(A/N: About freakin' time, right?! I'm sorry this one took so long! School's been murder. Forget the Author's Note, and I'll just let you get right to the story, okay? Enjoy!!)







Part Six:



Destiny Bound







The sun had only begun to rise the next morning when Alex sat at a table with his new companions. They had been up most of the night, discussing things, then Alex had left to prepare his things. He had gathered only what he would need, and took nothing that had any emotional value. On a quest such as the one he was undertaking, emotion would only get in the way. He hated to use these people like he was about to, but he could in no other way gain access to the Golden Sun.

He hadn't yet told Mia his plans to leave. Saturos and the others were going to leave in a short while, and Alex wasn't sure Mia would be awake by then. She had been asleep all morning and he didn't wish to wake her. So he'd written a note and put in on the small table next to her bed. She would see the note and read it. If she didn't, Alex had already told Rebecca he was leaving on a trip.

So, having tied up all the loose end he could think of in Imil, he sat down to a hurried breakfast with Saturos and Felix. Menardi had gone on ahead to the ship, she seeming to be more the one in charge of the actual progress of the mission, Saturos a leader in a more political sense. They spoke softly over soft-boiled eggs from the giant sea turtles that lived in the nearby reefs and toast, wanting to leave as quickly as possible for obvious reasons. Alex was on his second piece of toast, the boy, Felix, having already downed his entire meal being his main source of conversation as Saturos was doing his best to shove his mouth at a constant speed. He was enjoying the quiet of the Inn when suddenly a loud clatter of footsteps came from the stairway.

"Rebecca!" came the girl's voice as a streak of pale blue erupted into the Inn's main area. "I found this note on my nightstand from Alex, and he said that he-" Mia stopped herself short, realizing that the man she spoke of was now looking at her from a table with two strangers. Alex watched as she eyed Felix and Saturos with obvious misgivings and he slowly rose, crossing the room to see her.

He opened his mouth to speak but Mia had already begun. "What is this, Alex?" she asked in a hushed voice as she handed him the letter. She cast a quick glance at the visitors, then looked back at Alex, her eyes full of confusion and worry. "You said you were leaving?"

"And so I am," Alex said, struggling to look the girl unwaveringly in the eye. He'd never done this before; speak to someone as though he was telling them the truth when inside he was merely using them as a simple stepping stone.

Mia looked at him, slowly shaking her head. "You can't leave, Alex," she whispered. "Not now... What about the sickness?"

"The sick time is nearly over, Mia," Alex said before Mia could label another reason for him not to go. "You can handle it all on your own."

"But what about the lighthouse?" Mia asked. "I can't protect it and stay at the village all the time..."

"Mia," Alex said, taking the girl's shoulders. "Trust me when I tell you that nothing bad will happen to the lighthouse while I am gone..." Alex smiled at the double-meaning presented in his statement. Mia, however, was quite unaware.

"But where are you going that is so important?" Mia asked in a desperate voice. "What is so urgent that you would leave your position as Guardian?"

"I never said I am leaving my position as Guardian," Alex quickly retorted. "I am simply going away for a while. Mia," he said as she looked away in frustration, "I will return to Imil... This journey will not take me too long."

"Yes, but why must you leave at all?" Mia asked, her eyes cutting quickly to Alex. "You're always so secretive, Alex... It's like you're hiding something from me..."

Alex was a little taken aback. Mia knew that there was more than Alex was willing to tell her. But he had been training himself, preparing himself, for this. His face didn't move. His eyes didn't twitch. He didn't flinch. All he did was tilt his head slightly to the side and smile.

"Mia," he cooed softly. "Would I ever lie to you?"

For a moment, it looked as though he hadn't fooled Mia. Suddenly, the girl sighed, a soft smile gracing her pale, pink lips. "I'm sorry, Alex... I'd only thought that-"

"I would never do anything to endanger you or the lighthouse," Alex continued. "Besides, Mia, you know that only we can enter the lighthouse."

"That's true," she sighed. Her eyes moved from Alex to the two visitors, now standing, starting toward the doorway, pausing there to look at Alex. Mia motioned to them, Alex looking over his shoulder at his companions. "They are waiting for you."

Alex sighed. "So they are..." He turned back to Mia. "I suppose this is goodbye, then... for now."

"Yes," Mia said, quickly eyeing the ground, but it failed to hide the tears that were welling in her eyes. "I... It... After all these years, it seems strange to suddenly be losing the only two family members I've ever known."

Alex felt a pang inside of him and for a moment, his face showed this. He quickly shook his head to shake off the feelings and stood a little straighter. "Yes. It is strange. However, life moves on and we must follow its course no matter how we may feel about it."

