Within this city, mages from all across the globe gather to compete for the ultimate prize. Utilizing only a small fraction of this holy artifacts power, they are to summon Heroic Spirits- champions from all throughout history- to wage battle. Throughout the course of this ritual, the Masters and their Servants will engage each other in mortal combat and spill their blood until all but one remains. To the victor of this war goes the Holy Grail, an almighty engine through which any wish can be fulfilled. Naturally, for this reason, many mages have been known to spend their whole lives working for a shot at such a prizes. And now, for one reason or another, you stand among the proud few who have made it.
Upon arriving in the city, you and the other Masters were asked to meet up in the Central Park. No actions in preparation for the battle ahead were to be taken. Failure to adhere to this would result in an automatic disqualification from the war, though it was never elaborated as to why. You were simply told to meet at this location at this time. If there were any form of convenience offered to you at the time, it would be that you did not have to arrive in person.
Now, here you are, observing the scene with an improvised familiar.
For a park, there is a surprising lack of life to be had. The space is desolate and the land itself seems incapable of supporting life. Because the birds won't even fly through this oppressed space, it's easy enough to discern that the only presences here are those involved in this war.
"Hello there. And welcome to the Holy Grail War."
The girl who stands before you is unlike the ones who approached you before. While they commanded a noticeable air of respect and authority, the atmosphere this person gives off is much more lax and far more questionable. She says nothing more. She offers no name. She simple holds out her hands in appeal and looks on with a smile.
"Now I'm sure you all are aware of how this whole ordeal is to play out. You, along with all others who have gathered here, are to kill each other until there is only one left standing. Furthermore, in light of events prior, steps have been taken to ensure that this battle does not end on such a 'sour' note. Some of the rules have been changed and such information has been forwarded to all before your arrival. ...Now then..."
The girl lowers her hands slightly as she laughs a bit under her breath. Without dropping that eerie smile, she raises her right hand up above her head. Thumb and middle finger firmly pressed together, they roughly slide past each other and fill the air with a sharp pop. When this happens, a strange sensation immediately overcomes you.
Through the eyes of your familiar, you the air and earth shift, shake, and swirl. With the girl's hand serving as its point of origin, a ripple rushes through space as if a stone had been cast into a pond of water. It quickly covers the area of the part and seemingly goes off well into the horizon. At the same time, your physical body is filled with an amazing heat. Your mind is quickly lost to a haze of perception while the brand on your hand burns hotter and hotter. It's a very brief and intense experience, but at the end of it all there is no denying that something extraordinary just took place. Though you yourself are removed from the scene, whatever that girl just did has filled you with something much like motion sickness.
"Welcome to your battlefield."
Once she continues, you can see something like red dust spilling out of the girl's hand. You assume it has something to do with that weird effect just now; however, to your eye, nothing has changed.
"Allow me to explain, my dear Masters. You see, in order to avoid any more wide-spread destruction and unnecessary exposure, this war will be taking place in this Fuyuki. A replica of the one you witnessed not too long ago. And while I'm sure it's not quite what some of you were expecting, I'm sure you'll find it to be a rather convincing copy. Persons of interest have been removed from the equation, but just about everything else should be pretty accurate. Structures, the average people, even the land's natural leylines... All should be accounted for."
It's a rather ridiculous claim to take at word.
Such a feat would not only take an incredible amount of magical energy, but would probably be on a level which requires true magic. Possibly more. Whether or not the girl's story is legit or not is something you'd have to observe for yourself; however, that matter is of no concern to you at the moment.
"This is but a small sample of what's being promised to the victor of this war. The power to create a perfect world in line with your own personal desires. We've dubbed it Arcadia."
Or so you thought...
Perhaps there is more to be gained from this conflict than a chance at a simple wish.
"Now, before I leave you all to it, there are a few more things I'm supposed to tell you," The girl raises three fingers, "First, this world is completely cut off from the one you know. What you have on hand and what you can obtain is all that you have to work with. If you want to obtain assets from your families or the outside world, you will first have to contact one of the overseers. Secondly, unlike previous wars, the church within this city will not serve as a safe haven. Should one lose their desire to fight and wish to seek shelter until the end of this war, they need only address their command seals and wish to speak with one of us. However, should you request shelter, please note that you will be stripped of all remaining command seals upon being taken in."
