Chapter Nine: Old Enemies…or Friends?
AN: I'm having Kraden be a Fire Adept in this story, because it never told what element he is and he being fire fits the plot of this story. Also Saturos and Menardi aren't evil, because they're cool! And I didn't want to have to kill them or hurt them, because they're my favorites! :::huggles them::: :::Satty and Menny run off screaming:::: Oh well…enjoy the story! ^__^
After the tearful reunion, Ivan landed Procne at the gate of Allamir, and then watched almost longingly as the great white and gold bird flew off, spreading its shining wings and gliding away.
"When all this is over, someday I'll fly with Procne and explore undiscovered lands…and I'll find my parents." Ivan whispered, meaning for no one to hear, but Issac, with his sharp ears, overheard.
"And I'll be there to welcome you home when you find them and return, my friend." He smiled. But in his heart of hearts, he wondered if any of them would make it home. Would they manage to stop the lighthouses from being lit?
Garet, who was standing nearby, seemed to read his mind. "You worry too much, Issac. We'll stop Alex, and save Mia!"
Issac smiled at him. "You are such an optimist, Garet."
Garet grinned. "Better than a pessimist, I guess!"
Jenna laughed and slung her arm through his, managing to make him blush a deep crimson.
Issac watched the two with envy, dreaming that a certain blue haired girl was with them now, laughing with her sweet laugh and maybe even holding his hand, and smiling at him with that smile... He shook his head violently. He mustn't let his mind stray from their current mission, which was to enlist the Mars clan's help.
The gatekeeper peered through the immense gate of the Kiteria Mars clan, and then broke into a cheerful grin. "It's that four again, along with two others…But since they're fire adepts and friends of yours, they shall be granted permission to pass into Allamir."
Ivan smiled. "Thank you for your hospitality." He said, and then whispered to Kraden, "See? Saturos and Menardi's clan isn't that bad once you get to know them!" Kraden nodded his approval.
The sociable gatekeeper stared closer at the group. "Where's the blue haired lass?" He asked.
Issac's face clouded over and he mumbled something incoherently.
Garet took over the explanation. "She was captured by Alex, and taken control of by his power. She is beyond all hope of escape, unless we find some stronger Adepts who can help us."
Ivan grinned at him, noticing how slyly he had slipped in their need for help.
The gatekeeper appeared to be thinking. "If you want our clan's help, you'll hafta talk to Saturos and Menardi. They've been in charge ever since our leader disappeared," He lowered his voice. "It's probably nothin' but a rumor, but I heard that he mighta been captured by…the enemy…as well."
Jenna gasped, and Garet took her hand. "He might have been just…uh…delayed while he was trading with another clan, or something!" He protested, not wanting to scare her.
Ivan shook his head. "Not likely. That rumor is probably true. Thank you for the information, but now we must see Saturos and Menardi."
The group walked into the bustling center of Allamir. Merchants with booths displaying fire pendants, red necklaces and bracelets, books(Ivan reached out to open one but it burst into flame, then turned perfectly normal again), and all sorts of trinkets having to do with fire.
Garet, being the big spender of the group, immediately bought a Scorch Blade, which releases Heart's Fire, a Flame Shield, and a necklace consisting of a ruby pendant carved into a flame-like shape on a leather thong for Jenna, who blushed and hugged him.
Issac, Ivan and Kraden at last managed to drag them away from the stands, and walked to the other side of town, where the marble chamber where they had encountered Kiteria was.
It was in a tall, stone, building, oddly glowing red. They entered solemnly, their footsteps echoing on the marble floors.
Suddenly a voice rang out beyond the door in the center of the room they had just entered. "Alex? You won't catch me off guard this time!"
Issac stood tall and flung the door open. "It is not the coward who opens your door today. It is I, Issac!"
Saturos opened the door. "Do you come as enemies or allies?" He asked in a deep voice.
Ivan stepped out behind Issac, looking small and scared face to face with Saturos. "We come as friends, asking for assistance in rescuing our companion, who was captured by Alex and taken control of."
Menardi, who had stepped up behind Saturos, stared at him, her eyes softening slightly. "What happened to Mia?" She asked softly.
Issac turned away, hiding his face from the others. "Alex fought us…and when we surrender the fight and the Mars Star, he warped and took Mia with him, muttering about strange powers or the like."
Saturos sighed. "You don't have to be ashamed. The same thing happened to us. Alex attacked me first, then Menardi, and took the Jupiter Star from us." He shook his head sadly. "He is too strong, and he does not use his powers wisely. He will pay for it someday, as we did."
Kraden stared at the two. "How did you pay? You look perfectly fine."
