(A/N: Okay, this would have been posted yesterday morning, but the principle figured out some way to deny me access to the A drive. ^_^ Fortunately, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Anyways, I think everyone will REALLY like this chapter. There's considerable Proxshipping at the end, however, not a whole lot. Just be patient and wait a few chapters. That's all I'll say for now... ^_^
Thanks to everyone for reviewing! Please continue, and once I figure out how to get past Worlton's blocking of me, I'll reply directly in the next A/N... Gosh, Vyctori, and you think you were slacking off in not reviewing! ^_~
As a forewarning for Alex fans... He's slowly becoming a darker character, but don't worry, he's not going to be totally lost as long as I'm writing this fic. He's just slowly becoming a little more evil each chapter, but it's working. I explain more at the end of the fic. Well, that's it!
Enjoy!!)
Part 11: Wolves and Suspicion
Saturos and the others pressed northeast toward the Goma Range. Alex walked by Saturos's side rather than Menardi. The two hadn't spoken since their little falling out at the Inn a few hours ago. Saturos knew that he had gotten too close for comfort. He also knew that she felt the same way.
Often he could almost read her thoughts, like the two were on the same page of music in a mysterious duet, but now, there was a wall there. She was shutting him out. Saturos sighed to himself, looking back at Menardi. He wished he hadn't said anything more than that they were partners that needed to look out for each other. But he had said more. He had done more than crossed the line; he had complicated their entire mission.
"Saturos?"
Saturos turned back to Alex, looking at the Water Adept in shock. Alex laughed lightly. "You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?"
"I-I'm sorry," Saturos murmured. "I was just... thinking."
"So I noticed," Alex commented softly. "Anything you want to talk about?"
Saturos frowned. Alex was the last person he would want to discuss his personal feelings with, but he was a little too kind to admit it aloud.
"Not particularly," he grumbled darkly.
Alex sighed and shrugged it off. "Your choice."
The two fell silent for a moment. Saturos looked up at the sun to determine how much longer they would be traveling. "I don't think we'll make it to Bilbin by dark," he commented.
Alex nodded. "We'll be lucky to make it to the cave near the pass."
"I've heard the cave runs all the way through the range," Saturos said. "We could continue walking through the night."
"Us perhaps," Alex said, then motioned to Kraden and Jenna. "But they'll need to rest." Saturos nodded. He had forgotten that they had a young girl and an old man traveling with them. Saturos had been bred and trained to survive in the far reaches of the Northern Wilds. Jenna had no training for such things, and Kraden had been raised in Lord Babi's palace: education of the highest degree, fine clothing, feather beds, all to groom him to perfection. It was no wonder that the old man couldn't handle the strain of such a vigorous walk.
"So we'll camp outside the cave?"
Alex looked at him as though he was mad. "Do you have any idea the sort of creatures that roam in the night outside of those caves, let alone with the seal of Alchemy now broken?"
"What do you mean?" Saturos asked.
"We should camp a ways into the cave," Alex said. "The last thing we want is an encounter with a pack of beasts."
Saturos- not sure why Alex was being so uptight- nodded. "I suppose you know this area better than me."
"I used to come down here once every other year with my grandfather," Alex said quietly.
Saturos looked over at him. It was very rare for Alex to share any of his past experiences with his companions, which made Saturos all the more interested. "Did you?"
Alex nodded, looking at the ground. "Grandfather, Mia, and I... We'd all go every year. We'd take bottled salves, potions, vials of different things and we'd make our yearly pilgrimage to Tolbi during the Colosso season." Alex laughed lightly at himself, looking up at the clouds. "Grandfather would load everything in a small handcart, and we'd all take turns pulling it or pushing it. I didn't go this last year. It was still the sick time when the Colosso season came around. I regret not going."
"You didn't go because you wanted to help your people," Saturos said. "That doesn't seem like something you should be regretting."
Alex tried to smile, but it faded as soon as he begun. He looked at the ground again, watching the clouds his feet made in the dusty road. "The real reason I didn't go was because..." Alex sighed, shutting his eyes momentarily. "Because my Grandfather and I got into an argument."
"What about?" asked Saturos.
Alex shrugged, giving a bitter laugh. "I don't remember... Isn't that strange? He and I never got along as well as we used to after that. And I don't even remember what we argued about."
Saturos looked at Alex, feeling a little sorry for the Water Adept. "What about the girl?"
