(no subject)
I can't write battle scenes to save my life, so I apologize for the anti-climatic encounter at the Jupiter Lighthouse. It really sucks! She said it, not me! Well, not yet. As of this writing, my party in the game is at level 47 (!), so I based Ivan, Garet and Isaac's asthma attacks on that.
Disclaimer: Just your average fan writing a fan fiction, that’s all. Camelot owns all the characters and all the copyrights. Hooray for them!
*Chapter 9*
The following day, the Adepts stood before the mighty, towering structure of the Jupiter Lighthouse. It radiated an intense energy, and it crackled slightly with charged electricity. Everyone’s hair stood on end. A placard by the door caught Ivan’s attention while the others gawked at the building. ”Save big on auto insurance by calling 1-800-safe-auto! Play it safe, Safe Auto!”
"‘This gate shall yield only to the one with the blood of Jupiter who bears the Rod of the Ancients,’" he read aloud. He fumed. "We need the Shaman’s Rod! I forgot that I gave it to Saturos back at the Venus Lighthouse!" *immature snickering*
Sheba giggled playfully and reached into her pack pants. "You mean this Shaman’s Rod?" she asked, pulling it out.
"How’d you get that?" Garet questioned.
"Felix told me to hang onto it," Sheba replied. She smiled at Ivan. "It was very sweet of you to give get it up to save me, Ivan. I know how important it is to you."
"Don’t mention it," Ivan said, blushing slightly. He stepped up to the door and tapped it with the end of the rod. A powerful gust of wind whistled by as the door to the Lighthouse slowly slid open.
"Nicely done, Ivan," said Isaac. "Now let's hurry."
A short distance away, Felix and Alex watched their adversaries disappear into the Lighthouse. Once the coast was clear, the two of them entered the tower as well and rushed to beat everyone else to the Aerie. And they got to the aerie before the others and without being seen despite having to take the same path to get through. Also, why can’t Alex just use his amazing Warping powers, anyway?
"Isaac?" Jenna asked timidly as they ascended the tower. "You’re not going to fight my brother, are you?"
Sometimes it was easy to forget that Jenna was Felix's sister. "I don’t want to, Jenna," Isaac said honestly. "But I have to stop him no matter what. You understand, right?"
Jenna nodded. "I know. But I hope you realize that I can’t fight him."
"Me either," Sheba added. "I understand that Felix is your enemy, but he also saved my life. I can’t take sides in this battle."
The boys nodded. "That’s OK, Sheba," said Ivan. "We wouldn’t want either of you to fight him if you don’t want to."
"What about Alex?" Garet asked.
"He’s fair game," both of the girls said together. “Mm, yeah,” Jenna said. “He’s a bad boy, and bad boys need to be punished.”
Despite the usual pratfalls Which dictionary.com defines as “a fall in which one lands on the buttocks, often regarded as comical or humiliating”, as opposed to the more common pitfall, which is “any trap or danger for the unwary”. and monster attacks typical of all the Lighthouses, they got to the Aerie in record time. 23:55:06 The flame wasn’t lit just yet, but Felix and Alex were standing right next to the pit. Felix was holding the Mythril bag with the Jupiter Star, and they only seemed to be waiting for their pursuers.
"You’re late," Alex teased. ”Felix and I have dinner reservations for six. You’d better not make us miss them.”
"How the heck did you get here before us?" Garet demanded. "Ivan opened the door!"
"What can I say--we’re just faster than you are," said Alex. "We used a lot of Mints. Now you can watch as we light the Jupiter flame. It’s like the Fourth of July, but with more Alchemy!"
"Not so fast," Isaac said. "What have you done with Mia? I thought you were going to bring her with you for a great big orgy up here."
"Well, we ran into a bit of trouble," said Felix. "The Jupiter Star was stolen from us and we had to get it back. Your friend turned out to be the perfect thing to trade for it since these people wouldn’t take beads and smallpox-infected blankets."
"You gave Mia away like a piece of property?" Ivan cried. Marvin Gardens, to be exact. "How could you be so heartless?"
