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.

8. By Duty, Divided

Golden Sun: Wings of Anemos

Chapter 8 – By Duty, Divided

- \/\/ -

The doors to Kraden's palace burst open as another explosion shook the walls, knocking a painting to the floor. Ivan dashed inside, eyes tearing across the entrance hall furiously, then ran down the hallway on his right. Servants ran the opposite direction, screaming and streaming out the doors.

He paid them no attention, slipping past their panicked bodies as he ran, listening intently for the sounds of battle. A loud thump from upstairs drew him to the stairwell at the end of the hall before he could even acknowledge it, hurtling him up to the third floor. He could not remember his feet touching the stairs, part of him idly wondering if he had simply flown.

As he reached the final landing, however, the din ceased. The silence that filled his ears pierced his entire body, chilling him as if ice had been poured directly into his blood. He stepped forward slowly, moving towards the lone ajar door in the hallway, dreading what he might find inside. He could feel the nausea rising in his stomach as the waves of terror doubled upon each other, pushing higher and higher.

One foot stepped in front of the other in a steady rhythm, the only method of advancing Ivan could manage, torn between racing forward to help and backward to flee. He wanted desperately to call out Isaac's name, but his tongue felt thick and useless in his mouth, his vocal chords refusing to obey.

After an eternity of approach, he slowly turned into the open doorway, his breath stilling in anticipation. The room itself lay in complete disarray, furniture and linen lying about in a chaotic mess. The bed had been split in half like a piece of driftwood, the ends flung to separate walls.

Alongside one of those walls lay Piers, on his stomach and unmoving. The air around him stood completely still, no oscillations or eddies of any kind. His head faced the wall at an odd angle, gazing up at a great crack that ran through it.

In the center of the floor lay Isaac, pinned down through his chest by his own sword. Ivan numbly stepped forward and knelt down in the growing pool of blood, reaching out to gently shut his friend's blankly staring eyes. He ran his fingers through Isaac's wild hair tenderly, streaking the blond with a deep red.

All fear had completely left Ivan, along with all other feelings, leaving him empty and cold. When he looked up, rage ignited in his empty shell like a forge, scorching all reason and control. He opened his mouth and screamed, a wordless shriek that combined his grief and anger, focusing it all at the man standing in the sunlit window before him.

Alex merely smiled.

- \/\/ -

"Piers."

The man looked up slowly, his heart thumping. The pair of guards gazed down at him, their faces unreadable. The stairs that stretched between them seemed to go on forever as his vision briefly swam, warping the path ahead.

The moment of truth, he realized, and yet the matter was, in reality, mostly irrelevant. Even if Hydros made an exception to allow him entrance, his departure once more would only more firmly seal his sentence.

But try as he might to rationalize the situation, he could not calm himself down. He could feel the tiny beads of sweat forming in the center of his back, trickling down slowly. He absentmindedly rubbed his hands on the sides of his pants, drying his palms long enough to feel them grow moist once more. His chest felt numb, only the sharp pounding within giving him reason to believe it held anything.

After a moment that lasted an eternity, the guards parted. "Welcome back, Piers," one said with a smile.

A breath escaped from his lungs, one he had not realized had been held. He felt his whole body relax, the pounding in his chest now seeming unnecessary. Felix's hand lightly patted him on the back, simultaneously telling him 'congratulations' and 'hurry up'. When he stepped forward, though, the other guard placed a hand out.

"The king has claimed emergency powers for the moment, Piers," he said. "It is by his command that your exile be pardoned. Realize that this is merely a temporary reprieve. Once his powers expire, you will be banished once more."

To his own surprise, Piers smiled. "That's fine. I'm sure there will always be another calamity that the king will need my services for."

He stepped forward again, walking past both guards, Felix and Hama following. "He didn't seem very pleased about that," Felix muttered.

Piers shook his head. "Adrian has never been very supportive of the king. He disagrees with the idea of a single man having such overwhelming power."

"Ironic how in fighting it here, he inadvertently supports it elsewhere," Hama said softly.

A short distance away, Piers could see the great fountain, and his feet automatically began curving him to the left. After a few seconds, he realized this and stopped. "I...will find you in a little bit."

Felix stopped as well and turned back to him. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Piers said, nodding. "I just want to take care of some personal matters, in case...in case I don't have the opportunity later."

"Of course." Felix turned back around. "We'll wait for you before seeing Hydros, then. I'm sure he's in no rush."

"Thank you," Piers called, then continued on his unconscious path. As he walked, a terrifying thought bloomed in his head: last time he had returned to Lemuria, he had arrived to the news of his mother's death. What if the same had happened this time?

His pace quickened, though he realized that the difference in seconds would mean nothing, ignoring the Lemurians that called out to him. A part of him, in the back of his mind, hoped they would understand his intentions. At the moment, most of him did not care if they thought him the most inconsiderate man to walk the face of Weyard.

When he arrived at his family's house, he stopped suddenly, eying the stone strangely. When had he stopped thinking of it as his own house, he wondered? True, he had not lived in it for some time, but was it not still his home?

Shaking his head, he stepped to the door, pushed it open slowly, and peered inside. The curtains were drawn across the windows, casting the room into shadow. As he opened the door further, the light spilled onto the floor, outlining a path into the house.

He stepped in gingerly, as if making noise on the stone would somehow make real his worst fears. "Hello?" he called out softly. "Uncle?"

A rustling came from his right side, along with the sound of something heavy moving. Piers stopped, his mind instantly preparing to snap-freeze everything around him at a sudden movement. A soft, familiar groan reached his ears next and he relaxed his reaction. "Uncle? Did I wake you?"

The movements stopped, silence filling the house for several seconds. "...Piers? Is that you?"

Piers nodded, then realized his uncle probably could not see him well, if at all. "It is. I've returned again."

In the shadowed corner, he could just make out the form of a person sitting up, accompanied by the rustling of a blanket. "Open the windows. I want to see you."

He obliged, stepping to the side and pulling the curtain aside. Light flooded into the room as he draped the heavy curtain over a hook to the window's side, then turned back around. Ensio sat on the edge of his bed, squinting and wearing nothing more than a pair of loose shorts. He and Piers stared at each other for a moment, and then Ensio broke out into a grin. "Come here, you."

Piers stepped over to his uncle, embracing him tightly. "It's been too long," the older man said as they pulled apart.

"It's only been about a year," Piers said, raising an eyebrow.

"Too long," Ensio repeated firmly.

Piers glanced down and nodded. "I must confess I was afraid... I was afraid of showing up, only to find the house empty."

Ensio looked up sharply. "Why would you fear that?"

"It's just... I guess I was simply remembering mother," he said slowly. "I remembered coming back, only to find out...about her. I feared the same feeling."

"We can't spend our time fearing death," Ensio said gently. "Not with the spring, and certainly not without it. Not ours or anyone else's."

Piers shook his head. "Isn't it the fear of death that keeps us alive, that gives us caution?"

"Only when held in the back of the mind. To focus on it is to focus on disaster," his uncle said, then waved his hand. "But enough philosophy. How have you been? You look well."

Smiling, Piers said, "Things have been...interesting recently. I've been handling them, though. I enjoyed an extended vacation in a beautiful port town."

Ensio leaned back, howling with laughter. "I just heard about that from Lunpa. I see you've managed to escape, though. Must've been terrible."

"I would say you should try living in a cave, but it seems you've already decided to do that," Piers said, gesturing around him with an arm.

"I've been a bit ill for a couple days, so I've been trying to sleep it off."

Piers glanced down and grabbed the blanket lying on the bed beside them. "And trying to sweat it out, apparently," he said, holding up the thick, woolen cover.

Ensio shrugged. "It came with a fever, so it seemed like a suitable plan of action."