The two blushed and mumbled non-replies. Finally Menardi, blushing as red as a mad vermin, mumbled, "We were forbidden to..ah…see each other as more than ah…a business relationship. We were forced to obey this by the Wise One, the Stone of Sages, the stone who saved you in the Elemental Star Chamber." Her face saddened for an instant, as she looked quickly at Saturos with longing, but she hid it swiftly.
Ivan spoke up. "Will you help us? Even though you have been punished, there is still time to correct your mistakes. If you use your powers for good, perhaps the Wise One will take back his punishment."
Saturos sighed. "If you put it that way, then we have no choice. We will accompany you on your journey to Jupiter Lighthouse, and request for Kiteria to talk the clan into following us later to serve as back up. Which we won't need," He grinned, his eyes flaming with the old battle flame, "After all, we still have the Fusion Dragon in our stock of weapons."
Menardi nodded, but looked at Garet and laughed. "It seems you bought your weapons from the Allamir vendors, I see." She said, indicating Garet's Scorch Blade and Flame Shield. "Perhaps you would honor us with a demonstration of how they are used in battle?"
Garet thrust out his chest. "Alright! Issac, c'mon! Let's show these Adepts that I can fight!" Under his breath to Issac, he muttered, "Don't go to hard on me."
Issac started the friendly battle with a gentle gaia, which barely fazed Garet at all.
"SCORCH BLADE!" Garet yelled, as he brought the blade down in front of him, releasing Heart's Fire. A flimsy little heart-shaped flame shot out of the sword, making his "metal" shield catch fire. "It's…It's wooden!" He choked out, watching as his Flame shield crumpled into a pile of ashes.
The group almost fell over laughing.
~*~
AN: Yay! Another chapter, and it's longer than the last one! Garet-bashing is fun! Mwahahahahahahahahaha! ::::gets hit on the head by her new sidekick, a tiny tiger, who shall now be known as Tigra.:::: Yowch! Tigra: Don't laugh like that! People will get scared! (Except of course for Azu, who laughs like that all the time…)
Anyway, review, or Tigra will bonk you on the head! (And trust me, she's evil! Really!) Tigra: What are you typing? Is it about me?
Nothing! Really! I didn't type anything about you!
::::Bonk:::
Ow…
Anyway, REVIEW! And a special thanks to Mizustarangel, for always faithfully giving me such nice review. You are appreciated! ^__~
AN: I'm having Kraden be a Fire Adept in this story, because it never told what element he is and he being fire fits the plot of this story. Also Saturos and Menardi aren't evil, because they're cool! And I didn't want to have to kill them or hurt them, because they're my favorites! :::huggles them::: :::Satty and Menny run off screaming:::: Oh well…enjoy the story! ^__^
After the tearful reunion, Ivan landed Procne at the gate of Allamir, and then watched almost longingly as the great white and gold bird flew off, spreading its shining wings and gliding away.
"When all this is over, someday I'll fly with Procne and explore undiscovered lands…and I'll find my parents." Ivan whispered, meaning for no one to hear, but Issac, with his sharp ears, overheard.
"And I'll be there to welcome you home when you find them and return, my friend." He smiled. But in his heart of hearts, he wondered if any of them would make it home. Would they manage to stop the lighthouses from being lit?
Garet, who was standing nearby, seemed to read his mind. "You worry too much, Issac. We'll stop Alex, and save Mia!"
Issac smiled at him. "You are such an optimist, Garet."
Garet grinned. "Better than a pessimist, I guess!"
Jenna laughed and slung her arm through his, managing to make him blush a deep crimson.
Issac watched the two with envy, dreaming that a certain blue haired girl was with them now, laughing with her sweet laugh and maybe even holding his hand, and smiling at him with that smile... He shook his head violently. He mustn't let his mind stray from their current mission, which was to enlist the Mars clan's help.
The gatekeeper peered through the immense gate of the Kiteria Mars clan, and then broke into a cheerful grin. "It's that four again, along with two others…But since they're fire adepts and friends of yours, they shall be granted permission to pass into Allamir."
Ivan smiled. "Thank you for your hospitality." He said, and then whispered to Kraden, "See? Saturos and Menardi's clan isn't that bad once you get to know them!" Kraden nodded his approval.
The sociable gatekeeper stared closer at the group. "Where's the blue haired lass?" He asked.
Issac's face clouded over and he mumbled something incoherently.
Garet took over the explanation. "She was captured by Alex, and taken control of by his power. She is beyond all hope of escape, unless we find some stronger Adepts who can help us."
Ivan grinned at him, noticing how slyly he had slipped in their need for help.
