Chapter 1:
Curtain of a Tragedy rises
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Present Day
30.01.1817
10:04 am
Euragelita Edelfelt was living the prime of her life.
Being the future fifth head of the now-prosperous Edelfelt family which had risen to fame during the First Battle of Tripoli Harbor, Euragelita had no worries to speak of. She and her father had assisted Captain McNeill in destroying the Tripolian galleys, who had been trying to break the blockade, which was used to prevent from Tripoli’s magical formulas from being smuggled out of the black market.
Needless to say, having waged a battle with the local magi, just by the two of them, they had become quite famous during that battle.
Back then, she had been nothing but a scrawny-legged kid. Now, she had grown up to be a beautiful woman. Her light-colored hair was her treasure, and she kept it per the typical, ceremonial style of the Edelfelts. Two parts were hanging from each side of her head, resembling huge drills, while the rest flowed down her slim back. Eura’s face had also matured from the roundness of her youth, and now her features were sharp as those of an eagle, or a graceful glacier. Even her eyes, now that they’d been turned into Mystic Eyes, had gotten an exotic color of light red.
The clothes she wore were, of course, as beautiful as her appearance. Blue and white dress with magnificent details and frills. One could call it both a dress fit for formal events, as well as one which she could easily utilize in battle. Eura could even remove her sleeves if she wanted to practice hand-to-hand combat. She had, after all, been trained in various fighting styles when she had been but a child
But those days of training were long in the past.
Now, fifteen years later, she was 27 years old, and ready to assume the position as the head of the Edelfelt family. Her sister, Raumagelita, had accepted her position as the second in the family, and was now actively trying to get a child in order to compete with Eura. However, a chance had presented itself to Eura, one which would surely keep her as the number one of the Edelfelt family. A chance to witness a miracle, given to her by some friends she had met a long time ago, when she had been just a child.
It was for that reason that Eura had travelled all the way to the small rural country of Japan, which was, for some reason she could not understand, viciously guarding its borders against any sort of foreign influences. The only exemptions were the Dutch ships, which had been allowed to gain access to Japan and trade with the locals.
It had been this very thing that had gotten Eura beyond the borders of Japan, actually. With the flag of Holland on the mast, her 104-gun first rate ship of the line named “Äijön Poika” had been able to sneak past the unsuspecting border patrols and anchor itself to the bay of the small town of Fuyuki. Once anchored there, Eura had set up a barrier around the ship, a deep ring of mist which would keep all the civilians away from it. This would also prevent from any suspicions from being raised.
That, of course, did not mean that those who knew about the ship were not able to visit it.
“Wow. A great ship you got here, Eura-chan. Are you planning on partaking in a war with this thing?”
Tohsaka Nagato said such and laughed on top of it, as he walked around the beautiful ship. In fact, Nagato had the eyes of a thirteen year old boy as he zoomed around the deck, excited to get to try everything from cannons to the sails. Eura, who was few year younger than the Japanese man, found it hard to believe that he could act in such a way.
“Hey, don’t touch anything. This is ship is my pride, and thus, the pride of the Edelfelts. If you’ll break anything while on board, I’ll have you walk the plank before you can even yell “pirates!”, you stupid, stupid man-child.”
Eura frowned at the man who was supposed to be one of the three who had been able to come up with the great ritual to uncover a miracle. In a way, she found it almost impossible to believe. No matter how she looked at him, he seemed third rate, both as a magus and as the heir of the Tohsaka-clan. In other words, a man whose very existence was as far removed from that of Eura herself as could be.
“C’mon, don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud, Eura-chan. We’re all on the same boat here.”
While Nagato chuckled, Eura could do nothing but to groan at the horrible pun.
“Ah, sorry, sorry. That was kinda bad, wasn’t it? Anyways, what I wanted to say is that, well, we’re all here because we want to witness the miracle, right? And we’re all working together because we have the same goal, right? So why shouldn’t we be a little looser in each other’s presence. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?”
Nagato asked this with genuine surprise. It seemed that the thought that the foreign magi would not want to get too close to him hadn’t even crossed his mind. Eura found herself, rather rightfully so, speechless because of the mindset of the man before her. In fact, it was at this point that she started to understand just why he was wearing such flamboyant clothing full of pictures of flames and blossoms of cherry trees.
“And you said it yourself, right? You know, when we contacted you. That’d you be happy to travel here and give us a hand in the ritual.”
Nagato continued with his innocent questions. Having been reminded of her moment of weakness, and the gratitude she had felt back then as she had been granted such an important chance, made Eura blush red with both embarrassment and anger.
“Don’t get me wrong, Nagato! I promised to help, but I don’t have to get all nice and friendly with you lot!”
“Why not? It’s more fun if we’re all friends, isn’t it?”
As if to emphasize his words, Nagato laughed and caught the silver-eyed member of the church in a big, friendly noogie as she was passing by. Rieschild, being the ever-present watchdog of the heir of Tohsakas, had followed her client onboard the “Äijön Poika”. However, now that Nagato’s knuckle was playfully being rubbed against her head, she might have regretted her decision. It wasn’t exactly clear, though. Rieschild had never been the one to show much emotion.
“—Mr. Tohsaka? Could you stop that? It is making me quite uncomfortable.”
A steel-like voice cut the air with enough threat to make Nagato immediately stop what he was doing. Rieschild dusted off her clothes, nodded to Eura and walked away. From the looks of it, she was inspecting the ship. Apparently she was looking for anything that might have caused danger to her client.
“Well, to get back to the serious stuff…”
Eura had hard time believing her ears. Tohsaka Nagato was actually going to talk about serious stuff for a chance?
“…Have you got everything for tonight? Your Binding Sigil? Your relic? Your magic circle? We all need to be fully prepared if we want to succeed in this.”
Eura sighed heavily. The way Nagato spoke, it almost made him seem like a school-kid who hadn’t done his homework, and was now desperately trying to find someone who was in the same trouble as he was. Grumbling a bit under her breath, Eura took a small parcel from inside her sleeve and threw it to Nagato.
“Here. I was somewhat sure this would happen, and so I searched for a relic for you. That should suffice in calling down a big enough cluster of energy. It’s from a rather famous hero, you see.”
While she was speaking, Euragelita removed the white glove that had been veiling her right hand, and showed the back of her hand to Nagato. There lied the aforementioned Binding Sigil that would connect the formless cluster of energy, a pre-prepared vessel known as “Class” filled with power of a Heroic Spirit, to herself. It had been somewhat unpleasant to have the sigil transplanted into her arm, but there was no pain that would have stopped Eura from taking part in this ritual. Now, the mark that resembled an ancient hammer with intertwining bolts of lightning was adorning her hand.
According to the letter she had gotten from Makiri Zolgen, the vessel she had in her cabin known as “Class” was pretty much a jury-rigged attempt at holding together the vast power that Heroic Spirits had. By giving the Class some arbitrary limitations and filters, they could reduce the power of the Heroic Spirit to a manageable level. This way, they could still control the cluster of energy given to them, while having it being as powerful as they could allow it to. Otherwise the thing could just explode into their faces the moment they summoned one.
