Book One: Golden Sun

by Master of Reality

The story of four of the greatest heroes ever known to Weyard, fighting to prevent the release of an ancient power. World's first and only complete noelisation. R&R!

21. Interesting Discoveries

A/N: Ah, here we are again with another update, this time not so long a wait. I've nothing much to say here, so let's be on with the show!

Disclaimer: Look, I don't own it, okay? Stop asking! If I owned it, I would – like many others here if they owned the GS rights – make a GS3 have a GS anime produced and make all my GS fics published. All mine, of course. No one else's. I would also purchase a trained monkey assassin. Hey, you never know when a good, military trained, monkey assassin will come in handy, now, do you? Ah well, on with the show.

CHAPTER TWENTY

INTERESTING DISCOVERIES

Armored guards in the uniform of Tolbi watched over the people as they left the ship and entered the docks. Normally, security and customs were strictly upheld, but during Colosso, the people were too many to police, so they just watched over the newcomers, keeping an eye out for any obvious signs of trouble. Isaac's party made their way past the buildings and along the road to the city itself.

When they reached Tolbi, Isaac was astounded. The city was huge! Not even Kalay, Bilibin or Xian could compare. Garet and Mia were also shocked at the size. Only Ivan seemed unimpressed.

"I've been here more times than I can count with Master Hammet," he explained simply. "It's nothing special for me." Tolbi was a sprawling city of many buildings, surrounded by large, thick stone walls. Two massive buildings stood out from the rest. One was a large elaborate, yet imperious looking palace that Isaac assumed could only belong to this Lord Babi. The other was a round, gray stone thing of many pillars and a massive inner pit.

That must be the colosseum, he figured.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Garet asked. "Let's go on in!"

"You know, it's funny," Ivan started. "All the times I've been to Tolbi, this is the first time I've actually been during Colosso."

"Really? Why's that?" Isaac asked.

"Master Hammet was against the whole Colosso tournament," Ivan explained. "He objected morally to the idea of men killing each other for money and entertainment."

"I agree," Mia said. "It's such an abhorrent idea."

Ivan continued. "I suspect that Master Hammet probably wouldn't have traded at all with Tolbi if it weren't for the fact that it was the only city capable of supporting Kalay's economy through trade."

"But all that aside," Garet started, "if it weren't for the whole killing part, wouldn't Colosso be a great even to see? I reckon if would even be a great event to join in if we could."

"Maybe when this whole quest thing is over, and we have time, you could do that," Isaac replied, to get Garet off the topic. "For now, let's focus on the matters at hand, and try and find an Inn for the night."

They passed through a large gate in the wall, watched over by Tolbi soldiers as they followed the crowd into the city.

"I hope we can," Ivan told Isaac. "I hear that during Colosso, things always get pretty packed and spare rooms pretty sparse."

The paved streets were packed full of people and tourists between the large buildings. Everywhere, it seemed, there were people with patrols of armed Tolbi soldiers watching over them. There were dozens of homes, shops, taverns and various gambling venues. And, of course, the standard Inns. They entered the first one that they could find.

When Isaac asked if they could have a room, he was told the Inn was all booked out and that he should try somewhere else. They tried two other places, and received the same answered. Full up. The third innkeeper told them that there was probably no chance of finding a room in any Inn anywhere in the city.

"I've had most of my rooms on reserve for almost two months and the rest were gone over two weeks ago! And the tournament doesn't even start until tomorrow! There's no hope of spare accommodation in Tolbi during Colosso. Sorry, kid."

They stood outside this last Inn to discuss the situation.

"Maybe we should split up and ask around," Mia suggested. Up above, the storm clouds they had seen earlier rumbled menacingly. The sun hung just above the horizon in late afternoon. They didn't have much time left. A low peal of thunder rumbled low and distant.

"We shouldn't even bother," Ivan sighed. "That Innkeeper is probably right; we'll never find a place anywhere here."

"Oh, great! What an interesting discovery!" Garet groaned sarcastically. "No Inns in Tolbi are open! Wonderful! What are we going to do now!"
"Maybe we should camp out," Isaac suggested. "It's really our only option. Besides, we'll save money, we can't afford to keep staying at Inns all the time, and we have to save for provisions. Our coins are getting a little low."

