Where there's light...

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or any of the characters, I just like the games.

Haha! Chapter 2 up now! Thanks to my reviewers, I needed something to know people were reading. This one's gonna be much longer. The first chapter was short because of just-starting-out syndrome, but I'll be fine. Please, review after reading, flames are OK if they are not flames. Let the chapter commence!

Chapter 2: Tragedy at Vault

This...is...Insane! Ivan thought, slaying another wyrm. Too many monsters, too strong, very bad. Ah the hell with it! In exasperation Ivan cast Spark Plasma to kill the rest of the hellhounds and wyrms. Through the dust rising from the chaos Ivan finally saw a speck that could only be the town of Vault. He grinned to himself. Finally, now I can get some decent food! He set off, casting Cloak periodically to avoid monsters.

By evening he reached the town gates, which surprisingly were shut. Steel too...this is odd. Ivan mused. He rapped on the gate, resulting in a shutter opening.

"Wot you want, then?" asked a rough voice.

"I wish for shelter for the night. My name's Ivan, the Wind Seer."

"Ivan! By the four elements, you've grown. It's me, Donny!"

Ivan grinned. Donny was one of the town's only guards, and was a friend to Ivan during his stay in Vault two years ago. "Come in, come in!" said Donny. The gates creaked open slowly and Ivan stepped in.

There stood Donny at a new gatehouse. He had a large red nose, and long brown hair that usually covered his eyes. He was tall and well built, though a bit on the slow side.

"Sorry I didn't recognize yeh, bad times these are. Lots o' monsters, we had to build these gates to keep safe." Donny knocked on them proudly. "Made of a new kind o' metal from Tolbi. They call it 'Plat-y-num', or sumthin'. Strong stuff, too." Ivan inspected the new metal. It looked like steel, but had a rather iridescent quality that was not unlike silver. It looked very beautiful and strong.

"You c'n wander around fer a while, shops'll be open a few more hours, so help yerself!" said Donny.

"Thank you, I will friend," replied Ivan. He set off for the travel goods store for food and herbs, then checked out the smithy. The man who worked there had grown quite prosperous.

"Welcome, traveler! We have many goods for yeh! Got new Platinum Shields, if you wanna try it."

Ivan tried out the shield. Surprisingly, it was light enough to carry. He hit it a few times to test it. Very strong.

"I'll buy it! How much?" asked Ivan.

"Only 2300 gold pieces!" said the shop keeper.

The price was steep, but it was worth it. Ivan paid the shop owner, got a room for the night at the inn, and slept soundly until morning.

Or would have. Just before dawn a piercing scream woke Ivan from his slumber. He grabbed his rapier and ran out the door, and saw a giant golem trying to crush a child and his mother.

"By the gods! Someone, help!" cried the mother. The two were trying to dodge the golem's crushing stone hands with little success. Before Ivan could attack the golem succeeded in catching a fist under the women's chin, sending her flying back.

"Mommy! Noo! AAAUUGH!" The boy screamed, as another fist connected with his leg. Ivan felt his gorge rise as he heard the sickening crack of bone.

"Shit!" Ivan said, then rushed the golem. "Vorpal Slash!" He yelled. His Elven Rapier flashed and cut the golem's right hand off.

The golem turned to face his assailant, picked up his fallen limb and hurled it at Ivan, who dodged neatly and cast Hurricane, his ultimate wind attack.

The golem crumbled, thankfully. Ivan rushed to the little boy, who seemed to be in shock, tears streaming down his face. His left leg was in a sickening position, but the boy seemed to not care about it.

"Noo, mommy! Mommy!" the boy sobbed. Ivan went to the still body of the mother. Her neck was thrown back over 90 degrees, crumpled on her side. There was no way she survived.

Damnit, if I was just quicker...Ivan thought miserably. The boy was bawling now, and other villagers came to try and comfort him.

Donny came up behind Ivan. "Couldn't be helped, laddy. Monster jumped clear over the fence, ya did all ya could..."

Ivan didn't say anything. He nodded to Donny, then turned to the gate. "Where ya goin' so soon?" Donny called after him.

"To stop this, and never let it happen again." Replied Ivan. He used catch to retrieve his supplies, then set off for Vale.

The journey there was uneventful, but it was well after nightfall before Ivan entered the sacred town of Vale. Unlike Vault, nothing had changed much here. The psynergy stone sat where it always had, glowing a deep purple. Ivan noted how good everything looked.

While the town had been destroyed by the lava from Mount Alef, it had quickly been rebuilt. The town elders knew where everything was, so this new Vale was the same as the old one. However, when Ivan went up to the inn, he found the door locked, with no candles lit. Odd... he thought. He decided he could stay with Isaac though.

He traveled over to Isaac and Dora's house, then stopped. Stupid me, Isaac won't be living here anymore, he's nineteen. Then where...

Ivan looked over at a small hill covered with trees. There, behind the dark leaves was what appeared to be a small fire. Ivan went over to it, rapier in hand.

There, at the fire, was the one person he would've least expected to be outside on this chilly, lonely night.

"Garet?"

Whatcha think? Better? It's much longer now, and later installments maybe longer still. With luck chapter three might be up byFriday or so. R&R, please! Thx.