A/N: Finally! It's here! The fight you've all been waiting for! You know, this chapter was actually quite challenging to write, in a fun way. Not hard, but fun. I'm surprised by how quickly I finished it. Still, I like it. Anyway, I won't waste anymore of your time, so let's get straight into it!

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

SHOWDOWN ATOP VENUS

The afternoon sun was a dark mix of red and orange on the western horizon, the air atop the aerie deadly still, despite its height. As Felix climbed the last stair, he stopped and stood at the edge of the aerie, looking across to the trio who were at the centre, right next to the pit where the Venus Star must be cast.

"Finally, Venus's beacon will be lit," Menardi said with a definite tone of satisfaction. "Two down, two to go."

"Yes." Saturos smiled. "And soon, we will have the Rod needed for Jupiter and the Star needed for Mars." Menardi stood firmly, one hand holding her battle scythe with the blade retracted, the other gripping Sheba's shoulder. Saturos was next to her, one hand resting lightly on the sword hilt hanging at his side, the other reaching for one of the two Mythril bags at his side.

Sheba's still safe, he thought with relief. And they haven't lit the beacon yet!

"Wait!" he shouted, and the pair whirled instantly to face him. With a flick of her wrist, Menardi had her scythe blade out, and held ready in battle position. Saturos' fist had half drawn his sword before he'd recognised Felix and sheathed it again.

Sheba's purple eyes filled with joy at seeing him, a smile forming on her small lips. She was beautiful, Felix thought wholeheartedly, and a great person to be with. Felix loved her, and he couldn't now bear the thought of losing her. She had to be taken away from here before the beacon was lit, in case it erupted violently, as Kraden warned it might.

"Oh, it's only you, Felix," Saturos said, sighing as he relaxed his tense muscles. Menardi lowered her scythe, but her red eyes glared at him venomously.

"Yes, it's only me." He spoke to his master levelly now, even though they were far from equals.

"Why are you here?" Menardi demanded, her voice cold and sharp. "We ordered you ahead to the ship at Idejima. You'd better have a good reason for this, Felix."

The Earth Adept fixed Sheba's purple eyes with his own brown ones, and there was fear in them. Not just fear from the current situation with Saturos and Menardi, but also one of the future that she had dreamt would happen, vague though it was.

"What do you need Sheba for?" he demanded.

Menardi narrowed her eyes at him. "You should show us a bit more respect than that."

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Saturos asked. "Sheba is special. She's a Wind Adept."

"I know that!" he growled. "You need an Adept of the respective Element to enter each Lighthouse. We had Earth, Water and Fire, but no Wind… until now."

"That's right." Menardi nodded, slowly. "We cannot even enter Jupiter without her."

"If that's all you needed to know," Saturos said, "then you should go now."

"But what do you need her here for!" Felix shouted. He couldn't help it. Why were they being so difficult?

"Because we also need the Rod of Hesperia," Saturos explained patiently. "And the Mars Star, which those kids carry; whom we intend to take care of shortly."

Felix swallowed an involuntary lump in his throat. Isaac… Garet… his childhood friends. They were only doing what they thought was right.

"So, she's just another bargaining chip, is she?" Felix said curtly. "Just like my sister?"

"Felix, you know we had no choice…" Menardi began, but Felix cut her off.

"I know we need her, but you can't just use her like this! At least let her choose, like you did with Alex and me."

"She just wants to go with you," Menardi sneered. "Isn't that right, girl?"

Sheba looked at her fearfully, taking a step back. "No! Not like that! I mean…"

"Be quiet!" Saturos snapped.

"Don't yell at her!" Felix shouted.

"You should know better than to show disrespect to us, Felix," Menardi said in a chill voice.

"So, you don't trust me, is that it?" Felix spat. "Saturos, you promised not to involve anyone outside of the quest! Let her go!"

"How can we trust you when you demand we free Sheba?" Saturos snapped. "Our quest depends on her! We can't risk losing her, if we send her with you! She needs to be with us, where we know she's safe."

"So, that's how it is, then," Felix said in a cold, hard voice. "You can afford to lose me, my sister, Kraden and Alex, but yourselves and Sheba, that's another story, isn't it?"

Menardi lowed at him with a withering glance. "It's now like that at all, Felix and you know it."

"We need to defeat Isaac and his friends, "Saturos said through clenched teeth, struggling to keep his anger in check. "We can't allow them to get in our way, but we need Sheba with us. Do you understand, Felix?"

Felix felt his anger rising deep inside of him. How could they just talk over Sheba's head like this, as though she wasn't even there!

"We do care about you, Felix," Menardi said, some of the edge in her voice ebbing away. "We wouldn't have taken you in and raised you for three years, otherwise. Why do you think we won't let you fight? Because we couldn't afford to lose you."

"Right now, I find that a bit hard to believe," Felix said in a voice full of venom. "I'm taking Sheba with me! I won't risk her getting hurt if the Lighthouse does erupt violently."

"Thank you, Felix…" Sheba whispered gratefully. The two Mars Adepts both ignored her.

"You would do this, even though it means fighting us?" Saturos challenged, gripping his sword hilt and easing the blade in the scabbard.

"You've seen what we're capable off…" Menardi warned, tightening her grip on her scythe. Images of the carnage that they'd unleashed at the foot of the Lighthouse swept through his minds, innocent scholars and hardened soldiers all knocked down like they were nothing. Kraden crying over a fallen friend…

"Yes. And I'm beginning to question your ethics because of it."

