Chrono Trigger

Death Peak; a chapter in which the party discovers more history concerning the horrific origins of Lavos and where they attempt to resurrect their fallen comrade...

The dead world filled their view once again and it was as foreboding as it always was. However, the great dome of Balthazar lay before them as well as a monstrous mountain that went above the clouds. They did not have to feel the wind against their skin to know that it was extremely violent. They could see it in how the clouds moved. Lucca turned to the party, "There is no way we can take this thing up there."

"How about taking it over the clouds?" Marle suggested.

"I tried that," Lucca said whilst shaking her head, "no matter what, it is like the sky is keeping us away from the mountain."

"Or, mayhaps, it is the work of Lavos."

"You think he might know what we are trying to do?" Ayla asked, a bit of nervousness in her voice.

"Well, we sure as hell aren't going to back down now even if he does!" Lucca said, her voice grim and determined.

The scorched earth grew near as the Epoch lowered its altitude. The very machine that had been the masterwork of a genius shuddered threateningly even in Death Peak's mildest winds. It had become obvious even from the descent that traveling up on foot was the only way. She rounded back to the dome with a grin while the others asked her what she was doing. She replied, "We can't take the Epoch, but I am willing to bet that we can find something else that can take us up the mountain!"

The search did not take long. They found a vehicle that hovered over terrain which had once been designed to carry soldiers to distant battlefields. It was not nearly as fast as what Crono used in the race through the ruins, but it was steady and able to withstand the winds of Death Peak. Everyone boarded the vehicle as Robo and Lucca took the front seats. They were pleased to see that it shot forward at a good speed and didn't seem to have trouble with steeper hills.

"It has stabilizers! That is definitely going to help!" Lucca grinned.

"Stabilizers? What meanest thou?"

"Oh, they are a part of the vehicle that keep it from tipping over even if we wind up on non-leveled ground. We'll basically float up-right until either the stabilizers give out or we land on steady ground."

"Did you understand that?" Ayla asked.

Glenn scoffed and grinned while folding his arms, "Didst thou?"

Ayla grinned, "Nope."

"It's not that hard to...oh forget it." Lucca said, her eyes narrowing.

As the party progressed toward the mountain, all took turns switching into heavier winter gear that they gathered before hand. Already the red, dusty earth grew whiter and thicker with frost. As a test, Marle placed her hand against the glass window and felt the bone-chilling cold that was just on the other side before hastily putting on her gloves. Even Magus, who had insisted that the cold did not bother him, decided that it would not hurt to put on a heavier cloak.

Marle had stolen a glance or two toward Magus as he bound the extra clothing to himself. She thought for a moment about what to say and started slowly, "So, do you think that we'll be okay?"

Magus spoke as if any word he had to say was an annoyance. "Concerning what?"

"Do you think Lavos will...I mean, he is under the earth, right? He can't ATTACK us, can he?"

"And you think I know this?"

"I thought you might have an idea..."

"I have no idea what we'll find there. I have no idea what we are going to do there. For all I know he could be waiting for us at the top or the whole thing could be a waste of time."

"It won't be." Marle said firmly.

Magus said nothing as he sealed the hood of his cloak with a scarf around his neck and mouth. He thought the words: For all of your sakes I hope not, and kept his peace.

There were no trees or any signs of life on this mountain. Lucca, as a way of tuning out the obvious reason for lack of life, imagined that this was what it must have looked like on distant planets. The landscape was so strange and foreign. All was buried under white, save the sharp contrast of dark stone. There were no icicles. The mountain would've needed to be warmer at one point for that. For who knew how long this mountain had been frozen, it had been growing and growing as the world had gotten colder and colder.

"Is it me, or are we slowing down?" Robo asked.

He was right, of course. The machine whirled louder than ever, showing that its inner mechanisms pushed all the harder. However, the approach had steadily been decreasing. Even still, they progressed faster had they been walking. Even so, that begged the question that Glenn asked, "How is it that we are slowing down?"

Lucca shook her head, "We probably would have been better off with something with wheels. Yeah, we are stable, but that doesn't mean a thing if we don't have traction to push against the wind."

Robo patted her lightly on the shoulder, "Don't worry about it, Lucca. This would have been far too dangerous even with treads. The piles of snow creates the illusion of solid ground, but I have seen many crevices on the way up that would not have supported our weight. We made the right decision by taking this."

"So, I suppose that means we will have to climb the rest of this mountain, am I right?" Magus said grimly.

"I could push the hovercraft even harder," Lucca offered. "we might be able to make it an extra mile."

"Do no such thing," Glenn started, "listen to her strain. We shall need this if we wish to return. If thou wouldst over strain the vehicle with no means of repairing her we would be stranded here."

"Alright," Lucca said with a warning tone. She allowed the vehicle to lower itself into a snow bank before turning off the power. She and Robo exchanged a few words before she went to a cabinet, pulled out a strange mechanism and pressed a button. It began to flash and beep with a high frequency. She pressed the button again and it went silent. "A beacon for this vehicle," she said aloud, "in case it gets buried in snow before we get back."

"Hopefully, we will not be here that long..." Glenn said whilst his teeth chattered. Already the heat in the hull was beginning to dissipate.

Lucca pushed against the hatch. The frost was more formidable than she thought since she had to push against it more than once. All at once, as if they were plunged into an icy sea, the wind snapped at their bodies. It had taken their breath away. This was no ordinary cold. This was unnatural. It was almost as if it were a force that kept all life from approaching. Fortunately, they had not completely fastened their winter clothes due to their underestimation of what to expect. The temperature was horrendous, but at least it was bearable after they zipped up their jackets and fastened their boots. Magus even gave a wry smile before taking an extra jacket and boots. "You are all mad," he said with a shake of his head.