"I knew I should have asked Lady Layana if we could borrow some money while we were in Kalay," Ivan muttered under his breath.

"Camping again?" Garet groaned. "Geez, I hate that…"

"Well, we'd better hurry, then!" Mia said. "By the time we manage to get out of this crowded city, it will be dark!"

"All right, then, let's go!" Isaac called out, as he led them out of Tolbi.

XXX

Iodem continued pacing across the room in Babi's Palace. Through the window, he could see that the sun had set; an orange glow across the horizon all that remained, soon to be lost to night. The sound of ominous rumbling signaled that soon the storm clouds would unleash upon Tolbi. A sumptuous dinner lay on the table, ready for him to eat. Iodem ignored it, however, as he was not currently hungry. Meticulously, his mind spun over how to solve his most pressing problem.

Lord Babi was missing.

As his second-in-command, Iodem was calling the shots until Babi was found. If he was not, Iodem would replace him as Lord of Tolbi. A more devious man might use the opportunity to seize power. But not Iodem. He believed in loyalty and honor. If he couldn't be loyal to his master now, how could he be to the people when he did assume power?

A well dressed man, clean shaven with short black hair with only a slight hint of graying, Iodem continued pacing across the floor, from time to time, stealing a look out the window to the ever darkening night. A knock sounded at the door, and Iodem called for the person to enter. General Kratos of the Tolbi Army entered.

"What have you to report?" Iodem asked, choosing his words carefully as a leader of Tolbi should speak.

"My scouts have returned from the Altmiller Caves, sir. They found no signs of Lord Babi," the General responded steadily in a thick, deep voice that was capable of yelling quite loud at the soldiers when necessary.

Iodem paused, deep in thought. He knew that Lord Babi was at least near there.

"He must be found soon," Iodem spoke softly. "Colosso starts tomorrow, and I may very well have to open it and attend in his stead. This will start rumors amongst the people; we cannot let them know."

"I understand, sir. We did our utmost best," Kratos assured Iodem, and he did not doubt it. General Kratos was very efficient.

"Hmm… search the Altmilliar again," Iodem decided. "Send your two best scouts to search every nook and cranny of those caves, leave no stone unturned."

"Sir?" Kratos questioned uncertainly.

"Have an entire squad of your best men roam the surrounding area," Iodem continued. "Be as thorough as possible. Leave not a single patch unsearched."

"We already have, sir," Kratos insisted. "Altmillar and the surrounding area had been searched. If Lord Babi was there, we would have found him."

"Search again," Iodem demanded. "I know that he's there."

"Sir, with all due respect… why?" Kratos's expression remained stoic, but his tone of voice indicated he was puzzled.

"Lord Babi has been missing since last night," Iodem explained. "His bed was still made this morning. He has been sneaking out of the palace to the Altmillar Caves for some time now, possibly even longer than I'm aware of. Why, I don't know. But I'm the only one who knows this, as I've seen it from time to time. I've followed him several times, and always he goes to the caves. Every time, however, I lose sight of him as he enters the shadows of the cave."

"Losing him in the dark?" Kratos cocked an eyebrow. Iodem nodded. His sensible, down to earth mind refused to entertain the fantastic notion that Babi was turning invisible or teleporting away. He continued.

"This time, however, is different. He has not returned before the night is through like the other times, and I am worried. I know he is in that area, and I am determined to find him."

"I see," Kratos nodded, displaying no other sign of emotion.

"Now go," Iodem ordered. "And do you best."

Kratos nodded and saluted briskly, gave a quick, "I shall see to it personally," and then left. Iodem had full confidence in the man's capabilities. General Kratos had been in charge of the Tolbi Army for longer than Iodem had been in Lord Babi's service. The General had carefully and methodically managed and increased the armed forces, and successfully led them on many expeditions. His best efforts included the conquest of Lalivero - after his predecessor took Suhulla - discouraging the Kibombo raids, the Laliveran uprising - they were all now nicely subdued - and the Kibombo Marches, defeating them in the Battle of the Suhulla Desert. If anyone could successfully find Lord Babi, it was General Kratos.

