Chapter 25: Pure Despair

Act One

September 1, 2300

In the morning, Marle encountered Lucca near the Temple's entrance.

"I can't believe this!" Marle said with a smile. "I'm so happy."

"Me too," Lucca replied. "I guess miracles happen a lot more often."

Marle smiled briefly before displaying somewhat of a longing look on her face.

"What's on your mind?" Lucca asked.

Marle sighed. She knew she would feel this way eventually.

"When I was in bed last night...I...kind of wanted Crono to be there next to me."

"Uh-huh," Lucca replied. "You are in love with him, aren't you?"

"There's more," Marle continued. "When I showered this morning...I...also wanted Crono to be next to me...showering too."

"Understandable," Lucca said.

"You're not shocked?" Marle asked.

"You're a teenage girl," Lucca pointed out. "I'm not that naive."

"But that would mean we'd have to get married," Marle pointed out. "If I ever wanted that to happen for real."

"Are you ready?" Lucca asked.

"I told him how I feel," Marle replied. "What else would the next step be?"

"Vanim," Lucca reminded her.

"Of course," Marle realized. "First things first."

"Which reminds me," Lucca continued, "does Crono know we're not pursuing Lavos anymore?"

"I didn't have the heart to tell him," Marle replied. "He's not going to take that well.

MEANWHILE...

"So," continued Ayla, "he just back like nothing happened?"

"Aye," Glenn, who had since reverted back to Glenn, continued.

They, along with Robo, were standing in the main hall. All bedrooms were on the side, with one larger doorway at the end opposite of the exit.

"What will you do now?" Robo asked.

"Marry Kino," Ayla replied. "Find place to settle. Stay out of history's way."

"I'm hoping to become Chancellor someday," Glenn added. "I'll just have to make sure I don't go out at night!"

And then, the three of them eyed the large doorway at the other end of the temple.

"What's back there, anyway?" Glenn inquired.

"Don't know," Ayla replied.

Glenn took another look at the doorway.

"I guess there's only one way to find out," he said.

"I beg your pardon," Robo began, "but didn't Magus warn us not to go back there?"

"Who said that's the Hall of the Son of Sun?" Glenn retorted.

"I suppose you are correct," Robo admitted.

The three of them let their curiosity get the best of them as they made their way to the back doorway. Before anyone could change their minds, they all went through.

The room beyond appeared Zealian, almost as if they were in the Ocean Palace. It had the exact same furnishings, complete with the deep, yellow abyss.

Suddenly, a giant orange eye appeared from the abyss. Five flames appeared around it.

"This definitely the Son of Sun!" Ayla exclaimed.

Glenn immediately raised his finger.

"We'll get this over with in no time," he announced ounce.

With that, he cast water, causing a wave to rush over the Son of Sun.

But the wave did not extinguish the fire.

Instead, the Son of Sun immediately cast a flare spell, forcing Glenn, Ayla, and Robo to duck to avoid getting incinerated.

And then, someone familiar appeared behind them.

"I thought I told you never to go back here!" Magus angrily exclaimed.

"We didn't know it was this room," Glenn poorly defended.

"Watch me!" Magus commanded.

With that, he cast an ice spell.

But, curiously, he only cast it on one of the surrounding flames.

A moment later, all of the flames stopped.

A black orb was all that remained of the Son of Sun.

"It had a secret weakness," Magus explained. "Just in case it ever escaped the temple."

Glenn realized that he needed to give credit when credit was due.

"Thank you," he said.

"So this is the Sun Stone," Magus began. "It's power has been lost over time, but with the sun's energy, it can be recharged. Although...I remember Belthasar saying that it would take hundreds of millions of years."

"We have a time machine," Ayla pointed out. "Not mean nothing."

"But where would we charge it?" Glenn asked.

"The Sun Keep," Magus replied. "Where the sun never sets."

"But why would we charge it?" Robo then inquired.

"It would give us powerful weapons undreamed of," Magus replied. "Even if we're no longer pursuing Lavos, we could find other uses."

Ayla turned to Robo and Glenn.

"Crono must find out by now," she said. "He would not be happy."

LATER…

Crono stood alone in his chambers when he felt someone come up behind him, wrap her loving arms around his torso, and rest her head on his shoulder.

"You're happy to see me," he observed with a smile.

"I know," Marle said. "It's just been less than a day since your resurrection."

