Chrono Trigger
The Queen is Gone; the search for Queen Leene finally comes to a climatic close and all is set right again.
Rain flowed from the broken window, causing a small puddle to form in the center of the cathedral. The storm was still raging and the lightning was still violently casting its blinding flashes across the floors and walls. Little time was spared in their endeavors to establish a fertile relationship with their new comrade, all three of them knowing that they were cutting it dangerously close. At that moment Crono regretted waiting in the room and wished that he had made his move sooner. Even then, there was no time for regrets and dwelling on the past.
Once again, neither of the trio had any idea when the actual execution would take place and neither of them knew where. They had searched the top to the bottom and found nothing. After a half-hour of fruitless searching they reunited at the front of the pulpit. They had explored the rooms upstairs quickly, they even examined the nuns quarters, but they found no back room or chamber. They had a look of pure frustration on their faces, knowing that if they had any time at all, it was severely limited by their tireless search.
"I can't believe it! There is nothing around!" Lucca said, exasperated.
"Hath thou searched every turn in the guests' quarters?" Frog asked, hopefully waiting for a negative response.
Lucca still was not used to a talking amphibian, and she instinctively cringed whenever she saw him nearby; not because she was horrified that he could betray them, but the fact that his appearance was so bizarre. It was the most amazing thing she had every seen and the scientific part of her wanted to cut him up and examine him, but it gave her such a guilty feeling because the creature honestly seemed very kind. Frog likewise felt slightly in danger and tried to politely keep his distance from Lucca whenever possible, but only until she would feel more comfortable around him. (And when she would stop imagining him with his insides being held apart by pins) As for Crono, one of his most prominent traits was that he had absolutely no discrimination in his heart whatsoever. He and Frog had already taken a liking to each other, and Frog even went as far as to give a gift to Crono and a gift to Lucca.
Crono's gift was something that would come in handy further down the road. It was an eastern sword that he had found in the nuns' quarters that he imagined was once used by a papal knight, but had been left behind. The blade was sharp, and Crono felt far more mature than he ever had when he used his wooden sword back at home. It was a single sided blade with an overly decorated hand guard, but it did little to slow down its movement. As for Lucca, she received a crossbow which she accepted but did not approve of immediately. She was never one for archery. With her crossbow came a quiver of arrows.
Having received a gift, Lucca felt a certain urge to return the favor, but was saddened to say that she couldn't find anything.
Frog's eyelids grew close together until his yellow eyes were thin slits, "Then I fear that the Queen's death is upon us."
"Wait!" Crono started.
The two turned to face Crono who had a very hopeful smile on his face as he sputtered out his enlightening thought, "Cathedrals have secrets, don't they? Lucca! Do you remember the ruins? Remember that the cathedral had a basement?" The whole thing was lost on Frog as he grunted in confusion while Lucca simply replied that she did remember the basement, but adding that it was built in later. "How do you know that?" Crono countered, "What if it was a secret passage? What if the guard's never found the queen simply because there was a hidden entrance?"
Suddenly Lucca seemed very happy and she replied in the affirmative while poor Frog looked like his head would crack. He stood on his feet and asked them what this could possibly lead to, but Crono and Lucca suddenly began to feel the walls and inspect it closely as if they were looking for something. Frog looked very amused and very impatient, "Secret walls? Secret passageways? If it needs be necessary that I taketh thee both to a nunnery, then I thank the heavens that we happen to be in this cathedral."
He was cut short as Lucca felt her way around the northeastern part of the wall and she exclaimed, "Wow! You were right! Scrape marks! We just need to find the apparatus to open it!" The duo began to frantically push against the thousands of stones in the wall, hoping that one would give way and slide back into a switch, but it never happened. Frog only shook his head and sighed as he went to the piano that was a few feet away.
"The queen is in danger, and thou'rt leaning into walls? A pox on me!"
As he said so he leaned against the piano, sending a loud wail of organ cords which echoed into the night. It was so loud and sudden that all three of them unanimously jumped out of their skins, Frog flicking an odd switch on the organ as he did so. There was an grating noise coming from within the organ as if gears were turning within it, and it did not take them long to realize that the organ was also equipped with an automatic player. A music sheet with holes poked into thick parchment began to spin within a case and a haunting melody played from the organ. As the music stopped, a fraction of the wall in the northeastern section had begun to shake as some unknown contraption pulled it open. It revealed a secret passageway that led into dark corridors.
