EPISODE 11: ANCIENT HISTORY
Summary: The brief history between the late Destruction-clan, save for their two survivors, and the living Preservation-clan of Ancient Humans, and their sins that caused the Mana world to exist.
Disclaimer: I don't own Cross Ange or any of its characters and original plot, excluding the original characters I created for this story. This is a spin-off series of the main 'Cross Ange: Living Hell' story. So please read that before here.
Cross Ange and all its rights belong to King Records (Japan), Sentai Filmworks (USA), and Sunrise/ Bandai Namco Entertainment (Japan). This fanfiction is meant for entertainment only and not for profit. This story contains heavy language, blood and violence, and mild sexual themes not for audiences under 16-18 years old.
"Rush? Where are you taking us?" Tusk agreed with Ammo asking his question to Rush walking in front of them with Sheeta beside his side and leading the two and Moon with Ular and Hebi coiling around him through one of the Haven Resort's top floors, showing every closed door and its specific numbers, with Tusk wondering if any of these rooms are occupied with residents or vacant for a new owner to take it. Thanks to Rush's generosity, Tusk was given a new house closer to the other houses for those who wished to live near hangars filled with their Gliders so that Tusk could park and utilise his father's Glider whenever he needed to get around and outside the Haven. But Tusk couldn't help but be curious about what Rush was planning for him when he called him after entering Tusk's new house while he was cleaning the kitchen, saying that 'he needs him and Moon to see someone.' When he left the house, his curiosity grew from seeing both Ammo and Moon with them and also as confused as he was.
Who is the mysterious person that wants to see Tusk and Moon?
"For the second time, Ammo, I want Moon and Tusk to see someone. For the former's case, he told me he wanted to know more about the Ancient Humans. I called Tusk to also meet him because he's also the second Destruction clan survivor." Rush tiredly answered with a sigh, typing his bandaged thumb on his Haven phone's keypad that he was focusing on what he could be messaging during the walk from the elevator to the designated floor.
"Ceh. And who are you messaging right now? Your new boyfriend?" Ammo joked from his playfully crude grin. But Tusk silently looked at the green-haired boy with melancholy, understandably saddened for Rush and his love preference that he rather not joke about due to his past…
"Yeah. Why?" Rush's immediately sarcastic response alarmed Tusk and Ammo with the latter screaming his dismay with Tusk, Moon with his snakes, and Sheeta watching with the former two surprised of Ammo furiously climbing onto Rush's back with his arms around his neck and shaking Rush back and forth, despite the latter surprisingly being unfazed of the treatment that stopped their walk. "Rush, I didn't mean it! Why are you texting the goddamn enemy like you two are friends!? You should be ignoring him and finding a girl…"
BAM!
"Relax, you big fucking baby. It's just my best friend Daigorou, not Embryo." Rush stoically corrected in anger as everyone continued walking, with Tusk and Moon trying not to see Ular's tail coiling around the barely conscious Ammo's left leg and dragging the body against the carpeted floor when Rush banged his fist on his head. "Tusk, Moon, this is what happens if you joke on things, not on OUR concern just like Ammo." Rush softly warned and stashed his closed phone in his shorts' pocket.
"Y-Y-Yes, Rush." Tusk and Moon timidly nod their apprehension with Hebi following their reaction, amazing Tusk. "B-But you don't need to do a lot to help me learn anything about the Ancient Humans. I never asked about it because I don't think it matters if someone is a human or a Norma…"
"No, it's not just that." Rush nonchalantly interrupted Moon, stopping in front of a door where almost every boy and animal saw the number 178 shined in gold like the other doors which Rush knocked with his left, fingerless gloved hand. "You'll also learn the true history of the Destruction and Preservation clans, and why they have done that may have caused current events with the Norma to begin with." That may have woken up Ammo from almost fainting and hurriedly got on his feet in surprise, intrigued and curious to learn about the Ancient Humans more than Moon.
"…Come in." Rush heard a slow voice emitting from inside the room once he stopped knocking, using the Light of Mana on his hand grabbing and twisting the doorknob to open instead of using the key, waving everyone to follow him inside. Like every room of the Haven Resort, the interior is a spacious shared room consisting of a living room with a primitive wide, TV screen, a long couch facing the TV, a kitchenette with a table parted at a suitable distance from each other, doors leading to a bedroom and bathroom away from each other. Sitting on the couch is an elderly and bony, tanned man dressed in a large white sleeveless shirt, a long, sarong skirt to his bare ankles, and surprisingly pure black hair and moustache with not a single white strand despite looking like in his almost eighties even with his rectangular glasses for his pitch-black eyes. "Ah, hello, Rush. Good that you came at the right time." The old man greeted Rush who closed the door with Sheeta, Ammo, Moon, and Tusk standing between the elder and the inactive TV.