“Ah, thanks, Eura. I knew I could count on you.”
Nagato flashed a smile brilliant enough for Euragelita to feel somewhat embarrassed. She had done the whole thing while thinking how she’d get to sneer at the heir of Tohsakas, but now that he thanked her in such an innocent way, she found herself unable to gather up that malice.
“Y-you’re welcome. It was nothing, really—“
Eura muttered and found the sky behind Nagato suddenly very interesting to gaze at.
“But you do have your own relic, right? It would be meaningless to give me this thing if you had none yourself.”
“What sort of fool do you take me for? No, wait, don’t answer that. I’m sure you’re judging me by your own standards, which would explain quite a lot.”
Eura grimaced as her irritation was brought back with a crash. This man seemed to throw her into stormy sea of emotions even without he himself realizing it. Euragelita promised herself that she would associate with the man known as Tohsaka Nagato as little as possible from now on, or she would find herself doing something stupid. Stupid, as in, the kind of things that Nagato did.
“Yes, I have my relic. My Papa acquired it for me on his travels, and according to him he picked out the best relic he could get his hands on to. Apparently it’s from Asia. He didn’t specify more than that, which was good. After all, it would have been pointless. What we need is the power extracted from the Throne of Heroes, not the tales of the heroes themselves.”
Euragelita was somewhat proud of herself, as she finally was able to speak like a true magus. As much as the child in her heart would have wanted to know about these heroes, she could not let such silly feelings get into the way of her goal. Besides, what they would summon was a mass of energy, not the hero itself. There were hardly any heroic tales such clusters of ether and who-knows-what-else could tell her.
Therefore, such childish ambitions were crushed instantly in her heart.
“Well, I guess everything’s in order then. I’m glad to hear that.”
Nagato said, and then laughed in a sheepish way.
“Though it’s a shame, on the other hand. I would have wanted to explore such a fine ship a bit more. It’s a rare chance to get to see a western ship, after all.”
Eura groaned as once again, Nagato’s eyes were shining with child-like excitement. Even though they were on the verge of a breakthrough in the history of magecraft, and were preparing for the greatest ritual of the century, this man still found a normal third of the line ship more interesting at the moment. It amazed Eura how young someone could be at heart.
But, then again, Eura could not deny that it was somewhat charming.
“—You know, if you want, you could stay for brunch? I could show you around the ship.”
Eura suggested with a voice so meek that it surprised herself.
Nagato’s eyes lit up in that instant. It was as if his birthday had come a year early. There was really no need for words, as the expression on his face told Eura everything she needed to know. Unable to hide her amusement anymore, the heir of the Edelfelt family gave out a dry chuckle.
“It seems that a man like you is easy to please.”
Hearing that, Nagato frowned a bit and turned red on his cheeks. It seemed that even he himself was aware of how he had been acting.
“S-shut up. I just happen to like ships, that’s all.”
1:22 pm
About thirty kilometers from the town of Fuyuki, in the forest that seemed that swallow up all of the land not claimed by the mountains or by the civilization, lay a castle that was the only one of its kind in the whole land of Japan.
Enveloped by the forest that seemed to swallow everything that entered its premise, it was safeguarded not only by the nature itself, but by layers and layers upon barriers that would keep any and all trespassers, unwanted or not, out if the lady of the castle did not deem them worthy of entering.
Although it went by the name of castle, the towering, oppressing structure that jutted out of the mist that seemed to always fill the forest, would have been more appropriate to call a fortress. There was no beauty to it, nor any sort of elegance. It consisted of four colossal towers that protected the courtyard and the main hall, and the small tower which had the living quarters of the small amount of people that lived in there. In other words, the castle was nothing more than a piece of equipment, a place where the members of the Einzbern family could live while they were performing the ritual of the town of Fuyuki.
This castle was the workshop of Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern.
Meant solely for gathering all the remnants of power that lay outside of the ley lines of Fuyuki, this workshop also acted as the base where most of the ritual for the Heaven’s Ascension had been prepared. It would be no exaggeration to call it the place of true perfection for the ritual. Inside the dark, dimly lit corridors, the final pieces of the puzzle that would bring back the Third were assembled.
And it was in these corridors that Justeaze met a former acquaintance of hers once more.
“It is…good to see you again, Justeaze.”
These words were said by a young woman clad in white and purple. Her knee-length skirt was white in color, with long layers of purple-dyed, tanned leather on top of it to offer more protection. Purple were also the high-heeled boots she wore, ones with a surprising design for actual combat, rather than to impress others. Her jacket continued with the same color, but under it, was a white frilly blouse that contrasted the color. The shawl she wore over the light jacket was, yet again, white, creating an impression of different-colored layers.
On her head she wore a purple tricorne lined with golden color, one that matched the color of her long hair that had been put on two large braids. The eyes were also purple, bringing the color-scheme of her attire to a full circle. The tanned skin of the woman told that she was clearly from southern lands, but it was the make-up that made her seem vaguely Egyptian.
Not to mention the symbol of Egyptian alchemists on the back of her jacket.
“Samaria Eltnam Astarte. It is a pleasure.”
The somewhat awkward greeting of the alchemist was returned with a blank expression. Justeaze did not seem to be fazed at all that the one who had arrived to the town of Fuyuki many months ago had only now decided it was time to see her. Although she did not understand the emotional reason for such a decision, Justeaze could deduce from the bags under Samaria’s eyes, and the somewhat anxious expression she wore, that the young woman was under a lot of stress. Perhaps she had been too busy until now to visit the castle.
“I’ve…I’m sorry. I haven’t…stayed exactly on…touch. It’s been…busy…few years. But I got myself…here…into Japan. Covertly. Like you asked.”
Samaria’s speech-pattern was one of a tired, paranoid individual. While she talked, her eyes kept darting around the corridor, as if she was ascertaining there was nothing in the place that could prove to be hazardous to her life.
“It is alright, Samaria. As long as you have the dedication it takes to be a part of the ritual, I am not bothered by the fact that you have decided to seclude yourself without the need to contact others. Have you already prepared all the necessities for the ritual? We are to begin tonight, which, in turn, means that all of our preparations must be complete by the midnight.”
Justeaze shoved all the unnecessary thoughts from her mind. Whatever the cause of Samaria’s current mood, the homunculus knew that it could be erased if they proved successful with their ritual. The by-product of opening the gate to the Root and the reacquiring the Third, the miracle that had been used as the bait to draw the four other magi into the ritual, would surely compensate the alchemist enough. Whatever it was that troubled her could be fixed.
After all, that was what had been promised.
“—Yes. I came to…report just that. My Binding Sigil is ready, I have the artifact…and…I prepared the vessel and the magic circle. Everything…everything is ready on my end. I know a familiar…would have sufficed to inform you, but, Justeaze, I…wanted to see…you. Your face. I need…I just…the thought of eradicating the curse of my family-line, the mere possibility…it is…making me nervous. And anxious. And hopeful. I cannot remember the last time I was…hopeful.”
