Felix sighed as he trudged along the path to Imil. The journey had not
been easy, even from fair Kolima. The hike was long, the paths monotonous,
and the hazards many. Several encounters with the native monsters had
played havoc on all of the travellers.
"This has probably been the longest two hundred miles I've ever hiked." Garet stated, keeping pace with Felix.
"I'm sure that this is the farthest you've ever gone from Vale, Garet; am I right?" Dargon asked.
"No, I used to return to the Northern Mountains every summer with my family; they were really far away from Vale; farther than this even. That's where we used to visit my relatives."
"The Northern Mountains?" Ivan inquired. "You must be of a barbarian decent, correct?"
"Yes, that I am. And I'm proud of it, too."
"That's good. You know, you're the first barbarian to ever be enlisted in the Knights of Luna." Ivan stated. Garet's red eyes narrowed before he turned to Dargon.
"Sir, is this true?" He asked.
"Yes, it is. You are indeed the first, and hopefully not the last. At least my order has gotten one, unlike Felix's." Dargon chuckled.
"It takes more than a strong arm and wit to become a Paladin, Dargon." Felix replied, not really paying much attention. Imil was close, he knew it.
**************************************
"So, are you and Sheba ready to set out for Vale?" Isaac asked, looking into the sun of mid-morning.
"I have a few things I want to take care of first." Sheba said. "There are some supplies I want to pick up from around town. It shouldn't take anymore than two hours to get it all done."
"Well, that's okay. We'll leave as soon as you're ready, Sheba." Isaac replied. Sheba nodded, and she left Mia's house for the town to finish her errands. Isaac sighed to himself as he took a book off of a bookcase and sat down with it. Mia was up, but she still hadn't come out of her room yet. The previous night had been very emotional on both of the Adepts; they both didn't want to leave each other's sides. Shortly before Sheba arrived was when Isaac had turned in for the night, and Mia told Sheba the plans for leaving for Vale. The younger Jupiter Adept was thrilled at the prospect of going to see a new place, so she hurriedly packed her things and was making final preparations when she left to get supplies. Isaac thumbed through the pages of the book before Mia finally emerged from her room.
"Good morning, Isaac." Mia said, cheerfully. Isaac looked up and quickly shelved the book as Mia walked toward him. "Where's Sheba?" She asked, looking around.
"She's out getting the final supplies to our trip to Vale. She said it'll take her a couple of hours."
"While we're waiting for her. . . why don't we take a walk? It's a beautiful morning."
"Not as beautiful as someone else I know."
"Isaac. . . flattery will get you everywhere and nowhere."
"You're still a mystery wrapped in an enigma, Mia; your mysterious half shrouds your enigmatic half."
"I'm not that mysterious, Isaac. I'm just a woman. Do you really think you'll ever understand women?"
"Probably not."
"Definitely not." Mia smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "So, what say we go on that walk? How about to the ruins? It's nice and quiet there."
"Sure." Isaac smiled. "Any place you want to go is okay with me. That is, as long as I get to be with you."
"I wouldn't want it another way, Isaac. . . I wouldn't leave you behind for whatever reason." Mia replied, softly. "Come on. We don't have much time if we want to make it to the ruins and back quickly." Isaac nodded, and they quickly left Mia's house. After they were out of the town's limits, Mia covertly slipped her hand into his. The day was mild and beautiful; there were few clouds in the sky, and those that did exist were puffy and of the purest white. The sun shone as though it would never shine again, giving the day a bright and happy appearance. Even the air was fresh and crisp, and a light breeze blew through the plains. The two lovers were walking so close together, they were virtually walking as one. Isaac chuckled as a few loose strands of Mia's hair found their way into his face as the winds blew lightly. Mia smiled; she loved the sound of Isaac laughing, even if it was just a chuckle or a light laugh. They reached the ruins minutes later, both having not said a word since they left Imil. They made their way into the grand chamber that Mia always visited in her dreams, where they then stood, wordlessly gazing into each other's eyes. Minutes passed before either of them stirred. Finally, they met into a kiss. After it broke, something caught the eye of the young Mercury Adept. She turned her head to the floor, to where the large blank tile was supposed to be. Instead, she saw the very etching she dreamed of, that wasn't supposed to exist.
"Isaac. . . look there. . ." She said, pointing to it. He did, turning his head and gasping aloud. Indeed Mia had been speaking the truth of the etching in her dreams; it was an angel, sword in one hand, dove in the other; destruction on one side, serenity on the other. And she was right about another thing; the figure in the middle of it all did look like him. "This. . . it never. . . existed." Mia said.
"Then what's going on here?" Isaac asked. "I know we're not dreaming. But. . . the statue was the same way as this in Vale; non-existent! This is getting strange."
"See? This is the way I dreamed you. . . though, I have to admit, I like the real thing much more." She smiled.
"And I like the real you more than the angel I dreamed you of." He said, getting pulled in for another kiss as he finished his statement. "Though. . ." Isaac stated, kneeling down to study the etching more carefully. "What's going on here?" Isaac ran his finger through the carving of the sword and squinted as he continued scrutinizing. It seemed like an ordinary floor etching in every way, and it seemed very old; the outlines were smooth and rounded, as though the etching had been there for hundreds of years. "Huh. . . I don't get it. . ." Isaac sat, puzzling over the mystery that presented itself. He stood up and turned away for a moment, resting his chin in his right hand. Mia turned to face his direction. "This doesn't make any sense." Isaac said, twisting his back around so he could look at the etching from the corner of his eye. He jumped and spun on his feet. The etching was gone! "Mia?. . ."
