Forward to the Past
A Chrono Trigger Fanfiction
By: Novalon
Chapter 2: The Clairvoyant's wish
Unknown Time Period
His ruby eyes opened, gazing upon the landscape in front of him.
She was here, but he had already known that. The sensing of her magical energies only added to that fact.
However, there was something troubling. Dark energies flared from the south, a feeling of anger coursed through his features as the magic tainted the calm air.
The worst of it was, he had come across those energies before, but could not for the life of him think of whom they belonged to.
Taking one more look over the landscape, he surveyed his current position in comparison to the other energies.
The grassy plains and lush forests, which likely hid settlements, brought a nostalgic feeling to him as he began to head off in the direction of her magical signature.
A castle rose from where there was none before. The treetops had concealed the structure without him having realized it at first. He found himself no longer alone, as two soldiers wearing thin armor silently came to his sides from the inner forest.
"State thy business, Wizard."
His blue eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"How do you know I am a Wizard?"
Glowing swords were pointed at him from both sides. As he found it wise to keep his intentions mild.
The soldier to his right spoke up.
"Our enchanted weapons glow when any magical energies are near. By the glow mine sword gives, thou art definitely a Wizard of high caliber. Thou art either in league with the Dark Emperor and would thus squelch our rebellion, or thou art an unknown Wizard whose business is elsewhere."
He raised his hands in a form of surrender.
"I am by no means here to do anything to you or your people… I am, however, searching for someone."
The glowing sword stayed pointed at him.
"Be thou friend or foe of General Guardia, leader of our fair resistance?"
His eyebrows rose again, as if he knew.
"Indeed, I am but one who knows the path his lineage shall take in the future."
The sword wavered, "Art thou a Clairvoyant?"
He nodded, the other soldier showing surprise as the first continued.
"Dare I ask thine name, sir?"
He nodded, "I am Magus, the herald of Zeal."
Of course, he knew that in this dark time, the war of the Mystics had not even come into fruition yet. He did not wish to use the name of Janus just yet.
He responded, "Might I ask your name?"
The man's piercing green eyes and wild brown hair gave away enough.
"I am Sir Charles Triggare, under General Guardia's command."
Magus nodded, putting a hand to his forehead to feign concentration.
After a moment, he spoke, "Ah, I see. Your line is of great importance to time. Some time farther in the future, the land will break out in a war against another Dark one, and your descendant will fall under a most terrible curse, in which he has the form of a humanoid frog…"
Charles dropped his sword in surprise.
"Thou art surely playing me for a fool!"
Magus held up a hand to dismiss the outburst.
"Fear not, he will eventually be rid of that curse, of the same one who cursed him, one who changed his ways for good. Farther down the family line, one more will rise to the occasion, traveling throughout the flow of time to take down a most horrid adversary that threatens all life on the planet. He will die… and he will return, even stronger, to destroy the one who thought it best to kill him. And in turn, he will eventually marry a descendant of General Guardia and become a great leader to his people…"
He was unsure of the last statements, but any fool could see that Crono and his princess were absolutely mad for each other. They were fiancés as he last heard.
"Is that sufficient?"
Charles fell to his knees, "By God's will, thou art surely gifted. Might I ask this great descendant's name?"
"Crono."
He nodded, "Aye… a fine name it is…"
Magus nodded, before the he held a hand to help the soldier up.
"As I said before, I am looking for someone…"
"If I may help thine wish, so be it."
Magus coughed, "I am looking for a woman named Schala."
The second soldier pointed his sword up to Magus again.
"Ah, the Lady who uses magicks for the sake of good. The one who enchanted our weapons to fight the armies of the evil Emperor."
His eyebrows slowly went up, but in his mind, Magus knew that Schala was likely in the company of the General.
"Indeed, if you could bring me to her, she could also assess my worth as both a 'Clairvoyant' and as a wielder of magic."
Charles nodded, "I shall take thee to her."
1001 AD, Guardia Castle Library
Crono put the Clairvoyant's journal down, glancing to the others before moving to his sheet of notes and making a small notch, put a mark where Magus had met his ancestor.
