Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun.
I was the first one to arrive through the portal, and I moved away quickly so Jenna, Garet, and Kraden wouldn't smash into me. I gazed around in awe. Where was this place?
Garet looked excited, but Jenna seemed worried. When I asked her what was wrong, she just replied quickly, "I have a very bad feeling about this place. Like...oh, I don't know. Like something bad either has happened here or will happen."
I shivered. This place was kind of creepy, and Jenna's "feeling" wasn't making it any better. "Well, maybe it's just the whole Alchemy thing,"
"Wh-where are we?" asked Kraden in a tone of awe.
He came through the portal just after his voice arrived, startling us.
"Is that...the ocean?"
He dashed from side to side. I couldn't answer him, since I had no idea what an "ocean" even was.
"No, it couldn't be...The ocean has waves." he decided.
I exchanged a glance with Jenna. She looked at me with a mixture of puzzlement and fear.
"What's an ocean?" asked Garet curiously.
Kraden, finally tearing his glance away from our surroundings, answered, "The ocean is a thing of endless water at the end of the world."
"Endless water?" repeated Garet, making a face. "Weird."
Jenna wrinkled her nose. "I like the water, but...endless water? It sounds horrible for fire Psynergy!"
"Would you tell us more?" I asked.
"You would not understand...Someday, I'll show you the ocean myself." continued Kraden.
Kraden started dashing around again, then slowed, murmuring, "The Elemental Stars...they exist!"
Jenna, Kraden's star student, stepped forward. "You taught us about those...Elements are the foundation of all matter."
Garet said proudly, "Stones, wood, even us...everything is made from the four Elements. " He turned to me. "Did I get it right, Isaac?"
Grinning, I nodded. I had tutored Garet for a time-he was much more interested in fighting than in our studies of Alchemy. I remembered how Jenna had once tried to help him in our studies and finally gave up in disgust.
Kraden
nodded also. "Exactly. I have taught you many times that the
Elements are the source of all matter. Earth, water, fire, and
wind-these are the four Elements. Legend holds that the four
Elemental Stars contain the purified essence of each element. And now
those same legendary stones are before us!"
Looking to the
southeast, he intoned, "The Venus Star...The elemental stone of
earth!" I felt a special connection with that star-after all, I
was a Venus Adept.
To the northeast, Kraden continued, "The Mercury Star, possessing the power of water's many forms!" How much power could water have, I wondered, having never met a Mercury Adept.
The northwest star he announced as, "The Mars Star, glowing red with the fire contained within!" I could practically hear Jenna smiling.
The final star: "And the Jupiter Star, bound with the wind's fury!"
Jenna, clearly amused, asked Kraden, "Why are you getting so excited?"
Kraden asked her, "How can you be so calm in the face of such wonders? You're looking at the very source of Alchemy!"
Seeing the puzzled expressions on our faces, he continued, "Haven't I told you all this before?"
"Yes," I admitted. I remembered him talking about some sort of stars and something about Alchemy, but it had been a very hot and boring day, and Jenna had been amusing herself by making small flames jump up on her head. Garet and I had been watching with interest until some of her fire wandered over to us. I shuddered at the memory, patting my still-singed shoulder. She hadn't meant to, of course, but sometimes her flames...got away from her.
"What?" asked Garet, bewildered. "I must have fallen asleep, then, because I don't know what on Weyard he's talking about!"
Kraden was annoyed. "The Wisdom Stone-the Stone of Sages. It can transmute crude matter into gold, even thwart death itself! You understand now, don't you?"
"Uh-huh." Garet clearly didn't, but I was sure he'd never say as much in front of Kraden.
"The study of Alchemy began with the search for this very stone." Our teacher continued.
"I don't really get how it works, but they have enormous power, right?" Jenna asked.
"Beyond
enormous," Kraden confirmed. "With a single gem, one could
conquer the world!"
The world? With one of those star
thingies?
"Now, perhaps, you begin to understand." he said, seeing our stricken faces.
Garet glared at our teacher. "Don't scare us like that, Kraden. I thought you were serious."
"Who can say what the truth is?" said Kraden mysteriously. "That's why I've been searching for the Stars. I seek to learn the truth about these stones."
He tried to hop onto one of the small platforms. "Now they are before me."
He slid around. "Whoa..." Kraden hopped back onto the main platform.
