7/24/05. Sorry about the long delay. The last part of the previous chapter was more or less unaltered from its first release, mostly because I rushed through it, but I'll be sure to review all the of following ones. Leave reviews, 10 only makes me sad…
Disclaimer: I own this computer…and other things. Just not Chrono Trigger. Well, I do own every character not found in Chrono Trigger that is in this story!
Date: 12005 B.C.
The march to the Skygate took longer than Lucca expected, longer being defined as 4 hours. Even when the snow abated, the lower continent had insanely awkward terrain; rock jutted out from under the minor parts of the ground that was snow-covered. Otherwise, it was a frozen pond (or other body of water) waiting to crack and be torn asunder, pulling Lucca inside and drowning her. Other patches of land had the fainted sign of soil underneath, yet meters away was miles of permafrost. This contrast gave the landscape an ephemeral quality; Lucca could hardly believe that the snow she walked upon could easily be one of the fields she had ran through after her escape from the hospital. Ironically, that had been 13000 years later, not yesterday.
"Dammit, I don't have time for this…" Lucca muttered under her breath. She dragged along a small pack that had contained the remnants of her clothing. After tearing off most of her sleeves to wrap Hexia's gnarled arm, as well as getting her clothing mangled by the now dead creature's tusks, Lucca saw it as necessary to put her worn clothes away and wear the only other set she had brought. All her other supplies were stored in the Epoch.
The mountain that housed the Skygate lay closer. Over it, she could now see the massive pale beam that would propel her up to Kajar. On the face of the mountain was also the seal of Zeal; a pair of parallel lightning bolts surrounding two orbs. These orbs were adorned with the same inscriptions as Schala's pendant
The thrill of finally having reached her destination excited Lucca, and she quickened her pace. She wasn't quite sure what she would do once in the city; having no real clue except the fleeting words "magical feedback", there was little chance she could even find an answer that would suit her in the city. Yet, she marched towards it while the zeal of a five-year-old in a candy store with a 10g note, aware that they can afford anything in the store, but nonetheless exhilarated by the choices laid in front of them.
And then, as Lucca got even closer to the mountain, she could see a figure coming towards her. Actually, she could only see the figure's massive white pike made of pure mithril. The subject of mithril is one that ought to, if not must, be discussed separately. During the heroic trio's invasion of the Ocean Palace five years from now, Lucca had noticed a small quirk about this metal; anyone who had a mithril weapon, more often than not, took the entire strength of her person to fell. The metal itself was almost incomprehensibly rare, moreso than gold, and was rumored to be unmoldable except at temperatures nearing 20 000 degrees Celsius. It made sense, therefore, that only Zeal Kingdom had prominently used the metal, for it was the only nation capable of producing and harnessing the temperature for the proper utilization of mithril
The bright sheen of the pike as the sun reflected off of its polished surface was therefore not a pleasant sight to Lucca. As she came closer to the mountain, she could see both that the figure was running, and that its purple robes fluttering in the wind. The figure must have been a Zealian; this purple was crafted by magic, and the snails that provided a normal purple dye were in very few numbers due to the cold of this era. The figure was clearly running towards Lucca, which only made whoever was sprinting towards Lucca with a weapon only awarded to the elite of the most powerful nation to grace the earth (or sky, as circumstance would have it), rather unnerving.
The figure came close enough for Lucca to see facial features. It was a girl, though the inventor wasn't sure; anyone in Zeal could have long blue hair. Upon further notice, Lucca confirmed the figure's gender by its graceful movements; the light step characteristic to the more delicate pedal structure of the fairer sex, the slightness of figure that could have discredited any notion of masculinity except in the most metrosexual individuals. As alien as the stranger appeared in her elegant robe and startingly long weapon, Lucca felt relieved to see that it was a girl, and not a morbidly sadistic soldier of the likes her mother had told her stories of during Lucca's youth.
The person slowed their base, and finally stood, in a rigid and rather imposing posture, in front of Lucca. A height of about 5' 9'', clear blue eyes, and blue hair; it was all Lucca could discern in her consternation. At least, there would be some company after 4 hours…
"Halt! Who goes there?" The girl said in a militaristic tone. She seemed ferocious, and her pike was pointed threateningly at Lucca's chest. Somehow, after sprinting that distance to confront Lucca, the girl wasn't tired one bit. There was no perspiration or voluminous heaving of the chest characteristic of the conclusion of long-distance sprints
"Who are you? Her Majesty explicitly requests that all Earthbounds be turned back from the Skygate." The girl stated after Lucca didn't answer. She thrust her pike forward so that it was millimeters away from Lucca's heart. In a reflex, Lucca jumped back, and eyed her assailant in terror; she had just been practically stabbed by some unknown lady who thought she was Earthbound.
Now that there was a considerate distance between Lucca and the malicious weapon that had nearly impaled her, she stared incredulously at the person opposite her. The girl was dressed in long robes that were loose and flowing, yet didn't seem to hinder her movement. She had the normal traits for Enlightened Ones; blue eyes, blue hair. Her rather delicate face was only distorted by her frown and insistence on poking Lucca with her sharp weapon.
