Amor Vincit Omnia Chapter 15
The Long Wait Over
By Minmei
"Crono..."
"Crono!" the female voice called softly.
Crono stirred.
"Wake up, Crono!"
Crono let out a sleepy moan. "Ohh, but Mom, I don't want to go to school today. I'm too tired from saving the world," he mumbled. As if in response, he suddenly received a pillow blow to his face. "Aagh!"
"I said, 'Get up!' you dummy!" Lucca said in exasperation. "Sheesh."
"Mmph! Fine! You know, you didn't have to hit me with that pillow," he told her grumpily. "I mean, what is so important that you have to disturb my sleep?"
"Robo's finally here!"
"Oh." Crono quickly scrambled to his feet.
"Now, come on, let's go," Lucca beckoned. "They're all by the shore." They followed the path out of the woods. "I can't believe you fell asleep for half the day," Lucca remarked. "I mean, it's almost sunset."
Crono raised an eyebrow at his friend. "You're cracking on my sleeping habits? What about you and loverboy last night? You guys looked pretty cozy when we came in."
Lucca sighed. "I already explained to you, Crono, about my nightmares," she told him. "Nothing happened."
A mischievous grin crossed the boy's face. "Mm-hmm. Sure."
Lucca's mouth fell open. She cast Crono a dirty look and shoved him back on his shoulder. "Crono!"
Crono started to laugh. "I'm just kidding! I know you guys didn't do anything." They walked to the beach to join everyone else.
"Good, you're here," Robo said as Crono and Lucca approached.
"Great," Lucca responded. "Now will you tell us what happened?"
The metal creature nodded. "As Atropos explained, I was trying to get the people into shelterdomes," he began. "We DID manage to get some of the population safe, but there are still many unaccounted for." Robo paused briefly. "I feel as if I have let them down..."
"Robo, you did all you could. Don't beat yourself up," Lucca told him sympathetically. "Now, what took you so long to get here?"
"Well, my tardiness is also related to why many didn't survive," Robo continued. "As Doan and I placed the third set of people into a shelterdome, Lavos-the second Lavos-rapidly tore through the depths of its lifelong prison and arose, throwing flaming spears everywhere."
Lucca could have sworn that she detected a hint of fear in the robotic voice.
"The visual in the old future's Arris Dome was bad, but the real experience is far worse than any of you can ever imagine. I was outside when it occurred. One of the flames that the creature shot out hit a building close to me, and a large chunk of it fell and rendered me unconscious. That piece is the only thing that spared me, because when I came to, there were charred human bodies all around me, as far as the eye could see. I was amazed the piece didn't crush me. It took me a while to find what used to resemble Guardia Forest and enter the gate. I was just lucky to see the gate as I...walked past the bodies," he finished, his words as melancholy as the looks on the member's faces.
Marle's expression turned quite serious. "Robo, was…Doan in a shelterdome when this happened? Is he...okay?" she asked, feeling very worried.
Robo turned to face her. "Marle..." he started. "Marle, I'm.....I'm sorry. The last thing I remember before blacking out was…seeing a flame hit Doan. When I regained consciousness, I saw a body, badly burned, with your pendant grasped in its hand."
"Oh no," Marle whimpered. Crono put his arm around her as she buried her face into his shoulder. "Not Doan...poor Doan..." After a while, she pulled away, dried her eyes and said, "If we...d-destroy this…monster, then that future won't happen, right? Right? We have to kill this thing! I won't be satisfied until this horrible creature is dead. So what are we waiting for?"
"A plan, perhaps?" Magus threw in.
"Yeah, Robo," Crono agreed. "How are we going to kill it? Where are we supposed to go?"
"Well, it rose from the...behind what used to be Mount Denadoro. So if we go there-"
"Then we'll find that son of a...um, er, Lavos!" Crono finished for him.
"Exactly," Robo said, nodding. "At least, we'll find a path that leads to him."
"Good!" said Lucca. "Now, how are we going to beat him?"
Robo hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well, we can't just kill him the way we did the first. I measured the energy levels, and it appears to be even more powerful than I had previously thought. We need a force similar to it to...counteract its power."
"What are you getting at, Robo?" Crono asked.
"Remember when we charged Marle's pendant in Zeal? Well, that power-Lavos' power-may be what we need to weaken this new monster. So Marle, if we bring your pendant to-"
"I'm sorry, Robo, I can't do it," Marle told him, shaking her head.
Lucca's jaw dropped. "I don't believe it! Marle, I thought you of all people-"
"You don't understand," Marle said, turning towards Lucca. "My pendant was damaged when we brought Schala back, remember?" She held up the necklace for all to see.
The team looked and felt disappointed...and defeated.
"Wait," Schala suddenly said. "Let me go. I can do it."
Magus stared at her disapprovingly. "No, Schala, you can't," he said to her. "If I lose you a third time-"
"NOTHING…is going to happen to me," she told him. "If you want to worry about something, worry about our planet. This world's future is at stake."
Magus stared at Schala for a while, but finally agreed.
"Miss Schala, how can you help?" Robo asked.
"Well, Marle's pendant is cracked, but mine isn't. I could try to fight the creature's power."
"But Schala, wasn't your pendant's power used up when you sent us away from the Ocean Palace?" Marle asked.
The sorceress turned to face Marle. "Yes, but..." she started. "Well, I tested the pendant a couple of days ago. Apparently it was recharged while I was a part of Lavos. So...come on. Let me join. I feel partly responsible for Lavos' evil. Let me come."
"Then it's settled," Robo declared. "Tomorrow, we head for Mount Denadoro!"
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At the entrance of the forest...
The figure, wearing a faded orange cloak, sat hidden in a tree. The figure was trying to eavesdrop on the party's conversation, but could only make out so few words. Mount Denadoro? Is that where all of you are going? Good. I will follow you and have my revenge. You haven't seen the last of me, my dear little scientist. You shall pay dearly for what you did to me...and my poor, poor friends. You will know the pain and humiliation of loss, especially now that I know where you live...
The figure then gazed at the blue haired man standing opposite Lucca, and frowned.
Hmmm. That man...looks familiar. If I am not mistaken, he is acting like-acting like...the Prophet?! The Prophet is here as well?! Well, ha ha...I can kill two birds with one stone...maybe literally. I'll have my revenge on the scientist...and the Prophet.
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OH...MY...GOSH!!!! Who is this secret character? Why is he/she so determined to ruin Lucca...and Magus? Bleh, you probably already know. The unmasking, next!
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