This chapter is mostly filler, but still advances the story. There may be some action toward the end of it. Florianna still has a somewhat minor role, but she and Takeru are major support characters from here. Another OC will possibly be introduced next chapter, we'll see. Oh, and here's a quick reminder if you need it, ' represents thoughts, " indicates spoken dialogue, and - indicates change in point of view.
Oh, and for the heck of it, Amiti and Karis will have a moment in this chapter. Still not decided on a pairing for Tyrell, but there's no rush. And there is a bit of backstory for Ivan and Florianna. Technically, its Ivan/OC, but I think you get my drift. Sorry for the lack of Matthew/Sveta this time.
Disclaimer: The Golden Sun games, characters, locations, etc. are Camelot/Nintendo's copyrighted work.
Isaac: Need I point out that this fic and the OCs included so far are the only ideas that belong to the author?
Jenna: Don't forget that part of it is theories, most of which may not be used in a 'real' Golden Sun 4. But who knows?
Chapter XIV: The Secluded Land
A day and a half passed when the group returned to Kalay, the Aqua Shard and Tablet they'd recovered in Matthew's rucksack. The docks at Kalay were guarded by two Kalay Guards and three Bilibin soldiers. A Kalay soldier greeted Isaac's group as they disembarked from the ship onto the docks"Welcome back."
"Thank you, how is everything?" inquired Isaac.
The soldier who had spoken replied"Its been quiet, it looks like Tuaparang either hasn't launched another attack, or they didn't even find out. Yamata's Prince Takeru is discussing plans with Lord Hammet and some of the others about launching an invasion on Tuaparang."
"Really?" asked Karis.
"Well, that's just what I heard from one of the Ayuthayian soldiers who were patrolling the town. Word is spreading throughout the whole of Kalay that a counterattack is inevitable, Yamata's Prince Takeru is either a brave or foolish lad" shrugged the guard.
"Tuaparang is supposedly a militaristic nation which may surpass all of the other known kingdoms with its military might, but perhaps there might be people there who are opposed to it. I would rather not have Angara go up in flames for provoking them, but it is our duty to look after the world. Matthew, let's go to Kalay Palace" said Isaac.
Matthew nodded, and accompanied his companions to Kalay Palace. Alexa was helping to guard the gate when she saw Sveta"Your majesty, thank goodness you're safe. Some of our allies are gathered in Kalay Palace's throne room. Prince Takeru thought perhaps you could lend your skills to his cause, and invited us to attend the meeting."
"Nihan is such a small kingdom compared to Morgal and would likely face a slaughter if Tuaparang were to target them, but perhaps we can help him one way or the other. Alexa, lead the way" said Sveta.
Alexa nodded and led the group to the throne room. Ivan was addressing Takeru"So what you are suggesting is we rush the empire head on. I fear that there would be much bloodshed, even if the full strength of the central and eastern nations of Weyard were at your disposal."
"I am aware, which is why I have also come up with an alternative plan" acknowledged the Nihan Prince.
Felix heard Isaac's group enter from where he was standing with the others"You're a bit late, Isaac."
"I can see, but I believe I found a flew clues that might be related to the Athena Sanctum" said Isaac.
Takeru turned"You have?"
Isaac nodded"We came upon an old tablet, which I need to show Kraden. And there's this strange Aqua Shard, which Tuaparang had somehow acquired and was using on Imil. We put a stop to the unusual blizzard Imil was having, so now we must somehow enter Tuaparang."
"Going to storm the empire by yourselves? That'd be a laugh" scoffed Eoleo.
"Not necessarily" Kraden entered the throne room"Excuse my tardiness, but I'm hardly as young as I'd like to be."
"Quite all right, Kraden. We found an old tablet at Mars Lighthouse, surprisingly. I thought you might want a look at it" explained Isaac.
Matthew took out the tablet from his sack and handed it over to the old scholar. Kraden examined the old relic"Hm. This may be connected to the ancients, I'd say we're discovering more of Weyard's forgotten secrets, every day."
Isaac nodded, then turned his attention back to Takeru"Would you mind telling us what your alternative plan is?"
Takeru nodded"Yes, but that may also be hard to pull off. Tuaparang's High Empyror rules his nation with an iron fist, he seeks only to expand his borders and dominate Weyard, or so I heard. His military prospers, but his citizens are apparently discontent with the way their emperor is treating them. If there are any Revolutionaries or people living in the empire who oppose the Empyror, we'll exploit those. I'd assume there would be a revolution, either way. Its not uncommon when people become seriously discontent with the way the kingdom is run."
