The Final Battle – Alex, the Sixfold Adept

There're a bunch of Dark Dawn references/spoilers, but I've also made up a lot of crap myself. However, if you plan to play Dark Dawn and wish it to remain completely unspoiled, I'd suggest you turn around now.

Hey people. A fanfic competition on the Golden Sun Chat forum was being planned, and I thought it would be awesome to write the final battle between the adepts and Alex as my entry. So, here it is.

Obviously this hasn't happened yet because Camelot are a bunch of trolls that will never let us see what Alex actually fights like, but even so I thought it'd be wicked fun to imagine.

In terms of an improvised background story, Piers was acting as a diplomat between the mainland cities and Lemuria during the battle. Himi was back in Izumo tending the villagers suffering from the mystery sickness while Eoleo was in Champa, helping organise and rebuild the town with Obaba.

Camelot owns Golden Sun, they're awesome, etc, etc, etc.

The adepts were leaving the palace just as the ground began rumbling, an ominously powerful force shaking the city around them.

"Alex!" roared a voice.

The skies ignited with a deafening explosion as great plumes of destruction fire tore across the heavens.

"How did he...?" whispered Aeolus. The King of Anemos slowly pointed towards a lone figure with golden hair waving in the wind and an expression of unmasked hatred. Behind him, the entrance of Anemos was decimated, the silver gates now molten scraps of metal.

"Get down here, monster!" he bellowed, fury shaking his voice.

There is a time and place for everything, my old friend.

In the minds of all present, Alex's taunting voice echoed. The adepts glanced up to briefly glimpse the masked adept soaring towards the Sealed Tower's highest floor. Weaving a complex sign with his hands, the grand double door flashed a brilliant white before opening, allowing him entrance.

"Don't call me friend," hissed Isaac. He slammed his palms to the ground.

"Earth, rise!"

The airborne city quaked as a great pillar of marble almost the size of the tower itself shot up, projecting Isaac towards the pinnacle.

"Isaac, no!" shouted Ivan. "That's exactly what he wants you to do!"

"Father..." whispered Amiti.

Aeolus reacted quickly, wasting little time.

"Aura, find our best sorcerers and report back here as soon as you can. Pandia, please get confirmation from Zephyrus that the city is still secure. While you're there, check the dungeons. I need somebody who-"

"Matthew, stop!" screamed Sveta before running after the Venus adept.

The group froze as they realised Matthew had taken off after his father.

"Damned kid!" growled Garet.

Felix turned towards the ruler of Anemos.

"Aeolus, we're going after them."

"Please, do anything you can to stop this fight."

Felix nodded.

"Understood. The power of the Mars Star must not come under the possession of Alex."

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"Matthew, please! We have to wait for the others!"

With Sveta's voice in his ears, Matthew ran on.

You will suffer, Alex!

Briefly, memories of her deathly cold body flashed through his mind. The funeral. Their small, silent group standing before her simple gravestone. The lonely nights, doing nothing but lying awake, missing everything about her.

He remembered the arrogant face of her killer, the man who had so casually torn his life apart.

Hatred coursed through Matthew, fuelling his every step towards the Sealed Tower.

Suddenly, a powerful force seized Matthew, stopping him in his tracks. The tiled streets of Anemos vibrated, rattling Matthew's teeth. A moment later, Felix emerged from the ground before Matthew.

"And what do you think you can do alone?" asked Felix, his voice as scathing as his expression.

"I... I don't care! He's going to pay for what he did!" shouted Matthew. "Don't try to stop me!"

"You're being an idiot, Matthew!"

"Get out of my way!"

"Matthew, please listen," pleaded Sveta. "We want to help you, so don't go running in there by yourself."

"She's dead!" shouted Matthew, tears welling up in his eyes. "And he–!"

"Matthew!" yelled Felix, releasing a wave of overpowering Venus psynergy, forcefully pushing Matthew to the ground. "Shut up and listen!"

Matthew quietened. Felix took a deep breath and leant down to the young Venus adept.

"Remember, Matthew," said Felix, more gently this time. "She was your mother, but she was also my sister."

Matthew gazed into Felix's eyes. Under the man's sombre expression, Matthew saw kindred, burning hatred. The intensity of the look was sobering.

"I understand your desire for vengeance, but charging in there on your own will help no one," murmured Felix, holding Matthew's gaze.

Gradually, Matthew felt himself calm down. Matthew often forgot that Felix was his uncle; he had only come to know the man recently.

Suddenly, he felt someone smack him on the back of his head.

"Idiot," muttered Tyrell.

A few moments later, the other adepts had caught up.

"Have you calmed down?" Mia queried him gently.

Matthew nodded, blinking back tears. "Sorry..."

Sveta placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Matthew."

"Are we ready?" asked Ivan.

Felix glanced at Matthew, before nodding.

"I think we are," he replied. "Let's go."

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The Sealed Tower was the highest, most imposing construct in Anemos. From the highest floor, the view was awe-inspiring; it was the single highest point in Weyard.

Matthew gazed down from the balcony his father and Alex had entered from not long ago. Below, Contigo looked tiny, almost insignificant. Behind him in the other room, Felix and the others were working out how to reopen the Sealed Gates.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Matthew glanced to his right to see Sveta walk up beside him. She leant on the railing.

