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.

14. For Love, United

Golden Sun: Wings of Anemos

Chapter 14 – For Love, United

- \/\/ -

"Ivan, breakfast is ready!"

The boy's eyes opened and he stared at the ceiling for a moment in confusion, memories of his dreams lingering just beneath the veil of consciousness. For a few seconds, he considered lying there until his mind stumbled across their stories, but then decided that the details of a dream about birds and lightning did not matter. It was obviously nonsense.

Ivan sat up, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed and hopping off. He paused momentarily, shaking his limbs to try and cool the thin layer of sweat that had formed during the hot night, then pulled a loose, white shirt over himself, designed for Contigo's hot summers.

When he opened his door and stepped into the hallway, the thick aroma of searing meat immediately crashed over his senses, mingled with the sweet smell of freshly-baked cornbread. As the scent overpowered his mind, the young boy took off down the hall, his bare feet slapping against the cool stone.

He skidded around the corner, nearly falling over, much to his mother's amusement. "Be careful, or you won't be able to eat any," she warned with a smile.

Ivan nodded, his eyes set on the food lying on the table. Smooth, barely visible wisps of steam curled upwards from the cornbread, tracing intricate designs in the air as they rose. He jumped up into a chair, eagerly reaching forward for some, but another hand swatted his away.

"Wait for mother," Hama said, frowning at him. "It's impolite to eat without her."

Ivan sat back and folded his arms across his chest with a snort, then stuck his tongue out at his sister. Hama responded in kind, though quickly pulling it back when their mother turned around. "Don't worry, I'm ready," she said, setting down a similarly steaming plate of meat in the center of the table. "Now be careful. I just took it off the fire, so it's still very hot."

She carefully set out a piece onto Ivan's plate, then onto Hama's. Ivan leaned his face in close, took a deep breath, and blew as hard as he could over the meat, trying to cool it faster.

"Here, let me do it," Hama said, pointing her hand at the food. A small breeze suddenly formed inside the house, swirling around the table and whipping at their hair.

"No, stop!" Ivan shouted, extending his arms over his breakfast. He then looked over at his mother. "Hama won't let me blow on my own food!"

The woman merely shook her head and sighed.

- \/\/ -

Piers glanced over at Hama. "Ready?" Once the woman had again placed her fingers against Felix's temples, closed her eyes, and nodded, Piers took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he concentrated.

Felix's eyes snapped open, frantically flickering about, then settled after a brief moment on Piers. "Sheba! Where is she?"

Piers shook his head, pulling his hand back from the top of his friend's head, Mercury Psynergy fading from the pair. "We have a very good guess, and we're hoping you can tell us otherwise."

He glanced around again, finding Hama seated on the opposite side of the bed, Isaac and Garet standing at its foot. "Gone," he whispered. "Clotho took her."

Hama sighed. "Then all is as we feared."

"What do you mean?" Felix asked, turning his head to her.

"We found you in the field, asleep," Piers said quietly. "Alone, surrounded by lingering traces of Jupiter Psynergy. To have put you to sleep like that...we put the rest together."

Felix finally seemed to realize he no longer lay in the field and sat up, looking around again. "Where...?" Suddenly he shook his head. "Never mind. He took her," he said again forcefully.

"We know," Hama said. "Else you would have been dead with her. You should consider yourself lucky that he was apparently more concerned with returning Anemos' lost child, or you would have been killed outright."

"You should consider yourself lucky you weren't anyway," Garet muttered. "It wouldn't have taken much."

"We need to get her back," Felix said, pushing himself up further, but Piers' hand planted itself on his chest and pushed him back. "Hey!"

"She's in no danger at the moment," Piers said, staring at him with a level gaze. "They very specifically want her alive and unharmed, so the last thing we're going to do is rush into Anemos, swinging swords."

Much to Piers' surprise, Felix's expression turned to a level of fury that bordered on murderous. "You think that I'll just sit here and do nothing?"

Garet glanced over at Isaac. "Is this what I usually sound like?"

Felix's gaze turned on the Mars Adept. "Excuse me?"

"Do you know how many tries it took to wake you up?" Garet asked the man. "Three. With Hama's help. You were in such a deep sleep that you probably wouldn't have woken up till next week. You think your body is going to be fine going from that to adrenaline-filled combat in a matter of minutes?"

"I don't care what my body thinks about it," Felix spat. "Nor will I be lectured on recklessness by you."

"Then you will be lectured on it by me," Piers said, placing a hand on Felix's shoulder gently. "Sheba is safe, for now. Safe enough for us to move cautiously. Briskly, to be sure, but not hastily. Understand the gravity of the situation, Felix. A single Anemian king was matched by King Hydros, Alex, and six of us. One king. For us to rescue Sheba, we must fight three, as well as all the Anemian forces they can muster."

Hama nodded, placing her hand atop Felix's. "We have one chance to do this. If we fail to prepare properly, we will all die, Sheba will remain their prisoner, and no one will survive to stop them."

Piers watched his friend carefully, hoping that he could control himself. Felix, under normal conditions, posed a sizable threat to his enemies; Felix while enraged became a force of nature, cruel and terrible in his destruction. That force had a time, Piers knew, but it first needed to be aimed. To unleash such violence now would not be enough to overcome the Anemoi.

"You're right," he said at last, leaning back. "What's our plan, then?"

Isaac glanced nervously at Piers, obviously having been making the same prayer as the Lemurian. "Well...we don't have one yet. We were just thinking out loud while trying to wake you up, really."

"Our first action will be to relocate to Contigo," Hama said. "Staying here is useless. The enemy knows we're here, however that may be, and the location holds no tactical use."

Garet frowned, crossing his arms. "Wouldn't they expect us to come after them, though?"

Hama nodded. "Yes, but we will not simply rush into Anemos. We can hide in Contigo for the time being and see what we can learn about their defenses. If possible, sneaking into Anemos and stealing back Sheba silently would be preferable. The last thing we want is a head-on confrontation yet."

"Strategically speaking," Felix muttered, but offered no opposition to her words.

"How could they have known we were here, though?" Isaac asked. "Hiding in Contigo is useless if they know where we are."

"They may be tracking the Kailani," Piers said slowly, tapping his chin. "It left Lemuria and came here. How many ships leave Lemuria? That could also tie into the storm you encountered along the way."

Garet shook his head. "Clotho left before you guys showed up, remember? They shouldn't tie the boat to us."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Yeah, there's plenty of winged boats around."

"But they have no reason to connect us and a winged boat," Garet said, staring at Isaac. "I mean, they might have simply been looking into it and found us, instead, but still..."

"King Hydros said they had advanced technology, didn't he?" Piers asked. "It's well within the realm of possibility that they have something allowing them to see distant locations. If so, they may well have watched the ship depart, then followed or located it."

"That may be true..." Hama shifted in her chair uncomfortably as she paused. "Or perhaps they simply dreamed of it."

It took a moment for the meaning of her words to sink in, but when they did, the cold hand of horror wrapped around Piers' heart. How could they have been so foolish? Their own forewarning, as well as their knowledge of other attacks, had been given through a Jupiter Adept's dreams. Why would they think these kings of the Jupiter Clan did not dream of the future, as well?

He knew that the dreams were not always clear in their meaning; some showed exactly how an event would unfold, while some were so thickly wrapped in symbolism that the Adept would not recognize the meaning until the event had passed. Those skilled in reading those symbols, however, like Hama, could pick the dream to pieces, learning every detail in advance. How could they possibly fight against Anemos when, at any moment, their enemies could see exactly what they would do?

Piers shook his head. While true that they might see everything, he knew the dreams did not always happen. The simple matter was that if the Anemoi saw their movements and intercepted them, they would lose. With no means to avoid or cloud such sight, however, they could do nothing but remain alert.

"We can't focus on that," he said after a long silence. "We cannot control it. If we do everything assuming that they know our plans, we'll accomplish nothing."

"So instead we assume they'll never see us?" Isaac asked incredulously.

Hama nodded. "Yes. Where practical, work the possibility of an ambush into our plans, but otherwise, continue on as if they had no such power. This is why I've avoided bringing up their capability of dreams."

"So we head to Contigo," Felix said loudly, then paused, glancing around at each of them. "Then what?"

"We find out where she is, how to get there, what's standing between us, and come up with a new plan," Isaac said with a shrug. "We really can't do much more than that right now, as blind as we are."

Felix nodded in silent agreement, though Piers could see the displeasure evident in his frown. The Valean opened his mouth, then shut it again, glancing over at Garet. "Have you already been fitted by Sunshine?"

