Chapter Three: Up the Mountain
Lucca woke up when Robo shook her shoulder. She clumsily put her glasses on
and slid out of her bedroll. She looked at all the blanketed forms around
the cave and sighed.
"Hey!" she cried. "Everyone wake up!"
Gabrielle just groaned. Crono threw his pillow at her. Marle didn't even
move. Schala did a hiss-sounding thing and got into a tighter ball. Glenn
moaned and rolled his eyes. Magus was at the very back of the cave and
didn't even twitch.
"Just a few more minutes?" Crono inquired. Lucca lobbed his pillow back at
him right when he sat up. It hit him right in the face.
"Lucca and I created a schedule and we must stick to it. If we do, we'll be
to the top in two days." Robo told them.
"That's just peachy." Gabrielle growled yanking her pillow out from her
head and let it drop onto her face. "What would a day's delay hurt?" she
wanted to know, her voice barely audible. Glenn pushed the pillow off of
her face and gave a feather soft kiss on her mouth. "Oh, fine!" she cried.
They dressed and put on their packs again and set out on the trail. The
blizzard the night before had diminished to flurries and the group was in a
better mood after a moving breakfast. Ayla opened her mouth to catch some
flurries in her mouth.
Glenn passed Gabrielle another turnover filled with cherries that had been
heated over the fire. She murmured her thanks and took a huge bite. They
kept walking until midday and stopped for their first lunch in two days.
They found a flat area where the snow was only ankle deep. Crono and Magus
had gone ice fishing and they roasted the fish over a fire for lunch.
After lunch, Robo informed them that only seven hundred thirty miles
separated them from the summit of the mountain.
"Only?" Gabrielle inquired.
"We've half way." Robo replied. "We've made excellent time."
They finished lunch and made great distance; Robo said that they covered a
third more distance than expected.
"Maybe it's from the extra food." Marle suggested. They continued up until
they couldn't go another step. Luck was with them again; another cave was
on their route. They camped there and decided to relax after all the
camping chores were done.
Crono and Marle leaned against a stalagmite and talked. Marle sighed and
looked upward.
"I wish this was over." She murmured.
"Hey, don't worry it'll be over before you know it." He assured her. "With
nine of us, Lavos'll be a piece of cake."
"You do know what we were talking about before all this happened." Marle
told him. "You know? Before we met Gabrielle?" They both know very well
that they were gathering up the courage to tell Marle's father that they
wanted to marry each other.
"Yes.I do." Crono replied not looking at her. "I don't think this is the
right time to be thinking about that."
"Why not?"
"We have to deal with this first." Crono said patting her hand. "Hey, if we
enough courage to fight Lavos we could tell your father we want to get
married." Crono said. Marle laughed. She scooted closer to Crono until he
was forced to lift his arm and put it around her. She rested her head on
his chest and closed her eyes.
* * * They woke at dawn and had a quick breakfast and left the cave. Crono was determined to get up the mountain quickly so they could fight Lavos and get back down the mountain so Marle and him could sort out the marriage business. "Only three hundred and fifty feet left!" Robo exclaimed. "Maybe we could slow the pace and take the last fourth slowly." "No, I just want to get this done." Crono looked at Marle. "So we can think about other things." She smiled. "How can you think of anything besides us preventing the apocalypse?" Robo wanted to know. Lucca knew and grinned. They had a leisure lunch and then continued at a more strenuous pace that made even Crono lag. About an hour into their demanding hike, a snowstorm was dropped onto them making it even harder. They stopped to tie ropes onto themselves. Crono made sure that the rope was secure on his wrist and on Marle's then walked. Marle barely felt it when it came loose. On the other wrist Crono had a rope attaching to Glenn and Gabrielle. Magus, Ayla, and Schala were tied to the knights and Lucca and Robo behind them and on the other side of them was Marle. Only she was walking absently in a completely different direction! Crono noticed it when he looked back about ten minutes later. They were just a line, not the circle he intended to make. He stopped and Glenn bumped into him. "Sorry!" Glenn shouted. Crono nodded. "Where's Marle?" Crono bellowed. Gabrielle looked and saw nothing. "She got separated from us!" Gabrielle cried. The news rippled through the line: Marle was gone!
