Chapter Three! I have to say, I had great fun writing this one because Angry Saturos is a riot. I can imagine his journey from Mercury Lighthouse was one filled with expletives and rants and any poor monsters that stood in his way wouldn't have known what hit them. Once again, any feedback is welcomed. Gentle nudge. Go on. Imagine the smile on this face if you did. Enjoy!

Mercury Lighthouse Ignited

To say that Saturos was in a bad mood was an understatement. Since his return from the Mercury Lighthouse with Alex in tow, he'd raged on at the top of his lungs about "that godforsaken lighthouse" and "those bloody children" and had been swearing like a sailor. Jenna had even learned some new expletives and banked them in her memory for future use. Saturos had been badly injured at the lighthouse but his pride had been too great to allow Alex to prop him up on the walk towards the cave that would lead them away from Imil. They had found the camp that Menardi and Felix had set up close to the cave and Saturos had finally collapsed, having stalked at an angry pace the whole way. Stubborn as he was, he had waved away Alex's attempts at healing him and yelled that he was fine to an exasperated Menardi and somewhat amused Alex. Kraden had bravely tried to suggest that Saturos should let Alex at least take some of the pain away but quickly gave up when he had his head bitten off and was now talking to Felix quietly.

Winter had been present for a few weeks and, with them being so far north, it was a bitterly cold evening, though crystal clear and shimmering with stars. The snow in and around the camp had been cleared to make it more comfortable. Jenna sat close to the large fire, grateful for the heat, and snuggled further into her sleeping bag. To her enormous surprise, Menardi had given her hers when she spotted the smaller Adept shivering. Menardi hadn't met her eyes and had held out the sleeping bag, insisting she take it, her tone suggesting that Jenna was a nuisance. Jenna had blinked up at her, unsure about whether it was a trap, though she couldn't think what kind of trap would involve a sleeping bag.

"What about you?" She had asked tinily.

"I am used to the extreme cold," she had said shortly, still not looking at her. "And besides, my Psynergy is trained and strong so will serve as protection."

"Surprised you wouldn't just let me freeze to death," Jenna had muttered under her breath, insulted at the Psynergy jibe.

"Contrary to what you seem to want to believe, we are not monsters," Menardi's tone was dangerously cold, prompting Jenna to shut up quickly. Menardi dropped the sleeping bag next to her and walked off. Jenna had wasted no time in opening the sleeping bag and climbing in, shuffling like a worm closer to the fire.

Funny, you were prepared to kill me on the lighthouse aerie, she thought. I'm lucky Felix was there.

Felix. She glanced over to her brother, who was receiving an earful of Kraden's chatter and looked rather disinterested. He looked her way and discreetly rolled his eyes, which caused her to smile slightly. Though she was still slightly cautious around him, she had finally accepted that he was her brother. A number of weeks had passed since she and Kraden been kidnapped and, though the journey had been highly demanding and exhausting, they had had considerable time to talk. Their first proper conversation had been awkward and it had ended abruptly when her anger got the better of her, but she tried hard to control it the next time they talked. That time, they made progress and the barrier finally broke. She had sobbed and allowed him to hold her as he apologised and explained his actions. She still wasn't a willing participant of the quest, but she had acknowledged his reasons. Still, she felt like he was still hiding something. When talking about Prox in particular, he had been guarded and cautious with his words and it worried her somewhat. He would tell her in his own time, she reasoned, but it was one of the reasons she couldn't fully trust him yet.

