Somewhere above the clouds, in a room, was Crono, Marle and Lucca trapped.
Or not trapped...
They were hovering many meters above ground, everyone unconscious.
It all seemed hopeless.
Or...
”Hmph! Idiots...
What will you do, Schala?” Janus said.
He and his big sister walked into the room.
”Let us rescue them.”
Janus wasn’t that positive.
”I think it's useless. Besides, if they escape, you'll be in trouble.”
Schala turned to him.
”Don't worry about me. They just might be able to rescue the Gurus.”
She walked to the machine and pressed a few buttons.
The machine turned off and Crono, Marle and Lucca came down and recovered.
”Are you all right? Quickly, escape from the palace!”
”Wha...” Crono said, still a little bit dizzy.
”And if you can, please rescue Melchior!
He was sent to the Mountain of Woe for opposing the Queen.
Please! You have to help him!”
Crono nodded, but...
”I'm afraid I can't allow that...” a voice said.
The Prophet walked in.
He turned to Crono.
”Your meddling tires me. You'll... just have to disappear!”
Schala walked in his way.
”You mustn't!”
The Prophet looked at her.
”......!”
Janus grabbed him arm.
”Stop!”
Janus cat meowed.
The Prophet looked on each of them.
”Okay... I'll spare them.”
Crono breathed out.
”But in return, you WILL cooperate. Schala!
Now, show me how you came here.”

At the cave on Earthbound island
Crono, Marle and Lucca walked in first, followed by the Prophet and Schala.
They showed them the gate.
”Now Schala!” The Prophet said.
”After I throw them in, I want you to seal the portal shut.”
Schala protested.
”N,no! You can't make me!”
The Prophet looked at her.
”Obey me! Their lives are at stake!”
”I... oh, all right.”
The Prophet waved with his hands, and the gate opened. Crono, Lucca and Marle stepped in.
After the gate had shut, Schala said a few words, and with a flash, the gate became surrounded by a pink triangle.
The Prophet walked out.
Schala looked down.
”Please forgive me...”

Crono, Marle and Lucca came out in 65000000 BC, from the gate they took to Zeal.
”Phew...” Crono said as they came out.
Marle thought for a second.
”Why did the Prophet let us go?”
Lucca stepped forward.
”The key to defeating Lavos must exist in that period.”
”Wait a moment!” Marle said. ”Don’t you remember that old man, Belthasar in the future.
Perhaps he can help us.”
”Good idea!” Crono said. ”Let’s go see him.”
”Hey!” Lucca said. ”I’m the one who thinks here!”
Crono turned around.
”And what do you suggest?”
”Let’s go see Belthasar.”

”Phew...” Marle said as they landed at End of Time.
”Never thought I would see it again.”
They walked down to the others.
”Where have you been? We have been worried.” Robo said.
”We were in the kingdom of Zeal.” Lucca said.
”Aha...” The old man said. ”So you’ve been to the land of Magic...”
He looked up on the gate room.
The pillars for ‘Earthbound island’ and ‘Tyrano ruins’ where gone.
”Now that the pillar of light is sealed, you’ll be needing something that will transport you through time. I recall someone working on such a device. The Wings of Time, I believe he called it.”
Crono nodded.
”What happen?” Ayla asked.
”It’s a long story.” Crono said. ”Perhaps one of us should stay and tell them.”
Marle nodded.
”Sure. Robo can take my place. Who’ll take Lucca’s?”
None answered.
”I can continue.” Lucca said.
”But...” Marle said. ”Weren’t you the one who said everything about fair time?”
Lucca ignored her.
”C’mon Crono.”
Robo rose and followed them up.
Crono chose the gate to Bangor dome, where they came first, after escaping the guards.

”This is nostalgic!” Lucca said as they appeared in Bangor dome, 2300 AD.
”Remember when we got here the first time?”
Crono nodded.
”I sure do.”
Lucca was just going to walk out when she saw the door on the opposite wall.
”H, hey! Look!”
Crono turned around.
He remembered that they had tried to open it before, but without any success.
Now he understood why.
The door had those Zeal signs on it. It was the same kind of door as in Zeal.
”How...” He said.
”What?” Robo asked.
Lucca explained everything about Zeal, and what had happened.
Crono held up Marle’s pendant, and it began to glow.
The door opened.
They walked in.
”Look!” Crono said and pointed.
Lucca walked in, followed by Robo.
There were weapons place by the wall.
”Look! A sword for me, and a crossbow for Marle and... Here’s toys for everyone.”
Robo picked up a robot arm.
”This may come handy.”
Crono picked up a sword by the wall.
He really liked his red katana, but this sword was both sharper and better.
Lucca found a new gun.
”Robo? Do you think you can take all this to End of Time? Here’s the gate key.”
Robo nodded and picked up all weapons and entered the gate.
He came back after a minute.
”Okay!” Crono said. ”Keepers Dome next. Let’s see if we remember the way.”
Lucca did.
”We have to cross Lab 16 to get there. And why don’t we visit Doan in his dome?”
Crono nodded.
”Right!”
They walked out.
”I wonder what Lab 16 looks like.” Robo said.
”I can’t remember.” Crono said. ”But we’ll find out.”
Without any problem, they crossed the Lab 16 and walked to Arris Dome.
”Hey! It’s those people again!” A little kid said.
”Hey fellas!” Doan said. ”Look! The sead’s sprouted!”
Crono walked to him and looked on the small plant.
”Looks like you’ll survive after all.” Lucca said.
”Yes. After you came, we have gained the courage to live.”
Crono sat down in a corner.
”It’s late. Why don’t we get some sleep and continue tomorrow?”
Lucca nodded.
 
