When the priests of Vale felt the earth move beneath their feet, they hurried out of the temple to find the sky covered in dark ominous clouds.
Captain Jonathan, leader of the Templars of Vale, gathered his men. Soaking his scarf in a barrel of water, he ordered eight of his subordinates to make the preparations; if there was a forest fire in the mountains, the Order of Vale needed to deal with it before it got out of control.
The squad soaked their tabards and scarves and doused themselves while Jonathan ordered the priests and the rest of the templars to evacuate the village. He then gestured to his squad and headed up the northern road leading to the peak of Mount Aleph.
The smoke fell closer to ground level as they ascended the narrow mountain trail. Jonathan pressed his soaked scarf over his mouth and nose. The smoke grew thicker and it became harder to see. Suddenly, the earth shook again, forcing the templars to stop in their tracks and stabilize their footing.
After steadying his stance, Jonathan raised his head. No fire has been sighted yet so far. He looked down, seeing the first of the many steps to Sol Sanctum at his feet. The source to that smoke seemed to come from the temple.
Jonathan froze and held his breath. He recalled the event three years ago, in which his predecessor lost his life. Bandits; raiders, lowlife thieves. They tried to rob the temple's treasure and Captain Kyle led the defences, protecting the gates of Sol Sanctum…
"Captain!" Peter, one of the young initiates in the squad called out. "Look!"
Two shadows slowly emerged from the veil of smoke ahead, approaching the templars at uneven pace. The templars and priests raised their swords and spears—each weapon radiating the Psynergies of Fire and Earth.
It was the pilgrims, Jonathan figured. It had to be those pilgrims who arrived in the village earlier today—everyone in Vale knew the old temple had been a restricted area since the foiled raid three years ago.
The intruders stopped in their tracks. They stumbled, seemingly weakened from running and breathing in the smoke. They coughed loudly, having trouble catching their breaths. Finally, a familiar voice called out Jonathan's name in desperation, and the captain lowered his spear.
Jonathan gestured with his arm, ordering his men to hold their spells. As the intruders stepped out of the smoke and shadows, they all recognized the two young men; one was a member of the order. And the other was Kyle's errant son.
"Garet?" said Jonathan, looking at the young templar with a questioning gaze. He then grasped Kyle's son on the arm, shaking him urgently. "And Isaac? What are you doing here? What's going on?"
Garet coughed violently. He was covered in ashes and dirt as if he'd dug himself out of a grave. Isaac was coated in the same amount of dust and paths of tears were clearly visible on his face. Like a frightened child, he grasped Jonathan's tabard. And with a panicked look in his cornflower eyes, he screamed for Jonathan to run and get the hell out of here.
Both boys panicked. They had seen some despicable horrors up there in the temple, no doubt.
"Lorenz," Jonathan ordered one of the young priests in the squad, "get them back to the village." But Isaac and Garet both resisted the escort.
"No!" said Isaac in between coughs, flailing wildly in fear and confusion. "Don't go up there!"
"It's suicide!" Garet yelled, shaking Jonathan's arm in desperation. "The mountain is about to explode! Get out of here—now!"
The young templar merely finished his warning before Peter cried out:
"Captain! Look ahead!"
Heavy smoke and ashes rolled down the mountain trail. The mountaintop, barely visible in obscuring clouds, exploded in fire and brimstone.
Jonathan stared and his shield crashed to the ground. Mount Aleph had been dormant for centuries. In fact, few even knew it was a volcano.
"Captain!" Lorenz called out it in desperation. "Orders?"
With his free hand, Jonathan whisked a command of retreat. As he ran, he raised his trusty spear and said his prayers, drawing his Psynergy and preparing a spell. But before he could cast it, a barrier of energy swept out behind the trees. It gleamed like golden dew in the morning and swept past behind Jonathan, rising high towards the heavens. It encased the mountain in a dome of magic light, preventing the volcanic gas and dust from reaching the village below.
Jonathan staggered back and his spear slipped out of his grip and fell to the ground. Turning towards his subordinates, he spoke:
"E-excellent work. Whichever of you did that clearly should take my place."
