Note: This story originally started out as interactive fanfic on the Chrono Cross Board on GameFAQs. It was written by four GameFAQs users: Daredevil3181, Alanna82, TenkoStar17, and Matt620. The project began on 12/31/03 and is just now wrapping up, as we are writing the epilogue. The by-line is simply to make it clear which writer wrote which part and you will see it pop up with a bit more frequency later on. We will post more parts of the story as they are edited, so enjoy.
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Chrono Cross Survivor: Beginnings
The universe can be a wonderful and exciting phenomenon. Billions of stars and planets are born each day and can be destroyed just as easily. The mere knowledge of even the smallest secrets of the universe would humble any ordinary mortal. But, for all its complexities and mysteries, the universe could do even the unthinkable to beings that have viewed it from its conception and would live on well past its death. Quite frankly, it made them bored.
A crimson red form streaked across the threshold of the gods' home of Praetoria. Tall, elegant, and with flaming red hair, the goddess of fire and unchecked emotion wore a red garment that was so translucent little of her shape was left to the imagination. When she talked her lips spoke of passion, but hidden just out of reach, was the flaming spear of impetuousness.
"We have a proposal," Pyrika called out to her fellow immortals.
"Do tell," responded Mephos. Being the god of earth and lightning, he preferred to use brute force and physical prowess than to rely on magic. He was rather squat and round, but had limbs that were strong enough to move galaxies and crush entire solar systems. When he talked his teeth crackled with energy and planets shook. He wore a suit of armor that barely contained his mighty form.
"The vastness of space has stagnated lately," Pyrika continued. "Nothing exciting...only constancy...no explosions, nor fire."
"So what is this proposal you speak of?" questioned Scyllor. Rather reserved by the other deities' standards, they sometimes overlooked him. His eyes were so deep, that if one gazed in them long enough, it was akin to drowning. Normally in good spirits, if things turned sour, his breath could freeze even molten rock. He had on a brilliant blue shirt and pants in the regal style, from which trailed a long and impressive cape. This was the god of water and magic.
"Will it be fun?" Ganta chimed in. Small and mischievous, this goddess was notorious for her pranks. She wore a crown of leaves and a sheer gown supported by two vines around her shoulders. As fast and whimsical as the wind, so was her personality. She was the goddess of life and nature.
"Quite fun indeed," replied Pyrika.
"Out with it then, foolish one!" spat Kylin, goddess of darkness and death. She had waist-length raven hair and skin as smooth as alabaster. She wore a robe that reached to the floor, but it did little to hide her lithe form and disproportionately large chest protrusions. It was said her smile, while completely ravishing, could chill the blood of any mortal.
"Patience, Kylin," a voice rang out. "Let Pyrika speak." The voice was soft and melodious, but carried well. It belonged to Pallad, god of light and rebirth. He had bronzed skin and sandy brown hair that he kept short. He wore a simple shirt and pants, but the power he wielded was obvious. A chuckle from his heart could call back even the tiniest of creatures from the darkest planes of existence.
"Yes, well, now that our little crisis has been averted and reality is again stable, we have tended to overlook the players," Pyrika explained.
"Meaning?" prompted Mephos.
"It means that we have been offered a proposal," Pyrika beamed. "A contest."
"Will there be wagers?" asked Scyllor.
"There would be no point otherwise, dolt," snapped Kylin. "Our fiery sister would not tell us otherwise."
"I see," mused Pallad. "What are the conditions?"
"Forty-five mortals, on an island tucked away from the view of others," Pyrika smiled. "They will compete for their heart's desire, just as we will compete against one another with wagers."
"A wish? Oh, I do love the things mortals can envision in their heads!" laughed Ganta.
"An interesting proposal," mused Pallad. "But what about Trutin? The being of all and none must approve this first."
"We do not have to tell Trutin," Pyrika reasoned. "What he doesn't know can't hurt him."
"She might be angry when she finds out," added Mephos.
"This is for us, brother," Scyllor said, placing a hand on his stronger sibling's shoulder. "What could be the harm? We get our entertainment and they get their fun. Everyone wins."
"The possibilities are endless. Trutin might even enjoy our work. He likes to have fun as much as the rest of us," Ganta said, while clapping her hands above her head in a dance of fancy.
"I still think we should obtain approval..." Pallad began, as Kylin cut him off.
"This need not be any of your concern, brother," the goddess said, coolly. "I, for one, would like to see how this plays out. Count me in."