Alex started slightly, looking to Saturos. "What?"
"The one you spoke with before we left?" Saturos said, trying to remind him. "I think you called her Mia just a moment ago..."
Alex paused for a moment, about to speak, but then decided against it, looking up at the sun. "Isn't it about time to stop for a while?" he said quickly.
Saturos looked up. "Just about-"
"I'll tell the others," Alex said shortly, and turned around to the rest of the group.
Saturos sighed. What was Alex being so secretive about? What did he have to hide? Saturos only shook his head, sitting down on the river bank, taking off his boots. He put his feet into the water, cooling off slightly after the long day's walk. He looked over and saw Menardi sitting on a stone and pulling a small ribbon out of her pocket and tying her hair back with it.
Felix walked across the grass and flopped down on the grass beside Saturos. He looked at his friend, raising a dark eyebrow. "Are you alright," he asked softly.
"Yes," Saturos said. "Why do you ask?"
"You've just seemed a little distant since we left Vault, that's all," he replied shortly, pulling his feet back on the shore, taking in a deep breath of air.
"Are you sure nothing's bothering you?"
"Why would anything be bothering me?" Saturos said, a little defensively.
Felix picked up on the tone, leaning away and shrugging. "Menardi came out looking a little… flustered."
"Flustered?" Saturos echoed.
"Did you two have a fight or something?" he asked quietly.
"No," Saturos said. "I don't think you'd call it a fight."
"So, something did happen," Felix said knowingly.
Saturos blushed slightly. "We just had some words between us, that's all," he said quickly, avoiding Felix's eyes.
"Is that really all?" Felix asked.
"I really don't want to talk about this right now," Saturos said standing. He walked away, leaving Felix to wonder what he had meant by that.
* * *
Alex sighed, sitting under the meager shade of a tall tree. His mind had been racing ever since they'd stolen the stars. He couldn't speak of his thoughts to anyone, and talking to Saturos about his past had reminded him of why he had really come on this quest.
The Golden Sun.
The Stone of Sages.
Saturos had been against it when Alex had brought it up when they first met. He said he had no intention of going after the mysterious items. He thought it forbidden to go after. Alex knew otherwise. He had made a promise to himself after his grandfather died; he would be the last one to die while Alex was around. The only way he could do that was to have ultimate power. And the only way, he could see, to gain ultimate power was for him to obtain the Golden Sun. He wasn't sure what that even was. All he knew was that if he could get it he would have ultimate power.
But Saturos would never agree. He was watching Alex far too closely. Alex knew Saturos didn't fully trust him. With Saturos so keenly aware of his every move and with the rest of the group fully behind him, Alex would never get the Golden Sun.
But what then? He would have to devise some way to make Saturos have other concerns. That, or…
Alex looked over at Felix, seeing Saturos wander away, Felix looking a little low, like Saturos had refused to tell him something. Slowly, an idea entered his head.
* * *
Felix looked up as a pair of azure boots, tied with silver cord appeared in front of him. He glance up at Alex who smiled down at him. "May I join you?" he asked quietly.
"Sure," Felix murmured, looking off after Saturos.
Alex sat on the grass, following Felix's glance. "Don't feel left out," he said quietly. "It happens all the time to me."
"What?" asked Felix, looking at Alex confusedly.
"Don't get me wrong," Alex said hurriedly, holding up his hands in defense. "It's just that…" He looked over at Menardi who was standing, looking eastward for anyone that might be following them. He looked back at Felix, raising his eyebrows. "They don't like our kind."
"What do you mean, 'our kind?'" Felix asked softly, more confused than before.
Alex sighed, lying back and propping himself up on his elbows. "Well, you know… we're human… they're Proxinians… they don't trust us. Nor do they intend to," he added quietly.
"Saturos trusts me," Felix said defensively.
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Does he?" he challengingly murmured. "Does he truly?"
Felix paused, staring at the ground. "Well, yeah," Felix said, not quite as sure as before. "Of course he does…"
"Have they told you about what they'll do to Jenna and Kraden when they're done?" asked Alex.
"What do you mean?" Felix asked, confused.
"Nothing," Alex said quickly. "If they haven't told you, it's not my place to."
"Told me what?" Felix asked, looking at Alex intensely.
Alex quickly concealed a slight smirk on his lips, looking over at Felix. "Well, I overheard them talking about what would happen if your friends did catch up with us," he lied skillfully.