Frowning, Piers said, "Is it working? I've got a friend here who is an exceptional healer. I'm sure she would have no problem looking you over."

His uncle waved it off. "I'm feeling better today, don't worry about it. Instead, tell me about this Clotho bastard."

"Who?"

Ensio stared at him for a moment, incredulous. "Have you not heard what happened to the king?"

Piers' spine ran cold at the words. "No. Tell me!"

"He's fine at the moment," his uncle said, patting Piers' shoulder reassuringly, "but he was attacked three days ago by an Anemian King. He was saved when your friends interfered, forcing this Clotho to retreat."

He stood up immediately, making for the door. "I need to go see him."

"Piers, wait!" The man stopped and looked back silently. "He's been recovering since then, and he hasn't been in good condition. He's probably asleep right now."

Piers stood in the middle of the room for a long moment, swaying slightly as he debated his choices. Eventually, however, he followed his uncle's words and returned to the bed.

"I swear," Ensio said, "you are every bit as loyal to him as Kai was."

"I have good reason to be," Piers said defensively.

Ensio nodded. "True, I suppose he has done great things for you. Kai always confused me with that, though, because she had every reason to hate him."

Piers shrugged. "Kings have to make hard choices. Mother never held it against him personally."

"Doesn't mean it would have wrong of her to. Or you, for that matter. Alcoholics make for poor father substitutes."

Glancing around the room, Piers said, "You seem to have gotten better about it, though. Last time, the place was quite a mess."

Ensio grimaced and looked away. "I like to think that last time I had an excuse. I didn't want the losses of both my sister and my nephew on my mind. After you left, I pulled everything together. At least, more than it was."

"You could always find some more productive use for your Psynergy, instead," Piers said with a frown.

"Alchemy has more uses than simply combat," Ensio said. "I'm sure that someday, someone will find a better use for my techniques. I'll gladly give them all the details." He waved his hand again. "But you keep dragging me into boring subjects. You don't need to hear about my vices. How have you been? Other than your most recent adventure, of course. Still with that group?"

"We parted ways after Alchemy was restored, though we kept in touch. I started trading between cities, trying to encourage them to do the same. I'd like to see the Eastern Sea trade grow and lure our home out of isolation again."

Ensio nodded. "An important business. So you found a new crew, then? Any of them fill the hole your dark-haired stranger left in your heart?"

Piers stared at him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What?"

"You know, that man with the ponytail. Weren't you and he, you know..." Ensio gestured vaguely with his hands.

"No!" Piers nearly shouted. "Gods, why does everyone seem to think that?"

"It's perfectly fine if you are," Ensio said mildly. "Kai would have loved to see you with someone that made you happy."

Shaking his head, Piers said, "That's not the case at all. Please, uncle. I've come to expect this from young girls, but from you?"

Ensio shrugged again. "You two were always near each other when you came here, and always seemed like you were the parents of the group."

Piers rolled his eyes and said, "That's because we were. That's what happens when you have two immature teenage girls and an oft-immature old man. It took both of us to hold their reins. Besides," he looked away, "Felix is one of the only people I can truly rely on for anything, and I to him. He's like a brother, or at least what I would imagine one to be like."

A silence fell between them as Piers thought about that. Felix always remained fairly aloof to everyone else, even his old friend Isaac, but he and Piers had quickly forged a trusting bond. He suspected it did have to do, at least partially, with the caretaking of Jenna and Sheba, something which he believed Felix had grown weary of doing alone.

"You're really making a bad case for your denial of this relationship, Piers."

He looked over at his uncle, grinning. "Words will never sway you, will they?"

Ensio's grin matched his own. "Not until I see you wedded – properly or otherwise."

Piers laughed and said, "I'm afraid if you want to see that, you'll have to get yourself banished as well. Either that, or make my marriage a worldwide catastrophe."

"Eh, we'll see what the king can do about that." Ensio slapped his back. "Come on, you should get going to see him. There are more important things than me that you need to focus on."

Piers stood up slowly, turning back around to give his uncle another tight hug. "I'll stop in to say goodbye before we leave."

"Make sure to bring your brown-haired boy, too. I should meet my new nephew."

- \/\/ -

Scrape.

Ivan slid the whetstone across his sword carefully, the blade gleaming in the morning sun. Its edge had found little use lately, but every once in a while, when the tedium of paperwork began to eat at him, his whetstone came out again.

Scrape.

It reminded him of his position, now. No longer was he simply a servant to a high-ranking lord, or an apprentice merchant, or a bookkeeper. His skill with the sword, though nowhere near as refined as Garet's or Felix's, had come a long way. Though he refused to flaunt it, many times had the thought come across his mind of finding out just how many people in Kalay actually could beat him in a fight now.

Scrape.

And that spoke nothing of his skill in Psynergy, either. Seeing and manipulating the potentials around him came to him more easily than everyday conversations. From subtle adjustments in pressure to sharp alterations in charge, wind and lightning bent to his will in ways that made him feel more like a god than a boy. His studies in science had only improved his control, the laws of physics explaining what most Jupiter Adepts only learned from trial and error.

Scrape.

No, his list of occupations now read warrior, sorcerer, and when his pride began to swell, hero, too. His sword felt as much a part of him as his Psynergy and his intellect. What had once seemed like a dreary chore had become almost a ritual of sorts, a way to relieve stress and focus his thoughts.

Scrape.

And they certainly needed focused right now.

Scrape.

Scrape.

He paused midway through one movement, his whetstone sitting still on the blade. "Hello, Jenna." Careful to continue in the same spot, he finished the motion, then lifted the blade from where it rested on the sheath in his lap, replaced it, and set it aside.

The burgundy-haired girl appeared at his right, sitting down and letting her legs dangle over the edge of the stone roof as well. "How'd you know it was me?"

Ivan smiled. "There's only a few of us roof-dwellers, and you're not nearly as quiet as Sheba."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Next time I'll just push you off first."

"If I go down, I'm bringing you with me," he said seriously.

Shrugging, Jenna said, "No problem. It's so much faster getting down, and this way, I'll have a cushion to land on." She glanced over at him, poking him in the ribs. "Though you make for a crappy cushion. So bony."

"There's a reason I've lived this long," he said, squirming away from her fingers. "Monsters always go for the meaty ones. So long as I stay near Garet, I'm practically invisible."

"No more meat than in that meathead," she said lightly, giving up and leaning back on her hands. "What's up, Ivan?"

He shook his head, then reached up to brush the hair out of his eyes. "Nothing, why?"

Jenna's fist thumped into his shoulder. "Cut it out. You only roof-dwell on your own when you're avoiding people. Speak, boy."

Ivan flashed her a frown, but when she returned it with a questioning eyebrow, he sighed. "You're so demanding. I have no idea how the others all managed to live without locking you in some cellar."

"Quit being so smart-alecky. You've been hanging around Sheba too much, so shut up and answer me." When he simply turned to look at her flatly, she waved her hand. "You know what I mean."

He turned away, leaning back in the same way she had. "It's my dreams. The things I see...they bother me. A lot."

A silence fell between them, only the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind filling the gap. Ivan closed his eyes as he felt the pressures surge and shift, their movements whispered to the tiny hairs on his arms and back of his neck. As he watched without eyes, the pressure dropped and the wind reversed momentarily, like the ocean's waves receding from the sandy shores.

"Was it...Alex again?" Jenna asked after a minute.

He nodded. "It was worse. I saw... I saw Isaac. And Piers. It was... They were..." He trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Not even his nightmares of Karst left him in such a cold sweat upon awakening.

A hand settled on his left shoulder, pulling him to the side as he opened his eyes. Jenna slid up close and rested her head against his, whispering, "You don't have to say it, Ivan. Just put it out of your mind."