"Either way sounds like a bloody mess, but here's the first part of the plan. We'll send out three or four ships to the Tuaparang Empire, each transporting some of our allied forces to the empire, itself. Their navy may be formidable, but they should be no match for you Adepts. That kingdom is rumored to be hidden in the southwest, in a portion of the western seas only known as the Quar-Nino Abyss" explained Kenneth, who was also standing in the throne room.
"The Abyss? Are you certain? Even merchant ships dare not cross that treacherous expanse. Tuaparang does not take kindly to intruders, or so I heard" paled Hammet.
"We may be able to overcome what fortifications the Tuaparang has stationed en route. Nowell and I had crossed that way by accident before" said Piers.
"That is understandable, Lord Hammet. But I cannot devise anything better. Who amongst us should go to the empire?" inquired Ivan.
Isaac thought for a moment"I will go, of course. Matthew, Tyrell, Jenna, Mia, Amiti, Rief, Nowell, Piers, Kraden and Karis will join us if they are willing."
"Don't forget Morgal, I shall be going as well. I can easily detect unusual scents. And Lady Himi still has the third eye, that may come in handy for if we must uncover hidden passages" acknowledged Sveta.
Himi, who had been listening while standing next to her brother, nodded"I'd be honored to assist."
"Josh and I would like to come" piped Sonja.
Felix frowned"This won't be anything like your prior training, but I cannot ignore Tuaparang's threat, either. So, I suppose nearly all of us who had been Warriors of Vale will be going."
"That's how it seems. But we should be okay if we work together" said Mia.
"Ah, Mia. Good to see you, again" smiled Ivan.
"You too, Ivan" responded the female Veteran Mercury Adept with a smile.
"Captain Florianna, Prince Kenneth, Prince Takeru and Miss Alexa will help lead the soldiers who will be accompanying you on the voyage, Isaac. And I trust you'll have no trouble leading your fellow Adepts?" inquired Hammet.
Isaac nodded"It's not a problem, but I was thinking I should let Matthew, Sveta and Amiti help take charge."
"If that's what you see fit, I see reason why not" acknowledged Hammet, turning to address Takeru"I pray this crusade of yours is a success."
Takeru nodded"I will give it my all. You can count on me, I won't stop until the High Empyror has been defeated."
"I don't know how far we'll go, but we shall see" said Sveta.
Most of the group filed from the room. Himi addressed Takeru as they left Kalay Palace"Do you intend to defeat the empire, brother? Tuaparang is quite formidable."
"If necessary, I will not have the rest of Angara suffer for the Empyror's ambition. If the Silver Eclipse is what they're after, we'll just have to beat them to the punch" replied the Yamata Prince.
Florianna addressed Isaac and Karis"I will gather some of my men and accompany your ship on a Kalay Merchant Ship, that should help give us the element of surprise. Lady Alexa and Prince Kenneth will be on the third ship with some Morgal and Bilibin Soldiers, everyone else who won't be on your ship will use the one Bilibin has provided on Prince Kenneth's request. I know not how much of a diversion we can create for you, but we'll do what we are able."
"I understand, mother" nodded Karis.
"I can't ask for anything more" acknowledged Isaac.
"Florianna, will you allow me on the same ship as you? You might need help from an adept" said Ivan.
"Yes, thank you" replied his wife.
The four groups boarded the ships at Kalay's port. Florianna had taken the liberty of allocating several Kalay soldiers to the same ship as she while ensuring Kalay still had some defenses set up. Karis turned to Amiti as they boarded"If Alex is going to be there, will he answer your question for real?"
"He has both helped and hindered us on our previous quest, which leads me to place my doubts on his character. Karis, should we both survive this quest, would you grant me the honor of courting you? I cannot deny my feelings for you much longer. I know not for sure what may happen, so I thought it best we have this conversation, now" inquired the Ayuthayian prince.
Karis went slightly red in the face"Me!? I... Please ask me again at a more convenient time, but I'd love to go out with you otherwise. Still, it was probably best for you to get that off your chest, you most likely wouldn't be able to fight your best as long as something like that was on your mind."
Amiti nodded"I understand, this is not the sort of decision you should rush into. And we'd have to inform our families should we commit ourselves to a proper relationship. Don't feel pressured to accept my proposal, but I fear I'd not have the strength elsewhere to say what's in my heart. The choice is yours, alone."
"Hm. How interesting would it be if I had inherited my father's Mind Read? That wouldn't be very fair, huh?" said Karis, still blushing.
"I suppose not" replied Amiti as they gazed at the ocean from the starboard bow of Piers' ship. Mia, Rief, Nowell and Tyrell watched the pair from a short distance before minding themselves.
On the adjacent ship, Ivan watched them and turned to look for Florianna. The woman was busy doing a bit of paperwork and discussing military training with one of the Kalay Soldiers"You'll need to practice while we're on our way to Tuaparang. We might not make it, but I'd rather go down fighting if I must."
