Chapter 5

A New Burden

Serge…

Please…


Help me…

"Serge…Don't go yet Serge…"

Serge opened his eyes slowly, the light of the sky making his vision blurry and painful. He was lying on his back in the sand. Not far by was where he had washed up on shore, his weapon, in the sand ignoring the gentle waves washing up onto it.

Above him, a face peered down at him intently. He recognized the eyes.

With a grunt he forced himself to an upright position. Moving was painful and his muscles felt like they had been twisted into a knot. Gazing around he thought that they must be somewhere to the west of Viper Manor, somewhere just north of Termina.

Serge turned and looked at Schala, who was sitting next to him. Her blonde hair flowed from her head to her shoulders. Her garments, though disheveled still looked perfect and she looked as though nothing had happened.

Serge found himself having a hard time remembering what happened as well. Thoughts raced through his mind and he tried to make sense of them all. The Frozen Flame had captured Kid. Lynx had appeared, along with a reptile of some sort. Then there was Schala…

He brought a hand to his head to wipe away some tears that had formed. The image of Kid's face was locked into his mind.

"Serge," Schala whispered quietly.

He shook his head sadly. He hadn't been able to help Kid…

"Serge," Schala repeated. "Something terrible has happened."

Serge turned and looked at her now. He found himself looking at Kid once more, only without the small white marks on her cheeks. More memories flooded in and he had a hard time controlling himself. Something wasn't right with the whole thing. Too many old faces had appeared. Things were supposed to have gone back to normal after they saved Schala, but now she was sitting right in front of him.

"I know what you must be feeling," Schala soothed. "I feel the same way. It wasn't supposed to be like this, but fate took a different course than what we expected of it."

She shifted her position and Serge noticed that a large hole had that had been concealed from him was in her robe. Through the hole he could see a searing black mark where the flesh had been burnt. He figured that it was the reason that Schala had cried out when they were making their escape.

"Serge, you are wondering what it going on and how it could have possibly happened," Schala continued. "I'm afraid I don't know everything that is going on myself, but I'll tell you all I know."

Serge looked at her for awhile, just trying to slow the thoughts in his mind. He shifted himself again, ready to hear what she had to say.

"It began when you and your companions saved me from the Time Devourer in the Tesseract," began Schala, her words thoughtful and full of life. "Time was to be reunited and things were going to be normal again. Serge, I had hoped that you would be able to go back to your regular life, and live it the way you wanted to but…" she trailed off for a second.

"I'm sorry Serge. You've done so much, yet things still aren't normal. You seem to be one of great importance in the river of time and it never seems to leave you alone," Schala lowered her head for a second before continuing.

"Time didn't reunite correctly, however. That is because my clone and I never reunited…" Schala paused while Serge raised his eyebrows slightly. "Kid and I never reunited because of her…our pendent. I had bestowed it to Kid to protect her from harm. I thought it would only protect against physical harm. However, at the moment of my being freed from the Time Devourer, something happened inside Kid and the pendent. Kid felt pain…"

"She felt emotional pain. Pain at the thought of being separated from you, Serge…" she paused once more.

Serge bowed his head, now realizing what had happened. Kid's amulet had flared at the moment their reuniting and had transported her through time to a different place to shield her from harm.

"This created a rift between us. Time didn't reunite properly. Kid, with her jump through time with the pendent, started another path through time slightly different than my own. Our two time streams tried to reunite once more and I was lost in the flow. The two paths collided and meshed with one another, creating this world that we are in now."

"The problem is that Kid jumped back in time with the pendent, so her time stream brought some things with it that were otherwise thought gone. Lynx was one of them,"

Serge shook his head violently. That wasn't possible. They had destroyed FATE in the future, thus ensuring Lynx's death.

"Serge, in your time, you were under the belief that only one Lynx was alive between the two worlds. The truth is that both were alive. The one you kept encountering was the Lynx from another world and the incarnation of the FATE computer system. The other was stored in the home world for safe keeping by FATE. You see, it wasn't the direct incarnation of the FATE computer system, rather, it was a shell for its memory."

"When you destroyed FATE, in the short time before its death, it ran a program. This program was a product of the corruption of FATE by the entity known as Lavos. The program was called 'Memories of FATE'. You see, when you traveled through time to the future, FATE realized its impending doom, but it had a backup plan. The stored body of Lynx in the home world was its backup plan. When the 'Memories of FATE' program was ran, it instructed the Lynx shell to hunt out and destroy the source of its demise. This program was designed to ensure that even if FATE were destroyed at a point in time in the future, it would be able to send a backup plan from the past to prevent it from happening."

"So when Kid's path traveled backward slightly, it was enough for the Lynx shell of FATE to leap to her time and was then present when Kid's time merged with my own. Thus, Lynx is able to be live in this time, even though he is a entity from a past that is destroyed."

Serge couldn't believe what he was hearing. Things had turned out so wrong. The world was supposed to return to the peaceful one he once knew.

