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.

12. Shadows of Doubt

Golden Sun: Wings of Anemos

Chapter 12 – Shadows of Doubt

- \/\/ -

The bells began to clang, the metallic rings echoing throughout the ship. Not singly, slowly, to signify the time. Not in pairs, to signify their captain leaving, which would have been rather difficult at any rate, this far out to sea. The bells rang in one continuous, steady tolling, never ending, never changing. One after the other. Dong. Dong. Dong.

The bells called for battle stations.

Ivan flew to the porthole, nearly slamming his face into the glass as he pressed up against it, the source of the alarm evident in the dim lantern light. The faint silhouette of another ship loomed in the darkness, moving towards them slowly, their banner barely visible atop their mast. Emblazoned on it was the six-pointed star - the chosen mark of the pirate lord known only as Deadbeard.

In the next moment he had grabbed his sword and thrown open the door, dashed down the hallway and outside, then vaulted the railing to land on the main deck. Others had already arrived, arming themselves similarly, grim looks of hopeless determination fixed on their faces.

Ivan stood with them, blade drawn, watching as the pirate ship approached and pulled alongside. He could see no movement on the other ship's deck, save the flapping of the sails, yet the vessel continued to move as if guided by an unseen hand.

Then the darkness shifted. As if stepping through a thick bank of fog, a figure appeared opposite the boy on the other ship, stepping out of the black. Bound in thick, golden armor that seethed with an angry, red aura, Deadbeard stepped to the railing, yellow eyes staring out coldly at them all.

The wind whistled through the gap between the two hulls, fluttering the King of Pirates' cape behind him. After a long moment, the armored figure held out one hand in an offer for others to take it, the other settling rather pointedly onto the pommel of the great blade sheathed at his waist.

His question was met with an arrow, loosed from the bow of a man to Ivan's left. The arrow bounced harmlessly off the spirit's armor, a metallic 'ping' the only indication it had even touched him. Deep, resounding laughter came from beneath the pair of glowing eyes, Deadbeard's mouth cracked wide open.

A burst of bright, red light forced Ivan to turn to his right, shielding his eyes as waves of heat washed over him. When it died down a moment later, he glanced to his left to find a black scorch mark on the deck where the archer had stood seconds before, nothing but a few ashes remaining to be carried off by the wind.

Deadbeard's laughter ceased and again he held out his hand, offering his choice: the black behind him, or the black on the deck.

- \/\/ -

Mia stared up the hills towards Contigo for several long minutes, but when she turned around to face them again, she simply shook her head. "I don't see any guards at all, or anything. Just the occasional passerby."

"Perhaps they're hidden?" Alex suggested.

Mia merely shrugged. "Possible, I suppose, but I saw nothing that would suggest it."

"Other than the complete lack of guards," Jenna muttered, glancing up the hill also. "We also don't know what sort of connection Anemos has to the city."

"Though this would be a good opportunity to examine Anemos' defenses," Alex said thoughtfully. "While we're here, we should take the opportunity to investigate the city as much as possible. Within a safe reason, of course."

"We still need to get into Contigo," Ivan said. "We can work from there."

Alex tapped his chin, then turned to Mia. "Are you comfortable enough with warping to do it right now?"

She nodded, absently rubbing her stomach. Though they had just arrived, the ginger tea she had prepared in Tolbi that morning had helped settle it considerably.

"Then you and I shall make a circle through the city," he continued. "If anything happens, we warp back here and try to get as far away as possible."

Mia glanced over at Jenna and Ivan, then back to Alex. "We can carry one other with us, correct?"

"Yes, just one. Aha," he said, glancing over at the others in understanding. "Yes, I suppose there's no point in just the two of us going. Shall we all go together, or in pairs?"

"Pairs," Mia said. "Faster to cover the city that way. If one of us finds trouble, shout out and we'll meet back here."

"I'll go with Alex," Jenna said, glancing over at Ivan. "Where are we regrouping?"

Ivan chewed on his lip thoughtfully for a moment, glancing up the hill, then said, "At my sister's house. It's far enough into the city that if we don't see any Anemoi by then, we probably won't."

Jenna nodded, then turned around. "All right, we'll see you there. Come on, pretty boy."

Alex frowned at her back, but said nothing, much to Mia's amusement, following the young woman up the hill. Not bothering to fight down her smile, she gestured to Ivan. "Let's go. You lead, you know the town better."

They started up the hill in silence, mirroring Jenna's path. As they walked Mia glanced behind her, looking across the Attekan landscape. Miles and miles of jungle lay below them, instantly bringing back memories of its sweltering mugginess. Mia had once thought she would never find a climate worse than Lamakan Desert, but their first visit to Contigo had banished that thought.

"I'm not sure how Hama can stand living here," she admitted, pulling at her shirt to fan herself. "The humidity just saps all my strength."

"I know," Ivan said, nodding. "They usually take a nap in the early afternoon, when things are the hottest, but I could never sleep easily in this."

"That's smart," Mia said. "Maximize work in the cooler portions of the day. We do the opposite. No one leaves their house until the sun's been up for at least an hour, and the time of sunset is carefully tracked."

As they crested the hill, passing the first building on the outskirts of Contigo, Mia swept her eyes across the plateau. It appeared to be much of the same that she had seen already – not a single guard, or even anyone armed with anything more than a hunting knife.

Granted, the number of people she saw was minimal. Here and there she could see someone moving at a moderate pace towards their destination, glancing frequently towards the opposite end of the city. Towards Anemos.

That made sense, she realized. For all she knew, most of the city might well be abandoned. The city certainly did not look like a prison camp, however, nor the site of a hard-fought battle. Merely quiet. A slight tension hung in the air, carried on the silence, like the approach of a afternoon rain. Only the sound of the wind could be heard as it ruffled her clothes and hair, rolling in from the northwest.

"Is it always this empty?" she asked Ivan, her voice sounding strange in the quiet town.

The boy shook his head. "No, there's usually people everywhere. People coming in from the fields, or wherever they're working. It's usually really loud, actually, with all the children running around before dinner. This is a bit...spooky."

Mia nodded slowly, looking around. She could see candles or lanterns being lit in some of the buildings in preparation for the coming dark, most appearing to be houses. As they passed across the main road into the town, however, she spotted the unmistakable loom of a great inn a short distance away. Probably not much business right now, she thought glumly.

