Chrono Corruption
Act 5: Revolution
Chapter 31: A New Species
*Chronopolis, 2400 A.D.*
Crono's party walked through the halls of Chronopolis now with Lex as a permanent member of their party. Crono noticed Lex was deep in thought, "What's up, Lex? You look like you're concerned with something. You want to share with the rest of the class?"
Lex blinked in confusion a few times over Crono's wording to his request, then he seemed to understand, "Oh, I was merely thinking. Before I left Lady Irma this morning we had one more brief conversation about Quin and her actions."
Janus and Marle quietly tuned in as Lex spoke. Crono also became more focused, "What did Irma have to say about all this?"
"She said that Quin, by description, sounded like a person from legends and myths passed down for thousands of years," Lex began. "Tribes all around the world would occasionally mention a woman in black that would rise from her grave every couple hundred years to feed on the living. And..., that got me thinking that this Quin was the person who inspired those legends."
"Ty and Tomo did mention, that in our timeline, you were supposed to 'go missing' and be reported as lost. By our time, your disappearance was believed to have happened because of a boogeyman, err..., I guess a boogeywoman in this case," Crono explained.
"Before any of these things concerning time travel happened, those legends were still around in some capacity," Marle added. "Disappearances, child abduction after dark, and all that. Perhaps this Quin was responsible for some of them."
Janus followed, "Whether or not that is true, people will always tell of an invisible monster to their children to scare them into behaving how they want. Quin may be, in fact, responsible for some but others may be a work of fiction while many more could be simple people who perform criminal acts. Quin is not the only 'boogeyman' this world has."
"Ah, that is true, but I am glad that we could vanquish this one. We know her end at least," Lex said with an uneasy smile.
"Yeah, it really does suck that she has to stay around before the age of Guardia so the timeline can still work but at least we gave her what she deserved!" Crono agreed, still a little unsettled.
*Later*
Crono's entire party gathered in Belthasar's Laboratory and discussed with one another the things that had transpired up until this point. With this, all involved were informed of all details. The party had many musings amongst themselves about one subject or another.
Tomo spoke nervously to Ty as she blushed heavily, "S-sorry again about that sudden kiss thing! I was just..., really emotional and... well, y'know!" she said.
Ty blushed as well as he tried to hide his body language, "It's okay! As I said, I just wasn't..., uh, 'ready' for it is all. Next time, though..., oh, what am I saying...?!" he said growing more and more nervous.
Marle and Lucca spied quietly on Ty and Tomo, "Hmph, and after I tried so hard too!" Marle pouted.
"What, to interfere with someone else's love life?" Lucca snarked. "Well, I'm happy for them! You'd have to be quite thick-headed to ignore how much those two were made for one another!" she finished with a proud stance.
"You're just afraid of love that's all...," Marle said with a childish pout.
"I am not!" Lucca scowled.
Crono approached Ty, "Hey, sorry to interrupt you two love birds, but I saved this for you just in case you could learn something from it," he said as he handed Ty a jar.
"What is it?" Ty asked looking confused.
"It's the... uh, 'remains' of your zombified self that we destroyed," Crono said knowing how little sense it made out of context.
Ty took the jar with unease, "Oh..., that's, interesting... I'll give it a look over."
"Yeah, I thought it might feel weird to examine your own 'corpse'...," Crono replied with the same unease.
Before Crono turned away, Tomo caught his attention, "Oh, Crono, wait a sec! I wanted to tell you something!" she said vibrantly.
"Oh? What is it?" Crono asked.
"You remember when you and Janus were fighting your dad and Janus used the Aura Surge?" Tomo asked.
"Yeah, what about it?" Crono asked curiously.
"Well, both Lex and I noticed that your body began to pulse faintly with light while you watched Janus. Did you notice this at all?" Tomo asked curiously.
Crono seemed stunned at first until Lex interjected, "I can confirm her statement. I believed that you were about to transform as well."
Crono scratched his head, "No, I didn't notice at all!"
Belthasar cleared his throat, "Hmm, perhaps you were inspired by Janus's Aura Surge that made yours quicken but the encounter ended before it was needed."
Lucca adjusted her glasses with intrigue, "Hmm, that's very interesting! So you think our Aura Surge capabilities are growing so that they respond to each other?"
"Quite possibly, we still do not know much about this development," Belthasar stated. "But since this came up, be sure to keep a close eye on each other."
