Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun, the ultimate game of the Universe
Chapter 4: The Heaven Rock
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"Run, Mia…" Isaac cried as he was
pressed down upon his back by a mob of furious beasts. "Leave this accursed place. I can't bear to see you taken, or
killed….LEAVE!"
Isaac howled and leaped up and
decapitated the front most wolf. He
charged relentlessly through the beast, and strives to drive his Excalibur into
the old man's heart.
"I honor your courage, little one, but you don't have the slightest idea who you're up against!" The old man laughed, and pointed his bony fist toward Isaac.
At the tiniest hint of light, a sudden dense burst of psynergy shot shoot out of the tip of the finger, and it goes right through Isaac's chest.
"ISAAC!" Mia cried in pain, as she saw Isaac fall on the ground, his eyes closed. She look around and saw the beasts surrounding her, baring their teeth and snarling. The craving to tear and thrash was in their eyes. She glanced sideways, and saw all her friends were down, blood soaking within their robe and armor. Isaac lay lifeless. "Who are you!? What have we done to suffer this tragedy and death?" Mia cried as a club smashed onto her head, sending her spirit into unconsciousness.
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"You are awake, little one."
Isaac slowly opened his eyes and saw the old man's face right in front of him. The old man laughed, and began pacing around him. Isaac looked around and saw the others lying around him, and their bodies and hands were bounded by tough hides or ropes. He struggled and tried to break the rope, but the rope seems to be enchanted, and it tightened and hardened as Isaac squirmed.
"I admire you and your friends' courage and style, but do not tried to leave, for I have some things to question you people." The old man raises his pointed finger and snarled.
"Hey old man, get me out of this rope INSTANTLY!"
The others are slowly awakening. The one that just shout (undoubtedly) was Garet. He had awakened painfully, his body aching from head to toe. He is not in a good mood.
"Hey, don't make me repeat, you ugly old fart," Garet cried in menace. "Wait till I get…"
The old man suddenly glared at Garet with an odd light in his eyes. "What are you gonna do? You, who can even beat my minions, hope to get revenge on me? HA!"
"Ah…I see all of you are awake by now. I have taken your words and trust that you are indeed wandering travelers. Yet…I was awed that you have the powers…that I, Nanth of the Akelian, known as Psynergy…" the old man muttered.
"You know psynergy?!!" The friends cried altogether.
"Fools!" Nanth bellowed. "The Akelia knows all! We are the rulers of Weyard! The noontide of Alchemy was as clear as ever. Lemuria, Shaman, the Anemos! They all bowed under our might, seeking refuges and peace under our wrathful yet commanding finger! Those…those were the days. Food, shelter, even games were there whenever there's need. The people of Weyard constantly bathed under the ray of the Golden Sun. We…we are happy. Until…until those reformist, those that claim alchemy as the root of evil, war, and greed!" Nanth cried vigorously and shook his fist. He seems to be in some kind of trance, unknown to Isaac and the others awing eyes.
"They proceed from the accursed continent of Angara, and they searched. They quested for the root of Alchemy, the source of Psynergy, the producer, conductor of power! King Isox commanded me to stop them immediately, in fear that they will foolishly sealed away Weyard supporting nutrients. But they found the power, the root, before I did. It is here!" He made a sudden dramatic gesture, and pointed toward a magnificent rock, towering over the caves and trees.
"This is a mystical place. Flowers used to bloom, trees, waters, and animals lived together in harmony and order. But they came, and ventured into the Vlastroling, our word for the Heaven Rock. They came to the core, and started rising their tools toward the mother of their power, and start hacking away at the unlimited source of power. Then I came. I was enraged at their foolishness and stupidity. I weep at the damage they had done to our great power. I show no remorse to those who defy Weyard our sacred land. I killed many, and wounded the rest. I bow toward the psynergy rock, and it speaks to my mind. I then had a sudden inspiration. 'If I could borrow the power of the root, Akelia would bloom, and none would again dared to seal away Vlastroling!' I began calling away the power, and I feel the power, drifting into veins. But…those treacherous people, they jumped upon me, and hurled upon me their mightiest power available. I struggled, struggled in fury to release those fools. But they beat me, and forced me to give ground before them. Then I did an unforgettable mistake. Before they took me down, I unleashed my rage, and the ground itself breaks away in pain. And I threw my utmost power, focused into a beam, toward their leader – Arian, the one they called… The Wise One," Nanth gritted his mouth in anguish.
Isaac then looked at Mia in shock, a questioning look in his eyes. He mouthed, "Is he joking?"
Nanth didn't seem to notice Isaac's movement. "That Arian…I underestimated his power. My final wrath managed to shattered his weapon, The Lunar Caliber, but he had deflected my attack…toward the heart of the Heaven Rock, the root of Alchemy!" He put his face inside his hands. "I fall down in terror, and looked at my hand in shock. I, a faithful Akelian, had destroyed the one we cherished! I tried to move, and restore the stone, but I was too weak. The mighty stalagmite glowed in front of my eyes. It changed many times, from yellow, to red, to purple, and to blue. Suddenly, a mighty tremor took over the cave…and I thought I would be forever buried within the cave. But the quake soon stopped, and forced me to confront what I had most dread," he shook his head in lament as he recalled the memory of the day.
"Arian and his filthy minions bend and scoop up the remains of the broken stalagmite – four tiny stars, filled with tiny glowing light. I could remember me, sitting there helplessly, crying in rage and plea, 'Please, put the stars down! You can't possibly mean to seal the power of the lighthouses away into the stars! Please, don't! The world would fall, and shatter!' Then that Arian smiled coldly, and pointed into the broken interior of the spire, and speak, 'The light of Alchemy had been retrieved by us. The light hidden within is the dead remains of the remaining light. When the light is gone, then it means Alchemy is sealed.' I was in shock, as they chained me toward the side of the cave, and took turn casting draining spells on me, until I was weak, too weak, that could use psynergy anymore."
Nanth looked up into the sky. "Then they leaved, leaving me sprawling on the ground, tired and powerless. I don't know how I live to this day. The nutrition and fruits of this paradise could be contributed, or perhaps the sacred nature of my surrounding, but I feel no feelings to age. For centuries, I live in aloof, with the beasts as soldiers, the animals as friends. I taught them knowledge and power, and in return they kept me from turning insane. They have gain in size and strength; they are powerful, many times stronger than those I have seen. But for many years I live in a world without alchemy." Nanth looked at his limping hand with pity. "I saw the light dimmed in the stone, the light had been sealed. Many times I return to the stone, in hope of seeing the brilliance relit, but each time my hope was but fantasies."
Isaac suddenly felt an urge to remind Nanth that the lighthouses were relit, and Mt. Aleph was again bathed in the ray of the Golden Sun, but decided against it when he saw Nanth's face grimaced in fear and hatred.
"I should have known to kill that Arian. Many times had I advised King Isox to raid the land of Angara, to destroy their slowly strengthening, heretical tribe, but he refused, believing their power were to little to do anything. I should have killed them without hesitation. Once I leaved this island, I will kill them, and I will raid their village, leaving none alive…"
"What's their village called?" Garet suddenly butted in.
Nanth looked at Garet and whispered, "Vale."
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