Wings of Anemos

by HyrulianJedi

Generations ago, the Kings of Anemos took their people and fled the world, becoming little more than a myth. When myths come alive, however, Weyard's most recent heroes find themselves struggling to balance their own issues in this new world against the future of Weyard itself, learning the price some must pay to be heroes.

6. Gathering Allies

Golden Sun: Wings of Anemos

Chapter 6 – Gathering Allies

- \/\/ -

The scratching of his quill on the papers filled Ivan's ears with sound. Nothing else moved, nothing else mattered except the paperwork he had fallen behind on. The words on them blurred together as he wrote endlessly, the mound of unfinished work seemingly growing larger and larger.

"Ivan, come on! Let's go!"

The boy turned around to find Isaac standing in the study, a grin on his face and gesturing for Ivan to follow. "I can't," he said. "I've got to finish this work."

Isaac's grin only widened. "What work?"

Ivan glanced back at his desk and found it completely devoid of papers, barring the one on which he had been writing, which was now blank. Instantly nervous, he stood up and began searching around the desk, wondering if a breeze had blown them to the floor, or if Garet had played a prank on him. If he lost those papers...

"Ivan, come on."

He paused, recognizing the voice as Mia's, but before he could turn and ask, a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the desk. As he stumbled through the doorway, he turned and found himself exiting his cabin on Babi's ship. Glancing back, he saw the furniture from his study in there, and decided he must have moved it there so he could continue working while traveling.

As he turned back, he realized Mia's hand had grabbed him, not Isaac's. She continued pulling him to the bow, but a sudden drop of water caused him to stop and look up. A dreary gray covered the sky from horizon to horizon, dropping a fog down to the ocean in the distance. Another drop of water landed on his forehead, then one on his cheek, and then the sky opened up to unleash a torrential downpour.

"Mia," he called, looking back down, "let's go back inside. It's raining." Mia could not be seen any more, though. In fact, the deck was devoid of life, save him. He turned back around, searching for Isaac, but he had vanished as well.

Assuming Mia had just grabbed Isaac while he had been distracted by the rain, he walked back into his cabin and shut the door. After glancing at his desk and deciding that he had no desire to do more paperwork, he climbed into his rack, threw the blanket over himself, and went to sleep.

- \/\/ -

Isaac looked over as both Hama and Mia entered the study, taking up spots on the wall opposite him. Ivan stood next to him, even more silent than normal. Garet leaned against Kraden's desk in front of the window, Aaron seated on top, while the old man sat behind it, scribbling away at some document. Jenna and Sheba each sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, talking quietly about something. Alex stood beside the window, his arms crossed on his chest.

Once the door had closed again, Felix cleared his throat from where he stood beside Kraden, causing the old man to set down his quill. "Alright, now that everyone's here, I'd like to discuss our next moves."

"At the moment," Kraden began, "we know Imil is fine, now, and that Lalivero is untouched. Unconfirmed still are Prox, Lemuria, Champa, and Contigo, but Champa is the only one we are worried about."

"Assuming that Anemos only has Jupiter Adepts, and that Hama's dreams were accurate in this matter, we think Prox has been struck by an enormous sealing spell." Felix's mouth twitched during the brief pause in his words, but otherwise, Isaac saw no indication of the worry he knew the man felt. "I know they have means to survive until the seal wears off, but that could be days. I would like to visit personally, taking Alex with me to lift the seal. Sheba will be our transport.

"Lemuria seems to have encountered a hurricane," he continued. "I don't expect these are new to them, but this could potentially draw Piers back there. Since we still haven't been able to catch him, I want to send a small party there to wait for him, and also assist with anything they need. Mia, I'd like you and Garet to do this."

"Will they let me in?" she asked. "I know they're very isolationist."

Kraden nodded. "As a healer of Imil, member of the Mercury Clan, and fellow Mercury Adept, I don't see a problem with you getting in. Just...don't mention us. Say you got lost in the hurricane."

"They won't check for our boat?" Garet asked.

"No reason to," Kraden said, smiling slightly. "How else would you get there?"

The door opened suddenly, one of Kraden's young servants peering inside. Isaac thought he looked rather similar to Ivan. "I apologize, my lord, but a letter has just arrived for you."

"Thank you, I'll deal with it when I'm done here," Kraden said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.

The boy did not move. "It was marked as high priority, sir. From Lemuria."

Kraden's eyebrows rose, followed shortly by the rest of him. "I'll go take this, then. Keep going, Felix, we've already talked enough about the plans." He pushed in his chair before stepping around the desk and following the servant out into the hallway.

"Our last group will head to Champa," Felix said once the door shut again. "Jenna, they'll remember you, so you shouldn't have a problem there. The suspected damage should be mostly around Ankohl Tower, but the tornadoes may have come close to Champa itself. Given that the entire city is cliffs and docks, if they did, expect severe damage. Ivan, you'll be the transport."

"What about Contigo?" Ivan asked. "Isn't anyone going there?"

Felix shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. Anemos likely settled back down there, to stay close to the lighthouse, in case they needed to use it again. By now, they've probably realized the state of the world, and aren't rushing for anything."

Isaac frowned. "Couldn't Hama go, though? She's a Jupiter Adept, so they won't hurt her."

"That won't matter," Hama said. "I am Quetzalcoatl, the leader of Contigo. If they don't kill me outright to establish dominance, they'll force me to help them under pain of death."

"You could use that to help any non-Jupiter Adepts escape Contigo, though," Sheba said.

She shook her head. "Deceit of a Jupiter Adept is a difficult task. I wouldn't dare try it with them."

None of them had thought about that, Isaac realized as he watched everyone's faces. How do you keep a secret from someone who can read minds? How do you catch someone by surprise if they can see the future? How do you hide something from the eye that sees the truth?

"Regardless," Felix continued, "Hama cannot teleport without the aid of the lapis yet, so we're limited to three groups at any time. Unless Alex can teleport," he said casually, glancing over his shoulder at the man.

Alex simply shrugged. "It's a possibility. I've yet to try it, but I imagine if I used the lapis once to understand how, I would figure it out. As Hama has pointed out, though, travel to Contigo is ill-advised for now. Let Anemos grow docile as they realize the state of the world, while we gather information on how best to stop them."

"Is that why we're being so secretive about this meeting?" Jenna asked, nodding her head to the door.

"Yes," Felix said. "I don't want any word of our plans to get to Anemian ears. They'll know powerful Adepts still exist; the lighthouses are lit, after all. However, I think they'll have difficulty trying to pin us down right now. Weyard, though recovering from her hibernation, is still a big world."

Mia leaned forward, shaking her head. "But won't they-"

At the sound of the door opening, she fell silent. Kraden stepped back inside, shut the door behind him, then turned to look at them all. "I think we might have a change of plans."

He ignored the questions nearly all of them called out immediately, returning to his desk and sitting back down with a soft groan. Placing the letter on the desk in front of him, he folded his hands in front of it as Felix began reading over his shoulder. "This letter is from Lunpa. Piers has been found."

Jenna whooped loudly. "Let's get him, then!"

Shaking his head, Kraden said, "He's not been ahead of our letters. He's been stranded in Champa for almost three months."

Felix swore quietly, obviously reading ahead of Kraden's words. "But his boat's been all over the place," Garet said. "People have seen it everywhere in the Eastern Sea."

"It was stolen," Kraden said calmly. "Pirates stole it while he was in Champa. My guess is that he had forgotten everyone could use Psynergy, now."

"Meaning everyone could get into his boat." Ivan groaned, tilting his head back. "He's been there this entire time, probably trying to get ahold of someone."

Kraden nodded. "Lemuria only just got a message from Piers recently. He's probably tried sending them by land, but unless birds are carefully trained, they'll get lost easily. Sending one to Lemuria, though much more difficult, ensures the letter will go to the island, if anywhere."

"We'll need to pick him up in Champa, then," Jenna said.

"And then get his ship back," Hama said. "The time will come when we'll not want to be recovering from teleportation upon arrival somewhere. Also, the ship will allow us to pursue Anemos should it return to the sky."

"That's not all," Felix said, looking up from the desk. "King Hydros is asking for us, specifically."

"Noted. We can put it on our list of things to do," Garet said, rolling his eyes.

Shaking his head, Kraden said, "Hydros is an old and powerful Adept, Garet. We would do well to have his help in this fight."

Jenna looked up at her brother. "What do you want to do, then?"

Felix said nothing for a few seconds, his eyes staring back down at the letter. At times like this, Felix reminded Isaac why he had taken leadership of their group: Isaac simply had no idea what to do right now. Felix always managed to distribute each of them where they would be most effective, often with very little thought. Given time, Isaac could draft up good plans, but to Felix, such preparations seemed to be instinctual.