However, all of the night's events had paled in comparison to the big discovery on top of Mercury Lighthouse. Jenna had finally accepted, after many quietly tearful nights, that her best friends, Isaac and Garet, had died. There hadn't been a single indication to suggest that they'd survived and, after the inevitable anger and grief, the acceptance had come. At least now she had Felix again, though she doubted they would ever return fully to the close relationship they had once had. So she was rendered completely speechless when, as they were preparing to leave the lighthouse following the successful ignition, Isaac and Garet appeared on the other side of the aerie. It didn't seem real at first and she wondered if she was going mad. After all, why would they be at the lighthouse? She closed her eyes and opened them again and they hadn't disappeared. She let out a few incoherent noises as her mind processed everything, something Felix didn't miss. He followed her gaze and his eyes widened at the sight of his former friends standing by the beacon. Felix immediately moved to prevent Jenna from crying out, but he was too late. She shrieked their names, her relief pouring out into a strangled cry, and when they heard and looked over to her it took everything in her power not to sprint over to them. Considering Menardi had been standing close by wielding that intimidating scythe of hers, it would have been a bad idea.

The rest of the conversation had been a blur (apart from the part where Menardi had threatened her) and she could barely recall the journey up until they'd made camp. After having taken so long to accept that they'd died, she now had an even harder time convincing herself that they were alive and well. She had worried because Saturos had still been at the beacon when they'd approached, Alex nowhere to be seen, but Isaac and Garet had been accompanied by two strangers so at least Saturos had been outnumbered. It was this that gave her comfort and her suspicions were confirmed when Saturos had returned injured, in a foul mood. They had won and they were still alive and for the first time since the day she was taken, Jenna felt happy. Actually, scratch "happy", she was absolutely ecstatic. She was trying her hardest to hide it, however, as the last thing she wanted was to provoke Saturos. He was intimidating enough during an average day, in this mood he was downright frightening.

The swearing had lessened but Saturos was still grumbling loudly to no-one in particular. The target of his ranting was now apparently Alex, who appeared calm and collected as always. Oh, but there was something - he was tapping his right index finger against his knee. Jenna sat up slightly, suddenly intrigued. Interesting… Was this a sign that he wasn't entirely comfortable? Somewhat nervous, even? This was new and Jenna was somewhat pleased. So he wasn't indestructible after all! It also told Jenna something else. He was exceptionally good at covering his true emotions as, other than the finger tap, which could easily be missed as it was a slight action, he didn't appear to be fazed at all. She began to wonder if his whole demeanour was an act and thought back to the conversations they had had thus far. If he was good at hiding his emotions, he was likely good at constructing the appropriate emotions for the situation at hand. Which meant his chatter was probably carefully constructed and entirely false. Jenna had always been honest through her speech and actions and she suddenly felt very vulnerable. Alex knew things about her and her feelings and she realised she knew absolutely nothing about him. The thought unnerved her and an anxious feeling settled into her stomach. She decided then and there to watch what she was saying around him and also watch him more closely. She also made herself a vow that she would only talk to him if absolutely necessary.

"And the girl?" Saturos snapped at Alex. He was still venting at a considerable volume so Jenna was able to hear everything. "She seemed to know you a little too well. Conveniently forgot to mention her, did you? It didn't occur to you to tell us that she might try and stop us?"

"Mia would not have been a threat had she been alone," Alex said coolly. "How was I to anticipate the arrival of the children of Vale?"

"Children"… some nerve. He's only a few years older than us! Jenna concealed a smug smirk. And besides, those "children" just beat the crap out of the supposedly strongest warrior here.

"That cursed lighthouse enhanced her Psynergy! And weakened mine! Even if she hadn't chanced upon those damn kids, she would've been able to put up a fight!"

"She is a healer, not a fighter. She isn't stupid, either. She wouldn't have fought you alone because she would have known she couldn't win." To Jenna, it sounded almost like Alex was defending this "Mia". She racked her brains to try and picture the girl in question on the lighthouse and was met with an image of a girl with blue hair. Blue hair… She hadn't seen many people with blue hair - was she a relative of his, perhaps? Jenna had a very hard time picturing Alex in a family environment, but he must have had relatives somewhere and he came from Imil, after all. VERY interesting.

"Regardless, that is not what transpired," Saturos growled dangerously. "She wasn't alone and what's more, those children have gained enough power to pose a threat. And yet, you felt that playing hide-and-seek behind the beacon during the battle was a much wiser use of your time!"