"I'm not an Earthbound, don't kill me!" Lucca shouted quickly when her assailant thrust her pike more menacingly than before. The girl frowned, and held her pike to her side. She eyed Lucca cautiously, the wind blowing her robes behind her. The billowing wind drew Lucca's attention to the soldier's overly muscular legs. This, combined with her previous sprint, convinced Lucca that the person standing before her was, indeed, highly trained. The inventor's conjecture had not been false.
"Explain…" The soldier said simply, in a fairly high-pitched and melodious voice that betrayed both her attire and demeanor. Lucca began, leaving out some key details, of course.
"I-I…ummm…I need to research something in Zeal. A-a spell that I've seen!" Lucca said. Her fabrication didn't seem too unrealistic. She had seen a medley of people research spells and practice them in the massive fields outside of Kajar.
"Oh really? So, how did you, a Zealian, find your way down here when the Land Bridge has been closed for just over a month ?" The girl said gruffly, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Her hand tightened upon the mithril weapon, as if an unsatisfactory answer would give her reason to sever Lucca's head from her body. Lucca stared wide-eyed at the small detail she had overlooked, and was so gripped by fear due to the Zealian's forceful eyes that she couldn't fabricate an answer.
"Liar!" The girl shouted, grabbing her pike and thrusting it towards Lucca's chest with deadly accuracy. Her robes fluttered as the wind blew them, her muscles tensing as her legs pushed her towards the destruction of Lucca's life.
"WAIT!" Lucca shouted, jumping back. This time, the pike came so close that it poked a hole in Lucca's torso. The hole was miniscule, of course; the very tip only had bore through her skin. A droplet of blood trickled out of the puncture.
"What then, Earthbound! If you are what you claim, you wouldn't be here in the first place!" The girl said menacingly. Her statement didn't display any particular contempt for Earthbounds; rather, she seemed irritated with Lucca for stalling her murderous intentions.
"I'll prove it to you; I'm no Earthbound!" Lucca said quickly, an idea springing to mind. She knew just the trick.
"And what would this proof be?" Before the girl had finished the sentence, Lucca's palm was on the ground, leaving a reddish imprint on the snowy surface. For the sake of ostentation, Lucca drew the markings of Zeal kingdom around the palm, and drew a wide circle around the whole marking, making an impressive-looking emblem.
"I advise that you move from there!" Lucca shouted with the same excitement she felt as she slaughtered the beast a few hours ago. The girl looked at the ground skeptically, but didn't move from her spot. The ground trembled as Lucca expected. The markings she had made glowed, small embers erupting from them as the earth struggled to release its burden. In one abrupt moment, an inferno erupted from the ground as fire and lava thrust upward, for the third time in the inventor's life. This instance was slightly more impressive, because Lucca was skillfully willing the lava to spin counterclockwise as it ascended. The girl was blown back by the sheer force of the volatile magic; yet, Lucca stood right over her insignia, unscathed, laughing maniacally. After a few minutes, the raging storm of fire calmed down, sunk back into the Earth, and the crest Lucca had made was just black ash, a sharp contrast to the pearly white snow it rested upon.
"Sweet mother of…" The girl muttered in astonishment as she stared at where the ground had exploded under her, still lying on her back. Lucca grinned fanatically at her feat; part of her clothes were completely burned off, but there was no damage done to her otherwise. The girl saw it as impossible.
"Now are you convinced?" Lucca said smugly. The girl grunted in annoyance, got off the ground, and brushed the snow that had gotten on her robes. She picked her pike off its resting place, held it firmly in her hands, and pointed it at Lucca's forehead in a battle stance.
"Well then, madam. If you wish to visit the Kingdom in the Sky, you will have to go through me." The girl said, smiling haughtily. Lucca frowned. It wouldn't be too hard to fell this girl considering what she had faced traveling with Crono and Marle. She had killed Lavos, for heaven's sake! Well, she had been there when Crono delivered the final blow. How she would have liked to have Crono here now to decapitate this nuisance.
One bullet to the head would finish it, but Lucca would make sure to just blow the girl's leg off for the sake of thoroughness, so she would not impede on Lucca's quest further; there was no point killing her for no reason.
It seemed Lucca's previous display had given her an overly grandiose view of herself, for as her hand moved to her waste to find her gun, she could only think of the dozens of different ways she could utterly crush the person before her. Yet, one problem had suddenly arisen in her mind. She had left the Wondershot where she dropped it as she fought the monster. Magic was her only weapon.
"What is the matter? Will you not fight me?" The girl said with a half-grin that made her look very dangerous. She graspe
d her pike so hard her knuckles turned white, and she bent her knees slightly, preparing to spring into the air and relieve Lucca of her existence.
"There's a little problem here…I-I left my gun a few hours back…C-can we postpone this…" Lucca said in unadulterated panic. She barely knew enough spells to take this Zealian out, considering her opponent's race orchestrated magic's entry into the world in the first place.
