Golden Sun: The Sands of Time

Chapter 23: Darkness

A tiny mound of cracked stones lay on a platform, in the middle of an impossible cavern, floating slowly in mid-air. Nearby, a silver scaled reptoid called the Chaos Wyrm landed on an adjacent platform to lick it's wounds.

Deeper in the cavern, various firefights were exploding, as several adepts tried to get a bead on the Rock Devil, and as a Mars Adept went toe-to-toe with an ancient Jupiter Adept.

Suddenly, the mound of rocks started quaking, and a bean of golden light exploded from the center of the formation, shattering the larger slabs and blasting away the smaller ones.

And amid the ray of light, a single figure could be seen crouching, one arm wrapped around a torn and bleeding shoulder.

"Huff… huff…" Isaac panted. Stumbling, he finally collapsed onto a nearby mound, gasping for breath. Turning his head, he caught sight of the Chaos Wyrm glaring at him with unbridled fury. Flapping it's wings, it let out yet another hoarse screech and flew over slowly.

Grimacing, Isaac groped about blindly, his hand finally coming to rest on the Sol Blade that lay nearby. Not that it would be much help in his current situation, he thought dejectedly. A sword did no one any good when you didn't have the strength to lift it. Still, he'd not die without a weapon in his hand.

Struggling to his feet, he wiped away the blood that was beginning to trickle into his eyes from a gash on his forehead. The Chaos Wyrm was right in front of him, all three heads staring at him with malice apparent in it's eyes. Crouching on all four clawed hands, it sprung at Isaac-

And the world dissolved into an ocean of pain. Isaac was vaguely aware of being smashed against various hard objects in rapid succession, of blasts of fire, lightning and ice searing into his body, morphing into one another to form a endless torrent of agony. He didn't care what happened, he ducked away, staggering back blindly, he didn't care where, he didn't care for anything except to get away from the pain, and oh, god, it hurts, it hurts, get away get away just please stop no the pain arrgghhh it hurts stop the pain please stop…

The pile of rocks shifted slightly. Moved some more. Then, an icicle stabbing out from the depths of the mound shoved away the largest of the boulders that had fallen from the ceiling.

And Mia crawled out. Battered, bloody, broken, she stumbled from the crevice, where the rocks had mercifully wedged each other up, creating a crack where she could just barely hunker down long enough to formulate the ice spell. Gasping for breath, she healed herself slightly.

Not enough. Not nearly enough. Psynergy power translated into physical strength. And her strength was exhausted. Her pack- it had a spare psynergy crystal she'd tucked away…

And then she saw it teetering near the edge of another platform, the mouth of her pack hanging over the edge; it's contents ready to spill out. Cursing, she gathered up her strength and prepared to leap the short distance to the sack.

A scream from Isaac soon distracted her.

"Searing Beam!" Jenna cried, hurling another ray of flame at Nara. Quickly, the Jupiter Adept sidestepped, rendering the spell useless.

Before Jenna could react, Nara created a vortex of swirling energy and hurled it at her.

Damn it. Sidestepping as fast as she could, the energy bomb nevertheless brushed the side of her arm as it flew past, instantly numbing it. Aw, crap

Frowning, Jenna retreated slightly, casting Aura on herself. The reddish glow surrounded her, healing some of her earlier wounds, but doing nothing whatsoever for her bad arm. Cursing again, she looked up-

To see Nara already standing directly in front of her, a tiny smile on her face.

How on Weyard does she move so- That particular train of thought thought was cut off rather abruptly when Nara's walking stick slammed into her chest, sending her sprawling.

Jenna lay gasping, then, slowly, painfully, she pulled herself into a half-sitting position. More difficult than it sounded, given she only had the use of one arm.

Nara stood in front of her, still grinning that incessant grin. Damn it, Jenna thought. What can I do to-

"A rather entertaining fight, all in all. Die. Now." A purple ball of light formed in Nara's hand, ready to be hurled-

"Shine!" Jenna cried. A blazing orb of fire surged forth, sending rays of burning light throughout the darkened cavern. With a howl of anger, Nara stumbled back, clutching her eyes.

Jenna allowed herself the briefest of smiles as she climbed to her feet. And once again, the field is even. Then her smile vanished. Or in her favour. Who knows what she's going to pull out of her bag of tricks? Still, I haven't much choice but to keep fighting, do I?

Isaac rolled, barely avoiding yet another claw that came smashing down onto the platform, gouging deep chunks from the stone. Hastily wiping the blood flowing into his eye, he grabbed at the Sol Blade, lying unused on the floor.

Scrambling to his feet, Isaac noted with some consternation that he was up against the very edge of the platform, leaving no more room to maneuver out of the way of the Chaos Wyrm's attacks.

Turning slowly, he stared at the shrieking beast in front of him, glowing red eyes filled with unnatural hatred, slavering mouths screaming incoherently, necks writhing wildly as slowly, ever so slowly, the Chaos Wyrm spread it's wings.

In that instant, Isaac realized two things with absolute clarity. First, there was no way in hell that he was going to survive this fight. The second was that there was no way in hell he was going to back down, either.

Lifting the Sol Blade, he pointed it straight at the Chaos Wyrm. "Come and get me, you oversized salamander!" He snarled. Growls emanated from all three of the heads, and the Chas Wyrm crouched, ready to spring.

Isaac narrowed his eyes. He would have one chance. That was all. Venus, lend me your strength. For one last time… Crouching slightly, Isaac glared at the Chaos Wyrm.

There! It's legs sprung, and the gigantic behemoth leapt, all three mouths open wide, snarling and showing rows of teeth.

"Ragnarok!" Isaac called. Another blast of golden light solidified into the Blade of Earth, and I rushed forward… and the Central head swerved at the last minute, rendering the spell harmless.

