Golden Sun belongs to Nintendo and Camelot, not me. Support them if you like the series! I just write fanstuff. And if you feel like borrowing any of my original ideas, please, go right ahead.

With as much haste as she could safely bring to bear, Karis took the key ring with her feet and brought it to her hands. After some fumbling, she finally found the key for her shackles – she freed her right hand first, and then the left, before going straight for the cell door.

She looked both ways to make sure no guards were in sight. Unarmed, she could be considered a threat in any other situation, but there was no chance she'd be willing to risk using even the slightest bit of psynergy anymore. Not with Sveta in the condition she was in.

Karis unlocked the door and immediately ran to the next cell over. Unlocking it and entering, Karis got a better look at Sveta. Her stomach turned as she saw the young queen covered in her own blood. There were thin trickles of it running down her face out of her eyes, ears and nose, and there was a significant amount around her mouth from the coughing.

"Sveta, I'm so, so sorry... please, please forgive me, I didn't know-"

Sveta looked up at Karis weakly and cringed. She tried her best, weakened and entangled though she was, to curl up and hide away. "No... no more, please..." she said.

Karis burst into tears even as she began to undo Sveta's bindings.

The right hand was freed first. As soon as the shackle opened, the hand began to slap weakly at Karis. "Stop it, get away..." Sveta murmured. She coughed again.

Ignoring her friend's objections, Karis undid the other cuff. The hand dropped and Sveta tried to scramble away into the nearby corner.

"Sveta, you're free!" Karis whispered. "We can go! We'll find Matthew and Tyrell, and we'll get Rief, and..." She trailed off, seeing that her words were not being heard.

Sveta was curled into a fetal position in the corner of her cell. One hand was covering her face.

"No, no... go away... you, you... made it dark..." Sveta coughed, and a few flecks of blood splattered on the bars in front of her face. "Scared of you, go away... please... no more..."

Karis's heart snapped in half. Her mind was awash with horror.

But within that horror came resolve.

"Sveta, I did this to you and I'm sorry," she said through the tears. "But I promise I'll make it better. You'll see."

She walked out of the cell, but left the door open in hopes that Sveta would be able to leave on her own at some point.

"I'll be back with help," she said quietly. "Please... don't die, Sveta. Matthew needs you. Do it for him."

Karis blinked back tears as she started running toward what seemed to be an exit, looking for something, anything, that would help her get Sveta free.

Felix looked with panic at the controls in front of him, wishing desperately that there was some kind of autopilot. A sudden jerk of turbulence sent him into a whirl of airsickness, and that, combined with the idea that his girlfriend might once again be slipping away into the darkness, threw all thoughts of caution out the window. He aimed the airship as well as he could and hoped it would stay on course as he jumped out of the cockpit.

He stumbled upon entering the passenger compartment. The slow motion of the plane beneath his feet sent him off balance and he placed a hand on the ceiling to steady himself, his other hand going straight to his mouth. He tried to hurry along the adrenaline and rely on the worry to keep his nausea down. It wasn't really working.

"Real smooth, hero..." came a weak voice below him.

Felix's mind snapped into focus. "Karst, are you alright? That's a LOT of blood, and we don't have a place to stop for the next little while."

She shrugged. "Been through worse," she said. "Several times."

Felix grumbled in displeasure. He looked around the cabin. "Maybe there's a first-aid kit in the cockpit. I just wish I had a bit more experience..."

He took the sword off his back and threw it to the other end of the cabin.

"There, in a little while I'll at least be able to help keep you breathing," he said.

"Get back to the controls..." Karst murmured. "I'll be fine. Just keep us in the air."

Felix slammed a fist into the wall. He knew there was nothing he could do, but... "I'll be back in a bit. Hang in there. For me," he added.

He stumbled back to the controls and closed the door behind him.

"Ooookay, well, that's certainly something," Isaac said. "Rief? Backstory, please."

