Chapter XVI

Past, Present, & Future

"Ivan, thank you for meeting me here today," Hama greeted with a warm smile.

He'd woken early in the morning to a note, presumably left by one of Hama's quiet monks. Following it's instructions, Ivan had gone out to a small grassy field by the flowing river that flowed around Lama Temple. As promised, Master Hama had been waiting there for him. A set of six rocks were arranged on the ground in a circle, but otherwise there was nothing around but the two of them.

"It's no trouble, Master Hama," Ivan answered her, speaking in his most polite voice, which he'd practised for many years in Hammet's service. "It's the least I can do. After all, you've shown us incredible hospitality since we've arrived. Whatever it is you wish to teach me, I couldn't turn aside the help you're offering."

To that, Hama simply smiled wryly. "There's no need to be so formal, Ivan. While I may be regarded in these parts as an enlightened master, the experiences you've had on your journey have already made you a more skilled Adept than me. You don't need to call me anything but my name."

"I doubt that..." Ivan managed, his cheeks heating up.

"I insist," Hama said. "Ah, but enough of that. We should get to the lesson. Time is of the essence, after all."

Ivan nodded. "Of course."

Hama walked over towards the arranged rocks, saying as she went, "The skill I am going to teach you is perhaps the most important Psynergy that we Jupiter Adepts can use. I call it 'Reveal'. It enables us to dispel lies of the senses, and see the truth of things in the world around us."

"Lies of the senses?"

"Yes," replied Hama. "Tell me, Ivan...do you know what a mirage is?"

"An optical illusion formed by heat waves," Ivan answered, immediately recalling what he'd read in Kalay's library years ago. "Wanderers travelling the desert suffering from dehydration and delirium will see things far away like a town or an oasis, only to run to them and find nothing."

"In a scientific sense, that is true," Hama responded. "However, for us Adepts, there is more to it than that. The effect created by those heat waves can be replicated with Psynergy, and more beyond that. A powerful Adept could deceive everything you see and feel. Thus, Reveal allows us to know what is truly there, and what is a lie."

Ivan frowned. "I can see how a skill like that would be useful when travelling through a desert, but...is that really more important than being able to read minds or see the future?"

"In my opinion, yes," Hama said. "And I will show you why. Tell me, what is in the middle of these rocks?"

Ivan stared for a moment, wondering if it was a trick question. "Grass?"

Hama chuckled. "Besides that."

"Nothing more than empty space."

"In that case, try walking through that space." He felt Hama's Psynergy surge a small bit.

Ivan turned to the circle of stones and took a few apprehensive steps in, half-expecting that he would bump into an invisible wall or fall into some kind of trap dug in the dirt. When nothing happened, he turned back to Hama confused.

Her Psynergy faded out. "What did you see? What did you feel?"

"It's just empty space," Ivan insisted.

"That's not what I saw," Hama said. "I cast Reveal as you walked through, and I saw the wooden box that you did not."

"But..." Ivan spun back around, scouring the few square feet of grass that occupied the rock circle. "Where is it?"

"Right in the centre, where the lines from each rock would meet."

"That's impossible, I walked right through the middle! Even if it was invisible..."

"The illusion that hides the box is not mere invisibility," Hama explained patiently. "It is a trick on all your senses; sight, hearing, touch... Though you passed right over it when you walked through, your steps still missed by convenient inches. The Psynergy that hides it will divert away unwanted attention. Even if I were to put your hand to the box's side, you would simply feel as though your hand was passing through empty air. Discovering it with naked eyes is impossible."

Ivan stared wide-eyed at the empty space where this box supposedly sat, and felt a chill run down his neck.

"And so," Hama continued, "you understand now that your entire perception of this world is a product of your body's senses. And as Psynergy has the power to deceive these senses so thoroughly, do you now understand the importance of a skill like Reveal?"

"These illusions could be anywhere," Ivan said soberly. "We could have been walking past things all this time that might as well not even exist. Our enemies could hide away from us and attack, and we'd have no idea until it was too late..."

"There are limits, of course, to what can be hidden this way," Hama explained. "A small, unmoving box in the middle of a grassy field is easy enough to obscure. Trying to hide, for example, a moving person in a crowded city street would require a greater degree of skill than I could manage."

"So it's you hiding this box?" Ivan asked, amazed. "Could you teach me to do that, too?"

"If we only had more time, I would love to," Hama answered, in a regretful voice that showed she really meant it. "But we must focus on you mastering Reveal so you may proceed on your journey."

"Oh course," Ivan said. "Forgive me."

But Hama simply smiled again. "Let's get started then, shall we?"

And so they did. Hama stood at Ivan's side, instructing him on what he needed to do, which ways he needed to focus, how to channel his Psynergy. It was easier said than done; for Ivan, who had learned to use Psynergy through trial and error, he had no language to refer to many of the intuitive feelings he associated with it. Hama clearly knew what she was talking about, but Ivan struggled to keep up with her explanations.

