Chrono Trigger
The Cowardly hero; the ascension of the mountain where the Masamune is supposedly hidden…
Such an unpleasant trip made the prospective trip up a wind-chilled mountain even worse. They ate and rode back onto the road again towards the mountains. They continued to speak about Glenn and what could have caused him to fear Magus. However, that only made them nervous about the inevitable battle. Their conversation turned to more pleasant matters (at least to her ears) when Marle made known the fact that she won the poker game. That led to friendly bickering which kept everyone so entertained that they stood at the mountain's base before they knew it.
A shallow river full of glistening, weathered stones led up to a waterfall on the mountain's face. The scent of pine was strong before they reached the mountain, but here it was so potent that it was almost overpowering. The grass was green and lush and the faint buzzing of insects could be heard. Besides that, there were no signs of life. Crono, who was an outdoorsman, loved the very feel of it, as did Marle and Toma. Lucca and Robo, however, had different views on the mountain. Anyone, who has knowledge concerning such a bounteous land like this, knew there had to be a bounteous amount of life with it. Not even the birds sang and it was far too quite for the cautious, scientific minds that looked about skittishly.
"Is something wrong?" Crono peered over at the two.
"Do you get the feeling that we are being watched?" Lucca said, her eyes looking to the treetops.
"There is something strange about this mountain." Robo stated.
"You feel it too?" Lucca asked. ("What do I mean, 'do you feel it?' Does he really?")
"It is only logical. There should be more wildlife."
Marle shrugged carelessly, "Maybe that brat came through with his knights and all the animals are quiet."
Crono looked towards Marle and nodded in agreement, "Yeah. Maybe we aren't that far behind them."
They dismounted, led their horses, and began walking up the pathway, which quickly waned into nothing. A little further past that spot was a sign that read "Beware; mystics seek refuge here." They gave each other dubious glances before walking past the sign and up the slopes. They could see the faint footsteps of several soldiers and their horses. They could also see broken branches that led further up the trail.
Already the wind was blowing harder than they liked. They weather was not such a factor to them at first. Their magically strengthened bodies withstood the chill, but poor Toma was preparing a mantle for himself. His teeth chattered and looked at the group in awe, "I don't see how you four can walk around as if it were a Sunday morning in springtime. Aren't you frigid?" They paid no mind and advanced up another hill. They eventually found themselves on the cliff they saw from the ground. The shallow river trialed further up into the mountain, and it seemed the current was stronger here. It careened over the edge and the waning daylight cast a faint rainbow in the fall.
"It's beautiful here." Marle said with a dreamy smile.
"Whatever you say, lady; whatever you say." Toma scoffed as he turned away and advanced further in.
They entered a thicket of deciduous trees with white bark. Some remarked how odd it was that the trees had leaves this time of the year. The scent of pine was still strong but now there was the smell of wildflowers. As they went further in they found a small, enclosed meadow of flowers. It was only Lucca and Robo that became wary as they looked around themselves. "How can wildflowers grow in such a shady place? Look, there's almost no sunlight here." They looked over to their friends to find that they and their horses were examining the flowers and breathing in their scent.
"Come on, let's keep going. This place gives me the creeps." Lucca motioned for them to follow.
"Everything is okay, Lucca!" Crono said with a content smile. "Aren't you tired? We can rest for a little bit."
"We are not tired." Robo said with what seemed like a firmer voice.
"Oh, come on!" Marle said, tugging playfully of Lucca's arm. "I'll make you a crown of flowers. I used to make them when I was a little child. Oh, watch where you sit. There are big rocks everywhere."
Lucca scoffed, "Are you serious? Don't you remember that we are chasing that little brat?"
"Who?" Toma asked, no longer shivering from the cold.
"What? You don't remember that we are looking for the…what were we looking for, Robo?"
There was moment of silence as if it seemed Robo were in deep thought.
"Lucca, burn the flowers and the thicket." Robo said this so firmly it made Lucca jump.
"What? Lucca! Why would you do such a thing? Come on! Just relax!" Crono said with a playful smile.
Suddenly, Lucca began to shake her head and she began to smile, "Yeah, don't worry Robo! We can just sit for a while. It smells nice here."
Then something that never happened before, happened. Robo shouted angrily, "I SAID BURN THE FLOWERS AND THICKET NOW!"
