"Wretched beast! You will NOT defile this place with the blood of those who serve Yevon! I will not allow it! Burn, and be damned!" Erk spread his arms out wide, as the Waters flowed around him, encasing him in frothing foam. With a cry, he brought his arms down and together to point at the assassin. The roiling waters screamed from him, and blasted into the infidel as grating shards of flaming ice.

Impressive as this all was, Erk couldn't keep this up much longer. His toils at the beach were beginning to take their toll, and the only thing keeping him going was his righteous anger. He had to keep it up, though.... the priests... they needed...

Erk's arms began to sag, though his arcane barrage didn't let up...

Shinu ran in and blindsided the dagger wielding person. People attacking the temple priests becoming a trend now. She slapped the hand of the assassin, knocking the dagger out and turned his back on the arcane magic, taking it for a second while Erk had time to see that he'd intercepted it. He grabbed the assassin by the neck and choked him as he lifted him up off of his feet and planted him up against the wall.

The only way for you to live right now is to cooperate. I've got too many guardians and you're cornered. Now, I'm going to disarm you and you will walk out of that door. Do you understand?

His grip was tight, his free hand on his blade in the case of an attempt from the man to surprise him. If it was going to get ugly, Shinu was ready, but he preferred that everyone walk away harm free, at least for now.

Erk lowered his arms and slumped down on his feet, but stepped forward, mouth open to protest letting the infidel leave unmutilated...

But his legs gave out on him then, and he crumpled to the ground in a heap.

"Erk, sometimes you leave me confused on whether or not you joined this pilgrimage to defeat Sin or to tour the temples and pull rank with the Maesters.

Erk, honestly I can't understand all the Yevon howling you do everywhere you go. If Sin was created and continued according to Yevon's will would you still be joining this pilgrimage or would you praying every time it splashes up on an island beach to destroy another village?

I'm getting really uncomfortable having already been on warrior monk duty in both of the temples we've stopped at. You could've killed that man, don't you realize everytime you take the life of another Spiran you fall down to their level?

A summoner and his guardians are above criminals, above Spirans, and above Yevon's Priest, and Yevon's Maesters themselves? Why, because we take up a fight against Sin. None of the others do. The Maesters can make our laws, the warrior monks can fight crime, and the criminals can break the laws. None of them will fight Sin, but we will and I think you'd agree that doin that is so hard we can't afford to have any distractions that make it more difficult for us to do that. Would you make it any harder for Shinu to recieve the power of the fayth by choice?

With every Spiran's life you take and every Spiran's life you threaten you make it so Shinu becomes more and more like Sin and less and less like the will of the faith. I don't condone that man's actions, but I don't condone you threatning his life either. There's nothing moral about stopping any kind of injustice with another unjust act. Do you really think morality works according to content and situations? No evil means ever lead to good ends. You can keep killing and fighting and punishing, or you can do the right thing. I hope you think about which way you will choose in the future. I've decided mine in advance.

Remember we are here to save Spirans, not take their lives so that Sin doesn't have to.

Now that we're here at the temple Shinu must face the cloister of trials. It's way to small for more than three of us. I'm going this time and of course Shinu has to go, so who's the third? Erk seems like he needs a rest, and he probably would like to talk things over with his priest buddies."

Mieli eyed Kat, Asuma, and Tif.

"Eany, meany, miney, mo. Catch an oglop by its toe. If it blops let it go. Eany, meany, miney, mo.

Ialdo struggled against the mans grip, but there was no escape. He knew he was outnumbered, and the mage could have proably killed him if he had wanted to...
"Fine" Ialdo said angrily, "But don't think this is the last time we'll meet." he looked the man in the eye. "I don't let anything get in the way of a contract. You'll be next. NowNow put me down... please".

Shinu dropped the man back down to his feet after he held all of his weapons. He wrapped them up in a destroyed carpet tile.

Oh believe me, I hope we meet in a better place...

He remembered that he still was a summoner, and after Mieli's speech, he needed to act a little less aggressive than he had been lately.

That sounds good Asuma. Mieli, let's go.

As the men headed into the cloister, Shinu shook his anger and prepared his mind mentally for the trials ahead.

The trio walked up the elaborate steps with an encased red fire lining the sides. They entered the cloister of trials shoulder to shoulder, with Shinu in the middle. They climbed into the lift that shook a bit and then lowered them slowly down to the sub level of the temple. They walked through a short hallway with glowing walls of flaming glyphs and reached a very large double door.