"Hama and I will head to Champa for Piers," he said at last. "The rest of you will head for Lemuria and inform them of our delay. We'll meet up with you there. If you should need to separate, split into two groups and meet back here. If Tolbi is compromised, go to...Prox."

"What? Why are only you and Hama going?" Sheba asked, sounding slightly indignant.

"I don't expect trouble in Champa," Felix said, "so I don't want too many people to go, but if there is, I'd like as well-rounded a group as possible."

Hama nodded. "I agree. Between the two of us, we should at least be able to get out of any trouble."

Felix looked over at Isaac. "You'll be in charge of everyone until I get back, Isaac. If something happens, keep everyone safe."

"I will." He maintained a straight face, but on the inside, Isaac felt his insides harden. Playing leader had been a necessity before Mia joined them, and by that point, none of them wanted to follow anyone else, but he had turned leadership over to Felix gladly. A good friend, sure. A good follower, absolutely. A good leader? He had never thought so, though others often told him otherwise.

Nodding, Felix turned to Hama again as he walked around the desk. "Grab what you need, then meet me outside. We'll leave now."

The two walked out together, leaving everyone to stare at Isaac. He swallowed, feeling it pass by that long-avoided lump in his throat. "Alright, let's get together some supplies. I want a week's worth of food packed, just in case. Make sure you've all got your cloaks and a spare set of clothes. Keep it light, though. If we wind up needing them, then we're going to be on the run."

"I'll see to getting you the food," Kraden said, standing. "Ivan, would you come with me?"

"Of course, Kraden," the boy said immediately, following him out, though not before looking at Isaac, then turning his gaze pointedly at Alex for a few seconds.

"I can take the hint," the man said before Isaac could reply, pushing himself away from the window and stretching briefly. "I'll be waiting by the door."

Garet waited for him to leave, then pulled a very reluctant Aaron down from the desk. "I'll be in my room. Give me a knock when we're ready."

Isaac nodded, stepping forward as they walked by, moving in the opposite direction towards the great window. His hand reached up and gently touched the charm that hung on the chain around his neck, his eyes taking in the imagery. Whatever faults Babi had, he certainly knew how to demonstrate flair. The window, though made entirely of clear panes of glass, had been divided into segments by pieces of wrought iron that twisted across the wall's opening. At a quick glance, the lack of color would make one think the bars had just been haphazardly assembled, but upon a closer inspection one would find a map of the world.

Though Isaac, as he looked at it, could tell the map had lost accuracy with time, as Felix had told them. The Karagol, though already an enormous sea, seemed to be massive enough to swallow the entire Suhallan Desert. Certainly more than a week's journey to cross, he guessed. It took him a few more moments of looking to realize that Lemuria had not shrunk, Indra had simply moved. He gaped as understanding dawned on him, amazed by the idea of such an enormous continent actually moving.

"Wild, isn't it?"

He dropped his hand as he turned around to find the girls watching him, though Jenna had been the one to ask. A small smile played around her and Sheba's faces, though the window very quickly stole Mia's attention, as well. "I've never seen an old map before," Isaac said, shaking his head. "It's incredible seeing how much has actually changed."

"If you think that's crazy, you should have seen the ancient one," Sheba said. "Hydros had a map from when he was young, and it looked nothing like Weyard. At all."

"Look," Mia said, pointing to the top of the window. "It looks like even Prox used to be connected to the continents."

Isaac followed her finger and realized she was right. Instead of the scattered pieces of icebergs that floated in the northern sea, a very solid land bridge connected from Imil to Prox, though the former seemed like it had shifted since. "It really makes you wonder just how important all these places were in the past."

Mia nodded. "Like all the places we saw, too. Remember the ruins beneath Altin? I've looked, but I've never found anything that talked about a civilization there. We're the first people in hundreds of years to know about it."

"Yep," Jenna said. "We found stuff like that, too. Old remnants of cities, ancient towers, that sort of thing."

Mia looked back to the map. "And if we're not careful, people hundreds of years from now will find our cities and wonder who built them."

Both Jenna and Sheba fell silent, looking at each other briefly. Isaac felt that familiar weight settle over his shoulders, nestling in comfortably across the back of his neck. At least this time, he had much more help, he supposed. When he had first left Vale, he had absolutely no idea how to go about accomplishing his goals, but now, he knew they would just need to organize themselves. He firmly believed that, together, their strength could counter that of Anemos.

It would just be incredibly dangerous.

"Let's get finished packing," he said, stepping away from the window. "I don't want to keep Hydros waiting."

- \/\/ -

"Felix, do you have a history here that you neglected to mention?"

"...I may not be on the best of terms with some of the city."

Felix glanced around the docks again, fighting back his stomach's turbulent urges while trying to count how many sailors had gathered arms the moment they caught sight of him. At around twenty his vision swam and he became unsure of which he had already counted, then gave up. The number did not matter.

"Look," he said, "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just need to-"

"We remember the last time you came," a middle-aged sailor said quietly, holding his sword confidently. "The explosions from the upper chambers shook the whole cliff."

"That wasn't-"

"Briggs even warned us you might come back," another said, this one about Felix's age. "Said you would want to settle things with him."

"Said you were probably still sore about last time."

Felix rolled his eyes, then glanced at Hama. "How good are you at controlling your hits?"

Raising an eyebrow, Hama said humorlessly, "Good enough to leave them with nothing more than a splitting headache...when they wake up six hours from now."

Turning back to the sailors, Felix held up three fingers. "You've got three seconds to move out of my way." One finger dropped. "Otherwise..." Another finger dropped. "...I'll move you myself." His last finger dropped, and with it, the wooden planks of the pier. All around them, the sounds of splintering wood and splashes could be heard as the majority of the men fell through the newly created holes, floundering about in confusion.

Hama gestured at the few that remained in their way, quickly relocating them to the water. Their path clear, Felix hopped forward, stepping onto the vertical log that once held a section of the pier and using it to cross the gap. Hama chose not to bother, simply making the leap in one jump. As she landed, Felix glanced at her. She replied with another raised eyebrow, but he simply shook his head and began walking.

He could hear shouting from the docks as they reached land, but no one else chose to follow. A wise decision, he thought; a Venus Adept on the water had limited supplies to work with, but one on land knew no such restrictions.

Granted, nor did a Chi-trained Jupiter Adept. Felix felt a mild disappointment creep in; he had disposed of their welcoming party so fast that he had not had the opportunity to see Hama fight. As a master of kung fu, one trained in mystical energies of both mind and body, Felix suspected that the woman utilized a fighting style he would never again see replicated.

He knew she could fight, and fight well, of course. One did not become so highly revered in the martial arts world without significant skill, after all. That aside, however, Felix never passed up an opportunity to watch a new style, to see what aspects of combat its user focused on, to learn new mindsets that could help him fight. His journey had already given him many such opportunities, but he had no intention of halting his self-improvement. A warrior who became content with his skills became lax, and soon dead.

As they walked through the brief stretch of town that resided on flat land, he glanced around at the other townspeople. Most seemed to ignore them, though a few stopped to watch curiously, their attention drawn by the commotion from the docks, most likely. None bothered to try and divert them, or even seemed to care. One young woman's face lit up in recognition before she smiled shyly at Felix, raising her hand in a small wave.

"Not the best of terms, hmm?" Hama asked with a smile.

"I have no idea who she is," Felix said honestly, raising his hand briefly in response. "Apparently, I have a few conflicting reputations around here."

Hama made a sound of agreement. "Both feared and loved. What man could possibly remain unswayed when surrounded by such strong convictions?"

Felix glanced over at the woman for a moment, then looked forward again. "I never would have suspected you to be such a heavy reader, Master Hama."

"Oh?" She tilted her head to the side, obviously amused. "And what makes you think I have time for reading between training my Chi, training my Psynergy, training my kung fu, training my students, interpreting my visions, and orchestrating events to allow you to save the world?"

"You've the rhetoric of either a scholar or an orator."

"I could say the same of you."

Smiling, Felix said, "I suppose you could call me an apprentice scholar. Kraden's dug his talons in too far, I'm afraid."

"You're right, of course," she said after a moment. "I frequently read while meditating. It allows me to train my mind to focus on two opposing tasks simultaneously, something very important in utilizing both Chi and Psynergy. Where exactly are we headed?"

