The One
Chapter Eight, A Dream
Magnus found himself standing in front of a long, swaying rope bridge that seemed to span across a black, bottomless pit. He squinted his eyes and strained to see where the bridge connected with the other side of the pit. He could see nothing but a gray haze that started about twenty meters ahead of where he was. He looked down and saw nothing but black. Above in the sky was gray but he could see a distinctly lighter patch in the sky. It seemed that a bright light was trying to break through what Magnus had decided was cloud cover.
"It's like a dream or something." Magnus said into the emptiness around him.
"No dream Cal'tek." A voice said from behind Magnus.
Magnus spun around to see whom was speaking but found nothing but gray behind him. He turned back towards the bridge to see if the speaker was on the bridge but he could see nothing different.
"Or I should say, not a dream in the sense that it's a random occurrence of events made up by your mind as you sleep." The voice now spoke as if above Magnus.
Magnus looked up but saw nothing but the gray again.
"Goddammit! Show yourself whoever you are!" Magnus demanded of the voice.
The voice continued speaking as if Magnus had not shouted at all. "No, not a dream. More like a place in your mind where I can speak to you."
This time the voice seemed to come from everywhere as if to emphasize its point. Magnus looked from side to side and then back to the bridge. He took a step towards the bridge but the voice boomed out from everywhere again.
"I wouldn't if I were you. You don't know what lies down that path. You aren't ready…yet." As the voice spoke the gray fog expanded and completely covered the bridge up, leaving Magnus with only a small space to stand in.
"Who are you?!" Magnus demanded again. "And what do you mean I'm not ready? Ready for what?"
"So many questions. As I would expect from you Cal'tek." The voice said, this time from closer to Magnus. "But I'll only say this. You aren't ready for The Choice. But you will be. Oh, you will be." The voice seemed to fade with its last few words.
The gray fog began to expand slowly towards Magnus but he could do nothing except stand still and wait for it to cover him. It began to cover his feet and they went numb. Soon, it was covering him past his chest and his was beginning to feel very tired.
Before it covered his head he heard the voice again, this time very soft and distant. "Soon."
Magnus woke with a jolt. He was breathing fast and was disorientated. The dream had already faded from his memory and he let it go. He felt like he shouldn't try to remember it anyway. He looked around and saw the blackness that the wooden structure in The End of Time seemed to float through. He brought his hands up to his eyes and massaged them gently through the eyelids. He pushed himself up from the sitting position he had woken up in and walked over to where Gasper was. The usual snot bubble was expanding and contracting slowly with the old man's even breaths. He was asleep.
Magnus felt anger rising up through his being and tapped Gasper on the shoulder roughly. "Wake up you old fart!" Magnus said with venomous voice.
The snot bubble burst and Gasper exhaled suddenly and he opened his eyes and glared at Magnus. "A polite shake and nicer tone of voice would have sufficed you hothead."
Magnus glared back at the old man and hissed through clenched teeth, "You're supposed to be figuring out a way for me – us – to get home. But instead you're asleep!"
"I have to sleep too you know." Gasper replied with an equally sharp tone. "I was thinking it over in my head as I slept anyway."
Magnus swallowed the angry retort that he almost spit out and said in a slightly calmer voice, "Did you think of anything will you were sleeping on it?"
Gasper glared at Magnus for a few seconds more before his expression softened suddenly. 'Can't blame the kid for being angry.' He thought to himself. 'I would feel the same way.'
"Well? " Magnus asked, taping his left foot slightly.
"Well, I suppose you should get the others over here to hear it as well." Gasper said, motioning generally around the room with his hand.
Magnus sighed and walked over to where Crono had fallen asleep. He was about to give him a kick in the side to wake him but noticed Marle was curled up against him, Crono's arm draped around her shoulders. Magnus sighed again and decided to wake Lucca first.
He looked around but could not find her in the main room. Magnus gave a big yawn and walked over to where the Gates where housed. He found Lucca sprawled out in the corner, snoring loudly.
Magnus grinned slightly and said quietly, "Snores louder than Dad used too." When he mentioned his father a memory of a tall, slightly fat man flashed in Magnus' eyes, but he pushed it down. With that memory came pain.