"Hmm, 'tis interesting in its bizarre nature. This be a sign of their designs." Frog said, rubbing his chin.
"What do you mean?" asked Crono.
"'Tis a funeral dirge." Frog said grimly, "Perhaps meant for her majesty."
The trio stared into the still darkness of the dank passageway. The passageway was obviously neglected, having clumps of slippery moss coming out of the brick on the sides, yet the steps were clear of any algae. Crono tested the first step and then tested the other until they began moving down the steps. Lucca, being as wise as she was, quickly grabbed a torch as she descended down the stairs.
"Aye, I ask of thee sir, let me lead the way." Frog requested bravely.
"Why? And my name is not sir. I am Crono and this is my friend, Lucca." Lucca merely inclined her head to show that she went by that name.
"Well met, and I request the point, mayhaps there may reside, herein, villains of the most dubious nature. If we are subject to ambush, it is better if I perish first."
Crono smiled, which barely showed in the flickering light of the torch, "No, it's okay. I'm fine."
The trio descended deeper and deeper into the darkness until a light could be seen. Since they were descending on thin steps, they could not see out of the door from whence the light came, but as they closer they were very surprised to see a grand lobby. This place was not at all like the stairway. The floors were polished to sheen, with red carpet stretching from one end of the vast corridor to the other. All light came from torches, seeing that they were a distance underground, and all three let out a collective gasp.
"What is the meaning of this place?" Frog asked, visibly stunned, "Why doth the cathedral hath possession of such a place?"
"Maybe it's some sort of storage, or maybe it's for anyone important…" Crono suggested.
Perhaps it used to be for a former pastor and everyone else had forgotten it. Perhaps they used it as some kind of vault to keep sacred treasures, knowing that the government and the church were almost one in the older days, allowing the king to trust the church with his riches. Whatever the reason, it was very shady of the cathedral to have a hidden area of this size. Also, the question of how the mystics knew of such a place seemed important. Perhaps there was a fortune teller of some kind, or perhaps it was secret known from ages past, or perhaps they always had a spy among the clergy that had planned this from the beginning.
Now a small detail should be touched on before the story continues. As hard as it may seem to believe, in Crono and Lucca's time, there were mystics as well. While Guardia and several other kingdoms inhabited the western continent, the kingdom of the Mystics inhabited the eastern continent. The coldness and isolation between the two was that of arctic proportions. If any one dared to enter the others domain it was to the sneers and jeers of the populace, yet it never progressed beyond that, each side knowing full well that such a thing could lead to an international incident. Although they were celebrating when they left, the times were dangerous. There was an arms race between the two; each one producing more and more weapons, as if to show that if the situation would ever call for it…
On a smaller scale, there was prejudice created among the two different worlds. All throughout their lives Crono and Lucca were taught that the mystics were nothing more than savage animals that wandered about naked as if they were wicked animals. Unbeknownst to them, the mystics imagined all humans to be filthy, cold-hearted, and unfeeling beings without mercy that did as they pleased. They viewed them as a threat to their way of life. However, as it was said before, Crono had a heart without discrimination, and he would never be seen jeering or taunting a mystic who had traveled to their borders. Unfortunately, Lucca and Frog, although great people who were kind in their own right, were not able to escape the racial conditioning of their societies. A certain amount of intemperance concerning mystics made up their thoughts of them.
Especially Frog who lived in a time when they were at war against each other…
It was understandable that Frog looked at them with unrelenting contempt. His jaw was tightly set and his hand itched to use his weapon. Crono and Lucca, not being particularly discriminate, were still prepared to do whatever they could to retrieve the queen and Marle. There would be a lot of blood spilt by the end of the day.
It almost seemed as if fate had prepared Crono once again, because true to his word, he knew every nook and cranny of the ruins. In his time the walls to the cathedral had burned down, exposing hidden entrances and cellars. It was actually a type of game that he and his friends used to play; exploring a supposedly haunted ruin of a cathedral and going down into a basement. To Crono's amusement, it was exactly the same, and it gave him an incredibly strong sense of nostalgia mixed with excitement. He had been through these corridors, but not like this! In his time the tiles were cracked and certain rooms had caved in. Now everything was open to him, and he only regretted not having the time or the means to fully explore them. Lucca was a bit familiar as well, but she was never willing to venture further in, being more understanding of the risks involved. After all, the structure which they had explored was incredibly unsound. At the time she felt that Crono was stupid in doing something so risky, but now she was happy that he did.
