It's not a very big place. There's a central plaza of sorts around which the village is arranged, and the houses aren't professionally built, more like spruced up cabins and huts than anything. But it's very homey and welcoming for all of that, and it's easy to remember where the few public places are. Most importantly, the temple.

"So, this is Besaid Village," Wakka concludes. "Luzzu had the right idea, ya might want ta go into the temple and talk to one of the priests there, maybe they'll be able to help."

"So here's where you discharge your duty towards me?" asks Tōkan archly.

"You tryina make me feel bad?" he says, with an easy grin. "You'll be fine. The Crusader barracks and the temple will have a bed and food if ya need, but I should be lookin' into some last minute things for the trip."

"Well, thank you very much for your hospitality, Wakka. I'll see you around."

Off goes Wakka, and Tōkan decides that the temple is in fact probably his best bet for next place to go. He's not actually feeling tired per se, but he is hungry, and the temple is meant to help with the more metaphysical issues he's having. Two fish with one spear and all that.

It's the largest building in the village by far, visible from everywhere even though it's off to a corner. The patio outside it is raised above the ground by a little, flat white stone on top of rock and dirt. But the more interesting bit is inside. Seeing this place, he understands that the ruins where he met the Al Bhed share a theme with it. A circular room with a very high ceiling, Tōkan suspects that the feeling of vertigo the room induces is on purpose.

On elevated steps following the curve of the walls to both sides are numerous statues of people wearing the same attire with the same face-covering paper seal. They're clearly meant to be different people, but the uniform must be meaningful. Across the room from the entrance there are stairs leading high up to a set of double doors, and to either side of the steps are two hallways leading to doors that are substantially less imposing.

Also, four statues stand out, two to either side of the hallways. They're much taller than the numerous other ones, and wearing different clothes besides. They also don't have the face-covering seal, so they can be readily recognised as representing different people.

And finally, two more statues, larger than all of the other ones, attached to the walls at the waist as if the people they represent were emerging from the walls and trying to reach for each other. A man and a woman, and the detail on their faces makes it obvious they're lovers, with the intensity of the look they share.

(In the background, a soft song can be heard, in a woman's voice. Tōkan can't identify its source, though.)

The temple has various people in it, most of them knelt in front of one or another statue, heads bowed in prayer, candles lit by the feet of the silent stone figures. It's quiet enough inside that Tōkan is sure his steps would echo were he wearing any shoes as he walks further in and examines all of the figures from afar. Looking up at the man and woman up above as he walks under them, he almost trips and falls from the dizzying sense of smallness, but he recovers his balance and finally stops in front of one of the four distinguished figures there to read the inscription.

    "Lord Braska," says the aged voice of a priest walking over to Tōkan. That's indeed what the inscription by the statue's feet says. "He was made High Summoner ten years ago, but it was only recently that we finally got his statue."

Tōkan looks at the priest and bows, the good luck sign that's apparently become religious.

    "Something tells me you're lost," the priest says.

"Is it the nudity?" asks Tōkan. "I bet it's the nudity."

    "That has something to do with it," he admits. "But it's mostly your eyes."

Tōkan smiles. "Long story short, I had a run-in with Sin, and when I woke up floating by the beach I had no knowledge of... almost anything." The priest gasps, and the people who are close enough to overheat it also seem shocked. "Crusader Luzzu suggested a priest might have a better idea on what to do about that."

    The priest thinks about it for a moment, then shakes his head. "Prayer, and time. I know not of other treatments for Sin's toxin."

"Well... maybe you could answers some questions I have and that could help? Also, ah, someone mentioned the temple might have food, and I'm rather starving."

    He nods. "Yes, that could help. Come, I'll get you some food and we can converse in more privacy."

Tōkan is led through one of the side doors into a small mess hall. The priest excuses himself to fetch Tōkan something to eat, and returns with a serving of beans and meat and bread and a glass of fruit juice. Tōkan thanks him and gets to eating.

    "So, you had questions?"

He finishes chewing and nods. "Uh, I guess a big one is, what's a summoner?"

    The priest doesn't gasp this time, opting to merely do the prayer gesture. "You must have been exposed to Sin for very long, to have forgotten this much."

A thousand years, Tōkan doesn't say, choosing to just nod instead.

    "Summoners are practitioners of a sacred art, sworn to help and protect all who need aid. Only a select few people can learn this art, and they gain the power to summon forth creatures of great power, which we call aeons," he explains. "Aeons are Yevon's blessing, answering the summoner's prayers to help them fulfill their duties."

