The walk there is silent. Jungkook remains by Jimin's side. Hoseok, Yoongi and Taehyung walk together. Namjoon and Seokjin trail behind.

Their journey is coming to an end. Just further down the path is the Zanarkand Ruins. From what Jimin can see, the machina has been out of use for a thousand years, the rust visible in the sunlight of dawn. They get closer and closer, the wind kissing their faces and tousling their hair, the light casting shadows on their faces.

Jimin looks back towards Jungkook--his face expressionless. Jimin is scared, not wanting to think about the blue sphere still tucked deep in his robes. He'll pass it to Jungkook at the last moment, when there is no backing out. Tears are threatening to fall again, but Jimin pushes them back successfully this time as they continue down the walk.

The ruined city of Zanarkand is even grander when they get nearer, despite all the dust and rust. Jimin doesn't stop walking. In spite of the fresh meat just walking through the streets of Zanarkand, Jungkook realizes they're not attacking. Just staring. Not attacking. Almost as if already grieving for Jimin.

Jungkook turns back to look at Jimin, at his sun-kissed face and the bright red hair that always made him stand out. Jungkook grits his teeth as they turn back to walking. They walk and walk, until they reach a broken down dome. The Zanarkand Cloister of Trials.

"This is the last trial," Jimin turns back to his Guardians and smile. "Would you all...come with me?"

There is an immediate, unaminous "yes" from the Guardians as they follow Jimin in, Jungkook never missing the little things such as the sorrow in Jimin's eyes.

The people of Zanarkand always said that there's no such thing as goodbyes, but rather 'see-you-laters'...

But Jungkook knows that that's not true.

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

"Okay, so there's a glyph here...and a glyph there..." Jimin scratches his head, once again getting the combination wrong. He sits back on the floor and laughs.

It's funny how Jimin's still trying to keep the mood light despite the heavy tension. Taehyung nearly lets tears fall as he watches Jimin try another combination of glyphs. He knows Jimin doesn't want them to be sad, but it's hard not to. Devastated would be a more accurate word for him.

"Ah! I got it!"

Jimin grins as the patterns on the ground blink again in recognition in getting it right. The floor in the middle open up and a platform rises from the ground below. Jimin gulps as he steps on it, and he looks around for the rest of his Guardians, who pile upon the platform with him.

"Thanks..." he whispers as the platform descends deeper into the Cloister ofTrials. He sniffles a little, bringing a robed arm across his eyes as Taehyung moves forward and gives him a back hug.

The end is getting nearer.

The platform stops moving, having reached the final level. They step off onto the tiny platform with a doorway a familiar shape. The Chamber of the Fayth. Jungkook turns towards Jimin.

"Are you sure you want to do this? We can still turn back if you want to."

Jimin nods, and he's not sure if he's trying to convince himself or Jungkook now. He can see the disappointment and sorrow in Jungkook's eyes as he turns to face the Chamber of the Fayth. He pushes aside the curtains and decides to step through before his mind changes.

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

There is nothing inside, despite it being way bigger and grander than any other Chamber of the Fayth. A woman then materializes in the middle of the chamber and Jimin recognizes her instantly.

"Lesca?"

"It's Yunalesca," Lesca says, smiling, but her smile doesn't seem friendly anymore.

"Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I'm the fayth," she says, still having that sickly smile on her face. "And when I said I was Yunalesca's daughter...I lied." 

"If you're the fayth, then..." Jimin walks over to her, performing the prayer of Yevon. "I'm ready."

Yunalesca nods, then she tilts her head, looking back at Jimin's Guardians. "Which one?"

"Which one what?" Surprised, Jimin turns back to his own Guardians, zoning in particularly on Jungkook. 

"Which one would be the Aeon?" she asks, voice slithery like a snake. "You imbue all your power in your Guardian, and your Guardian becomes the Aeon to defeat Sin."

Jimin's face is that of horror. How can he do that? Turn one of his Guardians into an Aeon?

"You remember my tale? The one people like to pass around? Lord Zaon was my Aeon. He an I shared a bond like no other," Yunalesca says, sounding bored now. "You have to choose a Guardian like that too--one which you share a bond, so deep, with."

"I...I can't do that!" Jimin bursts out. "I can't turn a Guardian into an Aeon! That's just wrong!" 

"That's what they all say," Yunalesca hisses. "Now choose! Or I'll choose for you."

"I...I..."

"Let me do it."

Jungkook steps forward. Jimin stares at him, wide-eyed.

"It's the least I can do," Jungkook says. "Jimin took me in, fed me, until I was ready to take care of myself...I would've become a savage if not for him." He kneels down.

"Choose me, Jimin-ah."

"Not like you can choose anyone else anyways," Yunalesca says. "Stand up."

Jungkook does, and Yunalesca turns to the rest, "Leave. Leave Zanarkand. Or you could watch the painful slaughter of your precious Summoner." 

Seokjin's expression is unparalleled fury and sorrow as Namjoon drags him back, eyes shut and containing tears of his own. Hoseok is hiding his own face with the darkness. Yoongi's expression is blank and Taehyung is just...staring into blank space.

"You're leaving me alone," Taehyung can only stare as Jimin bows his head.

"I'm sorry."

