Chrono Corruption
Act 6: Preparation
Chapter 38: The Last Days, Part II
*The End of Time*
Ty's party returned to the End of Time to recount their works thus far. Crono was the most excited, "Nice work, everyone! Tomo, I've loving this Denadorium gear you got going on!" He praised.
"Thanks, Your Majesty!" Tomo replied with a joking tone.
"Ha, no need for those formalities here!" Crono quipped in return. "Alright, so who is next on our hit list?"
"My vote is for the Wind Dragon in the Middle Ages!" Ty said first. "Gaspar said the Demi-Humans have the Life Sparkle. I'm gonna need that."
"I'm sticking with you for this one too," Tomo stated. "You helped me with my elemental dragon, now I'll help you with yours!"
"Since it is my era of time, may I help with this Dragon?" Glenn asked politely as he stepped forward.
"I shall accompany you as well," Janus followed calmly.
"Well then, it looks like we got our party! Let's go get it started!" Ty said as he took the newly formed party to the Neo Epoch.
*The Middle Ages, 605 A.D.*
The Neo Epoch appeared from its wormhole above the seas of the Middle Ages. "Hmm, so where do you suppose the Demi-Humans are in this era?" Ty asked no one in particular.
"Gaspar said the Demi-Humans took the Life Sparkle by this time," Tomo recalled.
"So let us ask the Medinians," Janus suggested.
"Ah, yes, they are no longer under the effects of a plague so they should be able to help us now!" Glenn said with high spirits.
"Alrighty then! Medina, it is!" Ty said cheerfully.
The party landed discreetly outside the town of Medina and as they disembarked they saw the town was mostly returned to the way it was. The Fiends had done some settling down after the loss of their Fiendlord. "Good, everything is set back to the way that it was," Janus claimed.
"Won't the Fiends recognize you? I mean, your original human form is not that different," Glenn said worriedly.
"So what if they do? I do not believe it will be a problem," Janus claimed calmly.
The party entered Medina and the Fiends didn't welcome nor reject them but instead treated them with apathy. Vendors and townsfolk alike simply grumbled and groaned about the defeat they were now suffering at the hands of the Guardian army and the loss of Magus the Fiendlord.
As the party moved throughout the town, they began to notice the movements of three cloaked figures that were stalking them. "Drayguard, do you sense the three figures following us?" whispered Janus.
"Yeah, they've been doing that for a while," Ty said fully aware.
"Let us lead them out of town. If no one is around, then perhaps they will make their move. Everyone be ready to confront them," Janus said with warning.
And so they did, Ty casually moved out of Medina and into the northern fields. Once they were separated from the crowds of Medina the figures made their move and hastily made themselves known. As they stepped in front of the party, they threw off their cloaks and revealed themselves to be none other than, Vinegar, Mayonne, and Soyso. Instead of their usual attire, Janus's former generals were wearing tattered rags and robes for clothes, indicating their level of poverty.
Vinegar recognized Janus, "Magus, is that you?! How dare you show your face here after wrecking our fort! And you even gave that miserable knight his human form back?!"
"Yeah, what could you possibly want from us now?" barked Mayonne.
"There is nothing for here for traitors like you!" remarked Soyso.
Janus was as calm as a pond, "If you must know, I am not here for you or the Fiends in any way. We are searching for the Wind Dragon and the Demi-Humans that worship it."
The trio raised their brows in confusion, "Uh, Wind Dragon? Demi-Humans? What do you want with them?" Vinegar asked bewildered.
"We are in need of a special flower that they have taken as a token to present to their supposed god," Janus said clearly.
Vinegar then thought of an idea, "Well, if you're so eager to die, then by all means, confront her! The Wind Dragon will gobble you all up! She and the Demi-Humans lie in the center of the forest to the north of here."
"Very well, we shall take our leave," Janus said as the party awkwardly excused themselves.
As the party walked off to the north, the trio smirked evilly, "What he doesn't know is, those woods are cursed by the Demi-Humans!" Mayonne said sadistically.
"Good luck finding your way, 'Fiendlord Magus'!" mocked Soyso with a deep laugh.
"Even if they don't end up lost forever, the Wind Dragon will certainly be their end!" Vinegar laughed heartily.
*Forest of Medina*
The dark forest of Medina was now a beautiful place without Quin's mushroom plague. The grass was lush, the trees were thick and strong, and the shade was welcomed over the darkness from the past.
"Wow, what a difference Quin's absence makes!" Tomo said as she listened to the birds chirping. "No more zombies! What a relief...," she finished with a sigh.
"Yeah, she really messed up the place. I hardly recognize it!" Ty followed.
Janus merely kept to himself while Glenn chuckled at the small talk.
Some time passed since the party began trekking through the forest and they began growing tired and feelings of unease set in, "I don't mean to sound cynical but I believe we may be lost," Glenn claimed.
"I think you're right. Some of these trees look familiar," Tomo said as she examined them.
"How can you tell? They all look the same to me!" Ty said growing frustrated.
"No, we are definitely lost but not due to general incompetence. This place has a spell cast over it. I can sense it," Janus claimed.
"What? Did those old friends of yours trick us?!" Tomo asked angrily.
Janus sighed deeply, "It would appear so."
"Those rats!" Ty spat.
"Wait, I see something," Glenn said as a flicker of light caught his eye.
"What is it?" Ty asked as he frantically looked around.
"Over there, quickly!" Glenn pointed.
