Chapter 7: Revenge is a Dish Best Served With Peas and Hot Sauce
"So, those were called 'Gremlins'?" Crono asked as he wiped his blade off. Frog nodded.
"Aye, and the batlike ones be Vamps. They will be found inside the castle, while the Gremlins will not." Robo beeped.
"Does not compute. I detected that the Gremlins were stronger."
"Aye, but the Vamps can be house-trained." Crono laughed at that, then jumped as a small bat landed on his head.
"Hey! Frog, will this nuisance hurt me?" Frog shook his head.
"Nay. 'Tis not a Mystic, just an ordinary bat. Harmless." Crono grunted.
"Seems to like me. Shoo! Go away!" The bat just squeaked at him, and Crono finally gave up. "Fine, whatever. But don't do anything nasty, or I'll be making bat kabob!" He glared at Frog and Robo, who were trying to stifle laughter. "Come on, you two. Remember what Murray said: Time moves at an accelerated pace in here, so we want out as soon as possible. I think I see some light over this way." As Crono walked on, he stumbled over something and almost fell. The teen righted himself, then looked at it... and almost barfed. It was a corpse.
"I detect that this person has been dead for quite a while." Robo murmured. Frog shook his head sadly, then pointed at the wall.
"Poor fellow managed to write something in his own blood... a warning... 'Beware the Jugglers! They can change their defenses accordingly!'" Crono nodded.
"We'll have to watch out for that. Let's get out of here."
***
"Nighttime already." Crono murmured as they came out of the cave, then froze, as did the others. Only Frog spoke.
"This must be..." In front of them was a huge castle, made of black stone. A family of bats left the dead trees around and flew upward, Crono's gaze following them. The castle had to be at least 4 stories tall, with one large tower rising from the center. Atop the tower, a giant gargoyle reared back, the full moon framing it. "...Magus's Castle!"
As the three neared the castle, the double doors swung open by themselves. Crono idly noticed that the bat was still resting in his hair.
The front hall was dimly lit by torches. The mezzanine had a large purple stained glass image with doors at either side. After a brief conference, they decided to take the door on the left. It led to a long hallway, with... people walking around?
"This doesn't smell right." Crono muttered. Frog nodded.
"Let us be on our guards." However, the people made no move to attack. The room at the end held only a throne-like chair, with a sword above it.
"I detect that there is a 97% chance that the sword is trapped." Robo said.
"Well, then we won't try to take it." Crono responded. "Nothing here. Let's try that other door." This led to a small room with four kids clustered around a chest. They did not attack either. Next was another long hall, but more important was who was there: Lucca!
"Lucca! What are you doing here?" She did not respond, but just stared at the air before saying "Robo, don't waste your strength!" mechanically. Frog snorted.
"An illusion. Ignore it." They did. On the way, they also found illusions of Crono's Mom and Queen Leene and treated them the same. The room at the end was similar to the other, except there was no sword.
"Rats... dead-end here too. Now what do we do?" Crono asked. Dispirited, they headed back to the main hall, where Crono noticed something. "Hey! The floor in front of the stained glass is sparkling!" As they walked up, the torches all went out. The only light came from the glass, and around the center of that was a round shadow... the lights turned back on.
"Heh heh heh! Welcome!"
"Ozzie!" Frog snarled. The Mystic grinned and landed in front of them. The bat squeaked and flew over to his shoulder as he spoke up.
"Well, well, well. Sir Froggy. Say, it looks like you found some replacements for Cyrus! I wonder what you could want?" Crono rolled his eyes.
"We've got a 12:00 with Magus." Ozzie snickered.
"Really? Well, I'm afraid he's a tad busy right now. You know, destruction of the human race and all that. I'm afraid you'll have to take up your business with me; the swordsman, Slash; and Flea, the magician... AND..." There were growls from all around, and the heroes suddenly noticed they had been surrounded by four Fat Henches and 2 Vamps. "...You'll have to defeat all 100 Mystics in this Castle!" Ozzie faded out, his laugh remaining last, as the Mystics attacked.
"Go for the Vamps first!" Frog yelled as he followed his own instructions by chopping the first in two. Crono took the other one while Robo grappled with a Fat Hench. Another Fat Hench pulled him off and hurled him across the room, but the first was already out. The second Fat Hench's snarl broke off as the Masamune passed through its throat. The last two looked at each other, then ran in opposite directions.
"I guess we go left now." Crono said. As they did, the little bat flew back down and settled back in Crono's hair.
***
"Oy! Magus!" The voice suddenly rang through the shadowed chamber, and caused the one addressed to bang his head against the statue he was polishing. Cursing wildly, Magus picked up the object nearby.
