CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

VENUS LIGHTHOUSE

The underground tunnel heading towards Venus Lighthouse was cold and only dimly lit by the 'glowstones', as Kraden termed them, so aged and long unused were they. Perfectly angular walls of worn purple stone stretched for what seemed miles, ancient runes and symbols carved upon them; here and there pictures were also added.

"So much knowledge!" Kraden exclaimed, looking about. "Look at this all! It looks as though the entire history of the Venus Clan is written upon here! Oh, if only we could stop and study it."

Typical, Jenna thought. Here we are about to risk the fate of the world with Alchemy, and he's fussing over some ancient knowledge! Saturos had led them along the hallway at a brisk pace just short of a run. They passed several more doors that only opened at Felix's approach, and many ancient, dusty monuments of the Clan. Eventually, out of the gloom, Jenna spotted the end of the hallway. Dusty stone steps wound up into what she assumed was the base of the Lighthouse.

"Wait here!" Saturos ordered, raising a hand. The group came to a halt. Kraden took the opportunity to observe some ancient writings on the wall to one side, while Sheba hung on to Felix's arm like she was afraid of letting go. Jenna had noticed the way they'd gotten closer over such a short period of time, and thought it was rather cute.

My big brother's got a crush on Sheba!she thought in amusement. And she knew that Sheba had the same feelings; it was obvious in the way she acted around him. Even though the pair was still too shy to confess their feelings to each other, Jenna was sure that it was just a matter of time.

Menardi darted up the stairs with her scythe ready, checking to see that the coast was clear. A few moments later her voice echoed down the stairwell that it was safe to go up. Saturos strode up, followed by Alex strolling calmly, then Felix with Sheba at his side. Jenna followed, but stopped when she realised that Kraden wasn't following.

"Hey, Kraden!" she called out to the Alchemy Sage. "Are you coming?"

"Yes, yes," he replied in a distracted fashion, then tore his gaze away from the writing on the wall. "Saturos! Can I have a word with you? I've just discovered something that I think you should know!"

"Not now, we don't have time for useless trivia! Now, come on!" And he disappeared up the stairs without another word.

"But, Saturos, you don't understand, it's important! It's about – oh, blast, so rash!" The old man then rushed up after him, pushing past Jenna whilst saying apologetically, "Sorry, but I'm rather in a hurry!"

"We were already in a hurry, in case you didn't notice!" she snapped, without thinking, then followed after. The Alchemy Sage gave no indication that he'd heard her. At the top of the stairs, Jenna emerged in the first room of Venus Lighthouse. A square room of the same purple stone that the rest of the Lighthouse was made of. The symbol of the Venus Clan was once again emblazoned upon the floor, a branching tree within a circle. There were two doors; one that led to a rising staircase and another that led outside, the one-way exit. That way was barred by a Psynergetic barrier of golden light that was impenetrable.

I remember that. That's where we got stuck when we first entered the Lighthouse. They'd been stuck there until Kraden realised that it was only an exit, designed to fool potential intruders such as they. Somehow it could be temporarily deactivated, but only from this side.

"Saturos, wait!" Kraden shouted. The Fire Adept stopped at the door he was about to enter and turned to face him.

"Look, whatever it is, I don't have time for…"

"You brought me along so that you could make use of my knowledge, correct?" Saturos scowled, but nodded. "So you should listen when I have something to tell!"

"Fine, what is it?"

"About the lighting of Venus' beacon." The Alchemy Sage had Saturos' attention now. "You see, I was just reading on the wall down there, detailing about the beacons power, and well, you remember Mercury, right? Just toss the Star in and the beacon came up? Well, I've had a theory going for some time, but never had any solid evidence to go by. Well, you see, Water is a very stable element, while Earth is much more destructive…"

"If you have a point, then I suggest you get to it," Menardi hissed.

Kraden licked his lips nervously. "Right, right. Well…" he walked up to Saturos and began talking in a quick, low tone. Jenna shifted her feet irritably. How long was this going to take? Then she thought of Isaac rushing to rescue her, and thought that the delay would be good. But then, there were her parents…

If we explained to Isaac what we're trying to do for my parents, surely he'd understand? But if that meant releasing Alchemy, then would he do it? Such an action was taught as anathema and blasphemy in Vale, but she was willing to do it for those she loved, but she was sure that Isaac wouldn't. No, he was too determined to do the 'right thing'. What a frustrating situation. Now she understood what Felix had been going through, and felt sorry for him. As troublesome as the choice was, she was slowly coming to a decision.

