Chapter 9
Ora Settlement: 150 AD
Crono, Marle, and Lucca tried to keep as low a profile as possible as they peeked through a window to see what Arvel was saying.
The man Arvel was addressing, who was riding a Chocobo and flanked by two guards also on Chocobos, was much taller and leaner that Arvel. He was also much younger. He looked about half Arvel's age.
"You really think only your settlement should be allowed to hunt in the western forest?" they heard Arvel ask incredulously. "We need that area too!"
The man who presumably was Tos shook his head. "I'm sorry. That's the best I can do. There are those in the colony who want far more concessions than that but if I don't return even that much, even I won't be able to stop my people from moving against you."
Tos leaned in closer. "I don't want war, Arvel. No matter what you think, I really don't. I am trying to come to an agreement as best I can. Please understand that."
Arvel nodded his head. "I do believe you, Tos. I'll consider your proposal"
Tos smiled. "I'll return in two days to hear your decision." With that, he rode off.
Marle shrugged. "He seemed a reasonable enough fellow. I hope he sees reason."
Crono looked troubled. "If he doesn't, we'll have to find a way out of here. We can't afford to get caught in the middle of a conflict."
"Crono's right" said Lucca. "We have to find a way out of here."
"Perhaps we should vacate sooner rather than later." Robo chimed in.
Crono nodded. "I suppose we should." He walked over to the door and twisted the knob, but it didn't move. "Hey! Why'd she lock the door?"
Schala had been waiting for nearly an hour now and was growing impatient. Was he even coming? Moments later three men approached riding Chocobos.
"Tos!" she called out to one of them. "What did he say?"
"He said he'd consider it. It's difficult to say." Tos answered with disgust as he dismounted. "He's a good man. I can't believe I'm doing this to him. If I ever get a chance at that Tempus fellow…"
Schala placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know, I know. But we have to do this. You know what he said he'd do to both settlements if we refused."
Tos shook his head angrily. "Everyday I curse the day we dug up that rock! I'm sure that's what drew him here!"
Schala closed her eyes. "Hopefully once we've done this, we'll be rid of him and be safe." Schala couldn't blame him for being angry but it wasn't helping anything.
Of course this was nothing compared to the reaction he'd have if he knew what she did about herself and Tempus.
The End of Time
After the shock of seeing the lady Schala under Tempus' cloaks, Frog had braced himself for impending death. Though they had all fought valiantly, they proved to be no match for her. The flash of light that enveloped them must surely have been the final blow intended by her to dispatch them all for good.
Yet here they were, all four of them; alive and well, with no sign of Tempus anywhere.
But where were they?
Standing up and looking around to get his bearings, Frog recognized their location instantly. It was the End of Time. But how had they gotten there? They were nowhere near a gate.
"Gaspar!" Frog's train of thought was broken as he heard Ayla call out the name of the Guru of Time. Turning around, he saw her, Magus and Vrath rush towards the Guru, who was lying on his back as Spekkio stood over him sadly.
Magus looked down at Gaspar then up at the hulking Spekkio. "What happened to him?"
Spekkio closed his eyes. "He said he had to bring you back or you'd be killed. It took all his strength."
Magus looked back down at Gaspar, who was breathing faintly. "Will he live?"
"It's too soon to tell."
Frog looked around at everyone. "'Tis clear brute force is insufficient against Tempus. We must find a new strategy to use against…" he paused and glanced at Magus "…her. We should regroup with sir Crono and the others."
"We may not have time." Vrath warned.
Frog nodded his head. "We hath no other choice." He looked sternly at Vrath and Magus. "I regret what we hath learnt but art thou prepared to do what must be done?"
Both men nodded with no trace of emotion. Both forcing a dignified face on themselves as they had been forced to during their days in Zeal. They could not afford the luxury of sentiment. Schala had to die.
Next: Someone dies.
Ora Settlement: 150 AD
Crono, Marle, and Lucca tried to keep as low a profile as possible as they peeked through a window to see what Arvel was saying.
The man Arvel was addressing, who was riding a Chocobo and flanked by two guards also on Chocobos, was much taller and leaner that Arvel. He was also much younger. He looked about half Arvel's age.
"You really think only your settlement should be allowed to hunt in the western forest?" they heard Arvel ask incredulously. "We need that area too!"
The man who presumably was Tos shook his head. "I'm sorry. That's the best I can do. There are those in the colony who want far more concessions than that but if I don't return even that much, even I won't be able to stop my people from moving against you."
Tos leaned in closer. "I don't want war, Arvel. No matter what you think, I really don't. I am trying to come to an agreement as best I can. Please understand that."
Arvel nodded his head. "I do believe you, Tos. I'll consider your proposal"
Tos smiled. "I'll return in two days to hear your decision." With that, he rode off.
Marle shrugged. "He seemed a reasonable enough fellow. I hope he sees reason."
Crono looked troubled. "If he doesn't, we'll have to find a way out of here. We can't afford to get caught in the middle of a conflict."
"Crono's right" said Lucca. "We have to find a way out of here."
"Perhaps we should vacate sooner rather than later." Robo chimed in.
Crono nodded. "I suppose we should." He walked over to the door and twisted the knob, but it didn't move. "Hey! Why'd she lock the door?"
Schala had been waiting for nearly an hour now and was growing impatient. Was he even coming? Moments later three men approached riding Chocobos.
"Tos!" she called out to one of them. "What did he say?"
"He said he'd consider it. It's difficult to say." Tos answered with disgust as he dismounted. "He's a good man. I can't believe I'm doing this to him. If I ever get a chance at that Tempus fellow…"
Schala placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know, I know. But we have to do this. You know what he said he'd do to both settlements if we refused."
Tos shook his head angrily. "Everyday I curse the day we dug up that rock! I'm sure that's what drew him here!"
Schala closed her eyes. "Hopefully once we've done this, we'll be rid of him and be safe." Schala couldn't blame him for being angry but it wasn't helping anything.
Of course this was nothing compared to the reaction he'd have if he knew what she did about herself and Tempus.
The End of Time
After the shock of seeing the lady Schala under Tempus' cloaks, Frog had braced himself for impending death. Though they had all fought valiantly, they proved to be no match for her. The flash of light that enveloped them must surely have been the final blow intended by her to dispatch them all for good.
Yet here they were, all four of them; alive and well, with no sign of Tempus anywhere.
But where were they?
Standing up and looking around to get his bearings, Frog recognized their location instantly. It was the End of Time. But how had they gotten there? They were nowhere near a gate.
"Gaspar!" Frog's train of thought was broken as he heard Ayla call out the name of the Guru of Time. Turning around, he saw her, Magus and Vrath rush towards the Guru, who was lying on his back as Spekkio stood over him sadly.
Magus looked down at Gaspar then up at the hulking Spekkio. "What happened to him?"
Spekkio closed his eyes. "He said he had to bring you back or you'd be killed. It took all his strength."
Magus looked back down at Gaspar, who was breathing faintly. "Will he live?"
"It's too soon to tell."
Frog looked around at everyone. "'Tis clear brute force is insufficient against Tempus. We must find a new strategy to use against…" he paused and glanced at Magus "…her. We should regroup with sir Crono and the others."
"We may not have time." Vrath warned.
Frog nodded his head. "We hath no other choice." He looked sternly at Vrath and Magus. "I regret what we hath learnt but art thou prepared to do what must be done?"
Both men nodded with no trace of emotion. Both forcing a dignified face on themselves as they had been forced to during their days in Zeal. They could not afford the luxury of sentiment. Schala had to die.
Next: Someone dies.