Garet shook his head. "Not yet," he said.

Felix jerked his head at the door. "Go. Now. Wake him up if you have to. I don't know how long it will be until we return, and I won't hold up that armor's crafting."

"I'll go with you," Isaac said, buckling his sword belt on. "Just in case."

Piers smiled as he watched the two leave. Felix had calmed, which was good; he had once again turned his trained eyes to the big picture, scanning it for the details they had forgotten. Piers had no delusions that Felix would place defeat of the Anemoi over Sheba, of course, but he had slid into his habit of grabbing loose ends as he moved forwards, tying them together along the way.

"What about the others?" Hama asked.

"We have no idea where they are," Felix said, shaking his head. "Kraden might, but that would result in two additional stops before reaching Contigo. They'll show up here eventually. We'll leave a note with the innkeeper for them, and they can follow."

Hama nodded. "I'll go take care of that, then."

Piers watched her go, then began to make a mental checklist of things they still needed to do. Before he could get anywhere, however, Felix's voice interrupted him. "She said it."

Glancing over at Felix, confused, Piers said, "What?"

"She told me she loves me," Felix said, his eyes fixed on the window opposite the bed. "Right before Clotho showed up."

Piers moved over and sat on the foot of the bed. He said nothing, knowing from the look on Felix's face that the man had more to say.

"He took her," Felix said simply, his hands curling into fists. "He took her. It's the only thing I can think about right now. He took her, and I failed to stop him. Every time I try and focus on something else, I hear her telling me not to give up, but that's exactly what I did."

"It is not," Piers said firmly, waiting until Felix looked up at him to continue. "Being defeated and giving up are two entirely different things. Giving up is a choice, not an action. You succumbed to the experience and power of an Adept far stronger than you, but not willingly. You chose to fight as long as you could, and our choices are far more defining than their results."

Felix shook his head. "Defining for our character, perhaps, but not for the world. Not for Sheba."

"But your actions haven't resolved yet, now have they?" Piers smiled at the Valean. "After all, you're still alive, which means you get the chance to change your results."

"I still failed her," Felix said, looking back towards the window. "She'll forgive me, because that's who she is, but I can't forgive myself."

Piers resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was being stubborn again. "Then instead of forgiving yourself, redeem yourself. Make penance and earn forgiveness by saving her. You know she's waiting for you, don't you? When we arrive in Anemos, her face will break out into a massive grin, and she'll say, 'I knew you guys would come.'"

Felix snorted, a small smile coming to his face. "I think that 'It's about time' is more likely from her." He sighed and shook his head again. "Saving her is the important thing. I'll have time to feel sorry for myself once she's out of Anemos."

"That's good enough for now, I suppose," Piers said, reaching over and clapping his hand on Felix's shoulder. "Now come on, let's get our things together. It wouldn't be prudent to make the others wait on us."

- \/\/ -

Mia quietly opened the door, stepping into the dark room silently. She set her candle on the desk beside the door, then set the small, ceramic basin on the floor. Stepping over to the bed, she reached out towards the person sleeping there, then paused.

Her hands continued moving after a moment, but they stopped just above the body. She closed her eyes, inhaling slowly, then exhaled even more slowly, clearing her mind of all thoughts. It took several cycles of breathing, but eventually, she found herself surrounded by darkness. The crackling of the candle's flame did not reach her ears, nor did the gentle wind that rolled by the window. Only the sounds of slow breathing, both hers and her patient's, spoke to her.

She focused on the breathing from the sleeper, listening to the air slowly move in and out of his lungs, seeing the endless cycle in her mind's eye. The air moved into his lungs, filtering through and into his blood. She watched the life flow through his veins, pushing away from his chest and into his arms and hands, his legs and feet, then return. His heart pushed the blood back towards the lungs, where it gave up the used air in exchange for a fresh breath, casting it out through his nose.

Mia listened to the flow of life travel through him with ears that no longer heard, watched it with eyes that no longer saw. She moved her hands over his body, feeling the flow with her own energy, feeling the way the forces rebounded and converged and mirrored each other.

She turned her focus to his head, sensing the complex ebbs and eddies that swirled endlessly. As her hand hovered over his forehead, however, she could not make sense of the patterns that spun, their movements only serving to confuse her. Was that sudden reversal there an indication of an injury? What about that point where the energy seemed to simply spiral down?

"Mia?"

The flows vanished as the voice cut across her concentration, shattering it instantly. She sighed silently as she opened her eyes, knowing she still needed much practice. Instead of letting her frustration with her ability show, however, she smiled down at the purple eyes blearily looking up at her. "Just checking up on you. How are you feeling?"

"My head still hurts," the boy mumbled, reaching up towards the cloth on his forehead, but Mia's hand reached out and caught it gently.

"I'll take care of it," she said, setting his hand back down. "You took some good hits last night, but I think you dodged anything serious. How's your arm?"

Ivan tilted his head down slightly, lifting his right arm up and bending it a few times. "Fine. Just a little sore."

Mia reached out and gently turned his arm over, finding a dark bruise on his elbow. "I think you just struck the nerve here. It can numb your entire arm if it gets hit hard enough."

"That's good," he murmured as she set his arm down once more.

She reached up and pulled the cloth away from his head, finding the cut visible only by the thin red line of clotted blood. It had healed well so far, and should be fully healed by morning. Setting the cloth on the floor beside her, she grabbed one of the clean cloths draped over the ceramic bowl, dipping it into the warm water and wringing it out. She folded the damp cloth and laid it across Ivan's forehead, then placed her hand atop his head, her fingers threading into his thick, blond hair. She concentrated once more, though this time, she kept to the skills she knew well. Mercury Psynergy pulsed from her palm, moving through the boy's head to assist in the knitting of his cut, as well as help deal with any other injuries he might have inside.

He sighed as the Psynergy moved into him, his eyes drifting shut again. "That always feels so nice," he said. "It almost makes it worth getting hurt for."

Mia rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, you can always just ask for it instead. Let's skip the near-death experiences, please." She pulled her hand away, then bent down and laid the used cloth along the edge of the bowl, standing back up with it. "I know you've slept a lot today, but you should try to get a little more."

"Mmm," the boy agreed, not opening his eyes. "I'll try."

Mia turned around with the bowl and stepped out the door, grabbing the candle as she went. She balanced the bowl against her hip briefly as she pulled the door shut, then returned to the sitting room.

Jenna sat on one of the floor cushions, back pressed against the wall, holding the Warp Pearl up to the light as she examined it. "It's so pretty. Are you sure you don't want it back?"

Smiling, Mia shook her head. "That's alright. I feel comfortable enough without it, and you can put it to better use, anyway."

She held out her hand, balancing the Pearl on the backs of her fingers. "I think it would be easier to hold as an accessory of some sort, like a ring."

"Might be a bit large for that," Mia said with a soft giggle, watching the large pearl roll back and forth on the girl's hand. "Maybe a hairpin, or a brooch?"

Her eyes lit up as she popped the pearl into the air, catching it as it fell. "Ooo, I like that. I need a new brooch." A frown appeared on her face as she slumped down slightly, gesturing at the table nearby. "I also need to think up some sort of sheath for that thing."

Mia followed her gaze to find Aeshma's sickle lying on the table, the candlelight dancing off its terrible edge. "Something it can't cut through, right?"

Jenna nodded. "Sort of. Something that covers the edge, but never actually comes in contact with it. I'll think of something eventually, I'm just drawing blanks right now."

A faint click reached Mia's ears, one she recognized instantly – the door's latch. As Jenna pushed herself to her feet, Mia shook her head, holding out one finger. With a wave of her hand, every candle in the room extinguished, and in the next moment, she vanished from sight entirely.

Plunged into sudden darkness, Mia wished that she had near the level of skill Hama had in Chi, not for the first time that day. Instead she called her memory of the room to bear, trying to recreate every obstacle in the dark. She moved slowly and silently, hearing the door open just as slowly, the intruder obviously moving in the same manner.

She turned the corner into the hallway, finding a figure framed against the ambient light outside, moving down towards her. The woman paused, waiting for the intruder to get closer, but the figure suddenly lunged forward, one hand wrapping around her neck. A foot found its way behind hers and the momentum carried them both to the ground, Mia gasping as the intruder pinned her instantly to the floor.

"What the hell?" she heard Jenna shout. A flare suddenly lit up the room, shattering her cloak of shadows and casting light onto the intruder's familiar face.

"What- Mia?"