Kraden finally finished, and waited for Saturos' reply.

"Alex, go see how close those kids are."

"As you wish, Saturos." The Water Adept inclined his head and disappeared in a flash of light.

"But you're not certain of this, are you, Kraden?" Felix asked uncertainly.

What did he just tell them? Darn, I wish I had been listening.

"Well, no, really, anything could happen…" Kraden replied. Saturos paced up and down the room in though. Why was he wasting so much time?

"Saturos, those kids will almost certainly catch up to us soon, if Alex's previous observations are correct," Menardi said. Several times already, Alex had teleported to spy on Isaac and report on how far behind he was. And he always said that he remained unseen. "This all goes in with what we planned earlier."

"Yes…" Saturos ceased his pacing as he came to a decision. "Right, Menardi and I will go on ahead. Felix, I want you to take Jenna and Kraden to the ship at Idejima and wait for us there."

"What? I don't understand, won't you need me inside the Lighthouse?" the Earth Adept spluttered.

"We only need you to get in," Saturos replied. "We've done that, we can handle the rest. Just do as we say."

"Hey, what's this about a ship?" Jenna cut in. "Nobody mentioned anything to me about this!" Nobody paid her any attention.

"We can't enter Jupiter Lighthouse without the Rod of Hesperia." Saturos pointed out. "Nor can we light Mars without their Star. We're going to make sure we get them. Peacefully, if possible."

Felix swallowed and nodded. "I understand."

"And we're taking Sheba with us," the Fire Adept then added. Sheba held herself even closer to Felix with a frightened look upon her face.

"No, please! I had a dream last night…"

"Oh, quiet with you and your dreams, girl!" Menardi snapped, and the Wind Adept cut off at once, hiding behind Felix.

"No, you can't take her!" he snapped. "What do you need her for, anyway?"

"We have our reasons," Saturos replied with a hint of menace. "Now, let her go."

"No." Felix's face hardened.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Jenna said with all the strength she could muster. "She doesn't have to go if she doesn't want to!"

Saturos fixed an angry red glare on her. "Stay out of this, it doesn't concern you."

"Felix, I think you're letting your feelings for Sheba cloud your judgement," Menardi said coldly.

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

For a moment, there was a tense silence, while Kraden shifted awkwardly to one side. Jenna and Felix glared at Saturos and Menardi, who stared back hotly. It was Sheba who broke the silence.

"I'll do it… I-I'll go." Her voice was soft and meek as she let go of Felix's arm and stepped forward.

"Wait, you don't have to do this, Sheba…" Felix started.

"No, I do. I've seen it in my dreams. It's my destiny." Felix looked at her in disbelief.

"Good girl, Sheba," Menardi said as she brought the girl to her side and then began taking her up the stairs of the Lighthouse.

"Goodbye, Felix…" she said softly with a mixture of sadness and loss in her purple eyes. And then she was gone.

"Goodbye," Felix said.

The way she said 'goodbye'… Jenna thought, it was almost as though she thought she'd never see him again.

"I expect to see you at Idejina," Saturos said. "It Alex pops up, tell him I said to tag along. I'll see you then." Saturos disappeared up the stairs, leaving Felix staring at the spot where he'd been. Or rather, where Sheba had been. He stood there visibly tense, Jenna knew that inside, Felix was silently debating with himself. About whether to follow after Sheba, she had no doubt. It was clear as day that her older brother had feelings for the Laliveran Wind Adept.

"Uh, Felix…" she started. "Maybe we should be going now?" Felix glanced at her, then back at the doorway.

"I don't understand," he said. "Why did her have to take her? She would be safer with me, what does he need her for?"

"I don't know," Jenna shrugged. "Come on, Felix, let's go… I want to save our parents." He whirled around to face her, delighted surprise on his face.

"Really? You mean it? You're willing to release Alchemy for them?"

"Well, I don't know if that's really the best way of going about it, but…" she sighed in thought, then continued. "But I want to release them. I've been thinking about it and I want us to be a family again." She looked him in the eyes. "I'll do what I have to in order to get them back, I swear it."