"I believe that is not an option. I don't know what a gun is, but I'm sure you can fight without it, being as your magic is so potent." The girl said sarcastically, her intent to mock Lucca into attacking. Then, the same idiotic pride that had made Lucca go dinosaur-hunting came back when the insult assailed her; the foolish pride that told her that her magic was just as powerful as anyone else's, if not moreso, and that she needed to prove that to fulfill herself.
"Fine then. I accept your challenge…" Lucca said fiercely. The Zealian raised her eyebrow as Lucca's sudden change in demeanor, but shrugged it off and entered a fighting stance. Her blue eyes were focused on Lucca's purple ones, and they could both see each other's reflection. The wind began to howl, blowing ferociously and whipping back the girl's robes and hair. Likewise, Lucca's hair was flying all over the place.
As if spurred by a gunshot, the girl leapt forward, and thrusted her pike at Lucca's neck. The target being so small, of course, Lucca rolled to the side and conjured a balled of fire from her palm in a fraction of a second, and threw it at her assailant. The Zealian swatted it with her pike, and once again entered a battle stance, eyeing Lucca sternly. They were once again at a stalemate, waiting for each other to strike. The purple-headed one charged, muttering incomprehensible things under her breath. The truth was, Lucca didn't need to speak to cast those spells, seeing as she was so used to them. It was more of a way to distract her opponent's into thinking they would get torched, allowing Lucca to pop a bullet into their skulls.
But the intention this time was to cast a spell, Fire 2 in particular. As if on cue, the sky went dark and red stars could be seen in the air. There were at least 50, each one a molten boulder waiting to pulverize Lucca's foes. The Zealian smiled, as if her worries had been corrected. She held her pike to her side, and waited. The meteors came closer, and Lucca got an idea. Being that she couldn't aim her spells for her life, and that her primary weapon was buried under the snow somewhere, it would only be logical to pummel her opponent with magic rather than use calculated strikes. Sure, she would faint after that from lack of mana and overall exertion, but she would win.
Lucca ran into the strike zone, paying careful attention to where the meteors would land by the small red shadows they made on the ground. that marked the ground. Lucca leapt into the air, surprising her opponent, who grasped the pike that was lying at her side, eager to impale Lucca and get it over with. Before long, three emblems adorned the snow-filled ground, and the earth began to shake as the meteors came closer. Almost simultaneously, all three of Lucca's pillars of fire rose forth from the earth, somewhat trapping her opponent, who stood bewildered and unable to escape, lest she run into a swirling tower of fire and lava. And while she worried about the pillars, dozens of flaming meteors stuck the ground at random place, but all intended for the Zealian.
Suddenly, in an amazing feat of agility that surprised both Lucca and herself, the Zealian ran towards a pillar, jammed her pike into the ground, and used it as a pole to vault through the fire. She came out of it with minor burns, and conveniently landed on a meteor that was planning to hit the exact spot she had just stood in. The girl ran again, jumping into another meteor, even though her soles had melted. A white aura began to engulf her, and her pupils disappeared as the white continued to envelop her body. Leaping up into the air a final time, she concentrated all of the white energy into the tip of her pike, and gave a huge overhead slash that chopped the final meteor in half and froze it into solid ice. Her exertion almost complete, she landed right in front of Lucca, and extended her pike as if to stab her opponent right through the stomach. Lucca jerked backwards, and fell backwards roughly. By the time she recovered, the sharp edge of the pike rested on her neck. Defeat.
"W-well, I-I guess…it's o-over…" Lucca said, trembling as the pike came dangerously close to her throat. She closed her eyes, and waited for the pain of death.
"Are you going to lie there all day!" The girl shouted at Lucca after the latter had not budged for over 15 second.. The Zealian grabbed her arm and lifted the purple-headed one to her feet. Lucca finally opened her eyes, but was surprised to see her assailant smiling warmly at her. "My name is Khadgara, 3rd Lieutenant of the Enlightened Guard." She said, extending her hand. Lucca looked at her wide-eyed, still shocked that she hadn't been beheaded yet.
"Ummm…hi…I'm Lucca" Lucca said, grabbing her hand and giving her a weak handshake. Lucca was starting to feel dizzy from her extreme use of mana earlier, and her feet wobbled forcedly. Before she knew it, she was holding on to Khadgara's shoulder to prevent from falling, but even that didn't stop the darkness from shrouding her mind.
Date: 12005 B.C.
Lucca opened her eyes to see a warm lamp hanging from the ceiling. This lamp was made of pure gold, which luminous candles perched upon a concentric ring of twelve spokes. She had never seen such a thing. The lamp would have been too high for someone to light it, and the candles didn't seem to be melting. They just eternally shone. She was lying on a rather large bed that was unbelievable comfortable; she had no intention of getting up anytime soon.
"Awake already?" Lucca heard Khadgara's voice say. She jerked her head around to see the lieutenant standing in the doorway of the room she was laid in. As she looked around, Lucca could see that they were in a cave. It was about the same size as an Earthbound cave would be, except there was no ceiling. Only the ground and the door were earthen. Yet, for some reason, no wind entered the cave. The sunlight shone through, but nothing else. It was as if glass had been placed in a wide dome above the small room, but there was no evidence of this; at least, none visible.
