Dark Summoner

“How fares the Ronso Maester?” Maester Mika asked in his wheezing voice from his place on the central balcony of the courtroom. Kinoc, Seymour and a few guards had gathered around him in the hours since the Summoners and their guardian’s had been walked into the Via Purifico and left to the fiends.

“It seems my father’s murder troubles him.” Seymour answered with an arrogant smirk. Mika laughed.

“Ever the Ronso. Hard-headed, hardly useful.” There was quiet scattered laughter before Seymour returned his dark blue gaze to Mika.

“However…” He began reigning in the attention of the others. “The Summoner Yuna, daughter to the High Summoner Braska… She may be of some use to us alive.” The eldest Maester gave him a critical look before turning to face the rest of the court room.

“She has disturbed the order of Yevon. She can not be allowed to live.” He said steadfastly his tone leaving no room for argument.

“I understand.” He was frowning at Mika’s back almost sullenly.

“Let it go Seymour.” Maester Kinoc added his two gill to the conversation. “No one thrown in to the Via Purifico has ever survived.”

“Hmmmm….” Mika made a thoughtful sound as he let his eyes wonder down to the elevated platform that was hovering just by the edge of the balcony. “Yet there is always a small chance that they might.” He turned around to face Kinoc. “Place guards at the exit. Kill any who emerge.”

“Sir, please allow me to do that.” Seymour interjected with a hurried bow. Mika raised an eyebrow.

“First you father and now your bride?” Seymour had to fight to keep his smirk off his face.

“Allow me to do this because she is my bride.”

“Wait.” Kinoc pushed his way back into the conversation. “I will go, too.” Seymour gave him a look before he tilted his head back and laughed.

“You do not trust me?” Kinoc kept up his jolly act.

“Would you trust a man who murdered his father?” Seymour was momentarily taken aback by the comment but acknowledged that he had left himself open for that retort.

“Very well. As you wish.” He answered neutrally and made his way to the door at the back of the balcony, Kinoc only a few steps behind.

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Yuna was glad for once that no one else was around as she peered into the darkness of the Via Purifico. Her expression was a mix of confusion and terror as the reality of her situation sank in. Summoner Harry hadn’t really helped either. His stories where swirling around in her mind and when coupled with her growing doubts it made her begin to really think about her blind faith in Yevon. Was it worth following the Maester’s? Was it worth following Yevon? Harry had said after all that there was no such thing as Yevon until well after his time. Part of her was screaming, demanding she go back to Maester Mika and beg for Yevon’s forgiveness but another voice whispered rebelliously in the back of her mind. Telling her to believe Harry and forget all about Yevon. Resisting the urge to scream out her frustrations she looked around her general area.

It was cold, dark and damp with only a few scattered and half burnt out torches lighting the way into the depths of the fiend pit. A cold thread of fear wove it’s way into her mind as she wondered into a tunnel off to one side. It was darker down here than by the entrance so when she heard the shuffle of something large ahead her startled jump was justified. Yuna leveled her staff before her chest, ready to Summon at a moments notice when the shuffling turned into footsteps then bickering as two arguing people approached from the other end. She blinked when she saw the bobbing light appear and squinted in the sudden brightness to see what looked to be two males.

“Oh!” The first one said when he stopped arguing long enough to notice her. “It’s you.” Yuna blinked again as the second man spoke up.

“Lady Yuna?” Her eyes began adjusting to the light and Yuna realized who was in front of her, both being Summoner Harry’s Guardian’s. O'aka, the first to have spoken looked a little put off as he moved the end of his staff from out of her face, letting her see that his companion had been Gatta.

“Have you seen Harry or Tidus?” Where the first words out of his mouth as he broke the awkward pause. Yuna shook her head mutely, wondering if they would help her get out. O'aka trailed off with a few curses as he looked up and down the hall before he grabbed Yuna’s arm with his free hand and began to drag her down the hall, calling over to Gatta as he went.

“Lets go!” He declared. “I got a baaaaad feeling ‘bout this!” Thus Yuna was reduced to being dragged along by the pair while her warring thoughts fought for space in her head. She didn’t come around again until they entered another corridor. This one looked as though it had been caved in, but rubble wasn’t all it held.