Felix sighed in relief, and gave her a reassuring smile. "That's good to hear, sis. I'm glad you think it."

"I still don't think we should release Alchemy, though."

His expression became serious once more. "I understand. We'll talk about it later."

"If I may say so," Kraden interjected, "we should continue this discussion later. Time is, as they say, of the essence."

"You're right," Felix nodded. "We need to get moving. With Alex gone, I guess I'm the leader now. Jenna, Kraden. You both know the way to the Idejima peninsula, right?" Kraden nodded that he did and Jenna promised she could follow him. "Then you two go there alone, I'm sure I can trust you, even if Saturos wouldn't. I'm going to find out what he wants with Sheba." He made for the door again, but Kraden stopped him.

"Wait, Felix!" The Earth Adept turned to face the Alchemy Sage. "Saturos had his reasons; can't you just accept it at that and leave it?"

"No, I need to know." He turned to go again, but Jenna stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Wait, Felix. Kraden what do you know about Saturos' reasons for taking Sheba?" she asked.

"Me? Why, oh, nothing." He took of his glasses and began polishing them with his robe.

"Kraden," Felix said in an uncharacteristically stern voice. The old scholar sighed, putting his glasses back on.

"He made me promise not to tell you…" he said in a regretful tone. "Very well. Saturos spoke with Sheba at some point regarding her visions… he seemed to need her up there, something about destiny…"

"Destiny?" he asked incredulously.

"It's complicated…"

"I'll bet it is," Felix growled. He tore himself away from Jenna, and made for the door once more.

"Wait, Felix…" Jenna called out.

"No, I'm not waiting!" he said, rounding on her. "Kraden, didn't you say that when the beacon was lit, the Lighthouse would react violently?"

"I said it might," Kraden corrected. "But…"

"I don't want to risk her!" he shouted.

"But, Felix…" Kraden argued. "What if Isaac comes? I know how you feel for Sheba, I was young once, too, you know, but…"

"If Isaac comes, then she might be hurt!" Felix responded passionately. "Or worse, they might try to take her back to Lalivero. Sheba hated it there, she'd rather be free."

"You can't make that choice for her, though, Felix. Think about this rationally, for a moment. Saturos ordered you too…"

"I don't care what Saturos told me!" Felix interrupted aggressively.

"Felix…" Jenna started, but her brother ignored her.

"Doesn't he trust me? Is that it? Three years I've been with him, and he doesn't trust me? What do I have to do to prove myself to him?" Kraden opened his mouth to speak, but Felix raised a hand to forestall him. "He won't let me fight, and now he won't tell me what he needs Sheba for, what he's risking her life for."

"Felix, calm down…" Kraden said, reprimanding.

"No, I won't leave her up there! I won't risk Sheba's life!"

"Felix! Stop for a moment!" Jenna said, and Felix glared at her, anger in his eyes.

"Jenna, be quiet!" The Fire Adept took a surprised step back, and her next words were lost on her tongue. Her brother never spoke to her like that! Did her really feel so strongly about Sheba? Felix began to glow light blue with Psynergy, and he stretched his arm towards the switch and made it shift with his mind. Behind her, the Psynergetic barrier of golden Venus Psynergy vanished, unblocking the Lighthouse exit.

"Go to Idejima and wait by the ship," he told them in a cold, flat voice. "I'm going to get Sheba and I won't hear a word against it." He spun on his heel and entered the doorway, climbing up the stairs as fast as he could.

Kraden simply sighed wearily, and shook his head disapprovingly. "Such a terribly rash young man…"

"You know, in his heart, he really hasn't changed all that much in the last three years," Jenna commented. "Still just as stubborn as ever." He must get it from their father, she reasoned, because neither she nor their mother was ever that irrational.

"Well, I suppose that we should be off," Kraden said. Jenna made no move. Watching her brother disappear into the Lighthouse like that, she suddenly had a bad feeling inside of her. What if he was hurt? What if Saturos got angry with him? What if Isaac found him? What if… so many questions of concern.

I'm just being paranoid, she reasoned, trying to reassure herself. Sure, that was it, he would probably be fine. Still, that feeling…

"Hmm… this is a remarkable contraption," Kraden mused to her side, looking at the switch on the wall. "According to these instructions, this device detects the presence of life forms in the room, and automatically switches the barrier back on when no-one is around."