"Crono? Are you still down here?"
He looked up and smiled, gazing into the lovely face of his fiancé, the princess of Guardia.
"Yes Marle… actually, could you help me? I have a few questions that you might be able to help me with."
Her orange hair moved as she smoothly walked over to his position, putting a hand on his left shoulder.
"What is it, Crono?"
He began tracing his way through the notes, explaining what he was unsure of.
"From what I understand, the books here speak of an evil Emperor who was in control of the land before the resistance finally stopped him. As I recall, there was no such Emperor before, right?"
She nodded, "Right, history was a subject I usually paid attention to. Etiquette? That's another story…"
He smirked, "Okay… next question."
"Shoot."
"Well, for one, if you notice how I am speaking… I used to have this… well… problem, and I felt it better to keep silent, but recently this problem has died down, as if it never existed in the first place…"
She smiled.
"I see you had a hand in it… I remember the curse of Frog had stayed its way in the family line in the form of speech being likened to a scratchy croaking except on the last day of every third month. I take it you persuaded Magus to remove his curse and restore him once again to Sir Glenn?"
Marle nodded, "Yes, he actually needed to read the books you have here right now. Though he had magically created copies to take with him… he needed some help looking for Schala, and wanted to reach her near the time she entered whatever era she's in. However, I would not allow him to look at the books without making him remove Frog's curse."
Crono nodded, "Well, that makes sense. I just read up to the start of the 'Clairvoyant's' journal, and upon realizing whose journal I was reading, I took an interest in finding out how he fared back during Guardia's beginnings."
Marle smiled, and looked at the cover of the book, suddenly looking confused.
"I had no idea you knew how to read Zealean."
He smirked, "My father taught me when I was young. So I could read the old scrolls on proper sword technique. Even though they date back to the Zealean era, there must be some kind on enchantment on them to keep them so fresh and new. Also, it was good to be able to read the name on my family's sword…"
She smiled again, "The Masamune… I remember you not looking terribly surprised when Lucca read the name on the broken sword after defeating the twins."
"Yeah, I never brought it to Melchior to ask him about it though. Come to think of it, it would have been very difficult to explain why I would have needed it repaired if he knew I had a perfectly fine version in Guardia's vaults."
"True," Marle commented, "And the castle wasn't exactly accessible at that time… uh… did Frog know?"
Crono nodded, "Yeah, I told him. Actually, it was after I was resurrected… you know, when I was being spoken to by everyone in the group separately."
"Yeah, that would be why I did not know that fact earlier."
She smiled, walking over to the book on King Guardia.
"Why don't I help you with this? I can take notes over here, if you like…"
Crono grinned, "Wow, as if you weren't awesome enough…"
"I do what I can."
195 AD, General Guardia's Fortress
"Thou art in the presence of a great military commander. I trust thou knowest how to treat him."
He scoffed, "You ask one who has been near the presence of royalty most of his own life."
The hood of his cloak still donned, he silently strode through the double doors of the castle that the soldiers opened for him. In the back of his mind, Magus realized something about this castle was familiar, but he couldn't place it.
He watched the General's gaze come upon him as he swiftly bowed to the military commander.
"Greetings General Guardia."
The man walked forward, nodding briefly, his long blonde hair cascading down his shoulders as he moved his head.
"And who, may I ask, art thou, sir?"
Magus lowered his head to further conceal his face.
"I am Magus, the herald of Zeal. I come bearing news of what your future brings."
The stern man's eyes glistened with concern, as Magus realized that Marle had inherited the eyes rather well.
"A herald? A Clairvoyant? From Zeal?"
He nodded, "Indeed, I know much of what the future entails… and that it involves the destruction of the Dark Empire."
The general paused, motioning to one of the soldiers near the back doors of the room.
"The Lady of Zeal will need to see if this is indeed true."
Magus grinned inwardly.
"Until then, tell me of my future."
Magus grinned, though unseen, as he began telling the tale of the family line of Guardia, which he had rehearsed before actually coming to this era.