“Lulu!” the female Summoner gasped out, tugging her arm from O'aka’s grasp and racing over to the black mage. The red-eyed woman had a light sheen of sweat over the skin of her shoulders, face and neck and the pockets of pyreflies, floating through the rubble told the three new comers that she had been fighting something before they arrived. Still the black mage looked somewhat relieved to see them. “Lulu! I’m so sorry I brought you into this…” Yuna trailed off as the older woman shushed her

“Yuna, it’s alright. We as guardian’s accepted this the day we swore to guard you.” The black mage’s words where both reprimanding and comforting. “We will support you in any decision you make, even if we must rebel against Yevon.” There was a faint bitter undertone to her voice but Yuna didn’t hear it as she sagged with relief. Just knowing that her guardians wouldn’t hate her was all she needed to hear as she drew herself up once more, far more focused than she had been previously.

“Alright!” The female Summoner addressed those present confidently. “Lets go and find the others!” Lulu’s lips twitched as the girl took the lead and lead them out of the corridor. Trailing behind with his light O'aka rolled his eyes and leaned over slightly to speak with Gatta.

“I thought that’s what we where doing.” The younger Islander of Besaid blinked almost stupidly before he laughed.

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When they emerged from the dark catacombs into the bright lights of the nighttime city of Bevelle they had to shield their eyes. Even though it was supposed to be dark the palace that loomed above them pushed it away, clearly saying the night wasn’t welcome. Still, the cool air quickly became uncomfortable when you where wearing sopping wet robes. They where panting slightly by the time they dragged themselves out of the deep shaft that ran under the main entrance and gratefully collapsed on solid ground. Wakka looked about two steps from kissing the stone in front of his face.

“Phew! I’m glad we’re outta there!” Rikku chirped, slumping bonelessly to the ground and flopping on her back. Tidus, who had done better than the others, just shook himself off like a dog to get rid of any excess water and took a seat to Harry’s right.

“We’re…pant… not safe yet.” He was right of course. They where tired and breathless sitting on the High bridge, the entry to Bevelle that was swarming with hundreds of soldier monks, all ready to rush out and get them at the Maester’s command. After a minute or so Harry sat up properly and held out his staff, willing their clothes to dry out and repair themselves and a muttered incantation later they where no longer sticking to their skin. Rikku breathed a sigh of relief, but that relief was short lived as a scuffle sounded from across the deserted roadway.

They were on their feet in a flash and ready to fight before they registered the identities of the people emerging from another tunnel like the one they’d pulled themselves from just minutes before.

“Gatta!” Rikku gave a soft squeal and dashed to the boy as he appeared, followed by Oa'ka and Auron. She’d engulfed him in a hug that would have made Mrs Weasley proud when a furry blue Ronso appeared, helping Lulu and Yuna as they emerged behind him. Wakka raced to them, talking as loudly as he dared while Auron took up a place on Harry’s left.

“Did you have any trouble reaching the surface?” He asked, his low voice directed at Harry.

“No.” The Summoner said simply, but Tidus glared up at the gates of Bevelle.

“They threw him with us into the submerged part of the Via Purifico.” He said, the urge to kill something rising. “If it wasn’t for that spell he wouldn’t have made it.” Auron raised an eyebrow at the blonde in a slightly condescending ‘Down boy’ kind of look.

Tidus, of course, ignored him.

O'aka was looking around them shiftily as their voices died down and suddenly decided he didn’t like standing out here anymore. Being a Guardian was making him paranoid.

“Shouldn’t we be going now?” He asked, turning to Harry as well. Everyone else turned to look at the ex-merchant.

“He’s right.” Auron confirmed. “They’ll send someone else to make sure we don’t escape.” Harry looked at him sharply.

“Someone else?” He asked and Yuna stepped into the conversation, a small frown on her face.

“Yes, Summoner Issaru confronted me while we where in the Via Purrifico.” She explained simply and those who hadn’t seen her fight with him got the feeling she wasn’t telling them something. Harry just ignored the feeling and waved them on with his hand.