Crono could see a weak image of Lavos.
Lavos was a big shell with thousands of spikes on.
On the front side of the shell was a beak.
Then Crono saw other persons, in front of Lavos.
Totally five persons lied in front of Lavos. Another one was standing on Lavos.
Crono saw that one of the persons rose.
It was himself.
He looked confused around.
Then Lavos opened it’s beak and roared.
A white blast came out of it, who scattered all persons in front of Lavos.
Crono saw himself die. Die along with others.
Was this the fate who awaited him and two other if they tried to stop Lavos?
”NO!!!”
”No...”

”No...”
”Crono?”
Crono opened his eyes.
”Huh?”
He found himself back in the dome.
Lucca leaned over him.
”Something’s wrong?”
Crono shook his head.
”No. I’m fine.”
After an hour, they left for sever access.

The sewer access was just as scary as last time, but Crono and Lucca wasn’t really worried.
”I wonder if any of those creatures who we killed last time lives here?”
The answer came with a roar.
”Yep.” Lucca said.
A monster came out of the darkness and it looked just like the one they met here for almost a week ago.
The monster dashed forward and tried to grab Crono.
But Crono was to fast and jumped backward.
Robo tackled the monster, but it didn’t do very much in damage.
”He’s mine!” Crono said.
Crono pulled up his sword and jumped forward.
The monster protected itself with it’s claws, but Crono’s sword drilled itself deep into the claw.
Lucca fired her new gun, and blowed off the needle from the tail.
Crono flipped over the monster and as it turned after, it faced Crono’s sword.
With one simple cut, the monster died.
Crono holstered his sword.
”I’m getting good at this.”

”So...” Lucca said. ”This is the Keepers Dome.”
They walked inside, but found out that Belthasar wasn’t there.
But his Nu was.
Crono walked forward to it.
It was sleeping.
”Eh... Excuse me...”
The Nu woke up.
”Please do not disturb my slumber.”
Crono nodded and walked into the room.
”Look!” Lucca said, and pointed on a door.
It had Zeal engraves.
Crono held up Marle’s pendant.
The door opened, and they walked in.
The room they came into had one more door on the other wall.
As they walked towards it, a voice said:
”To those who opened the door...”
”Crono! Was that you?” Lucca said supriced.
Crono shook his head.
The voice continued.
”I am Belthasar, the Guru of Reason.  I once lived in the Kingdom of Zeal.
A great disaster in Zeal somehow threw me into this era.
To my surprise, Lavos exists here, and I suspect, in other periods as well.
Aeons ago, Lavos descended from heavens.
Burrowing deep into the world's core, he began to consume our planet's energy, and grow stronger.
Lavos disappeared briefly when he was summoned away by a great wizard who lived in Guardia, in the year 600.
In 1999, Lavos claims this area, and reigns from high atop Death Peak.
Lavos continues to replicate... like a giant parasite, he is consuming our world.
Forced to live here, I continued to conduct research on Lavos. But I am growing old.
And it's impossible to keep sane in such trying times. So before I lose it completely, I shall safeguard my data, and my ultimate creation...
How I long to return home...
But I have grown frail...
So you... YOU, who have opened the door!
I leave things in your hands.
Only by mastering time, itself, do you stand a chance against Lavos.
The odds will be against you...
But you are true heroes.
The world is in your hands.
Open now, the last door, and take what you find there.
My last invention...
My "Wings of Time" ...”
”Wings of Time!” Lucca exclaimed.
Crono opened the last door.
They came into a big room, and in it was a huge machine.
It looked like a silver cylinder.
”This must be the machine Belthasar spoke of.” Lucca said.
Robo beeped.
”The Wings of Time! I believe I have heard of this device.”
Crono looked back on the door they came from and then saw something block it.
”Hey!” he shouted.
Then he saw that the thing who blocked the door was moving inside.
Then he realized that it was the seats for the machine someone pushed in.
Then Crono saw that it was the Nu.
”Scared you, didn't I? It's me... BELTHASAR!”
”Say what!” Lucca said supriced.
”I copied my memory into this thing.
What do you think?
Anyway, there's something I need to explain.
Namely, how to transcend time!
But first, hop aboard!”
Crono, Robo and Lucca took a seat each, and the seats hovered up into the machine.
”First.” Belthasar said. ”Name my time machine.”
Crono thought for a long time.
”How about ‘Lucca I’.” Lucca suggested.
Crono shook his head.
”Nope. Epoch. That’s a good name for a time machine.”
Lucca nodded.
”Okay. Better than ‘Marle I’.”
Belthasar explained the controls, and then the Nu fell back into sleep.
”Let’s take it to End of Time.” Crono said and switched some buttons.
The surrounding environment turned into lines, and then everything looked like some red-yellow mixture.
”Warp speed?” Lucca said. ”Epoch is capable of THIS?”

They landed just outside the main room.
Crono jumped out, followed by Robo and Lucca.
”Hey.” The old man said.
They walked to the others and took a seat.
”Interesting. So he actually finished the ‘Wings of Time’. In fact, gave his life for it.
Why not put that device to good use. Take it to the ancient land of Magic.”
”We will.” Crono said. ”Marle? Frog? It’s your turn now.”
”Okay!” Marle said and rushed to Epoch. Frog walked easily and took a seat in the back.
Crono placed himself in the front and then helped Marle to get in.
Crono set the time meter on 12000 BC.
With a flash, Epoch traveled through time to 12000 BC, the dark ages.
When the environment turned normal, Crono, Marle and Frog could see nothing but snow.
Crono opened the capsule glass, and jumped out, followed by Marle and Frog.
”What are we going to do now?” Marle asked.
”I don’t know.” Crono answered. ”Schala told us to save some guru on the mountain of Woe.”
Marle nodded.
”Yeah. I guess that’s best to do. The Prophet will se us if we go up there.”
Frog pointed on the floating mountain.
”That one?”
Crono looked at it.
”Could be. Don’t know for sure. Let’s go there. It’s our best alternative for the moment.”
With a high speed, they walked towards the floating mountain.
”Look! A cave!” Marle suddenly exclaimed.
Crono looked after a cave and after a few seconds found it.
Then he looked closer on the mountain.
It was attached with a chain on an island far out in the ice cold ocean.
”Let’s check that cave out. It will hopefully lead us to that island.”
The others agreed.

