Ok. 4 all of you that are reading this.. This is quite lengthy, so if you
can afford to sit down 4 half an hour and read this then feel free. Just a
little something to get out of the way... I DON'T OWN GOLDEN SUN! I just
was inspired by it. This is a prequel (In a Star Wars-esque kind of way),
which might give rise to new theories about who Isaac, Mia, Ivan, and Garet
REALLY are. Their names aren't mentioned in this part, though through
interpretation you might be able to find out where they are in this
chapter. Enjoy, and please R+R!
GOLDEN SUN: Quest For The Wise One
The smell of pine danced in the air, as the evergreens blew gently in the wind. The night sky, a great blanket of navy, glowed with the light of the moon, as the stars sparkled brightly. There was a soft crunch in the snow which echoed for what seemed miles, and there wasn't a light to be seen except the one made by a small fire. Four monks huddled around this fire not for warmth alone, but as a source of light in the vast darkness that surrounded them. They were unsure of what strange and horrid creatures lurked about, in the forest, and they weren't interested in finding them. This was in the vast forest, miles from their home in Imil. The men were what modern man would call adepts, and housed strength that few could conceive. They differed greatly in physical, emotional, and mental strength, although as a group, they had immense power. They were only too aware of this power, and used it to seek knowledge and wisdom from the Wise One. Remrin, a tall man, very athletic in build was one of these adepts. He took pride in his power to read the minds of others, and had the unique ability to move objects with his mind, what we would now know as telekinesis. Remrin, however, was essentially cold and distant, keeping himself detached from the mortal feelings of love, remorse, hatred and anger. Laron, on the other hand, was Remrin's complete opposite, He was very much a sociable person, with a certain dependability about him. Laron was almost too trustworthy, and had been known to get himself into trouble many times with his unbearable naiveté. He was very small and almost gawky, and had a pointed nose which made him somewhat resemble a witch. Martim, was by far the merriest of all the monks and was very corpulent. He had the ability (to the extreme disgust of the other three) to eat all of their wares, and still be hungry for ripe breeberries. While he was fat, though, he had an iron will, and held grudges for anyone who crossed him. Julig was the only monk with unnatural healing powers. He could heal any flesh wound imaginable, and had even been known to revive those downed in battle. His only problem, was that he paid very little attention to detail, and was often absentminded to the point where he would forget where all of the weapons were. And now, in the brutal cold of the north, they were faced with an even greater task. They had the children of the divine in their hands, and were asked , specifically by the Wise One to deliver them to the great city of Vale , just south of the mighty Mount Aleph, home to Sol Sanctum, keeper of the four elemental stars. The four children were to represent each of the stars : The power of wind in Jupiter, the power of fire in Mars, the power of earth in Venus , and the power of water in Mercury. The secrets of the small children were very little known in the outside world and the southern continents, and the four druid-like monks had only the smallest notion of what powers these children would later possess, and what secrets they held. The monks were afraid of these children and their mysterious power. The babies were treated as though fragile and easily broken, and their screams, along with the biting cold and snow were getting harder and harder to bear. "Remrin, our hands and feet do not grow warmer. Is there no more fire wood? Besides, the fire grows thin and the noses of the children do take on the color of breeberries!" Laron looked anxiously at Remrin, although no answer came. " No Laron. We are but miles from the nearest town who would be willing, and despite that they would not let four druids in. It would be treasonous to do so." Martim, once fast asleep, opened his weary eyes. " Master Remrin do you not understand that the very fate of the world may lie in these scrawny little rats?" " These rats as YOU refer to them are what may have created us, so if you so much as think of insulting them again, so help me your throat will be slit!!"Remrin hissed. At this, Martim slunk silently into bed, not uttering a word. " We will stay here tonight. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow." Remrin trudged through the snow as silently as possible. " Remrin, If we do get to Vale, how can it be guaranteed that we will be able to get in? Are you sure they will even let us pagans in?" " Yes. And the reason I know this is because Vale is what harbors the elemental stars." " You mean Vale is what keeps the elemental stars? They are near the great Sol Sanctum?" " Yes, which is precisely why we must deliver them there." Laron's feet crunched in the snow as he paced. " Do you say, Remrin, that these, the smallest of things imaginable, may change the course of our future?" " One can never tell, Laron," said Remrin with a knowing smile,"One can never tell."
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It was an unusually sunny day in Vale, as people and children bustled about in the town square. The river by the town seemed to glisten in the morning sun as it washed down the small but incredibly intimidating cliffs. Patches of wispy clouds danced across the sky , as though to indicate that good fortune would come. How coincidental it must have seemed to all of the villagers that today just happened to be Andrew 's coming of age. He was already a strapping young man at the age of twenty-one, and had the body of an athlete, although he was too modest and shy to admit it. His sandy blond hair glistened in the sunlight and his already golden skin seemed to be turning into a deep tan. His leaf green eyes focused on nothing in particular as he walked around the back of the house, looking for his mother. "Mother, have you seen the harnesses for the horses anywhere? They don't seem to be in the house!" " Andrew dear, is it possible, just for one day, that you might be able to forget about household chores? It is you birthday, after all. And THAT means you are coming of age. The least you could do is relax on your birthday." " Well, it would all depend on your definition of relaxation, mother." Andrew smiled sweetly and innocently. " It wouldn't be a crime to ride the horses outside of Vale? For that is my definition of relaxing. Yours, on the other hand, would be to have a hundred of your closest friends over for a pint of ale." "Andy, that is no way to talk to your own mother, although I will admit that you definition is reasonably accurate. Anyhow, be off with you. I do not want to see you back until sundown." And as he took his horse outside of the town gates , his mother gave a sly smile , and sneaked back into the house to prepare for the night's event.
Andrew had always loved riding out in the forest outside of Vale. It left him at peace with nature, and he enjoyed smelling the fresh scent of pine. It was now time, however, for him to continue back on to Vale, for the sun was sinking lower in the sky, and that of course meant it was time for him to go home. It was always a very difficult task for him to leave, although being scolded by his mother seemed like a minor annoyance after being in the forest. Within minutes, he had already pulled away from the peace of the birds and trees, and made the arduous (for the horse) journey home. The sunset cast a golden light on the trees making it a sort of small , though immense version of heaven. As his horse trotted through the vast landscape the smell of evergreens floated through his nose, and filled his body with a sense of security, the kind only nature can give. The birds chirped his name and sang him songs of farewell, meaning that he would be blessed with luck in his journey home. The valley between Vale and the forest was vast, and the air surrounding it thick and dry. The wind blew strong from the east, indicating to Andrew that while summer was still in its prime, it would not be very long until winter winds blew in from the north. Suddenly, a strange sort of chill ran throughout his body. Not a wintry chill, but an indication that something interesting was about to happen. Andrew had always relied on his intuition, which his mother always described as a natural gift, and something (to his distinct pleasure) that the opposite sex also quite took to. He (and his horse) galloped quickly home As he arrived in Vale however, he found that the town square was barren of people, and there were no lights on in the town, as there usually were. He dismounted the horse, which was already giving whinnies of suppressed fear. In his mind, Andrew felt that there was trouble lurking. As he walked through the town square, and up the wooden steps to his house, he found that his house was empty, although his innate intuition told him that there was a presence. He knocked down the door, only to hear a great "SURPRISE" and the sound of a pan flute. It was a surprise party. "I would first like to say," said Andrew with a wry smile, " that this was the wretched plan of my mother, and that there shall be revenge in tenfold on her fiftieth birthday." This was greeted by a deafening round of applause.
