Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Saiki Kusuo was annoyed. This was rare. So much so that Saiki often was described as emotionless. However this was an obvious exception. Because he was surrounded by a group of idiots. Extremely loud idiots.

Saiki was currently squeezed between two bodies, while walking home from school. One of those was currently loudly talking about getting ramen like always. The request from Nendo would, of course, be ignored.

On the other side was a blue haired guy on the shorter side. The guy, Kaido, was currently arguing with Nendo. Kaido was an absolute chuunibyou. Well he always denied it, but right now he was proving the theory right. He was very dramatically saying he can’t go to eat ramen because: “I can sense Dark Reunion close. I can’t waste time eating ramen!” Still Nendo continued pestering him.

Saiki, in the middle of this argument, just wanted to disappear. He wanted to go home and eat his coffee jelly. God however was evil and believed that tormenting Kusuo was the best way to pass the time. Because just in the next instance when turning the corner he sees the worst possible person.

Teruhashi, surrounded by several people from her class, turned to call out to Saiki. With the call all the men’s expressions turned sour. Saiki was seriously beginning to regret having taken his geranium ring this morning. If he hadn't, he may have been able to avoid this situation.

Teruhashi said goodbye to the group of people and walked over to Saiki’s group. Of course all the other nuisances followed Teruhashi over to Saiki’s group. In this group were Aren, Yumehara, Aiura, Toritsuka and Hairo. Ah yes. This was just perfect. Just what he wanted. God really was either evil or hated him.

Saiki ignored their greetings apart from a curt nod in their direction. Saiki didn't even need his mind reading to be able to understand Teruhashi. She was like an open book. Kusuo could easily see the disgruntled expression she hid. There was also a glint of determination in her eyes. Saiki just didn’t understand why she just wouldn't leave him alone.

Anyways, he couldn't get away from them now. If the group before had been loud, then this was like a group of hyenas in the middle of the night. Accepting his fate, Saiku returned to his very important duties. Ignoring all of them and having amazing thoughts of coffee jelly in his, for once, quiet mind.
The group continued walking down the street. At Least that was until at black limousine pulled up on the road a little in front of them. All of them, startled from their loud talking, looked at the car as three men stepped out of the car. Two of them were tall with large builds and black suits on. The other was a shorter older man with wrinkles covering his face. He also seemed to be wearing a long religious robe. The robe looked to have dots on it, but on a closer inspection it seemed to be a symbol of some kind.

There was complete silence (finally) from all of the members. Both his classmates and the newly arrived people. But while there was silence on the road, Saiki’s head was completely different. He had seen these people before. He remembered seeing them last week when he was out shopping.

Around one week ago :

Saiki had just been sent out shopping by his parents. They said it was good for his health to go on a walk, though they all knew he was the most healthy human on earth. But they did also give him money to buy some coffee jelly, so it was a no brainer. He simply quickly put on his geranium ring and walked out, not wanting to deal with the noise in his head.

Having just come out of the store with some fruits and the sacred treasure (coffee jelly) Saiki began walking. However while walking the ‘perfect girl’ Teruhashi began following him. He simply ignored her and she began thinking that he thought she was an illusion. Saiki let her keep believing.

Soon Saiki, still followed by Teruhashi, began walking to a crowd. Of course in the middle of the ground was nuisance number one, Nendo. Saiki really did not want to deal with that today, especially with his precious (coffee jelly). So therefore he teleported onto a roof while no one looked and then teleported home.

Back to the present :

Saiki was really beginning to regret having worn his ring that day. He remembered seeing that guy in the crowd just a little away from Nendo. Guess the guy saw him too. It had been a week since then. Saiki was in deep shit.

While Saiki was in the middle of wondering what the hell he was gonna do, the religious guy began talking.

The old guy began “Finally our savior has come! We have waited patiently for you, oh great World Teacher.” After finishing the old man along with the men in suits bowed their heads in the direction of the teenagers.

All of them apart from Saiki and Teruhashi were extremely shocked. Saiki was too busy thinking of a way to get out of this situation. And for Teruhashi this just wasn’t the first time. Teruhashi had before been contacted by cults believing she was their god reincarnated. Therefore Teruhashi began doing the same charade as she had done to the others who tried.

Teruhashi started by showing her prize winning smile blessed by the gods and said “I am not a god. I’m really happy that you see me like that but i’m jus-”

Just as quickly as she began were she stopped by the old man loudly interrupting her with an angry expression “Imbecile! You are in no way the one we seek! You are simply an inputent lower human soul. The one we seek is the World Teacher. He is under the name of Saiki Kusuo. Don’t speak in such a manner in his vicinity!”

As the words were heard the group of teenagers simply stared at the old man. When the words registered probably the reactions varied largely. Teruhashi, still shaken from the reaction of the man, simply stood frozen. It too was like that for Kaido and Yumehara. Aren and Hairo were looking at each other, then at Saiki and then back at each other. Then they both loudly screamed “WHAATTT!?”

Saiki wondered if they too could read minds since they were perfectly in sync. However the two other psychics, Toritsuka and Aiura, began trying to ask Saiki telepathically on what was going on. Saiki still had his ring on and didn’t know that. But Saiki could understand what an expression was, so the pointed look he got from them was not unnoticed. However as he was about to slip the ring off to see what they wanted to ask, he was interrupted by Nendo.

Nendo of course being who he is and not understanding what the old ‘geezer’ was talking about, simply walked over to Saiki, having walked away from him when Teruhashi arrived. When he got beside Saiki he placed a hand on Saiki’s shoulder and proudly said “That's my buddy. I knew you would be a good teacher. Let’s go get ramen to celebrate!”

That seemed to stop everyone in their surprise, now they all stared at Nendo with clear bewilderment.

Saiki however, was still thinking 1000 thoughts per minute. He can only erase one minute of memory from a person. These people have known for over a week. He also didn’t know how many knew. Reversing time could be dangerous. He was older now and going to the past, he will surely get discovered and may mess up, and create a new timeline. He needed more time and a break from his chaotic life would be nice. But this really was such a big mess.

The only thing he currently could do was go with them.

Saiki stepped forward towards the car without a word. The two men in suits and the old man made way while lowering their heads. Just as he reached the door it opened up by itself. Saiki sat on the large sofa cushions of the car and spared one look back at his classmate, almost cracking a smile at their comical expressions. They all simply stood completely stunned.

After the last glance, the door then proceeded to close on its own.

Just after the door on his side closed, he heard the door to the driver's seat. Using x-ray vision he looks to the seat. It seems to have been especially made to fit three people. In the middle sits the old man with the two men in suits beside him. He turns his x-ray vision off and looks around him.

The car was decorated with things so expensive that it would even be up to Metori’s standards. The sofa-like seat he sat on was of shiny white leather with golden accents. Actually the entirety of the car seemed to be covered in expensive details. Saiki could easily identify many kinds of gemstones all around. There were also things such as gold and silver used like they were found everywhere. In front of him was a wall with glasses, cutlery and a cooler bucket with some drinks in it. There also was what seemed to be a small cooler. He opened the cooler only to gasp in delight.

Inside the cooler sat four coffee jellies. And not just any jellies. These jellies seemed even fancier than the ones bought at restaurants. Happily Saiki took one up, snatched a spoon from beside the glasses, and took off the protective covering. Tasting the coffee jelly was amazing. It was probably the best jelly he had ever tasted. Saiki, completely immersed in eating, almost forgot about his situation.

He was rudely reminded though when he was finished with the coffee jelly, and on the bottom of the platter was the symbol. Snapping out of his coffee jelly trance while taking the last bite, Saiki resumed his thinking.

Saiki doesn’t know how long he sat and thought about what to do in this situation, but it was damn long. Slowly the scenery around him changed. It went from close roads and office buildings, to an open scenery. Along this journey other cars joined them. They came only a bit after leaving the stunned teenagers. The black SUV slipped in front of them, while two others began to train behind. At last they had driven to a forested area.

They hadn’t been in the forest for long, only around thirty minutes. The dirt road they were driving on began changing. The road began transitioning from dirt, over to finely laid brick. Along with the bricks changing, the scenery around them too did. The previously seemingly unkempt forest made way for rows of perfectly cut and placed trees. Small beds of carnation flowers also began to appear on the edge of the brick road.

Not long after the flower beds become a consistent stream, does the path begin to open up. Saiki activates his x-ray vision to see what the manor looks like.

The path opens up to a huge courtyard. On the edge the carnation flowers continue, like they are outlining the massive forecourt. The courtyard has a roundabout like design, where in the middle a marble fountain is placed. The fountain itself is beautifully carved, probably made by master craftsmen. Though right behind the fountain a manner comes into view.

Though the courtyard was big, it practically seemed like a joke compared to the building. The building, though old looking, was extremely well kept. The light bricks making up the walls were extremely clean. Just from the entrance of the courtyard there could be seen several other segments of the manor, and it just seemed like it would never stop.

Saiki stopped his x-ray vision when the car stopped right in front of the giant stairs leading to the entrance. Saiki would have opened the door himself but he had seen a man standing close to the door ready to open it. The butler looking man opened the door, and Saiki quickly got out of the car.

When outside Saiki finally realised just how fucked he was.

Right by the entrance on top of the stairs stood several people lined up all in religious robes and bowing their heads towards him. With the (way too big) doors open he could see a huge crowd of people, all on their knees with their heads down.

Saiki just wanted to go back inside the car and eat the rest of the coffee jellies. Instead though, Saiki slipped off his geranium ring, and began to walk toward the entrance of the manor.

Chapter Text

Firstly, I am very happy that you even read this. Secondly this is a chapter about the cult that Saiki has been mixed up with. It's really just to understand some of their beliefs for the future. You can always just return to read this again in the future if there is any confusion, or just write a comment. I will try to answer as fast as I can.

So now to all the people who are interested, welcome. It’s just some small facts i wanted to talk about so i’ll try to keep it short.

Theosophy society symbol (mentioned symbol on the old man's robes. The symbol on the robe is the same, just without the text):

Anyways. So the cult that has taken an interest in Saiki is based on the Theosophical Society of 1875. They are not a cult. Theosophy is a spiritual philosophy or world viewpoint. The reason i choose this as a inspiration is really because of the ‘World Teacher’

World teachers are seen as someone who will guide humanity's spiritual evolution and will teach people how to reach enlightenment. People in other religions who are considered these world teachers are both Jeus Christ and Budha.

World teachers are really considered teachers or mentors like in the name, not god. Theosophy doesn't really have a god. Instead, theosophy emphasizes the idea of a universal, formless divine essence (the Absolute) and views the universe as arising from this spiritual source through a process of divine manifestation and spiritual evolution, with higher beings or intelligences guiding the process.

Thessophy is about a universal divine wisdom or truth that can be understood through spiritual knowledge. Its primary focus is on the inner spiritual development of individuals. It teaches that all religions hold pieces of a greater, universal truth.

So that's where I will be changing it. While World Teachers in reality are treated like mentors, Saiki in this fic will be treated more like a god. He will still have the title world teacher.

Also about titles. The World Teachers have many titles so i aren't sure how Saiki should be addressed. Here is a list of the titels :
1. World Teacher (Maitreya)
2. Great Teacher
3. Master
4. Mahatmas (a Sanskrit term meaning "Great Souls")
5. Master of the wisdom
5. Master of the ancient wisdom
6. Bodhisattvas (a buddhist term meaning “enlightened being” : someone who has made a vow to remain in the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth)
7. The Avatar
Please tell which title you prefer. Otherwise I will just keep calling them World Teachers.

I also first thought to base them on Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese doomsday cult, but after researching about their…...questionable methods and atrocities….

I kind of did not want to base something I do for fun, with their name mixed in.

Anyway, thanks for reading this little ramble.

Chapter Text

After Saiki had gotten out of the car he was then escorted inside the manor. The inside matched the outside perfectly. The manor looked like it could have been a historical site. Though he hated to admit it, it was beautiful. Just after passing through the door the rest of the room could be seen. Well a great hall would be the better word to express the room. The hall had a very open layout. Almost like an old castle. The bricks that made up the walls and columns gave the entire room a feel of the time that had passed there. Saiki was sure that if he used psychometry on those walls he would be bombarded with its long history.

There was a path leading up to a throne. The path was highlighted by columns in symmetrical lines along the path. Looking straight ahead was the throne. The throne was relatively simple in shape apart from the top of it. Attached to the back of the throne was a golden sun that looked like the zia sun. A part of the sun that seemed attached to the back was covered, but most of it was still visible. The only difference from the zia sun and what was seen here was the middle. In the zia sun the middle was an empty circle, representing life itself. But in the middle of the circle on this sun, were another symbol. It was the same symbol as seen on the robe of the old man.

