Chapter 12
For the Future of Everything…
"Masa, what's he doing?"
"I'm not sure Mune. Where's Doreen?"
"Right here."
"So, what's he doing then?"
"I don't know. Wait…I think he's trying to…"
"Nah. He couldn't be…could he?"
"I don't know Masa, it sure looks like it."
"But if he does do that, doesn't that mean he'll…?"
"I think he understands. He wants an end to this conflict…"
"C'mon you two. We have to help him…"
Serge floated. Incredible power flowed through him. He was channeling the energy of the Frozen Flame through himself. It still held a link to the entity known as Lavos.
The power was amplified through the Mastermune, which he had driven into the Frozen Flame before activating the Chrono Cross. His body still lingered where he had left it, standing in front of the Frozen Flame, Chrono Cross high above his head. It was just his spirit now, floating in the middle of the room, sensing the hatred around him.
A melody pounded in Serge's head, one that he was familiar with. The seven chimes echoed inside him continuously, never faltering. A sense of calmness washed over him.
Serge's spirit hovered above the Frozen Flame that was slowly morphing into a new Time Devourer. Seeing two crystals connected to the entity, Serge concentrated. Harnessing the power of the Chrono Cross in his mind, he raised a hand and lashed out.
Though not seeing or feeling it physically, Serge sensed an explosion of light in the room. His material body heard the shattering of casing. Shards of crystal sprinkled on the floor of the room. Two bodies began to float downward again, freed from their clear prisons.
Serge's mind noticed the one in particular as she descended through the air. Dressed in red garb, the crystal growing from her skin was beginning to evaporate.
Then Serge felt another sensation emitting from the girl. Hatred still burned in her, almost all of her mind succumbing to her enmity. With another flash of light, Serge harnessed the power of the Chrono Cross once more.
The woman let out a scream as he did so, her hatred so firm in her mind that it was hard for her to let go of it. It had become a part of her while she was imprisoned in the Frozen Flame. Her mind wasn't able to fully let her hate go…
The other woman, garbed in purple robes, landed gently upon the floor. Her feet were able to withstand her weight and her mind was freed of enmity. She quickly sought out Serge's body, still standing in front of the Frozen Flame, Chrono Cross high above his head.
The Frozen Flame, the start of new Time Devourer, began to whither. Its red casing melted into nothingness, destroyed by the healing power of the Chrono Cross.
The woman in purple garbs reached Serge's body and put a hand on its shoulder. She drew back suddenly, realizing that a spirit no longer inhabited it. She turned slowly and found Serge floating above her head, his spirit a faded outline of his former self.
"Serge…It's over…" the woman spoke slowly.
Serge shook his head.
The woman looked at him sharply, trying to figure out what he meant. Her eyes widened slightly as Serge floated upwards.
"No, Serge…Please, you don't have to…" she began.
Serge felt his time grow short now. He was losing his connection to Lavos. He had to act quickly, there was still time. He floated forward, passing through the body of the woman in purple.
She turned with his passing and began to cry.
Serge stopped above the other woman and reached with a blurry hand towards her. His hand passed through her arm and he felt her pain, her suffering. He knew that her life force was ebbing. Along with her hatred, she was fading away as well. Serge sensed a feeling stir behind in the back of his mind and he resolved to carry it out. Acting quickly, he turned to the other woman once more.
A voice was in the back of his mind, telling him of a line that he knew had everything to do with him…' No, the Chrono Cross, in being a part of the planet, lacks the power to fully heal its creator of enmity toward humans. This task can only be reserved for something else…'
With a faded smile, he gave a reassuring wave. The woman could do nothing more than sob as he suddenly emitted a burst of light that seemed to pierce through the walls of the room and continue outward in all directions.
Seven chimes continued to flow through Serge's mind and his spirit dove downward, passing through his former body. He passed through the Chrono Cross and Mastermune once more and enveloped his soul into them.
The Chrono Cross gave off another flash of multicolored light, more intense than any it had ever given off before, as if the sun had exploded within the room. The Chrono Cross was enhanced with the spirit of Serge. His pure sentiments traveled with its melody, which sounded throughout the entire planet, delving into its core. There, at the center of the planet, the melody found a mass of darkness, the soul of the planet. Black with its hatred of humans, black for its wish to dispose of alien life forms forever.
