Chrono Corruption
Act 4: New World Order
Chapter 25: The Central Regime
*New Future, 2012 A.D.*
Crono and his party arrived in a flash. They stood outside a large futuristic dome. The building was undamaged indicating they were in the right future. The dome sat on top of a cliff that overlooked a massive metropolis. The party inspected the building. It was surrounded by flowers of all kinds and seemed to be a futuristic memorial. Upon entering, a holographic sign read, "Welcome to the Levine Museum! Here perched over the Metropolis of Choras, lies a memorial for the Levine Family! This family is known for their works in the Explorer Corporation and the continual service toward developing Choras as a nation!"
"This Museum is dedicated to the Levine family?" Glenn asked curiously.
"Yeah, but something seems off," Crono said with suspicion.
"Let's take a look around," Lucca suggested.
The party took a quick tour of the Museum and found that history had taken a turn for the worse. Every plaque that had an achievement on it dedicated the Levine family's hard work to Neo Emperor Dalton in some way. A large white statue of a god-like Dalton above a smaller man was placed at the center of the Museum. The smaller man in question was presumably one of Toma's descendants. He was kneeling before Dalton in a state of prayer.
The party felt the need to hold back their lunch, "Blech, if Ty saw this he really would have lost his lunch!" Crono said, queasy.
"Yeah, and Tomo would lose her mind!" Lucca added.
"Tch! So I guess it is safe to assume that Dalton has a cult-like presence in this era?" Glenn said presumptuously. "Let us leave this miserable place and find Janus. If the Rift placed us here, then perhaps Janus is hiding in that massive city."
"Yeah, let's go, Crono. I don't want us to attract any unnecessary attention. You know how cultists are," Lucca said quietly.
"As much as I want to blast that statue with a bolt of Lightning, doing so would be foolish, so let's get outta here," Crono agreed.
Crono and his party quietly left the Museum careful not to arouse suspicion. Outside, a transporter, similar to the Land Bridges of Zeal, but more technological, stood before them. A certain sign nearby caught Lucca's attention. "Land Bridges are in every way shape and form, superior to the old Tele-pod technology, created by a certain 'stupid' female scientist of 1000 A.D."
Instantly, Lucca was filled with fury, "WHAT! THAT BASTARD I'LL RIP HIS HEAD OFF AND SHOVE IT UP HIS-!" Lucca shouted as Glenn restrained her.
Glenn whispered into her ear, "Lady Lucca, please! We must not be hasty! There will be a time for us to strike, but it is not now!"
"Yeah, Lucca, he's clearly trying to make us into his 'devils', and provoke us. If he succeeds we'll be in massive trouble," Crono began. "Garet and I found this same crap all over 3000 B.C. when we found Marle, so I can't imagine how many followers he has in this era."
Lucca growled, "Fine, let's just go! I hate this era already!"
With that, The party entered the Land Bridge and they were enveloped in its magenta-colored light.
*Metropolis of Choras*
Crono's party had entered the futuristic city and what a sight it was. Vehicles hovered over the ground instead of using wheels. Highways wrapped around the city in various ways and tall buildings belonging to large corporations loomed over the city. Crono's party had entered into what seemed to be the slums. It was dirty and filled with graffiti showing everything from simple rude comments to blasphemy towards Dalton.
"This place is a mess!" Lucca said with disgust.
"Hmm, this writing is strange. Such vivid colors...," Glenn said.
Crono, however, was more suspicious, "I get what most of this graffiti is saying, but who are the 'Central Regime' and why do people want them to disband? I don't like this. Stay alert," he finished with caution.
"I wonder where Magus might be?" Lucca asked curiously.
"Hmm, I can't imagine he'd just fit right in. Since he has been here at least a month he's had to cause some kind of stir," Crono deduced.
"Then perhaps we can find an answer among these strange colorful writings," Glenn mentioned.
"Good thinking, let's walk around for a while," Crono agreed.
Crono and his party searched the city from dawn until dusk. Erstwhile, getting strange looks from the denizens of this era. They stuck out like a sore thumb, but they were also not that farfetched as some people believed them to be Cosplaying for some kind of event. Eventually, the gang decided to rest on a bench. "Man, my feet hurt!" Lucca stated as she adjusted her glasses.
"Boy, Magus sure is tough to find!" Crono said a little irritated.
Glenn, however, was taken aback by something, "Everyone, you should see this!" he said ecstatically. Glenn urged everyone to look at a massive graffiti painting that adorned the brick wall of an abandoned warehouse. The painting took Crono and Lucca by surprise. It was Magus with his back turned and his arms outstretched, not unlike how he had done before them many times. A light was in front of Magus that he was standing defiantly before. A face in the light could be seen as Dalton.
