Path of a Summoner

The village wasn’t as busy as Wren was used to, but it was still lively. There were people working at their crafts, managing their small shops from their own homes… It was interesting to her, who was used to one of the largest cities in Spira, even before settling down in Luca.

Those little homes were scattered everywhere in clusters, huddled close together, as if you could feel the sense of community of the people living here. Everyone seemed to know each other, which was hardly a surprise given the size of the village.

“Should we start at the temple?” asked Wren, looking up at Twill as the three of them stood in the center of the town.

“For a high summoner? That would probably be the most likely place to start,” they said, thinking. “But that woman, Dona, said that we would have to speak to Lady Yuna’s guardians before seeing her. If I remember correctly, one of her guardians is the current mayor. We should probably seek an audience with her first.”

Wren gave a hum of agreement, and their search began. The village was small, and it took hardly any time to be pointed in the direction of the mayor’s home.

Merris was the one who stood outside, knocking on the side of the doorway gently with the back of his hand.

“Come in,” said a woman’s voice from inside, followed by the ecstatic laughter of a small child.

Merris gestured to the other two for them to go in, then followed behind.

“Pardon the intrusion,” said Wren, meekly.

Inside was a woman, dressed in all black, with dark hair that was tied up in braids in the back and bangs falling over her eyes, and the young, redheaded child she was tending to, who looked to be no more than four at the most. She had filled a small tub with water and was in the middle of bathing the boy, who seemed to love the water more than he didn’t want his bath.

“Are you tourists here for an audience with Lady Yuna?” asked Lulu, without looking up from her work. “You must know there are dozens of people every day with the same intention. Do you believe the high summoner has the time to meet with all of you?”

Wren was surprised by how little the woman held back, but such an answer was exactly what she had expected, anyway.

“We are here to see Yuna, but I wouldn’t say we’re exactly tourists…” she said. “I’m a sphere recorder from Luca, and I was hoping to interview Lady Yuna for a movie sphere I’m putting together about the pilgrimage. If she has no time for an interview, then I was hoping that at least she might know how to point me in the right direction.”

This time Lulu looked up, trying her best to hold the squirming child still as he splashed in the water. “Lady Yuna’s fiance has returned from Luca recently, and she will be spending most of her time with him until the blitzball season starts once again. She has no time for interviews or official statements, and has requested not to be involved in politics.”

Wren looked to the others, fidgeting with her hands anxiously.

Merris spoke up. “You are Dame Lulu, aren’t you? One of Lady Yuna’s guardians? When we passed through Kilika Port, we stopped by the temple there as well. Wren here got some footage of the temple, spoke with the priest, who pointed us in the direction of a former summoner living in Kilika. Her name is Dona, and--”

“And you thought that mentioning the name of a former summoner here would get you an audience,” said Lulu, shaking her head.

The child laughed, reaching his little fingers to grab Lulu’s nose. “Mama, don’t be mean.”

“Hush, Vidina,” Lulu said softly, her voice nasal as the child pinched her nose shut. She was smiling as she nudged his hand away from her face.

“Actually, we met someone else in Kilika too,” said Merris, rubbing the back of his neck as he shook off her dismissal. “You know Mobius, the leader of Respira in Djose? When we visited the temple looking for him, he said that he had met with Lady Yuna, and that she gave him written permission to enter the temple’s inner cloister.”

Lulu’s attention had been caught this time, and she clicked her tongue in distaste almost. “That man…”

“What about him?” asked Wren.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Actually, when he arrived here in Besaid and requested to meet Yuna, I turned him down. Groups like those are exactly what Yuna is trying to avoid. They’re so wrapped up in their own politics, and use people like her to solve their problems for them,” said Lulu, lifting Vidina out of the water finally and wrapping him in a thick towel to dry him off. “But when I told Yuna, she herself asked to meet him, for some reason. When I asked why, she said ‘something about him just interested her.’”

“He’s definitely interesting,” she added, frowning. “A man who uses no title in his group, yet marches around Spira unguarded, like he thinks the common people are quaint and precious. But apparently, the reason he came all the way out here from Djose was for some greater purpose he has an interest in. Whatever it was, Yuna allowed him into the temple, on the condition that he take care of the fiends inside.”

