Chapter 4

"Hey, Alex," Jenna greeted the Mercury Adept gently, sitting in the chair next to his bed. "How are you feeling?"
Alex opened one eye, which was slowly returning to it's normal shade of dark blue, and smiled. "I'm feeling better. I'm just tired."
"That's understandable," she nodded, biting her lip. She would never admit it, but she was desperately worried about him.
He opened both eyes this time. "Don't worry about me, Jen. I'm going to be fine."
"It might have been the arrow," Jenna went pink. "I'll talk to Isaac."
"Thanks," he smiled again and closed his eyes. He was clearly exhausted from their short conversation, and that alarmed her.
"Get some rest, alright?" she brushed one hand through his hair. He stiffened at the almost motherly action.
"Alright," he mumbled after a moment, and she stood and slipped out into the hall.
"Hey, Jenna," Garet was walking down the hall. "How's Alex?"
"H-he's getting better," she responded, trying not to cry. Alex WASN'T getting any better. If anything, he was getting worse.
"Oh, that's good," Garet either didn't notice the shakiness of her statement, or decided not to comment on it. She was pretty sure it was the latter. Most people thought Garet was a big, dumb, oaf, and half the time that was completely true. However, she had known him long enough to realize he was in truth very perceptive. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Jenna. He's going to be alright."
She felt a rush of gratitude towards the Mars Adept. "Thanks, Garet. I was just going to talk to Isaac about the arrow that hit him."
"Good thinking," he grinned at her, his fiery brown eyes soft for a moment. "We'll help him."
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"I don't know anything about the weapons," Isaac said for the fourth time. "I was only trained to use them."
They had all gathered in Ivan's room. Mia, Garet, and Jenna were sitting on the bed, Felix was sitting with his back up against it, and Ivan was sitting on the floor across from Isaac.
"Are you sure?" the Jupiter Adept pressed him, again. "Did Feh have you do something with Psynergy? Something that seemed perfectly normal?"
"Well," Isaac frowned. "He DID have me straiten out the wood with my Psynergy, but other than that, nothing."
"Hmmm," Ivan frowned himself. "That wouldn't do any serious damage to Alex. Could I read your mind? I might be able to find something."
"Uh," Isaac was a bit taken aback, then nodded. "Okay."
Ivan closed his eyes, and concentrated on the Venus Adept's memories.
He was pulled into a vortex of swirling color, mostly green and gold, with a hint of blue, red, and purple. The colors solidified, then came into sharp focus. He was standing in a clearing, surrounded by ancient trees. Feh was sitting on a smooth, old rock near the center, and a twelve-year-old Isaac was sitting on the ground next to him, eyes closed and a small smile on his face. Feh was speaking, but it had faded out into a soft hum, merely a background noise. Ivan could hear only what Isaac did, and this younger Isaac had decided to tune his mentor out.
To listen to the trees. They were singing to him, of the strength that ran through their limbs, of their roots searching deep into the earth. They sang of life and growing, of death and wilting. Each season had a song, and he knew each one, his heart singing along. The Earth beneath him hummed softly in the background, an ever solid presence, the grass around him sang, and even the rock beside him let out a slow, resonating hum. It was wonderful, intoxicating, filling him with strength and life.
"You're doing it again, aren't you," Feh snapped, his voice causing Isaac's voice in the intricate web of life to falter. A sharp kick between his shoulder blades caused his song to die. "I should burn this forest down."
"I won't do it anymore," Isaac said softly, only his eyes betraying his pain. "I promise, I won't."
The scene faded slowly into another time, another forest. The trees were younger, their songs fainter. Isaac, at fourteen, was standing among them, arms outstretched, his head thrown back to greet the sun, eyes closed. This time the song was out loud, the words foreign, but strangely familiar.
Everything was slowly becoming clear to Ivan, who had seen Felix do much of the same thing in the woods when he thought no one was around.
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*We all became Adepts when we were very young. Our training SHOULD have started when we were much older and now and now we're...*
He was being pulled back by a familiar force. He allowed it to happen, and soon opened his eyes. He was not longer in the sun dappled clearing, he was in a room, with Hama kneeling at his side.