They continued on in a tense silence, Mia remembering the time she and Alex had crept into Mister Gerik's workshop one evening as children. They had long wondered what sort of things the carpenter worked on in the privacy of his shop, and with the intrusive curiosity of the young, it had eventually come to a nighttime expedition to see for themselves.

She had known that sneaking into the workshop was wrong, of course, but she reasoned to herself that if no one knew about it, it would never matter. Nevertheless, she had not been able to shake the oppressive way the shadows pressed in on her as they crept between the workbenches and tables, despite the awe she felt at some of the things she saw. It settled on the back of her neck, pulling up the hair there, and thinned her chest, making the beat of her heart so much more evident. Every small sound seemed like a crash, every shape Mister Gerik, lurking in wait for the children that he somehow knew would sneak inside.

He had figured them out, eventually, after Alex's trip over the corner of a stool sent both wood and boy crashing to the ground in an unceremonious heap. Though they escaped before the carpenter could reach the workshop, the lingering glance he gave the boy the next day had not escaped her.

Granted, Alex had earned himself such a reputation as a young boy, so even had it been some other child, Mia doubted the man would have suspected anyone different.

The same feeling of disquiet and unease wrapped around her now like a thin blanket, just heavy enough for her to feel its fabric caress her shoulders and hands. She found herself unable to continue breaking the silence, not quite able to shake the absurd thought that speaking over the wind's murmur would bring the wrath of the Anemoi upon them.

They followed the road for a short while, though they turned off before they could reach the great plaza at Contigo's heart. Even from their distance, however, she could see a few people milling about in the circle, stopping off at a few stalls. Not even the Anemoi could stop the daily market, she supposed.

The houses began to grow more clustered together as they walked down a side-street, her eyes continuing to dart around her. She picked out useful ambush points as they passed between houses, bracing herself for a swift attack, but none came. She began to wonder if perhaps the Anemoi had taken up barracks in the local houses; she had heard of armies doing that on campaigns before. Windows became her new target of interest, searching them for any sign of Anemoi hidden inside.

As they approached one of the houses, Mia saw one of the window's curtains waver briefly, drawing her eyes to a small face in the corner. It suddenly lit up when the child saw them, then suddenly vanished, the curtain falling back into place.

Just as she was about to dismiss the sight from her thoughts, the door to the house cracked open slightly, an older face peeking outside. "Ivan? Good gods, it is you!"

Mia glanced over at the boy as he smiled at the woman. "Hello, Martha. Is everyone alright?"

The woman nodded and immediately stepped back, opening the door and gesturing them inside. "Yes, yes, come in, quickly."

The two followed her orders and stepped inside, the door shutting behind them the moment Mia had cleared its arc. She glanced around the simple house quickly, noting a pair of bedrooms off to the side, joined by a large common room. On the other side, the gentle glow of an fire flickered from a cooking oven, some type of bread inside.

The smell hit Mia's nostrils and she turned away quickly, not wanting to torture herself so. As she did, she saw a little girl carefully climb down from a wooden chest beneath the window, touching down onto the ground unsteadily. "Iyan! Iyan!"

Ivan smiled again, crouching down as the toddler walked slowly towards him, not quite comfortable with her feet yet. "Hello, Ahri. Have you been a good girl lately?"

"Mmm!" She covered the last distance with a jump, forcing Ivan to catch her as she hugged him.

Her mother snorted. "That depends on how you define good. Who spilled the rice everywhere this morning by climbing places she shouldn't?"

The little girl put her finger to her mouth, as if in thought. "Mmm... Sky!"

Martha rolled her eyes and sighed softly. "Yes, I'm sure Sky did it, dear." She glanced back over at Ivan. "Sky is our new dog. We got him a few months ago, and Ahri's taken to blaming everything on him." Suddenly she looked over at Mia and wiped her hands on her apron. "Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? Please, come in dear, make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Mia said politely, then watched the woman turn her gaze on Ivan. She stared at him for a few seconds, the tension growing slightly, before Mia gently nudged him with her leg.

"Huh? Oh, sorry!" He quickly stood up, resulting in Ahri's face instantly transforming into a pout. "Martha, this is Mia, a friend of mine. Mia, this is Martha. She...was friends with my mother."

"Oh, don't be like that, Ivan," she said, waving her hands. "You and your sister are practically my family, as well. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mia. Where are you from?"

"Imil," Mia said.

Martha made no attempt to hide her surprise. "That far? Good gods, you must be melting right now."

Mia shrugged, though she could certainly feel the sweat coating her forehead. "No, it's not nearly as bad as last time. The breeze helps, as well."

The woman stopped and stared at her for a moment, then shook her head. "That's right, you were here with Ivan when he first came home. I'm sorry, Mia, dear, I didn't recognize you at first."

"That's fine," Mia said, smiling at her. "We only met very briefly. I hadn't expected you to even remember me."

Martha laughed, looking over at Ivan. "I remember every girl he's brought home."

Ivan spluttered briefly, turning pink. "What? I...I haven't-"

"I know," the woman said, frowning sternly. "That was my point."

The boy opened his mouth again, then closed it with a huff, crouching down again and turning to Ahri. Mia covered her mouth with her hand, knowing Ivan would recognize it as a smile anyway, but trying to be polite to him. "That's not the case here, I'm afraid," Mia said after she suppressed the smile. "We're here more on...I suppose business would be the best word."

Martha glanced over her shoulder at the opposite wall, then sighed. "I thought so. Please, come sit down," she said, gesturing to the table nearby. Mia thanked her and sat down, Ivan following after a few seconds, Ahri climbing up into his lap. "She's been jabbering off and on about you and Hama," the woman said, sitting down as well and gesturing to her daughter. "She went crazy while sitting in the window, and I would have ignored her, but she just kept getting louder. And when I looked..." She shook her head. "I had a pretty good idea why you where here."

"What's been going on?" Ivan asked. "Have they done anything to you?"

"No," Martha said, drumming her fingers on the table. "A few weeks ago, Hama spread the news that they would be showing up. She told everyone that they were not to be trusted, for everyone just to keep their heads as low as possible. Then she just left."

Ivan nodded, gently pulling his hair from Ahri's grip, much to the girl's displeasure. "She showed up in Tolbi to find us, about a day after the Anemos arrived. She's fine, she's just with some of my other friends right now."