The pressure instantly vanished from her throat and chest as Hama pushed herself off the woman, reaching out to help her up. "I cannot apologize enough, Mia, I didn't know it was you, I simply felt people inside, and then you were unseeable, and I should have known it wasn't the Anemoi, and I just... Oh gods, I'm sorry." The woman backed up, placing the heel of her palm to her forehead.

Mia rubbed at her throat, the crushing pressure of Hama's grip still lingering. "It's fine," she said, her voice a bit hoarse. "I thought all the same things, really."

The candles lit simultaneously once more just as both doors in the hallway opened, Alex and Ivan each nearly flying into the hallway. They both looked around in confusion for a moment, glancing between the two women, before comprehension dawned on both. Ivan opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.

Hama glanced behind her. "It's fine. You can come in." Much to Mia's surprise, several more heads appeared in the doorway, peering inside. "We might want to move into the sitting room," Hama said, gesturing down the hallway. "I remember this getting crowded."

Mia stepped back towards Ivan, allowing Hama to step into the sitting room and greet Jenna, who still looked wild-eyed and ready to attack someone. Once the others had entered, she and Ivan followed, glancing around at everyone. "I must say, I wasn't expecting everyone to show up here."

"Not everyone," Ivan said quietly from beside her. "Where's Sheba?"

Mia immediately detected the shift in atmosphere in the room as she looked around, now noticing the same. The tension that formed felt oppressive and stifling, making her unconsciously rub at her throat.

"Sheba was taken," Felix said flatly, his eyes fixed on the table. "Clotho came."

Her heart stopped in one moment of horror, her chest turning to ice. She reached back to steady herself on the wall as Jenna's cry startled her body into warmth once more.

"No!" she screamed, every candle in the room suddenly flaring up to almost two feet. "No!" she shouted again, her hands balling into fists as her body began to shake.

Felix moved to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Jenna, calm down," he said gently, his words receiving no response, save the dimming of the flames to their normal heights. "She's fine. We're going to get her back. That's why we're here."

"She's in Anemos?" Alex asked, nodding after Felix's confirmation. "Then it seems our time for reconnaissance is over. When should we move?"

Mia turned to Felix, but the man shook his head. "I can't decide that. I won't make a rational choice."

"We should wait until morning," Hama said, glancing around. "Going after her now, while most of us are tired, could be disastrous. Instead, let's get a full night's sleep and go tomorrow."

Garet frowned. "As much as I don't want to wait longer...wouldn't it be better to wait until sunset, for the same reason? If we wind up fighting, we'll want our enemies as tired as possible. I don't know how the Anemoi sleep, but sunset would be late enough in their day to get them tired, but early enough to make sure they haven't slept."

Hama stared at him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "That is sound, given the minimal risk to Sheba."

"In that case," Mia said suddenly, "I'd like to go see what I can of the city tonight. We've already shifted to a night schedule anyway, so I won't be sleeping tonight."

"Me neither," Jenna said quietly.

Isaac glanced over at her, then towards Felix. "We'll need to stay up, too, to sleep during the day."

Mia stepped back to the doorway, then glanced back. "I'm going straight into the city. With the sun down, I should be able to move around unseen. If they do see me, I can leave."

"Mia, wait," Alex said, placing a hand on her arm. "I'll come with you."

"I think not," she said firmly, turning towards him. "You're still recovering, and you'll stay here until we all leave together."

She watched the ripple of surprise her words sent through the others, behind Alex, while the man frowned at her. "I refuse to let you enter Anemos alone."

"I agree," Ivan said, stepping forward. "If we can't go with you, then someone needs to."

Mia glanced at Piers. "Have you had any luck learning to cloak yourself?"

The sailor shook his head. "Not yet, I'm afraid. It's a subtlety that might be beyond me entirely."

"Then there's no one who can come with me," she said, turning back to Alex and placing her hands on her hips. "Everybody else just turns into a risk."

"That...may be a bit harsh," Hama said quietly, a small smile on her face. "I may not be able to hide myself as easily, but I can tell when others are approaching and prepare accordingly. My senses can even pierce Psynergetic barriers, as you noticed earlier."

Mia gently bit into her bottom lip, thinking about the woman's words for a moment. "You're right," she said at last. "We'll go together." She started towards the front door, then stopped and turned around again. "You two are to stay here," she said, pointing at Alex and Ivan. "Understood?"

The two stared at her for a moment, then nodded silently.

"Good. Then we'll see you in a few hours," she said with a nod, walking down the hallway and out into the night.

Hama followed her in silence for a short while as they walked through the silent town, heading east. This late, only the sound of the wind could be heard throughout the town, all of the lights snuffed for the night.

As they walked, Mia noticed Hama constantly looking around them. Not for danger; Mia knew she needed no eyes to find that. She wondered about the woman for a few minutes until she remembered that Hama had last seen her home before the Anemos landed. Even with her prophetic abilities, surely she wanted to see the town's well-being for herself.

No concern showed on her face, however. She had mastered the same infuriating self-control that Alex and Felix had, though Mia knew she never held it as tightly as those two did. Few things frustrated her more than watching that pair hide behind their masks.

"Thank you for taking care of Ivan."

Mia glanced over at the woman, surprised by her sudden comment. "It...was partially my fault he was hurt," she said, looking down. "I convinced him to do something he didn't want to."

Hama shook her head. "I don't just mean right now. I mean since you've met him."

"It's nothing," she said quickly. "I take care of everyone. It's second-nature to me, I guess."

"No, it's been more than that," the woman said firmly. "You've... You've been there for him when I couldn't. You were there to teach him, to help him, to guide him, to correct him. You did everything that I should have been there to do."

Mia touched Hama's shoulder gently. "You had other responsibilities."

"Those responsibilities never showed themselves until much later in life," Hama said with a sigh. "I knew where he had gone when he left here. I left as well, not long after, but rather than go to him, I went everywhere else. I spent the next thirteen years as if I had been an only child, never so much as stopping in to check on him. It would not have even been difficult to explain – he knew he had been adopted."

"Why did you never visit?" Mia asked.

Hama did not answer for a long moment. "I'm not entirely sure," she said at last, shaking her head slowly. "Maybe I was afraid he would blame me for our mother's death. Maybe I thought if I pretended he didn't exist, I could pretend my mother never existed either. Maybe I thought seeing him would break down the independence I'd worked so hard to build up."

"That's not unreasonable," Mia said. "When did you leave home? How old were you?"

"Twelve," Hama said, and Mia could not miss the slight venom that accompanied the number. "I was twelve."

Mia nodded. "That's exactly my point. You could hardly have been expected to think about everything rationally at that age."

"At some point I should have realized how foolish such fears were, though," the woman said, looking down. "I never did. Even when we finally met, I couldn't tell him. I rationalized it by telling myself it would have distracted him, but it wasn't why I kept it a secret."

"Why didn't you just come with us?" Mia asked, remembering the conversation well. "You could have told him then without worrying about him being distracted."

Hama shook her head. "I couldn't. By then, I knew I needed to return to Contigo to get the Wings made. We've been nothing but tools of destiny our entire life," she added bitterly.

As they passed the outer edge of town, the hill dropped off before them, revealing the moonlit plain below. In the dark distance, Mia could barely make out the outline of Anemos' walls, a few faint pinpricks of light flickering in its buildings that would barely qualify as stars.

She glanced behind them, finding the far-off beacon of Jupiter shining brightly, like a tiny, purple moon. Remembering its last use made her shiver, so she turned back to the darkness before her. Somewhere in the shadows all around them, a good distance away, she heard the harsh yip of some wild dog, followed by several return calls.

Sighing, her gaze fell back to the rocky hill beneath her feet, stepping carefully as she descended, but her mind continually drifted to the conversation. Seeing Hama like this scared her slightly. She had always seen the woman as a solid, unshakeable force of willpower, just like Felix. Both of them seemed to always be in complete control of every situation, regardless of what happened or how they felt. They never second-guessed themselves, never doubted their ability to succeed, always turning disadvantages into opportunities.

This side of Hama, however... Mia wondered how deeply it had been buried, and if anyone had seen it before. A part of her felt flattered that Hama trusted her enough to show it, but another part trembled, wishing it had remained hidden. Where they were headed, she could not allow herself to doubt Hama's ability.

Unable to stand the silence between them any more, Mia glanced over and opened her mouth, but as she did, a loose stone slipped from beneath her foot. Her sudden momentum forced her to hop down the remainder of the hill to save herself from falling, and when she landed at the bottom, she remained half-crouched for a moment, stunned that she had stayed on her feet.