Explaining that much, the girl places her hands behind her back and smiles with a disturbing amount of glee.
"And third, should you at any time lose all of your command seals, you will be stripped of your status as a Master. You will be unable to form a new contract with a new Servant and you will lose access to the Effigy system explained in transit. But, most importantly, you will lose the ability to contact us overseers directly and, therefore, lose the ability to seek safe haven from the war. All contact with the outside world will be lost to you and you will be trapped in this world until the ritual is complete. Whether or not you're able to survive for that long is entirely dependent upon you."
And with those last few words, the girl takes a bow. Her image starts to fade and her body becomes transparent. Before too long, she vanishes entirely. Providing only a basic explanation of things, she leaves you and the other Masters in this strange city to fend for yourselves.
All that can be heard now are a few words echoing in the distance.
"I recommend all of you establish a base before summoning your Servants. As of now, the Holy Grail War has begun."
And with those last few words, your vision is cut off.
The familiar you sent to the park is completely destroyed and the meeting between you and the strange girl is officially put to a close...
*****
As of 2:47 pm, the Holy Grail War has officially begun.
"I promise nothing." - Sei "Kanra" Slayers
Resident Sadist. Enjoys stepping and sitting on people.
Avid lover of butts and anime.
Oh we're finally able to start this Grill War! It would be disappointing if I, the Protagonist, didn't post first. But to be honest, I have no idea what is happening! Some little girl, who is also a super important PLOT relevant NPC, explained the rules and apparently teleported me to a different dimension that is essentially like the previous world.
Wait if I'm in a new dimension separate from the one I was just in... Does this make me a slider? Wow I'm so cool. I can't jump between dimension at will, but I'm still a slider! Score one for Akane! Minus one boring side rules!
I was basking in my increasingly higher protagonist score until they destroyed my familiar. Nooooooo I just bought that mini helicopter drone. Is this because I made the boring parts of the plot turn into "Blah blah blah d'blah blah" sounds?!? I'm sorry I'll listen to your plot advancing speech better next time... maybe.
So here I am at home? Well I guess I should call it home. I mean it was in a huge mess after that Fuyuki Fire incident. I mean I only lived "here" until I was like six? Well let's fortify this place up and summon those game breaking characters called Servants!
I made the summoning circle that was conveniently placed in a book for me to easily obtain, copy it, and then make in this basement floor. Man I would've been so screwed if it was some top secret summoning ritual that involved following rumors, doing certain actions, or involved large amounts of prana. But it isn't! So let's goooooooooo!
"Come forth my fearsome servant!"
And as I said that, a bright light permeated through the room! Revealing a... magical girl?
"In response to your summons, I have come to serve you in this... war as Servant Cas-"
"Mage party member get!"
I glomped my servant. This is perfect! Now we have me being the Protagonist fighting the evildoers head-on while my servant gives me status buffs or attacks the physical resistant enemies with enemies!
"M-master! What do you mean party member?!? Could you let go of me please!"
I let go of her and I could feel my sprite change from normal to EXCITED.
"So Magi-chan, you're like a totally cool witch right? So you can fly and make like cool things like walking brooms?"
"Y-yes I could do stuff like that, but shouldn't we be doing more important things? Wait when you're talking about Magi-chan. Are you talking about me?"
"Yes! Since we're party members, I thought I should give you a nickname. Well originally I was going to give you Casko... But I feel like that's already taken. So from now on, you are now called Magi-chan!"
With that said, let's find out what she can do!
Last edited by Kuroyuki; January 13th, 2016 at 04:22 PM.
Nemesis
Time: 2:47PM Location: Shopping District (Old Fuyuki)
"Are you alright, ma'am?"
Wide red eyes blinked both in reaction to the words that interrupted her senses, as well as the sensation of one of her 'puppets' being destroyed upon the end of the overseer's announcement. Nemesis lifted her head from its hanging position, lazily looking up at whoever had addressed her so brazenly.
It was a boy, likely no older than twenty years. That he had found her suspicious, even when she'd outwardly appeared to be resting in a bench was worrying. Although, given his human nature, it was more likely he just wanted an excuse to talk to a member of the female species.
"I am fine, you fake." The strange girl said in monotone, as she stepped from the bench and shrugged past the taller man. Said person barely had the time to process her words before she was already wandering into the crowd around the shopping district.
The boy looked at her go and scratched his head in confusion. "What a weird girl..."
