Well here it is the conclusion to the story. I hope you've had run reading
it and hopefully it hasn't sucked that much. I'd also like to take the
time to thank everyone that gave a review to the story, even if it was a
bad review. So without further waiting come see how it all ends, I warn
you it is pretty long.
---------------------
"And that's most of it", said Marle as she ended the long story that she had told Frog.
After it was finished Melchoir finally found it appropriate that he show Frog his new weapon.
"Ok, its all done", announced Melchoir as he poked his head up from the stair into Marle and Frog's view.
It looked just like any other broadsword except that its blade was a multitude of colors that swirled and changed when shone under light. Giving it to Frog Melchoir took a seat at the table that Frog and Marle were sitting at.
"Tiss a fine blade Melchoir", complimented Frog as he adjusted to it.
"As fine as any other I've ever forged", said Melchoir in response.
"Though I am some what embarrassed to say that I heard the story", he admitted.
"You were easy dropping!", exclaimed Marle.
"Easy droppings a harsh word, I just heard it while I was polishing the blade", said Melchoir.
"From what I've heard though it sounds like he is after the three artifacts that we Gurus have made", he explained.
"And once he gets them then what", asked Marle.
"Well originally they were supposed to be part of a set, a set of Dream Weapons. The queen had ordered them made to show the power of Zeal. The amulet was the only one completed in Zeal, and allowed the wearer to harness Lavos's power. I had refused to complete the Masamune and thus was banished for that and other things. Belthasar never finished his part", explained Belthasar.
"Once he has all three he becomes more or less unstoppable. He will be able to travel time at will, have a great magical defense thanks to the amulet, and with the Masamune as his weapon he will be able to destroy cities and countries by himself", finally said Melchoir.
"Well we have the Epoch so he's at least missing one", said Marle.
"He already has the Masamune and Pendant", asked Melchoir.
"Aye, he hath defeated the spirit of the sword and taken it from me", said Frog sadly.
"And he took the pendant from me before", said Marle.
"Well then you must stop him before he tries to get the Epoch", stated Melchoir.
"Agreed", said Marle.
"But we don't want to hurt him", continued Marle.
"If you can bring him in alive, if not then you must try to stop him anyway you can. Do not let the future be destroyed just because off your feelings", said Melchoir.
"The lad is our friend, we can't just slay him like some common fiend", exclaimed Frog.
"I like the boy too he has done great things for good. But do you think he'd want you to let him run free and destroy things! He would want you to stop it, despite the cost", said Melchoir.
"Tiss true", agreed Frog.
"Let us depart then", stated Frog as he left for the Epoch.
----------------------------
"Are you sure it's wise to give these too him", asked Lucca again as she fumbled the Epoch's core around in her hand.
"Like I said before, they will defeat him in the astral plane", said Magus.
The two adventurers rode their steeds towards the Cathedral. They had taken the gate from 1000 A.D. back to 600 A.D. after Lucca had agreed to help Magus.
"How do you know he'll be there", asked Lucca.
"He'll be there, trust me", smirked Magus at Lucca's question.
"If you say so", muttered Lucca under her breath.
---------------------------------------
"Meet me at the Cathedral next to the castle"
You better not be long, or else the deal is off.
"I won't, in fact I am even bringing one of the traitors that you so much want to get revenge on"
Which one?
"The scientist"
Ahhh excellent. I have to wonder why you would help me though, what are you getting out of it.
"Nothing more than I already asked for"
"Leave what I asked for on the altar, I will take it then leave the items you desire"
Very well, no tricks or I will hunt you down
"Of course, no tricks"
-------------------------------------
"What trickery is this", asked Frog as the Epoch began steering itself.
"I dunno, the wheel just started moving by itself", said Marle.
The epoch lifted up from Melchoir's humble abode and vanished in the flash of lightning to the time period 600 A.D. The coordinates for the landing were clear, it was right where the Cathedral sat.
