"Born of Light and Dark, he shall wield the Nightmare blade...The Elements are his allies, the Light his guardian, and the Darkness his servent...He shall come journey beyond the bounderies of time, and cast off the demon that holds his power...He is a prince of a lost kingdom, but he shall be know to all as the Prince of Shadows..."
Ten years past since that day. Magus made it widely known that Cyrus had fallen, and that darkness was coming, that the end of humanity was near. The King refused to believe that his greatest warrior was dead, but as the years wore on, he soon found it to be the truth; Cyrus was dead, and Janus was still controlled by the demon Magus Daikat. No one knew what happened to Glenn, but in the years that had followed, a strange frog-like being had appeared, saving the Queen's life against a band of Mystics. As such, he had become the queen's personal guard, though most people didn't trust him. Magus was the only one beside 'Frog' that knew the truth. It soon came to the point in the war where the was almost no hope left for the humans, for without Masamune, Magus could not be defeated. That's when the three strangers arrived, and everything changed...
Ozzie paced back and forth as he awaited Magus' arrival. "Blast it, where is he?" "Waiting for someone?" Ozzie growled as Magus appeared. "I've been waiting for an hour! Haven't you heard?!" "Out plan was foiled by that frog and two brats," Magus replied. "I know. However, they still don't have Masamune, and without it, they cannot defeat me." "But that boy!" Ozzie sputtered. "That red head kid! He's like nothing we've ever encountered! He has the pontential to use magics!" That got Magus' attention as he snapped his head up. "How do we know this?" "Yakra got a message out before he croaked," Ozzie answered. "Magus...you think they might be like that kid?" "No...they can't be...all survivors of Zeal became normal humans. They must be from a place that's rediscovered magic...it matters not...soon the humans shall be gone, and with them, the threat to my power." Think again, beast... Magus yelled in pain as he fell to his knees. "Damn you, boy! Stop it!!" "Not again!" The time draws near when I shall be free, and you will be cast out of my body! "No!" Magus growled as he got back to his feet. "Ozzie hold things here...I need rest...and to handle this damn brat." Ozzie watched as Magus barely managed to leave the chamber. "Damn, that kid's gotten strong..."
Magus breathed hard as he stumbled to his chambers, fighting off the pain of Janus' attacks. "Stop it! I'm the master of this body!" You only fool yourself, demon! I warned you that no matter how hard you try, I will become stronger! Magus growled in anger. "No...I am stronger!! I am....AAAHHHHHH!!!!" Light blazed from his eyes as they changed color, from black to deep blue. His face changed as well, taking a youthful appearence as a new mind took over. "You were warned..." Damn you brat! You can't hold me forever! "Long enough to do what must be done..." The voice was a sharp contrast to Magus'. It was youthful and full of life. "I will have vengence on Lavos...and you will be out for long enough..."
Ozzie was lazing about in Magus' throne when the cloaked figure walked in. "Magus! I, uh..." "Don't bother, I'm not in the mood," 'Magus' replied. Ozzie didn't even notice the change in him, the change of voice. Janus had been living with the demon so long, it was all too easy to impersonate him. "The strangers have returned..." "Huh?!" "Look outside if you don't believe me," Janus replied. "I've got something I have to do..." He turned and walked away, glad he was able to fool Ozzie. "Lavos..." Ozzie grinned at the thought of taking out the new enemy. "Flea! Slash! We've got company coming!"
Janus furled his brow. He knew that his old friend was coming, but that he wouldn't know the truth, nor would he believe it. All he could do now was take vengence for his home and sister. "Nee Tie, Kai Norsi, Mi Cont, In Su Ra...Kai Tarnee Sorai, Matia Jati Bash Desi..." The sounds of thunder and explosions rumbled through the fortress, but Janus continued with his chant. "Mako Lini, Tekoni Valus...aahhh!!" Very interesting plan...summon Lavos and destroy him! I believe I can use that as well!! "Not...now...." Janus fell to the ground as his eyes turned black and his face took it's aged look again. "Schala...forgive me...." His form got back to it's feet as Magus was back in control. "Hm...All I need do is use that chant...how did you learn it?" He smiled as he restarted the chant, this time, with no interuptions. "Nee Tie, Kai Norsi, Mi Cont, In Su Ra...Kai Tarnee Sorai, Matia Jati Bash Desi...Mako Lini, Tekoni Valus...Keonta Karova, Melanta Harkova...A thousand nightmares shall soon come true, as space and time rip in two...reality ends, time is tossed...worlds collide..." "Magus!!" That snapped him out of the spell, and Magus spun to see his hated foe. "Well, well, well! If it isn't Glenn Figaro, the Frog Knight...kiss any princess lately?! Oh, I forgot, that only works in the fairy tales!" "I rather enjoy this form," Frog snapped. "And I oweth all to thee! I have something for thou!" He brandished his weapon, Magus recognizing it. "I see you found the other half of Masamune and repaired it! I bet you're just dying to test it...Aaaaahhhh!!!" He grabbed his head as pain blazed through him, confusing Frog and his companions. "Stop it, you twit, or we'll both die!" "Both?" the red head repeated, his voice bearing a slight accent. "What is he talking about?" Magus shook off the pain and snarled as he fought off Janus' attack. "It won't matter, boy. Soon, you won't be around to worry about it! Dark...." The entire fortress began to rumble just before he could cast the spell, and an alien scream cause him to stop. "No! Not now!" "There's a large scale energy signal forming!" the third member of Frog's group stated, looking around in confusion. "Could it be...Lavos?!" "Really bad timing, you idiots!" Magus bellowed. "He's waking up!" "What are you talking about?!" the mechanical member of Frog's group stated. "According to my records, Lavos was born here, at this precise moment!" "You fools! Lavos is no creation of mine! I only summoned him here! He's from deep within the Earth, draining the land's life and power!" "My data is incorrect?!" Another scream made Magus grab his head as he once more felt pain. "No... stop!!!" "A Gate is forming....but of these proportions, it's impossible!" Magus struggled to stand, then went flying into the time gate as everything was pulled in. "Nooo!!!"