Once he had the basic idea of what she was trying to tell him to do, he gave it a few attempts. In his earliest days of practising Psynergy, years and years ago, it had taken extraordinary effort to even stir up a light breeze, and the headaches he'd suffered afterwards had been horrible. Ivan had thought he was beyond that, but now, as he strained to produce the effect of Reveal over what he was seeing, he felt he would sooner go blind from his head splitting in two.

Alas, no matter how hard he focused, nothing was changing. No box appeared in the circle of stones.

"Why isn't this working?!" Ivan exclaimed, unable to hide his frustration.

"Your mind keeps falling back on the idea that if you cannot see something, it cannot be there," Hama calmly told him. "You must let go of that grounded mentality, and accept that there is more in the world than what your eyes can see. Just be patient, calm yourself, and try again."

"We can keep practising this forever, but if I don't have this figured out soon it's going to cause problems," Ivan said. "We'll have to try our luck with the desert whether I have Reveal or not."

Hama frowned, and said, "Perhaps it is possible to make it through the desert without Reveal, but it would surely be far more dangerous. It might be wiser to stay another day or two, and remain until you're confident with Reveal. Though your enemies will get farther ahead, it would be preferable to death in the desert."

"These mirages...are they really going to be that powerful?" Ivan asked. "Master Hammet passed through that desert many times, and we were never in any mortal danger. Sure, it would be dangerous if someone was unprepared, or lost their bearing during the trip, but to be so misled by a simple illusion?"

"Your teachings in Kalay have convinced you of that," Hama said. "You read that a mirage is only an optical illusion, so you don't think it can be anything but one. But there are other dangers at work in the desert now. There is an evil power behind that heat, far beyond what an ordinary desert should have. Think of your journeys so far, Ivan: has there been any area you've gone to that has not seen misfortune as a result of the eruption?"

With a start, Ivan looked up at her. "This is the same as in Kolima Forest? And the Mogall Prairie?"

"And there will be more such places ahead. The Lamakan Desert is nothing compared to some of the trials you will face before your journey is done."

Ivan didn't want to think about that, so he focused instead on what he was facing now. The desert was his next challenge. And on the other side...

"Kalay will be our next stop if we make it through this desert," Ivan realised. "Is Master Hammet going to be waiting for me there? You know, don't you?"

Hama hesitated, and that was enough for Ivan.

"He's still in Lunpa, isn't he?"

"Dodonpa took the money that Hammet offered for the bridge repairs," Hama answered slowly, "And then he imprisoned Hammet anyway and demanded a ransom from Kalay. I do not know how he fares in Lunpa, but he is alive."

Not well, Ivan imagined. He had expected this, but to heard it confirmed, it was still a shock. Dodonpa was a king of fools, greedy and self-serving, and Hammet was suffering for it.

If he failed here, they would not make it to Kalay. Even if Hammet was freed, neither he nor Lady Layana would know what had become of Ivan.

Ivan could not help him, but if he could make it through the desert and tell Lady Layana what was happening...

"Let's try again," Ivan said, his determination renewed. "I'm not moving from this spot until I figure this out!"

Hama smiled, and they continued.

Ivan focused himself on the task at hand, telling himself he was not going to move until he saw that stupid box. He tried again and again, focusing only on the task, pushing aside all thoughts of the desert, their mission, Hammet...

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity of attempts, Ivan blinked and he saw it; a small wooden box in the middle of the ring of stones.

"I-I did it!" he cried out in disbelief. "It's there! I can see it!"

He ran over and inspected the box. It was real, three-dimensional and solid to touch. Ivan gave it a kick and it fell over. It was nothing more than an ordinary wooden box, and yet it had taken him all that effort to see it.

"Well done, Ivan," Hama congratulated him. "Remember this going ahead. When you have your doubts about what you see in the desert, use Reveal. Do not let yourself be led astray by illusions."

"Thank you, Master Hama!" Ivan said. "I won't, I promise!"

She smiled back at him, but there was a faint shadow over it. Did she doubt that he was ready... or was it something else?

No, Ivan decided. It was not doubt; she looked disappointed.

Isaac, Garet, and Mia were waiting at the temple's front door for Ivan and Hama to return when the door slid open. Feizhi and Hsu emerged, the latter walking in heavy, burdened steps, and aided by a walking stick.

"Ah, Mister Isaac," Hsu said to him, approaching and shaking his hand enthusiastically. "I cannot thank you enough. If you hadn't come along, I don't know what I would have done."

"It's nothing," Isaac said. "Really, I only did what anyone should have done in that situation."

Hsu continued on like he hadn't heard him. "You're a real hero, sir! I'll be sure to tell everyone back home about you!"

Behind Isaac, Garet sulked. "I guess the rest of us are invisible..."

"How is your leg?" Mia asked.

"It's still a bit sore, but I can make it home as long as I take my time," Hsu said. He blinked, and pointed in the distance. "Ah! Here come Master Hama and your friend!"

