Hello people. Never fear, Oracle is here.

Jenna: I'm not talking to you!

Are you still mad about that?

Jenna:

Oh, come on! You can't be mad forever!

Jenna:

Fine. I appreciate the silence. I might be able to get this story finished this way.

Jenna: Whatever.

HA! You spoke to me!

Jenna: DAMN YOU!

Sorian: Hang on, you're calling me heartless and nice. I'm confused, but thanks all the same.

Joker's Specter: Once again Joker, I thank you. It was worth waiting for that review. It brightened up my otherwise gloomy day. At least you're nice to me unlike some people, but I'm not naming names. coughSoriancough

Jenna: Oracle doesn't own Golden Sun, which is a good thing since she'd probably kill everyone.

A Fallen Hero

"Come on," said Sheba after five minutes of silence. "We need to get him a healer."

"What's the point? He's gone." Mia cried even harder at this remark and Jenna was about to hit Garet for saying such a thing when she saw the look of devastation on his face.

"We have to believe, Garet," she reassured him, but Garet didn't even look up at her. He continued to gaze at the blood-covered body of his friend with tears trickling down his cheeks.

Footsteps came from behind them as Felix, Karts and Piers approached. Felix had Karst in his arms who had her head down and refused to look at anyone except Felix.

"We can't give up on him," said Felix, a bit too fiercely. "There might be something that can bring him back."

"We don't need to bring him back." Everyone turned to Ivan. He stood up with Sheba clinging to his arm. "He's not dead."

Disbelief filled the eyes of those around him. They'd already felt the grief of losing Isaac once. What if Ivan was wrong and they'd have to go through it again.

"How can you be so sure?" Mia asked, looking into Ivan's violet eyes with her tear filled aquamarine orbs.

"Because I can still faintly hear his thoughts."

Even Karst looked up in amazement at his words. He spoke with such confidence in his voice that no one dared disbelieve him this time. If he said Isaac was alive, Isaac was alive.

"What's he saying?"

In answer to Mia's question, Ivan closed his eyes and disappeared into a world unknown to the others, apart from Sheba. She still clutched his arm, but she too could sense thoughts coming from Isaac.

A few minutes were all Ivan needed to probe Isaac's mind.

"He's saying something about darkness and being alone. He's in so much pain," he finally answered. "But there's still life left in him. It's as if he's trapped in his own mind. We really need to get him to a healer now."

Heads nodded and Garet forced himself to Isaac's right side with Piers on his left. They heaved him up with little effort and carried him back down the long staircase into the deserted room with Jenna comforting Mia, Sheba still in Ivan's arms and Felix trying to calm Karst with gentle words.

"And there I was thinking you didn't care about us 'wretches'."

Karst remained silent even when Felix put his hand on her shoulder.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"I...I...was just reminded about my sister, alright?"

He had a feeling this would be the answer and grabbed her hand as they walked.

"I'm sorry."

The others were waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs and Jenna raised an eyebrow when she saw their hands, but said nothing. In a quiet voice, Felix said, "Retreat", and felt the bliss of nothingness as he disappeared in the light.

'Where am I? What's happening? Why can't I see?'

These thoughts flashed through Isaac's mind too quick for him to think about the answers. He was scared. All around him was the purest black and with every breath he took, thousands of sharp pains shot across his chest. But he couldn't even see himself in the darkness. Nothing made sense anymore.

"HELP!" he shouted out pitifully, hoping with all his might that someone would answer him. Disappointment flooded into his body when he realised he was all alone.

Tiny spheres of light lit up the mountain as two figures appeared at the very top. Below them the town of Vale sat unsuspectingly. No one knew of the plans these men had made and were about to put into action. No one knew of the chaos that was about to be unleashed.

"I don't see the Golden Sun, Alex. Where is it?" Agatio asked, his temper rising.

"It will appear soon, be patient." The calm Water Adept simply gazed at the amazing sight around him and crossed his arms.

"I didn't become part of your little plot to have to wait around!"

The anger in Agatio's voice wasn't enough to disrupt Alex's train of thought, but even he was annoyed at how long this process was taking. The Golden Sun was supposed to rise when all of the lighthouses had been relit. It had been a great deal of time since he'd thrown the Mars Star into the Mars Lighthouse and the Golden Sun still hadn't risen.

"I will not wait any longer! Use your new abilities to make it rise or something. I must have my powers!"

"SILENCE!"

Alex turned to his partner and flung his hand forward. Whatever he'd done, it had his desired effect on Agatio. The large man became deathly silent then fell backwards onto the floor with Alex standing directly over him.

"You will not take that tone with me! I am all powerful, not you. Only I will give the orders. It appears you've become no more than another problem I need to over come to get to my ultimate prize. This means I'll have to go back on our arrangement."

