Whee, I'm back again. A cookie to the Ice Princess for being my first and only reviewer (sulk). I was going to wait for more, but I'm too impatient, so... I give you the first official chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun, but I guess I own the parts of the plot that the game didn't specify about... and any OCs I happen to stick in. We'll see what happens.
Chapter One: Child of Destiny
Hammet awoke to a throbbing pain in his head. Groaning softly, he gingerly touched a hand to the spot - and was suddenly aware his wound had been bandaged. He panicked momentarily, but relaxed as he opened his eyes. Wherever this place was, it didn't seem hostile.
Looking around the room, he found that it was actually quite welcoming. A few pieces of carved wooden furniture lay about, with colorful pottery and other items sitting atop them. The bed he lay in was simply designed, and covered with a brightly colored quilt. Several tapestries on the walls displayed similar designs. Turning to look beside the bed, Hammet saw that a tray of food sat on his nightstand.
Deciding to trust his mysterious caretakers, he cautiously grasped the spoon and took a bite. He was famished - he must have been sleeping for quite a while. The food had a very exotic taste, with hints of unfamiliar spices. After finishing it off, he carefully stood and went to the window.
Squinting against the sunlight, he made out several other houses below his. The house he stood in seemed to be at the top of a small hill. Was this the village of the warriors he had seen before?
A sound at the door caught his attention. Turning from the window, Hammet saw a small, purple-haired girl standing in the doorway. She looked to be about nine or ten years old, and stood silently watching him. He noted her clothes were of a similar style as the warriors that had battled the monsters. When she realized that he had seen her, her violet eyes widened and she scampered away from the doorway, ponytail trailing slightly behind her.
Voices echoed from the hallway. "He's awake, Mama." The girl's voice.
Now an older woman spoke. "All right, I'll talk to him. ...Fetch your brother for me, won't you, Hama?" Hammet detected a hint of sorrow in the woman's voice as she finished her request.
Footsteps approached, and the woman appeared in the doorway. She was clearly the girl's mother, with the same purple hair and large, violet eyes. She looked briefly to the empty plate on the nightstand, then back to Hammet, standing by the window.
"I see you're awake." She smiled hesitantly. "I hope you slept well."
"I did, thank you." Hammet was relieved these people were friendly. "Could you perhaps tell me where I am?"
The woman nodded. "You are in the village of Contigo. My husband's patrol group brought you back last night. You were out cold, but your injuries weren't too serious, so you should be fine now."
Hammet nodded. He had finally found civilization, but there was certainly no chance of starting trade here; not with his tent, supplies, and goods lost to monsters.
Just then, the girl that had been watching him before padded into the room, clutching a baby in her arms. She handed the baby up to her mother, then clung to her skirt, still eyeing Hammet. He had the strange sensation she was looking straight into his mind.
The mother looked annoyed, and crouched down to the girl's level. She seemed to be scolding her for something. When she straightened, the feeling was gone. She turned back toward Hammet. "I'll have to ask you to come with me. Our elders... would like to speak with you." She inclined her head, purple locks falling into her face. "Please follow me." Turning from the doorway, she led Hammet from the house.
Stepping out into the sunlight, Hammet could see many people gathered below him. Several important-looking people - perhaps the elders the woman had mentioned? - were standing in what looked to be the town square. A large, circular stone design was beneath their feet, its pattern weaving into itself like breezes on a windy day.
The baby in the woman's arms whimpered, and the wind suddenly picked up, rustling the mother's skirts and nearly blowing Hammet's cap off. She bent her head down to the baby and made comforting noises. It quieted and the wind died down. Hammet was reminded of the way the warriors had fought. Had he imagined it? He shivered. Something about this village and its people seemed strange.
As Hammet followed the woman down the hill and into the square, all the villagers turned toward him. Again he had the strange sensation that they were looking right through him. When he arrived in the center of the square, he watched the woman and her daughter stand beside the blond-haired warrior he had met before. The girl reached for his hand, and Hammet realized that he was her father.
He glimpsed another of the warriors standing amidst the crowd, his arm bandaged. A pang of guilt hit him when he remembered that the man had been wounded while protecting him against the monsters. Directing his attention back to the people in front of him, Hammet studied a man who seemed to be the town elder. He also had violet eyes, a trait shared by many of the Contigans, and carried a tall wooden staff with a carved head. He was taller than Hammet, and looked down at him with seriousness.
"Welcome to Contigo, traveler." Hammet started as he realized the elder was addressing him. "What do you call yourself?"
