Author's Note:
Rio: *sobs uncontrollably and hugs about twenty Saturos plushies* Ohmygod! I can't believe I had to write that! *sob, sob* My poor Saturos!
Ryu: There, there. It was for the glory of the greater plot. The end justifies the means right? And I mean... sure Saturos's dad isn't that good of a thing for Saturos but... at least he's a no one. I mean... you didn't even give him a name. The entire chapter refers to him as "Saturos's Dad".
Rio: But... but ... SATUROS! I'm soooo sorry I hurt you!
Ryu: It's really not that bad. I mean just think. As soon as the readers have read this chapter, Saturos's dad will be gutted, beheaded, and tied on a stick for some pagan ritual to damn him to Hell so it'll be all right in the end.
Rio: *brightens a little* I guess so. *sniffle*
Ryu: That's the spirit! Next Author's note will be the ritualistic slaughter of Saturos's father everyone! And if this makes no sense to you whatsoever than you have not read the story yet! ^.^ Enjoy (thinking of ways to kill Saturos's father)!
Fantasies of the Open Mind:
Chapter Eighteen: Not All Storms are Icy
Saturos looked up at the house that had been "home" to him and turned away from it stiffly, his father's words still stinging harsher than the cold winds of his homeland.
"You disgrace our family Saturos!" the blue-haired man shouted at his son who stood impassively soaking up his father's rage. Saturos's father, one of the most upstanding individuals of Prox, known for his sense of justice and right in the Proxian community, was now fully prepared to do anything necessary to get through to his son. "How DARE you waltz in here like this! You FAILED! Failed to protect your future wife! If you couldn't even do that how could you protect our village?"
"For the last time father, Menardi was not my intended bride." Saturos spoke calmly his eyes dull and lifeless as if his thoughts were far away from this room.
"DON'T CONTRADICT ME! I am your FATHER! Until such a time when I am to feeble to command my rightful place as one of the elders of Prox you are under MY jurisdiction!" The older man resumed pacing around the room until he calmed down. "I apologize for my outburst my son. It's just such a shame to let the power of her family go to waste. After all, her sister is already engaged. But no matter there are other substantial families in Prox-"
"No."
"...What did you say?" his father's voice was low and dangerous, almost like Saturos's own voice got before battle.
"I said 'no' Father."
"That's what I thought you said." His father sighed looking at Saturos with almost tired eyes. "I have seen more of the world than you have, my son. You should trust my decisions. They are for your own good-"
"I believe I am quite capable of making my own decisions, Father. I am not a boy any longer."
"I don't care what age you are! As long as you are my son you obey MY rules!"
"Then I haven't been your son in a long time father! Not since mother died!"
"You DARE mention the name of your mother, may the noble woman rest in peace. She wanted what was best for you! Nothing could be to good for her Saturos! And what has that done to you? You tarnish her good name with your antics!"
"I think we have a very different opinion of what tarnishes her name. She would not want her son used as a pawn for your ambitions in Prox. She would want me to find my own destiny-"
"She would want what's best for you!"
"Which does not coincide with what you think is best for you!" Saturos's voice now rose to that of his father's. "I watched you wither away after she died. Without mother the only thing you had left to covet was power. But it wasn't enough was it, Father?"
"Saturos that is enough."
"No it wasn't. It wasn't enough for you being the elder of Prox when you could be outplayed by the ruler of Prox!"
"Saturos that is ENOUGH!"
"I REFUSE to be the stepping stone for YOUR rise in power!"
"SATUROS!"
Blood red met ruby as the two men locked eyes, the elder's ruby eyes looking over the "boy" who called himself his son. A cruel smile spread across his face and Saturos recognized the insane look in his father's eyes.
"You. You are not my son. My son, Saturos, is dead. He died at the Venus Lighthouse."
"Your son died long before that."
"SATUROS! So help me, you have gone to far this time. From here on out you are no longer my son! You are no longer the heir to my family's bloodline and are to no longer be considered a Proxian."
Saturos's eyes widened. "Father-"
"May you never set foot again in our village. May you never call upon our god." Saturos's father went on, drowning out his son as his voice rose.
"Father, please."
"You are a traitor in treachery's worst form. From this day forth, no Proxian will recognize you as one of us, and as punishment they may kill you on sight!"
"Father" Saturos's voice cracked. In place of the arrogant leader was the boy whom had been destroyed at the death of his mother, when his father had decided that his son should follow in his own footsteps as the greatest warrior of Prox and the village's ruler when the time came.
"Get out of my house. GET OUT! GET OUT!"