"What did you find out?" she asked softly.
"Hama, we're-"
"I know," she cut him off. "I realized my mistake years ago."
"Huh?" Isaac, who looked as if he had just been experiencing a pleasant memory, gave them both a blank stare.
Hama smiled gently at him. "I'm glad you remember who you are, Isaac."
"It was more of a realization of who I was," Isaac admitted. "I like the vest, by the way."
You're welcome," she nodded her head. Ivan could sense that she was fighting the impulse to hug him. Probably better to hold back, Isaac would ram a dagger into her ribs before he realized she wasn't attacking him. Not out of cold heartedness, it was just how he had been taught. "Now, I'll explain myself. The Adepts here stated their training far too young. The Elements you control have become a part of you. Haven't you ever noticed that you have the ability to use Psynergy in ways that no other Adept has ever, or ever will be able to? All other Adepts have set spells that they use, but the students here can use those spells, and far more."
"So we're creative Adepts."
They turned towards the door. Alex was leaning against the frame, breathing heavily, exhaustion plain on his face.
"Alex, you shouldn't be up!" Jenna scolded him.
"Well, I had a feeling that something important was going on," Alex shrugged. "And I was right."
Felix jumped to his feet and lead the Mercury Adept over to the bed. Alex refused to lie down, even when Mia, Garet, and Jenna sat on the floor. He sat on the mattress, his back against the wall, his eyes closed.
"Not just creative," Hama shook her head. "Your Psynergy is tied with your very lives. I've told you many times that the four elements of Alchemy make up everything, even us. What I didn't tell you is that if one element becomes dominant, it causes alteration in that being."
"Meaning that we aren't exactly human anymore," Ivan explained. Isaac looked at him incredulously. "So you're saying I'm a tree."
"Does this make me a pond?" Alex asked, cracking one eye open.
"I'm a rock!" Felix voted. "And you're a bonfire, Jenna!"
"At least you all have a good sense of humor," Hama smiled.
"So, when Alex lost a lot of blood and then used a lot of Psynergy," Mia began.
"He almost killed himself, and he might be a while in recovering," Hama finished for her.
"Don't you love how they talk about you like you're not there?" Alex asked, and the other Adepts laughed.
"Sorry, Alex, you're just not important anymore," Felix grinned up at his best friend. "You're a dried up pond."
"So, can we help him?" Jenna asked, ignoring her brother.
"I don't know," Hama admitted. "You will have to find that out for yourselves. And I leave you to it."
She stood, and left the room before further discussion.
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They talked well into the night, long after Alex finally fell asleep. Their discussion always led back to the same thing: their Psynergy.
"When I was little, I had to focus completely when I used Psynergy," Isaac admitted. "Now, I barely even have to think about what I'm doing sometimes it's like the Psynergy is controlling me."
"I know what you mean," Garet nodded furiously.
"So, we just need to put OUR Psynergy into Alex?" Felix asked.
"That's the idea," Ivan said thoughtfully. "It should work, but I'm not positive. One of us should try it, and see what happens. I could give it a shot-"
"I'll do it," Mia volunteered, her words so quiet they were almost inaudible.
"No," Garet shook his head. "We don't know what will happen, it's FAR too risky. And besides, Ivan is the most powerful Adept here-"
"But both Alex and I are Mercury Adepts," Mia argued. "And my Psynergy is suited to this kind of thing, I think it will work best if I do it."
"But-"
"I'm obviously the best one here for this," Mia wouldn't even let him argue the point.
"I hate to say it, but she's right," Isaac added to Mia's statement.
"Oh, sure let's just all take Mia's side, shall we?" Garet ran his fingers through his spiky hair, obviously very reluctant to let Mia do ANYTHING that would endanger her safety. He sighed heavily, and looked at Mia hard, as if sizing her up. "Alright just be careful."
Mia nodded and smiled gently before kneeling at Alex's bedside. She closed her eyes, holding one hand over his fore head, and the other over the spot where the arrow had hit him. Orbs of pale, icy blue light formed in her palms. Lines of energy flowed like her watery element, spreading into pools of glowing azure over the two spots that Mia had indicated on Alex.