"Yes, ma'am" acknowledged the soldier.
Ivan waited for the soldier to leave before addressing Florianna"Karis has become smitten with one of her travel companions from their last quest, what do you think of it?"
The Kalay Guard Captain thought for a moment"I would hardly expect any less, though I suspect they may not get serious until after this crusade is over. You remember our own relationship?"
"You mean how we first met? You were a new recruit at Kalay back then. Seventeen years ago, correct?" acknowledged the veteran Jupiter Adept.
Florianna nodded"I try not to, but I was promoted to captain after an incident when Dodonpa's loyalists tried to counterattack Kalay after they finally figured out Lord Hammet had been rescued from their leader. Before that, I worked under Lord McCoy and his wife as a member of their court. I moved to Kalay to get out of my father's shadow, he was a Bilibin Knight."
"I was just beginning to study the aftereffects of the Golden Sun when you first came, if I recall. I only could imagine what you thought since I did not age nearly as fast as most of the people around me, some of the other Warriors of Vale had moved to Kalay of course" shrugged Ivan.
"And I recall thinking you were sort of cute... But appearances can often be deceiving. Even after I learned you were an Adept, I considered it my duty to protect you and Master Hammet" said Florianna.
Ivan blushed"Yeah, and we both gradually fell for each other. Oftentimes, I swear our daughter acts more like a Mars Adept than Jupiter."
Florianna nodded"You know, its really nice to just sit and reflect. I enjoy our times spent together, even more so since you were often caught up in your research."
"It certainly is a bliss" smiled Ivan, the two walking close to each other for a brief kiss.
The four ships sailed to what appeared to be a trench. Piers took the lead on his ship, navigating the narrow channel until they came to a much wider expanse of the sea. At her place near the helm, Nowell frowned as she surveyed the area"Hm. There aren't any Tuaparang Navy ships this time. Yet, we appear to be at the right place."
"Could be a trap" said Rief.
Piers scanned the sea in front of him as he steered his ship into the Quar-Nino Abyss. A large landmass could be seen in the distance, right on the southwestern most edge of Weyard.
"Hm. I sense no activity, and yet... Hold on, something's coming" said Sveta.
Piers looked ahead as up to three greyish ships sailed towards them. Sveta frowned"If we are in the right spot, than Tuaparang must somehow be onto us. We'll have to alert the rest of the fleet."
Piers nodded and let the rest of his group know. Tyrell and Isaac sent some quick messages to their allies on the ships on either side of Piers' to let them know that a fight was evident.
On the lead Tuaparang vessel, High Commander Torang smirked for a moment before turning to address one of his soldiers"Just as Arcanus anticipated. Heh, our empyror sure doesn't have nearly as much insight."
"Your orders?" The soldier asked.
"Take then down. I have no interest in taking prisoners this battle, but Arcanus insisted that we capture the Ayuthayian Prince alive if possible" replied Torang.
Isaac spoke to Piers after delivering his message"If they're the last of Tuaparang's navy, this may be an easier battle."
"It may be a trap, but we'll engage them regardless" acknowledged Sveta.
Piers began steering his ship as fast as possible"Everyone else on our other ships are prepared, right?"
"Yes" nodded Rief.
The group sailed until the lead Tuaparang vessel intercepted Piers' ship. Piers, Isaac and their group calmly waited as a grappling hook snagged onto the starboard side, and a dozen Tua Warriors boarded. Accompanying them was the leader of the Tuaparang army.
"We thought this might happen. Don't mess with us or you'll regret it" taunted Tyrell.
Torang drew his sword"You have some real spark, but that alone won't save you. Some of my best are on the other two ships, ready to crush your allies. And so, we crush both the allied army, and the Warriors of Vale."
"You're in for a big disappointment" Matthew brandished his blade.
"I suppose I ought to after you defeated my Parasite. Beyond this point lies the entrance to the Tuaparang Empire, but this is as far as you'll get" said Torang, coolly signaling his group to attack.
Piers, Karis, Amiti, Rief, Nowell, Sveta, Tyrell, Jenna and Isaac intercepted the soldiers while Matthew readied himself"Don't underestimate me."
"That is my line, boy" snarled Torang, sending a torrent of dark energy at Matthew. Matthew rolled to the side and retaliated with Growth. Torang jumped and drew his sword, ready to impale it upon Matthew. The Venus Adept was prepared and blasted Torang with Growth, knocking him down.
On their ship, Florianna and Ivan rallied the soldiers on their ship and faced a group of eighteen Tua Warriors. Ivan sent a torrent of Wind Psynergy at his enemies while buffing Florianna and the Kalay soldiers.