--------------------------------
Magus opened the heavy wooden door of the now abandoned cathedral, stirring around the dust of the desolate place. The only light came from the two candles that sat on the altar with a small egg shaped object sitting between it. Quickly walking down the dust laden carpet, he reached the altar and took the Egg setting down the Epoch's core and Pendant.
Lucca entered in brushing dust away from her face and coughing on what little made its way in her nose. Magus came back down from the altar with the egg in hand and stood next to Lucca waiting for Crono to come.
"Man what is with all this dust", complained Lucca.
Finally looking up to see what Magus was holding, she sat in mute shock.
"My god...that's the Chrono Trigger", exclaimed Lucca.
"Very observant", spoke out a deep voice from above them.
The chandeliers shook violently as a shaded form jumped down from them and landed in front of the Altar.
"Thank you for bringing these to me Magus", said Crono.
"Though I was a tad surprised that you would betray them", he chuckled lightly watching Lucca's reaction.
"You what", shouted Lucca as he jumped back and pulled out her gun.
"Oh yes, he collected these for me", said Crono.
"Now that I have them all though, nothing will be able to stop me", laughed Crono out loud.
The sound of thunder was heard outside and it shook the insides of the Cathedral. Just then the epoch came crashing in through the Cathedral's roof and landed on top of Crono.
A stunned Marle and Frog stumbled out of the Epoch and landed on the floor in front of Magus.
"Marle, Frog", shouted Lucca as she rushed to see if they were ok.
"That was VERY annoying", came a voice from beneath the Epoch as it was lifted into the air and thrown out the way it came in.
"Now that all of you are here, its time to kill you", said Crono as he collected the other two artifacts he had sought.
The body of Crono suddenly stiffened and froze in its action as the Marle, Lucca, and Frog looked on it confusion.
"Umm, what is happening", finally asked Marle.
"They are fighting him on the astral plane", finally spoke up Magus.
"The what", asked Marle.
"I'll explain later", said Lucca.
"Magus, can we help them any", she asked.
"We can travel there but cannot interfere, only watch", stated Magus.
"Fine lets do it", said Lucca.
Taking off his other glove, he traced another glyph that sat carved in his hand and chanted these words.
"Evare saki Ranalp Praw"
The room darkened and then disappeared all together. It was replaced with wide open spaces dotted with abstract objects and storms that stretched across the horizon lines. The sky itself was a purple-ish shade and the stars were replaced with small warp portals.
A few feat away sat the image of Crono though it was twisted into a kind of demonic form. Horns protruded from his head, the finger and toe nails were replaced with claws, and a long reptilian tail was the last of his features. Sitting opposite from him was what looked like an old man with a beard that reached the floor and a short cane that he supported himself on. Along side the old man was the image of Dorean as she had appeared when they first had seen her in Zeal. Behind those two were the small images of Masa and Mune, apparently not under Crono's control in the astral plane.
"So you seek to fight me as well do you", spoke Crono, even his voice had been twisted to be dark, deep, and threatening.
The four spoke in unison as like they were the same person.
"You have gone too far, you must be dealt with", they said.
"You are only jealous, jealous that I have power and you are nothing more than the tools of humans", responded Crono
"Tools we may be, but that is our purpose", spoke the four again.
"Then you have a new purpose now, to die", said Crono as he charged the group of four.
They each jumped in different directions so that Crono became flanked on all four sides. Masa and Mune rushed at Crono this time both cutting a deep gash into his chest and then jumping back to their original position. Dorean charged next but Crono hopped over her charging form and then came down on her with his claws, ripping huge wounds in her back and then grabbing hold of her. Raising her above his head he snapped her spine over his head and then tossed her limp body at Masa and Mune.
Meanwhile Magus and Co. watched while enclosed in a clear bubble that prevented them from helping
Masa and Mune were back on Crono in a flash as they rushed by and caused two more gashes on his sides. Crono turned around to confront the two as they would charge again but was hit with a surge of magic from behind. Dorean was back on her feet, leaving a confused Crono starring at her.
