Chrono Trigger Invasions Chapter 7
By Jerm
Magus placed the body on the makeshift bed that lay in the back of the cave. Covering it up, he looked back at the storm blowing outside. It was a bad storm. At least he had managed to get back before it had began.
He looked back at Schala, her sleep continuing. He would study her and find out how to revive her. He had found her, but that was only half of his mission. Magus sighed.
Magus then thought about his life, how would Schala react to that? He would be a monster in her eyes. Suddenly, the fact hit him. He wasn't her brother any more. He was an evil wizard.
Lavos had died, but still Magus lived. Even after Nikades had come and gone, Magus still lived. Janus was gone. Magus could no longer remember that child. He was now someone entirely different. Different to the world, different to himself, and different to Schala.
Magus bowed his head, turning away from the snow. What was he?
* * * * *
"Why'd you stop, you idiot!?" Carlisle was angry.
"It's out of gas. . . .sir," the soldier replied testily.
"Oh, well. We must've got 'em. No one could survive that."
Nabat stood back up, "I'm sure you'll enjoy the same fate one day, Carl. When you die and burn in hell."
"Shut him up," Carlisle said, not bothering to turn toward the three others.
Behind him, he could hear the sound of a struggle. He smiled, even at his age, Nabat was still a fighter. Then suddenly, he felt himself being picked up.
"What are you doing!?" Carlisle yelled furiously.
He was turned around, but instead of seeing Nabat or his guards, he was facing a giant of a man. The giant slammed him against the wall, jarring his sight. When his eyes cleared, he could see the two guards unconscious at the man's feet.
"That wasn't very nice," Marshall said evenly.
"What are you going to do?" Carlisle asked fearfully.
"Justice," Marshall replied, grabbing him with the other hand.
Then Marshall pulled him from the wall and held him horizontal from the ground. Then he shoved Carlisle headfirst into the shaft. Carlisle was too big to fit, but Marshall was a strong man and the metal was ever so malleable from its heat experience.
Marshall stopped when all but Carlisle's legs were sticking out. The man inside was screaming madly, being burned by the still red hot sides of the shaft.
Marshall smiled and turned away, "Scream all you like. Someone just told me this place is soundproof."
Nabat looked at the large man for a moment, knowing that he was an ally. "What do we do now?"
"We get the others," Marshall replied, walking toward the door.
"But how? They're dead!"
"No, I still feel their presence. They're below us now though."
Nabat snapped his fingers, "They're in the basement!"
Nabat started to run to the door, but Marshall grabbed his arm, "One second. I've got to do something. Now don't be alarmed--"
Marshall suddenly faded away, becoming invisible from Nabat's or anybody's view, "because I'm still here," Marshall finished.
Nabat's jaw dropped, "You know magic?"
Nabat was shaking from this discovery. He heard Marshall sigh beside him, "Look. We can talk about it when we get to the others. They have something to tell you also."
Nabat nodded dumbly, "Right, right."
They left the room shutting the door behind them. The screaming was cut off. The room was indeed soundproof.
* * * * *
"Wow, what's this?" Cid asked as they wandered around the basement.
"What? I can't see, it's too dark," Crono complained.
"Over here," Cid said excitedly, "When I was last here, they had stopped this project long ago. I thought they had destroyed it."
Crono and Marle stepped over the trash on the floor, making their way to Cid. "Is there a light in here?" Crono asked.
"Maybe, but I wouldn't risk using it. Might draw attention," Cid replied.
"Well then how ca--What the. . .?" Crono suddenly cut himself off, staring at the large thing in front of him.
"What's the epoch doing here?" Marle asked.
"Epoch?" Cid was curious that they knew this thing.
Before them, sat what looked like Belthasar's earlier version of the epoch. It had no wings, and it looked to be an exact replica of the now gone time machine.
"Isn't that what you used to travel time?" Cid continued.
"Yeah, the only thing is Belthasar was the one who built it; about three hundred years from now," Marle replied.
Cid explained it, "It was our first attempt at hover vehicles. It was working great, but the government hired a lot of our people to work on Project Lavos and the project was cut. They left it down here, and I guess it was forgotten."
Crono thought it over, "So this is how an old man like Belthasar could build something like this alone. He didn't. He probably found one of these and salvaged it, adding the devices for time travel later."
"Maybe," Marle said, "That might be true."
"That also means we could do the same thing," Crono continued.
"You mean Lucca could," Marle reminded him, "We don't know anything about this stuff."
"I could," Cid cut in, "I've read about this in her books. I really could do it!"
"There wouldn't be a point now, though," Crono said, "We don't need it now that we have the gatekeeper. We can just use the gate key in the storage room to get back."
"No we can't," Cid replied.
"What?!" Crono stepped toward the former technicion, "I thought you said you fixed that problem with getting stuck in 'limbo'!"
"I did. The gate was left to this time and we could open both sides."
"Then what's the problem?" Marle asked.
"It just hit me a moment ago, but Marshall used the gate and reset the guage," Cid said shrugging.
"If it wasn't for the fact that he's saved us a number of times, I would--" Crono began.