"And what's a high summoner?"

    The priest nods. "The highest calling of a summoner is the pilgrimage. They travel across Spira and pray at multiple temples to compact with the fayth and receive the blessings of the aeons. Once they feel prepared, they travel all the way to the ruins of Zanarkand, where they learn how to perform the Final Summoning."

...so that's why it's sacred. Also, Tōkan has literally never heard of this summoning thing. Or any magic, really. This does make it more likely his own Zanarkand is made up, if it's so different from what this place is like. And yet...

    "A summoner who successfully completes their pilgrimage in that way can use the Final Aeon to defeat Sin, thus earning the title of High Summoner."

"Wait, defeat it? But—then how is it still around?"

    "Summoners give us reprieves, periods of calm during which Sin is gone. But it returns, after a while. As Yevon teaches us, we will only be rid of Sin when we have fully atoned for our sins and attained purity."

Wow that sure sounds like a load of bollocks. "Wakka—uh, he's—"

    "I know him. We all know each other, here," says the priest, smiling.

"Right. He mentioned there was someone called Zei who was trying to become a summoner?"

    The smile vanishes. "Lord Zei is High Summoner Braska's only child, and he recently decided to follow in his father's footsteps. He's in the chamber of the fayth as we speak, praying to be granted his first aeon."

"But?"

    The priest sighs and shakes his head. "Lord Zei is a bit unconventional."

"Unconventional how?"

    "It is not my place. He holds some unorthodox views... but then again, so did his father. And none can doubt his devotion; not even Lord Braska had such fire in his heart."

"Buuuuuut?"

    He sighs again. "He's been in the chamber for over a day. I... worry... that he may not be sufficiently spiritually aligned with Yevon to become a summoner. Or maybe just not have the ability. It would crush him, if so; it has been his dream and only purpose since he was old enough to understand what it meant."

Zei is totally the protagonist, isn't he? Mysterious purple hoodie ghost child said Tōkan wasn't, but this dude is giving off mad protagonist vibes and Tōkan hasn't even met him yet. "I think... he'll be fine."

    The priest raises an eyebrow.

"Call it a hunch," he shrugs. "Something tells me it will work out for him."

    That gives the priest some pause. "I pray that you're right, mister, ah..."

"Tōkan," he provides.

    "And I am Kahli. Our meeting may have been willed by Yevon."

Once again, not touching that one with a ten-foot pole. But, hmm... "So, uh, who or what exactly is Yevon?"

    "Ah... that one is a deeper question than you realise, and I believe you should instead rest a bit before engaging with such theology."

Ominous. "Alright. You have been very informative, and I thank you. Thank you also for the food."

    "As it is a summoner's duty to protect the people of Spira, so it is mine as a humble priest to offer aid and succor to the extent that I can. Think nothing of it. And if you wish, you may claim any of the rooms in the temple for sleep; all of the unlocked ones should be clean and fit for a weary traveler."

"You know, I might take you up on that. I think—" But before he can hurt himself further by trying to think the priest looks up in the direction of the door, and at the edge of Tōkan's hearing he too notices the vague echoes of loud conversation, probably coming from the temple's main chamber. "I think that might be our young summoner," is what he says instead.

It is, indeed, the young summoner. Not that Tōkan had been told Zei's age, but he is somehow entirely unsurprised to find a boy about the same age as he is in the middle of a small group of people when he and the priest return to the temple's main chamber. He seems to have come from the imposing double doors atop the imposing stairs, confirming Tōkan's guess that that's where the chamber of the fayth would be, and he looks...

...happy.

He's trying to not let his exhaustion show, but the way he's leaning on the tall blue humanoid lion-person for support reveals it anyway. To his other side is a busty woman wearing a fluffy black dress that not only defies gravity but also any conventional wisdom about the number of belts people are meant to wear, or what they're meant to be attached to. They hadn't been in the room before, so probably they were with Zei while he prayed or whatever it is they do.

