Chrono Trigger and the characters contained therein do not belong to me. They are the property of the 'Squaresoft' company.
Ollen70: This story takes place after Crono meets his doom in the Ocean Palace, directly following 'The New King,' and just before 'The Time Egg.' This is based as closely on the game as I could make it, and still tell the story that I had in mind. First chapter is 'G', but the ratings might get higher as it progresses, depending on the reviews I get. (If I get any...)
Magus: Not likely...
Ollen70: Hey! Who asked you?!
Magus: Don't have an embolism...
Ollen70: I've revamped some of the dialogue in this section, once I realized that in places it doesn't really keep with Magus's character.
Redemption
Chapter One -- The Wanderer
Seven days...it seemed more like seven years since the disaster had reduced the once-beautiful floating island of Zeal to a ruin at the bottom of the sea. It had taken the Maker seven days to build the world out of nothing, and in one terrible moment, a part of that world was reduced once again to that state. Seven days wasnÕt enough time to dull the pain of what had been lost, even if it had been but one life that she was tied to. Everything was different now...
Lucca sat dejectedly in the room at the inn, wondering how fate had led her here. One week ago, her best friend was destroyed before her very eyes, taking with him all hope the world might have had of some sort of salvation. After a white-knuckled battle with Dalton, the traitorous advisor to the Queen of Zeal, the remaining companions had managed to escape in the timeship Epoch after sending Dalton to his doom.
ÒWhat a miserable day..Ó she said quietly, glancing out the window at the snowy haze that obscured everything. The Epoch had carried them safely to the middle ages, but there it had stalled. Lucca, with the assistance of Robo, had spent the last few days turning it inside out, trying to discover the nature of the problems. It was her suspicion that somehow Dalton had crossed some wires when he gave the Epoch the ability to fly, causing it to short out when it formed a temporal warp. Fortunately it had done so after theyÕd landed in the 600Õs, not while they were still in the strange fiery void that existed between eras.
After the narrow escape, all of the party thought it wise to rest for a few days to regain their strength. All except Marle, though her objections hadnÕt surprised anyone. Ayla, Glenn, and Robo had come using the time key, having seen all of the events that took place through the pillars of light in the end of time.
Lucca was personally glad of the reprieve, hoping to have some time to collect herself and deal with the grief that had been put off for far too long. There might still be some hope that his soul might be retrieved, but she knew better than to place all her trust in what might yet prove to be a dead-end in more ways than one.
ÒHmmph.Ó Came the half-hearted response from the cloaked figure in the corner. ÒEverything in this era is miserable.Ó
How Magus, the nemesis of the middle ages had come to join their party, Lucca wasnÕt quite sure. Something about the way sheÕd found him, alone and pitiable in his loneliness on the Northern Cape had melted her heart enough to accept his offer to come along, though the more time she spent with him, the more she wondered if that had been wise.
ÒI wouldnÕt expect any other response from you.Ó She said brightly, not trying to upset him more. ÒYouÕve spend more time here than any of us, except maybe Glenn.Ó
ÒI've been here longer,Ó He replied bleakly, Òever since the Undersea Palace was destroyed. I was but a child then, and Glenn," he said the name with a certain amount of distaste, " was not yet born then. You forget.Ó his voice was now wholly different, tinged with some emotion she couldnÕt place. ÒI remained here for a great many years, attempting to summon Lavos again. And I have seen my homeland decimated by him twice now.Ó
ÔOnce was more than enough for me,Õ Lucca thought. ÒIn another few days Epoch will be up and running again, and weÕll be back on the search. I just need a few more parts from Banta, and..Ó
ÒWhy?Ó Magus asked, finally rising from his seat on the floor. His gaze was downcast, as it always was, but his voice still carried the strange undercurrent that unsettled her all the more.
