Chrono Trigger

What Lies Beyond?; The party, with the help of the prisoners from Mount Woe, storm Zeal Kingdom and the Ocean Palace...

Glenn growled with the rage of an animal. His boot scuffed against the ground and he kicked up a cloud of dust. Every part of his body tensed and if he weren't so blinded by his anger he would have realized that he couldn't breath. After forcing himself to take breaths, he realized his emotions were getting the best of them. He turned to Crono, his anger lessened yet not entirely abated, and said with a scowl, "We must pursue them, Crono! Taking a woman hostage? Of all the lowly and dishonorable..." It worked him back into a frenzy which he quickly dispelled.

Crono turned to the gurus and asked, "Do you know how much time we have until Lavos is awakened?"

"It is looking grim...Schala was hesitant about bringing Lavos back, and Lavos must surely be somewhat aware of what we are planning. He will press the Queen to do her worst."

"What do we do?" Marle asked, her eyes darting to each person nervously.

"We must be fast." Ayla said, her hands going to her hips. "We need go to Zeal Kingdom now!"

"That is true," began Balthazar, "but they will be expecting you. I know with your fighting capabilities you would be able to overthrow their defenses, but they will slow you down and you will be weakened."

One of the guards that stood with Balthazar came forward, "Then we will go with them!"

This man, who had shared a deep history with the prophets, was full of determination. Although not much was known about him, there was something about his demeanor that showed true belief and trust. It was a level of loyalty that was unrivaled, and it came from a man who had no strength to boast of rather than that which came from his exceeding conviction. He knelt and bowed his head to Crono and said, "My name is Gaway. I am one of the men you have freed from Mount Woe. Before the words of the gurus fell upon my heart, I was a head guard within the palace. I know its layout, I know its secret routes, I know how the soldiers are trained to think, and I know the fastest way to get to the throne room."

"The throne room?" Lucca asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why would we want to go to the throne room?"

At those words, he knelt on the ground and began drawing into the dirt. "The throne room is at the very back of the palace, which makes it the most heavily fortified area. The Queen, as a show of her importance, placed the sole warp point leading to the Ocean Palace there. She even moved the cleansing ritual used on slaves into the throne room so that she may deem them fit to enter Lavos' domain."

The members of the party shivered at the thought of the cleansing ritual. "We have to sneak in and force ourselves to watch that again?" asked Glenn.

"No," said Gaway, "there is no time. We cannot infiltrate it quietly. Instead, we separate into two groups and we speed toward the capital. One causes a great ruckus to divert the attention of the guards while another uses the opportunity to overpower the remaining forces."

"How do you know they will send more guards than what they leave behind?" Robo asked.

Gaway said grimly, "We will set off an explosion. The devastation will be drastic. Many people who are not involved will be killed, but it is better to lose a few hundred then several million."

"And what will you be using to make an explosion?" Lucca asked, "dirt and rocks?"

"Blasting jelly," Gaway said, his face scrunching up into a sneer at the tone of Lucca's sarcasm. "While Crono was healing we had formed a plan that involved sneaking you into the city. The blasting jelly was a failsafe in case something went wrong and we needed an escape. Instead, we can use it as a distraction and clear a path."

"How will you escape this time?" Glenn asked.

Gaway did not answer and continued, "Now, I know what you are thinking...why not use the blasting jelly on the blockade itself? That would be fine and good, but if you did it would only alert the blockades behind it who would send in reinforcements. And that, is another issue."

"How so?" Crono asked, who had managed to correctly interpret Gaway's avoidance of the former question.

"To distract the next blockade, we would have to split our numbers again. During your recuperation, we have rallied at least four hundred men who were willing to attempt the plan. Since the plan has changed, we must let them know. I doubt we would have any deserters. All our men are devoted to the cause. Nonetheless, we did not plan for this." Gaway called out to another guard who stood nearby, "Gantz, assemble the men and let them know the situation. Tell them that we must meet in the great hall to prepare for our mission to be carried out as soon as possible." The man nodded and sped away, his voice already ordering a few people in the distance to carry out the new order.

