Authors/Note: This is three months after The Lost age. For those of you who do not know who Picard is, wherever you see the name Picard I mean Piers. Picard is the name used in the Japanese version of Golden Sun2.

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or any of the characters

Golden Sun: The New Beginning

Chapter I: Travelers

"Good Morning!" Jenna happily waved to a man up on a roof, thatching it, as she passed by. She had just gotten the things she needed from the Plaza and was on her way up to Isaac's house for a visit before she headed back home.

When Vale and Mt. Aleph had sunken under the ground never to be seen again, everybody in Vale sought refuge in Vault until they could get things organized. Kalay and Tolbi, grateful for the help Isaac had lent them, paid the expenses on lumber, hay, and any other material needed to rebuild Vale.

It wasn't all completed, but many of the houses had been rebuilt on ledges just like before. With the help of Felix and Isaac's psynergy, the two young adepts had carved out an exact replica of the old Vale cliff sides there in the mountains where Mt. Aleph used to be. After Mia and Picard found the old water source from the stream, that no longer existed, Isaac dug a trench with his powers that went through the new Vale in the same way it had before. They then joined the ditch to the water source. Everybody in Vale wanted to start anew, but they also wanted their old village back.

Jenna smiled as she continued to stroll through her new home. Mia had used growth on trees that had been planted so they would be big and tall for lots of shade. Kraden had lots of help rebuilding his new home that had a downstairs dedicated to his studies. It was in a spot that looked like the place his old home used to be, and had just as many trees for shade. The grass was doing rather well, thanks to Picard and his growth ability along with Ivan and Sheba causing rainstorms for a water source, and was lush and already needed trimming.

Jenna stopped and sighed as she looked north of Vale. She used to be able to see Mt. Aleph and Sol Sanctum, but now all she saw was large mountain ranges. It was hard getting used to, but now they no longer had to worry about protecting it and could live happily knowing that all of Weyard was safe from destruction. And she was so happy that her family was back, Felix, her mother and father. She loved them all dearly and never wanted to let go of them again.

Reaching the house, Jenna knocked twice and waited patiently at the door for one of the three owners to answer it. She smiled and was greeted warmly by the head of the family himself.

"Jenna! Please, come in," Kyle invited, stepping to the side. "What brings you here? I thought you'd be with your family."

Jenna gladly accepted and entered the home. It had been one of the first houses rebuilt, though Isaac and his family wished it to be one of the last. The village had insisted and Isaac, Garet, and Felix's family's houses be the first three built, and only said that they deserved it when asked why.

"I only wanted to visit for a while," Jenna replied. "You know, stop by and see how things were."

"That's very kind of you," Kyle said.

Mia looked up from her seat at the table and smiled. She and Ivan were staying with Isaac's family since the inn was nowhere near completion. As for Sheba and Picard, they had been invited to stay in Felix's humble home.

"Hello, Jenna," Mia greeted. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Jenna paused and watched as she wrote something on letter paper. "And you? Listen, I'm really sorry about.."

Mia shook her head. "No, don't be," she said. She looked up and smiled. "It was meant to be. Besides, I could have never forgiven him and had the relationship I used to with him. He changed too much."

Jenna smiled sympathetically. She new what it was like to think you'd lost someone. And in Mia's case, she had lost an old friend: Alex.

Mia had talked a little the first few weeks after the adventure had ended about how she worried just a little about Alex's whereabouts. When the Wise One told her that he was dead, she couldn't help but pity him. She talked of how he had been misled by greed and temptation of power. She had been very close to him as friends before he changed, and it was painful for her to see him be corrupted so and then killed. She couldn't help but feel that he deserved it. He had caused so much trouble, and used everyone for his own wants and desires. His heart had turned to pure evil.

Jenna smiled. Mia was so strong. They all knew it grieved her for having lost someone that she had grown up with to greed, but yet she acted as though it were only a miner thing. She was so angry with him when she heard his true reason for lighting the lighthouses and said she'd never forgive him for it. And she hadn't. She said it every day someone brought the man up, which wasn't often since most the people in Vale who had known him enough didn't like him a lot. But they all offered their support for the blue haired adept.