The actual basement went like this: a lobby was upfront that had a stairway leading to the second floor, which only went back down to the first floor further ahead. Past this open area was another area, which was more like an indoor veranda that connected to a third room, which Crono had never explored before. (It was one of the rooms which caved in years ago). The basement was a simply laid out place, yet the main concern was in which room the queen would be held captive. Crono was not absolutely certain if there were longer tunnels that led to other lobbies, not knowing if the basement was larger than he thought. However, his instincts told him that it would be best to try each room; cautiously if he wanted to avoid a fight.
He moved throughout the lobby with a deliberately slow pace, trying his best not to raise a single sound. The other two followed closely behind, walking very much the same way he did, until they reached a corner. Crono peered around the side, and his heart rose to his throat when he realized that there were a group of mystics guarding the corridor. He was about to turn about when suddenly…
"Hey you!"
The trio jumped at the raised voice and they began to panic. Frog began to unsheathe his sword, but hesitated when he saw that the person who called them had no ill will whatsoever; in fact, he only looked confused as he looked over the group and he smirked. It was an interesting looking creature that seemed different from the others. He was arranged in sparkly white feathers. His mouth was not a pair of scaly, slimy lips, but a strong, stout beak. In all truth, the creature looked more like a large bird with arms and legs. "What are you in disguise for?"
"Disguise?" Asked Frog blankly.
"Yeah," the mystic asked.
"Uh…We are going to town in a minute. We just need to get something." Lucca sputtered out rapidly.
The creature looked at them with bizarre interest, but he merely shrugged and went on his way. At that point Crono had a wicked smile on his face, and the others had exactly the same idea. Just like the nuns who were in disguise, so were they. This, however, raised a frightening observation: were there mystics walking about Guardia Kingdom in disguise at that moment, waiting for the opportune time to attack? It would serve them nothing if they were to worry about it now; instead they began to walk into rooms, peeking in the see various mystics doing regular household chores, practice swordplay, relaxing, and doing just about anything a regular human would do. It was very humorous for Frog who was raised into believing that most of their time consisted of drinking blood and crunching human bones in between their teeth. However, the next room they entered hinted at such activities…
The nuns that Crono and Lucca faced hinted at the fate of the poor clergy, but they never thought that they would see their handy work. As Crono opened the door that seemed to be used rarely, the salty smell of blood filled his nostrils and he had a horrible premonition of what he would see next. Stereotypes were an odd thing; some being true, and most of it being false. There was always the stereotype that mystics fed on humans, but Crono never believed it until this moment. The first thing he noticed was a large group of people with ragged clothing chained to the wall so that they were sitting down with their hands stretched to the air. They were exposed to the smell of blood, yet their eyes were blindfolded so they could only imagine what horror lay in front of them. The thing which Crono saw next almost made him lose his stomach. In the middle of the floor was a corpse that was a day old. It was the body of the pastor and the flesh had been taken from his corpse along with his muscles. It was the first time Lucca or Crono had seen a dead body, and they would love to never see such a thing ever again. Frog was the least affected, most likely used to such sights, but was more stunned to see that the people chained to the wall were members of the clergy.
"My Lord, what horrible afflictions have met thy servants…" Frog uttered with a dark, vengeful voice that spoke volumes about his current thoughts.
"Is that you, Glenn?" A creaky feminine voice inquired.
A low mummer ensued among the members of the clergy which numbered in twenty-four. Crono and Lucca looked at each other with odd glances as their comrade replied in the affirmative. At that moment Frog began to work fervently with the locks that bound their hands, and it took a few moments for Crono and Lucca to do the same, trying their best to keep their distance from the dead body. The heavy chains fell to the floor with a chorus of clinks and clangs while the clergy rose to their wobbly legs that were chaffed and stiff from bondage.
"What happened here?" Crono asked, referring to the dead body.
He felt guilty for asking them to relive such a horrible experience, but his curiosity drove him to seek an answer. The nuns were quick to tell them that they had been in this dank cellar for an unknown amount of time, but their pastor had met his end rather recently. He insulted his captors, and bargained for the safety of the nuns with all the heart of an unselfish hero, but it fell upon deaf ears. Those ears began to itch and burn from his constant whining and a few rogue guards acted on their own accord, devouring the poor man whole.
