Hi, my name is AquaticIdealist. This is my second fanfiction on this site and the first of my published Golden Sun fanfics.
See, when I was in tenth grade, I made about twenty of these. But it's been two years, and after hanging out in the Temple of Kraden, I decided to write another one.
Well, here goes. I hope you enjoy this.
Note: This has been rated T due to anticipated violence and language.
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Golden Sun: Karst's Ploy
For centuries, the Adepts of Weyward prided themselves on glorious powers and legendary strength in battle. Often, these adepts would engage each other in intense battles.
Two years ago, eight young adepts, fighting to save all of Weyward, fought in a struggle against four Mars Adepts. Two were presumed dead, lost in the waves pounding against Venus Lighthouse. The other two were nearly killed at Mars Lighthouse, but were saved by the beacon's light.
However, instead of thanking the youths for saving their lives, these two Adepts hatched a plan to heal their wounded egos and avenge their humiliating defeats!
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Chapter 1: Brewing...
The city of Xian lies in a small clearing west of the mines of Altin. Here, the townspeople know little about the outside world, nor do they bother to care.
So, one day, when a pair of strange folk came and rented a room at the local inn, no one bothered to ask them where they were from or why they came. The townspeople knew that some mischief was afoot, these two sure didn't look friendly, but they decided that since they both paid their rent and didn't hurt anybody, they were free to stay without other people prying into their private lives.
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Agatio and Karst were sitting at a table on the top floor of the Xian Inn. Both looked quite healthy and their clothes were clean. Karst's scythe was lying aimlessly in the corner of the room. Agatio looked content and Karst was looking bored.
"We found the perfect city to make our new lives, didn't we, Karst? No one knows us here, and no one cares enough to actually bother us." Agatio smirked.
"Well, if you can stand the way they speak the common tongue here." Karst sighed. "I can't understand a word they're saying half the time! Then again, I guess it's likewise." Karst began to smile.
"Wait, why are you smiling?"
Karst had a terrifying sneer on her face. "Don't you get it, fool? This is the perfect town for us to plan our revenge!"
"What revenge?"
"Idiot! Don't you feel any sense of remorse that my sister and Saturos were killed by that crowd? Well, maybe you've forgotten who they are... I wouldn't put it past you. But I do! I cannot live while Isaac still breathes! I cannot stand breathing when I know that the traitor Felix also draws breath. I can't sleep when I know that Alex, that snake, is out there. I have to make sure that I get rid of all of them! I hope you're willing to help me." Karst sighed and looked out the window.
"Well, sure, but what do you have in mind? Isaac has his Sol Blade, and we both know that it hurts real bad when Meggido comes crashing down. Felix has Excalibur, and it's not fun to get stabbed by Legend. Alex, well, Alex has all kinds of tricks he can throw at us... All of Isaac and Felix's friends have painful psyenergy in one form or another. And, don't forget, we're badly outnumbered. They have eight fighting the two of us. You remember what happened last time... Are you sure we can win this time?" Agatio looked questioningly at her.
"Do you think I'd be dumb enough to engage them head on? Unlike you, I learn from my mistakes!" Karst growled angrily.
"Hey!" Agatio glared back at her.
Karst smiled. "Agatio does look better when he was angry, unlike his typical blank stare." She thought. "Anyways, I was planning to use the 'thank them for saving our lives then stab them in the back' tactic against the eight of them. We both know that Isaac and Felix are those self-righteous types, so if we act as though we are penitent and grateful, they'll definitely trust us. We can use that lure to ensnare them." Karst cackled.
"Um, yeah, I see how you'll trick them, but how will you avenge yourself?"
"Ever heard of potion brewing?"
"Eh?"
Karst sighed: "It's an old art. You mix several ingredients together to make a liquid that you have your intended victim drink. Then, your victim is affected in the way that you intended. For example, you can make love potions, healing potions, and antitoxin potions. These kinds of potions can be bought in stores. But, you can also make venomous potions, sleep potions, and, my absolute favorite, mind-controlling potions."
"Mind control? Is that possible?" Agatio was quite surprised.
"It's difficult to make, but if you do it right, mind-controlling potions can put the victim in a semi-conscious state. They will become unable to think for themselves. Instead, they will do whatever you tell them to do. It's like hypnosis, only that the victim won't wake up. Instead, they will stay in that state until you make a potion that can rouse them back to consciousness, or cast Restore on them. If we get Piers and Mia to drink the potion, then the latter method shouldn't be a problem." Karst smiled.
"So you plan to control their minds?"
"Exactly! Now you're using that brain of yours! Imagine the possibilities! We'll have eight servants doing everything we'd like them to do! They won't be able to fight back. Instead, they'll do whatever we say. Isn't that the best form of revenge? That way, we don't have to fight them, but we can make them fight each other, or go and ruin their reputations by besieging cities, or..." Karst's face beamed with excitement. "Oh, I can't wait!"
"Well, then, um, what kinds of ingredients do you need?" Agatio asked.
"Oh, here's the list. Now, go and find each and every one. I need my beauty sleep. I can't make the potion when I'm tired and half-awake, right?" Karst smirked. Agatio sighed and walked out the door with the list in hand.
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Isaac and Mia were leaning on the wall of the restored weapons and healing items shop in New Vale. Jenna slowly walked by and greeted them.
"Hey, you two! Felix is having a little get-together at our house, wanna come along?"
"Sure, it's not like I have anything better to do." Isaac sighed. He was so bored. It's been two years since they had those exciting moments of monster battles, but now, now there was rebuilding to do.
