Chapter XIX
The Search for More Money
Mia worked in silent concentration, using her Ply Psynergy to ease the pain of the wounds of the unconscious man before her.
Sean observed, also silent, not wanting to disturb her. During the kraken attack, while the ship was being rocked, Ouranos had taken a blow to the head, and had been unconscious since.
Once her work was done, Mia let out a breath and drew herself up. "Okay. He should be fine now, with some rest."
"Thank goodness."
After hours of work around the ship, she had finally finished tending to everyone who had been injured in the attack.
"I don't know what that power was, but it's incredible," Sean said, examining his partner. "I can already see he's resting more peacefully."
Mia sat down on a nearby crate, taking a much-needed break, when Sean's words finally registered. "Power?"
"Yes, that faint blue glow," said Sean. "I could hardly see it, but unless I am going mad, you were using some sort of magic to heal him, no?"
Mia thought for a moment on what to say. "Yes. Please, tell no one about it."
"Of course. We are in your debt." Sean turned back to her. "Ouranos told me about the curse in Kolima. That was you and your companions, wasn't it? You used your magic to break it."
"Well, I wasn't around for most of that," Mia said, fidgeting awkwardly. "But yes. You would have to ask one of the boys about it."
"Perhaps one day we'll all share a drink and we can hear all about it."
Ouranos stirred, and Sean was immediately back at his side. The red-haired warrior blinked sleepily, and smiled upon seeing the face at his side.
"Hey," he said. "I know you."
"I was so worried about you," Sean told him, holding his hand tight. "Please don't worry me like that again."
"I'll do my best," Ouranos said. "No promises though."
As the two warriors kissed, Mia quickly felt she should give them privacy.
Up on deck, she found the ship was nearing the small island Ivan had directed them towards. Garet was talking with the ship's grey-haired captain, Sancho, by the helm, so Mia made her way over there.
"She's a tough old lass," said the captain. "But even she will sink one day. Were it not for my lucky charm I'm sure we would have never made it."
Sancho reached within his shirt, and pulled out a small anchor charm necklace. He gave it a kiss for good luck, and returned it.
"You really think so?" Garet asked him.
"For sure," Sancho said. "You don't sail as long as I have without seeing some strange things, but I will tell you lad, these days have been stranger than any. That eruption, the rising waves of monsters, that business in Kolima... I even heard a rumor that the lighthouse in Imil lit up."
Garet noticed Mia's arrival. "Oh there you are. Are you feeling alright? Your face is red."
"I'm fine," Mia insisted, perhaps a bit too quickly.
"I fear this will be my last voyage for a long time," Sancho continued. "Perhaps the last I ever take. There are dark times ahead, I fear. And this island, in the middle of the Karagol? How many times have I sailed this sea and I've never seen it..."
The ship was stopped, and the anchor was dropped. Mia followed Garet to the edge of the deck, where Ivan was helping. Isaac and Feizhi were quickly located, and before long they were being helped back onboard.
"You're both alright," Ivan said with relief once they were back. "Feizhi I don't know how you were able to make that lightning bolt, but thank the gods you did!"
She smiled, and looked away to hide a blush.
"Isaac how are you feeling?" Mia asked.
"Tired and sore," he answered. "But not injured."
"Better that than seafood," Garet said, with a slightly-forced laugh. "Get it? Sea-food? Like you would be food for-"
"How soon can we set off?" Isaac asked, looking over his shoulder back at the rocky island. "This place gives me the creeps."
"I've never heard of an island in the middle of the Karagol," Ivan said.
"I have," said Kaja. "I met a man at a bar, many years ago. He told me that he had sailed with someone who had been here. Part of a band of pirates, who made their base in the caves on the island, where they stored their plundered treasures. Until one day they went too deep underground, and they woke something up."
"Like a monster?" Garet asked.
"Maybe the spirit of a dead pirate king," said Kaja, shrugging. "Or maybe some sort of guardian left behind by people who lived on the island centuries ago. Whatever it was, the pirates stood no chance; they were all slaughtered, their ship smashed to ruins, and their treasure lost. The man who passed on the story escaped on a dinghy, and the man I met told me he went white as a ghost any time he spoke of it."
"A chilling story," said Mia.
"Do you think it's true?" asked Garet, who glanced anxiously at the island.
"It was a secondhand account over drinks, I assumed it was just a story. Now...? Well, I'd rather not hang around and find out."
Kaja turned and marched below decks, already shouting orders to the crew. Moments later, the ship was turning and moving away on the waves.
The Adepts stared at the image of the island slowly shrinking on the horizon.
"Tolbi should only be a few hours away now," said Ivan.
"It can't come soon enough," Isaac replied, already feeling in his stomach the rocking of the boat on the water.
The remainder of the trip was thankfully uneventful. The Adepts remained on deck, relaxing and telling each other stories to put their stress and worries behind them; Garet was particularly invested in Feizhi's account of the way they turned the coccoons of worms into silk.
As the city of Tolbi approached on the horizon, the Adepts went to the bow to get a better look. There was a sense of shared joy between them, in spite of the circumstances.
After landing, they said their goodbyes to the crew and passengers, and were among the first to disembark. They were agape as they ascended the stairs from the Tolbi docks, taking in the sight of the bustling city for the first time. As Ivan had promised them, it was bigger than Kalay, its buildings stretching off on the horizon farther than they could see, and higher up than even the inns and palaces of other towns.