"Why won't you just die", shouted Crono as he pounded his fists in the ground that sent a shockwave at Dorean. A forcefield blocked the shockwave, a force field that was set up by the old man. He looked at Crono and cast a crude magic wall to surrounded Crono. Crono easily smashed through the wall but it was just a diversion because as soon as he came out Masa and Mune charged by again creating two more gashes in his side. He grabbed onto the two small forms after they made their wound, smashing each of their heads against the ground with an inhuman strength and then tossed them aside. A large chunk of Ice flew at Crono and impaled him through the mid section causing him to fly backwards a few yards and land on his back.
"You little..", cursed Crono as he removed the Ice bolt from his chest and chucked it at the old man.
The old man nimbly dodged to the side and then grabbed the flying bolt with his magic and sent it flying back at Crono again. It seemed though that Crono had disappeared from the battle field entirely. Just then Crono came from the sky at a super sonic speed and smashed his body into Dorean's, sending her through the ground.
The old man nimbly danced around and touched the two boys, Masa and Mune, on the head bringing them back to life. While they distracted Crono he danced over to Dorean and jumped down into the hole made by her body and revived her as well.
"They don't seem to be doing to good do they", commented Lucca.
"It seems as though his power is already too great", said Magus.
Just then the four figures disappeared from the plane followed by Crono who disappeared as well.
"Seems they have given up on the fight", said Magus.
"Come, let us return', he said and ended the spell.
When they came back to the Cathedral they found themselves face to face with the four figures they had seen on the astral plane.
"He is too strong", they said in unison.
"He cannot be beaten", they continued.
"They has to be a way to stop him", said Lucca.
"We can seal him up, deep within the earth", they stated.
"Tiss better than having the lad run about", said Frog.
"Wait..."said Marle.
"How long would the seal last", she asked.
"Until it was broken by a greater power than us combined", they said.
"Would a power as strong as Lavos and Crono be enough to break it", asked Lucca catching onto what Marle was trying to get at.
"Most definitely", they responded.
"Marle, this is how it happened", said Lucca finally figuring it out.
"What is she babbling about now", said Magus.
"When we went to the future it was destroyed by Crono. What I think happens is when Lavos surfaces he causes the seal to weaken and then Crono is able to break it the rest of the way. If we do this then we doom the future, the exact opposite of what we fought all that time for", said Lucca.
--------------
You can hear them plotting against you can you not boy.
They are doing what is best for the world, if I must be imprisoned for it then so be it.
You know once I get out of that seal I will kill everything. I will hunt their families down and slaughter them like the dogs they are. I will destroy the past, present, and future.
Not if you're in that seal.
You know as well as I do that I will get free one day, it could be thousands of years from now but I will get free. Then who will be there to stop me?
I will.
-------------------------------
"I will not be contained", shouted Crono at the group below him.
"I will kill you all", he shouted as he gathered his energy. It circled around him, lighting up the room and causing the air itself to lash out and randomly strike.
Ok Lucca, save the present and doom the future or kill your best friend. Either way he's not going to be the old Crono you once knew, he is conquered inside.
Time seemed to slow down for her, she watched the events as though in slow motion.
Magus was readying spell to launch at Crono.
Marle was pleading with Magus not to do it.
Frog remained where he, confused and in shock.
Hesitantly raising her gun at Crono, she locked her eyes with his and saw his plead for death. Taking aim and then closing her eyes, she pulled the trigger
....
And it missed, flying high above his head.
------------------------
"Crono, Crono wake up", rang a voice that Crono had heard many times before.
His mother walked up the stairs as her late sleeping son still refused to rise.
"Crono get up this instant", order his mom.
"Ahh ma just 5 more minutes I swear", he said putting the pillow over his head to block out the sound of her voice.
"Crono dear you friends are waiting", she explained.
"But mom, I'm scared", said Crono.
"They are waiting son, waiting for you. Go to them", she said once more.
"Fine I'm getting up", said Crono as he opened his eyes and got out of bed.
---------------------------------------------------------
The energy around Crono stopped, its potency disappearing back into nothingness. Crono sank to his knees, tears rolling down from his face.