Sheba took a step back, trying to get out of the way. Menardi raised her scythe and Saturos half drew his sword. Felix tightened his grip on the hilt at his side. When had he grabbed that? He couldn't remember.

"Hold it right there!' a familiar voice declared off to one side. "It ends here!" Felix turned to see four people standing on the opposite side of the aerie. Isaac, holding his sword ready while he glared at them with hard blue eyes. Garet, hefting a double sided battle axe. The servant from Kalay – Ivan –holding a twisted wooden rod, purple eyes regarding them from beneath a mop of blonde hair. Alex's friend – Mia –holding a golden staff with a crystal orb at them.

No… not them…

XXX

As soon as they exited the door that led to the lower level of Venus Lighthouse aerie, Isaac halted the party and commanded silence.

"Listen," he whispered. He could hear the sound of voices. Familiar voices. Saturos and Menardi.

"It's them…" Ivan breathed softly.

"And the beacon isn't lit, yet," the Earth Adept informed them. "I can sense it. Let's go." The four of them climbed up the stairs to the top aerie. Just short of the top, he ordered a halt, peering surreptitiously over the ledge to view the situation. Plans ahead, don't make any mistakes. They had to win this time. Weyard depended upon them.

The aerie was wide and flat, just like Mercury, but paved with purple stone instead of blue. Along the north end were lined four statues of women with laurels in their hair, holding out boughs to the as yet non-existent beacon as though in an offering. In the centre of the floor lay the pit that the star had to be tossed into to light the beacon. Two figures, one in blue cape and armour, the other in a magenta battle dress stood before it.

Saturos and Menardi.

Possibly the two most powerful Adepts in Weyard. And yet… each member of Isaac's party was near equal to them in Psynergetic strength, Isaac could sense. They really had increased their strength! But would it be enough?

It will have to be…

Between the two powerful warriors stood a small girl, about fourteen or so years old, in a pale white Laliveran robe, similar in style to Ivan's, with blonde hair cut off below the ears and purple eyes. She sure did look a lot like Ivan… that must be Sheba of Lalivero that Faran had asked them to rescue, their 'Child of the Gods' who was really a Jupiter Adept.

We need to rescue her… along with Jenna and Kraden. Speaking of which, where were the Fire Adept and Alchemy Sage? Or their cohorts Felix and Alex for that matter?

It doesn't matter… we have to take care of these two and rescue Sheba… we'll search for the others later. He gulped nervously. If they were alive for a later. Could they really do this?

"What are you waiting for, Isaac?" Garet hissed. "Let's go! Before they light the beacon!"

"I agree," Ivan said. "I can hear them! They're going to do it any second now!"

"All right," the Earth Adept was about to stand up and challenge the two, when he saw someone that made him freeze where he was. Felix!

The traitorous Valean was confronting his two masters, now. What for? He strained his ears to listen… Sheba? What for? Could it be he had grown a conscience? Was he defying his master because he realised that it was the right thing to do?

"What's happening?" Garet, who couldn't see anything, whispered softly.

"Is Alex up there?" Mia asked. Ivan answered them softly while Isaac listened to the conversation. He wanted Sheba free… they didn't seem to trust each other any more…

"They're having some sort of falling out over Sheba," Ivan explained.
Felix had seen what they were capable off, and was still prepared to challenge them… he was beginning to question their ethics because of it…

Yes! He's turned against them! Now's our moment! He needs our help!

"Let's go," he ordered, and the four of them climbed up and stood upon the aerie facing their opponents. "Hold it right there!' he declared loudly, boldly. "It ends here!"

The other four whirled about to face them, shock evident upon their faces. Saturos whipped his sword out of his sheath in a second, holding it steadily before him, a cold fire blazing in his red eyes. Menardi twirled her battle scythe, holding it before her ready, fury blazing in her eyes. Sheba's purple eyes held shock and uncertainty, and Felix… dismay crossed his features as his brown eyes beheld them.

"No…" Then his visage hardened to a stubborn expression. "Go away, Isaac, this doesn't concern you! I don't need your help! You don't understand what you're getting yourself into!" Why was he still opposing them, Isaac wondered. Surely he couldn't still want to side with Saturos?

"It's them!" Menardi hissed.

Saturos regarded them calmly, as though they were nothing more than a minor problem to dealt with shortly. "So you've caught up to us at last. I must say, I'm impressed, though not surprised."

"It ends here!" Garet told them. "We're a lot more powerful than we were at Mercury, as I'm sure you can sense. Give us Sheba and the Stars, and we'll make it easy." He took out his battle axe and gripped it steadily.

"We won't let you hurt anymore people!" Mia said in a frosty voice, holding her Angelic Ankh before her in both hands. Saturos merely snorted derisively, Menardi glowered at them through narrowed eyes, not moving a muscle.

"No, you can't have her!" Felix shouted. "She's made her choice! Her destiny lies with me!"

Destiny? With him?

"We're taking her back to Lalivero, Felix." Ivan responded. "Back to Faran, where she belongs."

"No! You can't decide that for her!" the Earth Adept shouted back. Sheba tore herself away from her captors and joined Felix, hiding behind his back and clinging to his arm with her small hands.

"No, I don't want to be taken back!" she declared. "I want to stay with Felix!" She wanted to stay? With Felix? Why?

Isaac hefted his blade.

"We're not giving you a choice, Saturos," he said in the strongest voice he could muster. "Your dreams of releasing Alchemy are over!"

"I think not," was all Saturos said. He lowered his blade, and stood casually, a cold smile upon his blue lips. "You just don't understand what you're doing, for all your professed self righteousness, for all your belief that the Wise One wills it."

