Specter of the Past Chapter 6
By KrossRodes
"So," the King asked Marle, "how are things with your father?"
Marle, setting down her water glass, said, "Things are better than ever. My father is even building a house for Chrono and I to live in after we get married."
"That's good," said the King. "By the way, did I mention that my wife is having a baby?"
Everyone immediately looked at Queen Leene and Marle said, "You had better take good care of that child since it is my ancestor."
All of the people sitting at the table laughed.
"Have you decided on a name, yet?" Lucca asked.
"Well," the Queen responded, "Ruskin if it's a boy and Elizabeth if it's a girl."
"Ruskin..." Marle muttered to herself. She knew that the child was going to be a boy. The history records she had to study listed all past kings of Guardia and Ruskin was the next King Guardia.
The meal was soon over and Crono said, "We had better get going."
"Are you going back to your time?" the Queen asked.
"No," Crono said, "I thought that we'd visit Frog before we leave. He might have an idea on why the gate opened."
As everyone stood up, the King said, "Say 'hi' to Glenn for us."
"We will," Marle said. "See you later."
The four left the castle and headed south. Marle didn't cause any problems the second time through the forest. They crossed Zenan Bridge and started towards Fiona's house. They didn't see Robo working outside, but when they walked by the house Fiona ran outside and said, "Hey, everyone!"
"Hi, Fiona," said Lucca. "Where's Robo?"
"Well," Fiona said, "Robo's joints were sticking so Marco's inside oiling him."
"Oh," Crono said. "Did Robo see us?"
"No, I don't think so," Fiona replied.
"Well, don't tell him we were here. Maybe it's best if Robo in this time doesn't know what's going on, yet," Crono said.
"Okay," said Fiona with an unsure look on her face.
"We'd better get going," Marle said.
They all exchanged goodbyes with Fiona and walked towards the Cursed Woods. When they walked by the place where the Sunken Desert used to be, the sand was pure white. They decided to walk around the big patch of white sand in case they'd accidentally fall into an old cavern underneath.
They eventually reached the Cursed Woods, but it wasn't as dark as it used to be. They walked to the back of the clearing and knocked on the wooden ladder hidden behind the bush.
"Frog, are you down there?" Crono asked.
Frog replied with, "Who doth knock upon thy ladder?"
"It's us, Glenn," Lucca shouted down the hole.
"Thou may enter," Frog said.
They all took turns climbing down the ladder. Magus was last.
When everyone reached the bottom of the ladder, Frog said, "Alas, 'tis Crono and thine company!" When he looked at Magus, he lowered his voice and said, "'Tis also thine foe of thy past."
"Relax, Frog," Marle said. "Magus is here to help us."
"The gates have reopened!" Lucca added.
"I shall prepare tea. Thou may speak of the whole tale then," Frog said.
When the tea was made, they all sat at his table and told him the story, making sure not to miss any detail.
When they had finished, they also ran out of tea.
"Thine tale is shrouded in mystery, but why doth thou come here? What is thine reason for reaching this era?" Frog asked.
"Well," Lucca explained, "the gate in Leene Square took us here, but to a different part of the Truce Canyon."
"We thought you might know something," Crono added. "So, when we came to this time, we came to look for you."
"Alas, I know not of what's going on," Frog said.
"Well," Marle said, "if you can't help, we might as well go home for the time being. It's getting late."
"Yes," Frog said, "that may be best. Return to me if thou finds any more information or if thou need-eth assistance."
"Sure," Crono said.
They all said their goodbyes and left.
As they were walking by Fiona's house, they were lucky that Robo was still inside. When they walked by Dorino Village, the small village before Zenan Bridge, a young woman ran up to them.
"You must be Crono," said the woman, there was a little panic in her voice.
"Do I know you?" Crono asked.
"You may not know me, but you know my brother," the woman said. "I'm Toma's twin sister. My name is Terra."
"Nice to meet you," said Lucca. "How do you know us?"
"Well," Terra said, "Toma always talked to me about you guys. How you always beat him to the treasures."
"What do you need to talk to us about?" Crono asked.
"I need your help," she replied. "I think by brother's in trouble. He left 4 hours ago to look for the Dragon's Egg and he hasn't returned since."
"So? Maybe he's following a good lead as to where it is," Marle suggested.
"I know, but I have a really bad feeling," Terra said. "We've always been able to tell when the other was in trouble, and I'm getting that feeling again."
"So, what do you want us to do?" Crono asked.
"I want you to look for him and help him if he is in trouble," she replied.
"I don't know if we have time," said Magus.
"Well," Lucca said, turning to Magus, "if we investigate this more we might find some information we need about the gates."
"Then it's settled," Crono said. "We'll go look for Toma."
"Where was he going when he left?" Marle asked.
"I know he went to Truce to follow a lead, but I think he was headed to the old castle east of here," Terra said.
Everyone looked at Magus when he said, "My castle?!"
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