Felix stopped, looking up. They had reached the cliffs, the nest of tunnels waiting inside to carry them throughout the city proper. From the cave mouth, Felix could hear the long-traveled echoes of voices, occasionally punctuated by the crash of waves against a lower mouth. Last time he had visited, Briggs had doused all the torches in the cavernous paths, forcing Jenna to lead them all through. This time, he had obviously not arrived with enough warning for Briggs to have taken all his preparations.

That made things much simpler. "We're going to find the leader of Champa, Briggs. He knows Piers, so if anyone knows where he is, Briggs will. If he doesn't..." Felix shrugged. "We convince him to remember."

Hama looked at him for a moment in silence. "You're quite merciless when in a rush, aren't you?"

"I'm not in much of a mood for negotiations right now," he said shortly, starting into the tunnel. "Briggs is a pirate. He responds to violence, not words, so I've got no intention of wasting them on him."

"So do you think his men stole the boat, then?"

"Not on his orders," Felix said, shaking his head. "He said he only pirated out of necessity, to keep his people fed. Unless they planned on eating the ship..."

He continued on in silence, trying to remember the way around. The tunnels looked significantly different in the light, and their slight curving threw off his sense of direction. All he could really remember was that they needed to go up.

A small, red-headed child stepped from around the corner up ahead, dragging a wooden sword along the ground behind him. For one wild moment, Felix thought Aaron had somehow followed them to Champa. It faded immediately, though, when he realized the child in front of him could not be older than four, yet had probably twice as much hair as Aaron. Still, he did look familiar...

"Eoleo?" he called and the boy turned to him. "Do you remember me, Eoleo?"

The mass of red nodded, then pointed at him. "You're Felix. Papa was talking about you."

"Was he? Could you take me to him?"

Eoleo continued to stare at Felix for a few moments before responding. "He says you're gonna hurt him."

Felix sighed. While he had been willing to use force only minutes before, if Eoleo was present, he doubted he could bring himself to it. "I just want to talk to him, Eoleo. I'm looking for one of our friends."

"I know," the boy said calmly. "Papa's just afraid you'll get angry."

Felix's eyes narrowed slightly. What would Briggs be afraid of him getting angry about? Before he could open his mouth to ask, though, another voice echoed through the tunnels. "Eoleo! Eoleo, lunch is ready!"

The boy waved at them, then turned around and walked back the way he came. Felix shared a brief glance with Hama, then followed the child. Eoleo gave no indication that he knew they were following, nor any that he cared. He navigated the path much more confidently than Felix had, his sandaled feet tapping out a steady, quick rhythm on the smooth rock.

As they turned a corner after him, the boy had vanished. A thick, red curtain covered one section of the wall, swaying slightly. Cautiously reaching out with one hand, the other resting on his sword, he slowly pulled aside one half of the curtain, peering inside.

No ambush awaited him, nor a trap of any kind, so he entered, holding the curtain up for Hama. Inside, Eoleo sat at a table, swinging his feet at the edge of the chair, a sandwich in his hands. His mother, Chaucha, stood across from him at the table, slicing up a loaf of bread with her back to the door. Felix could hear her humming a tune softly while she worked, though he did not recognize it.

After a few seconds, Chaucha placed the knife down, stacking the bread onto a wooden plate, then turned around. Immediately her hand reached back and grabbed the kitchen knife again, holding it out threateningly. A moment later she lowered it, recognizing him. "Felix! You startled me..."

"Sorry, Chaucha, that wasn't my intent," he said, bowing his head briefly. "I also don't mean to intrude, but..."

"You're looking for my husband."

He looked back up to find her eyes locked on him, her whole body tensing again, before he remembered Eoleo's words. "I only want to talk to him," he said quickly. "I'm looking for Piers."

Chaucha relaxed, though only slightly, then set the plate of bread back down on the table. "Yes, he's here. Did one of his messages finally get to someone? We don't have any trained birds here, so he wasn't sure if they were getting anywhere."

Felix nodded. "Indirectly, but yes, we got word he was stranded here when pirates stole his ship."

The woman's hands rung at the front of her apron, then smoothed it down again. "And is that why you're looking for Briggs?"

Before Felix could reply, Hama stepped up next to him. "Miss...Chaucha, was it? I am Master Hama, of Lama Temple. I apologize for interrupting, but I think we will get through this faster if you tell us what you know...and why you're so nervous. We're here only to get Piers, nothing more."

Chaucha looked over at Eoleo, who smiled at her from behind his sandwich. She returned the smile, then sat down. "Piers docked here a few months ago, seeing what work he could find. During the night, some...people stole his ship and sailed it away. All of our seafaring ships are currently out, leaving only the fishing boats, so he had no way of leaving."

Hama nodded. "And who are these people?"

She glanced away, falling silent, but Felix had figured it out. "They're Champan, aren't they? You thought if I found out it was stolen by Champans, I would think your husband was at fault."

"He's not, though!" she said heatedly, looking back at him. "He's stayed true to his word! The seas calmed and the fish returned. Food hasn't been an issue, and he hasn't stolen anything. But...some others...found the ease of piracy too tempting. They've been at odds about it for months, and when Piers showed up, they saw their opportunity."

"Trust me, if I could get my hands on them, I'd break their legs so they could never sail again."

Felix turned back to the doorway to find Briggs standing there, filling the frame with his enormous stature. "Hello again, Briggs."

The man nodded curtly, eying him warily. "Felix. I've sent for Piers." He paused briefly, then said, "You do believe us, don't you?"

"Oh, I'm not entirely sure." Felix folded his arms, finding a small amusement in watching the sweat form on the sailor's forehead. "We received a strange welcome, given your supposed innocence. Why would every sailor on the docks suddenly try and stop us from finding you?"

Briggs glanced at Chaucha briefly, then at Hama, then back at Felix. "Well, eh, I'm sure they were just, y'know, thinking of the last time you were here."

"Oh?" Felix raised an eyebrow, making sure to tilt his head to exaggerate the effect. "That's odd, because I'm fairly certain one of them mentioned how you said I might come back to... What was it again?" he asked, turning to Hama.

The woman clenched her teeth together as she answered. Felix suspected that it was simply to avoid smiling, but it had the added effect of making her look angry. "Something about settling scores."

"That's right, that," Felix said, looking back at Briggs and fixing him with a cold glare. "Now, what might I be settling, here?"

Briggs fidgeted slightly, then stepped back once. "Well, I might have, uh, told the events of our last meeting a bit differently than how it actually happened. Purely for morale reasons, of course! I had become a beacon of sorts for Champa, and I didn't want that hope squashed because of...well, you know."

Felix continued to glare at Briggs in silence for a few long seconds, before he heard the sound of giggling behind him. "You're funny," Eoleo said. "But I think Papa really believes you."

The sailor looked at his son, then back at Felix, who could no longer restrain the small grin that crept onto his face. "Consider that your punishment for lying," Felix said, his hands shifting to his hips. "You're got a smart son. He'll make a good pirate some day."

Frowning, Briggs said, "That's not funny. Eoleo is the last person I want to see turn to pirating."

"If we didn't have more pressing..." Felix's voice trailed off as the curtains parted once more, a blue-haired head poking inside. "Well, well. If it isn't the Lost One."

Piers grinned and stepped inside, embracing Felix tightly. "I see someone finally received my message. How are things?"

Felix stepped back, looking down. "I suppose news hasn't quite reached here yet. We've...got some problems."

As he told them of the reason behind their sudden twisters, Chaucha seated them all at the table and served them fresh fish sandwiches. Eoleo, already finished with his, continued to sit patiently at the table, resting his cheeks on his hands and listening intently to Felix.

"We'd heard rumors about Anemos, but this...this sounds bad," Briggs said after a long silence, glancing at Eoleo. "So these Jupiter Adepts...they control wind?"

"And lightning," Hama said. "Among other things."

"Doesn't sound like Eoleo's powers, then," he said softly, staring at his son.

Hama turned her own gaze to the boy and examined him unblinkingly for a moment. "No. Your son wields the power of Mars, that of fire. He is at danger."

Chaucha dropped her chin into her hands, covering her mouth. "What can we do?"

"Nothing," Hama said. "The Anemoi are too much for you to help against directly."

"Then let us help you with what we can," she said quickly. "Please. If there's anything we can do, let us know."

A brief moment of silence filled the room before Hama said in a soft voice, "Actually...there is something we still need."

- \/\/ -

Piers hauled himself over the rails, his boots landing on the deck of the Kailani in a loud thud. Several of the men that shared it with him looked over, curious as to the source of the noise. Immediately a cry went out as they drew their weapons, surrounding him at the brow.

Sighing, Piers said, "You do realize I'm taking my ship back, and that nothing you do can stop me, don't you?"