"What is…this?" Lucca asked in amazement, pointing at the lamp. The odd-looking lamp, the fully exposed cave that was unharmed by the freezing winds of the Ice Age; all of this made no sense. Khadgara laughed, a rather sweet-sounding laugh that was laced with unadulterated amusement. The laugh sounded like a song, almost as if a siren was singing it with engaging melodies. Yet, it annoyed Lucca that Khadgara's laugh was so melodious. Were the Enlightened One's always so perfect?
"That lamp," Khadgara said, walking over to the object in question, and pointing at it, "is called a chandelier. It consists of twelve hook-shaped recesses all attached to a central pole. The candles are lit by magic. They will never burn out so long as Zeal Kingdom is still standing." She said matter-of-factly. Grabbing a chair that lay next to the bed, Khadgara sat down at Lucca's side.
"That was very impressive use of magic there. Reckless, but impressive." She said, grinning widely. Lucca grinned as well, glad that she was finally getting some recognition.
"That was very impressive use of a pike back that. I never knew you could vault onto falling meteors." Lucca said. Khadgara clasped her hands behind her head, and sighed.
"A skill I learned from my brother. You'll surely meet him in Zeal."
"W-What? You're letting me go!" Lucca said in astonishment. She was convinced that losing that battle meant she was denied entry into Zeal Kingdom. Khadgara chuckled and smiled.
"Of course. With magic such as yours, it would be a crime not to let you study there. What spell are you looking for, anyway?" Khadgara asked. Lucca immediately fumbled for another fabrication. She had completely forgot about her excuse for needing to enter Zeal.
"Um…umm…well, it's this thing where…" Lucca said, stumbling for some ludicrous spell. Surely, the Zealian would already know most of these spells, having seen them, so she would be hard to fool.
"There was no spell, right?" Khadgara said all-knowingly. Lucca nodded in shame. "I'm not going to force you to tell me, of course. That is your own concern. However, others in Zeal are not as accepting to foreigners. You are better off blending in."
"How can I blend in? I have purple hair and eyes! Everything up there is blue!" Lucca said. Khadgara nodded again, smiling as though she had the whole thing worked out. Her smile was another symbol of perfection. Her lips curled in a slow manner, which her cheekbones rising upwards , but always seem to warm up to whoever saw it. Her eyes shone and reflected the chandelier as she smiled, giving the Zealian an angelic appearance.
"No one cares about hair color. There are so many different colors in Zeal that purple wouldn't be out of place. To blend in, you would need some Zealian robes." Khadgara got up from the chair, and motioned Lucca to follow her. Lucca was reluctant to leave the comfortable bed, and frowned when she was out of the cover's warm embrace.
"We have identical body measurements, so this should fit you well." Khadgara said, giving Lucca four ornately decorated robes. They were similar to the one's she had seen in Zeal, except with several variations: the hems were rimmed with golden thread, and the robes were particularly longer than any others she'd seen. Wearing that meant not seeing your feet again. The embroidery on the robes was amazingly detailed, and Lucca was particularly impressed by the skill that must have gone into each one.
"Well…thanks!" Lucca said cheerfully. She liked the robes' appearance very much, and was anxious to try them on.
Not long after, Lucca was changed in a robe of complicated purple and light blue patterns. She had let her hair fall down to its full length as many Zealians did, instead of wearing it in an odd-looking bun, a habit she had picked up once her purple locks began grew exponentially. Both she and her mother had short hair, and neither had ever needed to do anything besides brush it when it became too disheveled. Lucca's hair reached her knees now, something she had never thought possible, but the massive growth had slowed down and practically stopped. Coincidentally, most of the backs of her robes were fully purple, so her abnormal hair color was well camouflaged.
"My goodness, Lucca. You'll be turning a few heads up there." Khadgara said with a wide grin. Lucca blushed and tried to dismiss the thought. She was quite uncomfortable being stared at by men, while Marle seemed to thrive in it. As an attractive princess, the number of suitors knocking on King Guardia's door was unbearable, yet Princess Nadia had yet to set her sights of marriage. Marle's parents had made it quite clear that no arrangements would be made, and that the princess would choose her spouse by her own will. At this rate, Marle would marry at the age of 50.
Lucca was particularly impressed by her own appearance, however. She remembered the little rant she had had with herself almost a little under a month ago, when she was so morose by her prepubescent boy-like figure. Yet, for some reason, she had grown exponentially in the past two weeks. She was at least six inches taller, and sported a pair of long, seductive legs accentuated by her slender waist and attractive hips. She had no more need for glasses, and her vision was clearer and more precise than she could have imagined. Her breasts were full and perky, not so big that it distorted both her appearance and her balanced, but not so small that one mistook her torso for a table or wall. But, most of all, she was enthralled by her hair. She had always been particularly envious of long-haired girls, hiding this behind disdain and the belittling of these girls with terms such as "whimsical" and "idiotic". Yet, long hair was something she had always wanted, and she had more of it than she could handle. Her hair was at least four feet long, reaching the middle of her thigh, and it shone with enough luster to make Marle wet her pants. Stared in awe, and turned back to Khadgara.
