1 ~*~Chapter 14 Payback~*~
The next thing I know is that a few liters of water hit my burning head. Spitting and gasping for air
I straighten up my neck again.
The whole collection of masters. Lovely... and the prince is crouching in a corner of the room, as
far away from everything as he can get. He stares at me in terror, I can see a dark stream blemishing
the side of his robe. Too late... I am so sorry...
The weight and clinking sound tells me that there's even more chains keeping me bound now. And
there are several goblins and heavily armed freelancers outside of the room, too.
This attempt to change fate seems to have taken a turn for the worse.
"We have plenty of time," Flea says, crossing his fine arms, "and this should be interesting."
I darkly glare at him, then I turn to Ozzie and last Slash.
For a moment I'm about to spit on the floor, but a movement behind the three monsters in charge
makes my mind revolt and almost force me to recoil.
A goblin holding a red, glowing whip.
I clench my teeth, forcing back my instinctive fear.
No. I mustn't let them conquer me again. No matter how dark things look now, I must find a way
out. I must save that boy at all costs, I can't let my story repeat! I have to win some time to recover,
then maybe...
Just some time... I fear that it won't be enough. I haven't eaten since before I met Schala, and I'm
still dizzy after the two hits in my head.
I have to try... anything. Even the truth.
"It's not that complicated," I harshly whisper, unable to speak louder, "that boy over there is me as a
child."
All of the monsters watch me with disbelief.
"You're out of your mind," Slash says, frowning deeply.
"Slash, you tried to teach me how to handle a sword," I coldly whisper, "I never became very good at
it, though."
The swordsman almost takes a step backwards, watching me with that sharp look that always tried
to cut through my tortured soul. I don't allow it to hurt me now, though.
"Flea, you taught me all you knew about magic and more," I go on, "and Ozzie..."
I manage to assemble enough power to snort scornfully.
"I guess you never did anything except watching and commanding."
"How does the spell of Dark Mist go?" Flea sharply asks.
Oh, by the powers... don't start with that again...
I fight back the terror filled memories and with clenched teeth mutter in old Zealan.
Evil.
Cloud.
Break.
Corrode.
Tear apart.
Flea is silent as I stop muttering.
"Well?" Ozzie demands.
"Perfect," the magician mutters, frowning, "how about second level Lightning?"
I hold back a groan.
"I spent ten years of my life with your questions, Flea," I harshly whisper, "I knew it all after that, so
let me be now."
"If he's speaking the truth we obviously should have taught him some better manners," Slash coldly
says.
This time I can hardly fight back a bitter, surely maniac laughter. Manners, manners, manners...
how I should behave was all you talked and beat me about, curse it all!
Win time, talk! I have to gain more time!
"You want proof of that I grew up among you?" I growl, "should I tell you about Lizard, the first
king of Mystics?"
Now that startles them. No human can probably remember that story, but it's a sacred part of the
monsters' history. It's a tiny pleasure to see them all really taken aback.
"Lizard, an enslaved monster serving a human named Sorden. When a female monster named Snake
was going to be punished because Sorden's son was crying when she was watching him Lizard tried
to escape with her. But they were caught, yet as he was about to be executed an outlaw monster with
knowledge of magic, Magician, saved both him and Snake. During their escape, hunted down by
Sorden's cousin Lardon, another refugee came to their help; an escaped gladiator named Warrior.
Magician, Warrior and Lizard were your ancestors. Should I continue? I know the whole story
because Flea thought that I should know the history of those I served."
My voice hardly exists by now, strained to its limits.
Ozzie, Flea and Slash exchange glances twisting with questions and thoughts. Even the goblins and
freelancers do the same.
They aren't looking at me!
"Powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire..." I whisper, but no sound leaves my hardly
moving lips.
It's scarcely even breathing as I chant.
Nail.
Hot.
Cut.
I bend my little fingers behind the irons so that the fingertips touch the metal. Careful...
There are irons around my ankles too. I never thought about using my heels for leading magic, but
right now I just have to invent that technique. Go through my boots without burning the leather, don't
let them catch fire...
