Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun.
A/N: Short, I know. I'll try for longer next time.
Lord Destroyer, he was just reviewing chapter one, and I admit I wasn't very creative with that one. And hey, I was trying the Jenna approach! (laughs)
I stared in horror at the huge desert that lay before us. We'd eaten the generous dinner we had been given and we'd trekked over here. I knew the desert was big, but this was unexpected.
We were in the shade right now, on the cool ground, but I could see the hot sand.
I took a deep breath. "We gotta go out onto there." I stepped cautiously out of the shade.
Hot! Hot! Hothothothothothot! HOT! HOT! HOTHOTHOT! My feet, even through the boots, felt like they were on fire. I knew I was sweating fiercely, but I couldn't stop running. SO HOT!
"I can't stop sweating!" complained Mia. "I wish I'd brought a change of clothes."
"I'm so thirsty!" Garet cried. "Water! The heat doesn't feel bad, but...water..."
Ivan stopped running, and, his voice sounding raspy, pointed.
"What? It's just a bunch of rocks!" I snapped.
"No...Reveal..." he panted, linking arms with Garet and me.
I could see...water! Water!
I jumped right into the pool and then drank deeply, not even caring that my own sweat was in the water, as was the others. I was so thirsty and hot...
I really don't know how long we stayed in that oasis. Much too long, for when we got out the sun was starting to set.
I sighed. "We better go on to the next oasis and set up camp."
I took a step on the hot sand. I had forgotten the heat of the desert, even as the sun was setting.
HOT! I ran, not caring where, just running. Running...running...
I was panting by the time I reached the shade. Leaning against the wall, I gasped for air.
Garet settled next to me. "Little warm, huh?"
I could only pant in response.
Mia was next to reach the shade. "I HATE THIS DESERT!" she screamed angrily. "Mirages, heat coming up in waves..."
I didn't pay much attention to her ranting. Ivan arrived next.
"So...thirsty..." Ivan panted. "I hope...we'll find...another oasis soon..."
"...sweat all over me, hidden oases, and...huge lizards!" Mia finished urgently.
"Huge lizards?" Garet repeated in confusion.
"Like right there!" exclaimed Ivan.
The lizard tested the air with its tongue, eyeing us warily. It must have decided we looked too tough to fight, for it slithered off.
We crept along the edge of the shade until we spotted the next oasis. I led the way, dashing across the hot sand as fast as I could.
"Reveal..." Ivan commanded faintly.
But Reveal revealed that the circle held no more than a Psynergy Stone. We passed it around.
"I can't stand another minute of this!" wailed Ivan. "Where's an oasis?"
"Over there, I think." I answered, pointing. I was trying not to complain.
We all dived into the water happily when we reached it. Mia was complaining about the desert again to Garet, who was the only one who'd listen.
"Hardly any shade at all, burning hot sand, oases that aren't oases..." I heard her gripe.
I laid on the ground next to the oasis, trying to sleep. The last strains of sunlight were still on the horizon.
A bit hot, isn't it? Flint remarked cheerily.
Like you know about it! You didn't have to walk through it! I snapped.
So? I can feel your discomfort...it doesn't bother me, though. Flint replied.
Quartz joined our discussion. When are we going to get another Djinni? she demanded. I'm cut off from Djinni society! How am I supposed to know any news? It's all well and good to know your thoughts, but without anyone to tell-
What about Gust? Granite suggested.
Quartz sighed mentally. She already knows! And all Fizz wants to do is sob all day. I need Steel, or even Bane! Flower, Meld! Even another kind of Djinni!
What about Corona? Flint wondered.
She's never interested! Quartz complained. Now, Scorch would be great! She's a Mars! Ground even listens sometimes.
Yeah, I'd love to see my brother again... Flint thought wistfully.
Kite would be nice, too. she reflected. Spark. Tinder and Fugue sometimes listen, but they never tell. Ether, maybe. Haze.
Haze? Granite asked. Sounds familiar.
She's a Jupiter, Quartz explained. Tall. Sort of lazy. Spring. Sour. Somebody!
I'd love to see Bane again, too. Flint decided. Hope we get her soon.
Sap! Granite put in hopefully. Geode!
Geode, Geode, Quartz mused. There was something about him a few years ago, I think. He is supposedly the most powerful attack Djinni of all time. Something about a tournament?
Yeah, agreed Granite.
Vine! Flint suggested cheerfully.
Hey, I've got an idea-WHY WON'T YOU GUYS JUST BE QUIET?! I demanded mentally.
Why? wondered Flint.
I tried to ignore them as I rolled over.
Mia and Garet had stopped talking about the Lamakan and now Garet was describing Vale. Giving up, I stood up and looked around. Ivan was paging through some book he'd gleaned in Kolima, titled Alchemy in Action. Garet and Mia were dangling their feet in the oasis and chatting animatedly.
"Isaac!" Garet exclaimed. "Tell Mia about Jenna."
I stared at him in confusion. "Don't act like you didn't know her."