"We didn't do it…" said Lorenz, equally shaken by the event. "Even with our combined strengths, we wouldn't be able to do something like that…"
It was a grim evening in the temple of Vale, and the fires of Mount Aleph painted the skies bright red. The villagers were terrified and most of the priests and templars were trying to convince the last stubborn people to evacuate. Who or what maintained the barrier holding back the pyroclastic flow? No one knew for sure, but many believed the Saints had intervened to save their lives.
Isaac knelt before the altar in silence. In the warm candlelight, his fair hair shone like gold and his dark blue eyes almost seemed violet.
The Order of Vale had gathered to hear what he had to say for himself. The temple had guarded the secret of Sol Sanctum for centuries, but now, someone had betrayed the Order and the Saints.
Isaac still had to turn seventeen. He had a bright future ahead of him. Most people knew him as the son the venerated Captain Kyle.
Kyle gave his life to the temple and the village. He gave his life to his people. When he was Captain, he led the templars brilliantly and defended the village against bandits and other outside threats. He was a paragon of justice and Vale had never been safer when he was alive. But as history had shown, heroes like him seldom lived for long.
Three years ago, he tried saving the high priest's apprentice during a terrible storm and lost his life. It was a great loss for both the temple and the village.
Isaac smiled joylessly. He was a far cry from his father's heroic image. He'd wanted to follow his father's footsteps and become a templar, but he failed the entrance exam. And then, he childishly threw a fit about it, shaming both himself and his late father's name. Isaac could imagine Captain Kyle rolling in his grave right now. If Kyle knew what his stupid son had gotten himself into, he'd probably disown him right here and now for everyone to see.
It was strange. Even surrounded by all the powerful men in the village, Isaac felt no fear. All he felt was the bitterness of being betrayed by a trusted friend, who used him for his own selfish needs and then left him to die in the volcanic eruption.
Isaac lifted his head, and looked at the tapestries hanging from the temple's walls. They depicted various important events in Vale's history.
Ages ago, the Saints chose the Valians as protectors of the world, giving them the task of guarding the ancient temple of Sol Sanctum. The temple housed the secret to a great power, which in the wrong hands would plunge the world into a second age of chaos and destruction.
The Order of Vale kept the villagers safe. With Elemental magic—with Psynergy—they had safeguarded Sol Sanctum for centuries.
Outsiders never fully understood the Valians' zeal, since the exact secrets of Sol Sanctum was well kept knowledge only available for the members of the temple. To most people, the Valians were a deeply religious lot who chose to live in a backwards society withdrawn from the rest of the world. Others believed they lived in a utopia free from conflict and commerce. Few had heard of the Elemental Stars, the treasures hidden deep inside Sol Sanctum's vault. Even some of the Valians didn't believe they actually existed; no one had seen them ever since the Saints sealed the vault centuries ago.
But today, Isaac saw the Elemental Stars. He even held them in his hands. Those gemstones, they had the power to release forces deadly enough to destroy the world. His ancestors had sworn to hide them from the outside world at all cost. Yet, he picked them from their pedestals and handed them over to thieves.
"Do you want to explain now or never, child?" said Harald softly, having waited long enough for Isaac to gather his thoughts. The high priest sounded more disappointed than angry.
Isaac lifted his head slightly, looking up towards Harald from under his blond dirty fringe. The high priest was an old man with sunken grey eyes. Half of his face was hidden under a veiled hat and a long grey beard. To foreigners, he might just be an elderly man, but he was actually one of the most powerful Adepts in the village. He ascended to his position through skill and respect, and his predecessor had retired in favour for him. If he hadn't taken the vows to never leave the temple, he'd probably had gone out to investigate the mysterious eruption himself.
Isaac directed his gaze back to the cold stone floor. Only the high priest had encouraged him to hone his skills and try the entrance exam. Harald told Isaac that his hard work would pay off and that he knew Isaac had it in him to become a templar like Kyle. Now, the mere thought of that statement drew a bitter smile on Isaac's lips. Captain Kyle died on duty saving people in a tempest. Isaac was a coward who ran away in the face of danger.
"It's my fault," said Isaac finally, still wearing that bitter smile on his lips. "I'm responsible for the theft of the temple's relics. I opened the gates to Sol Sanctum. I navigated through the temple, disarmed the traps and cleared a path for temple robbers to walk right into the vault. I am the reason the Elemental Stars were stolen."