"So," Gaway continued, "that means we will have to split early on and go our separate ways. One group of men will set off the explosion in the plaza a little west of the main road. It is a good, open area which would serve as an ideal location if we had planned a large scale siege of the city, so no captain would hesitate to send a large portion of his troops. With our numbers alone, we would have difficulty overthrowing the rest, but with your abilities we would soar past the checkpoint with ease."

"Wait, I'm curious." Ayla said, stopping Gaway, "Checkpoints? When did the Queen put up checkpoints?"

"After your attempt to dismantle the Mammon Machine. She has grown increasingly paranoid."

"And how many checkpoints do we need to pass through?" Ayla asked, worry creeping into her voice.

"There are seven overall since the commander in charge thought it was somewhat auspicious. However, there is a hidden warp point within a market house that used to be a cleansing area for slaves. I used to herd prisoners to the palace courtyard through this warp point. It was there when I served the Queen so I believe it must be still activated. After all, it is a valuable escape route in times of peril."

"And what if it isn't?" Lucca asked with concern, "What if it was dismantled since you have been out of her service?"

Gaway cleared his throat and said, "I...I am not sure." He spoke quickly as he saw the doubt grow on Crono's face, "I strongly believe that they will not have destroyed the warp point. You can already tell by how much they value Schala that they also value their warp points. Although they seem simple, they take thousands of hours and hundreds of technicians and men to build them. It would be a great waste to dismantle one, therefore they would find reason to keep it. Trust me. I know the guardsmen and how we act. We are vigilant, but we are also lazy at some points. We would take the chance to keep a warp point if we believed that only a few souls know about the warp point. It is there. I know it is."

"Even so...I would like to hear a back-up plan just in case." Lucca said with her arms crossed.

Gaway scratched his head and slowly confessed, "I cannot create one out of thin air. The only way we could do so otherwise is to commit our entire team to the battle against the Queen's troops in the plaza. Our numbers and the ruckus we'll cause would eventually draw the majority of the Kingdom's defense. You would then infiltrate the city and sneak past the remaining guards. There would still be soldiers guarding key positions, such as the grand stairwell and the main square of Enhasa where you have no choice but to fight, but your strength would be sufficient enough to pass by them. However, you might be weary when you reach the Queen. And you would have to be faster as well. Their numbers will overpower ours faster if we use this strategy and they will be free to regroup and hunt down further insurgents."

Marle nodded resolutely, "Even so, it is better than never getting there at all. It doesn't matter how tired we'll be. We have to try!"

Crono said, "Then again, the portal might still be there. Is there anyway we can check and see if the portal is still there and have time enough to fall back to use the secondary plan if the first fails?"

"Yes." Said Gaway hesitantly as if the idea seemed unwise to him. "By the time we rejoin our forces we could pincer in our enemies, but the first team will be considerably weaker by then. If we cannot eliminate the enemy before reinforcements arrive, we could be flanked and defeated just as quickly." He looked at Crono with a certain respect while saying, "I see now the reason for Lucca's doubt. These plans are based on hope that things play out the way we wish. I would not want to endanger your lives for the sake of following my plan. I believe the first plan is the wisest, but if you truly doubt that the portal will be there I understand. If I may, I ask that this decision be yours."

Crono looked at Gaway with a very penetrating gaze before it gave way to twinkling eyes and a warm smile, "I don't think you would mislead us. I think we should try the first plan. I find it respectable that you would be willing to admit to any flaws in your plan, and I don't think a person who does that would give only half of his effort."

Gaway beamed in response, "Thank you, Crono."

"Wait a moment!" Lucca asked as everyone turned to face her, "are there many people who can warp others like Schala can?"

Balthazar looked at her with a raised brow, "In former generations, yes, but not now. Those who can are not powerful enough to transport a whole person."

Lucca grinned as she put forth the next question, "So, how did the infiltrators get here? And in enough time to wait until they were able to sneak in? From what Dalton said, they were waiting for quite some time in the cold."

Gaway's eyes brightened and he rubbed his mouth as he deduced, "Perhaps they used a mode of transportation! Maybe even enough to quickly transport our army and use it in our siege!"