"Be careful, Kraden!" scolded Jenna. "It looks slippery."
"But I must examine the Stars." whined Kraden.
Jenna, with a mischievous grin, demanded, "Make the boys do it!"
Kraden,
said, "Oh, but I couldn't. Might you...?"
Jenna gave
me a death-glare and following that, a cheerful, slightly mocking
smile. "He'd be glad to get the stones for you, right, Isaac?"
I gulped. I knew those looks. The first I had named the if-looks-could-kill-you'd-be-dead, and the second, you-will-do-as-I-say-or-else. "Sure."
"Thank you!" she said with a sunny smile. I knew that look, too. It was proud-of-you-and-glad-my-looks-worked. I myself sent her a look of my own, a helpless sort of glare.
"You'll need these, Isaac." Kraden said, handing me four silver bags.
"What are they?" questioned Garet.
"They're made of woven threads of Mythril silver." answered Kraden.
Now, I'm no expert on metals, but I have studied them, and I know Mythril is one of the strongest metals around. I fingered the bags, feeling the thick threads of the powerful silver.
"Go on!" urged Jenna. "But be careful, both of you."
I hopped onto the first platform. Looking down, I gulped. I was afraid of any sort of height. Above air, water, or burning lava, it wouldn't matter. Even steps had scared me until I was nine.
One step at a time, Isaac, I told myself. Hop. Hop. Hop. Don't think about the water. Hop. Hop. Hop. Just keep going. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. Finally-the statue holding the Venus Star.
I took the Star from its arms. The room started quaking. Several platforms shot up, making it possible to reach the Mercury Star.
"Good, good! Now, go fetch the others!" Kraden called excitedly.
Jenna laughed. "Kraden, you're as giddy as a schoolgirl!"
I decided to think about the Sol Blade-the fabled blade rumored to be hidden in one of the Elemental Lighthouses. I remembered that lesson, for sure.
Hop. Hop. It is only wielded by Venus Adepts. Hop. Hop. Hop. It strengthens Venus Psynergetic powers. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop. It's supposed to have a Psynegetic unleashable attack that is superpowerful. Hop. Hop. Hop.
The Mercury Star. I carefully took it.
"Good, good! Now, go fetch the others!" Kraden shouted.
"You're doing great!" called Jenna encouragingly.
We had to hop back to the main platform. Jupiter next.
I took the Star and waited for the quake and for Kraden to call out.
There was the quake-but why wasn't Kraden talking?
Garet and I exchanged puzzled looks, and we walked to the edge of the Jupiter platform.
There on the main platform were Saturos and Menardi!
"It looks like they've spotted us." sneered Saturos.
"I thought we'd be safe until they'd gotten all the Elemental Stars." Menardi spat.
"You! You mean to steal the Elemental Stars!" accused Kraden.
Saturos, with an air of fake politeness, said, "Master Kraden...Are you calling us thieves?"
"As I recall, aren't you the one who stole our information?" Menardi pointed out.
Jenna, a look of concern on her face, asked, "What will you do with us once you've got the Elemental Stars?"
I was frozen in fright. If I could have moved, I would probably have gone and tried to attack them-not like I'd be successful. But...Jenna!
"I'm sure they'll do us in once they no longer need us!" Kraden figured, trembling.
"Relax...You will not be hurt." A mysterious voice comforted.
A figure, presumably the speaker, emerged from the portal.
"That was our agreement, was it not?" the boy, or man, I could not tell, had a mask over his features. However, his distinctive haircut, a thick dark ponytail, seemed somehow familiar...
"That all depends on how well they cooperate." Saturos threatened, glaring at Garet and me.
Menardi clarified, "They'll be safe, as long as they hand over the Elemental Stars. Isn't that enough?"
The man/boy nodded.
"You heard us...If you wish to save your friends, then give us the Stars! Do you accept our terms?"
Of course I did! I would have given anything to save Jenna! I mean, if I had happened to own the world right then, I would have handed it over if they asked. My best friend! And then they had my teacher...
"Yes."
"No, Isaac! You must not give them the Elemental Stars!" Kraden called desperately.
Saturos turned to Kraden. "Why would you deny us? Don't you want you and your friends to be safe?"
"What guarantee do we have once we've given you the Elemental Stars?" Kraden shot back.