ÒWhat do you mean, Ôwhy?ÕÓ She felt her own voice rising, colored with annoyance and maybe a little anger. ÒWhat else can we do? You yourself said the only way to save Crono was to find the Guru of Time. What was his name again? Geste.. Gorier..Ó
ÒGaspar. And no one has seen him for years. I doubt if we should succeed, when by all rights he might have died when the Ocean Palace was destroyed.Ó
ÒWe have no choice! And since when are you so eager to talk about your past again? We almost had to drag it out of you last time.Ó Lucca snapped waspishly, finally losing her temper with the haughty ex-prince. ÒIf thereÕs any way to get Crono back, I think itÕs worth the risk. Marle would certainly agree.Ó
ÒAnd it is for that reason that I bring this matter to you, and not to Marle. She loves that witless fool, for all the good it will bring her. But I had meant to speak with you about this before long...Ó
Almost hesitantly, Lucca turned away from the window to face him.
ÒWhat do you mean?Ó
ÒYouÕre sensible enough. DonÕt tell me the thought hadnÕt already occurred to you.Ó Magus ran his finger idly up the length of his scythe blade, leaving a slight trail of red that turned LuccaÕs stomach. Once again, his voice became innocuous.ÒLavos eradicated your little hero in a moment. Do you think a better fate waits for him if we manage to bring him back into the world? Is there a better fate for any of us? Give in to the inevitable and live your lives to the best of your ability, feeble as they may be, instead of dwelling on what might have been. Unimaginable is the power of Lavos..Ó
ÒNo more!Ó Lucca shot at him hotly, stopping what she knew to be a familiar speech. ÒYou and your constant doom! Why we keep you with us, I'll never know. Does it make you feel productive to find flaws in everything? Your life must be easy, if all you ever aspire to is to feel sorry for yourself, selfish jerk!" The rage inside of her made her flush. "How do you justify chasing after Schala, even waging your private war for Ten years? You think we're too weak to succeed? Look who's talking! Stay here and pretend you aren't sulking, if it makes you feel better. IÕll be back in awhile!Ó
With that she stormed off, slamming the door behind her. After a mug of cider downstairs, she felt a little more like herself again, though what sheÕd heard still echoed uncomfortably in her mind. Magus was partly right - the thought had indeed come to her before, except that until now she had been able to dismiss it with little or no trouble. MarleÕs inexorable optimism was infectious at times, keeping reality at bay while they made plans for the Ôfuture.Õ
Getting Magus back into the Inn hadnÕt been an easy task. Most of the villagers, however, had been far enough removed from the front lines of the war that they didnÕt know the notorious wizard by sight, but Lucca made sure everyone referred to him as Janus, lest anyone grow suspicious. Though Magus hadnÕt appeared on the front lines during the war, there was still the odd chance one of the soldiers might have caught a glimpse of him.
It was for that reason that they had chosen to stay in the inn rather than the guest rooms they certainly would have been offered in Guardia Castle, had they ventured there. Glenn, wishing to speak with Queen Leene, had taken Ayla and Marle some time ago, and the three of them had braved the snow for some warm soup in the castle kitchens and the company of the Queen.
Lucca didnÕt know if they planned to return that night, but it didnÕt bother her much, either way. Marle was unaccustomed to inns. It would probably help her cope to spend a night or two in the fashion she was familiar with. If they were lucky, it might help the young princess admit to a certain amount of grief, and so help the others recover a bit more normally as well. But then, what was normal about knowing there might be a way to keep your best friend from sacrificing his life for you?
After her third cider, Lucca wandered toward the door of the inn to peer out into the cold. With still no word from the blacksmith, she decided against going out to the Epoch. After all, until she got the parts she needed, there wasnÕt much she could do, aside from feel sorry for herself. If she wanted to do that, she could go back to the room and commiserate with Magus.
ÔThat isnÕt entirely fair.Õ A small voice told her. ÔLook at all heÕs been through. Would you have survived as much?Õ Glad that it wasnÕt something she was forced to consider, she took another long pull at her mug before turning back to the warmth and the rabble that dominated the room.
Two hours later, with still no sign of Glenn, Ayla, or Marle, Lucca deserted her post on the bar stool and headed back up the stairs. Not exactly sure she wanted to deal more with Magus, she hesitated a moment before pushing open the door before her. She could have sworn she heard voices a fraction of a second earlier, but now all was quiet. Robo crouched in the corner where Magus had been before, switched off for the night. That was okay, as she wasnÕt looking for idle conversation. Magus had given her more than enough to ponder. Whether his words before had born out of frustration or whether he had meant what he had said, she didnÕt care to speculate.