The party entered a clearing that was strewn with pathways that were not unlike what they were already walking through. Ty felt a faint breeze and shivered lightly. The light that Glenn saw belonged to a ghostly orb. "Yikes, a ghost!" Tomo said defensively.
The orb beckoned them to come closer and they did so. Once they did, the orb revealed itself to be a spirit. This spirit was one of a Demi-Human child, a little girl. She wore nothing but a white featureless robe and she had long blonde hair that mingled with her large feathered ears. Her eyes were ocean blue and her bird-like hands were also larger than a normal human child's hands. Her expression was one of sadness.
"Wow, I've never seen a Demi-Human before!" Glenn said astounded.
"Hey, uh, little girl. Is there something we can help you with?" Ty asked, knowing it made little sense to talk to a ghost.
"The ghost began to speak softly, barely above a whisper, "This forest was home to us Demi-Humans a long time ago. We found a great Dragon here but it did not respond to our prayers. That is... until it became angry with us. It said we were not the ones it wants worship from and that, like normal humans, we were a blight on the planet. So it devoured many of us while others escaped finding yet another new home."
"That's so sad. Why do these Dragon gods have to be such bastards?" Tomo asked no one in particular.
"When we left, we placed a curse on this forest so that no one could find the Dragon god," the spirit began again. "But you, I sense you may be able to kill it. If you would be so kind. If you want to find the Dragon god it is located in a small temple hidden in an ancient necropolis. To get there, you must follow the path the wind blows toward. Do this, and you will find the Dragon god."
"Wind, this forest is pretty dense. Has there ever been a breeze since we have been here?" Tomo asked curiously.
"Yeah, you didn't feel it?" Ty replied. "It kinda gives me the chills," he chuckled.
"Not at all," said both Tomo and Glenn.
Janus, however, "I felt it but it is very faint. It is an unnatural wind. A magical one," he stated.
"Yeah, that's it!" Ty said, confirming Janus's explanation. "It's like a soft breath that appears whenever we would step into these clearings."
"All right, so which way did it blow when we came to this clearing?" Tomo asked curiously.
Ty wasted no time pointing out the path the light zephyr blew down, "That way," he said confidently as he pointed to the north.
The party regrouped and headed down the path and they made it to another clearing. Ty felt another chill and he led them to the west. This continued until they made five more runs. After the fifth run, a massive clearing came into view. It was the ancient necropolis. Only this time, it was nearly indiscernible as a graveyard. Not a single tombstone remained as more than a small crumbled boulder. It was overgrown and Demi-Human architecture was built above it. Much of the architecture was high in the trees. Old wooden tree huts and houses were connected with rope bridges built between them. Finally, just as the ghost said, an overgrown temple loomed over the ancient graveyard-turned-village opposite the party's position.
"Well, I think we found our target!" Ty said as he cracked his knuckles.
"Come on, let's go!" Tomo urged as she rushed off to the temple.
"Hey, wait up!" Ty said frantically as he chased after her.
"Be careful you two!" Glenn said as he too gave chase.
"...," Janus mused.
Ty caught up to Tomo as she began running her hands across the temple door. She wiped away the dust and the growth. "This temple isn't that old," Tomo stated. "I think the Demi-Humans have been here little under a century."
"Yeah, many of these tree houses should have rotted away by now if they were built right after we killed Quin," Ty said as he gazed into the treetops.
"If the Wind Dragon is behind this door, how do we open it?" Glenn asked curiously.
"Well, the door doesn't seem to have a keyhole of any kind. Just these strange plates that are roped together in front of it," Ty said as he tugged on the rope.
The three plates in question had a strange symbol on them that glowed faintly. "Perhaps the village in these treetops will illuminate," Janus suggested.
"Well then, let us find our way up!" Glenn said growing eager.
And so, the party began searching for a way up and one was quickly located via a spiral staircase that was incorporated into a tree. The party looked around, gathering small odds and ends that were left behind, and eventually, they stumbled across the same symbols etched into hidden spaces. Some runes were behind shelves, under tables, and in other not-so-obvious places.
"None of these runes match," Ty said as he got up from the floor.
"Hey, this one does!" Tomo said as she looked under a bed. "And it glows too!"
"So what do we do with them?" Glenn asked puzzled.
"Simply wipe them away," Janus said confidently. "These letters are linked to their respective plates. These decoys are placed to try and confuse others. Perhaps some others are placed in plain sight within writings and other forms of graffiti."
"Okay!" Ty said as he went over to Tomo and took out his dagger. He took the dagger and scraped the rune from its hiding spot and Janus gazed down at the temple door. In a matter of moments, Janus was proven correct as the matching plate faded and fell to the ground.
"Good, let's find the others," Janus said calmly.
After some searching, Glenn found one etched into a mural that was carved into a tree and he erased it with his sword. Janus found the last one etched under the first stair of the spiral staircase that led them up to the village. He erased it with his scythe.
The last plate fell to the ground and the temple door opened. The party then heard a yawn as a gust of wind came rushing from the temple doorway. The party regrouped and stood before the doorway. An ominous female voice came through the eerie darkness accompanied by two glowing yellow eyes. "Thank you for releasing me, fools. Those miserable Demi-Humans! They got me drunk and wound up sealing me in this little cubby hole! Now, thanks to you 'intrepid adventurers', I am free!" the voice claimed.