“For the upkeep of the temple, right?” asked Wren, nodding eagerly. “He asked that I come with him in Kilika, for ‘support.’ I was there too.”

“Were you?” asked Lulu, looking at her. “Well, no one forbade him from bringing anyone along to assist him, so it’s just as well, I suppose. You don’t seem like you’re a part of that group of his, though.”

“No, we aren’t,” said Twill, shaking their head. “We are only here for her interest in recording the history of the pilgrimage. It was just a coincidence that Mobius took an interest in her as well.”

Lulu gave a short ‘hmm,’ looking down at her son once more, who was eager to get away already. She patted his shoulder, then held the towel up around him as she passed him his clothes to put on. “Get dressed, then you may go play. Just remember that if you come back covered in mud again, it will be back into the tub with you.”

Vidina whined as he pulled his clothes on clumsily, with help from Lulu, then took off running the moment she put the towel away, darting between the legs of Wren and her companions to escape the hut.

Lulu stood up finally, stretching her back. She looked at the group again, taking a seat on the bed. “What did you see inside the temple, Wren from Luca?”

Wren blinked in surprise as the attention was turned back to her. She tilted her head as she thought of what to say. “There was a huge fiend inside the temple… Like the ones you see on the Highroad. Mobius took care of it himself… sort of. He summoned an aeon to fight for him…”

The woman’s eyes went wide for a moment. “That should be impossible. The aeons of the temple Fayth were destroyed by us when Lady Yuna defeated Sin, to prevent any of them from being used by Yu Yevon to recreate Sin once again.”

“It wasn’t a temple aeon,” said Wren, shaking her head. “It was something he created himself, he said.”

“That is troubling,” said Lulu, shaking her head once again. “...Perhaps you should tell Yuna this yourself. The implications are worrying, at the very least, but she will certainly want to hear what he’s been up to.”

“My husband will be in the temple, waiting for Yuna and Tidus to return from the inner part of the temple,” said Lulu, getting to her feet. “Speak to him, and he will allow you inside.”

“Thank you,” said Wren, bowing deeply in respect. “I’ll tell Lady Yuna as much as I can.”

Lulu waved them along, smiling faintly. “Good luck with your work, as well.”

When the three of them left the hut, they turned to each other, a little confused.

“What was it she said about the aeons, and Yevon?” asked Merris.

“I don’t know, I didn’t really understand that part either,” said Wren, frowning.

“They destroyed the aeons… They didn’t just disappear,” said Twill. “But I don’t know what she meant about Yu Yevon, and Sin. Is that how Sin returned every time it was defeated?”

“I have a feeling this isn’t information we’re supposed to have,” mumbled Merris, shaking his head.

“I’ve sort of been feeling like that ever since Mobius summoned his aeon,” said Wren, laughing nervously. “Let’s just carry on like we have been… If it’s anything to be worried about, then Lady Yuna will take care of it.”

They seemed to agree between themselves silently as they moved towards the temple. They hadn’t really been worried before, but Lulu’s no nonsense attitude made them feel like they should have been. Hardly out of the gate and they were already in unfamiliar and potentially dangerous territory.

When they entered the temple, there was a man standing beside the Cloister’s entrance, a little on the heavy side, but he certainly didn’t look like a member of the clergy, with his overalls and unusual hairstyle. It was a brighter red, but it did somewhat resemble the color of Vidina’s hair, however.

“Sorry, but are you Dame Lulu’s husband?” asked Wren, approaching him. “She said to come speak to you about seeing Lady Yuna.”

“Lulu sent you?” asked the man, raising an eyebrow. “She’s very picky about who gets to see Yuna. How come she chose you?”

“You’re Sir Wakka?” she asked. “I told her about an incident that happened when I met Mobius, who was here a couple of days ago, and she told me that Lady Yuna should be informed, and that I could find you here.”

Wakka scratched at the slight, stubbly goatee he had, crinkling his nose while he thought. “Yeah… I remember him. Doesn’t surprise me that someone in charge of a group like that might have something shady going on, but it’s nothing I keep up with anymore. If Lu sent you to talk to Yuna, then I guess you’d better go in.”

“Just like that?” asked Wren, blinking.

