An unnoticed chrono-distortion washed just under the lip of the North Cape as Prime expertly piloted the Wings of Time to a rocky out-cropping just out of sight.
"Nice job!" Orion noted. "This is the perfect spot!"
"I merely accessed my records of the topography of the Cape. I will remain here, ready to return to the End of Time once you have Magus," Prime offered.
"Okay, Prime. I've got the Chrono Trigger. Have you got the Clone?" Orion asked Glenn.
"It's heavy, but I can manage. Where to?"
Orion jumped lightly down from the wing of the Ark and waited as Glenn struggled slightly with Magus' Clone. They trekked cautiously up to the trees and stayed just out of sight of those already on the Cape. The past versions of Ariel and Prime suddenly nodded and stepped away from Magus and Alpha. Orion and Glenn watched in horror as Magus and Alpha began to duel.
"We mis-timed it! Your past self and Magus have begun to fight," Orion winced as Magus took a particularly vicious cut from the enraged frog. "Gaspar is going to send the Chrono-wave! Do we have enough time to return to him and stop it?"
Glenn watched
sadly as Alpha, his own past self, Leap Slashed his enemy. Oozing
blood from a dozen cuts and gashes Magus still fought on, summoning the
light to himself and unleashing a bolt of Lightning at the berserk frog.
A flash at the horizon made him look away from the melee.
"Nay, the wave
cometh!" Glenn pointed.
Some awareness of great magic caused Magus' guard to slip a little. He stared open-mouthed at the scintillating wave of energy as it engulfed Alpha, the past Ariel and Prime and himself. Once the Chrono-wave had spent itself across the Cape, Glenn and Orion approached the time-frozen tableau.
Glenn examined his past frog self in dismay, noting the short, squat stature, the wide set eyes, broad mouth and the odd non-human angles of the joints of his limbs. He then crossed to where Magus stood frozen and gazed searchingly into his adversary's face. The wonder and fear of the encroaching Chrono-wave had stamped a curiously vulnerable look in Magus' eyes.
"Alas," Glenn asked as he glanced again at the frog. "Did I truly appear so...repulsive?"
"Never, at least not to me. Your nobility of heart always showed through your form and together, because of that form, you and I did some incredible things," Orion responded softly. "Why did you challenge Magus?"
"We had just seen thee...disintegrated by Lavos. Magus was insulting thee, acting as if thy...death was thine own fault. I couldst not stand by and allow him to insult thee any longer," Glenn answered. "and so I challenged him and in slaying him end'eth the curse he hath placed upon me," Glenn paused and bowed his head for a moment. "Ironic that now I must needs save him and accept back my curse to rescue'eth his sister, Leene, Ariel and all the rest. I couldst not bear it if Leene and Ariel wert to be...rent out of Time as Doan hast already been. Please...once I am again...transformed...call me 'Alpha'. Now, Orion, Magus' twin."
They placed the Clone in position and Glenn gathered the true Magus into his arms. He walked to the end of the Cape just over where Prime hovered the Wings of Time and waited, poised to leap.
Orion placed the Chrono Trigger between the two combatants and brought his sword, Rainbow, whistling down on it, cleaving it in two. A pure, white flash dazzled all as Time rushed back into the Cape. Under cover of the light, Orion raced to Glenn's side and jumped with him into the waiting Ark.
"I know'eth not what foul sorcery thou weaveth, Magus, but I hath thee now!" they heard from the Cape followed by the unmistakable sound of the Masamune slashing through the air and then into something solid. A mortal scream carried across the Cape and, at that moment, Glenn fell to the floor of the timeship as dark magic twisted his form and features.
He curled up into a tight ball and rocked soundlessly with the violent force of the magic that brutally reshaped him. When it had passed he remained curled up until Orion touched his shoulder.
"'Tis done?" he croaked. Hearing the thickening croak he uttered, he knew it to be so. He leaped to his feet tossing his head back in despair as a single tear rolled down his broad frog-like face.
"Gl...Alpha," Orion sighed sorrowfully. He reached forward and embraced his friend, awkwardly patting his wide back. "We'll find some way to break this curse for you. It isn't fair!"
"Warning!" Prime called from where he was piloting Ark. "Magus' life signs are failing!"