He clenched his fist and watched the life escape from Agatio's body until he lay still on the floor with his eyes closed.

"Why must I always be forced to everything myself," Alex thought aloud before turning back to the view below him.

"Please, you have to help him!"

"There is nothing I can do. This man is quite clearly dead."

"He isn't!"

The Great Healer of Prox shook his head slowly at the ignorance of the small boy in front of him. He didn't seem willing to accept the truth about his friend.

"You don't understand, he isn't dead," Felix said, standing behind Ivan with his arm around Jenna's shoulder. "My friend here is a Jupiter Adept and can hear Isaac speaking in his mind."

"Even so, he is beyond my knowledge to heal. I can do nothing for him." With these final words, the healer closed the sanctum doors leaving the group out in the cold.

"What are we going to do now?" Garet asked, still holding Isaac's limp body with Piers.

"We have to go back home. Alex will already be there and our healer might be more willing to help Isaac," Felix replied quickly. "Piers, can you use your psynergy to take us there?"

"I'm not sure, my psynergy is still rather weak from the fight."

His eyes darted towards Mia, but she didn't look back. Her gaze was fixed on Isaac's pale face and tears kept falling down her cheeks. Ivan held her hand as well as Sheba's who looked just as pale as Isaac.

"Try." Felix's voice brought him back to the conversation and he nodded a response.

He dug into his pouch by his belt and pulled out the Teleport Lapis he always carried. It felt warm to the touch and shimmered as the snow around them continued to fall.

A hand suddenly fell on his shoulder telling him to wait.

"Wait, what about our parents, Felix? And Isaac's dad? We can't leave them here." Jenna stared at her brother, waiting for an answer.

"We'll have to leave them. If we don't go now, Alex will have unlimited power and Isaac might not survive."

Mia looked up at Felix then at Jenna. It was selfish of her to put Isaac before Jenna's parents, but she couldn't live without him. Surely Jenna knew this and felt the same way?

The auburn haired girl slowly nodded and waited for Piers to work his ancient psynergy.

"Teleport," Piers said in a shaky voice and the stone began to glow brightly.

No sooner had the words left his mouth, the whole group appeared in the heart of Vale, startling several people. Some called out to the group, recognising those who came from Vale, but they were paid no attention. They quickly made their way up the winding paths, following Felix and Jenna to the sanctum where the healer would be.

Luckily for them, the healer had just finished his period of meditation and was about to leave the sanctum when they arrived.

"Great Healer! Wait!"

The old man turned towards to cry and smiled at those running towards him.

"Jenna! Garet! You have finally returned. And you've brought Felix as well. You should really go to see the mayor though. He wants to speak with you when you've returned."

"No! We need your help desperately! It's Isaac," Jenna tried to explain as fast as possible while Garet and Piers brought Isaac forward. "He's been badly hurt."

"I see. Bring him in immediately."

The Great Healer led the way inside and cleared a small table for Isaac to lie on. He got to work straight away while the others looked on.

"What weapon did this?" he asked.

"The Gaia Blade," answered Felix as he looked to his side. Next to his own Sol Blade was Isaac's most powerful weapon. No one had wanted to touch it, but Isaac would have wanted it so it had ended up in Felix's hands.

"I see." The Great Healer nodded and continued his work. He used several healing items as well as his own psynergy and eventually managed to close the wound. It remained red and sore around the edges showing that it would end up becoming a scar that he would have for the rest of his life, but it was no longer bleeding. "I'm sorry. I've done all I can. There's still a chance that he will pull through, but I doubt he will. Are you sure he's worth this though? I can feel no pulse, no heartbeat. All the signs point to the fact that he's dead."

"He's not dead!"

"Of course he's worth it!"

"How could you say such a thing?!"

A barrage of voices met the Great Healers statement, each one desperate and sorrowful.

"I sorry, but he isn't responding to any revival spells I've done."

"Have faith," said Ivan suddenly. Until now, he'd been silent, simply holding Sheba and watching the Great Healer work with his mind going over everything that had happened. He closed his eyes and smiled at those around him. "He's stronger, he's fighting the darkness. It won't hold him back for long."

The Great Healer glanced at Felix, waiting for an explanation.

"Ivan's a Jupiter Adept. Apparently, he can hear Isaac speaking in his mind."

"There's no apparently about it. I can hear him and he isn't afraid of the darkness anymore. He knows we're here to help him."

"I want to talk to him."

Mia took a step towards Ivan, her face a picture of determination and her tears long forgotten. Ivan blinked. He'd never seen Mia like this before and knew she was serious. His hand lifted away from his side and she took it. Together, they placed their free hands on Isaac's cold forehead. In an instant, they left their bodies and entered the forbidden domain that was Isaac's mind.

