Hope

Chapter 3: Traitor!

My thoughts turned from sorrow to battle preparation. I was weak from malnutrition, and I needed at least some time to recover. My blond-haired captor could come back at any time. Wherever he took the rest of the prisoners, I was likely to follow later. That meant I was on a limited time schedule, so I would have to regain strength quickly.

But why hadn't the traitor taken me immediately? This thought irked me, but I could find no plausible answer. Perhaps before I killed him I could get some information. Though, other than answering a few questions, the information would be of little use to me. After I had defeated my guard, I planned to kill myself. No use staying…

First, I needed to rest. I had not slept in some time. I thought that this would be difficult, but it was actually quite easy. Once I had placed myself in the darkest corner of my cell, I fell into a deep slumber. I dreamed only of Felix, his last smile to me before Karst crushed him. Felix had been so peaceful, so happy… he should not have died that day.

When I awoke, I found that a tray with food and water had been placed at the front of my cell. This was good, and yet bad. It was good for helping me retrieve strength. Yet the man that I hated so had already came and gone, and I had not spoken to him. This infuriated me, but there was nothing I could do at the moment. Other than brood or pace there was little I could do. Conversation –or, even if it was just a few random insults hurled back and forth- would have been welcome. As suddenly as the wish was in my head, I immediately rebuked it. I was planning to kill him, not make conversation!

Speaking of conversationalists, I wondered if Kraden was alive or not. He seemed sure that he would die, but it was possible that he was still living. I hadn't seen his death with my own eyes… unlike Felix. Of course, there was probably no way of knowing what happened.

As I ate, I turned my thoughts back to the man I was to kill. I needed a plan of some sorts. After my death threat, he probably wouldn't set foot into the cell. I had psynergy. Psynergy could go through the barred door, but I would not be able to aim if he moved behind the wall. Besides, my psynergy was not powerful enough to kill someone in one blow. He would have more than enough time to simply run away.

As for breaking down the door… I knew I could not do that. It was made of a strange material; one I had never felt before. The idea came to me to unscrew the hinges, but the hinges were not on the side of my prison. So, I needed him to come to me. But what could possibly convince him to come inside?

If I were to escape, he'd probably come into the room to investigate how I did it. So if I made it seem like I had escaped, he would more than likely come in. Other than the tray there was nothing I could use to aid me. The back end of the cell was a bit dark, but he would still be able to see me if I hid there.

The torch. If I could extinguish the torch, then he might come in. But… the torch was near my prison's door, on the side where I could not reach. It was too high and far to throw my drinking water at. But then again… it was fire. Those who wield the element of Mars (that's me) could manipulate the fire. I could change its course and smother it with psynergy.

Then I could cram myself at the front end of the cell, and wait for my captor in the darkness. The extinguished torch would make it seem as though I was outside, and simply covering my escape route. So long as he did not try to get a better look inside the cell, I would not be seen. Then when he would walk in, I could surprise him. Maybe steal his own sword and use it to fight.

Or maybe the guard would simply think that the torch had gone out on its own accord. Maybe he'd replace it, and pay no attention to me. Maybe he would see me and not come into my cell. Or perhaps he would enter, but I would loose the fight.

Yes, my plan was a long shot. But did I really have any other choice…?

I walked to where the door was. Perhaps I should explain it a bit more sufficiently. The door was composed of bars, which prevented me from going out, but I could still see outside. I craned my neck to see if anyone was coming.

There was no one. I held my hands towards the torch. "Blaze," I whispered, my voice eerily hoarse and low. The flame on the torch increased in size when my psynergy reached it. The flame was excited by my psynergy, but I quickly quieted it down. It reduced itself to a low and warm orb. As I lifted my hands, the orb of fire rose from the torch. The sphere floated in midair, and I was loath to get rid of it.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "Fire, for now you must rest. I would call upon your power soon, I ask that you understand my use of you." As strange as it sounds, I always thank the element that has given me its power. After all, Adepts merely borrow the elements. They are not ours to own or keep.

I let my hands drop, and with it, the flames orb. It hit the ground and sputtered. Without fuel to feed it, the fire quickly died. Pitch black darkness enveloped my world. I could not see my hand in front of my face. I had to feel my way over towards the corner, where I planned to hide until my captor arrived.

Even if my plan did not work, at least I had done something.

