Chrono Trigger: Threads of Destiny




Chapter 1: The Sleeper Awakens

65,000,000 B.C.


Ioka village had been peaceful for months now, the inhabitants of the hut village adjusting their habits to fit the cold. The horrors of not so long ago forgotten and blocked from their memory like a bad dream. Even Kino sometimes seemed to have forgotten what it was like living in fear of the Reptites. Ayla could not forget; she could not forget the long struggle, nor the endless combat, nor the sour taste of victory as her main adversary crawled in defeat. Ayla could not forget, even had she not promised to the dying Azala, the power and ferocity and honor of the Reptites.

It was surprising how Ayla had not forgotten about the Reptites yet had trouble remember the faces of her closest friends and comrades. All she could remember was the great fear that had nearly overwhelmed her while she and the other Time-stream Travelers had battled some great and evil monster, hundreds of times more powerful than the late Reptites.

Ayla blinked into the silence of the room, What monster? she thought in surprise, Ayla no remember what monster was!

Before Ayla could try to focus her memory, she heard screaming from outside and dashed out on all fours with an inhuman speed. The scene outside was impossible. Although she clearly remembered killing the Black Tyrano, there the monster stood in the village center, chasing and attacking people and huts with the same reckless abandon.

Confused and surprised, the villagers could not even fight back, their weapons were either useless or back in their huts, many were trying to save their families from being crushed or destroyed. As the Iokan chief, Ayla screamed her savage battle cry and attacked the rampaging Tyrano, calling her followers to fight with her.

The Tyrano stopped at the sound of her voice and turned it's head. As if she were it's target, the monster roared at her and rushed forward. Oblivious to her own danger, Ayla rushed forward with as great a roar and met the Tyrano head-on.

The collision as Ayla leaped from the ground and slammed shoulder-first into the monsters face was amazing. The monster reared back it's head, sending Ayla flying through the air to land easily on her feet. The slightly dazed Tyrano shook it's head and tried to turn towards her again. She refused to give it the time to attack. Summoning all her speed, Ayla ran toward it again, seemingly possessed by the need to defeat the supposedly long-dead monster. She leaped into the air as she closed in with her opponent, her jump taking her like a grass-hopper onto the monsters back.

Unable to reach the insect on it's back, the Tyrano swung around, trying to throw her off. Holding on for dear life, Ayla steadily crawled up the monsters back towards it's head. As she climbed, the monsters stopped bucking and seemed to be holdings it's breath... What it try do big fire breath for?! she thought confusedly, remembering it's scorching attack.

A fist-sized stone suddenly slammed into her arm and she bit back a cry of pain, looking around sharply for the source of the weapon. Across the village center, a dozen of her people were throwing stones at the Tyrano, trying to protect the last of the village and their chief; suddenly the breath attack made perfect sense to Ayla.

"Run!!! It do big fire!!!" Ayla shouted to them.

The villagers heard her and turned to run....too late. The Black Tyrano let loose it's flaming stream of light into the center of the attacking villagers. The screams as their unprotected skin melted in the extreme heat of the flame cut into Ayla's soul like a sharp knife.

With a mindless scream of primal rage, Ayla let loose her greatest attack, leaping with all her strength and her rage to crash into the Tyrano's head with blinding power and speed only to rebound and fly again and finally, like a hawk closing in for the kill, a third and final time. The attacks were so fast the beast didn't even have time to scream or cry out in pain as it's head was crushed by the force of Ayla's triple kick.

The beasts great body crashed to the ground, crushing rocks and wreckage beneath it's mass. Ayla, though breathing hard, jumped uninjured from the hulking corpse to the ground to see Kino and several other villagers running towards her.

"Ayla strong, good chief, told village to let you handle monster," Kino then shook his head, "But some say help Ayla, Kino could no stop them. Kino sorry..."

"Not Kino fault," Ayla replied, looking wearily at the bodies of her people, "Reptite fault...but thought Reptite's all dead!"

Kino looked worriedly at her, "Kino hear stories of green hunters in woods, watching Ioka...maybe Reptite's return?"

Ayla shook her head, "Hope no come back, Azala dead...but so too Tyrano."


12,000 B.C.


Melchior felt something totally wrong in the air, he wasn't sure what it was, but he was sure that it was no good. Algetty had been rebuilt now, better and larger than ever thanks to the cooperation between the Enlightened and Earthbound ones. Melchior stood on the tallest tower in the new town, looking to the line the horizon created upon it's greeting of the sky. Looking because something was not right and because it was all he could do about it.