The party lasted for what seemed like ages, and Andrew was exhausted at the end of the night. Half -drunk pints of ale still sat on the tables as he and his mother cleaned up the remnants of the dirt. " I hope you enjoyed the party tonight." " Yes, although I think I should have seen it coming before," said Andrew. " There was no way you could have. I was too cunning clever and wise to ever let that happen." " I wouldn't flatter yourself too much, mother. Now you go up to bed and I'll finish off the cleaning." His mother trudged up with an aching back to her bedroom, and promptly said goodnight. Andrew cleaned up for another five minutes before his intuition kicked in again. This feeling, however, was a more intense and excruciating feeling. He dropped his broom, unable to ignore that feeling that something extraordinary would occur. He crept back to the stables, where the horse whinnied, although Andrew silenced him with a finger to his lips. He then heard the cry of a child in the rafters. Upon hearing it, he quickly found the ladder and picked up. The cries of the child became more and more unbearable as he searched. Then he looked behind him and found a small hand woven bassinet. In side was the child upon seeing Andrew, screamed louder, and hurled itself over the edge of the rafters falling to its certain death. As it hit the ground, Andrew quickly climbed down the ladder next to the bassinet where the baby was still crying, unharmed by the potentially fatal fall. He stared at the baby in wonder as he picked it up, wondering what could have protected him. The baby gently sucked on its thumb quietly, as though it felt protected. There was a strange marking , much like a tree on its cheek, which glowed with a heavenly, although eerie looking white light. The light became more and more intense, and eventually Andrew was bathed in the fluorescent light. He shook from fear as the light disappeared. He looked at the baby, which was now sound asleep, and wondered what other powers it possessed. As he carried the child, Andrew could feel a special bond with this child, and knew that is was long time before they would part. Andrew looked at the baby, who was already sleeping soundly. The child had a rather red nose as though the child had a mild cold. He gently rocked the baby, who was now salivating. "This poor child must have been outside for quite a while. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't found him," he murmured to himself. " The problem is, I don't know where to keep you. I suppose I could take care of you, but I have no experience with children. But considering you popped up in my stable, I suppose I have no choice. We're going home, little guy. Andrew walked as silently as possible up the steps of the house, and making sure that no one was within sight (or earshot) of him. The wooden door creaked as he made his way in side. The floor was still left dusty and the remaining ale mug was still half full, and the window was wide open, where a cool breeze was blowing through. He lowered the window, which also made an extraordinarily loud creak as well. Andrew winced , for he feared he might wake the baby. His primary concern was keeping the baby out of sight of his mother, for he had always told her that things found that were out of the ordinary usually spelled trouble. This however, for a reason unbeknownst to him, was some thing different. He felt he had to be responsible for the child, and had to take care of him. He crept up the stairs silently to his room, and upon doing so, carried the child straight into bed. The child awoke startled, but his face softened into a smile of delight upon seeing Andrew. He likes me, Andrew thought. The baby, with a half giggle, grabbed Andrew's nose, plugging his nostrils and thrust his legs out, kicking Andrew in the stomach. Andrew had never felt such pain in his life before despite, having been kicked in the stomach many times by the older boys in the neighborhood. The baby has immense strength, he thought. Then, seeing that Andrew was not having any fun, began to cry loudly. " Hush. Mother will hear you." And the baby did silence itself, though not without sniffling in between. " Andrew, who was that? It sounded like a ." " Don't worry mum, it's nothing. Nothing at all!" " I hope you're right Andrew. Goodnight." " That was close. But you did have excellent timing when you stopped crying." As if to agree, the child smiled mischievously. " Now, we'll have even more of an adventure when I try to find an extra diaper." Andrew woke up with a start early the next morning. His recurring nightmare about Mount Aleph's eruption had returned yet again. He had already told his mother of it, fearing that his dreams were some sign of evil yet to come. His mother, in her own reassuring yet condescending way, had told him that there was nothing to fear, and that the Mighty Aleph had been dormant for years. His intuition, however, told him otherwise. He then realized that the baby was extraordinarily silent. He went to check the bassinet, and found to his great surprise and shock, that the baby was missing. Not a stone was left unturned in searching for the child. He rushed down the stairs only to find his mother with the baby, giving it fresh milk. Upon seeing Andrew, her eyebrows furrowed, and Andrew prepared himself for the verbal onslaught he was about to receive. " Nothing. That's what you told me last night, Andrew. 'It's nothing, mum, really'. Those were your words, were they not?" "Well, those weren't my exact words." " That's NOT the point Andrew. You dabbled in something that need not have been dabbled in. Have you any idea where this baby might have come from?" Andrew shook his head. " Well can I ask why you failed to notice the marking on the child's face?" " I didn't fail to notice it mother, I just.." " Didn't pay it any mind? That's what I thought," The mother hissed. " I'm also willing to bet you didn't find the letter beneath the baby's garments, did you? Well guess who did? ME! And you know what else? It identifies the baby as something more powerful than you can even fathom." She tossed the letter to Andrew. "Come and see me after you read this. By then I'm sure you'll have plenty of questions to ask. And by the way, you didn't sweep the floor." She stalked out of the room, leaving Andrew to look at the letter. The letter had a green wax seal, with the seal of a pagan church from the northern part of Angara. He ripped away the seal, and found a lengthy letter, written in a strange form of calligraphy. The letter read as follows:
Dear Recipient,
By now, we assume that you have seen the child, and we, the monks, are most grateful for showing human compassion and taking the child in. We must stress however that the child in your possession is not any ordinary child. One of the four children of the divine are in your hands, and we must insist that you treat with the greatest care. We delivered this baby to you, because you are the closest to Mount Aleph. In case you didn't know, the child you hold in your hands this instant the child of the spirit of the Venus elemental. It has the power to make things grow, and has the power to heal and even revive men, though it does not know it, or how to develop these powers as of yet. Your job is to help the child develop these powers within twenty years, and though it may seem like a somewhat simple task, we can assure you that it is more than arduous. Please meet with all the other recipients of the elemental children at the Venus Lighthouse when the child passes its first year. We thank you very much in cooperating with us.
The Monks of the Mercury Light house
Andrew read and reread the letter becoming more in shock with every reading. Feeling twice as humiliated as before he made his way into the next room. "You have read the letter, I presume." " Yes mother." " So what do you propose to do with this child? Do you plan to go through with what the monks say?" Looking more certain than he felt, he responded " Yes. I have the fullest intention of helping the monks. It's apparent that they are going to need my help and I feel it is my duty to help those in need." His mothers voice had a barely discernible edge. " Have you any idea as to what you would be getting yourself into? You are playing with the divine, which is force too great for you to even imagine. Once you get caught up in a web of religion, there is no turning back, and no getting out. You must stay out of this." " No, mother. You are the one who must stay out of this. It is none of your concern. I am entirely capable of making my own decisions without you having to make the decision for me. I am going to go on this quest tonight, with the child, and there is no one, not even you who can stop me!" Andrew snatched the baby from his mothers arms, and his mother hissed "Very well. But just know this: If you leave, you are not welcome back in this house again!" " Fine," Andrew hissed back, " I have no desire to return to a house where people don't support my decisions." And with that, he went off to pack. He left, as promised, later on that evening heading south, past a small village and crossing a great river, to head to the merchant town of Tolbi.
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It was icy (as usual) in and around the Mercury Lighthouse, but the air held less of a chill. Remrin and his party were to deliver the last of the four divine children. The snow crunched between their snowshoes, and the heat of the sun began to melt the thick layer of white. The last of the children, the Mercury baby was to be sent to the very top of the Mercury light house, where members of the Mercury clan were most likely to discover it. Laron was carrying the child, who was wrapped up in blankets of wool, and was sleeping soundly. They had already delivered the Jupiter child to the town just southwest of Vale , which was called Vault. They put that baby at the top of the bell tower, as the Wise one had instructed, and had left promptly, unseen and unheard. The Mars child had been placed in the protection of the people of Suhalla, a big city in the southern continent of Gondowan. The monks distrusted the Suhallans, fearing that they might try to sacrifice a child brought in by pagan monks. For now, all they could was pray. They could pray and hope for the survival of the child, but those were their limits. They finally managed to get to the top of the lighthouse, after a long and exhausting two hours of winding passages and fighting monsters. The baby awoke, but did not cry, as though it was eerily familiar to it. Laron, Julig, Remrin and Martim had all felt attached to the child and were sad to leave it alone. They then made their way down the stairs of the lighthouse and trudged on their way home.
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A bright and sunny day greeted Imil. The air around them was crisp and fresh, not to mention cold. Winter's grasp had not yet left Imil, nor would it leave until late May. The village was covered with an inch thick mixture of snow and ice. The villagers shivered that morning as they made their way to work. Several of the children skated on the ice, which, despite its apparent thickness, one could see straight to the bottom. Imil prided themselves on being an industrial and strong village, though not quite so strong as the southern city of Vale. They had an inn for the occasional visitor that strolled in, though for much of the time the village was a naturally isolated one, because the mountains beyond them proved to be a land barrier, in a sense. They also had the Mercury Clan. The Mercury Clan was Imil's pride and joy for they (so the story goes) were appointed by the Wise One to guard the Lighthouse Aerie, or as it was better known the Mercury Lighthouse. On a daily basis, the Mercury Clan would go to the top of the lighthouse to pray for the health and well being of Imil. On this particular day however, something strange appeared at the top of the lighthouse. A baby wrapped in cloth, with a marking much like a droplet of water on its forehead. The matriarch of the Mercury Clan, Ria looked on in amazement. " This must be a gift from the Wise One as a sign of good fortune." Ria always had a tendency to jump to conclusions. She always seemed overexcited about anything religious. Her daughter Aria, however, was nonchalant about the seemingly spectacular finding. " Mother, it is simply a child. It is obviously one from the village." " Have you seen any babies that look like this, Aria? Babies with markings like these don't turn up on everyone's doorstep, you know." Aria rolled her eyes in exasperation. Her naturally blue hair glistened in the morning sunlight. A sprightly girl of seventeen, Aria was a pretty girl, though not beautiful. She had gray eyes with flecks of green, and was a petite though shapely girl. She had been quite attractive to most of the men in the village, although none had even remotely caught her interest. She wanted to be a cultured woman, traveling outside the northern continent of Angara, and heading down south to Suhalla and Lalivero. She always came out unhappy when dreaming of these things, however, as her duty to the Mercury Clan came ahead of her duties to herself, despite her incessant frustration with that fact. "Mother, do not get overexcited. It is just some completely random child, probably brought by some good Samaritans to be blessed with good fortune and health." " Why are you so indifferent to such extraordinary things?" "Look at the child mother. She cries, smiles and wets her diaper just like any other baby does. See?" Aria took the child in her arms, and a great blue light flashed before her and eventually, it enveloped her. Gradually, the blue disappeared, leaving Aria with a paled and shocked look, and her mother with an expression that said "I told you so." Aria, white-knuckled and standing ramrod straight, managed to utter but a few words: " Mother, I fear I've been possessed." Her mother smiled." Do not fear, Aria. This awesome power seems frightful, but it can be assured that the light you were in , seconds ago, was a holy one. You have been blessed by something, Aria. The question now is what?"