"She'd better be staying out of trouble," the woman said sternly. "We need her back, especially right now. Nothing's happened yet, but people are getting tense. Seeing that crater filled is a strange sight, and after her warning, not a welcome one. Everyone felt those surges from the lighthouse when they arrived."

"...Have you not heard about what those surges were for?" Mia asked with a grimace.

Martha shook her head. "No. We weren't sure, and not a single ship has arrived since the Anemoi to bring us news. That's not gone unnoticed, either."

Mia glanced over at Ivan, who frowned, but nodded. "Those surges...they were attacks on other cities," Mia said quietly. "Ivan was in Tolbi when a good portion of the city was ripped apart by massive lightning bolts. My entire city was put to sleep. Some cities were lucky and avoided their attacks, though."

Instead of responding immediately, Martha continued to tap on the table, glancing down at Ahri. The girl had discovered a small pocket watch Ivan kept, now amusing herself with it under his watchful eye. The smell of some sweet bread drifted back into Mia's awareness, making her mouth water with the delicious aroma.

"Well," she said suddenly. "I appreciate you telling me. I think it would be better to keep that quiet, though, at least for now."

Mia nodded. "Absolutely. The last thing we want is to cause a panic."

"We're actually trying to lay low at the moment," Ivan added. "We don't want word getting to the Anemoi that we're here."

Martha looked up at him suddenly. "Do they know you?"

The boy swallowed. "Yes. We had a run-in with one of their kings a few days ago. He never found out who we are, but I've no doubt they'll be watching for us to show up again."

"I'll make sure people pretend like nothing has changed, then," the woman said.

"Thank you." He glanced down at the girl on his lap and frowned. "And I'm sorry, Ahri, but we need to be going now."

She released his watch and looked up at him. "No! No Iyan!"

Mia giggled quietly, though she had no idea if she or Ahri had been the source of Martha's amused expression. "Come here, dear. Ivan will be back to see you again, don't worry." She stood and picked up the girl, who had now begun to whine. Mia fully expected it to turn to tears after they left, at least until she could be distracted by something. "You hear that, Ivan? You'll be back to see her," she said firmly, fixing a stern gaze upon the boy.

He nodded grimly. "I will, Martha. Don't worry. And say hello to Ben and Caleb for me, please."

With a final wave and thanks, the two returned outside. Ivan gestured down the road. "The house is just right up here."

As they approached a few minutes later, they found Alex and Jenna already waiting for them, though the discovery came as a small surprise. They had certainly detoured long enough, after all. "Find anything?" Mia asked.

Jenna shook her head. "As much gold as you'd find in a barrel of ducks. Town's empty. We barely even saw any Contigo...ans? People from Contigo," she said, shaking her head.

Ivan raised a eyebrow at her, accompanied by a small smile as he stepped past them to let everyone inside, directing them down the hallway and into the sitting room. "Contigans, Jenna. And the people are still here, just staying inside, mostly. Apparently Hama told them to lay low for now, before she left."

Alex nodded. "A good plan. As Clotho said, they will eventually turn their eyes upon Contigo, but not until everything else has been dealt with."

"So if we don't draw attention to ourselves, we should be free to move about," Ivan said.

"Yes, though we should still be cautious," Alex said. "Travel during the day should be minimized."

"I couldn't agree more," Mia added, plucking at her collar, then turned to Ivan. "So, what about this prisoner? Any clues as to where to start?"

He glanced up at the ceiling in thought for a few moments, then shook his head. "No. He just appeared to me here, in Contigo, and then everything went black."

"Then we should start by seeing how far we can press into Anemos," Alex said. "I find it odd that not a single Anemian has come to Contigo, once part of their own city."

Mia nodded. "We can sleep now, for a bit, then go during the night to ensure we can leave in a moment's notice, if need be." She frowned slightly at herself, realizing how similar her plan was to Clotho's own, when the man invaded Lemuria, then shook it off. Simply because they opposed the man did not mean they could not mimic his tactics.

Jenna glanced over at her. "Shouldn't we go earlier? We won't be able to see much in the middle of the night."

"No," Mia said, shaking her head. "I would rather we see nothing than have someone see us."

"Agreed," Alex said. "The main thing we agreed upon before coming was caution. Kraden emphasized it rather heavily, as well, and with good reason."

"Okay, okay, night it is," Jenna said, holding up her hands defensively. "Got it." She turned her eyes upon Ivan, who noticed after a few seconds, but merely returned the gaze warily.

Mia, trying to withhold a smile again, leaned toward the boy. "I think she's waiting for you to figure out sleeping arrangements, given that this is your house."

"O-oh." He glanced around the sitting room, then pointed out to the main hallway that led through the center of the house. "You two can use Hama's room, the first one on the left when you enter." He turned to Alex next, frowning. "Um... I guess we can..."

Alex smiled and shook his head. "No need. I will be fine out here. I don't wish to make you uncomfortable. I appreciate the offer, however."

Mia glanced at him quickly, but found no trace of sarcasm in his face, nor his voice. Had he taken her words to heart? Perhaps.

Could it hurt to hope?

Perhaps.

- \/\/ -

"It's a dead end," Jenna muttered, glancing around her. Ivan peered past her from the corridor, finding much of the floor around them collapsed, leaving only a small outcropping into the dark chamber.

Alex looked over his shoulder at her. "Does fallen stone stop us so easily, Jenna?" Raising his hand, Ivan felt a pulse of Psynergy race out. Ice formed to their side above the black chasm, bridging the gap between the floor segments easily. With a second pulse, the dirt covering the ground spread across the ice. Alex stepped gingerly onto it, sliding his foot slightly to test the stability, then crossed with ease.

Ivan glanced at Mia behind him, who simply shrugged, then turned back to follow Jenna across the bridge. He had no idea why the others had been so intent on investigating the sanctum. Alex had suggested it might connect to Anemos in some way, and the other two had immediately jumped on the possibility.

Not him, though he was not yet sure why. He liked to think that he found the idea ridiculous and unlikely, but a small voice in the back of his mind questioned that with a snide voice. Is that the only reason why you're opposed? Are you sure you aren't a bit biased? A bit jealous, perhaps, that he came up with the idea instead?

He shook his head again, focusing on his steps. The last thing he needed was to slip and fall into the darkness below. He breathed a silent sigh of relief when he stepped onto solid rock once more, just behind Jenna. The girl raised her hand above her head, the orange glow blazing brightly as it spread across the room.

