33. Via Purifico (1/2)
our story so far: baralai has found an ancient weapon that may be enough to end sin— but also spira. before they face sin, however, isaaru and his guardians must finish off shuyin.
vegnagun had vanished, taking with it almost all light and sound. in the hollow silence, two distant splashes offered bleak testimony to ears that strained to hear. the only remaining illumination came from the elevator's lights and a swarm of pyreflies left behind, drifting hungrily towards the remaining combatants.the fight had ebbed but not ended. juno and elma had pacce pinned to the deck. he fought back in a snarling frenzy, thrashing and biting their arms. nooj, meanwhile, had picked up juno's sword and was limping towards them, using it as a crutch. he balked at the edge of the pyrefly cloud, taking a deep
eath before wading in.on the far end of the
idge, isaaru kept lonely vigil. weeping as he prayed, he was dancing for both the fallen and the foe.shuyin's madness was spreading. juno, kneeling on pacce's chest, suddenly bent forward to wrap her gauntlets around his throat. elma moved to stop her, but somehow wound up grabbing the younger woman's helm, twisting it like a cork. pacce redoubled his efforts, flailing at elma's unprotected eyes with his fingers curled into claws. all three were sucking in pyreflies with every
eath.nooj had reached them now. "don't listen," he snapped. "elma. juno. focus. think of something you love. shuyin's trying to control you."elma let go with a gasp. "son of a—!"her oath was cut short by juno's mailed elbow punching her in the face. she crumpled with a yelp, clapping her hands over her nose.taking advantage of their distraction, shuyin gave a violent heave and
oke free. pyreflies streamed from his shoulders as he snatched up his sword and charged towards his
other."dammit!" cupping her nose with one hand, elma swiped at empty air. "sir! watch out!"for a moment isaaru seemed unaware, twirling in a sluggish dance that mimicked the lazy arcs of the pyreflies. then he raised his hand. "in yevon's name," he said with strained conviction, "you will release my
other. begone. you have no place in spira!"pacce stumbled, hunkering down with fists clenched and head lowered. "yevon? that old conjurer won't help you." he took another menacing step forward. "you've been praying to a lie, summoner."juno had caught up with pacce. she gripped his hand and wrist, wrenching his sword away."faith is no lie." isaaru drew dignity about himself like a cloak and began to dance again, wet cheeks gleaming under the pyreflies. "what kind of a man were you, shuyin, that you would destroy the world for love?" his voice rose and fell, swinging between bitter anger and quiet, gentle sorrow. "what kind of a woman was she, to deserve such a memorial? would she take joy in causing a lover's betrayal? daughter's blood on father's hands?
other turned against
other? was lenne such a monster, to condone such cruelty?""no!" pacce was trembling now, barely struggling when juno pinned his arms behind him. pyreflies boiled upwards like clouds of steam. "lenne gave her heart to the world, and it betrayed her!""and you honor her love with hate?" isaaru kept spinning, his gestures growing more emphatic. yet his voice changed from stern to coaxing, swelling with sudden warmth. "pacce. believe in yourself. i still do."pacce shuddered, tears starting in his eyes. "i c-can't.""yes, you can, kiddo." elma, still covering her face with her hand, limped towards him. "nobody could fight shuyin alone: not elder cid, not us, not anybody. it wasn't your fault you couldn't. but isaaru's here now. he's the best summoner around, eh? he can kick this guy's ass."a luminous form began to emerge from the young man's body: taller, leaner, a golden figure advancing on isaaru with drawn sword. shuyin was growing more transparent with every step, but still he came.juno released pacce and started forward, although the battle was squarely in the summoner's hands now. but before she could overtake shuyin, a second glowing figure coalesced in front of isaaru. a slender woman stood there with arms outstretched, barring shuyin's path. her clothes were of a style unknown to them, a short ruffled dress of sparkling blue."you must stop!" she said."lenne?" shuyin froze. "lenne. is it really you?""you called me, shuyin. i am here.""but i searched. i searched for so long—""shuyin, it's time to rest. leave vengeance to the lady."isaaru, still performing the sending dance, lost a step to astonishment. he stared doubtfully at the drifting lights cloaking the woman, wafting up from the depths. something rumbled far below, a hair-raising groan at the edge of hearing."they deserve it," shuyin said. "they—""i wrote a song for you, shuyin." she smiled and stepped forward, drawing him into her arms. "maybe you've heard it. listen." soft and low, she began to purr into his ear. "ieyui nobomeno..."pyreflies converged on the pair as they em
aced. unearthly cries on the edge of hearing merged into the hymn of the fayth. the lovers faded one pyrefly at a time, waning into darkness. isaaru
ought his hands together to seal the ritual and fell to his knees.hurrying over, juno offered him a hand up with a gruff, "isaaru, i'm sorry."pacce was sobbing on elma's shoulder. as isaaru started towards him, a dim shape of light and shadow caught his attention. another figure stood where shuyin and lenne had been a moment before, head bowed, hands folded. this woman had fuller curves, darker hair, bone-pale skin, a long black gown that fell to her feet."milady?" he said, dazed.the stranger raised a finger to her lips, then turned and glided away, pyreflies in her train. the others seemed oblivious to her presence. isaaru gave a cry when she reached pacce and planted a light kiss on his forehead. then she was gone.far below, two warriors sank through a void with pyreflies for stars. the second was no more than a faint silhouette. the first was substantial, not yet reconciled to his condition, and raged in silent denial of the nothingness they had become.dammit. you know, if isaaru hadn't been sending shuyin, someone coulda slapped me with a phoenix down....or not, i guess. what the hell did you have to go and drop me for?uh...right. 'no comment,' eh? death hasn't changed you a bit. speaking of which, what're you doing here? i'm the one with the great big hole in my gut.oh, no. don't tell me. that's what you were hiding? and the sending got you, too? jeez, man. i don't know what to say....idiot, maybe. wasn't sending shuyin your clever plan? and now isaaru's short two guardians.poor pacce. he's gonna be a complete wreck.so...um...hey. you're unsent, right? you pulled it off once already. so why can't we both go back? it's just killin' me, leaving 'em like this.a woman's voice cut through the one-sided conversation: "all you need is determination."huh? i'm pretty damned sure i don't want to die, lady!"none of us wants to die. but existence is more than negating a negative. what is it you cannot forsake? what drives you, warrior, that you would endure a waking death, forgoing the farplane's peace?"my