"Wow, Magus certainly made an impact here!" Lucca said in awe.
"If Magus has started a rebellion towards Dalton perhaps he and his followers have an underground meeting place," Glenn deduced.
Then suddenly, a door to the building opened with a child peering at them slightly. The gang turned their attention to them, but the child ran back inside in fear.
"Hey, wait!" Lucca called out.
The party followed the child inside. As they pursued, the child tried to slow them down by pushing racks, buckets, and other objects down to block their path. Finally, they saw the child enter a metal trap door in the corner of a disheveled room. They continued to follow. They found themselves in the depths of the sewer systems beneath the city. Even the sewer system was advanced. It had electronic switches and levers that changed the water flow and small Debugger robots that made sure the sewers were free of vermin.
The child witnessed their arrival and ran off. "Quick, there they go! Follow them!" Lucca said urgently. Crono led the gang through the maze while flipping levers and turning switches to make certain areas accessible. The hostile robots and large rodents made their path a little more strenuous, but it was not anything they could not handle. Eventually, the deeper they got, the more like Magus' Castle the sewer became. Red carpets and ornate torches that gleamed with blue fire lined the walls. Finally, after seeing the child again, the party followed them until the child came to a mechanical door. The child opened it with a key card and went inside, the door sealing itself shut behind them.
"Curses! This metal door is sealed very tightly!" Glenn said irritated.
"This is nothing! Let me handle this!" Lucca said with a proud laugh. She went to work and easily hot-wired the keypad. The door beeped and opened, "See, nothing to it!" she boasted further.
The party entered as the door shut behind them. Inside was a long hallway. It had a red carpet laid carefully along the contours of the floor. Above them, pipes of all kinds also seemed like they led further up. As the party followed the path, they came to an open room where a small bit of sunlight peeked through the ceiling. A familiar sight met their eyes. A large stone statue of Magus stood as the centerpiece of the cathedral-like room. A familiar chanting could also be heard.
"Heh, where have I seen this before?" Glenn said with a serious tone.
The chanting ended abruptly, "I knew you would arrive sooner or later...," said a familiar voice. Byways of Magic, Janus appeared from thin air before the statue. "Ironic, I also have seen this before. You are in the same group as before when you assaulted my castle," Janus said with an odd sense of nostalgia.
"Imagine that," Crono said with a chuckle.
Lucca tilted her head in confusion a bit, "Magus you seem, I don't know, different? Handsome really."
"That is because I have shed the name 'Magus' and the fiendish appearance that went with it," Janus said coldly.
"Oh, so you don't want to be called Magus anymore?" Crono asked with a smile.
"No, that person is no more. 'Janus' will suffice," he claimed.
"Never mind that, how did you know we were coming?" Glenn asked curiously.
"I knew these time displacements would eventually draw your attention. We are bound by Fate it seems," Janus claimed with a cold smirk.
"Well, you seemed to find a place here. How did you end up here anyway?" Crono asked curiously.
"If you must know...," Janus began. Janus revealed to Crono and his party, the events that brought him to this era.
"So you encountered the Frozen Flame as well, huh?" Lucca confirmed.
"Yes, and my sister's pendant is still left in Antiquity," Janus finalized.
"So what have you been doing here while you were stuck in this era?" Glenn followed up.
"This era...," Janus began coldly. "...Is ruled by a world organization called, the Central Regime. They follow that parasite, Dalton like he is the God of a new world. When I arrived, soldiers hired by the Regime attempted to arrest me when I could not be identified. However, I had little time for their foolish attempts to subdue me. I vanquished them with my Shadow Magic and the rebels accepted me with open arms. After I explained myself to them and my stance on Dalton, they began to do everything from worshiping me, to appoint me to be their leader."
"Wow, you may not be 'Magus' in name, but you're still up to your old tricks!" Crono said with a chuckle.
As Crono finished his sentence, the little child came out with many adults who wore worn fatigues as well as other worn military gear. Janus addressed them, "It's all right everyone. These people are allies to our cause. As a matter of fact, with their assistance, we can begin."
The people cheered and rejoiced as they shuffled amongst one another. Glenn faced Janus with a cold stare, "What exactly are you planning? What did you promise these people?"
"Is that not obvious? Why, the death and demise of Neo Emperor Dalton, of course." Janus said flatly.
"Well, you said you were ready to begin. What's that mean?" Lucca asked eagerly.