Crono laughed, "I have a feeling that won't be a problem. Tomo has done it the most! Whenever she thinks Ty's going to die she goes full 'mama bear' and tears into whatever tries to take him out!"
Tomo blushed fiercely, "H-how did this come back to me all of a sudden...!" she stuttered.
The party all shared their laughs in one way or another then after a short pause, Lex spoke to Crono as he still had concerns, "By the way, you said that by your time, I was considered dead at the time of my disappearance. What happens now that I am alive? Will that not change history?"
Crono smiled, "Depends on what you do with your life now, Lex," he replied.
Lex seemed a little lost, "Hmm, the thought of making my own future is..., exciting!" he said as he gave the idea more thought.
Garet came over, "Let's take care of Dalton first. If we don't none of us will have a future."
"I see, yes. Who is this 'Dalton' anyway?" Lex asked curiously.
Janus picked up on the conversation, "He was once the military General of my kingdom. I lived in 12,000 B.C. in the era that is now called 'Antiquity'. Dalton is a crazed individual who became drunk with the power of Lavos that he now bonds himself to," he explained.
Lex was astounded, "...And, what is this Lavos?"
Robo took over, "Lavos is an extraterrestrial parasitic life form that fell from the heavens in Prehistoric times in the form of a falling star. It influenced the natural order and development of our planet and its inhabitants until it gained enough of our planet's energy to rise to the surface, wipe out mankind and many other life forms, and then reproduce to start the cycle anew."
Lex was astounded, "Wow, and this, 'Frozen Flame' artifact is related to Lavos?" he asked as he connected the dots.
"Yep, the Frozen Flame is a piece of Lavos," Crono began. "We don't know how it came to be like that though. We aren't sure if it was Lavos's intent to create the Flame or if it was by accident."
Ayla yawned, "Lavos do on purpose!" she said with everyone turning to her. "Lavos like gut worm. If one piece survive it all grow back! Must kill all piece!"
Belthasar took control of the conversation, "Ahem, yes, it would appear that Ayla's observation is correct. We scoured the land and found no other pieces of Lavos except for the Frozen Flame. It would seem that since there is only one, Lavos did indeed do this on purpose. I would be inclined to believe it was a mistake or something Lavos did by accident if there were more Flames, but this is simply not the case."
"Not only that, but originally, the Frozen Flame was thought to have made first contact with mankind in the Ice Age, but now the Reptites have it," Ty added.
"And who knows what lies Dalton will tell their leader, Zelah," Tomo said.
"Speaking of which," Crono began. "I think I know what has been going on since Dalton went to sleep. Since Garet and I rescued Marle from 3000 B.C. the Flame has been speaking with certain individuals throughout history. My dad speaks like a heartless, religious zealot so that got me thinking. I think Dalton, or more specifically, the Frozen Flame, has been making 'Disciples' for their cause. First, it was that priest that tried to sacrifice Marle, then each period had someone that tried to harness the Flame only to be 'indoctrinated' by it. The Central Regime, the Frog King, Quin, and this Zelah might be another. Then there's... my dad...," he finished as he pounded his fist into the large table in the center of the room.
Marle felt for her husband, "If there was some way we could get through to him," she said sadly.
"For now though," Belthasar began. "I believe we should deal with the rest of these, 'Disciples'. I recommend that Zelah be your next target. For if she should do something to mankind in the distant past, it will make everything you've done thus far pointless!"
"Okay!" Crono said vigorously. "Ayla, let's go!"
"Ayla, ready!" she shouted strongly.
"Hmm, who else should I take with me?" Crono said as he gave it some thought. "Aha! Garet, Lex, you guys want to see Prehistory?"
Both agreed simultaneously. "Then it's settled!" Belthasar said. "Let's deal with this Zelah before anyone has the chance to interfere!"
Melchior stepped forward with concern, "Hmm, the lot of you may want to invest in some new equipment. It would seem that the last journey has banged up that which you already have. Have you come across any Mythril? It's far stronger than Steel!"
"Great idea, Melchior!" Crono agreed.
Melchior went to work making new equipment. Mythril, or Titanium as Robo called it was indeed the stuff of legend. From armor made from light yet tightly-woven chains to hardened plates and weapons that shined brightly, Crono's party became outfitted with equipment Melchior called, 'Truesilver'.