* * *
"Where could she be?" Crono demanded. "I mean, oh gods! How could I have not noticed the rope? Gods! She's out in the blizzard-" he paced frantically nearly crying as he ranted. Gabrielle stopped him with an arm. "Crono!" she cried. "We are going to find her," she said slowly. "Robo can search for her, can't he?" "I could attempt to do so." Robo said. He made a bunch of clicking noises and hums and beeps. "I read something! Southwest from here!" Crono almost got away but Glenn and Gabrielle grabbed the back of his coat and yanked him back. "Let me go!" he commanded. "I'm going to find her!" They looked back at Robo. He gave a tiny nod. The snow had diminished and the wind had stopped. They reluctantly let go of Crono and watched him leave.
* * * Marle cursed as she slipped and fell flat on her face. She groaned and got up; her arm was throbbing. She noticed the snow had lessened and the wind stopped. She yanked down her goggles and looked around her. Why did she have to loose everyone? Where WAS everyone? Before her was a bluff that rose above her head. She decided not to climb it and turned around. She hiked forward; a blast of raw wind came out of nowhere and drove the girl to her knees. She winced and put her gloved hands to her face to protect it from the blast. Crono was only a hundred feet away and felt the wind too. He flinched and held in place until the wind receded. He cupped his hands and shouted, "Marle!" Marle heard him and her ears perked up. She spun around and saw no one. Crono turned around the yell for Marle again. She heard it again and knew it was Crono immediately. "Crono!" she yelled. Crono heard her and ran toward the voice. A pile of boulders separated them. Marle heard Crono on the other side of the boulders. Sore arm or no; she was going to climb the boulders. She did so and saw Crono on the other side making his own journey. She rushed down the boulders and leaped the rest of the way into Crono's arms. "Where the hell were you guys?" Marle demanded. "We found a cave. But earlier we saw you were gone and I went to find you." Crono told her. Crono kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the cave. "I hate snow." Marle murmured when she slipped again. Crono chuckled and helped her up. They finally reached the cave, and Marle kneeled by the fire to get warm. Gabrielle gave Marle her blanket. They all except for one fell into deep dreamless slumbers. Schala, however, was tossing and turning not being able to sleep. This is way too easy for Lavos's doing. She thought. There has to be some kind of catch. She finally fell into a restless sleep. She jerked awake when she heard rock collapsing. Their fire had gotten out of hand and was burning her bedroll. She yelped and slid out of it. The others still slept. She screamed at them to wake up but they wouldn't. A freezing cold hand grabbed the back of her neck. She spun and saw what had grabbed her. It looked like an ogre with mud brown skin that looked like it was made out of mud. His eyes were deep set and set forward like a predator's. It wore undyed breeches and boots and that's it. It shouted one word and the ground before them gave way and a huge porcupine like creature began to come out. Schala shrieked and jumped back so she wouldn't fall into the crater being made by Lavos. The ground under her crumbled and with a scream, Schala plunged into the crater. She woke up in a cold sweat, screaming. Gabrielle jerked awake and looked at Schala. "Are you all right?" she asked. "Yeah, just a bad dream." Schala whispered. "I'm fine now." She settled back down and tried to go back to sleep but couldn't. She stayed awake the rest of the night.
* * * Once the first rays of light hit the cave, they awoke and ate breakfast. Robo said that only one hundred and seventy nine feet was left. Gabrielle hiked next to Glenn and they talked animatedly about the things they were going to do when Lavos was done. To the group's surprise, marriage was not one of them. "The Amazons of the North Tree are going to be so mad to know that an East Amazon beat Lavos!" Gabrielle whooped. "I'm going to rub it in their faces!" The girl's anxiety was clearly gone. "The Manesh are going to be mad too." Glenn pointed out. Gabrielle threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, I can't wait!" Gabrielle cried.