Saturos had turned, and for not the first time in his life, had run from his father's study. However this time, he would not be able to run to his bedroom and lock himself in until his father had calmed down and repented his words. No this time, there was no sanctuary for now all of Prox was foreign to him, all of his former home was his enemy. Saturos had run from the beautiful house which had been given to his father and mother as a wedding present from their two families, out through its yards, and away from the iron gates that encircled it. Only once past these gates did he slow and eventually stop, turning back to look at the alien house.
Saturos shuttered against the cold winds and turned to leave. It would take his father a few hours to alert the council of elders that he wanted his son killed on sight, so as long as he was out of the village by noon he would not have to... disable anyone he knew.
"You going to leave us then?"
Saturos turned to the Mercury adept who had crept up on him unheard. "Why would I do that?"
"You're time is now limited here, as is ours."
Saturos smirked at Alex. "You know, it's rude to listen to private conversations."
"That was a private conversation? With the way you two were yelling, I'm surprised no one has tried to kill you yet."
Saturos's smile turned ironic. "They can't do that until the council says so. He will have to alert them and that will take several hours. And by then I will be long gone."
"With Picard's ship? I doubt it."
Saturos actually laughed at that statement. "And risk Picard's rath? Alex you forget that the ship everyone thought was 'mine' was actually Menardi's. She just didn't know how to use it so she left it in my care. My ship is still here in Prox."
"Where are you going then?" Alex asked softly. "Not that I really care, mind you. I know you can take care of yourself... but Jenna might be a bit curious."
Saturos stopped short. "Alex. You must not, under ANY conditions, mention why I had to leave Prox to her until after she is far away from here. If... if my former father found out who she was... he already suspects I had another motive for defying him."
"I am not idiotic as you apparently think I am. She will be safe. Well, safe from Proxian law at least (and by this Alex was referring to Saturos's former father's will) but I cannot guarantee her complete safety... lighthouses are tricky you know."
"Now is not the time to get pert Alex." Saturos turned towards the middle of town. "I might as well go to Contigo. After all, Felix will have to stop by there at some point for Kraden."
Alex nodded, even though his gut feeling was to send Saturos anywhere but Contigo, but as he had said before, he did trust Saturos as much as one friend could trust another. "Then good-bye my friend." Alex was never one to be good with good-byes, but he knew this time he would have to say one.
"I'll see you again once the Mars Lighthouse is lit." Both men stood there, not sure what to do. Neither of them were the type to grab the other for a hug, but a handshake seemed to formal for them. Saturos frowned as if remembering something, then unclipped the pendent from his armor, the very same item that his ghost had been tied to for what seemed like years. With a grimace, he snapped it in two, letting the pieces fall to the ground. Then with a last nod to Alex, he was off in the direction of the pier.
Alex looked at the two jagged pieces of steel on the ground. Bending he picked them up and headed for the inn, fantastic but completely unrealistic plans for killing Saturos's father floating about in his head. But as he neared the inn a new thought popped into his head. Explaining the situation to Jenna. Oh no. Maybe he wasn't in such a hurry to get back to the inn after all.
"Jenna, I'm sure the two of them will be back any minute." Isaac said for the third time that morning. Everyone else had already accepted the hopelessness of the situation and the fact that both Mia and Jenna were frantic because Alex and Saturos has seemingly disappeared without a trace.
Any reply Jenna had for Isaac died on her lips as the doors to the inn opened and Alex entered the room. One would almost think Alex paled to see all of the rest of their group up and about, and seemingly waiting for him. He sat down at the large table without a word and went to poor himself a cup of coffee and then thought better of it. "Is there any wine around here?"
"Now wait a minute!" Jenna exclaimed as he moved from the table in the direction of the wine cellar. "Where's Saturos?"
They had walked into the small room that was the wine cellar, an almost rustic room with wine bottles stacked on all of its walls. Alex began to go through them not really looking for something in particular but effectively stalling for time. "Saturos is not here."
"Where did he go then?"
Alex paused looking strait in front of him emotionlessly. "Contigo."
"CONTIGO? Why in the name of Hades did he go there?"
"Because in little less than an hour if I know his father, the entire population of Prox will be after his blood."
"WHAT?"
"Keep your voice down will you?" And Alex went on to completely disregard what Saturos had said and told the distraught Dark Mage about the ambition of Saturos's father and the rebellion of his son who was (now) not his son. Jenna grew very quiet throughout his narrative. When he had finished though she smiled a little as if just realizing something.
"Well it's a good thing I had Scorch, Char, and Coal keep track of him then so I won't have to worry. But that's not what matters to me."
"Should I even ask what does matter?" Alex said almost skeptically. He saw the transformation in Jenna from the worried significant other to lovesick school girl and frankly, it frightened him.
