"The once proud Kingdom of Zeal now lies at the bottom of the sea." The party that stood behind Magus slowly began to lower their weapons, confused at such an unusual greeting. The lone figure continued on, "its inhabitants have joined it and some have even become part of that unspeakable demon." The wind rustled about them and suddenly stopped as if nature itself wanted to hear the tale that he was about to weave. Even then, there was a long silence that had a heavy sorrow carried within it. Even the party who had despised the speaker felt a pang of sorrow as he addressed those who had died.

"I was one of them once…Long ago…"

Sometimes there is a moment where obscure facts and feelings suddenly rush back into you and combine into a myriad of theories and possibilities. That had happened at that moment to Frog. This feeling of anxiety he was feeling had been felt before. He only felt it when he was thinking of Magus, but at one point he felt this same anxiety from someone he did not even know. (Or did he)? His mind suddenly reflected back to the odd little boy who approached their party while Crono was still among them. He had flowing blue hair that seemed to lilt behind him as he walked. Frog remembered his red eyes that seemed to pierce into the very soul. He saw the boy so vividly in his mind so that it was almost looking into a picture. He also remembered a cold voice and the most awful prophesy (spoken so full of conviction that it was almost like a proclamation).

"The black wind blows. One among you will soon perish."

It was so clear to him now that Frog could not see a difference between the two. He pointed a finger to him and said (almost in an accusatory tone), "I know thee! Thou art that little urchin, Janus, which had foretold Crono's death!" Those same eyes that seemed to perceive thoughts were once again seen in this man who glared back at Frog, fixedly and unblinking. His eyes did not move, yet his lips did as he spun a story of how he came to be. "Yes. It has been years since I have seen the place of my birth. It had also been years, and my torment to see it all fall once again. I was once named Janus so many years ago, but all that has changed when 'it' came along." His teeth gnashed together.

"'It'?" Marle inclined her head to the side.

"Stupid girl. 'It' was the same thing that took your precious Crono away."

Frog did not move or put away his weapon. He wanted to fight, but at the same time he wanted to hear what his nemesis had to say. He demanded information. "What have you to do with Lavos? Why did you summon him? Why did you try to kill him?" Magus sighed deeply. He was quiet for a moment, and it almost seemed as if he didn't want to tell the story. Then he began, "It was a strange thing to see the same thing twice. It was also strange to watch myself relive all the recent events in Zeal Kingdom unfold. As you know it, I was Janus who had lived in this time. I had knowledge of what happened to the past, but since our last encounter I was taken away back to this very time. With my knowledge of this era's history, I was able to fool the queen into thinking I was a prophet."

"'Your mother' is what you mean." Lucca was quick to add.

"She is no longer my mother. She is a part of Lavos now." Magus said, with no hint of sadness. Lucca was about to question Magus if he had a soul, but Frog wordlessly told her to not pursue it. "Since I was a little child she was obsessed with harnessing Lavos' power. It had consumed her since my birth. If my conscious hadn't forbid me, I would have killed her before the fall of Zeal. Even I, Lucca, have a soul, and how little serves me well. I had hoped to save them both by defeating Lavos. My mother would be freed from her ill mentality and my sister would not be left behind to die…if she indeed had died. The three wise men would also not be thrown into random times and Zeal would continue to exist in idealistic peace. I also would not be sent forward in time to become what I am…"

"Yes. I was sent forward in time. I had the horrible misfortune of being discovered by the general of the Mystics. He mistreated me and abused me. I was a slave until I was able to cast apart my shackles and defeat him in a duel. He became my servant and I continued to lure them to do my bidding by aiding their armies. I told them that I could summon a great creature to destroy every human in existence and they helped me summon Lavos. I only wanted revenge at that point for what I had lost and what I had become. When I was sent back to my age after our battle; oh, you could not imagine how I felt. It was the first time in years I had truly smiled. But I have failed. I was too weak. Not only me, but all of you were too weak. Everything was taken from me again…Nothing can stand up to Lavos. Anyone that does will be burnt to a cinder…just like that foolish boy."

A sudden yell echoed throughout the cliffs of the coast.

"Surely thou dost not speak so idly of that 'boy' that has saved your life! Surely you speak not of Crono!" Frog was breathing so heavily that he chest rose and fell with every gasp. His eyes were furrowed and narrow. Magus turned to Frog with a wicked grin that was all too familiar of the day they had fought with Crono at their side. Magus sneered and taunted the party who were red with anger at such disrespect, "He was a fool to challenge him. Mess with fire and you get burned!"

"Hold thy tongue Magus! If thou wilt not refrain, then I shall remove it for thee!"

"Fight me if you dare! I have nothing left to lose!" The laughter of a madman filled the air, and it was colder than any wind that they had felt.

