Start Date: January 13, 2022

Windwillow

Chrono Trigger

Chapter Thirty

The final bastion of Queen Zeal had been breached. Now, inside the belly of the Black Omen, there was no telling what laid ahead. This was all or nothing. Even more, a strange trap had caught Lucca and Ayla, stranding them in an unknown environment.

This was their finest hour. Hopefully, it wouldn't be their FINAL hour.

Scene One

"Ooh, I hate her! Where are we?!"

Ayla and Lucca rose, finding themselves in a huge, square-shaped area. The walls and floors were pulsing with black energy, with rolling eyes spying down from above. Lucca groaned and got to her feet.

"I love what she's done with the place... Nice and creepy, like that bitch herself."

A sound echoed, and Ayla reacted.

"Lucca! Get down!"

She slammed Lucca flat to the floor, keeping a bizarre, throbbing mass of flesh from spearing her. They both rose and watched as the amorphous blob pulsed.

"The hell is that?!"

It was a twisted amalgamation of rotted flesh and charred hide, rotating in a vaguely egg-shaped form above the room. Lucca noticed a black orb behind the creature, looking much like the one that had dragged them in.

"I see the exit!"

Though she rushed towards the portal, Ayla pushed her down again as a mass of steel-like tendrils punched a hole through the wall near her. She snarled, and spat at the thing.

"Rookie mistake, rookie mistake! Dammit!"

With an unholy squeal, the mass coalesced into a vaguely jellyfish-shaped form, though ridged with black and dark brown plates like an armadillo. Tendrils fell down from its center 'eye.'

"I'm outta here!"

Lucca rose to get up, but fell back as she realized the edges of the platform spilled into pools of lava. She skittered back to where she started. Ayla growled.

"Thing have sharp claws, cut us! Don't let hit us!"

The tendrils piqued to attention, hardened, and launched at the duo. They dodged, righted themselves, and braced as a second wave lashed out at them. This, too, they evaded, and the tendrils slipped back into place. Lucca snarled.

"What the hell is this thing?!"

A squeal sounded, oddly familiar. Slowly a small head poked itself up from the creature. Lucca grinned.

"Now who's talking rookie mistake!"

She lifted her hand and a torrent of fire ripped from her fingers, swirling like a fiery tornado. The mutant swiftly hovered above the flames. Lucca groaned.

"How 'bout this?!"

Lucca's fire roared towards it again, but it lowered itself and evaded the attack. She tried several more volleys to similar effect.

"Slippery bugger! I can't get a bead on it!"

The mutant roared, and lashed out with its tendrils. Lucca and Ayla both dodged and evaded the second swipe, and the creature's claws whipped back into place.

"It can't move more than a certain distance..."

From the 'mouth' of the mutant came a wave of fire. Lucca squeaked, and blocked it with her own flames. With her advanced powers, she nullified the attack but couldn't force it back much. Ayla growled.

"Thing won't stop, breathe fire! Need kick ass!"

An idea came to her, and she grinned.

"Lucca, make float up! High!"

Lucca cocked her head.

"Eh? Well, whatever."

She dispelled the fire and unleashed a wave of fire along the ground. As expected the mutant lifted up, but Ayla leapt and slammed her heel into its head, bashing it into the ground. With a squeal, it writhed and fell limp.

"I'm not waiting! Let's get the hell outta here!"

Scene Two

"Lucca! Ayla!"

The portal warped and expanded, releasing the two women with a burst of air. They fell to the ground on their backs. Crono rushed up and knelt by them.

"Ayla! Lucca! What happened?!"

Marle shook her head.

"I need to heal them first, they're pretty banged up!"

Holding her arms out, Marle created an aura that surged into the duo, a warm feeling stitching and mending their injuries. When the power faded, she crouched by Lucca.

"Lucca, what happened?"

Lucca gasped.

"That crazy bitch sicced a mutant on us! It was just, really, really... messed up! It was something I think I saw in a nightmare once!"

Ayla groaned.

"That not normal creature! Magic, demon!"

Magus crossed his arms.

"Figures. I guess Gaspar was right about the whole boss thing... But I didn't think she'd pull this stunt."

Frog nodded.

"She isolated two of us... Chances are good the next time she'll separate us as well. We have to keep on our toes."

Lucca shook her head.

"You guys don't get it, you didn't SEE it! It's just... oh, and the lava pits sucked too."

Robo cocked his head.

"Lava?"

Lucca nodded.