Hama arrived a few seconds later, reaching out to gently touch Mia's back. "Are you alright?"

After the woman nodded, the two resumed their walk towards the distant lights, thankful to be on flat ground once more. After a few seconds, Mia said, "It's not too late, you know." When Hama glanced over at her, confused, she continued. "For Ivan. He's not sure how to act around you."

She nodded. "Even if I am his sister, I'm still a stranger to him. You're more of a sister to him than I can ever hope to be."

"That's not true," Mia said firmly, shaking her head. "You can't think like that. Ivan has opened up considerably to people, and has grown a lot as a person. If there was any point in his life that you could build a strong relationship with him, now is it."

Hama said nothing for a long moment, the crunching of stone beneath their feet giving way to the silent footfalls on grass. "I think... I think I'm afraid to," she said at last, so quietly that Mia nearly lost her words to the ever-present breeze.

Mia looked at the woman, but found her face unreadable in the dark. "Afraid? Of losing him again?"

"No, not that," Hama said. "I'm afraid that it will make him fail. That his feelings for me might jeopardize what we need to do. I don't want to be a weakness to him."

Something clicked in Mia's head, an intuition calling out to her from the dark reaches of her subconscious. "Are you sure you're not afraid of him being a weakness to you?"

"I..." Hama shook her head. "I don't know. Perhaps."

"You've been apart from him for so long," Mia said. "I think you're just as unsure how to act around him as he is around you, that you're worried getting attached to him might push you into a situation where you choose his safety over Weyard's."

Silence settled between them once more, making Mia wonder if she had overstepped her bounds. She had spoken out of instinct, and while her instincts with people generally led to helping them, she had followed similar impulsive feelings before and only made situations worse.

Much to her relief, however, Hama spoke. "You may be right," the woman said softly. "I'm...not good at dealing with attachments. I've never been completely comfortable with them."

"It comes down to trust," Mia said in the same tone. "You need to trust in Ivan, trust that he will take care of himself. You need to trust in yourself, that you'll be able to make the right decision when faced with a hard choice. Most importantly, you need to trust that your relationship will bring more good than harm, that the bond you two share cannot be overshadowed by it breaking. For break it will," she said solemnly, looking up into the night sky. "Someday, somewhere, all bonds must break."

- \/\/ -

"So, this thing can control lightning, right?"

Jenna hefted the longsword up with both hands, pointing it to the sky. Ivan felt her channel Psynergy into the blade, like an alchemy tool, but nothing happened. The wind continued to blow past her, showing no signs of her supposed command to its brother.

"Probably for the best," Ivan said from his seat on the roof. "A lightning strike might attract unwanted attention."

Frowning, Jenna lowered the blade. "I suppose. I just wish we knew how to use it."

Ivan opened his mouth to ask for it, preparing to jump down, but when he leaned forward, he thought better of it. He certainly felt better, but given that he had taken a day of rest and Mia's help to recover from nothing more than a minor head injury, he decided against pushing his luck.

"May I?" Alex said from the doorway, stepping outside.

Jenna glanced up at Ivan as the man held his hand out for the sword. Ivan hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"Ever used one of these before?" Jenna asked, resting the flat of the blade on her arm as she held the hilt out to Alex.

He drew the sword back carefully, his eyes ensuring that Jenna's arms had cleared the edge first. His other hand moved around to grasp the handle, holding the blade straight up in front of him. "It's been some time. I don't believe I've swung one since sneaking one from Mia's father. He wasn't very pleased with me."

The blade swung down in a parrying arc, then back up and down to the other side. Alex then pulled the sword back and delivered a heavy, overhead swing that Ivan had seen Garet use to great effect in splitting monsters in half. Coming from Alex, however, the boy watched as the tip fell lower than the hilt, courtesy of the blade's momentum, while Alex stepped forward slightly to fix his balance. "Not your strong point, I see," he said.

Alex glanced up at him, then shook his head. "No, not particularly. I must admit, other than my boyhood fascination with swords, I've never been especially fond of them. I've found I never need more than my dagger, and even that sees only utilitarian use."

A giggle immediately came to Ivan's lips, though he fought to keep it contained, remembering Garet's expression when the boy told him that he had no knife. Garet loudly proclaimed that everyone should have a knife, telling him how he carried no less than three knives while traveling: a long knife on his waist for combat, a hidden one in his boot for safety, and one in the front of his pack for food. When they stopped in Bilibin, he dragged Ivan around the city until they found a knife that Garet approved of.

Lightning snapping along the blade brought Ivan's attention back to Alex, watching the purple sparks flash in the darkness. "Figured it out?" he asked.

"Possibly," Alex said, examining the now-dark blade in the moonlight. "Difficult to say, given that I don't need the sword to control it." He turned the blade around, holding it out to Jenna once more. "Instead of using it like a tool, try imagining that you actually are a Jupiter Adept. Attempt to use Jupiter Psynergy as you would Mars."

Jenna took the sword, looking at it dubiously, then glanced up at Ivan. "Hey, how does this work? I usually just get excited and imagine things exploding, but I don't think this works the same."

Ivan frowned, thinking for a moment how to explain it in words. "Hmm... You know that feeling you get around charged things? Like when all your hair is standing on end, or on a thick rug? Focus on that, building it up. When you think it's big enough, just let everything go."

Nodding, Jenna held the sword up in a similar manner to Alex, then closed her eyes. For a long moment, Ivan could feel nothing but the gentle presence of Jupiter's beacon, carried on the wind, and he wondered who would be the best choice to try the sword later. A gentle hum reached his ears as the touch of Psynergy reached his mind, feeling the charge growing around Jenna. Her ponytail began to lift up slightly as she concentrated and Ivan suddenly realized she had no basis for comparison of how much energy she was producing. "That's enough, let go."

The moment the words left his mouth, he also realized he had not mentioned how to direct the discharge. Kicking himself for being so foolish, he could do nothing but watch as lightning arced along the blade, before reaching out towards the simplest and closest target. Alex, however, either anticipated the inadvertent attack or simply reacted quickly enough. His hand flashed up, the lightning rebounding off towards the ground, as he had done against Clotho.

Jenna let the tip of the sword drop to the ground, looking at Alex sheepishly. "Um...whoops. Sorry, that wasn't supposed to do that."

Alex waved his hand dismissively. "I know, don't worry. I remember my first experiments with it."

The sword slid back into the sheath with a light scrape before Jenna balanced it across her shoulders. "Well, my curiosity has been satisfied. I'm going back inside. I've got a sheath to design."

Ivan watched Jenna return to the house beneath him, then turned his eyes towards Alex. The man stood still, staring off at Jupiter's distant beacon as the light stared back at him unblinkingly. Was he thinking about their night on the lighthouse, a year ago?

It had never left Ivan's mind. Not for long.

All through their journey, he had faced death. From ambushes by bandits, to stumbling across monster nests, to their battles atop the previous two lighthouses, they had all fought for their lives, knowing that failure might end with all of their deaths. Apart from the fear that accompanied all such battles, however, he faced them with his head high, and when they had concluded, they never bothered him again.

Karst, however... He thought it had something to do with the battle's result. Every other battle he fought in had ended in his victory. Why would he fear that which he had emerged victorious from? On Jupiter Lighthouse, for the first time in his life, he had lost. He and Isaac had fallen, unable to even hold their swords, while Karst moved in to finish them both.

Ivan wished he could have said he faced his end with courage, like a man accepting his fate, but that would have been a lie. He could clearly recall the way his heart clenched in his chest, making his breathing short and shallow. The only thought that ran through his head was a constant denial, that he could not die yet, he was still a child. He tried to cry for mercy, but his voice had broken alongside his spirit. He could not even muster the strength to push himself away from his would-be killer.

He had spent the past day unconscious most of the time, sunken into the black abyss of nothingness, but at times his dreams returned. When they did, he watched in delirium as his nightmarish stalker transformed from Karst to Aeshma, red eyes staring down at him in triumph. Again he had faced certain death, utterly defeated, and been saved at the last moment by a fluke.

...But it hadn't been a fluke, had it?

Alex had stepped in the moment it became obvious that he could no longer continue. He deliberately took over the fight before Ivan could be killed, in spite of Aeshma's intentions, using the information he had gained by watching Ivan fight the spirit.

"What is it?"

Ivan blinked, his eyes coming back into focus to find Alex staring up at him, as he had evidently been doing to the man. He quickly shook his head, biting his lip and looking away. "Nothing, sorry."

Alex watched him for another moment, then shrugged. "As you will."