The yell was frightening, and for just a second Lucca was terrified. It was enough for her to jump and cast a blanket of flames over the flower bed and trees. As the scenery burned their lackadaisical attitude quickly changed to panic. They jumped away from the flames while Toma stamped out a flame that caught his mantle. The suffocating stench of smoke filled their nostrils and they fled the thicket. When they stepped into the clearing they looked at Lucca and Robo with agitated countenances. "What is wrong with you two? You almost killed us!"
"We just saved your lives." Robo said calmly, pointing towards the thicket. "Someone put out the flames with the wind."
Marle obeyed with a condescending look on her face. The rude look disappeared and was replaced by a look of horror when the flames cleared. The thicket was scorched black and the leaves were blown away. They could see into the thicket and saw that most of the flowers had burned away. Hidden within the flower stems were skeletons by the dozen. Marle even saw the skull that struck her foot when she thought it was merely a rock. "What does this mean? What happened?"
"It was an enchantment." Lucca said with an offended tone. "I bet there must be traps like this all over the mountain left by Magus and his crew."
If Robo had teeth, he would have been smiling in self-approval at the moment. "My sensors detected something strange about the thicket but I thought nothing of it until Lucca voiced her opinion. The overpowering aroma covered a powerful natural anesthetic and poison that eventually infects the victim. Had you fallen asleep in the thicket, I would have waited, ignorant of the poison that could have killed you. It was an ingenious trap."
Marle gasped in fright, "Oh no! Did the soldiers fall victim to the trap?" She sprinted back towards the thicket, but was stopped by Robo's voice.
"There are no shields or swords. In any case, the bodies would not have had enough time to decompose. That is, unless, the flowers themselves were created to speed up the process. How horrific."
"Eww," Crono scrunched up his face in uncomfortable disgust as an overly descriptive image entered his mind, "flowers that devour you?"
"It might have been sweet smelling fungi that looked like flowers. Knowing how to alter the very elements can be an extremely dangerous thing, especially when you disguise something so it appears non-threatening." Lucca added.
"Magus must be far more disturbed than I imagined." Marle looked sorrowfully at the thicket.
"I do not think that Magus created this trap. It does not seem to fit his persona." said Robo.
"I could have been Flea." Toma said, while scratching his chin.
"Who is Flea?"
"She is a henchman under Magus, and a powerful sorceress. She is as vain as she is powerful and beauty seems to be her vice."
"In any case, we owe our lives to you two. Let's be more careful from now on." Everyone agreed to this statement before moving on.
The sun was beginning to set over the Denadoro Mountains. The already shrill wind felt almost painful against bare skin and it chilled them to the bone. It finally got to a point that Toma adamantly refused to go another step in fear that he would freeze to death. Thankfully, there were a group of caves in the immediate area. They crossed a shallow stream, squeezed themselves and their horses through the narrow entrance, and nestled into the hollow. The cold winds were less intense inside the cave, but the sound of trickling water and whistling gale still penetrated past the entrance. The sounds were oddly soothing, but the wind would have still gotten the best of them had Lucca not started a fire. Within minutes the coldness disappeared and they were almost as cozy as they were back at the tavern. Even the horses softly nickered in reply and quickly went to sleep.
Meanwhile, the group contented themselves with meager provision, talking about the challenges that awaited them. They could not help but wonder what Magus and their henchmen were capable of doing. Robo remarked that it was wise to learn more about their enemies, but what they heard would have given them nightmares had they seen it. First they discussed Flea and her doings.
"Well," Toma began, "Flea is a very cunning sorceress. You have seen her handiwork back there and you can see that she thrives on using false security to snag anyone who is not expecting anything. Yes sir, she is said to be far more beautiful than many women. What? How can she be beautiful if she is a mystic? How do you think she changed that forest into a deathtrap? She used her sorcery to change her form. Her handiwork is different, because for some reason she actually altered her own body instead of how people perceive her. Her form is permanent. It is said that she changed her appearance to woo unfortunate soldiers in battle. Some say that she was once in love with a human and changed her form to deceive him. There are others who say that she and Magus are lovers. They say she changed her form to appeal to him. That is even talked amongst the mystics, but I heard rumors that Flea deals harshly with anyone that says such things. Nobody remembers her true form. In all honesty, she became known only since her entrance into the war.