"But tell us then," Ozzie slowly says, counting as usual, "how did you manage to come from the
future?"
I have to almost violently clear my dry throat in order to speak. Just a little more time!
"About thirteen years from now a group of time travelers will show up," I mutter with a cold smile,
"meeting them was a turn for the better for me."
"And why did you return?" Ozzie asks.
A growl runs through my throat.
"Isn't that obvious?" I harshly snap, "you never were the smartest, of course..."
Flea's hand shots forward and grabs my chin even before Ozzie has time to turn pale of anger. I
know that grip, but I can't help trying to break free in tired rage. The pink monster's fine fingers are
like iron, impossible to budge.
"Now, now," the female looking monster says, soft as silk, "you're not exactly in a situation where
disrespect is healthy. If you've been living with us and you truly are Magus, then you should know that."
"My name is Janus!" I snarl.
Ozzie throws a glance at the shivering prince.
"It's really him," the fat monster mutters, "fascinating..."
Almost... done...
I can feel the irons around my ankles budge and melt. My magic heat can't harm me, but I have to
be very careful. Should one chain fall before the others, while I'm still bound, the Mystics will have
time to stop my escape again.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Slash says, grimly crossing his arms, "I say we kill him."
"Which one?" Ozzie absentmindedly says, watching me in a disgustingly measuring way.
Slash catches the tone in his leader's voice and rolls his eyes. Typically Ozzie... won't throw
anything away if it's still interesting in some way.
Fool.
Just a little longer...
"You never answered my question properly," the green monster says with a small sneer.
I find a bitter smile on my lips.
"I came to save the boy," I coldly say, "is it that hard to understand, you idiot?"
Flea's nails cut into my cheeks, I wriggle more of anger than pain even though it burns.
Now!
With a hoarse growl I tear my hands free and throw the surprised Flea aside, rushing forward and
thereby freeing my ankles from the molten irons.
My fist hits Slash's face before he has time to draw his sword, with a flame of contentment I feel
his nose crush aside, hear his snarling of surprised agony.
I reach out for the boy in the corner while I'm still dashing through the room, he desperately hold
his hands aloft, trying to get a grip of me before...
The goblin hits my back with the devilish whip, lighting agony even though my cloak and back
plate of hard leather stop the worst hit. I crash on the floor with a roar of pain trying to cleave its way
through my throat. The pain itself isn't as bad as all the spinning memories it awakes. Hours upon
hours of the same pain smash down into my mind, all at once. My soul twitch, splitting... I can't think
properly...
I hear the boy's weak yelp of horror, the sound of heavy footsteps...
No!
The memories keep whirling around, edges of burning torture scratching my writhing mind...
The boy!
With a growl I force myself to brace my mind, tearing an image of Schala into the pain's way. I
reach out a hand, the boy grabs it as if it was the last grain of hope left in his life. Which it truly is.
"The Pawn of the Mystics is dead!" I snarl, throwing my other hand at the approaching monsters,
"powers of the world, lend me the power of Lightning!"
Bolt!
It's as simple as it possibly can get, but I haven't any time to chant.
The few bolts of lightning coming from my fingertips surprise the monsters just enough to give me
a moment...
Travel.
There.
The first place coming to my mind is the Zenan Bridge. Anything!
I fall out of the flashing light of long teleportation, holding the boy's hands in a safe grip. The grass
feels so soft, a blessing... I could laugh if I wasn't so exhausted.
I sit up on my knees, taking the prince's shivering shoulders in my hands. The back of his robe is
torn, blood has stained it. The wounds are still open. Only three, though... not as bad as I feared.
"It's alright," I say in a low, hoarse voice, "I won't let them harm you again."
He's shivering, of pain and remaining shock.
"Wh-what happened to you...?" he weakly whispers, stuttering.
I begin to shake my head.
"Tell me!" he screeches, trembling even worse.
For a moment I silently watch him. Then I slowly reach up and loosen the laces on my shoulders,
which hold up my chest- and back plate. I don't have to release those by my waist; able to bend the
hard leather downwards to unveil my collection of scars.