"What are you doing, Saturos?" Menardi demanded harshly, never taking he eyes of Isaac or his companions. A well trained, focused warrior.

"We don't have to solve our differences with violence, you know," the Mars Adept stated. "We can make a deal. You want the Sheba girl, correct?" Isaac nodded, somewhat uncertain. Saturos turned to Sheba. "You remember the Rod of Hesperia we spoke of?"

"…Y-yes…"

"These kinds bear another rod that Alex claims is the same. Find out if it is." She nodded, taking a hesitant step towards them. "Hold it; you can do it from there." Sheba stopped, and a light blue glow of Psynergy enveloped her body, energy reaching out from her towards them…

"She's reading our minds!" Ivan exclaimed. "Quick, think of something else!" Isaac immediately tried to block his minds. It was Ivan's Shaman's Rod they were after, don't think of the rod, don't think of the rod – he called it the Rod of Hesperia. Why did he call it that? What does it mean? – don't think of the rod…

She stopped.

"Well?" Saturos demanded.

Sheba took a nervous breath before speaking. "It… it may be…"

"What do you mean, 'may be'?" Saturos demanded. She screeched slightly, and hid behind Felix once more, clinging to his arm tightly.

"Don't yell at her!" Felix growled at his master.

"He wasn't yelling," Menardi replied tensely. "He just wanted a straight answer."

Sheba spoke up softly. "Their minds are clouded, but… I think it's the one."

Damnit, she found out! But why does he want to know? What difference does it make? And what's with that name?

"Thank you," Saturos said, turning back to Isaac. "Here's my proposition: Give us the Rod of Hesperia, and we'll agree not to harm Sheba."

"No, you can't do that!" Felix pleaded.

Why is he so defensive of her? Isaac wondered.

"Quiet, Felix, do as you're told!"

Ivan wore a puzzled expression on his boyish face. "But… I don't have any rod from Hesperia!"

"That stick you're holding in your hands, fool!" Menardi called out. "That one!"

"This? The Shaman's Rod?" He looked down at it, clueless. "But there's nothing special about this! What do you want it for?"

"We have our reasons," Saturos said simply. "Do you accept?"

"Hey, Ivan got that from his master, Lord Hammet!" Garet protested. "He doesn't have to give it to you!"

"It's just a wooden rod," Ivan sighed. "Sheba's life is worth more."

"If we give you this," Isaac started, "then you'll release Sheba, unharmed."

He stood there cool, calm and in control. "I accept those terms."

"You don't have to do this, Ivan," Mia said in a soothing voice.

"No, Hammet would have wanted it," the Wind Adept sighed softly. "He always said that a human life was worth more than any material commodity." He looked up, purple eyes strong and determined. "I'll do it. It's a deal."

"Excellent," Saturos nodded in satisfaction. "Felix, collect the rod for us."

"Why me?" he questioned uncertainly.

"We need to be sure of your loyalty," Menardi said in a voice of dangerous softness. "To us. To the quest."

Don't do it, Felix, Isaac prayed. Go against them, don't obey them.

Felix nodded. "I understand. For the quest." He pried Sheba of his arm. "I won't be long Sheba." He strode towards Isaac, his face stoic.

"You do it, Isaac," Ivan said, handing the Shaman's Rod – or the Rod of Hesperia – to the Earth Adept. "I find it hard to part with something that was precious to Master Hammet." Isaac took the offered rod.

"It's for the greater good," he assured the short Wind Adept. Felix stopped just out of arm's reach from Isaac. His expression was unreadable.

"The rod." Flat, emotionless. Isaac held it out and Felix took it. Isaac didn't let go.

"What happened to you, Felix?" he asked his childhood friend. "You used to be such a good, righteous person. What happened?"

"I still am, you just can't see it. Nothing's changed. I've been through a lot, and seen the truth. A truth that you could never accept." He jerked the rod from his hand. "Please, Isaac… just stay out of this."

"You know I can't, Felix." His brown eyes locked onto Isaac's, and there was pleading in them.

"You don't know what I have sacrificed – am sacrificing – for my quest. But it's for the best… for her and me. I'll find another Jupiter Adept for the role. "There was compassion in his eyes. "Look after Sheba for me. Please." Why did he feel so strongly for her? Could it be… was Felix actually in love with Sheba? Isaac was too taken aback to actually say anything.

Felix turned on his heel and returned to Saturos, proffering the rod. "What do you want me to do with it?"

"Hold on to it. Keep it safe." Saturos ordered, before pressing something – Isaac couldn't see what – into his hand, then whispering a few hushed words. "Go now," he said, loudly again. "I'm counting on you… trusting you, Felix… friend." And then he gave a warm smile which Felix returned. Trust! Friend! What was going on here?

"Come on, Sheba!" Mia said sweetly, beckoning in welcome. "You can come with us now." The small Wind Adept stepped forward, but Felix placed a hand on her arm, halting her.

"Felix?" she asked uncertainly, but with hope in her eyes as she looked up at him.

"We're going now, Sheba," he told her warmly.

"Hey, wait a minute…!" Garet growled, taking a step forward, hefting his axe. "We had a deal!" Saturos and Menardi stood in their way in battle stances, weapons held ready before them, like indomitable barriers. Isaac felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. No… how could he have been so foolish to fall for such an obvious trick!

"We said we'd release her," Saturos started, "and not harm her. We complied. We released her to Felix."

"You dirty lowlife!" Garet snapped.

