Hey guys! Here's the continuation on Golden Sun: An Alternate Path! ENJOY!
- What! You went to the prison and saw the man supposedly from this place called Champa? Felix could tell that Jenna was obviously jelaous. And we're going to Osenia, the continent that collided with Iselia!
- And I thought that getting a special price on herbs and antidotes was exciting news, Sheba sighed.
- What was that? Did you just make a joke? Everyone started to laugh at Jenna's comment.
- What are you implying, that I'm boring? Sheba pouted, before she joined in the laughter.
The morningsun shone through the bedroom window as the party got ready to head of to the new continent. Jenna and Sheba had gone to bed early the night before and Kraden had said he needed to look something up in one of his many books of alchemy. Felix had been lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't stop thinking about the mysteriously handsome Piers. It was more the thought of him liking a guy that bothered him. He hadn't had any girlfriends, let alone time to stop and think about feelings, other than the love he felt for his sister. But that was a different kind of love. This was something else, and he couldn't quite grasp it. But one thing he knew for sure; he had to know more about Piers.
The trip over the Madra drawbridge was over before it had even begun thanks to the lady who gave her permission for them to cross. The guards hinted that along the northeast coast of Osenia was the city of Alhafra. Since the party were like stray dogs anyway, they decided to pay the city a visit.
- Woah! Look at all the junk, Jenna burst out.
- I think it's the remains of a ship, Sheba said facing Kraden for approval.
- Well yes, I think it is! Facinating, must have been quite the force to tear the ship apart like this. As the party investigated on a distance, some people were gossiping among themselves.
- You can clearly see that it's a ship from Champa from the emblem on their flag!
- I see, well the pirate scum should learn to keep away!
- I doubt that anyone survived!
- I see a path here, we can cross over! Sheba had searched around the area for a crossing point and apparently found one safe enough for them to use.
- Alright, let's head over to Osenia! Felix noticed, in the corner of his eye, a brown and red-pinkish shadow leaping across the water on the shipwrech.
- Jenna! What are you doing! Be careful! He ran towards the edge of the cliff where they were crossing.
- Don't worry! I'll be fine! As swiftly as she jumped across, she bounced back with a grin on her face.
- I saw this laying among the broken parts. She flashed a silverblade with a yellow handle.
- It's a Pirate's sword! She put it away and walked past Felix, still grinning. Finders keepers! Felix sighed and felt the headache slowly coming back.
As the party was walking along the jagged up road, Jenna started to talk to Felix. She told of her thoughts of that after being in Saturos and Menardi's company for so long, this felt like a new beginning, and that she was glad that he never left her side. He had thought it was horrible to be a part of it, but at the time all he cared about was her safety and the pair promised as much. The idea of a new beginning seemed like a good thing. Felix felt a little bit better thinking that he had a chance to make everything right. Jenna noticed the slight change in Felix and took this opportunity to ask something she'd been thinking about since they left Madra.
- Hey brother, what was the prisoner like? Was he a big brute with battlescars all over?
- No silly, he was not your stereotypical bandit..., and with that Felix began thinking of Piers again for the first time in a while. He looked down on the gruond to avoid being detected. He knew that if his sister saw him blush over this, there would be no end of it.
- Hey what's up with...
- Hey guys! There's a desert up ahead! Kraden says we'll have to cross it to reach Alhafra!
Sheba interrupted Jenna just in time.
"Thank you so much, Sheba", Felix thought as the blush started to wear off.
- A desert! But there is so much forest around here, how can there be a desert in the middle of everything? Jenna stared in awe at the rockwalls. Before her was a large golden sandsea..
- There is a possibility that the collision between the two continents made the weathercondition worse, or maybe even created the desert, but then again, alchemy never seizes to amaze! Kraden let out a short laugh followed by a cough.
- There's a sign though, "Through here: Yampi desert - To the north: Alhafra" Felix read out loud and as he finished, he heard several moans behind him.
- I should've brought lighter clothes..., both Jenna and Sheba said while looking at each other.
- Well, we have to cross to get to Alhafra, he gave the girls a serious look. I hope we can avoid fighting mosters while cooping with the heat.
