Thanks to all of you for the great reviews. Nothing makes me happier than knowing people are enjoying my writing! ^_^ Special thanks to Genichiro Tsukiomi for the information about Karst and Agatio. I've been trying to avoid really big spoilers on TLA so I've been taking some big guesses on the stuff I know we'll find out when that game reaches US shores. Apparently I'm a better guesser than I thought! And to anyone else wondering where Kraden is, I'm still not sure if he'll ever make it into this story or not. We'll just have to wait and see.
This story has indeed turned into a true sequel to both of my earlier works, so expect more references to things that happened in both of those stories. It seemed like the best way to keep the plot interesting, since even I (the hopeless romantic) know that too much mushiness can be bad for one's digestive track. Maybe I should just label my stories as parts of a trilogy? ("The GS Romance Saga?")
*Reminiscing*
Voices, distant and unrecognizable, reverberated around Isaac as he slowly began to regain his senses. Idle chatter, it seemed. He was vaguely aware of a familiar hand interlocked with his own, and then an intense, burning sensation on his chest hit him as hard as a thousand pound rock; the shock of the pain almost made him scream at the top of his lungs. He clenched his teeth as hard as he could to refrain from doing so. His skin felt like it was on fire, charring, singeing every single nerve. Mercifully, a pleasant cooling sensation flowed from the other hand and that dulled the fire slightly.
"Mia, you're going to wear yourself out," said Sheba. "Let him wake up and then worry about healing that burn."
"I don't want him waking up to something so unpleasant," Mia said, her voice worried. "Don't you remember how badly your burns hurt? And his is even deeper so it takes more time and power to heal."
Sheba shrugged. "All right, but don't complain when you've exhausted all of your Psynergy and can't function yourself."
Mia frowned slightly and cast Ply on Isaac again, which she'd been doing in steady intervals for the past hour. She was getting pretty tired, but she refused to give up until she was sure he was all right. When the light from her power receded, his hand squeezed hers back.
"Isaac?" she asked softly.
The azure orbs slowly opened. He smiled slightly at the sight of his guardian angel. This was a pleasant way to wake up despite the horrible burning feeling. "Hey," he greeted faintly. "Did I miss anything important?"
"Apparently we all did," said Ivan. "The last thing I remember was trying to blast Karst to kingdom come and then I woke up here."
"We all did," Sheba added. "Peculiar goings on. But at least we're alive."
"You got hit really hard, Isaac," Mia said. "What happened to you?"
"Some lava-based attack from Agatio and Karst," he said through gritted teeth. "I used Granite right before it hit, but I guess it didn't work completely."
Granite materialized beside him and squeaked in remorse. "Sorry about that. That was the strongest attack I've ever tried to block. I managed to fend off all of it except in one small spot by your chest."
"Well, it's better than being a pile of ashes. Thanks, Granite." Granite bobbed and disappeared again. Isaac attempted to sit up and instantly regretted it. Mia cast Ply again, even though she was clearly tired.
"Don't move just yet," she said. "That burn on your chest is being quite slow to heal because I'm still a little drained from the fight."
He nodded. "So where are we?"
"In a cave in some forest," Ivan replied. "Whoever brought us here probably saved us from Agatio as well. We woke up and there was this little fire going and everything, but no sign of our savior. Our wounds were even partially healed and Mia finished the job easily, but I guess we got out of that fight in better shape than you did. She's been doting over you for the past hour or so."
"And what about Garet and Jenna?" Isaac asked.
Sheba shrugged. "We've seen no sign of them. They weren't here when we awoke."
Isaac recalled seeing his two other friends getting buried underneath the ruins. Whoever had brought them here must not have known the Mars Adepts had been there. Question was, were they still there or had they survived? I saw the light of Flash when Garet snagged Jenna, he thought. I hope that was enough to protect them from those falling rocks. "We need to go look for them."
"We will," said Mia. "But not now. None of us, especially you, are in any shape to travel just yet." She whispered in his ear. "And now those two might have some quality time alone." He smiled slightly at this.
"I'm more interested in figuring out who brought us here," Ivan said. "I'm sure Jenna can find a way to keep Garet from doing anything too boneheaded, so I'm not overly worried about them."
"Jenna has a good head on her shoulders," Sheba agreed. "And Garet actually listens to her most of the time."