The party was starting to dash towards Magus with the intent to destroy him completely. They would have done so if they hadn't heard a single yell among all of theirs. "Touch him not! He is mine!" The party froze in their footsteps as Frog walked past them. Magus raised an eyebrow in surprise at such a request. Magus scoffed as his opponent drew near. "You could barely defeat me when there were three of you. What hope do you have by yourself?" Frog pointed his sword towards Magus as he still advanced, "Whether I am successful or not, it does not matter. You have cursed me and taken away my identity, you have murdered my dear friend, and you mock the death of my closet friend who had died to save you and me! I will not stand by idly! I swear by god that I will have my revenge!"

"Then fight me if you truly mean it!"

No sooner had Magus challenged him did Frog dash forward with the speed of a wolf. His arms wielding the legendary Masamune were a threat to Magus who had made note of it. It was a well placed blow that had nearly defeated him last time. Frog swung the blade in a wide arc, barely skimming the grass and flying towards Magus' jugular. A quick twist of his head evaded it and he twirled his scythe with a single had and swung it as if he were the grim reaper himself. There was so much speed and power in each thrust insomuch that it all seemed to be in a huge blur. Frog, knowing his height to be dismal compared to Magus' own height, would compensate for this by repeatedly leaping and flipping in the air all around Magus as he continued swinging as if he were trying to catch a fly. With each leap and twist, Frog would try to stab or slash at Magus, but each time he was quick and attentive. Blocking it was not a problem.

Suddenly a strong wind erupted from around Magus' person and the gale through Frog back and landed on his feet. Magic had suddenly come into play as the magician stuck his hand out and summoned a bolt of lightning to crash down around Frog. Thick clouds gathered overhead and rumbled menacingly as bolt after bolt descended and struck the each with a loud and blinding clap of thunder. The cliff shook but did not collapse as a few members of Frog's party started to stumble from the quaking. "I can shake the very foundation of the earth! I can summon the very mountains to crush you into powder you freak of nature!" Lightening came not from the sky but from Magus' fingertips at this point. It was only enough to momentarily stun an enemy, but he was still unable to hit his foe as he darted back and forth. He growled in frustration as Frog drew near to him and he leapt into the air and brought the Masamune down, and it almost seemed like it would splint Magus' head in two. He was faster than that. He gripped his scythe with two hands as he thrust the handle bar into the air. There was a loud clang as metal met metal. Frog glared as he missed his chance. As his body came down, Magus swung his weapon for Frog's midsection. Luckily for Frog, the point missed him, but he still hooked him with the curve of his blade. He spun around quickly, letting the motion keep him pinned against the hook. Frog's armor protected him from the sharp, inside edge of the blade, but it sparked and scraped as Magus seemed to get ready to throw him like a discus into the sea.

He was right. Magus spun, faster and faster, and as he did Frog could feel the gravity pull back on his arms and legs while his abdomen was stretching from the strain. Suddenly, Magus jerked in the opposite direction once he faced the sun with his scythe pointed to the side and Frog flew from his sling, but he was free-falling to the ocean which was at least hundreds of yards below him. He didn't scream, but a whoosh of air and his eventual disappearance signified his loss. The party stood dumbstruck just as they had been when Crono was killed. Magus spun about and smiled. "Another one bites the dust. I may not be able to take on Lavos. But you are like fish in a barrel." He smiled smugly as he tucked his scythe under his arms and readjusted his gloves. He began to walk to the party, intent to finish the job. They drew their weapons anxiously and were about to dash forward when…

"Ah!"

Magus shivered and his back ached as he was jutted forward by a powerful jet of freezing water. His scythe fell and he went face-down into the grass. He was dripping wet and quickly pushed his self up and spun around to see a most amazing sight. Frog was alive. He was floating in the air with his sword sheathed, but not by his own power. Surrounding him was a ball of water that floated in the air. He had saved himself by controlling the ocean below him. His arms suddenly outstretched, and as it seemed that was the way he controlled its flow, because at that moment two streams of water burst from the ball that was the size of a house. The jets of water twisted and turned and headed straight for Magus. He took off, having the ability to levitate his self, and fly towards Frog, picking up his scythe as he flew by. He accelerated up ward as the streams followed them. Frog was moving his hands frantically as he controlled the water as if they were his own arms. Magus soared through the air like a bird as his cape flapped behind him. More and more jets of water erupted and began to pursue Magus in his flight. Occasionally he would be struck and corkscrew in the air as it did so. A barrage of ice within the water slammed into him as the jets did. With each hit, Magus grew more and more frustrated. In a surprise move he jerked about and flew towards Frog, who quickly began to unsheathe his sword. Magus flew straight through the frigid water and swung with his scythe. Frog turned in the water as he evaded the blow, but Magus came back again and flew through the ball again, water erupting in splashes as he passed through it. Frog had stopped summoning jets of water as Magus assaulted him as fast as his flight would allow. Some blows were exchanged as they battled in the water, and mostly they were dealt by Magus, which was a result of his effective use of momentum. Frog had difficulty maneuvering with the speed he desired in the water, but he still moved as fast as any other creature could hope to move. Suddenly, Magus grinned wickedly as if he realized something Frog hadn't. He decelerated his dive and immediately accelerated into the air above and raised his hand to the sky.