As he began to walk towards the house, however, Ivan changed his mind. "Alex, wait."

The man stepped backwards, raising an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Ivan stared down at him for a moment, considering changing his mind once again. His eyes turned towards his feet as he fidgeted slightly, the silence quickly growing awkward. In the end, however, his deeply ingrained manners won out. "I... Thank you."

Alex cocked his head ever so slightly. "For...yesterday?"

"Not just then. Twice in my life when I thought I was about to die, you've saved me." He nodded his head out towards the beacon. "On Jupiter, Karst was ready to kill me. The only thing that stopped her was Felix's timely arrival. Had you fought with them, though..."

The man continued to look at him for another few seconds, then gestured towards the roof. "May I?"

Ivan nodded and watched as Alex simply jumped. He felt a wave of basic telekinetic Psynergy push downwards, against the ground, propelling him high enough into the air to simply land atop the roof. The boy found the usage curious and filed it away; he would need to try that at some point. It seemed more efficient than using wind.

"I appreciate the gratitude, but saving you was not my reason for abstaining there," Alex said, sitting down beside the boy.

"Maybe not," Ivan admitted, "but the end result was the same." He paused and glanced over at the Imilian. "And...yesterday? Was saving me not your reason then?"

This time Alex looked away, turning his gaze to the dark streets of Contigo. "It was."

"Did you do it for Mia?" Ivan asked.

"Partially," Alex admitted. "I would have done it regardless, though. I don't hate you, despite what you might think about me. I find you very emotional and impulsive, often letting your heart override the sharp intelligence I know you carry. You're stubborn and argumentative, especially against those who have wronged you in the past."

Ivan fidgeted again. As much as he would like to, he could not disagree with Alex's assessment.

"However," Alex said, then paused. "However, despite your sometimes foolish, emotional decisions, you make them out of concern for others. In matters that affect only yourself, I've watched you let others walk all over you without making a sound. When others would be affected, though, you voice a fierce opposition in their defense."

He paused again, this time for even longer. "And...our conflict began entirely from your desire to protect Mia. Regardless of what someone does, I cannot completely dislike him for that. Which leads us here," he said, motioning around them. "There is distrust between us, and I would like to see if we can be rid of it."

Ivan glanced over at the man, then returned his eyes to the ground. "I can't. It's not just Mia I've seen, but Isaac, too, and Piers, and even Kraden. I... I don't know what to think anymore. I..." He swallowed, unbelieving of the words that had come to his mouth. "I want to trust you. I just can't. It's not just the dreams. I mean, you won't even trust us with your reasons for everything you've done."

Alex sighed, looking down as well. "That's not a trust issue, it's a personal one. Mia knows it, now. She can vouch for the harmlessness of my actions."

"She's already vouching for your trustworthiness," Ivan said, the words coming out a bit more harshly than he intended. "I trust Mia, but I don't think she can stay unbiased in this."

"No, I suppose she wouldn't be," Alex said quietly.

The silence of the night settled around them like a thick blanket, the breeze fluttering through Ivan's hair. The incredible heat of the day had died, carried off by the wind once Sol had departed from the skies, but he would never quite call Contigo cold. He had seen temperatures plummet at night during his travels, especially along wide-open plains, but Contigo's only even became mildly uncomfortable in the middle of winter if a heavy gale came along.

Even still, he felt a shiver growing inside him, one that he could not explain. It had settled into the bottom of his stomach, as if he had swallowed an ice cube, and now refused to melt. The effect was certainly not overpowering, simply a constant discomfort, but it bothered him all the same.

Alex's hand touched his gingerly, but when he looked over at the man, he found him staring off at Jupiter's beacon once more. "I don't trust myself to tell it in words. Enter my mind, see what I saw. Feel what I felt."

Ivan hesitated. He had not read another's mind in months, having all but sworn it off. Only after being around people who knew what he could do did he realize how terrible a breach of privacy it was, and reserved it only for situations in which it was absolutely necessary. However, Alex was now giving him permission to see his private thoughts in order to gain his trust. Could he believe what he saw in there? He knew, as did Alex, that only the top layer of thoughts could be read. Deeper ones could be masked or distracted from rather easily, so long as the person knew they were being read.

Would he really get another chance, though? Any information he gained could always be discussed with the others...or at least Mia. She knew more about the man than anyone, and he said she already knew this secret, so...

The boy took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. A light stream of Psynergy pulsed outwards towards Alex, easily guided by the touch of their hands. The black of Ivan's eyelids flickered lightly, shapes and colors appearing briefly, like the onset of a dream, before a white light engulfed them.

The light faded, though his vision still swam with white. As the world around him moved into focus, he recognized the town of Imil, covered in its usual layer of snow. Snowflakes drifted down from the clouds lazily, glittering in the sunlight that made Imil habitable. In the distance, on such a clear day, he could see the towering lighthouse at the cape, its beacon dark.

His eyes lingered on it for a long moment before something cold and wet struck the side of his head. Spinning around as his hand flew up to wipe the snow off, he found a young girl giggling, her hands pressed together in front of her mouth. Blue pigtails poked out from the bottom of her knit cap, held in place with white ribbons, tied off into bows. Behind her, grinning widely, was another girl, slightly older, and after a moment Ivan realized he was seeing Mia as a child.

He tried to look around again, but found he could not turn his head. Confused for a moment, he suddenly realized why: he was seeing through Alex's eyes, seeing the memories exactly as Alex saw them...or at least as he remembered them.

Before he could ponder the idea any further, he heard himself say playfully, "So, you think that's funny, do you?"

The younger girl squealed and took off through the snow, Alex giving chase immediately after. She jumped onto a cleared path, getting a good lead over the boy as he trudged through knee-high snow, but as soon as he reached it, his longer legs quickly made up the distance. With high-pitched giggles from his target, he grabbed her around the chest and swung them both into the banking, twisting so that she landed atop him.

Who is she? Ivan asked Alex silently.

My sister, Marie.

The view wavered and shifted, growing completely black. Warmth surrounded Ivan and Alex's shared body, the uneven heating and crackling sounds telling him it came from a fire. His eyes slowly opened, hearing hushed voices from nearby, and found himself on one of the sanctum's pews. He shifted slightly and found a weight on his shoulder, but when he looked over, he simply saw Mia, asleep as he had been.

He gently slipped out from beside her. When he found part of his cloak trapped beneath her, he shrugged it off his shoulders and folded it back over the other girl, then looked over the lines of pews. Several adults stood near the back, crowded around one row and whispering to each other. Ivan recognized none of them (Olaf Magnarsen), but as Alex walked towards them (Lars Dahl), names began to appear in his mind (Karin Jensen).

Before he could even cross half the sanctum, however, the woman named Karin noticed him. She whispered something quickly to the others and began to walk towards him, one hand against the pews to balance her distended stomach. "Alex, sweetie, come up here and sit with me and Mia," she said softly. As she got closer, Ivan could clearly see her cheeks glisten with the distinct path of tears.

Evidently Alex had, as well, because he ducked under her arms as the woman reached for him, then sidestepped Lars when he moved to intercept the boy. In the instant before Olaf grabbed hold of him, he saw the figure lying on the pew, her heavy coughs shaking the blue pigtail that dangled over the edge. "No!" he cried, but Olaf had already spun him around, pulling him into a tight hug. "Let me help her!"

He struggled against the man's embrace, trying to twist around to see the girl again, but Olaf held him tight, whispering, "Shh, Alex, please. We're doing everything we can for her. Shh. Calm-"

Marie's coughs cut across the man's words with ease.

Everything around him began to swirl through colors and sounds again, this time settling into a sharp contrast of both white and black. As his vision settled, he realized he now stood outside at night, moonlight reflecting off the fresh snow.

In front of him stood a construction of wooden sticks, lined up tightly together like a wooden fence. His eyes drifted to the top of it slowly, where more sticks lay horizontally, and when he saw the small body resting atop those, he finally recognized the funeral pyre for what it was.

Ivan could not look away as someone stepped forward with a small torch, speaking to the congregation of people that had gathered. His words were inaudible, merely echoes of sound that Ivan assumed Alex had not paid any attention to, much like most of the scene; with the exception of the pyre, everything else in Alex's field of view was blurry.

Alex's gaze did not waver when the man ducked down, lighting the pyre ablaze. Even as the flames reached his sister's body, wrapping her in their flickering arms, he remained steadfast. The smoke quickly obscured Marie from sight, billowing up and into the night sky, but Alex did not move. Time folded around Ivan; though he watched until the flames died, the embers faded, and the remains were cleared, he felt it all pass in a matter of seconds.

