Time Apart from Time

They stopped before the door and just stared at it. There was nothing behind it – just the blackness. Lucca reached her hand around the door frame – nothing. But as this wasn't the first paradox they'd seen here, she opened the door without another thought. Through the door they all saw another room, square, about as large as the platform they stood on. It was empty, and surrounded by a very high railing. They could see everything through the door, but curiously, when they poked their heads around the door frame, there was nothing but blackness. Once they looked through the doorway again, the room reappeared.

Without so much as a shake of the head they filed in. Chrono courteously closed the door after everyone had entered, shutting off the view of the first platform. At the sound of the door closing, they all looked back as if the platform would never appear again.

"Greetings," came a voice from behind them. They whirled around to see a figure standing in the middle of the room. It was short – about half Chrono's height – and shaped not unlike a ball. Except for its face, which resembled a monkey's, and its stubby hands and feet, it was covered in white fur. They didn't even begin to guess what the thing was, or even try to figure out how it got in the room so quickly. "No, I didn't sneak into the room. You did." Lucca began to laugh – abrupt, harsh snorting through pursed lips. "My looks are amusing to you?"

The thing turned to Chrono. "What do you think? How do I look to you? Weak, perhaps?"

Chrono nodded.

"I see. Let me put it this way: if you are strong, then I appear strong. If you are weak, then I appear weak." There was a pause. "Well? Are you just going to stand there like perfect fools?"

Robo bent over, an awkward bow. "Pardon us." His voice had an edge to it. "What are you?"

"What? Don't bother. Let's keep this short… I am Spekkio. The Master of War."

Now it was Chrono's turn to laugh.

"You doubt me? Look me in the eye. And keep a straight face."

Chrono stared for the longest time, feeling more like a fool then before. Suddenly he fell straight back, unable to keep his feet under him. "There," Spekkio said. "You could not hold your ground."

"What?" Chrono mumbled, shakily getting back to his feet.

"You want to see magic tricks? Watch." A bolt of lightning came out of the creature's arms and enveloped the boy. Chrono instinctively covered his face, but pulled his arms down when he realized he was unhurt. The lightning stopped. "Just tricks. If I wanted to, I could kill you. I could kill you all without shedding one tear… but there are no accidents. You didn't just stumble over that film of Lavos. And now you have two choices. You can ignore this and die like the rest of them… or you can use your knowledge to fight. Well, technically, there are more choices. You could kill yourselves, or take dance lessons, or any number of things."

Chrono looked at the others. Apparently he wasn't the only one not getting it.

"That's why I brought you in here."

"Wait – hold it." Laucca held up a hand. "We've had a relly, really long week and we don't want to think any harder than we have to."

"Death strikes when you are weakest."

"See – that! Stop doing that. Tell us something… happy… for once."

The creature Spekkio scrunched his brow, his eyes playful. "Happy comes and goes, like me."

"What?"

"I forgot. What does the name 'Lavos' mean to you?"

Lucca backed up, eyes revealing deep frustration.

"Are you ready to listen? Then listen. You all know the truth about the world's premature end. So? Many people know that. Only now you have the power to do something about it. You can travel through time… not very many people have that trick perfected." Lucca started to speak again, but Spekkio raised an arm. "Yes, you are merely children. But to me, the oldest man is a child. And now you have something no one has had since the Dark Ages. The power over the elements… Magic."

Chrono wanted to say something, but he couldn't tell which statement to respond to. Instead, Lucca responded: "Magic? What?"

"That's what it was called by the Enlightened Ones. You see, for the longest time they thought they were masters of the Earth. They had their own system of four 'elements' of the world: lightning, water, fire, and shadow. Of course, you, being of such a sound, scientific mind, would immediately see the problem. Wouldn't you?"

Lucca just squinted at the creature.

"Never mind. Anyway, they divided the world into these four 'elements' and called it magic. See, they thought they had somehow created this ability in themselves to do great works. Of course they got it all wrong. You see, there is no such thing as 'shadow' – rather there is the absence of 'light,' and they couldn't explain how some water mages – they called themselves 'mages' you see – the water mages could control water and not ice, and some control ice and not water, and so on and so forth. Where was I? Oh – the Enlightened Ones quickly grew in power and became corrupt. What would you expect when men become powerful? They were destroyed. Only a few survived. They were known as wizards for a while. You see, this strange 'Magic' power flowed through their blood – hereditary, you would say now. You invent a whole word that means the same thing as 'blood.' The last of them died off quite a few years before any of you were born. So no one has the power of Magic but you."