The room they entered had three slots to enter spheres, two of them occupied with bright flames flickering above the Kilika spheres. A pedestal rest at the center of the room with a special sphere. Tif pointed at it and Shinu picked it up and placed it in the northern wall as it set ablaze and burned to ash.

The next room had a pedestal in the middle as well and a large fire in the pit down below. Shinu was tempted to push the pedestal down into the flame thinking something would happen in their favor, but he was stopped at the last second.

Mieli saw the pedestal and wasn't as cautious as Shinu, he pushed it right into the fire pit. The flames flared up against the platform the party was standing on, and then nothing else happened.

"Heh, I think I forgot something."

Mieli walked over to a flashing floor tile and stepped on it. This reset the room and its pedestal back to its original form. Mieli went over to the wall with sphere shaped recess and placed destruction sphere he snagged from the last room in the recess. The wall exploded to the party's right with a treasure chest inside.

((If you don't want to read all this, please skip down to the bottom of the post))

I still don't know too many things about these temples Mieli, but one thing I do know is that finding a treasure chest is always a good thing.

Shinu walked in and popped open the chest, the old wooden top creaked as it flung back and knocked the whole box off balance for a split second. He looked inside to see the contents weren't exactly full, but there was something in there. Shinu reached in and lifted out a small locket on a thin golden chain. He didn't look at it too long, but slipped it in his pocket with the ring he'd gotten in Besaid. Afterwards, he turned and looked back at Mieli and Asuma.

At least that fire stopped, I think we're just about done now, and I'll have to go in there and face a fayth again.

Asuma nodded and was the first to go down the stairs to be sure it was safe enough for Shinu to proceed. Mieli followed behind Shinu as he snatched the last Kilika sphere from the eastern wall in the former pit of flames. The light traveling below their feet finally stopped and the three men proceeded to ascend the final staircase. Shinu slipped the sphere into the final hold and watched as the door burst into flames and a chiming sound filled the room. He removed it and handed it to Mieli.

Thanks men, I'll try to make this quick.

Ieyui
Nobomenu
Renmiri
Yojuyogo
Hasatekanae
Kutamae

The familiar creaking of the stone doors opening was the catalyst that stopped the male voice from continuing it's singing. A familiar layout presented itself to whomever had been deemed worthy to enter this hallowed place. However, simply entering this place did not guarantee said someone would come away with the aeon it sought. First he must prove his worth. And thus, the transparent soul residing in the aeon's statue presented itself to the someone and he crossed his arms.

You are a brave soul to come into my temple and pass my Cloister of Trails. But more is needed. I am the Aeon Ifrit. My fire must burn strong within my summoner. Are you worthy of me?

It was not a difficult question to ask, and yet the burden lay upon the summoner. Was he worthy to yield the power of fire? Because if he was not, he was going to get burned.

Compliments to Saami

Shinu stepped up with confidence surging through his veins. The heat of the room caused him to start to sweat as the small beads began to drop down the sides of his face. As they went trickling down he gathered his thoughts and remembered Kat's healing, and with that he was ready to answer.

My name is Shinu, and I come from this very island of Kilika. I have very capable guardians and in our last fight I successfully summoned the great Valefor with great proficiency. My talents are growing every second and some day, I will defeat Sin. As confident as I am in myself and my guardians, I am smart enough to understand that I can't do it without you and the rest of the fayth. I ask that you join us on our quest to defeat Sin, so that I may give you and the people of Spira a much deserved rest.

Shinu didn't even blink as the beads of sweat meticulously droppped into his eyebrows, collecting and coming close to getting in his eyes. This time, Shinu paid no mind to the scriptures on the walls and focused his attention on the fayth and the fayth alone. He wasn't a new summoner anymore, and he finally started coming into his own.

The spirit that resided in Ifrit stepped up to Shinu. This fayth was tall, at least three inches taller than Shinu and his bright red eyes began to glow. Ifrit was trying to do his best to intimidate Shinu, a test of his courage in this heated, sauna like chamber of the fayth. As Ifrit's eyes lit up even more, so to did the fire along the rooms walls. Flames of crimson and powerful orange lit the scriptures of the chamber, making them visible for the first time to Shinu. They still couldn't be deciphered, and it made him a bit curious. He disregarded that when Ifrit stomped his foot on the ground, causing sparks to shoot out of the flames on the wall.