The sudden scuffle of boots on stone made Ivan's head snap towards Alex, who had experienced a similar reaction an instant before, spinning around with an uncanny speed. His hand remained stretched outward, the faint signature of Mercury Psynergy lingering around him. Ivan followed his hand towards the ground, finding a dull red glow beneath the dirt.

Alex, finally suppressing what Ivan assumed to be his reflex, waved his hand. The Mercury aura shifted to a Venus one, sending the free-standing dirt and sand racing away and the red glow resolved itself into an emblem carved into the stone. An image of flames decorated the symbol, gently glowing the same hue as the edge.

"Jenna," Ivan said, a suddenly flash of inspiration coming to him, "use some Psynergy."

She glanced at him, then back at the emblem and shrugged, throwing her hands to the side. Flames leapt from them, swirling around her in spirals before finally dissolving. As Ivan expected, the emblem flared brighter, reminding him of the brands used by ranchers on their livestock.

As the glare from the flames died down, the glow on the ground responding in kind, Alex shook his head. "Jenna, stand on it."

She eyed the symbol warily. "What? Why?"

"I can feel some sort of resonance in it," he said slowly, looking at it curiously. "As if... It almost feels like an alchemy tool. It seems to only respond to Mars Psynergy, however."

"Lucky me," she muttered, but stepped gingerly onto the emblem nonetheless. After a moment she relaxed, then closed her eyes.

Psynergy did not pulse from her as when she unleashed her wrath upon the world, but it did radiate from her in a steady, silent hum, an invisible aura that Ivan could feel warming his skin. The emblem began to shine once more, feeding off the young woman's Psynergy.

Yet it did not stop at a mere glow. As Jenna concentrated, other, smaller circles around them began to light. Alex cleared the area of dirt with another wave, revealing an old, stone floor, once smooth and polished, but now worn down by years of footsteps and neglect. One by one they lit, matching the glow of the centerpiece, until Ivan found everyone tinted red in their light.

When the last one lit, he heard a very distinct 'click' from behind him. Spinning around, he watched as a small red flame lit in the darkness of the cavern, casting a small spotlight on a stone door across the chamber. As he looked on with curiosity, however, he noticed the small torch above it was merely one; he could see another to its side.

"This way," he said, led forward by half intuition, half inquisitiveness. They followed the nearby wall down the chamber, eventually reaching the other corner.

"What? What is it?" Jenna asked him, looking around.

Alex waved his hand, revealing another emblem carved into the floor. "This," he said, as it began to glow a gentle yellow, the branches of a tree shimmering on the stone. The man stepped onto the symbol and Ivan felt a rush of Venus Psynergy flow from him into the stone beneath. All at once the circles around them lit up in a single flash, a yellow flame lighting above the door.

Stepping off the emblem, Alex looked at Ivan. "You've already figured it out. Go, then."

Ivan nodded, gesturing for Mia to follow, then continued across the room. As they crossed it silently, he gazed up at the door, the pair of flames flickering overhead and casting a warm light over everything. Where did the door go? Did it truly connect to Anemos?

With a sharp burst of wind, Ivan cleared the floor to find an emblem of waves. He stepped aside, looking at Mia, who stepped onto the marking without a word. Ivan turned and headed for the remaining corner as blue light emerged around him, a quick glance over his shoulder confirming the blue flame.

When he cleared his own emblem, he found puffs of clouds waiting for him, thin wisps carried on a heavy wind. He could not stop the stray thought about how clouds were technically Mercury's domain, but quickly stifled his argumentative inner voice instead.

A sudden doubt entered his mind, like a bucket of cold water. Did they want to open the door? It had remained sealed for centuries, and from the looks of it, had earned itself one hell of a lock. Only two things lay behind locked doors: valuables and danger.

But was that not their intent in coming here? Had he not been the one to argue that, though full of danger, they stood to gain something highly valuable? He glanced back up, seeing the other three watching him, red, yellow, and blue light throwing their shadows in disarray. He had argued for that choice, he realized, and now had no right to simply change his mind.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped onto Jupiter's emblem and exhaled slowly, pouring his Psynergy into the disk. Purple light filled his eyes, forcing him to look back up towards the black ceiling above their heads. One by one the circles around him lit up, each making an inaudible click in his mind.

As the last began to glow, two simultaneous thoughts raced through his mind: We did it! (What have we done?)

The purple flame appeared above the doorway, the cool colors contrasting the warm ones and splitting the chamber into two shades. For a moment that lasted long enough for Ivan to realize he was holding his breath, the crackling of the flames was the only sound, their flickers the only movement.

At long last a grating sound drowned out the crackling as the door slid to the side, vanishing into the wall and leaving a black entrance in its wake. It made Ivan think of the gaping maw of some horrible, four-eyed creature, enticing its victims inside.

Before any of them could move, however, something in the darkness stirred.

A figure appeared in the shadowed doorway, just the barest of outlines. It made no attempt to move further, lingering on the edge of the black threshold. Try as he might, Ivan could not pick out any of the figure's details.

At once, the four flames extinguished, leaving the glowing symbols on the floor as the only source of light. Before Ivan could ask what had happened, the figure stepped out of the darkness, yellow and blue light playing off its skin.

What he had first thought to be a person seemed to be more of a demon. Though it had the body of a man, its legs and head were that of a goat. A pair of folded wings rested on its back, resembling those of a bat. In one hand a sickle hung limply as it paused outside of the doorway, turning its red eyes towards each of them in turn. When it finished, it stretched its arms and wings to the side, fully extending them. "Freedom..."

Ivan heard Mia gasp, then realized his own mouth had dropped open. Alex merely stepped towards the creature slowly. "Who are you?"

The creature turned its head to the other man. "I am the darkness behind the stars, the blackest depths of the ocean. I have waited in my prison for eons, awaiting the day I might bring shadows forth again, rather than sit in them."

"You're not who we came for," Ivan said quietly, but the large chamber amplified his voice. "You didn't call me."

"Call you?" The creature cocked its head. "You must mean the Anemian shade."

"Who are you, then?" Ivan asked.

"Humans call me Aeshma," the creature said, its voice halfway between a melody and a hiss. Ivan found the name slightly familiar, but could not quite place it.