"What are you saying?" a voice suddenly sounded from the ranks of templars gathered in the chapel. Isaac sighed, turning his face aside to look at his friend.
Ah, Garet, always so easy to pick out from the crowd with that tall stature and bright red hair. Garet, the one who always got out of trouble because he was the village chief's grandson. Garet, who was there with Isaac when the temple was robbed, but wasn't treated like a criminal because he was a templar and Isaac was not.
"You're lying!" said Garet. "Why are you lying? Isaac, tell us the truth!"
The truth?
"You mean the truth about me taking the Elemental Stars from their pedestals and handing them over to the thieves?" said Isaac with an ironic chuckle.
Gasps and whispers spread among the ranks. Everyone was in disbelief.
"For heaven's sake Isaac!" Garet yelled, but he was quickly drowned out by the people around him.
"Listen!" said Garet, pushing himself past the other templars, "We tried securing the relics! We didn't help the thieves—well, not intentionally!"
Peter and Stefan, the newest additions to the order, grabbed Garet and urged him to "sit this one out", but the Fire Adept resisted.
"He's lying!" Garet yelled again, tearing free from Peter and Stefan's hold. He rushed to the middle of the chapel where Isaac still knelt. "I was there too! I'll tell you what really happened!"
Isaac sighed and shook his head, but Garet suddenly kicked him on the shoulder and sent him to the floor. Landing on his hands, Isaac rigidly crawled back up to his knees and faced his friend; Garet, the "friend" who always had to be right.
"You didn't hand over the Elemental Stars!" said Garet, staring back at Isaac with a furious look. "I did! We didn't lead the thieves to the relics! Felix did!"
Isaac's let out a small chuckle again.
"What difference does it make?"
"What difference does it make?" repeated Garet, grabbing the front of Isaac's tunic and then throwing him to the floor, again. "Do you even hear what you're saying? What do you gain from taking the blame?"
Isaac sat up again and grinned. What he would gain? He would gain a quick end to his miserable life. He'd finally stop shaming his own father's name and be the laughingstock of the village. And he'd be free from this feeling of hopelessness and guilt.
"Silence!" said Harald, slamming his spear against the floor and shaking the earth with a spell, and the chatter and whispering immediately stopped at his command.
The high priest approached Garet—because why not? Why would anyone trust Isaac when it was his word against Garet's.
"Did you say Felix? As in my apprentice, Felix?" asked Harald.
Garet slowly nodded.
"No," said Harald, almost whispering in disbelief while shaking his head. "It can't be Felix. Kyle and Ralf tried to save him, and they all perished in the storm."
"He's not dead," said Garet. "Isaac and I saw him with our own eyes! Jenna too! She should know if her own brother is standing right in front of her!"
A wave of gasps and whispers coursed through the hall again.
"Felix was there with the thieves," Garet continued. "They… they took him prisoner and forced him to lead them into the temple. We… we only gave up the Elemental Stars because they stabbed him and said they'd let him die…"
All the members of the templars stared at the young Fire Adept, not sure what to believe. And in desperation, Garet solemnly swore to the Saints that every word he said was true. Harald looked at him and nodded, but then asked why he and Isaac were at Mount Aleph to begin with. Garet's eyes grew wide as saucers, and he stared back at Harald in what seemed to be a mix of fear and hesitation.
"The pilgrims!" he then said. "The pilgrims who arrived in the village this morning, they were thieves! Kraden—"
"Kraden? The scholar?" asked Lorenz.
"Yes, Kraden the scholar," said Garet. "Those pilgrims approached Kraden with a proposal of sorts. He didn't say what it was about but he said they knew awfully much about Sol Sanctum and the Elemental Stars despite not being Valians…"
"Well, then why didn't you warn the Order?" asked Harald. "It is not your place to investigate on your own."
Isaac looked at his friend, waiting for Garet's reply. The Fire Adept remained quiet, staring back at Isaac, who proudly pointed towards the altar with his nose and grinned haughtily.