To his credit, Alex didn't flinch, though Saturos' voice had raised more and more as he went on. The tapping of his knee had increased slightly in frequency, however. Jenna had always been perceptive and didn't miss this fact.

"As I explained before, I was certain you would win the battle. Your individual strength far outweighs theirs, or so I thought." Despite the compliment about Saturos' strength, Jenna had a feeling Alex wouldn't be able to smooth-talk his way out of this one and it only served to elevate her mood further. "However, it's not all bad news. We know they're pursuing us and they have the Mars Star. The next time we cross paths, we take the Star and be done with them."

"The next time we cross paths will be the last," Saturos spat. He stood and stalked into the tent nearby, throwing the door material aside so violently it almost tore clean off. The remainder of the camp visibly relaxed and even Menardi looked somewhat relieved. She projected some Psynergy into the fire to keep it burning for longer before entering the tent herself, to Jenna's astonishment. Who would willingly follow somebody who was in such a horrific mood?

Saturos had been deadly serious about his final words and the thought made Jenna's stomach squirm uncomfortably. Now the lives of her friends were in serious peril and she feared for them. Saturos was frightening enough when he wasn't in battle and, though she'd witnessed him fighting the monsters and strange creatures they'd encountered, he would likely be ten times more deadly against those he held a grudge against.

But they WON. Saturos had underestimated them and had been weakened by the Mercury beacon, but it didn't change that fact. Her friends had indeed grown powerful in a short amount of time and hopefully they would continue to grow as they pursued them. If they did, maybe they had a fighting chance and a happy ending wasn't completely out of the question. Who would have thought it? Isaac and Garet, her best friends and essentially her family, so strong and courageous. They had been following them the whole time and, though she knew their primary goal was to prevent the lighthouses from being ignited, they were also determined to save her.

It was damn cold and she shivered again but, as she stared up at the clear sky and the stars shone brightly, she felt nothing but happiness and hope. Jenna couldn't keep the grin off her face as she took in the beauty of the sky and the situation and, now Saturos was safely out of sight, she didn't have to hide it.

"How refreshing to see you smile, my dear."

God DAMMIT.

"Don't spoil the moment," Jenna snapped, but the moment was gone. She sat up and crossed her arms before looking up at him. "Actually, no, you already did."

"You wound me, Jenna." The mocking in his tone told her otherwise. "I was going to offer you something to help you, too."

"Whatever you're offering, I don't need it." She glared up at him and noticed he was holding something big and furry. All sorts of potential objects entered her mind and for a fleeting moment, she wondered if this was some strange Imil custom of offering dead animals to hostages.

"My, aren't we in a foul mood!" Condescending bastard. He was smiling that damned smile again, which only served to hack her off even more. Why did he have to spoil the one moment of bliss she had experienced on this trip?

"You're the one who initiated it!" Jenna frowned at him. "I was perfectly fine until you arrived!"

"Such anger! And I fear I can't understand why you seem to dislike my presence so much so suddenly. I must apologise, even if I don't know where I went wrong." He bowed his head slightly. Yeah, go ahead and apologise, it won't make me trust you any more than I already do. Which is 'not at all'. "I brought you a gift."

He held out the thing he was holding and, upon closer inspection, it did indeed look like the remnants of an animal. Jenna raised a sceptic eyebrow. "Why would I accept a gift from you?"

"It will keep you warm. I'd imagine you're not used to such a cold climate and even those who reside in Imil need warm clothing at this time of year."

"I'm fine." Jenna turned away and crossed her arms even more tightly.

"You're shivering." Damn it, Jenna! He was too good at finding and pointing out her weaknesses. Before she could respond, he had draped the thing over her shoulders. She let out a noise of indignation and snapped her head back to glare at him for the unexpected contact, causing him to chuckle. Looking more closely, it appeared to be the fur of some animal she had never seen before, but had been cleaned and stitched so it was wearable. As hacked off as she was that he had just intruded on her personal space like that, she had to admit that it had made an immediate difference.

Why did have to be right all the time?

