Chrono Trigger: Timeless Angels Part 13
Betrayed Loyalties
By Mefathiel
AD 800, Veda Kingdom:
Princess Linsa was strolling down the hallways of Veda Palace when she was mentally bombarded. She fell to her knees and clutched her head in pain. "Princess!" one of the handmaidens exclaimed, running to the princess’ side. "Princess, what’s wrong?"
Linsa saw dozens of images flashing through her head at once, all of Natan fighting alongside humans. There were a series of explosions, and he and the humans were laying on the ground, unmoving. Lights appeared just over their chests and floated away. Linsa gasped as she tried to regain her composure. "Natan," she said slowly and softly. "I can no longer feel his life force. I think…"
She broke down and started crying. "Please," she said to her attendants, "take me to the king. I must tell him about these visions."
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The End of Time:
Rempha opened his eyes, revealing the sadness in his mind. "This turn of events is unfortunate," he said softly. "I can only hope that those kids can get through it all. This is only the beginning…"
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The Beginning of Time:
Using the Terra Arm, Robo busted through the locked door to Ozzie’s Fortress. He scanned the darkened hallway and whirred in distaste. "It appears that the island wasn’t the only thing that got a makeover," he said, his eyes flashing green. "According to my sensor sweep, the layout of the fortress has changed. Changing to x-ray sweeps to make a new map…"
As Robo processed the information, Lucca stepped into the hallway and pulled a flashlight from her bag. She flipped the switch and filled the hall with light in an attempt to get a good look at the changes. "Yeah, it’s changed a lot. I wonder if that Magmas creep is responsible for this," she said, looking around.
"Map complete," Robo said. "Follow me."
Wheels popped out of Robo’s feet, and he started rolling forward. Two robotic arms snaked out of the tube on his back, and the lights on the ends flipped on, illuminating the hallways. Lucca put her flashlight away and cocked the Wonder Shot, ready for any attack. She climbed onto Robo’s back while everyone else followed on foot.
Glenn drew the Masamune and jumped in front of Robo. "Glenn, what’s wrong?" Marle asked.
"I senseth a dark power nearby," Glenn said, his eyes roving around in the lit areas of the hallway. "Magus is nearby."
"Glenn sure of this?" Ayla asked, readying her claws.
"It’s true," Robo said. "My sensors are detecting an energy level of around 90."
"Fiend, come out of your hiding place and face me! Or wilt thou be a coward, Magus? Wilt thou continue hiding, only to jump out and stab us in the backs when our guard is down?" Glenn said in his most insulting tone.
A dark shadow descended from the ceiling, and Magus stood to his full height, his cape flowing behind him. "You called?" he asked. "So, what is it you want, Glenn? Harumph, it’s a pity that you’re no longer a frog. It was much easier to insult you then."
Glenn tightened his grip on the Masamune and grinned deviously. "Magus, thou art a fool, attacking the knight who holds thy only weakness."
Magus smiled back; only his smile was a dark one. "Glenn, you are the fool. Through Ozzie’s magic combined with mine, I have overcome the weakness of the Masamune. I’ve become invincible!"
Glenn leapt forward and slashed with the Masamune. Magus, using his lightning-quick reflexes, parried the attack with his scythe and struck back, using the spearhead-like protrusion above the scythe’s blade. Glenn felt the spearhead tear through his arm, but he wouldn’t give up. He swung again, this time locking blades with the warlock. Glenn raised his arm suddenly, and Magus’ scythe sailed down the hall and clattered to the floor.
"No matter," Magus said, "I’ve still got my magic. Dark Bomb!"
A black explosion engulfed Glenn, sealing the wound on his arm. His armor was smoking when the light cleared, but he was still standing with the Masamune in his hands. "It will take more than a mere Dark Bomb to fell me, Magus," Glenn said, thrusting his hand forward. "Water 2!"
A bubble appeared in his hand and burst open. Water poured from the bubble and filled the hallway before Glenn. Magus writhed in agony as he was caught in the magical deluge before casting a Magic Wall to cut down on the damage. Glenn charged forward to attack again, but Magus teleported behind him. As Glenn whirled around, he was struck by a large chunk of ice that was projected from Magus’ hands. The ice continued sliding down the hall until it shattered against the wall at a turn. Glenn was crushed against the wall.
He fell to his knees and clutched his chest. Despite the armor he was wearing, Glenn knew that some of his ribs had still been broken by the collision. He winced as he stood and held the Masamune before himself. Glenn closed his eyes and concentrated. The sword in his hands started glowing. "Masa Mune Strike!" he shouted.
The Masamune flashed, and the twins Masa and Mune appeared at Glenn’s sides. "It’s our time to shine!" Masa said enthusiastically.