Unable to, for now, do anything more about the problem, Iodem sat down and forced himself to begin eating the still warm meal. He cast his mind to the only major problem now arising.

The prisoner girl from Lalivero – Sheba - held in one of the palace towers.

Tolbi was forcing the Laliverans to build a massive monument, Babi Lighthouse. Work was well underway, but not progressing far enough. Iodem had suggested returning Sheba as a gesture of goodwill to the Laliverans to motivate them to work fast. Funny, anyone else, and they wouldn't be swayed. But this Sheba girl was different.

"Child of the Gods" they called her, or some such nonsense. But Iodem knew that she didn't have 'strange powers'. There was no such thing as magic. Outside, the rain began pouring.

XXX

Isaac and the others ran across the landscape as the storm erupted over them, heavy rain pelting down on them. Isaac couldn't help but be reminded of the storm that had taken his father's life over three years ago. Ever since then, he had always felt uneasy in storms, as though something really bad was going to happen. It was probably just trauma, sure, but that didn't make Isaac feel any better. It only intensified his hatred of Saturos and Menardi.

Lightning flashed, and thunder peeled up above through the night sky as he peered through the downpour of rain in vain for some shelter with almost no light to see with. Isaac cursed himself inwardly for not being faster. It was bad enough that they had left it until nightfall before finally getting out of Tolbi, setting up tents was always difficult in the dark, but trying to do so in a storm was ten-fold harder. And during a storm at night… it was effectively impossible.

So, the party searched desperately for some shelter to stay, already soaked as they were. The countryside around Tolbi, however, offered little protection for travelers unable to set up their tents. They were in some lightly hilly terrain, covered in grass with occasional copses of trees that gave little or no safety from the downfall of rain.

"We should have stayed in Tolbi!" Garet moaned. "We should have found an alley to sleep in or something! I hate this stupid rain!" Garet shivered to add to the effect, and slicked his red hair back. The Fire Adept just couldn't stop complaining, he really hated water.

"Sleeping in alleys isn't really safe, Garet," Ivan said from the back of the group. "Tolbi is probably full of thieves at this time of year, especially if Dodonpa sent some from Lunpa."

"Well, it's still better than wandering out here in this cursed rain!" Garet shot back, pulling up the hood of his cloak to try and stop some of the water drenching him.

"It's only rain, Garet. It won't hurt you!" Mia scolded with a slightly amused smile playing on her lips. Of course, that was easy for her to say, she was a Water Adept, while he was a Fire Adept. Garet grumbled in reply, but said nothing more. Mia didn't seem at all concerned that she was soaked by the rain; she didn't even bother to protect herself from the rain. She seemed to not even notice the water. Isaac simply remained silent, and looked around some more as they continued searching.

"We aren't going to find anything," Garet declared. "Let's face it, this countryside is absolutely bare."

"Well, what exactly can we do?" Mia asked. "I want to find somewhere to sleep as much as you, but where?"

"I doubt we can get back into Tolbi anyway," Ivan told them. "Like most major cities, they probably shut the gates at night." Isaac ceased his searches as he found something that looked promising. He opened up his sense to the earth to get a better idea.

"Great! So, we're stuck out here!" Garet continued complaining. "Another marvelous discovery! Things just keep getting better and better."

"Garet, please," Mia sighed. "Sarcasm isn't going to help." Before anyone else could say anything, Isaac spoke up.

"Hey, I think I've found a cave up ahead," he informed the group.

"Now that sounds good!" Garet finally smiled. "I'll take anything over staying out here!"

They quickly crossed the remaining distance and entered the cave, grateful - except, perhaps, Mia - to be out of the rain, finally. It was very dark, but Garet lit a small Psynergetic flame in his hand, bringing a little light that didn't extend very far into the darkness of the cave.

"I wonder where this place is," Ivan mused as he sat down, exhausted. The others did the same, except for Garet who remained standing as he searched his pack for some dry wood to burn so he wouldn't drain his Psynergy.

"Who cares? It's somewhere dry!" he scoffed as he pulled out a torch and lit it, ceasing his use of Psynergy. He moved a little deeper in, and then also sat down. "We don't have enough wood for a fire, so it looks like we'll just have to do without."

