Chrono Trigger Invasions Chapter 16
By Jerm
Bastion calmly leaned against the tree as the frog once again stepped outside to practice. He had been here for almost a week, watching and waiting. Every now and then, he would send out a test for the amphibian. Nothing to kill him, but something that would increase his worries. Something that would increase his panic and force him to slowly break down.
He would break soon.
Even as he stepped out of his hole, Glenn had the look of someone who hadn't slept for days. He was shaking unconsciously and blinked constantly. Glenn drew the sword and began to practice. However, he had a constant eye to his surroundings.
Bastion smiled as he waved his hand, slowly as to not attract Glenn's attention.
In accordance to his motion, the wind blew. Subtle at first, Glenn paid it no mind. Bastion increased the wind. Glenn continued to practice, ignoring the blast. The wind whipped at his clothes, a small gale.
Bastion clutched his fist, sending the wind into a cyclonic storm.
Glenn gasped as he was suddenly projected into the air and nearly dropped the sword. He spun around, several feet off of the ground, trying to regain his footing. The sword waved around freely in his hand, but he managed to hold onto it. Even so, he was dangerously close to cutting himself.
A small noise came from behind the spectre. It was quiet, but it had drawn attention.
Bastion dropped his hand quickly, sensing a presence behind him. He whirled to face those who would disturb him, Glenn falling gracelessly to the ground behind him. Bastion paid the fall no mind, he faced six other spectres. They had the look of anger and happiness mixed in finding him.
"What is this?" he asked harshly, yet quietly; he still needed to remain reclusive around Glenn.
"So you are indeed acting against the council's orders," one of the spectres said, ignoring the question, "You shouldn't have done that."
"I do what I will, it is MY agenda," Bastion spoke, preparing for a struggle, "You shouldn't concern yourself with my actions."
"Your agenda? Not in the council's eyes, it isn't," the leader replied, also preparing himself for a fight.
Dazed and confused, Glenn stumbled back to his house, so that he would have time to clear his head. Bastion ignored him, he had bigger problems at the moment. The frog disappeared down the hole.
"Go home. All of you. You know very well that I wasn't elected to the council because I was weak. You'll need twice as many to beat me."
The leader stepped forward, glaring at Bastion, "That will not do, Bastion. You were given direct orders to leave the Masamune and the one who holds it alone."
Lanon himself had come after Bastion.
Lanon continued, "Didn't the carnage at Denadoro show you not to mess with the Masamune? We have lost two dozen of our own, yet you go out here alone to singlehandedly bring glory to your own ambitious self."
Bastion hid his shock at seeing a fellow councilman, and merely glared back at Lanon, "I see you came to the same conclusion I had come to. It would take a member of the council to beat a member of the council."
"I'm afraid that surrender is out of the question, however," Lanon continued, "It seems quite a large number of us don't want someone as ambitious as you to return."
"I would have thought so," Bastion mused, "Then let's get started. I've got things to attend to after this."
Lanon ignored his attempt to shake off the fact that he was outnumbered. He raised his hand in a signal for the other five to attack. They surged forward, towward the opponent. Lanon then faded away, disappearing from the fray.
Bastion too faded away. Moments later, he reappeared in the form of a small eight foot dragon. An object of his possession now. It was covered with green scales and its eyes peered forth with a dark brown hue. It roared at the surprised five that were coming at it and attacked.
The beast flared its wings out as it jumped. The 'parachute' caused it to fly erratically, the other spectres couldn't understand it. It weaved at them, then suddenly folded its wings and dived onto the nearest, using its jaws to tear into two pieces.
The other four spectres tried to counterattack. The one to the dragon's left was backhanded by a large claw, hitting the ground limply and not moving. A third of the spectres grabbed ahold of the dragon, attempting to relinquish Bastion's hold on it.
Bastion was too strong however, and the spectre was obliterated by his mind's energy.
The dragon was about to finish off the remaining two, when Lanon reappeared, having taken a being that could best be described as a daemon. It was extremely thin and bony, almost a skeleton if it wasn't for the brown skin that surrounded it. Its batlike wings were tucked behind it, but when unfolded, could cover a ten foot radius. The being was a mere six feet tall, and even though the dragon towered over it, it was fairly obvious that it was stronger.