"I was… trying for promotion," said Garet finally, clenching and unclenching his fists. The sound of his stiff voice gave away the obvious lie and he glared at Isaac meaningfully as he continued: "I thought I could do it on my own… and prove how capable I am. I was wrong."
Isaac's eyes twitched when he met his friend's judging look. Of course—how could Garet pass up the opportunity to rub it in his face? Of course he would tell Isaac what a horrible idea it was to try securing the relics themselves.
"Wait…"
He looked around, seeing Garet's grandfather approaching Harald and whisper something in the high priest's ear. Grandpa Erik then made a calming gesture to Isaac, urging him to stay quiet. Great, now the rest of the family was coming to his rescue.
Isaac looked away. He didn't understand. If the temple needed someone to blame, why couldn't it be him? There was no reason for Garet to throw his future away to cover up for Isaac's dumb decisions. This would have been a great way to go out too, but now they'd ruined it.
Garet proceeded to explain what happened in Sol Sanctum. He said they almost retrieved all of the Elemental Stars when the thieves arrived and took Jenna and Kraden hostage. He said they didn't hand the gems over until the thieves turned Felix to the sword. He said they stabbed Felix and refused to let anyone close while he was bleeding out. He said he hoped he could take Felix back to the temple and get help while the thieves still fetched the rest of the relics. He said he and Isaac handed the Elemental Stars over because they didn't want to see Felix die again.
Harald nodded. He sympathized but stated that Garet's duty as a templar should always come first. He sighed and then concluded they'd face justice later.
Justice. Isaac chuckled. No punishment could compare to being remembered as "that idiot who let the thieves into Sol Sanctum".
"We…" said Garet desperately. "We already faced justice!"
Isaac burst out laughing.
"Keep making things up," he told Garet. "I'm sure they'll believe anything you say no matter how ridiculous."
"I'm not making things up!" Garet shouted back, not necessarily at Isaac. "When we plucked the last relic, the old temple collapsed."
"And?" challenged Isaac.
"We couldn't get out. The trap was designed to kill us! If the Saints didn't want us to live we wouldn't have been saved by this… floating boulder with an eye—"
"The Wise One?" said someone from the crowd.
"The Wise One," repeated Garet, loudly. He cast a glance across the hall, seeing the stunned looks of his friends and colleagues. "We were saved by the Wise One."
Isaac shook his head. He didn't know whether to laugh or admire Garet's commitment.
"For all things you could have said, you went with divine intervention?" said Isaac with a breathy ironic laugh. "Really?"
Garet's eyes flashed. He shoved Isaac to the floor again. He would have beaten Isaac black and blue if Peter and Stefan hadn't pulled him away.
"Why are you making it hard for me to help you?" Garet shouted even as he was being dragged out of the temple. "What do you gain from this, you idiot!"
Isaac snorted as he heard his friends' voices die out and the temple door slam close. Garet's grandfather frantically cast a look towards the exit. He then stepped forth and put a protective hand on Isaac's shoulder.
"Harald," began Grandpa Erik, but the high priest raised his hand and said:
"We'll discuss his punishment later, Erik. First, we need to know what people were involved in this raid." He looked down at Isaac and gestured to him to rise. "So tell me, Isaac, who gave you the idea to investigate Sol Sanctum alone?"
Isaac sighed and stayed on the floor. Didn't he already say it was his own stupid idea?
"You're a sensible boy," said Harald, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "I don't believe this is something you'd do on your own. Whose suggestion was this?"
Grandpa Erik reached around Isaac's arm and pulled him up to his feet. He whispered words of comfort to him as if he was a small child: "Now, don't be afraid, just tell High Priest Harald how it is."
Isaac sighed. He detested his own situation, but he tried to cooperate. His thoughts wandered back to the event in the morning.
He snuck up to the mountain with Garet and Jenna—It was his stupid idea, right?
He remembered hesitantly touching the carved stone gates of Sol Sanctum, admiring the beauty of the old temple and tracing the lock with a spell in hand. How could it not have been his fault when he opened the gates?
He scratched the back of his head, remembering making his way up to the top floor of the temple and gazing out to the village from higher altitude. He remembered seeing flashes of light behind him and a small lightning storm in the hall after Garet and Jenna had moved statues around for some reason. And he remembered panicking and telling Garet and Jenna they should leave and report back to the priests before someone discovered they'd been messing with the stuff inside the ruins.