It was completely black inside except for the area that surrounded them which glowed a heavenly white, heavily contrasting with the darkness.

"This is where Isaac is?" Mia asked as she tried to peer trough the intense gloom.

"Unfortunately, yes which is why we need to find him now. All the darkness surrounding him may end up taking over him if we don't."

"I thought you said he was fighting it."

"He is, but there's only so much he can withstand. This blackness doesn't just represent the being nearly killed by Alex; this is all the horrible things that have happened to him.

Mia eyes became wide with fear. How could she not know about all these bad memories? Isaac must be so torn up inside.

"Isaac!" she called out as loud as possible.

She was about to run off when Ivan grabbed her arm. He pointed to something in the opposite direction that was moving slightly against the black background.

As they approached it, the movements became more vigorous and they could see the outline of a figure.

"Isaac," Mia repeated in a hushed voice, barely daring to believe her own eyes.

Ivan pulled her forward and they ended up running towards the person they'd thought they'd lost. But something was drastically wrong. There was no white glow around Isaac like there was around them. There was only more darkness, which had completely surrounded him. It wrapped around his wrists and legs like a rope to stop him escaping and had covered his mouth.

When he saw his friends coming closer, Isaac struggled even more, tightening the black ropes and making him give a muffled cry.

"Calm down," Ivan said. "We're going to get you out of here. Don't you worry."

He knelt down to look at the blackness that coated Isaac's legs, while Mia held his head in her hands. Gingerly, she touched the shadows and grinned when it quickly retreated away from her light, revealing Isaac's happy smile.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"I made a promise, remember? I wasn't going to let some power-crazed maniac make me break it," he answered.

Mia was delighted to finally hear his soothing voice again and instantly pulled him into a loving kiss.

Ivan simply shook his head in disgust at their public display of affection as he gently tapped the remaining darkness covering the rest of Isaac's body. His own thoughts travelled to Sheba and how he longed to be out of this place and with her again. A goofy smile lit up his face and he desperately hoped that neither of his friends had noticed.

When Isaac and Mia had finally finished, Mia's white light seemed to have spread to Isaac and now he too glowed brightly. The darkness slowly faded, then disappeared altogether, leaving a beautiful white area filled with small bubbles. Each of these bubbles showed an image of Isaac's past. A particular image floated past showing the first kiss he'd shared with Mia, making the couple blush with embarrassment and Ivan giggle.

"I think it's time we got out of here. I would really prefer to have my mind remain a secret to others," Isaac said, giving Ivan an angry sideways glance that said, 'You tell anyone about what you saw and you won't live to see tomorrow'.

Ivan nodded and grabbed both of his friends' hands. Isaac's mind vanished and was replaced with the inside of the sanctum. To there delight, Isaac stirred then awoke on the table. He lifted his head up and peered around.

"Where are we?" he asked, confused at how he was suddenly in a sanctum.

"Isaac!"

He turned at the sound of his name and was amazed when he saw the Great Healer standing across the room.

"Great Healer? Guys, where am I?"

"You're home," Mia answered happily.

She laughed as the grin on Isaac's face intensified. He jumped of the bed; his health fully recovered and hugged Mia, then Ivan.

"I'm home!" he kept crying out in his excitement. "I'm home!"

Oddly enough, Ivan didn't seem to share his excitement. He looked around the room until his gaze landed on the Great Healer.

"Where are the others?"

The Great Healer must have been expecting this question and turned silently to the only window in the room. Though it, an intense beam of light shone making those who looked at it shield their eyes.

"The Golden Sun is rising. Your friends went to stop a man they called Alex."

Isaac stiffened when he heard this name. He stopped hugging Mia and headed towards the door.

"Isaac! Wait!" Mia ran after him leaving Ivan alone with the Great Healer.

"Go," the older man said. "They'll need you."

Ivan nodded and turned towards the door. He stopped suddenly and said over his shoulder, "Tell the villagers to get to safety," in a voice that didn't seem to belong to him. "Mount Aleph may not survive such a large amount of pure psynergy. Tell them to get away from Vale as quickly as possible."

As if he hadn't said a word, Ivan ran after his friends. The Great Healer smiled though in understanding.

"Thank you Wise One."

See! I would never kill off such an important character. I'm not evil.

Jenna: Yeah, but it's still really evil.

It's called drama. My teacher says I'm very good at it.

Jenna: Why? Because you're a drama queen?

NO!

Jenna: That's not what I've heard.

Ok, quiet time now. Thanks for your lovely reviews everybody. They brighten my day. Please keep sending them in. Y'all come back now, ya hear!