"The creature who is master here has not punished them." A nun began quietly, "He is just as cruel as any monster, and just as vicious."
"Who is this creature? What does he want with the queen?" Crono began.
"His name is Yarka, and there is more to this story than meets the eye…"
The nuns, although captives in a dark cellar, were able to receive much information concerning the plans of the mystics. The leader of this small sect of mystics was under the command of the leading general of the mystics. He had been granted the ability to change form by his superior and he was able to infiltrate the cathedral by acting as a new sister of the order. Over the months he spent there he learned of a secret basement and then he began to bring his plans into fruitation. After training his subordinates to change their forms, he waited for the most opportune moment to infiltrate the castle, and it came in the form of the king's counselor. One day the counselor had paid a visit to the cathedral to collect taxes and he was promptly captured. Shortly afterward, the entire clergy was taken and held captive until their plans were complete, and then they would be massacred. The group was happy to learn that the counselor had not outlived his usefulness, and was still being held captive in the innermost parts of the basement. From that point the monster was able to fool the king and queen and he managed to have the queen visit the church, and at that moment the abduction had occurred.
They had kept the queen in the hopes of making a ransom (which they would betray) in hopes of raising more funds for their campaign. The true intent was the murder of the king, but in this plan the monster had failed. After the abduction the king increased his protection and the monster who masqueraded as the counselor would never live to see the light of day if he dared to make his move. He was not diligent enough to sacrifice his life for the war, and that was what had saved the king. However, the nuns knew about his unveiling at the castle, which was new information to Crono and Lucca. The counselor or monster had lost all his chances, and would have to settle for murdering the queen, destroying the Guardia ancestry line in the long run.
"We heard that he plans to do it tonight!" The nuns said with a heart-wrenching sob.
"He won't get the chance!" Lucca said boldly, "We will get to them in time, I swear it! Do you know where they are being held?"
"All we know is that his offices are in the back of this place. We are sorry we cannot be of anymore help to you."
"You have done enough." Crono said briskly as he peeked outside the door. "In the meantime, we better get you guys out of here and to the castle."
They quickly obeyed, and found their legs. Despite the fact that they were bound for an unknown length of time, they had no difficulty sneaking about the corridors with feline prowess. Within a moment the whole group of nuns was leaving through the dank staircase. They threw hesitant and worried glances at the young trio before they left them behind to face an uncertain danger. It seemed wrong for such a burden to be placed on people so young.
Crono waited until the last flowing dress faded into darkness and he began to lead the trio in the opposite direction. A certain fear had began to grip him as he saw in his mind the deformed body of what used to be the pastor. He grew anxious as he realized that the same thing could befall his friend Lucca, whom he regarded more as an actual sister. What would he do if she never came home? How could he explain it to her father? Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of the hall and he turned to face Frog and Lucca. They stared at him impatiently, angered by a seemingly pointless act.
"Crono! We have no time! Get moving!" Lucca barked.
"Lucca. Stay here. I and Frog will go ahead. Leave with the nuns." Crono said sternly.
If you could imagine the most offended countenance mangled with the utmost indignity, then you would have a good picture of how Lucca looked at that moment. As the three stood in the hall an awkward silence came over them. Her fist clenched, and the next thing Crono knew he had a fist in the pit of his stomach. He coughed and sputtered as Frog jumped in surprise. He vigorously rubbed the sore as he glared back at Lucca, "Don't you understand? You can wind up like that pastor in the room back there!"
"So could you!" Lucca said viciously. "Or did you think that you couldn't possibly be killed just because you're a boy?"
Crono clenched his teeth, "No! That's not it at all and you know it! I just don't want you to get hurt!"
Lucca's tone had softened, her heart once again expressing its true feelings, yet her brain shouted out reason, "Three is better than two! Besides, is it fair for me to worry instead of you? I thought you were better than that, Crono."
Frog shook his head, "Pardon mine words, but that act was unbefitting a lady."
Lucca smirked as Frog leapt backwards while Lucca cracked her knuckles, "Lucky for me that I'm not a lady. I'm Lucca. Let's go!"
"Lucca! Are you sure? Do you really want to do this? This can be very dangerous." Crono said with a hint of foreboding.
Lucca merely scoffed, "Would I have come here in the first place if I didn't? Let's go already!"