"Rush, who's the old man?" Ammo whispered Rush but everyone witnessed a long cane swiping but almost hitting the former who ducked with a scream in shock from the old man who readily waved his cane beside him.
"Watch it, you little sissy. I may be 101, and soon be in my grave, but I can still wallop your bottom until it'll be black!" The old man threatened with a crudely angry grin and furiously swiped his cane at Ammo who tried to climb on Rush's body off his feet in fear of a new punishment by someone older than even Rush and the other active soldiers in their sixties. "I'm sorry, you big Grandpa!"
"Calm down, you old timer. You will make yourself down quicker if you go further." Rush cautioned with amusement in his voice for watching his technician afraid of the person he wants them to meet, whom he addressed. "Kids. This is Aziz, one of the oldest Preservation Ancient Humans who is the only one that knows the true history of both clans…including bits of the old world Heiselburg." The mention of the old world alarmed Tusk with a gasp while Ammo and Moon were confused by his reaction and Rush's serious scowl.
"Heiselburg?" Moon nervously asked.
"Yes, little snake child. Heiselburg; a nondeterministic world. And from what I was told by its ancestors, it was a very horrible place and time it was." The old man, Aziz nodded with sadness that replaced his playful anger towards Ammo, collecting everyone's attention when he violently shook his weak, bony hand kindly urging the visitors to sit on the floor which they obliged with Sheeta lying behind her owner as a cushion in case Rush wants to relax when Aziz starts to narrate, holding both hands on his cane. "Let me remember, first. It has been so long but I can still feel the pain from those who experienced them for decades…"
"D-don't worry, sir. Even if it's scary, we can take it…I hope. Please take your time." Moon reassured, trying to be brave but slumping his shoulders down in worry even if Aziz looked like he would appreciate his response from his weak smile. "Thank you, my boy. Now, from the beginning…"
Before the age of Mana, more than 500 years ago, humans were known to be cruel, violent, and melodramatically sadistic to every life and their homes. What none may know, was that this darkness was openly embraced by a social system created by those of 'higher stature'; the rich but heartlessly cruel 'Tyrants', the normal 'Middles' and the low-born 'Urchins'.
The Tyrants, who think of themselves as kings or worse 'gods', abuse their wealth and power on the innocent Middles and Urchins until the latter sides die for their superiority that not even the severe law can punish them. Bribing the easily fooled prosecution who served humanity's service with ludicrous wealth to look away from their heinous crime, destroying businesses made by blood, sweat, and tears with a snap of a finger, violent battles that shook the world with primitive weaponry and worse; forcefully buy Middles and Urchins, mostly the latter, as disposable, sacrificial dolls for fatal service and pleasure.
Not care about life itself due to their teachings that Tyrant lives are the only lives they rather care about than all lives.
"No way!" Ammo whispered in horror and abhorrence with Moon and his snakes hugging their friend and Tusk looked away in sorrow. He only knew the gist of this story from his father, but he still feels disgusted by the truth.
To the Tyrants, Urchins are only animals or slaves with their low birth and lack of freedom until their 'abusive owners' sadistic ownership they enjoyed beating them down. Even as young as ten, they were forced to serve the Tyrants as their stepping stones. Middles would be a bit lucky to avoid that fate unless they were orphans from circumstances, or the Tyrants heartlessly killed their parents or children just to force them into their slaves.
'Fucking bitches.' Rush snarled in annoyance, already thinking the worst of the Tyrants' history relating to the Destruction clan Ancient Humans but looked at Moon fearfully raising a hand. "U-Um, were they, hopefully, nice Tyrants?"
"Ah, there were some known to care for Middles and Urchins." Aziz nodded with a sad smile twitching into a sorrowful scowl. "Unfortunately, the majority of the Tyrants willingly de-classed the sane people of their 'clan' to spew on the despair they gave them in generations." Tusk, Ammo, and Moon slumped in sorrow. "However, the greatest mystery of that era; was the 'Demon of Heiselburg'.
'Embryo!' Tusk looked up in shock and anger, glancing at Rush faintly lifting his head to look at Aziz with a curious but interested scowl.
From the people who told me their perspectives and history, no one knows anything about him but presumes multiple theories; a demon raised by a human, a human raised by a demon, or a human given powers by a non-human. They don't know if this person is a Tyrant, Middle, or Urchin.
'Tyrants see themselves as Gods, huh…' Rush mused his suspicion of what he remembered from Aziz's first description of Tyrants, thinking about Embryo's social class before creating both the World and Light of Mana, and the Norma. If Tyrants are rich, spoiled losers with superiority issues, then what he thought about Em might answer one of his questions involving the latter.