"What is it, Isaac?" She said turning. She saw Isaac's complexion pale as he pointed back to the floor, where she too noticed the absence of the floor art. She could feel the blood race from her continence as she stared with Isaac. "This is. . . getting way too weird. Let's get out of here."
"Yeah. . . I think you're right on that one." Isaac said, leading her out by the hand. "That was downright creepy." He said, as they stepped back out into the open sunlight. Mia nodded silently as they walked away from the temple.
"We should probably be getting back. . . we don't want to keep Sheba waiting." Mia replied. They both began walking through the ruins until they reached the open plains, where they paused upon a small hill and turned to face each other. "Isaac, I'm glad you're letting me come with you."
"I should be thanking you for coming. . ." Isaac turned back toward the ruins.
"Still bothering you?" Mia questioned.
"Yeah. Something's not right here; I mean, etchings don't just disappear and appear just like that." Isaac muttered.
"I think it's something we'll never know what happened." Mia said, trying to get Isaac's mind off the subject. In doing this, she was trying to calm her own mind from thinking of it as well.
"You're probably right, Mia." Isaac sighed again. He glanced over to a small wood in the southwest, where he caught motion from the corner of his eye. The woods were about three quarters of a mile away, but Isaac still could see movement plain as day. "Hey. . . there's someone coming out of those woods over there." Isaac pointed. "Wait. . . is that?" He squinted to see, and he began dashing toward the woods.
"Isaac! Wait!" Mia exclaimed, chasing after him. The figures Isaac had been pointing to had not yet noticed them, even with their charging. It took several minutes to finally catch up to them, and as Isaac closed within a hundred yards, he began calling out. The figures stopped and spun around quickly.
"Felix! Is it really you?!" Isaac shouted, as he charged up to his mentor. Smiles were beaming on the faces of Felix, Garet, Dargon, and Ivan as he reached them.
"Isaac! Hey, you're okay!" Garet exclaimed, clapping him on the back. "I'm glad you're okay, bro!"
"Yes, it's good to see that you're still in one piece, Isaac." Ivan smiled.
"You've got some explaining to do." Felix stated, trying to hide his relieved smile. "Why didn't you report back to Vale, Isaac?"
"It's a long, long story, Felix." Isaac replied.
"Well, at least we found you." Dargon stated.
"Hey! Who's that beautiful girl, Isaac?" Garet asked quietly as Mia arrived.
"She would be Mia. She has been kind enough to give lodgings during the recent goings-on here." Isaac replied.
"What do you mean, 'goings-on'?" Felix asked.
"I'll explain it all to you when we get back to Imil."
********************************
"Brother!" A loud voice boomed in Saturos' dank and dark castle. The Mars Adept, busy reading on his throne while sipping his wine, rolled his blood red eyes. Suddenly the doors to his chamber burst open, and a rather large Adept stormed into the room. He was almost twice the size of Saturos, and he appeared twice as strong. His visage was more of anger and impatience instead of Saturos' reserved, calm, and calculating expression.
"My dear Agatio, haven't I told you to knock before entering?" Saturos said, rising from his throne leisurely.
"Brother! Why do we not simply invade Vale and take Angara by slaying Picard?! It is that simple, so why waste our time with this Psynergy and Elemental Stars nonsense?!" His voice was loud and angered.
"Agatio, Agatio. . ." Saturos stated, calmly. "Frontal assaults do not always work. Sometimes a degree of subtlety is required to gain our ends."
"Subtlety? You jest, Saturos! Only the fool sneaks around in the shadows waiting!"
"And the dead are the ones who go straight for the enemy!"
"I could defeat Picard!"
"You could not, Agatio. You forget that you are Mars Aligned. Picard is aligned with Mercury."
"So?!"
"Let me scale this down to your lame brain level. What happens when water hits fire?!"
"The fire goes out."
"Precisely." Saturos said. "You use fire, Picard uses water. Who's going to win?!"
"I will not fight by puny spells, Saturos! Picard shall meet my blade and taste its steel. That's all there is to it, for I am the greatest warrior the world shall ever know!"
"My dear brother, is it possible that we are of the same blood? How could mother and father spawn one as completely and utterly stupid as you?! You fail to understand even the most basic of strategy and yet you call yourself a warrior."
"And you are a wine-sipping bookworm fool who couldn't win a fight if his opponents had both hands cut off at the wrist!" Saturos quickly frowned, and shot his arm out at his brother. Dozens of small fireballs formed around Saturos and they each blasted Agatio from a different angle. With each fireball, Agatio let out a cry of pain, and he fell to his knees.
"Are you really this foolish?!" Saturos snapped. "Do NOT underestimate me, brother! Your insolence will not be tolerated from now on. Consider that a warning to you." He pause for a moment, and lessened his tone considerably from totalitarian harsh to even and neutral. "Listen to me. You will get your chance to fight Picard, I promise you that. Just let me do my plan and you'll get your fair shot at the fair king." Saturos grabbed Agatio's wrist and hauled him to his feet. "Brother, make sure the legion is in order for when I do give the order, understood?"
