Chapter V: A Truce with Porre
Glenn and Marle returned to find Crono and Magus staring into the tomb of Sir Glenn. Crono nodded towards the empty grave and handed Lucca's old helmet to his wife.
"Lucca!" Marle exclaimed. She then looked over into the empty grave. "Frog…" she whispered. "Then Lucca was with him."
"Just as I said," Magus replied coldly.
"Maybe he left with her," Marle offered hopefully. Certainly it comforted her to know that her old companion Frog was with Lucca, she just hoped it to be true, but now a part of her was worried for more than one old friend. "We have to go back," Marle stated resolutely.
"That won't be a problem," Magus said. "Once we've opened the Gates. And we now have a further course of action, once they are open."
They all nodded in agreement. Marle then explained they had passage on board a cargo ship bound for Porre, carrying some of the goods brought back from El Nido. Marle knew the captain, a man by the name of Fargo who had no particular love of Porre.
They boarded the ship and remained in the Cargo hold, save for Glenn who stayed above deck, though he avoided the captain as much as he could. Fargo was known in El Nido as a pirate, and had crossed blades with the Acacia Dragoons on more than one occadion. That aside, this was an ideal arrangement for him as the ship would be bound for El Nido after delivering it's goods to Porre.
Afternoon gave way to evening as the ship approached the Zenan Continent, Magus was growing impatient, as were the others, but each knew there was not much more that could be done. Then, a mere hour before it was due to arrive in Porre, the engines cut out. Glenn ran to Fargo to find out what was going on.
"Porre Battleship," Fargo stated. "Ordering us to cut engines, want me to make a run fer it?" Glenn considered for a second, weighing his options.
"What's that fog?" He asked, looking north off the ship.
"That there be meanin' death fer any that enter," Fargo explained. "Even I'm not crazy enough to sail into that." Glenn looked at it for a long moment. "I may be able t'help ya yet. Get below now and tell your friends to be ready."
Glenn returned to where the others were waiting and explained their situation. Magus was particularly interested in the fog to the north.
"There may be a possibility," Magus said. "But we need to get off this ship."
"In the middle of the ocean?" Marle replied. "That's suicide, we might have a chance with Porre not finding us here."
Magus frowned and drew in a long breath, which he exhaled in an equally long sigh. "The Magic Cave," he said finally. Marle's eyes flashed brightly.
"I thought your island sunk to the sea after we defeated Ozzie there."
Magus closed his eyes, seething at mention of the Mystic that raised him after he was thrown from Zeal. "No, the magicks there protected it through the centuries, keeping it hidden. If we can get there, we can go through the cave and get to Porre."
"Then let's do it!" Marle's enthusiasm was stemmed when they heard the thick boots of Porre soldiers on the deck above them.
"Captain Fargo," the Porre commander said as he stepped onto the deck of the S.S. Invincible. He brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes. "I thought you would be involved in this."
"Why Commander Norris," Fargo replied innocently. "What be I involved in?"
"Smuggling, from what I hear," Norris said. "Very precious cargo, wanted by the High Commander."
"Y'can see my manifest clearly 'ere, and could certainly wait until we came to port t'look 'er over." Fargo replied, leaving his expression one of surprise at the accusation.
"Search the ship, men," Norris ordered his troops. Then he paused. "Wait, I have a better idea." He then signaled back to his own ship, and another individual passed over the gangway between the two. "This Captain, is Grobyc. He is at my disposal to find what I know is on this ship." He turned to the cyborg Grobyc. "Find the fugitives, and I want them in one piece." He paused as he started to walk back to his own battleship. "I hope for your sake, Captain, that the report was indeed false."
"Norris," Marle whispered. "Commander of the Black Wind Division."
"How ironic," Magus muttered as they moved through the hold. "Still we are in considerable danger."
Marle nodded in agreement, she had heard enough from spy reports about this Grobyc to know she didn't want it to find her. She also wondered briefly how they managed to get the technology to build one, that level of technology wouldn't be available until closer to the year 2300, when they all had met Robo and discovered the truth about Lavos. She didn't have time to think on it any further. They could see the hatch that would lead them outside the ship, but between the hatch and where they were hidden behind some cargo crates they could see the form of Grobyc, looking around for them.
They stayed completely still, holding their breath. Magus was already bringing a few of his spells to the front of his mind, ready to cast them if necessary. All of their hearts were pounding, almost at a deafening level to their own ear. They prayed Grobycs ears were not as finely tuned.
