*The Guardian Awakens*

"Mayor, please stop and consider what you're about to do," the Great Healer urged.

"I know exactly what I'm about to do," the Mayor said. "There's simply no other way to ensure Vale's safety."

"What evidence do you have to back up your claims? You cannot carry out such a drastic measure without being certain. To do otherwise would be to turn your back on everything you stand for."

"Are you saying that I'm wrong about that devil?" the Mayor inquired.

"I'm saying that you shouldn't let your own biases cloud your better judgment," the Healer replied. "You cannot forget that Isaac is still a little boy. Are you truly prepared to tear a frightened child away from his parents and then execute him without due process? To inflict that kind of heartache onto Kyle and Dora? That's not something you can reverse, Mayor. And if you're proven wrong…"

"I am not wrong," said the Mayor firmly. "If you do not wish to participate in this matter, go back to the sanctum. I can handle it myself."

The Great Healer sighed to himself. While it was true that he had his doubts about Isaac, he didn't believe for a moment that this was right. To shun the boy was one thing; to kill him was something else entirely. But how was he to stop such an order from being carried out?

They arrived at the house in question, and three small figures were blocking the door. The trio glared up at the adults defiantly, determined to prevent them from entering the structure.

"Garet!" the Mayor said sharply. "What do you think you're doing here?"

"I can't let you hurt Isaac, Grandpa," said Garet as resolutely as he could manage.

"He's our friend," Felix added. "And we don't want any of you grown-ups being mean to him anymore!"

"If you want him, you have to go through us first!" Jenna declared.

The Mayor visibly fumed. "We will discuss this later, Garet. I have a job to do, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." He easily pushed the small sentries aside and opened the door. But the house was unoccupied. Drawers and cupboards still hung open and items were scattered about in complete disarray.

"They fled…" the Great Healer trailed in disbelief.

"Well I'll be," said the Mayor, also stunned. "I never would've thought they would disregard the ancient laws of Vale."

"Then Isaac's gone forever?" Felix questioned.

"No!" Jenna cried. "He can't be gone! He just can't be!"

Garet whirled on his grandfather. "This is all your fault! He was my best friend, Grandpa! How could you?"

The Mayor was about to speak when shouts of panic resounded from the plaza. Instantly, he, the Great Healer, and the three children ran off down the hill to see just what was going on.

************

Kyle tried to swallow all of his apprehension. He'd never left the gates of Vale during his entire life, and to do so was to violate the town's most sacred law. But to stay…no, staying had not been an option. He'd almost lost this child once and the thought of it being permanent was simply too heartbreaking to fathom.

"I can't believe this," Dora muttered. "I just can't believe this. We actually left Vale!"

"Would you rather have stayed?"

"Certainly not! I wasn't about to let you and Isaac go off by yourselves. But Kyle, we broke the law. We'll never be allowed to go back after this. Not ever."

"We'll be all right, Dora. The three of us are together and that's all that matters. We can make a new life somewhere, in a place where the people are actually sensible. We'll be fine as long as we stay together."

She nodded. "Right. A lost possession can be replaced; a lost life can't."

They stopped to rest by a cluster of rocks. The lights of Vale could still be seen in the distance, but no one would come for them. No one would dare. The outside world was wrought with dangers and the Valeans had long been told that fleeing the village meant certain death. Of the three people who'd dared to leave that safe haven, only one of them was unaware of these stories, yet Isaac was far from relaxed. He couldn't believe that they'd actually left the village, and he didn't have any clue as to why--only that it was a bad thing to do. He looked back at Vale after his father had set him down and thought about Jenna, Garet and Felix. Would they be safe when the thieves came? Would he ever see them again?

Dora pulled him into her lap to shield him from the growing chill in the air. This spring weather could still be tricky and unpredictable. She turned to her husband and whispered, "We can't stay out in the open for long. The chill in the air could kill him."

"I know, I know. Believe me, I know. I'll think of something…somehow." Kyle was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and he knew his wife was much the same way. Neither of them had slept a wink last night, having been too concerned about their son, and they were paying for that lack of proper rest now. They needed shelter, but there was no way of telling how far it was to the next town. If only there'd been more time to plan this excursion. He truly didn't know what to do, and the two most important lives he knew of were relying on his guidance. Isaac was staring at him, his eyes big and anxious too. Kyle met the gaze and felt a calm quell some of the fear resonating within him. There wasn't a doubt in his mind about his decision when he looked into those azure orbs--none at all. He tousled Isaac's hair. "Don't worry, Isaac. We'll be all right, I promise."