"I didn’t have much choice," Felix said. "I wasn’t dealing with ordinary thieves-- these thieves were evil manifest! they knew how valuable the Star was. I had to offer them something of similar worth and Mercury Adepts are a rare commodity."
"And you couldn’t trade Alex instead?" Jenna asked. "Felix, what’s wrong with you?" I’d say OOC syndrome.
"I resent that, Jenna," said Alex indignantly. "You treat me like this after all the help I’ve been to you and your dear brother? All those “instructional”nights?"
"We never asked for your help!" Jenna growled. “You made us beg for it, really.”
Isaac drew the Gaia Blade. "Where is she?" he demanded.
"You’d be wise to forget about her," said Alex. "She’s as good as dead by now anyway." Well, hey, as the Duskshippers know, necrophilia means never having to say you’re sorry!
"Sad but true," Felix added. "My apologies, Isaac. I was going to trade her to you for the Mars Star your holographic Charizard, but fate had other plans, I guess."
Rage overtook Isaac’s better judgment. He lunged for Felix sword first as opposed to, I don’t know, elbow first, desiring reparation for what he’d done to Mia. Not that killing Felix would accomplish much, but Isaac wanted to at least satisfy his bloodlust, if he could satisfy his other lust. Felix quickly countered and the sound of clashing metal echoed across the Aerie. Not wanting to be left out, Garet set his sights on Alex, but the crafty sexy Mercury Adept was a step ahead of him. A tidal wave washed over the Aerie, blasting Garet, Jenna, Ivan and Sheba to the other over the side. Alex snickered.
"You aren’t even a challenge."
"You were always too cocky," Sheba said, rising. She lifted her staff and cast Spark Plasma, sending a barrage of purple bolts in Alex’s direction. Ivan looked at her in surprise.
"Where’d you learn to do that?"
"Hooked on Psynergy werked 4 me! You mean you don’t know that attack Ivan?" she asked.
"I’ll have to teach it to you sometime--it’s very useful."
Slightly embarrassed, Ivan cast Tempest to show off his own power. Jenna and Garet cast Dragon Fire and Inferno respectively, though they knew that such attacks wouldn’t pose much of a threat to a water master such as Alex despite such attacks being super-effective!!!.
An icy mist settled around them, quelling the flames and winds. "I hope those weren’t your best shots," said Alex. "You can't beat me like that. And two fire Adepts aren't even worth my time, so why don't you just give up?"
"Hey, I don't need Psynergy to beat you," Garet declared, brandishing his sword. "Are you afraid to fight us fairly?"
"We’ve got you outnumbered," Jenna added, standing next to Garet.
"Why, Jenna, aren’t you worried about your brother?" Alex said mockingly. "He seems to be in a bit of a fix."
The others looked over to the far side of the Aerie. ”Sucker punch!” Alex hit Garet. Sure enough, Isaac had pinned Felix underneath him and had the Gaia Blade -that was his nickname for his own “Shaman’s Rod” - pointed at his throat ready for action.
"Go ahead and do it me," said Felix. "I’ve missed this. Do it if you’ve got the guts."
"Where’s Mia?" Isaac asked in a low, steady voice. "Who did you give her to?"
Felix laughed slightly. "You haven’t changed at all--still unbelievably horny letting your heart do all the talking. How did you ever manage to destroy Saturos with that tender soul
of yours, anyway?"
Isaac pressed his “sword” a little further, growing steadily more impatient and angry. "For the last time--what did you do with Mia?"
"She’s in Tartarus," Felix said. "It’s a village not far from here, but good luck getting her out of there. That is, assuming she’s still alive." He smirked a bit. "Now that you know, you’ll never get a better chance to kill me. So just get it over with."
Even with the tip of his blade in the prime position to put an end to his quest, Isaac hesitated. Despite everything Felix had already done and his insistence of lighting the remaining Lighthouses, he was still an old friend from the past. And however angry he was with Jenna, Felix was still her only family. What right did Isaac have to kill him? Who cares? Do it, Isaac!
Felix sensed the apprehension behind the sword. He seized the opportunity and flipped Isaac over his head. "You are too soft for this sort of thing, Isaac," he said as he stood up. He took out the Jupiter Star again and hurled it towards the pit. OH SNAP YOU GOT OWNED
"NO!" the others cried. But it was too late--the Star fell into the Lighthouse and a beam of purple light shot up from the pit.