The prince falls to the ground, tears of shock streaming into the autumn grass. Silently I secure my
plates again, then rather awkwardly lift the trembling boy in my arms and wrap my torn cloak around
him. I don't know anything about children, not even this boy who is me. But I remember how Schala
used to comfort me when I was even smaller than he is now. I'm careful not to touch his wounds.
"It's alright," I mutter again as he helplessly cries against my chest, "it won't happen to you."
Funny... I can't remember crying like he did. Perhaps I was too desperate.
"Sch-Schala...?" he stutters.
"I don't know," I sigh.
I look down at him, and he turns his pale face at me. Tears are freely streaming from his red eyes.
"But listen," I grimly say, "I'm going to look for her as soon as I know that you're safe."
"I want to look for her too..." he whispers, raising an arm and resolutely rubbing away the tears from
his face, "and Adolfus..."
I nod.
"Yes, I understand. But in order to do that, you have to grow stronger."
"But..." he begins.
"I understand how you feel," I gravely say, "but in order to help Schala, you have to become stronger
and meet those time travelers I was talking about."
He looks at me with pain in his eyes.
"Thirteen years?" he groans, but he has stopped crying.
I nod with a sigh.
"Yes, Janus," I say.
How utterly peculiar it feels to call someone by my own name. I manage to get to my feet, looking
northwards. Past the bridge is the capital of Guardia, Truce. Dorino to the east is closer by, but it's
also closer to the Mystics and will be temporarily engulfed in the war. It's several years away, and
I'm not even sure if it'll go exactly as I remember it now that the Mystics haven't got their finest
warrior. But I won't take any chances.
Clenching my teeth against my own exhaust I begin to walk over the great bridge, carrying the
little Janus.
"What can we do?" he mutters, not even sobbing anymore.
There's a determination in his voice that startles me. But at the same time, it fills me with a warm,
strengthening feeling of triumph. I know now that this boy might grow even stronger than I am,
because he will fight by own will. A smile is on my lips as I speak.
"I will explain my whole story to you, and what I think needs to be done. But first we have to find
someone who can take care of your wounds."
He groans weakly, perhaps the shock had made him forgot about the pain.
"Hold on a little while longer," I tell him, "I don't know anything about healing, but we should be
able to find someone in town."
I think about it for a moment.
"Now this is important," I tell him without slowing down the slightest, "I think it's best that the
humans here doesn't know that we are the same person, and neither that you're a prince from the
past. People might react strangely at such facts."
"From the past?" he whispers, his voice weaker again.
I gravely nod.
"That black hole that we went through is called a Gate," I explain, "it's a portal to other times. This
is 587 AD, over twelve thousand years from the kingdom of Zeal."
"By the powers of Lavos..." he weakly groans.
I look down at him, raising my eyebrows.
"You better not talk about Lavos either, he's completely forgotten by now," I tell him.
"Dead?" he asks, and there's a grain of angered disappointment in his voice.
"No," I say, "he's only sleeping, deep below the surface of the Earth. But in a distant future he'll
awaken and smash all civilization. That's what those time travelers try to stop him from doing."
The prince grimly nods.
"What happened to Schala and the rest of Zeal?" he wonders.
I shake my head.
"I don't know, but Zeal is forgotten now, just as Lavos. Me, I mean you and me, were thrown
through time, and so were the three Gurus. Therefore I'm certain that Schala also can be found
somewhere, lost in history."
"Halt, stranger!"
I look up. Were they guarding the north end of the bridge even before the war? Three Guardia
soldiers watch me suspiciously as I come over the bridge.
"What business do you have here?" one of them asks as I don't stop walking.
"We were attacked by monsters," I grimly say, my voice still hoarse since it hasn't gotten any rest
or water, "this child is injured."
The prince looks around at the soldiers and then resolutely hides his face against my chest again as
I move my cloak aside to unveil the three long wounds on his back. The three men look at the
bleeding, thick lines in shock.
"Would the monsters even beat a child?!" another one of them hisses.
"He needs some care," I say, emotionless.
"Indeed," the third soldier grimly says, throwing an angered glance at the east's island, "come, I'll
bring you into town."
