A Shadow Of Evil Chapter 9
By Icy Brian
Magus awoke with a start. He pounded his fist into the wall, knocking some of the stones loose and sending them into a void of nothingness. The sound of the crash caused the others to wake up. Marle walked over to him and looked at the damage.
"What happened?"
"I had a vision." Magus replied. "My former allies still live."
"Ozzie, Flea, and Slash?" Lucca asked. "Are you sure? I could have sworn they were dead." Magus shook his head and walked into the center of the room.
"Trust me. They live." He looked back at Lucca. "Don't question my instinct." She took a step back and stood beside Glenn.
"Those scoundrels dare not hinder our mission." The frog proclaimed. "I will gladly cut them down shall they choose to stand in our way."
"I don't like this." Magus answered. "We already have Omek and Dalton to deal with. Throw those three into the fray and the fire burns even hotter. I would prefer to take care of them before we go to face Omek." He knelt down and picked his scythe up off of the ground.
"Are you suggesting that we fight them now?" Marle asked. Magus nodded. "How will you find them?"
"I'm returning to my castle." He answered. "Should they happen to be there, they will die."
"And if they aren't?" Crono inquired.
"Then we won't waste any time looking for them and go straight after Omek." He growled in response.
"So this is nothing more than a precaution?" Marle asked.
"Caution is for cowards and fools. This is my instinct saying it should be dealt with." Magus uttered as he took the Gate Key from Lucca. "Come with me if you feel it necessary. It matters naught. I can handle this alone." He started towards the pillars of light in the back.
"Nevertheless, I'm going with you." Lucca stated as she walked behind him. "This sounds interesting."
"I too shall accompany thee." Glenn announced, following them into the back.
"Until we meet again." Magus said as he stepped into the gate and vanished. Glenn and Lucca nodded their partings and followed him into the void.
* * *
Magus stepped out of the gate and into the forest with which he was so familiar, Glenn and Lucca directly behind him. Magus walked past the same trees and plants he had seen each and every time he walked through the woods.
"So far so good." Lucca said quietly. Magus turned and glared at her.
"Do not curse us. We haven't even reached the castle yet." He resumed his walk towards the castle at a quicker pace. The sun was starting to rise, and the rays made it easier to see, though the light which was cast through the tops of the trees caused more of an eerie effect than anything else. Magus stopped abruptly and gasped, nearly causing Lucca to slam into him. Before his eyes lay a giant tree the likes of which he had never before seen. Normally he would have passed it by without giving it a second thought, but something about it was both troubling and magnificent. "Something's wrong."
"Wha-" Lucca started, only to be immediately silenced. Magus reached his hand out and touched the bark. To his amazement, the wood shifted and changed its form in front of his eyes. The first image he saw was of a man with light-brown hair and a gray hood battling a young man clad in red and black with long blonde hair and yellow eyes. The next vision was of a man dressed in blue walking through a cave, while a little white creature with small red wings walked a few yards behind him unnoticed. It changed again, this time showing his old mentor Belthasar leaning on his Nu friend. This image lasted no more than a couple seconds before it warped again. The tree now showed a man with brown and green clothing, red hair, and a scar on the left side of his face standing atop a hill overlooking the ocean, his cape flowing in the wind. This was the last he saw, as the wood had now returned to its normal shape. Magus took a step back and started breathing heavily, realizing he had been holding his breath the entire time.
"Are you alright?" Lucca asked, puzzled at his actions. She gave him a questioning look.
"Didn't you see that?" He asked, his breath having now returned to him.
"See what? You've just been standing there staring at nothing!" She exclaimed.
"The visions on the tree!" He turned his gaze to point at the tree, only to find it gone.
"What doth thou speaketh of?" Glenn inquired. "My eyes have seen nil."
"We didn't see a thing Magus. Are you sure-"
"I know what I saw!" He screamed. The mage put his hands to his head. "I...I suppose it just wasn't meant for your eyes to see. Come, let's get this done with." Magus stopped talking and resumed the walk to the castle, deep in thought. Lucca looked at Glenn and shrugged.
