[Lind]

Hello everybody! This is my first Golden Sun fanfiction. I had originally been posting Dawn to Dusk ot Age of the Adepts, but sadly, I think the site went under...

I've really enjoyed writing this story, and I want to continue it badly. I honestly don't know if everyone here will like ( the people who read it a AoA loved it, I don't know why -_- ). It has a female lead and I'm trying not to make it like the traditional OC femme damsel in distress. I've also been able to draw some artwork for it, too. I'm up to writing chapter 9, so I'll post each chapter every couple of days untill it catches up, but I'm starting off with one and two. Please enjoy!

(P.S. Ch1 is really confusing unless you understand that a ~~~~ means the point a view is switching to someone else. I use this a great deal thoughout the whole story. Also italized lines are unheard thoughts that run though the main character's head. It'll make sense later, I promise. Now, please enjoy!)




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Prologue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This world has no light.
It’s pale and fair like ivory.
Yet its darkness corrodes at the soul.

This world has no moon, no sun.
No nights and days.
It is dawn, darkness, dusk, and darkness.
At its brightest, the sky is deep red
and orange
and violet
and black.

It looks like the sky is bleeding.
Blood flowing across like it has lost a battle.
The darkness always wins.
Always, always wins in this world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My little girl wants to fight, huh?”

Papa turned to me, swinging his massive sword behind him.

“Yes, yes!” I cheered. “I want to be as strong as you, Papa!”

Dreamer.

He glanced up, making his “thinking” face. “Why don’t you sing? Why don’t you write? You shouldn’t let talent like yours go wasted.”

“But Papa,” I retorted, “I want to protect everyone like you do. I want to make Astrid proud of me, too.”

Why dream of such a thing?

He seemed surprised that I mentioned the queen’s name. “Making Astrid proud isn’t only done by being a warrior, you know.”

“I know, but its what I want to do.”

“Then…” he paused, “you’ll simply be the best.”

~~~~~~

A figure slowly trudges through the woods. It’s limping and dieing, unable to stop and pass because of its own gumption. The poor human leaves only a trail of blood dripping from its form.

~~~~~~

The beam of light burned into my soul.

What happened?

The battle in the keep.
The tower at the top.
The armies, the bloodshed.

I was in pain. They kept coming like herds of beasts trampling down a field. I couldn’t keep fighting them like this, so I escaped…

Upward.

What a stupid idea.

~~~~~

Felix sighed. It was late that afternoon. Only days before had he and the rest discovered that Vale, his hometown, and the great Mt. Aleph itself had sank into the ground. All that was left was the mountain’s peak and what memories he and the others had.

He wanted to see it one last time before he moved on with his family and friends to a new home.

~~~~~

I literally tripped down the corridors and staircases until I ran into a door.
BAM! into a door, rather.
I never was the most coordinated individual.

It fell open with the impact and I charged through, without so much as glancing behind me.

Stupid, stupid.

I continued up a spiral staircase, up, up, and onto a large balcony. I quickly realized that I was at Queen Astrid’s favorite area to read. There was even a chair and a table with a few books stacked on it. It was so off and distant from the main halls that few knew how to get here.

Would the enemy actually come this deep? I thought.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

And then I heard it. The heavy marching of soldiers, clanking and stomping in perfect unison. The rush finally caught up to me and I collapsed to my knees.

I was bleeding. The blood was nearly dripping out of my left side, and getting worse with each breath. “Crap!” I yelled.

~~~~~

Alex was there, he thought.

It wasn’t hard to guess. If he wanted great power, he would have been at the peak as the Golden Sun rose. But, does that mean he sank with everything else?

The thought kept prodding at Felix’s mind. And deep down, he didn’t think that he was that lucky.

~~~~~

One by one, heavily armored soldiers stepped through the door onto the balcony. There were at least ten surrounding me. I struggled to my feet.

Why so many? I thought. They each pointed their spears my way, readying for their attack.

There was a pause.

Okay, I continued in my head, I have two options:

Be killed by the enemy.

Never!!

Or jump off.

I quickly decided on the ladder choice.

~~~~~

Felix stopped. “I should head back.”

He glanced at the once grand mountain. The sunset was gorgeous against the mountain range, but it was almost as if it lost its pride without Aleph standing tall in its center. Felix sighed.

“Vale’s gone,” he spoke to no one in particular. “First I’m torn away from my home, then I get rescued by the very people who wrecked havoc in it.” He was becoming frustrated. “Then I get stuck in a town at least hundreds of miles away, without my sister or any of my friends. And after even that, the same two that “saved me” drag me with them around half the world and cause me to go against the people I’ve known and cared for my entire life! And when I finally do get home, home isn‘t even there!!” He was yelling now. “Will anything ever be normal again!?!”

Felix let out a loud, frustrated moan. “Everything is so wrong….” Shaking his head, he looked down. There was a dark blotch on the ground. “What is…?” His eyes followed more leading further down the trail. The dark red color in the dirt sent a chill down his spine.

“Blood!?” His mind immediately came up with that it must be Alex’s. If it was Alex, Felix realized he might have a chance of defeating him if his injury was severe enough. Without taking the thought any further, he burst into run down the trail, his Sol Blade in hand.

~~~~~

I began to back away to the balcony’s edge. The soldiers followed suit, taking a step toward me.

Darn, I thought, what now?

Running might work.

I’m not exactly sure what happened next. The entire area suddenly began to get brighter and brighter. The soldiers looked up at the sky and I could hear a few let out gasps. I couldn’t resist looking up myself.

I was blinded.

I shut my eyes and threw my arms up to shield my face. A soldier cried out, “Retreat!!” and a clash of armor began to distance itself.

I tried to say something. Nothing came out of my mouth. I barely opened my eyes to see around me.

A young man was standing a few feet in front of me. I could barely make out his form in the light but I could see he had the most brilliant blue hair. He didn’t even take any note that I was there.

He held his arms out, as if basking in the glow. “Finally!” he spoke with great joy. “The power I have dreamed of for so long is mine!”

Alex…

The light exploded and I screamed.

~~~~~

Felix continued until a body became visible in the distance. “There!”

The form was on the ground and unmoving. Is he dead? Felix thought. As he approached the blue hair was blond, the figure was slender, and the boy was a girl.

She was still breathing.

Felix had no time to say anything. He was pouring out all his Psyenergy into a Potent Cure.




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think something around me crashed.

I fell back into comfortable sheets and blankets. I quickly realized that the bed I was in wasn’t my own, and it was too comfortable for prison.

Prison? Always assuming the worse, huh?

I glanced around the room. The walls were wooded and sparsely decorated. The bed was set beside a window and chair. A dresser was against the opposite wall. Next to that was a door.

What the heck just happened? I asked myself.

I breathed. I could taste the cool, wet air that usually came with a rainfall. I heard thunder.

It must have been the storm that woke me.

I tried to roll over. A sharp jolt went through my side. I yelped and rolled back. I felt incredibly stiff. I must have been asleep for a long time, I thought. The flood of memories in my dreams had made my head ache. I was hungry, too.

As the drowsiness faded away I noticed sounds coming from downstairs. People were talking and moving around. I wasn’t sure whether or not to yell out for someone. I decided to try to hear what the people were saying.

“What’s for dinner?”

“Mom, where did you put my boots?”

“I wonder if he’ll like it…”

“Of course he will! Why wouldn’t he?”

“Garet! Quit eating the chocolate!”

“But it’s delicious!”

“Piers, Ivan, will you help me with this?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, I’m coming.”

“Where did you buy that, Mia?”

“A villager in my hometown gave it to me.”

This is terribly random.

“Has the girl upstairs woken up yet?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Girl upstairs?

“I’ll check to make sure.”

“You check on her every five minutes, Felix.”

“But, Jenna, she could need something.”

Oh, do they mean me?

“You just like her, and you don‘t even know her name. That must be it.”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Quit teasing me!”

He sounds a little embarrassed.

“Tee-hee!”

“I’m going now.”

I heard him rumble up a staircase and toward the door, leaving “Jenna” in a giggling fit along with the mess of people rustling below. The door creaked only barely. I turned my head toward his direction.

He looked at me a bit surprised and then smiled. “You finally woke up.”

His voice! Say something else.

“…Hello…”

Ugh, I sound terrible.

He walked up and pulled the chair beside me. I didn’t notice it until then, but my vision was very fuzzy. I couldn’t make out his features very well.

“I’m Felix,” he said, sitting down. “How are you feeling?”

My side is killing me. I can barely move. I have a headache. I can’t see. I’m hungry. And I’m… scared.

“Not very well…”

“Are you hungry? Dinner should be done by now.”

He sounds so princely.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go get you some.”

Reminds me of crushed velvet.

“Wait…” Frantically, I searched for an excuse to make him stay. “I need to ask you a few questions.”

“Okay.” I had an internal wave of relief. “I’ll get you something to eat first. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

I only nodded. He left, fading into that mess of people below.

…
Crud, I’m scared…
But what am I so afraid of?

Suddenly, thunder burst outside and I saw a man with blue hair.

Crud…

~~~~

“So?” Jenna pried.

“She woke up.”

About eighteen heads turned. Felix felt himself become nervous.

“Well?” Jenna continued.

“…” Felix motioned toward the stove. “I was getting her something to eat.”

“Well, of course,” Dora quickly began to fill a bowl with soup. “Poor thing must be starving.”

“Your right,” Garet’s mother, Sarah, added. “She’s been asleep for days.”

“It’s a miracle she’s recovering,” Kraden mused, “let alone alive.”

Felix quickly grabbed a tray for the food. He had a feeling where this conversation was headed.

Maria nudged her son. “With the way you came rushing up carrying her like that, completely tapped from healing, I‘d say she would’ve been fine.”

I knew it, he thought scooting away from his mother.

Jenna giggled again. The other girls caught on and giggled, too.

“Are you going to eat with her?” Jenna asked.

“She wanted to talk.”

Jenna continued to tease him. “Really?”

“Yes. ” Felix grabbed the food and set it on the tray in a huff.

“Don’t be so touchy, Felix.”

“…”

She giggled again.

Felix rushed up the stairs before anyone else joined in the tormenting.

~~~~

I spent the whole time struggling to sit up. My whole body went against me as if it finally had enough after all the work I put on it. Something would ache and throb with stiffness, go numb, then ache and throb even more. My hair was down, so I had to fight with the shifts of black that collapsed over my face. I was dazed and woozy. I felt so weak.

When I finally felt like I was in a good position, the door creaked open. Felix stood in the doorway carrying a tray of food. He set it don on the dresser and shut the door. “Wow,” he noticed how exhausted I was. “Are you okay?”

“Huh?” I shifted and felt a sharp blade stab at my left side. “Ah…!” I reeled.

He rushed me. A little stunned (he was fast), I didn’t object. Holding his hands above the wound, the pain in it and the rest of my body eased. I was relieved but confused. “What are you doing?”

“Healing you.”

What?

“Don’t worry, I’m not a trained healer, but this will help. You lost a lot of blood, so just relax. It will be a long time before you’re perfectly well again.”

“…Okay.” I’m not sure why I felt like I could trust him, but something felt safer inside me. Just his presence made the unusual fear in me fade.

He’s so kind…
Who is this man with a velvet voice?

“I haven’t even told my name, but your helping me like I’m family or something.”

Behind the blurry world and all that brown hair over his face, I saw him smile.

“Will you tell me?”

I almost didn’t want to, just to make him keep asking.

“My name is Elle.”

[Kikuichimonji]

wow, looong

but really good, show the artwork too!

[Linear]

O_O!!! Whoa...that was long!!! XD I LUVED IT!!!

[Ravenblade]

it was long but at the same time you broke it up very well and so it wasnt at all a chore to read ^^

plus the content was outstanding - very impressive, i was engrossed all the way through. I think you very successfully created the atmosphere between elle and Felix without being to obvious about it and thats a very impressive skill ^^

Very very good!! Pleeaaase make more soon ok?

[Lind]

Don't worry, I'll only post one part this time. I'm going to start writing the next chapter as soon as I'm fininshed posting this one (like I said, I'm already working on chapter 9). I'll get the artwork up as soon as I can find a place that will host my pictures. Deviant Art is apperantly evil to AOL using members, but I'm going to see if they'll let me post anything. Any ideas on a good place, please clue me in!




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I remembered something my father once told me. He said that everyone has a good and bad side. He also said that it was impossible to be in the middle or both at once. But it wasn’t impossible to switch from one to another. In fact, it happened all the time.

This was part of the essence of being a warrior.

In battle, one must be ruthless to the enemy. One must also be prepared for surrender. One must push their comrades forward. And one must ready for a comrade to fall upon you for safety.

He said that I must remember. I must always remember.

~~~~

Jenna wasn’t about to pass up the chance to tease Felix. It was payback for him tormenting her crush for Isaac since they were children. Although it was evident that they were very attached now (both to her brother and to Isaac), she still found herself unable to resist.

When he had come back downstairs to eat, she immediately chimed, “Get lucky?”

He blushed. “Jenna!”

Jenna laughed. “So, she did wake up, right? Did she say anything interesting?”

Isaac, Garet, and Mia, who were sitting with her, hushed and turned to listen.

“No, not really,” he managed while near successfully pushing his embarrassment down.

“Aw, come on. What do you mean ‘not really‘?” She continued.

Felix was obviously a bit flustered. “Just that! We didn’t get to talk much!”

Isaac, noticing his friend’s situation, tried to move the focus away from that subject. “How is she feeling?”

Felix thought for a moment. “Bad,” he finally said. “She’s in a lot of pain and is very weak.”

Mia perked up. “Do I need to help?”

Felix shook his head. “I already did. If it gets worse I’ll come get you.” Mia nodded.

Felix tried to move in over to the chef, but was caught by Jenna. “I don’t believe you,” she whispered.

“I‘m telling the truth,” he whispered back.

“You had to at least have gotten her name!”

“I did.”

“Well, what is it?”

“Elle.”

“Elle? That’s it?”

“Yes.”

Jenna thought for a moment. “I want to meet her. Later, though. Your little sister might cramp your style.” She began to giggle uncontrollably. The others laughed, too.

Felix rolled his eyes.

~~~~

It wasn’t very long before Felix returned carrying a tray of hot soup for the each of us. He moved over to the chair, took his bowl, and laid the tray with mine on my lap.

I could’ve just dunked my head in the bowl I was so hungry. “Thank you, Felix.”

He sheepishly stirred his soup. “I know it’s not much, but the hotel has to feed so many at once.”

I smiled. “It’s alright. I wouldn’t be able to stomach much more anyway if I’ve been asleep for as long as I feel like have.”

“I still feel bad about it, though. I‘m a terrible cook.”

I laughed. “Did you say this is a hotel?”

“Yes.”

“Why are so many at one hotel? Are we in some kind of city?”

His expression dropped. “No, it’s,” he paused, “it’s not that.”

Maybe I shouldn’t have asked Felix that question.

“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.”

Might want to talk about something else.

“No, we all just finished traveling.” Felix took a bite.

“Oh… um…” Now what? I thought.

He continued. “My hometown was near here.”

Guess not.

“Oh, then are you going to… Wait, it “was” near here?”

“Vale was…” He stopped. I think he winced. “My hometown was completely destroyed.”

Holy!!
Then are we near…

“What happened? Was it attacked? Was it burned?” I thought things like this had finally stopped happening.

“No, nothing like that.”

“Then what did happen?” I was really fired up about this. Felix noticed.

“It completely sank into the ground with Mt. Aleph.”

That’s a new one…

“How could such a thing hap-?!” My side throbbed. “Ah..! Darn it!” I was frustrated and nearly spilled my soup.

Felix put a hand on my shoulder. “Calm down, it’s past now, no one can do anything about it. Do you need me to heal you again?”

“No, not this time.” I leaned back and sighed. “Sorry.”

“About what?”

“Getting angry about it. I’m not the one who lost anything.”

Felix smiled again. “No, don’t be sorry. I didn’t have anything left there either.”

Not have anything either?

“What do you mean?”

“My family and friends are all safe here. Our families escaped, and the rest of us came to Vault until we decided what to do next.”

“I’ve never heard of Vault before. Is that where we are?”

“Yes, Vault’s just a normal town.”

Where in the world am I? I’ve never heard of any of these places.
I must be in the other territories.

I chewed my spoon. “I still don’t quite know what you meant when you said you didn’t lose anything.”

He put his now empty bowl up on the dresser. “I just wanted to have a place to call home again.”

He’s really being open to me.

“You mean after all of your traveling?”

He leaned back in his seat, smoothing his hair from his face. His eyes were brown, too. “I guess that’s one way to put it.”

???

He laughed. “Sorry, it’s a very long story. Can I ask you a few questions, Elle?”

I pushed my empty bowl back on the tray. “Of course,” I answered.

“Where are you from?”

I didn’t think the truth would be a problem, so I told him. “Lun’ato.”

He looked confused. “Lun’ato? Where is that?”

!!!
How far have I gone?!

“You honestly don’t know?” I was in total disbelief.

“I’ve been all over the world and I’ve never heard of the place.”

Oh, no…

“Can you get map? I’ll show you.”

He stood up and took our dishes. “I’ll get one. A friend of mine, Kraden, might know something. I‘ll get him, too.”

As he left, I thought, What happened to me? Nothing makes any sense…

Where in the world am I? I was in the Keep, right? I was on the balcony and then that flash…
And that man…

Was his name… Alex?

What is it about him that’s so creepy? What was he so happy about? Power? What power? The ability to blind people? (Although that would be useful… Oh, never mind.) And how did I become this injured? My wounds weren’t half as bad as they are now. And why doesn’t Felix know about Lun’ato? Unless he’s been hiding under a rock through out his travels, he should have at least heard of it!

Argh! This is all too confusing already!

[Linear]

O.O THAT IS SOOO AWSOME!!! XD I LUVED IT! O.O that chapter was so long...NICE! XDDDD

[Mallick]

Awwwe. I wanted to read more! Can you post more? I loved it.
You are....like a new LightningStar! I haven't gotten to see her stuff in awhile. :smile:

[Destiny Smasher]

I haven't read it yet, but I CAN tell you that I've saved it, and it's likely I'll get to you a little later when I'm done.

Based on the sparcity of replies in this forum, that's probably good news for you, eh? :lol:

Do you post on Fanfiction.net?

You should give it a try. Unless you post, like, an InuYasha fic where people go INSANE and a STUPID AS HECK fic can get 100 replies easy, :) you might not a lot of replies, but you'll get some, so long as you continue to update regularly.

Deviant Art is a great place. I post my fiction up there...Not that anyone GOES there for fiction, but I can spread it to fanclubs of what I write about...

[Lind]

<_< Deviant Art.... hasn't been my friend... Oh well, images will just have to wait.

Next chapter! I'm just churning out these chapters daily, huh? I just want it to catch up to where I'm writing.

Oh and about Fanfiction.net; I'm Mimiichimu (if you see that name anywhere, it's always me). The system there screws up the style this story is writen in and I have to do some major editing just so it doesn't come out a bit jumbled. Anything else I've written is either 1) two years old and/or 2) just the first chapter. I don't want to work on more than one at once, so I picked this one becuase I liked it best. I do want to start over my FFtactics story, it was what inspired Dawn to Dusk.



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I sat in my bed shivering.

Felix was downstairs, back in the mess of voices on a mission for a map and someone named Kraden. My mind was filled with images of Alex…

What in the world is my problem?!
He has nothing to do with me!!
But why can’t I stop thinking about him?!?!

My whole body began to throb, sending me reeling onto the floor. “Oowww….”

I heard a sudden thunder of footsteps and Felix yelling, “Hey! Are you alright?!”

I lifted my head up to the door swinging open. Felix and an old man were standing there.

I smiled, totally embarrassed. “I’ve lost any coordination I may have had…”

The old man looked at me strangely and mumbled, “Oh, dear…”

Felix pulled me to my feet and helped sit on the bed. I rubbed a forming bump on my head. “I think I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure?” Felix nudged me.

“Heh heh, yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Well, now that that’s settled,” the old man said while scooting up the chair. “What is it you wanted to know?”

I moved my hands from the knot on my head to my lap and bowed my head for a moment.

Papa always told respect all the old people.
They know more than you’d think.

“Your Kraden right?“ He nodded, taken back at my gesture. “I wanted to know how close we are to my hometown or the keep.”

He folded out a map in front of us. Felix stood up and took a candle from across the room and held it over the map. I remembered how everything was still a bit blurry.

Ugh…
Still can’t see well…

I rubbed my eyes in frustration.

Felix pointed to a mark on the map. “We’re here in Vault.”

“What do you mean by “keep”?” Kraden asked.

Satisfied with my clearer vision, I looked down. My eyes widened.

“What’s wrong? Are we far?”

I took the map to get a better look just to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. “What kind of map is this?” I asked.

Felix looked over. “Just a world map of Weyard.”

Weyard?

Kraden could see my baffled expression. “Could you tell us what continent you're from? Vault is in Northern Angara.”

Angara??

“Um…” I looked over the whole map. What’s that? And that? And that? I kept thinking looking at each name and city.

I don’t see Lun’ato or Sols’trome. None of the villages I know of are here.
Even the gargantuan Keep isn’t on here.

“No wonder you’ve never heard of Lun’ato,” I said to Felix. “It isn’t even written on here.”

Felix took the map and held it clearer beneath his candle. “Do you know any place near it?

I shook my head and honestly asked, “What’s Weyard?”

Can you hear jaws hitting the floor?

Old Kraden was completely stunned. “You aren’t from Weyard?!”

“No…” I became afraid of what they might do if I was that much of a foreigner.

Sols’trome isn’t exactly kind, but neither is Lun’ato…
What’s Angara like?

Kraden nearly leaped out of his chair. “What luck!”

Felix was as confused as I was. “What are you talking about?”

“Felix, don’t you see? If Elle here isn’t from Weyard, then she must be from beyond Gaia Falls!” Kraden suddenly jumped me, hovering above both his hands on my shoulders. “Please tell me!”

“W-what?” I didn’t know what to do.

I’m being pounced on by an older man!

“Where are you from? What’s it like there? What kind of people live there?”

Help!

“What do you eat? Do you study Alchemy? Are there lighthouses?”

“KRADEN!” Felix suddenly broke in.

“Y-yes Felix?”

“Stop.”

Saved by the prince…

~~~~

I didn’t sleep a wink that night.

I was sick to my stomach the whole time. The soup was great, of course, but as weak as I was, ANY food could’ve made me sick. Darn good chef…

On top of that, my side still ached. I could’ve probably woken Felix up to heal me enough to sleep my self, but how rude is that? He’s helping me so much as is, when I don’t think anyone asked him to. The least I can do is let him sleep.

Oh, did I mention the storm? Yeah, it got worse. The lightening was so loud and fierce I kept thinking it struck the building.

Erk, I feel like I’m gonna puke…

“I wish my papa were here,” I said aloud.

Yeesh, I’m eighteen years old and crying for my papa.

“This is the first time in my life I wanted a bedtime story…” I chuckled.

Maybe I just have too much on my mind...

Felix told me not to dwell on it, so I was trying not too. After dragging Kraden out, he told me we’d talk about it with everyone tomorrow.

Thanks Felix...

Lightening flared up and I saw Alex in the light. My side stabbed at me again, making me whine.

~~~~

A man had just entered the inn as everyone shut up in their rooms to sleep. The innkeeper yawned as soon as he opened the door.

“You’re sure late, sir,” he said, stifling a second yawn.

“Sorry,” the man said, his hood and clothes dripping. “I barely got here in this storm.”

“No kidding.” The innkeeper laughed. “You’re lucky. We’ve got one extra room left. You’re gonna have to excuse us for a while, we’ve got quite a crowd.”

“Oh, what for?”

“That weird mountain town that wasn’t to far from here sank with Aleph. All the survivors have huddled here in my inn. I’ve never had such great business.”

“One person’s tragedy will benefit someone else no matter what the case.”

The innkeeper wasn‘t sure how to react to that. “I guess…”

“I knew some people from Vale.”

“Really? You’ll have to talk to them in the morning. They all went to bed a few minutes ago.”

“Hmm.. I believe everyone who got out is a…friend of mine.”

“But one of them found an injured girl by the mountain.”

“A girl, you say?” The man was quite interested.

“Yeah. She’d been asleep for days, but just came to this afternoon. Poor thing was covered in blood. Never thought anyone would do that to a lady, even a fighter. The boy who had brought her, Felix, I think, apparently “healed her” when he brought her here. I didn‘t know some one that young could be a healer, but another girl they traveled with was one full-time. She must of taught him.”

The man thought for a moment, and gave an unusual smile. The innkeeper handed over a key.

“Sorry, but the one vacant room is across from the injured girl's.”

“That will be fine. I’m leaving tomorrow.”

The man left, leaving the tired innkeeper to shut up for the night himself. As he moved up the stairs, he couldn’t believe his own luck. He pulled of his hood, letting his long hair collapse into his face and over his shoulders. As he entered his room, a whine came from across the hall.

Alex grinned menacingly.

[Mallick]

Whoa! I'm loving it! But why don't you post all your chapters up to date, now? <_<

[Lind]

Becuase I either lost interest, hit a writer's block, or simply didn't have the time. I know a lot of people go there, but I just don't like fanfiction.net's system much, so I don't use it. It usually eats up any formatting I've done to my stories and refuses to let me get it to the way I want.

[Stormhammer]

Looking at your first post...yes, sadly AoA hit a snag with the host, but it will be up and running very soon. This is where everybody has been talking since the crash.

http://invisionfree....orums/index.php

It's the old forums even before the new one you first came to. Check there for all the news of what's going on.

[Lind]

Really? Glad to know it didn't die. I'll just have to post in both forums now. ;) Anyway, next chapter!





Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Felix hated storms.
They always reminded him of the storm at Vale that started this whole mess.

He heard a groan from behind him as Jenna rolled over and kicked from her side of the bed. Wishing he had bunked with one of the boys that night instead of his sister, he decided to walk around.

There’s no point in going outside, Felix thought as he easily slipped from bed without disturbing Jenna. I wonder how Elle is doing, he continued thinking. He smiled realizing Jenna wouldn’t bother him for checking on her again.

Felix felt his way out the room and into the dark hallway. An anguished moan sounded from Elle’s direction. As if on instinct he began to rush toward her. A door creaked open and he stopped. Who is that? he asked himself.

Then a familiar voice.

“Soon, I’ll have all the power I desire.”

A chill raged though Felix’s body and he gasped, “A-Alex?!”

Footsteps moved toward him. As quickly and as quietly as he could, Felix moved back to his room and desperately searched for his sword. He and Jenna had piled their equipment beside their bed.

“Hmm…” that unnaturally terrifying voice sounded from the doorway.

Felix found his sword almost hidden by the bed, and unsheathed the golden blade. Felix knew he was at a disadvantage without his armor, but should he let Alex have his way? What was he doing here now?

Alex gave a soft laugh and moved down the hall toward his room, but turned into Elle’s instead.

~~~~

Inside my head I was yelling at myself, SLEEP ALREADY!! It obviously wasn’t working.

I rolled over to my right, trying to take off any weight from my wounds. I winced with the movement.

Wooden boards were creaking outside in the hall. Then someone spoke.

“Soon, I’ll have all the power I desire.”

I recognize that voice…

It’s hard to describe the tidal wave of emotions that when though me at the moment. I was barely able to keep from screaming in fear and a new surge of pain the rip roared through me.

It’s Alex!

Finding new strength, I was able to pull myself from the bed and stood up with a great deal of effort. I struggled to see in the darkness if my weapons were in the room. I felt that familiar call, I was in a great deal of danger.

Someone else was moving around in the hall. I must not be the only one who knows he’s here, I thought.

What is this feeling?
…
It’s like dead malice.

I took a step forward and my balance almost went backwards. Before I knew it, my face met the floor.

“Dang it…” I mumbled. My head began to ache again. I lied there for a minute, unmoving. My instincts continued to scream at me.

Then the door swung open, heavy footsteps, and the door shut.

“I never expected to find you like this,” Alex chuckled.

I was out before I could make a sound.

~~~~

When I was asleep, I was in someone’s arms.
And I dreamed.

It started off so calm and secure.

I was standing on a beach somewhere. The air was pretty thick with fog and the wind whipped it around into abstract curls. I listened to the soft sound of waves. I could taste and smell the salty sea air. The area was empty and quiet, like I was the only thing left in the world.

I wished I could pull everything together in my heart and mind. This somber tranquility must be remembered, I thought.

Suddenly, I was pulled away from that embrace, and the soft world I saw was shattered.

The wind stopped, but the fog still almost instantly cleared. The sun began to beat down on me. It was so bright I shielded my eyes with my arms.

I heard a little girl yell from a distance. “Mama, wait! Stop, please, Mama!”

Mama…

A seething hatred filled me up.

This isn’t just a dream any more, I thought.

“Hurry, you useless brat!”

That dreaded woman.

I pulled my arms down to my sides, fists balled, nails digging into my skin so deep I nearly bled. My gaze shifted down toward the two approaching figures.

Someone touched my shoulder. In my enraged state, I struck out.

“Ow!!!”

?!
That’s a man’s voice!
I don’t recognize him!

And at that moment, I woke up.

~~~~

“Ow, ow, ow,” a new man said, holding his nose next to me. It looked like his hair was on fire.

“Garet, are you alright?” a girl with long blue hair said on my opposite side.

“I think it’s bleeding.”

“Here, let me see.” She reached over and examined his face. “You’ll be okay. What did you do to make her punch you like that?”

“She had the dirtiest look on her face, like she was having a bad dream, so I nudged her to wake her up.”

I mumbled, “Sorry.”

They both looked down at me, smiling.

“Your alright!” the boy said while rubbing his nose.

“We thought Alex had got to you.” The girl’s expression softened a bit.

“You know Alex?” I asked.

Man, I’m tired.

Both changed their moods dramatically, the girl almost sad, the young man downright angry.

“He was right here, we could’ve gotten him, but that monster got away!” he growled.

“Garet…” She looked over at him. I could tell her feelings on the matter were very different from his. She looked back to me. “He had you when we all woke up. I’m not sure what he was doing, but it seemed like he was curing you.”

“I doubt it…” Garet grumbled.

She ignored him. “We couldn’t attack him, because he was carrying you.”

Wait! Does that mean Alex was the one holding me?

I sat up (Hey! I can move!), and looked around for anyone else. It was just the three of us in my room. “Are you friends with Felix?”

“Yeah, we are.” Garet pulled his hand from his face. His nose was bleeding.

“Where is he?” I asked.

“Everyone else is out looking for Alex,” the girl answered.

“Mia, do you need me to stay here?” Garet wiped the blood away.

The girl shook her head, “But please, don’t go to far.”

“I won’t,” he assured her, “I’m just gonna check the halls.”

“Okay.”

Garet stood up, and pulling a massive blade the reminded me of the kind Papa used, he walked out of the room.

Mia sighed when he was gone, not of relief, but almost as if she really wanted him to stay. I could already tell she was a classic case of a love-struck young lady. But something else was bothering her, she looked so sad.

“Mia, right?” I broke her trance.

“Yes?” She quickly changed her mood to be somewhat lighter.

“How do you know Alex?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing.”

[Mallick]

That chapter was awesome! I can't wait for more!

[Lind]

Bleh... Next chapter. Elle has a flash-back in the middle, so it kind of come's out of nowhere. This is the shortest chapter so far, but the next is the longest.


Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I moved over to the bed and relaxed into it. Mia sat beside me. She held her hands above me, steadily returning my strength.

She is a much better healer than Felix.

“Alex,” she began, “ was a friend of mine when we were younger.”

“Oh?” I nodded.

“We were from the same tribe. There is only a few of us left.”

It always makes me mad when I hear stories like this. So many I know of have lost precious things.

“I can only imagine what you must of suffered if so few of your people are left,” I tried to comfort her.

Mia shook her head, smiling softly. “No, my tribe protected the Mercury Lighthouse. The closest town, Imil, is where I grew up. My tribe just mixed in with the people. Alex and I are the only left with pure blood.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I had the wrong idea.” There was a pause. She wasn’t asking me anything, so I did. “If you two are pure, does that mean your related?” I honestly couldn’t see the two being family at all. Judging on first impressions, at least.

It took a some time for her to answer. I wondered what she was thinking.

Tracing her family tree, perhaps?

“No, we’re not family.”

I shrugged. “Didn’t think so, just thought I’d ask.”

At this point, Garet came rushing in, out of breath. “Mia,” he huffed, “We need you!”

She looked at me, ready to say something. “Go on,” I said before she had a chance. “I think I’ll be alright.”

She simply nodded, and both she and Garet hurried out, leaving me to my own thoughts.

~~~~

“Mikanelle!”

I cringed.

“ Mikaneeeellllleeee!”

“I’m here, I’m here!” I yelled in native tongue. “You don’t have to drag it out so much.”

The woman walked up from behind my little spot in the courtyard. She stumbled through the tall grasses mumbling something incoherent out of annoyance. “What are you talking about?” she said whilst brushing her dress.

“My name. I hate it when people say my name like that.”

She was a servant, probably a vassal for someone. “Why? It’s such a nice name.”

“Maybe,” I grumbled, “but, it sounds like that nasty tasting beer, Vakanelle! I hate it with good reason!”

She laughed. “Alright, then, but Sir Verro and Lady Ashlen would like to see you.”

Great, another marriage prospect to their son.

I grimaced.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ll go in minute. Right now I have to figure out an excuse to get them to stop nagging me.”

She laughed again. “Well, whenever your ready, they will be in their home. I’ll tell them you’ll see them later. Is that alright?”

“Yes, thanks.” She left me sighing in the shade. I went into what can only be described as “contemplation mode,” thinking hard over how I could get out of marrying a man I had no interest in whatsoever.

Minutes passed and very little came accept “I’m not attracted to you.”

Not good enough, unfortunately.

Marrying me would be good for his family, it would raise status and recognition.

And then, HE appeared, decked out in the best attire he must of owned, swords hanging at his side, more regal than I thought possible for him.

“Mikanelle,” he spoke, making my ears bleed.

“What is it?” I answered, trying to sound polite.

He walked though the grasses, even more annoyed than the woman from before, and dropped on one knee beside me. “Mikanelle,” my ears still bleeding, “Won’t you be mine?”

Dropping the whole polite thing, I answered bluntly, “Why should I marry someone who is so dense and slow I wonder if he can blink and breath at the same time?”

He looked hurt. I didn’t want to be so cruel, but it was true. “W-what are you trying to say?”

See what I mean? I have to be even MORE blunt for him to understand.

“You are an idiot. I am not attracted to you. I don’t like you. Go away. Leave me alone.”

“B-but..”

“Not hearing this.”

“Mikanelle! I’ll be good to you, I swear!”

I glared at him. He was taken back. “Do you even know how to be good to a girl? I’m not shallow, I don’t want someone to just buy things and give me children. I want a MAN to love and to return that love. Don‘t even try to understand, it‘s way over your head.”

I stood up, brushed off, and began to leave. As I treaded easily through the grass I added, “We just aren’t meant to be, so don’t let it eat at you. Find someone else.”

I went to Varro and Ashlen and gave a proper refusal for engagement. That was when I was fifth-teen. I haven’t been approached since.

So that’s the extent of my love life.

~~~~

Alex was easily out of reach of the group rushing after him. His Vapor psyenergy made sure of that.

Fools, he thought, but they still have her…And she’s far worse than I had originally thought.

“Alex, what are you hiding for?” Garet yelled. “Don’t think you can beat us?”

“Garet, stop that!” Mia called.

Mia, dear Mia, he thought. Alex smiled at the sudden memories that came to him, but brushed them away. He just never cared for her enough, anyway.

“Garet! Mia! I think he’s okay now!” Jenna yelled from somewhere in the darkness.

“Hey! Where are you guys?” another yelled. Wasn’t his name Ivan? Alex thought.

“Over here!” Isaac yelled from a different direction from the rest.

“This is perfect. They’re too separate and disoriented to pose a threat,” Alex laughed. “Now, for the girl.” He directed himself toward to hotel.

[Sea of Time]

This is an amazing story!

But, seriously, great job, this is possibly one of the best Golden Sun fanfics I have ever read.

[Lind]

Thank you! :D The next chapter is a really long dialogue (something GS is famous for :angry:).

Low and behold the power of foreshadowing! Mwahahahaha! Hahahaha! Hahahaha->*bricked*<

:D


Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Alex had re-entered the inn, the workers there were in a frenzy. He was immediately bombarded with questions. “What happened?” “Where did everyone go?” “Are you okay?” “Is the inn safe?”

Alex simply waved them off and claimed that they were overreacting. All the other guests would be back any minute now.

I sat in bed listening in a daze. The group would be back any minute now? I sure hope so… I thought, laying on the bed. I hadn’t found my weapons, I was exhausted from lack of sleep, and I was alone. I was shivering in fear.

...
Felix?

A calmed set of footsteps moved up the staircase and passed my room. I knew it was Alex, he was toying with me.

“If you’re planning to kill me, just get it over with,” I said, with miraculous strength in my voice.

Alex stopped. “Planning to martyr yourself without a cause?”

I gasped. “That hurt, that’s cruel.”

Alex laughed and entered my room. I wondered what he thought at the sight of me leaning against the wall with my knees to my chest, nearly shuddering.

“There’s no point. I don’t want to kill you,” he said. He shut the door and the lock clicked into place.

Scariest sound EVER...

“Why not? There’s no place for me to hide and I’m defenseless.”

Alex sighed, which surprised me.

“You honestly don’t see it, do you?” he asked, almost disappointed.

“See what? You?”

I sound disturbingly calm.

He smirked. “Your eyes, my dear…”

!!!

“How dare you!” I pulled myself from my secure position, almost ready to attack in rage.

“You have the most beautiful eyes.”

That caught me off guard. “W-what?”

“I’ve never seen such beautiful eyes. From where I stand they look violet, but close I can see the blue outlining the red. Such a lovely thing. I believe eyes mixed like that are normally called hazel?”

“You’re complimenting my eyes? Who… are you?” I wasn’t sure if that was his purpose or not, but some of my fear subsided.

“You already know that, don’t you? Unless those fools haven’t told you.”

“Fools meaning Felix and company?”

He smirked. “But, of course.”

What a mean man.

“Rtih i fuid fid,” Alex pronounced my thought DEAD ON. “Your native language is quite enjoyable to speak.”

!!!

He laughed at my expression. “I know a great deal about you, Miss Bureosakova. Are you startled that I can hear your thoughts?”

!!!

“Let me explain: You were struck by the Golden Sun as well as I.”

…

“When it happened I gained a few new abilities.”

…

“It also appears knowledge was shared between us at that instant.”

???

“Don’t be embarrassed. I didn’t get any of your personal memories.”

…

“What an expression you have.”

I finally spoke, “I don’t understand…”

He moved toward me. For some reason I didn’t react. I wasn’t even afraid anymore, just really, really confused.

“Don’t let them fool you.”

“Them meaning Felix and company?”

“Humph… Stop that.”

“Oyew suadx jibeiz,” I said just to test him.

“Is being casual a problem for you?”

Crud.

He laughed again. “I understand Kanzazian perfectly, thanks to you.”

“Why didn’t I learn anything?” I was annoyed at this.

“You did.”

“Huh? Really, like what?”

“You’ll mostly realize what you know when you need to, but there is one thing I wish to talk to you about.”

“Like what?”

He smirked. “Your hiding it, your… abilities.”

I gasped. “You said you didn’t get any of my personal memories!!”

“With the extensive study you put into your training, it was only natural that I learn a bit about the berserker.”

He was right. I did study hard.
But I’m nobility! If I didn’t study hard, then what was… I?…
…

Alex looked at me gently. “Your secret…”

What?

I was in a pained fury. I felt so ashamed at myself.

Are you going to tell the world what I am!!

“…is safe with me.”

!!!
…
…
Wow…
…
…just wow...

Alex was giving me a soft smile. I honestly didn’t think he was this type of person. I guess my first impressions were pretty off.

“Now I really don’t understand. Why would you do that? I‘m not-”

“Human? That doesn’t bother me.”

I had no idea what to say. It was like…

My dream had come true.

He sat on the bed beside me and looked at me in the eyes. His were vibrant, such an icy shade a blue, the same brilliant blue as his hair. I have to tell you that I was very comfortable sitting near him, such a drastic change from a few minutes ago.

“Elle, I learned from you something about the lighthouses, and about this world. I also learned why they weren’t lit.”

“What are you talking about? Everyone knows that if they were lit, Kanzaza would wither to nothing.”

“No one here knows that.”

“What?! What if someone tries to light them?! My home would-”

His expression caught me. I knew what he was going to say. I knew it, but didn’t want to hear it.

“They’ve all been lit.”

I was shocked. “All of them?”