'What do I say to him?' Lucca thought, her eyes on the door where Magus was, bathing and changing out of his tattered garments. She couldn't pull her eyes away, the thought of him, vulnerable and human like everyone else was a strange and fascinating one. 'Should I apologize for what happened earlier? No, he'd think I was weak...Wait a minute, why would I care what he thinks?!' With that she strode to the door and banged loudly, not noticing until it was too late that the door had no latch and the force of her fist had caused it to swing inward.
"What? What are you...?" All too briefly, Lucca caught a glance of the great Magus, garbed only from the waist down, his cloak and tunic hung to dry. For a moment she only ogled him helplessly, ashamed, but not enough so to turn away. A flash came from his fingertips, and he pulled on his tunic immediately.
'Of course.' She thought as she retreated. 'He has fire magic too.' Darting out and back down into the pub, she decided the best course of action was to wait him out. He had to sleep sometime, and if she was quiet when she approached him, maybe he wouldn't blast her.
When she deemed she'd waited long enough, no longer able to keep her weariness at bay, she crept back up the stairs, ignoring the odd look she elicited from the nearby serving girl as she did.
There was only one bed in the room. That came as no real surprise. Why should anything be easy? Magus lay on one side, taking up very little room. He was on top of the covers, still shrouded staunchly in his cloak, crimson chest wrap, and vest, looking obstinate even in his sleep. With a shrug and a sigh, she made to take her place in the opposite corner before she became aware of the chill wind that swept through the space under the window, free to swirl around her as she lay beneath it. Moving slowly to the bed, which for some inane reason caused the floorboards to squeak all the more loudly, she pulled back the quilts on the other side of the bed. After removing her hat and boots, she crept in and covered herself snugly, hoping she hadnÕt disturbed her odd roommate.
Checking to be sure, she found herself watching him longer than sheÕd intended. Awake, Magus was a force to be reckoned with. His eyes were nearly always dark and brooding, cast at the ground rather than at anyoneÕs face. Asleep, she was astonished at what a different story his body told. Gracefully he curled, his muscles rippling slightly under the folds of cloth as he moved ever so little, adjusting unconsciously to the presence of another nearby. He seemed almost...delicate...
Lucca rolled over very suddenly, appalled at the thoughts she had been in the process of forming. Why would she have any interest in Magus? Especially after all that had happened? Now was not the time to be forming fantasies over a man that was born 11,990 years before she was. She couldnÕt understand him, much less love him...
ÔWith Crono gone, how can I feel anything ever again?Õ Magus was her means of salvation, nothing more. Once Crono was restored, they would part ways, and she and her friends would do what they could to overcome Lavos once and for all. Again, the voice in her mind muttered quietly. ÔWhat if he was right? Are you willing to watch Crono die again?Õ
The night was long. Lucca woke feeling discouraged by dreams and thoughts that were far too transient. No memories remained, save that whatever the dreams were, they hadnÕt been pleasant. Stretching elegantly and rolling to one side, she discovered that the bed was empty. Aside from Robo, still in ÔoffÕ mode on the floor, so was the room. MagusÕs scythe was propped up against the wall, but its presence failed to reassure her. Magus was as magical as they came, with enough power to eliminate just about anything in his path. Her concerns were more for any who happened to cross him than they were for the mage himself. She rose cautiously, as the lamps were all out and the sun was still several hours from dawning.
Making her way downstairs rather miraculously, she pushed open the door and peered out into the swirling white, wishing she hadnÕt left her glasses on the nightstand in the room. Even with them, she doubted if she would have seen much more. What looked like a set of footprints, filling fast with falling snow, wound away west from the front stoop of the inn. Where ever Magus had gone, there was little chance that she could follow him. For a moment she considered activating Robo and using him to help her in the search, then thought better of it. There must have been a reason that Magus had sought solitude, and though she did not know him well, it seemed wise to let him keep to himself if he wished.
