The Wrath of Anthos Chapter 1
Setting Sail
By JWolf

Time:  1000 AD

Screams and battle cries echoed through the castle for half an hour.  Marle and Crono were in the knight's training room again.  Their staffs crashed together, making a loud echo through the hallways.

"You might have beat me straight for the past two weeks, Crono, but this round is mine!" Marle said through gritted teeth.

Crono grinned.  "Don't let your anger get in the way of your goal.  Your goal is to beat me, and you can't do that with anger blocking your concentration."  Crono learned his hand to hand teaching and instructing from the Guardia Knight Commander.

Marle shouted her battle cry and took a wild swing at Crono, almost a vicious swing.  Crono easily blocked it, but the impact of the staffs colliding made his hands sting.  Crono could have easily maneuvered his staff to disarm the princess, but he was determined for her fighting to improve.

"You can help to defeat Lavos, one of the most powerful creatures this world has ever seen," Crono started, "but you can't control your frustration to beat me."

Marle screamed in irritation and swung her staff at Crono's knees.  He jumped to avoid it, and lunged at her.  Crono's shoulder hit Marle just below her neck, knocking her to the ground and her staff several feet away.  Crono stood over her and pointed the end of his staff at Marle's throat.

"I win." he said and grinned.  Marle growled.  Crono offered his hand to help her up, and she accepted.  After the duo rested their staffs against the wall, they headed back upstairs.  They reached a long, empty corridor.

"Well," Crono started, "I'd say the best part of your fighting is your battle cry.  Sounds like someone stomping on a Nu's foot!"  Marle gave him a disapproving look and shoved him.  Crono couldn't help but laugh at his joke.

"We need to go meet my father and see when he's leaving for Olean." Marle said.

Crono nodded, "Alright," he paused, "race ya to the throne room!"

Crono sprinted down the corridor with Marle following closely at his heels.  Crono took a turn and Marle kept running straight.

"Wrong way!" Marle shouted back to him and giggled.

"Hey!  No fair!  I'm still not used to this place.." Crono shouted back, trying to catch up with Marle.

The large wooden doors burst open and Marle ran into the throne room, winning their race.  She collapsed into the King's Throne, panting and trying to catch her breath.  Shortly after Crono was ran into the throne room and fell down on his back on the floor, also trying to catch his breath.  After Crono caught his breath, he stared up at Marle.  "What an angel," he thought to himself, "so beautiful."  Marle also stared down at Crono, and couldn't help to giggle when he made a funny face at her.  The king walked in.

"Nadia!  I finally found you.." he said.

"Hi daddy!  And please, call me Marle.." she replied.

The king sighed, "Alright... Marle...  now, to what I came here for.  The ship for Olean will be ready in a little less than two hours.  I came to ask if you would like to come with me, and of course Crono, you and your friend Lucca are welcome as well."

Crono sat up and looked at Marle, "Well?"

It didn't take long for Marle to say yes, "I'd love to!  It might be a new adventure, and we could make new friends!" she said, "C'mon Crono, let's go get Lucca."

***

 Time:  600 AD

Anthos stood vigil in the highest tower of his castle, staring at the famed castle of Magus.  Anthos felt intimidation, fear, respect, and hatred all in one.  Anthos turned his stare to Guardia Castle.  He hated Magus because he believed that only himself should be the most feared magic wielder.  He hated King Guardia and Queen Leene because he felt that it was he who should be the rightful ruler of the Guardia kingdom.

"This kingdom shall be mine," Anthos whispered to himself and returned his stare to Magus' castle, "and I shall kill Magus, and become the most feared individual in the world...  tonight!"

***

 Time:  600 AD

Magus sat in his throne in near total darkness, with only a single candle lighting the room, depressed.  Today was another failed attempt at his search for Schala, his long lost sister.  Magus thought about that fateful day when Schala plummeted with Zeal's Ocean Palace at the hands of Lavos.  He hated himself for not being able to save her.  He should've taken her when they used the Chrono Trigger to save Crono, then maybe, Schala would be here today, with him.

Magus slowly rose from his throne and walked to the shrine he dedicated to Schala, where a life-sized statue of his sister was erected.  He walked up to the statue, intently staring at the face, and fell to his knees.

"Schala..." Magus whispered in sadness and anguish.

Magus heard footsteps behind him and swiftly returned to his feet and spun around to face where the sound was coming from.

"So," it was Anthos, "the fool mourns."

"The only fool I see is you...  a fool who would enjoy a black hole for a new home."

Magus' servants gathered around the upper levels of the shrine, attempting to get a peek at who the intruder was.

Magus reached for his scythe, but realized he left it in his throne room.  Without it, he would only be able to use magic to strike Anthos and defend himself.  Magus' gloved hands started to imminate a dark glow.

"Master!" a servant shouted, standing on a level above Magus.  Magus looked up at the Hench, and it threw down a Star Scythe to it's master.  Magus caught it with one hand and took a fighting stance.

Magus cast a barrier of protection around the statue of his sister, he wanted no harm to come to it.  Anthos took the opportunity to attack.  A bolt of lightning shot out from Anthos' hand and struck Magus in the chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying against the wall.  Magus recovered and started to chant, it was a chant Anthos knew all too well.  A black mist started to engulf the room.  The servants covered their mouths and scurried to find cover, trying not to be choked to death by the Dark Mist.

Anthos covered his mouth with his cape and shot his hand out.  A gust of wind blew through the castle, blowing all of the mist out the few windows the castle had.  Anthos hurled a ball of fire at Magus, which was countered by a blast of water.  Anthos hurled bolt after bolt of lightning at Magus relentlessly.  He had to protect himself with a barrier made of pure black shadow.  So far, Magus had not taken any successful offensive in this showdown, and was certain he wasn't going to win unless he could disorient and confuse Anthos.

Suddenly, there was a rift.  A blue light engulfed the shrine room.  It was a void, Magus thought... no, a Gate!  A time gate!  But how?!  It materialized behind Anthos, catching him by surprise.  He didn't have enough time to escape, and was sucked in.

"NO!" Magus shouted through the horrible noise the huge gate was making, "This is not how this feud ends!"

Magus deteriorated his barrier and jumped into the gate.

TO BE CONTINUED
 

Continued in Chapter 2

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