Author's Note
Li: This is where my true OC's come in. The children were kinda based off their parents, so they didn't really count.
Roy: Says you.
Li: Oh, Roy... Anyway, I finally fixed the problem with the quotation marks! Huzzah!
Roy: Finally.
Li: Why are you in such a bad mood today?
Roy: ...
Li: Okay, whatever. New disclaimer! Even though I don't own Golden Sun, I do own Saturan, Mariella, Tori, Alexei, Jasmine, Lief, Lehran, Alerai, and Aria! Yay!
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Chapter Two: Tainted Power
"Aria! Run!" Alerai was barely able to keep his grip on the girl's hand. He pulled her towards him and warped, praying for a miracle. The two children reappeared just outside of the small town of Kolima. Looking around, they dared hope for a moment they had gotten away.
"I do wish you'd stop running. It would make things much easier."
No such luck. Alerai pushed Aria behind him, backing slowly away. The tall figure came towards them, smiling cruelly.
"You will answer me, or I promise you that you will learn a new meaning of pain." the man said. "Does he or does he not still have it?"
"He... he does not..." Alerai said slowly.
"It has faded from him... But his son..." Aria whispered. Her voice wavered in terror of the man. His smile widened, and both children waited.
"So, his son has it now, does he... Interesting." The man glanced at the two frightened children. "Very well. I will let you go today." He warped, and was gone in an instant.
Aria looked at Alerai. "Brother... We should not have told him. All the worst things will come to pass now."
"We didn't exactly have a choice. We don't know how to fight him." Alerai said softly. "Only a few know that..."
"We have to warn them... the Saviors." Aria said.
"Would they listen to us? They want to believe he's dead and gone." Alerai said.
"Still, we must tell them." Almost to herself, Aria murmured, "The Saviors will not be pleased that Alex is alive."
Saturan, Tori, Jasmine, and Alexei were waiting at the head of the road leading into Goldenia. Sheba and Ivan were coming to visit, and bringing their children.
"There!" Alexei said, pointing. The violet-eyed wind Adepts were coming up the road. They waved when they saw the children waiting for them.
"Hello!" Sheba called. She pulled her son and daughter along to meet them. "Come on, Lief, Lehran. Come meet the others." She turned to Saturan, Tori, Alexei, and Jasmine, pushing her two kids ahead of her.
"They're nervous about being in a new place, and shy." Ivan said. "Lief, Lehran... This is Saturan, Tori, Alexei, and Jasmine. They're your friends."
The girl tucked long, pale blonde hair behind her ears. Her violet eyes looked up at the other kids timidly.
"I am Lehran." she said softly.
"I'm Lief." the boy added. He had blonde hair and violet eyes as well, a trademark of wind adepts. Although, Ivan's sister Hamma had violet hair.
"Hi, Lief, Hi Lehran. I'm Alexei. I'm ten. How old are you?" Alexei said cheerfully.
"Fourteen." Lief seemed taken off-guard by Alexei's bright manner.
"The rest of us are fifteen." Tori said. "Come on, we can go play a game." Warming up immediately, Lief and Lehran followed the others away into Goldenia's winding streets, leaving Sheba and Ivan to make their own way to Isaac's house.
"Sheba! Ivan!" Mia said. She went over, hugging them both. "How are things in Contigo?"
"Good. We're rather rich, actually. Ivan's found an aptitude for Super Lucky Hi-Lo Dice." Sheba laughed.
"Where are Lief and Lehran?" Isaac asked.
"With the others, playing." Ivan told him. At that moment, Felix came in.
"Hi, Sheba. Ivan." he said. Sheba hugged him.
"Hi, Felix."
All the grown-ups, Mariella, Jenna, and Garet included, sat to catch up on each other's lives. After about half an hour, the children returned.
"What's up?" Jenna asked. "You guys are here early. You usually disappear until dinner."
"We were... needed." Tori said slowly.
"Oh, cut the melodrama." Saturan grinned. "We were summoned here."
"By who?" Felix and Isaac demanded together.
I summoned them.
The voice of the Wise One boomed in the enclosed space of the house. Isaac immediately tensed, as did Felix and most of the others. The children wondered what was happening.
"Why?" Felix demanded. "What do you have planned this time? You already tried to take my parents from me. Must you try to take my son and niece too?"
"Or my son and daughter?" Isaac added. "You tried to take my father too. Why should we listen to you now?"
Now is not the time for petty grudges. A great evil has returned to the world.
"Like what? Alchemy? Heard that before." Garet scoffed.
Alex. He is alive, and has most of the power of the Golden Sun. He wants the rest, and afterwards, to rule over Weyard.