For a little more than an hour Magus had trudged through the snow, oblivious of the wind-driven drifts that swirled around his knees like waves on the ocean. The room was too stifling, too...human.. for him, and his dreams had been all too real, more memorable than many real occasions in his life. Whatever the cost, he needed to be purified, free from the pain that plagued him more now than ever before.
Up ahead lay what he sought, secluded from the rest of Guardia by a skeletal stand of trees, barely visible through the mist and snow. The building they concealed was lit from within, probably from no more than perhaps one solitary candle, but that was enough to make it inviting. Over the last few months that he had masqueraded in Zeal as a prophet, he had grown used to the comfort and luxury available to all of the Enlightened Ones. The snow was confounding in its contrast.
Inside the dim building, he approached a high alter that lay before rows of oaken pews. A bright stained glass window bearing an angel with spread wings sparkled down on him from above.
ÒWhat can I do for you, dear boy?Ó A stern, but not unkind voice asked from the nearby pipe organ. A nun, dressed in the customary white barb and purple habit rose and strode toward him, eyes bright.
Magus drew back almost fearfully as the little woman approached. ÒI...I...Ó He wasnÕt sure why he had come. This cathedral was once a corrupt place. Under the direction of the monster called Ozzie, the cathedral had been turned from its purpose to serve as the final resting place for Queen Leene of Guardia. A statue of him might still be standing in a back room for all he knew, but he didnÕt care to be reminded of those days. He wasnÕt ÔMagusÕ in that sense anymore. The events in Zeal had changed him, though whether for good or ill he could not say.
ÒAre you alright?Ó
ÒYes, thank you.Ó He found his tongue hastily, almost choking on the words in his haste to get them out. ÒI just...wondered if I might stay for awhile.Ó
ÒOf course.Ó She said, in the dubious tone of one who knows better. He was relieved when she proved tactful enough to say nothing. Struggling to make sense of himself, his thoughts drifted steadily back to the room the night before.
ÒAre you certain you are not troubled, Magus?Ó Robo had asked him, appearing as concerned as was possible, given that he was made of metal.
ÔNo.Õ He would have liked to have said. Instead, he lied. ÒIÕm fine.Ó The robot did not need to know his concerns. He kept his voice and manner as flat as always, more for the sake of personal composure than to keep up a front.
ÒCronoÕs disappearanceÓ (Here Magus noted that the robot did not say ÔdeathÕ) Òhas been hard on us all. In time, we will all recover. I'm certain Marle and Glenn will be much better once Crono has returned.Ó
ÒHmmph.Ó With that, Robo had deactivated himself. That was just as well. The robot made Magus uneasy, for one reason or another, and idle reassurance wasn't something he welcomed. It hadnÕt been a meaningful conversation, from an outsiderÕs point of view, but the few words that were spoken had given Magus much to think about.
ÔTime heals all things.Õ He thought ironically. ÔIf only that were so. But time is not as benign or benevolent as these fools believe it to be. Blind hope will cost them more than they can afford to pay. But they wonÕt ever see that, and I will certainly never be the one to show it to them.Õ
Realizing he had been foolish to come to this place, Magus turned to leave when the nun spoke, her voice echoing through the apse of the cathedral ephemerally.
"My child, it is apparent that much troubles you, though you conceal it. But know this; in our world, every storm has its end. Every night...brings new morning. What's important is to trust the ones that you love, and to never lose faith ."
'God forbid I should ever be so led astray. Loved ones fail more often than strangers, and the pain is greater.' Images of Schala filled his mind, and he saw her once more, trapped within the ornamented walls of the doomed Ocean Palace, worried more about his fate -even though she didn't know that he was her brother - than she was over her own. She was the only member of his family that he might have been able to save, and she had slipped through his fingers like the sand slips through an hourglass...
'Her child' indeed. in his mind he sneered. What right had she to call him that, thinking that it might endear her to him? His own mother had been more than willing to doom his blessed sister for her own immortality. But then, that was the way with humans, always more concerned with their own petty losses and gains than for anyone or anything else.
'Time destroys all things.' He thought bitterly before nodding a farewell to the woman and stepping back out into the snow.
Ollen70: Hey, what do you know? One whole chapter, and I haven't been overwhelmed by my own sappiness yet. Oh well, give it time.