"The villages look like dots from up here, don't they?"

Matthew nodded half-heartedly. He felt somehow disconnected from his surroundings. They had all come so far; it didn't seem real that they were at their journey's end. It felt strange knowing that it would all be decided here, one way or another.

Sveta glanced at Matthew, a look of concern crossing her face.

"Will you be alright, Matthew?"

Matthew met Sveta's eyes. Her gentle gaze calmed him, but felt in some way misplaced.

"Sveta, how can you be so calm about this? Alex... he hasn't just hurt my family. He's tricked so many people, and caused the deaths of so many others with the Alchemy Dynamo," he answered. "If it weren't for him... if he didn't deceive the Tuaparang,Volechek wouldn't have..."

Matthew trailed off as he realised he was approaching a sensitive topic. However, Sveta simply shook her head.

"It's alright; I've made my peace with that. Brother gave his life to save us and end the Grave Eclipse. He wouldn't want me to be sad every time somebody mentioned him. In any case, what Alex did to me isn't like anything he did to you. It's not as if I saw him kill my kin in cold blood..."

Sveta shook her head. "Sorry. I'm being insensitive."

"Don't worry about it."

Matthew tried glancing away nonchalantly, but even so felt a cold, despairing wave wash over him. He shuddered, the memories from that nightmarish night resurfacing.

Without saying anything else, Sveta gingerly wrapped her arms around Matthew. Matthew slowly turned and leant into the embrace, feeling tears again in his eyes.

"I'm weak, aren't I?" whispered Matthew, crying into Sveta's shoulder.

Sveta ran her hands through his hair, gently caressing him.

"Not at all. You remember, don't you? That night in the inn, after Volechek died?"

Sveta smiled softly, recalling the fond memory. "You comforted me just like this. Told me everything would be alright, that you were there for me..."

She leant back, briefly breaking the embrace to kiss him softly.

"You're not weak, Matthew."

Matthew gave her a small smile in return.

"Thanks, Sveta," he murmured, pulling her close to him again.

The two remained like that for a while, simply holding each other. There was no more need for anymore words; they were with each other, and that was all that mattered.

After a while, Felix entered the room.

"We've opened the gates," he said.

Reluctantly, the pair broke apart.

"Let's go," said Sveta, taking Matthew's hand. He nodded, and let her lead him away from the balcony.

As the pair of them walked into the portal room, Matthew noticed the other adepts standing apprehensively around an ominous pool of black water.

Felix nodded at the two of them as they entered.

"As Aeolus told us, this pool is the portal that leads to the chamber between worlds," he explained. "Isaac's probably fighting Alex in there as we speak."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Garet.

"Aeolus should arrive with his sorcerers anytime now," Ivan replied.

"There's no time!" exclaimed Garet. "We need to help Isaac as soon as we can!"

Felix nodded.

"I think so too," he replied. "The Anemos sorcerers will be able to follow us in later."

One by one, the adepts plunged into the pool. Eventually, only Matthew and Sveta remained.

"You ready?" she asked.

Matthew nodded, softly tightening his grip on her hand. "Let's go."

Together, they stepped forward into an uncertain, new world.

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The first thing Matthew noticed was how vast the area was. They were standing on what looked to be a black, tiled floor. Like stars, a glittering array of scattered lights constellated the walls and ceiling of the chamber, surrounding them on all sides. The air felt thin, and Matthew felt disjointed waves of psynergy erratically moving around him, creating an otherworldly shimmer in the air.

Before them were Isaac and Alex. Isaac was standing on one side of the chamber, breathing heavily, obviously extremely tired. Alex was on the other side, hovering in midair. He gazed at Isaac, maintaining his cool demeanour, but Matthew noticed his body had been badly burnt and bruised in many places.

"Pyroclasm!"

Isaac threw this arms skywards, summoning a tower of scorching lava. Matthew watched in awe as one tower after another erupted from the floor. The noise was deafening. He had never seen such violent Pyroclasm psynergy in his life.

He would have tried to help, but the sheer heat, even from this distance, held him back.

The pillars of flame surrounded Alex on all sides, swallowing the blue haired adept in a sea of red.

"It ends here, Alex!" Isaac declared.

Isaac brought his hands together and an explosion rocked the entire chamber as the largest eruption yet engulfed the entire prison of magma.

Instantly and without warning, there was a distortion of psynergy behind Isaac.

"You've left yourself wide open," Alex whispered, swinging a conjured blade of ice down upon his foe.

Barely glancing behind him, Isaac lashed out his hand, wrapping his fingers around Alex's neck. The icy blade buried itself into his shoulder, but he gave no indication of pain.

"Have I?"

Unable to escape his powerful grip, an expression of alarm crossed Alex's face before the two of them were engulfed by a Gaia spell the likes of which none of the adepts had ever before seen. The chamber rocked as an almighty eruption of earth and fire cast everything into utter chaos, throwing the onlookers off their feet.

"Did he get him?" asked Felix, picking himself off the floor.

Ivan slowly shook his head, an incredulous expression crossing his face.

"It's not enough," Sheba whispered, disbelief clouding her voice. "I can still sense him."

Sure enough, as the explosion died down, Matthew could see a barrier of black ice encasing the area where Alex had stood, including Isaac's hand, immobilising him.