"That's a really cheap trick to play on innocent people!" Mia scolded. "And for your own selfish ambitions!"

"I didn't give Hammet's rod for nothing!" Ivan declared in a hurt voice, drawing his Elven Rapier.

"We can't help it if you misunderstood Saturos' terms," Menardi shrugged lightly, giving her scythe a practice twirl.

"And now we need the Mars Star," Saturos said. "Felix, take Sheba and go. NOW! That's an order!"

"Yes, Saturos." He grabbed Sheba by the hand and led her away, disappearing out of sight down the stairs on the opposite side of the aerie.

"Wait, Felix!" Isaac called out. "Sheba!" But it was too late. They were gone.

"It's the end of the road for you!" Saturos growled, and there wan an eager smile on his face, a fierce desire for the thrill of battle. "Let's see what you've got!"

"Prepare to experience first hand the horror of a master Fire Adept!" Menardi shouted.

And the battle began.

The two of them began glowing brightly with powerful levels of Psynergy, huge amounts. And yet, it didn't seem so frightening now, after everything that they'd been through. Compared to how much more powerful they were now.

They raised their free hands, huge fireballs forming and launching themselves at the party. Ivan stretched out his hand and a powerful gust of wind blew at the fireballs, holding them back, Mia raised her Ankh, a fountain of water forming, gushing at the inferno and dousing it out.

"Pair up on them!" Isaac shouted, charging at Saturos with his sword raised, while Garet charged Menardi with his axe held ready for a powerful downward stroke. Ivan and Mia darted to the sides to attack at the flanks.

Isaac's blade met Saturos's with a clash of sparks, both full to the brim of Psynergy. "Not this time, kid," Saturos growled, flames burning along his sword blade, lashing out at Isaac and forcing him to step back. He tried to think of a Psynergy attack to use, but Saturos pushed his advantage, driving at Isaac with a flurry of strikes, thrusts and slashes, which took all his skill to just barely deflect. As good as he'd gotten with his chosen weapon; he was clearly not at Saturos's level. And Saturos's movements were not constricted like they were on Mercury.

A downward thrust deflected, a midway slash blocked, a central thrust parried, Saturos steadily pushed Isaac back with sheer sword skill alone. If Isaac could only get a free moment to focus his mind to summon a Psynergy attack…

A bolt of lightning momentarily blinded him and when his eyes cleared, Saturos was on his knees, recovering from Ivan's attack. The short Wind Adept tried striking at his foe with his thin, Elven Rapier, but the powerful sword of Saturos easily turned it, two parries and then Saturos was on the offensive, Ivan only barely able to save himself by scurrying back.

Now!

Isaac raised one leather gloved hand, and unleashed a powerful Ragnarok attack that slammed into Saturos's back, exploding in a brilliant shower of white sparks, hurling the Mars Adept away. Isaac approached to find Ivan heavily bleeding from a deep gash in his arm.

"Let me heal that for you," Isaac offered, laying his hand gently on the wound, and casting Cure, warm, healing Venus Psynergy sealing the cut away as though it never was. Behind him, he could hear flames roaring and ice shattering as Garet and Mia duelled with Menardi. When the healing was done, he took a step back. And just in time, too.

A sizzling fireball roared past him, right where he had been a moment ago. If he'd been a second slower… He turned to face Saturos again, who was hurling another fireball. Isaac reacted just in time to fire a Ragnarok from his hand, meeting the fireball halfway in an explosion of flames and sparks.

Just as the light and heat were fading, Saturos's powerfully built form lunged through the smoke, and Isaac raised his blade just in time to deflect what would have otherwise been a killing blow to his head.

Saturos didn't waste any time, attacking in a whirlwind rush that Isaac was only barely able to defend himself against, falling back steadily. Abruptly, Saturos ceased his sword strikes and raised a palm, blasting a fireball right into Isaac's chest, his chest armour the only thing that kept him alive. He flew back, landing on the smooth stone right next to the pit. He'd come very close to falling in.

He deliberately angled me that way! He realised. He was trying to throw me in!

Sitting up, he saw Ivan begin his own assault on Saturos. Not attacking with his Elven Rapier, as he had before unsuccessfully only moments earlier, but instead held out his hands and summoned bolts of lightning with his Jupiter Psynergy.

White bolts of energy lanced down from the sky, but Saturos didn't remain still. He threw his own Fire Psynergy at each attack, exploding them just out of harm's reach, but only barely.

He's fast. Very well trained. Isaac noted. A fireball left Saturos's hand, and Ivan sidestepped it, barely avoiding its blaze. For a moment, his lightning attacks faltered.

A moment was all that Saturos needed.

Rasing a blue scaled hand casting his Psynergy, red flames burst into life about the small Wind Adept. Reacting with impressive speed - Ivan had always been the fastest amongst them – he used his Jupiter Psynergy to surround himself with a powerful whirlwind, snuffing out the flames about him. He may have saved himself from a fiery death, but it also distracted him long enough for Saturos to lunge forward and stab him through the shoulder with his long sword.

"No!" Isaac screamed, racing forwards. Too slow! Why did he have to be so cursed slow! Ivan collapsed to the ground, pain and shock in his purple eyes as he clutched with his free hand at the profusely bleeding wound. Saturos turned to face Isaac, no mercy or pity in his fiery red eyes. But this time he was the one who was too slow.

A blinding white Ragnarok exploded in Saturos's chest from Isaac's hand, hammering into the powerful Mars Adept and hurling him away.