Only when a pair of small arms wrapped themselves around his neck did he finally look away, the entire scene dissolving into a swirl of ash and smoke.

Ivan emerged from Alex's thoughts with a sharp gasp for air, as if resurfacing from a deep dive underwater. He looked around for a moment, disoriented, trying to figure out where he was. Once he had settled down, however, he turned to Alex.

The man still stared out at Jupiter, though Ivan doubted he could see the beacon at the moment. "She left the house to come see me at the sanctum," he said quietly. "She had already been sick, and we had been stuck there all day, trapped by heavy rains. None of us were willing to brave them to go home." He looked down. "None of us could help her when she arrived."

Ivan stared at the man, unable to think of anything to say. His mouth opened, only to close again. This memory had been so powerful that Alex had to share it by linking their minds. What words could he possibly use to console him?

"I told Mia that I never wanted to make the same mistake again," Alex said, his voice returning to its normal tone and volume. "That I would never again allow someone I cared about to die from my weakness."

Shaking his head, Ivan said, "But you were... You couldn't have been older than ten. There's no way you could have done anything."

"I was a healer, however inexperienced, thus I hold part of the blame for her death." Alex looked over at him briefly. "However...that was only half the reason. It is said that he who wields the Golden Sun has ultimate power over creation itself. There is no greater power in this world, and if anyone could find a way to do it, I believe I could."

"Do what?" Ivan asked hesitantly.

Alex smiled. "Restore the dead to life."

- \/\/ -

Sheba's eyes flickered open slowly, finding her face bathed in light. As her eyes adjusted, they slowly opened further, everything around her coming into focus. She sat up and glanced around, looking at the large room she had woken up in with confusion.

All at once she remembered.

The haze in her head cleared instantly as she woke up fully, doing another sweep of the room. She could see no one inside with her, though she had no doubts someone would be standing outside her door. Her hands slid across the blanket over her and threw it aside, preparing to jump out of the massive bed, but the sight of her bare feet stopped her. She glanced at them in confusion for a moment before looking down at herself, finding a silk nightgown on her.

What was going on?

Pushing her confusion aside, she swung her legs around and stood up slowly, moving cautiously to avoid making any noise. She wiggled her toes briefly in the thick, plush carpet, then glanced around the room once more. It was definitely a bedroom, the size of which she had never seen before. Gold and green silk decorated the bed, the wardrobes, the dressers, the window curtains, the lamp stands, and the desk on the opposite wall.

Laying out atop one of the dressers was a beautiful, elaborate gown of black and green. She reached out slowly and brushed her fingers against the fabric, finding it impossibly smooth and soft. On the ground beside the dresser rested a pair of black shoes that looked like they bordered on slippers.

Someone had left them out for her, obviously. Likely the same person who had changed her into the nightgown. She glanced around again, but saw no sign of her old clothes. Turning back to the dress, she frowned at it. She had no great love for them, only tolerating them when the situation warranted looking exceptionally nice. They also made fighting or running much more difficult. And besides...someone here wanted her to wear it.

She walked instead over to the wardrobe, expecting to find it completely empty. When she threw open the doors, however, she was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with an array of colorful garments inside. She glanced through them briefly before picking out a white blouse and skirt, both made of exceptional material as well.

Only once she had finished changing, the nightgown discarded on the floor behind her, did she think about shoes. Pulling open the drawer beneath the wardrobe rewarded her with a similar selection of shoes, so she pulled out a white pair that resembled the black ones that had been chosen for her.

She paused in front of the mirror once she finished, looking over herself. Despite the circumstances, she could not help but admire the nice clothes, wondering what Felix would think of them.

Felix.

The thoughts of the evening (prior? She had no idea) of her kidnapping had vanished with the onset of her survival instinct, but they suddenly returned in full. She had done it. She had told him. Wrapping her arms around herself and closing her eyes, she tried to drown herself in the words he had spoken. A warm current encircled her chest as she remembered their conversation, settling down into her stomach with a flutter.

She opened her eyes and smiled. He might not have given her the ideal response, but his declaration of love encouraged her just the same. There was love between them already, he had said, and as she had proven, that love could certainly expand further.

Turning away from the mirror, she walked instead to the large window, peering through the glass. A great city lay sprawling out beneath her, though she saw a curved, stone wall that marked its edge trailing around from the left and running straight to her window. No doubts remained in her head as to her location, though they had been few and whimsical, at any rate.

She was in the lost city of Anemos.

She was home.

The thought both excited and terrified her, such conflicting emotions forcing her to step away from the window and its view. How long had she dreamed of coming to this very place? How many nights had she prayed to the gods that they might let her return to her real home someday? Yet now that the day had come, she found herself wishing to be anywhere but Anemos. The gods had a cruel sense of humor, she thought wryly.

The gods would not be the ones that freed her, though. If she wanted to leave, then she needed to take care of that herself. Felix would be waiting for her outside those walls, she knew. If she wanted to see him again, then she needed to go to him.

Balling her fists and setting her jaw, she walked to the door and pulled hard, expecting to find it locked, but it came open easily and suddenly. The excessive force threw her off-balance for a moment, but she recovered quickly and stepped outside into a hallway, quickly glancing left and right.

A lone woman stood beside her door, dressed in a white and green gown, far less luxurious than the one left for Sheba. She looked over at the girl and bowed deeply. "Good morning, my lady. Are you well this morning?"

Sheba stepped back, not yet loosing the Jupiter Psynergy that pooled in her mind. "Who are you?"

"I am Tisiphone, and I am at your service, my lady," she said, bowing again, though much shorter. When she rose again, she glanced over Sheba. "Was the dress I laid out not to your liking, my lady? I can select another, if you prefer."

"No," Sheba said, taking another step back. "No dresses, no nothing. Are you here to stop me?"

Tisiphone shook her head. "I am here to serve you, my lady. I was informed that when you woke, your presence was requested in an audience with Their Highnesses. I will show you to the audience chamber, my lady."

Their Highnesses. The three kings of Anemos. The ones who decided that all but their chosen people were unfit to live. She felt her hand curl in anger and she said, "Let me guess. If I don't go to them, you'll bring me to them, is that right?"

"No, my lady, I-"

"Don't lie to me!" Sheba shouted, wind swirling around her.

Tisiphone flinched back, raising a hand to shield her face. "I swear, my lady! Please! I am in your service, no other's!"

Sheba felt her rage cool, watching the woman cower before her. What grown woman feared a young girl? Could she be telling the truth? "If you are truly in my service, then show me the way out of here."

"At once, my lady," Tisiphone said immediately. The woman gestured behind Sheba, then stopped suddenly, looking over the girl's shoulder.

"That would be inadvisable."

Sheba turned around to find an armored man standing in the hallway with them, his helm under one arm. He bowed briefly to Sheba, then shook his head. "Your handmaiden might be bound to serve you, but I serve Their Highnesses, and their wish is to speak with you."

"And if I refuse?" she asked, though she had a feeling she knew the answer.

"Then I am under orders to deliver you to them by any means possible," he said, meeting her gaze. "Unharmed, of course."

Sheba stared at him for another moment, then turned back to Tisiphone. "Who is he?"

The handmaiden's eyes flickered briefly to the man in armor, then said, "He is Damon, my lady, captain of the guard in the palace."

The girl glanced back at him, finding him still staring at her neutrally. Had she really been so foolish as to think she could simply walk out of here? She would need to play by their rules, at least for the moment, she realized. "Fine," she said. "Take me to the audience chamber."

"This way, my lady," Tisiphone said, gesturing past Damon. As the woman passed him, Sheba noticed her eyes flick up to him slightly. She said nothing, however, and continued moving, while Damon reached up and spoke softly into his hand, the words inaudible. After Sheba had passed, the man fell into step behind her silently.

They walked to the end of the hallway and turned the corner, Sheba's jaw dropping as they did. The hallway opened up into the entrance hall of the palace, a massive chamber of stone pillars. The stairs they stood atop curved down into the middle of the hall, mirrored on the opposite side. As they descended them, Sheba's eyes followed the pillars upwards to where they branched out high above, spreading out like fingers to support the ceiling.

She misplaced her foot while staring up and felt the stair suddenly slip out from beneath her. A brief squeal left her mouth as she began to fall, but Tisiphone instantly spun around, her hands catching Sheba by the shoulders. "Are you alright, my lady?"

From the opposite staircase, laughter echoed into the hall. Sheba glanced over Tisiphone's shoulder to find a young boy facing her direction, supporting himself on the railing as he doubled up in laughter. Sheba stared at him for a moment, frowning, then tugged at the edges of her blouse to straighten it. "I'm fine."