A shaken and distraught Aria was taken, along with the mysterious child back to Imil, whereupon Aria returned to her house. Aria had brought the baby with her, suddenly feeling the urge to protect this baby. The baby, however, was behaving less than angelically. It wailed and screamed ceaselessly for three hours. It was then that the family realized that something was making the baby extremely uncomfortable. They searched through the bassinet, finally finding a letter with the seal of the Lighthouse Aerie. It was a note from the monks, read as follows:
Mercury Clan Family Members
This baby, as mow may know was delivered to you by chance. This baby has such awesome, irrefutable power which we are leaving to you to develop within the next twenty years. These powers we speak of are the ability to heal, revive, freeze water, etc. By now you must know that this baby is the child of Mercury, which is why we have assigned this task to you. We must insist, however, that you do not come to the Mercury Lighthouse. In place of that, We have chosen the Venus Lighthouse as our meeting place. Three other children have been delivered to their respective places, and we, the monks, wish you all to arrive at the Venus Lighthouse a year from this day.
Thank You
"Something must have happened. Something out of order. Something grave. We must set out at once," said Aria's mother. " We'll pack our bags tonight, and set out tomorrow morning." " NO, mother." Aria was sitting upright and stared at her mother with such intensity that made her cringe. " I will be the only one going. I will be the one to set out tomorrow morning, with the bags and baby in hand. You will stay and protect the lighthouse." " Are you mad Aria? Stark RAVING mad?" You would never be able to survive out there on your own. You would need someone to protect you. Like your father, perhaps. Yes he would be able to .." " Mother, I am quite capable of doing this myself. In case you haven't noticed, I'm practically a woman now." " But Aria.." " What mother? Do you still not believe I can take this? This is exactly why I wanted to leave Imil, you know. I never get any respect or consideration, because I am the youngest, and I am APPARENTLY incapable of making my own decisions. Well, that is over. You can say good bye to me mother, For you will not hear from me for quite some time. Good-bye." Aria stalked off to pack, leaving Ria, her mother, in a state of great shock. A rainy and wet day was imminent in Suhalla. The clouds were already billowing over the once-blue sky, and the wind blew cold and hard. Many of the vendors had closed up shop already fearing the great winds coming down from the north would sweep them off their feet to some unknown place. The people of Suhalla had never ventured outside of the southern continents, few even had the desire. They were homebodies in their own right, and that was the way they preferred it. People shivered in the bitter cold, and rushed to their cottage like abodes to warm themselves beside the fire. It was growing incredibly dark outside, despite it only being eleven o'clock in the morning. The shutters banged against the windows periodically, releasing an incredibly spooky, though at the same time incredibly annoying. Not a soul was outside as the rains fell down. No one, that is, except for Oliver. He was a very sinewy boy of eighteen, with unusually exotic good looks. He had shoulder length brown hair on his head, and his skin was a golden bronze. It was his eyes however, that truly shocked people. No one had seen eyes like Oliver's . They were a dark shade of blue-green, and most were hypnotized by them. He didn't pay them any mind, though, for he didn't need others to reassure him that he was good-looking. He was over confident and , sometimes, incredibly conceited. He was well aware of the fact that he came from a privileged family and loved to be noticed wherever he went in Suhalla. He loved to cause trouble, and was often the person who provoked a good fight. He prided him self on being the best looking man in Suhalla, though the townspeople had other opinions. Underneath it all, Oliver was a very devoted member of the Mars Clan, and was generally good humoured. However, Oliver had been stuck out in the cold for quite some time, after having tried to buy food for the family before the ominous storm. He was especially livid, as his family, having forgotten he had gone out to the market, had locked the door. "I detest being outside when I don't need to be. Especially when it is windy. But of course, Oliver always has to go to the market and do menial tasks like getting food. " Oliver paced back and forth on the front porch. " I think it's a conspiracy. They just want me out of the house so that they can take a breather. Well, they are going to get told, whether or not it was an accident." He banged on the door three times, and finally, his grandfather, frustrated and angry, came out and said "You could have used the back door, you know. It's not that long a walk." " The backyard? Are you kidding me? There are large bloodhounds in the back, grandfather, and you know what they do at the sight of food." " Oh come in and shut up or there will be duct tape where your mouth used to be." Oliver trudged in grumpily, and hung up his cloak. "Is there any particular reason why I was left out side? Something more pressing come up?" " As a matter of fact, yes Oliver." " Looks like you need to sort out your priorities, grandfather. You might feel better if you did." " Firstly, I most certainly did have my head on straight in leaving you outside, for it afforded me some peace and quiet. Secondly , I feel absolutely fine. As far as I'm concerned. The only person here that needs to rearrange their priorities is you. Now be off with you." Oliver could not find words to express his rage. He then turned his attention to the table. A strange object in a bassinet lay there. " Grandpa, what is that?" "What's what?" " That, on the table?" " That? Oh. It's nothing. Now go upstairs and change, or you'll catch a chill." " FINE, Grandpa, I'll see you at dinner." Oliver stalked off to his bedroom, muttering obscenities under his breath. He quickly changed out of his other clothes and dropped them onto the freshly cleaned floor. He stopped to look into his mirror and admired his physique. While he was tall and thin, he was somewhat muscular. He had an excellent upper body , with finely toned muscles. He did his customary flexes, and put on his crisp, white, shirt, which fitted his form perfectly. He then put on his black, leather like pants and began walking to the kitchen. He heard some hushed voices speaking, and despite the intense urge to barge in, he kept behind the wall. His grandfather was speaking with his mother, and both seemed nervous and worried. " And what do suppose we do with this. thing?" asked Oliver's mother " Well, it was apparently sent by pagan monks according to the letter, begging us to help this baby with it's so-called powers. To me it is a child sent from the devil, and we ought not to keep it alive. Meddling with polytheistic religions is not what I like to spend my time doing." " But what if the child truly does need our help. What if something terribly grave happens to it?" "Why should that be any of our concern? The child isn't ours. So what if we do away with it?" Grandfather said indifferently. " It is not in our best interest. Besides, it says in the ancient scrolls that it would be unwise to murder a child, even that of an infidel." " Well those who wrote the Ancient Scrolls can go fly a kite. An infidel is an infidel, no matter which way one looks at it." "But Papa." " SILENCE!" Grandfather shrieked. " The day after tomorrow we shall both sacrifice this baby we shall both kill it, or so help me you will be hanged, drawn and quartered!" And with that, an agitated Grandfather stalked off. Oliver's mother, in a state of perplexity, sat down and began to cry. Oliver, after having heard the conversation, walked silently into the kitchen, and sat next to his mother, acting as though he hadn't been eavesdropping. His mother's face was hidden under a pile of knotted, brown hair which fell to her waistline. She looked up at Oliver and sniffled. " What do you want? Don't you have more important things to attend to, like your wardrobe?" " When my mother is crying, I tend to ask about what got her into that state of mind. Unlike most people in this household, I care about things. Especially you." " Grandpa was in a state, an exchange of words ensued , and some things that shouldn't have been said. That's all, Oliver." " Mother, it is not like you to cry. You can normally handle Grandpa and his sardonic wit. Come, it must have been something more serious than that." " It was nothing, Oliver." Oliver's face remained uncertain, and he said, " We shall speak more of this after supper." Oliver walked quietly out of the kitchen, wondering if something out of the ordinary had happened. Everyone was quiet at dinner, but it was not a comfortable kind of silence. It was the kind of silence one knew meant trouble. Something was being hidden, and every one knew it. It was a question of what. Oliver sat next to his weepy mother, hoping someone would make conversation. When nothing happened, Oliver decided to solve this problem. " SO, How was everyone's day?" Complete and utter silence ensued. Then, out of the blue, Grandpa replied, "Satisfying." " What on earth do you mean, SATISFYING?" " I found a child on our doorstep today. And not just any child, Oh no. I found a pagan child today." Oliver, in a state of shock, dropped his knife and fork to the ground. It made a harsh crashing sound. Oliver retrieved them, wide- eyed with wonder." " And just where did you find this, grandpa?" " On our front door step." " Who do you suppose would leave something like that on our front doorstep?" " A group of pagan monks from the north brought them to us. I imagine they think we're going to protect it." " And why wouldn't we?" " Because it houses incredible power, which in my opinion is evil. I'm.. going to away with it." Oliver's look of shock and amazement turned into one of sheer rage. " You are heartless. I hope you know that. A baby comes into this town, unaware of it's powers, and you wish to do away with it? I couldn't live with my self I had killed an innocent child." Oliver stalked over to his grandfather. " Now I understand why mother was crying. You had the indecency to tell her she had to participate in this baby killing. And of course, If anyone goes against your will, they have to face your weak and stupid wrath, don't they?" Oliver hissed " SILENCE, YOU INSOLENT BEAST!" " NO GRANDPA, I WON'T BE SILENT! You have tormented me and mother long enough. It's time for us to leave, and when I say us, I mean the baby too." Oliver stalked away from the room with his mother. His mother, weak-kneed and bleary-eyed from crying left with him. Oliver stomped up the stairs to his room and upon arriving, began to pack his things furiously. He stuffed all of his weapons and clothes into his bag. He looked for any spare money he could find. He then remembered he had forgotten something: the baby. He looked all around the upper floor and ventured into the attic. It was there that he found the baby, crying and screaming. He looked in the bassinet and picked up the baby. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of fluorescent red light enveloped Oliver from a strange marking on the baby's right cheek, which was reminiscent of a burning flame. " I knew you had powers, young one, but this is beyond all realm of possibility. Any how we have to go.. Grandpa will try everything he can to stop us, and I want to be ready for it. " Oliver. We have to leave. NOW! Let's go!" Then Oliver ran down the stairs hoping to find his mother. He was stopped by his grandfather, now holding a huge fire poker. Oliver fumbled frantically for his sword, and found it wasn't there. " Looking for this? I found it and I thought I would take it. I never thought I'd kill an infidel with it." All of a sudden, out of nowhere, Oliver's mother came out and smashed the grandfather on the head with a large metal pot. The grandfather fell to the ground, unconscious. " Are you all right, Oliver?" " Yes." " Good. Now get your sword back, and meet me outside of the house. We have a long journey ahead of us."
