The Forgotten Journals
The Chrono Trigger Phenomenon
Chapter 2: Dark Knight of Guardia
She opened her eyes.
"Good, you're back with us, you wouldn't believe how many Curagas and Full-Lifes I used just to get you somewhat stable..."
"Huh...?"
It took her mind to catch up with what exactly had caused her to pass out. She began to move, with a look of fear on her face.
"Where's Crono?!"
She could see the form of the stranger, who was given the name of Tyler so that they wouldn't have to call him "the stranger" all the time.
He shushed her, pushing her back on the bed.
"Geez, you and Lucca are crazy about him, aren't you? Calm down, you're still injured..."
She fought back a blush, turning her head to see Lucca sitting in a chair across the room with a blanket wrapped around her, she looked like she was involuntarily shivering despite the fact that it was...
Marle shook her head, wrapping up in the blankets as she began to shiver as well.
Tyler motioned to the window, motioning to the fact that it was closed.
"I guess the only reason I can think for the shivering occuring is the fact that his Dark elemental magic had that kind of effect on you..."
Come to think of it, didn't the spells that Lavos cast have this kind of effect?
She shivered again; evidently not this bad...
"He was so... I could just tell that everything about him was evil... and I'm a strong believer of good intentions being in all human beings..." Marle started, still shivering, "Either he's not human... or some kind of Demonic power has overcome his mind so forcefully that whatever good in him is hard to sense."
Tyler expressed a frown, "You can sense if a person is good?"
She nodded, "I guess people can learn that kind of power through how well they develop their magical energies..."
Tyler shook his head, "No, of course not, if that were true, then we would've realized that guy was out for blood..."
Marle cocked her head to the side in confusion, "Huh? Who are you talking about?"
His right eyebrow slowly moved up, "Why he's a Mae... mae... uh I don't know... you got me."
She shook her head sadly, "You look like you've been really trying to remember. I thought I had you for a second."
He chuckled, "Yeah, it was bad enough having to pretend I was amnesiatic so I wasn't labelled crazy... but now that I actually..."
He frowned, "Well that's odd, it seems like I'm trying to remember without actually trying... maybe I'll have it all back sometime..."
Lucca spoke up, shaking her head as well, "You know, you really confuse me sometimes... why don't you try to remember some kind of healing spell or something that might get rid of the shivering?"
He sneered, "Ya know, you're just as... hey, that's it! I got it!"
Soft light fell on the room as he moved his lips, suddenly the both of them felt as if whatever adverse effects of the spell vanished completely.
"The hell?" Lucca could only state with shock.
He grinned, "That was just the thing I needed to remember this whole time, I knew there was a spell to get rid of it, but it was just on the tip of my toungue... it looked like Ensua was just what you needed after all."
Marle shook her head in wonder, "You've done so much... shouldn't you be... uh... running low?"
He shook his head, "I got loads more than where that came from, you haven't seen me cast... Ul... ti... uh...?"
Marle sat up in the bed, "As bad as I feel saying it, we can't wait around for you to remember much more, Tyler. I have a bad feeling about whatever that... Wizard... did to us, and whatever he planned to do with Crono. Heaven help wherever he is..."
Lucca shook her head, "So sad... if only we had some clue as to where we could find him..."
Tyler though for a moment, "What about this Magus person you told me about? Could he be of any assistance? Or is he..."
Lucca jumped up from her seated position, running over to Tyler and hugging him.
"Ah, where was my brain at?! Of course! We need to take the Epoch! Let's go to my house and retrieve it..."
He nodded, helping Marle get up from the bed, "Right, your Time Machine... maybe your Dark Wizard ally can help us find out more about whoever that guy was that cast that spell."
They wasted no time running to Lucca's house.
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Having told Crono's mom in hurried details, they hadn't really had the time to tell exactly where they were going. Nevertheless, she sent Tyler off with the ladies in order to make sure they would be safe from any other dangers.
As the dome opened, the three leapt in, Lucca immediately taking the controls.
"Wow!" Tyler exclaimed, "We had flying devices like these in... the city... something like it... maybe..."
Marle turned to Lucca, making an odd gesture, "Come on! What if Magus is having trouble too?!"
This seemed to have more of an effect on Lucca than she thought. Without saying a word, Lucca quickly turned the dial near the steering wheel of the machine to 600AD and angled the machine upward, hitting a large green button with the word "GO" etched on above it.
As the machine took off into the sky reaching hyperspeed, Tyler began to reminisce.