Her attendant nodded and continued down, while Sheba stopped herself from getting lost in the surroundings again. She continued to look around, however, keeping half her mind on her feet. Great tapestries hung on the walls, though she dared not look at them for more than a moment. When they reached the bottom and turned left, towards a door at the base of the wall, Sheba glanced right. A pair of guards stood on either side of a large set of steel doors, some strange contraptions at their base.

The way out, she realized, making a mental note that she wrote onto her mental map. By the other staircase, she saw the boy had finally stopped laughing. He now just stood there, staring at her with a grin on his face. She resisted the urge to make a face at him and looked forward again, watching as the guards beside the simple wooden doors open for them.

Much to Sheba's dismay, only another staircase lay behind them. Sighing silently, she followed Tisiphone up the elaborately decorated corridor. After what felt like nearly three stories, they reached another door, flanked by another pair of guards.

This time, when the door opened, it did not fail to disappoint her.

The throne room of the Anemoi palace held three thrones, as she had expected, all next to each other and intricately designed with the appearance of three different birds. Carved into the chamber's floor, in the very center, lay a great emblem of a bird. Sheba was rather amused to note that the design perfectly matched those images of birds she had seen in Venus Lighthouse.

By far the most prominent feature of the throne room, however, was the lack of walls. Instead, the chamber opened up to the sky, apparently on the very roof of the palace. Turning around briefly, she could see all of Anemos extending behind her in a massive circle, and could even see the barest smudge of Contigo in the distance, beyond the wall.

She turned back to the thrones and squinted slightly, the sun rising in the sky behind them. Three people sat in the thrones, and the realization destroyed her wonder in an instant.

Clotho sat in the throne on the right, staring at her with a bored expression on his face. She felt anger rise swiftly and fiercely to her throat, taking much effort to force it back down. Clotho raised an eyebrow at her reaction, but said nothing.

In the center throne beside him sat a blond man, looking every bit as regal as Hydros had. He stared at her with a neutral, unblinking expression. Beside him sat a woman, her blond hair tied into a braid, like Clotho's, and curled around into her lap where she played with it. At Sheba's entrance, she let her attention drift from her hair to the girl, staring at her curiously.

Damon stepped up beside her and said loudly, "I present the Volant Triumvirate of Anemos. His Highness Clotho Lycoris, the Luminous King, Sovereign of the Falcon." At the introduction, Clotho smiled at Sheba.

"Her Highness Atropos Urania," Damon continued, "the Cerebral King, Sovereign of the Eagle." The woman gently smiled as she lifted one hand from her lap and wiggled her fingers at Sheba in a casual wave. Sheba made no response.

"And His Highness Lachesis Moirae, the Temporal King, Sovereign of the Roc." The blond man remained still and silent, his eyes never leaving Sheba, who could keep her temper in check no longer.

"Oh, I am so honored to meet you all," she said, dropping into the best curtsy she could manage as she cut off Damon. "I'm so glad that you would deign to grace me with your presences. I will never forget the day that the three wise kings of Anemos chose someone so lowly as myself to meet with them. And by a personal invitation from them, no less!"

King Atropos laughed, clapping her hands. "Lowly? Oh, did you not tell her yet, Damon? Did you save the occasion for us?"

The man nodded curtly. "I did, Your Highness."

"Excellent," she said. "By all means, finish the introductions, then. Unless you had other plans, my dear king...?" she added, glancing at King Lachesis, who merely shook his head.

"As you wish, Your Highness," Damon said, bowing deeply. "To Your Majesties I present Crown Prince Phoebe Moirae, heir apparent to the Falcon Throne, returned to Anemos at long last."

Silence rang across the throne room as the words slowly sank into Sheba's mind, realizing that he was talking about her. Her. The first heir to one of the kings of Anemos. Moirae. Moirae.

Her eyes moved up slowly to King Lachesis, who stood up equally slowly. "My daughter, yes. Welcome home, Phoebe."

No. No. This wasn't possible. She had accepted that the Anemoi were her people, despite their atrocities, but to be the child of one of these monsters? The world dimmed around her as she stepped back slowly, shaking her head. Tears clouded her vision as she argued with herself, realizing why they had gone to such lengths to bring her back.

She was the daughter of a murderer, heir to the throne of a murderer. She would someday lead the city that had killed thousands already, and aimed to kill far more. She would inherit the blood of her ancestors, both in their veins and on their hands.

You are you.

The words suddenly flashed into Sheba's head, as clearly as if someone had whispered them into her ear. She blinked in confusion for a moment before the image of stairs came to her, stairs in Kraden's palace in Tolbi.

You are you, first and foremost. Your heritage doesn't matter.

Felix. Felix had told her that, when she had first learned of Anemos' return. He stood by her, knowing what she was, what her people had done, and vouched for her. He believed in her, believed that she would not follow in their footsteps.

Nor was he the only one. Ivan had claimed her to be more Laliveran than Anemian, regardless of her birth. He had answered her concerns by telling her she was strong enough to overcome whatever temptations rose before her, that she would fight to do the right thing instead.

"I am me," she whispered, then looked up. "My name is Sheba Kamari," she said clearly, her voice carrying on the wind that rolled across the rooftop. "I am the daughter of Faran and Zahara Kamari, of Lalivero, my real home. You will release me now, or you will quickly find a war beginning within your city's walls, as well."

Now Clotho appeared interested, peering down at her from his throne in amusement. "The child carries a sharp tongue. Hear the command in her voice? A King's words, despite her upbringing."

"Well, Sheba, I certainly admire your spirit," Atropos said, her voice dropping to a low, sultry tone. "Few would stand tall while denying their royal heritage for one of a baseborn family, destined to do nothing but walk the ground till the end of their days."

"I would take that baseborn family over people like you any day," Sheba spat.

"You certainly look the part," Atropos said, gesturing at the girl, though her eyes moved to the handmaiden behind her. "Was I not clear in my request for a gown suitable for the young Prince? Is she to make her return wearing simple clothes more accustomed to the commoners than the royalty?"

"I don't take requests from you," Sheba said, crossing her arms. "Do you plan on releasing me?"

Lachesis made a broad sweeping gesture with his hand. "Of course. The entire city is yours, to travel as you see fit. This is your home, after all, whether you accept that or not."

She stared at him. "How generous of you. What happens if I try to walk out through those gates at the far side of town, then?"

"Unfortunately, we cannot allow that," he said, meeting her gaze firmly. "We have not yet finished researching the state of Weyard, so I cannot risk you coming to harm outside our walls. Once I deem it safe, such travel will be allowed, though I see no reason to."

"The reason is so I can get away from here," she said, spreading her hands to the side. "You think I can't defend myself? Come try me."

"I did," Clotho said suddenly, shifting around in the throne. "I repelled you and all your friends with ease. You might have strength among the worms born in Alchemy's void, Phoebe, but you will find none of that weakness with us."

She stared at him for a long moment, Jupiter Psynergy gathering to her hands. He was right, she knew. She had watched him and Hydros trade Psynergetic blows of such magnitude and finesse that she had spent the fight merely watching in awe at their power. She would be no match for him, never mind all three kings. They seemed to have no intention of hurting her, but provoking them with violence would go nowhere pleasant, she suspected.

Dissipating the gathered Psynergy around her, she let her hands drop to her sides. "You're right. I'll just have to wait until my friends get here. You didn't seem too eager to fight us all last time."

He smiled coldly at her. "Even lowly worms could have proven enough of a distraction to let the King of the Mists make a lucky strike. If they are foolish enough to show up, I hope they bring him, else it will be short work to crush them all."

Sheba suddenly remembered that Alex had never revealed his possession of the Golden Sun to the king. Of all of them, Alex could probably match the man in Psynergetic prowess. What he lacked in experience, he made up for in versatility, creativity, and raw power. Clotho thought Alex was just a regular Adept, though.

More than that, he thought all of them were just regular Adepts, which she supposed was not far from the truth. "If it was such short work, you would have done it at the start," Sheba said slowly. "Instead, you ran from us. What kind of bird runs?"

A flower of satisfaction bloomed in her chest when the man's expression flickered with annoyance. "One who gave the world more credit than it deserved. Rest assured, such caution has been proven unnecessary."

"I'm sure it has," she continued, looking at him with a pitying expression. "You must look pretty stupid, running away from a few ants like that. Should I address you as Sovereign of the Ostrich, or did you have-"

"Enough," Lachesis said loudly, his voice echoing across the rooftop with an unnatural volume. "I'll not sit here and listen to you bait Lycoris, Phoebe."