Evidently Alex had, judging by how the man suddenly stepped back. "Aeshma? Lord of shadows?"

"I was once called such."

Suddenly it came to Ivan. Aeshma, along with a myriad of other spirits, had been a personal fascination of his for about a month when he was younger. He had raided every bookshelf in Kalay, seeking out any stories, legends, and myths about them, his obsession only dying down when the well of information ran dry.

When he recalled the stories of Aeshma, his mouth also ran dry. "I remember reading about you. Like a plague you came in the night, cutting down whole towns, staining fields and rivers red. They said you sought endlessly for a way to kill Sol herself."

"Such nonsense," Aeshma said, the disdain evident in its voice. "I protected people from the horrors in the night, guarding them while they slept. When they denied me my sacrifices in payment, I merely ensured they experienced what I had shielded them from. They blamed me and sealed me here, and now I will deliver my wrath upon them once more."

"They're gone," Jenna called out, moving forward to stand near Alex, as Ivan had unconsciously done with Mia. "The ones responsible died a long time ago."

Aeshma snorted. "Then the world shall bear their pain instead."

"No they won't."

Ivan found himself a bit surprised at the firmness of the words, much more so when he realized that he had been the one to speak them. His heart skipped a beat as he simply opened his mouth again, continuing before the fear could catch up with him. "I won't let you go out and murder innocent people. I'll stop you here."

Those red eyes locked onto his as the fear caught up in his chest, making his vision dim and skin cold. He fought the shivers back, trying not to show any weakness, wondering if the spirit could simply sense it.

Laughter suddenly filled the chamber, beautiful and horrible in the same sound. Ivan felt as if it reached deep into his head, pulling his brain in every direction. "Come, then, child. If you would deliver light, show me your own."

For a moment Ivan feared his legs would not respond, frozen in place by his terror at the challenge he had just issued. As his hand settled around the hilt of his sword, however, his body thawed, everything settling back into place inside him. He might still be the easily-frightened boy from Kalay, but with his blade in hand, he fell comfortably back into the role of a hero, the persona so carefully grown and cultivated on their journey.

The doubt in his mind did not quiet, but the effect it had on his body did. Ivan drew his blade as he stepped towards the spirit, each foot landing calmly and firmly in front of the other. Once the shift had been made, he no longer froze, no longer hesitated. His instincts took over, guiding Psynergy from Weyard to his opponent, his mind the conduit.

Off to the side, he saw Alex step forward as well, but Aeshma held up its empty hand. "I think not, Imilian. Your turn shall wait. Now," it said, focusing back on Ivan. "Your name, child. I would know it first."

Ivan positioned himself into the center of the chamber, standing opposite Aeshma, who had not yet left the doorway. The tip of his sword made a small, metallic ping as it settled against the stone floor. "My name is Ivan Novikov."

"Ivan Novikov..." the spirit murmured, as if testing out the name. "Ivan the Fool."

Aeshma's eyes flashed brightly and a sharp pain exploded in Ivan's chest. He instantly dropped to one knee, his free hand working into his chest as if he could push the pain out with his fingers. Everything had simply tightened up, constricting around his insides like a snake. He realized he could still breathe without issue, but the edges of his vision had begun to fade slightly, either from the pain or blood restriction.

A sharp cry from someone behind him brought his attention back to the spirit, who had dashed forward, the sickle raised and ready to cleave his head from his body. Ignoring the crushing feeling in his chest, Ivan pushed himself back to his feet, his blade rising to meet the sickle. The instant the two pieces of steel touched, a burst of wind moved from Ivan to Aeshma, pushing the spirit off-balance and preventing it from barreling over the boy.

Ivan instantly moved backward, feeling the pain in his chest subside considerably, his sword swinging back around from the parry. As it did, purple lightning crackled along the blade, and when he brought it forward once more, the Psynergy leapt forward at Aeshma.

The spirit, however, sidestepped the bolt the moment Ivan pointed his blade, rushing at Ivan once more. The boy's blade flashed out against the flat of the sickle, parrying the razor edge away from him over and over, but Ivan constantly backpedaled, unwilling to stay in close against that weapon. He fixed his eyes firmly upon Aeshma's snout, unwilling to touch those red eyes again.

Knowing he could not simply retreat forever, Ivan began lashing out with bursts of wind, using his Psynergy to accomplish what his strength could not. The tactic worked, for a time; by forcing the spirit to make up ground with every attack, Ivan kept it from pressing him any further, giving him a few precious moments to collect himself.

I can't outfight it, he thought miserably. It's too strong, and just as fast. Turning his hopes towards Psynergy, Ivan's hand snapped out, bolts of lightning streaming from his fingers. As before, however, Aeshma simply ducked and weaved between them, sliding past the strikes with ease.

And then, before Ivan could blink, he found himself held in the air, Aeshma's free hand gripping the front of his clothing. "Your doubts are many, Ivan Novikov. I see them all."

The world spun suddenly as the spirit hurled him across the chamber, lights tumbling over and around his head as he twisted through the air, finally landing on his shoulder and bouncing once on the stone floor. Ivan grit his teeth as pain shot up his arm, then suddenly numbing as his elbow turned to ice. He pushed himself up slightly with his other hand, his eyes on Aeshma.

The spirit made no attempt to follow, simply staring at the boy. "I see you, separated from all your friends, alone as you watch them. I see you, looking at your feet as your sister looks down on you, disappointed. I see you, dying by my hand, your final thoughts those of regret...regret that you were too weak."

Ivan shivered. All those and more had never often left his mind's eye, though he refused to acknowledge them at times. How had Aeshma seen them?

He forced himself to stand once more. His right arm hung limply at his side, needles now stabbing it everywhere, while his left still grasped his sword. And so long as it can, I've not lost. Think, Ivan! What can't it avoid?

The answer came at once, as it so often did. "Mia, Jenna, Alex, ears!" he shouted in warning, hoping Aeshma would take longer to decipher the meaning than his friends. At the same time he lifted his blade, then swung it down to strike the stone.

Focusing the energy forwards, trying to shield the others from the majority of it, he could nearly see the air ripple as the metallic ringing bit at his ears, amplified by Psynergy. The force of the wave of sound would take Aeshma from its feet with ease, the boy prayed.

In the same instance, however, Aeshma raised its own weapon. From the stone at its feet, a great piece of ice built itself up, forming a wall between the two. The soundwave reverberated off the chunk of ice, doing nothing more than causing it to vibrate slightly.