Jenna crossed the room and peered over Mia's shoulder. From the looks of it, and the greeting, she was writing a letter to her grandparents in Imil. She smiled and moved away to give the other young lady her privacy.

"Why, hello there, Jenna," Dora greeted as she entered the house. Behind her was Isaac caring a large bucket of water, apparently for the use of cleaning.

"Good Morning, Ma'am," Jenna replied.

"We've talked about this before," Dora teasingly scolded. "You're to call me Dora."

Jenna smiled. "Yes, I'm sorry," she said. "Can I help you with anything?"

"For pity's sake, no!" Dora replied. "I feel bad enough not being able to help everyone else rebuild Vale without burdening someone else with my chores! If I could, I'd clean someone else's home up, but I have to get my own in leaving condition for my family."

Jenna smiled. "It is hard, getting the houses in shape," she said. "But if there's anything I can do, you just ask. I'd be glad to help when my chores are done." Jenna gasped and picked her shopping basket up. "I hate to run, but speaking of which, I haven't done a single chore! Mom's weighed down with enough as it is. Please excuse me."

Isaac turned from setting the bucket of water down in time to catch her. "Wait! I'll come with you," he said.

Jenna smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Isaac. I'd be happy to walk with you."

Kyle went to the door with them and held it open as they left. "I'll see you two later," he said.

Isaac let Jenna set the pace and then matched it as he walked along beside her. They decided to go the longest way they could so they could have a chance to talk. They hadn't done much accept nod as they passed one another in a week, they had been so busy.

"It's been hectic lately, I haven't had a chance to speak with your family. How are they doing?" Isaac asked.

Jenna shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Dad's been working outside trying to build a dock on our home. It's next to the river like it was three years ago, but you know that," she replied. She looked at the ground as she thought. "Felix helps him when he's not off helping workers build the Inn or someone's house.

"Mom and Grandma are busy inside, sweeping, decorating, washing the walls and floors, and anything else. I help with whatever I can. My aunt helps too, though she works with the shop owners more. Granpa can't do much though."

Isaac nodded. "That's nice," he said.

"And how's your mother? I mean she has so much to do inside and no one to help her. It must be hard on her," Jenna asked.

Isaac shrugged. "She's hard working. She doesn't mind the chores. I help with lifting heavy objects and moving things in her way, that is when I'm not out helping Dad with the construction work," he replied.

"What is it the two of you work on?" Jenna asked.

"Garet and I help with the sanctum and a few houses down in the Plaza. When I help Dad though, we mainly focus on the houses along the way to the Plaza," Isaac replied.

Isaac looked over at the young fire adept and smiled. "You must really be glad your parents are back," he said. "You were so sad when you thought they were dead. You changed."

Jenna nodded. "Was I really that sad? I didn't realize it showed so much," she said. "But to answer you, yes, I'm very happy that they're back. And I'm glad Felix is here, too."

Isaac smiled thoughtfully as he thought about what had happened three years ago. It all made so much since that they all were alive now. It was strange to think that only Felix survived since both his dad and Jenna's father were earth adepts.

"You must love having your father around again," Jenna said softly. "You do so much with him. Every time I turn around you're with him, almost."

Isaac smiled. "Yeah, I'm glad he's back," he said. "I feel like we lost so much time together though. Three years were taken away from us that he could have been doing something for Vale, or his family."

Jenna smiled sympathetically. "You did lose time with him, Isaac, we both lost time with our fathers."

"So, anyway," Isaac said, changing the subject. It still hurt a little to think that three very precious years had been lost with his father. "It's hard to believe it's all over, huh?"

"Yup, it sure is," Jenna said. "Felix has grown up, mentally, so much. He's caring and helps when he can. Though he's still a little mad at Babi for stilling from the Lumerians even though he's dead."

"Oh, yeah, that," Isaac said. "Does it bother Picard any?"

Jenna shook her head. "No, not a bit. He's so quick to forgive people. I wish I could be that way," she replied.

"I still can't believe Babi lied to us. He seemed so nice, and kind. He didn't seem like the kind of guy to steal anything," Isaac commented.