"All around the arena was a pool of magma, like a moat."

Crono growled.

"We'll make her pay when we see her. Let's keep going!"

Another Angle

"At the End of Time: Gaspar's Plan"

"You really wanna do this? What if they fail? You'd have ripped open the space-time continuum for nothing."

Gaspar tapped his cane.

"I have faith in them. Besides, I'd like to surprise them after this whole mess is over."

Spekkio sighed.

"Watch out for the paradoxes. If you do bring them out of time, be sure it'll time enough to keep the world from collapsing."

In a flourish, Gaspar's attire disappeared, and he reappeared in a bright, crimson robe with a ruby-tipped cane. He brushed off his collar.

"It's been ages since I wore my good suit..."

Scene Three

"This place gives me the creeps..."

Frog nodded.

"Her taste in architecture is... questionable."

Continuing through the halls of the Omen, the party found a large room filled with runes and twisted cords that looked like veins. Though it resembled the Ocean Palace, this kind of place was far different. Marle shuddered.

"A human built this place?"

Magus crossed his arms.

"A little yes, a little no. She's barely human at this point."

A crack of light resounded, and a horde of enemies appeared. Some resembled Dalton's elite corps, while others were Mystic wizards and still others monstrous beasts. Crono drew Dreamseeker.

"Looks like the welcome party's here!"

The enemies roared and the battle began. As Crono and Frog sliced through the opposition, Marle and Lucca launched long-range attacks peppered with magics. Ayla and Robo pounded with their fists, as Magus swept his scythe in wide swipes that diced man after man.

Magus matched his scythe with a Dalton corps, pushing it back and allowing Frog to cut it in two. He scowled.

"I didn't ask for help!"

One of the magicians chanted, and a huge wave of fire burst towards the team. Frog leapt to the ceiling and swept his hand, extinguishing the fire; Crono swiped a hand and took the mage out with a curtain of lightning. As a beast loomed to strike him, Ayla kicked it in the face.

Marle slid on her knees and slammed her hands to the ground, creating a giant ice stalamite that gutted a series of beasts. As it cracked open Crono diced through the ice and severed the heads of many enemies.

The beasts, huge yellow Mystics with wings and fangs, breathed waves of fire but were sniped and bashed by Robo. Dalton's elite put up a fine melee match and the magicians hurled spell after spell, but by the five minute mark the enemies had been dispatched. Lucca fell to one knee.

"Dammit! How many more are there?!"

Magus stepped past her.

"Probably hundreds."

Lucca groaned.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that..."

Another Angle

"Heartbeats"

I can feel it...

The time is nigh...

I believe in them...

O Heavens, let them win

Scene Four

"Okay... What the hell is this?"

In front of the party was a strange contraption. There were nine squares labled one through nine, and a computer screen beeped out random combinations. Marle cocked her head.

"Is this a phone dial?"

Lucca shook her head.

"Looking at it, I can see nine buttons and a random readout of numbers. My guess is that we have to press a certain combination within a set period of time."

Frog shook his head.

"We'd need lightning fast reflexes..."

Crono grinned.

"I played a karaoke game like this once."

As he stepped forward and readied, Robo eyed the screen.

"The combination is: 96482375."

Crono tapped each button with his foot, and the door opened in front of them. He smiled.

"Piece of cake."

Another group of Mystics fell to the ground, dozens. Crono groaned.

"Or not."

Another Angle

"Zeal's Preperations"

"I must be thorough... These will need to match their parameters exactly... and exceed them."

Zeal stood in front of six large tubes, each containing the body of a party member (sans Magus). She tapped on a control pad, slowly eyeing the results. She smiled.

"They ought to be finished by the time they get here. Well, IF they get here..."

Scene Five

"I really, REALLY hate that woman!"

Magus crossed his arms.

"Oh, shut it. I'm tired of you yelling so much."

Lucca flipped off Magus.

"Bite me! You're next!"

Frog stepped in between them.

"Enough. We have priorities here, Lucca!"

Robo nodded.

"Our journey is not over. We must continue."

Lucca groaned.

"Still gonna get you..."

The party entered a new room, one filled with bones, bloody veins, and skulls. The walls pulsed with black blood, each with lanterns. The walls were blocky and covered in blood-red veins, a sickening sensation that they were inside a demon's muscle.

Frog drew his sword.

"Nothing good can come from this place."

Ayla cracked her knuckles.

"Ayla feel danger."

Marle nodded.

"Something's not right..."