"It is beautiful out here," Dora said after a moment's pause. "You don't get the sense of how big and open it is from within the gates. What do you think is out there?"

"You mean aside from the wandering marauders?"

"Kyle! I hardly think this is a time for jokes!"

He chuckled under his breath. "I'm sure everything will fall into place. There's a future waiting out there for us; a new home in a new town with new laws and new people. And with any luck, not a single blasted superstition! We can live normal lives, and no one will ever harass Isaac again."

"Your enthusiasm is almost contagious. It does sound wonderful when you put it that way. Don't you think so, Isaac? No more bullies bothering you, and I'm sure you'll make lots of new friends."

New friends? Isaac certainly liked the idea of never being pushed in the mud or being called "devil" or "demon" again. But he already had friends, and he didn't want new ones. There would never be anyone who could replace Garet, Jenna and Felix, the first people who'd ever liked him just as he was, voiceless or not. The thought of never seeing them again hurt as much now as it had yesterday when the grown-ups had dragged them from the clearing. This whole thing didn't feel right. Not at all.

"What's the matter, honey?" his mother asked, sensing something uneasy in him.

"He's probably just nervous about leaving town," said Kyle. "You're not the only one, son. But we'll be OK."

Isaac felt something coming. He wasn't sure what it was but it wasn't good. He wiggled free of his mother's grasp and paced a few steps back towards the village, studying it. What was this feeling he had? The moon in the sky was far from its peak position. Had the thieves come early? Something was really wrong.

"Let's get moving again," his father said. "Hopefully we can reach another town before this night's over."

"The sooner the better," Dora agreed. They rose and were ready to leave the spot when something appeared before them--a gray tabby cat with yellow eyes. Isaac was shocked but pleased to see it. The cat, however, stared at all of them strangely.

"Well if it isn't my trusty guide," Kyle said. "Must be it couldn't stand staying in Vale either." He bent down to touch it, but the cat hissed and took a swipe at his hand. It arched its back and emitted a low growl, scornful and mean.

"I thought you said it was a friendly cat."

"It is--or it was."

Isaac crouched to meet the yellow eyes full on. The cat seemed to be telling him something through its gaze. How can you turn your back on them? Those people are too blind, weak, and stupid to protect themselves. You cannot abandon them, little one. You are all they have.

Had that cat spoken to him? No, animals couldn't talk anymore than he could. But that was the same voice he'd heard last night in the woods. What if…?

You were chosen for something great, little one. The people will never understand if you run away.

Isaac nodded and scooped up the cat to give it a thankful hug. His parents puzzled at how docile the feline had suddenly become. After a moment, Isaac set it down and turned back for Vale until his father halted him.

"You can't go back there, Isaac," he said. "It's not safe for you there anymore."

Isaac shook his head. He didn't expect his parents to understand why he had to go back. He wasn't even sure if he understood it himself. But an unexpected cry of turmoil from the cluster of buildings down the road, followed by a plume of flame and smoke, made his case clear without any words. And with a resolve none of them knew they had, the three of them immediately headed back towards Vale.

************

Fearing that their unexpected visitor may have spoiled their plans, the group of brigands had decided to strike long before they'd originally intended. This meant that most of the townsfolk would be awake, but that didn't matter as long as the element of surprise was preserved. Using stealth, the thieves had set fire to the inn, the blacksmith's shop, and much of the marketplace, causing an uproar distracting enough to allow part of their group to go looking for the rumored treasure. The rest were about the plaza making sure that no one found out what was really going on.

Such was the scene that Kyle, Dora and Isaac returned to. The laws of Vale also declared that Psynergy was not to be used in the presence of outsiders, since it was a power that the ancients had sworn to protect and keep secret. Thus the Valeans were almost completely at the mercy of the thieves, having to use brute force against the pack of very strong men. Clearly a losing battle for the village. With machete in hand, Kyle went to aid those fighting the thieves. Dora left Isaac in one of the nooks in the cliffside where he'd be safe, and then went to help extinguish the fires. But Isaac had ideas of his own. Once his mother was out of sight, he unfurled himself from the quilt and left to find his friends.

The upper sections of town seemed abandoned since everyone was down in the plaza. But since Isaac hadn't seen Garet, Jenna or Felix in the chaos back there, he figured that they had to be somewhere up here. He pressed forward as fast as he could, wishing there were some way he could alert them of his presence. Once he'd reached his house, however, he saw a few figures just around the corner. It was Garet and the others all right, along with their mothers and Garet's younger sister. They were crouched in the shadow of the building, obviously hoping that no one would spot them there.