"What is it, Ozzie?"
"Just thought you'd like to know, Glenn's here. He's brought that red-haired punk from Zenan Bridge and some wierd thing I don't even recognize. It ain't a Mystic, and it sure as hell ain't human." Magus snorted.
"Well, I'm kinda busy, in case you hadn't noticed..." Ozzie snorted back.
"No prob! We can handle those wimps any day! I just though you'd like to know."
"Well, now I know, so get off the line and let me concentrate."
"Yeah, yeah. I still say this idea of yours was a stroke of genius! Whaddaya call it again? Tookyprong?"
"TELEPHONE, Ozzie. And believe it or not, it wasn't all my idea. Maybe I'l tell you about it someday. CLICK." Magus hung up, then took a look at the statue he had been polishing.
"Looks good. Now, for the flame bowls."
***
The five people who had been in the left path before were gone now. Instead, four of the skeleton Decedents were doing a strange dance, while an Omnicrone screamed gibberish. The three sneaked around past. At the other end, four more were fighting, observed by another Omnicrone. As they passed through the door, the Three heard it mutter "Only a BONEHEAD would try to kill something that's already dead!"
The five people from before were standing in the "throne" room. As Crono, Frog and Robo entered, the young woman in the lead started to turn. "Help us..." As she completed the turn, she shifted into a Decedent. "...Relieve us from this misery!" The others all similarly shifted and attacked. "Use your Water magic!" Robo called to Frog as he busted one with his Robo Tackle.
"Very well! WATER!" The bubble hit a Decedent who was about to perform a Leap Stab and it dissolved. Crono decided to just use his Lightning 1, and save the new spell for later, and they quickly wiped up the foes. As the last one bit the dust, a voice rang out.
"Hmm... looks like you got past my... cadaver pals..." A spinning form, in blinding white light, appeared in front of the throne, then solidified into a lean, blue-skinned humanoid Mystic. Frog chuckled wryly.
"It's been ages, Sir Slush!"
"That's SLASH, you bumbling dolt! Playing the comedian, eh Glenn?" The swordsman looked at Crono. "Hm. You use a blade like mine, kid. Nice make, but mine's better." Crono nodded.
"Yeh, I noticed. Guy named Melchior made mine." Slash started.
"Melchior?! How..." He stopped himself. "Doesn't matter. I'll still whup ya." Here he turned back to Frog. "You'd be singing a different tune right now if Cyrus hadn't been there for you last time! You would've fit right in with those bony fellows you just busted up!"
Crono and Frog took up the challenge and X-Striked, but the wily Slash was able to partially dodge and came back with a karate chop that sent Crono sprawling.
"LASER SPIN!" Slash stood still and calmly watched the beams sear him.
"So, you use magic too, rustbucket? Shadow-type, which explains why you didn't use it on my Decedents. Well, watch this!" Slash gestured, and a ring of fire spread out from him. Crono got back up.
"Heh. Magic ain't your specialty, I see." Slash nodded, then jumped onto his throne.
"Now, let's get down to business. This is going to do me a world of good!" He whipped the sword off the wall and jumped down. "And with no Cyrus to protect you, you're mine! You DARE challenge ME?"
"Count on it!" Crono said as he jumped up and began fencing with the enemy. Slash grunted as the two swordsmen dodged, attacked, and parried.
"You're good... but I'M BETTER!" With a quick movement, he sent a ki wave through Crono. It continued on to hit Frog, who cursed and jumped in, giving Slash a nice cut on the leg. Slash just laughed and jumped into the air, coming down with his sword first on Crono...
...Who wasn't there any more. "What the-?!" He turned, but it was too late.
"TRIPLE RAID!" While Crono and Frog performed the X-Strike, Robo used his Robo Tackle. The results were impressive.
"AARGH!" Slash screamed as he dropped to his knees, letting go of his sword. He looked up. "Ah... you got me." Crono nodded.
"Yup. Nice swordplay, though." Slash grinned, despite the obvious pain he was in.
"Yours was pretty good too, kid. Here... take my sword, I won't need it for a while." Crono blinked.
"Hey, I'm not that gullible."
"No tricks. Mystic's honor. And yes, we DO have honor, contrary to popular opinion. It's just different from human honor." Slash chuckled softly, then stood up. "I still can't believe you beat me! But falling in the line of duty for sir Magus..." He struck a dramatic pose. "Leaves me with few regrets!" With that, there was a blinding flash, and Slash was gone.
"Dost thou think he perished?" Frog asked Crono, who was trying out his new sword.
"I dunno, really. I couldn't see if the wounds were mortal or not. But either way, there's nothing for us here. Let's check out the other way."