Next was the master swordsman, Slash. This seemed to be a more personal and enraging subject for Toma. "There is another general that looks like a man, yet he has scaly skin and pointed ears. His eyes flash yellow and his teeth are stained the same. He is a hideous beast, but I cannot deny his efficiency with his sword. There is a mystery concerning him, but this is what I have heard. It was said that he was a pirate originally. He trained under his own master, killing him once he surpassed him. In his heart he loves to prove himself in battle. He is far more engaged in challenging himself which is why he held no reservations about attacking whole towns on his own. Perhaps you may wonder where I come from. I originally lived in Chorus, a port city situated on an island. My relatives are the governors that ensure the peace. They met an obstacle in the form of Slash. He docked in a distant bay and sneaked around the island, attacking random soldiers. After dozens of slain soldiers, who were rumored to be our best, he finally grew tired of taking our lives and left. To me, he is perhaps the beastliest of the three. He kills only to boost his ego. It infuriates me to think that those I once walked to school with…" At this point, Toma had to stop and wipe his eyes with the cuff of his sleeve. "Pardon me, I do not mean to weep. I only feel sorry for their passing. It was nearly a decade ago, so the pain is not much anymore. I just cannot stand to think that he has gone unpunished. Ozzie took him on as a personal bodyguard, but once Magus took control he promoted Slash to a general. Slash is admired for his finesse and history of human slaughter. It was a wise move on Magus' part."
"As for Ozzie…I have never seen a stronger coward. He is very rich. He was born into a wealthy family as you may have heard. He is very learned in magic, and he is also supernaturally strong. However, his weakness lays in his overconfidence. He denies that he is imperfect, or maybe even a joke among the Mystics. He beats his own men. In all honestly, I imagine not a single one would cry in his passing. Flea and Slash are supposedly more admired among the Mystics. However, his lineage was what drew numbers under Magus' cause at first."
"And what about Magus?" Crono asked. "What do they think about him?"
Toma sighed, "He is their prophet, their instrument of redemption, and their protector. They ignore his abuses, believing in him heart and soul. He is just like the devil; he lures them away with words as soft as a flaxen cord, only to bind them with strong chains. They serve his interests above their own. That should describe him well enough." Evidently his assertion was correct because not another word was spoken concerning the four terrors. The rest of the night was spent comfortably in the cave. The magical power (it is more than simply "magic" but is called such for the sake of brevity) kept the fire burning through the night.
The fire was not overly warm nor was the floor stony, but for some reason Crono could not rest. He was not uncomfortable, but he was incredibly restless. He squirmed like a little child in an effort to lull himself back to sleep. He clenched his eyes shut and covered his eyes with his arm. After what seemed like hours (which were only minutes) he sighed in defeat and rose from his spot. He only stepped forward two paces and could feel the chilling wind that seemed refreshing.
The wind was not as strong as he thought it would be. In fact, it was only a light breeze. It was light enough for fireflies to leave the safety of their resting places and illuminate the night. Crono was immediately thankful for his restlessness as he beheld the sight. There was not a single cloud in sight and thick swirls of stars dotted the sky. These were not even plain white lights in the sky, but it was so clear that Crono saw that the stars had their own color. Far beyond their world, he could even see galaxies that appeared only as thin, wispy, purple clouds of stars. Their number and their light were enough to make the world seem dark blue in appearance, save for the greenish glow of the fireflies. The trees, which would be frightening to the imagination of a little child, amused Crono. Their branches would occasionally encompass the sky, casting crooked shadows on the ground below.
"Crono?"
Although he hated to admit it, he spun on his heels in fright. He peered into the darkness and saw what could only be a mess of blonde hair. He laughed at himself as he waved to her, "Hey Marle. I'm sorry. I didn't expect anyone to come out here with me."
She spoke with a stern voice, but he could see her playful smile, "What in the world are you doing out here, in the middle of the night?"
"Going to the bathroom. You better not come any closer."
"Lair."
"I don't know. I just couldn't sleep that well. By the way, since we are on the subject of me, why are you awake?"
Marle giggled, "Because you stepped on me while you walked out, you jerk."
She couldn't see it, but Crono blushed, "Oh, I'm sorry!"
"Take it easy," she laughed and had a seat on an old weathered boulder. "I really don't mind. I was already up. Honestly."
"Well, why?" Crono asked, sitting on an itchy bed of pine needles.
It was Marle's turn to blush. Although there were moments she was unsure about Crono, she could not help but find him attractive. That put her on the spot. In reality, she woke up from a dream and contented herself to watching Crono sleep. When he sat upright she immediately feigned sleep, and to her relief he hadn't noticed. Instead, she replied in a mimicking voice, "'I just couldn't sleep that well.'"
He poked her in the side and she giggled, "Hey. That tickles!"
"If you do another horrible impression of me, I'll do it again."