The trek began and it was nigh torturous. The snow was heavy and thick. It was as if they were wading through water up to their hips. Lucca had a sound idea, or at least it seemed sound at the moment. She had used her magic to forge a path, but the water that stuck to their clothes began to freeze, making their condition more miserable. Instead, Marle lead the way, using her skills to move the ice as much as she could. Even still, the wind was unceasing and it made progression difficult.

An hour passed. Lucca turned to see if she could see the vehicle. She activated the beacon and read its monitor. She signed dejectedly, "It seems we have only gone three miles..."

"Don't worry about that," Ayla said through chattering teeth, "it will only discourage you."

"Think about it this way," Robo offered, "if you were the way you were at the start of this journey you would be stone cold dead right now."

The party halted for a moment to give Robo a glare as cold as the ice around their waists. "...Sorry. Puns are not acceptable at this moment, I assume..." Robo muttered before they continued onward.

Ahead of them was a narrow choke-point up the mountain face. The formation of it seemed unnatural, for the walls stretched high until their peaks were obscured by the clouds. However, they could see the steady climb of the slope as it headed up the mountain. As they drew closer the wind grew more and more fierce. "It forms a wind tunnel!" Lucca shouted over the gale so that she could be heard. Her cheeks were bright red from the stinging sleet that pelted her face and glasses. Robo motioned for the lead which Marle gave up gladly. It made it easier on the party, but it was by no means easy. The wind tore at their clothes, whipped their faces, and it felt as if miniscule pebbles were pelting their bodies. In fact, they covered their eyes as Lucca took a hold of Robo's shoulder as the others formed a line behind her. They walked blind, Robo leading them as he moved agonizingly slow, trying to keep his balance against the icy wind.

"This is getting dangerous!" Magus shouted over the gale. He could not be heard, but could sense that the party had no desire to stop. He grit his teeth and continued, regretting the advice he gave back in Lucca's home.

Lucca could feel it for a brief moment, but suddenly Robo moved at a brisk pace. It was only for a moment, as if he had struggled against a weight and was suddenly free of it. Suddenly, her billowing clothes dropped to her side and the stinging sleet bothered her no more. The rest of the party felt the same as they realized they had emerged from the choke-point. They stood in an open field, the mountain still sloping upward. Snow steadily fell from the sky in an almost serene way. Although it was still cold, the windless chill felt as welcome as the gardens of Zeal. They undid their winter clothes partially, allowing their bodies to breath.

"What sorcery is this? How could the wind..." Glenn let the end of his sentence hang in the air like the snowflakes that danced in silence. He gradually approached the choke-point again. He could feel something sucking him toward the alleyway and realized that it was not wind at all. "'Tis not a work of nature...'tis some strange vortex...a vacuum."

"Well, we got past it. Thank goodness." Marle stated, rubbing her cheeks in an effort to get feeling back into them.

The party began moving upward. Except for their grunts of effort on a particularly high step, it was eerily quiet and peaceful. It was very much like being in a mortuary and believing the dead were capable of rising; you only questioned "when". When was the other shoe going to drop? When would the eerie silence give way? Was Lavos himself waiting atop this mountain? Did he know that they were there?

As if the question wanted to be answered, the ground underneath them rose, blanketing their vision in white. Their shouts of surprise were muffled out by snow as they could feel themselves fall into darkness. Marle felt herself land on something hard and cold. She quickly pushed herself to her feet and looked around. "Are you guys alright!?" She pulled our her crossbow and searched around but saw nothing. After she heard no response she looked around to find that, in fact, she saw nobody at all. Not even her comrades. Somehow, she was all alone...

"Glenn of Porre..."

The lords and ladies of the court gasped in surprise as Glenn jerked in alarm. The king of Guardia stifled his surprise as well, trying his best to calm the awkward situation. "It is nothing! Perhaps he is nervous that I am not as handy with a sword as he is!" The statement worked. The court laughed and clapped at his response, but it did nothing to settle Glenn who leapt to his feet and took in his surroundings.

"Where am I? What hast happened? Is this a dream?"

Glenn felt a heavy, warm hand rest on his shoulder. If he were armed he would have spun around and lopped the hand off. Instead, he turned about startled and grabbed for the arm, shocking the court anew. His eyes were wide and frantic while the eyes he stared into were bewildered and concerned. "My friend, what is wrong?" Before him stood the king of Guardia, his wife rising from her throne in worry. Her hand clasped her pendent in a very familiar way. His eyes searched the room and somehow it dawned on him: the colors, the banners, the manner of dress of the lords and ladies...this was a knighting ceremony. And not just any knighting ceremony. This was to be performed for the Captain of the Guard.

"Who art thou? What sorcery is this? Art thou an illusion! Answer me!"

Glenn had been in such a state of panic that he did not realize the king had seemed shorter and that his own frame felt different. In fact, it wasn't until he saw that his hand that clasped the king, which was not gloved, looked as if it were the hand of a man. Warm tears stung his eyes and both hands hovered before his vision. Forgotten feelings came over his body. He could feel his thick and heavy hair against his brow, the warmness of his hand, the softness of his skin.

"Glenn...are you well?"

Glenn looked up with panicked eyes at the Queen who nearly recoiled at his countenance. Glenn looked at the court again and turned to run. His leather boots pounded the all-too-familiar tiles of the palace. He dashed past the grand doors and someone called his name. He ran past the confused guards and out toward the forest that surrounded the castle. Wherever he was, it must have been summer. Crickets chirped faster and sweat began to trickle down his face.

