CHAPTER 9
MOUNT GHALEON
After another day's work of walking on the sandy Steronn coastline, the group came to the foot of a large mountain. The mountian was taller than mountains that anyone had seen before; it practically soared up through the clouds, its deep gray crags leaping out in every direction like branches on a gigantic evergreen tree. Snow could be seen on the higher peaks.
"Now THAT'S a mountain," Seifer said after a long pause.
"This is Mount Ghaleon," Everhart said. "This is the tallest mountain on the planet."
"Wow..." Celes said. "This thing rivals Mount Zozo."
"Where do we go now, Everhart?" Ramza asked the dark-armored Lancer.
"Up," Everhart answered briefly, and began walking upwards.
"Wait a minute," Orlandu said. "It would be dangerous to hike up that mountain with everyone. Let only four of us go and the rest will follow when they've reached the destination."
"All right," Alma said. "Ramza, why don't you lead?"
"OK," Ramza said. "Cloud, Celes, Ovelia, you three come with me."
"When you climb to the third set of cliffs, you'll find a cave," Everhart explained. "That is our destination."
"How will we contact each other?" Celes asked.
"With these," Ramza said as he pulled out two strands of grass.
"Oh..." Orlandu said.
"Cinna's Whisper Grass..." Alma whispered.
"Alma, you keep one strand, and I'll keep the other," Ramza said. "We can talk to each other through them."
"All right, brother," Alma said. "Good luck!"
"Yeah, don't be leadin' us all into a dragon's den or anything," Amarant muttered.
"And hurry up!" Seifer said. "This place is boring as hell!"
"You'll have all the excitement you'll want when we get off this continent," Tifa said. "What's up with you and fighting, anyway?"
"I've gotta prove that I'm the best," Seifer smirked. "I've got a pretty strong rival, you know. (Dangit! Raijin's rubbin' off on me!)"
"You shouldn't spend your life searching for trouble," Amarant muttered. "It's not healthy; I ought to know."
"Whatever you say, afro boy," Seifer mused as he shrugged and started swinging his sword around.
"Auuuoooo! Watch it!" Gau yelped.
Ramza and company started up the mountainside towards the place Everhart had directed them.
"Surprise!!!" All of the Ayla's friends exclaimed as they leaped out from their respective hiding places in Lucca's house.
It was Ayla's 19th birthday and the rest of the crew that she had helped defeat the space parasite Lavos decided to throw her a surprise party. It was an ingenious set up; get Ayla to come to the present and then throw the party at her.
"Woah!" Ayla exclaimed as her Crono, Marle, Lucca, Robo, Frog and Magus appeared from behind desks and gadgets. "What you all doing hiding back there?" Ayla asked. "You want give me heart attack?"
"Happy birthday, Ayla!" Marle cheered. "We're throwing you a party!"
"What?..." Ayla asked. "Par... tea?... Oh... Ayla touched. Thank you, all..."
"C'mon," Lucca said. "Don't just stand there! Open some presents!"
"OK," Ayla said. She eyed the six flashy-colored boxes in front of her and pondered which one to open first.
"Come on, Ayla," Marle laughed. "It's not like there's a bomb in one of them!" She then turned to Robo. "(You DID diffuse that bomb in your present, didn't you?)" she whispered.
"...Maybe," Robo said. If he'd had a human's face, he would have been wearing a sly grin. Marle sweatdropped.
"Hmmm..." Ayla thought aloud. Finally, she decided on the blue box with the red ribbons. "Ayla open this one first," she concluded.
"That would be from Crono, I believe," Lucca said as she read the label (Ayla couldn't read English).
Crono nodded and smiled at the cavewoman.
"Oh, boy!" Ayla said as she very carefully removed the ribbons and opened the rather large and oddly-shaped box. Inside it was a large, blunt, wooden object.
"A new club!" Ayla cried as she held the object up. "Ayla been waiting for AGES to get new club! You no believe how expensive new club be at trading post. Thank you, Crono!"
Crono nodded in acknowledgement of her thanks.
"Open another one!" Frog offered.
"Yeah, just open something," Magus muttered. "I want to get to the good part."
"Good part?" Frog asked.
"The cake," Magus said. He then did something very un-Magus-like; he licked his lips and started drooling. "I love coconut cake!" he exclaimed, his voice thick with infatuation.
"Oh, good heavens," Frog muttered as he shook his head and chuckled lightly.
"OK, Ayla choose this one," Ayla said as she bent down and picked up a red box with orange lace.
"That would be mine," Lucca chuckled. "I hope you like it!"
Ayla opened the box and looked inside. A strange-looking, purple portal was in the bottom. "You get me something strange," Ayla remarked as she peered at the warp.