”This looks so... Man made!” Marle said as they entered.
”Yeah!” Crono said and looked around on the cave.
”You think this is...”
”The village of the Earthbound Ones?” a voice said.
They looked around, trying to see who it was.
”Calm down!” Crono said. ”We are not any Enlighten Ones.”
”Then come in.”
Crono sneaked further into the cave, followed by Frog.
Marle came just after him.
A man waited outside a new cave opening.
”This is Algetty, the village of the Earthbound Ones.”
Crono nodded and entered.
Many persons, not very unlike them in the dark future, sat around a camp fire.
”You’re from above?” a man said.
Crono nodded.
”The Queen put the Mammon machine in the Ocean palace to absorb Lavos’s energy.
Is that safe?”
Crono shook his head.
”I dunno.”
”She locked the guru of Life up on the Mountain of Woe for opposing her. The situation is hopeless.”
”Not hopeless.” An old man said. ”The guru of Life said that sir Janus has stronger powers than even miss Schala. Janus must be using her and the Queen to get to Lavos.”
”Does every Enlighten One treat you bad?” Marle asked.
A woman shook her head.
”No. The three Gurus and miss Schala treat us as equal. But now when the Gurus are gone...”
Crono could hear a few kids saying:
”Wonder when miss Schala’s coming to play with us?”
Marle looked on Crono.
”What a terrible place... I mean terrible time! Let’s do something! Let’s go to that mountain and pick down the Guru.”
Crono nodded.
He turned to the elder.
”Excuse me, but... How do I get to the Mountain of Woe?”
”What are you going to do there?”
”Save the Guru.”
The old man look skeptic first, but then he changed his mind.
He pointed on a new cave opening.
”Follow that cave, and you’ll get there. But beware! There might be monsters in there.”
”Don’t worry.” Marle said.
Crono, Frog and Marle walked into the cave, to search for the lost Guru.