These words surprised the homunculus. She hadn’t thought it had been the intention of Samaria to actually come to see her face-to-face. She had merely expected it to be out of some necessity. She had always been a reclusive individual, now more than ever. However, that hermit-like behavior which put even the Einzberns to shame had been pushed aside for a moment. And for what reason? To see her?”
“Can I inquire what is the reason that you would seek to see me personally?”
“—I, I…Justeaze, we’re…friends, right? Can we still…be friends?”
If the words before had been a surprise, this was a complete shock to Justeaze. To her, such words were a completely alien concept. Friendship. For what reason would a homunculus, whose sole purpose was to recreate the legend of her family, know about friendship? Or need it for that matter? But the matter of the fact still remained. Justeaze and Samaria knew each out from the long time ago, and while Justeaze had always found the relationship beneficial, she had no idea that the other part actually thought of it as friendship.
Needless to say, Justeaze was troubled. Not at the aspect of friendship itself, no. But of the fact that she, a tool of the Einzberns, was viewed as a friend. A being just like humans. Something which Samaria could relate to.
“If you judge me worthy of such title, then I do not see any reason to not cease our friendship. What opinion do you have of it?”
Justeaze gave out the only answer she could.
“G-great. Yeah, I’m…happy. Thanks, Justeaze. With all these…magi I do not know, it’s good to know that…friends are still friends. Even a short visit like this…can make one happy.”
As timidly and quickly as someone with her personality could, Samaria embraced Justeaze. There was no strength in that gesture, and it did not feel anything more than few feathers landing on the homunculus, but still, there was warmth in it. Without a second thought, Samaria released Justeaze and took a few steps back.
“W-well, I…I must be going now. I’ll see you tomorrow, Justeaze. When…our wishes have all come true, and…the world finally knows of peace.”
Justeaze was left into an awkward silence as the alchemist quickly retreated from the corridor, towards the entrance to the castle. What had that been all about? Even homunculus like Justeaze realized that there was something more to Samaria’s behavior than just nervousness. It had been akin to someone saying goodbyes. Or perhaps, someone who did not believe in what they were about to do.
“Samaria…if we truly are friends…”
Justeaze asked from the lonely corridor.
“—Then why do you hide your thoughts from me?”
※※※※※
Samaria Eltnam Astarte hurried out of the castle that was the base of Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern. The woods outside were showered in light, but even that warmth, filtered through the mist, was not able to lift her spirit. No, even the fresh breeze coming from the forest was too little to be able to reassure about their chances of success.
Samaria had taken part of the ritual simply because she trusted Justeaze. Many years back, she had been saved by Justeaze on one of her foolish forays into old ruins, searching for something that could end the curse of her family-line. That thing had not been found, but instead, she had gotten a new chance. A chance that this ritual presented. If it succeeded, it would mean that she would be able to erase the stain on the name of Eltnam.
Unfortunately, how guaranteed it was that they would succeed was completely another subject.
As shunned as Samaria was by others of her order, she was still very powerful both as a magus and as an alchemist. She specialized in calculation of the future, or rather, simply: Future, and all the infinite interpretations that sprung from it. Indeed, it could be said that her abilities, when it came to prediction of the future, were on par with the greatest and the most cursed Eltnam ever known to the world.
And all this even without accounting her magic.
It was simply due to the fact that she was an outcast that she had not been already given a Sealing Designation. Her research on the various aspects of phenomena and concepts had taken her to a place where few magi dared to venture into. In fact, she had even been attacked by numerous Dead Apostles who were trying to acquire her research in the past. This all showed just how deviated she was from the normal world of the magi.
This was also why she valued her few friends more than anything else. This was why she wanted the ritual that Justeaze had poured her whole life into to succeed. This was why she was ready to do anything for Heaven’s Ascension to come to fruition.
And this was also why she was unable to tell to her friend that their chances of succeeding in the ritual were abysmally low.
Samaria had run all the possible calculations she could think of before travelling to Japan, and as she had finished, it had dawned upon her that there was a great chance that this ritual would not succeed. No, there was actually a higher chance of something going terribly wrong than everything going as planned. From the very start, the most probable direction of the ritual had been a disaster.
But when she saw how enthusiastic every other person invited to take part in the ritual was, and how the three who had started it all we’re giving everything they got to the ritual, she became unable to tell the truth to them. She did not want to bring down the harsh statistic on them. Of course Samaria wanted the ritual to succeed like anyone else. But she had no foolish hopes.
“...But. Even so, if that was the only thing…”
Samaria muttered as she walked through the forest, her eyes scanning the canopy for any signs of movement. As she grew up, Samaria had learned to watch out for anything that could possibly threaten her. Her whole life had been a fight against scorning, jealous fellow alchemists, assassins sent by some old magi families and beings that had stained her family name for forever.
“If only there…wasn’t that chance…”
The chance she feared most. And the chance she could see very well happening.
The chance that only one of them could use the Holy Grail.
There had always been a chance that something might go wrong with the ritual itself. And if the ritual was somehow botched up, there was bound to be some complications with the result. The most horrifying Samaria could imagine was that the Holy Grail could only grant the miracle of one person. If that happened, all these people who had gathered to do greater good together would quickly and surely turn against each other. Each of them had their own wish, though their common goal was the same.
Even Samaria herself was no different. She wanted to rid the world of her personal burden, her personal curse, and thus heal the world from the death and chaos that lied within it. But if there was only one miracle which could be obtained, then what would she do? Respect the three who had been part of the ritual since the beginning and allow them to sort it out themselves? Vouch for Justeaze, who was the one to whom she felt greatest connection to.
No. She would take that miracle for herself. With force, if she had to.
There was no grudge or anything that made her choose such decision. It was simply the matter of course. For her, her own wish was the one with greatest justification, and thus, she would make sure that she herself would be the one who would end up getting her wish granted. No matter how much she wanted piece. No matter how great friend Justeaze was to her.
Samaria would turn to selfishness, and take it all for herself. And the reason was simple. There was no other choice. In her mind, it was the only possible outcome she would allow.
“…As long as the shame of Eltnams is erased, I don’t care what happens.”
That was the solemn promise Samaria made with herself.
Even if the world around her would burn, Samaria would make sure that it would be she herself who would be the one standing in the end.
With those thoughts in her heart, the alchemist hurried deeper into the forest. The oppressing trees everywhere hid her dark intentions from any possible beings that would watch her. Her mind was already making the necessary calculations that would give the ritual greatest possible outcome of success. But at the same time, other part of her brain was already working on plans of acquiring the Grail for herself if the worst came true.
She needed to get to the temple district. Her workshop there, hidden amongst the countless buildings and shrines and dotted the area, would be the key to her victory if there was a need of such. While the other magi who were part of the ritual had made their residences well-known, Samaria had stayed hidden. Just in case.
“H-huh? Then, was that…in the end…?”
Samaria’s thoughts came to a stop when a sudden realization dawned upon her. If she was already so prepared to fight for the Grail, then, perhaps, the reason why she truly had wanted to visit Justeaze like this, even if in a brief manner…
…Maybe she had been saying her goodbyes to her old friend.