***
The four kids were still clustered around the treasure chest. As the three passed by, one boy called, "Hey, do you want our treasure?"
"Um... no, you can keep it." Crono called. The boy looked disappointed.
"It's really good..."
As the three walked away, Frog whispered "Good call, sir Crono."
The illusion-Lucca was there too. As they passed, she called out, "Robo, don't waste you strength!" again. But then, her voice changed to an evil screech. "No matter what you do, I'll break you!" The three turned just in time to see her explode into two Fat Henches, two Vamps and one strange, blue spirit with cat ears and a goatee.
"Dang!" Crono said as he divided a Vamp. "We got careless! Frog, what's that thing?"
"A Sorcerer! Take it out first!"
"NOW he tells me..." Crono groaned as he charged, but it was too late. The Sorcerer cackled and raised its arms, and shrilly screamed "DESTRUCTION ZONE!" With those words, an explosion blew all three backwards. The Sorcerer laughed again... then stopped as it realized its allies had been caught in it as well. The Vamp had been completely fried, and the Fat Henches weren't looking too good either. "Curses! HEA-" It broke off as it had a close encounter with the Masamune. Crono and Robo easily wiped up the wounded Fat Henches, and they continued onward. The clones of Leene and Crono's Mom attacked in the same way, and were dispatched. At the end, the throne held a strange, yellow creature with vestigial red wings and no legs. Frog glared at it.
"The magician, Flea, I presume?" The creature made no response. Crono growled and charged, sword held high. The creature just laughed and exploded in a column of golden light. Crono got thrown back, and angrily took out a Mid Ether.
"I'm getting real tired of that happening..." Frog snorted.
"Hmph. Well, THAT certainly wasn't Flea. Where's the REAL Flea?"
A female voice echoed from Crono. "Mwa ha... here, over here..." Robo and Frog stared at him, while he stared up... and the little bat flew out of Crono's hair, over to the throne, and in a flash of light, grew into a red-haired woman in a white jumpsuit and cape. The only thing that showed her as a Mystic were her pointed ears. Frog was not impressed.
"Keep your guard up! This is no ordinary woman! Meet Flea, the magician!" At the word "Woman", Flea's face had grown indignant.
"Woman?! I'm a GUY!"
The three all did a collective jawdrop. Robo erked out "But... but its exterior is that of a female!" Their reactions caused Flea to begin laughing uncontrollably. Frog straightened up.
"Enough with the mind games, Flea!" The Mystic woman sighed.
"Oh, you're NO fun, you know that, Froggy?" She yawned loudly. "Poor old Froggy, with no Cyrus! And locked in that form! Dreadful!" She smiled and straightened her cape. "But since you've brought your new friends over to play... I'll show you all a good time!"
***
Realizing the threat, Crono drew his sword, but she did not attack at first. The room was lit by a blinding flash, and suddenly, they were racing through space! Frog choked.
"What sorcery is this?!" Robo blinked.
"What do you mean? Nothing has happened."
"Art thou blind, Sir Robo? Do ye not see it?"
"There is nothing, I repeat." Flea said something most unladylike.
"#&*$! Why doesn't it work on you?" Robo's eyes lit up.
"Friends, it is an illusion! I do not see it because I am not alive!" Frog and Crono nodded and turned back to Flea, who cursed again.
"Give up, Flea?" Crono taunted. The Mystic laughed.
"Not even close! WIND OF POISON!" This time, they could all feel the sickly green mist. No illusion now. Crono held down the urge to vomit and forced his body up, ignoring the lancces of pain. He stumbled several times, but kept going. To his left he could barely make out Frog doing the same, and to the right Robo appeared to be forcing out some strange rust.
"N-n-nice try, Flea. But it-t t-takes more then that to stop us. By the way, ap-pologies in advance if I b-barf on your cape."
Her face changed to an ugly snarl. "Why, you little... PRISM BEAM!" Clouds that shifted between rainbow and pure black washed over them, and Crono's sight went dim.
"Argh! Guys, I can't see!"
"I have been rendered ineffective as well!"
"Aye, same here! But ye forget, Flea, in this form I have my other senses enhanced! Sir Crono, she is about five feet in front of you! Sir Robo, 7!"
"TRIPLE RAID!" The attack worked just as well on Flea as it had on Slash, and the magician flew back against the wall before getting back up angrily.
"Okay, that's it! No more miss nice Flea! WALTZ OF THE WIND!" Flea jumped over to Frog and started dancing a circle around him, and a pillar hurricane rose, completely obscuring the knight. When she stopped, Frog's eyes had gone dim. With a grunt, he charged Robo, and the robot confusedly defended himself. While they grappled, Flea turned to Crono.