I waited. It was neither a very long or short time. My eyes grew slightly accustomed to the dark, but it was still difficult to see. My breaths were shallow, as I was afraid I would give myself away. Sometimes I would imagine footsteps, but I quickly realized it was nothing but my mind playing tricks.

One time, however, the footsteps were real. My breath became even shallower, and my heart raced. One… two… three steps. A pause. Three more steps, but they grew fainter instead of stronger. At first I thought something unseen in my plan had gone awry, but I didn't dare move from my spot. A minute or two passed, until I heard more footsteps. There was a faint glow that began to get rid of some of my darkness. It was not enough to where I could be seen, though; or so I dared to think.

The steps grew louder until I knew that someone stood on the opposite side of the door. Unless he craned his neck in a very uncomfortable position, I would remain unseen. The light was most likely from another torch that the man was holding. I didn't dare to look and see if it was the blond man, for if it was and he saw me, all would be lost.

I forgot to breathe and my entire body tingled. My legs were not shaking, but they felt weak in anticipation. There was a scraping sound, as though the man was moving the lock from the barred door. It opened. And he stepped inside.

I restrained myself from immediately jumping out and attacking. I didn't want him to run outside. He took a few steps forward, looking at the end corners of the cell. I was towards the front; most likely he did not expect me to be there. Those few steps he had taken cost him dearly. I planned to shove him more inside and take his sword, then… wait! His sword! It was not with him!

But I was too far into this already to just give up! I lunged at the man, and pushed him further into my cell. The blond lost his balance and began to fall. He caught himself with his hands before reaching the floor, but lost his torch in doing so.

I put my hands forward and concentrated on psynergy. "Dragon Fume," I growled, careful not to shout lest it raise someone else's attention.

In the form of the great serpent, my fire found its mark and hit him hard. It was a full blow, and knocked him all the way to the ground. Due to the war, I was somewhat of a powerful Adept, even by my own people's standards. Even in my weakened condition, this man was in for a hard time.

Not waiting for him to recover from my last psynergy, I leapt upon the man on the ground. My aim was to choke him, and use the occasional fire psynergy to soften him up. However as I rushed to him, the man began to turn around on the floor. He managed to stop me from reaching his throat with his hands. I madly scratched, trying to reach my desired target.

The two of us struggled on the ground, and I had a slight advantage as I was on top of him. This continued for some time, and the two of us were too distracted to use psynergy. My energy began to wane, and I realized that this man was in better condition than me. I had to finish this, and fast!

I leapt away from him, cast Flare Wall at the same time he used Quake. Quake is very weak psynergy, and I was surprised at his choice. However, I did loose my balance and fell on the ground, hitting my head. I gritted my teeth and rose again, and found that my opponent was standing, also. Our eyes locked.

"Wait," he commanded me. As if I would listen to his words! In response I used Searing Beam. The line of fire headed straight towards the man, but he dodged it just in time. My beam hit the wall, and there was a scorch mark where it had hit.

The man used Gaia. Do you remember Felix's Grand Gaia? This man's Gaia was a weaker version of that. It only sent a few stones towards the ceiling, but one hit me right under my chin. I cried out in shock and hit the ground. My head took most of the impact and I thought it would split wide open.

The man exclaimed something, I am not sure what. It was a different language than the one I use. Then he quickly switched into mine. "I… didn't mean to hit you so hard. I'm sorry."

He was holding back! The thought screamed in my head. And why the heck was he apologizing to me? We were fighting, for crying out loud! I shut my eyes and did not move, hoping to fool him. I heard his footsteps sound closer to me. He muttered the same word that he had previously shouted.

I leapt up without warning and rushed at him. I used Searing Beam again, and this time I did not miss. The force of my psynergy sent him hurtling into the wall, and I knew that I had done some damage. I took a few steps forward and prepared to use Flame Wall, but once again, the blond used Quake. I lost my balance yet again and hit the floor.

This time the man did not wait for me to recover. He catapulted himself onto my body. As I tried to fend him off with my hands, he took hold of my wrists and forced them on the ground. My hands were close to my head. I couldn't move with him sitting on top of my stomach. I tried flailing my legs but it did no use.

I had lost, then… I tried to lift my hands up again, but he pushed them down harder. I let out a soft sob as they were forced into the hard floor. I closed my eyes. I could not use psynergy in such close proximity.

The heat from the man's dropped torch reached my face. A wild thought entered my head. Perhaps the young man had come into the room without a sword for this very reason! To be… on top of me! What if… But, no-! I was planning to remain a virgin!