As Ivan looked on, momentarily surprised by the display of Psynergy, the ice suddenly exploded outwards. Enormous chunks struck him in the chest, stomach, and arms, the powerful blows picking him up and throwing him again. One piece collided with his head, sending the world spinning once more as he landed in a heap on the stone.

His vision settled again to the sight of Aeshma approaching his fallen form. His good hand groped around wildly, searching for his blade, but he could not seem to find it. The blood-red eyes locked onto his once more, the pain in his chest blossoming with new furor. No...no... I have to win... I have to find a way...

"I told you not to interfere, Imilian."

The pain in his chest suddenly faded. Ivan turned his head to see Alex striding past him, the man shrugging as he walked. "You merely said I had to wait my turn, but neglected to specify when that would come. I choose now. Ivan Novikov withdraws, and the Imilian enters."

What was he doing? Was... Was Alex saving him? The thought stunned Ivan, making him temporarily forget the throbbing pain in his head.

Aeshma did not even bother to glance at the boy, keeping its eyes fixed on Alex. "Oh? Will you not honor me with your name?"

"I will not," Alex said firmly, staring back at the spirit. "I know what your kind does with names. Is that not why you gave us a false name?"

The spirit's laughter filled the chamber once more, bouncing off the rocks and attacking Ivan's mind from every direction. Alex seemed to pay it no attention. "Clever, Imilian. Keep your name, then. I need it not to see your doubts."

Alex did not wait for Aeshma to continue. Ivan felt the pulse of Psynergy wash over him like a wave as the ground itself reached up for the spirit, great stone claws that moved as smoothly as if made from sand. Aeshma leaped up into the air, bounding from stone to stone with a startling precision for one with cloven hooves.

From its vantage point, the spirit jumped at Alex, not swinging straight downward as Ivan had expected, but at an angle. Stone shifted once more, forming a great blade around Alex's lower arm. When the two collided, however, the sickle sheared through the stone with only the faintest of sounds.

Alex immediately flicked his other hand out, using the wind to push Aeshma away in a similar fashion to Ivan. Unlike him, however, the force threw the spirit a significant distance away, giving the man time to raise the cut stone and inspect it. "Interesting," he said, running a hand over the flat section of his earthen glove. "So smooth... Your blade will cut through anything, won't it?"

"That it will," Aeshma said, not making any advance on Alex. "Do you envy it?"

"No," Alex said, shaking his head as the stone fell away from his arm, dissolving into sand. "That is not among the powers I desire."

Ivan watched Aeshma's eyes narrow slightly, though Alex remained steadfast. Had it been his name that let the spirit attack him so directly, nearly incapacitating him with simply a thought? "No, I suppose not," it said. "Else, with your power, why would you hold such doubts?"

Alex's hand snapped out again, the ice that lay around Ivan and strewn about the cavern launching into the air, twisting in midair to become great icicles as they flew towards Aeshma.

The spirit laughed again, twisting as it snapped its blade out to cut down a few of the projectiles before they could touch it. Ivan felt his stomach turn cold as he watched the spirit's incredible precision, avoiding some of the icicles with not even an inch to spare. "I see them all, Imilian. You, standing out in the snow of your home, nothing but closed doors around you."

The Mercury Adept made no response, his mouth pressing into a thin line of concentration as he suddenly vanished. Ivan grit his teeth, pushing himself up on his good elbow to try and follow the battle, watching as Alex appeared slightly behind and to the side of Aeshma, raising his hands up. At his silent command, the shadows on the floor snaked out, tendrils of darkness reaching for the spirit.

But yet again, it swung the great sickle as it spun to face the man with a speed that seemed inhuman, though Ivan had to concede that possibility for obvious reasons. The shadows fell back into their great black pool, the Psynergy holding them dissipated. Aeshma lunged forward with its other hand, reaching for Alex, but the man stepped away and vanished again.

This time, however, he did not reappear. Seconds went by in tense silence as Aeshma stood still, continuing to stare at the spot where the man had disappeared, while Ivan held his breath.

Slowly Aeshma revolved on the spot, its red eyes scanning through the chamber. "I see her in the bed, coughing miserably, while you look on, helpless."

The spirit suddenly lunged forward, its empty hand outstretched. In front of it, the cloak of shadows slid from Alex's shoulders as his hand sparked just as Aeshma's hand forced it upwards. Brilliant lightning lanced upwards to the chamber's ceiling, burning Ivan's eyes from its incandescence. For the first time he could remember, Ivan saw Alex's face overcome by sheer surprise, his mask of control falling to pieces entirely.

With a mighty heave, Aeshma spun around, hurling Alex into the chamber wall to the side. The spirit stepped slowly towards him and said, "You cannot hide your weaknesses from me, Imilian. The shadows of your doubt give you away as if you had announced every movement. Even now, I see you staring at your power, doubting your decisions, doubting the very course of your life." He stopped a few feet away from Alex, who now rested in a rather similar position to how Ivan had landed. "Rest assured, your doubts will all end soon enough."

"Oh, I doubt that very much."

- \/\/ -

Jenna stepped into the center of the chamber, her blade in one hand, the Warp Pearl clenched tightly in the other. Aeshma turned towards her, leaving Alex at the wall as he moved towards her. She watched the demon approach with a white fury, feeling the anger burning away inside her. She hoped it showed on her face.

She paused by Ivan, kneeling down to check on him. "You alright?" she whispered.

The boy nodded. "Fine. But, Jenna... It's too fast. It can read what you're going to do."

"Oh, don't worry," she said, grinning, then stood up and looked at Aeshma. "After all, I think I've got that part figured out," she said loudly. Behind the demon she could see Mia pulling Alex into a sitting position against the wall, checking on him.

Aeshma snorted. "So now you would seek to challenge me, as well? Must I crush you all before you will admit defeat?"

"You're welcome to try, you overgrown goat," Jenna said cheerfully, gently placing her sword against her shoulder. "You're not getting my name, though. Remind me to thank Alex for figuring that part out."

"Have I not proven I need it not?" Aeshma said. Without waiting for a response, he dashed forward, the sickle held low at his side. Jenna maintained her glare at the demon until the last possible moment, whispering mentally to the pearl in her hand. The demon stretched to comical proportions as she slipped through space around him, sliding behind him without ever moving.

