In Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy he talks about the 'space' between worlds (dimensions) and the spectre-like beings that exist there. I sort of see the DBT in a similar light. Reading my post won't make sense, though. You have to have read the books to understand what I'm talking about.
Actually, I was thinking of the same thing (Pullman's "windows").
For those who haven't read the books, essentiall a "window" is a lot like the dimensional distortion in CC. It connects one world with "another" world in which there are fundamental differences. Perhaps there is just a social difference, perhaps evolution happened slightly differently, perhaps the laws of physics are slightly different (allowing one's "Spirit" to manifest itself in the real world), etc.
A window technically is only a two dimensional object; it has length and width but no depth. Yet, at the same time, the two worlds don't perfectly touch; there is a definable spot where one ends and the other begins. In that spot, the space between existances, there is nothing. It doesn't technically exist, yet it is a "something" that separates the worlds.
Thus to tie this back to Chrono, the passage between a gate's two ends doesn't really exist in any manner that is easily understandable. It is the void between this world and the next, where things can pass through but don't really exist.
The space between dimensions. There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions, billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in between, containing absolutely nothing. Can you imagine that, nothing? No light, no dark, no up, no down, no life.... no time.... without end. My people called it "the Void", the Eternals call it "the Howling", but some people call it Hell.
Sorry to jump in here w/o reading very much of the thread, but I read talk of the Tesseract, and wanted to make sure everyone knows that this is apparently the name of the DBT in the Japanese script:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/196917/8578
Brilliant Faust! This helps underline the importance and ultimate need for a CC retranslation.
If the Japanese version calls it a Tesseract, then that is very strong evidence indeed that it is a tesseract. But, unfortunately, does anyone know how accurate that translation is? What I mean is, is the Japanese word just one that could be translated as "Tesseract" or is the meaning much more fixed? As Vehek pointed out, that FAQ's interpretation of the Japanese meaning of Bend of Time being "the Ultimate Thule of Time" isn't a perfect translation. Thus, is Tesseract a good or debateable translation as well?
That FAQ is terribly interesting(particularly in the alternate translation of the Dragon God Time Devourer being "Lunar Dragon" or the Astral Amulet being a "Medicine Bag"), but I am unclear on how good and firm all its translations are. (And some of the NA translations are better than the originals; Doll Clay is pretty mundane, but Terrator is fun).
Interesting, I wonder how Elranzer came up with Ultima Thule? It sorta fits with the definition as presented by MagilsugaM, being an island that is inaccessible during a non-New Game+ playthrough, and thus could be interpreted as "beyond the known world." To be perfectly accurate, Elranzer listed it as Ultima Thule of Time.
If the Bend of Time is a place of "Dimensional Vulnerabilities," its nature may be related to Angelus Errare (entrance point to the DBT?), the entrance/exit point to/from Sprigg's whacked-out dimensional home, and the Dead Sea. Come to think of it, could all these places be labeled an Angelus Errare? El Nido seems to be littered with dimensional disturbances.
But one can access the Bend of Time in a non-New Game+ playthrough. Though it is rather random place that doesn't fit in well with the rest of the game, making it fit rather nicely still with being "beyond the known world."
Also, the Angelus Errare may or may not lead to the DBT. It depends on if all of Opassa Beach is the AE or just the distortion between the worlds. If the latter, then the DBT is accessed from a different portal. But if all dimensional distortions (including the one in the Hydra Marshes) can be termed Angelus Errare, then that would make sense. Unfortunately the game isn't terribly specific on this.