"Glenn! Glenn, are you out here?"

Two voices called for him. Both of them he knew very well. Both of them he loved. He climbed a tree and perched, watching as the two he knew passed underneath him. One was Cyrus, his oldest and best of friends, dressed in fine garments and armor. The other was Eliza. His heart nearly exploded upon looking at her. She was still a sight to behold. Her very aroma came up to him in the trees and her soft feminine voice was like music to his eyes even if it was concerned for him at the moment.

A wonderful flood of memories came to him. The all pertained to that woman since he had known since she was a girl.

""Thou hast never told me thy name."

"Thou hast never asked for it."

"I am Eliza…what is your name?"

"Glenn."

"I thought for sure you were killed..."

"When shall we tell the news to my father?"

"Will your father accept me? Would he learn to love a pauper like me?"

"If he will not, it does not matter. I love thee and I will go wherever thou will go."

Glenn found himself back in the tree, shaking his head vigorously. "This cannot be real. This cannot be real!"

"It can be."

This was a devil. It may have looked like Crono, it may have sounded like Crono, and it may have even moved like Crono, but it was a devil nonetheless. While Glenn stood perched in the tree branch, Crono stood on the outermost part of it, gently swaying in the breeze as if it had not affected his balance in the slightest. He smiled brightly, his apple green eyes glinting as they had always done. "You have fought hard enough, Glenn. This life is what you deserve. The Chrono Trigger is capable of many things and it can give you this life. All you have to do is wish for it."

"You are not Crono." Glenn snarled, reaching for his sword. How strange that a moment ago it was not there, but now it was sheathed and at his side. Truly this must be a dream and his tormentor had given him his weapon back. Why?

"I don't have to be Crono for you to see that is the truth. You have suffered, bled, and fought as much as anyone. Yes, you, my friends, and myself have fought against Lavos...but you have lived in a time where you fought against him your whole life, in a manner of speaking."

"Don't you dare speak to me as if thou art him! You defile his name, you vicious, sick monster!"

"You are to be wed to that young woman, you know."

Glenn froze.

"Can you imagine it? Not only will you defy all the nay-Sayers from your time, but you will finally be with the one woman you have loved for your entire life. Finally, she will be with you and not cringe at the very sight of you."

Glenn swung with fury, the blade connecting. "DAMN YOU TO HELL, LAVOS!"

The branch broke beneath them and they both fell into darkness.

"This is most definitely a trick..."

Lucca stood in the warmth of the sun, the ocean breeze brushing her bare skin. It had been stone cold from the storm just a moment ago, but now it was as if her skin had been kissed bronze by the sun. She stood outside her home, knowing that something awful must be inside. This was a trap, just as it had been for Crono at Magus' castle so long ago. However, she could not see an escape. Whatever the exit could be, it must have been inside. Perhaps this was a test and it was something she would have to confront. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

"Lucca! It's about time!"

Lucca was stunned into silence. Before her stood her mother, her legs whole and unmarred. There was no hint of deep sadness in her features. A smile came so naturally and carefree to her face. It was a smile that Lucca had not seen since she was a little girl. In her stunned silence she felt something warm and slightly wet on her cheek.

"Hey Lucca!"

Crono had just kissed her. Even now his arms were wrapped around her in a sweet embrace. When Lucca had noticed this it took her a moment to gather her thoughts. She pushed Crono off him, a little too strongly. He gave her a look of concern, but covered it up with a chuckle. "Is everything alright? Do I have morning breath?"

"Would Marle want you to do what you just did?"

Crono cocked his head, "Marle? Who's that?"

Lucca shook her head, "There is no way this is real."

"Luce...you are starting to freak me out. What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Crono stepped toward her, his arms open.

"I forgot that he used to call me that," thought Lucca. She shook her head again. It didn't matter how deep or unforgotten her past was. It was in her mind. Lavos knew all her secrets. There was no stopping it. Once she came to that conclusion the warmness of the afternoon faded almost instantly. Although the scene stayed the same, Lucca could see her breath floating heavily toward the ground and she began to shiver.

"You are dead, and you can't walk. Who are you and what is going on here?"

"You already know who this is. I am just presenting you with an option." The sweetness was gone from his voice. It still sounded like him, but the intonation, the phrasing of his words were all different.

"Not interested. Get me the hell out of here."

"Don't you see? With the Chrono Trigger you could do anything. I know your thoughts and I know you never wanted to go on this journey. Your life, while not progressing as fast as you hoped it would, was beginning to reach this point before she stepped in. Think of it. With the Chrono Trigger you could change everything you ever wanted about your history. Your father's name as a world-famous inventor? Done. The accident with your mother? Gone. The love of your life? Yours." The classic grin Crono used to give was flashed at Lucca. It was so like his own that it was eerie.

Lucca frowned, "He's not mine. And I am getting pretty sick of the fact that you keep using that to mess with me."

"Don't deny it. It is in your very heart, your very desires." Her mother spoke these words. "I knew it from when you were young. I longed for a son like him. Why do you think I always welcomed him? Do you realize how disappointed I was when I found out that a princess entered his life? I knew there was no way he would chose someone so plain and ugly like my own daughter over someone like Princess Nadia."

Lucca frowned. She tried to remember that this was a monster talking to her. But those faces...they were so real... "I've seen what you look like, Lavos. You aren't that attractive either."

