Hello again! I'm really sorry about the lack of updates, but Chapter Two has been sitting around on my desktop for quite a while now. I swear I will update more often, and I'm really sorry about the delay with this chapter. Once again, more disclaimers, I don't own any characters, or Golden Sun itself, which is owned by Camelot, and special thanks to everyone who has reviewed/followed/favorited this story, I probably wouldn't have uploaded this if not for your support :) .Now, with everything else out of the way, enjoy ;)
Isaac stood in the looming shadow of the Wise One, who was now completely blocking Luna's rays. Trembling slightly, he unsheathed his Sol Blade, carrying the deadly weapon straight ahead, a slight fiery aura illuminating the path. "Why should I trust you?" Isaac stared at the Wise One, unable to hold back his pent-up anger. "You made us fight our parents, nearly killed them, in order to satisfy your own selfish conscience about triggering the Golden Sun, you…"The Wise One began to give off pulses of light, signifying the use of its Psynergy, and Isaac felt himself being propelled into the hard cliff face of the sunken Mt. Aleph, smashing against the ruins of said mountain with a sickening crunch. Isaac coughed out blood, and knew instantly that he had broken a few ribs, at the very least. Luckily for him, he was filled with Psynergy due to all the rest he had gotten while coming back to Vale. He began to shed off a golden glow which began to roughly mend the injuries he had sustained, but he could always ask Mia to tend to the finer aspects of healing.
"Listen to me!" the Wise One's voice reverberated throughout the entire area. "Your previous hardships are nothing like those that are to follow. You wished for the revival of the Golden Sun, yet you paid a price to do so; I tested you to see if you were willing to sacrifice a few people for the greater good. Your ignorance nearly put that power-hungry Mercury Adept in full control of the power that was sealed because of its potency to destroy this world!" Isaac stood there, speechless, as he had once been during the first part of his journey, after losing Jenna. He had never seen the Wise One so angry, vicious, out of control before.
"This will serve as a last test, to show you whether or not you are capable of maintaining this precious state of peace in Weyard. One fourth of the Golden Sun, that of Mars, has been entrusted to you, which is the fail-safe I placed upon the Mars Star to prevent Alex from gaining too much power. It was once a blessing meant to help you, but will now be your curse. You will live out seeking peace yet will lose everything to the consuming, hungry, everlasting flames of Mars." The Wise One let out a glow for the second time, and in front of it appeared a small orb, much like that of the Elemental Stars. The orb appeared to contain a blaze of an all-consuming fire, casting a red glow to its surroundings. "Take this, for it is now your burden to shoulder and carry. Others will not be able to steal this power, but it is yours forever." Isaac tried to move away, but could not prevent himself from slowly reaching forwards. The orb was mesmerizing. He gingerly clasped his hands around it, and they recoiled back instantly.
"Remember well, Isaac," The Wise One's voice softened immensely. "Mars is the most temperamental of all Elements, the wildest, and hardest to control. Even as a Venus adept, the most stable of all elements, it will be difficult to control. The fires of Mars have made you restless, and will forever burden you. You need to understand how important this is. If you cannot bear it however, I will shut the gates of Alchemy immediately, and you will never have to..." Isaac cut off the Wise One abruptly, and grabbed the orb with a single hand. "I choose my own fate, and I choose... to save the world." A burning sensation erupted all over his body, and Isaac began to scream in pain. "So be it." The Wise One departed, and in overwhelming agony, as if he was burning alive, Isaac blacked out.