Florianna led the charge as she cut down two Tua Warriors. Another shot at her, prompting the Kalay Captain to roll out of the way and toss a survival knife at her attacker's chest. Three Kalay Soldiers were wounded as they barely managed to make a dent.
Ivan constantly used Psynergy after Psynergy to keep his allies on foot while blasting Tua Warriors here and there. Seeing a hook on the right side of the ship, he called to his wife"They have a grappling hook."
"Typical guerrilla tactic" Florianna cut down a Tua Warrior before turning her attention to the hook. Three Tua Warriors charged and shot at Florianna, who weaved around the bullets and finally darted forward, killing one of her attackers. Two Kalay soldiers hurried to aid their captain.
Karis and Amiti blasted a couple Tua Warriors who had been attacking them back on their ship before defending themselves from another assault. Karis shot forward a Tornado Psynergy, wiping out three more enemies.
Matthew dodged as Torang threw a Dark Vortex at him. The Venus Adept retaliated with Meggido, which Torang blocked with the flat of his blade. Torang countered by rushing at Matthew with a thrust, which his opponent dodged before slashing horizontally. Torang ducked and attempted a brutal uppercut, only to have Sveta intervene with a jump kick.
"You two don't know what you're dealing with" Torang angrily moved his blade in a circular fashion and launched an electric dark circle"Full Moon Blast!"
The unexpected move knocked both combatants off their feet. Seeing this, Isaac cut down the Tua Warrior he was facing and shot Oddessy at Torang. Torang barely dodged that and darted towards Isaac, only to get knocked back by a Serpent Tooth Psynergy, courtesy of Jenna.
"Avast, a good fight" Eoleo, Himi, and a group of Yamata soldiers fought off some Tua Warriors and dislodged a grappling hook on their ship's side. Eoleo launched a fireball at the offending ship for good measure.
"Should we somehow help the others?" asked a Yamata soldier.
"No need, those scurvy Tuaparang dogs are nothing" smirked Eoleo, cockily.
Felix, Josh, Sonja and Sheba mopped up the rest of the Tua Warriors that attacked them.
Takeru, Kenneth, Alexa and their group pushed back the Tua Warriors attacking them. Takeru removed one of the grappling hooks on the starboard side of his ship and cast growth beneath the enemy ship before them.
"That's too easy, but a good fight" remarked Alexa as the growth spell tore at the Tuaparang ship that attacked them.
Ivan and Florianna took down most of the offending soldiers and dislodged the grappling hook. Four Kalay soldiers had been killed in the skirmish, but the group pressed on. Ivan surveyed the carnage"I guess we'll just toss their bodies overboard."
Florianna nodded and ordered her remaining soldiers to bury the dead bodies at sea.
Torang launched blast after blast of Dark Psynergy at his opponents, prompting the group to heal and keep up with the assault. Matthew used his Psynergy to provide backup healing to his allies since his earth psynergies would just tear up Piers' ship. Not too far away, Piers and Nowell dislodged the grappling hook that was clinging to their ship.
"Tornado!" Karis had flung another spell. Torang was shot back, but the Tua Commander shot a Dark Vortex at Matthew. Matthew barely got out of the way and retaliated with Meggido. Isaac pitched in with Oddessy.
"Oof!" grunted Torang, staggering"You put up a better fight than I imagined, but this matters little. More Tua Warriors await at your destination, you will fall sooner or later before this nation's might."
"You're just all talk" remarked Tyrell.
Torang teleported back to his ship, saying just before he did so"I am nipping this at the bud, more elite troops await your arrival when you make port. I will await you elsewhere, if you survive."
"Should I burn his ship to bits?" asked Tyrell.
Isaac shook his head"No, that might set fire elsewhere. If what Torang said is true, the fight has just begun. I will have Mia and Jenna check on the others, and we'll get some rest."
Piers went back to navigating his ship, going just a bit further to the large landmass. Turning to Isaac, he said"We'll dock here for now and rest, we'll let the other teams know."
"I agree, we'll need our strength for the journey ahead" said Isaac.
"That's the Tuaparang Empire's domain over there, correct?" Amiti indicated the landmass.
"Most likely" replied Isaac.
The group tended to their wounded and began to get ready to rest. Unknown to everyone who had participated in the skirmish, Alex was standing on the docks of Tuaparang, in thought'Just as I expected. It would take more than a simple trap to deal with them.' A moment later, the rogue Mercury Adept walked away.
How was this chapter? I might have to change the chapter title, but we'll see. Sorry it took longer than I thought to get this chapter uploaded, I'll just have to play it by ear from now on. The next three or four chapters should take place in Tuaparang. I can't really explain without giving away spoilers, but we'll see.
Himi: Feedback on this story is appreciated as always.
Sveta: Please review, if you feel like it. You are not required to do so, but it would be pleasant if you could.