What were those words again? I guess I should...
"Thank you."
The three of them smile a little.
"You're welcome."
I follow the third one up the hills into Truce while wrapping my cloak around the prince again,
protective.
"Where were you attacked, and by how many, by the way?" the soldier asks, walking beside me.
"A couple of imps and Ozzie," I mutter before considering it.
I need to rest, obviously...
The man startles.
"Ozzie?" he stutters, "you mean the leader of the Mystics?"
"Green, fat, stupid," I mutter through clenched teeth.
The soldier silently watches me and the boy for a moment. Then he clears his throat.
"Perhaps you should report to His Majesty?" he says, a bit nervously.
I hold back a sigh. Well done, brother of Schala, well done.
On the other hand...
Hmm.
"Very well, but I want to see to that this boy gets a doctor's help first," I finally reply.
"There's healing quarters in the castle too," the soldier says, carefully.
I shrug my shoulders.
"Alright, then."
We turn and walk over to the distant road leading into Guardia forest, over a meadow fading in the
growing autumn.
"What are you doing?" the boy whispers.
'I'll have to leave you here to look for Schala,' I tell him through telepathy, 'but first I have to see to
that you're safe from the Mystics until you're strong enough to fight.'
He says nothing.
Somebody comes walking out of the forest.
A young boy, perhaps eleven or twelve years old. He's blond and dressed in simple, common
clothes. Tall for his age, too.
Behind him is an even younger boy, nine or ten. He's much shorter and is angrily rubbing his face
with his sleeve. His red brown hair is swaying as he moves his head.
I frown as I look at them. They seem somehow familiar.
As they come closer I see that the smaller one has bruises on his arms and blood from his nose
has stained his sleeve. It seems as if he's been into a fight.
"Good afternoon, you two," the soldier says, trying not to look at the beaten boy.
"Hello," the younger one snarls, staring at the ground.
"Good afternoon, Andrew," the older calmly says.
He turns to me and the prince, puzzled. I watch him for a moment without a word.
By the powers...
"How are you?" the soldier asks, carefully.
"My hero Cyrus came to save the day again!" the small boy bitterly snarls.
Just as I thought. Such a twist of irony.
"Glenn..." Cyrus says, frowning.
The younger boy stares at the ground, clenching his jaw. I look at him, a frown growing into my
forehead.
Strange... just a few years older and he could look just like Crono... could Frog be the boy's
ancestor?
I clench my teeth, realizing that if that's true, then I must see to that Frog turns back into a human.
Otherwise Crono can't be born. The amphibian can't exactly get married while he looks like that.
One thing at the time. First I have to take care of this boy, then I must find a way to open a Gate and
return to fight Lavos. After that I'll search for Schala. Then...?
Lovely.
"You have to talk to your parents about the kids bullying you, Glenn," Andrew grimly says.
The boy says nothing. Andrew sighs.
"Well, we have to get going," he says, "see you."
"Good day," Cyrus says.
I say nothing. It's tempting, but I don't say anything.
All of us start walking towards our goals again.
'That boy with the red hair is one of the time travelers,' I tell the prince.
'Is he?' he mumbles, a bit disbelieving.
'Now I don't know how it'll be, but in my story Cyrus became a great hero of this land. Together
with Glenn he went on a quest to slain Ozzie. I killed him, however.'
The prince's hands squeeze my shoulders, and I hear him hold his breath for a moment.
'Furthermore,' I continue, 'I turned Glenn into a frog.'
'A frog?'
'Ozzie thought it would be fun,' I mutter, 'like this.'
I send him a mental image of the short, green warrior. He squeezes my shoulders again.
'But that probably won't happen since you won't serve the Mystics,' I grimly tell him.
'Maybe I should... get to know him,' Janus mutters, reluctantly, 'since we'll fight Lavos together.'
I almost, almost smile.
'You don't have to do that at once,' I say, 'but in the long term it might help.'
The tree's surround us, I...
I awake briefly, a smile touching my lips.
'Fascinating,' Molor mumbles, half asleep.
'Indeed...'
I turn over and close my eyes again.
