Chapter 6: Magus

It wasn't exactly pleasant, but we had a group going. After he agreed, he hitched up into the Epoch and headed to 12,000 B.C.

Now, I could have let Cyrus stay dead, and in all honesty, it was tempting. I wanted Schala back so bad, and I was so close, I could practically feel her in my arms, hugging me again. I thought I'd never feel that again, even if I did find her. I couldn't tell her who I was without repenting for my sins. Cyrus' death was one of those sins, so we headed for Death Peak.

Death Peak itself is a marvel of nature. It reminded me of the Earth in Zeal. It was the only place in 2300 A.D. which went unchanged. The keeper's dome still stood, Belthasar was still dead, the Nu still slept. I suppose that not everything can be changed. We used the enertron in the keeper's dome before we headed out.

I loved Death Peak. It forced me to use all the strength I had, physically and mentally. I didn't dare fly in the open, the winds were much too strong. I spent much of the time at the base of the mountain helping Lucca, who hated the cold. I didn't blame her, I knew many Zealians of the fire element who couldn't take it down below. As I helped her, she smiled to me. This time, though, the sharp pain in my heart was absent.

We decided to set up camp inside a cave in the mountain. The snow was falling too heavily and it was getting too cold out, even for me. We all sat around a fire. Frog went to sleep early, stating that the less he could see of me, the better. Lucca was reading a book on machinery. I was thinking about Lucca. I couldn't get her out of my head. I didn't want to get her out of my head. It was then when I gave the notion that I actually loved her some serious consideration.

"Lucca." I asked timidly, love was a strange subject for me.

"Yes." she looked up at me as she replied. I smiled at the sight of her.

"May I ask you a question." I looked down at the cave floor. I was so nervous.

"Yes, of course. Go right a head." I looked at her, trying to piece together what I would say next.

"What would you think if someone told you that they loved you, even to the point where they would die for you?" I asked her, remembering the question she asked me.

"I don't know. I've never really thought about it." She leaned in closer to me. I gulped. I didn't know what to say next. "What would you say if someone told you they loved you so much, that they would follow you to the end of the world and jump off, just to be with you." she asked me, inching closer to me. I could feel my heart beating. Her voice slowed a bit as she spoke.

"Lucca." my voice quivered.

"Magus." her voice became softer.

"I love you." we said in unison. I never thought it would be that easy. I felt as though nothing else mattered. We were face to face, less than an inch apart. I let my impulses take over. I kissed her. I kissed her with a passion that I never knew was inside of me. The warmth inside me grew as she kissed back. That moment was frozen in time. What was seconds felt like minutes. I didn't know what to think. I hadn't felt this good in a long time. She looked at me and smiled again, I smiled back. We held each other for the rest of the night.

Of all places to realize your passion for someone, Death Peak was the last place you wanted to do it. Something was always happening to take your mind away from your newfound interests. If it had been any other place, I could have savored it, but here you could only have a taste before you went back to work.

When we left the cave, we found a group of beasts fighting over the carcass of what appeared to be a long dead mountain climber. There were only rags and bits of flesh left on the body. The monsters could smell us. They could feel us. We were warm, fresh meat. We couldn't get by without going through these creatures, so without warning, I charged in, waving my scythe, striking anything in the vicinity. I cried out in bloodlust as the group of twelve, cut down to nine after my rampage, focused their attention on me. I used a Dark Mist spell, but these creatures seemed nourished by it. I was lucky I was travelling with someone. As two of them began to close in, they were knocked away by bright balls of energy. I looked behind me and Lucca was there, firing wildly at the beasts. At first I was happy, but I noticed three more were coming from behind her. I almost cried out to her, but then I saw Frog tackle one as he drove his sword through it. I turned my attention to the 7 in front of me. I charged again. This time, however, they were ready. Despite cover fire from Lucca picking of two, and my own scythe taking out two more, they were ready while I recovered from my attack. They lunged and drove their curved horns into my ribs. I was knocked back two or three feet when another one hit me from the side. My head fell right in front of the third one. It opened it's mouth to reveal it's razor sharp teeth. It lunged for the kill, but I rolled away. It was fast for what appeared to be a scavenger and was back on me. Before I could move again, if came down on me, but before it was able to put significant power on the bite, Lucca used a fire spell to scare it off. She ran over to me. Her gun had lost it's energy and needed time to recharge. Frog was still busy was the last of the three that snuck behind Lucca. I remembered that my shadow spell healed them, so I tried the lightening 2 spell. As each bolt hit, they dropped like flies. I smiled that smile. The smile that said I was still the most feared being alive.

"What werest thou trying to do, commit suicide?" Frog was agitated by my not so stealthily assault.

"I have to agree with him on this one. We could have waited them out, or picked them off from a distance." Lucca added. I decided I wasn't going to be wrong on this one.

"Hmph. How was I supposed to know they were of the shadow element? If they hadn't been, the situation would have been under control."

"So you attack a dozen large creatures you know nothing about other than they have big horns, sharp teeth, and a taste for flesh." She added in, I knew she was a little angry at my recklessness.

"They would have charged us anyways, they knew we were here. Please, I think I know a thing or two about battle, considering I did wage a fairly successful campaign against the strongest nation in the world with few supplies and few motivated troops." I would have the final say on this one, it was my field of expertise.

It was strange. That was our first real argument. It's funny. It didn't happen until after we both learned that we were in love with each other. Anyways, we made our way up to the summit. The tree, the rocks, everything was still there. The two of them looked at me. I took the time egg out of my pocket.

"Time to see if this thing works. To repent sins and mend painful memories, bring us to Cyrus!!" I threw the Chrono trigger into the air. The moon was high that night. It shattered as it fell in front of the full moon. I looked around, Lucca and Frog were silent, but they knew what was to happen next.

It felt strange going back. With the incident with Lavos, it was so recent, there was nothing to think about. This was 15 years prior, I saw things I didn't want to remember. I saw Cyrus on his knees, trying to get who is now Frog to leave, but he wouldn't.

"Such a painful memory. For both of us, I assume." Frog said to me. I simply nodded in agreement. I got out the clone. I grabbed the real body and through it through the portal and placed the clone where it had once lain. I was the last one to leave, but before I did, I bid one final farewell to the Magus of old, and stepped out of the portal.

*How was that. I hope this makes up for the last chapter, which I know was kinda crummy. How bout that kiss, eh? There's more where that came from. We've got our first signs of the action adventure and the first little tiff between Magus and Lucca. Please read and review!!! PEACE!!!

Dark Creation

P.S. There are a few fics which are great reads if you love Lucca/Magus fics. Mine's just the newest of a number of great fics, here is a list of some must reads:

Just Hungry by Sailor Leo

Never Ever in a Million Years by Yuffie-Girl

Ice Rain by Nova Strike (Not exactly a L/M but I like it)

Epokku no Ummei by Wariu Nekochan (One of the first and best Lucca/Magus fics ever)