The party lands in a pillar of light in a sort of room. The room has three pillars of light, including the one the party arrived on. 2-13 時の最果て (The Farthest Reaches of Time), a rather dreamlike tune, plays. There seems to be nothingness beyond the room.

They walk to a second room, connected by a walkway. This one has a door on one side, a staircase to nowhere on another, healing and save points, a strange object in the corner, and an old man with a cane and trench coat leaning on an old-style streetlamp in the middle of the room and sleeping. The party tries talking to him.

Lucca: Visitors...?
Um, where is this?

Lucca: What do you mean,
"guest"...?
And, WHERE are we?

Old Man: This is "The Farthest Reaches of Time"....
The place where those lost in time end up.
Where did you all come from?

OLD MAN: Why,
this is "The End of Time," of course!
All lost travelers in time end up
here!
Now, where are you from?

Lucca: We came from Royal Year 1000.

Lucca: We're from
Guardia Kingdom, circa 1000 A.D.

"Circa"? Assuming Guardia keeps accurate records, the year is exactly 1000.

Robo: I came through a Gate from the
world of A.D.2300....

Old Man: When four or more people who
live in different times enter a space-time
distortion, the dimensional field warps....
But here have been so very many
space-time distortions recently.
There are some who pop up
here like you did, too....
Perhaps something is exerting
an effect on all of time....

OLD MAN: When 4 or more beings step
into a time warp, the Conservation
of Time theorum states that they
will turn up...
...at the space-time coordinates of
least resistance.
Here.
Disturbances in the space-time
continuum have increased recently.
Far too many folks are just popping
in here...
I fear something is having a
powerful effect on the very fabric
of time...

Lucca: Which means it's safer if
one of us remains here.

Lucca: Which means one of us has
to remain here.

I never understood how that makes any sense. Can't they all travel together as long as no more than three use the same Gate at once? Just have a few people go through at a time and regroup on the other side...?

Marle: What, leaving someone
behind in a place like this?

Marle: Stay HERE?
ALONE?

Old Man: Place like this, that's rather harsh....
You don't need to worry about anything.
This place leads to all times....
You can summon your teammates
any time you desire it.
But time travel is unstable.
Always act in groups of three.

Lucca: Who stays, Crono?

Crono must be in the active party. Any of the others may stay behind, and the one left will say something.

"Decide, Crono"...? He just did.

Lucca: Don't get any funny ideas just
because we're alone together, old man!

Lucca: Now don't you go getting
and ideas, mister!

Robo: PLEASE call me any time
when I may be of SERVICE.

Robo: Please come for me
whenever you need me.

Old Man: ...and that's that.
If you call me with the Y button, you
can exchange members with those
who remain here at any time.
Make sure not to forget.

OLD MAN: ...So there you have it.
Don't forget. Press the Y button to
switch party members.

Marle: To return to our era,
what should we do?

Marle: How do we get back to our
time?

Old Man: There are pillars of light where
you arrived, correct?
Those link the dimensional distortions all
over to here in the Farthest Reaches of Time.
You can most likely come here at any time
from any Gate once you have crossed it.
You can return to the Gate if you stand in
the light and press the A button.
But be wary of the Gate connected from
the bucket over there....

OLD MAN: You see those lovely pillars of
light? Those hook you up to different
eras.
Once you've been through a Gate,
you can always use it to come here.
To use a Gate from here, step into
the light and press the A Button.
But beware of the Gate which leads
from that bucket...

If the player is curious enough to take a closer look at the bucket anyway, the man explains why to avoid it.

Old Man: That is connected to A.D.1999....
To the time called "The Day of Lavos"....
You could try going if you want to see what
the destruction of the world looks like....
But even you might be destroyed.

OLD MAN: That Gate leads to 1999 A.D...
It leads to the "Day of Lavos"...
Go there only if you're looking to
achieve a shorter life span...
Lavos will help you leave this mortal
coil.

So the three who are traveling head toward the pillars of light, but as they leave the room....

They go back to find out what he wants.

Old man: No need to rush, is there?
Try dropping in on the other side
of the door up there, too.

OLD MAN: Don't be in such a rush!
Before you go, take a peek inside the
room behind me!

So they go through the door, which wouldn't open before. There's another room, with a strange creature in the middle.

"Whatcha want?
Me? I'm Spekkio.
God of war!
I watch wars in various eras from here.
You, how do I look?

The player gets a choice of 強そう (looks strong) and 弱そう (looks weak). The choice doesn't actually affect anything, even the dialogue, but it's there anyway.

Spekkio: Is that so.
My appearance is your strength.
If you're strong, I look strong,
if you're weak, I look weak.

SPEKKIO: I see.
Let's put it this way.
If you're strong, I look strong.
I'f you're weak, I look weak.

