Whew, okay. I better say everything I wanna say now, because FFnet's current document editing window is wonk-rific. If I wanted to edit in HTML mode, I would have cared to memorize HTML tags. Le dur.

This is mostly a little filler chapter, though, ironically, you may not find it very filling. Hah. I made a pun.

Golden Sun still belongs to Camelot. I think. I never really check up on this sort of thing…

Chapter 2: Utter Foreboding

Isaac yawned and roused at the sudden pressure on his face. He opened his blue eyes to find Flint resting on the bridge of his nose. When it realized it had finally been noticed, the Djinni murmured frantically and gestured towards the window. The Adept forced himself to awaken when he noticed the town was pink with dawn's light. He proceeded to the kitchen for a light breakfast of a buttered slice of bread and a glass of milk. His anxiety over meeting with Babi prevented him from finishing his slight meal.

After donning his armor and locating Excalibur, his favorite sword, Isaac silently exited the house and headed for the town's entrance. Iodem was there waiting with his fleet of soldiers.

"Good morning, Isaac," the raven-haired man greeted solemnly. Isaac nodded in acknowledgment. Iodem frowned.

"You know, we're going to be traveling together all the way to Tolbi," he reminded. "You could at least pretend to enjoy my company."

Isaac ignored the comment and gestured to the soldiers. "There are still monsters around?" he inquired, his voice betraying his cool demeanor. Iodem smirked slightly at the sight of this incredible warrior and hero losing his confidence over a few monsters. However, it wasn't the beasts that were worrying Isaac. He had a terrible feeling about this trip, or, at the very least, what awaited at the end of it.

Their trip proceeded in a silence which made Isaac feel as though he was being escorted to his own execution. Halfway to Tolbi, Iodem diverted from the main road and led the entourage across a bridge. Isaac presumed several shortcuts had been established now that it was safer to work in the open. Most of the monsters had dissipated with the rising of the Golden Sun, letting all of Weyard breathe easier. Isaac, too, was glad that monster activity had decreased to a minuscule point. Truth to be told, he had always found the constant random battles annoying since they scarcely advanced his skills if at all.

The path they had taken proved to be a shortcut as the Earth Adept could make out the silhouette of Tolbi rising from the horizon. A sudden chill raced down his spine when he spotted the distinct shape of the coliseum where he had competed in Colosso months ago.

"I bet you're excited," Iodem said, probably to make conversation. Isaac raised an eyebrow, not offering a word of reply. Iodem continued regardless.

"It's been a while since you've been to Tolbi, from what Lord Babi tells me. Are you thinking of participating in Colosso again this year?"

"No," Isaac snarled, clenching his hands into fists. The older man shrugged.

"Pity. You did so well in last year's event," he commented with a sly smirk. The blonde boy heaved a sigh as he remembered why he couldn't stand Babi or anyone who had regular dealings with him. They were all jerks. Everyone who had attended Colosso knew that Isaac collapsed from exhaustion the moment he won his match. He found it fortunate that no one in the audience noticed how his race course's traps were all disabled, thanks to a little help from his friends and their psynergy.

As they approached the town, a soft, sweet music reached Isaac's ears. He turned his head with interest. It seemed to be a gentle melody, but he knew that it must be absolutely blaring within the city to be audible at this distance.

"Tolbi's celebrating their annual Spring Festival this week," Iodem explained when he noticed Isaac listening to the music. "It's a big event, almost as big as Colosso. There's lots of music and dancing and food and fun. Maybe you should stay and enjoy it as well."

The addressed shook his head adamantly. "I'm returning to Vale this evening," he informed bitterly. At the mention of time, he noticed that the sun had climbed over the hills and filled the sky with heavenly whites, pinks, and blues while dying the fields golden. He inwardly sighed. At this point, his friends and family were probably waking and preparing their breakfasts. His stomach was already lecturing him for being too anxious to have a proper meal before leaving.

They soon reached Tolbi's gates, and, as Isaac had presumed, the once soft and melodious music was now pounding and vibrating through his very existence. Within the city, young girls danced around with wreaths of flowers, and the boys chased one another through the streets. Towards the town's center, there was an enormous band, the one responsible for the music. Men and women went about their business, garbed in bright, festive colors. As Iodem led Isaac towards the larger building where Babi waited, a small girl in a pink dress with a crown of daisies about her chocolate hair grabbed the Adept's hand with a bright smile. Her emerald eyes shined cheerfully.

