Destiny Awaits

Tidus Side

Chapter 1: The journey begin

Everyone sat down under some Sakura trees in Amatsu. The peddles of Sakura flowers were dancing in the air. The birds were chirping cheerfully on the trees. It was a very beautiful scenery. However, everyone was in despair. They hardly even talked. That could be their last time to be sitting down together. Who knows what might happen tomorrow, everyone might die in the battle tomorrow. But they had no choice but to face it. They had to protect the entire world from destruction.

Tidus suddenly broke the silence, "Let's promise that we would live after tomorrow. Let's come here again after the battle!!" He stood up and shouted. He tried to smile. However, he failed, as deep down his heart, he knew that it might be impossible....

16 years ago, on a windy night, the sky was dark as the moon was hiding behind the cloud. A young women was running in the forest. She was holding two babies in her arms. However, there were a bunch of monsters chasing after her. She tried to escape. But she could hardly see in the forest. She fall down few times. And the babies were crying in shock. The mother still hold them tightly in her arms, trying to avoid them from being injured. She ran and ran, trying to escape from the monsters which were still chasing her. Out of the sudden, the women was again tripped by a tree root. However, one of her babies fall from her arms. The baby cried even louder. She tried to get up and find her baby but her legs were injured badly from the fall.

Out of the sudden, a wolf jumped out from nowhere. The baby was under its legs. The young women was stunned. She tried to save her baby. She stood up and ran towards the wolf despite her legs were injured. The wolf grabbed the baby with its teeth and ran into the bushes and disappear.

"NO..... Don't take my baby!!!!" The women shouted. Her eyes suddenly burst with tears. She wanted to save her baby. However, she didn't know where the wolf was running at which direction. She could only hear the cry of her babies from a far away distance. She hugged her another babies even tighter, she was afraid to lose another of her baby. She only could prayed in her heart that the baby would be safe. She started to run again, as she was afraid the monsters might come back again.

She saw some lights from a far distance. She ran towards the light, hoping that there was someone there to help her. It was a temple. She was relieved. She knocked the gate of the temple with her full strength. She suddenly felt that she did not have any strength left. She fainted in front of the gate. "Who's that??" A monk came to see who was knocking the gate. He saw a figure was lying in front of the gate. A baby was in her arm, crying loudly. He quickly opened the gate. "Madam... Madam... Are you alright?? "

"What are you doing there?? Quit standing there day dreaming!! Mop the floor now!!" Tidus was shocked. He was thinking in his mind.

Tidus was a small acolyte, he lived in the church of Prontera since he was a baby. He had no idea who were his parents. The poster of the church told him that a kind man saved him in the forest and brought him to the church. Since that, he had been living in the church. He had to do all the laundry and other hard works. Everyone in the church bullied him by asking him to do all the hard works. But, Tidus, without any complaints, did all the work. He had no friends, except a swordman that he knew few years ago.

It was Christmas, the snow was quite thick. Tidus was asked by his seniors to go and get some fire wood outsite the city to keep the church warm. He followed the orders without any complaints. He wore an extra old thorned jacket. The weather was extremely cold. Everything was covered in snow. There was no people on the street. Everyone was in their houses celebrating the Christmas. Tidus walked towards the east gate of Prontera. There was some guards guarding the gate.

"Hey, you little acolyte here, what are you doing here during this hour?" The guard asked.
"I was asked to collect fire wood," Tidus answered, while shivering, he was scared by the guard as the guard was fully armored and he carried a sword.

The guard let him go through the gate. "Be careful, there could be a snow storm later."
Tidus quickly passed the gate without looking back. He went into the forest outsite the gate. He digged the snow to look for fire wood.

Suddenly, he felt that he digged something. To his surprise, it was a hand. He fall down and sat on the ground. He was shocked. After he had calm down, he digged even deeper. It was a person buried by the snow. The person was unconscious and looked pale.

"Heal!!" Tidus tried to heal the person with his skill. His ability was limited. There was not much effect. He then called for help, but there was no other people. He had no choice but to hold him back to the city. The snow started to fall. The snow became thicker and thicker. It was difficult to walk on snow. But Tidus didn't give up, he used all his strength to hold the person back to the city. He finally reached the gate. He called for help. The guard just now was surprised. He helped Tidus to hold the person inside. The guard told Tidus that he would take the person back to the swordman guild as the person was a swordman.

Tidus went back to the church. He didn't tell anyone what had happened. However, he was scolded as he did not bring back any fire wood. Few days later, a swordman came to church. He was looking for the person who helped him. The bishop asked everyone to assemble at the main hall. Tidus was suprised to see the swordman. He was the one who he had saved few nights ago. But he did not dare enough to admit he was the one. The others would not believe him.