It was going to be a hot day in the city of Vault. The crickets had already come out at seven o'clock in the morning, and not a cloud was in the sky. The grass was wet from the storm the night before, which meant that anyone stepping in it would hear the sound of mud between their toes. Given the oncoming heat however, it was no surprise that later on in the day it would dry up completely. Vault was a very small town, but it was as full of life as any other city in Angara. The houses were stately and large, though the exterior paint was chipping off, giving them the look of a barn. The people were outwardly friendly, though extremely suspicious of any one strange and odd. Vaults people were so prejudiced because most of the people were middle or upper-class merchants. New additions to the town were put to work by the rich as servants, though most foreigners with little money or food were more than happy to accept any occupation that was offered. Such was the case with Naree. She had been working with her master for since childhood to make some money after having her parents abandon her in Vault. She only had a vague idea of her real home in Xian, though she knew that it was far away, and that she had no desire to return to those who abandoned her. She had just woken up, and was ready for a new day to begin. She rather enjoyed routine, which is why she liked her job. She was a generally pleasant, outgoing, and funny person by nature, and was a role model for all of the younger servants in the household. However, despite being all of these things, she was very subservient and passive, allowing people (including her master) to demean her. She really detested it, but for fear of losing her job, she kept quiet. She stretched as the early morning sun crept through her curtains. She shuffled along, her long purple slightly frizzy and disheveled. She threw off her night gown and crept into the shower, wincing as the cold water hit her back. She was a rather petite girl with a pale though golden complexion. Her eyes were a crystalline emerald with small flecks of cobalt in them. She was a very athletic girl, though not full figured and had very full lips. Her looks were not taken note of, though time and time again she saw her master make a sideways glance in her direction. She rather disliked her master, and considered him to be a selfish old coot. She stepped out of the shower , small goosebumps appeared on her legs and arms, and she began to convulse in shivers. She tied her hair up in a neat bun, which concealed its length, wrapped her towel around her, and began to put on her everyday clothes. Naree quickly checked the time on the large town clock from her window. It was eight o'clock. Her master would be awake soon, and she had to prepare breakfast for him. She rushed down the stairs to the kitchen tying her apron as she went. She then sighed in despair and remembered that her master was having a grand banquet tonight. This day, she thought, is going to be very long. She finally managed to finish breakfast for the family, and called all of the other servants for assistance. Making a meal for a family of nine is hard enough as it is with out having to carry it too. She and the servants took it into the dining hall, where they gave the family their meals without thanks, and returned to doing menial chores around the mansion. Naree, however, returned to the kitchen to bake the pheasant for the coming evening. There was also roast beef, figs , rice and fondue to be made within a stretch of ten hours. As she was cooking, she heard small, silent footsteps creeping towards her. Then, someone grabbed her from behind and held her mouth closed. " Hello there Naree. It's your one and only." "Let go," was the muffled reply. " Oh but I can't do that until you make me a promise, and that is of course that you will keep the secret I am about to tell you." Naree shook her head yes. " Good." He let her go, though her body was still shaking. " There is something strange in the attic. Really strange. I need someone to go check it out. Now." " Or else what?" " Or I'll be forced to abuse my power," he said, giving a light , though passionate kiss on the back of her neck. " I will do it , when I have finished preparing for the banquet, master." " I don't think you understood when I said now. But I will wait until later. And count on the fact that I will be back for you." And with a click of his heels, he was gone. Naree, shivering with fright, returned to her work, wondering what could have possessed her master to do such a thing. However, she knew she had better follow orders, or trouble would ensue.
It was late in the evening and Naree, was almost finishing the dishes. Her face was tear streaked, after having been degraded and ridiculed. The words "little whore" and "useless" were associated with her name, had she had had more than her fill of insults. Again some one grabbed her from behind. She turned around, only to find the sinister face of the master. " Naree, my sweet, whatever is the matter? " he said, caressing her face. Naree jerked away in anger. " Don't touch me.' " We mustn't be feisty now, my dear, remember? We have a job to do together. LET'S GO!" He hissed. They slowly made their way up the attic. Naree, on her master's insistence had gone first. She felt, uncomfortable, though helpless. The wooden stairs leading to the attic made a squeaky, scary sound that only bats could love. As they made their way up a small cry was heard. Something like that of a baby's cry. The crying grew louder as they neared the attic. There could be no mistaking that the crying was that of a baby. Naree opened the door, and found the baby crying in the bassinet. Naree went out to touch the baby, though a look from her master said no. The master came up to her, nuzzled her, and said, "We have some unfinished business." He then made a move for the door and locked it tightly. He then shoved Naree up against the wall violently, and ripped of her clothes. Naree screamed and fought with him, though she was no physical match for him. He then raped her violently, shrieks of pain coming from Naree. Once finished, he pulled up his pants, gave a kiss to the now shaky and frightened girl, said "I'll be back for more..", and left her to cry. After several hours, Naree's tears subsided. She was in extreme pain, though dared not to walk and try escape. She just crawled over to the baby's bassinet. The baby was fast asleep. It had an interesting mark on its cheek. It looked like a great wind. She stared at it in wonder and awe. She then touched it. Then, a dazzling purple light lit up the room and promptly disappeared. Naree suddenly felt strong. Her pain had subsided somewhat though she cringed as she tried to stand up. She picked up the baby and as she did, a letter fell out. She bent over gently to pick it up, and saw it had the seal of the light house of the north. Balancing the baby in one arm, she ripped open the seal and read the letter:
Dear Recipient,
By now we assume you know that this baby is no ordinary baby. This letter is going to confirm and surpass any suspicion you had about this child before. This child is the child of Jupiter, and though they have not been developed, have extraordinary powers. It will have the ability to read minds, and reveal hidden truths as it matures, though you have to be the one to develop it. There are three other children which have been delivered before you, and we have all given them the same message: Bring them to the Venus Lighthouse on its first birthday.
We thank you for your cooperation
The monks of the Mercury Lighthouse.
Naree dropped he letter in shock. I am holding the child of the divine? Can it really be? She paced around nervously, searing pain traveling up her thigh with every step. This is too much for one night, she thought. She gingerly felt at her thigh. She was bleeding heavily in that area now, and once again began to cry. The baby, hearing her cry, reached out and grabbed her face, as though to wipe away the pain and suffering of the previous gesture. The baby looked up at her with a half smile, and gave a look that said not to worry. This child obviously understands me. But how? Why? She paced around the attic again for several hours, thinking Should I go through with this, what good would come of it? It would take any pressure away. But I somehow feel that the child is my responsibility. It is decided then... I must go. She hurried back to her room from the attic, making sure to remain as silent as possible. Still wincing in pain, she arrived at the front door, only to be greeted by one of the children. The child looked up in wonder at the baby, then whispered," What are you doing, servant- girl?" ' I'm protecting something." "What?" None of your business. Now off to bed." "NO!" "Off to bed, or I'll be sure to tie you up and make sure never leave this spot." " I'll scream." " No you won't." Naree lifted up the other child, took her into her quarters, and tied the child to a chair. Upon doing so, she immediately found a small towel and wrapped it around the child's mouth. "That ought to shut you up." The child watched as she packed her things. Naree only took any thing she felt she needed like, her robes, a few clothes, a hairbrush some herbs and a weapon in case of attack. She brought her trusty long-sword , which she hid in the back. Since it was her father's she never used it, but she flet she needed it for a worst case scenario. With all of her things packed, and the baby in hand, she left the child behind, ignoring his muffled cries for help. She sneaked down the stairs, her steps barely discernible from the creak of the window shutters. She exited through the back entrance, and quickly made her way out of the town to the merchant town of Tolbi.