"Too bad for you," Felix said. "I’ll find a way to get the Mars Star from you the next time we meet."
"Fat chance of that!" Garet barked. He had turned into a labradoodle while Isaac was busy screwing Felix. "This isn’t over!"
"We look forward to it then," said Alex, going to Felix. "Until we meet again, adieu." And they both disappeared in a flash of blue light.
"Shoot!" Garet fumed. "We couldn’t even stop them from lighting the flame!"
"Um, I hate to interrupt you, Garet," Ivan began. "But if what happened at the Venus Lighthouse is any indication, we should get out of here before the flame fully ignites." Run away!
Since the tower started to shake at that moment, the others heeded his suggestion and they made a swift Retreat. From a safe distance below, they watched as the purple light of Jupiter shone across the sky. It was quite beautiful, but a pall of despair settled upon the group as they realized that they’d failed once again. Go cry, emo kids.
"Well, at least we know they can’t light the Mars Lighthouse just yet," said Sheba. "That’s some comfort."
"I blew it," Isaac said softly. "I could’ve taken the Jupiter Star right then and there, but I let my lustful feelings get the best of me. I’m such an idiot."
"No, Isaac," said Jenna. "Thank you for sparing Felix. I know you’re still mad at me for what I did to Mia, but I also know that you didn’t kill him because of me. I’m truly grateful."
"Felix is the real idiot," Garet sighed, frustrated. "He didn't even tell us what he did with Mia."
"To trade her away like a used possession…" Ivan trailed. She’d been used? Well, I guess Alex would have wanted to make up for missing time. "That's simply despicable."
"It's all right," said Isaac. "I did manage to pry that much out of Felix. She's in some nearby town called 'Tartarus.'" Y helo thar, unsubtle reference and foreshadowing!
Jenna and Sheba both gasped.
"What kind of place has a name like that?" Garet wondered. Some place in a mediocre fanfic.
"Felix, you didn't…" Jenna whispered.
"Poor Mia!" Sheba exclaimed. "No wonder Alex told us she was as good as dead!"
"You know about Tartarus?" Ivan asked.
Sheba nodded. "Saturos and Menardi mentioned it a few times in passing. They came from Tartarus. It is the village of their Fire Clan." Conveniently located within a stone’s throw of Jupiter Lighthouse, right?
There was a stunned pause. "This is some crazy joke, right?" Garet asked in disbelief. "You're just pulling my leg, aren't you, Sheba?"
"I wish I were," she replied.
"Maybe the other members of the Fire Clan aren't like Saturos?" Ivan suggested, grasping for some sort of hope. Yeah, because Saturos is pure evil.
Jenna shook her head. "Felix told me about that place once. He said that the members of the Fire Clan were the most powerful and ruthless people he'd ever met, just like Saturos and Menardi. He said that he wouldn't put anything past them, no matter how twisted or cruel. And Mia's a Mercury Adept too--their least favorite kind of person!" Sucks to be her.
Isaac paced a ways away, lost in daze. His chest felt tight and he couldn't catch his breath. How could anyone do something as awful as sending Mia into the clutches of Saturos's clan? What would those monsters do to her? Sex her up and eat her alive probably. And how would he save her from such a dreadful place? Deus ex machine and the power of love? His heart ached with longing and fear as he sunk to his knees. If he had missed her before, then now his entire soul was wracked with pain as if a chunk of it had been ripped out. This wasn't right! Mia didn't deserve such an awful fate. If either of them had to be taken, it should've been him for failing to protect her in the first place. It couldn't end this way! He had to see her again, to hold her again, even if only for one short, fleeting moment.
"Do you know where Tartarus is?" he asked, swallowing his inner terror.
"Not exactly," Sheba said. "But if Felix said it's not far, than we should be able to find it without too much trouble."
"But how are we going to get Mia out of there even if we do find it?" Jenna asked.
"We'll worry about that later," said Isaac. "First, we have to find Tartarus. We'll come up with a plan after that." Mia, he thought. I'm not going to give up on you. I'll move heaven and earth itself to get you back.