"I can't," he muttered, surprising himself with how calm he had stayed, despite letting loose the terrifying thoughts he had been desperately trying to control. "I can't let it happen."

"It won't," she said firmly. "I'll fry the bastard myself before it does. He'll be nothing more than ashes if he tries to hurt anyone."

Ivan sat still for a moment, unable to ignore the conviction in Jenna's voice. Her jovial tone had vanished entirely, her words taking on the air of an oath. "How would we know, though?" he asked after a few seconds. "We already know he's good at hiding his plans."

Jenna sat back up and shrugged. "We keep an eye on him. If he's hiding anything, he'll slip up eventually."

"But how would we even stop him if he did?" Ivan asked. "You know what he can do. We tried to stop him once, and got nowhere."

Rolling her eyes, Jenna said, "Ivan, come on. How often do we actually stop to think about how to beat something?"

He stared at her for a moment. "Seriously? All the time, Jenna. That's what I spend most of my time in a fight doing, especially when we're outmatched."

Jenna cocked her head to the side. "Really? You always seem to come up with plans in no time."

"That's just it, though," Ivan said, shaking his head. "Things come to me quickly, sure, but only if I'm actively looking for an answer. Whenever something stops me from thinking about it, I can't come up with anything."

Pursing her lips, Jenna said, "See, it's the opposite for me. I just do what seems right, and I get through. Or when things start going wrong, I just use a lot of fire. Quantity over quality works pretty well, sometimes."

Ivan smiled. "What a strange coincidence that you and Garet seem to be the biggest fans of that strategy."

"I told you to cut it out with the smart-aleckiness," she said, flicking his ear with the hand still across his shoulders. "Besides, I remember a certain someone trying to beat a dragon once by dropping as much lightning on it as possible. Remember that one? On our way down from Jupiter?"

Turning slightly pink as he shrugged off her arm, Ivan looked away. "I never said it wasn't a valid strategy. It's just not my first."

"Killed that dragon just as dead, though, didn't it?"

He did not respond at first, the faint scent of dragon breath triggered by her words. He remembered when those dragons living in the lighthouse, the blue ones about twice his size, had terrified him to the point of stupefaction. They seemed so insignificant, now. Others, however... "I had a dream about your...the Kindragon."

Though he refused to look at her when he said it, he heard the girl snort. A tense silence hung between them for a few moments, and Ivan began to wonder if it had been wrong to bring the subject up. Before he could try and change it, though, Jenna spoke. "I like how everyone made different names for it."

Ivan chanced a glance at her and found her staring down at her own feet. "Isaac called it the Judgment Dragon, since we were being judged," she continued. "Kraden called it the Doom Dragon, since it would have doomed the entire world to ice. Mia called it the Beast, since it, well, was one." She looked up at the sea. "I can guess the meaning behind yours."

Her words came out so calmly that Ivan decided to chance the question that came to mind. "What do you call it?"

"I call it...Mom," she said quietly, her voice cracking slightly. Again the girl looked down, her hair falling around her face. Her knuckles had grown white from how tightly she clenched the roof's edge.

Ivan instantly kicked himself. "Jenna, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

The mass of cinnamon shook from side to side, and when Jenna looked up at him, she had a smile on her face again. "Don't be, Ivan. You've got nothing to be sorry about."

He glanced down, nervously clenching the legs of his pants. "I should never have brought it up. It was thoughtless of me."

"What's been done is done," she said firmly. "That dragon is the past, and I refuse to be controlled by the past. I made a choice, and I'll live with that choice."

Her tone made him cautiously look up again. "If you could go back...would you change something?"

Jenna looked away, towards the palace that loomed nearby. "Knowing who that dragon was? I would have thrown down my sword."

"Even with the lighthouse unlit?"

"I would let the entire world freeze before I willingly raise a weapon against my family."

A chill slid down Ivan's spine, causing the boy to shiver, despite the warmth of the Lemurian climate. He had never heard Jenna speak with such confident cruelty before. Had he not heard the words come from her mouth himself, he would have sworn they belonged to Felix.

To think it of her, though... He found it difficult. Jenna always maintained so much cheerful optimism, enough to spread it to the others like a disease. He always counted on her to improve his mood, or give him hope when it faded. To hear her speak of sacrificing the entire world with such certainty...

"Ivan?"

He looked up at her suddenly, finding her staring at him with concern on her face. Quickly shaking his head, he said, "Sorry. I didn't want to ruin your mood like this."

They both looked away as another awkward silence fell between them. Why was it that any time someone tried to help him with his own personal problems, he managed to simply shove thorns into theirs? Was spreading misery the only way to alleviate his own?

"What was your dream about?"

He looked up at Jenna in confusion. "Huh?"

"Your dream," she said again. "You said you had a dream about the dragon. What was it?"

"Oh." He shook his head. "Just about us fighting it. You saved me from being eaten in it."

Jenna snorted again. "There was a lot of that going around, if I remember." She paused, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully. "So it wasn't a prophecy, then?"

"I don't think so," he said. "Sometimes it's hard to tell. It might have just been a warning of danger, though. I doubt that we'll fight another three-headed dragon on Mars Lighthouse, at least."

"No, our enemies this time seem to be birds." Jenna smiled, looking over at him. "No offense, but I think we'll have a much easier time stomping some birds than dragons."

Ivan chuckled. "I hope so. They're interfering with my dull and boring life."

"For which I'll need to thank them," Jenna said. "Maybe by the end of this, you'll have some color in you again."

"Ugh, I hope not," Ivan said with a grimace, looking at his arms. "Do you know how much Master Hammet enjoyed teasing me about the tan I had when I returned home?"

Below them he heard the door open, so he leaned forward and peered down. He saw Isaac walk outside, then turn around and glance up. Ivan raised a hand in a wave, which Isaac returned, then suddenly turned away. "We're, uh, heading over to see the king."

"Alright, we're coming," Ivan said. He stood up and buckled his sword belt back around his waist, then prepared to jump down. The door clattered once more as he heard the others coming out, so he waited patiently for them to move out of his landing area.

Before he could jump, though, Garet turned around and saw them. "So that's where you've been hiding this whole time. What gives?"

Ivan reached down and tapped his sword. "Just keeping it in good condition."

Garet nodded approvingly. "I'll make a proper warrior out of you yet, Ivan." The young man then glanced over at the girl beside him. "Hey Jenna, wearing a skirt on the roof isn't the best of ideas."

Ivan glanced over quickly, in time to see Jenna's eyes widen. Before he could stop her, she had already plunged off the roof, screaming profanity at Garet's quickly escaping form. He shook his head, then stepped off the edge, allowing a buffer of air to land him gently on the ground.

He knew that Jenna, definitely.

- \/\/ -

"Isaac."

The Venus Adept looked up from the palace floor and found Felix looking at him expectantly. "Yeah, sorry, just got a bit...distracted." As he fell in behind Felix, his eyes drifted back down to the splintered stone of the floor, the only remaining indication of Hydros' extreme power. The king had remained in his bed for almost three days now, constantly tended to by healers. Mia had declared him lucky to be alive.

With a wave of his hand, the cracks melted back together, restoring the smooth surface and leaving no indication of their damage. The scorch marks remained, however, testament to both Clotho's light and Garet's flames. Isaac could do nothing to remove those, at least not with Psynergy.

As he walked, he turned his mind towards the statues that remained posted in the center of the room. Moving each of them in behind their group, his head suddenly spun briefly. All four statues paused as Isaac reached up to the side of his head, rubbing it as his vision settled. The other day, he had commanded the statues with relative ease, feeling nothing other than the drain on his Psynergy, yet simply trying to move them now made his mind reel from the effort.

"Adrenaline," a voice said softly. Isaac glanced up and found Alex looking back at him. Isaac suddenly felt control of two of the statues taken from him effortlessly, the strain on his mind lessening immediately. "It focuses Psynergy like it focuses other parts of your body, allowing what is normally impossible."

