Hey all! If you haven't checked out my profile page, I mentioned that I would be doing a revisions project this year so for now, all my stories will be on hiatus until I can get all the chapters I've written revised and re-posted. With that said, I took down Golden Sun:Dark Risings for revisions so I apologize to my fellow readers who have been keeping up with this story.
Now, with this revision, I have changed a pairing. Even with the release of Camelot's third installment of the Golden Sun series, I am still a fan of mudshipping and flameshipping. The only pairing I've changed is windshipping because of the possibility that Ivan and Sheba could be long-lost brother and sister and that would be weird lol! So now, Sheba is paired with another male from the group, but I'll let you read this chapter to find out what coupling it is ;)
I hope you all enjoy reading this revised version of Golden Sun: Dark Risings and please drop a review after reading! I'd really appreciate it! :)
Disclaimer: Golden Sun belongs to Camelot
Alex conjured up an orb of water in his gloved hand. "How dare you mock me! Have a taste of just how much power I just attained from the Golden Sun!" He fired the orb at the Wise One who easily dodged it with one Warp Psynergy. It reappeared before Alex again, this time casting some Psynergetic force towards his way. Smirking, Alex simply raised his arms above his head, producing his own Psynergetic force. Both collided and the two were at a standstill as one tried to overpower the other with their Psynergy.
"Look at me!" Alex exclaimed with joy. "My body is brimming with power!"
The Wise One remained unmoving, its one eye focused on its opponent. "Yes, I have to admit. You have grown powerful, Alex. However..."
Alex gasped in shock as an unknown Psynergy hit his abdomen hard, causing him to lose his focus. Dust kicked up as his body hit the ground. Seconds later, he felt himself being lifted slowly off the ground.
"Even the most powerful have their limits." the Wise One warned as another wave of Psynergy came down from the skies, pounding Alex's battered body down. The tremendous force caused the ground to crack as he landed.
"Tell me; who has robbed me of my power?" he coughed, tasting blood.
"I, the Wise One have some of the Golden Sun as well. It even rests in the hands of Isaac and Felix."
"Why?" Alex asked, slightly irritated. He was the one to receive raw power first-hand; how could the Golden Sun have passed on to them?
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of crumbling rock. The ground beneath him shook, but the Golden Sun continued to emit its Psynergetic rays...
"The heavens and the earth are changing Alex. You must flee or join it forever." the Wise One cautioned, its one eye roving around to survey the shifting environment.
Panic hit Alex as he realized that his limbs were completely immobilized. "Flee? I can't even move!"
"Ah. Now you see the limits to your power. If you survive, perhaps we will see each other again. Goodbye Alex." With those words, the Wise One vanished into thin air...
Thok!
With a hammer, Isaac pounded the last of the nails into a headboard that would serve as the windowsill of a house. Nearby, Garet sat on a tree stump, deeply drinking from his canteen.
"Whew! All this house-building's got me beat!" the Fire Adept exclaimed as he capped his canteen and strapped it back on his belt. His friend chuckled at this.
"C'mon, Garet! You weren't one to complain when we went against the Doom Dragon back at the Mars Lighthouse!"
"I think it's his stomach speaking again!" a female's voice interceded. Both boys looked up to see Jenna standing with hands on hips.
"Why do you always assume that, Jenna!" Garet blurted, standing up. "It takes more than building houses to work up my appetite...er..." A loud growl sounded from his stomach and he clutched it sheepishly.
She smirked, watching Garet's antics. "My point exactly!" Isaac placed the hammer in a box containing the building tools.
"Well, maybe Garet's stomach is telling us to get back to Vault. After all, the sun is beginning to set and it can get pretty dangerous out here after dark."
"His stomach always tells us something." Jenna retorted.
"Jenna..." Garet grimaced, his stomach resonating another growl. Isaac laughed, clapping his friend on the back.
"Don't worry, my friend. You'll have a hearty meal when we get back to Vault! I hear tonight's menu is steak." The word 'steak' seemed to bring his friend back to life.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's head back already!" Grabbing his axe, he shouldered it and started to march happily towards the east...
Isaac and Jenna exchanged glances and a shrug before following Garet, who was already several meters away, humming a tune to himself.
With the setting sun, the crimson-orange sky was slowly changing into a lavender-dark blue color. A star or two began to twinkle within the sea of purple and blue. Mt. Aleph was still shifting due to the Golden Sun; the orb of Alchemy was gone, but its power still remained, radiating within the sunken mountain. Once in a while, a small tremor would ensue, lasting for several seconds or so, before everything fell silent once more.