"They said that they'd let her go," Felix said. "That was our agreement."
"Not exactly."
"What did they say?" Felix said, not sure he wanted to know.
"Well, I heard them talking about how they couldn't just let them go. They'd go back to Vale and tell everyone where they were going and they would try to stop them, so they couldn't very well let Isaac and the others have them. Not without a fight at least…" Alex murmured.
"Then what did they decide?" Felix asked softly.
Alex shrugged. "I don't know. They noticed me and stopped talking."
Felix eyed the ground and didn't reply. He wasn't exactly sure what to make of this information.
"You see?" Alex said softly. "They don't trust you either. They haven't even discussed this issue with you before, have they?" Alex asked.
"Well, no," Felix then, then hurriedly, "But that doesn't mean that they-"
"Doesn't it?" Alex asked, sitting up. "Felix don't be so naïve. Those Proxinians don't trust you as far as I could throw a boulder. They won't ever trust us because we are not their kind." He stopped a moment, starting to stand. "And they will do only as they see fit for their people," he added darkly.
Felix looked taken aback as Alex slowly walked away. A look of confusion and doubt filled his face. Alex smiled to himself as he began to walk away.
It had begun.
* * *
They rested beside another river that cut just before the entrance to the cave at the top of a small, rocky hill. Jenna flopped herself down on a cool rock, wiping perspiration from her brow as Kraden leaned against a tree and tipped his flask upside down over his open mouth. A few drops drizzled out, and then it was dry. Felix took it from him, crossing to the riverbank to refill the flask.
"So are we staying the night here?" he asked, looking up at Menardi who was leaning on her staff.
"No," Saturos answered, looking at the river to find the safest way across. "We need to camp inside the cave." Kraden and Jenna groaned, paling at the thought of walking another step.
Felix stood, screwing the lid of the flask back on and hurrying to Saturos. "Are you crazy?" he hissed quietly. "Kraden and Jenna are exhausted. They can't walk another step."
"I don't want to take the chance of being attacked by animals," Saturos responded. "If you want to put them at that risk, that's fine. But as long as I am in charge, we will camp inside."
Felix watched as Saturos walked away, very upset. So it was true…
Saturos didn't trust him.
He hadn't told Felix anything about them having to camp inside the cave, and the tone he was just using with him! Felix began to boil inside. So they didn't consider him an equal member. After all these three years, they still didn't trust him.
Saturos looked over at Felix, a little worried at the angry look on the boy's face. "What? Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," Felix said curtly, turning away.
Saturos started at Felix's angry tone, looking at the boy as he stormed over toward Jenna and Kraden.
"Ah, it's to be expected Saturos."
Saturos turned toward the voice, seeing Alex standing, leaning against a nearby tree near the edge of the river. "Excuse me?"
"Felix," he said, motioning toward the boy. He sauntered toward the Proxinian. "I said it was to be expected."
"What is?" Saturos said, not sure he wanted to hear whatever Alex had to say.
"His response," Alex said with a careless shrug. He spoke quickly as confusion clouded Saturos's face. "Oh, don't worry. He's just so protective of his sister. No doubt he will be for the rest of the time. It just like Puelle said: he shouldn't have come. His feelings are going to interfere too much."
Saturos shook his head. "No, not Felix. He's stronger than base emotions-"
"Do you really believe that, or is that just your heart talking?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
Saturos blushed slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, looking away.
"The way he yelled at Menardi when she did nothing back at Sol Sanctum?" Alex suggested quietly. "The way he just defied you for wanting to camp inside, putting more stress on his sister and Kraden?" He shook his head slowly, his sea-green eyes grown dark. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Saturos. He's surrendered himself over to those base emotions."
"No," Saturos murmured.
"He is changing, Saturos," Alex said softly in a knowing voice. "Soon, not only will he side with his sister…" He pushed away from the tree, holding out his hand and creating a bridge of ice. He stepped across the river, looking back at Saturos momentarily. "He will side with Isaac as well."
Saturos watched as Alex crossed the river. A slow noose of fear began to curl around his neck. He shook his head, calling after Alex, "You're wrong," he said, then a little quieter. "You'll see."
He looked over at Felix who was talking quietly to his sister, kneeling by her side. She seemed to be trying to ignore him or brush him off.
"Felix," Saturos called. "Let's go, before it gets dark."
"They're still tired," Felix said.