"Frog, give me your sword", he asked.
"Crono", Frog replied but was cut off.
"Just get me a sword", he said again mustering all the courage he could.
Frog reluctantly took out the re-forged rainbow sword from his sheath and slid it to Crono.
"Thank you old friend", he said grabbing the sword Frog had given him.
"Melchoir did another fine job", smiled Crono as he raised his eyes to meet Frogs.
"Take care of them for me", said Crono before he gripped the sword with both his hands.
No Boy don't do it, he heard the voice inside his head say.
With all his strength he plunged the rainbow sword at his heart, missing my a few millimeters.
"Crono!!!", screamed Marle as she rushed over to him.
"Crono I'm so sorry", she cried as she held his body in her arms.
"It was not your fault", said Crono as he coughed up blood.
"Seems I missed my heart", he commented at still being alive.
"Don't die now, not now", pleaded Marle.
"If I don't then he will take over again and kill you", he said pulling the sword from his chest and gripping it with his hand again.
"Help me up, I want to die standing", asked Crono as Marle helped him up.
Using the sword as a crutch he limped through the rubble and out of the church. Magus was standing outside the entrance leaning against another wall as it was his past time.
"You did your best", said Crono when he saw Magus.
"Good luck in finding her", he said again before he left.
"Wait Crono", said Magus as Crono was limping off again.
"You have earned my respect, and my gratitude. May you find some comfort in the void", said Magus.
Crono knew that was about the best he would have ever gotten from the warlock. He continued to limp until he reached the forest. Not being able to support his weight anymore he collapsed against a tree that sat by a river. He took the last minutes of his life to reflect on it, making sure that he had forgotten nothing so that perhaps he could lose himself in his memories. Taking his sword he tossed it into the running river.
"Hopefully one day weapons like this won't be needed", he said aloud remembering what Melchoir always preached.
History repeats though and he was sure that the need for weapons would come again. Just like today had been a repeat of the Lavos battle, and maybe another such battle would take place in the future.
Sinking into the ever approaching darkness he heard his mother's voice again.
"Wake up sleepy head"
----------------------------------
Epilogue
Three months had passed since the battle inside the Cathedral, three months to rebuild and re-think their lives. They had built a memorial at the graveyard for Crono though they never found his body after he walked off, never finding Marle's pendant or the Epoch core either.
Lucca sat at a small table she had in her main room. Her house had been rebuilt of course with help from the same knights that had destroyed it too. Tidying up everything before her guest arrived saw the picture that she kept to remind herself of him.
A knock on the door took her out of her thought and she went to let her guest in.
"Hey Lucca", said Marle.
"Hello Marle", said Lucca as she closed the door.
"How ya been", asked Marle to Lucca.
"Not bad, finally getting around to inventing some stuff", said Lucca.
"And you", she asked.
"Well the kingdom is finally getting back together, that help that Porre gave really did help a lot. I'd say soon things will be back to normal or better than normal", said Marle.
A robot on wheels came out of the kitchen carrying two cups or tea on a plate. Lucca took the plate and patted the robot on the head as it turned around and left. Handing a cup to Marle and sipping some of her own she tried to start another conversation.
"Well I finally dismantled the Epoch", said Lucca.
"Wow I never would expect you'd actually do it", said Marle.
"Ya well time travel needs to be left alone, it's too dangerous", said Lucca.
"By the way what happened to Magus, I never saw you take him back to his own time", said Marle to Lucca.
"To be frank I never found him after the battle, it's like he just went back on his own", said Lucca.
-----------------------
The cold wind whipped at his face as he climbed the steep mountain. Magus trudged forward with resolve that no one else besides Crono would have possessed. Finally reaching the top he took a moment to marvel at how high he had climbed, he couldn't even seen the ground since the clouds blocked it. Taking the small egg shaped item out from his vest he held it high into the sky and shouted.
"I have come to retrieve what is mine"
The egg seemed to responded to these words as it floated from his hand and blew up like a firework in the sky. A small portal appeared in front of Magus, a portal that would lead him to what he had always sought.
