"Hehehe.", A girl's laughter suddenly echoed around Joachim, making his anger come to a sudden halt. The other guards seemed to have no reaction at all. The voice spoke, acting like it was directly speaking into his mind. Joachim couldn't speak before he heard the voice continue again.
"It's interesting, isn't it, Mr. High Priest? That violet-haired boy. No matter the lines of causality I tread, he isn't in any of them. Except for this one...", The girl's voice continued.
"This voice...", Joachim said, beginning to ponder for a moment. His gaze then turned serious. "...It couldn't be!?"
"Hehe, you should know very well who I am, High Priest. After all, you are my current caretaker, are you not?", The girl's voice spoke, answering him with another giggle.
"...Lady KeA?", Joachim asked after deciding how to answer the girl.
"Who knows?", The girl's voice said. The voice turned quiet after, not to speak again.
The earlier anger he was feeling completely subsided. It actually turned into anticipation.
"Watch the lab until I come back.", Joachim said to the guards nearby.
"Yes, High Priest."
The guards were left confused as they saw High Priest Joachim quickly disappear from sight. He didn't head to the cell blocks this time. No, he headed in an opposite direction. Deeper into the Sun Fort. Once he arrived, he came across a long, stone bridge that opened up to the sky. This was one of the only places that allowed one to see what it looked like outside. A gigantic pedestal could be seen on the other end of this large room. A spherical object was placed in the center of the pedestal. This was called the Cradle, appearing as if it came straight out of a fantasy story. No modern human could craft something like this.
High Priest Joachim quickly approached the Cradle, donned in his priest attire. He even had his staff out. Upon arriving, he looked upward, and saw the Cradle was currently occupied. A little green-haired girl could be seen in a cradled position inside it. Yet, there was one thing different.
The girl's eyes were now open. She acted like she was waiting for someone to approach her.
High Priest Joachim smiled, and then laughed.
"Hahaha! It really is you, Lady KeA! I welcome you to the modern era.", Joachim said, welcoming the green-haired girl with a bow.
"Of course it is me. Who else would it be?", The girl replied, retorting at him.
"That is true. It is your presence alone that gives us reason to exist. You will become our one true god, Lady KeA.", Joachim said, almost sounding euphoric. His inner personality was starting to reveal itself, just like how the rest of the DG cultists were. And yet, before the girl named Lady KeA could respond, he was greeted with an effeminate laughter.
"Hahahaha! Is that right?", Another female voice said, striking the chamber entirely.
"Who!?", Joachim immediately responded, becoming defensive. He was the only one allowed inside this innermost chamber. Or he had thought so, until now.
"You really thought you were the one behind all of this, huh? Mr. High Priest.", The female voice continued, containing scorn in her voice. It was then a male's voice spoke out, signaling it wasn't just the female voice.
"Oh come on Belle. Don't ruin the priest's parade so quickly like this. He is still the caretaker, after all. He is still of some use to our family.", The male's voice said.
After these two voices spoke like this, two dense magic circles appeared not too far away from the Cradle, causing KeA to smile. She looked back at him.
"It is unfortunate for you, Mr. High Priest. My actual caretakers have arrived to check up on me.", KeA suddenly spoke out, speaking directly into his mind again. These words startled him, but he couldn't even react further before KeA spoke again. "But even then, I may have spoken too much."
"Every word you say has meaning, Lady KeA. But it is true that it is rather unfortunate for the priests watching over this place for us.", The man's voice said. After that, the magic circles finished forming. One was smaller than the other. Joachim saw two people arrive.
The first thing Joachim spotted was their hair. It was bright blonde, which seemed to be a distinction this family had. The girl seemed to be around nine or ten years old at most. Her hair was wrapped into twin tails, curling up into several rings, and let it fly downward. Her hair was already quite long despite being so young.
As for the man, he presently wore a brown, golden-plated tux with a fancy red vest shirt underneath it, combined with brown pants that also had golden trims. He dressed to be a big shot, and boy was he rightfully one. He was the active CEO of one of the most prominent banks in all of Zemuria, the IBC Bank. International Bank of Crossbell. It was just recently that they began operations in Crossbell state. He went by the name Dieter Crois. And despite his current appearance, he actually had a magic staff in his hands. It looked different from what Witches of the Hexen Clan use.
That was because this man is no Witch. There existed other groups who practised different forms of magic since the Great Collapse. Alchemy was one such form. This man is an Alchemist, and so is the girl beside him. His daughter, Mariabell Crois! The Crois Family group of Alchemists have been around for centuries. Dieter continued to speak, disregarding Joachim's current stunned look.
"And well, perhaps Lady KeA was right to comment that we have spoken too much already. Would you do the honors, Belle?", Dieter asked.
"Of course, Daddy.", Mariabell responded. In due time, Mariabell would become a much more prominent figure. Right now, she was just the sole daughter of the active patriarch of the Crois Family, Dieter Crois. From the outside, they acted as bankers. But here is where they showed their true colors.
With this passage of time, Elie likely has encountered Mariabell back in Crossbell City, but that is with her outward appearance. Elie has no clue that Mariabell is like this. Hailing from a family of Alchemists that is. Joachim didn't seem to know that matter either. But that might not last for long.
