Vision

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Yep, I'm rewriting the whole fic. It kind of suffered from my old writing style, so I thought I'd update it a bit, and change some minor things as well, including what I might consider to be a little plothole. But, enough of that. Please enjoy the rewritten version of the longest and most popular out of my fics. I probably shouldn't admit the rewrite almost took a year... lazy me. But it's close to completion now so I'm starting the new year 2008 by uploading the rewritten chapters!

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

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The six-year-old boy tossed and turned as he lay on his mattress. Just one thin sheet had been drawn over his pyjama-clad body. He sleepily muttered, his voice sounding hoarse.

"Isaac?" A cool hand pressed against his forehead. In the boy's sleep, he wasn't even aware of his mother's touch. The woman standing over him frowned and reached down to dip a cloth in the bucket that sat by Isaac's bed. She wrung it thoroughly to get the excess water out and placed it on Isaac's forehead. "Hurry up and get better please," Dora whispered, sounding strained as she anxiously watched him.

"Dora?" A third person entered the room. Dora raised a finger to her lips and turned to look at her husband. He understood and quietly walked over to stand next to her. His concerned blue eyes fell over his son. "It's not looking any better, is it?"

"I think we should take him to the Great Healer, Kyle," Dora whispered in an anxious voice. Isaac simply seemed to be getting worse, not better. His head was hot to the touch and his face was coloured a deep shade of pink that clashed with his dark blonde hair. "I think he's just getting worse."

"Okay." Kyle nodded decisively. "Let's take him over there immediately." Dora stepped back as he reached out to gently pick Isaac up in his arms. The cloth fell unheeded to the mattress as Isaac wriggled in his father's arms, but he did not wake.

As Kyle walked to the door, Dora glanced down and spotted a plush rabbit lying next to the bed. This was Isaac's favorite toy. She supposed he must have knocked it off the bed in his fitful sleep and automatically reached down to pick it up. Still holding the rabbit, Dora followed Kyle out of the house, pausing to lock the door behind her. They quickly hurried toward the sanctum, not wishing to waste any time.

In their haste, they were unaware of the three children standing near the house and watching them with curious stares. The tallest, a boy the same age as Isaac, turned to look at the girl standing next to him, his brown eyes filled with curiosity.

"I think something's wrong with Isaac," said the boy, sounding worried for his friend. "I wonder what it is. We haven't been able to see him since yesterday."

The girl bit her lip, also looking quite anxious. She shook her head as the wind blew her reddish hair in her face and turned to look at him. "Hey, I know, they must be going to the sanctum. Why don't we follow them up there?" Before he could answer, she was already putting a step forward.

The third person, a dark-haired boy who was a year older than them both, quickly stepped up and put a hand on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to look at him with wide, questioning eyes and he shook his head. "Jenna, I think if Isaac is ill, it would be best to stay away. We might risk catching what he's got."

"But... but... Isaac is ill..." Jenna trailed off and stared at her feet in disappointment. She badly wanted to see Isaac and make sure that he was going to be alright, but her brother seemed to be right as usual. It just wasn't fair. Her bottom lip stuck out in an angry pout and she huffed loudly.

"Oh, it's alright," the tall boy spoke in an attempt to comfort her, "I'm sure that Isaac is going to be just fine anyway. Really." Though he sounded light-hearted in saying so, his eyes still betrayed his concern.

Jenna whirled around to glare at him, her temper spiked by his attitude. "Don't you even care, Garet?" Before Garet could defend himself or speak, she was already raising a fist to sock him. Fortunately, her brother stepped between the two of them before she could hit him.

"What have I said about hitting people?" He asked, looking at her reproachfully. "You know it gets you into trouble."

"Oh, come on, Felix, Garet's beating mean," Jenna said, pouting again and looking at him with wide, upset eyes. "And Mom and Dad needn't know what I did."

"Well, it's just that the last time you hit him, you actually gave him a black eye," Felix reminded her. "Just calm down, Jenna. Garet's just trying to make you feel better about it."

"Ugh..." Garet grumbled and turned away, the threat of almost having been hit by Jenna already forgotten. "I'm so bored. I wish Isaac would hurry up and get better then we could all play together again."

The trio began to drift north toward the sanctum, though they knew better to try and get in. However, concern for Isaac made them want to be nearby in the hope that he would come out all better again. On the way, walking through Vale, they paused by Garet's house and Jenna turned to look at the garden behind the house.

"Oh, Kay is out watering her flowers again," Jenna said, watching Garet's older sister kneeling over the flowers and holding up the small watering can. She seemed to be in a world of her own as she gazed at her flowers while water sprinkled down on them. "Her flowers are so pretty."

"I can't see the big deal," Garet said in disgust. "Sometimes, I just want to stomp over Kay's stupid flowers and make her cry."

"That's not nice, Garet," Felix said, throwing a disdainful glance at him. "You're really mean."