---------------
Something did not seem right at that moment. In the hallway with the veranda sat a large, brutish mystic who held a large axe that could split a rock in twain. He was an ugly monster, with a large, protruding horn where a nose should have been. His face was covered in piercings and vicious tattoos. He wore a thick suit of armor that was adorned with bronze plates that did little for protecting his skin; however, in all truth, his skin was just as adamant as his armor. His skin was rough and gray with heavy wrinkles that circled about his muscular limbs. He was large enough to have trouble fitting through a common doorway. It would be best to describe him as an elephantine monster with human appendages, and such characteristics made for a fearsome monster such as himself.
This monster was not only brutish and conniving, but he was also a glutton. A few days ago, he was angered by one of the captives that was held in the next area in one of the many rooms. The captive called him rude things, which was understandable; but after a few days of endless taunting, he had lost control of his temper and beat the poor man to death. Seeing that he had died, he felt it would be a waste if he did not partake of his nourishment.
Yes, this beast was one of the horrible monsters that had devoured the poor pastor, and in his biased opinion he paid dearly for it. A fair opinion would demand his execution or at least a physical punishment, but he was only moved to the most tedious chore in the cathedral: guard duty. It seemed so absurd to him to have to guard anything that was hidden a ways underground, yet it was demanded. Not all mystics were evil creatures, but this creature was and his only remorse for his barbaric deed was brought on him by his demotion. His companion shared in his boredom, who also shared the same appearance as he did.
"I wish I had another meal. My stomach aches to be filled." He said in a rumbling voice that sounded as if it were clotted with phlegm.
"Be patient, brother. When the queen is executed we shall celebrate."
At that moment, they were interrupted by a queer surprise. Three creatures approached them and two had human disguises. They were taken aback by these strange mystics who wore their disguises into their secret headquarters. In fact, they were so surprised that they almost let them past. The leader of the party jumped in surprise as the handle of the axe slammed into the floor below, "Halt! No one is to disturb Yarka while he prepares the sacrifice!"
"We really need to see him," began one of the three, "please let us in."
The voice growled as it nastily spat, "Be gone! You bother me with your presence."
"Then we have no choice…"
Suddenly the creature who wore no disguise leapt high into the air, drawing a broadsword in his flight. The mystic growled furiously as he protected himself with his heavily clad arm. Although his skin was thick and rough, it drew a fine line of blood that began to trickle down his arm. He swore as he gripped the handle of his axe and swung it in a wide arc, sweeping the cloak of his offender in its wake. He had missed, and failed to see the leader unsheathe his sword and jab him in the knee. The creature howled in pain and the trio recoiled, knowing full well that their presence had been announced to the whole area surrounding them.
The second guard had finally gained its senses and began to move upon the leader, but failed to realize that the female was carrying some type of crossbow. He failed to see an arrow flying straight for his chest, but he knew that it had struck him. It felt as if an animal had bit him on the inside and was gnawing away at the center. It caused him to wheeze and he feel to his knees, rapidly losing all consciousness to fade into eternal slumber. Meanwhile, the mystic who had been stabbed in the knee fell to the floor, and was quickly silenced as the red-haired youth sliced his gigantic neck with the blade.
"The whole cathedral knows that we are here now!" Crono began anxiously.
"Hurry! We don't have any time to waste!" Lucca shouted as she began to run for the door.
They follow suit and burst through the doors. What Crono had said was true: the entire cathedral had been alarmed and there was already sentries dashing towards the veranda. They slammed the door shut and we pleased to see that a barricade was at hand. They hastily placed the plank into place, and as soon as they did the wood of the door began to bend under crushing blows. They looked at each other, panic-stricken. "What do we do now, Crono?" Lucca asked.
"You can die…"
The trio turned about to see that same old man that had gave them an odd feeling of fear. His scraggily beard hung to floor while he wore tattered robes that were once a symbol of his stolen authority. He bore his hellish fangs as he smirked. And to his side was none other than…
"Queen Leene!" Frog exclaimed with relief.
To the side of the counselor was a beautiful woman that was very much the same as Marle. Her hair was soft and golden with shining blue eyes. Her skin was smooth, although shiny from nervous perspiration. Her shining blue eyes were red from unrelenting stress, crying, and fear. Her clothes were ragged and torn as well. And to her side was a man that seemed exactly like the monster they were facing now, only he hung limply from shackles that were connected to the wall. He was frail and weak, having been there as long as the queen. He opened his eyes wearily and said weakly, "Glenn! I knew that you would come…"
"Be at peace, friends! We shall vanquish this monster and be done with this treachery!" Frog said menacingly, between clenched teeth.