If only he had one of these machines... he would be able to go back and see the very events that eluded him as of now... after all, it was his story, and it was not meant to be forgotten.
He watched the shimmering blue waves that enveloped the craft suddenly taper off as the scenery below him changed...
Indeed, he noted, he had truly gone back to an era of history that to him would be something only stories were made of... but for those who owned this machine, they could use it to continue writing more stories of their own...
Lucca piloted the machine near a large castle that Tyler recognized to be the Guardia castle of the past that he had been told about. As he was about to ask why they were here, the event of the story he was told dawned on him.
Another ally was here, one who could deal with the Dark Wizard due to his magical sword.
The man whom Magus had turned into a Frog at the suggestion of some fat ass monster called Ozzie.
He watched as the little green Frog creature hopped to the general area near the craft as it landed, flanked by a few soldiers.
As the cockpit opened, the Frog belted out a greeting.
"Mine comarades! Thou hast visited at such a sudden time... what ist thine calling to be here? Didst thou miss mine Frogish good looks already?"
He grinned oddly, causing Tyler to roll his eyes.
"If you knew the truth, Sir Froggie, you wouldn't be so happy..."
The three slowly climbed out of the cockpit, as Tyler continued, "Then again, I don't think it would make anyone happy..."
The Frog regarded him with an odd stare, "Beith a friend of thine that I hast not met? He seemith quite the odd looking one..."
Tyler chuckled, "Coming from you, I should be insulted... but oh well... by the way, I'm Tyler..."
Frog nodded, extending a hand, "It seems that thou has heard of mine self... I am Sir Frog, Knight Captain of Guardia, and protector of Queen Leene."
Tyler shook the hand without even so much as giving much of a reaction.
Lucca just shook her head, "One would think that you might be a bit afraid..."
He shook his head, ending the handshake, "No, you'd be surprised, I've seen many a strange thing in my life."
He was remembering things at an alarming rate, that much was true, the look in his eyes seemed to show more recognition all the time.
Marle couldn't take it any longer as she slowly walked towards Frog, "We... have some bad news..."
She spoke of how Tyler had randomly shown up, also having suffered an extreme bout of amnesia, and while they were bringing the odd user of magic up to speed, a dark Wizard had attacked Crono and kidnapped him to whatever realm he came from.
The Frog stared on with a stoic glare, "Beith that such a great warrior fall so quickly..." He paled, "It doth portend news most unimaginable..."
"We think Magus might know something... so as soon as you're ready..." Lucca began, but suddenly shrieked as she leapt back as a dark portal slowly opened near her.
A form fell out of the black hole, having it suddenly close behind.
"Magus?!" Marle seemed to show concern for the figure on the ground.
As they crowded around, the figure showed signs of struggling to get up, as they neared, he collapsed.
Marle ran over, words to chant various curing spells suddenly ringing out, as Tyler concentrated on pinpointing healing to exact locations.
It worked as the man began to cough and sat up on the ground, shaking his head as if to clear the cobwebs. He was deathly pale, and his red eyes looked as if they had some kind of undiscernable emotion in them.
"Thank God... I have made it here alive..."
He rubbed his arm as a thin blue scar on it was suddenly noticed. The Frog stared on, concerned.
"I have not fought with thee recently, Magus, yet the wound looks of mine blade... but it seems odd that it be God that thou must thank..."
The soldiers near Frog backed up, suddenly running inside the castle as Magus grimaced.
"Fools... I'm not out to get them anymore... blast it, not after..."
Marle looked deep into his eyes, running a hand over the blue scar and whispering another curing spell. As she ended, she spoke up again.
"You made me worried... I'd hate to lose both Crono and you..."
Frog stared at her, horrified, "What didst thou say? What kind of person wouldst care for Magus... well, Lady Marle... perhaps thou art the most caring angel ever to..."
She shook her head, "He's family... in fact, he's related to every member of the Guardia line."
Frog scowled, "Thine sister survived to become a Queen of Guardia... I had mine doubts she wert the same Schala... most gracious mother of the throne..."
Magus returned the look, struggling to get up, "Damn it... Frog, as much as it angers me to hear you speak... you do speak kindly of my sister..."
The Frog scowled, "It be true... yet it art also true that the Queen mother would be so heartbroken of her brother's endeavors..."
Magus grimaced, though healing energy was coursing through him, "Believe me, Froggy, if I'd have known the truth, the war would have ended before the damn thing even started."
The Frog shook his head, "Thou art the most vile creature I hath ever laid eyes upon... t'would be likely thou would'st kill thine own kin... no urchin of a child would have done such a task worthy for the righteous..."