"Resurrection means I died and came back," Crono corrected. "History was changed and I never died. I have thus simply returned."

"Word it any other way," Marle said as she began to rock him. "We can soon go home together."

"You mean after we take care of Lavos?" he asked. "Or did we destroy him at the Ocean Palace?"

"We're not going after Lavos anymore," she replied. "After what happened, we realized he's immortal."

"We're giving up?!" Crono exclaimed as he turned to face her.

"We're moving on," Marle replied. "We tried everything on him and nothing worked. Robo mentioned weapons were used on him that could destroy cities, but they didn't work either. We did some of the damage you see here."

Crono slowly sat down on the floor.

Marle quickly sat down next to him.

"But…Robo thinks that the earth will eventually recover," she assured him. "We can prove that. Magus, Robo, Glenn, and Ayla just found the Sun Stone. Magus said that if we place it for millions of years in some spot called the Sun Keep, we can recharge it. Then we can make weapons that would make us unstoppable."

Crono gave a skeptical look.

"Then why would we need them if we're giving up on Lavos?"

"We still have Vanim to deal with," Marle replied. "He's trying to take over the kingdom."

"These kinds of weapons could be useful," Lucca mentioned, surprising them both. "In any case, we can still make our own era as grand as possible."

She then helped her cousin to his feet.

"Keep your chin up," Lucca continued. "We're off to the Sun Keep. And then, we'll go into the future where the world has recovered."

MEANWHILE...

"Mother!" exclaimed Atropos. "I'm detecting a flying object."

She was staring at the monitor at the object flying to the east.

"I noticed," Mother replied. "And did you see who's on board?"

"I have," Atropos answered. "It's our old friend Crono."

"So he has a flying device," Mother observed.

"And," continued Atropos, "they're landing right on this island!"

"Is that so," Mother observed.

"And they're going into the Sun Keep," Atropos added.

"Then they will be in for a surprise when they come out," Mother announced.

SOMEWHERE ELSE…

Magus gently lowered the Sun Stone onto the spot that was illuminated. Due to a phenomenon involving multiple reflective surfaces, the sun indeed shined here eternally, lighting the Sun Keep, which was an otherwise dark cave.

"What happens now?" Ayla asked.

"We'll go forward in time," Crono said. "That is, until the Sun Stone is ready."

"Good we have a time machine," she said.

The seven of them exited the Sun Keep.

Ayla was the first to exit the cave. As soon as she did so, she let out a loud scream.

"What's wrong?!" Crono inquired as he drew his sword.

"The Epoch!" exclaimed Ayla. "It's gone!

Act Two

"We can use a Gate to get home," Glenn assured her.

"Epoch will fall into the wrong hands!" Ayla dismissed vocally.

"She has a point," Lucca said.

Crono, meanwhile, inspected the empty spot where the epoch had been. There were tracks identical to Robo's.

"Robot tracks," he observed.

"They lead into Geno Dome," Robo said.

Everyone looked in the direction of the tracks. Less than a mile away stood Geno Dome, which appeared much larger than the factory.

"Well?" sighed Crono. "Do we really have a choice?"

LATER….

Crono and his friends stood patiently in the entrance room as Robo stood at the computer.

"Analysis complete," the robot announced as the door slide opened. "Please follow me."

"Who enters here unbidden?" Mother's voice suddenly sounded. "Oh. Welcome home R-66Y. Or should I say, Prometheus? You dare to defile this place with humans?"

There was a nasty silence.

"I haven't seen them in ages," she continued. Let me welcome them. Come closer."

Everyone walked through the open door, though all were suspicious of what was to come.

"Let's see just what you can do," Mother continued as everyone entered the next room.

Before them stood a long, wide belt.

"Hop on," Mother commanded.

"Forget it," Magus dismissed.

Robo immediately turned to him.

"Do you want the Epoch back or not?" he insisted.

Magus nodded.

"Okay, everyone," Robo commanded. "On the count of three. One….two….three!"

Everyone jumped onto the belt in unison.

Two robot walkers immediately jumped onto the belt as well, with Lucca blasting them both.

Two lesser robots appeared further down the belt, leaving Crono to stab them both with his sword, causing them to short-circuit.

Even further down the belt, four more robot walkers jumped on, which Magus quickly destroyed with a minor lightning spell.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"She's testing us," Robo answered.

Magus gave Robo the evil eye; he was clearly growing suspicious.

