Golden Sun: Age of Light
By: Mokona-Midoki
Chapter Two
Thank you Bubblefox for the review! Everybody else who enjoyed it, please review. I'd really like to know what you think.
Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun. However, almost all the characters in this story are original. These include Noa, Ellora, Zephyr, Ivira, etc.
Noa stared at Zephyr. "The lighthouse? To ask the gods?" Her eyes went directly to the window, where far in the distance she could see the top of the lighthouse shining brightly with a steady light.
"Yes. I believe that the only way you will be truly able to understand this is to ask them." He told her.
"But, the only true way to speak to the gods is to go to the Lighthouse Sanctuary! And there's no way I'd be allowed up there! Even if Ellora is my sister!" The Lighthouse Sanctuary was at the very top of the lighthouse, where the beacon stood. It was completely off limits to everybody but Ellora, and those directly beneath her. No one was allowed up there unless they got direct permission from Ellora. And Noa knew, she'd never be allowed to go.
"Ah, but you are forgetting one thing." Zephyr said, a small smile playing across his face."
"And what is that?" Noa asked him.
"Me."
"You?' Noa looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
Zephyr's smile grew wider. "Have you forgotten who I am?"
Suddenly it clicked. "The Great Healer is allowed inside the Sanctuary! And since you're his assistant…"
He nodded. "So am I."
She felt excited for a moment then her face fell. "But Zephyr…how do you even talk to the gods? I thought it was impossible."
"I don't know how, but it's not impossible. There have been many accounts of people talking to the gods."
"But those are just stories, legends! Tales mothers tell their children at night."
"But in all legends lie truth." He looked at her now, his eyes locking with hers. "I do not know how, but Noa, you must go to the Lighthouse Sanctuary. You need to do this."
Noa held his gaze for a few moments then looked away. "I know…"
They were quiet for a moment, then Zephyr spoke. "So, when do we leave?"
"Now."
They snuck out of the city thirty minutes later, both on horses. Noa had traded her light purple dress for the pale blue robes of a healer. Noa wasn't so sure about pretending to be a member of the healers, but Zephyr had assured her it would be the only way they could both get into the Sanctuary. It was a beautiful day, but Noa didn't notice it at all. She was to busy thinking of what she had to do. Zephyr set a pace which was not a gallop, but instead a canter that made the landscape go quickly by. After about an hour or so of riding like this, he turned to her. "Have you ever been to the lighthouse?"
She shrugged. "Once or twice. It was only for ceremonial reasons though. I never actually went because I wanted to."
"Why not?"
"It just seemed like, I don't know. Like the time was never right for me to go."
"But now it is?"
She looked over at him. "Now, I have no choice. You said it yourself, Zephyr. I have to go to the lighthouse."
"Still, this will be the first time you will go to the lighthouse of your own accord."
"Yeah, I guess so." They were quiet for a moment, then. "Zephyr?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ever been inside the lighthouse sanctuary?"
"Only once."
"What's it like?"
He paused for a moment, considering his answer. "It's the most peaceful, and beautiful place I've ever been. It's completely open to the air, and it's almost like you can feel yourself and the wind become one. I have never felt something as profound as what I felt there."
"Will I feel that way?"
He shrugged. "Perhaps. People's reactions are all different."
They didn't say anything else for the remainder of the trip, until, finally, they reached the bottom of the mountain on which Jupiter Lighthouse stood.
"We'll need to leave the horses here." Zephyr motioned at a small stable that was off to their left a ways."
Noa nodded, and after they had left their mounts in the care of a slim young man, who didn't look like he could handle horses, they began to climb.
After about an half an hour's walk, they reached the foot of the lighthouse. It stood like a needle piercing the heavens, so tall that the highest points were lost in the clouds. Even so, Noa and Zephyr could still see the beacon shining brightly from the top. It had been created out of the same stone that made up the city of Anemos. But when, how, or who had built it had been lost in the stream of time and history. Noa paid no attention to it. It was the top she was concerned with. "Let's go Zephyr."
Zephyr put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Wait Noa."
"What is it?"
"From here on, I lead. Otherwise, we won't get very far."
She stood aside and waved him ahead. "Well then, by all means, lead on oh fearless one."
Zephyr laughed, and took the lead. "Don't forget to put up your hood, Noa."
