Chrono Trigger
The Queen is Gone; the mystery of the Queen's kidnapping is solved and another protagonist joins in the search for Queen Leene.
The sun had begun to disappear behind the forest and it was quickly growing darker and darker outside. It was very romantic and beautiful in the forest during the sunset. The sky was alive with fireflies that glowed in the darkness as they floated about lazily. Crickets chirped harmoniously as the wind caused the large fir trees to creak as its branches were lulled back and forth. It had become a little difficult to see the path and occasionally they both stumbled about clumsily with their hands in front of them. Finally, after a few moments they reached a clearing and the shadow of the forest was behind them. The waning sunlight still covered the land bright enough that they could see a very imposing building that they had tried so hard to find.
It must have looked magnificent in the daylight with its walls laced with flower covered ivy and shining white stone, but when it was close to the night it had a creepier feel that could not be explained. Perhaps it was the vast graveyard that lay to their left with rows upon rows of tombstones. Perhaps it was the gothic style of the building and the fact the stone had turned a dull gray while the sun set behind the trees. Whatever the reason, the effect was unanimous and it sent a chill throughout the spines of Crono and Lucca.
"Do you feel something odd about this place?" Asked Crono quietly.
"I do, but what could it be?" Lucca said just as quietly.
They walked down the path that led to two large barricaded doors that were covered in iron grates, yet the whole of it was heavy oak. They stopped just in front of it and stared at it quietly, still dwelling on this odd feeling of eeriness. At that moment it seemed as if fate wanted to add to the atmosphere and a loud clap of thunder could be heard in the distance, causing the duo to startle themselves. They both chuckled nervously as wind began to howl ferociously against the trees and the pointed towers of the cathedral. Slowly, but only at first, drops of rain started to come down, occasionally splashing either of them. Later on that night it would be an unyielding storm, but they would be far inside the interior long before it would arrive.
"Should we just walk in? I know it is kind of like a public building, but it is after hours." Crono mused with himself as they stared at the door.
"Maybe we should knock first." Lucca suggested.
In the end that was most polite thing to do and perhaps it would make them feel less awkward about disturbing the nuns so late in the evening. Crono knocked softly on the door and he could hear the force of it echoing on the other side. They waited a few minutes but received no answer. This time, Crono knocked harder on the door and the echo was far louder than before, yet there was still no answer and Crono looked nonplused. "Maybe no one is home." He said with a shrug.
"Honestly Crono!" Lucca said with a laugh, "They live here! What do you think they are going to do? Go shopping at night? Let's just go in."
Crono rolled his eyes as Lucca slowly pushed the door open, the hinges creaking and moaning like they were thousands of years old. The noise from the door sounded throughout a huge foyer that had rows upon rows of pews made of mahogany. A large chandelier above them had the glow of a hundred bright candles accompanied with lit torches that flanked both of the side walls in the chapel. Even though there were many torches it was still dimly lit and shadows crept all about them; Crono said within himself that this place was just as scary as the palace in which he had stayed.
They walked through the rows of pew that had tall candlesticks next to each one. Their boots clunked against the floor, echoing throughout the vast chapel, leaving wet footprints behind them that came from the light drizzle outside. It truly was an amazing and inspiring spectacle; nothing less from a grandiose church from times of old. Ahead of them was a decorated podium from which the priest or pastor gave his sermon, and above them was a stained glass masterpiece, flamboyant in its color and its depiction of Adam and Eve. It must have been a beautiful sight in the morning; the sun shining brightly through the stained glass and casting its colored light upon the priest or pastor that gave the sermon.
Just as they were gazing on the stained glass window there was a sudden cry of, "What are you doing here?"
Just moments ago the creepy, haunting feeling was fleeing from their soul, but it came back in full source from a very unlikely person. A nun. Behind them stood a woman draped in a conservative robe of blue and gray. A thin habit rested on top of her head, covering her hair and even draping over her eyes. Even though her eyes were not visible it was easy to see that she had a very stern expression on her face. She had a very tight-lipped mouth that was obviously hiding clenched teeth. At that moment there was a strange feeling of foreboding in the minds of Lucca and Crono, because there was something about this woman that seemed very unusual, although neither of them could determine what.
