The Fire When it Comes – Part 4: When You Look Into The Flame – In which Magus and Glenn meet some old friends and Balthazar discovers the source of Chronopolis' power.
A Crono-Trigger/Cross fanfic
By
Deborah J. Brown

Chrono-Trigger & Chrono-Cross and all associated characters belong to Squaresoft.

"INTRUDER ALERT INTRUDER ALERT"

Belthazar jerked away from the console he was examining with startled speed. The voice echoing through the room at the top of Chronopolis Tower was vaguely feminine, oddly familiar, with a mechanical tone that told him that it had no human source. What had he done to cause this?

Staring around, he saw a light flashing on the board in front of him. Then an image formed in the monitor. Two men walking through a cavern, one tall, too thin and spare for his height, the other smaller and built with compact strength. The first Belthazar recognized as Janus, or rather Magus, though he'd not seen the child since before Lavos had flung everyone through time. His long purplish white hair and ruby eyes, however, identified him easily. The other Belthazar had never seen before, a good-looking youth with blue eyes, shaggy blonde hair and a calm expression. Melchior had sent Frog back to stop Magus. Could that be Frog's human form as Glenn?

"ANALYZING. ONE HUMAN. ONE UNIDENTIFIABLE. PREPARING TRANSLATION PROGRAM." As Belthazar watched, the monitor flickered to show several large islands tied together by large roads over the sea. "REMOVING UNAUTHORIZED PERSONELL TO FROZEN TIME." Belthazar blinked, realizing the scene was strangely still and – yes – frozen. What was that place? It was familiar in style, buildings that he'd seen in Guardia in the time when Lavos had, then had not, broken free.

Bending over the console again, the Guru of Reason returned to the task of breaking into the system. There were questions he needed answered.

***

Magus marched across the waters, gazing around at the cerulean sky with a frown. "What happened to the clouds?" he wondered aloud.

"Considering that we art walking upon water, thy question seems a touch limited," Glenn murmured. "Ahh, there's land there. Might we find answers? Or mayhap a road? Who knows what might happen if this solidity ceases?"

Magus would have mocked Glenn for his nervousness. Would have except he wasn't exactly comfortable here either. If anything, this place seemed not only completely wrong to him, but inimical to his nature. That faint pulsing power that he'd sensed before they'd entered was gone, leaving a sense of desolation within him. Something he needed was gone from here and he wanted it back. "It looks like your hopes are fulfilled," he told his companion. "It's not a road like anything I've seen but"

The thing Magus was gesturing at was a large flat surface that rose above the waters and curved away to the west from the nearby island. The columns that supported it were driven deep into the unmoving waters below. "Looks like there's someone fishing up there, too." He headed for the island and clambered up the rocks to reach the railing, leaning back once to pull Glenn up behind him when the armored man ran into a momentary difficulty.

"He ist not moving," Glenn murmured. "Ist he dead?"

Magus shrugged. "Easy enough to find out." He swung his long legs over the balustrade and strode over to the stranger. "Oi. You a corpse?"

***

Glenn shook his head at his companion's behavior and moved to join the mage, only to pause as he noted the rest of their surroundings. Men and women were crowded around a food stand of some sort on a flat area near where the road met the island. Beyond were buildings, none like anything Glenn had seen. The clothing was different too, no woman of his time – or Crono's either – would be caught dead in such skimpy outfits.

Blushing, Glenn looked away. No one seemed to be moving, not even the birds hovering around the eating area. Something had frozen this place entirely. "Like a moment caught forever in time."

"A strangely apropos statement," Magus said, coming over to join him. "That man moved briefly when I touched him but"

"But what?"

Magus blinked at Glenn and there was a sudden scared look in his eyes. "I think he moved because of my power. I felt something suck out of me." His expression told Glenn that he would have given anything not to be showing his vulnerability right then and that the knight would do well not to comment.

"I see. Then thy power hast something to do with time, it seems. And this place has no time." Glenn frowned off towards the island at the center of the sea. It was easier to see now that they were up on the road and closer. "That place is not the one we saw in thy scry spell, is it?

"No," Magus agreed, faint relief at Glenn's lack of response to his fear evident in his voice. "No, it isn't. Which brings us to another question. What happened to that building?"

"Shalt we continue to this other place and see if there art answers there?"

***

Belthazar scanned the monitor, examining the information being displayed with a frown steadily growing. This was worse than anything he'd thought would happen. That a master computer of such size and strength would result from the research he'd participated in had been inevitable – seemed to be no matter what timeline he ended up in – was no surprise. That the computer would be used to study time had also been expected. The plans for Chronopolis had begun in his laboratory, after all.

It was the rest of the information that disturbed him. FATE's entire purpose was to control the future. It had been brought to this time in order to build new lands for mind wiped humans to live on and those humans first purpose would be obedience to the dream of the future that FATE herself planned. The lands were being created even as he watched on the screen. Created and populated. Not good. This is not the way I wanted to see my research used. But then he'd known. Known it would go wrong. Known from the day that Gaspar's vision of the great Tree had been shared with him.