It's been far too long since I have seen you Schala, far too long.
Magus stepped into the swirling vortex and was overcome with a bright light.
------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
"And that's most of it", said Marle as she ended the long story that she had told Frog.
After it was finished Melchoir finally found it appropriate that he show Frog his new weapon.
"Ok, its all done", announced Melchoir as he poked his head up from the stair into Marle and Frog's view.
It looked just like any other broadsword except that its blade was a multitude of colors that swirled and changed when shone under light. Giving it to Frog Melchoir took a seat at the table that Frog and Marle were sitting at.
"Tiss a fine blade Melchoir", complimented Frog as he adjusted to it.
"As fine as any other I've ever forged", said Melchoir in response.
"Though I am some what embarrassed to say that I heard the story", he admitted.
"You were easy dropping!", exclaimed Marle.
"Easy droppings a harsh word, I just heard it while I was polishing the blade", said Melchoir.
"From what I've heard though it sounds like he is after the three artifacts that we Gurus have made", he explained.
"And once he gets them then what", asked Marle.
"Well originally they were supposed to be part of a set, a set of Dream Weapons. The queen had ordered them made to show the power of Zeal. The amulet was the only one completed in Zeal, and allowed the wearer to harness Lavos's power. I had refused to complete the Masamune and thus was banished for that and other things. Belthasar never finished his part", explained Belthasar.
"Once he has all three he becomes more or less unstoppable. He will be able to travel time at will, have a great magical defense thanks to the amulet, and with the Masamune as his weapon he will be able to destroy cities and countries by himself", finally said Melchoir.
"Well we have the Epoch so he's at least missing one", said Marle.
"He already has the Masamune and Pendant", asked Melchoir.
"Aye, he hath defeated the spirit of the sword and taken it from me", said Frog sadly.
"And he took the pendant from me before", said Marle.
"Well then you must stop him before he tries to get the Epoch", stated Melchoir.
"Agreed", said Marle.
"But we don't want to hurt him", continued Marle.
"If you can bring him in alive, if not then you must try to stop him anyway you can. Do not let the future be destroyed just because off your feelings", said Melchoir.
"The lad is our friend, we can't just slay him like some common fiend", exclaimed Frog.
"I like the boy too he has done great things for good. But do you think he'd want you to let him run free and destroy things! He would want you to stop it, despite the cost", said Melchoir.
"Tiss true", agreed Frog.
"Let us depart then", stated Frog as he left for the Epoch.
----------------------------
"Are you sure it's wise to give these too him", asked Lucca again as she fumbled the Epoch's core around in her hand.
"Like I said before, they will defeat him in the astral plane", said Magus.
The two adventurers rode their steeds towards the Cathedral. They had taken the gate from 1000 A.D. back to 600 A.D. after Lucca had agreed to help Magus.
"How do you know he'll be there", asked Lucca.
"He'll be there, trust me", smirked Magus at Lucca's question.
"If you say so", muttered Lucca under her breath.
---------------------------------------
"Meet me at the Cathedral next to the castle"
You better not be long, or else the deal is off.
"I won't, in fact I am even bringing one of the traitors that you so much want to get revenge on"
Which one?
"The scientist"
Ahhh excellent. I have to wonder why you would help me though, what are you getting out of it.
"Nothing more than I already asked for"
"Leave what I asked for on the altar, I will take it then leave the items you desire"
Very well, no tricks or I will hunt you down
"Of course, no tricks"
-------------------------------------
"What trickery is this", asked Frog as the Epoch began steering itself.
"I dunno, the wheel just started moving by itself", said Marle.
The epoch lifted up from Melchoir's humble abode and vanished in the flash of lightning to the time period 600 A.D. The coordinates for the landing were clear, it was right where the Cathedral sat.
--------------------------------
Magus opened the heavy wooden door of the now abandoned cathedral, stirring around the dust of the desolate place. The only light came from the two candles that sat on the altar with a small egg shaped object sitting between it. Quickly walking down the dust laden carpet, he reached the altar and took the Egg setting down the Epoch's core and Pendant.