2:41 pm
Whether you asked it from a commoner on the street, from a high-ranked politician passing through the small town, or one of the magi that now lived in Fuyuki, the mansion of Makiri Zolgen was definitely impressive. Unlike other buildings in vicinity, this new mansion towered above the rare visitors with intimidating presence. Built in a traditional Japanese way, many whispered that the man living in the mansion was actually a far-away relative of the Emperor himself, hiding from the authorities or being in exile.
Nothing could have been further from the truth. Past the numerous rooms and winding corridors, decorated in a Japanese way, lied a secret chamber that was very unlike the impression that the exterior gave to those passing by the building. To anyone who saw the house from the outside, it seemed clear that this was a house of a rich local man, whatever his circumstances might have been.
But inside this house lived a man who was as far away from local as he could have been.
It was in the aforementioned chamber that this man, Makiri Zolgen, received his guest. The chamber lied underground, away from the prying eyes of the townsfolk. It was a workshop created for the sole purpose of strengthening and advancing the peculiar magecraft of the Zolgen family. An underground greenhouse built in stone, which housed a jungle of considerable size. The temperature was nauseating and humid, just like in a real rainforest. But in a real rain forest, there would not have been numerous holes in the walls which seemed to dot the whole chamber.
These chambers were the testimony of Makiri Zolgen, and his decision of living in Japan from now on. After a series of grueling skirmishes back to Russia, Makiri had been able to retrieve all the bodies of his now-dead relatives. He had then created a crypt for them, to preserve what little legacy was left of the once glorious Zolgen family. This workshop was not only to bring forth new advances in his magecraft, but remind Makiri of the past, and what had been sacrificed for him to have gotten this far.
“Impressive. Rarely does one get to see the past and the future collide in such an off-setting way.”
This comment came from the mouth of the visitor that had just arrived to Makiri’s mansion. She was a woman in her late twenties, one with a strict face and even stricter ponytail. Her attire was outdated even by the standards of the Clock Tower. She was wearing a tailored, red jacket with a matching long skirt, a white chemisette and a wide-brimmed hat that had a white feather decorating it. The attire was finished with low-heeled boots and a necktie, giving her an aura of a relic of past centuries. Same aura was given by the gauntlet and the armor that veiled her left hand, as if she had stolen them from a knight.
But the most striking part of her costume was the long riding crop she carried on her waist. Whatever was the purpose of such a tool had always remained unknown to Makiri, but he knew he would rather not find out.
“Good day, Melusine. It seems that you have finally finished your preparations.”
Makiri swatted away the comment with his dry greeting.
Melusine Barthomeloi. The current heir of the esteemed Barthomeloi family. There was not a single magus in the western world who had not heard of the Barthomeloi, the greatest vampire hunters in the whole Clock Tower, and ones with enough power to stand side-by-side with those who wielded True Magic.
No, if one wanted to be precise, the Barthomeloi looked down on people wielding any other True Magic than the first.
Needless to say, the first meeting between Melusine and the Wizard Marshall who acted as the mentor of Tohsaka Nagato had been unpleasant to say the least.
Interestingly enough, Makiri had found himself to be one of the few people who had acquired the respect of the woman known as Melusine Barthomeloi. Having met her on his way to Japan, Makiri had gotten himself involved in a hunt for a certain Dead Apostle Ancestor, and it was only through the help of his unique magecraft that Melusine had finally been victorious. Afterwards, Melusine had always promised to consider Makiri, and all his heirs, as worthy of the acknowledgment of the Barthomeloi family.
But this did not mean that Melusine liked Makiri. In fact, to the contrary. Makiri suspected that he actually repulsed Melusine, since while he had been alive for few hundred years, he was not classified as a vampire.
Therefore, the urges and instincts of Melusine clashed together, bringing forth a realization that Melusine would not be allowed to kill him. Much to her chagrin.
“Yes. The artifact that I ordered to be excavated from near Luxor just arrived today, and I incorporated it into my part of the ritual. Though it was a bit hard with such a heavy stone. I have also finished with the magic circle. And since you so kindly gave me this Binding Sigil, I am now ready. If it was up to me, I would start the ritual in few hours.”
The words of the brown-haired woman were dripping with sarcasm, which was nothing new to Makiri.
He had associated with her long enough to know just what sort of person she was, and how she socialized with other people.
Or, perhaps, “socialized” was a wrong word to use.
Melusine Barthomeloi gave orders, ridiculed or cursed you.
It was one of the three, and there was no middle-ground.
“Where have you established your workshop, then? We need to send one familiar over to your location so that we can keep the ritual in harmony as we start.”
Makiri decided to cut straight to the gist of things.
The more time he allowed Melusine to talk, the more assured it was that she was in charge of the conversation. Something nobody ever wanted to happen.
“I’ve acquired a mansion near the sea, close to the location of the harbor. I shall do my part from there, and hope dearly that you six will do yours.”
Melusine’s answer was accompanied by a sharp smile, reminding Makiri of a dagger.
“Do not worry. We shall all be ready. Just do not go starting the ritual on your own, or we will have a whole heap of trouble in our hands. It is best not to let our impatience get the best of us.”
The talk between the two was like watching sparks ignite the air.
It was a strange sort of relationship, where the two clearly did not like each other, but at the same time, they showed no true disdain towards each other.
These two people with their own peculiar sense of humor and view of the world might have actually had a lot in common, enough to bring their discussion to a level where they could sew in hidden insults to their words without causing a fight to break out.
“There is nothing wrong with being impatient, as long as it is accompanied by common sense and will to achieve. If you all had those three qualities, you would already have reacquired the third instead of still being preparing for the ritual itself.”
“If you count those as qualities, I am almost afraid to ask what you consider a fault, then.”
The two of them stared at each other for a moment, before breaking into grins of their own. It looked almost as if they knew what was going on in the head of the one they were talking to, and instead of acting properly, they went out their way to make sure to the other would be as troubled as was possible.
“So, in any case, Melusine…I’ve wanted to ask you this for some time, but could you tell me something? Why did you even take a part in this ritual in the first place? From what I’ve understood, you think nothing of the ritual itself.”
Makiri switched the subject of the conversation to a one he had found odd for some time now. It was true that Melusine had, at first, seemed reluctant to take part in the Heaven’s Ascension, but despite all her negative comments, she had travelled all the way to Japan to take part of it. These sorts of mixed messages made Makiri curious as to what her true thoughts were.
It did not help that Melusine, despite not being that old yet, had gathered quite a reputation for herself. She was known to be a one who openly ignored orders from the Association, and yet, after few months, did the mission anyways. She never gave a reason, and there was never any indication that she would have gotten an assignment from anywhere else.
In just ten years, working like that, Melusine Barthomeloi had become one of the most famous magi in the Association. With a brigade of talented magi at her command, and with enough power to have destroyed three Dead Apostle Ancestors in that short time, she quickly rose to a position that stood at the same height as the head of the Clock Tower. Whispers said that her bloodline, if it continued, would eventually become even more powerful than the said headmaster.