Hammet took a moment to find his voice. The elder's deep, booming speech was intimidating. "I am called Hammet." He had wanted to address the elder by a respectful title, but did not know what this town would find appropriate.
"Yes..." The elder smiled slightly, though seemingly more to himself than to Hammet. "You have been expected." Hammet didn't know what to say to this. The elder stepped forward, face serious again, regarding him gravely. "You have an important role to play in the fate of Weyard, Hammet. Listen carefully." Hammet watched in stunned silence as the man moved toward the mother and her children. He had been expected? An important role? What was this man talking about?
Now standing beside the purple-haired woman, the elder beckoned. Hammet walked over until he stood in front of the man. "You have seen how our warriors fight." It was a statement, not a question. "We are Adepts - wielders of Alchemy's elements."
"Adepts?" Hammet blurted. This was a strange concept to him. Was he dreaming?
"Yes. We are a village of Jupiter Adepts, powers stemming from the wind. There are also Venus Adepts, drawing power from the earth, Mars Adepts, masters of fire, and Mercury Adepts, controlling the water." The elder nodded to Hammet. "There are Adepts on your own continent of Angara, if you know where to look."
"How... how did you know where I was from?" Hammet demanded, bewildered.
"Jupiter Adepts see much more about you than merely your appearance," the elder replied mysteriously. "But we have more important matters to attend to." He turned to the woman, and the baby she held in her arms. "This baby is no ordinary child." He glanced back at Hammet, fixing him with an intense gaze. "His name is Ivan, and he is a child of destiny. I have seen into this boy's future."
Kneel. The elder's voice seemed to speak into Hammet's mind. Startled, he did as he was told. The woman knelt in front of him, and placed the baby boy in his arms. Hammet looked down at him. He had violet eyes just like his mother's, and wisps of soft blond hair. The blanket he was wrapped in was lavender, though a lighter shade than his eyes. The woman stood again, and taking the staff from the elder, held the carved head over Hammet's own.
The elder spoke again. "Listen well, Hammet, to this prophecy - for it will shape this baby's future." He paused. "Three years after the terrible storm that strikes only Mt. Aleph... Ivan must depart on a journey with warriors from Vale. Do not forget."
Suddenly, the staff was pressed into Hammet's hand. Looking up in surprise, he met the eyes of the woman.
"We give you Ivan and the the Shaman's Rod." The woman's voice was gentle, sorrowful. "You must use the rod to search... for an item that Ivan will need on his quest." She paused, eyes distant. "You must go to Hesperia... When you find it, you will know." As she stooped back to Hammet's level, her eyes glistened with tears. "Swear to me," she whispered, "that you will search for it... and that you will take care of my son."
Hammet was shocked. He was taking this woman's baby... and the elder's staff... to search for a mysterious item. Hesperia? This was just too much to take in. He swallowed. "I... I will. I swear it."
The elder motioned for him to stand. Ivan cooed softly as he rose. "You are a merchant, are you not?" Hammet nodded. He would just have to accept that these people knew more about him than they should be able to. "Then take this."
Hammet gasped as the elder slipped a bag of golden doubloons into his pack. "I - I can't accept this!"
The elder held a finger to his lips. "You know of Xian, correct?" Hammet nodded again. "You must buy silk in Xian and sell it in Tolbi if you wish to succeed."
Hammet gaped. "I don't know how to thank you... I couldn't possibly repay you for this."
Now Ivan's father spoke. The resemblance between him and the baby was startling. "Just take good care of our baby, and be vigilant in your search. That is all we ask of you."
"Go well," the elder told him, then turned and walked away, into the crowd. Hammet looked after him, hesitated, and turned toward the town gates.
He saw the woman bury her face in her husband's shoulder as he turned away. Looking down at the baby in his arms, his heart sank. He left the village and began to walk to his ship.
Out in the open, he was amazed to see a huge tower in the distance, constructed of purple stone. An enormous crater lay between him and it, and powerful winds blew across it. They seemed almost to whisper something, a strange, mysterious language.
In his arms, Ivan seemed to whisper back.
How am I doing? I haven't been to Contigo in a while, so if I've made a mistake, again, you can correct me. Please review, and tell me what you think!
Lull: Or she'll sulk around again. I'm tired of listening to her.
^_^ That's right - do it for Lull's sake. I'll try to update sometime not too ridiculously far in the future... ^^;
[A/N 2/22/04: After closer inspection of some of the dialogue, I realized I needed to mention Hesperia... so I edited a little. Very minor, but noteworthy anyhow, I guess...]