Looking around Saiki realized that it wasn’t only the old man wearing the symbol. Looking past the columns, there sat several rows of people on their knees. all of their heads bowed towards the throne. All of them, in contrast to the old man, had hoods on. Wow really this cult was just too cliche.

The great hall itself was surprisingly well lit. This seemed to be due to several things. The first reason made sense with the giant windows. Beautiful old mosaic art on all windows. And holy moly there were a lot of them. The walls were probably more window than wall. Also right in the middle of the path he was walking hung a beautiful crystal chandelier. It was currently turned off with it not being needed. Sadly there wasn't more time to look closely at the chandelier or mosaic, since Saiki now was at the steps to the throne.

The silver throne now being close up, was now even more extravagant. The symbols decorated the throne along with lines of gold. All of them were made perfectly.

Saiki stood still for a moment but then went on the throne.

Saiki was now sitting atop a throne of silver, covered with a thick layer of gold, he looked over the mass of people bowing their heads. He could hear many covered whispers from their mouths. Along with their muttering they could also be seen clasping their hands tightly together.

They were praying.
To him.

Saiki couldn’t help but let out a quiet sigh at this situation. He could of course with his ring off hear their thoughts. The thoughts were most definitely quite…disturbing.

If they were to be ranked from least to most concerning, then there would be no clear winner. All of them were terrible in their own right.

A young single mother begging him to let her baby die so she could be normal.
An older gentleman wanting forgiveness for killing his mistress when she cheated on him, 20 years ago.
A boy, probably no older than 12 wanting his parents to come back, saying how he would do anything they ask of him.

All absolutely gruesome. If Saiki hadn't been able to read thoughts for a long time, and heard terrible things, then he would have been extremely shaken. Still before he could begin to try to block out the thoughts of the praying people, he was interrupted. It was the old man again. He seemed to have a higher position in the cult.

The old man cleared his throat, which caused silence to quickly spread through the entire hall. When the silence had lingered for a short moment the man then began speaking.

“My brothers and sisters. We waited patiently, and it wasn't for naught. We have finally been blessed with our savior descended on earth. He now sits before us, and will help lead us to the higher truth! He has chosen to show himself to us, the cult of the absolute truth. I, Hasu, was lucky enough to be able to bring him here. Let us continue to-”

And that was about where Saiki zoned out. His rambles simply were just less important right now. Well learning the name of the cult and old guy’s name was nice to know. But what was important right now, was to figure out a way to be able to go back to his normal life. Well as normal as that was.

Maybe he could find a way to evolve his memory alteration? Probably not. Going from one minute to a week will take an eternity. Even without his limiters it was only a day. Maybe he could just teleport away? Even worse. If he were to disappear, then they would look everywhere to find him. Maybe even try to make his powers public, and then the problem would be even bigger. Whatever, he would have to think more about it later to be sure.

Zoning back in Saiki just caught the tail end of Hasu’s rambling “-offer you anything. If it means going to a higher state of being, then even our lives shall be yours” The rest of the crowd answered with a simultaneous “Amen!” And then Hasu continued his rambling. Man he could talk almost as much as the nuisances.

Wow they really were crazy. Maybe brainwashed. Or just desperate, considering the prayers he heard earlier. Really getting away from them, no matter what their problem was, would be ideal.

Saiki made up his mind, and raised his left hand. The room before filled with Hasu’s loud talking, became dead silent in an instant. Though slightly surprised, Saiki continued his plan. He began to telepathically project his voice to the crowd of people “I want to be alone and have time to rest. Where can I do so?” Saiki only had to slightly alter his speaking pattern to offset any possible suspicion of his role, just to be safe.

In an instant several people, including the old Hasu came forward to help lead him to his “chambers” Since when did he have chambers? Well actually maybe sense with him apparently being the “World Teacher”

He was quickly guided out of the great hall, while all the people he passed had their heads so low that they almost hit the ground.

Not long after he was led down a broad hallway, too built of those same bricks. On his left side were a solid brick wall with wooden doors sometimes popping up, none of them looked particularly fancy. On his right side were giant windows. The windows were both tall and broad. They almost reached the ceiling. The windows also had golden frames, matching the rest of the manor. But these windows, in contrast to the windows in the great hall, had no mosaic. They were completely clear. Looking outside the windows was a beautiful garden. There were many beautiful plants, and expertly trimmed bushes. There could also be seen people outside tending the garden. Where in the heck did they get the money for this? No way this all is from donations. Or maybe Saiko’s father donated to this place? Then it would make sense.

Otherwise the halls were pretty empty. There were practically no decorations. No paintings, no plants and no shelfs. The lamps hanging from the ceiling are pretty though. They seem to be a smaller version of the one in the great hall. Saiki continued to look around the, kinda boring, halls while walking. When Saiki was beginning to get bored of counting the lamps, and doors, they finally reached a set of double doors.

These doors looked different from the others. Well there was the obvious of these being double doors, but these also had more detail. The doors, made of dark oak, had golden decoration. The door was decorated with lines of gold engraved in it along the edge, creating a design on the door. The symbol of the cult was engraved in the middle of the door, split in half by the door's opening. The handles too seemed to be made of solid gold. Just how many millionaires were sponsoring this cult?

One of the cultists, having led him there, went to the door and led Saiki in. Once Saiki had entered the room Hasu spoke behind him, causing him no turn. He then spoke,“If you need anything, oh Great Teacher, then just push the button by the door. We will accommodate anything you ask. We are here to serve you. There will be food brought here in a moment.”

Saiki just answered with a nod and then turned to the room again, and the door was closed shut behind him.

Saiki was now alone in the extravagant room. The main room was pretty big with a giant bed as a main piece. The bed also had a small table of dark oak in front of it. And on the back of the wall framing the bed on both sides were too large windows. The Windows were the same as the ones in the hallway, apart from the more decorated golden look at the top and bottom of the windows. The room had an overall atmosphere of luxury. Like the rest of the manor, this room too had details of gold all over. The furniture, the lamps, the walls, the floorboards, everything! Saiki was afraid that if he didn’t have his glasses and regenerate ability, then he would go blind.

Looking around he saw two more doors. Not bothering to go in, Saiki went and sat on the bed, activated his x-ray vision and looked around. The room closest to the bed seemed to be an equally extravagant bathroom. The room farther away was a large closet, with some very….not his style of clothes. Saiki still had his school uniform on. Fitting in with their ideals will make it so he knows what to do as the “World Teacher”, then he would also know what he should’t do. Maybe he could just make them lose faith in him?

Just as Saiki was about to go change, he saw, with his x-ray still active, someone coming for the door. It was the woman from the great hall, who wanted her baby dead. She was rolling a cart towards the door. Saiki just remembered they were meant to bring food to him around now.

The woman was then at the door and knocking. Saiki, not bothered to do much, just sent her an answer telepathically. The lady rolled the cart in, bowed her head and began to speak.

“Dear Teacher. I am one of your dear servants Nerie. I apologize for interrupting but I have brought a light afternoon snack. We noticed that you seemed to enjoy the coffee jelly in the car, so we brought some more. If you aren’t in the mood for that, then please just press the button and we will come. We are here to serve you. I will be making my leave now.” The newly named Nerie bowed one last time before quickly stepping back toward the door.

Saiki waited by with patience, usually not found, until she left, Even though there was coffee jelly involved, with the things she wished for before.. Well he couldn’t exactly stop his telepathy. Not without his ring. He currently had his ring off so her thoughts were easily read. Just as she had closed the door Saiki listened in on her thoughts.

‘I know what I need to do. It’s not like I have much free will. Its the reason why I was created. I just need to listen to-‘

Saiki tried to continue his reading but was interrupted by a sharp pain. It felt like his torso, no, his everything was on fire. Saiki was not well accommodated for pain. He had spent his entire life being practically invincible. Which meant absolutely no pain tolerance. Nerie had just left the room, unknowing of the pain Saiki was in.
Saiki continued gaping like a fish on land, curling up slightly for maybe about ten seconds before the pain subsided. Saiki felt like his entire body had a deep ache. Assessing the damage on his body astonished him. Saiki was hurt. Like extremely hurt. Any normal human would have been dead ten times over. He healed quickly, but he could feel the remains of several injuries. It seemed like the blood in him had begun cooking. Really like being boiled.

Saiki’s blood had begun flowing out of every opening it could due it expanding. His nose, ears, eyes, every pore on his body was bleeding. His insides wasn’t better in any way. It even seemed worse.

His heart had trouble pumping the boiling blood causing extreme heart failure along with extreme damage to the tissue. The blood boiling caused rapid expansion of gas and tore open the walls of his lungs filling them up with the boiling blood. Luckily for him, his throat didn't get filled with the boiling blood, due to being too panicked to breath. None of his other organs had it particularly good as well. And every blood vessel he had, had popped. But luckily, or unluckily it seemed to not have affected his brain. Saiki would lean more toward unlucky since it caused him to be conscious to experience all the pain.

Saiki then looked toward the food Nerie had left for him. For probably the first time in his life, he didn’t want to eat coffee jelly.

Having lost his appetite he really just wanted to go out to get some fresh air. Looking down at his bloodied uniform he decided to take a quick shower in the bathroom and then put some fresh clothes on. Quickly taking off the clothes, and then burning them for good measure he went to the bathroom to take a quick shower to calm his mind.

The shower really was a good idea. It soothed the deep ache and made him more relaxed. Saiki guessed he was still in denial. No, Saiki was more confused. How could this have happened? It was most definitely not some overuse of his powers. He barely used his powers. Maybe it had something to do with Nerie. When he thought about her, the ache seemed to return a little. Quickly filling that thought away for later, Saiki went to the closet.

All the clothes in the closet were fancy. Way way way to fancy. Saiki was beginning to wonder if he made the wrong choice. All the clothes in the closet were extremely fancy kimonos. There were kimonos of all colors, but they all had the details in common. Every single one of the kimono’s had the cults symbol in gold on an undershirt. Just what was with this cult and gold?

Saiki ended up looking through the kimonos and settled on a dark blue more simplistic kimono. While he put the clothes on he had his x-ray activated so he could look for a door that would lead to the garden. He spotted one a bit further up than his room. Saiki had finally gotten the troublesome kimono on. Before Saiki leaves the room, he looks at the bloodied bed sheets and burns them. Saiki made his way toward where he had seen the doors leading to the garden.

Finally outside Saiki took a fresh breath of air. The air outside seemed clearer than in the city. They must have traveled quite far into the countryside. Saiki looked around at the garden. Flowers were placed perfectly, not a single one had a brown leaf. When he first looked out at the garden, there were few people working, trimming up bushes and such. But now there were less than he saw earlier. He could spot a few over by some very large bushes trimming them. There were also a few over by a koi pond feeding the fish. Apart from them, Saiki was alone to relax in the afternoon sun.

Saiki decided to go exploring a bit. He went on the small stone path that led past the koi pond. While he passed the koi pond, the people bowed to him. He still wasn't used to that. When he passed the pond there was a more wild-ish area. There were a ton of rose bushes and vines climbing up the walls of a small tool shed.

Just past the shed were a small conjugation of bushes. They formed a C shape. Saiki coming from the side couldn't see what was in the middle of the bushes. Walking closer he saw an old marble statue. An old statue of him. The statue was covered in vines, but was well kept. Still with the wear and tear it seemed to still be at least 10 years old. Saiki, alive for 16 years. Had a statue of him in his current state, yet the statue was at least 10 years old.

What the actual fuck was wrong with this place?

First the random pain, and now a statue that shouldn't be possible. Saiki was so done. Maybe he should just create a new identity for himself?

Saiki was getting freaked out, and the air that before was fresh, now felt like it was confining him.

Saiki quickly made his way inside again. He went to his room in complete silence, having slipped on his ring. Saiki sat himself in his bed trying not to think.

When rays of sunlight from the sun setting came through the windows by his bed there came another knock. It was another cultist coming to deliver food. It wasn't Nerie this time. Saiki still felt sick from earlier and sent her away. At least after the cultist had collected the untouched plate of jelly, still on the small table.

Saiki then laid down for a restless night, with way too many unanswered questions on his mind.

Chapter Text

Saiki was up the whole night, in the bed without sheets. He saw when the sun began to shine through the tall windows, but Saiki stayed still. The only thing Saiki did was breathe. Almost like a puppet with its strings cut, he laid perfectly still. He would have continued to lay there if it weren't for a knock at the door. Saiki seemed to wake from his trance, and drowsily sat up on the edge of the bed. Another knock came from the door.

