Jimin's jaw drops as he sees the scene outside the Cloister of Trials and nearly gags. Hoseok instinctively covers Jimin's eyes, leading him down the steps, and making sure he doesn't step on any...undesirable things littering the ground. Jimin relies on the elder to bring him over to his friends, who are waiting in the middle of the chamber.

Namjoon has already regained consciousness, and is grasping his sword in silent fury, clenching and unclenching his fist at his side. Seokjin looks a little unnerved, but Jimin notices he has his hand on the hilt of his sword, fingers tightly curled. Taehyung is meanwhile, sitting on a water cushion he probably Mixed from two ingredients, along with Jungkook's broken body. Yoongi is sitting on the other side, and staring at the wall of the temple.

"You!" Everyone stares at Hoseok as he approaches. 

Hoseok holds up his other hand, and releasing Jimin when he's right in front of the party. "I'm back." 

"Kookie!" Jimin rushes forward, and holds Jungkook's hand. "Jiminnie's here. It'll be okay." 

It sounds as if he's trying to convince himself. Seokjin looks away, as he turns his attention to more important matters, especially since the Ronso is okay. 

"Turn this way for a sec." 

Hoseok turns towards Yoongi, before his face snaps to the side, and he swears a bruise is forming on his cheek. 

"What was that for?!" Hoseok snarls, turning back to face Yoongi. 

"Did you know how much Jimin cried for you, mourned for you?" Yoongi huffs. "How about the rest of us, huh? Did you ever stop to consider who you'd affect when you just decide to...leave?" 

Hoseok drops his head, and Jimin looks up, "It wasn't his fault! I mean, you can't just decide when you get Sent, can you?" 

"True that, but I punched him for one more thing," Yoongi holds up a finger. "You lied to us...the whole time. Jimin told us what happened. We're Guardians--we have a common goal. We shouldn't keep secrets from each other." 

"Yeah, just like how Namjoon's keeping a secret from all of us?" Hoseok looks over at Namjoon, who doesn't seem to be listening to them. 

"I know that," Seokjin growls. "He won't open up." 

"It's not nice to talk about someone behind their backs...right in front of them." 

Namjoon looks back at them, fist still clenched around his sword's hilt.

"Oh, he talks," Yoongi mutters.

"Joonie..." Jimin starts, but Namjoon stands up. 

"Fine, you don't want me here. I can see that," Namjoon holds his sword, and lets his sheath fall to the ground. 

"I-It's not that--!" Jimin starts, but Taehyung takes his other hand, shaking his head.

"I-I need some time to be alone." 

With that, and still on shaky feet, Namjoon limps out of the temple. No one can survive alone out there with those fiends...even Jimin can see that. Especially since Namjoon's injured--he's definitely in no shape to defend himself against whatever's out there. The temple door shuts with a loud bang. 

"Jin, you're not going to...?" Jimin looks up at the eldest of the group. Even Seokjin shakes his head.

"Take care of Kookie," Jimin swallows, standing up. "I'm gonna go after him." 

"Go after who?" a deep voice asks.

*******************************************************

Namjoon didn't know who those people were, but he's too far away and too fast to care. He's hitched a ride on one of those Jet Skis parked outside the temple, knowing how to operate it and all. When he went out, there were some people walking towards the temple, but Namjoon doesn't care. Of course, they may be Summoners for all he knows, visiting the temple to get the Shiva Aeon. 

So he tries to swerve around them. That is, until they try to attack him.

But then again Namjoon is great at avoiding attacks. The sword that tries to split his skull in half and the mace that nearly takes his head off misses him by millimeters, as he speeds past them, onto the icy road leading back to the temple of Macalania. That man looked oddly familiar, though he just can't put his finger on who it is. 

Perhaps it may also be the fact that he's using a machina. Yevonites frown upon that. But Namjoon doesn't care anymore. He needs to get somewhere...anywhere, away from that place. To murder Wen Kinoc. Kinoc will die, and by his hands.

And...her soul will be at rest. She was a Summoner, a prodigy, at that. She was well on her road to defeating Sin before she ing fell in love with Kinoc. Yeah, right. That man will never put her life before his. Sairah was her name, and she was well on her way to Zanarkand when she met Namjoon. Kinoc was her Guardian at that time, that good-for-nothing man, and Namjoon had met them because they happened to come by during his shift at Mount Gagazet, through that long, winding path that leads the Summoners to the Zanarkand Ruins.