"And so it was that the 'Memories of FATE' program's target was Kid. She was the one who traveled back in time to prevent you from drowning on that fateful day and in turn it was you who destroyed FATE. If Kid, or you, is erased from the present, FATE can again exist in the future due to your absence."

"This isn't the worst part of the whole picture though Serge. Once Kid's time and my own time tried to merge, people from Kid's past time were vanquished into the Tesseract. There they now dwell in anger and hatred."

"Once the Time Devourer was destroyed, the Frozen Flame became the last remaining piece of the alien being Lavos, that crashed into our planet millions of years ago. The Lavos fragment is still trying to survive and continue on its quest to feed off the planet. Once it realized that it was about to be cast away from the flow of time and into the Tesseract when the time streams merged, it enacted its last maneuver. Just when time was reunited, the Frozen Flame drew upon the negative energy in the Tesseract from people's feelings. It was able to achieve this power from a Lavos entity that dwells in the Tesseract from a destroyed time stream. This gave it enough power to draw itself from the Tesseract and travel to the reunited time stream that was formed by Kid and I."

"This means that the Frozen Flame is now in the reunited time stream and is once again trying to reconstruct another Time Devourer. This time it plans to make a Time Devourer that is twice as strong as the one you fought. It knows of the breaking of Kid and I, and seeks to encase us both. If it were to do that, time would forever be destroyed at the hands of the entity it would create."

"Serge, as I said. When the time streams meshed together, I was lost between them and have been searching for you ever since. I was able to find this time when the Frozen Flame captured Kid. I felt her through the dimensions and felt her pain. That allowed me to find this time and I was able to travel here before you were destroyed. I was reckless in my entrance and was almost captured by the flame, but I had to get you out of there, Serge."

"I am sorry to tell you this, but your roll is not yet over. Rather, it is just as important now as it ever was."

Serge went cold. This was almost too much information for him to bear. His mind reeled. He thought of everyone that he had journeyed with on his adventure and suddenly his thoughts went back to Leena and Arni village.

Schala, as if reading his mind nodded her head once more. "I'm sorry Serge, but Arni village is gone. It was destroyed by an advanced race of reptiles from the far off future of another dimension. As you know, humans are basically an alien species to the planet and it has never fully healed from our invasion. The Planet felt the convolution created by the time streams of Kid and I and also sensed the Frozen Flame, which had traveled to the newly constructed time as well. This survival of the alien presence angered the Planet and it began its own plan. It drew highly advanced reptiles from a dimension where they are the species that has evolved closely with the Planet. The Planet drew these reptiles to the only point it could transport them to…Opassa Beach. Opassa Beach is the still the distortion of both our worlds. The Planet sensed this and was able to draw the reptites to it."

"When the reptites emerged, they began forming a plan with the planet. I cannot say I know what it is, but it has something to do with Kid, the Frozen Flame, and you, Serge. After arriving in this time, the reptites headed straight to Arni, I think it was in hopes of finding you…"

Serge let out a small, defeating sigh. His village had been destroyed because he wasn't there when the reptites had attacked it…they had been looking for him when they arrived.

"Serge…" Schala soothed. "These reptiles are highly advanced beings. There was nothing you could've done. You aren't responsible Serge…"

Serge said nothing. He stared out over the sea, despair and sadness washing over him. He felt as though his life had been crushed right in front of him and there was nothing he could do about it. Even as he sat, thoughts of Kid started to find their way back inside his head.

"There is more. It will be hard to listen, but you must. After the FATE shell of Lynx was pulled into the jumbled, reunited time stream, it sought to gain a weapon of enough power to destroy Kid. It thought the Masamune was the only weapon strong enough to do this. Unaware that he was actually drawn to it, Lynx made contact with the Frozen Flame that had traveled to this period. The Frozen Flame transported Lynx to a distorted area of Kid's time stream and mine. This area was around the Isle of the Damned and the twisted sword, Masamune. Lynx arrived in time to achieve the Masamune and took it for his own before the distortion warped itself again, which would have caused the Masamune to have been lost forever. Lynx was then drawn back to this time by the Frozen Flame and commenced his search for Kid. He found her just outside of Arni Village and attacked her. Kid would've perished if not for her pendent, which transported her back in time. It was just enough to save her life and she wound up in Arni Village. That is where her story and yours began to unfold once more."

Schala stopped for a few moments, gazing out at the water as it washed up onto the shore. Serge was silent beside her, not sure of what to think. She turned back to him then, looking into his eyes.

"Serge, forces are at work once more to unravel the very fabric of time. The battle for the supremacy of time and the planet is still under way. We must stop what would happen if any of these forces win. I don't know we can hope to accomplish this, but I do know that you will play a key roll in it all, Serge…"

"So," Karsh muttered to the group of people in front of him. They had escaped the Manor before its collapse and retreated into the woods for a distance before stopping to rest at a clearing. "Let's review what we know so far…absolutely nothing."

"That ist not entirely true…" Luccia chimed in. She was sitting beside Marcy on the ground near the edge of the clearing. "Ve know that Lynx and the Frozen Flame were planning something. Ve also know that there ist another force at work in all this. This would explain the presence of that reptile."