Mt. Aleph shook again momentarily as the face of the mountain sank slightly, causing several boulders to fall. Moments later, the earth fell silent again and a large boulder was moved aside by Psynergy, revealing a ragged and exhausted Alex. Wiping dry blood from the side of his mouth, he took note of his surroundings.
"This treachery..." he seethed, looking at his left hand. "Am I not worthy enough of the Golden Sun's power?" He remembered the Wise One's words...
"I, the Wise One, have some of the Golden Sun as well. It even rests in the hands of Isaac and Felix."
"Curse them..." Alex said, his voice rising. "CURSE THEM ALL!"
In his anger, he aimed his right hand at a giant boulder nearby and let loose his Water Psynergy. The high pressure stream of water collided with the rock, shattering it into tiny rock shards upon contact. Dissatisfied, he let out another stream at the same spot, eroding more of the rocky wall away.
It was then he spotted something shining among the rubble. Upon closer inspection, he found it to be a fragment of a substance that was as dark as the shadows. Was this the same substance that he found back in the caverns of the Anemos Sanctum?
A devilish grin spread across his face as he clenched his fingers around it. "Dark Matter...perfect."
With it, a DarkSword could be forged under the most experience blacksmith. Alex vaguely remembered crossing paths with a well-known blacksmith during his trek through the Yampi Desert. They never crossed paths again after that day, but he was determined to find this person; he could get the man to forge a set of armor and a weapon out of this tiny fragment. Then it would complete his revenge against the ones who stole the power he had sought...
It was then the Mercury Adept had a realization. Dark Matter could also be absorbed by its possessor! It would be a dangerous process though, for once a person absorbed a sliver of the dark substance, there was a sure chance of that person dying from severe intoxication. Legend had it that only a person with a dark heart and soul would be immune to its poisonous effects.
But Alex was determined to gamble with his life to extract his full revenge. Closing his eyes, he concentrated his Psynergetic energies towards his left hand where he held the Dark Matter. A blue aura surrounded his left hand, but slowly turned into a darker shade as the fragment emitted its darkness and combined it with his powers.
A sharp pain shot up his arm and Alex clenched his teeth, grasping his left arm with his right hand. The poison was taking its effects, spreading its dark venom around his body. Soon, he was starting to slip in and out of consciousness as he couldn't bear the excruciating pain as the dark aura around his hand grew larger. His back hit the ground once more as he lost the strength to stand.
In his pain, Alex cursed inwardly. He should have just searched for that blacksmith after all...
It was then the pain left his body altogether and he felt something metal resting against his hand. Grasping it, he raised his left arm to see a blade as dark as the midnight sky. Gasping, he sat up abruptly and looked at the weapon in awe.
"Did the Dark Matter just forge itself into the Darksword?" He also his once-torn clothing was now mended and his wounds healed. The evil grin came back on his face. "Guess the Dark Matter chose me after all."
As he rose, he felt something hanging from his belt. Looking to the side where he kept his nunchakus, he noticed a matching scabbard now dangling beside his weapon.
"This was a lucky find." he said, sheathing the Darksword in its scabbard and looking outward at the dusky sky. Stars were now starting to shine in its lavender-like shade. Several miles from the foot of Mt. Aleph was the humble village of Vault. It would be dark soon and there was a slim chance Isaac, Felix and company would be outside at this time. Besides, there was no rush in finding them; after all, he would enjoy a little game of cat and mouse before finishing off those pesky Adepts. For now, he needed to find a place to rest...
Thoughts of a gourmet meal and a warm bed prompted him to start climbing down the sunken mountain
Garet happily patted his stomach and let out a small belch. "Vault makes the best steak!"
"Ew, gross" Jenna said, disgusted. Isaac laughed as he leaned back on his chair.
"That's Garet for you! And Garet, you say that for every place we stay in!"
"I do?" Garet wondered, scratching his head. "When was the last time I said that?"
"Two days ago when we stayed at Master Hammet's palace in Kalay." another male voice replied. All three looked up to see Ivan, Mia, and Sheba joining them at the table.
"I see Garet's stomach spoke again?" Mia giggled, earning her a death glare from Garet.
"Is it 'pick on Garet' day again?" Sheba piped up, mischief glinting from her lavender eyes. The others howled in laughter, save for Garet, who was slowly sinking in his chair in embarrassment.