Weakly, he opened his eyes, finding himself in a cave of some sort. "Where am I?" Magus slowly got to his feet and walked out of the cave, find the outside to be covered in snow. "What?! What is this place?!" My home! "Still there?" Magus chuckled. "Well, if this is indeed your home...that means Lavos flung us back in time...and I have the perfect chance to have a little fun...by the way, who is Schala?" You stay away from her! "Ah, so the brat has a sister...might be fun to see what she can be like." Magus chuckled as he drew his hood over his head and wrapped his cloaks like a robe. "And with my knowledge of the future...I should be in the perfect position to wreak some chaos here." he stepped out into the snow blown world, casting a sphere of heat around him to clear his path towards a small hut-like structure. "So, what is this place? Might as well tell me, I'll only pry it from your mind anyhow." They're skygates, they link the surface to Zeal... "Perfect..." He stepped into the skygate and walked to the platform, finding himself instantly teleported to another skygate. There was no wind howling outside, and Magus found that he was on an island in the sky! "Amazing...." Turning, he saw a palace on the high mountain and smiled. "I'm guessing that's where your mother lives...shall we?"
"Of all the things...why are there so many setbacks?!" Enhasa Zeal bellowed. "Dalton, what is causing so much trouble?!" "You highness..." Dalton struggled to find the right words. "Building a palace under the ocean is not an easy task. We lost fifty workers in the last flood." "Then start grabbing more!" Zeal snapped. "I want the Ocean Palace done, and soon!" "But your highness..." "I believe I can help..." Dalton spun and growled as the newcomer walked in. The guards had a look of dispair on their faces for not having done their job. "Who the hell are you?!" "You may call me the Prophet, for that is what I am," the man stated, his face hidden in the shadows of his cloak's hood. "I can help you, Queen Zeal. I have seen the future, and I know how to make your dreams reality..." "Is that so?" Zeal smiled a bit. "Well then...prophet...tell the future..." "In three days from now...the Guru of Life, Melchior, will object to you're using the power of Lavos...you will seal him away on a floating mountain called Woe...Three strangers will soon come from the surface like I did, but they will seek to stop your dream...one will have hair like those of Zeal, yet it is red like fire...Does that satisfy you?" Dalton was about to order the man to be taken away, but Zeal raised her hand to silence him. "Well, well, well...do you have proof of your power?" "If the lord Dalton here is willing to volunteer on of his golems...yes, I do..." Zeal nodded to Dalton, who summoned one of the golems and smiled. "Hope you don't bruise easily...golem, attack!" "DARK BOMB!!!!" A blast of black light erupted from the ground beneath the golem and vaporized it, Dalton staring in shock at the death of one of his minions. "I don't believe it!" Zeal, however, was clapping and laughing at the sight. "Well, you've proved you have powers...very well...I will head your words...but as to the Ocean Palace..." "I will aid you there as well..." the prophet stated, grinning a bit. Hook line...and sinker...
Three days later, the prediction came true, and Melchior was imprisioned on Mount Woe for his words. Magus' every word came to pass...and soon so did the arrival of the three strangers...
"My Queen," Dalton staed as he bowed to the elven eared woman. "Three strangers have arrived in Zeal, one of them has red hair that is like ours..." "Just as the Prophey foretold..." Zeal frowned. "I want them watched..." "As you command..." Dalton turned and teleported away, a bit miffed that so far, the prophet had indeed been right in all his predictions. So much that he was getting Dalton's position as trusted advisor. "One of these days, he's gonn'a screw up, and when he does..." Magus silently walked past the servents of the palace, smiling to himself. Well, it seems history is repeating itself... Now I know who that damn prophet was...it was you... Come now...history, after all, must be preserved for the future to occur. You of course know that. That doesn't mean I have to like it... Magus chuckled to himself, then felt a famliar presence. "They're here...right on time as well..." And you shall be beaten again...After all, history will repeat itself. Hmmm...I sense three living beings this time, not two...Where is that mechanical one... There were three when Lavos rose...the machine was not with them... Magus frowned and continued on his way as he walked towards Zeal's throne room. "It seems a little preporation is in order..."