Jenna looked to the switch in the wall. Next to it, carved into the stone wall, were figures that meant nothing to her that Kraden was peering at. "So you mean, once we leave, we can't come back?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear."

She looked to where she had last seen Felix, the worry in her heart growing. "Are you sure we should leave, then? I mean, Felix… maybe I should have stopped him."

"He wouldn't listen to us, though, and you know it," Kraden replied. He looked at her and, noting the concern on her face asked, "Jenna, what's troubling you?"

She replied, "It's just a bad feeling, I'm sure it's nothing. I just can't help feeling like something terrible is going to happen…" She sensed a burst of Psynergy from behind her, the sound of teleportation.

"How unusual of you to express such concern, Jenna," a smooth voice commented from behind her, nearly making Jenna jump out of her skin. She whirled around to see a familiar, blue haired Water Adept standing there, calmly. "Why, you seem surprised to see me, Jenna," Alex said, noting her expression.

"Alex, you're back!" Kraden exclaimed.

"Were you just listening in on us?" Jenna demanded. One thing that she hated was people who listened in to private conversations, especially when it was a jerk like Alex.

Alex spread his open arms in a gesture of innocence, and asked. "Come now, Miss Jenna, would I do something like that?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it past you," she growled softly. There was something about Alex that, despite his calm countenance, made her think he was untrustworthy. Woman's intuition, her mother would have called it.

Alex, however, ignored her comment and swept his gaze serenely across the room, he frowned slightly. "Hmm… tell me, where is Felix? He should be here."

"My brother went up after Sheba," she said, a trifle coldly.

"I would have assumed he would be leading you out. You should be gone by now."

"Well, we're not. We were delayed."

"So I see…" This calm attitude was really starting to get under her skin. Didn't the man feel any emotions?

"Alex," she started, recalling his earlier words, "what did you mean when you said that you thought it strange for me to show such concern?"

"Why, Jenna, you haven't exactly been very cooperative with us in the past. Rather argumentative, in fact. I was just pleasantly surprised to hear you expressing concern for the welfare of our quest."

Her temper began to flare up. "Are you saying I don't care about my own brother?" she shouted. "Do you think I'm insensitive, that I'm only concerned about myself, is that it?"

Alex retracted a step, a feigned expression of hurt crossing his features. "No, of course not. I must have misspoken. I offer my apologies, please forgive me."

Jenna growled in frustration. He could be so smooth! "Fine, whatever," she said folding her arms. The Mercury Adept wasn't worth her getting angry over.

"There is no shame in feeling concern for others," he offered. "Noble of you to stay here and help Felix, Jenna, it is unnecessary. Everything will be fine, I assure you. There is no use in waiting here."

"Alex is right, Jenna," Kraden said. "It is too dangerous, if Isaac and the others arrive…" he trailed off and said no more.

"They followed us, didn't they?" Jenna asked Alex. He nodded. "And they're right behind us."

"Indeed."

Jenna contemplated this. She wanted to be with Isaac, and yet… could she abandon Felix and her parents like that? Surely there was another way… but if Isaac really was given this quest by the Wise One, then he wouldn't stop for anything, she knew it. If Felix wouldn't give up, he might even fight Isaac. A turbulent conflict of emotions raged inside her.

"Felix is so stubborn about this quest thing, and freeing Sheba from Lalivero, I think he'd fight Isaac for it." She couldn't help but growl in frustration. "Why are boys such fools?" Isaac was probably just as stubborn as Felix, but if she explained it, then maybe… "Can't we just talk to Isaac?" she pleaded. "I'm sure he'll understand if we just explain it."

"That will no be possible," Alex told her in a voice of ice, all his smoothness suddenly melting away.

"Why not, Alex?" she demanded.

"Quite simply because he is an enemy," he explained in cold patience. "He would prevent us from attaining our goal." His eyes became thoughtful. "Ironic, though, that we both want the same thing, but our methods differ." He looked to the Alchemy Sage. "You want the same thing as I do, do you not, Master Kraden?"

"To see the Golden Age of Weyard restored…" Kraden replied in a soft voice full of awe.