The next thing I know is that a few liters of water hit my burning head. Spitting and gasping for air
I straighten up my neck again.
The whole collection of masters. Lovely... and the prince is crouching in a corner of the room, as
far away from everything as he can get. He stares at me in terror, I can see a dark stream blemishing
the side of his robe. Too late... I am so sorry...
The weight and clinking sound tells me that there's even more chains keeping me bound now. And
there are several goblins and heavily armed freelancers outside of the room, too.
This attempt to change fate seems to have taken a turn for the worse.
"We have plenty of time," Flea says, crossing his fine arms, "and this should be interesting."
I darkly glare at him, then I turn to Ozzie and last Slash.
For a moment I'm about to spit on the floor, but a movement behind the three monsters in charge
makes my mind revolt and almost force me to recoil.
A goblin holding a red, glowing whip.
I clench my teeth, forcing back my instinctive fear.
No. I mustn't let them conquer me again. No matter how dark things look now, I must find a way
out. I must save that boy at all costs, I can't let my story repeat! I have to win some time to recover,
then maybe...
Just some time... I fear that it won't be enough. I haven't eaten since before I met Schala, and I'm
still dizzy after the two hits in my head.
I have to try... anything. Even the truth.
"It's not that complicated," I harshly whisper, unable to speak louder, "that boy over there is me as a
child."
All of the monsters watch me with disbelief.
"You're out of your mind," Slash says, frowning deeply.
"Slash, you tried to teach me how to handle a sword," I coldly whisper, "I never became very good at
it, though."
The swordsman almost takes a step backwards, watching me with that sharp look that always tried
to cut through my tortured soul. I don't allow it to hurt me now, though.
"Flea, you taught me all you knew about magic and more," I go on, "and Ozzie..."
I manage to assemble enough power to snort scornfully.
"I guess you never did anything except watching and commanding."
"How does the spell of Dark Mist go?" Flea sharply asks.
Oh, by the powers... don't start with that again...
I fight back the terror filled memories and with clenched teeth mutter in old Zealan.
Evil.
Cloud.
Break.
Corrode.
Tear apart.
Flea is silent as I stop muttering.
"Well?" Ozzie demands.
"Perfect," the magician mutters, frowning, "how about second level Lightning?"
I hold back a groan.
"I spent ten years of my life with your questions, Flea," I harshly whisper, "I knew it all after that, so
let me be now."
"If he's speaking the truth we obviously should have taught him some better manners," Slash coldly
says.
This time I can hardly fight back a bitter, surely maniac laughter. Manners, manners, manners...
how I should behave was all you talked and beat me about, curse it all!
Win time, talk! I have to gain more time!
"You want proof of that I grew up among you?" I growl, "should I tell you about Lizard, the first
king of Mystics?"
Now that startles them. No human can probably remember that story, but it's a sacred part of the
monsters' history. It's a tiny pleasure to see them all really taken aback.
"Lizard, an enslaved monster serving a human named Sorden. When a female monster named Snake
was going to be punished because Sorden's son was crying when she was watching him Lizard tried
to escape with her. But they were caught, yet as he was about to be executed an outlaw monster with
knowledge of magic, Magician, saved both him and Snake. During their escape, hunted down by
Sorden's cousin Lardon, another refugee came to their help; an escaped gladiator named Warrior.
Magician, Warrior and Lizard were your ancestors. Should I continue? I know the whole story
because Flea thought that I should know the history of those I served."
My voice hardly exists by now, strained to its limits.
Ozzie, Flea and Slash exchange glances twisting with questions and thoughts. Even the goblins and
freelancers do the same.
They aren't looking at me!
"Powers of the world, lend me the power of Fire..." I whisper, but no sound leaves my hardly
moving lips.
It's scarcely even breathing as I chant.
Nail.
Hot.
Cut.
I bend my little fingers behind the irons so that the fingertips touch the metal. Careful...
There are irons around my ankles too. I never thought about using my heels for leading magic, but
right now I just have to invent that technique. Go through my boots without burning the leather, don't
let them catch fire...