Without warning Lucca lunged forward, summoning fire at her fingertips. She almost ceased as she saw the horrified looks on Crono and her mother's faces. The explosion of fire connected with blood curdling screams. "Too real...this dream is far too real..." The flames sprouted out to the walls and curtains, enveloping them in flames. Almost instantly the flames encircled her. She was in a world of flame, just as if she were on the Epoch, floating through time without the safety of the canopy. The fire did not torch or consume her. Suddenly, it all faded to darkness and that was when she realized her eyes and cheeks were soaking wet.

Ayla was not tired in the least.

Enemies surrounded her at all sides. The fear in her heart at first made it pound. However, all the movements of her foes came slowly. She could feel the power, the force, the maliciousness behind the blows and knew that anyone else they would be death-threatening. However, to her, they felt as if they were nothing but gentle breezes. Her own blows were satisfying. Bones buckled and crunched under her fists, her leaps into the air were unburdened, and her heart swelled with the sureness of her strength.

"Keep advancing!" A voice shouted out.

"This is madness! Run!"

She let out a triumphant roar. The feeling of past victories came to her. She remembered the battles she had multiple times against the Reptites and how they feared her. It was not the fact that they feared her that made her feel joy. It was the fact that they would rather run then face her. There was no risk, no danger. But then Azala came. They grew more bold. And suddenly she was unsure if she and her people were strong enough.

The surety of victory...it had been so long since she felt it. It felt so comforting. The snow continued to fall. She was still on the mountain of Death, or so it seemed. However, none of the others were around. She would find them. If they were in trouble she would save them. She could do it now. She did not know how, but her fear of death was slowly abating and she felt capable again.

"Pwede ka magbati sina permi." A voice called out to her softly, in her own tongue.

"Sino na?" Ayla shouted, spinning around in an effort to find the hidden voice.

The voice sounded taunting, methodical. "Indi ka hadlok sa pagmatay? Kon maghumbal ka hindi, ginahumbalon mo ang sala..."

"Lavos! Ikaw na? Anhi ka! Ipakita mo ang imong kaugalingon! Mapakita ako sa imo nga hindi ako hadlok!" Ayla barked, her fists clenching at her side.

Once she spoke these words she felt something very strange happen. It felt as if she moved under water, or if some great weight had begun to slow her down. A frail man appeared before her. He was old and bent with age. His teeth were mostly gone, save for a few that poked out from a gummy smile. His brow was furrowed and his wispy hair came over his eyes. He stepped forward and it pained him to do so. He hobbled and shook, showing that every step was an endeavor. Ayla threw a punch but it did nothing. The old man wheezed a horrible laugh before throwing one of his own. The force of the blow was tremendous. She felt as if she were an old woman that had been struck by a bear. Ayla gasped in pain and tried to move before he grabbed her wrist.

It was too late. His grip was like iron. He pulled her forward and she fell to the ground.

Tears came to her eyes and the feeling of invincibility was shattered. The horror of her mortality had returned with a vengeance. However, something she saw made her realize something. She looked down to the ground and saw her arm. It was strong. It was powerful and had ended many foes. For it to be this ineffective against a frail opponent? That was unthinkable. This was not real. This was a dream, an illusion, a trick of some kind. With her confidence back she leapt to her feet and punched the strange specter. As further proof to her that it was a dream, there was nothing left of him after she punched him.

"Gindumdum mo na subong? Ang pagkalain sang imong hadlok? Ang amo sang katiempohan makahimo na matuod..."

Yes. She was strong. But it wasn't only weakness she feared. It was death. The old man that stood before her; that might as well have been her. One day she would become frail...useless...who could she protect then?

The world started fading to black and the last thing Ayla heard was the voice saying, "Kabalo ka nga kon mamatay ka, indi ka magkita isang hayeg? Ang kamatayon hay dalum parias ni..."

"Again with your tricks, Lavos? I am severely disappointed."

Magus stood in the midst of an illusion. Before him lay his loyal subjects that stretched out far into the horizon. The chanting of the Zealians reached him even though he stood in the tower of his palace, gazing down at them all. He was clothed in the robes of the royal family, a royal scepter in hand. His sister, Schala, was at his side. Their left and right arms were intertwined as she gazed up at him, adoringly and full of love as she did when he was younger. Even though he stated his indifference to Lavos out loud the countenance of Schala did not change nor did she show any sign of hearing him. In fact, it seemed that whatever he said which didn't fit the illusion was unheeded.

"Why try something new when the old tricks have always worked just fine?"

"But you know they won't work." Magus grinned, "Showing me the same lies, the same things that I know you will never give; Even your illusion has become lazy."

"Then strike it down."

He felt the warmth of his sister's arm. It was an illusion, but still a very believable one. Her eyes caught his and they turned into half moon crescents as her cheeks bunched up with her smile. While Magus' face slowly turned to that of sadness, the illusion continued on as if he were returning the smile. "Brother...I am so proud of you." Silence. She responded to an unasked question, "Yes, my brother. Forever. I will always be here for you. You don't need to worry while I'm around."

Memories came back to him. He remembered better times where he and his sister sat in a room set aside just for them. Mother and Father were always so busy, but Schala would always make time for him. In his mind he saw the den, toys scattered about and standing at attention like civilians. They circled him, saluting him, and his older sister stood by his side, smiling all the while. Never once did she say that it was her turn to be the magistrate or tap her foot impatiently. Instead, she would yell commands to the toys. "Bow before your king, Lord Janus! All hail his majesty!"

And here they were today, just as they had been all those times ago. There was no desire for power. There was no impatience or selfishness. She was there from him, drinking in his happiness and sharing in his joy. Such motherly unselfishness...Here he was, his toys were now real people and his sister was just as giving now as she was back then. His scepter was now his scythe and Schala was nothing more than an innocent lamb coddling him at his side.

