Chapter Six

Alex ran as fast as he could. He ran across the fields, knowing this would be his last trip. He would lay waste to his hometown of Imil and pluck the Mercury Djinn from the broken body of…Mia.

Alex winced. Mia…he did not want to hurt her. But if harming her was the only way to unleash Alchemy…he knew that nothing could stand in the way.

Alex paused for a second and looked at his hand. That fateful day, when the Golden Sun rose in the sky… he thought. That is when my destiny changed, for on that day I gained a small part of the Golden Sun, a quarter of it to be exact. It has allowed me to equip a much larger amount of Djinn than previously…but it seems that something is holding me back. When I tried to kill Isaac…it stopped me, and I could not do it. Why could I not kill Isaac?

He could not come to the answer. He knew that something inside of him was stopping him from doing it, but he knew not what it was.

Shaking his head, the Mercury Adept set his eyes upon his destination. Already at the very horizon he could see the beacon of the Mercury Lighthouse. Imil was very close; it would not be long now.

At that same moment, Isaac, Jenna, Garet, and Ivan had arrived in Vault. There they had met with Sheba, explaining to her everything that had happened in the past few hours. After the explanation Sheba decided to join them, and so they set out for Imil, moving hastily. At some times Jenna and Ivan would lag behind somewhat, as they were weakened from their lack of Djinn, but they drove right along, confident they would take back what was theirs.

Alex arrived at the border of Imil. There it was – his hometown, Imil, where he had grown up. He had been banished from the village because of his actions, but he had the power of the Golden Sun and all four elements; no banishment would stay his hand.

The great Water Adept stepped forth, entering his hometown. He was looking for Mia, but hoped Piers by some chance was there, for he did not want anything to befall Mia. He walked forth silently, not drawing attention to himself in any way. He walked among the somewhat quiet town, where only a few people were out and about at that time.

"It's Alex!" an old woman shrieked.

All of the villagers outside and even inside their homes within earshot looked around frantically, and soon all eyes were focused on Alex, who found himself standing alone in the spotlight.

Alex looked around, not sure what to say. He knew many of these people; he had grown up with some of them and others had been the parents of his friends. It pained him, even within the reaches of his black heart, to see himself forsaken by his former neighbors.

"But Mia told us that he died!" cried a villager.

"He's returned from the dead to judge our souls!" an old man said aloud. "We must have brought this upon ourselves!"

He saw no other way around it. He drew his sword and held it out. "I have returned, from the very brink of death, destruction, and hell," he said loudly. "I come for one named Mia, for she has something I wish for!"

"What's all this commotion?" asked a familiar voice. From the crowd emerged Mia, her staff in hand, and her eyes widened with horror as she set them upon Alex. "Alex…what are you…doing here?"

Alex's hands were shaking, his fingers tingling, and sweat beaded down his forehead. He had mentally prepared himself for this hour, but it was impossible…still, he had to do this to fulfill his goal…

Then, he spotted a face in the crowd he recognized. There stood Piers, the Lemurian, standing among the crowd. The muscular Mercury Adept came forward, taking out his axe. "What are you doing here, you wretch?" Piers hollered.

Alex almost grinned. He wouldn't have to hurt Mia after all. He could take the Djinn from this man…

Alex thrust out his arm. "A wretch I once was, but no more!" he yelled, casting Thunderstorm, and yellow lightning came down and struck Piers. The Lemurian cried out and sank to his knees, wondering had he decided not to stay in Imil before setting sail for Lemuria he wouldn't be in this mess…

"PIERS!" Mia shrieked.

The villagers gasped. Alex stepped toward his foe. "An ancient Lemurian you are and one Psynergy attack fells you?" taunted Alex. "You should feel shame!"

As Alex drew near, Piers sprang up and swung his axe, but Alex's reflexes were too quick and he blocked the swing. They swung their weapons, steel clashing upon steel, and they struggled ferociously in a horrid duel. "How dare you tarnish this village!" snarled Piers.

"Why are you here anyway?" demanded Alex as they swapped blows. "Are you not a Lemurian? Should you not return to your own kind?"

"Sailing to Lemuria requires many preparations," replied Piers. "But that's none of your business!"

The two clashed blades again, and they both leaped back to gain some breathing space. Mia closed her eyes and cast Ply, healing Piers, and he was full of energy once again. Piers then raised his arms and cast Prism, hurling down the great spheres upon Alex. Alex cried out as he was struck, sent flying into the air. As Alex descended through the air, Piers cast Ice Horn, and Alex landed with his back right on the great spike of ice. There was a sickening crack, and he lay still.