Gaway was chuckling to himself now as he revised his plan, taking pleasure in the fact that someone as intelligent as Dalton could make a mistake. Then, his eyes darkened. What if he hadn't made a mistake? What if Dalton destroyed the vehicles they used to arrive here to hide their presence? He called over another sentry and ordered that a team examine the woods as he continued to outline the plan. He made sure to label the plan as optimistic and began to explain that using a higher speed transport would create more chaos and confusion, thus making their plan less costly to revise if the warp was indeed destroyed. However, the sentry returned with a wide grin and explained that around fifty vehicles were hidden in bushes and snowbanks a mere hundred yards away.

"So, should we get ready?" Crono asked.

"Meet us in the main hall in ten minutes. We cannot waste any time. I will gather the men and go over the plan once more."

Lucca hoped that there would be a point during the siege that they might rest and have something to eat, therefore she asked an attendant to prepare her something to eat for her journey. Although it was brief, it was a pleasant acquaintance that they shared. Lucca found out more about the people who lived in these caves. They were Earthbounders and exiled citizens of Zeal, living together and surviving off each others talents. Although the stories were so numerous that some escaped her memory, the attendant told how each person found peace and sanctuary in these surprisingly warm caverns and how some had to leave their families to do what was right. It was at that point where Lucca was struck by a realization: there were people here who still had loved ones that lived in Zeal. The thought was sobering.

The four hundred men that began to prepare for their mission were mostly exiles from the kingdom; they were people with families. Perhaps the place where they would detonate the blasting jelly was near their old homes where they would spend evenings with their children and then nights with their loved ones. Although Crono was quick to understand Gaway's hidden meaning about how they had no escape plan, it did not mean that it didn't dawn on the rest of the party. The level of their sacrifice hit Lucca at that moment and she thought of her mother and father back at home.

"Lucca, why dost thou weep?"

Lucca looked at Glenn with a sort of horror that falls upon those who are ashamed of showing something they wish could be unseen. "I-I am not crying. I'm just...I'm okay. Thank you."

Glenn sensed otherwise but did not say anything. He merely nodded, squeezed Lucca's shoulder, and prepared his things.

"Damn it, Glenn," Lucca thought to herself. "Being nice and kind like that isn't going to make me cry any less!"

Crono was in his room for only a brief moment, for he had little time to waste. His pouch was slung over a chair and his sword, complete with sheath, leaned against the same chair. He inspected the blade to see if it had been dented. When she had lingered in his room the night before she recounted on what occurred after he lost consciousness due to the actions of Giga Gaia. The weapons had stuck to his body and after the lodestone began to crack the magnetic force was loosened on the weapons. She did not inform him if the blade had been dented.

It had. But Crono grinned as he saw that any dents had been smoothed down by the hands of a certain skillful swordsman as he slept. Crono made a note to himself to thank Glenn later. As he turned to leave, the door closed behind him.

"Marle?" He looked at her, his eyes already seeing that nothing truly worried her to the point of fright. "You seem calm."

She grinned at him and said, "I am nervous. But, I feel better when you are with me."

Crono's heart felt a flush of warmth and he truly treasured those words. He smiled back and said, "I swear, one of these days I'll take you on a date like a normal person."

She laughed and then was silent for a moment. Crono detected some nostalgia and sadness as she looked to the floor and then at him. "Crono," she started slowly, "did you ever think you would be a part of something so incredible? I mean, we are about to dethrone a queen, destroy a great evil, and change the very future itself. I mean, if everything goes well, our journey will be over." She fiddled with her pendant a bit and it dawned on him that she did not know why she felt this way and was seeking some strange manner of comfort. She finished her thought with, "It might be strange going back to a normal life...to be a normal person."

Crono took a step toward her and leaned in close whilst saying with a smile, "I look forward to it."

"What?" Marle seemed surprised and then her brow furrowed and playfully slapped his chest and said, "Are you just saying what I want to hear? I know how you always wanted to be a knight, and to be a hero, to kill giant things, to do this, and that..." she trailed off as she humorously gestured with her hands.

