Chapter 11
"FAST FORWARD!!"
The last thing I saw was a massive, blazing sword hanging barely a foot from my face—
—and then everything went black.
When my vision returned, I found myself lying on rough, uneven ground.
A crater.
An old one too.
The edges were worn down by time, and grass had already started reclaiming the broken earth as if whatever happened here had been long forgotten by the world.
Elle: What happened? Weren't we just about to die?
I slowly pushed myself upright and rubbed my head.
We were back.
Well… somewhere.
The funny thing about the way I make time travel sound is that it always comes across as planned.
Measured.
Calculated.
Like I had everything under control.
This time?
Absolutely not.
Not when death was staring me in the face and I had less than a second to think.
Adrian: I pitched us into the future again. How far this time? Honestly… even I don't know.
Elle: YOU DON'T KNOW?!
Adrian: Relax. We're alive. That already puts us ahead of schedule.
Braska: Uhhhh… what's going on?
I turned toward the voice.
Braska was waking up.
Slowly.
Like a man dragging himself back from the edge of death itself.
He blinked once.
Then again.
And then his eyes landed on Aunt Elle.
He froze.
Braska: Elle… is that you? Have I finally died and gone to heaven?
And just like that, Aunt Elle broke.
The tears she'd been holding in came pouring out as she threw herself at him and wrapped him in a crushing hug.
Lucky bastard.
Adrian: You ain't dead yet, Uncle Braska.
Braska blinked slowly, still trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
Braska: Elle… you're really here?
She didn't answer him right away.
She just held him tighter, her fingers digging into his robes like she was afraid he'd disappear if she loosened her grip for even a second.
Elle: You idiot… you absolute idiot… do you have any idea—
Braska went still for a moment.
Then, slowly, gently, he returned the embrace.
Braska: I see… so I'm not dead yet.
Elle: NO, YOU'RE NOT DEAD!
She pulled back just enough to smack him in the chest.
It wasn't hard.
Didn't need to be.
The emotional damage was doing the heavy lifting.
Elle: You don't get to die that easily.
Braska let out a faint, tired laugh.
Braska: I suppose that's… reassuring.
I folded my arms and tilted my head.
Adrian: Yeah, yeah. Very touching. Love conquers all. Heartwarming reunion. Ten out of ten. But if you two are done confirming you're both alive, maybe we should address the giant flaming sword that almost turned us into a tragic memory.
Braska's head snapped toward me.
Sharp.
Focused.
Yeah.
That was the look of a man who had fought Sin and lived.
Adrian: Triple A, if you're feeling formal.
He ignored that.
As expected.
Braska: You were there. At Bevelle. At the docks. And just now.
He looked around the crater, then toward the horizon.
Braska: The battle is gone. Sin is gone. The devastation is gone.
His eyes locked onto mine.
Braska: And yet… we remain.
Not a question.
A statement.
Good.
He's not stupid.
Elle: Adrian… what exactly did you do? Did you move us forward in time again? And how far?
I scratched the back of my head.
Adrian: Well, short answer? I panicked.
Braska did not look amused.
Braska: And the long answer?
I grinned.
Adrian: Far enough for the crater to stay and the grass to grow.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Elle: That is not an acceptable answer.
Adrian: Sure it is. Just not a satisfying one.
Braska slowly pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly as he steadied himself. Even now, there was a quiet strength to him. The kind that didn't need to shout to fill a space.
Braska: Adrian, I just witnessed the Final Summoning… the defeat of Sin… and then something went very wrong.
His eyes stayed locked on mine.
Braska: And now I find myself here. Alive. With my wife. And you.
A pause.
Braska: Please explain to me what went wrong.
Ah.
There it is.
I exhaled and let some of the playful edge slip out of my voice.
Adrian: Alright. Here's the version you get for now.
I gestured vaguely behind us.
Adrian: You won. You beat Sin. Heroic moment. Very dramatic. Ten out of ten. Would watch again.
Braska frowned slightly.
Adrian: But winning came with a cost.
His expression darkened.
Braska: What kind of cost?
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
Adrian: The kind that kills you.
Elle stiffened.
Braska didn't flinch.
Braska: I see.
Of course he saw.
That was why he became a summoner in the first place.
Adrian: Normally, this is where your story ends. You bring the Calm, everyone celebrates, and then… tragic hero ending. Killed by your own summon.
Elle: No… that's not—
Adrian: It is. Or at least… it was.
Braska's gaze sharpened again.
I smirked.
Adrian: Yeah. Past tense. Congratulations, you're officially off-script.
That got a reaction.
Braska: I see… you changed it.
Not surprised.
Not accusing.
Just stating it.
I tapped my temple.
Adrian: Let's just say I have a flexible relationship with time and a very bad relationship with bad endings.
Elle looked like she wanted to ask more, but Braska lifted a hand slightly to stop her.
He was thinking.
Hard.
Braska: Then Sin?
Adrian: Still a problem. Big, angry, world-ending problem. Not gone. Not fixed. Just… delayed.
Braska closed his eyes briefly.
Braska: Then nothing has changed.
I tilted my head.
Adrian: No. Everything's changed.
He opened his eyes again.
And for the first time, there was something dangerous in them.
Braska: Then tell me why I'm still alive.
Ah.
Now that was the right question.
I grinned.
Adrian: Because, as stated before, I'm not a fan of bad endings.
A beat.
Adrian: And because you're important to the one who will truly end Sin one day.
Elle looked at me sharply.
Braska had actual shock written across his face now.
Braska: Important… how? And who?
I shrugged.
Adrian: You'll know at the very end. I promise you.
That wasn't a lie.
Just… aggressively incomplete.
Braska studied me for a long moment.
Braska: You're hiding something else too, aren't you?
I gave him a cheerful thumbs up.
Braska: And you expect me to trust you?
I flashed him a grin.
A pause.
Adrian: But you're going to anyway.
Silence again.
Then—
Braska laughed.
Actually laughed.
Soft.
Tired.
But real.
Braska: You remind me of someone.
I blinked.
Adrian: Wow. I don't know whether to feel honored or insulted.
Elle groaned softly and pressed a hand to her face.
Elle: I'm surrounded by idiots…
Adrian: Hey! I just saved your husband!
Braska shook his head, still smiling faintly.
Braska: Then I suppose, for now… I'll trust the boy who defied fate.
I spread my arms dramatically.
Adrian: Excellent choice. Ten out of ten decision-making.
Then I let the act drop just a little.
Adrian: But don't get comfortable. We're not done yet.
And just like that, the air grew heavy again.
Because we all knew it.
This wasn't the end.
Not even close.
Ding. You have attained Karma Points for saving Braska, Elle, Rikku, Yuna, and Lisa.
Braska, a legendary hero known for bringing about the Calm: +250 Karma Points
Elle, the wife and mother of a present and future legendary hero: +100 Karma Points
Rikku, a legendary party member known for her specialty in Machina: +500 Karma Points
Yuna, a legendary hero known for the ultimate defeat of Sin: +1000 Karma Points
Lisa, wife of Al Bhed leader Cid and mother of Rikku: +100 Karma Points
You have attained achievement: "This is my story": +1000 Karma Points
You have attained an overall total of 2950 Karma Points
Unlocked: Storage
Detecting achievement "This is my story." Would you like to evolve Storage?
…
….
…WTF?