"Indeed." He gave a wide, satisfied smile.

"So you're going in for this, too, are you, Kraden?" Jenna asked.

"Well, to an extent…" the Alchemy Sage replied, somewhat hesitantly.

Jenna turned back to Alex, who had a small smile on his lips. Small, but genuine emotion, more than he normally shared. "Why do you seem so pleased?" she asked suspiciously.

"Why not? The Lighthouse will soon shine brightly again! Surely this is cause for celebration?"

"But why do you want to see Alchemy released?" she probed further. "Why did you join this quest in the first place? You've never really explained."

"So you would like to know, would you?" he asked casually. "Very well, then. As you know, Alchemy was once commonplace throughout this world. With its power, humanity worked wonder across the land."

"The Lost Age of Weyard…" Kraden mused with a note of melancholy.

"I would simply like to see that world restored once more," the Water Adept continued, "and…" he started, but then thought better of it, and closed his mouth.

"And what, Alex?" Jenna prompted.

"We've spoken too long as it is," he answered, shaking his head, blue hair waving. "We should continue this another time. Let us be going."

"I concur," Kraden nodded. "we should be gone before this Lighthouse is lit. To Idejima!"

She had to admit, he had a point. "All right, then," Jenna sighed. "Let's go." Together, the three of them crossed the point where the barrier was and descended the stairs to the Lighthouse exit. Behind them, the energy barrier reactivated.

XXX

After what seemed like hours of marching through the ancient underground tunnels of the ruins of Alluvion, Isaac and the others climbed a flight of stairs and finally emerged into what he was sure was Venus Lighthouse. A large room made of smooth purple stone, the floor emblazoned with the ancient symbol of the Venus Clan. From the doorway that they emerged from, he could see only two other entry points – another flight of stairs leading up and a corridor blocked off by a barrier of golden Venus Psynergy.

They couldn't have gone that way.

"I'm sure I could hear their voices echoing down the corridor," Ivan said. "We can't have missed them by much."

"One of them was definitely Jenna," Garet added. "She sounded angry."

"That was definitely her," Isaac agreed. "I'd know that voice anywhere. And I think I heard Kraden, too."

Mia looked around, and odd look in her sapphire blue eyes. She whispered something to herself. Isaac thought it sounded like "Alex was here."

"What was that Mia?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied at a normal volume. "Let's go."

They climbed up the flight of stairs and emerged in a giant corridor on the next level. Large stone statues, like ancient monoliths and silent sentinels lined that hall on either side. Most appeared to be strong men in heavy armour. He couldn't read the writing carved upon the marble dais' that supported the statues, but he figured that they were meant to be ancient Clan heroes, or other such historical figures of note.

I'll bet Kraden would have loved this place, he thought. No, I have to focus on the mission. I'm coming for you, Jenna.

They raced across the hall without comment, giving only cursory glances to the stone monuments. The next doorway led to a corridor that branched in two, left and right.

"Which way should we go, Isaac?" Garet asked.

After a moments thought, Isaac took a guess and said, "Right." They ran through the labyrinth of corridors and hallways, taking stairways that led up and towards the aerie whenever they could, never having any idea of where exactly they were going. Isaac wished they had someone who knew the ways of the Lighthouse, like they'd had with Mia in Mercury. Well, they'd just have to guess their way, and hope for the best. Oddly enough, no monsters plagued the Lighthouse, for what reason, Isaac couldn't say. Just a stroke of good luck, he guessed.

XXX

Why did I leave it so long? Felix mentally cursed himself, as he guessed his way through the purple stone Lighthouse. Why did I stay back and argue with them for so long? Now he was lost. Having no idea which way Saturos had taken Sheba, he had no choice but to guess which way to turn. He'd initially taken all the left turns after that grand hall with the statues, climbing up a flight of stairs when he found one, but he was now going any which way, hoping for the best.

He emerged in a large open wall with a dusty grey stone table in the centre, surrounded by equally dusty chairs of the same grey stone. An old conference table, perhaps. It didn't matter. He had to find Sheba in case she was hurt when the beacon was lit. Or Isaac took her back to Lalivero; she hated that place, a prisoner there as much as in Tolbi.