"I'm warning you, toad..." The Wizard responded, enraged, "shut your mouth before I have to take action..."
"Do thine worst..." The Frog put a hand to the hilt of the Masamune. "T'would have been a great day if thou would'st be killed by a similar blade to whatever hath injured you so..."
Magus sat up, livid. His mouth slowly formed words: "It's about time I did this... I've been waiting many years to do it... and now you're going to get it!"
His eyes glowed with unnatural blackness as he began to growl a spell, pointing at the Frog and enveloping him in a sphere of black energies.
Tyler shouted out, trying to yell over the hum of magic, but found that he could not be heard, but all of a sudden, he heard a voice cry out above all the energies.
"Damn it, Magus, I will surely have thy head for this... damned be thou... demon brother of a most holy angel!"
The magic abruptly stopped, and Tyler turned to check up on the Knight Captain.
Wherever the Frog had been before, he was replaced by a man who Tyler could scarely see as Crono's lookalike, only with hair of a deep green. His angry emerald eyes to his Crono-like determined scowl reflected very much of a man who had a great anger towards the dark Mage.
Magus coughed, suddenly laying back.
"Hah, I guess I didn't have to die to reverse it, Marle... mind giving me another cure?"
The former frog coughed, looking at his hands in awe, as they shakingly gripped the Masamune in wonder.
"Magus...?"
The Wizard found the strength to stand.
"You can thank Marle for that... and Crono, as you probably would guess. Though you are a pest, I was tired of looking at you at a Frog… seems like the joke's over."
The Knight Captain stared on at the Wizard, turning to see Marle's worried face, Lucca's odd gaze of fascination at him, and Tyler, who stood unmoving, his face registering a look of deep thought.
"Magus... you..."
He struggled to find the words as his Midieval Frog accent had been stripped away.
"This act of penance... as I see it as such... will not go unnoticed in the eyes of the Lord... I am sure that God himself looks upon you with a look quite confused..."
The Wizard smiled, as he suddenly found support from Tyler.
"It's just because he's not sure where to put my soul in the afterlife."
The man nodded, "The many human lives would..."
Magus shook his head, causing Marle to look at him oddly, "Correction, Glenn, I've only killed one human... I've killed many more mystics even though I was on their side..."
The Knight Captain narrowed his eyes, "Just Cyrus?"
Magus nodded, "At... at least it was in battle..."
"Aye..." Glenn nodded, "Though as far as fairness..."
"I admit, using magic to survive the battle was wrong... and what I did to you..."
He sighed, causing all but Marle and Tyler (for he didn't know the wizard) to stare in confusion.
"I don't think such a sin could ever wash from my hands..."
The man shook his head, "Since when did you care about sin, Magus?"
Lucca saw Tyler wince at the mention of sin, and she wondered if he had anything to do with some kind of religious order where he came from.
"Since I realized that I had been fighting my own family all along... since I realized that there were people other than my sister who actually gave a shit about me..."
He spat on the ground, a mask of anger contorting his face.
"Since I realized that I would never amount to anything unless I started worshipping the only true power that exists in this universe..."
"But... you still use the power of Shadow, I can sense it..." stated Glenn.
Tyler shook his head, speaking up and surprising the others.
"I know a spell called Demi... and I believe that falls within the realm of Shadow energy... from what I can tell, Shadow is just an element, one that can be used despite lawful alignment..."
The once Frog looked at the man, surprised that he defended someone he barely knew. He was about to comment when he heard a shout behind him, as a bunch of soldiers ran out of the main doors to the castle.
"Magus! Prepare to breathe your last!"
Glenn spun around, bringing a palm upturned to them.
"Halt! You are all mistaken!"
The knights stopped, eyeing the man who stood in their way, suddenly one of the soldiers cried out in alarm.
"Sir Glenn?! What brings you back in this desperate time?! Where is Sir Frog?"
He chuckled, bringing his other hand to the Masamune, holding it up for all of them to see.
"I am right here! Sir Janus, the blue haired one, has ridden me of the curse of the frog!"
"But… we heard Magus…"
He shook his head, "As I told you before, I had defeated him with the aid of Sir Crono and Sir Robo. The man you see before you is Sir Janus, a much different man."
The dark wizard shook his head in amazement.
"It's funny how someone will change their mind so considerably… I thank you, Glenn… I have a request I need to make…"
The soldiers eyed the group in front of them, as the blond haired man in the group stood in between them and the blue haired man, as if to reiterate Glenn's words.