...
Meanwhile, the girl recalled why she had been sitting on that bench in the first place. It all came down to a simple conversation, a few weeks before the start of the war.
"Nemesis, you understand your mission after all, don't you?"
"Yes, father."
"The Holy Grail is a tool that was created by human hands, but that does not mean it cannot be used to further our cause. If given the right purpose, it can create miracles capable of righting every wrong, fixing any mistake. However... It is precisely because of such miraculous power that it attracts the flames of chaos to itself."
"...I understand, father. You wish for me to make use of this chaos?"
"Indeed. The Holy Grail war is an event where seven Masters, each vying for their own selfish wishes, will be hell-bent on murdering one another for the sake of their wish. It is a simple, but brutal affair. With the power of Heroic Spirits, they call forth the echoes of the giants that once walked this planet, back when it was mightier and still bountiful in strength."
"I know this, father. You have given me everything I have needed to comprehend since my creation."
"...Maybe so, but it is crucial that you understand this, now that you've been selected. Even if you have been embroiled in this repugnant death match, remember that your purpose is a far greater one. Do not fall into the same brutish affairs of the other Masters- Just follow our previous instructions. As long as everything stays the same, then you won't have to play to this farce any more than the minimum necessary."
But-
"How troublesome... Father's plans have been completely ruined." The girl muttered in a low voice, just before she lost herself in the throng of customers.
It is no problem. Even if this war does not coincide with previous parameters... I will achieve my purpose.
In the end, it had taken her the better half of an hour to find a suitable base of operations. A large density in the concentration of humans was both unnecessary and unpleasant, so after some light inquiries she had found a spacious residence on a quiet neighbourhood in the suburbs of the 'fake' Fuyuki.
However, for all the peace and quiet the remote location could offer, there was nothing it could do to reduce the unsettling ritual that was taking place within the estate's humble, unassuming walls.
Those words echoed darkly in the dimly lit room where the girl was preparing to cast her summon. Summoning rituals were generally an ominous process, involving esoteric glyphs and magical reagents that could easily unnerve the ones not in the know of the moonlit world.
However, the ambient that blanketed the room was one that would lead even magi to hold their breath.
The one that stood in that place, hands splayed as she began to chant an aria within her mind was completely unlike the girl which had been roaming the shopping district in casual street clothes. Not only was she wearing a strange suit, but there were several details about her appearance that humans didn't possess, such as the pointed ears or the strange hair ornaments which appeared to be glued to her head.
-However, that was hardly the unsettling part. Rather...
It wasn't the girl's looks, so much as her presence that would've naturally inspired fear in the hearts of men. The sickly red glow that covered the room was testament to that, as it clung so heavily to everything that the air appeared to grow stagnant and light itself seemed to waver around the spell-casting woman.
This 'Dark Force' was not a mere presentiment, or an unease wrought by the girl's occult practices. It was a corruption, a pervasive, crawling aura that eroded at the formerly innocent living space. Even though outwardly there was nothing wrong, there was no doubt that something 'alien' was invading the sanctuary of the house as the girl invoked her ritual.
Even as the girl's magical power built up, causing her body to become coated in a dark glow, the pervasive feeling in the house continued to spread. It peeked out from the sealed entrance to the room, into the lounge which was still occupied by the family inhabiting the house.
Even as the sickly glow set in, bringing forth a sensation that would have had even the spiritually insensitive hacking their lungs out, the couple at the lounge blissfully ignored it, and so did the girl one floor above. They talked about inconsequential things as their house was profaned right on their faces, even staring at the distance with happy, glassy stares. After all-
-There was not one among them that hadn't fallen to the corruption's grasp already.
"I don't wish for a grand hero, or a champion to bring me fame..." The girl claimed to herself, utterly uncaring of the spectacle unfolding around her. "Give me a warrior with a pure heart, untainted by naive ideals. Let them be my weapon, to carve a path through this fake war, and its false belligerents!"
Red eyes gleamed in the darkness, as the magic circle in the room lit up with an equally fierce glow. "Come, ancient protector of the balance! Step forth and act as my Servant!"
At that moment, the Grail answered the girl's call. The magic circle's glow exploded in brilliance, and soon there was only light.