"As I mentioned, this era is ruled by the Central Regime and they are ruled by Dalton," Janus began. "I created a plan to attack their main robotics factory. There they have a proto-type AI. This computer can create new robots all on its own without human interaction. However, this is not the reason it must be destroyed."
"It has hidden capabilities, right?" Lucca followed.
"Correct, the Central Regime placed capabilities within that will allow it to interact with the Frozen Flame, much like how the Mammon Machine once was," Janus claimed.
"What, but Belthasar has the Frozen Flame contained in the future at Chronopolis," Crono stated.
"I thought as much," Janus replied. "Dalton must have inspired his followers to create an Artificial Intelligence that can locate and free it from Belthasar's grasp in the future. If we destroy it now, it will set the Regime back substantially and buy us more time," Janus finished.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's do it!" Crono stated with vigor.
"Wait, before we do," Glenn interjected. "I have a question for you, Janus."
"Oh? And that would be?" Janus replied flatly.
Glenn paused for a brief moment, then gave in, "In my era, were you familiar with the Frog King?"
Janus seemed puzzled, "Yes, why do you ask?"
"Recently, he attacked our kingdom and performed a similar spell on our people which you placed on me. Now a large portion of the castle's population, including Queen Leene is now frog monsters! He claimed he studied old Fiend magic to accomplish this. I wish to know how to undo the spell!"
Janus seemed impressed at first but then quickly grew apathetic, "Heh, so that gross old toad managed something like that did he? Impressive given who he is really, but at the end of the day, he is merely an amphibian. The spell he used is 'Polymorphic' in nature. It is low-level Fiend magic in concept, but it can lay the foundation for more elaborate and complex spells."
"What do you mean?" Glenn asked.
"In concept, changing the appearance of oneself or others is rather simplistic, but it can be used in many different ways," Janus explained further.
"I get it," Lucca stated. "A simple premise with many different uses and interpretations."
"Exactly," Janus began. "Tell me what it was he did exactly, don't skip a detail."
"He sabotaged our frog soup. Since it was a new recipe, most people in the castle wanted some. When they had it the Frog King struck during the night and all who consumed it fell under his spell! We even had a new friend and ally, a poison master, search the soup for poison, but he found nothing!"
Janus gave a low chuckle, "No, this poison master would not have found the answer. The catalyst is the soup itself. The flesh of amphibians with a dash of their blood. The humans who ate of it became what they ate. The answer is simple...," Janus paused as everyone leaned in. "Simply kill him and all who carry his bloodline if they exist... and the spell will crumble."
Glenn's jaw dropped, "That is all?!"
"What? Were you expecting a more complex solution? I told you it was a simple premise. When we went our separate ways, did the spell I placed on you simply break?" Janus asked.
"Why, yes it did, shortly after actually," Glenn said recalling the event.
"It broke because I went back to my own time. My life is not eternal, so I was considered dead once the timeline solidified. And thus, the spell wore off on its own," Janus explained.
"Ah, I see now," Glenn said with revelation.
Crono scratched his chin, "Well that explains the frogmen I saw in my era then. He had a descendant and passed the responsibility on to them."
"I don't want to think about what kind of place Guardia is by your time, Crono," Glenn claimed nervously.
Janus cleared his throat, "Nevertheless when we are done here, I shall accompany you. I wish to reap Dalton's soul myself," Janus claimed.
"Ha, get in line Janus! All of us want a piece of him!" Crono said with a smile.
"For now though, make sure you bring the right people with you. So make changes if you wish," Janus claimed.
"Oh?" Crono said looking at Lucca and Glenn.
"We are headed to a laboratory. It would be wise to include party members for those who are familiar with this environment," Janus suggested.
Crono thought hard for a moment, "Okay, so is anyone looking for a quick break?" he asked.
"No way, I'm not missing this!" Lucca claimed.
Glenn let out a sigh, "I have been in much need of some rest. Perhaps Robo or Garet would be a more accurate choice."
"You've been going full force for a while, Glenn. So who shall it be? Robo or Garet?" Crono asked while looking at Lucca.
"It's your choice 'King' Crono!" Lucca said flippantly.
"Okay then," Crono said. "Let's go with Robo!"
Lucca turned on the Gate Key and swapped Glenn for Robo. "Oh my, is my assistance required?" Robo asked as he readied himself. Everyone took the moment to debrief Robo and he was brought up to speed.
"Okay, so where is this laboratory located, Janus?" Crono asked.