"And after that, what will you do, freak?" Yarka began, "If you do defeat me, which I highly doubt, you will still need to vanquish my followers."
"You dare to call me a freak? You are the monster!" Frog yelled, pointing a gloved hand towards Yarka.
Yarka only laughed as something bizarre began to occur the second time that night. The room had suddenly grown dark and the demon began to change form. His eyes were glowing red to begin with, but is fangs grew bigger, and more appendages exploded from his body. Long, bony spikes began to grow from his back and his skin began to turn into a leathery brown. He grew until he was seemed five times their size. Suddenly, the flickering flames returned and the true form of Yarka was before them.
He was hideous.
The creature breathed heavily, almost as if it were difficult for him to do so. It swelled with each breath, seeming to grow immensely and deflate with each gasp. It growled softly as its cracked lips parted in a wolfish smile. Saliva dripped freely from his mouth and covered the floor below him. It no longer spoke with a creaky, old voice, but sounded more like a deep throaty growl.
"Oh am I? Perhaps you are right…Then I shall do as monsters do! Die! In the name of Magus!"
And thus began the battle that would determine the future. The trio unsheathed their weapons, and their arms shook as adrenaline surged through their bodies. Lucca began to fumble nervously as she tried to fit the bolt into the crossbow and Crono backed against the door nervously. Even Frog, who was a seasoned soldier, was slightly intimidated by the bulk of their opponent. It was common knowledge that a mystic and its role was dependent on their strength, and Yarka was a very strong creature. However, something happened that neither of both parties expected.
Crono was a brave person, but no one expected him to charge forward with all the bravado of a stalwart hero. A surge of conviction came over him at that moment and he felt compelled to carry out his mission. Suddenly, nothing seemed important except for the fact that this vicious beast had to die. He yelled as Yarka drew back in surprise. A loud shriek filled the room as Crono's blade graced across the leathery skin, causing a line of blood to pour from the wound. As that happened, her majesty had begun to run to a far corner of the room, in which she hid.
"Damned little devil!" Yarka screamed.
One of his many appendages lashed out and Crono felt himself go light as his body was lifted from the ground. He flew through the air and felt his body land heavily against the wall. A burst of colors swarmed over his eyes and he felt himself fall as his form slid down the wall. Yarka smiled impishly as he made his way to Crono with the motion of a black widow, but screeched in pain as something sharp embedded itself deep into his skin. Yarka wheeled about and saw the object of his pain: the young girl who was struggling to reload her crossbow.
"Get away from him!" Lucca yelled out.
It would have been wise for Yarka to finish Crono if he had the chance, but instead he began to pursue Lucca who weaved between pedestals that obscured her way. As she did so, he felt another stab on his side, spinning around to see Frog grinning despite himself. At this point, he knew better, and continued to pursue Lucca with murderous intent. Lucca held up well as the monster stampeded after her. His sharp legs embedded themselves into the marbled floors, sending jagged rocks flying in all directions. It almost seemed as if Lucca would have succumbed to his pursuit if she hadn't already loading another bolt and fire it into his abdomen.
Lucca continued to dash left and right, but was horrified to see that she was being backed into a corner. She made vain attempts to escape, a sharp appendage forcing her to run back to the corner. Suddenly, she was pinned and the creature hissed in victory. Its fangs grinned widely as a sharp leg pointed precariously at her. She shut her eyes as she began to scream, expecting the crushing blow.
It never came!
She opened her eyes and saw nothing but a green tunic and wild, red hair. His knees were bent so that all pressure was put on his haunches. He bore the full weight of Yarka on his sword which he held on the handle and the side of the blade itself. The sharp edge began to scrape his skin, but other than that it did little to harm him. Lucca gazed at him in a star-struck manner, never realizing that he was this strong.
"Are you okay, Lucca?" Crono asked with great strain in his voice.
"Y-yes." She stuttered.
"Then move! I can't hold it much longer!"
She hastily obeyed and dove out of the way, sending Yarka into a raging frenzy. He growled as that pestering fly escaped his gaze. His focus now intensified on the youth that he had pinned against the wall. He was incredibly strong, yes, but how long could he bear the weight? The answer was close, and it was evident that his arms began to falter. Suddenly, he felt his legs twist out from under him and he slipped to the floor. Frog had swept his legs with the sword, making him lose his balance. For a moment, the creature struggled, and that was all the time that the group needed.