Finally, the belt came to an end.

"Not bad...for humans," Mother observed as they stepped off of the belt. "But can you find your way to me?"

Two robots were browsing nearby. As soon as they became alert to the intruders' presence, they began to attack. Crono easily destroyed them with his sword.

"Three hundred years ago, the Lavos disaster greatly changed the planet," Mother declared. "At this rate, humans will die out from pure despair."

"Thank you," Crono replied sarcastically.

In the next room, they found another Poyozo Doll. Realizing it might prove important, Robo decided to take it.

In the next room, there was an elevator.

"Where does this go?" Crono asked.

"It goes up," Marle replied with a wink.

The intruders boarded the elevator, and, sure enough, it took them to the next level.

They now stood before a long, empty hallway.

"Don't you understand?" Mother continued. "This planet would be peaceful if there were no humans around. And yet you still want to fight? Why?"

Two more robots attacked at the end of the hallway, with Crono again wiping them out with his sword.

Beyond that, they found a second Poyozo Doll, which Robo collected as well.

Magus gave Ayla a suspicious look.

"How does he know to collect those?" he whispered.

"Because this is my birthplace," Robo replied. "I can hear whispers very well, by the way. In any event, we need to get beyond a sealed door up ahead if we don't find the Epoch soon."

In the next room, a metal barrier blocked the conveyor belt to the left. It was not hindering their advancement, but Crono and the others became curious as to what it was for.

Suddenly, a human woman appeared on the belt. Both of her feet were chained, and she appeared in a delirium.

"Please help!" she pleaded. "I have a young son."

She attempted to break free of her bounds, but to no avail.

"Please help!" she pleaded again as she began to sob. "There's a grinder at the other end! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

Crono could suddenly hear the sound of a grinder at the other end of the room. He quickly drew his sword and began to hack at the barrier, but it was no use.

The doomed sobbing woman disappeared into the tunnel at the other end of the room.

Moments later, the seven intruders heard a scream that was no longer human.

Then, silence.

Crono immediately turned to Robo.

"Why was she killed?!" he demanded.

"Our eradication program," Mother replied over the speaker. "We found her browsing near Trann Dome. We'll send a squad out to capture the other inhabitants soon."

"Can't you do something?" Crono pleaded.

"It's too well guarded," Robo replied. "We have to destroy the central computer."

"Good luck," Mother said.

"You're not going to wipe us out!" Crono insisted.

"We will," Mother contradicted. "We have already wiped out Bangor Dome and Proto Dome. Tomorrow, it will be Trann Dome. "Finally, it will be Arris Dome. And that will be that."

Crono didn't say anything more, he simply turned to Robo and silently nodded.

The next room had the sealed doors that Robo had mentioned. To each side was a spot to place the Poyozo dolls.

Robo carefully placed the dolls on each spot.

Five seconds later, the doors opened, revealing the room behind.

Atropos was standing there.

"Welcome home, Prometheus," she greeted.

"Prometheus?!" Marle mouthed to Crono.

"Atropos?" Robo greeted.

"Yes, it's been awhile, Prometheus," she said. "You can stop pretending now and join us."

Act Three

"What do you mean 'pretending,'" Crono inquired.

"Unlike the other R-series," Atropos continued, "Prometheus had a special task: to live with humans and study them as a species."

"That's a lie!" Lucca objected.

"Tell them, Prometheus," Atropos commanded.

Robo was silent.

"Now step back, Prometheus," Atropos commanded. "We'll get rid of these humans, then go see Mother."

She began to close in on Crono.

Robo immediately pushed her away

"What are you doing, Prometheus?" she demanded.

"I won't allow you to hurt them!" Robo informed her.

"You are indeed defective," Atropos reprimanded. "They have tampered with you. I'll destroy them, then fix you."

"Atropos," sighed Robo, "you've changed."

"Indeed," she confirmed. "Mother remade me to eliminate humans more efficiently! Step back, Prometheus!"

"My name is Robo," he insisted.

"Prometheus!" Atropos snapped.

Crono immediately drew his sword, but Robo immediately stopped him.

"Wait!" he pleaded. "Stand back and leave this to me."

Crono reluctantly obliged.

Robo then turned to Atropos.

"You have changed," he observed. "You are no longer the Atropos I know and love."

Marle slowly turned to Crono.

"And you are no longer the Prometheus I once respected," Atropos retorted as she presented her shoulder cannon.