Isaac lowered his hand from the side of his head, slowly looking up towards Harald.
Kraden.
Kraden the scholar was acting like a stubborn child despite being Harald's age. He kept nagging for more whenever Isaac or Garet said it was enough exploring. Kraden was the one who said they needed to secure the relics. He reasoned that now when all the traps were disarmed, the thieves could walk right in and take the Elemental Stars for themselves without effort! He convinced Isaac to seize the relics, saying he could use this opportunity to prove his worth to the temple.
Kraden. It was Kraden! He went back to his lab to bring some special bags to hold the Elemental Stars even before they went up the mountain—he'd planned the take the relics from their final resting places from the beginning!
"Do you remember anything important, my child?" asked Harald.
"I-I…" said Isaac. He felt tears sting his eyes and his heart sink. How could he be so stupid? "I-I…" He tried to speak again, but his voice failed him. He was blinded by his anger towards the temple that he allowed Kraden to convince him this was a good idea. Kraden told him this was a great way to prove he was worthy of carrying the temple's banner. And Isaac believed him.
He was about to confess, but in that moment, the front door slammed open. Isaac's heart sank again when he saw Garet and Stefan returning to the chapel—now accompanied by Isaac's sickly mother. Grief, fear, confusion; all these emotions were on her face as she stared at her only child. Her arrogant, stupid child who allowed himself to be tricked not only once, but twice!
"Argh!"
A blinding flash emitted from the altar and surged through the hall. Isaac cowered on the floor, his hands proving useless in shielding his eyes. He felt a force press around his head, and a commander's loud voice filled his ears with gibberish chanting. He couldn't discern any words; the voice was overbearing like a storm and sounded just like one. He couldn't think. He couldn't even question what was going on. His head hurt. He thought it was about to explode. All he wanted was for this to stop.
And stopped it did.
The light withdrew as quickly as it had arrived, leaving Isaac reeling in shock; his heart beat like a drum and he gasped for breath. Hesitantly, he sat up and looked around. The high priest and everyone else in the temple seemed taken aback as well, and many members of the order sat on their knees and hands. What did this mean? Isaac didn't know. But Garet apparently did.
"I told you!" said the friend. "It wasn't our fault!"
Harald slowly straightened himself. His eyes wandered from Isaac to Garet.
"You heard it too?" asked the high priest, almost out of breath and gesturing towards Isaac.
"Only g-gibberish…" stammered Isaac.
"Gibberish?" said Garet, giving Isaac a confused look. "You didn't hear it—"
"It doesn't matter," said Harald, quickly swiping his hand in front of him and dismissing Garet's comment. He turned to the priests. "The Wise One has spoken. Karl, go and tell our people Vale will be safe from the eruption. Get them back to the village and seal the gates."
"Yes…"
"Olaf, I want a bounty on all these thieves. Felix included."
"Understood."
"All seniors get out and tell our people the Saints watches over us. We will see this through. And you, Jonathan, prepare the defences. I want every Adept trained for combat. I want every plough and scythe reforged to a weapon."
"Understood."
Isaac watched in confusion as the gathering dispersed. Didn't anyone want to know what that light and that voice was about? He turned towards Harald, watching him stop Garet from leaving.
"No, Garet, stay here with Isaac. We have much to discuss."
Isaac stepped over to his mother who was still shaken by the news. He didn't know what Garet told his mother, but he tried comforting her regardless:
"I'm fine, Mum…" he said, draping an arm across her back, but she shook her head and ran a sleeve over her eyes.
"Harald, what is it?" said Grandpa Erik. "That horrible noise… what was that about? Was that your doing?"
"That horrible noisewas The Wise One explaining what happened in the ruins," replied the high priest with a snort. The gaze from his grey eyes then landed on Isaac. "And I also believe you have something to return to the temple."
Isaac looked back at him in confusion.
"The Mars Star. I know you still have it."
Isaac quickly searched his belt pouch and fished out a red marble the size of a sparrow's egg. He presented it to Harald, who nodded slightly in approval and picked it up.
