Blood On My Hands

YES! This is the long awaited sequel to Golden Sun: Nightmares! CHEER! Alrighty then, ON WITH THE STORY!

WARNING: To you people who haven't read Golden sun: Nightmares, then I suggest that you read it before reading this. There will be references to the first one, so you may not understand what may be happening. But if you want to, go right ahead and read. It's not my fault if you don't know what's going on!

Chapter 1 "To Escape."

The sun was hidden behind the curtain of clouds, but the Valeans didn't seem to notice. To them it was a sign that Winter was coming. And to prove their theory right, snow was slowly drifting onto their small little village. Vale was known to many as the village that resided at the base of Mount Aleph, but that was no longer the case. Alchemy had only recently been released, sucking Mount Aleph into the depths of the earth.

Mia, being one of the ones to release Alchemy, was currently living in Vale, enjoying the light breezes of wind that pushed the snow all about. She lightly brushed the snow that was beginning to pile up on her head, and was for once, happy that she had kept her robes from Imil; even though Vale wasn't as cold as Imil, it was still nice to be able to walk around the snow without her toes freezing.

As she walked the village, a few things caught her attention. Such as Jenna, Felix and Garet having a snowball fight. Though it was promptly halted when Felix was hit in the face by a snowball thrown by Garet; he was currently trying to stick Garet's head in the ground, whilst Jenna was laughing.

Ivan, meanwhile, was explaining snow to Sheba, who had lived in a desert her whole life, had never seen snow. Her eyes sparkled with laughter as Ivan tried his best to explain the snow. Mia chuckled to herself, and kept on walking. She heard footsteps crunching on the snow, and turned slightly, watching as Picard walked up to her, his yellow eyes standing out more then they usually did against the white snow.

"Good afternoon Mia." Picard said, smiling. Though he tried his best, Mia could see the note of sadness in his eyes. Ever since Picard had gone back to Lemuria, and learned that he had been banished by none other then Conservato, he tried to hide it behind false happiness. Though they could all see through it. Picard longed for his home, but none could give it to him.

"Hello Picard." she said cheerfully. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Better then ever, since I can be with my friends." Picard answered back. He looked towards where Felix was trying to kill Garet, and stated, "Felix acts quite like a child for his age."

"I think we all do." Mia said.

"Most of you try to hang onto that small thread of youth, but you will never be able to hold onto it. It will eventually break, and you will all have to age sooner or later." Looking around, he saw children running through the snow, shrieking with laughter and the coldness that touched their faces. "You try to act like these children, but you cannot deny that you will eventually be walking around with broken backs."

"Unlike someone weknow, eh Picard?" Mia asked, slyly, laughing as she said this.

"What do you mean?" asked Picard, completely clueless.

"You'll be the only one to not have a broken back while we're all here, aging like a prune." Mia answered. Picard laughed. "That may be true, but I too will eventually pass away."

"Right after we've been in the ground for a while!" Mia chuckled. Picard laughed along with her, when he suddenly stopped. Mia took notice to the sounds of Felix trying to murder Garet, and Ivan's explaination of snow slowly faded away. Turning, Mia noticed why everyone had gone so silent.

Isaac had just walked into the scene. Everybody grasped their weapons, edging away from Isaac. Mia saw Isaac looked sadly towards their hands, and slowly said, "You can continue what you were just doing. I'm only here to get something for Kraden."

He walked past them, his eyes scanning their every move. Mia walked in step with Isaac, and faked a cheerful, 'hello!' Isaac looked at her with slightly angry eyes, and Mia couldn't help but grasp for her staff. "You don't have to hide it anymore Mia. I know why you're so scared around me now!"

Mia's eyes widened with shock. He knows?!

"But..." Mia asked shakily. "What do you mean...?"

"Don't hide it anymore Mia." Isaac said coldly.

"But. Why are you so angry?!" Mia asked, her anger beginning to get a hold of her.

Picard came up behind her, and said calmly, "Mia, please calm down."

