Fan Fiction ❯ The Last Sunrise ❯ A nightmare relived: a warning from across time ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

A nightmare relived;

A warning from across time.

CHRONO DREAMED THAT NIGHT. And the dreams were not good ones. He tossed and turned, childhood fears returning to him. He slowly walked through a shroud of mist, looking through the murky air to see the dark figures of his mother, and several others. He came closer, and he could see them then… All of then, the same… And he heard the same voices… The same voices from that night… His mother was screaming, pointing at the house in terror.

Where's Chrono?! I can't find Chrono!!! My son is in that house!

Chrono shook his head. He tried to speak, but he couldn't… Just like always… He thought to her desperately… Trying to stop what he knew would happen…

I'm not!! Mom, I'm here! I'm here! I'm just scared! I can't… Chrono looked up through that murky smoke and saw a tall figure run to his mother. He could see every detail now… The red hair… The blue eyes… The man who Chrono had always strived to be… The man who he only resembled, the man with a spirit he would never be able to match…

Dad… He felt the hot tears rolling down his cheeks when he heard his father's voice… So clear… Even after fifteen years he could remember that voice…

I'll go back in, Cara! He must still be in his room!! There's still a chance for him! Chrono watched as his parents embraced one last time… Heard the voices…

Aaron, be careful, please!!!

It will all be okay… You'll see… I won't come back until I find Chrono! Chrono shook his head desperately, reaching his arms towards them. Fear had frozen him, and he watched through a child's eyes… And no matter what he did, he couldn't move…

Mom!! Don't let Dad go!!! I'm right here!! I can't move! I'm scared! Just look this way! Mom, please!!! His cries when unanswered, and he watched helplessly as his father dashed back into the house… Saw his mother spot him only twenty seconds later… Heard her begging for his father to return… Saw his father appear in the doorway, his tall form framed by fire… Saw his father grin with relief as he laid eyes on Chrono… It seemed like everything was fine… Like everything had worked out as it should… And Chrono was happy… His mother was hugging him, his father was starting to run towards them… And suddenly Chrono saw the house begin to fall forward, the flames reaching like hungry snakes for his father… Watched in terror as his father turned to face the house, only to be engulfed in the flames and fallen debris… He heard his father's screams of pain as he burned alive… And the night echoed with the blood curdling scream that his mother had uttered…

AARON!!!!!!!!!!!

And Chrono looked up just once… And he saw himself in the fire instead of his father… He and Marle and Lucca… Burning…

Chrono jerked awake, crying out. He looked around frantically, only to see that he was back in his bedroom in the castle. He felt himself all over, making sure that he was still in one piece. He brought his hands to his face, trying to stop tears that were threatening to fall. He breathed heavily, feeling nauseated. The fear had been so cold… So real. He looked to Marle and saw that she was still asleep, and he was glad. He didn't want to keep her awake with his problems. He brought his hand to his bare chest, and felt his heartbeat. It was really going. He exhaled and laid back, staring at the ceiling.

What could that dream had meant…? Dad… He closed his eyes painfully. Why did I see myself and the others burning in the end…? I wish… Tears welled up again, but he shook them away. The event had damaged him badly inside, but he had sworn that he wouldn't let it get to him for the rest of his life. But this time… He couldn't stop shaking. He tried to go back to sleep, but he knew that that would be all but useless. It was going to be a long night.

The next morning he finally got some answers.

They were eating breakfast when Lucca suddenly showed up, looking fairly distressed. She explained to them that she had gotten a message from Robo, and that though it was jumbled, it didn't sound good.

"It came in at about twelve last night. I was working on my space pod, when suddenly the transmitter went off. The reception was horrible, but I kind of got the idea." She said, breathlessly. Chrono spoke in a serious tone, his stomach knotting.

"Can you play it for us?" He asked hopefully.

Lucca nodded.

"Sure." She went to work setting the equipment up right away, and within ten minutes they were able to hear Robo's voice for the first time in five years. The signal was indeed bad, so Lucca urged everyone to be absolutely silent.

"Lu…a…Whirrrr…assassin…" There was a great deal of static, and then. "Danger… … …Guardia… …think it is… …La…" And it ended with an explosion of static. Marle blinked.

"What did he mean? Assassin? Danger? In Guardia?" Lucca shook her head.

"I don't know. But we should be on our toes. You know that Robo IS in the future, so he'd know how our lives end up…" Chrono bowed his head, placing his hands on his forehead.

"Great… As if I didn't have enough to worry about…" He sighed, and stood up. Marle blinked at him.

"Where are you going?" She asked. Chrono looked back at her. He seemed to be thinking very hard.

"I'm going to tell the knight captain to ready the troops in case… You know…" Marle shook her head slowly, in disbelief

"You don't think… That Porre is gonna actually-"

Chrono nodded solemnly.

"I'm gonna take your advice, Marle. I'm gonna show them that I'm not so weak." Just as he turned to leave, the chancellor came running into the room, his eyes wide.

"Sir! Lynx of Porre is here to see you!!!" Chrono stopped in his tracks.

"Lynx?!"

"Yessir. He insists on speaking with you."

Marle looked at Chrono horrified. Lucca stood up, her eyes scared too. Chrono looked at them reassuringly.

"It's gonna be fine. Don't worry. Marle, you run back to our room and take Jade and Aaron with you. Lucca, could you go with her and bring me the Rainbow Blade?" Lucca nodded.

"You can count on me." She said, hurrying away. Marle shook her head.

"I don't want you to face him alone." She said pointedly. Chrono smiled.

"I'll be fine, Marle. Someone needs to watch the kids though… And heck, I bet he's just here to surrender." He patted her shoulder. "And if he tries any funny business, I'll just fry him with Luminaire."

"Okay…" Marle said softly. She hurried back to the table, and quickly took the kids upstairs. Lucca was back ten seconds later with Rainbow. Chrono buckled the sheath to his belt and then hurried out to meet Lynx. His heart was pounding, and that feeling in his stomach was getting worse… Like he was marching to his own doom…