Red and Crimson stood before the crystal board at school, eyes locked on the top two spots. A crowd gathered behind them, murmuring as names began to appear.
"May the best student win, Prince Red," Crimson said with a grin, eyes glinting with challenge.
"And!" Red shouted.
1.) Red Ozman
2.) Crimson Sol
"Yes!" Red cheered, bouncing in triumph.
"Oh well," Crimson huffed with a smirk. "That's my future husband, hehe. I'll win the next round."
"You can try," Red replied, smirking back. Their eyes locked, the rivalry between them crackling with electric tension.
A tall, brawny man with pale skin, a short beard, and a wagging dog's tail strolled over, amber-yellow eyes gleaming.
"Well, well... still the power couple doing their thing. I still don't get it. Are you two friends, rivals, or lovers?"
"Greg, we're all of that... but not really a couple. Just... betrothed," Red answered, glancing at Crimson.
She scoffed. "Anyway, I gotta go. I'm forming my three-person team for the Midsummer Team Building. We'll win. See you around, Prince Red."
She waved to Amber and walked off.
Greg turned to Red.
"No! I work alone!" Red cut him off and walked away.
Outside the classroom, Red strolled through town munching on a hotdog drenched in cheese sauce with violet sweet potato fries. He tapped his wrist.
"Book mode."
His manascreen floated into a book form. A video flickered to life.
"Good morning, Oztrail! Welcome to—"
FLOWER POWER!
A dark elf in sunflower-themed attire beamed from the screen.
"I'm your host, Sunflower Powers! Today, we test the minds of the fastest and brightest! First question—name the ten continents of Aethersol!"
She tapped her screen. A deep voice answered.
Oztrail
Europa
Northerlands of America
Southernlands of America
Alkebulan
Orients
Angora
Pacifica
Islands of Silica
Asean
BZZT! The buzzer flashed red.
"Nope. Asean is a union, like Eurussia," Red muttered with a chuckle.
Then a new voice buzzed in.
"Hi! I'll answer—"It was Crimson.
Oztrail
Europa
Northerlands of America
Southernlands of America
Alkebulan
Orients
Angora
Pacifica
Arctic
DING! The buzzer turned green. A map of Earth flipped on-screen, extra islands scattered across the Pacific.
"Correct! Asean is part of Orients! Second caller, what's your name?"
"Crimson Sol! I'd like to greet my rival—er, fiancé—Prince Red! I'll beat you in the Midsummer Team Exams!"
Red chuckled. But then...
"Hey there, lil' bro."
He looked up.
"Lord Burgundy! Green!"
Burgundy grinned, red-haired and dressed in a blue cossack and red vest. Beside him stood Green, an elven girl with short hair and a bowstaff on her back.
Burgundy pulled Red into a hug.
"You miss Dad, don't you?"
Red sighed. "Come on. Let's get lunch."
They teleported to Seshen's Mermaid Tail Stew Restaurant.
"Lord Burgundy, how's international work?" Seshen asked.
"Busy. Still no signs of Gemlord Garnet."
Amber served vibrant rose salad.
"Thanks, Amber," Crimson said as she arrived.
"Hello, fiancé," she greeted coolly.
"Hello, fiancé," Red echoed, both of them glaring.
Burgundy laughed. "You two are too close."
"Shut it!" they snapped in sync.
A vampire girl with no arms floated over, delivering sizzling steak and red potatoes. Her name tag read
Lavender.
"I'm full," Red groaned.
"Come on, we don't do this often," Burgundy insisted.
"Fine."
Crimson rolled her eyes. "Why can't you be more like Lord Burgundy, Krayon?"
"You two are basically married already," Amber teased, sitting beside Green.
"Where's your team, Green?" she asked.
"Lord Burgundy teamed me with Red. Hope he can keep up with my rapidfire magic arrows. Crimson, Lavender, and Amber already formed a team. We're going for an M.DPS-Tank, M.DPS-Support, and M.DPS-Healer setup."
Seshen brought out mango-strawberry sorbet and ginger-citrus cola.
"Oh, and the Empress plans to reopen the White Iris Hutt. Gen 1, Gen 2, and now Gen 3 will welcome new adventurers."
Palace Grounds
"Oh! Son! Your Grand Aunt Amy and Grand Uncle Mondy sent gifts!" Glycemia beamed.
"Mother! We're cleaning the White Iris Hutt. I found a photo of you and Dad! You looked so young with Uncle Vermilion!"
"You were such a crybaby, Vermilion," Glycemia teased.
"Seriously, Empress. Unladylike," Vermilion grumbled, carrying supplies with his Blue Mages.