"Serves him right," said Piers.

But the battle was not over. Alex cast Ply Well and healed himself, the ice melting beneath him. "Only a fool would think me done so easily," said Alex. "I possess powers you can only imagine!" He then thrust out his arm and cast Odyssey, and the great apocalyptic sword of destruction descended from the heavens, pointed right at Piers' heart. However, before it could strike him down, Mia cast Reflect, and a great barrier appeared around Piers. Odyssey shattered the barrier, but its strength was greatly sapped in the process, slowing it way down and allowing Piers to get out of the way.

"Damn!" Alex cursed. Mia was helping his foe… She should be helping me, thought Alex.

Piers called drew upon more of his strength, casting Drench. A great amount of water lashed against Alex, but Alex stepped right through it, and he raised his arms into the air.

"Enough of this!" yelled Alex. "I grow weary of this battle! It is but a waste of time! I shall throw you down with this one single attack, Lemurian, one that will summon a power like no other!"

"We're too late!" cried a voice in the distance. Alex turned and saw Isaac, Jenna, Ivan, and Sheba in the distance, at the edge of town, just entering. Thinking quickly, he cast Wild Growth, forming a massive wall of vines that prevented the entry of the four Adepts. It formed a circle around them, trapping them within.

"We're stuck!" cried Jenna.

"Then let's hack this wall down!" yelled Garet. He pulled out his axe and started hacking at the vines, but his axe blade broke upon impact. Frustrated, he tried casting Heat Wave to burn the vines, but it had no effect. Finally, he resorted to using Planet Bomber, using up the rest of his energy. He leaped into the air, his axe lighting with flame, and he came down and struck the wall, but still, there was no effect. He sat down on the ground, exhausted.

"We have to keep trying!" said Isaac. "We need to save Mia and Piers!"

Alex held his arms high above his head, calling upon the powers of three Mars Djinn and five Jupiter Djinn. And as the eight Djinn gave their energy, the heavens opened wide and lightning ravaged the earth, creating a true cataclysm. From the destruction came the armored colossus Catastrophe, the very embodiment of it. It bore its massive sword and great golden shield, and it was truly a spectacle.

"He summoned Catastrophe?" Piers cried. "But how?"

"Because I took Djinn from your weak friends!" said Alex. "And now I shall take them from you!"

"Stop it, Alex!" cried Mia as the villagers fled the scene in terror, leaving only Mia and Piers behind, along with the four Adepts trapped within the Wild Growth.

Catastrophe spread its monstrous wings, and it raised up its great sword, lightning striking it, filling it with power, and so the knight from hell was ready to strike.

"DON'T DO IT, ALEX!" Mia shrieked. She ran at Alex.

"Get away from me!" snapped Alex, swinging his sword and striking Mia with the flat of his blade. Mia tumbled to the ground.

"MIA!" Piers cried. He clutched the handle of his axe. "You've gone too far, Alex…YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR!" He called upon the power of his own Djinn, and so he summoned Boreas, the great god of the north wind, and the icy winds blew forth as it emerged from distant seas, unleashing its chill upon Alex.

"CATASTROPHE, RID ME OF THIS PESTILENCE!" yelled Alex. Catastrophe bore forth his sword and plunged it through the chest of Boreas, and the spirit shattered, breaking Piers' grasp. Piers fell to the ground in a heap.

Alex raised his arm. "NOW, CATASTROPHE, END HIM AT LAST!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "KILL THE LEMURIAN!"

Catastrophe spun his blade and raised it above its head. It was ready to end Piers' long life.

Mia stumbled to her feet and ran forward, grabbing Alex's arm. "Don't do it!" she begged. "Please, Alex, don't do it!"

Alex gazed into Mia's eyes, memories of his past flooding through his head. Tears were in her eyes, and it pained him to see her like this. He remembered growing up with her, admiring how kind she was, and they were good friends. As they grow older, Alex's feelings soon turned to love, and he had fancy for Mia. He had always hated Saturos and Menardi when they had fought against Isaac's party and harmed Mia, but there was nothing he felt he could have done. But in his black heart, there were still feelings for Mia, ones that would not fade away. He saw her in her suffering and his heart wept for her, but he couldn't pass up this opportunity. He knew that Mia hated him now for everything he had done, and there was no point in trying to gain her approval anymore.

"Stay out of this!" Alex roared, tossing Mia aside. She fell to the ground, and so Alex continued the attack. Catastrophe swung down his blade, right for Piers' heart.