"Ah, it truly is some of my finest work, but I'm afraid that Mythril-crafted items are still no match for anything made from the alloy of the Sunstone and Rainbow Shell," Melchior said, shifting moods.
"So my dad still has the advantage as long as he has my Rainbow Sword...," Crono said with a sigh.
"Yes, I am afraid so, but fear not! It is not as if the Rainbow Sword will go through you like butter!" Melchior informed.
With all things settled, and the party readied Crono took Lex, Garet, and Ayla with him in the Neo Epoch and they took off to the distant past.
*Prehistory*
Crono and company arrived at the distant past and as the Neo Epoch raced across the sky the party noticed a maelstrom of dark clouds gathering in the far distance over the Tyranno Tower. They were accompanied by occasional streams of red lightning. "That's not ominous at all!" Crono said sarcastically.
"We should gather some information from the locals," Garet recommended.
Crono hid the Neo Epoch near Ioka Village and they entered. Ioka was in distress as Ayla's tribe was undoubtedly afraid. Ayla checked on her home and Kino was relieved to see her as were her children. Kino spoke to his wife ecstatically, "Ayla, go see Elders! Strong men kill strange Reptite!"
"Strange Reptite?" Ayla replied. "Ayla go see, watch children!"
Ayla led Crono and his party to the Meeting Grounds where the elders gathered around a strangely colored Reptite.
The Elders' eyes brightened as soon as they spotted her and they urged her over. The Elder of Laruba Village came and spoke first, "Ayla what this? Why Reptite change color?"
"Ayla not know, maybe Ayla friends know?" Ayla said as she turned to Crono and the others.
"Wow, a real dragon," Lex said aghast. "I believed them to be only creatures of myth in my era."
"They probably inspired them, Lex," Crono said.
"Yes, that may very well be the case," Lex agreed.
Garet approached the dead Reptite and the cave people were awestruck by Garet's appearance. Garet took a blood sample and analyzed it via his eyes. "As we suspected, this Reptite was changed at a genetic level. The changes, however, are subtle. Zelah is using the power of the Frozen Flame to transform the Reptites into a new species. However, at the rate this is happening, it will take many generations."
"The question is, what is Zelah transforming them into?" Crono asked worriedly.
"Unknown, but if this situation is anything like Quin or the Central Regime, they are really being converted by Dalton's will to become worshipers and slaves to him," Garet theorized.
"Alright, let's make our way over to Tyranno Tower and put a stop to this!" Crono said vigorously.
*Later, Aboard the Neo Epoch*
"Okay, what's gonna be our game plan here?" Crono asked as he drew closer to the Tyranno Tower.
"We shouldn't get too close to the storm, we don't want to risk causing damage to the Neo Epoch," Garet started.
"I believe that climbing that tower will be our only plan, Crono," Lex said. "Normally, a tower is too cumbersome to scale in my time so we would use catapults to knock them down. But these hellish lands are void of anything we could use like that."
"Alright, a brawl it is!" Crono said almost enjoying the challenge. Ayla merely cheered in response.
Crono landed as close as he could to the Tyranno Tower and they disembarked. Crono got out and gazed out over the lava fields, "You know, it's not as heavily guarded as I thought it would be. As a matter of fact, it seems deserted!"
"Maybe Reptite inside?" Ayla said. "Tower shape like bird sitting on egg."
"That is an accurate form of symbolism," Garet surmised. "The Reptites are being reborn after all."
"Well, you know what they say, there's never a better time than the present! So let's go see what Zelah is up to!" Crono said as the party hurried onward.
*Tyranno Tower*
Crono and his party searched the tower base for an entrance of some sort but came up with no luck. "That's why there's no one outside! There's no front door!" Crono said angrily.
"A simple solution I suppose," Lex began. "You don't need guards for a place that has no entrance."
"Strange, then how did that Reptite leave this place and the Iokan Villagers find it?" Garet asked curiously.
"Oh, Ayla know!" Ayla said as it struck her. "Maybe Reptite leave because he no want change? Must be runaway! So Zelah close door!"
"That actually makes a lot of sense," Crono stated.
"Either way, it's proof it managed to leave so there must be a way in," Garet said as he inspected the tower base further.
"Hey, I think I may have found something!" Lex said as he inspected the ground beneath him.
Crono's party all came to him and looked around. Six circles arranged in a hexagonal pattern were etched into the ground. They glowed when Lex tapped his foot onto one of them. "Nice going, Lex!" Crono said cheerfully.
