Chapter Five: Not This Time, and not Next Time Either

Melchior and Terry walked out of Melchior’s house. Melchior led Terry into a shortcut in the woods, and every once in a while, Melchior took out his sword to chop a way through the dense forest. After two hours, the forest emptied out into a clearing.

"Want to catch your breath old man?" Terry asked Melchior.

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same question!" Melchior joked.

"Interesting, I send you to kill him, and you end up being friends, how quaint," A voice said, Terry recognized it immediately, "Too bad, I feel very sorry Hunter, but I just must destroy you and that Melchior."

Terry looked straight ahead, in the middle of the clearing. Melchior was looking around, trying to figure out who was speaking.

Terry shouted, "He already finished what you wanted me to stop, so let him go, and deal with me," Terry waited, and heard nothing, "Magus! I warned you!" Terry unsheathed his sword, and Melchior did the same.

"Just tell me where he is, all I need is one shot," Melchior screamed at Terry, hoping to get Magus’s attention.

Terry sheathed his sword, pulled his cape around him, and stuck out his hand, "Luminaerus stakinus reveburn!" Terry called out. His hand glowed with a yellow aura, it started to glow around Terry as well. Melchior, sensing what was to come, jumped out of the way while Terry was saying his incantation. Soon, a small bubble of yellow energy came outward from the center of the clearing. The bubble grew to encase the entire area. Soon, shoots of light were flying out of the bubble, and Magus was glimmering into view. Terry raised his hand slowly, and then threw it down. Right then, the bubble imploded creating a huge area of fire that crystallized when it go it’s biggest.

"Aeros shavash!" Melchior cried out, his body becoming a blur. Melchior charged in and out of the icy area, hitting Magus again and again. Melchior continued until there was no ice, then he skidded to a halt, being hit by all the ice he dragged with him because of his speed.

"AAAAHHHHHH!!!!" Magus cried out in pain, "I never taught you that spell, how could you have known it?"

"I’m not your little attack animal Magus, I think, and reason. Besides, you boast having defenses against three out of the four basic magic elements, I knew I could get two, and Melchior here could take up the last," Terry said triumphantly, "I don’t need to kill you, all you did was warp my mind into your decrepped image of a super-soldier."

"Ha ha, if you won’t kill me, then at least join me to where I’m going, Temporum Chrontus Teras," Magus whispered. Before Terry or Melchior could react, both of the were pulled into a time gate. Again, Terry saw the corridor of colors, and this one merged with another corridor. After an unidentifiable amount of time passed, all three of them landed in a small cave covered in a sheet of ice.

"Welcome to 12,000 BC folks, if you want to survive, I suggest you follow me to Zeal palace," Magus said, in a condescending tone, "I know your time will be much harder without me."
"Janus, that’s unnecessary, I know my way around this time very well, thank you," Melchior said to Magus, who was now shocked.

"How?" Magus asked, momentarily baffled, "Oh, yes, you’re that guru, aren’t you?"

"Of course," Melchior said, starting out of the cave. Terry started following Melchior, then Magus decided three were better than one, and tagged along. When the group left the cave, immediately Terry started shivering, and pulled his cape around him hoping to get some kind of protection from the cold.

"How come you two aren’t cold?" Terry asked, noting that both Melchior and Magus were fine.

"We were born around this period of time," Magus pointed out. Melchior nodded in agreement.

Soon, the group passed by one large building, Terry longed for the indoors, and stopped for a moment.

Melchior motioned onward, "Not this building Terry, we’re heading for Zeal Palace."

"Yes, the greatest civilization of all time, too bad it has to be destroyed pretty soon," Magus said, sadness in his voice. Terry looked at Magus for a second, and looked off into the distance. Not seeing anything, Terry looked back towards his companions, seeing Magus point up, Terry looked up. Terry was amazed at the site, an huge island in the sky, with bridges to other islands. Terry couldn’t see too much from the ground, but was amazed at the site anyway. After what seemed like house in the cold tundra of a time period, the group finally reached a building.