Crono gently grabbed her hands and let them fall down to her side. He sighed and said after giving it some thought, "Things have changed. I'm not that starstruck little boy anymore who wanted a sword and a bad guy to fight. I want a world where I don't need to worry about those close to me. There's nothing I'd love more than just sit by the beach and talk with you without worrying what to do next. I want this to be over, so that..." Crono clammed up.

"So that you can what?" she asked, giggling.

Crono grinned sheepishly before saying, "So that I can actually date you."

Marle burst out into laughter while Crono smiled so broadly his cheeks hurt. After the laughter subsided, he leaned in and kissed her gently and they parted. She then pulled him in and kissed him more fiercely, causing them both to blush. They parted again, and she said slowly and softly, "So...you wouldn't mind if I was normal?"

Crono answered back, "You have never been normal to me. You are special to me, and I don't think that is ever going to change."

"Alright." She said, her sadness fading away slowly as she saw his sincerity, "that's all I really needed to hear."

They left the room, hand in hand, to face their destiny.

Gaway stood in front of his men and noticed that Crono and the others had not arrived yet. He was relived, for the things he wished to say were things he did not want them to hear. He wanted them to focus on the battle rather than worry about those who were already resolved to give their lives if necessary. After all, he had heard about Crono's consideration for life from those within the cavern. He was pleased to see that the men did not believe it to be a sign of weakness since he had fought so hard to free them. However, it left a lasting impression on Gaway that he did not want Crono to know how much they were going to sacrifice.

The great hall was crowded with the souls of four hundred and fifteen men. There were a few who refused the mission which caused Gaway to remember the scripture written by ancients: "He who looks back from the plow is not worthy of me." Nonetheless, he bore no venom toward them and understood why they would refuse the mission. He began to retell the plan, the men listening silently and intently so that a pin drop could be heard. After he finished his explanation of the plan, he sighed and looked out to them.

"I lived in sin and did the unspeakable. I brought about the suffering of thousands. I tore families apart in the service of the Queen of Zeal. I forced men, women, and children through great pain for the sake that others may put themselves upon a pedestal. I look out among you and see faces I recognize. I remember when I first trained a few of you. I remember the horrible looks on your faces and realized that for years I had unknowingly learned how to hide my disgust. It was the prophets who brought me to realize the depth of my denial and the truth has set me free."

The men roared in agreement and to show their love for the men who led them here.

Gaway motioned for them to be silent, which they did immediately. He looked over them and said, "I am truly sorrowful that you had so little time to say your farewells. Our mission is of great importance. We seek to free a nation of slaves so that we may all again be equal and no longer bear the sin of indifference. Many of us will not return, but do not let this thought distract you. Think of your families, think of those who have allowed themselves to be blinded by the conventional wisdom of fools. We must make them see, brothers. They have covered their eyes to the pain of others for too long. May our actions atone for our sins before our eyes were opened. May our sacrifice shake the minds of the people of Zeal, so that they are brought down to humility. Now, let us depart, and pray that we are successful."

The snowfields passed by them quickly, the drifting snow becoming lines that fluttered past their wake. The vehicles were a great advantage, but there were still too few to transport all the soldiers. Multiple trips had to be made back and forth, but it greatly saved time and energy and allowed the soldiers more suitable farewells. Meanwhile, everyone who was more important to the plan gathered around a fire and discussed their parts in greater detail just before the gate.

"Are there guards on the other side?" Ayla asked, leaning forward in her eagerness to contribute.

"We cannot be sure just yet." said a man who had been appointed a commander. "If we show ourselves there could be a spotter nearby who will give us away. There were a few guards who kept watch on this side, but they were dispatched before they could leave."

"And nobody came to look for them?" asked Lucca, her voice rising in surprise.

"That is the thing," replied the guard. "they should have sent someone to inquire after them. It could be that they are anticipating us or that the guards are incredibly lax at the moment due to the commencement of the Ocean Palace."

"Ah," said Robo, "they will be celebrating. That gives us another edge."

"Exactly. But, if they amassed a large blockade we will need to have Crono and his party take the lead. They will push their way through and blast an opening for us and we will be able to pass that army completely unless they have transports of their own. In that case, we must stay and hold them off."