“Oh World Teacher. It’s time for the morning ritual. Please come to the great hall, so we may help make you great.“ A quiet yet firm voice sounded from outside.

He hadn't heard him before. Saiki just sent a quick telepathic ‘yes’ to the man, the man then quickly left. And what morning ritual? Guess there still was a lot he didn’t know about all the cults traditions. What does he mean ‘make me great?’

Saiki got out of bed (the bed that reminded him way too much of the blood spilt on it the day before) and went to the closet. Saiki didn’t even bother being unhappy with the clothes. It's not like the kimonos will suddenly change, just because he wants it. Well he probably could cause it, but they gave him these clothes, because it fit the role they had created. Saiki was just here to act it. Well at least until he could get away. Whenever that may be.

Saiki took a dark pink kimono, with the cult symbol on the back and was about to go to the throne room, until he saw his reflection in the mirror. More specifically, he looked at his green glasses. In the reflection he could see the bloody stain running up the side of them. Saiki was surprised he hadn’t seen it before. Saiki began to look around the closet for a replacement. Luckily for him there seemed to be some extra ones laid for him in one of the drawers. They were slightly different from his own. The glasses just had a small golden chain decorated with emeralds going all the way towards the back of his neck. The glasses arms also had lines of shining gold running up the length of it.

Saiki quickly snatched the glasses and went towards the throne room.

Saiki always had good instincts. Like his powers it was just something he was born with. So Saiki knew for sure that something was wrong in the throne room. Like the air was heavy with the sense of foreboding. Saiki unknowingly began to tense up as he walked down the now early empty hallway. The hallway seemed both way too long, and too short at the same time. How that was possible, ask the god that hates him so much!

Still when Saiki reached the entrance to the throne room it seemed…normal. Well as normal as a throne room filled to the brim with bowing people could be. Even with it seeming ‘normal’ he continued to be on edge. Saiki walked warily to the start of the red carpet and went to the throne.

Sitting on the throne Saiki took off his ring. He focussed on several peoples thoughts, to try and find any oddities. Instead of their usual insistence for something they want, they seemed eager? No more like anticipation. None of their thoughts were specific enough to find out what the sudden shift was about. About to look further, Saiki’s attention caught on a specific pair of thoughts.

He could hear the thoughts of every person apart from one person in the front row. That was obviously Nerie. The thoughts sounded almost like static. They could almost be considered robotic in a way. Still luckily for Saiki, reading her (non existent) thoughts didn't cause any pain. Well, not really. There was a very faint pain in his head. It was barely anything. Kinda like someone just slightly hitting his head. If it even could be considered that. More like tapping.

Saiki tried to focus more of her thoughts, but nothing changed, well maybe the pain got a little sharper. Saiki shifted his gaze from Nerie to the red carpet when Hasu began to walk up it. Behind Hasu was a shorter figure with his head down low. Probably a young teenager, maybe around eleven or twelve.

When Hasu reached the middle of the carpet, he went on one knee, followed by the shorter figure behind him. As Hasu began speaking, the foreboding feeling returned just as intensely as before.

“Oh World Teacher we, your loyal subject, have gathered and will make you great again.”

There it was again. “Make him great again”. The people of this cult continuously proclaim Saiki as their God. Or at least someone who can make them get to a higher state of being. So why would they need to do anything to make him great? Shouldn't it be the other way around. Them asking him to make them great, or reach a higher state of being. All that shabang. Saiki had hoped this would be like the prayer sessions there were earlier, but guessed it would be different this time around. Having no other choice, Saiki continued to listen to the guy’s rambling. Wonder if he ever will get tired of that.

“You, our eternal leader, who has come to us in our most desperate times. We owe every part of our existence to you, and would gladly give everything if you wished so. Our soul, mind and body, are all something we owe you”

Is this guy a pedophile or is this cult into voyeurism of minors?

“Oh World Teacher, let us commence the ritual to make you great. You have watched us from beyond our mortal realm, so let us begin the ritual!”

Good grief, what a pain.

Well that is quite a predicament. Saiki of course had not been watching them ‘beyond the mortal real’ so he had no idea on what was about to happen. Still he continued to play along. His unease from earlier returned when from the silence left from Hasu’s words, everything suddenly began moving. As Saiki’s eyes scanned the room, he noticed several figures standing rigidly around something—something large, hidden from view. The faint outline of a raised platform jutted out in the far corner of the room.

Along with this Hasu and the shorter figure behind him stepped to the side. From the right came a cultist who walked closer to the steps of the throne and kneeled. What the cultist was carrying made the sense of foreboding, ten times larger. In the hand of the cultist were a shiny, decorated sword.

The shining longsword had, right beside the crossguard, an engraving of the cult's symbol. The blade itself shone in the well lit room. Looking down on it, Saiki could see his green glasses, well they didn’t really feel like his. The new glasses felt foreign on his head. It was like accepting that he was another person now. Saiki refused to do that. He was no God, just Saiki Kusuo.

On the other side of the sword hung a long red and gold tassel. The red tassel hung from the plain shaft. The shaft was just wrapped in a simple dark red form of cloth. The real work was the crossguard. The gold crossguard was hand shaped by a clear master. It was like a rapier's crossguard had been placed on the longsword, and then cut away at several points to make out a design. It had been designed like some sort of liquid was dripping down. The crossguard was bowl-like at the top, but then seemed to drip down into thin lines towards the bottom.

Almost like a liquid just a little thicker than water.

Looking aways from the sword, his attention was brought to the end of the red carpet. What seemed to be an altar (on wheels?) was getting rolled closer to the throne by several cultists. By their panting, the altar seemed very heavy. Probably of stone, with how it looked. Just three layers of increasingly smaller stone tablets, stacked on eachother, with lines of gold along the edges. The one on the top was probably around 150 centimeters in length. The altar also had some questionable stains.

Once the altar had been rolled right up to the throne, and just behind the kneeling cultist with the sword, it stopped. The wheels on the altar were then locked in place so it couldn't move. The rambler, Hasu, and the boy, then moved just in front of the altar.

Wow. A new ritual about making him better. A child, normally not accompanying Hasu, suddenly appearing. The weird red longsword, and an altar. Along with the talks about ‘giving both mind, soul and body to him’ These things really were not pointing in a good direction. Saiki had to stop this in some way. Maybe he was playing along with this cult, but he was not willing to let someone die, just to fall into his role. So he had to listen. Maybe Saiki would fail to complete the ritual, like would fit his role, but at least he could listen. Hasu gave him a whole bunch to listen to.

“Oh Great Teacher, we offer this young and pure soul to him. Please take the holy sword. Once the heart has been cut out, a cushion will be brought for you to lay it on. It will then be brought to the praying room.”

Maybe it was along the lines of what Saiki had expected, but it was still morbidly wrong to hear a man telling him to kill another person. Also that the other person believed he had the right to take the life of an innocent child. Saiki couldn't help but feel anger beginning to fester. His mother made sure to teach him the importance of human life. He would under no circumstances take another's life. He had to get out of this situation.

Saiki had already come to terms with not going through with this ritual. He just had to find the best sounding reason to stop this madness. Well cutting open another person was quite grotesque, maybe he could go with that. Maybe throw in a bit of anger to spice it up? Time to activate ‘The Scaring plan™!’

“To even think you would suggest me dirtying my hands with lowly blood, is an insult to my name. You Hasu have dared to insult a God. The ritual shall be stopped this instant.”

Saiki, having added just a bit of pressure to them all using telekinesis. That seemed to have done the job as all the standing people in the hall went on their knees. ‘The Scaring plan™’ worked perfectly.
Hasu, also on his knees, began speaking.

“F-forgive me oh Great Teacher. My i-insolence was grave. W–w-we will stop the ri-ritual this instant. We simply were worrying since the last heart in the praying room was beginning to rot, but we will wait as long as you wish, oh Great World Teacher.”

For the first time since coming here, he experienced Hasu having trouble speaking. Well from his point of view, he did just upset this world's God so it makes sense.

Also what rotting heart? Guess it makes sense that this was something they did often. The amount of people they had sacrificed over the years must be over the thousands. Considering, it takes a heart, at max around 5 days to decompose, that would mean 73 hearts a year. 73 people a year. 73 young children who know no better, dying every year, all because of their parents beliefs. Maybe the children did so willingly? Despite fearing the answer Saiki had to know.

“The souls of younger children are purer, so where did you get such a large amount of children from?”

Saiki had asked in a calmer voice, so that seemingly allowed Hasu to regain his composure.

“As you know, Oh Great Teacher, our organisation spreads over several countries. Most of our organisations run an orphanage chain on the side, including this one. The orphanage is a world-wide spread organisation. The children there all go to ceremonies. They all happily offer their life to you”

Complete silence spread through the hall when those words left Hasu’s mouth. Saiki however was busy controlling his anger. If he thought this was bad before it was even worse now.

First, he knew this was a big organisation from the amount of wealth, but now figuring out this was a worldwide organisation made this even worse. Hidden organisations all over the world now knew who he was.

Second, the children. Saiki believed the children may have been there because of their parents dumb decisions but it was even worse. A bunch of kids with no parents, some with no understanding of love were forced into this cult. Even worse, they were told that it was right. Right to give everything for someone you have never known, right to die “because it will make this God happy”. The children who had either never known love or had it ripped away were then given a false form of love and made to believe it was the purest form. The people who caused this were people Saiki Kusuo could bring himself to hate.

Saiki was happy that Toritska wasn't here to see all the betrayed children unable to rest.

Having his ring off Saiki could read their thoughts. Not a single person in the room found it appalling. They all saw it as another part of their religion.

Being near them made him feel disgusted. It was morning so he could just say he was hungry, and get away from the suffocatingly large crowd.

“You have wasted my time. It’s still early, I am hungry. Get my breakfast”

Saiki normally wouldn't speak so condescendingly, but well it fit with the role and if it could get him away, then he would be happy.

Saiki was quickly led down a hall to the left by a handful of cultists.

xXx

After walking the monotonous hallway (seriously get some decorations!) and up a flight of stairs, they reached an arch that opened to a large dining hall. It had the old medieval castle style, that fit well in with the rest of the manor. The arch opened up to one end of the dark oak long table. The table was plain apart from a white and gold table runner spanning the length of it. In the middle along with around the edges are three golden candelabras.

On the opposing wall from the entrance, were another two large windows. The windows overlooked a large lake outside. The sun had come up a bit, and shone on the lake casting a comfortable glow through the windows. The room had a few paintings spread here and there along with a fireplace against the left wall of the room. It was currently lit and created an almost cosy atmosphere. The paintings looked like those that billionaires would buy to brag to their (also billionaire) friends.

Saiki was led to the only seat at the table. Sitting at the edge of the table, food was quickly brought out. Most of it seemed to be fish, both cooked and raw. Saiki wasn’t actually hungry, he just wanted out of the ritual. Still Saiki ate. The food was good, no doubt, but Saiki couldn't help thinking about what he could be doing. Also his parents were probably worried ‘I should probably text mom and dad. I have been gone for some time after all’

Right as that thought ended dessert, in the form of a coffee jelly was brought out.

‘Guess it can wait a little longer’ Saiki thought while munching on a professionally made coffee jelly.

Saiki continued eating several coffee jellies, and then remembered about his parents. Saiki quickly went from his seat (after eating the last coffee jelly) and went towards his room. On the way he walked through the great hall where the mosaic windows are spreading a nice array of color on the ground, the most prominent of the colors being a mix of pink and green. Quite nice weather.

‘Maybe I should go outside later, to get away from this stuffines’ Saiki thought as he finally reached his room, ah no, reached the chamber, and began looking for his phone.

Saiki continued looking for his phone for a good 15 minutes before finally realizing it was in his pocket when he burnt his clothes yesterday.

Good grief, what a pain (2)

Now he has to go back home and tell his parents about him being gone for a while.

Saiki, still with his ring off, listened for any thoughts, finding none, he was about to teleport, but then just to make sure he quickly activated his x-ray vision to check again. Still he found no one.

‘I’m becoming paranoid, but it always feels like I'm being watched’ Saiki thought absentmindedly.

Saiki then teleported home.

Saiki dropped down in the middle of his living room and looked around. Saiki expected to see his dad on the couch lazing off but was met with silence. Saiki then quickly realized his mistake.

It was tuesday

Of course he was at work.