So why had such an accomplished magus and a famous person decided to abandon everything she was doing at that moment, to travel to a small, rural country of Japan to take a part in a ritual created by magi families that had distanced themselves from the Association long ago?
Makiri was curious to know the answer to that question.
“Isn’t that obvious, Makiri? I am here because I should be here. No, I must be here. For the simple reason that this ritual exist, I must be present at its creation.”
The answer was something Makiri had not expected.
It seemed that Melusine had decided that it was not because she wanted to be part of the ritual, but because she needed to be part of the ritual.
Did she see herself as a necessity for the success? Was this the blood of the Barthomeloi that was talking right now? Makiri found himself with more questions now that he had gotten an answer, and he was not sure he should ask anything more.
The answers he would get would, most likely, be just as confusing as this one.
“Do you not understand? Then, allow me to put it to you in a simpler way, Makiri.”
A smug smile spread of Melusine’s face, like a cat who had cornered a mouse and was now playing with it. Makiri was not sure he liked the fact that he had been cast to the part of the mouse, especially if he was to be played with.
Especially if the metaphor included Melusine.
“What would you do without me? Uncut jewel is nothing but a worthless pebble.”
These words made Makiri finally realize what Melusine had meant. It dawned upon him that this was not only the view of the Barthemeloi family, but the view of their heir herself. She wanted, no, needed to be present at the site of this ritual, because this ritual needed to succeed. It needed perfection.
And wherever Melusine Barthomeloi walked, perfection followed.
“I see. Then I guess I will have to thank you.”
Makiri chuckled and absent-mindedly caressed a large leaf of a plant that was growing next to the tree-stump he was sitting on.
Hearing those words, Melusine acknowledged them with a graceful nod. The smug smile on her face had grown fainter, and now it seemed much more like a normal smile.
Or as normal as a smile could get on a face like Melusine’s.
“And I shall accept that gratitude. If this ritual is to succeed, I need to be present. If I am to be present, this ritual is to succeed. These two things are an inseparable fact that you cannot deny. Therefore I am here. That is as simple as it will get. Even you can understand it, no? You did offer me your thanks, after all.”
“Yes, I know. Now, if you would kindly stop rubbing the fact on my face.”
Melusine chuckled in a rather masculine way at Makiri’s obvious chagrin.
“Well then, I guess I shall take my leave, then. To avoid causing more verbal defeats for you, Makiri. I also need to prepare myself for the ritual, even if my materials are in-place.”
“Do that. It is highly possible that I start suffocating in this chamber if that ego grows any larger.”
The two magi smiled in a curt manner, and Melusine turned around on her heels. She marched towards the staircase, leaving Makiri staring after her.
In the end, whatever the relationship between the two was remained as a mystery.
Were they rivals, friends or did they actually hate each other’s guts…
…None of that matter.
After all, as Makiri had put it when he, Nagato and Justeaze were picking the magi to invite to take part in the ritual.
“They are all people that share my dream.”
In other words, whether they were friends or enemies, all these magi had a same common goal.
—To erase evil from the world.
※※※※※
While the two magi were having a conversation in the basement, there was another discussion going nearby. In fact, this happened on the street not far away from the mansion where Makiri lived in. Since the mansion of Tohsaka Nagato lay just uphill from Makiri’s mansion, it was not surprising that the people who lived in these two mansions sometimes crossed paths without even meaning to.
The afternoon sun was shining brightly despite it being the start of January, making it rather warm for the coastal town of Fuyuki. Few clouds lazily moved across the sky, clearly having nothing better to do than to just mar the deep blue yonder that would have been otherwise perfect. Fortunately, the wind was slowly picking up, and would eventually carry these clouds away.
It was under such sky that Rieschild Stridberg and Tohsaka Shinju were walking up the hill.
“Wow, Ries-nee! Thanks again! Without you, I would die in starvation soon. Daddy’s so preoccupied with the ritual that he has no time to buy any food. I can’t even cook since there’s nothing to cook!”
Shinju was practically beaming at Rieschild, her smile showing nothing but admiration towards the older woman. The thirteen years old girl had grown attached to the woman in the past year, and now she acted almost like a surrogate sister to her, as the others Shinju knew, like Nagato and Justeaze, were busy with the ritual that was supposed to happen soon.
The two of them were both holding two pork buns, one in each hand, although the other one that Shinju had was almost eaten already. The steam rose to the air from the buns, and the fragrance of the delicious food hovered around the two.
Eating pork buns, walking side-by-side on a fresh day of January…if not for their vastly different appearances, one could have definitely mistaken them for sisters.
“Well, I am supposed to help your father to my full extent. Hence, this likeable task also falls within my job-description.”
Rieschild spoke with a smile and took a bite out of her own pork bun. The flavor was still exotic for a foreigner like her, even though she had been living in Fuyuki for over a year now. It was thanks to the suggestion spell that Nagato had put on her that she was able to walk around the town with Shinju like this, something about which Rieschild was very thankful.
Before the spell, she had been forced to go out only at night, and even then, she had to be very careful not to run into any locals.
But now? Now she could enjoy her time outside in the refreshing afternoon with the ever-energetic child of her employer.
“But even I’ve been really busy lately, you know? I just finished tuning the Teleidos Crystal to its full potential, so that the adults can use it to store all that energy and turn it into that Holy Grail thing. Grandpa Zel said he was really proud of me! But even if I’m so busy, I still find time to play and, if possible, cook! So how come daddy is so occupied?”
Rieschild chuckled at the child’s enthusiasm. Although she was a serious person at heart, even she found it impossible to not enjoy the company of Tohsaka Shinju, who seemed to have boundless happiness contained within her.
For once, Rieschild thought that Tohsaka Nagato had been clever. That is, when it came to the name of Shinju.
“There are many things which your father must take care of. Although you can commit your full attention to the Teleidos Crystal, he needs to make sure every other bit of the ritual is in perfect condition for today. So do not think too badly of Mr. Tohsaka if he cannot always find the time to play with you. Instead, try to support him the best you can.”
“Well, he still should be able to buy some food, at least…”
Rieschild chuckled again when she saw that Shinju was now pouting. The girl’s expressions were always as easy to read as determining the direction from where the sun rose. She was full of life, and that life showed up especially well on her face.
Rieschild knew that when she would grow up, she would become a beautiful heiress of the Tohsaka-clan with quite the temperament.
“Hey, Rieschild…what do you think will happen tonight?”
Shinju suddenly asked from the older woman with a strangely serious tone.
Unfortunately, even Rieschild had no answer to that question. She was no magus, and she had only the basic information about the ritual itself.
Therefore, she had no way of predicting the results.
But, she knew one thing. One thing that the small girl beside her was asking in a round-about manner.
“Do not worry, Shinju. Your father will be alright, there is no doubt about that. Nothing dangerous will happen, and even if something went a bit wrong, Mr. Tohsaka is the type of man who will survive no matter what, is that not so? Not to mention that I am there to protect him too. So rest assured. I promise that no harm will come to your father. So believe in me.”
Rieschild looked at Shinju. For a moment the girl continued to stare down at her feet.