"You wouldn't dare!" She said in a scandalous voice.
"Try me!" Crono said, already shifting himself into a pouncing position.
Marle scoffed in reply, and Crono slowly had a seat…at least until she said, "'Try me!'"
True to his word, he pounced on her and she fell back onto the grass with a combined mess of maple and pine leaves. She stifled a shriek of laughter as Crono poked her sides again and again. She kicked and squirmed until Crono released his hold on her. They rolled onto their backs, each one breathless with laughter. Just like children, they had to calm down before they realized the beautiful sight in front of them. It was even more enjoyable to look at the stars while lying down on soft earth. Their brief excursion even made themselves feel dizzy with laughter, making the world move. Marle suddenly felt some courage build in her and she turned to Crono while he still looked at the stars.
"Life can be wonderful, huh?"
Crono hummed in reply, "Yeah. We had some hard times, but in the end I believe everything is going to be fine."
"Yeah," Marle said softly. "Crono, I'm sorry, but I don't think I have properly thanked you."
"For what?"
"You saved my life, remember? You actually came back for me." Her eyes fluttered as they grew misty, "I don't think you realize how that makes me feel."
"You would've done the same for me."
"No Crono; I mean, I would have done the same, but I don't think you realized what you saved me from."
"What do you mean?"
Marle almost shivered as she recalled it, "Something has been troubling me for a long time, but I haven't talked about it. When time changed and I wasn't born, I found myself in a dark and gloomy place. Remember? You hugged me then and it made me feel better. I still get scared sometimes, and I even dream about it. There was no light and it was as dark as anything I have ever felt. It scared me, Crono."
Crono sat up on his side, "Marle, I don't know what happened or where you went, but what matters is that you are here now."
She sat upright and looked him in the eyes assertively, almost passionately, "Don't you see? You are the reason I am here now."
"And you are going nowhere else." Crono said and he gave her an embrace, Marle smilingsoftly as she buried her head in his shoulder. However, something almost seemed as if she wanted something more. She looked up at him, her eyes gleaming from her earlier tears. Her lips opened slightly and she leaned in, but unfortunately Crono hadn't noticed. He had alreadyrisen to his feet and offered Marle a hand. She sighed in disappointment and tookit. "Come on. We have a big day tomorrow. There are others who probably experiencing the same thing you have felt because of Lavos. The sooner we sleep, the sooner we can fix that." As he said that, a warm feeling came over him. He realized now that he had adequate justification for his actions. Although it seemed wrong for him to think such a thing, he felt that Marle had inadvertently succeeded where Lucca failed. He still worried for Alwyn, but now he worried more about the possibility that other countless souls were waiting in a dark and dreary place, waiting for freedom.
He pondered if he should say something as humorous as "I could kiss you for helping me," but he did not notice the offer already passed.
Nothing is worse than being roused from slumber. It is especially worse if it came from a scream.
The sun was slowly rising, and it had risen enough so that the sky's horizon was of reddish hue. The air felt cold and damp, which was far colder than when the air felt dry. When everyone jolted upwards, they did it so quickly that they hadn't realized how sore their joints ached from yesterdays hiking. Immediately they dashed outside the cave with their weapons drawn. The mountain was still beautiful, but it was all lost on them as they dashed towards the sound. (Not an easy task, considering that it echoed throughout the slope). Finally, they found a pathway that winded up the mountain face and atop it they saw a young boy bawling into his hands.
"You there! Are you okay?" Crono shouted.
The reply was difficult to understand since it was stifled by sobs, "Help! Injury hath been done to my leg! By my head, which they may take, they come for me!"
The sudden remembrance of the sign they had seen made their eyes go wide. Something amazing happened at that moment as a result, and it forever rid Crono of his fear of heights. The boy was easily a hundred feet above them. He fell during his flight and fell down the steep slope, stranding him on a ledge (which they could not see over, thus giving birth to the fear that there was an unseen foe just behind the boy). He did not know how he did it, but he only knew that it was the most natural feeling in the world as he tensed his legs and leapt as hard as he could. He did not soar a hundred feet to the rock face, but thirty at the least. As he landed on the ledge, he jolted upright again, suddenly realizing what he had done. In two more bounds he was at the boy's side while the others stood, gaping in amazement. His sword was drawn and he looked about his person, seeing that it was only an enclosed ledge.
"H-hast thou flown? So speedy was thy ascension!" The boy cowered as he looked above him. Crono could hear footsteps.