"But tell us then," Ozzie slowly says, counting as usual, "how did you manage to come from the
future?"
I have to almost violently clear my dry throat in order to speak. Just a little more time!
"About thirteen years from now a group of time travelers will show up," I mutter with a cold smile,
"meeting them was a turn for the better for me."
"And why did you return?" Ozzie asks.
A growl runs through my throat.
"Isn't that obvious?" I harshly snap, "you never were the smartest, of course..."
Flea's hand shots forward and grabs my chin even before Ozzie has time to turn pale of anger. I
know that grip, but I can't help trying to break free in tired rage. The pink monster's fine fingers are
like iron, impossible to budge.
"Now, now," the female looking monster says, soft as silk, "you're not exactly in a situation where
disrespect is healthy. If you've been living with us and you truly are Magus, then you should know that."
"My name is Janus!" I snarl.
Ozzie throws a glance at the shivering prince.
"It's really him," the fat monster mutters, "fascinating..."
Almost... done...
I can feel the irons around my ankles budge and melt. My magic heat can't harm me, but I have to
be very careful. Should one chain fall before the others, while I'm still bound, the Mystics will have
time to stop my escape again.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Slash says, grimly crossing his arms, "I say we kill him."
"Which one?" Ozzie absentmindedly says, watching me in a disgustingly measuring way.
Slash catches the tone in his leader's voice and rolls his eyes. Typically Ozzie... won't throw
anything away if it's still interesting in some way.
Fool.
Just a little longer...
"You never answered my question properly," the green monster says with a small sneer.
I find a bitter smile on my lips.
"I came to save the boy," I coldly say, "is it that hard to understand, you idiot?"
Flea's nails cut into my cheeks, I wriggle more of anger than pain even though it burns.
Now!
With a hoarse growl I tear my hands free and throw the surprised Flea aside, rushing forward and
thereby freeing my ankles from the molten irons.
My fist hits Slash's face before he has time to draw his sword, with a flame of contentment I feel
his nose crush aside, hear his snarling of surprised agony.
I reach out for the boy in the corner while I'm still dashing through the room, he desperately hold
his hands aloft, trying to get a grip of me before...
The goblin hits my back with the devilish whip, lighting agony even though my cloak and back
plate of hard leather stop the worst hit. I crash on the floor with a roar of pain trying to cleave its way
through my throat. The pain itself isn't as bad as all the spinning memories it awakes. Hours upon
hours of the same pain smash down into my mind, all at once. My soul twitch, splitting... I can't think
properly...
I hear the boy's weak yelp of horror, the sound of heavy footsteps...
No!
The memories keep whirling around, edges of burning torture scratching my writhing mind...
The boy!
With a growl I force myself to brace my mind, tearing an image of Schala into the pain's way. I
reach out a hand, the boy grabs it as if it was the last grain of hope left in his life. Which it truly is.
"The Pawn of the Mystics is dead!" I snarl, throwing my other hand at the approaching monsters,
"powers of the world, lend me the power of Lightning!"
Bolt!
It's as simple as it possibly can get, but I haven't any time to chant.
The few bolts of lightning coming from my fingertips surprise the monsters just enough to give me
a moment...
Travel.
There.
The first place coming to my mind is the Zenan Bridge. Anything!
I fall out of the flashing light of long teleportation, holding the boy's hands in a safe grip. The grass
feels so soft, a blessing... I could laugh if I wasn't so exhausted.
I sit up on my knees, taking the prince's shivering shoulders in my hands. The back of his robe is
torn, blood has stained it. The wounds are still open. Only three, though... not as bad as I feared.
"It's alright," I say in a low, hoarse voice, "I won't let them harm you again."
He's shivering, of pain and remaining shock.
"Wh-what happened to you...?" he weakly whispers, stuttering.
I begin to shake my head.
"Tell me!" he screeches, trembling even worse.
For a moment I silently watch him. Then I slowly reach up and loosen the laces on my shoulders,
which hold up my chest- and back plate. I don't have to release those by my waist; able to bend the
hard leather downwards to unveil my collection of scars.
