Golden Sun: The Sands of Time

Chapter 22: The Gears of Madness

I cannot…

I cannot do this…

I…

Ah…

Dropping into a roll, Sheba narrowly avoided a fireball aimed in her direction. An instant later, a pair of them surged forward, one catching her directly in her stomach and dropping her to the ground.

As she stumbled shakily to her feet, she glanced upwards, glaring at the man who stood at the opposite end of the room, smirking at her.

"So you are the Jupiter adept…" He said mockingly. "And you believed yourself worthy of facing me?" He took two slow, deliberate steps forward, staring at her with disinterested eyes.

One hand wrapped protectively around her stomach, Sheba staggered back, leaning against the wall. It wasn't the fire spells that caused her to stumble back, potent as they were. No, that largely involved shock and surprise.

The man standing in front of her wasn't Saturos. Her rational mind managed to process that fact. But the man standing in front of her was a Proxian. Definitely a Proxian. The scaled shoulders, along with the fire-based psynergy spells he had just hurled at her, confirmed that. His ash-gray skin showed multiple scars, and red hair fell in messy bangs around his forehead.

But his eyes… Crouching, Sheba suppressed an involuntary shudder.

The Proxian's scarlet eyes seemed to glow in the dimness of the room. So much like… like him… Slowly forcing herself to stand straight, she fell back into a battle crouch.

"…" The Proxian eyed her for a moment. "What is your name, mage of the storms?"

"… Sheba."

"And mine is Geldor." Standing straight, he created another fireball in his hand. "Now, tell me, Sheba. What are you and your band doing in my fortress?"

"You know." She snapped, her voice cracking slightly. "Where is Ivan?!" She demanded.

"Oh… the other Jupiter adept." Geldor paused slightly. "He'll be fine." Then his eyes narrowed. "Which is more than I can say for you."

In an instant the fireball in his hand had expanded to almost three times it's original weight, and with a slow, lazy motion, he had launched it at her.

Throwing herself to the side as fast as she could, Sheba glanced back to see the fireball impact the ground and explode, sending flares through the room. One landed on her leg, earning a hiss of pain.

Silently, she bid Breath repair the damage she had taken so far, and turned to face Geldor again.

"Over here." Her head snapped up, and she spotted him further back, hidden in the shadows. Angrily, she cast Destruct Ray, watching with some satisfaction as the burning rays of light fell on him.

Dodging another stream of flame that he released, Sheba focused, emptying her mind of thoughts, save one.

"I summon the power of the raging winds! The breath of nature, and the songs of the land! Jupiter!" Concentrated blasts of air slashed down on Geldor, forcing the Proxian further back.

Driven by her fury, she increased the intensity of her attacks, until Geldor was practically covered in a cloud of dust thrown up from the cracked flooring. Then, in the midst of the melee, she heard the strangest sound of all.

Laughter.

Geldor was laughing.

"Ha…" The Proxian chuckled softly. "Hahaha… This is how you fight… how all humans fight. Displays of blind rage. Lashing out. Striking at anything you don't understand. Ironic, don't you think?"

"Ironic?" Sheba panted. "What-"

A massive wall of flame rose up around Geldor. "Not that it matters, I suppose."

Before Sheba could react, the flame wall surged forward, directly at her. No time to dodge, no time to run, no time, no time at-

"Tempest!" She called. Instantly, four windstorms swept up. Fueled by the raging power of the winds, they collided with the wall of fire.

Concentrate. She told herself. Silently channeling all her power into the spell, she fought against the wall of flame, which Geldor countered, his own eyes narrowing as he stretched out a hand, willing the burning barrier forward.

Come on, come on, push that stupid barrier back, damn it… Sheba growled silently as she staggered back. One step. Two. I. Will. Not. Fail.

"……" Geldor stared with crimson eyes at his opponent. … She possess powerful psynergy… and at such an age… One of the chosen? Shaking his head, Geldor's eyes widened slightly as he realized his flame barrier was being pushed back.

Not only that, but the windstorms… they were whipping his flames away! Clever, clever little girl. With a scowl, he dissipated the wall of fire, and braced himself for the feeling of hurricane winds slicing into him.

It never came. Glancing up, he noted that the Tempest spell stopped just short of him. With a wave of her hand, Sheba dispelled it entirely.