"He mustn't die now! We need him to saveth Schala and the others!" Alpha cried out in dismay as he looked at the unconscious Magus.
Abruptly his tongue whipped out and touched Magus softly on the cheek. The wounds Magus had suffered healed and closed. Magus' eyes snapped open as he grabbed Alpha's tongue.
"My curse has warped your mind as well as your body. First you try to kill me and now you heal me with your disgusting tongue! Give me one good reason not to twist the vile thing right out of your mouth," Magus demanded as he tightened his grip painfully.
"Ilh...canllh't talllhk. Lllehllt ghho of myllh tongulllh!" Alpha lisped.
"Un...tongue him, Magus! Let him go!" Orion demanded.
"You...you're supposed to be dead. I saw Lavos...destroy you!" Magus, in his surprise, let Alpha go.
"Much hath occurred that thou know'eth not. We need'eth thee to help us locate Schala. Come to the End of Time so that Gaspar canst explain all," Alpha replied.
"The Guru of Time, eh? And Schala lost and probably in danger. Okay, I'll chat with the old man. But you!" he glared at Alpha. "Never touch me with that slimy tongue again!"
"Don't worry. I've no desire to soil it upon thee. Thou tasteth bitter anyway," Alpha turned from Magus whose face was turning purple in his fury. "Orion, leaveth me here. I've...peace to find with my form again. Cometh retrieve me when thou art ready. That is...if thou hath any use for me," Alpha took up a parcel and leaped to the wing and then off to the now deserted Cape.
"Good riddance," Magus sneered.
Orion grabbed him by the throat. "If we did not need you to help us understand what is wrong with the time stream and find Schala; save Leene and Ariel, and all the rest; I'd gladly choke the life out of you now for all you've put Glenn through!" Orion declared in a low voice as his grasp tightened on Magus' neck. "But we do need you. If you can't respect him at least keep silent or I shall make you regret it," Orion vowed as he tossed Magus to the floor of the ship.
"You're not the push-over I took you for, boy," Magus noted, rubbing his sore neck and rising to his feet. "Good! I loath goody-goodies. Now save me some time. How is it that you live?"
"The same way you do, Gaspar's Chrono Trigger. Both of our...deaths were not in accord with the time stream we are now in. Since Lavos was a time-rending being, simply bringing the Chrono Trigger and a Clone of me near enough to...him was sufficient to work the Trigger's magic. In your case, since Lavos is no more, Gaspar had to send a Chrono-wave from the End of Time to stop everything long enough for us to switch you with your Clone. We arrived here later than we wanted. We were going to substitute your Clone for you in your fight with Alpha and prevent you from being injured. That was why he Slurped you. After all we've been through to rescue you we couldn't let you die on us," Orion explained.
"Slurped? Is that what you call it? How gross! But...Lavos...no more?" Magus asked.
"We destroyed it. Of course it was after Alpha had killed you and they had rescued me so you wouldn't know...technically they are going to rescue me now, but wait first they need to..."
"Forget it. You're confusing me. I'll talk to Gaspar," Magus whirled his cloak about himself and sat down upon the seat. "Well, bolt bucket? Are you going to drive this thing to the End of Time or just sit there like some hideous piece of modern art?" Magus demanded of Prime.
"This is a most unpleasant individual," Prime commented as Orion sat next to him. Prime set the controls and Ark lifted gracefully into the air and opened the corridor of Time.
********
Magus deboarded with Orion and Prime and glanced disapprovingly at the corridor.
"So this is the End of Time?" he commented. "Not much to look at!"
"Tell me, are you ever happy with anything?" Orion asked.
"I'm not happy to be here with you. If not for Schala..."
"...yeah, yeah, yeah. You wouldn't be caught dead with us. But oops! You were!" Orion finished as he stepped around Magus and down the corridor.
"Is he always so obnoxious?" Magus asked Prime conversationally.
"You seem to bring out a negative side to him. I haven't seen this before. I am still compiling data," Prime responded.
"'Still compiling data'? Oh great! The only one who's being civil is as interesting as dirt!"
"Dirt is quite interesting. Its composition...oh, you were being sarcastic. Fortunately, my feelings are hard to hurt," Prime noted.