The Chrono Cross's melody reached the blackness, diving into a hole that had formed from a single ray of light, Serge's spirit, the embodiment of his hopes and dreams for a better future. The melody punctured the outer core of the darkness and reached the interior, only to burst again with multicolored light. A sharp sound arose, as if the planet was trying to tear itself apart at its very core. Then blackness disintegrated, giving way to light. The planet's hatred died in an instant. The Chrono Cross's melody, carrying the hopes and dreams of the Chrono Trigger, dissolved its black core and allowed it to be free of enmity…
Away, back on the surface of the planet, a body by the name of Serge fell from where it had been standing in front of the Frozen Flame, which had disintegrated entirely. Even as a woman named Schala bent over the body and cried, the body of Serge went limp. A few feet away, the body of a girl named Kid also relaxed, as if falling into an eternal sleep. Then a low rumbling sound could be heard, sweeping over the planet's surface like a tidal wave. The structure where the last battle had taken place began to convulse and the remaining human within felt a warmth wash over her as light enveloped everything.
As the rumbling intensified, two points of light could be seen, floating away from the pillar of light that had emerged from the tower. One was pure white, the other bright red. The two lights found each other amongst the confusion on the surface of the planet and could be seen for those who were looking, floating toward the sky, which was flickering as if in confusion of night and day. As they passed out of sight, even as the time stream began to shudder, the two points of light found their destination, arriving where no physical thing could.
Zurvan…the Sea of Dreams…
Karsh was untouchable in his rage. Anything that stood before him soon fell before his unstoppable onslaught. His anger was out of control. Not far from him, Zoah and Marcy lay dead, their battle ending when more lizards had emerged from the forest. Radius had fallen as well, his final act able to keep General Viper alive for awhile longer. Guile had taken up a position beside Viper after Radius fell, the two fighting as valiantly as possible against their overwhelming odds.
Even though Karsh slew anything that stood in his path, his fury left him open and defenseless to attacks from behind. Glenn had assumed the role of guarding Karsh's backside as he sought our more reptites to engage.
Even as the four remaining humans fought with the last of their strength, they heard a rumble arise from the ground beneath them. All life forms felt it and paused for a second, wondering what was happening. Then those that were battling outside of Apocalypse Tower saw the structure contort, changing in color as it did so. Then, in a flash that shone throughout the entire sky, it burst into a pillar of light, reaching to the sky.
Weapons dropped to the ground as a melody suddenly sounded throughout the air, ringing throughout their very souls. Their anger subsided in a heartbeat and calmness washed over them. The four humans remaining on the battlefield felt a presence in the melody, as though there were an essence contained within the sound that they knew. They felt Serge in the air around them, felt him in the sound that echoed in their minds and they smiled…
It was over.
Serge, don't go yet Serge! There is so much I want to tell you! So much I would like to know!
But, I know there will be time for that…in another world maybe, when we no longer know each other…
Serge, you have inseminated the planet with your dreams…You freed the planet of its hatred for some of the life forms that dwell upon it. You chose to do so. This was not predestined. This was not calculated…you did it for all life forms that dwell here, Serge. Rather than leading your own life, you chose to make the ones of the people around you better…
What if all life forms were like that? Thinking of others before they thought of themselves? Would this world be a better place? A so called Utopia? Or would it be just another dream, dreamt by those already gone?
What if such a world is impossible? Is a world where everything is in harmony an impossibility? Or is it our destiny to simply hate, destroy, and devour?
No! That is not the case! Everyone is born with a sense of good in them! It is how other life forms act upon that individual that decides which way its feelings will sway.
Serge, you have shown this world a door…a door to a better future. No longer are there outside forces acting upon this world. No, it is now up to humans and the planet to decide how things will turn out…
Time will be united, the pressures acting upon this world have vanished. Everything will return to the way that it was, before all this began. Opassa Beach will return to normal. Arni Village and Termina will be restored, its inhabitants born anew.
The only thing that these restored life forms will miss will be the presence of a boy name Serge. But…if they concentrate, they will be able to feel him. They will be able to sense his life force with each wave of the ocean, in each gust of breeze and with each beat of their hearts.
Farewell Serge! You have shown us the door, now it is up to us humans, along with the planet, to walk through it.
Thank you for being 'you', Serge.
Thank you.
Serge looked around.
He was standing on a beach, gentle waves washing up onto the shore. It was calm.
He took a step forward, then realized he was in a dream. It no longer mattered to him, it was their dream.
Standing near the edge of the water, a woman stood. Her white dress flowed with the breeze blowing in from the sea. The woman's braided blonde hair draped down her back as she gazed out over the sea.
Serge took another step toward the woman, feeling a light in his heart. The woman began to turn slowly, facing him with her bright eyes.
He smiled. They were her eyes, the gentle eyes he remembered.
The woman smiled back and reached out her hand. Serge stepped forward and placed his hand in hers.
I've finally found you Serge. It's about bloody time…what took you so long?
He felt warmth and a light began to envelop the two of them. He closed his eyes and was happy. The two stood in the light, their dream surrounding them.
Fin