He nodded. I could’ve cried.

“Elle, there is something you don’t know.”

“What?” I cracked, pushing down the sorrow. He wasn’t giving me a chance to fully soak in his last statement.

“We didn’t know Kanzaza existed, or what would happen to it. All that they knew was that Weyard, this world, was being eroded away and dieing.”

“Who’s ‘they‘?” I was crying.

“The one’s who rescued you.”

No way!

“It’s true.”

“What should I do?” I sobbed.

He put a hand on my shoulder, whispering, “There’s more.”

My chest ached.

“I didn’t know it either. I didn’t know anything existed beyond Gaia Falls. But my ambition was to make the Golden Sun rise, not to destroy your home.”

“So what? They wanted to destroy my homeland?”

“No, they wanted to stop the erosion of Weyard. They did what they thought was right, and so did I.”

“Where you with them?”

“No, not with the group that is formed now. I used them to make the Sun rise, to gain the greatest power I possibly could, but it didn‘t work.”

“You wanted… power?”

Is that was why he was so happy when I saw him in the light?

“I was fooled! One of the men traveling with Felix stole it from me! The real Golden Sun doesn’t have a reflection yet!”

I suddenly remembered the danger I felt like I was in before.

“A reflection… you mean like an opposite? Another?”

“Yes. That’s why I need you, Elle. You were born special.”

“That’s one way to put it.” I rubbed the tears from my eyes.

“You are the last piece needed to unleash the fullest power of Alchemy. You will allow a reflection to be made.”

My instincts suddenly screamed.

“How will I do that?” I somehow said as calmly I was before.

“You are an adept of your own kind. No one else in the world has your power. If you change the beacons at each of the lighthouses, both worlds will become one again, and I will have the powers I’ve dreamed of.”

“Why only me? Why do you want this “Alchemy” stuff?”

“With it, I will have nothing to fear, and I want you to be by my side.”

The way he said that actually made me blush. “W-wow…”

I heard a rush of voices from below; the team had finally returned. Alex pulled me closer, only a few inches away. “Don’t grow close to these people, they will only destroy everything you’ve lived for. I‘ll be back for you, Elle, I promise.”

He creaked open the window, letting a sudden rush of rain cave over us and unto the bed. “Good-bye,” were the only words I could muster.

He nodded and faded into the rain.

Holy crap…

I think I’m…

In a bad situation…

[Mallick]

Hmmm, let me try to put this into words....magnificent? Cliff hangers suck?

I want MORE! Your stories impress me greatly!

[Linear]

Too many cliff hangers! Your making me curious! And curiosity killed the cat! (Even though I'm not one) Nice chapter again! You have to put the next chapter when you finish it!

[Lind]

The story's almost caught up to where I'm writing (I'm on chapter 10). I like cliff hangers.
:)
Anyway, I just want to prove what a psyco, evil... guy Alex can be. (evil laugh, dodges brick). I'm slowly trying to flesh out a personality in each character. It's taking forever though. I'm also starting to show more about what Elle is exactly (I put people though so much crap in what I write :P ). Becuase of that, this chapter was frickin' long!





Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I honestly don’t know what to do.

I sat on the bed, now dripping wet from the rain pouring through the window, speechless. Something inside was uneasy, about something else, not about what Alex was saying.

What was that man? I thought. Should I believe his words?

If what he said was true, then I had no chance of going home. I would probably never see Papa, the Queen, or any of my friends again.

Tears were still rolling down my cheeks.

Can I make this my home?

I’ve only been awake a few hours and already I realized I may not have a place here. Not in this world.

Papa, if I only knew! I would have sang for you before we left! I want to see you again!

I cried and cried.

And then, out of nowhere, someone tried to open the door. It was still locked.

The one on the other side banged at it and yelled for me. It was Garet, the man I hit in my sleep.

I am sooo sorry about that.

Then I heard Mia, and then another girl. And then Felix. All yelling for me.

I tried to speak, but no voice. I tried to make out what they were saying, but none of it seemed to filter in. I just couldn’t understand.

I realized my senses were starting to shut down.

No, not now! I pleaded in my head. Please, I can’t do it! I can’t!

But in my emotional state of mind, it was futile. Soon the sensation of the cold rain vanished, my sight blurred, and I felt pain. My whole body felt pain.

Suddenly everything was pain.

Somebody help!

I felt air rush up out of my lungs forcing out a scream. My vision was getting darker. I felt like I might die!

And then there was Alex looming over me. He was in the window the whole time!

Was he… laughing?

My body fell on its side, I wasn’t in control of it anymore either, and I could see thunder reflect across his face.

Dead malice.

I screamed again.

The door literally burst open, sending debris and rocks across the floor. Rocks? Where did those come from?

But before I could think any further, I felt a hand grip my neck, and I coughed as Alex lifted me. It felt like everything shattered my soul, and bottomless darkness beckoned me, sucking everything in.

And as if in triumph, I heard Alex’s voice rattle mercilessly in that darkness.

You’re mine.

~~~~

Within seconds the group felt their shock move to horror or to rage at the sight. Mia almost collapsed. Garet looked like he was ready to explode. Poor Sheba was simply speechless. Felix held his sword with a knuckle-white grip.

“Such ferocity,” Alex mocked. Alex held Elle’s now silenced form level with him. Her cheeks were stained with fresh tears and she was gasping under his firm grip.

“Alex, you monster!!” Felix was barely able to hold himself back. But if he struck now, Elle would most likely die with the burst of power from the Sol Blade.

“Ah, I see now,” Alex said, letting Elle slip from his grip just barely enough for her to breath. “You know as well, don’t you, Felix?”

Felix didn’t answer, but he could feel his Odyssey psyenergy build up within him.

“What do you want with her?!” Garet was nearly yelling.

“How should I put this so that you can understand…” He actually had the nerve to scratch his chin in sarcastic contemplation. “Well, generally everything.”

Garet was taken back, then (to Alex’s complete delight) a shared feeling a disgust hit the group.

Mia was completely horrified. “W-why are you doing this?”

He looked at Mia gently, to the point the boys were ready to lunge at him. “That’s simple, my dear.” (Garet growled under his teeth at that.) “Because my dreams were stolen from me, and I’m getting a bit of payback on all of you.”

“But she didn’t have anything to do with it!” Sheba yelled, trying to bring in some confidence.

“Oh, but you’re mistaken. It was partly her fault I didn’t receive all the power I deserved.” His grip on Elle’s necked tightened. She let out a small cry with the so little air she was getting.

“Elle!!” Felix yelled.

Alex smirked. “Then you do know. It’s not much of a surprise, though. No wonder you’re so attached to her already.”

Felix readied his sword. “I wouldn’t have the slightest bit of remorse if anything happened you,” he threatened. “But if you dare touch her, I’ll tear you apart!!”

“It never fails with you. Once an idea is in your head, you won’t budge until you’re finished. Humph. Fine then. Chase me.” He swung Elle around like a rag doll and took a firm grip around her waist. She hung, seemingly lifeless, under his arm as he vanished out the window.

Garet immediately leapt out after him, hitting the ground hard and sinking in. Not going to let it slow him down he yelled out, “Coward!!” and ripped through the mud as quickly as he could.

Felix glanced back at Sheba, nodded, and followed Garet. Sheba wasn’t really paying attention to him, she was watching Mia.

Now on her knees, Mia was shaking. “Wh…why Alex? Why are you…? What are you…?”

Sheba put her hand on Mia’s shoulder. “Mia, we have to go help them.”

“I-I know… but… Alex…”

Sheba didn’t quite understand what was wrong with her friend. “Don’t worry, we’ll get him.”

Mia cracked; she was about to cry.

“We have to go…”

“…”

“Please, Mia….”

“…I’m trying,” Mia forced out. She pulled herself to her feet and followed Sheba out. Why Alex? What happened to turn you into such a person!? She thought.

~~~~

Where am I?!
I feel like I’m drowning!
Somebody please!
Help me!!





Felix!?!

~~~~

Alex was enjoying this thoroughly. Compared to before, everything was falling into place even better than he could have imagined. Carrying his hostage and hidden by the pouring rain, he was perfectly safe

What was even better; Mia still cared for him. He could see it in her eyes, so tearful and betrayed. Despite her newfound relationship with that (in Alex’s opinion) meathead, Garet, she still couldn’t forget. Alex knew that he could use that to his advantage.

Elle began to shiver and squirm. He smirked, she wasn’t taking his psyenergy well. After all, her powers were buried so deep, they may never surface in her lifetime, or at least not until Jupiter Lighthouse’s beacon was flared.

“Mmm…hmm…?” She was waking up.

“So,” Alex grinned at her pain. “Are you beginning to understand?”

Elle could barely speak, and her other senses still didn’t want to work. “What…are…?” She gasped.

Alex laughed. “When you can’t fight, your mind shuts off, doesn’t it?”

Elle shivered.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now. Your new friends will be here any moment.”

“Al-Alex!” Elle struggled. “You’re a…”

“Hmm? Monster? I‘ve been called that quite often lately,” he joked.

“…tormented…soul…”

Alex didn‘t expect that. “What?”

Elle began to cough, loudly.

“There!!” Isaac called out from the darkness.

“Blast it! Found us already.” Alex broke off the Vapor psyenergy and regained his and Elle’s physical form.

“Your…>cough<…wasting away…” Elle continued in her daze.

Alex dropped her against the ground. She didn’t make a sound from the hit, she couldn’t even feel anymore. Alex growled in frustration. “What right do you have chiding me in the state your in?”

“Your soul… it’s…” Elle coughed again.

“Alex!” Garet yelled in his fury, “What do you think your doing to her!”

He’s still thinking about what I said before, Alex thought. He looked down at the girl at his feet. She was breathing hard and staring out into space.

“It’s withering away…” she whispered.

“Your going insane,” he laughed, brushing his anger aside.

“Your… in denial, Alex…”

Where did this come from? he asked himself in thought, hiding his confusion.

“Don’t cry…”

“What? Why would I-” He was cut off by her expression.

He knelt down.

“Why do you even care?”

“Because… if >cough<… I don’t…who will? >cough cough<”

There was a long silence. Elle had fainted.

Alex’s mind was torn. “What is going on…?” he asked himself. Elle’s expression was one of sympathy.

A Fume spell slashed the air a few feet from them.

“Found you!!” It was Jenna.

Alex glanced at Elle, then used his Vapor psyenergy once again to dissipate into the rain.

“Hey! You can’t escape!” Jenna ran into view from the woods.

“But I just did,” Alex called back from seemingly nowhere.

A Cutting Edge spell sliced across the girl. She screamed in pain having put up no defense against it.

“Jenna, are you alright?!” Isaac came rushing to her aid.

“Ow, ow, ow…” She wasn’t too hurt, apparently.

The rest of the group came in stride with Isaac, Piers quickly tending to Jenna’s injuries.

Alex still loomed over Elle, unsure of whether to take her with him or not.

“Hey, he left her!” Ivan ran to Elle’s side. “I think she’s alright.”

Alex pushed himself backwards. The entire group moved in. It was too late, he’d have to take her next time.

But one thing wouldn’t leave his thoughts.

I’m withering away…?

[PiersDM]

Whoa, more great work! This is Piers Diamondberg Master, by the way.

[Linear]

That was a long, awsome, wonderful chapter Lind! :wacko: Even though they are long, they are nice...I like the storyline.

[Lind]

Wow, I'm so happy everyone likes this story! The rest of the chaters are going to come in much slower, probably week by week slower. Anywho, next chapter, which includes a total change in mood! -_-



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 9

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I could feel something fading, or maybe dieing, when he touched me.

Something, some kind of parasite, was chewing away at whatever bit of life he had.

And I could sense his worst fear.

Alex is afraid to die…

~~~~

“Elle? Elle?! Can you hear me?!”

Yeah, but barely.

“Come on, Elle!”

“She’s not dead is she?”

What’s wro-

“No, she’s still breathing.”

…
Oh, I must just be coming back.

“Then Alex didn’t…”

“Garet, let’s just… not even talk about that.”

I must have groaned.

“Hey, she’s still with us!!”

I never went anywhere!

“Mmm…?” I mumbled.

“Elle, are you alright?”

“Fe…lix…?” I was scarcely able to speak.

“I’m right here,” that same princely voice was the only one I could clearly recognize. Someone was carrying me.

“Ugh…sleepy…” I felt myself snuggle against whoever was holding me.

“Wow, Felix.”

“Not now, Jenna!”

After that, I was fast asleep.

~~~~

I don’t remember waking up, or even getting dressed (or where I got the clothes from), but the first thing I do remember after that night was standing in a hallway staring down blue and amber.

“You’re awake,” blue and amber said. “Are you sure you should be walking around, yet?”

“No,” I was honest, “but I’d rather not sit still.”

“You shouldn’t be overworking yourself. But if you need any help, I‘ll be glad to-”

“Umm…” I cut him off. “Who are you?”

“Oh,” he was a bit embarrassed, “I’m sorry. My name is Piers.”

“Okay, my name is Elle.” I bowed to him. It was then I realized I was never able to bow to Felix when I introduced myself. “Are you with the group?” I couldn’t think of any other word besides “group” to refer to who Felix must have been traveling with.

“Yes, I am. I’ve been with everyone for long time now.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know what you were talking about before. You must have known me for a while,” I said sheepishly.

“You’re right,” he smiled. “I didn’t consider that. Everyone else is waiting downstairs, you should probably eat.”

My stomach growled almost on queue. “Good advice.”

Piers chuckled and continued past me. We brushed against one another in the tight hallway, and I was hit for a split second

Blue and amber turned crimson.
The old ritual…
He was hurt.
He’s lived for far to long…
He was fading.

And then I was back in reality. I turned around to see him. Piers was still walking down the hall as if nothing had changed. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and wondered if an Uhtuwuiz in me went haywire for a second.

I noticed how much harder it was to say “Uhtuwuiz” than “Ethereal,” but Kazazian and Weyardan were very different when spoken.

Alex was right, knowledge was shared between us. I couldn’t speak so well in Weyardan before.
Now I can hold conversations without even stumbling!

I stood proud for a second and then wondered if I learned anything I wasn’t supposed to. After all, Alex was male.

Ewww…

I pondered on it and when nothing came up, I sighed in relief.

Ewww…Ewww…
That’d be so disgusting if I did.

Then I wondered if Alex learned anything he didn’t want to.

“What’s wrong?”

Piers popped up out of nowhere behind me. I was still standing in the same spot in the hall.

“Urr…” He caught me off guard. “No-nothing , just musing.” I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. I winced when I hit the knot I made when I had fallen off the bed the night before. I waved it off and hurried down the hall before he could say anything.

~~~~

Felix could feel Jenna’s fox-like stare peering into him. Trying to be sneaky, huh? he thought, sipping his tea.

Isaac sat in between the two, silently embarrassed. Without any clue on how to break the table’s silence, he just sat.

Jenna giggled within herself. This is so great! she thought. Felix is totally head-over-heels for her! Hee-hee! Time to play a little match-maker!

“Sooo…” Jenna said wily. The sudden words nearly made Isaac jump.

Felix looked down from is cup. “Sooo…?” he repeated as a question.

Isaac blinked.

“How should I tell her?”

Felix froze. Isaac blinked again.

Ah-ha! Jenna giggled inside.

Th-that’s not very sneaky… Felix thought, ready to blush at any moment.

Someone was coming down the stairs. Isaac sighed, “Here we go…”

“Good morning!” Jenna happily piped. “Come sit over here with us!”

“Oh, okay.” (“…” from Felix.)

Did he gulp? Jenna looked at her brother, and smiled deviously.

Seeing her expression Isaac just knew he was already in the middle of the situation.

“Umm…” Poor Elle looked so nervous.

How sweet, Jenna thought.

“My name is Jenna,” she happily introduced herself. “I’m Felix’s younger sister.”

“Oh,” Elle smiled. “A if Elle.” There was a short delay.

The whole table was confused.

“Huh?” Jenna finally asked.

Elle paused thinking, then gasped. Her face turned as red as a cherry. “Ack, eer, I mean…” She slumped into a bow.

“Hey, are you alright?” Jenna stood up. Catching a glimpse at her brother, she could see he was almost as red as Elle was.

“Ooo, bad… That was so bad…,” Elle mumbled. She dragged a few steps to the chair between Felix and Jenna and knocked her head on the table.

Felix took a deep gulp of his tea. Isaac sat in silence.

[PiersDM]

That was good, but you need to post more!

[Lind]

This chapter is short, but I thought the beginning was funny. :D And if you ask me Felix is too protective.



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How could I make such a mistake!?!?

“…”

“Umm… Elle?” Felix sounded confused.

Right after I thought I was getting better at speaking a different language!!

“…”

Jenna nudged me. “Hey, hey, are you alright?!”

I made what almost sounded like a whimper.

“…”

“She didn’t pass out, did she?”

I bolted upright. “No, I’m good!” Everyone jumped back. I blushed and slouched in my chair.

What a terrible introduction.

“I told you I didn’t think you should be walking around,” Piers said coming down the stairs.

“Go-good m-mor-ning…”I stumbled through. I think all the blood was rushing to my head.

I glanced up. The blond young man sitting across from me smiled.

He looks embarrassed for me.

I sighed and slouched further in my chair. Felix patted my back.

I feel like I might melt onto the floor.

“Everyone’s waking up now,” Piers told us.

“You managed to escape unscathed this time, too,” the blond young man laughed.

“Yeah, but Sheba and Garet almost tag-teamed me.”

Everyone but me chuckled. I was still flushed and was not recovering.

Jenna poked me. “Aw, come on. We don’t bite, I swear.” She paused. “Isaac, don’t give me that look!”

Felix perked up and glared at the two. “What does THAT mean?”

Isaac (I guessed his name was) scooted his chair away from Felix. “N-not a thing!” He sweat-dropped.

Piers grabbed the back of my chair and pulled me away from the table.

I asked, “What are you-”

“I’m moving you out of danger,” he cut me off.

Isaac was blushing holding his hands up. Jenna looked back and forth between him and her brother. Felix was giving Isaac a rather deadly look.

Garet then trudged down the stairs. “Am I missing the party?”

Another much shorter young man was yawning behind him. “How can you all be up already?”

Wow…

Mia and a little blond girl came down. Mia looked like she hadn’t slept a wink.

The little blond came up behind Piers and hit him with a staff.

“Hey!” he yelped.

“You won’t be so lucky next time,” she gave him the evil eye, much like Felix was to Isaac.

“You didn’t make it out unscathed, after all,” Isaac laughed.

“Don’t change the subject!!” Felix yelled. Isaac jumped in his chair.

“Felix, don’t be so protective of me! I’m already eight-teen!” Jenna huffed. “Besides, I’m the one that bit.”

“What?!” Felix’s expression was classic. Isaac looked so embarrassed.

Whoa, too much information!

“Is this normal?” I finally asked.

“Yep,” the short young man said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Things like this happen quite often.”

I laughed a little unsurely.

What have I gotten myself into?

~~~~

It was later in the day when everyone got together downstairs. I was expecting to be interrogated. By some miracle, I wasn’t.

During the long conversations, I sat, listened, and learned everything I could about where I was and who the people I was with were. I began to learn the sound of their voices, the way the spoke, along side how each looked.

To be honest, I was completely amused the whole time.

Kraden was beginning to look at me impatiently.

That old man is beginning to creep me out.

“Elle?” he finally asked.

“Yes, sir?” I wasn’t sure what he wanted from me, unless he was about to have another outburst like he had before.

Kraden was having a terrible time suppressing his energy. “I can’t pass up the chance to ask!”

“Ask what?”

“Why, about your world of course!”

I don’t know how, but those words must have been a trigger of some kind. The whole room went silent.

He really put me on the spot.

“Um…What do you want to know?” I think butterflies flew into my stomach when I wasn’t paying attention.

He looked so excited. “Where to start? Where to start?”

“Elle?,” it was Sheba, the little blond from that morning. Kraden looked disappointed that she beat him to the punch. “Um…What happened to you last night?”

!!!

“That is a good question.” Kraden was suddenly pleased.

“Oh…well I…”

Why did she have to ask me that?

“…” I didn’t know what to say.

“We’re just worried about you,” Jenna said.

They just met me.

“Did Alex do anything to you?” Garet looked angry at the thought. Mia sent him a pained look. (Which, out of the whole room, I only saw.)

“No, Alex just…I guess, triggered it.” That was about the only way I could explain it.

Everyone looked at me strangely.

“…”

Felix nudged me from my right. “Elle, we just don't want you to get hurt. Not again.”

Felix was the one who found me injured. It must have been terrifying to see a person dangling by a thread like I must have been.

But Alex said he…

“Felix?” I mustered.

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something else first?”

He smiled. “Sure, what is it?”

I’m so confused, but…

“Did you light the lighthouses?”

The entire room was completely stunned.

“When did you learn about that?” Kraden broke through everyone’s surprise.

I looked down, my hands in my lap suddenly became very interesting. “…”

“Yes,” Felix shattered his own silence. “But, how do you know?”

“Pl-please, be honest with me.” I was in pain and disbelief.

“We all lit them together…”

I completely crumbled.

“Elle, hey!”

I lost awareness of everyone in the room.

No, it just can’t be…

“It’s not happening again, is it?!”

Everything faded together.

It can’t!

Felix shook me. “Elle!”

It can’t!!

[Echo_djinn]

O_O......wow this Elle guy is a nervous wreck. Great story. Love how you said their emotions of how they feel everytime they say something. Great job.

[Linear]

...O_O Yeah, I agree with ED. I love the way you write your stories too! Continue when you have the chance!
That's a SHORT chapter? That was pretty long, but still it's good! :P good detail.

[Lind]

The last chapter just flet short becuase it was mostly dialogue. Poor Elle is under so much stress and pressure. :( Anyway, chapter 11! (You know, I just realized that this is the farthest I have ever written a story... This will be a full blown novel when I'm done!)



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 11

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Felix, please tell me your lying!!” I cried.

Behind the blur, Felix looked completely shocked. “W-what do you mean?”

“Lighting them would mean that…” I couldn’t finish.

This can’t be happening!

“This can’t just be about Alchemy being unleashed…” Kraden thought aloud.

I covered my eyes, hoping to catch the now coming tears. “I don’t even know what Alchemy is!”

“Then what’s wrong?” Jenna asked, rubbing my shoulder.

I could feel something snap inside me.

NO! IT WON’T HAPPEN!!

Driven by instinct, I pulled myself to my feet and rushed out the door.

“Wait!” Felix yelled for me.

“What are you doing?!” Jenna said, her voice fading with distance. “Go after her, Felix!”

~~~~

Just run.

Run as far as you can.

Run as fast as you can.

Run until you fall.
~~~~

I didn’t realize where I was until I fell into the wet grass, curled up into a ball. I felt sick and cold, my head throbbing, struggling to catch my breath.

I cried to myself, Felix, you liar! Liar! Liar! I banged my fist against the ground with each word.

Why is this happening…?

I sat up, my knees still held to my chest, and stared at the small line of orange across the mountains.

“I don’t want to see my world wither to nothing…” I said. Maybe I was talking to sunset and the mountains, there was nothing else around that I knew of, but I heard an answer.

“Of course not. No one would.”

It’s Alex!

I twisted my neck to see him loom above me, a dark smile across his lips. “Your body is so weak…Why don’t you just discard it and let your true self pour out?” He jerked me to my feet, with a disturbing grip on my arm.

“No! Let me go!” I cried out. I realized I was at my limit, my senses were suddenly crystal clear.

“If you won’t do it willingly, then I’ll have to force you to,“ he said, his menacing, icy eyes gleaming.

I suddenly went numb all over my body. “Wha…?!”

Alex laughed and released his grip sending me into what felt like an eternity to fall against the ground. I felt I ground shatter beneath me. I could see ice scattered over my body, then a fire of pain hit all over my skin, and I screamed.

Alex looked displeased. He reached down and grabbed the collar of my shirt. “Where is it?!” he yelled in a rage. “Where is the berserker that lives within you?!?!”

“S-stop…” I stammered.

He unsheathed a long black sword. I could sense an ominous presence, a curse, was inside the sword. Alex seemed immune to it however, he held it above us with such ease.

“Must I stab your heart to force it out!?!?”

No!!

I shut my eyes and braced myself.

I don’t want to die like this!!

“ALEX!!”

Alex jerked backwards, choking me. “Felix? What do you want?”

“Let Elle go, now!” he said firmly.

Alex dropped me, coughing and gasping for air.

I looked to my left; Felix stood a short distance away, wielding a golden blade, completely infuriated. I can’t really describe the feeling I got when I saw him.

He’s trying to help me.
But… Should I trust him?

“I warned you, Alex. I’m not afraid of killing you.” Felix stepped in toward us.

Alex stood up and smirked. “That is, if you can kill me.”

I wanted to rip that smile right off his face, but I could barely move.

“I’m surprised you’ve forgotten already, my good friend.” Alex swung his sword over me.

“Good friend? How could I be friends with someone as twisted as you?” Felix growled.

“Humph… Let me guess, you saw her true self with your own eyes didn’t you?”

What?!?

Felix looked shocked for a moment, then returned to his anger. “That’s it, Alex!! What do you want to do with her?!”

I watched Alex grin. “Ahh, I answered that already. Everything about Elle I either want or need. Did you honestly think I would let such a lovely girl slip from me?”

Felix was disgusted. He readied to attack.

Alex pointed his dark sword at my chest. “Oh, no, Felix. Remember, she’s at my mercy.”

Felix growled.

“N-no… I’m not…” I gripped his hand holding his sword and forced the point to the ground.

“Don’t even bother.” A burst of wind twisted around Alex, launching me back a few feet.

“Elle!” Felix began to run toward me, only to be blown back himself. “Wind?! When did you-”

“A gift from the Sun.” Alex laughed. “You’re an earth adept, Felix, and now I have control of both water and wind psyenergy.”

“So that’s your new power…”

What’s going on?

Alex stood ready to fight. “I can hit at your weakest points. Do you think you can defeat me?”

Felix readied himself, as well. “I can try.”

They rushed each other.

~~~~

My head hurts…
Hey, what am I saying, everything hurts…

Did Felix really light the lighthouses?
What is this “alchemy”?
And why the heck does the girl always have to be the one everyone’s after!?

…
…
…

They’re fighting over me.
In any other situation, that would be a good thing.
Two attractive young men fighting over who gets the girl.

…

Get your head out of the clouds, Elle…

…
…
…

I can’t tell who’s winning…
They seem closely matched, but Alex has the advantage.
What will happen if Alex wins?

…
…
!!!

I can’t let Felix die!
Whether or not he lit the lighthouses doesn’t matter now!
He’s been protecting a watching over me!

I have to help him, but that would mean…

I must fight.

[Mallick]

*Applaudes* Good job, Lind! That chapter was brilliantly written! I can't wait until you finish writing the next chapter!

[Echo_djinn]

Damn girl. You make some sick @$$ stories. I think you might be the best fanfiction writer we have in the GSSF. Very nice.

[Mallick]

Yeah, I'm trying to decide who's best: Icy, Wild Fox, or Lind.

[Lind]

I just got online to check everyone's replies and found I got a web restriction from aol. I can't see anything up an the second page of this topic! What do everyone say?

[Linear]

Piers diamondberg master, on Dec 20 2004, 12:31 AM, said:

*Applaudes* Good job, Lind! That chapter was brilliantly written! I can't wait until you finish writing the next chapter!

Echo_djinn, on Dec 20 2004, 12:13 PM, said:

Damn girl. You make some sick @$$ stories. I think you might be the best fanfiction writer we have in the GSSF. Very nice.

That what they said just to let you know.
Anyways, your story is great! You should be a writer. (If you aren't already are).
Continue it soon! The details are great, and the dialog is awesome. :o

[Lind]

:lol: Wow... I feel so loved. :o Tomorrow is my last day before Christmas break, so expect the next chapter in a couple days!

[Linear]

Good to know that you feel loved! Your stories and long chapters are great Lind! Can't wait for your new story! ^_^

[Lind]

Ugh...
No really, just ugh...
Over the last week I've had holidays, sickness, and [demon voice]writer's block...[/demon voice]

I'm halfway through chapter 12 right now, so expect it late tonight.

[Linear]

Your chapters go give a lot of detail. (That's the good thing about it)

[Lind]

Well, no worries now. Here it is.


Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s strange how it seems like the world will turn its back on you like that.

~~~~

I turned my mind inward, shutting off my senses. The pain, the cold wet air, the sky, the mountains, everything vanished. What I could sense was life.
And Felix’s sword.

Ack, so bright!

Felix was at this point using any power he had, and it was almost causing his sword to convulse all over whatever was around it.

What is that thing?

Alex, pouring his own power from is accursed sword, was doing just the opposite of Felix; it was ripping everything inward, surging within a nothingness.

Alex does have the advantage…

I knew that the most danger came from when the two blades met. Without one overtaking the other, the opposing forces met and collapsed making a shattered hole in the Ether.

Imagine what would happen if one of them were-
Idea!
Alex’s soul might rip in that as weak as it is! It won’t kill him, but he won’t be able to fight for some time.

“Felix! Get down!”

Pillan!
Tarinley!

~~~~

But I won’t turn my own back on you… Whatever you may be.

~~~~

“W-what?!” Felix pushed backwards onto the ground and quickly threw his sword up to block Alex’s, knocking both men apart. The same collapse happened at that instant.

Now!!

“Htab ab viosijq myw zibh daxth, Alex!!” I yelled at the top of my lungs (I didn’t even realize I was speaking Kazazan) and felt Tarinley force a small Burst toward him.

As soon as Alex turned, the Burst I sent slammed into him. Completely caught off guard, he fell right into the last fade of the shattering energy. Even with so little, didn’t just rip his soul, it near shredded it!

His soul’s screaming…!
This isn't what I meant to happen!!

I felt my mind return to normal just in time to see Alex fall to his hands and knees, coughing and shaking. Felix didn’t hear the cry and just stared in awe at his instantly downed opponent.

“<cough> What did <cough> you do to me?!” Alex choked in fury.

“…” Felix and I were both speechless, but each for different reasons.

“Ugh…<cough> Fine…” Alex struggled to his feet.

Felix jumped up and ran in front of me holding his sword ready.

“Felix…he’s…I think he’s…” I couldn’t pull all my thoughts together.

Felix looked back at me through his hair. “Elle…?”

I almost…

I watched as Alex began to fade into the air. I gasped.

Felix quickly turned. “Alex, you‘re not getting away!” The ground cracked and sent up large slabs of stone right beneath Alex. He simply faded completely.

!!! Ahhhh!

“What’s happening?!” I cried out.

As soon as I yelled, Felix came to my aid, placing his hands on my shoulders for comfort. I couldn’t believe how concerned he was. “What’s wrong?”

“I…I almost…And Alex is…” I was in such a terrible state.

“Oh,” Felix rubbed his hands up and down my arms, successfully calming me down. “Alex just transported himself. He’s probably not far from here. I tried to stop him, but he was already gone.”

“???”

“It’s psyenergy.”

“Psy-what?”

“Psyenergy. It’s a kind of power we can use. It’s just like my healing ability and what you just did to Alex.”

“Um…Okay…”

But I don’t think it was psyenergy I used… Was it?

Felix helped me to stand. “I don’t understand. You used Burst a second ago, but I didn’t think it could do that.”

“Oh…Um…The Burst didn’t do it, though…”

“It didn’t?”

I scrambled to find a way of explaining myself. “…”

“You can tell me on the way back. It’s already night out.”

“Huh?” I looked up. Stars. “Wow…”

Felix laughed. “Feeling better now?”

“Yeah, I do.”

~~~~

“I’m going to go for a quick walk,” Mia said, back at the inn.

“But its night out, and Felix and Elle aren’t back,” Sheba said from her bed.

“Oh, I’m not going far. I just need some air.”

“Okay, good night.” With that, Sheba curled up and went to sleep.

Mia hastily made her way outside, luckily not running into anyone else. She had to think, she had to breath. Through the town, into the woods, away from everyone she traveled with…

She wanted to go home.

Of any of them, Mia was definitely the most homesick. She desperately wanted to go back to Imil. With everything she had learned through her travels, no one would ever have to be sick again, even if the Fountain of Hermes dried up. There were so many things she could teach her apprentices. She was finally old enough to get married to…

“Alex…”

Pain drummed in her chest. Her sorrow and confusion flowed up to the surface and poured out into tears.

“Oh, Alex, what‘s happened to you?” She cried to herself.

“…”

“You’ve changed so badly… Why can’t the old you, the real you just come back to me…”

“…”

“Why did you have to leave me in the first place…?”

“…Because…”

“!!!” Mia caught a glimpse of the icy blue against the dark brush approaching.

“…I never wanted us to suffer…”

“Alex!!” She rushed toward the stumbling figure.

“…I’ve failed you…” He literally fell into her arms.

Mia fell to her knees, cradling him. “Alex, what happened to you?”

“I lost.”

“You lost? To whom?”

“Felix and Elle.”

“They fought you? Just the two of them? And won?”

Alex seemed pleased with Mia's utter disbelief. “It was Elle that struck me down. Felix only gave her the chance to and he would have finished me off if I hadn’t escaped.”

“Where are you hurt? I’ll heal you right now.”

“That’s just it, Mia. Her attacks don’t affect the physical, our psyenergy can‘t heal it.”

“What?”

“She’s a Ether Adept and a berserker. She has powers that most can’t comprehend.”

“What? Elle is that powerful?”

“She brought me down with one hit, and she‘s at her weakest. She has the exact power that I‘ve strived for.”

“!!!”

“Felix knows her abilities. He’s been protecting her all along for that reason.”

“…” Mia pulled Alex closer. “I don’t want to be here anymore… Just rest now. Let‘s go back to Imil together and forget all this, please…”

“… I can’t yet.”

“Please…” Mia pleaded.

“No. We’ll go back soon. Just stay with me until then.” He began to drift off to sleep.

“Alright. I’ll always stay with you…” And Mia began to sleep herself.

[Linear]

That was a kawaii chapter! I love the kawaiiness in that. -_-

[Gardna]

Woow. This is unbelievably long and brilliant. I like it much -_-

[Somia]

Woah! Awsome story! I finished all of that in one day because I cou;dn't stop reading it!

[Lind]

A new chapter?! In one day?!?!?!?!? <_< :o :o
It can be done!!!

This is a LONG chapter, too, just bare with me people. The fun stuff starts after this chapter... (laughs maniacally)




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 13

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silent Grove.

The name given to the haunted laboratories of Sols’trome, lost and hidden away in a great forest.
Its scientists study one thing…

Existence.

Existence in all forms. Life, birth, death, and everything in between. Creation and destruction of living things are the norm in these dark halls of glass and mist. And now that the secrets of immortality have been found, existence means little to its head scientist.

Mikan Lenar, the immortal woman who dedicated her own existence to learning all of the secrets to creation, destruction, and to find what really marks the importance of the soul. Her abilities with necromancy, exorcism, and as a medium were outstanding. Her discoveries have led her so far: Her body no longer ages, she is able to transfer souls from one body to another, she is able to call up the dead, she can bring life to any body with a blank soul, she’s even begun to merge many souls into one.

She was easily the most dangerous spiritualist of all time.

But, after so many experiments, after so many lives she’s taken, after so many lives she’s created, all of them were simply for science. Nothing more, nothing less. Her careless ways struck fear and sometimes admiration into the others in the lab.

“Mikan, we’ve already finished the new munin form for you in Weyard,” one of these scientists spoke to her.

Busy examining the black body of a soulless munin, her only sign of acknowledgement to the man was a simple nod.

“We made it as closely to as you are now as we possibly could.”

Again, Mikan only nodded.

“We’ve also gotten a few others to accompany you for your safety.”

Mikan turned, her emerald eyes piecing into her colleague.

“Um, you can leave anytime.”

“Ah-ha,” Mikan exclaimed. “That’s what I wanted to know. Began making preparations immediately for me to enter Weyard.”

“Ma’am before I go,” he paused at Mikan’s dark expression. “Err, um, may I ask why you need to enter Weyard?”

She crossed her arms. “Why, to begin examining adepts, of course.”

“Adepts? Why adepts, ma‘am?”

“I must learn what it is about an adept that allows them to tap the elements. Imagine the possibilities of merging souls of different kinds or perhaps placing a soul of an adept into a non-adepts body or vice-versa! Also, now that the lighthouses are lit, the number of adepts will drastically increase! I can hardly wait to see what the different kinds are like!”

The scientist found Mikan’s excitement somewhat disturbing. “I’ll began preparations now, ma’am.”

Mikan watched him leave and waited for him to be out of earshot. “And besides, the munin that referred to me as her mother is there. One of my soul fusions that failed to receive the desired affect…” She leaned back against the table. “It’s been nearly two decades since she was created…” Mikan couldn’t resist smiling. “And she hates and fears me with every bit of the blank soul within her.

“Little Mikanelle… the name symbolizing that you’re mine.” Mikan twisted and saw the black munin on the table disintegrate to an ash-like substance. Her laughter began to echo in the halls.