The fault was still his, of course. The technology he needed seemed always to be turned to negative ends. He'd had such high hopes after that genius child Lucca had created the Prometheus Circuit. With Lavos gone that circuit ought to have ensured that the Tree would grow in a direction that would prevent whatever supercomputer that followed his studies would never be able to act against humanity. He'd not thought it would find another way to influence matters in its own favor while still controlled by the circuit.

It had, though. This plan, this diabolical, cruel plan to control humanity, to ensure its development, was that method. A corruption of the original purpose. Protect humanity by controlling it for its own good. He'd have to do something, but what? His backdoors allowed him access to information, but there were whole areas in the data banks that he could only guess at.

Camera eyes watched the human intruder in their realm and somewhere, in the depths of the basement, something smiled. Confused, old man? Out of your depth? You have no idea.

***

They were approaching the center. A huge building of glass and steel rising above the unmoving waters. Here and there they'd passed people, likewise frozen in a single moment. A ball hanging in mid air, the child who'd bounced it reaching out to catch its brightly colored surface.

There were words on the building, but they were words neither man could read. Glenn because that was a skill not taught to young men training to be soldiers, Magus because the language of his homeland was far older than these strange, sharp edged characters. "Still, it appears to be a market," Glenn noted, peering in through one of the large windows. "There are many small rooms with merchandise displayed."

"So large? Remarkable." Magus stepped up to the doorway and frowned at it. No way to open it. No handle. Well, that was easy to deal with. He raised his scythe and glanced at Glenn who shrugged. Then he broke the glass.

There was silence as the glass shards hung in the air. "If naught else proved there wert no time in this place, that would," Glenn commented, pushing at the shards and – when they moved out of his way, stepping through into the large atrium beyond. "This place is of a future time," he said. "If so, it is most wondrous what humans will achieve."

Magus stepped through. "You never saw Byzantori at its finest one of the most beautiful of the Enlightened's floating islands. Not so much use of metal, perhaps, but"

Glenn nodded. "True enough. Byzantori wasn't one of the islands we visited when we were in your time but what we did see was wondrous too. Twas a pity to have lost such beauty."

A sharp knot rose in Magus' throat and he had to turn away and shrug, saying harshly. "They were fools. It was their own fault."

"Mayhap, but tis no great joy to see a way of life, a whole people, destroyed." Glenn glanced into one of the rooms. "And wilt admit, the clothing of this place's time ist disturbing."

Turning to look, Magus blinked at the half-clad manikin standing in the window. "Intriguing," he managed. "Shall we look around for something other than underdressed women, fascinating though the subject might be?" He noted the brilliant blush covering Glenn's face with a half-smile and headed towards the huge staircase that led up to the next level.

***

The building was huge. Huge and somewhat creepy with all the people frozen in place. Glenn was glad to note that Magus seemed equally disturbed, though the mage was better at hiding it behind fits of arrogance and dry humor. The latter, at least, distracted both men from their nervousness in this timeless place.

At last they came to a large room that looked like a theatre. On the stage was a landscape that – oddly enough – resembled Guardia. An old prop sword stood in a hill here, gleaming in the strange lighting above them. "Such a strange" Glenn began, only to jerk to a stop when he heard the sound of a bell ringing somewhere in the distance. "Should we go that way?"

Magus nodded. "It sounds like an invitation." Without hesitation he stalked towards the sound. Glenn walked behind him, scanning the room for attackers and, when – after climbing several ladders – they entered the long darkened walkway leading to a blank wall, was as ready as he could be for the thing that rose out of the darkness to sweep towards them.

"WARE!" Glenn shouted, moving to Magus' side and slicing at a reaching tentacle. Magus' hand slashed out, power following the gesture in a swirl of energy. It struck the body of the monster and was absorbed.

"What the hell?!" Magus gasped, using his scythe to slice another stretched out tentacle away. "It ate my magic."

Glenn cut away at a third tentacle, glancing in towards its source, a lumpish sort of object that seemed almost familiar despite being half-hidden in the shadows. "We have come acrost others that seemed immune or even aided by magic," he pointed out.

"No. Not like that. If I hadn't stopped the spell" another pause to slice and Magus moved in closer. "it would have sucked my power away through my magic." A fierce ruby glare towards the body of the monster followed. "Damnation. I just realized what it is. Lavos spawn."

Of course. Why didn't I recognize the shape? Possibly because they've never had tentacles like this before. Glenn side stepped. "Head first, then. The body's useless to attack." He pulled back one entangled wrist and cut the tentacle free. His wrist ached, numb and sore from being entangled in that thing's grip.

"On my way," Magus agreed, allowing his body to be enwrapped even while he kept his scythe hand free.

Only Magus would do something like that, Glenn thought to himself. Reckless. So damned reckless. Doth he hope to die before whatever ist changing him has its way? It was a moot question. Magus drove his scythe into the spawn's head even as Glenn managed to work his way over to the other side and do the same with the Masamune. "BLACK MATTER!" Magus shouted. A moment later the world exploded around them.