Mia looked up, wiping her tears away quickly. "I will miss you, Alex."

Alex smiled. "And I you, Mia." He took her hand and squeezed it gently, pausing in his hold to ponder a moment. In a way, it was like losing a younger sister, yet completely different all at once. There was more that connected him to this girl than would that of a brother, some deeper emotional bond. From the way Mia was looking at him, he knew she sensed it, too. Not only sensed it, but felt it.

Alex forced himself to release Mia's hand. He couldn't do this anymore; tie himself to people, to things. That would only lead to his downfall. It would only cause him to fail in his quest. He turned away from Mia without another word, his face wiped of all emotion. His eyes looked to the doorway where Saturos and Felix stood, waiting at the door. As he crossed the inn to meet his new companions, he swore silently to himself a sacred vow.

That he would not fail...

* * *



The people in Prox seemed to be even more suspicious of this new Water Adept than they ever had of the Valeans. Saturos noticed the Elder seemed a little un-nerved to find someone as well versed in the legends of the elements as he was. Puelle allowed Alex to stay, as long as Saturos kept him close by at all times. Saturos wasn't sure exactly what the chieftain implied by this. It was true that Saturos trust Alex almost as far as he could throw a house, but to keep Alex in his sights at all times? It was nigh impossible, what with the Water Adept constantly vanishing in a blur of water, then suddenly reappearing whenever he deemed it beneficial. It would have driven Saturos mad had he not been so occupied in studying with Menardi, all on account of a very interesting conversation they had with Puelle a few months after their return.

Almost two weeks had passed when the Elder informed them of the chieftain's intention of speaking with them. Saturos wondered momentarily if somehow Alex was causing trouble or if Felix had accidently used his psynergy yet again.

Puelle had invited them into the study, two lavish chairs sitting in front of an ornately carved wooden desk. Saturos took one seat and Menardi the other. Puelle observed them carefully, slowly walking to his seat at the desk. Saturos tried not to look like his noticed Puelle's eyes, burning upon him, but he doubted he managed to hide the uneasiness he felt. His mind ran through a list of every flaw he could imagine he had. After instantly accumulating a very long list, he tried to think of any flaws Menardi had.

Strangely nothing came to mind.

Puelle took his seat, staring at his hands which he was wringing together almost nervously. It was a long moment before Puelle's eyes finally met with the two Proxinians. "I want you both to know you aren't in any trouble..."

"What?" Saturos said almost instantly, shock written all over his face.

"I'm telling you that because you look a little nervous," Puelle assured them quickly. "But I want you both to know this isn't a disciplinary council."

Menardi looked as perplexed as Saturos. "Then... why did you summon us here?" she asked gingerly.

Puelle leaned back in his seat, his eyes again turned downward to his hands. When he spoke, his voice was low with a near misty-quality to it. "Have you two ever noticed anything... strange about your relationship?"

"Relationship?!" both Menardi and Saturos squeaked out in something along the lines of fear and denial, both Proxinians blushing silver.

Puelle had jumped at their response, and quickly clarified, "Yes, as traveling companions."

Saturos and Menardi exchanged embarrassed glances, murmuring tiny, "...oh."'s, and the blush redoubling itself on their cheeks.

Puelle, a little unsure what to make of this gesture, continued. "But have you noticed anything... odd?"

"Like what?" Saturos asked.

"Like..." Puelle seemed to be struggling to find the right words. "Like that you seem to find yourself thinking what the other person is thinking? Or what they're feeling?"

"We've finished each other's sentences more times than I can count," Menardi said usefully. "And that day... when we went to Vale?" Menardi's eyes were intensely trained on Saturos. "I knew that Elder was going to hit you with a wind spell before you even drew your sword..."

Saturos slowly nodded, adding in a hushed voice, "And there have been times when we'd look at each other, and everything that was needed to be said was spoken, and we hadn't said a word... It was almost as if-"

"We knew what the other was saying without having to even ask," Menardi finished quietly, looking at Saturos in wonder. She suddenly let out a short breath and began rubbing her arms, looking at the floor and smiling to herself. She'd just gotten goose bumps.

Puelle was looking at the two, a slight smile on his face. He took in a deep breath through his nose, brushing a stray lock of fiery-red hair out of his eyes. "So it has already happened, then?"

Saturos looked away from Menardi, focused on Puelle. "What's happened?"

Puelle, pausing and pursing his lips, seemed troubled, yet thrilled, all at once. Saturos stared long and hard at the chieftain. What was it Puelle was so hesitant to tell them about?