"That's not possible," breathed Mia.

The Mars Star... is MINE.

Before anybody could react, the shield of ice shattered. The razor-sharp shards shot in all directions, mercilessly tearing through Isaac's body.

He did not even have time to cry out.

In moments, the two combatants were surrounded by blood and ice. As Isaac's lifeless figure sunk to the floor, Alex took a deep breath.

"It's over," he whispered.

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It had ended so abruptly.

Felix glanced at Matthew's face. He saw horror, disbelief, denial, all fighting for dominance. Felix gritted his teeth.

Why... why did so many have to die, Alex?

His composure returning, Alex bent over and calmly placed his hand upon Isaac's chest. Isaac's body began glowing red. Before anybody could say anything, it was over.

Alex had absorbed the final portion of the Golden Sun.

A grin spread across his masked face. Calmly, he turned around to face the newcomers.

"Welcome to the brink of reality," he proclaimed, making an exaggerated gesture around the area.

Without warning, Alex clapped his hands together. Felix felt a distortion of psynergy behind him.

"The portal!" shouted Ivan.

The adepts whipped around to see the portal they had entered through shrink to nothing.

"Isaac was far more powerful than I gave him credit for. To think he had so quickly mastered his portion, an element alien to the one he was born with... an impressive man indeed.

"I had planned to close the portal long before any of you had entered, but he did not give me an opportunity. He must have been so engulfed by his desire for revenge that he did not realise he was placing you all in danger..."

Alex casually gestured to his right, weaving a small mystical symbol in the air. Beside him, the atmosphere shifted in colour before a second portal opened.

"But I am not without mercy. If you leave through here, you'll end up in Kalay. If any of you wish it, you may leave now, and not die in vain."

Nobody moved.

"You're not getting away with this, Alex," growled Felix, unsheathing his sword.

"You're a monster," whispered Mia. "I can't believe you used to be that kind boy who would help me cure the sick."

Nonchalantly, Alex glanced away from his cousin.

"Mia, you simply never knew the true me."

"That's impossible!" cried Mia, tears spilling from her eyes. "You were a caring person before any of this happened!"

"I still am..." murmured Alex. For the briefest of moments, a look of sadness crossed his expression.

Mia shook her head in disbelief.

"Why do you need us to leave, Alex?" inquired Ivan, calmly attempting to analyse the situation.

"I don't. I am giving you all one chance to escape before I flood this area with Alchemy. You will all die if you stay here."

"Aeolus said you needed this place to absorb Isaac's..." Ivan briefly halted midsentence, glancing at the body of his dead friend. He took a deep breath and continued. "... Isaac's portion of the Golden Sun."

Alex's mouth stretched into a smug grin.

"You thought there'd be a place with the sole purpose of 'absorbing a part of the Golden Sun'? What a childish thought, Ivan. No, this plane is far more significant."

Alex spread his arms apart, gesturing around the starry world they stood in.

"While searching for a method to absorb Isaac's portion, I stumbled across... this. Aeolus probably knows this, but this is a world that exists between Weyard and Creation itself. All psynergy invoked in Weyard must travel through this domain. Because of this, this plane was sealed away by the Ancients. If I were to infuse my existence here, I would control all Alchemy in Weyard...

Alex's grin widened, becoming almost maniacal.

"In short, I become a god!"

"So in the end, you serve only yourself, Alex," growled Felix. "Jenna... Jenna and Isaac shouldn't have died for this!"

"They died for a great cause. By spurning their sacrifice, you disrespect them, Felix."

"Shut your filthy mouth!"

Felix charged at Alex, pure hatred in his eyes.

Alex sighed. He made a small gesture and before anyone could react, a spear of light had impaled Felix through his foot, nailing him to the floor. Felix fell, howling in pain. A second spear drove through his shoulder. Felix's howls redoubled. Alex hovered down to the ground, approaching Felix.

"Felix, Isaac could not defeat me even while I possessed the incomplete Golden Sun. There's nothing you can do. With this power, I am already invincible. Even so, you would still spit on my generous offer?"

Alex clapped his hands together. The portal behind him shimmered before vanished entirely.

"Father!" shouted Amiti. "Please stop!"

Alex gave his son a brief, apathetic glance.

"Amiti, I must say I am disappointed. You have grown to be such a sheltered child. You could have achieved so much more."

Alex closed his eyes. Dark energies began forming around his hands as he rose into the air. The starry chamber shook slightly.

"But it is now time for me to break this seal. Perhaps I will chat with you all later, for even death will not be a barrier to me after this...

"Farewell, adepts. I shall now transcend–"

Without warning, there was a flash of white light. Alex fell to the floor, screaming in agony. The clattering sound of a mask striking the floor echoed around the chamber.

"Strike him down now!"

The adepts whipped around. Behind them floated the Wise One.

"Did you not listen? You must attack! I shall answer any questions later!"

Felix was the first to react.

With a glow of healing psynergy, he wrenched the weakened spears of light from his foot and shoulder.

"You're dead, monster!"

"You will not deny me!" declared Alex, blood now pouring down his face. He made a broad, sweeping gesture and the chamber lit up as a legion of fireballs formed above them. "Die!"

"Frost!"