"I thought I'd find you here, Melchior," came the voice of the mayor of Algetty, his cane making a click noise every time it hit the stone floor.

"Something it just not right," Melchior mused, "I don't know what or how or even where, but I just know that it's coming and coming faster everyday."

"But Lavos was killed and the Queen stripped of her power," he said, "The Prophet and Dalton disappeared, Dalton we know for sure is gone for good, the Ocean Palace and Black Omen were completely destroyed, what else was left? A new threat perhaps?"

Melchior grunted, "I don't know..."

"Come then, we're almost ready to eat and there's someone strange here to talk to you. Perhaps he's the reason for your unease, he certainly makes everyone else feel that way."

"Someone strange?" Melchior asked suspiciously.

"Yes, he..." the mayor began.

A rumble from deep within the earth rocked the tower and both stumbled and fell to the floor.

"What in the...?!" exclaimed Melchior.

The rumbling continued, but neither noticed as their attention was caught by a brilliant white pillar rising from the horizon and stretching almost like a plea into the heavens. Melchior and the mayor watched in amazement as the pillar grew in size and became more and more brilliant until the shining white shaft was painful to watch.

"What is that?" whispered the amazed mayor.

Before Melchior could respond, the white pillar faded and was replaced by a huge surge of swirling blue as the ocean itself reared up in response to the mysterious light. There was a long pause as the enraged ocean and rumbling earth grew quiet once more and Melchior and the mayor got to their feet. Neither spoke, too amazed to say another word.

"That is my reason for wanting words with you Melchior," came a strangely familiar voice.

Spinning around with a speed belied by his age, Melchior faced the stranger.

The figure wore a cape of pure black, his hood pulled up over his face and with only the tips of his black boots showing beneath the darkness. The hooded figure simply stood there as Melchior futilely tried to peer into the blackened hood. When he realized there was no way a normal human could see into that magical darkness, Melchior activated a bit of his own magic to enhance vision.

"Don't do that," the stranger said calmly, the words alone enough to dissipate Melchior's magic and shake his confidence.

"Who are you?" the old guru asked.

"You should watch, the best part is yet to come."

"What do you mean the best..." Melchior started.

Again interrupted by a shaking earth, the two old men turned their attention to back out the window, struggling to keep their feet steady on the ground. What Melchior saw turned his knees to water and he collapsed in shock to stare unthinkingly across the barren lands at his worst nightmare.

"Impossible..." he muttered.


600 A.D.

The attacks had not slowed. Starting two weeks ago, a large force of Mystics had attacked Guardia castle itself, totally breaking the peace treaty and screaming Magus' name at the top of their lungs, burning villages and driving innocents away as they rampaged through the country-side.

Glenn, as he thought of himself now, stared out at the huge army camped right outside Guardia's walls as they gathered for the next assault. It appeared that not only were the Mystics greater in numbers than ever, but that Magus was indeed leading their attack. The black-caped terror floated above his army, impervious to the arrows and stones thrown by the defenders.

At his side was the parasitic Ozzie; Flea and Slash both were heading the armies attacking the castle. Glenn did not fear any of them being his match, but he could not fight, he had to use his skill in magic just to keep Magus from wiping them out himself. Ironically, while the defending army had initially looked at him as the same old frog-like monster, and had allowed him to join their ranks only because he was the hero who had previously fought and beat Magus, and as a friend of the Queen and King, they now cheered him as their saviour and the only one able to keep Magus from destroying the castle.

Glenn drew his sword, wishing he had not returned the Masamune to the Denadoro Mountains, and prepped his magic. The first wave of Mystics rushed the wall and were slashed by arrows and spears from the defenders, the second wave rushed over their bodies without a second though as Magus raised his hand and sent a wave of lightning across the wall of the castle. Glenn didn't wait and sent a large wave of water to flow down the wall to absorb the lightning magic.

Magus smiled humorlessly at Glenn and raised his hand to send a stream of flame right towards the frog. Glenn surrounded himself with a bubble of water and watched the fire hiss and steam as it came in contact with the water magic. Glenn tried desperately to see through the steam, able to see the black ball flying towards him only in time to jump aside.

The shadow magic impacted with the wall and tore it shreds, sending shrapnel flying in all directions, some of them slicing Glenn's arms and face. The frog jumped to his feet and saw the evil sorcerer laughing with Ozzie chuckling at his side.