Of course he could not do it.

It was then that a completely new and novel idea had entered his mind. An idea that took hold of him and made his chest rise with hope and longing.

Magus scoffed. A single tear rolled down his cheek. "You truly are a crafty bastard."

"The Chrono Trigger can do many things, Magus. In fact, it can break my hold over Schala...just long enough for you to take her place."

Already thoughts of the deed began to flow into his mind. He could see himself, the Chrono Trigger granting him the very chance to free Schala from Lavos' clutches. It did not matter that he be taken by Lavos in exchange. It was proper punishment. He would cause her to forget, to place her in the safety of Marle and Lucca's time. She would live her life happy and free. The happiest images in her memory would replaced with others without the tarnish of his sin. She would raise children and play with them as she had with him in his infancy. Bitter tears came to his eyelids, but never went past them as he thought of the scene. Never before had he imagined it and never had he supposed that such a prospect would have that strong a hold over him.

"I will not do it. Whatever you tell me is a lie. A beautiful lie...but still a lie."

"The choice is yours..."

Just as the scene faded into darkness, Schala was the last to leave. Her face, full of joy and peace, would be forever etched into Magus' memory. But even worse, the thought returned to his mind. Whether it was placed there by Lavos or of his own accord he knew not. Nonetheless, he saw Schala again, playing with her own children as she did with him. He remembered her talking about being a mother one day and having a happy family and the words stung his heart.

Magus was expecting temptations in the form of selfishness...how strange it was that Lavos came at him with this.

It was the utter pain for his logical mind that demanded to know the final piece of the puzzle.

Robo stood in front of a mirror, or at least he thought it must have been so. It must have been because it copied his movements exactly. It must have been because he could detect nothing past the flat surface in front of him. However, it could not be a mirror because it looked nothing like him. However, something whispered in his mind that it was indeed him in the flesh.

Yes. He had the appearance of a human.

However, it was maddening to him that the mirror was broken right where his face would appear. He tried in vain to crouch down and turn in his spot to see what his face was like, but the broken spot on the mirror shifted with his movements, obscuring his view before he could see the only thing that he longed to see. And why was that? He could see his well-formed hands, his muscularly thick torso, and his tanned skin. But the eyes...why not the eyes?

"It is because you know that they are the window to the soul."

The voice came very low and very suddenly. Robo spun about to see who offered up the explanation but saw nobody. The gears that wound within his body were louder and less easy to ignore as he clenched his fists; "Lavos, show yourself! What do you think you are trying to do? Do you really think you can sway me with this?"

"These are your thoughts and nothing more..."

Robo spun toward the mirror. The figure which had been coping his movements up until this moment was now moving on its own accord as if Lavos spoke through him. It gave Robo an uneasy feeling as he watched his body move and sway with Lavos' speech and intonation...but it wasn't his body to begin with. How strange it was that Robo had to tell himself that! Almost as if he had read his mind, and most assuredly he did, Lavos spoke. The figure in the mirror moved and motioned with its hands, its lips moving with the words, yet it still had no face nor eyes to see. "I am merely making the very thoughts of your mind more real...your true desires are being shown to yourself. You have undoubtedly put this together by now. After all, you are mentally superior to your friends...You are not blinded by your senses and you see the world as it is..."

"I don't want to listen to another word that you are going to say."

The mirror chuckled, "Ahh, you say that and yet you do not move...and why is that?"

To prove the point that he was wrong, Robo turned about and started walking away from the mirror but when he noticed out of the corner of his senses that the mirror copied his movements again he turned back. Lavos no longer had control over his reflection and Robo found himself staring again. And as Lavos pointed out, he resumed to try and see his eyes to no avail. Why was he so driven to see the eyes? Like an unwelcome guest the voice returned, "You had seen dead eyes in your time, have you not? You know what they look like...soul-less and empty..."

"I am not listening to what you say."

"Do you really want to know why you are trying to see the eyes?"

"You cannot make me-"

"It is because you know you are soul-less."

Robo was silent for a moment. Ordinarily he would have never paid attention to the workings of his system, but he could sense the electrical currents running through his body, the messages of code that transpired through his "brain" and the logic being worked out in his mind. All of these were signs that he was a creation of a man. A mixture of metal, oil, and parts. A replication that was incomplete. Yes, he had craved to be human, but being a machine had not truly bothered him before. So, what was this strange new sensation?

"I do have a soul."

"No, you do not."

"Yes, I do."

"Your mind knows you do not."

Lavos was right, at least as far as Robo's mind was concerned. He could feel the very nature of his being, the very fabric of logic, compel him to face something he did not want to admit. Yet, Robo fought hard against the feeling. The thought was suddenly disturbing and it slowly became more and more horrifying. But why?

"You know that if you have no soul, you are nothing. You may outlive the healthiest human by centuries, but your body will erode and fail. You know your very desires and wishes are programs designed to aid and assist those who made you. You are not an entity nor a creature of free-will. You do not even know if your sense of humor, companionship, and desire are even real or fabricated. You are a puppet."

"That is not true."

But his mind, his configuration, shouted at him that it was so.

"No," Robo stated again, shaking his head. "This isn't what my programing is telling me. This is you. You are influencing what I am thinking."

"Defective."

