CHAPTER SEVEN

The Dominic Age

If onlookers were gazing at the starry night sky, they would've bare witness to a mystical flying bird made of metal that would have magically blinked into existence. The craft flew northwards and landed do south of the new castle. The youthful building was small and under construction but the soaring towers made the castle a sign of change. To Janus, it looked like a dump.

The prince and swordsman worked quickly, collecting fallen branches and other foliage to cover the Epoch. Satisfied with their work, the duo stalked the grounds, making their way to the southern incomplete section of the palace. A knock turned the prince on his heels, scythe out and at the ready. Beside a tree, Crono rapped again and pointed towards the main doors. The wizard shook his head.

Crono wanted to approach the new kingdom peacefully but Janus knew it wouldn't work. These folks of the west have just gotten over a war with the east. Strangers in the land would cause more problems than either of these time travelers wanted. They were here for information, nothing more.

Keeping to the shadows, the duo slipped into the new palace undetected. The castle was cold and dark with drafts coming from all sides. Each crack between the stones caused a breeze that could be felt to the very marrow. The prince covered himself with his cloak, while the swordsman began to rub his arms and chattering his teeth.

The noise was getting on Janus's nerves, so the wizard took the lead. After the quick sprint, something didn't feel right. Slowing down to a complete stop, the prince squint his eyes down the tunnel. Up in the dark hall, on the ceiling, appeared to be some type of rope.

Passing the wizard by and searching for some warmth the swordsman ran briskly trying to keep his blood flowing in his body. A shift in the floor was not noticed by Crono, as well as a strange hum that followed. Janus was aware and saw the rope began to give slack.

"Crono, look out! It's a…" before the prince could finish, a hidden battering ram log came out of its cubby in the ceiling, slamming into the chest of the surprised swordsman. The heavy log hit dead center on Crono's chest and the force lifted him up where he was slammed again into the ceiling. Once the log swung back, the red headed warrior fell, face first to the ground. He didn't make the slightest of moves.

"Trap," finished the wizard, stopping the pendulum log with his scythe.

Rolling the swordsman over with his foot, the prince saw that his fallen comrade's chest continued to rise and fall. That had to hurt. So the mighty Crono is defeated by a simple trap.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Janus heard several footsteps heading his way. Sighing, Janus began a spell that would send all the foolish soldiers into the void. A hand grasped his ankle. With one eye open, his body shaking trying to keep conscious, Crono uttered one single word.

"Don't."

Growling, the prince stopped his spell and saw ten arrows pointed directly at his chest. Staring behind him, ten more soldiers were aiming to kill. If Crono didn't halt him from destroying the men in front of him, the soldiers from behind would've shot immediately. Dropping the scythe, the wizard slowly put his hands behind his head.

Great. The mighty Magus is captured by peons. This is just not our week.

The old man rocked in his chair, pondering his next move. Activity has been coming out more in force from the north, obviously Noah's doing. Of course this could not be proven. How he wished he could get a spy in there. He continued to rock, stroking his long silver beard.

"Father, you sent for me," came a voice from behind him.

Indeed, thought the old man, placing his hands in his trench coat pockets. The lovely woman wasn't his daughter but he did keep her as close as one. That fact was all the more reason that making this decision and a grave one, so difficult. Slowly looking over his shoulder, he gazed into her youthful and gentle green eyes.

He couldn't do it. To ask her to go on such a dangerous mission that could take the life out of those emerald eyes was just too much for him. Turning his head back towards the fireplace in front of the chair, he began rocking; thinking about how to tell her it was a miscommunication error. She knew better though. The chair turned sharply, rotating the old man to face the woman.

"I can handle anything. What is it?" she asked, standing straight and tall, looking down at him without lowering her chin. Lifting his head up, he realized that no matter how much life was filled in her heart, her pride and honor will override his, or anyone else's, good judgment.

"Yes…" the old man dragged out the response, lowering his head, "Noah's domain has been… itchier than usual."