Isaac glanced at the statues, then back at Alex. "Did you read my mind?"

Alex shook his head. "I don't need to, Isaac. I was a keen observer long before I was the holder of the Golden Sun." He gestured to the statues. "I can feel your Psynergy, and could see the effects on you."

Looking past him, Isaac saw Felix turning back to them again, a questioning look on his face. "...Thanks, then." Pulling the two statues along behind him, Isaac continued on, Alex falling into step beside him.

They proceeded up the stairwell in silence, though Isaac could hear the faint whisperings of curious Lemurians behind him. He had caught them cautiously watching each of them since the attack, but always trying to remain out of sight. Lunpa had explained to them that most Lemurians would not know how to even begin to approach strangers such as they; it had taken years before many would speak to him.

The whispers died off as they reached the throne room. Isaac directed his statues back to their original locations, as did Alex, and the door closed behind them. The ten of them spread out as they moved in, allowing everyone to move forward. Isaac moved in last, seeing three men opposite them: King Hydros, Lunpa, and a white-haired man with glasses who he did not recognize.

The king sat on his throne, looking much more exhausted than when Isaac had last seen him, while the other two stood to the side. Despite his appearance, though, when he spoke, his voice betrayed none of his fatigue. "Welcome, Adepts. I apologize for the unfortunate circumstances in which we initially met, but I again thank you for your help all the same. Felix, could you do the honors of introducing us all?"

Felix bowed slightly. "Of course, Your Highness." Turning towards them, Felix gestured out behind him. "King Hydros Proteus, ruler of Lemuria. Lord Conservato Le Verrier, Speaker of the Senate. And though you have already met, Lunpa Locksley, advisor to the king."

Felix turned around, facing the king again. "Your Highness, I present my fellow Valeans, Isaac Chayan and Garet Williams." Isaac bowed in the same manner Felix had, noticing Garet following his lead after a half-second.

When he picked his head back up, Felix continued. "Ivan Novikov and Master Hama Ashling, from the Hesperian city of Contigo." The siblings followed suit, though Isaac felt awkward and clumsy after seeing the grace of their bows.

"And lastly, Mia Magnarsen and Alex Ambrosen, healers from the Mercury Clan of Imil." Mia dipped into a curtsy at her name, while Alex dropped into a sweeping bow. Isaac raised an eyebrow as he caught Jenna's eye, unsure if the gesture had been contemptuous or sincere. Jenna merely shrugged.

"Welcome to my kingdom, all of you," Hydros said, bowing as well as he could from his throne. "I had hoped to speak with all of you concerning the threat Anemos poses, but I know you have learned that for yourself."

"How did you know about them?" Sheba asked. "Did Kraden send word?"

Lunpa shook his head. "The king recognized the hurricane as no natural phenomenon, but a powerful Jupiter attack. After some discussion, we realized for someone to have attacked us so precisely, they would have to know Lemuria even existed, yet Lemuria has been a myth for centuries now. As the only ancient civilization that simply went missing, the king rightfully assumed it to be the Anemoi."

"Then when you told Clotho that you'd heard of their attacks..." Jenna began.

Hydros nodded. "I had only my suspicions, though his appearance confirmed my original theory."

The man on the king's other side, Lord Conservato, cleared his throat gently. "I would like to say that I apologize for disbelieving you, sir."

"What a surprise," Jenna whispered rather loudly. Isaac covered his smile quickly; he had heard Jenna rant about the man countless times.

Conservato shot her a stern look, then turned back to the king. "I must admit, I was rather shocked to see His Highness Lycoris, as well. Had I not seen the resemblance, I might have discounted him as a fake."

"No, Conservato, you were right to doubt," Hydros said, shaking his head. "I only reached my conclusion by discounting all other more likely possibilities, and barely believed it myself."

Garet coughed.

Mia spun on him so fast that Isaac expected to feel the gust from the swirl of her clothes. Though he could not make out the words, he saw Mia begin whispering rapidly and furiously to Garet, her hands balled into fists at her side. Garet, for his part, shrunk back slightly, looking as he did when his own mother had berated him.

"Please, Miss Magnarsen," Hydros said, raising his hand. "Do not be angry with him. Lemurians often require a reminder that others do not view time as plentiful we do. I apologize for the distraction."

"What is it you wanted to speak with us about, then?" Felix asked, as Garet cautiously edged away from Mia.

"Though it was originally intended to be a warning, I would still like to pass on some information I have about the Anemoi," Hydros said. "Firstly, about King Clotho Lycoris. What were your impressions of him?"

"He's an irritating son of a bitch," Jenna said instantly. "He needs to be stepped on. Repeatedly." A brief silence filled the room as everyone looked at Jenna, who simply shrugged. "You asked."

"He seemed unconcerned with anyone but himself," Isaac said, still fighting back a smile. "He thought very highly of himself, and completely ignored us until we joined in the fight."

"Even then, he appeared surprised that anyone save Your Highness stood up to him," Alex added.

"He had wings," Garet said, looking around as if he could not believe that had not been said yet.

"He looked far too young for a king that, apparently, was alive before the sealing of Alchemy," Ivan said.

Hydros nodded. "I agree with your interpretations. Clotho is a prideful king, a powerful Adept, and a cruel man. He believes those outside of royalty are worth nothing, and this makes him incredibly dangerous. He will kill them without hesitation and little provocation."

"Then we'll have to deal with him in a place where he cannot use that ruthlessness to his advantage," Felix said. "Somewhere isolated from people, in other words."

"We'll need to think about ways to limit the effectiveness of his Jupiter Psynergy, as well," Hama said.

Alex frowned, shaking his head. "That will prove difficult. Jupiter has shown itself to be far more versatile than I initially believed. Short of the area surrounding Venus Lighthouse, I can think of no setting that would prove useful. I will certainly think further on the matter, however," he added with a shrug.

"He will not be the only one, either," Hydros continued. "The city of Anemos is run by a council of three kings, each very long-lived and powerful. Clotho is but one of these. I do not know the others' positions, but I find it difficult to believe they would lead such a bold attack without agreement."

"Do you know anything about the other two?" Isaac asked. The little information they had gleaned from Clotho had already proven useful, but he would rather meet the other two kings with some idea of what he faced.

Unfortunately, it seemed that they would simply have to face them blind. "I'm afraid I'm not sure," Hydros said. "The kings I once knew have likely been succeeded, as it was with Clotho. I never expected the boy I met to grow into the monster I fought."

"How is he still so young, though?" Jenna asked. "Do they have something like your fountain?"

"They-" Hydros' words were cut off by a wracking cough that forced him forward, nearly falling from his throne. Lunpa and Conservato each moved to catch him, gently helping him back up. The king sat back against his throne, eyes closed and breathing heavily. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and tried to speak, but only a harsh rasp came. He closed his eyes again and gestured to Conservato.

The senator nodded and turned back towards the group. "Though we do not know the details, the Anemoi have some method of prolonging their lives almost indefinitely, similar to ourselves. However, only the royal families make use of this near-immortality. Whether this is an inherent trait of their bloodlines, or simply a technology they restrict to the royalty, I cannot say."

"If Clotho is any indication, it's probably something they keep to themselves," Sheba muttered, folding her arms.

"Not necessarily," Lunpa said. "Think about it the other way: if these long lives were only attainable by the royal bloodlines, then this would create a separation between them and the commoners."

"That separation is already distinct," Conservato said. "Much like a Proxian's ability to assume a dragon form in times of dire need, the Anemoi can bestow themselves with wings, as you saw. However, these Wings of Anemos only appear in the royal bloodlines; no one else has them."

"From what I understand, though, the Anemoi are masters of technology," Alex asked after a short silence.