"Yes, Saturos." Agatio sighed, still in pain from the fireballs. His temper had ironically been cooled by his younger brother's Psynergy assault, and he now began to think that his brother was likely correct. As much as Agatio hated to admit it, Saturos had always been the smarter of them and he was usually right. Nonetheless, he had always remained bitter that his younger brother was ordering him around like a mere puppet. The Mars Adept slowly marched out of the room, the burns from the fireballs stinging the surface of his epidermis.
Saturos scoffed quietly and went back to his throne to continue his reading. Before he could finish a page, another voice rang out in his chamber, but this time, it was feminine.
"Enjoying more of your spellbooks, Saturos?" Saturos looked up to see a blonde Mars Adept approaching him.
"Of course, dearest Menardi." He smiled, evilly.
"I really wish you'd stop wasting your time with those paltry books, Saturos. You're already way better than the Adepts who wrote them."
"You know I just read them for entertainment."
"I know." She said, smiling. "Your brother seemed quite upset. Is he jealous of us?"
"No. . . not like that." Saturos replied. "He's angry that I will not allow him to fight Picard yet."
"The fool has no idea that he's no match for him, does he?"
"No, he does not." Saturos frowned. "How we were born of the same mother is beyond me. The man is stupid and if it wasn't for me he'd be dead by now with his arrogant ranting."
"I assume you dispensed the appropriate punishment to him?" Saturos made no reply, but rather he smiled devilishly. "I thought so."
*******************************************
Felix sat back and listened intently to Isaac's and Mia's retelling of the recent events in Imil. Outwardly, he showed no real emotion, but inwardly, he was both impressed and proud of his apprentice. Felix himself had dealt with a Cerberus hound once before, and it was not an easy battle, so he was naturally impressed when his squire had taken down two by himself. Although Felix had already heard about the apprehension of the bandits, it was interesting to hear it from Isaac's point of view. His squire made no attempt to overblow his accomplishments and he actually sounded modest; Mia and Sheba actually popped up to say more things Isaac had done than he was willing to admit. Felix now understood why he hadn't reported back to Vale quickly. Felix glanced over to Garet, who was in total awe and disbelief that Isaac had made these accomplishments. He turned his head the other way to check Dargon and Ivan's reactions. Ivan seemed curious of Isaac's encounter and the nature of whatever summoned the hounds, while Dargon showed signs of being impressed all around. The group sat in Mia's main room, each with their own chair.
"Is it all true, Isaac?" Garet asked in utter disbelief.
"Every word is." Ivan stated. "It's in the townsfolk's eyes and smiles. They seem to have been released from a great burden."
"Yes, that and that Isaac hasn't been known to lie." Dargon pointed out. "I certainly believe because of his training he could do such a thing. Too bad you've signed up to be a Paladin. . . we could really use a knight like you, Isaac."
"Your organization has always been one step behind, Dargon." Felix smirked lightly. Mia and Sheba chuckled. It was obvious that there was a friendly rivalry between the Knights and Paladins over who was better. If Isaac was any indication of a normal Paladin, the followers of Sol would've won hands down.
"So, what do we plan on doing for lodgings tonight?" Garet asked.
"You're all welcome to stay here with us." Mia smiled.
"We couldn't impose." Felix said immediately.
"Isaac said the same thing, Lord Felix. It's not imposing when we offer it to you willingly."
"Still. . . we shall stay at the inn." Felix stated, firmly.
"Lord Felix, don't make me have to argue with you." Mia smiled.
"Really, it's no trouble." Sheba said. "Please at least consider it."
"Okay. I've considered it. No." Felix said.
"He's a spoilsport, isn't he, Dargon?" Garet asked with a smile.
"Yes he certainly is." Dargon laughed.
"Well, at least one of you stay with us." Mia replied to Felix.
"Isaac, you'll be staying at least, right?" Sheba asked.
"That depends on what Felix says." Isaac answered. "I have to do what he says."
"You can stay here if you wish, Isaac." Felix replied. "It's obvious that I'll never win at arguing against these two over that issue." The elder Venus Adept sighed. These two women Isaac had met were definitely headstrong and wise; not the kind of people who let themselves be pushed around, even by the most famous and powerful of people.
"Now one more of you." Sheba remarked. "Who will it be?"
"Not me." Ivan stated. "I cannot impose on such nice people. As much as I appreciate your hospitality, I will stay at the inn."
"That goes double for me." Dargon stated.
"Well, that leaves you, Garet." Isaac commented.
"No way. I'm not going to do this." Garet stated.
"So. . . you say you're not never going to do this?" Isaac asked.
"Yes." He replied.
"That means you're staying. Double negative, Garet." Mia smiled. "Good one, Isaac." Garet paused for a moment, and mouthed the words that Isaac had said to himself. After a moment, he slapped himself on the forehead in the classic 'I'm such an idiot' fashion.
"Your former squire isn't too bright." Felix stated to Dargon with a chuckle.
"Yeah, that's always been a bit of a problem with Garet. . . to much brawn, not enough smarts."