"And now, for you." She just stared at him, and suddenly, the world was obscured by a pink haze, and Flea's voice rang out, although she was not speaking. I am your only friend... they are your enemies... they want to hurt us... kill them for me... Crono couldn't resist the words. Silently, he drew his sword and charged at the still-fighting Frog and Robo.
"Argh!" Frog yelled as the blade in his arm brought him back to his senses. "Sir Crono, what art thou DOING?!" Crono didn't respond. He just went for Robo, who groaned.
"I regret the neccissity..." He dodged the swing and punched Crono square in the face, breaking the enchantment.
"Whoa!"
"BLAST YOU!" Flea screamed. Crono shook his head and got back up.
"Let's finish this! TRIPLE RAID!" The attack sent Flea flying across the room, and as she hit the wall, the starry illusion vanished and they were back in her room. Flea groaned and looked up.
"Ahh... how..." She bit her lip and looked down. "Okay, you beat me fair and square. I'll enhance the magic of one of you." The three exchanged a glance.
"Well, Robo's out for obvious reasons, and I don't need it. That leaves you, Frog." Crono finally decided. Flea raised her hand, and Frog smiled.
"HEAL!" Golden sparkles flew out from his hands, and washed over the three, and their wounds vanished. Frog looked over to Flea. "'Mystic honor' again?"
"Something like that. Won't do ya any good, anyway; Magus'll still flatten you." She sighed. "How could I have lost... sir Magus..." One blinding flash later, she was gone.
***
When they went back to the main hall, the stained glass window was sparkling again. When they stepped in front of it, everything went dark for a moment. Then they were in a long hall with many gargoyles. At the far end, they saw a fat, shadowed form.
"Ozzie!" Frog snarled and charged. A pair of Fat Henches jumped out of the shadows and were quickly dealt with. As they ran past a pair of gargoyles, their eyes sparkled, and they suddenly came to life, leaping down to attack as two more Fat Henches came.
"Grimalkens!" Crono groaned as he engaged one. Frog stopped and helped, while Robo sent the other flying with a Robo Tackle. The Grimalkens were quickly dealt with, and on they went. The rest of the hall was much the same. At the end, Ozzie was waiting, tapping his foot impatiently.
"Bah! You guys are getting boring. Slash! Flea! Let's clean up the trash!" Frog drew his blade.
"They can't help you now, Ozzie..." Ozzie gaped.
"WHAT?! Why you... you... you fly-eating, tongue-flicking..." He stopped and looked all all three of them, glaring. "Uh-oh... Ozzie's... Ozzie's in... a jam!" He immediately turned and ran. Crono blinked.
"He speaks in the third person when he's upset? Wierd. After him, men!"
The room was a narrow conveyer belt, with a guillotine moving up and down on the center. At the end, it made a neat u-turn around the right wall. From somewhere, they heard Ozzie calling.
"Welcome to Trap Room #1! Today's game is conveyer guillotine! Have fun!"
"Bah." Crono said, as he easily zipped under it, followed by Frog and Robo. On the other side of the u-turn was the same setup, and another after. Both were dealt with easily. Before they could get on the identical fourth, Ozzie spoke up again.
"Oh yeah? Well, try this!" Suddenly, the guillotines were going twice as fast! Crono and Frog still got through easily, but Robo had a near miss. One more conveyer belt... but this one had TWO guillotines!
"Aw, crap." Crono muttered as he jumped on. He skirted the first, then had to run against the belt until the second one was up. Frog followed hesitantly, then Robo. But the robot wasn't fast enough, and the second one hit him on the arm.
"Arrrgh!" Robo yelled as he got out of the trap. Crono checked him quickly.
"I'm no Lucca, but it looks like the main damage is to the outer armor. Still, you won't be able to fight." Robo nodded glumly.
"Urrrgh..." came from behind them, and they turned to see Ozzie standing next to a large crank. "You made it? Impossible!" Before they could get at him, he ran again.
"Hold it! There's a treasure chest!" Crono called. Inside was what looked like a strange, metal half-fist, painted purple. "What is it?"
"'Tis a cestus. I believe the Mystics call it a 'Doomfinger.'" Robo picked it up with his good arm.
"Perhaps I can..." He slipped it on over his wounded arm, then flexed the fingers. "Yes! It works!" Frog smiled.
"That be all well and good, but the fat one be escaping! Let us give chase now!" The three dashed after him... then yelled and tried to put on the brakes, as they ran right over the edge of a narrow walkway on the outside of the castle! Robo was the only one to actually stop (probably bacause he DID have brakes). Crono and Frog both tumbled over the edge, but Crono was able to grab the walkway with one hand and the Masamune with his other.