"I don't really want that to happen…" Lucca said meekly, sounding like a little child. Khadgara laughed.
"Oh, don't worry. You'll get used to it. Within two weeks, there'll be dozens of men asking for a hot time between the sheets!" Khadgara said, trying to stifle her laughter as Lucca's eyes widened. Lucca blushed widely at this comment, and imagined herself barring the door of her room from thousands of testosterone-driven monsters desperate to stick their items in a special place of hers. It made her shudder. "For Zeal's sake, Lucca! Stop being so pathetic. The most entertaining thing to do in Zeal is toy with those little boys and break their hearts before anything serious happens. It seems evil, but the others get the message that you're not interested."
"I have no intention of breaking hearts. That's the cruelest thing you can do to human beings! How can you say that!" Lucca said forcefully. Khadgara closed her eyes and shook her head.
"You have a good heart Lucca. I think that will be attracting men more than your body will." At this statement, Lucca was speechless. Khadgara smiled warmly at her, waiting for her to respond. When Lucca didn't, the Zealian spoke.
"I'll be going back up to Zeal in a few days, once I finish my shift guarding the Skygate. Then we can talk more there. The Skygate is just outside this cave." Khadgara said. "And another thing. The basic greeting is a hug. It signified friendship, even with someone you've never met. Refusing a hug is a symbol of enmity. Shaking hands is a greeting between opponents in any sort of contest. Keep that in mind." She added. Lucca nodded, and started towards the Skygate, still bewildered at the strange customs of that place. The hugging rule combined with her fear of being swarmed by horny guys made her reluctant to associate with people.
Date: 12005 B.C.
The Skygate was a lonely looking cave with a pillar erupting out of a crest on the ground. It served a single purpose: to transport people into Zeal. Doing the reverse required another structure. Yet, the Skygate was relatively unused. The continent was so frozen and harsh that no Enlightened One in their right mind would go down there by their own free will. Besides Khadgara, Lucca had yet to see an Enlightened One on the Earthbound lands.
Lucca stood before the Skygate, peering into the depths of magic that would propel her into Zeal Kingdom. On her right arm was a bag that contained the robes Khadgara had given her, but her thoughts were far from it. She wondered how long it would take to find answers. But, more importantly, she wondered what she would do there. Will it be a twenty-minute ordeal, looking up an encyclopedia, reading a few pages about it, then returning to her time? Or will Kajar's massive libraries of infinite knowledge be as clueless as she was? Lucca stared into the pillar of light, now uncertain. This may have all been in vain. Even if she found out what was wrong, what would it change? The magic would remain. She would keep the 10 inches added to her height, and her hair would stay just as long. She would retain the ability to heal inhumanly quick, like when she was mauled by that dinosaur; her improved vision, which she had no problem with, wouldn't vanish with the truth.
"What am I doing here…" Lucca asked herself silently. Snow had begun to fall outside again, and the wind entered the cave. It was cold, piercing her skin and tapping her nerves. Zealian robes were not meant to resist the unfavorable conditions of the continent. Partly due to a burst of courage, and partly to get away from the wind that threatened to turn her into an icicle, Lucca ran into the Skygate.
Date: 12005 B.C.
The sun shone. After a full day of snow, hail, and freezing temperature, the grass was green, and the wind was a soft breeze that didn't seek to freeze her. Lucca stared at the sky, blurring her eyes until she had to look away. This was the same sun that the Earthbounds saw. But, there were no clouds. Looking far into the horizon, Lucca could see the clouds below the floating islands; they were heavy and gray. Zeal Kingdom stood immune to this dreadful weather, because it was simply above it.
Enhasa stood a few miles away. From her place, Lucca could already see its towering dome, the wide fields about it, and the bridge that led to Kajar, her destination. She would have stopped at Enhasa instead, if she could. Unfortunately, it was only a large city. It had a decent library that paled in comparison to the wealth of information in Kajar, and even less people who excelled at magic to the point of knowing her condition. Instead, she would have to hike another few hours to reach the largest city of Zeal Kingdom, and her legs were already tired from walking and fighting for so long.
As Lucca came closer to Enhasa, she began to see Zealians. They wore all different kind of robes, all different heights and ages. Except, everyone's hair was a light color. Whether it was light blue, blond, or anything else, it was light and shiny. Lucca couldn't notice one person with a dark mane of purple like she had. Children were playing outside the city, chasing magical balls, running up and down the length of Enhasa with their parents and playmates. Their lives seemed empty of sorrow or even discomfort. All they had to worry about was what clothes to wear in the morning, or what dish to cook. Lucca had faced more hardships and loss than all of them combined.
This thought made Lucca slightly angry. She had seen Hexia and her daughter suffering, their clothes tattered and their hair soiled, living in pits that couldn't withstand the slightest chill. They hunted whatever wild game they could find for food; beds were made of leaves and branches set on stone or dried mud. Yet, these Zealians lived with all the luxuries in existence. They had all their needs provided to them by magic; magic grew the plants that Zealians used for food; the magic on the fingertips of the seamstresses made the clothing; the magic on a mother's hand made the ball that her children would foolishly entertain themselves with. With all this magic, why didn't the Enlightened Ones just bring the Earthbound into their homes, and allow them to live in their grand cities? What made Earthbounds so much different? The fact that they couldn't sew with incantations, but with needles instead?