"People can be deceiving," Jenna said. "He also took advantage of your good nature, and your willingness to help others in need out. That was dirty."

Isaac smiled. "It's in the past. Don't dwell on it. I've forgiven him," he said. "Besides, he's dead, what can we do?"

Jenna nodded. She looked up and smiled. "We're at my house, Isaac," she said.

Isaac looked up as well. "Oh, so we are," he said.

Jenna sighed. "I better go help Mom out. Thank you for walking me home. You didn't have to you know," she said.

"I know, I wanted to though," Isaac replied. "Maybe I'll have time to see you and Felix sometime later."

"Maybe so," Jenna said. She waved. "Bye, Isaac."

"Bye!" Isaac said as he darted off up the stairs.

Jenna smiled as she went inside. She often wondered if her small crush she had on him was still around. She also wondered if he liked her in a way since he'd worried about her so when she left Venus lighthouse. It didn't matter though. Her love for Garet, that she never showed, was greater, and she believed that Isaac's heart belonged to a certain blue haired water adept who was staying in his very own home.

~*~*~*~

"If only I had the power of Alchemy, nothing could stop me! I'd be powerful, but how, how shall I obtain it? Is it impossible after the lighthouses are lit, or is it just harder? I must have this power; I must own it and have it for myself! How can I get it? He keeps an eye on me. He doesn't trust me. He won't let me out of his sight. What can I do to get away from this place, this town? What is it called again? I only came here for the knowledge that the other scholars have. But they speak of another, greater scholar who has succeeded in his task. What is his name? Ah yes, Kraden! I must find him. I must get to him and make him tell me his knowledge of Alchemy.

"How long I have waited for this power to be awakened! Ever since I can remember I've wanted it, and I shall have it! I will have it. I must have it. If this, this old man, Kraden, if he knows what I lack than I will kill to get to him. I must find him. But the other scholars, they won't say were he went. He has warned them of me, and told them he doesn't trust me. If he doesn't trust me than no one in this reached town will. Maybe I was too hasty. I acted too quickly when I asked about Alchemy. It was too obvious. All of Weyard has bound to have been warned that someone might want the power. But they couldn't possibly tell I was coming. Unless.

"This Hamma woman. She can predict the future. Yes, I've heard of her. She's done it too. There are others like her; I shall hope that they haven't found their ability to see the future. I shall also hope that she will not contact them if she sees what I want. I might have to dispose of her somehow. But how?"

The man frowned to himself as he sat in the darkness of his chamber. He whispered to himself his plans, and thought them more than he did speak them. He dared not speak them loudly for fear of his suspicions being proved. If someone were to hear him, how would he have anyone's trust? How then would he get what he wanted?

He hissed to himself disgusted. There were far to many people who could stop him if warned of his intentions. He had to get ride of the one who was the most threat to him at the moment. He had to get ride of her. He had to get ride of this Master Hamma before she ratted on him. He had to get to her before she saw what he planned to do or just as she saw it. He had to get to her now. But how? He was being watched.

The man smiled as it all fell into place perfectly before him. He had the perfect plan that not even he could spoil. It couldn't fail. Even the dumbest of scholars could put it into action. Now all he needed was a letter. That's all. A simple piece of paper with words inked onto it. Then he'd be one step closer to his heart's desire.

~*~*~*~

Mt. Aleph continued to sink in the ground. The blue haired man from Imil lay paralyzed unable to flee. He frowned as his mind raced to figure out a way to get down, to get away before the ground ate him. He had a way, but he needed to move. Maybe he didn't need to move to do it. Maybe he didn't need to move to use his psynergy.

The mountain along with the small village at its base was being sucked down into the earth's crust never to be seen again. Alex laid, limply, on the top of Aleph, however he was smiling now. Dust clouds bellowed up in large puffs of choking dirt and blew upwards toward the once clear blue sky. It was very hard to see the top of the mountain as it was almost completely submerged under the ground. A small flash and then a glimmer occurred just before the crumbling mountaintop disappeared into the dirt.

