EPISODE 13: ROSENBLUM'S BAPTISM

Summary: The day of Misty Rosenblum's baptism, with the different points of view before, during and after…

A/N: By the time this chapter is posted; Happy New Year 2024! I hope there will be new Cross Ange content since it will be 10 years in October. Please, Sunrise and King Records, please! It will be the Year of the DRAGON!

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.

"Misty! Oh, my darling! I'm so glad that you're safe! Those cowards didn't do anything to you, did you?!" From behind his king and queen, Beolagh hid the fury and contempt he almost showed underneath his fedora hat as he watched King and Queen Rosenblum frantically hugging and checking on Princess Misty's unscathed body and nightgown after her surprisingly miraculous rescue by an older man and younger boy he deemed suspicious mostly the latter's bandaged left eye boring no innocence but malice facing elsewhere, around his neck, and right hand which is resting on the opened gun hanging against his hip.

From their father's side, Princess Blair glared at both her sister and the young gunner who must've said the former with anger and disdain glaring at the boy who was avoiding eye contact until he turned back to the Rosenblum couple now facing the two visitors, with the Queen hugging her arms around Princess Misty's neck from behind and sneer her disgust at the teenage boy not smiling like a repulsive kid his age should react when meeting, and saving, the Princess of Rosenblum. "As the King of Rosenblum, I can't thank you and your…Human Killer enough for saving my daughter from those ruffians who dared kidnap Misty and Prince Seri Ranka Velda."

"You are welcome, Your Majesty." The old man who introduced himself as the Haven's founder bowed serenely and heartfully with the Human Killer brat emotionlessly following his superior. "We shall thank and reward our Night Hawks stationed in the other nations for informing us of both Lady Misty and Sir Seri Ranka Velda's attempted kidnapping."

'You worthless scum.' Beolagh mentally hissed.

"I demand to know who is responsible for wanting to take my precious daughter and her friend for such a devastating crime!" The Queen angrily demanded what horrified her daughters of their mother's temper with a gasp but the almost, bandaged boy was unfazed by the Queen's furious glare towards him, silently forcing him to speak. "…After two of my comrades killed the 39 men who bombed the two castles, we were about to interrogate the Norma leader but she was so scared of her men's death that she shot herself before we were about to."

'What?' Beolagh blinked his surprise. The woman HE hired to kidnap Misty is human, not a Norma woman! Why would he lie about that? Unfortunately, but luckily, Beolagh refrained from demanding the brat to avoid blowing his cover when the royal Rosenblum family were fooled by the King yelling his baffled anger. "A grown Norma!?"

"I understand the surprise, Your Majesty, but we of the Haven would sometimes find a grown Norma hiding in the world by posing themselves as human to fool us." The Haven founder confessed with a small frown, lighting patting a bony hand on the child's bronze hair. "That is one of the reasons why our new Human Killer perform his duties that may be terrifying to our kind."

"Yeah…I mean, yes." The Human Killer hurriedly corrected his attitude. "Right before she shot herself, the Norma woman yelled 'You'll never find my sponsor! He bought me gold to kidnap the two or three royal children so that he'd help me take over our world as the Queen,' whatever the else she howled like a gorilla. She did say it's a human from Rosenblum, at least…"

"So some fool from OUR land dared think of usurping us by hiring those filth to kidnap me and Parvati's children for our rightful places in the thrones. The nerve…" The Rosenblum Queen almost choked her disgust. Unaware to all, Beolagh snarled with a quiet growl. 'That wench…'

"As you are an acquaintance of Jurai, see to it that you'll find the human traitor and bring him to the Haven for his deserved sentence; execute him on sight!" His king's furious demand may have alarmed Beolagh in worry, almost reaching a hand to his throat in fear for his life.

"Yes, Your Highness. We'll have our Night Hawks locate and apprehend him, even if it takes years until we'll find him. The Human Killer is still needed to fight the others who keep Norma in the open." The Haven leader suggested with a glance at the Human Killer also looking back, not once showing anything in his empty eye and scowl just as everyone saw Lady Misty quickly remove herself from her mother's arms and stand in front of her 'saviour', raising her hand for his.

"Thank you for saving me and Seri Ranka…Human Killer. I hope we can see each other if you visit Rosenblum." Misty surprised everyone including the young Human Killer with her confident but kind smile on her face and her arm still reaching for his. The bandaged boy may not look at it in the face, but he was hesitant in accepting Misty's hand yet his superior gently bumped his hand on the child's back, assuring him to accept the young princess's hand.

"T…Thanks…" Seeing the Human Killer, unsurely despite his lack of expression, nervously accepting HIS princess's hand immediately boiled Beolagh's blood and visibly grits his teeth in vehemence. He has one thing in mind that he CANNOT say outright or else he will be in trouble; how dare the brat save and even associate with HIS lady! No one shall have Lady Misty but HIM!

…

"Human Killer? Have there been any sightings of the one who tried to harm Seri Ranka and Lady Misty, all these years?" Queen Parvati Velda asked the grown Human Killer in worry within her sad frown that grew into apprehension from seeing the stoic glower on his bandaged face faintly shaking his answer. "Sorry, Your Ladyship. We've been searching for anything that will lead up to finding the guy but what's left is nothing."

"I…I see. Whether he is deceased or somewhere where he cannot find the children, I would like you and the Haven to cease your search on the offender." Queen Parvati acknowledged.

"Are you sure, Lady Misty? Would your people react badly to your proposal even though I…I'd love it to happen?" Prince Seri Ranka asked Princess Misty about them during her baptism in less than another month. Seeing the hesitance on his face, Misty warmly smiled and held Seri Ranka's hands with her gloved hands. "Don't worry, Seri Ranka. I have the utmost confidence that our love and union shall be accepted. If not…they cannot see how I want us to be together, and no one will make me go with anyone but you."

