What the hell is this…?

From the moment he stepped into the hall, from the moment he saw Vayne and the others lying on the ground, his time seemed to froze. His eyes showed another scene where in different place in another hall, where everyone lay down with blood stained the wall and ground. The air filled with only ironic. Wind as if contained needles which made his eyes ache. Fear swallowed him from inside, making his body couldn't stop from trembling.

I…I saw this before…!

Something seemed to rise up in his mind. Images formed in front of his eyes. He was in a dark room with disgusted smell and insane laughing. Wind blew out like whirlwind, hurting his skin. Dead bodies lay beside him which he recognized that's the royal guard he always talked to…no, those dead bodies were all he knew and served his family from his childhood. They're all dead…!

But all that aside, there's someone in front who he's looking for. He's here for her…his other half.

She was trying to stop the tragedy. She's trying to help them…to help him! He finally knew why she gave the ring to him…

"I want you to have this. Just…treat it as talisman, alright?"

…It was all for him.

How could he leave her in this?

No way…

"Ulrika!"

"Uhrika!"

Others' voices snapped him back to where he's supposed to be. His jerked a bit and looked back to the hall. His eyes widened as he saw the summoned sword directed to the blonde…the one he was looking for these thousand years.

No…No!

The next moment, before he realized, he was already shielded in front the blonde, and the sword stabbed into his body.


Blood dripped on the ground, staining it with another kind of striking red. Ulrika froze at the scene. Never once she thought the baron would take the damage with his body…he should have better way to prevent that…

But that's not important at all, by now.

Time seemed to flow back at that very moment. All she saw was the man similar to Roze running to her, completely ignoring what she's telling him. What she told him…oh yeah…she told him to run. That's the only wish she had - to at least protect him.

The boys' scream snapped her back, where she figured they're going berserk. No…she couldn't stop them…but please at least…!

Before she could do anything, the place explored, swallowed everything within its arm. She managed to use her power to protect from direct damage, but…

She turned to see the man melted in front of her. His fingers…his radiant hair…his smile…everything of him melted into ashes…

That man…was no other than –


That day was a clear shiny day. He felt a bit bored, and decided to go for hunting to kill the time and to see if he got any luck to find something useful on the research he's currently in. Without bringing a guard, he went off alone. Usually he would bring someone to help him, but today he didn't feel that way.

On the way, he managed to gather some useful ingredients to use on alchemy. It seemed he could dig in further in the research more. That's sounded not bad though. At least he had something to concentrate on.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse where a sliver and grey creature flied by. In instinct, he shot out an arrow. But to his surprise, despite the tiny groaning, he heard a girl's scream.

"U-Uryu! What the hell is this? Who shot it!?"

He scratched the back of his head. Though the person was not mentioned at him directly, but he's the one who shot the arrow. He felt the blame indeed. Thinking if he might shoot a person, he quickly ran to it.

"Are you alright…?" He raised a brow seeing the arrow stabbed into a white creature's leg. A mana…?

"You! What the hell you're doing? You hurt my baby!" The blonde beside the mana shouted out of her lungs.

"Uh…" The white creature groaned.

"Your…baby?" She didn't seem old enough to have a baby though…

As if the blonde knew what he's thinking, immediately she jumped up.

"D-Don't take it the wrong way! I'm the one responsible to take care of him, so he's like my baby!" She hugged the white creature in embrace. "He's just born you know!"

"I see…so you're a mana as well, huh?" But this was the first time he met such a rude mana. "Fine…it's my fault. What do you want me to do?"

"Though I can use my power to heal him, but you're the one hurt him, so you better heal him up!"

"…I don't have my things with me. Wanna go to my home?" What a pain…but this was his fault. What else he could say?

"Okay, show the way!"

He took a careful look on the blonde. She's indeed an upper class mana judging from her appearance. Perhaps she's from that side.

"Are you Mana of Light?" He asked.

She turned to him with widened eyes. "How did you know?"

"Instinct, I guess…"

"…Well yeah, I am. My name is Ulrika. He's Uryu, a Soul Mana." She introduced her self, forming a small smile.

"…My name is Rozeluxe."