"Please don't do that," Robo pleaded. "We can be together again. Please let me help you."

"It's too late for that," Atropos dismissed as her shoulder cannon began to glow. "These humans must be destroyed. Don't make me destroy you as well."

"Please don't forget the third law of robotics," Robo warned. "I have to protect my own existence."

The shoulder cannon began to glow even brighter. There were less than seconds to spare.

With no other option, Robo pounded Atropos's head as hard as he could. He left a dent in her head, and, unknown to him initially, damaged her CPU beyond repair.

Atropos immediately collapsed to the ground. Sparks sputtered from her head, but she remained conscious.

"P-Prometheus?" she weakly stuttered. "It's been ages…"

"Atropos?" Robo asked as he knelt down to her level.

"I'm damaged?" she asked as she felt the dent in her head. "What happened?"

Her eyes then began to flicker.

"Atropos!" Robo exclaimed.

"My memory bank," Atropos continued. "Mother must have done something nasty when she reprogrammed me. Partial memory...restored. I'm sorry, Prometheus…"

Lucca immediately ran to the fallen Atropos.

"Save your strength!" she exclaimed. "I'll patch you up."

"It isn't possi...ble," Atropos dismissed. "Vital functions are down. M-memory bank damaged."

"Atropos!" Robo exclaimed.

Everyone looking on could easily tell he was distressed.

"I'll…never….forget…the….time….we….had….together," she struggled to utter. "Good...bye...Pro...metheus…"

With that, eye entire body deilluminated.

Robo sadly lowered his head.

"She was kind of his girlfriend," Marle whispered.

"I'm sorry, Robo," Crono said.

Robo silently rose to his feet.

"Thank you," he said.

He took one last look at the no-longer-functioning Atropos.

"We need to move forward," he said.

They continued to make their way through two rooms, but nothing eventful happened.

"Listen well, humans," Mother suddenly announced. "Lavos's children will one day have to leave to seek new planets, and prey. This world could sustain them if humans were not around."

"Ignore her," Crono insisted.

"We robots will create a new order," Mother continued. "A nation of steel, and pure logic. A true paradise! Our species will replace you. So stop your foolish struggle, and succumb to the sleep of eternity."

"Never," Robo insisted.

The next room had four robot walkers, which Robo dispatched of himself with his laser.

The next room after that had a platform on the floor. As everyone approached, the platform began to illuminate.

A moment later, the image of a woman appeared. She was over twenty feet all, and was covered in ever-changing rainbow colors. She had long hair, with a jewel on her forehead. She had no arms nor legs.

"Welcome," she greeted in a voice everyone recognized as Mother's. "You did well to come this far."

"Who are you really?" Crono demanded.

"I am the Mother Brain of the R-Y series factory," Mother replied as her rainbow colors continued to shift. She then turned to Robo. "Come, Prometheus, you must once again join us. I'll reset your circuitry and erase your memories. Then we'll dispose of these filthy humans."

"I'm sorry," Robo replied, "but I cannot afford to lose anything else. Not my precious memories, or my irreplaceable friends."

Mother's eyes suddenly became red.

"You would betray me, to stay with these humans?" she demanded. "You would turn against the family of robots?"

"Humans have taught me much," Robo insisted. "Crono, Marle, Lucca, Frog, and Ayla. I will not betray my friends."

Mother's now-red eyes began to glow even brighter.

"This is rich!" she declared. "Don't make me laugh! You have emotions?! I'll show you just how human you've become!"

With that, Mother began firing lasers from her jewel.

Marle fired her crossbow.

Lucca fired her blaster.

Neither weapon worked.

"You are foolish to believe you humans are capable of destroying me," Mother taunted.

Robo, meanwhile, began to scan the floor. A moment later, he pulled up a nearby floor vent and disappeared below.

"Robo?!" exclaimed Crono.

"Traitor!" Magus snarled.

Mother continued to fire lasers from her jewel.

Crono grunted; he knew they could not avoid her forever. In desperation, he cast lightning. Sure enough, it had no effect on her.

"Now will you believe me?" Mother pleaded. "Your fate is inevitable."

And then, Mother suddenly began to flicker.

"W-why am I in pain?" she protested.

She continued to flicker, and the laser firing had ceased.

"No!" she cried. "I'm…..dying!"

Meanwhile, Robo was firing missiles at a thin chip below the floor.