The gatekeeper appeared to be thinking. "If you want our clan's help, you'll hafta talk to Saturos and Menardi. They've been in charge ever since our leader disappeared," He lowered his voice. "It's probably nothin' but a rumor, but I heard that he mighta been captured by…the enemy…as well."
Jenna gasped, and Garet took her hand. "He might have been just…uh…delayed while he was trading with another clan, or something!" He protested, not wanting to scare her.
Ivan shook his head. "Not likely. That rumor is probably true. Thank you for the information, but now we must see Saturos and Menardi."
The group walked into the bustling center of Allamir. Merchants with booths displaying fire pendants, red necklaces and bracelets, books(Ivan reached out to open one but it burst into flame, then turned perfectly normal again), and all sorts of trinkets having to do with fire.
Garet, being the big spender of the group, immediately bought a Scorch Blade, which releases Heart's Fire, a Flame Shield, and a necklace consisting of a ruby pendant carved into a flame-like shape on a leather thong for Jenna, who blushed and hugged him.
Issac, Ivan and Kraden at last managed to drag them away from the stands, and walked to the other side of town, where the marble chamber where they had encountered Kiteria was.
It was in a tall, stone, building, oddly glowing red. They entered solemnly, their footsteps echoing on the marble floors.
Suddenly a voice rang out beyond the door in the center of the room they had just entered. "Alex? You won't catch me off guard this time!"
Issac stood tall and flung the door open. "It is not the coward who opens your door today. It is I, Issac!"
Saturos opened the door. "Do you come as enemies or allies?" He asked in a deep voice.
Ivan stepped out behind Issac, looking small and scared face to face with Saturos. "We come as friends, asking for assistance in rescuing our companion, who was captured by Alex and taken control of."
Menardi, who had stepped up behind Saturos, stared at him, her eyes softening slightly. "What happened to Mia?" She asked softly.
Issac turned away, hiding his face from the others. "Alex fought us…and when we surrender the fight and the Mars Star, he warped and took Mia with him, muttering about strange powers or the like."
Saturos sighed. "You don't have to be ashamed. The same thing happened to us. Alex attacked me first, then Menardi, and took the Jupiter Star from us." He shook his head sadly. "He is too strong, and he does not use his powers wisely. He will pay for it someday, as we did."
Kraden stared at the two. "How did you pay? You look perfectly fine."
The two blushed and mumbled non-replies. Finally Menardi, blushing as red as a mad vermin, mumbled, "We were forbidden to..ah…see each other as more than ah…a business relationship. We were forced to obey this by the Wise One, the Stone of Sages, the stone who saved you in the Elemental Star Chamber." Her face saddened for an instant, as she looked quickly at Saturos with longing, but she hid it swiftly.
Ivan spoke up. "Will you help us? Even though you have been punished, there is still time to correct your mistakes. If you use your powers for good, perhaps the Wise One will take back his punishment."
Saturos sighed. "If you put it that way, then we have no choice. We will accompany you on your journey to Jupiter Lighthouse, and request for Kiteria to talk the clan into following us later to serve as back up. Which we won't need," He grinned, his eyes flaming with the old battle flame, "After all, we still have the Fusion Dragon in our stock of weapons."
Menardi nodded, but looked at Garet and laughed. "It seems you bought your weapons from the Allamir vendors, I see." She said, indicating Garet's Scorch Blade and Flame Shield. "Perhaps you would honor us with a demonstration of how they are used in battle?"
Garet thrust out his chest. "Alright! Issac, c'mon! Let's show these Adepts that I can fight!" Under his breath to Issac, he muttered, "Don't go to hard on me."
Issac started the friendly battle with a gentle gaia, which barely fazed Garet at all.
"SCORCH BLADE!" Garet yelled, as he brought the blade down in front of him, releasing Heart's Fire. A flimsy little heart-shaped flame shot out of the sword, making his "metal" shield catch fire. "It's…It's wooden!" He choked out, watching as his Flame shield crumpled into a pile of ashes.
The group almost fell over laughing.
~*~
AN: Yay! Another chapter, and it's longer than the last one! Garet-bashing is fun! Mwahahahahahahahahaha! ::::gets hit on the head by her new sidekick, a tiny tiger, who shall now be known as Tigra.:::: Yowch! Tigra: Don't laugh like that! People will get scared! (Except of course for Azu, who laughs like that all the time…)
Anyway, review, or Tigra will bonk you on the head! (And trust me, she's evil! Really!) Tigra: What are you typing? Is it about me?
Nothing! Really! I didn't type anything about you!
::::Bonk:::
Ow…
Anyway, REVIEW! And a special thanks to Mizustarangel, for always faithfully giving me such nice review. You are appreciated! ^__~