Sheba sat up gasping. She looked around the room from her spot on the floor where she had been sleeping for the past three months. She frowned as she cast her gaze toward her covered feet. What kind of dream was that? It was Alex when the mountain had sunken, but that was in the past. Master Hamma had said that she and Ivan might, some day, acquire the ability to see the future as she could, but she never mentioned anything about seeing what had happened in the past.

Sheba threw her blanket off and over where Picard was. She gazed at him to make sure she had not roused him accidentally and then stood, quietly, and went to the foot of the stairs. She wrapped her arms around herself as a chill ran up her spine. The room was cool, not cold, but not warm, and her thin garments didn't help.

Sheba crept up the stairs silently as not to wake the Mr. and Mrs. who laid in their beds sleeping soundly. She tried to avoid any squeaks on her way up, but stepped on a few. She paused at the top and looked to the left where Jenna's room door was and then to her right where Felix's room door was. She sighed. Her arms had small bumps as she rubbed them trying to get the blood moving through them faster to warm herself. She frowned. Who should she wake? Both of them had worked hard in their own ways and both of them needed their rest. She hated to disturb either of them, but she wanted to tell them about her strange dream. It bothered her. She wasn't supposed to see what had happened in the past!

Sheba shivered and looked down at the floor. She sighed as she over came another shiver. She quietly inched toward Felix's door. He might be able to make something out of it. Jenna would probably just wake him up anyway. As a matter of fact, Sheba knew she would, so to avoid both of them being disturbed from their well-earned sleep she went with the door to her right.

Felix awoke to being gently shaken. He sat up to a dark, shadowy room. He looked over to see Sheba on her knees by his bedside. He scowled and yawned.

"Sheba? What are you doing? What is it?" he asked as he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's not even daylight outside yet. What's wrong?"

Sheba lowered her head as if she'd just been scolded. "I- I'm sorry, Felix," she apologized. "It's just, I had a weird dream. It disturbed me; I needed to, to talk about it. I didn't know you'd be sore, I'm sorry."

Felix stared at her as her words slowly set into his groggy head. "Oh, um, I'm not mad," he said sleepily. He pushed the covers back and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. "Come here. What is it, what did you want to talk about?"

She frowned. "Weren't you listening to me?" she asked, slightly aggravated.

"Yes, yeah, your dream, right," Felix said. He shook his head to wake himself up. "Sorry. Now what was it?"

"My dream," Sheba said, sitting down beside him on the bed. "It was really weird. I saw Mt. Aleph when it was sinking under the ground. I saw Alex laying there on top of it. he's supposed to be dead, but I don't think he is."

Felix frowned. "What? Wait, why not? They Wise One said he was dead, he said he sank with Mt. Aleph," he said, confused.

"I know, but in the dream, when the mountain was almost gone, large dust clouds raised up in the sky and just before that, I saw Alex smiling," Sheba said.

"So? And that means what? He's crazy, Sheba," Felix replied with a yawn.

"But it wasn't a crazy smile!" Sheba shouted. "If you don't even care I'll just go back to sleep." Sheba stood to leave.

"No! Wait, I'm interested," Felix said, catching her hand. "I'm sorry, finish telling me."

Sheba stood for a minute and then sat back down. "Like I was saying, he was smiling. And it wasn't 'I'm completely crazy and I find it funny I'm going to die' kind of smile, but a 'I know a way to get off of this chunk of rock before I get sucked into the ground with it' kind of mischievous smile."

"What do you think that means?" Felix asked.

"I don't know, he did get off maybe?" Sheba replied. She shook her head. "That's not all. Before it actually sank into the ground I saw a flash and then a glimmer that remained a second after. I think he teleported off before it sank."

"But we never saw a flash or a glimmer before when he teleported in sol sanctum and on the Mercury lighthouse. Why would that change?" Felix commented.

Sheba shook her head. "I know, but he wasn't able to move. Maybe that had to do something with it. Maybe since he wasn't able to move it took more psynergy?" Sheba frowned and burred her face in her hands.

"Don't be depressed. It's only a dream," Felix said, laying a comforting hand on her upper back.