"And just how do you plan on moving her, exactly?" one asked. "She's beached, you half-wit."

"You steal the world's only flying ship and then forget what makes her unique? Who is the half-wit, exactly?" Piers shook his head. "I want you all off the Kailani, now."

Another pirate laughed. "Why would we walk off our ship, exactly? You're significantly outnumbered, even with your skill in Psynergy."

Piers raised an eyebrow. "I never said you were walking off." He leaned back against the railing, holding onto it as the pirates cast wary glances at each other. By the time one of them decided to respond, though, the sand below the hull shifted, listing the ship heavily to her starboard side. Each of the pirates shouted in surprise as they tumbled into the railing, then fell over it, some with Piers' help. After the last had fallen, he turned around, looked down towards the men sprawled in the sand, and called out, "Alright, that's it."

The sand shifted again, returning the ship to her proper orientation. Once it settled, Felix walked around from the opposite side with Hama, stepping around the groaning bodies. After both had hopped the rails, Felix turned around and rolled the rope ladder back up, tying it down to the deck.

Piers closed his eyes, sending out a small pulse of Psynergy. When he found the familiar resonance of a pair of alchemy tools, he opened them again and said, "The orb is still on board, as is the jade. I just want to clear the cabins, and then we'll be off."

They followed him into the main cabin, where several of the items that the pirates had unstowed, likely with the intent of escaping with, had rolled about with the ship. Piers moved to the back of the cabin, to the stairs that led below decks.

As they arrived on the lower deck, Felix said, "We'll check the aft ones." He motioned to Hama to follow, then stepped inside and down the hallway.

Piers moved in the opposite direction. He opened each door, moving into the room carefully and checking for potential stowaways. Waking up with a knife in his chest ranked rather low on his list of goals.

As he opened the door to his own cabin, though, Felix and Hama appeared at the other end of the hallway, circled the entire deck. He turned to them with a raised eyebrow. "Done already?"

Felix merely jerked his thumb at Hama. "Jupiter."

Piers nodded. "Right, that makes it much simpler. In that case, would you mind checking the rest of the passage? Less likely to get ambushed if we don't have to open doors."

Hama nodded. "The boat is clear, by the way. I was able to see through the entire thing, and we're the only ones here."

"Thank you." He reached back to pull the door shut, then stopped suddenly. Instead, he stepped into the room, staring at a pair of empty hooks on the bulkhead. "Those thieving scoundrels..."

He spun around, slamming the door shut, causing Felix to turn back around, his hand flying to his blade. "What?"

"The Trident," Piers said softly. "They stole it."

"Oh." Felix relaxed, then folded his arms across his chest. "Well, if that's all that's missing, then-"

"All that's missing?" the sailor nearly shouted. "Felix, other than the Kailani, that is about the only thing I own that matters to me! That Trident is an ancient artifact, designed to utterly destroy those of Mercury's power. He who holds it has the potential to rule the sea. Can you imagine what would happen if someone were to get their hands on it?"

Felix frowned. "What would you do, then? In all likelihood, they pawned it off somewhere, not realizing its value."

"We could pursue them and ask," Hama said, returning. "None are left on board, and our only clues are currently fleeing towards the ruins to the east."

"Towards Ankohl Tower?" Felix tapped his chin thoughtfully. "The tower has only one exit, unless you want to jump from the top."

Instead of answering, Piers threw open the door and stepped back outside, Felix and Hama following. "Felix, if you would be so kind," he said, gesturing down to the beach.

With a wave of Felix's hand, the sands rose up to the edge of the deck and all three stepped onto them. He then lowered them back to the beach where they found, just as Hama had said, the entire pirate compliment missing.

Piers led the way to the tower in silence, setting a fast pace. Would they really have simply sold the Trident? Successful pirates needed to be capable of assessing their goods, in order to make the maximum profit off them. Swindling a pirate typically proved to be a highly difficult task, even for the most silver-tongued of merchants.

In addition, pirates doubled as seasoned warriors, and all good warriors knew how to judge a weapon's quality and craft. The Trident, though worn by time, had been restored to pristine condition in Obaba's forge. Any warrior worth his salt could merely have glanced at the weapon, then elaborated in great detail on the high caliber of workmanship.

And then there was the issue of the inherent Psynergy forged into the weapon. Jupiter nearly radiated from the Trident, plainly obvious to any Adept who touched it. With everyone in the world gaining at least the ability to recognize Psynergy, any who held it would feel the power inside. That, if nothing else, would arouse the suspicions of any sailor, as all knew the legend of the Trident.

No, if it had been sold, they would have easily made enough gold to have retired from piracy, Piers decided. They still held it, and judging by how quickly the group had fled to the tower, he guessed the remaining members had holed up inside until the ship could be freed.

All those who had participated in the theft of his ship, his Trident, and his freedom, all locked inside the same tower? Piers rarely let his anger control him, but he could feel it growing inside as they walked. He doubted it would take hold, but he felt justified in letting a small amount burn while searching for the Trident.

"Look..." he heard Felix mutter. Glancing up, he saw the man pointing to their side at a great gash in the landscape.

"It's from the twisters," Hama said quietly, almost reverently. She looked around them, then gestured at two other gashes. "This must have been where they touched down."

"Champa is lucky," Felix said, eying the line of upturned grass, soil, shrubs, and trees. "Those would have ripped it apart entirely." Piers said nothing; nothing more needed to be said. The words brought an image of the possibilities to his mind clearly enough.

A short while later, they stood in the courtyard of the ruined tower, looking up. "They'll flee as we come, heading for the top," Felix said. "Even if they know there's no exit, they'll do it out of instinct."

"Then we will follow them to the top," Piers said. "I need words with the man who holds my Trident, and I expect that words will come to blows. Such men do not often surrender their takings willingly."

Felix smiled at him. "There are times when I prefer it that way."

Returning the grin, Piers crossed through the doorway, stepping into the tower proper. The harsh sunlight instantly vanished, forcing him to blink several times before his eyes adjusted to the dimness, slits in the stone now his only source of light. He stepped in further to allow Felix and Hama to follow, then waited, looking around as his vision returned.

The walls, though already in poor condition from generations of wear, seemed to be cracked even more. In one corner, Piers could see a tree root snaking inside, slowly but unquestionably destroying the foundation. Had the return of Alchemy sped up the growth of plants? No trees had encroached on this area when they had last walked these empty halls, merely ivy and other small flora, likely born from seeds carried on the wind.

It had to be Alchemy's effect, he realized. They had visited here not even a year prior; no trees grew that fast normally. He frowned at the thought. What other effects had the restoration unknowingly caused? How would other areas of the world begin to shift? In a few years, Venus would reclaim Ankohl Tower by force, using her verdant arms to bring the tower down from the base. Would other structures succumb to Weyard's wishes in similar fashions? If so, he doubted they would all be abandoned ruins such as these. Nature knew no prejudices.

Glancing down at the ground, he could see the disturbances in the light layer of dust and sand that coated everything. In the center of a sea of small ripples, entire stretches of bare stone lay, the sand moved forward or to the side. The marks continued forward, moving around the shattered floor and vanishing through another doorway.

Piers turned around and gestured at the ground, his finger following the path. Felix nodded, the gestured for him to continue. Piers nodded, then moved forward, Felix and Hama falling into step behind him.

When he reached the far doorway, a dry, stale smell immediately assaulted his senses, forcing free an expression of disgust that the others never saw. He quickly forced it away as his nostrils accustomed themselves to the musty odor, though it left a foul taste that lingered in his mouth, no amount of swallowing able to remove it. He coughed once, then continued further into the tower.

"They've all moved up already," Felix said suddenly, his normally soft voice loud among the silent stones. "I don't know if they saw us, or if they're simply gathering."

"It doesn't matter," Hama said. "Even if they're trying to mount a defense, they'll just find it useless."

Felix glanced at Piers. "Are you alright?"

Nodding, he said, "Perfectly fine."

"...No, I mean, are you alright?"

Piers stopped and looked back at him, sighing. "I'll be fine, Felix. I was a bit angry earlier, but it's dulled now. I just want to get the Trident and leave."

Felix frowned. "Are you sure? I don't want to see you do something you'll later regret."

Raising an eyebrow and smiling slightly, Piers said, "Concern for the lives of pirates? How unlike you, Felix."

"Don't misunderstand me," the brown-haired man said. "I'm not concerned for them, I'm concerned for you."

A short laugh, quickly silenced, drew both of their attentions. Hama covered her mouth, fighting down a smile. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "It's just...odd. I'm used to hearing it the other way around from Feizhi."