The chieftain took a breath, and spoke. "It has been... yes, nearly two hundred years since it happened. Prox was in turmoil then. An accident had occurred that involved the psynergy of some young Adept who was quick to anger and easily offended. He had not learned yet how to control and channel his psynergy. He killed many people from a loss of his temper and, incidentally, himself. People in the village began to talk, friends and family of those that were lost in the accident. They said that psynergy was a curse and that the only way to assure something like this never happened again, they had to go and destroy Mars Lighthouse. That way, so they thought, no child would ever be born an Adept again."

Puelle had stood and crossed to the window, looking out on the gently falling snow as night began to settle in on their little village. His eyes seemed to grow glassy as he continued. "I was a young man, then. Not much older than you, Saturos. My family had been among those that died in the accident; my mother, my father, and my two younger sisters. However, I did not follow those who wanted some sort of vengeance for the death of their loved ones. Instead, I stood by the handful of Proxinians that would protect the lighthouse. The chieftain led us to the Mars Lighthouse, hoping we could resolve the matter peacefully. He knew the importance of the lighthouse in the eternal spectrum of things. We couldn't allow for these people to destroy the very strong hold of the element of fire....

"Among those that stood in defense of the lighthouse was a young woman my age, Illina, a girl who had agreed to take my hand in marriage. We all knew that as long as Illina and I stood together, we had the most powerful weapon in the history of the eons."

Menardi frowned slightly. "And what was that?"

Puelle turned to look at the two young Adepts. "Illina and I shared the same strange bond you and Saturos share," he murmured quietly. "It is extremely rare, sometimes skipping hundreds of generations at a time. It was even said that Illina and I would the last of the Proxinians to gain this power. But the Elder assured me that would not be the case. That this power would be handed down to another generation, and fortunately, I have lived to see it."

"What power?" Saturos asked, a little irritated that Puelle seemed to be stalling.

Puelle turned again to the window, slipping into that dream-like state once more. "Neither of you understand what you are, do you?" he murmured. "The incredible power that lies at your fingertips that could save us... or destroy us."

"Puelle?" Menardi said tinily as the Proxinian fell silent. "I'm not sure we understand."

Saturos, however, seemed perfectly aware now of what the chieftain spoke of. He leaned back in his chair and shook his head slowly, a look of surety on his face. "It's just a myth, isn't it? A mere legend to make the Proxinians think we are somehow a superior race, isn't it?"

"Each race possesses some sort of power representing their element," Puelle snapped, spinning rapidly and glaring at Saturos, deep red eyes piercing him. "However, the ability for two beings to merge into the creature that represents our element is unique to our race."

"Merge into..." Menardi began softly. "You don't mean-"

"Yes," Puelle sighed. "Illina and I were bound to each other spiritually, something unavoidable. Even if she and I had hated each other, that binding could never be broken. That connection, that binding force, allowed us to do what has only been done a handful of times in the history of our people; we were able to fuse together into the form of a dragon."

"So it's true?" Saturos asked. "The fusion dragon isn't just a story?"

"Of course it isn't," Puelle hissed. "Such thoughts alone are blasphemous."

Menardi blinked several times, looking quite confused. "So... what you're telling us is that Saturos... and I... have the power to turn into this... creature?"

Saturos's eyes glowed with a hungry light. "Then we'll use it. Why not just storm Sol Sanctum and Vale and take the Elemental Stars by force? It shouldn't take long for us to master this technique! The Valean Elders will have no choice but to-"

"You will never practice this technique!" Puelle gasped suddenly, flying to his desk and slamming his hands down on the wood. "First and foremost we will not resort to barbaric bloodshed. Raised by the Elder himself, you of all Proxinians should know that, Saturos!"

The Adept slowly sat, his cheeks heating in shame.

Puelle regained his composure, continuing his story. "Allow me to tell you what happened at the final battle for Mars Lighthouse. The defenders had suffered great casualties. All that remained was the chieftain, a few Adepts, Illina, and myself. We all knew what we had to do in order to protect the lighthouse, and Illina and I were prepared to sacrifice ourselves to do it. You see, when the fusion occurs, the flame of life itself merges from two into one great celestial inferno, glowing for a brief moment in all its brilliance, than dies as quickly as it formed. Illina and I knew what it meant to fuse into the dragon. It would mean sacrificing our lives. We were prepared to make that sacrifice if called on, and we were."

Puelle quieted, blinking back what appeared to be tears. "When our battle was finished, the aggressors had ceased to attack, but Illina and I had still taken heavy damage..." The Chieftain paused for a moment, trying to regain his composure. "She gave the last little bit of his life force to me, just before she died. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here today."