Saiki quickly went to the kitchen to look for his mother, but also found her missing.

‘Probably out buying groceries’

Good grief, what a pain (3)

This was quite the predicament. Saiki was about to go to the grocery store to find and talk to his mother, when he heard a phone ringing. Saiki followed the sound back to the living room, where he found his dad’s phone on the coffee table, ringing.

Jackpot

‘At least I didn't have to go outside in these clothes’ he thought while looking down at the extravagant clothes.

Looking at the contact he saw it was… ‘Wifey kurumi-chan’...
Well they were married, but Saiki always did hate their lovey-dovey quarles. Still Saiki quickly picked up.

“Hi honey, I'm at the grocery store, is there anything you need before I check out?”

“Hi mom it’s me, Kusuo” Saiki answered, hesitating slightly. He had been missing for almost two days from her perspective.

"Ku-chan?! Where have you been? Where are you? Why do you have your fathers phone? Are you okay sweeti-” She began spewing severed questions at him but he quickly cut her off, before she got herself too worked up.

"Mom, I'm fine." Saiki just said the quickest thing to calm her down, which seemed to work, if only slightly.

“Where are you sweetie?” She asked now calmer yet still worried. She also said this with the most endearing voice. The voice that made Saiki feel like he was the most fragile thing in the world.
Of course they both knew that wasn't true.

“I’m at home” Saiki answered shortly to not make her wait longer than needed.

“Why do you have your fathers phone?”

“I lost my phone and dad left his phone at home, i just used it to call”

“Where have you been?” Worry overwhelmed her voice, until none of the endearment could be felt.

“...”

This was the question Saiki was dreading. He did not want to make her worry more by answering. He could say he was at a friend's house, but lying to his mother made him feel bad. He needed more time to think.

“Ku-chan, are you safe?” Just as quickly as they worry came, it was drowned out by the endearment.

“Yes I am safe, but there are some things I need to handle. I will be away for some time, but I promise to stay safe.” Good. Reason explained without having to go into details.

“Okay Ku, as long as you are safe” Again said with the extremely endearing voice.

“I promise. Also mom, could you tell the school I will be gone for some time?” Saiki knew this was needed. He may be busy with a giant worldwide cult that he now has to deal with, but school is also important. So he has to deal with that. He has no idea how long he will be gone.

‘I should probably hurry back to the manor before they realise I'm gone’ Saiki thought, which made his throat feel dry.

“I will Ku-chan, please be safe” It was said with a weird mix of that endearing voice, acceptance, resignation but over drowned in worry. If emotions had flavors, then this would be a disgusting mix of them. The endearment made the mix overly sweet, while the worry only made it taste sour. It was almost enough to make Saiki throw up. Saiki always hated when he made his mom worry.

“I will mom, see you later”

“Bye Ku, love you.”

“...Love you too”

Quickly hanging up, Saiki is about to put the phone back on the coffee table, when a notification catches his attention. It’s from..Kaido?

Why does his dad have Kaido’s number?

Saiki quickly opens the message..nevermind messages. That's a whole damn lot of messages.

Quickly scanning the messages he sees that most of them are asking where Saiki is, since he can’t contact him. Also why he was taken away by Dark Reunion (?).

‘He should not be writing that to my dad’ Saiki sweat drops while thinking this.

Good grief, what a pain! (4?)

If he doesn't answer him, then both Kaido and all the nuisances will keep asking and word may spread even more. Saiki quickly thinks and chooses it’s best to reply. Now what is the best reason for him to be away for an unknown amount of time?
Activate “Family Emergency Plan™!”

Hello Kaido.
Kusuo will be away for a while due to a family emergency. I don’t know what the ‘Dark Reunion’ is, but if you mean the people that took Kusuo away yesterday, then that was simply his uncle. They like to cosplay, and the situation is quite grave, so they tried to lighten up the situation.
Kind regards,
Saiki Kuniharu.

Old people texting is kinda hard to do, but Saiki did his best. Now that Saiki has dealt with that, he has to go back to the manor. Teleporting directly to his room could cause trouble. If someone is in there cleaning his room while he teleports, it would just give them all the more reason to worship him. Nope, nuh uh, not good, different choice.

Saiki then remembered the statue in the garden.

‘Well it was kinda enclosed by a bunch of hedges, so it's safer than my ro-, the chamber.’

Having his mind made up, Saiki was about to teleport but hesitated. Here at home he didn't always feel like he was being watched by hundreds of eyes. Still Saiki knew he couldn't hesitate any longer, so he quickly teleported, despite wanting the opposite.

Blinking and looking around Saiki was now surrounded by lush green…and the annoying statue.

Saiki really did hate that statue.

‘This is such a secluded part of the garden, I'm sure nobody would miss it-’ as Saiki thought this he slowly etched closer and closer to the statue.

‘If it just disappeared’ Saiki then promptly teleported the statue to the exosphere.

Quickly sneaking away Saiki ended up at the lake he saw earlier from the dining hall. It really was very beautiful. By now it was about noon, and the sun shined beautifully down on the lake. On the water bank were also a few chairs. Wanting some peace and quiet from..everyone, Saiki quickly checks for anybody nearby. Finding no one, Saiki creeps towards the lake.

Saiki swam through the lake. The lake was a haven for marine life it seemed. There were several fish inhabiting the lake. Some one of them seemed to also have been the same species as those he ate earlier in the morning. Reaching the white sandy bottom Saiki laid down. Saiki really loves to lay down here. It’s always so quiet and he feels like he can think clearly. Think he does. First agenda, weird pain.

The pain from just trying to read the thoughts of another person, that has never happened before. What part was he able to hear before the pain started? Oh right ‘I just need to listen too-’ That was the only part he could read before…yeah. Just thinking about it, Saiki gets a headache. This situation is just too much. Saiki has heard about people dying from stress before. Maybe a nap would be nice? Sleeping on the lake floor could be a bad choice. If someone came to look for him then it would be even more problematic. After checking if anybody was nearby Saiki went to the water bank.

After drying with a little heat Saiki laid down for a short nap. Luckily for him, the sun also warmed the chair up, and made it almost up the standard of the lake bottom. Saiki found himself quickly dosing off.

xXx

Waking up he looked around at where he was. He felt extremely disoriented, like he had been spun around for an hour without stopping. The blurry ground, sky and well everything did nothing to help.

Looking further he sees a blurry shape. If it were an ordinary situation and place, then the figure would barely have been visible. However in this situation it stuck out like a sore thumb. Whether the shape was male, female or even a human could be up for debate.

Right by the figure was…something. He did his best to describe what he was seeing, but it was like he had lived in this blurry space forever. When you have never seen anything other than this blurry white, then how do you possibly describe something so out of place?

The blurry shape turned its head (?) towards where he was.

xXx

Saiki woke up looking over the lake. The sun was setting. Weirdly enough he felt very disoriented. Seeing how late it was, made his way towards the manor again.

The trek was quiet, apart from the chirping of birds and occasional greeting from some of his followers.

Ending up in his chambers, he only just had time to settle down before he heard someone making their way down the hall. Reading the thoughts of the person or at least trying to, since the person making their way down the hall was Nerie.

Saiki sent a quick ‘yes’ and Nerie entered quietly. The silence was almost awkward in a way. She set the food on the small table. While she was setting up the table, Saiki tried to read her thoughts.

‘I wonder — it will take before—--------ready’

Saiki stopped reading there as his headache slowly got more and more intense. Trying to read her thoughts was like listening to a broken radio. Some parts may have been legible, but others were completely impossible to understand. The more Saiki thought about it, the more the pain spread, so Saiki quickly put on his ring.

“Oh Great Teacher, I will take my leave now. Please press the button by the door when the dishes can be collected” She said all this while bowing. Saiki didn’t bother answering as she quickly left. Saiki weren’t particularly hungry and ate more out of habit than want. Still in his trance-like state he was able to eat most of the food before he even realized it. That also sadly included the coffee jelly, which he didn’t get to savor properly.

Feeling quite unhappy, Saiki went and pressed the button to get the dishes collected. Another cultist comes and takes the dishes away, but he paid little attention. When the maid left he then looked towards the bed with new covers on. Looking at it made him feel all slimy from the feeling of blood being all over him. Saiki felt extremely fatigued, but did not want to lay in the bed where he could almost feel the blood covering it. He simply stares at the bed for an untold amount of time.

Thinking back to the comfort of laying at the bottom of the lake Saiki drowsily teleported to the bank and walked in. Reaching the center of the lake he laid down and finally relaxed.

xXx

Malachi was a simple man. He valued religion over all. It was all he had left to turn to. After losing his wife and children in a car crash he thought it was over. He had nowhere to turn to. That was until he discovered the truth. He was just wandering through the city, thinking about which building would be best to jump from. That was until he saw him.

Malachi had nothing left to lose so when he saw the old man advocating for his religion he thought “Why not?” When it didn’t work out he would go back to looking at the buildings. That was when everything changed. They helped him find the truth, find himself. He now knew that God always had his reasons. He had heard the sentence ‘God works in mysterious ways’ but now he truly understood. God had killed his family so he could be led on the right path. He may feel sad that his child and wife no longer were here, but God knew best. They may never have had a chance to reform, but he had a chance. He would give everything for his God, because He helped him find the truth.

He had prayed, and prayed and prayed and prayed. All he did was pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray pray...

And finally his prayers were answered!

God had come to save them! He would save them from this eternally doomed world and bring them true enlightenment!

Malachi was sure that God would reward him for his years of faithfulness. Anything and everything he had was God’s. Was Saiki Kusuo’s.

Malachi therefore did everything he could to help around the temple.
He would do anything and everything,
Give anything and everything
All so he could be closer to his Savior. So when Malachi had seen their God frequent the garden, he of course took as many shifts at trimming the bushes, feeding the koi as he could. And luck had hit him!

Malachi believed he could die now! Before he was so full of despair that he could die, but this was different. No, this was the exact opposite. If he got any more happiness he was afraid, he would die from an overdose!

Because he had an evening shift with trimming some hedges. He was currently standing on a ladder to reach the higher branches. Doing so he also had an amazing view over the lake. Looking at the lake he saw someone suddenly appearing. Malachi instantly knew who that was. It was his Savior! He had graced him with his presence! He may see him at praying sessions, but this was different! It was like their Savior was there for him, and him only! He was the most blessed man on earth!

He then saw his God enter the lake and submerge himself completely, but Malachi wasn't worried. His God was eternal! He was everything and he was nothing. No natural force on this earth would ever be able to hurt their Savior!

This however was a rare opportunity he had to tell the others of having witnessed their Savior. Seeing God was an opportunity someone only had once in a lifetime.

Chapter Text

Waking up, Saiki felt weightless. In his groggy state he for a moment thought he was dreaming when he saw the fishes swimming around him, along with one nibbling on his hair. Then it all came crashing down like a train wreck. Saiki recalled how his stupid groggy mind made the absolutely idiotic choice to teleport to the lake and walk in. Guess being around stupid people (the nuisances) had begun to rub off on him. 

This was not good. What if someone had seen him teleport yesterday? No, probably not. When he teleported it was already around sundown. Nobody should have been in the garden that late. The people inside should be either preparing for sleep or sleeping, since the cult kept a tight schedule.

Quickly Saiki looked up and saw light. The light however was not the sun, but the moon. The moon is a lucky sign for him, as it means that he can teleport more safely. The light from the stars can also be seen slightly from the clear water. The water muddled them but Saiki could still see the beautiful night sky. Maybe he had gotten blessed to awaken at night? Maybe luck was beginning to look towards him? Nope, probably just a slight misstep by God. Still Saiki could only be grateful for the fortunate circumstances.

Having calmed down about the situation, Saiki took off his ring to listen for people before teleporting to his chamber.

Back in the room he knows he should get some sleep, but the bed looks as unappetizing as yesterday. Instead he chooses to go exploring. Even after being here for quite some time, he had surprisingly not seen much of the mansion, apart from the garden and a few other rooms. Saiki quickly changed his kimono to one with slightly more layers, as well as drying his body with some pyrokinesis. Then Saiki began his exploration!

Going out of his chamber and into the hallway, Saiki closes the double doors quietly and creeps down the hall. 

Sneaking down the hall, he opens a few doors when he hears no one in them. The finds were disappointingly mundane. A changing locker that definitely needed cleaning, a few toilets and a lot of storerooms. Being curious he checks them but finds nothing significant. Many of them just contain old and new robes, most of the rest are food storages. A few though filled with money, all in cash. Mountains of cash, gold bars and other valuables. They don’t help him with anything so he moves along. Saiki continued to search several halls close to his chambers but finds much of the same even after what must have been a few hours.