"Feizhi?" Piers asked, looking over at Felix. "Wasn't she..."

He nodded. "The girl in Champa. The one that knew Isaac. You said she's the other way around?" he asked Hama.

"Yes, completely. Before anything else, she will deny her concern for another to their face, yet be the first to work herself to death to help them...but only when she thinks they aren't watching."

"Almost like Jenna," Felix muttered quietly, causing Piers to grin.

"How is she? And the others?" he asked, glancing around a corner.

"They're doing fine, all things considered. We've had a bad few days, but everyone is managing." Felix looked at him. "What about you? What have you been doing while marooned for the past few months?"

Piers shook his head. "If I never see a bird again, I will consider myself fortunate." Felix chuckled quietly, but said nothing. "You think I exaggerate? When we have time, I want to see you try and send a message by an untrained bird."

As they approached the door at the end of the hallway, Piers noticed the sand that had spilled from the room beyond on the floor in front. Stopping, he gestured for Felix to proceed, falling into step behind him. With a wave of his hand, the sand parted for Felix, flying to the sides of the wide chamber and piling up like a hoard of gold.

A sudden clatter of steel made the three stop, looking forward. Atop the sand on the other side of the room stood several men, now with drawn swords. Piers stepped up beside Felix and folded his arms, recognizing some of them as ones he had forcefully ejected from his boat. "I hope you weren't thinking about actually keeping my Trident, now."

Two of them looked at each other nervously, but a third shouted, "You're far from your boat, Piers! Your sorcerous Psynergy won't help you here!"

Felix snorted. "You should probably learn something about Alchemy before telling an experienced Adept what he can or cannot do." The sand beneath their feet suddenly crumbled, flowing down towards Felix like a river and carrying the men in its current. Their voices alternated between angry shouting and muffled panicking as they tumbled through the sand.

When they finally flopped onto the stone limply, the sands receding around them, Piers rolled one over onto his back with his foot. "Where is it?" he asked quietly. "Where is my Trident?"

The man propped himself up onto an elbow, leaned his head over, and coughed up sand. "Up," he said weakly. "Virote has it..."

Piers' eyes, which had been scanning the other prone forms, snapped back to the man as he crouched beside him. "Did you say Virote?"

Nodding, the pirate coughed again as Piers stood up, glancing over the others one more time. "Do you know this Virote, Piers?" Hama asked.

"I do," he said. "He sailed with me recently, as a member of my crew. I suspect it was he who helped these lowlifes board my boat."

Felix waved his hand, fragments of stone jutting up from the ground around the ankles of each of the men, locking them there. "We'll let you out on our way back through. Unless this Virote kills us, of course, in which case you're stuck here. Might want to rethink about who to root for."

The man groaned, making a few futile attempts at freeing his leg before giving up and lying back down as the three stepped around him.

As they moved for the central spire of the tower, Piers could not help but marvel at how easy they found the travel. In their last visit here, they had spent almost an entire day reaching the top, exhausted by the end of it all. Now, in barely an hour, they had arrived at the final ascent, not tired in the slightest. To be sure, Felix's skill in manipulating the sands made such travel possible; where they had spent hours trying to use the tower's mechanics to adjust the sand flows, Felix bypassed with a simple flick of his wrist. Had they all become so skilled in Psynergy, that even man-made obstacles became nothing more than slight distractions?

He supposed they had. By the end of their journey, he had seen Jenna melt through solid steel, her flames burning so hot that none could even approach her. Sheba had saved them countless times from Mars Lighthouse's traps by creating a vortex so powerful it scattered even the thickest of flames. Even he... He had frozen oceans, the great tides of never-ending motion that had not even frozen in the ancient age of ice, where snow and frost covered all of Weyard, from Prox to Tundaria.

When he thought about it like that, what could really stop them?

Certainly not the small group of men that met them when they entered the central spire.

The three stopped as the men drew their weapons, spreading themselves out. Behind them, a great sandfall sent a dusty plume into the air, thickening in their throats. Piers looked through them briefly. "Where's Virote?"

Silence, save for the constant pouring of sand.

"I see," he said. "He left you to fight while he ran to hide atop the tower, and yet you still protect him. Had he shown such loyalty to me, none of us would be in this situation right now."

"Go," Felix said, stepping forward with Hama. "We can take care of them. You go for Virote, before he can find a way to escape. We'll be there shortly."

Piers nodded, walking towards the group, but they tightened again, blocking his path to the sandfall. "Allow me. Close your eyes." Hama did the same as she stepped past him, waving her hand. A sharp wind picked up inside the chamber, swirling around them. It grabbed the sand from the sandfall easily, and once Felix recognized her intent, he pulled more into the cyclone.

Sand stung at his eyes before Piers remembered to shut them, but in his last seconds of vision, he realized Hama's plan: each of the pirates had covered their eyes, as well. "Where's the path?" he asked, his voice barely audible over the howling sandstorm. He immediately regretted opening his mouth, though, sand coating the inside of it quickly. Hama's control was not that fine.

A gentle breeze pushed on his back, prompting him forward. He felt sand smoothing out the cracks beneath his feet, giving him a flat ground to walk on. Following the prompting, he felt the breeze turn a few times, turning him to the side, but very shortly he found himself on a distinctly softer ground – the base of the sandfall.

He paused there, waiting patiently. After a few seconds, the sand below his feet rippled, then pushed up. The sandfall reversed direction, defying gravity to flow upwards and carry Piers with it. As he moved up, he felt the wind lessen, along with the stinging sand on his face. Eventually, he chanced opening his eyes, hoping the sandstorm had been kept low. Sure enough, when he looked down, he could see nothing more than a swirling, brown cloud.

Reaching the top, he stepped out of the sand onto a solid floor of stone. Pausing briefly, he turned back to the ledge, looked down, and saluted, knowing that Felix would have no trouble seeing through the sandstorm. When no visible response came, Piers turned around and climbed the short staircase that led outside.

The evening sun fell on him as he stepped outside, throwing his shadow across the cracked bricks of the tiered pillar. The stones, normally a dull yellow, burned a fierce red in the light of the sunset. Piers briefly took in the surroundings, marveling at how different they looked from at night. He allowed himself only a moment to admire the sight, though; his purpose here took precedence.

He slowly stepped around the pillar, eyes scanning the roof carefully. The places one could hide up here numbered few, but a single oversight could easily see him on a very rapid descent from the tower. He moved quietly, more to hear others than prevent being heard himself, but the high altitude's strong wind concealed any noise.

In the end, though, his precautions turned out to be unnecessary. Virote sat atop the tiny stone coffer that once guarded a piece of the weapon he held across his lap. He looked down at Piers from his perch, brushing aside the hair that tossed about in the wind. "Hello, Piers."

Piers nodded briefly. "Virote." He crossed his arms as he returned the man's impassive gaze. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

Virote waved his hand negligently. "I know you've already retaken the Kailani. Keep it."

"That was not what I spoke of."

The wind howled around them for a few moments, the only sound that could be heard. Even the waves crashing on the cliffs failed to reach their ears at this height.

Eventually, Virote lifted the Trident with one hand, inspecting the prongs at its tip. Sunlight glinted off the metal like sparks, as if the gods themselves were sharpening the weapon in preparation. "This never belonged to you, Piers. Not really. You were only allowed to borrow its power."

"That may be so, Virote," Piers said, "but if so, then what I have borrowed, you have stolen."

Virote shook his head. "Not stolen. Returned. Do you know the history of this weapon, Piers?"

"I've heard the legends. More importantly, I know the power."

"Both are rooted in the truth," Virote said. "Before Alchemy's seal, children of the gods walked upon Weyard – the demigods. I've heard you met one of the few surviving ones, Poseidon. In the old days, Poseidon led the armies of the Mercury Clan of Lemuria in battle, devastating his enemies with his favored trident. Few could stand against him in battle and win, including other demigods."

"I've heard all this," Piers said. "And when he was defeated, his trident was shattered, and he imprisoned beneath the sea. What is your point?"

Virote waved a finger at him. "Not quite. Poseidon began to grow mad with power. He believed himself invulnerable, forgetting himself to be mortal and claiming godhood. The Ankohl, locked in battle with the demigod's armies, asked for assistance in defeating him.

"Hades, apprentice to Daedalus and Poseidon's brother, answered their call. Together with Zeus, the third brother and apprentice to Thor, they stole Poseidon's trident, enraging him further. Seeing that their brother had been driven insane with his furious blood lust, they worked for a full day and night in Ankohl's Great Forge, turning the trident into a weapon that could defeat their brother.