They turned and greeted Hama and Ivan as they returned. Hama seemed in good spirits, but Ivan was frowning and clearly apprehensive.

"How did your training go?" Mia asked.

"It went well," Ivan said, managing a small smile. "I'll tell you guys all about it on the road."

Isaac and Mia exchanged a glance. Whatever had happened, Ivan clearly didn't want to talk about it until they had left the temple.

And speaking of which...

Beside Hsu, Feizhi was quiet, frowning and fidgeting from time to time.

"Hsu, are you absolutely sure you're ready to travel?" Hama asked. "You're more than welcome to stay and rest until you've recovered."

Hsu shook his head. "I need to get back to Xian quickly and tell Master Feh about Silk Road. We'll need to get workers out there to clear away the rubble as soon as we can. If not..."

"If not, the trade season will be interrupted," Ivan finished for him. "Colloso in Tolbi is only a few weeks away, and that period is crucial to Xian's economic stability. If the road isn't opened by then, no merchants will be able to pass through Xian, and that could leave the town in a bad state by the time winter comes around."

"Er, yes," Hsu said. "I was really only worried about getting the road open, so it wouldn't inconvenience anyone else. I hadn't even thought about Colosso, or how that would affect us later."

"I see Master Hammet taught you well," Hama said to Ivan. "You would have made a fine successor to his trade empire, were it not for..."

She stopped, and hesitated.

"For current circumstances?" Ivan suggested.

Hama nodded.

An awkward moment followed, which Hsu broke by clapping his hands together. "Well! This means we have all the more reason to get back to Xian as soon as possible. Feizhi, I think we should get going. Are you ready?"

Feizhi was suddenly twice as visibly nervous. She hesitated, looking back and forth between Hsu, Isaac, and Hama a few times, before saying, "I'm sorry, Hsu. I must ask that you return to Xian without me!"

Hsu blinked. "Huh?"

Feizhi turned away from him, and stood before Isaac, as tall and formal as she could manage. "Master Isaac! Please, let me come with you on your journey!"

The Adepts exchanged confused looks, unsure what to say. Hsu was equally speechless, while Hama pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

Feizhi continued, "I've seen it all in my visions, remember? What happened at Mt. Aleph, and the things you and your companions have done since. I know you have an important destiny ahead of you, and I know I've received these visions for a reason! I'm destined to go with you, to learn from you, and to help you do whatever it is you've set out to do!"

"Feizhi, please," Hama said. "Your Psynergy has only just begun to show. You barely have a grasp for the basics. If you want to learn more, do so here, under my guidance. If you went with Isaac and his companions, you would only be a hindrance to them."

Feizhi pretended not to hear her. "Please, Master Adept! I swear I won't let you down!"

Isaac was frozen, not sure what he should say to this girl who stood so close, pleading with her wide, violet eyes. That is, until he felt someone tugging on his scarf to get his attention.

"A word real quick?" Garet asked.

He welcomed the chance to get away for a second and think this over. He followed Garet a few steps away, until he was sure they were out of earshot.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Please tell me you aren't as thick-headed as you seem right now," Garet said. "No, wait. I grew up with you; I know you are. Isaac, look: that girl only wants to come with us because she's got a major crush on you."

"What? No way, she-"

"Come on. Look at her."

Isaac looked back over at the group. Ivan and Mia looked a bit confused. Hsu looked confused and maybe a little hurt. Hama looked embarrassed. And Feizhi-

She fiddled with the hem of her coat, looking up and catching Isaac's gaze, only to quickly look away, her cheeks burning red.

"Oh, wow," Isaac muttered. "How did I not notice that before?"

"I can't imagine, since it's about as obvious as the crush you had on Jenna."

"I do not-!"

"Please," Garet dismissed. "Look, it was obvious from the moment we ran into her on the road. She's been determined to come with us since. And Master Hama is right; she will slow us down. Especially in that desert we're about to venture into. And I'm not one to turn down female company, so you know this is serious."

Isaac stole a glance back at Feizhi, a feeling of immense guilt settling in his stomach. He hated that he had to be the one to break the girl's heart, but Garet was right. Felix's group already had a strong lead on them, and bringing Feizhi along would slow them down in a way they could not afford.

Isaac nodded grimly, and then he and Garet rejoined the others.

"Feizhi," Isaac said, already grimacing inwardly. "Look, we uh... we really appreciate your enthusiasm, and we understand why you want to do this, but-"

"I don't want to do this, Master Adept!" Feizhi insisted. "I have to! I have foreseen it in my visions! You'll need me!"

Isaac looked to Hama questioningly, but she gave only a vague shrug. Whatever Feizhi was claiming to have foreseen, it must not have been a vision Hama shared.

"Feizhi, the places we're going to are extremely dangerous," Isaac continued. "The group we're following is made up of some very powerful Adepts; far more powerful than we are. These are ruthless people who would kill us without hesitation to keep us from stopping them. Even if we could spare the time to teach you about fighting and Psynergy, you probably wouldn't be ready when we meet them again."