Rief scrambled to his feet and cleared his throat. Where to start? Best to ease them into it...

"Okay, so I bumped into her – literally – about an hour ago, and she recognized me as an adept from another incident, so she got me to come back and heal her brother's broken leg. And then I did. Apparently she's a history nerd, because she remained a fan of Adepts despite all the anti-Adept sentiment in Bilibin -"

"Wait, what?" Jenna interrupted. "Anti-Adept sentiment? When did this crop up? My parents live in Vault. Are they alright?"

Rief paused. He licked his lips and felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.

"You know what? Let's come inside and talk about this." He picked up Maddie – quick check of vitals, heart rate normal, breathing normal, blood pressure returning to normal, no permanent damage – and led the way into the house before laying her on her couch.

He turned and looked at his four guests. Four of the most powerful warriors the world had ever seen, each one capable of laying waste to a city single-handedly. And he had to tell them that their kids were in prison, awaiting execution. Oh, and the one with the worst temper was about to find out her parents had been killed.

Rief felt himself go weak in the knees.

Ivan cleared his throat. "Sooo... are you going to talk, or do you need me to...?"

Rief jumped. "Oh! Right, uh... So. Lady McCoy is a Tuaparang agent who has been trying to subvert the local attitude toward Adepts in preparation for an invasion by the High Empyror and his forces. I know this because Matthew and Sveta and I went to try to negotiate peace between Morgal and Bilibin. It didn't go so well. I escaped, but the others are in prison now if they're still alive SORRY ISAAC SORRY JENNA PLEASE FORGIVE ME but I think they're probably still alive so it's okay probably!"

Jenna folded her arms. "Matthew's a tough kid, I'm sure he's fine. We'll go break him out after this. Anything else we need to know?"

Rief nodded, tears in his eyes. "Tyrell, Karis and Kraden are in there too, if Maddie's telling the truth. I was planning on going in and getting them myself, but like I said, they're supported by the Tuaparang, so they have a bunch of equipment designed to deal with Adepts, and it wasn't until... uh, it became really undesirable to be here... that I got up the courage to head out. Then I bumped into you guys."

Ivan walked over to Maddie and put a hand on her head. He jerked back after several seconds and scratched his head.

"Well, I can honestly say that I don't think she would lie to you, Rief," he said.

There was a silence.

"So she really was that... uh...?" Rief stammered. "I thought she might've been laying an elaborate trap or something. I genuinely don't know if I'm relieved or not."

"What're you doing here anyway, Rief?" Isaac asked. "Sveta, too. I figured you'd be in Imil, and... doesn't she have a kingdom to run?"

Rief nodded. "Well, she would be, but y'see..." He paused, his eyes widening.

He let out a small whimper.

A nervous smile leapt to his face as he clapped his hands together.

"So!" he said. "Who wants to know what Felix has been up to all this time?"

Jenna took an excited step forward. "You saw him? Really? Is he okay? Why hasn't he-"

Rief cleared his throat. "If you said 'the same stuff as Lady McCoy...'" he said dramatically, "You're... uhmm, right." He finished with another whimper.

Jenna's expression fell.

"Sorry, Jenna. I don't know what to say, but-"

She shrugged. "I do. Next time I see him, I'll show him who's boss, that's what. Running off for thirty years to join the bad guys? I know he's an absolutely terrible judge of character, but he missed his sister's wedding and has never met his nephew! A good smack's what Felix needs."

Rief nodded sadly. "I'm kind of glad you feel that way. It makes it easier to tell you that he kidnapped Sveta, let her go temporarily when... uh, when he found out she knew Matthew... and also knocked out my mom somewhere along the line and I guess kidnapped HER. He still has her somewhere."

Jenna snapped her fingers happily. "Right! Sveta! So, tell me all about her!"

"Huh?" Rief said, nonplussed.