"Fine. I'll assign our doubles so we can sneak into the reopening."
"YES!" Red hugged them both.
Burgundy suddenly appeared.
"Mother. Uncle."
"Phew, I thought you'd use code names," Glycemia sighed.
His face turned serious. They teleported to the Watchtower.
Green was at the manascreens.
Burgundy and Glycemia stared at the feed of Carter White, napping under an apricot tree.
"It's like Charl never died," Glycemia whispered. "Maybe... the memory crystal... Maybe he's still alive."
"No. Carter deserves to be himself. Not a shadow of the past."
She scanned Carter's data.
"Fifty percent match. He's truly his son. But how is Red genetically both Charl's and mine? We never had a child."
Burgundy played new footage. Glycemia reached out to the screen.
"I never thought... we'd find Red's real father. I'm happy."
White Iris Hutt in the afternoon
Seshen grilled barbecue beside Mauve, a steel-skinned elf.
"Where are the other Lion Brothers?" Mauve asked.
"Abeco's in the hospital. Desmond's probably at school," Seshen replied.
A catwoman and Rina arrived next, followed by Greg and a voluptuous blonde half-elf.
Inside, Red and Green were mid-battle in a manascreen game.
"How about Yellow?" Red asked.
"She's a good Lightnearer, but she's already teamed up with Jet and some mystery Scholar-class student," Green said.
"We need a tank-support if Crimson's out. What's your subclass again?"
"Fighter and Spellblade. I'm balanced between melee and magic."
"Then I'll go DPS/support with my bowstaff."
"I win!" Green cheered.
Red groaned, dropping his controller.
Suddenly, an earthquake shook the floor.
Amber, Lavender, and Crimson rushed out. Burgundy teleported in an instant.
"Red, with me. To the Palace."
The Palace
In the throne chamber, Glycemia stood before Carter, who looked around awkwardly.
"This is Burgundy, my eldest. Adopted after the First Castle Fort attack. Gregory, after the second, in Bort Castle, U.S.A. Davion, he's still in the hospital."
She turned toward Red.
"And Red... we found him in a sinkhole near the Sea of Time, sixteen years ago."
Carter blinked. "I came from a crater too..."
"Why the introductions, Mother?" Red asked.
She smiled. Her tears fell slowly.
"Because of you, I became a real mother. But even I couldn't explain how you share my and Charl's DNA. We never had a child."
She held Red close.
"We found your real father."
She turned back to Carter.
Near the Shoreline
Green's eyes caught something glowing in the sea.
"Uncle Seshen! Uncle Kronus! Look!" she shouted.
Amber, Crimson, and Lavender flew out immediately. Kronus dove in.
Then it rose.
A twenty-five-meter-tall blue crystal guinea pig man surfaced, water streaming off its crystalized fur.
"A Gemlord Nephilim!" Kronus roared.
Palace Dungeon
Green, Carter, Glycemia, and Red stood in silence, accompanied by Royal Guards in full plate. The crystal giant knelt before them.
"Help…" it whispered telepathically, eyes shimmering with tears.
"Wait... it's you!" Carter ran forward and embraced it. "We meet again."
Red tapped on his manascreen.
"It's a Garnet!" he said as color scans shimmered over the creature. The crystal hues flickered from green, to teal, then blue.
Burgundy's voice cracked with realization.
"Mother! He's the one who opened the Garnet Pond for us—when we were trapped in the Gray Fever Fog!"
He turned to Carter.
"Dad! I mean, future Dad! I mean... Sir Carter! I want you to hit the Garnet Shell. Just the red core inside."
"What?" Carter blinked.
"Just hit it. Full force."
Carter nodded.
His manaclothes glowed, reshaping into a kickboxer's gear. Gloves unraveled into energy-wrapped bandages.
He inhaled. His vines pulsed.
He released.
The punch was an explosion of force.
The Gemlord cracked, shattered, crumbled—until nothing remained but a glowing red core.
Carter picked it up.
"Imagine your blood flowing into it," Burgundy instructed. "That's the transfer method."
Carter focused. The core glowed in response.
"Now place it in the blue sand."
The blue particles wrapped around the core like a womb, forming the new creature.
It stirred.
It squeaked.
Then it stood upright, resembling a gray guinea pig beastman.
It ran to Carter and hugged him tight.
"Hey, Blue," Carter smiled warmly.
"Thank you, Human," Blue replied. He embraced Red and Burgundy as well.
Red's eyes lit up.
"Mother. I think we should let my real Dad—and this guinea pig beastman—join us."
The room fell silent.
That Night – White Iris Hutt
"You are Blue Cavilis," Burgundy declared.