"I hope there aren't any monsters in here," Mia then said. "I don't want anything sneaking up on me at night!"
"We never even thought of that!" Ivan realized in shock, purple eyes shooting wide open.

"Well, logically, we know there isn't anything out there," Isaac said, motioning towards the cave entrance. "Or else we would have seen them. Maybe the rain was keeping them away, or the people in Tolbi; we know they tend to dislike crowds of people. So it's possible there is something in here."

They were all briefly silent as they listened for some telltale sound of a monster. All they heard was the sound of the rain falling and a single rumble of thunder. They waited a few moments with baited breath for something to happen.

"Well, I vote we go for a look deeper in the cave and see if we find anything!" Garet suddenly declared loudly, breaking the silence. He took up his axe in one hand, and held the flaming torch in the other.

"He's got a good point," Ivan nodded. "We really should check just quickly that the cave is safe."

"What do you think, Isaac?" Mia asked. "I know you're tired and exhausted, we all are, and we haven't rested since arriving at Tolbi Docks. But it would be best if we checked it out anyway."

"All right, just quickly though," Isaac sighed as he got up once more. "After that, we're going straight to sleep." The four of them made their way through the dark cave, Garet leading the way with the torch giving off light. As they made their way through the large, dark rocky cave, they found no sign of any monster having ever been there. But they didn't find the end. They kept going on, winding deeper and deeper into the ground.

"Wow, this is a pretty big cave that goes pretty deep," Isaac mused as the kept going. When they could no longer hear the rain up above, Isaac decided that they had gone far enough. If this cave did have anything in it, they would have found it by now. Either that or it was simply too deep down for it to really matter to them up near the entrance, which was really about the same thing in the end.

"Okay, let's head back up now," Isaac called out. "This place is empty. We haven't even so much as seen bats in here."

"Yeah, I'm getting' pretty tired," Garet stifled a yawn. "Let's call it a night."

"Ssshh!" Did you hear that?" Ivan suddenly hissed. They immediately fell silent and listened. Then they all heard it. A faint, weak groan, only barely audible.

"That's not a monster… that's a man!" Mia exclaimed. "We have to help them"

"Let's have a look," Garet suggested. The four Adepts walked ahead only a few feet before the light from Garet's torch fell upon the rocky floor, revealing it to their eyes, and they finally saw it.

Or rather, in a manner of speaking, didn't.

There was no physical object that they were able to see, but there was an outline, a faint glow of the bluish Psynergetic light that an Adept could see round other Adepts when they used Psynergy. And the outline, the glow of Psynergetic light was unmistakably the form of a human.

"Hey! There's someone there! … I think," Garet started, staring in disbelief. It was impossible, Isaac knew, to see such a glow without an Adept using Psynergy. He remained silent as he stared in disbelief, trying to puzzle it out in his head.

"What is that?"! Ivan asked quizzically.

"Who is that?" Mia asked more specifically. Neither the Wind Adept nor Water Adept actually expected an answer to their shocked questions. The whole party was scared out of their wits when the got one.

"I am a person who has fallen in these cursed caves," a voice suddenly spoke from the human Psynergy light form. A person's voice. A male voice. It sounded old, strong; yet deceptively friendly, persuasive. "I am injured and unable to move. Please help me."

The four of them stood there stupefied, unsure of what to say. "How is it that you can see me?"

"Because you're surrounded by Psynergetic light," Mia answered. "How come you can't move? What happened? Are you hurt?"

"No, I am not hurt," the old man's deceptive voice rang out. "But what you said… you know about Psynergy?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Garet asked.

"If you know about Psynergy…" his voice began slowly, almost with a hint of fear, "then you must be Lemurians!" Lemurians! Lemuria was a legend! Lemuria was a mythical city from the Lost Age; it didn't really exist, at least not anymore. What this guy mad?

"No, no, we're Adepts!" Isaac assured the man. "We aren't Lemurians, I assure you!" What kind of idiot was he to think that they were Lemurians?
"So… you're Adepts, but not Lemurians?" the voice asked, as though doubting the possibility of the claim. Why did it sound so impossible to him, Isaac wondered.

"Yes, that's right," Isaac replied, with false patience.

"Well, I'd really love to, but like I said earlier, I am unable to move, I desperately need your help!"

