Nomad: Luke's Journey of Life

Chapter 12: Guardia Six

A few weeks passed. Crono learned the arts of the sword and staff. He had taken to strapping a slender short staff on his back. Crono's mother had gladly provided the material and skills to make Crono his cloak, and an order had been put in at the local blacksmith to make the shield, rounding out Crono's own Nomades gear.

Magus returned in much the same way he had first appeared. The group that would be going was assembled. In the end, Ryoga, Luke, Crono, Lucca, and Marle would be setting off, with Magus 'driving,' so to speak.

The ritual was set up with no problems at all. It wasn't a particularly dark ritual, so no bloody sacrifices were necessary. It did take a balance of elemental power, which wasn't all that hard to set up. Simply casting the second level of their respective magics was enough to generate the power source. The gate opened and they all stepped through.

Only to meet a solid metal cage. The gate was quickly closed, with a curse from an unknown source.

"Why? Why do you want more? Aren't the Nomades enough?" the man asked.

Silence was his answer.

"Aw great, the silent treatment. I'm Matthew Nomades. Who're you guys?"

"Nomades? I'm Luke Nomades, and this is Crono," Luke informed the stranger.

"Crono? CRONO! No, not you too! Oh this is horrible!"

The rest stared at him. He had obviously been in here way too long.

"I had hoped you would be spared."

A dark voice rang out, "Nothing could stop me from my goal. I now have four Nomades souls."

Ryoga scratched his head. "Last I checked, there were only three of you guys here."

"YOU FOOL! DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE!" the voice thundered. "You have the honorable wandering soul of the Nomades. Even if your blood isn't Nomades, your heart is."

"Well don't count on keeping us. We're gonna get out of here!" Ryoga shouted.

"HAH! This cell is designed to withstand every Nomades technique, even the Ki Cannon."

"Oh yeah? BAKUSAI TENKETSU!" With this loud shout, Ryoga shattered the stone wall behind them. The hole opened to what was obviously the barracks of whatever fortress they had wound up in. The guards and the prisoners stared at each other.

"FOOLS! ATTACK!"

"ANTIPODE 3!" shouted Marle and Lucca

"LUMINAIRE!" from Crono.

"KI CANNON!" from Luke

"WIND STRIKE!" from Matthew.

"SHI SHI HOKODAN!" from Ryoga.

"DARK MATTER!" from Magus.

The combined attacks completely obliterated the barracks and every mundane soldier inside it. A few magically-trained high-class fighters still stood. A man dressed much like Magus stepped into the room.

"So, it begins. The final battle of the Path and the Dark Way. I am Death to your life. I am Hades."

"Shut yer yap, I heard enough of it for eighteen long years. I am Matthew Nomades, and I stand for my family and way of life!"

"As do I!" Luke shouted. Crono echoed with his own affirmation.

Ki and magic flew back and forth. One by one, everyone except the four Nomades men and Hades fell.

"Crono," Matthew spoke during a brief lull in the fight.

"Yes?" he asked. Somehow, he knew this was important.

"I'm sorry, son. I tried."

"Wha -?" Crono began, only to watch the man he now knew as his father charge Hades.

Matthew drew his knife and began spinning it around. It spun till it began glowing with the friction of the air.

"FIRE STRIKE!" Matthew cried.

"SOUL TRAP!" Hades countered.

Matthew faltered, his eyes glazing over. He dropped the knife, then fell, his soul taken by Hades' spell.

"That's one! You're done for!"

Luke sighed, then looked over at Ryoga.

"He's right, it's hopeless."

Crono shouted, "We're still standing! It's not over!"

Luke continued, "All we have left is..."

Both Ryoga and Luke sighed the same word. "Despair."

At the same time, they both shouted out, "ULTIMATE SHI SHI HOKODAN!"

"Wha-" Hades was cut off as both attacks slammed into him, cutting him down.

"NOW, CRONO!" Luke shouted.

"LUMINAIRE!" Crono shouted, focusing the last of his magic power into the explosion of energy.

"DAMN YOU NOMADES!" Hades shouted as his body was enveloped in a bright light.

With the battle over, Matthew's soul returned. Crono ran over to him and sobbed, "Father!"

To which he only replied, "Son."