"What if we use the blasting jelly instead?" Lucca asked, "That would drastically affect their numbers."

"That is true," said Gaway, "but we only have so much. Even if they have a large force gathered together we would still have opposition at the gate. We could spare a barrel or two, but it would be better to blast through while they were surprised."

"Alright. If that's what you think is best."

At last, the distant humming of the vehicles came to rest outside the walls. Glenn, despite his nerves, grinned and said "Well, let us write history then, shall we?"

There was nobody there.

Crono was astonished as he saw the same sight that greeted them the first time he arrived to Zeal. There was nothing but clear grassland before him. He peered off into the distance and saw that the city truly was in a state of celebration. He could make out the shape of distant balloons in the thousands, their myriad colors blending together as confetti rained down past them. As Crono peered into the distance, there were several times he wondered if he were imagining the whole thing. Could this all be an elaborate hoax to draw their makeshift army into security? Was a trap waiting for them just at the city? It seemed ridiculous that no preparation was made for their arrival. That is, unless...

"They think we are too late..." Crono whispered under his breath, concluding to himself that there may be truth in what they thought.

Crono could hear the sound of feet walking behind him and the sound of vehicles humming. Gaway joined his side as did his friends and he asked aloud, "Are they celebrating?"

"I couldn't believe it either. I think they believe that Lavos is close to waking."

More footsteps followed behind them until they realized the platform had become full and those who appeared stared with the same sense of fearful amazement. Crono had noticed this and leaned toward Gaway and brought his attention back to the plan. Gaway turned to his troops and shouted while batoning with his arm, "Defense team, mount up on the vehicles! Head to the plaza! Carry as many men as possible! Infiltration team! Come with me! The celebration will be to our advantage! We will be able to disperse the crowd once the chaos starts. Defensive team, begin detonation when you either hear from our messenger or see our signal! Those on either team who cannot fit on a vehicle, move toward the city at running speed! The riders have been instructed to return and carry you to your assigned group! Move out!"

The thunderous noise of over four hundred men sounds on the plains as they began to move. The noise became accentuated by the humming of hovering vehicles. Crono straddled a vehicle and felt the sudden push of wind against his face. The cacophony of footsteps quickly abated as the vehicle took the first group toward the city. His driver, Gaway, leaned forward with a grim determination. Crono, with his newfound appreciation for the beauty of the world, looked over the quickly passing landscape. It was sobering that this very land could very well be on the brink of destruction.

Suddenly, Crono realized that he could hear Gaway's heartbeat. It was very strange. It was not the heartbeat that awaited a man entering into a battle. It was the heartbeat of a man who was calm and collected. Crono thought for a moment of why that would be so and arrived to his only possible conclusion. "Do you think that this celebration will lessen our casualties?"

Gaway shook his head, "No, but it will surely heighten theirs. It will give us the advantage of surprise to a more powerful extreme, but we will not make it back alive. At least, my men and I won't."

Crono, already knowing the difficulty of the mission, was stunned by his answer. How in the world could he be calm in the face of death? Thinking of nothing to say, he only replied, "Did you say your farewells to your family?"

Gaway was silent for a moment as if he hesitated to say something, but then shook his head. "My family has been dead for a long time. The Queen executed them in front of my very eyes when I turned against her."

Crono blushed in horrified embarrassment. He could only say, "I am sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"It is alright." Gaway shouted over the noise of the wind, "I don't know if things would have been different if I lived a purer life, but I have paid for the suffering I have brought upon countless others by feeling that same pain. I have done much evil in my life, but I believe I have tried my best to repent of it. Today is the zenith of my atonement. Today is the day I make my family proud of me wherever they may be. Today I face my death. My soul is prepared." It was then that Crono understood why his heartbeat was so steady and why he did not fear death.

He believed he had nothing left to live for.