"First I need to enlighten you on this era's geography and topography," Janus began. "First, the north and south Zenan Continents are no longer connected to each other. The north is completely overgrown by a forest. Many stay away from it as reports of strange beasts living there. Thanks to Glenn, I now know why. Second, the southern continent is ruled by Porre. It has two large cities separated by Fiona's Forest. Right now, we are in Choras. This place still retains the ruins to the north, but it is overgrown and no longer cared for. Outside this city is nothing but small towns filled with factories. Finally, the Medinian Continent is a complete wasteland. The Fiends seem extinct... What a pity. In the center of this wasteland lies the city of Arris. And just to the north of it is our target. A massive facility that makes everything from weapons, to robots, to anything else the Central Regime might desire."
"How do we get there?" Lucca asked.
"The Resistance has set up a special Tele-Pod in the ruins to the north of here," Janus started. "It will take us to a small village in the Regiorra province of the Medina continent. However, the two areas are separated via a mountain range, so we must take the sewer system from there to get to Medina."
"All right then! Let's double-check our stuff and get moving!" Crono said loudly.
The crowd of people cheered as the party regrouped. Crono outfitted himself with a Steelfeather Katana, a Chain Mail Tunic and Trousers, and a Leather Bandana. Lucca equipped a Steelbarrel Shotgun, a Chain Mail Hoodie, and Chain Mail Shorts with an Ironsight Scope. Robo replaced his Bronzebolt Plate armor with Steelrivet Plate armor. Janus replaced his raven-themed gear with a Darksteel Scythe, a Darkchain Vest, a Netherweave Cape, and a Darksteel Amulet. After acquiring all necessary items, Crono's party bid farewell to the rebels. Janus led the party out of the sewers and into the darkened city. Despite it being night, the bright lights gave the city a different life during these hours. After some time, the party finally made it out of the city and began following an old road to the north. All signs indicated that it led to the old Northern Ruins.
*Northern Ruins*
The Northern Ruins were almost completely crumbled away, retaken by the toxic swampland. Some areas were recently rebuilt assumed by the rebels for their operations. Janus led them into the ruins and knocked on a door. A small slit opened and a pair of eyes could be seen. A voice emanated from the other side of the door, "What's the password?" asked the voice.
Janus replied, "Alfador."
The slit closed and the door was opened to them. The room was the mausoleum where past heroes were laid to rest in. The grave was intact but it was surrounded by military surplus supplies and technology that cluttered the room. In the back, an updated version of Lucca's Tele-pod machine stood humming. The person who let them in was wearing full-body protective gear all the way to a gas mask. A few more technicians also wearing the same gear wandered around the room checking inventory or other things. The man who let them in sat at a computer terminal nearby the Tele-pod, "Welcome Master Janus, we were expecting you. I assume you are ready to teleport to Regiorra?"
"Yes, let's begin," Janus said flatly.
With that, the party wasted no time and boarded the Tele-pod. "I'm so glad I made this thing," Lucca said to herself with a chuckle. As the technician punched in key codes, the Tele-pod reacted and in a bright flash whisked them away.
When they reappeared they found themselves in a small room that was a little different than the one they left. The Technician welcomed them, "Ah, success! You've arrived in Regiorra, Sir. This camp is the only form of civilization on this side of the mountains. When you leave, just head southeast and you'll find the sewer systems. Not to worry though, the rebel forces have it under control so they'll guide you through," she explained. The party thanked the technician and made haste as they left.
*Sewer Systems*
Crono and his party made their way to the southeast as instructed, following the rocky mountain ridge. After some time, a rather worn-looking dome came into view. It was poorly hidden among some small trees and dry brush. "There, that is the entrance," Janus claimed.
"About time!" Crono said with a sigh of relief.
"This was a little further than what that technician implied!" Lucca said.
"My sensors aren't picking up any hostile signatures. So far, so good!" Robo whirred.
The party approached the mechanical door and small cameras embedded in it let people inside know of their arrival. Like before, a password was asked of them. A robotic voice echoed, "Password?"
Janus came close, "Alfador..." he said clearly.
"Password accepted," chimed the robotic voice.
The mechanical door shifted as its locks and tumblers moved and rotated. The heavy door opened and the party entered, meeting more rebels inside. A commander among them approached. "Ah, Master Janus, we've been expecting you!" he said. "If you just follow me, I'll show you the path you must take to get to the other side."
The party agreed and followed the militant figure. After passing through the main hub of their operation, they were led to some platforms with water rushing below them. The commander flipped a lever on the wall and narrow segmented bridges rose from the water to connect some of them. "If you take this path to the opposite side of this tunnel you'll make it to the other side of the mountain. Best of luck to you, Sir!"