Only Ivan and Feizhi were not awed, having seen it before.
"Tolbi is really something, huh?" Ivan said, clearly amused by their reactions.
"How did it get so big?" Garet asked. "I've never seen a town this massive!"
"Most lands have unstable histories, but Tolbi has been run by a single ruler, Lord Babi, for a very long time," Ivan explained. "Longer than most men have even been alive. And it's the final stop on the Silk Road; merchants from Kalay and elsewhere who buy silk from Xian end up here to sell it. I'll bet Feizhi here knows a lot about that."
The violet-haired girl nodded.
Isaac asked him, "How long has this Babi ruled?"
"I don't know," said Ivan. "All I know is he was the established ruler even when Master Hammet was a child."
"Wow," Isaac said.
"It's a shame we won't get to see Colosso," Garet said.
"I'm sorry, Garet," Mia said sympathetically. "Maybe some time in the future, when all this is behind us, you'll be able."
Garet nodded dejectedly.
They were about to step out onto the cobblestone road when a shouted voice from somewhere stopped them in their tracks. The crowd of people in the streets parted as a group of four men in armour ran by in a frantic rush.
The crowd watched the group pass, and after some murmured questions, they carried on with their business as if nothing had happened.
"Who were they?" Garet asked.
"Tolbi's royal guard," said Ivan. "Scrambling to get ready for Colosso, I would imagine. It begins in only a few hours."
"Or perhaps someone stole a slice of bread," Feizhi muttered.
Ivan frowned, but did not answer her.
"We should get started on finding a place to stay tonight," Isaac said. "With how many people are here, it could take a while."
Everyone agreed on that. Spotting an inn across the street, they made their way through the crowd and went inside.
Even inside the inn's lobby, it was busy. As Isaac crossed the room, he overheard a pair of travellers who were speaking by the check-in counter.
"Is that wise?" one asked. "Babi is playing a dangerous game with the Laliverans. What if it does come to an armed conflict?"
"That would be very unwise for the Laliverans, then," answered the other. "We would annihilate them. They stand no chance against the warriors of Tolbi."
"Still, if this girl is as prized to Lalivero as you say..."
"Then they will want her back safe and unharmed, no? Any act of violence against Tolbi will put her in peril first. They know this."
The first shrugged. "I just don't see what Babi has to gain from this. Holding someone to coerce Lalivero into building a tower for him? What does he intend to gain from this?"
"Friend, you aren't from around here, so you might be ignorant to some things. Take some friendly advice: here in Tolbi, we do not question the rule of Lord Babi."
"I... I see."
"Excuse me," said Isaac. "We would like to check in."
The two travellers gave him a dirty look, but they moved aside.
The innkeeper was pouring over a logbook; Isaac cleared his throat to get his attention.
"Hi," he said, when the man finally looked up. "Five to check-in."
The innkeeper looked over the group. "Warriors, huh? A bit late to be arriving if you want to fight in Colosso. Registration closed this morning."
"You aren't fighting, we just need a room for the night," Isaac answered.
The innkeeper pursed his lips, and turned a page in his logbook, considering. "I have one room left that can fit six. For one night... 120 coins per bed."
"120?!" Isaac exclaimed. "I've never seen an inn charge more than 30!"
"Well those inns weren't packed to the brim on the eve of Colosso," the innkeeper replied. "Do you want a room or not?"
"Not for 600 coins I don't!"
"720," the innkeeper corrected. "Still have to pay for the empty bed. Unless you'd rather rent two rooms of four."
"I think I'll try elsewhere," Isaac said, turning.
"Good luck, kid. Unless someone is feeling charitable you're not going to find much better at this point."
Back outside, Isaac turned to Ivan. "Were the prices always so ridiculous?"
Ivan gave a diplomatic shrug. "Hammet always made reservations in advance. We never needed to find a room on the day the event started."
"Whatever," Isaac said, irritated. "Let's check some other places. I'm sure there has to be a room we can afford somewhere.
There was not.
Defeated after several hours of searching, he gave up and they wandered to a town square. A large fountain of sparkling clear water was surrounded by people who tossed coins and gold medals in; to what end, Isaac didn't particularly understand or care. He quickly found a bench and collapsed on it, burying his face in his hands.
"I'm sorry, Isaac," Feizhi said.
Garet sat beside him and offered a comforting pat on the shoulder. "Hey, we can always just camp outside the city."
"After sailing, fighting a giant squid monster, nearly drowning, and washing up on a cursed island, I was really hoping I could sleep in a warm bed tonight."
Mia, who had stopped at a bulletin board nearby, suddenly let out a sharp squeal.
"I can't believe it!" she exclaimed. "Everyone, come quickly!"
They rushed over to see what the fuss was about. Mia was pointing to a pinned leaflet, nestled in amongst various wanted posters, odd job listings, and public notices from citizens.
A sketch of a strange creature was drawn above a handwritten note. Isaac reached up and took the notice to examine it more closely.