"All right, guys." Isaac sighed, wiping his now-tearing eyes. "I think we should lay off on Garet here."
"Aw...the poor baby." Sheba teased and more laughter erupted around the table.
A woman approached the table, setting down a plate containing a slice of pecan pie. Jenna took the plate and clapped her hands together before taking the fork and slicing a small piece.
"Look who's talking." Garet remarked as the laughter around him started to die down.
"Hey, at least I don't eat five plates of these like you do!" she fired back at him.
"While the two lovebirds argue it out..." Mia started with a sly grin, seeing if the two Fire Adepts would hear her, but they were too busy teasing each other with sarcasm to notice. Letting the joke go, she turned towards Isaac.
"So, how's the construction going? she asked, trying to be as loud as she can over the constant bickering.
"I'll tell you outside. Let's leave them to their own devices." Both looked over at Ivan and Sheba who were staring at each other intently. Instead of trying to speak over each other, they had decided to use their Mind Read abilities to have a conversation.
"Sometimes, I wish I had the Mind Read Psynergy." Mia contemplated out loud as she stood from her seat. "It would come in very handy in situations like this..."
"I know, Mia." Isaac said, joining her and wrapping his arm around her. "But what can we do about it? We're not Wind Adepts." The two exited the noisy Inn and stepped into fresh air with a clear, night sky above them. They strolled across the tiny village, taking the stairs leading to the bell tower. Once there, Isaac climbed up the ladder and Mia followed suite with his help. They stood, leaning against the wooden railing, and enjoying the evening scenery together. All around them was silent save for a few chirping coming from crickets nearby.
"This should be a more quieter place." Isaac said, looking up at the starry sky.
"Yes, it is indeed." she agreed. "But I'm sure we didn't go outside just to talk about New Vale's construction, did we?"
"My, you're sharp as ever." he laughed, looking back at her with a smile. "Well, since you figured it out, I might as well tell you now. We've been together since the lighting of the Jupiter Lighthouse and I don't mean together...oh wait, no that didn't come out quite right."
Mia stifled a giggle as she watched his cheeks slowly turn red. "I love you too, Isaac." At those words, he managed to compose himself and continue his small speech.
"Y-yes...that's what I mean. Well, I've been giving it some deep thought during our sail back to Vale from Prox...and Mia..." He dug into his pocket and fished something out. Mia's heart started to soar as he got on one knee, taking her hand and slipping on a ring. She was lost for words as she looked at the ring in awe; it was a sterling silver ring adorned with a small aquamarine gem. Two diamonds adorned on either side of the precious gem, completing its stunning beauty.
Seeing her facial expression, Isaac continued. "Mia...will you marry me?"
"Yes! Of course I will!" she exclaimed in response, throwing herself at Isaac and hugging him. In doing so, the two tumbled to the floor and they lay there for a moment, their laughter filling the silent night.
Sighing and sitting up, Isaac turned back to face Mia, who was still laying on the wooden floor looking with complete awe at the ring he had given her. "Mia...the only problem is that we can't hold this wedding right away because of construction. I know I should have waited until after New Vale was complete, but I thought tonight was a beautiful night to say those words to you."
She sat up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Any day would have been fine, Isaac. I was just waiting for my favorite Earth Adept to say those five words to me."
Isaac chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and cradling her. "I'm glad you like the ring."
"Oh, it's so beautiful, Isaac. Wherever did you get a ring like this?" she asked, making herself comfortable in Isaac's arms.
He looked up at the twinkling stars, noticing a shooting star zip through the dark sky. "It's quite a long story...I'd probably bore you to death with it." He felt her shake her head in response.
"No, tell me. Besides, I want to stay out here with you a bit longer." She relaxed into his arms, closing her eyes.
"Alright." Isaac laughed, gently moving some of Mia's strands of hair away from her angelic face. He took the ring from her hand and slipped it on her ring finger. "That night we stayed at Izumo..."
Together, the two lay under the stars for the remainder of the night...