"Saturos was willing to give up all that for me." Jenna almost skipped out of the room and back into the inn's main room. Alex watched her go confusedly before remarking to the bottle of brandy he had picked out, "There goes one girl I will never be able to understand."
As soon as Alex had left the room Lunitari, Nuitari, and Solinari appeared. All three had worried expressions on their faces. "This is not a good advancement." Solinari muttered.
"Might as well just send a sheep into the wolf pack." Nuitari muttered. He then saw Lunitari looking at him pointedly. "What?"
"What? Go after him, that's what! You're the only one of us who can create a solid body if the need arises so go after him and make sure he doesn't go into the Animos! What are you waiting for? GO!"
Nuitari sighed and fazed out of sight, concentrating on finding Saturos.
Lunitari turned to Solinari with a frown. "So do we tell her?"
Solinari shook his head. "No. Wait until we see what the next move is from the gods. They might not be after Saturos after all... although the possibility is slim."
"That's the understatement of the year." Lunitari muttered. We need more information than just last minute words from Nuitari."
"Agreed. I will go to talk with Hades. We put this off for too long as it is."
Lunitari sighed. She had been against one of them going back into Hades but as they were already split up there was no reason not to now. She watched as Solinari also fazed out of sight, finding his way to the gates of Hades and their creator.
Alex, Felix, and Isaac looked around the first rooms of the Mars Lighthouse confusedly, two in agreement on what route they should take, the other not so sure.
"We should be going this way." Alex grumbled, pointedly refusing to move another step in the direction that Felix and Isaac were leading the group. Jenna looked at the Mercury Adept for a few moments before asking. "Saturos was here before?"
Alex nodded. Jenna went to stand next to Alex and wait for everyone else to realize they were walking towards a dead end. A few minutes later the rest of the group rejoined them, Isaac muttering, "Just don't say anything!" to Alex who looked even more smug than usual. Following Alex, who was following the route Saturos had told him a few nights before, the group emerged on a ledge-like room with what looked like dragon heads stationed along one wall that would randomly shoot fire which would span the width of the ledge. They could see the door which they wanted to go through on the other side of the ledge. Wordlessly Isaac turned to Ivan who sped across the ledge, his speed and stature helping tremendously.
"I always did wonder why you had the little guy." Alex said, earning a reproachful look from Mia. "What? He is a lot younger than you."
"Umm, guys? The door won't open!" came Ivan's voice from the other side.
"Is there a switch?" Picard shouted back at Ivan.
"Yes, but we would need to put something heavy on it!"
Jenna was looking around at the dragon heads and just noticed a smallish statue of a dragon in the corner. She nudged Felix and pointed at the statue. Felix nodded and walked over to the statue. Using Move and blocking the fire spurts with the statue he managed to maneuver it on to the switch and open the door.*
Saturos surveyed the table in front of him with a scowl. It was not the table that was annoying him at the moment, no it was the things on the table.
"Hey, Sat*hic*uros, whas*hic* this drink called*hic*?" One of the three fire djinn asked looking at him with large, completely drunk eyes.
"It's called wine." he managed to choke out.
"Hey don't get*hic* angry at us!" another djinni stated. "It's not*hic* our fault*hic* that it wasn't la*hic*bled."
"But it is your fault that you are here right now." Saturos pointed out, not believing that he was arguing with drunk fire djinn.
"Well, that's not*hic* our fault really*hic*. Jenna*hic* told us to*hic* keep an eye on*hic* you."
"Why am I not surprised?" Saturos muttered. He had entered his room to find all three bottles of wine which he had taken out of the wine cellar on the lower deck all drunk by these three djinn. He had recognized the three of them as the three triplets that no one could tell apart except for Jenna: Scorch, Char, and Coal. They were completely wasted and passed out. And here he had been the one who wanted to "drink his sorrows away" to coin the popular Proxian phrase. So he had gone back down and gotten four more bottles, thinking now he would need a fourth to relieve the stress caused by these three. They had been up and not really about when he had returned which led to this conversation. Saturos sighed, moving over to the chest on the opposite side of the room and taking out four wine glasses. Ignoring the Djinn's happy squeals that he was including them he pored the glasses full and set three down in front of the already tipsy djinn before concentrating on drinking his own.
Author's Note:
*This is for everyone who, like me, did not realize that there was a statue in the corner and so walked down the ledge three for four times before figuring out this puzzle. ^.^;;
Ryu: See Rio, it wasn't that bad! And you did label this as Romance/Angst so I think the thing with Saturos's dad is okay.
Rio: *is gathering wood for a bonfire*
Ryu: Ummm, Rio what are you doing?
Rio: Getting ready to burn that idiotic made up Proxian at the stake! ^.^
Ryu: -_-;;; Here we go again.