The creature resembled a sort of tw0-legged crab, with two round beady eyes, and a tail that ended in a hook that resembled a quarter-full moon. Isaac had never seen anything quite like it. Below, the handwritten words read:
Hail, warriors, hunters, and all connoisseurs of curiosities rare and strange! I am in need of a skilled individual for the task of finding and bringing into my custody a beastie most elusive. As clever as he is rare, the specimen depicted above has been witnessed by many in the hills near the Altmiller Cave, but he has evaded capture despite the best efforts of many. Never before has a creature such been seen, and it must be procured for the noble study and documentation within the bestiary of Tolbi.
Six-thousand gold coins will be yours upon the hand-delivery of this creature, captive and unharmed.
Good hunting!
The poster's name, and where to find them (the palace library) was listed at the bottom.
"What's so special about this monster?" Garet asked.
"It's a Djinni!" Mia exclaimed in excitement. At the others' blank stares, she asked, "You haven't heard of Djinn?"
"Should we have?" asked Feizhi.
Mia frowned. "Not even you, Isaac and Garet? They never spoke of them in Vale?"
"I know a Jenna, but not a Jenny," Garet offered.
"Djinni," Isaac corrected him. "And no, I don't think they had anything like that in Vale."
"Well, we have legends about the Djinn in Imil," Mia said. "They were spirits of the four elements. The stories say that the heroes of the Lost Age were partnered with Djinn, and they drew upon them for great power that won them many battles. When the seal on Alchemy was placed, the Djinn said their goodbyes to the Adepts and vanished from the world."
Isaac considered this. "Maybe they were unleashed in Mt. Aleph's eruption? If they scattered around the world, someone was bound to come across one eventually."
Mia took the flier from Isaac, looking at the illustration with a sort of childlike, nostalgic wonder. "It's incredible. I never really thought they existed, but look at it! There was a type for each element, and there were old drawings of how each was supposed to look. This one's a Mercury Djinni."
"I dunno," Ivan said, looking over her shoulder, "it looks kind of like some weird decorated cakes Hammet and I were served at a dinner once."
"Either way," Isaac pointed out. "This person is willing to pay six-thousand coins for this thing. That would be enough to pay for our room, and..."
"And what?" Ivan asked.
"Something else we might need soon," Isaac answered. "At least I hope we won't. But if we do, that money would come in handy."
"I thought we were in a hurry, Isaac," Garet said in mocking chastisement.
"We can sacrifice a day for six-thousand coins, Garet," he replied. "If we run out of money for food or supplies that will cause a much bigger delay. And our purses have been light lately."
"This person," Mia said apprehensively, pointing at the name on the bottom of the flier, "they won't hurt the Djinni, will they?"
Ivan took another look. "For a bestiary? No, they're probably a scholar studying the local monsters under Babi's command."
"Makes sense," Isaac said. "That would explain the considerable pay."
"Yeah, don't worry, Mia," Ivan reassured her. "It'll be fine. As long as this Djinni doesn't attack people on sight, there shouldn't be a problem."
"Run!" Isaac shouted. "Run!"
The others needed no instruction from him. They ran across the green field as far as their legs could carry them, towards the cover of a small forest.
At their heels was a freezing cacophony of death.
The Mercury Djinni chased them, moving with shocking speed for a small creature with two stubby legs. Fury in its eyes, it flicked its tail and its Psynergy formed into another wave of razor-share icicles, which rained down at the Adepts.
"Look out!" Garet shouted to Feizhi. She crouched behind him, and he used his Psynergy to form a small wall of flames that thankfully blocked the icicles. Feizhi, who was not yet practiced enough with Psynergy to use it in the heat of battle, had no choice but to rely on his protection.
Isaac jumped behind a tree, an instant before he heard, and felt, the impact of the ice striking the bark on the other side.
The plan had been so simple. They had left a plate of food out, and buried underneath it was a simple snare they had tied from Garet's rope. Once the Djinni had approached the food, and taken a bite, they would trap it, and Ivan would put it to sleep. They had only made one mistake.
Assuming the Djinni was dumb enough to fall for such a thing.
The moment it had looked at the incredibly obvious plate of food, it had turned, furious, and starting throwing ice in every direction. The Adepts had had no choice but to run for their lives.
Isaac wondered if it was so angry because they had insulted its intelligence.
And now, the five of them could not even approach it. The Djinni was powerful, far stronger than Isaac had imagined it could be; it seemed to have an endless well of Psynergy to draw on.
Isaac now believed Mia's story about ancient Adepts using these things in battle.
A few paces away, Ivan and Mia were taking cover behind another tree.
"What do we do?!" Ivan shouted to him, only seconds before a block of ice twice the size of a human flew through the gap between them and shattered against a thick oak.
Isaac racked his brains, trying to think of something. A moment later, Garet and Feizhi ran into view, the former turning to throw a fireball at the pursuer before ducking to safety himself.
Isaac chanced to look around the tree at the Djinni. It dodged the fireball, but then stopped, waiting in the clearing.
His first instinct was to tell the others to use their Psynergy to cover for him, and charge the thing himself. But Mia's words that night in Kalay weighed on him...
The looked again at the Djinni, still hesitating. The fireball? Was that what had given it pause?
"Alright I have an idea," he told the others. "Garet... if I cover for you, can you go after it?"
"With weapons?" Garet asked.
"Psynergy," Isaac said. "It hesitated after seeing that fireball. Maybe it doesn't like the heat."
