I will now physically prepare myself for the Enkidu vs. Herakles hype.
I will now physically prepare myself for the Enkidu vs. Herakles hype.
My Fanfics. Read 'em. Or not.McJon01: We all know that the real reason Archer would lose to Rider is because the events of his own Holy Grail War left him with a particular weakness toward "older sister" types.
Back to this perspective of jaded Noel. The distant climax looks to be worse than the last.
So, how far is the next update?
0% but that doesn't mean much because I write my chapters in one go.
I've just been a bit burnt out in March and I have a lot of exams in April, though I'll try to get it posted soon.
Ragnarok, come day of wrath
That fallen souls might bear our plea.
To hasten the Divine's return.
O piteous Wanderer.
Alright, so i'm skipping a scene here because I've been getting stuck on it and it's been something like three-four months since the last update. I'll go back and write it later (it covers Enkidu joining up with Rin on the way there).
This chapter is more of an intro as I get back into things, so it's not very long.
---------------------------------------------It never seemed to amaze her how talented people were at ignoring problems`even as the city was abuzz with questions and worries regarding the source of the disaster that had ravaged a city block, there were still countless people going about their everyday lives more or less unhindered.
It made sense, after all no one had witnessed the catastrophe, so there was no evidence that it had been done by humans, and if it was a freak natural disaster then it was over. Armed with that sort of logic, the people of Fuyuki marched on in their boring, ignorant lives. Not all of them of course, there were those who panicked, those who rioted and those who holed up in their homes as if it could protect them from the outside world, but enough of them continued on with their lives that she could almost pretend that nothing had happened as she walked toward the bounded field.
Masterfully crafted, it was undetectable by any of those who didn’t know what to look for and they found themselves unconsciously avoiding the public park that it isolated from the world, while at the same time being imminently obvious to anyone with any talent for magecraft. Without acknowledging the invisible veil that softly encouraged her to walk away, Rin entered the seemingly empty park.
The other side wasn’t very different in truth; it was still an ordinary, empty park whose only unusual feature were the marks on the ground where Lancer had destroyed Caster’s constructs two days ago. If there was any difference from what anyone could see and what Rin now saw, it would be the presence of a white-haired girl even younger than herself.
“Good afternoon, Master from the Tohsaka. I am Illyasviel von Einzbern.”
A polite greeting marked with a respectful bow, and it was all she could do not to take a step back. She’d expected that she would meet Einzbern’s representative sooner or later, and it had been at the top of her expectations when she’d learned that a Master was waiting here, so of course it wasn’t the young girl that made her feel pressured. No, what she had underestimated was the pressure of the hidden presence that hovered behind her. Even though he stood at the summit of Heroic Spirits, Lancer had always been relaxed around her, and she’d been unprepared for the feeling of someone of that caliber tensing for a fight. It wasn’t even anything as crude as killing intent; what the formless spirit exuded was unfaltering strength.
Still, she couldn’t let any of that hesitation show.
“Good afternoon to you too, Illyasviel von Einzbern. I’m surprised to see you here, until now your family has faithfully adhered to the unwritten rules.”
As two of the founding families, it went without saying that both Tohsaka and Einzbern had it in their best interest to obey conventions. For two of their representatives to meet in broad daylight like this was probably unprecedented.
“I intended to do the same, but at this point attempting to hide that something unusual is happening in this town sounds like a bad joke. Better to finish this quickly before outsiders start looking too deeply into it. You must have reached the same conclusion, right?” Illya gave a deep sigh. “Besides, there’s no way we can stay idle at this point. You couldn’t know, but things aren’t going as planned this time around.”
“What do you mean?”
“Rider, then Caster a few minutes later. Two Servants died last night.” Holding up her fingers as if counting, she closed them into a small fist. “Yet the number of souls the lesser Grail received was zero. We aren’t any closer to the descent of the Grail as we were when this started.”
“Are you kidding?”
Of course she wasn’t, there was no way anyone from the family that had sought the Holy Grail for a thousand years would joke about its functions, but the news was so weird that Rin had to ask with widened eyes. It made perfect sense for her to be here then. As long as the Holy Grail could be filled by the battles of others, she had no reason to leave her fortress in the forest; she could simply wait there and have Archer pick off anyone who tried to approach; only when there was a single opponent remaining would she come out to finish the war.