"Come on, let's go wait outside the sanctum," Jenna said excitedly, grabbing their arms and pulling them both toward the building. She believed that Isaac would be coming out any minute now and he would be much better.

As the children ran up to the sanctum building and sat down outside the large doors, they had no idea how close Isaac was to death at that moment.

Inside the sanctum, Kyle and Dora were looking at the Great Healer with concerned gazes as he stood over Isaac and examined him. Isaac was awake now and moaning fretfully, throwing his limbs around as he lay on the sanctum bed. Not even the toy rabbit lying next to him was enough to placate his fretful mood. His face was slowly paling and his eyes kept sliding shut, his eyelids appearing to rest even longer with each blink.

"Can you tell us what is wrong with Isaac?" Kyle asked anxiously, reaching out to smooth back Isaac's blond bangs from his sweat covered forehead. "Please, tell us. He's our son."

"Kyle," Dora said, in an attempt to calm him. She grabbed a hand and squeezed it tightly, slightly comforted as he squeezed it back. Her eyes flicked from Isaac to the Great Healer.

"Well," the Great Healer spoke cautiously, not meeting their gazes as he looked in concern at the ailing child. "For one thing, Isaac has a very high temperature caused by his fever. However, that is not the only thing wrong with him."

"There's something else wrong with him?" Dora asked anxiously.

"What is it?" Kyle's voice rose and he broke off, realising what he was doing. They were both extremely worried about Isaac, but it would not help to lose his calm.

"Isaac appears to have a viral infection that is potentially fatal," the Great Healer said, after releasing a deep breath. He shook his head regretfully. "It seems to have been spreading through his body for a long time and now his immune system has become too weak to cope with it."

"Well... can you heal him or not?" Dora asked in a small voice. Even her own voice sounded far away.

"I don't know," the Great Healer admitted, bowing his head and looking saddened. He did not like to see this child suffering and to know he hadn't been able to do anything so far. "It appears to require a power that is far stronger than mine."

"But... that means... Isaac will..." Kyle broke off, eyes widening in horror. Dora burst into hysterical tears and threw herself against her husband, burying her face in his chest. He numbly looked down at Isaac as he enfolded her in his arms.

"He can't die..." Dora sobbed out. "He can't!"

"Isaac... you can't die..."

Isaac was sitting upon a soft, white surface. He looked around in consternation, gazing at the landscape. Everything was white, with small puffs rising off its surface. The sky was clear and blue above him and the sun felt much warmer up here. Isaac frowned, trying to remember what had happened.

He could remember being in the sanctum building, on one of their beds. He was feeling very ill and a bit sleepy, and he was so hot. As that healer man had been speaking to his mom and dad, everything had gone black. Isaac mechanically reached out as he searched for his toy rabbit, his face scrunching up as he realised it was not there.

"Weed!" Isaac cried out, calling for his toy. He had simply decided to call the rabbit Weed one day as a toddler, when he tried to make it eat the food off his plate. It had ended up with a dirty face as a result. Dora had rescued it and before taking it away to clean, she told Isaac rabbits would prefer to eat weeds. From that day, Isaac had called the blue stuffed rabbit Weed.

"I'm here, Isaac."

"Weed?" Isaac looked confused as he heard the voice. Surely his toy rabbit couldn't possibly be talking to him. It couldn't talk.

"No, it's me," a gentle voice told him. Isaac was startled as an apparition floated down in front of him. He let out a squeal of delight, happy to see someone in this strange and lonely place.

"Pretty lady!" Isaac exclaimed, reaching out to her, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"It's going to be okay, Isaac," the lady said, stepping toward him. She appeared to be just seventeen years old. Her long flowing white dress flapped in the soft breeze. A dark blue bow was wrapped around her waist, ribbons streaming down to the end of her dress. The chest area was emblazoned with a purple symbol.

Isaac gazed at her in rapture, transfixed by her flowing blue hair. It was such an unusual colour and it looked so long and silky. The lady kneeled next to Isaac and it was only then he noticed the wide, feathery wings coming from her back, almost transparent in appearance.

"Just remember, I am always here," she whispered into Isaac's ear, glowing with a soft blue light radiating from inside her. White rings flowed along her body. The rings also appeared around Isaac and in that moment, he was cleansed of the fatal disease ravaging his body.

Isaac smiled happily and grabbed at the girl's hair, enjoying the feel of the soft, silky strands he clasped with his fist. The girl smiled back and wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace. Isaac fell into a deep sleep.

Only to immediately awaken on the sanctum bed. His eyes flew open and he stared up at the ceiling, recognising the sanctum. There was crying from close by, which Isaac thought was his mother, though he couldn't understand why she was crying. Isaac turned his head and looked at his parents who stood by the bed. They were holding each other in their arms. Dora was freely sobbing and Kyle also had tears on his face, though he was silent.