After going past the main hall and down a few side halls. Turning head down toward one of them he hears the sound of shuffling and concludes that's where the cultists are sleeping.

Saiki makes sure to keep far away from there. 

Still he entered the rooms close by after making sure no one was in them. Still he found nothing of interest, so he kept going. Making his way to the end of a hall he sees a stone arch. The entrance is much different from all the wooden doors, which had been the only ones he saw while wandering. The arch is close to the main hall, so he is surprised that he hadn’t seen it before. Still the arch sparked curiosity in its unfamiliarity so he inched toward the entrance when he heard no one in it. 

When he crept closer he smelt the distinct scent of rot in the air. Saiki wondered if it was a food storage or a kitchen where they had forgotten some food in a cupboard or something similar. However when saiki sneaked in, he saw a different and unexpected scene.

The room was rectangular, and fairly large in size. The entrance was placed on the left bottom corner, which obscured the view, unless you stepped into the room. Stepping into the room Saiki could see it was made entirely of stone walls, instead of the usual bricks found everywhere else in the mansion. The room had no windows. The only light to be found were a couple candles congregating at the end of the room. The candles illuminated a short stone altar in their eerie glow. 

Despite its size, the room suddenly felt like a cage - constricting and inescapable. In this cage nothing could escape. Cages almost always had unwilling people in them. That was the same in this scenario. On the stone altar was a small heart. It looked the same size as when Yuuta got excited and clenched his fist while rambling about Cyborg Cider-man No. 2.

Staring at the heart and last remains of the child he had caused the death of, Saiki felt something couldn’t quite explain. 

A tight knot twisted in Saiki’s chest, a feeling he couldn’t put into words. Regret? Guilt? It was a strange mix of everything and nothing. Saiki felt it could only be fair. He had taken all from this child. It could only be fair if they too took some of him.

Saiki slowly half-walked, half-stumbled in his numb state toward the altar. Dropping down in front of it he could feel the layer of his kimono folding under him, but he didn’t care. Looking at the symbol of his mistake he could only feel regret. If he had just been a bit faster, a bit more observant, he could have saved this child. He could have saved several. 

He was a psychic. A fucking psychic. 

He should know more than these people, yet he found himself the ignorant one. 

The death of this unknown child, and several others, was his fault. 

Staring down at the heart Saiki felt a sense of responsibility. This child had given everything in belief of him, or at least their ‘God’. Yet Saiki knew nothing of this child.

Almost robotically Saiki removed his almost invisible gloves and slowly reached towards the heart.

His fingers brushed the cold and lifeless surface. The weight of it - small, yet unbearable.

His head began to throb as scenes flowed through his head. Focussing he zoned in on the most prominent ones.

XxX

Maya was attempting to run toward the burning house, but was held back by a big man in a weird suit and helmet. 

She screamed and trashed in the man’s arms but he was unrelenting and took her towards the siren truck she sometimes heard driving down the roads. Even she knew it was useless, but it was not like her mom would be here to scold her.

XxX

She was so happy! Even though her mom wasn’t here, or the brown dog down the street, or the happy mailman, there were other new fun adults. There were also other kids that loved to play hide and seek like her. But she always won, because she was amazing! 

The adults always made them study though, which sucked!

She just wanted to play, but they let her stay here when nobody wanted her, so she did her best to listen. The adult seemed happy when she did.

They taught Maya to read and write, but mostly they talked about this ‘World Teacher’. They said he would come back and help them ascend at some point. Maya did not really know what that meant, but they said that he could let her see her mom again, so she was very excited for when he came back!

Maybe she could even see her dad again?

XxX

IT HURT.

Something sharp pierced her hands holding her down - the feeling of something warm flowing from her.

IT HURTS.

She felt the room spin, but couldn’t see anything - A scream - hers? Someone else's?

It was cold, then hot. She couldn’t move.

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS.

Someone was yelling. Or praying. She couldn’t tell anymore.

Her eyes burned as she felt a cold stinging liquid flowing into them - or no, maybe it was hot, she doesn't know anymore.

IT HURT IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT 

She felt someone grabbing her ankles and pinning something in them - holding her down.

IT HURTS

Then there was something cold pressing against her chest - iron, like the pan her mother always loved.

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HUR-

Then nothing.

XxX

The last and most prominent memory was a mixture of scrambling thoughts and sharp pain.

Saiki took a quick moment to catch his breath from the lingering phantom pain and looked towards the heart again. Without much thought Saiki restored the heart, so at least some of the child may be preserved. With the weighing guilt and lack of sleep, Saiki felt mentally and physically exhausted so he sat down in front of the altar in a half asleep state. 

Xxx (Last night, Malachi POV)

Malachi, in his overjoyed state, quickly finished up his work while still keeping the branches in the best of state, since it was the only fit for his Savior. 

Almost skipping he went over to a shed closer to the entrance of the mansion to spread the word of what he saw, and luck struck him again as he stumbled onto the people he just wanted. 

“Cessa, Zachary I have to tell you something!”

At the call both turned around. 

“What is it Malachi? There are tired people here you know.” Said Cessa. Cessa was a short girl with fire red mid length hair tied in a bun for convenience. Her skin was a lighter color with a pink tinge in it.  Her eyes were also a mix between blue and green and filled with annoyance but also curiosity.

“The firecracker is right. We don’t have all night” This came from Zachery who practically towered over the girl. He had jet black short hair, which was very curly. His skin was also a darker chestnut color. His eyes stuck out among his darker appearance, since they were an electric green. 

“I promise this is important!-” The others looked towards him skeptically yet he continued unperturbed “I just saw our savior teleport in front of the lake! He walked into the lake a bit after. It was amazing! I don’t think I have ever been that happy in my life. Can you believe i was there in just the right moment, like, if i had ju-”

“Okay, okay okay, stop there, slow down.” Said a very exasperated Cessa as she clamped her hand over the mouth of a disgruntled Malachi. “Just nod or shake your head to answer, it's way too late to listen to your rambling, ya got it?” A short nod from Malachi prompted her to continue.

“Okay, so you saw The World Teacher in front of the lake?” A quick nod.

“And you say he teleported there?” Another quick, almost robotic nod. There was a moment of silence and then Cessa released her hand away from Malachi.

“Wow….that really is super cool. I gotta go tell my sister.” Another short break from her speaking was filled with the noise of anticipation and excitement “Welp see ya later suckers” and just like that Cessa stalked off. 

There was a quiet moment as they watched Cessa’s retreating form, but it was interrupted by Zachary’s almost awkward clearing of his throat before he spoke “I gotta go tell Elliot, he should be awake now. Goodnight Malachi.” and he too walked off.

Just like that Malachi was left alone and the word was planted like a morning glory quickly spreading and covering the whole forest.

XxX (Back to Saiki!!!!!)

Saiki stirred from his half-asleep state as early morning light streamed in from the entrance of the room. After blinking a few times to let his eyes adjust his ears and head were invaded by the sound of prayers. Saiki froze for a moment before looking slightly over his shoulder to see what must have been about 14 people sitting behind him. They were all however out of their normal robes and in more mundane clothes. Only the small cult symbol on their clothes gave them away - otherwise, they looked almost normal.

Saiki quickly, but discreetly put on his ring to drown out prayers which were a lot louder in his head than real life. Ignoring their mummers was a thousand times easier than the practical screaming in his head. It was still early morning, so Saiki set out to simply wait for them to leave. 

He waited for what seemed like forever to him.

After what must have been an hour or two they finally began to leave. When all had left Saiki used his x-ray vision to look for others nearby. The closest people were just a large group gathering around a large table above him for what looked to be breakfast. Saiki quickly teleported to his room and waited until the morning ceremony began.

However in the dining hall just above him there were some activities that would change Saiki’s entire day.

Malachi sits surrounded by several other cultists on a large bench around a rectangular table.

They are currently at breakfast before they head down to the praying room to pray. Some of the early risers have already eaten and gone down to the praying room, but the majority is in the dining hall. 

“Did you really see Him last night? Ella said He even greeted you! Is that true?” Said an over excited girl a little beside Malachi.

“No, our savior did not greet me. But even being near him was better than anything I have ever experienced!” Said Malachi

At that some of the cultists looked at each other a little disgruntled, but Malachi did not seem to notice in his excitement.

Other cultists continue to ask questions regarding his encounter, but inside many of them seem a little underwhelmed. They seem to have been expecting more, but it was still an interesting thing to talk about over breakfast. So they continued to ask questions.

In the corner Cessa and Zachery look towards the group gathering around Malachi in slight distaste.

The breakfast ended quickly and they moved towards the morning ceremony where an exhausted God waited.

Saiki was absolutely done with this. With absolutely no sleep he had to be perched on what must be the most uncomfortable seat in existence. Saiki scanned the sea of bowed heads. All obedient. All silent. Except, of course, Haru. Standing tall, loud, and wildly off-scrip - like subtlety personally offended him. And now he’s preaching. Again. Honestly, at this point, he’s just evidence that natural selection gave up and went home.

Saiki did his best to ignore the eyesore with legs, and instead took his ring off and scanned the crowd.

Saiki quickly found the blurred thoughts of Nerie, who was sticking out almost as much as Haru.

Trying to listen into the static that was Nerie’s thoughts he could catch significantly more words since last time. None of the words he caught were of interest though, but the loud thoughts of another person made Saiki freeze up and look over towards where he assumed the source was.

“I can’t believe he actually saw our Savior last night! Oh, I wish it was me..”

Saiki attempted to subtly scan the crowd for the source but in doing so he heard several other thoughts along the same line.

“I didn’t know The World Teacher could teleport but guess anything would be possible for someone as great as him. Maybe if i a-”

“It’s so lucky that he got to see Him. I'm sure there will be more chances, it's not like it's the only day he will go to the garden. It’s not e-”

“I should take up more shifts in the garden. I’m sure the same thing w-”

Oh

Oh shit.

Well isn’t that just fucking amazing. 

Someone had seen him yesterday. Someone had seen him teleport yesterday. He had been trying to act as normal as possible. But he had been so stupid to not check before teleporting, in his tired state.

He has to fix this.

Saiki continued to think about the dilemma while ignoring Haru until the end of the ceremony, where he went towards his chamber. 

Still with his ring of Saiki passed two bowing cultists. Saiki did not think much about it and passed quickly. When he did he heard the conversation starting up again, causing him to halt. 

“Malachi should calm down. I know he’s happy about the garden thing, but it could have been anyone, right Cessa?”

Saiki froze as they continued to walk the opposite way from him, causing the conversation to dull out. 

Malachi.

The guy that had seen him last night was Malachi.

Saiki hurries back to his room, already forming a plan to fix this.

XxX (Still Saiki POV lol)

Saiki is an idiot. 

An absolute moron. 

Guess Saiki finally found someone more dumb than Nendou.

At four years old Saiki made the whole world believe colored hair was normal. He changed the human race’s DNA to make them have bright hair. Every time someone walked past him, he made his restrictors seem like hair clips. He could just make them think Malachi was mentally unstable, or had bad vision. It would be impossible to make them believe teleporting was normal, since he was the only one who could do that. It would definitely come back to bite him in the ass if he did.

But if what the boy said earlier to the girl, Cessa, then several people already think Malachi overreacted, that could work in his favour. At one point Malachi will probably begin to believe he imagined it.

Perfect plan!

Saiki began focusing his powers in. He focused on the thought that Malachi had a mental disorder along with bad vision which made him prone to hallucinations. He also made sure for people to believe the conversation they previously had about him teleporting, were no more. Saiki focused all of his power and these thoughts into a little ball in his chest, before exploiting them outwards. 

The powers flowed out like a ripple in water only he could see.

When the ripple ended Saiki was left with a dull ache in his head alongside sudden weakness. 

Ignoring his weird symptoms Saiki took off his ring and focussed on the thoughts of the people near him. 

The thoughts before filled with the rumors of him, were now simple and mundane. Not a single thought about his teleporting. Well except for that one…wait what? 

“I’m gonna keep my work up, and make these the prettiest hydrangea bushes ever! I’m so excited to meet my Savior again. I hope he teleports to the lake again.”

Malachi.

Someone who now turned out to be even more of a nuisance than his nuisances.

Well the people did say that he was very excited about even seeing him. Maybe something so important to him could not be forgotten? For the others it was a simple topic to talk about over breakfast, but to Malachi, it was life changing.

