Chrono Trigger Invasions Chapter 38
By Jerm
"Ow!" Crono yelled, tripping over a fallen soldier and nearly dropping Cid.
Marle came close to losing her grip with the sudden shift in weight, but managed to hold on, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but not this guy. . ." Crono answered, looking at what he had tripped over, "I'd say this is getting out of hand."
"It already was out of hand at the beginning," Marle reminded him, giving a quick glance at the carnage around her.
The casualty rate was becoming too high, especially for the side in which casualties were not supposed to occur, the civilians.
Crono readjusted his grip on Cid and continued to carry him back to the castle. Marle started again, keeping pace with him as they approached the castle. There, the battle continued to rage. With the reinforcements coming behind them, there was no way they could win.
This time would fall, hopefully another would end up successful. The spectres would most likely end up with this, however.
"RETREAT!" Crono yelled to the guards, "Back into the castle now!"
Most of the soldiers heard him, and began to fall back. Then, suddenly, one of the dragons broke through the lines. Bleeding heavily, it had obviously been pushing itself hard to reach that destination. It stood near the drawbridge, its tail waving wildly in the air, dripping blood. As the beast turned to fend off attacks from behind it, its tail rose high in the air.
"What's it doing?!" Marle yelled over the noise of the fight.
The tail dropped quickly, smashing into the bridge. The wooden contraptions snappen in two under the impact. Boht halves snapped apart, but still managed to hold on. Several soldiers fell off, while a few others managed to hold on. Then it splintered slowly, dropping into the waters below, the soldiers falling with it. The dragon had indeed understood Lucca's signal.
The retreat was cut off. And they were now surrounded on both sides.
"Oh god. . .It's over. . ." Crono said, coming to a stop and all but releasing his hold on Cid.
* * * * *
Murasame watched coldly as its troops stormed ahead of it. It didn't allow a smile to come to its face, though the thing had enjoyed Lucca's friends' expression at her appearance. Funny, indeed.
The Murasame continued to glow darkly in her hands.
Then there was a crashing noise as the bridge was destroyed, sealing her opponents' fate. It would be over soon. . .
"Turn and fight."
Lucca's eyes raised slightly as she heard the familiar voice. This time, a smile did cross her face, but only slightly. She calmly turned and faced Glenn, her sword ready.
"Hello, dark brothers!"
"Long time, no see, huh?"
The voices of Masa and Mune reached her ears, causing the dark sword to throb in her hands. A reply came.
"Not long enough." the voice of Mura was dark, yet strong.
"Not nearly so." Same added.
"I take it we're going to end it here. Once and for all?" Masa asked.
Glenn and Lucca stared at each other, concentrating as the voices bantered back and forth.
"Once and for all. . . ."
"Then let's do it," Glenn said, raising his sword in a ready position, preparing for the battle of his life.
Lucca shook her head quickly, moving her hair out of her face. Then the Murasame was up and ready as well. The two paused, waiting for an opening.
Lucca calmly swiped her sword down, attempting to cut into Glenn's shoulder. The Masamune was up to parry, its red glow counteracting the blackness of the dark blade. The two lights battled each other just as much as the two figures.
Glenn pushed her sword up and away, but made no move to counterattack. Not yet. His sword was at the ready once more.
Lucca regained her composure quickly, almost as if she didn't even notice that she had been simply brushed back.
Then she struck again, this time more fiercely. Like an arrow, the sword flew toward the frog's chest. Glenn quickly swung his sword to the side, batting away the blade. However, Lucca merely used the momentum to spin around in a three-sixty pirouette, the sword arcing around and coming back at Glenn from the other side in a cutting stroke.
He had already put his momentum into batting the sword the other direction, he couldn't parry. Glenn ducked quickly, the sword passing just inches over his head. He swept his foot out, kicking Lucca's legs out from under her. She gasped heavily as she hit the ground, the breath being knocked out of her.
Then he towered over her fallen form and his sword dropped down. Lucca rolled out of the way, though it wasn't necessary. He had been aiming for the Murasame. Lucca was quickly back to her feet, standing several feet away from the frog.
Far off, the battle continued to intensify, but these two were alone for now. The Masamune against the Murasame.
Glenn took the offensive next, attacking merely as a feint. The Murasame was up to block, then suddenly Lucca lashed out with her hand, punching Glenn across the jaw.
Glenn stumbled back, throwing the Masamune into the ground and leaning on it to regain his balance. He quickly pulled the sword out and turned as Lucca prepared to finish the attack.
Once again, the Masamune was able to block, though Glenn couldn't see quite well, his vision still blurry from the punch. He hoped he didn't black out in the middle of this, his friends were counting on him.
He countered, she parried. Both fighters quickly stepped back to regain their composure. Glenn was surprised to find that he wasn't becoming tired. The Masamune must be feeding me strength. However, the same was for Lucca, as she wasn't even breathing heavily.
As he watched her, a slight flickering began to eminate around her. She was preparing fire. Glenn quickly began to grasp the water vapor around him, compiling it together to form a shield. Then, he stopped.
He had found his opening.
He only hoped he had enough time.
He ran forward, raising the Masamune and dropping his half shield.
Lucca quickly raised the Murasame to block, and the two blades clanged together. Then Glenn concentrated, and the Masamune did its work. The aura around Lucca, magic, was suddenly shifted, being drawn into the blade. The Masamune had drawn in the magical energies, like always.
Glenn drew back the sword, now powered by Lucca's stolen magic. He swung again, focusing his own energy into the strike.
Once again, he attacked the Murasame.
The two blades connected, and there was the sound of glass shattering. A shriek filled the air as what was once one, became two.
Mura and Same flew apart, one falling to the ground in agony, the other being drawn back by Lucca's stumbling. She continued to hold onto the broken hilt, but didn't seem to want to fight anymore. She fell to her knees as the black energies seemed to bleed out of the broken pieces. The blackness writhed and twisted, expanding around itself as if it was alive.
Finally, she grabbed her head, dropping the sword, and pitched over.
"Where am I?" she asked, face against the ground.
What am I?
Then she lost consciousness.
Glenn looked to her for a moment, then looked around to find the the Murasame was gone.
"In the name of good, I vanquish thee," Glenn whispered to the dark gods, now gone, as he sheathed the Masamune and prepared to pick up Lucca.
He would need to get to the castle.
* * * * *
"They're. . .They're retreating!" Marle said, as she noticed the the demons were suddenly turning to leave, now fighting a retreating battle.
"What's going on?" Crono echoed her.
"Crono, Marle!" the two quickly turned back to face the owner of the voice. It was Schala. She was waving madly at them, "Hurry and get inside. . .Get everyone inside!"
"The bridge is down!" Crono yelled back, "How?!"
Schala smiled slightly, then stepped off of the bridge. Crono and Marle both looked worried, but the half-started gasps ended when they realized that she was standing on something solid, yet invisible.
"Hurry, I can't hold this for very long!"
"Back into the castle, now!" Gnome yelled suddenly, limping back and away from the fight.
The guards looked at him like he was insane, until he himself stepped onto the hidden, magical bridge. Then there was a cheer and a rush of happy soldiers were able to return to their 'home.'
Behind them, the demons had once again fled into the trees.
Day two had been a victory.
.