He crossed the room and entered a long corridor, at the end branching off in three directions. The central choice offered a spiralling purple staircase climbing up, which he took. It was clear he'd made a wrong turn at some point in this labyrinthine tower, as he'd not caught up with them yet, nor received any answer to his calls.

Just my luck. I hope I find her before its too late.

He entered a cavernous room, large enough to have taken up half the Lighthouse width, and located roughly somewhere in the middle, if his sense of direction was correct. A seemingly bottomless pit separated the room in two, wide walkways either side, one of which he stood upon. There was no way to cross from one side to the other that he could see. At the other end of the walkway that he stood upon, was another staircase going upwards.

He made his way across towards it, stopping halfway next to a giant statue twice his size when he heard voices. Was that… Isaac? And Garet? He saw figures emerge from a staircase at one end of the walkway on the opposite side, and immediately hid himself behind the statue.

It was them!

Please don't see me… he prayed silently. He heard the sound of footsteps. Then the footsteps stopped.

"What're you looking at, Isaac?" Garet's voice asked after a moment's silence.

Great, they've found me! A moment more of silence.

"…nothing, Garet, let's keep going," Isaac's voice replied in a distracted manner. There was the sound of footsteps, a young woman's voice echoing down the stairwell, then silence.

Felix breathed a sigh of relief. They were gone. But that had been too close! He could sense that they were a lot more powerful than they'd been at Mercury Lighthouse; if he fought them, he knew he'd have no chance.

They're ahead of me! I have to hurry! He left the cover of the statues, ran as fast as he could towards the stairs and climbed them two steps at a time.

I have to hurry! Sheba's counting on me!

XXX

Isaac emerged in a room separated in two by a deep pit, with no means of accessing the far side. Upon the opposite walkway stood a tall statue, his name proclaimed in unrecognisable characters upon the base that he stood. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a flash of green next to the statue.

Was that… Felix? he wondered. No, it couldn't have been.

"What're you looking at, Isaac?" Garet asked him as he scrutinised the statue. Could it have been him?
No, of course not. If it was Felix, then where are the others? It was just my imagination.

"…nothing, Garet, let's keep going," he replied, paying more attention to the statue than his friend. Could it have been something, though?

No, it was just a trick of my eyes, that's all it was.

He followed the others up the flight of stairs at the opposite end of the walkway. As they began climbing, Mia asked, "How much farther do you think we have to go?"

Isaac shrugged. "We're at least halfway, I'm sure. Probably more."

"They could've built this thing a bit smaller," Garet grumbled. "It's like climbing a small mountain!"

"Just keep at it," Isaac told him. "We'll get there."

XXX

Somewhere near the peak of Venus Lighthouse, Sheba followed closely behind Saturos and Menardi, keeping meekly silent. The corridor they were in wound about the edge of the tower and the windows to one side offered expansive views of north Gondowan.

This felt very wrong. Something bad was coming, a very big event that would decide Weyard's fate. She had dreamt it. But things weren't as she'd envisioned. Where was Felix? He'd been in it. Maybe it was best that he wasn't. There would be fighting and death. Falling, cold, wet, darkness…

She snapped herself out of it. No need to dwell on what she didn't understand. In the back of her mind, she worried that she might die, but pushed it away. She wouldn't die, of course not. She couldn't. She had seen that she would find the truth of where she came from, play her part in saving Weyard, it was her destiny.

And she was meant to find love with Felix, she was sure of it. She liked him, she liked him a lot. He was ruggedly handsome, and beneath that exterior, he was a kind-hearted, warm, caring individual who would do anything to help her. He had saved her life once, and she was sure he'd do so again without hesitation if he had to.

She had a feeling he might like her too, but she wasn't sure. He was friendly, protective and nice to talk to, but what if he was like that with everyone? She couldn't be sure, she wanted to believe that he liked her in the same way that she liked him, but it would be embarrassing if she was wrong. But if he did… what was she to have done?

She had never had anyone like her in that way back in Lalivero, not the 'Child of the Gods', no. And she'd never found anyone that she'd liked there. She had no idea what to do! Maybe if she'd had more time to get to know Jenna, talk to her about it, she might learn something. Jenna seemed like a nice girl, someone that she'd call a friend if she got to know her; she might know more on that subject. If only…

"Hurry up, girl! Stop dawdling!" Menardi snapped ahead of her, and she hurried to keep up with their rushed pace. A sarcastic remark formed on her lips and she swallowed it before it could escape. No need to anger these two, they were irritated enough as it was. She liked being sarcastic and cheeky when she could – much better that those stupid mature formalities they'd forced upon her in Lalivero – but she was smart enough to know when to be meek and quiet. And these two were often scary enough to make her meek as a mouse even when she didn't want to be.