He's suddenly engulfed in a warm embrace as Taehyung sobs, burying his face into Jimin's shoulder.  Jimin hugs him back just as tight, before letting go.

"Here," Jimin hands Taehyung the blue sphere.

"What is it?"

"Watch it with the rest when you're...far away from here."

Taehyung nods as he takes a few steps backwards, before breaking into a run.

"Watch it with the rest when you're far away? Your friends aren't going to get out alive," Yunalesca laughs coldly, and Jimin turns back, startled.

"W-What do you mean?"

"I have a pet," Yunalesca says. "Now, do you want to get rid of Sin? Or not?"

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

Jimin touches Jungkook's back, and Jungkook prepares himself for the power that's about to flow through him, to course through his veins. Following Yunalesca's instructions, Jimin forces out all his power into Jungkook's body, pushing out all his Aeons' strengths and Jungkook nearly cries out when the power rushes through him all at once. He staggers forward, almost losing his balance.

"Almost there now."

Jungkook grits his teeth, fingers wrapping tightly around the hem of his shirt as he shuts his eyes, the power too much to handle.

When it's done, he can feel his body start to change. Muscle begins to pile up, and the most excruciating pain he has ever felt burns through his blood as he screams, a feral sound from his throat. Jimin gasps as Jungkook begins to rise, his tail growing longer and sprouting barbs, his hair flying into a frenzy. His chest expands, muscle filling his arms and legs as he grows bigger and bigger.

Looking exactly like an Aeon.

"J-Jungkookie..."

When the transformation stops, Jungkook can barely believe himself. He's an Aeon now.

And he's going to defeat Sin and protect Jimin. They've always said that a Summoner dies after the Final Summoning, but this doesn't seem to be the case. He notices that his spear is right beside him, the same size as he, and he has wings sprouting from his back, white wings the color of the clouds.

"I'm going to call Sin," Yunalesca says, and shock is evident on Jimin and Jungkook's faces.

Call Sin? What does she mean by that?

Yunalesca whistles, and there is a resounding, roaring sound. A hymn begins to crank up from somewhere in the chamber. The roaring is getting closer and closer...

The wall smashes apart and Sin's giant form enters the chamber. Jimin dives out of the way as Jungkook maneuvers his new form to stand in front of Jimin, to protect him. Sin roars and swoops down, going for Jungkook and Jungkook stabs his spear into the monster's body, the blade penetrating its thick hide and forcing Sin to crash into the nearby wall. Rubble and pieces of wall begin to rain down. Jungkook then swings his barbed tail, catching it across Sin's body length and dragging it, catching Sin's eye. Blood bursts from the wound and Sin retaliates with a Mega-Graviton attack, causing Jungkook to fly into the other side of the wall.

Jimin watches as Jungkook picks himself up and flies towards the Aeon once again. He screams as Jungkook gets hit again and again, and picks himslef up despite the pain. Jimin can no longer do anything. He's a regular citizen now--devoid of any magic or Summoning power. He can only watch helplessly. 

But Jungkook has the upper hand here, and it isn't long before Sin is taken down, its battered and bloody body bursting into a million pyreflies. One day, Sin is going to spawn again, and Jimin won't be there to stop it.

"What happens now? Does Jungkookie become a fayth or something?" Jimin grabs Yunalesca's arm.

"This is the best part," Yunalesca sniggers as she turns Jimin's head to watch the end of the battle. Jungkook is panting heavily and Jimin watches as something dark and sinister bursts from Sin's carcass.

"That is Yu Yevon, the man you've been worshipping and idolizing and praying for! He's the man who controls Sin! The man who causes all your misery!" Yunalesca laughs. "And now I'm going to watch your face as you experience what I did a thousand years ago! How does it feel to have your most beloved inflict on you the worst pain possible?" 

Jimin watches as the black thing dives for Jungkook's injured and tired form. Jungkook screams as the black thing attaches itself to him, melding into his chest, until it's all gone. Jungkook flashes black all over and Jimin turns back to Yunalesca for any kind of explanation, but Yunalesca is gone. The exit to the Chamber of the Fayth is sealed thanks to the brawl earlier. Jungkook's body convulses as his face contorts into an agonized expression. He screams, now more akin to a roar, as he opens his eyes yet again.

Jimin watches in absolute terror and horror as there is no hint of recognition left in Jungkook's eyes--it's now blood-red with the intent to kill.

"Jungkook! Wait! It's me! Jimin!"

Jimin barely dodges Jungkook's attack as Jungkook flings his fist into the wall where Jimin was standing a second ago and Jimin lands hard on the ground, heart beating like never before. You know, when they said Summoners die after the Final Summoning, he didn't expect his life to end this way.

Just being caught in his thoughts alone, Jimin is suddenly stabbed deep in the chest, blood erupting out of his wound like lava out of a volcano. He gasps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He can't breathe. Can't breathe at all. Jimin lets his head hang as he's pinned to the wall, head suddenly cloudy.

Jungkook removes his claw in one clean move, and he spreads his wings, flying out of the dome.

Jimin closes his eyes and breathes for the last time.

Jungkookie...I'm so sorry...

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I feel this is so anticlimatic omg Im so productive and the next chappie's probs going to be out really soon...:)))