The swordman walked towards Tidus.
"Are you the one who saved me?"
"Ummm... umm... how could you recognize me??"
"I remembered the one who saved me was wearing a ring like yours... and the guard told me that it was an acolyte who saved me..."

"Thanks for saving me..."
"Oh... " Tidus did not know how to respond. He kept looking down.

The hall became noisy after knowing Tidus was the one who saved the swordman.
"He is so weak... How did he save the swordman? This must be a joke..."
"It must be Tidus telling lie..."
"Probably the swordman recognized wrong person... "
Everyone did not believe Tidus could save the swordman.

"Silence!!" shouted the bishop, "Back to your rooms at once," he ordered.
All other acolytes went back to their rooms as ordered. Tidus turned around and headed to his room as well.
"Wait... I haven't known your name yet... "
"Umm... umm... my... my name is... Tidus..."
"Hi, nice to meet you... I am Chaos."

From that time onwards, they became good friends. Chaos always came to visit Tidus in the church. Sometimes, they would go to the hill or forest nearby to spend their free time. Chaos would also helped Tidus to do some works in the church.

"Hey, you!! You have been spending two hours mopping the floor. Faster and finish it!!!" Tidus was again scolded. He kept quiet. Suddenly, his ring was glowing with red lights. He was surprised.
"What is that?!?!?" Tidus tried to cover his ring with his hand. He quickly ran back to his room with surprise. He could not turn the light off.

Suddenly, there was a voice from somewhere.
"My dear sons, you are my only hope... Go my sons... Go and claim back what you lost... Go..."

"Mother?? Is that you??" Tidus touched his ring, hoping that he could trigger something that could make the red light appeared again. But he was not successful. He was also confused. The ring never glowed like that before. Was that his mother's voice? he thought in his heart.

Someone knocked on Tidus' door. "Tidus, are you in there?? " It was Chaos who came to look for Tidus. Tidus quickly wiped out his tears and pretended nothing had happened. He opened the door to let Chaos in.

"One of your senior told me you are in your room. Anything happened? He told me you was running as fast as a lightning into your room." Tidus kept silence. He was unsure if he should share what had happened just now to Chaos. Chaos might not believe him.

"Oh... by the way... Are you free tonight?" Chaos asked. "I have given a mission to go to Payon to settle something. This is a secret mission. But I need some help. So I think of you. Do you think you could accompany me?"

Tidus was yet surprised again. Chaos never asked him to go for mission together. Furthermore, he would surely not allowed to go despite all the works he needed to do in the church. Tidus explained to him that he could not help him as the bishop sure would not allow him.

"Why are you still obedient to them when they treat you like a maid?? You should not keep staying here being used by them. You should get out of here and explore the world. I am sure that you have a dream that you wish to fulfill deep down in your heart right??" Chaos tired to affect Tidus so that Tidus would change his mind.

Dream?? Tidus thought hard in his mind. Did he really ever have one?
"Meet me at the south gate of Prontera at 8pm. Don't tell anyone and come alone." said Chaos without waiting Tidus for an answer. Tidus tried to reject but Chaos already ran out from the room. He was running like a wild horse. Tidus was puzzled. Should he help him? The others would not allow him for sure. But Chaos was his only friend...

"I think I should help out Chaos..." Tidus was somehow affected by Chaos's words. The message he received from the ring also affected his decision. It might be a good opportunity to find the meaning of claiming back what he had lost. He went out from the church with a small bag pack when it was evening. He could not bring too much stuffs as he wanted to avoid being caught. He silently left the church without telling everyone. He took the back door and ran towards the South gate of Prontera. He did not use the main route. He chose to take the back streets. He could avoid walking into anyone from the church on the street.

He waited behind a building near to the gate. His heart was bouncing fast as if his heart would burst out. He was very nervous and afraid. "What if I get caught... What if I turn back now... Should I follow Chaos?? Should I... "

"Hey, Tidus!! You really came. I was glad."
"Aaaa... You scared me... Zzzzz... Don't scare me like this anymore... I am so nervous now... " It was Chaos.
"Sorry. I don't mean to scare you... It was you that not paying attention. Day-dreaming again? Haha... So, shall we?"
"Umm... I not so sure... Should I left without telling the others? Or should I go back..." Tidus was puzzled. He kept on thinking what might be the consequences if he was caught.

"Well, you have already taken the 1st step. You have came to wait for me here. Isn't that deep down of your heart, you have decided to go with me?"
"But..."
"No turning back now... Haha... Let's start our journey!! Don't think so much!! Let's go!" Chaos pushed Tidus towards the gate. They passed through the gate easily. There was no guards guarding.

"Oh... I almost forget. Take this... "
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"A mace? For me? Why?"
"We need to protect ourselves. There are many monsters out there... "
"Okay... " Tidus' face suddenly turned pale. He was very afraid of monster and never killed a monster, neither he hold a weapon before.