Zei himself seems to break the convention of dress of the priests Tōkan's seen in the temple—although it's not like anyone had said the long body-covering robes with strange symbols were an actual uniform or anything—but he nevertheless seems to follow a similar fashion tradition, if much more elaborate and ceremonial-looking. His arms are covered from the biceps down by an intricate spiralling armwrap that ends in half gloves encrusted with small gems, and his legs and feet are adorned by sandals in a similar style. He's wearing a white and dark blue skirt that goes almost all the way to his knees, and his torso is bare except for a series of silver necklaces that grow in diameter until the largest one reaches the middle of his chest. He also seems to be wearing a cloth harness of some sort with a long metal staff attached to its back, a staff that somehow communicates both "weapon" and "ceremonial tool".

The boy seems to be in the middle of being congratulated by everyone, and while it's clear (at least to Tōkan) that he'd much rather take a minute or two to himself he's weathering the attention with dignity. His gaze moves over to Tōkan and Kahli when he hears the steps, and it stops on Tōkan for long enough to register the confusion at the new face before returning to the well-wishers.

Okay but most important of all—and a small, traitorous part of Tōkan's brain realises this is not most important of all, but still—the three of them are really fucking hot. He's not sure which of them is hottest, the woman whose dress is somehow made indecent by how little of her boobs it covers and with the airs of someone who could set you on fire with a look, the lion dude over a head taller than Tōkan himself (who is pretty tall for a human, not that that sentence had ever had cause to be produced in his brain before) and who's awakening furry thoughts Tōkan never had before, or the quiet fit boy who nevertheless is probably the protagonist and also looks like a being of power somehow. It's probably the lion dude? Just for sheer novelty. Tōkan is finding himself very very curious about what he looks like without the loincloth.

He's glad he's in the back of the crowd so that he can very unobtrusively cover his dick with his hands in something he hopes looks just casual and not like he's trying to keep an erection down.

Lion dude expressionlessly stands there, arms folded in a stoic body guard stance, looking like he's ready to skewer anyone with the lance attached to his back if they push their luck.

(Which does not help.)

The summoner talks to the people around him a bit more, and beyond the congratulations the conversation moves to people wanting to see his new aeon. Eventually he agrees, and starts moving out of the building in quick strides.

    "Come," says the priest, "maybe seeing a summoner in action will help."

They follow after the group and eventually get to the plaza, the center of which seems to have been cleared of everyone except for the summoner himself.

The ground and the air start glowing around him, then. Faintly at first, but quickly growing bright enough to illuminate the surroundings entirely. The staff that had been attached to the harness at his back is held in his right hand, and he extends his arms to the sides, the right arm tilted diagonally up at the sky and the left arm down at the floor.

Four mystical symbols appear in the light, rotating around Zei and emiting more light, going 'round once, then twice, before stopping and sending four flashes of light into the heavens. They spiral towards each other, and when they meet, they join into a single bright source of light which takes the form of... a bird?

Not quite. The creature flies down from the light, wings hugged close to its body for extra momentum, before it extends them so it can glide and land heavily in front of Zei, the wind nearly pushing the summoner off his feet. It is twice as tall as he is, but it leans down forward until its eyes are level with his.

Zei manages to keep his composure, but by the way his fingers fidget and the corners of his lips twitch trying to become a smile it's clear he's very excited. He takes a step closer to the aeon and reaches up, slowly and tentatively at first, but more courageously when the creature leans closer, and pets the side of its neck.

    "Valefor," says the priest, joining the rest of the crowd in applauding the display. "She's the aeon of the temple of Besaid. Zei will be able to call upon her until the day he dies; their bond is eternal."

Tōkan has managed to control himself by then, and his emotions have been almost entirely replaced by pure awe. It's one thing to have a small sphere made of magic water go into him and drive the cold away, and it's a whole nother to see something like—like that. It's genuinely a genre shift, it's the kind of magic you can't help but be impressed by.

He really, really is not in Zanarkand anymore. He doesn't let the feelings bubble up to his head this time, but... this is somewhere else. Another world.

The woman that had accompanied Zei inside the temple walks up to him, followed by... Wakka, apparently.

Zei turns around to look at the two of them, and smiles widely. "I did it," Tōkan can hear him say. "I'm a summoner." And he lets his joy show, now, as he hugs Lulu and the rest of the crowd comes closer again to offer more congratulations.

At a minute nod from Zei, Valefor straightens up and jumps into the air, flying away to who knows where.

Tōkan feels like...

...like he should take people up on their offers and maybe go sleep and then, uh, try to be less of the local naked cryptid who's just kind of following other people around. Although, well, this story is shaping up to be one where he's gonna follow Zei around, but he can get to that part later.

He quietly slips away from the crowd.