Chrono Trigger: The Time Strikers Part XII
The Black Wind
By Christopher Anthony Blair
Max dropped his head in dismay. ' I never thought it would happen.' He had hate Magus so much, and he had turned out just like him. Plus, the fiend was his ancestor. ' I don't believe it. I just don't believe it. This can't be true.' But he knew in his heart, that it was. The painting had shown Janus, just as he was when Max had first met him. " Janus, what made you become that monster?" Just then, Janus came walking down the stairs. " Max, what is it? What's wro...." He saw the painting of him. " What, sorry good talent went to waste? Don't be. It's a shadow of a dead age." Max stared at Janus. " An age when you killed innocent people." Janus sighed. " An age that I hate to have any reminder of. And it wasn't my fault." Max stood up and stared at the prince, shocked at what he just said. " Not your fault? I just find out that I carry the blood of a monster in my veins, and you have the gall to say, ' It's not my fault'?!! What kind of demented...." Janus stopped him. " You mean you didn't know? How could you not know?" Max glared at Janus. " Simple Magus. It was never in the history books, and I was never told." Janus stared at Max with an evil look in his eye. " Don't call me that name. It's not who I am, will be, nor ever was. Do you understand? I spent my life in this era, trying to free and rid myself of the evil Ozzie put in me. I don't want to be reminded of it now." Janus stormed off. Max looked at the painting again. " Darien, why didn't you tell me?" Max then noticed something in the painting. The face seem to be sad, heartbroken even. It was the face of a man, who knew that he was not in control of his life. He ran after Janus and left the fortress.
Crono read through the books Max had given him. He was mesmerized by the in depth detail of the war between the Myrssh and the Antareians. He was about to start the next chapter, when Max burst through the door. " Max, you're back! Is Nadia?" Nadia ran in the door and hugged Crono.
" Crono!! Oh I thought I'd never see you again!" Crono smiled, until he saw the look on Max's face.
" Max, What's wrong?" Max collapsed on to the bed. " I just found out that I'm the decendent of a monster." Crono and Nadia were confused. " What do you mean, decendent of a monster?" Max stared at the ceiling. " Janus. Or more appropriately, Magus." Max sighed. " I don't know. Maybe... Maybe he was right. Maybe it wasn't his fault. From what Lucca told me, he was a kid when Ozzie began to use him. It was pretty much the only life he knew. It's just that....." Max was cut off by a swirl of nasia. " Uuhhh. What's ..... happen... ing......" He passed out and rolled to the floor. Janus ran in and sat him up. " What happened?!!" Crono shrugged. " I don't know, One minute, he was talking about you, the next, he rolls off the bed." Janus looked at Max. " Max. Max , can you hear me? Max."
Max finally came to. " Huh, what. What happened?" Janus sighed. " You passed out, that's what happened. What made you do that?" Max shook his head. " I don't know. But I.... had the strangest dream. I was walking down a river, and... I saw a huge... thing. It looked almost human. Had these three fingered hands, and a smaller pair on it's back." Janus frowned. " Lavos. Or, most likely, Lavoros." Max kept going. " Janus was with me. I was knocked down and..... It was cold. Felt like... death." He looked at Janus. ' Oh my god.' He thought.' I just saw Janus die.' Janus shook his head. " The Black Wind howls. But to you..... I never thought it would howl to anyone besides me and Schala." He turned and faced the others. " We have to hurry. Earth doesn't have much time. We must find Lavoros."
The HAWK flew to the dock and stationed. Janus got out and walked to Gasper. " Cough it up Guru! Where's Lavoros?!!" Gasper was surprised. " Janus, what's wrong?" Janus glared at the Guru of Time. " Max was visited by the Black Wind. He saw Lavoros. Now where is the beast?!!!" Gasper chuckled. " Calm down Janus. You're going to give yourself a hernia." Janus snarled. " Gasper, I'll asked you one more time. Where is Lavoros?" Gasper sighed. ' Just like his father. Very testy.' Gasper looked at his old friend. " Lavoros is in the lake of crystal water. You can't use the bucket this time I'm afraid. He's cut off all gates to 1698." Janus stared with shock. ' The year Guardia fell. He's the reason.' " What day does he rise?" Gasper looked with sorrow. " July 23, 1982. The day Max was born. All gates to that time have been sealed as well. Lavoros is highly intelligent, unlike his spawn, which were quite stupid. You'll have to outsmart it, which could prove very diffuclt. He's cunning, resourceful, and very powerful. You're going to need everything you've got to stop him. Remember that Janus. Masa and Mune said this already, but I'll say it again. Strength and power aren't the only weapon you have. The sword, strength, spells, power. Don't rely on them for this battle. You must find the strength within yourself. You must find your inner sword. Scythe in your case. It doesn't matter how strong the blade, or how powerful the spell. It all depends on your own strength, and faith in your friends. You can't out fight him with brute force. You must find another way. Lavoros may be of the same race as Lavos, but he's not the same at all. You must find a new way to do this. Max can't do this without you Janus. With Glenn gone, you're all he has left." Janus reflected on Gasper's words. " Please Janus, Little Shadow." Janus looked at Gasper. " You haven't called me that since I was six years old." Gasper nodded. " For good reason. I kept your secret. Now you take mine, and use it to save the planet." Janus thought hard. ' Max's vision said that I would go in with him. The end suggests that I die. If I had to, to save my friends, would I give up my own life, just as Glenn did?'
Janus walked back to the HAWK. " Well?" Max asked. Janus jumped in. " You ever heard of a place call the lake of crystal water?" Max nodded. " Yeah, Jemstone lake. People used to say that the water sat on a lake bed made of crystal. Why?" Janus nodded. " That's where our demon is." The HAWK undocked, and sped off into the void of time.
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To be Continued.........
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