The two spectres backed away, joining their ally, whom growled at the dragon unconsciously. Bastion backed away to regain his hold on the situation.
"It's over Bastion. Give up now and spare us the time it would take to destroy you," the thing spoke using the voice of Lanon.
"It's hardly over," Bastion replied, "Try me."
"Very well," and the fight continued.
* * * * *
"Why do they call it the Cursed Woods?" Cid asked as they stood before the said forest, the question was sarcastic to the core; it was very obvious why it would be called so.
It appeared gloomy. A thin mist constantly covered the area, causing the trees to look pale. It surely seemed haunted from the outside, but they knew better from experience.
It was six days after they had reached Truce. The sun hung overhead, showing that it was around noon. Even in the bright light, the forest looked dead.
"Isn't it obvious?" Crono asked.
"I can see that it certainly looks cursed, but is there any other reason?" Cid pressed, "Like say. . .Oh, um, maybe a war was fought there and every night the dead rise to refight the battle. Something like that?"
Crono shook his head, "It just looks cursed. It really isn't."
"Don't worry about it, Cid," Marle added, "Let's just get Glenn so we can get out of here before the Lavos's attack this time as well."
"Definitely," Marshall agreed, "I've had two close calls already, I don't like the proposition of a third."
"Who's to say that Glenn is even there?" Magus asked, always the optimist.
"We won't know unless we look for ourselves, will we?" Crono asked stepping foward.
Magus made no reply.
* * * * *
"You should have sent Morlis. . .or Dalack maybe," Bastion spoke, as he stood over the dying form of Lanon, "At least they are good at fighting. You should have known you had no chance against me."
"You couldn't. . .have won," Lanon spoke slowly, "H-how?"
"You underestimated me, as did the rest of the council," Bastion replied, "I'll make sure they don't do that again.
"You tried to have me killed. I'm sure that will pique the populace's interest. Maybe enough interest to cause a rebellion against the council. With the council gone, I would be the lone ruler."
Lanon shook his head, "It won't be like that. . .They will kill you, too."
"We'll see," Bastion stated, bending over the body of his foe, "But you're too dead to care who rules."
Bastion pressed his hand to the forehead of Lanon and concentrated.
* * * * *
"Does anybody else hear anything?" Marshall asked as they trudged through the dense woods.
It had seemed like a surging sound, and it was becoming louder. Everybody else definitely heard it.
"I don't even want to know what that is," Crono said, looking around for the source, "but it looks like we may have to."
"Why do you say that?" Cid asked.
"The sounds coming from the direction we're heading," Crono pointed ahead.
The noise stopped suddenly. It would cause relief among the group, except for the fact that it could mean whatever it was that was out there might be preparing to pounce. The group armed themselves in a relatively short time.
Then the ground was thrown out from under them as a loud explosion erupted from the core of the forest. A large wall of flame climbed into the sky, illuminating the forest and area around it.
The wall of flame grew shorter and the rumbling stopped. Moments later, it was gone. No smoke, no burning forest.
The group were all thrown to the ground from the concussion, and were stumbling back to their feet clumbsily. Crono was the first back up and he didn't look happy, "Now I can definitely say, 'I don't even want to know what that is!'"
"I hope Glenn's alright," Marle said, "That seemed fairly close to his 'house'."
Crono snapped to attention, "You're right, we'd better hurry and see what that was."
The group raced to the center of the forest at a much faster pace than before.
* * * * *
Bastion watched as the group ran by his point of concealment. He had lost the Masamune for the moment due to the skirmish. He would have been angry except he may have found another way to take control.
Open revolt.
The council had tried to assassinate him. If he could prove this, those under the council would surely back him up to overthrow those that stood at the head. He could deal with the frog later.
He shrunk into the shadows and started the journey back to Denadoro, where he would have a long and enjoyable conversation with the others.
Behind him, the friends of the wielder of the Masamune disappeared into the thick gloom of the Cursed Woods. They would come later as well.
Bastion was still annoyed about his defeat when trying to take Magus. Maybe if he had the chance, he could retake the sorcerer.
That would be a good day indeed.
But for now, he would deal with his usurpsion. Then the frog. Then the wizard. His agenda was a long one. But hardly impossible.
.