Janus continued, "I need to speak with Queen Leene… can you allow me to do that, Glenn?"
Marle smiled, knowing the reason why Janus would want to do such a thing.
"I suppose I can allow it…"
Glenn strode over to the crowd of soldiers in front of the main doors of the castle, holding his Masamune for all of them to see.
"Hear me, now! Disperse! There is no need to be alarmed!"
One of the soldiers spoke up, "But… Magus…"
Glenn brought his sword higher, "Is my weapon not the Masamune?"
The guard shook his head, "Of course, I've seen that blade, there is no other, and it would only accept the touch of the hero himself… our Knight Captain."
Glenn nodded, "And you know that it is also the weapon that can slay Magus."
The soldiers nodded.
"Then why worry? The weapon surely defeated Magus, and won the war, why be so worried?"
The soldiers began to shuffle back inside, as Glenn motioned for Magus to follow him inside. Tyler took up the rear, as Marle and Lucca slowly followed him inside.
Magus strode forward to the throne room, where the King and Queen sat, eyeing him. He stood there for a moment, regarding the looks of both of their faces before expressing a frown. He turned back to Glenn, whose unwavering glare forced him to look back at the royal couple with a stoic glare.
The King coughed, "I have seen you in the company of Sir Crono before, but I have not asked your name, sir…?"
Magus looked upon him, before turning his gaze to the Queen, reminded how very much she looked like Marle… and that she was his sister's descendant.
He slowly dropped to one knee, mimicking how he had previously seen Glenn greet the two in his frog form.
"I am Janus, a fellow time traveler much like Sir Crono…"
The King nodded, remembering his visit to 1000 AD to speak on Crono's behalf to Marle's father.
"I was once a prince of a long forgotten kingdom, one that has fallen into the stories of legend itself… I am surprised that there are few that remember it."
The King
looked shocked, "A prince? I thought
that young Marle was the only member of royalty in the group…"
Leene smiled at the mention of Marle, remembering the problems that occurred when she first went to 600 AD.
Janus continued, "Perhaps you have heard of the Kingdom of Zeal?"
Leene stiffened, her eyes growing wide.
The King slowly spoke up, "Do you mean to tell me that you are from the mystical floating kingdom?"
Janus nodded, noticing the Queen's surprised look as she brought her hand to her neck, touching a chain that showed that she wore some sort of jewelry underneath her clothing.
Janus smiled, sensing the surprise from the Queen.
She spoke up, her voice shaking, "Only one other person in the whole of history… has ever spoken of being royalty of… the Kingdom of Zeal…"
Janus nodded, looking her in the eye.
"Yes, and she is buried under this very ground, near the room in which you are building to store the Rainbow shell… my sister…"
"Queen Schala…"
Janus nodded, "I understand if you do not believe me… but I have been seeking out my family… as I have been without it for so very long…"
The King nodded, "I see, your face shows one of great hardships…"
"The beast, Lavos, stole me from the very era I lived in… to here…"
The King nodded, watching as the man continued.
"In which I was brutally attacked by the creature, Ozzie, and forced to defend myself with the magical powers I gained while I lived in Zeal… powers which Lavos had kept me from using as a child…"
The Queen stiffened again, noticing an odd look in Janus' red eyes.
"After I beat him… he spoke to me… of his people, how they were evidently outcast because of their magical powers. That they had nothing for them… that those without magic were taking away the very lands that would keep their people alive…"
Glenn sadly shook his head.
"In my time… it was those who had magic that kept those without magic from having the luxuries of living above the harsh winters… and I grew up knowing no other way…"
The Queen's eyes grew fearful as he said his next words.
"So I joined him… to fight a war against people led by my very family…"
The soldiers in the room brought hands to their swords, as Glenn put his hand to the Masamune once again.
"And that is why I am here… to speak of the wrongs I have committed… and to face whatever consequences… from fighting under the name of Magus, and all evils associated with it… I have come for repentance… and though I do not deserve it… I ask knowing that the greatest sin of all… was fighting my own family…"
He bowed his head, letting his long hair drape to the floor. Marle slowly walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, and smiled sadly.
"Thank you… I knew you could do it, Janus…"
Tyler could hardly believe the story he heard, his eyes took on a look of surprise as he realized what risks Janus was taking.
"Asking to forgive his very sins… my father was very much the same way… I realize all too well that I was selfish to hate him…"
He didn't care to respond to Lucca's surprised look as he yet again surpassed his amnesiatic affliction.