"Hey, I'm sitting right here you know." Garet whined.
"I mean, how smart can you be with a face like that?" Ivan joked.
"You guys are really mean, you know that?" Garet whined again. "And Ivan, if you weren't my friend, you'd be face down on the floor right now."
"Not before I fried you to a crisp." Ivan smiled back. "Spark Plasma can be pretty painful to those who deserve it." Everyone began laughing, save for Garet, who just rested his head in his hands. Felix looked out the window and noticed the sun beginning to set over the horizon.
"I think it's time we got to that inn." Felix stated. "It's getting late."
"I agree." Dargon said. "Thank you for the nice time, Mia, Sheba."
"Oh, before you go, Felix. . . Mia and Sheba have expressed interest in going to see Vale. Would it be too much trouble if they were to accompany us back?" Felix smiled.
"Well, considering how hospitable they've been to us already, I don't see a problem with it." Felix stated. "So, you two have never seen Vale, huh? Well, you're in for a treat. Shall we head out first thing in the morning, then?"
"Fine by us." Sheba said. With a nod, Felix rose and beckoned his fellows to follow. Ivan and Dargon rose in compliance and bid their hosts a kind farewell. As the door closed, Garet opened his mouth.
"I can't believe I got tricked into staying here by a Paladin."
"Tricked nothing." Isaac retorted. "You weren't sharp enough to catch my English. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with staying here, is there?"
"No, it's not that."
"Good." Mia said, smiling. "Now, your room is the guest room right over there." She pointed to the room adjacent to Sheba's. "Isaac will sleep in the spare bed we have out here like he has." Mia yawned as she spoke. "Well, I think I'm going to turn in. I'm tired and we have a big day tomorrow."
"Me too." Sheba replied, walking into her room and shutting the door. Mia did the same, leaving Isaac and Garet out in the main room. After a brief silence, Garet began speaking.
"They sure are nice girls. Cute, too."
"Garet, you need to keep your mind more focused on your job." Isaac said. "There will be plenty of time for romance for you knights when we get back to Vale."
"You never did have much of a romantic side, Isaac."
"Well, some people have it, and some don't." Isaac replied, knowing that he himself did possess a strong romantic side that was likely to get him into trouble.
"That Mia is quite the looker, but she could never compare to the girl I used to know."
"Which one was that, Garet?"
"Well, do you remember in the summers how I used to leave on vacation to visit relatives in the Northern Mountains?"
"Your barbarian relatives, yes."
"Every year I went there, there was this beautiful girl named Jenna. She was incredible, Isaac; every bit as good looking as Mia, and to my eyes, even more so. I knew her since I was but a mere child, and she was my dearest friend up in the north."
"You say 'was'. What happened?"
"As I said, I visited her every year when my family reached our northern home, but two years ago she suddenly changed; she had always been a spunky, wild, and energetic person with great intelligence. I mean, she made me look like a fool, and the funny thing was, I didn't even care when she did it. Then, she just seemed solemn and depressed. She hardly spoke to me the whole time I was there; it pained me to see her like that, it really did. Finally, I somehow managed to cheer her up somehow and she halfway returned to being her old self. Isaac, I've never told anyone this before, but I can feel I can trust you with it." Garet paused. "Isaac, I loved her. Last year I intended to tell her my feelings and ask her to return with my family to Vale. . . but, she was nowhere to be found. The villagers in the north said she had left almost a year before alone and in the middle of the night."
"Does anyone know why?"
"No, no one spoke why Jenna would've wanted to leave the mountains. There was no warning, save for the depressed shell I found." Garet put his head in his hands and looked visibly upset. "I just don't know what happened to her. I mean, I loved her, Isaac, and I didn't even get to tell her. Whoever said it was better to 'have loved and lost than to never have loved before' is full of some major. . ."
"Garet." Isaac cut him off. "I may not understand how you've felt about this, but I do understand this: You did everything you could to stop her from leaving, even though you had no idea. Garet, there was definitely more to that problem than met the eye, and I wish I could've been there to help you. I mean, why didn't you say anything to me years before?"
"I. . . was embarrassed. I thought you would've made fun of me for having a crush."
"Garet. . . " Isaac chuckled. "Before I became a squire I probably would've teased you a little, but you know you're like a brother to me and I would've helped you."
"I know. I just wish I could've told her then."
"Don't pine over loves in the past. It will only lead to further suffering on your part. My dear friend, you must move on." Isaac said, patting him on the back. This had obviously been bothering him for awhile, and he was glad to see he got it off his chest.
"Thanks, Isaac. I feel a lot better now."
"What are friends for, brother?" Isaac asked with a smile. By now the sun had completely set and the only illumination in the room were a pair of dip candles on tables next to each of the Adepts. "You may want to get some rest, my friend."
"Yeah, yeah, you're right as usual." Garet smiled, getting up with a yawn. "Good night, Isaac." He said, walking into his chamber.
"Good night, Garet." Isaac replied, standing and walking over to his bed. He stretched before taking off his boots and gloves. He climbed into bed, relieved that Felix had come, but worried that his romance with Mia might be discovered. Nonetheless, Isaac forced the thoughts from his mind and let himself drift into a deep and sound sleep. The thoughts that had clouded his mind would now be the least of his worries, as a certain pair of sharp eyes watched him from a distance; from the darkness.