"The sun will be setting soon," Saturos pressed. "We need to leave now."
"Saturos is right, Felix," Menardi said. "It's too dangerous out here."
"No it's not," Felix said, standing. "I don't see any problems out here. There's no animals, no thieves... What are you so worried about?" Felix demanded of his master.
Saturos's jaw went slack. "Felix, Alex knows this land tens of times better than we do. If he says it is not safe, then it isn't! We need to go into the caves before it's dark."
"It's nearly dark now!" Felix said, tossing a hand up to motion at the sky. "it isn't as though wolves are going to spring out of the ground and attack us the moment the sunlight is gone."
"Felix, don't be a fool," Saturos snapped. "You're wasting our time. Now let's move it."
Saturos turned on his heel, starting toward the thin bridge of ice that Alex stood behind. Menardi began to follow and Kraden and Jenna wearily stood up from their seats on the rocks. Felix was staring at Saturos angrily. Suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, he spoke.
"No."
The group froze.
Saturos slowly turned around, halfway across the frozen bridge. His eyes met Felix's. "What did you say?"
Felix faltered a little, then stepping back and holding his head up high repeated himself. "No."
Saturos's jaw worked tensely in a slow circle, rage building inside of him. He let out a sharp breath, turning away from Felix. "You know what? Fine. If you want to stay out here and get yourself killed, go ahead. As for anyone else willing to follow, I'm going into the cave."
Saturos started briskly toward the mouth of the cave, Alex looking back at Felix who was looking at him confusedly. Alex only shrugged helplessly and turned back toward the cave, following Saturos.
Menardi didn't move from her spot on the bridge. She wasn't quite sure what had just happened between Felix and Saturos, but whatever it was, Saturos was not doing to right thing. They had sworn a vow to both Puelle and Felix's parents that no harm would come to him as long as he was under their watch. They had a solemn duty to protect him, even if his parents didn't care what happened to him.
Perhaps against her better judgement, Menardi stepped back across the bridge toward Felix. Felix looked at her questioningly, to which she could only replied, "I'm not going to let you stay here alone and get yourself killed."
Felix smiled tiredly at her, then looked at Kraden and Jenna. "What about you two?" he asked. "Are you going with him, or are you going to stay."
"I'll stay," Jenna said tiredly, throwing herself onto a bed of soft grass. "I can't walk another step."
"I concur," Kraden murmured as he lowered himself back onto the rock he was sitting on.
"Menardi!" Saturos shouted from the cave of the mouth, not sounding at all happy. "What are you doing?"
"A real master would not leave his apprentice to the wolves, Saturos," Menardi called back. "At least one of us should stay with him."
"He made the choice to stay. Now, come here!"
"No!" Menardi shouted back. "I swore an oath! One I won't forget as easily as you have!" She was surprised at what she'd just said, words much more harsh than she'd ever met to use.
Saturos stared at her for a good long time then threw his hands up in the air, turning back to the group, starting toward the cave with Alex.
Menardi let out a long sigh, moving back to Felix.
He shook his head. "You didn't have to do that," he murmured quietly.
"Yes, I did," Menardi replied softly. "Saturos may be our leader, but that doesn't mean his decisions will always be right."
Felix smiled. "Thanks, Menardi."
She shrugged. "We should get a fire started. Wild animals don't like fire."
* * *
Saturos threw himself down on the rough, stone floor of the cave, flinging his bag down beside him. Alex sat down on a rock, looking at Saturos sadly. "And so it begins," he said tiredly.
"What begins?" Saturos growled, still a little angry over what had just happened.
"The betrayal," Alex sighed, looking in his bag until he found the scroll he was looking for. "Unfortunately, Menardi is torn between her devotion to you as a leader, and her stewardship to Felix in an almost parental way. She will either pick one way or the other."
"Maybe she won't," Saturos denied.
"She'll have to," Alex continued. "Or else you both will cause her to destroy herself. Internal turmoil is more fatal than death."
Saturos leaned back against the wall, staring at the ceiling; an immense pin cushion of dreary colored stalactites hanging from the top, or perhaps piercing down through it, like teeth through a piece of meat. He shivered slightly, and rubbed his bare arms. The cave was dark, but the long stone pillars seemed to radiate a slight light, just enough for him to see.
His eyes had adjusted quickly, and he felt sleep slowly creep into his head, but his heart kept him wide awake. He went on for almost an hour, sleep hanging heavily on his eyelids. Soon, Alex was asleep and Saturos sat in the darkness alone with his thoughts.