Conservato nodded. "It was from their designs that we built the ships most think of as Lemurian. As we built our first ones, however, they had already begun taking to the skies in their own."

"Then their technology is much more advanced than ours, I'm guessing," Garet said.

"You guess correct," Conservato said. "They have created incredible things, such as ways to communicate instantly over long distances, mechanisms that both create and operate using lightning, and a method of directing their Psynergy to far away places. As you all saw, they can use that to attack anywhere they desire."

"And by combining it with the endless power of Jupiter Lighthouse, they effectively turn the lighthouse into a Psynergetic trebuchet," Ivan said.

"Does Master Kraden still live?" Hydros asked suddenly, leaning forward.

Felix nodded. "He chose to remain behind in Tolbi, as they were also attacked."

"If you can get ahold of any Anemian technology, I recommend giving it to him," Hydros said. "I understand he has been working with applications of Alchemy? If anyone could, I would expect him to be capable of reverse-engineering their technology."

"Do you think that will help us stop them?" Sheba asked. "I mean, they still seem to be much more powerful than us."

"They would help," Isaac said, looking over at the girl. "Think about how difficult it is for us to communicate when we're separated right now. If we had their means of instant communication, though..."

Sheba shook her head. "It's going to take more than that, though. Even with all of us, at the moment, Alex is the only one who can fight them on an equal level."

"We've fought people stronger than us before, so we can do it again," Jenna said.

"No, she's right," Garet said. "The Proxians were trained for, what, a couple decades? These guys have centuries of training. Psynergy has become more natural to them than breathing or blinking. I could see it in Clotho when I faced him." He looked around at all of them, making sure to meet each of their eyes, then continued. "This isn't just a case of matching their strength with our numbers. We need something else, some other way to tip the balance."

He ended with his gaze on Felix, and one by one each of the others turned their eyes towards the Venus Adept. Isaac cringed inwardly; Felix had not encountered Clotho. He likely believed Garet to simply be exaggerating the Anemian's strength, passing it off as another of Garet's stories. Isaac could feel the tension slowly build as Felix and Garet simply stared at each other, their faces expressionless.

Much to Isaac's surprise, though, after a few seconds, Felix nodded. "Did you have anything in mind?"

Garet paused, then shook his head. "I don't know of anything, no."

"In that case, allow me to suggest a few things." Pushing against the arms of his throne, Hydros slowly rose to his feet, despite protests from both Conservato and Lunpa. He grabbed a small, metal rod from beside the throne, using it to limp across the throne room. As he moved, Felix motioned for everyone to move aside, clearing a large, shimmering section of the floor.

Once he reached the edge, he stopped and tapped his steel cane against the floor twice. The shimmers swirled once, revealing themselves to be some sort of liquid, then began to flood with color. The colors spun and ran, twisting around before settling into the shape of the continents, revealing a map of the world.

"Liquids of different densities, all colored with different dyes," Hydros explained, smiling at Isaac's shocked expression. "The Anemoi aren't the only ones who breathe Psynergy." He then looked up at Felix. "Is this mostly accurate? I tried to recreate the one you gave to me, but I must admit, they have all begun to blend together to me."

Felix glanced down for a few moments, scanning the map, then nodded. "Well enough that I understand it fine."

Hydros nodded, then looked around at them. "As you have said, your greatest disadvantage lies in the large disparity in your skills with Psynergy. Thus, your best chance lies in neutralizing their Psynergy as much as possible." He gestured with his cane to the lower right corner of the map. "Southeast of Lemuria lies the Apojii Archipelago. Are you familiar with these islands?"

"We've been there before, briefly," Felix said.

"Long ago, these islands were mined for a very rare material called Myrtle," Hydros explained. "This material was highly valued for its ability to completely negate all forms of Psynergy."

Isaac noticed Alex perk up slightly at this. "All Psynergy? No matter the intensity?"

"Complete nullification," Hydros said. "It saw much use, both as weapons and armor. With a full set of armor, the wearer would effectively render all opponents as normal humans."

"But wouldn't that also negate the wearer's own Psynergy, as well?" Alex asked.

Hydros shook his head. "So long as some portion of the body is exposed, the Adept is able to channel his own Psynergy through the gap. However, he would be incapable of using any on himself."

"Are any of these mines still standing?" Mia asked. "I've never heard of this material, so I imagine it has been lost for some time."

"You are correct," Hydros said. "With the sealing of Alchemy and the end of the wars, most of the pieces have vanished. Some are still likely held by people, passed down as heirlooms with no realization of the rarity the pieces hold. As to the mines themselves, I am not sure. It has been many centuries since I visited the Archipelago."

Ivan shrugged. "We can ask the locals about them. It's possible they don't even know what the mines were for. With so little Psynergy for so long, I imagine Myrtle hasn't exactly been in high demand."

"In addition to neutralizing their strengths, there may also be a way to overpower them." Hydros gestured with his cane again, this time to the very top of the map. "Legends from before even my time speak of a blade held by the Mars Clan of unparalleled power. They say the blade will one day bring about Armageddon, the end of the world."

"That...seems a bit counter-productive," Isaac said slowly.

Jenna looked over at him. "Really, Isaac? If using the sword destroys everything, then how would there be any legends about its power?"

He paused in thought, but before he could come up with a response, Ivan asked, "How do we know the sword even exists, though? You said yourself, Your Highness, that it has only been a legend, even to you."

Hydros smiled. "Legends begin for a reason, Lord Ivan. Was Anemos itself not a legend to you until recently?"

Ivan hesitated briefly, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose it was."

"Now think of how many other legends you have discovered to be truth on your travels," the king continued. "You already carry one of them with you here." He gestured to Piers, who Isaac had almost forgotten about in his silence. "Piers, I see you still hold Poseidon's Trident."

Piers smiled slightly, gently touching the Trident on his back. "I've grown a bit attached to it."

Felix snorted, but Hydros ignored him. "My point is that many legends are rooted in truth, if not entirely accurate. Seek out these powerful legends and utilize what you find to match the power of the legendary Anemoi."

"Do you have any other recommendations, great king?" Alex asked.

The Lemurian shook his head. "I can think of a hundred odd legends and stories, but none that would prove as useful to you as those."

Lunpa stepped forward. "I recommend speaking with Kraden on the subject. He keeps his ears quite open for such things."

Alex nodded. "I have come across some of my own that I believe warrant investigation, but as large a list as possible would be beneficial, as well. Thank you."

Sighing, Hydros said, "I believe that will be all the help I can give you, brave Adepts. Were I not injured, I would try my hardest to assist you in your fight, but my body is weak from so little use. I will take some time to recover."

"We understand, Your Highness," Felix said. "We thank you for all the help you have provided, though."

"No, Felix, thank you," Hydros said. "This is twice now that you have placed your lives on the line for the sake of Weyard. Rest assured, we will not forget it. Our memories last a very long time."

- \/\/ -

"So. How are we doing this?"

Sheba looked around her at the others, all assembled in Lunpa's house once more, yet still separated. No matter how long they had all been together, when left to their own devices, they all seemed to gravitate towards their respective groups. Felix's had taken up opposite Isaac's, with Hama on the outskirts between them, and Alex entirely separate.

Sure, they blended well enough. Ivan had practically completed the trio with herself and Jenna, if a bit unwillingly. Mia had been quickly welcomed into the highly exclusive circle of Felix, which until then, held only Piers and Kraden. Isaac and Garet were already close friends to Felix and Jenna.

But the comfort zone remained. The two groups had simply spent more time with themselves, so they, especially the non-Valeans, continued to stick together.

"I think the initial plan for three groups would work best," Hama said, looking around. "If we plan on acting upon the information King Hydros gave, then we will have one group for each goal, with another to return news to Kraden."