A few uneventful minutes passed until the three reached a small clearing. Here Magus stopped to survey his surroundings. As he started to proceed, a large puma jumped from the brush towards him, its large paws coming straight for his head. Just before the beast's sharp claws sliced his jugular, he drew his scythe and quickly lopped off its head. Magus now began jogging to his castle, and the jog quickly turned to a sprint. Lucca and Glenn started running to catch up, and in no time they were at the castle doors.
"What's the rush?" Lucca asked, panting. "You've been acting stranger than usual today." Magus spun around to face her, a look of warning in his eyes.
"You chose to accompany me." He hissed. "I don't appreciate you questioning my judgment." He turned back to the doors and threw them open. Stepping inside, he began walking to the throne room. Glenn followed close behind him, Lucca at his side.
"I...I sense something out of place." He croaked quietly. Without facing him, Magus nodded.
"That is expected." He now stood at the doors to the throne room. Upon trying to open them, he found them to be locked. "As is this." He remarked. Magus took a step back and threw his weight into the doors. The force knocked them both completely off of their hinges, and they fell to the floor with a loud crash, sending ages of dust into the air. Not wasting a moment, he rushed into the center of the room. He drew his scythe once more and turned his eyes towards the throne. It was empty.
"Over here genius." A voice smirked. Magus spun around. In the corner of the room stood Ozzie. "There'll be plenty of time for me to sit on MY throne once you're out of the way." Magus roared and charged at him, slashing his scythe at Ozzie's throat. To his surprise, the scythe hit nothing but air. "Geesh, dumber than advertised. You don't think I'd make it that easy for ya." Glenn and Lucca stepped out of the clouds of dust behind Magus. "So, I see you're still associating with the pitiful humans..." Ozzie glanced at Glenn. "And amphibians. I find it more fitting to be accompanied by Mystics such as my wonderful self." He raised his arm, causing Slash and Flea to appear at his side. "Not only are they more powerful, but they're also much easier on the eyes, don't you think?"
"You dare to appear at my castle?" Magus thundered. "For what reason are you here?"
"You abandoned us." Ozzie said plainly. "After all we had done for you."
"We took you in when you were just a lost little brat." Flea shot. She threw back her hair and looked at him through a pair of hateful eyes. "And this is how you repay us? By turning your back on the same ones who raised you?!"
"Ungrateful fool." Slash threw in. "You didn't even hesitate to leave us. Almost as if you were planning it from the start."
"Had I been planning it since I met you pitiful whelps you would have all been dead years ago." Magus laughed. "I was tired of listening to you imbeciles try to decide how to get things done. I just took things into my own hands."
"So that's what it's called to turn on your friends now, is it?" Ozzie scoffed. "Don't insult me."
"Say what you will. Either way, you three are nothing without me."
"Not quite." Slash declared. "You haven't felt our true power yet. When you do, it will be your day of reckoning."
"I've had enough of this." Flea said to Ozzie. "Let's get out of this dump." She blew a kiss to Magus. "Later toots."
"It won't be long now Magus." Ozzie said as the three began to slowly vanish. "Not long at all."
"I'm always ready." Magus whispered in spite once they were gone." Attack me if you dare you sniveling cowards." He spun on his heel to face Glenn and Lucca. "We're done here. It's time to leave."
"So, do you think they're working for Omek?" Lucca asked.
"Who knows. If they are, we'll find out soon enough."
"The scoundrels standeth not a chance against us." Glenn delivered confidently. "My blade hath more courage than all their cowardly hearts combined."
"Be is as it may, we need not worry about them for now. Concentrate on Omek and Dalton. They are the real threat here." Magus left the room and started towards the main doors, the blood in his veins burning in hatred.
* * *
"Welcome back!" Marle called as the three reappeared at the End Of Time. "How'd it go?" Magus walked right past her, stopping near the Epoch and leaning against the wall to think. "I take it that's a bad thing." She spoke this as no more than a whisper, so Marle didn't know whether he hadn't heard her or just paid it no heed.
"Not too good, but it could have been worse." Lucca told her. "Ozzie, Flea, and Slash are alive, and they want Magus dead for leaving them. They seemed pretty pissed."