Frog's eyes widened as he realized what he was about to do and with incredible speed he swam upwards to where Magus was. If only Magus had done it sooner he would've had his victory, but he was too late. Frog flew out from the top of the water as a bolt of lightning struck the ball and volts of electricity ran through the whole as the ball fell apart and fell to the ocean below from whence it came. Frog was now flying upwards from his momentum and swung his sword once again towards Magus' ribcage.

It connected!

There was no cut because the blow had landed on armor, but it was enough to knock the wind out of Magus as he lost focus and fell to the ground. He landed with a loud thud and quickly got to his feet and parried the same blow that Frog had tried before as he fell back to earth with him. It was another whirlwind of swordsmanship as the two spun and dodged, kicked and flipped, parried and thrust until it almost seemed like there would never be an end to it all. "Face it, Glenn! You will never win! I killed Cyrus like the dog he was and you are next!" Magus screamed amidst the clangs and clashes of their weapons. Frog retorted, "I cannot die! There is too much still for my companions and I too accomplish! You said it yourself! You have nothing!" A flash of sadness slowly came over Magus and that was enough. The Masamune slashed his armor and another followed after another and another until he was far too slow to block Glenn's onslaught. He was torn left and right as each successive thrust and slash let more and more blood fall in heavy, thick drops.

"This is the end, Magus!" Frog leapt into the air, bringing the legendary Masamue over his head as he gripped it tightly in two hands. Magus' eyes were shut as he felt the sword pierce through his skin as Frog slashed him diagonally across the whole of his body. He gasped like a fish out of water as he fell to his knees, his hands bracing him from a further fall. The party stood from a distance, stunned beyond belief. The wizard Magus has fallen. Frog stood stunned as well as he stood before him. Then with a wistful and silent sigh, he whispered, "Cyrus, thou hast been avenged." He sheathed his sword as Magus kneeled before him, bloody and nigh death. Frog turned away and his friends had followed suit as they headed for the Epoch.

"Wait…" A voice croaked from behind them.

Frog turned about with the rest of the party as Magus eyed them with a grin. "What do you plan on doing now? Do you plan on fighting Lavos?" No one said anything, but Frog shook his head resolutely. Magus laughed, but it sounded more like a wheeze, "It took almost all your strength to defeat me. You remember that day when we all saw what he really was first-hand. You can't possibly win! There is nothing you can do!" Frog shook his head curtly, "Even if there is nothing we can do, it would be pointless to just wait for the inevitable to happen. We will find Crono and then we will defeat Lavos together."

"He's dead. You know that."

Frog hung his head while Marle was near tears as she whispered, "That's not true." Magus laughed a cold, unfeeling laugh, "There is nothing to gain by denial, little girl. He is dead, and I know it. The magic of life flows through my veins and I sense things that others cannot. I can sense the very force of life, and I felt his life burn away like a cinder." Ayla shouted loudly, "You lie! You are trying to deceive us!" Magus shook his head slowly, as he said even more resolutely, "He is gone…You will never find him. You know that because I had anticipated your coming when we fought for the first time. He is dead, and his body is a blackened husk that is lying at the bottom of this ocean." He jerked his head slightly to the side to indicate that very ocean he spoke of. There was a general silence among them, for something was telling them that what he said was true, but Lucca stepped forward, "You aren't lying? He is truly dead?" Magus nodded and all their hearts collectively sank. Even Frog felt hallow after his victory as he had nothing to do but agree with his rival. It is a hope that never fades even if they tell themselves that it isn't possible. Even Robo, who was logical in all things, had imagined an extremely small ratio that he could still be alive somewhere. At that moment, they knew it without a doubt. They turned about and began to walk away.

"But there is a way to bring him back."

The group stopped in their tracks as Magus (slowly and painfully) shuffled to his feet. He looked at them and his look did no longer bear the anger and hatred he had always carried with him. Instead, there was a look of sympathy. None of them dared to speak as they watched him turn back to the ocean, "I imagine you have met the guru of time?" Frog stepped forward, "We do not know of whom thou speakest of." Magus shook his head, "I imagine you did once before if not hundreds of times. I sensed him when I traveled through time. He could only exist where all times connect…The end of time…" The party rose their eyebrows as they glanced at each other, "Does he mean that man that is always standing under that lamppost?"

