Another day and another chapter. After this one, I am thinking about redoing this and the previous chapter if needed, that last one might be missing a few minor details since I kind of rushed it.
Just a bit of fluff and friendship here, and maybe a bit of action there. The story may also be getting complicated as the plot thickens from here. Oh, and it is unknown if Hydros was alive during the events of Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, but for the sake of this story he is. There may also be a couple elements I made up for this story.
Disclaimer: Golden Sun was developed by Nintendo/Camelot.
Chapter IX: Tome of the Ancients
"So what do you expect to find at Lemuria?" Felix addressed Isaac.
"I have no idea, but I'm going to find out" replied the blond Venus Adept.
"Well, good luck with finding this 'Athena Sanctum'. King Hydros may be able to clue you in on it if it exists" acknowledged the brunette Warrior of Vale.
Isaac and Matthew led their group outside the castle. Piers addressed Isaac"My ship is docked at Kalay Port. Lemuria is towards the southeast part of the ocean, so it will take at least a half day to get there."
Jenna meanwhile addressed Sveta"So what is your name? The only girl I've seen Matthew or Tyrell with is Karis. Oh, and my name is Jenna."
The Beastman queen replied"Pleasure to meet you. I am Sveta. I accompanied Matthew and our other friends on his last quest, we were tricked into activating the Grave Eclipse. I assume from the look of things that Kalay was spared that nightmare."
"Yes, we were safe. Kalay was in an uproar over the darkness that appeared over the center of Angara when the sun didn't even set. Isaac and Garet were really surprised at the abnormally darkened sky that day, I was beside myself with worry over Matthew and Isaac. I was relieved to hear they were okay. Excuse me for asking, but are you and Matthew an item? Honestly, I'd have expected Karis to fall for him or Tyrell" acknowledged the female Fire Adept.
"Not exactly" said Sveta, flushing"Though I suspect that Amiti may have secret feelings for Karis."
The Mercury Adept in question flushed in embarrassment"Who, me? Sveta, you are quite perceptive... Even without using your Spirit Sense. I... Suppose I felt something of a spark. But we were all too focused on our quest for the Roc Feather, and the quest to stop the Grave Eclipse. I never could find the right moment to tell you at that time."
Karis struggled to conceal a blush as she listened to the conversation.
"I have to admit, Jenna. I'm a bit shocked you've taken my looks quite well. I'm merely part-human, after all" said Sveta.
"Well, it wouldn't be fair to judge people before you get to know them. The Proxians and the demi-human or two that I've seen on my last journey with Felix weren't all that different from us" said Jenna.
"What are you on about?" asked Piers.
"Just girl talk, I don't get many chances with Mia or Sheba these days" replied the female Mars Adept.
The group went to Kalay Docks and boarded the ship. As they set sail, Karis took a moment to speak to Amiti"I overheard Sveta and Jenna talking about this, but was it true? Did you think of me in... that way?"
"A little, but we are just friends I assure you. You are the granddaughter of the lord of Kalay, correct? I surmised as much from what I have heard" spoke the Ayuthay prince.
"You heard correctly" Ivan joined the conversation"And I am not the biological son of Lord Hammet, I was taken in. Truthfully, when I heard Isaac had allowed Karis to go on with Matthew and Tyrell on their first quest, I'd have feared for the boy who might steal my daughter's heart."
"Father, aren't you... overreacting? There was nothing going on between me and Amiti" piped Karis.
"Perhaps. And if it was anyone but Isaac, I would have been upset if someone sent you on a adventure without asking my permission. I certainly wouldn't need to mind-read you if you've fallen for Tyrell, Matthew or some other boy" replied the older Jupiter Adept.
"Come now, papa wolf. That's not like you" grinned Jenna from her position near the starboard bow of the ship.
Matthew was busy alternating between talking to Sveta and fishing. Kenneth and Alexa stood calmly near the helm where Isaac and Piers were busy operating the ship. Himi stood silently as she glanced at the ocean.