They heard footsteps just then, and a silhouette appeared in the cave's entrance. "Oh good, you're all awake," said a cheerful and somewhat familiar voice. "I'm sorry I left you all alone like that, but someone had to go find dinner." The figure walked closer and came into the light from the fire.
"Picard!" the others exclaimed in surprise and relief.
"What are you doing here?" Ivan asked. "I thought Lemurians were forbidden to travel to the outside world."
"Normally, yes," Picard replied, setting down the fish he'd caught. "I was out sailing one day and got swept away in a typhoon. My ship was totaled, so I have no way to return home for the time being. I was actually hoping I might run into all of you again. It seems my journey was well-timed."
"Then you must've chased off Agatio," said Mia.
Picard nodded. "My new companion and I were in the area and we heard sounds of battle. When we got there, all of you were already on the ground, and those warriors were preparing to deliver the final blows. We managed to chase them off without too much trouble, thanks to my Psynergy and the fact that they were already weakened from their fight with all of you. I did some initial healing and we then brought you back here where it's safe."
"We?" Sheba questioned.
"When I made it to shore I was met by a pleasant fellow not much older than you," Picard explained. "He was alone as well, so we decided to stick together in case of a bad situation. Turned out to be a good idea, especially after meeting those nasty Mars Adepts. You'll get to meet him later. He's out looking for Garet and Jenna right now." He started cleaning the fish. "I do wish we could've reconnected in better circumstances, but I'll try to make it up to you somehow."
"You saved our lives, Picard," said Mia. "There's little you can do to surpass that."
"Lady Mia…" he trailed with a smile. He noticed how Isaac was struggling to move. "Oh, my apologies, Isaac. I thought I healed all of that." He cast Ply, and since he wasn't already battle worn, the power was stronger and fully healed the burn. Isaac quietly sighed in relief, still a bit sore but able to move with far less trouble.
"Thank you, Picard," he said as he sat up. "Once again you've been an invaluable help to us."
"You're most welcome, Isaac. Anything for a friend."
They reminisced happily as they ate. Ivan, Sheba, Mia and Isaac explained their journey since leaving Lemuria weeks ago and Picard relayed some tales of his experiences in the outside world, some of which were quite amusing.
"This place is full of new dangers and unusual people," Picard said. "I don't know what I would've done without Felix to help me make sense of it all."
The others went wide-eyed and gaped at their Lemurian friend. "What did you just say?" Ivan asked. "Did you say your companion's name was Felix?"
"Yes, that's right," Picard replied.
"Does he have long brown hair and wear a green scarf?" Sheba pressed.
"Yes," said Picard, puzzled by their apparent unease. "Do you know him?"
Isaac's expression had hardened considerably since the mention of the name. "He didn't tell you then?" he inquired. "Felix didn't mention that he knows us?"
"No, not at all." Picard looked quite confused. "Is something wrong?"
"Felix is the enemy we've been chasing all of this time," said Ivan as flatly as he could. "He's the one who set our entire quest in motion nearly a year ago."
"You mean he's the individual you've been trying to find and capture?" Picard exclaimed in disbelief. "But that can't be! He's been nothing but helpful to me!"
"Likely because he didn't realize you were friends with us until now," Isaac said, his voice forcibly calm. "Felix is not to be trusted—not at all. He'll turn on you, Picard. Mark my words."
"He never used to be a bad person," Sheba elaborated. "But he did something to Mia that was simply unforgivable. Despite the fact that he saved my life once, I'm inclined to agree with Isaac—he's not to be trusted."
Picard looked to Mia, who had fallen silent. The mere mention of Felix's name had stirred up all the memories of her internment in Tartarus, an experience too terrifying to describe. She had been able to block it out for the most part, but the thought of seeing the one who'd traded her to the Fire Clan again sent a paralyzing chill down her spine. She started to tremble all over and she hugged Isaac fiercely, who naturally returned it.
"Lady Mia?" Picard questioned. "What exactly is Sheba talking about?"
Mia shook her head, unwilling to give voice to the experience. "I guess your friend Felix left out that little detail too," said Isaac bitterly. "Felix and his accomplice Alex kidnapped Mia and traded her to the Fire Clan in exchange for an object he needed. I barely managed to get her out of there alive."
"What?" Picard was visibly stunned. "You mean the same Fire Clan that that awful Agatio is from?"