From between them but not saying anything and seeing that none of the people here was noticing or paying attention to him, Beolagh kept his back facing the young 'couple' but both their conversations and the reason for this visit continued to exasperate the old, envious soldier. 'I swear, when I follow Lady Misty to the Human Killer's foul land, I'll have both him and the brat eradicated from existence! Then, Lady Misty will be mine and I will be the new King of Rosenblum…no, the world!'

…

"I tried to be patient with you even though I never asked for a bodyguard, but I don't approve of your remarks for the Haven and Seri Ranka. Since you secretly left our home to accompany me without my parents' knowledge…I wish for Sir Rush to deal with your behaviour with discipline." Beolagh couldn't understand his horror of seeing Lady Misty angry at HIM just for telling the truth about the Human Killer's land and his people, mostly the women he deemed useless for following their murderous leader of killing their kind rather than doing what they were supposed to do like the other, proper women back at the mainland.

Unfortunately, Beolagh could only do but summon a Mana forcefield from the Human Killer willingly dashed and readied his left, fingerless gloved hand curled into a fist at him. But instead of deflecting the filthy man's hand…the last thing he saw was the Human Killer's fist shattering his Mana, like a Norma, before his face exploded into red.

Beolagh gasped and wheezed all the air he could collect in his lungs, still shaken in fear of the countless tortures he received from the Human Killer and his two women allies, who he could guess were the two women who fought his deceased pawns years ago when he failed to have Lady Misty under his hands. But as he looked down and frantically checked his body with his hands, about to wonder why his body felt lighter and his feet not touching the ground as if floating, he realized in horror that made him scream that he was indeed flying…hundreds of feet off the ground into the air without falling but his body is also semi-translucent with a subtly dim glow of black light outlining his ghostly form and his heart has a large chained plug with a broken end.

"W-What is this!? Am I dead!?" Beolagh gasped in dread, touching different parts of his body and arms to feel that he still felt a body touch but resume freaking out of his new state. There's no doubt that he's dead. He was beaten severely but the demon of a human murderer and his people, and he knows that he died. It's his fault, Beolagh thought once he got the shock out of his system but grit his bleeding teeth in rage…everything that happened to Beolagh is the Human Killer's fault!

"When I find that Human Killer, I will kill him even if he dies as a ghost!" Beolagh yelled aloud.

However, he noticed in puzzlement the loud sounds of humans cheering and clapping miles under him to realise that he was found floating beside the top balcony of the Dawn Pillar, and the base was swarmed with civilians looking up in happiness from the large Mana screens showing what he also sees in the said top balcony. A familiar group of people of the world leaders, with Beolagh's first notice in enragement was his murderer and his team accompanying an unfamiliar man with his two, odd-looking toddler children standing beside the Human Killer.

But he found his target of focus presenting herself in her innocently divine beauty despite being dressed in an attire unlike her usual gowns. "I thank you, my people, for accepting me as your Queen. I shall do whatever in my power with my Light of Mana to make our futures prosper as your ruler."

"Lady Misty!" Beolagh crudely smiled his lust and happiness and hurriedly flew closer to HIS future bride, realizing that he died and showed up in her ascension baptism as a ghost which explains why she succeeded in proving herself as both human and rightful Queen of Rosenblum, unlike the stupid ex-princess of Misurugi. If he wasn't killed by the Human Killer, she should've made HIM King. But, Beolagh noticed after seeing that Misty and everyone CANNOT see his ghostly soul, why is she reaching to the foul half-blood Veldan prince to stand by her side?

"Alongside my oath, I wish to announce my desire that I've been wanting to reveal to the world for a long time. Other than being the Queen of Rosenblum, with acceptance from my family, the Velda Dynasty nation, and the rulers of the other nations, I decided…to give my hand to marry the Velda Dynasty prince, Prince Seri Ranka Velda." Lady Misty's calm but happy announcement after offering the prince to join her and reveal himself to her future subjects immediately stunned Beolagh who froze from trying to get his princess's attention when she unhurriedly grasp her left hand around the damned brat's right hand, both looking content and happy for themselves.

"I pray that the world will be as happy as I am for allowing our relationship to come to fruition and that we shall do whatever it takes to unify our nations and lead our people to protect our world, even if the impossible costs my life." Unlike Beolagh's horror at Misty's revealed wish, the people below the Dawn Pillar were initially surprised mostly the men who believed they might have a chance with the new Queen but they instantly clap and cheer for both Misty and her lover's future union.

It's a lie, Beolagh cannot believe it, It must be a lie! He won't allow it to believe that it is true!

"No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" Beolagh screamed and flew closer and around Misty and the Veldan prince walking towards their families and the world leaders, who were unable to see the ghost trying to wave their attention. "Lady Misty! Please say it's a lie! You mustn't marry this disgusting boy! You must marry me!" No matter how loud he tries to plead, Beolagh can see that HIS princess and everyone else cannot see him, further breaking his denial of the unfathomable truth that he is dead….

Suddenly, Beolagh's vision grew brighter from the normal colours into golden yellow and then white while feeling his nonexistent system lighter as the light overwhelmed him, increasing his fear. "No, I refuse to pass on! I want to be the King of Rosenblum! I want to kill the Human Killer! I AM THE KING OF THE WORLD!" Just as he cried his final words, Beolagh's spirit busted in a brief burst of white light with the remaining particles rising to the blue sky until nothing was left of the man with heart clouded with lust and greed.

"Congratulations, Misty. We are proud of you." Misty and Seri Ranka beamed their appreciation for the former's father acknowledging them and the announcement with a happy smile, openly supporting her wishes alongside his wife and her mother who gave them a proper curtsy with the two following suit, prompting Queen Parvati to smile from her son's immediate reaction before the future couple glance at the man they know he is unfamiliar but also familiar. Embryo. "Misty, Seri Ranka. This is Master Embryo, our superior and the true God of our world."