"This has probably been the longest two hundred miles I've ever hiked." Garet stated, keeping pace with Felix.
"I'm sure that this is the farthest you've ever gone from Vale, Garet; am I right?" Dargon asked.
"No, I used to return to the Northern Mountains every summer with my family; they were really far away from Vale; farther than this even. That's where we used to visit my relatives."
"The Northern Mountains?" Ivan inquired. "You must be of a barbarian decent, correct?"
"Yes, that I am. And I'm proud of it, too."
"That's good. You know, you're the first barbarian to ever be enlisted in the Knights of Luna." Ivan stated. Garet's red eyes narrowed before he turned to Dargon.
"Sir, is this true?" He asked.
"Yes, it is. You are indeed the first, and hopefully not the last. At least my order has gotten one, unlike Felix's." Dargon chuckled.
"It takes more than a strong arm and wit to become a Paladin, Dargon." Felix replied, not really paying much attention. Imil was close, he knew it.
**************************************
"So, are you and Sheba ready to set out for Vale?" Isaac asked, looking into the sun of mid-morning.
"I have a few things I want to take care of first." Sheba said. "There are some supplies I want to pick up from around town. It shouldn't take anymore than two hours to get it all done."
"Well, that's okay. We'll leave as soon as you're ready, Sheba." Isaac replied. Sheba nodded, and she left Mia's house for the town to finish her errands. Isaac sighed to himself as he took a book off of a bookcase and sat down with it. Mia was up, but she still hadn't come out of her room yet. The previous night had been very emotional on both of the Adepts; they both didn't want to leave each other's sides. Shortly before Sheba arrived was when Isaac had turned in for the night, and Mia told Sheba the plans for leaving for Vale. The younger Jupiter Adept was thrilled at the prospect of going to see a new place, so she hurriedly packed her things and was making final preparations when she left to get supplies. Isaac thumbed through the pages of the book before Mia finally emerged from her room.
"Good morning, Isaac." Mia said, cheerfully. Isaac looked up and quickly shelved the book as Mia walked toward him. "Where's Sheba?" She asked, looking around.
"She's out getting the final supplies to our trip to Vale. She said it'll take her a couple of hours."
"While we're waiting for her. . . why don't we take a walk? It's a beautiful morning."
"Not as beautiful as someone else I know."
"Isaac. . . flattery will get you everywhere and nowhere."
"You're still a mystery wrapped in an enigma, Mia; your mysterious half shrouds your enigmatic half."
"I'm not that mysterious, Isaac. I'm just a woman. Do you really think you'll ever understand women?"
"Probably not."
"Definitely not." Mia smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "So, what say we go on that walk? How about to the ruins? It's nice and quiet there."
"Sure." Isaac smiled. "Any place you want to go is okay with me. That is, as long as I get to be with you."
"I wouldn't want it another way, Isaac. . . I wouldn't leave you behind for whatever reason." Mia replied, softly. "Come on. We don't have much time if we want to make it to the ruins and back quickly." Isaac nodded, and they quickly left Mia's house. After they were out of the town's limits, Mia covertly slipped her hand into his. The day was mild and beautiful; there were few clouds in the sky, and those that did exist were puffy and of the purest white. The sun shone as though it would never shine again, giving the day a bright and happy appearance. Even the air was fresh and crisp, and a light breeze blew through the plains. The two lovers were walking so close together, they were virtually walking as one. Isaac chuckled as a few loose strands of Mia's hair found their way into his face as the winds blew lightly. Mia smiled; she loved the sound of Isaac laughing, even if it was just a chuckle or a light laugh. They reached the ruins minutes later, both having not said a word since they left Imil. They made their way into the grand chamber that Mia always visited in her dreams, where they then stood, wordlessly gazing into each other's eyes. Minutes passed before either of them stirred. Finally, they met into a kiss. After it broke, something caught the eye of the young Mercury Adept. She turned her head to the floor, to where the large blank tile was supposed to be. Instead, she saw the very etching she dreamed of, that wasn't supposed to exist.
"Isaac. . . look there. . ." She said, pointing to it. He did, turning his head and gasping aloud. Indeed Mia had been speaking the truth of the etching in her dreams; it was an angel, sword in one hand, dove in the other; destruction on one side, serenity on the other. And she was right about another thing; the figure in the middle of it all did look like him. "This. . . it never. . . existed." Mia said.
"Then what's going on here?" Isaac asked. "I know we're not dreaming. But. . . the statue was the same way as this in Vale; non-existent! This is getting strange."
"See? This is the way I dreamed you. . . though, I have to admit, I like the real thing much more." She smiled.
"And I like the real you more than the angel I dreamed you of." He said, getting pulled in for another kiss as he finished his statement. "Though. . ." Isaac stated, kneeling down to study the etching more carefully. "What's going on here?" Isaac ran his finger through the carving of the sword and squinted as he continued scrutinizing. It seemed like an ordinary floor etching in every way, and it seemed very old; the outlines were smooth and rounded, as though the etching had been there for hundreds of years. "Huh. . . I don't get it. . ." Isaac sat, puzzling over the mystery that presented itself. He stood up and turned away for a moment, resting his chin in his right hand. Mia turned to face his direction. "This doesn't make any sense." Isaac said, twisting his back around so he could look at the etching from the corner of his eye. He jumped and spun on his feet. The etching was gone! "Mia?. . ."