"But, I know kung-fu!" Feizhi said, almost begging now. "And I could learn about Psynergy on the road. I swear, I won't slow you down-"

Hama cut in. "If you wanted to learn Psynergy, Feizhi, you had plenty of time while you were studying under me. You grew disheartened when your first attempts did not work, and then you neglected my teachings when you didn't get results. Now you see the price you pay for that."

Feizhi stared at Isaac with wide, pleading eyes. Her resolve seemed about to break. "Isaac, please..."

"I'm sorry," he said to her, remaining firm against that sad look. "If you were hurt, that would be on my hands, and I can't go forward with that worry always on my mind. The answer is no."

Feizhi was devastated. She looked down at her feet, crushed and ashamed. She had put everything on the line for this, and her hero had rejected her.

"I see," she managed to say, her voice trembling with tears that were about to break free. "I... am sorry to have bothered you. I wish you safe travels ahead..."

And with that, she turned and ran back inside, no doubt to cry.

Hama just sighed again, without a trace of sympathy. "That girl... she has so much talent, but wastes it all with her impulsiveness. I am sorry that she troubled you when you already have enough to worry about. Perhaps if I had trained her better..."

"No, it's all right," Isaac said to her. "If the stakes weren't so high, I wouldn't have minded bringing her along. It's just that we quite literally have the fate of the world in our hands. We can't afford taking any chances we don't need."

One girl's heart was not worth the safety of Weyard. Not that it made this any easier, but Hama was right. And so was Garet, loath that was to admit it.

Hsu awkwardly said, "I should go to Feizhi, I think."

"Yes, Hsu, you should do that," Hama said. "It is time we say our final goodbyes. Isaac is right, they have lingered here too long already."

Hsu politely wished them well, and then stepped back inside to comfort Feizhi.

"Ivan," Hama said, catching the attention of the younger boy, who had remained lost in thought for the entirely of Feizhi's request. "Remember what I've taught you, and practice as often as you can. Trust the truth in your heart, and it will not lead you astray."

"I... I will, Master Hama," Ivan said, with a small smile.

"I only wish we'd had more time together," she continued. "You've grown into such a fine young man, and I..."

She stopped herself.

"Best of luck on the road ahead," she concluded, before going back inside, leaving the four Adepts alone.

"Ivan, you and Master Hama haven't... met before, have you?" Mia asked. "You said you and Hammet have passed through Xian in the past, right?"

"No, we haven't," Ivan said. "Master Hammet never seemed to want to stop here. But it's strange, I do feel like I have known her before today, I just..."

He stared for a moment at the temple door, lost in thought.

"We head back out in fifteen minutes," Menardi announced. "Rest while you can."

Jenna leaned back against the cavern wall, letting out an exhausted breath. Even in the shady darkness of the cave, the Lamakan Desert was brutally hot. The Proxians had explained that there was some sort of Psynergetic reason for the incredible heat, which meant they were able to use their own Psynergy to resist it. The downside, however, being that they needed to stop and rest more often or risk wearing themselves out.

If Saturos and Menardi hadn't had such huge Psynergy reserves, they wouldn't have been able to travel all day. As it was, the effort of resisting the heat was clearly taking its toll on them. It was their second day of travel in the desert, and she'd noticed the breaks had been coming more often, and lasting longer. Not that she was complaining about that.

They had been counting on Alex to help with this part, to use his own Psynergy to find water to cool them off, but wherever he was, he had yet to catch up with them. Saturos was furious with him, and Jenna expected there to be an argument if and when Alex finally did reappear.

She shifted uncomfortably on the rock she was using as a seat. She'd been sitting on the bare ground earlier, and a scorpion had nipped her. She wasn't going to repeat that mistake.

Felix shuffled down on the ground beside her, and a moment later, she felt an elbow at her side. Looking over, she saw one of their canteens being discreetly handed to her.

"No," she whispered. "You know they're rationing the water. If Saturos sees-"

"He won't," Felix whispered back. "They're exhausted. They're not focusing on you."

"Really, I feel okay right now," Jenna insisted.

"Dehydration has a way of sneaking up on you," he said. "Just take a few extra sips."

Though she didn't feel she agreed, she knew better than to argue the point. Jenna took the canteen from him, downed a mouthful of water, and handed it back.

"We're all struggling," Felix said. "Kraden is holding up well, surprisingly. Perhaps not being an Adept means this doesn't affect him as strongly."

Jenna simply scoffed.

"You're still angry at him about Mercury Lighthouse?"

"I'm still angry at you about Sol Sanctum," she reminded him harshly.

Instead of wincing, as she had expected him to, Felix just chuckled. "No one can hold a grudge quite like you, Jenna."

The heat had not done any favours for her mood. "You act like you know me so well, even though you missed the last three years of my life."

Felix was amused by that. "Would you say you've changed much? You still seem like the same Jenna I knew then."