"But what they do know is that his terrifying but beautiful powers which created what some have the Light of Mana now, made him the target of the old humanity's ill obsession to become their slave or doll for years. Whenever anyone tried to get him, he dodged their attempts whether by himself or those who cared for him. However, on the day the old humanity ended, the Tyrants and their followers who became the Destruction Ancient Humans exiled the Demon of Heiselburg from existence, out of fear that his power might've won their battle in the Middle and Urchins' favour for a better future, not wanting the Preservation ancestors to be equalled. Despite this, humanity continued battling each other until…."
Aziz's harsh coughs interrupted his story, but Tusk, Ammo, Moon, and Rush were alarmed in worry for his health after the latter hurriedly slid and stood beside the elderly man and lightly pat his bandaged hand on his skeletal back. "I-I-I'm fine…" Despite his fragile reassurances, the group can see in sadness and apprehension that he is still weak to the core. "…I must be ready…when my time will come after this…"
"But there must be more to the story! We know that Embryo's the demon in the story, and that he'll kill everyone AND Rush if he isn't playing around with him!" Ammo pleaded in desperation, yet he noticed in bewilderment Rush glaring at him in a stern glower.
"Ammo, can you see that you're begging like a brat to an elder smart enough to stop and respect his wish to die?" Rush scolded what caught Ammo's shock for his mistake, tensing his shoulders with a cringe in sadness for accidentally being disrespectful although everyone noticed that Aziz was unfazed when he shakily waved one of his hands silently assuring Rush of no hard feelings.
"It is alright, Rush. They wished to know more…" Aziz whispered, shakily looking back at the startled three boys, snakes, and cheetah. "My boy. You are right: our enemy is the Demon of Heiselburg. But you can guess what happened after that with this world's history; humanity gains the Light of Mana but rejects the powerless Norma and their loving family and friends who rather protect their daughters and wives than discriminate against them. And with the Haven, our homes are secretly unified by our hearts to care for and protect the Norma and Ancient Humans."
"If Destruction and Preservation Ancient Humans were enemies before the era of Mana, how did they work each other for Libertus?" Moon shyly wondered.
"Ah. After the Mana-humans rejected and saw the Ancient Humans as 'savage primates', they went into war with the Demon who created the World of Mana, led by the self-proclaimed 'King of Destruction-clan' who was also the one who exiled him in the first place, even stealing one of the weapons of God dubbed Vilkiss. By his orders, the Tyrants split up in different parts of the world for revenge while those who stayed with the cruel king forced the Preservation clan to obey them against their wills to stick their history of cruelty and slavery in our hearts, including mine. Even when we made secret contact with Arzenal for Libertus, the Destruction clan failed to gain our control especially when they realised that one of them protected us and the Norma from their abuse; dubbed the 'Kind Tyrant' of the Destruction clan and descendant of the so-called King who passed with his responsibilities in everything that happened to us, Istvan."
"Dad," Tusk whispered without seeing Rush and Aziz looking at his sorrow for mentioning his late father.
"Your father was the only Destruction Ancient Human that we are grateful for his kindness in protecting us from 'his people', even gaining a lot of admirers before meeting your mother and having you," Aziz chuckled a proud grin at Tusk's hesitantly nervous smile before he resumed in sadness reclaiming his wrinkly face. "But it is sad; we were ambushed just like how the Destruction clan ambushed the Demon of Heiselburg, but only you, the entire Preservation clan including Kiyoshi and his friends, and I, and some of Arzenal's comrades survived while the Destruction clan and the other Norma have perished by the hell's fire."
"After the Haven rescued everyone and grew their numbers, we would search for any survivors of the Destruction clan members who were unaware of Libertus or who survived after that but…" Rush stopped with a grim sneer. "We would find mutilated corpses that might fit them, no person or animal could've done to kill anyone like what was received." Tusk and Ammo gulped their dread while Moon, Ular, and Hebi shook in fear at the description.
"Well…better having TWO sane survivors than the rest of the Tyrants and their brattish descendants." Aziz thought aloud with a tired sigh, now looking at the three boys but mostly Tusk and Moon. "Boys. Please do not follow your ancestors but be the kind and strong Destruction clan of our people Istvan swore to change and lose the past of their cruel namesake and actions."
Rush, Sheeta, Ammo, Ular, and Hebi look at Tusk and Moon staring at Aziz's face in mixed surprise at his proposition and his saddened face expressing guilt and hope, but it didn't take long for both to nod their acceptance with Moon looking afraid while Tusk's face slowly bears confidence. "Yes, sir/ Y-Yes, sir." Their answer prompts the humans to smile with Ammo's mouth twitching its corners for worry towards Moon.