For a brief moment, Shinu felt a bit of rage coming from his body. Hid blood was boiling under this heat. He locked eyes with Ifrit, despite the fact that this was a rare occasion where he had to look up at someone. He ignored the sweat rolling down, marginally avoiding his eyes. The sweat started to slide down his protruding jaw line, and rolled into his goatee, collecting momentarily before dropping to hot floor. The scorching ground slowly began to overpower Shinu's shoes, emitting heat in and wearing down even his feet. Shinu was sick of the waiting to say the least. He made his claim, he gave his heart with his words, and now he was being intimidated. He would have none of this. Shinu stepped forward, matching the two's chests up against each other. He couldn't feel the contact, as Ifrit was merely a fayth, but the point was made. He wouldn't back down from anything, not even Ifrit.

Ifrit stepped back and took a long look at Shinu, to see how well he was really built. He could see his veins in his forearms and in his calfs. His legs were solidly built, calf muscles solid and thighs most likely matching. Ifrit worked his way to his upper body. Shinu had a strong chest, but his shoulders weren't so wide. The muscle in his arms was very tone and definitive, his left arm being noticeably bigger than the right. This was a product of swinging Nuraki with his left and just naturally being left handed. His wrists were a bit thin, but his strong forearms dispelled those worries for Ifrit. His overall evaluation pleased him, as he was impressed with Shinu's physical condition.

Summoner Shinu, I will join you on your pilgrimage. I will make you stronger and allow you more control over your power. You are by far in the greatest raw physical condition of any summoner that comes through here. I'm tired from all the summons like all the other fayths, but with your potential, I will gladly fight not for you, but along side of you. Valefor and I will prove to be formidable, as I am sure Valefor already has. I can't wait to get my chance Shinu, and to see what you bring to the table as well. Good luck young summoner.

Thank you Ifrit. I am sure that your legendary power that precedes you in reputation will hold true. Your words mean a lot, and I will do whatever it takes to live up to these flattering words of confidence. Let's do this then.

Shinu and Ifrit grinned with pride as Ifrit's body fused into Shinu's. This time, there was a much different effect on Shinu's body, much more of a positive effect. Ifrit didn't lie. The power began to flow through out Shinu's body with a heated sensation flowing through his arteries. His muscles bulged and his veins showed prominently through his skin, surging with a new found power. All the heat flowing into his body from the chamber was emitted back out towards it. Steam let out into the air off of Shinu's body as Ifrit made himself at home. Shinu flexed his muscles one good time to feel his new power and see it for himself. His chest and abs strained and tested his now tight shirt as his muscles overwhelmed it. He let up and breathed easier with a smile. It was time to keep the pilgrimage moving.

Asuma immediately noticed the change in build for Shinu. He understood this would happen, but Shinu's youth allowed Ifrit to really pay his body dividends. Asuma just gave him a smirk.

Well then, shall we get going?

((Ok, first of all, forgive my absence, my laptop has been broken, and it still is for the most part, I lost everything I had saved, and I didn't give that great of an effort here. It seems this place died when I left, but if anyone is still here, I'm sorry, and willing to go on with whoever will help me.

Secondly, this post is long, I know. Shinu got the aeon, and just came back out, ready to leave. Mieli and Asuma are still there with him, and can continue. Kat and Erk are still in the temple))

('Bout time! Good luck with your laptop... but really, there are other ways to get on the net.

For instance, the public libr...... oh wait. Never mind. Sigh.)

With a great crash, the wave broke over Erk, and he was pulled under by the current. Down, down he fell, spiraling into the pull of the hungry darkness below, the roiling surface passing ever further from his reach. Down, down into the blackness of the depths, the inky tendrils of shadow reaching up to envelope him, to devour him whole.

He could feel it. He could feel it, it's insatiable hunger, lurking below him. Ever below, ever stalking. It was coming for him, he knew it. It had always been there, just below the surface, and now it had found him, and he could not escape this time. Not again. It would have him this time, and he would be...

Erk bolted upright in his bed with a shriek that would curdle blood, sending the priests clucking and worrying over him scattering in fright like swallows gathered in a street. He lay back after a moment, and closed his eyes, his chest heaving in and out.

This was was different from the others. It had been so much clearer, so much more... real. It lacked the dreamlike quality of his nights of late. It felt as if it was happening all over again... He could almost feel it... the fire, the blasts of glittering light... and then the cold. Oh yes, the deep, bone-sunken cold...

Erk shook his head. No! It was over, and it wouldn't happen again. It couldn't happen again. Underneath the blankets, he clenched his fist. He wouldn't let it.