The owner of the voice slithered out of the temple and out into the open. It was a large serpent with feathered wings as opposed to a cobra's hood. Its scales were as green as the trees and its teeth were thin and sharp. It was obvious the wings in question were not meant for flying, but for creating gusts of wind. "So you are the Wind Dragon god I presume?" Ty said as he drew his daggers.
The others drew their weapons as well while the Dragon spoke, "Hmm, was it your intent to wake me?"
"Yep, we're here to avenge the Demi-Humans and put an end to you!" Tomo claimed bravely.
"So prepare yourself, Dragon god of Wind!" Glenn followed vigorously.
"Wait, I was told a small group of humans would come for me eventually," said the Wind Dragon.
"Let me guess, Zelah warned you ahead of time did she?" Janus said with confidence.
"The Wind Dragon was surprised, "You know of Prophetess Zelah? Then you are the group of humans I have been waiting to gobble up!"
"Try if you can!" Ty goaded.
The Wind Dragon snapped at Ty with blinding speed and Ty responded with his Adrenaline Rush technique and leaped out of her grasp with ease. She hit the ground with her bite, kicking up dust and darting her eyes around in a panic. The other three backed up, allowing the dust to clear as Ty slashed at her with his daggers. Just like the Earth Dragon, the Wind Dragon was also very resilient although a little less so, due to not having earthen materials fused into a hardened carapace.
"All right everyone, while Ty has her attention, let us not waste this time!" Janus said as he began a powerful shadow spell. "This Black Hole will draw her in!"
Janus created a sphere of super dense energy that drew the Dragon god toward it with ease. "Gah! What is this?!" screeched the Wind Dragon. The dense sphere crushed the scales on the Dragon's left cheek. She pulled away as the spell dissipated and she seemed more agitated than damaged. "That is some impressive spell potency you have, human! I shall put an end to it!" She bellowed as she breathed her toxic breath at Janus. However, thanks to his speed, he was able to evade. The grass on the ground dissolved in its wake.
Janus became wide-eyed at the Dragon's poison, "It has poisons as well?!"
"Naturally!" Ty shouted as he threw his head back with a heavy sigh.
"Ty we must combine our efforts!" Glenn said as he took a strong stance.
"I read you loud and clear!" Ty said as he vanished.
"A Two-Pronged Strike!" Glenn shouted as both warriors struck the speedy serpent from both sides of its face with super speed.
"Tomo let us do the same! Create a Quicksand pit for me!" Janus called out strongly.
"You got it!" Tomo followed as she cast her Quicksand spell.
As it emerged beneath the Wind Dragon, Janus summoned his Soul Geyser. From the pit of sand, souls of the dead, charged with Earth magic tore through the Dragon god as it struggled to get free.
The spell subsided and the Dragon's irritation rose, "Wretched humans! Die!" she roared as she began flapping her majestic wings. Blades of Wind magic tore through the party dealing quite a bit of damage most of which, was done to Tomo, who was the opposing element.
Ty's Adrenaline Rush allowed him to walk off the damage as it caused him to regenerate. "You'll have to do better than that!" Ty taunted as he strafed the Dragon like a shark. Ty dashed over to Glenn, "Hey, can you whip up some water for me? I got another idea!" He asked excitedly.
"Certainly!" Glenn replied with a smile.
Glenn summoned a Deluge that quickly flooded the immediate area and Ty summoned his Wind Storm that sucked up the water and created powerful Water Spouts. The Water Spouts crashed into the Wind Dragon cutting and tearing at its sleek body with roars of pain in response. Ty cheered, "Ha, yes, it didn't absorb it because it isn't truly a Wind spell!"
"Do these Dragons absorb the magic they represent?" Glenn asked in astonishment.
"Yeah, so I can't use my Wind magic or it will just heal off the damage!" Ty explained.
"The Earth Dragon absorbed all my Earth magic so we're playing it safe with the rest of them!" Tomo explained.
"Then you are lucky, Ty. Wind magic's true power is that it can combine easily with all the other elements, and most of the time, the result is not Wind. Allow me to demonstrate," Janus said as he cast a spell on Ty.
The Wind Dragon lunged at Ty as his back was turned. Ty seemed uncomfortable as Janus's spell settled in his chest. "I have you now!" roared the Dragon as it caught Ty in her mouth. Ty held open her jaws with his hands and feet.
"You thought you had bad breath? Try this Dark Breath on for size!" Ty said as he exhaled.
The Wind Dragon released Ty with a grotesque gurgle as its mouth was filled to the brim with a thick black miasma. She became Blinded, Dizzy, Confused, and Cursed. Ty's Adrenaline Rush wore off and he stumbled around trying to rest for a bit. Glenn looked to Tomo, "Tomo shall we take advantage of this opening?"
"You bet!" replied Tomo excitedly.
Glenn summoned another Deluge and Tomo used her Earth Quake spell and the two combine to create a Mudslide. The Wind Dragon was pummeled by heavy mud and sharp stones.
Once the spell dissipated, the Wind Dragon reacted with an outstretching of its magnificent wings. "Miserable humans, do you think a few lousy combinations will kill me?" She bellowed as she bathed herself in a warm green light. The healing winds removed a large amount of the damage.
"Damn it, here she comes!" Janus said strongly, bracing for the next attack.
The Wind Dragon unleashed a powerful spell that was unexpected. "When I said I would devour you all, I meant it!" She said loudly. The spell spawned a massive Venus Flytrap beneath the party and they were shut up inside. The inside was lined with digestive acids that burned the party as they struggled to free themselves.