Zeal smiled as she felt Magus enter. "What is it, Prophet? "Your highness," Magus replied, bowing low. "The three strangers that have arrived will bring great disaster upon your plan to awaken the Great Beast. Should you not dispose of them before they present their threat?" "These three know nothing of my plan," Queen Zeal replied with a snort. "However, if you feel they are a threat, then you handle them yourself, Prophet. You seem most able to handle things such as this." "My Queen..." Magus was about to snap back, then hesitated and bowed. "As you wish." He turned and left the chamber, his cloak billowing around him as he walked through the doorway, stopping for a brief moment as Schala almost ran into him. "I'm sorry..." she began, Magus merely walking past her as if he didn't have time for an apology. Filthy demon! Oh, come now, you know me by now... Magus chuckled as he walked down the corrider. Such rudeness is my trademark.
Hours later, Magus was called for to the Queen's chambers. He knew that it was about Lavos and the Ocean Palace, it could only be about that. He walked into the massive throne room and smiled. "You summoned me, my Queen?" "Yes, I did..." Zeal paused as Schala entered, frowing. "You're late, Schala." "I'm sorry..." "No excuses! We must begin the awakening of Lavos to gain our immortality. Schala, you will aid the Prophet in raising Lavos from his rest..." Again, the door slid open, but this time, it was a trio must unexected. "What? What's going on?" "Who are you, how did you get in here?!" Zeal demanded. "Your Majesty," Magus spoke up. "These are the evildoers I warned you of...the one with hair like the Enlightened Ones, yet fire red..." "How dare you think you could oppose me!" Zeal bellowed at the trio. "You're worse than the Gurus! Dalton, take them away!" "At once, my Queen!" Dalton stated with a grin. "Golem!!!" All of those in the room, save the trio of a redhead, a purple haired girl, and a savage woman, telported away, but when they returned minutes later... "AH!! That's impossible!" Dalton cried. "They detroyed my Golem?!" "Good help is so hard to find these days, is it not, Dalton?" Magus said mockingly. "Allow me. Dark...Bomb!!!" A sphere of black energy slammed the three, weaking the trio and forcing them to their knees. Queen Zeal laughed as she stepped down the stairs from her throne. "Fear not! You won't die... Immediately, that is! By the time we're through with you, you'll be begging us to end your suffering." "No...." the red haired teenager winced just before collapsing.
Magus laughed to himself. He had no foes now, and he would soon do what he planned. "This pitiful kingdom, it's end almost at hand..." He stopped as he saw Schala and lilttle Janus sneak into the chamber where the three strangers were being held. "And what's happening here?" Stop it now!! Magus ignored his host and followed the Princess and her brother, knowing what Schala was planning. "Well, let's wait this out first..."
Janus snorted at the group of three human. "Idiots, that's what they are...What will you do, Schala?" "Rescue them," Schala replied, a bit angry at her brother's attitude towards these three. "I think it's useless," the boy stated. "Besides, if they escape, you'll be in trouble." "Don't worry about me...They just might be able to rescue the Gurus." She closed her eyes and chanted a spell, her pendent glowing as the field holding the group vanished, and the three landed on the ground. "Uh...where are we?" the red head asked, a bit groggy. "Wha?" "Are you all right?" Schala asked, kneeling dow to him. "I'm sorry it you're a bit..." "That's alright," the boy replied. "Where are we? "No time to explain, you must escape from the palace! And if you can, please rescue Melchior, he was sent to the Mountain of Woe for opposing the Queen. Please, you have to help him!" "I'm afraid I can't allow that..." Magus finally walked out from his hiding place and grinned. "I'm afraid your meddling has tired me. Time for you to vanish, permenently!" "No!" Schala pleaded. "You can't!" "Stop!" Janus cried Magus growled, then felt a pain in his head. Stop it!!! You must let them go! Otherwise history and time will be disrupted! The demon snarled, then decided to listen for once. "Very well... I'll spare them. But in return, you will cooperate, Schala!" He turned to the red head with a snarl. "Now, show me how you came here!"
In a dark cave, the three lead Magus and Schala to a black ball of light. "A time gate..." He turned to Schala and growled. "After I throw them in, I want you to seal the portal shut." "No!" Schala replied in defiance. "You can't make me!" "You will obey me! Their lives are at stake!" Schala dropped her head, knowing she had no choice. "Very well." Magus smiled and opened the Gate, watching carefully as the three went through. "Now, seal it!" Reluctently, Schala summoned her powers and shut the gate, sealing it in a golden pyramid of light. She fell to her knees and began to cry as Magus walked away. "Please forgive me..."
To Be Continued...... 