With a single snap of her fingers, Mariabell projected some form of energy, like Mana, toward Joachim. He couldn't even react in time before his figure was surrounded by three small devices. They were laid out in a triangular pattern. Shinggg!
A bluish-purple barrier soon formed over Joachim. Joachim tried to yell something, but no sound was heard. The barrier muted it entirely. He even tried to launch out his own projections from his staff, only to see no result once again. In fact, the magic shot got absorbed into the barrier entirely. Shortly after, Joachim felt his energy drain from his body, and he collapsed onto one knee with a pained look in his eyes.
Dieter raised his eyes, feeling praise seeing this.
"Both a soundproof and an energy drain barrier? My, you've outdone yourself this time, Belle.", Dieter said with a playful smirk.
"Hahaha! I may have been practicing for a bit. I think I've come quite far after diving into our family's techniques. I plan to continue what our ancestors have started.", Mariabell said, happily humming to Dieter's words. All Joachim saw was the way her mouth moved. He couldn't hear a thing.
"Hmm, perhaps our goal will reach the modern era sooner than we had anticipated. You did wake up after all, Lady KeA. It is before the destined time, is it not? This is the only reason why we paid you a visit.", Dieter said, looking up at KeA, who was still nestled inside the Cradle. That didn't seem to bother her one bit. Her voice resounded all around them as she spoke.
"It is true that I have woken up, but do keep this in mind what you see now is but a mere moment in time. My memories are already starting to turn fuzzy again. Power waning. Dieter. Mariabell.", KeA said, greeting the two.
Hearing that, Dieter sighed, and shook his head in disappointment. Even though he did that, he still smiled at her.
"That is rather unfortunate indeed. This might be our first time getting to chat like this, is it not? It is good you know who we are already. Or should I say, it is as expected?", Dieter said, smiling.
"Of course I know the two of you. I see you in the lines of causality I tread. The only reason my consciousness stirred awake is because of what I am currently treading. But it seems like I've already forgotten...", KeA mumbled, trying to recall what she spoke of earlier. But her memories really were fuzzy. She couldn't even recall Naoto properly.
"So something of interest stirred you awake. How unusual.", Dieter mused. "You mentioned something about a violet-haired boy. Are you sure you can't recall him anymore?"
"Let me think...", KeA tried to say, spending a good moment before something surfaced inot her memories. A violet-haired, golden-eyed boy who was wearing his Phoenix Robe. "Now I remember. It is the one you speak of who resided in this place thanks to the priests. When I wake up at the appointed time, I want him to look after me.", KeA stated.
"The violet-haired boy, huh?", Dieter responded, trying to recall who he was himself, only to shake his head after. "I will have to look up the records here to identify who it is you are referring to. May I ask why this boy drew your interest, Lady KeA?"
Unfortunately for Dieter, all he saw was KeA yawn again, appearing very sleepy.
"I can't even remember anymore...", KeA uttered. "And by the time I wake up again, I probably won't remember this conversation we are currently sharing either..."
Once those words were spoken, Dieter and Mariabell saw KeA drift off, only to close her eyes once more. Her arms reached downward, and she curled up into a ball again, acting like nothing had happened. Seeing KeA like this, Dieter knew he wouldn't be able to continue this conversation any longer.
"To think something would cause the Zero Child to awaken...", Dieter uttered. He then turned toward Mariabell. "But now, you have a new task to do, Belle. Find whoever this is. At all costs. Whatever Lady KeA desires, we shall comply."
"I understand, Daddy. I will be sure to find this person, whoever he is.", Mariabell responded and smiled. She then looked back at Joachim, who seemed to be deflated now after going through several attempts to break the barrier she placed, but to no avail. "What should we do about him?", Mariabell continued, pointing her finger at him. Joachim felt his blood run cold seeing her do this.
Dieter too looked at the High Priest, and smiled.
"He will still have some use for us. But for now, he mustn't remember arriving here.", Dieter suddenly said. His magic staff suddenly glowed, and fired off some Mana, aiming directly into Joachim's body. He collapsed right then and there, unable to fight back. Dieter didn't kill him, he just made him unconscious.
"And with that out of the way, let us depart back to Crossbell City at once. If you would, Belle.", Dieter said, looking back at his daughter.
"Yes!", Mariabell happily said. Just like how they arrived here, the two warped out of the Cradle, returning to what it used to be. KeA was now resting inside of it once again, appearing like nothing had happened.
Joachim remained unconscious for several days, but his guards knew better not to disturb him during this time. They simply carried on their assigned tasks. Once Joachim woke up, his body ached all over, but for some reason, he couldn't remember what happened. But soon, a panic swept over his body, making him carry his feet out of the Cradle. He wanted to find who that boy was, just like the Alchemists. Sadly for him, he was already transferred out of the Sun Fort!
KeA returned to her slumber. By the time she wakes up again, she likely won't remember any of this. As to whether a certain police detective will pick her up as it happened in the games, that remains to be seen.
It just wasn't Joachim's day after that event took place.
But one thing was for sure. Remaining blissfully unaware, Naoto now had multiple targets on his back. First, it was General Morgan. Now, it is the Crois Family of the long-lost Alchemists. And third, one of the DG Cult's High Priests, Joachim Guenter!