Saber grunted, as she felt the Grail's power give an incarnation to her spiritual essence. The Holy Grail War was the call which all heroes answered, but that didn't mean that she enjoyed taking living shape as a mere vessel of what she had been in life. It reminded her far too much of her history.
Another war, and one with such stupid rules too. What the hell are these 'effigies'? They giving Masters some toys to play with? She set the thought aside, deciding that she didn't care anyways. There was only one reason she would answer the summons of the Grail- Whatever its nuances were, she wouldn't care unless they involved him.
"Welcome, ancient hero." Saber's head turned slightly, to look at the presence she'd already detected since the moment she had been summoned. That she could 'feel' her more clearly than anything gave the Servant no delusions as to her identity, but it never hurt to make sure.
"Ah, you must be my 'Master', right...?" Saber started, but her words dragged on as she took in her supposed Master's appearance. She soon realized that much like herself there was little, if anything, 'human' about the girl. Hell, if she had to judge, she looked like she could pass as a relative for her Mother.
"That is correct." Her Master stepped towards her armoured form at a leisurely gait, before extending a hand that clearly displayed the brand of a command seal. "It is a pleasure to meet you..." Saber thought she saw something akin to hesitation on the girl's face, and grew slightly suspicious.
Still...
I've dealt with worse.
"I'm Servant Saber, Master." She stated casually as she took her armoured hand and shook with her. She let the protection of her helmet disappear from her head, revealing her confident grin. "You should celebrate, because the strongest Servant is standing before you."
If she found it humorous, her Master didn't show it. "Very well. I am Nemesis, and I will be your Master for the duration of this Holy Grail War." With that, she released her grip on Saber and stepped back a few paces.
Saber waited as her eyes looked her up and down. "Ah... Are you a knight, perhaps?" Her Master took an educated guess, as she beheld Saber's imposing armor. The Servant's chest puffed in turn, as if she was filling with pride.
"Of course! I was one of the greatest knights in history! There's only one person I'd even acknowledge holds a candle against me in chivalry!" Whom I killed with my own hands... Ignoring the dark emotions welling up inside her, she continued to cater to her own ego, pointing at herself for emphasis. "If there's any other Knights around, they sure as hell won't step up to me!"
Nemesis sighed. "I... I guess she's pure of heart..."
"Hah!?"
"Nothing, it was a trifling issue." She addressed Saber with a straight face even as the Servant's gaze bore holes at her. Crossing her arms under her rather substantial chest (not that Saber found such useless lumps of fat interesting), her Master's eyes narrowed as she let the silence linger in the room for a while. Saber would've remarked something, had Nemesis not immediately cut her off. "Saber."
"Yeah?" I thought we were done with the introductions! Saber complained inwardly, but kept a disinterested air so as to appear 'cool'.
"Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
You already did. Saber rolled her eyes. "Yeah, hell, why not. Shoot, Master."
"What do you think... About humanity?"
What?
Just what kind of weirdo was the one who had summoned her!?
Last edited by Erlkonig; January 13th, 2016 at 08:39 PM.
[20:57] frantic: I can't even remember what opinions I actually hold about the thing compared to shit I made up to piss people off
[17:13] Airen: Its not an airen character unless gay
It was never a comfortable sensation, being attached to a familiar as they were destroyed, and while one could argue that she was used too it, the crimson haired magus nevertheless raised a hand to her head as the signal is forcibly broken by outside forces. It didn't hurt, not in the traditional way, it was merely disorienting, and while a part of her flared up ever so slightly at the loss of the familiar, it was ultimately but a slight annoyance; it wasn't one of her unique models, it was just something she had thrown together overnight, a loss certainly, but one that ultimately wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
Even so...
"Are you alright, Ms. Ariel?"
Her assistant had noticed even that small pang of irritation. Dressed casually, too casually, one could argue, her eighteen year old assistant approaches in a concerned manner, a cup of coffee, her last assigned task, held out for her to accept.
The one who had ultimately come to own this place was not Ariel herself, but rather the blue-haired girl who had attached herself to her two years ago, and had flawlessly endured where all of her previous acquaintances had failed. Money was no object to Ariel, she wasn't hurting for any form of currency, and while she had purchased this place last year as a gift to the blue-haired magus at her side, it had never been used, hadn't even come up again until the onset of this so called "Holy," Grail War. It had been her way of giving the blue-haired girl a path out of this life, but she had continued to stick by her without complaint.