"As I know you've learned, they succeeded. Imbued with Hades' craftsmanship and Zeus' thunder, Poseidon was struck down. Unable to watch their brother die, however, the two pleaded with their brother's master, Neptune, and had him sealed beneath the waves in an eternal prison, so that the world could escape the wrath of his madness. The Trident, however, proved to be far too effective – it destroyed everything that moved on the seas. Lemuria, losing quickly in the newly turned war, shattered the Trident and took the pieces. At some point, the Ankohl managed to steal back one piece of their legendary weapon, but apparently Alchemy was sealed before they could reforge it."

Virote fell silent as Piers mulled over the story. Had the man made it up? Possibly, but who could tell? There were a hundred stories about the Trident, with Poseidon being the only element common to all of them. "What point are you trying to make, Virote?" Piers asked after a short while. "That the Trident should be returned here, to the Ankohl? Is that why you came here?"

Shaking his head, Virote said, "This wasn't intentional. The hurricane forced us ashore, so we took up residence here until we could free the ship. The dead have no use for the Trident, after all." He stood up, shifting the Trident to his side. "No, the Trident belongs to me, as one of the few living descendants of the Ankohl. It is my heritage."

"I see..." Piers said slowly. "So what is your sudden interest in it, then? You've never been one for power, Virote. You seemed perfectly willing to turn over the Kailani now that you have the Trident, but judging by how you've been with it this whole time, I'd say you just received a newfound attraction to the Trident. Why is that?"

"I've heard the rumors about Anemos from Champa, Piers." Virote hopped down a level, the Trident's handle ringing against the stone. "We need to be able to stand against them."

Piers continued to watch him as he slowly approached the second landing, then began to laugh quietly. "You intend to use the weapon that rules the sea against people of the sky? What good will that do you?"

Landing on the same level as Piers, Virote stood up straight and shrugged. "Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. I have a better chance with the Trident than without it."

"And I have a better chance than you at all," Piers said in a calm tone. "I am far more experienced in Psynergy, battle, and accomplishing the impossible. You will turn over the Trident to me, Virote, or I will be forced to take it from you."

Virote smiled. "Well, then we'll see who'll be more useful, then." As he raised the Trident, the prongs began to crackle with purple electricity, bolts crawling around the metal like ants.

Immediately Piers regretted not having brought a weapon aside from his dagger. In times of need, he had used ice to forge temporary blades, but they could never stand up to the impact a block needed to withstand. With no convenient source of water here, he would need to draw everything from the air. Luckily, Virote had retreated to the most open area of the tower – had he chosen one of the cramped hallways to make his stand, even air moisture would have been difficult to make use of.

As Virote continued to try and intimidate him with the Trident, Piers held out his hands to the side, calmly and methodically drawing in the water from the air. Once condensed, it would be far easier to work with, and he could always call it back to him. Droplets began to form on his hands, merging into small pools as they rippled and flowed into his palms.

"Not much water, is there, Piers?" Virote taunted. "Why do you think I came here? The ocean is too far for you to use. I, however, don't need anything." Holding the Trident upright at his side, Virote held out his other hand at the sailor, flames converging in his palm, then blasting at Piers.

Pulling together all of the water he had gathered and giving an extra burst to instantly condense the moisture around him, Piers held out his hands to receive the fire with a shimmering shield of water. Steam erupted immediately as most of the water flashed, but Piers quickly took hold of it, beginning to condense it again gradually, allowing time to conserve his power.

As another salty gust washed over the tower, Piers realized time would actually win this fight for him. The breeze replaced the parched air with fresh, humid air, full of moisture for him to steal. So long as he continued to gather the water, his resources would only grow. Eventually, he could turn the tower's peak into an airborne lake, if he desired.

The trick would be making it that far, he realized. Virote's Mars Psynergy posed no threat; far more dangerous Mars Adepts had tried their hands against him and failed. The Trident, however, would obliterate any Mercury Psynergy effortlessly, and he had little room to evade such strikes. His only choice, then, would be to prevent it from being used against him at all.

Globules of water forming around him, Piers dashed towards Virote. The thief quickly brought the Trident to bear, lightning blasting from its prongs, but Piers moved the water in front of him, gathering and freezing it into small chunks of ice that he held suspended. He jumped up onto his midair footholds, pushing off and leaping over the deadly Jupiter energy that streamed below, obliterating his ice. For the first time, Piers experienced the odd sensation of feeling the ice nearby instantly sublimate to vapor.

As Virote pulled back on the Trident, swinging it up to strike the airborne man, Piers' foot snapped out, planting his boot on the handle just below the head. His momentum forced the weapon back down as he landed, though the positioning presented him from striking at Virote on the way.

Spinning around as he stepped back, Virote swung the glowing Trident's head back at Piers, but the sailor followed him, staying on the inside of the Trident's reach. He shunted the weapon aside with his arm, then slammed his open palm into Virote's face. The man's head reared back instantly, his nose spraying blood, but he maintained his composure and snapped the end of the Trident's handle out, smashing it into the side of Piers' head.

The Mercury Adept's vision exploded in a burst of white light as he reflexively stepped back, but he quickly felt the metal rod hook behind his ankle, sweeping it out from under him easily. The world and his stomach spun as he fell to the stones flat on his back, the air rushing from his lungs.

His sight returned in time to see Virote angle the Trident down at him. "Looks like your Psynergy is pretty useless right now."

As the prongs began to spark once more, Piers smiled, but lacked the breath to say anything in response. Instead, behind Virote, water formed around the end of the Trident's handle, freezing into a pommel of sorts. Jerking the ice down telekinetically, the Trident's head swung up as it unleashed another searing bolt of lightning, launching off into the sky.

Virote's momentary confusion gave Piers the time he needed to swing his leg into the other man's leg. In the same moment, he gathered all of the water he had condensed together, slamming the stream into Virote's chest. The opposing forces quickly brought the fight to the ground, as Piers immediately jumped on the downed man, grabbing hold of the Trident's handle.

They rolled along the roof, struggling with each other for control. Their feet and hands occupied, knees became the weapon of choice, slamming into shins and hips as they both searched for that key area that would secure victory.

Piers found it first.

Virote's eyes opened wide and his grip loosened as his whole body curled slightly, automatically moving to protect his injury. With a strong jerk, Piers wrenched the Trident from the man's hands, pushing himself up and adopting the same stance Virote had only moments before.

"So," Piers said softly, his tone giving no indication of the battle rage that still lingered from the close call, "what should I do with you, Virote? How do I settle with a man who was willing to kill in order to keep this Trident? A man who began this whole struggle by betraying the captain whom he had sworn to serve? They call that mutiny. But the treacheries don't end with that, do they? You betrayed the will of your sworn leader, Briggs, and returned to piracy. They call that one treason, Virote."

Virote stared up at Piers from the ground. "Do you want me to plead for my life, Piers? I will not. Had our roles been reversed, I would have already killed you."

"I'm aware of that," Piers said. "I am sure you haven't forgotten, but our roles were reversed not long ago. I felt the deadly energy as it barely missed me. Had I not interrupted it, I would now be nothing more than dust."

He let the words hang in the air for a while, only the sound of the howling wind preventing the tower from falling into complete silence. The head of the Trident still crackled ominously and water still materialized around Piers in tiny bubbles, his continuous condensing having been successfully delegated to his subconscious.

The longer he waited, however, the more he felt his well-controlled anger fade. Felix's words echoed in his head repeatedly, catalyzing his soothing. With an almost silent sigh, Piers stepped back, standing the Trident at his side. Circling around Virote, he moved to the stairway leading back inside the tower, then turned around.

He leaned the Trident against the stone wall and reached down, unhooking a canteen from his pocket. After taking a long drink from it, he drew the bubbles still floating around the rooftop into the canteen, filling it with the fresh water. Once he finished, he capped it again, then tossed it at Virote. The metal container clattered onto the stones next to the man's prone form.

"A gift," Piers said, grabbing the Trident once more. "Your life is in your own hands now. I leave you to make of it what you will."

"You're leaving me here?" Virote asked, propping himself up onto an elbow. "Why?"

"I won't kill you, Virote. I'm not that kind of person." Piers turned to the doorway, then looked over his shoulder. "But we'll be taking your men with us, and I doubt your Mars Psynergy will help you descend that sandfall. If you ration the water, I'd estimate you have approximately a week to find your way down. I'd make use of it."

No sound followed him as he stepped through the doorway.

- \/\/ -

"So this is the great Lemuria," Alex said softly, looking around as they emerged from the docks. "I must admit, I find it a bit...underwhelming."