Wakka nodded, putting his hands on his hips. “Sure. I don’t mean to brag, but I like to think I’m pretty good at telling when I’m being lied to. ‘Specially when it comes to my family. You go on in. Just don’t cause any trouble, or you’ll have to deal with those two.”

Wren thanked him, before moving into the Cloister of Trials.

It was still surprising to be allowed inside, but some of the charm had worn off since her last experience. At least Twill and Merris were here this time as well, even though Twill balked somewhat, feeling out of place. Merris had no such qualms, walking casually behind Wren.

It didn’t take long to find the high summoner and her fiance, either. They were inside the Chamber of the Fayth, which was a little closer to the entrance than the one in Kilika had been, Wren noted.

The couple looked awfully confused about the arrival of three strangers inside the Cloister of Trials, something that wasn’t normally allowed, however.

“Lady Yuna!” said Wren, bowing. It actually felt a little strange, meeting the woman she looked up to so much, in such a situation that she had to appear apologetic for entering the sacred grounds of the temple. “Your guardians sent me to speak to you. I’m sorry to bother you.”

She looked up at her from where she was bowing, then stood up. There was Yuna, looking almost the same as she had when she began her pilgrimage.  Her hair was long now, longer than it had been when Wren had seen her in recordings, and even when she had filmed the concert she put on in Luca stadium only a couple of years earlier.

Yuna looked a little embarrassed at Wren’s display, looking to the man beside her, who had medium length dirty blond hair, tied back with a red bandana. Wren recognized him as Sir Tidus.

“Hey, aren’t you that camera girl from Luca?” he asked, putting his hands on his hips and tilting his head at her.

“Oh!” Wren rubbed at her cheek, eyes wide for a moment as she laughed with surprise. “Sorry--yeah, that’s me. I’m Wren, I work at the stadium. I didn’t think you’d remember me…”

“Sure, I’ve seen you in the wings before games before. What are you doing here?” asked Tidus.

“It’s the off season, so I’m taking some time off too,” she said, laughing quietly. “I’m making a movie sphere about the summoners, so I’m doing a little research. Traveling, talking to people… You know? I’m not very good at defending myself though, so I brought these two along. This is Twill, and Merris.”

Wren shook her head quickly. “Oh, but that isn’t actually why I’m here now . I mentioned that to Dame Lulu and she was going to turn me away. She told me to come here because I ran into Mobius in Kilika. I’m supposed to tell you about what happened when I met him, Lady Yuna.”

Yuna looked at Wren now. “Me? What happened?”

“Well, when I went to Kilika, I met him on the second day I was there, when I was supposed to depart to come here, but he invited me to go with him into the temple, to… Take care of the fiends, like you asked him,” she said, nodding. “There weren’t many, but when we found one, it was pretty big. I mentioned that I’m not really much of a fighter, so he did most of the work, but he summoned an aeon of his own to do it.”

Yuna’s expression was stunned for a moment, as she looked at the floor. “It can’t be… Has he created more aeons?”

“He told me himself that his organization has more of them, with people willing to give their lives for their cause,” she said. “But… When I spoke to Dame Lulu, she said something about destroying the aeons, to… protect them from Yu Yevon?”

“She did?” asked Yuna. “She must be worried too… I gave him permission to enter the temple, but I didn’t know they would do such a thing… I’m not sure what to think of this. Creating an aeon is… complicated. The aeon must be created from someone who gives their life willingly… But I’m sure you already know that.”

“This isn’t exactly common knowledge, but Sin was actually a summon, created by Yu Yevon, the most powerful summoner of his time,” said Yuna, frowning. “Each time a summoner used their final aeon to defeat Sin, the spirit of Yu Yevon would possess the aeon, and use it to kill the summoner. Then, from that aeon, it created a new Sin, to protect itself. That is why the final summon was so dangerous, and why I had to find a way to do it without giving Sin a chance to be reborn from someone who gave their life to defeat it.”

Wren’s expression fell. “That’s why Sin always came back?”

“Afraid so,” said Tidus. “My old man, Jecht, was Braska’s guardian, and he became his final aeon… And Sin, after that. The last one.”

“...I’m not supposed to know any of this, am I?” asked Wren, glancing to the other two beside her with her eyes.