"Mia, I thought I could trust you with anything." Isaac spat. "Obviously, you couldn't trust me with something as simple as what I did. I murdered Hamma for Sol's sake!" Mia heard Ivan give a gasp, as Isaac continued, his anger building. "Did you think I would never find out? Did you think it would all blow away with a simple push of wind? Did you even think that I wouldn't see the complete change in all of you?!"

Mia stared at him with shock. She looked at the white dusted ground, and whispered, "I'm... so sorry Isaac... I should have told you. But I was so scared it would destroy you..."

"I think it's worse to have your friends be afraid of you, then to have a few simple memories haunt my mind." Isaac said softly, his anger still apparent.

"Isaac, please." Mia pleaded, lifting her hand to his cheek. "Forgive me. I just didn't want to see you get hurt...!" Isaac stared at her, and she was afraid to look into his eyes. She had so often been haunted by the glowing crimson they had once been. Isaac snorted. "You can't even look me in the eye, Mia..."

He gently pushed away from her, and disappeared into a store.

Mia lay on her bed, staring at the wall. How could she have known Isaac was going to take it so harshly? There was no way she would have thought this would have happened. Hearing someone walking up the stairs, Mia buried her head in her pillow, and pretended to be asleep.

The door to the room opened, and she heard someone scuffle about slowly, and then sit on the edge of her bed, making it sag under pressure. She felt a weight on her shoulder, and then a soft voice say, 'Mia.' Surprised to recognize the voice, Mia sat up, despite herself, and stared at Isaac.

"Mia..." He said again, as though he were afraid to not remember it. Taking in a deep breath, he said slowly, "I'm sorry." She continued to stare at him, her disbelief apparent. He continued to look her in the eye, and continued what he was saying. "I'm sorry for getting so upset. I know you were just looking out for me, but it's hard to have your friends hide something from you for so long."

Finally finding her voice, Mia croaked, "How did you find out?"

Isaac scuffed his feet on the floor. "The Wise One told me everything. I went to him. I wanted to know what had happened. I didn't remember a thing, and all of you wouldn't tell me what happened, and it was beginning to frustrate me. I wanted to know, but yet, nobody wanted me to know."

Mia looked at the floor for a few moments, and answered, "I'm sorry too Isaac. I should have told you everything. But we had no idea how you would react..." Isaac let out a small laugh.

"I was a fool to get mad at you for not telling me."

Silence filled the room for a few more moments, and Isaac asked again, "Did I really do everything the Wise One told me...?" Mia looked up for a brief moment, trying to find the right words. "I... yes... you did..."

"I see..." Isaac answered again. He stared at the wall for a moment, and then finally said, "Goodnight Mia." He stood up, and with the thump of his shoes, and the click of the door, he was gone. Mia lay down on her bed, hugging the pillow to her chest. Isaac didn't seem himself. She was getting a strange feeling from him...

"If you ask me, it was inevitable." Felix said, taking a cup of coffee, and taking a sip. "He was going to find out sooner or later. There was no way we were going to hide it from him forever."

Jenna let out a sigh. "I think we should have told him before..."

"And let him go crazy on us again?" asked Garet, snorting. "I think not."

"We don't know if he might become what he was before." Sheba said, brushing back the curtains to let in some light. "It could have been a one term thing."

"What made you the expert?" asked Jenna.

"Nobody did." Ivan said, lying down on a couch. "She's just saying that there's almost no possibility it will happen again." Mia sat down a couch, and sighed.

"But you don't know that for sure, do you Ivan?"

"No. I don't, but it doesn't mean that it will happen again."

Jenna threw her hands in the air. "Ah! This is too much to talk about at 8 in the morning! Can't we talk about this another time? Talking about what happened gives me the shivers..."

"But..." Mia started.

"Jenna is right." Picard said, interrupting Mia. "Let's break for the day, and not talk about this until later. We don't want to spoil such a beautiful day!" Deciding it was time to walk around, they all nodded good-byes, and walked away from each other, Jenna laughing about something Garet had said, Ivan and Sheba in a deep conversation, and both Picard and Felix talking about something peculiar about Alchemy.