The great gates of Kajar lay before them, ever growing as they rapidly approached. Although it was still a distance from the opening of the gate, the streets were filled with people. Crono shook his head and muttered that their speed would be greatly hindered by the human wall. However, Gaway seemed unconcerned. In fact, he made a signal to the others who rode with him. The action signified the action of pushing a button, which Gaway and all the other drivers did. There was the hissing of metal pumps as a brace formed toward the front of the vehicle, much like a plow. Although they were separated from each other, Crono could see the other members of the party giving each other quizzical glances. However, Glenn's face suddenly grew very solemn as if he understood perfectly what was going to happen. He would later say that he had experience with casualties of war, and the casualties were various.

Marle's eyes went wide as the vehicles careened toward the pedestrians. "Watch out! You are going to-!"

She shrieked and hid her eyes, suddenly realizing what they had to do. A heavy thud sounded as well as many more diminutive thuds. Marle could feel something banging against the bottom of the vehicle and her insides suddenly felt as if they were made of ice. She whimpered and tried to cover her ears to the hysteric reaction of the crowd. She could hear the sounds of other bodies being rolled over by the advancing vehicles. Lucca, who had done the same as Marle, shouted at the man who rode with her. "What the hell is this!? There are children in the crowd!"

"We cannot be slowed down for any reason. We have no time to waste. The panic will clear the streets."

Lucca seethed, fighting back the sickening emotion that filled her. Glenn continued to watch, being vigilant and trying his best not to allow the horror of the action to shake his mind from the objective. This was a lesson he had learned against his will many times during the war with Magus. He was a young man, about Crono's age when he first witnessed such an atrocity. Even still, a curse came out from his lips followed by a plea for forgiveness.

The strategy worked. Bells began to ring throughout the city, alerting guards to the presence of an enemy within Kajar. The infiltrators neared the plaza and the streets grew more and more clear as civilians returned to their homes. An occasional soldier who had wandered away from duty would act as an occasional obstacle, but was caught unawares and too fearful to be anything close to effective. Not a single loss had been taken from Gaway's army. Finally, there came a fork in the road where half of the men went one way while the other half went another direction. Ayla and her rider had pulled ahead in the midst of the chaos and found that they were pulled to the right.

The streets began to narrow as the buildings grew closer together and baskets which had been abandoned by traders were left to roll in the road. They had reached the market area as evidenced by the canopies and streamers over their heads. Finally, in front of them was a spacious building that almost seemed stately. Although there were various items for sale outside, there were cages where Earthbounders were left behind. The men immediately disembarked from their vehicles as Gaway shouted out orders, pointing out to the ones who would fulfill his designs. "Take down every soldier inside. First team, I want you to guard the west entrance, second team will guard the north entrance, and third team will guard the west entrance. Kill anyone who tries to escape, soldier and civilian alike. All other teams, come inside and let's clear out this market house. Don't forget to bind the hostages."

The men who were in their assigned teams either ascended to their vehicles again to assume their posts or dashed inside the market place where battle cries and blasts echoed. Within ten minutes, a man ran from outside, his front covered in either his own blood or the blood of another. Since he did not seem at a loss for breath or even pale, Crono believed it was the blood of another. He saluted Gaway and said, "The market place is clear, but the warp point is nowhere to be found."

Gaway's face grew blank and Lucca growled in frustration. He stammered but quickly regained his composure, "That cannot be possible. Crono, everyone, follow me."

Crono obeyed and he ducked inside the building. Smoke billowed from burning wares while civilians and slaves alike were forced to lay on the ground with their hands on their heads as their hands and feet were bound together one by one. Gaway walked with the certainty of a man who was very familiar with the area. However, that certainty seemed to fade as he doubled back down another hall and grew slower in pace. "This can't be possible. I was so certain that they wouldn't destroy a warp point. There's no reason."

Lucca sighed and said with as much sincerity as she could muster, "It was a good plan. You were wrong and that is all. Nobody is going to blame you. Let's just go with the next plan."

Gaway shook his head and sighed, "We have lost much of our advantage. Let's move to the second stage then."