"As do I," Pyrika agreed.
"The puny mortals can have such fervor sometimes," remarked Mephos. "To see it is something else. I assent."
"Just as the waves ebb and flow, so does time," drifted Scyllor. "The time for the contest is upon us. I say 'yes', as well."
"You know my vote," Ganta laughed. "It's 'yes' again and again!"
Pallad looked a little forlorn. "Trutin will not like this," he began. "But I must enter to maintain the balance. She will understand. If not, I can minimize the disruption for her. With great hesitation I will say...let it be so."
"It is settled then," Pyrika said, rubbing her slender hands together. "Gather up the messengers and send out the invitations at once!"
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The fourteen messengers set out for their desired destinations, words of invite in hand. The adventurers had spread out some since disbanding, but most were still centered on one planet. As they neared the planet, four of the fourteen then broke formation, in search of their intended targets. The remaining ten entered through the planet's outer atmosphere and began to seek out their recipients.
One entered the town of Termina and dropped off its six messages.
"Dad, let's get moving!" shouted Karsh, as he tugged on Zappa's sleeves. "This might be a joke, but if it's not we'd be idiots if we passed it up!"
"I know what it says, grandma," Skelly said, holding the old woman close. "But I'll be fine. You can't keep down this pile of bones! Nyak-nyak- nyak!"
"So it has come to pass," the magician, Guile said as he sat in the bar. "Time to show everyone who the master of magic is!"
"I must now leave, Romina," Greco consoled his sobbing wife. "If only for a little bit. I shouldn't take too long, though, mi amor."
Van was busy writing a note, as his father was out on another gallery tour. The message read "Hey Dad, Gone out to compete in this once-in-a-lifetime thing! See you later! Love, Van".
The second messenger made its stop on board the ship of the Magical Dreamers, docked close to Termina. Here it delivered its five invitations.
"Look what I got-hee!" Razzly said, bursting through the dressing room door, while holding up her copy.
Inside the room were Nikki, Miki, Janice, and Sneff. "We all got one too," Nikki replied. "I just cleared our schedule with management. We'll leave at once!"
The third messenger stopped off at Arni to deliver six notices.
"Excuse me, Marge, is Serge around?" asked Radius.
"Yes, he should be out by the docks with Leena," replied the woman.
Radius went outside to find Serge, Leena, and Poshul horsing around in the water. Next to their shoes on the dock were three glittering envelopes.
"Ahem," Radius cleared his throat to get their attention. They all looked back at him as he pointed down at the pile. "I think you might want to have a look at these," he said, as the trio swam closer.
Orcha was just about to leave Arni after stopping to say "hi" to his brother when he felt something materialize in his hand. Before he could examine it Mojoy slammed into him, knocking both to the ground. "WhatCHA do that for?!" cried the cook.
"No time-om to lose," gibbered the straw dummy. "Read what you have-om there and let's get a move-om on!"
Meanwhile, the first of the non-planet-bound messengers reached its target on a nearby spaceship.
"Hey, Starks! This one's for you!" shouted one of the diminutive alien's comrades.
"Let me see that!" Starky said, as he grabbed for the invite. He glanced it once over and then laughed to himself.
"What's so funny?" his partner asked.
"Starky, gooing to haave to taalk in Engliish, again," the alien replied.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, another messenger found its designated trio in Shadow Forest.
"What dost thou be-eth up to?" asked Turnip, as Funguy was chopping wood. "Did-est thou not read the message?"
"Yeah, bud, it's going to be phun!" shouted NeoFio.
"Oh, I read it," replied Funguy, as he stopped to wipe some spores that he had begun to sweat onto his forehead. "I just figured it might be cold by the time we get back, so I might as well stock up on wood now. Just let me finish this up and we'll leave soon." With that he returned back to his wood chopping.
In Viper Manor, the sixth messenger spotted its prey. It departed then, leaving four envelopes.
Glenn and Zoah were training on the grounds, both in a ready stance and anticipating the other's move.
"COME AT ME, LITTLE MAN," boomed Zoah.
"I'm ready when you are," Glenn said, his swords out in front of him. Just then Riddel burst onto the scene.
"Hold everything, you two!" she shouted. "Save your energy for those," she said, as she pointed to the invitations lying next to the fighters. Lord Viper then entered the grounds.
"Did you get one too, Daddy?" the princess asked.
