"Twandor shana weta, forteya na tera Schala."
For your reading pleasure I shall translate that. What the royal wizard used as a password was Zealan for (in proper English) "Open up, protective seal, so says the brother of Schala".
Janus hand ran down the wall of his room as he muttered in a low voice. As the last word echoed away one of the stones magically melted before his fingers and the bent hilt of a sword laid in the hole left after it. Janus took it out and handed it to Crono.
"Bring it to Melchior and come back here once he's repaired it," the wizard said and shook his head before the question could be spoken, "I need to stay here and take care of the wounded for now."
And are we going into the Mystics' lair then? the young man said, hardly able to contain his triumphant grin.
"Yes, but we need Frog for it, he's the one meant to wield that sword as I understand," Janus grimly said, "it'll be dangerous, but you already know that."
Crono grimly nodded.
I don't want to bring Marle on this one, it's too dangerous, he muttered, I'll come back alone so you, me and Frog can go.
"I understand."
"But she won't be happy about it," Robo concernedly beeped.
I know, but this is different, Crono resolutely stated, we're going to try assassinate someone who's got an army standing between them and us. We'll be back soon, Janus.
The wizard nodded and watched his guests leave. Slowly he crossed his arms at the closed door.
"I'll be down in a minute, Lai," he calmly said.
There was a very deep sigh to be heard from the corridor and leaving footsteps.
Janus shook his head and turned to his desk, pulling out one of the boxes. His hands grabbed a warmly yellow bottle and a moment later he emptied it with a grimace. To keep standing with the help of potions wasn't something he approved to, but he had used up a lot of power and had to start healing a lot of soldiers. Including the king, as well.
His hand nearly crushed the bottle by the thought.
'Goddammit…'
'In the long run you managed to do more when you left,' one of the voices in his head calmly said.
Janus' eyebrows went up.
'You surprise me,' he said with a small smile.
'I think you need a good hit across the head, but I don't like the Mystics either,' the Prince replied.
He even gave a short laugh.
'Actually, I can't wait to see you fight Flea after that battle with Slash.'
'Is that a compliment?'
'I suppose, but don't get too full of yourself.'
'Speaking of nothing, I think you should watch it with Lai,' the Pawn cut in with a tiny frown.
Janus sighed aloud and nodded.
'I know,' he muttered, 'I made it clear that I won't stay, but still…'
'Let me just say this,' the Prince grunted, 'she's less creepy than a certain empress you'll have to know later on, but I still don't think letting it get out of hand would be a bright idea.'
'Less creepy?' Janus and the Pawn said with raised eyebrows.
'Just trust me on this…'
The Prince very heavily sighed.
'Still…' he reluctantly muttered, 'she did help me when I fought against Lavos before coming to get you two. Heh.'
He massaged the bridge of his nose rather furiously for a moment.
'By the powers, I can't believe I really did sign up on working for her despite that… ugh.'
'My next assignment then?' Janus said with a small, slightly bitter smirk.
'Oh no, no, no. No, absolutely not,' the Prince said with a lot of force behind his words, 'you are going to stay clear of Lashey, do I make myself clear? Less I'll have to come and cut you in half.'
'What, do you think there's something with me and women?' Janus sneered.
'This one in particular…'
'Oh dear…'
'You better get going now,' the Pawn pointed out, not unkindly.
'Good point.'
Janus put the empty bottle marked with "Full ether" on the desk and clenched his teeth as he left his room, mentally preparing himself for several hours of chanting and manually taking care of wounded when his magic would be drained again.
'Oh yeah…'
He stopped walking for a moment and pressed two fingers against his forehead, closing his eyes and searching for a mental link… there.
'Can you hear me, Marle, Frog?' he silently called.
'What was that?' the blond princess' voice exclaimed, completely startled.
'Evening, Janus,' Frog grunted, not too surprised despite that he hadn't heard his friend's voice in his head before.
'We've got the blade of the Masamune,' the wizard calmly reported, 'Crono and Robo went to get it mended. We'll be down to you by tomorrow evening or the day later. Is that fine with you?'
'I don't mind, it's up to Frog,' Marle managed, swallowing her surprise.
It took a moment before the amphibian answered.
'Very well,' he muttered, 'Marle is welcome to stay here for the night, but I will not be fighting.'
'We'll just see about that,' Janus emotionlessly said and cut the mental link.
He began walking down the halls again, in his own and shared thoughts.
'Just wish I could do that with Lai, but her magic abilities aren't strong enough for her to handle it,' he muttered in his mind, 'it took me months to coax what she's got to the surface. Still, she and Frog are the only ones in this time who are ready for it.'
'So I've noted,' the Pawn nodded.