"The Elemental Stars. To think that I'd see them in my lifetime…" Harald stroked his beard. "Even with only three of them, one has enough power to throw the world off balance."
"High Priest… Wh-what do you mean?" said Isaac's mother. "My son… what has he done?"
"Dora, the temple has guarded these relics for centuries," said Harald, gesturing towards the tapestries. "They house great power. They are the keys to lighting the Elemental Lighthouses. The Saints built them to seal away a fearsome power that almost caused the destruction of the world."
Isaac looked at the gem. Unbelievable.
"W-we have to get those thieves!" Garet spontaneously said. "We have to take the Elemental Stars back!"
Isaac turned to stare at his friend, a fire rising within him. The stupid marbles were the first thing he thought of?
"They got Jenna!" Isaac yelled. He couldn't believe he had to say this. "Who knows what they're doing to her?"
For a moment, silence filled the chapel. Isaac watched the expression of shock and horror pass over Garet's face, and it only infuriated him more. He never considered the possibilities? Really?
"F-felix's with her," said Garet, letting his gaze wander over everyone else's faces in search for agreement. "He'll protect her, right?"
"Felix? The liar who let the thieves take Jenna hostage to begin with? Are you insane?"
Garet placed a hand to the side of his head, looking desperate and confused. Isaac felt somewhat guilty for his harsh words. He didn't mean to horrify everyone, but he just couldn't trust Felix anymore after what happened in Sol Sanctum.
"It sounds like you want to go after them," said Harald meaningfully.
"What—?" began Garet, but Isaac cut him off:
"Yes."
"Isaac, no!"
Garet protested but Isaac didn't even look at his friend. Isaac's eyes were fixed on Harald's, silently begging for a chance for redemption.
"I volunteer to go after the thieves," whispered Isaac, closing his eyes—pleading.
"Then I will accept your offer," replied Harald evenly. "You will leave the village at daybreak, Isaac. You will find and reclaim the Elemental Stars. That will be your task, Isaac, and your task alone."
As Harald turned away to leave, Isaac felt a weight lift from his chest. His knees felt weak and he sunk down to the floor. Lifting his arms, he caught falling tears on his sleeves.
"You can't be serious!" said Garet, yelling at Harald in protest. "High Priest! You're sending Isaac alone to reclaim the relics?"
Harald looked back at Garet and the serious look in his eyes made the young templar lower his head in apology. Grandpa Erik, however, refused to be intimidated. He scolded the high priest, and Isaac's mother begged Harald to reconsider too.
"What do you think a child like Isaac can possibly accomplish, Harald?" said the village chief, gesturing wildly in disbelief. "Have you gone senile?"
"Isaac says he needs this journey," said Harald solemnly. "Moreover, being partly responsible for the theft, his stay will only demoralize our people if not worse."
"Please, High Priest. He's just a boy, you can't do this…"
Isaac hated to hear his mother cry. And he hated to let other people fight his own battles for him.
"Mum, Grandpa Erik, stop," he spoke up, trying not to tremble with his words. "I need to do this," he whispered. "I need to do this for… for Jenna. It's my fault she's been captured. I need to rescue her. I…" He then raised his voice and almost shouted: "I don't want to stay here after what I've done! I need to leave! Don't you understand?"
They didn't understand. None of them did. Maybe Harald understood, but no one else did.
"You're not a fairytale hero," said the mother, "and this isn't one of the games you played when you were children."
"Dora, Erik," said Harald. "I don't want anyone to try to deal out their own justice to Isaac when I turn my head away. This is for the best."
The stubborn look in Grandpa Erik's hazel eyes faltered, but he didn't back down entirely.
"You should at least have company with you," said the village chief. "Harald, send a couple of men with him—"
"I can't send fighters away from Vale, Erik," replied Harald wryly. "We need our defences here."
"But you said the village would be safe!"
"The Wise One protects us from the eruption, but it cannot leave Mount Aleph. We must defend the village against outside enemies ourselves. We can only hope Felix hasn't divulged the secret of the Stars to these bandits or we'll be facing the biggest threat in Vale's history. They will be back for this…" Harald raised the Mars gem. "You know the legend, Erik; Four beacons lit, and the end of the world draws near! If they're after the secret of the Stars, they will spare no effort to get this last gem."