His sensors went off, one by one with alarming rapidity. Bit by bit his field of vision became obscured with labels such as "system failure", "non-compliance", and "defective." He could feel his dome shake as his fists pounded against his helmet. "LAVOS! I AM NOT DEFECTIVE! I HAVE A SOUL! I HAVE WORTH! I AM WHAT I AM!" There was a sound of lenses shattering and Robo felt a certain horror creep into him. One of his eyes had been damaged. However, something strange happened. Out of one eye he could see the warning of his system, blaring at him for his attention. And then, out of the other eye he saw no system reports or any messages appearing in his field of vision. He saw as a man saw.

It was nowhere as clear nor as powerful as his vision was before, yet a certain excitement filled him. Even though it was lesser vision, the world seemed so bright and colorful even in his gloomy surroundings. And then, in front of him, hovering before what would have been his face was a human hand. Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. The mirror before him reflected his true body now, only it slowly gave way to human flesh. His vision began to turn black as he saw that the figure in the mirror held the Chrono Trigger and that somehow his mechanical self was being absorbed into the egg. Just before he could see his eyes the world became black and dark once again.

Marle shrieked with surprise.

For several minutes her friends had been vanished and now they burst forth from the snowy banks. Lucca shivered and summoned a blaze to warm their bodies which did wonders. Marle helped pull Glenn out of the snow and warmed him with her hands while he uttered a stuttered thanks. "What happened? Where did you guys go?"

"Apparently, nowhere." Lucca said, her voice dripping with irony.

"Lavos played with my mind...I suppose I was the only one?" Magus asked, looking at the others.

"Nay, he hath tried the trick upon me as well. Who else hath suffered his sorcery?"

All showed with a nod of their heads or a downward glance. It was only Marle who tilted her head in confusion, grabbing her pendant as usual. "Played with your mind? How?"

Ayla breathed deep and said, "He showed us all the things we wanted...He made our hearts long for what we want. Our hearts are no longer pure."

Lucca sighed dejectedly, "We can't do it. If there is anything wrong with us we might risk losing the Chrono Trigger and the chance to summon Crono back altogether..."

"Aye, 'tis true...Patience is a virtue, I suppose."

"Now wait," Marle began, "we came so far! Are we really going to go back now that we are so close? What if Lavos is working extra hard because he's scared?"

"You must think this through carefully, girl." Magus began with a glower, "Stow your feelings and realize that your haste may cost you your only chance of seeing him again."

"Don't you 'girl' me!" Marle said, pointing a finger toward Magus. "I didn't get tempted! So maybe I should go and summon him alone!"

All stopped in their tracks and thought; a bit of optimism began to show in their faces.

"'Tis true that Lavos had not touched thee...but for what purpose? Could it be that your only desire IS to summon Crono?"

Lucca, not liking the meaning of this new revelation, was forced to agree. "It makes sense. Maybe we should let her try it." The party deliberated for a moment and every seemed to be in agreement. Marle smiled broadly, pleased that everyone was willing to give it a try. She took lead and began to climb up the rest of the mountain. Thankfully the rest of the climb was fairly easy. It was almost as if they passed the most difficult of trials and were at long last able to rest their minds.

At last, after a few more hours of traversing the mountain, they were a mere stone throw away from the peak.

"How...strangely beautiful and peaceful..."

There was a single tree, barren and covered in frost. It sparkled in the light of the sun that pierced through the clouds. The party marveled for a moment, believing that perhaps in this whole forsaken world the sun only showed itself here. The tree stood upon a ledge that looked over what would have been hundreds of miles, but it was obscured by the clouds that sped by below quietly, proving how strong the winds surrounding this mountain were. As they approached there was a strange feeling. It almost felt as if they tread on holy ground, or a sacred piece of land within a realm of evil.

"So...what do we do?" Marle asked.

"Maybe now is the time we should bring out the items?" Everyone obeyed and pulled out the tokens they retrieved from Crono's room. Marle held her pendent, Glenn held a bandana, Ayla held a necklace, and Lucca held her photo. Robo walked forward and held out the Crono Trigger. Everyone in the party gathered around Marle and handed her the items. Lucca was the last and hesitated for a moment as if she didn't want to relinquish the right. To hide her hesitancy she smiled and said, "Please, give him a punch in the arm when you bring him back for making me worry."

Marle returned the smile with a soft chuckle and stepped forward.

"MARLE! WATCH OUT!"

A creature emerged, hissing as if it were a wild animal. There was a surge of black energy and suddenly the world went dark.

Marle woke up within her chambers with a start.

She sighed in relief and let her body fall back into bed. The silken sheets of her bed caressed her in the most comforting and familiar of ways. "Just a nightmare...just a really, really long and intense nightmare." She turned on her side and looked out the window. She could see the mess of people making their way up toward Leene Square. Balloons drifted off into the sky along with the distant sound of cannon fire. At once she jolted up in her bed. The fair! It was today! She quickly got dressed, throwing on the most inconspicuous outfit she could find. Yes, it made her appear a mite tomboyish, but it would be bad if people recognized her as the princess.

She had planned it so many times and knew all the routes. She quietly crept downstairs, making sure that the guards did not notice her. Plenty of times before she had tried to escape for any festivities and she was discovered. Not today. Today was far too important. After all, how often does anyone experience the grandeur of a Millennial Fair? She sighed in relief as she found herself outside and let her guard down completely when she found herself in the woods. Within another hour she found herself walking around Truce, taking in the sights of the town with nobody being the wiser.

She wasn't totally inconspicuous. Boys stared at her, admiring her beauty. She giggled when she noticed, "So, this is what it feels like to have fun!"

The fair was everything she could have dreamed. Games were everywhere, dances went on for hours, beautiful men and women gathered and spoke, the most savory of food tempted all, and the sun was as welcoming as the atmosphere. It wasn't until she was at Leene's Bell that she had a bit of misfortune. She felt a body slam into her. She looked up, annoyed, but it softened as she stared back into the most gentle and kindest eyes she had ever seen.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

His hand was rough and warm. And so strong. He lifted her onto her feet without a grunt of effort.