Just outside Kalay, Alex watched from where he had hidden behind a barrel as Piers' ship left port. Torang approached him"The High Emypror still suspects nothing, but as long as Blados and Chalis still live, he will not remain so easily fooled."
"They will be part of the invasion force, no? I have already taken measures to make sure no one realizes our goal. Has Relena been planted within the invasion force?" asked the rogue Mercury Adept.
"She has, but what do you intend to do with Blados?" asked Torang.
"I will see your brother incarcerated, after I use a vortex to suck the Psynergy out of him. And I have plans for the Warriors of Vale. Now let us return to the airship before someone spots us, I don't feel like toying with Kalay or its soldiers" said Alex.
"Very well, but do not forget your place, Arcanus. I would not have bothered to make a deal with you if it wasn't required, despite knowing you were suspected of being a Warrior of Vale" said the older man.
The trip lasted longer than Piers anticipated, as the group came to hostile waters with monsters swimming around. Piers frowned"The sea has become more deadly, lately."
"Let us press on, we'll take care of any monsters that try to board is" instructed Isaac.
Piers steered his ship into the network of whirlpools that were spread throughout the part of the sea that led to Lemures. At that moment, a dozen of Gillmen Lords and Lizard Men materialized on the ship.
"What that?" Kenneth griped.
Alexa drew a rapier"Let's give these monsters a sound thrashing."
"Quake!" Isaac blasted a group of Gillmen Lords while Matthew, Tyrell and Sveta engaged the lizard monsters directly. A Gillmen Lord tried to approach Piers and hack him, only for the veteran Mercury Adept to strike fast with his rapier.
"Liquifir!" "Tornado!" Tyrell and Karis' pynergy spells helped wipe out the rest of the monsters.
"Monsters are just plain stupid, they may as well stay away" grunted Tyrell.
"So you think... But things aren't that simple" said Himi.
The group sailed closer to Lemuria, carefully navigating the volcanos and whirlpools. Eventually, they came to the hidden land of Lemuria and docked. Amiti and Karis glanced around in wonder.
Piers led the group to the entrance to Lemuria's city where several guards greeted them. One of them spoke"You are not welcome here, Piers."
"Oh, come on. Is Conservato as hard headed as always?" remarked Piers.
The guard nodded"Yes, and we need not remind you the strict laws of Lemuria. The head of the Senate still denies that Weyard could not flourish without Alchemy."
"With all due respect, we are here to ask your king about the legendary Athena Sanctum. Weyard is threatened by the Deadly Mourning Moon, and I shudder to think what the Silver Eclipse would bring upon us" spoke Isaac.
"King Hydros will surely aid us one way or the other. If you will not let us past, how will you explain this to your king? Isaac and I are warriors of Vale" inquired Jenna, concealing a spark of flame that she'd summoned for a moment.
The guard paled"I would not dare anger the Warriors of Vale. Very well, you may pass."
Matthew suppressed a smirk, his mother was adamant at times. Jenna smoothly dismissed her fireball as she followed the others. The people and guards the group passed on the way glanced at them in awe. Piers led the group straight to King Hydros's chambers without hesitation.
"Is Lemuria naturally secretive?" asked Amiti.
"To an extent, yeah" shrugged Piers.
The group passed another two guards on the way to the throne room. An elderly man sat upon his throne as he greeted the group"Jenna? Piers? Kraden? What a pleasant surprise. Who are the rest of you?"
"King Hydros, its been thirty years. With me are my husband Isaac, son Matthew and a few other friends" curtsied Jenna.
"I am Sveta, Queen of Morgal" said the beastman queen.
The king stood up"Isaac? One of the Warriors of Vale? I must say that it is a pleasure to meet you. What brings you back to Lemuria, Jenna? How is your brother, faring?"
"Felix is faring well as always. Isaac found out a way to help protect Weyard, have you heard of the Athena Sanctum? We seek to find it and stop the unnatural disasters that befell Weyard for the past ten years" replied Jenna.
King Hydros pondered for a moment"Athena Sanctum... That is indeed an old building I have heard in legend. It is believed to have been lost during the decay of Weyard, which was put a stop to thirty years ago. The full details cam be found in an old book inside the archive."