"Plenty's changed," she insisted. "Like... uh..."

Now that she tried to think of it, she was drawing a blank. There were certain obvious things that had changed from fourteen to seventeen, but those weren't the sort of things she wanted to talk about with her brother.

"Never mind," she muttered.

Felix chuckled softly again, but grew quiet. Jenna looked to him, and saw his eyes were on Saturos, troubled and distrusting.

"You've changed," Jenna said. "I can see it. You don't show it on the outside much, but I can see something different in your eyes. I wasn't looking before, right after we left Vale."

Felix nodded. "I was giving you space. I knew you were angry with me. And rightly so. I didn't know how to make it up to you; or if I even could."

Jenna drew her knees to her chest, leaving lines in the sand at her feet. "I think I'm just getting tired of being angry. I haven't forgiven you yet... but I know you well enough that you didn't just do it to hurt me. I'm starting to get curious as to what exactly it is."

Felix considered in silence for a moment, and then he said, "My time in Prox wasn't easy. I hated it there; I hated them for taking me away from my home. And when my injuries finally healed they made me work, made me hunt, made me train. It was excruciating, going from a life of ease and comfort in Vale, to suddenly being in this cold place, surrounded by people who hated me. They thought less of me for growing up in Vale... or perhaps they were jealous.'

"But in any case, they made things as difficult for me as they could. I tried to escape many times, and they always dragged me back, time and time again. Each time they beat me a little harder, but through all that pain, all I could think about was getting back to home; to you."

Jenna wasn't sure what to say. Deep down, she'd known they had to have treated Felix badly; the way Menardi treated her was indication enough. But to hear it aloud was still shocking.

Alex had mentioned, months ago, the brutal lifestyle the Proxians were brought up in; the way they idolized power and the harsh training their warriors were put through. Saturos had been elected the leader of the party solely because he was the strongest, or so Alex had claimed.

"One day they pushed me too hard, and my body gave out," Felix said. "Were I a Proxian, I would have been left to die. But they knew they would need me when they eventually reached Venus Lighthouse. So they needed someone to nurse me back to health. That was where things changed."

"What happened?" Jenna asked.

"I was put in the care of Menardi's younger sister, Karst," Felix continued. "She was the closest thing to a healer they had there. And with her, I saw a side of Prox that I hadn't under Saturos and his people. I saw the average people for the first time. And they were... just people. Men, women, children, elders. Just people, trying to live the best lives they could in the rough place they had the misfortune of being born in. They depended on the warrior caste for protection, but they were not all like Saturos; far from it.'

"Being among them... it was almost like being back in Vale. I made friends, and grew to care once more. There was a time when I had wished death on every one of them, and I was wrong to think that; they did not deserve it."

Felix's eyes were nostalgic as he spoke.

"As for Karst, she was nothing like her sister. She had grown up ill, and in Prox's society, weakness is wasteful. Were Menardi not there to protect her, Karst would not have made it. So she was sympathetic to me, and understood how much I cared for you, and how I wanted to return home. She made life bearable for me while I recovered... she granted me access to Prox's library. She was kind, gentle..."

He grew quiet, and Jenna could tell there was more to her than he was going to say. She couldn't help but feel that this Karst had done more than give him books to read.

"I read about the chasm where Weyard ended, and the knowledge the Proxians had on it. I was taken and shown the edge where the world ends. You can see it from Mars Lighthouse; not the top of the lighthouse, just the ground entrance. And I read the old stories they had on Alchemy, which were very different from the ones in Vale. Not cautionary tales, like we'd always heard, but incredible stories of a time long gone.'

"At that point, I had decided that these people did not deserve to die for the actions of only a few. And if something wasn't done about the seal on Alchemy, Prox would be swallowed into the abyss. That was when I decided that I had to work together with Saturos and Menardi, despite what they had done."

"The Proxians... could just leave," Jenna suggested. "Find another place to live."

"Easier said than done," Felix answered. "It took everything they had just to send the group of warriors who went to Vale. And when most of them died when the leader triggered a trap, it took another three years to prepare another, smaller attempt. And most of the people of Prox are not warriors like those two." He beckoned to Saturos and Menardi.

"Still, even if it was risky, wouldn't leaving be easier than gambling everything on an attempt to unleash Alchemy on the world? Better to risk a few of their own lives than the lives of everyone in the world."

"Would you say that if it was our parents' lives on the line?" Felix asked. His expression went dark for a moment, before adding, "Or Isaac's? Or any of the people back in Vale?"

Jenna shook head. "We already lost our parents to this."

Felix was silent for a moment. "And furthermore, I have a theory. I've spoken with Kraden about it, and he is in agreement with me. During our travels, we've observed the state Weyard is in, and compared it to old accounts and maps from hundreds of years ago. Ones I've read in Prox, and ones Kraden read in Tolbi. And we've found many points where things just... don't add up."

"In what way?" Jenna asked.