************
Mia hugged her knees tighter to her chest for warmth. Her dank prison cell was cold even for someone raised in the arctic wilderness. Of course, it didn't help that her jailers had taken away her warm cape and robes, leaving her with only the thin slip she wore underneath them. They said they’d bring her leather by later. They'd taken everything she had that looked remotely valuable, including the silver clip she wore in her hair and her precious decoder ring. She didn't have much feeling left in her fingers, but they felt even colder without that reminder of happiness and safety.
She'd been here for only two days and she was already starving, filthy and completely exhausted. The Fire Clan had gladly traded the Jupiter Star for her when they realized that she was a Mercury Adept. They'd had her heal all the ailments in the village, which had ranged from splinters to pneumonia. Splinters? Oh, come on, even I think that’s kind of pathetic.She hadn't had enough power to do all of it, and when she'd begged for a rest, they refused to give her one. Quite the opposite--they'd poked her with their weapons to force her to keep going. ”Oh, whoops, that was your spleen, wasn’t it?” They didn't care about how draining it was to cast various healing Psynergies hundreds of times without a break. When she'd finally finished, she'd barely had the strength to breathe. And yet she survived. Oh, yay.
After that, they'd tossed her into this cell. It was barely large enough for her to lie down and consisted of nothing more than four stone walls, a heavy iron door, and a cold dirt floor. The only light came from the tiny crack underneath the door, and even then it wasn't very bright because the corridor beyond wasn't lit. The whole place reeked of human remains and death, ”I smell dead people!” but she never heard another soul except for the occasional clompings of the prison guards. Just once, a slot in the door had slid aside and someone had tossed her a lump of rock-hard bread--hardly enough to help her recover her strength. What Mia didn’t know was that it actually was a rock - Proxian idea of a joke. But then, she hadn't expected that the Fire Clan would treat her very well in the first place. The moment Felix had mentioned them she'd known she was in dire trouble, and now she knew exactly where she stood here. They would use her powers to suit their needs until she slowly wasted away to nothing. Sucks to be her even more than it does to be Gary Coleman.
Too bad one couldn't take on an entire village single-handedly. Unless you’re Eragon or something, but at least Midnight’s Sues aren’t that bad. She shut her eyes and tried to imagine herself someplace else. Anywhere was better than this dark and lonely prison. She wanted to be back on the ship. She wanted a full meal, a hot bath and a day's sleep in her soft bed. And lots and lots of sexin’ with Isaac. Or even Garet or Ivan. She wasn’t picky.
But more than any of those things, she wanted Isaac. Wanted his hot bod to warm her up. Wanted to feel his- Uh, right, PG-13.
Now all alone in the cold and dark of this solitarye Free cell, she missed him so much that her entire being hurt. Those wounds, they just wouldn’t heal, darnit! The sheer emptiness of this prison It could really have used a few throw pillows and maybe a potted plant - the feng shui was horrible! swallowed her up and made it all too easy to fall into the bear trap of fear and despair that threatened to drain away what remained of her will. How would he ever find her here? He didn't even know where she was. And even if he did find this place, how could he get her out when this was the home of the Fire Clan?
And then there were the things Alex had told her. What if Isaac really was dead? This awful, horrible thought felt like a knife twisting in her heart. *slice If that were true, then she had no hope of rescue at all. But what would her freedom be worth without Isaac to share it with? To never see his eyes, hear his voice, or feel his strong arms around her or his big… heart again would be a worse fate than the one the Fire Clan had planned for her. A life without him wouldn't be worth living.
Isaac, where are you? Mia kept wondering over and over. She felt for her ring, but it wasn't there to remind her of his vow. That promise seemed like the stuff of dreams, something too beautiful to exist in this lonely darkness. I’m drowning in emo here.Please let him be OK, she thought. I can find a way to survive in this place, but only if there's a chance I can see him again--even if it's only for a single, fleeting moment.
----------------------------------------------------------
Impossible odds, fear, longing, despair, heartache--did I leave anything out? Good writing comes to mind. Well, if I did, remind me to include it in Chapter 10!