"Frog! Let's charge him at the same time! Lucca! Fire your shot when you're ready! Go!"
Crono and Frog flew with the speed of eagles as they both leapt into the air, crossing each others paths. Each of their swords sliced deep into the abdomen of the beast and it let out a hellish shriek, writhing violently on the ground. A loud twang echoed in the air as a bolt flew from the bow and embedded itself deep into the heart of the beast, and its howl was ceased immediately. Instead, it only gasped desperately for air, and its body rose and fell rapidly with each pass.
The group let their tired limbs fall to their sides and the queen peered from his hiding spot. For a moment, Frog simply sighed in relief and then his eyes grew wide as the queen dashed towards them. He kneeled quickly at her feet and he laid his sword on the ground, "My liege! Be thou in good health?"
"Glenn! I will live because of you and your brave comrades!" The queen said with a bright smile.
No time was wasted as Lucca rushed towards the chancellor. The chancellor sighed in relief as his wrists were freed from his uncomfortable restraints. His skin was indented with the grooves from the shackles, and the cool air felt so good on his bare wrists. He massaged them gingerly, the skin being sore from the unnatural pressure of the shackles. He looked disdainfully at the dying form of the monster and he spat heatedly, "Your plan was doomed to fail since the beginning, Yarka! You met a fitting end! A failed general that lost to youths; amazing youths, but youths nonetheless."
"Silence, damn fool!"
The group had arisen to sudden alarm as the beast returned wearily to its feet. Blood had mixed with his saliva know and it oozed from his crooked fangs. His eyes had lost its fierce glow, but still glared with all the hatred of an evil spirit. Despite the fact that its eyes winced in pain with every movement, he smiled sardonically, "So you believe that you have won, have you? You think that you will leave this place alive?" Yarka began to laugh, and his body surged with each guffaw. Suddenly, his voice became menacing as he yelled, "If I die, then you all shall die with me!"
As he said this, he began to scream in agony. The group looked at each other, bewildered, but then were worried to see his body expanding like a balloon. As his body inflated, thousands of sharp, spiny needles began to protrude dangerously from his body. Lucca whispered to herself frantically, "If his body continues to expand, it will explode…and the needles…" she suddenly shouted to the group, "Get down! Take cover! He's going to explode!"
Everyone obeyed, hiding behind pillars or desks that happened to be in the room and Yarka grew dangerously larger. Suddenly, Lucca was surprised to see Crono sprint from his hiding place and towards the door. She yelled at him to get down, but her advice went unheeded. She began to panic, but suddenly grew wise to his idea as he quickly loosened the barricade from the door.
As he moved away, the door quickly burst open, banging against the walls of the room like a gunshot. Crono frantically ran to his hiding spot as every mystic charged into the room, not knowing what was going to happen. They stared blankly at Yarka and screamed as he bulged, his skin stretching and growing thin. They had just began to retreat when Yarka exploded, sending countless numbers of sharp needles flying in every direction. Cries of agony were heard as the needles pierced through the bodies of the mystics, and the cries of surprise from Lucca and Leene.
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the center of the room as a large chandelier fell from overhead, sending flaming oil in all directions. The cathedral had begun to catch fire, rapidly burning away the lavish banners that lined the room. Several bodies littered the ground, each and every one of them impaled with needles or spikes. Frog peered from his spot and looked for his companions and gestured for them to follow him to the exit.
The chancellor was a weak old man, so he had no choice but to allow Crono to carry him. The queen was well enough to run on her own, let alone walk. So with that, the group of five quickly ran through the corridors which began to explode into violent flames. They had reached the staircase when a loud boom shook the cavernous walls and the entrance began to crumble behind them. They did not cease to run until they went past the chapel and back out into the rainy night. As they went outside, they could see the flames rising to the roofs of the cathedral, and a sense of sadness filled their hearts as they witnessed the destruction of such a holy place. The smoke rose, glowing red embers flying through the air until it was brought down again with the rain.
"The cathedral is gone." The queen began despondently.
The chancellor patted her shoulder comfortingly as he said, "At least we have our lives, your majesty. Thanks to these brave souls."
As he gestured to Crono, Lucca, and Frog, it suddenly dawned on them that they had succeeded.
They had saved the Queen.