"Oh, you poor man!" Mia began with sympathy filling her voice. "We completely forgot! What happened to you? How can we help?"

"Hmph, well…" the old, persuasive voice began, coughed a moment, then continued. "I simply ran too low on my precious draught and collapsed here, unable to go back and get more."

"Sounds like this draught of yours is pretty special," Ivan noted.

"Indeed it is…" the old man's voice replied softly, revealing nothing more.

"Will getting more help?" Mia asked anxiously.

"Yes! Please, I beg of you, you must get more of my draught!"

"Well, where exactly is this draught of yours?" Isaac asked, trying to think things through logically. Outside was effectively inaccessible until the storm passed.

"Deeper in the cave, at the very end," the voice replied simply.

"Let's go!" Mia declared immediately.

"Woah, hold on a second!" Garet said. "We haven't even seen what this guy looks like! How do we know if it's safe?"

"Garet!" Mia scolded. "A person is in trouble, we should help them! It's called 'kindness'!"

"I could not show you, even if I wanted to!" The man informed them. "I am completely unable to move!"

"You heard the man, Garet," Ivan told the Fire Adept. "He can't help it. Let's just go and help him!"

"Well… what do you think, Isaac?" Garet looked to the Earth Adept questioningly. Isaac thought over the matter logically. There were a lot of mysteries here. Who was this man? Was he an Adept? Why was he invisible? Why did he think that they were Lemurians? Why did he need this mysterious draught so badly? He seemed too ill to answer these questions now; they would need to help him to get them. And he was an innocent stranger in need of help.

"Well, let's got get this guys draught and help him out first," Isaac decided. Ivan and Mia both agreed.

"Okay, then. If Isaac says so," Garet nodded, all previous statements forgotten. "I'll do it."

Once again, it's follow the leader. Isaac thought silently. I don't like making decisions for them, but they seem to want it. They're pretty loyal to me.

"Thank you, brave travelers," The invisible man ceased speaking a moment as he descended into fits of sick coughing. "Please… hurry…" he choked in between coughs.

"Let's hurry up, then," Isaac declared turning and heading deeper into the dark caves, followed closely by the other three. Behind him, he could still hear the man coughing, albeit not nearly so seriously now. It only occurred to him now that he hadn't even thought to ask the man's name. Time for that when they got back, he figured.

The dank darkness of the Altmiller caves closed deeply around them as they went on, and even the faint light from Garet's torch did not penetrate far into the gloom. There was perfect silence once more, save for the crackling of the flames at the end of the torch, and the slapping of their leather traveling boots on the flat stone floor. This path was surprisingly well worn.

At last, they emerged into a larger room that stretched on to either side beyond their sight into the darkness. The far side opposite, however, was just faintly visible in the flickering orange light of the torch. Here, Isaac made out a stone door which, he assumed, was close upon the room to which the man had left his precious draught.

As they approached, Isaac also noticed that the ruins of many ancient stone pillars lay crumbling beside the path. He could only assume that there were other such things to be discovered further in the dark. But it did not matter; they were not here for that. Maybe, there was once an ancient city here of a civilization ling since extinct.

Altmillar… the more Isaac thought about it, the more it seemed to tug at the back of his mind. Maybe Kraden had mentioned the name somewhere in his lectures regarding the Lost Age. He didn't know; he didn't tend to think too much on that stuff.

They reached the stone doors and pushed them open. Must old air did not rush out to meet them, as Isaac had expected, but even colder, more frigid air. As the light washed over the room, Isaac saw a simple, empty space with a single stone table sitting by the far side. Upon this sat a single, large jar full of a golden-tinged liquid, sealed shut with a wooden cork. The mysterious, invisible man's draught. That was it.

"That must be it," Mia guessed.

"Well, at least we know for certain now that the cave is empty of monsters!" Ivan said.

"Yeah, that's one thing to be positive about," Garet agreed. Isaac picked up the flask.

"Let's get out of here, now," Garet suggested. "This place is creeping me out!"
Isaac led the party back out the room and through the dark tunnels as it steadily wound its way back to the surface. They reached the point where the invisible man lay prone; an outline of Psynergetic light surrounding his body. Isaac took out the flask.