Ollen70: This story takes place after Crono meets his doom in the Ocean Palace, directly following 'The New King,' and just before 'The Time Egg.' This is based as closely on the game as I could make it, and still tell the story that I had in mind. First chapter is 'G', but the ratings might get higher as it progresses, depending on the reviews I get. (If I get any...)
Magus: Not likely...
Ollen70: Hey! Who asked you?!
Magus: Don't have an embolism...
Ollen70: I've revamped some of the dialogue in this section, once I realized that in places it doesn't really keep with Magus's character.
Redemption
Chapter One -- The Wanderer
Seven days...it seemed more like seven years since the disaster had reduced the once-beautiful floating island of Zeal to a ruin at the bottom of the sea. It had taken the Maker seven days to build the world out of nothing, and in one terrible moment, a part of that world was reduced once again to that state. Seven days wasnÕt enough time to dull the pain of what had been lost, even if it had been but one life that she was tied to. Everything was different now...
Lucca sat dejectedly in the room at the inn, wondering how fate had led her here. One week ago, her best friend was destroyed before her very eyes, taking with him all hope the world might have had of some sort of salvation. After a white-knuckled battle with Dalton, the traitorous advisor to the Queen of Zeal, the remaining companions had managed to escape in the timeship Epoch after sending Dalton to his doom.
ÒWhat a miserable day..Ó she said quietly, glancing out the window at the snowy haze that obscured everything. The Epoch had carried them safely to the middle ages, but there it had stalled. Lucca, with the assistance of Robo, had spent the last few days turning it inside out, trying to discover the nature of the problems. It was her suspicion that somehow Dalton had crossed some wires when he gave the Epoch the ability to fly, causing it to short out when it formed a temporal warp. Fortunately it had done so after theyÕd landed in the 600Õs, not while they were still in the strange fiery void that existed between eras.
After the narrow escape, all of the party thought it wise to rest for a few days to regain their strength. All except Marle, though her objections hadnÕt surprised anyone. Ayla, Glenn, and Robo had come using the time key, having seen all of the events that took place through the pillars of light in the end of time.
Lucca was personally glad of the reprieve, hoping to have some time to collect herself and deal with the grief that had been put off for far too long. There might still be some hope that his soul might be retrieved, but she knew better than to place all her trust in what might yet prove to be a dead-end in more ways than one.
ÒHmmph.Ó Came the half-hearted response from the cloaked figure in the corner. ÒEverything in this era is miserable.Ó
How Magus, the nemesis of the middle ages had come to join their party, Lucca wasnÕt quite sure. Something about the way sheÕd found him, alone and pitiable in his loneliness on the Northern Cape had melted her heart enough to accept his offer to come along, though the more time she spent with him, the more she wondered if that had been wise.
ÒI wouldnÕt expect any other response from you.Ó She said brightly, not trying to upset him more. ÒYouÕve spend more time here than any of us, except maybe Glenn.Ó
ÒI've been here longer,Ó He replied bleakly, Òever since the Undersea Palace was destroyed. I was but a child then, and Glenn," he said the name with a certain amount of distaste, " was not yet born then. You forget.Ó his voice was now wholly different, tinged with some emotion she couldnÕt place. ÒI remained here for a great many years, attempting to summon Lavos again. And I have seen my homeland decimated by him twice now.Ó
ÔOnce was more than enough for me,Õ Lucca thought. ÒIn another few days Epoch will be up and running again, and weÕll be back on the search. I just need a few more parts from Banta, and..Ó
ÒWhy?Ó Magus asked, finally rising from his seat on the floor. His gaze was downcast, as it always was, but his voice still carried the strange undercurrent that unsettled her all the more.