Spekkio: Hm?
You guys have it.
Power of the heart....
I get it, that's why the old man outside
let you in here.
Long before you guys were born....
A kingdom prospered through magic.
Everyone in that world used magic.
But that kingdom grew addicted to
magical power and perished....
After that, no one could use magic any more.
Except for the Demons anyway.
But you guys've got it. Strength of the heart.
Magic's the heart's strength, power.
Magic's made up of the four powers of
Sky, Dark, Fire, and Water.

I probably don't need to point out that the history lesson got mangled in the NA version.

As mentioned earlier, 魔族 doesn't seem to have the same connotations as "demon", but I can't think of anything in English that's any better. "Fae" maybe?

SPEKKIO: You, with the punk hairdo!
You're "Lightning."

SPEKKIO: The one with the ponytail is
"Water."

SPEKKIO: The one with goofy glasses is
"Fire."

Spekkio: This hugeass doll....
You, you're not a living thing.
You've got a strong heart too, but magic's
a no-go since you don't carry the blood
of the ancient magic peoples.
But that "laser" weapon of yours has
got some serious destructive ability.
It resembles "Dark" power.

Robo can't use magic because he's not descended from the ancient magic-users, not because Spekkio can't get a feel for him.

Spekkio: Like so, it's not just magic,
but all things that are made up of
the balance of these four.
Silently pray, "I wanna use magic,"
while you circle clockwise along
the edge of this room three times,
starting from the doorpost!
I'll pay attention so you don't slip up.

SPEKKIO: Not just magic, but
EVERYTHING is based on the balance
of these 4 powers.
Think "MAGIC," and, starting
from the door, walk clockwise along
the walls of my room 3 times.
Don't lose track, now.

バターにならない literally means "not become butter". I think this is what he means.

It seems odd, but... whatever. They do as instructed, then report back to Spekkio.

Spekkio: All right!
Hanyaharahettamitaai!

SPEKKIO: Very good!
Ipso facto, meeny moe...
MAGICO!

I'm pretty sure that's gibberish, although ハラヘッタミタ～イ could mean "looks like I'm hungrrrrry".

Crono raises his arms as his clothes and hair ripple as though in a strong updraft. What looks like a small cyclone circles him, with accompanying wind noises. He pumps his fist in his victory pose, 2-15 ファンファーレ３ (Fanfare 3) plays, and his first spell is added to his skill list.

If present, Marle closes her eyes and clasps her hands in front of her, as her ponytail flies straight up and her clothes ripple in the same imaginary wind. Water splashes around her. She leaps into her victory pose, Fanfare 3 plays again, and her first spell is added to her skill list.

If present, Lucca stands on her tiptoes, hands clasped in front of her, and chants. Flame appears around her. She stands with her gaze and one arm towards the sky, Fanfare 3 plays again, and her first spell is added to her skill list.

All characters who just learned magic resume learning additional skills normally.

Spekkio: So, I bet you're gushing with
new power. Wanna try it out?

If they agree, it's time to fight Spekkio.... 2-14 愉快なスペッキオ (Cheerful Spekkio) plays.

Spekkio is a tough opponent. He's immune to physical attacks, and uses powerful magic. But now, the party has magic of their own. Crono can call down thunder from the heavens, Marle can freeze things, and Lucca can toss fireballs around. Even so, don't be surprised if you don't win your first time trying. If the party wins, they get a small prize. If they lose, it doesn't matter. Spekkio's form changes periodically as the game progresses depending on the party's levels. Each form is harder than the last, but gives a better prize for winning.

Spekkio: If you make new teammates,
you're bringing them here.
You guys are VERY interesting.

SPEKKIO: You guys are too much!
Bring newcomers to meet me!

They return to the main room. The Farthest Reaches of Time plays again.

Old Man: Oh? Just as I thought.
All the people of the distant past had such
power.
Ah yes, the distant past....
It looks as though you guys are about to
go and perpetrate something unreasonable,
but perhaps you should first try returning
to your era...?
Less haste, more speed....
When you're here, you grow quite familiar
with the meaning of such words as those....
If anything happens, come any time.
I shall be a guide to time for you.

OLD MAN: Well, well!
People who lived long ago ALL
enjoyed such powers...
Now, I know you are itching to go
ripping back and forth through time,
but first you need to return to your
era.
And you must hurry.
The longer you remain here, the
harder it will be to change that
which must be changed...
Stop by whenever you're in the
area!

More mix-ups in the NA version. The old man isn't saying to hurry. In fact, he's saying almost the opposite. Translated from the J-J dictionary on Goo, 急がば回れ means "When in a hurry, rather than a dangerous shortcut, taking the long but safe main road is faster in the end. An admonition to take the safe and steady way." In other words, his point appears to be that, instead of trying something brave but foolish right away, they should take time to investigate and prepare. "Less haste, more speed" is a comparable English proverb that says you'll reach your objectives more quickly if you don't rush them.

And so they head for the room where they arrived. The three pillars of light are now active and display information on where they go.

Medina Village isn't somewhere Crono's been, but at least it's the right era. The party enters that Gate....