Wait…..if he could make people forget about him teleporting could he not just make them forget to see him as their God?

Wow he was an extreme fool. He would never make fun of Nendou again.

Saiki again gathered both his thoughts and energy in a small ball before attempting to send it outwards. 

Instead of the ripple, it flowed back towards him in a violent manner. Hitting him like a tsunami he almost fell over from the intense pain that spread over him. 

The pain covered every inch of him, and was almost as intense as when his blood began boiling when reading Nerie’s thoughts. This time, it left no lasting injuries, but it felt worse than the phantom pain from Maya's memories - this time, it was real and raw.

Recovering from the pain, Saiki realized he had actually fallen to the floor at some point. He got up on shaky legs and walked towards the bathroom to wash off the sweat that had built up.

Saiki made to spend the rest of the day in as much normalcy as he could in a cult.

While Saiki was doing his best in this terrible day, there were a gardner have the time of his life on an evening shift (lol said no worker ever)

Malachi was just at the end of his evening shift. Unluckily for him his Savior had not graced him with his presence - but that was fine! Even the brief moment he had with him was a gift he would always be grateful for.

Walking towards the shed to grab a rake, to clean some leaves. On the way there he spotted Cessa and Zachery feeding koi in one of their ponds and went up to them.

“Cessa! Zachery! Did you take an evening shift to see our Savior?” Said an overexcited Malachi towards the two people who now were sharing an uncomfortable look to each other.

“What do you mean Malachi?” Said the red-head after a short pause filled with uneasy silence.

“What…? You know…The World Teacher teleported almost right in front of me yesterday. We talked about this earlier today. What do you mean?” Malachi looked extremely confused as he said this. 

Instead of the uncomfortable looks from before the looks were now of pity, which confused Malachi greatly. Why would they pity him for something so amazing? Maybe it was jealousy?

“Malachi that never happened. We did not talk about that. Did your hallucinations act up again?” Added Zachery softly, his voice practically dripping with the pity that felt like a thick slime covering up reality. 

Malachi hoped Cessa would correct him, but she just avoided his gaze and began to nervously rub her arm.

“What? I don’t have hallucinations. And that really happened. I remember it clearly.” Said Malachi resolutely and with a bit of anger.

A moment of silence was passed around before being broken by Cessa.

“Okay Malachi. We are done with our task now and are gonna go to sleep. Take care and get well soon.” And with that they both walked off. 

Take care and get well soon.

Get well soon.

What do they mean by that? 

There was nothing wrong with Malachi. They had just been talking with him about it. Being amazed by it. Yet now they act like he was crazy. Is this some kind of sick prank?

Malachi went the rest of his shift thinking about this. Eventually when his shift ended he went to bed, his heart heavy with questions.

XxX (Next day, Malachi POV)

Malachi woke up in his small room and looked around grogely. The morning sun had just begun to rise, and could be skimmed through the curtains. There was also a knock on his door meaning it was time to go down for breakfast. 

He quickly got out of bed and went to change from his night clothes. His mind was still filled with confusion from yesterday and questions that had been left unanswered. 

Well they did always say second opinions were great, so he went towards the dining hall, hoping to get some.

Walking down the halls he could see the sun rising from the large windows. The sun’s rays were refreshing and helped him warm up quickly.

When he reached the hall several people were already there. Malachi went towards where most of them had grouped. There were also Cessa and Zachery closeby, but Malachi was still irritated at them, so he chose to ignore them. Instead he went to greet his fellow enlightened people.

"Good morning!" “I hope you all slept well” Malachi did his best to brush off the words from yesterday evening. After all, his savior would never want to see him sad og angry. 

Malachi expected some greetings back, but instead it was a deep silence that settled over them.

The pause seemed to last forever but was broken by Kai.

“Malachi…Cessa and Zachery told us what happened yesterday. Are you okay now?” Said Kai with a worried look on his freckles face. Kai had short dark orange hair and was of a skinny build. He was also very young, only about 16. He had just moved from the orphanage to the cult house a couple of weeks ago.

"What?" “Why would I not be okay?” Said an exasperated Malachi before he continued.

“The only thing that happened yesterday was them trying to convince me that I did not see our Savior teleport yesterday. I think they are trying to pull some sick prank. I don’t even kno-” Before he had a chance to continue he was interrupted by a new voice.

“Malachi” Said Ella softly. It was Ella who just yesterday had been excited and asking him a million questions.

“That did not happen. The World Teacher did not teleport in front of you yesterday. Your hallucinations are just acting up again” She said it so surely. So matter of factly - as if there were no other truth. But she still said it with a sickly amount of softness. Like someone talking to a 5 year old.

Were they in on this prank too?

People who just yesterday were excitedly talking to him about it, were now looking at him like he was crazy. Many even in pity.

He was not crazy. He knows what he saw. His Savior was there - he just knows it!

He was right there. 

Malchi chose to stay quiet and ignore any further comments. He just focused on eating his food. After that he quietly made his way to the prayer room before anyone else. Even when walking away he could practically feel their stares boring a hole through his head.

Why did they keep looking at him like he was a dying kitten they knew they could not save?

Well he never did get his second opinion. His Savior would give him one though. He saw things no one else did. He knew what was to come, and what had happened. His Savior knew he could be reformed through the cult. 

His Savior knew he was useful. 

His Savior found him useful

He was useful.

As morning stretched on it was finally time for the morning ritual, which he hurried too. He had to be as close to the front as possible. He had to see his Savior, for he was the only hope left in his tired body.

Malachi quickly grabbed his cloak and was lucky enough to get a place almost right beside the throne, but his God was not here yet. He could be patient.

More people fizzled in within the next couple of minutes, but Malachi paid them no mind. He only looked down the hall where his Savior would come from.

After what seemed like an eternity he finally came!

The Master of Wisdom, His Savior, God, Saiki Kusuo!

How he longed to see him, and here he was.

As God walked beside him he felt extremely grateful. God, a being greater than anything, was here - choosing to walk right past him. He was benevolent enough to grace him with his presence!

His Savior sat on the throne - that was of materials far below what someone of his grade deserved, and overlooked the crowd. Haru, their leader for the last couple ceremonies, began to preach, but Malachi was barely listening. He could only focus on the God before him.

The World Teacher seemed to overlook every single person - except for him. 

His breath hitched as he stared harder, willing the one and only true God to look, to see him - was he really invisible to him?

Malachi sat there waiting for his Savior to even glance at him, but he never did. 

His Savior didn’t look when his desperation grew tenfold.

His Savior didn’t look when he could feel his knees begin to ache.

His Savior didn’t look when the air grew stale from the poor ventilation.

His Savior didn’t look when his eyes burned from unshed tears.

He sat there waiting for something that would never happen.

When the ceremony was over, his Savior was the first to leave. He seemed to be going toward the garden again. Malachi was about to make his way over there too, but remembered he was on dishes duty. The world was really against him!

Malachi washed the dishes as quickly as he could, while still maintaining the quality for his Savior of course. After that he made his way to the garden in haste.

Searching a bit he ended up finding the omnipotent man - his Savior.

He was in a quiet corner of the garden, in a congregation of bushes that formed a sort of C-shape. He quickly dropped to his knees before he began speaking with his heart pumping - finally someone could acknowledge him!

“Oh World Teacher, I have been looking for you. Forgive my intrusion, but may I ask a question?” Malachi kept his eyes trained on the ground. He was not worthy to look at God while asking such an outrageous request.

“...go on” His God said it in such a calm manner. Well, of course he did. Nothing could ever surprise him, for he was omnipotent!

“Oh World Teacher, yesterday evening when I saw you teleport in front of the lake I told it to some of your other humble servants. However, now they are trying to convince me it never happened. Please reassure me.” Malachi hoped his desperation shined through in those words. He needed this. 

The moment of silence that passed though them was filled with a yearning suspense, that only someone as mighty as his Savior could break.

“That never happened. I did not go to the lake.” WIth those few words Malachi’s world shattered.

Malachi knows it was real. His mind would never be able to make up a memory as amazing as that. 

“I will take my leave now” Just like that he walked off. He walked away from the world he had unknowingly shattered. Or maybe he did know. Afterall his Savior knew everything.

It had to have been real, yet here was his savior, telling him the opposite.

The rest of the day felt like a blur. Emotions swirled with shapes and colors, all blending together in a dizzying mess. Malachi wasn’t sure if he cried at some point, but it felt like he might have. Everything seemed distant, like he was floating just outside of himself. Faces flashed in his mind, but they were distorted, like something he couldn’t quite grasp.

Time lost all meaning, moments stretched into each other, blending until nothing felt real anymore.

By the time his senses returned, he found himself back in his bed, tangled in the sheets. His body ached, but his mind was still foggy, detached from the world around him. Everything felt unfamiliar, as if he had never truly been here before. The only thing grounding him was the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, but even that seemed distant - like it wasn't him anymore. 

Maybe he had lost some of himself when the world shattered?

With almost no control of his senses, he robotically laid down for a dreamless night.

XxX (Next day, Malachi POV)

Waking up long before the usual knock Malachi laid unmovingly in bed. He laid there for an unknown amount of time. 

He finally decided to rise when the birds chirping brought him out of his trance. 

Going out of bed he walked to the door in his room which led to a small bathroom. Feeling his dry eyes he went to wash away the sleepiness. 

The feeling of coldness on his skin helped to get rid of the morning sleepiness, but some deep weight remained on him. It was like someone holding him down, making him sluggish all over. Looking up he was met with his dark lifeless eyes in the mirror, but he didn’t have the energy to care. 

Malachi simply went to change out of his night clothes on routine. 

After having put some on he looked outside only to be greeted by the barely eliminated sky. The sun had only just begun to peak over the horizon. He was struck with the realization that it would be a while before breakfast was ready so he simply laid down on the bed and began the waiting. 

He was patient, he could wait.

And wait he did. But did he really want to wait for what was to come? He knew what he was inevitable would be greeted with were pitying stares, quiet whispering and questions that made him want to rip his ears off. 

Worst of all he would be waiting for the cold voice of God.

A God who no longer found anything worthwhile in him.

His deep thoughts were interrupted by a short yet dooming knock on the door.

Funny how something so simple could be so damning. 

Walking into the dining hall, he felt much like the black sheep. He became someone mothers would point their finger to, while whispering to their kids to stay away. 

The day passed in much the same way. The people whispered when they thought he could not hear.

Malachi heard several words being thrown around, surrounding his name like a thick tar he could not get off.

Mentally unstable

Crazy

Delusional 

Poor thing

The last one was what really got to him. People looked at him and did not see a man fighting for religion, no. When people looked at him, all they saw was someone who wasn’t right.

Someone who they needed to pity. 

Malachi never wanted to be that kind of man.

When Malachi still had his young girl, she would always call him her hero. She would look up at him with those big brown eyes filled with admiration. He always wanted to be a great father.

He had convinced himself that he was okay with her gone, since it was God’s plan. 

But he missed them.

He missed when his wife made him hot chocolate on his bad days.

He missed the way his daughter came home babbling about her school day.

He missed the way he missed the soft way his wife would hold up their daughter, so she could wave him away to work.

He missed them so much

The rest of the day he felt completely numb. 

At the end of the day Malachi realized he had a shift in the garden. He really regretted signing up for all of them when he still believed Saiki Kusuo cared. 

Atop the same tree he had seen God a couple of days earlier - or maybe he hadn’t, he looked towards the tree line. The forest around the manor was vast. Even from his high vantage point, was Malachi not able to see the end of the forest.

The only reason he came here was a whim.

A fleeting hope for truth.

He came here with hope for a future of greatness, yet he was left like a notebook that had already been filled up. He wasn’t even filled with any great stories. All he was filled with were whispers of stories long passed 

Malachi was no longer needed here.

He made his way down the tree and into the forest line, unaware of where he would go, but God had already decided for him.

XxX (Next morning, Saiki POV)

Saiki believed he had done a pretty good job. 

Saiki had checked a couple of thoughts at every ceremony and found none believing him having teleported. Nerie’s thoughts had also become slightly clearer over the last two days. Malachi even came to confront him where he shut it down completely. Crisis averted!

When he came to the morning ceremony he was doing his now routine check, but found that instead a new agenda was circulating.

“Where is Malachi?”

Most of the thoughts circled around this. Saiki became curious and searched among the people, but was not able to find him. Saiki kept wondering throughout the entire ceremony. At least it gave him something to focus on that was not Haru’s obnoxiously loud voice.

When the ceremony was over he went over to ask Haru what the rumor with Malachi was about.