"Garet told me that Tyrell told HIM that our son was dating a cute wolfgirl queen! I want to hear all the details," Jenna said, leaning in a little closer. "How far have they gotten? Are they gonna get married? How long before I get to meet my grandkids?"

"For the record, they WEREN'T dating until a few days ago," Rief began. "But yeah, now they are. And, hey! They're currently wasting away in prison waiting for help. So maybe we should get on that?"

Isaac nodded. "No time to waste, then. What do you say, guys? Through the front gates?"

Garet shrugged. "Sounds as good as any other plan."

Jenna raised a hand. "So," she said, "When you said Felix was doing the same thing as Lady McCoy... did you mean that he's THERE? Do I get to deal with him right away?"

"He's not there," Rief said. "He was up north last time I saw him. No idea where he is now."

Jenna sighed and bit her fingernail. "Too bad. I was hoping to tell Mom and Dad that their long-lost son had been found."

Maddie stirred lightly. No one in the room noticed.

Rief stiffened at Jenna's statement. "Is... is that so?" he asked.

Jenna nodded. "Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

Rief opened his mouth to speak. No words came out.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Okay," he said. "Okay. I'm glad you've been so good about everything so far. Thanks for staying calm. So if you lose it at this next bit-"

"Spit it out, Rief," Jenna said. "I'm a grown woman, I can handle it."

"Lady McCoy said that two adepts, a venus and a mars, had been accused of disturbing the peace in Bilibin. As such, they were executed, along with any Adept sympathizers in their town," Rief announced. "They lived in Vault. I'm sorry, but I think there's only one possibility for who she was talking about."

A mix of terror and sadness flashed across Jenna's features. She covered it up with a look of concentrated anger. "So... my parents, you mean. You think they're dead. Again. And it's probably true this time."

Rief nodded.

Maddie gasped. Rief jumped a foot in the air. "When did you wake up-"

"B-b-but..." she began, "The entire city loved the adepts. They had done so many good things, and some had actually helped to rebuild the city after the Golden Sun, and..." She clasped her hands over her mouth. "Then... then Lady McCoy..."

Maddie burst into tears. "She killed everyone. She killed my parents. It wasn't shadow creatures, it wasn't any accident, it was... it was a bloody political scheme."

Jenna smacked a fist into her palm. "Don't worry, miss. She isn't going to live out the night. I'll make sure of it."

Jenna motioned to Isaac. "Can you step outside with me, love? I need to discuss something with you."

She immediately turned and walked out, her eyes red and her expression unreadable. Isaac followed quietly.

Maddie curled up into a ball on her couch. She sobbed heavily into her arms. "I knew... I knew my parents were dead, but... it was my own people who did it, why would that even be possible, I can't..."

Ivan nudged Rief. Rief looked pleadingly back at Ivan. "No, come on, I can't..." the young Mercury whispered harshly.

Ivan just gave Rief a hard glare.

Rief cautiously stepped over to Maddie and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I, uh... I'm sorry you had to find out this way," he said. "If you need anything..."

Maddie nodded, her face still buried in her arms. "Yeah... there's something you could do to help."

She lifted up her head, and her red and puffy eyes were aflame.

"Kill her. Make sure this won't ever happen again." She looked at Rief. "And come back alive. Even if... even if it isn't to me. If you leave the city after and we never meet again, then... at least I'll know you survived, and that's what I need."

Garet spoke next. "Rief, if you don't want to come, I'm sure we'll be fine. This isn't our first time breaking someone out of prison. Heck, I don't think it's even our second or third."

Maddie shook her head. "None of you four are healers, and from the sound of it, there may be some injuries. You need Rief along. And it's not like he has any reason to want to stay here."

"Look, Maddie," he said reflexively, "I'm glad we met and everything, and you seem nice-"

She threw her arms around him and burst into tears. "I'm so sorry I scared you away by being over-enthusiastic! I get so excited sometimes, and... and I'm so terrible, and useless, and..."