"This is called a skyway, Hunter," Magus said to Terry, "It’s the only way to get from the surface to Zeal Palace."

"Well, shall we go, it’s warm up there," Melchior pointed out, "It seems our friend Terry needs some rest." All of them went up to the teleporter pad, and in a second, Terry’s entire body was covered in rays of light. Terry looked down, but the ground was already too far below to make any features from it. Terry then looked up, and saw the huge islands coming up was too fast for his tastes, or anyone’s for that matter.

"Well, Melchior, Hunter, this is where I bid adieu," Magus said with a flourish, and ran off in a direction towards the largest building.

"So, what’s on our agenda Terry?" Melchior asked, letting Terry exercise leadership skills.

"Maybe we should wait here to get our bearings," Terry timidly said, "I could use a rest, and some supplies."

"All right, sorry about your father, I was hoping to catch up with him," Melchior said, trying to raise Terry’s spirits. Terry started walking off towards a small store. Melchior followed, making sure he had enough money to buy the supplies he needed. Melchior and Terry started walking towards what Melchior indicated was a store.

When Melchior and Terry entered the shop, the keeper said with a faint middle eastern accent, "Ah, welcome to my general store, I have anything you might desire."

"I have quite a bit I desire, starting with climbing equipment, and a mercenary," Melchior said, moving around the store, looking at baubles and trinkets.

"Yes, a mercenary, I have just the person," The shopkeeper said, in the oily manner only shopkeepers can have, "Rosalyn! Oh Rosalyn!" A beautiful woman walked out, no more than 18 years of age. Her hair was dark red, going down to her waist, and her eyes were a furious blue. She wore a heavy robe of a darker red than her hair, bordering on black, and carried a staff that had an ebony rose atop it, with a small drop of ruby on one of the petals.

"Rosalyn? Is that you?" Terry asked, hoping he recognized his long lost sister.

"Huh? Terry? Oh my god! It’s Terry!" Rosalyn started screaming and shouting.

"May I have a month of food?" Melchior asked the shopkeeper.

"What happened? How’s you get in 12,000BC?" Terry asked.

"How about a grappling hook and some rope," Melchior added.

"I followed you after you ran away, Chrono, Lucca and that girl were running out of the time gate," Rosalyn told Terry.

"Wow! You must’ve had a trip!" Terry said, shocked by his sister’s tale.

"I’ve been chrono skipping for nine years, where were you?" Rosalyn asked.

"Well, I was in training for twelve years, and that covers most of my time," Terry informed.

"I need some tents and some more cold weather gear," Melchior added, not paying attention to Terry and Rosalyn.

"So that means you’re older than me! But you were born after me, time is confusing that way, don’t you think?" Rosalyn asked.

"Well, Melchior said we have a mountain to climb, wanna come along?" Terry asked.

"Sure, I can help out, I’ve learned a lot during my chrono skipping, I’ll be ready to go in a few minutes, let me get my books together," Rosalyn said, in a surprisingly pleasant tone. Rosalyn went into a side room, and came out with a large book, made entirely of obsidian.

"What is that?" Terry asked.

"It’s my spellbook, I don’t leave anywhere without it. It has spells I can not normally cast without it," Rosalyn informed.
"Well, let’s head off," Melchior said. Melchior started walking towards the sky way. Terry and Rosalyn walked slowly after him, catching up on stories and old times. Once the crew got to the skyway, Melchior handed each of them a set of winter clothing and gear, a grappling hook and rope, piton, clawed shoes, and a month of food.

Chapter 6: Beautiful Stranger

"Hey, hey, wait!" A voice sounded from behind the crew.

"Wha?!?!??" Was the general consensus of the trio.

"Hi," A young girl said, panting from trying to catch up with Terry and the others, "I’m Jen."

