Chapter 3: Atonements.
He had a massive scar on his cheek, stemming across his face, from the bottom of his chin, to just under his right eye. His right arm was slung inside his large brown trench coat, held in place by a belt with a large sack at the back of it. White gauze was strapped around his arms, and most of his chest, and he wore thick dark blue pant tucked into combat books. This man… he looked as if he’d been through hell, and had single handily fought it off. But, his blue eyes were gentle; save the furrow they had looking at Xocotl.
The creature came at them, spewing a massive billow of flame. Janus managed to jump out of the way, and turned to see the man across from him. He readied his katana with his left hand, looking at the creature with intent.
Janus instinctively popped his dagger out, and held it in a same style he had with that metal beast from earlier. “Good boy. Protect the orphanage. There are still things we need from it.”
The man charged. The giant lizard sidestepped him as he swung down, billowing more flame. He tossed it off with his sword again, and then pulled his right arm from his sleeve. “Lighting.”
A massive bolt of energy streamed from his hand. Xocotl flung himself to the side, and then blasted another wave of fire. The man landed and stepped back. Xocotl turned, his eyes now on Janus.
“Fight.” The man said, reading his katana again. “Fight for her.”
It charged. Janus swung out. He was knocked back, followed by a trail of blood. Xocotl let out a roar. His face was bleeding a bright red. Lava. It was bleeding lava! Janus rolled back, but managed to stop on his feet. He could hardly breathe. First that metal beast…now Xocotl himself!
“Lighting.” A blast of energy slammed into the creature, its skins suddenly became more blacken than before. It rolled back, more lava spraying down. Janus ran for cover, and stumbled.
“The forest will burn down if we lead out there.” The man said. “We have to fight it here and now.” He ran towards it as it regained its feet. It turned, failing its tail. The man was caught, and was flung back. He landed on his feet, and rushed forward again. Dodged a high blow to the head, jumped over a low sweep, and barely catching its next swing with the back of his blade. “Janus!”
Janus wanted to run. What was happening? Why was this all happening to him lately?
It was that girl’s fault! She brought all this too him! Why did he ever help her that day?
“Don’t cry… He’ll be there soon.”
“You need to be strong…”
“Janus! If you don’t fight, you’ll never see your friends again!” Janus’ eyes shot open. The man was fending off the beast single handly, though barely: his muscles were sweating with strain and the searing flesh of Xocotl had begun to burn him as well. If Janus didn’t do anything, he would be killed, and Janus would be next.
For some reason, he pictured it as a storybook. This was a trial for knights. A trial by fire.
And for some reason, he didn’t believe the story ended here for either of them.
He ran. The beast’s mouth opened. He didn’t know what he was doing. The blade he’d carried so long without letting go suddenly fled his hand. “Be strong.”
The man jumped back. Grabbed Janus, fled into the house. A moment later, a blast of fire rocketed down the hallways, bursting through the rooms of the house, dancing past him and the man as it ran through the house.
All those years he had that dagger, hunted and fished with it. It was the only thing he had to remind him of his parents. Were their voices lay and told him right from wrong. And now… now it was…
“Its gone.” The man said, sitting up. “Tougher than I expected without the others. If I’d had Marle or Frog with me, we’d have had an easier fight. But that’s a thought for later.”
He stood up, dusted himself off, tucking his arm back into its normal sling like position. He picked up Janus, and dusted him off as well. He looked the room over, eyeing its seals and the broken walls. This… this was terra’s room. They really shouldn’t be in here. They’ll get in trouble. “Hmm.”
He opened the red box, pulled out the red hilt, and eyed the card. “Alright.” He quickly stuffed them both into his jacket, and they prompt disappeared. He then looked up. Terra’s book lay untouched. “….” He let out a thick breath, and eyed it intently, not moving. He touched it, sighing at the leather touching his skin. Picked it up, opened it to a page.
“‘ Thus the curtain closes on another tale.
An eternity has passed...