“So, what will you do when you see me, Mikanelle?”


~~~~

“I’m not sure if I know how to explain everything to you, Felix,” I admitted as we started our walk back.

“That’s alright, just tell me when you can. That really scared me back there,” he shrugged.

…

“It… scared you…?”

He noticed the sorrow in my voice, and nudged me with his elbow. “It’s nothing bad, you just caught me off guard is all. I just didn’t sense your psyenergy.”

“Oh…”

The lighthouses…

I stopped walking. Felix stopped, too, and looked at me with the same concern he’s showed for me so often already.

I have to ask him about the lighthouses.

“Felix!” I startled him. The same tears began to burn behind my eyes. “You weren’t lying when you took part in… lighting the lighthouses, were you?”

Felix looked down. “I don’t know why it hurts you so much, Elle, but yes… I was there for every time a lighthouse was lit.”

“I can’t believe it…”

The same man who’s saved me and is protecting me was the same kind of man who would light the lighthouses…

“Then Alex wasn’t lying to me…” I fell to my knees.

“Elle!” Felix dropped down in front of me.

He doesn’t hesitate even for a second when I need help…

“Please, try to understand my reasons…” He pleaded.

B-but… everyone will…

“I had to… I was forced to…”

I looked up into his deep brown eyes, a bit distant and glistening. “You were… forced to…?”

“So much has happened…” He looked straight into my eyes. There was pain behind his. “Please listen, it’s such a long story.”

“Tell me everything, Felix… There has to be a good reason for someone like you to do that!”

“Okay… Remember when I told you about Vale, my hometown?”

“Yeah, it… sank in the ground, right?”

“Where it was isn’t far from here. Let’s walk to it. I‘ll tell you everything on the way.”

“Alright…” He helped me to my feet and we both began to walk back toward the mountains.

“In a nutshell, it started about five years ago,” Felix began, “when a great storm hit Vale. There was a sacred temple, Sol Sanctum, in the mountain our town was built upon, and a group from a far northern town called Prox had accidentally set off a trap inside the Sanctum. The sudden flood of rain almost instantly caused rockslides, and the other villagers were starting to escape to the base of the mountain. But before I had the chance to move to safety, one of the loose boulders knocked me into the now raging creak beside my families house.”

“Wow…”

“…By some miracle, I was able to grab on the a broken tree standing up in the water. I was stuck for a while there. I couldn’t even see or hear if anyone was trying to help, but apparently I caused quite a ruckus. My parents and Isaac’s father, Kyle, spent the whole time trying to help me, while Jenna, Garet, an Isaac were rushing around the town trying to find someone else who could. It didn‘t matter in the end, though. As soon as they did find someone another rockslide hit and knocked a giant boulder into my parents, Kyle, and me, sending the four of us into the waters.”

“Oh my God, Felix! How on earth did you survive that?!”

“I don’t know, I just know that I did, that we all did.”

“…” I blinked. “Well.”

Felix smiled for a second, then returned to his story. “The two surviving warriors from Prox, Saturos and Menardi, rescued us and took us back to Prox. They really only wanted me, but I was in such bad shape that my parents wouldn’t leave my side.”

“Oh…” The way he said that made me feel envious.

“Kyle was the only one strong enough to travel to Menardi’s ship and carry me, so he came, too. Suddenly I went from living comfortably in Vale to being a hostage in the constantly snow covered Prox. All the people in Prox were immune to the cold and many were fire adepts. I quickly found out that it was because the Mars Lighthouse was less than a day’s walk from the village. I also found out something pretty drastic.

“What was that?”

“The world was crumbling at the edges.”

What??

“The people of Prox knew that within a few years, the lighthouse would fall, and shortly after, so would their town. They had to do something soon, and in the end, the only way they could stop the erosion was to light the lighthouses.”

…
…
…
Oh…no…

“Since everyone in Prox was a Mars Adept, they needed me because I was a Venus Adept. The Elders said that my parents and Kyle would all be freed if I went with Saturos and Menardi to collect the Elemental Stars and to light all the lighthouses.” Felix stopped walking. “And those are my reasons. I had to save my family and to stop the erosion of Weyard.”

“…Felix…I…I‘m sorry…” I gently cried.

He smiled softly. “We’re here.” He pointed outward toward the mountain range.

I looked to what he was pointing to. “!!! What the-?!”

“That was once Mt. Aleph.”

[Linear]

I read this while I was a guest. Heh, anyways. Another great chapter from the great Lind! *claps* I loved it. n.n

[Somia]

I'm pretty much speechless about your writing...they are awsome!~

[Lind]

Another chapter?!?! In ONE DAY?!?!?! Twice in a row!?!?!?!?! <Gasp> <shock> <dies>

<lives>

This is, as Linear put it, a super kawaii chapter! Normally it doesn't get this mushy... Oh, well, its helps the general mood... (laughes evily)



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 14

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I saw was absolutely mind boggling.

“I know it’s dark outside, but is it supposed to look like someone just pulled the bottom half of the mountain out from under the top?”

“It’s awful, isn’t it?”

“There’s no sign of a village at all!”

Felix took a deep breath. “All of it’s gone… Jenna, Isaac, Garet, me, and the rest of our families have no home now.”

I watched him stare out in a daze.

“You… never got to see it before the mountain sank, did you?”

He shook his head. “Elle, tell me why you’re so hurt from me lighting the lighthouses.”

“…”

“Please, I never seen anyone as sad as you were when we said that they were lit.”

“…” I looked up at the sky, the stars shining brightly. “I think I understand now.”

“Huh?”

“Is it my turn to tell you a bit of my past?”

Felix smiled and nodded.

“There’s another world sitting beneath Weyard. It’s called Kazaza. You might have already noticed, but in Kazaza, there are two languages, the one you speak and the one I spoke earlier. I grew up speaking both quite of bit, especially Kazazan, but recently, thanks in part to Alex, I can speak both fluently.”

“What do you mean, ‘Thanks to Alex.’?”

“He said the same thing happened to him…I don’t know why or how it happened…I just did after I saw…”

“What? You can tell me.”

“It was… It was like I was in a huge light, and then there he was, standing right in front of me, and poof, I just knew…”

“A light?” Felix instantly perked. “!!! The Golden Sun!”

“The Golden Sun?”

“When all the lighthouses were lit, the Alchemy unleashed collected at the peak of Mt. Aleph and formed the Golden Sun, right here!”

He pointed up toward the sky and we both saw one star looming high above us, bigger and brighter than the rest. “That’s it?! It was a star, a sun even?! No wonder!!”

“You were at the peak with Alex when the Golden Sun rose. But why? Did you climb the mountain with him?”

“No… The first time I had ever seen him was in the light… He was so happy and claimed that he had finally gotten a great power…”

“But then… How were you there? Were you even in Weyard?”

“No, I…” I gasped, “!!!”

“What is it?”

“The Keep was attacked! And I was at the top balcony! I remember now! Felix, I was trying to help fight off the soldiers that had made it inside the Keep. I only got a little gash on my left side, right here.” I placed my hand over the still healing wound. “But I got cornered on a balcony near the top. I was contemplating on whether or not to jump off but… A light came from above, and then I saw Alex…”

I paused for a moment. Felix was staring at me, blinking, trying to take everything in.

“It was like my soul caught on fire or something… When I woke up, my wounds were far worse, I was exhausted, and I felt like I had head trauma or something… And you were there…”

“I wasn’t about to leave you out here.”

I turned to him.

Wow, I’m surprised I didn’t notice it before but… Felix is really hot.
…

“Felix, I think it makes sense now…”

“What does?”

“Kazaza is below Weyard. Since everyone in Kazaza knows of Weyard’s existence and no one in Weyard knows of Kazaza’s existence… It makes sense why the lighthouses weren’t lit.” I looked at Felix, a bit teary eyed. “All the land that was being eroded from your world was making Kazaza flourish and prosper, while Weyard withered and died…”

Felix gasped. “…I get it… it’s backwards…Only one world can have a Golden Age… And I just… “

“There’s nothing in Kazaza to sustain the world, like your lighthouses…” I cried. “It probably won’t take more than a few years for it to just crumble apart….”

“I just… your home…” Felix looked over at the at the mountain and almost cracked. “I’m sorry, Elle!” He jerked away, staring at the ground, hiding his face from me through all his long hair. “I’m so sorry…”

Everything he had lost suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks, and it surprised me.

…
Felix…
Is he… crying?
…
He is!
…
…
He’s crying over his lost home and mine…
…
…
It’s my turn to comfort him…

“Felix…”I walked over and wrapped my arms around him. “You have everyone with you still, right? You can still make a new home with your family and friends, can‘t you…?”

He leaned his head against mine. (I‘m eye level with his chin…) “But you don’t…How can you forgive me…? Even after Saturos and Menardi died and I was strong enough to free my parents I still pressed on to light the lighthouses… And look at what it’s done to you!”

“Can I just stay with you guys? I‘m not the same… but… I do my best…”

I felt his strong embrace. “Yes…Of course… It’s… It’s all I can do for you…”

I pulled back to see his face. “You don’t care? That I’m not human? I don’t understand it…I met you, what yesterday? (And that’s not even being sarcastic!) But I feel like I’ve know you for such a long time…”

Felix smiled.

Oh… Wow…
…Swoon…

“You know… I feel that same way… I don’t care if your ‘not human,’ or whatever. That doesn‘t bother me at all.”

Reaaallly big swoon…

“What did you see? What did you see when you found me? I don’t remember a thing…”

“I knew it wasn‘t possible for you to survive with all the blood you lost if you were human…Even if I were a Great Healer, the was no way I would‘ve been able to save you… And then…”

What? What?

“I saw them.” He moved his hands against the curves of my shoulder blades. “I saw your wings…”

He saw them?!?!

“...What?”

“Barely… but they were there… Too small to fly with, huh?”

!!!
Hey!

“Don’t tease me about it! … It’s just what I am… and… they’re more of a mark… That’s why they stay hidden and invisible from everyone.”

“What do you mean? I’ve been all over Weyard, and no one here has wings. Is it normal in Kazaza?”

“… No… it’s a bad mark on me…”

“???”

I can just look at his eyes and know that whatever I say here is safe…

“It says… that I’m… a munin.”

“Munin?”

I didn’t think he’d know what it is.

“Synthetic life…”

“Synthetic???”

“A lot of times we’re called living dolls.”

“But how can you be a living doll?”

“Make a body, put in a soul that wasn’t placed there naturally, and you get a munin, a living doll.”

“But what about your family?”

“My mother created me… She didn’t give birth to me… She never referred to me as her child. To her I was just another experiment…I was there and she hated that…I only called her Mama simply because I had no one else.”

Felix looked at me softly. “Was she your only family?”

“No, my father found me and took me in. He was just the one who raised me… I don’t think Mama or Papa have ever even met…”

Felix pulled me against him. “Elle… No matter what happens… I’ll be here for you.”

I’m blushing. I know I am.

I smiled and started to cry a bit again. “Thank you…”

He softly patted my back. “Oh, stop crying… You cry so much…I hate it when I see you in so much pain…”

I sniffed and felt myself brighten up. “How do you do it, Felix? You can just touch me, say just the right things and I feel so much better.”

“I guess I just… try my hardest.”

This is so romantic…Under the stars…Its just like in a story book…
I’m caught up in an embrace with quite possibly one of the most attractive men alive, and he wants nothing more than to keep me happy and safe…
And…

“Hey, does this mean you’ve had a crush on me from the start?”

“Yep, and Jenna’s never gonna let me live it down.”

We laughed.

I’ve never felt this warm inside…

[Somia]

Nice..in some point of the story it's kinda funny,^^and the tittle reminds me of tomorrow's animenia from dust to dawn. XD

[Lind]

Blah, I'm sick and have to go back to school on monday.... <_<
Oh, well...




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 15

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s a little embarrassing, but we walked the whole way back hand-in-hand. We didn’t talk or anything, we just walked back, Felix leading me.

Needless to say, but I was a very happy little girl.

We’re going to be dead tired tomorrow… I thought to myself. It so late already… I bet if we waited an hour, we could watch the sunrise…

Ooh, I’m blushing again…

I rubbed my cheek, trying to return it to my normal tone. Felix laughed beside me. Then I heard something.

“Huh?” I suddenly said.

“What?” Felix nearly jumped.

“Listen…”

We both stopped and strained our ears. Then we heard it. Someone was yelling.

“Is that Isaac?” Felix asked.

“I hear other people, too. They‘re probably looking for us,” I shrugged.

“We’d better go find them, then.”

We broke off our hands and started running in the direction of everyone’s calls and after only a minute, we saw them.

“Hey!” Felix yelled.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Jenna yelled and ran up the hill our way. Her happy expression quickly became a flustered one as she caught up with us. “What on earth were you to doing? Having a hot muhuth sheshon.”

Felix threw his hand up over his sister’s mouth for the last two words. “Don’t say it!”

Jenna pushed him off and placed her hands on her hips, almost victoriously. “Something did happen, then!”

“Jenna, give the guy a break,” Isaac said as he and Garet came up the hill.

“Besides, it’s not like you two can talk to me about that!” Felix shot Isaac a dirty glare. Isaac sweat-dropped.

I noticed Garet’s anxious expression. “What’s wrong?” I asked him.

“You guys were taking so long to get back and now Mia’s missing!” He was so worried.

“What? When?” Felix asked, surprised by the situation.

“Sheba said Mia went for a quick walk right before she went to bed. That was hours ago!” Garet was pretty torn up about this.

“We all split up to find everyone, and we found you two,” Isaac said, considerably calmer than Garet.

“We haven’t seen Mia at all,” I said, making Garet’s expression drop further.

Suddenly I felt a giant shift, not in the ground, but in the ether. “What the?”

But I’m not reading the ether…

“What’s wrong?” Felix asked.

“Did you guys feel that?”

“Feel what?” Jenna looked pretty confused.

A shift big enough that I could feel it even when I’m not reading ether?

“You can’t feel it, then?”

The four of them shook their heads.

“That’s not good…” I looked around.

Felix gave me a concerned look. (He’s doing it again!) “What’s wrong, Elle?”

“Remember how I said what I did earlier was hard to explain and you said I could tell you later?”

He nodded.

“Well, um… a huge amount of ether just poured in near here.”

“???” The whole group gave me clueless looks.

Aw, man…

“Ether?” Jenna tilted her head at me.

“Um…” I looked at Garet and remembered what the situation was. “I want to check it out but we need to find Mia first, right?”

Everyone agreed and we began to head I out. Everyone began calling Mia as I looked back to where I had felt the shift before.

What in the world could have caused that?

~~~~

Mikan was nothing short of delighted with what she got when she awoke. Two giant armored golems, three ravager lions, and a new and surprisingly fit body.

“They’ve really outdone themselves this time,” she said to her companions.

Mikan glanced around her surroundings. It was in the middle of the night and she was surrounded by a forest. She also heard voices.

“What was that!?”

“Mia, are you there?”

“Is there anyone there?”

Mikan was ecstatic. This is just too easy! she thought. She turned to the ravager lions with her. “Spread out a surround the area. Stay close but don’t get caught.”

Following their orders, the three of them left.

“Hello! Mia!!”

“Where are you?!”

“You two,” Mikan referred to the armored golems, easily twice her height. “Stay back. Attack when I say to.”

“Hey! Who’s there?!”

Mikan took a few steps forward. “I’m here!!”

“That’s not Mia…” A girl mumbled.

“But she might still need our help,” a young man said.

“Where are you?” a second man called.

“Over here!! I’m lost, can you help me?” Mikan called back, effectively planning her guise.

“Hang on…” Mikan heard the rustling of the brush as they moved. “Ah!”

Piers jumped back so far he nearly knocked down Ivan. “I’m sorry, ma’am! I didn’t realize you weren’t…”

Ivan looked around him. “What are you- oh!!” The two both hid behind the trees.

Sheba came out from behind the boys, both blood red in the face. She looked over at Mikan. “Yikes! Where do you shop for clothes! That thing’s skin tight!”

Mikan hadn’t thought about it. She was simply wearing the covering used to keep contamination from the skin of a forming munin. “Whoops, sorry….”

“You guys can come out now,” Sheba looked behind her to where the boys were hidden.

Ivan peeped around the tree, looking completely embarrassed. “…” He walked over to where the girls were standing. “…”

“What about you, Piers?”

“I’m fine here, thank you.”

“Oh come on, I don’t bite,” Mikan cooed.

“I don’t know Reveal, you two! I can’t see as well out here…”

Sheba laughed at him. “Aw, come on, I can help you.”

“…” Piers was just too embarrassed.

Adepts, Mikan thought. This is just too easy! I meet them on the spot! I’m must be billowing with luck today!

Mikan walked over to where Piers was sitting and knelt down beside him. Piers looked up and quickly turned away, blushing even more. He’s cute, Mikan thought. I’ll take this one.

“Now!!!” Mikan suddenly yelled.

A monstrous beast leapt out in front of a Ivan a Sheba.

“Ahhh!!” Sheba screamed.

“We’ve been ambushed!!” Ivan quickly cast Spark Plasma on the ravager lion, it reeled for an instant but quickly came back with a second beast behind it.

“There’s more!” Sheba yelled out.

Piers jumped up to help only to get his neck caught in Mikan’s firm grip. “You won’t be going anywhere but with me… Piers, wasn’t it?”

Piers reached up, pried off her grasp, and pushed her away. “What do you want with me?”

“Well…” The two giant armored golems came up to each of her sides. Piers reached for his sword. “I want your soul, that’s all.”

He wasn’t expecting that. “My soul…?”

“That’s right.” Mikan grinned.

Piers heard a growl.

~~~~

I heard a scream.

A soul screaming of death.

“Felix!”

“What is it?”

“Somebody’s dieing!!”

[Somia]

Nice...and yea school is starting on monday...<_<

[Echo_djinn]

Again, another very enriching chapter done by Lind. You have a talent for story telling.

[Linear]

Two good telling chapters! I love them! *hugs them* ^^ good job Lind!

[Lind]

This story has suddenly become very easy to write. I'm already into chapter 18 and some have become quite long (like the one below), but rather than post neccesarily at the insane speeds of which I write them, I'm gonna slow down and start to work a bit more on the artwork for the story. I plan on becomeing a cartoonist when I'm older, so expect some comic adaptions of scenes and a few new character designs if I can get my scanner to love me. (which I doubt will happen :P ) Anything I manage to finish will pop up in the artwork section of the forums.

Anyway, next chapter!




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 16

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone looked at me like I was crazy.

“What are you talking about?” Isaac asked.

They can’t hear it!!

“I heard someone scream! It was familiar, but I can’t tell who it is. If we hurry we might be able to help!”

“But I didn’t hear anything,” Felix said giving me a puzzle look.

“Neither did I,” Jenna gave me a similar look.

“Wait, what if it was Mia?!” Garet rushed up to me. “Where did it come from?!”

At least someone here trusts me.

“That way,” I pointed the my right, toward a forest.

“Alright!” Garet didn’t waste any time and broke out into run in the direction I was pointing.

“Wait a second, Garet!” I yelled, but he was gone.

“What’s going on, Elle?” Felix asked me.

I turned to him and just shook my head. “We have to help,” I said firmly.

“She’s serious,” Jenna looked pretty confused.

“Besides, we had better follow Garet so he doesn’t get himself into any trouble,” Isaac began to follow, Jenna trailing behind.

Felix put his hand on my shoulder.

“This is strange….” I thought aloud.

“What is?” he asked.

“It’s like I’m on overload,” I shook it off and went after everyone, Felix running beside me.

Why is all this happening at once? This is like a bad omen, or something. I hope what I’m feeling is just from some wild animal or something… But what if it isn’t…

I thought of the huge shift from earlier.

Pillan, Tarinley, be ready…

~~~~

“Mia!! Mia!!! Where are you!?! Are you alright?!?!” Garet called as he ran. “Mia!! MIA!!!”

“Garet!” He heard someone answer.

Garet stopped. “Ivan? Hey, where are you?”

Ivan came running in through the brush, followed by Sheba, both out of breath and anxious.

“What’s wrong? Have you found Mia?” Garet asked them.

“No, we haven’t found Mia, but…” Sheba gasped.

Isaac and Jenna entered from behind Garet, then followed by Felix and Elle.

“What’s going on?” Isaac asked, seeing his friends so distraught.

“We were attacked by some weird woman and her monsters!” Ivan’s expression dropped.

“What?! Are you alright!?” Jenna quickly came forward to aid, but the two Jupiter adepts only nodded their heads.

Both had such dark expressions.

“Where’s Piers?” Felix finally asked.

There was a pause between the two. “We don’t… know…” Ivan answered with strain in his voice.

“!!!” The two Jupiter adepts watched as everyone turned to Elle with a complete shock.

Elle looked down for a moment and mumbled, “This is terrible…” She looked up at the group. “We have to find him, right?”

Quickly snapping everyone back to reality, the entire group nodded.

“Well, glad that’s settled.”

“!!!”

“Who said that?!” Garet yelled.

“So, you finally notice me,” a woman laughed, stepping forward through the brush.

“It’s you!” Sheba pulled her rod up, ready to fight. “That’s the woman who attacked us!”

“Seeing as I haven’t been properly introduced to many of you, my name is Mikan.”

Her two golems stepped forward beside her.

Felix unsheathed his sword. “Where’s Piers!?”

Mikan leaned back against one of her golem’s legs and put her hand beneath her chin as if to think. “It was strange… When I went to exorcise his soul, something was in his body keeping me from taking it. So I just decided to give up on him and give my lions a little snack.” Mikan shrugged. “But he wouldn’t stop fighting back. My lions, now frustrated, left him in the woods. He was probably left too worn out to heal himself and he’s bled too much to make it far on foot.”

They entire group was absolutely horrified leaving Mikan to simply laugh at them. “Oh, the looks on your faces! If you found him, oh say, now, you might be able to save him.” Her laughter echoed. She glanced over them and saw Elle. She stopped laughing. Her eyes locked with Elle’s.

~~~~

My mind was blank, I could hardly breath, and she was looking right at me.

“Well, well, well, I didn’t expect to see you so soon,” she snickered.

I gasped. She recognizes me! I thought. This can’t be real!!

“Hmm, Mikanelle,” she spoke in Kazazan so that only I could understand (She had the nerve to call me by my full name, too.). “What pain your in…Hmph. I surprised your haven’t burst out at me, or… is that you’re too afraid? You know that in a few seconds I could strip you of your life and turn your body to dust in the wind.”

She laughed. I felt myself become faint.

“Elle!?” Someone said.

“W-what have… you done?” I could barely speak.

She laughed again. “I’m only doing my job. I just wanted to do a bit of research…” She almost whined.

I fell to my knees, everything starting to faze out. “Elle! Elle!” Someday yelled again.

One of her golems picked her and placed her on its shoulder. “Oh, I almost forgot. Good luck on finding your friend’s body! Good-bye till next-time.”

With that, she playfully waved and her golems rushed off.

I heard Felix. “Elle, Elle, who was that?” He shook me. I collapsed into him, my head resting against his shoulder.

“That was…” I felt my chest ache. I winced and everything faded.

~~~~

Alex felt the sudden surge of energy and jolted awake, waking up Mia as well.

“What is it, Alex?” She asked, sleepily.

“I felt someone’s psyenergy. It was a water adept.” He began to stand up, but and stumbled for an instant.

“Alex, wait! Should be standing so soon?” Mia stood up beside him.

“No, but-” Both felt the mass of energy again. “Someone’s powerful. Whoever it is must be in a huge battle.”

“The only other water adept that powerful besides you is Piers. If Piers is fighting then that must mean everyone is in trouble! I have to help them!” As Mia turned toward the energy, Alex caught her arm.

He looked at her firmly. “Are you sure?”

Mia paused a thought. “No, but… I’m their best healer. Jenna can help them.. but if she’s downed…”

Alex nodded and began to walk with her. “Fine then, let’s go.”

“‘Let’s?’ But Alex, they’ll attack you!”

Alex smiled. “You’ll just have to protect me then, won’t you?”

Mia was surprised for a moment, then frowned. “That’s not fair!”

He smirked. “I’ll help if you want me to.”

“Really? Thank you, Alex.” She took his hand and began to run in the direction. “Let’s hurry!”

They felt the psyenergy a few more times, then suddenly stop.

“Is it over?” Mia asked.

“I don’t know, but I didn’t sense any other kind of psyenergy being used. Whoever it was must have fought alone…” Alex stopped. “And there he is now…”

Mia looked out and saw Piers on the ground, completely drenched in blood. “!!! Oh no!” She ran toward him. “Piers! Piers! Are you alright?!” She was already pouring out her most powerful Ply spell.

Alex ran up with her. “He’s still alive. It‘s looks as if something tried to shred him apart…”

“Alex, help me heal him, please!” Mia pleaded.

He paused and did as she said. Mia realized how much more powerful Alex was compared to her, he was barely trying yet using a huge amount of power.

Was the Sun what gave him all this power? Mia thought.

Piers wounds slowly closed, leaving him terribly scared, but alive.

Mia sighed in relief. “He’s still lost so much blood, but I think he’ll make it. He just needs lots of rest. We should take him-”

“Leave him,” Alex interrupted.

“What? Why?”

“He’s powerful enough to make it back on his own, and I doubt the rest of your group will just leave him out here.”

Mia looked at Alex for a moment, then agreed. “Where should we go from here?”

“Lunpa isn’t too far. We can rest there.”

Mia nodded and the two headed in the town’s direction. Mia glanced back at Piers only once, then leaned up against her fiancé, who in turn put his arm around her.

Alex thought to himself, Everything is all falling into place.

[Somia]

Another nice chapter, Mikan is so evil~ Oh, and I can't wait for the artwork.^^

[Mallick]

Whoa, These chapters are great! I hope that the reason you've been in this topic for so long is that you are posting the next chapter! ^^

[Lind]

Hmm... AOL just blocked me from my art page, AFTER I JUST PUT IT UP!!!!!!!!!

...

Now what? Not even one response and I can't read any of it!!!

...

:P

...

:(

Mwahaha!!! Fixed it!!!!

Edit: Chapter 18 is up, too! This is a LONG post. Be wary. :(



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 17

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone was talking, full of frantic confusion.

“What do we do?!”

“He can’t be dead, can he?!”

“What is she goes after Mia next?!”

“If we hurry we might be able to save him!!”

“But without Mia…”

“We have to at least try!!”

“But how are we supposed find either of them?!”

As the group continually exchanged back and forth, I whispered into Felix’s ear, “I might be able to help.”

“What? How could you do that?” He whispered back, setting our conversation apart from the rest of the group.

“I’m at wits end… But I don’t know what everyone will think if I use my power again…”

Felix pulled me to my feet and looked me in the eye. He was in pain. “Please… we need you.”

“…”

I don’t have a choice…
But… Piers…

The image of Mama’s smiling face as she told us what she had done to him made a horrifying fury build up within me.

Don’t let that part of me out!

“I’ll be able to find him… If he’s still alive…” I finally answered.

Felix looked so happy and relieved.

He and Piers must be close for him to look like that.

“Everyone,” Felix said, loud enough to stop the argument. “Elle has an idea.”

“…”

“…” Garet crossed his arms, looking pretty angry. “Can we really trust her?”

“???” I didn’t know what he meant.

“You can’t be serious Garet!” Felix shot him a dark look.

“Really, we don’t know what kind of relationship she has with that lady!” Sheba agreed.

“…”

My chest hurts…

“But Garet, she felt it when Piers…” Isaac didn’t finish. I guess he was in disbelief.

“Hey, that’s right! That’s how we came here in the first place!” Jenna defended me.

“What are you talking about?” Ivan asked.

“We don’t have time to explain now, right?” Felix asked me.

I nodded. “I just… don’t know if it will work…” I looked down.

“At least try.” Felix put his hand on my shoulder.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. “Okay…” I fazed out the world around me. I could hear and speak, but couldn’t recognize anyone.

Clear your head…

“What is she doing?”

Close your mind…

“I don’t know. She just said it might work.”

There is nothing but life on this plain…

“Is that psyenergy? I can barely feel anything.”

Who‘s that…? Is it Mikan…? No wait…

“Did you find anything?”

“Someone’s moving…” I answered. “Not Mikan but… It’s not alone and it’s so weak…”

!!!

“What is it?!”

“Is something wrong?!”

I just had to find him!

“It’s Alex!”

“What?!”

“And Mia’s with him!”

“What?!?!”

“But what about Piers?”

…Look harder…

“Well?”

…Any humans…? Anywhere….?
…


“Can you find him?”

“…Nothing… “

“!!!”

“What do you mean ‘nothing’!?!?!”

I frowned. “I can’t feel another human anywhere…”

“Oh no!!”

“Then he really is gone…”

I tried to think of something reassuring. “Unless Piers isn’t human…”

That won’t work.

“…”

“That is possible.”

I snapped back to normal. “Huh?”

“He’s almost 100 years old,” Felix said.

I didn‘t expect that. “What!? Why didn’t you tell me before!! If I knew that, I wouldn’t have wasted any time…” I shook my head and my chest ached again. “What have I done… Piers really might be dead…”

It was obvious I was the only person willing to say the word “dead” by the way everyone reacted when I said it.

Garet walked up to me. “You found Mia, though, right?”

I nodded and pointed to where I had felt them.

“We can’t lose her, too! That Mikan lady might go after her and Alex is with her! Let’s follow them!” Garet seemed to care more about Mia than Piers.

But then again, I’m still getting to know everyone…

“He’s right.” I rubbed my eyes. “For all we know, Mikan might be lying… She’s pretty twisted when it comes to these things.” I turned away, not wanting to look anyone in the eye. “I’ll tell you about her later, okay?”

Everyone must have agreed because the group began to push toward where Alex and Mia were moving.

~~~~

Piers opened his eyes. Everything was blurry and he felt stiff. He shifted and started coughing red on the ground.

“!!!” Piers struggled to his knees and felt his torn vest slip over his shoulders. “What happened to me?!?!”

He suddenly remembered a massive jaw the size of his torso tearing through his skin and muscle, dragging him down a forest, his crying out and fighting back until the beast gave up and dropped him.

I’m still alive…? He thought to himself

He looked down at his body, scars now formed across his entire body. Most of his clothes were shredded to ribbons and caked with blood. He had lost his sword somewhere. Even some of his hair had been chopped through.

How did I survive that? Piers thought. He felt a hazy memory of Mia and Alex looming over him. !!! Did they…? He shook his head. That can’t be true. He pulled himself to his feet.

“At least I’m covered…somewhat…” He thought, trying to raise his spirits. “Wait! That woman, she… she tried to…” He remembered feeling a sharp pain in his chest, and placed his hand over his heart. Now all he felt was a scar.

“I need to get back.” He looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to rise. Without any clue as to where he was, he started to walk forward, hoping to get his bearings soon.






Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 18

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Here we go…” A girl whispered as she picked up the potted plant. She placed it in the wicker picnic basket slung across her shoulders. She picked up the battle ax lying on the ground of her tent and peeked outside. “The sun is only just rising,” she whispered to herself.

“Nothing to my left, nothing to my right…” She giggled to herself. “I’m home free!!” With that she tiptoed outside into the field. The rest of the tribe was still asleep, and this was her one chance to go out on her own. She inched her way through the tents until she was twenty feet away.

She felt a tug on her shorts, “Razi?”

Caught red-handed! She thought. Brandishing her ax, she turned around yelling, “You’ll never take me alive!!!”

The little girl standing in front of her looked terrified.

“Ah, Didi! What are you doing up so early?” Razi asked, pulling her ax away from the child.

“I had a bad dream a went to look for you…” she sniffed.

“Aw, there, there,” She patted Didi’s head. “Sorry, but I need to go, Didi.”

“Why, your know everyone in the tribe gets mad when you leave!”

“Of course, I am the flower maiden, after all. But that’s the same reason I leave, to take care of the flower bud.” Razi patted the basket.

“But it’s dangerous! I don’t wanna see you get hurt!” Didi whined.

Razi frowned. “Don’t worry, I can fight,” she motioned to her ax. “And I have special powers, remember?”

Didi nodded. “Yep, that’s why your our flower maiden!”

Razi grinned playfully. “That’s right! I’ll make this flower bloom just because I train my powers, rather than let them fade, right?”

“Right!” Didi jumped.

“Well, I’ll be going then. See you by dinner, okay?” Razi turned and took off into a run, waving back at the little girl.

“Bye-bye, Razi!”

~~~~

Mia was ecstatic to see the village sitting against the mountains in the distance. “Look, Alex, were finally almost there!”

Alex smiled. “Good. We’ll stay at the inn, then?”

Mia nodded, smiling.

“Wait,” Alex stopped and turned back to the mountains.

“What is it, Alex?” Mia put her hand on his arm.

“You go on ahead to Lunpa. There’s something I must do first.”

“But Alex, have you healed yet?” Mia clearly showed her concern, tugging on his sleeve.

“Don’t worry, Mia. I’ll see you tonight. If I get what I need done, we’ll make plans on returning to Imil, together.”

Mia lit up and nodded joyfully. “See you tonight, then!” She turned and began toward the town waving back at Alex. “I’ll get a room for us at the inn!”

Alex waved back and thought to himself, Now, I can finally get all the power I need…

~~~~

What am I doing here?

The thought kept prodding at me and we moved. Garet was pushing us along without rest, despite the fact the sun was starting to rise. That meant if any of got any sleep last night, it would have been at the hotel. Which I didn’t.

Let me just say that if walking wasn’t such a monotonous and generally brain-dead task, I would’ve dropped where I was standing, and I don’t think I was the only one feeling like this.

I bet the only thing keeping Garet going like he this is adrenaline…

“We’re almost to Lunpa,” someone said, I think it was Ivan. (I was too tired to really tell.)

“Then he must be headed there,” Garet said.

I need to note “he” was referring to Alex. Garet convinced himself that Alex had kidnapped Mia. At this point, none of us saw any reason to disagree, so we trudged on.

For all I know, some of us could be sleep walking.

Miraculously, I wasn‘t myself.

Sheesh… I don’t even have my weapons…

In other words, I couldn’t fight. I wasn’t about to use my power’s again, or psyenergy again, or whatever it’s called.

I’m so confused, and I’m too sleepy to ask…

“…”

Jenna glanced over at me and walked up beside me. “Something wrong?” she whispered in my ear.

I shook my head.

“Sorry about not trusting you last night. You did help,” Jenna nudged me. Nobody seemed to hear her talk, or they were too tired to care.

I must look really down.

“It’s alright. I didn’t think anyone would get it, anyway,” I admitted, whispering to her.

Jenna shook her head and smiled at me. “Felix does.”

I looked up ahead of me at Felix’s back. “He does…but…” I trailed off.

“But what?” Jenna looked at me curiously.

“I don’t get how he even knows about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“He knew I had abilities even before I showed them to anyone…”

Jenna looked up and rubbed her chin, effectively giving me a thinking pose.

…Papa…

I looked away from Jenna, trying to hide my sorrow. I actually stopped walking.

“???” Jenna stopped, followed by the rest of the group.

“What’s up?” Garet asked, looking somewhat annoyed.

“…” I didn’t really have anything to say.

Everyone was looking at me.

“…” It was then I realized something. “None of us have had anytime to mourn…”

I either got surprise, regret, or anger at that comment.

“Am I the only one confused?”

I took a while for anyone to answer.

“No,” Isaac said. “You’re not.”

Everyone turned to him, thankfully taking the pressure off of me.

“It hurts, but we can’t stop now, Mia needs us.”

“I know that,” I said.

“Then what’s the problem?” Sheba was crossing her arms, acting really cranky.

It made me angry how everyone seemed oblivious to what was really happening. “How can you people take death like you are!!”

“!!!” Everyone looked at me so strangely, I can’t really describe their expressions.

“W-what do you mean?” Isaac seemed stumped on what to say.

“Who means more to you?! Piers or Mia?!”

No one knew how to respond.

“You don’t know how to weigh that do you?” A few of them shook their heads, the rest just looked at me like I had gone crazy. “I see that now.”

“Elle…” Felix looked at me painfully. I think he knew where I was coming from.

Don’t look at me like that, Felix…

“You don’t understand what it’s like to lose something, so you desperately reach out for what you have left.”

“!!!”

In my half-asleep state, I must have been furious. It’s a good I was half-asleep too or-

No, don’t think about that.

“We just don’t have any time!” Ivan argued.

“Of course I cared about Piers!” Sheba cried.

“Right now Mia needs us, so we have to help her!” Garet yelled.

Jenna and Isaac were both silent, looking terribly hurt.

Do they understand, too?

“What have you lost in your life?! I bet after all is said and done you‘ve only gained!”

The three were taken back.

“You have families and friends and someone to go home to!! What do you think I have!?!”

“…”

I felt like I was about to explode. “I’ve lost everything I ever held dear to me!! You people have no idea how far I’ve had to come, and here you are ripping something I hold important apart!!!”

I got confused looks with their pain.

“You just decide to leave your friend out to be a snack for the vultures say you have to save a girl who obviously doesn’t care about any of you if she just runs for your enemy!!”

Garet looked furious. “You’re just jumping to conclusions!!”

It’s coming…

“If she’s known for a long as you say she has, I doubt she’s being held hostage! You won‘t admit because you’re blinded by your own feelings!”

“!!!” He became even angrier. “I can’t believe that Mia would ever do that!!”

It’s coming…!

“Your lucky, Garet. Your have a huge family that loves you, yet, you don’t seem to realize their importance! All I ever had was my father, and I don’t even have him anymore!!” I realized I was in tears.

No…!

Garet growled at me. “I’m not about to lose any of them or Mia!!”

“Garet!” Felix looked at him with disbelief.

Don’t let it out!!

It was like the hardest slap in the face possible for both me and Felix.

Don’t let it…!!!

I think I stepped backwards. Everyone suddenly gasped and jumped back. My vision grew hazy, and my world went red.

I see…
…
…
…blood!?!

I turned away, my feet pushing me as fast and as far as I could.

Did I hurt them?!?!

“Papa!!” I heard myself yell. “Somebody!!”

The forests, the fields, the mountains, the sunrise, everything became a mess of colors rushing past me.

“Help me!!”

This post has been edited by Lind: 06 January 2005 - 07:19 PM

[Linear]

I read this a while ago, but I didn't post a comment about it! *sweatdrop*
Another great and wonderful chapter from the great writer Lind-san! *claps* ^_^

[Somia]

ow..my eyes..but who cares it's good~ And the art work for it is nice too.

[Lind]

I know it seems weird to introduce a character two chapters before she even plays a real role, but that's what it will be like for Razi. :blink: Anyway, next chapter...



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 19

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone felt the surge of psyenergy slam from Elle’s body. Garet was blown off his feet and thrown a good distance away. Most of the group ran to his aid, with Felix stayed where he was watching Elle’s horrified expression. She suddenly turned and ran down the trail.

Garet sat up, coughing. “What was… what was that all about?!?!” Garet glared at Felix, who didn’t even try to look back.

“…”

“What just happened?” Ivan asked.

“…”

Isaac helped Garet to his feet.

“Felix…?” Jenna went over to her bother.

“Come on, you know what’s going on, don’t you?” Sheba walked up to him.

“…” Felix still refused to look up. She was crying…, he thought.

Garet huffed with frustration. “Felix, what’s wrong with her? She suddenly decided to fight with me!”

“…”

“Well?!”

“…She’s in pain,” Felix finally answered.

“???” Everyone was confused.

Felix turned to Garet, suddenly angry. “Why did you have to say that?! Do you think people have a choice on when someone dies?!?!”

Garet was take back. “What?”

“You heard Elle! She’s lost everything!” Felix clenched his fists, turning away from the group. “She told me… and it was my fault…”

“What? But what you could you have done?” Jenna looked at her brother with concern.

Felix shook his head. “Vale won’t be the only place destroyed…”

“!!!”

“What?! What in the world are you talking about!?!? ”

“For her home… it‘s just a matter of time… and it‘s because the lighthouses are lit…” Felix took a deep breath.

“!!!”

Jenna though for a moment. “Is that why she ran from us last night?”

Felix nodded.

“Wait a second! If nothing’s been destroyed yet, can’t we save her family?” Sheba looked at Felix, hoping to cheer him up.

He shook his head.

“But, why not?” she whined.

Felix pause and thought for a moment and decided to answer truthfully. “Elle isn’t from Weyard.”

“???”

“Elle’s not from Weyard?” Ivan crossed his arms. “Then where could she possibly be from?”

Felix shook his head. “I don’t want to tell you more than that.”

The group frowned.

“She’s just torn right now, and it probably was just too much for her… That’s why her psyenergy hit you, Garet.”

“But why was she so mad about us going to help Mia?” Garet asked.

“I don’t know.”

Garet frowned, leading to a long pause between everyone.

“Well, now what?” Isaac finally said. “Should we go after Mia or look for Elle?”

“Alex has Mia, we don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing,” Ivan said.

“Wait,” Jenna perked. “That lady, Mikan is still out there! What if she finds Elle?!”

“She was talking to Elle in some weird language and Elle looked terrified the whole time we saw her,” Garet added.

“Who was she to Elle? Do you know, Felix?” Jenna asked.

He shook his head.

“I think Elle was right when she said Mia was fine with Alex,” Ivan added, making Garet frown angrily.

“So, then we’re going after Elle?” Isaac asked.

The entire group agreed.

Felix pointed toward the mountains. “She went that way.”

Garet hesitated. “Should we really just leave Mia? I mean…Umm…”

Jenna gave him an angry look. “You need to apologize to Elle, and she needs to apologize to you, so you’re going to help find her.”

Garet frowned.

“I think we should stick together for now,” Isaac suggested. “If any of us ran into Mikan alone…”

Felix turned toward the mountains. “Lets hurry.”

~~~~

Hidden underneath a tree among a field of tall grass, Piers rolled over from where he slept and opened his eyes. The sun was high above him, signaling it was already noon. Piers yawned, he didn’t remember falling asleep.

“Where am I?” he said to himself. Wandering aimlessly, he began towards the woods in the distance. He was still tired, tattered, and now a little hungry. Sighing, Piers trudged forward.

~~~~

Mikan found her joy and excitement near unmanageable. Everything was going so well. And here was another Adept falling right into the palm of her hand. Besides, she had already transformed her defeated lion from the previous adept into an outfit created for a necromancer, so it wasn’t a complete loss.

Do all water adepts have such nice hair? She joked to herself.

Alex simply walked through the woods, occupied by his own thoughts. Mikan sensed something very strange about his soul and instantly her curiosity drove her. And on top of that, it was always more fun when it was an attractive young man she was after.

When Alex was close, she simply walked into his path, smiling sweetly.

Alex stopped, and looked at Mikan strangely. “Who might you be?”

Mikan blinked, still smiling.

Alex looked annoyed. “If you have no business with me, I’ll be leaving.” Alex began to step around her, only to have Mikan stand in his way. He tried again, but she still moved in front. “I don’t want to play games, now move!” He said firmly.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Mikan smiled as she spoke. “I have quite a bit of business with you. I’m just buying my time away.”

Alex smiled sarcastically. “Well pardon me, but I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“Well then I’ll be direct, I‘m going to take your soul now.”

Alex ****ed an eyebrow believing the woman before him to be insane. “And how are you supposed to do that?”

Mikan grinned. “Well first, I’ll tie you down. Second, I’ll sedate you so your psyenergy would be useless. Then, I’ll exorcise your soul. After that, I‘ll probably feed your body to my pets. It‘s quite simple, really.”

Alex frowned. “You can’t be serious.”

“Of course I am. Besides, aren’t I supposed to tell you my plan before I actually go through it, being a proper villain?” Mikan laughed.

Alex took a step back. “Just try your first step then.”

“Tee-hee. I already have.”

“???” Alex felt the ground beneath him shift. “What-?” Something black shot from the ground, wrapping itself around his limbs. “I don’t sense any psyenergy!!”

Mikan smiled as he was bound, the black ribbons holding him up into the air. “That’s because it isn’t psyenergy, you lout.”

“!!!” Alex quickly began to fight back but felt the ribbons twist around his neck. “What is-?!”

“I have very eccentric taste in fashion. Those ribbons are alive, you see, no psyenergy is being used. Now to sedate you.” Mikan flipped her hand forward.

The ribbons on his neck loosened and twisted over his face. Alex couldn’t breath or see and his concentration was suddenly broken. Mikan gleefully watched him struggle, becoming weaker and weaker, until he finally passed out. The ribbons slipped free from his face, allowing Alex to breath.

Mikan approached, letting her mind clear, focusing only on the task at hand. She could see deeper into him, past all physical, only seeing the spiritual. “…Hmm…”

Alex winced.

“He’s already in pain?” Mikan stepped forward and placed her hand against his chest. Alex reeled and gasped.

“Ahh…!” He jolted awake. The ribbons immediately dropped him against the ground a shrank back to Mikan.

“So fragile a soul you have.”

Alex was on his hands and knees, clutching his chest.

“No point in even trying to remove that….It would fall apart.” Mikan shrugged and began to walk away.

“W-who are you?!” Alex gasped.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” She turned grinning broadly. “My name is Mikan.”

A ravager lion slipped through the trees. Mikan climbed onto it’s back and watched Alex slam his fist into the ground as it charged away.