"R-R-Roze…what? Why your name is hard to pronounce?" She tilted her head pondering a bit. "I'll just call you Roze then!"

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you like."

"Hey, where's your house?"

Can't she see? The direction they're heading was no other than –

"We're here." He pointed out for her – the white and light yellowish building in front, where they're already here.

She winked a few times staring at the building. Her mouth was half opened, looked like an idiot. He smiled a little.

"Y-You're…" She gasped.

"Come in already, you dumb."

"You're the prince of Al-Revis!?"


Since then, Ulrika would come to visit Roze once in a while. Though Roze pretty much irritated by her appearance, but soon he ignored her and just let her be. The people were surprised their prince brought a girl back, but when they knew she's a mana, they just left her alone.

As time passed, people were used to have her around. Even Roze's sister Pamela would ask about her if she's not around. Roze had to admit that Ulrika had brought fun and happiness to the people in the castle. His father and mother seemed to like her as well. Her appearance seemed to…melt the coldness within him. It's embarrassed, but it's true.

However, today she seemed…a bit off. Her face lost the shine she usually had, as if something bad had happened.

"What's wrong with you?"

"…No, it's just that…" She pursed her lips. "Hey you know the rumor recently? The mana died because they gave birth to the child of human…"

Oh that. "Yes, I heard a lot."

"Our kings are worried. Light Mana almost goes crazy over it. And he…"

"What is it?" He hated that look of her. It didn't suit her at all.

"He's not allowed me to come here again." She lowered her head, seemed pretty disappointed.

His heart skipped a bit. For a moment, he felt someone tear his heart to half. It's so ache just because he might not be able to see her again…

"No, you'll be alright." He pulled her to his embrace and circled her tightly in his arms. "We'll be alright."

She was taken aback, but she smiled sweetly. "Yes, we'll be alright!"


"Where are you going? I told you stop going to that side!" Light Mana grabbed the blonde from behind.

"I go wherever I want. Let go of me!" She swung away his grip. "Thanks for your concern, but I'm all fine!"

"…You go to meet that human again, aren't you?" His face twisted badly. "Can't you see how many mana we're scarified because of them!? Human and mana can never fall in love!"

"You don't have to tell me, I know better than anyone!" Ulrika shot him an irritated glare. How long he's going to waste her time? "I'm in hurry!"

"Don't go!" He caught her back. "I wanted to help them, but I can't you know. But at least you…I can save you. I won't let the human take you away from me!"

"W-What are you talking about!? Let me go!" She struggled. What's wrong with him!? "I felt the same way hoping to help the mana on that side. But then again, Light Mana, have you ever thought about the reason why they wanted to give born even it will cause them their life?"

Unlike human, mana's born was completely different with human. Mana born through the element that absorbed the energies from the nature of the world and the share of emotion of human. And then, those new born mana were taken care by the adult mana just like she and Uryu until they could turn into human form.

But human…they're different. Perhaps this was why mana couldn't sustain the way human born. The baby extracted all the energies from the mother and caused the mother instant death. That's saddened, because mana could never give birth to a baby like the human could.

"What…?"

"They chose to love each other." Ulrika looked straight to his eyes. Yes, now she had to admit it…she loved Roze. She loved human. She wanted to be with them.

As if hearing some disgraceful thing, Light Mana twisted his face more – like an ugly creature. Ulrika raised a brow, took his glare bravely.

"…How dare you talk to me like that?" He gritted his teeth. "As a king, I'm responsible to protect all of you…no, I don't care about the others…all I want is to protect you." Ulrika took a step back, flinching at his words. "Do remember…if human and mana can love each other, then it's the same to us mana."

Leaving her, Light Mana walked back to his place. Ulrika bit her bottom lip, feeling fidget at what he told her.

What the hell with him…? She could feel something off within his words. Starting from receiving the news which mana died because of giving birth, he seemed to go more and more insane. It's true from the nature where mana and human could never love each other, let alone giving birth. But emotion was developed through times, and it's not something both could stop.

Mana never gave the chance to love others. But human taught them the warmth and emotion to care the others.

Yes…Roze taught me to love him, to love the people in that castle. I'm whole because of him.