Slender tendrils of mist reached in from the sea, stretching as far inland as they could before dissipating. They swirled through the unkempt grass and ancient trees, up the cliffs and into their many cracks. On the lower portions of the island, near the water, grass and ivy had completely overrun the various stone structures that lingered on, resisting the pull of time. In these the mist settled deeply, swirling about the ground like the dunes of a desert.

"Yeah, you're looking at the abandoned parts," Jenna said. "The part of the city that they still use is up ahead, but honestly, it's not much better. The only difference is there's people there."

"There's someone down there, too," Ivan said, gesturing down the hill into the ruinous lower city. Jenna followed his gaze and saw a green-haired man sitting atop one of the fallen stone pillars, looking out over the ocean.

"Huh. That's interesting," she said, then turned away. "What do you think, Isaac?"

The Venus Adept frowned, looking down the hill also, then looked up the stairs to the city proper. "We could talk to him, find out what he's doing, and work from there."

"I must disagree, Isaac," Alex said quietly. "If he has already been refused entry, then it will make our own more difficult. If not, then we must question why he waits. Better for us to make haste to the king, turn the information over to him, and let him decide."

Jenna turned her gaze over to Ivan, who frowned, but said, "I agree. Getting to the king is the priority. Besides, maybe he actually got lost here during the hurricane."

Isaac looked at her next, so she simply nodded in agreement rather than saying anything. He nodded in return, then said, "Alright, then let's keep going."

Jenna took a step up the hill, then paused, groaned, and turned back towards the stairs they had already climbed. "Come on, guys! You're taking forever!"

"Yeah, well, the rear guard can't move any faster than the slowest people," Garet's voice drifted up.

"Not all of us run up and down stairs every day for training, Garet," Mia's voice said next.

Jenna heard a barely audible, "Well, maybe you shou- ow ow ow!" Amidst the shouts of pain, Mia emerged through the doorway, dragging a hunched-over Garet by his hair. Sheba walked in front of them, obviously enjoying the show.

"Are you finished with the sass?" Mia asked, curling her fingers slightly to pull up on his hair a bit more.

Garet winced and waved his hands. "Yes! Yes, I'm done! I'm sorry!"

Mia nodded, then released her grip, turning and walking towards the rest of the group. Sheba bent over by Garet and poked him in the stomach twice. "Heh heh."

His hand snatched out to grab her, but the girl had already danced away, laughing. "Muzzle yourself, melon head."

"Careful, spikes, or I'll get Mia to discipline you again."

Mia rolled her eyes as she caught up to Jenna and the others. "Can we leave them here? Please?"

Grinning, Isaac said, "You sound like you missed playing mother."

She buried her face into her hands. "It's not even been ten minutes and I already have a headache. This teleportation sickness isn't helping matters, either. I don't know how you deal with it so well."

Jenna's mouth split into a grin that mirrored Isaac's. "After all the times I've pushed it too far, the regular nausea's no problem. Now come on, let's go. The gate's right ahead." She resumed walking, taking in the sights of Lemuria once again. None of them had been back since they left, and while Jenna would never want to live there, she found the city had a certain charm, one achieved by its peace and inherently unhurried nature.

The guards saw them well before they reached the gate, which had apparently been relocated from the docks since their last visit. Jenna found herself wondering why an island that received almost no visitors even bothered to station guards, then remembered they held a different view on time. What could possibly be a waste of time if you for so long?

"Halt," one of them called atop the stairs. "This is Lemuria, domain of the good King Hydros. What business do you have here?"

"We're here to speak to the king," Jenna said, stepping forward.

The other guard's mouth opened, but he stopped himself before he could speak. He closed his mouth again, looking at Jenna, then elbowed the other guard and pointed to Sheba. Jenna cleared her throat, causing both guards to look at each other. "I am afraid we have orders to keep you out, Miss Brooke and Miss Kamari."

Sheba frowned. "Are you serious? Why?"

"The senate has imposed an exile of you two, alongside your brother and Piers," he said. "Our rules are clear: if you leave Lemuria, you are not permitted to return."

Jenna opened her mouth to argue more, but Alex placed a hand on her shoulder. "If they cannot enter, what about the rest of us? We have never been to Lemuria, therefore we have never been exiled from it."

The other guard shook his head. "I will not permit you entry until I can confirm the King's wishes. Your friends have all violated our laws already, and I have no doubt you intend to do the same."

Alex sighed. "I was afraid you would say that." He raised a hand to them, but a much larger one knocked it down.

"What do you think you're doing?" Garet asked, glaring at Alex.

The blue-haired man stared back at him. "I'm getting us inside Lemuria, as is King Hydros' intent. We don't exactly have time to wait around for them to inform us of what we already know."

"Yeah, well you can't just attack them!"

Alex sighed. "I understand your qualms, Garet. Believe me, I do. I have no intention of harming either of these gentlemen. They are merely doing their jobs, after all. I just need to...move them aside."

Garet shook his head, moving in front of Alex. "So you just want to muscle your way in and completely ignore their rules? That's not how we do things, Alex."

Shrugging, Alex said, "If that's how you want it, then I shall defer to you. I was merely interested in speeding along what will likely be a very lengthy process."

Jenna frowned at the exchange, then turned to Isaac. "As much as I hate to agree with him," she said quietly, so that no one else could hear, "he's got a point. We can't wait around for them to simply let us in. Even last time, we had to convince them that we wouldn't do anything."

"But how can we do that this time?" he asked. "You're outright forbidden, and they've got a pretty good case against the rest of us. Especially since, you know, it's completely true."

"Yeah..." Jenna looked down, thinking. Attacking the guards would be a terrible idea, and not one she was comfortable with, at any rate. Sneaking everyone past them would be impossible, now that they had made themselves known. She looked back up to find Isaac staring at her thoughtfully. "What is it?"

"Nothing, just...thinking." His eyes swung up past her, glancing around them. She turned also, wondering what he was looking for, but the only things she could see were the stone steps, the stone gate, a lot of grass, and a lone tree.

Isaac's eyes locked on the tree and it shook once, a few leaves falling to the ground silently. After a few seconds it shook again, this time more violently. By now, the others had noticed it, as had the guards. Without any further warning, the roots of the tree suddenly burst from the ground, throwing earth everywhere as they snaked through the air at the guards.

In a single motion, Isaac drew his sword with both hands and slashed down, cleaving through the incoming roots with ease. As another one approached, he batted it away with his blade, turning towards the others that had fallen still. "Burn it!" he shouted.

Jenna stared at him in confusion. What was he doing? She could feel Psynergy emanating from him in a constant wave, but it seemed to be...suppressed? By who?

"Burn it!" Isaac shouted again, and this time, Garet obeyed. Raising his hand as he dashed towards the tree, roots erupting from the ground around him, he pulled his fist back. Jenna could almost see the invisible funnel of Psynergy spiraling into him as he drew in energy directly from the sun overhead. He planted his foot to stop his body, leaned forward to continue his arm's momentum, and slammed his fist into the trunk of the tree.

The explosion forced Jenna to shield her eyes as she stepped back from the concussive wave, pieces of bark pelting her. When the noise finally died down, it left her ears ringing slightly, completely unaffected by the wiggling of her fingers around in them for a moment.

Only a husk remained of the tree. Every leaf had been blown free by the explosion, stripping the branches bare and shattering some of the smaller ones. Where Garet's fist had landed, the tree had burst outward, leaving a gaping mouth in the trunk. It teetered there slightly before another subtle pulse of Psynergy moved past her, loosening the ground and allowing the tree to fall down the cliff, where the ocean would claim it.

Glancing back, she saw Isaac discreetly remove the tip of his sword from where it had pierced the soil, sliding it back into the sheath on his back as he walked to the guards. "That is why we need to get to the king," Isaac said breathlessly, pointing back at the tree. "The same people that caused your hurricane are doing that, among other things. We need to talk to him about that, but if we wait around, it'll be too late."

The guards looked at each other briefly, then stepped to one side. "Very well," one said. "But...please, do not aggravate our citizens. I ask that you present yourself to His Majesty as soon as he is available."

"Don't worry," she said as she passed. "We're here to fix problems, not cause them."

The other guard snorted. "The last time you came to fix a problem, half of Lemuria wound up accusing the king of treason."

"Oh..." Jenna winced. "Well, in that case, I really don't want to promise anything this time. Sorry." She continued on, Isaac shaking his head behind her.

"I must admit," Alex said after they had left the guards behind, "your solution was quite impressive, Isaac. "

"Yeah," Garet snapped. "Thanks for letting us know what the hell was going on."