"Please ma'am." Crono began diplomatically, "We can explain."
"It is after hours. There will be no sermons at night! Now leave!" She said, pointing towards the door.
Just as they were about to beg for their case a more feminine and casual voice came from behind them. You wouldn't call it friendly, but it sure seemed to try its hand at sounding that way as it began to persuade the orderly with a lilted voice that oozed of kindness. "Really, is that any way to treat our…guests?" Neither Crono nor Lucca thought much on this strange pause, because they were still trying to convince the orderly to allow them the privilege of exploring the cathedral to an extent.
"They are here after hours…Do you have any idea how angry he would be?"
They assumed that they were talking about the pastor, seeing that he was the only one who could frighten them just a little; but even if he did why would he get angry? Little attention was paid to this because the conversation took no rest and carried on just as rapidly as it had begun. "There is no reason to be frightened. After all, I am sure that his…sermon…is almost finished." There was attention towards that remark. "Perhaps he would like our guests for dinner…" At that point Crono and Lucca had their curiosity piqued, but shook it off to offer their side of the story.
"No! Really, we don't plan on staying. We just want to look around, that is all." Lucca started.
It was the strangest thing, because at the mention of dinner the orderly had suddenly become cheerful and excited. It was a very grim smile indeed, one that belonged to a smug imp about to commit some horrible deed. It made Lucca move behind Crono, grasping his sleeveless tunic as she did so. The nuns noticed and their impish grins quickly disappeared and they tried to seem very kind and pleasant from that point on, "Oh please do not be shy!" Said the orderly, suddenly losing all her impatience, "We would love to have you here to eat…"
"No, we really don't want to trouble you." Crono began.
The soft-spoken nun looked toward the orderly and nodded as if they somehow communicated an idea to each other and the orderly faced the pair once again was a plastic smile. "Well, you must simply rest then! It seems as if you both walked all this way! Surely you would not be so ungallant as to refuse our hospitality? Perhaps you can look around tomorrow!"
Something seemed very strange about all of this and Crono wore a stern look on his mind as he tried to figure out what it was, and then suddenly he smiled diminutively and he said, "Well, yes! Thank you! A room would be nice. Our feet are killing us." Lucca shot him a disapproving glare which he tried his best to ignore, elbowing her all the while. Thankfully the nuns did not see her disapproval and they clapped excitedly, each one taking them by the wrist.
Crono and Lucca knew a good deal about this cathedral, having wandered about its ruins and having read about it in history books. The majority of the cathedral was the chapel itself, but there was a grand library to the left immediately after entering the door. Past the podium was a door that led to the dormitory and there were a flight of stairs that went by the dormitory that led to extra rooms that tended to be used for housing travelers or the homeless. The nuns began to pull them towards the double banister stairway, hastily as well.
"So, why do you wish to explore our cathedral?" the nun began, making careless conversation.
"Is it true that the queen was abducted here?" Lucca asked.
The reply was very quick and short, "Yes."
"What happened? Why did no one try to help her?"
"You don't want to know such things." Began the nun, a small tinge of annoyance in her voice.
"That's why we are here!" Lucca began sarcastically.
"Well, if you must know, she was in the library when she was taken. At that time we were in our dormitories and we did not hear her."
"How did you know she was taken from the library?" Asked Crono.
"When the guards came and looked at the area, they found disheveled books, a few strands of her hair, and a piece of a torn dress."
"How did you know they went to the mountains then?" Asked Lucca.
"You sure do seem to know a lot about this whole incident. Tell me, are you from the castle?" asked the nun curiously.
"No," answer Crono, "we are just curious."
"Oh, I see. Has anyone else come with you? Is there anyone coming that will be looking for you?"
"We are here by ourselves." Said Lucca, regretting it as soon as it left her mouth.
"I see. That is good." Said the nun with an odd excitement in her voice.
"Why?" Crono asked.
"Uh…We like to keep…uh…disturbances to a minimum. Your rooms are this way."
They had traveled down a long corridor of extra rooms and finally stopped in front of one. The nun looked at Crono while she opened the door, gesturing Crono to go inside which he did. It was a plain room: a bed, a bookshelf, a desk, a grandfather clock, and an oil lamp. The nun smiled as she said, "That is good. Now, miss, if you come with us we will show you your room."
