The trip to the temple was quiet. Chiron wasn't sure why Amal had declined, or why her good mood had diffused the moment she saw Ethan's irritation. But then, he supposed, she hadn't seen Ethan like this much. Either had Chiron, for that matter, but he knew and respected the priest well enough to give him time. And as they walked through the dense, humid forest, he saw the tension drain gradually out of him; his shoulders relaxed, and his gait became less military, more casual. Chiron opted to step up next to the priest then, rather than trail behind, and after a moment more dared to speak. "What troubles you?"<br/><br/>Ethan glanced at him, as if surprised, but didn't respond right away. Instead he just sighed. The silence drew out, and just before Chiron asked again Ethan responded. "What doesn't bloody trouble me?" muttered the priest. "This pilgrimage, Harris, my own foolish choices, Sin... this trip was supposed to be fun, Chiron. An escape from responsibility for a few weeks while we walked the path of Braska and Auron and Jecht. A chance to get to know one another in a casual environment, rather than the confines of a city. A chance to see Spira in her prime. And now that's all lost to us. Even now, Sin is out there, somewhere, destroying a town, or laying in wait to punish another for its supposed transgressions.<br/><br/>"And what did I do the moment I had to choose?" Ethan stopped in his tracks his voice rising in pitch so that he was nearly shouting. "What did I do, Chiron? Did I hold true to my beliefs and think it out, or did I rush to the first conclusion that came to mind!? The MOMENT I had a chance to be a fool I took it without a second thought! And now here I am, burdened with obligation and one Guardian who doesn't give a damn about any of it, on a road that leads to my death!" He fell silent, his chest heaving with emotion and breathlessness, and the arms that he hadn't been aware of lifting fell to his sides. Chiron watched him passively, hands folded on the pommel of Atilla, accepting the emotions as they came.<br/><br/>When it seemed like Ethan had finished venting the warrior approached him and grasped his shoulders tight, squeezing firmly. "E'tan... I do not have the words to take this pain away from you. To help you with its burden. I am not wise in the way of the<i>thaumatourgos</i>or clever like the<i>skíouros</i>. I am only... fight. Warrior. But come what may, my friend, I stand by you." He considered embracing the other man, but knew that Spirans were not as open as his people. Instead he squeezed again and let his hands drop. "Harris is... strong of the head, yes? Perhaps she does not, eh." He gestured, trying to find the words, and eventually gave up. "She tries, E'tan. As do we all."<br/><br/>The two men continued on from there, soon reaching and scaling the long stairway to the temple. The view from above was truly gorgeous; Kilika was four or five times the size of Besaid, and almost entirely wilderness. The jungle was a wild, untamed, gorgeous thing, especially as the sun began to lower over it all. Ethan took a deep breath as he took it all in. He could have stopped here, he knew. Plenty of summoners throughout history had stepped off the path, unable to face the hardship and struggle. Chiron and Amal would understand. Harris might not... and the people of Besaid would likely spit on his name. And he would have to live with himself. He felt Chiron's eyes on his back.<br/><br/>"E'tan...?"<br/><br/>"Let's go, Chiron. The Fayth awaits."<br/><br/>The way back was much less conversational. Chiron spent much of the walk carrying Ethan on his back, the summoner exhausted by whatever had happened on the far side of that strange door. The music that had resonated was haunting, and stuck inside the warrior's mind all the way back to Kilika Port. He wondered what it meant. He wondered why they sang so sadly. He wondered if they always sang, deep beneath the earth, locked away from the world.<br/><br/>Ethan insisted on walking back into town himself, and Chiron saw him to the inn and to his room before he was satisfied. With the summoner settled, Chiron went to the pub--which took some doing, really. He had no idea where it was, and ended up walking the length and breadth of the port before he found it right next door to the inn itself. When he went in he looked for Harris, and as soon as he spotted the one-eyed blitzer at the counter he beelined to her and grabbed her shoulder tight. "Only a fool drinks who shirks duty!" he admonished, though he was grinning. "Why come did you not join us, eh? Is this not responsibility of Guardian?"