For some reason, Misty noticed in confusion hiding her suspicion, Blair initially gawked her mouth immediately twitching into a dreamily exhilarated smile and her cheeks blushed a slightly bright pinkish red at Embryo who was unaware of her sister's reaction when he tranquilly smiled at Misty and Seri Ranka, standing closer to Sir Rush whose hat is being worn by the other's albino son.

'Why did Embryo look uncomfortable when Father called him a God?' Misty presumed what she might have hallucinated, but tried not to say her mind.

"Queen Misty, Prince Seri Ranka. It is a pleasure to meet you both. I hope we can be acquainted in the future." Embryo calmly bowed with his gloved right hand on his chest with Misty and Seri Ranka quietly bowing their greetings, collecting the former's mute son initially glancing at his father before following him to bow his greeting, attracting everyone's attention with some smiling their surprise and a tint of awe. "Ah, this is my son Aya and my daughter…pfft." Embryo introduced his son and grasped the same hand on Aya's head and Sir Rush's hat. But when he looked around for his daughter, where she was prompt not just surprise Embryo to accidentally snort a snigger from his smile, immediately alarming the world leaders in shock except Julio, Misty, and Seri Ranka but also collected almost everyone's astonishment or apprehension.

Unlike everyone on the platform, Sir Rush is grinning a calmly amused smirk of Embryo's toddler daughter with dark skin, long and glowing bright blue hair, and eery green and black eyes glancing at everyone blankly while lying her head and torso resting on his bronze hair like being a hat herself. It must be instant for her to move on Sir Rush since his team noticed her appearance in alarm. "Ciao." The little girl curtly spoke.

"H-Human Killer! Why is Master Embryo's daughter on your head!?" President Irijah demanded in shock but noticed in fright that Embryo's startled smile directed at Sir Rush immediately faltered into a confused frown towards him just for asking that question.

"Khalifa asked me if she could climb and sit on my shoulders. Couldn't resist." Sir Rush responded with a shrug, leisurely walking closer to Embryo while reaching his left, fingerless gloved hand onto the child's back he softly rubs.

"I can see she wants to nap." Embryo chortled his amusement, seeing his daughter's glowing green and black-sclera eyes starting to squint from Sir Rush's hand rubbing her back, unknowingly making her asleep and more intimidating but managing to wake up when he softly called her daughter. "Khalifa. You want to meet the new Queen of Rosenblum and her fiancé?"

"O-oh…Hello…!?" Khalifa shakily woke up but her first greeting immediately turned into pain when she accidentally bowed and hit her forehead against the top of Sir Rush's head, alarming everyone including Sir Rush's team both Khalifa and Sir Rush unknowingly hurting each other and the latter trying not to fall onto the floor, although everyone noticed his body was visibly shaken and his single eye briefly bulged with a muffled groan in agony right after Khalifa hit their heads.

"Oh my!" Seri Ranka gasped yet Sir Rush's team couldn't stop Rush from sluggishly walking closer and almost falling towards Embryo who both caught him and pulled Khalifa from Sir Rush's head and shoulders with his hands, holding his daughter hanging on his right arm.

"H-Hmph! Serves him right for being a nuisance." Misty heard Blair quietly scoff her annoyance in her smile when seeing Sir Rush in pain, not seeing Misty and Seri Ranka's soft but secretly anger in their frowns for speaking ill of their secret leader but Blair's smile gawked into dismay and anger at seeing Embryo, who the eldest daughter was looking at the most, tenderly grasps his left hand to lightly ruffle Rush's head and check for a bruise or bump on his head, which also collected everyone's mixed surprise and worry in a few for seeing both Sir Rush and Khalifa's accident…or the rulers' distraught of Embryo showing his concern for Rush especially when the latter gently grab the other's hand still touching his head and hair with his bandaged hand.

"Human Killer, are you alright?" Embryo asked Sir Rush, expertly omitting his real name from the world leaders, in concern after Khalifa dangled over his right arm for her mistake, a brief sneeze blew her cover of playing dead, allowing Sir Rush to stand against him and hold his left gloved hand with his bandaged right hand once seeing a potentially tiny bump. But instead of anger, Sir Rush shakily raised his head now facing the God of Mana, as Misty would hear the world leaders proudly refer to their master as such, with a weak smile trying to hide his pain. "D-Don't worry….I'm fine, Master Embryo, kids." Rush reassured.

…What Rush, Embryo, and his children don't know is that the former's smile shocked everyone in the group, and surprisingly his team reacted the same as everyone. '…Rush/ Sir Rush/ Human Killer…is smiling?' Everyone but the mentioned four wondered about their surprise or apprehension with Rush's team except Moon expressed the fear they'd been dreading from seeing their enemy holding Rush's hand with a small tender smile, and their leader not being himself when he smiled back at the enemy.

With the King's invitation, the world leaders with their families and Rush's team headed to Rosenblum's Palace to celebrate Misty's successful baptism in a gathering. However, Rush's team's worries continue to sour their mood with Moon and his snakes unable to feel as bad as the others when Rush is invited to join lunch with the world leaders and Embryo, and that was before Misty and Seri Ranka joined their table. Luckily for Ammo, he used one of his Spy Fly drones, with a 360-degree camera and his Man-dle to locate Rush with the others watching the screen visibly showing the rulers' table where Embryo is but strangely no sign of Rush… his team, Misty, and Seri Ranka were immediately startled like the world leaders when their table surprisingly jumped a bit from something hidden underneath and inside the table, prompting Ammo to control and move his Spy Fly to hover at the profile view of Embryo's right side in time for Rush to pop out from underneath the tablecloth…and planted his face at the space between Embryo's spread legs on the chair, shocking not just Embryo but the spies watching the accidental scene through the tiny drone.

