The Shadows Chapter 11
Shattered Peace
By Keith Adams
The Mystic Dreadnaught Magus began firing it's cannons unto Guardia's docks. The Dreadnaught was massive - it could hold a huge number of troops. The cannons let loose, firing balls of fire with a shrill shriek that exploded of almost pure force, blasting away the rocks and wood of the docks with the same force. The Guardian Security Forces continued to respond to the shpis bombardment, but their auto guns bounced harmlessly off the ships hull. At a small opening in the front of the Magus was Ozzie the 8th, clad in black robes, who was unleashing bolts of lightning which were rapidly slaughtering Guardia's forces.
Crono responded to the Mystic assault by unleasing green lines which crackled with electricity - about six of them. The lines came together at one point on the Magus's hull, exploding in a sphere of green light. That part of the hull gave out in a puff of black smoke, revealing standard wood. Guardia's forces used their autoguns and began pounding at the opening, which soon gave out, revealing a bunk of Gargoyle's. The Gargoyle', hideous, grayish, winged Mystics that looked vaguely annoyed at being disturbed, and began to swarm out of the opening.
Suddenly men in Guardia's Military Uniforms came out, armed with large guns, and teams of four carrying cannons as well. They set up on the waterfront, and began firing at the Magus, knocking out it's black armor with red bolts. King Guardia was encircled, but Marle had dissapeared. More soldiers were arriving all the time, but the soldiers were being killed at astonishing rates, with the Magus's exploding cannons taking out tens of soldiers at a time.
"We have to do something," screamed Lucca over the cannon fire.
"You have an astonsihing grasp of the obvious," yelled Janice "Where's Crono?"
At that precise moment Crono Was on the Magus's gangplanks underside, climbing towards Ozzie the 8th. Crono knew that this proabably wouldn't stop Ozzie the 8th, but he had to try. He reached the point where the gangplank intersected with the ship. Crono knew what he had to do - dying wasn't that difficult. You barely had time to feel it.
Ozzie the 8th had an odd premotion - that this might be his final battle. It was a short life, but if he did what the Shadows had instructed him to do here, he would surely go down in history. Taking a short breath, he launched a small black cube directly at the circle around King Guardia.
Crono concentrated,, creating six beams of green light and bringing them across the bottom of the gangplank. Tha gangplank collasped, and both he and Ozzie the 8th fell into the icy water.
Lucca's mind could barely conprehend what happened; Ozzie the 8th launched a small black cube which spun in all directions, whirling right to the circle protecting Guardia. Then the gangplank collasped, sending Ozzie the 8th plunging into the water. The cube hit the circle in the exact center and exploded, enveloping the entire circle in a black substansce. When the substansce had cleared, the skeletons of the soldiers clad in uniforms were all that remained, along with, in the center, and smoking pile of robes. which had formerely housed King Guardia.
Crono's every part hurt as he hit the water, he saw a whirling pile ofblack robes fall right above him, intermixed with purple. Ozzie the 8th hit the water, and grabbed on to his leg, draggin them both down. Crono had only one chance. Ozzie the 8th opened his mouth, and Crono unleashed gree light, all that he could muster. The green flashed and quickly dispersed into the surrounding water, including that which Ozzie had ingested. Ozzie the 8th relaxed his grip, and slowly sank to the bottom of the ocean.
Crono hurt, and an a huge undercurrent swept him towards the shore. He noticed a huge underside of a ship turning away in the opposite direction - the Magus was returning to Medina.. Crono quickly rose to the top of the water, and began swimming towards the remains of the dock, which he grabbed unto, got up on, and began walking on towards the shore, where there were perhaps 100 soldiers and 50 bystanders were milling around. The Magus was already out of range, but it's cannons had taken their toll - almost all the surrounding buildings lie in ruins, reduced to smoking ruins. Corpses lay everywhere, killed by the Magus's cannons.
Marle came up to him from behind one of the shattered piles of wood, and Lucca and Janice came up to him.
"My father is dead," sobbed Marle.
.
12 Days Later.
Crono solemnly walked into the High Council Chambers behind the courtroom where he had been tried for "terrorism". Crono never liked the King, who had always been far too obsessive over his daughter, willing to violate anyone's rights for her safety. The King was a tyrant, it was as simple as that. Now, Crono was the acting represenative for Northern Truce, Janice for Middle, and Lucca for South on the High Council. The High Council was only called in times of emergency or war, and this qualified. The Mayor of Porre, Lady Elanor (an elderly lady) of Fiona, Nu of the Western Woods, Marle of Guardia, and Sir Walder Thadion of Choras were all present for the funeral of King Guardia, and were now in a small chamber, sitting at a elongated table. The lawyer Pierre was advising Marle, Crono, Lucca, and Janice.
"I think the first order of buisness is a clear line of succession. With Marle underage, it clearly falls to me to be acting King of the Guardian Protectorate, acting Regent for Marle," announced the Chancellor.
"Is that true?" asked Marle of Pierre.
`"It is, princess. Your only power is now on this council. The Chancellor is indeed the acting King," answered Pierre.
.