"Thank you, boys. Now, can you three please wait outside and let me speak with Rush for the last time? I wish for Rush to be the last person I see before I go." Aziz exclaimed with a small smile, unfazed that his surprisingly calm words alarmed Ammo, Tusk, and Moon who looked like they were about to cry for no longer seeing a person they had just met when Rush backed away from them hurriedly standing and leaning against the old man receiving a hug from them. "Wait, Mister Aziz!"
"Please don't go now!"
"Everyone will be sad to find out that you'll leave." Despite their pleas, what they heard was a sad but grateful chuckle.
"Don't worry, boys. I've lived long enough for a century but we all must die in peace. No one must live longer than me and feel nothing but suffering from both us and others by our pasts. Rush knows the pain too, and even he will die in the future. Which is why elders will go so that youngins can live the way they want to." Aziz reassured with a sad smile, weakly patting their backs with his hands slightly embracing them and Moon's snakes.
"He won't! We'll make sure Rush will not die! We'll help him fight Embryo and we can live the best we can!" Ammo frantically shook his head against Aziz's right shoulder with his closed eyes blocked in tears, not seeing Rush looking at them with a small but cold scowl while feeling Sheeta nudging her head on his fingerless gloved palm with a purr for a stroke, which he obliges until the three boys slowly back away from the hug with Aziz closing his eyes retaining his smile, confident for his soon-to-be departure.
"You all shall see and believe. Whatever happens, must happen with a reason. Now, go. And make us proud." Tusk, Ammo, and Moon sniffled in tears but nodded their understanding, as their last greetings before they unhappily walked away and headed to the door Tusk helped open it, allowing themselves out with Rush and Sheeta remaining. "Even if we just met him, a Haven citizen and an Ancient Human leaving hurts." Moon choked once he, Ular, and Hebi exited the room with Tusk closing the door, feeling the tip of Ular's tail slightly wipe the eyes off his eyes.
"Still, I think he can rest in peace for all he has done for the Haven and Libertus." Tusk proclaimed, being the first to calm down with a soft frown trying to be brave. "We'll just wait for Rush. I hope he can take it."
"O-Of course he can." Ammo hurriedly tries to reclaim his confidence in himself and Rush. "Rush isn't the type to cry…right?"
"Rush? Can you help lay me down on the floor?" Rush heard Aziz asking him once Tusk, Ammo, and Moon left the resort room, quickly and gently holding the old man off the couch and shakily kneeling on the floor in front of the couch, carefully placing Aziz on the stack of cushions Sheeta helped plant them for the elderly's back. "Thank you…I know what you're thinking." Rush almost drops Aziz when he and Sheeta notice a softly stern frown hiding his sadness from the other. "…You're upset about what your teammate said. I see your wish."
"Ha…You always said of having the ability to see what others cannot." Rush sighed with a tired smile shared by the older man.
"And it's true, and I will be the only one who has it to the end. But I know you have something like my magic." Aziz noted, collecting Rush's curiosity. "We see things differently than what anyone sees and believes, with you seeing something about Embryo than what we see in him. Especially what you said that shocked the entire Haven with your words and expression."
'I don't give a fuck of what anyone says: To me, Embryo's a person, not some fucking God or goddamn toy!' Rush remembered his words that Aziz was right in shocking the entire Haven and even Embryo that day for defending the enemy from a soon-to-be-dead prisoner joining his late friend who died first from their punishment. Rush can still feel heavily annoyed by receiving a few odd stares, almost quiet comments, and even immediate enquiries from the others, mostly women, demanding the reason for saying what they deemed 'ridiculous' involving Embryo. "Can't I say something true and use this to distract the goddamn enemy?" That and something similar to Rush's answer when being asked that question STILL doesn't please everyone who grew suspicious but was more afraid than normal from how their reactions irritated Rush. At least Granny and hopefully Aziz by his sincerely sad and calm scowl understood his reason.
"I may understand their concern for your heavy suicidal wish, but I know how overbearing it is too much even for you to bear, even wanting you to break your oath." Aziz sadly nodded. "What I want to ask you, ever since the Haven tour, was how do you see Embryo that made you say that?" Rush's single eye drooped with a tint of sadness, knowing that his secret would be kept in the elderly's grave.
"…I know that everyone says that Em shouldn't be taken lightly and he'll kill me. But…I had mixed feelings when I gave him a tour." Rush started explaining what he wanted to get something out of his chest to anyone but his team. "Before I met him, I thought he will be a fucking hypocrite acting worse than the world leaders…"
"I remember you said you didn't ask for his name which caused a misunderstanding," Aziz recalled, making Rush tensed his embarrassment with a flinch and both the former and Sheeta smirked for their leader. "Don't worry, I'm not mad, but see that you think of a person's personality more than their name and roles. That is good. Please continue."