Then as quickly as it appeared, the carnivorous plant vanished leaving them soaked in acids and moaning in pain. Ty, however, was just grossed-out rather than in pain. "Oh, this is ghastly!" Ty said as he wiped away the painful sludge.
Janus and Tomo moaned in pain to varying degrees and Glenn responded by throwing his hands into the air, "Heal!" He announced vigorously as the whole party was bathed in blue cool light.
Janus stood up from his crouched position and threw back his cape. "Ty, Tomo, lend me your magic!"
The two responded with a readied stance and cast Wind Storm and Earth Quake respectively. As the two spells merged around the Dragon to become a Sandstorm, Janus seized the opportunity with his Soul Geyser. The Sandstorm tore into the Wind Dragon with howls of the dead accompanying it. "This Soul Sandstorm should be sufficient enough to undo your healing spell and then some!" Janus announced with confidence.
The Wind Dragon merely responded by casting its healing spell again but thankfully the damage was so high it only recovered slightly. The Wind Dragon entered into a tranquil fury. "Enough of this nonsense. I shall end this with a mighty Tornado!" She roared as she inhaled an unreal amount of air and extended its wings.
Ty looked to the party with fright, "Guys it's charging up a massive Wind spell. That'll wipe us if she casts it!" he said as he could feel the winds begin twisting around them. "We have to strike it with a Quadruple technique! What do we have?!" He suggested.
Janus took mere moments to think about everyone's spells and techniques. He sighed, "We do not have one."
"...Oh...," groaned everyone simultaneously.
"Then we'll use a summon instead!" said Tomo. "I brought that Golem summon with me! Y'know, just in case!"
Janus looked relieved, "Good, that should end this. The last spell we used counted as an Earth spell. Use two more and you should be able to summon it."
"Okay guys, back me up!" Tomo said strongly as she cast her Earth Rumble spell. Tomo was exhausted and she fell to her knees. She drank an Ether to get some of her stamina back.
"I will show you a little trick for this," Janus said as he approached. Janus opened his bag and he had a myriad of monster parts. "These monster parts can be used to cast spells that a person of a different element cannot use. Take this petrified Stonetooth for example," he said as he cast some of his power into it. The Stonetooth reacted to Janus's spell and changed the Shadow power into Earth power. The Wind Dragon was hit with an Earth Quake spell and she screeched in response.
"Cool, I didn't know those monster parts could do that!" Ty said astounded.
"I'll explain later. Tomo, call the Golem," Janus urged calmly.
"You got it!" Tomo replied as she threw her hands into the air. She pumped her Earth magic into the shiny gem and it glowed strongly. It responded with a pulse of light and the entire forest seemed to erupt with yellow fountains of light. An entity emerged before them but it was not what they expected. It was a rather short humanoid figure made of stone bricks with two yellow glowing eyes. It yawned as it did a few stretches and air squats. "This... is the Golem?" Tomo asked as she blinked a few times in bewilderment. "He doesn't look as imposing as I would have thought..."
"No, you are wrong, stand back!" Janus warned.
The Golem gave the party a friendly wave and then turned to the Wind Dragon. It raised its fingers and gave them a mere snap. A gigantic hand made of mud and stone emerged from beneath the Wind Dragon and squeezed her with crushing force. She struggled to speak, "T-that's not fair...! That creature...! Is a spirit of the planet... itself! Why would it help you... destructive humans... who desecrate our beautiful world?!" She asked, dumbfounded.
With another snap of its fingers, the Golem's spell crushed the Wind Dragon like it was a twig. The gigantic hand merged back with the land and the Dragon lay motionless on the ground. The Golem then turned to the party with a happy expression and another friendly wave as it vanished with a flash of yellow light.
The party approached the Wind Dragon as it exhaled its dying breath, "You humans... will pay... for this...," She muttered as she passed away. Just like the Earth Dragon before her, her corpse became a glowing dust that wafted away into the sky leaving very few remnants and a Green Relic.
"So, anyone, have any idea what these Dragons are complaining about?" Ty asked curiously.
"What, you mean it saying we are hurting the planet or something...?" Tomo replied.
"Yeah, I almost feel like we are missing some context here," Ty said with bewilderment.
"It sounds like some kind of coping mechanism to me but I believe you may be on to something," Janus mused out loud.
"Perhaps it has something to do with the loss to us humans the Reptites had back in Prehistory," Glenn surmised. "Eh, this topic is irrelevant for now, let us claim the spoils of war shall we?"
"Yes, let's!" Ty said as Tomo simply darted off to the temple with a giggle.
Glenn and Janus followed after collecting the Relic and the party was met with a treasure trove inside. The main prize, however, was the Life Sparkle that was planted in a patch of soil at the back of the room. Butterflies surrounded it. "There we go! Those Demi-Humans managed to transplant the Life Sparkle! That was nice of them," Ty said as he approached the large mystical flower. Ty inspected it and took samples in the form of both pollen and seeds.
"Hey Ty, look at this! It's a green emerald that looks like a Summon Gem!" Tomo said as she tossed it to Ty.
Spekkio's voice gave out a hearty laugh, "Ha! That Summon Gem belongs to my pal, Genie! She's a silly one! If you need a wind spirit, that's the one to call!"