"Settle down young lady," Melchior said, showing Jen to a bench, "Why are you trying to catch up with us?"

"I heard you were going to the Mountain of Woe," Jen said, he breathing returning to normal, "I was hoping I could be your guide."

"Hmm, I suppose we could use all the help we could get," Terry commented, looking at Jen, trying to get a first impression. She was young, no more than 15 or 16. She had bright blue eyes, and black hair in a ponytail reaching down to her waist. She had on a fur lined leather dress, just right for a climb up Mt. Woe. She had on an oil-skinned backpack and a walking staff. Her face was contoured very well, with all the beauty that youth had to offer.

"So, do I pass the test?" Jen asked, smiling knowingly of what Terry was thinking, "We’d better get going if we’re going to beat the snow drifts, I hear they are nasty right after dark."

"Yes, let’s get on the move," Melchior said, picking his belongings up, and heading to the skyway.

"You coming Terry?" Rosalyn said, making fun of her brother, who was staring at Jen with star-struck eyes.

"Uh- Oh, yeah," Terry said, waking up from a daydream, and started following Melchior. All four of them started towards the skyway, Melchior being the only one knowing why they were going to the Mountain of Woe. Trudging through the snow, Rosalyn and Terry were talking about old times, Rosalyn talking more than Terry, who was still staring at Jen, and Melchior was getting to know Jen a little better. About twelve hours later, the four reached the Village of the Earthbound Ones.

"Here we are, once we get through the Beasts’ Nest we’ll be on the Mountain of Woe," Melchior pointed out, climbing up the ladder to the village. Quickly followed by the others, Melchior walked through the village down into the Beast’s Nest to avoid being recognized by the earthbound people. After rushing down the ladders and through the village, the four people entered a small corridor made of dirt.

"Through this nest lies the Mountain of Woe," Melchior informed the group.

"Why are you bringing us here?" Rosalyn asked.

"You’ll find out soon enough," Melchior said, getting his sword out, "The Beast’s Nest is not a hospitable place."

Rosalyn threw her book up, which proceeded to float 3 feet away from her. She looked at her brother, who was transfixed on Jen, "Terry?"

"Wha, what?" Terry responded, oblivious to what was going on around him.

"We’re going into hostile territory, get ready for battle!" Rosalyn shouted at Terry.

"Oh," Terry said, drawing his sword, "Jen, you can stay behind me, I’ll protect you."

"That’s alright, I can take care of myself," Jen said, taking out a small dagger, "Just concentrate on yourself."

While the crew was talking, two beasts heard them, and came crashing towards them. Terry pushed Jen out of the way, taking on most of the impact of one of the beasts. Rosalyn set her staff up, to flip the other beast over her. Rosalyn threw the beast over herself onto Melchior’s sword, killing it almost instantly.

"I can take care of this thing," Terry said, when Rosalyn and Melchior were walking to help him. Terry swung his sword at the beast amateurishly, very unlike him. Jen got up, and watched Terry fail in beating up that beast. Terry rushed at the beast, and was tossed aside by the horns of the monster.

"Use it’s weight against it," Melchior said, hoping to help Terry, "Swords can’t pierce it’s skin unless you use the beast against itself."

"Yeah, you can do it, but remember, you can use magic," Rosalyn said, hoping that Terry will pull himself together.

"I can do it," Terry said, barely dodging the beast.

"Book, go," Rosalyn said to her obsidian book that was floating around her head. The book flew straight at the beast, almost knocking it over. Terry missed the opportunity to kill it. The book flew at the beast again, and didn’t do as much to the beast, knowing that the book was going to attack him. Terry tried to attack the beast again, and was tossed next to Jen, who watched in horror.

