Chapter 16 - Memories Are Made Of This
Something happened without anyone noticing. What was once there was now gone. It was something small, insignificant even, but it just disappeared into thin air. Unimportant as it was, no-one noticed for days that it had gone and when someone finally did, they just dismissed it. If only they knew what the true gravity of the situation was, maybe they'd be just a little bit more afraid...
Things were progressing along nicely by Destiny's thinking. The Masamune had been recovered and then re-forged by Melchior, Frog had joined them in their quest and she knew it was only a matter of time before Ayla would join as well if... if all went well in Magus' Castle and that was something altogether different. So many things could go wrong... if they interrupted the spell at the wrong time, disaster was sure to follow... that also depends on whether Ozzie could actually cast the spell... Destiny doubted he had the power, let alone knew the spell but hopefully one of the HoK agents had seen to that... she just hoped that it was really trustworthy. Now, Frog, Destiny and Crono stood in front of the Magic Cave, Lucca and Marle left at the End of Time. Luckily, Spekkio was still keeping in touch and had briefly returned to imbue Frog with his magical powers.
Frog stood just ahead of the two with his eyes closed as his memories inundated him...
"Aaahhhh!" he screamed as the other kids tormented him, running in circles around him, making him dizzy as he followed.
"Hey you!" came a voice from the distance.
Everyone turned their heads to see where it came from and as one, they all screamed, "It's Cyrus! Run for your lives!"
Glenn, his head still spinning, tried to focus on his saviour. "Thanks, Cyrus... Hic!"
"Glenn, there's times when people simply have to grit their teeth!" Cyrus said as he looked down on the young lad, a frown on his face.
"But... it hurts when I get hit. They..."
A wry grin lit up Cyrus' face. "You're a marshmallow, Glenn..."
The scene shifted from Guardia Forest to Zenan Bridge. Cyrus stood looking out over the horizon as the sunset, the wind blowing through his short hair. Without turning, he spoke to the now slightly older Glenn.
"Hey Glenn... I've been thinking about becoming a Knight..."
Glenn smiled, happy for his friend. "I knew you were going to enlist! You'll make a great warrior!"
"Why don't you join too?"
Glenn hesitated, worry filling his mind. "I... don't think I'd make the cut."
"But, why? You're better with a sword than I am!" Cyrus demanded.
"I don't know... I think I'd really lose it if I had to hurt someone."
Again the scene shifted, this time to the Denadoro Mountains to that fateful night that changed Glenn's life. The fear was clear in his face as he backed away from Magus. Cyrus lay dead on the floor, the life gone from his body. Magus was muttering a dark incantation and making the appropriate hand gestures to accompany it. Glenn didn't want to hang around to see the results but the fear paralysed him, he could barely move from where he was standing.
Suddenly, a bolt of light shot from Magus' hand, hitting Glenn square in the chest. It enveloped him quickly, blinding him. He didn't see the cliff edge as he stumbled towards it... "A... Augh!" he cried as he fell to the bottom.
By the river's edge at the bottom of the mountains, Glenn slowly came to as a shimmering object made its way downstream towards him. "The...Medal...The Hero's...Medal..." he rasped from his new throat...
Frog snapped out of his memories, shaking his head and he was back in front of the Magic Cave. Without turning his head, he called to Crono, "Hand'eth over the Masamune!"
Drawing the large sword from the sheath on his back, Crono thrust it deep into the ground before Frog. Taking it by the hilt, exerting little pressure, Frog drew it and held it aloft.
"My name is Glenn! Cyrus's hopes and dreams... And now the Masamune! Forthwith I shall slay Magus and restore honour!"
Striding forwards, Frog swung the sword mightily and cleft open the walls of the cave with a thunderous boom. Debris fell from above, crashing to the floor but the trio stood there, as still as stone. Finally, when everything stopped shaking, Frog led the way into the depths of the cave.
"A bit overdramatic," Crono whispered into Destiny's ear.
"Well, he's that kinda guy," she whispered back. Crono grinned ear-to-ear and carried on walking.
After a few minutes of walking in near pitch-black darkness, they emerged out into the night in front of a monstrous construction. The three stood still in awe as their views slowly shifted upwards, sliding along the sleek black towers before them.
"This can only be... Magus' castle!" cried Frog, feeling a shiver run down his spine.
They stood there, staring up at the black marble arches with the Gargoyles placed atop them, red eyes staring down at them by the dozen. Finally, they stepped forward and slowly slid open the black iron doors. They stepped inside onto the rich, royal red carpet that led up the stairs. Looking around the dimly lit room, they saw most of it was just cold blue brick, the carpet and the candles the only things giving any warmth to the place. Suddenly, two forms appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Flea and Slash!" cried Frog on recognising the gruesome twosome.
"Welcome Glenn! Or should I say, Sir Froggy! Mwa ha! Say, looks like you got some replacements for Cyrus!" said Flea, a smirk coming to his lips.
Slash took up when Flea trailed off. "Ozzie is a tad busy right now. You'll have to take up your business with me and Flea and... You'll have to defeat all hundred of the beasts in Magus's castle!"
As Frog leaped up the stairs towards the pair, they faded away, to be replaced by five monsters. With a snarl, they leapt at Frog who was stranded on his own at the top. Destiny and Crono raced forward to help their companion, taking the steps three at a time.
The battle had begun...