Lucca entered in brushing dust away from her face and coughing on what little made its way in her nose. Magus came back down from the altar with the egg in hand and stood next to Lucca waiting for Crono to come.
"Man what is with all this dust", complained Lucca.
Finally looking up to see what Magus was holding, she sat in mute shock.
"My god...that's the Chrono Trigger", exclaimed Lucca.
"Very observant", spoke out a deep voice from above them.
The chandeliers shook violently as a shaded form jumped down from them and landed in front of the Altar.
"Thank you for bringing these to me Magus", said Crono.
"Though I was a tad surprised that you would betray them", he chuckled lightly watching Lucca's reaction.
"You what", shouted Lucca as he jumped back and pulled out her gun.
"Oh yes, he collected these for me", said Crono.
"Now that I have them all though, nothing will be able to stop me", laughed Crono out loud.
The sound of thunder was heard outside and it shook the insides of the Cathedral. Just then the epoch came crashing in through the Cathedral's roof and landed on top of Crono.
A stunned Marle and Frog stumbled out of the Epoch and landed on the floor in front of Magus.
"Marle, Frog", shouted Lucca as she rushed to see if they were ok.
"That was VERY annoying", came a voice from beneath the Epoch as it was lifted into the air and thrown out the way it came in.
"Now that all of you are here, its time to kill you", said Crono as he collected the other two artifacts he had sought.
The body of Crono suddenly stiffened and froze in its action as the Marle, Lucca, and Frog looked on it confusion.
"Umm, what is happening", finally asked Marle.
"They are fighting him on the astral plane", finally spoke up Magus.
"The what", asked Marle.
"I'll explain later", said Lucca.
"Magus, can we help them any", she asked.
"We can travel there but cannot interfere, only watch", stated Magus.
"Fine lets do it", said Lucca.
Taking off his other glove, he traced another glyph that sat carved in his hand and chanted these words.
"Evare saki Ranalp Praw"
The room darkened and then disappeared all together. It was replaced with wide open spaces dotted with abstract objects and storms that stretched across the horizon lines. The sky itself was a purple-ish shade and the stars were replaced with small warp portals.
A few feat away sat the image of Crono though it was twisted into a kind of demonic form. Horns protruded from his head, the finger and toe nails were replaced with claws, and a long reptilian tail was the last of his features. Sitting opposite from him was what looked like an old man with a beard that reached the floor and a short cane that he supported himself on. Along side the old man was the image of Dorean as she had appeared when they first had seen her in Zeal. Behind those two were the small images of Masa and Mune, apparently not under Crono's control in the astral plane.
"So you seek to fight me as well do you", spoke Crono, even his voice had been twisted to be dark, deep, and threatening.
The four spoke in unison as like they were the same person.
"You have gone too far, you must be dealt with", they said.
"You are only jealous, jealous that I have power and you are nothing more than the tools of humans", responded Crono
"Tools we may be, but that is our purpose", spoke the four again.
"Then you have a new purpose now, to die", said Crono as he charged the group of four.
They each jumped in different directions so that Crono became flanked on all four sides. Masa and Mune rushed at Crono this time both cutting a deep gash into his chest and then jumping back to their original position. Dorean charged next but Crono hopped over her charging form and then came down on her with his claws, ripping huge wounds in her back and then grabbing hold of her. Raising her above his head he snapped her spine over his head and then tossed her limp body at Masa and Mune.
Meanwhile Magus and Co. watched while enclosed in a clear bubble that prevented them from helping
Masa and Mune were back on Crono in a flash as they rushed by and caused two more gashes on his sides. Crono turned around to confront the two as they would charge again but was hit with a surge of magic from behind. Dorean was back on her feet, leaving a confused Crono starring at her.