"Ivan, are you okay?" he asked, looking without turning his head to the Wind Adept. That attack had better have hurt Saturos, or…

"I'll be fine," he whispered, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. Isaac felt a warm, no, hot presence approach him, caught a red flash of movement from the corner of his eye, and stepped back only barely in time to avoid Menardi's scythe beheading him. He felt a sharp stinging against his throat where her blade had nipped him. So much as half a second slower, and he would have been…

She made another slash with her scythe for his head, red eyes blazing with fury and Isaac raised his sword to block her blade, halting it in its path. She reversed her blow and the opposite end of her scythe haft connected with the side of his head with a painful crack. Following through with the flow of her strike, she thrust at him with the haft base, smashing against his forehead with much greater force that Isaac would have thought her capable of.

Staggering back from the assault and trying to strengthen himself against the pain in his head, Isaac held his sword ready in a defensive position against the expected follow through attack from Menardi's scythe. He needn't have bothered.

Ice had formed about her feet, courtesy of Mia, holding her to the ground while Garet began his assault on her. A scythe didn't seem like entirely the best weapon to deflect axe strikes, but she wielded her weapon with expert precision, using her blade deftly to parry the heavy axe head, striking him in the belly and forcing him back with the blunt end of her weapon.

While the Fire Adept was recovering from the winding blow, she shattered the ice at her feet with a fireball, freeing herself.

"Hold them off!" Mia shouted, kneeling beside Ivan, working her healing Mercury Psynergy on his wound. Flinging a fireball, Garet distracted Saturos from the Water Adept long enough to lunge at him in an all out assault with his axe. That was all Isaac was able to see before Menardi began assaulting him with incredible speed.

Her scythe moved with blurring speed and deadly skill; it took everything Isaac had to survive the attack and even then he was falling back steadily, desperately. Menardi was much better than Saturos and her skill and precision was more than a match. Isaac had always assumed, after the battle on Mercury lighthouse that Saturos was the best fighter with hand held weapons. He may have been the Psynergetically more powerful of the pair, but Menardi was superior at close combat without a doubt.

She spun her scythe around, long handle tripping out his feet from under him and he fell to the ground on his back heavily. The sharp, curved blade was held up in the air, just about to come down upon his neck.

"Now, you die!"

Her scythe blade descended, to fast for Isaac to react in time. Suddenly, her scythe arm jerked to a halt halfway down, her arm totally covered in a thick casing of ice, shoulder joint rendered immobile.

"What the…?"

Mia appeared next to her, blue orb at the end of her golden staff glowing with power, palm raised towards Menardi, her blue eyes like ice. A hail of sharp icicles formed and flew out of her hand, embedding themselves in the Mars Adept, tearing through her dress, her skin drawing out blood. She took an involuntary step back, scowling in pain.

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Isaac was able to focus his Psynergy and raised his hands, releasing a powerful Ragnarok pf pure Venus Psynergy right into her face, throwing her back in a blinding flash of light. On the other side of the aerie, the sounds of fighting and grunts of pain from Saturos informed him that Ivan had rejoined the battle.

Getting up, Isaac stood beside Mia. "With you fighting alongside me, she doesn't stand a chance."

She smiled coldly, but gave no verbal response. A large fireball headed towards them, Mia raised her ankh. As the flames touched the blue orb, she exerted her Psynergy, transforming them to ice, which shattered as it fell to the ground. Menardi eyed them warily, like a predator stalking its prey, stalking them in a position that allowed her to immediately spring into action at a moment's notice.

She's fast, Isaac noted. And very skilled. Yet… we're holding out against both of them pretty well. When we first met, they were powerful enough to crush us and now… we're equals. Equals. The thought took his breath away. That they had become so powerful as to compare to the powerful Saturos and Menardi! It was incredible. And yet, after all they'd been through, all the battles they'd fought in… it didn't surprise him. They had improved greatly.

Isaac and Mia watched her carefully. "Don't attack," he advised her. "She's fast enough to dodge any Psynergy attack we throw at her at this distance. Let her make the first move."

"And you want me to counter that when she does?" the Water Adept guessed. They'd fought alongside one another for so long that they now just instinctively knew how each would act in battle.

"Right. And when she's distracted, I'll make an attack." She slowly made her way back to Saturos, the two of them standing side by side as the four Adepts rejoined to face them.

"Right back to where we started," Garet observed with a battle eager smile on his face. Their adversaries were faring badly. Saturos's blue cape had been completely burnt off, his armour dented and scorched. Blood matted his face and arms. His read eyes held concern; he no longer held his sword with confidence. Menardi's magenta battle dress was rent and torn and bloodied, red eyes murderous, full of fury.

But neither showed any sign of fear.

"You must realise that you don't have a chance," Saturos told them. "Just give up."

"Over my dead body!" Garet retorted. "We didn't come all this way just to give up!"

"A pity," Menardi said. "You fight without honour; four on two. A bit unfair, don't you agree?"

"Would you be any fairer," Ivan said, "if the tables were turned, would you fight any fairer?"

"We probably would," she replied and then shouted, "NOW SATUROS!" And Isaac suddenly realised that they were just biding time to build up an attack. Very clever.

"Hit them with all you've got!" Isaac ordered. The Earth Adept raised his hands and put his strength forward in a powerful Ragnarok attack He sensed the others charge their Psynergy likewise. With an overwhelming level of Mars Psynergy, Saturos and Menardi fused two massive fireballs together, forming a huge wall of flames if incredible power, blasting towards them inexorably.