"Lay low," he whispered to the boy. He looked down to his friends and signaled them to climb quietly. "Stay here, I'm going to take a peak."
The underside of the slope was craggy rock while the immediate topside was earthy green grass. Crono did not even think that his hair would contrast against the topography, but unfortunately the foes he saw did not notice. There were some beastly looking Mystics and they grunted as they searched through the bushes and thickets in the immediate area. They heard the voice and imagined that the boy could run no more. The boy whimpered as he heard their search, which was manifested by the sounds of metal weapons slicing and poking into the undergrowth. By this time, the rest of the group stood poised behind a boulder. They gave Crono a nod which he returned and they leapt from their hiding places.
It was a small number; a group of seven mystics which wore thick armor. From the looks of it, their armor was battered and suggested that these Mystics fought at Zenan Bridge. They had looked for refuge in the mountains. Marle shot a mystic while Lucca and Robo fell three. Crono moved swiftly through the other three mystics that huddled together. He dashed forward, slashing upwards, dashed right with a jab to the chest of another, and finished the third with an upward twist that ended in a diagonal slash. After the brief scuffled was finished, Crono pulled the small boy up from the ledge.
"Are you okay?" Crono asked.
"I am in poor spirits," whimpered the boy, "I feared that I was a dead man!"
Evidently, his fear had not yet abated, for he saw the look of dawning comprehension and anger upon a blonde woman's face. "What aileth thee?"
"I know who you are! You are the boy that stole the Hero Medal!" Marle leaned forward with a frightful frown.
The boy looked away bashfully, not only because of guilt, but because a strapless halter-top (which was what Marle wore) showed a little more than a young boy was accustomed to seeing. "I stole it not! Forsooth, I have found it! The medallion flew from the pocket of some disfigured gentleman. Had I known the sorrow that would have befallen me, I wouldst never have reached forth a hand to claim this wretched prize!" He thrust his hand into his inner breast pocket and pulled out a glinting medallion. Tata was in the act of throwing it into the forest below, but was stopped. Crono took it and inspected it before saying that it must have been the Hero Medal. Toma, meanwhile, not completely aware that Tata was a false hero, suddenly felt very dizzy.
"How dost thou knowest the medal was not mine?" Tata asked, but nobody answered.
"What happened?" Crono asked, "How did you get here? Where are the soldiers?"
"Behold, we were tired from our excursion and rested in a deep cavern. That same cavern was home to several Mystic refugees. I ran for the light and I heard them call unto me. 'Save us, Hero! Save us!'" With that, Tata began to cry.
"Are they well?" Robo asked.
"I know not; wouldst thou be willing to liberate those who have fallen into captivity for my folly? I beg of thee!" Tears poured down his face now.
"How stupid you are!" Toma shouted, unexpectedly full of outrage. "How dare you risk the lives of your countrymen? For what? All for the sake of your own selfish glorification?" He slapped the child full in the face. Lucca stretched forth a hand to stop him, but was halted by Robo who only shook his head solemnly. Tata fell to the ground, quivering as he nursed his cheek. "You play at the hearts of the hopeful for your own enjoyment? You are no better than that evil man who constantly spurs the Mystics to take battle against us! Dishonorable retch!"
Tata only burst out into louder wails and sobs. Crono could tell that Toma was desirous to kick the child, but felt that it was a good time to intervene. "That's enough Toma. We need to see what we can do for those soldiers."
"And as for the worthless vermin?" A hostile eye cast its gaze upon Tata who shrunk lower to the ground.
"We better take him with us. I don't think we should leave him alone; not with all these Mystics around."
Toma sighed, "Very well," he turned to Tata with a pointed finger, "but you will not as much utter a single word! If you say anything to justify your wickedness, I will finish what the Mystics started!"
"Truthfully," Tata began sorrowfully, "there is no justification for what I have done. I fear that I shall burn in hell for the deeds I have committed."
No one answered in negation or agreement; they only asked him where the cave was.
Tata pointed the direction of the cave and limped behind the group. His face was forlorn and full of guilt. As he walked he said a silent prayer in his mind. "Father, please, spare those who have been taken for my lies and deceit. Let them be well. If it means my life, so be it. I cannot go home to those families, saying that I led their husbands and fathers into death. Forgive me. I will be an honorable man if they are spared. So help me, if they are well I shall endeavor to become thy servant. I swear not upon the moon, for I have not given it shape. Nor shall I swear upon my head, for I know not the number of hairs dot my crown. Instead, I promise thee, I will serve thy cause until my life's end. Nevertheless, even if they are dead, I must become thy servant to redeem myself. I have no right to ask thee for anything, but please save them for the sake of their families. Please, let them be well." That was the course of his prayer. Throughout the entire hike he did not cease to utter his profound apologies. Finally they stood outside the cave where the soldiers were taken captive.