Dust kicked up through the empty streets as Alex strode through the ruins of Vale. The once peaceful village was now desolate since the Wise One had warned everyone to evacuate the area before the Golden Sun event happened. Straw houses were caved in and anything made out of brick or rock was split in half from the magnitude of Mt. Aleph's earthquake when the mountain started to crumble and sink. The trunks of the trees had been splintered as well, the treetops now bare with only a few dried leaves fluttering against the wind. The water in the river had been replaced by magma and streams of it continued to flow through the area where the water once flowed
"Hm...that weakling Wise One saved those villagers?" he thought as he saw one of the straw huts nearby completely crumble down, kicking up dust as the debris fell in a heap. Descending a flight of stairs leading to the plaza, he noticed a giant Psynergy stone in the middle of a small lake full of magma. The wooden bridge connecting to the little island had been engulfed by the lava.
Magma wasn't going to stop Alex. Smirking, he closed his eyes and vanished into thin air, reappearing in front of the Psynergy stone. His right hand stretched out to touch the surface of the glowing stone and immediately, felt a rush of Psynergy enter his body. The fragment of the Golden Sun pulsed within him as the stone replenished his Psynergy reserves.
Seconds later, he opened his eyes again as the last of the stone's power seeped into his system. "That should do quite nicely." Warping back, he noticed that the Inn was still intact. Being a bit farther away from Mt. Aleph, the plaza didn't suffer as much damage as the houses he had seen back there.
Curiosity got the better of him and he entered the now-abandoned armor shop. As expected, the place was completely empty and the only furniture left in the place was an old, wooden desk, a dusty bed, and a few barrels and crates.
Another small tremor ensued, shaking everything up in the room. Unable to steady himself, Alex fell to the floor. A crash was heard nearby as one of the crates that were stacked had fallen, splitting its timber in half. Just as fast as it came, the shaking stopped and everything was still again.
He stood, dusting his clothes. "Well, that was unexpected...what's that?" His eye had caught of a strange garment laying about the splinters. Upon closer inspection, he saw it to be a dark robe with a hood. After removing the small splinters and dust from it, he donned it, coughing a bit as some of the remaining dust flew around from the garment.
"Perfect. Now those brats won't know who I really am!" Taking the cords at each of the side of the waist, he joined them at the front, tying the two into a loose knot. "I wonder why this was left here? Bah! No matter...it's their lost now."
He flipped the hood over his head and hurried out the door on his way to Vault...
The next morning, Isaac, Garet, and Jenna were getting ready to leave for the construction. The trio were over at the Inn on the second floor, getting their supplies ready.
"You know..." Jenna started as she tied the laces of her boots. "This reminds me of that day we were getting ready to go up Mt. Aleph with Kraden."
"Yeah, it does." both Isaac and Garet said in unison. The two looked at each other in surprise before bursting out in fits of laughter over their antics.
"Isaac, Garet, Jenna!" someone called out from downstairs, catching their attention. Footsteps were heard and the three looked over to see Sheba ascending. She joined them, nearly out of breath.
"Mayor...wants...you...now."
"Whoa, slow down, Sheba." Jenna warned, giving her a canteen filled with water. "What's the matter? Is everything alright?"
Garet helped her sit on the bed as she continued to drink deeply from the canteen. "Yeah, what's the rush, Sheba? Is Gramps alright?"
She nodded, capping the canteen and handing it back to Jenna. "Thank you and yes, he's fine; but, he wants to discuss something important with us at his house. The others are already there, waiting for you three."
"Alright, let's get going then." Isaac said, tying his scarf on before they departed from the Inn, running across town and ascending a long flight of steps leading towards the Mayor's house.
Compared to the other houses in Vault, the Mayor of Vault had a large, almost mansion-like house and it was the only one sitting at the cliff of the village, making it easy to locate. A guard was stationed at the door and at seeing Isaac, he stepped aside to let the four in. Inside, the rest of the Adepts were already sitting around the table with both mayors. Kraden was among the group as well.
"You're late, Jenna." Felix said somewhat sternly. He was the only one standing, leaning against one of the bookshelves nearby.
"Hey, we had no idea you guys were going to hold a meeting today!" she retorted, taking a seat next to Piers. Sheba took the empty seat on his other side and Isaac sat beside Mia. Garet took a chair from a corner nearby and seated himself next to Jenna.
"But you were with us when the Mayor came by last night." Piers said. "How could you forget?"
"Whose side are you on?" Jenna asked, rather annoyed with their constant scolding.
The Mayor of Vault held up a hand to silence them. "Now now. There's no need to be arguing over punctuality. We're all here now so that's all that matters."