"The maps are inaccurate, for one," Felix said. "Beyond the normal amount that geography changes in time. Many settlements are long gone, borders are smaller and towns are sparse. Fewer people in them, fewer farmlands... The continent is just less alive than it was."

"And you think that is because of Alchemy being sealed away?" Jenna asked. "It seems like a bit of a jump to make that connection."

"That's why it's just a theory at the moment," Felix said. "Kraden is keeping detailed records of everything we come across, and he hopes we'll find some definitive proof that the seal is causing the decay that we've witnessed."

Jenna considered this for a moment. "I don't know, Felix. This is a lot to take in. I don't know how to feel right now."

"Of course," Felix said.

"Maybe we can sit down with Isaac and Garet and just talk about all this," Jenna suggested. "Maybe we could work something out... some sort of compromise."

Felix shook his head, and then glanced to the two Proxians. "They tried doing things the peaceful way once, and we all suffered for it. They're never going to take that chance again. Think about it, Jenna. What sort of compromise could we reach? Isaac isn't going to be content unless he can return to Vale with you and the remaining Elemental Stars. He isn't going to care about our reasons for doing this."

Jenna let out a defeated sigh. "I can't believe that about him... but you're right about the rest. It would just end with everyone fighting again."

Suddenly, Kraden, who was keeping watch at the cavern mouth, jump up in excitement. "Everyone! Good news! Alex is coming! I can see him approaching from the distance!"

The Proxians drew themselves up. "So he's alive after all," Saturos said. "He'd better have a good reason for taking so long."

"We'll pick this up later," Felix whispered to her.

Isaac and his companions were taken aback by how abruptly the terrain changed from green hills to barren sand dunes. The heat of the desert came on fast, and was soon beating down on them like an oppressively evil energy.

They had filled their canteens and stocked up on food at Lama Temple, but it wasn't long before they were drinking desperately, and sweating it all back out again.

At only four hours in, they were already struggling.

"Ivan," Garet wheezed. "You see any of those oasiseese yet?"

The Jupiter Adept concentrated for a moment, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't see anything."

Isaac wondered if he meant that he didn't see any after using Reveal, or if the spell just wasn't working. He'd told them about his brief lesson with Hama earlier, and Isaac hadn't been thrilled to hear that he'd only managed to cast the spell once after an hour of struggle.

They continued on, the soft sand at their feet only making travel harder. There were no real features to the landscape around them besides one dune after another, so Isaac relied on his compass to ensure they were staying in the right direction. Beyond that, their only real navigation was to just keep moving west.

"Ugh, my clothes are drenched in sweat," Mia groaned. "This is disgusting..."

Isaac couldn't help but smirk at that, thinking she sounded a lot like her cousin when she said things like that. Of course, he wasn't about to say anything out loud. The heat had even Mia in a sour mood, and that mace of hers looked heavy...

Still, that gave him an idea. "Mia, is there any chance your Psynergy could help?"

"Like, to make water for us to drink?" she asked. "Unfortunately, no. Given that anything we can make is formed from Psynergetic energy, our bodies natural resistance would make it pretty much useless. I've tried it before, thinking I could make myself a drink instead of having to walk to the town well, only to find it did nothing for my thirst."

"She's right," Garet added. "I can cook food with the fire I make, but it won't heat us up if it's cold out. That's why I always insist we make a real fire with real wood."

And here, he'd always thought Garet was just too lazy to take on the responsibility of keeping the fire going.

"Sorry everyone," Mia said. "I could drop a lake on us right now and it wouldn't cool us off or quench our thirst one bit."

"Argh, these stupid powers are useless!" Garet screaming, kicking uselessly at the sand.

"Ivan, anything yet?" Isaac asked.

Ivan tried once more, concentrating intensely for a long moment, and looking around. But after a moment, he just fell to his knees, defeated.

"I'm sorry, everybody..." he said, on the verge of tears. "I-I thought I had it back there, and I... I keep trying but it just... I-I..."

"Hey, it's okay," Isaac said, rushing over and putting a hand on Ivan's shoulder. "It's all right. Let's go find some shade and take a rest. I think we could all use it."

Lucky for them, the sun was closer to the horizon than it had been when they entered. They moved to the bottom of a large dune, and found some refuge there from the sun. The shade was somewhat cooler, but the heat was never truly gone.

"I think this heat is Psynergy of some kind," Garet said, after a few minutes of rest. "I might be able to use my own power to push it back somehow."

"That has to be how Saturos and Menardi are getting their group through," Isaac said. "They don't have a Jupiter Adept to look water, so I was wondering how they were going to survive out here."

"Wouldn't using your own Psynergy like that wear you out?" Mia asked, concerned.

"Oh yeah," Garet said. "But if it gives us some relief from this heat, it's worth it."

"No," Mia said sternly. "You'll drain your reserves in a few hours that way, if not sooner. This has to be something we use sparingly. We'll definitely never make it if we're dragging your unconscious body behind us."

"Alright Mom, jeeze," Garet said.