For that, Ariel was thankful, but at the same time...
"I'm fine, Maki."
This really wasn't the sort of life suited for that person.
"It looks like we've gotten involved in something beyond the expected," watching as her assistant retreats towards a still-in-the-works circle, the red-haired woman explains to her partner everything that she had just been told, "Replication of realities should fall under the realm of True Magic. If Magicians are involved, it makes me question the necessity of the Grail itself... But I digress."
The creation of a world 'tailored to ones desires.'
It's something that would appeal to everyone, yet at the same time, it is perhaps the most dangerous wish to have granted, a magus with a God Complex is quite the terrible thing.
Alas...
"Maki. I will tell you once more, this is dangerous. It's too late to just retreat now, we're already inside of it, but if you wish to back out, I will take care of it."
"Nope. We're in this together, Ari-san. I promised to protect you, you don't have to worry about me."
She had been afraid that that was what she was going to hear.
At the same time she felt relieved.
And because of that, she felt a bit disgusted with herself.
"...Very well. Here, I'll finish this side, you work on the outer portions..."
The ritual itself was the final step.
Once that was in place, the real "trial," would begin.
---
When he felt his existence take form, his spirit take flesh, the thing that greeted his eyes was the sight of two women, standing before him, the one in the front, taller, with hair that shone like wildfire, was the person that he immediately understood was the one that had called him forth from the throne. Her pose was that of one who was used to being in charge, her aura did not buckle even in his presence, she simply stared at him with an inquisitive eye, arms crossed in front of her chest, as if waiting for him to speak, to make himself known.
The other seemed to be an existence more similar to himself. She didn't strike him as normal, her aura was heavy, heavy in the manner of a knight's burden, of someone who threw themselves into battle for their "precious one," without a second thought. She was a bit further back, and while her expression was kind, the look in her eyes was searching, as if some part of her was naturally suspicious of anyone new approaching her "mistress."
That look in her eyes was one he could appreciate, but at the same time, one that he knew needed to be tempered before it brought ruin.
Even so, that could wait for another time.
"I am Servant Saber. I ask of you, art thou my Master?"
His voice is that of the sun, brilliant and unyielding, wavering in nothing, meaning everything, it is the voice of a knight wishing to be acknowledged, to serve, and while the woman takes a moment to answer...
"Yes. My name is Ariel. Ariel Lynx. This is my assistant, Maki. Welcome, Ancient Hero."
Her voice was unwavering, confident, and...
"Now. Before we get all stuffy, let's talk about who you actually are, Sir Knight. Names please, nothing ominous or vague."
Surprisingly direct...?
"I am Gawain. Nephew of King Arthur, and Knight of the Round Table."
The responses he got were twofold, and quite different from each other.
"Ha... Hahaha..." Laughing to herself, the red haired woman seems to be genuinely impressed, "Me? The Knight of the Sun? Me? Pfft... Hahahaha!"
It wasn't the expected response, but he had yet to grip the personality of his new liege, and...
"Oh! A knight!"
The blue haired girl seemed to have stars in her eyes?!
"Come on! Spar with me! Right now! Let's go! Please! Please!"
From deadly serious, to finding amusement in odd things, all in the space of a few seconds.
That seemed to be the group he had been summoned too...
And with a smile...
"Of course, milady."
He began a servitude that would know no regret.
Last edited by Airen; January 13th, 2016 at 11:04 PM.
Exodus (Complete)
Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.
Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.
In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...
Because of you.
Please, remember it warmly.
We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.
Lyner slumped into his small chair, heaving a sigh. The Grail War had finally begun. His last chance at saving his sister’s life. He truly didn’t wish to participate in such a bloodbath - his nature was nothing but gentle and kind, and he really didn’t want to have anything to do with violence…
But if it was for her - he would go through flame and poison.
With the money he had made through his trade, finding a small house in the traditional district wasn’t too much of a hassle - he couldn’t have a house full of stairs, after all, considering his sister’s state - confined to a wheelchair - it would be easier to restructure a flat and wide japanese house in comparison to the western two-story houses in the foreigner district.
Also, the open, breathy nature of the house would probably help his sister feel better…
“Bro, are you done watching through the recon unit?”
Ah, talk of the devil.
The sound of a small wheelchair stopped right in front of his room, as a girl in pure white and a cheery smile pulled open the wooden slide door.