Garet's grandfather nodded and looked at each Adept seated. "With that said, let us move on to more pressing matters. As you are all aware, we also have Vale residents living in Kalay due to the small accommodations we have here so there are always caravans of people moving to and from here to help with the construction of New Vale."
"Yeah yeah." Garet said, waving a hand. "Cut to the chase, Gramps." He winced as he earned a hard nudge from Jenna.
"Don't be rude, Garet!"
Vale's Mayor cleared his throat audibly to get the two Fire Adepts' attention. "Anyways, as I was saying, these people travel to and from here to participate in the rebuilding of our village. However, I've been getting several reports from our villagers and guards about recent monster sightings."
"You're kidding me." Ivan said in shock. "I thought all the monsters had perished under the effects of the Golden Sun!"
"That was my theory as well." Kraden interjected. "But it seems to have done the opposite effect on those creatures. Everyday, more and more wild animals are slowly mutating into abominations that even we haven't seen in our travels."
"One of the caravans headed here was attacked by such a thing yesterday." Vault's Mayor said. "Luckily, they had soldiers with them so they were able to fend off the monsters. Other than the leader of the caravan sustaining a severe wound on the arm, everyone was fine. They're all now resting at the sanctum."
"I'm surprised none of them have attacked any of the workers at the construction site." Sheba said. "I mean, the site sits near the foot of Mt. Aleph...or what it used to be."
Kraden shook his head. "None of the monsters will go near Mt. Aleph. The massive power of the Golden Sun would kill them for sure."
"But Kraden, didn't you just say that the monsters feed off of the Golden Sun?" Isaac asked, perplexed.
"That is very strange..." Sheba mused out loud. Everyone watched as she stood from her seat and grabbed a red book off of the bookshelf Felix was leaning on. Sitting back down, she flipped through the pages, her eyes lighting up as she found the page she was looking for.
"If you read this passage, you'll see that Kraden was right about the monsters perishing under the effects of Alchemy. It says it all right here."
Mia read the passage and nodded. "Yes, and to add to that, didn't we all notice that the monsters we fought in the past each had their weakness against a certain element? Like those Slimes that we fought near the Mercury Lighthouse were weak against Garet's Fireball Psynergy and the Salamanders at the Lamakan Desert were weak against my Froth Sphere. The Golden Sun is a mass of energy consisting of all elements so why would it have the opposite effect on the monsters, let alone, the wild animals?"
"An excellent point, Mia." Kraden said, smiling. Mia blushed at this and Isaac tried his best to stifle a chuckle.
Piers rubbed his chin as he studied the passage. "If that is the case, then perhaps there is something else that is turning them into monsters. The Golden Sun may have risen, but it doesn't account for all the changes that happen during that."
"I think it would be best if we explore Mt. Aleph first. Maybe we can find something there that will help us determine what's causing the mutation of the wild animals." Kraden suggested.
"Yes, that would be a good idea." Garet's grandfather agreed. "And since the nine of you will be heading there, would you do us mayors a favor?"
"Count on us!" Garet exclaimed.
Vault's Mayor smiled, placing a sealed note on the table. "I like your spirit, Garet. That is a letter for the mayor of Lunpa. Under better circumstances, I would have had my messenger deliver it with a guard or two for safety, but since the monster sightings, I can't risk any of our people out there. They are non-Adepts and without Psynergy, they wouldn't stand a chance. Besides, I'm thinking something's amiss in Lunpa."
"What do you mean, Mayor?" Ivan asked.
"We've sent out a letter to them a week ago regarding the request for more able-bodied people to help with the rebuilding of New Vale, but to this day, we have gotten no reply from them."
At hearing this, Isaac, Mia, Garet, and Ivan looked at each other with concern. From their last visit to Lunpa, they remembered Donpa's son, Dodonpa, who had kidnapped Master Hammet and used him for ransom. Had they not disobeyed Lady Layana's request, Kalay and its founder wouldn't have been standing today.
"Is something the matter?" Sheba asked, confused. "The four of you became so serious all of a sudden."
"It's nothing, really." Isaac answered. "We're just thinking about how Lunpa's been doing since we last went there."
"Were Master Hammet and Lady Layana informed of the monster attacks?" Ivan asked, slightly changing the subject.
Garet's grandfather shook his head. "No, but I've had one of men send a bird to him so do not worry about Kalay. They will know what's going on once the bird gets there. Knowing Master Hammet, he will send a reply right away once word reaches to him."