As the world twisted into view once more, she watched as the demon spun around, his eyes scanning for her. They locked back onto hers and narrowed slightly, so she mimicked the expression with a smirk. "What? Something wrong, Aeshy?"

"Your arrogance will undo you," he said, raising his empty hand. A warm sensation swept through the chamber as Jenna felt Mercury Psynergy gathering towards Aeshma. Rather than focusing it into the form of ice, as he had done previously, the demon merely continued to condense the raw energy, creating a vacuum of cold. "How do you intend to fight with no Psynergy to draw upon?"

Jenna laughed. She had not meant to, but the rage bubbling inside her at this demon forced it out, desiring to hurt the monster in any way it could make her. She began walking towards Aeshma, feeling the air continue to warm around her the closer she came to him.

Evidently realizing he had made a serious error in judgment, Aeshma pulled his hand down and thrust the pool of Mercury Psynergy at Jenna. The girl had expected this; counted on it, actually. As he pushed the energy forward, Jenna pushed her own. In a flash she had gathered the Mars Psynergy around her, automatically having filled in the void left in Mercury's, not making any effort to shape it.

Instead, she unleashed a white beam of Mars Psynergy at point-blank range into the collection of Mercury Psynergy. The utter violence of her pure elemental force not only tore through its opposite, it dragged the lingering Psynergy with it. The beam slammed into Aeshma's chest, sending the demon flying back into the wall in a manner very similar to Alex.

Steam and dust clouded around the impact point, obscuring him from her sight, but she stood ready, knowing he would emerge. Not one to disappoint, Aeshma lunged from the wall at her, a great scorch mark in the center of his torso, surrounded by a shiny ring of skin that Jenna suspected to be frostbite. Rather than wait for him to approach fully this time, Jenna warped away in advance, ensuring she appeared off to the demon's side.

At her disappearance the demon stopped and spun, searching for her, then instantly lunged forward again. As she vanished once again, Jenna could not help but remember playing with one of her neighbor's kittens once. She had taken a piece of yarn and twitched it across the floor, the little cat continuing to pounce for it, yet falling short every time.

She giggled when she imagined Aeshma as a baby cat.

The noise only served to infuriate the demon more, yet despite repeated efforts, he could neither reach Jenna, nor could he predict where she would appear next. After countless efforts, Aeshma screeched in frustration. "Enough of this foolishness! If you will not fight me, I will move on to another!"

Aeshma spun around, nearly flying towards Ivan, who had slowly crawled further away and hoisted himself into more of a sitting position. At Aeshma's advance, he quickly pushed himself up further, pulling his good hand from support to throw a bolt of lightning at the approaching demon. As he had with the boy's previous attacks, however, Aeshma simply slid around the Psynergy, not slowing in the slightest.

"Ivan!" Jenna shouted. She really did not want to take one of those in her back. Once she had caught his eyes with hers, she focused again, appearing in front of him. With only moments to spare, yet with the calm feeling of control that made it seem like she had forever, Jenna raised her hand and held the palm out towards Aeshma, quickly pooling Mars Psynergy in it.

Aeshma quickly moved to the side, obviously recognizing the foolishness in charging straight towards her, but Jenna merely turned slightly, following him. Precision had not been a part of her plan.

With a silent command, she ignited the gathered energy, fueling it with more energy than it could burn in the moment's notice. A wave of concussive force and fire burst from her hand, the volatile energy unable to contain itself. She shielded herself and Ivan from the explosion, directing all of it outward in an enormous half-sphere of raw fury.

The blast picked Aeshma up and tossed him away as if he were made of little more than straw and cloth, though he did not reach the wall again. This time he landed in the center of the chamber, rolling over twice before stopping.

And like Ivan and Alex, he did not rise.

Jenna clicked her tongue softly, then began to slowly approach the fallen demon. "Not too good when your special power has no use, huh? You've probably spent so long being able to see exactly what someone's gonna do that you've let yourself get complacent."

"You..." Aeshma picked his head up and glared at her, though his bright red eyes had no effect. "How is this? How do you hide your doubt?"

"Simple," Jenna said, placing her empty hand on her hip. "I don't have it."

"Impossible."

She shook her head. "Maybe to you. I don't doubt myself, or my decisions. When I do something, I stand by it fully. Anyone can second-guess themselves, but I've never seen the point. I make a choice and see it through to the end."

Aeshma's wings suddenly flared, lifting the demon up and propelling him forward. "Then see the end that this choice brings!" he screamed, raising the sickle.

Jenna responded not with words, but a roar. All around her flames burst into life, roaring with her into a great inferno. The fire moved forward, growing and expanding before the girl as the demon stopped once more, gathering his own Mercury Psynergy in an attempt to shield himself.

She had too much of a head start, however, the burning flames only serving to give her more energy to draw from, while simultaneously limiting his. Flames licked at her clothes and hair as they rushed forward, encouraging her with their gentle caresses. Even beneath the dull roar of the inferno and the sharp roar of her own voice, she could hear the soft crackling and popping of the fire as it slipped past.

The flames spilled onto the tiles at Jenna's feet, building up higher and higher as it spread out, the girl feeding them with just as much imagination as Psynergy. With another rise in pitch, the roar shifted as the flames suddenly stretched out to the sides, burning away in the shape of a great pair of wings. From the massive conflagration stretched a massive head, two bright points of blue flames nestled in the center as eyes.

Jenna's voice gave out as she closed her eyes, reaching out to the silhouette of flame. The chamber fell into an eerie silence, the quiet crackling the only thing left to hear. Even quieter was the single word Jenna murmured, her voice cracking from the effort. "Mom..."

The flames descended on Aeshma, the demon not even visible as a black shape in the midst of the inferno. It continued to draw in upon itself as the flames gradually extinguished, rolling inward as if Aeshma was the drain to a great burning sea.

When at last the flames died down, the only thing remaining among the blackened stones was the demon's sickle, gleaming brightly in the firelight.

Her legs wobbled slightly, but before her knees could give out entirely, Jenna gently lowered herself to them, dropping her sword at her side and leaning on her hands for support. Her breaths came heavy, pushing through her raw throat like hot lumps. She could feel the drops of sweat beading on her forehead, her adrenaline not giving them enough time during the fight itself to form.