Noa quickly pulled the cowl of the blue robe over her blonde hair, and fell in step behind Zephyr.
Climbing the stairs, they reached the great golden doors, only to be stopped by a pair of guards. "What business have you inside the Lighthouse?"
Zephyr smiled. "My name is Zephyr de Anila. I am the first assistant to the Great Healer, and have come to pay my respect to the gods." He then motioned to Noa. "This is Aira de Anila, my apprentice. I have brought her along in order to show her the lighthouse."
The guards eyed Noa suspiciously, but stood aside, and opened the great doors in order to let them in. As the doors closed behind them, Noa made to remove the hood, but Zephyr once again stopped her. "That's probably not a good idea. You'd better leave your hood up in case someone here recognizes you."
"It's hot with this on." She complained.
"Do you want to get into the Sanctuary or not?"
She fell silent.
"That's what I thought. Come on, this way." He led her quickly down the hallway, finally arriving at another set of doors with another set of guards. They passed inspection once again, this time arriving in a huge chamber. It was gigantic, stretching up into reaches that Noa couldn't see. On several pedestals stood statues of Jupiter spirits, but the thing that caught her eyes was the pillar of light that stretched from the floor up into the unknown space above them. It shone with a golden light, and sent golden sparkles floating through the air. Noa had only been here once, but it was just as magnificent as she remembered. However one thing puzzled her. She couldn't see anyway of reaching any higher level.
"Zephyr?"
"Yes?"
"How do we reach the top?"
He looked at her quizzically. "Don't tell me you've never been any higher than this?"
She shook her head.
"We go up through that." He pointed to the beam of light.
"How?"
"Here, let me show you." He led Noa over to where the beam struck the floor, and seemed to disappear. Grasping her arm tightly, Zephyr pulled her directly into the light.
As soon as they stepped into the light, Noa felt herself began to move upward at a much faster rate than when Zephyr had used hover at the healer's sanctuary. They rose higher and higher into the far reaches of the room, until finally, they rose through a hole in the ceiling, and came to a stop, standing on the beam of light, which supported their weight effortlessly.
They were in a room much smaller than the one they had left. Extending from the two sides of the room were two platforms, that stretched out to where the light ended, making it easy for anyone to safely step off. Noa and Zephyr did so, and with Zephyr still leading the way, exited the room which led to another hallway.
"How much farther to the Sanctuary?" Noa asked.
"It's at the end of this hall."
At the end of the hallway were two more guards. Unlike the two at the front entrance, these guards were armed with white and pale blue fragile looking lances. But Noa knew that they were far from fragile. Forged from the essence of the wind itself, they could cut through anything, and the guards who held them looked very skilled. As Zephyr and Noa approached the door, they barred they way with their lances.
"We are here to pay our respects to the gods."
The guards obviously recognized Zephyr, as they quickly pulled their lances aside, and bowed before they opened the doors to the Sanctuary. As the doors opened, Noa felt a breeze stir past her face, and she breathed in deeply. From somewhere far off, she thought she heard a strange melody playing.
Zephyr quickly led the way through. As Noa came out onto the Sanctuary platform, she gasped. It was glorious. They were higher than she had ever been before, and she could see what seemed like the entire continent of Hesperia laid out before her.
"Isn't it beautiful?" She breathed as she removed her hood. The wind swept around her, bringing stories of places and people she had never seen. She wanted to listen to them all, take them all in, but Zephyr pulled her out of her thoughts.
"It is. But that's not why we're here." Zephyr reminded her.
"Now what?"
He looked at her very seriously. "You must do the next thing on your own."
"What? But why?"
"I dare not accompany you on this part of your journey. You must speak with the gods on your own. I cannot accompany you."
"But-" Noa cast her mind for something to say to make him come with her.
"You can do this, Noa. I believe in you. Alright?"
She nodded. "Alright."
"Just remember, you must call on all the gods. Even Catastrophe."
"I know."
"Then go up those stairs. I leave the rest up to you."
Noa took a breath, stealing herself for what was to come. Then she went up the stairs and saw for the first time, the beacon of the lighthouse. It was a round platform that had statues of Jupiter spirits surrounding it. In the middle was a depression which, in the center, became a hole sinking into the depths. But the beacon itself was unlike anything Noa had imagined. It was a huge sphere of swirling light. Silver, white, and all the shades of purple, all swirled and danced together shining like a small sun. As Noa walked towards the beacon, she could feel her psyenergy strengthen in response to the beacon. Stopping where the depression started, she knelt reverently, and bowed low.
