Pike: Right, right.  I just sculpted my partner out of clay!

Clay figure: …

Pike: *sweatdrop* Why don't you say "Hi" to everyone, eh CF?

Clay figure: …

Someone from another room: It's made of clay, ye idiot!

Pike: Oh, right, right.  ^_^ Well, on with the continuation!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3: Poseidon

A low rumble sounded.  It was the sound of a rhythmic heartbeat.  No.  It was more like the low moan of the sea…  The sea?!?

"Hello, there.  Are you awake?"

"I'm not sure.  The world is black."

"Try opening your eyes."

"They hurt."

"The best things always hurt at first.  However, we must endure them for ourselves and others."

The young boy opened his eyes, but immediately closed them.  "The mist…  They hurt my eyes, too.  But…"  Again, he forced his eyes open.  "I can't see."

"Yes, you can.  Look over here."

Adrian rolled over on his stomach.  This sure wasn't a bed.  As he rolled, he felt his already paining ribs grind against hard-core stone.  As he gathered his strength to look up, he saw him.  Or it?  Was it a fish?  Was he a man?  Ah!  He was both!  He was a merman!  And he was a very large one, at that.  At least, it was the misty figure of one.  He couldn't say for sure with the thick fog encircling him.

Adrian sat up, though with a wince of pain.  Dragging himself backwards in fear, he stammered, "W-Who are you?"

"I?" The approaching sea giant said in a low rumble.  "I?!?"  And he emerged from the thick mist into the boy's sight.  He roared, "I am the Sea Guardian himself!  I am Poseidon – King of Seas and all who dwell within them!"

"Ah, y-yes," Adrian stammered.  "I-I remember the Sea Guardian.  I never thought I would meet him in person, however."  Child-like fear washed through him as he studied the giant from fish tail to the manly head.  He said in a small voice, "A-And I don't think I-I ever would liked to…"

Then, unexpectedly, Poseidon released a hearty laugh, shaking the rocks around them.  "You do not have to be afraid just yet, young Adrian of Lemuria."

"You know my name?"

"Why, yes!  I am King of Seas!  You would think I would know everyone who dwells within my borders."  He raised his trident.  "And with my almighty power, I have protected your land from many who came greedily!"  Then, he paused, lowering the trident.  He sighed.  "But the power that has caused the fall of Lemuria was too great for me to handle.  There are few who can stand up to it.  It is called… the Golden Sun."

"The Golden Sun?"

"And it's a damn good thing that it fell, too!  But I'm sorry that it fell at the same time.  It was because of pure alchemy that Lemuria was raised near the heart of the sea.  Now that the sun has set…"

"…Lemuria has fallen."

"Well, now, you can be thankful that the ancient fortress of your kin wasn't built due to alchemy.  Your ancestors built that specifically to withstand the crush of it."

"Will they all be okay?"

Poseidon closed his glowing yellow eyes, as if he was meditating.  The trident too seemed to glow a golden-yellow, lighting up the surface of the water.  After long moments, he opened them again.  "No, not all will survive the trip.  But it is your mother and your brother who will survive along with more."

"…And my father?"

Poseidon fell silent, and as young as the boy was, he still had a strong sense of what silence usually meant when it came to the fates of people's lives and deaths.  Feeling an urge to cry, he fell backwards and lay on the rock.

"No…  Father…" And he started to whimper out small sobs.

"Oh, come now," Poseidon said sympathetically.  "You aren't alone in this world."  He raised the glowing trident once more.  "And it's time that you made new friends – outside of Lemuria!"

Adrian couldn't imagine making friends with outsiders.  He had heard so many horrible stories about them – even the children.  Indeed, some could control water.  But others could control life and death, as well as the earth itself.  Others could conjure fire as hot as their tempers.  Some who were not the others could have the wind do any bidding they pleased.

"My lord Sea Guardian," Adrian said, remembering to be respectful, "is it truly possible?"

"Indeed!  Now, go, I send you!  When you return, you will be a grown man!  And I foresee that you will find a new name – one that will suit you very well, if I'm not mistaken!"

"But I'm only a boy…"

"As soon as you awake from your next sleep, the power of your ancestors will no longer touch you.  I will see to that.  You will grow normally.  You are young to your people, but not out there.  I salute you, Adrian of Lemuria!  Good travels to you!"

The trident, point-end down, jabbed into the rock island Adrian sat on.  With a surge of thunder, and a crack of deafening thunder, Adrian's world when black once more.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pike: *whistles* What a cliffhanger!  What happened to Adrian?  Find out next time!

Clay figure: They know he's not dead, because it was Poseidon who sent him.  And by the way, Pike Anderson doesn't own Golden Sun.

Pike: O.O And they said you were made of clay…  Well, that was probably my longest chapter yet!  Had a lot of dialogue, but still…  Until next time, readers!