"Yes, I did, my daughter," he replied, as he gazed at Glenn and Zoah. "Quick, back to your rooms, all. We shall begin packing."
The seventh messenger found itself delivering its letter in a place where the very laws of reality seemed to take a nap.
"Wot a proposal!" exclaimed Sprigg, as she was drinking some water. "To see Serge-us and the others again 'twas just what I needed!" Suddenly she spit out a mouthful of water and peered at her glass. "This woter seems to have gone sour!"
Moving back onto Earth again, the eighth messenger peered out over the open waters until it came in contact with the renowned ship S.S. Invincible. Here it dropped off its five invitations.
Fargo was at the wheel of his ship when he received the note. "Aye, better change course then. What fool could pass up a shot to increase his wealth?"
The other four messages reached the hull of Fargo's ship, where he had set up a lab for Luccia to work in out of thanks for her supervision over his daughter all these years.
"Grobyc-can't-wait-to-get-back-to-fighting," said the cyborg. "This- peaceful-life-is-not-for-a-machine."
"Looks like you'll get your vish, brother," Luccia replied. "I for von vill not pass up this opportunity for great research!"
"Like, this could be the greatest thing ever!" added Marcy.
"I'm awways wooking to bwoaden my howizons," Pip said, as he hopped around the lab on his tail in jubilation.
The ninth messenger found its three intendeds on the tip of the Zenan Mainland. They had all decided to band together after their adventure and now worked together as a team.
"Oui, the true hero can finally show everyone his strength!" exclaimed Pierre, as he brandished his sword.
"Don't count on it, Frenchie," countered Norris. "I always come prepared with a few tricks up my sleeve."
"Oi! Would ya list'n to ya! Arguin' and all when ya know the prettiest one has this one in the bag!" laughed Kid as she whipped her long braid around.
The tenth messenger found its unlikely duo flying around the mountains outside of Fossil Valley.
"Not so fast-um, Draggy!" Leah called out. "You are going to make-um Leah sick."
"Silly human," Draggy chuckled. "The soonerrr we get therrre, the soonerrr we can have ourrr fun!"
The eleventh messenger found its target floating around a place of paradoxes. It was neither here nor there. The harlequined woman was not aware of anything around here and seemed to be filled with a dense dose of apathy. The messenger moved its hand in front of her eyes, slowly bringing the light of thought back into them. It then handed the jester the message and disappeared.
"Oh, to be free from zis prison iz all zat I ask," Harle sighed. "Even if it iz only for a short while, I would be tres stupid'te not to accept."
The twelfth messenger found a demi-human sunbathing on the beaches of Marbule.
"To see that son of man once more," Irenes mused. "I will show him how much this mermaid hast trained." As she was gathering up a few of her items, she saw a spiky hedgehog demi-human running out of the village.
"Herr Prot! Where ist you be running off to?" she called out.
"To Guldove! I must get something at once!" he shouted back as he hopped into a boat and immediately started rowing.
The penultimate messenger found its recipient floating around the edges of reality. Try as he might, the feline demi-human could do nothing but watch the events that were transpiring.
"Ahh, I was wondering when mine would arrive," Lynx snarled. "And to think the mail is considered reliable nowadays. Tsk, tsk."
The fourteenth and final messenger made its stop in the small coastal town of Guldove. Here it divested itself of its six letters.
The CHA family was just sitting down to a nice meal when their notices arrived.
"Well, wouldCHA look at that," remarked Korcha.
"Momma, can I come, too?" asked Mel.
"I suppose it would only be fair to you, but dontCHA go running off then," approved Macha.
"Oh great," Korcha groaned. "Things are going to get a whole lot more annoying with Mel around..."
Doc was kicking back a cold one in Orlha's bar when both of them received their invitations.
"This sounds like a challenge," Orlha remarked, as she started to crack her knuckles in anticipation. "You can never have too much training."
"Man, I am soooo there," smiled Doc. "I was getting tired of sampling various medicines around here anyways. Time to really showcase my master mixing skills, dude!"
Steena was just packing her bag after reading the message, when a demi- human ran into her tent in a panic. He ran into a number of walls and was knocking into things left and right before Steena finally was able to calm him down.
"Sorry, to trouble you, mistress Steena," he began. "But my daughter is sick in Marbule. The Sage said you would be able to help me out. Well, can you?"
"I'm sorry, mister..." Steena began.
"Protidan. Or you can call me, Prot. Everyone else does," the demi-human replied.