"Alex is alive?" Mia whispered. Isaac embraced her, knowing that she was feeling very confused. She wasn't sure if she was happy or not about him being back. She had loved him once, before he left on his mad quest. The next time she saw him was atop the Mercury Lighthouse. But he had betrayed them, trying to steal the Stone of Sages for himself, and they thought he had met his end atop Mount Aleph. He certainly would have deserved to die, for no one being is meant to rule over the world.
"What do you mean, he wants the rest of the Golden Sun? Who has that?" Sheba asked. Ivan nodded. He had been about to ask the same question.
When the Proxians originally stole the elemental stars, I embued the Mars Star with some of the Golden Sun's power. Carrying it for so long caused the power to transfer to you, Isaac. But it has waned in you. The power was passed to your firstborn, Torian.
Everyone turned to look at Tori. Tori shrank a bit from their gazes, ducking behind Saturan.
"Well, this is easy." Garet said confidently. "We just go and kick Alex's butt, like last time." The Wise One was quick to contradict him.
No, Garet. You will not. This responsibility has been passed to your children. They will be the new Saviors, for a new generation.
"You expect us to send our children into danger? They're even younger than we were!" Jenna burst out. All the kids turned insulted eyes on her. "Don't look at me like that!"
There is no other way. Even if you were to remain here, Alex would come looking for Torian. They must go.
"We're going with them, then." Isaac said firmly and assuredly.
No. This is for them alone. But there is one other who may help them. One whose age matters not, for he transcends time itself. He is still as childish as the day you knew him.
"Who...?" Isaac began, but Felix interrupted him.
"Piers..." Felix said. "Piers is allowed to help?"
Yes. Piers of Lemuria may serve as a companion to them. But they must go to Lemuria to find him. Loyal Adepts, Saviors of Weyard, I trust that you will be able to defeat Alex and restore peace once again. Other Adepts' powers will be tainted by his dark influence on Alchemy, the ones who gained their powers after Alchemy was unleashed. But you and your children, as well as others whose powers came from the Psynergy Stones, will remain pure for longer, long enough to defeat Alex, at least. I wish you luck...
The Wise One's voice faded to nothing.
"How dare he!" Garet fumed. "He betrays us when we choose our own path, and now comes running to us for help! Serves him right if we refused!"
"Then Alex would either take over Weyard or destroy it." Jenna reminded him gently. "The decision is up to the children. Do you want to do this?"
"I will." Tori said. "It's my power he's after."
"I guess I'll go and watch out for him." Saturan said.
"And I'll go to watch and make sure Saturan doesn't do anything stupid." Jasmine added quickly. She winked at her cousin, as Saturan scowled at her.
"We're in." Lief said, surprising them all. "Lehran and I want to help."
Alexei was silent, and Mia said, "Sweetie, you're too young, okay? You're staying here." Alexei looked sad. She hugged her brother, Saturan, and Jasmine tightly.
"Don't die." she said.
"Calm down, squirt." Saturan laughed. "We're not leaving until tomorrow, at least."
Alerai and Aria had entered Kolima Forest, and were sitting in front of one of the two guardian trees, the one called Laurel.
"Laurel, can you tell us of Alex?" Alerai asked.
"Sadly, I cannot." she replied in her lilting voice. "You seek to know how to destroy him, and I am not familiar with him or his powers. I have heard the name, though. Go to the village of Goldenia. It is to the north of here. They may have answers."
"Thank you, Laurel." Aria said. She glanced at her brother. "Alerai! You're bleeding!"
"It's just a scratch." he said absently. He had tripped in the forest and skinned his knee. "Don't worry about it..."
"No." Aria said. She placed a palm over his knee and a pure silver light shone forth. When she took her hand away, his knee was healed.
"Aria. Don't do that! You know as well as I..."
"You are Adepts?" Laurel asked lightly.
"We... Yes." Alerai admitted. Laurel was their friend. They could trust the ancient tree spirit.
"You did not tell me before?" Laurel had known the pair since they were children. Always roaming, they had found solace in the forest's quiet atmosphere.
Alerai unconsciously put an arm around his sister, fingers twining in her long, silvery hair. He brushed his own golden hair from his eyes before saying, "It may be surprising, but even those as young as us still have enemies. Alex being only one."
"I see. And your elements?"
"Sorry, Laurel. I cannot tell you. Alex would kill to find that out."
"That's fine, Alerai." A vine dropped from the tree to twine about his shoulders; Laurel's equivalent of a hug. "If you cannot speak of it, I will not make you."
"Thank you, Laurel." The gold and silver siblings made their way carefully out of Kolima Forest. Goldenia, huh? It was about a day or two journey away, but one never knew what could happen along the way.
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Li: Okay, three things. (1) If, in later chapters, Alex gets too OOC, tell me, and I'll try to fix it. (2) Can anyone guess where I got the name Lehran? No, it's not from Golden Sun. (3) I found out what's wrong with Roy. He's ticked because the only person I've seen who's reviewed was one of my good friends, who hasn't even played the game! So, R&R, please?