'RUSH!?' Cynical, Red Death, Hyacinth, and Ammo mentally screamed with Red using his two hands to shield both Misty and Seri Ranka's eyes, confusing the two royal Haven spies, while Hebi hurriedly coiled herself around Moon's eyes for what the three are NOT supposed to see but breathed a sigh of relief when Rush hurriedly get back on his seat beside Embryo alongside the children. So far, other than some of the usually harsh criticism from some of the rulers and finding out about Embryo's daughter's severe Manasthma, wasn't expecting to know of her puking blood whenever she uses her Mana, none of their conversations seem to be of any use for the Haven, Misty, and Seri Ranka.

"Rush…thank you for hiding my identity from Irijah." Hyacinth sighed her relief once she and her comrades chose to walk around the party and accompanied Misty and Seri Ranka while Red Death walked away to look for Charlie's car, hiding Cynical's identity as a grown Norma from these people. Hyacinth almost gasped her horror when Ammo's fly drone showed President Irijah asking Rush about her but he luckily saved her by mentioning the false amnesia she thought of when she was rescued at the Haven ten years ago…after a terrible ordeal that almost killed her. But who knows how long it will take until HE will find out the truth? Hyacinth dread that will be soon…

"Hmph. So this is the Human Killer so-called proud team." Cynical, Hyacinth, Ammo, Moon, Misty, and Seri Ranka heard a familiar woman's voice loudly scoff her irritation heading in their direction where they saw, to almost all their annoyance, especially Misty hiding her reaction and Seri Ranka and Moon were worried, of seeing Misty's sister walking towards them with her arms crossed under her chest and a proud smile visibly showing her disgust.

"Sister, please." Misty warmly warned, but she could see that her sister refused to back down from trying to ridicule Sir Rush and his team.

"Eww, look at that boy and his snake, Misty." Blair pointed a finger at Moon backing away to stand beside Hyacinth with a quiet squeak in fear and Hebi hissed her anger at the Princess, as Ammo raised his arm shielding his best friend. "From what I remember Father and Mother's conversation, The Human Killer has a woman as a brawler, a chainsaw medic, and a disgusting snake-taming boy." Just from the Princess's words, Cynical, Hyacinth, and Ammo snarl their anger at Misty's rude sister but her main attention is on the two women mostly Hyacinth. "But nothing irritates me and Mother more than seeing two women, who should be proper, sophisticated women working with that gun-trigger fool. I heard he shot you at Arzenal for the inspection."

"I…yes, but I asked him too," Hyacinth noted, trying so hard not to lose her temper in front of the Princess of Rosenblum, worrying it would get Rush and Misty in trouble. "As the former Princess of Misurugi initially refused herself as a Norma, I asked my superior to shoot a fake bullet to convince her that not even a human can survive with Mana…"

"It would be better if you DID succumb to a real bullet." Blair heartlessly scoffed from her smirk sticking her nose up, seemingly enjoying the sight of the group including Misty and Seri Ranka's bafflement at her words and cruel delight. "OUR world would be better off without the Haven and let the real masters send those filths to their deserved place in their deaths. Maybe I'll ask Master Embryo to have the Haven destroyed and the traitors executed…" Blair's remorseless thought with a laugh, finding pleasure in their increasing horror and knowing that, despite wanting to, their low-rank roles would force them not to attack and receive a severe or death penalty, even if Misty wished to help despite her ascension…unless the softly but dangerously low voice speaking from elsewhere with such collected anger might help their case.

"I will do no such thing." Everyone shook in fear of the familiar voice hissing from the side where they looked and saw both Embryo and Rush walking towards them with the two Rosenblum women shuddering their fear of the former's dangerously calm sneer. "I believe I already told your husband and father of my experience in the Haven. So why would I have the audacity to destroy another land both unlike and entertaining than every other nation? And yes, I heard and am very sickened by such words, especially from the sister of the new Queen."

"N-No, Master Embryo!" Blair begged in dread, looking to the side to see her parents busily interacting with the other politician guests who needed her father's attention. "I didn't mean it! It was a light joke!" 'Light joke, my ass.' Ammo wished he could say that but Princess Blair unknowingly stopped him when she nervously smiled, weirdly flirtatiously at Embryo. "W-What brings you to join us, Master Embryo?"

"We're looking for the kids." Rush curtly answered without care of Princess Blair gawking her anger at him but unable to say in front of the mildly irritated God when Rush called for Aya and Khalifa strangely at his team's location. "Kids, we're leaving so we need to say goodbye."

"Nooo…." Everyone heard a quiet whine coming from under Hyacinth's dress which the front then slightly lifted from inside to show Khalifa hiding underneath Hyacinth's legs and dress, startling the women in shock with the dress's owner hurriedly skipped a step back once Khalifa crawled away from Hyacinth and stood in front of her father and Rush, the former look at his daughter with slightly dismayed reaction for her confident hiding spot. As for wondering about Aya, Moon felt a tiny hand gently holding his left hand where he and Hebi looked at the source to see Aya standing beside him with a subtly pleased smile and a brief wave. Despite knowing that he is related to the enemy, Moon doesn't have the heart to be awful to others when he quietly waves with a nervously kind smile before he and everyone watch Aya and Khalifa run away and join both Embryo and Rush.

"How long you two were hiding with the Human Killer's team?" Embryo asked in puzzlement with Aya signing his response and answer, confusing the group and Misty's sister for not knowing sign language although Rush somehow understood when he looked at Princess Blair with a stern glower just when Aya finished.