"Well, it's not the weirdest thing anyone could get you, but-" Lucca started. Suddenly, Ayla was sucked inside the box .
"What the?!" Marle yelped. Everyone crowded around to see the purple gateway close up.
"...I didn't give her THAT," Lucca gulped.
"I wonder where she went?" Magus asked. "Probably crushed into oblivion, I'd assume."
"Oh, no!" Marle cried. "That's horrible! WHAAAAHHHHH!!!"
"..." Crono said.
"So, how long do you think this hike will be?" Cloud asked after the party had rounded a curve on the path and the others had vanished from view.
"Let's see..." Celes said as she looked up at the place Everhart had directed them towards. "Mount Ghaleon has kind of a spiraling path, and we're on the first swirl. It looks like there are five swirls until we reach the midpoint. How long did it take us to get to where we are now, Ramza?"
"Ten minutes," Ramza said.
"If it takes ten minutes to do half a swirl," Celes concluded, "then it will be another ninety minutes before we reach the top."
"An hour and a half?!" Ovelia cried. "Oh... Ah, well. At least the scenery is nice."
"It is pretty, isn't it?" Cloud asked as he looked around. "I've never seen these kind of plants before. I wonder what they are?"
"There's also plenty of interesting wildlife," Ramza pointed out. "See? That's a weird-looking frog."
Everyone looked; a green and red frog was sitting on the leaf of one of the mysterious-looking trees on the mountain. It sat perfectly still as they looked at it.
"What do you think it is?" Celes asked.
"I've never seen it before," Cloud said as the group kept walking. Ovelia stayed behind and looked at the frog for a while longer.
As soon as it saw that only Ovelia remained, the frog pulled out a top hat and cane and started dancing.
"Hello, my baby, hello my honey, hello, my ragtime gal" the frog warbled.
"I guess it's a Michigan Tree Frog," Ovelia snickered. She looked around. There was no sign of the network censor, so she just ran ahead to catch up with the group.
The party hiked along three swirls with virtually no interruptions. When they stopped to rest on the third swirl, Ramza plopped down on the rocks and pressed his back against the mountain. "Oh... I'm tired," he said.
"We could all use a break, couldn't we?" Celes said as she sat down next to Ramza and caught her breath.
"Yeah, this mountain drains your energy pretty fast, doesn't it?" Cloud asked as he sat down next to Celes.
"I'm exhausted," Ovelia remarked as she sat down on Ramza's other side.
"Alma to Ramza, Alma to Ramza," Alma's voice crackled through Ramza's blade of Whisper Grass.
"I think your sister wants to talk to you," Cloud said.
"What is it, Alma?" Ramza asked as he took the grass from his pocket and held it up to his face.
"How are you doing?" Alma asked.
"We're taking a little break here, but we're fine," Ramza answered.
"Are you all OK?" Cloud asked.
"We're starting up the mountain right now, actually," Alma said. "We're just coming to warn you about something..."
"What's wrong, Alma?" Ovelia asked.
"Everhart says there's a very powerful dragon that lives on the mountain," Alma said. "It's called the Stone Dragon. Watch out for it."
"Thanks... Alma, is it?" Celes said. "We'll be on the lookout."
"Alma out!" Alma said. The grass grew silent.
"A stone dragon?" Cloud asked. "I guess stranger things have happened."
"I've dealt with eight dragons before," Celes said. "I'm sure I can handle another one."
"Celes, where are you from, anyway?" Ramza asked. "We've never had the time to ask you."
"I'm from a world that has no name," Celes said. "I used to be a general in the Empire's army, but I defected after their tactics grew too violent for me. A man named Locke saved me and brought me to meet his friends. Long story short, I ended up helping save the world, and I'd love to go home soon."
"Don't worry, Celes," Cloud said. "We'll get you all home soon enough."
"That is, if Everhart's right about the Chrono Stones," Ovelia said. "Ramza, we'll have to face all our friends in battle, won't we?..."
"Yeah..." Ramza sighed.
"It must be hard for you," Celes said as she nodded in understanding. "You said you're a heretic and a fugitive?"
"The government says so," Ramza said. "But I am, in reality, neither."
"Oh..." Celes said. "One of those cases. I understand."
"I know we've only just met, but would you help me get my friends back?" Ramza asked.
"Of course I will," Celes said. "I'm new to this country, but I know when someone's been wrongfully accused. You can count on my full support."
"Thank you, Celes," Ramza said as he nodded in gratitude. "I'll do whatever I can to get you and Gau back to your own world."
Suddenly,everyone heard a loud shrieking sound. "What was that?!" Cloud asked.
Everyone gasped as a huge, winged beast flew out from the cliffs and soared overhead. It was entirely gray and the party could clearly see that it was made of stone. Its cold eyes looked down upon the travelers and it roared menacingly.