"Cool, I'll keep this handy then!" Ty said as he kept it on his person.
"Oh, Janus, about that monster part trick. How did you know we could do that?" Tomo asked curiously.
"During our travels, we entertained at a place called the Arena of Ages. A dimension outside the flow of regular time. In it, we trained creatures called, 'Smidges'. The Smidges in question could be influenced by monster parts that could be used as catalysts that could cast certain spells. As you can see, we continued to collect these parts from the monsters we have killed thus far as spoils. It is far too laborious to try and summon a spirit like that by ourselves. The use of those monster parts via your allies eases the summoning process," Janus explained thoroughly.
"Well, it's a good thing we've picked up so much stuff along the way, huh?" Ty claimed. "Ahem, back to the topic at hand, I need a lab to process these things into a serum. Since Chronopolis is no more, I think Eston's Hideaway should make for a suitable if not lower-tech replacement."
"Then let us make haste for Eston's home!" Glenn said strongly.
The party regrouped and collected as much treasure as they could carry both from the ruins and the remains of the Wind Dragon. With the Wind Dragon gone, the spell on the forest went with it. On their way out, the spirit of the Demi-Human child could be seen but before they could interact with her, she gave them a warm smile and then departed for the afterlife. With that, the party made their way back to Medina.
*Medina*
The party made their way back to Medina and were once again confronted by Janus's former knights. Vinegar was surprised, "Magus! You killed the Wind Dragon?"
"Yes, that forest is now free for the Medinian people to use as they see fit," Janus replied.
The three knights were stunned, "Why did you do this, Magus?" Soyso asked astonished.
"As I said, we needed what it was guarding. Be that as it may, the Fiends will benefit from the death of the Wind Dragon," Janus claimed.
"Why did you betray us, only to come back and show us a kindness?" Mayonne asked somberly.
"Betrayal is not the word," Janus began. "I... found myself back home after my battle at the castle. I knew I needed to seize the opportunity for my plan of vengeance to work. That is all. I did not betray you out of hate or scorn. I merely adapted to my situation. And as you can see, I am still trying to pick up those pieces even as I travel with them," Janus said as he pointed out his party who were trying to stay out of the conversation.
The three knights cried manly tears, "I'm so sorry Magus! I had no idea your life was such a tragic one!" Mayonne said as he bit into a white handkerchief.
"Such dedication to revenge!" Soyso said as he cried into his sleeve.
"There is some treasure in the temple of the Wind Dragon. Use it how you see fit," Janus continued.
"The treasure too?! Oh, thank you, Magus! You are a true Fiendlord after all!" Vinegar said as he blew his nose into Mayonne's tattered robes. He recoiled with disgust as Vinegar did so.
"We take our leave now. This is perhaps the last time you shall witness me," Janus said as he regrouped with the others.
The party began leaving as the three knights waved goodbye tearfully for the final time. "That was really nice of you, Janus!" Tomo said with praise.
"...," Janus mused.
*Eston's Hideaway*
The party returned to Eston's Hideaway and he welcomed them with open arms. "Ah, you've returned! I take it you resolved your issue with the man that was trying to kill me?" Eston asked hopefully.
"For the most part. You can relax now though, he's not coming for you anymore!" Ty said reassuringly.
Eston sighed with great relief, "Ah, now I can focus on my studies in peace!"
"Speaking of which, can I borrow your equipment for a bit? I have an experiment I need to see to," Ty asked politely.
"Oh, be my guest! But, I have some errands to run in town, so, I'll be off in a bit! I sort of have my eye on this cute herbalist that has been supplying me with rare plants and such! I don't want to keep her waiting!" Eston said with a blush.
Ty smiled warmly, "Go get her, we'll be done before you even get back."
"Oh, well, thank you all for everything, I truly appreciate everything. My life has changed around thanks to your kindness!" Eston said warmly.
And so, Eston got himself ready and left his lab in the hands of Ty and his party. Ty took some time to study the Life Sparkle's seeds while Tomo summoned the Smith's Spirit. "Hello, what would you like me to craft today?" the Spirit asked.
"Can you make a pair of daggers with this and a set of armor like what he is wearing?" Tomo asked as she pointed to Ty, who was lost in thought. She handed over two fangs from the Wind Dragon, and some of its hide, along with Mythril, Denadorite, and some other odds and ends.
"Absolutely!" said the Smith Spirit.
Hours had passed and Ty had seemingly finished his serum to help Crono's dad, "Here it is! The Serum of Life! It's the best I can do. If this doesn't work, then I don't what will," Ty explained as he held the vial up. The liquid seemed to glow as it flowed of its own accord.
"You are truly an amazing fellow, Ty!" Glenn praised. "I am reminded of Lucca when I see you at work!"
Ty chuckled as he blushed. Tomo came up to him with new gear. "Oh, nice! Some new gear!" He said as he examined the daggers. The daggers were dark and glittery and they seemed to condense and drip their own poison. "Huh, it can actually create its own poisons. I think I'll call these daggers, 'Jormungandr'. Yeah, that feels right. And this armor," Ty said as he equipped the new jacket, shorts, and goggles in private. "Made from Denadorium chains and decorated with the hide of the Wind Dragon? And the goggles even have her inner eye membranes worked into them? Neat!"
"Alright! I think we have everything! Shall we be off to the End of Time?" Tomo asked urgently.
"Yes, Crono will be pleased we have the serum!" Glenn claimed.