“By the way, you might want to check on our new friend...how did it go here in Japan, Monster-chan? It seems she’s been gnawing on her arms again or something, you might want to stop her before she bites through her arm~”
Lyner sighed again. It seems her self-mutilation had started again… every now and then this would occur, although it wasn’t as if he didn’t understand.
The feeling of helplessness, being chained to the shackles of this world - that wasn’t quite a pleasant one. Even if it was one of circumstance -
----------------
Entering the underground cellar, which had been tailor-made for his and his sister’s experiments and practices. He scanned the dark room, before sighing again and pressing a button.
Light flooded the room, sending the shadows flitting away. As the darkness passed, Lyner made out a small figure hunkered down, biting down upon her own arm as if trying to bite right through it. Walking towards the small figure, Lyner stretched out his hand - only to draw it right back as the red, bloodshot eyes of Monster lined him up, without any readable expression other than a deep, wrangling madness within the slitted pupils.
Sighing even harder, Lyner stood up and walked towards the fridge, picking out a large slab of cow meat and placing it on top of a plate, setting the bloody steak in front of Monster. The pupils widened as the mouth came off the chained arms, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
Before the girl could reach the meat however, Lyner quickly grabbed the bloodied arm of his Servant and splashed some potion on top of it from his hip pouch. The servant was too preoccupied eating its new treat however, not even bothering as the blood-red potion slowly did its work.
“What will I do, indeed…What about you, Monster. What will you do…? What did you want from this grail war…?”
No answer - only blood and pieces of raw beef pieces flying through the air as the beast girl devoured her food.
“....As expected, no answer, huh. Well, thats fine. Just please stop hurting yourself - even Blaunch is worried, you know? It may not seem so, but since I summoned you, I intend to take full responsibility of you - and my sister also wishes that while we are with you, you don’t live as a mere familiar, but a living being such as ourselves.”
The monster child stops its devouring for a while, staring at Lyner from the corner of its eye - one, two, three seconds. The mad eyes close for a second, regaining a glint of sorts - although that too passes soon and the monster resumes its snack.
“....Yeah, eat up. Theres more.”
Grinning slightly, Lyner pats the girl’s head, his expression profound with a mixed amalgam of hope and sadness...
The thought of a completely fake city still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. What kind of magic could accomplish that? What happened to the people on the outside?
"No... I guess it's a kind of bubble, isn't it?"
I look over to the room where my sister is sleeping, Honjo Masamune leaning on the wall next to her. I start pacing and start to think; I mean, Sensei told me it's a bad habit, but I can't help it anymore. I don't have a lot of prana, or magical knowledge. My sister's the one who knows more about that kind of stuff – I'm just some guy with a sword! How can I get anywhere in this war?
How can I kill someone else for my own goal?
Pale as a sheet, considering the thought of it, I look in the mirror to see–
Clunk.
The sword in my sister's bedroom has fallen onto its side, handle towards me. I let out a breath, seeing it lying on the floor. That's right. Going in to pick it up, feeling the comforting weight in my hands, I remember. Looking over at my sister's face, her hair white as snow, her expression just a little troubled, there's no way for me to forget. I made a promise to cure her.
And I won't go back on my promises.
Not now.
Not ever.
"Yuko, wake up."
I shake her shoulder, and she twitches her eye open.
"We have work to do."
------
"Archer?"
Even now, I'm not really sure what to think of the Servant before me. He's tall, much taller than me, and clearly foreign, but the most striking thing about him is the jewel that seems to be buried in his forehead. Yuko went back to sleep immediately after the summoning, and while I can't blame her, it makes me nervous. We set up the wards in her room - well, really, she did most of the work - but what if they don't hold? What if it starts to take her over even faster? What if-
"Master."
Archer's deep voice washes over me, and I wrench my thoughts to the present. I force myself to look up at his strange eyes as I scratch the back of my head.
"So, um, I think you're the one with more experience here, so what should we do?"
Archer blinks at me, slow and considerate. Everything he does seems to come after a lot of careful thinking, like he's sizing up every possible thing and tucking it away in its place. It's like being next to a still pool, or a garden, but I don't doubt his power.
Really, it's more like a lion waiting to spring.
