Chrono Cross:

Dreams of a Future

By Jon Zeigler

Based on characters from

Chrono Cross & Chrono Trigger

Prologue

Stirrings from the Past

Program: "Memories of FATE."

Data location acknowledged. Searching…

Program discovered. Destination?

Shelled memory of FATE

…Destination discovered. Locking on. Target acquired near Dead Sea, Home World.

Run program, "Memories of FATE"?

Run program affirmative. Running program… Target accepted program.

Destroy program records? Negative. Contact with 'arbiter' made. Destruction of records imminent…

Chapter 1

A Memory from the Past

"Serge? Are you feeling all right? You're acting a little strangely," Leena observed.

Serge had sat down on the beach, his body still going through the motions of having just awakened from unconsciousness. He had just asked Leena about Terra Tower, the dragon god, and the whole adventure that he had just experienced. Leena didn't have a clue what he was talking about and Serge let the matter drop.

Schala was right. Nobody knows that anything happened and that their world was almost completely destroyed. Schala…Kid…where are you?

"Serge, our summer has just started, let's not start it out with an awkward moment," Leena continued.

Serge nodded his head absentmindedly. He wasn't really paying that close attention. His mind was on his journey, his meeting Kid, finding out the truth about the grand scheme of things, and him saving Schala from the Devourer of Time. He was the assassin of time, the Chrono Trigger. He was the being that traveled across the dimensions to save all of time and the universe.

"Thanks for the Komodo Dragon scales by the way," Leena said. "They'll make a beautiful necklace."

Serge answered with a sideways smile, gazing out over the ocean. In the instant before his body returned to the beach, he had seen an image of Kid wearing a white dress, standing on the very beach he was now sitting on. She had turned, looking at him, her eyes peering into his very soul. Serge now imagined that he could still see her, looking out over the water.

"Well, I still know that you had to go to some trouble to get these and I thank you for that," Leena noticed that Serge hadn't been looking at her. "Are you sure you're all right? I still think you're acting a little strange."

Serge let out a little laugh and turned to her for a second, giving a reassuring smile. He figured that if she knew what he was thinking, she would think he was insane.

Leena was about to start talking again but paused, thinking of the right thing to continue with. Her next thought never fully developed since a little boy came running up behind the two teens sitting on the beach.

"Leena!" the boy cried joyfully.

Leena turned to look at him as he came to a stop in front of her. Serge didn't turn and look, he was still lost in thought.

"Leena! I've been looking all over for you!" the boy told her.

Leena put a hand on her hip, "Well, I don't know what so important that you have to run all the way out here to this beach to tell me. It's dangerous out this far and you shouldn't have come alone."

"I didn't come out here alone. Everyone came along to look for you, you just disappeared," the boy answered cheerfully. To fit the boy's words, more children began to run out onto the beach from where the boy had come from as well.

"Oh," Leena said absentmindedly. "Ok then. I'm sorry I just took off without telling you. Tell you what, to make it up to you, lets go back to Arni and swim around the docks a little bit."

A shout of 'yay' came up from all the children as they turned back in the direction they had came from. "Leena's taking us swimming!"

Leena watched them go before turning back to Serge. "I'm sorry Serge, but it looks like I have to go for a little bit. Thanks again for the Komodo Dragon scales, I'll make a necklace right away."

Serge looked up at her for a moment and gave a polite wave goodbye, then turned back toward the ocean.

"Serge, I think you should get some sleep, you look a little pale," Leena told him before she walked off in the direction the children had taken.

Serge heard her footsteps on the sand whither away as Leena disappeared from sight. His mind was racing with thoughts, one after the other pouring through his head like it was a giant filter. Problem was, he couldn't organize any of them into any sort of order and questions plagued his mind as he continued staring out over the calm blue water.

"General Viper!"

"What is it?"

"Your presence is required in your office immediately!"

General Viper turned away from the balcony where he had been gazing out into the sea. The serene waters were calm, the sunlight reflecting off their surface as the waves passed by.

"Why is that?" he asked slowly, a little annoyed by the interruption.

"Hard to explain with words, sir," the soldier replied, saluting the general as he turned around. "Best you'd come and see it with your own eyes, sir."

"Very well," the general put his back to the sea and headed for the door leading back into the keep. "This had better be good…" he sighed under his breath.

He walked through the archway and proceeded down the stairs, following the soldier ahead of him. The soldier stopped at the door to his office and once again saluted him. The general couldn't help but notice the excitement in the soldier's eyes.

Viper nodded to him as he passed him by, opening the door and crossing the threshold. His eyes lit up instantly as he stared in wonder as what was hovering over his desk.

Its crimson color gave off a fire-like light and the very room was lit by its presence. It reminded Viper of a balled up glowing crab.

"How in the…? Could it be…?" the general whispered in awe.

A gentle wind blew across the tops of the trees of the forest, causing the leaves to swirl and dance in the air. The overall peace of the forest was undisturbed, save for a single figure walking quietly along a beaten path in the earth.