"I am Blue Cavilis," Blue repeated, puffing up with pride.
"SIA!"
A robotic voice replied, "YES, MASTER!"
"Fabricate data on both Carter and Blue."
Burgundy pushed open the door and called out.
"Welcome back, White Iris Guild and visitors!"
He channeled mana into the orb beside the entrance. The whole room lit up with intricate circuits and blue-white glows.
"We'll begin new team assignments."
He unraveled a scroll.
"Oh—Sunflower says hi. She'll be arriving late."
An albino vampire boy entered, Lavender by his side.
"The Vlad step-siblings are here," Burgundy noted. "Jet, Lavender... where are Mona and Keto?"
"Still in the Under City," Jet replied. "They'll be late too."
Jet and Red high-fived.
Meanwhile, Blue and Crimson were talking at the corner.
Carter lay asleep on a sunbed, wearing a white tank top and blue shorts.
Red stared at him.
"Is it just me, or are these symptoms of mana poisoning?"
Burgundy joined him, with Rina trailing behind.
"Not gonna lie... being a 10-piecer drains you," Rina said. "He can absorb insane amounts of mana without a regenerator. It's exhausting."
"He'll be fine," Burgundy reassured. "I added mana crystals to his ring. They reroute the overload."
Red frowned.
"I just… can't believe he's my real Dad. He acts like our adoptive father. Looks like him. Fights like him. But... he's missing something. Maybe… just maybe."
Greg emerged from Rina's shadow.
"Burg, want to try something? A memory dive."
"Like, fake memories?" Burgundy asked.
"No," said a calm voice from behind—a woman in a white peacock mask, holding a fan of iridescent feathers.
"Let's have a memory dive."
"Mother?" Red and Burgundy said in unison.
"Yes. But here, I am Guild Master Iris. Still... trust me."
She knelt beside Carter, placing his head on her lap. Her hand hovered over his forehead.
Inside the Mindscape
Carter and Charl sat side by side, staring into two floating mirrors.
Inside the mirrors stood Honey and Glycemia.
"I do love her," Charl said. "But I'm dead."
"I loved mine," Carter replied. "She's dead."
They both laughed.
Glycemia stepped forward.
"Charl?"
The two men turned to her. They looked nearly identical—Charl with a beard and long hair, Carter clean-shaven and older in spirit.
She burst into tears and hugged Charl tightly.
"I missed you."
"I was just telling him about you all," Charl said, glancing at the mirror again.
In the reflection, Blue gave Charl edible flowers. A red mouse-like Garnet beast dragged Blue away.
"I shall preserve you for five years," the creature said. "I'll wake you when it's time..."
Its finger turned into sand.
"Then I will possess you, King Charl. In front of your people."
Charl clenched his fists.
"He did it to break morale. He wanted parts of Silica—the Nephilim Watcher—to become a pseudo-Grand Nephilim."
Charl removed his left eye. It turned to blackened charcoal.
"This is my last soul fragment. It's not complete, but I want you to have it."
He kissed Glycemia.
And faded.
Back in Reality – Castle Alarm State
Carter snapped awake.
The entire building trembled. Sirens screamed.
Floating siren-women flew past the windows. Races of all kinds gathered. Armies stood ready.
"What's happening?" Carter asked.
"This is a bad time," Red muttered, yanking Carter toward the escape hall with nearby soldiers.
Then he paused.
"What?" Carter looked up.
His face was now displayed in the glowing Silver Corridor screens.
Everyone stared.
"Your left eye…" Red whispered.
Carter turned to the mirror.
One eye green. The other... blue.
He stared at the portrait beside him—King Charl. Gallant and proud. Holding baby Red. Glycemia beside him. Burgundy, Greg, and others behind.
He was him.
Red looked up.
"Guards… it's not the time. Hide our guests."
Throne Room – Emergency Shelter Mode
The throne room transformed. Children, the sick, and the elderly now filled the space. Dozens of mages lined the perimeter, staffs glowing.
"People! En garde! Protect everyone!" Blissfoot the Penguin shouted, opening swirling portals.
Wolfmen and Catwomen stepped through in black robes.
Fighters in red, archers in green, mages in blue, and magenta-robed warriors on flying constructs arrived.
Then it struck.
The ceiling cracked open.
A claw—forty meters long, crimson-red and glittering—descended from above.
"iS tHaT yOuR wIsH?" a deep voice echoed.
Whispers rippled through the air.
"gRaNtEd."
Carter's eyes glowed green.
A greatsword materialized—then liquefied into his body.
In its place, regal blue-and-gold armor wrapped around him. A single-handed sword shimmered into his grip.
