Crono awoke to a knock on his door. "Oh, Lucca, did you get that radio fixed?" he asked, making his way to the door. When he opened it, though, the person on the other side was the dirty-blonde man from Hawkeye's troop.
"Wrong guy, pal," he said. "But, yeah, she got that thing working pretty good, from what Fuery told me."
"Oh, sorry," Crono said.
"No problem. Name's Jean Havoc, I'm escorting you to Liore. Come on, if we're gonna catch the train we gotta get going. Your friends are already waiting outside," the man said.
"Be right out," Crono said. He put his coat and sword on, then followed Havoc outside to meet up with Lucca and Robo. They went to the train station, and while Havoc was getting their tickets, Lucca investigated the design of the machine.
"What do you think?" Crono asked her.
"Well, I can't really glean much from just the outside, but still, even the concept is incredible. This is wildly efficient! How did we never come up with anything like this?" Lucca said.
"Maybe we did," Crono said. "Or, rather, maybe we will. I really doubt a railway system would survive Lavos."
"Good point," Lucca said. "Hey, Robo, do you have anything about trains in your memory banks?"
"Searching..." Robo said, then shook his head. "Negative. No records of railway technology found."
Crono shrugged. "Well, why don't you be the one, Lucca? When we get back, I mean."
"I was already planning on it," Lucca said.
"Of course you were."
Havoc approached. "Alright, I've got our tickets. Loire's pretty far away, so it'll be a while. Better get comfortable."
They arrived not long after noon. As they got off the train, Havoc stretched, and said, "Man, I'm hungry. How about we get something to eat?
Crono and Lucca agreed, and they found a small shop on a street corner, tended by a mustached man. A radio was sitting on the wall above the bar, with a man's voice speaking through it. Robo remained standing, while the other three sat down and ate.
"So what are you guys? Like, street performers or something?"
"I wish," Lucca said.
"Hey, come on, can't you see I'm with the military?" Havoc said.
The man looked over Havoc's uniform. "Yeah, I guess so. Sorry, we don't get many of you here."
"Ah, don't worry about it," Havoc said, standing up. "Well, let's get going."
"Hey, who's that on the radio, anyway?" Crono asked, standing.
"He's our leader, Father Cornello," the man said. "He's the one who taught us about the sun god Leto."
Another man at the bar nodded in agreement. "We were lost before he came along! Leto grants eternal life to the souls of the faithful."
"Is that right..." Havoc said. He lit a cigarette. "Why don't we look into that?"
"Please do! His temple is right down that way," the cook said, pointing.
"Will do," Havoc said, as the group headed in that direction.
The temple was an impressively large building, especially compared to those around it, and it sat on a raised platform, with white columns running around the outside. When they arrived, there was a huge crowd of people cheering for a man standing in front of a large statue. He was old, bald, and somewhat fat. People in white robes, holding white banners, stood on either side of him. As the four of them watched, he pressed a small red flower in his hands, a red light shone, and when it cleared there was a massive, crystalline rose above him, and a ring of white crystals surrounding him. Another cheer went up.
"Well, I'll be damned," Havoc said.
"Alchemy shouldn't be able to do that," Lucca said. "It disobeys the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Either he really is blessed by a god, or he's got a philosopher's stone with him."
"Only one way to find out, right?" Crono said. He started pushing his way through the crowd, with the others following, but the performance was clearly over, and the people were already dispersing. Even so, it took quite a while to get through, and by the time they did, Cornello was already gone, so they went inside.
On the other side of the massive doors was an equally large chapel, empty save for a single young woman kneeling before an enormous statue, which depicted a robed, bearded man with a staff, supposedly Leto, the sun god. The girl had long black hair with dark red bangs, and wore a simple white dress and sandals. She turned as they approached.
"Welcome, who might you be?" she said.
"Just some visitors from outta town," Havoc said. "Came to see what this is all about."
"Oh, are you interested in Letoism?"
"You could say that," Havoc said. "Could you tell me a bit more about it?"