"Do you have it?" the voice of the old man asked desperately, losing his formerly precise tone.

"Right here." Isaac handed over the jar to the light of the invisible man. The form of the light shifted as what appeared to be the outline of a hand reached out and grabbed the draught. As Isaac let go, and the invisible man grabbed it, the flask literally vanished before his eyes.

It turned invisible! Isaac realized. The hand outline returned to the rest of the light, and he heard the sound of the bottle being uncorked and a second later, liquid being gulped. Then the invisible man stood up, made a motion with his hand Isaac was unable to discern, and then the Psynergetic light faded and the man became visible once more.

He was very old, yet Isaac was unable to place his age, judging by the man's looks alone. He could possibly be about Kraden's age, or even more. He had long, pale hair that hung straight to his shoulders, and a long mustache that hung to drooping points either side of his pale lips. His eyes were strong and hawk-like, his face a cold expression of imperialism.

But his clothes… Isaac had never seen such extravagance! He had seen expensive robes before on Lord Hammet and Lord McCoy, or Lady Layana's elegant gowns, but this man's put them all to shame. Rich, velvety fur laced with gold and decorated with jewels. That must cost a fortune! This man must have been an incredibly wealthy noble. But Isaac had to wonder… why would a man where clothes like that while traveling, in a cave of all places?

"So… that's what he looked like!" Garet exclaimed, shocked at the man's appearance. "Not what I imagined!"

"What did you imagine?" Ivan asked

"Well… I dunno…" the Fire Adept shrugged.

"My sudden appearance must have startled you," he said smoothly, precisely.

"Yeah! Invisible people aren't all that common in our neck of the woods!" Garet replied.

"I understand," the man nodded politely in reply. "Your ability to see me, though. You really are Adepts."

"That's right," Isaac replied.

"And yet… you aren't Lemurians, you say?" Why on Weyard did he keep bringing that up?

"No, just Adepts," Ivan told him. "We're all Angarans."

"I see…" the man, rubbing his chin.

"So, how were you able to turn invisible?" Isaac finally asked.

"You were using Psynergy," Ivan pointed out. "So, you must be an Adept."

"Hmm… yes, I was using Psynergy…" the man said slowly, after a slight pause.

"But how?" the Wind Adept further probed. "And who are you?" As he spoke, he began to glow with Psynergy, and Isaac realized he was using his mind read ability.

"It is of no importance," the man insisted. "But… yes, I see. You are Adepts indeed."

Ivan ceased his mind read and his eyes shot open in surprise as he took a shocked step back.

"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed. "You're Lord Babi of Tolbi! And you were using the power of an ancient civilization!"

Isaac, Garet and Mia simultaneously let out gasps of disbelief, while Babi fixed Ivan with a look that was a mixture of rage, disbelief and insult.

"How could you know that!" he exclaimed. "I never said that!" He took a fearful step back and looked at them thoughtfully.

"You are indeed truly Adepts." Babi noted calmly, regaining his composure. "That must be a Mind Read technique. I had heard of it in… but never actually saw it. But, you say you are not Lemurians? Interesting…" Why did he keep bringing that up?

"No, just Adepts," Isaac assured him.

"I see… perhaps my scholars were right about… well, it doesn't matter now."

"Now, can you please tell us something else about yourself?" Mia asked politely. "That draught we brought you, why do you need it to live? Why did you collapse without it?"

Babi sighed deeply, as though deciding there was no point in hiding the truth from her. "As old as I look, I am in fact even older," he confessed. "Very old. This body of mine has had it. I don't want to die, I want to remain young."

"I can understand your desire to remain young," Mia sympathized. "But there's nothing anyone can do to stop it."

"That's not entirely true…" Babi corrected. "Along with my Cloak Orb;" Babi held out briefly a black crystal sphere, then returned it to his elegant robe pocket, "which allows me disappear from sight using the power of an ancient civilization, I also found a means to thwart death."

"That's impossible!" Garet said. "Nothing can do that!"

"Sounds like something Kraden said…" Isaac mused. "He once taught us that the power of Alchemy, or more specifically the Stone of Sages, could thwart death."

Babi regarded Isaac with a look of realization in his eye. "You say you know the Alchemy Sage, Kraden?"