A black orb opened in the center of the room, a lashing tendril catching Marle and dragging her in. Crono leapt in fast enough that he made it in before Marle did. As the portal closed Lucca's hand fell on void air. She gnashed her teeth, blood dripping from her jaw.

"Give 'em hell, Crono..."

Scene Six

"Marle... MARLE! Can you hear me?!"

Marle came back to consciousness, cradled by Crono. She smiled weakly.

"I'm fine."

In a flash Crono released Marle, drew Dreamseeker and clashed with a shadowy form, a distorted orb like Lucca had fought except with a wicked claw attached to it. Crono detatched, grabbed Marle, and slid away. The orb warped and pulsed, slowly assuming a new form.

This mutant looked vaguely humanoid; Its body was humanlike, but its writhing head looked more like a dragon than a man. Each arm was ended with two sharp sickle-claws, and it stood on two legs, but it looked more like a demonic raptor than a human.

Marle got to her feet.

"So, then...?"

Crono nodded.

"Zeal again. Same rules apply."

He ignited his lightning mode.

"Stay behind me!"

Crono and the mutant clashed, the force from their impact such that Marle had to brace herself to keep standing. Both man and demon detatched, quickly returning to combat with claw meeting steel. As Crono deflected the claw, however, the other swung for him.

"Dammit...!"

The mutant's arm was deflected by a stalactite of ice, which Marle had hurled at it. She skidded by Crono and created an ice sword from her dagger.

"We're in this together!"

Crono grinned.

"Yeah... Sorry."

A heartbeat passed, as the three lunged. The mutant swung both claws, with one being deflected by Crono and the other blasted away with a burst of ice by Marle. With that, the three exchanged blows: Crono and the mutant matched the other, but Marle struggled.

Marle slammed her hand to the ground, and a huge stalagmite thrust up from the ground. The mutant slimly dodged, jumped back and snarled. Crono took point and slung swing after swing, each blocked but with difficulty.

Crono's foot slammed into the ground hard enough to break it open, as he sliced into the mutant's claw. The two clashed, struggled, and Crono severed its left arm. It fell back with a roar of pain. He smirked.

"One down!"

In an instant Crono was pushed away by Marle, who narrowly evaded the other claw, and with fury swung Dreamseeker with all his might. The strike missed, but as the mutant threw its claw forward with all its might, both Marle and Crono caught it with their swords.

The three detatched, and Crono swept his right hand, sending a curtain of lightning at the mutant. At the same moment Marle laced it with cold, knocking the creature back and staggering it. Marle clasped her hands together.

"Crono!"

Crono nodded.

"Got it! Together!"

As Crono charged, Marle flung her ice magic onto his sword and ignited a whirlwind of ice shards around it. He jumped, twisted, and swung with a giant overhand strike. The blade touched the mutant's skin, freezing it in a giant glacier, and Crono swiped again.

The second wave cleanly bisected the mutant, dropping it to the ground in two pieces. As the portal opened Crono and Marle nodded and leapt into it together. All that remained of the mutant collapsed and broke into a hundred bloody shards.

Scene Seven

"Are you two alright?!"

Crono nodded.

"Yeah, but a couple of Tonics would help."

He and Marle drank the elixers, finding their strength restored. They sat up as Marle began to mend their wounds. Lucca sighed.

"I'm guessing...?"

Marle nodded.

"Same thing, same room. We never got too close to the lava, but I'm still tingling."

Frog clenched his fist.

"That coward! She tried to take Marle..."

Magus crossed his arms.

"And wonder boy here saved her. Hold your water."

He sighed.

"We aren't done yet, not by a mile. Next time we'll have to stay alert, that's all."

Crono groaned.

"I won't let her hurt you, Marle."

Marle smiled.

"I know."

The two kissed. Magus spat on the ground.

"Your love makes me vomit. Let. Us. Get. On. With. It."

Lucca flipped him off.

"You sonuva...!"

Robo sighed and pushed Lucca back.

"I have lost track of how many times we have told you that. Calm down, Lucca."

Crono nodded.

"Yeah, you're way too emotional."

Lucca growled.

"I was WORRIED, you ass! That's supposed to be a GOOD thing!"

Ayla put a hand on Lucca's shoulder.

"Lucca, let go. It alright."

With a sigh, Lucca smiled.

"Yeah... Everyone's fine, that's all that matters."

Magus chuckled.

"Rousing speech."

As he held Lucca back, Crono laughed.

"Yeah... The bit's way too old."