"What is this, some kind of insignia?" Garet said as he processed the design.
Ayla crouched down and got a good look at it, "Ah, this special mark of Zelah! It her sign of territory. It also her witchcraft!"
"I didn't know the Reptites could use magic too," Crono gasped.
"It is not the same system," Garet quickly responded. "These spheres seem to indicate the six elements of nature that we are familiar with but through their understanding. Humans received our 'magic' through Lavos's meddling and man's expression while the Fiends and Reptites are more mystical and spiritual in nature."
"I think I'm beginning to see why Zelah believed what the Frozen Flame had told her," Crono said as he began putting something together in his mind.
"Either way, it seems these Reptites understood the world through a six-element view even before the people of Zeal," Garet said. "Perhaps if we all interact with this in some way."
The party began inspecting the strange symbol until all of them triggered it. It flashed with a mystical light, "What did we do?" Crono asked in a panic.
"Who knows, hold on!" Garet said as the four party members levitated slightly until a gust of air pushed them high into the sky.
The party quickly approached a platform from below that was suspended by a single girder of Reptite design. Crono and the party tried to protect themselves, "Oh no, we're gonna crash into that platform!" Crono shouted as he crossed his arms in front of his face.
However, that is not what came to pass. The party supernaturally passed through the platform and stood atop it in surprise. "See? Reptite witchcraft! Ayla feel like body pass through floor!" Ayla said dizzily.
"Indeed, that blast of air would have given Ty a run for his gold!" Lex said with a chuckle.
Garet analyzed the tower, "That magical platform elevated us to around 50% of the tower's total height."
"Well, now that our little ride is over, it looks like this platform and girder lead to a balcony over there," Crono pointed out.
The party regrouped and headed inside the strangely quiet tower. They tip-toed through the tower and found it to be in shambles instead of bustling with the Reptite security that the Singing Mountain had. "What happened here? There are dead Reptites everywhere!" Crono said in awe.
"Perhaps this change was forced and it caused a 'Civil War' of sorts," Garet deduced as he investigated a dead corpse.
"Ayla understand," Ayla said. "No can force change. It happen slow. Ayla have word for forced change. It 'catastrophe'."
"True change begins in the heart, not the head," Crono said. "That's why my dad and I can't change each other's views and only end up butting heads. I think I'm beginning to understand what it means to be a King."
The party continued their trek through the twisted tower and as they rose higher and higher changed Reptites began showing up, but they were either musing in their own madness or drowning in religious zealousness. They would attack Crono's party on sight and would mumble strange things.
"KiLl MeE!" shouted a Reptite.
Garet obliged, "Heat Wave!" he said as the Reptite was consumed by a magic spell that caused the air to become superheated. The Reptite burst into flames and died shortly after.
"Change, change, CHANGE MEE!" shouted a more zealous Reptite.
"Hexagon Mist!" shouted Lex as he created two thin triangles made from ice that merged to create a buzz saw. The saw sliced through the Reptite with little effort.
"DiE, ApE, dIe!" said another.
Ayla responded with a spin that generated a pink-colored wind. "Pink Tornado!" shouted Ayla as the early human technique made the Reptite dizzy and fall into the pit below.
The party continued like this for a little while as they became more acquainted with each other's skills. Ayla busted out a new 'Slab Toss' that allowed her to stack up multiple foes and throw all of them at once. Garet went with the next tier in his magic called 'Over Heat' that attacked multiple foes and Lex bound and drowned foes with a Water Prison.
Eventually, the party made it to a large balcony where many Reptites were subjugated to prayer as Zelah communed with the Frozen Flame and its sickly light. Crono and his party simply rushed down the path and up to the Reptite Soothsayer. Her purple tattered robe and grape-colored skin shined with the Frozen Flame. "Humans..," she said in a monotone as she stopped her commune. The Frozen Flame stopped emitting its power and Zelah turned to face them. She was largely unchanged save for her eyes which bore a more human resemblance.
Ayla approached, "Zelah, what you do?"
"I cut away all who were unworthy to change!" began Zelah. "The Frozen Flame said that if were are to survive we must change, evolve, and be transformed! I knew this to be true! The Red Star did not simply decide to favor the apes! It was mere fortune that you mammals inherited the planet instead of us. I searched for a long time for a way for my people to thrive in this new world that the Red Star wounded. This..., this marvelous Flame! It was a blessing from that star! A blessing in disguise it was! One Flame for our cold blood! However, when you attacked us the first time my faith was shaken. I thought for a brief moment you mammals were going to steal this too!"