The party thanked him and went on their way. As the party trekked through the sewer, they made their way by means of levers, ladders, turntables, and rising and sinking platforms. Rebels paid their respects as they passed by. Finally, after learning to understand the puzzle-like sewer systems, they made their way to the exit. Another technician stood before the exit, he seemed anxious, "So, t-this is it, huh? The attack on the Central Regime? I hope I'm ready!" he said shakily. "Once you leave here all you need to do is go north across the wasteland until you come to the Lab. Godspeed everyone!" he finished.
"Thanks, good luck to you as well!" Crono said as the party left the dome.
*Medinian Wastes*
As the party left the dome, they were greeted with the bright light of the hot sun. A punishing breeze howled across the wastes. In the far distance, a large metropolis could be seen. Lucca whistled in awe, "Wow, that city is so big! So that's what those places looked like before Lavos wrecked them."
"Indeed!" Robo whirred. "When I returned here after Lavos's defeat, I started leaking oil from my optic sensors!" he ended with a robotic chuckle.
Lucca laughed along with him as Janus cleared his throat to gain attention, "We can take this Jet Bike to get to the Lab. Arris City is not our destination as of now," he explained pointing to a blue and yellow hovercar.
Crono was pumped, "All right, let's do this!" he said as he rushed over to the Jet Bike and hopped in. Everyone followed suit and Crono turned the key. The machine howled as its engines roared. "And away we go!" Crono cheered.
*Outskirts of Lab 51, Restricted Area*
The Jetbike slowed as the massive factory came into view. It was clearly a restricted area and was patrolled by man and machine alike. It was protected by chain-link fences lined with razor wire and small outlining towers that watched for any intruders trying to sneak in from the wasteland. A large mountain range loomed behind the factory. It cast an ominous shadow over the facility. White steam billowed from tall smokestacks and the hums and whirrs of large machinery could be heard.
"Here is Lab 51," Janus claimed. "As you approach, there is a spot we should park so we are not noticed. This place is restricted to all non-working personnel. If they spot us on the premises they will attack us."
"You got it!" Crono said. Crono was instructed to park the Jetbike behind a large rocky upheaval as it acted as a blind spot. The Lab had many buildings that interconnected with one another. Large machines, such as cranes, could be seen scraping the skies.
Everyone disembarked as the Jetbike was shut down. "Okay, so how do we breach this place?"
"We must wait until nightfall," Janus said.
"Oh?" Crono thought out loud.
"I've altered my magical skills since our last meeting," Janus began. "I am able to blend in with the shadows and become completely unnoticeable. Lab 51 is completely automated during the graveyard shift so I will sneak in and provide and way in for you."
Robo whirred, "Please allow me to assist you, Janus."
"And how will you assist me?" Janus mused.
"If you get me to the main computer in the security office I can disable the security systems," Robo claimed.
"...Very well...," Janus agreed.
"All right, good luck you guys!" Lucca encouraged.
"How will we know when the coast is clear?" Crono asked.
Robo turned to him, "Wait for the lights to go out. They will come back on, but that will be irrelevant. Once this happens, feel free to enter. We will meet you at the front office. The electronic doors should be unlocked."
"All right, sounds like a plan!" Crono said.
With that, the party waited until the sunset. As darkness overtook the wasteland, Janus took to the shadows like a phantom. Robo followed close behind being as silent as he could. "Stay close, machine, I can hide you if need be," Janus whispered.
"Acknowledged...!" Robo stammered.
Janus approached the boom gate and ducked underneath with Robo in tow. They traveled the asphalt road until they came to an 'Employees Only' door. He then took a key card out of his armor and swiped it in the nearby reader. The door quietly unlocked and they entered. As the door closed behind them, Prototypes and Debugger robots patrolled the halls. Janus stood completely still, shrouding Robo as the robots passed by. Janus and Robo moved silently through the Lab's geometric halls until finally came to the security room. Inside, the Prototypes took notice and attempted to sound an alarm but they were quickly dispatched before they could do so.
Without the guards, Robo approached the mainframe. He quickly fiddled and hacked into the system and it suddenly blacked out but only for a moment. When it came back on the computers hummed and their monitors occasionally flashed static. The lights even dimmed and many movements of machines slowed to a crawl. "There that should help quite a bit!" Robo claimed.
"What did you do?" Janus asked curiously.
"I inserted 'junk data' into the system to bog down the system," Robo began. "As you can see, it's causing lag over the entire facility. While the AI systems scrub this junk data every robot in this place will be sluggish. Their attention will not be on searching for intruders while they scrub this junk data so we will be able to sneak around with a larger party."
"Ah, so that's what you were up to. Just how 'aware' are they to us?" Janus asked.
"As of now, they are no more aware of you than you are of the blood cells in your body," Robo claimed. "However, this will not last forever, so we must be punctual."
