Chapter IV: Entropy in Lucca's Backyard

1002 AD LUCCA

"Alright. I'll be pulling this one solo. Don't wait up for me!" said Lucca, hopping into the Epoch's cockpit. It was midnight in Lucca's backyard, and everyone stood by the Epoch, shivering.

"Good luck, Lucca!" cheered Marle, her teeth chattering. Lucca set the coordinates, fired up the Epoch's engines, but as soon as she did, they died down to a faint whine. Lucca furrowed her brow, annoyed. She flipped the switches again, and the engines didn't even want to bother to start. The Epoch's display showed the hull, blinking red in alarm. Lucca opened the cockpit in a panic, and jumped out.

"RUN!!" she yelled, tearing towards the house. Crono, Marle, and Glenn charged after her. The Epoch exploded in a blinding blue light, which furiously rotated, sending a beacon into the sky. Pieces of the time- traveling airship went flying in all directions, and night was almost as bright as day, until the light finally died down. When the chaos had ceased, Lucca looked at her backyard.

The scene was something to marvel at. A small crater had taken the Epoch's place, along with something else. a time gate. As Lucca was despairing over her backyard, and the Epoch, Crono walked up to the gate.

"Ummm." Marle started to say something, but thought better of it. Lucca had finished mourning over the Epoch, just as her parents walked out.

"Wha-?" Taban couldn't say anything as he looked around the scene, and Lara's mouth dropped to the ground as she saw the crater.

"Lucca. Do you mind telling us just what the hell happened?" asked Taban, in a calm, collected voice. Lucca giggled to herself, and her father glared at her disapprovingly.

"Um. Well. We were doing an experiment, of sorts, and, heh, well. It kinda. you know. went. wrong." said Lucca, trying not to say something that would worsen the situation.

"Oh. An experiment, well!" Lara stormed into the house, slamming the back door behind her so hard, it just swung open again. Lucca sighed and, got to her feet, brushing herself off.

"Lucca. Just what, exactly, were you trying to do?" asked Taban. After Lucca had told her parents about saving the world they'd worried themselves sick, and told Lucca to dismantle the Epoch. if she told them the truth.

"Sir, I believe she said she was trying to make a way for. um. what did you call it Lucca?" asked Glenn, helping Lucca, and stalling while they could come up with a good lie.

"Predistortional Establishment of..," Lucca started but couldn't think of the last word, and said the first word that came to mind: "FATE."

"Fate?" asked Taban, somewhat confused. "Predistortional Establishment of Fate? That sounds suspiciously like you were trying to travel through time!"

"Daddy. Please. do you see the Epoch anywhere?" asked Lucca, very slyly.

"Yes! I see it scattered across my backyard!" Taban yelled.

"Tch. I dismantled it, just a few hours ago, and, well. forgot to clean up the mess. I'm sorry. I'll do that tomorrow." Said Lucca, throwing up her arms, in fake remorse. Taban stare pierced through Lucca's innocent gaze, and burned into her skull. It was almost as if he knew she was lying.

"No. clean this mess up tonight!" said Taban very quietly, even more so than Crono. He walked back into the house, gently closing the door behind him. Lucca breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to the others. Crono was still transfixed on the gate that had appeared, and Marle was whispering something to him, and after a few minutes of trying to eavesdrop on them, Lucca gave up after Marle ran out of the backyard, towards the castle. Glenn was picking up some of the Epoch's larger pieces, and was putting them in a pile.

"It's alright, Glenn, you don't have to." said Lucca, getting the smaller pieces.

"No, it's alright," insisted Glenn, continuing to clean. Lucca helped them and they started to talk.

"You do know that people stare at you strangely in Truce." Said Lucca, smiling to herself. "Your clothes are a bit outdated."

"What do you mean?" asked Glenn, oblivious to the fact that he wasn't up with the current fashion.

