Chrono Trigger Invasions Chapter 14

By Jerm

"Damn, there goes another," Marshall swore as a fifteenth star shifted into a red tint.

"I think it's been ten minutes, Cid," Crono said helpfully.

Cid wasn't too happy with the pushy attitude, "I'll be done when I'm done! Shut up and let me work!"

Crono took a step back, "Okay, okay, okay."

Crono went back to stand by Marle and Marshall, who were both piled at the cave's entrance, staring at the stars--shining even in the day--above them. Magus was with in the back with Schala, trying to briefly tell her about time travel and other things.

Another star turned red, making the others worried even more. They hadn't been there to witness the change in the future, but they had a gut feeling that the stars changing to red was a bad sign.

Cid twisted two more wires together and shut the compartment. He then stood up, "I think that'll do it."

"'Bout time," Marshall muttered quietly so Cid couldn't hear him.

"Definitely," Crono said, "Look, the stars are getting VERY restless now."

The stars above were all flashing into a red coloring very fast, it would only be a matter of time before they had all become red. The stars appeared quite large now, about a third the size of the moon.

Crono, Marle, and Marshall backed away from the cave entrance quickly, not wanting to see this. They surrounded Cid. "Activate it," Crono said.

"Which time?" Cid asked.

Marle walked over to Magus and Schala, "We're getting out of here, now. I hope you've told her enough for now, Magus."

"We need to get all of our friends," Crono mused, "So let's hit the prehistoric era first. We'll go through each time and collect what and who we need."

"Okay. . ." Cid set the dial.

Marle and the other two joined the group. Outside, they could hear the first sounds of the Lavos's entering the atmosphere. Everyone was becoming more impatient as Cid tried to activate the time machine.

"What's wrong now?" Crono asked, as Cid scratched his head.

"There's not enough power yet, I need to give it some time to charge."

"We don't have time, Cid! That's the whole point of getting out of here in a hurry!" Crono yelled.

"Don't blame me, blame the machine," Cid said.

* * * * *

The first of the alien meteors sliced through the atmosphere. It plummeted at a forty-five degree angle as it approached the planet. Behind it, two more were reaching the atmosphere. The coordinated attack was in effect.

The first exited a cloud bank and blasted over a mountain, throwing snow into the air from the gust it caused. It continued its trip, finally crashing into the ocean. Tidal waves erupted in a circular form, the circle enlarging itself as the waves extended away from the crash.

* * * * *

The people in the tiny village looked up in panic as one of the stars took life. It flew far above them, hurtling far off to the west. However, there were more coming. All of the strange stars that people had thought an omen were acting.

One of the 'meteorites' arced over the town, the sonic boom causing the people to cover their ears. Then it crashed into the earth just a few miles to the south. People stared in awe and fear as the shockwave, throwing dirt, snow, and water everywhere, came at them.

* * * * *

"How long, Cid? Just tell me how long?" Marshall seemed to be panicking from the crashing outside; the others were in no better shape.

"I don't know, why does everybody ask me that?!"

"How much energy does it take?" Crono said, stepping forward.

"Umm. . .not sure," Cid said thinking, "Just enough to create a rift in time I would guess."

"I haven't used my magic in so long, I don't know if I still can," Crono muttered, as he reached for the machine, "but this is our best bet."

"Just don't fry it completely," Cid warned him.

Crono concentrated and sent his energy into the machine. He kept the flow slow and careful, despite the commotion outside, he didn't want to lose his only chance of survival.

He released the machine, "There, I think that'll do it--"

* * * * *

Another of the Lavos meteors caught flame as it came through the atmosphere. It tilted forward as gravity caught it and plummeted toward a mountain.

It struck the mountain near the top, cutting a deep hole into it. The meteor broke through the other side of the mountain and struck the ground on the far side. It didn't manage to leave much of a crater, it had lost most of its momentum on the mountain.

The snow on the top of the mountain started to fall form the shaking caused by the impact. It flowed together, gaining momentum as it fell. An avalanche cascaded down the mountainside.

* * * * *

Several of the beings that had already struck the planet were now positioning themselves to release their deadly bolts. All around, more craters were being dug into the ground as 'meteor' after 'meteor' pounded into the ground in an earth shaking impact.

Inside of their craters, the beings released their 'rain of destruction' onto the struggling world.