* * * They camped that night and woke again with Robo telling them that they would make it to the summit today. Gabrielle was the first one ready when it was the opposite during the journey. Gabrielle protested when they stopped for lunch. "But Robo says we only have hundred and ten feet left!" she cried. She grabbed three cold rolls and her bow and quiver; maybe she could get some more rations for their next stop. She walked up the trail a bit; up the thin and windy trail surrounded by rock walls, she saw the entrance to a huge cave. It was bigger than any of the ones they had camped in. "What's in there?" she wondered to herself. She walked to the entrance, taking a big bite of a roll the others she stashed in her pocket. She peered inside the cave and saw movement. "Hello?" she called, through another mouthful of roll. The things that were in the cave jerked; Gabrielle's eyes widened as an ogre looking creature approached her. The creature looked her over and nodded after a few seconds. It went back into the cave and when it came back it had three more creatures in tow. Gabrielle could barely scream before she was grabbed and hauled into the cave. Unlike humans, these creatures were three times stronger, making escape impossible. One held a muddy brown hand over her mouth, muffling her shrieks to pitiful squeaks. Her longbow and quiver she had on each shoulder crashed to the ground. The quiver's contents spilled all over the trail and her bow snapped when one of the creatures stepped on it as it fell. Back at camp, the group was enjoying their lunch when Glenn noticed Gabrielle hadn't returned. Lucca had seen her leave and told him where she had gone. Following the trail Gabrielle followed he saw the cave. He saw Gabrielle's flowing auburn hair wave around and the arms of her red shirt waving frantically. He dashed down the trail and got there just in time to nearly catch an arrow shot by one of the creatures from his own crossbow. It grazed his shoulder making Glenn jerk back and retreat slightly. He went around a boulder and peered around it to watch what was happening. "Let me go!" Gabrielle snarled. "She's no use to us." One of them complained. "I say we kill her." "She'll be worth plenty when we get her to the FireWraths." The one holding Gabrielle around the torso told him. The Amazon girl struggled madly. She finally hit the creature between the legs making him release her and groan. Gabrielle gunned it for the trail and saw Glenn. "Glenn!" she cried. "Run!" she ordered. The creature regained his posture and snatched Gabrielle around the waist in an iron grip. "Go get help! Hurry!" Glenn hesitated, and then reluctantly sprinted down the trail to the others. "The FireWraths better give us a good price for her." The one who told them to kill her muttered. "Oh, they will." Gabrielle's captor retorted. "This one's fiery and strong. They'll have fun with her." He said. "We'll get triple for her what we got for that other Amazon." "This one's an Amazon?" "Oh yeah. Amazons are always the ones with the spirit and strength." He replied. Meanwhile, Glenn was dashing into camp nearly plowing Schala. He shouted out that help was needed and they all sprinted up the trail. Gabrielle was still fighting the creature with all her strength. "What is that?" Marle asked. Schala recognized it immediately. It was the creatures in her dream! "Oh gods!" Schala screamed. "Gabrielle!" "You want her?" the creature inquired. "Then go to the FireWraths and buy her back. But she won't be the same, if you know what I mean." Glenn charged only to be knocked up side his head by the creature's humungous hand. Gabrielle elbowed the creature in the ribs. "I've had enough!" the creature shouted. He threw Gabrielle down and produced a silver powder from a pouch on his belt. He threw it over him and he vanished in a flash of silver light. A voice echoed, "Kill them."