~~~~

After running, blazing, forcing myself forward, I found myself back to where I had been the night before. Mt. Aleph stood before me. I looked back, and sensed no one was behind me.

The great mountain and its fallen glory.
But somehow, it’s still beautiful…

Suddenly, something drew me to its peak, and that’s where I decided to go. I was going mountain climbing.

Maybe I can go home from there…

[Somia]

ha...Alex deserved it. Another nice chapter Lind, Hoping for more soon.

[Kikuichimonji]

@_@ do you have any idea how long that took for me to read

XD you should give this story to the camelot people

wait, you've already wrote too much :D oh well, it's really good anyway

[Lind]

Sorry folks, no new chapter yet. I was pretty sick over the past few days and even though I was home and had all the time I wanted to type, sitting down in front of the computer literally hurt (it's a long story...). I going to put a rush on the next chapter I might be able to get it done tonight, or maybe tommorow.

[Somia]

aw.. hope you get well soon.

[Lind]

:D Well, I wanted to get the next shapter up as soon as I could, and i got this done. I hit a bit of a writer's block and basically splurged on paper with this one. It's just leading up to what's happening next. :D I had only an hour to write today...




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 20

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Razi hated being the Flower Maiden.

The elders made it out as a divine blessing to be chosen as the Flower Maiden. The beautiful caregiver of the most precious treasure of the entire tribe; the Elin Blossom. Always loved and guarded by her nomadic tribe, and blessed with the powers of the great land that the tribe travels. Once their powers fade and they grow to weak to care for the flower, she will chose a new maiden and pass her last powers unto the new Flower Maiden.

For Razi, being the Flower Maiden meant she was forced to carry a burden she didn’t want or deserved. Razi never understood why she was chosen to be the Flower Maiden. Maybe it was because her father had special powers to control fire, or maybe it was because she was the only girl in the tribe at the right age when the last passed on.

That was another problem; Razi was the only teenage girl in the entire tribe. She was surrounded by male influence her whole life and thus, grew up a fighter. The Flower Maiden risking life and limb was unheard of. If something were to happen to her, the tribe would lose its guiding light and eventually cease to exist. At least, that’s what the elders predicted would happen.

Razi also had a third problem; She was always restless. Her energy had no bounds and she was constantly on the move. She felt like the only one able and ever willing to keep up with her was Didi, a little girl in the tribe who always looked at Razi like her older sister. The Flower Maiden was supposed to stay under the watchful eyes of the tribe, meaning she could never stray from the encampments, ever. Razi left all the time.

Then there was the flower itself, the Elin Blossom. Or, to be more precise, the Elin Bud. The whole point of the tribe being nomadic was to find the right place in the world where the flower could bloom. After over two centuries, the right land still hasn’t been found. The flower has lived for over two hundred years, and has yet to grow past the twisted flower bud it is.

Razi hated being the Flower Maiden. She was a energetic and raging tomboy who wanted nothing to do with the tribe that forced her purpose down her throat. So that’s why she left, to be who she wanted to be and to get the flower to bloom as soon as possible.

She even hoped that one day, someday, she could leave for good. And her dream may come true, after today.

~~~~

I remember my friends from back in Manay, my hometown in Lun’ato. I admittedly hung out with the weird ones, which wasn’t a problem. We knew we were weird (eccentric, as we preferred), each in our own way, and we never judged one another for it.

Heck, on the outside, I seemed most normal!

Mira had a scary look to her, like she was the wicked stepmother in teenage form. Actually she was pretty sharp, but she was the big sister that took care of us. I spent a lot of time just talking to her. She knows almost everything about me, and besides Papa and Queen Astrid, she’s the only one who does.

Oh, Sandy…Where do I start with you? You and your beloved afro! You could give that thing its own address. You were always making us laugh and you were always smiling. You always kept my spirits up and made me enjoy myself.

Celesta, the androgynous one. That’s what everyone called you. But deep down, you were the most girly of all. Hmm… And the most intelligent. You were always our voice of reason. Sometimes I thought you were the only sane person I knew!

But now… I’ll never see you again…

~~~~

I looked out, over the fields, the trees, and the land. I was on the lost mountain, Mt. Aleph.

I had just ran from someone who meant something to me. Something… special. But my heart was aching for something else…

Home…

~~~~

Queen Astrid entered the field where Ziegfried stood among a small group of soldiers. Astrid wandered closer, the train of her dress pulling the loose seeds of the dandelions free. She could only imagine his devastation.

“Your Highness!” A female knight called. “What are you doing here?”

Astrid smiled. “I came to visit Ziegfried.”

The woman ****ed an eyebrow, and looked at her Queen strangely. Astrid frowned.

One of the men was rubbing Ziegfried’s back. “Calm down, buddy… what’s done is done…we couldn’t do anything to-”

“I just can’t believe that!!” Ziegfried cut him off. The man actually began to cry, his awesome mass lunging with each sob.

Astrid walked up to him. “Shhh… Don’t cry…” She held him, almost disappearing in his returning embrace.

The female knight looked exasperated, turning away at the sight. “What a dolt…” she mumbled.

The knight who was busy comforting Ziegfried looked infuriated. “If you don’t plan on helping, then just leave! How would you feel if you lost your only family!”

The woman picked up a dandelion, still in its sunburst-like flower form. “I never liked them anyway…So not a thing…”

Asrtid pulled free from Ziegfried’s grip and looked at her coldly. “Lexine, I will not hear such words!”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Lexine snapped the flower off its stem.

“Don’t kill the flowers!!” Ziegfried yelled at the woman. Lexine dropped the stem.

Astrid turned to the male soldier. “Ren, has it been confirmed?”

He nodded solemnly.

“Well then… I guess its true…,” Astrid sighed. “Mikan has left for the other world…”

Ziegfried dropped to his knees, slamming him massive fists against the ground, wailing, “Why did she have to leave me!?!?! Why was she the only one?!?!?!”

“Now who’s killing the flowers?” Lexine sighed.

Ziegfried looked down at the crushed and scattered plants. He lifted them up into his hands. “Nooo!!! I’ve killed her flowers!!!”

“The deterioration of our world has already begun, and is going in full force,” Ren stated. “My queen, what should we do?”

Astrid stroked her hand through Ziegfried’s hair. “We have found a rift between the worlds.”

The three knights looked stunned.

“What?! Where?! I thought that it was impossible to move between the worlds!” Lexine claimed.

Astrid looked at her firmly. “It was, until now.”

“Your highness, please tell me where it is!” Ren moved in front of his queen. “I’ll begin preparation for the best of the army to leave right away!”

Astrid shook her head. “I cannot send an arm through it, Ren. Only one can pass it.”

“Then I’ll go.” Lexine looked darkly at the sky, it’s dim orange looming over.

Astrid looked angry. “No, Lexine, you will not be going.”

Lexine looked at Astrid with her arms crossed. “The who will go, your highness.”

Astrid looked at the broken hearted man before her. “Ziegfried will.”

The three were taken back.

Ziegfried stood up. “Why me?”

Astrid smiled. “I can sense the faint signal of a familiar girl up there.”

Ziegfried lit up. “When do I go?!”

[Linear]

I love all the chapters! *read them when wasn't logged on* I love the writing as usual! 20/10!!! :D

[Lind]

Bleh.... I was supposed to have this chapter done this time yesterday...



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 21

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“…”

Razi tossed the wicker basket aside, holding the flower pot in hand. She frowned agitatedly at the twisted flower bud, barely able to hold back her desires to crush it and toss the pieces aside somewhere.

“But the tribe… But the tribe…”she repeated to herself. “Stupid plant…” She nearly dropped it. “But the tribe… Ugh…”

Razi sighed and approached the edge of a cliff. “I heard running water, but I didn’t think it would be down a ravine.” Razi looked over the edge and gulped, recovering from a small dizzy spell. “More like a small canyon… Oh great…”

Razi heard rustling in the brush. “Hmmm…”She heard it move away. Probably just some wild animal, she thought and brushed it aside. Now how am I supposed to get down there?

Piers held himself back. The girl a short distance away didn’t twice about him and went about her business. As far as he was concerned, that was fine. He wasn’t exactly jumping at the thought of seeing a girl, especially one he had never met before, looking like he had gotten into a dog fight, and lost.

Razi was thinking aloud. “Maybe there’s something I can climb down with…” She began to walk along and caught sight of a small vine. “Ah-hah!”

Piers began to sneak away when a familiar growl sounded nearby. He gasped, “It came back…?” He looked at Razi, who was too preoccupied to notice.

Piers listened hard. Please, don’t let it be what I think it is, he thought.

Razi quickly realized the vine was too thin and short to serve her purpose. She performed a growth spell on and watched it double in size and length.

Feeling Razi’s psyenergy, Piers’ train of thought was cut off, and a second growl was heard, this time much louder.

Razi heard it. “What the-!? Animals around here aren‘t that loud…” She glanced around herself. “… Huh…?” Not seeing or hearing anymore, she placed the Elin Blossom back into its basket, and slung it over her shoulder.

Then it appeared, its massive form stepping out of the brush. Piers could feel his fear suddenly build, imaging it lashing it’s teeth across Razi, just like the other had done to him.

Razi turned and saw the massive beast. “Darn it…” She placed the basket aside and gripped her ax. “How am I going to get out of this?”

Piers thought it was strange to see such a petite girl prepare to fight with a battle ax, but he brushed the thought aside. There were other things to be worried about.

Almost laughing within its growl, the ravager lion steadily approached Razi. Razi prepared for it to strike, but it didn’t have a chance to, Piers struck first.

Razi fell backwards, nearly over the cliff, watching spires of ice rip through the lion’s skin. It roared in pain and turned to Piers, who now appeared from his hiding place.

He has powers too? Razi thought. Looking at the battle scarred man who protected her actually made her heart skip a beat.

The lion bared its sharp teeth threateningly at Piers. Weaponless, knew his best psyenergies where useless and would have to just distract it enough for Razi to escape. Razi, on the other hand, could see how beaten Piers was and wanted to help him.

To Piers’ surprise, Razi stood up, ax in hand, and performed Mad Growth on the beast.

~~~~

“A misty vision?” Tarinley asked me as I dived into myself.

“Or perhaps a simple hallucination?” Pillan suggested.

“No, nothing like that,” I answered. “And since when has a hallucination been simple?”

Pillan laughed, her deep voice reminiscent of the voice fitting a enigmatic woman, like the lead female in a mystery novel or even a horror.

“I thought at first that one of you two did it, but I must have done it myself…”

“You somehow knew he was going to be hurt, then, bam! It happens,” Tarinley sighed. She, on the other hand, sounded far more like the upbeat and fiery kind of woman, the kind that would make a great leader in her own rite.

“Pillan, are you sure you didn’t cause it?”

“If I did, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

This time, I was the one who sighed.

“Don’t let it bother you, Elle. You couldn’t have helped him…” Tarinley comforted.

“It doesn’t matter in the end, Elle. What’s done is done, and that’s that.”

“Pillan! Don’t be so cold!”

“I can’t help it, it’s in my nature.”

“Well, why not try to be out of character for once!”

“I think that would be best for you, Tarinley.”

“What does that mean?!”

“Stop.”

“!!!” Both went quite. “…”

“I just don’t want you two to argue.” I could sense them both give me emotions of guilt. “Don’t be like that…” I told them.

“Well… What do you want to do?” Tarinley asked.

I could myself externally look down. “I just don’t know… I feel like jumping off this cliff here might work…”

“Suicide is just a quick fix with a huge amount of repercussions,” Pillan told me. “Imagine if it didn’t work…”

“Or if Felix found you…” Tarinley sounded pained.

I gasped.

“Felix has grown more than a little close to you, Elle,” Tarinley pointed out.

I paused. “I don’t understand why…”

“Well, think about it then. How long do you think you slept in that bed, healing?” Pillan asked.

I had no idea.

“Almost four weeks!” Tarinley said.

“!!! Seriously?!”

“Yes, and Felix was beside you as much as he possibly could be.” Pillan almost seemed embarrassed.

“He’d check up on you all the time. And I mean, all the time.” Tarinley giggled. “He was be your side more than he was with anyone else!”

“…” I blushed.

“He couldn’t wait for you to wake up. He wanted to talk to you and get to know you so badly.”

“He was so worried about you, that he just wanted to know you even more!”

“Wow…”

“You’ve already seen how he is when he's around you. He’s so quite and to himself with everyone else.”

“I would have never thought that…”

“I think he’s in lo-o-ove!” Tarinley sang.

“Aiee!” I yelped.

Tarinley was laughing herself to death. Pillan seemed exasperated over her, sweat dropping.

She brushed it aside, Tarinley calming down, and spoke straight to me. “He knows who we are, Elle.”

She caught me off guard. “He does?”

“At least, he has an idea of what we are,” she corrected herself. “We tried to defend you, unsure of his intentions.”

“When was this?” I asked.

“Right when he found you for the first time.”

“Oh… I don’t remember anything…”

Tarinley gave me the sense that she was shrugging. “You were out cold during most of it, honey.”

“…Wait, ‘during most of it’?” I asked.

“Hang on, hang on…” Tarinley assured. “She’ll get to that.”

“He came rushing forward, using his ‘psyenergy’ on you, full force. We had no idea what he was doing and attacked, but we were both so weak at this point that we couldn’t touch him.”

“In other words, Felix is really strong!”

“He stood there, completely confused, but still tried his psyenergy on you. At this point we started to come out, whether it was because of your state or because of ours, we don’t know.”

“Probably both.”

“Anyway, he actually ignored us!”

“What?” I didn’t believe it. “If anyone sees you, they usually freak…”

“I know!” Tarinley said. “He just went right on healing you like we weren’t even there!”

“At this point, Felix had picked you up and began to ran back to the village, still somehow healing you.”

“That’s when you woke up.”

“And the rock appeared…”

“Rock? What are you talking about… !!!” They sensed it before I did.

I pushed my mind back to the surface, and saw them; Black strips of fabric slithering their way up around me.

“What the-!”

“Oh, Mikanelle! Don’t you know when it’s me?”

“!!!” I could’ve screamed. Fear overtaking me, I leaned back against the rock.

“Oh, well that just won’t do…”

No…

I was shaking and could feel tears on my checks.

No…!

“I’ll be taking you…” I heard her say, almost laughing.

“Elle!?!?”

!!!

“…” She growled.

Felix…?

[Linear]

Wonderful chapter again Lind! ^^ I always enjoy reading them, haha! *claps*

[Phaiya]

great job this is very good and well written

please write more

[l3lueMage]

OMG thats the best i have read, i put it all into word so I can keep a copy ^_^ its 76 pages o.O and thats size 9 font, i put it on size 12 and its 112 pages...j/w are you going to publish this :P

[Somia]

um...how do I put this..A-W-S-O-M-E! keep it up lind~

[Lind]

:silence: Evil Computer! :) :P :agitated:

Over the past week or two my computer has near literally crashed itself to pieces and having to reboot itself multible times just to RUN. Becuase of that, I could only have my computer on sparingly and never enough to get some writing in. The problem has been fixe enough to where I can actually use the thing, and the next chapter is in the works. I am very sorry it has been such a LLLOOONNNGGG delay, but I'll keep going! I've put way to much time into this thing to stop now!

[Linear]

XD So much confidence! I can't wait to read in what your gonna create next! XD

[gsninja]

You're stories are excellent, Lind! Can't wait to see what's next!

[l3lueMage]

How long does it take for each section you write?

[Lind]

Yay! I finished chapter 22! I usually get a new chapter done in a matter of days.


Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 22

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is it,” Astrid stood out on the balcony of the Keep.

Ziegfried looked left and right, totally confused. “What is?”

Astrid smiled. “This is the one place in the whole world where one can travel to the other world above.”

Ziegfried thought for a moment. “Then is this… where the rip is?”

Astrid nodded.

Ziegfried did a motion for victory. “So… how does it work?”

“I’m not sure.”

Ziegfried nearly fell over. “What?!”

Astrid looked down, her long curls slipping over her eyes. “This is definitely where we lost her.”

“???”Ziegfried stepped forward. “Huh? Here?”

“This was the very place where she was ripped from Kazaza to Weyard.” Astrid frowned.

Ziegfried looked down with Astrid, feeling his sorrow slowly rebuild itself. Astrid knew his pain was beyond anything she could possibly comfort, especially when she had to hide her own.

Astrid turned up to his glistening, black eyes. “Ziegfried, she was very strong, and lasted until she found her way here.”

“Then she fought until the very end?” he asked, showing he had hope.

Astrid smiled sweetly and nodded.

Ziegfried lit up and rubbed his eyes. “My little girl works best under pressure…” he said filled with love and pride.

Astrid quickly changed her mood to be more informative. “My scientists and I think we may have found a way to transport a person to Weyard. I don’t think it will be the same as when your daughter was transferred, and so far, it seems to be one way trip…”Astrid sighed.

“I can go and find her but we can never come back?” Ziegfried frowned. “…”

Astrid frowned. “Yes… So far, we haven’t found a way…”

“My little pride and joy is at stake, so no matter what, I must go,” Ziegfried said firmly. Astrid looked surprised. “Don’t worry,” he assured her, placing his hand on her cheek. “We’ll all somehow find a way back again… I know you won’t give up on me that easily.” He winked.

Astrid blushed and took his hand from her cheek. “I would never think of such a thing…”

They both smiled at one another.

~~~~

“Elle!! Hang on!!” Felix called to me.

He wasn’t the only one there, the entire group was with him, even Garet. Mama turned, her eyes glaring with rage but she continued smiling and laughing at them.

“Hmm… the prince and his loyal fighters?” Mama said in Kazazan. “No… Just a bunch of well armed warriors.” She smirked. “Your prince isn’t exactly royal looking either, Mikanelle. He needs a haircut and his clothes look a little worn… You have very odd taste….Hmm…”

She’s making fun of Felix!

“Stop it!” I yelled.

“???” Mama wasn’t paying attention to me. I couldn’t tell what she was staring at, but she was quite interested in whatever it was.

She moved a few steps forward, the ribbons I was tied with pulling me with her. I fell flat on my face and let out a yelp.

“Elle! Are you okay?!” Felix yelled to me.

“…” I was too embarrassed to answer.

“Oh…!” Mama suddenly brimmed with joy. “Absolutely beautiful!!!”

“???” Everyone was confused, including me.

“So lovely and bright! I’ve never seen anything like it!” She was actually blushing she was so excited.

I realized who she was staring at and it was making Jenna furious.

Why is she so interested in him?
!!!
Does she see something I can’t?!?

“He’s such a cute young man, too! I must have him!”

“Ahh!! You dirty old hag!!!” Jenna screamed. She shot out a burst of flame, sliding and darting in the air at Mama.

Mama swept the ribbons up and literally brushed Jenna’s attack aside. Mama smiled and looked back to the group.

Jenna looked like she was on the verge of throwing a tantrum. “Stop looking at him like that, you ugly woman!!!” She turned to Isaac at her side. “She’s nothing right?!?”

“…” Poor Isaac had no clue what to do. “Y-yeah…”

Isaac’s embarrassment and everyone else’s total confusion just made Jenna even angrier at Mama.

Oh wow… I didn’t know she was that close to Isaac…

Suddenly, everyone’s mood changed. I could see Felix fill with absolute fury.

Mama turned up toward me. I jumped in surprised at her dark stare. “What do you want?”

She’s not talking to me…

I looked up and gasped. “Alex?!?”

He looked at Mama blankly.

“Aww… Is he embarrassed?” Mama teased. “Embarrassed that he lost?”

I heard the group below sound off in shock and speak among themselves too quietly for me to understand.

…What?!
I’m fading again!!!

“Ha, you never even had a chance to attack!” Mama boasted.

Alex’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Maybe, but now I have an understanding of how you fight.”

Alex jumped down to my level. My vision blurred slightly. Felix tried saying something, but I couldn’t hear it.

Alex looked down to him and said, “Sorry, but you might have to lose again.”

Again???

“Hey, what are you going to do?” Mama asked.

I can hardly hear her now…

“I’m taking Elle, that’s what.” Alex reached down and grabbed my neck, lifting me to my feet. I tried speaking, but my voice failed. The ribbons had me tied up so that I couldn’t move.

I’m a hostage to both of them!!!

“I need her, you see, to complete my objectives.” Alex added.

“Oh dear, that’s not how it works you see…” Mama had the ribbons push herself up to our level. “She’s basically already mine…” She ran her hands through her hair. “And I would rather keep her…”

“Despite that, I’ll still be taking her.” Suddenly, Alex gripped tighter and began to melt into the air.

“Not today!! We’re playing fair!!” Alex and I were cut off by the ribbons. I was set loose, coughing and falling.

What’s going on?!?

Then suddenly, my mind felt like it had died.

~~~~

“Alex, don’t you dare touch her!!” Felix yelled.

Alex looked down to him and gave a near maniacal grin. “Sorry, but you might have to lose again.”

Felix saw images of white snow and red hair. His rage mounted. “We have to get up there!!”

Everyone agreed and began to climb further up Aleph. Mikan and Alex argued, each sending the other blunt and sarcastic remarks with striking similarity. But one thing Mikan said caught Felix’s attention;

“She’s basically already mine…”

What does she mean? he thought. Then he remembered Elle spilling her heart out to him the night before. !!! Could Mikan the woman who created Elle? Then that means…

“Elle!!” Felix looked up, only to see her fall.

Everyone gasped or screamed as Elle fell to the ground, her body hitting with a crack. Felix could feel terror replace his anger and he cried out to her.

“ELLE!!!”

[Isaac13]

Very good, Lind. I like what you have done so far.

[Golden Djinn13]

I really enjoyed it!!!!!!!!! :wub:

[Isaac13]

That was spam, Gd13 5 words and lower is spam. Do it more, and you get a warning.

[gsninja]

Another nicely written chapter, Lind! The story is great!

[Lind]

In case you haven't noticed, I've basically given up the art part of this story mostly becuase I simply don't have the time for it. We need more hours in the day! :(





Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 23

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I heard a strange sound.
Kind of like a snapping sound.

It probably wasn’t real though; I knew I was dreaming now.
And when I dream I’m…

Alone.

So very alone…

And its like I’m trapped with an ultimatum.

Either die…

Or become my true self…

…
…
…

Alex said he knew what I was… The real me.

The killer.

The ethereals are gone…

I don’t want to let myself go like that!

I don’t want to…!

Bloodlust is in your nature.

No…

Denying that only hurts you.

No…!

You are a monster.

No…!!

You’ve been since you were born.

You are a berserker.

!!!

I scream, but no one is there to hear me.
No one can help becuase I’m…

…Alone…

But I’m still…!

Similar, yes. But you are not the same.
You are not human.
You are not a woman.

I feel an ache in my stomach.

It’s just an empty space inside you.
Even if you were to fall in love and be a wife you would still fail.
The very reason of womanhood is denied you.

I began to cry.

You were born this way.
It goes against what you are.
And you are not human.

I felt my head throb and I fell to my knees.

Your mother and creator has rejected you.
You are simply one of her experiments.
A throw away to possibly be recycled later.

I cried out in anguish.

Your father is gone.
Forever unreachable to you.
You are alone.

Wait! I still have…








Behind my house, there is this huge open field of nothing but dandelions.
DANDELIONS.
Millions of them.

And that field was mine.

It was my first gift.
No, it was symbolic for my first gift.

When Papa brought me to his home, he took me through the big house, told me where my room was, where his room was (conveniently across the hall from mine), the main hall, and everything else there.

“No servants,” he said. “I never needed one. You probably won‘t either.” He said it with a smile.

I was basically in a daze, clueless and confused as to what was happening. I didn’t know why this giant man had brought to his home, why I stayed in this room, why he stayed in that room, why I shouldn’t go into the other room, why he didn’t have servants or why he would need the in the first place. It wasn’t until he took me out back, out onto the deck, that I realized what was happening.

Papa had covered my eyes and led me outside. “And this,” he said, “is yours.”

He pulled his hand away to show me an awesome field of orange flowers. I jumped in surprise. “All of them?” I asked.

“Every last one,” he said, grinning.

That was the first time I smiled from the bottom of my heart. I ran out into those flowers and fell flat on my face.

Just like that.
Flowers in my face.

Papa ran out and picked me up. “Slow down, sweetie,” he said brushing all the tiny petals from my hair as I rubbed my eyes. “I want to tell you something.” He put me up on his shoulder, easily big enough to serve as a seat for me and walked. “Do you know what kind of flowers these are?”

I shook my head.

“These are called Dandelions.”

“Dandelions…” I repeated.

“Yep, and these flowers can grow just about anywhere. But because of that, they are everywhere.”

I tilted my head and thought on that for a second.

“People don’t appreciate Dandelions. You can see one whenever you want, but people just don’t like them. People take Dandelions for granted.”

“Oh… You mean like grass?”

“Yeah, just like grass! You’re so smart!”

I brightened.

“Dandelions are very strong for a couple of reasons, you see. They have very long and sturdy roots that stretch as deep into the ground as they need.” Papa stopped and put me down in front of a fluffy ball of white stuff.

I looked at it curiously and asked, “What kind of flower is this?”

“This is a Dandelion, too.”

“It is? But all the others are orange!”

“Yep, this is the next thing these flowers become. This one is ready to spread its seeds.”

A breeze picked up a few of the fluffs off the flower and blew them away.

“Dandelions’ seeds are light and fluffy and get carried far out by the wind so that they can grow into Dandelions, too.” He bent down to his knees, still considerably taller than I was. “I want us to be like one of these Dandelions.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You can be one of these pretty little flowers, and I’ll be your roots so you can grow anywhere and spread your seeds to wherever you want.” He hugged me. “So from now on, you’re my little daughter and I’m you big papa.”

“You’re my…Papa…” It took a while to sink in, but when it did, I began to cry.








You’ve been torn from your roots by greedy hands, and you have no seeds to spread.
You’re just the thing you were before.
Nothing like a Dandelion.

But who pulled me out…?

I looked out, in my field, to a man. He was too distant for me to make out his features, and it was night out. I began to run toward him. I watched as he turned to look at me and I stopped dead.

Alex looked at me, smiling wickedly, twisting a Dandelion in his hand. I watched in horror and he crushed and destroyed it, letting the disfigured plant fall.

And I fell. Destroyed and broken, I fall and fall and fall screaming into darkness…

The blackness beyond the ether.
This is the edge of death.
You are dieing.

Somebody help!!

You are alone.
You are like the demon who falls eternally into nothing.
Falling till the darkness ends and nothingness reigns supreme.

No, I don’t want to die!!

No one is here to save you.
You must save yourself.
You must become a …








“Elle!”

It was so faint, so far away. A voice was calling out to me.

“Elle! Please open your eyes!”

I’m not …
Alone…?

“Elle, don’t die!”

Don’t die???

I felt a warm form cradling me, protecting my body from harm, but my mind was what was dieing.

“Elle, please… I can‘t lose you, too…” he said in a whisper.

I was suddenly overtaken by an earthy smell. Like fresh soil ready to be used for planting.

Smells like gardening…

“Please wake up……!!!”

Felix?!

I heard him and felt him as he was struck, keeping my body safe from harm at the cost of his own.

“…Elle…” I heard him whisper my name through his pain.

Blood in the soil….
…
…
I smell blood!!


Felix!!!







I will not die here.
I will not let myself die yet.
Not when he is struggling for me to live.

I must save him.
I will save him.

Felix will survive with me.

[Somia]

long.. but it was really awsome!~

[Linear]

^.^ my oh my, another long and great/awesome/wonderful chapter! *is in 'awe'* heehee, I love it! (as always =D)

[Sol.Warrior]

Golden Djinn13, on Jan 29 2005, 02:42 AM, said:

I really enjoyed it!!!!!!!!! :(

Isaac13, on Jan 29 2005, 02:54 AM, said:

That was spam, Gd13 5 words and lower is spam. Do it more, and  you get a warning.

WRONG! THat is not spam, because he's making a point/opinion.

[Isaac13]

Ghostly voice of Isaac13: :)

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 24

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mikan watched Elle’s prince drop down and rush to her body. He was calling to her, frantic and terrified of losing her. Mikan couldn’t help but respect Felix’s conviction, even if it was to a munin. But right now, she was more interested in the young man who’s spirit was like gold.

Alex jumped down, from ledge to ledge, furious that his plans may have been ruined. He wanted to tear Mikan to shreds but knew he needed to check on Elle first.

Mikan slipped down the mountain dangerously close to the party. Jenna’s psyenergy was ready to explode.

“Hmmm….” Mikan thought out loud. “What to do, what to do….”

“Alex!” Garet yelled, beginning to charge to where he was.

Mikan, a little annoyed, walled off his path with her ribbons. Garet skidded to a halt and turned to Mikan, who smiled at his expression while turning to Isaac.

“…” Isaac was in a very uncomfortable position. “What do you want?!” he yelled.

“Oh… Not much….” Mikan giggled.

Jenna continued to fume. “Stop that!! He’s mine, you perverted old hag!!”

Mikan sweat dropped. “Old hag???”

“Sorry, I meant ugly hag!!!!!”

“Ugly???” Mikan ran a hand through her hair. “So rude…”

“Jenna… I don’t think that’s helping….” Ivan said.

“You be quite!!!” She snapped. Ivan leapt back in surprise. “She already took Piers! I’m not about to let her take Isaac, too!!”

Her words rippled through the party, uprooting what had happened the night before. They readied to fight.

~~~~

Felix lifted up Elle’s head. “Elle?! Elle?! Please open your eyes!!” He gently shook her.

Elle winced and coughed, a small bit of blood running down her chin.

“Felix, you fool! Don’t move her!!” Alex yelled, now standing on the ledge above them.

Felix growled at Alex and pulled Elle close to him. “Don’t come any closer.”

Alex looked down at the two. “Or else what? You’re alone against me. Your party is busy with our other friend at the moment.”

Felix looked over; Mikan was blocking the others from him.

“Once again, you fail miserably at protecting the one you care for most.” Alex laughed. “I’m amazed that you fail twice at such a task.”

Felix was pained and then infuriated at what Alex was saying.

“Need I remind you of the fact you seem to pick out the one girl you can never have?” Alex watched as Felix crumbled, clutching Elle against him. “Funny, though, the first didn’t want you, but Elle is an enigma….” Alex trailed off into thought. She showed sympathy toward me….

“Of course,” Felix said, refusing to look at Alex. “But, she still needs me…”

Alex crossed his arms. “Liar. You’re the one who needs her.”

Felix perked at this realization. He looked at her, whispering into her ear, “Elle, don’t die…”

Alex jumped down to their level. “Elle is just a monster with a body shaped like that of a girl. You knew this all along, but you still let your heart rule your mind.”

“Stay back!” Felix gripped the handle of his Sol Blade, which didn’t even faze Alex.

“This is déjà vu , is it not? You try and try, but you always fail.”

Felix gasped and sensed Alex’s psyenergy build up quickly.

“You fool, driven by emotions! You’ve fallen so quickly for something completely inhuman!” Alex laughed.

Felix turned to Elle, gently breathing. “Elle, please….I can’t lose you, too…”

Alex unsheathed his Dark Sword.

“Please wake up…” Felix pleaded to the dying girl in his arms.

“Time to die, Felix.” Alex laughed as he poured every bit of his psyenergy out into a single great blast.

Felix pulled his sword forward, useless in blocking Alex’s psyenergy. He was blown backwards against the rock, electricity surging through his form, blocking his ability for move or even yell.

Alex smiled as Felix slid down the wall, the Sol Blade clattering against the ground, still gripping Elle in his arms. Felix began coughing and sputtering blood.

“….Elle…..” He whispered her name and then passed out.

Alex stepped forward, pleased that Felix couldn’t measure up to his power. “Now, all I need to do is kill him…Easy enough.” He held up his sword above Felix.

“No.”

“!!!”

~~~~

I caught the sword. I don’t know how I managed it, but I caught Alex’s sword. In mid-air. With my bare hands.

And it really hurt!!

I honestly wish I knew a word that could sum up the anger and fear and sadness and love I felt in those moments.

I wanted to kill Alex. I won’t say it any other way.
I wanted him dead.
I wanted him to suffer.
And I knew that nothing was going to stop me.
Not now.

I let go of Alex’s sword and watched him jump back. “It can’t be!”

I laid Felix aside, as gently as I could, making sure not to put him through any more pain.

He’s dying…
…
Felix, I…

I placed my hand on his cheek, pushing his hair away, only to see stains of crimson. Petrified and even more furious, I stood up and looked at Alex. “You made a mistake,” I said, my voice steady despite my body shaking in my rage. “You didn’t expect me to wake up, did you? You’re smart Alex, but you wasted all your power. I’ve seen moves like that before, so you must have learned it from me.”

It took Alex a moment to regain his calm exterior. “Well, I guess I did learn a thing or two from you, however, you’re still far weaker than I am.” He lifted his sword up and prepared to attack. “Especially if this is the god-like powers of the berserker.”

“Silly,” I smiled, “I haven’t showed that side of me yet.”

I’m not going to hold it back this time.
I must save Felix.

“Ha, I will have your power.”

Pillan and Tarinley begged to be flared up and to fight him, but I resisted.

Just a little bit longer…

“My power? Is that what you’re after?” I asked.

I’ll squeeze everything I can get before I destroy him.

“Yes, I’ll be a god and rule over this world.” He had this insane look in his eyes.

“A unique villain with the cliché goal of world domination and power, huh?” I felt my wings flare out, Pillan and Tarinley more than ready to fight.

Alex was taken back for an instant, now angry that his strength was challenged. He charged forward in his fury.

He shouldn’t have moved first.

~~~~

Everything happened at once. They sensed the great attack, heard his scream, and watched him fall over the cliff, dissipating into the air so as not to die.

When they looked to see where Felix and Elle were, both had disappeared.

Mikan looked on, and thought aloud, “That power hungry imbecile lost pitifully…”

Garet looked stunned. “What?? Alex lost???”

Ignoring Garet, Mikan continued. “Elle’s waking up… I wonder if that’s why the man chooses to stay by her… She thirsts for death... Yes, just like I wanted her to.”

“What are you taking about?!?” Sheba yelled. “Who thirsts death!?! You?!?!”

Mikan stared at Sheba, smiling her usual smile. “I don’t thirst for death my dear, but I programmed Mikanelle to do just that.”

“Programmed Mikanelle…?” Ivan looked at her for a moment, then perked. “You don’t mean Elle, do you!?!”

“Elle? There’s just no way! She‘s too sweet to do that!!” Jenna argued.

Mikan laughed. “Well I did make her that way, after all! She is the perfect beast of war!” She proclaimed, grinning proudly.

“Made her…???” Isaac thought.

Now,” Mikan said, turning to Isaac. “We should be going…”

[Linear]

XD Nicely done Lind-san! 10 gold stars! (^O^)

[Lind]

25 chapters. 25. TWENTY-FRICKEN'-FIVE.

What's scary is the story has only taken the time forward a few days. With all that I want to write, I'm afraid I'll finally type "The End" in about chapter 125... :wacko: Yeesh...

Anyway, chapter 26 will be the return of Piers and true introduction of Razi. I haven't forgotten about them, I swear!




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 25

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was so dark outside.

I was in pain, crying and devastated, holding my chest. My heart was racing and I was shaking. I sat next to Felix, him leaned up against a tree, me hunched over next to him. Pillan and Tarinley forced out any healing powers they had, trying to help Felix. It was working, healing his wounds and cleaning up his blood, but I… just wasn’t sure what to do.

Felix is alive.
I did what I set out to do.
So why does it hurt so much!

Felix shifted, making Tarinley try to jump out and keep him still, but I wouldn’t let her. “Please don’t,” I begged. “I don’t want him to know the worst side of me…”

She frowned. “Okay…”

Felix grimaced and opened his eyes. “Elle…?”

I turned to him. My ethereals continued healing, though I could tell they were near exhausted.

“…” He looked at me painfully and placed his hand on my shoulder. “You’re alright…” The way he said made it sound like he was trying to comfort me and himself at the same time. He reached over and wrapped his arms around me and I cried into his shoulder.

“We’re almost done,” Pillan said.

“Felix… I’m sorry…”

“Why?” he asked.

“I almost let it out…. I-I really almost did it… I wanted to…” All I saw was Alex being launched off the cliff, remembering my senses were a blurry mess and my voice of reason was near disintegrated.

“Shh, shh… It’s over now…” Felix held me tighter. “I though you had died….I was so afraid I lost you… I’m tired of losing the people around me…”

What?

“I’m the one who should be sorry….”

“No, you’re the good guy here, Felix…It was my fault…I’m the monster…” My chest ached even more.

Felix pulled back and looked at me in the eyes. “That’s not true!”

“Yes it is!” I cried. “When Alex tried to kill you the only thing I wanted to do was put him through more pain than he could ever do to you! I wanted him to suffer! I honestly wanted him to suffer!!” I buried my face into his chest.

Pillan and Tarinley both hid away inside me, almost hiding from my sorrow.

“I wanted you to survive…Yes, but… I was a different person!! I couldn’t control it!! And it worked!!! I struck Alex down without any sort of remorse!!!”

“Elle…you’re not some hideous monster like you say you are.”

I looked up at him, completely overtaken by emotion. “Then what am I supposed to be?!?!”

“Elle.”

“…”

He was that frank.

He put his hands on my cheek and forced me to look him in the eye. “It doesn’t matter what you do or what you become, you’re still Elle.” He wiped my tears away. “The same Elle who’s always in pain. The one I want to protect. The one I want to save.”

I looked at him strangely. “To… save…?”

He smiled. “It’s my mission.”

I blinked. “But who told you to…?”

Felix suddenly wrapped his arms around me tightly. “Who’s there?!” he called.

“Felix,” a voice said out of nowhere, “Are you certain you should be telling her so soon?”

“Wise One?!” He jumped up. (Obviously, my ethereals did their job nicely.) “What are you doing here?!”

I looked around. “Wise One???”

“I’m here to make sure a foolish young man hasn’t furthered down the path to damnation.”

“What the…?” I was left fully confused and looked up. Almost directly above us was a round rock-like creature, staring down at us with a single giant blue eye. “Holy crap!!” I leapt back against the tree.

“Felix, remember, this is your path to repentance,” it said, almost booming.

Felix stared at it angrily. “I couldn’t care less about repenting for what you say are my sins. Elle is what matters most.”

“Humph… Foolish child!!” It yelled

It floated down to our level, that one eye glaring at me. I ran behind Felix, peeping over his shoulder at the…thing talking.

“Wise One, why can’t you understand?” Felix asked.

“What I can’t understand is why a deviant like you even exists,” Wise One fumed.

Felix was taken back. “What?”

“I should’ve killed the girl when I had the chance rather than leaving her in your care.”

What is it saying???

Felix was shocked. “Don’t you dare touch her!”

“…” Wise One paused for a moment. “You failed your first trial, Felix. Fail again and the girl dies.”

!!!

“What?! You can’t be serious!”

“Fine then, would you rather die with her? Your definite lack of morals shows when you choose something beyond humanity multiple times.”

Felix growled.

“Fool, why do you think the first died? Because she followed those damned Proxan ideas! It was her punishment for twisting you, one of Vale’s own, into the man you are today. To by the sword of you and your allies.”

“Don’t say that about Karst!”

Karst…?

“You know very well you no longer felt for each other, yet you still remain defiant to me.”

“Why wouldn’t I after you also made me nearly kill my family!! Was that just another trial you put on us!?! Do you have any idea what it felt like watching my sister cry over them?!? Or watching Isaac stare out blankly in disbelief when his father was dying, too?!?! If I hadn‘t ‘sinned‘ then, they would‘ve all died!!”

Wise One was furious.

“I already have to live with the fact that what I did will destroy an entire world!!”

…

“Then you agree that unleashing Alchemy will lead Weyard to ruin?”

“No! Elle’s lost everything, and I can’t imagine how many others will, too!! That’s the only mistake I made!!”

…Felix…

“Hold your tongue, boy, or I’ll kill you both.”

Felix gasped and pulled me into his arms.

“You’re the only human in the world who defies the very laws of fate! Why is this?! Why does such a being exist?!?!”

I couldn‘t keep my mouth shut any longer. “What are you talking about?! Who died and made you God?!?! Fate‘s just some illusion someone with too much time on their hands came up with!!”

I looked at me sharply. Felix moved in front of me. “You have no room to speak, idiotic being created without purpose.”

It took me by surprise. I leaned into Felix’s chest and suddenly felt everything blur.

“See, your mind is caving in on itself once again.” It mocked me. “Felix,” it said, turning to him. “If she died at this very moment, Alex wouldn’t be able to complete his mission.”

“What?”

“That girl has the missing piece Alchemy within her body. If that piece were to reach the center, both worlds will truly cease to exist.”

“Don’t give me that crap again!!”

“You’ve only seen the surface of the truth, boy.” It inched in closer. “The final rite to unleash Alchemy unto the world is now ready. If all the pieces come together, both worlds will merge once again in an instant, and in both worlds everyone and everything will die.”

Felix had no idea what to say.

“The worlds will be reborn into what the final holder desires. Alex plans on recreating the world and turning himself into a true god.” It stopped and looked at me. “I want to end this beings life. She is not human, Felix. Would you honestly lower yourself to be with something as low as synthetic life?”

How does it know so much…?

“She’s far more human than most of the people in the world today are. You can deny that all you want, but I’m not going to just sit back and let Elle be put through anymore pain than she already has.”

I began to cry again.

“…” The Wise One floated back upwards. “Fine then, she’s yours, deviant. But remember, I will kill you both if you fail again.”

And with that, it disappeared, leaving us both to fall to our knees, Felix still holding me tight.

“I’m sorry Elle…” Felix told me, pain in his voice. “I have to protect you so that you’ll never have to become a monster…”

I embraced him back and just let my tears flow.

[Toad King]

Well, I just finished reading all 25 chapters. The latest one took my by surprise.
*gives fanfic Stamp of Approval*

[Lind]

Oooo...Dizzy... I don't know were anything is going anymore....




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 26

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“…Huh?” Razi opened one of her eyes and glanced around. “Wasn’t I…” It was too dark to see much, but she could feel she was lying on the hard ground, and something heavy was on top of her. Trying to move whatever it was, it let out a pained moan. It was a man.

Razi was confused. She struggled against his weight to sit up and rested his head against her shoulder. Even in the dark, she could see he was very cute and needed a bit of healing. But Razi wasn’t sure if she should heal him, after all, he was lying on top of her, and she couldn’t remember much from earlier that day. She looked up, sighing.

“…?” The man shifted. “…Wha…?”

“Hello,” Razi said, looking back to him.

“???” He glanced up at her. He gasped, blushing, and quickly pushed himself off. The sudden movement opened a wound in his leg and he stumbled against the pain.

“Oh, you’re bleeding still!” Razi was referring to all the blood caked in his torn clothes. He became even more embarrassed as Razi rushed to heal him.

“… Sorry…” He mumbled.

Razi looked at his eyes. He was trying not to look at her. “About what? This?”

He nodded.

Razi smiled. “I’ll forgive you if you tell me what happened. I don’t remember a thing,” she shrugged.

He tuned to her. “What? You don’t remember anything?” He was a little surprised, and sightly relieved.

“Now that I think about it… I remember coming to find water then… fighting a big thing… then I was falling... But I don’t remember what happened after that…” Razi paused. “I guess I do remember a lot,” she rubbed the back of her head in a “Oh, well,” sort of way.

He smiled.

“Hey, I don’t know your name. Mine is Razi.”

“My name is Piers,” his smile dropped a bit and he blushed more.

“???” Razi looked at him curiously. “What’s wrong?”

“…”

“Come on, I don’t like it when someone holds back from me! There’s no reason for you to be embarrassed!” Razi told him.

“…” Piers paused and scratched the back of his head. “I made the worst first impression possible…”

She was surprised that that was what was bothering him. “Aww… Don’t be like that. I think it was perfect!”

“Oh, then you remember?”

“I do remember one more thing, now,” she giggled. “You saved me from drowning!”

Piers looked off, nodding. He could feel his temperature rise.

She blushed. “You know, even in that situation, you’re a really good kisser.”

Piers nearly fell over, Razi grinning and giggling away.