"This city is a fake, a shadow. We cannot wait and hide forever, and yet we should not be the first to attack. You have little prowess as a mage, and I see your sister suffers, so we cannot rely on familiars. We should carefully scout in measured increments, while taking care not to reveal our starting location to any familiars of other magi. Stay with your sister for tonight, and allow me to begin this process in Spirit Form for tonight. That is what I believe we should do."
Wow. I scratch the back of my head in dismay. He's... clearly put a lot more thought into this than I have, but I guess that's not surprising. I mean, I'll be the first admit, I'm just a guy with a sword.
"Alright, that sounds pretty good. But what if you run into another Servant?"
"I will engage them with the attempts of finding out more about their abilities. If the skirmish becomes too involved, I will disengage and lead them away before returning here."
Archer rumbles out another well-thought response, something I have to admire.
"Well, ok. Please be careful, Archer."
He gives a small bow - he really is tall - and dematerializes. I look out of the small window, over at the hotel that lingers on the edge of the woods. A light is on, and I can't help but think about how realistic this city is. I'm sure, somewhere inside there, a fake family is sitting down to a fake dinner, completely unaware that they're not even real at all... I swallow uncomfortably and turn my gaze to the river. We're far away from the bridge and the rest of town, because I thought the quiet would help Yuko relax.
I have to choke back the lump in my throat, and shake my head back and forth. This isn't the time to be distracted, but I can't help it. Maybe if I make dinner with what little we have in the fridge, it'll help. Anything to just put my mind in my hands for a bit. Honjo Masamune leans against the wall, and it brings me a bit of comfort to see its familiar shape.
"Dinner in bed sound good for her, don't you think?"
The sword, unsurprisingly, says nothing back. I nod anyways.
"I'm glad you approve. I'll get started, then."
Last edited by Mooncake; January 13th, 2016 at 11:11 PM.
[12:37] <I3uster> if playing overwatch would save my mother from the deathbed [12:37] <I3uster> id probably flip a coin [12:38] <I3uster> to see if i play or not
[18:23] <frantic> spinach is like a caffeine zombie [18:23] <frantic> in AX he would like [18:23] <frantic> drink 8 shots of espresso [18:23] <frantic> then he'd turn to me an hour later [18:23] <frantic> 'frantic', he'd say, his eyes wild and his lips smug [18:23] <frantic> 'i need coffee'
Sophia Acerola Fessler
Definitely not the Tohsaka Residence
“You look troubled, Master.”
Sophia’s face turned slightly red at those words, an unwanted rosy tone making its way across her visage. She tried to make eye contact with her Servant, Lancer, but honestly, that was too hard. Not with the traitorous thoughts that she had in her head. Had her Servant caught on? It would be incredibly embarrassing if she di—
“Ah, you’re flushed. Did you do something that would make you ill in preparation for my summoning? I’ve not encountered mages often, so I don’t know much, but are you sick? Do you need me to take you to a bed? Perhaps you should lie down and rest. Miss Lite, do you know of a good spot to put her? She seems to be getting worse by the moment…”
Unable to get a word in edgewise, Sophia could only tremble as she was smothered by the waves of concern her Servant was emanating. Trying to rack her thoughts to form words, a coherent argument against placing her on any sort of bed, her Servant, a tad bit taller than she was, but definitely younger looking, swooped her up in a princess carry.
Lite, who had looked up from her jar of jellybeans, started snickering, until that broke into a fit of laughter, leaving her rolling on the floor. Lancer, puzzled, glanced at her Master, who seemed to be in great distress, and then back at the girl who had spilled a variety of flavors onto the floor of the remarkably Western-styled mansion.
“What’s so humorous about your friend’s current state?” Lancer’s voice had a slight edge to it, and this tone didn’t sit well with Sophia, but she was in no state to bother correcting her Servant, despite the dichotomy of their relationship. She was too busy focusing on the fact she was in another girl’s arms.
“S’just that, hahaha, it’s…” Lite stammered, trying to force words between laughs. Eventually she managed to regain her composure, and grabbing a fistful of jellybeans from the jar, she managed to get out a coherent series of words. “Nevermiiiiiiiind. Just, put her down. She’ll feel better if you do, okay?”
“Really?” Why was that a question, Lancer? Of course she would feel much better if she wasn’t being carried around like this in her own base! A concerned look still on her Servant’s face, she gently set her Master down on a nearby couch, before looking at Lite with a resigned sigh.