Back on the surface, Mother's humanoid avatar began to convulse.

"This…..is….un….bear….able…!"

She began to flicker more intensely, and she knew her end was moments away.

"P...Pro...me...theus... W...why...?"

A moment later, an explosion sounded below, and Mother completely dissipated.

The room was now completely silent.

"She just died all of a sudden?" Marle inquired.

"Not likely," Lucca dismissed. "Something must have happened.

Just then, Robo emerged from the open vent.

"Robo!" Lucca exclaimed. "Do you know what happened to Mother?"

"Of course," he replied, with somewhat of a tone of satisfaction in his voice. "I destroyed her CPU."

"She's dead?" Ayla asked.

"By your standards, yes," Robo answered.

Everyone was silent. All of them had doubted him, all of them were now feeling guilty.

"All machines in the factory have been shut off for good," Robo announced.

"Robo…." Crono began, preparing to apologize.

"Let's go!" Robo confidently assured them.

And so resumed the search for their ticket home. As they searched the endless halls and corridors, they continued to confront the pesky robot walkers, but they were easily disposed of.

After another hour of searching the endless halls, the seven time travelers finally found what they had been looking for.

"It's the Epoch!" Lucca exclaimed.

They saw it through a doorway. The room in which it lay was about five hundred feet square, and seemed dimly lit.

"Ready to leave this bleak future for good?" Crono asked.

"Absolutely!" Marle exclaimed.

Magus seemed less enthusiastic about spotting the Epoch.

"This seems too easy," he said skeptically.

Not heeding him, Crono and Marle were the first to enter the room. They were followed by Lucca, who, in turn, was followed by Glenn, Ayla, and Robo. Magus finally followed them, bringing up the rear.

When they reached the Epoch, they inspected it carefully; it was undamaged. Crono was somewhat surprised to see the wings; he had not been there when the wings were added.

And then, the door slowly slid shut, clanging hard on the ground.

The lighting in the room became significantly dimmer, though it was still possible to see the Epoch.

Suddenly, tiny red lights switched on against the walls, and what followed was the sound of metal clanking.

It was no mystery to anyone what was happening; R-series robots were closing in on them with the intention of tearing them to pieces.

"The fools," one of them said. "They actually fell for it."

It was a pity for the naive robots; they had carefully placed the Epoch in that room to trap Crono and his friends, not realizing that they would use it to escape.

They had no idea what the Epoch was for.

"Come on!" Crono commanded as everyone hurried to the Epoch and climbed aboard.

The robots were still a good two yards away from the Epoch when Crono pushed the button, sending our heroes further into the future.

September 1, 532,413,493 A. D.

The years, centuries, and millennia continued to count upward on the dashboard as the Epoch soared into the future.

It would be hundreds of millions of years before the Sun Stone would be ready, but that would not be a concern with a time machine. The real concern on everyone's mind would be what they would find when they arrived there.

Would the world still be desolate?

Will it be worse?

Or will it have long recovered?

It would not be possible to know until they arrived.

Finally, Crono began to slow the Epoch. Only the months, then the days, continued to move upward as the year remained stationary at 532,413,493.

As the Epoch pulled to a stop, everyone observed their unrecognizable surroundings.

They were outdoors, and the time appeared to be midday. The land was lush and green. The sky was blue. The clouds were white.

There was no sign of Lavos, nor any robots. There was no trace of any domes, and factories, nor any technology at all. It was as if it had never been.

Birds were chirping, and a giant amphibian was browsing near a pond.

"It's hot," Lucca observed, "but it's not moist, like the age of the dinosaurs."

Robo, meanwhile, stood still; he appeared to be scanning something.

"The human population is...six," he informed them.

It did not take long for the realization to come to everyone.

"Just us," Lucca said. "We've gone extinct."

"We're gone?!" Marle exclaimed.

She found it greatly troubling that there could be a world without humans.

"But look at how the world is thriving!" Lucca exclaimed. "Just like we thought, the earth recovered from Lavos!"

"I guess it was time for a change," Marle admitted, with some sadness in her voice.

Ayla, meanwhile, jumped off the Epoch, closed her eyes, and, smiling, raised her arms into the air.

"The sun feels good!" she exclaimed.

Realizing that the situation was apparently for the best, Marle turned to Crono, and smiled.

"Maybe I should change into my cave girl outfit," she said with a wink.

"We're here for a purpose," Lucca reprimanded.