"No!" Isaac cried. But there was nothing. Nothing he could do anymore. Except watch that huge hulk rush up to meet him, closer, closer, so close-

A wave of Mercury psynergy rained down onto the Chaos Wyrm, staggering it and forcing it off its charge. Ice crystals, growing from fragments too small to be noticed into shards and blocks too large to be ignored, formed on the wings of the beast.

And it did not stop there. More ice crystals constantly sprouted, now surging forth to cover the torso and limbs of the Chaos Wyrm. Screeching hysterically, it swerved to face Mia, who was standing perfectly still on a further platform, eyes shut, as she focused every drop of power she had in her body into maintaining the spell.

Howling with rage, the Chaos Wyrm leaped… and made its fatal mistake. For now it was too heavy, it's wings frozen solid. It could not stay in midair. With a cry of dismay, the Chaos Wyrm started to fall.

With a desperate howl, it slammed its claws into the sheer wall of the vast room. It's claws, digging deep into the stone, and slowing it's descent.

But Mia hadn't finished yet.

More and more ice crystals formed on the silvery scales of the Chaos Wyrm, their added weight inevitably dragging down the huge beast, slowly at first, then faster and faster.

C'mon, Mia. Isaac thought. You can do it… kill it… quick… Then his eyes widened as the central head opened it's mouth, a reddish glow emanating from its long throat.

"Vine!" Isaac gestured almost carelessly, and roots and vines exploded from the wall next to the Chaos Wyrm, wrapping themselves round its jaws. It's flame spells constricted, the Chaos Wyrm could only struggle vainly against the tendrils that clamped its jaws shut.

"Mud!" Isaac pointed, and the Djinni in question leapt forth, spewing sticky mud all over the body of the Chaos Wyrm, further adding to the weight that threatened to drag the behemoth down into the darkness. And still the ice crystals, sparkling in the light, formed on its body, crafting larger and larger blocks of ice that added to the already inexorable weight..

Then it happened. The weight too much for the behemoth to bear any longer, it careened wildly backwards, sending into the inky blackness far below. As it fell, it let out one last incoherent scream, full of rage, anger, and hatred. These ants had come, and they had beaten him. It was inconceivable.

Isaac clamped his hands over his ears. The roaring seemed to go on and on and on… but it was fading. Cautiously, he walked to the edge of the platform. A tiny form, almost invisible in the distance, fell. Then it was gone, forever.

Isaac looked up. Mia hopped lightly onto the platform he was standing on, lightly tossing aside a psynergy crystal. They looked at each other. Clothes torn. Bruises and cuts showing all over their body. Their armor cracked and shattered.

They smiled.

"We won." Isaac managed. Mia started to nod, then stumbled, clutching her head. In an instant, Isaac was at her side, holding her up. "Are you going to be okay?"

Mia nodded, grimacing slightly. "I- I'll be fine. It's just- the spell took a lot of my energy. Give me some time to recover…"

"I will." Isaac laid her down on a stone block, and sheathed his sword. "You just rest, Mia. I'll deal with Nara." Saying so, he took off at a run, leaping to the next platform, and the next.

Picard leaned wearily against the wall of the cavern. The platform he was currently on had stopped moving long enough for him to get this short breather, and he was exceedingly thankful for it.

The Rock Devil was dead. That he could see. It's component piece lay scattered all over the platforms, some of them already thrown off into the dark below. Near him, who could see Garet doubled over, gasping for breath. Davion wearily drew another arrow from his bow, and indicated the central platform, where Jenna was currently locked in bitter battle with Nara.

Felix nodded agreement, and, hefting the Masamune over his shoulder, Picard prepared to join them.

Then the world exploded around them.

Night fell in Anthis. Sonya shivered slightly as she pulled a ragged blanket over her body. One downside (among many others) of living is a desert meant bitterly hot days and cold nights.

Tonight was no exception. Normally the lodgings built by the elves would have served to keep the elements at bay, but she was a refugee from Jorgmund, and the huge wave of them had strained the services of Anthis to breaking point.

Not that she wouldn't have minded there being slightly more of them…

"Mummy?" A quiet voice sounded beside her. Glancing over to her right, she smiled slightly as she saw her only daughter.

"What is it, Anya darling?" Sonya asked.

"Mummy… when's daddy coming back?" The tiny voice piped up. The smile on Sonya's face disappeared abruptly.

"When he sent us to the big hall… he told us he'd be back after we beat the red monsters… but he hasn't come back yet. Why? I want him here, mummy…"

Sonya pulled her daughter close, holding her tightly. "It'll be alright, darling. Daddy's just gone away for a little while… he'll be back… soon…"

Anya smiled at that, and cuddled up closer to her mother. In a few seconds, she was fast asleep.

Sonya continued stroking her daughter's hair softly as her gaze turned ever northwards. Lord Davion… wherever you are… you must defeat them… and return safely. Else everything… and everyone… that we've sacrificed… it'll all be in vain…

Geldor stood watching impassively.

Plip. Plip.

At the far end of the room, the boy had pinned the Jupiter Mage against the wall, holding her slightly up.

Plip.

Geldor narrowed his eyes. The boy had already thrust his sword forward, aiming it at her throat.

Plip. Plip.

In the darkness of the room, he couldn't really see what was happening, but he was able to surmise the situation rather easily.

Plip. Plip.

On the floor beneath the boy and the girl, there was a dark pool. As he watched, another droplet fell.

Plip. Plip.

In the darkness of the room, it looked black, although it very well could have been red.

Plip. Plip.

A coppery smell rose from pool of blackish liquid.

It was blood.

Sheba's blood.

Plip. Plip.

Another drop fell.

Plip.