proud in the center, Paine as always at his right hand, Gippal propping up the still-weakened Baralai. He smiled to himself, then turned away for good, finally ready to finish what he had started.

—

Epilogue