The cave was dark and scary, but luckily, didn’t contain any monsters so far...
”How long can it be?” Crono asked, didn’t really caring about what the answer would be, just interested to start a conversation.
”I don’t know.” Marle said. ”How far away did the island seemed to be?”
Crono shook his head.
”Dunno.”
”At least a few kilometers.” Frog said.
”Okay...” Marle said. ”How long have we been walking?”
”Not that long.” Crono said and smiled.
”I KNOW THAT.” Marle said, tried to sound irritated.
”You know...” Crono said. ”You’re cute when you’re angry.”
Marle looked at him.
Crono didn’t really expect this reaction.
”I’M NOT ANGRY AT ALL! GOT IT?”
”Sure!” Crono said and smiled as he looked away.
Marle looked in the opposite direction.
” ‘Tis isn’t the right time to think about ladies.” Frog said and held his Masamune harder.
”Fine!” Marle said. ”Sounds like you two heroes can make it without me!”
She stopped.
Frog croaked.
”Thou missed my point.”
Crono walked to her.
”Sorry, Marle... I didn’t mean to...”
”Well, well...” Marle said. ”Whatever you meant, I guess I just took it wrong. Now, we’ve got things to do. Let’s hurry.”
She walked even faster and put an neo-elektric arrow on her new crossbow.
”Look!” Marle suddenly said and stopped. ”A chain!”
And there it was.
Just a small chain in the ground, leading upwards.
”There’s an other one!” Crono said and pointed deeper into the cave.
That one was much bigger. Probably more then one meter width.
It led upwards through a small tunnel.
Marle ran forward to it.
”I think we can pass here!”
”No, you can’t...” a voice said.
”Who?” Marle asked.
As a response, someone kicked her in her face.
A brown imp came walking down the chain.
”You’ll regret that!” Crono said and leaped forward with his sword.
But something big came in his way.
Crono leaped into it, and was thrown back.
They looked up on the newcomers.
It was two big beasts, one red and one blue.
The imp laughed.
”Haha! You can’t pass here!”
”I can’t agree there!” Crono said and slashed his sword against the red beast.
His sword made a small cut, but didn’t get through the deep skin.
The red beast ran him over.
”Aoohohhaaa...” Crono yelled. ”Well... I’m used to this technique...”
Frog held up him Masamune, jumped up, and dived down.
His sword made a deep cut on the red beast.
The imp jumped up on the blue, and directed them both to crush Frog.
But being a frog have a few positive sides.
Frog simply jumped up, and evaded the attack.
”Grrr...” the imp said.
Marle summoned her ice powers and fired an ice crystal on the blue beast.
It’s wounds healed.
”What?!? The blue one absorbs ice powers!”
Crono nodded.
”Let’s see how he handles lightning!”
Crono gathered all magic energy and fired lightnings in every direction.
The lightnings barely damage any of their opponents.
”We need Lucca!” Crono said.
”I agree...” Marle said as she fired an arrow on the blue beast. ”...for once.”
Crono jumped back to evade an attack from the red beast.
”You don’t hate her, do you?”
”No.” Marle said as she reloaded. ”But she hates me.”
”Stop talking.” Frog said from the other edge of the room.
Crono picked up his gate key and activated a new gate.
”I works even here!” Crono exclaimed as a new gate grew.
”Who’ll go?” Marle said. ”You can’t, Frog is out of reach... Then it have to be me.”
Crono nodded.
”I call ya back.”
Marle jumped into the gate, and Lucca came out.
”Woooaa...”
She looked on the two beasts.
”Hey! Where did ya find these guys?”
”I’ll explain later!” Crono said and slashed after the imp. ”Roast the blue one!”
Lucca nodded.
She summoned her magic and placed a fire explosion under the blue beast.
It died.
”Yep...” Lucca said. ”Just leave it to Lucca the great!”
Then the red one ran her over.
Crono dived forward and drilled his sword into the red beast.
”Frog! Use you water magic!”
Frog nodded, and summoned his powers.
”No wait!” Crono said. ”Gimme something for my sword.”
Frog nodded.
He summoned his water powers and fired a bubble high up in the air.
Crono jumped up, placed himself inside the bubble and dived down with water surrounding him.
The red beast died.
”Bigger they are...” Crono started but...
”We know the rest.” Lucca interrupted.
”Where is the brown imp?” Frog asked and looked around.
”Gone.” Crono said.
”We don’t have time for this.” Lucca said. ”Where are we anyway?”
Crono looked up. Small water drops came down from the ceiling.
”Under water.”
”SAY WHAT?”
”We’re under water. We found the earthbound village, and a cave to the floating mountain led from there. And here we are.”
Lucca nodded.
”I see.”
Crono picked up the gate key.
”I guess it’s most fair to let Robo in, right?”
Lucca nodded.
”Sure.”
Crono created a gate, and Lucca stepped into it, and Robo came out.
”Let’s go!” Crono said. ”To the top!”
Frog took the lead upwards the chain, followed by Crono who was explaining what had happened.
They climbed up the gigantic chain and got up on Mt. Woe.
The fog made it possible to see only a few meters ahead, so it made the climbing difficult.
”How far have we’ve been climbing?” Crono asked after an eternity.
”Only a few hundred meters.” Robo answered.
Crono carefully placed his foots on safe places, not to fall down.
”I think it’s getting easier from here.” Frog said.
Crono looked up and could see him climb up on an edge.
”Yes it is!” He said when he was up.
Crono hurried up and looked around.
No more climbing. They could walk on paths up to the top from here.
”What’s that noise?” Robo said as he came up.
Crono listened, but couldn’t hear anything.
”I don’t hear anything.”
”Me neither.” Frog said.
”Well...” Robo said. ”I guess that my hearing system is malfunctioning.”
They walked up on a path, leading to the top.
Suddenly an galgyle jumped down.
”Hey!” Crono said. ”You live in this period too?”
The gargyle threw a big rock on him.
”Aaaooo...” Crono yelled.
Frog draw the Masamune and jumped for the gargyle.
It moved quickly away, and made a loud noise.
