Disclaimers: I do not own Golden Sun or Golden Sun: The Lost Ages. Apart from the plot of this story and a few made up characters, everything else (settings, themes, etc.) belongs to Nintendo.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Farewells and Beginnings

The sunlight had always hit the town of Vale like a beam of intense energy. But it had never been this hot.

Felix glanced upwards towards the bright sun, and reminded himself that he had seen and felt hotter days, and he had been wearing pieces of heavy, hot armor. Still, his body was still used to the cold winters of Prox.

What an ironic thought. Felix had traveled to all corners of the world, through the Western Sea, up mountains and down gorges, through tunnels, and even underwater, and yet this hot day was the thing that caused him discomfort.

Felix returned to the task at hand. He was currently nailing in the boards of a chicken coop, and doing a pretty good job of it, if he did say so himself.

After the destruction of Vale, due to Mount Aleph's collapse, the town had salvaged what they could from the ruins. There were enough supplies and food saved, that the people decided that they could relocate the town to further south of the great mountain. There they began to reconstruct the town as best they could, as they had to work with an unfamiliar landscape. The Wise One's warning had saved everyone from what had been dubbed, 'The Great Cataclysm', and they weren't complaining about the change.

Felix held two nails in his mouth, and measured the third against the side of the wall he was building. Satisfied on the placement, he proceeded to hammer in the nail, humming a tune as he did.

Speaking of changes, Felix thought, he was going to have to get used to the lack of some of his former companions, on the quest to light the lighthouses.

Felix remembered what had happened weeks ago it like it was yesterday…

Felix, Garet, Isaac, Jenna, and Piers stood at the newly constructed gates of Vale. Facing them were Sheba, Mia, Kraden and Ivan, all dressed in traveling clothes. Everyone was looking rather solemn, as if at the bedside of a dying person.

Kraden spoke. His voice seemed magnified in the silence. "Well my friends, it appears our time together has finally come to an end."

Jenna had tears in her eyes. Garet shuffled his feet. Isaac ran a hand through his hair. Piers stood with his hands behind his back. Felix nodded.

Kraden turned and smiled at Jenna, who was wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"I would have rather thought you were tired of me, Jenna. After all, you spent the most time around me."

Jenna gave a watery smile. Kraden turned to Felix and Isaac.

"And thank you both for having me along. It was a wonderful time."

Felix laughed. "I'm pretty sure tramping through deserts and mountains would be classified as something akin to torture."

"Ah. Well, we all have our own views." Kraden replied, with a twinkle in his eye. Garet spoke up, looking at the scholar.

"Are you really returning to Tolbi, Kraden?"

Kraden nodded, and his expression became more serious.

"Yes…With Lord Babi's death at hand, people have been trying to choose a new successor. I'm sure that Iodem will need me now more than ever."

Sheba spoke up. "Yes, and I also wish to see Master Iodem again. I've been away from Lalivero quite a while, and I wish to see him again."

Felix felt a knot form in his throat as he looked at Sheba, and felt it contract as she didn't even glance at him while speaking. Over the last few days, Felix had noticed these similar symptoms manifesting themselves whenever he was in near proximity with Sheba. He knew it was foolish to expect her to stay. After all, Tolbi was her home, more so than Vale in any case. Still…

Ivan was speaking now.

…with Hama now. Master Hammet doesn't really need me around right now; and I'd like to get to know my sister a bit more."

"Trust me Ivan." Garet said stoically. "They're no great shakes."

This was cause enough for a laugh from everyone, but Garet, in the group, after which Kraden looked round at Piers, who had remained silent this entire time.

"And what about you Piers? Lemuria is quite a ways away without Sheba to Teleport you."

The wayward foreigner sighed.

"I've decided to stay in Vale for awhile. If I go back now, Lord Hydros will be in worse states than he was when I left the first time. Time means nothing in Lemuria, and I'm sure Conservato and the other politicians would all love a chance to sentence me to permanent incarceration for lighting the lighthouses."

Garet looked as if he were about to say something sharp about Conservato, when Jenna cut across.

"You'll be welcome here for as long as you want to stay Piers."

Isaac spoke up. "Yeah, you can stay at my house. We have an extra bedroom."

Piers smiled, and nodded at Isaac. Garet, meanwhile, had turned to Mia.

"You're heading back to Ixmil, aren't you?" He asked, looking down. Mia nodded.

"I have too. Even if the Mercury water heals any ailment, I still must act as Ixmil's guardian and healer."

Garet didn't say anything. Mia laughed.

"Besides, I would think that you'd be tired of protecting me. Or are you forgetting the Jupiter Lighthouse incident?"

Garet grimaced. "I'm trying to"

This elicited another round of laughter, and this time even Garet joined in. When it died down, Kraden shouldered his pack.

"Well, if we stay here much longer, it will be too dark to see where we're going. Time for us to go."

Isaac looked the scholar in the eye. "Is this it Kraden? Is this the true end of our adventure? Is this really goodbye?"

Kraden put a hand on the blond teen, and tousled his hair a little.

"Everyone's adventure ends sometime Isaac. But I have a feeling that your journey is just starting."

With that, the scholar turned to leave. Holding his head high, he stepped on the open path that led away from the village.

One by one, Mia and Ivan followed. Then Sheba began to leave.

"Sheba!" Felix called, unable to contain himself any longer.

The sandy haired teenaged girl turned, and looked at Felix. As her eyes met his, Felix found himself unable to speak. The knot in his throat had returned. Struggling to say what he had been trying to say for the last few weeks, he finally settled for a husky,

"Good luck."

Sheba looked confused. Then she nodded, turned, and headed after the rest of the group. She didn't look around once.

Felix turned away from the leaving party to find that the rest of the group was staring at him. Garet and Isaac stared a Felix as if he were crazy. Piers and Jenna however, looked on with sad understanding.

"Come on." Felix said, unable to bear their looks anymore. "Let's go help out."

The remaining five walked back to the village.

And now they were gone. But Felix couldn't bring himself to feel sad. A time of prosperity and peace was settling into the world, at least as far as Vale was concerned. Apart from the rebuilding, Vale was settling into its new life comfortably. No more fighting. No more adventures. No more quests.

Perfect. Felix thought, and went into the house for breakfast.