Chasing Eternal Calm - A FFX Roleplay [Aorigami & RyuHll]

[RyuHll]

Kato was hesitant at hearing that. Maester Seymour? That couldn't be good. He knew Sera didn't care for him as it was. And...he had a bad feeling about that man. Soren groaned again in his arms, bringing his attention back to the boy. They needed a place to rest. Quickly. If Operation Mihen was the closest place for them to take a break...so be it. But he looked to Sera instead. "Lady Sera, it might be a wise course to take their hospitality. Soren needs time to rest. But it's your choice," he said quietly. As much as he thought it was a good idea, it was Sera's call. She was his Summoner. He'd obey whatever she wished to do. Even if it meant putting up with Seymour.

[Aorigami]

Sera looked at Kato for a moment. She was reluctant, but tried not to let it shown, knowing that the blind guardian could sense it despite his lack of sight. For Sera, though, it no longer matter whether she wanted to go or not. They all were exhausted, Soren especially. Add to that the potential of falling into bad term with the leaders of the whole Spira; it was simply too dangerous to simply resume the journey in their current condition. Thus, the summoner turned her attention back to Eilie and informed her decision concisely, "Yes, let us meet with the Maesters. Will you lead us the way?"

"Of course," replied Eilie. She glanced briefly at the fallen figures of her fellow Crusaders, most of them faintly groaning from the pain suffered from her attacks and their own fall. The female Crusader decided it better to leave them be, and would request the medical team to pick them up later. "This way, Lady Sera," she gestured to the slope on the cliffside before walking there herself, leading the others out of the ravine and towards the rocky path that the Mushroom Rocks was famous for.

"Eilie, if I may ask, what is actually the purpose of this 'Operation Mi'ihen'?" Sera couldn't help but ask. She had been intrigued ever since the Crusader mentioned that there were Al-Bhed in her platoon.

Eilie looked at the summoner with a crooked eyebrow, and eventually said, "I think it's best if the Maesters explain it to you."

Sera was about to ask more but was ultimately silenced when shouts and sounds of clashing metals emerged, growing louder and louder with each of their steps. Once they arrived at the bay, Sera held her breath in amazement as she saw that the beach and the rocky cliffs surrounding it were dotted with humans, Crusaders and Al-Bhed alike, and surrounding them were Machina in all shapes and sizes. The Machina were all laid out in the open, being handled by both the Crusaders and Al-Bhed. More of them were being unloaded from closed wagons, stationed on all sides of the bay. It was undoubtedly the first time that Sera had seen so many Machina being employed with her own eyes.

[RyuHll]

Kato looked around as if he could see, sensing everything coming out. A small headache had started to come on as they walked. It wasn't as bad as when Sin was nearby, but it was still an annoyance. He kept Soren close, taking account of all the Machina being aligned along the beaches. He kept quiet as they walked, staying near Sera. He felt he needed to. With Seymour nearby, he'd need to defend her. He still didn't trust him. And, if the other Maesters were like him...

"Are you sure it'll be okay, Sera?" he asked quietly, not sure how she'd take seeing Seymour again. He did notice her distaste the last time.

[Aorigami]

"I don't know, Kato... There are so many Machina so close to the sea. Sin might sense them," replied Sera. It was a common knowledge that Sin attacks places where a lot of Machina are located, especially if it's in direct contact with the sea. "But if the Maesters are here, they must have a plan, right? There must be a good reason that all these Machina are being used."

Sera threw a glance at Soren, who seemed to have recovered but still looking weak. "We should find a place for Soren to rest. Once we're all rested, we can leave immediately to Djose."

"Why in such hurry, dear cousin?"

Though it was expected, Seymour's voice still managed to catch Sera off-guard. The Guado Maester's stride was fast and steady and the summoner thought that they would bump into each other, but Seymour stopped just in time to gesture a formal sign of prayer, which Sera and Eilie were obliged to reply.