Lucca looked away from the children, disgusted. She had already taken a dislike to the Enlightened Ones, a dislike she never had when she first came here with Crono and Marle. Lost in her thoughts, Lucca hadn't noticed that she had reached the bridge to Kajar already. Her legs were still hurting terribly, but her anger at the Enlightened Ones' privileges gave her an unknown source of energy that spurred her movements.
Yet, regardless of how much she disliked the Enlightened Ones now, Lucca still had to acknowledge the effort that was necessary to create a floating kingdom. All the magic necessary to lift the massive slabs of rock into the sky; the days of laboring to create the three magical cities of Enhasa, Kajar, and Zeal; the innumerable amount of spells necessary to suspend those cities in the air, which sat upon earth that weighed millions of tons. And, considering Lucca would be one of them for the duration of her stay, she couldn't be too envious, after all.
Lucca snapped out of her thoughts when she accidentally ran into a little child. The child in question was headed into the same place she was: the doors of Kajar. These large doors, adorned with the crest of Zeal, were only a few meters away.
"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Lucca said, lifting the small boy up from the ground. He didn't seem hurt, so Lucca's question was irrelevant.
"Yes, I'm alright. Sorry for running into you, madam. I will be careful next time." He said politely, bowing to Lucca with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"No, no, it was my fault." Lucca insisted. The boy shook his head, and walked into the city. Lucca was dazed at being knocked out of her daydreams so abruptly, and just barely managed to hold the massive door that was about to slam shut once the boy had gone through it.
Date: 12005 B.C.
Kajar was just as Lucca had remembered it: The entrance was full of service centers and shops, with a massive area of chairs and tables for people to talk, eat, sleep, read, or anything else they had in mind. The library would be further back.
Practically everything was adorned with gold and velvet. There were large windows that displayed the fields outside, which rolled for miles and miles before the hangar of the blackbird. Speaking of the Blackbird, the massive ship was still just a frame.
Coming back to Kajar after daydreaming, Lucca began to stare in wonder at everything in the city. This place was nothing short of magnificent. The walls were probably 40 ft high, the ceilings adorned with crests and the symbol of Zeal. The citadel had a fantastic feel to it, what with the small courtyards and wide alleys adorned with all sorts of marvelous decorations; plates of armor stood at random places. The odd chandeliers hung at regular intervals, these branching out into dozens of spokes rather than the small number she saw in Khadgara's "house". A single chandelier in Kajar lit the size of Lucca's house; actually, probably the entire town of Truce.
As if on impulse, Lucca broke into a run in an effort to reach the library. She was so excited to reach her destination at last that she couldn't repress the desire to absorb the information she craved. She would read the whole library if she had to; the walk to the city had made Lucca anxious to know how the kingdom had been made in the first place.
At first, it was rather crowded all over the city. People streamed to the entrance area to dine with their family and friends. There were thousands of private dining rooms about an square acre in total. These consisted of a massive dining table seating about 200 people. Food was brought in regularly (most of it magically assembled on the spot by expert "cooks"). In addition to hundreds of available dishes, people could choose what type of environment they wanted to dine in. The most popular were a waterfall and a garden of roses. The most unpopular were an Earthbound cave.
Before she knew it, Lucca had hit the library. It was filled with trillions of volumes spanning the length of time. Every known phenomenon or event had been recorded, and every person born in the Zeal kingdom was listed, along with their vital statistics and a page dedicated to their life. There was a small number of people in the huge room; it was starting to look more like a library, with nearly complete silence except for a few whispers here or there. These whispers seemed to merge together and force people to whisper louder, trying to be heard over another whispering bunch; eventually, the entire area would be full of shouting men and women trying to be heard. After they realized how loud they were being, they would be quiet for a few seconds and start whispering again. This cycle never ended.