"Then let us be off, we have more Dragon gods to extinguish," Janus added.
*End of Time*
When the party returned to Crono and the others, they told of their battle with the Wind Dragon and Crono was pleased, "Great job, guys! Hey Ty, looking snazzy!" he complimented.
"Thanks, I got the serum done for your dad. I really hope it works," Ty said as he showed it off to Crono.
Crono swallowed hard as he took it from Ty, "So how do I use this? Do I make him drink it?"
"Nah, it's got to be in his blood," Ty said instructively.
"I can help with that!" Lucca said jumping to the occasion. "I can build a gun that can inject it into him!"
"Thanks, Lucca, that would be amazing!" Crono praised.
"All right-y! I think I'm gonna take a break!" Ty said as he stretched.
Tomo yawned, "Yeah, I need a nap!"
"Well then, why don't I lead the next party? Let's go after the Light Dragon!" Crono said excitedly. "That one is my element after all!"
"Who are you going to take with you?" Marle asked.
Lex jumped in, "The Light Dragon is in my era is it not? May I?"
"Sure thing!" Crono replied.
"I will accompany you as well!" Glenn said, ready for more.
"May I as well?" Robo whirred. "My laser weapons can inflict Shadow damage. Since I am synthetic, the opposing will not apply to me as it would to Janus."
"Good thinking," Janus said with calm praise.
"Okay then, it looks like we got our party! Let's head to Irma's place!" Crono said with a cheer.
*Dawn of Guardia, 1 A.D. Village of Truce*
Crono piloted the Neo Epoch until he found a discreet place to hide it. The Village that would one day be the Truce he knew was bustling with people as it always was. Crono took his party to the bar to find Irma.
Upon finding Irma, she welcomed them, "Ah, my sister's husband! And Lex my brave guardian! I am glad you have returned! And who are these two? Two more knights I presume? My what a splendid suit of armor on the large one!" She said referring to Robo. Robo did not bother to correct her and neither did Glenn.
Lex stepped forward, "Lady Irma, do you know of any legends that speak of Demi-Humans and Dragon gods?"
"Hmm," Irma responded as she retreated deep into thought. "You know, I do believe I recall hunters claiming that a white tower exists in the Truce Valley up north. They claim that this tower seems to be constructed like a roost for some kind of bird. Other rumors state that they have heard loud roars booming across the sky near the valley. However, as for the Demi-Humans, I believe they are just a legend but if that tower exists then I know of no one else who could have built it."
"Thank you, Milady! That should be enough to go on! Come friends let us investigate the valley!" Lex said with enthusiasm.
Crono's party quickly left the village and trekked up north to find the valley. They traveled through the brush and slowly descending ridges and hills for a long while until the party grew tired from their search. Crono shouted, "Where is this damn tower?!"
As if to respond the Crono's outburst, a loud, booming screech could be heard in the distance. Lex set his gaze skyward, "That was no bird!"
"Quickly, let us follow the direction it came from!" Glenn said with urgency.
"My sensors indicate it came from the northwest!" Robo whirred.
The party darted off to the northwest and after a while, they came to a small waterfall that emptied into a pretty lake. The cliffs the waterfall drained from were much too steep to climb.
"What do we do now? I'm sure this is the right way!" Crono said in frustration.
The party scanned their surroundings, hoping for some insight. Then something caught Lex's eye, "There, behind the waterfall! I can see a cave!" he said ecstatically.
Robo also scanned it, "Yes, he is correct!"
"Ah, sneaky! The Demi-Humans found such a secluded hiding place!" Glenn praised.
The party made their way carefully around the lake and squeezed behind the waterfall. It led into a small tunnel that then poured them out into a circular paradise-like area that was surrounded by cliffs. Small aqueducts lined the ground, feeding into flower beds, and the most prominent structure, the white tower, stood in the middle of it all. Atop that tower, the Light Dragon rested. It was indeed a white-skinned Pterodactyl-like reptile. It slept atop its roost even as Crono's party approached.
"Look, there it is!" Crono said as he pointed at the Light Dragon. "How do you suppose we get it to come down?"
"While this tower is not so large, it is large enough so that the Dragon will not be disturbed by our voices down here," Robo surmised.
"There doesn't seem to be an entrance to the tower either," Glenn said as he inspected the tower.
"If the Demi-Humans tried to worship this beast, then surely they figured out a way to interact with it," Lex began. "These aqueducts lead to the tower and are letting water flow into it."
"Perhaps a mechanism will trigger if these four main aqueducts are shut off," Robo deduced.
"Okay then, let's turn them all off!" Crono said with no other leads to go on.
The party searched the garden and found water valves that changed the direction of the water. Robo claimed a valve and began to turn it. While it shut down one inlet, others opened, allowing the water to continue flowing. "It seems to have redundant systems built in to prevent mischief makers from accidentally shutting it down," Robo buzzed. "Let us try another."
The party continued to shut and open valves until finally, their efforts were rewarded and all four aqueducts were sealed off. Within moments, the tower lowered slightly, revealing a door that was hidden behind a stone wall that concealed it when it was high. The Light Dragon awoke from its roost and floated gently down to the ground in front of the tower. Crono's party went to meet it.
The party stood before the Light Dragon and it emitted a faint glow, "Why did you rouse me from my rest, detestable humans?" She asked with irritation.
"We apologize for the intrusion but we must destroy you," Robo claimed.