"Urgh... Robo, pull me up..." Robo slowly began hauling the teen up, and he struggled to hold on to the great sword. "Faster, Robo!" Now it had cut into his hand, and his blood was starting to seep down it. Finally, he made it up, and the two of them hauled Frog up too. Robo used a Cure Beam on Crono's hand, and the teen looked over the edge for the first time (he had forced himself not to look down). It was a good 3-story drop. He shuddered.
"Okay. From now on, we be more careful." The other two could only nod, then Frog turned and sliced a Vamp in half.
"There be many of these around here. Try not to wake them up." The walkway slanted upwards, and at one point, they detected a small, green, round form ahead.
"A Roly?!" Crono exclaimed incredulously. Frog groaned.
"It be security. If we disturb it, the Vamps attack."
"Well, we can't avoid-"
"Actually, I believe there is half a ladder hanging down from this platform." Robo interrupted. He pointed to said ladder, and started down it. Crono and Frog exchanged a glance and a shrug, then followed. Sure enough, the Roly passed right over them without a sound. This worked just as well on the other two they met on the way up to the door that led back into the castle proper.
The room appeared to be one large u-shape. As soon as they entered, Ozzie's voice came from the other side of the wall to their left.
"Game #2! Hidden Holes! Are ya ready?" Crono blinked. There weren't any holes!
"I think he's flipped his lid. Let's go put him out of his misery." He started forward.
"Sir Crono! Wait!" Frog tried to catch Crono, but it was too late. With an evil cackle from Ozzie, a large hole suddenly appeared beneath Crono and Frog, and they fell down. Robo just blinked, then shrugged and jumped after them.
"That was a pretty dumb move, huh?" Crono muttered as he stood up. Frog started to respond, but broke off as red eyes lit up all around them, with the clattering of bones.
"Decedents! We're surrounded!" Crono yelled. "Looks like I have no choice..."
"What do you mean?" Robo asked as he prepared himself to go down fighting. But it was not to be.
"LIGHTNING 2!" Frog and Robo gaped as the powerful electric explosion destroyed every Decedent in the room, as well as lighting it up. The teen looked at them and grinned cockily.
"Spekkio said I was ready. Now, shall we see about getting on with this?" As the room faded dark again, a sparkling green light caught Frog's eye.
"Look! Perhaps that light?" As they drew near, the light shook, then divided into three that took off across the room like greased mice.
"Damn! Catch them!" What followed would have been hilarious under other circumstances as the three ran around in the pitch dark, running into walls and, not infrequently, each other.
"OOF!" Crono grunted as his face impacted with yet another wall. "Come here, you! GOT IT!" As soon as he touched it, both he and the light disappeared. A moment later, Robo had an inspiration and used his Rocket Punch to grab his. Not to be left out, Frog snared his with his tongue.
The three appeared back at the beginning of the upper room. The hole was still there; apparently it took a while to close them again. Robo spoke up.
"I can detect the hidden holes." Crono turned to him, indignant.
"Why didn't you say that before?"
"You did not ask." Frog laughed. Using Robo's directions, Crono made it around the u-bend and saw Ozzie next to another crank.
"Eat sword!" He charged... and fell. After another bout of light-catching, they made their way to Ozzie again.
"Eat sword... again!" Crono charged down the other side... and fell. After getting back up, he charged down the narrow strip between the holes.
"Eat... Oh, for the love of..." One last round later, they finally made it around to the grand green one.
"Urr..." Ozzie groaned as they strode up. "Gah... I KNEW I made it too easy! Next time, I'll put spikes in there." Crono smirked.
"Lemme guess. You're gonna run now, and we'll have to follow ya?"
"Yup. See ya!"
***
"MAAAAAAGUUUUUS!"
The dark mage rolled his eyes. "NOW what, Ozzie?"
"They've beaten Slash and Flea, and are chasing me up the castle!"
Magus groaned. "You SAID they were just wimps!"
"So I was wrong for once in my life."
"ONCE?" Magus chuckled darkly, then looked down at the bowl in front of him. "Look, Ozzie, it's almost ready. Just delay them for a little longer, and everything will be just ducky."
Ozzie snickered. "Gonna have Lavos flatten them, eh?" The dark mage's face tightened and his eyes gleamed, but Ozzie couldn't see him. It was a speech-only connection.
"Something like that."
"GAH! They're here! GottagonowCLICK" Magus rubbed his eyes, then checked the bowl. "This one's ready. Only 6 more to go..."