~~~~

It was very quite for a long time. I cried for a few minutes, but even when I calmed down, he didn’t speak. At this point, we had even moved against a tree, just sitting there, blank and silent. I could completely understand why he felt the way he did, though. I just realized I was totally forced upon him, and he was as hurt and confused as I was.

I desperately searched for a question to spur some sort of conversation out of him, but the only things I could think about were what that rocky thing was talking about.

Exactly what I don’t want to talk about....
But probably have to...

The minutes, hours, days, months that must’ve went by then were agonizing. I wondered what Felix must’ve been thinking about. I remembered Tarinley saying that he’s normally very quiet, but this is pretty extreme!

“I don’t get it…” I finally said.

Felix gasped in surprise, not expecting me to speak so suddenly after such a long silence. “What?” he asked.

I sighed. “A lot of things.”

“…” Felix looked down to me, his eyes almost searching for something.

“I don’t understand what that thing said, for one… well, actually, just about everything it said didn’t make any sense….” I sighed again.

“I don’t understand half of what it says either…” Felix admitted. “But it’s determined to set me straight, apparently.”

“Yeah, but how am I involved with that?”

He looked up. “I was just at the right place and time, and everything became as it is now.”

What does that mean? I thought. Another question came to my mind, but it was hard for me to ask. “What exactly… happened… when you found me?”

“…” Felix turned to look at me. “I’ll tell you, but are you sure you want to know everything?”

I nodded.

He took a deep breath. “Okay… I already told you how Vale was gone when we had arrived, but about a week later, I went back to see Mt. Aleph one last time. I was frustrated and tired of just everything that was going even tough we were finally done traveling, so I went out alone.”

I thought came to mind. “Then are you the kind of person who would rather scream at the top of their lungs alone to let out stress?”

He smiled a little. “That’s basically what I did.”

“I thought so… Please, keep going.”

“Okay… When I was done, I saw your… blood on the ground. At that moment, I thought you were Alex, and fallowed the trail.”

“Alex??? Why Alex???”

“I don’t know… I couldn’t think straight ad the only person I could think of being near Mt. Aleph was Alex, even though now I know that that would have been impossible.”

“Why?”

“Because the Golden Sun had risen almost three months ago.”

!!! That can’t be right…

“Instead of Alex, I found you…” His expression dropped. “It was terrible… I didn’t think…I didn’t think you would survive but, I tried using all the power I had to heal you. I knew my strength wouldn’t be enough, so I picked you up and began to run back to Vault as fast as I could.”

Felix stopped and sighed. “Only a minute after I had begun to carry you back, the Wise One appeared… What he told me then was that you didn’t deserve my help. You were going to die. He even said that you needed to die!” Felix growled.

I didn’t expect him to become so angry about it, but maybe I wasn’t used to someone besides my father feeling that way about me. He continued:

“I wasn’t about to let him get away with that. He was furious that I rebelled against his word. He then told me that I was born in Vale for a reason and I was a traitor to the world… I was the one that triggered this whole mess… No, disaster, that set everything into motion. The Wise One told me that I was damned for what I had done, and that he had lost all hope for me…”

“I still don’t know what give a giant floating rock authority over you.”

“He’s the guardian of Sol Sanctum and the village covering its entrance, Vale. He‘s basically an all powerful being, and as children were told that he‘s good and benevolent.”

“Well, someone had that completely wrong.”

“Maybe… But, he’s only harsh to me.”

“And me…” I added.

“You… Were awake for a moment then…”

“???” I looked at him. Felix looked like his was in pain.

“You didn’t say anything but… You cried and I could see in your eyes that you wanted to live… But the Wise One tried to use that against and told me your eyes were what showed what you really were… The blood in yours eyes…”

“…” I frowned.

“I still didn’t want to leave you. Even after all he said, something kept driving me to protect you. The Wise One finally said maybe my redemption lied with you. He said that if you caused no harm to others, we would be free.”

“I understand now…” I said, distantly. “That’s why you took care of me…”

“No!!”

I jumped.

“I didn’t do it because the Wise One told me to! I did it because I want to protect you! I want to save you, Elle!”

“…” I looked at him, wide eyed and dazed. “…Why?… I don’t understand… don’t under…” I drifted off.

Felix pulled me close, his velvety voice aching in my ears. “Because everything about me is loss… I hate it… I’m tired of it… I’m tired of being a fool…A pawn…”

Whoa…!

“I just want to live for once!”

I looked into his brown eyes, begging me to understand. “To live…?…To live for? You need me…to live for…?”

“Yes.”

You can probably guess what I did next;

I fainted.

[Ravenblade]

wow...ok i apologise for never reading or posting about your stuff before - im going to make a point of doing so now. That was awesome Lind! I love the way the dynamics between them build up and also the way you've made it dramatic yet not overly so. You have a very good balance, and indeed a lot of skill. Plus you're like the only person who keeps their fanfic going!

Great stuff, i loved it. More soon o.o!

[Linear]

O_O *is just staring at the chapter* another wonderful chapter done by the awesomeness Lind! XD Keep it up, you are a aawweessoommeee writer!

[Venus dude 21]

YOU ARE THE WRITING GOD!!
This is amazing, i would buy this if it was a book.
Make more chapters, the lenght doesn't matter.

[gsninja]

Another great chapter, Lind! You're a great storywriter, and I like that.

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 27

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mia looked outside the inn’s window. Alex hadn’t returned, and she was beginning to wonder if going back was a mistake.

But we’re engaged!, she thought. I have to be with him. We’re destined for each other…

Then she’d trail off to her friends, to her adventure, to Garet…

Mia held her head, her thoughts bouncing back and forth. She kept this internal argument going until she heard a knock on the door. It was the innkeeper.

“Excuse me, miss, but… there’s a man down stairs asking to come up to your room…” He sounded pretty unsure.

“What’s his name?” Mia asked.

“I think it was Alex.”

Mia felt her spirit immediately lift. “Please, let him in.”

The innkeeper complied and within a minute, a familiar for dragged itself in. Mia was terrified at his state. “Alex, what happened?!”

He shut the door behind him, and quickly tossed his dirty and slightly bloody vest and cape aside. “…Too strong,” he said quietly.

Mia led Alex to the bed, and laid him down. Alex was obviously exhausted and beaten. Taking note to the deep scar against his cheek, Mia quickly went to heal him.

“That’s not necessary, Mia. I’m just very tired.” He placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

“Oh, Alex, I’m sorry…” Mia was choking back tears.

“Why? You didn’t do anything…”

“Exactly… If I had stayed with you, maybe I could’ve helped…”

“I was the one who told you to leave. Besides, you don’t even know what I did today.” Alex smiled.

Mia sniffed. “Then tell me.”

Alex thought for a moment. “I won’t say it any other way,” he sighed. “I went to kill Elle.”

“What?!” Mia gasped. “Why would you want to do that?!”

“Because she’s a killer! No matter what she looks like on the outside, she’s a demonic beast!”

“Did she…?” Mia didn’t have to finish, Alex already nodded in answer. She traced her figure against his new scar. “Oh, Alex…” she cried.

Alex sat up an leaned against the headboard of the bed. “We have a new enemy as well, a woman with bizarre powers…”

“???”

“I followed her to Mt. Aleph and found her in a confrontation with Elle and the others.” Alex paused and choose to leave out certain details. “She managed to injure Elle, but instead of finishing her off, she became very enticed with Isaac…” Alex shook his head. “I went after Elle but was thrown off the mountain by her… I faded using my Vapor skill but stayed close to see what would happen. Elle escaped, taking Felix with her, and that woman, her name was Mikan, fought the group. She managed to throw Isaac over the side. He was caught by a large shoulder looking creature, but the fall had knocked him out, so he couldn’t escape. Mikan joked about how foolish it was to fight on the side of a mountain and left…”Alex held his head.

Mia looked at him wide eyed in disbelief. “And after that, you came here?”

He nodded.

“…” Mia didn’t know what to say.

“Mia, I want you to stay away from them.”

“What? Why?”

“Elle has pulled them in, I only did what I did to stay out of her grasp. She may kill one of them for her own survival. I don’t want you to be one of her victims.” He took Mia into a tight embrace. “I love you, Mia. You’re the last one I want to see hurt.”

Suddenly, it was as if she hadn‘t argued over her decision at all. Garet and the others we’re forced from her mind. “Alex… I love you, too…“ She kissed his cheek over the scar, like a mother would kiss the pain of her child‘s scratch away.

Alex smiled and gently kissed her lips. “We’ll start heading to Imil tomorrow, and we’ll be married after arrival.”

Mia couldn’t hardly contain her excitement.

~~~~

“Wakey, wakey, sleepy-head,” Mikan cooed.

Isaac moaned.

“Oh, come on…” she pinched his nose playfully.

Isaac barely opened his eyes and struggled to assess the situation. Mikan stared back, a wicked smile etched across her lips. Isaac gasped and felt the pull on his arms and legs, all bound tightly by Mikan’s ribbons. Where ever they were, the room was dark and silent.

Mikan giggled. “Don’t worry, dear. I cleaned you up. We don’t want any blood staining your handsome face just yet.”

Isaac was taken back. “What do you want with me!?”

“Your gorgeous soul, that’s what,” Mikan said a matter-of-factly. He didn’t understand what she meant, but Mikan expected that. “Oh, I’ve never seen anything like it… It’s would be against my nature to just let such a rare specimen go by…”

“Specimen…?”

“Yep! And now I’m going to exorcise it.”

“Wait, what does that mean?!” Isaac tried to jerk forward, but felt fabric tighten against his neck, nearly cutting off his air.

“Now don’t try anything silly… You’ll die either way… But wouldn’t you rather have a body left for your friends and that terribly rude young lady of yours to bury?”

“!!!”

Mikan laughed at is reaction.

“I’m not about to die here!” Isaac said, preparing his psyenergy, but felt the ribbons pull against his neck again.

Mikan looked at him firmly. “Try that again and I’ll tear your limbs off.” She grinned. “Not the most pleasant way to die, is it?”

Isaac knew then he was trapped.

“Now to begin…” Mikan closed her eyes and placed her hands over Isaac’s now racing heart. He’s scared, she thought.

Isaac felt the pain before anything, like something sharp and cold was being pumped though his blood. He cringed and jerked in an attempt to escape.

“Don’t bother…” Mikan said dully, her mind in other places. She did a motion with her hands, opening the shield placed over soul, exposing it’s shear magnificence to the raw ether.

“Stop…!” Isaac yelled against the increasing amount of pain, now focused more into his chest.

Mikan smiled. “Almost ready…” She reached in deeper, feeling Isaac now jerking and crying out in both body and soul. “Hehe,” she laughed, “I was lucky your lovely soul isn’t very protected.”

“Ahh…! No!… Ahhhhh!!”

And there it was. That final scream of the beckoning death. His soul being torn from his body into Mikan‘s for her study.

“Stop this at once!!” A new voice boomed.

Mikan felt herself be cut off, only a fragment of his soul taken. “Who said that?!”

“Do not bring harm to Isaac,” it said firmly. An unknown force sliced through the ribbons binding Isaac and he slid down the wall. “Or I’ll cut through you like those ribbons.”

“…Wise…One…?” Isaac whispered out of Mikan’s earshot as he passed out.

Mikan frowned. It became obvious however was speaking wasn’t anywhere near. “Fine then, I’ll let him go.” And she walked out the door.

Distantly, the Wise One knew she must be up to something to leave so easily. He would have to keep closer watch of the hero if he were to survive to the end.

Mikan didn’t care much to leave him, but she had a piece of his beautiful gold soul, and he was completely exposed, his shield destroyed. Mikan smiled and she walked trough the dark woods.

“Yes, yes,” she said to herself. “This will be far easier than I had expected.”

[Linear]

Yes! You are the writer GODDESS!!! XD You rock in your stories! They are so amazing!!! *hugs*
Continue! Continue!

[Ravenblade]

Um, possibly less enthusiasticaly than linear, but the same feelings^^ That was really good, im enjoying this story immensely. I have to ask, did you write up the whole storyline in notes first, or are you waiting to be inspired for each new chapter?

[Lind]

I write it in notes, but some chapters are just pieces flowing to the next big event. So basically both, it just depends. Considering the size of Dawn to Dusk, I wouldn't be able ot write it any other way, and I'm still learning as a writer. Hearing everyone tell me how much they continue to enjoy this story really makes me feel good about what I'm doing. That's how I manged to keep writing after so long. :(

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 28

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex, half asleep, half awake, went over the facts again and again.

The core can only be entered if the moon has risen…, he thought. Anemos, the moon, is only a piece of what it should be… but what are the others? Could they be the other ancient cities?

Prox is nothing more than a small village…Lemuria is in shambles…Mandar is buried under a desert…

Alex sighed and rolled over, now staring at Mia’s sleeping form beside him.

I may be in over my head… No, I thought that before, but the Golden Sun rose, and I gained great power. If only that damned Wise One and Isaac… The “hero,” or so he says, had not gotten involved… Hmph…

Mia snuggled against him in her sleep, dreaming sweetly and quietly of their future together.

Alex doubted Mia would survive this entire ordeal, which was why he left her behind the first time. But he had underestimated her. She had become very powerful over the last few years they were apart. Despite that, she still seemed to be the same naive woman he left behind in Imil almost four years ago.

Alex thought further. I am the Adept of the Silver Alchemy, of the wind and the water. The storm. The Mind. If this is really the case then Isaac must have become an Adept of Gold Alchemy, earth and fire…The Body…The Golden Sun is raw power, while the Silver Moon represents those who harnessed that power.

Alex felt his thoughts break with Mia shifting and pulling him toward her. He sighed again and continued;

…But how is Elle related? She baffles me. Without her ethereals, she has no related psyenergetic abilities to what I have read or witnessed, however… From what I learned from her… a fifth kind of psyenergy exists, but only in Kazaza is it used… No specific clan ever existed around it, it was almost as if such powers could be harnessed by anyone who worked for them… But now many specialize in it… Ether Adepts… Adepts of the soul, life and death, existence and not… And Elle stole the part of the Sun based upon it, as small as it might have been…

And because of Ether Adepts being so expansive within all other forms of Alchemy, I’ll have to use her power at all four of the lighthouse if the Moon will rise and the Core will open.

Alex groaned in frustration. There was no point in thinking any further now. He decided to just go to sleep.

~~~~

There’s something very strange about Alex… He seems like an evil being… but something inside him… something makes me feel like he might not be the way he makes himself out to be…

Maybe I can feel his heart. Then he has a heart…somewhere… But… why is he like the way he is…?

…

Something traumatic happened to him…maybe…?

…No, that doesn’t seem right, but… I really don’t know. And I’m not exactly willing to get close enough to him to find out.

I don’t know if he’s driven by power, insanity, or even libido… It’s pretty much standard for the bad guy to have some sort of lust pushing them forward… But now I’m right back to where I started.

Is Alex really the man he appears to be?

…

This is starting to make my head hurt.

Alex is after me, too… Heck, almost everyone is after me… Alex wants me for my power…what ever that means… And because of Alex needing me so badly, that “Wise One” thing wants me dead…

And then there’s Mama…

…
…
…

Mikan Lenar…

My mother…

My creator…

My God…

…
…
…

It’s just terrifying to think of what she would do to me if she got her hands on me. My body isn’t natural. She could break it apart with a snap of her fingers…And she could even turn me into… that monster… or even worse… that real me…

…

She called it… Pandora.

She called it that because even she has no idea what it will be like…She said I’d be insanely powerful…and that’s all she knows…

Of course I’d be powerful! I’m supposed to be the prototype ultimate killer. But I was incomplete, I was pulled out of Silent Grove, that nightmarish place, before she was done…

And now… What am I supposed to do?!?!

I’m not human.
I never will be.
I wasn’t born intended to be anything like a human.
But I am.
I have humanity.
But I will never be a human.

I’m a munin.
I was created, not born.
I was made to be tool.
A weapon of war.
I was never made to feel any sort of emotion.
But it do.
And it’s heart breaking. (See? Only with humanity does someone have a heart.)

I think I’m falling for a man, a full fledged human, Adept or not, but we can never completely share that union that comes with love… Not like humans do.

I can’t give birth. I’m suppose to be female, but I can’t even have a baby! Why didn’t Mama just make me a boy?! Then I wouldn’t be feeling this pain, now would I?!?!

But… then again… She takes joy out of putting other through pain… She enjoys tearing soul from flesh and putting it back again just to see something squirm and hear it scream…

…
…
…

I hate being a munin. I hate being alive. That’s all there is to it.

But I’m afraid. I’m horrified of death. Horrified of feeling, seeing, sensing… nothing.

I don’t want to be alive, but I’m afraid of dying.

Sad and ironic, isn’t it?

But that’s why it hurts so much. That’s why I start to fade to nothing when I feel pain. I want to die, so I actually start dying, but then I come to a point where I come rushing back to the surface.

It’s like I’m drowning, then I suddenly hit the top of the water, gasping and coughing for air. But I’m not drowning in water. No, its more like that lack of existence starts to cave around me, and I just shut down.

I’ve always done that. It’s like from the very first beat of my heart, I’ve wanted to end living. But being in Silent Grove, being a munin, being with Mama…

Oh… I envy those who can leave this world peacefully…

But now I have another reason to hang on.

Felix.

I don’t completely know why he feels the way he does… But he said he needed something to live for… And then he found me.

He’s in pain, too. But he doesn’t fade like me, he’s forced to endure it, every bit of it, until all the pain is gone. But his deepest wounds and scars are emotional… And they can hurt forever…

He needs something to heal those wounds, cover those scars, take the pain away…
He needs me to do that.

The Wise One said he has to protect me, watch me, keep me from ever harming another… because he knows what I am. And if Felix fails, he’ll die.

And Felix doesn’t care. Not in the least. He looks past the fact I’m not human, all the differences, all the dark and terrible things, and looks at the scared girl inside… And he only wants to help me… To save me…

But its strange, when he comes to save the girl as the valiant prince he needs that girl to save the terrified boy inside himself.

…

It amazes me how strong and weak Felix is at the same time. Is that humanity, as well? That kind of duality that comes with struggling to move forward is what he lives off of.

He desperately needs something to live for… He found me.
I desperately need something to live for… I found him.

…
…
…

Is that love?

[Lind]

Sorry everyone, no new chapter yet. Actually I came to say that I probably won't be able to write anything this weekend. I have a few portfolios to write for school and I need to work on my major art project.

Also about the new review rules, since I'm the author and its my choice, I would rather everyone post what they think right here with the chapters than in the review thread. Ravenblade posted in the review thread before this rule was put into place, so that one doesn't count. Anyway, I;ll get a chapter as soon as I'm done with school work.

[Venus dude 21]

No problem, you just write when you can.

[Lind]

By the combination of a miracle and me waking up really early this morning, I was able to throw down an inbetweener kind of chapter. Anyways, I'm about to leave to buy a canvas for art... So I hope I don't ruin it. :wacko:




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 29

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jenna burst through the door of the little cabin screaming, “Isaac!!”

He was lying against the wall, unmoving, black ribbons (now dead) still tied around him. It had already been over an hour since Mikan left him there, and Jenna and the others had finally caught up.

Jenna was rushing to Isaac, her psyenergy having no effect, terrified that the worst might have happened.

“What’s wrong?! Is he alright?!“ Garet called, running in behind her, followed closely by the out-of-breath Ivan and Sheba.

Jenna lifted Isaac into her arms. He grimaced against the movement. “He’s still alive…” Jenna whispered to herself, somewhat relieved.

“…” Isaac shifted. “???”

“Isaac…? Please say something!”

“…oud…” he barely mumbled.

“What? What is it?” Jenna set her ear over his month to listen.

“…You’re loud…”

“…” Jenna was annoyed for an instant. “Fine,” she said, considerably softer. “I’ll speak quietly.”

The other three smiled to themselves, which lead to a wicked glare from Jenna.

Garet knelt down. “What happened?”

Isaac winced at the thought and didn’t answer.

“Whatever happened… lets just go back to Vault for now,” Ivan said.

“But what about Felix and Elle? They’re still out there, and Mia too…” Sheba asked.

Ivan paused. “Right now, I think Isaac needs the most help. We need to get him to a healer, and fast, right?”

Everyone agreed.

“Okay, Isaac did you…???” Jenna paused for a moment. “He’s already back asleep? What in the world happened to him?”

“Well, it has been a couple days since we could even take a break to sleep,” Sheba shrugged.

“Here, Jenna,” Garet outstretched his arms. “I can carry him back.”

~~~~

“Felix?” I nudged him.

“What?” he responded sleepily.

It was the next morning. We had fallen asleep in the woods.

“You okay?”

What a weird question.
Besides, I already know the answer.

“Yes…”

…

“…Liar.”

He smiled. “Maybe… But don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself.”

I sat up and looked at him angrily. “And what? How do you expect that to work?”

He looked surprised at my response. “What do you mean?”

I poked his chest. “You need help, too!”

Felix looked confused.

“Oh, come on! Don’t be naive about it!”

“But, I… I don’t understand what you mean…”

I sighed. “I want to be here with you Felix. I want to be yours, Felix…But I can’t let you do everything. I want to do whatever I can…” I stopped.

… I need to keep off that subject…

Felix looked surprised for a moment. “What’s wrong, though? Do you not want me to take care of you?”

“It’s not that, I’d love that… very much.”

Well, it was true.

He stood up and stretched. “Then I will. But that still doesn‘t tell me what wrong.”

I frowned. “I don’t want to be burden and I can’t… Oh… We’ll talk about that later…”

Felix held out his hand to me, smiling (He’s…so… good…looking…). “You’re no burden to me, Elle. Lets just go back for now. We can talk there, if you like.”

I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. “But where to? The town we were in is so far away now.”

Felix thought for a minute then had an idea. “Our ship is probably closer. Let’s go there instead.”

“Ship? You guys have a ship?? What kind???”

Felix smiled again. (Why… is he…so good looking?!) “You’ll see…” he teased.

“Hey, not fair!” I couldn’t help it, I hadn’t seen too many in my lifetime.

“Well, if you want to know so badly, we can hurry.”

I brightened. “Okay, okay, which way is it?”

“That way.” He pointed to our left.

I grabbed his hand and ran, Felix laughing beside me.

I need to be happy now…
Just be happy now…
Just be happy now…

I have to be happy now…
Be happy…
And smile…
And laugh…

Don’t be in pain…
Hide it, hide it well…
And heal him…

~~~~

Mia opened her eyes. “Alex?” He wasn’t beside her. She sat up and looked around. “Oh…!”

“What is it, Mia?” Alex sat on stool across the room. His shirt was off and he was tending his bandaged wounds.

Mia blushed bright pink. “Oh…umm…”

Alex laughed. “It’s not like this is the first time you have seen me with my shirt off.”

Mia frowned, he face still pink. “That was years ago!”

“Oh, then do you like what you see?”

Mia was red now, leading Alex to laugh again.

“Just think,” he mused, pulling off the bandages. “In a few months, it won’t be just my shirt.”

“Ahh! Alex, don’t talk about that!!” Mia held her cheeks, her temperature skyrocketing.

“The wedding or the honeymoon?” He joked.

Mia let out a gaped her month, unable to answer.

“Fine then, I know exactly how it will be and where we’ll go…”

“…”

“And I won’t take it easy.”

“Ahh!” Mia tossed a pillow at him. “Shush!!”

Alex couldn’t resist his laughter as he pulled on his shirt. “Alright, we’ll save this for later, then?”

Mia gulped, “F-fine.”

Alex sat next to her on the bed and looked at her seriously. “Then you forgive me?”

Mia looked down, surprised at the sudden change of mood. “…”She honestly didn’t know.

Alex placed a hand on her cheek, tilted her head up, and kissed her. A long, gentle kiss. Mia only kissed back, knowing she wanted to forgive him, even if it killed her.

[Ravenblade]

i.i that was awesome...I loved the relationsip between Alex and Mia especially, you're really working wonders with that one. I just love this buildup, and im looking forward to the rest of it lots. Its just a shame you have to write it before posting it XD

Seriously good work. Well done.

[Linear]

O_______________________________________O THAT WAS SO WONDERFUL!!!! ;_; *cries in the wonderfulness of the story* omg omg omg, that's so sweet how you do all of your chapters! They are long, and with great great great detail! =D you have a wonderful mind in writing! XD (HEY! I got the 100th post, I feel special XDDDDDD;;:agitated:
._. I love the romance that goes on in this story, you are really into stories, doing that much to make a great chapter. ^_______^!!!! AWESOME WORK!!!! I love it so much. ^___^

[l3lueMage]

omg, when ur done im gonna print it, and then im gonna bind it into a book <_<

[Lind]

A large scene in the next chapter is scary, and I think is borderline of the ratings set up at these kind of forums. This was just set to prove how sinister Mikan is, and I was quite successful at making her to be a terrible creature. I joked about doing the same with Alex before, but I was serious this time. Good set up for later events, but I'll warn you again, be wary of what you read.



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 30

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The proper word to sum up Ziegfried’s feelings at that moment would most likely be nervousness.

“Only a little while longer,” he told himself. “And I’ll see my little girl again.”

Astrid toyed with the idea of going with him, leaving the rampant chaos of being queen behind. She knew if she did, her country would fall into shambles, and if Lexine became the next ruler (as she was next in line by rank) even worse could happen. She took the thought with a sigh, and watch Ziegfried pace back and forth on the balcony.

“Did you ever think that sitting still might help?” Astrid asked him.

He only glanced at her. “You know how I am! I get all fidgety and hyper at times like this.”

She sighed again and let the man continue his rounds. Then an idea popped into her head. “Zieg!”

Ziegfried nearly leapt over the edge. “What!? What!? What!?”

“Just testing.” Astrid smiled.

Ziegfried paused for a moment, then frowned. “Come on, Jehu, now’s not the time…”

“Don’t be like that. Just smile for once.”

“That’s not exactly easy now…”

“Please,” Astrid begged.

“…” Ziegfried turned a shot the biggest, fakest grin Astrid ever saw. At any other time, she would’ve almost cried laughing, but with Ziegfried, not smiling with whole heart is like a sin. It’s just wrong.

“…” Astrid walked over a hugged him. “What can I do to make you happy?”

“I just want to save my daughter. You understand, don‘t you?”

Astrid nodded. “The scientists are moving as fast as they can.”

“Your aren’t just saying that when really you want to go slow so I can stay longer, are you?” Ziegfried gave her a scrutinizing look.

“No, no! Never! Not in a million years!”

Ziegfried turned and continued pacing, leaving and exasperated Astrid to stand there in confusion.

In truth, she lied, she didn’t want him to go so soon. She wasn’t even sure she wanted the girl back. All that mattered was that she was out of Sols’trome and Gariland’s hands. And if bringing her back into Lun’ato brought Ziegfried happiness, what choice did she have?

~~~~

The room was dark, and the only thing visible was a half naked body. It was a man, muscular like a any warrior, but he had fatal injury. Right in the center of his stomach was a wicked stab wound, most likely made by a broadsword, bleeding painfully though the dark bandages tied over it.

The warrior was dieing.

It was strange though, the watcher of the scene felt the man was familiar, someone very close, but he couldn’t come up with a name. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t remember who this dying man was. And what was worse, he couldn’t help the man. He was stuck where he was, everything looking dim and dark, black and white, unable to reach out or speak to give the man some solace.

The harder the watcher looked, he began to notice the warrior was bound. Something was tied around his wrists, ankles, and neck. Who would trap this poor guy? the watcher thought. He’s dieing! He wouldn’t be able to get far if he tried!!

The watcher felt a terrible sick feeling sinking into his throat.

Then a second figure appeared. It was a woman, and this time, the watcher knew who it was. The woman was Mikan, that terrifying woman he knew little of, but from what little he did, he could comprehend the situation the poor dieing man was in.

Mikan stood over him, staring dully, her green eyes reddening unnaturally. The warrior’s body shook violently and he pleaded for her to set him free, to let him die. The watcher then knew that Mikan has kept him alive for a very long time in his injured state. Mikan simply laughed.

She laughed.

All the man wanted was for the pain to stop, and she laughed at him, her captive. And then Mikan added, her soon to be slave. The warrior shook again and refused her. He claimed he would never sink so low.

Mikan smirked and said the contrary and that she knew exactly how she would use him. He would be a perfect tool to be rid of those few in her way. The warrior cried out that he would never do such a thing. She reassured that he would still be able to think and have a free will when she didn’t need him, otherwise, he was hers for whatever she wanted.

The warrior tried to struggle free. Mikan, obviously displeased, tore the bandages over his wound away. He screamed, blood spilling freely, the pain somehow worsening. Mikan smiled and laughed once more, the watcher terrified and wanting nothing more than to send the man to the next world to get some peace.

Mikan then laid on top of the man, not caring about the blood on her clothes, and began to toy with him. The watcher looked away, unable to see what matched the warriors steady cries and pleads for her to stop and let him go, the whole time Mikan laughing and cooing and loving every bit of it.

The watcher didn’t know how long it lasted, he didn’t want to know, but when he looked at the sweaty and bloody warrior, now defiled and desperate for death, he could only continue watching, blank of what to think or think of doing.

Mikan stood there, playing with her hair, thinking of ways to use the warrior. Rage and hatred began to well up into the watcher. It was impossible for him to attack, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do if he met her in person.

Mikan smiled and giggled. She just decided to remake the warriors body, and use his likeness to mess with his beloved comrades. The warrior began to shiver and cry, knowing he was fully helpless in his state and tired of fighting against her. Mikan smiled.

A huge amount of psyenergy began to flow from her form into the warrior’s. He absolutely screamed at the rush, and the watcher screamed too.

~~~~

Garet nearly flew from his bed when he heard Ivan next to him, screaming and pleading for someone to stop, stop. He looked at his friend, sweating and gasping in the bed beside his.

“Ivan, what happened?!” Garet asked frantically, unable to figure out what could’ve brought on Ivan’s distress.

Ivan gasped looked up at Garet. “Mikan…she…” he struggled. “She…she…”

“Mikan?” It took Garet a few seconds to realize who he was talking about. “What did she do??”

“She… was torturing…” Ivan shook his head, unable to catch his breath.

Most of the families came through the door then, all asking what was wrong or what had happened. Isaac was still in bed in another room.

“Ivan! Ivan!” Sheba yelled as she ran to his side. “What’s the matter?! Why did you scream?!”

He shook his head, still breathing hard. “Mikan was…” he tried to begin.

“What?” Half the room said.

When Ivan refused to answer, Sheba did the first thing that she thought would explain it: She tried to read his mind.

“No, Sheba!” Ivan said as he felt her psyenergy suddenly hit him.

But it was too late, and she just stood where she was, wide eyed in horror. And she started to cry.

Confused beyond belief, most of the family left the room, unsure of how to respond, and Jenna made whoever was left to leave as well.

“Monster…” Sheba managed to force between her sobs. “She’s a monster…” She buried her face into Ivan’s shoulder, sharing the same feelings as he did.

“Please, what did Mikan do?” Garet tried asking again.

Jenna walked over and struggled to comfort Sheba, to no avail, as Ivan slowly pulled words together.

“Mikan was… torturing someone I know…” He shook his head. “Not just torturing…”

“Torturing? What?? Who???” Garet and Jenna both had trouble imagining Ivan dreaming such a terrible thing.

“I don’t know!” He yelled.

Sheba sobbed.

“But it was just a bad dream, right?” Garet tried to comfort. “It’s not real, right?”

“No! You’re wrong!” Sheba cried.

“What do you mean?” Jenna asked.

“That wasn’t a dream… It was a premonition…” She looked up at Garet, tears staining her cheeks. “About you…”

[Ravenblade]

um...wow. Seriously, wow. I had shivers down my back right at the end there. You're a stunning writer. That chapter contrasted very differently from the previous one i have to say. You put Mikans evil and torturous ways across very well, and the reaction of Ivan and the others, which at first i didnt think you would pull off, you did very well.

I was both upset and delighted about the warrior being Garet (upset being obvious). It delighted because its just so dramatica and powerful. Anyways i ramble, i was really impressed! Looking forward to the next one.

[Linear]

O_O *gaps* that's so cool!!!!!!!!! Raven took the words right out of my mouth. XD Go Writer Goddess Lind!

[Lind]

Completely oblivious to what's happening in Vault, Felix and Elle continue to the Lemurian Ship... (in other words, now for a drastic change)




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 31

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was being as perky and happy a physically possible, which is actually painful. I was concentrating so much on smiling and looking happy I tripped over a tree root. Felix told me I went down with a really good “thud.” In retaliation, I kicked my foot out and tripped him next to me.

It was quite a scene.

I laughed honestly watching Felix give me a dirty look now that he was on the ground. I then realized something.

“Felix?” I asked, still sitting on the ground.

“Hmm?” He glanced up as he brushed dirt off his pants.

“Tell me more about yourself. I still don‘t know that much about you.” I smiled.

“…” He glanced around for a moment, then sat down beside me.

What was that for?
Is he afraid someone will catch us?

“Well,” he said, “what would you like to know about?”

I thought for a minute. Suddenly a name came to mind. “Who is ‘Karst?’”

Felix looked at me completely torn.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” I tried to look cute for him. (Flirtation meter switched to ON.) “I didn’t mean to hit a touchy subject!”

“It’s…It’s alright… I tell you a little about her…”

Holy cow, the cute part must’ve worked!

“Okay.” I still tried to act sweet and innocent. (Flirtation factor rising slowly.)

Felix shrugged. “Well… she’s my ex…”

“…” (Flirtation meter stopped.)

“No, no!” He waved his hands to brush off the subject. “It never became serious! You know, just a summer fling! Never anything more!”

“…” I paused. “Was she your first love?”

“!!!” Felix looked down. “… maybe…”

“Maybe?” I questioned. “How can it be ‘maybe?’”

Felix narrowed his eyes. “Why do girls always ask such hard question?”

“Would ‘I’m a romantic’ be a good answer?” I smiled playfully.

Felix gave me a perplexed expression, then leaned back. “I just don’t want to talk about her with you…”

“Okay then.” I pulled my knees to my chest. (Flirtation meter switched to OFF.) “What the Wise One rocky thingy said really bothers me.”

“Rocky thingy…?” Felix pondered on that for a moment then answered. “I have to keep you safe. I have to keep you away from trouble I have to keep watch over you…” He frowned. “He almost picked the one mission he thinks I’m doomed to fail…”

“Oh…”

“No, I didn’t mean it that way!” He put his hand on my shoulder. “There’s no way I can keep my eyes on you at all times!”

“Hmmm…? Well, then…” I didn’t know what to ask next.

“What about you? Do you mind?” He asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you…” Felix became quite. “… mind me?”

What!? You’re a sexy, velvet voiced, warrior prince I want to have hot and eternal love with!

I smiled, “Not at all.”

Well, there was no way I could get away with answering how I really felt.

Felix thought for a moment. “Really?”

“I like being with you.”

Actually, I love…

“Hey, wait. Why are you so worried?” I asked.

“Because, I kind of forced myself on you…” I noticed he was blushing a bit.

But, that’s exactly how I feel…

“Felix…” I leaned over, resting my head on his shoulder. “You don’t need to worry about that… Being with you makes me… so happy…”

I guess the meter never went totally OFF, after all…

Felix seemed surprised. “I make you happy?”

I nodded.

“But how in the world do I make you happy?” He couldn’t believe himself.

“That’s a odd question… But boys will be boys…” I mused. “Because you’re so sincere, you’re strong, you’re kind, you’re cute (Wink! Wink!), and there’s a certain something that makes you feel so pure.”

“…”

Why doesn’t he answer? I thought.

I looked up at him and saw the most pained looking expression I had ever seen in my life. I thought he might burst out in tears at any moment, which just blew me away.

“What?! Did I say something wrong?! If I did, I’m so sorry!!!” I pleaded.

“…No…” He finally said. “I’m far from pure…” He gasped and held his chest, reeling in pain.

“Felix!” I caught him in my arms. What could’ve brought this on?! I thought frantically.

Sensing my distress, Pillan and Tarinley came forward, completely this time. Pillan read his mind, and to this day, I wish she hadn’t.

Felix was remembering a terrifying moment in his life. There was red snow and a much younger version of himself crying out against something, someone, only enticing whoever it was further.

“There,” it was a man. He stood above Felix, his blue skin littered with rough scales and thorns, his white hair hung over one eye, wiping his hands with a cloth. “Now, think of it this way… Would you like this again?”

Felix couldn’t even say “No” to the man.

“Then be good and stay quite about this.” He turned to a woman standing a short distance away, staring off into space. “Menardi! Let’s go. He’s got enough energy to make it back to his home.”

