Hey all you loyal fans...I apologize a thousand times for not updating. Its my bad...I have not found the time to write and writers block has not helped much. But Im here and for those who thought I gave this up, shame on you.
Without bothering you with too much text, I'll save that after, here's part II in Sol Sanctum.
Sol Sanctum Part II
"Now what?"
"Jeeze Garet," Jenna sighed, "Way to ruin the mood."
"Well, we were going to something else anyways," Garet replied.
'Closer look?' Isaac spelt out with his pebbles.
"Alright," Both of them agreed.
They went closer to the beautiful created statues, the relief on the ground was that of a moon, representing Luna.
"Hey guys," Garet began, "I think I can push these statues..."
"Well...pushing statues helped us out so far..." Jenna stated.
"I'll take that as a yes," Garet said with a smirk. He then walked to one of the statues, dusted his hands cliched like, then proceeded to move it slowly. After a second or two, seemed that the statues were really light, they heard a satisfying click. Suddenly the suns rays reflected upon the mirror the statue was holding onto the relief. To their surprise, a part of the moon turned in a part of the sun and was flashing intensely.
Unbeknownst to them, a frightened Kraden a room below them was running in fear, all of a sudden the room went dark and lightning was striking everywhere. "I-isaac! Stop! You're about to make a huge mistake!" Kraden yelled in vain, and running as fast as his old age could take him. He ran up the fleet of stairs and before falling onto his knees, managed to gasp out a "W-w-what Isaac!"
"Kraden!" They all yelled out in surprised, minus Isaac of course, he was just surprised.
"Kraden! What's wrong?" Jenna asked kneeling and helping the old scholar up.
"...This, is a most interesting mechanism you've found Isaac," gasped Kraden, still on the ground increasing his air intake, "But...this is certainly some kind of trap."
"This...is a trap?" Garet asked stupidly.
"Go look in Luna's room, you'll understand then," Kraden explained, finally getting enough air intake, "You're on the right track, but just moving one statue...and you'll get caught in the Sanctum's deadly trap."
"But why would anyone put a trap here?" Jenna questioned.
"I don't know why...they probably hidden something very important," Kraden replied, "Maybe the keys to Alchemy itself?"
"We must try and solve this mystery," Kraden continued.
"Another mystery!" Garet sighed disappointedly.
"...I really don't think the other 'puzzles' in this place...mysteries Garet..." Isaac thought.
"I'll keep checking the Luna room," Kraden continued, "You continue exploring the Sanctum."
So Kraden traveled back to the Luna room to 'check' it out, leaving the three to think about what to do next.
"Come on Isaac!" Jenna said cheerfully, "Lets see if we can't figure this out ourselves."
Isaac gave Jenna his trademark smile, which of course she basically melted on the inside, but she obviously didn't show it. Isaac then pointed to the left side of the floor, exposing another couple of statues, which its craftsmanship knew no equal.
"I really want to find the person who made this and make one of myself," Garet said with a goofy smile.
"They're probably long gone Garet," Jenna sighed, "That...and who in their right mind would make one of you?"
"Hey!" Garet pretended to be mad.
"Wonder what we have to do here?" Jenna thought out loud, ignoring Garet.
"Push statues?" Garet answered right away, as if the other trap did not phase him at all.
"Im not too sure about that now..." Jenna replied.
'No other choice?' Isaac spelt out.
"I guess not," Garet said, "Pushing it is!"
Jenna sighed, and Isaac gave a weak smile.
"If anything goes wrong, it's Garet's fault," They both thought at the same time.
After a couple of minutes of pushing and shoving, Garet sometimes moved the statues into the wrong place, they discovered when two northen statues placed at a specific location on the floor, the rays reflected off their mirrors revealed a hole in the ground. "Uhhh...now what?" Garet asked, there was a whole in the ground but they...Garet didn't have a clue what to do next.
"What about the third statue right in front of the hole?" Jenna asked, pointing towards a bigger statue then the rest, this statue was a goddess once again, but was holding a giant medallion like object with an interesting design etched into it.
"Maybe..." Garet began...but didn't end, he still had no idea what to do next.