As they walked down the hallway toward the entrance, they passed by where Gaway began to slacken his pace. Crono grew slower in his footsteps and his mind detected something that nobody else could sense. Even Robo did not notice, but he noticed that something very much like a spark went off within Crono's mind. Crono looked at Robo, sensing already that they were in accordance. "Something feels different. The air and the sound of our footsteps don't seem as confined as they should be." Without saying another word, Robo began tapping lightly on the walls. Mostly, the bricks were completely crushed under his metals hands. However, his blows landed upon a portion of the wall and the bricks fell through onto an unseen side.

Gaway, having stopped to watch, laughed in amazement. "They really are lazy! They didn't destroy it but knew that it was security risk and covered it up instead! Imbeciles!" He turned to a soldier that had been walking by his side and said, "Tell the messenger to report to the other group. Let them know that they can begin detonating. Also, let the men here know that we will give the Zeal army time to march toward the plaza before we take the warp point. Twenty minutes after the explosion we will move on the palace next. Ask a man to take to the rooftop and scout out the main road. Tell him to let us know when the Zeal army grows near, and how many troops they are bringing. Go!"

A man within the crowd of resting soldiers, having heard the orders from the captain himself, did not waste time being told again. He sprang into action, his unusually lanky frame stretching and scrambling over the walls, the rafters, and then the windows of the marketplace itself. For a moment he was out of view until bricks crumbled down from the ceiling. He peered downward, his face showing in the small hole he had made. Gaway nodded in approval and said, "Let me know when their armies draw in close and give me an estimate of what they bring with them."

And with that, all other soldiers sat and rested, their eyes still vigilant on the captives they watched.

Even as they sat, they could hear the distant shouts of battle and the panicked cry of civilians. Finally, after what seemed to be ages of restless waiting, a echoing boom sounded throughout the kingdom of Zeal. The sound of distant screams escalated as well as the tempo of the fighting. It had become more frantic, more purposeful. Marle, whose thoughts had not left the innocents that were trampled underneath their advancement, clutched her pendant and wished within herself that there was another way and that this feeling would leave her. Her foot was tapping rapidly on its own accord in a show of her impatience, her eyes darting to Gaway who seemed to be as calm as a Summer's morning.

A voice came down from the ceiling. "Sir...something is strange."

Gaway looked upward and shouted, "What is the problem?"

The voice from the ceiling came down, its tone befuddled. "It's the army. It's not just the next barrier. They are sending everyone."

Gaway had a look of surprise on his face and hesitated a moment before he ascended the walls the same way the lookout had done before. He was back in a moment accompanied by the lookout with a dark and puzzled look across his face. When Lucca asked him what the problem was, he shrugged in disbelief and said, "It is true. They are leaving the palace unguarded."

Lucca's face brightened, "I can't believe it! Your plan worked perfectly!"

Gaway's mood was not swayed. His face remained dark and pensive as he said, "It does not make any sense, even if they are confident. Dalton is a wise man, and a cautious one. To withdraw all the troops from the palace is to leave them wide open...It appears to be suicide."

"You suspect there is a trap." Robo said, summing up his words for those who did not understand.

Gaway nodded. "Even still. There is no turning back or questioning it now. We have to proceed. However, this does call for a change of tactics. We will not need this large of an army to storm the palace. A team of twenty should suffice. However, since there is the possibility of a trap, it would be wise to bring a little under fifty." He spoke louder now so that the remnant of his army could hear, "First team through fourth will escort us to the palace. I leave Gantz in charge of the remaining army. If we are able to pincer the army, it would cause great confusion and buy us time. When the Zeal army marches upon the defense group, that is your time to strike and scatter them about. That is all." Crono followed closely behind as Gaway headed toward the warp point, but walked past him as he turned to his men and said solemnly, "It was an honor to have fought beside you all."

Ayla looked upon the soldiers whose faces were a mixture of old and young, yet all held a countenance of resolve. That was when she realized that none of them expected to live past this day.

Scholars and slavers looked down at the chaos below, even going as far as to analyze the battle that was occurring before their very eyes. Of course, they felt the security of doing so, believing that they were safe upon the mountain of the Queen. They looked upon the slaughter of hundreds as if they were meager ants and were more moved toward interest rather than grief. A few even made a joke or two about how the dead must have wished they lived just a bit longer to taste the fruit of immortality. Fate, in this instance, decided that it would be humorous at the scholars' expense.