“Maybe,” she said, her attention brought to him. “but how do you explain that?” She pointed to Felix, her pink skin almost as scaled as the man’s.

“Oh, that’s simple,” he smiled, tossing the cloth aside. “He was attacked by a wild animal. You know how nasty they can be around here…”

Outside of the memory, Felix moaned in his agony.

“Felix!” I couldn’t see what was happening to him, he was still remembering more.

“…wait… please…” he pleaded, the two completely ignoring him.

“Saturos… Are you sure this is the best way?” the woman asked.

“That boy is just something we need for now. He’s already old enough to think for himself, so we have to beat and scare him into loyalty to us.” He was smiling when he said it.

“You won’t be like that with the children, will you?”

He waved her off. “Children? Our children? No, never! I would never harm my own child!”

“…” Felix cried.

“Alright then, let’s go.” And with that, they walked away, leaving Felix on the ground, bleeding and crying into the snow.

The horrible memory now over, Felix spoke though his pain. “Almost five years… And it still hurts like this…”

I could tell he had other memories of those two, very similar to the one I just saw.

“Saturos and Menardi… beat and…” I didn’t want to finish. I started to cry, clutching him, feeling and sharing the awesome flurry of dark emotions. “Felix… I’m sorry! That’ll never happen again!”

Felix leaned against me and didn’t answer. I knew then what tormented him, and what I had to save him from.

Himself.

[Lind]

Ohh.. nobodies responding... :P Oh, well...

By the end of this chapter, you'll know that one of Razi's main purposes is comic relief and to just give the story a lighter feel in the scenes she plays a major role in. Any way, I hope I don't offend anyone here at the end... If I do, sorry. That wasn't the point... I just had an idea and ran with it...




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 32

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why did you follow me?” Piers asked Razi as he came up from his room, with new clothes and slightly shorter hair.

“Well… lots of reasons…” She was leaning up against the side railing of the ship. “Your boat’s beautiful, Piers, but how did you get it on this tiny river.”

Piers didn’t want to explain everything, so he pressed his question further. “Please tell me why you came here. I need to know before I tell you anything.”

Razi looked at him for a moment, jumped forward to him, smiled and said, “I lost it.”

“??? Lost what?”

“The flower.”

That didn’t explain much to Piers. “What in the world do you mean, “You lost the flower?” What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell you…” She stopped to take a breath and tell her story. “With out the flower, I’m no use to my tribe. So, I came here with you hoping I could be of some help. After all you did save my life.” She playfully sang the last few words.

Piers blushed and rubbed his lips. “But what about your family? Won’t they miss you?”

“Nope.”

Piers thought she was too happy about leaving. “Not a single person will miss you?”

Razi stopped and rubbed her chin. “Well, there is one person…”

“And?”

“She’s still little, and it would be better for her if I wasn’t around. I’m a bad influence for girls, apparently,” Razi shrugged.

“Oh?” Piers pondered on her words for a moment. “Is it because you’re a fighter?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Many people feel the same way where I come from.”

Razi’s expression dropped.

“Oh, but I don’t feel that way. I don’t mind at all if you choose to fight or not. It’s just up to you.”

Razi perked even brighter than before. Piers wondered why he hated seeing her frown like she had, he guessed it was because she had been smiling since the moment she woke after he…

“You’re the nicest guy in the world, Piers!” Razi wrapped her arms around him and snuggled her head in his chest.

Piers began to blush again. “You’re very open with your feelings.”

Razi held him tighter (which was a wicked grip considering her diminutive build). “I get that a lot.”

“…” Piers placed his hands on her shoulders. “I need to check the ship now.”

“Okay!” Razi then, quite literally, threw Piers over her shoulder and began to walk toward the ship’s cabins.

“What-?! What are you-?!” Piers was stunned that she so easily carried him, and why was she carrying him in the first place.

“I’m kidnapping you.” Razi stated, quite bluntly.

“What?!”

“I wanna kiss you again,” Razi teased.

“That’s completely different!!”

“I didn’t say I’d stop there…” she giggled.

“Huh?!” Piers tried to escape.

“I’m kidding, silly!” Razi put him down. Seeing Piers’ fire-red cheeks, she laughed. “About the kidnapping part at least…”

“…” Piers tried rubbing the heat from his face with his hands. “Please, don’t do that again…”

“Oh, fine…” She pouted but then perked. “Then you’ll let me stay!?”

“With you, there will be over ten people staying on the boat…”

Razi gave him puppy dog eyes.

Piers sighed. “Alright...One more couldn’t hurt… I’ll just have to ask everyone.”

“Yay!” Razi jumped in victory. “I’ll be a good girlfriend!”

“Girlfriend?!”

Not worrying about his reaction, she continued. “I’ll start cleaning up everything if you don’t mind.”

“But wait! When did I-?”

But it was too late, Razi was already rushing around, trying to find anything to straighten up. Piers heaved the heaviest sigh yet, and just gave up.

~~~~

Felix was very embarrassed about his episode from earlier. He didn’t want to appear weak in front of me, since he was supposed to be my protector. I kept reassuring him it didn’t matter, he was only human, and bad things happen to good people.

He turned and asked, “Is that how you keep going yourself?”

“…” I knew what he meant. “No, it’s what Papa would always tell me when I felt bad.”

“Papa..?” Felix felt even worse hearing me mention my father.

“Please don’t be like that!” I told him.

“…Sorry…”

I smiled, trying to cheer him up and refusing to acknowledge the fact that I wouldn’t see Papa again. Felix smiled weakly, and we continued in silence.

Felix… What can I say to make you smile like you did before?

I stopped. “Hey, what’s that?”

I pointed over the hill, toward a large object on a distant river.

“???” Felix looked up. “Oh, it’s the ship.”

“Really?!” I perked right up. “Let’s go!!” I began tugging Felix along like I had done that morning.

“Okay, okay! Just don‘t tear my arm off!”

~~~~

After a few minutes a running around, Razi found she would be most productive sweeping the upper decks of the ship. It was at this time a new person climbed aboard.

Felix, not recognizing Razi, unsheathed his sword threateningly. “Who are you?”

Razi, more than surprised, looked around frantically, unable to find the right answer. “Umm… Umm…”

“If you’re a thief, leave now and I’ll let you go safely,” Felix commanded.

“B-but… I’m not-”

“Razi! What are you doing?” Piers yelled as he stepped outside.

“!!!” Felix couldn’t believed it. “Piers!! You’re alive!!”

“???” Piers looked at his friend for a moment. “You thought I had died?”

Felix sheathed his sword. “We didn’t think there was any way for you to make it!”

Razi stood where she was, looking back and forth between the two men. “…Umm… Oh, umm…”

“What’s the matter, Razi? You look very perplexed.” Piers asked.

“Umm… Well, umm…” She twisted the broom in her hands, uncomfortably.

“You know her?” Felix asked Piers, who nodded in answer. “I thought she might have been a thief. I’m sorry for the mistake.”

“That’s not…” Razi began.

“Felix! What’s going on up there?” Elle yelled, climbing up the ladder. She peeped over the edge and saw Razi standing there, twisting the broom. “Oh, hello.” She climbed up and did her habitual bow for greeting.

“Umm… Hi…”

Elle looked around and quite sight of Piers. “Piers! You’re alright!!”

“You really did think I died. Well, I‘m just fine now, a little battered, but fine no less,” he happily boasted.

“That’s great!” She then turned to Razi. “Who’s this?”

“I-I’m Razi…”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Elle.” She smiled and bowed again. “What’s wrong?”

Razi looked back and forth between Piers and Felix. “Umm.. Are they…?”

The two man looked at each other for a moment. Elle answered, “They’re good friends.”

“Oh, thank goodness…” Razi felt relief wash over her. “He was just so overjoyed, I just assumed.” Razi scratched her head. “Sorry about that.”

Elle nodded and grinned. “Don’t worry, Felix is mine anyway.”

“What are you…? !!!”

Felix and Piers both leapt a few feet away from each other.

“Ugh! Not like that at all!!” Felix yelled.

“Nothing against you Felix, but never in a million years!” Piers shook his head.

Razi and Elle laughed.

[Somia]

o.o;; my eye kinda hurts but i can't stop reading ^^ That was really really awsome and i wondered why anyone hadn't respond! nice job lind! keep it up.

[Linear]

O.O! I LOVED BOTH CHAPTERS!!!!!!!! T_T I am sorryish, I had to study for this week so I couldn't read the awesomeness chapters! XD And like what Somia said, AWESOME chapter ^-^

[Toad King]

Can't say I expected the ending of that last chapter. Razi sure does jump to conclusions quickly. Keep it up!

[Izar]

This is pretty good, keep up the goos work. How many chapters will it be?

[Ravenblade]

Ack sorry i let the last one go unnoticed, my posting has been a bit down of late. Anyways, you're going from strength to strength with this, i really am enjoying it immensely. I love the romantic parts XD (cos im lame and soppy) and it all just ...works. Seriously ive said before how awesome a writer you are so hopefully there are many many more chapters!

What was the bit that might offend people...?

[Lind]

Post #111 Izar, make a wish! :)

I didn't mention this when I posted this a while back, but I was afraid I might offend someone when Razi mistakenly thinks Piers and Felix were a couple. :P It was just the way I went around writing it.



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 33

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jenna looked down at Isaac’s sleeping form. Ivan and Sheba were still shaken up from earlier, and were speaking privately outside. Garet was downstairs having breakfast with his family, trying to ignore the trauma from before.

“Isaac…” Jenna whispered to him. “What’s happening?”

Isaac remained in his slumber, completely oblivious to the events unfolding around him. Jenna knelt down a kissed his cheek. Isaac rolled over.

There was a light knock on the door. Jenna jumped up and ran to see who it was. Ivan and Sheba stood outside. Jenna slipped out quietly.

“Well, what do you guys think?” she asked them.

Ivan took a deep breath. “We aren’t going to tell anyone.”

“???” Jenna looked surprised.

“Especially Isaac,” he continued.

“What? Why not Isaac?” Jenna asked.

“Well, what do you think Isaac would do if he found out Garet might be in that much danger?” Sheba asked her.

Jenna knew the answer right away. “He’d make Garet stay back…”

“And do you think Garet would be keen with that idea?”

“No…Especially with Mia in Alex’s hands… But what did happen to him…?” Jenna asked.

Both Jupiter Adepts looked down and shook their heads.

“So don’t tell anyone else that something might happen to Garet…?” Janna asked. “That just seems like we might be throwing him into danger…”

“Maybe, but, Jenna, it was a premonition of what could happen. We just have to keep an eye on him and he knows to keep his guard up.” Ivan peeked in side the room at Isaac. “Besides, we need to help Isaac out now.”

Sheba looked at him. “But how do we do that? We have no idea what’s wrong with him.”

“Hey! I think I know!” Garet said running up the stairs. Jenna immediately held her finger over his mouth to speak quietly.

“What do you know?” Ivan asked him.

“Remember that water we used on Tret? Hermies Water or something?”

Ivan perked. “Oh, I remember now! Herme’s Water!”

The girls looked completely confused.

“You weren’t there, but the water is supposed to heal any ailment. If we can get some for Isaac, he should be fine.”

Jenna brightened. “Why didn’t we think of that before?!”

“After we used it on Tret, we were never able to go back for more.”

“Then let’s head for the boat and go to Imil!” Jenna was ready to head out until Ivan stopped her.

“You should stay with Isaac. We’ll head out to the boat.”

Jenna stopped and said, “Okay… You’re right.”

Ivan smiled. “We’ll come straight here and pick you two up, so we’ll be back by tomorrow.”

Jenna nodded. “Be careful.”

The group all said their good-byes and left Jenna where she stood. She turned back into the room and went to Isaac’s side. She pulled up a stool and watched him sleeping.

“Isaac,” she said to him. “Wake up soon.”

~~~~

As soon as introductions were completed between the four of us, I was left to explore the ship. Almost as soon as I opened the door, I become enthralled with a bookshelf and the books set upon it. When I started to pick through, Piers caught me.

“Those are only captain’s logs and empty books,” he told me.

I was disappointed at first. “Oh, okay… Oh.” I picked up one of the empty journals, it was coppery colored with a intricate design of beads sew into the cover. It even had a thick ribbon hung in the pages for a book mark.

How pretty…

“Um, Piers?”

“Yes? What is it?” He was about to walk back out to the upper deck.

“May I… May I have this one?” I pointed to the book.

He smiled. “Of course, if you can fill them up, take a few. I never write much in them myself.”

“Really? Thank you very, very much!” I bowed in thanks.

He seemed a little taken back by how happy I was. “You’re welcome. Felix and I are going to be at the tiller if you need us…” He stopped and sighed. “And I don’t know what Razi will be up to…”

He left and left me staring and tracing the beads on the journal.

Yay! I have a diary again!

To further my delight, I quickly found pen and ink and began to wander the ship to find the best place to begin writing in it.
In the end, I only got lost.

That boat was complicated!

Eventually I realized I was going down with each new room until I entered a peculiar place.

I climbed down a latter to a very dim room. The woods were no longer made of wood, but a dark blue and black crystal, the floors a dark green, and there were two small pools of water on each side of the ladder. My curiosity peaking, I began to wander the room.

I soon discovered a doorway leading to a long and winding corridor. The walls were still made of the same dark crystal, but after the third or so turn, I could tell things were getting brighter. I turned down a second hallway and could see a bright light emanating from something at the end.

Without a second thought, I took off after it. When I got to the source, I was nothing short of amazed.

The room’s walls and floor were made of the same crystal as the hallways, except this time, it was glowing. A small pillar stood in the middle holding a beautiful glowing orb. The energy from the orb was surging through the pillar and into every crevice in the floor, slowly willowing up into the air.

Wow…
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything this lovely…

I immediately sat down against the wall a prepared my diary, pen, and inkwell to start writing.

~~~~

Dear Diary,

Or Deal Journal,

Or Dear Whoever may one day read this,

I have to much time on my hands. Anyway, besides that brilliant introduction and/or greeting, I must explain myself, because that’s what you do when you start these things. What am I saying? Isn’t that what these things are for? To explain stuff that happens to me? Oh well.

My name is Elle. Actually, that’s a nickname. My real name is Mikanelle Bureosakova, but that’s such a mouthful. And I hate my first name. It makes me think of sour beer and Mama, but more on that later. I’m about eight-teen now, normal height, average build (not fat or skinny), and I generally look like an everyday girl (at least in my hometown I do.) But I’m not normal. I’m not normal in the least bit.

I can start with the worst part. I’m not human. I’m a munin. I look as close to a human being as you can get, but I’m not human. I think, feel, act like a human, but I’m not.

Never will be.

Besides from that, I’m am quite messed up. (I’ll put it as simply as that.) I cry a lot, mostly because that’s the easiest way to express myself. If I feel a lot of emotion at once, I start to cry. People say I’m really sentimental. That might be true, but, it’s usually hard for me to laugh loudly, or be angry, or afraid without something in me snapping.

Snapping or fading… Either or…

Since I’m a munin, an incomplete munin, I have other issues. Like my ethereals. It we were to separate, we would all die. Even though I’m the one doing the thinking a running around, they sit back and watch as my life unfolds. I get no privacy. But, oh, Pillan and Tarinley are so nice to me! Both were girls in their past lives and both only support me. They honestly care about me. Even with them constantly at my side helping me, however, I have another ethereal.

His name is Lerato. HIS. He’s a terrible monster. When he comes out, I lose control of myself, I go crazy, him happily basking in the fact and the blood I may be shedding. He was a terrible murderer in his past, and he still holds to his insanity. But unlike P and T, he stays as far down into my soul as he can go, festering and growing off the pain I feel constantly. He only comes out when he sees the perfect opportunity.

He terrifies me.

There’s someone I want to talk about though. His name is Felix. He’s adept who saved my life. He’s like a prince or my knight in shining armor or some other heroic simile. He very kind, good natured, and handsome. He says he wants to protect me and save me. I’m totally falling for him.

He’s in pain, too. He’s a victim of so much turmoil and torture. Hearing him speak with such determination and strength about how much he wants to help me makes me desperate to help him, too. I want to be with Felix. I want to more than anything. But I’m afraid.

I’m afraid of Lerato. I’m afraid of the Wise One. I’m afraid of Mama. I’m afraid of Alex.
I’m so weak, it’s pitiful.

I’m not allowed to fight. The Wise One said if I do, he’ll kill Felix, since Felix is supposed to keep me from battle. But that’s the least of my worries. Alex, a strange young man with awesome power, wants me to “go to the Lighthouses” to make a moon rise… I don’t understand what that means, but he’s determined to make sure I get to where he wants me. He tried to seduce me too. Now he’s gotten a hold of a friend of the group I’m traveling with, so we’ll most likely go after him soon.

But now it brings me to Mama… Mama…. Why must I write about the monster that brought me into this world kicking and screaming. I just wish I could die. I wish I could let go of everything in this world. But I can’t face that yet. I’m not ready to.

Please, hold on for me. I write more later. I’m crying now.

[Ravenblade]

Wow, thats a lot deeper than your previous ones. Very nice insight into Elles mind too - a good way of recapping also. Lots of good writing features present in that. Im looking forward to when the action picks up again, you're creating the build up well. Another great piece of linguistic artistry~

[Toad King]

Now things are getting even more interesting. Only one error though.

Lind said:

“So don’t tell anyone else that something might happen to Garet…?” Janna asked. “That just seems like we might be throwing him into danger…”

Nothing big, just something I noticed while reading.

[Venus dude 21]

You pwn all other authors! (no offense to others)
Great story and keep it up.

[Lind]

Oh, that's probably my computer. It doesn't think Jenna as a real name, and it probably fixed it for me to Janna thinking it was correct.

[Linear]

o.o; just add the name XD I always do that.
O_O THAT CHAPTER IS AWESOME! o.o just like all the others ._. I honor the Goddess Writer...

[Lind]

Sorry it took me so long to write the next chapter... I've just had so much other stuff going on... But I manage to finish this one, so its all good.




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 34

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Orange Man. That’s what she calls me…” he mused.

He seemed and looked young and full of life, but in reality, he was over 500 years old. He drank wine on his throne, in his room, at his castle, in his kingdom. This man was the most feared human being in all of Kazaza. In fact, he isn’t even human, his long life is due to his munin body, all thanks to his dear Mikan.

Yes, dear, dear beloved Mikan. The one woman who gives him everything he wants, and in turn he does the same for her. Oh yes, the head scientist of Silent Grove would do anything for her beloved emperor, and he needed her abilities. Completely mutual symbiotic relationship.

But his Mikan had left him all alone in the clockwork society of Sols’trome. And what did she leave for, besides furthering her experiments (which was the purpose of her existence now), she went for a little fun. Yes, she left on a vacation of sorts. He tried to warn her to stay in Kazaza, but she claimed she find out more about the Deterioration. So, he had little choice but to let her go.

“Orange Man…”

Mikan, however, made him a promise before she left and prepared to go.

“Gariland,” she said to him, “I’ll find Pandora.”

Ah, the only Munin she was never able to complete. The perfect object of war. A living being able to conquer and harness the power of all The Five Planes of Existence.

Gariland put his empty wine glass down and began through the halls of the castle. He fully accepted the strange and difficult concept, but Pandora, a being with power over all, a truly man-made god, or rather, goddess, was dangerous. He wanted to have that being for himself and his country. That was why Astrid allowed the incomplete Munin to live within her country, hidden away among her subjects.

“She always called me the Orange Man… Yes, Mikanelle called me the Orange Man… But will she as Pandora?” He frowned, wondering if Mikan wouldn’t return until she had completed it.

He stepped out unto a balcony, the bright sun shining against the red and saffron robes and gold jewelry and crown, showing off his ultimate leadership. He brushed his blond hair from his bloody eyes of a munin, and smiled.

“Well, Mikan… I must retrieve you and your experiment early…”

~~~~

Ziegfried was about to burst. Just seconds earlier he was standing on a balcony with Astrid and Ren, along with a few scientists, looking as if he were prepared for war. Despite that, he had managed to find room for some gifts for his little girl when he found her.

And he did enter Weyard, far more abruptly than he would’ve imagined. When he had closed his eyes, ready for anything, pain especially, next to nothing happened. He didn’t even notice a different until he finally took a breath, smelling and tasting forest air.

Then he opened his eyes, and about collapsed. He was in a forest, all right, and he knew then what he had to do. Stop the Deterioration, but most of all, save his daughter.

~~~~

Mia and Alex sat quietly together, finishing their meal within the tavern at Lunpa. Finding a serenity in each other’s presence, it was no surprise they both nearly jumped from their seats when the clang of armor, a loud and rough voice, and a man-beast of muscle suddenly entered without warning. The creature quite pleasantly asked if he could have a meal, the poor innkeeper unsure of how to respond to the giant.

“U-um… sure… Just sit… Just sit right over there.” He pointed right at Mia and Alex, hoping that if the giant were to cause a problem, two fine warriors could easily handle it.

Mia, more than a little intimidated, scooted closer to Alex to give the man more room. The table was too low for him, so he sat back a bit, his knees above the edge of the table.

“So,” he began, far more cheery than anyone had expected, “may I know who I’m sharing a meal with?”

Alex quickly answered in his gentlemanly way. “My name is Alex, and this,” he placed his hand on Mia’s knee, “ is my fiancé, Mia.”

Mia nodded, blushing slightly.

The man almost glowed. “Congratulations!” He then looked up, his eyes twinkling. “It’s wonderful to see young love…” he said to himself.

“Well…” Mia said, suddenly finding the gentle giant within the man in front of her. “Can you really call it that? We’ve been together since we were children.”

“Oh!” he perked. “Even better!”

“May I ask your name?” Alex suddenly came in.

“Uh, heh heh.” He scratched his head. “How rude of me… My name is Ziegfried.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Ziegfried.” Mia smiled.

“What in the world brings you to Lunpa?” Alex asked.

“Lunpa? Oh, this town?”

“Yes. Are you lost?” Mia asked.

“Completely,” Ziegfried shrugged.

“Are you looking for something,” Mia suggested. “Maybe we can help.”

Ziegfried paused and decided if he was going to start somewhere, why not here? “I’m looking for my missing daughter.”

Mia perked. “What happened to her?”

“She just disappeared… Out of nowhere, poof…” Ziegfried frowned, his pain obviously showing.

“Describe her. It’s a slim chance, but we might have seen her.”

Ziegfried thought. “She’s pretty normal looking. Pale complexion, short blond hair, average build, dark red and blue eyes-”

“Ah,” Alex cut him off. “I think I may know who you speak of. Is her name, by chance, Elle?”

Ziegfried nearly jumped for victory. “You know my Elle?! Where is she?! Is she safe?! Is she alright?!”

In an instant, Alex had formed a plan. He frowned and shook his head, causing Ziegfried’s joy to drop. Mia looked at Alex strangely, then understood he was scheming something.

“Your daughter,” Alex began, “is hostage to a terrible group of warriors. They’re all blood thirsty and recognized Elle’s abilities right away.”

“Abilities?” Ziegfried threw up caution. “What do you know?”

“They had poor Mia before…”

Mia, deciding she must play along, threw her arms around Alex, buried her head in shoulder, and cried, “Oh, it was awful!! Those terrible things they did!!”

Any caution Ziegfried had instantly fell.

Alex continued with the act. “Just a few days ago, Mia managed to escape, but when I went to battle their leader, and man named Felix, he forced Elle to use a strange power to defeat me. I managed to escape, but if Mia hadn’t found me in the woods, I’d be vulture food by now.” He held tightly to Mia.

Ziegfried was completely dumbfounded. “Oh…no…Elle…” He shook his head.

“I can only imagine what horrible things Felix is doing to her…”

Ziegfried jumped up to his feet, making the whole inn rumble. “What does Felix look like?!”

“He’s a tall and dark young man, wearing a tattered green scarf, has long jagged hair, and carries an insanely powerful sword.”

Almost unable to contain himself, Ziegfried asked, “Where did you see them last?!

“They have a huge ship that flies. That’s why they haven’t been defeated yet… It’s to the south-west of here, on a river. You’ll find them before they leave if you hurry.”

Ziegfried bowed in thanks. “You have no idea how indebted I am to you two! I must hurry now, I wish you two to fair well, and Mia, please look to the future and not a bad past!”

And he rushed out the door, leaving a huffed chef nearly finished cooking his meal.

Mia looked up at Alex, who looked back, more than surprised she so quickly and easily went along with him.

“What now?” she asked.

Alex smiled. “If this works, we will have time to reach Imil, and we won’t have to worry about Elle.”

“But why did you drag Felix into it?”

“Because Felix guards her with his life. Besides, you weren’t very close to him, were you?”

Mia admittedly shook her head, and the two instead began to plan their wedding.





Author's Notes:
In this chapter, the new character, Gariland, refered to something that is called the Five Planes of Existance. If I don't give you reader's a clue to what it is, you reader's will be very confused later on. Me coming up with this proves I'm taking this fanfic WAY too seriously, but I'm doing it to improve my writing skills, so blah. It basically goes like this:

First plane: This plane represents the elements and psyenergy. Adepts are humans that have evolve a sense of awareness to this plane.
Second plane: This is the plane of reality. It's basically all the stuff our five senses can pick up (sight, sound, touch, etc.) and almost every living thing can pick up this plane.
Third plane: This is the spiritual plane, also called the Ether. This is what Mikan and Elle have some control over. Spiritualists are basically Kazaza's version of Adepts in Weyard.
Fourth Plane: Now it gets complicated. This is supposed to be the afterlife plane, where memories and thoughts go after a being completely dies. Becuase of that, no one can sense it unless they die themselves.
Fifth Plane: This is the center and core of all planes. This is where Alex wants to go to remake the world. He believes its a place, which isn't exactly right, although the core can only be percieved in a certain situation, and apparently, Alex is working for it.

There. If you got all that, you deserve a cookie.

[gsninja]

Wow...34 chapters...but I love it! You are such an excellent writer, Lind. Great job!

[Venus dude 21]

Hey lin, can i have that cookie. Awesome chapter, and those plane things aren't that hard to grasp.

[Lind]

I didn't think so, but a friend of mine became very confused when I explained it to her...*shrugs* She's just dingie. :agitated:


EDIT:
Agh... Anyway, next chapter.


Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 35

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“They dare hold MY little girl hostage!” Ziegfried told himself in his fury. “Enslaved by some libido driven monster!!!”

He envisioned a dark muscular man, carrying a demonic sword, his long and ragged hair draped over a heavily scarred face hovering over a tired, crying, and beaten little Elle.

Obviously, his image of Felix was pretty warped.

“Well if he’s going to take Elle hostage, I’ll see how he likes being on the other side!!!”

To let off some steam, he pulled out his giant blade and sliced through six trees in one swing.

~~~~

I was sitting in that beautiful room almost an hour after I had stopped writing. My tears had past, and there was no sign I had even cried. I both wanted and didn’t want to keep writing in my diary. I knew some more things I could talk about, but leaving off on Mama like that discouraged me to continue right then.

I pulled my knees to my chest and buried my head. Suddenly, I started to think about Papa, and what he must be doing right then. I missed him terribly, and even after these few days I’ve spent in Weyard, no actually I was in a coma for a month… So I’ve only been awake for a few days.

Even so, I’ve barely had a chance to think about him, to mourn our separation, nothing. I suddenly heard his favorite song start rolling through my head, and how he loved hearing me sing it. I haven’t sang once since I got here either. I wondered if I even could.

I was way down into the bottom of the ship, I doubt anyone could hear me, so I tried.

~~~~

Felix had gotten a little worried after not seeing Elle for nearly an hour. As he decided to start looking, he heard Garet, Sheba, and Ivan yell from below. Felix quickly threw down the ladder and asked where Isaac and Jenna were. Felix, despite being worried about Elle, didn’t exactly like the idea of those two off somewhere alone.

“Isaac’s hurt!” Sheba proclaimed.

His worry immediately shifted, Felix asked, “Hurt? What happened?!”

“After you and Elle disappeared, Mikan captured Isaac!”

“And you got him back?”

The three nodded, Garet adding, “Jenna stayed back with him. He still hadn’t woken up when we left this morning.”

“We don’t know happened to him, he passed out as soon as we caught up. Mikan was gone, and Isaac doesn’t have a mark on him. But he’s so weak, and we don’t understand what she could have done to him.”

“So what’s the plan?” Felix asked.

“We’re going to Imil and Mercury Lighthouse to get some Herme’s Water for Isaac,” Ivan answered.

“What will that do?”

“It’s supposed to heal anything.”

Felix perked. “Then we should hurry. With all of us here we should be able to fly straight to Vault.”

Sheba thought for a moment. “Can we do that? I mean, it’s just the four of us.”

Felix smiled and shook his head. “No, don’t worry, there are two more.”

“???” The three looked at each other for a moment.

Garet suddenly perked up, “Wait! Do you mean-”

“PEIRS!!!! What now?!?” It was Razi, but the three hadn’t met her yet, and looked confused.

“Just relax! There’s nothing left for you to do!” Piers answered, obviously exasperated.

“Piers!” Sheba jumped in her joy.

Hearing her yell, Piers walked outside, followed by a curious Razi. “More people?” she asked.

Sheba and Ivan ran to him, overjoyed to see him safe. Garet was disappointed: he was hoping for Mia. He joined the others, refusing to let his true feelings show, and instead acted as if he was as happy to see Piers as much as the others were.

Razi knew better this time than to jump to conclusions on everyone. Instead she just stood back and watched everyone take in Piers being safe and sound.

“Who are you?” Sheba asked sounding a bit more protective than she intended.

Razi was taken back by the girl. Despite being older, both looked about the same size, and Sheba stood her ground. “I’m Razi,” she said, trying to be as friendly as possible.

“How did you get here?” Garet asked.

Piers came in before Razi could answer. “It’s a long story… But Razi is on our side, and is a powerful earth adept, so don’t worry about her.”

“Aww… Are you still embarrassed, Piers?” Razi teased.

Piers nudged her to stop. “I did save you, but…” He felt his temperature start to rise.

Razi giggled. “Yes you did, because you’re a great guy, and I can’t swim.”

“…” Piers began to blush, holding his hand over his mouth. Sheba quickly picked it up.

“That’s so cute,” she giggled with Razi.

Everyone could see a trust was already built between the Razi and Piers, and decided that she wouldn’t be a problem. Razi was completely overjoyed.

~~~~

Ziegfried saw the group on the ship’s deck. He could hardly hold back his anger and desire to run up right then and destroy the place. He didn’t see Elle, so his guess was she was held inside. He quickly slipped out of the woods and down the hill at the edge of the water. He slowly waded through the water with the intentions of listening in on their conversation.

“So, this isn’t the whole party, huh? And they have a new member?”

He decided to ignore the fact that everyone in the group was so young, after all, Weyard was a new a different world. People looked a him strangely, when in Kazaza he was well know as the most powerful swordsman in Lun’ato and the second commander of the entire army. If people this young are strong enough to put his daughter into submission, he could only imagine the strength Weyard’s most powerful possessed.

I must figure out a way to take their leader… he thought to himself. I trade him for Elle, and if they won’t give her up, I’ll kill him for what he’s done to her and take her myself. That’ll teach these monsters! Elle, don’t worry, honey, I’ll have you safe and sound, soon!

And almost as if on queue, he heard her sweet voice. Gracing the melody, her voice carrying it quietly, the group above was completely oblivious to her singing. Ziegfried was nearly in tears hearing his daughter’s pain.

Feeling more determined than ever, he began to plan.

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 36

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mikan bit the tip of her thumb and cursed loudly. As amusing it was to her to hear the vulgarity echo as much as it did, she still found herself frustrated.

“Why did he have to come…” she talked to her golems, who listened patiently without answer. “Now I have to rethink everything…”

She was talking about Ziegfried. Despite having no prior knowledge that he was even traveling to Weyard, her spiritual senses were so acute she could sense when a fly dies a kilometer away.

Ziegfried was the one who Mikan was never able to get Elle back from, even after she was fully prepared to complete her. Elle was still unstable, and showed many traits of humanity. Mikan groaned at the word. It only got in her way. And now, when she was so close to finishing her most important accomplishment, he wedges himself between them.

“But I doubt he’ll find Mikanelle so soon…” she thought. “I’ll have to beat him to her.”

~~~~

No one heard me.

Thank goodness… that was really bad…

I decided I might as well try to find everyone. I decided since I was lost in the ship, reading the ether might help me figure out were I needed to go. I cleared my mind and numbed my physical senses like I had before. But strangely, I felt someone other than who I was looking for.

It can’t be…!

Out side of the ship, just on the opposite side of the wall, was Papa! I quickly ran to the wall where he was and began yelling for him.

“Papa! Papa!!” I banged the wall for him to respond. To my delight, he did.

“It’s alright…” I barely heard him say in Kazazan. (It was Papa!!) “I’ll get to you soon!”

“Wait! Don’t go yet! The people I’m with-”

“Don’t worry, honey, I know,” he said reassuringly, which was strange.

If he knows about them, why is he comforting me?

“I’m going now,” he continued.

“Wait, please!!” I begged. “Please don’t go!”

“I’ll get you free tonight!! I promise you, Elle!!” he proclaimed and started moving away as quickly as he could.

“Papa!!!”

~~~~

The entire group prepared on board prepared to leave. Felix decided to go search for Elle, while Razi eyed Piers like a hawk on its prey as he took the tiller. Sheba was having trouble seeing this, but let it pass. Piers was letting her get away with it, after all. Garet and Ivan, on the other hand, went below deck to check the equipment storage, both acting as if that morning had never happened.

Felix didn’t find Elle in any of the bedrooms, the kitchen, or storage. Worried, he went for the engine room. He knew the ship by heart, so it only took him a second to find the ladder and head down the dark crystalline halls.

“Elle! Are you down here?!” he called.

“Yeah… I’m here…” she barely responded.

Felix walked into the final room where the black orb powered the ship. Elle was leaning against the wall, her gaze to the floor, looking pretty shaken.

Felix walked up to her and, using the same concern that Elle found endearing, asked “What’s the matter?”

“…” She shook her head.

Felix put his hand on her shoulder. “Come on, you can talk to me about it.”

Elle didn’t answer, she just wrapped her arms around Felix’s waste and held him tight, her head buried into his chest. Felix, surprised and confused, just returned her embrace.

“Felix… can we walk for a while? Just us two?” she asked him.

“Sorry, but we’re already moving back to Vault…”

Elle looked up to him. ‘We are?”

“Yeah, I can sense we’re already flying.”

Elle blinked. “Flying?”

Felix smiled and nodded. “Let’s go above deck, the view from the crow’s nest is amazing.”

Seeing her mood lighten, Felix led Elle out.

“Garet, Ivan, and Sheba are here,” he commented.

“Oh, when did they arrive?”

“Just a little while ago…and,” he paused. “…Something’s happened to Isaac…”

Elle stopped walking. “!!! What happened?”

Felix wasn’t sure how to tell her and struggled for the right words. “After you saved me… Mikan-” he stopped as soon as then name let his mouth, Elle looked horrified.

“… What did she do…?” Elle managed.

Felix once again struggled to grasp what to say, “He’s alive…”

Elle looked a bit relieved, obviously needed to know more.

Felix honestly didn’t know the entire story and simply replied, “You can ask the others and were going to pick him and Jenna up now… He hadn’t even woken up yet when they left…”

Elle looked down. “There are only two things she would do… She wanted his soul, remember? She probably tried to exorcise it from him.”

“What?! Then is Isaac-?”

“No… If he’s still alive, even as weak as he may be, he’ll probably heal enough to keep going. But it takes a very long time…”

Felix looked at Elle for a moment then asked. “How long does it usually take?”

Elle took a deep breath. “Years.”

“!!!”

Seeing Felix’s shock, Elle tried to reassure him. “If we can get what he lost back, he go right back to nor…mal…” She stumbled through the last word.

“What’s the problem? Can’t we get it back from Mikan?” Felix asked.

Elle shook her head, and head it with her hands. “No…No…That’s impossible…”

“Then we’ll have to go with our plan.”

Elle looked up. “You guys have a plan?”

“Hermes Water.”

“??? What’s that?”

“It’s supposed to heal anything, so we thought we could at least try it.”

Elle brightened. “I don’t know if it will work, but your right. We won’t know until we try.”

Felix nodded., but he remembered something. “What was the other thing Mikan could do to him?”

Elle shook her head. “I don’t want to think about it…”

“Okay…but, Elle… I need to ask you a question.”

Elle tilted her head at him (which Felix thought was cute.) “What is it?”

“It’s about you and Mikan…” He paused seeing Elle become increasingly distraught. “…”

“Go ahead, I would’ve had to tell you eventually…” she spoke quietly.

“Is Mikan… your mother?”

Felix hated seeing her face show such horrible pain, and even worse was the fact he was the one forcing it on her. In response to his question, Elle only nodded. He hugged her for comfort, which lasted a few minutes. As they pulled apart and began for the upper decks, Elle only glanced back at the engine room.

[Linear]

Venus dude 21, on Mar 26 2005, 06:21 AM, said:

Hey lin, can i have that cookie. Awesome chapter, and those plane things aren't that hard to grasp.

*offers a cookie* There.

o.o maybe explaining things are more difficult. *-* it usually is.
Nice chapter too by the way! Nya!! *claps and cheers* o.o ... such wonderfulness...

[Toad King]

Judging by the previous chapters, I have a feeling you have something not very nice in store for Garet, don't you Lind?

[Ravenblade]

Once again im sorry i have let a couple of chapters go by without remark. Your story-telling is as brilliant as ever Lind. I honestly think that this could have been written by a professional, you're that good! I feel quite priviledged that you post here actually.

Im looking forwards to the next chapters as you seem to have such drive to finish this and make the whole thing a really enjoyable read. Your standard is consistently brilliant.

Top notch! ^^

[Lind]

Teehee, Raven, you are so kind. And Toadking, foreshadowing, my friend.



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 37

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jenna had stayed by her boyfriend’s side since the others had left earlier that morning. Isaac still hadn’t woken up, but Jenna continued to ease her worries by joking.

“Isaac,” she said to his sleeping form. “You’re they heaviest sleeper I know!”

She said it to cheer herself up, but remembered that it was a true statement. Isaac fell off the top bunk of a bed in Loho during their travels. Even after falling onto the hard stone floor, he kept sleeping like a baby. Everyone was afraid that he might have been knocked out cold from the impact when he wouldn’t wake up at first, but a few minutes later he woke up on his own to get a drink. When Jenna asked him if he knew why he was on the floor, he said he was having a falling dream. For Jenna, it was something you would expect from Garet, and never from Isaac, which was what made the event so amusing in the end.

As funny as the memory was, Jenna was still struggling to keep her spirits up. Isaac meant more to her than anything and seeing him as he was then was breaking Jenna’s heart.

“The others will be here soon, then we’ll get you some help…” Jenna was reassuring herself more than was Isaac.

“…Jen…na…?”

Jenna perked bolt upright on her stool. She looked at Isaac, his eyes halfway open. “You’re awake!” she proclaimed.

He groaned. “…Oww… not so loud…please…”

“Oh,” Jenna quieted. “Sorry.” She was having a difficult time containing herself.

Isaac slowly sat up in bed and looked around. “Where is everyone?”

“They went to find the boat.”

“And left you here?”

Jenna nodded.

Isaac stretched the stiffness from his arms. “Why would they leave so early?”

“Isaac, it’s almost dark out.”

“???” He looked over to the window and could see the orange sky. He sweat dropped. “Was I asleep that long?”

Jenna stood up and put her hands on her hips. “Yes, you were! And I’ve been sitting here all day worried sick about you!”

Isaac shrugged. Seeing his nonchalant response, Jenna sighed.

Isaac‘s stomach growled and he sweat dropped again.

Jenna almost fell over. “Sheesh… Some things never change!”

“???”

“Remember Loho?”

Isaac perked. “Yeah…”

“…” Jenna crossed her arms. “I’ll go get you something to eat.”

Isaac smiled. “Thanks, Jenna.”

He watched her smile and leave the room.

“…The Wise One saved me…” he said to himself, shaking his head. “Why? I don’t understand… And what did he mean by “hero”…?”

~~~~

Felix pulled me up the ladder into the crow’s nest.

“Careful…” he told me.

“… I’m trying…”

He was being cautious because I slid off the ladder to the engine room just a minute before.

… I hope he doesn’t mind my lack of coordination…

Right then, he was pulling me up the tower to the crow’s nest itself to watch the sunset. Normally, I would be completely excited to do something like this, but I just couldn’t. All I could think about was Papa being out there, somewhere, doing who knows what. Felix was took note to my silence, and looked at me with his concern.

“What’s the matter? You‘ve been distant all of a sudden.”

I looked up to him. “I’m sorry…”

“??? About what?”

