The Wrath of Anthos Chapter 12
To Save a Man's Life
By JWolf

Time:  The End of Time

The Black Epoch arrived at the End of Time.  Everyone disembarked.  Gasper was leaning against the lamp post, sleeping.  Nothing new there.  They entered the door leading to where Spekkio, the Master of War, lives.  Spekkio was in the form of a huge muscular monster which resembled much how Masa & Mune did when they were combined.

"Hello friends!  Looking for some practice?"

"No, Spekkio, we need your help with..." Lucca said and helped Magus stand in front of Spekkio so he could see the wound.

"This." Lucca finished.

"That is a nasty wound.  I must measure his soul.  If he is good, I can help you heal him.  If he is evil, life must take it's course, and his will end.  It is a rule."  Spekkio said with a seriousness in his voice that none of them had ever heard before.

Magus felt an odd energy coursing through him and he winced in pain.  Spekkio was measuring his inner soul, Magus deduced.

Spekkio finished, "This man had always been pure of heart.  He was corrupted by evil at a young age.  However, his love for his long lost sister has turned his heart to the light once more.  I can, indeed, help you save Janus.  Now, to save him, there must be seven of you.  Each of you must give up a small fraction of your life force to give to him in order to save him.  Each of you must be pure of heart, which each of you are.  However, there are only four of you here.  You must find three more to complete the process.  Hurry.  Janus' life hangs in the balance."

"I'll go!"  Lucca said and rushed off to board the Epoch.

***

Time:  600 AD

Lucca entered Guardia Castle.

"Halt!  Who goes there?"  two of the guards shouted.

"It's me, Lucca!  I have to talk to the Queen!  Have either of you seen Glenn.. err.. Frog?"

"Alright, you can pass.  Last I saw he was with the Queen in her quarters."  one of the guards replied.

Lucca ran up several flights of stairs.  She reached the Queen's quarters and saw Frog and Queen Leene talking.

"'Tis Lucca!  What brings thee here, Madam Lucca?"  Frog said.  He saw the worried look on Lucca's face and became concerned.  Something very serious must be happening.

"I need your help, both of you!  I'll explain when we get there."  Lucca said and ran back downstairs with Frog and Queen Leene close behind her.

***

Time:  The End of Time

The Black Epoch materialized at the End of Time.  Lucca, Frog, and Queen Leene each stepped out and returned to Spekkio's room.  Magus was lying on his back on the floor.  Schala was holding his hand and crying.  Magus' breathing was very raspy.

"We need you to help us save Magus."  Lucca said to Frog and Queen Leene.

"Magus is evil!  He killed Cyrus and tried to destroy our Kingdom!"  Leene said.

Frog was silent and spoke, "I will help.  He assisted us in saving the world.  Magus haseth some good in him."

Leene thought for a few moments, "Alright, I'll help too."

"That is great, however," Spekkio said, "there are only six of you.  There must be one more."

"I couldn't find Ayla or Kino in their time!  And Robo isn't actually a living being...  it looks like we can't save him."  Lucca said and lowered her head.

"I will help you."  a voice said coming form the door.  It was Gasper.

"Good," Spekkio said, "let us start the process.  Everyone, hold hands in a circle around Janus.  Focus.  Think of the good this man has done and how much you want to help him.  I shall do the rest."

Magus was breathing heavily now.  Time was running out.  Spekkio was silently chanting something.  A blue glow surrounded the circle of people holding hands.  The glow soon was on Magus.  Minutes that seemed like hours passed.  Magus' breathing was slowing.  More time passed.

Crono thought about how Magus helped his friends climb Death Peak and revive him.

Marle thought about how Magus said there may be a way for them to save Crono.  He was right.  Crono is alive.

Lucca thought about how Magus understood her and had danced with her the night they were sailing the ship back to Guardia.

Schala thought about how Magus dedicated his life to searching for her out of the love he had for her.

Frog thought about how Magus became noble, turned from his evil ways, and helped him to let Cyrus rest in peace.

Leene thought about how Magus asked for forgiveness for everything he'd done to her Kingdom.

Gasper saw all the events of Magus' good deeds running through his mind.

Magus stopped breathing.  The glow around him and the others disappeared.  Magus died.  Everyone opened their eyes and saw the lifeless Magus lying before them.  Schala fell to her knees and held Magus in her arms and cried harder than she ever had before.  Everyone lowered their heads in mourning and sorrow.

"It is over."  Spekkio whispered.  No one else spoke.  Everyone looked at the fallen Magus and his sister Schala.

Schala held Magus' head up with one hand and looked at his face.  A single tear ran down her cheek and fell onto the burn on his chest.  A small blue aura of light emitted from where her tear hit.  Magus' face began to gain what little pale color it had back.  The wound on his chest healed and closed up, not leaving a single mark that it was ever there.  Magus gasped and began breathing again.  Everyone looked on in awe.  Schala stopped crying and looked on wide eyed.

"Schala..."  Magus whispered.  He kissed Schala's cheek and they hugged each other.

"It worked!"  Lucca whispered.  Everyone smiled.

"I love you, Janus."  Schala whispered to her younger brother.

"I love you, too, Schala."  Magus whispered back and hugged her tighter.  Everyone left the room to let the brother and sister have a moment alone.

They walked out of Spekkio's room a few minutes later, holding hands.

"Thank you all for helping to save me," Magus said, "Now if I remember correctly, Crono and Princess Nadia have a wedding to plan."

Crono and Marle looked at each other and smiled.

"A WEDDING?!"  Frog and Leene shouted.  Marle nodded to both of them.
 

TO BE CONCLUDED

Concluded in the Epilogue

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