"Thanks," Rush nodded with relief, feeling glad that Aziz allowing him to talk more. "Three days after our first meeting, thanks to the obnoxious rulers talking shit of not just me, the Haven, but even Em's family that caused the tour to begin with, I see what he did and feel that made me confused; like he knew most of the women here are Norma but treats them like normal women, sincerely loves his children despite his son's albinism and mutism and his daughter's appearance and Manasthama, and how happy he was when he and his kids enjoyed the tour – I like the part when he tried to flirt me back for the Cinta Waterfall after revealing the actual meaning…"
"Ooh," Aziz muttered his astonishment but smiling at Rush continuing without realizing that he was smiling an unusually collected happiness. "I'm aware that everyone hates it for thinking either I enjoy spending time with him or Em is forcing me. But what I was suspicious about is how Em reacted whenever people inside and outside the Haven saw him; the world leaders and the prisoners see Em as the God who should be perfect and powerful in their eyes but he looks like he doesn't share their feelings. And I don't know why, but I think everyone doesn't want Em to be a normal person, from the Haven seeing him as the enemy they want to kill instead of me, to the world leaders scolding me for following his wishes of treating him as such."
"Oh my… But that's what I wanted to ask you about." Aziz admitted in sadness once Rush finished, musing aloud with a faint frown. "Remember the story; Tyrants who became the Destruction clan Ancient Humans lived and died just like their ancestors, their hearts clouded in negativity and hell to become wealthy namesakes or wishing to become Gods, with Istvan, Tusk, and Moon as the exceptions, while Middles and Urchins survived as the Preservation clan with hope to save themselves and their allies from ending up like their deceased kind. What I wished to know, even after my death, is if Embryo is either of the three classes?"
Rush blinked his eyes in surprise. Surprisingly, Aziz has a point; as the Demon of Heiselburg in the story, Aziz mentioned the mystery of Embryo being part of either a Tyrant, Middle, or Urchin. Initially, Rush would presume he would be a Tyrant from his first knowledge of humanity's three social classes but he has uncertainties from seeing Em's casual demeanour and even his angry reactions to being called God at the tour. "Based on your heartful words about the man you promised to even sacrifice yourself to kill, which I know that EVERYONE doesn't want you to do, I could presume that Embryo is a Tyrant. The thought of him born as an Urchin might be ridiculous so he could be a Middle with a mysterious history for getting…his…power."
"Grampa?" Rush whispered what he would call any of his Haven's grandfathers, with the late founder as his first grandfather after being rescued from his past, after hearing a rough huff or cough from Aziz.
"Don't…worry…Other than Embryo…I still remember his daughter's reaction when I first saw you with him and the children." Rush immediately remembered that memory of the tour; that night after their first dinner, Rush led Embryo's family to the lobby and was about to take one of the elevators, trying to hide everyone's mixed suspicions and loathing from Embryo when the four were greeted by Aziz also heading upstairs, using his Mana wheelchair that one of the Haven resort's staff helps to carry him. Rush can still remember how he, Embryo, and Aya were confused about seeing Khalifa and Aziz silently staring at each other like they were mentally talking with each other, with the former looking like she was almost crying even when Aziz kindly allowed and helped Khalifa to sit on his lap during the ride.
"I don't know why the girl looked at me like she cried for me and my weak health…I even imagine that I must've been her grandfather in a previous life." Aziz chuckled from his sad smile, shedding a tear from his eyes.
Noticing Aziz weakly lifting his bony hands above him, reaching for his bandaged and fingerless, gloved hands, Rush hurriedly caught and held on with his face subtly twitching in surprise when seeing how slowly weak Aziz's face is but still smiled his acceptance for his fate. "Rush…don't be harsh for us wanting to protect you…but please make sure…you prove to us…that you can beat Embryo…however you want."
"…Yeah, Grampa. Thanks for being one of the best Haven grandfathers I ever had." Rush sadly smiled his acknowledgement reciprocated by Aziz subtly nodding his appreciation before Rush felt the weak hands grasping his lose their strength and now hang limply in the air, with Rush and Sheeta seeing Aziz's eyes closed and his heartbeat ceased beating in his chest, his lifeless smile remains on his wrinkling face. He's gone…and Rush must accept it.
"Rush?" Sheeta faintly nudged herself against Rush once he carefully moved Aziz's arms to place his hands on his stomach, feeling his bandaged hand giving a weak scratch at her favourite spot before Rush leisurely climbed and stood on his feet, reaching the same hand to his phone in his shorts' pocket to call a number.
"…Hello? Abu? This is Rush…Grampa Aziz has left us." Despite trying not to sound it, Sheeta understood with melancholy in her face that Rush was mentally breaking down in sorrow for the death of one of the few people he sincerely loved like a relative after saving him from his abusive family years ago.