"I wish we knew what was going on down there," Helen said nervously as she kept a tight grip on Jenna and Felix. "It looks bad."

"What's going to happen to Vale?" Felix asked.

"Everything will be fine," his mother said unconvincingly. "Perfectly fine."

Isaac approached them somewhat cautiously, and the moment his friends saw him they jumped up to greet him.

"You came back!" Garet cried.

"We missed you Isaac!" Jenna said.

"Don't ever leave us again, OK?" Felix added.

Helen and Ida leapt to their feet when they realized who was there. They in turn snatched their children away and started moving in search of a new hiding place.

"Bad enough we have these outsiders to worry about, but now the devil's returned as well!" Ida huffed.

"Mom, let go of me!" Garet protested.

"Haven't you done enough damage?" Helen inquired of Isaac. "It's your fault these men came here, and look at what they've done to the village!"

Isaac shook his head. Why did she think he would bring these bad men here? This was his home too, and he didn't want anything to happen to it either. He followed the group as they moved further up the hill, even though both Ida and Helen kept trying to fend him off with kicked stones. Jenna, Garet and Felix protested the whole while, begging their mothers to leave him alone.

That was when it happened. The leader of the bandits had been heading up hill on his own in the hope of finding his precious treasure. But he didn't see the small group of people crossing his path, and he consequently ran into them. For a moment, everything was a pile of confusion, then the bandit got to his feet and stood over the women and children with his sword at the ready.

"Where is the treasure?" he demanded. "Take me to it right now!"

"Treasure?" Ida asked. "What treasure?"

"Don't play dumb with me! I know there's a treasure hidden in this rat hole. Now where is it?"

"Vale has never had any sort of treasure," said Helen. "That's the truth!"

The thief was visibly irritated. "Won't talk, huh? I have ways of making you people cooperate." In a flash, he reached down and grabbed Jenna, bringing the edge of his sword to her neck. She cried out in panic, as did the others. "Tell me where the treasure is or this brat gets it!"

"Please let her go!" Helen begged. "She's just a child!"

"The treasure!"

"There is no treasure!" Ida said pleadingly. "If there was one, we'd give it to you if it meant you'd leave us alone!"

He wasn't satisfied in the least, and turned back down the hill with Jenna still in tow, hoping that he might be able to extract what he wanted from another source.

"Mommy!" Jenna shouted in complete terror.

"Shut up you little brat!" the bandit growled.

"Jenna!" The others called in equal panic. They all started following the heartless man, but Isaac chose to take a different, faster route. He reached the plaza at precisely the same moment as the man. The bandit stood before the giant Psynergy stone and started shouting out his demands to the crowd of people, all the while keeping his sword pointed at Jenna's neck. Isaac met her eyes for a spit second and saw her tears of fear. His heart thumped against his ribcage as he slowly crept around to the backside of the Psynergy stone. Something seemed to be calling him to it.

The plaza was far from calm even with the leader of the thieves demanding everyone's full attention with his proclamation. Simon was naturally only a few feet away trying to coax the man into letting his daughter go. Some of the other thieves were still tussling with the other villagers. Isaac slowly climbed up the Psynergy stone, a difficult task due to the its smooth, shiny surface. When he reached the top, he was able to look right down at the leader and Jenna. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that frightened him even more--his father dueling with one of the other brigands! Kyle had obviously taken a few hits, and his small machete was no match for the huge sword his opponent had. The thief lifted his weapon high above his head, the blade gleaming amid the light of the fires.

Something snapped. From his place kneeling atop the Psynergy stone, Isaac clasped his hands together and felt a rush of raw energy surging throughout his body. An instinct he wasn't sure he understood seized control of his mind. He closed his eyes and held nothing back, letting whatever kind of power this was overtake him completely. This would save his father, Jenna, and the entire village. It just had to!

Every citizen of Vale, along with the gang of thieves, was nearly blinded by the bright golden light suddenly radiating from the Psynergy stone, though all their eyes instinctively traveled up to its apex to glimpse the source of the phenomenon. And all of them were awestruck when they saw the tiny figure that was shining brighter than the sun itself.

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You knew I had to leave you with at least one more evil cliffhanger, right? ^_^ The end is near…or is it the beginning?