"Of course!" said the girl. "To know God is to know hope. If we believe in divine grace, then through him, all things are possible. He can even bring back the dead."
"If only it were that easy," Lucca muttered.
"Sorry? I didn't catch that," the girl said.
Lucca sighed, then took off her helmet and set it on a nearby pew, as if for emphasis, then stepped up to the girl. "I'm not saying your god doesn't exist, but have you ever seen anyone bring back the dead?"
"Like I said, all things are possible through God," the girl said.
"You're avoiding the question—"
"Lucca, that's enough," Crono interrupted, putting a hand on her shoulder. Lucca sighed again, and went to pick her helmet back up. "If it's alright, we'd like to hear about Letoism from Cornello himself."
"Of course! That's wonderful!" the girl said. "Come with me."
After the girl, whose name was Rose, inquired about seeing Cornello, they waited a few minutes until a man in a black robe came to meet them. He led them down a hall to a door flanked by eight men in white robes. "This way, please," he said, taking them through into another large room with a staircase on the opposite wall. "Father Cornello is a busy man, as you can imagine, but you're in luck. He's decided to spare a moment for you."
"Yeah, we appreciate it," Havoc said. "We'll try not to be too long."
"Good, then we'll make this quick," the man said. The door closed behind them, and the man turned around, pointing a revolver at them. The other men soon closed in.
Crono put his hand on his sword, and Lucca and Havoc did the same with their guns, but none of them drew yet.
"Brother Cray, what is this?" Rose asked.
"Rose, these heathens are with the government. They've come to ensnare and discredit the father, they're evil. This is God's will," Cray said.
"Brother Cray..."
"Well, if it's a fight you want," Crono said. Cray moved to point the gun at him, but then Robo launched his fist straight into his face, knocking him over and causing him to drop the gun. Crono quickly knocked the other two to the floor as well.
"What's this commotion?" said a man's voice from the stairs. They looked over, recognizing it to be Cornello himself as he stepped out of the shadows. "Ah, our visitors. Welcome to the home of our sacred order."
"Father Cornello!" Rose said, sounding relieved.
"I must apologize for my disciples' behavior, it would seem they've been misguided," Cornello said.
"Is that right?" Havoc said, still on edge.
"Have you come to learn the ways of Leto?"
"That depends," Lucca said. "We've heard about your miracles. Why don't you show us?"
"Of course, my dear!" Cornello said. He pressed his hands together, there was a flash of red light, and as he opened his hands, there was a small version of the statue in the chapel sitting in his palm. Rose smiled.
"Not impressed," Lucca said. "You could do that with alchemy and a philosopher's stone." Rose looked at her, the smile fading.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Cornello said. "As God's humble servant, I derive my power from him alone."
"Alright then. Tell me what you make of this." Lucca held out her hand and summoned a flame.
Cornello and Rose both gasped. "What!? Alchemy shouldn't be able to do that either!" Cornello exclaimed.
"Oh? And it's not possible that I have your god's blessing as well?"
"I- Obviously not! You've already proven yourself to be a non believing heathen!"
Lucca vanished the flame. "Look, just give us the stone and stop deceiving your followers, or we'll deal with you ourselves."
"My, you really are quite the incorrigible heathen, aren't you?" Cornello said. "Rose, dear."
"Yes, father?" Rose said, her voice weak.
"That gun there beside you, pick it up."
"Uh, o-okay," Rose stammered, bending down and picking up the dropped weapon with shaking hands.
"Now, child, I want you to shoot these heathens."
Rose's eyes widened. "No, father, I-I can't do that."
"I am the sun god's chosen emissary. My word is the word of Leto himself." He smiled. "Shoot them, Rose, it's God's will."
Rose brought the gun to her chest, still shaking.
"Why hesitate? When you lost your fiance to that tragic accident last year, who was it that saved you from the very depths of despair? Have you forgotten?"
"...it was you, Father."
"That's right! It was I who took your hand and led you into God's light! And do you recall what it was I promised you then?"