He leaned over top of Lucca and gave her a soft poke in the stomach, his usual way of waking people up. He knew most people hated being poked in the stomach, which is why the usually woke up. Lucca must have liked it, or was indifferent to it, because she snored louder than before and continued to sleep. Magnus ran a hand through his hair and sighed again. A heavy sleeper.
"Get up Lucca." Magnus said in a slightly louder voice than his usual one. Lucca slept on still. "Get up!" Magnus said even louder. Lucca mumbled something under her breath but started to snore again. "Lucca, if you are pretending to sleep, I'm going to tickle you to death. I swear I'll do it." Magnus said in a serious enough tone to get a small smile to crack on Lucca's face.
"I knew. Now get up." Magnus said, a smirk of his forming on his face.
"Jeez. You think in the future they still would have had something called a sense of humor!" Lucca exclaimed sarcastically.
"Hilarious. Now get up. Gasper wants us." Magnus said, offering his hand to Lucca.
Lucca grinned up at him and took his hand, hefting herself up off of the ground.
********************
Conor had finally emerged from the passageway when the sun was setting in the horizon. The First Moon could be seen in the sky already. A sure sign that winter was coming to the land. A cold wind blew past Conor as he continued to run towards the nearest town, Synesta.
His heart thudding against his chest so hard it felt like it would burst from his ribcage. Conor ran. He would not be caught and make Gregory's death worthless. He simply would not. His thighs and calves began to cramp up but still Conor ran.
He felt himself slipping too late and fell face first into the ground, skidding a few feet. He could feel the loose dirt and stones scraping against his face and ripping his brown pants. He pushed himself up and continued to run, although he was forced to slow down from a mad dash to a jog. His lungs felt like they would explode at any minute but he could see the town and ignored the pain. He would make it.
Shade had just emerged from the passage himself and with his enhanced vision he saw Conor nearing Synesta. He cursed softly and dashed after him. His arms pumping and his legs working at their hardest, Shade began to catch up to Conor.
Shade could almost smell the fear and panic emanating off of his prey and he could feel to dirk on his back being to heat. He ran past the spot where Conor had slipped and took little notice of the blood left there.
His prey was close.
Shade almost lost himself to the animal instincts surging to the surface of his mind but he managed to push them down far enough so he would still be in control of himself. He could not afford to lose control at this point.
Conor's concentration was completely on the task of getting to Synesta he failed to notice that his would-be assassin was closing in on him. Shade was taking four strides for every one stride made by Conor and in doing so Shade was all but guaranteed the kill. But then it happened.
'SHADE!' Benjamin's voice boomed inside of Shade's mind. 'TO ME!'
Shade stopped dead in his tracks. He was about to tell Benjamin to wait a few minutes but his senses seemed to catch up to him. Even if he was about to crush the rebellion, Benjamin was not to be questioned. At least, not when he gave a command.
Conor managed to stumble into the town; still unaware of how close death had come to claiming him. Shade cursed silently and faded from sight. The wind rustled through the thin grass and he was gone from sight. Conor had escaped.
Shade walked heatedly into Benjamin's gathering room but remembered that his life hanged in the balance every time he was in the presence of The Ruler. He knelt in front of the green eyed Benjamin and waited for him to speak.
"Leave Conor alive. He is needed for a short while." Benjamin said.
"Sire, am I mistaken in the fact that I was commanded to crush the rebellion?" Shade asked quietly, choosing his words carefully.
"No. You were to find out information on it. That is all. In time you will help crush it, but later. You are dismissed for now. Leave." Benjamin commanded, ended the meeting.
Shade backed away to the open door and left swiftly for his quarters. The warmth of the dirk was still present on Shade's back, reminding him of his promise for blood.
'Yes, I know. I will find a slave.' Shade whispered to the blade.
It brightened as if in anticipation.
********************
"It better be a way home that you want to discuss Gasper." Crono grumbled, obviously grumpy from being woken up.
"Crono, you never were a morning person… but calm down. Gasper said it was important." Lucca chided the red-haired warrior.
"Well, I suppose I should say it." Gasper said with a slight sigh. "The only Gate I can find that will lead Crono, Lucca, and Marle back to their proper time opens into the middle of the ocean."