”Not good.” Robo said. ”I think he is calling for his friends.”
Two more came jumping down.
Crono swinged his sword after one of them, but missed.
Three more came down.
”They’re getting more for each second!” Crono yelled.
”Let us go up there.” Frog said and pointed on a plateau.
Crono nodded and ran up, to avoid any stones.
They came up to an open battlefield.
About twenty galgyles came after them.
”Moments like this...” Crono said. ”Calls for some magic.”
Lightnings flew out of him and knocked down most of the galgyle.
Frog slashed two with his sword, and Robo hit one.
The remaining fled in panic.
Crono looked after them.
”Let’s go.” He finally said.
They walked up the mountain.
”I...” Robo said.
Crono turned around.
”Huh?”
”Can Lucca take my place?”
Crono looked strange at him.
”Sure... But why?”
”I fear... That I won’t be useful here.”
”Okay...”
Crono opened a new gate.
”Hey! It works even here!”
Robo walked in and Lucca came out.
”You’re up?”
Crono nodded.
”Then Marle shall take mine.” Frog said and walked into the gate before it closed.
Marle came out.
”Hi! What’s happening?”
”We’ve almost reached the top of Mt. Woe.”
Marle nodded.
”Okay... So the guru should be here somewhere?”
Crono nodded.
”Let’s go to the top and search there.” Lucca suggested.
Crono nodded.
They walked up.
”Look!” Crono said as they reached the highest platform.
He pointed on a cage, not unlike an ice cube.
”The Guru of Life’s trapped in here.” Marle said.
Then the cage faded out.
”It’s disappearing!” Lucca exclaimed.
”What’s going on?” Crono said.
In the same moment, a huge thing came up from a big hole in the ground.
It looked like a well-armored machine, with two huge arms.
In a matter of seconds, Crono was holding in his sword, Marle had her crossbow ready, and Lucca was holding her gun.
Crono jumped up and used his spin-cut technique.
He aimed for the big head, and cut his sword deep into the... thing.
It counterattacked by firing flashes between it’s arms, and by that way create a huge discharge.
Crono felt like a doll, when he was tossed down to the ground.
He looked up.
Marle and Lucca was also on the ground.
Crono resisted his pain, and rose up.
Then two huge fire explosions came out of it’s hands.
Crono was thrown down again.
”Everybody okay?” Crono said as he looked up.
Marle burned face gave him an answer.
”Stupid question...”
Marle sat up and fired an neo-electrik arrow on the face.
Flashed appeared around the face, and it gave her enough time to cast her cure spell on Crono and on herself, before it got normal.
”Marle, watch it!” Crono screamed, and Marle rolled to the right, just to avoid being crushed by the monsters hands.
Crono fired a lightning on the head, but didn’t do very much damage.
”Lucca?”
No response.
”Marle! Cure her!”
Marle nodded and casted her cure spell on Lucca.
She slowly rose.
She picked up a small grenade from her bag and threw it on the monster.
The monster covered itself with it’s arms.
Crono jumped up and slashed the face, but his sword was too weak.
Marle looked on Lucca.
Lucca nodded.
”Antipode!”
Marle fired an ice crystal, and Lucca made it explode with her fire powers.
A big crack appeared on the monsters helm.
One arm moved up, and somehow received the main body.
”It’s useless as long as it got it’s arms!” Marle yelled. ”Crono! Cut them off!”
Crono leaped forward and slashed one hand.
It fell off.
The other one knocked Crono down.
Marle ran forward and casted a cure spell on him, while Lucca made a fire explosion on the main body. When Crono got up, He cut off the other arm.
”Let’s toast him!” Lucca said and launched a fire coil.
Crono jumped up, and caught it and dived down, to slash the face.
His firesword made a big crack.
Marle fired a standard arrow, aiming for the crack, but missed with a few centimeters.
Crono jumped up again, but suddenly, two new arms came up and stopped him.
”Where did they came from?” Crono yelled.
The two new hands fired a new fire explosion, knocking Crono, Marle and Lucca to the ground.
Marle searched desperate for an ether, but couldn’t find any.
”Damn...”
Crono grabbed his sword and looked up.
”You’re going down!”
He jumped up, just to cut of one of the arms, but the monster had learned.
Crono was knocked down again.
Marle suddenly found an explosive arrow. Not much, but something.
”Crono! Keep the arms away from the head!”
Crono nodded and leaped forward.
One arm smashed him to the ground, and he didn’t move.
Lucca fired a shoot with her gun, and made a big hole in the arm.
Then she placed a fire explosion between the two arms.
Both arms were knocked in two different directions.
”That’s you chance! Go!”
Marle aimed for the crack.
”You think you can hit?” Lucca shouted.
”Trust me.” Marle said and pulled the trigger.
With a flashy explosion, the monster disappeared in thousands of pieces.
”Have I ever told you, that you are a mastershooter?” Crono suddenly said.
”Crono!” Marle said and ran to him. ”I thought you were out.”
”Not me.” Crono said with a smile.
Marle and Lucca helped him up.
The crystal slowly faded back.
The outer hull scattered.
”M, Melchior?” Marle said and looked on the man who was standing in front of her eyes.
”Indeed, I am Melchior. Have we met before?” Melchior said.
Then Crono remembered that people had been talking about Melchior.
But he hadn’t made the connection. But now every card fell on it’s place.
”More importantly, can you tell me anything about the Ocean Palace?” Melchior said.
”It’s almost complete!” Crono said. ”And the Queen will move down the Mammon machine.”
”I see...” Melchior said.  ”The Queen has degenerated to that degree...
The more energy the Mammon Machine absorbs, the further the Queen degenerates.
Her spirit has been stolen by the infamous immortal, Lavos.”
Then the ground started to shake.
”We must flee! The seal has been broken! The mountain will collapse!”
”What seal?” Crono asked, but didn’t get any answer.