“No, but as long as you already have part of the truth, you’ll have questions.” said Yuna, shaking her head. “...You probably shouldn’t tell anyone what you know about Mobius either. If it isn’t public information, it might be dangerous. I would never order anyone to stay silent, but be very careful about who you tell these things to from now on.”

Twill, Wren, and Merris glanced at each other with uncertainty, then nodded.

“What about Respira?” asked Merris. “I have a sister in Djose… It’s been a while since I’ve heard from her. I don’t think she’s in any danger… Or, I didn’t, until this started. I don’t know how involved with Respira she is, but if this is what they’re up to…”

“You’re worried about her,” said Yuna, nodding understandingly. “...I don’t know. I don’t know enough to know what should be done about it, if anything. I’ll keep an eye out for their activities… And if you hear anything on your travels, I hope you’ll keep in touch.”

“I don’t want to end up wrapped up in all of this, but if the people in this room are the only ones who know about it, something might be coming,” she said, frowning. “Can I count on you to keep me updated? I’m not asking you to involve yourselves… Just to keep open ears."

“If we hear anything, we’ll definitely write,” said Wren.

“You can use the CommSphere,” said Yuna. “A couple of years ago, I was traveling on an airship with a kid who’s pretty much a genius. He invented a communicator using a sphere, so you can see and hear anyone using the CommSphere instantly. We put them up around Spira, but most of them were lost or destroyed. I still have a spare, though, so you can have that one, and contact me if you find anything.”

“Really?” asked Wren. “That’s pretty incredible. A kid built something like that? How old is he?”

“Well, he’s only a little younger than you now, actually,” said Yuna, laughing. “But it is pretty amazing. Sometimes I sneak off to go back to the airship for a little while at a time. It’s a lot of fun. He’s still inventing, but the CommSphere is still precious to me.”

“You should tell her about what happened after Mobius summoned,” said Twill, nudging Wren gently.

Yuna glanced up. “Did something else happen?”

“Sort of…” said Wren, rolling her head to the side. She was going to leave this part out, but… “After the fiend was defeated, these pyreflies appeared. They didn’t look like the regular ones that show up when a fiend disappears, it was a cluster of them, and it attacked us. Just a cluster of pyreflies. It hit me, and I went into shock, then spent the rest of the day unconscious. There’s not a lot to it, actually. I’m better now.”

“Pyreflies…?” asked Yuna, frowning. “I’ve seen something like that before, yes. Are you sure you feel alright? Nothing weird has happened to you since then? Gaps in your memory? Sleep walking? Anything?”

“No, nothing like that. After I slept for a while, all I had left to worry about was the bruises I got from pushing Mobius out of the way,” said Wren, shaking her head.

“It’s probably not the same, then. What I saw was… A vengeful spirit that could possess the body of a living person,” said Yuna. “He was responsible for the deaths of many people, and at one point it even affected me, and the girls I was working with at the time. But you must know better than I could what’s happened to you. If you haven’t felt any of that, then it wouldn’t be the same. Still, I hope you feel better.”

Wren smiled warmly. “I’m fine, thank you. I really don’t think it’s a vengeful spirit.” But now that Lady Yuna had put the idea in her mind, it was going to bother her.

After chatting for a few moments longer, they parted ways, the three of them leaving the temple and leaving the high summoner and her guardian to their own devices. They checked into the Inn, and set their things aside for the night. Lady Yuna had promised to give them the CommSphere after the night’s bonfire, and even gave a few words for Wren’s film, to her surprise.

That night, Wren looked at Merris for a few moments as he settled down into the bed provided for him. She hadn’t known that he had a sister. There was probably a lot about her companions she didn’t know. Merris had assured her that he didn’t think the person he was looking for was in any danger, but Wren was sure he had been talking about the same person.

Yuna wasn’t some wisewoman who could tell them exactly how to solve all of their problems, Wren knew that. They would have to be the ones to find out what was going on in Djose, since it would have to be their first stop in a real town for a while, after they passed back through Luca.

Before that would be the Highroad. And then… Mushroom Rock, of course. Chocobo use had extended a bit beyond the Highroad, since Djose expanded, and they wouldn’t have to spend much time there, but even though she’d only seen the place once before, it made her nervous.

Wren’s dreams were made of rose-colored neon, and tasted like unfamiliar sea salt air. She was sure she had been afraid the night before, but this time it brought her peace.