The smell of pine danced in the air, as the evergreens blew gently in the wind. The night sky, a great blanket of navy, glowed with the light of the moon, as the stars sparkled brightly. There was a soft crunch in the snow which echoed for what seemed miles, and there wasn't a light to be seen except the one made by a small fire. Four monks huddled around this fire not for warmth alone, but as a source of light in the vast darkness that surrounded them. They were unsure of what strange and horrid creatures lurked about, in the forest, and they weren't interested in finding them. This was in the vast forest, miles from their home in Imil. The men were what modern man would call adepts, and housed strength that few could conceive. They differed greatly in physical, emotional, and mental strength, although as a group, they had immense power. They were only too aware of this power, and used it to seek knowledge and wisdom from the Wise One. Remrin, a tall man, very athletic in build was one of these adepts. He took pride in his power to read the minds of others, and had the unique ability to move objects with his mind, what we would now know as telekinesis. Remrin, however, was essentially cold and distant, keeping himself detached from the mortal feelings of love, remorse, hatred and anger. Laron, on the other hand, was Remrin's complete opposite, He was very much a sociable person, with a certain dependability about him. Laron was almost too trustworthy, and had been known to get himself into trouble many times with his unbearable naiveté. He was very small and almost gawky, and had a pointed nose which made him somewhat resemble a witch. Martim, was by far the merriest of all the monks and was very corpulent. He had the ability (to the extreme disgust of the other three) to eat all of their wares, and still be hungry for ripe breeberries. While he was fat, though, he had an iron will, and held grudges for anyone who crossed him. Julig was the only monk with unnatural healing powers. He could heal any flesh wound imaginable, and had even been known to revive those downed in battle. His only problem, was that he paid very little attention to detail, and was often absentminded to the point where he would forget where all of the weapons were. And now, in the brutal cold of the north, they were faced with an even greater task. They had the children of the divine in their hands, and were asked , specifically by the Wise One to deliver them to the great city of Vale , just south of the mighty Mount Aleph, home to Sol Sanctum, keeper of the four elemental stars. The four children were to represent each of the stars : The power of wind in Jupiter, the power of fire in Mars, the power of earth in Venus , and the power of water in Mercury. The secrets of the small children were very little known in the outside world and the southern continents, and the four druid-like monks had only the smallest notion of what powers these children would later possess, and what secrets they held. The monks were afraid of these children and their mysterious power. The babies were treated as though fragile and easily broken, and their screams, along with the biting cold and snow were getting harder and harder to bear. "Remrin, our hands and feet do not grow warmer. Is there no more fire wood? Besides, the fire grows thin and the noses of the children do take on the color of breeberries!" Laron looked anxiously at Remrin, although no answer came. " No Laron. We are but miles from the nearest town who would be willing, and despite that they would not let four druids in. It would be treasonous to do so." Martim, once fast asleep, opened his weary eyes. " Master Remrin do you not understand that the very fate of the world may lie in these scrawny little rats?" " These rats as YOU refer to them are what may have created us, so if you so much as think of insulting them again, so help me your throat will be slit!!"Remrin hissed. At this, Martim slunk silently into bed, not uttering a word. " We will stay here tonight. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow." Remrin trudged through the snow as silently as possible. " Remrin, If we do get to Vale, how can it be guaranteed that we will be able to get in? Are you sure they will even let us pagans in?" " Yes. And the reason I know this is because Vale is what harbors the elemental stars." " You mean Vale is what keeps the elemental stars? They are near the great Sol Sanctum?" " Yes, which is precisely why we must deliver them there." Laron's feet crunched in the snow as he paced. " Do you say, Remrin, that these, the smallest of things imaginable, may change the course of our future?" " One can never tell, Laron," said Remrin with a knowing smile,"One can never tell."
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It was an unusually sunny day in Vale, as people and children bustled about in the town square. The river by the town seemed to glisten in the morning sun as it washed down the small but incredibly intimidating cliffs. Patches of wispy clouds danced across the sky , as though to indicate that good fortune would come. How coincidental it must have seemed to all of the villagers that today just happened to be Andrew 's coming of age. He was already a strapping young man at the age of twenty-one, and had the body of an athlete, although he was too modest and shy to admit it. His sandy blond hair glistened in the sunlight and his already golden skin seemed to be turning into a deep tan. His leaf green eyes focused on nothing in particular as he walked around the back of the house, looking for his mother. "Mother, have you seen the harnesses for the horses anywhere? They don't seem to be in the house!" " Andrew dear, is it possible, just for one day, that you might be able to forget about household chores? It is you birthday, after all. And THAT means you are coming of age. The least you could do is relax on your birthday." " Well, it would all depend on your definition of relaxation, mother." Andrew smiled sweetly and innocently. " It wouldn't be a crime to ride the horses outside of Vale? For that is my definition of relaxing. Yours, on the other hand, would be to have a hundred of your closest friends over for a pint of ale." "Andy, that is no way to talk to your own mother, although I will admit that you definition is reasonably accurate. Anyhow, be off with you. I do not want to see you back until sundown." And as he took his horse outside of the town gates , his mother gave a sly smile , and sneaked back into the house to prepare for the night's event.
Andrew had always loved riding out in the forest outside of Vale. It left him at peace with nature, and he enjoyed smelling the fresh scent of pine. It was now time, however, for him to continue back on to Vale, for the sun was sinking lower in the sky, and that of course meant it was time for him to go home. It was always a very difficult task for him to leave, although being scolded by his mother seemed like a minor annoyance after being in the forest. Within minutes, he had already pulled away from the peace of the birds and trees, and made the arduous (for the horse) journey home. The sunset cast a golden light on the trees making it a sort of small , though immense version of heaven. As his horse trotted through the vast landscape the smell of evergreens floated through his nose, and filled his body with a sense of security, the kind only nature can give. The birds chirped his name and sang him songs of farewell, meaning that he would be blessed with luck in his journey home. The valley between Vale and the forest was vast, and the air surrounding it thick and dry. The wind blew strong from the east, indicating to Andrew that while summer was still in its prime, it would not be very long until winter winds blew in from the north. Suddenly, a strange sort of chill ran throughout his body. Not a wintry chill, but an indication that something interesting was about to happen. Andrew had always relied on his intuition, which his mother always described as a natural gift, and something (to his distinct pleasure) that the opposite sex also quite took to. He (and his horse) galloped quickly home As he arrived in Vale however, he found that the town square was barren of people, and there were no lights on in the town, as there usually were. He dismounted the horse, which was already giving whinnies of suppressed fear. In his mind, Andrew felt that there was trouble lurking. As he walked through the town square, and up the wooden steps to his house, he found that his house was empty, although his innate intuition told him that there was a presence. He knocked down the door, only to hear a great "SURPRISE" and the sound of a pan flute. It was a surprise party. "I would first like to say," said Andrew with a wry smile, " that this was the wretched plan of my mother, and that there shall be revenge in tenfold on her fiftieth birthday." This was greeted by a deafening round of applause.