Fleeting dreams fade into the distance...
All that is left now
Is me and my memories...
But I'm sure we'll meet again,
Someday, you and I...
Another place, another time.
It's just that we might not realize
That you are you and I am me...
Let us open the door to the great unknown,
Come across another reality,
And live another today...
Even when the story has been told,
Life goes on...
Until we meet again,
Take care of yourself, my friend...”
“Ha… HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!” He laughed uncontrollably, holding his head, his smile scarring Janus. “Schala, did you really believe this when you wrote it? That you could solve everything by yourself, and be happy? DID YOU LEARN NOTHING FROM US!” He screamed, suddenly vicious, his arm ready to attack. Janus jumped, and swallowed the yelp the wanted to make.
The man turned to him. His face suddenly dropped. He looked down at the book. Something similar to the terror of Janus had crept unto his face, his face frozen with confusion as well.
“I’m… sorry.” He pulled his arm back into his sleeve. “I’m… placing blame on her for my own mistakes. I’d have done the same thing she did. In an instant.”
“Who?” Janus asked, despite himself.
“Your mother.” Janus’ eyes widen at the thought of her name. “Yes. I know your mother.”
“How? How do you know my mother? Who are you?”
“I’m someone who shouldn’t exist anymore.” He walked towards the door. “An enigma, trying to save that which does not want to be saved.”
“Huh?”
“Well, actually, I guess… I’m your great uncle, Crono.”
The words slammed into Janus’ brain like a ton of bricks. Never once did Terra tell him about his other family members: whether they were alive or dead. Come to think of it, he’d never been told if his own parents were alive or dead. And now, before him, stood his own uncle. Or great uncle, but he didn’t really know the difference anyway. It was, well… breathtaking to say the least.
This man with the scarred face, and the gentle eyes: his uncle? What else had Terra hidden from him? “My… uncle?”
“Yeah. And this book, its your mother’s. But not from now: later.” Janus cocked his head at Crono, who fingered the book, his eyes still on it with intent. “Your mom…. And me… we both made mistakes we had to atone for… big mistakes…”
“Like swiping food from the pot early? Or running across the chasm logs?”
“Something along those line… worse… but, thing is, there’s one last thing we have to do before we can atone for them. One last thing your mom needs to do, before everything is alright.”
“What is it?”
“She has to meet up with your father.”
“My dad!”
“Yeah. My nephew.”
“You’re my dad’s uncle too?”
“mhmm. It’s kinda weird, but your mom and your dad, knew each other before they even knew they were going to be in love. Your mom and your dad, you see, they each saved each other when they were very little. This place, its actually where your mom grew up, but it burned down when she was little. She would have died, but your dad bravely ran through the fire and searched for her. He saved her, but had to leave, and left her crying, and with in imprint of love already in her heart.”
“Wow…!” Janus said. “And mom saved dad?”
“When he was little, she saved him from drowning. Then, she saved him from dying cause of poisonous bite. He returned the favor, saving her multiple times. Each time, their love grew and grew. He save her from a poison dagger: she took a fatal wound for him. Those two, you see, their bound by the destiny of love.”
“The destiny of love? You mean like fate?” Crono grimaced at that word.
“No. Nothing like fate. Fate is something you can’t control, no matter what, you’ll do what it asks. Fate’s horrible.
“ The destiny of love… that’s something different. It means, because they love each other so much, that no matter what happens, no matter who or what tries to stand in their way Janus, those two will always find each other, and will always end together. Like me and your great aunt… Or… I’d like to think that… maybe… soon…”
“But why aren’t they together now then?”
“That… is F.a.t.e.’s doing.”
“But you said you don’t believe in fate?”
“Not Fate fate, Janus. F-a-t-e. One of the many mistakes we made: me and your mom, your dad, and everybody you related too.”
“Where is everybody? Where is my family then?”
“They’re… atoning… trying to at least… For the sins they made… the mistakes we did in the name of love. The destiny of love.”