"Lightning!" Rosalyn shouted to her book, which flew right above the beast, and rained lightning down on it, "Now, fly at it again!" The book attacked the beast again, knocking it on it’s back. Jen fixed her hair for a second and produced three bobby pins. She threw them at the beast, tearing through it’s flesh like butter, killing it faster than Melchior and Rosalyn killed the other one. Melchior and Terry’s jaws gaped open, while Rosalyn put her book in her backpack.

"Terry, you need to find your center again, and quick," Melchior said, disapproving of Terry’s actions, "The Mountain of Woe is not a place to be distracted."

"Jen, how’d you do that?" Rosalyn asked, "The whole thing with the bobby pin."

"Just something I can do," Jen said, with a smile ear to ear, "I haven’t met an object I can’t kill something with."

"Sorry guys, I guess I’ll have to work on my swordplay a little," Terry tried to explain, meeting with a lot of stares.

The four got to the chains that kept the Mountain of Woe in the sky. Melchior helped Rosalyn up onto some of the chains, and Terry helped Jen. Melchior tied the group to each other in case one of them fell. And the group proceeded to the Mountain.

"Can we do something about the cold?" Jen asked, being very naive.

"Sorry Jen, we can’t stop to do anything, we have to get up onto the mountain before Chrono and the group get there," Melchior said, "The Mountain is going to fall while they are up there."

"How do you know that?" Jen asked, the only one no knowing about Melchior’s past.

"Don’t worry about it," Rosalyn said, hoping to shut Jen up, "It’s not important."

"You don’t have to be so," Jen was about to say, being thrown off the chains, "Help me Terry!" Terry couldn’t react before he was thrown off the mountain too. Rosalyn held to the chain as hard as she could, but couldn’t keep on from the force of the two. Melchior failed to keep the group on the chains too. Rosalyn thought quickly and threw her book out. Terry threw his grappling hook at the chains, the grappling hook was thrown away, barely missing himself.

"Flight!" Rosalyn cried out, trying to save everyone. The draft took hold of Rosalyn, and she maneuvered herself towards the chains. The rest of the group held onto the rope as tightly as they could, and soon, all of them got the chain, and climbed up a little more carefully towards the mountain. When they got to the mountain, Melchior helped everyone up.

"When we get to the summit, we’ll be able to get out of here," Melchior said, pointing towards the top of the mountain.

"What’s going to happen once we get to the summit?" Rosalyn asked.

"There’s nothing on the summ-" Jen said, starting to look as though she just remembered her name, "Melchior? You’re, Melchior?"

"Yes, I was wondering when you’d figure it out," Melchior said, with a smile, "I’m here right now, and I’ve got to give myself some instructions, they’re very important, and I can’t make it here without all of you."

"But won’t the mountain fall soon?" Terry asked, finally rejoining the group.

"Once Chrono gets here, yes, but for now it’ll stay up," Melchior said, "There’s a gate at the top, and unfortunately Jen, you have to come with us."

"What?" Jen exclaimed, "What’s a gate?"

"No time to explain, let’s go," Melchior said, running off towards the summit.

"I don’t like this," Jen said, looking worried. Terry followed Melchior, who was in turn followed by Rosalyn and Jen. They ran past a lot of monster in order to save time, and used their magic to fly up chain for the same reason. Jen straggled behind sometimes, but Rosalyn pushed her on. Melchior felt his years catching up on him much too often, making Terry help him sometimes.

"We’re almost there," Melchior gasped, "I’ll be behind a cage, try to get me out, I’ll be with you in a minute."

"Excuse me, which you will be with us in a minute?" Jen said, not used to some of the time paradoxes. Terry pulled Jen forward to an area with a huge cage. Melchior was sitting behind it, meditating.

"Melchior!" Terry called out, "Melchior, snap out of it!"

"Huh?" Melchior said, surprised to see anyone there, "You don’t look like you’re from Zeal, who are you?"

"Guru, don’t you recognize me?" Jen cried out, "You taught me how to fight, remember?"

"Jen?" Melchior said, remembering her, "Yes, could you help me, I seem to have a cage around me."