Isaac however had an idea and gently pushed aside Jenna and Garet away from the center of the statue. Focusing his mind, he imagined a giant hand grabbing onto the statue, and dragging it towards the hole. An blue aura surrounded Isaac as he concentrated on his task. Jenna and Garet realized what Isaac was trying to do, and waiting patiently to see what would happen.
"Success!" Isaac thought as he heard the loud thump as the statue's gigantic medallion met the floor. Jenna and Garet went over and congratulated Isaac on solving what they deemed to be a puzzle, or in Garet's case, a mystery. Suddenly, Luna's room, the room Kraden was in (who was slacking off because he knew Isaac and company would find something), flashed different colors suddenly, randomly too mind you. Normally it would have given any senior a seizure, but Kraden wasn't any old man, he was an 'Alchemy Scholar'. "Isaac must of found something!" Kraden said excitedly, and jogged at a relatively fast pace to the party of three.
Back on the other floor, with Isaac, Jenna and Garet were in a pinch. It seemed Garet pushed one of the trap statues figuring that it would do something different now that they did something in the other room. "Garet you idiot!" Jenna hissed, "Didn't you think that it would do the same thing? How it could have killed Kraden who was IN the room!"
"It was worth a shot!" Garet argued weakly.
"Kraden could have been killed for all you know!" Jenna yelled back, "What if Kraden is..."
"You've found it Isaac!" Kraden yelled happily.
"Kraden?" Garet said dumbly.
"Kraden!" Jenna said happily, for he wasn't dead thanks to Garet's stunt.
Kraden turned and looked into the other room where they sent solved the puzzle, "Excellent work! But...where did that hole come from?" Kraden asked.
"Isaac moved those two statues to where they are now," Garet began, "Then the statue's mirrors reflected the sun's rays into the ground, revealing a hole."
"How it got there we don't know, but Isaac dropped the statue after that," Jenna finished.
"Hmmm...so this statue was a disarmer to the statues in the other room...interesting," Kraden muttered to himself, "So now that you've disarmed it, it would be safe to move these four statues."
"Ha!" Garet shouted and pointed to Jenna, "Told ya!"
"Shut up Garet," Jenna said, rather annoyed.
"I'll observe in the Luna room while you do the rest," Kraden directed, then mumbled, "Heh...where its safe."
So Kraden then went back down, leaving with the heros to push the remaining statues. To speed up time and efficiency, each pushed a statue one space, making the mirrors the statues were holding to reflect the rays and hit the relief; changing it from Luna to Sol. The three then went down to join Kraden, who is seeing exactly the same thing as they did upstairs.
"Look Isaac!" Kraden exclaimed, "Luna changed to Sol! But other than that...nothing else has changed..."
"What about that room," Garet said bluntly, pointing towards the other room which was flashing just as violently in an array of several different colors as Luna's room.
"Oh..." Kraden said, then coughed to chase away the awkwardness of the situation, "...B-but of course."
As they entered into the next room Kraden again once became excited, "Look! The symbol on the floor! It changed from Sol to Luna! There must be something in this room!"
"Look guys!" Jenna exclaimed as she saw a light of some sort reflecting on one of the statue's mirror and is hitting the northern most wall in the room.
"Whoa..." Garet muttered.
"Ah ha!" Kraden said triumphantly, "This has to be it! Let's go Isaac!"
Everyone followed behind Isaac as they neared the wall, he was the leader, so he was the first to step into the wavy portal of 'you may not return'.
"After you Isaac," Kraden offered, well, ordered but who really cares?
Isaac sighed, and proceeded into the portal.
"Isaac?" Jenna said worriedly, she was shocked when Isaac's head poked through the portal with that smile of his, signaling an okay to proceed.
Garet and Jenna went in leaving Kraden the last to go.
So once again the three companions had their breath taken away from them. There they stood, in a vast ocean of crystals, some sizes bigger than the rest, but spectacular never the less. The water made it seem more angelic and more pleasing to watch.
"Wha-where are we...is that the ocean?" Kraden stood in disbelief after going through the portal, he voice broke the trance the cave of crystals held on the party of three, "No...it couldn't be...the ocean has waves..."