Why couldn't he sleep? he asked himself, almost angrily. Not angry because he did not know the answer, but because he did.
Felix and Menardi...
It was their own choice, he told himself and closed his eyes for what he told himself was the final time. But sleep still did not come.
He stood up and began to walk around the cave. Soft echoes of a slight breeze ran along the cavern walls along with the quiet whispering of creatures lying in the vast expanse of darkness. He didn't feel right about leaving them out there. Both Felix and Menardi were more than capable of taking care of themselves, but the fact their group had split at all was frustrating to him.
He kicked at a glowing stone on the floor angrily, sending it clattering down the rocky corridor. But they had both defied him. Alex had plainly told him that they needed to sleep in the caves for their safety. He may not have trusted Alex completely, but he knew that he would never do anything to deliberately harm them.
Saturos sighed, looking down the path where the mouth of the cave would be. He hoped to see some tiny pinprick of light down the path, but saw nothing. He hoped to see Felix, Menardi, and the others coming down the corridor, but was only met by dark.
He gave an angry grunt and kicked the stone again, it this time popping up into the air and flying down the hall adjacent the to entrance path. Saturos listened for the click of the stone hitting the floor, but instead heard a soft, muffled thud, like a punch landing on an overstuffed pillow. A startled, but still angry yelp echoed in the cavern, for a moment, he thought maybe human, but then realized it was completely different.
The stone emerged from beyond where Saturos's eyes could detect it, back to his feet. The rock glowed dimly as it lightly touched his boot. Saturos gave a slight gasp of surprise, stepping back and putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. A soft rumble pierced the dark of the cave, the light of the stone not nearly enough to help Saturos determine where it was coming from.
"Who's there?" Saturos demanded brusquely, hiding his fear. "Speak up!"
Padded footfalls echoed in Saturos's ears as the rumble grew louder. Saturos suddenly realized it was not rumbling he was hearing, but a deep, low growl. A set of bright yellow eyes appeared in front of him. Alex had been wrong; wolves did inhabit the caves.
Saturos pulled his sword from his side. It was only one wolf, and didn't worry him much. He stepped backwards, readying the sword for a fight. A sharp pain entered his ankle as his body suddenly pitched downwards. His other foot caught him, but the pain did not leave his ankle. He felt wet trickling down through his armored boot, spinning to see three more pairs of eyes staring at him.
Looking back at the one wolf, he realized she, too, had more companions with her. He looked down at his ankle only able to see a shard of metal torn away from the back of the boot. The wolf had bitten through his armor! That was impossible!
A flash of blue came as one of the wolves growled and snapped his teeth at Saturos. He quickly limped backwards, away from the wolf's cold breath.
Cold?
Saturos suddenly realized the glowing stone he'd been seeing was no regular stone; it was psynergy stone. And these were no regular wolves he was fighting. The stone in the caves had changed them.
Saturos could count some dozen pairs of eyes staring hungrily at him. He suddenly did not feel as confident as he had when first seeing the wolf he'd kicked. Before even striking a blow, he'd been injured, and he was totally alone.
One wolf snapped lightning at his cloak, tearing off a large piece. Saturos's blade flashed out, catching the tip of his ears. The wolf yelped and jumped back, but just as quickly as he retreated, sprang back forward.
Growling echoed in Saturos's ears as he felt cold stone against his back.
He'd been cornered.
* * *
Menardi and Felix sat by the fire, Kraden and Jenna sleeping under a nearby tree. The stars loomed overheard and fog hung heavy in the soft, humid summer air. Felix poked at a burning ember in the fire with another stick and the log turned over, flames licking at the tip of the rod. He pulled it out and stared at it a long while.
Menardi smiled. "Wishing you were a Mars Adept?" she joked quietly.
Felix blew out the tiny flame, looking at the tip of the blacked stick. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, blooms suddenly burst from the blackened wood. "No," he murmured as vines of spring-green began to curl around the rod, white flowers blossoming before their eyes. "I like being a Venus Adept."
Menardi glanced over at Jenna and Kraden. "You really should get some sleep, Felix," she said quietly as she turned back to him.
"I'm not tired," Felix said shortly. A pause came between the two. Felix gave Menardi a sidelong look. "Why aren't you sleeping?"
"One of us should keep watch," she said with a shrug.