“Haru, I heard Malachi has left. Where is he?” Saiki said it with clear authority, prompting the asked to answer quickly.

“Oh Great Teacher. Yesterday several gardeners saw Malachi leaving the premise and going towards the forest around eleven. We are not sure why, but we believe he may have gone to his aunt, back in Toronto” Haru said it in a hurry, but still made sure all his words were said in an almost elegant kind of way.

“I see.” A short response that got the message across, without prompting further explanation.

Still Saiki was curious.

Quickly departing Saiki went to his room, and spread his senses. He listened for Malachi’s thoughts nearby, even until the edge of the forest yet found nothing.

‘Guess the guy really got away. Lucky him, nothing good will ever come from being mixed in with this place’

Chapter Text

It was the next day, Saturday and the air seemed almost still, strung up in anticipation, like it was waiting for something. Maybe it was. The world was building up to something, and Saiki knew exactly who it would inconvenience.

“Guess God has it out for me again,” he muttered, lying in his chair during the early hours. He had spent the whole night just thinking. Saiki had of course chosen to try and alter the cult’s memories of him as a whole. It didn’t work, just like with Malachi. The very idea of him was apparently too important to change. Saiki did feel a little bad about not being the person they thought, but it's not like he chose this for himself.

He was also quite surprised by himself. Altering or removing somebody’s memories was a normal go-to for him when things went wrong, yet it had simply slipped his mind this time. Guess the stress had really caught up to him.

Being done with his little moping session, he went and threw on a random of the customary kimonos – this one being a simple light green with rose gold accents in the form of their symbol.

Saiki continued his day as normal, well as normal as you could when you were considered a God by some multi millionaire cult.

There however were two differences today. First, on his way to the sermon room in the morning there were quite a few people who followed him there. People following him wasn’t unusual - his usual annoyances did it all the time - but here, it was. It also wasn't like a few people, probably half of the cult was behind him. Though the hall was exceptionally large, they still ended up walking like some kind of marching band with him at the front.

That wasn't even the end of today's abnormalities.

When everyone had gone to their customary spots and Haru had begun his spiel, he quickly searched for the familiar static of how it felt to attempt to read Nerie’s thoughts. However when looking he also happened to notice the similar thoughts of the people who followed him this morning.

Apparently a bunch of the members worked for the same company and had laid most of them off, making morale low.

‘Probably why they followed me,’ thought Saiki. ‘Maybe they think I can guide them with my ‘godly wisdom’. Probably that’ he thought as he continued scanning the crowd for Nerie.

Saiki however could now find the familiar loud emptiness of her head. Scanning the front where she usually sat there he saw her. Perplexed, he attempted to read her thoughts, expecting the usual customary headache, but was met with nothing. Well nothing for both pain, but also for thoughts.

Nerie’s head was always filled - be it with static or jumbled words, there was always something - but there was simply nothing today.

It was kind of like trying to read Nendou’s thoughts. For him, Saiki had come to the conclusion that he simply had no thoughts, which was why he couldn't ‘read’ them. There simply were none.

Wow his earlier assumption about God being after him really was true. Good grief.

Now Saiki at least has something to think about. It was kind of boring to just sit around and read the cultists' thoughts to learn more about them. To be honest he knows very little about them.

As the sermon ended Saiki held on to that thought.

Saiki was about to go back to his chambers when he heard the tail end of a conversation from around the other end of the sermon room.

“...ybe it could cheer you up to go to the library?” somebody said. ‘Library?’, he thought quietly. He wasn't sure who, Saiki began scanning the crowd.

“You know I don't like books, you dickhead. You're just doing this cause you like them right?” someone else answered. They seemed to be leaving the room going the opposite way of his chambers. They were walking in a small crowd.

“Well, I just thought since you have a bunch of free time yo-” Saiki found them.

Right there, heading down close to the sleeping quarters for the cultists

‘Makes sense I didn't see the library when exploring a couple of days ago since I stayed far away from there I guess. Surprised i didnt see it with x-ray though’ Saiki thought while outwardly mumbling a quiet “...weird.”

Still determined to go to the library for more possible info on the cult he discreetly followed them. Well as much as he could while legit being God.

Saiki followed them at a distance, careful not to be seen, no need to raise suspicion.

Soon the - still arguing - duo, plus Saiki, reached the library.

Really for the amount of money the cult had, he was expecting something more…extravagent.

Most of the mansion was made up of light colored bricks, but the library was of simple black maple (if you don't know the color is basically just almost black, but shines dark brown in light). Both the walls, floors and even shelves were made of it. The shelves were also of simple design, with no golden accents, setting them apart from the rest of the mansion.

‘This is close to their sleeping quarters, and they probably don't expect me to go here. Well why would their all knowing “World Teacher” ever need to go to a place to gather knowledge?’. He thought sarcastically but occupied by an afterthought of understanding.

Even missing the over extravagant details he had gotten used to, it was still incredibly big. From ceiling to floor there must have been at least ten meters - maybe eleven - all of it filled with books. The walls also had huge windows with mosaic, which let light in. From the door to the back wall there was a single walkpath with a chandelier over it, leading to a few tables where the duo from before, who were still arguing sat.

‘I should go invisible so they don't see me-, wait why should I? If they see somebody with infinite knowledge in a library of all places, they may begin to lose faith’, he started at the front and simply began scanning the books with psychometry.

XxX

It was now around noon, it had been four hours and he had finally finished scanning the library.

Four hours of endless scanning, and he had found no useful information. Well, he was convinced he now knows every possible casserole recipe in existence, but that's not important right now.

Also the plan to make them try and doubt him being their God had failed spectacularly, it seriously had the exact opposite effect.

XxX (Flashback around 3 hours idk)

Saiki had only finished two rows of books but was still extremely bored, so he moved towards the back where the duo sat - somehow still arguing, how the fuck do they do that? - to enact his plan.

He quietly made his way up the walkway to the tables, about halfway they noticed him and instantly stilled.

From Saiki’s perspective he believed himself to be moving in a casual manner, with his hands stuffed in his sleeves. If anybody asked, no he did NOT do that because he saw it on a random tv show.

However when the two saw him the cultists froze, breathless, as they saw Him, their God, their savior approaching. His presence to them was like a weight on the air, oppressive and ancient, a being who seemed to embody all creation itself. Even with that weight he was an empty mask of indifference, utterly devoid of emotion.

His movement was effortless, so simple and yet the space around him seemed to shrink, like even the ground knew the importance of the man treading on it, the world bending or maybe it was him who was bending. Casting one of the quickest glances of his life, he saw Ella’s, his fellow enlighteneds face, a mix of everything and nothing. Then he glanced back to him.

The reality of it washed over them. This was their God, walking among them in the simplest of ways, yet every fiber of their being screamed that this was impossible. For a fleeting second, Kai and Ella understood what the sick Malachi had meant. Maybe he had seen a part of God’s powers and it being overwhelming, so much to drive him towards insanity.

The World Teacher had just reached a few meters from them - right where the last bookshelf ended - when Kai’s brain caught up to him as he rose from his seat, just to promptly drop to the floor, pulling the leg of the frozen Ella making her roughly drop down with him. For once since he was transferred from the orphanage and they met, did they not argue.

Silence passed over them, the footsteps of their God having stopped a few steps before them. Then their Savior began:

“Rise, this is a library, you cannot read on the floor”, he spoke as if his actions were simply, not the cause of the mind altering experience they just had.

Still in shock, none of them moved, luckily their God didn't seem to care too much. Instead he began to walk toward the bookshelf and pick out a book. By this point they had both looked up, and were both quite stumped. They both had the same thought.

‘Why is our all knowing God…reading?’

Still both embarrassed by their previous show, they finally stood up, yet proceeded to bend at the waist at an almost perfect 90 degrees angle. Ella had finally pulled herself together enough to speak.

“O-oh, World Tea-teacher, we apologize for not noticing you before. We sincerely apologize for disturbing us. Please have mercy on us, for we your loyal subjects will accept any punishment you see fit”. The silence around them all was broken as God closed his book.

“It’s fine. You caused no trouble. You may stay or take your leave”. Still his voice somehow seemed so normal yet earth bending.

They quickly scurried out of the room like rats while having the feeling of the universe on their back, making them out of breath by just walking a good 50 meters. Here they felt away from his everweighing stare. Here they felt safe to gossip, to doubt.

“...Hey Kai?” the normally loud and foulmouthed Ella quietly asked.

“What?” an equally shaken Kai answered.

“Why is the Master of Wisdom who knows everything in a library?” she asked the question on both of their minds. causing silence between them, actually no, not just between but the entire manor seemed to be holding its breath. The silence stretched long enough for doubt to make way into Ella’s heart, but then, like he had a sudden epiphany, Kai began speaking.

“Wait but our Savior has never been seen in the library. The only time he came there was when we, his subjects, were there. Maybe he actually just wanted to bond with us. Maybe he's disappointed about losing one of his subjects yesterday?”. Maybe to outsiders it would have sounded desperate, pulling at strings, but for the two believers it was all they had. For all people in the cult, religion was the last thing they had to turn to. They could not lose that.

Almost letting out a relieved sigh before catching herself, Ella nodded her confirmation. A fulfilled silence washed over them. Well until Kai had to bud in.

“...I will say you looked so stupid when you saw our Savior. You just sat there like a gaping fish”, just as quickly as the silence came, they were back at each other's throats.

“Well not like you were any better! I saw the way you co-” Saiki chose to shut off his clairvoyance there since he definitely had his answer.

He had thought to change or alter their memories, but with how it happened with Malachi, he chose to not bother.

XxX (back to present ig)

The library, as said, was empty of all information about the cult. Like not a single thing. Not anything about rituals, nothing about how to pray properly, nothing about how old their religion was. Nothing at all!

Even with this absolute train wreck of a failure, Saiki was still determined to try and find info on the cult, so he began to search outside the library.

He had searched most of the place around his chambers, only missing to search around the sleeping quarters of the cult, so he began his little quest for today.

For his search he used both a mix of x-ray, clairvoyance, telekinesis and, well, actual walking and using his eyes. He did so until it was about 3 o’clock.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

How in the actual fuck does a cult have anything about themself? A doctrine, random prayer tablets, even a receipt for something they have bought to determine the age of the cult. Anything! How does this cult even function?

The cult was like a giant hive, except there was no queen to command them. Saiki could in no way see himself as the “queen”. He was more like a flower that never ran out of nectar none of them could have. Like an emotional support flower.

‘Wow, all this is going so terrible even my own mind has reduced me to a mere “emotion support flower”, oh how i love life’, Saiki could not believe how creative his mind was. Maybe he should be an inventor instead of Kusuke. A weird shiver ran up ‘God’s’ back…

Another day with absolutely no progress, Saiki therefore made his way to the garden to relax.

Not having any clear purpose, Saiki simply went around, looking at the beautifully trimmed bushes and flowers. He cannot help but think that if his mom were here she would love this place. And well if his dad also were here he would probably just spend the whole time getting flowers for her to proclaim his love.

Even if Saiki hates their lovey dovey side, he still misses them. Funny how nothing yet everything is keeping him here.

Not really paying attention he anded relatively close to the koi pond where he saw a small gathering of children, ages ranging from 3 to 12, on the ground all surrounding an older woman sitting on a bench. The children were all dressed in completely white robes with the (dooming) cult symbol all over them. While still being far away, Saiki has exceptionally great hearing, so he caught what some of the children were saying.

“Pleasseeeeeee you promised you would sing no-”
“..always misses it cau-cause you just ont do it while i’m he-”
“Pleasee. We all were extra good today too!”
“You promised to sing last we-”
“...and-and then he said you would but you didn't so you have to do it today-”
“AND tomorrow!-”
“Yeah! And also the day after tomorrow, and a-”
“And after that and forever forever forever, for infinite”
“If you don't then you're a liar and meanie!”
A chorus of ‘Yeah’s!’ and other forms of agreements followed the last programmation.

‘Wow these children were quite bratty. Guess they have a right to be when many of them won't live for lo-’, Saiki stopped that train of thought, simply burying it deep, deep down.

Before he could reprimand himself the woman, after a bit more convincing, actually began singing.

Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night

All the kids had quickly quieted. Despite her older age she had quite a smooth voice.

Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night

Her age actually put an undertone of motherly warmth in her words. To a group of orphans that must have been some kind of cruel blessing.

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping

Saiki could not help to admit it was quite a beautiful and calming song. Some of the younger children had even laid down, seemingly for an afternoon nap.

I my loved ones' watch am keeping,
All through the night

Several of the kids seem to have nodded off, even if the song was so short.