Mia swept her staff overhead, invoking an icy wave of psynergy that immediately neutralised Alex's assault. Before Alex could shape another spell, Garet and Ivan had already run up to either side of him. Simultaneously, they yelled:

"Flare Storm!"

"Tempest!"

With a roar, a grand tornado of fire flared into existence.

Alex dived forward, barely dodging the combined psynergetic attack.

"Spark Plasma!"

This time, there was no time for him to dodge.

Shadow Shield.

Darkness formed around the blue haired adept as he threw up a hurried barrier against Sheba's intense Plasma spell. The violent bolt of lightning struck. Despite stifling most of the spell's power, Alex was still blasted backwards from the sheer force of the attack.

Felix opened his eyes.

His body was practically aglow with Venus psynergies. Floating behind him, six huge, psynergetic swords had formed. Felix thrust his arm into the air.

"Block this!"

Catching Alex in midair, one after the other, the swords of Venus flew towards him, impaling themselves into his body.

"Vanish!" roared Felix, charging forward. "Odyssey!"

As Felix thrust his own sword into Alex, an absolutely colossal blade of psynergy followed, tearing through Alex's torso and shattering the other six swords to nothing.

Alex's broken body was sent flying, crashing heavily to the floor on the opposing side of the chamber.

"Yeah!" cheered Tyrell, throwing his fist into the air. "Did you see that?"

However, his celebration was short lived.

"What...?" hissed Felix.

White light spewed forth from Alex's body. The adepts watched in horror as blood was drawn back into his body and wounds were closed before their very eyes. A depraved grin tore his face apart.

"AhaHAHahahaHAaa!"

Disbelief rooted Felix to the ground as Alex rose from the floor.

"What's this, Felix? You've certainly improved your skills, I must say."

He stretched, cracking his neck back into position before rubbing it casually.

"But it won't be enough to defeat me!"

Alex lunged forward, reengaging the adepts.

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Tyrell could only gape.

"He's still alive?"

"We have to help too!" exclaimed Karis. "Come on!"

Tyrell and the younger adepts ran towards Alex. However, from the edge of his vision, Tyrell caught sight of Matthew leaning over his father's body. Shock was plastered across the teenager's face.

"You guys go ahead, I'll get Matthew!"

Karis glanced at Matthew sympathetically before nodding.

"Be as quick as you can, we need all the help we can get. He can grieve later."

She ran off into the battlefield after Rief and Amiti.

A few moments later, violent winds ripped across the room as a Tempest was invoked where the adepts were battling.

"I want to help you!"

Tyrell turned around, noticing Sveta had not left.

"Sveta, you need to help Felix and the others defeat Alex. I'll deal with Matthew."

"But –!"

"I knew Isaac better than you did, Sveta. Please, let me handle this. Go help the others."

Sveta paused before nodding briefly. "Please be gentle with him."

She ran off after the others.

"I don't think we'll have time to be gentle," muttered Tyrell, dashing towards Matthew.

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Alex flinched as Felix ran him through again from behind.

"Don't..." he hissed, grasping the blade protruding from his stomach, "... take... me... lightly..."

Alex whipped around and struck Felix in the face with an open palm. With his other hand, he pushed the sword from his body before casting it aside. Felix was bodily thrown backwards, but was caught by Rief and Amiti.

"Thanks."

"It's no problem," replied Rief, hands glowing with psynergy as he healed Felix's wounds.

A wave of cold washed over the adepts.

"You're all wasting your time," Alex growled, casting a suspicious glance towards the Wise One on the other side of the chamber. "Umbra!"

Black shadows swirled around the blue haired adept as he focused his power. There was the curious sound of a sword being unsheathed, and the shadows condensed into a single blade.

Without warning, Alex lashed out. Garet barely had time to block the lightning quick blade with his own.

"W-what...?"

Garet fell to his knees, bleeding from a bloody wound stretching across his chest.

"Too slow."

Moving at an almost otherworldly speed, Alex had already parried and struck his second blow across the fire adept's torso. Garet fell to his knees.

Without hesitation, Alex raised his blade to deliver the final blow.

"Die!"

"Garet!"

Alex was blown off his feet as a powerful blast of wind hurled him away from his target.

"Mia, heal Garet!" yelled Ivan, summoning another powerful gust of wind.

"I... I feel dizzy..." groaned Garet.

Ivan glanced at Garet's wound, eyes widening. His blood was bubbling, turning black before his eyes.

"The blade is poisoned!"

"Leave it to me!" shouted Mia, hurrying over to tend to the wound.

"Everyone, keep your distance! Attack with long-ranged psynergy!" commanded Felix.

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Matthew gently cradled his father's body in his arms, uncaring of the blood staining his hands and clothes.

"Matthew, we need you now!"

The voice of his friend sounded so far away. The clashes of the battle sounded even more distant. Nothing mattered anymore.

"He's gone as well... they've both..."

Matthew hunched over his father's body, tears spilling from his eyes. He tenderly propped his father's head up, hoping for a childish moment that he might just wake up.

"Matthew!"

Matthew closed his eyes, Tyrell's voice fading further and further away.

"The others are fighting your parents' murderer as we waste time talking! You... you're not going to let him get away with it, are you?"

Matthew froze.