Isaac responded to her enthusiasm with a smile of his own. The girl presented him with a white carnation, which he gladly accepted. It was a small consolation for the horrible feeling he had, but a consolation nonetheless. Iodem called Isaac's name sharply, and the boy frowned in his direction. He waved to the girl, bidding her farewell, and followed his escort before he became lost in the crowd.

It was not much longer before the group managed to fight their way to Babi's residence. Isaac took a deep breath to calm himself. The feeling of foreboding penetrating his every thought was only growing stronger, even if every person around him was in good spirits. The massive doors swung open and Iodem bade the Adept enter before him. Isaac whipped around as the doors closed behind him. It seemed Iodem had remained outside. For what reason was the question at hand, though the boy was giving it less thought than he probably should have.

A staircase rested before him, its banisters decorated with strings of flowers for the Spring Festival. Cautiously he ascended it, finding himself standing face to face with an ominous door. The handles were crafted in the likeness of some sort of lion, though it more resembled a beast Isaac once fought. As he reached up a hand to knock, someone on the other side abruptly threw the doors open, causing the young hero to stumble backwards. A stiff-looking soldier stood in front of him.

"Isaac of Vale," the soldier stated in a tone commanding great authority. Isaac presumed him to be the captain of Babi's fleet as he voiced his presence. The man stepped to a side to allow the named entry.

Isaac closed his eyes momentarily and steadied his breathing. He adopted a poised disposition and proceeded into the dimly lit chamber.

Lights sprang to life as he entered, surprising him out of his cool and collected attitude.

"Heh, did I startle you?" inquired a deep, elderly voice. Isaac turned in its direction and found none other than Babi seated at an oak desk with several papers upon it. At the very sight of this man, burning hatred consumed the Adept's being, yet he managed to mask it as mere displeasure. This only further amused Babi.

"Come now, Isaac," he said condescendingly, "this is how you treat me after saving my life?"

Isaac shook his head. "This is how I treat you after you nearly take mine," he corrected tartly, referencing Colosso. Babi sighed deeply.

"Can't you just let bygones be bygones?" he muttered. "You did win your match…"

The boy sighed and dismissed the topic. "Just get to the point," he demanded. "Why did you call me here when you know my village was destroyed and I need to help repair it?"

A devious smirk crawled onto Babi's lips. "So you wouldn't have a choice," he said smugly. Isaac's mouth feel slightly agape at these words. His fingers grew cold as his blood seemed to freeze inside him.

"What do you mean?" he demanded, attempting to sound vicious but only managing to choke out the words tentatively. He watched in concealed horror as Babi's grin grew. The man closed his eyes and rested his chin upon his laced fingers, though the wicked smile remained intact.

"Well, with my army surrounding your little village and everyone inside and you in no place to help them, I figured I could basically make you do anything I wanted," he explained nonchalantly. Isaac clenched his fists as he could almost feel his heart sink.

"You son of a…"

"Now, now," Babi interrupted, "is that any way to talk to your new lord and master? My men will accompany you to your room. One false move and I'll order the attack on your town. Iodem will introduce you to your new life later today."

Isaac growled in contempt but didn't resist when two soldiers approached him and took hold of either arm, removing his sword and placing it aside. Babi was ruthless, and the Adept didn't put anything past him. Submissively he allowed himself to be guided though a door to the side, down a stone corridor, and finally into a stark chamber consisting of little other than a bed and a window. The door was closed behind him, and he heard the lock click into place.

The boy lifelessly glided across the room and stared out the window towards Vale. For a moment he recalled meeting Sheba in Lalivero for the first time. The room he was in now and the one which the young Jupiter Adept had resided in were eerily similar.

Isaac leaned on the windowsill and shut his eyes. He'd find a way out, no matter what it took.

--

But can he really? Once again, review as you see fit. Or, see it through my eyes and just review.

The sci-fi really comes into play next chapter. Oh, and I don't know if it's really going to wind up being a K+ story. I just make all my stories that rating until I see a need to a change it. It actually works pretty well…