"You're welcome." He sat himself down next to her and she felt discomfort at the lack of distance between them.

"Make yourself at home," she spat sarcastically. She wanted to huddle into the fur and pretend he wasn't there, but then it would have told him she had gratefully accepted his gift and she couldn't have that.

"Really, where has this attitude come from, Jenna? I would've thought you'd have been elated. After all, your friends are alive."

I WAS elated and then you reminded me that you exist, she thought moodily. She didn't want to talk to him at all. Having finally figured out that his whole demeanour was an act, and a convincing one at that, the last thing she wanted to do was converse with him. Even though their conversations hadn't been particularly lengthy, he knew an alarming amount more about her than she did about him. Well, apart from one thing…

"Who is Mia?" She made sure she was looking at him so she could search for any signs of emotion or any defensive reflexes.

He couldn't have expected the question but, if it had thrown him off in any way, he didn't show it at all, to her disappointment. "A strange question, but one I will answer. Mia is my cousin." So she was family. "She, too, is a descendant of the Mercury Clan and is the guardian of the lighthouse." He smiled slightly. "So, as you can imagine, she was none-too-pleased to find us at the top of it, performing the very act she had sworn to prevent."

"So, you betrayed her," Jenna stated bluntly.

"Harsh words, but I can't deny the truth. Perhaps now she feels that I betrayed her, but once she knows why, she will understand." His tone was soft, which surprised her.

"I don't know about that. She seemed pretty pissed off about it, if Saturos' ranting was anything to go by."

"You have a remarkable way with words, my dear," he smirked. Jenna idly wondered why he kept referring to her as "my dear", probably another method of getting under her skin. "Alas, perhaps you're correct. The lighting of the beacon was not a total disaster for her, though. Now that the Water of Hermes flows once again, she won't be run ragged around town, healing the sick. It was a demanding enough task for the both of us, so alone, she would have been exhausted."

Both of us. He used to heal the sick, too? Jenna was highly surprised about this nugget of information. She was already aware of Alex's considerable healing ability, but the fact that he'd used it to actually help people was a shock. He was very much a person considerate of his own wellbeing rather than anyone else's, if the journey so far had taught her anything. But then again, he had helped Saturos return from the lighthouse and also tried to heal him. The nagging voice of doubt returned and she wondered whether she really had him figured out at all.

"She must be so thrilled with you," Jenna remarked dryly, "what, with you having left her alone to go against everything she's ever known."

"Yes, I can imagine she holds some vitriol for me now," he sounded almost regretful. "And now she has joined your friends' band of merry men, she'll likely hate me even more."

"You almost sound like you care."

"You are so surprised?" He smiled again and she noticed it held less of the smugness she was beginning to become so accustomed to. "She is family, after all. We grew up together from a young age and I would hate to see anything happen to her."

"Ironically, it is your actions that have led her to pursue what will be a dangerous journey that could put her life into peril." Jenna said cuttingly.

"An unfortunate consequence."

"That's all you can say about it?" Jenna asked harshly. "Your family means so little to you, even though you're fully aware that you might not see her again?"

He didn't even hesitate. "That is the difference between us, Jenna. You are so fiercely protective of those you love. Even Felix, now that you recognise him, despite his betrayal toward you and his hometown. You would do anything for him, even now."

"And you are the polar opposite," Jenna couldn't hide her disgust at his apparent disregard of his family. She knew that she was only making it easier for him to read and analyse her, but at this moment she didn't care. "You claim to care, yet you plough ahead with no regard for those who stand in your way. She has no use in your quest for whatever you're trying to achieve, so you cast her aside so easily and painlessly." She laughed, a bitter sound. "You've actually done her a favour by abandoning her. She'll be better off without you."

And there it was. The chink in his armour. It had been the briefest flicker of emotion, reflected in his posture, but it was there. In less than the blink of an eye, it was gone and his usual demeanour was back into place, but she hadn't missed it. He was looking at her and her skin prickled uncomfortably.

"I couldn't agree more."

And then he was gone.