"Honestly, Saturos, why did you want her along? Why?" Menardi asked, turning to her partner.

"Because we need her," he replied, not turning to look. He seemed very tense and focused.

"What for?"

"I have my reasons."

"What is it with you and being so damn private lately?" she growled in frustration. "You don't seem to trust Felix and now you don't even trust me! Why not, are you becoming paranoid?"

"Of course not!" he snapped. "I'm just worried about Felix, because of how he's been acting around Sheba." Sheba nearly missed a step as her heart skipped a beat. Did that mean what she thought it did?

"Speaking of Felix," Menardi replied, "why didn't you bring him instead, and send Sheba to the ship at Idejima? It would have made a lot more sense! And we could've needed him to get through here, we've been lucky that we haven't."

Saturos gripped the sword hilt at his side very tightly and thought in silence for a moment before replying. "I've made my decision," he replied in a firm tone. "Just learn to accept it."

"No, wait, Saturos," she said, coming to a stop. Sheba halted just in time to avoid crashing into her back. "Stop!" The blue armoured warrior halted and turned to face her, red eye glaring.

"What!"

"You've made a lot of poor decisions and bad mistakes lately!' she admonished, then raised a finger to cut him off when he was about to reply. "No, don't interrupt me. I've kept quiet on it for a while now, but you're beginning to endanger the mission to be honest. I think Alex is getting inside your head and affecting your judgement with that snide attitude of his. Think about it, you chose to fight those kids on Mercury on you own, and nearly got killed for it!"

"That was only because of Mercury beacon," Saturos replied indignantly.

"Nonetheless, you made a mistake, and ruined a perfect opportunity to get both he Mars Star and the Rod of Hesperia. Afterwards, when you were fully healed, why didn't you let us all go back and crush their group while they were still weak? I know they'd increased their strength since Sol Sanctum, but we could have taken them without the light of Mercury. But you chose not to. If they're increasing their strength at the same rate, they just might be a danger to us now."

"Menardi…"

But the blonde haired Mars Adept went on over the top of him. "Then there was that mountain pass. Remember that one? You had Felix and Alex create a landslide there. That could have stopped those kids from ever bringing us the Rod and Star. You're risking the whole damn quest over this stupid insistence of avoiding another confrontation with those kids!"

"I am not!"

"You want to know why I think you're avoiding them!" Menardi was nearly yelling at him now. "I'll tell you why. It's because you're afraid, Saturos! You're afraid of a bunch of kids, just because they beat you once. Before Mercury, you had no idea they were following us with the Star and the Rod, too, as fate would have it. You'd just planned to return to Sol Sanctum later to collect the Star, isn't that right?" She didn't give him a chance to answer. "And then, when you saw them on Mercury aerie, you got over confident and took them on alone, getting severely beaten in the process. Since then, you've been too afraid to confront them again; afraid they'd find another way to beat you and wound you're oh so precious pride, right? That's why you've been running away from them."

They were silent for a moment. Sheba shifted awkwardly. She felt like an intruder, spying in on a personal conversation bearing witness to this argument.

"You done?" Saturos asked in a cold, flat tone of voice.

"Quite done," she answered in satisfaction, nodding and folding her arms.

"So, that's what you think, is it?" he asked, sounding hurt. "I'm a fool and a coward, is that it? Is that all I am to you?" He took a menacing step towards her. "Well, who would you prefer to be in charge? Alex? I don't trust him. Felix? I like the kid, but the quest would fall apart in an instant if he was put in control. What do you want me to do?" There was something fearful about the way he made his voice seem to growl like that.

Menardi smiled. It was surprising, Sheba thought, how much nicer she looked when she wasn't frowning or scowling, which she usually was. She took a step towards him, and lightly rested her hands on his armoured shoulders. "Saturos, you know I wouldn't want anyone else in charge," she said in an intimate voice. "But, if those kids do catch up to us here, I want you to promise me you'll stand and fight them with me, all right?"