Tusk had just checked the time in Ammo's Man-dle to be close to noon when the three boys still waiting for Rush outside Aziz's door spot a group of four people dragging a stretcher arriving at the door from the elevator, the three silently watch in mixed sorrow when Aziz's door leisurely opened to let Rush and Sheeta out, allowing the four Haven paramedics to quietly get inside after one of them whisper his greetings. It took less than ten minutes for Rush's group to watch the paramedics slowly exiting Aziz's room while pushing the stretcher shielding the now noticeable lump taking the body's shape underneath the white sheet over it.
"Thank you for calling, Commander Rush." One of the paramedics acknowledged with a salute that Rush returned the gesture, both men looked sad about the passing of their oldest citizen until he, Tusk, Ammo, Moon, and their animals watched the paramedics taking Aziz's body back to the elevator they came too, possibly taking to where he will be buried. Maybe a funeral will take place, from what Tusk presumed from Rush's stories.
"Rush? Are you okay?" Tusk nervously asked Rush in sadness, with Ammo and Moon seeing the stoic glower on Rush's half-bandaged face now facing him.
"Yeah…Grampa Aziz may be stern even for a hundred years old, but he's stern because he cares for us. At least he's one of the few of the entire Haven who understands me more than what everyone believes." Rush admitted, releasing a cough meant to hide his sadness.
"What do you mean, one of the few? Don't we understand you since we know you?" Ammo sarcastically pouted with a raised eyebrow in suspicion and crossed arms, albeit immediately sweating with a choked gasp from the terrifying cruel and annoyed sneer in Rush's face glaring at him, with Tusk, Moon and his snakes, and Sheeta almost backing away in fear.
"In terms of wanting to reject my plans to give myself hellish fun to destroy the fucking world and fight Embryo however I wish…no you guys don't." Rush coldly confessed, his icy blue eye staring straight into Ammo's amethyst eyes twitching wide and almost shedding tears in fear, with both almost not seeing Tusk and Moon hurriedly trying to calm down until everyone heard Rush's ringtone alerting him for a call. When he pulled up and opened his phone to see the name of the caller, his surprise was noticeable by the boys looking confused before he hurriedly answered the call. "Hello? …Hey, man. I'm good, thanks. How are you? Sorry, didn't know you wanted to call. I have some…urgent matters that need my attention later. It's a…funeral for one of my people."
"Could it be Rush's best friend?" Moon curiously whispered to Tusk, Ammo, and his snakes with Ular shrugging its body like a human shrugging its shoulders while Sheeta hurriedly joined Rush's side when he walked away from the three boys joining him from behind, focusing on his call. "It has to be. There's no way someone like HIM would call Rush…"
"Yeah, it's the same grandpa that Khalifa cried for him from the Haven tour, Em…" Rush's call revealing the identity of the caller not only interrupted Ammo's thoughts but horrified him, Tusk and Moon's snakes with Moon surprised but not gawking his mouth open like the former two, all three stared at Rush when they arrived inside a different elevator from the one taking Aziz's body down. But during the ride, the three boys faced Rush still on the phone call with only Tusk and Ammo showing dismay. "…Thanks, Em. That means so much to me. Oh, I'm free right now if you want to call more. I'd be more bored than usual if not for you kindly asking me… "
"Rush, no!" Tusk and Ammo cried in horror and anger, with Moon and his snakes watching them jumping onto Rush, to his surprise and annoyance.
[BONUS ENDING]
"I'm so sorry to hear about one of your grandfathers' passing. I'm currently cooking lunch for me and my children but I was wondering if you're free for us to call on our day, needing the distraction… Rush? Are you being attacked right now?" Khalifa heard her father's collected and saddened voice during his Mana call with Mister Rush inside the kitchen, looking up from the paper book she was writing with her crayons after noting Padre's confusion in his voice, with Aya taking a bath for sleeping and waking up late.
However, Khalifa heard an almost silent noise that felt like a wind was blowing towards her from the side where the half-opened window was only to see, what would've surprised anyone BUT Khalifa not knowing how to express with her softly stoic frown… a translucent form of the same old man Khalifa met at the Haven, but standing without his wheelchair, glowing an aura of golden light all over him and his chest unusually bore a glowing white chain impaled through his heart yet he smiles his sadness from mysteriously arriving in the Dawn Pillar's secret accommodation.
