For the next few years, peace prevailed. Grace would visit the Madar from time to time. Until one fateful year. She turned up pregnant, at first other than being slightly startled by how a human and a beast could conceive. The king thought nothing of it.
Then one day, the day Max was born.Grace had chosen to have him in the human kingdom because no one in the forest knew how to deliver a baby. Clouds enveloped the sky above the church, lightning sparking all over. The baby for some reason looked completely human. Which was later discovered by Igneel to be caused by his unawakened state.
The pope who was also the royal Oracle received a message from the heavens. The child born by Grace was destined to be the Overlord of the continent. As for why he'd believe such a thing, other than being a religious person. He had received an oracle only every king on the continent when they were born. Some weren't even the oldest I'm their families, but they all became kings someway somehow.
After receiving the message, he quickly went to notify the king. Learning of it, a meeting of all the kings was organized, it was held at Sosaphrica and the king of Crypt(which was the first kingdom to eventually be taken over by the demons) proposed using an ancient scroll his people found, that would wipe out the baby's soul.
The king of Madar wasn't too sure about attacking Grace and the baby knowing Igneel's power. But after being reminded about the oath Igneel made he agreed, though refused to be the one to do it.
And so, the king of Crypt went to see Grace and the baby under the disguise of congratulating her. It had only been a week since the baby was born, Grace was still in Madar, she had told Igneel to go back to the forest for a while since his presence was making everyone nervous even when they knew he wouldn't do anything. He being a henpecked husband could only unwillingly agree and leave.
This gave the Crypt king the chance he needed. And so after almost a week of planning, he made his move. Entered Grace's room with a harmless smile.
But Grace being a Level 9 and also not being as trusting as she was before could sense something was up. So she silently put up a guard getting ready to attack if he did anything.
"Holy maiden, I have a gift for you from my country. This scroll..." With that the king quickly opened the scroll and aimed it at the child in a crib beside Grace. Grace was a little suprised since she didn't expect her baby to be the target, but she reacted quick enough and covered the baby with her body. But the light from the scroll still managed to cover both of them.
Grace feeling her strength rapidly drain away as a black energy attacked her soul. Sadly because she wasn't at least Level 10 she couldn't properly defend it with her mana. But thanks to it's healing properties, her soul wasn't so easily destroyed. The invading energy faded after only damaging five percent of her soul.
While the baby's soul had already been completely wiped out. But she wasn't in a state were she could check. But seeing how he wasn't crying or anything when she herself had felt excruciating pain from the soul attack, she knew something was wrong with him.
She didn't think too much and teleported away with her baby. Appearing at the base of the mountain. Because some human spies with teleportation magic had once teleported to the top of the mountain trying to find out more about Igneel. He killed them blocked teleportation magic with his mana from then on. As for Grace, he had made her a secret tunnel that goes through the mountain.
As the saying goes, the rest is history....
...
Present day....
"So that's what happened huh?". Max simply said holding back his mana from exploding out and likely destroying the mountain.
"Yes, and I can't even take revenge because of that stupid oath I made. Not to mention Grace told me not to. She was likely thinking I'd destroy the innocent civilians too. That girl, sigh". Talking about the past brought Igneel's mood down.
Suddenly Max disappeared, he couldn't sense where he had gone. Then a few hours later Max returned.
"Where have you been brat?". Igneel asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I was around, I was hiding, trying to see if you can find me". Max replied with a smile.
"Oh, is that so. Well I couldn't, that must make you really happy right?". Igneel replied while rolling his eyes. But deep down he knew Max had definitely gone somewhere out of his detection range. Which was at least five kingdoms. But as a father who didn't like prying too much in his child's life he didn't ask. As for the little silver haired girl behind Max, didn't ask about that either
Max just smiled before going inside to check on his mother. Whose voice he had never heard nor smiled had ever seen...
The little girl stayed outside, basically having a stared down with Igneel. He really wanted to ask, but at the same time felt that he should wait for Max to explain..
And so, his old twitchy lip syndrome made a comeback.
....
A few hours back...
When Max disappeared, he appeared in the middle of the continent. Disappeared again and appeared in a kingdom beside the ocean(Aphrica was completely secluded from other continents). Floating in the sky above it looking down on a castle with a serious expression. His gaze seemingly piercing through the wars and looking inside.
Inside the castle, in what appeared to be a study, a man with a crown on his head could be seen busy with some paperwork.
Yes you guessed it, Max was looking at the king of Crypt. The king who had likely long forgotten his sin from the past, didn't know that his day of reckoning had come. Though it only made sense that he forgot, it had been thirteen years after all.
Once again, Max disappeared, this time he appeared right in front of the king.
".....who the hell are you?". King Phar of Crypt said while looking at the little boy who had suddenly appeared in front of his desk. Confusion oozing out of his eyes. Which made sense, like who wouldn't be surprised and confused if a kid with silver hair and eyes wearing a black robe suddenly appeared in front of them?.
Max looked like a normal human child at this time, other than his rather uncommon hair and eyes. Since most humans had black hair and brown eyes. He had long learned how to retract his horns after all, though he usually kept them out. They looked cool after all.
"Hello, I'm no one important, just your friendly neighbourhood Max". Max replied with a smile on his face, his eyes narrowed.