It was pitch black, and Alex couldn't see his hand, even if he held it before his very eyes. The mountain continued to sink below the earth, and Alex's body was beleaguered with pebbles and small rocks in the process. He tried to stand, but the intense convulsions of Mt. Aleph made that impossible. Alex resigned to lying down and thinking about his fate.
How could he have not considered that the Wise One would step in a foil his plans? But then again, how could he have suspected that the Wise One would have such foresight that Alex's plans were destined to fail from the beginning? If only he had gotten the Star from Isaac when he had the chance, maybe then he would have stopped some of the energy from melding into Isaac, and he would have had the power to defeat the Wise One. Alex crumpled his hand into a fist. He was quite sure that the Wise One planned to meet him at Mt. Aleph and make a fool out of him the entire time.
"Damn it all to hell…"
So, was this his fate? Was it predestined from his birth, that he would have to meet his demise in this chasm? Alex grimly wondered if he would starve or suffocate first. Or perhaps the mountain would fall into a lava pool. It didn't matter now. His death would be drawn out and painful, regardless of how he died.
Then, despite all of Alex's bleak thoughts, a small light appeared. Alex shut his eyes tightly and reopened them, thinking that perhaps the lack of oxygen was getting to him. However, the light defiantly stayed in his vision, as if to say, "No buddy, I'm real". The light darted to and fro, before it came to a stop a few feet from where his body lay. The light then multiplied, and Alex blinked. When his eyes opened, before him hovered the Wise One. Simultaneous with his appearance, the mountain stopped quivering, and stopped in mid-descent.
"You…" hissed Alex, as he slowly stood up. It was amazing how much hatred Alex was able to produce for the floating rock in the short amount of time that Alex knew him.
The Wise One let out what seemed to be a chuckle. "Yes, 'tis I, the one who has put you in this dilemma. Tell me, have you enjoyed your time in Weyard's crust?"
Alex spit at him, and the Wise One vaporized it effortlessly.
"If you have come here to mock me," Alex said venomously, "then you are wasting your time. Regardless of whether or not I can defeat you, I am prepared to fight you for the sole purpose of my satisfaction before my death."
The Wise One gazed at Alex sullenly. "Rest assured, I have not come here to patronize you. On the contrary, I came here to commend you. Your plan was nearly flawless; if I had not stepped in, you would have been quite successful."
Alex donned an abashed look on his soft features.
"Which brings me to the point of my visit. I have come here to make you an offer."
This statement changed Alex's confused look to one of attentiveness.
"There is another great affliction that approaches the people of Weyard. One several times more dangerous than you was. Three times more, to be exact."
Alex raised an eyebrow at the last sentence.
"I want you," said the Wise One, looking at Alex meaningfully, "to assist Isaac in a quest to save the people of Weyard. Will you partake?"
Alex was silent for a moment, and then said "Perhaps. There are several questions that I must ask." After the Wise One nodded for him to go on, Alex asked, "If you are Weyard's guardian, why don't you take care of it yourself?"
The Wise One said, "You have answered the question within the sentence. Because I am Weyard's guardian, I am bound to stay in this land. I cannot venture to other ones."
The answer intrigued Alex greatly, but he decided to let the Wise One's statement answer itself. He was sure that with patience, all would be revealed.
So Alex continued: "Why must the boy accompany me?"
The Wise One did not answer for a long minute, and the thought even crossed Alex's mind that he broke him, but the Wise One shuddered and answered, "Because he is the child of the Golden Age. If you recall, some of the power of the Golden Sun is infused within him. That will become crucial to your quest."
Alex nodded discernibly, and asked his final question, with a mischievous grin upon his face, "What's in it for me?"
The Wise One seemed to be expecting this question. He put what almost looked like a smile upon his rock-ish features and said, "Well, to be blunt, you will live. At the moment, you're doomed to be spending almost an eternity sinking below Weyard. If you recall, some of the essence of the Golden Sun is within you; your lifespan has already increased ten-fold. Unless you plan to be here for quite some years, I suggest you help.
Alex silently cursed him; so every single thing he did, including gaining some of the Golden Sun's power, was in the Wise One's plans.
"So, has your decision been made?"
Alex wanted dearly to refuse. He wanted to make one last act of rebellion against the Wise One and say "Ha! You have no power over me!" Unfortunately, the stupid boulder had all the cards in his favor. So the obvious, and only answer Alex could give was-
"Very well. If it means changing my unpleasant future, then I shall assist.
"Good."
The Wise One relaxed, and the mountain once again began to fall and convulse. Alex was almost immediately taken to his fours, the rocking making it too difficult to stand. He realized that the Wise One had been holding the mountain up during their talk, and he wasn't even able to fathom how much Psynergy it would take to do so.
Suddenly Alex's vision was replaced with a brilliant white light. He must be taking me out of this hellhole, thought Alex, relieved. As he and the blubbering boulder (Alex silently resolved to call the Wise One this from now on) ascended, he thought about all that he would have to accomplish. He would have to not only work with Isaac, he would also have to venture to a new land, if the blubbering boulder's hint was true, and he would have to put himself at risk for millions of people he didn't know. As interesting as it sounded, Alex knew he was going to loathe every second of it.
But regardless of how unpleasant this will be, he thought, I'm still going to enjoy every last second.