But if the Holy Grail wasn’t being filled…
“What do we do then?” She felt a knot form in her stomach at the thought. She was confident that she could win any battle, but if the ritual was ruined there was nothing that she could do about it. “It’s pointless for the war to continue like this.”
“But at the same time, there’s no way we can call for a cease in hostility. The only one with that authority would be the Supervisor of the Church, who vanished last night. No one would trust us if we just said it was happening, and for certain reasons we can’t present the Lesser Grail as proof.” With a calm expression, she announced that they were forced into a corner. “To be frank my first guess was that the Tohsaka were behind this, but it looks like that was off the mark. Interfering with the Lesser Grail’s gathering, at least in a way that doesn’t render the system obsolete, isn’t an easy thing, so I don’t think any random Master is behind this. If it’s neither of us…”
“Then the Matou probably have something to do with it.”
“That would be the logical, wouldn’t it?” A sullen look that seemed out of place on her came over Illyasviel. “I would like to ask for your help, but obviously that isn’t possible.”
An alliance between them would be unthinkable, Rin understood that easily enough. Still, it wasn’t the only possibility.
“I agree, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work together to find out what’s going on.” She smiled thinly. “It just means we can’t become allies in the war.”
“What are you suggesting?”
The mischievous light in her eyes told Rin that her opponent had already understood.
“If not Tohsaka then the winner should be Einzbern, right? I’m sure you have the same thought. The one to obtain the Holy Grail should be one of the three that have been here from the start, and Matou gave up their rights to it by interfering with the intended ritual.”
“That’s true. It would be more acceptable to us as well if Tohsaka obtained the Holy Grail rather than a random stranger.” Nodding appreciatively, the young girl finished the thought. “You’re suggesting that we decide the winner here and now, and the loser will do everything they can to lead to the other’s victory?”
“That’s right. It looks like we think along the same lines.”
“Well, I don’t mind. What do you think?”
As she spoke, she turned toward the empty air behind her.
Or rather, toward the presence that had stood by her side all along. The large man who materialized behind the same girl was reason why it was impossible for the two of them to become allies. To begin with, banding together was something that the weak did to oppose the strong.
For the two of them who held the strongest cards in the Holy Grail War, an alliance was unthinkable. Without an outside threat to warrant standing together, the specter of betrayal would always loom.
“I have no objection.” His deep voice rumbled through the park. “It makes no difference if we confront each other now or later. As long as it is what you wish, Illya.”
“I agree, that’s the way things should be for a first-class Servant.” A shower of golden lights heralded the appearance of a youth at Rin’s side. “We aren’t so lowly that we need something like attrition to weaken the other.”
Lancer met Archer’s stony expression with a bright smile, and Rin nodded.
“Alright, then we’re agreed, Illyasviel von Einzbern? Lancer and Archer will decide things here and now, and the loser has to go along with the winner to solve the problem of the Grail.”
“Agreed.” The young girl bowed regally. “This is all a moot point if we kill each other, so we’ll decide this battle as Masters rather than Magi.”
Last edited by Siriel; May 8th, 2016 at 03:04 AM.
Ragnarok, come day of wrath
That fallen souls might bear our plea.
To hasten the Divine's return.
O piteous Wanderer.
bandingTo begin with, bending together was something that the weak did to oppose the strong.
other“It makes no difference if we confront each others now or later.
other“This is all a moot point if we kill each others,
And it's nice to see HF update again. A fight between the two strongest Servants is undeniably hype, though I'm curious as to whether or not it'll actually happen right here and now in broad daylight. Who knows; we might even get to see Enkidu'sbeam lanceNP!
Originally Posted by Arashi_Leonhart
There's nothing quite like the promise of an impending legendary battle to kick off a return to form.
My Fanfics. Read 'em. Or not.McJon01: We all know that the real reason Archer would lose to Rider is because the events of his own Holy Grail War left him with a particular weakness toward "older sister" types.
What an exciting kickoff to the story again. The way you could practically see the mischievous glint in Ilya and Rin's eyes as they maneuvered their way to an understanding felt like right out of the anime; I could almost hear their voices.
I wonder what good the remaining Master could do without their Servant though. Or maybe they just want to have a non-lethal match and then the loser subordinates themselves to the loser, Servant and all. But like the story points out, the specter of betrayal would always loom.
Also there's no way someone won't interfere with the fight.
He never sleeps. He never dies.
Battle doesn't need a purpose; the battle is its own purpose. You don't ask why a plague spreads or a field burns. Don't ask why I fight.
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