Glenn's rage was white-hot, and remembering what Spekkio had taught him about using magic he gathered all the water he could from Guardia castles underground spring and formed it into a spear headed by pure magical force. He knew this was all the magic he had in him, but he hoped to either disable Magus or hurt him enough to buy some time for him to recover or someone to retrieve the Masamune.

Swinging his hand in an upward gesture he sent the magical spear flying through the ground. The huge eruption of magical power and water from the ground broke the attacker's rush as their comrades were flung into the air. Glenn sent the spear hurling towards floating pair of magic-users.

Using the last trick he's learned from his long talk with Spekkio about his magic, Glenn turned the water spear into a conscious being with the head of a dragon. The Water Dragon attacked Magus and Ozzie before either could gather enough magic to counter it.

The dragon's roar as it's watery teeth bit into Magus and Ozzie was earth shattering and it's size and power fearful to behold. Ozzie screamed in pain and uncontrollable terror, lightning and fire and ice spurting from his hands in all directions. Magus grunted and pointed down the dragon's throat. The dragon suddenly erupted with brilliant flashes of darkness as it was torn apart from the inside by an expanding shadow spell. With a final scream it burst into watery drops and disappeared.

Ozzie's hopefully-dead corpse collapsed to the earth with a thud and Magus sent a look of pure anger at the now-helpless Glenn. He started to float forward but stopped when he coughed up blood and started losing altitude.

"I won't be so careless next time, you stupid frog!" came Magus' pained shout. He then turned and floated limply back to his dazed armies' encampment. The attackers and defenders stood in awe for a moment, then the Mystics turned tail and ran back toward their safe-haven, leaving injured and fallen comrades lying in the field.

As Glenn collapsed to the ground in a stupor from over-using his strength, the same through kept running circles in his fading consciousness, Why was he surprised?! Magus...what about Magus? He killed Cyrus, and I need to get revenge...but didn't I already... he faded into unconsciousness before he could complete the thought.

1000 A.D.


Crono sighed again, unsure what to do now. Marle and Lucca had both been getting worse and nothing he could was changing it. Marle hardly seemed to be able to remember him or Lucca at all, and Lucca was forgetting Marle as well. Why was he the only one who remembered everything?

Worse than that was his own increasingly faded memories, it used to be days before he's start to forget things, now he had to fight it everyday. The only thing that kept the memories alive was when he practiced with his blade, for some reason when he'd work on his forms the memories would strengthen like well-forged steel. He'd tried to get Marle to practice her marksmanship but it's hadn't seemed to help at all. Even working with magic had done nothing for her.

"Crono!" came the distant sound of Lucca's voice, "Hey Crono!"

Crono turned to see Lucca running as though possessed towards him.

"What's up?" he asked as she approached.

"Huff, huff... geez! I had to run all the way here from the castle! My new invention! The King and the Princess want to see it in action!" she exclaimed ecstaticly.

"Huh? The Princess?" Crono asked surprised.

"Yes the Princess! I thought you might wanna come help move the machine, you might get to talk to her!" Lucca winked, "I know you've had your eye on her for awhile!"

Crono stared at her unbelievably, "You mean Marle, right?"

Lucca gave him a withering look, "You block-head! Her name's Nadia!"

Crono decided to play it safe this time, "Oh right, sorry. Umm...you said something about a machine?"

Lucca rolled her eyes, "My newly completed invention, the one I've been working on for weeks now! The Telepod! Remember? I wanted to be able to move people from one place to another instantly! Well it works and the King wants to see how useful it would be for transportation!"

"Who told you he wanted to see it?" Crono asked.

"Well, he and his daughter came to our house with an escort and watched the demo! He was so impressed he wants to see it again and show his other lords and ladies!" Lucca said ecstatically.

Crono shrugged, "So you said hi to the princess then?"

"Of course not! She was too busy looking around; I guess I'd be bored and lonely too with only adults and nobles around me..."

Crono nodded, "Yeah, that wouldn't be much fun would it."

"Exactly! And since we'll have time to socialize I thought maybe you could get a word in with the princess, you know, get to know her a bit better!" Lucca smiled wickedly.

Crono nodded, unsure what else to say, "Sure, sounds like fun... what time do you need help?"

Lucca pondered it for a second, "Well, the King wants to see it tomorrow, so probably early morning. Meet at my place and we'll load and carry it to Guardia castle."

Crono nodded, said goodbye, and with a wave Lucca started walking home. This isn't right, he thought, Lucca doesn't remember about Marle or anything since we met her!