"But you knew her better!" he insisted. "You were her best friend! Please!"
"Please?" Mia joined in.
I sighed. "Well, um..."
"Start out with what she looks like." Garet commanded.
"Well, um, she's got this long auburn hair that she always ties in a ponytail, but a few wisps always escape," I started. "And she's got these big amber eyes that sometimes look green or blue in the right light. She's got a sort of tanned skin that blushes easily. And she usually wears pink, breeches if she can get away with it, and a skirt and top if she can't."
Mia nodded. "Go on. What is she like?"
"Um, she has a temper, and she's sort of quick to get to it. She's really adventurous..." I couldn't bring myself to go on. How could they make me tell Mia about my best friend? The friend that had been kidnapped?
"Go on." Garet prompted.
I sighed again. "Um, she has lots of great ideas, and she likes to take charge. She doesn't like to cry. She likes to fight with flames but she can heal, too. She likes poking fun at Garet...and me...and...and..." I gulped. "And Felix."
"All right. Thanks. What's Felix like?" she asked, directing the question at Garet. I breathed deeply and scooted as far away from them as I could, to avoid more grilling.
"Hi," Ivan said absently. "This is really interesting-did you know that Sol Sanctum was built with mythril silver, jade, amethyst, sapphire, diamonds, and pure gold?"
"Sol Sanctum's in there?" I asked in surprise.
"Yeah." he replied. "Do you know how the Elemental Lighthouses were built and how the Elemental Stars were created? And why?"
"No," I answered, curious.
"'Mercury was the first clan to suggest it.'" Ivan read. "'The Adepts of the Mercury clan had produced the Water of Hermes, a mystical substance able to cure any illness and even prolong life. They were happy to share with non-Adepts, but they refused to share their methods with alchemists. The Mercurians were pressed by the alchemists, but they still would not admit the secret of their alchemy. Finally, a young Mercury Adept gave in and told the alchemists the secret of the Water of Hermes. The leader of the alchemists discovered this and all the other secrets of alchemy known by the Mercurians. The Mercury Adept begged the leader, named Knute Ektun, to keep the secret.'"
"'But that was not what the Adepts had to fear. Ektun was a great but evil alchemist, and he planned to use the power of each clan to become the ruler of Weyard.'" Ivan continued. "'But the Mercury Adepts warned the other clans of Ektun, and the Elemental Stars were created. Each Star contains the literal spirit of an Adept of each clan.' How horrible. 'Each Star is the essence of the clan that created it. The Mercurians of Imil made theirs of ice, pouring the heart of water into it. The Jupiter clan, based in Contigo, made theirs of star dust, the light material they brought with them after the descent of the Anemos from the sky. Into their Star they placed the feeling of floating free on the wind. The Mars Adepts of Prox forged theirs of molten lava itself, placing the feeling of flame and heat into the Star. And the Venus Adepts from Lalivero made theirs of many metals from deep in the earth. They put inside the sturdiness and strength of the earth.'"
Ivan took a short breath and swallowed. "'Into the Elemental Stars they poured the essence of each portion of Alchemy. And then they used Psynergy to trap one Adept into each Star, after they had transferred most of the power of Alchemy into the unfortunate Adept.'"
"'And then they built the Elemental Lighthouses, the Laliverans idea. They placed inside puzzles to confuse anybody who might hope to light the lighthouse. For they did leave a way to return alchemy to Weyard, in the case that they may have been mistaken.'"
"Stupid." I muttered, not loud enough for Ivan to hear. "If they hadn't had that bright idea Jenna, Garet, Kraden, and I would be safe home in Vale." I didn't really want to lose Ivan and Mia, though...
"'And then all four clans found a place to hide the Stars-inside a volcano they named "Mount Aleph."'" Ivan read.
"'Deep inside the volcano they built a great palace of jade and mythril in honor of Luna and Sol. They called it "Sol Sanctum." And they placed more puzzles inside.'" he continued hoarsely.
"'And they created a guardian to guard the Stars-and what better guardian than Ektun himself? They mocked him, calling him "Wise One." Ektun was angry when they imprisoned him in a stone, yet he was happy also. For since he stayed near the powers of alchemy he so wished for, he was able to use them. He gained great power, and with that power came wisdom and he vowed to never let any man become like he had been.'"
Ivan coughed and I offered him water from the pool. He drank it gratefully. "'And the Adepts stayed in the settlement they had built, "Vale." Or at least, some of them did. But the Mercury Adepts craved the sea and the cold and the Jupiter Adepts felt too cramped in the valley. So only the Mars and Venus Adepts remained.'"
I thought about that as I fell asleep that night. Why had I never heard this story? I had lived in Vale all my life, and yet I had never heard this, even from Kraden. Of course, Kraden might have been planning on it...before...
I stifled my thoughts of Jenna and quickly fell asleep.
A/N: Do I really have to beg for reviews every chapter? Why don't you just review? I've seen my hits and I know that only a very small amount of people who read this review. So be different and review. Please.