Crono's jaw dropped. He could not believe what he had just heard. That would mean he couldn't get home.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Crono exclaimed. "In the ocean?! That means we can't get home!"
"Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars." Magnus mumbled under his breath.
"What did you say Magnus?" Lucca asked, being the only one who had heard him.
"What? Oh, um… nothing. Just… nothing." Magnus stammered.
Marle had begun to tear up and was close to crying. Crono's mouth continued to hang and Lucca's look of disbelief was one not usually worn by her.
"I'm…I'm sorry." Gasper said lamely. "But there's nothing I can do about it."
"But…but…there has to be a way…for us to do…something!" Lucca exclaimed, pounding her fist weakly into her palm. "Something…"
Magnus looked around at his friends and his eyes stopped on Lucca. In the short time he had known the young woman he had never seen her look as lost as she did now.
"There has to be a way. Something we haven't thought of…" Magnus said more to himself then to the others. An idea popped into Magnus' head and his eyes lit up with excitement. "What about that time travel thing. You know…the Epi-something-or-other."
"The Epoch? Of course! No…wait. Dammit. The thing's still in my basement. Not intact might I add." Lucca said, crushing the hope that had sprung up as quickly as it had came.
"Well shit." Magnus muttered. He looked up at Gasper as he remembered what he was going ask him."I don't want to sound selfish, but can I still get home?" he said aloud to Gasper.
Gasper looked at Magnus dumbly for a second but then said "Oh yes. Well…I never really checked. But wait a second, I'll check now."
Gasper's face contorted in concentration for a few moments before he said, "I found one. It's the same one you came through. I seems to not have shifted with the others."
"Well, at least one of us can get home…Are you going to go right away Magnus?" Crono asked.
"Well, I was going to but…I think I might stay until we find a way for you guys to get home." As he spoke he felt a pang of guilt at not returning to look after his mother, but he reminded himself that he owed Crono and his new friends his life. 'You also owe your mother your life too.' A voice said in Magnus' head. Pushing down his conscience he mentally resolved to help his friends first. "It looks like I'm going to be staying with you guys longer than I thought I would." He said aloud, trying not to let the guilt show in his voice.
Chapter Eight, A Dream
Magnus found himself standing in front of a long, swaying rope bridge that seemed to span across a black, bottomless pit. He squinted his eyes and strained to see where the bridge connected with the other side of the pit. He could see nothing but a gray haze that started about twenty meters ahead of where he was. He looked down and saw nothing but black. Above in the sky was gray but he could see a distinctly lighter patch in the sky. It seemed that a bright light was trying to break through what Magnus had decided was cloud cover.
"It's like a dream or something." Magnus said into the emptiness around him.
"No dream Cal'tek." A voice said from behind Magnus.
Magnus spun around to see whom was speaking but found nothing but gray behind him. He turned back towards the bridge to see if the speaker was on the bridge but he could see nothing different.
"Or I should say, not a dream in the sense that it's a random occurrence of events made up by your mind as you sleep." The voice now spoke as if above Magnus.
Magnus looked up but saw nothing but the gray again.
"Goddammit! Show yourself whoever you are!" Magnus demanded of the voice.
The voice continued speaking as if Magnus had not shouted at all. "No, not a dream. More like a place in your mind where I can speak to you."
This time the voice seemed to come from everywhere as if to emphasize its point. Magnus looked from side to side and then back to the bridge. He took a step towards the bridge but the voice boomed out from everywhere again.
"I wouldn't if I were you. You don't know what lies down that path. You aren't ready…yet." As the voice spoke the gray fog expanded and completely covered the bridge up, leaving Magnus with only a small space to stand in.
"Who are you?!" Magnus demanded again. "And what do you mean I'm not ready? Ready for what?"
"So many questions. As I would expect from you Cal'tek." The voice said, this time from closer to Magnus. "But I'll only say this. You aren't ready for The Choice. But you will be. Oh, you will be." The voice seemed to fade with its last few words.
The gray fog began to expand slowly towards Magnus but he could do nothing except stand still and wait for it to cover him. It began to cover his feet and they went numb. Soon, it was covering him past his chest and his was beginning to feel very tired.
Before it covered his head he heard the voice again, this time very soft and distant. "Soon."