ÒWhat do you mean, Ôwhy?ÕÓ She felt her own voice rising, colored with annoyance and maybe a little anger. ÒWhat else can we do? You yourself said the only way to save Crono was to find the Guru of Time. What was his name again? Geste.. Gorier..Ó
ÒGaspar. And no one has seen him for years. I doubt if we should succeed, when by all rights he might have died when the Ocean Palace was destroyed.Ó
ÒWe have no choice! And since when are you so eager to talk about your past again? We almost had to drag it out of you last time.Ó Lucca snapped waspishly, finally losing her temper with the haughty ex-prince. ÒIf thereÕs any way to get Crono back, I think itÕs worth the risk. Marle would certainly agree.Ó
ÒAnd it is for that reason that I bring this matter to you, and not to Marle. She loves that witless fool, for all the good it will bring her. But I had meant to speak with you about this before long...Ó
Almost hesitantly, Lucca turned away from the window to face him.
ÒWhat do you mean?Ó
ÒYouÕre sensible enough. DonÕt tell me the thought hadnÕt already occurred to you.Ó Magus ran his finger idly up the length of his scythe blade, leaving a slight trail of red that turned LuccaÕs stomach. Once again, his voice became innocuous.ÒLavos eradicated your little hero in a moment. Do you think a better fate waits for him if we manage to bring him back into the world? Is there a better fate for any of us? Give in to the inevitable and live your lives to the best of your ability, feeble as they may be, instead of dwelling on what might have been. Unimaginable is the power of Lavos..Ó
ÒNo more!Ó Lucca shot at him hotly, stopping what she knew to be a familiar speech. ÒYou and your constant doom! Why we keep you with us, I'll never know. Does it make you feel productive to find flaws in everything? Your life must be easy, if all you ever aspire to is to feel sorry for yourself, selfish jerk!" The rage inside of her made her flush. "How do you justify chasing after Schala, even waging your private war for Ten years? You think we're too weak to succeed? Look who's talking! Stay here and pretend you aren't sulking, if it makes you feel better. IÕll be back in awhile!Ó
With that she stormed off, slamming the door behind her. After a mug of cider downstairs, she felt a little more like herself again, though what sheÕd heard still echoed uncomfortably in her mind. Magus was partly right - the thought had indeed come to her before, except that until now she had been able to dismiss it with little or no trouble. MarleÕs inexorable optimism was infectious at times, keeping reality at bay while they made plans for the Ôfuture.Õ
Getting Magus back into the Inn hadnÕt been an easy task. Most of the villagers, however, had been far enough removed from the front lines of the war that they didnÕt know the notorious wizard by sight, but Lucca made sure everyone referred to him as Janus, lest anyone grow suspicious. Though Magus hadnÕt appeared on the front lines during the war, there was still the odd chance one of the soldiers might have caught a glimpse of him.
It was for that reason that they had chosen to stay in the inn rather than the guest rooms they certainly would have been offered in Guardia Castle, had they ventured there. Glenn, wishing to speak with Queen Leene, had taken Ayla and Marle some time ago, and the three of them had braved the snow for some warm soup in the castle kitchens and the company of the Queen.
Lucca didnÕt know if they planned to return that night, but it didnÕt bother her much, either way. Marle was unaccustomed to inns. It would probably help her cope to spend a night or two in the fashion she was familiar with. If they were lucky, it might help the young princess admit to a certain amount of grief, and so help the others recover a bit more normally as well. But then, what was normal about knowing there might be a way to keep your best friend from sacrificing his life for you?
After her third cider, Lucca wandered toward the door of the inn to peer out into the cold. With still no word from the blacksmith, she decided against going out to the Epoch. After all, until she got the parts she needed, there wasnÕt much she could do, aside from feel sorry for herself. If she wanted to do that, she could go back to the room and commiserate with Magus.
ÔThat isnÕt entirely fair.Õ A small voice told her. ÔLook at all heÕs been through. Would you have survived as much?Õ Glad that it wasnÕt something she was forced to consider, she took another long pull at her mug before turning back to the warmth and the rabble that dominated the room.
Two hours later, with still no sign of Glenn, Ayla, or Marle, Lucca deserted her post on the bar stool and headed back up the stairs. Not exactly sure she wanted to deal more with Magus, she hesitated a moment before pushing open the door before her. She could have sworn she heard voices a fraction of a second earlier, but now all was quiet. Robo crouched in the corner where Magus had been before, switched off for the night. That was okay, as she wasnÕt looking for idle conversation. Magus had given her more than enough to ponder. Whether his words before had born out of frustration or whether he had meant what he had said, she didnÕt care to speculate.