"So get closer, and hit it with fire?" Garet grinned. "Yeah I could do that."
Isaac nodded. "As for Ivan and Mia, try to get to closer trees if you can. But be ready. If this backfires, and Garet takes a hit, we need to hit the Djinni with everything we have and overwhelm it. Feizhi, you run in and try to get Garet out if that happens. Everyone got that?"
They all returned nods of varying confidence.
Garet rose, cracked his knuckles, and conjured up a fireball in his hand. "Let's do this."
He darted out from behind the tree, and began throwing fire at the Djinni immediately. The creature jumped into action, scurrying away from his fire, and wasting no time in conjuring a block of ice.
Isaac was ready. He cast his own Psynergy, the one he had used at Mercury Lighthouse, which he had come to call Ragnarok. A blade of golden light appeared overhead, flying down at an incredible speed and piercing the block of ice in mid-air. The blade exploded, and the ice was shattered.
The Djinni, though caught off-guard, was still smart. As Garet drew closer, it prepared a series of icicle spears.
This time, a wall of earth sprang up in the ground in front of the Djinni just before the icicles launched. They struck the barrier uselessly, shattering. A moment later, the wall dissipated.
Garet was close enough to the Djinni now to attack.
"Take this!" Garet shouted. "Eruption!"
The ground beneath the Djinni burst open, birthing a pillar of fire and lava. The Djinni had one last trick: it encased itself in a protective shield of ice just before the impact. It was not enough however, as the sheer power of Garet's Psynergy shattered the barrier.
As the fireworks display died, the Djinni hit the ground some distance away, bouncing a few times before coming to a rest. After a moment, it struggled to its feet, clearly hurt.
"Hah!" Garet exclaimed. "How do you like that, Jenny?!"
The Djinni took one last glance at him, then turned tail and fled towards the hills in the distance.
The others emerged from the forest, running over to where Garet stood in the clearing.
"Mister Garet, that was amazing!" Feizhi said.
"Yes, well done!" added Ivan.
"Thank you," Garet said. "I have to give credit where it's due, I got the idea from our pal Saturos when I saw him do it on Mercury Lighthouse."
"Either way, you kicked that Djinni's butt!"
"Yeah, but now it's getting away," Garet said. "What do we do, Isaac? Do we go after it?"
Isaac considered for a moment. "Screw it. We know how to hurt the thing now, and I'm not about to walk away from six-thousand gold. Let's go!"
They followed the Djinni to the hills, but even hurt, it was fast. It wasn't long before it was out of their sight, and they had to follow its footsteps.
The tracks eventually led them to a massive cavern mouth, within which they could only see darkness.
"Altmiller Cave," said Isaac, stopping at the entrance. "The flier mentioned the Djinni has been seen around here. This must be it."
"It must have a nest or something in there," Mia said.
"Or perhaps it wants to hide in that darkness," said Ivan. "Or try to turn the tables with an ambush."
"Look!" said Feizhi.
She pointed at the ground near the Djinni's tracks. A few paces away was another set of footprints, unmistakably those of human boots, also leading into the cave.
"I doubt we're the first ones to come here looking for the Djinni," Isaac said.
"Indeed," Ivan said. "But they look fresh. Whoever this is, they might still be in the cave?"
"What if we run into them?" Feizhi asked.
"We aren't splitting the money, that's for sure," Garet answered. "I'm not about to do all the heavy-lifting just to share the reward with someone who didn't help at all!"
"Either way, it'll be dangerous in there," Isaac said. "Stay close together, and be ready for anything."
The five Adepts entered the cave, quickly disappearing into its dark depths.
After several moments, the Mercury Djinni stepped out from the rock is was hiding behind. It looked at the trail the Adepts had followed, following it's own path of walking into the cave, walking backwards within its own footprints, and then jumping onto a rock where it would not leave any tracks.
It snickered, and then wandered away to go lick its wounds.
Inside, the ground quickly shifted to a steep slope. They made their way down slowly, careful not to slip on the treacherous dirt at their feet.
Isaac glanced behind him. The dim sunlight of outside was distant already, not able to reach far into the quickly descending cavern.
Ivan, who was going first, whispered to them, "The slope ends here. Watch your step."
The ground leveled out, and the Adepts emerged into a more open area. Or at least it seemed to be; it was so dark inside that they could barely see one another, much less anything around them.
"It would be much better if we had a torch," Garet lamented, "but I could still hold a fireball to provide some light."
"Is that wise?" Mia asked.
Isaac weighed the options. "We don't have much of a choice. Even without how visible we'll be to anything that can see, the Psynergy will give us away to that Djinni if its waiting for us. But we can't take the risk of exploring this cave blind; there could be chasms or who knows what else."
Garet focused his Psynergy in a small ball of flame, which he held in front of him without releasing. It provided a modicum of light; enough to tell the Adepts that they were in a winding cavern, but at least there were no immediate perils.
"Alright," Isaac said. "Garet, you take the lead. Go slow, and be careful."
They did so, but no sooner had they turned a single corner that Garet abruptly stopped.
"What is it?" Isaac whispered urgently.
"It's uh..." Garet struggled. "Well I really don't know how to describe it."
The others stepped around Garet's broad form to see what he was seeing.
On the ground, at the end of a long passage of the cavern, was a man lying on the ground.