"Yes, he was our teacher back in Vale," Isaac answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Vale, you say?" Babi's tone was very formal. "I see. Kraden was a scholar of mine at the Tolbi Academy. I sent him up to Vale to research to origins of Alchemy." Kraden worked for Babi! Why had he never told them that? At least now he knew where the scholar came from. He was about to reply when voices were heard from up the tunnel.

"Ah, it seems they are returning to search for me," Babi nodded in satisfaction. "I had no doubts of my soldiers' loyalty. They actually came in earlier to look for me, but of course I was still invisible at the time, and I could not make my voice heard. Were it not for you Adepts, I would have certainly died in here. I owe you my life." He said nothing more as the soldiers approached.

The cave was further lit up as two lightly armored soldiers, each carrying a flaming torch, entered their part of the cave, and stopped in surprise as they saw Babi and the four Adepts.

"My lord! You are well!" one exclaimed in obvious relief.

"We were afraid we would never find you again!" his companion added.

"Well, fear no more then," Babi replied. The first soldier looked at Isaac.

"My lord, who are these travelers?" he asked as though they weren't there.

"These are the people responsible for saving my life." Babi informed the soldier, who then looked to Isaac, smiled and nodded.

"Then we owe you our thanks."

"With all due respect, my lord," the other soldier began, "why were you in these caves?"

"A personal errand," Babi replied cryptically. "But it is taken care of now, and you may escort me back to my palace." The soldier seemed unconvinced, but of course, he couldn't very well question his master.
Babi turned to face Isaac. "For your actions, I do believe that you deserve a reward," he told the Venus Adept. "Please, accompany me to my palace. I shall provide rooms to you for the night."

"Thank you," Isaac nodded. "Seeing as we were trying to sleep in these caves, a night in the palace would be more than reward enough."

"Oh no, I have a far greater reward in mind for you!" Babi's eyes twinkled with secret cunning. "But you shall find out more later. Come now; let us retire for the night. I promise I shall answer all your questions later."

With that, Babi turned and left with his two guards and the Adepts following behind. What interesting discoveries they had made, with more still to come.

XXX

Still a full day's walk from Tolbi, Saturos ordered the party to set up camp for the night a short distance from the edge of the Karagol Sea. Jenna tried to consider her options for escape, but like every night, she came up blank. Saturos and Menardi kept up too tight a watch, and were far too powerful to resist. Escape, it seemed, was still a little way off yet.

But I will escape, she solemnly swore to herself.

"Get some sleep," Saturos ordered. "Tomorrow, we reach Tolbi, and from there, we head straight for Venus Lighthouse." Quickly, they had a camp fire going and dinner ready. Jenna only ate it because she needed to keep up her strength.

"Hmm… Tolbi, eh?" Kraden mused.

"Don't get any ideas, old man," Menardi warned him. "You won't be going in, so none of Babi's soldiers will be saving you." Kraden simply grunted in reply, strangely opting to remain silent.

When they had finished, Alex suggested to the Alchemy Sage that he should tell them what he knew of Tolbi, and its soldiers.

"We are after all, going to be passing through their territories," the Water Adept reasoned. "It would be helpful to know what we face."

"Hmm… well, I've nothing of particular interest to tell," the scholar shrugged in reply. "Tolbi's army ensures its dominion of the area, including Suhalla and Lalivero, and are entirely loyal to Lord Babi himself."

"What about this tower that Babi's building?" Saturos enquired "The one just north of Lalivero."

"Ah… Babi Lighthouse." Kraden nodded in recognition. "Yes… being somewhat of an egotist, it seems Babi is determined to have his name remembered in history with this monument to himself. He used his soldiers to force the Laliverans to build it for him."

"Sounds rather barbaric," Jenna commented, but no one listened to her.

"He even had it built over some ancient ruins!" Kraden continued, sounding offended now. He made it sound as though that was the greater crime. "Babi is more ruthless than most people realize. To 'encourage' obedience, Babi kidnapped a girl from the town, and had her held hostage. She was a very special girl to them all; they called her 'Child of the Gods' for some reason. The Laliverans were so desperate to have her back, they did as they were told and began construction. I imagine that they are halfway done by now."