'What do I say to him?' Lucca thought, her eyes on the door where Magus was, bathing and changing out of his tattered garments. She couldn't pull her eyes away, the thought of him, vulnerable and human like everyone else was a strange and fascinating one. 'Should I apologize for what happened earlier? No, he'd think I was weak...Wait a minute, why would I care what he thinks?!' With that she strode to the door and banged loudly, not noticing until it was too late that the door had no latch and the force of her fist had caused it to swing inward.
"What? What are you...?" All too briefly, Lucca caught a glance of the great Magus, garbed only from the waist down, his cloak and tunic hung to dry. For a moment she only ogled him helplessly, ashamed, but not enough so to turn away. A flash came from his fingertips, and he pulled on his tunic immediately.
'Of course.' She thought as she retreated. 'He has fire magic too.' Darting out and back down into the pub, she decided the best course of action was to wait him out. He had to sleep sometime, and if she was quiet when she approached him, maybe he wouldn't blast her.
When she deemed she'd waited long enough, no longer able to keep her weariness at bay, she crept back up the stairs, ignoring the odd look she elicited from the nearby serving girl as she did.
There was only one bed in the room. That came as no real surprise. Why should anything be easy? Magus lay on one side, taking up very little room. He was on top of the covers, still shrouded staunchly in his cloak, crimson chest wrap, and vest, looking obstinate even in his sleep. With a shrug and a sigh, she made to take her place in the opposite corner before she became aware of the chill wind that swept through the space under the window, free to swirl around her as she lay beneath it. Moving slowly to the bed, which for some inane reason caused the floorboards to squeak all the more loudly, she pulled back the quilts on the other side of the bed. After removing her hat and boots, she crept in and covered herself snugly, hoping she hadnÕt disturbed her odd roommate.
Checking to be sure, she found herself watching him longer than sheÕd intended. Awake, Magus was a force to be reckoned with. His eyes were nearly always dark and brooding, cast at the ground rather than at anyoneÕs face. Asleep, she was astonished at what a different story his body told. Gracefully he curled, his muscles rippling slightly under the folds of cloth as he moved ever so little, adjusting unconsciously to the presence of another nearby. He seemed almost...delicate...
Lucca rolled over very suddenly, appalled at the thoughts she had been in the process of forming. Why would she have any interest in Magus? Especially after all that had happened? Now was not the time to be forming fantasies over a man that was born 11,990 years before she was. She couldnÕt understand him, much less love him...
ÔWith Crono gone, how can I feel anything ever again?Õ Magus was her means of salvation, nothing more. Once Crono was restored, they would part ways, and she and her friends would do what they could to overcome Lavos once and for all. Again, the voice in her mind muttered quietly. ÔWhat if he was right? Are you willing to watch Crono die again?Õ
The night was long. Lucca woke feeling discouraged by dreams and thoughts that were far too transient. No memories remained, save that whatever the dreams were, they hadnÕt been pleasant. Stretching elegantly and rolling to one side, she discovered that the bed was empty. Aside from Robo, still in ÔoffÕ mode on the floor, so was the room. MagusÕs scythe was propped up against the wall, but its presence failed to reassure her. Magus was as magical as they came, with enough power to eliminate just about anything in his path. Her concerns were more for any who happened to cross him than they were for the mage himself. She rose cautiously, as the lamps were all out and the sun was still several hours from dawning.
Making her way downstairs rather miraculously, she pushed open the door and peered out into the swirling white, wishing she hadnÕt left her glasses on the nightstand in the room. Even with them, she doubted if she would have seen much more. What looked like a set of footprints, filling fast with falling snow, wound away west from the front stoop of the inn. Where ever Magus had gone, there was little chance that she could follow him. For a moment she considered activating Robo and using him to help her in the search, then thought better of it. There must have been a reason that Magus had sought solitude, and though she did not know him well, it seemed wise to let him keep to himself if he wished.