Or rather, the shape of a man; a white outline, as if someone's shape had been drawn in chalk, but perfectly visible even in the distance and in darkness. Within the outline, there was only the same darkness as there was around.
The Adepts were speechless.
Eventually, Ivan asked, "Should we... go say hi?"
Isaac shrugged. "What else can we do? Whoever... or whatever this is... they're in our way."
The Adepts, still slowly and carefully, made they way down the cavern passage in the direction of the silhouette.
Evidently, their footsteps were audible, because a male voice suddenly emanated from its direction. "Is someone there...?! Who are you?!"
The voice was deep, and weary; aged in the way that only a long life could. And yet, there was a tone of panic.
"We're travellers," Isaac answered. "We mean you no harm, so long as you mean none to us."
The figure gave a mirthless chuckle. "I doubt I could mean much threat to anyone in my current state."
"Are you... hurt?" Mia asked. "I'm a healer; maybe I can help you."
"Not quite," he answered. "Please, come closer. I need your help."
From his worried tone, he did not seem to pose much threat. Isaac nodded to the others, but as they drew near he kept his hand on the hilt of his blade, just in case.
"I cannot move," the figure told them. "I was on my way to retrieve my medicine, but my strength gave out and I collapsed. I feared no one would discover me."
"This is an odd location for a pharmacy," Mia remarked.
"Heh. Witty, aren't you? This place is... like a vault. I keep my medicine here, so it will be safe."
"A vault," Ivan repeated. "And who built it?"
"It is far too much to explain now. I implore you, please bring me my medicine. I fear my strength will soon give out without it."
"Yeah you uh," Garet searched for the words, "look kind of thin."
"Do I...?"
"What Garet means," Isaac offered, "is that we can't see you. At least, not in any normal way. It's hard to describe the way you look to us right now."
The voice was silent for a long moment. Finally, he said slowly, "You can see me."
"Some part of you, yeah."
"The irony," the figure said quietly, "that after searching for so long, I do not find, but am found by them, and it is when death is so near."
"What does that mean?" Isaac asked him.
"It will mean nothing if I perish here now," he answered. "If you bring the draught to me, I will answer any questions you have. I beg of you."
"We will," Isaac told him.
"Thank you. Now listen carefully. There is a chamber at the end of this cavern that appears to be only five small rocks arranged before a bare stone wall. These rocks will not respond to most, but I feel that if you can see me, they will answer you. Rotate the rocks on the left and right sides. After this, coloured lights will appear on the wall. One of each stone coordinates to a colour. From left to right, they are blue, green, white, yellow, and red. Whichever light is at the top, rotate the corresponding rock. Do this several times, and a secret door will open. My draught is in there."
Isaac looked back at the others, who were equally flabbergasted.
"Do you... have all that?"
"Blue, green, white, yellow, and red," repeated Ivan.
"Please hurry."
They continued into the cavern. Once they were out of earshot of the figure, Isaac said, "I don't think this day could possibly get any weirder."
"I hope you guys can remember all that stuff," Garet said, "because I sure won't."
After following the figure's instructions to the letter, rotating rocks and watching a spinning wheel of coloured lights, a stone door opened just as he said.
The room was large, but nearly empty, containing only a single wooden table. At the edges of the room where piles of dozens of discarded empty glass bottles.
"Either this guy throws some wild parties down here," Garet said, "or he's gone through a lot of this medicine."
They went to the lone table, where a single bottle remained.
Isaac picked up the bottle, examining it. It was nearly empty; the deep red liquid within was barely enough for a few mouthfuls.
"This must be his 'medicine'." Isaac said. "It reminds me a lot of something."
Mia stared intently at the bottle. "Yeah. The Hermes' Water. A different colour, but it looks just like it. It even has the same glow."
"It can't be the same," Ivan said. "Mercury Lighthouse was only relit a few months ago. This guy's been using this stuff for years."
Isaac wrapped the bottle in his golden scarf and placed it within his backback, where it would be safe in case anything happened.
"Let's get back up there before it's too late," he said. "I have a lot of questions about what's going on here."
Before long, they had returned to the figure. When Isaac presented the glass phial to him, he moved for the first time, leaning up and taking it in his hands to drink. No matter what angle Isaac viewed him from, he appeared only to be a two-dimensional outline.
Though he only drank a few sips before putting the cork back in the bottle, that was apparently enough. He set the phial down with care, and then slowly drew himself up, leaning upon an unseen cane for support.
"Thank you," he said once he was standing, renewed strength in his deep voice. "Please, raise your light for me."
Garet did so, and as the faint orange light of the fire illuminated him, the outline before them was replaced with the body of a man, as though the light itself were filling him in.
The man was tall, with fine robes of silk, a long, braided beard, and a head of long violet-tinged black hair. His eyes were an intense auburn-red, with firm etched lines in his face.
"I am Lord Babi of Tolbi, he said to them, "and I thank you for saving my life. I am in your debt."
The Adepts were stunned.
"You had questions, did you not?" Babi asked. "Please ask them. I will answer to the best of my ability."
His initial shock subsiding, and his curiosity returning, Isaac said, "That invisibility... that was Psynergy, wasn't it?"
"Indeed."
"So you're an Adept?" asked Ivan.