* * * * *

Another crash occurred. This was much louder than the others and seemed to come from a much closer distance. The cave shook violently, throwing everbody that was standing to the ground. The ceiling of the cave began to split. Rock and dirt began to filter through, first slowly, then with more urgency.

"What the--" Crono began as the back of the cave's ceiling buckled and collapsed. It caused a chain reaction of, the rock and debris heading for them as the entire cave began to fall into itself.

"Get out!" Marshall yelled.

Cid grabbed the time machine and ran behind the others, the collapsing ceiling right behind him. A medium-sized rock hit him in the back, causing him to stumble. He came out of the cave, falling forward and sliding down the mountain on his face. He slid fast, snow was being forced into his mouth. He continued to hold onto the time machine, however, as he sputtered and gasped. He didn't want to lose that.

He caught himself finally and turned around to look at the others, twenty feet above. Dust and rocks were coming out of the collapsed cave behind them, but everyone was okay.

Farther above the others, however was a wall of snow coming toward them. They were waving at him to get back up and activate the gate. Cid cursed and pointed to the avalanche above them.

Far off in the distance, he saw another of the meteors fall, striking the ground and throwing snow and dirt everywhere. The shockwave from the impact spun out around it, spreading away and thinning out.

The other must not've understood what he meant, they continued to wave him back urgently. He shook his head disgusted, and quickly inspected the time machine, looking for the button.

Cid pressed the button on the time machine, causing the blue gate to appear beside him. The others were puzzled until they noticed that the rumbling wasn't from the constant bombardment of the Lavos kin. Then they were running madly for the gate.

Marshall grabbed Crono and Marle under each arm and ran, passing Magus, who was helping Schala. He reached the gate, not bothering to slow down as he ran into it. Moments later, Magus and Schala were through.

The avalanche crashed over the cave, sealing it forever. Cid shook his head, gave the world around him one last look, and jumped in, still carrying the time machine.

The gate closed as the snow plummeted by.

The destruction of the world continued.

* * * * *

Crono stood up slowly and looked around the strange world he stood in. At first, he thought that maybe Cid had messed up and sent them to another dimension, then he shook his head. The gate was blue, and besides, only the gatekeeper could breach universes.

The lifeless wasteland around them was the prehistoric time. The invasion had already been here. The sun barely shown above them, there was a thick cloud of dust permeating over the planet. Dust that had been thrown up in the impact. All around, nothing existed. Just a rocky wasteland full of craters.

Beside him, Marle stood speechless. She just stared at what lay around them. Crono thought he must look like that as well.

Behind him, he heard Cid saying something. Then Marshall replied. Crono turned from the world and walked over to the others, Marle followed him.

"What do we do now?" Cid asked, picking himself up out of the small pile of snow that had managed to follow him into the gate before it was shut.

"Nothing we can do for this world," Crono acknowledged, "We'll just have to skip over to the seventh century and get Glenn. We shouldn't even bother warning the people. The only time that has a chance of fighting these things is the deep future. THOSE are the people we should warn."

"What about the other times?" Marle asked, "Our time for instance?"

"They can't fight against that if we gave them a year's worth of warning," Crono replied, "Sorry, but there's nothing we can do along those lines. We need to get our friends, warn the 24th century, then go to The End of Time and make plans."

"The End of Time," Marle muttered, "That's the only safe spot, isn't it."

"Sadly enough," Cid added.

"It may not be what you imagine, though," Magus replied, "If you remember, it was razed by Nikades as well."

"Yeah, you told us about that," Crono said, "But it's still there, even if the former occupants aren't."

"It's a good thing that you were able to energize the machine in time," Marshall said, changing the subject.

"It's a good thing that I didn't fry it," Crono corrected, shaking his head, "I was sure I'd have gotten a little rusty after this big drought of not using it. Oh well, I'm not complaining."

Cid turned back to the machine and adjusted the dial, "So I set it to the seventh century?"

"Yeah," Crono said, "We need to get Glenn."

"If that time still exists," Cid said as he hit the button and activated the machine, "I'm sure he'll come."

The blue gate opened up once more. The dead world was briefly awash with the deep blue light. The group stepped through. Cid went last, carrying the machine with him as he entered.

It shut after they were through, making the world once more dead. However, beneath the soil slept the things that had laid waste to the now dead world. Resting and waiting for their next point of implementation.

And also beneath the ground slept the former Lavos that had originally plagued the world. Not to be killed until his attempted attack in the future or his defeat by Nikades, he plotted with his brethren.

.

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