“…”

Oh, don’t look at me like that, now…

“I…” I tried. “I… need your help…”

Felix smiled. “It’s alright. What do you need?”

I leaned up against the rail.

Should I… Should I tell him…?
Maybe…

“Papa is…”

Felix’s smile disappeared. “What is it?”

“He’s here…”

This isn’t what I’m…

“!!! He is?!”

“I think so…”

“That’s great! Now you won’t have to lose your family!”

…

Felix’s joy dropped when he saw my expression. “What’s wrong?”

“… Please… I’m afraid…” I bit my fingertip.

He pulled it away. “Of what? I’m not going to let anyone hurt you…”

But that’s not-

“If Papa’s here… then he’s safe…but…” I shook my head. I had no idea how to tell him.

I want to help him from all those dark things inside him.
But how can I when such darkness exists in me…?

“Elle…” Felix squeezed my hand. “It’s okay… Just tell me what’s wrong. Let me help you.”

…

“Felix, I can’t-”

“Elle!! Look out!!” Tarinley screamed inside me.

“!!!”

Felix grabbed my arm. “Elle?!”

He’s laughing at me…!

“Elle, what’s-!!”

No…!!!


~~~~

“Elle?! Elle?! What’s the matter?!?!” Felix clamored to catch her form. “Piers! We need your help!!”

Piers heard is friend calling and immediately told Razi to take the tiller. She followed his command without hesitation as he rushed up the ladders to the crow’ nest.

“What’s wrong?” Piers pulled himself up to them.

“It’s Elle, she just collapsed, but…”

Piers attempted to heal her, quickly finding it ineffective. “Nothing seems wrong. She just collapsed for no reason?”

Felix nodded, frowning that Piers couldn’t help.

Piers searched for any way to consol Felix. “She seems exhausted. Let’s get her down. I think it will pass.”

Finding a small bit of relief in his friend’s words, Felix agreed. The strange feeling suddenly passed, but Felix knew something was very wrong, but what? He would have to just wait it out. There was nothing he could do for now.

[Ravenblade]

Another great chapter, and also very nice to see it posted so soon after i just read the previous three XD I might wait a bit between chapters in future otherwise i may end up repeating myself.

I really cant wait to see what happens between Elles father and the rest of the group though so im looking forward to that^^

you know how awesome a writer you are so i wont waste your time repreating myself so soon after my last ramblings XD

Awesome.

[Toad King]

I've gone back and read some earlier chapters and I thought of something. SPOILERS:

Whatever happened to that one part about Elly saying that Alex was afraid to die? I thought that would play more into the rest of the fanfic.

[Lind]

That will come into play again very soon. It only hasn't been mentioned becuase the group hasn't confronted Alex and Mia yet.

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 38

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tears sometimes aren’t enough. Sometimes screaming isn’t enough, either.

~~~~

“Felix?” Sheba peeked though the doorway.

“What is it?” He didn’t even turn to look at her. He was sitting next to Elle, who sleeping deeply in his bed.

Sheba couldn’t help but feel jealous. Not only did he stay by her that evening, he was willing to drop everything to help Elle, a girl who Felix had only really known for a couple of days. And now, after another one of her weird panic spells, she’s sleeping in his bed, with him watching over her. It was hard for Sheba to accept.

Sheba had secretly had a small crush on Felix since he had rescued her from Venus Lighthouse, but she could see there was nothing she could do to get his attention now.

“Ummm…” With such thoughts roaming in her head, Sheba had difficulty starting a conversation with her friend. “Just checking to see if you need anything.”

“Oh, thanks.” He sounded distant and tired.

It annoyed Sheba. He’s so… convicted, she thought. Why? Why? I wish I could just read his mind to find out, but he’d know I was. Elle would, too… Wait a second. Elle isn’t an adept! She wouldn’t know! I could just peek in when she sleeping like she is and see what she does to make Felix like her!

Sheba internally grinned slyly. “Felix, why don’t you go rest a bit?,” she said, completely masking her plan. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Felix turned. He looked as tired as he sounded. “No, it‘s alright. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. Go above deck and get some air, at least.”

Felix sighed. “Alright.” He got up and stretched. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Sheba nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay right here. I’ll call you if anything happens.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“No problem.” Sheba waved as he walked out. As soon as the door was shut and his footsteps let her know he was too far away to know what she was doing, Sheba slipped over and sat on the chair next to the bed.

“So… Let’s see what kind of tricks you used to nab Felix so quickly…” Sheba laughed to herself as she prepared to dip into Elle’s dreaming mind.

Sheba reached inside herself to her personal store of psyenergy, pulling the amount necessary for her to read a mind, and pushed out a string from herself into Elle. What normally would be a steady flow of words, came a bombardment of sounds and sights.

Sheba, at first stunned, quickly sorted through the mess, most likely from a dream Elle was having, to try to find any clue to getting Felix. What she found was alien, she could hardly understand a word, and Felix was pushed down so deeply Sheba could hardly tell Elle even knew him.

What the? Is she just using him? Sheba questioned, and prodded deeper through the undecipherable mess. She could hear voices, memories of people Elle knew, again, in some alien language Sheba didn’t know. She peeked deeper for anything related to Felix, and still found nothing useful.

What the heck does she do?! Sheba yelled internally. She heard a response. Someone was laughing. Angry, Sheba growled aloud, “You ARE using him, aren’t you?!”

Really? I don’t know if you can say that about me, little girl…

“!!!” It wasn’t Elle’s voice. It wasn’t even Elle. It was a man, his sharp and cackling voice grating Sheba’s ears.

Heehaha! You’ve given me an idea on who I’ll get next!

“What?! Who are you?!” Hearing another being within Elle’s mind made Sheba assume she had a Djinni, but that couldn’t be. They had collected them all a while ago.

Oh, just a piece of the puzzle.

“That doesn’t tell me anything!”

Well, you’re right smack at the end of this puzzle, and you are looking for a certain piece, right? Something about a Felix, eh?

“Huh?! How did-?! How did you know?!”

If you mumble about him any more, only a deaf person wouldn’t know! He laughed.

“!!!”

Hahaha! Well, you won’t have to worry about fighting over him for much longer.

“What do you mean?”

Just find yourself another man, little girl. This “Felix” won’t be around for much longer!

“What?! Wait!!” Before anything else was exchanged, Sheba felt herself launched back out of Elle. “Just what was that?!” Sheba asked herself frantically.

~~~~

Felix leaned over the railing and took a deep breath. It was very dark out, the moon and stars barely able to shine through the thick clouds.

“I hate the rainy season…” he groaned. “It was clear for a day and now it’ll rain again…”

But that was the least of his worries. The only thing that could take over his mind as much as it was now was Elle.

It wasn’t fair. She was so kind and had a good heart, that he could tell right away, but she’s plagued with so many problems, half of which Felix could hardly comprehend.

Ziegfried peeked around from his hiding place behind the cabin entrance. That’s Felix? The man holding my Elle as his personal slave to anything? he thought in disbelief. He seems too gentle… But looks can be deceiving. I still don’t know much about the people here.

It was strange to Felix. He just wanted to push all her problems aside to see her smile and hear her laugh. He had never felt that way for anyone, and couldn’t figure out why of all the people in the world, or the other world, that Elle would be the one person he would die for without hesitation. It was all very confusing.

Ziegfried reached around his waist for a small bag and clothe. A good dose of this stuff’ll knock anyone out! He grinned to himself. He pulled the tie on the bag loose a poured some of the powder on the clothe as far from his face as he possibly could. Don’t want to accidentally put myself out, he joked. He pulled the bag shut and put it back on his belt, and poked around to begin the crucial part of his plan. Fortunately, Felix was too deep into thought to even notice Ziegfried was there.

Felix sighed and thought aloud, “Maybe I love her…”

The word “love” smacked Ziegfried in his face. Love?! Who?! He thought. He’s in love with someone while holding my Elle?! What kind of man is he?!?! His anger built, he began to move in on Felix.

Do I? I don’t know what it feels like anymore… He thought he was in love once before, but having his emotions ripped from his chest, stepped on, and thrown back into his face was more than a bit devastating.

He heard Menardi’s laughter and praise to her baby sister for not letting her fall into Felix’s grasp. Karst and Felix were friends, and the instant he wanted more everything shattered. Maybe that’s why he moved so fast for Elle. He wanted to skip “just being friends.” It didn’t work the last time. Why would now be any different now? He and Elle already knew more about each other in a couple days than he could say about half of the group he’s traveled with for a couple years.

“I do love her…” It was a strong realization.

Ziegfried felt the shock again. He was literally steps away from getting Felix, and he‘s examining his emotions. What perfect timing! Ziegfried thought sarcastically. Without even realizing it, Felix was hitting Ziegfried at his weakest point.

Alex had told Felix he was foolish and emotional many times. But Alex was cold, heartless, and strove only for his own benefit. Who was the better man? There wasn’t a valid argument on Alex’s behalf. Thinking about Alex made Felix angry. What was worse was he wanted to take Elle to do who knows what (though, Felix could make a good guess). “If he touches her again, I’ll slaughter him!” Felix slammed his fist against the railing. “I will not let that happen! Alex will not go near her!”

Ziegfried resisted from whining aloud. Alex? Wasn’t the boy who tipped me off named Alex? Then is he talking about his fiancé, Mia? Or someone else?

Enough was enough. Ziegfried couldn’t take it anymore. He just have to sort this out later. Right now he wanted to rescue Elle, and that meant taking the boy now.

Felix felt someone bearing down over him. He twisted his head to see who it was, seeing a light shine of metal. “What-?!”

Ziegfried forced his hand over Felix’s mouth and nose, forcing him to breath in the sleeping powder. Felix struggled vainly against Ziegfried far greater strength, his energy quickly depleting, trying to yell for his friends. He felt his scarf being pulled off, then the belt holding his sword. The blade clattered against the ground.

Ziegfried mumbled, “Gotta leave evidence or they might not know I grabbed you…”

Felix could feel terror welling up so quickly his psyenergy was rendered useless. Not again!! Please!! He internally yelled.

Ziegfried felt Felix drop to his knees, somehow still struggling. What the…? He should be out by now!

No!!… Felix felt exhaustion win out, and finally fell silent.

“That’s better…” Ziegfried said. “What the heck is this kid made of?” He tossed Felix over his shoulder and placed a note beneath his scarf and sword. “That should do it.”

He leapt over the railing of the ship, his captive in tow, knowing he would have daughter back very soon.

[Lind]

Yeah I finished two chapters in one day, probably three if I keep this up. :o Oh well, I'm really liking the part.

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 39

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I opened my eyes. “Hmmm…?”

“Hi.” It was Sheba.

“Oh… Hi…” I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

I don’t want to randomly burst into Kazazan again…
That was a terrible greeting…

I looked over to Sheba. She was staring at the floor, frowning. “What’s the matter?”

She shook her head. “Nothing… Nothing at all…”

“Okay…” I didn’t like the way she said that.

…!!!

“Where’s Felix?”

“He’s above deck getting some air.”

I sighed in relief. Sheba looked at me strangely.

Crap!

“Ummm…. I’ll go tell him I’m okay…” I climbed from the bed and scurried out the door, out of the awkward conversation. As soon as I shut the door, I heard someone yell.

“Everyone!” It was Ivan. “Felix is gone!!”

What?!?!

I quickly ran above deck, hearing a few more people rush up behind me.

“What do you mean, “Felix is gone!!”?!” Sheba yelled at him.

Ivan held up his scarf and his sheathed sword. Without thinking, I snatched them away from him. “No way!! This is some kind of joke!!!”

“Hey, there’s a note…” Garet picked up a folded piece of paper off the ground. It fell free from the scarf when I grabbed it.

“A ransom?” Razi asked.

Garet ****ed an eyebrow at the note’s contents. “What the?”

Piers pulled it away and looked at himself. “What’s this? It’s just gibberish.”

Gibberish?

Sheba snatched it up furiously and confirmed it. “Someone kidnaps Felix and leaves us a mess of letters for a ransom!!”

Mess of letters?

“Maybe it’s a code!” Razi suggested.

Code?

“Maybe it’s torn to pieces!” Sheba prepared to tear it in half when I stopped her.

“WAIT!!” Everyone jumped. “Let me see it.”

Sheba reluctantly handed it to me. I took one glance and instantly become infuriated. “I know this handwriting…” It was in Kazazan.

“Then you can read it?” Ivan asked.

“Yes.”

Razi perked. “See, it’s a code! Right?”

“Kind of… He wrote it like this just so I could read it.”

“Then you know who took him?” Garet asked.

“Yep… Let me read this thing.”

Everyone silenced and let me look over it.


Dear Elle,

I’m so sorry I could save you sooner! Please forgive me!!

“What…?”

A kind young man and his fiancé told me where you were and that they were holding you prisoner.

“Prisoner?!”

“He’s holding Felix prisoner?!” Sheba cried.

“No, backwards! He thinks Felix is holding me!”

“What?!”

I can only imagine what terrifying things you must have been through… But don’t worry honey! I’ll be right with and help you through this!

“… At least he cares.”

Tell all those horrible people what I want.

“What the?”

“What is it?” Garet asked.

“He thinks you’re all horrible people.”

“What? We haven’t even met this guy!” Razi complained.

I shrugged and kept reading.

Tell them if I don’t have you back by tomorrow, I cut Felix in half and leave him for the carrion birds!!

“!!!”

Sheba didn‘t look to happy at my expression. “What’s the matter?!”

Rather than answer, I shushed her to keep reading.

I’m out by the lone tree in the field not a mile away. If they don’t do this peacefully, I’ll not only slice Felix in half, I’ll cut him and everyone else to bits!!

Love,
Ziegfried Bureosakova

“This is terrible! He’s going to kill Felix if I don’t go there!”

“Kill?!” Sheba looked stunned. “Where!? Where!?”

I shook my head.

“We can’t just leave him! We have to save him!” Piers commanded.

“We’re not… But this is a weird situation…”

“What are you talking about?” Sheba’s anger with me was obvious.

She doesn’t like me…

“I have to go alone.”

“Why!!” Sheba cried.

“Because of who it is that took him!”

“Who would want to save you?!?! I thought everyone you knew was in the other world!!”

I frowned. She brought that fact back up to the surface.

“Who wants you that badly!! You left a boyfriend behind didn’t you!!”

“!!! No, it’s not like-”

“Liar! You’re just using Felix aren’t you!! Now that you lost your old one, you grab Felix first chance you have!!”

“I did not leave a boyfriend behind in Kazaza!!!” I screamed. “What the heck kind of right do you have to scrutinize me!! Yes, a man did come from Kazaza to save me. No, it’s not my boyfriend. It’s my father!!”

Sheba looked stunned. I jumped back, realizing I hit the edge of my temper. Anymore then and I would’ve exploded.

“S-sorry… I shouldn’t have yelled…Felix is my first, is all…”

“…” Sheba didn’t try to apologize until Piers elbowed her arm. She frowned. “Sorry.” It was obvious she only said it because she was forced to. “So what now? You going to save him?”

I nodded.

“Fine.” She stomped off back down into the cabins, slamming the door shut. I winced when she did.

“Sheesh…” Razi put her hands on her hips, looking back at the door. “I’ve never seen anyone so jealous in my life!”

Piers looked at her curiously. “Jealous?”

Razi turned to him. “You wouldn’t understand. It’s a girl thing.”

The three boys looked at one another, all pretty clueless on the situation. Razi shook her head.

Ivan quickly changed the subject. “Can you get to where Felix is being held on your own alright?”

I nodded. “I’ll be fine.” I clutched the scarf and sword. “I can make it. I’ll be back in the morning.”

We all agreed, and I left to knock some sense into Papa.

[Toad King]

Lind, on Apr 8 2005, 08:54 PM, said:

I’m out by the lone tree in the field not a mile away. If they don’t do this peacefully, I’ll not only slice Felix in half, I’ll cut him and everyone else to bits!!

Love,
Ziegfried Bureosakova

Am I the only one who chuckled at those last two lines there?

[Sea of Time]

Venus dude 21, on Feb 25 2005, 10:03 AM, said:

YOU ARE THE WRITING GOD!!
This is amazing, i would buy this if it was a book.
Make more chapters, the lenght doesn't matter.

l3lueMage, on Mar 7 2005, 08:41 PM, said:

omg, when ur done im gonna print it, and then im gonna bind it into a book ;)

The main reason why I loved the Golden Sun series so much was for the amazing writing and storyline. It was perfectly executed and, having played many RPG's, not many stack up to it. Once I was finished playing the games I searched for another way to get my GS fix. So I came to syndicate. I read fanfics upon fanfics and none captured my attention. I even tried writing my own, but it didn't get off the ground and I didn't like my storyline. Then, I started to read Dawn to Dusk.

I have to admit to everyone here, when I posted my first post on this topic saying I loved the story, I had not read a word of it and was only working on increasing my post count.

Today, I have spent an hour and a half reading every last chapter word for word of this truly amazing story. I would just like to tell Lind that you have created the ultimate Golden Sun fanfic and that this is the best writing I have ever read, published or not.

That is all I have to say, and let me assure you, you have my back on this truly remarkable story.

[Lind]

Sea_of_Time, and everyone else, thank you so much. Hearing people like you praising and telling me how much you enjoy this story is what has kept me going, writing at this standard and giving it as much detail as I can put into it. Don't think saying, "I like it!" after every chapter is redundant, hearing that keeps me going! Thanks again!



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 40

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey,” Ziegfried nudged Felix with his foot. “Wake up.”

Felix stirred, but didn’t wake.

“Maybe I used to much…” Ziegfried sighed. He dropped down on the ground, opposite of the small campfire between him and Felix. He had easily tied a rope around him, and then tied that rope to the large tree. Felix wouldn’t be able to stand, let only free himself.

Ziegfried sat there for a few minutes, finding the silence agonizing. Felix mentioned he was in love with someone… He thought. And why was he so mad at Alex? I’m so confused. I might as well wake him up and ask.

He got up and nudged Felix again. “Get up, kid.”

Felix winced and opened his eyes. “What…?” He looked around, confused. “Where am I…?” He asked in a daze.

“You tell me.”

Felix looked up at the gigantic form. He gasped and tried to move away, but found himself tied down. He tried to break free with his psyenergy, but a wall was placed in his mind, blocking his power. He was alone and completely at the giant’s mercy. “Who are you?!” he asked, nearly masking his panic.

Ziegfried scratched his chin. “I’ll skip all the special titles. I am Ziegfried Bureosakova.” That didn’t tell Felix much, but Ziegfried just smiled and added, “I’m Elle’s father.”

He watched Felix’s eyes widen. “Elle’s…father?”

“The one and only.”

“…” Felix was speechless. He’s bigger than Agatio! Is he angry I’m with Elle? Is it because I’m already so close to her…? He look’s like he could tear me apart… And I can’t do a thing………I’m doomed…

Ziegfried could see Felix’s obvious shock and devastation. “Didn’t think someone like me would come to the rescue, did you?”

Felix was quickly jerked from his thoughts. “Rescue? This is a rescue?”

“Damn right it is!! I know what kind of things you did to Elle!! And don’t think you’re going to get away with it for a second!!” Ziegfried pulled his sword out and slammed it between Felix’s legs. Felix yelped, the giant blade inches from cutting right into his torso.

“But I didn’t-”

“Don’t deny it!”

“I haven’t done anything like that to Elle!!”

“Humph.” Ziegfried pulled away his blade and sat down next to Felix. “Really? Prove it.”

“Prove it? How am I supposed to do that?!”

Ziegfried frowned. “You’re the one who’s supposed to know.”

Felix looked down. “I can’t… I wouldn’t do that to her… Never…”

Ziegfried paused and thought, Either he’s a great actor or he’s being honest… “Then who were you talking about earlier?”

“???”

“You said you were in love.” Ziegfried narrowed his eyes, ready to scrutinize every movement his captive made. Felix blushed and turned away, his hair shielding his face prompting Ziegfried to grab Felix’s chin and force him to turn. “No, kid, you look at me.”

“…” He refused to turn his eyes to Ziegfried.

“Kid!”

Felix jumped and shut his eyes. He looked prepared for pain.

What the? Ziegfried thought. “Stop that and answer me!”

Felix tried to shake his head, finding it difficult with Ziegfried still holding him.

Ziegfried growled, his deep and raspy voice almost making the whole area vibrate. “Boy, you hold my daughter locked up and as your slave while you’re falling in love with someone? What kind of person are you?!”

“I wasn’t keeping Elle locked up…”

“Then where has she been all this time?!”

“..she was hurt, she barely survived…”

“What are you babbling about?”

“When I found her, she was dying… I couldn’t leave her there….”

Ziegfried let go. “Dying?”

Felix nodded.

“And YOU saved her?”

Felix blushed again and nodded.

“Then what was that Alex kid talking about?”

That name Alex shot though Felix like a knife. He whipped around to Ziegfried. “Alex?! What did he say?!”

“He and his fiancé were telling me you had Elle as a slave, his fiancé once, too.”

“Fiancé? Alex has a fiancé?” Felix couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, I think her name was Mia.”

“What?! That can’t be!!”

“Huh? What are talking about?”

“Mia deserted us for Alex?! Why would she do that?!” Felix shook his head in disbelief. “What will Garet think…”

“Deserted…? Wait a second! Who’s the bad guy here?!”

“YOU ARE!”

~~~~

I really could have exploded. Papa was looming over Felix, who was tied down to a tree, completely defenseless.

Papa suddenly brimmed with joy. “Elle!” He quickly tried to run up to hug me, only to feel the butt of Felix’s sword nailed squarely into his stomach. I nearly knocked the wind out of him.

“You’re the last person I want a hug from right now!” I walked over to Felix and began to untie him. “You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah… I’m fine.” Felix seemed really embarrassed.

Papa looked heartbroken. “What did I do???” he pleaded.

“Kidnap my boyfriend and threaten to chop him to bits, that‘s what!!” I yelled.

Deep breaths, Elle.

Felix looked at me completely stunned.

“But I thought he was hurting you…” Papa continued.

“Hurting me?! Felix would never do such a thing!!”

Felix turned as red as a cherry. He stood up now that he was no longer tied and twisted his scarf in his hands.

Papa struggled, “B-but… What was Alex and Mia talking about…?”

“Alex is the lying, scheming, perverted monster! He set you up so you would get Felix out of the way for him!”

“But the girl…”

“Alex probably tricked Mia, too!”

Felix perked, but stayed out of our conversation.

Papa couldn’t believe it. “I…I was totally wrong… I almost killed my daughter’s first love…”

Felix and I were both suddenly hit with even more embarrassment.

L-love?!? Yeah, but…

Papa turned to Felix. “Then the one you were-”

“Please don’t. Not yet.” Felix could barely muster.

“…”

Hmm…? What’s he talking about?

I grabbed Felix‘s arm. “Papa, please don’t go crazy on Felix. I like him in one piece. And I have to stay with him.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a long story…” Felix told him.

Papa sat down. “Well, start talking now. I want to hear the whole thing.”

Felix and I sighed. “Okay…”

[Ravenblade]

SOT is right, you're awesome. Im lovng the story, i just hope im around for the finale^^

Keep at it!

[Toad King]

So... How many chapters is this going to be? And where do you find the time for eating, sleeping, school/work, etc.?

[Sea of Time]

Phew! Reading 40 chapters of that in one day takes a lot out of you. I don't regret a second. Another well-written chapter. Keep up the good work.

[Lind]

I have no clue, I expect over a hundred at the rate I'm going... ;) Each chapter takes a couple of hours to type up, reread (although I still make quite a few silly mistakes), and post here and at AoA. I usually get it all done in one sitting, and most of the chapters are written really late at night. That gives me time to do everything else.

[Sea of Time]

I hate to be the reporter but what really drives you to keep on writing? Do you feel as if this is a job you have to complete?

[Lind]

Well, yeah, it is like that. I've started many projects with as much promise as this one, but they either never got past a few chapters or, even worse, written at all. I've also decide to use this project to see if writing is even what I want to do with my life. With how much effort I've put into it, how much I've learned and refined my abilities, and the fact that I'm enjoying writing this greatly, has really helped me.



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 41

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Papa, I…umm… need to explain a lot to you.”

He looked pretty intent on what I was saying despite throwing sharp glances at Felix every other second.

“Don’t be like that with him!” I told Papa.

“What do you want!? It’s my job!” he retorted.

Felix looked pretty nervous. Papa must have intimidated him greatly then, especially since this was their first meeting. Papa also found the whole fact I was sitting next to Felix across from him pretty unnerving for himself. What made things even worse was the fact this whole situation is far from what any of us wanted it to be like.

Geez… I always thought Papa would meet him over dinner or something!
Nothing like this!!

“Papa, I’ve only been here for about a month and a half, right?” I was asking Felix, who agreed.

“A month and a half?” Papa asked. “It’s been longer than that!”

I shook my head. “I’ve only been with Felix and everyone else for that long.”

“Where were you before that?”

I frowned. “I don’t remember anything…”

“…”

“Scuffy over here (Felix sweat dropped at that comment.) was telling me you were dying. What’s that all about?”

“I don’t remember much of that, either…”

“…” Papa sighed. “Fine then, you explain.”

Felix didn’t respond at first, he took a deep breath. “When I had found Elle, she was minutes away from bleeding to death. I didn’t know what happened, but I wasn’t going to leave her to die! I tried healing her myself, but I wasn’t strong enough-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Papa stopped him. “Heal her? You can heal?”

“Yes, but I was no where near strong enough to completely heal Elle’s wounds. I was only able to get enough time to carry her back to the village we were staying at.”

“There’s more to the story than that…” I added.

Papa gave Felix another glare. “More? I want to hear all of it.”

“Should I tell him?”

“Yeah, he’ll need to know everything.”

Felix sighed and continued. “Ziegfried…sir, I know about what Elle is and what her powers are.”

“!!!” Papa looked ready to swing at him. “How do you know?!”

Felix came up with the answer instantly. “When I went to heal her, her wings came out to try to fight me off, but they were too weak and I didn’t do anything but heal Elle’s wounds. They quickly wore out and I picked her up to carry her to a real healer…”

Felix paused, seeing Papa calm back down. I nudged him to get him to tell Papa more. He glanced at me and continued. “This part is confusing… But I was stopped by… The Wise One.”

“The Wise One? Who’s that?”

“I wish I could tell you. I don’t know much about him myself other than he’s the guardian of Vale, my hometown, and Sol Sanctum, a sort of temple the village was built around. He is insanely powerful and has lived for a very long time.”

“Sounds like a strange man…” Papa mused.

“Maybe, if he were a man,” I shrugged. “He’s just a floating boulder with one big, blue eye that stares at you… a lot like how you’re staring at Felix right now.” I crossed my arms, a bit annoyed.

Papa frowned. “Sorry… but keep going.”

“When he stopped me… He told me I had to leave Elle. He said she had to die. He told me she was a monster, and her life threatened the very existence of Weyard… I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t believe it!”

Papa seemed taken back by Felix’s tone.

“I argued with the Wise One to let me help her. He finally decided that if I wanted to help her so badly, there must be a reason. He tasked me with keeping watch over her, to keep her from battle, and to keep her from harming anything. He said that if I failed, he’d kill her, then me.”

“…” Papa scratched his chin. “But you only wanted to help Elle… Why would he want to kill you?”

“…It was because of my sin.” Felix frowned.

“Sin? What did you do?” Papa was giving him that dark glare again.

“Papa, the people I’m with now… they’re the group that… lit the lighthouses…”

Papa jumped up. “What?!”

I quickly moved in between him and Felix. “Wait!! Don’t attack him, Papa!! He had no choice!!”

Papa growled. “No choice? This had better be good…”

“His parents were being held hostage! He had to save them! If he helped light the lighthouses, they and him would go free!”

“But lighting them would destroy Kazaza!”

“Papa! No one in Weyard but us have any idea Kazaza even exists!”

“!!!” Papa stopped and looked at me for a few moments. He dropped down to the ground. “Of course… that makes sense…”

“Sir, Weyard was withering away. We all thought we were saving the world… We didn’t know… I‘m sorry… I was the reason the original group could go into action… and then, after they died, I was the one who lead the second group…”

“Kid… Felix, I…” Papa frowned. “Just keep going with the story.”

Felix frowned. “… Okay… The Wise One didn‘t want the lighthouses lit. He even sent two people from Vale, both of which were my friends growing up, to stop us from lighting them.”

“Did they fail?” Papa asked

Felix shook his head. “My younger sister, Jenna, and I told them why we were going against the Wise One’s wishes. They decided we were doing the right thing and even joined us. This was all my sin. I lit the lighthouses and convinced those the Wise One protected and tasked to stop me to do just the opposite. He believes that unleashing Alchemy will cause history to repeat itself…”

“Alex… The one who tricked you, Papa, gained an awesome amount of power when the lighthouses were lit. Despite that, he lost some of it to me. I don’t know how… Or why… But that’s why he’s after me.”

Felix growled. “He’s threatened to do a lot more than get that power back from Elle… He’s a sick man…”

“But that’s the same reason the Wise One wants me dead. If I die, Alex can’t complete his plans.”

“…” Papa just leaned back and soaked it all in. “And you’ve been together for over a month?”

“Umm… kind of…” I scratched my head.

“Huh?” Papa gave me a weird look.

“When Felix saved me, I was in a coma. I just got out of it a few days ago.”

Papa slammed his fists against the ground. “What?! And your telling me you’re already an item! What the heck brought that on?!”

I’m surprised he’s still thinking about that after all we’ve said… But that’s Papa for you…

Felix suddenly had the strange nervousness he did from earlier and twisted out a few strands of grass.

“Papa, please understand. So much has happened… I can’t explain it all to you.”

“I don’t expect you would. It’s just… surprising, is all.”

Felix perked. “Then you aren’t mad?”

“Not anymore. I’m just sorry I had mixed everything up like I did…” Papa stood up and stretched. “Well… I want to meet your new group… but…”

“!!! But what?” I asked him, completely pained he didn‘t want to come.

“Oh, don’t look that way,” he told me. “I can’t, I have to figure out what Mikan’s up to.”

“What?! You know she’s here?!”

“Then, so do you?”

I frowned. Felix put his hand on my shoulder.

“Huh…” Papa mused. “Go back to your ship. Your friends are probably worried.”

“But…”

“No buts. Don’t worry. I’ll see you all again soon. Now get up and go!” He waved his hands as if to shoo us away.

“I don’t understand,” Felix questioned. “You’re acting as if nothing is wrong…”

Papa threw his sword over his shoulder. “It’s not that, kid. I trust you.”

Felix didn’t know how to respond.

He pointed his finger in Felix‘s face. “But remember! If anything happens to Elle, you both get it! Even if the Wise Guy doesn’t cut you, I will! Got it!?!”

Felix gulped. “Yes, sir.”

“Okay.” Papa smiled. He turned to me and pulled me into his arms. “You be careful, okay, sweetie? You’re eighteen now, so I can’t make your decisions for you anymore. You grew up on me! I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I lost you, again… I love you very much, Elle.”

I blushed, but I was happy. “I love you, too.”

“Now as for you,” He turned again to Felix. “I can accept you as long as you take good care of her, okay?”

Felix nodded. “Yes, sir. I won’t let anything happen to her, I swear.”

I blushed even more.

“I know,” Papa smiled. “Just making sure.” He let me go and placed his hand on my head. “Go on.”

I didn’t want to.

Papa sighed and began to walk away. “See you two, soon.” He waved and burst into a run.

“…” I wanted to yell to stop him, but resisted. I turned to Felix and sighed. “… And so he makes his exit…”

Felix smiled. “We should, too.”

“….You’re right…”

[Sea of Time]

I'm kinda like that when I write fanfics. My most popular one, Age of Darkness never really inspired me to keep writing and I as well am questioning whether writing is really my thing.

[Toad King]

Hmm, we see that Sheba was jelous of Elle getting Felix's attention. From the other parts of the story you seemed to be hinting that she liked Piers IMO.

[Ravenblade]

Its awesome Lind, you go from strength to strength with it...im going to have to get AIM so i can chat to you about it^^

Until then, keep writing (redundant statement or what ?XD)

[Linear]

>.> I should really re-download the AIM then. @.@;

O.O; your story is getting better and better .-. *loves them SOOO much* T____T!!!! I honor thee

[Lind]

To Toad King: Yes, Piers and Sheba are close, but they have more of a brother/sister kind of relationship. In the beginning I was contemplating the idea of them together, but decided against such a romance later on when I decided to come up with a character to replace Mia, which turned out to be Razi (and Razi openly shows her affection for Piers. Love at first sight, so to speak.) I also have another character that won't appear for quite a while, and her relationship to Mia is pretty strange. You'll just have to wait and see...[/teaser]

To Ravenblade and Linear: Yeah, unfortunatly, AOL blocks me from using an outside program through the internet, so the only chat that's avaliable to me is AIM. The unfortunate thing is that most of the people here use MSN. :P So, I'm stuck...

Extra: Since the artwork for this story has mostly died to the point I have no reason to start an entirely new thread for it, I wanted to know if I do get any done (like I have a few character designs and almost everyone has a sprite profile either completed or in the works), would it be alright if I posted them here?



Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 42

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sheba paced around her room. Sheba normally shared it with Jenna, but she was still at the hotel with Isaac, so her restlessness would bother no one but herself, as everyone else was fast asleep She was still left confused and now, heartbroken.

“What’s going on…?” she mumbled to herself. “What’s wrong with her…? Why does Felix care about her…?”

Sheba was referring to Elle. When Sheba had tried to read her mind, she could hardly sense Felix’s presence at all. All she heard was a cackling laugh and a man’s sharp and almost terrifying voice.

“He’s targeting Felix… Was it a good idea to let her go alone?” Her senses immediately picked up danger. “No! I have to go help him!”

Sheba quickly grabbed her Tungsten Mace from beneath her bed and began to rush out. As soon as she was on deck, she realized she had nowhere to go. Elle had taken the note that told them where Felix was with her. Sheba slumped back into the main room with her fears and disappointment with her defenselessness.

She sat on the stool and laid her head down on the table. “Felix…” she nearly cried to herself. She reached her arm up for a candle, but felt a small book. “??? Piers doesn’t keep his logs lying around…”

When she got it closer, she noticed it was far too feminine to be one of his logs. “Who’s is this?” She felt around again until she found the candle and lit it with a tiny shock of lightening.

Sheba scrutinized the book, its copper color and beaded inlay. “It’s pretty…” She noticed the ribbon hanging from the inside; Someone had already begun writing in it. Disappointed the book belonged to someone else already, she flipped it open and began to read it to herself:

“I can start with the worst part. I’m not human. I’m a munin. I look as close to a human being as you can get, but I’m not human. I think, feel, act like a human, but I’m not. Never will be…”

“What in the world…?” Sheba glanced the above paragraph and found Elle’s introduction. “…This is Elle’s diary…?” Surprised with her luck and Elle’s carelessness, Sheba continued reading.

“Besides from that, I’m am quite messed up.”

“I already knew that much,” Sheba mumbled and skipped ahead. A strange word caught her eye. “Ethereals…?” Sheba skimmed through. “A spirit living in her…? But the ones she’s talking about are both girls…” She snooped further and then caught the name Lerato. Sheba stopped and read the whole paragraph.

“His name is Lerato. HIS. He’s a terrible monster. When he comes out, I lose control of myself, I go crazy, him happily basking in the fact and the blood I may be shedding. He was a terrible murderer in his past, and he still holds to his insanity.”

“Oh my God…” Sheba knew then the voice she heard was this man, or Ethereal, as Elle called it. Sheba slammed the book shut. “Felix is still in danger!”

She stood up and began to pace around again. “I have to drive them apart, or Elle and this Lerato guy might kill Felix!!”

~~~~

Felix took my hand and began to walk back. I just went with him in a daze.

Papa left me in Felix’s hands…

“Elle…”

He said he was so sorry for almost killing my first love…

“…Elle…?”

He said he trusted him…

“Hey, Elle.”

“???” I looked at Felix.

He sweat dropped. “Are we even going the right way?”

I looked at our surroundings. “Yeah, just keep going this direction and we should get to the boat.”

Felix nodded. “Elle…”

“What is it?”

“Are you happy here?”

“???”

“Are you happy…” he paused for a second to think. “Are you happy here…with me?”

I stopped. “What do you mean?”

He looked down. “You’ve… collapsed a lot.”

…

“You only seem to when you’re hurt…”

“Yeah… That’s true…”

“I’m not doing a my job of saving you like this…”

I looked up at him. His eyes were distant. “Felix, don’t be like that… I only pass out like that as a defense thing. It’s me, not you!”

He turned his eyes to me. “A defense thing?”

I nodded. “I’ve always done that, for as long as I can remember…”

“This often?”

I shook my head honestly.

Felix looked down again. “What was it you were trying to tell me before that knocked you out like that? You didn’t just faint, you were in pain!”

I frowned. “I have… a third…”

Felix gave me a puzzled look. “A third? A third what?”

“My wings… are just two… there’s another…”

Please, let me last long enough to tell him!

“My wings are two of my Ethereals… but I have a third… and he’s…” My eyes were burning.

Felix put his hand on my shoulder, as if quickly understanding the situation. “Does he hurt you?”

I looked down.

“Then I’ll defeat him,” he said it with a sudden boost of determination.

I turned up to Felix. “No, you can’t!”

Felix looked surprised. “Why not?”

“Because if you do… I’ll die…”

“!!! How can that be?!”

“I’m incomplete…”

Don’t fade… Don’t fade…

Felix‘s expression pressured my to continue. “…If any of my ethereals were pulled from me, I would die, we would all die… They sustain me, Felix, and at the same time, I sustain them. ”

“…How can you live with that…?” Felix asked me with that concern again.

“He buries himself so deep, and he only comes out when he sees the perfect opportunity…When he does, I can‘t control myself anymore! He’s so powerful… I just fight and fight and fight not caring about who I hurt or even kill! I just keep going until I‘m too tired to move anymore…” I looked up into Felix’s eyes. “Felix, that’s the berserker in me!”

He looked at me, his eyes searching desperately. “Isn’t there something I can do? Is there a way I can keep him from coming out? Can’t we find another way to sustain you?”

I shook my head. Felix wiped away a coming tear. “Then I’ll figure out a way… I won’t let you die!!”

“Felix… but I… don’t want you to die, either…”

I finally fell forward into his chest and we embraced one another tightly.

~~~~

“A romance has already been rooted…” the Wise One said, feeling anger and shame build within him. “If he gives himself to her… If he truly loves her… Then he will have to lose her…”

He looked out over the tall blue tower, the glowing beacon at the top filling the world with its water psyenergy.

“The berserker will come!” the Wise One called in a fury. “When the light of Mercury rages and flares with it‘s almighty and chilling light, I will bring forward the berserker, and the blasted munin who ruined it all will die at last!!”

[Toad King]

Short, but sweet. (I wonder why the Wise One is so obsessed with protecting Weyard. ???)

Also, I noted a couple grammar mistakes, somewhat more than usuall. Other than that, good work.

[Lind]

Yeek, I was rushing to finish it after I accidentally deleated the original copy of it....

[Sea of Time]

Another great chapter. I was wondering why she fainted so much too. XD

[Ravenblade]

Its all getting really deep now which makes me think that the climax must be imminent. You're building it up really well with various "mini-climaxes" throughout to keep peoples interest at a height. Im looking forward to what follows a lot^^

[Lind]

I just realized I never posted this even after finishing it.... It's a shorter chapter too...


Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 43

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sheba heard the door creek open. She lifted her head and smiled at the figure in the doorway. “Felix, you’re alright!!” she exclaimed, jumping up so quickly, she knocked her stool to the floor.

Felix smiled back. “I’m fine, don’t worry.” He stepped aside to let Elle walk in. “Elle, thankfully, got me out of that mess.” He sweat dropped.

Elle laughed. “I swear he might be scary at first, but once he warms up to you, he’s not so bad.”

“What happened anyway?” Sheba asked Felix.

Felix frowned. “Alex tricked Elle’s father into believing we were holding her prisoner.”

“Alex tricked him?” Sheba seemed surprised.

“Yep,” Elle said. “He thought you all were the bad guys, and I was a captive of yours.”

“He went after me because Alex said I was the leader.”

Sheba scratched her chin. “Well, you are.”

“…” Felix stared at her for a moment. “No, I’m not. I’d make a terrible leader.”

Sheba only smiled. “But you are okay, right?”

Felix nodded. “I think we all should go to bed now. I’ll tell everyone what happened in the morning.”

Both girls agreed.

Elle lifted her diary off the table, completely oblivious to Sheba‘s quick examination of its contents. “Where should I sleep?”

“We have an extra room…” Felix suggested.

Sheba frowned. “Razi’s in there.”

Felix looked at Sheba, sensing hostility in her voice. He turned back to Elle. “There’s an extra bed in the room. Make sure not to wake anyone.”