"You guys there.... can wait for me???" Suddenly a guy with pulling a cart was shouting at them.
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"Wait for me..." Chaos nd Tidus stopped and turned back to look who was shouting at them.
"Who's there.." Chaos drew out his sword.

"Chaos... why you draw out your sword??" Tidus was rather surprised by Chaos' action.
"We would never know who is him.. He could be looking for you.. Stay back..."
"Hey, you guys... You guys are going to Payon right??" The person approached Chaos and Tidus. Chaos swung his sword to the person's neck.
"Please don't hurt me...I would not do any harm to you" the person was very panicking.
"Now.. Tell me... Why you are shouting at us? Who order you to follow us? Tell me the truth now!!" Chaos spoke in a loud voice.
"Chaos!! You really don't have to be so aggressive. He is just a merchant... "
"Yea... Yea... I am a merchant... You don't have to draw out your sword... "

"I had noticed you following me since just now!!" Chaos shouted. Tidus was surprised. Why the merchant was following his friend.
"I overheard... heard that you planned to go to Payon when you was in the market... So... so I thought I could go with you... I am heading... heading to Alberta...." The merchant was shivering in fear.

"Chaos, can you keep your sword...?? He did not intend to harm us or anything... And you don't have to be so agressive... " Tidus tried to calm Chaos down.
"I appologize on behalf of him... Please forgive us... " Tidus appologized to the merchant. Chaos drew back his sword and turned away.
"We are going to Payon, and we love to have you with us... " Tidus tried to calm the merchant down.
"I did not say that... " mumbled Chaos.
"Don't mind about him... He was not his usual self... His name is Chaos, and I am Tidus.. Yours?"
"Maxwell Dalton... You can call me Max..."
"Max? Okay... so why do you need to go Alberta?"
"To do some business and I have to sit for a test..."
"Oh i see... "
"Enough talking... We have a long way... If you want to follow us then do what you want... Just keep us from trouble... "
"Chaos... don't be so cold hearted... Let's me help you to push your cart... Your cart looks heavy..." Tidus tried to push the cart from the back.
"Oh my God... It was so heavy... I could not even push it by an inch..." o(>.<)o "It's okay... I can push it myself..."
"Wow... impressive... "
"Hey, Tidus... since when you are so talkative... you are always shy to talk to strangers..." Chaos walked in front of them and was like teasing Tidus.
"...." Tidus became speechless. He thought deeply. Thinking why he was so exciting.

They walked for almost 3 hours. The moon was hiding behind the clouds. That made them hard to walk in the forest. They decided to camp for one night. It might be dangerous walking in the forest.
"Tidus... you were quiet on the way... Are you okay?" Max asked.
"Oh... I was... I... just felt exhausted... This is my 1st time leaving Prontera..."
"Haha... you are not joking right? 1st time leaving Prontera?"
Tidus felt shy. He was speaking the truth. "I ran.. ran away from the... "
"You two better have a rest... I would watch over the night... We still have a long away ahead.." Chaos disrupted the conversation. They went to sleep in their sleeping bags, while Chaos alone guarding.

The night was long to Chaos. He felt sleepy but he had to keep himself up.
"It's your turn to rest... I would take the turn now..." Max woke up from his sleep and said.
"No.. I am okay... "
"You don't have to act cool... Haha... "
"I am not!!"
"Shhh... Tidus was still sleeping... Let's him rest more. He looked tired after the walk..."
"..."
"Let's chat a while since I could not sleep back anymore... "
"..."
"Acting cool again??"
"..."
"So why you guys heading to Payon?"
"None of your business..."
"Gosh... you are always hush on me... Or you fall in love with me but you are shy to say?"
"Why you... I am not gay!!!"
"Haha... I am just joking... So stop acting cool and serious, okay?"
"..." Chaos was speechless. Max gave him a big smile. Chaos turned away.
"Haha... you see... Tidus was snoring... He looks cute... "
"... I supposed you are gay?"
"Nah... I was just being myself. I had a girl friend waiting for me in Alberta... "
"They seem to get well... " Tidus thought in his mind and giggled.
"Wonder what is Tidus dreaming... He just giggled... Haha... Cute little guy... "
"You really have a girl friend??"
"Why you ask so?"
"... A guy would not describe another guy CUTE!! "
"Is it? Well... you look cute also when you are angry... "
"..." Chaos felt that he really could not understand this guy. Even though he looks like already 18 years old.
"By the way, what's your age?"
"18.. Why do you ask? Don't tell me you really bump into me... Heheh" Max giggled.
".... I am so not going to talk to you again... "
"Lalalala~ Lalala~~ "