"Crono'll have to give you something. Or if Magus ever comes back. Magus was a great dresser." Admitted Lucca.
BELTHASAR

Belthasar had heard of this place. It was Viper Manor, on the El Nido Archipelago. The Viper Clan had been El Nido's benevolent rulers for ages. In 900 AD the Viper Clan established the Acacia Dragoons, lead by the Acacia Dragoon Devas.

"Old man, what might ye think ye be doin' here? 'Tis not the place for ye!" grumbled one of the renowned Acacia Dragoon Devas, his accent very thick.

"Calm down, Zappa. The man doesn't seem to pose any serious threat." Said another Deva, this one with white hair.

"This is. Viper Manor, correct?" asked Belthasar, looking around the vast library. The four men stared at Belthasar, as if he should be put in the asylum.

"Yes. Are you alright, sir?" asked the man with the large overcoat. "I am General Amadaeus Viper. Are you lost? Not many people enter from the basement."

"General Viper? The ruler of El Nido?" asked Belthasar, his eyes lighting up. General Viper laughed loudly to himself.

"Well, I like to think so, although nothing is official." Said Viper, wiping tears out of the corner of his eyes.

"Where do ye hail from?" asked Zappa.

"Me..? I'm. hmm. just think of me as a prophet. In fact, that is what you may call me. The Prophet of Time." Said Belthasar, thinking quickly. The Devas that didn't laughed only stared at Belthasar even more.

"A prophet, eh?" said the quiet one. He wore blue pants, and a white shirt. A deceptively plain rapier was sheathed at his side. "Well then, it seems to me that you should back up some of these outrageous claims." Belthasar frowned.

"A prediction?" he asked.

"Well, it is what prophets usually do." Said the Deva with white hair.

"Hmm. Alright, let me. um. access the lunar. cycle. of the. black moon. and." Belthasar was making up gibberish, and searched through his memory from Zealian incantations, that he knew wouldn't work. "Neuga, ziena, zieber, zom!" Belthasar only said those words to make it seem flashy, if he actually said words that once held magic meaning. He had no idea what would happen.

The manor rumbled and all of the candles in the manor were snuffed out by an unfelt wind. The Black Wind. Belthasar now saw a battlefield. He saw, a much older Prince Janus, a knight, and the adventurer, Crono, leading an army into battle against an army in blue. After flashes of white in is mind, the scene switched to Crono fighting inside the castle against. a "familiar foe", who struck him down. After more flashes of white, the scene switched to the Guardia castle from an aerial view, which showed Porre's flag, a black winged lion, with a blue background, waving peacefully in the calm breeze.

Belthasar fell to his knees, his brain in wrenching pain, blood oozing from his nose. Zappa kneeled next to Belthasar.

"Are ye alright? What did ye see?" asked Zappa. "Radius! Go get someone!" The Deva with the rapier, Radius, ran out of the library. Belthasar was gasping for air, as he uttered four words.

"The. fall. of. Guardia." and Belthasar fainted.

LUCCA

Lucca, Crono, and Glenn, clad in black pants, black shirt, and a black cape, stood in Lucca's backyard, which was somewhat cleaner than it was two nights ago. The trio stood before the time gate, Crono holding the Gate Key, which would allow them passage to through time.

"Should we.? I mean, I thought the gates vanished after we killed Lavos." said Lucca, fidgeting with her gun. Glenn, holding the Masamune, its blue blade giving off a faint glow, spoke.

"We should see where it leads. It may take us to our original destination, and due to our recent lack of Epoch. Which still remains a mystery."

Lucca scowled at the knight. She hadn't had any time to study the Epoch's charred remains, let alone determine what caused the explosion.

"Tch. It's not my fault. I think... Though. what if it leads to where Robo is?" asked Lucca, thoughtfully. Crono had made up his mind, for he put the key into the portal and turned it. The portal expanded releasing dark blue light. The three looked to each other, and finally walked into the gate, and it closed behind them, taking them to who-knows-when.