‘What a lovely voice’ Saiki thought as he continued on his way in the garden with no purpose, but a clearer head. In the background he could hear several of the children begin bickering with the woman again.

XxX (Next day, Sunday)

Saiki awoke with a…feeling. He wasn't sure just what it was, it was just there. Well maybe it had always been there, but now it has definitely increased in intensity. The best way to describe it would be a mix of extreme paranoia, confusion, resignation and…something. It didn't feel like an emotion, at least not any he had felt or heard of. Whatever it may be, it settled like a heavy weight on his chest.

Instead of dealing with it – he had bigger problems – he simply got ready for another day as ‘God’. Oh how that word was beginning to sour in his mouth.

At the morning sermon – in which he again was followed to by an even bigger crowd – he slipped his ring off and again attempted to read Nerie’s thoughts, but her head was still empty like a marionette doll, causing the weird feeling in his chest to grow with his frustration. With his daily check in over he slipped his ring on and continued to ignore Haru, instead focussing on counting the amount of windows and their colors over and over and over and over and over and over and over…and finally that guy was done. He was seriously beginning to annoy him.

As the people began to leave he too went on his way and reached the garden. Saiki had already explored most of it, however even if you have seen it once, it would still be beautiful the second time. He did think he would go crazy if he had to look at the overly polished bushes for too long though.

However as Saiki walked the feeling of being watched grew and grew.

No, Saiki was sure somebody was watching him, every step he took, every head turn, everything he did. While Saiki normally wouldn't care if people looked or even followed him this was different.

Yes, throughout his entire stay there was always somebody watching him, apart from his chambers, but now the feeling of being watched along with the previous heavy feeling on his chest made him feel nauseous.

Just as he was about to use clairvoyance to look around but then the perpetrator(s) came out by themselves, revealing themselves to be a group of about 12 cultists, one in front – likely a messenger – the others huddled behind him. The feeling on his chest lessened, yet didn't go away completely.

‘Oh, so that's what that feeling was. Had me worrying for nothing’ thought Saiki annoyed, yet not showing it outwardly. Then the possible scapegoat–ehm messenger, began to speak.

“Oh, World Teacher, we, your loyal subject, have come to ask you a favor” the man asked while all of them remained in bowing positions.

“Go on” Saiki, efficient as ever answered curtly.

“Oh World Teacher, we wish to know how to become enlightened” the same person asked with a hint of desperation or despair.

‘Well this could actually go great for me if I play my cards right’ Saiki thought.

‘If i can prove to the masses i in fact aren't the ‘God’ they so wish for, Haru will also have to agree at some point. I just have to be straight forward with it.’

“I cannot, I am not God”. There, perfectly straight forward. If they don't get it now, something must be wrong with them.

Little did Saiki realize something is wrong with everyone who is in this cult…
Well he probably does but eh, oh well.

“Oh World Teacher, you are forever our God. We ap-” Saiki cut him off there.

“I am not God to you.”. It really isn't that hard to understand. With his message across, Saiki left towards the lake.

The cultists however did not get the message he wanted to relay.

“We have failed.” the spokesperson for the cultists mumbled as silence descended all them all.

“To think we disappointed our Savior so badly he even refuses to see us as his subjects” another nameless cultist mumbled.

“He wanted us to reach enlightenment on our own”, nameless cultist nr.3 stated.

“To think we thought he would throw the answers to us. God is here to guide us, not spoon feed us the answers”, another added. Several agreements followed the statement.

The group went on, having agreed with each other to find the answer so their God may once again see them as loyal subjects.

Nothing would take the last thing they had away from them. Even if they had to kill, they would never let anyone ruin this, for it was everything. If they don't have this they will fall apart.

Back at the pond, Saiki shortly wondered why people seemed so much more eager to please him.

‘Probably because of the recent mass lay-off’

Having his mind clearing, and the feeling in his chest having decreased, he laid down on one of the chairs for a nap. He would sleep anywhere as long as it isn't that bed.

Saiki laid there for a long time. Not really sleeping but also not aware of anything around him. Just a relaxing nothingness where the feeling on his chest didn't exist; a place he could simply drift. So he continued like that.

Shapes and colors became one. The words of life blurring as he knew nothing. In that place maybe he truly was omnipotent. Time too were nothing yet all for him to control and bend to his will. Wild yet tamed, known yet unknown, everything and nothing as he continued to float. Float? Yeah maybe he was floating, maybe he wasn't. He couldn't be sure, and to be honest he really didn't care as long as he could stay here. So of course the universe made him leave that place.

Waking up – if you could call it that – Saiki looked up at the sky and determined the time to be around 3 or 4 o’clock.

‘Wow, same as yesterday. Wonder if that woman is there again’ Saiki wondered as he robotically stood up and stretched.

To soothe his wondering – and the suffocation feeling – he made his way over to where the woman from yesterday was.

To his surprise she was still there and a similar scene from yesterday was shown to him.

“You promised you would sing to-”
“..wasn’t here yesterday so second verse, you have to-”
“Pleasee. We all were extra good today too!”
“Even more than yesterday, we promise!”
“...and-and then he said you would but you didn't sing the second verse so you have to do it today-”
“AND tomorrow the new one ca-”
“Yeah! And also the day after tomorrow, and a-”
“And after that and forever forever forever, for infinite”
“If you don't then you're a-a–a…..ehm i cant think of anymore insults-”
“If you don't you're a pooppie head!”
A chorus of ‘Yeah’s!’ and other forms of agreements followed the last programmation.

‘Wow, almost a complete copy of yesterday. Same children, same place, same time, same god forsaken robes that will only lead them to dea-’. yeah still not going there. Bury it deeper deeper deeper deeper deeper deeper deeper…

Again like yesterday the woman began to sing. The only difference being that this time Saiki stood a bit closer, you could definitely see him listening in.

Angels watching, e'er around thee,
All through the night

Oh. Guess there was another difference. It was the same melody, this time it just seemed to be another verse.

Midnight slumber close surround thee,
All through the night

To think about it, why a lullaby? Well guess several of them could use an afternoon nap..

Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping

Like clockwork many of the children again laid down, however some of the older ones began to hum or whistle along with the melody.

I my loved ones' watch am keeping,
All through the night

The children were definitely more relaxed if not sleeping.

Funny how a lullaby for babies also was helping him calm down. Well, really what does it matter, it helps the feeling go away and besides it nice to see the children were happy.

He would never let any of them end up like Maya

xXx (Next day, Monday)

Saiki awoke feeling like he was suffocating. He still wasn't sure just what it was, it was just there. It had always been there, but now it has definitely increased in intensity. You can't describe it. It is something beyond. It didn't feel like an emotion, at least not any he had felt or heard of. Whatever it may be, it now lives in his chest.

Saiki automatically put on a kimono – didn't matter which one – and went to the sermon room, not bothering to acknowledge the giant crowd behind him.

‘Could they not just stop staring?’. Saiki had always loved his personal space. Maybe he didn't realise it in the start of being here – even if it's only been a week – but he truly grew to miss being alone.

At the sermon room he checks on Nerie expecting nothing, he was correct. Another observation he also made was that the cultists didn't really seem to bother with food anymore unless he asked. Guess God has no need for earthly goods as they say. Not that really has had an appetite since what happened when he tried to read further into Nerie’s thoughts the first time.

Honestly he felt really stuck.

The only escape from the feeling on his chest, from the expectations from the goddam stares was in the garden at 3 o’clock.

Therefore when Haru finished speaking, he quickly made his way out to the garden, though it was only 10 AM.

Walking through the garden he realized how overly trimmed the garden was – kinda like those prize winning poodles. He wouldn't want his parents to visit this place. How could anyone not sense the bloody ground, the way the air smelt of death?

Do they keep this place picture perfect to cover the scent of blood?

Even if this place truly is terrible, inside is even worse. Seeing people walk around you, people who look up to you, all of them broken. Actually they don't look up to Saiki, he is the only reason they are alive. Leaving them would mean mass suicide increase across the entire globe. I'm glad Malachi went to his aunt, but maybe not all of these people can be saved.

Never in his life had he felt so useless.

In the garden several groups of people approached him like another had yesterday. Saiki gave them answers following the same path but slightly different since he realized it didn't work last time. So many people lives in his hands, all of which he didn't ask for.

Needing a break from everything – the people and the slowly growing feeling in his chest, the feeling actually seemed to be spreading covering like a blanket – he walked to the pond for a nap. He didn't expect to nap, but simply just wished to return to that nothingness where he had no responsibilities and truly was everything and nothing.

While there – could it really be a ‘there’? It's sort of a here, there everywhere situation – he truly felt relaxed. He could let his mind drift in the soft stream of time, like a slow flowing river that carried all the possible relaxation there could be in nothingness.

Well at least he continued like that until the stream became violent. It felt like the river had ended and dropped him in the middle of the rough ocean where everything he was, being, soul and body were violently thrown around. He could practically feel himself being torn apart, even if nothing of the sort happened.

In the imaginary space he was about to drop. He was about to get sucked into a vortex, or hit a huge rock, or just something. Something bad was going to happen and he could do nothing to stop it.

Just as it happened, whatever it was Saiki woke up.
He was still in the chair.

Still right by the pond.

Still in the cult, not over there, wherever ‘there’ was.

Saiki struggled catching his breath, the feeling pressing on his, well everywhere, seemingly crushing him and the world was moving to fast and his head was telling him to breathe he was but it just didn’t help and he didn't know what to do and he doesn’t even need air so live so why was this happening this has never happened was he still there where was he was he still by the pond and why cant he stop and he needs to breathe he needs to breathe he needs to breathe he needs to breathe he needs to breathe he need to breathe he needs to breATHE- wait no he doesn’t.

Just like that the bubble burst and everything was back to normal.

Everything was perfectly normal and okay and fine and perfect and all okay.

Bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper, bury it deeper….

Having collected himself from his little… overreaction, yeah that, Saiki made his way over to the benches where the woman usually sat.

Again she was surrounded by children on the grass. Not bothering to attempt to hide his listening in on her signing he simply went over to sit on the bench next to her. She sent a warm smile his way, then resumed her attention on the rowdy children.

“You said yesterday you would sing to-”
“..wasn’t here yesterday so thirds verse, you have to-”
“Pleasee. We all were extra good today too!...Maybe we are good every day?”
“Yeah and even more than yesterday, we promise!”
“..eah and-and Teacher came to watch this time so you definitely have too!”
“Yeah you have to do it everyday!”
“..ou have to or he will be sad!”
“If you don't then….then…we will all be sad. Yeah!”
“And also if you do-”

Saiki indulged in listening to their little bickering and would have continued to do so if it were not for the little girl – around the age of 9 – who approached him. Without saying anything she sat on the same bench, right beside him.

Saiki looked down at her, yet she just stared at him for a moment. Then however she finally seemed to compose herself.

“World Teacher, can i braid your hair pretty please”, the young girl asked while showing huge puppy eyes. Honestly she kind of reminds him of Yuuta.

“Of course”, said Saiki after having composed himself fallen to the puppy eyes. The young girl smiled a crooked smile with one front tooth missing. He quickly leaned down so she could reach his head probably just as the woman began to sing.

Angels watching ever round thee,
All through the night.

He felt himself relax into the sense of ordinary he had created for himself.

In thy slumbers close surround thee,
All through the night.

He almost felt as if he too could drift off like the children around him.

The will of all fears disarm thee,
No forebodings should alarm thee,

Saiki knew it wasn't possible but somehow the feeling lessened, going from an ever crushing weight to the weight of what could have been a simple blanket.

They will let no peril harm thee,
All through the night.

As the woman were done singing, so was the young girl with her braiding. (i imagined the braids like the braids hiccup from How to Train a Dragon has)

“Done!”, exclaimed the young girl clearly proud of herself and flashing a toothy smile.

“I love them. Thank you.”, Saiki couldn't help himself from ruffling her hair, she was just so much like Yuuta.

The girl again beamed up at him and Saiki couldn't help but crack a small smile as he left the group of kids and went to his chambers. He couldn't help but feel responsible for these kids.

As he made his way into his chambers – still smiling – he walked past a mirror.

Saiki stopped, simply looking.

In his adorned state, covered in expensive cloth that screams luxury and with short braids and an almost benevolent (?) smile. Saiki had trouble recognizing himself. He had seen people change quickly before – take Yumehara for example – but seeing yourself go from, well yourself, to what may as well be a stranger is…disturbing beyond no bounds.

Here he was ‘God’.