"Adept?" Babi repeated. "I am not familiar with the word, but I can infer that by it, you mean one who has similar abilities to yours?"
"Yeah," Isaac answered.
"Then I suppose I am. Though what little I can do is limited. I am only able to hide myself within shadows with the help of this." From within his robe, he withdrew an orb of black stone. "It has helped me come and go without any... unwanted attention."
"Here to this vault, where you keep your draught," Isaac inferred. "I take it you've made many secret trips here over the years?"
"Indeed."
"And you need that drink to stay alive," Isaac continued. "It's what's kept you alive so long, isn't it?"
Babi smiled. "You're sharp. It just occurred to me that I haven't got your names, and where you hail from?"
"I'm Isaac," he said, "And that's Garet. We're from Vale."
"I am Ivan, servant to Master Hammet of Kalay."
"Um, I'm Mia. I was the healer in Imil."
"Feizhi. Of Xian."
As they finished their introductions, the smile on Babi's face had faded.
"Interesting," he said. "I expected you all to be from one land, but you were scattered across Angara. You are all... Adepts, yes?"
They nodded.
"Very interesting," Babi murmured. "Then my search continues."
"You mentioned that before," Ivan said. "What search is that?"
"It is a long story," Babi said. "A very long story. The short version is that I found my stockpile of draught when I was young, and it has kept me alive for nearly one hundred and fifty years."
"What?!" Garet exclaimed. "No way! Even my grandfather isn't that old!"
"I doubt there is anyone in Weyard who is," Babi told him. "Save for the people who... gave me this draught."
"But now you're almost out," Isaac said, indicating the nearly-empty bottle on the floor.
"Yes," said Babi, his face dark. "And if I do not find Lemuria again soon, I will die as any man does."
Garet frowned. "When Kraden said Alchemy could even thwart death, I didn't imagine-"
Babi turned to him with a sharp look. "Did you say Kraden?! How would you know... Ah, of course. Vale."
Isaac was nearly about to ask how Babi knew Kraden, when the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the cavern.
"It would seem my escort has arrived."
Three guards carrying torches came into view.
"Lord Babi!" one exclaimed.
Upon seeing the Adepts, one of the guards dropped his torch and drew his sword. "You cretins! So it was you who kidnapped Lord Babi!"
"Put away your weapon!" Babi shouted in a commanding voice. "These people have not harmed me!"
"But, my lord-!"
"Do you intend to question me, soldier? I came here of my own volition! These young warriors aided me when I was in danger. I owe my life to them."
"Of course, my lord. Please forgive me."
Isaac glanced back where Babi had been only moments ago. The bottled draught was gone, no doubt concealed on Babi's person.
The guards, now calmer, approached the group. "We searched all over the city trying to find you, my lord. Lord Iodem suggested we try here. Whatever reason could you have to come to such a wretched place?"
"My business is my own," Babi told them. Turning back to Isaac, he said, "It would seem our conversation has been cut short."
"Indeed," Isaac answered. He wasn't sure what to think now, feeling like his head was spinning from being struck by a book's worth of information.
"I would like it very much if you visited me in my palace study tomorrow morning. We can discuss all of this in comfort there. And I have a proposition that I think you'll find appealing."
Isaac hesitated, the others looking to him to decide.
"Alright. Tomorrow morning."
"Excellent. If you need somewhere to stay, we have many spare rooms available in the palace."
"Free rooms at the palace?" Garet said with a whistle. "That sure beats an overpriced inn."
"Thank you, that sounds great."
Babi's smile grew. "You have done a great service for me, and you will find I am very generous to those who help me. You have made a powerful friend today, Isaac."
Babi held out his free hand, and they shook. After a moment, Babi's eyes lit up.
"Speaking of which. Here, you can have this."
He reached within his pocket, and handed Isaac the round black stone he had shown them earlier.
"As thanks, for saving my life," Babi said. "I'll have no reason to come here again, and I feel you can put it to good use. So consider it a gift; the first of many."
On that note, Babi turned and left, following his guards down the cavern passage, his walking cane leaving an echoed click with each step.
"Well, he certainly likes you," Ivan said, once they were gone.
"I mean, he owes his life to us," Mia noted.
"Yeah," Isaac said, thinking, "but I think it's more than that."
"I do remember Kraden talking about him now," Garet said. "I don't think he had anything bad to say about the guy."
"And yet," Isaac said, "he's holding a girl hostage to force people to build a tower for him."
"Yeah," Ivan said. "He's certainly not the most popular ruler, especially in Gondowan..."
The others grew quiet.
"So what do we do then?" Mia asked.
Isaac thought about it. "For now? I just want to see what he has to say to us. Beyond that... we'll see."
It was then that Isaac noticed one of them had not spoken in a while.
"Feizhi?" he asked. "Is everything alright?"
She was lost in thought, her eyes on the dark orb Babi had given Isaac. At hearing her name, she blinked, and noticed him.
"Y-yes," she managed. "Everything is fine."
But she wasn't a good liar.
With no sign of the Djinni, and no real need to find it now after meeting Babi, the Adepts made the collective choice to return to Tolbi. They walked in silence, too tired after so long and eventful a day, and with too much on their minds. In particular, Feizhi was quiet, even more so than usual, saying nothing after they emerged from the cave.