She's not going to give up this feeling, no matter what the others told her.

She looked down to the ring on her finger. She remembered this was given by Light Mana. This ring contented the power to kill mana, a Mana Slayer indeed. It's a part of the power of mana – a dangerous power. There were two rings contented the powers like that. Light Mana kept one for himself; the other gave to her.

She didn't know the reason he wanted her to keep the ring, but now she might knew one or two.

"…Sorry, but I don't feel that way."

With determined she opened the gate and stepped to other side of the world.


Recently, there were some rumors spreading around the city. Roze heard it. It's regarding his father was seizing the mana all around the places.

He didn't know why or how the rumors spread, but one thing he knew was his father would never do such a thing. His father was an excellent alchemist who managed to create many useful items and made the life more and more advancing through alchemy.

He learned alchemy through his father as well. But unfortunately, his didn't possess the talent like his father. He was more on sword skills and fighting, but he knew the basic of alchemy. At least he could synthesis items he needed to.

Unlike him, his sister Pamela possessed excellent talent, who was very interested in alchemy and showed her talent when she's only five years old. But one thing, Pamela was way too lazy…sometimes. She's clever, but she's too clever, until without anybody knowing where she was. At the end when everyone was looking for her, she would appear out of nowhere.

She was willful and naughty, but she's cute in that way.

Flipping the book but not really reading the content, Roze decided to close it up. Feeling fidget on his chest, he inhaled deeply and let it out, hoping to release it.

Why he felt that way? He didn't know the reason. His father was shutting himself inside the lab since last two weeks, ever since from his visit to a small village. He heard from the soldiers who went along, knowing what had happened at that time. But why father locked himself inside the lab? Was this related with the incident in the village?

His mother didn't seem to know it as well. From what he knew, his mother Isodel was too, unable to meet him. His father was completely distanced from them – without telling the reason.

That made him anxious.

"Roze!"

He turned his head, seeing the blonde running to him and pounded to him immediately she's near. Taken aback, Roze had no idea where he should put his hand, although this was not the first time they hugged, but this was the first time she pounded over him like this.

"U-Ulrika…?" At last, he pulled her up. The girl sounded unusual today…what's got into her? "What happened?"

Her face was pale, losing the shine she usually had. She shook her head, again buried her face into his chest.

"Light Mana…he tries to stop me from coming here again!" She huffed, like an angry cat. "I hate him! I don't want to separate with you, Roze! I want to be with you!"

Sudden confession made Roze coughed. He stretched his cheek, feeling embarrassed but deeply happy in the same time. She always said things out of the blue…but…who care? That's just her.

He smiled, pulling her closer and dropped a kiss on her cheek.

"I want to be with you too. He can't stop us." He said in whisper tone. "And I won't let the tragedy happened on you. I won't let you die."

Ulrika burst out a small laugh. Her face brushed up with pinkish. She circled her arms around him, enjoying the time – the time that belonged to them, only to them.

It's just like the time had stopped. She hoped everyday would be like this. No one would disturb them, no one could separate them. However, a part of her was worried madly about the rumors recently.

Bad things came one after another. First was the death of mana, and now the rumors which the king seized the mana in secret. She hated all this. She hoped all this would be a dream, and then she would wake up and told herself: this was but a nightmare.

The worries caused her to make a decision. She pulled out the ring – the Mana Slayer from her finger.

"Roze, here." She handed him the ring. "I want you to have this. Just…treat it as talisman, alright?"

"Talisman? For what?" He raised a brow. She inserted the ring on his finger before he could protest. Instantly, he felt a sharp pain as if something stabbed into his finger. "Wait…what is this?" He tried to take off the ring.

Ulrika just watched him and smiled, like she knew this would happen.

"Can't take off…is it?" She chuckled.

"What the hell…?" No matter how hard he tried to pull it off, the ring didn't seem to move a bit. He saw her smile, wondering if she was doing this in purpose. "Is this really a talisman?"

"This ring contents the power of mana. I want you to have it, can't I?" She smiled playfully. Of course she wouldn't tell him because she was worried…worried something bad might happen. More important, she trusted him. "I heard there's something calls engage ring in human word…right?"