Crono approached with a stern look, "Zelah, hear me now. That voice on the other end of that Flame. It's a parasite called Lavos. Lavos twists ideologies and philosophies to further its own survival. You've sold away you and your people in the worst way possible. And it seems to me, that many of your people already saw through the ruse. If you had just gotten along with us humans, we could have helped you survive. Sure, there would have been obvious prejudices that would have needed to have been overcome but that's a given and it's something that takes love and hard work."
Zelah paused as a tear formed in her now human-looking eye, "Beautiful words... human, but I'm afraid... it's too late. Maybe if something like that had come earlier... I may have listened. Now? Your sentiment is..., just too late. I have already put everything in order. Even if you kill me here and now it means nothing."
"What you mean?" Ayla asked curiously.
"What do I mean?" Zelah responded. "What I am saying is..., I already accomplished the task the Flame has ordered me to. The last thing the Flame says to me is. To not bend a knee to you!"
Crono sighed, "Very well then, Zelah, when you go to the other side don't tell our maker you weren't warned," he said as he drew his sword.
Crono's party readied themselves as Zelah laughed, "Well then humans! Shall we get this underway? Survival of the Fittest is it not?! How brutal and merciless it truly is! My followers, my children! Flee, escape to the safe place that was appointed! The time has come!" she announced as the Reptite followers began fleeing from them. In a short while, only Crono's party and Zelah remained.
"Allow me to Recharge!" Garet said as he gathered energy in his artificial parts and restore the party's stamina.
"Ayla learn new Primal Dance, it get heart pumping!" Ayla said as she danced to a mystical beat and the party seemed both restored and agile.
Crono attacked with his sword in a Wild Frenzy. Zelah's toughened skin was able to withstand the blows from cutting her all the way through though. She was nevertheless bleeding badly. She placed her palm before Crono's face. "Eltro-Jolt!" she chanted as Crono was shocked with a powerful electric shock.
Crono stumbled back, but seemed mostly unharmed and kind of confused by such a weak attack.
"Hexagon Mist!" shouted Lex as his new magic attack made contact.
Zelah didn't even bother to dodge, as the spell didn't cut her in two as Lex suspected. Zelah stared Lex down as she pointed a finger in his direction, "Ice Lance!" she chanted as her strange magic activated and an icicle formed in front of her. It then barreled toward him and struck him in the shoulder but his Truesilver Mail never allowed it to penetrate.
Garet countered with a higher-level spell, "Flame Tower!" he shouted as a torch of quick flames came up from the ground as he slapped the floor. The torch then went to Zelah and consumed her.
She seemed almost burned out until she pointed to Garet with a low chuckle, "Fire..., Pillar...," she whispered as Garet was suddenly engulfed in a torch created by her magic. Garet, however, shrugged off the heat with little damage.
Ayla, through with this encounter, jumped high, "Ayla specialty! Triple Kick!" she announced as she jumped and landed on Zelah three times each doubling in ferocity.
Zelah was broken and battered, "Now, humans, let the..., real fight... for survival... begin...," she said with a dying breath. The Frozen Flame then shined its light on her and absorbed her body into itself just like it had done to all the other Disciples. Then the Flame let out a burst of energy that shook the Tyranno Tower and it began to crumble. As the tower began to shake the Flame vanished once more.
"We need to get out of here now!" Crono shouted.
"Already on it!" Garet said as he punched numbers into a device.
In mere moments, the Neo Epoch came within reach of the terrace and the party jumped in and took off. The tower then transformed once more. It shrunk down to a small craggy pyramid that sat quietly in the burning fields.
*Ioka Village*
The whole village cheered for Ayla and her friends as Ayla displayed her strength by lifting her children with her muscular arms. Garet leaned into Crono, "That battle with Zelah was too easy. She was very confident that her life no longer mattered. We must make haste back to Chronopolis to see what she changed," he said urgently.
"Agreed, I do not usually fight opponents that are that weak. I believe she no longer had the will to fight even if she did so half-heartedly," Lex agreed.
"Oh, don't get me wrong, she definitely threw in the towel on that one! The real fight is just around the corner!" Crono said with an excited smirk.