Lucca scanned the line of book neatly stacked on the shelves. She had reached the row for "M"; if her condition was known as magical feedback in Zeal, she could find it. Unfortunately, so many books were placed in alphabetically arranged rows that it would take hours to walk to the end of a row. Luckily, Lucca had started searching in the Mer- section, and had perused a book on mer-ging two magical spells together to create an entirely new one, instead of simply making them attack simultaneously. Almost like making a solution rather than a mixture. Within due time (45 minutes), Lucca had reached the Mag- section of the library, already thoroughly exhausted. Even with her newfound powers, her stamina drained like an unplugged well. Running her right index finger through the spine of hundreds of magic books (magic was the principal force in Zeal, so it was logical to have so many volumes dedicated to it), Lucca mouthed the subject of the books. At long last, she had reached a section of books that started with magical. Whether Zeal had her answer or not depended on these next few instances; the anxiety was making her uncomfortable, and she was beginning to want to leave and not find out what the disease was. These doubts continued to run through her mind until Lucca mouthed the letters Magical Feedback and her Majesty, the Great Princess Schala. Lucca's eyes widened as she jerked the book out of its place on the row. The crowd was beginning to shout again, except this time, a number of them began to rise and bow. Lucca didn't know what they were bowing at; she was too focused on opening the book correctly, as her fingers suddenly felt large and clumsy. At long last, she managed to pull back the cover, and began to read inwardly
Magical Feedback and her Majesty, the Great Princess Schala (3000 A.Z.) (A/N: A.Z. means "After Zeal". This is the way Zealians refer to time in this story. Considering Christ isn't born, B.C. wouldn't apply to them. Also, parentheses in this section refer to Lucca's thoughts as she reads)
Magical feedback, also known as the rebuff of magic, is a term coined by the Master of War, Spekkio. In this extremely rare condition only one person is known to have this, the magic in the veins of the afflicted begins to combust and release large amounts of energy uncontrollably. This energy may cause discomfort at first, but then proceeds to enhance the cells of the victim. (Why do they keep saying 'victim?') This leads to an increase strength and dexterity, as well as stamina and any other attribute in the person. They may begin to grow hair and bone density at an uncontrollable rate for a few weeks before the rate of growth begins to slow down. The combustion of the magic causes the magic's potency to increase 50-fold, though this has yet to be proven. All of the data presented above is based on tests of the sole individual suffering from this: Princess Schala.
This unusual malady first gripped the Princess on the eve of her 16th birthday. (I'm 16 now…Is this a coincidence?) A group of ambassadors sent to the central Earthbound hive (Hive? What, are they insects now?) had been attacked by a mammoth on their way to the Skygate. This mammoth seemed immune to even their spells, and they all suffered injury. One of these ambassadors, Lord Fhystoriax, was killed, and the others severely injured. Princess Schala, the leading ambassador to the Earthbounds, managed to drive off the creature with a fire spell that went awry, but served its purpose none-the-less. When she was hospitalized for several wounds on her torso and two broken limbs, the Princess awoke the next day without a single scratch. Our healers had not applied any healing spell to her. Her highness Queen Zeal personally inspected her daughter to make sure of her well-being; it was through this inspection that her Majesty noticed Schala's unusual growth in height. Thus, it was discovered.
There was an old myth long since disregarded that referred to such a condition as this. It stated that only two people would ever have this syndrome, and they would be polar opposites. One would be benefited positively, while the other would be affected in the inverse. One would use their newfound power for good, while their counterpart would use it for evil. Though the myth was vague See Myths and Legends of Zeal, Vol. XXXVII, we are convinced that Schala is the first of the two individuals mentioned here. The second has yet to be discovered. The myth goes on to say…
Lucca suddenly stopped reading when she felt dozens of pairs of eyes on her. She stood up, unsure of why so many people would be bowing and staring at her. But then again, after reading part of that book (the constant references to victims, illnesses, syndromes, and whatever else didn't help), Lucca was shaken up and didn't feel like thinking. She spun on her heel, only to meet the blue eyes on someone. Namely her Majesty herself, Queen Zeal.
Date: 12005 B.C.
The last time Lucca had seen this woman, Queen Zeal was intent on ending her life upon the Black Omen. And now, she was face-to-face with the monarch, who seemed to be smirking for no apparent reason. She wore the royal crest of Zeal upon her back, along with a robe that could feed 1000 times the population of Truce. Her blue hair was tied up in a bun that was held by an odd type of wreath; otherwise, two long bangs hung down her face. She stood slightly taller than Lucca (who was already quite tall) and locked eyes with her as if in a wordless battle. Lucca didn't know what to do or say, but looking at that face brought back bad memories. Lucca could suddenly see the Black Omen's massive black frame blocking the sun; she remembered destroying the guard spheres at the Omen's entrance; she remembered every corrupted creature that had tried to fell her, Crono, and Marle. She remembered the Mammon Machine trying to kill all of them as it sucked their very essence into it to do battle, and worse of all, she remembered the very same woman standing before her transforming into a disembodies face with two disembodied hands, intent on killing three teenagers for the sake of Lavos' awakening. Zeal had been the orchestrator of the latter part of Lucca's previous adventure; had it not been for the queen mindlessly seeking power, Crono would not have lost his life on that day. In fact, Magus would have never experienced such torture as being separated from his beloved sister for decades. Gaspar would never have to spend eternity watching over hapless travelers such as Lucca herself. But then again, had it not been for Queen Zeal, Gaspar would have never been there to offer them advice and the means of awakening the magic in them through Spekkio.
As a queen, Zeal opted her subject to bow whenever she was near. Lucca had been the sole member of that room to not do so, and had even committed the capital offense of looking at her Majesty straight in the eye as if they were equals. Lucca suddenly thought of Khadgara's advice, to always hug when you mean friendship, and to warmly accept any embraces that come your way. But hugging the sovereign would practically be suicide. Besides, after the atrocities Zeal had committed, Lucca felt dirty just looking at her. What was she to say? How are you, I forgive you for dooming your family to sorrow so you can covet that overgrown porcupine? That would certainly get her evicted out of Zeal, or killed if her Majesty was in a bad mood. Suddenly, without warning, Lucca felt an arm slip around her slender waist, and felt this same arm pull her close to a certain person's warm body. This snapped her out of her frantic search for something to say to the queen, but vexed her that someone was groping her at such a time. When Lucca looked at her assailant's face, she saw a handsome Zealian young man with blue hair and features familiar to Lucca, though she couldn't quite place them. Before she could slap his teeth out of his mouth, he began speaking.