"What's an ocean?" Garet asked, it wasn't a stupid question surprisingly, since he has never seen a body of water bigger than a pond.
"The ocean is a body of endless water Garet, you would not understand. Someday I'll show it to you myself," Kraden explained, four shiny objects then caught his eye, "The Elemental Stars...they really exist...The Elemental Stars exist!"
"You taught us those...Elements are the foundation of all matter," Jenna stated.
"Stones, wood, food, even us...All things are made from these four elements," Garet said, unsurely so he turned to Isaac, "Did I get it right Isaac?"
Isaac nodded, and smiled, it wasn't everyday Garet was right.
"Exactly..." Kraden muttered, "As I have told you three many times, the elements are the source of all matter. Earth, Water, Fire, Wind...these are the four elements. Legend holds that four Elemental Stars contained the purified essence of each element. Now they stand before us!"
Kraden then pointed to an amazingly detailed statue...if they thought the statues earlier were beautiful, this statue made the rest looked like some amateur made them, it was that good. It also glowed a mysterious yellow glow.
"The Venus Star...The elemental stone of earth!"
Then he pointed to another spot in the cave, this time the statue glowed a calming blue.
"Mercury Star, possessing the power of water's many forms!"
He pointed a statue with a brilliant red, "There is the Mars Star, glowing red with a fire contained within!"
Lastly he pointed to a statue with a glorious purple glow, "The Jupiter Star, bound with the wind's fury!"
All three backed away...Kraden's excitement had them scared, "Kraden...why are you so excited?" Jenna asked, half worriedly and half afraid.
"How can you be so calm in the face of such wonders!" Kraden said, almost yelling, "You're looking at the very source of Alchemy!...Haven't I told you this before?"
Isaac nodded, Jenna nodded, Garet shook his head in disbelief, "What! I must've fallen asleep then!" Garet stated, "Because I have absolutely what in Weyard he's talking about!"
"You're always asleep..." Jenna muttered.
"The Wisdom Stone...the Stone of Sages. This stone dominates everything. It can transmute crude matter into gold, even thwart death itself!" Kraden continued, his excitement still scaring the three, "You understand now don't you!"
Isaac nodded with a weak smile, they weren't used to seeing Kraden like this.
"The study of Alchemy began with the search of this stone," Kraden stated.
The three still looked confused, Garet more so than Jenna or Isaac, "I don't really get it how it works...but they have enormous power...right?" Jenna asked.
"Beyond enormous...With a single gem, one could...lets say conquer the world!" Kraden said, as he looked on the reaction on their faces, "Perhaps now you begin to understand."
"D-don't scare us like that Kraden! I totally thought you were serious..." Garet told Kraden, "...Heh...conquering the world..."
"Who can say what the truth is? That is why I have been searching for the Elemental Stars," Kraden said, "I seek the truth about these stones...now they lie here...before me..."
Kraden, shocking all three of them, jumped onto one of the pillars of crystal encrusted stones. However seemed like he would fall at any given time, "Whoa..."
"Be careful Kraden! It looks slippery!" Jenna said worriedly.
"...But...I must examine the Stones..." Kraden said sadly, knowing he would not be able to make it.
"Just make the boys do it!" Jenna suggested, Garet scowled, not liking the idea of trying to stand on minuscule pillars.
Kraden jumps back to the solid, secure ground, "I couldn't ask..." Kraden said but it seemed like A.D.D. settled in, "...Would you mind?"
"Isaac would be glad to get the stones for you, right Isaac?"
Isaac nodded, with a weak smile.
"Thanks," Jenna said, causing Isaac to blush but immediately dragged Garet to the closest pillar.
"Wait Isaac!" Kraden shouted, stopping Isaac, "Here, it's a bag made of fine Mythril strands, I prepared it in just such an occasion."
Isaac received the bag and gave Kraden a smile.
After jumping from pillar to pillar for a while, they reached the Venus Star. He took the star from the statue, immediately feeling a warm sensation throughout him, making him feel like he could do anything. "Probably because its my element..." Isaac concluded.