Now all of them squinted at the creature. "Wait a minute," Nadia said. "What was that?"

"I don't want to have to say it again. I'm sure if you study your history, you'll learn all about this."

"Funny," Lucca smirked. "I never read about any of that trash."

"Well, who said you had to read about it?"

"Never mind."

"Wait," Nadia spoke up again. "You said no one has the power of Magic but us. How is that possible?"

"How is it impossible?"

Lucca tried not to growl when she spoke. "Look. Just say it."

"Are you in a hurry?"

Chrono stepped up to the creature. "Yes."

"You are quite comical. Of course you wouldn't have the power of Magic because of blood. So I gave it to you."

Oh that explains everything…

"Where did you think the Enlightened Ones got their power?"

Nadia looked shocked. "You gave them…"

"No, actually. It's not my power anyway. One of my friends did it. I guess it was the right thing. I'll never know."

"So you are now giving the power to four unknowns?" Robo asked. Chrono was surprised – Robo had been content to stay back from the start of the conversation. "What do you mean?"

"Unknowns?" Spekkio shook his head – or rather, his entire body – in what looked like disbelief. "I know all about you. Well, not all, but a lot more than you know about each other. I've seen far more than the old man outside. I know what you, Chrono, ate for breakfast on your seventh birthday. I know the names of all the girls you've 'fallen in love with,' as I recall you sighing. I know all the chilling words you wrote in your journal the night before the Millennial Fair." Chrono stepped back. "Hey, did you really believe that? There's no way I could remember all that, but In can look through the fabric of time and space again and take notes if you want."

Lucca rolled her eyes. "Is it just me, or is this conversation jumping all over the place?" she mouthed to Chrono.

"I think I've gone on long enough. Let's start with you Chrono. You're what the ancients would call 'Lightning.'" Spekkio stared at the boy.

Chrono just stared back. "Now?" he said after a long silence.

"No," Spekkio replied, "you've had it your whole life. You just never knew it."

"What?"

"Oh don't tell me you fell for that one, too. You've only had it for a few minutes, and you can't just feel it like it's a sugar rush."

"Sugar what?"

"You do know what this means, don't you?"

"…actually, no, I – "

"Good. And you, Princess Nadia, you're 'Water.' That's actually not true, though. In reality, I guess I could say you're 'Ice,' although – "

"Ice is just frozen water anyway," Lucca finished, rolling her eyes again. "And what am I?" This didn't come off as a question as much as a sigh of resignation.

"Fire, actually. I figured I'd let you each have one of the basics. Round you out a little." Spekkio appeared to be smiling, or what might have been smiling for a creature of his comical shape. Maybe he just had something in his eye.

Chrono just looked at the others. Nadia didn't even look like she had registered the last ten minutes of information. Lucca probably didn't believe a word of it. And Robo just stood a few feet away, not saying anything. What did Robo get?

"I'm sure you all have questions," Spekkio continued.

"Yeah, I have one," Nadia said, snapping back to reality. "Why us? We've been in some freak accident and now you're giving us Magic?"

"It's not really 'Magic,' but we'll call it that for now. And there are no such things as accidents. Yes, Lucca, even for you." Lucca jerked in surprise. "Lucky guess, really. But I can watch you when… never mind. But you all are perfect for this gift. You are pure of heart."

Lucca folded her arms across her chest. "Pure of heart. Right."

"You learn fast. No man is pure of heart - that's something to remember. Well, let me put it to you this way: you may not be the only ones who know of Lavos, but you are the only humans who have traveled through time, know about Lavos, and are in the position to do something about it. Understand?"

"Whoa!" Nadia threw up her hands. "No way. Not happening."

"Fine. If you don't do it, someone else will. We'll find someone willing. But why would you turn down such a divine calling? Most people spend their whole lives without a purpose. Do you want to turn down the only purpose that might present itself to you so clearly?"

"Hey," Chrono butted in. "We may have this almighty 'Magic' stuff – "

"It's not 'Almighty…'"

"Whatever. But we still can't take this on. What you need is a good, strong army… Wow, I can't believe what I'm talking about."

"Another thing." Lucca. "Why give us one power? If you wanted us to win, why couldn't you let us master all elements?"