Geldor allowed himself the tiniest of smiles. So… this is how she wishes to play it. I suppose I'll oblige…

"Spark Plasma!" Sheba's cry culminated in violet streaks of purest lightning coalescing in her outstretched hand. Silently, she willed the essence of the spell to remain in her hand. She could throw it. Just not yet. Not yet…

"Where is Ivan?" She demanded again.

"I believe with established from our earlier tussle that I'm not telling you. Not unless you somehow beat me."

"Fine!" She flung back. Drawing, her hand back, she flung the blazing stream of plasma straight at Geldor, who didn't even make a move to dodge. He merely watched the streak of violet light surging forward, watching it rush up to strike him, as it would have-

If an identical bolt of plasma hadn't smashed into it, effectively canceling out both spells.

What? Tearing her eyes away from the Proxian, who still showed no emotion other than an odd gleam in his blood-red eyes, she caught sight of someone silhouetted in the doorway.

Sheba's eyes widened and she stumbled backwards. No. No, it couldn't be. It wasn't Ivan. The very idea of it was ridiculous. No. She almost had to laugh at the very thought of it.

It wasn't Ivan, not at all, despite the fact that the person glaring at her in the doorway looked vaguely like him, and sure, the clothes were identical to the ones he'd been wearing earlier before he was taken, but it wasn't Ivan, the primary difference being that Ivan was alive and well, and yeah, maybe rotting in a cell somewhere, but not- not standing in front of her and glaring, not with his hands crackling with psynergy, releasing a bolt of lightning straight at her, no, it couldn't be, just couldn't be-

It slammed into her, sending her sprawling. As she struggled back to her feet, she noticed a tiny trickle of blood coming from her mouth. Wiping it away, she stumbled backwards, pressing herself against the wall.

Her mind was screaming, her body ached with pain, but all Sheba could do was stared with dazed shock at Ivan, who stood before her.

For Ivan it was. But it was not the Ivan she knew. Not the Ivan she'd fought side by side with on their journey. Not the Ivan who'd always been there, whether she knew it or not, when she needed a shoulder to cry on, who'd held her and encouraged her when she faltered. He had been a well of quiet confidence and determination, and from there Sheba had drawn strength.

Now… Ivan glared at her with hard, cold eyes. Almost before she registered the movement, he had created a windstorm that raged through the room, pummeling Sheba and forcing her to her knees.

" I assume you're wondering why your friend is doing this to you. Quite simple, really. Nara installed a puppet personality in him when he was brought here. In other words, he's a living, breathing, zombie, who will do absolutely nothing unless I say so." Geldor informed her with all the pomp and candor he might have reserved for discussing the weather.

"You… Nnngh…" Sheba groaned as she reflexively countered a lightning bolt from Ivan, the shock of the attack jerking her back.

Ducking and rolling, Sheba managed –barely- to avoid a plasma ray crashing down on her. Damn. She thought as she climbed back to her feet.

"… You know, Sheba, the battle might go more in your favour if you fought back."

Sheba's eyes blazed with fury as she swung to confront him. "You expect me to attack my own friend?"

"He certainly has no qualms about it." Something seared into Sheba's back, dropping her with a cry of pain. Slowly, she managed to push herself into a half-squat, half-kneelintg position.

Ivan still stared at her, still with the same emotionless eyes…

Isaac growled in anger as the thick flames swirled around him. "Granite…" He said softly. "How long can you hold?"

(Not too long.) Came the weary reply. (If you have any ideas, master Isaac, I suggest you use them now.)

Glancing about worriedly, Isaac noticed the that Mia was unconscious, or close enough that he couldn't tell the difference anyway. Edging closer over to her, he noticed with some frustration that the Chaos Wyrm's three heads were trained on his every move. He would never be able to move fast enough to evade the sight of the all three of them, and that meant that he was stuck in this inferno.

Unless…Distract it. Of course. Glancing around, he formulated a plan.

Granite… I need you to strengthen your barrier. As much as possible. Please. Isaac requested of the djinni. Instantly, the barrier expanded to nearly twice it's normal size, an grew slightly less translucent, although Isaac noted with some worry that that edges were shimmering like an electrical storm. No time for that, though.

Aiming his palm outward, Isaac mentally focused, letting the strength of Venus surge through him. Then, with a blast of energy, he directed it through his palm.

"Ragnarok!" The golden sword, glowing with Venus Psynergy, exploded from his hand, soaring heavenwards. The Chaos Wyrm shrieked in surprise and flew lower, letting the projectile sweep harmlessly by.