"Good! Good! Now go fetch the others!" Kraden shouted.
Pillars jutted forward in random places when the Star was removed from the Venus Statue.
Making good time, they reach the Mercury Statue. Taking this one...Isaac couldn't help but feel at ease...it was strange. Shaking it off he put it in the bag, another round of pillars jutted out.
"Keep going Isaac!" Jenna encouraged.
They made it to the Jupiter Statue, this time though Garet took it. The feeling he got was one of annoyance, he didn't know why though. Garet then handed the Stone to Isaac so he could put it in the bag. However, no words of encouragement came from Jenna nor Kraden.
Both took a glance over to where they were, to their horror, The Blue haired man, and the blonde haired women, Saturos and Menardi, where there, right beside Jenna and Kraden, weapons drawn.
"Looks like they spotted us," Saturos said, pretending to be disappointed.
"I'd thought we'd be safe until after they got all the stars," Menardi said in a mock voice.
"You! You mean to steal the Elemental Stars!" Kraden said, in disbelief, finally realizing their goal.
"Tch, tch," Saturos said in the same mock tone as Menardi, "Master Kraden...are you calling us thieves?"
"Yes..." Menardi started, "Weren't you the one who stole our information?"
"What will you do with us once you have the Elemental Stars?" Jenna asked, putting up a front.
"I'm sure they'll do us in once they no longer need us," Kraden said grimly.
A voice suddenly speaks up, one where all three companions could not help but recognize, but could not name the voice's owner, "Relax...You will not be hurt."
A man with an oddly colored map, came through the portal, with a sort of half cape hanging from his back. He had chestnut brown hair, darker than that of Jenna's. He looked older than Garet, Jenna or Isaac though. "That was our agreement...was it not?" The masked man talked to Saturos.
"That all depends if they cooperates," Saturos said with a evil smile.
"They'll be safe as long as they hand over the Elemental Stars," Menardi said with an equally evil smile.
"You heard us...Your friends for the stars," Saturos stated.
"You accept?" Menardi asked.
Isaac nodded grimly, what could he do? He couldnt let any harm befall upon Kraden, and especially Jenna.
"No Isaac!" Kraden objected, "You must not give them the Elemental Stars!"
"Why should you deny us?" Saturos said, moving his blade a little closer to Kraden's neck.
"W-what guarantee do we have once we've given you the Stars?" Kraden asked.
"Guarantee..." Menardi muttered, looking around, eyeing their masked companion, "Ah I have one. You, remove your mask."
The masked one took a step back, "Th-that means..."
"Ah, a fine idea," Saturos said with a evil grin, "He will be our guarantee...Felix! Remove your mask!"
Jenna gasped. Garet shook his head in disbelief, "Felix?" Garet said in disbelief, "He...he called that guy Felix...that is what he called him right?"
Isaac nodded, also in disbelief, Felix died three years ago! He couldn't be here.
"You heard it too?" Garet said, "It..can't be...that day...we saw him die didn't we?"
Isaac was about to nod, but then realizes he didnt exactly see Felix die...so he shook his head.
"But..." Garet started, then realized he didn't see him die, "...we searched for weeks, and still couldn't find him."
"What's wrong Felix...you want them to feel safe...right?" Menardi said in her mock tone, it was getting rather annoying.
"Felix..." Kraden muttered, he heard that name once in a while...he didn't push the subject because it seemed it was a rather touchy subject, "...isn't that the name of your brother?"
"But that accident..." Jenna said, almost in tears, "My brother...he..."
"I'll do it. I'll...take my mask off," 'Felix' said hesitantly.
"I-its not possible..." Jenna stuttered, as tears began falling from her eyes.
"I-I know I've caused you much grief Jenna..." Felix said sadly, "It was a miracle that I survived that day..."
"We saved him," Saturos stated.
"I've...experienced a lot...traveling with them..." Felix said.
"Why?" Jenna shouted, tears cascading down her face, "Why did you leave me alone..."
"Jenna..." Felix said sadly.
"M-my own brother..." Jenna still teary eyed, "...I thought you were dead!"
"Save it for later you two," Saturos interrupted, "The stars first."