A phantom white blade of light flew true from his hands, straight into the heart of the fireball. An incredibly thick burst of Psynergetically formed water shot from the end of Mia's ankh, dousing the flames with her full Mercuric might. Jupiter's lightning lanced from Ivan's hands, while Garet put forth his full Mars Psynergy to fight fire with fire.

The result was an incredible explosion of bright lights and a cacophony of deafening noise. The force of it blew the four of them off their feet and back a few feet across the lighthouse aerie, landing dangerously close to the edge. An attack like that must have exhausted those two a lot more than them. They could do this, they could win this battle! The four of them, all four elements working together as once, could pound these two into defeat. They were stronger now, with or without their incidental aid of any Lighthouse beacon.

Recovering from the force of their landing, Isaac drew himself up and found that the others were already doing the same, weapons held ready to fight again. And he smiled. They weren't going down so easy this time!

"Let's go!" he cried, leading the party forwards, sword raised in a mock salute as they head into the lingering black smoke that hid the evil pair from view. Two figures emerged from the smoke, glowing light blue with Psynergy, flames engulfing their bodies as sword and scythe went in for the kill.

They're still not down yet!

Fire met fire as Garet and Saturos threw attacks at one another, mist sprayed out as Menardi and Mia launched their own assaults. Lightning bolts danced across the aerie, the fiery dup deftly dodging with surprising skill and agility, even after exhausting themselves as much as they had.

I promised myself I'd take Saturos down, that I'd avenge my father's death!

He didn't get the chance, however, as Menardi began madly swinging her scythe blade at him; it took everything he could think of to keep himself alive.

Talk about unrelenting! I can't even get a shot in!

Somehow, though, he kept her assault at bay. Neither used any Psynergy. In the intensity of the sword and scythe duel, neither was able to concentrate on anything else to focus any sort of Psynergetic attack. Abruptly, a burst of Mia's Psynergetic water slammed into the Fire Adept from the side, hurling her away. The Water Adept rushed at her, and before Menardi had a chance to get up, she froze the liquid into ice, holding her in place.

We've got her now! Leaving Mia to deal with Menardi – a Water Adept like her could easily handle a powerful Fire Adept liked that once she was down, he thought – Isaac turned to deal with Saturos. He was the most Psynergetically powerful of the duo, he would be the hardest to defeat.

Garet and Saturos were duelling intensely with axe and sword, neither holding anything back in an all out assault. Garet made a bad move and stumbled back, just in time to avoid a swing from Saturos's powerful sword. The large Mars Adept was now between Isaac and Saturos. There was no way that he'd be able to use any of his Psynergy on Saturos without risking hitting his friend.

Garet sent out blasts of inferno, like a fiery heatwave at Saturos, tall red flames as large as his body.

Saturos responded with a similar attack, erecting a huge flaring wall of red flames, even bigger and hotter than Garet's own, using more Psynergy than his friend was capable of. Fire clashed with fire, sending off waves of heat that Isaac could feel from where he was, a dark smoke screen clouding about the aerie. Even the purple bricks of the Lighthouse began to soften under the sheer heat of their respective Fire Psynergies.

"Hold on, Garet!" Isaac shouted. "I'm coming to help!" If his friend had heard, he gave no indication of it, so intently focused was he on putting forth his full fiery strength. Saturos's larger, hotter flames began pushing back Garet's attack. It was purely and simply a match of Psynergy, whoever was the most powerful would win.

The Earth Adept was about to join the fight – one good Gaia blast at Saturos's feet should do the job nicely – when he felt the cold, sharp edge o steel press at his throat and a slim hand tightly grip his sword arm, holding the blade against his body so he couldn't use it. "You shouldn't have turned your back on an enemy!" Menardi hissed in his ear.

How did she get away from Mia? He thought, panicked. Damnit, she's got me! Mia was at their side almost immediately, holding out her angelic ankh blue crystal orb first at Menardi's head. A deep, red cut bled heavily down one smooth cheek.

"Let him go!" she ordered in an icy voice.

"Make a wrong move, Water Adept, and the boy dies!" Menardi replied. The scythe blade pressed tighter against his throat. He couldn't make any move. How was he going to get out of this?

"If you so much as scratch him, I'll freeze you to your soul," Mia threatened in an uncharacteristically chill voice. Sol help him, what could he do? Across the aerie, he saw Garet beginning to give under Saturos's fiery inferno, sweat coating his tensed, muscled body. It seemed it was taking everything he had just to keep the attack at bay. The tables had turned on him; they had turned on them all!

How could this happen? They had been doing so well! They'd been competing as equals with Saturos and Menardi! Now they were faltering, losing. They couldn't let the evil pair win! No, not like this! They had to find a way to turn this around. Somehow, they had to win! Where's Ivan got to? he wondered.

As if thinking of the small Wind Adept had been a summons, he appeared suddenly from behind Saturos, unnoticed by the Mars Adept. His servant's robes were slightly singed and bloodied, but otherwise he appeared unharmed in any serious way.

With incredible speed and agility, he darted at Saturos's side, his small Elven Rapier held up high. He can be pretty fast, he can, Isaac thought and smiled. All their hopes of winning this battle depended on Ivan, now. He was held hostage by Menardi. Mia couldn't make any move for fear of risking his like. Garet was stuck holding off Saturos's fiery onslaught with his Psynergy, if he relented for even a second, he'd be burnt to a crisp instantly.

Come on, Ivan! Saturos turned his head towards the charging Jupiter Adept, he'd noticed him. Using his free arm to continue to barrage of inferno against Garet, he raised his sword arm up to strike down Ivan. If he hits him, it's all over!