*Chronopolis*
Once the party returned to Chronopolis they hastily made their way to Belthasar's room. Belthasar ordered FATE to pull up the recent history of the world as it was recorded. Thankfully, Ayla's era of Prehistory was now finally at peace and played out as it should. However, the Ice Age showed up with an anomaly. "Hmm, that was not there before you left," said Belthasar.
"What is it?" Crono asked.
"Something is happening at the Temple of the Red Star. It looks like the Temple was built by human hands but it awakened something deep underground. Something more than man's first contact with the Frozen Flame," Belthasar explained.
"Zelah's changed Reptites...," Crono said.
"Yes, and our computer has simulated that after this event their involvement throughout history just messes up everything! So it looks like the Ice Age is where you'll need to make a stand," Belthasar claimed.
"Alright, everyone, let's go!" Crono said bravely.
*Ice Age*
The Neo Epoch appeared in the cold skies of the Ice Age and Crono piloted it until he came to the equator. Before even reaching the equator, Crono and the others could see the Frozen Flame's wicked power rising into the skies causing the sky to go black. Crono landed the Neo Epoch on the beach just south of the jungle temple and they disembarked.
Crono and the party made their way through the jungle that they had once before. As they approached the temple grounds they could hear the sounds of war. They poked their heads out from the brush to survey the area. What they saw astonished them. Human tribesmen fought a bloody battle with humanoids that had reptilian features. They stood upright like a human but had no hair on their heads. Their faces had become humanoid as well and they had thick brows with no hair, their eyes were shaped like a human's but colored like a reptile's. Their skin color ranged from green to brown and their chest area, forearms and shins appeared to have a darker color chitinous material that acted like armor while the rest of their skin was smooth. They had five fingers and three toes, and lastly a tail that was ribbed with small boney protrusions that lined all the way up to their heads, leaving some with crests and some without.
"So, they became like the very thing they hate most?" Garet said with a sense of irony. "Man..."
"This doesn't feel right, it is more like mockery...," Lex claimed.
"This no Reptite. No is human either," Ayla said with confusion.
"All because they want to take the planet from us...," Crono said as he shook his head. "Well, let's get to it, we have to get to the temple and stop whatever's going on up there."
With that, the party charged out of the brush and began helping the native peoples. Three reptilians noticed them and came to intercept them with their spears. Crono turned to Garet, "Hey Garet, create a Heat Wave and hit my sword with it! I got an idea!"
"Affirmative!" Garet responded.
Garet hit Crono's sword with his spell and swung it like he would perform a Sonic Slash "Heat Slash!" Crono shouted as his sword slash created a powerful set of five heated sword beams that were followed by heated air. It cut the three reptilians down and the party continued.
Ayla saw Lex creating Mist Beasts to drive away other targets that were approaching. "Oh, Lex! Make beast for Ayla!" she asked.
"Oh, very well then!" Lex stammered unsure what Ayla was going to do.
Lex created the beast but before it formed fully, Ayla had leaped into it and somehow absorbed it. She then leaped high into the air and came down with her Roundillo Kick but it was different, "Beast Kick!" Ayla shouted strongly as the magic on her foot took the form of the head of the Mist Beast. Ayla hit a reptilian with it and he went flying. Ayla cheered as she threw her arms into the air with a roar.
"What a mysterious woman...," Lex said astonished.
"Lex, lend me a hand," Garet said as he moved up to him with his Machine Gun drawn.
"What do you want me to do?" Lex asked as he swiftly shifted his footing.
"Use your sword to Sweep them off their feet for me," Garet instructed.
"I understand!" Lex said as three more reptilians approached with spears outstretched.
Lex darted off and stuck low to the ground and with one fell swoop from his long sword, he knocked the three of them down, and Garet jumped up from behind Lex and began peppering them with his Machine Gun. He then landed in front of Lex who gave him an impressed smile. "Gun Down, a simple but effective maneuver," Garet claimed.
"Ah, if that's the case, then I have a-!" Lex said carelessly as a reptilian spat poison into his eyes and he immediately grew angry. Crono saw this and smirked, "Hey Lex, let loose for me would ya!" he said as he hit Lex with a Lightning Bolt. Lex became electrified as his muscles increased in size and he ignored the poison and blindness as if they weren't there. Lex began bulldozing the reptilian people like they were nothing but rag dolls.
"A Berserk Charge! I figured if Ayla could harness my Lightning Bolts why not Lex?" he said to himself, satisfied.