Jen smiled, "Sure." Jen got out her grappling hook, and swung it around her head. She then threw it at the end of the cage’s bars, and the grappling hook tore through each of the bars as though they were not even there. The grappling hook went back around and tore out the bars a little lower, giving Melchior ample room to get out.

"Thank you," Melchior said, "I taught you well."

"Now, let’s get to business," The older Melchior said, "I have to tell you a few things."

"What," The new Melchior said, "Is something going on?"

"Terry, Rosalyn, and Jen, please excuse me," The old Melchior said, ushering the three out of the area.

A little while later, Melchior walked out, and brought Rosalyn in, "I want you to freeze him."

"Why?" Rosalyn asked.

"Trust me," Melchior said.

"Ice 2!" Rosalyn cried, throwing her book at the younger Melchior. The book shot out rays of blue light in all directions, and the younger Melchior was hit repeatedly by the beams. Ice grew around the younger Melchior to form a solid block of ice.

"Now, run out of here," Melchior yelled to the others as he ran out. Melchior ran down to a plateau.

"Temporum chronus scriptus!" Melchior yelled out as light burst from his hand, gathering at a point of light about 15 feet in from of them all, opening up a gate.

"Everyone, jump in, now," Melchior said, backing up for a running start, "Chrono will be here any minute!"

"No problem," Rosalyn said, throwing her book in front of her. Rosalyn jumped on top of the book and slowly flew off into the gate. Melchior soon followed, with considerably much more difficulty.

"Ready Jen?" Terry asked, backing up, "We really should hurry."

"Give me a moment," Jen said, looking down on her world, "Goodbye my Zeal."

Chapter 7: Time Collision

Jen grabbed onto Terry, and they jumped off into the gate. All four of them were in the standard corridor, but about half-way through, the corridor tore away at itself. The crew found themselves in a strange room, with 9 shafts of light reaching beyond their vision.

"Where is this place?" Rosalyn asked, not knowing where the portal was supposed to lead them.

"I don’t know, we were supposed to go to my home, in 1000 AD," Melchior said, confused of where he was.

"I’m scared," Jen exclaimed, looking straight into Terry’s eyes.

"It’s alright," Terry said with brevity, taking Jen into his arms.

"Well, it looks like there’s a door out of here, let’s go," Rosalyn said, knowing that Terry wasn’t going to lead anyone anywhere. The four went through the door, and into a larger room, this time with a bucket, a man in brown robes, and four others, a frog, a robot, a cavewoman, and a Magus.

"Well well well, if it isn’t my old friend Hunter," Magus said, with a smirk.

"Is this another one of your victims Magus?" Frog asked Magus, with a control temper.

"Excuse me, we have guests," The man in brown robes said, "Welcome, this is the end of time, you came here since you did not observe the time-conservation law, stating that up to three people may traverse the time corridors at one time."

"Can we leave here?" Rosalyn asked, uncomfortable around all the people she didn’t know, "Preferably to 1000 AD?"

"Melchior?" Everyone exclaimed, right after he walking into the room.

"Huh?" Melchior said, confused to why everyone was at the end of time, "Robo? Ayla? Frog? And even you, Magus?"

"Magus? Who’s that Terry?" Jen asked, as naïve as she’s always acted.

"Hmm, your clothing, perhaps Prince Janus would help you know who I am," Magus said, in a condescending tone.

"Prince Janus!" Jen said, getting to her knees, "Terry, kneel before Prince Janus!"

"Of course Jen," Terry said, while kneeling. Rosalyn looked on in disgust.

"Isn’t this the guy who screwed up your life Terry?" Rosalyn protested, "You should be killing this guy!"

"Rosalyn, be quiet in the presence of a Prince," Terry snapped.

Rosalyn took he book out and slapped Terry with it, knocking him down to the ground, "Snap out of it!"

Jen looked at Rosalyn, "If that is how you treat your brother, no wonder why he hates you."