"Then let us go and meet the others," Magus urged.
With that, the party regrouped at the front office. It was void of human workers and the security cameras twitched and froze as the AI attempted to scrub Robo's garbage data. Robo brought Crono and Lucca up to speed, "In addition to this, even if some robots can be triggered, they will not be able to set off an alarm passed the room that we are in. So as long as we dispatch the patrol, the signal will not reach the higher levels of security," Robo explained further.
"That's incredible, Robo! I couldn't have done it better myself!" Lucca praised. Robo rubbed the back of his head in what seemed like embarrassment over the praise.
Now regrouped, the party left the head office and made their way through the halls. Eventually, they came to a large door that had a sign above it. It read, "Biological Research." Upon entering, the party took in their surroundings. The laboratory was filled with computers with many blueprints plastered all over their monitors. Thanks to Robo, the Prototypes moved slowly and the monitors were littered with error screens. Creatures that seemed like they were being grown in large test tubes were also present.
The Prototypes that patrolled the room were quickly and carefully disposed of so the party could safely search the room. Crono examined a creature in a test tube, "Lucca, do you notice something eerily familiar about the monsters being grown in these tanks?" he said with a cold sweat.
Lucca shared Crono's feelings, "Like how you mean these are the same type of mutant we found stalking the ruins of the future we tried to prevent?"
Robo examined the data stored in the tank's computer, "It says these Mutants are research experiments... that contain Lavos's DNA. It is spliced with the DNA of various other creatures!"
Crono and Lucca were stunned but Janus spoke up, "How is that possible? Unless samples of Lavos's flesh were given to the Central Regime by someone else..."
"We may find out further ahead, let us proceed," Robo said urgently.
The party made their way out of the Biology Research Center and eventually found themselves in the factory complex portion of the facility. Automated treadmills and robotic arms sluggishly moved as they assembled and carried Prototype and Debugger models to a warehouse sector to be stored and shipped. As they navigated this portion of the facility they noticed a large metal crate had fallen in front of the main door leading out of the facility. Robo lamented, "Error, it seems my alterations to the programming here caused an accident! Ordinarily, humans would be here to correct this so we will need to find a way to move this crate."
Janus pointed out, "There, a control office. We can use that remote control crane to move this crate."
The party made its way up to the control office and it demanded a code combination before it could be used. Crono paused, "I wonder if this will work!" he said as he punched in a combination. The crane ran an automated program but instead of removing the crate it lifted a Prototype from the conveyer belt and smashed it. It screamed comically as it did so. It then placed the smashed robot into a large chute that ground the robot into small recyclable chunks.
"Whoops...," Crono said embarrassed.
He then tried a second combination and then finally, the crane did as it was told as it lifted the crate. However, it smashed many of the robots inside causing them to comically scream as they too were placed into the grinder. The grinder clogged and it let out a massive burst of sparks as it sputtered and stopped. "Well, the paths open," Lucca said with a mild chuckle.
The party proceeded and left the production area and ended up outside. The gravel crunched beneath their feet as they witnessed many large cranes and other heavy machinery that were used to move the crates into either a storage warehouse or a shipping department. A strange building resembling a small power plant loomed over the facility from the far end. "There, that is the reactor housing. I can upload the rebel's virus from inside and we can then depart," Janus claimed.
The party traversed the pathway as they avoided more robots and Robo approached the consol at the door. As Robo fiddled with it, it quickly rejected him, "Uh-oh... it would seem a password is needed..."
"I have it," Janus claimed. "The rebel forces gave it to me. Try typing in, 'Zabie'."
"Huh, it's really weird that password was used twice despite the timeline," Crono said with a chuckle.
"Proceeding with the password, 'Zabie'," Robo said as he typed in the code. The door opened to him with a ding.
The party stepped inside and crossed a tight bridge that was suspended over water. The water was meant for cooling deeper portions of the reactor that they couldn't access unless they wore special protection. The party then entered another door that led into a tower that housed many Enertrons lined up like pods. A central computer sat at the back of the room. "Ah, here we are," Janus said as he approached with a small USB Drive.
"Allow me to assist, Janus!" Robo said enthusiastically.
Robo and Janus loaded the virus and the computer sprang to life with a terrible scream, "WARNING, INTRUDERS DETECTED IN CENTRAL CORE. SPECIMENS MAY BE IN DANGER! REPEAT! HUMAN-LAVOS HYBRID SPECIMENS MAY BE AT RISK! INITIATING INTRUDER ALERT!"
"Human-Lavos hybrid?! What the hell are they thinking?!" Lucca said in disgust.