Felix stood up. "Let's go over the goals, then. Firstly, we need a group to go to Prox and verify their safety. The seal should be broken by now, but we should check regardless. Mia, Piers, or Alex will have to go, in case the seal has not faded yet. Whoever goes can also look into this sword.

"Secondly, a group will sail to Apojii and begin investigating these mines. If they have collapsed, then we'll need myself or Isaac there to gain access."

"I could satisfy that requirement, as well," Alex said idly, but Felix made no acknowledgment that he heard the interruption.

"Should this Myrtle be found, they will then bring it to Yallam. There is a fantastic blacksmith there who specializes in rare materials.

"Lastly, the remainder will need to return to Tolbi and inform Kraden of our current plans. Once done, they will determine a suitable course of action, based on any information Kraden can provide." Felix paused and glanced around at all of them. "Any preferences?"

Alex raised his hand first, surprising Sheba. "I would like to return to Tolbi. I have several possibilities that I wish to hear Kraden's thoughts on."

"Tolbi also, please," Ivan said immediately.

"Me too," Sheba and Jenna said the next moment. The girls looked at each other, then at Ivan, who now looked slightly nervous.

To Sheba's dismay, though, Felix shook his head. "You and Ivan can't travel together, Sheba. I want a means of teleportation in every group, just in case."

Sheba opened her mouth to argue, but Mia cut her off. "I will go to Tolbi with them, instead. That should quell any questions anyone has about Alex's...motives."

Felix nodded, then looked at Piers. "That will leave you to come to Prox with me, then."

"Wait," Garet said. "If you both go to Prox, who's going to helm the Kailani?"

"Isaac can do it," Felix said, gesturing at the other Venus Adept. "He helmed your ship, didn't he?"

Garet snorted. "Never found out what happened to that ship, did you?"

Sheba raised her eyebrows, then turned to look at Isaac with the rest of the room. He seemed to be trying to shrink as much as possible, but unfortunately, his glowing red face drew their attention like a beacon. "I don't want to talk about that," he muttered quietly.

Felix turned to look at Mia, then Piers, then back at Isaac. "I guess I'll have to, then. Piers, I trust you'll take care of Prox. Who else is going?"

Silence filled the room. Sheba glanced around at the other unspoken names yet, finding them doing the same. She held no grudge against the Proxians, but still...Prox was rather unpleasant to visit, especially compared to Apojii. The silence went on, paradoxically growing in magnitude the way only silence can. After several seconds, Hama sighed and placed her hands on her knees, preparing to stand.

"I'll go."

The woman stopped and looked over at Isaac, along with Sheba. "The two of us should be enough," Isaac continued. "The rest of you can go with Felix. It'll make the trip easier on you, since you're using the ship."

Piers nodded. "I agree. If we need help finding this sword, we can always ask the Proxians for help. That way, if..." He trailed off as the door opened.

Sheba glanced over her shoulder and found Lunpa in the doorway. "Sorry, am I interrupting?"

Felix shook his head. "Not at all, Lunpa, this is your house. We're just finishing our decisions of how to split up."

Nodding, Lunpa said. "I see. In that case, Piers, the king would like to speak with you."

"I understand," the Lemurian said, then turned to Felix. "I'll try to keep it short."

"No," Felix said sternly. "So long as we're in Lemuria, take your time."

"Just...take normal people time," Jenna said, Felix's eyes instantly fixing on her. "What? You know how ridiculous Lemurian time is!"

Laughing, Piers walked towards the door. "Don't worry, while I'm not sure about normal people time,I've certainly become quite adjusted to Jenna time."

Lunpa stepped aside as Piers left, then turned to the others. "So sarcastic now. I blame you all."

"I blame that hellion right there," Felix said, jerking his thumb at his sister, who stood up in mock rage.

"A hellion? A hellion? Me? How dare you slander me so!"

As the young woman began a long-winded rant on her merits, as well as a fairly well-fabricated history of the word hellion, Sheba quietly moved towards the back of the room. When she felt certain that all eyes had focused on Jenna, she slipped up the stairs.

Moving quickly once out of sight, she crossed the upper floor, stepping outside onto the stone balcony. Scanning the path towards the palace, she picked out Piers' form with ease. She stepped to the edge, and after deciding that he had enough of a lead, she jumped down.

Wind curled beneath her, lightly depositing the girl on the ground, then swirled around her briefly as it left, caressing her softly. She let it go, then began walking after Piers.

Sheba allowed her attention to drift as she walked, already knowing Piers' destination. Though she dared not stray from the stone paths for fear of the Lemurians instantly swooping in on the ignorant foreigner, she eyed the grass curiously. No flowers of any sort seemed to grow in them, not even as much as the ever-present dandelion.

She glanced around her at other patches of grass, but found them all similarly empty. Thinking back to the few trees she had seen, she recalled no fruit or flowers on them, either. Did nothing grow here, save the most basic of plants? Did the Lemurians even know what flowers were?

As she walked up the steps towards the palace, she glanced behind her. Sure enough, she could see two separate Lemurians watch her as she walked, not even bothering to hide from her sight or make themselves look busy.

Shaking her head, she turned back around. She could not blame them for being suspicious, she supposed. That guard had said it well enough: whenever they showed up, the king seemed to get in trouble. If Clotho wanted Hydros dead, then he simply had to wait until they showed up again; she doubted it would take any longer than one more trip.

She chuckled at the thought, quickly stifling it as she approached the palace. The guards eyed her carefully, but she knew they would offer her no challenge. Word of her heritage had spread quickly, even for a community as humdrum as Lemuria, and all eyed her with some degree of fear now, despite Hydros himself vouching for her reliability. It stung, but she quickly realized that no one would challenge her movements anymore.

Only a single Lemurian was present in the palace when she entered, a young man, scrubbing at the floor with a thick brush. Beneath the foam she could still see the dark mark of Garet's flames, though it had faded partially, a shadow of the floor's design reappearing from the blackness. Judging by the sweat on the man's brow, however, the small victory had been hard-won. She wanted to stop and give some words of encouragement to the cleaner, who appeared only slightly older than her, but nothing came to mind; she would likely only remind him of who created his work.

Instead, she simply stepped around him in a wide circle and he paid her no attention, focused on his efforts. As she passed over another scorch mark, one borne of light, she could not help but notice how deep the burn seemed, appearing to have transformed the stone into a dulled onyx.

Upon reaching the first landing of the stairs, she slowed down and softly tiptoed up. When she poked her head onto the next landing, however, she found the guards to the throne room staring at her. "Oh, um...hello."

Both guards grew visibly tense, their hands tightening around their spears. "The king is in a private audience with Piers. No one else is to be permitted attendance."

"Oh." Sheba pouted in her head. She wanted to know what Hydros had to say, but she doubted she could get past these two without both attracting Hydros' attention and probably getting herself thrown into a dungeon...assuming Lemuria even still had those. Maybe they used partially submerged dungeons; that would be rather uncomfortable.

After a moment she realized both guards were still staring at her. "Right. Sorry. I'll just wait for Piers downstairs, then."

Backing down the stairs slowly, she retreated to the great fountain and sat on the rim. Her hand idly dropped into the water, finding it pleasantly cool, contrasting the warm and muggy air. She ran her finger in a slow circle, distorting the constant ripples in the surface, and watched them rebound off one another. As she waited, though, she could feel the sweat forming and trickling down her skin.

The humidity was what bothered her, she realized. Lalivero raised her to be no stranger to heat, but theirs was a dry heat, baked by the sun with water often a precious resource. Here, they had so much water that they could use it as decoration.

She wondered if Lemurians ever went to the beach, if they even had beaches to visit, instead of rocky cliffs. There were only a few children here, she knew, but wouldn't they be the same as children everywhere, who almost always loved the beach?