"So all those that merge into the Fusion Dragon... die?" Menardi asked in disbelief.

"That's why you cannot ever practice the technique," Puelle said quietly. "There is no training, no lessons to be given. If the time ever comes when you need to use it, you will know exactly what to do."

"How?" Saturos asked quietly.

Puelle smiled gently at the Adept. "I can only offer the same explanation as to why you and Menardi's spirit's are bound; I don't know... But I do know that you will understand exactly when and how it is to be done... if the time comes."

"If we can't use this power," Saturos pondered aloud. "Why did you bother to tell us?"

Puelle's eyes rested heavily on Saturos. "I am hoping you won't need to ever use it, Saturos. But, nevertheless, you needed to be informed. This task that we, no, the Gods have bestowed upon you is not an easy one. Who knows what will try to stop you? To stand in your way..." The chieftain paused, looking out the window. The other two Adepts' eyes hurried to see what he was looking at. They saw Karst and Felix, walking quickly through the night, hurrying home from the days activities. Puelle sighed deeply. "And they might be closer than you think..."

Saturos whipped around instantly, staring at the chieftain, but Menardi spoke first. "You can't mean Felix? He's been as loyal as Saturos and I throughout this whole journey!"

"Felix would never betray us!" Saturos snapped angrily. "I may have my qualms about Alex, but Felix will always stand beside us! No matter what the case!"

"Don't let your feelings for your student blind you, Saturos," Puelle said in an angry hiss. "You will be returning to Vale, his home. Don't underestimate the turmoil that memories can wreak inside a person, especially when people begin to recognize him. He has a sister still there, you know..."

Saturos paused a moment. After all these years, he had completely forgotten that Felix had any family other than those in Prox. It seemed strange to him now to even fathom Felix being of another race, let alone another family. He was almost like a younger brother to Saturos; a family that he had never had the opportunity to have. To think of Felix abandoning him and going back to his Valean beliefs with his family not only hurt him deeply, but it would ruin all they had tried to accomplish. For Felix, seeing those from his past, friends, relatives would deal a heavy blow to him.

"So..." he began quietly. "What do you suggest we do?"

Puelle thought for a long while. "It is not my place to say."

"Do you think Felix has even thought about what will happen when he sees those he knows again?" Menardi inquired softly.

"He probably will be looking forward to it," Puelle said. "Saturos, the only thing I can suggest is that you not take Felix with you to Vale. That would be the only way to be sure Felix doesn't get caught up again in the ties he has there."

Saturos rested his head on his hands, elbows balanced on the arms of the chair. Could he do that to Felix? Forbid him to see the last member of his family that might accept him? Tell him he was forbidden to go home again, perhaps forever? What sort of a friend and brother would he be then? He couldn't bring himself to be so cruel as to forbid Felix, but something had to be done. Saturos looked over at Menardi who could only shake her head and sigh.

"We'll think about it," she murmured. "We aren't leaving for a long while, anyway."

"Good," Puelle murmured. "You should give yourselves more than adequate time for preparation." The chieftain motioned gently at the two, excusing them. "You are dismissed, Adepts."

Saturos felt odd. Usually he felt comforted after speaking with the Elder, but this conversation hadn't lifted his spirits at all. If anything, Saturos was more confused and worried than ever.



* * *



Saturos had been avoiding the conversation with Felix for nearly three months. Now, however, Menardi had scheduled them to leave in one week. Saturos had just finished informing Alex who was glad to finally get on the move. He seemed antsy and almost overly anxious to Saturos, but the Proxinian dismissed it quickly. After all, Alex had come from a village where there was constantly work to be done. Prox was a little more calm than that, and no doubt bored Alex terribly.

Saturos was still unsure of how to break the news to Felix. Like Puelle said, they couldn't risk having anything happen. If Felix found his sister again, he'd want to spend time with her, catching up on things they'd missed, time that they didn't have. Also, Felix could become emotional again. Though he'd sworn his allegiance to Prox and their cause, who could tell what would happen if he was locked in an emotional situation for too long. He could be turned, or worse; betray them.

Saturos stood in front of the main window, staring out at the lightly falling snow of spring. The heavier winter snows had ceased and now, everything was much calmer. It wasn't much warmer, but the sun did shine more often and the days were quickly becoming longer. The time was finally right to set sail for Vale. The only question was who would be in their party?

"Are you okay, Saturos?"