For a little more than an hour Magus had trudged through the snow, oblivious of the wind-driven drifts that swirled around his knees like waves on the ocean. The room was too stifling, too...human.. for him, and his dreams had been all too real, more memorable than many real occasions in his life. Whatever the cost, he needed to be purified, free from the pain that plagued him more now than ever before.
Up ahead lay what he sought, secluded from the rest of Guardia by a skeletal stand of trees, barely visible through the mist and snow. The building they concealed was lit from within, probably from no more than perhaps one solitary candle, but that was enough to make it inviting. Over the last few months that he had masqueraded in Zeal as a prophet, he had grown used to the comfort and luxury available to all of the Enlightened Ones. The snow was confounding in its contrast.
Inside the dim building, he approached a high alter that lay before rows of oaken pews. A bright stained glass window bearing an angel with spread wings sparkled down on him from above.
ÒWhat can I do for you, dear boy?Ó A stern, but not unkind voice asked from the nearby pipe organ. A nun, dressed in the customary white barb and purple habit rose and strode toward him, eyes bright.
Magus drew back almost fearfully as the little woman approached. ÒI...I...Ó He wasnÕt sure why he had come. This cathedral was once a corrupt place. Under the direction of the monster called Ozzie, the cathedral had been turned from its purpose to serve as the final resting place for Queen Leene of Guardia. A statue of him might still be standing in a back room for all he knew, but he didnÕt care to be reminded of those days. He wasnÕt ÔMagusÕ in that sense anymore. The events in Zeal had changed him, though whether for good or ill he could not say.
ÒAre you alright?Ó
ÒYes, thank you.Ó He found his tongue hastily, almost choking on the words in his haste to get them out. ÒI just...wondered if I might stay for awhile.Ó
ÒOf course.Ó She said, in the dubious tone of one who knows better. He was relieved when she proved tactful enough to say nothing. Struggling to make sense of himself, his thoughts drifted steadily back to the room the night before.
ÒAre you certain you are not troubled, Magus?Ó Robo had asked him, appearing as concerned as was possible, given that he was made of metal.
ÔNo.Õ He would have liked to have said. Instead, he lied. ÒIÕm fine.Ó The robot did not need to know his concerns. He kept his voice and manner as flat as always, more for the sake of personal composure than to keep up a front.
ÒCronoÕs disappearanceÓ (Here Magus noted that the robot did not say ÔdeathÕ) Òhas been hard on us all. In time, we will all recover. I'm certain Marle and Glenn will be much better once Crono has returned.Ó
ÒHmmph.Ó With that, Robo had deactivated himself. That was just as well. The robot made Magus uneasy, for one reason or another, and idle reassurance wasn't something he welcomed. It hadnÕt been a meaningful conversation, from an outsiderÕs point of view, but the few words that were spoken had given Magus much to think about.
ÔTime heals all things.Õ He thought ironically. ÔIf only that were so. But time is not as benign or benevolent as these fools believe it to be. Blind hope will cost them more than they can afford to pay. But they wonÕt ever see that, and I will certainly never be the one to show it to them.Õ
Realizing he had been foolish to come to this place, Magus turned to leave when the nun spoke, her voice echoing through the apse of the cathedral ephemerally.
"My child, it is apparent that much troubles you, though you conceal it. But know this; in our world, every storm has its end. Every night...brings new morning. What's important is to trust the ones that you love, and to never lose faith ."
'God forbid I should ever be so led astray. Loved ones fail more often than strangers, and the pain is greater.' Images of Schala filled his mind, and he saw her once more, trapped within the ornamented walls of the doomed Ocean Palace, worried more about his fate -even though she didn't know that he was her brother - than she was over her own. She was the only member of his family that he might have been able to save, and she had slipped through his fingers like the sand slips through an hourglass...
'Her child' indeed. in his mind he sneered. What right had she to call him that, thinking that it might endear her to him? His own mother had been more than willing to doom his blessed sister for her own immortality. But then, that was the way with humans, always more concerned with their own petty losses and gains than for anyone or anything else.
'Time destroys all things.' He thought bitterly before nodding a farewell to the woman and stepping back out into the snow.
Ollen70: Hey, what do you know? One whole chapter, and I haven't been overwhelmed by my own sappiness yet. Oh well, give it time.