The party lasted for what seemed like ages, and Andrew was exhausted at the end of the night. Half -drunk pints of ale still sat on the tables as he and his mother cleaned up the remnants of the dirt. " I hope you enjoyed the party tonight." " Yes, although I think I should have seen it coming before," said Andrew. " There was no way you could have. I was too cunning clever and wise to ever let that happen." " I wouldn't flatter yourself too much, mother. Now you go up to bed and I'll finish off the cleaning." His mother trudged up with an aching back to her bedroom, and promptly said goodnight. Andrew cleaned up for another five minutes before his intuition kicked in again. This feeling, however, was a more intense and excruciating feeling. He dropped his broom, unable to ignore that feeling that something extraordinary would occur. He crept back to the stables, where the horse whinnied, although Andrew silenced him with a finger to his lips. He then heard the cry of a child in the rafters. Upon hearing it, he quickly found the ladder and picked up. The cries of the child became more and more unbearable as he searched. Then he looked behind him and found a small hand woven bassinet. In side was the child upon seeing Andrew, screamed louder, and hurled itself over the edge of the rafters falling to its certain death. As it hit the ground, Andrew quickly climbed down the ladder next to the bassinet where the baby was still crying, unharmed by the potentially fatal fall. He stared at the baby in wonder as he picked it up, wondering what could have protected him. The baby gently sucked on its thumb quietly, as though it felt protected. There was a strange marking , much like a tree on its cheek, which glowed with a heavenly, although eerie looking white light. The light became more and more intense, and eventually Andrew was bathed in the fluorescent light. He shook from fear as the light disappeared. He looked at the baby, which was now sound asleep, and wondered what other powers it possessed. As he carried the child, Andrew could feel a special bond with this child, and knew that is was long time before they would part. Andrew looked at the baby, who was already sleeping soundly. The child had a rather red nose as though the child had a mild cold. He gently rocked the baby, who was now salivating. "This poor child must have been outside for quite a while. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't found him," he murmured to himself. " The problem is, I don't know where to keep you. I suppose I could take care of you, but I have no experience with children. But considering you popped up in my stable, I suppose I have no choice. We're going home, little guy. Andrew walked as silently as possible up the steps of the house, and making sure that no one was within sight (or earshot) of him. The wooden door creaked as he made his way in side. The floor was still left dusty and the remaining ale mug was still half full, and the window was wide open, where a cool breeze was blowing through. He lowered the window, which also made an extraordinarily loud creak as well. Andrew winced , for he feared he might wake the baby. His primary concern was keeping the baby out of sight of his mother, for he had always told her that things found that were out of the ordinary usually spelled trouble. This however, for a reason unbeknownst to him, was some thing different. He felt he had to be responsible for the child, and had to take care of him. He crept up the stairs silently to his room, and upon doing so, carried the child straight into bed. The child awoke startled, but his face softened into a smile of delight upon seeing Andrew. He likes me, Andrew thought. The baby, with a half giggle, grabbed Andrew's nose, plugging his nostrils and thrust his legs out, kicking Andrew in the stomach. Andrew had never felt such pain in his life before despite, having been kicked in the stomach many times by the older boys in the neighborhood. The baby has immense strength, he thought. Then, seeing that Andrew was not having any fun, began to cry loudly. " Hush. Mother will hear you." And the baby did silence itself, though not without sniffling in between. " Andrew, who was that? It sounded like a ." " Don't worry mum, it's nothing. Nothing at all!" " I hope you're right Andrew. Goodnight." " That was close. But you did have excellent timing when you stopped crying." As if to agree, the child smiled mischievously. " Now, we'll have even more of an adventure when I try to find an extra diaper." Andrew woke up with a start early the next morning. His recurring nightmare about Mount Aleph's eruption had returned yet again. He had already told his mother of it, fearing that his dreams were some sign of evil yet to come. His mother, in her own reassuring yet condescending way, had told him that there was nothing to fear, and that the Mighty Aleph had been dormant for years. His intuition, however, told him otherwise. He then realized that the baby was extraordinarily silent. He went to check the bassinet, and found to his great surprise and shock, that the baby was missing. Not a stone was left unturned in searching for the child. He rushed down the stairs only to find his mother with the baby, giving it fresh milk. Upon seeing Andrew, her eyebrows furrowed, and Andrew prepared himself for the verbal onslaught he was about to receive. " Nothing. That's what you told me last night, Andrew. 'It's nothing, mum, really'. Those were your words, were they not?" "Well, those weren't my exact words." " That's NOT the point Andrew. You dabbled in something that need not have been dabbled in. Have you any idea where this baby might have come from?" Andrew shook his head. " Well can I ask why you failed to notice the marking on the child's face?" " I didn't fail to notice it mother, I just.." " Didn't pay it any mind? That's what I thought," The mother hissed. " I'm also willing to bet you didn't find the letter beneath the baby's garments, did you? Well guess who did? ME! And you know what else? It identifies the baby as something more powerful than you can even fathom." She tossed the letter to Andrew. "Come and see me after you read this. By then I'm sure you'll have plenty of questions to ask. And by the way, you didn't sweep the floor." She stalked out of the room, leaving Andrew to look at the letter. The letter had a green wax seal, with the seal of a pagan church from the northern part of Angara. He ripped away the seal, and found a lengthy letter, written in a strange form of calligraphy. The letter read as follows:
Dear Recipient,
By now, we assume that you have seen the child, and we, the monks, are most grateful for showing human compassion and taking the child in. We must stress however that the child in your possession is not any ordinary child. One of the four children of the divine are in your hands, and we must insist that you treat with the greatest care. We delivered this baby to you, because you are the closest to Mount Aleph. In case you didn't know, the child you hold in your hands this instant the child of the spirit of the Venus elemental. It has the power to make things grow, and has the power to heal and even revive men, though it does not know it, or how to develop these powers as of yet. Your job is to help the child develop these powers within twenty years, and though it may seem like a somewhat simple task, we can assure you that it is more than arduous. Please meet with all the other recipients of the elemental children at the Venus Lighthouse when the child passes its first year. We thank you very much in cooperating with us.
The Monks of the Mercury Light house
Andrew read and reread the letter becoming more in shock with every reading. Feeling twice as humiliated as before he made his way into the next room. "You have read the letter, I presume." " Yes mother." " So what do you propose to do with this child? Do you plan to go through with what the monks say?" Looking more certain than he felt, he responded " Yes. I have the fullest intention of helping the monks. It's apparent that they are going to need my help and I feel it is my duty to help those in need." His mothers voice had a barely discernible edge. " Have you any idea as to what you would be getting yourself into? You are playing with the divine, which is force too great for you to even imagine. Once you get caught up in a web of religion, there is no turning back, and no getting out. You must stay out of this." " No, mother. You are the one who must stay out of this. It is none of your concern. I am entirely capable of making my own decisions without you having to make the decision for me. I am going to go on this quest tonight, with the child, and there is no one, not even you who can stop me!" Andrew snatched the baby from his mothers arms, and his mother hissed "Very well. But just know this: If you leave, you are not welcome back in this house again!" " Fine," Andrew hissed back, " I have no desire to return to a house where people don't support my decisions." And with that, he went off to pack. He left, as promised, later on that evening heading south, past a small village and crossing a great river, to head to the merchant town of Tolbi.
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It was icy (as usual) in and around the Mercury Lighthouse, but the air held less of a chill. Remrin and his party were to deliver the last of the four divine children. The snow crunched between their snowshoes, and the heat of the sun began to melt the thick layer of white. The last of the children, the Mercury baby was to be sent to the very top of the Mercury light house, where members of the Mercury clan were most likely to discover it. Laron was carrying the child, who was wrapped up in blankets of wool, and was sleeping soundly. They had already delivered the Jupiter child to the town just southwest of Vale , which was called Vault. They put that baby at the top of the bell tower, as the Wise one had instructed, and had left promptly, unseen and unheard. The Mars child had been placed in the protection of the people of Suhalla, a big city in the southern continent of Gondowan. The monks distrusted the Suhallans, fearing that they might try to sacrifice a child brought in by pagan monks. For now, all they could was pray. They could pray and hope for the survival of the child, but those were their limits. They finally managed to get to the top of the lighthouse, after a long and exhausting two hours of winding passages and fighting monsters. The baby awoke, but did not cry, as though it was eerily familiar to it. Laron, Julig, Remrin and Martim had all felt attached to the child and were sad to leave it alone. They then made their way down the stairs of the lighthouse and trudged on their way home.
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A bright and sunny day greeted Imil. The air around them was crisp and fresh, not to mention cold. Winter's grasp had not yet left Imil, nor would it leave until late May. The village was covered with an inch thick mixture of snow and ice. The villagers shivered that morning as they made their way to work. Several of the children skated on the ice, which, despite its apparent thickness, one could see straight to the bottom. Imil prided themselves on being an industrial and strong village, though not quite so strong as the southern city of Vale. They had an inn for the occasional visitor that strolled in, though for much of the time the village was a naturally isolated one, because the mountains beyond them proved to be a land barrier, in a sense. They also had the Mercury Clan. The Mercury Clan was Imil's pride and joy for they (so the story goes) were appointed by the Wise One to guard the Lighthouse Aerie, or as it was better known the Mercury Lighthouse. On a daily basis, the Mercury Clan would go to the top of the lighthouse to pray for the health and well being of Imil. On this particular day however, something strange appeared at the top of the lighthouse. A baby wrapped in cloth, with a marking much like a droplet of water on its forehead. The matriarch of the Mercury Clan, Ria looked on in amazement. " This must be a gift from the Wise One as a sign of good fortune." Ria always had a tendency to jump to conclusions. She always seemed overexcited about anything religious. Her daughter Aria, however, was nonchalant about the seemingly spectacular finding. " Mother, it is simply a child. It is obviously one from the village." " Have you seen any babies that look like this, Aria? Babies with markings like these don't turn up on everyone's doorstep, you know." Aria rolled her eyes in exasperation. Her naturally blue hair glistened in the morning sunlight. A sprightly girl of seventeen, Aria was a pretty girl, though not beautiful. She had gray eyes with flecks of green, and was a petite though shapely girl. She had been quite attractive to most of the men in the village, although none had even remotely caught her interest. She wanted to be a cultured woman, traveling outside the northern continent of Angara, and heading down south to Suhalla and Lalivero. She always came out unhappy when dreaming of these things, however, as her duty to the Mercury Clan came ahead of her duties to herself, despite her incessant frustration with that fact. "Mother, do not get overexcited. It is just some completely random child, probably brought by some good Samaritans to be blessed with good fortune and health." " Why are you so indifferent to such extraordinary things?" "Look at the child mother. She cries, smiles and wets her diaper just like any other baby does. See?" Aria took the child in her arms, and a great blue light flashed before her and eventually, it enveloped her. Gradually, the blue disappeared, leaving Aria with a paled and shocked look, and her mother with an expression that said "I told you so." Aria, white-knuckled and standing ramrod straight, managed to utter but a few words: " Mother, I fear I've been possessed." Her mother smiled." Do not fear, Aria. This awesome power seems frightful, but it can be assured that the light you were in , seconds ago, was a holy one. You have been blessed by something, Aria. The question now is what?"
