Chapter 3: Magus

*Author's Note: Apologies to Sailor Leo for the anonymous reviewer thing. To answer Milaya Milen Zeal's question, she's 21. I don't think there's a definite age system in the game for them, but I thought this was how it went:

Crono, Lucca and Marle: 16

Magus: 27 (7 at the fall of Zeal, 17 at the time of Cyrus' demise)

Frog: 26 (16 at the time of Cyrus' demise)

Ayla: ????

Robo: ????

Schala: 16 (at the time of the fall of Zeal)

Cyrus: 20 (at the time of his death, 10 years before the game began)

etc. etc.

Just add 5 to those numbers, except Schala and Cyrus, and you've got the ages. I hope that answer's any questions about age. Also, the end result of Chrono Cross will be a part this story, which will be explained how later on. Now, on to chapter 3.*

That day was very odd for me. Apology was not something I practiced often, and affection wasn't something I practiced openly. When I look back, I think that was when I began to feel differently towards her. I felt strange being around her for the longest time. It took a week for me to be able to speak to her again, at least other than "hand me this" or "hold onto that". When Lucca's parents came home, she told them what had happened with the plate, but didn't say anything about what had happened after that. I was somewhat grateful, I didn't want her parents thinking I wasn't safe to be around.

Work on the Epoch was going great, up until the point where we had to rebuild the time travelling component to the epoch. I was rendered somewhat useless. I didn't want to have her do it alone. I never liked having anyone do anything for me, even when it meant killing someone. Nonetheless, Lucca wanted me out so she could concentrate. Having no place else to go, I went to Leene Square.

I always liked Truce Canyon better than Leene Square. Leene Square was always so full of people, which was definitely a negative aspect in my book and it still is. Truce Canyon was never full of people. You'd see a stray imp here or there, but you could always enjoy the sound of the streams trickling across the rocks, or the fact that it always felt like perpetual dusk there. In Leene Square, the sun was always beating down or it was filled with lights of all sorts. It was too cheerful for me.

I found myself very bored with most of the attractions left over from the Millennial Fair. Most of the shops had shut down, but a few of the games were still up. After beating up Lucca's battle robot, Gato (Not a difficult task at all. I know imps that could beat that thing), and striking the bell at the "Test of Strength" game, I decided I would bet on a few races. While watching the races, I noticed everyone having a good time. Men, women, children, and sex crazed teenagers all were having fun. Doing watch, it depended on the person. I felt like I was the only one bored there. I never enjoyed the same things other people did. It made me wonder if my life was worth living if I was never happy.

I went over to the book stand, which had been placed in Melchior's old stand. I sifted through the biographies, and there I saw it.

"Magus: The twisted Warlord." I read the title aloud. I loved the illustration. It might have almost passed for me, except for the big wings, the mouth full of razor sharp teeth and the horns coming out of my forehead and back.

"Are you interested in that book?" the lady at the book stand asked me. I smiled at her for a moment.

"Do you know that this isn't entirely accurate? I am a scholar of the ancient war of mystics and humans. I have seen statues the mystics created of the Magus. He appears much more human than this cover depicts." I said to her. I was amused with this and I wanted to hear her reply.

"Well, I'm sure that Magus wasn't as demonic as that book potrays, but the facts are there. The alliance with Ozzie, Slash and Flea, The war, the battle with Sir Cyrus, his defeat at the hands of Sir Glenn. Buy it and read if you want to see for your self." I did as much. It was the worst 10 gold pieces I had ever spent. Apparently, some researcher has credible information saying that hid behind Ozzie, Slash and Flea while burning villages and that I stabbed Cyrus in the back with a poisoned dagger. The worst part was that I supposedly begged for mercy before the handsome Sir Glenn honorably did me in with the Masamune in a one on one battle. I hated that sort of thing, but I know the same thing would have happened had the mystics won and wrote a book about "the evil Cyrus", who burned mystic village with a wave of his sword and fell to the noble Magus.