Chocking as he heard, a faint of pink painted his face showing the color of embarrass.

"…Do you know what that mean?" Was she serious?

"…D-Don't get the wrong idea!" It seemed she knew it as she quickly denied, but her face burned up with shade of red. "I-It's not an engage ring…it's…i-it's a talisman! Yes, a talisman, of course!" Evading his gaze, she pulled him to the small garden where Roze read the book a moment ago. Despite a few maids doing their daily cleaning and stuff, there's no somebody else around.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Let's have a dance here!" She said out of the blue.

"…Huh!?" After a moment of silence, Roze grimaced, but the blonde only smiled as response, as if telling him: I'm not joking!

"Not 'huh'! You dumb!" She remembered he teased her like this on the first day they met. Ha! Now I'm gonna tease him back. She giggled, pulling him forward. "I said I want to dance!"

"Why the heck you want to dance so badly…?" Sometimes, he really had no idea what the blonde was thinking. She always doing things or saying something out of the blue, completely out of his expected. But he had to say, that's why he loved her.

"Shut up!" This was first time she danced. She saw people danced on the festival, but she never took part of that.

As if the flow of the time stopped, everything went silence. They danced in the middle of the garden, painting the place with their colors. The maids stopped their task on hand, instead of watching the pair. The birds stopped singing; the air stopped flowing, like a melody, like paint.

Her giggling filled the air instead. She almost tripped a few times. Fortunately Roze managed to catch her before she fell down. She chuckled, shrugging it off and continued the dance. The more they dance, the more beautiful the dance turned out to be.

Pamela stunned by the scene when she passed by the place. She was in the middle of boring lesson. Like usual, she skipped the classes and hid.

She was just getting boring, thinking if she had to go back to the class or not, she saw her brother dancing with the blonde. As far as she knew her brother, he was not the type would dance with other in the time like this…no, he never dance with others, except the formal party.

But…what a scene to behold.

She choked when she realized she was holding her breathe since she stared at them. So…that's how her brother was when he was in love, huh?

She burst out a small laugh, and this caused the prince turned his head to her and broke the dance. She cursed, knowing full well what was going to happen next. So she quickly -

"Stop there Pamela!"

"Waaaahhhhh!"

Of course she had to run! The hell she would let him catch her!

"I said stop over there!" He chased up.

"Brother, this is not the proper way to address a lady! No way, I'm not going back!"

And so, the chase-and-run game started.

Ulrika, being leaving there, could only sigh.

"This happen everyday I come here, huh?" She let out a small laugh thinking the scene the brother and sister's little 'game'. "Wait, I'm coming too~~" She, of course, wanted to be a part of it!

She finally let off her worries, and hopefully the bad feeling she had was just merely a feeling – nothing would happen, and this would continue forever.

I want to protect you. I'll protect you.


However, her praying didn't seem to be paid. Her bad feeling came true when Tetri told her something happened in Al-Revis.

"…You know the rumors about the missing mana right? It seemed Theofratus had sized all the mana in that world and locked them somewhere else."

Ulrika gasped. So the rumors were true, huh?

That aside, she couldn't believe Roze's father actually did all that. From what she knew the king, he was not the type of person like that. He was kind and capable, always nice and smiled…how could a person like that did such terrible thing?

As if looking through the blonde, Tetri answered her before she could asked.

"…It seemed Light Mana had played his part in this as well."

"What!?" Another shock in a day.

"Apparently, from the information Dark Mana able to gather, Light Mana made contact with Theofratus after his visit to a small village. And then the rumors started to spread…you know all these, right?" Tetri tried to hold her breathes. To her, this was too shocking. To know her king involved in such heartless thing made her wondered what he's planning all the time.

"Yes…I heard from Roze his father seemed very desperate after healing the girl…but is this has anything to do with the missing mana?" She asked, a bad feeling swallowed her inside.

"…If my guess is right, they try to create Artificial Mana, by killing the mana."