"Yes, Mr. Prot. I am sorry that I will be unable to help you directly, but please take this," Steena said, handing him a bag of some crushed up powder from off one of her shelves. "Also, be sure to give the Sage and your daughter my blessing. I am confident she will completely recover in due time."
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" exclaimed the hedgehog demi-human as jumped up and down. His actions caused even more items to fall off Steena's shelves and onto various parts of the floor. Finally, he calmed himself and looked around, embarrassed at the mess.
"Don't worry," Steena reassured him. "I will clean it up later. Just go and help your daughter."
"Thank you, Dragon chieftain. I won't forget this!" yelled Prot as he rushed out of the tent and back toward his boat.
Steena then surveyed the mess around her tent and sighed to herself. 'Best to clean it up when I get back then,' she reasoned. With that she tied the strings on her pack tight and decided to read over the invitation one last time, just to make sure she was not missing anything.
"Come one, come all, to the great survivor tournament! Compete against your old friends and foes in a grand contest of skill. The prize will be a wish in the form of your heart's greatest desire to the winner. Please meet by the docks just outside of Porre at one hour after dusk tonight. There will be no excuses if you are late. A ship will be there to pick you up. To a select few survivors who will be unable to make the ship, we will provide you with more suitable transportation to reach the final destination. Don't pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity. Go for it! Outwit. Outlast. Outplay."
Steena looked over the invitation to see whom it was from, but there was no identifiable marker. Finally, she picked up her pack and headed out of the tent. She turned to Samuel, her bodyguard, before leaving.
"I will be gone for a little while," the chieftain said. "I will entrust the protection of Guldove and of the Dragon Artifacts to you while I am gone, Samuel."
"If that is your wish, mistress Steena," Samuel replied. With that he bowed to her and escorted her to a waiting vessel. "Have a good trip, chieftain," he called out as he left the vicinity of the ship.
"Thank you, Samuel. May the Gods be with you," Steena called out. She then settled into an empty seat on the boat. 'However this contest turns out,' she thought to herself, 'it shall definitely be an interesting one'. The boat then lurched forward and began its trip to the outskirts of the mainland.
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As dusk overtook the Zenan mainland, forty people lined the docks outside of Porre. After much exchanging of "hellos" and general pleasantries, everyone decided to relax for a little, as they waited for their transportation to arrive. All except one extremely tardy individual.
"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" Janice shouted to herself, as she rowed her little canoe with feverish strokes. She had arrived on the Magical Dreamers' ship to Porre in the early afternoon. Having never been to the Zenan mainland before, she wanted to do a little exploring. She had seen so many wondrous things and talked to so many interesting people that she had lost track of time. Which brought her to her present predicament.
She pumped her slender arms even faster, as the sky grew darker by the second. Her little boat shot across the water, making an impressive wake. Some fellow demi-humans waved to the rabbit-girl and attempted to engage her in conversation.
"Sorry, no time to say 'hello'," Janice apologized. "Or even 'goodbye' for that matter. This could be the most important date of my life! I'm late! Gotta go! Bye!"
When Janice finally arrived at the docks, she was relieved to find everyone still waiting for the vessel that would bring them to the next stage of their journey. She grabbed her bags out of the canoe and hopped onto the pier. Not even bothering to tie up her boat, she raced down to the end, only to collide with a diminutive figure.
"Ooooow," said the little blue alien as he rubbed his arms. "Why did youu run intoo, Starky?"
"I'm so sorry," Janice apologized, as she helped Starky to his feet. "I was in such a rush not to be left behind that I didn't even see you down there." She then picked him up and gave him a great big hug. "It's so great to see you again. How have you been?"
"Starky haas been fine," he answered. "Starky's creew was busy explooring new worlds when Starky got thee invitation. Starky used waarp speed to get heere on tiime."
"You find anything interesting?" Janice prodded.
"Starky foound out that Starky needs moore practice with waarp drives," the alien laughed. "A feew planets are noow missing moons."
Not knowing whether to take the alien's comment as serious or not, Janice just shrugged her shoulders and decided it was best not to ask. The two then walked down to where the other adventurers were situated. It was like seeing an entire menagerie of memories come to life again, Janice thought to herself. The only person missing from their quest was Sprigg, but Janice figured the old woman probably fell underneath that 'others' category the invitation mentioned.
"So, bunny and glide finally made it over here," sneered Glenn, as the duo approached. "You probably learned a lot traveling with the Magical Dreamers, but too bad punctuality wasn't one of them."