Glad you think so highly of yourself. Isaac smirked. But I'm not after you. Not directly, at least. I have bigger fish to fry.

The Venus Blade slammed directly into the ceiling, shattering huge chunks onto it. As the Chaos Wyrm gaped in stupefied horror, blocks of it fell onto it, slamming it and forcing it to release it's Frozen Flame attack. Isaac allowed himself a grim smile. Success…

(Isaac… I can't… hold… it… any longer…) Granite's exhausted voice rang through his mind. Eyes wide, his head snapped up, in time to see the barrier give way an instant before the hail of boulders reached it.

Garet was mentally debating the merits of igniting the platform he was currently standing on with fire. On one hand, he was resistant to flame's effects, so he might be able to withstand it for some time. However, there was no guarantee that the Rock Devil (or at least the half focusing on him) would be any less resistant. And furthermore, Garet couldn't last forever in a firestorm.

No, setting the platform on fire would be a bad idea.

Which was why Garet was unhappy that he had already done so before thinking about it.

The Rock Devil was on the same platform as him, warily circling it to keep out of the range of the tongues of flame licking out it. Garet was doing likewise, Fire Brand drawn and at the ready. Currently the blaze was limited more or less to the center of the platform, but everything that could burn would soon do so. And based on Garet's personal experiences, as far as psynergy-induced fires were involved, everything could burn.

So.

Best to end this quickly.

With a war cry, Garet once again lunged at the beast, dodging stones that the creature hurled at him. "Flash!" A blast of red light, and a firewall surrounded Garet, bouncing the projectiles hurled from the Rock Devil as if it were annoying flies.

Leveling the Fire Brand, Garet ducked under one wild sweep of the monstrosity's arm and in the same fluid motion stabbed his blade straight through the beast's eye.

An inhuman scream sounded through the cavernous room, and the red orb that passed as an eye exploded, streams of crimson energy streaming from the core. Garet's mouth widened in triumph.

Stepping back and flailing wildly, the living rock staggered, shifted back, and finally collapsed on itself, it's stone particles reduced to so much rubble.

Raising his sword in a brief gesture of victory, Garet stumbled over to the remains of the 1st Rock Devil half. He noted out of the corner of his eye that Picard and the others were facing the other half, and gradually beating it back.

He noted that the Chaos Wyrm was getting pummeled by pieces of debris as it desperately tried to avoid the falling stone blocks. He couldn't catch sight of Isaac or Mia. Right now, he was too tired to care.

And right in front of him, he saw Jenna leaping from a platform towards Nara.

In mid-leap, Jenna unleashed Searing Beam straight at Nara. The far older woman simply looked up at it at smiled.

"Usurp." She didn't say any more. She didn't need to. The concentrated ray of fire stopped as if it'd slammed into a brick wall, before reversing and heading straight at Jenna.

Her eyes widening momentarily in surprise, Jenna nevertheless acted quickly. "Kindle!" She yelled, releasing the djinni, and felt her strength surge. Swinging a Salamander Rod in a wide arc, she hit the Searing Beam head-on, sending it away into the darkness, before landing in a crouch on the exact same platform as Nara.

The entire process hadn't taken more than five seconds.

Both of the two combatants stared at each other, sizing each other up. Then Jenna moved her staff so that she could grip it properly, and shifted into a battle position.

"Here I come." She said softly.

Sheba dodged another bolt of plasma as it smashed into the wall directly behind her, tearing chunks from it. Several chips of stone flew out, cutting her face and causing her to stumble in pain.

That was all the time Ivan needed. In one swift motion he had lunged forward, and slammed her into the wall. With a grunt of pain, Sheba forced open eyes that were blurred by blood flowing into it from her cut forehead, and glanced at Ivan.

He was holding himself too casually, without bothering to guard himself. He didn't need to. Somewhere in his mind he had calculated that Sheba wasn't going to fight back directly, so he could afford to do so.

And he was right.

Sheba's eyes widened as Ivan raised the Tisiphone Edge, glinting in the faint light. At that moment, Sheba couldn't believe this was happening, that she was staring death in the face.

"Ivan…" She managed to groan. "P- please…"

Ivan's eyes widened for a moment, and he seemed to waver for the slightest second. Then, he shook his head once, as if to clear any remaining doubts. Then, his eyes clear and focused, he stabbed forward.

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