"Mom? Dad?" Isaac said in a tentative voice, sitting up and looking at them curiously. He looked healthy once again, his face flushed with a healthy glow and his eyes sparkling with energy. Isaac noticed Weed lying next to him and snatched up the rabbit in the crook of his left arm, while sticking his right thumb in his mouth and staring at his parents with wide, round eyes.

Dora was the first to turn and look, gasping aloud as she saw Isaac sitting up. She broke free of her husband's embrace and rushed to him. Kyle also turned to look, hurrying over and looking joyful as he realised that Isaac was alright now.

"Isaac!" they cried in unison. Dora picked him off the bed and held him tightly in her arms. Kyle wrapped his arms around both of them, kissing his son on the head in relief. Isaac snuggled into his mother's chest, happy at the attention.

"It's a miracle," Dora sobbed out, tears of joy rolling down her face. "Isaac came back... it really is a miracle!"

"Isaac is a miracle." Kyle grinned broadly and ruffled Isaac's golden hair. "Our own little miracle."

Isaac just fixed his parents with questioning stares, absolutely clueless about what was going on. He had no idea of the fate that had almost met him.

"This is truly amazing," the Great Healer said, smiling broadly. "To think Isaac recovered so suddenly at that moment. If I hadn't been here to see it myself, I don't think I would have believed the tale."

"Mommy, what's so amazing?" Isaac pouted, as Dora and Kyle walked to the sanctum doors, Dora still holding him in her arms. As they stepped through the doors, Isaac saw Felix, Garet and Jenna standing outside. He smiled happily and tried to wriggle free of his mother's arms.

"Is Isaac okay?" Felix asked anxiously.

"Isaac is fine now," Kyle reassured him.

"Then can he play with us now?" Garet asked.

"Of course," Dora said, kneeling to the ground and releasing Isaac. Isaac quickly joined his friends, still waving his toy rabbit around as he reunited with him. Once again, Dora was overcome by emotion and started crying.

"Look after him," Kyle said with a smile as he took Dora aside and led her away to their house, leaving Isaac alone with his friends. The four children excitedly rushed off to play.

The chosen spot for the four to go and play was their secret place by a cave up in the north part of the village. To get there, they had to scale a fence, but with enough practice, they could get over it effortlessly now. Jenna would often scrape her knees in her haste to clear the fence, but obstinately claimed she was okay and ignored her injuries. Garet was usually last over, weight and clumsiness hindering his best efforts somewhat. Isaac and Felix could always get over easily enough.

Once the fence had been cleared, the children went to sit by the cave. Often, they had talked of actually going in there, but sometimes growling could be heard from inside the cave. The sounds were enough to keep them away. Garet's father had even claimed that there were monsters inside and they did not doubt that one bit.

"I saw a pretty lady!" Isaac exclaimed once he'd explained what had been happening and got to the dream he'd had in the sanctum. He lifted up Weed and made him sniff at Jenna's face. Jenna giggled and pushed the rabbit away. "She had this really long blue hair and wings and she was very nice."

"So what was her name?" Felix asked, smiling in amusement. He wasn't sure whether to believe Isaac's story or not, especially with the blue hair and wings. Who even had blue hair and wings? Isaac was prone to saying the silliest things, but he looked sincere enough at this moment.

"Um..." Isaac paused in thought, then his face fell flat. "Actually... I don't know."

Garet let out a snort of derision. "So you see a pretty girl, but you don't even know her name? Yeah right!"

"Don't say that, Garet," Jenna snapped, glaring hotly at the red-headed boy. "Isaac might be telling the truth."

"I am telling the truth!" Isaac burst out, his face crumpling. His eyes welled up with sudden tears and he pulled his knees up to his chest, burying his face in Weed's soft blue fur as the rabbit lay in his lap. Isaac sniffled quietly and Jenna quickly tried to placate him, tentatively patting his head.

"It's okay," Jenna said soothingly. "Don't cry. We believe you." She wrapped an arm around him and hugged him tightly.

"Wimp," Garet muttered, shaking his head and feeling quite unsympathetic for his crying friend. Though he had said it quietly enough that Isaac wouldn't hear, Felix picked it up.

"Be quiet, Garet," Felix said sharply, nudging Garet with a foot. Garet winced and shifted away from him so he couldn't do it again.

"You believe me?" Isaac said slowly, looking up and gazing at his friends. His face was streaked with wet trails.

"Of course we believe you," Felix said firmly, shooting a look at Garet. "Let's talk about something else now."

"Yay!" Isaac cheered, throwing Weed up into the air. Garet quickly leaped forward and snatched the rabbit from him. Isaac cried out as Garet began running off with his precious toy. Jenna laughed and got off the ground, running after Garet. Isaac grinned playfully and hurried after them. Before long, Felix had also joined in the game and it turned into a frantic game of keeping the rabbit away from Isaac. The game lasted well into the evening and their parents had to come and find them for supper.

As Isaac headed home, he thought of the pretty girl. He wondered if he would be seeing her again.