It was love at first sight.

Now, Namjoon isn't one to believe in love at first sight, but to justify his hormones, at that time, she was in the middle of a battle with a large dragon, and was riding atop her Aeon, Valefor, her short, brown hair fluttering in the wind as the Valefor manages to beat down the massive guardian of the Zanarkand Ruins. The Crusaders had been taught that the dragon attacks anything that moves, and they should not provoke it should they encounter it. It was for the Summoners themselves to fight and prove their strength. 

Namjoon watched as she landed on the ground, dismissing her Valefor. That cowardly Kinoc ran out of hiding, and Sairah laughed as if it was nothing, her laugh like a series of chimes floating in the wind into Namjoon's ear. He bowed low as they passed, and couldn't stop staring at Sairah, even as she began walking down her road to her doom.

Somehow, Sairah didn't make it to Zanarkand Ruins. Instead, during his patrol at Luca, Namjoon saw her there. It was during the blitzball season, a few years back, and she was sitting at the cafe, drinking Hypello Cocca. Kinoc was nowhere in sight. Namjoon approached her, and they struck up a conversation. Of course Namjoon had patrolling duties, but who cares? He wasn't going to miss this opportunity to be with this beautiful, charming girl. 

"Why're you drinking Hypello Cocca? I thought girls like blitzball. You know, the buff and muscular guys swimming in the sphere of water passing a ball to each other. " 

"Like blitzball? Are you kidding me?" Sairah laughed. "Blitzball's boring. Kinoc likes it like the rest of the Spiran population minus one person." 

"Minus two," Namjoon grinned. He took a seat beside her. "Like the rest of the Spiran population minus two." 

"You hate blitzball too?" 

"It's not that I hate it. I just don't mind watching but I'll fall asleep before halftime," Namjoon chuckled. "So you're drinking Hypello Cocca to...what? Keep awake during the game?" 

"Yeah, that's what I do whenever we swing by Luca," Sairah nodded, downing her cup of Cocca. "I gotta go. Kinoc's gonna be waiting for me." 

"Wait, one last question," Namjoon grasped her wrist, and he felt an electric spark at the skin contact. It's as if Sairah felt it too, from the way she's looking at him. Namjoon flushed involuntarily, his face turning a deep shade of red. "U-Uh, why didn't, uh, you go to Zanarkand Ruins? I-I mean, weren't you there the last time?" 

"Oh, at Mount Gagazet?" Sairah shrugged. "I guess...Yunalesca didn't want me there." 

"Yunalesca?" Why was the first High Summoner, a Summoner who defeats Sin, there? Isn't she dead? Yunalesca was the first High Summoner, and to defeat Sin, she had to find a person willing to become a fayth to administer her an Aeon powerful enough to defeat Sin. That was how the Final Aeon came about. Her husband, Zaon, and also her Guardian, had willingly become the fayth, giving Yunalesca the Aeon powerful enough to defeat Sin. 

No one knew why, but Yunalesca had died, gone, after she summoned the Final Aeon.

"To be honest, I don't know," Sairah shrugged again. "When I was there, she told me that my Guardian wasn't pure--there was no way I could ever form a bond with him for him to become my Final Aeon." 

"Who's your Guardian, that Kinoc guy?" Namjoon was surprised at the venom in his own words.

"Yeah. He's amazing! I mean, he's smart, and clever." 

"They mean the same thing." 

"But still!" Sairah's smiling then, and Namjoon swore he can see the heart eyes, and it almost wanted to make him gag. What does she even see in that man? Anger boiled in him. She deserves someone way better.

"Anyway, I gotta go," Sairah said again. She rose from her seat, and this time, Namjoon didn't stop her. "I'll see you around!" 

Namjoon waved a goodbye, finishing his Shoopuf Smoothie before rising from his seat, paying for it and leaving.