Ivan looked up to Isaac. "How is the situation? Do you think we can make it?"

Isaac considered. In all honesty, the situation was grim. They were less than half a day's travel into the desert, and they had at least three days of solid marching to go. They had already used more of their water than they should have, and even then they probably weren't drinking enough. If they didn't start finding those oases soon, they would have to seriously consider turning around and going back if they wanted to have any chance at surviving.

But if they did, they would never catch up to Felix's group again. All the alternate routes to Kalay would take months, and there wasn't anywhere else in Angara they could catch a boat to Gondowan. All the other lighthouses after Venus were across the sea, which meant they would be stuck, helpless to do anything as Felix and his companions lit the remaining beacons.

If they went back to Lama Temple now, they were effectively giving up on their quest.

"We're okay for now," he said, hoping it wasn't a lie. "We still have plenty of water, and the sun will go down in a few hours. We can set off earlier in the morning, and try to get our rest while the sun is at its highest. And even without Reveal, we're bound to run into an oasis by chance sooner or later. I think we'll be fine."

He was wrong; the second day was even worse.

Though they set out hours before sunrise, the heat didn't wait for the sun to come up. Though it was still dark, and the sun was nowhere to be seen, the air was still as hot as if it were right above their heads.

They head no choice but to down the rest of their water. Rationing it wasn't an option; Isaac himself had several dizzy spells from not drinking enough. They were taking breaks more often, moving slower, and everyone's spirits were down.

Garet found he could use his Psynergy to push the heat back, but he could not manage it for very long, as the effort of maintaining the spell was too much for him to walk at the same time. He saved it for when they took breaks, and when they resumed, it was back to the heat again. If anything, the breaks made it worse, as the heat seemed to come back stronger than before after Garet pushed it away.

Ivan continued to struggle with Reveal, and had yet to find an oasis. He couldn't apologise enough, but no one was angry at him. In truth, they were too exhausted to be. They only hoped - prayed - that they would find an oasis so they could get some rest from the terrible, hot nightmare their lives had become.

They struggled on in slow, laboured steps. Mia had long since shed her heavy winter robe, and was dressed in what was essentially her nightclothes. Garet had removed his shirt, despite their warnings that he would get sunburned. Isaac had even taken off his scarf, as its weight had felt suffocating.

At this point, they were too far in to turn back, Isaac knew. Unless they knew they had some way to find water on the way out, they would perish before they could get out. He didn't dare say it aloud, but everyone's mood was so grim he was sure they had to know.

They stopped, taking another short break.

"Last of the water," Isaac said, shaking the near-empty canteen. "Who needs it most?"

"Mia," Garet said. "I think you should have it."

She shook her head. Her usually flowing cerulean hair was deserved and stuck from hours of sweat. "No, Garet. You're using up the most effort, keeping the heat away when we rest. You take it."

Garet reluctantly downed the last mouthful of water, and they continued on.

It wasn't ten minutes later, as they were cresting the top of a large dune, that Mia faltered and fell.

"Mia!" Isaac shouted. He quickly used his Psynergy to craft a layer of sand in the edge of the hill to catch her, which she rolled into, unmoving.

The three of them slid down the dune and went to her, finding her unconscious. Her skin was pale, even moreso than usual, and her skin was covered in sweat and hot to touch.

"It wasn't the fall that knocked her out," Isaac said. "She passed out from the heat. She needs water, and to cool down."

"Oh no..." Ivan muttered. "I hadn't even thought of it... of course if the heat was Psynergetic it would affect her more strongly than us."

"Damn it," Garet swore. "I'll push the heat back as long as I can. We have to get her to an oasis."

Garet's Psynergy swelled and Isaac felt the heat receding somewhat. But it wouldn't be enough. They didn't have any water to give her, and eventually, Garet's Psynergy would run out. If Ivan didn't find them an oasis now, Mia might...

He refused to let himself think about that.

Isaac carried Mia and set her down gently beside Garet, and then he went to Ivan and knelt down in front of him.

"Ivan," Isaac said to him, in a calm, level voice. "Think back to your lesson with Hama. You used Reveal. You have the ability; you can do it. Remember what you did that time when it worked and you saw the box."

"I... I'm not sure," Ivan said, panicking. He kept glancing at Mia. "I-I..."

"Don't think about Mia," Isaac said, pushing Ivan's chin back over to face him. "Don't think about me and Garet, or the desert, or any pressure you're under. Don't think about anything but that moment."

Ivan closed his eyes.

"You're not in the Lamakan Desert," Isaac told him. "You're back at Lama Temple, with Master Hama. You're trying to see a box that doesn't want to be seen. What is she telling you?"

"Hama..." Ivan said slowly, as though the name was comforting to him somehow. "She... she said mirages here aren't like the ones from books. She said my brain didn't want to accept things as they were because I couldn't let go of what I knew."

Ivan opened his eyes in revelation. "Let go... That's it. I have to clear my mind. Think of nothing but what I'm doing; and stop trying to see what I think should be there!"