"Speaking of green and ugly…Like, what was that thing?" asked Marcy. Of the entire group, she appeared to be the least changed by the events that had unfolded.

"It is hard to say, but it had unspeakable power. It moved with a speed and power that I have never seen before. My pride was wounded when I was defeated in battle," Radius answered. "As to its origin, I have no idea. Suffice it to say, it also wanted to see the Frozen Flame, which would explain why it took the disguise of Leena to travel with us…" The old man's head lowered and any who looked upon him could now see the signs of his old age. His wrinkled brow and frail body showed none of the past that he had been a part of.

"So it is true then…" General Viper murmured. He sat like a statue on a nearby rock. "Arni village has been destroyed. To think, it happened right under my nose."

"And just what the hell was demihuman doing in there anyway?" asked Karsh, who was fingering the notch in the blade of his axe angrily. "He'll pay for what he did to my weapon…"

"I felt his presence as soon as I had entered the mansion, but could not explain what it was," said a voice. The eyes of the group turned to the man who had aided in their escape. Guile had placed himself in front of a nearby tree and seemed to blend with the bark. Riddel had to look twice just to make sure he was there.

"Which brings me to my next question…what were you doing inside the mansion?" Karsh asked Guile, eyeing him curiously.

"I broke in on a bet from a friend of mine. I was about to retrieve my proof of entry when the Manor started to collapse. I quickly made for the exit and that is where our stories met," Guile explained, looking out into the surrounding forest.

"So like, you were a thief then?" Marcy squealed.

"Not a thief if I returned with nothing more than scratches," replied Guile. He then turned his eyes on Viper. "Sorry to provide any inconvenience."

"I should be the one to thank you," Vipor answered. "If it weren't for you, our exit would've been barred and we would be buried in rubble as we speak."

Those nearby could hear Marcy letting out a 'whatever' sigh.

"So a cat and that other monster were in the room. But what happened when that strange girl and the Frozen Flame made contact?" Riddel asked from where she was sitting.

"The Frozen Flame vanted to make contact vit the girl apparently. It seemed to vaiting for her," Luccia answered. "That explains vhy it activated vhen they reached the Manor."

"That makes sense," agreed Karsh. "But why did it want her?"

Luccia shook her head, her glasses slipping down her nose. "I have no idea."

"So like, what happened to that Serge guy?" Nobody knowing what was going on was annoying Marcy.

Radius's face lowered even further, but he said nothing.

"I…I don't think he made it…" Riddel whispered. "He was still in the room when the frame crumbled and…"

"Poor guy. He was the one who allowed us to get out of there too," Karsh looked as though he was angry with himself. "I should've been the one to go after that damn lizard. Hey," he perked up suddenly. "Did anybody else felt like you sort of knew him from somewhere?"

Zoah, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke through his massive helmet. "YES. HE SEEMED FAMILIAR."

"I too felt as though I should know him. But from where, I cannot say," Riddel now wore a complex look on her face.

"Me too," Viper added.

"I as vell felt as though I had met him before," Luccia was cleaning her glasses with a free hand.

"It is strange," Radius began. "I have known Serge for four years now. I have watched him grow and saw nothing different about him. But a few days ago, he went to Opassa Beach. When he returned, he looked, different somehow. Not in his appearance, but I sensed something had changed. I should've questioned it when I had the chance…"

"He may still be alive," spoke Riddel. "He was in the room with the Frozen Flame. It's possible that it did something to prevent the collapse of the that room."

"For now we can only hope that is true…" Viper replied. "As for now, we need to figure out what to do."

"There are a lot of things that we don't know right now," Radius said, recomposing himself. "Asking more questions is only going to confuse us more. Somehow we need to get some answers from somebody."

"Where do you suggest we turn?" asked Karsh. He appeared to be enthusiastic about the plan for action.

"I don't know," Radius replied. "Where do we turn to for answers when we aren't even sure of what our problem is?"

"I'd say one problem is that our Manor collapsed," Marcy told him. "But that doesn't help much."

"Does anyone have any ideas on where to go?" Riddel stood up, dusting herself off in the process. He red eyes gleamed with a new kindled hope.

"I don't care where we go, so long as we get even with the bastards that ruined our Manor," Karsh was eyeing his axe blade once more, cursing softly under his breath.

"Ve vill need to go somewhere or to someone that has a knowledge of such things," Luccia helped Marcy to her feet.

"Guldove," came a reply. Guild floated to the group from where he had been standing. Marcy was still transfixed by how his feet never touched the ground.

"Guldove? Why there?" Karsh questioned.

"Guldove has a divine shaman there. He is aware of what happens in the spiritual world as well as in the physical world. He will be able to help us," answered Guile. His staff floated mysteriously beside him.

"So now we need a boat," Radius observed. "I guess that leaves us no choice but to head for Termina. We will be able to get transportation there."

"It ist not much to go on, but at least we have a plan," Luccia sighed.

"Very well," Viper said, straightening up. "To Termina and Guldove."