"Where is The Marshal, anyway?" Marle cut in.
"Not sure," Cid said, "but I'm sure he'll find us."
"Let's get to work on this then, I don't want to go back to Project Lavos," Crono sighed.
"I don't have the proper tools and equipment," Cid replied, "We'll have to go back to Nabat's room. Or at least a room that has the proper equipment."
* * * * *
Nabat tentatively pulled open the door that led to the stairs. The stairs dropped below him, leading to the basement. He looked back over his shoulder to make sure no one was around, then stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him.
Moments later, the door reopened and shut again on its own accord. "Thanks for holding the door open," Marshall said.
"Sorry, I didn't know if you were in or not." Nabat apologized, reaching the bottom of the stairwell and reaching for the basement door.
However, the door swung open on its own accord. Nabat jerked his hand back, "I can open it myself."
"Wasn't me," the voice of Marshall wafted from above.
Then the door opened fully to reveal Cid.
* * * * *
"So what is this all about?" Nabat asked as the group sat down on the hard basement floor.
The others looked at themselves for a moment, wonderin on how to start. Finally, Crono spoke up, "This'll be kinda hard to understand, but I'll try."
Marle spoke up, "We know somewhat about your past."
Nabat blanched slightly, then straightened up, "Umm. . .How far back into my past?"
"Oh, I'd say about thirteen millenia," Crono replied evasively.
Nabat stood up and began pacing, "Who are you people? Cid, what do you have to do with this?"
"I just sort of tagged along somewhere in their story," Cid said.
"What story?" Nabat asked.
"We're getting their," Crono said, "Who here's long winded enough to tell it?"
"It's either you or me, Crono," Marle reminded him, "We're the only two who have been through it all."
". . .Oh yeah," Crono nodded, "Then I'll do it.
Crono told him about their adventure. Starting with the mistake with the teleporter all of the way to the death of Nikades. He decided to leave out the part about Lucca being his daughter. When Nabat decided that it was going to be a long story, he sat back down.
Crono finished and Nabat began to rock back and forth, "Litle Janus was the prophet," he mumbled to himself, "How ironic."
"Lucca told us in her last letter that in order to use magic, we must have close ancestors that came from Zeal," Crono explained.
"And how did you know about me," Nabat pressed.
The others looked at each other for a moment. Marle spoke up, "We can't tell you. It might alter time if you knew."
Nabat nodded slowly, "So what do you want from me?"
"We want names," Crono replied.
* * * * *
Kerry the astronomer turned from his desk once more. His thoughts were on one subject, and he hastened back to the telescope that stuck out of the observatory.
One of the new stars had turned a crimson red. This was strange, almost as strange as their mysterious appearance. Almost as strange as the fact that the telescope couldn't make them out when he magnified close enough to identify what they were. He suspected meteorites, but couldn't see them clear enough to make sure.
He was sure of one thing though. They were coming closer. The stars had noticably enlarged ever since their first appearance several days ago.
Kerry gasped and turned his attention to another of the new stars. It had also turned into a deep red. Maybe they were burning up, the astronomer told himself.
Another star turned crimson, Kerry ran back to his desk, grabbing photographs and comparing them what he saw now.
They were coming closer, and they were coming fast.
Kerry jumped away from the telescope and ran to his door, tripping over the chair by the desk. He stumbled, grabbed the doorknob and raced down the observatory's hall toward a telephone.
* * * * *
"Sir, I really think these things are meteorites. They're coming closer and if you haven't noticed, some are starting to gather color," Kerry said into the phone breathless.
"I'm sorry, son, but we need hard evidence on this. We'll have our experts check it out. We have state-of-the-art telescopes up in orbit that can get a picture of these things easily." the general finished.
"But--"
He was interrupted by beeping. The general had hung up on him.
* * * * *
"Who was that, sir?" one of the soldiers asked.
They were both seated at the general's office. A desk covered with papers sat between the two.
"An astronomer," the general replied with distaste, "The people are starting to figure out that these things are heading this way."
"Wouldn't it had been easier to just tell him the truth instead of crumpling his ego, sir?"
"If word on this gets out, we'll have chaos in the streets. I've been told by the president to let the space program handle this. They're the experts, not some rich kid who can afford one of those big telescopes. They're sending out a probe tomorrow. Then we can tell for sure what the hell that thing is," the general replied, putting his booted feet on the dest and not caring about dirtying up some of the papers.
The general continued, "Now as to why I called you in here."
"Yes, sir?"
"Remember that incident at our secret project at the crater? Those kids managed to breach security and steal a tank. Well, I've had official word that thoes brats are back. Unfortunately, because of these 'meteors', I can't spare very many men. I want you to take a few soldiers and search the RoboTech compound. That's where they were last seen.
"If you find them, apprehend them and take them here for questioning."
"Robotic, sir? I've never heard of that place, sir."
The general sighed and began pillaging his desk. Finally, he came up with a sheet of paper, "You'll find the adress here. If you get lost, as one of the techs there to give you a floor map. Dismissed, soldier."
"Yes, sir," the soldier saluted and left.
.