Namjoon shakes himself out from his thoughts, before realizing the distance he's travelled. He's made it to the entrance of Macalania Temple, and noticed the snow has stopped snowing. The Jet Ski will be no use in the forest. He gets off, parking the Jet Ski at the side, near the snowy cliffs. He continues his journey to Bevelle on foot.

***********************************************************

"M-Maester Mika!" Seokjin bows low immediately. He hasn't forgotten the protocol of a Warrior Monk should they meet a Maester, and Maester Mika was not just any Maester. He is the Grand Maester, the Maester in charge of everything, just like an emperor. He governed every aspect of Spira, be in economy in each village or city, entertainment, etcetera. 

The rest bow low, with Jimin bowing lower than the rest. 

"Why is this place like this?" Mika gestures with his arms. Jimin looks slightly guilty. Taehyung looks uncomfortable at Jimin's behavior, especially since it wasn't Jimin that killed everybody. It was Taehyung, and Taehyung alone.

Of course, Taehyung didn't do it without a hint of remorse. In fact, he felt bad even before he threw the grenade, but he was forced to do it, all for the safety of his Summoner.

No, of his best friend.

"Massacre," MIka continues. "A feat only Sin should be capable of. Looks like we'll have to exterminate you, before the situation gets worse."

"Maester! Let us explain!" Seokjin looks shocked.

"Explain? What is there to explain?" Mika's bodyguards, six Warrior Monks, rush forward, swords at the ready. With one flick of his wrist, Mika sends the six Warrior Monks at them.

"Guys, stay back!" Jimin stands in front, staff raised. "O divine Goddess of the Heavenly Clouds, the Mistress of Snow...hear my call! Shiva!" 

The Warrior Monks freeze in place as the Aeon comes from the sky above, her brilliance radiating from the sparkles of ice surrounding her. Her blue locks of hair flutters about as she tosses her head back, pointing a finger at the six Warrior Monks. 

"Jimin! No!" Yoongi realizes what Shiva's probably about to do. 

"Relax!" Jimin calls back. "You guys go first!" 

"Go where? Where's nowhere to g--!" Taehyung gives Jungkook a piggyback, cringing a little whenever the younger winces. 

Shiva unleashes her ice attack, chunks of ice spreading around the six Warrior Monks like an ice cage. The six of them look flustered--there was no way they would ever beat an Aeon. 

"Where are they?!" Mika shouts to his Warrior Monks, but there's nothing they can do, especially in that ice cage. It then dawns on Mika. They're going to explode the ice and kill his soldiers. Mass murderers, they all are.

But the ice explosion never comes, and Mika himeself walks around the ice cage, trying to figure out what happened, and comes to the side of the temple. 

A large hole is blasted through the temple walls, and there are footprints leading out into the cold winter, snow.

Shiva is nowhere to be seen. She must've been dismissed already.

They will be condemned, Mika thinks, and when he gets his hands on them, they'll never see the light of day ever again, he'll make sure of that.

*********************************************************************

"What was that for, Lord Jimin?!" Seokjin doesn't look at all impressed. Especially since, 1) Maester Mika had found out they had killed hundreds of Guados, 2) they had ran from a Maester, 3) they ing blasted a hole in the temple wall. That's already an act of direspect to Yevon in itself. Temples are sacred. Unless approved by Yevon himself, who speaks through the Grand Maester, they can't change the temple in any way. It didn't look like Hoseok cared when he blasted the temple wall open with his Fira spell. 

"To escape! Did you seriously want to get caught up in all that politics mess?" 

"For your info, I was in that politics mess for most of my life!" 

"Stop arguing!" Hoseok huffs. "Oh great...Joonie took a Jet Ski," Hoseok runs around the temple wall, finding two Jet Skis...broken. Not just broken--it was worse than that. It was smashed to bits. 

"Looks like we'll have to continue on foot," Taehyung grunts as he tries to keep Jungkook on his back. 

"Wait," Jimin raises his staff again, and from the ground bursts Ifrit, whom Jimin named V. "Carry Kookie for us?" 

Ifrit snorts, before heading over to Taehyung and Jimin helps Kookie onto Ifrit's back. It will warm the Ronso up, besides, Ifrit was strong as an Aeon. Jungkook groans as he turns he rests his cheek on Ifrit's back. "Ji-Jimin? I'm still alive..." Jungkook tries to get up, but Ifrit growls, and Jimin pushes Jungkook back against the Aeon. 