“But… what did they do?”
“A thought for another time. Do you have the red dagger?” Crono eyed him, then the room. His eyes settled on a small box in the center of them room. He opened the box, sighing at the disheartening sight of the hilt with no blade. “Dreamstone is the strongest substance on earth, Melchior you liar.” He picked up the small note. Eyed it, gaze another heavy sighs, but smiled instead. “Schala… did you really believe in this happiness?”
“Uh… Those are… Terra’s things.” Janus said, noticing him pocket the two other items.
“No, Janus. They’re yours. But I’m going to keep them, just for now. Now lets go.” He stormed out of the room, walking out of the broken house and eyeing the damage to the surrounding forest. Janus followed him, and was in awe of the sight.
The ground was red, and he could felt the heat on his skin. The bushes, trees, any sign of life that had once existed in the area had been reduced to ash. The only thing that stood unharmed was his house, and the tree it sat under. That… and…
“Mom’s Dagger!” He ran over to it, ignoring the heat. It was unharmed, save for a few burns on the dagger’s wrapping. Crono smiled, despite his distain for the obvious destruction. He turned his attention to the house, eyes it with the same intent as he had everything. Janus sheathed his dagger with some effort, seeing as it was still hot. He looked at Crono for a moment, then back at the ground, and the ashy bush.
“Their not coming back, are they?”
“No. Not to here. This place… has seen its last days. It only wanted to live in peace. Unfortunately, it gained its wish.”
“Will we be able to see them again?”
“All points along the path we take will arrive at the same place. In the end.” He strode out unto the blacken forest, cracking his neck, and then said, without looking at him. “If you want to see them, if you want the truth, you need to be strong. I’m going ahead. If you want the truth, you’ll follow.”
Janus hesitated for only a moment. He was leaving his home, his friends, everything he had known in this burn-ridden house. Where he was going, he didn’t know. Where the future lead, he didn’t know either. All he could do is follow this ronin, this odd samurai claiming he was his uncle. That he could take him back to the one thing he wanted. Janus knew he was letting on more then he telling, but, for some reason… he trusted him with his life. Like, he’d known him forever, and known he could never let him fall.
“Alright!” he said as ran to catch up.
They traveled to the riverbed, then along its root. They traveled endless it seemed, till they came across the chasm. A lone fell tree bridged it to the land beyond the forest. Crono quickly walked across it, not even trying for balance. Janus raised his arms out, like Terra had told him to do when walking on small walkways, and took a few moments to walk across it. He leap off, and looked back. What he saw, was no less the oddest thing he’d ever seen.
There was no forest, no log holding island to the mainland. Instead, a rickety bridge and the lone, giant tree Janus had grown under. “Magic created the forest, and all its inhabitants. I knew this, because your mother and her mother used to live in that house. Even if time passed in an instant, the only seed planted their was at the top of the orphanage.”
“So… it wasn’t real?”
“It was, when you were there. It was deigned by your friends to sustain and hide you. When they left, it weakened, but as long as you stood in that forest, it was able to hold itself for you.” He turned to the newfound endless sea of grass, broken by only spots of trees and bushes. “This is the world Janus. This is where we will begin.”
“Begin what?”
“The rescue mission.”
“Huh? Rescue? Who are we rescuing?”
Crono’s expression faltered somewhat. He shook his head, and then turned his attention to the curious faced boy. “A thought for a different time Janus. First things first, and the sky alcove is waiting.”
“The sky alcove?” Janus couldn’t help himself. The world was all so new to him, and this man just spoke names, as if Janus would know what he was talking about. What was a sky alcove anyway? How do you get into something in the sky?”
“Its where an angel lost his way: Angelus Errare.”
The more he tried to understand, the more and more he grew into confusion. Crono seemed to know what he was doing, and for some reason, Janus found himself trusting him.
It seemed the mystery of what happened four months ago was only going to get more mysterious, so he only asked one question:
“So what are we waiting for?”