"Alex..." he hissed under his breath.

The hatred he had felt from before again began coursing through his veins. The man that had taken everything from him. Flaring to new levels, a fury like no other ran through his body, so intense it threatened to choke him. His muscles stiffened, his features contorted and his body began shaking violently. He crouched there, before casting all his hatred, misery and rage into one word.

"... ALEX!"

Tyrell felt a wave of Venus psynergy before his friend almost vanished; he barely registered the speed the yellow-scarfed adolescent moved at. In moments, Matthew was already behind the blue haired adept, Sol Blade in hand. Without regard for his own safety, he raised the sword in the air.

"MEGIDDO!"

A look of shock crossed Alex's face before a psynergetic meteorite slammed into his body. The sickening sound of bones breaking echoed as the force of the blow threw him bodily across the room.

"Die, die, DIE!" cried Matthew, lunging after him.

Before Alex had even struck the floor, Matthew was already behind him.

"PURGATORY!"

Again, the adept-become-demigod was engulfed in a sea of red.

Matthew took a deep breath, calming himself down. There was no way...

"If you don't take a cool head with you into battle, you'll lose it, Matthew."

Suddenly, a ridiculously powerful psynergetic force slammed into Matthew. He flew back as far as the chamber's borders extended, crashing into the wall behind him. He slumped to the floor, out cold.

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Sveta watched in horror as Matthew's body was flung to the boundaries of the chamber.

"Matthew!" she shrieked.

As the plumes of flame died down, the sight of Alex standing unharmed amidst a charred surrounding became visible.

"He's healed already...?" whispered Mia.

Matthew!

"Sveta, no!" exclaimed Ivan.

With a roar, Sveta had released her beastform and bounded towards Alex. Her body was aglow as she prepared a psynergetic blast.

Alex flexed his arm, an arrogant smirk widening across his face before vanishing completely. A moment later, he reappeared behind the beastgirl. There was the terrible noise of metal slicing through flesh and Sveta felt a vivid pain running across her side. She screamed, falling to her knees before the poison took effect and she began losing consciousness.

The last thing she saw was Alex and the Umbra sword he had summoned mid-warp, slowly dripping with her blood.

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He felt the power of the Golden Sun tearing through his veins, waxing stronger with every moment that passed. Relishing the moment, he closed his eyes.

Suddenly, Alex felt a third presence rushing up behind him.

He must be hoping he can use her attack as a distraction.

Without hesitating, Alex cast the sword behind him towards the rapidly approaching Ivan. Ivan's eyes widened and he dodged to the right. Alex's wicked smile widened before pointing his other hand towards Ivan. While Ivan was still in the air, Alex clicked his fingers.

"Supernova."

In a great, fiery explosion, Ivan was blown backwards as Alex's detonation psynergy easily struck its target. He crashed to the floor without a word.

"Ivan! Sveta!" Mia cried out. "Rief, I'll heal Sveta while you–!"

Mia was cut off as Alex's laughter rang through the room. Everyone's eyes turned towards him.

Alex glanced from one hand to another, slowly flexing his fingers. Elation filled his body.

"I do believe my body is finally beginning to adjust to the equalisation of psynergy," he grinned.

And I'll never have to wear that accursed mask again!

Alex casually loosened his shoulders, rolling them in circles.

Then he vanished.

"I'm sorry, Mia," Alex murmured.

Mia spun around, just barely catching a glimpse of her cousin before an immense bolt of lightning struck her body.

She screamed and fell to the floor.

"Mother!" cried Rief.

Alex whipped around before anybody could move and landed a mighty blow in Rief's gut. Rief doubled over just as Alex struck him over the head with his boot. He was out cold before anybody realised what was happening.

"How dare you!" shouted Garet furiously, rushing at Alex from behind.

Alex didn't even bother turning around.

"Gaia," he whispered.

An explosion rocked the chamber and Garet was tossed in the air like a puppet. A moment later, he crashed heavily to the floor.

"Liquefier!" bellowed Tyrell, fury lighting up his eyes.

"Quake Sphere!" shouted Felix.

"Shine Plasma!" Ivan and Sheba simultaneously yelled at once.

Alex's eyes flicked at Ivan, briefly wondering why he was on his feet again. He noticed Karis and Amiti behind him, hands aglow with healing psynergies. He scowled.

Looks like I'll have to take them out next.

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This is my father...?

Amiti gazed in awed horror as Alex lashed his arm out, capturing Tyrell's Liquefier in the palm of his hand.

'I am disappointed'... for the first words father has ever directed towards me, it wasn't that way too harsh? I always felt he would be somebody kinder...

But now was not the time to cry. He could not fall into self-pity while his friends fought the monster before them.

Leaping into the air, Alex began levitating, narrowly avoiding both Felix's Quake Sphere and the leviathan streak of lightning. In one fluid moment, he whipped around and aimed Tyrell's captured psynergy at Karis.

Amiti's eyes widened in fear.

"Karis–!"

"Not so fast, Alex!" shouted Sheba, directing her hands towards Alex. Responding to her call, the immense combined Spark Plasma shot around, turning back towards Alex.

"Even better!"

Alex smirked before slapping the Plasma spell with his free hand towards the young Jupiter adept.

Sheba's eyes widened in absolute disbelief.