"It's not that," Sheba said, distressed. "It's the whole dream itself! Why would I dream about Alex teleporting off of Mt. Aleph? Why would I dream that he lived? Why? It doesn't make since. I'm supposed to be able to see the future as I grow in my psynergy, not see what happened in the past!"

Felix frowned. "You think it has something to do with the fact that you're a Jupiter adept? You think you have the ability to see the past instead of the future?"

"I think I have the ability to maybe do both," Sheba replied. "Master Hamma, she said that Ivan and I would some day be able to see the future like she does, to predict it. She didn't say anything about this."

"You think your dream means something?"

"Yes. I think it means we can also see the past. Or at least I can. I don't know anything before I was found in Lalavero. Nothing! So I don't know my parents, I don't know where I was born, I don't even know why I fell from the sky!" Sheba sighed as she hugged herself. She shook her head. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know, Sheba," Felix said. "If it makes you feel any better, we can write a letter to Master Hamma and tell her about it tomorrow. She might be able to help you. She probably wouldn't mind paying a visit here to see you."

Sheba smiled. "Thank yo-" Sheba froze before she finished. She had heard a noise. She looked at Felix to see if he had heard it too.

"Sheba," Felix said. "What is that?"

"I don't know. It sounds strange. Go see," she said.

Felix stood to do just that when he heard it again. It was a raspy croaking sound-sort of. He'd never heard it before. It wasn't a cricket and it couldn't have been a frog. Vale didn't have frogs or toads ever since the old one sank.

Felix grabbed his sword from the corner and walked quietly down the stairs. He opened the front door, as not to make a noise, and stepped out, closing it just as quietly. He looked around. It was pitch black. He couldn't see a thing. He heard the noise again, but it was further away. Whatever it was it was moving away. Whatever it was, Felix wanted to know.

"Erok-roup!" Felix scowled as he walked forward. He could barely see his hand in front of his face. 'It would have to be a cloudy night' he thought. He was using the sound of the river for navigation. If only the clouds would move for a moment, just long enough for the full moon to give him light.

"Erok!" Felix froze in his tracks. It was right in front of him, right at his feet. He strained his eyes trying to make something out, but he couldn't see a thing.

A dark cloud above slowly moved out from in front of the moon. Felix gasped and stumbled backwards surprised, and fell over on his rump. The creature that had stopped in front of him was hideous! It looked sort of like a toad, but it had sharp teeth that over lapped each other and hung out of its mouth. It had rather obviously large claws on every toe like limb on each foot. Its blood red eyes pierced into his heart and the moonlight made them glow an eerie yellowish green.

Felix tried to stand as it gazed wickedly at him, but he couldn't move. Something about its piercing gaze paralyzed every limb of his body right down to his eyes. He couldn't blink, he couldn't glance to the sides, he couldn't do anything with any part of his body. It opened its wide mouth and began hissing, drool and saliva dripping from its fangs.

Another, large fluffy cloud drifted over the moon slowly, blocking Felix's vision. Now he couldn't see the creature! He could only hear it's hissing and wonder what it'd do to him. He found he could move, but he was too curious. He stayed, seated on the ground, listening, straining, and trying to see it again.

The creature growled. The cloud slowly began to move away from the moon. It let out an ear piercing screech and then Felix heard a splash.

When the cloud finally moved, it was gone. Felix looked around but didn't see a thing. He stood, picked up his sword and returned to the house. Disturbed, he closed the door behind him silently.

"What was it?" Sheba whispered as she approached him.

Felix shook his head. "It was-just a toad," he replied. "Go to bed. I'll write Hamma in the morning."

Sheba reluctantly went to her mat on the floor and lie down. Felix walked up the stairs and entered his room. He closed the door and leaned against it. What was that thing? Had he seen and heard what he had seen and heard? Was it his imagination?

Felix sighed as he laid back down. He was so tired he didn't know. He'd think about it more in the morning when his head was clear and he was well rested.

~*~*~*~

A cold bitter wind blew small snowflakes around as they drifted down from the sky. The sky was covered completely by the gray clouds that lingered overhead. They threatened to drench the ground below or cover it completely in a blanket of fresh snow.