***
"I assume we'll be seeing more Rolys?" Crono asked as they climbed up the walkways.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps Polys. I just hope they do not..." Frog stopped as a birdman similar to the Free Lancers of the Denadoro Mountains jumped out. Crono blinked.
"A Free Lancer? Here?" Frog shook his head as he lopped its head off.
"Nay. That was an Outlaw. They are specially trained by Slash, just as Flea trains the Sorcerers."
"So what does Ozzie train?"
"The Flunkies. They-oh, no!" Frog groaned as a black Roly came down.
"What?"
"A Roly Bomber!" He looked up. "Damn! Another foe as well!"
The Roly Bomber saw them and suddenly doubled its speed, slamming into Crono... and exploding. The blast smeared him against the wall.
"Ow... okay, from now on, we avoid those things. What about that other one?" It looked like the thing that had impersonated Flea.
"Frog! Do you know much about those?"
"Aye! It's one of the most powerful Mystics! It's called a Juggler!"
"The ones that soldier put up a warning about? Just great." They all looked at the Juggler... who appeared to be asleep. Crono scratched his head. "Okay, here's the startegy. I'll open with a Spincut. Frog, you follow up with a Water, and Robo, you finish with a Robo Tackle."
"Sir Crono, look out!" Crono turned to catch a fireblast in the face, courtesy of the Juggler. Wiping the soot out of his hair, Crono started the plan. It worked quite well: After the Robo Tackle, the Juggler collapsed in a bloody heap.
They managed to dodge the rest of the Roly Bombers, although they did run into several more Outlaws. There was a Juggler as well, but it was asleep and they managed to avoid it. When they stepped inside, they found a hall with Ozzie clearly visible at the end. There were about a dozen holes in the floor with chains coming out of them to the ceiling.
"GAME #3! WHAT'S GONNA COME OUT?" Ozzie cackled as he turned the ever-present crank, and the chains in the four holes nearest the group pulled out two Outlaws and two blue goblins with scimitars.
"Groupies!" Frog called as he engaged one of them. "Don't let them get their Cyclone off!"
"Cyclone? Like mine?" Crono asked as he engaged the other.
"Aye!"
While Robo distracted the Outlaws, Crono's Groupie began the dreaded Cyclone... only to find nothing. It looked up just in time to see the Spincut that ended its life. Frog had dispatched the other Groupie, and the two of them quickly helped Robo finish the Outlaws. Ozzie sneered.
"The game ain't over yet!" He turned the crank, and the next four holes brought out two Outlaws and two Jugglers. The fight was rather short, even though the two species demonstrated the Fire Whirl. Frog's new Heal spell patched that up just in time to meet the final set... four Jugglers.
"LIGHTNING 2!" Crono yelled as he jumped between them all. "Robo, Tackle! Frog..."
"Aye, lad. SLURP CUT!" The two surviving Jugglers exchanged a glance, then simultaneously spewed flames at Robo. One Spincut and another Robo Tackle later, Ozzie was alone.
"Urr... this takes the cake! Fine! I'll fight... AFTER you take care of the last 16!" Crono blinked as the green glob ran.
"Last 16?"
"If you remember, Crono, at the beginning he said there were 100 Mystics for us to fight. I have counted 84, not counting Slash and Flea."
One more hall, lined with gargoyle pairs. Crono groaned.
"This again. Ozzie's running out of ideas. Let's just plow through." The first set spewed two Outlaws, and the second two Outlaws and two Grimalkens. The third was something new, though: Two Outlaws, a Juggler, and two pink Goblins with crossbows.
"Flunkies! Ozzie's special trainees! The crossbows be poisoned!"
"Sounds like Ozzie. Let's get down to business."
***
"What NOW, Ozzie?"
"THEY'RE AT THE THRONE ROOM!" Magus jerked his head up and began cursing in several ancient languages. When he was done, he looked up at the statue.
I've come so close... I can't fail now... "Ozzie, I'm about to start the ritual now. I'm prepping the last flame bowl. I'm counting on you to delay them. Remember, it only needs to be for about 5 minutes. You're the last line of defense."
"But... but... understood, sir! I won't fail you, Magus!" The mage smiled, despite his foul mood.
"THAT'S the Ozzie I know as my top general. Don't let me down."
***
The room was predominated by a huge throne. Ozzie was standing in front of it.
"Thy time hath come, Ozzie." Frog said simply. Ozzie grinned.
"Ha! Yeah, right! Sir Magus is already calling the reinforcements!" He struck a pose. "I shan't be defeated! No form of attack shall break ME!" With a laugh, Ozzie was encased in a block of crystal. Crono snorted and charged, sword-raised... and it bounced right off.
"What the-?"
"Toldja! Har har!" The crystal suddenly began glowing, and a globe of fire exploded from it, striking them all.
