THE BEGINNING OF THE APOCALYPSE 1

"Welcome to the Magic Guild of Vane, Alex of Burg. I'm Ghaleon, Premier of the Guild. My friend Nash here speaks well of you. You've seemed to help him a great deal along his journey. You seem to be quite resourceful, Alex...perhaps you can help me."

It suddenly hits him as to how he repeated the whole statement involuntarily. But it only bewilders him for a second and then returns to his previous train of thought.

Ghaleon continues his conversation with Alex about his predicament with a false Dragonmaster. Nash becomes distracted with the discussion by a glimmering object in the corner of his study. It appears to be 2 large crystals hovering above the ground. Large enough for people?

"Excuse me, Master Ghaleon, but what are those floating crystals in the corner? They appear to be cocoons of sorts, of what I have not seen of this Lunar."

Unexpectedly interrupted by Nash's curiosity, Ghaleon stops his talking and turns to Nash, with a stare of direct eye contact that feels so cold and evil that Nash steps back in fear. Alex then too wonders what the hell is going on.

"Hmmm...do you really want to know what those are ?", he asks while he slowly draws out the instrument of their demise. "They will soon be your fates as well!"

"Whu...", and in the next second Ghaleon withdraws his Trigger, points it at Nash and the white light consumes him. He is gone.

"What the hell is going on here, Ghaleon?"

"Settling the score, that's all!", and then Alex disappears as well.

Now, Ghaleon begins to doubt some his new-found powers. "Why didn't they crystallize? What is wrong with my half of the Crono Trigger?" He starts to anger a little bit, "What are you not telling me, Magus?! No matter, they are gone. Only three more to go. Soon, though, I will complete my takeover permanently." He places the Crono Trigger back in his pocket and stares out of the office, looking at the sunlight and blue skies of Lunar.

"Soon the skies will rain with blood and the sun will fade to a dark circle of death. The Goddess' power will be mine once again, and this world will bend to my will." He turns around and stares at the crystalline prisoners of his, "Too bad they do not know of the destruction that will become of their planet.

Suddenly, his face takes on an unexpected shape. Not since that fateful day in the black dragon's cave, and Dyne, and......................

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START MUSIC

Back on Crono's home planet, Alex and Nash reappear, only to find themselves in front of a dark and eerie castle. Bats fly around it and a huge gargoyle statue rests at its summit. A full moon brightens up the desolate woods that surround them.

"Wh...what just happened to us?", questions Nash, "What did Ghaleon do to us?"

"Wish I knew. Well, I guess we haven't much choice. Looks like exploring this castle is our only chance, and hopefully we can find some answers there." Looking at what is ahead of them and feeling a chill shoot down his spine.

The brave adventurers head toward the front entrance. Upon entering, they see nothing but steps and a long, dark hallway.

"Hello? Anybody there?"

Nash raises his staff and casts a small light spell. Only the long corridor ahead of them can be seen. Bats in the distance chant their call.

"Better be the wind.", a cautious Alex says with sword in hand.

Their journey down the dimly lighted hallway leads them thru just dark and gloomy rooms, with battle armor and weapons hanging on the walls. Moving floors and guillotines keep them on their toes. They near the end of their third room and pick up a faint laugh. An evil laugh. Nash calls out, "Hello?"

"ATTACK!"

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The magic emperor wipes his hands free of some sand that lifted from the beach onto his hands. He quietly speaks to himself, "And Jessica makes five." Before her Kyle and Mia both received the same treatment: a surprise appearance by Ghaleon and a quick disappearance of themselves, before a word in edgewise could be said.

Staring out at the island of the fake dragonmaster with his arms extended, "Source of all darkness, come before me and send this island to its dismal abyss below!"

In seconds the island self-destructs with explosions that vibrate the very earth below Ghaleon's feet. As the smoke cleared from the explosions, the island was halfway below sea level.

"Dragonmaster...haha, you fake bastard!"

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START MUSIC

Alex dodges the guard's sentry's attack. He counters with a sword thrust, but is stopped by a well-placed shield block.

"Nash, what's going with your situation?"

"Not bad, Alex. Remember who taught me what I know.", he arrogantly replies as his staff throws out lighting bolts that incinerate his opponents in one shot. Alex continues with a little magic of his own....

"Fireball!"

The flame turns his opponent to ashes.

"Electro bolt!"

Nash silences yet another with his fury of spells.

"Behind you!"

Alex abouts face and finds a floating man in a long, white shroud with orange lining. He swings his sword as it nears him, trying to keep it at bay.

"Flamer!" chants Alex, but goes through it and leaves a burnt smolder on the wall behind it. It counteracts with its own spell. Suddenly, Alex feels sick; his power draining from his body. The unholy apparition just sits there and yawns, "Do you really think YOU could defeat Flea Vest?"

Flea Vest comes up right next to Alex and pushes him over. Nash looks on helplessly because he is now trying to eradicate a swarm of vampire bats. Flea now raises one of its hands and prepares to strike Alex across the face.

"Enough!"

Flea disappears, as well as the bats, and the voice continues to speak, "Not bad, but you are lucky that I stopped the attack when I did, or you would both be dead now. But you will share the fate of your friends, regardless."

"What are you talking about our 'friends'?", asks Nash.

They pick themselves up and continue down the corridor, trying to ignore the voice that beckons to them. At the end of this one they find three other people hanging in chains, as if being crucified. They cannot tell who they are because of the darkness on the other side of the room, but keep walking.

"MIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Nash screams out in terror as he sees his apprentice friend shackled up. And next to her, Jessica, Mia's friend, and a strange looking green-haired warrior next to her.

"Do not dare be heroic." He tells the two of them. He appears a few feet behind them. He points to two more pairs of shackles that are empty, "Head towards those shackles and accept your fate. If not, your friends will die."

"Never!" Screams Nash as he casts his most powerful lightning spell at the dark figure. "Take a whiff of my most powerful spell!"

The incantation flies at Magus with such force and brightness that Nash has to cover his eyes.

"Such patheticness." Magus raises one arm and stops the spell with minimal effort. "I warned you."

A dark mist cover Alex and Nash. Before long they find their legs and arms locked up in their respective chains.