A shaken and distraught Aria was taken, along with the mysterious child back to Imil, whereupon Aria returned to her house. Aria had brought the baby with her, suddenly feeling the urge to protect this baby. The baby, however, was behaving less than angelically. It wailed and screamed ceaselessly for three hours. It was then that the family realized that something was making the baby extremely uncomfortable. They searched through the bassinet, finally finding a letter with the seal of the Lighthouse Aerie. It was a note from the monks, read as follows:
Mercury Clan Family Members
This baby, as mow may know was delivered to you by chance. This baby has such awesome, irrefutable power which we are leaving to you to develop within the next twenty years. These powers we speak of are the ability to heal, revive, freeze water, etc. By now you must know that this baby is the child of Mercury, which is why we have assigned this task to you. We must insist, however, that you do not come to the Mercury Lighthouse. In place of that, We have chosen the Venus Lighthouse as our meeting place. Three other children have been delivered to their respective places, and we, the monks, wish you all to arrive at the Venus Lighthouse a year from this day.
Thank You
"Something must have happened. Something out of order. Something grave. We must set out at once," said Aria's mother. " We'll pack our bags tonight, and set out tomorrow morning." " NO, mother." Aria was sitting upright and stared at her mother with such intensity that made her cringe. " I will be the only one going. I will be the one to set out tomorrow morning, with the bags and baby in hand. You will stay and protect the lighthouse." " Are you mad Aria? Stark RAVING mad?" You would never be able to survive out there on your own. You would need someone to protect you. Like your father, perhaps. Yes he would be able to .." " Mother, I am quite capable of doing this myself. In case you haven't noticed, I'm practically a woman now." " But Aria.." " What mother? Do you still not believe I can take this? This is exactly why I wanted to leave Imil, you know. I never get any respect or consideration, because I am the youngest, and I am APPARENTLY incapable of making my own decisions. Well, that is over. You can say good bye to me mother, For you will not hear from me for quite some time. Good-bye." Aria stalked off to pack, leaving Ria, her mother, in a state of great shock. A rainy and wet day was imminent in Suhalla. The clouds were already billowing over the once-blue sky, and the wind blew cold and hard. Many of the vendors had closed up shop already fearing the great winds coming down from the north would sweep them off their feet to some unknown place. The people of Suhalla had never ventured outside of the southern continents, few even had the desire. They were homebodies in their own right, and that was the way they preferred it. People shivered in the bitter cold, and rushed to their cottage like abodes to warm themselves beside the fire. It was growing incredibly dark outside, despite it only being eleven o'clock in the morning. The shutters banged against the windows periodically, releasing an incredibly spooky, though at the same time incredibly annoying. Not a soul was outside as the rains fell down. No one, that is, except for Oliver. He was a very sinewy boy of eighteen, with unusually exotic good looks. He had shoulder length brown hair on his head, and his skin was a golden bronze. It was his eyes however, that truly shocked people. No one had seen eyes like Oliver's . They were a dark shade of blue-green, and most were hypnotized by them. He didn't pay them any mind, though, for he didn't need others to reassure him that he was good-looking. He was over confident and , sometimes, incredibly conceited. He was well aware of the fact that he came from a privileged family and loved to be noticed wherever he went in Suhalla. He loved to cause trouble, and was often the person who provoked a good fight. He prided him self on being the best looking man in Suhalla, though the townspeople had other opinions. Underneath it all, Oliver was a very devoted member of the Mars Clan, and was generally good humoured. However, Oliver had been stuck out in the cold for quite some time, after having tried to buy food for the family before the ominous storm. He was especially livid, as his family, having forgotten he had gone out to the market, had locked the door. "I detest being outside when I don't need to be. Especially when it is windy. But of course, Oliver always has to go to the market and do menial tasks like getting food. " Oliver paced back and forth on the front porch. " I think it's a conspiracy. They just want me out of the house so that they can take a breather. Well, they are going to get told, whether or not it was an accident." He banged on the door three times, and finally, his grandfather, frustrated and angry, came out and said "You could have used the back door, you know. It's not that long a walk." " The backyard? Are you kidding me? There are large bloodhounds in the back, grandfather, and you know what they do at the sight of food." " Oh come in and shut up or there will be duct tape where your mouth used to be." Oliver trudged in grumpily, and hung up his cloak. "Is there any particular reason why I was left out side? Something more pressing come up?" " As a matter of fact, yes Oliver." " Looks like you need to sort out your priorities, grandfather. You might feel better if you did." " Firstly, I most certainly did have my head on straight in leaving you outside, for it afforded me some peace and quiet. Secondly , I feel absolutely fine. As far as I'm concerned. The only person here that needs to rearrange their priorities is you. Now be off with you." Oliver could not find words to express his rage. He then turned his attention to the table. A strange object in a bassinet lay there. " Grandpa, what is that?" "What's what?" " That, on the table?" " That? Oh. It's nothing. Now go upstairs and change, or you'll catch a chill." " FINE, Grandpa, I'll see you at dinner." Oliver stalked off to his bedroom, muttering obscenities under his breath. He quickly changed out of his other clothes and dropped them onto the freshly cleaned floor. He stopped to look into his mirror and admired his physique. While he was tall and thin, he was somewhat muscular. He had an excellent upper body , with finely toned muscles. He did his customary flexes, and put on his crisp, white, shirt, which fitted his form perfectly. He then put on his black, leather like pants and began walking to the kitchen. He heard some hushed voices speaking, and despite the intense urge to barge in, he kept behind the wall. His grandfather was speaking with his mother, and both seemed nervous and worried. " And what do suppose we do with this. thing?" asked Oliver's mother " Well, it was apparently sent by pagan monks according to the letter, begging us to help this baby with it's so-called powers. To me it is a child sent from the devil, and we ought not to keep it alive. Meddling with polytheistic religions is not what I like to spend my time doing." " But what if the child truly does need our help. What if something terribly grave happens to it?" "Why should that be any of our concern? The child isn't ours. So what if we do away with it?" Grandfather said indifferently. " It is not in our best interest. Besides, it says in the ancient scrolls that it would be unwise to murder a child, even that of an infidel." " Well those who wrote the Ancient Scrolls can go fly a kite. An infidel is an infidel, no matter which way one looks at it." "But Papa." " SILENCE!" Grandfather shrieked. " The day after tomorrow we shall both sacrifice this baby we shall both kill it, or so help me you will be hanged, drawn and quartered!" And with that, an agitated Grandfather stalked off. Oliver's mother, in a state of perplexity, sat down and began to cry. Oliver, after having heard the conversation, walked silently into the kitchen, and sat next to his mother, acting as though he hadn't been eavesdropping. His mother's face was hidden under a pile of knotted, brown hair which fell to her waistline. She looked up at Oliver and sniffled. " What do you want? Don't you have more important things to attend to, like your wardrobe?" " When my mother is crying, I tend to ask about what got her into that state of mind. Unlike most people in this household, I care about things. Especially you." " Grandpa was in a state, an exchange of words ensued , and some things that shouldn't have been said. That's all, Oliver." " Mother, it is not like you to cry. You can normally handle Grandpa and his sardonic wit. Come, it must have been something more serious than that." " It was nothing, Oliver." Oliver's face remained uncertain, and he said, " We shall speak more of this after supper." Oliver walked quietly out of the kitchen, wondering if something out of the ordinary had happened. Everyone was quiet at dinner, but it was not a comfortable kind of silence. It was the kind of silence one knew meant trouble. Something was being hidden, and every one knew it. It was a question of what. Oliver sat next to his weepy mother, hoping someone would make conversation. When nothing happened, Oliver decided to solve this problem. " SO, How was everyone's day?" Complete and utter silence ensued. Then, out of the blue, Grandpa replied, "Satisfying." " What on earth do you mean, SATISFYING?" " I found a child on our doorstep today. And not just any child, Oh no. I found a pagan child today." Oliver, in a state of shock, dropped his knife and fork to the ground. It made a harsh crashing sound. Oliver retrieved them, wide- eyed with wonder." " And just where did you find this, grandpa?" " On our front door step." " Who do you suppose would leave something like that on our front doorstep?" " A group of pagan monks from the north brought them to us. I imagine they think we're going to protect it." " And why wouldn't we?" " Because it houses incredible power, which in my opinion is evil. I'm.. going to away with it." Oliver's look of shock and amazement turned into one of sheer rage. " You are heartless. I hope you know that. A baby comes into this town, unaware of it's powers, and you wish to do away with it? I couldn't live with my self I had killed an innocent child." Oliver stalked over to his grandfather. " Now I understand why mother was crying. You had the indecency to tell her she had to participate in this baby killing. And of course, If anyone goes against your will, they have to face your weak and stupid wrath, don't they?" Oliver hissed " SILENCE, YOU INSOLENT BEAST!" " NO GRANDPA, I WON'T BE SILENT! You have tormented me and mother long enough. It's time for us to leave, and when I say us, I mean the baby too." Oliver stalked away from the room with his mother. His mother, weak-kneed and bleary-eyed from crying left with him. Oliver stomped up the stairs to his room and upon arriving, began to pack his things furiously. He stuffed all of his weapons and clothes into his bag. He looked for any spare money he could find. He then remembered he had forgotten something: the baby. He looked all around the upper floor and ventured into the attic. It was there that he found the baby, crying and screaming. He looked in the bassinet and picked up the baby. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of fluorescent red light enveloped Oliver from a strange marking on the baby's right cheek, which was reminiscent of a burning flame. " I knew you had powers, young one, but this is beyond all realm of possibility. Any how we have to go.. Grandpa will try everything he can to stop us, and I want to be ready for it. " Oliver. We have to leave. NOW! Let's go!" Then Oliver ran down the stairs hoping to find his mother. He was stopped by his grandfather, now holding a huge fire poker. Oliver fumbled frantically for his sword, and found it wasn't there. " Looking for this? I found it and I thought I would take it. I never thought I'd kill an infidel with it." All of a sudden, out of nowhere, Oliver's mother came out and smashed the grandfather on the head with a large metal pot. The grandfather fell to the ground, unconscious. " Are you all right, Oliver?" " Yes." " Good. Now get your sword back, and meet me outside of the house. We have a long journey ahead of us."