A long moment passed and Grobyc turned away, moving further back in the hold. Crono crept to the hold door, motioning for the others to wait. They drew breath slowly, waiting. If Grobyc turned back now…
Crono attempted to open the hold door, but it was stuck. He gave it a few more tugs to no effect. Magus cursed softly and floated silently over to him. Together they pulled on the door and finally it moved open, squealing loudly on its hinges. Grobyc turned to face them and Magus audibly cursed.
The cyborg ran at them and Crono motioned for the companions to run through. Grobyc raised his arm as he ran, but Magus was already prepared hurling balls of dark energy at the approaching foe. They caught him before he could catch any of them, knocking him to the deck. The companions ran through the door, pulling it shut behind them. They were now outside the ship, but could already hear commotion above them.
Crono gathered some magically energy and unleashed a bolt of lightning, welding the metal door shut. As he did, he winced in pain, prompting Marle to run to him. Crono waved her off and stood up straight. Above them, Porre soldiers were aiming their guns down at them.
Marle said a few soft magical words and a fine mist of icy air covered their weapons, freezing them before they could be fired. Magus then dived into the water and motioned for the others to follow. They did so, jumping into icy water that took their breath away as they hit it. They swam into the dark mists, the soldiers behind them firing harmlessly into the water around them.
The ship soon disappeared behind them as they went deeper into the mist. They swam for what seemed an eternity and just when exhaustion was about to overtake them, they washed ashore on a dark beach. The sky was completely covered by dark, thick clouds and they could hear thunder in the distance, which could have also been gunfire from a battle behind them.
Also around them they could hear growls of beasts, lost in time. Magus stood, seemingly unfazed by the journey and drew his scythe.
"We must hurry," he said. "These beasts have been untamed for centuries and I do not want to become their dinner." The other grudgingly agreed and headed for the cave. Serge would later not recall much from this trip, only darkness and running, fighting to not collapse from exhaustion. They benefited from a rush of adrenaline, helping them press on through the darkness.
They arrived at the mouth of the cave and entered the darkness of its depths. They passed through slowly, finally daring to light torches to brighten their passage. IT had not changed much in 400 years. They could hear scurrying of rodents, fleeing from the light as well as the occasional flutter of bats.
There was as high pitched squeal behind them and several of the rodent creatures leapt at them, mouths foaming rabidly. Glenn leapt at the first, cleanly removing its head and then swinging another one, spilling its guts across the cave floor. He paused, momentarily satisfied and looking for another to leap at them.
To Glenn's surprise, tendrils erupted from the severed head, reconnecting it to the body and the spill entrails were similarly picked up, returning to their body. The rodents again leapt at them, with others coming towards them in large number. Serge fought them off with his dagger and Crono drew his katana to do the same, straining to ignore his injury.
Magus began to intone a spell, but Serge leapt in front of him, slashing at another rodent. It seemed to no sooner be cut down then it regenerated and was joined by several others.
"Foolish boy!" Magus cursed, interrupting his spell casting so as not to hit Serge. Crono leapt at Serge, knocking him away from several of the charging creatures. Magus quickly re-intoned his spell, and a wave of magical fire erupted through the cavern. Marle pulled Glenn down out of the way as the rodent creatures were charred on contact with the flame.
Everyone save Magus was singed by the flame, but the rodents appeared to be dead. They all picked themselves up and Marle ran for Crono. She helped him up but he and Serge appeared relatively unhurt.
"That was reckless of you Magus," Marle yelled. Magus merely stared at her with his icy cold eyes.
"Perhaps, but they are dead and—" Magus was cut off by a louder roar reverberating through the cavern walls. The cavern shook and dust and rocks began to fall all around them. Magus's eyes grew wide and even he looked afraid.
"Run," he said softly. They obeyed without argument, sustained only by their adrenaline and force of will to remain alive. They could hear the monster behind them, crashing through stone walls to get to them. The end of the cave was quickly nearing, but they could not see the exit as they approached.
"Hurry," Marle said to Magus, who was already concentrated on his spell. Even Magus could now feel depleted, but he intoned the spell and the entrance opened in front of them. Marle raised a wall of ice behind them and they could then see the creature, crashing into the makeshift barrier. It was beginning to break through when Magus cast on final spell, closing the cave entrance behind them.
Out of immediate danger, all save Magus collapsed on the ground exhausted. Magus merely looked down at them and stated simply, "Welcome to Porre."
She could feel it, the barrier in front of her wavering. She called out, but got no response in the darkness. She called for Serge, a frantic, helpless shout in the darkness. It was there, beyond where Angels Feared to Tread, but no matter how far she went, it was always just beyond her grasp.
Find me, Serge! She cried. Find me!
She was afraid to turn around, and continued to move forward. She didn't dare to look back. The Black Wind was catching up to her.