The prince falls to the ground, tears of shock streaming into the autumn grass. Silently I secure my
plates again, then rather awkwardly lift the trembling boy in my arms and wrap my torn cloak around
him. I don't know anything about children, not even this boy who is me. But I remember how Schala
used to comfort me when I was even smaller than he is now. I'm careful not to touch his wounds.
"It's alright," I mutter again as he helplessly cries against my chest, "it won't happen to you."
Funny... I can't remember crying like he did. Perhaps I was too desperate.
"Sch-Schala...?" he stutters.
"I don't know," I sigh.
I look down at him, and he turns his pale face at me. Tears are freely streaming from his red eyes.
"But listen," I grimly say, "I'm going to look for her as soon as I know that you're safe."
"I want to look for her too..." he whispers, raising an arm and resolutely rubbing away the tears from
his face, "and Adolfus..."
I nod.
"Yes, I understand. But in order to do that, you have to grow stronger."
"But..." he begins.
"I understand how you feel," I gravely say, "but in order to help Schala, you have to become stronger
and meet those time travelers I was talking about."
He looks at me with pain in his eyes.
"Thirteen years?" he groans, but he has stopped crying.
I nod with a sigh.
"Yes, Janus," I say.
How utterly peculiar it feels to call someone by my own name. I manage to get to my feet, looking
northwards. Past the bridge is the capital of Guardia, Truce. Dorino to the east is closer by, but it's
also closer to the Mystics and will be temporarily engulfed in the war. It's several years away, and
I'm not even sure if it'll go exactly as I remember it now that the Mystics haven't got their finest
warrior. But I won't take any chances.
Clenching my teeth against my own exhaust I begin to walk over the great bridge, carrying the
little Janus.
"What can we do?" he mutters, not even sobbing anymore.
There's a determination in his voice that startles me. But at the same time, it fills me with a warm,
strengthening feeling of triumph. I know now that this boy might grow even stronger than I am,
because he will fight by own will. A smile is on my lips as I speak.
"I will explain my whole story to you, and what I think needs to be done. But first we have to find
someone who can take care of your wounds."
He groans weakly, perhaps the shock had made him forgot about the pain.
"Hold on a little while longer," I tell him, "I don't know anything about healing, but we should be
able to find someone in town."
I think about it for a moment.
"Now this is important," I tell him without slowing down the slightest, "I think it's best that the
humans here doesn't know that we are the same person, and neither that you're a prince from the
past. People might react strangely at such facts."
"From the past?" he whispers, his voice weaker again.
I gravely nod.
"That black hole that we went through is called a Gate," I explain, "it's a portal to other times. This
is 587 AD, over twelve thousand years from the kingdom of Zeal."
"By the powers of Lavos..." he weakly groans.
I look down at him, raising my eyebrows.
"You better not talk about Lavos either, he's completely forgotten by now," I tell him.
"Dead?" he asks, and there's a grain of angered disappointment in his voice.
"No," I say, "he's only sleeping, deep below the surface of the Earth. But in a distant future he'll
awaken and smash all civilization. That's what those time travelers try to stop him from doing."
The prince grimly nods.
"What happened to Schala and the rest of Zeal?" he wonders.
I shake my head.
"I don't know, but Zeal is forgotten now, just as Lavos. Me, I mean you and me, were thrown
through time, and so were the three Gurus. Therefore I'm certain that Schala also can be found
somewhere, lost in history."
"Halt, stranger!"
I look up. Were they guarding the north end of the bridge even before the war? Three Guardia
soldiers watch me suspiciously as I come over the bridge.
"What business do you have here?" one of them asks as I don't stop walking.
"We were attacked by monsters," I grimly say, my voice still hoarse since it hasn't gotten any rest
or water, "this child is injured."
The prince looks around at the soldiers and then resolutely hides his face against my chest again as
I move my cloak aside to unveil the three long wounds on his back. The three men look at the
bleeding, thick lines in shock.
"Would the monsters even beat a child?!" another one of them hisses.
"He needs some care," I say, emotionless.
"Indeed," the third soldier grimly says, throwing an angered glance at the east's island, "come, I'll
bring you into town."