"I heard of the incident with the Mandragora. You must be really exhausted," he said before bending to kiss the back of Sera's hand. "Eilie here will take you to my tent to dine and recuperate. I will join you shortly after I see to Maester Mika."

"Lord Seymour." Eilie saluted to the Maester like any Crusader would do. Meanwhile, Sera was prepared to reply to Seymour when the man turned towards Kato with obvious interest. "And this must be your other guardian," he said. "I'm quite sure I saw him back in Luca, but we haven't been properly introduced, have we?"

[RyuHll]

Kato frowned a bit. "No, we haven't," he replied. "My name is Kato, Lady Sera's Guardian along with Soren here." He paused as he glanced down toward the sea, sensing all of the Machina being arranged. "I feel a need to ask this, given what's going on here. Are you trying to attract Sin here? Because I believe you know as well as I do that none of this will do much in the way of affecting it." His tone wasn't very polite, speaking his mind immediately. It wasn't characteristic of Kato, but the headache had grown since they stepped inside the base. And he still didn't like the sense he got from this Maester. He wasn't someone who deserved respect.

[Aorigami]

"Why you..." Eilie was stepping forward, ready to scold the guardian showing defiance to the Maester. However, Seymour stopped her with a wave of his hand. "That's okay, Eilie. Lady Sera and her guardians deserve some answer," he said. The half-Guado spread his blue eyes around the beach for a moment before turning back on Kato. "Indeed we are attracting Sin to come here, Mr. Kato, but our goal is much more than that. We are going to defeat Sin."

Sera's eyes widened upon hearing Seymour's last sentence. "How? Don't you need a Final Summoning to defeat Sin?" she asked, partly curious and partly disbelieving that a Maester would say something as he did. Isn't it the Maesters themselves who advocate for the pilgrimage as the only way to defeat Sin?

"It is true that the Final Summoning is the only way we know to defeat Sin, but in the end, Sin always comes back," replied Seymour. "Fortunately, with some help from the Al-Bhed, we managed to salvage some Machina more powerful than the Aeons. Combined, it might even be more powerful than the Final Aeon.

"And then it might just be possible for my dearest cousin to return home," he resumed, before yet again bending down to kiss the back of Sera's hand. "Now if you will excuse me. The Grand Maester wouldn't see to it lightly if I stall him for much longer than this.

"Oh, and Eilie? Would you report back to me in Maester Mika's tent after you make sure that Lady Sera and her guardians are settled in my tent?"

"Certainly, Lord Seymour," replied the Crusader before beckoning for Sera and the others. "Follow me."

[RyuHll]

Kato didn't want to leave themselves at the mercy off Seymour for more than was necessary. But he recognized the need to rest in Soren's case. He would allow it for now. But once Soren was better, he'd need to keep Sera away from Seymour. He didn't trust the Maester at all, despite his rank.

As they started to move, though, the Guardian glanced down at the beach once more. "It won't work, you know," he said quietly. "All those people down there are going to die meaninglessly once the battle begins. Sin can't be defeated through conventional means, like Machina. If it was that simple, the Al-bhed would have eradicated it before the need for this Final Summoning ever came about." He glanced down at Soren momentarily before looking back at Eilie. "You'd do well to stay off the front lines. It's needless slaughter at this point. I don't think any will survive here. But you at least have a slightly more reasonable chance at survival that way."

A snort came from behind them. "Of course you don't think so," the Al-bhed captain from earlier said as he walked towards them, disdain clearly in his eyes as he regarded Kato. "Only an Al-bhed would understand what these machines are capable for."

"I am well aware of their strength. And it's pitiful before Sin," the Guardian said bluntly, not even turning to regard him, waiting for Eilie to show the way.

[Aorigami]

Eilie snorted briefly at Kato's words. "Even if you tell me nothing, there's no way I'll stand any closer than a yard from those Machina," she replied, all the while throwing a suspicious look at the Al-Bhed captain. "I still can't believe the Maesters are supporting this. Fighting Sin with the Al-Bhed and their Machina... What are they expecting?" The female Crusader continued on mumbling earnestly as she showed Sera and her guardians the entrance to Seymour's tent.