Saturos turned to see Felix standing behind him. It was shocking for him to look upon the boy now, to take in all the change that had been wrought in so little time. Felix was now a tall, handsome young man of eighteen, the same age Saturos had been when he met the boy. Felix still had the childish, youthful face, but it was now worn and scarred with battles that children such as they should not have had to fight. However, they were children that were expected to become adults at a time far earlier than it should have been. Whether they wanted to or not, they would have had to have fought.

Saturos nodded, partly to himself, turning his back on the window and starting toward the library. "I'm fine," he murmured. Felix watched him walking across the room, not following him. Saturos paused in the doorway, leaning on the post. He couldn't just keep running from this. Either he told him now, or Alex would "accidently" let it slip in his conversation. The Water Adept seemed to practically relish in creating all sort of chaos he could. Saturos turned, locking eyes with Felix. The boy only raised his eyebrows in question, Saturos letting out a long breath.

"We're leaving for Vale in a week," he finally murmured.

Felix blinked. "Vale?"

"Before you say anything, Felix," Saturos blurted quickly, "Let me say what I need to-"

"That means," Felix began quietly, going a deathly pale. "Jenna... Wha-What am I going to tell Jenna? She's going to have so many questions! She'll want to know where Mom and Dad are... I can't... I can't just tell her..."

Saturos paused, eyeing the floor. "Felix, you can't come with us."

The blur of thoughts racing through Felix's head stopped. His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean I can't come?"

"Puelle wants us to avoid any emotional complications at all costs," Saturos said quickly. "I tried to tell him you would never do anything we'd regret, but he was very adamant about you not coming."

"You mean I can't see Jenna?" Felix asked tinily, his large eyes of soft brown-sugar filling with moisture.

Saturos searched for the right words for the moment. "Felix..." He couldn't think of anything more to say to the poor boy.

Felix was shaking his head and glancing around the room, trying to blink back the tears. "What? Does that mean, like... ever?"

"Felix, think about it," Saturos murmured. "If Jenna were to ask about Anne and Charles, you'd have to explain everything to her... We don't have time for that, number one, but more importantly, what if she were to tell the Elders or something?" Saturos shook his head. "We can't risk it, Felix. We just can't."

Felix hurried over to Saturos. "Wait, Saturos, I don't want to talk to her or anyone. I wouldn't tell them who I was. I-I'd keep it secret!"

"You haven't changed that much in these few short years, Felix," Saturos sighed heavily. "They'd know who you are right off the bat, even if you didn't talk to anyone."

"Then..." Felix murmured, his mind racing to come up with some sort of a solution. He didn't want to talk with Jenna yet. Not until Prox was safe and he and his parents could go home all together. But he had to see her again, just to know she was safe. Just to know she was still there. Then, a thought entered his head. "I'll wear a mask."

Saturos raised an eyebrow. "A mask?"

"So no one can see who I am," Felix explained. "I wouldn't talk to anyone, and I wouldn't go looking for her or anything... It's just..." He paused, looking at the floor. "I'd hoped to see her when we went. I'd like to at least try to see her..."

"You couldn't talk to her," Saturos said.

"I'm not ready to talk to her yet," Felix admitted quietly. "Not until I'm on better terms with my parents."

Saturos smiled sadly. "That could be a while, Felix."

The boy shrugged. "I know..." He looked up at Saturos hopefully. "So... can I go?"

Saturos sighed. "I don't see any reason why not."

Felix let out a wild whoop of joy and leapt into the air. Suddenly, he tackled Saturos around the middle into a huge bear hug, screaming, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" at the top of his lungs. Menardi and Alex quickly burst into the room at the sound of Felix's cries. Saturos, who was never one for physical attention to begin with, let alone affection, was very embarrassed. But wriggle as he might, Felix, in all of his excitement, wouldn't let go.

"Are all you adventurers this strange or just those two?" Alex asked dryly of Menardi who was laughing softly at the sight of Master and Apprentice.

"Just these two," Menardi laughed, looking at Saturos intently as the two went from bear hug to a wrestling match. The two men were like brothers, constantly trying to prove themselves in the other's eyes. Menardi realized something as she was watching Saturos and Felix. It was three years ago that day that she had made a promise to another; Agatio. But more importantly than that...

She would never be able to swear herself to Agatio.

Ever.







(A/N: Yay! End of chapter! Sorry, I know it's shorter than the other one's I've posted, but it is a chapter. This last bit was to reassure everyone that Agatio DOES NOT get the girl... at least not this one. And what do I mean by that? You'll see! ^_~ I'll have the next chapter up soon. It just needs a little revising and I'll post it. Keep R&R! The more I get, the faster I write!)