"Hello, little one. I remember you…" The old man's soul warmly greeted Khalifa who leisurely climbed on her feet from lying her body on the floor and skipped a few feet closer to stand in front of him floating and kneeling off the floor. "I think I have died, but cannot pass on…I wonder why?" Khalifa silently shrugged her shoulders, her face and terrifyingly glowing green and black eyes bore innocence…
"…Bah?" Aziz heard a whisper in front of him from Khalifa, startled to see her about to cry just like their first meeting and sworn he heard the word even when Khalifa repeated it, slightly a bit louder than earlier. "...Atok Bah!"
'…Ah…that must be why…' Aziz closed his eyes with his smile twitching but another stream of tears filled with sadness, appreciation, and regret fell out of his eyes. Knowing THAT word in a language she surprisingly knows for her age seems to answer one of his thoughts about Khalifa's impression of him. 'Thank you…and I'm so sorry for this life and another, cucu.'
"If you like, Rush, I think I can call you back tonight since you are in quite a pickle." Khalifa and Aziz heard Embryo's voice ending the call with a soft chuckle of amusement, with the former surprised when Rush's name was mentioned by the enemy walking away from the kitchen after setting out the, surprisingly Asian-themed dishes on the table for their lunch. But when he walked away towards the living room and stood in front of Khalifa and Aziz, he hoped that the Demon of Heiselburg could not see him even as a ghost or soul…
"…Yes, I can both see your soul and read your mind and heart of memories. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Aziz of the Preservation clan." Embryo nonchalantly confessed with a calm frown that again shocked the soul for both his words and his serenity of meeting with an Ancient Human's soul.
"You know I'm a Preservation Ancient Human?" Aziz enquired, trying to keep a bold front despite feeling his system shake from the increasingly overwhelming powerful aura coming from Embryo.
"Ever since I looked at Rush's memories when we first met, I knew that his land consists of the old humanity survivors, Normas and their human families and friends he secretly saved, and advanced intelligent animals. But I never speak nor think about it to the rulers for my feelings. Of course, due to the history that you graciously gave before your death, I prefer the Preservation clan's pure heart to the cruel animals of the Destruction clan for willingly destroying everything that also caused my exile." Embryo admitted with Aziz noting on his face and tone slightly bore anger when mentioning the Destruction clan, sparking one of his thoughts.
"The way you speak ill of the Tyrants and the Destruction clan, who may be responsible for everything even here before their extinction, you are indeed NOT a Tyrant?"
"Surprised because I look like one? 'Only Tyrants get to be as beautiful as Gods' as they heartfully boast?" Embryo sarcastically asked and lifted to hold Khalifa running towards his arms with Aziz silently nodding his response with a bemused frown. "For what they did to me and everyone by their cruel tyranny; I was rescued and raised to execute sinners that the Tyrants dare commit their crimes especially those they inflicted in the World of Mana."
"Even still, what you have accidentally done to our people and your creations are unknowingly hurting them…but I understand the severe responsibilities of the Tyrants and Destruction clan's sins that cause the hurt." Aziz sadly mused. "Why am I still here instead of passing on?"
"Whenever souls cannot move on to the afterlife, it means they must know or do something they desire to wish so much they cannot go without that knowledge." Embryo answered what made Aziz gasp his surprise but his face slowly calmed down to calmly scowl his understanding. "You did mention that you wish to know about me and my history. That could be what your heart is desiring, just like the rest of them."
"Rest of them?" Aziz wondered in apprehension.
"Living or dead, everyone desires both the mystery of the Demon of Heiselburg who is also the so-called God of Mana, and the body they want to break as their doll." Embryo curtly confessed in indignation but calmed down to pat his daughter's back when Khalifa wrapped her tiny arms around her father's neck, showing Aziz the sincere love between Embryo and his children for a demon. "But since you're one of Rush's grandfathers who raised him with love unlike his disgusting family, I shall reveal my history before sending you to the afterlife myself."
"My, how surprisingly kind of you, thank you." Aziz almost spoke sarcastically if not for seeing the serious scowl on the enemy's face, reminding the old man of how Rush would frown when he was not terrifying anyone with his icy cold rage. Giving his silence to let him speak, Aziz willingly listens to Embryo revealing his history [SFX: silent to hide spoilers]. Initially collected and proud but slowly growing shocked by both listening to Embryo's story and seeing his face never shifting any emotion from his poised frown while Khalifa doesn't look confused as well. By the time he finished narrating his true story, Embryo and Khalifa saw and heard the inaudibly choked gasps from the disbelieved soul who must've had his mind processing the truth he must've assumed that could be not what he was expecting.
"I understand your shock and presuming you would believe it, Mister Aziz. But it's just how it used to be when those destructive, abusive apes tried to get me for centuries." Embryo bolstered with a tint of displeasure for the Destruction clan, readily removed his left arm from Khalifa and raised his arm opening his hand in front and between their faces and visions. "Allow me to please help send you to peace."