"…Old lady said 'so-called proud team'," Khalifa answered blankly and pointed a finger at Misty's sister, who released a strangled gasp in the offence for being called old lady by the innocent toddler daughter of their master, with the child noticing her reaction with a tint of surprise. "…Oh, I can't say that?" Khalifa asked everyone in the group in embarrassment or worry.

"No…I'm not surprised you call the Princess OLD just like your mother would if she was here." Embryo admitted with an uncertain smile as he lifted Khalifa running closer to her father and sitting on his arms when he held her, with Embryo and his children unaware or ignoring Blair's dramatically horrified reaction directed at him and his daughter for her crush's words, making Cynical and Ammo hiding their sniggers for her getting served while Misty shook her head in disapproval for her melodramatic sister.

Although she didn't join her two allies' crude jest to laugh at Queen Misty's sister, something she heard from Embryo attracted Hyacinth to look at him checking on his son and daughter with the latter sitting on her father's arms. Did Embryo say, Mother? Despite the good timing of Rush meeting Embryo and even the latter's visit to the Haven, Rush has NEVER told his team what happened to the enemy's wife everyone guessed that she died although Hyacinth doesn't share the same awful words she would hear from the Haven citizens, both Ancient Humans and Norma; 'Serves her right for forcing herself to the – what Hyacinth never say to an enemy'.

With a glance at Embryo smiling at Khalifa resting against his embrace while Aya was signing to Rush, a peek at the little girl looking back at her with those glowing green eyes of her father through her black sclera prompted Hyacinth to recall someone in her mind… A tall and voluptuously beautiful, buxom woman almost a spitting image of Khalifa but her eyes are shielded by her glowing blue bangs and dressed a bit differently, yet also coloured blue with tints of purple and black. Nonetheless, the woman in her mind smiled her serene happiness.

"…Rin!" Hyacinth accidentally gasped her shock which grew into alarm when she noticed her mistake of mentioning a random name in front of her team, Embryo's family, and Misty's family.

For some reason, Hyacinth noticed Embryo staring at her in dismay when he heard the name she said but Princess Blair angrily demanded Hyacinth which startled the group who could guess the eldest princess in trying to flirt with the enemy and may have attracted a few eyes from the other people. "Hey, you! How dare you say what is unnecessary to Master Embryo?!"

"Sister, please!" Misty hushed her angry sister and Seri Ranka and Cynical stood in front of Hyacinth like bodyguards. "I'm so sorry…" Despite her sincere apology, Hyacinth sees that Blair is unable to calm down but everyone looks at Embryo standing a bit closer to the other, his face looks like he is desperate and worried about something she just knew…

"No, wait. Miss…do you know my wife Rin?" Embryo's question may have alarmed Rush's group with Blair's anger bore jealousy and Hyacinth was disbelieved. 'I can't believe it…Rin is Embryo's wife!?'

"A-Ah…I'm so sorry. I think I do know someone who may have looked like Khalifa, but I can't remember most of her other than possibly being acquaintances before I lost my memories." Hyacinth acknowledged, adding a spin on her story but revealing a bit of the truth as she was glad Rush quickly intercepted to add his words, attracting Embryo, Khalifa, and Aya's attention. "When the Haven found Hyacinth ten years ago, she almost died on a field of hyacinths from something that caused her to have full amnesia, which is why she got her current name and we're helping her get her memories back." A brief silence for a few seconds and Embryo sadly glanced back at Hyacinth.

"Oh…Forgive me for my abruptness, Miss Hyacinth." Embryo unknowingly surprised Rush's team, Misty, Seri Ranka, and Blair Rosenblum for both his apology towards Hyacinth and the genuine sadness on his face with Aya and Khalifa also feeling sad for their late mother. "I thought that, since you mentioned Rin, you might have been her dear friend she would often tell me about before her passing. I didn't mean to push myself on you for answers." Hyacinth's mouth quivered in sadness at the reasoning and the revelation of his late wife.

"… Even if I don't have my memories now…I hope to quickly remember more of Miss Rin if she sees me as her dear friend. Thank you for telling me this, Master Embryo." Hyacinth prayed with a gentle smile, one of the first genuine smiles since her time in the Haven by her friends and even Rush's reaction, Blair remained indifferent to sneer her repulsion and Embryo bore surprise in his sadness although he noticed Khalifa sadly reach her arms towards Hyacinth which she also look up in surprise. Is Khalifa trying to reach out to Hyacinth for a hug?

"I think Khalifa wants you to hold her and help cheer you up, Miss Hyacinth." Embryo walks closer to Hyacinth, alarming Cynical to almost strike if not for Seri Ranka and Moon to nervously pull her arms away as everyone curiously watches Embryo gently hand Khalifa over to Hyacinth who quickly holds the child in her arms but softly gasp her surprise of Khalifa immediately wrapping her arms around her neck, like a child hugging her mother. But when she did, Hyacinth felt something that almost made her drop to her knees and would also drop Khalifa from her arms in the embrace.

The sensation of a child embracing her… made her remember a brief memory that hurt her the most, that she also refused to care of instantly shedding a drop of tears in surprise when she, instead of pulling Khalifa off her, gently hugged her tighter as if not wanting to let her go.

"A-Ah, Hyacinth!" Ammo gasped in surprise, almost freaking out at seeing Hyacinth's blank blue eyes crying just from hugging Khalifa who also realized from hearing Ammo when she looked up and also react dumbfounded by Hyacinth's shock crying, alarming Cynical, Seri Ranka, Misty, Rush, Moon with Hebi, and even Embryo and Aya when Seri Rank hurriedly pull Misty and both stood beside Blair for the three watching Sir Rush's team, Embryo, Aya, and Khalifa trying to comfort Hyacinth.