"Then you definitely should send people after them!" Grandpa Erik gestured wildly. "We have to get the Elemental Stars back!"
"We don't know what we are facing," said Harald. "I have been in command of the defences of Vale as long as you've been a figurehead! Isaac is an Adept. He's a resourceful and clever boy. He might not be Kyle, but I don't see simple thugs having a chance against him if he's prepared to deal with their trickery."
"What makes you think they won't try using Jenna again as a hostage?" asked Garet.
"I don't," replied the high priest. "I do however expect Isaac to wise up and not make the same mistakes again."
With a swipe of his arm, a sheathed sword hanging on the wall tore itself from its rack and flew into Harald's hand, glowing brightly in a magical light.
"This was Kyle's," said Harald, lowering the sword to Isaac's hands as the light faded away. "Leave as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it will be for you to catch them. And if the task becomes too much for you to handle, Isaac, I expect you to return."
With that, Harald gestured and tore the gates open with his Psynergy. As he left the chapel, Isaac looked down at the sword in his hands, brushing shaky fingertips over the ornate scabbard and then clamping his hand over the cold hilt. He'd held several swords throughout life and been the owner of at least two. But none of them had been of the high quality steel exclusively made for temple issued weapons. This was his father's sword. A captain's blade. This was a hero's sword. And it was his now.
With a shaking hand, he began drawing the sword out, revealing the runes on the middle of the double-edged blade. Then suddenly, he realized that it felt wrong in his hand—the weight was off. He drew the blade out completely, and then saw that the blade was snapped in two.
Isaac didn't hear Grandpa Erik say distasteful things about Harald. He didn't hear his mother break down in tears. All he knew was that he had been given a broken blade.
Author's Notes:
Once, I too wrote it all chronologically, starting with "the storm of Vale" and then doing the timeskip of "three years". But then, what's the fun with that? Basically, the only thing interesting would be Felix's journey because that's the only part the readers haven't seen. Everything else would be predictable because if you're reading a fanfic, you have obviously played the game(s). And really, what's the fun in reading a story that is basically a rehash of the game?
I don't know how much I can say about this chapter without giving out too much spoilers, but one thing I'd like to comment on is the Order of Vale.
You see, I'm doing a lot of world building here and one important thing is to make something that at least resembles a working society. I don't want to slam on the game on this department because game-logic doesn't equal realism and the adventures of the game rely on the world being incompetent, but I'm going for a more realistic approach here so all these incompetent towns needs to go.
You might think the Temple/Order of Vale is overpowered, but that's the point. The Valians have survived for many generations so they can't be the helpless lot they are in the game. They are essentially protecting the keys to doomsday machines (at least that's what the Valians believe they are) and you would figure they would at least have some sort of organized defence. Maybe it doesn't have to be as OP as the Order of Vale, but at least something; in the game everyone in Vale is so helpless that it's laughable. Let's face it—Menardi could have just butchered everyone in Vale first and then get the Elemental Stars since there is literary no opposition. The thing with them promising Felix not to hurt the people is pretty much just a handwave, because Menardi and Saturos don't seem to have any problems trying to murder Isaac and Garet later on in Mercury Lighthouse (plus, they ganked everyone in Suhalla Ridges and Venus Ligthhouse).
In my version, the reason the Proxians don't attack the villagers is not mainly because they promised Felix; it's because they simply can't. Jonathan, Harald and each the templars are about as powerful as the Proxians themselves. In fact, the Proxians would get owned if they didn't use subterfuge.
I've also changed the reasons for Isaac leaving Vale, because sending two teenagers who'd spend all their lives in Vale off on their own after the MacGuffins is pretty dumb if you don't look at it from a gaming perspective. Having Isaac bringing the Mars Star with him is an even dumber idea. Think about it a for second; the crooks want the treasure, so the logical reason is to… bring it to them?
Isaac's leave is a personal thing here, because the focus is on Isaac as a character. Harald actually doesn't expect him succeed; he's just sending Isaac away because Isaac wants to leave. They also do not know that Menardi and company are Adepts because they never used any spells (no, they can't sense their midichlorians).