"Acceptable?" Menardi asked, "Felix wouldn't dare hurt his own sister."
"Now give us the stars," Saturos demanded.
"Isaac," Garet started, "We don't have a choice...should we do it?"
Isaac nodded grimly, and handed over the bag to Garet, he was a bit faster at jumping from pillar to pillar. "I'll go give it to them then."
Garet almost made it to the huge land form in the middle of the room when out of nowhere, a blue light flashed right in front of Garet, causing him to lose balance. He quickly regained it though.
In front of Garet now, stood a man with ice blue colored hair. He had a cape on himself which was also blue. He stood their, smiling, "Shall I relieve the stars from you?"
"Alex...you're late," Menardi said angrily, "He's with us so hand it over to him."
Garet muttered something inaudible, and handed the bag over to Alex. He pored out three stones and was disappointed, "I apologize in advance...but you see...you have to retrieve the last one."
"The other one!" Garet asked angrily.
"Oh..." Alex mocked, "Did you not hear me?"
"You said you'd free Jenna and Kraden if we give you the Elemental Stars," Garet argued.
"Ah...we meant ALL the Elemental Stars," Saturos said.
"Now go!" Menardi commanded.
Garet looked back at Isaac to see his answer, he nodded. "Fine..." Garet replied.
"Thank you for your cooperation," Alex said, as he teleported to the rest of the group.
They all eyed Isaac and Garet as they move towards the Mars Stars. When they finally reached the last star, Isaac and Garet sighed. Isaac took the mars stars, feeling that comfortable feeling...like whenever he was with Garet...weird. But when he stuffed it into the bag, The whole cave turned lava red, followed by a explosion like rumble.
"What's the matter!" Menardi demanded to know, "What's happening?"
"No!" Saturos said angrily, "Not again!"
Jenna looked at where the water was, but find it replaced by steam, "The water's gone!" Jenna said in alarm.
"Without the energy of the Elemental Stars, the chamber is collapsing!" Alex explained.
"Is this the 'terrible retribution' the villagers spoke of?" Kraden talked to himself, "No, this must be the power of Alchemy!"
As quick as it started, it ended. "Whew," Menardi said, sighing a sigh of relief, "It's over...but what was it?"
Out of the corner of Jenna's eye she caught something moving, "What is that?"
"No!" Saturos shouted, feeling a powerful being closing in.
A large rocklike being with a giant eye positioned in it's center floated up, out of nowhere.
"What the heck...is that a rock?" Garet asked, "Isaac, do you know what it is?"
Isaac shook his head, it seemed the big rock was suspending itself in midair, through Psynergy.
"Me neither..." Garet replied.
"C-could that be...the Wise One?" Kraden asked, again in disbelief.
"Such...power!" Alex said, feeling the power emanating through the air, "Incredible!"
Not just Saturos, Menardi, and Alex could sense this almighty power, Isaac, Garet, and Jenna themselves felt the might of the Wise one. "Holy..." Garet muttered, he had never felt something so strong in his life. The same reaction could be said for Isaac and Jenna.
"It must be the guardian of the Stars!" Saturos concluded.
"We...should escape as soon as we can," Felix advised, "Things doesn't look too good..."
"I agree with Felix," Alex seconded the notion, "We're no match."
"Bah..." Menardi muttered angrily, "Another day then, the Mars Stars shall be ours."
"What about Isaac and Garet!" Jenna demanded to know, "You can't just leave them there!"
"Oh..." Saturos replied amusingly, "Can't we? They won't make it out alive, just forget about them."
"What if they do survive?" Menardi asked Saturos
"...True..." Saturos replied, he then turned to Alex, "What do you suggest we do Alex?"
"Hmm," Alex said, "We take Jenna, if they do survive, they'll want her back. If they want her, they'll give us the star then. Kraden comes regardless.
"Are you breaking our promise Alex?" Felix asked him, angrily.
"Conditions have changed since then," Alex replied, mockingly.
Felix cursed silently, Kraden though spoke up: "Do what you will with me! Just leave Jenna out of this!"