After a moment, the luminescence faded and Mia opened her eyes. Some of the color had returned to Alex's skin, and he seemed to be breathing easier. Mia opened her eyes. "I think that might help. I can't be sure until he wakes up."
"He IS less pale," Jenna pointed out.
Mia stood, and nearly collapsed. Garet was ready. He caught her as she fell, scooping her up so he could carry her.
"No, I'm fine," she muttered, pushing against him. "I'm fine!"
"No you're not," Garet merely held tighter. "Just let me help you, Mia."
She looked up at him, her eyes wide, then settled into his arms. "Alright."
"Let's get you to bed," he said softly, turning and leaving Ivan's room.
"Bed sounds like a good idea," Isaac stood and stretched, sore from sitting on a hardwood floor for several hours. The other Adepts, with the exception of Ivan, followed his example, exchanging their good nights and filing out of Ivan's room.
It wasn't long before the Jupiter Adept was the only one still within the room.
"Well, I'll just steal Alex's bed, shall I?" he said to no one in particular.
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"I want him back," Feh ordered, eyes smoldering. "If he thinks that he can send four dogs back with his symbol of power to free himself from this position, he's far wrong."
"Does the price of freedom have to be so high?" a blue haired man lounging in one of Feh's arm chairs asked.
"You should know, Picard," Feh reminded him. "I freed you from that dungeon, Lemurian. You remember that. You were left to die-"
"-And I owe you my life, I know," Picard stood, his golden eyes flashing.
Feh subconsciously made a ward against evil with one hand, caught himself, and dropped the hand. "Picard, I have a mission that will buy you your freedom."
Picard said nothing to this, but Feh could see the desperation in his eyes. Lemurians were very serious about life debts, and Picard would do anything to free himself of this one. Something Feh was well aware of, and used to his advantage.
"Bring Isaac back," Feh ordered. "Hurt him if it is necessary, and kill everyone at the school, it will make both of our lives easier."
Picard flinched, then sat back down, an unreadable expression forming a mask over his true nature. "It's far too risky. There are eight Adepts in that school, all of which are extremely powerful. I'm only one Lemurian, Feh."
"What about a Lemurian and an Adept?" Feh asked. "Sheba, come out."
A young blonde girl with cool, green eyes entered the room. She regarded Picard as if he was a pack horse, before nodding slowly.
"Isn't she from Gondowan?" Picard asked.
"Gondowan betrayed me," she answered for Feh, ice and contempt lacing through her words. "Merely because I'm an Adept."
"Sheba is a Jupiter Adept," Feh explained. "She was training to become a member of Gondowan's armies, but they became afraid. Sheba's ability to use Psynergy marked her as an Adept from Angora, and they believed she would betray them. They left her for dead in the desert."
"I want revenge," she said, eyes gleaming malevolently. "On every citizen of Gondowan."
"This is the first step to what we both want," Picard's eyes seemed to glow in the flickering light of the fire in the grate. "We leave tonight."
"I like him," Sheba smiled, but her eyes never lost their cold, hard quality. "Yes, we leave tonight."
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Ha ha! This is all becaus of Midnight C, so blame her, not me! And this chapter isn't too bad...just wait for Chapter 5! ^_^ Isaac: O_o;;;
And you can't flame me, 'cause all flames will be extinguished by Mia and worse flames will be sent back by Garet. I guess I should say the flames will be extinguished by whoever is currently available, Mia, Alex, or Picard, and be sent back with worst flames 'specially made by Garet, Jenna, Satty-kun, and Mena-chan.
Satty-kun: Why do you call us that?
'Cause it's fun. Oh, just so you know, I am not continueing "Ivan's New Groove" 'cause it's stupid...unless, of course, I get LOTS of nice reviews! ^_^
Isaac: ::holds up sign that says "ha ha, yeah right"::
Quiet you. Alright, I'm going to shut up now! ^_^;;; R&R or you'll never, ever get more fics from me!
Isaac: ::holds up sign that says "Review! She means it!"::