Chrono Trigger Prophecies Chapter 6
Questionable Sanity
By Jerm
Zeal, the land of dreams, welcomes you
Janus ignored the returning voices, wishing he could somehow learn their origin. This voice was feminine, soothing. He did not recognize the voice, but was sure he had heard it before somewhere.
He stood at the top of the mountain, staring forward at the ruins that had once been the castle, his home.
The landing had not been nice to it, but it still stood somewhat. Many parts of it had collapsed, and much more of it was cracked, preparing to disintegrate as well. But for now it held.
Enter Magus
Janus sighed at the voice, having once again been referred to as another person. He began to walk forward anyhow, stating to the void, "My name is not Magus."
Would you rather be called Prophet?
"My name is Janus!" he yelled, unaware that he was losing his temper and possibly his mind.
He stopped walking, standing before the entrance. The door was gone, probably been broken off in the fall. Janus looked up briefly, staring at the front of the ruins. He shook his head and peered back into the depths of the darkness within the walls.
Then enter. . .Janus. . .
The wizard took a breath, trying to relieve himself of the strain and stress. He was overdoing this, working himself too hard. He was losing it quickly. After he had calmed down a bit, he stepped forward, entering the darkness.
Moments later, a spark of light ignited around his raised hand, guiding him like a torch. After he had prepared himself, he thought back to what he was supposed to do.
"Go to the ruins of the castle of Zeal. There you will take a book from the library and bring it to me."
Simple enough. A book. Janus looked about him, trying to remember where the library was kept. He had never read much when he was here as a child.
Left
The voice seemed a whisper. But it was guiding him.
"Why are you helping me?" Janus asked, ignoring the directions for the moment.
I wish to bring together what has been separated
"Bring together?" Janus was confused for a moment, "You mean me and my sister, don't you?"
No answer came, only the silence and the blowing of the wind outside. Janus snorted in annoyance, then turned left and walked. Most of the floor was chipped and in a few placed, destroyed. He gingerly stepped over these spots, making sure not to step on a place where the floor might fall away.
As he walked however, he began to realize that there were no bodies here, no corpses. There were dozens of people living in the castle when it fell, but where were they?
Looters did that. Stealing the bodies, looking for money or some clothing. Later, they were thrown into the sea.
Janus stopped to listen to the voice, now sounding sad. It seemed depressed beyond consolation as it depicted what had occurred to the people of Zeal. Janus didn't understand this, but didn't feel the need to ask for elaborations.
People destroy each other. However, I was able to bring myself above this. I began to think of myself as something above humans, I began to think I was not human at all. That's where I was wrong. I was merely more subtle in my destroying my fellow man. I was worse, because I could not admit it.
Janus suddenly realized that the voice was no longer female, but male. Somewhere, a different person had begun to speak. He started to walk again, pondering on this, even as the voice continued to speak.
I then decided that the only way to be above humankind was to destroy it. I am no longer human now, I am my own race, my own species. I am above people, because I can now see the necessity of what I do. You will see this too. Soon.
"What are you talking about?"
You will see.
It was no surprise to him that the voices were now conversing with him. They had started out as separate, making him feel like he was eavesdropping upon them. Now he talked and listened to them like they were in the same room as he was. If he had known fully what he was doing, he would think himself insane.
He stepped over a collapsed portion of the floor and found himself standing in what used to be the library. Aisles were knocked over, and books were scattered everywhere. Mostly upon the floor.
Janus stepped into the room, forgetting about the voices and bent to pick up the nearest book to him. He stared at the cover for a moment. It was completely blank, simply a red covering. He quickly rubbed his face with his free hand as he opened the book with the other for a quick glance at what was inside.
His face rubbing quickly became eye rubbing as he tried to see the words inside the pages. He couldn't read them. The words seemed but a blur to his eyes and he couldn't clear it up. Finally, angry, he slammed the book shut and hooked it under his arm, preparing to leave. He could decipher it later. Besides, the person had not specified which book, even indecipherable books would work.
He turned to leave, but another book had caught his eyes. he turned back and looked at the cover.
Antold
"What the. . ." he whispered, walking over and bending forward to pick the book up.
He quickly opened the book to the first page and found but two words written there.
Antold [D]antol(d)
He turned the page.