He slash into the sky.
A thunderous slash split the heavens wide, carving a thirty-meter-long rupture through the clouds.
Amber was watching the News in her Manascreen.
"All the 10 continents are being attacked by the Garnets right now." said Amber as Blue seems to be uneasy... then he squeaks as they see a Chasm in the cloudy skies. Mauve looks at them.
"You know we can fight; Mauve." said Lavander. "Lavander, no... only 2ndclassers and higher on alet 3..." said by Jet.
"Pyrope, Almandine, Spessartine, Grossular, Andradite, and Uvarovite...My sisters... and They are in pain!" said Blue as he looks at The Giant 50 meter Rat women that is made of very deep Red garnet witha 40 meter single arm; as his eyes glows in blue. He flies away. "Not gonna happened!" said Greg as he throws a Hook at Blue and drag him back.
Blue wakes up from the trance.
"It's dangerous!" said Greg as Blue calms down and sit down.
"Pyrope needs me..." said Blue. "Blue, remember: You are under the Empress' shelter, people knowing you as a Nephilim Gemlord is a bad news. Let alone as Garnet's son." said by him as Blue looks at the Palace.
The Palace Grounds as The Giant Mouse Lady made of Deep Red Garnet Crystal roars.
"Guys! Focus on shielding the palace grounds! This would be nasty!" said Carter as his sword and The Garnet Gemlord spars with him in a very fast manner as He inhales prepares to attack as he cleaves it, turning it into deep red sand with red core. "Shall I?" asked Carter. "You can." replied Glycemia as he puts mana on the Gemlord as it becames a woman with Chinchilla ears and tail. Glycemia snaps her finger as a Magenta light lights her hand, causing men to be temporarily blinded. Her court puts clothes on her. The men can see again.
She wakes up. "Blue! Where are you?! Blue?" asked her. "High, I am Glycemia... Granddaughter of Silica and daughter to Watcher Nephilim Opal." said Glycemia. "Pyrope... Daughter to Watcher Nephilim Garnet." said by her as she seems unable to move.
They heard a snap as everyone around the area falls asleep.
The Giagantic Garnet Chimera Ratfish centaur with a mouseman half hybrid slowly descend on a 100 meter area, landing like a Meteor with Garnet in Charl's Body looking down at them with his Green right eye and Left Red eye with black scerlia he takes out a crimson spear and dashes in very very high speed hitting Carter in the Chest.
"No!" shouted Glycemia as Garnet removes his spear and takes out the Golden sword. "Damn it... Excalibur...Why you left me? Armadas like you..." said by Garnet as it becomes a crystalline yellow slime with blue core. "Should rest in the Arena of Kings...." said by him as He cleaves the Castle's grounds, revealing a 100 meter crystalline glass wing. "It's here?" asked Vermilion
As Carter seems to bleeding to death as it tries to heal but his wound doesn't heal. Glycemia goes to her. "No! No!!!" said by her as 100 different colored magic circles appears around her, trying to heal Carter. "It's no use Opalite!" said Garnet as Glycemia tries to punch him but a magical barrier protects him. "Dear child! Move" said by Garnet as he absorbs the 100 meter wing. "Here is my present, for you Fool Mother!" said by him as the 100 meter Garnet Mouseman ratfish centaur hybrid slowly falls down like a meteor.
"I'm sorry everyone...I failed...I'm sorry Carter." said Glycemia as something says;
"aRe YoU ReADy?" asked by an inaudible voice.
"I must save them." replied Carter on his death bed.
"gRaNtEd!" replied by an inaudible voice as Carter's eyes flare in Blue and Green as man leaks from his eyes; flaring like gasoline fanning the flames He stands up as his wounds heals.
PSYCHIC SKILL: AETHERKINESIS: MANAFLARE
He goes to Garnet and punches him; cracking his armor as the Excalibur slime and the Crimson red slime was dropped. Carter looks at Garnet, he looks above.
"Damn it I can only do 1!" said Carter as he inhales:
"WrItIng" said the Inaudible voice.
As 9 Magical Circle appears and mixes into one creating a Gray conglomerate of circles as it fires a Gray beam with labradorecence halving it as it started to disintegrate like red garnet sands. He looks down as Garnet was gone.
They all looked shocked as sands rain at them.
A 50 meter Green Garnet Kangaroo Rat with woman's head took Garnet in her hands as she hops in the sky. "Urvokite." said Pyrope as the crowd rejoices as they go to Carter. Glycemia cries her tears out as Carter looks at her.
"I'm sorry your highness...I have one choice." said Carter.
Glycemi wipes her tears and say, "You made the right choice."
as she hugs him.