He rolled over and placed a hand to his aching head. He tried to remember what had happened as he sat up slowly. His head spun and he slumped back down into the ankle high snow as a rush of memories came back to him. Mt. Aleph had sunken, and what after that? Where was he? It was cold, could he be-no, that's not the last thought he had.

He shook his head as he stared up at the sky. Snowflakes continued to fall. His entire lower half of his body had a light blanket of snow over it plus the snow that had fallen from his chest when he sat up. Carefully, as not to make his head throb anymore, he propped himself up on his elbows and looked around.

Snow. Snow, snow, snow, and even past that, more snow. The whole field, or whatever it was, around him was white. The only color visible was maybe the side of a boulder or perhaps a fallen tree limb sticking out of the snow. Everything else was already white or getting that way.

Now he remembered. After it sank, the mount, into the ground, he was safe, safe from danger. But where had he gone? Where was this winter wonderland that he had fallen into? It was cold and damp from all the wet snow. His nose was cold and every breath he took he could see it puffing up in large white clouds. He frowned as he looked around yet again. Now where would he go? He was lost, wasn't he? He could always go somewhere else, but he was too weak. He didn't have enough psynergy.

The wind whistled as it threateningly swooshed past in front of him. He shivered. He hadn't shivered in a long time. It seemed like years since he last felt a chill run up his spine. It seemed like decades since he had to bundle up so to keep the cruel wind off of his skin. His skin. His feet and hands were numb. He could barely feel his legs as he tried to stand. He was too cold, too weak. He fell back down to the ground harder than he had had getting up.

Shaking his head, he put both hands up to his mouth and blew on them with his, amazingly, warm breath trying to warm them. He rubbed his arms and his legs trying to get the circulation into them once again. He was alone, and from the looks of the weather a blizzard was coming.

"Well, well, well," a bitter, familiar female voice came. "Look what the cat drug in."

He cringed as he turned to see a girl around the age of twenty or so standing a few feet away. How she'd approached him without him hearing or seeing her he didn't know, but now she was there and staring him down with death glares. Her pink hair looked like it had been chopped off and she dressed as if she didn't live somewhere cold. She smiled as she folded her arms and leaned against a rock. She seemed to be enjoying whatever sinister thought she was having right at the moment.

He smiled, as he looked her over. She looked no different from when he'd last seen her. Her pale pink skin still as scaly as ever and her red eyes still as cruel and filled with grief as before. He was too weak. He couldn't fight her and he couldn't stand so running was out. He had to face her and whatever she wanted to do to him. He'd betrayed her-well, more like used her and her large, dumb friend, but still, betrayal or misuse, he still did it to her and it still made her mad.

He sighed as he lowered his head almost in shame. He was too good for that, so it was probably because he hated having to face her. He spoke, reluctantly, but he still said a few words.

"Karst, what a surprise it must be to see me here and like this," he said, calmly.

"Save it!" she growled, her smile fading. "I don't want to hear another word out of your deceitful mouth much less another manipulation. Now that you're here, and apparently weak, you have heck to deal with, Alex."

~*~*~*~

Felix whipped his forehead as the hot afternoon sun beat down upon his back while he worked diligently on thatching the inn's roof. He and a few other men had finished the inn earlier that morning and now all that was left was the roof.

The sun had been shinning brightly none stop all morning. It's warm rays of cheerfulness kept the workers hot and tired as he continued to slave to finish the last few remaining houses. Now it had reached mid- afternoon and the sun continued to beat down, even harder now, on their backs testing them to see if they could take it.

Felix sighed as he looked up toward the bright blue sky. A cool breeze blew through the trees and raced across the buildings roofs. It felt good and was very refreshing. He wished that it would never go away, for as long as it remained the scorching sun couldn't touch any of the people below it. But alas, the breeze did stop and the few men that were high enough to actually appreciate the full glory of a cool breeze pressed on in the day to hopefully finish what they were constructing.