By the time they were approaching the city walls, the sun was setting, bathing the grassy plain around them in orange light. At the outskirts of the city were a number of scattered camps, where travellers who either could not or chose not to stay in the city were preparing to go to retire for the night.
They were making their way up the well-worn dirt path when Feizhi suddenly spoke.
"Um, Isaac?"
The others stopped and turned to her.
"What is it?" Isaac asked.
Feizhi hesitated, as though whatever it was she wanted to say was too difficult to find words for. Finally, she asked, "May I... see that for a moment?" She pointed the dark ball Babi had given them at the cave.
"Sure," Isaac said, handing it to her.
Without a word, she took the orb and walked off the path, in the direction of a large tree. The others watched intently, feeling the faint emanation of her Psynergy.
Under the shadow of the tree, Feizhi vanished, and was replaced with a white outline exactly like the one Babi had been. After a moment, she turned around and stepped out, returning to her usual appearance the moment she was back in direct sunlight.
The others watched, confused, as she made her way back over to them.
"It doesn't require continued use," Feizhi told them. "Just a bit of Psynergy, and it activates. And it just stays on until you step out of the shadows."
"That's probably how Babi could use it," Mia suggested. "Even if you can't use much Psynergy at all, it only takes a small amount to activate it. What an interesting device."
Feizhi said nothing, her eyes returned to the orb.
"What's bothering you, Feizhi?" Isaac asked.
Before she could answer, Ivan said, "You had a vision, didn't you?"
She nodded, and her lip trembled.
"I..." she struggled, her voice shaky as she held back tears. "I wanted to go with you until the end..."
They went to her side, Isaac putting his arm around her, and they all sat together in the grass.
"What did you see, Feizhi?" Mia asked gently.
Feizhi wiped her eyes. "As soon as I saw that orb, it hit me. And... so many realizations and feelings followed. Things just... fell in place, and I understood..." She trailed off.
"What exactly was it?" Ivan asked.
"I saw myself," Feizhi said, "in a dark place; a dungeon, I think. I saw using that thing, turning invisible and sneaking past guards. And at the end of it, I opened a door and I saw a man turn and face me. A man with a brown mustache..."
The others were silent, giving her a chance to continue.
"That was where it ended," Feizhi said. She looked to Ivan. "That was Lord Hammet, wasn't it? I... have only the faintest memories of him visiting my father many years ago, but... I think I remember."
"Yeah," Ivan said. "I didn't see what you see, but... somehow I know it was."
"The thing about my visions is that they're like memories of things that have not yet happened," she said. "And memories aren't just images and sounds; there's feelings connected to them. You remember a happy moment from years ago, and you can still feel the happiness you did then. So when I have these visions... I feel things about them."
"I-" Ivan stopped himself. "Yeah."
Isaac looked to him, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
"At the moment of that vision, I knew it was my fate to save Hammet," Feizhi said. "My responsibility. And I understood that if I failed, it would have dire consequences for him, for Kalay, and for the four of you."
She looked up at the four of them, her eyes red with unshed tears. But she smiled.
"That moment shattered the illusion I'd created for myself. That I would be part of the grand, world-changing adventure you're on. When I had those first visions of you, I couldn't help but idolise you. You were like me, but instead of being outcasts who were treated like an embarrassment, your powers were gifts that would forever change the world. I wanted that so badly.'
"But deep down I knew my part to play in all of this was different. Still important... but different. And I didn't want to accept that."
She looked down, giving a slight chuckle. "So much of what Master Hama told me makes sense now. She said I wasn't ready, and she was right. But... I think I am now."
Isaac hesitated, then asked, "So... what are you going to do?"
Feizhi picked the dark orb off the ground. "All I know now is that I have to take this and go to Lunpa. It's up to me to save Master Hammet and get him back to Kalay safely. I sensed an urgency to it; I have to go at once, because if I'm too late, something terrible will happen."
"Do you think you can catch up with us after that?" Garet asked. "I mean, I know what you're saying and all, but..."
Feizhi smiled. "Even if I could, I don't think it's what I'm meant for."
They stood up, and Feizhi hugged each of them in turn. When she came to Isaac, she held him just a moment longer.
She didn't want to let go, he realised.
Finally, she released him. He searched in her expression, seeing that she was putting on a strong face, but was close to breaking down. She didn't want to go, but she had to.
"I don't know if we'll see each other again," she said to them. "I'll never forget you. And Isaac... you showed me I have strength inside that I never believed I could have. Whatever this next chapter is to be, I will fight as strong as I can for it."
"We will see each other again," Ivan told her. "I promise."
Feizhi smiled.
"Goodbye," Isaac said.
She turned and started away, in the direction of the long road that wound around the Karagol Sea, back to Kalay. The Adepts watched her go, until she had disappeared behind a hill.
"She'll be alright," Garet said reassuringly to Isaac.
"Yeah," he answered. "I know she will."
A/N: And here we are in Tolbi!
Apologies that this chapter doesn't directly follow-up on the twist ending from the last one, but I try to have a pattern of alternating between a chapter that shares perspective between both parties, and one focused just on Isaac's group. The next chapter will have more of Felix and Jenna.