"All right, I promise," Saturos sighed. "Even if they have become powerful? Even if we have to resort to… doing it?"

"Even if we have to do it," she answered without hesitation. They both said 'it' as though the word held some deep and terrible significance.

What do they mean by 'it'? She tried to puzzle it out and then almost laughed out loud as a rather… unsavoury image popped into her mind. Oh, they don't mean that! Don't be stupid!

"What are you smiling at, girl?" Menardi asked, surprising Sheba out of her thoughts. Saturos looked at her as though surprised to see her. They both seemed to have forgotten that she was following.

Sheba couldn't help herself. "I was just thinking about what you meant when you said you and Saturos would do 'it'."

The look Menardi gave her was nothing short of priceless. Then she spun on her heel, magenta battle dress flaring, and stomped down the corridor, muttering under her breath, "You'd think being raised in nobility would have given her better taste and imagination."

Saturos looked at he stone faced, then shook his head wearily and said, "Come on, you fool girl, let's go. Don't fall behind." He turned and followed after Menardi. Sheba sighed and then followed after the Fire Adept. Well, that little bit of light hearted amusement had briefly taken her mind off of the grim foreboding of things to come.

XXX

"Are we nearly there?" Garet asked. "I swear, Mercury wasn't this tall!"

"Actually, I think Mercury and Venus are exactly the same hight," Ivan replied.

"Still too tall," the Fire Adept muttered. They were running along a corridor of the Lighthouse's eastern side. Isaac stuck his head out of one of the windows to have a look. A wave of vertigo hit him as he looked down. The forest at the foot of Venus looked like a green rug from so high up. He looked away and gazed up.

"Only a few more floors to go," he informed the others. "Not too far to go, now." Saturos and Menardi couldn't be too far, either. "Let's hurry." They reached the end of the corridor, entered a stairwell flanked by two stone sentinels, and ascended to the next level.

"Say, Mia," Garet started, "Just out of curiosity, how tall was Mercury Lighthouse anyway?"

"Fifty floors," she replied simply.

"Fifty!"

"Well, fifty-one if you count the aerie."

Garet shook his head in disbelief. "Why'd they make them so tall? I mean, if these Adepts from the Lost Age were so smart and powerful, why'd they put the beacons so high up? They would have been easier to reach if they were lower."

No one was able to give him an answer. Finally, Ivan spoke up and said, "Maybe they just did it because they could?"

"Hmph, maybe."

"If Kraden were here," Isaac said, "I'm sure he'd have some logical, scientific reason based on Alchemy and the Elements and all that."

Garet barked a laugh. "Yeah, he seems to know just about everything, huh?"

"Indeed…" Just a couple more floors, now.

Don't worry, Kraden, we'll rescue you soon, he promised silently. And you, Jenna.

XXX

Felix found himself in a medium sized room, with pictures carved into the stone wall on one side, and strange writing carved on the other. Maybe it was describing the grandness of the Venus Clan, or maybe it was just a kitchen menu, who knew? Felix didn't care; he only had to find Sheba.

He strode to the other side of the room. He remembered Kraden saying something about all four Lighthouses having the same number of floors. Or maybe they were of equal height, he couldn't remember. Either way, he figured he must be near the top now. The beacon hadn't been lit yet, so Saturos obviously wasn't there yet.

He entered the door on the other side of the room and found himself in a long corridor that wound around the edge of the tower, with windows on one side that offered expansive views of the north Gondowan landscape.

I must be near now.

At the end of the corridor he found a purple stone door that had been left open. On the other side, was the outside of the Lighthouse. He stepped out and found himself upon the lower level of the aerie. He could hear the sound of Saturos and Menardi talking.

They're here!

Looking around, he realised he was on the western side of the aerie. Climbing the stone steps, he ascended to the very top of the aerie to where Saturos, Menardi and Sheba were.

XXX

The sun hung low on the horizon, a dark orange and red when Isaac exited the Lighthouse and found himself upon the eastern side of the lower aerie. They'd made it! He heard the sound of Saturos and Menardi talking. So they were already there.

They haven't lit the beacon yet! There's still time!

Together, the four Adepts climbed the stairs leading towards the aerie, towards the final showdown with Saturos and Menardi.