"Why won't you just die", shouted Crono as he pounded his fists in the ground that sent a shockwave at Dorean. A forcefield blocked the shockwave, a force field that was set up by the old man. He looked at Crono and cast a crude magic wall to surrounded Crono. Crono easily smashed through the wall but it was just a diversion because as soon as he came out Masa and Mune charged by again creating two more gashes in his side. He grabbed onto the two small forms after they made their wound, smashing each of their heads against the ground with an inhuman strength and then tossed them aside. A large chunk of Ice flew at Crono and impaled him through the mid section causing him to fly backwards a few yards and land on his back.
"You little..", cursed Crono as he removed the Ice bolt from his chest and chucked it at the old man.
The old man nimbly dodged to the side and then grabbed the flying bolt with his magic and sent it flying back at Crono again. It seemed though that Crono had disappeared from the battle field entirely. Just then Crono came from the sky at a super sonic speed and smashed his body into Dorean's, sending her through the ground.
The old man nimbly danced around and touched the two boys, Masa and Mune, on the head bringing them back to life. While they distracted Crono he danced over to Dorean and jumped down into the hole made by her body and revived her as well.
"They don't seem to be doing to good do they", commented Lucca.
"It seems as though his power is already too great", said Magus.
Just then the four figures disappeared from the plane followed by Crono who disappeared as well.
"Seems they have given up on the fight", said Magus.
"Come, let us return', he said and ended the spell.
When they came back to the Cathedral they found themselves face to face with the four figures they had seen on the astral plane.
"He is too strong", they said in unison.
"He cannot be beaten", they continued.
"They has to be a way to stop him", said Lucca.
"We can seal him up, deep within the earth", they stated.
"Tiss better than having the lad run about", said Frog.
"Wait..."said Marle.
"How long would the seal last", she asked.
"Until it was broken by a greater power than us combined", they said.
"Would a power as strong as Lavos and Crono be enough to break it", asked Lucca catching onto what Marle was trying to get at.
"Most definitely", they responded.
"Marle, this is how it happened", said Lucca finally figuring it out.
"What is she babbling about now", said Magus.
"When we went to the future it was destroyed by Crono. What I think happens is when Lavos surfaces he causes the seal to weaken and then Crono is able to break it the rest of the way. If we do this then we doom the future, the exact opposite of what we fought all that time for", said Lucca.
--------------
You can hear them plotting against you can you not boy.
They are doing what is best for the world, if I must be imprisoned for it then so be it.
You know once I get out of that seal I will kill everything. I will hunt their families down and slaughter them like the dogs they are. I will destroy the past, present, and future.
Not if you're in that seal.
You know as well as I do that I will get free one day, it could be thousands of years from now but I will get free. Then who will be there to stop me?
I will.
-------------------------------
"I will not be contained", shouted Crono at the group below him.
"I will kill you all", he shouted as he gathered his energy. It circled around him, lighting up the room and causing the air itself to lash out and randomly strike.
Ok Lucca, save the present and doom the future or kill your best friend. Either way he's not going to be the old Crono you once knew, he is conquered inside.
Time seemed to slow down for her, she watched the events as though in slow motion.
Magus was readying spell to launch at Crono.
Marle was pleading with Magus not to do it.
Frog remained where he, confused and in shock.
Hesitantly raising her gun at Crono, she locked her eyes with his and saw his plead for death. Taking aim and then closing her eyes, she pulled the trigger
....
And it missed, flying high above his head.
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"Crono, Crono wake up", rang a voice that Crono had heard many times before.
His mother walked up the stairs as her late sleeping son still refused to rise.
"Crono get up this instant", order his mom.
"Ahh ma just 5 more minutes I swear", he said putting the pillow over his head to block out the sound of her voice.
"Crono dear you friends are waiting", she explained.
"But mom, I'm scared", said Crono.
"They are waiting son, waiting for you. Go to them", she said once more.
"Fine I'm getting up", said Crono as he opened his eyes and got out of bed.
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The energy around Crono stopped, its potency disappearing back into nothingness. Crono sank to his knees, tears rolling down from his face.
"Frog, give me your sword", he asked.
"Crono", Frog replied but was cut off.
"Just get me a sword", he said again mustering all the courage he could.