Fortunately, Saturos was just too slow and Ivan too fast. Moving with wind-like speed and pinpoint precision, the Elven Rapier pierced Saturos's body from the side, just below his chest armour, passing through to the hilt. Yes, Ivan! That attack must've pierced some sort of vital organ!

Abruptly, the avalanche of fire vanished, and Garet let his won wall of defensive fire dissipate, falling to his knees in exhaustion, sweating and breathing heavily. A look of pained shock crossed Saturos's face, and his sword fell to the floor with a metallic ring of steel on stone.

"Damn… kid… faster… than he looks…." He spoke in short, drawn breaths, thick rivulets of blood running out of his mouth and down his chin. Ivan withdrew his now blood soaked blade from Saturos, who collapsed to the ground in defeat, Psynergy exhausted against Garet ad mortally wounded by Ivan.

We did it! He couldn't help but smile in triumph. He didn't care if he wasn't the one to best Saturos, as long as one of them beat him!

"No… Saturos…" he heard Menardi gasp behind him, sounding like a piece of her soul was being ripped away. Or… a soulmate? "How… how could he…?" And then he suddenly remembered what position he was in, with Menardi's scythe blade at his throat.

Oh, no! This is it! She's going to kill me out of desperation! Instead, and much to his surprise, the cold steel left his throat, her hand released his sword arm. What the…? He turned to look at the Mars Adept who had held him captive. She stepped back, crimson eyes glued to Saturos, hands hanging limply at her sides, mouth working soundlessly. A small tear ran down her pale cheek. That's odd. Now how I expected her to react.

Abruptly, her face hardened, hate-filled rage filling her eyes. "Murderers!" she screamed. "You'll pay for that!" Mia began charging her Psynergy for an attack. Menardi went for her first. Faster than Isaac could react, her scythe handle was flung out, catching Mia forcefully in the belly, winding her. The blue haired Water Adept gasped painfully from the blow, sinking to her knees.

Isaac didn't even hesitate. He pulled his sword arm back, and thrust the blade forward with both hands into Menardi's stomach, just below the ribcage in her second of vulnerability with her scythe held at Mia.

Coughing up blood, she looked down at the sword passing through her body as thought surprised to see it there. Blood ran thickly from her mouth, and tears from her eyes as Isaac pulled out his sword blade. Her expression held pain, shock… and regret. "No… not like this…" Then she fell to the purple stone floor of the aerie, defeated.

"We… we did it!' Isaac sighed, a smile forming on his lips. "We beat them! We've done what the Wise One ordered us to! We've saved the world!" Now, all they had to do was collect the Jupiter and Venus Elemental Stars and Ivan's Shaman's Rod – or Rod of Hesperia as they called it for some reason – and they were done. They could return the items back to where they belonged and then they could all go home. It's over! It's finally over!

The four Adepts congregated together once more on the east side of the aerie, leaving the defeated Saturos and Menardi lying in the centre in pools of their own blood. Garet was soaked in sweat, very nearly exhausted of his Psynergy, but still standing and smiling broadly in triumph.

"Hey, we did it, Isaac," he managed, somewhat weakly. "Told you we would, eventually. Never had a moment's doubt, huh?"

Ivan stumbled to join them, looking slightly worn and tired, his Psynergy heavily used up, but nothing serious. He looked at his bloodied Elven Rapier with purple eyes regretfully. "I've… killed, with this," he said softly "But it was to save the world, I guess. Still, I won't need it anymore, I suppose. I don't really like carrying weapons; I don't want to be a warrior. I'll just keep it as a memento of our quest together. I hope Master Hammet's rod is okay…"

Mia healed the wound on her cheek with her dwindling supply of Psynergy. "Its okay, Ivan, we'll get that in a moment. For now, let's just rest a moment." Her sapphire blue eyes became distant, thoughtful. "Wow, all we have to do is find Alex, now."

"Yes, and Felix," Isaac agreed and then stopped. Felix! The only loose end to tie up for them, bringing the Valean traitor to justice. He had the Rod and Sheba, the only things they needed to collect, for Ivan and Faran. But, he had-

Suddenly, Isaac sensed the presence of another Adept – no, two! – on the opposite side of the aerie from them. Isaac turned his head to see Felix standing there with Sheba at his side. He looked gob smacked, brown eyes wide with shock, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"You… you beat them…" he looked to Saturos and Menardi in turn, both lying in pools of their own blood. "It's impossible! No one can beat them! They were the most powerful Adepts in all of Weyard, they-!" He cut off, unable to continue. Sheba laid a comforting hand on his arm and Felix regained his composure. "Clearly, you four are something different. You've changed, Isaac. You're a lot more powerful than when I last knew you. And a great warrior, if you beat Saturos and Menardi."

"No, Felix, not I," he corrected. "Us. It was a group effort, and when all four elements work together, they become a lot more powerful."

Felix nodded and then looked to his dying master, sorrow in his eyes. "I see… but…" he shook his head, fighting back tears. "You don't understand what you've just done, Isaac. You could never understand."

"We understand well enough," Garet replied firmly, folding broad, sweaty arms wearily across his chest. "We defeated two evil villains, and saved the world. The Wise One would be proud."

"The Wise One?" Felix spat contemptuously. "Saved the world? Garet, you lug head, you have no idea."

The Fire Adept was about to retort when Isaac raised a hand to silence him. "Don't bother. We don't need an argument like this right now," he told him.