"Here, you dropped this."

"Oh! Why thank you!" Marle said, still a little taken aback.

Perhaps it was her imagination, but she noticed a similar reaction in the boy. His eyes dropped as if they were embarrassed for staring too long. "I'm really sorry, once again. I was just in a hurry."

He certainly wasn't now. He didn't keep going. In fact, he was waiting for her to say something which is what she did. "Where are you going?"

"My friend has an invention that she is showing off."

Marle's shyness suddenly turned into interest, "Wow! An inventor? What did she make?"

The boy chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, "Well, she wouldn't tell me. She said I had to be there to find out."

"Sounds like fun!" Marle said, hoping that it was enough of a plea to get him to invite her.

"Well, would you like to come and check it out? I was here alone and it would be nice to have someone with me to go see it."

She grinned eagerly and nodded. "Absolutely! It's nice to meet you! I'm Marle."

"I'm Crono." He said this with a large, easy grin.

The cathedral was gleaming. The air of Spring was upon them. There was a sensation of joy that hung over her as if she were in school again and summer vacation was only a few hours away. The man next to her, dressed in ceremonial clothing, held her arm tightly. She blushed as Crono planted a kiss upon her cheek and felt butterflies in her stomach when she imagined the night she had long waited for. For years she had loved him, known him, grew up with him, and now she would finally have him for herself.

She felt Lucca wrap her arms around her and give her a congratulatory kiss on the cheek. She gave Crono a playful punch on the arm before walking off with her new beau whom Crono had introduced her to. The beau had a look of surprised pleasure in his face and laughed as Lucca dragged him off by his arm. It was Crono's turn to do the same as they walked toward the carriage. Confetti rained down on them as they passed through the rows of nobility, family, and friends. Marle felt herself pulled into an embrace as her father laughed joyfully, giving Crono a hearty handshake and a pat on the back afterward. Crono took a moment to give his mother a kiss on the cheek and a hug to his sister Elly. Something caused Marle's smile to break for just a moment as she viewed Elly. Why would that be? Was it some strange kind of jealousy? After all, they Marle and Elly were close friends, weren't they? No. It wasn't jealousy. Something seemed wrong.

"Dear, what is wrong?"

"Nothing, mother." Marle said with a smile.

Mother?

With a start she realized that she was in her mother's bedroom and nobody could see her. Aides and nurses gathered around and helped her the best they could. It was a horribly pitiful thing to see. Just a few moments ago she saw her mother full of life but now her cheeks were sallow and pale. Her forehead was sweaty, her hair matted to it. This was how it really was. This is what really happened. She could recognize her mother's room; the little details that showed what year it was were called to her attention. The dream just a moment ago had seemed so real. Marle honestly felt as if she had just relived her whole life once again and that reality had just torn itself asunder.

"Do you realize it now? It is not Crono you are truly wishing for...It is the life that you are wishing for."

The dark voice reverberated within her and it chilled her to the bone.

"Would you still want Crono if I told you that you both were not meant to be? Would you still choose him over your mother coming back to life? Even if he did return, do you really think your father would accept him? Wouldn't it be better if you could simply choose your outcome?"

The Crono Trigger was suddenly in Marle's hands.

"Wish for it and it shall be yours. Time shall be your servant. Find your happiness and live your life as you desire. Forget everything else. That is the way of the world. There is nothing after this. You have felt it."

The world turned black again. It was the same blackness that she felt and saw when her body being torn asunder by a rift in time, back before they knew of Lavos. Back when they began their journey. That feeling never left her. It tormented her even still on cold nights where the moon was hidden. She could feel the stillness of non-existence and it frightened her.

"You remember this place...this emptiness. This is what happens when you die."

"No..." Marle said, shaking her head. "I don't believe it."

"All must die and face this place someday...but why not live your life to the fullest and be happy? Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you die. Use the Chrono Trigger. Fulfill your dreams and be happy. That is all anyone can get out of life. Why worry about changing things beyond your control? Why struggle? Accept your fate and live it."

She felt hands all around her now. She had not realized it, but hot tears stung her cheeks. It was a testament to remind her of how cold it was and that she was back in reality. The hands that held her belonged to Glenn and he stared at her intently. "Marle, Princess, art thou well? Canst thou stand?" Marle answered softly, and barely audible as she used her arms to prob herself up. She shook her head and looked around and noticed the marks of battle for the first time.

"What happened here?" Marle asked, her eyes going wide with fear.

"The spawn...the creatures Balthazar's Nu told us about...they showed up to stop us." Ayla answered.

Marle saw several husks of spikes. Some were empty, their physical bodies completely burnt away. They were terribly formidable looking creatures and hideously ugly. She recoiled in a similar manner as if she had found a scorpion crawling on her leg as she saw one nearby. It didn't take her long to remember: she was about to use the Chrono Trigger when she saw the creature surface for only a moment. It hit her with a blast of dark energy which she realized was a strange sleeping spell. But it was not only that; it must have been a way for Lavos to enter her mind unbidden. He had been waiting for them. While he had twisted her mind the rest of the party had fought them off. But it was too late...

"They did stop us..." Marle said, trembling vocalizations rising in her throat.

"What do you mean?" Robo asked, stooping down.

"I can't wish Crono back. I just had the same horrible dream all of you had and now I can't say for sure that I truly want Crono back for the right reasons...I-I don't think I can do it."