"I'll take the first one," Felix volunteered.
Menardi shook her head. "No, I'm not tired either."
The two stared at the fire for a long time, watching as the flames ate away at the wood. Finally, Felix broke his stick in two and thrust it on the fire with a frustrated sigh. "Who're we kidding?" he wondered aloud. He looked at Menardi. "You're thinking about him, too, aren't you?"
Menardi nodded reluctantly. "I wish I weren't."
"Do you think he was right?" Felix asked. "That we are in some kind of danger here?"
Menardi leaned back, folding her arms. "I don't think so. If we haven't even heard anything by now, then we should be fine."
Felix rubbed his hands one over the other nervously. "Do you think he was wrong?"
Menardi looked up. "What do you mean?"
"What if the real danger isn't out here, but in there?" Felix asked. "I mean, Alex hasn't been down in these hills for a while, right?"
"About a year," Menardi murmured. "Colosso will be coming up in a few weeks."
"Things might have changed in that time," Felix said quickly. "And you saw the liquid psynergy stone that Mount Aleph threw out! What if he and Alex are in danger?"
"Saturos and Alex can take care of themselves," Menardi said curtly, still a little upset and worried about whatever had happened between herself and Saturos both at the inn and a few hours ago in front of the cave.
"I don't know," Felix said, half to himself. "I don't have a good feeling about this place. I haven't had a good feeling about anything since we took the stars."
"You don't think we should have?" Menardi asked in mild curiosity.
"I didn't say that," Felix said. "I know why we took them, I mean, we had no choice. We couldn't just let Prox die." Felix's voice drifted off. "I just wish my parents could see that."
"My mother still doesn't believe me," Menardi murmured. "She won't speak to me to this very day."
"We're kind of in the same boat, aren't we?" Felix smiled sadly.
Menardi nodded. "I suppose we are."
A slight flash came from deep inside the cave but one bright enough to be seen by both Felix and Menardi from across the river.
"What was that?" Menardi gasped.
Felix stood, his hand moving to the sword hilt. "I'm not sure."
Menardi stood as well, moving toward the riverbank, staring into the cave. Soft, but nonetheless violent growls were coming somewhere in the depths of the cavern.
"That sounds like wolves," Menardi murmured aloud.
"Wolves?" Felix echoed.
Menardi nodded. "Those are the growls of the hunt," she said softly. She knew the sound of wolves all too well from living in Prox. The wolves and wild beasts of the Far North were more vicious and desperate for sustenance. These growls, however, sounded more savage than the wolves she had heard before.
Felix looked at Menardi, then started toward a path of stones he could leap on across the river. "Stay here, watch Jenna and Kraden," he said quickly.
Menardi shook her head, following him. "I'm not letting you go alone, Felix."
"I don't want you to get hurt," Felix said instantly.
Menardi scoffed slightly. "Felix, just because I'm not a man doesn't mean my bones break more easily, or my blood runs more thinly. You need my help and I am coming with you."
Felix looked back at Jenna and Kraden. "Will they be safe?"
"It sounds like all the danger is in the cave," Menardi pointed out.
Felix sighed, starting across the river, stepping gingerly on the first mossy stone. "You're sure about this?"
"You aren't going to get rid of me," she assured Felix finitivly. "Now let go."
* * *
Saturos sent a handful of flame flying at another wolf as he sprang toward Saturos's arm that he'd pulled away from its mouth at the very last moment. He limped backwards, running out of fighting space. The corner was becoming smaller and the wolves were closing in on him. The bodies of some four wolves were piled on the stone floor in various places, but he couldn't hold them off much longer.
Saturos brought his sword down as one wolf nipped at his feet again, the beast yelping slightly and retreating, another taking it's place only moment's later. A wolf from the other side bit deep into his calf, Saturos sinking to one knee as he thrust his sword forward, cutting into the wolf's chest. It slumped to the ground as another wolf jumped at his shoulder. Saturos outstretched his hand, sending a blast of fire at the wolf, but it wasn't phased.
A sharp pain went down his arm as the teeth cut through the armor, tearing into his skin. He dropped his sword with a clatter, his hand pushing against the wolf's muzzle, trying to free himself, but another wolf sprung on him with the other, pinning Saturos to the ground.
The wolf's breath was hot against his face as two shining eyes stared down at him ravenously. The paws were heavy against his metal breastplate and Saturos had no strength left to struggle. Another pain entered his ankle as another wolf bit into him again. For the first time in a long while, Saturos felt afraid.