"That would be our cue to leave," Janus said flatly.
"That virus you uploaded was really nasty," Robo stated. "What was it called?"
"The Rebels called it, the N-Z3R0 virus," Janus informed.
Robo was taken back, "So..., that's where that virus came from..."
Janus gazed at Robo but said nothing. The alarms went off as Robo's countermeasure finally wore off. The entire facility was now ablaze with warning alarms and lights. The party quickly began making its way outside. The strange Enertrons they passed shuddered and shook as whatever inside now wanted out. Thankfully, the party made its way out and back outside. However, their path was now blocked by a myriad of machines.
Just then, among the Prototypes came six blue-colored R Series robots. Robo shuddered a little and Lucca clicked her tongue, "Tch! Oh no, we're not doing this again!" she said in anger.
One of the R Series spoke, its tone deeper than Robo's, "Intruders you are cornered. Place your weapons on the ground and lie face down."
"Not a chance!" Crono stated defiantly.
Then, a helicopter flew overhead and a tall slender man appeared at the door. He dropped a rope ladder from the flying machine and dramatically made his way down. The R Series robots all crowded around him with a bow of respect. He was of slender features both in body and face. He had slicked-back black hair and blue eyes. He wore a formal black business suit complete with a red tie. He stared at Crono coldly. "So, these are the intruders skulking around my laboratory. I was warned by a premonition that I would soon encounter Lord Dalton's greatest adversary. And it is..., a red-haired man wielding an antique sword? A girl that bears the resemblance of the ancient Doctor Lucca Ashtear and a damaged R Series Prototype? How fortuitous that my main office detected the power surge as an internal failure as opposed to an external one. You have my respect for having the guts to challenge the Central Regime. My name is Walton Frost and I am the acting President of the Central Regime. You will be coming with us now," he said confidently. His eyes gleamed suddenly and with the same Ice magic as Marle, Walton used a freeze spell to encase everyone in individual pillars of ice. He then turned and grabbed the rope ladder, addressing the robots as he did so, "Machines, load these intruders into the armored van for transport! I wish to speak with them in my main office. When they defrost, use the new Anti-Magic handcuffs to bind and weaken them! Lord Dalton be praised!"
The machines did as they were instructed and loaded the three frozen bodies onto the vehicle. Luckily, the shady Janus hid his presence with his magic and snuck into the truck before the door could be closed. The door closed behind Janus, "My apologies, but I can use this misfortune to study the members of the Regime more closely. I will free you when the time is right..."
*?*
Crono awoke with a deep breath as he coughed and gagged. He instinctively attempted to reach for his sword but found that his hands were bound in a pair of technologically advanced handcuffs. He took in his surroundings. He was trapped in a cell with a plain white bed. The walls were smooth and white and the lights hummed quietly. An electronic door sealed him in the room. On the wall opposite his bed was a flatscreen monitor. It sprang to life and revealed the face of Walton and three more members of the Central Regime as well as many lower-ranking individuals.
They appeared to be staring Crono down through the monitor as Walton spoke, "Ah, the prisoner is awake. Allow us to introduce ourselves, as you know, I am Walton Frost, President of the nation of Arris. We are the governing body of the entire globe. We are all Nations united under the Neo Emperor," Walton started. He presented the man sitting to his left, "This man, coming from Porre, is known as Erebus Moore." Erebus was a bald man with darker skin, shorter stature, a goatee, and a mustache. He smiled smugly as his amber eyes pierced Crono through the monitor.
To his right, were two women, one with blonde hair tied in a bun with a hair stick that had a butterfly ornament on it and a dark brown-haired woman that was styled in a bob cut. Walton presented the blond first, "This lovely lady, coming from the nation of Bangor is, Alena Wight."
"And finally, hailing all way from Choras, is Bridget Burns," Walton claimed. "Now that you know who we are, we would like to know who you are."
"Hmph, if you must know...," Crono began. "I am Crono, current King of the nation of Guardia..."
"...Guardia...?" Walton asked with a chuckle. "That's impossible, Lord Dalton expunged Guardia nearly 1000 years ago. Unless..., you traveled through time."
Crono grew pale, "What...?"
"You came here through time travel, didn't you? That girl that's with you, that's the actual Doctor Lucca Ashtear isn't it? And the robot, an alternate model of the newly crafted Prometheus model."
Crono thought for a moment before answering, "Wait..., they didn't mention Janus? Did he not get caught? Oh, he must have slipped out of sight with that new shadow trick of his. Heh, sly dog, so I guess I'm waiting to get saved by the man who nearly destroyed my country."
"Got nothing to say?" Walton asked with a smug smile.