"I'll get one of our spies out there immediately," she stated, pivoting around, walking from the chamber.

"No. You will do it," the old man replied sharply. He turned his chair around. It was done. The order was issued and there could be no question or turning back.

It took the woman a long moment for his orders to settle in her mind. Few dare venture into the realm of the wind mage and less returned alive. It made perfect sense to send her to the front. What didn't fit was why he waited so long to act. Then it dawned on her.

He was like a father to her for a decade and a half, most of her life of twenty-one, and he didn't want her in harms way. She didn't know how to feel about that. On one hand, she was touched to have a man who loved her so much that he would rather risk his own life, rather than have her get hurt. On the other, he didn't trust her enough to get the information that she would easily and harmlessly acquire. Regardless, her father did tell her to do the mission. When a mission was set, the spy would have no choice but to do it and succeed.

This would be her first mission outside the caves as a spy. Running over, she spun the chair around and kissed her father on his forehead. Before she even had time to get out the door, she heard a sound from behind her.

"Demetera… please be careful."

Shaking like the caged animal that he was, Janus threw his body forward, only to have both his wrist shackles tighten and slam him back to the wall. Heaving deeply, the wizard snapped his head up, hearing snickering coming from the cell across from his own. The swordsman laughed all the louder as Janus tried to shout obscene words at him while being gagged.

Lying down on a fairly soft bed, Crono smiled brightly at his friend who was tied against the wall in the adjacent cell. The wizard was standing on his toes as the chains suspending him just above the floor. Their captors must not like spell casters, because they encased his mouth with tiny bits of twine at least a couple hundred yards long. All because Crono appeared to be a warrior, they just gave him a room with full access to the hole in the floor, bed, and food when it came.

Janus finally quit struggling and began to stare daggers at his suppose comrade. Crono made a face and wiggled his hands saying "ooooo".

You did this to me… AGAIN! thought the wizard, twitching his right eye.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Crono was done enjoying himself. Getting up from his cot, he walked over to the bars and smiled gently at the wizard. That act, of course, set the wizard into another flailing fit. Patting the air with his hands, in a motion to calm down, the swordsman tried to appear passive. Janus continued to breathe deeply but he did stop struggling in his bonds.

"Soon we'll see the royals. We'll make our move then," Crono softly said.

As if on cue, four knights in hard leather armor came to Crono's cell. Knowing the drill, he stepped back from the door, placing his hands behind his back. No fools to tricks, however, the soldiers ran in and pinned the swordsman down, binding his wrists. Holding still, Crono surrendered without a word of complaint.

Janus was a different story. As soon as a soldier stepped into the wizard's six foot reach, he kicked off the wall behind him and wrapped his powerful thighs around the soldier's neck. He didn't want to kill him. All he wanted was to watch the horror in his captor's eyes as he slowly lost his air.

The other three guards ran in and subdued the crazy wizard. Watching Janus struggle in the other cell, Crono could do nothing more than shake his head and smile. Even though the wizard just made it more difficult to talk their way out of their predicament, he still had to admire his friend's spirit.

"I don't want to go," sighed the beautiful queen.

"We have to. It's our duty to the court that you, yourself made," replied the equally handsome king.

"I know but I don't wish to judge these men and control their destinies."

The royalist smiled at his gentle wife. The white gown she wore both appeared to flow gracefully, yet it clung to her every curves. She was always beautiful, always gentle and always merciful. She has seen silver in every dark cloud and a good in every soul. Without her, the war with the east would still be raging on to this day.

Standing behind his queen, he stared into the large mirror on the vanity. He was physically fit and his tight royal robes had to be specially tailored for his muscles. His brown hair was long and wavy. While she appeared frail and gentle, he appeared large and powerful. So opposite, yet so spiritually the same.

Placing his hands on his wife's shoulders, the king smiled insincerely. He was torn between his own feelings and the good of the country. The fact that the two criminals could be spies or assassins from the rivaling country didn't set well with him. Yet, seeing his wife's exotic eyes made him feel more at ease. To show strength to the country of Guardia, his family's name, both royalists must be unified for every little matter.