"What?!?!" Rosalyn said, backing off a step, "You’re the one who’s messing with him, witch!"
"Ladies, please, as much as I would like to see you two fight, not here, the room is much to small for this," Magus said, smirking, "Besides, here I am Magus, no royalty in my blood."

"Not a hint of redeeming qualities either," Frog said under his breath.

"Be quiet Glenn, you’re in the presence of a master of magic," Magus said, continuing to fuel Frog’s hatred for him.

"All of you, quiet!" Melchior howled, making everyone snap to attention, "No fighting of any kind should happen in here!"

"That is correct, if necessary I will throw you out of here, into the empty void of this era, which I suggest not being in," Balthasar warned.

"Fine, just keep her away from my brother," Rosalyn blurted.

"He loves me, and besides, it’s his own decision," Jen said, sticking her tongue out at Rosalyn.

"Well Balthasar, I’m sure we’d like to get out of here, how do we do it?" Melchior asked, ignoring the bickering.

"Shut up, I’d think I’d know how my brother feels about me," Rosalyn said.

"You activate the shafts of light in the other room," Balthasar informed, "But only three people should go through, or you’d end up back here."

"If you sat down and talked to him, maybe you’d be right!" Jen yelled at Rosalyn.

"Thank you old friend, we’d best be on our way," Melchior said, helping Terry up, and out the door.

"You’re welcome, remember, I’ll be here until the end of time," Balthasar said, smiling.

"Melchior’s leaving, and you’re not!" Rosalyn said, picking her book up and walking out the door.

"We’ll see about that!" Jen protested running out after her.

"I’m sure glad our group isn’t like that," Marle said, looking at Magus and Frog, "Nevermind."

Melchior was trying to wake Terry up. Rosalyn walked out and held the door shut, and Jen banged on the other side vainly. Terry finally woke up, and stood up.

"Huh, who’s behind the door?" Terry asked, not knowing of the argument between Rosalyn and Jen.

"No one," Rosalyn said, "No one at all."

"LET ME IN!!!!!!" Jen yelled.

"That sounds like Jen, shouldn’t we take her with us?" Terry asked.

"No, she doesn’t believe that only three people can time jump," Rosalyn explained.

"O, alright, well, should we be on our way?" Terry inquired.

The three jumped into the gate right before Jen used a bobby pin to open the door. A moment later she jumped in. The trio was in the corridor they are used to, ad quickly, they ended up in a small room, with two strange doors, one with a crest. Melchior recognized it as the Zeal royal emblem. Terry led the three out of the room, and into a barren world, with a strange air that was hard to breathe. The trio ran quickly to a large dome that was labeled, ‘Arris Dome’. All of them walked in. They saw a disgusting site, a group of unwashed men, women and children were in the dome, huddling around a large plant. Terry started walking towards the group.

"What is this place, and what year is it?" Terry asked.

"It’s the year 2300, and you look like those kids that came by a few months ago," A man said, "This is Arris Dome, probably the last hope for our world." The man pointed to the plant, and bent down to pick one of the fruit. He took the fruit and gave it to Terry.

"Stay Healthy," The man said.

"Tha-thank you," Terry said confused at what just happened, "May I ask who you are?"

"They call me Doan, the leader of this Dome," Doan said, "Have you heard from Chrono?"

"Chrono?" Terry almost forgot who he was, "I’m sorry, but no, I keep getting to places either before him or right after him, it is strange."

"Oh, he was a nice fellow, reminds me of my great-great grandfather," Doan said, "But I’m sure you wouldn’t care."

When Doan and Terry finished talking, everyone was starting to look outside. There was a huge tornado moving around the countryside, spraying rays of light in all directions. Melchior didn’t look at the tornado so much as the trail it was leaving. Behind the tornado was a path of a bright field, full of flowers and sunshine. The tornado hit a dome, and was sucking up people that were in it, behind the twister lay a much nicer looking dome with a few flying vehicles around it, coming from somewhere outside of the twister path. Just then, Jen walked into the room.