"What is it, Isaac?" She said turning. She saw Isaac's complexion pale as he pointed back to the floor, where she too noticed the absence of the floor art. She could feel the blood race from her continence as she stared with Isaac. "This is. . . getting way too weird. Let's get out of here."
"Yeah. . . I think you're right on that one." Isaac said, leading her out by the hand. "That was downright creepy." He said, as they stepped back out into the open sunlight. Mia nodded silently as they walked away from the temple.
"We should probably be getting back. . . we don't want to keep Sheba waiting." Mia replied. They both began walking through the ruins until they reached the open plains, where they paused upon a small hill and turned to face each other. "Isaac, I'm glad you're letting me come with you."
"I should be thanking you for coming. . ." Isaac turned back toward the ruins.
"Still bothering you?" Mia questioned.
"Yeah. Something's not right here; I mean, etchings don't just disappear and appear just like that." Isaac muttered.
"I think it's something we'll never know what happened." Mia said, trying to get Isaac's mind off the subject. In doing this, she was trying to calm her own mind from thinking of it as well.
"You're probably right, Mia." Isaac sighed again. He glanced over to a small wood in the southwest, where he caught motion from the corner of his eye. The woods were about three quarters of a mile away, but Isaac still could see movement plain as day. "Hey. . . there's someone coming out of those woods over there." Isaac pointed. "Wait. . . is that?" He squinted to see, and he began dashing toward the woods.
"Isaac! Wait!" Mia exclaimed, chasing after him. The figures Isaac had been pointing to had not yet noticed them, even with their charging. It took several minutes to finally catch up to them, and as Isaac closed within a hundred yards, he began calling out. The figures stopped and spun around quickly.
"Felix! Is it really you?!" Isaac shouted, as he charged up to his mentor. Smiles were beaming on the faces of Felix, Garet, Dargon, and Ivan as he reached them.
"Isaac! Hey, you're okay!" Garet exclaimed, clapping him on the back. "I'm glad you're okay, bro!"
"Yes, it's good to see that you're still in one piece, Isaac." Ivan smiled.
"You've got some explaining to do." Felix stated, trying to hide his relieved smile. "Why didn't you report back to Vale, Isaac?"
"It's a long, long story, Felix." Isaac replied.
"Well, at least we found you." Dargon stated.
"Hey! Who's that beautiful girl, Isaac?" Garet asked quietly as Mia arrived.
"She would be Mia. She has been kind enough to give lodgings during the recent goings-on here." Isaac replied.
"What do you mean, 'goings-on'?" Felix asked.
"I'll explain it all to you when we get back to Imil."
********************************
"Brother!" A loud voice boomed in Saturos' dank and dark castle. The Mars Adept, busy reading on his throne while sipping his wine, rolled his blood red eyes. Suddenly the doors to his chamber burst open, and a rather large Adept stormed into the room. He was almost twice the size of Saturos, and he appeared twice as strong. His visage was more of anger and impatience instead of Saturos' reserved, calm, and calculating expression.
"My dear Agatio, haven't I told you to knock before entering?" Saturos said, rising from his throne leisurely.
"Brother! Why do we not simply invade Vale and take Angara by slaying Picard?! It is that simple, so why waste our time with this Psynergy and Elemental Stars nonsense?!" His voice was loud and angered.
"Agatio, Agatio. . ." Saturos stated, calmly. "Frontal assaults do not always work. Sometimes a degree of subtlety is required to gain our ends."
"Subtlety? You jest, Saturos! Only the fool sneaks around in the shadows waiting!"
"And the dead are the ones who go straight for the enemy!"
"I could defeat Picard!"
"You could not, Agatio. You forget that you are Mars Aligned. Picard is aligned with Mercury."
"So?!"
"Let me scale this down to your lame brain level. What happens when water hits fire?!"
"The fire goes out."
"Precisely." Saturos said. "You use fire, Picard uses water. Who's going to win?!"
"I will not fight by puny spells, Saturos! Picard shall meet my blade and taste its steel. That's all there is to it, for I am the greatest warrior the world shall ever know!"
"My dear brother, is it possible that we are of the same blood? How could mother and father spawn one as completely and utterly stupid as you?! You fail to understand even the most basic of strategy and yet you call yourself a warrior."
"And you are a wine-sipping bookworm fool who couldn't win a fight if his opponents had both hands cut off at the wrist!" Saturos quickly frowned, and shot his arm out at his brother. Dozens of small fireballs formed around Saturos and they each blasted Agatio from a different angle. With each fireball, Agatio let out a cry of pain, and he fell to his knees.
"Are you really this foolish?!" Saturos snapped. "Do NOT underestimate me, brother! Your insolence will not be tolerated from now on. Consider that a warning to you." He pause for a moment, and lessened his tone considerably from totalitarian harsh to even and neutral. "Listen to me. You will get your chance to fight Picard, I promise you that. Just let me do my plan and you'll get your fair shot at the fair king." Saturos grabbed Agatio's wrist and hauled him to his feet. "Brother, make sure the legion is in order for when I do give the order, understood?"
