And yes, I know that the characters do not belong to me. tear They are Square's. Yay Square! But the lament/thought/story continued is mine.
Serge looked, bewildered at what the elder had said. He had no idea what Zeal was, nor what having "the mark" meant. For the remainder of the ceremony, Serge kept his hands in his pockets, not daring to look up at Steena. She stared at him the whole time, averting her gaze only to prepare the last rites of passage to the realm of the dead. Both left the crowded circle of gatherers earlier than anyone else. As the two approached the elder's tent, Serge finally turned to Steena, as confused as he had ever been.
Steena knew what was coming before it happened. "I suppose you want to know what that mark means, don't you? Speak up, if it is your request. I would rather you not know, but as things are, I do not think this mystery can be hidden much longer."
They entered and sat upon the exquisite rugs, as Steena proceeded to light various candles and oil wells. The boy could not speak. He continuously ran his fingers around the eye shape that was now as apparent as a scar.
Without waiting a second longer, Steena began her explanation. "About 12,000 years ago, there was a kingdom of magic and amazing power. It was known as the kingdom of Zeal, named after its Queen. Queen Zeal was a ruthless tyrant, falling under the spell of her own greed and arrogance. As you should know and remember well, she had a daughter named Schala, who lives on in your friend Kid. What you might not have remembered was that she also had a son named Janus. The Zeal family carried an eye-shaped mark on their hands, to distinguish themselves from the desolate and the rich. Queen Zeal's madness grew to a frightening extent one day, such that it ripped open the fabric of time and sent little Janus hurtling into the future. The boy was found by a blob by the name of Ozzie, and was raised to become the dark wizard Magus. In time, he found a way to return to the past and attempt to save his sister accompanied by the heroes of time whose ghosts you familiarize with. As you know, Janus came too late and Schala was trapped in the nothingness of time. Through the clone-daughter process, Schala was reborn as Kid, and thus her role in your tale is more than clear. Any questions so far?"
Serge thought back to all the nights he has heard Kid's voice, calling and yearning for him. He knew she was really Schala, explaining a newly visible emblem on her skin; but why did he have the mark on his hand? And what did Harle have to do with any of it? He stared at the design and watched it glow faintly with a purple light.
Without warning, Steena continued. "After using her daughter's power in conjunction with the Mammon Machine, Queen Zeal created the Black Omen, a ship that could withstand time itself. It existed outside of time, so to speak. Thus, for 12,000 years, Zeal was thought to be immortal as reminded by the black palace in the sky. Her plans to rule time were interrupted when Crono and his companions were able to infiltrate the Black Omen and defeat the forces inside. They destroyed the Mammon Machine and Queen Zeal, escaped, and thought all was well. But as it turned out, though the Black Omen disappeared, Queen Zeal did not. She too went through the clone-daughter process in the dimensional vortex, and reappeared in your life one year ago as the jester of the night. She shows such affection for both you and Kid, apparently for all the right reasons..."
Serge's eyes could not have been wider at the moment. "You mean... to tell me... that after all this time, all this... wanting to kill Kid, the incident with the Dragon Gods, that...Harle... is alive... and is Kid's mother?"
"Good deductions, my boy. But I'm afraid you haven't figured out the whole story as it is. Think. Why do you hear the voices of Harle and Kid in your dreams alone? Why do they seek to find you again? Why will they stop at nothing to have you? Do you not recall Lucca's letter to Kid, in which she included a fond hello to her old friend Janus? She knew he would be there... she knew you would be there..."