Author's Note: Alright, we're back with another snippity snip snippet. We have a mix of some familiar characters and one special OC. This other OC is crucial to the Destiny Islands plot, but I'll work around trying to piece everything together so we're not dealing with snippets here and there. Right now, the major plot point for Enchanted Dominion is pretty much done. Those first two chapters are complete for that world. So now, I'm working on actually getting world plot points together. Once I get it straight, we'll be seeing better chapters with more explanation. However, enjoy this new snippet and let me know what you think. Quite a few of you liked the Kairi's Rival chapter, so I may try to squeeze in some more of that to see how it's received.
Finally satisfied with the sturdiness of the threads meshed together, Fait straightened his back to hear and feel the cracking of his spine as he stretched his arms above his head and yawned. He couldn't remember the last time he made a hammock for camping outdoors. It was normally him and his brothers, Shinnosuke and Melvin, putting up a tent for the night. Setting up a campsite brought back memories of Fait visiting other worlds to train as Maleficent's warrior. He often had to wait on a new mission objective in between hours or days, but he couldn't meddle with the inhabitants of the new world so renting a bed at a local inn was out of the question. The best thing he could do was make an inn of his own. He enjoyed doing that, though. It gave him the skills he needed to build homes, and he was able to bond with his brothers through making their own campsites.
Fait looked up at the night sky on the small island and shook his head before standing up. His knees popped at the new position and strained themselves to return to their bent position. Fait didn't give them the pleasure and instead walked over to the hook he made out of an aging nail and hung up one side of his new hammock. As he went to another palm tree with another curved nail poking out and waiting to be used, soft rustling gained his attention and made him turn slowly to hear for an intruder or animal. When nothing else made a sound, Fait cautiously returned to his task of completing his hammock. He then sighed and slowly sat down in his hammock to make sure it wouldn't collapse under his weight. When all seemed well, he leaned back and looked up at the stars again. From the horizon, he could see light piercing the darkness of the night. Morning was coming. Fait hummed in content and thought about his new mission objective from Maleficent.
He still found it strange for her to suddenly call him now after being inactive for the few years that passed. Almost four years of total peace were being wiped clean because of some people trying to protect a few worlds. Times were simpler when he was just training in the Realm of Darkness. None of this keyblade master nonsense actually mattered to him. Now, he was being put against Master Yen Sid's students and Master Eraqus's students. All for what? Just to show off? Was there a real reason for everything? As these questions filled his mind, Fait drifted off to a silent slumber unaware of the presence from the door of the seaside shack searching for him. At least, the presence didn't make itself known for a few hours.
By the time Fait woke up, he was stirred from slumber with the sounds of an axe chopping wood. Thump! The axe would sound, hitting the chopper's stump, and the ring of its metal head would echo in Fait's ears. Thump! This time Fait realized he wasn't dreaming. Someone was close by. Thump! Fait stealthily climbed out of his hammock and listened for another thump before he stood on his bare feet and walked toward the source of the noise. Fait was certain no one lived on this small island since he explored just about every inch of it when he arrived here, but the more he heard some mysterious lumberman continuing his activity the more curious he became to see what other uses the island had. Apparently, the dark cave harboring this new world's door hid a sort of sailboat with puzzles hidden among the rocks; moreover, children and teens about his age frequented the beaches to play around or leisurely enjoy the scenery. It was a beautiful place and filled with an unbearable amount of light. With the glare of the sun now hitting his skin, Fait jumped onto the wooden platforms - minding his step after having fallen down the trap door piece once before - and was met with the sight of a man swinging an axe effortlessly.
Evidently, he didn't have to travel far at all to meet the lumberman who disturbed his rest; in fact, the old man (or rather the older man) was putting another half-cut log on the stump he was using before preparing himself to chop the log in half. Fait watched him in silence for a while, taking note to the stress he was putting on his shoulder and lower back to send the axe down onto the surface of the wood. He chopped on an angle before reaching the bottom. Clearly, he wasn't too intent on making all of the pieces straight. He must be building something.
Finally, the man spoke, "Are you the one who opened the wall?"
Fait narrowed his eyes for a moment before relaxing. The man must've been the source of the noise from earlier in the night. He then said, "What wall?"
The man stopped and turned his head to look into Fait's eyes. Rubbing his gray stubble with a rough hand, he asked with some suspicion in his voice, "Are you sure being coy is the correct path to take? I know you are from another world. No one lives on this island. Only people from a different world have the nerve or the intelligence to keep away from the natives. You must know the rules of meddling quite well."
Fait parted his lips to gasp very lightly but replied, "I suppose I am the person with nerve then."
The man nodded smirked a bit and said, "What is your name?"
"Some call me Vulture," Fait answered, seeing that the man erased his smirk at it. Clearly, he was being serious about her presence on the islands. He then relaxed and stuck a hand out for a shake to show he was harmless before saying, "You can call me Fait. Yes, I opened the wall in the cave."
The man took Fait's hand and felt the callouses on his fingers. He nodded and smiled at the response. He then said, "I am the guardian of the secrets behind that wall. You may call me Sage. It looked like you were just starting to repair the boat."