Isaac and Mia entered Felix's residence, where said Venus adept greeted them.
"What's up, guys? Why the dull looks?"
"We've been doing well, Felix... It's just that life's been so uneventful lately."
"I know, seriously! Every day it's work, work, work. Guys, we need a vacation. We have to find a way to get out of the sight of Garet's grandpa and get out of here! Only then can we actually have a nice day for once! And to think, we spent all that time saving the world, and when we get back, we're treated like common laborers! I don't mind helping out, but even heroes need a break once in a while. Now, if they won't offer us our break, we'll make one for ourselves!" Ivan shouted as he burst into view.
"Um, hi, Ivan... Nice idea..." Isaac glanced awkwardly at the younger adept.
Seeing everyone stare at him, Ivan shook his head and walked out of the room. "Idiots..." He sighed.
"So, um, is Piers coming?" Mia asked.
"We have no idea. Do you know how hard it is to contact the guy? It's like he's deliberately avoiding us or something. Since the ship was his, he took it, so we can't get to Lemuria. Basically, he'll have to come to us." Jenna sighed.
"Oh."
"Now, what can we do?" Isaac looked around.
"Gah! This is so boring!"
"You invited us here so we can just sit and stare at the wall?!"
"What kind of idiot doesn't bring something fun to a party?!"
The room exploded into a tirade of verbal and emotional abuse. From a safe distance, Ivan and Sheba stopped listening and sighed.
"We'd better initiate Operation Bailout."
"But what do you have in mind, Ivan?"
"Hmn, wanna steal Garet's cloak ball?"
"Sure, but if we wake him up..."
"Don't worry, we won't." Ivan sneered evilly.
"Alright, then." Sheba smirked.
Ivan and Sheba sneaked up the stairs to Felix's room. There, Garet was snoring. His Cloak Ball, Burst Brooch, and Lift Gem were neatly placed on the floor next to the bed. As quick as lightening, Ivan darted forward and grabbed the ball as Sheba cast Sleep on Garet. Thankfully, with Garet's horrible resistance to spells, it worked, and the two were able to slip away unharmed.
Ivan stepped into the dark bathroom. He beckoned Sheba to come closer. She eyed him suspiciously, but he continued beckoning her. Readying her staff, she entered the room. Ivan cast Cloak.
"Can you see me?"
"Not yet." Sheba cast Ray, and small sparks flashed on the tip of her staff, but she still couldn't see Ivan, even though the room was illuminated somewhat. "Nope, still can't."
Ivan grabbed her shoulders.
Sheba shrieked: "Spark Plasma!" The blast electrified the entire room, and it was Ivan's turn to yell.
Ivan staggered out of the room. "You're lucky we didn't fry the place."
"I had to control myself. You pervert! Why did you do that?"
"Just testing the effectiveness of the ball, that's all." Ivan snickered and ducked.
Sheba didn't bother to whack him. "Anyways, don't tell me you seriously got us into harm's way to get the ball so that you could pull that little trick. You could have just said we'd use Garet's Cloak Ball and sneak into the night with it. But, then again, that means that your plan was a no-brainer, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Should have expected less from you." Sheba sighed.
"Sheba..."
"Anyways, Ivan, we'd better get everyone to calm down so that we can be quiet for the next few hours. Once it's nighttime, we'll wake up Garet and get out of here!"
"Yeah, that'll be best."
The two of them descended the stairs and approached their arguing friends.
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"Again, it's a miracle that the two of us survived."
"Who would have thought that the builders of the lighthouse would conveniently place an air shaft in the pit?"
"And don't forget, Menardi, that it was I who thought of stabbing my blade into the wall."
"That was out of desperation."
"True, but it saved our lives, didn't it?"
"You said it." Menardi smiled.
Saturos and Menardi were sitting on a little raft, drifting out at sea. "Still, you were the idiot who figured we should build a raft out of the ruins of Babi's Lighthouse to escape the rest of Tolbi's villagers." Menardi sighed.
"What? Do you think I wanted to fight so many of those soldiers? Think! Even with the power of Venus restoring us somewhat, we still could not hope to fight so many of them."
"True. Well, what should we do now?"
"Let me try to paddle with this thing." Saturos sighed as he grabbed his sword. "Since we lost our log a while ago, we've been drifting aimlessly here. We might as well do our best to get back to shore."
"When everyone's likely to kill us?"
"True, but better we face mobs of ordinary people then stay dehydrated on this little raft, eating fish and casting 'Wish' to survive, right?"
"True."
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"I got the goods!" Agatio laughed as he burst into the room.
"Excellent... With your help, I can complete my revenge!" Karst squealed. She immediately went to work making the mind-controlling potion.
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"Are you two serious?"
"It might work..."
"... Are you crazy? My Grandpa'll kill us all if he finds out!"
"Then we won't let him."
The adepts were debating whether to follow Ivan's simple plan to escape. On the one side, Felix and Garet were fearing the consequences. One other, Isaac, Mia, Sheba, and Jenna were desperate to escape.
"So, are you coming with us, or not?" Jenna asked the two of them.
"Well, worst comes to worst, we have to work our butts off." Felix muttered.
"And, we'll have to work our butts off when we get back." Garet pointed out.
"Right, but we can worry about that later. Besides, I'm sure the others will understand." Isaac spoke.
"Yeah, so let's go!" Jenna shouted.
Ivan led the way out of the house during the night...
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So, how was it? Please read and review.