"My name is Sheba," she called out, but he ignored her.

"Come with me, Lycoris," he said, moving towards the stairs. "I wish to hear of your findings in Osenia."

"At once, my king," Clotho said, following the man, though not without casting one final, disdainful glance at Sheba.

She stepped aside as the kings approached, watching them move down the stairs in silence. Damon turned back to the thrones, bowed, and followed after them.

"Full of himself, isn't he?" Sheba turned back around to find King Atropos walking towards her slowly. "Clotho's so prickly sometimes, especially when it comes to people mocking him. I see we have something in common," she said, grinning at the girl.

"We have nothing in common," Sheba said, stepping back.

Atropos shook her head. "You're so afraid of being like us in any way, aren't you? You'll get over that, eventually." The woman turned and moved towards the stairs as well, but stopped at the top. "He's right, by the way. As self-absorbed as he is, he'll still tear your friends to pieces. You might want to start praying that they never show up, if you value their lives."

Sheba watched the woman vanish down the stairs in silence, thinking about her words. Alex could match Clotho, that she was sure of. With the others accompanying him, they could defeat him. Him, but not them. All three kings gathered here, invested in keeping her restrained to Anemos. Were Felix and the others to try and fight them...

She shook her head. Thinking like that would get her nowhere, but neither would being foolishly optimistic. A straight up fight would be out of the question, most definitely. She would need some plan for escape that did not involve one, then.

Nothing came to mind immediately, so she pushed the thought to the back of her mind, letting it stew silently. Instead, she walked past the stairs to the parapet, peering through one of the gaps to the city below. With a big jump, she grabbed the top and walked herself up it, standing atop the wall as the wind blew around her.

"My lady, please! You may fall!" Tisiphone cried, moving towards her.

Sheba simply glanced over her shoulder at the woman. "I may. I did it once before, though, didn't I?"

The handmaiden frowned, but said nothing, so Sheba turned her eyes back to the town. Unlike most of the cities she had been to, while the palace towered over everything else, it appeared to be the only defining feature of the city, save an enormous tower in the center. Every other building stood no more than two stories, each as unremarkable as the next.

She turned her eyes back to the tower, a slender construction topped with a glass chamber, white light glowing within. Recognizing the structure immediately for what it was, she asked, "What's the lighthouse for? There's no sea nearby."

"It was once used to guide our fleet, my lady," Tisiphone said quietly, standing beneath her. "When Yegelos doused Jupiter Lighthouse, we altered its purpose. Now it recycles the Psynergy of the city, acting in the place of the main lighthouses."

"So it kept Alchemy alive here in Anemos," Sheba said, nodding. That explained how the city had remained airborne for so many centuries after Alchemy's seal – it turned itself into a miniature Weyard, with one lighthouse to take the place of four. Kraden had explained to her before the theory of the lighthouses, their power used to maintain the flow of Alchemy through Weyard and her children. If the area to be maintained was smaller, a smaller lighthouse would be sufficient.

Anemos Lighthouse... To be able to replicate the technology of the great lighthouses, enough to ignore them entirely... She shivered, wondering what else the Anemoi could do. "Child of the Gods, huh? Close enough, I guess," she muttered to herself.

"Child of the Gods? I like that title."

Sheba turned around to find the boy from the stairs standing on the rooftop now, smirking at her. "Yeah? You'll have to find your own, then. That one's mine," she said, remembering his laughter.

He shrugged. "I say I have just a much a claim to it as you do, my Prince." The boy dipped into a bow at the last word, his eyes never leaving hers.

She stared at him for a moment, then stepped to the edge and jumped back to the rooftop. Standing up to the kings had done more than just improve her mood; it made her feel powerful, knowing that no matter how much they might want to, they could not restrain her spirit. If she would not take insults from the kings, why would she take them from this kid? "Tisiphone," she said, turning her head to the side slightly, "who is this little brat?"

Her attendant glanced at the boy nervously, then said, "My lady, this... This is..."

He laughed again, the sound digging under Sheba's skin. "Go ahead and tell her, handmaiden."

Tisiphone glanced between the two once more. "My lady, this is Prince Alastor."

Alastor rolled his eyes. "Prince Alastor Moirae, heir presumptive to the Falcon Throne, thanks to you."

Sheba nodded slowly, wondering why she felt no surprise at the sudden appearance of a brother. Had she simply been drained from the revelation of her family, that now she had no shock left to feel? "Don't worry, I won't be around long enough to keep the title of Crown Prince for long. You can have that one back."

"Oh, I plan on getting it back, one way or the other," Alastor said, flexing one of his hands idly.

Sheba raised one eyebrow, but before she could say anything, her handmaiden spoke. "I will not allow you to harm my mistress," Tisiphone said from behind her, the firmness of her words surprising the girl.

Alastor's eyes never left Sheba, a smirk slowly forming on his face. "Oh, really?" Sheba felt the pulse of Jupiter Psynergy from him, but much to her surprise, it felt weak – weaker than her own Psynergy. Not simply in magnitude, either, which could be adjusted, but in control itself. The spell behind the pulse was shoddily constructed, the sort that was more likely to be seen in an emergency.

Before lightning could even respond to the Psynergy's call, a far more potent pulse raced from behind her. Alastor's aura became faintly visible briefly, rolling through the colors of the rainbow, then faded once more. Immediately his Psynergy signature vanished, his power sealed within his own body.

Sheba glanced back at Tisiphone a bit nervously. Sealing an Adept was more easily done on a tired or distracted enemy, one who could not quickly muster the willpower to hold off the seal. While Alastor might have been distracted by his own casting, however, Sheba knew he could never have resisted the seal. Had Tisiphone turned it on her, she doubted that she could have resisted it for more than a few seconds, either.

This was the woman who flinched away when Sheba shouted at her? She had no doubts that Tisiphone could disable her physically, as well, and with as little effort. Why would she fear Sheba, but not Alastor, despite clearly being more powerful than both?

I am at your service, my lady.

The girl nodded slowly, understanding. Tisiphone was bound to her, a handmaiden not just for service, but for protection, as well. A bodyguard, one who would protect her against all enemies – including, she hoped, the kings.

Not that she needed protection against this brat. Despite the situation, Sheba could not help but laugh as she turned back to him. "How old are you, Alastor? I'd put you around...maybe eleven. Am I close?"

He glanced down at his hands, clenching them and unclenching them tightly in what Sheba suspected was a test of the seal's power. Having evidently found it too durable to break, he looked back up at her, frowning. "Twelve. What does that matter?"

Sheba put one hand on her hip, using the other one to wag a finger at him. "What makes you think you're going to have any luck trying to beat me, then? I can't remember the last time some little turd was so full of himself."

Alastor flushed bright red. "I'm not losing to you, I'm losing to your little maid behind you! A shame you're too scared to walk without your babysitter!"

Shaking her head and chuckling, Sheba said, "What, you think that just because I've been on the surface for all my life, you're better at Psynergy than me?"

"I've been trained in Psynergy by my servants," he said, his hands curling into fists.

"Yeah?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "I've been trained in Psynergy by dragons. Not in a palace, either, but in battle. I've been around the entire world, fighting every monster you can imagine and plenty that you can't. I'd swat you like a fly."

Rather than growing angrier, as Sheba expected, or denying it, the boy smiled, calming down. "You're right, that would be a stupid idea. Why should I attack you in your own area?" He stepped back slowly, keeping his eyes on Sheba. "Keep your pet close. You might need her." He turned around the corner that housed the stairwell and vanished.

Only after he had left did she allow the guards around her emotions to drop. "Tisiphone," she said quietly, "is that...thing really my brother?"

"He is, my lady," she said, equally quietly. "I fear-" She stopped suddenly, shaking her head. "I apologize, my lady, I forget myself."

"No," Sheba said quickly. "Please, tell me."

Tisiphone glanced at her uneasily, then looked down. "I fear that your father has...not paid Alastor the attention he needs. He has grown a little...unstable."

Sheba snorted. "A little? The first thing he says to his long-lost sister is that he wants me dead." She shook her head, sighing. "He's just...not what I expected. None of this is. Do you know how long I spent dreaming of coming here?"

"Some dreams are better left unfulfilled," Tisiphone said gently. "Sometimes, reality can never match up to our expectations."

"And sometimes, though we might not realize it, they've already exceeded them," Sheba said quietly, Javen and her parents lingering in her mind.