He tried once more, and this time, Isaac knew it had worked because he could feel the small pulse of Psynergy going through Ivan.

"Over there!" Ivan declared, pointing in a seemingly-random direction. "Right that way, there's an oasis! We can get Mia there!"

"Then let's go," Isaac said, moving over to Mia to carry her.

Ivan led the way, and they followed after him at a dash. Isaac couldn't see anything ahead, and he wouldn't have believed there was anything there at all, until suddenly he blinked and the oasis was in front of him.

The quickly filled up a canteen and gave Mia some water from it. Her eyes fluttered and she weakly took some sips, before passing out again.

"She's still really feverish," Isaac said. "Let's get her in the water so she can cool off. And then do the same ourselves."

"Heck yeah," Garet said.

After filling the remaining canteens, they stripped down and jumped in the water. Mia, they left fully dressed; her clothes would be soaked, but considering that they'd saved her life, she couldn't complain.

The water was incredibly cool, as though it was unaffected by the heat around them. In fact, now that Isaac thought about it, the oppressive nature of the heat from before was gone here. It wasn't just a pool of water; it was a sanctuary away from the evil of the desert.

"I can't believe it," Ivan said suddenly.

"What is it?"

"They're all over the place," he said. "The oases. I can see seven of them from where I'm standing now. How have we not run into any yet?"

"I'd say there's some kind of will to this heat," Garet said. "It's not natural, that's for sure. I wouldn't be surprised if it's been misleading us, keeping us from accidentally stumbling across any."

"Yeah," Ivan said. "Just like the box Hama showed me."

Hama knew exactly what we were heading into, Isaac thought. If she hadn't taught Ivan Reveal, we would have never made it.

"Let's just relax here for a bit," Isaac said to them. "Give Mia some time to wake back up. Now that we can see the oases, I think our travels here will go a lot smoother. I can't imagine things have much easier for Felix and friends."

They shared a laugh at that, and felt that the worst was behind them.

A/N: So right after I commented that I wanted to try to stick to a schedule of a chapter every two weeks, I disappear for another 8 months. Oof. At this point, I really do think I'm just jinxing myself. I'll stop trying to set goals for this story, for both my sake and yours. The only real goal I have here is to finish it some day.

In this chapter I had the fun task of trying to explain in a somewhat realistic way how invisible objects can be walked right through unless you use a move that lets you see them. Though I was worried that section maybe ran on too long, I ended up having a lot of fun explaining these concepts.

The scene with Felix and Jenna is one I've been eager to write for a while now. It doesn't stray too far from Felix's canonical motivations for helping the Proxians, and I think it made sense that he'd want to wait to tell Jenna until she'd had time to calm down and come to terms with what has happened. And if you're paying attention, you'll notice there is a very particular omission in his account of his time there; something you would think he would have brought up earlier. All I can say is that there's more going on here, and it will be revealed in following chapters.

Some of you might find it a bit odd that Felix is telling Jenna about the seal on Alchemy slowly killing Weyard so soon in the story. And there are a couple reasons for that. One, there was no real reason for he and Kraden to keep it secret in the first place, beyond preserving it as a surprise for the player. Two, it still makes sense for them to be unsure about it, since they have yet to see any definite proof (which they get in Lemuria). And three, it doesn't change anything with Isaac trying to stop them, as he wouldn't believe them anyway (which he points out to Jenna). So when you think about it logically, there's no reason for him not to mention it now, when he's revealing his motivations to her.

There was more I wanted them to talk about, but the scene was already running long. And there's still 9 more chapters left in the Broken Seal portion of the story, so they'll have plenty more time to talk before we begin their quest in earnest.

Feizhi's request to join them and Isaac's rejection was a kind of a twist on the popular fanfic trope of making her a pseudo-party member. Most notably, this was featured in Golden Sun: Book One by Master of Reality, where she tagged along through the Altin Mines and a few other sections. I do think Isaac has very good reasons for not bringing her along, if we treat his mission with the real-world weight it would actually have.

The section of the chapter with them going through the desert was a surprisingly intense portion to write; one of the most so that I ever have. I felt physically relieved by the time it was over.

Have you guys seen the Smash Bros leak? Spoiler alert if you haven't, I guess, but you can probably already imagine where I'm going with this. That's right, our boy Isaac is about 95% confirmed to be in Smash Bros Ultimate. There will probably be an official announcement before the next chapter comes out, but for right now just search up the 'Smash Grinch Leak' for the details. Pretty funny how, many chapters ago, I made comments about Cloud making it into Smash 4 instead of Isaac. It feels like an eternity ago that I wrote those first parts...

As always, if you liked the chapter, or have any thoughts or complaints, please leave a review in the box below! I'm not making any money writing this, so the little bits of feedback you guys leave are what make me keep going. It makes my day when I get those email alerts, so please take a few minutes and share some thoughts.

Next Chapter: Ivan returns home!