As soon as Embryo starts speaking, or chanting, Aziz looks around and under his translucent legs when he witnesses, to his horror, a suddenly large and glowing sigil of light magic matching the Light of Mana that erupted under his hovering feet and starts releasing particles of white and light green light rising from the sigil. The centre of the sigil bore a marking resembling a fox's faceless head as large to almost touch the ring. The longer he felt the energy through Aziz's ghostly body, the lighter he could feel inside and out until he no longer felt anything in his legs and arms, like his bones immediately disappearing from his skin.
'What…no Mana-human can do this kind of light magic!' Aziz feared what is he feeling and seeing to look at Embryo and Khalifa. "What is this, Embryo!? This isn't the Light of Mana!"
"The humans' Light of Mana is a prototype of one of my power capabilities, that I was born with. If anyone has the same level as my power, they will repeat the Tyrants' desires to become Gods and turn the World of Mana into Heiselburg. Again, I was raised to execute sinners but also send souls to find peace in their afterlife, unless it's those that demand me to resurrect them with aggressively ill intentions." Embryo calmly elucidated with a soft frown not expressing anger for Aziz's horrified reaction until he sadly smiled and kept his hand glowing his power hovering in the air. "Despite your people's wishes to fight against me, I bear no grudge. For Rush…thank you."
'Rush…' Aziz mentally gasped his shock and worry when Rush was again mentioned, terrified that the last thing he saw was Embryo revealing one of his many powers that would make him a god or demon of light just to surprisingly help him pass on from the mortal realm, continue glowing brighter that even made his vision starting to grow white and his mind feel nothing. It's like he is being sent into the light rather than the Hellfire by the Demon. But for some reason, instead of fear or rage for revenge against the Demon of Heiselburg, Aziz has one last thing to think that made him faintly smile his sorrow…
'…Please be safe…' Embryo heard Mister Aziz's last mind wishing for Rush, walking closer to his sigil in time for both him and Khalifa to witness what was left of the old man's soul flickering brightly until his form shrinking and changing shape until it now becomes an orb of golden light glowing brighter inside a small spherical field of almost transparent silver energy or light. With a snap of his fingers, Embryo dismissed his sigil that quickly dimmed out of the floor and existence and leisurely raised his free hand seemingly holding the floating orb of light, being a spiritual version of a person's heart and soul mixed instead of a physical heart that Mister Aziz still had inside his physical body that must've been buried by now.
"Careful, Khalifa. If anyone touches Mister Aziz's heart with darkness in a person's heart, the heart will be corrupted and will end up in terrible circumstances, that it will be troublesome for me to fix it." Embryo softly warned and slightly pulled his arm holding Mister Aziz's glowing heart away from Khalifa slowly reaching her rose-birthmark left hand and almost touching the orb out of curiosity, with both watching Embryo faintly flick his hand upwards and toss the heart now rising like a floating star that immediately disappeared with a flicker of white light after almost touching the ceiling. "Because he is a good-hearted man all his life, giving Rush the love that he deserves, he will go and rest in peace at the one place, pure hearts like him be when they die."
"Kingdom…Hearts?" Khalifa innocently wondered aloud, looking at Embryo glancing back with his sad smile flinching into a shocked grin when his shushing almost shook into fits of giggle, holding a finger in front of his mouth. "Sh-hh-hh! You can't say THAT here, Khalifa…we could get in trouble with THAT company!"
Out of nowhere, Embryo sees Khalifa silently and dumbfoundedly pull out two random SQUARE, white tiles with each having a single black word in her hands…one tile says ENIX while the other tile has a fancy-looking capital D alphabet or a backward 6 with a vertical line that would make it like a D. Embryo's reaction to his daughter's surprisingly bold fourth wall breaking with her confidently calm frown was almost closing his mouth showing a glimpse of his teeth, with one of his dimly glowing eyes also twitching in dismay that also comes with an anime sweat drop at the side of his head.
'Rush, I think we made OUR daughter break the fourth wall for this bonus ending…' Embryo deadpanned in worry, planning on calling Rush later since this ending is not even canon, especially calling Khalifa both Embryo AND Rush's daughter…
A/N: After this chapter, there's a chance that posting more chapters will be longer due to next year (although I just finished a special chapter I will publish on a specific date). But I'll still write this and others depending on my schedule.
- The Destruction and Preservation clan of Ancient Humans was subtly inspired by Honkai Star Rail (yup I play the game). But the Tyrant, Middle, and Urchin social classes are a reference for one of my upcoming animated stories with its spin-off.
- The bonus ending in this chapter's version will NOT be in the AO3 version because the character Aziz (a dear tribute for my late datuk (d. 2016)) and the slightly deeper connection with my character Khalifa…
- At least I can add a Kingdom Hearts reference just like the main story.