"Fighting against the darkness enveloping the land, a man who revels in the shadow, yet is blighted, holding light within his own darkness, comes to aid the kingdom against the dark wiles of the Emperor. As the shadow falls, a new kingdom shall be born from the ashes, a man of great power takes up the stead to protect the lands, and becomes King of a great kingdom. As his people grow in strength, they move on, to other lands, and set up in the fertile areas of the North Western lands. There, an even more magnificent castle will be built… and there, the Kingdom shall reign for a great many years… but as time marches on, so does my accuracy. I'm afraid I can only see 800 years ahead, where your descendant goes on a great quest, aided by Charles Triggare's descendant, to stop a great evil…"
He stopped as Schala; who looked almost exactly as she had when she had left Zeal, though she had forgone her usual robes, for more close fitting, lighter wear, for more mobility; entered the room, looking him up and down before a confused look crossed her features.
"… Prophet? You are here?"
He bowed at the waist, "Indeed, Lady Schala. I have come to offer my assistance in the battle against the Dark Emperor."
She shook her head, "What would you have to gain by such a thing?"
He smiled, taking off the hood, "Why, seeing milady safe and sound after saving my life in the Ocean Palace is payment enough. Also, the darkness is very unsettling."
She nodded, "My pendant is reacting to the energies actually… wait… what happened to you? You were all dark and sinister before… did something happen?"
He smirked, "Remember the girl with the orange hair who carried a crossbow?"
Schala sighed, "How could I forget her? She cried like no other at Crono's death… her name… was Marle, wasn't it?"
He nodded, "But the most surprising thing…"
Gesturing to the general, he performed an elaborate wave of his hand.
"Is that she was a Princess of the Kingdom of Guardia… and Crono is descended from Sir Charles."
Schala raised an eyebrow, "A Princess? But…"
Magus smirked, "After all, the fact that she had your own pendant lead me to believe that there was a connection between the two of you… and coming back here, I realize that it must be true."
She smiled, shyly, "I admit, Prometheus has been courting me, as of late."
The General flashed a quick smile to Schala before returning his stern gaze to Magus.
Magus bowed, "Indeed, he is a fine man to ask for the lovely hand of the lady Schala."
She suddenly snapped up, "But… but you're the dark Prophet from Zeal! The one who aided in the construction of the Ocean Palace… why would you…"
He sighed, "Such was how my path was written, milady, just as it is to fight against this Dark Emperor. Such as it was when the beast Lavos lay before me in terror, as I finished it off with the very magical power coursing through me… such how it was when I aided in using the Guru of Time's artifact to resurrect Sir Crono Triggare."
She smiled, even more warmly than before, "Crono is alive? How wonderful…"
Magus nodded, "Or he will be, that is, if the Emperor is stopped from completely enslaving this world."
"Well, Sir Prophet, I…"
"You may call me Magus, milady."
She halted, slightly, trailing her eyes towards his long blue hair, which was of a curious hue that she only knew by one family.
"… Magus?"
Prometheus nodded, "He claims to be the 'Herald of Zeal'. T'is only fitting I would call the lovely Lady of Zeal herself to prove his claim."
Schala put a hand to her chin, "Well, his ways were dark, but it seems he is devoted to serving me. The Dark Emperor's touch has not been placed upon him, though I feel something familiar…"
His mind drifted to the amulet hidden underneath his robes.
Blast! She can sense it! I'm not ready to…
"Sir Magus."
He turned his gaze to the General.
"Yes, General?"
"T'is but vapors within mine own brain, but I feel thou art a powerful Wizard…"
Schala nodded, "I can sense you are even stronger than I am… possibly even stronger than the Dark Emperor. If what you say about destroying Lavos is true…"
Magus smirked, "I watched that bastard bleed his life blood over the ground. Not even a planet killer can withstand the might of the strongest of the shadow element."
She froze, "You are a Shadow elemental Wizard?"
He nodded, "Ever since I cast my first spell, I drifted towards the Shadow…"
The General held up a hand, "Would'st thou lead a covert unit to assassinate the Emperor?"
Magus raised his eyebrows, reminded that Crono and his friends had basically done the same against him.