Magnus woke with a jolt. He was breathing fast and was disorientated. The dream had already faded from his memory and he let it go. He felt like he shouldn't try to remember it anyway. He looked around and saw the blackness that the wooden structure in The End of Time seemed to float through. He brought his hands up to his eyes and massaged them gently through the eyelids. He pushed himself up from the sitting position he had woken up in and walked over to where Gasper was. The usual snot bubble was expanding and contracting slowly with the old man's even breaths. He was asleep.
Magnus felt anger rising up through his being and tapped Gasper on the shoulder roughly. "Wake up you old fart!" Magnus said with venomous voice.
The snot bubble burst and Gasper exhaled suddenly and he opened his eyes and glared at Magnus. "A polite shake and nicer tone of voice would have sufficed you hothead."
Magnus glared back at the old man and hissed through clenched teeth, "You're supposed to be figuring out a way for me – us – to get home. But instead you're asleep!"
"I have to sleep too you know." Gasper replied with an equally sharp tone. "I was thinking it over in my head as I slept anyway."
Magnus swallowed the angry retort that he almost spit out and said in a slightly calmer voice, "Did you think of anything will you were sleeping on it?"
Gasper glared at Magnus for a few seconds more before his expression softened suddenly. 'Can't blame the kid for being angry.' He thought to himself. 'I would feel the same way.'
"Well? " Magnus asked, taping his left foot slightly.
"Well, I suppose you should get the others over here to hear it as well." Gasper said, motioning generally around the room with his hand.
Magnus sighed and walked over to where Crono had fallen asleep. He was about to give him a kick in the side to wake him but noticed Marle was curled up against him, Crono's arm draped around her shoulders. Magnus sighed again and decided to wake Lucca first.
He looked around but could not find her in the main room. Magnus gave a big yawn and walked over to where the Gates where housed. He found Lucca sprawled out in the corner, snoring loudly.
Magnus grinned slightly and said quietly, "Snores louder than Dad used too." When he mentioned his father a memory of a tall, slightly fat man flashed in Magnus' eyes, but he pushed it down. With that memory came pain.
He leaned over top of Lucca and gave her a soft poke in the stomach, his usual way of waking people up. He knew most people hated being poked in the stomach, which is why the usually woke up. Lucca must have liked it, or was indifferent to it, because she snored louder than before and continued to sleep. Magnus ran a hand through his hair and sighed again. A heavy sleeper.
"Get up Lucca." Magnus said in a slightly louder voice than his usual one. Lucca slept on still. "Get up!" Magnus said even louder. Lucca mumbled something under her breath but started to snore again. "Lucca, if you are pretending to sleep, I'm going to tickle you to death. I swear I'll do it." Magnus said in a serious enough tone to get a small smile to crack on Lucca's face.
"I knew. Now get up." Magnus said, a smirk of his forming on his face.
"Jeez. You think in the future they still would have had something called a sense of humor!" Lucca exclaimed sarcastically.
"Hilarious. Now get up. Gasper wants us." Magnus said, offering his hand to Lucca.
Lucca grinned up at him and took his hand, hefting herself up off of the ground.
********************
Conor had finally emerged from the passageway when the sun was setting in the horizon. The First Moon could be seen in the sky already. A sure sign that winter was coming to the land. A cold wind blew past Conor as he continued to run towards the nearest town, Synesta.
His heart thudding against his chest so hard it felt like it would burst from his ribcage. Conor ran. He would not be caught and make Gregory's death worthless. He simply would not. His thighs and calves began to cramp up but still Conor ran.
He felt himself slipping too late and fell face first into the ground, skidding a few feet. He could feel the loose dirt and stones scraping against his face and ripping his brown pants. He pushed himself up and continued to run, although he was forced to slow down from a mad dash to a jog. His lungs felt like they would explode at any minute but he could see the town and ignored the pain. He would make it.
Shade had just emerged from the passage himself and with his enhanced vision he saw Conor nearing Synesta. He cursed softly and dashed after him. His arms pumping and his legs working at their hardest, Shade began to catch up to Conor.
Shade could almost smell the fear and panic emanating off of his prey and he could feel to dirk on his back being to heat. He ran past the spot where Conor had slipped and took little notice of the blood left there.