"Actually, I'm staying with him." Said Lucca.
"Of course not! I see no rings on your fingers and we certainly will not tempt any of you!"
"He's my friend! He won't do anything!"
The nuns made more attempts to get Lucca to sleep in another room; not next door mind you, but further down the hall, despite the fact that the room next door was empty. They were trying so fervently to separate them that it aroused their suspicion and finally Crono threatened that they would simply leave if she did not stay with them, making the nuns conceded, their teeth gnashing behind their tight-drawn lips. As they went away Crono and Lucca closed the heavy door behind them and looked at each other.
"There is definitely something odd going on here." Lucca said confidently.
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They both sat in the room for a while and Lucca discovered the reason behind Crono's willingness to stay in such a foreboding place. It was simply a ruse and he thought that if they waited until the later hours of the night they could explore the whole cathedral with no interruptions or people watching their back. They merely passed the time; playing with a deck of cards that Crono had packed before, which he had done for the sole purpose of using them at the Millennial Fair. He never thought in a million years that he would be using them in a gothic cathedral during the seventh century. As they played they talked about why the nuns were so odd and they finally decided that they were somehow in on the whole thing or have been threatened by the mystics. Why else would they act so strangely?
Finally, they looked over to the grandfather clock, its old hands slowly moving towards ten o' clock. Earlier they resolved to leave at that time and they were true to their resolution. They opened the door slowly and peeked up and down the corridor before exiting their room and they tip-toed down the hall. Even though it was the middle of the night there were still burning candles and torches in the chapel. The small shower had indeed turned into a raging storm and it cast odd shapes on the stained glass window above them, cascades of water flowing down the face of it. Occasionally a bolt of lightning would echo throughout the sky, causing a bright, white glare to shine through the window. It had all the eerie atmosphere of a haunted mansion, but that did not stop them.
The library was obviously the first place to look. They were mildly impressed, because the library itself was far more inviting then the rest of the cathedral. Oil lamps sat on each desk, casting a comforting yellow light. It was carpeted and although the ceiling was low, there were bookshelves that went to the top. The library itself wasn't gigantic, but it was more the size of a large kitchen.
"Wait a moment." Lucca said.
"What is it?" Asked Crono.
"They said that there was a struggle in here, but do you see anything?" Lucca asked.
"Well, the books that were scattered everywhere were probably put away…" Crono said, not certain of the fact she was making.
"No, not about the books, but look at the bookshelves and the carpet itself." Lucca said, pointing them out.
Crono looked at each of the items she suggested and searched diligently. His brow furrowed as his calloused hands felt the smooth surface of the bookshelf, and finally he stood back on his feet and looked at Lucca, "What are you getting at? There is nothing on the bookshelves or the carpet!"
"Exactly!" said Lucca!
"What?" Crono said, scratching his head.
Lucca paced backwards and forwards, her mind having become a raging torrent of thoughts and conclusions. "Remember how I said a great struggle happened in the cathedral? We know that the queen is found her, and I thought that since we came here that history was changed, but it hasn't! She is still here! Crono, they did not bring her here to hide later on, she has been here this entire time!" Crono seemed to understand a little, but he had to ask her what made her think the clergy would be in on it. "History said that someone saved her at the cathedral, but history was never absolutely certain about the events that led to her rescue; in the annals of history it was pointless to address such things. Now I can see what the history books failed to mention! She has been here the entire time!
Now, remember what I said about the bookshelves and the carpet? See how the bookcases are set up so that the passage is narrow? There would have to be some damage done to the furniture itself, but I see nothing! Also, see this table and the oil lamp here? One would figure that it would be knocked over during the struggle, staining the carpet! Do you see a stain?"
"Are you saying that the nuns made an alibi? Are you saying that the struggle happened someplace else?"
"Exactly. They could claim no knowledge by making it seem like there was a struggle far enough away that they could not hear it. We need to find where the actual struggle happened, and then we can solve the mystery."