"Wait here."
Toma and Tata waited tentatively as Crono entered the cave with his friends. They disappeared into the darkness and after the space of a half hour they could hear shouts and screams. After a few minutes longer, they could hear footsteps. Tata and Toma hid themselves behind a rock and waited with bated breath. Imagine their relief when Crono and his friends emerged from the cave! Furthermore, imagine the euphoria that entered Tata's heart when all the soldiers emerged from the edifice one at a time, each one mounted on their horses. They were tired, and some suffered deep cuts and broken bones, but they were all alive and salvageable. Tata uttered a quick prayer of thanks before he walked into the open.
The knights acted in the expected way towards Tata. They gave him sorrowful and betrayed glances. They did not address them, and some even cursed him for his cowardice. The words hurt Tata and it would be years before he would sleep well. The guilt was astounding, but he remembered that if there were even one who died, the guilt would have been unbearable.
"They were fanatical. They wanted to sacrifice them to Lavos. We came just in time." Crono replied.
"I cannot thank thee enough." Tata said, kneeling to Crono with a bowed head.
"Toma, we need you to take Tata home." He made sure to lean in close and whisper this into Toma's ear, "I'm afraid one of these knights will want to take their revenge."
"I admit that the feeling is mutual. However, if it something that you ask of me, I am under obligation to fulfill it."
After a few minutes of brief planning, where Crono, a Guardian a knight, issued commands to Porrean soldiers. They were not in a mood to argue and they suddenly felt their enthusiasm leave once they found out their hero was a fraud. They mounted their horses, telling Crono where they could find the holy place where the Masamune lay. They began their descent down the mountain, each one eager to share their grievances once they returned home. Meanwhile, Marle could not help but feel a small pang of sorrow for Tata. He was truly sorry for what he had done, yet Marle still had a feeling of satisfaction within her as he rode off with the look of a condemned man going to a noose.
They rode an hour further up the mountain. The trees became thicker here and the wind, although it howled outside the brambly thickets, we silent whispers in this holy forest. They ducked underneath the low branches and a few tugged at their clothes. Poor Marle regretted her choice in clothing with a branch gave a small scratch on her back. From that point they dismounted and walked their horses until they reached a small clearing. It was strange to see a flat clearing so close to the top. It was almost as it something had purposefully kept this place clean and kempt, because the grass was cut as well.
"Now, that's just stupid." Lucca said with a snort, "Who would want to make a lawn up here in the mountain?"
"Well, whoever it is, it must live in that."
Their gaze went to the large gaping hole in the rock. The hole didn't even consist of boulders, nor did it look natural. The hole was perfectly framed in an arch as the stone surrounding it was flattened and smoothed insomuch that it could have been marble. However, the stone beyond that was jagged and rough. The stone leading to the inside of the cave also looked clean and devoid of any dirt. It was the next best thing to a house made of wood and brick. "Maybe a hermit lives here?" No sooner had they said that they could hear a whoop of laughter.
"You can't catch me! You can't catch me!"
"I bet you I can!"
The must sudden and abrupt thing happened. A blur blew right past the entire group followed by another. The shapes became more defined as they slowed down to zigzag around the trees. They entered the clearing again, and to everyone's astonishment they flew into the air. They circled around and around until finally a blur ran right into the other. There was a triumphant cheer as the blurs stopped as the forms of two children could be seen, hovering in the middle of a blue sky.
"I told you I could catch you!" They were a distance away still, but one was so full of mirth and excitement he was speaking loudly. The other replied, but was resentful enough that he did not speak so loudly, and could not be heard. However, they could venture a guess that he relented to his defeat only to challenge the other child again. The reason for this was that the opposing blur was the pursuer this time and the laughing and giggling continued. The party gave each other an odd smile of surprise. Should they be astonished by this? They have seen far more amazing things. It was just humorous that these creatures seemed to be oblivious to their presence.
"Hello up there!" Lucca shouted.
Their only reply was their chanting which was followed by laughter. "You can't catch me! You can't catch me! I'm the wind! The fastest wind! You are slower! A-ha-ha!" They swooped down past the group again, causing their clothes to billow wildly in their wake. Lucca shouted at them as they sped by, but they seemed to pay no attention at all. Lucca ground her teeth at them. She shouted out that they were rude and she knew that they were ignoring her on purpose, although she truly did not know that for a fact.