"Yes, Saturos." Agatio sighed, still in pain from the fireballs. His temper had ironically been cooled by his younger brother's Psynergy assault, and he now began to think that his brother was likely correct. As much as Agatio hated to admit it, Saturos had always been the smarter of them and he was usually right. Nonetheless, he had always remained bitter that his younger brother was ordering him around like a mere puppet. The Mars Adept slowly marched out of the room, the burns from the fireballs stinging the surface of his epidermis.
Saturos scoffed quietly and went back to his throne to continue his reading. Before he could finish a page, another voice rang out in his chamber, but this time, it was feminine.
"Enjoying more of your spellbooks, Saturos?" Saturos looked up to see a blonde Mars Adept approaching him.
"Of course, dearest Menardi." He smiled, evilly.
"I really wish you'd stop wasting your time with those paltry books, Saturos. You're already way better than the Adepts who wrote them."
"You know I just read them for entertainment."
"I know." She said, smiling. "Your brother seemed quite upset. Is he jealous of us?"
"No. . . not like that." Saturos replied. "He's angry that I will not allow him to fight Picard yet."
"The fool has no idea that he's no match for him, does he?"
"No, he does not." Saturos frowned. "How we were born of the same mother is beyond me. The man is stupid and if it wasn't for me he'd be dead by now with his arrogant ranting."
"I assume you dispensed the appropriate punishment to him?" Saturos made no reply, but rather he smiled devilishly. "I thought so."
*******************************************
Felix sat back and listened intently to Isaac's and Mia's retelling of the recent events in Imil. Outwardly, he showed no real emotion, but inwardly, he was both impressed and proud of his apprentice. Felix himself had dealt with a Cerberus hound once before, and it was not an easy battle, so he was naturally impressed when his squire had taken down two by himself. Although Felix had already heard about the apprehension of the bandits, it was interesting to hear it from Isaac's point of view. His squire made no attempt to overblow his accomplishments and he actually sounded modest; Mia and Sheba actually popped up to say more things Isaac had done than he was willing to admit. Felix now understood why he hadn't reported back to Vale quickly. Felix glanced over to Garet, who was in total awe and disbelief that Isaac had made these accomplishments. He turned his head the other way to check Dargon and Ivan's reactions. Ivan seemed curious of Isaac's encounter and the nature of whatever summoned the hounds, while Dargon showed signs of being impressed all around. The group sat in Mia's main room, each with their own chair.
"Is it all true, Isaac?" Garet asked in utter disbelief.
"Every word is." Ivan stated. "It's in the townsfolk's eyes and smiles. They seem to have been released from a great burden."
"Yes, that and that Isaac hasn't been known to lie." Dargon pointed out. "I certainly believe because of his training he could do such a thing. Too bad you've signed up to be a Paladin. . . we could really use a knight like you, Isaac."
"Your organization has always been one step behind, Dargon." Felix smirked lightly. Mia and Sheba chuckled. It was obvious that there was a friendly rivalry between the Knights and Paladins over who was better. If Isaac was any indication of a normal Paladin, the followers of Sol would've won hands down.
"So, what do we plan on doing for lodgings tonight?" Garet asked.
"You're all welcome to stay here with us." Mia smiled.
"We couldn't impose." Felix said immediately.
"Isaac said the same thing, Lord Felix. It's not imposing when we offer it to you willingly."
"Still. . . we shall stay at the inn." Felix stated, firmly.
"Lord Felix, don't make me have to argue with you." Mia smiled.
"Really, it's no trouble." Sheba said. "Please at least consider it."
"Okay. I've considered it. No." Felix said.
"He's a spoilsport, isn't he, Dargon?" Garet asked with a smile.
"Yes he certainly is." Dargon laughed.
"Well, at least one of you stay with us." Mia replied to Felix.
"Isaac, you'll be staying at least, right?" Sheba asked.
"That depends on what Felix says." Isaac answered. "I have to do what he says."
"You can stay here if you wish, Isaac." Felix replied. "It's obvious that I'll never win at arguing against these two over that issue." The elder Venus Adept sighed. These two women Isaac had met were definitely headstrong and wise; not the kind of people who let themselves be pushed around, even by the most famous and powerful of people.
"Now one more of you." Sheba remarked. "Who will it be?"
"Not me." Ivan stated. "I cannot impose on such nice people. As much as I appreciate your hospitality, I will stay at the inn."
"That goes double for me." Dargon stated.
"Well, that leaves you, Garet." Isaac commented.
"No way. I'm not going to do this." Garet stated.
"So. . . you say you're not never going to do this?" Isaac asked.
"Yes." He replied.
"That means you're staying. Double negative, Garet." Mia smiled. "Good one, Isaac." Garet paused for a moment, and mouthed the words that Isaac had said to himself. After a moment, he slapped himself on the forehead in the classic 'I'm such an idiot' fashion.
"Your former squire isn't too bright." Felix stated to Dargon with a chuckle.
"Yeah, that's always been a bit of a problem with Garet. . . to much brawn, not enough smarts."
"Hey, I'm sitting right here you know." Garet whined.
"I mean, how smart can you be with a face like that?" Ivan joked.