"Oh spirit of the lighthouse, hear my prayers. I call upon the gods of Jupiter, that I may speak with them. The spirits of the winds themselves, Atalanta, The heavenly huntress, Procne, goddess of the sky, Megaera, goddess of justice and vengeance, Flora, the wind rider, Thor, the mighty god of thunder, Eclipse, whose wings span the skies, and" She paused here, afraid to go on, to say the last name. "And Catastrophe, embodiment of destruction. Hear my cries, and know who I am. Noa la Solana de Anila. I am your humble servant, and beseech you that I may speak with thee." She reached inside the neck of her robes and pulled out her amulet. It was carved from white sylph and depicted the symbol of Jupiter upon it. Every member of the Jupiter clan bore one, given to them at birth. Once it was put on, it never came off. Without it, they would no longer be a member of the clan. It was the most precious thing she owned. Removing it for the first time, she sat up and held it out before the beacon. "I offer this as payment for the privilege of speaking to the Gods." She clenched her fist around it, and then with a agonizing slowness, tossed it into the beacon. Noa bowed low again, trying not to think about what she had just done.
At first nothing happened. Noa began to feel foolish, as she sat up. What had she been thinking?! Like the gods would talk to her! She had been stupid enough to believe that the dream might have been a vision, and now she didn't even have her amulet. She would have to leave Anemos, she would have to, but then, the wind which had been blowing gently picked up.
It was a steady breeze, but quickly grew stronger, and in less than a minute it had the strength of a gale. Not having the power or ability to stop winds this strong with her psyenergy, Noa did the only thing she could. She flattened herself against the ground as much as she could, and prayed that Zephyr was safe.
It grew stronger, and she could feel her clothes flapping around her violently in the wind. Then, there was a crack of thunder and she felt something sizzle past her face, to strike the hole above which the beacon swirled. She stayed still, sure that she was dead. Then, suddenly, just as quickly as it had come, the wind was gone, but the strange distant melody which she had heard before had returned, only much stronger this time. Then the voice spoke.
"Noa la Solana de Anila. Raise your head."
Noa raised her head slowly, more afraid than she had been in her entire life. And as her face lifted, she found herself face to face with the gods of Jupiter.
Footnotes:
Hello! I hope you enjoyed Chapter Two! I really worked hard on it. It was mostly description though, don't worry, it starts getting exciting soon. Anyway, here are the footnotes!
The Lighthouse Sanctuary: This is the very top part of the lighthouse, where the beacon resides. In the game, you always have to figure out a challenge or a puzzle in order to get into the Sanctuary. In this story, you have to be highly connected! I figure being the next Great Healer should be able to get you into the Sanctuary.
The Jupiter Lighthouse: The Lighthouse stands outside the city of Anemos. In the game it's a short distance from Contigo. I fabricated the distance, so that they could travel it in one day. It's also right up against the mountains, so I figured you'd have to do some climbing to get to it. The main room, transportation beam of light, and statues all appear in the game! And yes, the beacon basically is a swirling ball of color and light.
Zephyr and Noa's full names: I made these up. The name 'Anila' means children of the wind (in Hindi), so everybody of the Jupiter clan has this as their last name. Because Noa is part of the family of the high priest, she has an extra name. 'Solana' means wind from the east, in Latin. (Oh and by the way, Zephyr's name means 'strong wind' in Greek. Noa and Ellora don't mean anything as far as I know. I named them after two little girls I know. (They're sisters and the most adorable things ever.) Ivira I made up.)
The Gods of Jupiter: These are basically the summons in the game that require wind spirits in order to summon them. Technically, Eclipse, Catastrophe, Megaera, and Flora all require another element as well, but who says they only have to be god of one element? (Also, technically, there are two other gods who I could have included as a god of Jupiter. Coatlicue, goddess of life, and Moloch, god of ice and such. But it seemed more appropriate to let them be gods of Mercury (Water) instead.)
The Jupiter Amulet: Yes, I made that up. There is no such thing as a Jupiter amulet or a sylph amulet, for that matter, in the game.