"Look at me," the man commanded softly. To show my defiance, I turned my head from his view, and just shut my eyes tighter. I thought about spitting in his face, but then figured I was in enough trouble as I was.

"Look at me," he said again, and his voice was neither angry nor imperious. It was enough to spark my curiosity.

I opened my eyes slowly and looked at him full in the face. His ice blue eyes bored into mine. They were dull, but as I continued to stare, his eyes suddenly lit up.

"You… you're!" He gaped. I did not understand what he was trying to say. "Who are you?" His voice rose. He weakened his grasp on my wrists, and that's the only thing I processed. "Jenna!" He said, but I had taken his temporary distraction to my advantage. I ripped my hands free and punched his face, before realizing that he had called me by name.

The man was off of me, and I stood up. I stared stupidly at him. "How do you know my name?" I did not know this man…

"I…" The blond staggered up, his hand on his cheek where I had just hit him. "I didn't recognize you before. You've really changed, Jenna."

I just shook my head.

"You don't… remember me?" His eyes met mine again.

I didn't. I shook my head again.

"It's me, Isaac!" He said happily.

I just continued to stare. "Isaac…?" I repeated. The name did not sound familiar.

"You… heh. Still don't… that's ok." Isaac ran his hand through his hair. "How long ago was it… five years? I think that's the last time we saw each other."

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling completely idiotic. "I still have no idea who you are."

"Well…" Isaac began. "I lived in Vale." Vale. My hometown, Vale. "I was homeschooled, unlike you. We didn't live very far, but not close, either. Actually, we never really talked to each other."

Now that just didn't make sense. "If we did not go to the same school, and did not live close, and never talked, how do you even know my name?"

"Er…" Isaac laughed nervously. "Don't worry about something like that."

I frowned. "I'm still going to kill you," I stated flatly.

"You don't have to do that!" Isaac's eyes widened.

"If you lived on Weyard, and now are working for Slates… you betrayed your own people! You… you're literally selling them into slavery!" I growled, trying not to shout.

"Wait, now wait a second," Isaac took a step back. "How about at least listening from my side of the story? Why don't we call a truce?"

"A truce…" I repeated, and eyed him warily. "Isaac," I tested his new name. "Please tell me, where have the others been taken? And why did I not go with them? Where are we, what will become of me, and where is the m… Slate that originally captured us? Why are you here instead of him?"

"Whoa…" Isaac smiled slightly. "That's a lot of questions. The one who captured you and everyone else… he's uh, my master: Saturos. I'm here because my job is to guard prisoners. Saturos uh… sells servants, to the highest bidder."

So, Isaac was betraying us, after all! …but he had not answered all of my questions so I did not attack.

"You weren't taken with them because um… no offense… you were pretty sick. We thought that you'd …sell… better if you were healthier. I came here to move you from this cell into an actual room. Until I was attacked… Anyway, I was going to take you to Saturos now, so… he's probably wondering where I've been. So…" Isaac trailed off.

My eyes shot to the ground. Sell…? How could Isaac even be part of such a conspiracy? After a few seconds of silence, I finally said, "ok… Well, truth is, I'm not feeling up to fighting now. I'll follow you to Saturos, but… this is just a temporary truce. And I have a lot more questions that you'd better answer."

Isaac nodded. "This isn't the best room to explain things in… After we see Saturos, you can get an actual room."

I subconsciously rubbed underneath my chin, where a rock from Isaac's Gaia had hit me. I was going to get a bruise, I just knew it. "Ok," I agreed, and nodded at him.

Isaac sighed with slight relief, then left the prison. I followed behind him. He was trusting, to let me walk behind him after our fight.

Isaac was… strange. I could not understand him. I was determined to find out a little more.

A/N: Sorry I didn't update yesterday. My family celebrated my birthday. I am now the might age of… ((drumroll)) fifteen! Ha. Well, thanks for reading my story, people. I'm young and inexperienced. This is literally my first romance story. Even if I haven't gotten into romance all that much yet… Thanks for putting up with me. This is pretty much just plain practice for me.

Oh yea, this is the only fight scene for this story. Won't be anymore! But… there will be some violence…

Acknowledgments: Golden Sun belongs to Camelot and Nintendo, Slates belong to Razorsoft and Sega. I wonder if Razorsoft is even a living company anymore…?