Javen suddenly popped into her head, unbidden, but not unwanted. She remembered the first time they had taken him to the beach, at the onset of a particularly unpleasant summer. He had been thrilled to splash through the shallows, run through the small dunes of loose sand, and see all the various creatures and treasures of the tide. She had chased him up and down the beach, and he her, until they both collapsed into the sand.

Her other hand reached up to touch her seashell necklace, underneath her shirt. Javen had gathered up all manner of tiny seashells on that trip, and then made it into a necklace for her over the next few days. There had been considerable help from Zahara, of course, since Javen had only been four at the time, but that only made it more special and precious to her.

And it had been lying at home for two years. Two straight years, untouched. She had to pull her hand away as it automatically constricted in anger at the thought. She had missed so much of him growing up, so much of his flying hug tackles, so much of his bright laughter. Thoughts of Javen had been the only things that kept her hopeful during her captivity.

"Sheba?"

The girl glanced up, finding Piers on the stairs, heading down. She took a deep breath, releasing her anger, and smiled at him. It had all worked out better in the end, after all. "Figured I'd come and wait for you."

He raised an eyebrow as he reached the bottom. "Oh? Is that why the guards said you were sneaking up the stairs?"

She could feel her face flush red, try as she might to contain it. "Um...well..."

Piers laughed, reaching out and messing up her hair. "You're incorrigible, Sheba."

She stood up, drawing herself to her full height, and said, "I don't know what that means, so I'll just assume it means 'beautiful, amazing, goddess in human form.'"

"Yes, we'll go with that, Goddess of Eavesdropping."

"Hmph. Are you done yet? We do have a world to save, you know. Again."

Piers smile failed to reach his eyes this time, she noticed. "Just one more stop. It won't be long."

Once they were outside, a question returned to Sheba's head. "Hey, Piers, does Lemuria have any rule about walking on the grass?"

He glanced at her, then over at the slightly unkempt grass. "No, no one minds. We just tend to use the path unless we're in a hurry, and, well..."

"You're never in a hurry here," she finished, nodding. "Hey, hold on a second, then." Bending down, she reached down and pulled the laces of her boots free, loosening them until she could pull them off. Her socks came next, stuffed down into the soles of her boots, before they were slung over her shoulder. She wiggled her toes briefly, then stepped into the grass, relishing the way the cool blades gently tickled her feet. "Alright, let's go."

"I've never really walked around barefoot," Piers said after a few moments. "Do you do it often back home?"

Sheba shook her head. "Sand and stone usually get too hot to do it, and when it gets cool, the sand scorpions that hide from the sun come out, so we're always in sandals, at least. Whenever we visit the oases, though, we get to take them off." She glanced over at his feet. "You should try it, too. It feels really nice, letting your feet free for a while."

Piers smiled at her, but shook his head. "Maybe some other time."

They continued on in silence for some time. Piers was hiding something, she knew, but had no idea what. It had something to do with what Hydros had spoken to him about, most likely, because he had been fine before his meeting.

His exile, she realized suddenly. It had only been lifted temporarily by the king for the discussion about the Anemoi, and with his emergency powers soon to expire, their exile would resume. Piers, for the second time, would be leaving his home without being able to return.

Sheba could not even begin to imagine what that would be like. Even her short time held from home nearly drove her crazy. To be banished forever, never able to see her family again?

She shook her head. Piers was trying to keep a strong front for their sake. He was willing to give it all up to help them save the world, so she would be strong for him as well. Pitying him and lamenting about it now would only hurt them all and possibly make his sacrifice worthless.

So when they arrived at Piers' house, she told him she would wait outside. She sat down in the grass, feeling the sun beat down on her and coat her face in sweat. Automatically, her hand moved to wipe it off, feeling her bangs stuck together in clumps of wet hair.

Taking a deep breath, she called a gentle breeze over her, enough to clear the muggy air from her nose and bring sweet, cool refreshment to her face. She relished in the air current for a few moments, feeling her hair flopping around, then fell back onto the grass. Her arms and legs fell outstretched, spreading out as far across the grass as possible.

She lay there for a while, staring up at the flawless blue sky. A pair of gulls drifted by on their own ocean above, sailing on the thermals. Her eyes followed them until they moved out of sight, headed for whatever port gulls seek.

It would be almost an hour before Piers returned, grim and determined, to walk them both back to Lunpa's, where they would all go their separate ways. Before that, though, Sheba gradually fell into a light nap, wondering if gulls ever worried about war.

- \/\/ -

"Legends, you say?"

Jenna nodded, then sipped at her drink again. Sweet, steaming chocolate flowed down her throat, running like a waterfall of silk. She licked her lips and settled her face directly above the drink, breathing in the rich smells heavily. Too expensive and rare for all but lords to obtain, Kraden had promised he would always try and have some on hand for her. Babi's fortune could not all be used towards progress, he had told her.

Kraden leaned back in his chair, twirling the end of his beard thoughtfully. "I know of hundreds, possibly more. I haven't the faintest idea where to begin, really."

"Anything that could help us," Ivan said from behind herself and Mia, who sat in the pair of chairs.

Kraden rolled his eyes. "Yes, I gathered that much. What I mean, is, I don't know what will help you fight off several powerful Jupiter Adepts."

"The others are off searching for weapons, and armor," Alex said from the side of the desk. "I'm unsure how useful weapons will be against the Kings, though,"

Jenna nodded again. "I agree. I think the boys are just being boys again." A soft scoff reached her ears from behind her. "You don't count, Ivan. We corrupted you."

"Thanks for that. I feel the femininity saturating my mind."

Grinning, she continued. "But even so, we already have powerful weapons. Isaac's got his sword, Piers had his Trident, Alex has the Golden Sun. I think we need something else."

Kraden raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"Spirits," Jenna said, staring at Kraden intently.

The room fell into a brief silence. "Jenna," Mia said slowly, "are you saying that you want to chase ghosts?"

The girl shrugged. "Call them what you want, but Hydros had a point. How many unbelievable things have we seen already?"

"I agree, but...spirits? We've run into them before, and they've done nothing but attack us."

Alex shook his head. "I don't believe Jenna is speaking of the weak spirits created by stray Psynergy, but of sentient spirits that wander Weyard."

"Some have said the spirits of the gods themselves appear from time to time," Kraden said quietly, causing Jenna to look at him curiously. "Though it has never been confirmed, of course."

"What good would finding these spirits do, though?" Mia asked.

"Many spirits remain on Weyard because of unfinished business," Alex said. "We enter into an arrangement with them: should we help them with their business, then they help us with our task before moving on. That way, they remain bound to the world, giving them the motivation to assist us properly."

Ivan frowned. "That's terrible. You'd force them to stay here only to use them?"

Shrugging, Alex said, "Without our help, they won't be going anywhere at all. I don't think asking for a favor in return for dealing with their business is unreasonable."

"And if you broke your word and never let them pass on?" Ivan asked.

"Firstly, at the completion of the pact, they would be free to move on, regardless of my wishes," Alex said. "Secondly, there are few things more foolish than binding an unwilling soul to oneself. The dead have powers beyond Psynergy."

"What kind of spirits are there?" Mia asked.

"All kinds," Alex said, holding his hand up and raising counting off fingers. "Valukar, lord of the forge. Aeshma, lord of shadows. Pandora, lady of chaos. Deadbeard, lord of pirates." He looked at Jenna and smiled. "The Wise One, lord of Alchemy. They number in the hundreds, though most are likely simple stories. Some, though, have earned too many stories to be simply discarded as myths."

"I have heard several stories of Deadbeard," Ivan said softly. "He's said to endlessly sail the Karagol, searching for his lost love. He takes ships by force, carrying off their treasures as a gift for when they should meet again." He paused and swallowed. "He has no use for the living. Those on board are rumored to be given a choice: join his undead crew, or be slain."