“Lets go.” He turned to leave but was suddenly halted at a familiar group blocking their way across the bridge and keeping them from their freedom.

“Seymour.” Tidus growled, eyes flashing.

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The blue haired Guado couldn’t keep the smirk off his face as he looked at their stunned faces. To his right a soldier monk was holding Maester Kinoc by the back of his over sized yellow and gold robes. His head was bowed and to anyone looking he might have just been staring at his feet. But Seymour knew better. He gestured to the Monk to drop him and the already dead man obeyed, dropping Kinoc’s body like a sack of potato’s, never to rise again.

“Kinoc!” Auron took a step forward, his voice actually betraying faint traces of grief. Tidus starred at the body as Rikku gave a horrified shout before looking at Seymour.

“More death!” He scowled violently, his body tensing.

“I have saved him.” Seymour said calmly under the blonde’s glare. “He was a man who craved power. And great power he had, but he feared loosing it. Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never knowing rest. You see… Now he has no worries. He has been granted sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away… Ah, yes.” He wasn’t looking at them anymore. His eyes where unfocused and staring into the distance, watching a sight only he could see. “So you see… if all life where to end in Spira, all suffering would end. Don’t you see? Do you not agree? That, Yuna, is why I need you.” Dark blue eyes settled on the female Summoner who stood a few feet away from Harry and a couple more behind.

“Lady Yuna, come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Spira, and for this… I will take from you your strength, Yuna, your life, and become the next Sin. I will destroy Spira! I will save it!” His eye’s held a manic gleam now.

“You’ve got to be totally of your rocker!” O'aka blurted as both Kimahri and Tidus made the short dash to Seymour. Tidus didn’t have to will a transformation as his hand twisted into a gold claw that raked the Guado’s bared chest. His attack was followed up by Kimahri who planted his spear into his flesh, just below the heart and pinning him in place. Seymour looked down at the blade dispassionately before the Soldiers and the body of Kinoc exploded into pyreflies that swirled their way into Seymour.

“How unpleasant.” He said as he waved the staff and Kimahri was flung back violently. The Guardians and Summoners scattered to the sides as the Ronso flew past. Looking back they noticed something was off when the wound began to heal up automatically with no blood flowing from it. Harry was stunned to have recognized the banishing spell for what it was. Having learned it himself in fourth year.

“I’ve learned new spells since the last time we spoke.” Seymour was practically purring as he looked over the rag tag group. “I believe you are familiar with this one, Master Summoner.” Harry stiffened as he rapidly thought over all the possibilities. There where thousands of spells Seymour could have easily learned in a day or so. The blue haired Maester sent him a positively evil smirk and swiped his staff in Harry’s direction.

“CRUCIO!” Harry’s green eyes widened when he realized he had no time to get out of the path of the spell and reacted by closing his eyes… only to open them again when all he felt was a tingle splashing across his chest and fading. He stared numbly down at the front of his robes before he looked up to see Seymour looking at his staff in confusion.

“Why…? Why did it not work?” He asked weakly before Harry began to laugh. It sounded like a mix of relief and pure amusement as he leaned on O'aka. In the few moments it took for him to calm down the guardians had moved into position and Harry finally shook off his laughter.

“Here’s a little theory lesson.” He said, eyes narrowed playfully as he boldly stepped forward and set the Guado Maester that had just killed Kinoc with a dark look. “The Crutacious curse will only work if the caster has the force of will to make the effect happen. You however are a weak minded fool with no idea of the powers you’re trying to wield.” Harry stopped when a previously ignored figure stepped into his view. “Which is good because it makes it easier to do this.” Seymour went on guard when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He span back around to find Tidus in his face wearing an evil grin as he drew back his fist and let fly with a spectacular right hook, catching Seymour across the face.

And so the fight began.

Seymour backed up a good distance away from the group and Pyreflies appeared around him once more. His pallor turned sickly white while his hair and features took on a metallic appearance. The Guado’s eyes went entirely black while his hair stiffened out into a twisted kind of ornate halo. A parasitic creature then crawled over his shoulder and in a slight turn they could see as it drew back its scorpion like tail and stabbed it into the back of his neck, drawing off his power.