"It would probably be best to go to Lunpa and deliver that note before we head up Mt. Aleph." Felix said, walking away from the group and heading for the door. "I'll see you all later." The door closed quietly behind him. There was a moment of complete silence after Felix's departure until Kraden got everyone's attention by clearing his throat.
"Felix is right. We should probably head over to Lunpa first. Exploration of Mt. Aleph is vital, but we must notify Lunpa and get more people to help us with rebuilding."
"So...when do we leave for Lunpa?" Garet asked, leaning back on his chair.
"Tomorrow." both Mayors said in unison. A set of footsteps were heard and they all turned to see Garet's mother descending the steps.
"Enough chatter of the grim things. Let's have some breakfast, hm?"
Felix stood at the bridge, watching Mt. Aleph from afar. It amazed him at how the mountain still glowed with the orange-gold color of the Golden Sun the week after the unleashing of Alchemy throughout Weyard.
He thought of the past events leading up to the rising of the Golden Sun and they had succeeded in restoring Alchemy to a dying world. Even with the restoration of a long-lost power, he still had to fulfill his promise to Sheba and help her discover her true origins. His plans were to leave with Piers and Sheba once the construction of New Vale was finished and travel to Contigo. Although they had defeated Dullahan, the guardian of the Anemos Sanctum, the ruins still remained a mystery. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something in the depths of the sanctum that would reveal Sheba's past.
"Hey, Felix." a familiar voice greeted. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Felix turned to see Isaac.
"Oh, did you guys need me back there again?"
Isaac shook his head, smiling. "No, we're all finished there. Garet's mother prepared a breakfast for us so we saved some food for you which your sister took home."
"Oh, thank you." Felix said, returning the smile. Isaac took a step beside him and leaned on the ropes of the bridge, the wooden planks creaking slightly under the their combined weights and the slightly billowing wind.
"Is something bothering you, Felix?" Isaac asked, his smile fading to a worried look. "You've been quite distant these past few days."
"Isaac, you should know I'm always like this." Felix said, chuckling slightly.
"Yeah, I know you're quiet most of the time, but you've been shutting yourself off from the rest of us lately."
Felix sighed, looking up at the morning sky. "Well...I've been thinking about Sheba lately and my promise to her."
Isaac raised an eyebrow. "Promise? What do you mean?"
"My promise to help her discover her origins as a descendant of Anemos. I made that promise during our travels after we got separated from your group when Venus Lighthouse was lit. I know this is kind of sudden, but I'm thinking of leaving with Piers and Sheba once we get New Vale built."
Felix paused to see Isaac's reaction to his words, but the Venus Adept remained silent with a smile on his face.
"You like Sheba, don't you?" Felix remained silent, slightly averting his gaze.
"You may not admit it, but I can see it clearly through your actions." Isaac said, chuckling. "Ever since our reunion at Contigo, you've been at her side constantly."
Felix turned to him, smirking. "Quite observant of you. Yes, I love her and she loves me. Once I help her find her true origins, we will return to New Vale and marry. I'm sure she'll be 17 by the time we return."
It was Isaac's turn to smirk. "As always, you're playing it safe. Still trying to break Vale's laws."
"Well, I'm technically not breaking our village laws since I'm not marrying Sheba yet until we return. Vale's law prohibits marriage of a couple if either woman or man are under age, but it doesn't prohibit them from pursuing a relationship."
Isaac clapped Felix on the back. "I know, I'm just teasing. I'm happy for you two and I'll be awaiting that future marriage."
"Isaac!" a voice called out behind them. Mia and Jenna were standing at the end of the bridge.
"We've been looking for you two!" Jenna chided, placing her hands on her hips. "The sun's not going to wait for us, you know?"
Isaac scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Felix and I were discussing matters and we got carried away, I guess."
"Don't bother explaining, Isaac." Felix said, walking past him and towards the girls. "Jenna doesn't listen when her temper goes off. You should know that already."
Mia stifled a giggle as Jenna fumed at hearing her brother's words. Felix soon found himself running the other way from his sister. Isaac joined Mia as they watched the two siblings chase each other around Vault.
Isaac placed an arm around Mia. "Let's leave them to their shenanigans and head over to the construction site, shall we?" He received a small peck on the cheek from her.
"Of course, my love. You don't need to worry about getting the tools. Garet and Piers hauled all the supplies there already."
He nodded, withdrawing from his embrace and gently taking her hand in his. Together, they walked towards the entrance of Vault.
To be continued...