Silent Screams , Part Three

"I'm all right."

"I'm fine."

"This was all a nightmare."

"I'm not mute, and I never went to Truce Canyon."

"When I wake up, I'll be at home."

"Mommy will be fussing over me because I was so sick for so long. Yeah, that's it. I had a fever, but I'm better now."

Reassured, Crono opened his eyes.

"Well, look who's awake!"

"That's not mommy!"Crono thought desperately. "Where's Mom?"

He looked at the source of the voice. Across from him was a stern, but friendly face. Crono nearly gasped; his ears were pointed!

"Do not be afraid- I'm a friend. You took a nasty fall, child. It's a miracle you survived."

Crono sat up, clutching his head. Then he remembered that he couldn't communicate without his hands. He shook his head, trying to clear the haze of pain that distorted his thinking. Where am I? He motioned. Who are you?

"You're on the outskirts of Truce Canyon, Crono. As for my name, I have none, but you may call me Snappdragon."

Crono looked at Snappdragon suspiciously. How do you know my name?

Snappdragon laughed. "Oh ho! I've known your name since before you were born, little one."

How?

Snappdragon sighed. "I know your father. He created me to help you when the time came. And that time is now. Although," he added thoughtfully, "He didn't tell me you'd come exactly that way. In any case, I'm to help you."

Why cannot he help me himself, that-

"No, don't go thinking like that, Crono," Snappdragon cut him off. "Your father cares about you very much, and that's why he left. He didn't want you to get hurt. Or himself. If he had been around when you were born, both of you would have been destroyed!"

Why? Crono wanted to know.

Snappdragon paled. "Don't ask, please," he said in quite a peculiar voice, Crono thought.

Suddenly, Snappdragon's face flushed again. "I'm sorry, you must be tired. Sleep now, we have a long journey ahead of us, child."

A thought struck Crono like a dead weight. Where are they?

"What?" Snappdragon was genuinely confused.

I had two others with me. Where are they?

"I only found you, little one."

Stop calling me that! And I know they were with me! His expression changed. If this is a trick-

"This isn't a trick. I only found you- oh no."

"Oh no" what?

"Brigands. Your father placed a sp- he has a way of protecting you once you are in Truce Canyon, so no one who you don't want to touch you can't, but anyone else-" Snappdragon's voice trailed off. Horrid visions filled Crono's mind. Taban! And Lucca, his only friend! They could be tortured! They could be-

The thought appalled and devastated Crono. They could be dead.

"Yes, child. We must find your friends before it's too late."

It might be already, Crono motioned out grimly.

Taban's eyes flickered open, suddenly alert. Something wasn't right. Pain was clouding his thinking so it was a moment before he realized that his hands were tied behind his back. There was boorish laughter. A raucous voice said something inaudible, and the laughter rose. Turning his head, he saw his daughter standing straight and rigid, her head held high in icy pride. Lucca glowered at the ruffians with cold disgust. Just a moment later he noticed the two young men standing protectively near the girl.

One of them saw that Taban was awake and jogged over to him. "Don't worry," he whispered, kneeling down so the older man could hear him. "Your daughter hasn't been touched, and we plan on making sure she remains that way."

"Brooklyn!" yelled the other young rouge.

Brooklyn ran back over to his partner and Lucca. He said something swiftly to Brooklyn, and in response Brooklyn stalked over to an older brigand, so angry Taban could feel the boy's rage. But, being as he couldn't hear anything that was being said in the altercation, Taban occupied himself by looking around and getting his bearings, and nearly cried out in surprise. He saw Crono and a pale-faced man watching the scene gravely, their swords drawn. Crono looked up at the man expectantly, but the latter just shook his head. My God, Taban thought. They're going to try to take the camp!

Crono's companion watched intently. One weakness, one opening in their defense… Then, he saw it. "Now!" he shrieked.

Both of them leapt forward. Taban focused his attention on the young red haired boy, who was fighting his way towards Lucca.

Taban felt someone loosen his bonds, then cut them. "Thanks," he said swiftly, then pulled the gun he kept in his boot out and tried to make it to Crono and his daughter.

Meanwhile, Crono was only a couple feet away from his friend. The young genius looked up. "Crono, watch out!"

Crono turned, only to see a brigand fall flat on his face, dead. A crossbow bolt protruded from his back. The young rouge named Brooklyn grinned at Crono. "Don't mention it, kid." And with that, Brooklyn ran over to Lucca and started to untie her bonds. Crono stood for a moment, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Giving up, he joined Brooklyn in freeing Lucca.

To make a long story short, the group managed to reduce to raiding party to five living members, two of which were rapidly dying and one more badly mangled. They ran. Crono spat. Cowards.

"Hey!"

Crono, Taban, and Snappdragon spun around, on guard once more. Brooklyn and his companion dropped their crossbows and backed away from them.

Lucca ran up to them. "Stop!" She latched on to her father's outstretched arm, the one that was holding the gun, and tried to pull his arm down. "They're my friends! They protected me!"

They hesitated. Then Crono seathed his katana, then Snapppdragon seathed his weapon. Finally Taban lowered his gun but didn't put it away.

"Thank you," Brooklyn said, relieved. "This is Will, my cousin. We were-"

He was cut off by Will's urgent cry. "Look out!"

Crono felt a sharp pain in his back, as if he had been bitten by a spider. He became immediately light headed, and felt himself falling…. A long way down, a strangely long fall… As he hit the ground, a numbness filled Crono's chest, then his mind, and then Crono felt nothing.

Will and Brooklyn leapt forward and disposed of the stray brigand with concealed daggers. Lucca ran to Crono, sick to her stomach. No! No! Oh God, no! she thought, dropping to her knees and feeling Crono's neck for a pulse. The cold fear in the pit of her stomach spread to the rest of her, and her body nearly rebelled.

"He's dead."

to be continued...


*previous fanfiction*
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