"You don't have to go, my love," her husband stated, marching towards the door. As soon as his hand grasped the door knob, he leaned back, placing the back of his hand on his brow.

"Oh but what if I'm wrong? What if I send innocent men to our dungeons… or worse? Your wisdom could help these poor souls," paused the king, opening the door while continuing his dramatic act, "woe to me. What is a king to do without his queen?"

Smiling softly, the queen of Guardia understood her lover's point. His playful dramatics will always win her over. Getting up gracefully, she walked through the door her husband nobly kept open for her. Arm and arm, they headed down the stairs, to the two criminals.

Crono knelt patiently and quietly before the two empty thrones. Showing the respect of the two nobles who were on their way, he kept his head low and refuse to look up unless informed otherwise. He would have even crossed his right hand over his heart, if his hands weren't bound. The swordsman knelt, without moving a muscle and causing no trouble. His friend on the other hand…

Janus was surrounded by soldiers, forcing him to try to stay properly position. A knight kept the wizard's arms from moving, while two others struggled to keep one knee up and the other on the floor. The last soldier, the one Janus attempted to suffocate, kept his boot on the back of the wizard's neck, preventing from raising his head. Bound, gagged, and completely pinned, the wizard refuse to quit trying to get off the floor.

This is ludicrous! I'm a prince, not some commoner!

"And now announcing, his and her majesty, the King and Queen of Guardia," shouted a guard from behind the thrones.

Relaxing every muscle in his body, Janus pushed himself forward as he felt each soldier loss their balance and knew they were completely caught off guard. Refusing to be treated as some peasant, the prince tucked his knees to his chest, rolled forward, and brought up his arms from behind. Finally, Janus stood up to his full six foot height with his head held up high. In a split second, he fell right to his knees in shock.

The king of Guardia and his wife entered the room and sat on their appropriate throne. The king was a mirror image of Janus's rival king back, or actually forward, in the Middle Ages. Next to him, sat a beautiful woman, at least twenty winters with her smooth skin and silk white robes caused her to glow as brightly as the full moon. Her green eyes sparkled like the sea of stars and her hair was a gentle blue, as blue as the morning sky.

The prince shook his head. Impossible, he thought. But there was no mistaking it. Before the wizard, seated right next to the ruler of the country of the Dominic Age, was his beloved sister. His eyes dropped to her stomach, causing his own to churn.

Noticing the prisoner has finally calmed down; the knights knelt before their liege. After a quick glance up, the swordsman knew better. Jumping up, Crono ran over to his friend who was slowly rising.

"No, don't," Crono snapped in harsh tones. The prince stood, towering over his comrade, ignoring him altogether. The swordsman had to think and fast.

The knights jumped up and charged at the duo but the prince was already running for the king. I could strangle him with these ropes on my wrists, the wizard thought. He would smile at the irony if they weren't covered by the twine. The wizard leapt in the air. The queen gasped in horror, two soldiers grabbed the swordsman.

"JANUS, STOP!" Crono screamed louder than he has ever done in his life.

The prince stopped short of his target, moving his head to align with his comrade, then to his sister. Schala's eyes went wide as she realized that not just the red headed hero, who she thought was killed by Lavos, was alive before her, but that the man who she thought was Prophet could be, no was, her lost baby brother. Shaking her head in disbelief, the queen of Guardia fainted.

A crushing blow struck the prince but he didn't care. He found his sister and it took the loose tongue of his comrade to tell his sister who he was. As if time was moving impossibly slow, he descended to the ground with thousands of memories rushing back to him. In his sister's eyes, he knew she recognized him, not as the Prophet, but as her brother. Cutting his lips on the twine, Janus smiled the first genuine smile in years. Then all was dark. In the back of his mind, he heard the king's command.

"Take them back to their cells."