Mia was left alone, feeling a little resentful for not having Isaac to talk with, not as upset as he was now. She stared sadly at the horizon, where all their adventures had happened, and where she and Isaac had become so close.

Sighing, a slight air of anger in it, she walked towards Isaac's house, kicking a stone as she went. It was too bad that Isaac's parents had died. She could have asked Dora how long Isaac could be brooding about something particular, but as she thought about it more, she decided, it was best they both died when they did; Mia couldn't see the way they would react if they learned Isaac had developed a taste for blood.

She stared at the small house she now called home, and realized just how lonely it was without Dora and Kyle walking around and humming songs they knew from when they were children. And now that Isaac was walking around sadly, it made it seem even more lonely.

Mia missed Justin and Megan from Imil. She wished so hard that she could go back to the way that life was before. She stopped thinking and breathing for a moment, and screamed in her mind, I did not think that! I enjoy staying here with Isaac and my friends! My life is here now... Shaking her head, she opened the door to the house and walked in, the floor creaking as it usually did.

Sighing once more, she walked up the stairs, and flung herself onto her bed. I think I'll sleep. I have to clear my head...

Closing her eyes, she soon fell into a deep slumber.

Mia woke with a start when she heard a snap outside her window. She sat up in bed, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Was I dreaming when I heard that? Mia asked herself, going to stand on her feet.

Snap.

She stifled a gasp, and thought wildly, I certainly didn't imagine, that! Walking gingerly on her feet, she grabbed her staff, and stood in front of the window, afraid to stick her head out. Mustering her courage, she pulled open the curtains, and prepared to cast Psynergy if she had to.

The moon shone like a bright silver dollar, hiding behind clouds. The trees rustled softly, the wind playing in their leaves. Mia scanned the area, but found nothing out of the ordinary. She frowned, and sighed angrily; she'd gotten all worked up for nothing.

Allowing for herself to calm down, she wondered to herself, I wonder if Isaac heard it... She dropped her staff on her bed, and walked to where Isaac was sleeping. She felt a little nervous to knock on his door, mustered the courage, and knocked softly. She paused, but only heard silence. Thinking Isaac was still asleep, and knocked harder, but was greeted with only silence once again.

Her worry soon began to take over. Not even bothering to knock anymore, Mia grabbed the door knob, and pushed the door opened. The room was dark, and she could smell the soft smell of dirt in the room. Mia walked in, feeling a draft. She stared at the open window, and saw something glistening at the windowsill. She walked towards the window, and picked up, a locket. Opening the small lock with a click, she found the picture of both herself and Isaac, taken when they had finally arrived to Vale after 4 long months. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought of how happy they had been.

It was then she noticed a piece of paper.

She crumpled it in her hands, and walked towards Isaac's bed. Placing it on the undisturbed covers, she smoothed it out. She began to read the note in silent sorrow, already predicting what the note would be saying:

Mia,

I think you may already know what this is about, but I'll still tell you.

I can't take it anymore, Mia.

My friends have no trust in me, and even the one you, yourself has admitted you want to return to Imil. Though it may sadden you all to see me go, I don't care if it does or not. I need some time to think, and I may be back in a few months.

Or I might not come back at all. It's just getting too much for me to handle anymore... I'm going to back to where it all ended. I need to clear my head, and need to get back on track with my life. The blood on my hands needs to be cleaned.

I love you Mia.

-Isaac

Mia dropped the note onto the floor, her hand gone limp with shock. The locket dropped to the floor with a resounding clang as it hit the floor. She couldn't believe what she had just read.

Isaac is gone!

Wow. That hurt my poor fingers to write it! Hmm...I wonder if this will make people happy. I hope it does, or I'll stop writing and give my hands a rest. What do you think Fury?

Fury: I say, good. You can only have so much of a bad thing.

Usually you're supposed to comfort people like a good friend.

Fury: Me friends with you? Excuse me while I order my coffin.

Why a coffin?

Fury: I need it for when I die of laughter.

Oh boy... until next time folks!

MG