"Granted, the dark power seems so familiar to me that whenever I sense it, my blood boils, and an overwhelming anger comes over my senses… for some reason, all I want to do is see this dark one before my feet, begging for his life… but…"
Schala smiled, "You are not the only one who has that feeling, Magus."
Hm… she truly is my sister, eh?
"Though… I feel the black wind howling around you… as if you may very well perish after battling the Emperor."
He shook his head, "Fear not, any sacrifice I make for you, Lady Schala, is a worthy sacrifice indeed."
Schala smiled over to Prometheus, "I remember you saying very much the same."
Prometheus Guardia grinned, delivering his orders, "Indeed… making him possibly an equally great man. Sir Magus, mine query stands. Wilt thou lead a covert group to the Emperor, and rid this fair land of him?"
Magus nodded, "As breath still stays within my body, so I will do so."
1001 AD
"Crono."
He looked up, looking into Marle's worried gaze.
"What's wrong, Marle?"
"I think I know why we don't read much more of the Clairvoyant after the war against the Dark Emperor."
He walked over to her, where she read trembling near what looked to be three quarters through the King's journal.
"T'was during the final battle, in which I had led mine own army against the Dark Emperor's twisted followers. Buying time for the great Clairvoyant, I charged in with the great Vanguard of freedom, hopelessly outnumbered. When I thought all was lost, a great wail came from within the Dark Tower, and the very foundations shook as the earth began to open up. There, Sir Charles stood near the brink with the great Kali Blade in hand, using its speed to push the followers into the growing crevice. Lady Schala used her most admirable ability with her greatest weapon, the Holy Valkyrie crossbow, to keep many at bay as the quaking followed through at an even greater magnitude. Suddenly… all was silent, and I heard a great resounding cheer, as my covert warriors, the greatest in the land, came out, declaring the death of the Emperor. Though the last came with sad news. Sir Tirion Olorin, our best martial artist, had fallen in battle, and the Clairvoyant was at the door of death itself. The man had sustained terrible wounds from the evil magicks of the Dark Emperor. As he was dying, he looked to the Lady Schala, suddenly pulling out from within his robes, an intricate amulet, much like the pendant in which she wore to fend off magicks. He spoke to her, saying it had protected him all those years while he was away from her, and that he was sorry for not having told her. She dove to him, crying aloud, grasping his face and looking deep into his eyes as his strength faltered and he died. I went to comfort milady, to ask of her sorrow, and she called the great Clairvoyant, 'brother'. He will be entombed within this castle, though if his predictions are true, he will be moved along with the Kingdom…"
As the tears fell, Marle pointed to a later passage farther in the book:
"His tombstone has been inscripted:
Janus Zeal
The Herald, and Clairvoyant, brother of the Lady Schala
'Whatever tempest hath raged in his head, may it be calmed on his journey to the afterlife. Rest in peace, brother of Schala.'
?-200 AD"
"Crono… I… I don't want this to be the way he dies…"
Crono looked down at Marle's sobbing form, looking back at the passage of the death of his family's most hated enemy, and greatest ally. He looked back on a life of where he was looked down upon because he used to croak with his speech, and realized that was a life that no longer existed.
He was confused, but he knew of one man who would be the judge of whether Magus should live or die.
"Come on, Marle. Don't cry…"
She sobbed, but the straightened up.
"We need to take the EPOCH. I'll fight the Dark Emperor myself if I have to."
Crono shook his head, "I won't let you do that… you mean too much to me… and I am not sure whether I would want to save Magus… there is one person who can make up my mind…"
Her pretty eyes shown confusion, until the thought dawned on her.
"We're going to speak with Glenn, aren't we?"
Crono nodded, "Yes. It will be his decision, since Magus did so much to him. If he is even willing to help us, then it will be done. But I think it would only be fair for this to be his choice."
Marle sighed, "Right… Magus was his mortal enemy after all…"
Crono smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Let's go see Lucca so we can get the EPOCH. We've done so much work, and there's still more to do."
Author's Note: As for the 'Herald of Zeal' reference, look to my fanfiction entited: "Forgotten in the Mists of Time". It also explains why Schala would have known the name Magus before.