'You could make something for her with a hair of yours,' the Prince reluctantly said, 'I noticed that can establish a mental link as well.'
'Thanks for the tip…'
"Janus, thank God you're here!" a nurse called, grabbed his arm and hurriedly dragged him down the corridor into the hospital wing, "just do what you can here and then tend to the king, alright?"
He almost lost his balance completely of sheer surprise; so deeply within his own thoughts that he hadn't seen the woman in white coming.
Now he stood on the balcony above the healing quarters, and his hand came to his forehead.
"Good grief…"
Rewind and erase that "several hours". He'd be lucky if he got any sleep at all the coming night. Lai hadn't been lying when she said "hundreds of wounded". The battle to hold the Zenan bridge had been a very bloody one.
'I should have been here, damn it all…'
'No, your duty was to find the blade,' the Prince sharply said, 'now stop altering the past and get to work.'
'Very well.'
Many looked up in relief as they heard the familiar chanting. Standing on the stair down to the bed area with his eyes closed, Janus stretched out his arms in either direction while calling upon the healing powers of Water. From his palms glistening stars stormed, spreading over the room like a divine rain. For the first time that night.
"… Sela… ugh…"
"For heaven's sake, get some sleep, Janus," Leene concernedly said, "how long have you been up now?"
"Since yesterday," he grunted and pinched the bridge of his nose, "it is Thursday now, isn't it?"
"Yes, since four hours," the queen said and shook her head, "you've done enough for yesterday and today."
"I agree," her husband said after coughing to clear his throat, "I'll be fine now, so I command you to rest."
The wizard tried to smile a bit.
"Yes, my liege."
When he attempted to leave the room he stumbled, but one of the servants attending the wounded king hurriedly gave the wizard support to the door and into the corridor. The two men got about ten steps before a familiar voice resolutely informed that she'd handle the workaholic. Rather relived that he didn't have to support the wizard all the way to his room the servant handed the heavy arm to one of the most respected women of the land.
"Morning, Lai," Janus grunted.
"Just shut up, sweetheart."
"Yes milady."
'Quit smirking at the look on my face,' the Prince grunted.
'But it's almost better than Lavos' look as he finally died,' the Pawn said with a chuckle.
Janus was too exhausted to even sneer.
Lai eventually kicked the door to his room open and helped him over to the bed, were he literally crashed. But even so, she didn't leave him like that.
She sat down on his bedside, glaring at him through her own fatigue.
"I heard you talk with Crono and Robo," she poisonously said, "are you going to attack the Mystics' lair, alone?"
"Can we take this when we're both less dying of exhaust?" Janus grunted without opening his eyes.
"No, because I'm afraid that you'll be gone again when I wake up," she coldly replied.
Janus' eyelids reluctantly went up and he met his bitter disciple's eyes. After a moment she looked away, crossing her arms.
"You might get killed," she pointed out, "I won't be able to come over and save your neck when you're that far away."
"I'll be fine, others will be with me," Janus muttered, "you don't have to worry."
Somehow he managed to sit up and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Lai, I always told you I wouldn't be around forever. I have to save my sister and defeat Lavos, you know that."
"I don't have to like it just because I know!" she snapped, but didn't push his hand away.
Janus tiredly shook his head.
"I trust you to help Frog protect the kingdom when I've left," he said, "why do you think I told you everything? You're the only one who knows the full story, and the only one who knows that I will leave here."
No reply.
"I won't be gone forever."
"You better not…" Lai finally muttered.
She looked around and reached out to gently push him back down.
"Get some sleep now, or you definitely won't stand a chance, sweetheart," she said with choked resentment.
"Alright, but I won't sneak away again…" Janus mumbled and closed his eyes again.
"Why did you, anyway?" she asked, sharp again.
"I trust you to protect the kingdom, you know…"
And with that the royal wizard fell asleep. Lai glared at him for a moment longer.
"I hate you," she finally stated to thin air and slammed her fist into the mattress, "I hate to know…"
'Oh great…' the Prince muttered under his breath, sighing deeply.
Not sarcastically, but with reluctant empathy. Many things he denied caring about, but loss he understood. And the Pawn understood, not saying anything.
It was too late to let it get out of hand, at least in the young woman's view.
"I hate you Janus…" she muttered again, not aware that two spirits watched her as she bent down over her teacher.
The wizard's sleep was too deep; he didn't feel the light kiss.
"But I can't help that I love you, still."
Lai's hands clenched on Janus' shoulders and she collapsed beside him, completely out of strength after the intense hours of fighting and handling wounded. Bitter tears fell into the pillow just beside the wizard's head, but the woman was too tired to care about such a disgrace. And also too tired to even attempt moving away. She fell asleep right there by her hated and loved instructor.