"You said if I had faith you'd bring him back to life!" Rose shouted, pointing the gun forward. "I'm sorry, but I-I have to do this. I don't have any ch—Ah!" She suddenly yelped as a gout of fire flew right by her head, and she dropped the gun.
"I'm sorry, Rose, but you should get out of here before this gets ugly," Lucca said.
Rose took a nervous step back, then silently ran from the room.
"Tch. So be it," Cornello said, backing up and pulling a lever on the wall. "If she can't deal with you, my chimera should be up to the task." A portcullis in one of the walls opened upward, and a lion with hind legs like a bird's and a massive tail like a lizard's stepped out, growling.
"I'll handle this," Crono said, stepping up and drawing his sword.
"Ha! Your little sword is no match for chimera claws that tear through iron!" Cornello shouted.
Crono ignored him, and as the beast charged, he closed his eyes and breathed out, narrowing his focus. He made a quick, decisive slash upward, and a blade of wind shot out, hitting the chimera head-on and making a shallow but long cut across its face and upper body. The chimera reeled, jumping back away from him.
"What was that?!" Cornello shouted.
"'That' was one of my favorite techniques," Crono said.
"Get him, you stupid beast! You're still standing!"
Crono evaded as the chimera approached again, jumping backwards several times before leading it straight into Robo's fist. It flew across the room, and didn't get back up.
Cornello grimaced. "My, you're rather persistent, aren't you?" He picked up a cane, and there was another red light as it transformed into a minigun. He pointed it at the group, and was about to fire, when a thunderous boom sounded out, and lightning descended from the ceiling to strike him directly. He screamed as he dropped the gun and fell to the ground.
The door opened as the guards outside burst in. "Father, are you okay?!" one of them said. They saw him twitching on the ground at the top of the stairs, and went for their guns.
Before they could fire, though, another flash of red light emanated from Cornello. "You insignificant fools..." he said. His body started getting larger, his muscle mass expanding. "Behold, the chosen emissary of the sun god Leto!" When the transformation finished he was a veritable giant, though his body still bore the burns from Crono's lightning.
"Damn! What the hell?" Havoc said.
Cornello leapt down from the stairs, breaking the ground where he landed, and charged forward, not caring about his own followers scattering before him. In his rage he burst through the wall into the chapel, where Rose had returned to praying. She screamed as Cornello appeared, trailed by the others. Havoc grabbed her by the arm. "Let's go! They'll take care of this!" he shouted, pulling her to her feet and dragging her away. Most of Cornello's disciples followed.
"Crono! His ring!" Lucca yelled, pointing to one of Cornello's fingers, where he was wearing a gold ring with a red jewel embedded in it. "That's the philosopher's stone!"
Cornello slammed his fist down, and Crono jumped out of the way. "My word is the divine word of God himself. My fist is the almighty fist of judgement!" Cornello said. He threw another punch, this time at Robo, who absorbed it and stood his ground.
"Oh, shut it already!" Lucca said, firing a shot at Cornello. He just shrugged it off, however, and it only made him angrier. He started charging, and when even her flames didn't deter him, Lucca tried to dodge, but ended up getting knocked across the room.
"Lucca!" Crono shouted.
"I will assist her. Please distract Cornello," Robo said, running toward her.
"Got it," Crono said. As Cornello moved to intercept Robo, Crono sent another wind slash at him. He turned around to see Crono jumping up and cutting a line down his chest. He swatted with his hand, but Crono ducked it and started running towards the exit. At the same time, Robo began using his heal beam on Lucca, but given the hit she'd taken, that would take a while. That meant that this fight was between Crono and Cornello.
As Crono slipped out the main door to the temple, Cornello smashed through behind him. "You can't escape me, Heathen!" he yelled, chasing Crono as he darted through the town, its inhabitants running and screaming. When Crono would go down an alley, Cornello tore his way through after him. Eventually, they reached the center of town, where Crono stopped and sidestepped his opponent, who crashed past. Most of the townsfolk by this point were watching from a safe distance.