"I can imagine." Crono said. "Ozzie's always used him, and everyone else, as a shield. Now he can't hide behind him anymore."
"Just give me a shot at that fat tub of goo!" Tata jumped in. "I could take him on any time, as well as those stooges of his."
"In time my boy, in time." Gaspar told him. "I suggest that you all prepare for battle. The time has almost come for you to go to the Dark Ages and face Omek and Dalton." As everyone went their separate ways, Lucca approached the old Guru.
"Gaspar, I need to speak with you about something."
"Yes my dear, what is it?"
"When we were on our way to the castle, something happened to Magus. He froze up and started staring at a 'tree' which didn't even exist. After he snapped out he said that he had seen visions. Do you know what that was all about?"
"It would seem as though everything is starting to fall into place." Gaspar said, almost sadly. "He may have posed as a Prophet in Zeal, but he's more Prophetic than even he knows. Magus saw images from places beyond us. I can not tell you any more than that."
"Do you mean you can't...or you won't?" Gaspar didn't answer. Lucca sighed. "Well, then maybe you can answer my other question." She paused for a moment and looked into the swirling mist. "Do we really stand a chance in the coming battle?"
"I already know the outcome of the fight. All I can say is that you must fight your hardest. No one can ask more than that of a person." Lucca nodded and walked away. Just before she stepped in the Epoch he called her name. She turned to face him. "Victory is not impossible, nor is it easy. I wish you luck." Lucca smiled and sat down in the driver seat.
"It's time." She called to the others. Magus knelt down and picked up the Gate Key. He started walking to the Time Gates when a powerful hand grabbed his shoulder. He spun around to see a transparent image of Belthasar.
"Hello again Janus. I don't have much time. My soul feels as though it's being pulled in ten different directions. I have one last bit of advice for you." Magus glanced around the room, and saw that nobody else could see him. He looked back at Belthasar's wise face. "I have seen your actions recently. Your mind is not where it should be." Magus started to open his mouth, but Belthasar raised his hand to quiet him. "Never hate your enemies. It defects your judgment." Belthasar looked at his old friend Gaspar standing by the lamppost and smiled. "I now must bid you farewell. Take care, and remember what I said." The old Guru vanished slowly, with a smile that never left his face.
"Belthasar..." Magus whispered. A single tear began to fall from his eye, but he quickly blinked it away and stood beside one of the Time Gates, waiting for the others to be ready. Across the room Crono and Marle had been talking quietly, and they now stepped into the Epoch. Glenn stood beside Robo, while Tata walked up to Magus.
"Can I go with you?" The boy asked. Magus nodded. Foolish child. He thought. He doesn't have any idea what he's gotten himself into.
"Fight your hardest!" Magus shouted to the others. "It is not yet my time to die. Pray that it isn't yours. Let us depart." Magus stepped in a Time Gate and vanished, followed immediately by Tata. Robo and Glenn vanished with a flash, while Crono, Marle, and Lucca disappeared in the Epoch. Gaspar remained alone at the lamppost as Spekkio kept watch over Ayla.
* * *
?????
"So, what do you think?"
"It's pretty obvious. I say 10 to 1 Omek and Dalton kill them all."
"Yeah right Masa. I'd say our warriors will get rid of them without much trouble. Just look at all their combined strength and power!"
"Exactly my point, Mune. It's combined power. Do you honestly think they'll be able to work together long enough?"
"Of course!" Mune paused. "Well, almost all of them."
"You see? Magus is a bit too much of a lone wolf to cooperate with everyone."
"True. But considering the circumstances, I believe he will work well with them. They'll certainly defeat Dalton and Omek!"
"And if they don't?" Mune hesitated to answer Masa's question, but finally spoke.
"Then may God have mercy on our souls."
.
Author's Note
Just a couple of things I'd like to clear up. I referred to Flea as a female
because that's what I think she is: a young woman who is just a bit gender
confused. I'll have the story's conclusion posted as soon I finish a few
other projects (namely a Final Fantasy Tactics page and a Suikoden fanfic
I've been working on). I would greatly appreciate any comments on the story
up to this point, so please e-mail me to let me know your thoughts on it.
Peace!!