Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun
It was a surprisingly hot day, even for summer. It was the sort of day that made it impossible to work, even if you were doing only light tasks. You found your mind drifting off to more flighty things, from going on great adventures to just swimming in the local river. Even the few children that had attempted to play tag had given up and were now collapsed in a sweaty heap in the meagre shade one of the half-finished buildings provided.
A lone man stood by the gate, not noticing the heat. He was too lost in memories for it to affect him. He had taken this job to protect the village from monsters, but they seemed to be slowly learning that the settlement protected by the brown-haired Venus adept was not a good place to attack. Only a few came by a week, making the job very boring if he hadn't had an ulterior motive.
He was waiting for her.
Sighing he sat down and began to draw her name in the dirt. He heard the sound of feet approaching and looked up eagerly, but it was just some villagers bringing supplies from Vault. He sighed and let them through.
It was autumn now. The wind blew leaves in shades of yellow and orange through the village. There was a rush to complete all the houses in time for winter and even he had been drafted in to help. He glanced up casually every now and then, heart beating fast, expecting to see her at the gate, but was disappointed every time.
Later on, when the houses were all finished and the sky was black he stood by the gate again, still waiting.
She was late.
He had been waiting for a long time now. Five years had been and gone and it was winter again. A skeletal tree waved its branches, and he heard the hungry, complaining cry of a monster somewhere close. He should have been paying attention. But he was waiting.
Because she had promised.
He was still waiting when a large group of rats out hunting spotted him and attacked. They caught him off guard and he was knocked over, feeling his ribs give way. Coughing up blood he stood shakily and attacked with a Mother Gaia spell. With strength borne of desperation, one of them smashed into him causing him to fall. This time, he didn't get up.
He opened his eyes and saw the rats being driven back by some villagers who had come to his aid. He looked up further and saw the angry sky. Images of her swam in front of his eyes, making them water a little. Darkness overcame him.
He woke up to a bright light in his eyes and a pain in his chest. His sister is sitting near him, and she helps him to stand and hands him a crutch to help him walk. She leads him to the inn and points at a corner. There she is, waiting for him this time, looking around nervously. She spots them and runs over. She begins to talk to him, making excuses as to why she's so late, but he doesn't notice.
He's just happy she's finally here.
(A/N: critique, please? ;)