"Shut your trap!" Janice countered. "At least I'm not the one who stabbed himself in the cheek the first time he picked up a sword!"
"You better be wary of my skill, Janice," Glenn replied. "You never know which side of the hilt you may find yourself." He then began to walk away. Janice began to follow, but she felt a gentle hand upon her shoulder.
"Let him go," Radius said, in a calm tone. "He's been under a lot of pressure lately. With talks of other nations setting their sights on El Nido's element resources, he has been working doubly hard at making sure the men are in excellent physical shape to stave off an invasion. Come, I know there are others who would be quite happy to see you again."
Janice, Radius, and Starky then headed over to the main group. She was happy to learn that Nikki and Miki had recently become an item and that Riddel would soon be throwing a lavish ball at Viper Manor. Marcy had taken a temporary leave from the Devas and Glenn, Karsh, and Zoah were screening replacements for her spot. Finally, she chuckled when she heard about the unlikely trio of Pierre, Norris, and Kid creating havoc on the mainland, calling themselves the "Heart Stoppers".
As everyone walked about and got reacquainted with one another, they also began to grow more and more anxious as to when their transportation would arrive. No one was even sure as to what form their transportation might take. Most thought it would be a boat, others believed it would be a submarine, and a select few were under the impression it would be an airplane. Marcy even piped in "Like, maybe it's a car" to which everyone just stared at her. "Like, a car that drives underwater, I meant," she said sheepishly, before slinking off into a corner.
Fog slowly began to creep up along the docks, leaving only faint outlines visible. Just when people started to reach the limit of their patience with the growing tension, a single, loud blast of a horn snapped them back to attention. Their transportation had arrived.
The ship slowly crept up to the loading area and people couldn't help but stare at it with their mouths hanging open. It was a huge black boat in the style of a luxurious cruise liner. There was a towering smokestack erupting out of its top and portholes as far as the eye could see. On the hull of the ship, in big white letters, was the name "S.S. Deerro". It finished pulling into the now-cramped dock and the gangplank lowered.
The adventurers all scrambled to grab their bags and lined up to enter into the main body of the ship. There was a little turnstile device at the top of the gangplank that wouldn't budge. After much pushing and prodding, Fargo finally noticed a little slot about midway up the shaft of the device. Figuring he had nothing to lose, he inserted his invitation into the hole. The turnstile fired open and, as soon as he was inside the ship, closed just as quickly. The other contestants then got the hint and before long, the ship was forty-two persons heavier.
Everyone immediately began wandering around the interior. It was spacious and elegant, while at the same time not feeling too superfluous. They also found forty-two cabins, each with a different person's name on the door. As grand as the ship was, no one could find a captain or anyone else to talk to, though.
"Welcome," boomed a voice inside the hull. Everyone looked around frantically, but could not discern its source.
"You might be wondering why this vessel is not manned," the voice continued. "That's because I do not require a crew. I am quite capable of steering myself." Funguy whistled to himself, but due to how silent everyone had become, it carried like a thunderclap. "Sorry," he whispered to the other passengers.
"As I was saying," continued the Deerro, "I am a fully self-sufficient ship. I will begin the journey shortly. Our final destination is the small island of Perfidia. None of you have heard of this place before, as it is kept secluded with great effort. We should arrive there at approximately two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Dinner will be served at nine, breakfast at eight, and a light lunch at noon. All of your meals will be located in the main dining room, which can be found on my third level. I hope you all have a pleasant trip. You will not hear from me again until we reach our destination." With that the ship ceased talking and left the adventurers stunned in silence. Finally, a few people began whispering among themselves. The noise gradually grew louder and louder until the jovial banter once again resumed.
The full moon shone with a magnificent brilliance as the adventurers began to get themselves ready for bed. Dinner had been a wonderful feast that materialized in front of their eyes exactly at nine. The ensuing mess then dematerialized as soon as the last person left the table. After everyone said their "goodnights" the ship became very quiet, except for a few party members, who found themselves unable to sleep.
Kid and Serge were out taking a little walk around the top of the ship, while Guile and Steena were having a polite conversation among themselves. Doc was just sitting back in a chair and smoking some herbal mixture, staring out at the stars with a glassy look in his eyes. The evening sky was enchanting and was filled with hundreds of luminous constellations.