Kimahri dragged himself up and got into a ready stance.

“Take Yuna! Go!” He yelled to her guardians and they bundled her off as fast as they could. Auron turned to make Harry do the same but was halted when he found the Summoner glaring at Seymour defiantly.

“You do not deserve the wizards power!” He all but yelled as he gripped his staff and stormed past the much older man, Tidus on his heels. A flaming corona of magic was swirling around him, making his green eyes glow brighter. He didn’t even break his stride as he circled off slightly and hurled a bright red spell at the transformed Guado.

“REDUCTO!” The spell collided with Seymour’s chest and blew out a crater in his flesh and ribs. He went curling over in mid air, a hand going briefly to his chest before the parasite crawled over his shoulder and covered the wound. When it moved back to its original position a few seconds later the injury had been completely healed. Harry didn’t appear to show any surprise at the regenerative display and backed off to the second row so to speak as the other guardians took the fore. Seymour looked down at them blankly.

“I will kill you all.” His voice was frighteningly empty as he raised a hand and cast an elemental spell at Rikku. The fifteen-year-old Al Bhed took the Blizzara head on and was thrown back before a second spell was directed at O'aka. Harry only just managed to get a Reflect spell on the Black mage in time. The spell was sent back at its caster and Seymour stumbled before the parasite fixed the damage. Blue eyes narrowed as Tidus clenched his fists and snatched up the feeling of his transformation.

“Kill that damn bug!” He yelled out right before he transformed and spewed out a gout of blue and white flames. The attack hadn’t been localized on Seymour this time and both cringed under the searing flames. Unable to move properly in the now much smaller bridge Tidus sent one more fireball hurtling in the same path as the last before shrinking back to his human shape and falling into a guard stance, although he still didn’t have a weapon he’d still managed to leave his mark on Seymour. There where burns and other signs of damage that the Moxibody hadn’t healed.

Even so, Seymour appeared unfazed. He simply raised his hand and let fly with a volley of Thundara spells. Yet again O'aka’s reflect shield diverted the spell back on the caster. Harry fell back to Rikku’s side as Kimahri entered the battle proper, jumping high above the combatants and driving his spear down into Seymour’s head. The point slid off the hardened shell of his hair but had the added bonus of hitting the parasite.

A Cura was enough to bring Rikku back to her feet and she darted in once more, supported by a hail of automatic gunfire from Gatta as Harry set up defensive spells around himself and stared through the shimmering air at Seymour pensively, a scan spell activated. Unlike some of the fiends and Aeons he’d encountered in the past Seymour wasn’t particularly bothered by the various elements. Holy magic was more effective than fire, ice, water or lightning but there was nobody in their party who knew enough to use it. That caliber of White Magic took a great benevolent force to utilize and right now, Harry was sure everyone was feeling more that a little upset toward the already dead Maester. Tidus’s eyes where beginning to glow with the force of his righteous fury…

“That’s it!” He snapped his fingers and dismissed the spells around him before taking on a stance Tidus recognized when he looked back. The staff was glowing this time with white light as he held it to the sky and the beam of light once again connected the heavens and the earth but even as Tidus steeled himself for the deathly cold of the Aeon be found himself staring. The spell circle appeared on the flagstones of the bridge but instead of darkness pouring out, it was light. The corona flared, taking on a rainbow effect and the smells of springtime filled the air as Harry swung the staff down. Then, standing before him was a woman.

She was old that much was obvious, but unlike the last time Demeter had been summoned to the battlefield. Dressed in white she radiated a kind of glowing beauty that spoke of kindness and strength. She was nothing like the twisted and sour old hag of before.

“Demeter! Please help us seal away those who should have passed on but linger.” Harry’s voice came from behind and Demeter’s own emerald colored eyes opened to take in the sight of Seymour. She frowned and nodded when the baby she held in her arms began to cry. She made no move to attack but nine semi-solid glowing orbs of light orbited around her, growing brighter before they shot into the sky and came back down in a perfect circle around Seymour. Even he couldn’t hold back the sudden pulse of emotion he felt at the sheer power pushing in on him from all sides. In their rotation the orbs gave the illusion of a solid ring as they sped up before exploding in a fantastic display of pyrotechnics. There was a high-pitched squeal from ground zero and a deeper shout joined it. The light then finally began to fade away, leaving Seymour on his knees.