Beside her, Karis's father tried yelling a warning. However, he did not have time to even finish before a pair of explosions shook the room.

Felix bellowed in pain as Alex redirected Tyrell's Liquefier towards a new target.

Karis screamed as the duel Shine Plasma struck her body. Like a lifeless doll, she slumped to the floor.

"Karis!"

Alex laughed cruelly.

"So this is true power of the Golden Sun! Complete, absolute control over alchemy! With such unparalleled power, it would be cruel to stretch this fight out any longer...

"Behold!"

Closing his eyes, Alex threw his arms apart. The chamber began to darken. The adepts gazed up only to see a truly alarming sight.

The battlefield was darkening because the 'stars' overhead were being blotted out by row after row of Umbrian swords. The blades hung in the air, innumerable tips pointing down towards the battlefield, waiting for the command of their master to descend. An ominous silence fell upon the chamber.

"We can't fight this..." whispered Amiti.

Alex's sick grin widened.

"Reign of Umbra."

"I'll divert the swords!" shouted Ivan desperately. "Just stop Alex!"

Felix, Sheba, Tyrell and Amiti began sprinting towards Alex.

Ivan closed his eyes. The powerful sorcerer began focusing his power. A strong wind picked up. Alex smirked, and pointed at Ivan.

"Seal."

The winds died down instantly. A streak of fear crossed Ivan's face.

"Stop!" yelled Felix, the alarm in his voice clearly audible. "Everybody, protect yourselves–!"

"FALL!" commanded Alex.

The sickening noise of blades driving through flesh echoed throughout the chamber.

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Groggily, Matthew slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a sword as dark as night buried into the ground at his feet.

He glanced up, and his eyes widened in horror.

Pitch black swords were scattered across the entire chamber, making the area look as if an ethereal, nightmarish war had been fought there. Nailing bodies to the floor, the blades had maimed everyone. Many of the wounds looked sickeningly lethal.

However, whatever attack Alex had used seemed to have just missed the outskirts of the chamber where Matthew lay.

Felix had blocked what he could, but with numerous wounds prior to the attack, he had taken many major injuries. Sheba was lying unconscious next to him, bleeding profusely from a wound above her hip.

In an act of desperation, Ivan had flung himself over Karis, protecting his daughter with his own body.

Tyrell was rapidly losing consciousness, the poison of the blades taking effect. Amiti lay next to him, barely able to move. Several black swords had pinned his legs to the floor.

"Father..." he groaned.

Alex did not even glance at him as he strode across the room towards his final target.

"You've always been a continual thorn in my side, Guardian of Vale."

The Wise One did not move. Maybe it was concentrating too deeply to notice the impending threat.

"I know what you're trying to do, but it's too late."

The palm of Alex's hand began emitting a blindingly vivid light.

"You just weren't powerful enough."

Alex punched his fist into the ancient guardian. A brilliant radiance engulfed the pair. The light was so intense, Matthew had to turn away. The sound of rock shattering echoed across the chamber. When the light had subsided, only Alex remained, standing amidst scattered, rocky rubble.

Then there was silence.

"It's... over. It's finally over..." sighed Alex. He fell to his knees, his normally taunting features relaxing as he allowed himself to let go. "There's finally nobody left to oppose me."

"You're wrong, Alex!"

Matthew charged towards his foe, caring nothing for the obvious gap in their powers.

Alex lazily glanced over his shoulder. As Matthew brought the sword down upon his enemy, Alex raised his arm, catching the edge of Matthew's Sol Blade with his bare hand. With what looked to be minimal effort, he tore the blade from Matthew's grasp and tossed it aside.

"No, Matthew. It really is over," murmured Alex, giving Matthew a gentle smile. "I win."

Tears flowing freely from Matthew's eyes, Matthew grasped one of the black swords impaled in the ground out of desperation and swung it towards Alex. As the blade touched the blue-haired adept, it vanished in a burst of inky-black mist.

"There's nothing left you can do."

Slowly, Alex rose from the ground and began walking towards the centre of the room.

"That's... a lie!" shouted Matthew, forgoing all weapons and throwing a mindless punch at his parents' murderer.

Before the fist could connect, a wave of psynergy blasted his body back. He collapsed onto the floor.

It's hopeless... I can't accomplish anything...

I'm weak.

Son of the bearer, you are not weak.

Alex froze.

"Wise One..." he uttered.

Matthew's eyes widened as an overwhelming, alien presence made itself known in his mind. He felt dizzy as the strength of the being threatened to completely overcome him, but held onto himself. On the other side of the room, Alex whipped around, a look of horror spreading across his face.

"No! You can't be still alive!"

The Seal is complete.

Power, unconceivable, mind-numbing power shot through Matthew's veins. In a flare of light, something that should have been heavy but felt light as a feather formed in his hands.

The Sol Blade.

Together, we are going to seal Alex's powers. The weapon you grasp, the Sol Blade, was the tool I used many years ago to seal away Alchemy.

"I've come too far to lose now!" shouted Alex, lunging towards Matthew. He flew towards his prey, black mists condensing in his palm, forming another Umbrian sword. However, to Matthew, his movements seemed somehow... slowed.

Sparks flew as their two blades collided. Alex's eyes widened in shock as he realised Matthew could match his speed.