Ulrika stunned by the shocked information Tetri threw her. Voice stuck in her throat, couldn't come out. If she's correct, the only one possessed the knowledge on creating an Artificial Mana was only Light Mana and Dark Mana, who agreed to seal the knowledge from reaching to human hand, because this was too dangerous. Though they knew one day human would actually find out with their creative and imagination, by sealing the knowledge, they could at least keep the mana safe. But now…

"…You mean, Light Mana unsealed the knowledge, and handed it to the king?" Her voice seemed to shake as well.

"Dark Mana already sent his men to that side. I think we'll be alright…" Tetri tried to calm her down. She knew how the news would shake the blonde, but as a part of Mana Sanctuary, everyone had the right to know the truth.

"… No, that's not true…" She thought about Roze. Roze, Pamela, the queen Isodel. The maids, the guards, the people lived on that side…if anything happened, if the king couldn't control the power of Artificial Mana, what would happen?

When she's about saying anything, the door of the room slammed opened. Another Mana of Wood panted hardly standing outside. His clothes stained with the color of red. The girls only stared at him in shock before they finally realized what's going on.

"Tetri…!" The Mana of Wood collapsed. "Hurry…Al-Revis…is…"

"What happened!?" Tetri grabbed him before his head hit the ground. "What happened to the mana that sent to that side?" She glanced at the wounds on him, knowing it's too late to keep him alive.

"Artificial…born…destroyed…" His sentence came out as single word and completely unclear. But for the girls who already knew a part of the truth, it's not difficult to imagine what he's trying to warn them.

"…The Artificial Mana has born!" Both of them gasped.

Roze…!

"Tetri, I'll go to that side! Help me to get the people out!" Leaving the corpse to other mana, the Mana of Light and the Mana of Wood headed to the gate.

However, this was what Tetri regretted the most, for not be able to keep the blonde from the explosion.


He quickly ran to the lab where his father was after hearing the loud bang coming from it. However, what waiting for him on the half way was something he could never imagine.

Corpses lying all around the hall and along the corridors. All of them was the maids that served him and the royal family. They're with him when he's just a little child, no way would he take them wrong.

W-What happened!?

He only went out for gathering some ingredients, and when he's back, he had to face a nightmare like this. More importantly, who killed them?

"Pamela…mother, father!"

Like the wall had broken, strong wind blew on him as if stopping him from getting closer. That aside, where the wind coming from?

Ignoring the wind, he ran forward, hoping his family would be alright. Taking a turn, his heard something – like a sob, like a yell, and no doubt that's Pamela's voice.

"Pamela!"

"Brother!" The purple haired lovely lady, together with a raven haired woman who tugging her arms, seemed having some difficult time. Pamela immediately ran up to Roze and buried her face into his chest.

"What happened!? And who is this woman?" He glared at the stranger, readying his dagger.

"Calm down prince. My name is Tetri. I've been ordered to take all of you out. Al-Revis…is no longer safe." The woman seemed in hurry, and kept urging them to follow her.

"I'm not going!" But the princess refused to listen to her. "Brother, mother…is dead! That man…killed all of them!"

That man…Pamela kept referring the mystery man that had been invited by his father recently as. She once told him, she hated this guy. He was disgusted. For some reason, Roze didn't like him as well. So they tried to keep some distance with him.

"…Where is he?" But this was too much. For what he killed the innocent people? And who was he!?

"I don't know…it's scary!" The tears flowing out like a broken pipe, the princess seemed to get shock badly.

"There's no time to look for him! Please follow me!" The raven haired woman pulled them out by force.

Roze was surprised by the strength she got. Though she looked slim and fragile, her strength was stronger than him, a man.

"…You're mana, aren't you?"

"I'm Mana of Wood. There's no time to be wasted! I got the people out to a safe place. Now only the both of you…"

"...You two go first." He suddenly said.

"Brother!?" Pamela couldn't believe what she just heard. "No, brother!"

"…Ulrika is here, right?" He knew something was wrong when she insisted him to have the ring. Come to think of it, after she gave him the ring, the mystery man appeared and addressed himself as his father's old friend…and then strange voices and screams from the lab…now everything made sense.

If she was here, there's no way he would leave.

"I'll protect you. I promise." As if whispering to himself, or whispering to the blonde that was not in the room, no one knew. But it didn't matter. Leaving the lovely princess to Tetri, he went alone, heading straight to the lab – where everything occurred.