A whiff of smell mixed from incense and spices that Sera vaguely remember from the brief time she lived in Guadosalam greeted the group as soon as they stepped into the tent. The exotic atmosphere was further supported with the expensive fabric that was draped all over the interior. In the center of it all was a low table serving plates of foods, mainly consisting vegetables like a normal Guado diet, surrounded by sleek carpets and sofas. The serenity and luxury inside the tent was seen by Sera as a stark contrast to the outside, where people were generally preparing for battle and there was a certain feel of rush and anxiety wafting about in the air.

"You can rest here until Lord Seymour returns. The supper is prepared for you, so you can already start eating now," informed Eilie. "Now if you'll excuse me." Eilie gestured the sign of prayer to Sera before turning on her heel and exited the tent. She pondered briefly on why the Maester would want to talk with her. "Must have been regarding me attacking my group earlier," she finally thought, after which she trained her thoughts on the different kinds of punishment that she would be bestowed with, just so she wouldn't be surprised when entering the Grand Maester's tent.

[RyuHll]

Kato sighed as he placed Soren down on the mat for him to rest. He fussed over him slightly, making sure he was comfortable and situated. If he wasn't rested up, it could mean a lot of trouble for them. "Lady Sera, you should take advantage of our...host's generosity. I'm sure you're hungry. We never did get to rest at the outpost and then there was that whole fight..." he commented, waving his hand to the side at the thought.

Walking towards her, he sat down with her to mull over the thoughts he'd been thinking about. The Machina was worthless against Sin. History told them that much. Something new had to be done. Something different. The Maesters were wrong about this. That's when he realized what he needed to do. If he couldn't stop the attack from happening...

"Lady Sera. With your permission, I'd like to join the assault on Sin when the time comes. I would require you to stay here, though. It'll be dangerous."

[Aorigami]

Sera set her staff aside and sat by table as per Kato's suggestion, only to look blankly at all the dishes before her. She remembered feeling weak and exhausted shortly after the fight, but now that all these foods were served in front of her, she felt that she had lost her appetite. She glanced at Kato as he sat next to her and listened to his plan without words. When he was done, the half-Guado let out a short sigh and rested her head on her guardian's shoulder.

"Do you think they can defeat Sin with the Machina that they got?" asked Sera, though it was really just a rhetorical question. She looked at the sleeping Sorin and the scene of grisly destruction in Kilika came flashing into her sight. When she closed her eyes, she was reminded of the lamenting sounds made by the pyreflies when she performed the Sending.

"I'm going with you," she told Kato. "It's my pilgrimage, after all. If it's true that it will end here, at Sin's defeat, then I'd like to see it to the end."

Meanwhile, on another, much grander tent, Eilie gestured a sign of prayer after the guard at the Grand Maester's tent let her through. Maester Seymour greeted her from his seat next to Grand Maester Mika, who was sitting on a raised chair in the middle of the tent. Maester Wen Kinoc sat next to him as well, on the opposite direction of Maester Seymour.

"We have heard of what happened in the ravine from your captain," said Maester Seymour, which prompted Eilie to revise through her report in her head. "First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the initiative to rescue Lady Sera. Without you, I would lose one more important family member."

"It was nothing to be thankful of, Lord Seymour," replied Eilie. "I am aware that my actions, though might be seen as noble, violate a large portion of my responsibility as a Crusader. For that reason, I am ready to receive whatever punishment that will be bestowed on me."

"Oh, quite the contrary, really."

Eilie glanced at the Grand Maester Mika, all the while fighting with all of her might to prevent herself from raising an eyebrow at the holy man's remark. But it was Maester Seymour's next words that caught her off guard, "We would like you to join Lady Sera in her pilgrimage, as her guardian."