Glenn looked down, shook his head, and stammered, "B-but we have come thus far! Thou must try! Mayhaps it can still work! Mayhaps it can..." Glenn stopped as he realized he didn't believe himself.

A deep sorrow fell over the party. All looked down at their feet and it was then that Marle noticed that some were injured.

"What can we do?" Lucca asked, fighting back the tears that were coming to her eyes. She was unsuccessful. She used her sleeve to dry her eyes constantly.

Magus, although still mostly unmoved, felt a pang of pity for the party. The same frustration they felt; it reminded him of worse times. "We must leave."

Everyone looked at him.

Magus continued, "We don't know how or what, but any problems we have we must address them. We must fix our weaknesses before we risk using the Chrono Trigger."

Robo slowly rose to his feet, "Yes...we only have one shot at bringing him back. We must be ready."

Glenn breathed in slowly, his eyes closed and not willing to face the world. "Damn it all..."

Lucca said nothing but stood up to walk away. She offered a hand to Marle who took it after a brief moment of hesitancy.

Marle, who had begun crying quite some time ago, gave an agonizingly longing glance toward the sky. "Crono...we are so sorry. We'll be back. We promise."

To imagine their depression and disappointment would be far too hard to describe in such few words. The amount of regret, anger at lost time, and the shattered hopes of reunion was almost so palpable that it left a bitter taste on their tongues. They were older now. Their shoulders were slumped, their faces drawn and haggard. They had climbed the mountain with great hope, but it was now gone from them. It seemed as if Lavos had more maliciousness than they ever imagined. He had waited for them to scale the mountain, to build their hope and and shatter it when they had reached the peak. The torturous demon must have been squealing with delight.

Suddenly, a hand was on Marle's shoulder. "We'll bring him back. It'll happen."

Marle took the hand gingerly and smiled at Robo. "You are right. We will."

Marle gestured to them to stop. She turned to face the edge of the mountain and walked toward it. She breathed deep and without another word she removed her pendent and hung it on the branch of the dead tree. "I swear that one day, when I know I am ready, I will return here for my pendent and to bring you back. I'm sorry I wasn't strong. I'm not strong like you are. But I will be stronger and I will only return when I am sure I can bring you back."

Everyone looked at each other and then joined Marle by the tree, save for Magus who watched on with a bizarre sense of interest. Glenn took out the bandana he had chosen and tied it to a branch in the tree. "I swear, by my honor as a knight, that I shall scourge the very depths of my soul and bring myself to a fullness. Thou'rt the better man and thou hast made me a better man. It should have been thee to have lived, but I thank thee for the life thou hast given me and I shall make full use of it until we shall meet again! And we shall meet again!"

Ayla took the necklace, a gift Crono's mother gave to him as a young boy, and hung it next to the pendant. "We traveled and done so much together. You knew what say to me to make me feel better. I will be stronger. I will face my fears and I will see you again when I am ready."

Lucca said nothing as she approached the tree. She took her picture and hesitatingly placed it within the hollow of the tree with great care. With tears at the brim of her eyes she said, "I love you." and stepped back.

Robo nodded his approval at the tree. In the most darkest corner of the world, it now served as Crono's tombstone. Truly, it was a light on upon a dark hill. Almost overcome with emotion himself he said, "Let us go. We must return."

They all nodded in agreement and turned to walk down the hill. As they did there was a strange sense of peace that came over them. The very objects which had been cherished by Crono had suddenly become cherished by them as well. As they walked away, their promises still ringing in their ears, they were consoled by the fact that their hearts truly meant it. They will come back when they are ready, and they will summon him successfully.

Suddenly, Marle fell to the ground as something pulled hard against her satchel.

The mood of the party instantly shifted to surprised horror as they searched around for another creature. Instead, they saw Marle being dragged upon the ground by an invisible force. It was dragging her to the cliff. Glenn grasped Marle's hand and dug his heels into the ground. Whatever the force, it was tenacious and wouldn't relent. Finally, the seams that held the satchel together burst and a glinting object flew from the new hole.

"No! It's the Chrono Trigger!"

Glenn held Marle back as she tried to lunge for it, knowing that in her frenzy she would have sent herself over the cliff. The Chrono Trigger flew into the air and hovered for a moment. All stood, watching in a mixture of horror and confusion. The beautiful beacon that served as their new-found purpose and hope glinted one last time in the sunlight before it shattered into a thousand pieces.

Author's Note: This has probably been the longest it took me to update. I'm so sorry. Things are going well. I am very happy with all of your patience with me. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and its length. I know this tends to be my famous last words, but expect another update soon. Sorry to leave you at a cliff hanger.

P.S. Translations:

"Pwede ka magbati sina permi." -"You can feel that way always."

"Sino na?" -"Who's there?

"Indi ka hadlok sa pagmatay? Kon maghumbal ka hindi, ginahumbalon mo ang sala..." -"Aren't you afriad to die? If you say no, you are saying a lie."

"Lavos! Ikaw na? Anhi ka! Ipakita mo ang imong kaugalingon! Mapakita ako sa imo nga hindi ako hadlok!" -"Lavos! Is that you? Come out! Show yourself! I'll show you that I'm not scared!"

"Gindumdum mo na subong? Ang pagkalain sang imong hadlok? Ang amo sang katiempohan pwede ipawala sina..." -"Do you remember it now? The horror of your fear? The Crono Trigger can make that disappear..."

"Kabalo ka nga kon mamatay ka, indi ka magkita isang hayeg? Ang kamatayon hay dalum parias ni..." -"Did you know that when you die you won't see a light? Death is dark just like this."