”Elder! Mountain of Woe is about to crumble!” a man said panicly.
The elder of the Earthbound village walked quickly up to the surface.
He saw how the gigantic chain who was attached in the mountain scattered and the mountain fell.

”Lavos sleeps deep underground, while consuming the energy of this planet.
If the Mammon Machine is brought closer to him, he may awaken!
We must hurry before it's too late!” Melchior said.
They were inside the elders room. In here was Crono, Lucca, Marle, Melchior and the elder.
A man came in.
”Elder! Schala’s here.”
”What? Schala's here?” Melchior said and turned to the room opening.
They all did.
Schala came into the room, followed by Janus.
”Miss Schala... Why have you come to such a miserable place?” the Elder said.
Schala looked at him with a kind look.
”Stop degenerating yourselves! We Enlighted Ones were once the same as you.
The only difference is that we are under Lavos's control...”
Schala was so glad to see Melchior, she didn’t notice Crono, Marle or Lucca.
”Melchior!” she said. ”After the Mountain of Woe fell, I thought I would find you here!”
Melchior put his hand on her shoulder.
”Is it safe for you to leave the palace?”
Schala looked down.
”That no longer matters. The Ocean Palace is now operational!”
Melchior looked down.
”Then all is lost!”
”But without me, the Mammon Machine won't work.” Schala said.
”I have turned my back against that evil device!”
”We’ll help!” Crono said. ”To do whatever’s necessary.”
”Oh, you!” Schala said. ”How did you... no time... I’m glad you’re safe.”
”I've kept the Skyway open. Hurry! You must stop... my mother!”
”Why don't we keep it right there...” a voice said.
They all turned around.
”Dalton!” Schala exclaimed.
”Tisk, tisk, tisk my dear.” Dalton said. ”Your presence is required elsewhere!”
Melchior stepped forward.
”Dalton! Leave her alone!”
Dalton laughed.
”Ah! The geezer speaks!”
He smiled.
”Silence, old man!”
Dalton launched a fireball, who threw Melchior back, and in a matter of seconds, Dalton had ran to Schala.
”Argh!” Melchior yelled.
Dalton hit Schala, which forced her to her knees.
He looked down on her.
”You'll come to the Ocean Palace with me.”
Then he turned to the others.
”Do anything funny, and Schala's dust. Got it?”
Janus ran forward to him.
”Schala!”
Dalton hit Janus and made him fly across the room.
”The Queen's children all seem to have a problem with authority, don't they?”
In less than one second, Crono had his sword up, Marle her crossbow and Lucca her gun.
”Stay back. The life of this woman means nothing to me!”
Crono holstered his sword.
Dalton looked down on Schala.
”Shall we get going, Schala, dear? Your mother awaits!”
With a flash, Dalton, Schala and Janus disappeared.