It was going to be a hot day in the city of Vault. The crickets had already come out at seven o'clock in the morning, and not a cloud was in the sky. The grass was wet from the storm the night before, which meant that anyone stepping in it would hear the sound of mud between their toes. Given the oncoming heat however, it was no surprise that later on in the day it would dry up completely. Vault was a very small town, but it was as full of life as any other city in Angara. The houses were stately and large, though the exterior paint was chipping off, giving them the look of a barn. The people were outwardly friendly, though extremely suspicious of any one strange and odd. Vaults people were so prejudiced because most of the people were middle or upper-class merchants. New additions to the town were put to work by the rich as servants, though most foreigners with little money or food were more than happy to accept any occupation that was offered. Such was the case with Naree. She had been working with her master for since childhood to make some money after having her parents abandon her in Vault. She only had a vague idea of her real home in Xian, though she knew that it was far away, and that she had no desire to return to those who abandoned her. She had just woken up, and was ready for a new day to begin. She rather enjoyed routine, which is why she liked her job. She was a generally pleasant, outgoing, and funny person by nature, and was a role model for all of the younger servants in the household. However, despite being all of these things, she was very subservient and passive, allowing people (including her master) to demean her. She really detested it, but for fear of losing her job, she kept quiet. She stretched as the early morning sun crept through her curtains. She shuffled along, her long purple slightly frizzy and disheveled. She threw off her night gown and crept into the shower, wincing as the cold water hit her back. She was a rather petite girl with a pale though golden complexion. Her eyes were a crystalline emerald with small flecks of cobalt in them. She was a very athletic girl, though not full figured and had very full lips. Her looks were not taken note of, though time and time again she saw her master make a sideways glance in her direction. She rather disliked her master, and considered him to be a selfish old coot. She stepped out of the shower , small goosebumps appeared on her legs and arms, and she began to convulse in shivers. She tied her hair up in a neat bun, which concealed its length, wrapped her towel around her, and began to put on her everyday clothes. Naree quickly checked the time on the large town clock from her window. It was eight o'clock. Her master would be awake soon, and she had to prepare breakfast for him. She rushed down the stairs to the kitchen tying her apron as she went. She then sighed in despair and remembered that her master was having a grand banquet tonight. This day, she thought, is going to be very long. She finally managed to finish breakfast for the family, and called all of the other servants for assistance. Making a meal for a family of nine is hard enough as it is with out having to carry it too. She and the servants took it into the dining hall, where they gave the family their meals without thanks, and returned to doing menial chores around the mansion. Naree, however, returned to the kitchen to bake the pheasant for the coming evening. There was also roast beef, figs , rice and fondue to be made within a stretch of ten hours. As she was cooking, she heard small, silent footsteps creeping towards her. Then, someone grabbed her from behind and held her mouth closed. " Hello there Naree. It's your one and only." "Let go," was the muffled reply. " Oh but I can't do that until you make me a promise, and that is of course that you will keep the secret I am about to tell you." Naree shook her head yes. " Good." He let her go, though her body was still shaking. " There is something strange in the attic. Really strange. I need someone to go check it out. Now." " Or else what?" " Or I'll be forced to abuse my power," he said, giving a light , though passionate kiss on the back of her neck. " I will do it , when I have finished preparing for the banquet, master." " I don't think you understood when I said now. But I will wait until later. And count on the fact that I will be back for you." And with a click of his heels, he was gone. Naree, shivering with fright, returned to her work, wondering what could have possessed her master to do such a thing. However, she knew she had better follow orders, or trouble would ensue.
It was late in the evening and Naree, was almost finishing the dishes. Her face was tear streaked, after having been degraded and ridiculed. The words "little whore" and "useless" were associated with her name, had she had had more than her fill of insults. Again some one grabbed her from behind. She turned around, only to find the sinister face of the master. " Naree, my sweet, whatever is the matter? " he said, caressing her face. Naree jerked away in anger. " Don't touch me.' " We mustn't be feisty now, my dear, remember? We have a job to do together. LET'S GO!" He hissed. They slowly made their way up the attic. Naree, on her master's insistence had gone first. She felt, uncomfortable, though helpless. The wooden stairs leading to the attic made a squeaky, scary sound that only bats could love. As they made their way up a small cry was heard. Something like that of a baby's cry. The crying grew louder as they neared the attic. There could be no mistaking that the crying was that of a baby. Naree opened the door, and found the baby crying in the bassinet. Naree went out to touch the baby, though a look from her master said no. The master came up to her, nuzzled her, and said, "We have some unfinished business." He then made a move for the door and locked it tightly. He then shoved Naree up against the wall violently, and ripped of her clothes. Naree screamed and fought with him, though she was no physical match for him. He then raped her violently, shrieks of pain coming from Naree. Once finished, he pulled up his pants, gave a kiss to the now shaky and frightened girl, said "I'll be back for more..", and left her to cry. After several hours, Naree's tears subsided. She was in extreme pain, though dared not to walk and try escape. She just crawled over to the baby's bassinet. The baby was fast asleep. It had an interesting mark on its cheek. It looked like a great wind. She stared at it in wonder and awe. She then touched it. Then, a dazzling purple light lit up the room and promptly disappeared. Naree suddenly felt strong. Her pain had subsided somewhat though she cringed as she tried to stand up. She picked up the baby and as she did, a letter fell out. She bent over gently to pick it up, and saw it had the seal of the light house of the north. Balancing the baby in one arm, she ripped open the seal and read the letter:
Dear Recipient,
By now we assume you know that this baby is no ordinary baby. This letter is going to confirm and surpass any suspicion you had about this child before. This child is the child of Jupiter, and though they have not been developed, have extraordinary powers. It will have the ability to read minds, and reveal hidden truths as it matures, though you have to be the one to develop it. There are three other children which have been delivered before you, and we have all given them the same message: Bring them to the Venus Lighthouse on its first birthday.
We thank you for your cooperation
The monks of the Mercury Lighthouse.
Naree dropped he letter in shock. I am holding the child of the divine? Can it really be? She paced around nervously, searing pain traveling up her thigh with every step. This is too much for one night, she thought. She gingerly felt at her thigh. She was bleeding heavily in that area now, and once again began to cry. The baby, hearing her cry, reached out and grabbed her face, as though to wipe away the pain and suffering of the previous gesture. The baby looked up at her with a half smile, and gave a look that said not to worry. This child obviously understands me. But how? Why? She paced around the attic again for several hours, thinking Should I go through with this, what good would come of it? It would take any pressure away. But I somehow feel that the child is my responsibility. It is decided then... I must go. She hurried back to her room from the attic, making sure to remain as silent as possible. Still wincing in pain, she arrived at the front door, only to be greeted by one of the children. The child looked up in wonder at the baby, then whispered," What are you doing, servant- girl?" ' I'm protecting something." "What?" None of your business. Now off to bed." "NO!" "Off to bed, or I'll be sure to tie you up and make sure never leave this spot." " I'll scream." " No you won't." Naree lifted up the other child, took her into her quarters, and tied the child to a chair. Upon doing so, she immediately found a small towel and wrapped it around the child's mouth. "That ought to shut you up." The child watched as she packed her things. Naree only took any thing she felt she needed like, her robes, a few clothes, a hairbrush some herbs and a weapon in case of attack. She brought her trusty long-sword , which she hid in the back. Since it was her father's she never used it, but she flet she needed it for a worst case scenario. With all of her things packed, and the baby in hand, she left the child behind, ignoring his muffled cries for help. She sneaked down the stairs, her steps barely discernible from the creak of the window shutters. She exited through the back entrance, and quickly made her way out of the town to the merchant town of Tolbi.