Glenn stepped forward, standing before his King and Queen, as he forcefully shoved the Masamune into the ground before him, and stared on with a look that surprised everyone.
"This man may have done wrong, but I feel as if I cannot allow any harm to come to him… I apologize for that, my liege."
The Queen stared on at him with amazement, "… Frog? I recognized your voice… but… you look so very much like Sir Crono…"
He smiled, "I can understand if you do not remember who I used to be, my Queen… it has been ten years since you have seen my face…"
The Queen stared at him in alarm, "Glenn! But that means that Cyrus…"
"Gave his life fighting honorably in battle… and such a sin weighs heavily upon me… though I removed the curse that I had afflicted upon your guardian…"
She looked back at him again, tears springing to her eyes.
"You… killed Cyrus… and turned Glenn into a Frog?"
He nodded, lowering his head again, as the princess continued to give him support.
"As I said, it is great what I ask of you…"
"But you saw Cyrus' spirit as it laid to rest, Janus. You were there, as he must have seen what caused you to… be the one known as Magus… he held no malice in his being that I would allow you to destroy the being that had destroyed your life."
Glenn spoke, causing the King and Queen to be surprised at his defense of the man who had waged war against the kingdom for so long.
The Queen finally spoke, speaking in a soft tone.
"I understand that you called yourself Magus… but I do not see the being Magus before me."
Marle looked to her, thanking her.
"No, I do not see Magus, for he would not come asking for forgiveness… the man I see before me is one who has faced the hardship of many lifetimes, and yet still lives to tell his tale. Who I see before me, is Janus, brother of Queen Schala, my ancestor, and a member of family who seeks nothing more than to be forgiven by his very kin. I see a tortured soul before me, who has destroyed the very creature who brought him ruin, who created the being Magus… and with him…"
She turned to Glenn, who dropped to one knee quickly.
"I see a man sworn to his duty, yet has a sense of unwavering honor, greater than any knight that has ever graced the Kingdom of Guardia. I see a man who has conquered what brought him down, by accepting the very being he so very hated with all of his soul. I see a man who will be known throughout the lands for his deeds of bravery, wielding the most holy of swords… and I see a man whose family will follow in his footsteps, as one of his line, 400 years from now, will rise up, holding the very same values of his noble ancestor, and he will bring many brave warriors together, end wars and feuds… and spur his allies to defeat the greatest evil in the land… and though they were his deeds, he will attribute them to the spirit of his ancestor… as he stands up for himself, despite persecution from his country for running around with his King's daughter…"
Marle smiled at the last comment, watching as Glenn's look turned to one of esteemed honor.
"And I see my guardian… ever faithful… who looks as if he has yet another battle to fight… in defense of the one who he so hated before…"
She stopped, as she slowly unclasped her hand from her pendant, passed down from her ancestor. She had been holding it the whole time.
"Both of you should be honored… for the good you have done…"
Magus slowly rose, holding a hand out to Glenn, who gripped it as he was helped up.
"I am glad to have that out of the way… it has weighed on my mind ever since I found out what had happened to my sister… but for now, I must go with my comrades, for they will surely want to aid me in my next battle…"
He absentmindedly clutched the wound on his body, which still gave off a faint blue.
"A Dark Knight attacked me, with a blood-red sword… in it… I could sense the energies of Masa and Mune… though I could tell they were not in control. The Knight wore dark armor of Guardia, and spoke of some revenge he was to take on me for what I did to some ancestor of his…"
"The Masamune… evil?" Glenn choked out.
Janus nodded, "It is indeed so… I fear he will attack again… which is why I suggest we go back to the castle, where I was attacked, so we can figure out who he really is…"
Lucca spoke up, having been silent for the whole conversation between Janus and the King and Queen.
"There are only certain people that can use the Masamune… and that is what scares me…"
Tyler strode forward, putting his hand on the hilt of his blue sword.
"Whoever he is, we'll be ready!"
Janus nodded, as he looked back to the King and Queen, who nodded their approval.
"Let us be off then… we must be one step ahead of the reaper, for he carries the Masamune…"
Author's Note:
I updated, wow! If you haven't read my work "A Restless Night in Guardia", it's best that you do so, as it coincides very much with the events that transpired here (and also gave me a reason to change a previous version of this chapter that I had written).
Maybe this'll help me get those reviews that I need to spurn on my creative juices…
"Perhaps when all is said and done… when this maddening charge in which we follow is finally at it's end… when the beast's blood flows back to the planet… I may find it proper to ask for forgiveness to her face…" – Janus, in "A Restless Night in Guardia"