Chapter 13: The Battle for the Scorched Lands
As Maxus landed, he looked down from the heavens to see a bustling city full of people going about their business. Maxus thought to himself, 'Hmm...looks interesting down there. Maybe I can explore later, if I have enough time.' He shut off the Epoch and opened the hatch, jumping out and closing it. He was greeted with a giant metallic gleam from the building he was in. He walked around in the brightness of the daylight, wondering where he should start with his tour, when all of a sudden, time froze, like it had when Maxus was coming back from Guardia's Millenial Fair. He gasped as his adrenalines kicked into action. He stood still, closing his eyes, until everything was normal again.
But unlike last time, people seemed to notice it as well. But one nearby person said in reaction to Maxus's surprise, "Don't worry, son. It's only The Leader." Maxus was now certainly very curious about this "leader" individual that this man had mentioned, and assmed he must be up these stairs, so he walked up what seemed to be 90 flights of stairs, gasping in exhaustion before he finally noticed the elevator. He walked in, and pressed a button that said 110.
Maxus waited anxiously, and reached the top floor, exiting out of the elevator. Strangely more quiet than the other floors, this one had a strange aura about it. He walked cautiously around the area, pivoting around from time to time. hen finally, he reached a significant looking door that surely led to the enigmatic man himself. He pushed on the door, only to have it open before his eyes. It creaked loudly as it slowly swung it's hinges open, and before him lay a man who was wearing a black cloak, similar to one Maxus had seen before. He gasped, his eyes widening. He exclaimed, "Y-you...no. This is all because of you. Everything that has happened is because of you!" He pointed at the man, and he simply chuckled.
"Well...I had no choice. You are the only one who can lead us to The War. Your skills as a General would be immense. YOU are the only person who can establish the Kingdom of Dalton...MY Kingdom!!!!" The man now threw aside his cloak to reveal a man with Brown Captain Hook Curls, with a black and orange suit on. On his face, the details were more distinct. He had an eyepatch on his right eye. He smiled and said, "Who else could've made you meet the three brothers of the three Gurus, thereby unleashing a change so great upon Zeal, that it would change the Kingdom, no, the world, forever. Who else would hunger so much that he would send his robots to battle you at this very moment? Hahahahaha!"
Maxus growled in anger, teleporting to the city, which was bustling with activity. Apparently, Dalton was not the leader. He would pay for his continued treachery! Maxus would make certain of that. Maxus ran across the city, asking people if they had seen a group of strange people. They all said they didn’t, but Maxus knew he would see them sooner or later.
As He continued his search, he came across an odd store that was named Oxxo.
‘Odd name’, Maxus thought. He entered the store and walked to the counter, leaning forward and asking the person standing there, “Have you seen a couple of strange folks-” Then suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. A shiver went up his spine, as he turned around swiftly. Crono, Marle, Ayla, Lucca, Robo, Frog, and Janus stood before him. Maxus breathed a sigh of relief and walked them outside, telling them all that had occurred at Silver Gunner Headquarters.
“So...it Dalton again? He no good. He a bad man.” Ayla remarked. Crono also had something to say, “If what you say is true, then he shouldn’t be far from the city. Perhaps we can warn The Leader about this impending danger. Come on, guys, we have some work to do.”