With that said, the party headed into the desert.
- "Cycle Beam!" Jenna yelled with her newly aquired sword pointing towards the enemies. A bright red light gathered at the tip and burst out in a ray of fire, radiating incredible heat. The attack hit all enemies who fell to the ground before finally vanishing into thin air.
- I can't believe how you manage to go on and on and..., Sheba barely managed to say between her heavy breathing. She and Felix did not benefit from the heat the way Jenna did. Because of her fire-adept nature, the hot desert provided her with aditional strength and stamina. Hords of enemies tried to take down the party, but Jenna was holding them all at bay, standing in the frontline. Of course they supported her from behind, but they lost their energy way before Jenna.
After a few more battles that ended with ease thanks to Jenna's firepower, the party stumbled upon another group of people. They looked more like a common crowd, lacking both weapons and armors. There was no sign of psynergy either, indicating that they were without adepts.
- I wonder who they are, Sheba said as the party were getting closer.
- I don't think they can be of any help, they look about as confused as we do, Felix shook his head. We should press on so we can get out of this desert.
The four walked past the group and noticed that Felix was right.
- How do we get out of this damn desert? an older man complained.
- Now now, take it easy, we've sent out some of our men to look for passages, a young man dressed in rather rich clothes said calmly to the distressed old man.
- We should take a look around ourselves, that would indeed be a good idea, Kraden suggested. Afterall, we have the advantage of psynergy!
- We're the ones doing the heavy lifting you know, Jenna shot a teasing glance at Kraden.
The desert offered not only an endless sandsea but caves where the temperature was significantly lower. Felix decided it was time to stop here and rest before heading outside again and the rest of the gang agreed. Sheba grabbed some apples from her bag and shared with the others. Felix decided to polish his axe that he had picked up back on the Dehkan Plateau. Jenna and Kraden started talking about his facination of her sudden powerboost provided by the desert. Sheba ventured off into the cave and returned moments later all covered in sand but with a happy expression on her face.
- Jenna look! I found this deeper into the cave, quite handy isn't it? She showed a silver mace with a black handle. Underneath it it said "Blow Mace – may channel psynergy and unleash Boost hack"
- Hey, that's not fair! Mhm, I wonder if..., Jenna grabbed her Pirate's sword and took a closer look.
- "Pirate's Sword – may channel psynergy and unleash Dreamtide" she read out loud.
This sudden discovery peaked Felix's interest and he felt the urge to check his now shiny weapon.
-"Themis' Axe – may channel psynergy and unleash Stone Justice" he read to himself.
- Your's too, Felix? Kraden lit up. Simply marvelous! I must take a look at the inscriptions!
He quickly grabbed every piece of weapon in the group and sat down to let his knowledge of psynergy roam free. Jenna's face changed as she thought of something.
- How come we havn't seen these so-called unleashes then?
Her question was indeed intriguing. Both Sheba and Felix was thinking the same thing.
- I believe you must, or perhaps, or maybe, or just.., Kraden was so caught up in his own excitement that he mumbled. After some tinkering he came up with a resonable explanation.
- I think the catalyst is to focus ones psynergy directly into the core of the weapon itself before striking, that may be the solution! It made perfect sense but the whole "focus your psynergy" was easier said than done. Grasping the technique of using simple psynergy like "move" or "whirlwind" was challenging enough.
- My suggestion is to just let it come naturally and not think about it to much, I'm sure these powers will emerge eventually when they are needed, Felix said.
Both girls agreed and Kraden was happy as long as he could study the weapons some more between the fights.
Finally the party found a way through the desert. Only after defeating the aggressive Scorpion King could they make a pathway out using "Scoop" from a Scoop Gem they found left behind from the slain monster. Everyone was relieved to feel the gentle, cool breeze again. The group from earlier had also found the pathway the adepts created and made their way through. However, they stopped at a nearby oasis to rest before exiting the desert. Felix and his friends continued directly towards the now visible city of Alhafra.
Finally through the desert! Now nearing Alhafra! And you know what that means! Time for some major-egoness! x)
Please review! This story is riding upon the fact that I hope I'm not the only one reading it... THX!