Menardi stared at us thoughtfully. "Guarantee...Ah, I have one." She turned to the man/boy. "You will have to remove your mask."
I'm sure that he paled, although we couldn't see his face. "Th-that means..." he stammered.
"Ah, of course. A fine idea... He will be our guarantee." Saturos complimented. "Under the circumstances, we have no choice. Felix! Remove your mask!"
Felix? Felix! That was the name of Jenna's dead brother. I've never heard of another Felix...but...impossible...right? I mean, I'm sure that in the world there was more than one Felix. I mean, one Felix. Jenna's Felix was dead...or was he?
Jenna looked alarmed. I couldn't blame her.
"What? What did he say, Isaac?" asked Garet frantically. "He said Felix...right?"
"Yeah.
He did."
"You heard it too? Felix? It can't be...That
day...We saw him die...right?"
"I thought so. But
maybe we didn't."
"But we searched for weeks!" he exclaimed.
"What's wrong, Felix? Don't you want them to feel safe?"
Kraden
apparently realized that name sounded familiar to him too.
"Felix...Wasn't that your late brother's name?"
Jenna
looked at him. "But the accident. He...Felix..."
"I'll do it." Felix(?) decided abruptly. "I'll...take off my mask."
He turned away for a minute. When he turned around, I gasped. It was Felix. It was him. He was...alive? Impossible!
"Felix..." gasped Garet. "We've got to get back to Jenna!"
Tears ran down Jenna's cheeks. "It's not possible..." she sobbed.
"Is he-" started Kraden.
Felix
appeared to be bothered by Jenna's reaction. "I know I've caused
you much grief, Jenna."
Much grief! It was much worse than
that. Jenna barely ate, barely spoke, for months. I had gone to her
grandparents' house as often as I could, trying to persuade her to
eat. Her grandparents were glad for my help, for they never managed
to get her to eat a bite. It took knowing how to handle her.
"It was a miracle that I survived that day..." Felix continued.
"We are the ones who saved him," interrupted Saturos.
"We saw him floating unconscious in the river as we passed." Menardi told us.
"I've been with them ever since...I've experienced a lot." Felix said, almost bitterly.
"But why?" demanded Jenna. "Why did you leave me all alone?"
"Jenna..."
"My own brother...I thought you were dead!"
"Save your reunion for later," snarled Saturos.
"That's right. The Stars come first." agreed Menardi.
"Is this acceptable? Felix would never allow us to harm you or his sister."
Turning towards us, Menardi said, "Felix will be our guarantee. Now give us the Elemental Stars!"
Garet looked at me. "We don't have a choice. Should we give them the Stars?"
I considered for a second, then agreed, "You're right. We have no choice."
"I guess I should take the Elemental Stars to them." Garet decided.
I handed him the Stars, glad to be free of the burden.
He started to return, when a young man appeared in front of him. "Will you permit me to relieve you of those Elemental Stars?"
"Alex...you're late." spat Saturos. "Alex is another of our companions. You may give him the Stars."
"Oh, great." complained Garet. "After all that work."
"I'm afraid I must apologize in advance." Alex said icily. "For you will be bringing us the remaining Elemental Star, as well."
He began to float into the air.
"Wait a second!" demanded Garet. "You want us to grab the other one for you, too?"
"Oh, did you not understand me?"
"You said you'd set Jenna free when we gave you the Stars. You promised."
"No,
my friend. Bring us all the Elemental Stars!" Saturos
requested cruelly.
"Stop grumbling and bring us the last
star!" ordered Menardi.
I sighed. "I don't think we have much of a choice, Garet. Not if we want to save them."
"Thank you for your cooperation." Alex sneered. "We'll be waiting for the rest."
Garet glared at me once he returned to the Jupiter platform. "I was planning to try to stop them."
"Garet, we wouldn't have a chance. They'd just take the remaining Star and Jenna. And leave us here, or worse."
We made our way to the platform with the Mars Star. I was so worried, I wasn't even afraid of falling in the water (or whatever that stuff was) .
I took the Star.
The chamber shook. Dust started falling from the roof and I could see surging lava underneath us.
"What's the matter? What happened?" demanded Menardi.
"Not again!" cried Saturos angrily.
"The water's gone!" Jenna shrieked.