The woman's feet landed upon the roots of trees and stirred up twigs as she walked on. She had come here with a destination in mind and her goal was not far away. She didn't know exactly what would happen when she got there, but she was sure it would be a bit awkward at first.

She wondered what he would say, when he saw her standing in front of him. She wasn't supposed to be here, it had been a mistake. But, really, it was his fault in the first place for her being here. It had taken her a little while to realize it, but the blame for her being at this point could be laid on his shoulders. If he hadn't been alive, she wouldn't be here, but that would change things completely anyway.

Her dagger hung in its sheath, its cold, clean blade giving no indication to the adventures she had been on. She couldn't count how many times that dagger had saved her life, but did know how many times it had almost ended it.

Unknowingly, the woman had brought a hand to her neck to feel the pendent hanging there as she walked through the forest, coming closer to her destination. That pendent had also saved her numerous times and she couldn't help but wonder how many more times it would save her before it could finally be laid to rest. Its intricate design held extraordinary powers that even she didn't understand completely, but she knew basically how it worked. The person she was going to see also knew how it worked.

She lowered her hand from the pendent, seeing a break in the forest ahead of her. She knew what awaited her directly on the other side, her destination. Her hope at finally reaching the end of her journey caused her to become unaware of the figure following closely behind in the shadows of the trees.

A sword was clutched tightly in the figure's hand, its glowing exterior radiating purple and black simultaneously. The figure's black garments moved silently as the figure stalked the woman ahead of him, his instincts taking him quickly toward his prey.

The woman quickened her pace, still not aware of her predator behind her. She only wanted to be free of the forest and back into the sunlight.

The man also quickened his pace, continuously gaining ground on the unsuspecting woman. The forest became silent with his passing, as if his very presence could cause death itself.

The woman was near the edge of the forest when he attacked, swiftly and silently from behind. It was not completely by surprise, however. In the instant before she was attacked, the woman sensed another presence besides her own and turned to see what it was.

A look of surprise and fear crossed over her eyes in the instant before the glowing sword sank into her body and she let out a gasp of pain. Blood began to pour freely from the wound as the silent assassin drew the sword back, preparing another strike.

The woman sank to the ground, feeling a strange sensation not only in her body as the severity of the wound spread throughout, but also in her mind, as if some part of it had been plagued. Her eyes wavered as she tried again to look at her assailant who stood over her, poised to strike. In the farthest corner of her mind, before the sword began its motion downward, already crimson with her blood, she realized who the attacker was. Then her body lost its remaining strength and she crumpled completely. Just before her eyesight gave out, she was aware of a tingling sensation near her chest, then a blinding flash of light lit up the surrounding forest…

"Serge! Come over here! Quickly!" Leena shouted.

Serge had just returned from Opassa Beach, taking his time walking through lizard rock, not wanting to get mixed up with any encounters with Beach Bums. The last thing he wanted to do was to get caught up in any quarrels that would only further stress his mind.

Serge silently obeyed Leena's loud order and ran over to her. She was standing near the entrance of his house, where a small group of villagers had already gathered. Through the press of faces, Serge could see his mother standing on his front porch, peering inside at something.

He came to halt in front of Leena and gave her a questioning glance, starting to realize that something was amiss. "Something strange has happened in hour or so that we were away," Leena told him.

Serge couldn't help but think of the irony that he had probably been away for several days, if not weeks.

"While we were gone, your mother found somebody in your house. She said she knows you and was dressed in strange red garb, like a pirate or something. Before…" Leena was about to continue, but Serge had already started toward his house, pressing through the people in front of him.

"Wait! Serge! Stop for a second would you!" Leena cried behind him as she began to follow.

Serge's mind raced as he ran up the steps to his house. Could it be? Could it be that somehow Kid and Schala hadn't became one again? He didn't know how, but his mind had begun racing as soon as he heard Leena describe the stranger had red garb.

His mother attempted to talk to him, but he ran past barely even noticing her, his excitement outweighing anything. He almost tripped over his cat while his mother and Leena still called to him from beyond the doorway. Serge ran through his house into his bedroom, seeing nobody in the main part of his house.

His feet stopped instantly, his brain trying to comprehend the image his eyes drew for him. The village elder, Radius was stooped over the body of a girl, lying unconscious on his bed. Her long braid of blond hair was strewn across the pillow and a pained look crossed over the face that bore a white mark on each cheek.

Serge took a step back as Radius looked up at him, his eyes searching over Serge for a sign of what he was feeling. Serge took another step backward, slipping past the doorway. His eyes fell again to where the girl lay, oblivious to what was going on.

Radius stood up, walking toward Serge with a sad expression on his face. Serge looked back at him with a pleading expression on his face.

"I'm sorry Serge, but I need more time with her," Radius told him gently, taking hold of the handle of the door. "Please be patient."

Serge took a final step back as the door closed in front of him and Leena and his Mother came running in.