Melchior looked right into the wall.
”Melchior!” Lucca exclaimed.
”I'm all right.
But we must save Schala, or else...”
The elder walked up.
”Impossible! Even though it's coming from YOU, Melchior...”
Melchior looked down.
”If the Queen is allowed to fulfill, all life as we know it, is doomed!”
Crono shook his head.
”Not as long I can do something about it!”
Melchior looked on him.
”You're willing to challenge the queen?”
Crono nodded.
”You've done so much for us... and I don't even know your name!”
Marle giggled.
”You’ll find out soon enough!”
Melchior didn’t really understand what she said.
”What ARE you talking about?”
Lucca pulled in Crono’s arm.
”Come on, Crono!”
They turned around, but Melchior stopped them.
”Wait, take this with you. It's made from the same red stone as  the Mammon Machine.
With it, you can destroy the machine!”
He handed over a red knife.

Never had anyone in the Zeal kingdom seen something like this.
Three persons, one boy and two girls, ran across the floating continent like there was a fire.
Crono ran into the transporter cave followed by Lucca and Marle.
They used it to get up to the palace.
”Wait....” Marle said exhausted. ”I... Let’s switch party members, okay?”
Crono nodded.
”Sure. Lucca?”
Lucca nodded, also exhausted.
Perhaps Crono was also exhausted, but he didn’t care.
”I’ll call you back!” He said. ”Let’s switch to... Ayla and Robo.”
He created a gate, and the girls entered.
Robo and Ayla came out.
”Where Ayla are?” Ayla said.
”Outside the palace.” Crono said. ”The Ocean Palace is complete! And the Queen got Schala! If they get the Mammon Machine working, Lavos will awaken!”
Robo beeped panicly.
”Let’s hurry!”
So, the boy, the primitive woman and the robot ran straight into the palace and headed for the Queen’s room. The people had probably not seen a robot before, but Crono didn’t care.
Just outside the entrance to the hall, two maids stood. They looked hypnosed.
”The Ocean Palace is complete. Zeal will rule forever!!” One said.
”Where’s Schala?” Crono asked.
”The Queen took Schala with her to the Ocean Palace. We Enlighten Ones will finally attain immortality!”
”That was everything I wanted to know.” Crono said and entered the Queen’s hall.
Once they came in, they saw Dalton sitting on the Queen’s throne.
”Phooey!
Why is the Prophet allowed inside while I'm stuck with guard duty?”
Crono, Ayla and Frog lined up.
”Ha! There you are... I let the Prophet go, knowing he'd mess up sooner or later.
But I've no use for you anymore. You're history!”
”Wouldn’t count with it!” Crono said.
Dalton let an iron orb fall from the ceiling, to land on Ayla.
”Urufff...”
Crono jumped up and slashed Dalton with his sword.
Robo opened a few holes in his hull.
Laser beams came out of them, and searched for Dalton.
Dalton was forced to his knees.
”N...nooooooo! I'm going to be immortal! I CAN'T be beaten now!”
Dalton hovered up.
A gate opened under him.
He dived down in it.
Crono watched it.
”Let’s follow. I bet it leads to the Ocean Palace.”
Crono jumped in, followed by Robo and Ayla.

The room they came into had almost all black walls.
On someplaces, there were small holes in the ground, with a yellow-red liquid in.
There was an opening on the south side.
Mune was standing there.
”The black energy grows... Something scary is waking up!”
Mune jumped up, spun around, and disappeared.

Meanwhile in the mammon chamber, deeper inside the palace...
”Schala, raise the power of the Mammon Machine to its limit!” Zeal said.
Schala looked down.
”...”
”Schala! You dare to disobey me?!”
”All right, mother...”
Schala raised her hands and the room turned red.
Looking in excitement was 8 highranked Zeal people.
In there was also the Prophet.
”Oh.. what bright splendor! The incredible power of Lavos!” Queen exclaimed.
Schala collapsed.
”Aagh...”
The Prophet turned to her, but didn’t say anything.
”...”

Through the halls of the Ocean Palace, Crono, Ayla and Robo ran.
”Halt!” Some guards shouted, but Crono ignored them.
”This way!”
Crono ran down some stairs. After an extra long stair, they came into a big room.
Four soldiers were waiting for them.
”Sorry, but you won’t get any further!”
Crono draw his sword.
”That’s a mistake.”
The soldiers were using some stick-looking things as weapon.
Probably magic, but Crono didn’t want to know.
Crono swinged his sword against one of them, who parried with it’s stick.
Robo tackled one over the edge, and Ayla kicked down two.
Finally, Crono pulled back his sword, crunched, and rolled over the side.
He kicked the soldier, and was just going to cut him with his sword, when he didn’t like the position. So, he simply pushed him of the edge.
”Let’s go!”
They ran down more stairs.
Suddenly, a mage got in their way.
”And where are you going?”
The mage created four fire balls over his head and launched each of them on each of the members. Crono got two.
After Ayla had resist the shock caused by the fire ball, she jumped up and kicked the mage backward.
”Physical won’t work!” The mage laughed.
”Crono! Give me lightning!” Ayla said.
Crono nodded and fired a lightning bolt on Ayla.
Ayla’s body began to glow, and she jumped forward and touched the mage.
Crono powerful lightning energy was transferred between them, and the mage was transformed into something black and smoking.
”Let us continue!” Robo said.
Robo took the lead and continued further into the dark palace.
Then they met Masa.
”The ancient Red Rock has been passed down through the ages.
From it, a magic pendant, and a knife were made.
We embody Melchior's dreams, sealed, within the knife...
Now hurry, if you plan to confront the queen. We're counting on you!” he said.
Then he jumped up, spun around, and disappeared.