But then, with reignited vigor, she took a huge bite out of the pork bun she was holding, chewed on it a bit, and then flashed a brilliant grin at the older woman.
“Yeah! I’ll believe in you, Ries-nee!”
※※※※※
While Shinju had headed straight home, there had still been few things that Rieschild had to take care of. Therefore, she took a different path from the child and ventured towards the back of the residential district of Fuyuki, which had originally been called the town of Miyama. This route took her past many houses, both small and large, that dotted the area. This town was far from the one where Rieschild had spent her own childhood, surround by stone and steel. This wooden village seemed nothing but a mockery of all those grand buildings she had been surrounded by from the very birth, yet Rieschild did not deny that there was strange charm to it.
The same could not be said, however, about the person she ran across as she was passing by a mansion she had visited few times during the past year.
Melusine Barthomeloi, having finished her visit with Makiri Zolgen, was just leaving the precinct of the manor, when she saw the woman of the church nearby.
The magus let out a sharp whistle to catch the attention of the other woman, and walked over to her.
Her expression was one of ridicule, with raised eyebrows and slightly arrogant smile. To Melusine, members of the Holy Church were nothing more than dogs trying to hunt the same prey as lions did. There had never been much love lost between her and the organization that was in a constant war against Association.
“Now, do they let you walk around without a leash? I am frankly rather surprised.”
Melusine’s words were akin to daggers which she threw at Rieschild. However, thanks to her personality, those daggers were as useful as real daggers against plate armor.
Rieschild had met many types of peoples in the past, and Melusine Barthomeloi was not the first arrogant magus she had to deal with. She was, however, the first one with enough power to back up her arrogance, but that was beside the matter.
It did not change her personality in any way.
“I do as my employer tells me to. That is all. I do not think you have any reason to complain about it.”
“Oh, no, not at all. I am just surprised, that’s all. It would have never occurred to me to have you walk about the town without anyone watching your actions. The head of the Tohsakas might trust you, but I certainly do not. Once a member of the Church, always a member of the Church.”
The eyes of Rieschild narrowed, and her body slowly adopted a more appropriate stance for quick action.
The words of Melusine were not hostile, not yet, but they had a good chance of turning into such words.
This was something Rieschild had also learned from experience.
Magi were people with quick mood swings and even quicker urge to kill.
Having been a Shield Knight for quite a long time, Rieschild had had her fair share of fights with the magi.
Although every battle with such beings would have to approached with caution, Rieschild had many tactics which would prove useful even in surprise attacks.
She had not lived this long just because she was lucky. Her body was as tough as nails, and even though it did not seem like so, she was carrying multiple weapons which she could easily use against Melusine, were she to attack here and now.
But even Rieschild did not think Melusine would actually attack her.
It was simply a natural reaction to the hostility she felt.
Now, on the precipice of the ritual and the granting of their wishes, Melusine would not be able to afford for anything to go wrong.
And killing a person who had been sent to serve one of the creators of the ritual would definitely be something “wrong”.
Therefore, Rieschild was not in danger.
But that did not mean that she would not prepare for anything.
“I may be a member of the Holy Church, but that does not change the fact that I am here to serve Mr. Tohsaka. That is my current duty as a Shield Knight, to pay back my dept. Even if you suspect me of being a spy or worse, I will not cease this mission given to me.”
Rieschild spoke with unwavering determination in her voice.
She had volunteered to serve here, in the foreign land, to pay back her dept to that certain person. And that person’s wish was that she’d be sent here, to guard Tohsaka Nagato.
And now, a year later, it was no longer even about just that mission.
She had grown attached to both Mr. Tohsaka and especially to his daughter, and would not abandon her mission even if ordered to.
She would see this mission through, and she would make sure that both Mr. Tohsaka and Shinju would survive it too.
“Hmh. I see. Well, I guess that’s okay, then.”
Just like that, the foreboding presence of Melusine Barthomeloi disappeared, like a gust of wind.
Smiling now in a more relaxed way, the magus gave her the slightest of nods and resumed walking, heading downhill towards the bridge that would lead to the temple-district.
Melusine gave one sideways glance to Rieschild as she passed her by, like a snake watching another.
There was no longer hostility in that gaze, but it did not allow Rieschild to relax either.
“If that is the case, then I shall wish you goodbye. There is a ritual I need to prepare to.”
Those were the last words Melusine gave to Rieschild before turning her head away.
The Shield Knight was left behind, standing at the yard of the Zolgen mansion and staring at the back of the strange magus.
Whatever mood had come over Melusine, it was now long gone.
However, Rieschild knew better than forget such a thing.
From that moment forward, she knew that she would have to keep a closer eye at the heir of the Barthomeloi.
6:15 pm
On the hill overlooking the temple-district, far removed from any actual civilization, laid an old and venerable Shinto temple that had, for ages, competed with the Buddhist temple of Ryuudou. Unlike the Ryuudou temple, this ancient Shinto temple seemed to demand awe with its mere presence, even nowadays, when the temple had all but fallen to the teeth of time. All the old glory was lost, and what was left was a shell and bones of a once glorious sight.
But, as said, it was still a sight to behold, and generally a place which drove away most of the people who were walking nearby.
It was in this place that Alexandre de Plancy had put up his workshop. Amidst the shadowy corridors and broken statues, he continued to practice his magecraft, hidden from both the locals and the other magi who were in the town.
There was a simple reason for this. Most of it could be explained by talking about the itch that Alexandre constantly felt around his face. It was the itch of a somewhat crudely created physical illusion, another face created from the skin of the man it was to represent. In this case, it would happen to be Alexandre’s brother, Collin de Plancy.
Of the two brothers, it was Collin who had been chosen to be the heir of the de Plancy family, much to the anger of Alexandre. The two had always been equal in power, despite the fact that their father had always favored Collin. As they both had turned 25 years old, their father had made clear that it had been Collin all-along who was supposed to be the heir. He had just created an illusion of competition in order to make Collin strive for even greater heights.
Needless to say, this had angered Alexandre quite magnificently. Magnificently enough that he had murdered his father the next month, and disguised it as an accident.
For a long time Alexandre had been trying to find a way to steal the Magic Crest and the position of the heir from Collin, but so far, there had been no chance for it. Collin had been too suspicious of him after their father’s death, after all.
Fortunately, a chance presented itself for Alexandre about half a year ago.
While his brother had been away, Alexandre had found a letter addressed to Collin, which divulged to him all the information about this grand ritual that the Einzberns were preparing. Apparently they knew Collin from before, and had decided to invite him to be a part of the ritual.
A ritual in which you could get your wish granted, no matter what it was.
There was no better chance for Alexandre. Being an accomplished surgeon, both spiritual and normal, he quickly created a mask of flesh from tissue of his brother, worked to learn all the mannerisms of his older brother, and then made his way to Japan.
As far as the other magi knew, it was Collin de Plancy who had arrived to the town of Fuyuki.
In other words, Alexandre was in perfect position. Nobody knew about his true identity, and he had a chance to get his wish granted.