"Her condition is one that I've never seen before. She has a wound on her body that doesn't seem as if it should be fatal, yet her life energy is slowing withering away. The strangest part is, I can detect no poison of any sorts in her body. I can only conclude that the weapon which injured her had some sort of power in it capable of doing such damage," Radius explained.

He was seated at the table in Serge's house. Serge, Leena and Marge were gathered as well and it was now nighttime. The group had waited while Radius performed many tricks of medicine that he thought would help heal the wounded stranger.

"Alas," Radius continued. "I fear I don't have the power to save her. I'm not even sure if anyone does."

"We still don't even know who this person is though," Leena stated, her cheerful exterior dimmed by the sudden turn of events.

"It's like I said before. There was just a flash of light and there she was, lying in Serge's bed. She told me that she knew Serge but failed to tell me her name before her strength gave out," Marge explained, relating the events that had happened to her earlier in the day.

"And from what Serge has told us, he isn't quite sure who she is either. Right Serge?" Leena gazed over at Serge, who answered her with a quick shake of his head. He was thankful that Radius hadn't looked at him, or he might have seen the nervous look in Serge's eye as he nodded.

Serge had debated whether or not to tell his friends that he knew Kid, but that would also require him to tell his story about his recent adventure and he still doubted they would accept that tail. Even though they had all taken part in it, they each had no recollection of what had happened. Serge had begun to wonder why he still had memory of his part in uniting time. From what he could tell though, Kid might also still have memory of what they had done.

"Now we need to decide how to help her," said Leena. "I mean, we can't very well leave her in this condition until she passes away."

"I agree with you, however, I can think of nothing that could aid in the healing of this young woman. If there is something that can help her, if no doubt contains more power than I possess," Radius set his staff before him on the table.

Serge sat silently, contemplating the information that was being presented to him. His mind raced even now. There were so many things he wanted to ask Kid. How did she get here? Who wounded her? Why was she even a part of this world?

"The hour is becoming late and I fear the more we dwell on this issue will be in vain. Perhaps we should adjourn until mourning, so we will have a fresh start," Radius suggested.

"You're right. Hopefully the girl will improve through the night as well," Marge suggested hopefully.

"We can only hope," Leena sighed. She arose from her seat and stretched her arms. "Serge, try to sleep peacefully tonight. In the mourning we will straighten all of this out," she told him. Leena regarded him one last time before heading through the front door and into the darkness beyond.

"I had better walk her home," whispered Marge. "After all, it's dark and the day has been stressful." She disappeared through the doorway after Leena.

A silence settled over the inside of the house as Radius and Serge sat by the table, each thinking about the situation front different views. Serge still remained quiet when Radius turned toward him, his old, firm eyes looking him over.

"Serge," he spoke gently, but with a serious tone. "I don't know what happened here today, nor could I possibly understand the reason for why it happened with the information we currently have. I have never seen this woman before in my life, but for some reason, when I look into her face, I feel like I know her. The same goes for you as well."

Serge looked up, starting to realize what the old man was hinting at.

"I know it sounds strange, because I've known you since you were a young child. However, now when I gaze at your face, I feel as though I've experienced something with you that I can't put into words. I can't explain why, but I feel as though we should do everything in our power to help this young woman. I feel as though if we were to lose her, we would lose you as well and I can't allow that to happen."

Serge nodded his head absent-mindedly, thinking that maybe in the back of everybody's mind that he had traveled with in his adventure, they maintained a little memory of their journey.

"There is an item Serge," Radius continued. "A legend that it supposed to have unlimited power. I don't even know if it exists. However, shortly before I left the 4 devas, under the command of General Viper, he had begun to search for this rumored object. I was told that he had perhaps found its location, nearby in El Nido. I didn't even believe in the silly tale until Viper himself sought it. I speak of an object known as the Frozen Flame. It is rumored to have the power to grant wishes to its user, giving them anything they ask for. I am uncertain of how accurate this information is, but if there is a chance to save this woman, I feel it lies in this legendary object."

Serge took on what Radius was telling him with a solemn look on his face. He knew what the Frozen Flame could do, and what it had done. He also knew that it might not pose as much of a threat than before, for FATE was eliminated, along with the Dragon Gods. He also knew that it should not exist in the world, that it should not have awakened yet. Serge couldn't tell if he should place his hopes on the object that had nearly destroyed Kid when she had been absorbed into it during their adventure.

"I know this is a lot of information to take in, but I have a sinking feeling that if we wait too long, this young woman will surely die. Serge, I ask you this now while your mother is not present. I wouldn't want her to hear this. Serge, if you make the decision, I will travel with you in search of the Frozen Flame," Radius said, his tone of seriousness evident upon his face.

Serge thought about it quietly, knowing what his answer would be, but just trying to think of what it would mean to him and more importantly, his mother. Outside, he could again hear the feet of his mother as she returned from walking Leena home. Just before she crossed the threshold of the doorway, Serge nodded his head to Radius.