"Amazing what happens when a red-head destroys the doomsday creature," Jen said, a red flare in her eyes, "My husband, Lavos, your friend Chrono killed him, the time portals are closing, and I have to get my revenge."

"Jen?" Melchior exclaimed, "You weren’t like this when I taught you to fight."

"Old bag, you never taught me anything," Jen taunted.

"Terry, we’d better kill her," Rosalyn said, smiling at the idea.

Terry drew Murasame, Rosalyn threw her book up, and held her staff in a fighting stance. Melchior drew his trusty sword, and held it in a samurai stance. The red light in Jen’s eyes grew, and her hands started to glow the same color. Terry ran towards Jen and sliced at her twice, missing the second time. Jen jumped back, and blasted Terry with a ray of fire from her hand. Terry flew back and fell next to Rosalyn.

"Bolt 2!" Rosalyn yelled. Her book came to life and flew around Jen, the book shot bolts of lightning all around her. Jen’s eyes filled with a brilliant white. Rosalyn gasped, and Melchior charged his blade with ice. He ran at Jen as though he were jousting her, he teleported through her, and turned around slicing Jen twice, and teleported back to where he was standing. Jen’s eyes turned blue, and she formed a wall of ice around Melchior. Terry got up, and quickly blocked three blasts of ice with Murasame.

"Precipitae Ilos Nuve!" Jen yelled, shooting shards of ice from her hand at the ground, making it a sold sheet of ice. Immediately, Rosalyn fell. She got up, and twirled her staff, then she ran at Jen, falling half-way.

"Book, attack!" Rosalyn yelled. The book sprang to life, and flew at Jen with terrible force, she was knocked down. Jen’s eyes became a brilliant shade of silver. Jen stroked her hair, removing a few bobby-pins. Terry prepared to block, and Rosalyn created a shield around herself. Melchior braced himself for impact. Jen threw the bobby-pins at all of them at high speeds. Terry was blocking the majority of them, and dodging the rest. Rosalyn’s shield was a more complete defense. Melchior, however, did not fare so well, he blocked many of the pins, but they broke his sword, and he was struck over and over with the bobby-pins. In his old age, he could not dodge them very well. Melchior was thrown back to one of the dome walls.

"I’m alright, get her!" Melchior called out, looking towards the tornado.

"Lightning 2!" Rosalyn called out again. The book flew around Jen, showering lightning bolts on her.

"Ha ha ha, haven’t you learned by now?" Jen said, smiling as her eyes turned white, "I’m immune to your attacks."

"Not all of them!" Terry called out. He sheathed his sword, and started moving his hands, summoning energy around his hands, "Blitzkrieg Ominus Precipae!" The energy gathered around Terry’s hand, forming a blazing white javelin. Jen looked at it quixotically when terry threw it at her at lightning speed. Jen was thrown through the wall of the dome, her eyes flared white consuming her body. Jen screamed an unearthly scream, as her body melted to form a needle-covered monster, twice the size of Terry. It was finally apparent how Jen’s bobby-pins were so powerful, her hair was inlaid with spikes.

Melchior ran up to the group, and watched as Jen turned into the hideous creature she was. Terry looked at her in disgust. Rosalyn wanted to know how she was able to charm Terry.

"I could’ve given you the world," Jen screeched, "But why do you resist me now?"

"I’ve traveled the dark path," Terry said, "I’ve traveled the light path, sure, the dark path has more power, more money. But how can you live with yourself, the guilt of knowing your actions will kill another? I had to endure that for more than twelve years, and you dare to tell me to join you on your crusade of evil?"

Rosalyn smiled, and Terry drew his sword, knowing how to kill her once and for all. Melchior hoped Terry realized it, knowing that only the Murasame could do it. Terry put his sword to his side, hoping he could pull off a move that Melchior used on him.