2300 A.D.

Robo was worried. Typically robot's wouldn't worry, but he was not a typical robot; Lucca had seen to that. Lately however, Doan, supervisor of the Information Center and descendent of the Guardia line, as well as Robo's friend and previous time-traveling companion, had been looking at him strangely and conversing with others about his odd behavior. When Robo had asked him what the problem was, Doan had asked why he was different from the other robots. The question had shocked the metallic person and he's answered because he was different.

Ever since then Doan had had another RX-Series robot following him, monitoring his movements. Robo had analyzed the problem for some time now and the only logical conclusion was that Doan had forgotten that Robo had developed beyond any other robotic person thanks to Lucca. Doan had asked who Lucca was with a fervor that had frightened the robot. Robo had claimed her to be one of his maintainers and not sure of her location.

Since then Doan had been searching for someone named Lucca with a passion that bordered on obsession. Robo knew then that something was very wrong with Doan's memory, and since it didn't match normal age-deterioration patterns for a human brain, Robo had concluded that it must be induced.

Now he had finishing his work on a replica of one of Lucca's greatest inventions, and was ready to put it to good use. Taking his finished product, Robo left his storage space and recharge station and was on hit way to the depths of Proto Dome's inner facilities. His tail was following at it's proscribed distance, but Robo ignored it, soon it wouldn't be able to follow him.

The room was just as he remembered it, no one came to this forsaken area anymore, and his tail was still a ways behind him. Without further ado, Robo pulled out his replica of Lucca's Gate Key and opened the Time-Gate to Guardia Forest 1000 A.D.

The trip which seemed to slightly bother humans thankfully had no effect on him, so he was able to quickly scan the area as he emerged from the space-time distortion in a large forested area. His sensors confirmed no abnormal activity and human life all around. Without a seconds hesitation he decided to first talk to Marle and then find Lucca and finally Crono. Once the three of them were together again, Robo could tell them about the mental abnormalities starting in his time.

Robo made it to the castle quickly and without incident, feeling a strange feeling of safety as he entered the castles gate. The great arch leading into the palace looked as grand as ever, polished to a near perfect shine. The two polished guards looked at him and suddenly lowered their spears, aiming for his chest.

"Timo, Robera nice to see you again, can I speak to Marle?" Robo asked the familiar guards.

Both looked at each other, "Uh...well, whatever the hell you are, what are you doing here, how do you know our names and who the hell is Marle?" Timo half demanded, half pleaded.

"It's me, Robo? And Marle is the name Princess Nadia goes by more often than not these days," Robo answered confusedly, "You know that."

Timo nodded to Robera, who quickly ran off towards the guard room.

Robo suddenly understood, the guards had also lost their memory, just like Doan during his period. The sudden sound of dozens of feet slamming on the stone floor made a quick desicion for Robo; he didn't want to hurt any of these men, so he dashed quickly out the door.

Chance of pursuit was 87%, more than enough for Robo to decide to make his visit to Lucca very carefully. Running towards the Gate to keep hidden where his tracks had originally come from, Robo ran diagnostics on his jet-pack. 98% usability. More than enough for limited travel without even wearing them down.

He'd just have to make a convincing false trail and then fly to a safer spot and wait until dark to travel to Lucca's house. As he ran off he continued his analyzation of possible explanations for the recent human memory-loss problem.



Crono wiped the sweat from his forehead again, taking a few deep breaths. He had been really pushing himself in his sword-work tonight, Lucca's lack of any memory had really disturbed him. He lifted his blade into the air, looking at the detail and perfect workmanship. Melchior had done beautifully when he'd made the Rainbow, his best work short of the Masamune.

Made of the mystical Rainbow-shell and with the power of the Sun stone, the blade was like an addiction of which he couldn't rid himself, not that he ever wanted to mind you, but it's beauty and power made him feel invincible.

He smiled at the memory of those times; even though they'd been fighting to save the planet he'd enjoyed the adventure and being with his friends, especially Marle. And now even Lucca and Marle don't remember me or each other... he sighed and his hand tightened on the sword, But I won't let that happen to me!

"Are you sure about that, boy?" said a voice.



"I dunno! He seemed kinda surprised at first like I expected, but it was wrong somehow. And it seemed almost like he'd met Princess Nadia before..." Lucca said to her parents at their dinner table.

Princess Nadia? Robo thought, It seems even Lucca's lost her memory.

Robo had approached Lucca's house warily, being careful to make sure that no one but Lucca would see him in case the guards had put out his description and a reward for information. Peeking in the windows had proven to be his smartest move this entire trip, as he'd seen Lucca talking with her parents and decided to be sure of Lucca's memory before seeing her.