"I don't care for the way he sounds..." Ovelia gulped.
"RUN!!!" Ramza yelled.
Everyone dashed up the mountain as the Stone Dragon swooped down and swung his tail. It destroyed the area they had just been resting on.
"Is he going to keep chasing us?" Celes asked as everyone turned around to see what the massive beast was doing.
A look of extreme stupidity appeared on the dragon's face. It seemed satisfied with destroying the outcropping the party had been sitting at, so it took flight and disappeared up to the mountain's higher peaks. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
"Not the smartest monster in the world, is he?..." Ramza asked.
"We'd best be cautious," Ovelia warned. "It could appear again."
"If he does, we'll let him have it!" Cloud declared.
"Hmmm..." Celes said as she rubbed her hands together.
"What's the matter, Celes?" Ramza asked.
"...ICE!" Celes shouted as she pointed her fingers at a rock. The boulder instantly became frozen in a block of ice.
"Wow!" Ovelia exclaimed.
"Are you a Black Mage?" Ramza asked.
"This is fantastic!" Celes cheered. "All my magic works in this world!"
"It doesn't in your world?" Cloud asked.
"I'll explain as we walk," Celes said. "But this magic will be very effective against rock creatures."
The party walked across another full swirl on the mountain. "OK, we'll be reaching the cave Everhart talked about on the next swirl," Ramza said.
"Good," Cloud said. "My feet are killing me."
Ovelia was looking at something interesting in the side of the cliff. "What is it, Ovelia?" Ramza asked.
"Another tree frog?" Celes asked.
"No..." Ovelia said. "This rock face is glowing."
"Glowing?..." Ramza asked as the other three walked over to the cliff. The rocky surface was pulsing with a mysterious light.
"Weird..." Cloud said.
"It kind of looks like the thing that Seifer came through," Celes remarked.
"Only one way to find out," Ramza said as he pulled out the Rooster Stone and held it out.
In the blink of an eye, the flashing rock split apart to reveal another purple portal.
"Not again!" Cloud exclaimed.
"I guess we'll be making a new friend!" Ovelia shouted.
The first thing that came out of the portal was a green book. It flew out and Celes caught it.
"What does it say?" Ramza asked.
"It's called Correctly English in 100 Days," Celes answered. She then rolled her eyes.
"Why would a book about speaking proper English come out of a portal?" Ovelia asked.
Half a second later, Ayla came tumbling out of the portal and crashed into Celes. Both girls went crashing to the ground.
"Phuaaagh!" Ayla spat. "Dirt in Ayla mouth!"
"There's your answer," Cloud said to Ovelia.
"Ohhhh..." Celes groaned as she forced herself into a sitting position. "Anybody get the license number of that Magitek Armor?"
"Are you all right?" Ramza asked as he reached down and helped Ayla onto her feet.
"Who you?" Ayla asked as she readied her fists for a fight. "Where Ayla? Tell now!"
"Calm down," Cloud said. "No one's going to hurt you."
"Ayla fall into weird, purple hole. Land on heavyset girl there. Where Ayla?" Ayla asked.
"I guess your name is Ayla," Ramza said.
"No duh!" Ayla retorted. "Who you, blonde man?"
"My name's Ramza," Ramza said. "That's Celes, that's Cloud, and this is Ovelia."
"Celes, Cloud, Ovelia, Ramza," Ayla repeated as she pointed to each one. "Now, where Ayla?"
"You're on the continent of Steronn," Ovelia answered.
"Stair... on?..." Ayla asked. "Where that? Ayla don't know."
"Well, it's a long story," Celes said. "Where did you come from?"
"Ayla come Guardia," Ayla answered. "Ayla live in 65,000,000 BC, but fall into purple hole in 1000 AD."
"Woah," Cloud exclaimed. "The chick's a cave babe!"
"You no speak right, mister," Ayla said as she raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry," Cloud said.
"1000 AD?" Ovelia asked. "Are you already a time traveler?..."
Suddenly, another ferocious roar was heard. "Drat! It's the Stone Dragon again!" Ramza exclaimed.
"Dragon? Where?" Ayla asked. "May be Reptite!"
"Just get out of the way, Encino Girl!" Cloud shouted as he shoved Ayla away from the place where the Stone Dragon landed. It leered at them angrily.
"I guess there's no running from it this time," Ramza said as he pulled out his Chaos Blade and held it in front of him.
"My Ice magic will help us a lot!" Celes said as she took her Illumina sword in one hand and let magic energy build in her left.
"Get ready to carve up some dragon!" Cloud shouted as he swung his Materia Blade around.
"MBarrier!" Ovelia commanded as she fortified Ramza, Celes and Cloud with magical shields.