Crono turned to them. "Look! This is what your 'Father Cornello' is really like! He didn't care that you or your homes were in the way, he chased a fleeing person anyway."
Cornello's face turned to shock, as if he only just realized what he'd been doing. "Don't be deceived! This man and his cohorts were seeking to harm the order! It is God's will that they be stopped at all costs!"
The crowd started murmuring among themselves.
Cornello turned back to Crono, grimacing, and suddenly reached out to grab him. Crono stood defiant against Cornello's splayed fingers, and sliced off the one with the ring. He took a hit, but then Cornello fell backwards, clutching his hand.
Crono stood up and walked over to Cornello. "Alright, you've lost your precious stone. Why don't you prove that what you say is true and grow your finger back?"
Cornello's face turned fearful as he looked around at his followers. "P-please... spare me, I beg you. I was wrong, I'm powerless without the stone! Please, I beg you!"
"Hm," Crono grunted. He wiped the blood off his sword, then sheathed it. He walked over to Cornello's severed finger and pulled the ring off.
"Crono!" Lucca said, as she and Robo came around a corner to catch up with him.
"Hey guys," Crono said. He tossed the ring to Lucca.
"You got the stone," she said.
"So, uh, what about me?" Cornello said.
Crono and Lucca both glared at him. He backed up a little.
"Father Cornello!" came Rose's voice, as she pushed her way through the crowd. Havoc followed behind her.
"Give it up, Rose. He lied to you," said Lucca.
Rose looked at Cornello with tears in her eyes. He looked at Crono, still glaring, then back to Rose. He nodded.
"But... you promised you could bring him back... Why..."
Some of the other townsfolk started inching closer as well.
"No, stay back! Spare me, please!" Cornello shouted.
The townsfolk started yelling in anger. Cornello stumbled to his feet and fled towards the temple. Some chased after him, but most just watched.
Rose suddenly grabbed Lucca by her shirt. "Give me the philosopher's stone!"
Lucca met her eyes with a stern expression. "No," she said. "You can't bring him back, Rose. Alchemy can't do that."
"Liar! You just want it for yourself!"
"You'll hurt yourself, Rose."
"That hope was all I had left!" Rose fell to her knees, crying. "What am I supposed to do now?"
Lucca sighed. "I don't know."
Crono knelt down and put his hand on Rose's shoulder. She turned her head to look at him. "You have to decide that yourself," he said. "Don't let history pull you around. Make your own story. Time will go on, with or without you; it's your choice whether you get left behind or not."
Rose just looked at him.
Crono stood up. "We should go."
"Right, we need to report this to the colonel, sooner rather than later," Havoc said.
Together, they walked away, leaving Rose on her own.
Cornello limped into the back rooms of the temple, still gripping his injured hand. "Damn them, it's all ruined," he said.
"Yes, all that hard work for nothing," came a woman's voice from the darkness. "I knew we should've just incited a little rebellion."
Cornello looked up to see a slim woman with long black hair in a dark red dress, sitting on the shoulder of a large, round fat man with a child-like face, who was eating one of the hind legs of Cornello's lion chimera. "You!" Cornello said.
"I'm hungry, Lust. Can I eat the old man? Please? He's big and fat," the fat one said, his voice just as childish as his appearance.
"Not this one, Gluttony. We don't want you giving yourself indigestion," Lust said, standing up.
"Now you, too?! Everyone is mocking me!" Cornello said, reaching to draw a gun. "I won't stand for—"
A thin, crimson spear shot out from Lust's finger and impaled Cornello straight through the forehead. "I'd say this concludes our business," Lust said, ripping the spear out of Cornello's head and returning her finger to its normal length. Blood splattered as Cornello fell to the ground. "Just as things were beginning to look promising, too... I suppose we'll have to start over from scratch. Father won't be pleased. In any case, it's time we started thinking about our next move."
Gluttony inspected Cornello's body, then opened his mouth unnaturally wide and took a bite.