There was an odd noise in the silence that had followed and the parasite disengaged from its host, falling lifelessly to the ground. After that Seymour began to power down. His metallic features simply melting away as he gave them an almost betrayed look and burst into a cloud pyreflies. Everyone else stared, stunned having been involved in the death of a Maester for a second time. Then O'aka broke the silence, letting out a great whoosh of air from his lungs all in one go.

“Does anyone else feel like that was just a tad to short?” Everyone looked at him flatly.

“What?!” The Black mage squawked indignantly. Auron let a chuckle escape his mouth before he turned and walked past Harry and his faintly frowning Aeon. Demeter followed his path with green eyes as he passed and finished by looking at Harry in question. The Summoner just shook his head.

“I think Seymour was the only guard they left here Demeter.” He waved a dismissal and once again the woman bowed before vanishing in a pulse of light. The others easily slipped into their places around him as they turned their backs on the gateway to Bevelle.

“Lets get out of here...” Tidus murmured, his eyes easily picking out the forms of people waiting for them at the end of the bridge. “…before somebody else tries to kill us.”

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Harry’s eyes where closed as he sat patiently amid the trees of Macalania once more.

The forest with its distant music and magical aura was one of the most peaceful places in Spira. If he closed his eyes and let go of his magic he could almost feel the sentient life of the trees beyond the ring of flames created by the Aura’s of those who sat in the clearing, awaiting the all clear from their lookouts.

With so much magic in the air Harry almost felt like he was home.

Behind him Tidus shifted into a more comfortable position and sent a relatively discreet glare at Wakka when he got a constipated look at their display. Harry was in his lap, just drifting in the borders of sleep after expending the energy he had to summon. Normally it wouldn’t have bothered him but a long swim through the Via Purifico didn’t exactly do wonder’s for physical states. The party sat in silence for a long time before the nearly silent footsteps sounded from the direction of the road.

“It’s clear.” Auron announced as he entered the clearing. Harry opened his eyes and looked up at him as Gatta skipped through behind. “The guards have given up searching for us for now and have retreated to Bevelle, but we will have to avoid that place in the future.” There was a general murmur of accent as the others fell back into their own thoughts or picked up small conversations, settling in to camp for the night. They didn’t want to risk a fire or any lights, in case the soldier monk’s where still in the area so they sat in the eternal sparkling twilight without complaint.

After around half an hour had passed Tidus looked up from watching the top of Harry’s head to find Yuna standing over them. She chewed her lip and gave an odd half bow before looking down at Harry.

“Uhhh… would it be… could I please speak with you Master Summoner?” Tidus gave Harry a gentle shake and a mental prod to awaken him from his meditation.

‘Yuna wants to speak to you about something.’ Harry’s eyes opened and he looked up at the female Summoner, blinking owlishly as he wondered what she could want to discuss. Slowly he got to his feet and looked at her expectantly. Yuna blushed and beckoned him down another path so they could speak in private. Tidus watched them go and remained far calmer than anyone in the clearing had thought he would. What they didn’t know though was that he’d opened his connection to Harry and was listening in through the Summoner. Kimahri took up a guard position near the pair but didn’t get any closer and Tidus let his mind wonder…

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“So what is it you wished to speak of?” Harry asked as he sat down on the bank of the large spring that dominated a nearby clearing. In the center was a gigantic tree, similar to the others of the forest but this one seemed far more powerful, probably because it was sitting right on top of the source. Yuna, who had chosen to remain standing moved right to the edge of the water and looked out toward the forest on the other side.

“… I used to read the stories about the Master Summoner in the temples during my apprenticeship as a Summoner…” Harry closed his eyes again as she said those words, a distinct feeling of annoyance creeping up through his mind.