"Without the energy of the Stars, the chamber is collapsing!" exclaimed Alex.
Kraden
wondered, "Is this the 'terrible retribution' the villagers
spoke of? No, this is more than even Alchemy's power!"
The
dust stopped falling.
"Whew! It's over! But...what was it?" Menardi.
"What is that?!" Jenna screeched.
"No!" Saturos complained.
I saw what looked like a big, floating rock-with a shocking green eye.
"That rock...Do you know what it is?" Garet asked me.
I shook my head. "No idea."
"Me neither. It looks like someone is using Psynergy to lift it."
"The Wise One?" Kraden wondered.
The chamber started to collapse. I could see the Wise One(?) using Psynergy, and it ceased collapsing.
"Such power-incredible!" Alex said in awe.
It used some sort of Psynergy, and then it turned, and used the Psynergy again.
"Wow..." Jenna breathed.
"It must be the guardian of the Elemental Stars!" exclaimed Saturos.
"This doesn't look good," worried Felix. "Maybe we should escape while we can."
"But we need the Mars Star!" complained Menardi.
"I agree with Felix," protested Alex. "We're no match for it."
"The Mars Star can wait." decided Saturos.
"What about Isaac and Garet? You can't just leave them here!" Jenna argued, her eyes wide.
Saturos dismissed that. "Forget about them. They won't make it out alive."
"There is a chance they might survive, Saturos." Menardi reminded him.
"Anything is possible..."
"We take this Jenna with us," Alex proposed. "If they survive, they'll want her back. And if they want her back, they'll bring us the Star. And Kraden must come with us.
"Alex...are you breaking the promise?" asked Felix.
"Things have changed." Alex said diplomatically.
"Jenna's not part of this! I won't let you hurt her!"
"Do what you will with me, but let Jenna free!" begged Kraden.
"Your bravery speaks well, old man, but you can't save Jenna now." said Saturos.
Menardi reasoned, "Jenna will die if we leave her here, and surely you don't want that, right, Felix?"
"Perhaps we ought to continue this elsewhere." suggested Alex.
"Felix.."
"Please...can't we leave now?" Alex asked.
"Let's make haste!" agreed Menardi.
One by one, they teleported themselves through the portal.
"Isaac, Garet! Don't die!" called Jenna helplessly.
We hid behind the Mars statue, hoping we could follow Jenna's instructions.
"This turned out badly, wouldn't you say?"
"Yeah."
"It's a miracle we survived."
"Yeah." I wasn't exactly in a talkative mood. How could I be? My best friend had just been kidnapped!
Looking around, Garet decided, "This really is terrible. We've got a long way to go to leave."
He turned around and started walking toward the stepping stones.
I didn't follow him, since I was busy gaping at the Wise One who was floating about four feet away.
"Isaac?" Then Garet read my face and turned around. He gulped.
"Why are you standing there?" asked the Wise One. "This place is dangerous."
"You're the dangerous one!" declared Garet.
I noticed the chamber kept trying to collapse.
"The volcano will soon erupt...I cannot hold it long. You must leave immediately."
Suddenly, several small sparks of energy floated from the Mars statue.
"The Elemental Djinn." explained the Wise One. "Take out the Star."
I did as he asked. He used some sort of Psynergy on it.
"Return it to its bag. The Elemental Stars are moving away from here. Without the power of the Stars to contain it, the magma flows freely once again. There will be no chamber for the Elemental Stars to return to...The world will be exposed to the threat of Alchemy."
"Alchemy? A threat?" Garet asked, sounding bewildered.
"It
can be a dangerous power when it is misused." The Wise One
confirmed. "If the Elemental Stars light the flames of the
Elemental Lighthouses, that power will be released. As long as the
four lighthouses remain unlit..."
He cut off. The volcano
was erupting. He tried to stop it, but it was only possible for a
second.
"The volcano! It's erupting! Flee, now!" he warned.
"How?" asked Garet.
"I will help you..."
He started using Psynergy and we reappeared outside the chamber.
"Did
that floating eye thing save us?"
"Yes."
The Sol-now-Luna-room shook.
"Yeah, right! Let's just get outta here."
I used Psynergy: Retreat. Within seconds we were at the entrance to Sol Sanctum.
"Great trick," muttered Garet.
We dashed out and down the stairs, wondering what would happen next...