"Just look at those two," Guile remarked, pointing over toward Serge and Kid. "If it wasn't for Leena they would have definitely become involved with one another."
"Yes, she does love him and he, her," agreed Steena. "But I do not believe it to be the love of romantic daydreamers. It seems to be a relationship forged out of mutual respect and trust. Can you blame them after all they have experienced?"
"No, I suppose I can't," assented Guile. "Does any of this contest talk give you the jitters, though?"
"What do you mean?" Steena asked.
"I mean, the mysterious invitations, the offer of a wish, and the fact that we know nothing of what this challenge will entail? Who set this up for us and why?" Guile said, raising several queries at once.
"I would not worry about such things," answered Steena. "I am sure all will be revealed in due time. For now, simply allow yourself to enjoy the moment. You should be more like Doc," she continued, pointing at the physician. "He never seems too tense in any situation."
"More...like...Doc..." mused Guile. "Yes, I can see merit to your point. Perhaps I will approach him later and ask about some stress-relieving exercises. For now, though, let us just enjoy the beauty of this wondrous night."
As the pair's eyes scanned the horizon, they could not help but be drawn back to the image of the full moon. Again and again, they attempted to move their field of vision to another celestial body, but found themselves always returning to the same spot. Suddenly, a bright flash of light emanated from the sky and, just for one second, everything was lit up as bright as day.
"What was that, chieftain?" asked Guile, shocked.
"I do not know," Steena replied. "But I do know that we should get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us and I, for one, will need my beauty sleep."
"But chieftain, you are already quite ravishing," laughed Guile, winking his eye at her from beneath the silver mask.
"Oh, Guile, you are such a flirt," chuckled Steena. "I am off to bed, so I shall see you in the morning." With that the shaman quickly gave the magician a quick peck on the cheek and then headed toward her cabin. Blushing slightly, Guile approached the still-staring Doc. "I understand you are the master of relaxation..." he began.
Steena made the walk back to her cabin and as soon as she was inside her room, collapsed onto her bed. The sheets were pure silk and felt so inviting. Fighting the urge to fall asleep right then and there, she forced herself to get up and put on her nightgown. As she was reaching around in her pack for a brush, her hand hit something familiar, but entirely out of place. She brought the object up to her face and examined it with a pained expression.
"This should not be here!" she exclaimed. "But why would it be in my pack? I could have sworn I secured it on one of my shelves back in Guldove..." Suddenly her eyes lit up with realization.
"That clumsy demi-human!" she said, the reality of the situation dawning on her. "He must have knocked it into my pack with all of his hopping around before I left! This is much too powerful of an item to be on this trip with me. However, since it is already with me, I must make sure it remains hidden. The worst thing it could do would be to fall into the wrong hands." With that, Steena shoved the shining artifact into the bottom of her pack and turned her light off, while attempting to push her worries toward the back of her mind.
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"We have arrived," announced the booming voice of Deerro, as the sight of dry land welcomed the eager contestants. "Please gather up your belongings and make sure you have everything you brought with you. Once you forget something within my bowels, I can assure you that it will never be seen again. Make sure to meet at the totem by sunset. Everything will be explained there. The gangplank will be lowered in ten minutes. Be ready."
The adventurers ran about the ship in a mad frenzy to get all their gear together. They then formed a line right where the gangplank would descend. Just when they thought they couldn't take the suspense any longer, the portal opened, greeting them with an enchanting sight.
The island wasn't a form of the afterlife, but right then and there some of the contestants could have sworn they had died and gone to Heaven. Perfidia was a lush, tropical paradise, filled with dense forests, mountains, and clear water around every corner. Everyone made their way toward the center of the island, where they came upon a campsite, complete with spacious tents, an eating area, and general odds and ends required for normal daily life.
Just as everyone was examining their new home, a familiar voice cut through the crowd.
"Hail, Serge-us," called out the tiny woman. "I wos wondering when the ship t'would get here." Sprigg was then immediately embraced by some of the other adventurers and asked how things had been going. She remarked everything was well and had actually been transported within a beam of light from her home in the Temporal Vortex to the island.
"Do not forget moi," piped another familiar voice. Harle briefly shimmered before becoming solid high above in a tree. She then did a little pirouette and gracefully jumped down to the ground. "Vous cannot 'ave ze fun wit'out, 'arle, non?"
"But Harle, I thought you were dead," said General Viper. "Were you not a part of the Dragon Gods?"