Frog reluctantly took out the re-forged rainbow sword from his sheath and slid it to Crono.
"Thank you old friend", he said grabbing the sword Frog had given him.
"Melchoir did another fine job", smiled Crono as he raised his eyes to meet Frogs.
"Take care of them for me", said Crono before he gripped the sword with both his hands.
No Boy don't do it, he heard the voice inside his head say.
With all his strength he plunged the rainbow sword at his heart, missing my a few millimeters.
"Crono!!!", screamed Marle as she rushed over to him.
"Crono I'm so sorry", she cried as she held his body in her arms.
"It was not your fault", said Crono as he coughed up blood.
"Seems I missed my heart", he commented at still being alive.
"Don't die now, not now", pleaded Marle.
"If I don't then he will take over again and kill you", he said pulling the sword from his chest and gripping it with his hand again.
"Help me up, I want to die standing", asked Crono as Marle helped him up.
Using the sword as a crutch he limped through the rubble and out of the church. Magus was standing outside the entrance leaning against another wall as it was his past time.
"You did your best", said Crono when he saw Magus.
"Good luck in finding her", he said again before he left.
"Wait Crono", said Magus as Crono was limping off again.
"You have earned my respect, and my gratitude. May you find some comfort in the void", said Magus.
Crono knew that was about the best he would have ever gotten from the warlock. He continued to limp until he reached the forest. Not being able to support his weight anymore he collapsed against a tree that sat by a river. He took the last minutes of his life to reflect on it, making sure that he had forgotten nothing so that perhaps he could lose himself in his memories. Taking his sword he tossed it into the running river.
"Hopefully one day weapons like this won't be needed", he said aloud remembering what Melchoir always preached.
History repeats though and he was sure that the need for weapons would come again. Just like today had been a repeat of the Lavos battle, and maybe another such battle would take place in the future.
Sinking into the ever approaching darkness he heard his mother's voice again.
"Wake up sleepy head"
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Epilogue
Three months had passed since the battle inside the Cathedral, three months to rebuild and re-think their lives. They had built a memorial at the graveyard for Crono though they never found his body after he walked off, never finding Marle's pendant or the Epoch core either.
Lucca sat at a small table she had in her main room. Her house had been rebuilt of course with help from the same knights that had destroyed it too. Tidying up everything before her guest arrived saw the picture that she kept to remind herself of him.
A knock on the door took her out of her thought and she went to let her guest in.
"Hey Lucca", said Marle.
"Hello Marle", said Lucca as she closed the door.
"How ya been", asked Marle to Lucca.
"Not bad, finally getting around to inventing some stuff", said Lucca.
"And you", she asked.
"Well the kingdom is finally getting back together, that help that Porre gave really did help a lot. I'd say soon things will be back to normal or better than normal", said Marle.
A robot on wheels came out of the kitchen carrying two cups or tea on a plate. Lucca took the plate and patted the robot on the head as it turned around and left. Handing a cup to Marle and sipping some of her own she tried to start another conversation.
"Well I finally dismantled the Epoch", said Lucca.
"Wow I never would expect you'd actually do it", said Marle.
"Ya well time travel needs to be left alone, it's too dangerous", said Lucca.
"By the way what happened to Magus, I never saw you take him back to his own time", said Marle to Lucca.
"To be frank I never found him after the battle, it's like he just went back on his own", said Lucca.
-----------------------
The cold wind whipped at his face as he climbed the steep mountain. Magus trudged forward with resolve that no one else besides Crono would have possessed. Finally reaching the top he took a moment to marvel at how high he had climbed, he couldn't even seen the ground since the clouds blocked it. Taking the small egg shaped item out from his vest he held it high into the sky and shouted.
"I have come to retrieve what is mine"
The egg seemed to responded to these words as it floated from his hand and blew up like a firework in the sky. A small portal appeared in front of Magus, a portal that would lead him to what he had always sought.
It's been far too long since I have seen you Schala, far too long.
Magus stepped into the swirling vortex and was overcome with a bright light.
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