"Feelings? You think you have feelings? Maybe I misjudged you, robot. You may be slightly more interesting than dirt. So, where's the Guru?" Magus asked.
"Follow me,"
Prime bowed and walked down the hall. Magus shook his head as he
ambled after the robot.
Elora and Ariel
rushed up with bright, welcoming faces that visibly deflated when Magus
stepped through the doorway after Prime. They could see the empty
corridor behind him.
"Where's Alpha?" Ariel demanded.
"The frog is sulking on North Cape," Magus answered.
"You...you monster!" Ariel spat out.
Elora looked as if she had tasted something sour and turned her back. Ariel tossed her head, spun around and walked away, joining Orion at the gate. After a moment Prime walked up to them as well.
"Thank you for such a welcome greeting," Magus sneered. "Where's Gaspar?"
"Age has not improved your social skills any, Janus," the Guru noted from his spot next to the lamp post.
"Janus...was lost when Lavos banished me from Zeal," Magus replied as he strode to the old man's side. "I am 'Magus' now."
"Your survival is amazing, and your magic skills are quite formidable, but you fool only yourself, Janus. You are who you are; when you accept who you truly are, under all your power, under all your hurt and pain, only then can you tell me who you are. Until then, I know you as Janus," the Guru responded.
"Just wonderful! Fine, call me what you want, but clearly tell me what is going on. That one," Magus pointed to Orion, "is telling me that Lavos is dead, that I've been dead, that Schala is in trouble and I know I saw him die!"
"How much of my lessons in Time do you remember?" Gaspar asked.
"All of them," Magus answered confidently.
"You remember the string and tapestry analogies, Janus? Good. Well, Lavos was imported from outside the tapestry of Time and what he did to affect things would therefore be an aberration..."
"This is too boring. I'm going to talk to Spekkio," Ariel announced. "Anyone want to join me?"
She noted the head shakes, shrugged her shoulders and entered Spekkio's room.
Prime and Elora attended to Gaspar's explanation as intently and raptly as Magus did. Orion paced. He threw 'I'm sorry' looks to Prime and Elora when they glanced up in annoyance. He tried to stand still and follow the lesson, but it really was quite boring. He couldn't seem to settle down. He didn't want to talk to Spekkio and yet he felt he had to do something.
Finally he realized what was bothering him. He was worried about Glenn, no...Alpha. He motioned his intent to Prime who flashed a 'yes' response from his photoreceptors and escaped to the Ark. He heaved a sigh as he eased the ship from the End of Time and set course for the Dark Ages.
********
Orion landed the timeship skillfully at the base of the Cape and climbed toward the top. As he rounded some rocks his attention was caught by Alpha, sword out, leaping high in the air to land near a target of stones. He stumbled a little on landing and kicked into the small pile scattering the stones.
Alpha sighed deeply as he set his sword down and knelt to pile the stones again. Orion approached and knelt next to him to help.
"Well met," Alpha said.
"Hi. Are you..." Orion trailed off.
"Am I okay?" Alpha smiled ruefully. "Aye. What canst not be cured must needs be endured. I am...struggling to learn how to fight in this form again," he admitted.
"Well," Orion began, looking at the stone pile. "You don't often attack rocks. Let's you and I spar a bit, let you get used to the balance of simple moves again and then...well I can be your target."
Alpha blinked at him, "I think'eth sparring is a good idea, but I...I haveth not the control I wast used to. I canst...cut thee, hurt thee badly if I..."
Orion grinned at him and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't want you unsure of yourself in a fight. It won't be the first time I've been hurt; it won't even be the first time I've been hurt by the Masamune as wielded by you! Or do you not recall some of the times you've been magically confused in a fight? To be honest, you've felt Rainbow's sting too! If you hurt me, Alpha, you can always heal me. We need you...we need you to be comfortable again as..." Orion trailed off.
"...as I am now. Thou art right, Orion. I regret any pain thee may endure at mine hands..."
"Any pain is quickly remedied by you, too, I hope! Do you even know if your Slurp Healing is completely back? I know you tagged Magus, but..."
"There's no reason for it not to be and I am certain we shall know'eth before we art finished. Art thou sure thou wish'eth to assist me thus?"