"May we see the archive?" inquired Kraden.
"Certainly, my friends. I would be honored to be of help. Follow me" said the king, getting up and leading them to another part of the city.
"So how fares Conservato? Last I heard, he had tried to have me banished" remarked Piers.
"Your banishment was stalled. And ever since the Golden Sun event, he has shut himself in his quarters. He still does not believe Alchemy is what keeps Weyard together. Even if he does, he still denies it. Piers, you and the other Warriors of Vale were praised and blamed for your efforts throughout the world, no?" replied the king as he led them to what looked like an archive.
"Point taken" shrugged the Mariner.
"Was that there before?" inquired Jenna.
Hydros nodded"I understand your surprise, I only allow a select few into this room. Lunpa, Kraden and Babi were among those few. You may find that the books kept within are very old, but you may take one with should you wish to use it for research."
Isaac nodded his thanks and led the group into the archive where they found what looked like many more shelves and books than what they saw in Morgal's castle. Ivan was astounded"Could this all be related to the old world?"
"Oh, ho. It would appear to be. Let's take a look, then. King Hydros, what book should we look for?" inquired Kraden.
"The Tome of Legends would be what you seek. It may be of use to you, so you may borrow it if you find it. The tome has very little use to people here in Lemuria" replied the king.
The group went into the large library, taking a glance at the old shelves and books. Kenneth addressed Piers and Isaac who were searching the same shelves as him"You know, my mother is one of those who blamed you guys for your effort to activate the four elemental lighthouses. Kolima had ceased to be a part of Bilibin, since."
"I cannot blame her, everyone has differing views of Psynergy and Alchemy" said Isaac.
"Maybe someday everyone will believe Alchemy's restoration was a good thing" said Alexa, thoughtfully.
"I hope so, too. That is why myself and the others were tasked with ensuring it never be used for evil. If worst comes to worst, history may repeat itself" said Isaac.
Matthew glanced at the books at the shelf he was assigned to, fixing his eyes on a particular book. Taking it off the shelf, he saw that it had dirt. Dusting off the old book, Matthew looked carefully at the title before calling to the others"I think I found it."
"Ah" Kraden approached, inspecting the tome"That could be it, let's have a gander while we sit on the nearby desk."
The group gathered around the desk and set the book down. Flipping through the pages, Matthew found a certain chapter describing machines that were powered by Alchemy. Karis was puzzled"This looks like it was written in a strange language."
"The ancient tongue, I reckon" Kraden spoke as he inspected the book"I can translate some of this. Here, this passage describes the Alchemy Dynamo, the Alchemy Well and two other machines I cannot quite make out. The words appear to have become faded from time."
"Let's see" Isaac glanced at the semi-faded pages until he could make out more audible words"I think this page may have the answer to the mysterious Athena Sanctum."
"What?" Kraden took another look"Oh, you're right. Hm. Oh dear."
"What's wrong?" asked Jenna.
The old scholar shrugged"Athena Sanctum was indeed part of the old world, but as Weyard had begun to crumble almost as soon as Alchemy had been sealed away, the very sanctum itself had ceased to exist. Apollo Sanctum may have also been part of the ancient world. It would not be a surprised if those places had also been a result of the rebirth of Weyard and the fateful Golden Sun event. Ah ha, I do believe we also have a bit of insight of Tuaparang's origins."
"The origins of Tuaparang? Why is that very nation in the book?" asked Amiti.
"According to legend, the Tuaparang Empire was one of those ancient civilizations. But mind you, this is just a theory. Only those who are from the empire would know its exact origins. Tuaparang's origins and such have never been fully discovered, it is a truly mysterious nation. And yet, Apollo Sanctum did not exist during my quest with Isaac and the other Warriors of Vale. Perhaps the reason the continents and islands were shifted was because Weyard was pulling itself together, and therefore the ancient places that vanished with the edges of Weyard were regenerated by Alchemy and that the regions that hadn't vanished were being pushed to the center of our world" replied Kraden.