"It's not possible...!" he growled. "I possess the power of the entire Golden Sun! There should be no way...!"

Matthew, if you were not the son of the bearer Isaac, you would already be dead. Without a heritage of containing Alchemy's power, there would be no place for my spirit to reside within your body.

Matthew threw his weight behind the Sol Blade and swung, pushing Alex back.

So you want my help to defeat him?

No. I need your help to defeat him. However, this power will be costing on your body...

I don't care.

"You're going to die anyway!" declared Alex, again lunging at Matthew. Matthew blocked the strike. Shockwaves rocked the chamber, testament to the ferocity of the clash.

Although I could reside within Amiti, you have far more experience handling the Sol Blade. I myself used to be a Venus adept like you and Isaac. It is a great deal easier to reside in a more familiar body.

Briefly, Matthew stopped at the mention of his father. Alex noticed the opening. He grinned and lunged forward, just before a powerful psynergetic wave blew him back, shielding Matthew.

Steel yourself. You cannot think about those who have already fallen if you wish to win this battle.

Matthew took a deep breath, calmed himself. Silently, he nodded and tightened his grip on the handle of the Sol Blade.

With resolve, he charged at Alex.

"Wise One, I suggest you stop giving Matthew false hope," said Alex, skilfully riposting. "The entirety of Alchemy is at my disposal. No matter how you try to fight, in the end, I will win."

Alex, you are not the only person to have bathed in the light of the Golden Sun.

Alex's eyes narrowed.

"What...?" he hissed.

You are the second. The first... was me.

Alex froze for a moment, shocked. Matthew took the chance.

"Hyaaaah!"

Matthew raised the Sol Blade into the air before bringing it down, landing a powerful blow across Alex's torso. Blood spattered across the floor of the chamber.

"Argh..."

Alex recoiled, clutching his chest. Matthew tried following through, but Alex leapt backwards into the air and began levitating. The wound across his chest was already starting to close itself.

"If that's true," spat Alex. "Why could you not use your power to save Vale? Why did you not release Alchemy yourself? The bearer of the Golden Sun should be almighty! Were we just pawns to you? Playthings?"

No, Alex. You compare me too much to yourself, believing I would act like the deceiver you are.

Matthew raised his palms towards Alex. Venus psynergy was not effective when harming airborne enemies, but he felt he could somehow reach him. An alien stream of psynergy now coursing through Matthew's veins, he roared two words.

"Dragon Fume!"

The ancient incarnation of Mars soared from his hands. Alex tried dodging left but the great psynergetic animal curved around midair. An almighty, deafening explosion rocked the chamber, but as the smoke dispersed, Matthew saw Alex had erected a great barrier of ice behind his body, shielding the attack completely.

"Then what's your excuse?" shouted Alex. "Unnatural beasts, crazed animals, and avatars of the Underworld; for years, the lands of Weyard have been stalked by such creatures. Bandits and murderers walk free. You even have almost allowed an entire town, Prox, to fall into oblivion! As one who could have stopped it all, you have no right to preach benevolence!"

Alex. Over the ages, my original, mortal body has worn away to dust. Only by residing in non-organic materials like stone, although my powers become heavily restricted, I can exist without injuring living creatures. Although I cannot help humanity as I would like, this way, there are no sacrifices.

Alex shot them a look of contempt.

"Sacrifices must be made! Too many innocents have already paid the price for your damned inaction!"

Parrying the last blow, Matthew leapt high and plummeted down, striking at Alex from overhead. Alex dove right, and Matthew struck the ground. A blast wave from where Matthew struck travelled in all directions.

Alex was knocked back as the savage power of the wave struck his body. He flew back, smashing into the side of the chamber.

"Just allow me this power, and together we can create a beautiful world!" he shouted, pushing himself off the wall. A trickle of blood trailed down from the side of his lip.

Humans are not meant to wield this kind of power. However, I will destroy you before you come to realise that.

"How hypocritical!" jeered Alex, before again launching himself at Matthew, continuing their battle.

You are a cold-blooded murderer. I cannot let a person who would sacrifice all for power take control of Weyard.

"If you destroy me, you'll be a killer as well! In the end, you only want to be the sole holder of this power! How selfish, Wise One!"

Matthew and Alex exchanged a series of rapid blows, sparks and psynergy flying from the edges of their blades.

You are unstable, and I should have never let you come this far. On Mt. Aleph, I was too soft. I should have ended it there!

Alex threw all his power behind one final slash. Matthew blocked, but the force of the blow cast the two apart. Matthew recoiled and tried to regain his footing.

"Then let me end this now!" proclaimed Alex. He threw his arms to the heavens. "Embodiment of Light, descend!"

The stars around them began glowing brighter and brighter. In moments, the entire chamber was flooded with light. Blindingly scintillating rays shone from behind Alex in all directions, giving him what could almost be described as a pair of golden wings. A wild grin split his face in two.

"After aeons of passivity, let's see if you can still fight like a being at the threshold of Godship!"

Alex cast his hand towards Matthew.

"Celestial Beam!"

The stars around began to dim again as Alex drew all the light of the chamber into the tip of his finger. The streams of light spiralled towards Alex in all directions.

"Vanish!"