"Okay, okay," sighed Marle. "Let's go get the Sun Stone."

The remaining six disembarked and slowly headed to the Sun Keep. They entered, climbed the stone steps, and beheld the Sun Stone. Some of its luster had returned, but the recharge was not complete.

"It still needs more time," Robo observed. "Perhaps another three hundred to four hundred million years."

"Luckily, that's a quick hop for us," Lucca said.

They all left the Sun Keep and made their way back to the Epoch. As they were approaching their time machine, they noticed the vegetation rustling.

"What's that?!" Marle exclaimed, half curious and half nervous.

"I don't know," Magus replied. "But what is that I'm smelling?"

"Venom," Robo candidly answered.

A moment later, what appeared to be a scorpion emerged from the foliage. It stood seven feet tall, and was arming its stinger and pinchers.

"I have a feeling it's sting would be deadly," Glenn suggested.

The scorpion dashed straight for the large amphibian, easily capturing it with its claws, and driving its stinger into the unfortunate creature, killing it within five seconds.

"Let's get out of here!" Crono exclaimed.

The seven quickly boarded the Epoch.

Crono pressed the button before the scorpion could give chase.

September 1, 842,452,926 A. D.

When they pulled the Epoch to a stop again, the world appeared much different than it had previously.

The lush vegetation was gone. An endless desert existed instead. The temperature had risen, and everyone began to feel sweat trickle down their necks.

The sun, meanwhile, seemed much brighter. It appeared to be white instead of yellow, though nobody wanted to look at it because it was so bright.

"What happened here?!" Marle exclaimed.

"The carbon dioxide levels have fallen," Robo answered. "Most plant life is now extinct." He then stood still, as if he was scanning again. "Little fauna remains as well."

Robo then gave each of the other six a solemn look.

"The earth is dying," he announced.

"But what did we do?" Marle asked. "We're long gone."

"Nothing," Robo replied. "The sun has become more luminous. The oceans have evaporated as well. It was inevitable, whether we survived or not."

"Inevitable?!" Lucca exclaimed. "Why?"

"Just like we grow and change," Robo answered, "so do the stars. Of course, that includes our sun. And, as you have no doubt noticed, the sun is changing as well."

Lucca scanned the cracked, dead ground. In the distance, beneath the brighter sun, she thought she saw something fly, perhaps a large scarab, but maybe it was her imagination.

"I don't like this timeline," Marle protested. "Can we get out of here?"

Crono grasped her hand; they both had sweaty palms, but neither of them cared.

"If we get the Sun Stone," he replied honestly.

The seven again entered the Sun Keep, with Marle clutching Crono's hand tightly the entire time; she was beyond upset.

When they arrived inside, it was a feeling of utter relief from the heat.

Robo quickly examined the Sun Stone.

"Almost there," he observed. "Just a couple of a hundred million years to go"

Everyone sighed in disappointment, but took comfort in the fact that they did not actually have to wait that long.

When they exited the Sun Keep, they were greeted by the sight of a horrid creature roaming about, between them and the epoch. It stood about five feet tall, had six legs, and jaws that nobody wanted to get near.

"A giant termite?!" Lucca exclaimed.

"Close enough," Robo replied.

"One of the last living things on a dying earth," Crono observed.

"It's freaky!" Marle exclaimed.

The termite scuttled about for a few moments. Unfortunately, it was between them and the Epoch.

"Would it attack us if we tried to pass it?" Crono asked.

"Unknown," Robo answered. "Even I've never seen a species like this."

Crono sighed as he drew his sword.

"I guess there's only one way to find out."

Glenn drew the Masamune as well.

The seven then carefully began their descent toward the Epoch.

It only took a few moments for the giant termite to notice them. Making no sound, it charged them.

Lucca quickly fired her blaster, Marle fired her crossbow, and Robo fired his laser.

It was not known to them which was more effective, but the termite only advanced a few yards before turning over and twitching with bug juice leaking all around it, though it appeared to still be alive.

Suddenly, more termites began to appear over the horizon.

Forgetting the heat, all seven of them dashed toward the Epoch.

Crono pressed the button just as the termites overwhelmed the spot where it sat.

The Epoch sprang forward again, deeper into the future.

974,729,821 A. D.

The sun was even brighter than it had been, yet the sky was pitch black, and the stars were visible.

There were no signs of the giant termites.