By the time he would have transferred the position of the heir and the Magic Crest to himself, it would be all too late.
Alexandre trusted his skills enough that he would be able to escape when the other magi would learn of his true identity. After all, he had been practicing for that.
In other words, the only thing that was missing now was the ritual itself. And after that…
He would finally acquire the position he was supposed to get from the very beginning.
Currently, Alexandre de Plancy was preparing his part of the ritual in the abandoned Shinto temple, working under the cover of the large shadows cast by the hollow building.
He only stopped his work when he felt a familiar that passed through the Bounded Field he had put around the temple.
Trying not to scratch the mask of flesh which itched horribly, Alexandre turned to look at the familiar which jumped in from the hole in the wall.
It was a cat which had no fur. Instead, the surface was a swirl of untold colors which twisted and turned every time you looked at the animal.
There was a big, permanent grin on the cat’s face, and its eyes followed Alexandre in an accusing way.
“Collin. Is everything ready on your end?”
It was the voice of Makiri Zolgen which spoke through the cat.
These familiars were property of the Wizard-Marshall, but it seemed like he was borrowing seven of them for the sake of the ritual.
“Yeah. I’m juuuust finishing my magic circle.”
While he was talking, Alexandre added last lines of blood to the symbols on the edges of the circle, and stoop up. He wiped sweat from his forehead, smearing it with the same animal-blood.
A pile of dead critters lay in the corner of the temple. The animals had done a great sacrifice for the sake of this ritual too.
“And you have an artifact?”
“Yeah, yeah. Though judging by what you decided to put as the filters of my Class, I don’t think my artifact will matter, anyway.”
Even though, in the end, there was no meaning to the containers called “Class” and the limits put on them, it still somewhat annoyed Alexandre that he had been given such a weak one.
It was as if they had suspected him to be an impostor or something.
However, that could not be the case. If there was one thing Alexandre knew how to do perfectly, it was mimicking someone.
He had made a living out of it once, after all. Like he did now.
“I…see. In any event, it is good to know you are ready too. That means all of us are ready. We will start at midnight to ensure the most prosperous moment of summoning. I shall leave this familiar into your workshop, like I have with all the other participants, in order to keep you informed. I shall contact you via this familiar when we will begin, and once we are all ready, we shall start. Kaleidoscope is watching the Teleidos Crystal in the cave beneath the Ryuudou temple, and shall inform us of the results once we are finished.”
“Alright, got it. I’ll be sure to not to freak out at the cat with no eye-lids and a grin bigger than my ass is. That thing will be the contents of my nightmares for the next few months.”
Alexandre shivered and turned away from the familiar.
Perhaps outside, in the sun and under the clear sky, the thing would not have been so scary-looking, but in the darkness of the old temple, it was truly the stuff of nightmares.
He did not even want to think of the fact that he would need to put up with the thing for the whole day.
“Collin…is everything alright? You seem to be a bit…stressed.”
There was clear worry in Makiri’s voice.
To Alexandre, it was mostly a bother and an annoyance.
“What are you talking about? Why, do you find me different?”
“No, it is not that. Well…never mind. Just be ready and prepared when we will finally start. I will contact you then.”
Alexandre snorted.
“Sure thing.”
After Makiri had cut off his connection, Alexandre turned his attention back to the ritual itself. To him, it seemed far too simplistic to be actually anything as grand as the Einzbern told it would be.
The thing consisted of drawing a rather basic magic circle to the ground, and chanting an incantation to summon forth power from the Throne of Heroes. They were basically stealing some of the colorless, soulless energy from the Throne and stuffing it into the containers through the filters.
As the filters would make sure that the power would not get too high, they would eventually, after the summoning was completely, the keys to activate the actual ritual.
In other words, they would sacrifice the blobs of energy to the Teleidos Crystal.
The Crystal would then begin its work, summoning forth the Holy Grail, which, in turn, would allow them all to achieve their own personal miracles.
That was as far as Alexandre, and the three other magi who had been called to Fuyuki, knew.
In truth, the sacrifice of the clusters of energy would start up the true purpose of the Teleidos Crystal, that is, the recreation of the lost Third True Magic.
In other words, the materialization of the soul.
This would happen by the Teleidos Crystal storing the energy that was called down, and then combining them into a force potent enough to open a gateway to Akasha.
The borrowing of the power from the Throne is done by the incomplete Third Magic imbued into the Teleidos Crystal, which is then used to call that power from the Throne. Once the power has been sacrificed to the Crystal, it is shot back at the Throne, which, given that the power returning is far greater than any individual amount of power siphoned from the Throne, rips open a gateway to Akasha.
And from Akasha, it is possible for the Einzberns to reacquire their Third Magic.
Of course, the amount of power that is generated as the by-product of this ritual is what allows for the granting of wishes.
So, whether or not the person was after the wish of after the gateway to Akasha, this ritual would grant both desires.
Now, the only thing that remained was to perform the summoning.
And Alexandre de Plancy, just like all the other six magi in the town, was ready. What they waited was for the midnight.
The hour of the ritual.
11:59 pm
On the deck of the grand ship Äijön Poika, Euragelita Edelfelt began her preparation of the start of the ritual, having driven away all the crew of the ship to the lower decks. Moon was shining from the cloudless sky. It was full moon, and the silver disc seemed big enough to illuminate the whole land.
She had been preparing for this instance the whole day after Nagato had left, purifying her mind three times in order to avoid any unnecessary thoughts that would hinder the ritual. Now she was ready, and the cat-shaped familiar that stood behind her had just given the mark that they would begin.
For the last few months, she had meticulously studied the magic circle that had been presented to her by the Einzbern, Justeaze. It was not too complex one, but it required specific knowledge to be drawn perfectly. And there were to be no mistakes in this ritual.
Four encircling patterns of departure within erasure. That was the shape of the summoning circle.
A perfect summoning circle.
“ . Five perfections for each repetition. And now, let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead.”
Euragelita’s prana coursed as she chanted the incantation.
The same preparations had been just finished in the underground chamber found within the Tohsaka mansion. The workshop of the magus known as Tohsaka Nagato was now being illuminated by the light given by the magic circle.
“Ye first, O silver, O iron. O stone of the foundation, O Archude of the Contract. Hear me in the name of my great teacher, the Archmagus Schweinorg.”
Tohsaka Nagato’s face showed uncharacteristic seriousness as he held out his hand, which bore the Binding Sigil, and let the words of summoning flow from his mouth.
“Let the descending winds be as a wall. Let the gates in all directions be shut, rising above the crown, and let the three-forked roads to the Kingdom revolve.”
Nagato’s voice boomed in the chamber as he continued the chant. He had used half of the gems he had acquired during his training with his master to create the magical circle in front of him. Having melted them down to their very essence, he had prepared a magnificent summoning ritual with the help of his daughter.
The said daughter, Tohsaka Shinju, and his assistant, Rieschild Stridberg, were watching from the corner of the room at the unfolding spectacle.