"Forgive my wife, your majesty. She is still quite young, and was so enthusiastic about her studies that she didn't become aware of your coming." He said. Queen Zeal gave a sly smile that made her look even more imposingly Junoesque.
"Your wife, Khadgar? She is quite a pretty one, though I haven't seen one resembling her around here. How old is she?" Lucca almost sighed when she heard the boy's name. With a sister such as that, it was no wonder Khadgar had no self-restraint when it came to proclaiming strangers as his wife. Then, Lucca almost blushed when she heard Queen Zeal complementing her beauty. This was quite flattering, considering the last thing Lucca had heard Zeal say was "You pathetic wretch!" right before Crono buried his sword into her disembodied skull.
"She is not yet nineteen." He answered plainly. Queen Zeal then turned her head to face Lucca, the same annoying smile adorning her flawless face. Lucca shrunk under her deep blue eyes; she looked like a little child in them, crying out for her mother as a bully advanced on her to steal her comb.
"Can you join me outside in at the day's end? I would like very much to get acquainted with you." Her Majesty asked Lucca. Lucca nodded meekly.
"Y-ye-y-yes, your Majesty." Lucca said, stuttering wildly as she tried to sound as humble as possible. Queen Zeal nodded to her, before walking off into the dining area.
Date: 12005 B.C.
WHAM!
Khadgar reeled back as he felt Lucca's fist impact with his cheek. Magical feedback had made Lucca exceptionally strong, as shown by her wrenching the sealed drawer open back at her house. This display was no less spectacular as the man nearly flew into a table. Lucca was fuming at being put on the spot, especially by Khadgara's brother. And of all the nerve…the only person that was allowed to do such a thing without her consent would be Crono. She advanced on him like a lion stalking a gazelle. Poking a finger in his chest, Lucca bellowed,
"I AM NOT, NEVER WAS, AND NEVER WILL BE YOUR WIFE, LET ALONE TOUCH YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" A good number of people turned to look at the source of the obscenity that had reached their ears.
"I beg to differ…" He muttered in amusement. Lucca swung at him again, not caring if she caved in his skull. This time, he leaned back slightly, making Lucca lose her balance at the exertion and fall forward. Naturally, Khadgar caught her in his arms and brought his lips to her ear, before whispering:
"I like my women feisty." This was the last straw for Lucca. She pushed him off with unbelievable strength, making him practically fly into a bookcase. Without thinking logically, Lucca started muttering under her breath as balls of fire protruded from her palm. If she couldn't cave his head in, she would at least burn it.
"Stop it this instant!" An unknown voice called. Lucca looked towards in direction to see Schala Zeal advancing towards them. Lucca's heart almost jumped into her throat. Schala had been missing for years after she rescued Magus, Marle, and Lucca from Lavos. Lucca was about to run at the Princess and hug her, pouring tears on the Zealian's shoulder, when she realized that Schala didn't know her in this time.. The princess wore dark purple and blue robes, and wore her hair in the exact same way her mother did. She had a very stern look on her face, which served its purpose of stopping Lucca from setting Khadgar on fire. Schala had some kind of aura around her that gave her a pristine beauty, the type that inspired adoration in total strangers. Schala was loved by everything and everyone. No Earthbound could slander her (though very few slandered, as they accepted their inferiority), and certainly no fellow Zealian.
"Schala! What are you doing here?" Khadgar said, getting back up on his feet and smiling, something that made him look an awful lot like his sister.
"Khadgar, why have you been bothering this poor girl? And in the most indecent way, too!" Schala scolded as she glared at him. Khadgar scratched the back of his neck and chuckled weakly before turning towards Lucca.
"I'm sorry, miss. It's just, your magnificent beauty drew me to you. I couldn't resist!" He said. Lucca, who had been speechless ever since Schala showed up, couldn't help but blush deeply. "Let's start over, shall we. I'm Khadgar." He said, extending his hand
"I-I'm Lucca. Nice to meet you…" Lucca said timidly, the rage previously in her voice now completely gone. She took Khadgar's hand and shook it firmly, delving into his soul by looking at his eyes. He seems innocent and pure-hearted, and his advances were justified. No one can resist MY beauty after all, right? Haha! Lucca thought proudly. She hadn't looked in a mirror at all since leaving Khadgara's cabin, so really had no idea if running through a gigantic library looking for a single book made her any sexier. Odd.
Done. I only edited the first two thousands words on this chapter, because I find the rest to be adequate. Besides, the revisions I made were only some bigger words here or there. Nothing major. R&R.
I'm also surprised as to how cheesy and cliché some of the things I wrote were. Granted, mot of these chapters are almost a year old, and I wasn't as experienced at writing as I am now, but it still shocks me.