I began to think more about Cyrus. I hadn't thought about him for a very long time. The truth about Cyrus is a very interesting tale. I knew more about him than the frog thought I did. From what I knew, he was like most men, except with a heightened sense of honor and justice, but he was blind to what was not straight forward. Had he known of the starving mystic children, exiled on a small continent by humans, with little to eat, he may have thought a little differently, not that it was this that had convinced me to take up their cause. Cyrus had an affair with Queen Leene 2 years before he left to gather the sword and medal. The battle itself was very short, but you already know that.

I returned to Lucca's home once the sun went down because I couldn't stand the lights of Leene Square. I could see the lights from Lucca's house easily, as the flashed different colors from time to time. It became apparent that she was still working on the time machine from the flashes and consistent cursing, followed by a loud "Lucca!!! DON"T SWEAR!!!! It's not lady-like." from Taban. When I arrived, she was exhausted, but she still acknowledged my presence.

"Hi." she said in a worn out voice.

"Hello." I replied, still feeling a bit strange.

"You know, you shouldn't travel at night, it's dangerous." she said, a little zoned out.

"I wasn't too worried." my mind was racing with thoughts, it was hard to gather them.

"Did you have fun?"

"As a matter of fact, I didn't. Although, I did find a slightly amusing book at the book stand." I began to feel a little bit more social. I tossed the book to her. She looked at the cover for a moment, looked at me, then looked back at the cover and began to chuckle.

"Did you read it?" she asked. I nodded with a smirk on my face. "This was required reading in a history class I took. I can remember going to fight you, I was scared out of my wits because of this cover. When I finally saw you, I felt like laughing a bit. You were intimidating, but not quite the demonic presence that I expected."

"Hmph, I was the most frightening being that Guardia will ever know. To the people 400 years ago, I was the incarnation of the devil." I had to defend my reputation, not that I had one anymore. I was dead to just about everyone.

"I know. I've kinda been wondering about the battle with Cyrus. You know, the one where you turned Frog into...well..a frog. You're obviously not the murderer that history remembers you by, so I want to know, what were you thinking when you did it?" she was getting very personal. 15 years ago, I would've killed her for asking a question like that. I was such a child. I may have acted calm, collected and mature, but my love of inflicting pain was like a child's craving of sugar. I had changed a lot.

"This..is sort of a personal matter for me. I never really thought about how I felt before. I know what I feel now." I lied to her. It was more the other way around. I knew how I felt before very well. I often fell asleep thinking about how I had struck down the hero of my enemy and how nothing could stop me from the final confrontation with Lavos. "Now that I look back, I regret what I did."

I was always good at hiding my feelings. At that point, I was so confused about myself, but I knew one thing. I never regretted what I did. I did think Cyrus was a loss when I thought about it 15 years after I did it, but I am selfish, always have been and always will be. I value my life and my goals over almost everything else. There are a couple exceptions, but we'll get to that.

"Magus....." she looked at me for a moment. She was searching for something. What, I don't know. After a moment, she spoke again. "Have you ever loved someone. Loved them to the point where you would give your life for them."

"That is what I have devoted my entire life to." I said to her. This was the absolute truth. I had always been ready to do anything to get Schala back. To end any pain she felt, even if it meant my own life. She smiled at me. She had that sort of smile that made you want to smile back. She did it to me a great deal. For a long time, I'd feel a sharp pain in my heart every time she smiled at me, because I felt I didn't deserve it. Her smile reminded me of Schala. Although the romantic love for her hadn't quite been sparked, I felt that I would give my life for her, too.

~ I hope you all love this chapter. This chapter is sort of a preview of a surprise towards the end of the story, with a little more of the romance, mainly the flicker that starts the burning in Magus' heart (jeez, that was really corny). Anyway, keep up the reviewing and thanks to all the people who have reviewed so far. Also, next chapter, we'll find out why Lucca struggles for happiness. PEACE!

Dark Creation