"But if Tuaparang was truly part of the ancient world, what other kingdoms do you suppose existed before Ayuthay, Morgal, Bilibin, Yamata and Sana?" inquired Amiti.
"Who knows?" shrugged Karis.
"This is all a bit much to take in" remarked Kenneth.
"And yet, supposedly the Athena Sanctum is much like the Apollo Sanctum. Ironically, two of the wise men from the ancient world were supposedly named for those places, one of them I suspect was actually a woman. According to this, Athena and Apollo were among those who sealed away Alchemy" said Kraden.
"That is correct" Hydros approached.
"How long were you listening?" asked Piers.
The king replied"I was also curious about the ancient world, I was there during the beginning of the days of which Alchemy was sealed. Athena, Apollo, Gabriel, and Haniel were the wise men who sealed Alchemy away. Those scholars may have created some sort of knowledge stone while they were at it."
"The stone of knowledge? What is that?" asked Jenna.
"I do not know for sure. But the ancients back then did not realize that Alchemy was what kept Weyard together. Without it, as was proven decades ago, Weyard would've been doomed" explained King Hydros.
"One thing more, Athena Sanctum may have been part of the empire... That sounds strange, for we have no knowledge of the empire itself" remarked Kraden.
"So we must go to Tuaparang, we will not likely be welcome there. Nowell and I barely escaped with our lives when we had a run in with the Tuaparang navy as we sailed together into their territory by chance, they aren't very fond of outsiders" said Piers.
"That must have been awful" Karis paled.
"It was, but luckily Nowell and I had the Psynergy to fight off our pursuers and get out of there. We hid in Lemuria for a short while before returning to Angara" acknowledged Piers.
"Getting involved in war is not my idea of saving Weyard, but if this must be done, we must band together with everyone else back on Angara and figure out how to infiltrate Tuaparang. We have very little knowledge of it" said Isaac.
"I bid you good luck in your quest. But why must you seek Athena Sanctum?" inquired King Hydros.
"The Mourning Moon and the Psynergy Vortexes are believed to be a side effect of the rebirth of Alchemy. The Wise One implied that Athena Sanctum has the power to stabilize the world and cancel out the vortexes. And I am concerned about this Silver Eclipse I had heard about, do you know of it?" inquired Isaac.
"I'm afraid not, for I have never visited Tuaparang. You may learn more about it in the tome, but suggest you leave Lemuria now. I fear that Conservato and his ilk will protest against your presence" acknowledged King Hydros.
Kraden nodded his thanks and accompanied his group back towards Piers' ship, taking the tome with him. Kenneth addressed Isaac"What is the Mourning Moon? Might that be another cataclysm like the Golden Sun?"
"The Mourning Moon is a Psynergy Vortex of immense proportion. The smaller vortexes are tied to it. Ivan, Garet and I had been studying the aftereffects of the Golden Sun, and each Mourning Moon is proving more lethal than the last. It may have destroyed Goma Plateau, if it had even grown bigger than when Matthew saw it" said Isaac, grimly.
"Matthew, Tyrell and I saw the Mourning Moon when we returned from Goma Plateau. It was quite a shock, but not exactly the first time we saw the Mourning Moon. If we can stop it and stop Tuaparang, it may save Weyard" said Karis.
The group returned to Piers' ship and began to sail back to Angara.
Excuse the lack of action except for the brief monster encounter, but I am not all that good at using random battles for the story. gameplay wise, they fit, but storyline wise... probably not. That, and I can't really remember the monster types and their moves from the games. Sorry. There will be more action next chapter.
If you're wondering about Athena, Apollo, Gabriel and Haniel, they're just mentioned in passing for the most part. But they will be OCs for a prequel fic if you'd like me to try to imagine one, since this is a post Dark Dawn fic.
Oh, and I probably won't kill of Blados and Chalis... We'll see. But Torang and Relena will for the most part replace them as Alex's pawns for this story.
Please feel free to review. Sorry it took this long to get another chapter. I'll try to post another tomorrow, but no guarantees.