When Robo scanned the area, there were no signs of life at all.

"It's all extinct," he announced solemnly.

This time however, that did not concern anyone; there was a much greater problem on their hands.

"I'm having a hard time breathing!" Marle exclaimed. "And why is the sky not blue anymore?"

"The atmosphere is gone now," Robo explained. "Very little oxygen remains. It appears a force field around the epoch is protecting us from the sun's radiation."

Lucca, who was also struggling for breath, asked the inevitable question.

"Why?"

"The sun is expanding," Robo answered. "Eventually, it will become a red giant." He then quickly scanned his friends. "I don't require oxygen, and I can't get cancer. I'll go retrieve the Sun Stone. Don't leave the Epoch."

With that, Robo disembarked, and began to make his way to the Sun Keep. After two yards, he turned, and observed his friends beginning to hyperventilate.

The Epoch's force field was keeping the harmful radiation out, but not keeping the oxygen in.

They could be dead by the time he returned.

"Keep taking the Epoch ahead five minutes per second," Robo commanded. "If you start to pass out and I'm still not back, go on without me."

Crono attempted to protest, but he didn't have the air to do so.

Robo quickly disappeared into the Sun Keep.

Crono, Marle, Lucca, Magus, Frog, and Ayla waited in the Epoch, not daring to take one step outside.

Lucca was staring at Orion, which appeared mostly the same, only Betelgeuse was gone.

Does it have to end like this? she thought to herself as she struggled for breath. Could we humans have done something if we had been around? We learned how to travel through time and invented that Enertron, so…

I wonder….maybe…..we are…worth….saving?

Marle, meanwhile, began to feel herself lose consciousness. She was resting her head against Crono's shoulder, drawing each breath as if it would be her last. She was not at all tempted to hit the button; the thought of leaving Robo in this dismal era frightened her.

But, soon enough, Robo appeared with the Sun Stone, which was now fully charged.

Crono pressed the button as soon as Robo embarked.

1000 A. D.

Crono and Marle sat in Crono's house in the parlor. She lay in his arms, completely overwhelmed by the nasty, nihilistic nightmare they had just experienced. Lucca, meanwhile, was sitting on the floor, processing what had happened.

Gina was humming in the kitchen, giving them their privacy, and completely oblivious to what they had been through.

"So," Marle began, "even without us, the earth is doomed."

"That was a surprise," Crono admitted.

"I was thinking something as we were watching the world die," Lucca said. "Of all the things we invented, surely we would have found a way to stop the sun from destroying the earth." She paused. "If we had been there. Whether we starved to death or were destroyed by the remaining robots is irrelevant. We have the intellect to save the world."

"I did consider that we were bad for the world, but it turns out the world depends on us," Crono said.

"So," Marle finally said, "does this mean our mission to destroy Lavos is back on?"

"It is for me," Lucca insisted. "How about you guys?"

"We go after Lavos," Crono replied. "It sounds like it's nose is the weak point."

Lucca gave her cousin a hopeful look.

"I owe it to Belthasar," Crono continued. "He helped bring me back. I suppose I ought to do the same for him."

"Come again?" asked the perplexed Marle.

"We change the future and we bring him back to life," Crono pointed out. "Not to mention Atropos, and that poor guy who went looking for food back at Arris Dome. And that woman who got fed to the grinder. They'll all come back. They won't even know of their demise, or the bleak world they lived in, for that matter."

"I'm up for it, too," Marle said.

"But first," Crono added, "we'll deal with Vanim. I'm not leaving your father in jeopardy."

"I love you," she said with a smile.

"Okay!" Gina suddenly announced. "That's….that's great!"

Both Crono and Marle blushed; they had not really told her how they felt about each other.

"So are you two going to get married now or what?" Gina continued.

"We….haven't really talked about it yet," Crono sheepishly replied.

Marle's heart, meanwhile, did a little flutter-flutter. They hadn't talked about it, but she had certainly thought about it.

"We still have a few things to do here," Lucca said.

"Like that ghost at Choras," Marle blurted out.

"There's a ghost at Choras?!" Gina inquired.

"News to me," Lucca said.

"We saw it when you were fixing the Masamune," Marle clarified. "It was really creepy."

"I suppose that's something we ought to investigate,

"Glenn wouldn't be afraid of him," Crono pointed out.

"You had to bring him up," Lucca sighed.

"Let's take him there," Crono suggested.