Crono paused, "...Yeah, that's right. Time Travel... it was all to save the future. But then? It seems like Dalton and people like you swooped in to make it just as bad as before, well, internally anyway."
"What do you mean, people like us?" Bridget asked in a condescending tone.
Crono paused, then smirked, "...Parasites..."
The entire crowd, including the Central Regime, broke out into laughter. The laughter died down and Erebus spoke, "Parasites? Please, we're the wealthiest, most powerful people in the world!"
"And how did you get that wealth, that power?" Crono started. "...By lying? Cheating? Stealing? All behind closed doors as you made deals with a false god, a devil even."
Alena lost her cool as she slammed the table, "That is just about enough of that! You will not address Lord Dalton in such a way!"
Crono chuckled lowly, "...Please, Dalton? He's nothing more than a petty man-child underneath all that fluff... He's no savior, no God, he's not even good at being a man..."
Walton pressed a button on his desk and Crono felt a jolt through his body. "That's enough, now I see why Lord Dalton has considered you to be his enemy. You are nothing but blasphemers!" he said slightly losing his cool.
Crono chuckled once more, "So where'd you get that magic from then? Let me guess, you got Lavos DNA samples from the Frozen Flame somehow and you're doing tests because you fools figured out you can become like Dalton too?"
Walton rose from his seat and approached the camera, fury revealing itself, curling into a wicked smile, "On the contrary, it was a man named Caelus Trigger who came and pointed us in the right direction! Your father I presume?!"
Crono went pale again, "My dad can time travel? How? Huh, oh no, did he find the original Epoch hidden at Lucca's place. I thought she dismantled it!"
Walton continued, "Oh, yes, he arrived in a time machine and approached each one of us before we became what we are today. We were all struggling politicians before he showed us the truth. We did as he instructed and we prospered! So much so, that we were able to find the Frozen Flame of our era and within a few short years, we rose to the top of the world! Do you understand now boy!"
Crono smirked again, "If a false gospel was all it took to raise you morons to power, then the politics of this era must be based on the same foolish power-hungry philosophies the Zealians had. I'll be sure to change that when I kill your 'God'."
Crono was met with another shock, "You little shit!" Walton cursed. "I know what we're going to do! We'll open your eyes! You and your little friends will be our next experiments! You will be forced to become one with our Lord or you will die and burn away like trash!"
As Walton continued his nearly hysterical rant the power to the building shuddered and the monitor jumped. Walton was brought out of his moment, "What was that-!"
Crono smirked as he got closer to the monitor, "Sorry, I forgot to mention one thing. You only got three of us back at the lab. I had a fourth buddy with me and he slipped in right under your noses!"
Before Walton could say anything, the monitor blipped and shut down. The door to Crono's cell opened as the lights went out. With what little light there was left, the silhouette of Janus appeared. "Come, it's time for us to return to Belthasar..." he said calmly.
"Ha, I knew you'd show up!" Crono said confidently.
"...And if I hadn't...?" Janus asked.
"Well, then I'd have to find a way out myself I guess!" Crono said flatly with a chuckle.
Lucca and Robo came in and freed Crono of the cuffs, Robo spoke, "Alert, the Gate to our escape is deep in the alleyways of the city. It is near the southern entrance to the city. My sensors detected it shortly after I reactivated!"
"Come on then, let's make ourselves scarce!" Lucca urged.
Crono's party regrouped and as they began to leave, Crono slipped on what appeared to be blood. He followed it to find the guards had been slain. "Jeez, Janus, you had to play hardball didn't you?"
"...," Janus mused. "If only because they are more helpful to me in death...," he paused as he pointed his index finger at one of the corpses. "...Exhume...," he murmured as his Shadow magic brought the guard back to life, but as a zombie.
"Did you just..., copy my Raise spell?" Crono asked.
"How absurd, of course not, this is far more useful...," Janus replied. "I could use it on you if you should fall, but then I would have to cure you of the zombification."
"Can we just...!" Lucca said shaking her head.
The party continued their escape as the chaos ensued. They slipped through rooms and offices filled with guards that were too occupied with the effects of Janus's new technique to try to capture them. Eventually, the party managed to escape the skyscraper and quickly vanish into the city. Robo guided them easily to the place where the Gate was sealed. It was tucked away in an alleyway that was littered with scrap and trash. Crono quickly pulled out the Time Egg, thankful the Regime didn't find it on him. Crono used the Egg while Lucca held Marle's pendant. The egg shattered and Dalton's seal went along with it. Lucca activated the Gate and the party jumped in and vanished as a police car shined a light down the alley.
*End of Chapter*