Antold [D]antol(d) Da[l]nto(l)
Entranced by this strange turn of events, he turned the last page. He was unsure what this was, and it was starting to frighten him a bit.
Antold [D]antol(d) Da[l]nto(l) Dal(n)to[n] Dalton
Dalton
"What is this?!" Janus said aloud, the question targetted at the now silent voices around him.
He turned the book over and looked at the back cover.
Azel [Z]a(z)el Z[e]a(e)l Zeal
Zeal. Dalton and Zeal. The names quickly raced through his mind once more.
Someone was playing tricks on him.
Janus threw the book to the floor and turned to run out of the room, but found himself face to face with Antold.
"What are you doing here Dalton? I told you to sta--"
Azel entered behind the captain, quiet as always. Janus glared at her for a moment, then continued, "I told you to stay on the boat; both of you!"
"Well, Magus--" Antold began.
"My name is Janus," Janus said through clenched teeth, "Get it right."
"Then do not be calling me Dalton. My name is Antold."
Did I call him Dalton? Janus thought, trying to remember.
"That's debatable at the moment," Janus said, not loosening his dark look one bit.
"How so?"
Janus turned to pick up the book he had recently thrown to the ground, but found it was missing. He quickly scoured the ground around him, trying to find where it could have landed. It was gone.
"I ask again, how so?" Antold pressed.
"Give me a second!" Janus snapped, then dived forward and began to rummage through the pile of books.
"I have given you two days already. I can't spare any more time, Magus," Antold said, breaking Janus from his digging.
"I've only been gone for a few hours, you stupid old--" Janus began, not bothering to fix the 'Magus' slip this time.
"You've been gone for two days. I am hardly stupid and quite young compared to you, so don't start throwing insults my way," Antold snarled at Janus.
"You're lying to me," Janus said, "Just like you lied about your name."
"What are you talking about?"
"These--this book that I found here. Antold is an anagram for Dalton. Just as Azel is an anagram for Zeal."
"I don't--" Antold tried to cut him off, but Janus continued.
"Tell me what's going on right now," Janus said, his voice dark; even darker than it had been moments before.
"I don't understand what you are ranting about!" Antold finally yelled.
Janus reached out and grabbed him by the front of the shirt and picked him up from the ground with remarkable strength, "I want to know what you want with me! The 'Magus' remarks, the names, the appearances! Tell me or I will kill you on the spot!"
Just what I'd expect from you, Magus.
"My name is not Magus!" Janus threw Antold to the ground and spun toward the voice.
Nothing but an empty room faced him.
Maybe not your name of choice, but your mind, body, and soul is that of Magus.
Antold slowly stood up, facing Janus. But instead of fear, he had a face of satisfaction; as did the silent Azel. They watched calmly as Janus argued with himself.
"I am NOT Magus! I am Janus!"
The book slipped out of his hold, and fell to the ground with a dull thud. Janus went to the ground in anger, attempting to pick it up.
His face came in front of a book, a different book than the one he had dropped. On the cover, read "We know who you are, Magus. Why don't you?"
Janus froze, staring at the book in fear. His eyes darted about, eying others. The books were all the same. Same color, same size. Same title.
Janus yelled, picking up the nearest book and hurling it across the room. It slammed into the far wall and bounced off, landing atop a small pile of books; a pile of identical books.
The only way to be above humankind is to destroy it. Help me accomplish this.
"Get out of my head!" Janus yelled, clutching his hands to head ears.
I can't. I am your head; your mind.
"Shut up!"
Break, my servant. Be my body and I will be your mind. Together we can create an omnipotent soul.
Janus turned from the library, stumbling forward and falling onto his face. He felt no pain, and stood up to run out of the room. He prepared to push Antold out of the way, but neither of the two were present. He was alone. Janus stumbled out of the library and began to backtrack his way out of the palace.
Give me reign so that I may forge my dark prophecy. You are a false prophet, I am the true oracle, the true heralder of what is to become. Break!
Somewhere behind him, laughter that sounded almost exactly like him cascaded to his ears, following the words. The laughter was drowned out by Janus' screaming, however. He finally exited the palace, but continued to run. He was unable to determine where he was.
Behind him, the palace faded away. And behind every step he took, so did the island.
.