Mia stepped forward, no longer clutching her chest in pain and breathing easier. "Come one, Sheba," she offered warmly. "You can come back with us now; we'll return you to Faran."

The Jupiter Adept made no move to approach. Instead, she clung tighter to the Earth Adept's arm and stood her ground. She shook her head, blonde hair swaying and said, "No, I'm staying with Felix, it's my destiny. And I don't want to go back to Lalivero."

"But it's not like that, Sheba!" Ivan pleaded. "We're trying to help." His purple eyes shifted to regard the Earth Adept. "What about you, Felix? Saturos and Menardi are defeated! You don't have to do this anymore!"

"It's not too late to redeem yourself, Felix" Isaac called out. "You may have betrayed your people and Vale, but it doesn't have to end with you the same way it did form them." He gestured to the bodies between them. "I don't know why you chose to help them the way you did, but… you don't have to keep doing what they tell you, Felix. You're free now." Surely, that was the only reason that he was doing what he did, because he was forced to? Because he felt indebted to those who had saved his life, whatever their motives. Surely that was it?

Felix looked at him stony faced, expressionless face betraying not a flicker of what he felt. Abruptly, he sighed and said, "Somehow, I knew you'd say something like that, Isaac. It's the way you are, I suppose. Brave, noble, righteous… and yet foolish in your ignorance." He turned away from them, gazing north to where the partially built Babi Lighthouse could be seen on the horizon. It was a dark orange colour in the last few moments of day, before the final rays of sunlight descended the western horizon. "But, I can't do that, you must understand, Isaac. I still have to ignite the Lighthouse beacons, no matter what. You'd never believe me if I explained why."

"What? That's crazy!" Garet exclaimed. "Even after all that? Even after we beat them? They're gone, Felix! Saturos and Menardi are gone! You don't have to do what they tell you anymore! You know Alchemy is too dangerous to unleash on the world!"

"And yet, too dangerous not too…" Isaac thought he heard Felix mutter. Aloud, he said, "That doesn't matter anymore, Garet, it's still my choice. I have to do it, and I'm going to do it, no matter what." His expression hardened, he gazed at them challengingly. "I will light the beacons and unleash Alchemy once more. And I'll fight you if I have to do it."

The Earth Adept seized the hilt of his sheathed sword in once fist, and drew it partway from its scabbard. Isaac's breath caught, and he found himself lost for words. Deep down inside, he had been hoping that Felix, his former best friend before 'The Storm' would be able to come back. That there was a reason he'd been forced against them. Clearly, he was wrong. But that meant…

…then that meant the Felix was an enemy. And would have to be treated as such. Isaac tightened his grip on the sword he still held in his leather gloved hands. "Please don't say that, Felix," he said. He was inwardly surprised by how level his voice sounded. "The Wise One himself ordered us to do this. If you make me choose between fighting you and letting the world destroy itself with Alchemy…" he tightened his resolve, and focused himself. "… I'll do what I have to do. We'll defeat you like the other two if we have to."

"You think… that we're beaten?" a weak, yet determined voice spoke up. From where he lay on the stone floor of the aerie, Saturos forced himself up slightly and began crawling towards them. He rose to his feet briefly and then collapsed to his knees, unable to carry on.

I've got to hand it to him for endurance. I'm surprised he can even still do that much!

"We've… still got… a bit more… left in us," Menardi struggled up onto one knee, forced herself forwards a couple of steps, then fell back down to her hands and knees.

"They're still alive!" Ivan exclaimed. "They should be dead by now!"

"They're pushing themselves beyond their own survivable limits," Mia stated. Isaac noticed Felix was smiling in relief.

"Give it up," Garet said to them, "you can barely stand! You're dying on us as we speak! Just accept that you've lost!" Abruptly, Ivan was glowing with Psynergy, and a strong gust of wind carried away the bloody sword and scythe that had been lying down near them. The weapons slid along the stone and over the ledge of the aerie, falling down off Venus Lighthouse. The wind stopped, and Ivan let go of his Psynergy. "You're completely drained of Psynergy! What are you going to fight us with? Your bare hands?"

"If you think… we're beaten…" Menardi said, breathing heavily and coughing up blood. "… you've got…another thing… coming…" Despite the fact she was clearly clinging onto the last of her life, her pale lips pulled back in a weak smile, seeming somehow eager and undefeated. Was she mad?

"Come on!" Garet scoffed. "We already beat you once! We'll beat you as many times as we have to!"

Saturos was kneeling down on one knee, one hand on the floor to support himself, the other reaching behind his back for something. "We'll be… fine… right after… we do… THIS!" He finished with a shout, hand whipping out from behind his back, and hurling something through the air. It flew in a lazy arc towards the centre of the aerie. Isaac aught a glint of golden light off a glass orb and realised with a gasp what it was. The Venus Star!

He reached with the Catch Beads to retrieve it, but he was too slow. The Elemental Star disappeared into the deep, dark pit in the middle of the aerie, falling deep down into the recesses of the Lighthouse.

Oh, no! They've lit Venus Beacon!

A/N: Phew, and that's that! Wow, and that's only one half of the battle! I'm surprised I got an entire chapter out of it, I didn't realise when I started that this fight would be a two parter in terms of chapters. Oh well. Anyway, I suppose I'd better get started on the next one, eh?

BTW, anyone mind if I don't update for a few months? (Gets pelted with rotten fruit and cinderblock bricks) ow, ow, I was kidding, I was kidding! Next chap will be up ASAP. Until then, adios!