"You guys are really mean, you know that?" Garet whined again. "And Ivan, if you weren't my friend, you'd be face down on the floor right now."
"Not before I fried you to a crisp." Ivan smiled back. "Spark Plasma can be pretty painful to those who deserve it." Everyone began laughing, save for Garet, who just rested his head in his hands. Felix looked out the window and noticed the sun beginning to set over the horizon.
"I think it's time we got to that inn." Felix stated. "It's getting late."
"I agree." Dargon said. "Thank you for the nice time, Mia, Sheba."
"Oh, before you go, Felix. . . Mia and Sheba have expressed interest in going to see Vale. Would it be too much trouble if they were to accompany us back?" Felix smiled.
"Well, considering how hospitable they've been to us already, I don't see a problem with it." Felix stated. "So, you two have never seen Vale, huh? Well, you're in for a treat. Shall we head out first thing in the morning, then?"
"Fine by us." Sheba said. With a nod, Felix rose and beckoned his fellows to follow. Ivan and Dargon rose in compliance and bid their hosts a kind farewell. As the door closed, Garet opened his mouth.
"I can't believe I got tricked into staying here by a Paladin."
"Tricked nothing." Isaac retorted. "You weren't sharp enough to catch my English. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with staying here, is there?"
"No, it's not that."
"Good." Mia said, smiling. "Now, your room is the guest room right over there." She pointed to the room adjacent to Sheba's. "Isaac will sleep in the spare bed we have out here like he has." Mia yawned as she spoke. "Well, I think I'm going to turn in. I'm tired and we have a big day tomorrow."
"Me too." Sheba replied, walking into her room and shutting the door. Mia did the same, leaving Isaac and Garet out in the main room. After a brief silence, Garet began speaking.
"They sure are nice girls. Cute, too."
"Garet, you need to keep your mind more focused on your job." Isaac said. "There will be plenty of time for romance for you knights when we get back to Vale."
"You never did have much of a romantic side, Isaac."
"Well, some people have it, and some don't." Isaac replied, knowing that he himself did possess a strong romantic side that was likely to get him into trouble.
"That Mia is quite the looker, but she could never compare to the girl I used to know."
"Which one was that, Garet?"
"Well, do you remember in the summers how I used to leave on vacation to visit relatives in the Northern Mountains?"
"Your barbarian relatives, yes."
"Every year I went there, there was this beautiful girl named Jenna. She was incredible, Isaac; every bit as good looking as Mia, and to my eyes, even more so. I knew her since I was but a mere child, and she was my dearest friend up in the north."
"You say 'was'. What happened?"
"As I said, I visited her every year when my family reached our northern home, but two years ago she suddenly changed; she had always been a spunky, wild, and energetic person with great intelligence. I mean, she made me look like a fool, and the funny thing was, I didn't even care when she did it. Then, she just seemed solemn and depressed. She hardly spoke to me the whole time I was there; it pained me to see her like that, it really did. Finally, I somehow managed to cheer her up somehow and she halfway returned to being her old self. Isaac, I've never told anyone this before, but I can feel I can trust you with it." Garet paused. "Isaac, I loved her. Last year I intended to tell her my feelings and ask her to return with my family to Vale. . . but, she was nowhere to be found. The villagers in the north said she had left almost a year before alone and in the middle of the night."
"Does anyone know why?"
"No, no one spoke why Jenna would've wanted to leave the mountains. There was no warning, save for the depressed shell I found." Garet put his head in his hands and looked visibly upset. "I just don't know what happened to her. I mean, I loved her, Isaac, and I didn't even get to tell her. Whoever said it was better to 'have loved and lost than to never have loved before' is full of some major. . ."
"Garet." Isaac cut him off. "I may not understand how you've felt about this, but I do understand this: You did everything you could to stop her from leaving, even though you had no idea. Garet, there was definitely more to that problem than met the eye, and I wish I could've been there to help you. I mean, why didn't you say anything to me years before?"
"I. . . was embarrassed. I thought you would've made fun of me for having a crush."
"Garet. . . " Isaac chuckled. "Before I became a squire I probably would've teased you a little, but you know you're like a brother to me and I would've helped you."
"I know. I just wish I could've told her then."
"Don't pine over loves in the past. It will only lead to further suffering on your part. My dear friend, you must move on." Isaac said, patting him on the back. This had obviously been bothering him for awhile, and he was glad to see he got it off his chest.
"Thanks, Isaac. I feel a lot better now."
"What are friends for, brother?" Isaac asked with a smile. By now the sun had completely set and the only illumination in the room were a pair of dip candles on tables next to each of the Adepts. "You may want to get some rest, my friend."
"Yeah, yeah, you're right as usual." Garet smiled, getting up with a yawn. "Good night, Isaac." He said, walking into his chamber.
"Good night, Garet." Isaac replied, standing and walking over to his bed. He stretched before taking off his boots and gloves. He climbed into bed, relieved that Felix had come, but worried that his romance with Mia might be discovered. Nonetheless, Isaac forced the thoughts from his mind and let himself drift into a deep and sound sleep. The thoughts that had clouded his mind would now be the least of his worries, as a certain pair of sharp eyes watched him from a distance; from the darkness.