Elle nodded. “I won’t. I’ll be down in a minute.” She looked around the room. “Hey, do either of you know where the pen and ink went?”

Sheba was scowling for a second, but pointed at the shelf.

“Oh, um, thanks.” Elle walked over and got her supplies. “Good night.”

Felix returned her gesture, somewhat confused as to Sheba’s strange swing of moods. Sheba just nodded and left.

Elle gave Felix a quick hug before he went. “Sweet dreams.” He told her.

She smiled. “Thank you.”

Sheba peeked through the doorway at the two embrace. She felt her anger and jealousy rise, but was thankful the couple didn’t go any further. She quickly moved into her bedroom and curled into her bed.

~~~~

After Felix left, I sat down and began to summarize that night’s event. It easily took over an hour, maybe two, to get everything down. The candle left on the table was nearing it’s last flicker, and it was becoming hard to see what I was writing.

“Good morning.”

I jumped in my seat and looked up. Blue and amber. “Oh… Hi, Piers.”

“Hello.” He smiled. “Sorry if I frightened you.”

I shook my head. “No, no….Umm… Why are you up at this time?”

He smiled and shrugged. “I always wake just before sunrise. It‘s habit for me.”

“Oh, okay. Wait… sunrise??”

He walked through the door and showed me a line of orange across the horizon. He gently laughed at my expression.

“Oops…” I dug my boot into the ground. “Felix told me not to stay up late.”

“It is alright. You might want to go to bed now, so he doesn’t worry about you,” Piers suggested.

I sheepishly nodded and walked back to my room.

He seems different than when I first saw him.

Piers was definitely quite different from the rest of the party. Everything from his manner of speech, the way he carried himself, the way he seemed young and old all at once was all separate, unusual. Piers was dressed differently, for one; He was completely covered up now. He also lost a bit of his confident stride. I remembered Felix telling me he was nearly 100... But he didn’t look any older that the rest of us.

He seems…somber. Like he’s hiding some sadness from everyone.

He almost died… I thought. Mama tried…

I stopped there knowing thinking about it further wouldn’t do Piers any good. I wondered if talking to him about it would help any, after all, I was one of her victims, too. I decided it was worth a try.

I looked around the room I was now in. Razi was splayed across the bottom bunk of the beds. I knew that if I tried to climb up, I’d wake her, so I reached up and hid my diary beneath my pillow. I thought for a moment. Razi mumbled something in her sleep. She rolled around and off the bed, blanket and all, right then and there.

“Oof!”

I dropped down to help her. “Are you okay?!”

She bolted upright and claimed, “I swear to drunk, I’m not God!!”

“Huh?” She was still dreaming.

She looked up, her eyes half closed, and said sleepily, “Good morning.”

I blinked.

What the heck was she dreaming about?

She saw my expression, saw her position, and scratched her chin. “Why am I on the floor?”

I sighed. “You were dreaming… and rolled off.”

She laughed. “Sorry… I thought I had single-handedly ended world hunger… But I was wrong.”

Then I laughed. After the moment I had an idea.

“Hey, Razi.”

“What is it?” She said standing up and brushing off.

“Will you help me talk to Piers?”

The look she gave was the most hideous (and effective) evil eye I had ever seen in my life. “About what?”

I waved my hands to calm her down. “No, no, not like that! I just might be able to make him feel better about the other night.”

Razi’s evil dropped back into cheerfulness. “Really, how come?”

“…” I stood up and stared at the floor. “I guess… I can relate…”

“Well, okay.” She smiled.

“Really? Thank you!”

~~~~

Sheba heard the conversation through to her room. “Now she’s moving in on the other boys!” She immediately wished Jenna was there with her, she was the only girl who might understand her problems. Maybe she could try talking to Razi. No, that wouldn’t work. Razi didn’t like her. Sheba could already tell that. Mia would understand, but Mia wasn’t there. She was with Alex, wherever they were.

Sheba rolled over in her bed. “Poor Mia…” she thought. “I hope she’s okay….”

Sheba decided now would be best to sleep, despite so many thing dwelling in her head. “Felix…” she whispered before drifting off.

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 44

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sheba wandered through the snow. She felt the sensation of a headache, and her legs were heavy and sore with fatigue. She somehow knew she was lost, but she kept going. Stopping would mean something far worse than the pain she had from continuing in the bitter cold.

She felt her thoughts drift from her predicament to Felix. Something had happened. However, her mind refused to filter and comprehend what that something was. She continued to struggle and stumble through the snow in the direction she was headed.

“Felix…” she rasped, her dry throat barely steaming the air. “Why did you go…”

Lerato began laughing. Sheba threw hands over her ears, only slightly muffling his sharp cackling. She began to run, unable to escape the source, as if he was right above her, following every desperate step.

She fell, the cold, wet snow splattering into her face and successfully getting her desert set clothes soaked. Lerato’s laughs faded and Sheba slowly pulled herself to her feet. She resisted breaking down into tears.

“Felix…I‘m coming…” she said. She began to move again only to fall again, tumbling and tossing down a hill. She cried out, feeling her sore limbs twist painfully beyond her control. She landed, the snow giving no cushion to her fall, and could hear the crack of her own body. She screamed.

“Sheba!!” a familiar voice yelled.

Overjoyed to hear Felix, Sheba lifted her head to face him. Her joy turned to tears almost instantly as she saw his bloody and injured form lying in the snow far, too far, out of her reach. She wanted to hold him right then. He had gone for Elle, and now he was dying. Lerato had a good cackle then.

“This is a surprise.”

Sheba glanced up beyond Felix to another form. It was Alex and in his arms he carried Elle. Alex smiled at Elle, his eyes showing a strange and new warmth, far beyond anything Sheba thought possible. Felix growled at this, and tried to stand.

A new person literally leapt out from behind Alex and Elle, it’s body twisting and moving unnaturally. It reached out with its arm, its hand replaced by a blade, and slammed Felix back down. The blade cut right into Felix, and he let out a cry of pain.

“Felix, no!!” Sheba tried to move, finding her limbs all broken.

The person stabbing Felix began to laugh and Sheba knew right away who it was. Lerato turned, laughing between his grinning teeth, twisting the blade into Felix’s heart. Alex looked at Sheba, who was unable to comprehend the scene, and smiled the menacing way she was familiar with.

Sheba felt her vision jerk away from laughing Lerato and Felix’s now silent body to Alex and Elle. Sheba looked at Elle, her hair shading her eyes beyond Sheba’s view. Elle didn’t respond to the scene, acting as lifeless as Felix was then, but she was smiling.

Sheba couldn’t believe it. Elle was smiling.

Lerato jumped away from Felix, slashing a line of blood across the ground, and landed in front of Sheba. Before Sheba could even scream, or wish Felix goodbye, she was with him in the next life.

~~~~

Sheba gasped and jerk forward in her bed. Cold sweat trickled across her skin. She looked down at her shaking hands, thankful it was all just a dream. She reached across her nightstand to a candle and lit it as she had before. Sensing how low her store of psyenergy was, a terrible fear arose.

It wasn’t a dream, it was a premonition.

She never felt herself move so fast. Sheba ran from her room down the hall to Felix’s. His door slammed open, causing him to wake with a start. He normally shared it with Piers, but at this hour Piers was already up and moving.

Felix rolled over and looked at the figure in the doorway, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What’s the matter…?” he asked, obviously still sleepy. He sat up, seeing the great distress of the girl.

Sheba rushed him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, her head buried in his chest, nearly sobbing.

Felix looked at her in confusion. “What is…?”

“I’m sorry…” Sheba cried. “I had a dream… No, it was a premonition…”

Felix rubbed her back in a attempt to calm the girl. “Shh… Tell me what happened.”

Sheba held him tighter. “I can’t…”

Felix took a deep breath. “Just calm down and tell me what you can.”

Sheba pulled away and sat on the bed, rubbing her eyes. “… Felix… I…” she started.

~~~~

Razi got dressed and decided that we would be roommates from that point forward. I thought it was funny how she had such a mind of her own, something I couldn’t say for myself. I agreed (we didn’t have much choice with one extra room and two extra people), and asked me why I asked her to help talk to Piers.

“Oh, you just seem close already…” I scratched my chin. “I guess, it’s just something we do back home.”

Again, a tradition from Kazaza seems strange here…

“Wow…” She blushed and stars filled her eyes. She let out a dreamy sigh, smiling.

“You’ve got it for him don’t you?” I asked, trying to be buddy with my roommate.

She held her red cheeks, especially dark against her tan skin. “I guess you could say that,” she said in her dreamy way.

I smiled. “I thought so.”

Razi jumped a few times to get her blood flowing, which I later found out to be a wake-up ritual of hers. “So… what were you going to talk to him about?”

“Oh, well…” I thought for a moment for a way of explaining it. “…Something bad happened to him just before you two met…”

Razi nodded.

Did he tell her about it?

“And I thought maybe I could help because the person who… did that two him is… someone I know really well.”

Razi dropped back down on the bed. “He told me about it.”

That surprised me. “He did?”

“A bit… just enough to get it off his shoulders. He said he didn’t want to get into the gory details…” Razi frowned.

I looked at her for a few seconds. “…Gory details…?”

She put her hands in her lap, still frowning. “He has so many scars…”

I immediately picked up what she meant. It explained why he was covered up now, but it also explained his other changes. Scars can be emotional and physical. I, of all people, would know.

“I guess… Maybe I don’t need to talk to him, after all.” I scratched my head.

Razi hopped up and smiled. “You should get some sleep. I’m going to go help Piers with the ship.”

I nodded and climbed to the top bunk. Razi waved as she left, leaving me to be taken over by exhaustion.

~~~~

“My dream… it was confusing… but…” Sheba rubbed her hands nervously. “I learned something terrible about… Elle…”

Felix resisted showing his shock. Afraid of what Sheba’s powers may have told her, he pressed her to continue.

“There’s something inside her… Like another being… and it…”

“It what?” Felix asked.

“… it killed you…” Sheba held her head in her hands. “He was laughing so much! He enjoyed watching you bleed and twisting your heart out!!” Sheba started to cry again.

Felix wasn’t sure what to say. He put his hand on Sheba’s shoulder. “I know Elle wouldn’t do that to me…”

Sheba could tell Felix knew something. “But it wasn’t Elle that killed you… But she…” She wiped her tears. “Alex had her… and as he held her… as that monster killed you… she smiled… She smiled!” Sheba became angry and disgusted.

“What…? Elle wouldn’t…” Felix trailed off, thinking about Elle’s powers and Alex being there with her. He took a deep breath. “Sheba…What was the monster‘s name?”

She looked at him, her eyes still filled with tears. “It was…Lerato.”

Felix brushed his hand through his hair. “Let me have some time to think about this… I look into it for you… I know how hard it must be for you to be around her, but please, don’t worry about it right now. It might be hard, but you really don’t need to worry.” He rubbed her shoulder, his word giving her comfort. “I won’t die by him. I know that for sure.”

“But how?” Sheba asked.

Felix smiled confidently. “Elle might be weak, but she’s strong enough to hold him back. If Lerato comes, we’ll all defeat him.”

Sheba felt relief with his words. “Alright, I believe you.”

She stood up and left the room, Felix unsure if his words would hold true in he end. Sleeping was futile, so he lied back down in his bed, staring at the wall, his mind wandering.

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 45

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jenna looked out the window at the dark and foggy morning, Isaac still sleeping beside her, at the approaching party. She had snuck into his room that night, completely excited no one would be there to bother them, namely Felix, who just wanted to take care of his little sister. Besides, Isaac and he were always rivaling with the other as children. Jenna and Isaac falling in love just added tinder to the flame.

Although they did go any further than cuddling, Jenna was as happy as she could be. Isaac was alive, and as she saw the party, so were Felix, Elle, and to her surprise, Piers. Jenna slipped away, Isaac sleeping with his usual heaviness.

She poked him. “I wonder if this is where the term ‘sleeping like a rock’ comes from,” she mused. She left Isaac’s room to her own and changed from her pajamas to her normal clothes, humming a short and playful tune.

“Jenna! We’re back!!” Sheba yelled from below.

“Okay! I’m coming down,” she answered. She scurried down the steps to the entire group and quickly noticed the changes.

“How’s Isaac doing?” Garet quickly asked.

“Judging by Jenna’s happy mood, he must be better,” Ivan pointed out.

Jenna nodded. “He’s still sleeping now, but he was up and around yesterday evening.”

Most of the group lit up in relief. Razi stood a bit confused.

“Who’s this?” Jenna asked.

“Oh, hi, I’m Razi.” She waved her hand in greeting.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jenna. How did you end up here?”

“Well I went to sheck duh-”

Piers covered her mouth. “Please, let me tell her.”

Razi pulled his hand down and pouted, “Why won’t you ever let me tell them?”

“I can only imagine what a romantic like Jenna would do if she knew…” He sighed.

Sheba suddenly started giggling. Jenna rubbed her chin and looked at the two deviously.

“Ooo, I see…”Jenna said slyly.

The rest of the party laughed and began to settle into the inn.

“Here we go again…” Isaac sighed from the staircase.

Happy greetings were shared and relief fell upon the party, seeing another member safe and sound.

~~~~

Felix was pretty embarrassed to share the events from the night before. Jenna and his parents were at first terrified to hear he was kidnapped but then found the whole story amusing in the end. After hearing him retell it, I realized he was pretty much horrified of Papa, but didn’t openly show it. I honestly didn’t blame him, he’s the kind of person you have to get used to. Before you, intimidation is the best word to describe him. After, though, the perfect word becomes something like “fuzzy“ or “teddy bear.”

Hey, fuzzy teddy bear!

I laughed to myself as I thought this. I was feeling pretty good, knowing Papa was fine, knowing I was fine, knowing everyone here was fine.

When I checked Isaac to see how he was, I was surprised to see how resilient his soul was. I told him he wouldn’t be as strong in battle as he was before having a chunk of his physical ability sapped, but training would help. Isaac told me he could handle it, and he’d take it easy for a while. And that was that.

The other three girls were sitting together at a table on the other side of the room, giggling and scheming. I wanted to walk over and sit with them, but Sheba kept giving me a strange vibe the entire morning. I was afraid something would start, so I just didn’t give her a chance.

The boys, on the other hand, where sitting together making the next plan of action. It didn’t take long for them to decide to go rescue Mia and get after Alex. Hearing about Alex made me think. He was a very confusing person. About the only thing I knew about him was he was quite intelligent, but that didn’t give me much. I did know other things about him, but everything was a mess.

So confusing…. I need to organize my thoughts.

So I decided I would. I went to the room with what little I had with me was being kept. I had taken my diary and writing tools incase we stayed at the inn for a few days. I grabbed them and went downstairs to go outside. I didn’t like writing with a bunch of people so close.

“Hey, I’m going for a walk,” I told Felix when I had gone downstairs.

“Why?” Garet suddenly asked me.

I wondered why he was so concerned. “I was going outside to write for a little while.” I showed him my things to prove it.

“Sorry, it’s just the last time someone went for a walk, they didn’t come back.” He was talking about Mia.

I smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I just want the air. I’ll be back by lunch. Promise.” Felix suddenly nudged me. “???”

“… Um, Elle…” Garet looked embarrassed. “… I’m sorry about the other day…I didn‘t think that what I said would bother you like that…”

“Oh, yeah…” I didn’t think about my outburst from then. I had accidentally attacked Garet. “I’m sorry, too.” I bowed. “I didn’t mean to hurt you if I did.”

Garet waved it off. “It was nothing. I didn’t mean to hurt you if I did, too.”

I smiled and stood up. “I’m going now. See you later.” I waved and walked out, feeling Sheba’s dark stare.

~~~~

I walked outside, staring up at the gray clouds, ready to dump rain at any given second. Once I was away from the inn, my boots clacking against the cobblestone, I finally had room to think. I wondered why I couldn’t connect with anyone here. Felix was the only one I really found myself attached to, but even then, I wouldn’t be if he wasn’t required to keep me in submission.

It bothered me.

I hadn’t thought a great deal about my friends and life back home. I guess I just didn’t have time. And At first I convinced myself I that my old home basically didn’t exist, and I acted as if it never happened. I wondered how everyone was doing.

Celesta would constantly be making everyone new clothes, her extreme femininity dressing us all like little girls. I missed all the frills and rich colors she would put her heart and soul into. Was she still making dresses for the others? Were they still baby doll Victorian? Or has she tried something new?

Then I thought of Sandy, who was like Celesta’s long lost twin, if they looked absolutely nothing alike. I giggled at the familiar remark. That’s what Sandy would do, she’d make me laugh. She always kept me smiling. I don’t know how she’d come up with everything, but her outward air headed-ness hid a razor sharp wit and sense of humor.

Going from Celesta to Sandy left Mira. Mira, my big sister, She would be curled up into a book most of the time, mostly influenced from her family owning Manay’s library. She, along side of Papa, acted as my anchor to a normal life. Again, I have to point as normal as a life I could have. Still, let me confide every problem I had into her, and that helped me so much.

After I joined the army, Mira told me she might go to and become a paper master. I thought the idea was cool, but she didn’t have the stomach for war. So, the girls all stay behind, waving to me as I left them, my dandelions and Manay behind to move to the Keep.

The Keep was a strange place. The place was a giant fortress, everything was dark and brutal, and yet, it held a savage sort of beauty, kind of like the Amazon of a queen, Astrid. Astrid spoke to me herself when I opted for the army, and she was a close friend of Papa. I hadn’t seen her since I was first taken out of Silent Grove (chills run up my spine just by mentioning the place). If she hadn’t given Papa the okay to take care of me, I would’ve been killed on the spot. I was only six then, so it had been ten years.

When I saw her and my trainer, Lexine, and dark and mysterious woman, uncaring and often brooding, I second guessed my decision. Astrid, however, was pleased with me, and told me she wanted Lexine to train me for undisclosed reasons.

I immediately knew I was being used for something, but I choose to stay naive, after all, the Queen had me like an ant in between her fingers; One false move and I would be crushed. So for two years I went form a vain and depressed (misunderstood?) little rich girl to a well equipped, skilled, and even more depressed (misunderstood?) soldier.

Lexine’s mercilessness broke what little spirit I had, and I eventually was only good for slashing my blades and kicking down my opponent. Papa’s frequent visits kept me alive, and he found himself sorry that Lexine, of all people, would have to be the one knight in the country with a rank higher than he. N other words, I was beyond his help. All I wanted everyday was to curl up with a book and lie on my field, getting my dress orange or fluffy with the dandelions.

And now, after Sols’trome led another raid on The Keep, I’m sitting up against a tree, forced to stick with a semi-friendly group of people, my life teetering on the mood of an all powerful being, my mother on the rampage, and wondering why Weyard has no dandelions.

[Toad King]

WEYARD HAS NO DANDELIONS?? HOW CAN ANYONE LIVE THERE!?!?

Oh, and nice chapters. Sort of slow, but a change in pace can do some good every once in a while.

[Lind]

Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 46

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kraden shuffled around the party, searching. Finding his target no where to be seen, he asked, “Where in the world is Elle?”

“She’s out for a walk,” Sheba answered somewhat dryly.

“Oh, well… I’ll have to talk to her later.”

~~~~

Alex is a very confusing person.

He acts very gentlemanly, yet leaves his real intentions unknown. He’s a trained healer, yet he strives for power. He tries to help me one moment, then threatens to kill me the next. Apparently, the only person in this entire group I found myself in who is a threat to him is me. Despite that, he pushed me to let out all the power I could to fight him, and it backfired on him.

Alex is a living contradiction.

I remember him telling me that he wanted me to make the moon rise, but last night I could easily see a moon peeking through the clouds in the sky. What in the world could he be talking about? Is he trying to hint at something entirely different? I honestly have no clue.

I just hope it’s nothing gross…

I kind of wish I could just ask Alex myself, but how would that go? I invite him over for a cup of tea and ask him all I want to know? Oddly enough, I can easily see him and me doing that.

But stuff like that just seems to fit him. I’m not sure how to put it, but he gives of a sort a regality that’s completely individual to him. It’s part of what makes him so attractive. I can see him opening the door, pulling out and pushing in a chair, laying his jacket down over a puddle, and other stuff like that. It’s just all those frilly polite things a gentleman does.

His outward gentleness, however, hides his true and dark intentions. He’s shameless and doesn’t care who he knocks down that gets in his way. I get the feeling the next to fall might be Mia.

I wonder how Garet feels about all this.

I’ve noticed Garet, Felix, pretty much everyone in our group absolutely despises Alex. I wonder what he did in the past to seed such hatred. Perhaps he’s an old party member, or at least an old friend, that betrayed them. It would make sense, considering he knows everyone and, judging by the way Mia seemed when anyone spoke about him, they must’ve been close in the past.

If they were close, however, what drove him to become the man he is? He said he strives for power, but I don’t think that’s it… Wait, I remember now…

Alex is afraid to die.

In fact, he’s terrified of it. I find that ironic, having seen life firsthand being abused and degraded, and he’s a man who places great meaning into existence. I can understand that fear, being a spiritualist, hearing that final cry of a soul desperate to hang on to this plane.

Alex’s soul is so weak, like it could break at any moment. It felt like something else is in the empty space, similar to me, actually exactly like me. Then does Alex have an Ethereal? One like Lerato, feeding off of him? But Alex isn’t borderline like me, and I don’t think the parasitic part wants to do anything but feed.

I can’t help but relate to him, as horrible as some of the group may think that sounds. I feel sorry for his pain and fear, knowing he’s suffering like I am. Just the thought of another being forced to endure what I have and do hurts alone, but seeing what Alex does and is makes it far worse.

He’s dark and twisted, yet soft and gentle. That’s the most bizarre contradiction yet. But I wonder, if he does have an ethereal like Lerato, then is that why he wants me go berserk? To learn more about himself? No, what if…?

!!!

~~~~

It was a good two hours when Elle returned. She greeted everyone and claimed she was going to lay down. Judging by her distraught expression, everyone let her go. After a few minutes, however, Felix decided to go up to her room to talk.

Hearing the knock on the door, Elle called, “Come in.”

“Hey.” Felix quietly slipped through the door and shut it behind him.

“Oh, hi.” Elle sat up in the bed.

Felix walked over and pulled the chair up beside her. “Anything wrong?”

Elle turned her eyes from him. “…Maybe…”

“Maybe?”

Elle sighed. “I just don’t know if talking to you about it will help or hurt.”

Felix gave her a curious stare. “What do you mean?”

“I… don’t know…” Elle bit her lip. “I don’t know what I should do now…”

Felix continued to stare, forcing Elle to continue.

“Felix, I… You’re the only reason I’m still here… but even then, I don‘t…”

Felix smiled. “You don’t need to worry about that.”

Elle turned to him.

“I was only trying to help.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Elle frowned.

Felix smile dropped. “Then what… do you mean?”

“…” Elle hid her eyes from him through her hair.

“Come on, you can tell me.”

“Felix… I guess I feel like… I’m not a part of anyone but you…”

Felix looked confused.

“Sorry… I mean, I’m not a part of this team…”

Felix perked. “Is that what’s bothering you?”

Elle was startled by his tone. “Yes it is! I feel like extra baggage that no one but you really wants around! There’s so much I want and could do, but I’m stuck idle and completely open to a threat…” She rubbed her eyes.

“Elle…” Felix patted her shoulder. “Don’t think that way… We’re all still getting to know you.”

“No… not really…”

Before the conversation could continue, both could hear banging on the door and Jenna calling, “Hey, I know you two must be having a riveting conversation (Elle sweat dropped.), but we’re all about to leave. Get ready now or we’ll leave you behind!”

“Alright Jenna, we’re leaving,” Felix answered, slightly exasperated with his sister. He turned to Elle. “Do you want to talk later?”

She shook her head. “You go ahead, I’ll be down in a second.”

Felix nodded and left.

Elle curled up into a ball and resisted breaking down into tears.

~~~~

I couldn’t tell him the truth. I couldn’t do it. I just jumped to the first problem I thought Felix could grasp, but even then, it doesn’t measure faintly to what was really bothering me.

Alex and I had knowledge shared between us. I already knew that from my definite increase in understanding the Weyardan language. Alex knows a lot about me, but told me I would realize what I learned until the time came for when I needed it. What I learned was a terrible secret.

Not that Weyard was withering. Not that Kazaza flourished though Weyard’s suffering. Not even that the lighthouses were the cause. No, nothing like that.

I learned about a genocide. One that Alex survived.

[Toad King]

Genocide...Wait a minute.
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
I think that maybe the Mercury clan was murdered?
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS

Please continue.

[Lind]

You people can probably guess from the last chapter what's next. Brutal, but not extremly explicit (sp?). Anyway, be warned.




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 47

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alex was born on a small island called Sunila located at the farthest northern edge of the world, east of Mars Lighthouse. The island was originally a base used by the Mercury Clan during the wars at the end of the Golden Age to watch over the Mars Clan for any advances. Once the lighthouses were extinguished, however, the main city of the Mercury Clan, Lemuria, was torn from its lighthouse by a wild reaction of the Venus lighthouse, and drifted out to sea eventually stopping at the place it is now. Afterwards, Lemuria cut all ties to the outside world, including Sunila and anyone left near the lighthouse, with the excuse “in order to hold true to it’s ‘divinity’.”

In other words, they were afraid of losing their power.

Cut off from the rest of the world by natural features, Sunila was scarcely able to survive on it’s own. Being Mercury Adepts on the cold snowy island completely surrounded by water, however, increased the small village’s chance to survive. The people lived mostly by fishing and harnessing a few types of grain that could be grown and harvested in the bitter cold.

A few of the people of Mars Lighthouse’s dying village, Prox, traded with Sunila, and a peaceful existence lasted for a few centuries. Sunila never grew or shrank in power or people during the long period, despite the island growing steadily closer to the edge of the world. Unfortunately, the peace didn’t last forever, as the remnants of the two once warring clans began to rebuild their old age patriotism.

The nature of a Mars Adept is to be a fighter, while a Mercury Adept is a healer. What made things far worse for the small village of Sunila was Prox and Mars Lighthouse were dangerously close.

They were doomed from the start.

As tensions grew, Alex and the other children of the village lived and played blissfully unaware of what was going on. Alex himself was as crafty then as a seven year old as he is now, and the other children seemed to have an admiration for his fearlessness and intelligence. Still, he was an only innocent child, not the manipulative, dark, and power hungry man we know him to be.

It was a normal day for the children of Sunila. They went off into the woods and played games like they always did. A group of eight Proxan warriors had arrived earlier that morning with the task of wiping out the village, taking anything back the might be useful to Prox’s survival. The only problem was the first residents of Sunila they came across were the children.

…

Scattered among the trees due to their simply game of hide-and-seek and distant from the village itself to have freedom from the adults, none were able to get help. The warriors killed them quickly, showing a twisted form of mercy upon the young souls. Most of the Proxans dragged the dead children’s bodies back to the village. Any surviving ones were carried back screaming and crying as an example. Alex was one of those surviving children.

When the Proxans arrived to the edge of the village, all the dead children were piled up and shown off to the horrified adults. The surviving called to their parents desperately, the adults unable to approach for fear doing so would cause a warrior to slay another. Alex’s father, the village leader and most powerful adept, pleaded with the warriors to free their children. In response, the dead children’s bodies were set on fire.

What would make these people so cruel and heartless to do such a thing to children?!?!

In the sudden chaos, most of the parents pleaded to trade themselves for the survivors, only to be struck down themselves. The children continued to scream and cry, thoroughly annoying the leader of the Proxans. He grabbed Alex by his collar, lifted him over the flames, and threatened to slice him apart and drop the pieces into the fire among the rest. Seeing his only son dangling on his decision, he and the rest of the village gave a unanimous surrender.

And then they died…

With the exception of Alex, who was literally thrown at his father, all others were killed right then and tossed into the flames with the rest. The village was then burned to ashes, the people of Sunila in absolute chaos, rushing to their boats for escape. Only one of these rickety boats managed to get far, which was the one Alex and his parents were riding in.

The survivors hoped to make it to Mercury Lighthouse, but the harsh ocean and meager supplies of the boats led to most of the survivor’s deaths. Alex, being the only child left, was given special care, the Sunilans hoping that if anyone lived, it would be him. By a miracle, the boat he was on did manage to hit land a few days walk from Imil and Mercury Lighthouse.

Alex’s father carried and walked his child a far as his feet could take him before finally dieing himself. By his father’s final wish, Alex continued for the village of Imil, and the traumatized little boy was taken in by the local healers.

They instantly saw his potential and were thrilled to know their last pure Mercury adept, our Mia, would be able to continue the bloodline with Alex. He was immediately placed under Mia for apprenticeship, despite being only months younger than she, and the two were betrothed.

In spite of everything, Alex continued, having seen all he held dear be slaughtered right before him without mercy, and was determined not to fall to such a fate. He grew cold on the inside, hiding it with his gentlemanly façade, when in reality, he cared little or not at all for the people around him.

He task of guarding the Mercury Lighthouse eventually became the only interesting thing in his life, as he often discovered the tower’s hidden secrets. One of which was a library, deeply hidden away, describing the history of Weyard dating back centuries, recalling the truth of Alchemy, the meaning of the lighthouses, and how he would be able to conquer his fears and live as an all powerful being forever.

Alex terrifies me, yet I wish I could see him now and just let him cry on my shoulder, just like he’s needed to do for over a decade.

…

~~~~

I sat up in the crow’s nest wondering what Alex must think about my past now that I knew so much of his. Does he think it’s funny? Does he laugh at my pain like he does for others? Or did he sense the emotions attached to my memories?

I’m about to cry…

I find it sad and ironic that two monsters like us end up being twisted around into being involved with each other. I’ve never been a believer in fate until now. I know people like him don’t just pop up all over the place, and it’s a definite fact that I’m a one of a kind. (Whether that’s a good or bad thing, however, is debatable.)

I want Papa here with me. I wish I could just yell out for him like I could back home and hear his thundering footsteps as he came to my aid. But he’s out working and I’m alone for now.

Alone…

I heard someone climbing the ladder. It was Felix. He climbed up and sat beside me, not saying a word. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. I leaned up against him and just closed my eyes, struggling to fight back tears.

[Sea of Time]

Well, that's the end of that. I see you left the forum, that's too bad. I congratulate you on an extremely well-written story.

[Somia]

^agrees, well I guess taht's all..it ended up just like AoA, that's a sahme.

[Isaac702]

Ive read the first 20 chapters and there all great.
I intend to finish the story tommorow.
Great plot story line but i do have 1 thing to say there isnt enought NEW characters apearing

[Lind 2.0]

*super giant bump of doom*

IT LIVES....

Info on a Dawn to Dusk revival? Not yet, but I DO really want to continue, and thus, finish it. Any opinions would be nice. Thankies either way.

Oh, and in case you're wondering why I'm not using the old name, it's becuase I no longer have acces to the old e-mail account. *is sad* So I've rebooted it, new and improved.
Sorta.
Maybe.


Hopefully!
I also have a shiny new DA account and DtoD will be posted up there.

[Sea of Time]

Wow, I'm amazingly surprised by your return!

As exemplified by my comments, I'm all for you continuing this story. Even while writing my GS fanfic, I recommended that people look at this one. I'll have to go back and read it again, since I forget the general plotline, but I'd like to see you finish this.

[Drizzy Drake]

3 years though, it might be hard to get back into the mindset. Oh well, hope you finish it.

[Lind 2.0]

Yeah, I know, but I'm going to reread over everything, and believe it or not, I still write in much the same style. As I upload everything to DA, I'm going through the old stuff to clean it up and edit it to freshen it and make the new parts sound less forced.

I mean, I wouldn't be the first writer to pick up a story after a major delay. :D

Plus, DA makes it so easy to add art bits to stories, which is something I've obviously wanted to do since the very start, and it doesn't eat up all my formating either like FF.net does.

[Drizzy Drake]

Lind 2.0, on Jan 18 2008, 06:26 PM, said:

I mean, I wouldn't be the first writer to pick up a story after a major delay. :(

Look at Tolkien. LOTR took over 20 years to finish. :D.

But then comparing any author to Tolkien, kind of negates the effect becasue, well, he's Tolkien.

[Lind 2.0]

Skidzorz, on Jan 18 2008, 06:32 PM, said:

Look at Tolkien. LOTR took over 20 years to finish. :D.

But then comparing any author to Tolkien, kind of negates the effect becasue, well, he's Tolkien.

Wow. I just got compared to Tolkien. My life is complete.

[Drizzy Drake]

Well the last line in my post kind of said "you are no Tolkien" but in a nice way.

I didn't want to be mean.

But still it's a good story in it's own right.

[Mallick]

Continue. I used to read your FF religiously.

[Lind 2.0]

Skidzorz, on Jan 19 2008, 03:26 PM, said:

Well the last line in my post kind of said "you are no Tolkien" but in a nice way.

I didn't want to be mean.

But still it's a good story in it's own right.

Oh, I know. :P

Anyway, this is my DA page, and As I'm typing this, only the first five chapters have been uploaded. Since it's already 2 o'clock in the morning, that's all I'm putting up today, but everything will be up in a few days time, meaning art and new chapter will be started.

Oh, and I'm going to post newly completed chapters here as well as DA, since it hates people who use certain IPs (which had always been my issue with them before.), and so you don't have to go far to find them. :)

[Somia]

And 3 long years later~

Glad you're back! Well, if you do ever continue this.. *starts to re-read*

[Drizzy Drake]

*Finishes first-read*

Total awsomeness.

[Lind 2.0]

Well, here it is, the first new chapter in a few long years. It was excrutiatingly hard to finally get myself to sit down and actually get something down. I'm so far out of the habit, and I have so many things in life to do to (like getting a job and finishing all the training for it or trying to get some decent artwork done for this thing, which by the way, has failed so far *sob*)

Other than those complaints, I've managed to plan out for the most part what's happening next and finally how I'm going to end it all. Yayness. Anyway, I'm going to stop babbling and get to it.




Golden Sun: Dawn to Dusk
Chapter 48

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sleep… didn’t come easy that night.

I was very lost and confused inside myself, wondering why I had such an ambivalent heart toward Alex. I feared him and hated him, but I felt so sorry for him and would help him through his pain if I could. I refused to tell Felix what was bothering me, or at least, just yet. I wanted to think things out and clear my mind.

We were going to a small village called Kolima, then head straight to Mercury Lighthouse. Everyone was hoping that we would learn if Alex and Mia had come through, but I shied away from the subject. I couldn’t decide whether or not Alex was my enemy. A part of me felt like I was betraying everyone somehow by thinking that, but I knew that they didn’t know why he did the things he did and lives like he does.

I feel like a hypocrite.

Pillan and Tarinley were both being very quiet. I hadn’t let them do much since the Wise One threatened Felix and I, and it wasn’t fair to them. I wanted to get away and be by myself again. I desperately missed my dandelion field where I could go out into that endless orange and white for hours and be safe.

Would I ever have such freedom again?

Late into the night, sleep still evading me, I pulled my diary from under my pillow and decided to go out on my own. The stupidity behind that decision wouldn’t register in my hazy mind, especially since I was barred from using any sort of weapon or the fact that it was the dead of night, but I went out anyway.

Razi was left undisturbed, sleep no problem for her, as I quietly made my way out, stepping near silently down the hall and exiting out onto the deck. The stars and moon glowed just enough to coat the land in a dim grey and a cool breeze snuck through the fabric of my sleeves.

I shivered.

~~~~

The forest was misty and quiet, only a single owl’s hoot breaking the silence. It may have been frightening to anyone else, but I continued through the trees unfazed. I didn’t think until later that there was no point in bringing my journal since I couldn’t read or write in this kind of darkness, but I still clutched it, being the only physical piece of my heart I had in this world.

I was beyond lonely. Surrounded by people, only one willing to hear me, and I couldn’t tell him everything.

My chest hurts.

I suddenly dropped to my knees and wept. I felt my Ethereals pull free and watch over me.

“Elle, just sing,” Tarinley said. “Get some of the pain out of your heart.”

So I did.

~~~~

Alex stirred, feeling that alluring sensation that haunted him months before. He rose to his feet and walked away from the small clearing where he and Mia had chose to camp for the night, leaving the sleeping girl alone in the empty darkness.

~~~~

Singing isn’t an act or a pastime for me. It’s not a hobby. Singing is what my soul desires most to do. It brings me peace in a way that nothing else does. My heart escapes me in the form of a melody, shedding all my joy and pain in a way that nothing else can. Words don’t usually form, but that never mattered.

What matters is the feeling I receive afterwards. Something within my nature is calmed, maybe enlightened afterwards. I can’t completely explain it, but it was the only form of real therapy I could give myself. Maybe it was something Mama included in me when she made me so that I could keep my mind leveled, or maybe it was something I did on my own to keep myself alive. I don’t know, and probably never will but the only one I knew of who had ever heard my songs before was Papa, and he loved them so much that I got to sing often, and I was happy with him.

It was such a great relief to suddenly do so, and my mind felt clearer and more awake.

I decided I should return to the ship and talk to Felix and everyone in the morning. It might not be fair, but I deserved to know everything, as did they. I held my journal over my heart and took a deep breath.

“Why is it your voice is the only thing that stirs me so?”

I might have leapt out of my skin if it was possible. “Who-Who’s there?” I called a bit panicked.

“Someone who desperately needs you…”

Alex?!?
Here?!
Now?!

I felt his hands on my shoulders, and I froze. Cold and terrified, I could feel his breathing against the back of my neck. I barely had the courage to turn my head and look at him.

It was that same softness from the night I first met him, attractive and masking his real motives so well. My wings pushed him away, and I managed to turn around and look at him.

He smiled.

“What do you want now?” I asked, mustering up what strength I could.

“You know all I want is for you to be mine,” he said as if I were oblivious to that fact.

I shook my head. “I don’t want what you want, so leave me alone!”

His smile faded. “That’s not possible. You’re the only one who can possibly walk with me in creating the new world. Besides,” a touch of insanity came to his eyes and he outstretched his hand to me, “no one else can measure up to you.”

He was trying to flirt with me again, trying to have me drop my guard so that he could get close enough to strike.

I won’t let that happen again!

“Then why do you have Mia? To lure us toward you?”

He smiled again. “Precisely.”

I didn’t expect him to be so blatant about it. I grew angry. “Do you have any idea how much you’ve hurt everyone?!”

He arched his eyebrow. “Why should I care about them? They mean nothing-”

“Why do you feel as if everyone has to be put through the same pain you suffered when Sunila fell!?”

At that moment, Alex finally lost his cool.

His eyes grew wide and he become filled with fury. “How dare you,” he snarled.

“You’re not the only one forced to live in the world, suffering with every moment,” I felt tears burning. “When did you decide that the only life that deserved happiness was your own? There is no strength in making a new world with yourself immortal! You won’t experience any joy in never feeling death!”

He gritted his teeth; I was striking his weakness. “Tell me, then,” he said, trying to pull his cold demeanor back, “Why does our happiness have to be in jeopardy for our whole lives because of the decisions of others?”

It was something that I had thought about a great deal. Why was I born this way? Why am I forced to live this broken existence? Why do I have to feel pain everyday for just living a little longer? Why do keep going? For some reason, in that moment, standing face to face with Alex, and all alone, I finally had an answer. I finally had a reason to stay alive.

“That’s something I’ll never truly know… but, I’ve haven’t given up. I’ll find my peace, and a place only for me. I want to stay alive. There are too many precious things I haven’t enjoyed and too many people I haven’t met in this world.” I swallowed down my tears. “How many beautiful things would never be experienced because you would ruin it all? How many lives wouldn’t exist? How many joys and sorrows?”

Suddenly, so much of my being was empowered and everything felt clear. “The world you would create would be bleak and cold, empty of life. No flowers would bloom, the sun wouldn’t shine, rain would never fall, and no one would be able to laugh but you. You would fill your time with every imaginable pleasure, but what would it matter if you never found peace? Like the kind only those who are able to die ever enjoy?”

It was as if all the strength I lost when I entered this world had come back to me. “I will never bow down and join you, Alex. I have a reason to live. I have a reason to die. That’s enough for me to have suffered as much as I’ve had to!”

I finally shouted, “I’m going to survive because I love Felix too much to give up now!!”

Alex was stunned.

Love.

Something so grand and great.
Something I know I’ve gained.
And something that’s always been just beyond Alex’s reach.

I watched pain form in his eyes, and letting out a cry, Alex’s sword came down upon me.

~~~~

Mikan felt startled by the sudden fluctuation. She had already made her way past a pitiful lumberjack town when she felt it. The magnitude was great, meaning that someone else have traveled from the other world.

She stopped to examine the identity of the soul and almost collapsed.

Gariland, the great emperor of Sols’trome, had come to Weyard.