By now, Felix had forgotten completely about the strange creature he had encountered the night before. He'd thought only a short time in the morning when he was dressing, but after that it could have been a dream not worth remembering. However, he didn't forget about the letter to Hamma. Before he'd gone down the stairs to eat he sat down and wrote one, explaining Sheba's dream. After sealing it in an envelope he sent it on it's way and awaited a reply.

Felix looked up from his work once again as some movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Normally, someone moving below on the ground wouldn't faze him, but it was different this time. The movement was coming from the entrance of Vale. When his eyes had settled on the cause of the movement he saw an unlikely pare of travelers asking a passing worker a question. They both looked as if they'd been walking since late morning and appeared to know exactly where they were. It was rather strange for someone to visit Vale, especially since most towns thought that the small out of the way town had sunk with Mt. Aleph.

The man that they were talking to shook his head and pointed toward Felix. Quickly, before both of them turned to face where the man's finger directed, Felix went back to his work on the roof. He didn't want to be caught staring, that was for sure.

"Excuse me," the male of the two said. "If you could spare some travelers a moment of your time and lend me a hand."

Felix glanced down at them. He finished the spot he was working on and then climbed down a near by ladder.

The man smiled. "Thank you, I hate to bother you," he said. "I was wondering, however, about the inn. That man over there said he wasn't working on it so he couldn't answer my question. Could you tell me when the inn will be complete? We would like to stay here and there is no other place."

Felix nodded. He was tired and found it rather exasperating that the man took so long to ask his question. He saw no need for all the sentences before hand, and he also found it annoying that he informed Felix that there was only one inn in Vale when clearly he knew that.

"Don't worry, the roof will be done by tonight. You should be able to check in around late evening," Felix replied.

The man smiled. "Thank you," he said. He motioned for his friend to come and turned to walk away.

Half way up the ladder Felix heard the same voice call him again. Rolling his eyes, he climbed back down and waited for the two to approach him once again.

"Um, sorry, but would by any chance would you happen to know where the scholar Kraden is?" the girl asked. Her friend had stayed a few feet behind, apparently noticing how he had annoyed Felix.

Felix scowled. Why did they want Kraden? The last time someone wanted to speak with Kraden was when Saturos and Menardi returned three years after the Mt. Aleph accident, and that led only to trouble.

"Maybe I do," he replied, turning back to the ladder. "What business might you have with him?"

The girl stared at him for a moment and then glanced back at her traveling companion who nodded as if to say it was all right. "Well, we're travelers from Tolbi. We too are scholars and Iodem, who took the throne when lord Babi passed, sent us to study alchemy. He wants to know the reason for Babi's interest. Since Kraden was successful in his studies, we came here in search of him so he might help us understand."

Felix was a little surprised that the girl was so willing to explain it so clearly. He didn't see any harm in what they where there for and saw no reason to keep them from the old man's house. After all, Kraden was wise enough to decide wither someone meant well or evil.

The girl smiled hopelessly. "You won't show us to his house, will you?" she asked. Her shoulders drooped and she looked disappointed as her jade green eyes fell to the ground. "I suppose I understand. Iodem said you might not trust us. He said you had great troubles last time. I guess I understand." She quietly turned to her friend and shook her head.

Felix bit his bottom lip and chewed it momentarily. He didn't understand why she was so disappointed. There were plenty of other people in Vale that could easily direct them to Kraden's home. However, since they seemed to know about the past events maybe they sought approval from one of the 'warriors' that lit the lighthouses. None the less, Felix's heart nagged at his conscience and between the two of them he felt guilty.

"Wait," he said. The girl paused and turned back around to face him. "I'll take you there. His house is sort of secluded and hard to find if you're a visitor."

The girl smiled. "Thank you, we're very grateful!" she said.

Felix sighed. He was low on the ground were all the cool air was and he needed a break anyway. He still felt a little bad for just abandoning his job like that, but it wouldn't take that long to get to Kraden's. He'd probably be back before his dad realized he was gone.

Felix led the way up the stairs. He was tired and every hill, step, or rock he had to lift his feet over was hard to do. His muscled ached and his torso throbbed. He'd worked so hard in the past three months that it wasn't funny. The only thing he wished he could have done different was rest on his trip home instead of make sure the boat was in good order.