Spekkio waved a hand at her. "The same reason I've been doing this for thousands of years. If I gave one man the power over everything… even mastery of one element… he would rule, and destroy, the world. But if I give many people several small powers – they must be accountable to one another or annihilate themselves. It sounds ruthless, but those are my commands. I don't have the authority to grant omnipotence, for I am not omnipotent."

"Whatever."

Chrono cut in. "Then what about Robo?" Too loud. Then, softer. "What about the robot. Does he get one of your almighty powers?"

"Not almighty. And, no. He already has power beyond any human. Not only was he made with all the stored knowledge of men, but he has a spirit." Lucca rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know. Robots don't think, and they don't feel, and they certainly don't have spirits. You are absolutely right. This machine has a spirit."

There was a long pause. "I see you have no more questions." Lucca chuckled, then stopped suddenly as if she had burped without saying excuse me. "Before you go, I have one last word. May God be with you."

"Yeah, sure." Lucca again. She and Chrono traded looks. "We'll remember that."

Spekkio turned in a full circle. "Wait! Waitwaitwaitwaitwait! You're not going anywhere until I tell you how you use magic."

"I was wondering when you'd say that," Nadia smirked.

"Oh, there's no trick to it, though… you need no incantations. All you need is yourself. The power has been freely given, of course only to a certain extent (We're not stupid, you know). You only have to tap into it. Chrono, your lightning is at your fingertips. All you have to do is, um, send it out to me." Chrono cocked his head to one side and suppressed a laugh. "Oh, is that not scientific enough for you? Well, that's all it is. You don't have to shout 'Lightning!' or recite from the magic spell book. Just let it flow through you. Actually, it's not really going through you, or you'd be cooked. Let's try it this way. It's like you're throwing a ball. The ball isn't literally a part of you, but you control it. So if you want to throw the ball... Imagine the ball is something else, now – a bolt of lightning, that's a good example. Can you picture that?"

Chrono held out his hands with a sly grin. He put his palms down, closed his eyes, and began to chant in some strange language he must have made up on the spot.

"What are you doing!" The cry enough brought Chrono to his knees. Spekkio looked furious. "Never – you never have to do anything outside of yourself if you have the power! You think it's funny now, making incantations. Never call on evil to do your bidding. You've been given this power. If you have to call on some sort of god to give you more power, you'll kill yourself."

"Sorry," Chrono mumbled, putting his hands in his pockets. The look on his face told Spekkio he hadn't gotten a word of what was just said.

"You are free to use your powers whenever you want, and however you want. I will warn you, though, that if you use them for your own glory, you will be defeated. That's how all past wizards have ended when they created their own thrones."

"Sure. Right." What on earth just happened here?

"You, Nadia. Do you understand what I've been saying?" Spekkio held up a furry hand. Perhaps that would be a somber gesture had he not been in such a roly-poly body. "Don't answer. Show me."

Nadia backed away. "Show you?"

"I didn't just give you this power because I was in a good mood. And I want to see if you understood me. You all are mages for a good reason. Do you any of you know what this means?"

Now Chrono and Lucca took a step back, until they were with Nadia and Robo.

"That's what I thought." The creature covered his face with his hands. "I can only watch you from here, but you will have friends with you. I'll definitely make sure." He said that last part motioning to Chrono.

They blinked, and then – he was gone. No Spekkio. The room was empty. Without so much as another word, they filed out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Only a few moments later they were back at the pillar of light. The old man wasn't by the lamppost anymore, and they really did not feel like traipsing around the black void of nothingness to find him, so they couldn't ask any questions about Spekkio. They didn't really feel like knowing, anyway. Robo inspected the pillar first. "It appears there is only one time period available."

Lucca followed his gaze. "Yes. And that looks like home."

"How would we know?" Nadia asked. "It could be home. But it could be ten years from home…"

"You're right. I don't recognize any of the landscape, but the architecture of that building looks the same as our time."

Robo's eyed blinked a few times. "You are forgetting what the old man said. He said it would be obvious which time is ours… I mean yours. I do not quite understand, but something about certain time periods allows for the possibility of time travel. My time, for example. I do not think we can go anywhere we please."

"Yes, sir," Lucca grinned. "Well, all for going in?"

Chrono shrugged. "Nothing to lose, right?"

"Nothing we haven't lost already. I'm first since I'm oldest."

"Actually, I am technically older than all of you because – " Robo started to say. But Lucca had already disappeared. Nadia and Chrono were right behind.

" – never mind. I didn't understand."