***

"WARNING: TIME OVERLOAD WITHIN FROZEN TIME. CORRECTING." Belthazar sat up from his studies and blinked at the computer's voice. Glancing at the monitor associated with the security cameras he saw an image of dark hall with a single sphere of swirling blue and red fire at its center. Then that sphere died away to reveal the two men the monitor had shown earlier. They were fighting something large and partially hidden by shadows. As the two struck that thing's head an eye searing darkness rose up. "GRAVITY WAVE INTERFERENCE. GUARDIAN DESTROYED."

Belthazar stared at the screen for a long moment. The gravity wave had to be one of Magus' spells. What was it the Enlightened had called it – oh yes – Black Matter. So much power in one fragile human-appearing body. That boy was going to have to be stopped. ::Gaspar, what is happening to the tree in the time that I'm existing?::

Strangely, there was no answer. ::Gaspar?:: Belthazar realized to his stunned amazement that his connection with his fellow Guru had been severed. "Not good," he muttered. "Not good at all."

***

Magus sat up and shook his head to clear it. Noting Glenn doing the same, he nodded to the young knight. "Well, I suppose it has been too easy up until now. A guardian, you think?" At Glenn's agreement, he sighed. "Though of what? This room appears empty."

Struggling to his feet, the knight shrugged. "There has to be a reason. The thing wast powerful. Didst thou not have that spell to hand, we wouldst have been mincemeat, I think."

It was an effort, but Magus managed to stand. "Eh. I'd not have that spell to hand had we not spent so much time in battle." He shot a quick grin Glenn's way, "Nothing like surviving to strengthen one, eh?"

"Aye," Glenn agreed, though he was still gazing around the darkened hall with a puzzled expression. "Listen."

Magus did and was unsurprised to hear the faint sound of bells. Somewhere around here. Stronger than it had been before. He moved, slowly, listening intently. "This way."

The two men followed the sound to a blank wall. Or is it? Faint glow here. Getting Magus flung his arm up to cover his eyes as a flash of brilliance burst into existence. His cry was echoed by Glenn's and when he lowered arm and cloak he found himself staring at a crack in the wall that glowed brilliantly in the darkness. A deep, sonorous *gong* sang forth from beyond its light.

"I believe this must be the place," Glenn murmured. "Shall we?"

"Might as well. No point in standing around here waiting for the floor to rot. Especially considering that will never happen as long as time is frozen." Magus stepped forward and through the crack.

***

Glenn gazed around in awe. He'd never seen anyplace quite so beautiful as this. It looked like Leene's square, that place in Crono's time where the great bell named for his queen was hung. No, it was Leene's square, shining like gold in the setting sun. Marble plazas rose up to the top of a small hill and the air was sweet and warm as late spring. The skies above were softly lit with ruby fire. "Gods" he murmured, "What is this?"

Magus didn't answer immediately and Glenn looked his way. The mage looked strange in the light. Limned and shining. Then his rough voice took the illusion of grandeur away. "A place outside of time. A time outside of place." His tone had a faint shakiness to it, as if there was something about this place affecting him and deeply. "Come. They're waiting for us."

"They?" Glenn asked as the taller man set off up the stairways towards the highest plaza. "Who do you mean?" He followed behind, fighting a languorous urge to move slowly, to settle somewhere and lay quiet for a while. This place was beautiful, but it was dangerous. It fulfilled too many dreams, just by its quiet comfort.

"I'm not sure," Magus admitted and Glenn noticed something else odd about him. The Magus, ordinarily hard and bitter humored, seemed subdued. He was feeling the effects of this place as well, apparently.

A few minutes later the two men topped the final step leading to the highest plaza. Here a bell tower stood, the bell chiming deep and sweet atop it. Then Glenn saw them. Three figures. Three very familiar figures. "CRONO! MARLE! LUCCA!"

Magus put his hand out and stopped Glenn from running forward. "Not quite. I think they're memories."

"Memories? But they haven't even been born yet."

"Birth does not matter" Marle's sweet voice said.

"Time doesn't matter," Lucca added.

Crono – or the seeming of Crono spoke softly. "The only thing that matters in this world is life..."

***

Belthazar had finally managed to break the final code. Now he'd be able to make his way to the basement and find out what it was that waited there. It seemed FATE needed another reprogramming and he was going to have to be the one to do it.

Walking to the elevator and selecting the basement level, he waited patiently for a minute or so while the platform lowered. When it opened he found himself standing in a huge room, a single bridge leading across to a doorway. Two large robots moved back and forth but as he approached, they allowed him to pass through. Glad I caught that security code and reset it, Belthazar thought as he went to the doorway and opened it.

Inside was a vast computer set up. At its center, however, was a huge sphere of crystal or glass. Staring at it, the Guru of Reason moved slowly forward. What was that glowing at its center? Something like fire, but it didn't seem to move. He drew closer, climbed up the ladder to what was obviously the access port. My word

It hung, unsupported, at the exact center of the sphere. A swirling mass of ruby fire entangled together in one huge sphere. Belthazar, looking at it, could feel the radiating power. This must be the source of FATE's power, then. It looked strangely familiar, a great fire caught forever in a moment of glory "OH MY GOD! LAVOS!"

To Be Continued

Author's Notes: We're starting to get into the Cross Tie-In. Any differences in explanations from the original game will be due to my different take on the story.