While Shinju, as a growing magus, was naturally interested in the ritual itself, Rieschild found herself more drawn to the relic that had been carefully laid on the altar before the magic circle. She had no idea of what hero’s artifact it was, but the half-burnt, dented piece of metal was not exactly heroic in shape.
But one could feel the great age of the metal. It was clearly from a time that was long gone from the minds of the common folk.
In the end, however, it would not matter. It was, after all, only the catalyst to draw for the shapeless energy they needed for the ritual.
The bell tolled for the midnight. During that enchanted hour, seven magi all shouted, in unison, their incantations to the heaven, in an attempt to grasp that which had been lost for so long. In all their minds was a single goal: To remove evil from the world, each in their own way. Whether twisted by the morals of society or by their view of the world, that wish still existed.
After all, each and every one of them held on the same hope.
It was a hope that would bring forth the power that they all craved for. To grasp the mass of magical power that lied beyond time and spice, in a place where none of them could reach normally. But having pooled their resources and their minds together, they had found a way to break that barrier.
For the sake of recreating a legend. It had all started from such a simple wish. Such a simple need to find what had been lost.
A smile spread on the face of Melusine Barthomeloi. Such a simple incantation was not even worthy of passing her lips, but when it did, it soared to the skies with perfection that could never be attained again. And that incantation resonated from six others mouths, once which she heard through the familiar that had been placed in each location of the summoning.
Her mere presence would make this summoning a blazing success. This ritual would definitely bring forth victory. It was the perfect faith in herself and the unwavering knowledge of perfection that made up what was known as pride Barthomeloi.
It was this pride that fueled her desire. The desire of a miracle.
“—Set. Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade. It thou submitteth to the call of our ritual, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond!”
Prana roared like a wildfire around Melusine. While others might have shunned the sensations the coursing energy in one’s Magic Circuit, Melusine reveled in the sensation of power. It was the testimony of her strength, the proof of her excellence.
A grin spread on Melusine Barthomeloi’s face as she continued on with the summoning.
“—I make my oath here. I am the person who is to become the virtue of all Heaven. I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.”
Justeaze allowed herself to be lost to the power of the summoning completely.
The mere thought of taking the first step in reclaiming the lost birthright of the Einzbern family was enough to exhilarate even the heart of the emotionless homunculus. She felt how her artificial flesh was being tormented by the sheer amount of energy that was being gathered. However, she welcomed the agony, as it was the sign of progress.
The first true sign of progress in over thousand years. The pain she felt in the Magic Crest that covered her whole body was nothing compared to that astounding fact.
Throughout her body, Justeaze could hear the innumerable Einzberns screaming in joy as the crucial part went past in one gust of prana-filled wind. Ethereal energies were combined to the material world, and the power that resided on the other side of the universe was pushed into the physical world.
Justeaze focused once more, and opened her mouth to finish the incantation, along with all the others. She heard the voices, the six voices, all shouting in unison.
For the glory of the Einzbern.
Unlike the others who, momentarily, stayed silent, Samaria hurried to continue her incantation with the additional lines granted to her. It was necessary to use these lines, as they were needed for the special containers that had fallen to her and Alexandre de Plancy. For her, it was for the simple reason that she was not a formal magus.
Therefore, she would need to boost the power of the container given to her. In order for the Teleidos Crystal to recognize it as a worthy sacrifice.
“—Yet, thou serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos. Thou, bound in the cage of madness. I am he who commands those chains!”
Tears welled up in Samaria’s eyes as she pushed away all the thoughts of what could happen. What she needed to focus at that moment was this single instant, this single summoning. Whatever happened afterwards would the sorrow of that moment.
But right now, she could not betray her friends.
Gritting her teeth together, Samaria held together her will and her magical energy, to bring forth the needed power that would grant a miracle, numerous or just one. Whichever it would end up being, it did not matter.
What mattered now was that she shouted aloud her incantation.
“—Thou art my shadow, thy form will not be seen. As the silent guardian, my will shall be thy duty. One of the nameless, bearing a mask of white death!”
Alexandre bit his lip hard enough for blood to come out, but he did not dare to stop. Nobody had told him how taxing the ritual of summoning would be, but he could not back out. Not now. He would need to see this thing to the end and acquire his birthright.
Even if the magical energies around him threatened to tear his flesh, he needed to stay strong.
Even if the incantation barely rolled from his tongue due power contained within, he needed to stay strong.
Even if the light of the magic circle had already darkened his vision, he needed to stay strong.
Having been given the container created from the remnants of the failed ones, he had to add additional lines to bring forth the legend of a certain hero, which would be enough to grant the power needed. It was not the strongest of possible heroes, but the amount of energy siphoned from the legend should be enough.
Alexandre de Plancy cursed in his mind as the roaring prana almost deafened him. Even if the ritual would fail, he would make sure that it would not be because of him.
“Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words, come past thy restraining rings! Guardian of the Heavenly Scales—!”
The moment he reached the peak of his raging prayer, Makiri felt the acceleration of his prana reach its apex, and saw how the light of the magic circle was turned into a flood of pure whiteness, which engulfed him and the whole chamber.
The world shook. The sky roared. Lightning rampaged across the room from the magic circle, and the prana raged like a whirlwind. Brilliant light shone from the middle of the magic circle, and eventually quieted down to reveal the form of the energy that had been summoned. Although blinded by the light, Makiri felt how his Magic Circuits connected to something otherworldly, just as it was supposed to be. He was, after all, the anchor to the mass of energy he had called forth.
However, there was one problem. The mass of energy that was connected to him felt anything but.
Slowly opening his eyes, Makiri gazed at the magic circle, and the smoke clearing from the vicinity. He tried to see past the fog that had conquered his workshop. And eventually, his eyes adjusted to the sudden dimness of light, revealing what stood in the middle of the magic circle.
“—What in…the name of all that’s holy…?”
Makiri Zolgen, for the first time in 200 years, could not find words.
What stood before him was not a formless, colorless mass of energy. It was the shining form of a blue-haired knight, illuminated by the fireflies that had been scattered into the air by the power of the ritual. His armor was of silver and steel, accompanied by clothing that made him resemble a great warrior brought from the time immemorial. His appearance was like that of a thunder and wind, red eyes of the being telling of legends that were now recreated.
Something that had, once in the past, been a mortal, now stepped into the plane of its origin as a something far more. From the Throne of Heroes, weaved from the dreams of the mankind and from the brilliant desire for a heroic deeds, stood up a single hero to answer the desperate call of the magus.
Yes—
On the deck of a ship, in the underground chamber, in the abandoned temple, in every single of the seven locations scattered around the town of Fuyuki…
Words rang out with enough power to make a person fall to their knees:
“I ask thee, art thou my Master?”
-----------------------------
Next time in Fate/Genesis…
“This…this was not how it was supposed to be!”
“Stop your bitching, Master, or I’ll give you a beating.”
“You underestimate the human nature. As long as there is a need to fight, they will.”
“Daddy…you’ll be careful, right?”
“If the need be, I shall pierce every single one of them with my arrows.”
“…For the sake of the Einzbern family.”
Chapter 2:
There can be only one
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Originally Posted by Verg Avesta
Poor people.