"Although they are the shape of human children, they must be a higher existence." Robo mused as he saw the roles change once again.
"What do you mean?" Crono asked.
"When we traveled up this mountain we saw all kinds of animals, but paid them no mind. They must think we are inferior intelligences, or maybe that we are not important to them." Robo said calmly.
"Whatever the reason is, it is rude!" Lucca shouted upwards, shaking a fist. "They can speak our language, can't they? Pretty fluently as well, right? So answer us!"
They only swooped down, almost purposefully, and that made Lucca growl in annoyance. "Let's just go inside the cave. It seems that they are pretty intent on being so inconsiderate."
The group chuckled in amusement and followed Lucca as she stomped her way inside. For a moment it was dark and then the brilliant shine of torches lit their way. The cave was very spacious and even had pillars that supported the roof. This was far grander than they had expected, but the saw something that was far more amazing: They saw the Masamune, in perfect condition. A hole in the ceiling let light shine down upon the glorious artifact insomuch that it looked too sacred to touch. They also wondered how a whole Masamune was here, while the supposed other piece was in their belongings. There were a few steps that led up to a small dais where the Masamune sat, half the blade being embedded in the earth. Crono reached out for the sword, his hand feeling the handle. He could already feel the power of the sword. He was in the process of unsheathing it from the ground when all of a sudden he heard really close by say, "What are you doing, silly-man?"
Crono looked up and saw the face of a child, hanging upside down, and inches from his own. He gasped and jolted backwards, the reverence suddenly broken. The child was floating in the air while the other was behind them, leaning against the wall, looking at his nails as if he were bored. It was at this point that Lucca had a gleam in her eyes. "Alright! Now you guys finally have the nerve to address us, huh? Well I have some choice words to say to you!" She walked towards the child near the back wall, but was gone in a flash. Lucca shrieked and looked around, her gaze resting towards Crono. Both children were standing in front of Crono now, each one having the same silly grin.
They were healthy looking children: tanned with clean clothes with visible strands of thread lining the sleeves. Their faces were slightly dirty, but otherwise they were beaming with energy. There was something about these children that exuded energy. Crono knelt down and smiled back at them, "Well, it's nice to meet you guys! I'm Crono, who are you two?"
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Lucca walked towards them, but was stopped by Marle, who strangely seemed uneasy.
"I am Masa, and this is my brother Mune!"
Crono's eyebrows rose, "That's interesting. What are you guys doing here? Are you lost? Do you have a home?"
The two were silent for a second and looked at each other. They looked back at Crono before turning back to each other, saying, "Let's play, Mune!"
"Okay!"
With that, they raced outside once again, hooting and hollering as they had done before. Crono stood, nonplussed, while Lucca only giggled and added that now Crono knew how she felt. Crono looked at Robo again and voiced his agreement towards his theory. He stepped forward to claim the Masamune and no sooner than his hand go around the hilt…
"What are you doing, silly-man?" Crono did the exact same thing as the child continued to grin innocently.
Crono was a bit firmer after he recomposed himself, "We came for the sword. We need it."
There is something to be said about first impressions. All they knew about these children was that they were energetic, oblivious to anything, and always smiling. The smile instantly disappeared and was replaced with a look that seemed to hold no emotion whatsoever. It was oddly unsettling, seeing such a cheerful thing seem so deathly serious, "But it's ours. We own the sword."
"We can return it after we are done, but we really do need to use it." Crono said, suddenly feeling uneasy.
"No. You cannot have it." The group spun around, seeing the child do the same thing he had done last time; that is, observing his nails as if he were bored.
"I'm sorry, but we need it for a very important reason, and we can't wait."
Crono went to the sword and was in the process of removing it when suddenly a slight breeze went throughout the cave. At least, they thought it was a breeze, but in fact their own clothes were moving and flapping from nothing. Suddenly their clothes went tight as they felt themselves being pulled backwards. The darkness of the cave suddenly disappeared and they felt themselves land on something rough. They rolled to a stop and slowly rose to their feet, brushing off their clothes. They realized they were standing in the clearing in front of the cave. They looked towards the entrance and saw the two children, who they just realized were identical in appearance.
"The sword is ours, and unless you fight us and win you cannot have it."
"We don't want to fight you." Crono said, his tone suggesting otherwise.
"Then you can't have the sword."