It was too late now, he realized, but he had been wrong. Alex had been wrong. The danger was inside the caves. He felt horrible for rebuking Menardi and Felix. They had been right, and I much as it hurt his ego, he had to admit it to himself before he died.
Another sharp piercing bite in his leg, and Saturos felt it was the end for him.
A flash of golden light and a long green vine tangled around the wolf holding him down, flinging him across the cave. A glint of a familiar scythe burrowed into the side of the wolf at his feet. Menardi and Felix had rushed into the cave, hurrying to his aide. He felt a surge of hope! Out stretching his hand, his summoned just enough strength to send a flaming ball at the nearest wolf.
Quickly injured and outweighed in battle by their foes, the wolves retreated back into the cave down some foreign hall. Saturos propped himself up on his arm, which buckled weakly as Saturos realized how deep the wolf had bitten into his shoulder.
Menardi hurried to his side, slinging his arm over her shoulder and helping him to his feet. Felix, breathing hard from the battle shoved his sword back into its sheath, then stooped to the ground, grabbing Saturos's.
"Here," Menardi said, taking the sword and putting it on her own belt. "Help me."
Felix hurried to Saturos's other side, helping him hobble a few steps forward.
"Are you okay?" Menardi asked quietly.
"I will be," Saturos winced, but tried to make it a smile.
"What were those?" Felix asked.
"Wolves," Saturos said as they began limping down the path toward the mouth of the cave.
"Those were no regular wolves," Menardi said, not fully believing Saturos.
He shook his head in agreement. "No. This cave is full of psynergy stone. It's warped them into more powerful animals."
The three looked back as footfalls came behind them again. Felix grabbed for his sword, but as the figure neared, they realized it was Alex.
He held up his hands as a gesture of good will. "I heard growling and shouting," he said. "What just-" Alex caught sight of Saturos's wounds, letting out a sigh. "I should have known things would have changed now that we've unleashed alchemy."
"That's what triggered this?" Felix asked.
"It would have had to happen before," Saturos argued. "Those wolves are not mutated to be the way they are; they are bred that way."
"Jenna and Kraden are still outside the cave," Felix said quickly.
"Then we should go to them," Alex said with a nod. "I will heal him the best I can outside."
* * *
Alex finished tying a bandage around Saturos's shoulder. The salve he'd applied stung slightly, but it had now receded to a dying ebb. Saturos thanked him quietly, and leaned back against the log behind him near the fire.
His armor was badly dented, but he planned to have it repaired once they reached Bilbin. Saturos counted their gold on the dirt ground. There would be just enough. He could only hope they wouldn't run into any other expenses so steep in their travel.
"How are you feeling?"
Saturos looked above him to see Felix standing over him on the other side of the log. Saturos smiled tiredly as Felix came around, sitting on the long he leaned on. "Better."
The two were quiet for a while, Saturos staring at the fire as he tried to find words. "Felix, I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier today." He paused, then added reluctantly, "You were right and I was wrong."
"You made that sound almost painful," Felix chuckled.
"It's my shoulder," Saturos lied with a slight laugh.
"I should apologize, too," Felix admitted quietly. "If there's something you don't want to tell me, I'll understand."
Saturos sat up a little more, frowning slightly. "What do you mean, 'something I don't want to tell you?'"
"Something I thought of," Felix lied slightly, looking at the fire. "It's like you and Menardi don't share everything with me and Alex because we're... not your people."
Saturos's jaw dropped. "That's insane, Felix!" he gasped. "I would never hide anything from you. We're a group, and everyone has to give their input before we act. Any good and proper leader would agree."
Felix smiled a little. "Do you mean it?"
"Of course," Saturos said with a grin. He pat the boy's knee gently. "Now get some rest. I want to get to Bilbin shortly after noon tomorrow."
Felix stood, walking away from the fire and finding a spot under the tree between Kraden and his sister. Saturos smiled, watching as the young man drifted into sleep.
Saturos felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up to see Menardi. "Hey," she murmured. "Can I talk with you?"
"Of course," Saturos said as she moved to sit where Felix had just been sitting.
Menardi rubbed her hands together slowly. "I think we need to talk."
"What about?" Saturos asked, throwing a twig at the fire.
"About us," she said softly. "Things seem to be getting... complicated."