"Perhaps my Robo Tackle..." But that proved ineffective as well, and so did the Masamune. Ozzie was laughing his head off.
"It's no use! Give up!" Desperate, Crono tried a Lightning 2. Although it did not hurt Ozzie, it DID hit a crank to the left of him, and it began turning. A moment later, a hole opened to their left. Ozzie found this hilarious.
"What are you aiming at, you fool? Wahahahaha!" But now Crono had an idea. There were three other cranks. He ran over to one and began turning it. Catching the idea, Frog and Robo began the other two. The first one opened a hole on the other side of the room, and the second opened... right where they had been standing a moment ago! As the last one activated, Ozzie was still laughing.
"Uwee hee hee... EH?!" That was all he got off before the hole opened beneath him, and with a scream, he plummetted into the darkness. Robo looked down the hole.
"What was with that guy?" Crono shrugged.
"Beats me. Point is, we're past him." Robo nodded.
"And now, I should go."
"HUH?!"
"It is obvious that magic will be heavily required, and that is not my strong suit." He pulled out the orb. "Girls, are you-"
"Yeah, we've been watching the whole thing." Lucca's voice came from it. "Take Marle."
"Are you sure, Lucca?" came Marle's voice.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Robo?" A moment later, Marle was there and Robo was gone. Frog pointed at the sparkling throne.
"If ye be finished, that should lead to Magus. Onward!"
***
The room was pitch-black. As they walked forward, a voice called slowly, "Neuga, Ziga, Zimba, Zom..." The three slowly walked forward, and as they did, blue fires lit on either side of them. "Now the chosen time has come..." They kept walking, and when the blue fires stopped, so did they. "Exchange this world for-!" Blue fires, one at a time, formed a circle in front of them, connected to the lines to their sides. In front of the circle stood a massive, four-armed demon statue, each arm holding a red flame. The floor of the circle was decorated with strange murals. And standing in the middle of the circle, with his back to them...
"Magus!" Frog drew the Masamune, and Crono & Marle followed. Their enemy did not speak at first, but was silent for an agonizing moment.
"It... it's that stupid frog!" Magus finally growled. "Kissed any princesses lately?" Crono glanced at Marle, who was ignoring the comment. Frog, on the other hand, was smiling.
"I hath gotten used to it. In fact, I rather enjoyeth this form now. And I oweth it all to ye!" Here, he raised the holy blade. "I hath something for thee... a simple gift, as a way of showing my gratitude..."
Magus's head snapped up, although he did not turn. "Ah! The Masamune! Ozzie didn't mention that... now I see how you got past the Trio... and I bet you're just dying to use it!" From seemly nowhere, a wind began to blow. "The black wind howls..." Magus smiled. "Okay... give me your best shot..." He turned, and drew from nowhere a massive scythe. "..If you're prepared for the void!"
"Spread out!" Crono yelled. Magus sneered.
"Like that will help you... GEYSER!" A white mist covered the room, and evil souls rose from the floor, glaring at the three before flying into the heavens. "This spell will gradually sap your life away until I fall, or you die!"
Frog howled a war cry as he charged, Masamune held high. For a moment, he feared it would break like it did for Cyrus, but he put it out of his mind and concentrated on the battle ahead. And that was what stopped him. For, unknown to any, that was the only thing that could shatter the Masamune: Doubt. Magus managed to avoid a mortal blow, but he still took the sword across his arm, and screamed.
"AAAARGH! The... hell?!" He drew a symbol in the air, and four sparkles flew out of it and began circling him. One of them, a red one, detached from the group and went to his hand, while the other three, yellow, blue and black, combined and disappeared.
"FIRE 2!" A small line of flames circled the dark sorcerer, and then a ring of red energy radiated out to the edges of the arena before filling it with explosions.
"Ack!" Crono growled before steadying himself. "Oh, yeah? LIGHTNING 2!" The spell was cast, but the effect was wrong: Magus glowed yellow for a moment, then laughed.
"Thanks, chump! That heals your friend's sword attack!"
"Magus is immune to magic?!" Crono gasped as Magus went through his act again. This time, he selected a blue sparkle.
"ICE 2!" Blue sparkled flew around him, and a ring of blue energy flew out before two massive ice chunks fell on the group.
"Gah!" Frog turned and cast Heal. Marle stood up, then suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"Crono! I've got it! Do a Spincut!"
"What? Okay, fine, whatever. SPINCUT!"
"ICE SWORD!" As the ice-powered blade descended, Crono expected the mage to absorb it again. Again, he was struck by surprise as Magus howled with pain and threw him back to the group.