Meanwhile, Ayla turned to Garet, "Garet make big heat for Ayla?" she said with charm in her voice.
Garet complied and Ayla's leg became blessed with Garet's Heat Wave. Ayla kicked an oncoming duo and both were caught in Ayla's kick, "Wave Kick!" she shouted as the heat wave carried them both off.
"She sure likes her kicks," Garet observed.
The battle ensued and Crono and his team finally made it to the stairs leading up to the ziggurat-like structure with their own scratches and bruises. "I can patch us up, but first," Lex began as he faced Ayla. "Your ability to throw my mist around on your feet... Can you do that Primal Dance again? I have an idea!" Lex claimed.
"Ayla dance!" Ayla replied with a wide grin.
Ayla began her Primal Dance as Lex filled the field around them with a Healing Fog. Ayla's hands and feet caught the fog and she moved like a graceful ghost in it. The party made their way to the top of the temple as they emerged from the fog. Ayla grinned wide, "Fog Dance even more fun!"
The party approached the Frozen Flame and a mysterious figure standing in front of it. The mysterious figure bore the resemblance of Zelah and sure enough as this figure turned to face them the female figure of the transformed Zelah came into full view. She resembled the other reptilian people but retained her grape-colored skin. She gazed at the party with contempt, "So it was true. You people can really move through time... For me, the years I spent healing and changing was..., painful, but for you? A quick hop. What I have become now is far too great to be stopped by the likes of you. I have marinated in my hatred for mankind for many long years now and there will be no one better to unleash it upon than you!"
Crono clicked his teeth, "Tch! Marinate in hate all you want! You're gonna find out that it's no fertilizer! It's just poison. And trust me, I've learned a lot about poison recently."
"No!" Zelah spat back. "I am made new! My people, the Reptites..., no, we are not Reptites anymore. We... are Dragonians! And I will show you our wrath!" she said as she invoked her power and a powerful surge cracked the floor beneath her. "Allow me to show you what I mean!"
The floor collapsed and the party, along with Zelah, fell to the bottom of the temple. The party ended up in yet another altar room that was lit with blue torches. Crono stood in awe as he laid his eyes on the beast that Zelah now perched herself on. It was every bit a Tyranno just like the Black Tyranno they fought with Azala. However, this one was different. It had pale grey flesh and six white eyes, three lining each side of the head. A massive spiked collar adorned its neck and it had two rows of teeth with a massive shovel-like lower jaw.
"Behold, humans! With years of guided transmutations fed by the power of Lavos and given the sweet blessing of our Neo Emperor, I present to you, the Dragon God!" Zelah announced with splendor.
"Is it just me or does this thing look, incomplete?" Crono asked with his head titled to one side.
"No, you are correct," Garet replied flatly. "This is more of a Proto-Dragon God. If given more time, it will achieve its full form. We must stop that from happening here."
Zelah sneered, "Okay fine, maybe it's not 'fully' completed as of yet, but it's still more than capable of destroying you!"
"Zelah no different from Azala," Ayla said as she yawned. "She try same thing with Black Tyranno."
Zelah sneered again as she lost her focus, "N-no, it is NOT the same! This is completely different!"
"So wait, she hibernated for countless years and you say she is doing as her mother did?" Lex asked with a raised brow.
"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it," Garet replied flatly.
Zelah screeched like a spoiled child, "How dare you make fun of my precious Dragon God! Dragon God, devour these humans!" she whined.
The Dragon God roared loudly as it began lumbering towards the party. "Zelah, I'm gonna cut your 'god' into pieces!" Crono said excitedly. "Lex give me one of those Hexagon Mists!"
Lex nodded, "Hexagon Mist!" he chanted as the spell formed and Lex gave it a hard toss.
Crono hopped on top of the buzz saw and began spinning as well. The buzz saw broke down into small razor-sharp triangles that spun with Crono's many swords. "Mist Blade!" Crono shouted as he spun around like a furious top, cutting both the Dragon God and its creator.
Zelah shrieked in pain, "Miserable human! Take this!" she spat back as she used Psychokinesis to teleport a rock to slam into Crono. Crono was knocked to the ground, "...Worth it...!" he said dizzily.
The Dragon God roared as it produced a mystical effect of its own. The ground beneath their feet shined with a wave of blue energy. The Dragon God gained the qualities of marine life on its body as well. "Feel the Dragon God's wrath as it harnesses the energies of the planet! May the weight of the seas come down on you!" Zelah taunted as the Dragon prepared another attack.