"Hmph, what a show-off." To Misty and Seri Ranka's growing distraught, Blair is still presenting herself as heartless and jealous when seeing Rush's team and Embryo paying attention in helping Hyacinth cheer up, just like how the former sees her sister always act when they were younger and surprisingly without being reprimanded by their parents. Because of that, Misty always wondered that her family is not as kind as they present themselves…just like the humans who throw Norma away.

"The Dawn Pillar." As soon as Rush's car parked in front of the entrance to the now empty Dawn Pillar, after a quick send-off to return Emperor Julio and Riza Randog to the Imperial Misurugi Palace, the door slowly opened with Mana with Rush and his team watching Embryo, Khalifa, and Aya exiting the car. During the car ride, Red Death, Cynical, and Ammo are the only ones suspicious when they secretly spy on Embryo, Rush, and Julio's conversation – not helping them by the former two men pleased of talking about their days and the Haven - and Hyacinth and Moon sitting on the floor with the former taking care of Khalifa almost napping against her lap and skirt while Moon watches over Aya bravely stroke and pet his hands on Ular without fear of the giant snake, unlike Julio this morning.

"Thank you, once again, Rush. I look forward to seeing you and the Haven again, or if you like to visit us." Embryo smiled after allowing Aya and Khalifa to leave the car with Charlie unable to close the door when Rush silently ordered her to hold.

"Welcome, Embryo. If there's something important you need my help or a chat, give me a call." Rush nonchalantly grinned, making his team apprehensive about both his offer and expression despite surprisingly fooling Embryo who nodded his acceptance with his smile before everyone saw Aya almost climbing back in the car but stopped himself to sign something to Rush with a sad scowl that Khalifa also shares.

With another look at Embryo to capture his surprise at the other's smirk, and already thought of how to respond now that he could speak back to Aya, Rush silently signed back to Aya and Khalifa without seeing everyone watching him sign from Rush's team dumbfounded of his slowly expert level to their confusion of Embryo's initial amazement blinking his eyes in disbelief with a startled gasp at what Rush said when he wriggled his eyebrow with a seductive smile while curving his mismatched fingers together, except his index fingers pointing upwards, to tap both his hands together. That prompted Aya and Khalifa to look at their astounded father with the former sticking his tongue through his teeth and his grin.

"Like I said; give me a call, man." Rush confidently suggested to Embryo with the same smile after signing his promise, with the enemy scoffing a chortle from his opened mouth faltering into a tired smile, unsure if he was annoyed or amused with what Rush said. "…Goodbye, Rush." Embryo gave his farewell with a chuckle and turned around to head back inside the Dawn Pillar.

"Bye-bye." Khalifa waved at Rush's team and the driver inside the car, with Rush, Hyacinth, Moon and Charlie waving back at the kind little girl before everyone watched the car door closing once Embryo and his children walked through the automatic door.

'Em, you're such a virgin top.' Rush laughed to himself with his head and vision facing the ceiling once the car started accelerating its way to the harbour. Surprisingly, his first thought of today's baptism immediately changed for the better as he would've felt irked even if he could hide his boredom from Misty's big day. "Rush? What did you and Embryo's son sign about?" Rush heard Red Death asking him with the scepticism he knows his team was feeling from today, and seeing Rush smiling at what he must've said to Embryo….maybe telling the truth might get him some funny reactions.

"Aya asked me when Embryo and the kids could see me, and I said: …When Embryo invites me out on a date." Rush's answer, by their tone, made Red Death, Cynical, Hyacinth, Ammo, and even Charlie horrified that their shared screams in panic filled the car with the latter almost distracted but successfully regained her driving after almost knocking one car in front of theirs. "WHAT!?"

"Rush, can you stop flirting with the enemy of all people!?" Ammo complained in anger, pulling out the red tie that irritates his breathing out of his neck but Rush immediately responded with a sarcastic scoff. "Fuck you, Ammo. I want to make it fun, not seriously boring."

'That's it…' Ammo mentally growled with his hands pulling out his Man-dle. Maybe he can blackmail Rush to listen more with the evidence he collected earlier.

He didn't know how long the light had been taking him as he was freaking out for the truth of HIS queen's filthy betrothal but Beolagh could suspect that it was long enough until his vision cleared from the warm white light dimming and fade out of him and existence, alarming Beolagh floating on the air to realize he is now no longer outside the Dawn Pillar but in an unfamiliar office room possibly from a high tower, by the massive window showcasing a kingdom that smaller below the tower…

'What? Where am I now?' Beolagh wondered in mixed surprise but reclaiming the rage he always felt in his heart, unable to think of anything but his cause of death and now-Queen Misty's choice of a husband than him. However, he heard the sound of a muffled voice screaming to look in front and spot a blonde-haired man in rich, green clothing burying his face on his desk with a blue cushion while his two, disgustingly odd-looking children were comforting their father from whatever was troubling him.

"Wait…they were with the damned Human Killer earlier!" Beolagh realized in anger, fortunately of being a ghost that no one could see and hear him talking loudly to himself. Although, something about them also attracted Beolagh's surprise and curiosity.