"I was separated from zat creature before ze death," Harle explained. "Flung to ze coldest reaches of space, zere I drifted for some time. Finally, a messenger woke moi up and told me about zis contest. 'ow could I refuse?"
"And if she was allowed to come, so was I," snarled a feral voice. Lynx approached the group, still as haughty as ever. "I could care less if I never saw any of you insolent whelps again, but I had to come for this opportunity. The potential of the situation is simply too great to decline."
"I am keeping my eye on you, traitorous one," warned Radius. "The moment I catch you stabbing someone behind the back again..."
"You need not worry about that, old man. Those days of sneaking around are long past me." Lynx smiled at this last statement. No one believed him for a second.
"So what's this about a totem?" asked Nikki.
"Fine, come with me," Lynx sighed. "I know none of you could find your way out of a paper bag with a map. I will show you the way." He then took off and began walking. Reluctantly, the adventurers followed the feline demi- human, especially wary for any traps. After none came within the first quarter of a mile, everyone began to relax a little more and hurried to catch up with Lynx's long strides.
There could be no question that the totem Deerro had referred to was the one the adventurers now stood in front of. It stood at least twenty feet high and had markings all over it. There were heads of various animals engraved upon it, all of different colors. Some of the contestants began to grow a little uneasy around this monolith, but knew that they had been instructed to meet it regardless. Finally, the sun set beneath the horizon and the silence was broken.
"Greetings, mortals," the head on the top of the totem spoke. Everyone took a little hop back, not expecting the object to speak. The head was that of a yellow hippopotamus and the voice that came out of it was filled with strength and power. "I would like to welcome you all to the island of Perfidia. This will be your home for the next two months, so learn to love it. It is here that your tournament will begin."
"The tournament rules are quite simple," continued the totem, as the voice now shifted down to the next head. This one was of a red salamander and spoke with fire and passion. "You must outlast those around you. The object of the game is to be the last one left on this island when the contest comes to a close."
"However you do that is entirely up to you," said the totem, the voice now belonging to a green squirrel. This voice was whimsical and seemed to play tricks upon the ears. "The choices are endless. Let no strategy seem too ludicrous for this terrain."
"Be careful not to rush too quick into things," warned the blue head, which was in the shape of a giant fish. Its voice was soothing and enthralled its listeners. "Alliances and treaties will be the key to winning your game. You can stand stronger when united than as a chaotic melee."
"Do not shy from the consequences of this game," spoke a black raven. Its voice was clipped and sent chills down everyone's spines. "Those that are too timid to take whatever action is necessary will not go far."
"But above all else, try to enjoy the time that you are here," pleaded a white goat. The voice it spoke with was simple, yet forgiving. "Only take action when necessary and consider the future. The ends do not always justify the means. With that being said, we shall now leave you to your game. You will not hear from us again until the conclusion of this tournament. With that being said, the game begins...now."
After having spoken its final word, the totem vanished into thin air. Everyone looked around each other, rather daunted at what they had gotten themselves into. Finally, someone cut through the tension.
"Dude, I wonder what this would be like," Doc mused, as he pulled out a weed growing next to his shoe.
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"So it shall begin," said Mephos, as he reclined back on his chair in the gods' home of Praetoria.
"When will the wagers start?" asked Ganta, almost tripping over her own words in excitement.
"I would think we should place them now," Scyllor replied. "This first result should be an interesting one indeed."
"Why not open up a portal for continual viewing, sister?" snapped Kylin, already annoyed with the banter between her siblings.
"I promised I would not do that when I agreed to the proposal," explained Pyrika. "And unlike some, I do not go back on my word. Besides, it makes sense. This way we will not be influenced by the actions of the competitors. We must base our wagers solely on our own intuitiveness."
"Also, we have arranged it so that no further harm befalls the contestants," said Pallad. "It shall truly be a test of each of their mental fortitude."
"You concern yourself too much with the well-being of these mortals, brother," commented Kylin. "At least you consented to allow the items they carried with them retain their physical properties. Otherwise this would be a waste of time for everyone involved."
"Compassion for the weak is not a fault, dear sister," countered Pallad. "After all these years you have still not grasped that concept. No matter. In two months hence, our champion will be crowned and his or her wish granted. Whatever the outcome, I hope it will be one in which Trutin approves. May all the adventurers carry the blessing of the gods and I wish them success in their endeavors."
Pyrika then closed the portal to the island's dimension and made her starting wager.
By: Daredevil3181