Jenna snorted as Isaac shrugged in response. Apparently, Garet had actually believed the tree was attacking. "I didn't exactly have time to let you know," Isaac said. "I was busy enough trying to control it, while also hiding my Psynergy from them. If they had realized I was using it, or that wind and plants don't fall under the same elemental control, it wouldn't have worked."

"They probably haven't seen anything other than Mercury Psynergy in their whole lives," Sheba said quietly. "They don't remember how the other elements break down, other than the very basics, most likely."

As they entered the city proper, Jenna paused, allowing everyone besides herself and Sheba to gawk. As she waited for them to finish, she looked around also, thinking about the other places they had seen. Sure, many of the modern towns were impressive in their own ways, like Tolbi sprawling size, or Champa's unique placement, but none of them held the same grandeur that the enormous buildings of Lemuria emanated. The only places that evoked the same emotions in her were the other ancient structures: the lighthouses and towers of old.

This despite all of them falling into disrepair with Alchemy's seal, too. She had often wondered what Lemuria would have looked like in the past, during its prime. Would Anemos look like that? Would their separation from Weyard have protected them from the atrophying effects that plagued the rest of the world, or would it simply have amplified them?

"So," Isaac said, snapping out of his survey, "where to now?"

Jenna tapped her chin briefly, then said, "Lunpa. He can get us through any more trouble easily."

Isaac motioned for her to lead the way, so she stepped by him and gestured for the others to follow. As they walked, she began to wonder if she would ever even see Anemos. So far, all of their plans had simply been to fight the Anemoi, but there had been no talk of any details yet. None of them had even spoke of other interactions with them; in the face of Tolbi, talk of much else seemed pointless.

But how would you go about trying to stop an entire city of powerful Adepts? Kill them all? Even if Jenna believed such a counter-genocide were a good idea, how could they even go about it? They were a handful of people, potentially facing up to an entire army. The only way for them to even consider victory would be to wipe out a large portion of the Anemoi in a single blow...like the ones they had struck first with.

Jenna frowned. There had to be some other way. Atrocities were often committed in the name of the greater good during war times, she knew, but the only way to prevent an endless cycle of violence would be to avoid such atrocities. Every time the thought crossed her mind, she thought back to Alchemy's seal, and how it had been created in order to stop wars. Had unleashing Alchemy really done nothing more than begin the cycle anew?

"Jenna..."

The young woman glanced over her shoulder at Ivan, finding an even deeper frown on his face. Once he caught her eyes, he glanced to the side. "Look."

She did as he said, finding the green-haired man from earlier walking up the stairs to the palace. As the others stopped to look also, a sudden gasp from Mia turned their heads back to her. Her hand covered her mouth as she looked at the man with wide eyes. "That's impossible... I saw that man this morning in Tolbi!"

"The only way to cover that sort of distance in such a short time is by teleportation," Alex said quickly. "Teleportation is ruled by Jupiter, making that man a Jupiter Adept...a powerful one." His implication raced up Jenna's spine in an icy wave, standing her hair on edge.

"Anemos," Ivan whispered.

Isaac immediately bolted after the man. "Isaac, wait!" Mia shouted, then growled in frustration. "Garet, you are a terrible influence on him!" Casting the confused Mars Adept an annoyed glance, she took off after Isaac.

"I think Isaac's got the right idea," Jenna said, walking quickly in the same direction. "I don't like this." She sped up to a trot for a few moments, before settling into a steady run. She could hear the others following suit behind her, but Isaac had quite a lead, the Anemian an even greater one.

As she turned the corner, she could see Isaac just reaching the bottom of the stairs, while the Anemian had just vanished behind the main doors. Abandoning any pretense now, she pumped her legs as fast as they could move, overtaking Mia easily. Her sword rattled at her side, where she had earlier found it needlessly cumbersome.

Reaching the stairs, she jumped them three at a time, bounding upwards so fast that she feared if she stopped to think about her foot's next position, she would misstep and smash her face into the stone. Isaac's lead had lessened, though he now reached the door also, throwing it open and disappearing inside.

She realized now that several Lemurians had stopped to watch them and she suppressed a smile, despite her other thoughts. This had probably been the most interesting thing any of them had seen this year.

Though the door had nearly closed by the time she reached it, she wasted no time in stopping to open it, instead barreling through it, shoulder first. Inside, she found several surprised Lemurians, Isaac standing at the base of the great decorative fountain, looking up, and the Anemian vanishing into the doorway above. How had he reached it so quickly? Had he simply jumped?

Isaac glanced back at her, then took off again up the more mundane path of stairs. Jenna did not stop, taking the opposite side, feeling the adrenaline finally reaching her muscles and propelling her forward. She reached the upper level at the same time as Isaac, their eyes meeting briefly before they turned down the hallway, jogging to the throne room.

The Anemian had already reached it, standing across the wide chamber from King Hydros, who had a confused expression on his face. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice carrying easily throughout the empty hall, only four metal statues and a tiled floor between the two men.

Jenna slowed and stopped some distance away from the green-haired man, holding out her arm to stop Isaac as well. The pattering behind her told her that the others had reached the throne room as well, though they followed suit and stopped.

The man had begun slowly stepping forward as he spoke, paying no attention to the new arrivals, nor even indicating if he knew they had come. "Greetings, Lemurian King. To your magnificence I present myself, Clotho Lycoris, King of Anemos."

Hydros stared at the man for a moment, his eyes not so much as flickering to the others. Jenna turned and silently made motions for the others to spread out in a semicircle behind the Anemian, herself and Isaac moving into his line of sight. Clotho continued to ignore their presence, however, his eyes solely for the Lemurian King.

As she moved she caught her first glimpses of the man and found herself surprised at how young he looked. He could not have been older than Felix! How could he be the King of Anemos?

Hydros stayed silent for a long moment, till finally his brow uncreased, though his gaze remained locked. "Welcome to my kingdom, King Clotho Lycoris. I had difficulty recognizing you."

Clotho's eyebrows rose. "Oh? I don't recall us ever meeting, Your Highness."

"No? You were but a child. You came with your father, the Fulminous King."

The Anemian shook his head, whipping around both his loose hair and the green braid that fell to the middle of his back. "Were you king then, as well? I hope you forgive me, Your Highness, but I have only distant and vague memories of my last visit."

Hydros waved a hand negligently, his unblinking eyes still fixed on the man as steadily as the frown on his face. "I have heard some troubling news concerning Anemos of late," the king said slowly.

"Have you?" Clotho tilted his head slightly. "What did you hear?"

Standing up, Hydros said, "That you have attacked not just Lemuria, but all of Weyard upon your return."

"Absurd," Clotho said immediately. "We picked our targets very carefully."

A great roar filled the throne room as Hydros whipped his arms back. Jenna tore her eyes away from the calm Anemian, finding streams of water flowing from the entrance hall and winding through the air like ribbons. They coursed through the air, winding around each of her friends so close that she could see the bubbles entrained in the fluid, giving it a silvery hue and making it look like the mythical liquid metal itself.

The rivers arced sharply as they passed Clotho, turning and converging on the man as Hydros slung his arms forward, water loosing from the sleeves of his royal robes and joining the torrent. The massive stream slammed into the Anemian King and picked him up effortlessly, carrying him in one motion back to the entrance hall.

Before Jenna could even consider following, Hydros slid by her at incredible speed, the remnants of the water freezing beneath his feet and melting in his wake before flowing into the air to follow him. She shared a brief look of amazement with Sheba, then followed. All around them, drops of water rose from the floor and walls, flitting past them like a swarm of insects.

By the time she reached the base of the fountain, Jenna found Clotho standing in the doorway, apparently unharmed. Hydros stood opposite him, his face contorted in an anger she thought the ancient king incapable of. "You attack my kingdom in an unprovoked act of war, and then have the audacity to walk into my palace, Lycoris?"

Clotho shrugged. "I had thought our attack had been hasty and wished to extend an offering of peace, but I see that-"

"Spare me your lies!" Hydros shouted. "Your sole intention was to assess your damage and our strength...and possibly to assassinate me!"

The Anemian continued to stare at him from across the entrance hall impassively. Out of the corner of her eye, Jenna saw Garet move to draw his sword, but the slightest shake of Hydros' head convinced him to leave it sheathed and step back.

"So you wish it to be a warrior's death, then..." Clotho said softly, but it carried; the only sound to hide it was the gentle lapping of water in the fountain. "I've never understood such sentiments. A death is a death. Why bother making the manner a pointless struggle? But if you so insist, Hydros, I suppose I can entertain you in this. You seem to be the last of Weyard's kings, so I imagine our history books will enjoy a chapter about the King of the Mists' defeat at the hands of the Luminous King."