"Now, see my true power!" Jen yelled, her body glowing with a jet black aura, "Your attacks will do nothing now, not even that lightning javelin."

"No, but try this, witch!" Terry said, "Aero Shavash!"

Terry ran at Jen with a strange feeling of power coming from him. Terry gained a bright silver aura, and was running so fast it was trailing off him. Terry thrust Murasame into Jen, and ran with her straight towards the tornado. Jen tried and tried, but she could not even touch Terry. Terry jumped and kicked Jen off his sword, while she flew straight into the tornado. The tornado’s light grew, and it burst a blinding white. From the light came a figure of tremendous power.

"Thank you, I was able to make one team of youngsters kill Lavos," The entity said, "But Jen, she was hard to find, I’m glad you were able to destroy her."

"Who are you?" Terry asked.

"I am the guardian of time," The entity explained, "There were two bandits that were out to destroy time itself, one was Lavos, and the other was Jen. She had less power, but she was able to resurrect Lavos, therefore making her just as dangerous."

"Where do we fit in?" Rosalyn asked, "Did you choose us or something?"

"No, I merely placed you in the right places," The entity said, "The ones you call Chrono had his hands full, I could not send him to kill both of them."

"Is that it, was I here just to make the Masamune and the Murasame?" Melchior asked, hoping for an answer other than yes.

"The gurus were placed in this time stream to facilitate Chrono’s quest, I did not expect you to help Terry as well, for destiny is 99% fate, and 1% luck.," The entity continued, "I made the gates, but I did not expect you to use them, unfortunately, you weren’t even supposed to make the Masamune, just the Murasame."

Melchior cringed at this information, "My purpose is done, goodbye," He said walking to the tornado, which had stopped. Rosalyn tried to get in his way, but Melchior pushed her with all his strength.

"Do not try to stop him, in the timeline in which Lavos and Jen do not exist, the gurus do not either," The entity said, "He will be destroyed anyway."

"Don’t you dare say that," Rosalyn said, crying, "You’d better be wrong, there’s that 1% chance, isn’t there?"

"Not in this my dear," Melchior said, about to walk into the tornado, "Wait."

"NO!" The entity said, rushing to stop Melchior, "It won’t work!"

Terry and Rosalyn were standing confused, a moment later, Rosalyn understood, and ran to stop the entity. Melchior had stopped, and walked around the tornado. The entity was not able to stop Melchior by the time he walked into the path of the new timeline, by which time he froze in his tracks.

Rosalyn stopped, "Will we be in this new timeline too?"

"Not in the way you think, you will grow up in the year 600AD, with a human father, your brother will never exist without a mystic father, I’m sorry," The entity said, starting to strain keeping time still.

"Terry, let’s go, I can’t bear to live like that," Rosalyn said, starting to walk into the new timeline, "Please, you’re too important for time to forget you."

"You’re right," Terry said, putting the Murasame into the ground, "You’ve served your purpose, rest well Murasame."

Rosalyn and Terry walked into the new timeline, not knowing of what will happen, in this future that was not even their own. Melchior served as their father, providing guidance. The entity, on the other hand, has a lot of work ahead of him to facilitate the three newcomers to the timeline.

PROLOGUE

Melchior woke up in his new apartment, having aquatinted himself with his new surroundings.
He got up, took a shower, and walked out into the main room. Rosalyn was already preparing breakfast for the two, since Terry was on a business trip in Guardia.

"So Melchior, what are your plans for today?" Rosalyn asked, hoping to get some shopping done.

"Nothing Rosalyn, nothing at all," Melchior said, content in the fact he did not have to worry about swords and magic.

Melchior put his feet up, and took out his hand-computer, and read the news. Rosalyn got her purse, checked to make sure her book was in the display shelf, and walked out of the apartment. She sniffed the clean air, got into her hoverpod, and went to the local store.