"The same," Isaac replied. "Then I don't need to tell you how cruel those people are. They used her like a tool, Picard, and then left her to rot in a jail cell!" He swallowed the outrage re-igniting inside of him. "I swore to myself that if I ever saw Felix again I would rip him apart with my own hands. There is no excuse for doing something like that. Human beings are not possessions that can be given away like currency! That he would willingly hand over Mia—a Mercury Adept no less—to the likes of Agatio's clan…it's criminal!"
Picard, still shocked by this revelation, nodded in agreement. "Lady Mia, I'm so sorry. I had no idea…"
She nodded to acknowledge his sympathy but kept her head buried in Isaac's chest to hide her tears. She squeezed Isaac harder, if that were possible since she'd been bordering on cutting off his circulation already. It was hurting the sore spot where the burn had been, but he said nothing and just returned her embrace, though not quite as tightly. Silence hung in the air for quite awhile as Picard absorbed the story. The Felix he'd been traveling with for the past few weeks seemed incapable of doing such an unthinkable act, yet judging by how upset Mia was, he knew this was no lie.
"You said Felix was alone when you met him," Ivan finally said. "So you never saw Alex?"
"No," Picard replied. "Who is this Alex?"
"My former apprentice," said Mia quietly. "He betrayed our Clan by assisting Saturos and Menardi in lighting the Mercury Lighthouse."
"The Mercury Lighthouse has been lit?!" Picard cried.
"Yes," Sheba said. "As well as the Venus and Jupiter Lighthouses."
"But how can that be?" Picard demanded, sounding genuinely frightened. "The Elemental Stars were sealed away long ago to prevent this from happening! Those beacons aren't supposed to be lit—it would unleash the full powers of Alchemy upon the world!"
"We know," said Ivan. "That's why we've been on this quest. Isaac and Garet were instructed by the Wise One to retrieve the Elemental Stars and prevent the beacons from being lit. The rest of us joined up along the way."
"And we've failed miserably so far," Isaac lamented. "Saturos and Menardi, two more Fire Clan warriors, lit the Mercury and Venus beacons. Felix lit the Jupiter one. But no one's going to light the Mars beacon as long as I'm around. I have the Mars Star."
Picard sighed heavily. "Well thank Mercury for that." He shook his head solemnly. "I had no idea these events were transpiring. That is the problem with living in a place like Lemuria; one is completely unaware of the outside world. I don't know what to say now; this changes everything. I shall have a few choice words for Felix when he returns. But does this mean that Garet and Jenna will be trouble if he finds them?"
"I doubt it," Isaac said. "Felix is Jenna's older brother, and he obviously still cares for her. I'd be more worried about what Garet will do to him."
Mia couldn't sleep. She was safely huddled next to Isaac but she was still restless, thinking about Felix, Tartarus, and the Fire Clan. That ordeal she'd tried so hard to forget was replaying over and over again in her mind and she couldn't make it go away.
Isaac wasn't asleep either and he could feel the fear radiating off of her. "It's all right, Mia," he said quietly. "I'm not going to let Felix or anyone else hurt you like that ever again."
"I know. I trust you more than anyone, Isaac. It's just the memories…I can't shake them, not when I know I might have to face him again. And it's not so much what the Fire Clan did to me—it's what they almost did to you."
"But why?" he asked, confused. "I think what they did to you was far worse."
Her eyes watered. "I came so close to losing you that night, Isaac. You know how much you mean to me, and the thought of having you taken from me…that's more unbearable than anything that happened to me in Tartarus."
"Mia," Isaac began, holding her. "I'll tell you the same thing I did back then; no matter what happens, I promise that nothing will ever keep us apart. You're my soulmate, Mia. I'll always be with you."
She smiled slightly, reassured at least in part by his words. Hearing that vow again made the burden of those memories a little lighter, and she soon found a peaceful sleep there in his arms.
---------------------------------------------------------
Jenna: That was way too centered on Isaac and Mia! This is supposed to be our love story!
Garet: We weren't even in this chapter for crying out loud!
If you recall, there was a chapter in "Against All Odds" that didn't have either Isaac or Mia in it as well. Sometimes the plot has to thicken before we can do the mushy stuff. Don't worry—how could I possibly forget about my two favorite Mars Adepts?
Garet: A likely story. The truth, Midnight!
Jenna: *fire in her fist* You were just going through I/M withdrawal weren't you?!
^^;; Plot advancement! That's all it was, I swear! Um, Chapter 6 under construction. Pray that finals don't impede my progress…