"Child of the Gods, you say…" Saturos mused. "Tell us everything you know."

"Well, I don't really know a great deal," Kraden confessed.

"Might I remind you that you do not have a choice here," Menardi warned coldly.

Kraden began speaking, but Jenna tuned out. She didn't really much care for it. Any of it. She noticed with certain disgust that Felix had stood up and sat down beside her on the log.

"Go away," she growled softly, but he refused to move. She refused to be the one to move.

"Jenna…" he sighed, trying to think of a way to get her to listen to him. He'd tried this several times before, and each time she'd ignored him. This time would be no different. "Please, I know what you're thinking, but please just hear me out first." Felix received only frosty silence from his sister. He continued, "I know you'll never understand my reasons for deciding to unseal Alchemy again with these two, but…" he sighed deeply. "At least try to understand why I was indebted to follow them at first. You see… after the tragedy with out parents, when they saved me…" he trailed off, thinking better of going there. That had failed last time. "The thing about our parents is…"

"Oh, no, you don't!" Jenna suddenly hissed, interrupting her brother." Don't you dare bring our parents into this! I've spent too long grieving, trying to get over them! You have no right to talk about them. You betrayed them, and everything that they stood for! I'm sick of hearing this, Felix!"

She turned to storm off, but Alex suddenly warped in front of her in a flash of Psynergy.

"Going somewhere?" he asked coolly. Jenna could've screamed with frustration. Instead, she tightly bottled all of her anger deep inside herself, and curled up in her bed, back turned to them all. She felt like she was on the verge of tears. It wasn't fair! There was just nothing she could do.

As the others went to sleep, leaving one up to watch her and Kraden, she lay there, gritting her teeth and thinking of Isaac. Funny, she never did have a boyfriend when she was in Vale. By the time she was old enough to have one, she was busy grieving over her family's death, and later, training to be an Adept. But if she ever did have one, it would have been him. He was handsome, nice and understood her like no one else did. She prayed one day they would meet again. Next time, she wouldn't waster her chance to be with him.

Somewhat comforted by that thought, she went to sleep finally.

XXX

Sheba, 'Child of the Gods' to the people of her hometown of Lalivero, stood in one of the locked rooms in Babi Palace, and looked out of the window miserably. Sometimes, she felt like crying, her situation seemed so hopeless. Indeed, her whole life had been sheltered, protected… content, sometimes, but never happy. In fact, always alone.

Sure, she had her adoptive father, Faran, back home in Lalivero, but he was the one person to ever actually care for her in any way. Everyone else just worshipped her as the Goddess they thought she was. Because she had strange powers that she didn't understand. If she focused her mind, she could control the wind as she desired, summon weak bolts of lightning to strike where she wanted, and even read people's minds. They thought this was the power of the gods working through this child. But she didn't know what they were, or where they came from. Certainly not from the gods, of that she was sure. No one understood. They never had. All she really wanted was to be cared for, for someone to see her for a normal person and who she was.

Sheba turned away from the window. Not even the wind could comfort her tonight. Sheba lay down on the bed, and tried to get some sleep. She was always a prisoner. Back home, everyone coddled and protected her, because she was 'special'. Here, she was a 'guest'. Special treatment and nice rooms and food, but a prisoner all the same.

But there was one consolation – the vision she'd had. Her destiny. She'd dreamed that a man who was a master of the earth would come and save her. She would travel with him and his four friends on a quest to save the world from destruction. The Earth Master would risk his life to save hers. And she would find love him. She would discover the truth about herself. That was her destiny.

Comforted once more, Sheba finally went to sleep. Her journey would soon begin, and she could leave this life behind.

A/N: And… CUT! Okay, I think I can guess what you are all thinking. Why didn't he include Colosso! Sorry, I WAS going to try and put it in, but it got too long, so I decided to leave it out. Don't worry, next chapter I 110 guarantee it will be in there. Nothing but pure Colosso action! But I won't reveal too much of what I'm planning to do. Oh, no, you'll have to read if you want to find out, my fine readers. But what does it matter, for he already has the chapter up! Don't ya just love a good 2 chap update? I sure do! Well, what are you sitting around for? Get reading! (And reviewing!)