The short scene at the beginning was written last, and I only intended to write it if I felt I needed more to the chapter after the Tolbi and Babi parts. It is technically filler in that it doesn't directly move the plot in any way, but it showcases a few game characters that were skimmed over in the previous chapter, gives some context for Crossbone Isle, and most importantly, gives us some LGBT representation. Ultimately, I'm glad I included it.
I decided to call the ship's captain Sancho. The word SenchÅ, which is what he's called in the Japenese version, literally means 'ship captain'. I changed that word a bit into Sancho, who you might know is a character from Don Quixote. If you wish to draw any symbolic connections from this, feel free.
I've wanted to do a chapter that dealt with the protagonist's money issues for a while now. By now the funds they started with will have run out, and if you remember in the game, you needed to go to Babi's Palace to rest because the inns were all full (even after Colosso).
One might wonder why they did not ask Lady Layana for money while in Kalay. I considered this, but between the kidnapping and ransom of Hammet, the closure of Silk Road, and the general state of the world after the Mt. Aleph eruption, I doubt Kalay is doing well at the moment (and she had already bought their tickets for the ship, don't forget).
The Djinni that our heroes chase into Altmiller Cave was obviously Hail, the Mercury Djinni you can find in the world map near the cave; I made a little joke of working in the name as the first word of the flier that the Adepts read. Hail, despite not joining forces with the party, still serves two important roles in this chapter: he (or she, I have no idea) provides an organic reason for them to go to the cave and find Babi (unlike the game, where you're kind of expected to just wander there), and it also means I get to directly feature a Djinni in the story (there was a very brief indirect cameo waaaay back in Chapter 8, but that doesn't really count). While I still do not want to have the characters collecting the Djinn, I did want to confirm they existed in the world and show one if I could. I'm glad I got the chance to in this chapter.
I was originally going to have the trap fail because of Garet making some simple mistake, like not tying the snare right or something, but I decided it would be funnier to make it a collective mistake on everyone's part. The final version is sort of a reversal of the scene in Return of the Jedi where Chewbacca's hunger gets everyone caught in a very obvious trap; perhaps the Adepts are fans? I ended up giving Garet a more direct role in stopping the Djinni's rampage, because he's used as the butt of jokes so often, he deserves some wins here and there too.
Originally I was going to spend time having the Adepts travelling to Altmiller Cave, where Ivan would talk about some of the history of Tolbi and the surrounding towns and such. I like to depict travel so it does not feel as though the characters are simply warping from one story location to another. But then I came up with the idea of having him telling Mia "There will be no problem if it doesn't attack us on sight" and cutting straight to the Adepts running for their lives. It was too funny to me not to have that (and relatable, as I'm sure many first-time players struggled with the sudden difficult Djinni battles while on the world map). Though I do feel this glosses over the challenge of actually finding the Djinni, I think the Altmiller Cave instruction makes it believable enough that it doesn't bother me. As a result, some of the cut exposition was reworked into their arrival at Tolbi, while the rest can just naturally happen during their travels to Suhalla and Lalivero.
I'm excited to finally have Babi in the story. He's one of the most important figures in Golden Sun's world, and his oft-noted amorality is memorable in a world full of mostly shallow characters. I'm excited to explore his motivations. Plus, any time I read dialogue from him anywhere I always hear it in the voice of the late, great Sir Christopher Lee, because I thought they looked similar as a kid and always imagined him as the character in a Golden Sun movie adaptation.
I thought about a way to translate Cloak's invisibility, and the way Adepts are able to see it in a way that felt more like a fantasy novel ability and less like a weird video game sprite. But then I said screw it and just kept it as the literal chalk outline it is in the game. It's something memorable about Golden Sun, at least to me, so it should stay. To that end, I also included the full description of the stones and lights puzzle, because at that point why not?
And finally, the ending was a late addition. My original outline had the chapter end with Babi leaving the Adepts in the cave. Feizhi would remain with the group until after Colosso, at which point Babi would give them the Cloak Ball as the prize (the Lure Cap has no place in the story). Then, before they left for the desert and Venus Lighthouse, the scene would commence with Feizhi talking about her vision, her purpose, and saying goodbye. I changed all this for a number of reasons. The first being that, much like Obi-Wan in the climax of A New Hope, she simply has nothing left to do; after Crossbone Isle, her character arc has finished (at least for the first game's story). She would have simply sat around during Colosso and the conversations with Babi, before suddenly speaking up after they got the Cloak Ball. It also made more sense to me for Babi to give them the Cloak Ball right after saving him since, as he says in the chapter itself, he will no longer have any need for it. And as Feizhi has her vision the moment she sees it, it doesn't make much sense for her to remain quiet another day when she knows her task is urgent. A consequence of this change is her now leaving in the night when they are about to return and go to bed after a long day of adventuring, but with the sense of urgency that her vision had, I don't think it's too egregious.
Speaking of her task, while sending her to rescue Hammet might seem like simply a convenient way to tie up the Kalay/Lunpa storyline, there is more to it that I have planned, which will have consequences for the later part of the story. There are several plot threads which are cut off very abruptly in the Lost Age that I want to try to resolve more organically.
If you enjoyed this chapter, I always appreciate reviews, even if it is only a sentence or two to let me know you liked it. A few minutes of your time can make my day, so please consider it :)
Next chapter: "I'm Spartacus!" "I'm Spartacus!" "No, I'm Spartcus!"