At that point they left the library, having nothing left to solve in that area and they went out to the chapel. At that point they began to search among the pews, feeling it over with their hands. They separated, each one going an opposite direction. After what seemed hours Lucca whispered to Crono from across the room. She stood over by a row of candles that were dimly lit. It was actually a place for people to offer their prayers, leaving a lit candle as a symbol of their request. As Crono drew closer he saw that Lucca was extremely excited and pleased with herself.
"Have you found something?" asked Crono.
"Look at this!" Lucca said, jabbing her index finger towards a pew that was next to them. As he drew closer, Crono gulped, seeing that there was a cracked abrasion on the pew, almost as if someone had kicked it. Also, next to it were scratches in the wood that seemed so clean cut that they could almost pass for…claw marks? Also, a few drops of wax had been left on the ground almost as if the candles had fallen to the floor, as if they had been kicked.
"So, she was taken here?" Crono said.
"I'm not sure. I can be from anything. It could have been some little kid."
At that moment, fate had decided to shed some light on the subject in a figurative and literal manner. Without warning a booming crash of thunder and lightning tore throughout the sky, and it was so bright that it seemed to illuminate the cathedral. While it did so, an object glittered on the floor only for a moment before it faded back into the darkness. It glinted long enough for Crono to notice it and he drew closer, reaching for it and taking it into his hands.
It was a hairpin…
"What did you find Crono?" Lucca asked.
At first he didn't know, but something told him that he had seen the same design and make of it before. Suddenly, he remembered the day before when he was in the castle with Marle and how she tossed him her hairpin which she had taken from the queen's drawer. It all fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and he developed the same enthusiastic excitement that Lucca shared, "Probably our proof. Look at this and compare it to this." She obeyed her eyes going wide as she did so.
"This is Guardia's crest on both hairpins! The clergy was lying!"
There was another clap, but it wasn't of thunder. Instead, it was the soles of boots that approached them very slowly. It was not only a pair of boots, but many, and it sent a sinking feeling into Crono and Lucca's chest. They spun around to see a group no less than four nuns staring at them sardonically. "My, my, my! What naughty little children! The nerve! Walking around past their bedtime! You should have been in your beds!"
"You have her don't you!" Crono spat out with a yell.
The nuns only walked towards them, their head bowed so that the veils of their habits hid their faces. Lucca ordered them nervously to step back, which they failed to heed counsel. Another nun began, and they recognized the voice as that oddly sweet nun from before, "You should have been sleeping. It wouldn't have hurt as much if you had been sleeping."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Crono yelled out, growing angrier by the moment.
In the darkness of the chapel, there was a very eerie transformation that went underfoot that would occasionally reveal itself with each stroke of lightning. It started out slow, the nuns' hands growing in length and growing sharper. The hands then turned yellow and scaly like the skin of a snake. Thick, greasy, matted hair began to grow from under their habits like they were weeds. They jerked their heads up suddenly so that they were no longer bowed and the only things visible from their dark silhouettes were their shining red eyes and glistening fangs.
"They are mystics!" Lucca shouted out!
"Yes," began one of the nuns with an eerie hiss, "we so wanted you to join us for dinner."
"Look at them, sister! So young and vibrant, not like those old hags. I am certain these will taste better than they!"
A sick feeling came over Crono and Lucca as it all began to make sense. The clergy had not been lying, but they had been murdered, devoured, and replaced by these sick monstrosities that had finally showed themselves in their true colors. They were no longer walking towards them, but it almost seemed as if they were gliding towards them fluidly, as if they had no legs.
"Crono, what do we do?" Said Lucca frantically.
"Run!"
The nuns, or now we can say the mystics, had leapt forward only to crash into a pew, shattering it in many places. Crono and Lucca began to duck and dodge as the mystics swung, their sharp claws occasionally snagging on their clothes. They had grown in height as well and their laughter still retained that eerie sweetness as they gnashed their fangs at them, trying desperately to crush them in their jaws. At that moment, it seemed as if they would escape but a horrible turn of events came upon Lucca as she was grabbed from behind. A mystic snickered as she struggled vainly against her vice-like grip. Then, the mystic whispered almost seductively into her ear, "I wish all little girls were as sweet as you…"
Her fangs opened wide, her pointed tongue flailing widely as Lucca began to scream a blood-curdling scream which only seemed to satisfy the demon. Suddenly Lucca felt her body fall as the grip was loosened from her body. The demon fell to the ground, crashing into the pews, the sharp splinters piecing into her skin. The demon flailed about wildly, and it was still later on that it finally stopped as she died. Lucca saw Crono standing over her as he offered his hand in assistance. He had charged the demon and loosened its grip on her.