What were those words again? I guess I should...
"Thank you."
The three of them smile a little.
"You're welcome."
I follow the third one up the hills into Truce while wrapping my cloak around the prince again,
protective.
"Where were you attacked, and by how many, by the way?" the soldier asks, walking beside me.
"A couple of imps and Ozzie," I mutter before considering it.
I need to rest, obviously...
The man startles.
"Ozzie?" he stutters, "you mean the leader of the Mystics?"
"Green, fat, stupid," I mutter through clenched teeth.
The soldier silently watches me and the boy for a moment. Then he clears his throat.
"Perhaps you should report to His Majesty?" he says, a bit nervously.
I hold back a sigh. Well done, brother of Schala, well done.
On the other hand...
Hmm.
"Very well, but I want to see to that this boy gets a doctor's help first," I finally reply.
"There's healing quarters in the castle too," the soldier says, carefully.
I shrug my shoulders.
"Alright, then."
We turn and walk over to the distant road leading into Guardia forest, over a meadow fading in the
growing autumn.
"What are you doing?" the boy whispers.
'I'll have to leave you here to look for Schala,' I tell him through telepathy, 'but first I have to see to
that you're safe from the Mystics until you're strong enough to fight.'
He says nothing.
Somebody comes walking out of the forest.
A young boy, perhaps eleven or twelve years old. He's blond and dressed in simple, common
clothes. Tall for his age, too.
Behind him is an even younger boy, nine or ten. He's much shorter and is angrily rubbing his face
with his sleeve. His red brown hair is swaying as he moves his head.
I frown as I look at them. They seem somehow familiar.
As they come closer I see that the smaller one has bruises on his arms and blood from his nose
has stained his sleeve. It seems as if he's been into a fight.
"Good afternoon, you two," the soldier says, trying not to look at the beaten boy.
"Hello," the younger one snarls, staring at the ground.
"Good afternoon, Andrew," the older calmly says.
He turns to me and the prince, puzzled. I watch him for a moment without a word.
By the powers...
"How are you?" the soldier asks, carefully.
"My hero Cyrus came to save the day again!" the small boy bitterly snarls.
Just as I thought. Such a twist of irony.
"Glenn..." Cyrus says, frowning.
The younger boy stares at the ground, clenching his jaw. I look at him, a frown growing into my
forehead.
Strange... just a few years older and he could look just like Crono... could Frog be the boy's
ancestor?
I clench my teeth, realizing that if that's true, then I must see to that Frog turns back into a human.
Otherwise Crono can't be born. The amphibian can't exactly get married while he looks like that.
One thing at the time. First I have to take care of this boy, then I must find a way to open a Gate and
return to fight Lavos. After that I'll search for Schala. Then...?
Lovely.
"You have to talk to your parents about the kids bullying you, Glenn," Andrew grimly says.
The boy says nothing. Andrew sighs.
"Well, we have to get going," he says, "see you."
"Good day," Cyrus says.
I say nothing. It's tempting, but I don't say anything.
All of us start walking towards our goals again.
'That boy with the red hair is one of the time travelers,' I tell the prince.
'Is he?' he mumbles, a bit disbelieving.
'Now I don't know how it'll be, but in my story Cyrus became a great hero of this land. Together
with Glenn he went on a quest to slain Ozzie. I killed him, however.'
The prince's hands squeeze my shoulders, and I hear him hold his breath for a moment.
'Furthermore,' I continue, 'I turned Glenn into a frog.'
'A frog?'
'Ozzie thought it would be fun,' I mutter, 'like this.'
I send him a mental image of the short, green warrior. He squeezes my shoulders again.
'But that probably won't happen since you won't serve the Mystics,' I grimly tell him.
'Maybe I should... get to know him,' Janus mutters, reluctantly, 'since we'll fight Lavos together.'
I almost, almost smile.
'You don't have to do that at once,' I say, 'but in the long term it might help.'
The tree's surround us, I...
I awake briefly, a smile touching my lips.
'Fascinating,' Molor mumbles, half asleep.
'Indeed...'
I turn over and close my eyes again.