Felix knew the way like the back of his hand. Up the stairs leading to the Plaza, cross the bridge near his home, go down those stairs, walk a few feet to the thirty-four steps behind his house, walk until there aren't anymore trees to your left and turn. After that it was rather hard to miss where you were going.

Felix went up the last set of stairs rather relieved. He held his hand out as if presenting it to them, and then turned to leave.

"Felix! What a pleasant surprised!" Kraden called. When Felix turned the old man was nowhere in sight.

"I'm up here, son," Kraden said, waving from his roof.

"Why were you on the roof?" Felix asked as he rushed to the bottom of the ladder to stable it as the old man climbed down.

"Oh, it's a rather interesting story, if I do say so myself," Kraden replied, reaching the ground. "Thank you."

"What were you doing?" Felix asked, glancing up toward the roof. "You could have fallen and killed yourself."

"Oh, now seriously, Felix, after all I went through with traveling do you think I'm not careful enough to get on my own roof?" Kraden said. He held something round, brown and shiny up in his hand. "You see this? It's one of my new experiments. You see, the reason it's brown is because I'm depressed, but not in a foul mood."

Felix stared at the object that had been shoved in his face. "What are you talking about?" he asked, pushing the scholars hand away.

"Oh, that. Well, you see, using a little power of alchemy, I have created this ball you see here. From what I can tell, it changes colors according to the mood you are in. Blue is a good mood, brown depressed or disappointed, red angry, and black, a very, very bad mood. As you can see," Kraden explained, pointing to it. "It's changed to green."

"What's green mean?" Felix asked, taking the ball. When he turned it over facing the sky again it was a much brighter green.

"Well, if you observed, when you touched it to push my hand away, it turned a light shade of green. Now that you are holding it, it is very bright," Kraden replied. "Green means you're very tired. You should probably rest for the next week, Felix. Bright green means you're exhausted."

Felix frowned. He didn't like the fact that these two new strangers knew he was tired, but since there was nothing he could do about it, he ignored it. "That still doesn't explain why you were on your roof."

"Yes, well, when I had that thing in my boiling pot it shot straight up through the ceiling and onto the roof. Now I have a hole in my bedroom floor upstairs, and that is a good reason to be depressed, wouldn't you agree?" Kraden laughed.

"That's a wonderful item, Kraden!"

Kraden looked rather startled as he turned to see the two Felix had brought. "Oh my, I didn't see you standing there. Thank you kind sir, and who might you be?"

The man, whom had spoken, stepped forward. "My name is Kaiden, and this is my sister, Kitty," he replied. "We are scholars from Tolbi. We have come here seeking to study alchemy with you."

"Alchemy?" Kraden looked quizzically at Felix who only shrugged. "Well, I see nothing wrong with that. You're scholars from Tolbi? I thought when Babi died all the scholars studying alchemy would retire. What makes you different?"

"Iodem sent us," the girl now addressed as Kitty said. "He wanted to know why Babi was so interested in the power of alchemy, so he sent us to study it."

"That's a good enough reason, I suppose," Kraden replied. He smiled and stepped forward. "I am Kraden, as you already know."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Kaiden said, bowing slightly.

Kraden turned and looked at Felix. He stared him down with a very menacing glare. His eyes seemed to say, 'don't be rude, introduce yourself, or should I treat you like a three year old and do if for you?'.

Felix swallowed hard. He felt threatened under the cold stare he was receiving. "I'm Felix," he said, nodding.

The girl smiled. "I thought you were! Iodem has heard all about you from Master Hamma. She visited him after the Mars lighthouse was lit. We were told to look for you and Isaac along with your companions."

Felix smiled as well. "I have to go back to the plaza," he said. "I still have work to do."

"Yes, be careful, and don't over work yourself," Kraden said.

Felix tossed the ball back to Kraden and proceeded down the stairs. He'd been gone long enough. His dad probably noticed he was gone now.

Sighing, Felix began to jog back. Maybe if he got there before the meal break was called he would be let off the hook.