"Yeah. Sorry about that. Let's keep going."

They keep going. A few more fiends show up to stop them—apparently their prior scarcity had in fact been because of Gatta and Luzzu's efforts—but none of them are particularly troublesome. Azym stays out of the encounters as he's not really trained in combat and with his sword stuck inside his bag, no scabbard, and no clothes, he'd probably be more likely to accidentally castrate himself than actually contribute to the fights.

Eventually they get to the village, and the Crusaders excuse themselves to go to their barracks while Wakka slows down to show Azym around.

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 Azym 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."

After he goes off, Azym 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, Azym might understand that the ruins where he met the Al Bhed share a theme with it. A circular room with a very high ceiling, the feeling of vertigo the room induces is probably 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 at the waist to the tops of the walls, one to the left and one to the right, as if the people they represent were emerging from the stone 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. Azym won't be able to identify its source, though; it sounds like it's coming from everywhere and nowhere at once.)

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 Azym 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," comes the aged voice of a priest walking over to Azym. 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."

Azym 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 Azym. "I bet it's the nudity."

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

Azym 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 overhear it also seem shocked.

"Crusader Luzzu suggested a priest might have a better idea of 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," he says, then he leads Azym through one of the side doors into a small mess hall. The priest excuses himself to fetch Azym something to eat, and returns with a serving of beans and meat and bread and a glass of fruit juice.

"So, you had questions?"

Azym had already dug into the food so he has to finish chewing and swallow to reply. "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, Azym 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."