Suddenly, they froze, seeing that they were trapped. Three of the monsters had them at every turn as they looked towards the vain struggling of their comrade. They hissed in anger as they drew in closer, raising their claws to deal a final blow and end the human's lives. "You will pay for that, human. We will slowly rip out the sinew in your bones, play with your innards, and tear your muscles from your bones long before you can rest…"
Lucca gripped Crono's arm almost as tightly as the monster had on her, and Crono only put an arm around her defensively. If only he had a weapon he might have stood a chance, but it seemed as if this was the end of the line for them and Marle. He shut his eyes, covering Lucca with his body and expecting the sharp claws to tear into his soft, exposed back.
Suddenly, a loud smash was heard from above and the demons looked upward to see that the window had shattered. A strange voice yelled out a battle-cry as the form fell down towards the group below. It was hard to see the characteristics of this new entry, the light in the chapel offering little assistance, but that did not seem to stop this new visitor as he unsheathed a large double-edged sword that sliced one of the monsters in two from head to toe. The messy mound of flesh fell to the floor and the figure leapt into the air again to a super-human extant, slicing off the head of the second monster, and finally thrusting his sword into the belly of the third.
So fast was his massacre that it left Lucca and Crono stunned. They stared wildly at the visitor who was only the height of a child. He sheathed his sword, turning about to address them and Lucca let out a horrified scream as she saw his face. This man, if you could call him that, was either horribly disfigured or a monster himself. It was hard to believe, but he had the features of a frog: wide, yellow eyes, dark, clammy skin, and a white underbelly. Even though his appearance was that of a frog, he was dressed like a traveler, wearing a thick cloak with a shiny brass breastplate. It was expected that he addressed them in a very croaky, yet dignified voice.
"Let down thine guard and thou'rt allowing the enemy in."
For some strange reason Crono instantly liked this person (if you could call him that) and he extended his hand in gratitude. The short warrior obliged, stretching out a gloved hand and he seemed very pleased at Crono's reaction towards him. He did not scream, he did not panic, nor did he look at him strangely. Lucca however was going into conniptions as she asked herself just what that thing was. The creature noticed and he inclined his head, "Doth my guise not encourage thy trust?"
Crono shook his head and said, "No, no, please don't be offended. She is just nervous about what just happened."
"Aye! I saw the entirety of it." Frog said with a nod.
"And you didn't help us before?" Lucca asked incredulously.
"I was uncertain of thy purposes, so I have remained hidden. When I saw this man protecting thee, I knew that he was of good caliber."
Lucca blushed, "Hey! He was not protecting me! He was helping me out!"
The creature ignored her comment and turned to Crono, "I understand that thou seekest out the queen. Mayhaps we can be of service one to another."
"No way!" Lucca interceded rashly, "How can we trust you?"
At such a brash interruption, it was evident that anyone would be hurt in such a situation and this was no different. The creature merely bowed his head and spoke very meekly insomuch that it tugged on Lucca's heartstrings, sending a surge of guilt throughout her being. "I do apologize. Perhaps I should excuse myself. I will look for her majesty elsewhere." He began to turn away and Crono looked irate at Lucca as he motioned for her to stop him, which her conscious quickly allowed.
"Wait!" She shouted out.
A hopeful look came into the creature's bulbous eyes as she approached him. She began very awkwardly, "I'm sorry for being rude…You seem like a very nice frog, urm, person. I mean, maybe we could help each other after all."
The creature smiled warmly as he nodded, "I am at thy service, mi'lady."
"What is your name?" Lucca asked.
The creature smiled, saying, "'Frog' shall do for now."
Author's Note: I just want to give thanks to Kit Thespianand Rage Colewell. It is nice to get reviews and they have done a great job of that. Also, Kit has some good stories written down, why not take a peek of some of her work?