One second, he sees them as human beings…the next second, Beolagh sees them as animal-looking beasts brimming with energy with the father glowing with bright green mists of light and smoke-like mists taking the shape of something similar to a fox while the two children are matching purple, black, and crimson red smokes forming into what Beolagh immediately grows afraid and repulsed of this chimera-looking animal. 'W-What are THEY!? Are they human or demons!?' Beolagh demanded as his vision kept switching to see them as both humans and beasts in seconds, his mind and sigh acting like a TV screen changing into different channels until he managed to see them as human when the father sluggishly raised his face off the cushion…

"Aya, Khalifa. Can you wait in your rooms until I call you both? I'm afraid I have a bit of work to do." The surprisingly handsome father asked his children with a tired but calm smile, looking upset but not wanting to show it to them, to which they responded with a nod and jumped off the desk, perfectly landing on their feet. However, the two children looked up and the girl softly mused their surprise at what they were seeing in front of them which Beolagh noticed, surprising him with a gasp, that they were looking AT HIM. 'Can they see me?' Beolagh wondered, even praying that they might see him as a ghost…

"Children. That way." Unfortunately to Beolagh, the children's father called them to turn around and see him pointing at the doors with a small but playful smile, alarming the two children to hurriedly run in that direction but Beolagh did see them peeking a glimpse at him until they were gone, leaving the ghostly soul with the father initially smiling at where his children were but dimming into a faintly assertive frown turning to Beolagh's direction… "Yes, my children and I can see you, Mister Soul." The father's immediate words alarmed Beolagh with a terrified gasp at the sudden sentence and his cold sneer amazingly glowing his exquisite green eyes staring straight through him.

"Y-You can see me!?" Beolagh's demand sputtered in gasps. How, when, and why!?

"Apparently, you're so loud it not only hurt everyone's ears but became deaf yourself. Yes, I can see you." The father sarcastically scoffed, almost acting like the Human Killer, when he walked away from his chair to stand between his desk and the floating ghost, rubbing one of his ears with his gloved fingers. "My name is Embryo…I believe you heard of me from spying and overhearing what is unnecessary to you from your former King for years."

That name and the response collected Beolagh's fright with a loudly strangled gasp. He is right; he has heard the name multiple times from his King, during his time of plotting to attempt kidnapping and marry Misty Rosenblum which failed. But now, he is standing, or floating, in front of the one he believes his King calls him the God of Mana. One who creates their world and humanity, and blesses the true humans with the Light of Mana. And the one whose powers beyond the Light of Mana make him the most powerful man in history. Perhaps, if he can play it safely, he can beg God to bring him back to life and give him a powerful role that might help him win back Lady Misty to be his…even eradicate both the Human Killer and the foul Veldan prince!

"Y-yes! I know of you…you're the Almighty God my king proudly talks about! You created your people and grant those fortunate enough to bear the Light of Mana, unlike those who reject your gifts to become savage animals!" Beolagh appraised yet he was confused by the vexed scowl darkening Embryo's face.

"One, I despise being called God especially adding as ridiculous as Almighty, which I'm glad that the Human Killer doesn't see me as. Two, how dare you call those innocent girls 'savage' when you people did worse to your kind." Beolagh was initially confused by the God's words although the mention of the Human Killer collected his full attention in anger.

"P-Please listen to me! The Human Killer killed me for no reason! I was a loyal soldier to the Rosenblum Kingdom and Lady Misty! But the foul man tortured me to death out of his selfish desire to harm his people! I beg of you to please resurrect me so that I can save milady!" Beolagh pleaded, trying to look sincere even forcing a tear out of his eyes. 'And get rid of that brat who stole her from ME!' But to his shock, Embryo does not look pleased when he climbs and sits on his desk to faintly lean back with his hands on the desk's surface, his leg resting on his other leg.

"You're lying." Beolagh jolted in horror from Embryo's suddenly collected, almost emotionless exclamation. "You were never loyal to the Rosenblum Kingdom but disgustingly obsessed with the new Queen, who is drastically younger than you."

In a split second, Beolagh witnessed the air around the room and the God and soul shimmered with light for countless Mana screens swirling in different directions like a slow twister and each playing, what Beolagh wasn't expecting to bulge his eyes in horror, his memories from his low birth to his servitude with the royal Rosenblum family and even the last thing he remembers of the Human Killer and his people torturing him to death. Each memory has spoken dialogue with Beolagh grimacing that even Embryo is listening to his real thoughts and desires of both seizing the throne to become King and having Misty as his wife, despite the obvious age range. A glance at God's repulsed sneer when watching the other memories made Beolagh feel like he MIGHT die in both real life and embarrassment…

"I want you to kidnap each child from the nations' rulers, but leave Misty with me…" Beolagh froze with his eyes almost popping out of his sockets in horror at hearing his words coming from one memory, he didn't want Embryo to know but he spotted the latter reaching his hands to one of the Mana screens flying towards him, hovering over his palms where they both see the memory of Beolagh ordering the then-alive 40 Thieves and their False-Norma leader. "If all goes well, and I shall be King of the World, you can kill the worthless children and I have Misty to myself."

"No…" Beolagh whispered in fear, managing to see all the Mana screens of his memories immediately switching off and fading into existence, including the one Embryo was holding. What is this power? Even if a Mana human can summon more than one Mana screen, he knows that it is impossible to conjure their memories as Embryo did. This could be one of the abnormal powers he overheard his King mention about his superior and their creator…

"…So, YOU'RE the one who plotted to kill the royal children eight years ago." Embryo's dangerously cold voice made Beolagh's shivers skyrocket when he glanced back and almost released his bladder at seeing those glowing green eyes furrowing such collected anger directed at him. "Then I'm glad I made the right call in excusing your king and Queen Parvati that night. As a father myself, I don't want to imagine the terrible thought of losing a child."

"M-Master…" Beolagh tried to beg but Embryo curtly interrupted him, his voice hissing in venom out of resentment for his sin.

"Honestly, you trying to kidnap Misty for yourself sounds like an Urchin trying to torture a Tyrant but failed…but also something else I don't want to envision." Beolagh cannot understand why Embryo sounded ferociously upset when mentioning this something he was displeased with before glaring back at him with those terrifying glowing eyes furrowing in such collected rage. "Perhaps I shall inform your former King the truth of your plan, once I send you to your rightful place in the afterlife, but spinning Rush out of this."