The Dragon God cast forth a high-tier water-based spell that caused icy cold water to crash into Crono's party. Crono and his party stood back up and shivered from the cold. "It would seem to have gained immunity to water-based spells," Garet deduced. "We should use fire as a counter."
"Alright, fire it is then!" Crono said as he shook off the chill. "Garet hit my sword with that Flame Tower spell!"
"Affirmative," Garet replied.
Garet cast his Flame Tower spell onto Crono's sword and he leaped high into the air. "Torch Blade!" he shouted. Crono came down with his sword and struck the Dragon God square on the forehead. Crono's sword expelled the flames into four separate torches that ran in the four cardinal directions. Unfortunately, these torches missed Zelah as she was out of range but the Dragon God received heavy damage. It roared in pain, which allowed Crono's friends a chance to attack themselves. They struck each with their own basic attacks, careful to stay out of range of any wild counters.
After taking some damage, the Dragon God began to mutate again. It bathed the field in red energy. It lost the marine features and gained a red coloration with large horns on the head. "If I cannot drown you, humans, then perhaps I shall burn you to ash!" Zelah announced.
The Dragon God breathed deeply and opened its mouth to belch forth intense flames, bathing Crono's party in them. Crono's party struggled to get to their feet and Crono faced Garet, "Hey, Garet! Can you do that Recharge thing again?"
"Yes," Garet replied as he began to Recharge.
Crono hit him with a Lightning Bolt and Garet became charged with the excess energy. "I figured I could Supercharge you too!" Crono said with a chuckle.
Garet unleashed the energy and the party regained some of their vitality, and stamina and gained a boost in their agility. Crono's party then went back on the offensive. Ayla and Lex used their Beast Kick skill on Zelah and it knocked her off the Dragon God's shoulder. She cursed incoherently as she hit the ground with a 'thud'. Crono and Garet sliced and pummeled the Dragon God with harsh physical attacks as it battered them aside with its huge jaw.
Eventually, the Dragon God stumbled and it began to change again. It lost its red exterior for a yellow tone and large crystals erupted from its back, lining its spine to the tip of its tail. Zelah turned over, spitting and coughing, "Dragon God! Squash them... with the weight... of the planet!" she wheezed.
The Dragon God stomped around causing minor quakes and upheavals of stone shards from the ground. The party was pelted and scratched by these shards and struggled to avoid them. They continued to retaliate, pummeling and slashing the powerful beast.
"Over Heat!" Garet chanted as he hit the Dragon God with a flash of superheated air.
Ayla ran up to Garet like a cat and she wore a wide grin. "Garet do again?" she asked sweetly.
"Affirmative," replied the exhausted Garet.
Garet struggled to oblige Ayla but managed to cast his spell upon her. Ayla ran her hands through her hair and began a Tail Spin. Ayla created two superheated tornados that spun around the Dragon God causing its skin to dry out, blister, and crack.
"Sonic Slash!" Crono followed with a vigorous shout. The sword beams raced across the body of the Dragon God and Zelah as well.
Zelah moaned in pain as the Dragon God roared and blood poured onto the ground. As Zelah and the Dragon God moaned in pain something strange began to occur. Zelah cast her gaze skyward and witnessed the Frozen Flame floating gently down until it levitated above the Dragon God. Zelah cried out, "Oh, Frozen Flame! Help us! These heretics are trying to murder us and our precious Dragon God!"
"What?!" Crono shouted in disbelief.
The Frozen Flame flashed and the Dragon God began to pulsate and mutate as its body gained many growths that began forming eyes and teeth of their own. Then suddenly, the Dragon God was enveloped in a bright light. It was then divided into six smaller spheres of light that held six different reptilian fetuses. The Frozen Flame then opened a massive Gate and the six Dragon God pieces were sent through.
"Running away again, Zelah?!" Crono taunted.
"If the Neo Emperor wills it, then it must be so!" Zelah spat back as she too vanished into a Gate.
The Frozen Flame itself then teleported itself away leaving Crono and his party baffled. Crono turned to Garet, "What happened? Why did the Dragon God split into pieces like that?"
Garet gave the event some thought as he called the Neo Epoch. "I'm not sure, but perhaps the Dragon God was split up to spread its influence across time. We must hurry back to Chronopolis and see what this has done to the timeline."
*End of Chapter*