Orion grinned and drew Rainbow. He saluted Alpha cockily with the sword and assumed a sloppy ready stance. Alpha shook his head, picked up the Masamune and held it crosswise before himself.
"Once, long ago, I said thou hath potential to become a good swordsman. 'Til now I thought I possess'eth a good eye for such things!" Alpha teased.
Orion beamed as he fixed his stance and attacked his friend. He kept his speed down, to give Alpha a chance to adjust and remember what this form was supposed to feel like. Alpha brought the Masamune up and tried to counter but over-balanced and tripped into Orion's arms.
"Whoa! Your supposed to fight me not throw yourself on my sword!" Orion noted as he cleared his blade carefully from Alpha's cloak.
"'Tis hopeless," Alpha sighed dejectedly.
"No," Orion countered. "It's just going to be a little hard. Tell you what. No tricks, no special moves, no magic, just straight, full-speed fighting. I'm really going to come at you, you really come at me," Orion said as he set Alpha on his feet. "Somewhere in you, you remember how to fight in this form. We simply have to bypass your brain. You can't think, you must do."
"Aye, let us attempt'eth that," Alpha agreed as he raised his sword to guard position again.
Orion came at him full-speed. Alpha's sword whipped up and around knocking Orion's sword aside and opening a small cut on Orion's sword arm.
"Ouch! Great! That was great!" Orion called out.
"I hath cut thee!" Alpha noted in dismay.
"It's only a scratch. What's more important is you blocked and countered without thinking about it. You just did it. Your skills are all there just..."
"Altered, e'en as I am. I taketh thy meaning. Let us continue."
"I'll yield when you really hurt me. Until I do..." Orion grinned. "Keep fighting, 'cause I'm comin' at ya, Sir Froggy!"
Orion came in with a powerful sideways slash. Alpha countered but Orion reversed the direction of his quick, curved sword and came in again low. Alpha snapped his weapon down to cover. Orion's hands stung from the clash of his sword on Alpha's heavier blade.
Alpha lowered his head and Orion felt relief and dread. Relief, this was the fighting style he remembered and expected from Alpha; dread, because he knew he was going to hurt, a lot.
A deceptively fast cut whipped toward him, he blocked early and Orion felt the point of the Masamune sink into his thigh. He stepped back and received a slice on his left arm. He darted forward with a diagonal down crossing slash and scored a light hit on Alpha's sword arm. Alpha threw a rising cut and opened a gash over his left eye.
From that point on Orion lost any advantage he might have had and all track of how the fight progressed. He felt light hits everywhere as his strength drained slowly from him. His wrists ached from the crashing of his sword into Alpha's blade. Finally he dropped to one knee.
"I yield!"
Orion did not recognize the look on his friend's face. Alpha's eyes slowly cleared and warmth washed into them as he focused and recognized Orion.
"Thou art hurt. I try'eth to hold back the force of the strikes but..." Alpha started.
"You did. Please, don't feel bad. I knew what I was in for. To be honest, I lasted longer than I thought I could!"
"This is all wrong! To recover'eth...what I was I must needs hurt mine own friend..." Alpha shook his head. He reached down and lifted Orion to his feet as he Slurped him on his arm.
Orion felt a familiar warmth as the full power of the healing filled him and eased his pain. He felt vigor flow back to him as the healing mended the cuts and slashes. Within moments he was as good as new.
Orion grinned at Alpha as he flexed his sword arm, "Thanks. I guess we can say that Slurp still works as well as it used to."
"I am sorry...I hadst to harm thee..."
"I'm sorry you had to return to being a frog," Orion stated flatly.
"...There are some advantages," Alpha replied.
"Really? Do tell!"
"My smaller stature allow'eth me to defend myself better. I always liketh Slurp Healing and Leap Slash. Our combined attacks art brutal. I canst sleep anywhere. It is fun to jump several times mine own height and I am a powerful swimmer," Alpha admitted.
"Since we met you I've often wondered what it would be like to be a frog, or really anything different," Orion said.