The courtyard suddenly burst into mad life as energy crackled about them. There were no warnings or commands to kneel on the ground. The strange men who appeared out of nowhere began to slaughter all those in the immediate vicinity. The scholars and slavers, who had mocked the deaths of many, now felt the same pains and sorrow of a waning life. Long after the party had advanced toward the inner walls of the palace, did their life finally seep away and they drifted off into an unprepared death.

"No," Gaway said as he ran up the steps, peaking around corners, "these are perfect ambush points. There really is nobody here."

"We best proceed with caution then." Glenn said, taking point.

Glen and Gaway had taken the lead, inspecting corners of the palace where they believed good ambush points lay. Their countenances of intense focus and unease turned into bewilderment as they neared the throne room. There was not a single soldier in sight, no obstacle of any kind to overcome. Had they really abandoned the palace so soon? They stood before the antechamber of the throne room, with Gaway taking point and urging others to hide behind pillars in case there was a trap. Everyone obeyed and he charged the door, bursting through the other side. Everyone peered into the room and saw only Dalton laying upon the throne, his legs dangling from the side while he messily devoured an apple.

"'Ave a nice trip, did ye?" he asked while taking another bite.

"What is the meaning of this, Dalton?" Gaway asked, "I have never known you to be so inept."

"Why, wotever do ya mean?" Dalton said with a laugh.

"You commanded the men to abandon their posts! You knew we were coming for the Mammon Machine! Why? What are you planning?"

"Wot are ya accusing me of? Maybe you are a right genius, you are, an' I was the blimey fool." He stared at Gaway intently as he took another bite of his apple.

At this point, Crono stepped forward. Dalton's words from the Earthbounder cave suddenly came back to him and he said, "No. I know what he wants. He doesn't want Lavos to wake up either."

Dalton smiled, "Aye...it's good that one of ye gits know how to pay attention."

Lucca's eyes went wide in realization, "You really do believe in Balthazar. You already know that you can't possibly control Lavos when he awakens, but the Queen hasn't listened to you. You want us to kill the Queen!"

"Ah!" Dalton began clapping his hands, letting his apple fall to the floor, "And thus we see that you an' I ain't so dif'rent after all!"

"We are different!" Crono said sharply, causing Dalton's smile to fade, "You want us to kill the Queen, but you will try to stop us from killing Lavos."

"An' why would I do that?" Dalton said, patronizingly.

"Because you are stupid enough to think that he will sleep forever." Crono said with a grin of his own.

Dalton chewed his lip, "You plan to go toe to toe with a God an' you call me stupid, eh? Ha! You are a right ballsy one, you are. Well, let this old fool spell it out for ye...It is a clear shot to the Queen from this throne room. My men have cleared out and the only thing standing between you an' her happen to be her royal guard."

Marle aimed her crossbow at Dalton, saying with menace "And where will you be when we find her?"

Dalton learned forward in the throne, staring down Marle with his single eye. "Right behind you."

It happened quickly. Marle had released her bow, but it only found the back of the throne. Dalton had leaped from his spot and headed toward the gate that lay a short way from the central dais. He dove into the swirling vortex and was gone. Marle silently cursed to herself as she reloaded her bow. Gaway stood, his mind reeling from what he had seen. "This explains much. Dalton knew we were coming all along. Had we suspected anything he knew we wouldn't come, even if Schala's life were in danger."

Ayla beamed, "Then maybe Dalton is as stupid as we thought!" She pounded her fist into her open palm.

"No." Crono said slowly, "He believes that we will defeat the Queen. He believes in Balthazar that much. The fact that he is willing to tell us that he is waiting suggests that he has something up his sleeve."

"He is a ruthless man." Robo said thoughtfully, "It is a sound battle plan: let the other two armies exhaust each other and then scavenge those that remain."

"So, what are your commands? Where shall we go?" asked a member of the attack party.

"Where else but forward?" Gaway asked simply.

They rushed toward the plate and breathed in deep as the mists of the portal swarmed them. They could feel their bodies shifting inwardly as they turned into light.

And then, they were in darkness.