Chapter 8: A Time Forgotten, Part II
Author's Note: Sorry bout the late chap, but life has been quite hectic of late, what with sis's graduation and finals and all... Hope you enjoy this chapter, as I will add even more wrinkles, and maybe one or two of you out there MIGHT guess at what is to come...
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Alex silently swore as he trudged through the shin-deep piles of snow that had accumulated since the local winter set-in. Even in Imil the snow never got this high, or at least he never remembered it getting so high. With the world shrinking up (or so the common theory went), the weather might have changed.
Of course, what did he know? After the Ascendents looped him in, things he had taken for granted seemed so different.
Behind him, he audibily heard Sheba curse at the snow, which was up just above her knees due to her small stature. He had told Sheba that he was going to find Isaac and gain the Mars-charmed energy that the Wise One had bestowed upon the blonde Valean, and use the powers he would gain to save the world.
To his suprise, Sheba had not asked more than that. If anything, she seemed to be supportive of his plan. Alex did not know why she was following him or why she was so willing to see him gain power, but he was not about to make a foe out of the sole person on the planet that would help him. Not like the Ascendents would risk their lives to help him; he was one of only a handful of Adepts in the whole sect.
Placing a hand on a frost-coated tree, Alex paused to let Sheba catch up, his policy being to treat allies nicely after the fiasco with Karst and Agatio upon the Jupiter Lighthouse. Besides, he'd probably run into either Jenna or Mia, and he might have a SLIGHTLY better chance of earning their trust back if he treated Sheba nicely after he obtained the energy from Isaac.
Assuming, of course, that the transfer did not kill the Venusian flat out.
And nevermind how he was supposed to gain the energy; he did not have the slightest clue how to take the energy passed on to another, as the Ascendents had no record of it. Then again, Alex mused, how the Ascendents even thought that he would get the power, let alone get the Stone of Sages, he did not know. That he had gained "infinite power" at the expense of using his psynergy was not exactly what Alex had hoped for, or expected.
Sighing yet again for the countless time, he glanced back at Sheba, and privately wondered why she was even bothering to help him. Though he told her it was none of his business, he was growing weary of her presence, especially that wierd sense in the back of his skull. He was not sensing psynergy, but he could not help but SENSE something in the base of his neck.
Turning forward, he martched through the snow, and wrapped his hand around Isaac's throat.
The hell?
Blinking, Alex tried to gather his thoughts. Just a second ago, he was in the middle of a forest with Sheba, but now he had Isaac by the throat, holding him above the ground. His vision saw Sheba holding Jenna, Mia, and Felix via some kind of energy field, but how had he suddenly-
"SHEBA."
Blinking, Alex looked up, still holding Isaac for whatever reason; his body would not allow him to move. To his horror, the Wise One descended, its gaze fixated upon Sheba, not him. What in the name of Mercury was happening?
"What do you want, you pathetic obstacle?"
Apparently, thought Alex, Sheba was thinking herself strong enough to bear the Wise One's wrath. If Alex had any thought to THAT, she should have been running by now.
"SHEBA, YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE STARTING."
"Let me think, Stone Man. Using Alex to release Jupiter's might and return the exiled Anemians to Weyard, allowing the world to return to it's rightful owners?"
Alex blinked. Since when did Sheba ever give two-pieces about Anemos? He never recalled her being so dedicated to them, only interested in her origins. Unless, her origins were-
"SHEBA, YOU KNOW NOT WHAT YOU ARE-"
Alex's focus was broken when Isaac shouted, and a flash of energy wrapped itself around Alex's body, pouring wave after wave of sheer pain into his being. For a brief moment, Alex could almost feel the flesh melting off of his being, of his being being dissolved. The only thing he could feel was-
His thoughts severed from his body; only the urge to see Mia, Felix, and Jenna safe kept him thinking. Looking along his- was that his arm? It looked dreadfully differient, far longer and more muscular. Releasing his grip on whatever he had in his massive hands, he looked down, noting his nude state, his rediculously muscular figure, his hands noting his finely cared hair. He started to glance up-
and saw the crumpled, withered figure of Isaac, his body not even vaguely resembling a man's form. Turning to look at the others, Sheba's face was one of pure bliss, and the aura of psynergy radiated from her form, with an intensity that he had never seen her use before.
Before he could look towards Felix and the others, he stared in shock as Sheba's face went from an evil, perverse smile, to a look of absolute distain, loathing, hate. Evil itself flowed from her gaze, and a sudden burst of lightning lashed out from one of her hands. Alex raised his arms, wishing he had some psynergy to deflect the blast.
To his shock, the Wise One appeared in the line of fire, almost absorbing the energy that Sheba radiated. A lash of energy struck Alex, but before he could even ponder why he did not feel pain, a brilliant bolt of energy travedled along the lightning, firing back to throw Sheba back and to enwrap the Wise One. Alex had no way to figure out how to control the energy, and he had no way of moving to avoid the brilliant flash of energy that was the Wise One before it engulfed him.
And though the world grew bright, then dark, Alex could not help but wonder; not what had happened to him, or the Wise One: somehow, though he could not think it then, he KNEW what had happened. But one thing kept nagging at him:
Why had Sheba acted so?
There's a mind-bending chap. A bit obvious in some areas inso far as where I'm going with some, but there are a dozen areas that are given light here. And before anyone asks, Alex is connected to another character in this fic, but there are a FEW things that have yet to happen.
And nevermind Sheba's sudden change in attitude, folks; Remember, this is the Mikaa. I have a reason for everything. Just like I have an oversized Ego. But you had to know this, right?
No?
Oh well. Thanks to all for the reviews I have recieved thus far, and thanks for reading this work. In hindsight over my current outline, this fic is the ultimate expression of a plot curve that I have been trying to work with ever since my first fic.
Oh, I'm boring you now, am I? Oh well.
Please read and review, and I hope you understand that I am glad that you are enjoying this fic.
Mikaa