"Ha," Saturos laughed, "Brave, that you are Kraden, but you cannot do anything for Jenna now."
"If we leave Jenna here, her chances are as high of surviving as those two brats over there," Menardi pointed out, causing Felix another silent curse.
"Can we actually go now?" Asked an impatient Alex.
"Fine," Said an angry Menardi, pushing Jenna into the portal.
"Don't push my sister!" Felix said angrily.
"Who do you think you're talking to Felix?" asked an outraged Menardi, "You owe us your life!"
"Menardi! Later!" Saturos ordered, as he shoved Kraden through the portal.
"Garet...Isaac...Don't die!" Jenna said, before Felix and her entered the portal, leaving Isaac and Garet in the chamber's trap.
Garet sighed, "Well...this turned out bad...wouldn't you say?"
Isaac nodded, sighing also.
"Hey," Garet started, "You, you think they'll hurt Kraden or Jenna?"
Isaac thought about it, then realized Felix was with them, so Jenna of course wouldn't get hurt. Isaac shook his head, and with his pebbles, spelt out Felix's name.
"Right," Garet replied, feeling a bit better. Garet then looked around the slowly breaking mess of crystals and stones, "Crap...we have a long way to go before we can get out of here...we're in big trouble."
Isaac nodded grimly. "Yay, lets get out of here!" Garet said, making a break for it. The Wise One though, saw the two and floated over to meet them, whilst Garet was running, Isaac just stood there, waiting for the Wise One to explain something, anything.
"Isaac man!" Garet shouted, "Lets go!"
"Why are you just standing there?" Asked an omniscient voice, that spoke to them through the mind, "It has become...dangerous."
Garet ran back, "No, you're the one who's dangerous!"
The Wise one ignored Garet and proceeded to cast an unknown Psynergy, things seemed to have calmed down a bit, "The volcano may erupt any second now...I cannot hold it much longer. You two must leave now."
A couple of fast light flashed away from the Mars statue, shocking both Isaac and Garet.
"Ah...The Elemental Djinn...They have returned..." The Wise One 'thought', he then commanded Isaac to take the Mars Star.
"Good, now return it to the bag," He also commanded. Both of them shocked once again, as lights from the other three statues began to jettison from the statues and disappear elsewhere.
"Without the power of the Elemental Stars, the magma runs free, and this chamber is collapsing," The Wise One explain, "There will be no place for the Stars to return to...the world will be threatened by Alchemy."
"Wait...Alchemy's a threat?" Garet asked.
"It could be if misused...If ever the four lighthouses are lit by the Elemental Stars, then the power shall be released," the Wise One explained more in depth, "As long as the four remain unlit..."
The Guardian could not finish his explanation because once again the chamber began shaking, only more violently this time around.
"The volcano is erupting! Quick flee now!" The Wise One commanded, as he used his Psynergy to keep it at bay for a while longer.
"Uhh..." Garet said, they didn't have a way to get out fast.
"Ah. I see now," The Wise One said, "Let me help..."
It then teleported Isaac and Garet to the portal in the center of the chamber, "Now flee!" It said. Isaac and Garet began running swiftly from the way they came, dispatching some random monsters now and then. They proved a bit more challenging without Jenna and her staff. No sooner had they run out of the Sanctum, the volcano erupted.
"Did...that...floating eye...thing...just save us?" Garet managed to gasp out, panting from the run.
Isaac nodded, he too was out of breath, never had he ran that fast in his life.
"R-right," Garet replied, still kinda in shock, "Let's get out of here."
Isaac gladly agreed and began scaling down the mountain, where all the villagers gathered in one spot to see what was going on...they had a lot of explaining to do once they reach there. Isaac for one, was not looking forward to it.
Whew, finally done. That was a bitch to write...soooo much dialoge... well I hope you guys enjoy my cough hard work cough Once again Im sooooooooooooooooooo sorry for not updating sooner! School was, well a bitch. Writers block was dreadful, and uhhh lets see, Kingdom Hearts II didn't help much either. Sorry loyal readers! But please find it in your heart to forgive me and review!
Give puppy eyes
I'll try updating a bit sooner this time!
EndlessStrife