"Please, Mana of Wishes! I beg you…please stop this at once!"

Ulrika shouted, trying her best to reach her hand to the crying boy in front of her. However, the strong pressure pushed her away as if the boy was rejecting her.

There were two of them, with same appearance, same voice but different character. Like a twin, but not exactly. Though they looked the same, the boy that's standing laughing with high pitched voice and saying something she couldn't hear at the same time. The other was kneeling on the ground, crying and kept shaking his head as if denying the other boy.

All this was insane.

When she came to the lab, the king was already dead. She could only think of the boys killed him as their bodies stained with bloods. The other boy seemed couldn't sustain the fact of killing someone, collapsed immediately. But the other one went berserk.

That's what she could think of.

The wind acted like a protect shell, kept pushing her away. She knew she had to stop them, or else everyone would die.

"Please, stop that! You're a Mana of Wishes right!? Then hear my wish, and snap out of it, you little bastard!" She stamped her feet, exclaiming even louder with a furious mixed in her tone. She cursed her king for dragging her into this. If not because of the one her loved, she would never do this!

"I…I just want to protect him! I want to protect him, only for him!" Yes, she came because of Roze. She swore to protect him. If it was for him, she could do everything.

Laughing filled the air as the two boys in front lost control. The boy scolded the other boy and kept hurting him using his blades of word. The other one only cried, perhaps feeling guilty of taking a life? She didn't know. Despite the wind and laughing, she couldn't hear a word.

"Ulrika!"

She heart skipped a beat, knowing full well who the voice has belonged to. She stunned, too shocked to do anything.

Why…? This was the first thing she came to her mind.

She did ask Tetri to get all of them out, so why he's here?

"Get out of there! It's too dangerous!"

"I have to stop them! Or else Al-Revis will…!"

"Stop it! Shut up! Shut uuuuupppppppp!"

The boys screamed. The power stored in him showing the hint of losing control. Mana of Wishes wished everything that caused him pain to disappear. Everything around him. He started to lose his insanity, after all the blades of word and assaulting coming from the boy in front of him. He wished everything to disappear.

"No…Roze, don't get near! Run…RUN!"

She managed to shield herself when the boy released the power, but that different when came to a normal human.

From the time he stepped into the lab, it had destined the prince wouldn't be able to survive. The power of Artificial Mana was too much for a human. She could only watch him melted into ashes, before he could reach her.

She screamed, she cried, she yelled for his lost. In this moment, what she's trying to do was worthless. She couldn't protect the one she loved. She couldn't do anything when he disappeared in front of her. Nothing.

The barrier she used to hold the overflowing of Artificial Mana could no longer hold. She approached the boy, who strangely, only one of them, and hugged him.

"Please…hear my wish." A tear rolled down to her cheek. "I want to see him again…please, let me see him again…!"

The boy winked. This was properly the first time he felt the warmth of a hug. The gray haired boy responded her hug. A tear dropped down to her back.

"Roze…"

The Mana of Light turned into gold particles and dissolved into the air. The gray haired boy tried to hold them but ended up failed. He cried out, decided to seal himself away. He didn't realize, someone was beside him even when he's asleep.


Somehow, the Mana of Wishes heard her wish. Though it took thousand years, he fulfilled her wish – to let her see him again.

Though in different way, under lots of circumstances, they finally met each other, and attracted to each other.

He thought this should have done. However –


The time started to flow again.

As if the old film played in her mind, she saw all of them. Her being a Mana of Light, Jerktown being the prince of Al-Revis, and Vayne being the Mana of Wishes…

The truth behind everything had been revealed. She begged the Mana of Wishes to bring him back, and he fulfilled her wish. But…

He fell on the ground, with blood stained his clothes and body, still trying to reach a hand to her.

He seemed to remember everything as well. Ulrika felt tears rolled down to her cheek –

"Nooooooooooo!"


Hi it's me again. So this is the truth of the thousand years. I think i'm not doing it good enough, but i had tried my best. So this is what i'm going to say:

Please leave a review if you feel like. If you noticed something seemed off, do inform me and i'll try to look at it.

So, that's all, thanks for those had reviewed until now!