Beolagh could've sworn he heard a snap of some fingers but the flash of light under his floating, translucent feet alarmed him of seeing an immediate, big circle of ominously bright green flames surrounding Beolagh, if not for flying backwards in time but the horror of his fate was reclaimed when he sees the flames growing brighter that could fill the entire room with the God unfazed of what he must've conjured again with his powers, yet Beolagh's vision again change from seeing Embryo as a human to the aberrantly giant glimpse of a green fox...with matching glowing eyes as the last person, he sees before he'll be forced to go to the afterlife for his sins.

"No! I refuse to die!" Beolagh's pleas were unfortunately ignored as his last second to flee by flying away from Embryo and the terrifying field of green fire was caught when Beolagh screamed of the excruciating sensation of being burned, despite being a soul, and being pulled backwards, howling his agony of finding himself shrouded in heavy, green flames that also transformed into canine jaws, that Embryo sees he somehow, surprisingly by his reaction, materialized into flaming smokes and light energy taking form as a pack of foxes forcefully dragging Beolagh's translucent body back to the portal he made. "Master, please! Please don't send me to Hell! I don't deserve what I've done!"

Just as Beolagh yelled his pleas in tears, hopefully, loud enough might change Embryo's mind, he screamed from being lifted upwards and hanging above the frightfully menacing portal of light and green flames by the strange force that pulled him earlier and changed from beasts' sharp jaws into flaming chains of energy also coloured green like Mana. The last thing he sees is not the sight of pity…but Embryo's glowing green eyes that hide his pupils snarling in anger and his veins visibly glowing like Mana.

"…This is what you deserve to get, you False Jinn." Embryo, unknowingly, growled his ferocity but the sound of his voice sounded lower and deeper than his normal voice and Beolagh's final scream shook him with a surprised gasp, feeling his veins stop glowing out of nowhere and his voice turn back to normal, almost ignoring his powers dragging Beolagh's pathetic soul through the portal that immediately flickered and burst in a brief explosion of white light that fades and hides anything of Misty's attempted kidnapper, murderer, and almost-husband.

However, Embryo was confused about not his method of sending the soul passed on but what he almost forgot.

'Why did I say that, and almost turned Ripper?' Embryo wondered in surprise after slowly raising his legs and high-heeled boots on the desk, almost touching his mouth with his right hand. As his family, including Rin before her death, knows of the full extent of his powers beyond a normal Mana-human's capacity, there was something odd that he couldn't understand about ONE of them even now. Why did he turn into what he wanted to hide from the public, just to say what he didn't think of saying? Why did he call that fool a False Jinn? Embryo don't know why…but a part of him felt like he was SUPPOSED to call him that. Like a hidden voice forcing him to say it in his mind.

Still, Embryo grimaced in pain, anger, and repulsion; Beolagh's desire to have Misty for himself regardless of being seen as disgusting in normal people's eyes due to his age, brought him to vividly recall some words not just those he was familiar with…but someone he couldn't understand why anyone would say things like HIM even if he never heard anyone say them before…

"My new society will be populated by intelligent women…"

"You may look like a Tyrant, but you're nothing more but a great trophy for someone 'lucky' to have you, brat!"

"Amazing. I feel as though I have stayed alive for the last millennium…Just so I can meet you!"

"You dressed your so-called 'son' like a Tyrant, but he will serve a real Tyrant until his short-lived pathetic death!"

"The sensuality of a primal beast…I could hardly wait to tame her!"

"Give him to me!" "No, me!" "I'll pay you double to own him!" "I'll pay you triple!"

"The world was brimmed with beautiful women; you could've had anyone else! I waited a whole millennium! That girl was all I ever had to live for!"...

'Stop it…stop it…stop it, stop it, stop it!' Embryo mentally cried while harshly panting almost breaking down in tears, unconsciously reaching his gloved hand to grasp both sides of his head and ears when he first heard the first thought in his mind before the ongoing chants of someone forcefully obsessed with a girl and people angrily demanding from his point of view.

Every time he hears those voices from out of nowhere, trying to endure them for years even before his marriage and fatherhood, Embryo feels like his mind and heart will break until he goes down in insanity, which he knows multiple attempts have done that almost became public a few times. He would've fallen over the desk when he hurriedly grasped his hands on his forearms to hug himself, as his relieving habit ever since he was a child, and his left hand felt the object he kept hidden underneath his sleeve and always hanging on his right forearm.

Just touching and holding both his arm and the object released a startled gasp, managing to hold his tears from escaping his dim bright green eyes as Embryo hurriedly looked at his right arm and his hand still gently grasping at the object. Immediately, the harshly loud voices in his mind disappeared and were replaced with not just the calm woman's voice confidently reassuring him with serene happiness but, also alarming Embryo in bewilderment, Rush's voice repeating the one sentence Embryo will never forget alongside the angry reaction when Rush defended him back at Haven.

"I'm happy that I married the dummy whom we both married and love each other just the way we are…"

"I don't give a fuck of what anyone says: To me, Embryo's a person, not some fucking God or goddamn toy!"

Embryo felt he was stunned into silence for a minute or more, slowly calming down from his mental plight just by remembering his wife Rin and Rush's words, not expecting the latter…but those memories helped Embryo softly smile his relief and sadness, allowing the tears out of his closed eyes when he leisurely climb off the desk once his mind went back to normal, needing something like his children's comfort to help calm him down from both helping the awful soul's departure and his mental breakdown.

'…I will be better.' Embryo firmly decided, heading to the children's shared bedroom when he opened the door and saw, what made him smile his satisfaction, Aya and Khalifa napping on the floor. Possibly cleaning their room without Mana but fell asleep with Khalifa hugging one of the pillows, Embryo chuckled when he quietly sat against the side of one of the two beds and closer to the children, stroking a hand on Aya's white hair. 'Even if I must play the villain, despite not wanting to, I'll make sure I will not act…and say such disgusting things in this story.'