* * * They woke at dawn and had a quick breakfast and left the cave. Crono was determined to get up the mountain quickly so they could fight Lavos and get back down the mountain so Marle and him could sort out the marriage business. "Only three hundred and fifty feet left!" Robo exclaimed. "Maybe we could slow the pace and take the last fourth slowly." "No, I just want to get this done." Crono looked at Marle. "So we can think about other things." She smiled. "How can you think of anything besides us preventing the apocalypse?" Robo wanted to know. Lucca knew and grinned. They had a leisure lunch and then continued at a more strenuous pace that made even Crono lag. About an hour into their demanding hike, a snowstorm was dropped onto them making it even harder. They stopped to tie ropes onto themselves. Crono made sure that the rope was secure on his wrist and on Marle's then walked. Marle barely felt it when it came loose. On the other wrist Crono had a rope attaching to Glenn and Gabrielle. Magus, Ayla, and Schala were tied to the knights and Lucca and Robo behind them and on the other side of them was Marle. Only she was walking absently in a completely different direction! Crono noticed it when he looked back about ten minutes later. They were just a line, not the circle he intended to make. He stopped and Glenn bumped into him. "Sorry!" Glenn shouted. Crono nodded. "Where's Marle?" Crono bellowed. Gabrielle looked and saw nothing. "She got separated from us!" Gabrielle cried. The news rippled through the line: Marle was gone!
* * *
"Where could she be?" Crono demanded. "I mean, oh gods! How could I have not noticed the rope? Gods! She's out in the blizzard-" he paced frantically nearly crying as he ranted. Gabrielle stopped him with an arm. "Crono!" she cried. "We are going to find her," she said slowly. "Robo can search for her, can't he?" "I could attempt to do so." Robo said. He made a bunch of clicking noises and hums and beeps. "I read something! Southwest from here!" Crono almost got away but Glenn and Gabrielle grabbed the back of his coat and yanked him back. "Let me go!" he commanded. "I'm going to find her!" They looked back at Robo. He gave a tiny nod. The snow had diminished and the wind had stopped. They reluctantly let go of Crono and watched him leave.
* * * Marle cursed as she slipped and fell flat on her face. She groaned and got up; her arm was throbbing. She noticed the snow had lessened and the wind stopped. She yanked down her goggles and looked around her. Why did she have to loose everyone? Where WAS everyone? Before her was a bluff that rose above her head. She decided not to climb it and turned around. She hiked forward; a blast of raw wind came out of nowhere and drove the girl to her knees. She winced and put her gloved hands to her face to protect it from the blast. Crono was only a hundred feet away and felt the wind too. He flinched and held in place until the wind receded. He cupped his hands and shouted, "Marle!" Marle heard him and her ears perked up. She spun around and saw no one. Crono turned around the yell for Marle again. She heard it again and knew it was Crono immediately. "Crono!" she yelled. Crono heard her and ran toward the voice. A pile of boulders separated them. Marle heard Crono on the other side of the boulders. Sore arm or no; she was going to climb the boulders. She did so and saw Crono on the other side making his own journey. She rushed down the boulders and leaped the rest of the way into Crono's arms. "Where the hell were you guys?" Marle demanded. "We found a cave. But earlier we saw you were gone and I went to find you." Crono told her. Crono kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the cave. "I hate snow." Marle murmured when she slipped again. Crono chuckled and helped her up. They finally reached the cave, and Marle kneeled by the fire to get warm. Gabrielle gave Marle her blanket. They all except for one fell into deep dreamless slumbers. Schala, however, was tossing and turning not being able to sleep. This is way too easy for Lavos's doing. She thought. There has to be some kind of catch. She finally fell into a restless sleep. She jerked awake when she heard rock collapsing. Their fire had gotten out of hand and was burning her bedroll. She yelped and slid out of it. The others still slept. She screamed at them to wake up but they wouldn't. A freezing cold hand grabbed the back of her neck. She spun and saw what had grabbed her. It looked like an ogre with mud brown skin that looked like it was made out of mud. His eyes were deep set and set forward like a predator's. It wore undyed breeches and boots and that's it. It shouted one word and the ground before them gave way and a huge porcupine like creature began to come out. Schala shrieked and jumped back so she wouldn't fall into the crater being made by Lavos. The ground under her crumbled and with a scream, Schala plunged into the crater. She woke up in a cold sweat, screaming. Gabrielle jerked awake and looked at Schala. "Are you all right?" she asked. "Yeah, just a bad dream." Schala whispered. "I'm fine now." She settled back down and tried to go back to sleep but couldn't. She stayed awake the rest of the night.