"Typical, as with all Humans and Demi-Humans, all you can think about is destruction!" snarled the Light Dragon.
"Typical...? What is this nonsense?" Glenn asked no one in particular.
"I am not sure, even the previous two Dragons made such accusations," Lex said.
"You Humans are a blight to this world! It would have been so much better in the hands of our Reptite and Dragonian ancestors!" growled the Dragon.
"How can you blame that on the Humans?" Robo asked confused. "Lavos is the one who fell on the Reptite stronghold and destroyed it. The resulting damage made the climate change so that large reptilian life could no longer be sustained easily."
"Enough, Prophetess Zelah informed me years ago, that there would come a band of humans. That they would come to destroy me! This is Fate in motion! Have at you Humans, slay me if you can!" roared the Dragon.
The Light Dragon spread its leathery wings and lightning crawled across them. She then flapped her wings and sent wild lightning strikes across the battlefield. Crono and his party did their best to dodge or simply brace the attack.
"Warning, do not engage Light Dragon with Light-based weaponry or magic!" Robo whirred as he shook off a lightning strike.
"That kinda limits us, since I'm here, so I'll just get to it!" Crono said as he rushed the Dragon and attacked with a Wild Frenzy.
The Dragon tried to shield itself with its wings, but Crono's many swords cut deeply, "Quickly, Robo, while it is distracted! Let me encase you in a Bubble Burst!" Glenn urged.
"Yes, Bubble Breath technique initiated!" Robo began with a strong stance.
Glenn chanted as his bubble lifted Robo and floated him high above the Light Dragon. It popped and Robo fell from a great height. His tough metal body crashed into the Dragon, sending her to the ground.
"Wretched Humans! Feel the wrath of the planet! Holy Breath!" The Light Dragon growled as it retaliated with a powerful breath attack that acted like a cloud of billowing white smoke.
The party shook off the attack with minimal effort as the Light Dragon attempted to stand up and take off into the sky, "Lex do not let it take off, you Sweep and I will Dive!" Glenn instructed.
"Great idea!" Lex said as he Swept his sword strike across both kneecaps of the Dragon sending it back to the ground as Glenn leaped off his back and, with a mighty Aerial Dive, planted his sword into the Dragon's hide.
The Light Dragon wailed as she shook Glenn off and spread her wings until she was able to take off. While in the air she used a healing spell on herself and she seemed slightly relieved if not angered. "Let's do the same!" Crono instructed.
"Lex, let us combine our healing magic!" Glenn suggested.
"We must hurry, here she comes!" Lex said as he began his Healing Fog spell.
Glenn mixed his Purifying spell with Lex's Fog and it healed and refreshed the party while hiding their presence all at once. The Light Dragon responded with magical Comets made purely from Light magic. The Comets pelted the foggy area but no screams could be heard. She missed every shot. Then Glenn came from the fog like a bullet with his shield before him. Robo had given him a hard toss toward the Dragon, "A Shield Launch should knock her right out of the sky!" Robo said cheerfully.
The Light Dragon screeched as it plummeted to the ground. Glenn landed safely. As the Fog cleared Lex began chanting and Crono readied his blade. Lex created a Hexagon Mist and Crono leaped into its center and it broke into shards. Crono then began to spin and the shards spun with him as Crono sliced up the Light Dragon. "That Mist Blade worked really well!"
The Light Dragon breathed irregularly as it poured blood all over the flower beds. She then spread her wings and bathed herself in yet another healing spell. She then retaliated with a Meteor Shower that pummeled Crono and his friends. The Dragon then took off to sweep the party and grab one of the members. Crono smirked, "That's right, come a little closer! Now, Robo, Glenn, a Triple Attack!" Crono shouted as he stood from the dust.
The Dragon was surprised as it did not expect a direct attack. Crono and Glenn struck her with an X-Strike that was followed by a Robo Tackle. "That's it I shall bring this to an end! My Ultra Nova spell will vanquish you, humans, once and for all!" taunted the Dragon.
In an instant, a small speck of pure white light emerged and it then began to grow. As it did Crono's team was drawn into its vicinity. Once all four members hit the sphere of light it erupted into a massive explosion. Crono's party seemed like they were defeated, "Ah, I did it, Zelah will be most pleased!" said the Dragon. Her self-praise was cut short, however, as Crono and his friends began to stir.
"That was one hell of a spell...," Crono said as he struggled to sit up.
"Indeed, what magnitude...," Robo said after a minor diagnostic check.
"I'm glad I wear such heavy armor! How are you fairing Lex?" Glenn said as the party turned to Lex, who was pulsating with a flash.
"An Aura Surge! Yeah, alright! Go get her Lex!" Crono cheered.
Lex transformed and his blonde hair turned white as Marle's did. Lex's berserker rage was replaced with a creepy tranquil fury. He outstretched his hands and with a chant, he called up many massive mist beasts. "Mist Stampede!" He shouted strongly as the large assortment of caricatures sped off avoiding contact with Crono and the others. The Light Dragon screamed in fear as it was unable to take off in time and was trampled by the icy-cold power of Lex's attack.
When the attack finally ended, Lex went back to normal and the Light Dragon was left mangled on the ground. The party approached her, "Y-you will all... suffer this planet's... wrath," She said as she too turned to dust leaving little remains. A large White Relic was among the remains.
"Ty was right, these Dragons must be believing some kind of lie," Crono said.