“It was those stories that made me want to continue being a Summoner. My father was always telling them to me as well… How was it you stood up to such great odds? I barely had the courage to leave Besaid, I tried to stall I was so nervous. I just wanted to run away and never think about dying with the Final Summoning ever again…” her ramblings trailed off and Harry sighed. His right hand moving up to pinch the bridge of his nose, while the other wrapped around his knees.

“I defeated Voldemort because I wasn’t allowed to run away.” He answered her question flatly, making her look at him in shock. Harry waved at her in a dismissive gesture but continued. “There was a prophecy that was never revealed to the public.” He explained tiredly. “It bound me to defeat Voldemort or be killed by his hand and let the whole world go to hell.”

“But you did your duty anyway.” She appealed. “You didn’t fear him.”

“Oh I feared him.” Harry admitted bitterly. “He scared the shit out of me, he manipulated me and my blood even helped to give him a new body.” He cast a speculative eye on the girl as his mind picked apart the conversation piece by piece and drew conclusions.

“You’re afraid.” He said outright and Yuna jumped. “You don’t know which way is up because someone swept the carpet out from under your feet and now you’re looking for someone else to tell you what to do because that’s what you’ve been doing all your life.” He shook his head and looked away, Yuna stared in dumb silence, frozen in place at the lecture he was giving her.

“I can’t tell you what you have to do.” He refused to look back at her. “You can follow, you can lead, or you can just give up. Either way the decision is yours to make and yours alone. Don’t be something else for me to worry about.” That said he stopped speaking altogether. He wasn’t sure how long it was, but it came as a relief when the other Summoner finally left…

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The look on Yuna’s face was nearly stricken when she walked back into view of the camp, Kimahri in tow. Tidus rolled his eyes when she looked at him as she passed and she blushed bright red. Snorting the blonde got to his feet and walked off down the path.

When he reached the clearing with the spring he slowed his step and looked across at his Summoner. Harry had his head pressed into his knees as he breathed slowly and deliberately. Tidus walked over and sat down so that the dark haired Summoner was pressed against his side. Yuna’s prying hadn’t exactly done wonders. There was a thrum of discontent in the back of his mind and the babble of an incoherent voice as Harry’s mind turned circles around his memories. After a while they began to recede and their owner shifted in the blonde’s hold.

“What was Zanarkand like?” Tidus was slightly startled at the random question and took a minute to think before he answered.

“It was a city that never slept.” He said rather absently as he tried to conjure up his memories of the city, having difficulty because he didn’t really miss it anymore. “Where ever you went it was brightly lit, with people moving everywhere, partying the night away.”

“Hmmm…” Harry murmured, eyes half lidded as they stared out at the spring.

“The people there loved blitzball.” Tidus went on. “There would be a game nearly every night of the week and hundreds of people would come to cheer…” His eyes took on a distant look of their own.

“Nobody ever really lacked for anything, everyone was always safe… no one had a care in the world other than whether or not their team won or if they’d get tickets to the right concert…” Now that he thought about it there had been a few wars at some point, but they seemed glossed over… as if they hadn’t really happened…

“I had a dream about a city like that once.” Tidus snapped out of his thoughts and looked down to see Harry’s bright emerald eyes staring back.

“Really?” Harry nodded with a growing whimsical smile.

“Yeah, not many people knew about it though. I think at some point in the past, before…” For a moment he looked as though he wasn’t going to continue but soon shook himself out of his brief trance. “…before my former Guardian’s died I was planning to rebuild the wizarding world. I… no, we were all going to bring it out of the past and integrate it with the muggle world, we aimed to create a world where wizards could be accepted, where we wouldn’t have to hide in fear of persecution.”

“We had magic in Zanarkand.” Tidus offered up brightly. “Maybe your dream really did come about after all.” For a moment Harry stared at him with wide eyes before he relaxed again with a smile.

“Maybe.” He conceded and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Then, a few minutes later the peace was shattered.

“I want to go swimming.”

Tidus nearly gagged in surprise at Harry’s abrupt statement and sat bolt upright.

“Wha…?” He leaned back to look at his Summoner but the other teen had already leapt to his feet and walked the water’s edge, a trail of clothes behind him.

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