"STONE WING!!!" Stone Dragon commanded as it lurched forwards and sent one of its wings whipping towards Celes. She moved away at the last minute and countered with a slash to Stone Dragon's left front leg. The beast roared in anger.
"And to add on..." Celes said as she put both hands together and closed her eyes. "ICE 2!!!" She pointed at the dragon and a huge ice crystal appeared out of nowhere and engulfed it. The beast reeled back and forth, but wasn't damaged badly.
"DRAGON WINDS!!!" Stone Dragon roared as it began to flap its massive wings. The gusts were so tremendous that the party was almost blown off the cliff.
"Everhart never mentioned that he was THIS powerful!" Ramza yelled.
"Let me take a stab at it!" Cloud shouted as he charged through the wind and leaped at the dragon. "BRAVER!!!" he yelled, slicing Stone Dragon straight down the middle. The stoney scales of the dragon weren't hurt very much, however. Stone Dragon swung his massive tail and Cloud went flying backwards. If Ovelia hadn't been there for him to crash into, Cloud would have gone off the edge.
"I guess it's my turn!" Ramza declared as he ran up and confronted the dragon. Stone Dragon looked down at him and smiled coldly. Then his massive mouth opened up to reveal several rows of metal teeth.
"You don't scare me!" Ramza declared as he swung the Chaos Blade and cut off several teeth in the mouth. The dragon rocked back and forth and screamed angrily as black blood flew out of its mouth.
"EARTHQUAKE!!!" Stone Dragon roared as it started stomping on the narrow mountain trail. Everything started to shake violently.
"He's trying to knock us off the mountain!!!" Ovelia screamed.
"He won't succeed!" Celes said as she prepared another spell. "PEARL!!!"
Three huge, glistening pearls fell down from the heavens and exploded on Stone Dragon. It howled angrily and stopped its quaking. Then it charged forwards and headbutted Celes so hard that she almost went off the edge.
"Agh..." Celes groaned as she held on to the edge of the cliff with both hands. She clutched Illumina between her teeth.
"Celes, are you OK?" Ramza asked.
"Heah," Celes shouted. "I'h hohay!"
"I'll stop him," Ramza said as he readied himself for another attack. "SCREAM!!!"
Ayla, who had just been watching the fight until now, looked at Ramza as he performed the loud attack.
"GRAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" Stone Dragon roared, mimicking Ramza's screaming display.
"DASH!!!" Ramza shouted as he ran up and body-slammed Stone Dragon in the neck. The beast was taken completely by surprise and was driven backwards.
"You've got him on the ropes, Ramza!" Cloud yelled. "Get him!"
"GRRRRR..." Stone Dragon growled as it got up on its hind legs and towered over the party.
"Uh-oh..." Ovelia gulped. "Guys, the MBarrier's fading!..."
"RAAAAHHHH!!!" Stone Dragon roared as it grabbed a gigantic boulder off the side of a higher cliff and held it up high.
"He's going to crush us!!!" Celes yelled as she spat Illumina out of her mouth and hoisted herself back onto the cliff.
"Oh, no he isn't!" Cloud said as he leaped upwards as Stone Dragon threw the boulder. "OMNISLASH!!!"
As the rock hit Cloud, it was chopped to gravel by his fast and powerful Limit Break. This action also sparked Ayla's interest.
"GRRR!!!" Stone Dragon growled as it viciously kicked Cloud away. The kick hit Cloud right in the midsection, and he tumbled to the ground.
"Cloud!" Celes cried as she rushed over to him. "Cure 3!!!"
Celes put her hands on Cloud's body and green light shone through him. After a second, he got back up. "Thanks, Celes," he replied. Celes nodded in acknowledgement.
"GRRRRR!!!!" Stone Dragon roared as it grabbed a much larger boulder off the cliffside and held it up.
"OK, I think we're toast now," Cloud gulped.
Just as Stone Dragon was about to throw the boulder, Ayla charged up from behind the group and punched the beast in the left ankle. The dragon's ankle caved in, he lurched to the side and he toppled over the side of the cliff, boulder and all. Since it couldn't fly with the huge boulder and it was too stupid to let go, it crushed and killed the beast when it hit the ground.
"Woah..." Ramza exclaimed as everyone looked down at the huge, dragon-shaped crater on the beach below.
"Ayla, that was amazing!" Cloud said.
"Ayla respect strong people," Ayla said. "You earn Ayla respect, so Ayla help you."
"You mean you're going to come along with us?" Ovelia asked.
"Yes," Ayla said. "Ayla come with you... at least, until find way back to Ayla own home."
"Well, she joined up pretty fast," Cloud remarked.
"Don't worry," Celes said. "We'll go into more detail in the next chapter."