"Let’s go and fly like the wind!" Mune cried out.
The two sword spectres started sailing forward through the air. They rebounded off the walls and started flying at Magus. Blades appeared in their hands, and the twins performed their own version of the X Strike. Magus screamed in pain and fell. The sword spectres started glowing as they flew back to Glenn, and they fused into the Masamune again.
"Whoa, when did you learn that?" Marle exclaimed.
"After I reverted to my human form, I realized that I could no longer use Slurp or Slurp Cut, so I developed a new attack to make up for it," Glenn explained before turning to Magus. "So, art thou finished, fiend?"
Magus stood up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Never. I won’t rest until every last one of you is killed," Magus said.
"Schala would be disappointed," Crono said, "to see what you’ve become."
"Yes, well Schala isn’t here now, is she!?" Magus retorted, turning on Crono.
"She could be, but Ozzie’s warriors killed her and the other Timeless Angels," Lucca said, hopping down from Robo’s back.
"You lie."
"She tells the truth," Robo said. His chest cavity opened up, and the crystal at the center projected a holographic image of Magus’ older sister as she was when Robo last saw her. "We found Schala in 400 BC just a few days ago. Unfortunately, she and the other Timeless Angels sacrificed themselves in order to stop your angel warriors and allow us to get here." To prove his point, the picture slowly transmogrified into the image of Schala that Magus was used to, showing the few changes that had occurred to her.
Magus’ eyes started flickering, the black fading back to its original red. "Schala?" he asked. "Schala was killed by Ozzie’s angels?"
Marle nodded and stepped forward. "Yes, she was. This is her pendant," she said, pulling the aforementioned pendant from her dress. "It landed next to us after the explosion killed them. This is all that’s left."
Magus swung his arm out and knocked the pendant from Marle’s hand. The Dreamstone sailed through the air and hit the wall, forming a small crack on the surface. Clutching a hand to his face, Magus slowly dropped to his knees. "Schala," he said. "Schala, I am so sorry. I had no idea." A tear dropped from his chin, and he stood up. "It’s Ozzie’s fault that Schala is dead! I will never forgive that bastard!"
Before anyone could stop him, Magus disappeared in a flurry of his cape. Glenn picked up the broken pendant and handed it to Marle. "So knowing his sister hath died broke Ozzie’s spell over him," he said. "Perhaps Magus shall join us in the final battle…"
"Let’s hope so," Spekkio said. "He’s a powerful magician, and that would only make it easier on us if we don’t have to fight him again."
"It’s only fitting that his love for Schala and rage over her death caused Magus to break the spell," Lucca said, remembering her own grief. She cocked the Wonder Shot again and fired at the wall. A huge explosion blew a hole on the masonry, and she stepped through it. "Let’s go."
Robo took the lead again, and everyone headed for the fortress’s main chamber.
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Magus appeared in the chamber next to Ozzie. "Ah, Magus," Ozzie started, but he was cut off by the dark look Magus gave him. "Uh, Magus…something wrong?"
Magus leaned forward and glared at the Mystic. "My sister Schala was part of the group killed by your angels," Magus said. "I’ve come to demand retribution."
"But uh…what about my spell? Magus, I order you to stop."
Magus raised the scythe. "Too late for that," he said, plunging the blade deep into Ozzie’s chest.
Blue Mystic blood spilled from the wound, and Ozzie gasped in pain. Magus removed the weapon, spilling more blood onto the floor. "But…I thought we…were friends…"
"We were, Ozzie, until you killed my sister."
Magus swung again and lopped Ozzie’s head off of the Mystic’s green bulk. The rest of Ozzie’s body collapsed to the floor and spilled more blood as his head rolled into an out of the way corner. Magus then turned to Magmas with a glint of evil in his eyes. "You’re next, you flaming bastard," Magus said.
The doors to the throne room burst open, and the Chrono Trigger Team rushed in, weapons drawn and ready for a fight. Magmas’ maw opened wide, revealing a blue eye-like jewel in his mouth. "So, you finally made it," he said. "Good. I look forward to killing you. It will provide me with some amusement before I decide to destroy all of time."
"Fool!" Lucca shouted. "If you destroy all of time, you’ll be destroyed as well!"
Magmas laughed. "As long as I exist in this time, I will be protected."
The Pyrosian raised his spiked arm, and a dark sphere appeared in his hand. Spekkio and Magus found themselves sealed in separate spheres. They tried in vain to break out, but it was to no avail. "It’s better that they’re inside the Dark Spheres for now," Magmas explained. "It simply makes it easier of me to destroy you with limited resistance."
He raised his other arm, and a huge fireball tore through the air toward the six remaining warriors…
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"If my fate is to be destroyed… I must simply laugh!!" —Magus
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