"We have no data as to what they might be referring to," Robo said as he shook his head.
"Perhaps Zelah has something to go with it?" Lex asked no one in particular.
"Nevertheless, let us enter the tower and see what lies within," Glenn said as he sheathed his sword.
The party entered the construct and all that was within was coins and gems like before but they surrounded a pool of glowing water. It gleamed with a bright white light. Glenn kneeled before the pool to get a good look and he felt something tug at his back. It was the Grandleon that he still had concealed. "The Grandleon reacts to the pool of water. I wonder," He said as he unwrapped the corrupted sword. Glenn placed the sword into the water and it rang out as it was submerged. With a mighty reaction, the pool of water evaporated and the Grandleon was left in its natural state but significantly damaged. It was as if the sword itself had almost dissolved. "Oh no!" He said perilously.
"That's not good," Crono stated with a pale look.
Then the two spirits, Gran and Leon spoke, "Ugh, brother, I don't feel so good," said Gran.
"I know, I feel like we did something awful. We should talk to Sis," Leon said.
"Who is your sister?" Glenn asked.
"Doreen, she should be with your wife, Crono," Gran said as if he had a sick stomach.
Glenn placed the sword away and the party continued their search of the room. Robo was intrigued, "Hmm, Demi-Human writing is on the walls. I detect a Cipher. I can now translate their language! Interesting! This will come in handy for future relations!"
Lex pulled a beaten long sword from the treasure, "This looks fairly important if it were
not for it being unfinished that is..."
"The blade has Demi-Human writing on it! Allow me to translate!" Robo asked politely. Robo whirred and beeped as he translated the writing. "Einlanzer..., is what it says. Interesting! I detect a great power within this sword Lex, perhaps it could be alloyed with Denadorium to finish it!"
"Great, I will do so!" Lex said as he took the sword.
Crono found a white Summon Gem and Spekkio chimed in, "Woah! You found Archangel's gem? I'm afraid even I don't hold a candle to him! You're one lucky guy!"
"Good, I'll just keep this close by then!" Crono said with a big smile.
With that, nothing of value was left in the tower, so the party left to return to Irma to relay the good news. Irma was ecstatic over the death of a hostile Dragon, "This is wonderful news, Lex!" She praised.
"Lady Irma, there is some treasure left in the tower as well. Will you send someone to retrieve the rest?" Lex asked respectfully.
"Certainly, the treasure will fund expeditions into the Denadoro Hills. I hear the prospectors have found an intriguing ore there!" Irma said with excitement.
After relaying all they had to say, Crono and his party returned to the Neo Epoch.
*End of Time*
When the party returned they told of their battle with the Light Dragon and how it was felled. "That's great, sweetie!" Marle praised with a jump in her step.
Glenn approached Marle, Lady Marle, I have managed to purify the Grandleon but it cost it quite a price," He said as he showed the sword.
"Oh, that's not good. How do we fix it now?" Marle asked as she placed her hand over her mouth.
Marle's pendant reacted to the sword, a spirit emerged and the spirits of Gran and Leon did as well. "Doreen, can you help us? I think we did something terrible!" Gran said like a lost child.
Doreen yawned as she awakened from her slumber, "Oh, you two, what is it now? Did someone use you for an evil purpose?"
"I-I think so...," Leon replied.
"Alright, it's time I helped you two out!" Doreen replied. "Someone's got to keep you two out of trouble!"
The spirit left Marle's pendant and entered the Grandleon and it glowed strongly. It was still broken though. Glenn sought insight, "The blade is still in shambles! How should we repair it?!"
Doreen's voice echoed, "Just reforge it like you usually would! If you have a strong material on hand I suggest using it!"
Tomo rolled out the Smith's Spirit, "Okay, who is ready for some new stuff?!" She asked with giddy excitement.
The party handed over the many materials they got from the Light Dragon and the resulting treasure hoard. After some time the Smith Spirt crafted some exquisite equipment. Firstly, came a katana for Crono. The sword was darkly colored and glittered like the night sky, "This sword is sharp as hell! I'll call this thing the Muramasa!" He said as he sheathed the powerful blade. He then took the tunic, trousers, and bandana made for him as well. "So this new stuff can absorb Light magic? That'll come in handy!" He finished as he went to go change.
Lex received the finished Einlanzer and it was a beautiful sword to be sure, "Now this is a weapon!" Lex said with admiration.
Finally, Glenn witnessed the rebirth of his fabled Grandleon. A dark sword that seemed to glow red when placed into the light, "So this..., Grand Dream is the latest form of the sword then? I can feel its power flowing into my hand...," He said breathlessly. Not only that but Glenn was handed a second sword that was created as a byproduct. It was a short sword, but perfectly balanced. "This blade is in a caliber of its own! So I shall call it Caliber X!" He said as he raised both blades above his head and crossed them. "Such power! I shall wield both just as Ty does with his daggers!"
That was all the Smith Spirit could do for now so it was dismissed. Crono returned from changing, "Okay, we're getting stronger with every win! Should we take the Shadow Dragon next?"
Janus approached, "If that beast lies within my era, then I will go."
Marle and Lucca also stepped forward, "I need something to do! I wanna hunt a Dragon too!" Marle said childishly.
"Yeah, I suppose I could stretch my legs a little!" Lucca followed.
"Alright then, let's be off!" Crono said, ready to leave.
With that settled, Crono's party was off into the fabric of time.
*End of Chapter*