"Yes…The gurus of the Zeal Kingdom were not like all its other inhabitants. They were noble and befitting to an age of reason. They labored over many things to progress human life and understanding, even the power to control time. During their years of research, they had created a device that could travel through time and space to fix an error in the time stream or bring about a change that time itself would want to mend for an important purpose. It was called the Chrono Trigger."

Frog was surprised, "Chrono…how strange. Just like his name."

Magus nodded in reply. "The gurus knew more than any of us could hope to comprehend. They created that device, knowing that someday there would be a use for it. It could be intended for your friend. But don't you celebrate just yet. The gurus, as outstanding as they were, are still limited by their errors that all of us inherit once we are born. Their work is far from perfect. There is an immense probability that it won't work…Then again…there is a small possibility it could…" He coughed and sputtered as his knees weakened and blood dribbled down his chin, but he used his scythe to keep his balance. He leaned on it like it was a cane. "But you must remember, that even if the device works, it is still time that decides whether or not he can exist."

"Why are you telling us this?" Lucca asked, her arms in a shrug. "Why would you tell us this after we killed you?"

He looked at Glenn with eyes that held the same sympathy. "You all remind me of myself. The innocent me that existed before the Mammon machine was created and before the time I was taken to the future. I had hoped that I could find a way back to my sister who I loved so much." It suddenly dawned on this party that not only was Magus the little boy Janus, he was also the only brother to a sister named Schala. Strangely enough, they never made this connection, and as they suddenly remembered her sacrifice to send them away from the Ocean palace after Crono delivered them from the void, they regretted their fight against Magus. The had just killed the brother of the same woman that had saved them. Even Frog felt remorse for his actions, but another part of Frog still burned within him and refused to admit he had wronged anyone. Magus coughed up more blood as he spoke faster, knowing that his time was near, "I did it because I know how it feels to lose hope and go through life not knowing that you had the opportunity the entire time. My vengeance against Lavos blinded me and I hurt countless people, but it was people descended from the ones that had caused my pain. I do not concern myself with their death, for they had caused my own. All of you are descendants of Zeal, with ancestors that lived in ignorance, not learning to appreciate the paradise that lay before them. I hate them all, but I see that you are all different from them." He looked at Frog, who answered him with stony silence.

"Glenn. I have given you important information. Will you return the favor?" Magus asked.

"I wish not to accept it, but my honor binds me to it. What is that thou desire?"

"Defeat Lavos. Punish him. Grind him into powder, and I swear on my soul that you will retain your true form."

Frog's heart leapt at these words and he was surprised beyond measure, but that was not all Magus had to say.

Magus gasped his final breath as he said…

"Also…Please find Schala, and tell her…I'm sorry…"

In a sudden, and quick movement, Magus spun to face the sea and his hands stretched to the sky. His cape flew up from under him as a wild wind tore upon the face of the cliff. A bolt of lightening descended and struck Magus and bolts of electricity trickled all over his body as he suddenly vanished into thin air. As he did, a single solitary necklace fell to the ground and landed with a dull clink.

The party drew close to the cliff's edge as they looked about themselves. Magus was nowhere to be seen. Had he died when he vanished. Then they saw at their feet the very pendant that Schala had given to him the day he cried over the future. All at once, they knew that Magus was dead. Frog only stared at his scythe that was sprawled out on the ground. The sense of accomplished justice mingled with sympathy was a conflicting one and at that moment it felt like nothing in his heart made sense. Maybe they were more like Magus then they had once assumed. Slowly, they returned to the Epoch, yet there was something different about them. A sense of hope began to brood inside their hearts and it was contagious. Marle and Lucca were no longer walking, but running to the Epoch, followed by Ayla as they beckoned the others to hurry. They eagerly climbed into the belly of the machine and Lucca began to make the necessary preparations.

At that moment, they realized that Frog still looked over the sea that Magus had been facing as his life came to an end. He did not mourn his death and felt that it was deserved, but he mourned for his life that knew nothing but anger and pain. At that moment, he sincerely wished he was somewhere that would not allow him to suffer anymore, but at the same time he wished he would never get sent to the same place. Even at that point, he suddenly realized a big, gaping hole. His vengeance was complete and nothing could fill that void. In time it would fill, but it would take years for him to find more purpose. It was not how he imagined it…

He had been carrying the scythe in his gloved hands. He went back to the edge of the cliff where Magus had disappeared. With a grunt, he raised the scythe and jammed it into the earth. He began to walk back to the Epoch where everyone waited for him. He did not leave until he turned around and nodded his head to pay his respects. And he silently whispered…

"Goodbye, Magus."

THE END

Author's note: Well, that's it. I only wanted to do a little story that went more into depth after the events of Zeal's destruction. I hope you enjoyed the read. Please feel free to read my other story that focuses on something that I haven't seen much of: A bit of a romantic story involving Ayla and Crono.