An impossibly bright ray of light tore towards Matthew. His eyes widened in dread. Even with his new powers, he knew such an attack would instantly spell annihilation if it stuck him.

Embodiment of Umbra, rise!

The chamber darkened and a great, shadowy hand rose from the floor. The fingers twined themselves around Matthew just as Alex's attack struck. Matthew's world became pitch-black, but he could sense the raw psynergy of Alex's power tearing away at the Umbrian barrier. Eventually, the wave of psynergy subsided and the wraithlike hand opened, releasing Matthew from its grasp.

Remember, we're both fighting him. I will concentrate on defending you while you strike him down.

But how can I beat him? He heals straight after any attack I land!

Plunge the Sol Blade into his heart. I shall seal his powers away the moment you do.

"I won't let you!"

Matthew felt a wave of psynergy behind him and whipped around just as Alex swung an immense sword of lightning in a double handed swing.

Strike him!

Grasping the Sol Blade, Matthew slashed at Alex, leaving his defences in the hands on the Wise One. The ground rumbled and a barrier of stone rose from the earth while Matthew attacked Alex's unprotected side. There was a clang as the lightning sword was stopped mid-swing by the earthy barrier.

Alex fell to the ground, bleeding profusely from his gut.

Don't hesitate!

Matthew threw himself forward, and stabbed his sword into Alex's chest. Alex grimaced, but twisted his body right at the same time Matthew thrust the Sol Blade through him.

Get back! You didn't strike the heart!

"Not... so... fast..."

Matthew tried leaping back, but Alex had already wrapped his powerful fingers around the young adept's neck. Matthew struggled to break free, but the blue-haired adept's fingers were like iron. With overwhelming strength, Alex drew him closer. Slowly, he raised his other hand and pointed at Matthew's heart.

"Celestial... Beam...!"

Pulsating light shone from Alex's fingertip as he again drew upon the Embodiment of Light.

Matthew's eyes widened in fear as he fought to free himself from the grip of his opponent. At point-blank range, there was no way to defend against the attack.

"Die..." whispered Alex.

I can't let it end... like this...

Casting aside his fear, Matthew stopped struggling against Alex's overpowering grip. At first, Alex grinned, thinking the younger adept had given up. However the smile vanished as Matthew raised his hand between their bodies, and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the Sol Blade, still sticking out of Alex's chest.

"I won't let you...!" hissed Alex, blood flowing from either side of his mouth. The rays of light at his fingertip rapidly gathered, condensing, readying to unleash...

"You're finished, Alex!"

With one final surge of strength, Matthew forcefully tore the blade across Alex's chest, slicing into and through the demigod's heart.

Alex screamed.

He fell to his knees, the deadly light from his fingers dissipating to nothing.

A myriad of colours began spewing forth from his chest. They flew in all directions, lighting up the chamber. The starry world around them began to vibrate. The black swords scattered across the chamber faded away into nothingness.

Alex's howls redoubled as Matthew withdrew the Sol Blade from his body, giving it one sharp shake to rid it of blood before sheathing it.

Alex leant back, facing skywards. Light shone from his body. His fingers, hands, arms slowly began vanishing before his very eyes.

"No..." he cried. "Why am I...? No! I still have something... I need to do..."

Matthew silently gazed downwards towards his enemy as he slowly faded away to nothing.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Matthew lay back, putting his weight on the gravestone behind him. The dappled sunlight stretched through the light canopy overhead, painting a scene as calm as Matthew felt.

"You know, mum? We got him back. Your murderer. We stopped him and his tyranny before it even began. Not a bad job, right?"

Matthew glanced at the gravestone beside him.

"Of course, not everyone survived. Dad... he fought bravely for you. You wouldn't believe how hard he worked to avenge you.

"And many others. Most who were unconscious during Alex's sword rain... did not make it. It seems quite unfair, really. They didn't even get a chance to defend themselves."

Matthew recalled Karis crying over her father's body. Felix telling her what Ivan had done for her.

"I had no idea people could be so noble," Matthew murmured.

He closed his eyes.

"In many ways, it's a relief it's all over. The others will eventually settle down, and this will all end as just a bad memory. Tyrell, Karis, Amiti... so much has happened, and it's only the beginning of their lives. Well, at least it seems that way. Life can just end, you know?"

Matthew fought the urge to cry. He had been doing that a lot, recently.

"I'm sure the people of Belinsk regret allowing Sveta to help us..."

The image of her body flashed through his mind. Her blood soaked garments, the numerous blades of the Luna clan nailing her figure to the ground, the empty eyes so devoid of life...

Matthew tried taking a deep breath, but his body shuddered. He gave a hacking cough. Matthew slowly opened his eyes, gazing at the hand he had covered his mouth with. There were stains of blood covering his palm.

"It's okay, mum. The Wise One already told me. A mortal body just can't handle that type of power. But I'm fine with that. It held out as long as it needed to. And anyway, death isn't so scary anymore.

"Because maybe, just maybe, I'll get to see you all again."

That was so unbelievably tiring to write. I mean, seriously. You have no idea. It also went way longer than I thought it would.

It was fun, though.

I basically never write 'serious' (i.e. non-crack :P) fanfics. This had probably filled my quota for the next two years XD

Anyway. I hope you all had a good read ^^