"I was, but some of your people took my equipment. I can't do the heavy-duty work without it," Fait said, returning Sage's smile.
"Ah, I saw one of them carrying your things. I believe it was Selphie," Sage replied, chuckling lightly. "They plan to return here for the rest. You said your name was Fait, correct?"
"Yes, sir," Fait said, nodding with some confusion. "What are you going to do?"
"First, I will tell you what you found in the Secret Place. Then, I will stop you from meddling by introducing you with a different identity to your 'peers' as one should with a newcomer," Sage said, lodging his axe in the tree stump. He then stood tall and continued, "That sailboat you found is the only vessel that will lead you to the Ancient Palace of Light. The entrance of the palace is hidden within the three keys, and that vessel is the only one that can be used to get to them. You must use the stars as your map and vital clue to solving the puzzle and finding the key. Once complete, there will be a powerful guardian you must challenge and defeat in order to gain access to the whereabouts of the royal grounds. After that, who knows? You might be trusted enough to enter the palace. It was once an old wives' tale among the locals except for those like you who were intelligent and thorough enough to look beyond the simple drawings of the cave walls. The children of this world are curious, but I have yet to see any child more curious than you."
"Thanks for calling me nosy," Fait said with a flat look. "You sure it's okay to tell me all of this, Sage?"
"If you're unworthy of such a secret, the palace guardian will deal with you," Sage replied, folding his arms behind his back and turning to the door.
"Nice..." Fait grumbled, watching the man stare at the door.
Before Fait could even turn to leave, a girl with brown hair and green eyes poked her head out of the door. Two boys were behind her. They were definitely the same islanders Fait was hiding away from, and they each had an item that belonged to the freckled blonde. Sage looked behind them to see if anyone else came through but hummed when no one else was seen. He then cleared his throat to gain the group's attention and smiled gently at them before he spoke.
"Hello there," Sage greeted, nodding at them. "I believe you have my grandson's equipment. He nearly lost his mind trying to find it. Would you so kindly return his things?"
"Your grandson?" the girl asked, turning to see Fait. She blushed at Fait before jumping in front of his face to inspect him. She then asked, "Why haven't I ever seen you at school? No way someone with this face and figure isn't popular."
"Ah, my grandson is home-schooled," Sage explained briefly. "In fact, he's supposed to be studying right now so he can take over the family business. He'll be coming of age to run it soon."
Fait got into character almost instantly and said with some frustration, "I also need to breathe every once in a while, grandpa. I've been doing your book-learnin' since I could read. At least give me some time off!"
"You'll have plenty of time to rest when you complete your lessons. Running off is not the right thing to do, Fait. You know that," Sage said, impressed with Fait's acting skills. He almost felt like a son. Sage then continued, "I'll let you keep your things here for now, but you have to come home and do your work."
Fait scoffed and then turned to his side to show some anger and sadness before saying, "Fine. Just another reason on the list to not take the title."
With that, Fait stomped off and started jumping on the wooden platforms to his campsite. Sage sighed with remorse to gain the teens' sympathy and did when one of the boys placed a steady hand on his shoulder. It was the tallest one. Wakka, he recalled. The other boy, Tidus, folded his arms and frowned a bit at Fait's attitude but held an interesting sense of understanding in his eyes.
"Sounds like your grandson doesn't like studying much, does he?" Tidus asked.
"Well, Fait is actually quite clever. He's investigative by nature. Loves to explore," Sage responded, looking in the direction Fait went. "Running a shipyard and fishing grounds just aren't his interests. He often gets into trouble with his parents because of this."
"Why don't they want him to do something else?" Tidus asked. "If his heart isn't in it, won't the business just collapse?"
"It's his father, really," Sage answered, chuckling bitterly. "Fait's natural talents are exceptional. He's smarter and tougher than his parents. His father believes the boy can take the business to a place none of us would dream of reaching. That's the problem, unfortunately. Because of those talents, Fait can't afford to be swayed in any other direction other than the one he was 'destined' for, so he was home-schooled and learned to camp alone."
"That's messed up," Wakka said, folding his arms and then placing them down to smile brightly. "Since we're all here, why not let us talk to him? His dad's not here and it sounds like he'll only listen to you, ya? We won't sway him or nothin'."
"I agree with Wakka! We should totally do those things!" Selphie cheered, getting too close to Sage.
Sage looked into Selphie's sparkling, heart-shaped eyes and said, "Asking him out on a date is a form of swaying him off the path, you know."
"Wha - ?" Selphie started, blushing profusely and waving a hand in front of her. "No, no! I was just gonna ask him about his tools. Yeah, that's all. Promise!"
"It's his freckles, isn't it?" Sage asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes and shrewd smile on his lips.
"Aaaaannnddd, I'm out of this conversation!" Tidus said, walking to the platforms.
"Yup," Wakka said, nodding and getting away from the blushing Selphie.
"Hey!" she argued, sighing when she heard Sage's laughter.