"A bit melodramatic, but the basics are well-agreed upon," Alex said with a nod. "Undoubtedly powerful, enough to prove useful to our cause, yet scourge enough to be doing the world a favor by passing him on."

Jenna frowned in thought. How would Felix respond to such a proposal? He would weigh the risks and the rewards, she thought, calculating in the likelihood of success and failure, then add in the various possibilities for their plans to go awry. She, unfortunately, lacked the ability to view their ideas in such a detailed fashion. Though not stupid by any means, she feared that she had leaned on Felix too much in the past to properly make such a decision now.

Alex, however, had been doing this sort of thing for years, she suspected. And as he had not yet given them any reason to mistrust him since his initial truce, she saw no reason not to trust his judgment on the matter.

"Unfortunately, we have no vessel to seek him in," Alex finished.

Oh. Overlooking such an obvious detail made her feel rather foolish. Perhaps she should put a little thought into their plans, as well, instead of just blindly following Alex. She sipped at her chocolate again. "We don't," she said slowly, "but others do. We could always buy our way onto a ship here."

Ivan immediately shook his head. "You might be able to buy passage across the sea, but finding someone to purposely seek out Deadbeard? Nobody will do that."

"Perhaps we could enlist their help without mentioning Deadbeard, then," Alex said, shrugging.

Frowning again, Ivan said, "So now we lie to them and risk their lives at Deadbeard's sword."

Alex rolled his eyes. "As if there aren't already millions of lives at stake. This is a brainstorming session. I am speaking ideas as they come to me so that we can choose from them our plan. If you have other ideas, by all means, speak them. Else, stop criticizing every idea I suggest."

Ivan's face grew red, but Mia spoke up before he could. "How would we even go about finding him, though? Even if a ship would carry us to him, how would we guarantee he shows?"

Now Alex frowned. "I'm not sure. I may be overestimating his aggressiveness, if ships are still sailing regularly."

"I can send out some of my people," Kraden said. "It might take a few days, but they should be able to find anyone willing to search out this Deadbeard, as well as any ways to ensure his appearance."

"Several days?" Mia asked incredulously. "If so, I suggest we find some other course of action for the meantime. Sitting around and waiting is out of the question."

Kraden coughed quietly. "Actually...I have a small personal request. Concerning Aaron."

"Is he alright?" Jenna asked immediately. "He seemed fine when we got back."

"No, he's perfectly fine," Kraden said quickly. "But I think it best that he get home as soon as possible, especially if Garet won't be here. For one, he gets very...forlorn without his brother. For two, I imagine their parents are quite worried. I've sent messages to Kalay and Vault, but there is always the chance they never made it."

"I'd be more than happy to bring him back," Jenna said.

Ivan frowned. "Isaac has the lapis, so..." He trailed off, then glanced at Alex.

The man shrugged. "I have no objections to going with you. And though it will be tempting, I'll even refrain from eating all your children in the dead of night."

Jenna fought back a smile, mostly for Ivan's sake; the boy's face had gone red again, looking away from Alex. "Mia? Do you mind?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "I'd love to see everyone's families again."

Kraden nodded. "I'm glad to hear it. I don't expect to hear anything back until at least tomorrow, so if you wanted to spend the night in Vault, that would be fine, as well. Now, if you'll excuse me..." He stood up, pushing his chair in. "I need to go speak to some people about these arrangements."

Jenna downed the last few sips of her chocolate, then placed the mug on the desk, standing as well. "I'll come with you, Kraden."

The old man looked at her, his face creased with suspicion. And wrinkles, as Jenna often reminded him. "Why? What are you up to?"

"Nothing," she said honestly. "But I've noticed that if I'm not with you, I have at least one of your alchemists following me everywhere. It's sort of annoying."

He rolled his eyes, then gestured for her to follow. "You have earned that reputation, you know."

"So do you think we'll be able to find Deadbeard?" Jenna asked as they walked.

"Difficult to say," Kraden said. "For one, Ivan is right – no one but the most foolish will seek out Deadbeard."

"Does that make us a ship of fools, then?"

"It does," Kraden said solemnly. "Deadbeard is highly feared for a reason, Jenna. You might be very skilled in Psynergy, but never forget that you're still mortal."

She shook her head. "No, I know, but we do have Alex, though, who can do pretty much anything."

"Then what would you do if Deadbeard had some of that material you mentioned earlier? Myrtle, was it?" Jenna frowned, but before she could think of something to say, Kraden coughed and continued. "Anyway, for two, Deadbeard may be nothing more than an inherited name, passed down by pirates as they sail the Karagol. Normal pirates, mind you. It's possible that this 'Deadbeard' is no spirit at all."

"And then he probably wouldn't be any use to us," Jenna said, nodding. "I understand."

"I'm afraid to say it, Jenna, but I believe that might very well be the case," Kraden said. "I think this may just be a waste of your time."

Jenna looked over at him. "You don't really believe in the spirits, do you?"

He frowned. "I...think that people tend to exaggerate things they find incredible, and instead of attributing them to great ability or luck, they count them as supernatural."

Jenna nodded slowly, then said, "...Is what you want to say."

Kraden stopped at the top of the stairwell to his lab, looking at Jenna with an unreadable expression on his face. He motioned for her to wait, then stepped to the side, glancing down the stairs. Seeing no one on them, he turned back to Jenna. "When I was a boy, Jenna, I lived in a town beside a great forest. It extended for miles and miles, mostly untouched by explorers or settlers, save our village on the edge.

"People had become lost in the woods several times. It had no real landmarks in it, making it very difficult to navigate. No notable hills, no rivers, no breaks in the trees, no man-made paths. Absolutely nothing to work with. Sometimes the people returned, days later, a week later, two weeks later, telling us how they blindly stumbled back into the village. Some never returned.

"I don't remember what caused it, but one day, my parents yelled at me. I became angry, and as petulant children often do, I ran away from home."

"How old were you?" she asked.

"Very young," Kraden said. "Five. Perhaps six. Instead of taking the road to the next village, where I knew they would look for me, I decided to try and run away through the woods. Instead, I also became lost in them. I wandered for several days with nothing but my small canteen of water, no idea of how to get home or how to contact anyone."

He coughed again and continued. "I wandered through this forest, cold, hungry, thirsty, alone, and scared. I thought I would never see my parents again. However, when I woke up on what I thought would be the last of my days, I found a man sitting by me. He offered me some food and water and talked with me a bit, comforting me. When I finished eating, he asked if I felt ready to return home. I told him yes, and he pointed a finger towards the rising sun. He told me to walk in that direction for an hour, and I would be home again."

"And he was right?"

"He was. I returned home and apologized in tears to my parents, who held me as they cried themselves. Several year later, it finally occurred to me that, in asking me if I was ready to go back home, he might not have been talking about being lost. In fact, much later on, in Tolbi, I even came across a picture that brought the memory back as fresh as ever."

Jenna cocked her head to the side. "You figured out who he was?"

Kraden nodded. "At least, I believe I did. The picture was the most common depiction of Ulysses, God of Travels."

"Oh..." Jenna said quietly. "So you believe he came to you as a spirit, to help you back home?"

Shrugging, Kraden said, "I have no idea. I may very well have just attributed a chance encounter with a friendly traveler to supernatural events. However, ever since then, I've tried to maintain an open mind towards alternative explanations."

"So, what about Deadbeard?" Jenna asked.

Kraden shook his head, starting down the stairs. "I've given you my thoughts on him."

"What do you think we should do, then?"

"Jenna, you are possibly the most determined young lady I know," Kraden said, looking back with a smile. "Even if he turns out to be no help, I'm certain you'll find it somewhere."