"What happened?!" Crono yelled. Marle smiled.
"He can only be hurt by the type of spell that he casted last!"
"Ah!"
Magus was not amused. "You're too smart for your own good, girl!" He chose... the black sparkle. "DARK BOMB!" A globe of shadows rose around Marle, then exploded.
"AAH! Crono, we don't have Shadow magic! Ow... CURE!" Crono turned to Frog.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Most definately, sir Crono!"
"X-STRIKE!" The attack took Magus off guard, and he got a pair of nice slashes before using his scythe to force them away.
"You dolts! LIGHTNING 2!" Crono smirked.
"Bad move. LIGHTNING 2, back atcha!" The two attacks met in midair and passed right through each other. Then, Frog used Heal at the same time that Magus cast Dark Bomb again, this time on Crono.
"Hey, jerk! Forget about me?" Magus turned to catch both bolts in the face from Marle's crossbow. Howling with rage, he ripped out another Ice 2. Frog smiled.
"Sir Crono, a Spincut, if you would!" The red-haired teen complied. "I think I shalt call this... SWORDSTREAM!" The Water spell met the sword above Magus, and a waterfall led the blade right into his back.
"GAH!" The scythe left a nasty wound on Crono's leg as he jumped back. The next spell, a Fire 2, was followed by another Masamune attack.
This isn't going as I had planned. Magus thought. They're getting the better of me. All right, it's time to pull out the big gun.
"The kid gloves are OFF!" Magus screamed as four silver orbs began orbiting him.
"I dunno what those are, but it's not good!" Crono yelled as he charged in. "Take him out before he can use them! ICE SWORD!" Magus did not move.
"Damn! SWORDSTREAM!" Magus did not move.
"Curse it all! ICE WATER!" Even the double dose of blue magic from Marle and Frog did not move him, and finally, the orbs began glowing green and disappeared, and a triumphant smile appeared on the enemy's face.
"Now, say goodbye! DARK MATTER!" A triangular rip appeared in the air, displaying the stars and shadows of deep space moving at an icredible speed, with a sliver of white light dancing wildly in the middle. Pure, unchecked shadow energy poured out through it for several moments that seemed like an eternity, and then the entire assemblage detonated in a blinding flash.
Smoke everywhere. Magus grinned, then laughed. "You fools! You really thought you could beat me?!"
But he stopped laughing when he saw something moving. A short, four-foot tall form, carrying a broadsword, marching through the smoke slowly and purposefully. Magus choked.
"W... what?! IMPOSSSIBLE! Nothing... NOTHING could survive THAT!" But Frog was beyond listening. He had only one thought on his mind.
"FOOOOOOR CYYYYYYRRRUUUUUUSSS!!!!!!" As Frog charged, the Masamune began to glow with a holy blue light. Magus feebly raised his scythe, but Frog ducked under it and delivered a blow that opened a wound straight up his full chest. The force of the blow sent him flying backwards, and he collided with the statue with a sickening thump before falling to the ground. And, as if even that were not enough, the impact caused the statue to teeter, and then fall forward onto its builder with a crash that shook the entire castle.
Crono slowly raised himself, wincing. As he helped Marle up, he saw Frog and the statue. For a moment, Crono thought that Magus was dead, until a broken voice came from it.
"W... what have you d... done with the Ma... Masamune?"
All conversation was ended by the strange rumbling that began from behind the castle. Frog shielded himself with the Masamune.
"Something cometh!"
"Lavos...?" Marle asked. Crono cursed loudly.
"DAMN! If it is, we are SO dead..." Magus was ignoring them all. Somehow, he pulled himself out from the statue and stood up, glaring at the wall where the statue had been desperately.
"No... talk about lousy timing! Don't come NOW, you bastard!" The rumbling grew louder.
"WHADDAYA MEAN?" Crono yelled. "YOU CREATED HIM, DIDN'T YOU?" Magus turned, an incredulous look on his face.
"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THAT IDEA, YOU FOOLS?! I WAS SUMMONING HIM, NOT CREATING! WHY THE HELL WOULD I CREATE HIM?! DO I LOOK INSANE?!"
Marle shrieked. "GUYS! IT'S A GATE! AND IT'S... HUGE!" Sure enough, a blue orb was starting. But it did not stop where the other Gates did. It kept growing... and growing... until it encompassed the entire room.
Over the noise, Crono heard Magus screaming "YOU! IF YOU HADN'T SHOWN UP..." The rest was lost to the noise.
Frog was yelling, "WHOOOOAAAAA!!!" And then, they all spiraled out of control towards the center. Before he blacked out, Crono heard one last thing. A strange, alien squeal that sounded almost like laughter...