"Part horror, part joy. As a curse, it is most horrible. I wouldst not wish it on anyone...but if it were reversible...well, it can be fun. It is the looks and comments, the distances people keep, the horror and pity and hatred in their eyes; these art what hurt'eth and maketh of the curse an evil thing. Thou and Elora and all the rest brought'eth me out of the worst of it. There art some in mine own time who won't care how I appear, but they art few and precious. I...dread being this again."
Orion looked uncommonly solemn for a moment, this was the most Alpha had ever spoken of his condition and how it made him feel.
"Let's see if Leap Slash still works," he suggested quietly.
"Art thou certain? I've never Leap Slashed thee, but I can assure thee, it is quite painful!"
"You need to know if you remember it before you are in a fight where you are relying on it. Or do you just like to hear me say, 'Alpha, attack me, please'?"
Alpha laughed, "Thou hath convinced me."
Orion walked a few paces away from Alpha, sheathing his sword as he did so. He knew his reflexes would cause him to try to block the painful attack and he could hurt Alpha if he did. He tried to convince his racing heart to slow down and his overactive brain to calm down. Alpha's Leap Slash was going to hurt, intensely, but Alpha needed the confidence that executing the move correctly would bring. Orion hoped it would not end up executing HIM.
He schooled his face into a slightly bored smile and looked up. Alpha saw past his facade as he looked into his friend's eyes. He saluted Orion with his sword.
"Closeth thine eyes," Alpha suggested softly.
Orion nodded and did. He heard the Masamune whipping through the air and sensed the menace of Alpha's strike overhead. He tried not to flinch as the sword screamed down, slashing open his chest. The agony made him gasp and reel back.
He felt the gathering of power and then the soothing relief of Alpha's strongest healing magic flowed over him in the moment before Alpha's arms closed about his shoulders, supporting his weight.
"Orion! Art thou..." Alpha began frantically.
Orion opened his eyes and smiled, "I'm fine, Alpha. That was fast! I didn't even have time to fall!"
"I am so sorry thou hadst to endure..."
"Yeah, that hurts! I pity the monsters you attack with that, but not as much as the ones we decide to Spire!"
Alpha laughed. He walked over and picked up the Masamune from where he had thrown it after slashing Orion and Leap Slashed his pile again. Orion noted the easy assurance of the move and nodded when Alpha looked up.
"Someday, you might become a passable swordsman," Orion noted laconically.
Alpha laughed, "Watch it, Tadpole!"
"'Tadpole'?! I kinda like that!" Orion responded. "C'mon. We've got to find out what Gaspar's discovered. Do you think you can fly the Ark?"
"Aye but..."
"I had better change or the girls are going to ask questions," Orion noted as he parted the rent in his tunic.
"I see'eth what thou mean," Alpha agreed.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"At least I can fight again. Thank thee. Not many hath the courage to accept'eth such pain."
"You know you would have done the same for me. But answer me. Are you okay?"
"...Nay. I thought'eth I left this pain behind me. Now to be cast back into it, without hope of ending it..."
"I know, Magus..."
"Once I struck him down in anger to avenge thee. Now...I canst not bring myself to slay him in cold blood, simply to end my curse. So I must be again as I wast before, accepting the curse of this frog form until I leaveth this mortal coil. I miss being human already," Alpha lowered his head.
"...I...I wish I could do SOMETHING."
"As do I, but we canst not and so I shall take one step, or leap, at a time. For now, I canst fight again. Shall we find out who's going to receive my Leap Slashes and our Spires, Tadpole?"
"Tadpole, Punk Head, Sparky, I sure am picking up a lot of unusual nicknames!" Orion complained.
"...and thou know'eth not all of them," Alpha whispered under his breath.
"Spikey sure showed mucho courage back there didn't he, Masa," Mune noted in Alpha's mind.
"Yeah, mondo courage, but few brains, accepting a Leap Slash on purpose. I'll concede courage on that one," Masa agreed.
Alpha listened to his sword's banter with itself as he followed Orion to the timeship. He set the compass to the End of Time and tried to relax as the ship made the journey. He felt apprehension about meeting the rest of his friends again, now that he was once more a frog and the misery of his curse rose up and swept him away.
----------------------
Reviews, comments and constructive criticisms are always welcome! Please feel free to email me also if you see something awkward that needs to be clarified or fixed. I need all the help I can get!
stargarde@stargarde.com