Rief looked over her shoulder at Garet and Ivan. Garet flashed Rief a smile and two thumbs up. Ivan slapped his palm onto his face.

Jenna led Isaac around a corner into a nearby alleyway. The moment they were out of sight, she buried her face into his chest and began to cry. Isaac put his arms around her to console her.

"They're dead again, Isaac... it was bad enough the first time, and..."

Isaac nodded. "I'm sorry it had to happen, Jenna. I wish there was something we could have done. But whatever happens, I'm here for you."

Jenna smiled through the tears. "You were last time, too," she said, "even if you didn't realize it."

Isaac laughed. "I'm glad I smartened up. Aren't you?"

Jenna hugged her husband tightly. "No regrets here."

They stayed that way for several minutes before Jenna pulled away.

"We've still got a son to worry about. And I still want to meet this girlfriend of his," Jenna said as she wiped her eyes.

Isaac froze. "Yeah... right. He sure is growing up fast, isn't he?"

"Fast? He's almost eighteen!" Jenna said indignantly. "It's about time he found a nice girl! And it's funny you should say that, mister, considering that you had already had your card punched by the time you were his age!"

"No, I mean... he'll be leaving home soon, and-"

"I've had to live with him away from home for four years!"

"But-"

"Oh, suck it up, you big baby," Jenna said to Isaac. "When he introduces you to her, you need to be polite and supportive. Let him grow up."

Isaac avoided his wife's eyes. "...Right. I'll try."

"That's all I ask," Jenna said with a smile. She adjusted her hair and then took Isaac's hand. "We've been gone for long enough. Thanks for coming out here with me."

They walked back to Maddie's house in silence.

Karst was doing her best to apply pressure to her leg, even though she couldn't actually feel any difference. She HAD been through worse – last time it had been her back – but it was just unnerving for one to know she was dying without actually feeling any of the pain.

She felt herself beginning to waver, and dipped into her psynergy reserves to let out an Aura. She felt her adrenaline start pumping and her resolve ignite. No way in hell she was going down to a stinking arrow.

As a Proxian, Karst had always known she'd probably die painfully. It was the way life worked up north. She had been ready for the end, all those years ago on Mars Lighthouse. It had felt oddly appropriate for death to come at a lover's hand.

She wasn't sure she preferred survival, really. The wildcard that was the Golden Sun had changed everything, but while it felt good to have a second chance, Karst admitted to herself that she had really, REALLY liked walking.

"Hm? Oh, hey..."

Karst's attention snapped to the opposite bench.

Mia's eyes were partly open, but she was still lying down. "So he let you out?" she asked. " 'S good... glad to see you..."

Karst gritted her teeth angrily. "Oh, I'm sure you are!" She was about to spit another scathing remark, but she was overcome with a sudden dizzy spell. She brought a hand to her head in reflex, and when the airship shook from turbulence, she was unable to restrain herself. She fell to the cabin floor heavily.

Mia leaned over. "That arrow doesn't look very good," she said.

Karst lifted herself up off the floor into a sitting position. "You think? Argh, now I'm all covered in my own blood... this is humiliating!"

Mia sat up. "Does it hurt at all?" she asked.

Karst gave Mia a very rude gesture with one hand.

"Right, you don't feel it," Mia answered with a yawn. "Okay, well... that'll make this much easier."

"Make what easier?"

Mia grabbed Karst by the leg and lifted it straight up in the air. The Mars Adept yelped as she banged her head on the floor.

Mia then grabbed the arrow by its head and pulled it straight out. It caused almost as much damage coming out as it had going in.

"Y-you bitch!" Karst shouted. "I'll kill you myself-"

Mia pulled hard on Karst's leg again to send her off-balance, and then spent all of the psynergy she had built up. The blood vessels began to knit themselves together as the body suddenly found itself with a much larger quantity of blood in reserve. The atrophied muscles remained torn, though, and the skin itself did not heal.