Meanwhile in the mammon room, deeper in the palace.
”Ahh, I can feel it! The pulse of eternal life!!! Ha,ha,ha...!” Zeal said.
Schala hands started to shake uncontrolled.
”D...dark.. force...wild energy! Aughhh!” She collapsed.
The Prophet turned to her.
”......!!”
A servant walked forward.
”Th, the Mammon Machine! Your majesty, it's too dangerous!”
Zeal fired a lightning bolt, who threw the servant backwards.
”Mother..!” Schala exclaimed.
”Don't stop Schala! We're almost there... Immortality will be ours!
Zeal will have the glory it deserves Mwa,ha,ha.... Too long have I waited!”

”What IS this thing?” Crono exclaimed.
”It looks like an elevator device.” Robo answered.
The had ended up in a cylinder former room, on a platform, high above the ground.
”If my calculations are correct, all we have to do is push this button.” Robo said.
He pressed one button.
But instead of moving, ten soldiers came in.
”Oops...” Crono said. ”Wrong button.”
”We are outnumbered!” Robo said.
”Ayla strong! Ayla fight!” Ayla said.
The soldiers placed themselves in a circle around Crono, Ayla and Robo.
”Max cyclone?” Crono asked.
”As you wish.” Robo answered.
Crono jumped up on Robo, and they both spun around.
A shockwave came out of them, striking all enemies down.
”Nice.” Crono said, when he jumped down.
”Not nice.” Ayla said when all of them rose.
Crono fired lightnings on many of them, Ayla kick and Robo tackled.
It didn’t take very long.
The elevator was filled of dead corps when they were finished.
”Let’s move on.” Crono said and pressed an other button.
The elevator moved down.
The new room was larger then most of the past.
In the middle of it was Dalton standing.
He was smiling.
”You made it THIS far. Maybe I underestimated you...
But this is the end! THEY will take care of you! Come, GolemTwins!”
A big portal opened, and two Golems came out.
Laughing, Dalton teleported away himself.
”Strange creature!” Robo said.
”Yeah.” Crono replied. ”But I’ve met one of these before.”
Robo throttled up, and tackled the left Golem.
It counterattacked with an iron orb.
Robo went out.
Crono summoned his lightning magic and fired lightnings in every direction.
The right Golem copied the tech and used it.
Ayla and Crono was knocked to ground.
The right Golem casted a heal spell on it’s twin.
Crono got up and leaped forward with his sword.
He drilled his sword deep into the body of the left Golem.
It waved panicly with it’s hands.
Ayla jumped up and kicked it.
Crono backed of.
Robo got up and opened his hull, and fired laser beams in every direction.
The two Golems got black burned lines all over their bodies.
Both Golems raised their hands and two iron orbs fell down.
Crono and Ayla got one on their heads, completely knocking them down.
Robo tackled the left one and succeed to make it fall.
Robo opened his hull again, but this time he fired heal beams on Crono and Ayla.
A new orb knocked down Ayla.
Crono leaped forward, and cut the right Golem.
Once the cut was complete, he turned around his sword and made a double cut.
The right Golem scattered.
The left one, who was knocked down, got up and looked around panicly.
The room turned black and small green objects flied around.
Crono felt an enormous pain, and he held his hands over his head to protect it.
Once the spell was over, the last Golem scattered.
The Dalton came back.
”They beat the GolemTwins!? All right, this calls for the GolemBoss.”
Dalton was just going to raise his hand when the room turned red and a strange sound could be heard from the room behind him.
”W, what's this strange force? Could this be... Lavos's energy?!
...
I've got a bad feeling about this... All my work will be in vain if I expire before I'm immortal!”
Dalton put his cape over his arms.
”This is your lucky day! Bye-bye!”
He teleported himself away.
Crono was first going to enter the room Dalton protected, when he remembered Robo.
”You okay?”
Robo beeped.
”I have been better. May I go to End of Time.”
Crono nodded.
”Sure. Trade with...”
”Frog?” Robo suggested.
Crono nodded.
”Ayla tired after battle with evil man. Want to trade.”
”Okay... Trade with...”
”Crono want Marle?” Ayla said.
”Say again?” Crono said.
”Ayla think Crono like Marle. But no worry. Ayla trade Marle.”
Before Crono got time to answer, Ayla entered the gate, and Marle came out.
After a second, Frog was with them.
Crono explained fast what had happened.
”Let’s hurry!” Marle said.
Crono nodded and ran into the room.
They ran into the new room.
Just behind the door was a catwalk way on which a Nu stood, blocking the way.
”This is the hall of the Mammon Machine... Now is the time to turn back, nu...”
Crono pushed it over the edge.
”Sorry.” he said and ran further into the room.
Truly, this was the hall of the Mammon Machine. At the end of the room was the device standing. In front of it stood the Queen, on the left side, Schala and on the right side the Prophet.
Six servants were also in the room, standing in a row, three on each side.
They placed themselves between the rows.
”Schala!” Marle exclaimed. ”We’re here to save you, C’mon!!”
Frog freed his hands from his cape.
”We shan't allow thee to meddle with Lavos, Queen!”
The servants backed of.
Schala turned around.
”You're..!”
Then big flashes came out from the Mammon Machine.
”Help!!” Schala shouted and fell down on her knees.
The Prophet hurried to her.
”Schala..!”
But the Queen came between.
”What are you doing Schala? I need your help here!”
Even more flashes came up.
”Crono...!” Marle said. ”The red knife!”
Frog pulled in his arm.
”Crono, use the old man's knife to stop the Machine!”
Crono stepped forward, and threw the knife against the machine.
But the knife stopped in the middle of the air.
Crono felt how all hope drained.
Then...
”Here we go Mune!” Mass’s voice said.
”Ready, big brother!” Mune voice replied.
The sword flied with incredible speed against the machine and drilled deep into the device.
They recognized the knife now.
”T, 'tis...
...the Masamune?!” Frog said.
Another card fell on place for Crono.
Of course it was! Melchior lived in this period... And it was made of dreamstone... the red rock!
The Queen turned to the machine.
”Th, the Mammon Machine!?”
A red glow surrounded it.
”It's coming..!” the Prophet said.
”N, no stop!” Schala said. ”The sword alone can't stop it!”
Suddenly, with a white flash, Crono, Marle and Frog found themselves face to face with Lavos.
The environment had changed. From Ocean walls to some blue pulsing color.
The were standing on something invisible.
Then came destruction from heaven...
Big brown-yellow thing fell down and exploded as the hit Crono, Marle and Frog.
It all ended with a huge explosion.
Lavos magic was horrible.
Crono, Lucca and Frog fell all to the ground.
Crono couldn’t move, but he saw what happened.
Lavos roared loudly.
But then the Prophet came.
”I've waited for this...” he said.
With a fast handmove, he threw of his cape and showed his real identity.
Magus.
”I've been waiting for you, Lavos. I swore long time ago... That I'd destroy you!
No matter what the price! It is time to fulfill that vow. Feel my wrath, Lavos!”
Then, Zeal and Schala came into the room.
Crono had seen all this. In his dream. He was waiting for everybody except Zeal to be knocked down.
”What do you think you can do?” Zeal said. ”Hmph! A false Prophet...
You'll be a snack for the great Lavos!”
Schala moved in her way.
”Mother, please stop! This power can only end in ruin!”
”Get away from there, Schala! The almighty life force of Lavos lives in all of us...
You are a part of it! You cannot change fate now! Oppose me, and I will destroy you also!”
She fired a lightning on her daughter, forcing her to the ground.
”Heeelp...” Schala said with a weak voice.
”One more...” Crono thought.
The Queen jumped up on Lavos and turned to Magus.
”Come Prophet, feel the power of Lavos!”
Lavos opened his beak, and flashes surrounded Magus.
They forced him down on his knees.
”That’s it.” Crono thought. ”But wha...”
Magus tried to get up.
”Ungh! Aaah! My powers are being drained! Unghh.... I won't... be beaten!
I survived the darkness to defeat you, Lavos!”
Magus rose.
”Take this, Lavos!”
Magus rushed forward and attacked the beak with a magic rod.
Lavos shell turned blue for a little moment, but got back it’s original color after just a second.
”Wh, what..? It doesn't work?! Aaughhh!!”
Magus was thrown backward and didn’t move.
”Foolish one!” Zeal laughed. ”Your measly power can't touch Lavos! This is from me to you!”
Lavos roared, and the roar made Crono roll over side.
The spell which held Crono still broke.
”You shall enjoy eternal life...” Zeal continued. ”As a part of Lavos! Uwa, ha,ha,ha...!”
Marle looked up.
”Can you move, Crono? Please help Schala!” her head fell down again.
”Magus! Thou art mine to defeat!” Frog said, but even he fell down again.
”S, Schala... Are you all right?” Magus whispered.
Schala looked up on Crono.
”Please... Escape... Crono! Humans can’t hope to defeat it.”
”So...” The Queen said. ”You are Crono? Why don’t you do as Schala says, and run away, yelping in terror? Isn’t your life precious to you? Uwa, ha,ha,ha!”
This was all so familiar to Crono. He knew what was going to happened.
How could he stop it? He looked on Marle.
He could see her pretty, but bleak face.
Crono said something to her. He didn’t really pick up the words.
Apparently, neither did Marle.
He wished he could say some last words, but he didn’t know if she would hear them.
He took a last look on her, and then faced Lavos beak.
”Haven’t given up yet? What do you hope to do?” Zeal said. ”You challenge Lavos with that battered body of yours?
Mwa, ha, ha...
See the power of Lavos and feel his wrath!”
Crono made sure his body covered those behind him.
Lavos opened his beak and roared. Big flashed appeared around Crono.
”Crono!!!” he heard Marle scream.
Marle’s pendant Crono carried started to glow and flied off, hovering in front of Crono.
”Take care of her.” Crono said.
”Sorry, Marle.” Crono’s last thought was.
His body scattered in thousand pieces.

”Crono?! Crono!”
With a light flash, they disappeared from the area and came back to the hall of the Mammon Machine.
”I can't beat him. Lavos...!” Magus said, still sitting on his knees.
In fact, they were all doing.
”Crono!” Marle said. ”Where’s Crono?!?” she looked around, but he wasn’t there.
She put her head in her hands and cried.
”NOOO!!!!”
Frog croaked.
”Argh! We must plan our escape! The Palace crumbles!”
Schala rose up.
”The last of my pendant's power will send you to safety.
I know you can't forgive her but...
please don't hate mother, or our kingdom.
I'm so sorry!
Now, off you go!”
Magus thought for a second.
”......!”
Then they all was teleported away.
Schala fell down on her knees again. Alone.
”......”

.
 
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