His prey was close.
Shade almost lost himself to the animal instincts surging to the surface of his mind but he managed to push them down far enough so he would still be in control of himself. He could not afford to lose control at this point.
Conor's concentration was completely on the task of getting to Synesta he failed to notice that his would-be assassin was closing in on him. Shade was taking four strides for every one stride made by Conor and in doing so Shade was all but guaranteed the kill. But then it happened.
'SHADE!' Benjamin's voice boomed inside of Shade's mind. 'TO ME!'
Shade stopped dead in his tracks. He was about to tell Benjamin to wait a few minutes but his senses seemed to catch up to him. Even if he was about to crush the rebellion, Benjamin was not to be questioned. At least, not when he gave a command.
Conor managed to stumble into the town; still unaware of how close death had come to claiming him. Shade cursed silently and faded from sight. The wind rustled through the thin grass and he was gone from sight. Conor had escaped.
Shade walked heatedly into Benjamin's gathering room but remembered that his life hanged in the balance every time he was in the presence of The Ruler. He knelt in front of the green eyed Benjamin and waited for him to speak.
"Leave Conor alive. He is needed for a short while." Benjamin said.
"Sire, am I mistaken in the fact that I was commanded to crush the rebellion?" Shade asked quietly, choosing his words carefully.
"No. You were to find out information on it. That is all. In time you will help crush it, but later. You are dismissed for now. Leave." Benjamin commanded, ended the meeting.
Shade backed away to the open door and left swiftly for his quarters. The warmth of the dirk was still present on Shade's back, reminding him of his promise for blood.
'Yes, I know. I will find a slave.' Shade whispered to the blade.
It brightened as if in anticipation.
********************
"It better be a way home that you want to discuss Gasper." Crono grumbled, obviously grumpy from being woken up.
"Crono, you never were a morning person… but calm down. Gasper said it was important." Lucca chided the red-haired warrior.
"Well, I suppose I should say it." Gasper said with a slight sigh. "The only Gate I can find that will lead Crono, Lucca, and Marle back to their proper time opens into the middle of the ocean."
Crono's jaw dropped. He could not believe what he had just heard. That would mean he couldn't get home.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Crono exclaimed. "In the ocean?! That means we can't get home!"
"Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars." Magnus mumbled under his breath.
"What did you say Magnus?" Lucca asked, being the only one who had heard him.
"What? Oh, um… nothing. Just… nothing." Magnus stammered.
Marle had begun to tear up and was close to crying. Crono's mouth continued to hang and Lucca's look of disbelief was one not usually worn by her.
"I'm…I'm sorry." Gasper said lamely. "But there's nothing I can do about it."
"But…but…there has to be a way…for us to do…something!" Lucca exclaimed, pounding her fist weakly into her palm. "Something…"
Magnus looked around at his friends and his eyes stopped on Lucca. In the short time he had known the young woman he had never seen her look as lost as she did now.
"There has to be a way. Something we haven't thought of…" Magnus said more to himself then to the others. An idea popped into Magnus' head and his eyes lit up with excitement. "What about that time travel thing. You know…the Epi-something-or-other."
"The Epoch? Of course! No…wait. Dammit. The thing's still in my basement. Not intact might I add." Lucca said, crushing the hope that had sprung up as quickly as it had came.
"Well shit." Magnus muttered. He looked up at Gasper as he remembered what he was going ask him."I don't want to sound selfish, but can I still get home?" he said aloud to Gasper.
Gasper looked at Magnus dumbly for a second but then said "Oh yes. Well…I never really checked. But wait a second, I'll check now."
Gasper's face contorted in concentration for a few moments before he said, "I found one. It's the same one you came through. I seems to not have shifted with the others."
"Well, at least one of us can get home…Are you going to go right away Magnus?" Crono asked.
"Well, I was going to but…I think I might stay until we find a way for you guys to get home." As he spoke he felt a pang of guilt at not returning to look after his mother, but he reminded himself that he owed Crono and his new friends his life. 'You also owe your mother your life too.' A voice said in Magnus' head. Pushing down his conscience he mentally resolved to help his friends first. "It looks like I'm going to be staying with you guys longer than I thought I would." He said aloud, trying not to let the guilt show in his voice.