* * * Once the first rays of light hit the cave, they awoke and ate breakfast. Robo said that only one hundred and seventy nine feet was left. Gabrielle hiked next to Glenn and they talked animatedly about the things they were going to do when Lavos was done. To the group's surprise, marriage was not one of them. "The Amazons of the North Tree are going to be so mad to know that an East Amazon beat Lavos!" Gabrielle whooped. "I'm going to rub it in their faces!" The girl's anxiety was clearly gone. "The Manesh are going to be mad too." Glenn pointed out. Gabrielle threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, I can't wait!" Gabrielle cried.
* * * They camped that night and woke again with Robo telling them that they would make it to the summit today. Gabrielle was the first one ready when it was the opposite during the journey. Gabrielle protested when they stopped for lunch. "But Robo says we only have hundred and ten feet left!" she cried. She grabbed three cold rolls and her bow and quiver; maybe she could get some more rations for their next stop. She walked up the trail a bit; up the thin and windy trail surrounded by rock walls, she saw the entrance to a huge cave. It was bigger than any of the ones they had camped in. "What's in there?" she wondered to herself. She walked to the entrance, taking a big bite of a roll the others she stashed in her pocket. She peered inside the cave and saw movement. "Hello?" she called, through another mouthful of roll. The things that were in the cave jerked; Gabrielle's eyes widened as an ogre looking creature approached her. The creature looked her over and nodded after a few seconds. It went back into the cave and when it came back it had three more creatures in tow. Gabrielle could barely scream before she was grabbed and hauled into the cave. Unlike humans, these creatures were three times stronger, making escape impossible. One held a muddy brown hand over her mouth, muffling her shrieks to pitiful squeaks. Her longbow and quiver she had on each shoulder crashed to the ground. The quiver's contents spilled all over the trail and her bow snapped when one of the creatures stepped on it as it fell. Back at camp, the group was enjoying their lunch when Glenn noticed Gabrielle hadn't returned. Lucca had seen her leave and told him where she had gone. Following the trail Gabrielle followed he saw the cave. He saw Gabrielle's flowing auburn hair wave around and the arms of her red shirt waving frantically. He dashed down the trail and got there just in time to nearly catch an arrow shot by one of the creatures from his own crossbow. It grazed his shoulder making Glenn jerk back and retreat slightly. He went around a boulder and peered around it to watch what was happening. "Let me go!" Gabrielle snarled. "She's no use to us." One of them complained. "I say we kill her." "She'll be worth plenty when we get her to the FireWraths." The one holding Gabrielle around the torso told him. The Amazon girl struggled madly. She finally hit the creature between the legs making him release her and groan. Gabrielle gunned it for the trail and saw Glenn. "Glenn!" she cried. "Run!" she ordered. The creature regained his posture and snatched Gabrielle around the waist in an iron grip. "Go get help! Hurry!" Glenn hesitated, and then reluctantly sprinted down the trail to the others. "The FireWraths better give us a good price for her." The one who told them to kill her muttered. "Oh, they will." Gabrielle's captor retorted. "This one's fiery and strong. They'll have fun with her." He said. "We'll get triple for her what we got for that other Amazon." "This one's an Amazon?" "Oh yeah. Amazons are always the ones with the spirit and strength." He replied. Meanwhile, Glenn was dashing into camp nearly plowing Schala. He shouted out that help was needed and they all sprinted up the trail. Gabrielle was still fighting the creature with all her strength. "What is that?" Marle asked. Schala recognized it immediately. It was the creatures in her dream! "Oh gods!" Schala screamed. "Gabrielle!" "You want her?" the creature inquired. "Then go to the FireWraths and buy her back. But she won't be the same, if you know what I mean." Glenn charged only to be knocked up side his head by the creature's humungous hand. Gabrielle elbowed the creature in the ribs. "I've had enough!" the creature shouted. He threw Gabrielle down and produced a silver powder from a pouch on his belt. He threw it over him and he vanished in a flash of silver light. A voice echoed, "Kill them."