"Yeah, that's strange dear! But remember Crono's always been kinda weird..." Lucca's mom said.

"Yeah, and he keeps playing with that stupid sword..." Lucca grumped, "When I last asked him why he did that since he wasn't going in the Guards or the Knights, he claimed that it had been really useful once already!"

"Well, I think the boys a bit messed up in the head!" Taban, Lucca's father, exclaimed, "He's always been kinda weird but lately he looks at all of us like we're crazy or something. And he keeps asking me what I remember of the last year or two!"

So Crono might still remember... thought Robo, Why would that be?

Several possibles popped into his mind, but none of them fit or could be proven. Robo just dropped the analyzation until he'd talked to Crono. It was already night, so he would have no problem getting to Crono's house unseen.



"Who are you!" Crono demanded, holding the Rainbow before him.

"Hmph, why do you threaten me, boy? Have I ever done anything to you?" a cloaked figure asked. The person was tall, but not extremely so, he wore a black cloak and boots and kept his face hooded.

"Ha! Not that I know of pal! But I've always been a suspicious person."
The dark and hooded figure sighed, "So instead of listening and learning you defend yourself against me? Your mother would be very upset at her son raising a sword to her husband."

Crono froze. It can't be...my father died long ago!

"Hard for me to be dead and here at the same time, don't you think?" asked his supposed father in a sarcastic tone.

"Stop reading my mind!" Crono growled.

"Stop talking back and put that sword down now!" the figure shouted and threw back his hood.

Crono's eye flew wide open as the face of the father he remembered was revealed. His fingers went numb and he dropped the blade, stuttering the word 'impossible' over and over again and refusing to believe that his fathers burial had been a sham.

His father approached him slowly, "What's so impossible?"

Crono shook his head, "You can't be my father! Not only did he die, but we buried his body! I remember burying him!" Crono forced the memory of his father to return... but every time he recalled the face it was too perfect a match for this man's face to be a sheer coincidence.

The stranger smiled and started to chuckle when suddenly it hit Crono like a bolt of his own lightning. The face was the same! It hadn't changed at all, his real father would have aged! Of course the person was a fake, he remembered burying his father and this person was merely preying on his recent stress to confuse him. Crono growled and dove for his sword.

The strangers smile broadened, "Realization comes too late boy!"

The stranger flung his hand open and a black ball brighter than the sun yet darker than a moon-less night flew out and caught Crono as he dove for his blade. The impact sent the poor time-traveler flying through the air to crash into a tree, his sword yards away. Crono tried to move but found his body paralyzed by whatever Shadow spell the man had used on him.

The stranger walked slowly toward the helpless time-traveler, "You, that softy robot, the enigmatic sorcerer and even that stupid, stupid frog!" he rubbed his side at the mention of the frog, "Why won't you just leave it be and live peacefully!"

The stranger raised his hand and streams of black energy began to flow together into a large void. Crono heard voices screaming in the air, crying out for release and for an end to it all... Crono recognized it as Magus' Black Hole spell. Crono's eyes widened, Only Magus can use that spell!

The stranger smiled as if reading his thoughts again, "Correct and goodbye, Time Stream Traveler." He laughed as his hood covered his now-warping face once more and darkness was restored to it.

Without warning, the cloaked man grunted and was flung through the air by a bright flash of energy. He landed on his side and went rolling, losing the Black Hole spell and his paralyzation spell on Crono, who dashed and grabbed his sword mid roll to come up facing his enemies direction.

"Crono!" came Robo's mechanical voice.

Glancing over, Crono saw the metallic shape of his old traveling companion approaching. Crono's friend seemed to have a few new additions to his body, one being a strange rocket pack which Crono guessed had launched that energy blast that had saved his life. With a thumbs up and a grin, Crono silently thanked the robot.

"How did you get here you worthless bucket of tin!" came the amused voice of the figure, "I thought you'd be stuck in the future for longer than that."

"Who are you," asked Robo calmly.

"Hmph, why would I tell you?" the stranger chuckled, "The information would do you little good and do me none. Beside, I think your companion knows, right?"

"Not for sure! You can answer the easy way..." Crono started, raising his blade, "Or we can get the answer the hard way."

"You cannot stop what is happening, only sit and watch. I only wanted to get rid of you for convenience, but there is no reason for me to try fighting two Time Stream Travelers when there is no need."

With that the stranger gently floated into the cold, night air as a black gate crackled open behind him, "See you another time, boy, tin-man." And with that, he and the Gate disappeared.