She heard footsteps shuffling along the stone behind her. Ivan, she realized. He knelt beside her on one arm, the other evidently injured. The side of his head was red, his hair matted down with wet blood, though he did not seem to notice it. "You alright?" he asked.

Jenna could not help but laugh, despite the pain in her throat. "I'm fine. You might want to get Mia to take a look at that, though."

At the boy's look of confusion, Jenna leaned back into a kneeling position and gestured to her own head. Ivan's hand slowly moved up to touch his hair, pulling back a pair of red fingers. Though she saw his eyes widen slightly, he spoke calmly. "Isaac told me cuts on the head always look worse than they are. It doesn't really even hurt much."

Shrugging, Jenna said, "Still, should probably be cleaned."

"Yes, and I'm all for getting out of here," Mia said dryly, supporting a limping Alex towards them. "I think we've investigated enough for tonight."

"You would leave without finishing the task you came here for?"

At the sound of an unfamiliar voice, Jenna pushed herself back to her feet, though remaining crouched. Her eyes quickly swung around the chamber, settling on the open door opposite them. Instead of Aeshma, an armored man now stood there, his armor the black of night.

No, she realized, not a man. A man would have a head, but none protruded from the armor. The steel covered every inch of his body save that, though with a chill, Jenna wondered if he even had one.

Ivan, also returning to his feet, held out a hand to stop her, though she had made no attempt to attack yet. "Wait... You. You called me here."

"I did," the armored man said, his voice echoing out of the armor. Empty, then, Jenna thought. "Long have I been sealed within, alongside that beast."

"What were your crimes, then?" Mia asked. "Were you the counterpart, the terror of the daylight?"

"No. Aeshma and I were unrelated, save for the prison in which I helped seal him within alongside Yegolas, long ago." The man stepped out from the doorway and Jenna noticed that the shadows had only made his armor appear black; it was really a dark blue, the color of the ocean.

Ivan started. "You knew Yegolas?" he asked, at the same time Alex asked, "Who are you?"

The armored man stepped back with one foot, bowing as much as his armor would allow. "I am Dullahan Lycoris, once known as the Fulminous King."

This time it was Jenna who started in surprise, feeling her muscles tense up as the hair on the back of her neck rose. "Lycoris? You're related to Clotho!"

The man stood once more, his joints moving silently. "Yes. Clotho was- is my son."

Jenna's hand snapped out, grabbing her sword before she stood up fully, pointing it at Dullahan. "Alex! Do you think we can shut that door again?"

"Jenna, wait!" Ivan said, pushing her blade down. When she turned to him, she saw the same look that Felix often gave her on the boy's face, before he turned back to Dullahan. "You told me you wanted to right your wrongs. What wrongs would those be?"

A small rush of air came from the suit of armor, which Jenna took to be a sigh. She fixed her eyes on the man without a body, her grip tight on her lowered sword. "Those wrongs start with my son, but they are deep-rooted in Anemos."

Ivan gave her another glance, as if to say 'I told you so,' then faced ahead again. "Could you explain more, please?"

"Once, I fought in the great wars that ravaged Weyard," Dullahan began. "Atrocities were committed by all, myself included, and for that I make no excuse. After some time, however, I grew weary of the fighting. I sought peace, but before I could achieve it, I was executed for treason."

"For trying to make peace?" Jenna said incredulously.

"Yes. The other kings did not approve of my plans, and considered them an act of sabotage against the imperial right of Anemos. I did not pass on, though; I remained trapped here, knowing I had brought terrible harm to the world, and worse yet, had raised my son to do the same."

He paused for a moment, then continued. "I have seen the things he has done, and they shame me greatly. I know I cannot rest easy until my legacy no longer continues to bleed freely."

"You want us to stop Clotho," Ivan said quietly.

"I do," Dullahan said. "By whatever means necessary, though I imagine death will prove to be the only solution to that problem."

Jenna felt her insides twist and turn cold as she looked at the armored man. Fighting down a wave of nausea, she said, "You want us to kill your own son? What is wrong with you?"

The armor shifted slightly and Jenna imagined he had turned to her, though the lack of a head made reading expressions rather impossible. "I know the terrible sin of which I commit by asking this, but the sin I made in loosing him upon Weyard was far graver. I would damn myself to hell a thousand times over to correct that mistake, if that was what it took."

Opening her mouth to tell him to forget it, though in much harsher words, Jenna suddenly paused. Had that not been their intent all along? She had not been so foolish to think that they could defeat the Anemoi without killing Clotho, even if she herself would not carry out the task. Despite her incredibly powerful urge to ignore Dullahan's request, she knew it would never be possible.

She closed her mouth, though the expression of disgust on her face remained.

"We're already trying to stop him," Ivan said. "We actually came here hoping you could help us."

"I cannot," Dullahan said. "I have spent too long in my tomb that I fear I can no longer travel beyond it. Not without passing on, at least, and I would wait until I know my son is gone first. However..."

The armored man fell silent for a few seconds, then reached down and drew his great blade from the sheath at his side. He held it up to where his head would be for a moment, then placed it back inside. Stepping forward, he pulled the entire sword from his belt, holding it out to Ivan and Jenna. "I know not how much use it may be, but take my sword. Lightning answers to its summons, no matter the wielder."

Ivan held out his good arm, taking hold of the hilt with his hand, while Jenna reached out to support the sheath with both of hers. Dullahan's mailed hands released it gently as the man stepped back. "I pray it sees better use in your hands than it did in mine."

"Thank you," Ivan breathed, looking over the intricate detail carved into the sheath. A storm itself had been decorated upon the case, with an image of Thor casting thunderbolts down upon the ground, heralded by storm clouds.

When Jenna looked up again, Dullahan had retreated to the black doorway once more. "Once my son has been dealt with, I will wait here until you have halted the Anemoi war tide before passing on. If at any point you need my assistance, ask for it, and I shall come. Be warned, however, that such an act will force my hand and send me on. I can only help once."

Ivan shifted the sword around and bowed to the former king. "We appreciate everything you can do for us."

Dullahan paused in his slow departure, his attention seemingly fixed on Ivan. Jenna felt the boy tense up slightly next to her, obviously feeling the same, but Dullahan merely chuckled. "Your eyes... I like them. My best wishes to you and your fellow serpents, child."

He stepped backwards, vanishing into the darkness, and silence settled into the chamber. At least until Jenna found her voice, turning towards Ivan.

"What?"