"I'll do the rest in a bit," Mia said. "Just gotta get my strength back. Assuming, of course, that you decide to let me live."

Karst growled.

"Be careful with that leg," Mia continued. "I mean, yeah, it isn't going to see a whole lot of use. But don't smash it against anything if you can help it. And be thankful that you can't feel it. It probably would hurt like crazy."

"Pain is nothing new to a woman of Prox!" Karst spat. "And this doesn't do a thing to make up for what you did to my sister! I will never, ever forgive you-"

"Not asking for forgiveness," Mia interrupted. "You were hurt, and I helped. It's what I do. So maybe you could stop shouting and let me get some rest?"

Karst stopped talking, but she stared daggers at Mia as she tried her best to climb back onto the seats. "I will not thank you for healing my wound. I hate you too much for that." She paused. "Felix might thank you, though, for what it's worth."

"Oh, Felix? He's here?" Mia asked. "Right, right, duh. Of course he's here if you are. Well, whatever, wake me when he's around. I want to ask him some things."

"Things?"

"Things like, why the hell am I on an airship? Why are you awake, why is there an arrow through your leg? Does Felix need medical attention? Why did I pass out again? That sort of thing."

"I could answer most of those," Karst said.

Mia waved away the comment. "Yeah, but I don't need to know right away, and frankly, I don't want to hear any more 'you killed my sister and I hate you' horsecrap today. Too tired for that. So now I'm going to sleep, and when I wake up I'll finish fixing your leg, and you can keep on being ungrateful. Sound good?"

Karst's eyes flashed. "You miserable whore-!"

"Pffft," Mia said. "Wouldn't be the first time someone's called me that. Try harder next time."

By the time Karst had finished being speechless, Mia was already lightly snoring.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Before I get onto what I want to talk about, I want to give a shout out to Demonsshade, who just finished his GS fanfic, Risen! It's another Matthew/Sveta story, but it's much darker and has a much more tragic tone to it. It's an excellent read and I'd definitely recommend you guys check it out.

There are a few things I feel need to be cleared up – I am sometimes bad at realizing when plot ideas or facts haven't made the jump to the reader. As a result, there have been a few questions that I've answered in responses, but that I haven't done enough to explain in the actual story... or, well, anywhere that people tend to read.

First things first: how I think beastmen work and why. Sveta and her people (as well as, to a certain extent, Garoh's werewolves) developed beastlike traits as a result of psynergy. For Morgal beastmen it was the Golden Sun. For Garoh werewolves it was a combination of Air's Rock and (probably) something related to Anemos on the moon. Since the beast traits only show up when psynergy is available in vast amounts (see also: Sveta's full beastform being powered by djinn), I figure they're probably inextricably LINKED to psynergy, hence Karis's reference to Sveta being a beast of psynergy last chapter (which I've removed because she doesn't have a good reason to actually know – I'm going to have Kraden tell her).

So, remember back at the start? When Matthew was concerned and everything about vortexes in Morgal? That was because vortexes drain psynergy. If you drain an Adept's psynergy, they eventually pass out. What happens if you drain the psynergy of a creature that's basically got it woven into their inner workings?

Well, you get what just happened to Sveta.

Next frequently asked question: Do I plan to bring in Amiti, Eoleo, Himi, Sheba, Piers or Nowell? Nope. Well, maybe Amiti for a scene in the epilogue, I have an idea there. But as it stands, the story has all the primary characters it needs, and introducing more at this point would just be namedropping. Don't worry, I've got a lot more GS-related plot ideas in my head, so seeing some of the neglected characters in the future won't be out of the question. But they won't show up in DoJ.

Where'd the names for the new Generals come from? Doublon is a (stupid) name I came up with because coins-dubloons-Doublon. Caudgel is a (stupid) name I came up with because clubs-blunt weapons-cudgel-Caudgel. Yeah it sucks, I know, but in my defence, Blados and Chalis aren't exactly masterpieces either! (I still suck at names)