Chrono Trigger Dimensions Chapter 7

By Jerm

"You called me, sir?"

Pret turned from his desk to see a wiry man standing at his doorway. The person seemed timid, as if he didn't care to be where he was at the moment. His hand was still on the door, as if he was preparing to leave at any second.

"Yes. I need to know if any of our men have found any information on Nikades yet," Pret said, straightening the papers he had been looking over before putting them down on the desk, "I need to know as much as I can about this mystery man."

"Umm...Not yet sir," the messenger shook his head, "The spies say that Nikades remains quiet whenever he is alone. It's almost as if he knows that they are there."

Pret sighed and stood up from his chair, stepping over to the messenger. He glared down at the man, standing half a foot taller than the small indivindual, "I need to know who I'm working with. Tell the spies if they don't find anything in two days, they will be executed...No, no, no; that's a bit excessive...Sorry. Tell them they will be jailed instead. Maybe that would may their hearing less erratic."

"Y-Yes, sir!" the messenger said shakily, hoping that Pret didn't carry that 'sentence' to him as well. His grip on the door involuntarily tightened.

"Two days! Can you remember that?"

The messenger merely nodded.

"Then what are you doing still in here?! Deliver it!" Pret reached over the man's shoulder and tore the door out of his hands. He then shoved the person out, slamming the door behind him.

"Idiot..."

* * * * *

The Marshal quietly left the now vacated house. They had been here, it was obvious. He turned to the two guards that had come with him and shook his head, "They're not here anymore."

They may not be there anymore, but he knew where they were going. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small backpack. The two guards stared at it for a moment, as The Marshal spun it in his hands, inspecting it.

"Look here," The Marshal said , indicating a spot on the bottom of the pack.

They looked at it. On the bag was a name.

Lucca.

He knew that name. Everyone knew Lucca.

"Let's go!" he said walking away from the guards.

They looked at each other and decided to follow. They didn't want to argue with this man. Nobody did. Those that had now wished the hadn't and those that hadn't thanked their common sense. He was something that supposedly even the king feared.

* * * * *

"I've always wondered about this bridge, you know," Marle said suddenly, as they were crossing the way to Lucca's home, "I mean, how Taban was able to build it all by himself."

It was becoming dark and they hurried up their pace to reach Lucca's house. If they were caught in the dark, they would have to wander aimlessly. And the bridge had no side rails.

"He had help, Marle," Crono smiled, then pointed westward at the sun, "And besides, there's also Zenan Bridge way over that way." "This's much larger than Zenan Bridge. Well, not larger, but it's so much better designed." Marle corrected herself, as she shielded her eyes to give a look over where Crono pointed.

"Yeah, but it didn't ge destroyed several times during fights," Crono reminded her.

They reached the end of the bridge and walked toward Lucca's house. The sun was almost gone and a sunset presented itself over the ocean to the east. Lucca's house was only a silouette against the fading light.

"Hey Lucca! Are you there?" Crono yelled, startling Marle beside him.

"That was a dumb question, Crono. She said that she'd be there," Marle berated Crono, "Besides, where else could she be?"

"There aren't any lights. She might not be there for some reason. That wasn't a dumb question."

Marle looked at the house and saw that it was indeed completely dark, "Oh."

"Let's go check around," Crono said, walking towards the house, "I don't like this."

Maybe...

Crono's voice was calm, but he was privately wishing he had brought his sword. This wasn't right. Crono walked around to the front of the house and saw that the gatekeeper was alone on the ground. Something wasn't right.

...just maybe...

"Lucca?" Marle yelled at the house, as she stepped through the grass after Crono.

...another golem had come through the gate...

Only silence answered them. Crono stepped towards the house, "I'm--" "I'm up here!"

"Lucca?" Crono asked up at the house, trying to find her if she was visible, "What's wrong?."

"There's nothing wrong. Come up here!"

"Why do you have all of the lights off?" Crono yelled back, unyielding.

"Oh the power. I was testing the gatekeeper again and the stupid machine caused a power surge. There'll be power by morning though," came the reply.

Crono sighed with relief, "Let's go Marle."

They opened the door as they heard Lucca continue, "I'm in my room. Hurry up. There's something neat that I've found."

They mounted the stairs and began climbing, their footsteps echoing in the quiet house. They reached the top and Crono reached out to open the door. It easily yielded and the two stepped inside, Crono walking in first and Marle trailing after him.

Crono scoured the darkness, but could see no sign of the young inventor, "Where are you, Lucca?"

In response, the door swung shut loudly behind the two. They whirled around at the sudden noise. Marle reached for the door and began pulling at it, but it wouldn't budge, it had been locked. They were trapped.

"What is this?!" Crono demanded of the shadows, "Lucca, where are you?!"

In reply, a blue light erupted in the middle of the room. They turned around at the flash to see a blue orb shining, hovering in midair. Looking more closely, they soon found it wasn't hovering, but held in a pale hand. The hand moved, but the orb stayed in the air, this time it was hovering. The light grew brighter, illuminating the person behind it. Across from them was a figure drabed in black robes.

"I'm right here," it said, using a copy of Lucca's voice. Then the voice changed to a deep, yet dark and malevolent voice, the tone mocking Marle's earlier statement, "Where else could I be?"

Crono charged the apparition, hoping to surprise it. However, he was thrown back by a wave of the beings hand. More magic. Crono hit the wall beside Marle, adding more injury to his half-healed state. Marle stared at him, then her head snapped back up at the figure. She backed up against the door, her hand looking for a weapon. When she couldn't find anything, she too charged it. And like Crono she was flung to the ground.

"You make it too easy," the apparition said darkly, once again grasping the orb before it. He clenched his hand and the magical light shattered, throwing the room into darkness and blinding the two helpless people trapped within.

.

Go To Chapter 8

Return To CT Fanfic