The End of Time Chapter 10
Greendream
By Arsenal
Crono and Lucca travelled with a nervousness all their own. Anybody who watched the two knew they were trying to hide something from each other. They spoke to each other little during the two hours that the trip to Mt.Denedaro took. When they finally reached the windy mountain they unpacked the supplies from Epoch without a word. The trip up entailed little conversation too. One always wanted to say something to the other, but neither mustered the courage to do so. But the sight of seven even graves marked by the like number of long swords in the dirt brought words to their lips. Even more so the ogres’ bodies drew reactions.
“What sort of intense battle happened here?” Lucca asked Crono, as well as any god she might ever believe in besides the constant of science.
“The blades bear the crest of the Royal Guardian Army. It looks like the ogres attacked them while the knights travelled up the mountain. I count almost thirty ogres here. The knights were outnumbered by at most three to one. The tracks of the survivor continue up the mountain. Hmmm . . .?” Crono said.
“What is it? Did you find something?”
“Well, you see the boots here are half the size of the next smallest human print. And there is an obscene amount of water here. I think . . .”
“Right,” Lucca filled in the answer, “Glenn was the survivor. We have to catch up to him.”
The pair continued up the mountain, vibrant with conversation now that they’d seen the bodies. The sense of danger allowed the old days to come back to mind. The pair reached the peak of the mountain in an hour. The Masamune’s Cave loomed large before them. Lucca and Crono stepped into the Cave, weapons drawn. The darkness was pitch. Crono felt his way in for a couple of feet.
Fires flared on opposite sides of the Cave, illuminating the four figures. There stood Flea, Ozzie, Slash and Tasha in the middle of the chamber.
“Hello.” Ozzie greeted in an odd little voice. “We never expected you. Oh well, today is your last day on this planet. You two and your friend die today.”
“Not if we can help it,” Lucca answered in a grim, tight-lipped voice. “What’s this about our friend?” In response Flea snapped her fingers revealing a struggling Glenn hanging from a single rope tied around his hands, Masamune still on his belt in a mockery of his skills. Crono raised his blade. Lucca levelled Wondershot in the four’s direction.
“Goodness, I have to kill you now.” Ozzie shouted. Ozzie, Flea and Slash fell into spell casting then. Then Tasha screamed, distracting them.
“I desire a fight with that one,” she demanded, pointing to Crono.
“What?” Ozzie exclaimed, “Your mission will be completed easier this way.”
“Yes, but I need to see who is better. We haven’t resolved a match without outside interruption before. It’s my task. Let me kill the punk single-handedly.”
“Granted! Make it quick, we’ve got a kingdom to conquer.” Ozzie and his companions moved to one side of the cave.
Lucca rushed to Crono’s side, “Don’t fight her! You almost got killed last time!” He whispered in her ear, “I have to. You and I can’t beat all four. I’ve got to deal with her alone. I’ll be fine.”
Lucca looked at him with wide eyes, concern almost bringing tears to them. She pulled her necklace out. Made from a combination of Robo’s Greendream and a gem from Lara she slipped over Crono’s head. She kissed him on the cheek. “Come back to me. I don’t want to lose you ever again.”
Tasha took off her armour. “This is a battle to the death. Remove your armour.”
Crono untied his handkerchief, and closed her hand around it. He kissed her on the lips. “I’ll be back, never worry.” Lucca just stood looking after him as he removed his shirt, revealing his mail. He slipped off his armour and walked out to the middle of the room, the necklace hung from his neck. Everybody watched as Rainbow and short swords crossed.
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