Lucca growled, "Yeah! Alright then! I'll fight you! I can't wait to get your over my knees so I can spank you both into next week!"
The two children tittered, "Yea! They want to fight! We haven't fought anyone forever! Are you ready Mune?"
"Yes, Masa! Time to show them who we really are!"
The two children faced the group while they stood side by side. They clamped their hands on each others shoulders and suddenly a gale of wind and dust flew up from them. It felt as if an earthquake shook the mountain and the entire group shielded their eyes as dust pelted them. When the wind abated they looked at saw no children standing before them. Instead, they saw a beast of a creature with a bulky frame. Muscles thicker than tree trunks tensed as the creature crouched towards the ground. Before anyone could understand what was going on the creature launched forward. A large hand grabbed Crono's tunic and lifted him off the ground. He could hear a collective shriek from the girls as the creature spun around and hurled him towards the face of the cliff. By this time Crono managed to gather his senses and righted himself. His feet took the brunt of the blow. His legs tensed as he felt a sharp tingly pain go throughout his feet. He allowed himself to land on his knees next before slowly getting to his feet again, which ached.
"Ah, so you are no ordinary humans. You know magic, just like Janus."
"Janus?" Crono was about to ask who Janus was but saw that he was the focus of another charge. He leapt over the creature as it charged shoulder first into the wall. A cloud of dust burst forth from the rubble as a circular array of cracks showed the point of impact. The creature faced the group and grinned impishly, with a mouthful of fangs. The smile quickly disappeared as a shower of ice needles flew into his face. The creature howled in pain and surprise as Robo took advantage of this moment. He charged, already cocking back his arm. The hydraulic pump erupted into a cloud of steam as the fist jutted forward into the pit of the creature's stomach.
An arm swept Robo away like an insect, sending him crashing into a mess of branches. He landed with a loud thud while Crono and Lucca were already beginning their onslaught. Crono leapt onto the hunched back of the creature, jabbing his sword into its back. He yelped in surprise as the sword rebounded off his tough skin, only leaving a thin line of blood. The arm grabbed Crono and he felt himself fly in an arc, crashing into the ground. The creature moved quickly, raising Crono and slamming him savagely back to the earth repeatedly. The creature raised his arm to bang Crono against the ground a fourth time, but the arm was suddenly engulfed in a burning flame. The creature grabbed his arm and howled, letting go of Crono.
Crono was bleeding from his head and his vision was blurry. He stumbled for balance, but evidently having his body slammed into the ground repeatedly was a grave injury. He leaned on his sword, trying his best to shake a strange buzzing noise from his senses. He tried to focus but suddenly realized he was losing consciousness. Suddenly, he saw a green flash and felt the buzzing sensation go away. He looked at the creature and dabbed his forehead with his free hand. The blood was gone. He looked over and saw Marle give him a quick nod before he stretched out his arm and sent a bolt of lightning towards the creature.
"Up again? You are persistent!" The creature charged.
Crono leapt gracefully to the air, but it was to no avail. The monster read his movement too soon and Crono found himself in a viselike grip. Crono wriggled and squirmed as the creature tried to tighten his grip. Crono could feel his muscles grow weary and he felt the grip circle around him. "I am sorry, mister. I guess I need to crush your bo-!" The creature's grip suddenly slackened and Crono fell to the earth. He saw the creature hovering in mid air and underneath that creature was Robo. He could see his mechanical limps quivering and suddenly tense as he threw Masa and Mune into the wall. The ground shook as the limp form fell to the ground.
"Everyone! Hit him with magic! Now!" Crono shouted.
A brilliant flash of light graced the top of the mountain and the knights who stood at the base marveled and wondered what could have caused such a phenomenon. Meanwhile the creature was prostrated on the ground, groaning as he feeble tried to raise himself. Marle had already begun to attend to Crono and Robo while Lucca kept a close eye on the beast. She shouted a warning as the form suddenly turned into a great ball of light. They turned to see the light fade into the form of two little children once more.
"That was amazing!" said one child.
"Incredible! What strength!" said another.
"The sword is yours! Come in! Come in! We will give it to you!"
The group eyed each other uneasily as the two children disappeared inside the cave. They followed shortly after.
Author's note: Man, I didn't mean to wait so long to get this chapter up! I meant to update much sooner! This also turned out longer than I originally intended. I hope it was worth the wait. I hope you all liked Masa and Mune. The scene with Marle and Crono is based off a work of art I saw done by the character designer where it is Crono and Marle alone, speaking with each other.