"Yeah, you're still alive," Yoongi mutters. "We'd best get going. Mika will be after us in seconds if we don't hurry." 

"H-Hurry, right..." Jimin can tell Jungkook still can't really think well enough just yet, especially since the fourteen-year-old's just gone through such a tragedy that a fourteen-year-old should never have gone through. 

"Shh, just rest, alright?" Taehyung pats his back as the party starts making their way up the pathway that leads back to Macalania Lake. "You're gonna be fine." They make their way at a hurried pace--not running, through. It is impossible to run through this thick blanket of snow which comes right up to their knees. Of course, Ifrit manages to melt the ice around them, so it's a plus, but still. 

Yoongi is constantly turning his head to survey the area behind them, in case Mika and the six Warrior Monks they trapped in the temple have broken out of their ice cage yet. Call it paranoia, but he has a right to be worried for his Summoner's safety, and it looks like Jimin will probably have trouble heading to Bevelle to get the Aeon before going to Zanarkand Ruins, especially since the Parliament is situated in Bevelle. 

And come to think of it...Yoongi looks down at the ground. Namjoon can't have gone far, but who knows? Especially with that Jet Ski. Seokjin looks down at the ground, noticing the tracks of the Jet Ski, fresh against the snow. 

"We can follow it," Seokjin says, pointing down to the tracks made by the Jet Ski. The group trudges along the snow, finally making it out to Lake Macalania, and passing by that Rin's Travel Agency, before walking past it and making their way to Macalania Woods, where Taehyung catches sight of the familiar shape of the Jet Ski.

"I'm fine now, put me down," Jungkook rubs the nape of Ifrit's neck. Ifrit grunts, but complies. Jimin dismisses his Aeon, after he's sure that Jungkook can stand upright by himself and isn't swaying. Well, Ronsos do heal fast, but the stitches on Jungkook's head is prominent--since Taehyung had used white silk against Jungkook's dark blue skin.

"Namjoon came back to Macalania Woods...where could he have gone?" Seokjin mutters to himself. It shouldn't be that hard--when Namjoon gets mad, he usually tries to make the anger go away...by confronting whatever it is that made him angry in the first place.

"He's headed to Bevelle," Seokjin breathes, finally realizing where his companion has gone.

"Bevelle?" Jimin looks at Seokjin incredulously. In fact, all of them are fixing Seokjin with weird glances.

"Yeah, Bevelle. I'll explain on the way. We gotta quicken our pace." 

******************************************************************************

Namjoon stands outside the giant palace of Bevelle, watching as the flags placed atop the palace roof flutter in the wind--the three flags representing the different races in Spira, minus the Al Bhed of course, because the Parliament hated the Al Bhed with a passion, and all Al Bhed are forbidden to be elected into the Council of Maesters. A horn for the Ronso, represented by Kelk Ronso, a Ronso Maester, a Yevon symbol for the humans, and a tree for the Guado, represented by Jyscal. 

This is it. He is finally going to hunt him down.

Namjoon approaches the guards standing outside the palace, holding flamethrowers and rifles, and there are machina everywhere, ancient machina that Mika said that Yevon approved. Machina whose only goal in life is to protect the palace, and not let it come to harm. 

"Stay back and put your hands in the air where we can see them!" the guard yells, rifle aimed straight at Namjoon's chest, but Namjoon doesn't stop. This guard is a rookie--he knows from the way the guy holds his rifle, how he's paired with a senior guard for this duty. The senior guard has his flamethrower aimed at Namjoon, before dropping it. "Y-You're--!" 

"Kim Namjoon," Namjoon says. 

The guard barely can get another word out before he crumples forward, flamethrower hitting the cold, marble ground and his body falls onto the carpet. The rookie guard is staring at Namjoon in horror, as Namjoon holds up his bloody sword.

"You'd better remember it." 

**************************************************************

Inspiration just keep hitting me lol so here's another chappie for u guys! Hope you continue enjoying the story! Just had to picture Joonie with that sword. I'm probably gonna put up a chapter at the end of the story with all my artwork of this fic (yes I draw artwork of this fic I just can't resist).