Saturos said nothing, only continued to draw circles in the dirt with his finger. After a long moment of dirt-drawing, he said, "how so?"
Menardi swallowed. "I think we are both feeling these complications," she said quietly. "And they are getting in the way of our quest."
"And what should we do about them?" Saturos asked blankly.
Menardi sighed. "Saturos..." He looked up at her, red-eyes bright. She lowered her voice so no one could hear her but him. "I do care for you."
"You do?" he asked, almost shocked. He'd thought her quick retreat in the Inn was for exactly the opposite reason!
Menardi nodded. "But I think you'll agree with me when I say... right now, it just isn't possible."
"The mission," Saturos said with an agreeing nod.
Menardi smiled a little in wonder. "And here I thought this might be difficult for you to take."
"No," Saturos said frankly. "I understand exactly what you mean. Our feelings cannot get in the way of our journey."
"But would you wait for me until after we have done all we set out to do?" Menardi asked quietly.
"Even longer," Saturos answered.
Menardi set her hand on his. "I'm happy," she said softly.
Saturos smiled. "You should sleep, too," he whispered.
"Goodnight, Saturos," she murmured.
"Goodnight."
Menardi wasn't completely pleased with the prospect of having to wait for so long before she and Saturos could express their true feelings, but it was good to know that he understood why she felt they needed to. Menardi settled down on a bed of sweet-smelling river grass. The heavy scent slowly lured her into a deep sleep and dreams.
Dreams of later year...
* * *
Alex set things back into his bag angrily, but quietly. So far, his attempts had failed. Saturos had been the only one to follow him into the cave, and not even he had fallen by the dire wolves' claw. Felix and Saturos were speaking again, and seemed to be doing better than before.
They had not even lit the first beacon, yet Alex could feel the pressure of time heavy on his shoulders as the sands dropped down through an hourglass. Before long, all four beacons would be lit, and by then, it would be to late.
Alex pulled the bag's strings tight, clenching his jaw. If he was to get his prize, he would have to be rid of them. He looked over his shoulder where all of the group rested. All of them.
He would not bloody his own hands, however. He would not spill their blood. He would have to find another way, he realized. Lying down, Alex began to drift into sleep. He would find some sort of way to be rid of them, and he would do so before the third beacon was lit.
Blindly reaching to his belt, Alex took out a long dagger carved of sapphire. He didn't wince as he pressed the blade into his palm and broke the skin. Blood poured from the wound as Alex grabbed a handful of the river grass, vow-grass they called it in the north.
The legend went that if one put their blood on a handful of vow-grass, the Gods would help them accomplish whatever task they vowed to complete. In one story from eons ago, the tale of a young man of Imil that helped build the lighthouse, the sickness began, taking nearly half of the population of Imil at the time. The boy knelt at the lighthouse and painted his blood on the vow-grass he'd gathered from a river south of the village. He vowed he would heal his people. Boreas, God of the North Wind, created a fountain at the base of Mercury Lighthouse. He said that all who drank from it would be healed of any sickness they were afflicted from.
Alex folded the grass in half and stuck it into on to the bags on his belt, then grabbed a strip of cloth, binding his hand to stop the blood. He silently made his vow as he stared up at the sky. He would have the Golden Sun, whether they were with or against him. He quietly repeated his vow to himself as sleep finally caught him.
He vowed to see all those opposing him dead...
And he vowed to have the Golden Sun...
(A/N: Whoa... all of a sudden, I'm drawing Alex's character all dark and depressing. I want to dedicate this chapter to one of my friends who introduced my to several Shakespeare plays and helped me study Othello in depth, Anne Dahl. If you haven't read Othello, it is (in my opinion) Shakespeare's greatest tragedy. The reason I mention it, is because one of the characters, Iago, inspired me with how to write Alex as he slowly becomes corrupted and corrupts those around him. If you aren't familiar with the play, go rent the movie. I highly recommend the one with Lawrence Fishburn (Morpheus from 'The Matrix') as Othello, and Kenneth Braughn **did I spell that right?** (Benedick from 'Much Ado...' and recently Prof. Lockhart in Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets) as Iago. He plays the greatest villain of all time. Alex isn't solid evil like Iago, but his tactics are very much the same. Read the play, and you can make the indentifications of the inspirations in the story! Go now! Watch Othello!!! Or else! Get thee hence! ... but before you do, REVIEW PLEEEEASE!!! ^___^)