Having looked at her Servant from practically every angle now, Sophia had to admit Lancer was beautiful in a majestic sense. Somehow every action of hers was graceful and refined, befitting a true knight. It was as if her actions had no flaws, and accompanied by her inherent beauty, Lancer was captivating in the same way one couldn’t help but admire royalty.
More or less, her Servant was a sight to behold, and that’s what made her actions all the more uncomfortable to Sophia.
After all, she had wished for a gallant knight for a Servant, one like in the fairy tales, a hero beyond compare. She just hadn’t expected to summon someone who fit that description in every way with one sole problem—her Servant was a girl. She wouldn’t have minded a man treating her like this, it would be flattering, really, but the way Lancer worried about her gave her the impression of a wife in a devoted couple. She didn’t want her heart to skip a few beats every time Lancer did something nice for her.
She’d die before this war would even start!
Taking a few deep breaths, Sophia looked around. She had already set up the shoddy bounded field before she had summoned, and it wasn’t as if her presence would make this place anymore fortified. Since the city was empty, any time was a valid time to attack, but perhaps there had been a few careless people.
She wanted to win, after all. The idea of hurting someone made her feel a bit sick, sure, but Sophia had something she wanted above all else. And that was reason enough for any sin.
“Sorry, Lancer. I’m just a bit tired from the summoning, that’s all,” she said sheepishly, hoping her Servant wasn’t that perceptive.
“Should you rest then? You should, because—”
Waving away Lancer’s concern with a hand, Sophia walked over to Lite, who was still stuffing sweets into her mouth with reckless abandon. “Lite, we need to get moving. Lancer, as well, of course.”
“So soon?” Lite shrugged, but decided to accept it. She was having a blast just eating all these jelly beans (weird flavors were always a must), but if Sophia wanted to get to the real stuff, fine by her.
“Yeah. I doubt there are Masters expecting an immediate attack of any sort.” The plan was obviously not that sound, but better to try and actively seek out problems than to let them come to her. Initiative was the first advantage.
“Facing them head-on, then, Master?” Lancer’s determination shone brightly in her eyes, and Sophia could see her Servant tense up not in worry, but in anticipation. “Where, exactly?”
“There’s a bridge in the middle of town, so…”
If anything, they would find trouble there.
“Alright! Let’s go!” Lite was much more cheery than the circumstances demanded, Sophia thought. It was a bit disturbing.
With a loud sigh, she gave up on that train of thought, and the three exited the fanciful building and headed towards the bridge, aimless with a goal, much like gangsters patrolling the streets.
Shiratori Shiori Shiratori's Safe House (near Emiya's residence)
2:47 PM
It was all too absurd.
An alternate Fuyuki with fake residents. A holy grail war with more than 7 competitors. This was unexpected, completely different from the previous records of holy grail wars, and Mizuha is certain that other masters are feeling the same. Other preparations should be made, and a change of plan might be necessary...
And yet Shiori told her all of this calmly with a small smile on her face.
"We just need to believe. If the grail can truly grant any wish... Then we should just accept things as they are."
Mizuha sighed as she watched her friend standing before the circle that she had drawn carefully. Shiori had said that she didn't need a catalyst, believing that having a servant which suited her would be better than having a powerful servant, and Mizuha agreed. There is no use in summoning a powerful servant if they cause trouble for the master.
So she silently watched as her friend started to chant, the circle lighting up and enveloping the room in a white light...
======================
A simple and small wish.
Shiratori Shiori didn't wish for something grand. She did not wish for the salvation of the world or its destruction. She did not wish to revive the deceased, nor did she wish for a way to the Root.
As she chanted, she poured all of her feelings to it. She wanted to summon a servant who understood her cause, just like Mizuha. She wanted to summon a servant who can help her realize that small yet selfish wish. She wanted to summon someone with a noble heart, so at the very least she can do this fair and square.
And a single heroic spirit answered her call.
As the light fades, a tall and imposing man stood. Platinum-blond hair, tanned skin, a great sword which should be impossible to be wielded by mere man, and his chest which seemingly blazes with power...
His presence was overwhelming yet gentle. Without realizing it, Shiori's heart skipped a beat as her servant spoke.
"Servant Saber has answered your call."
"Ah..." Shiori stuttered, still in a daze because she truly met a hero for the first time in her life, before regaining her composure and replied. "I am Shiratori Shiori, your master, and the woman at the back is my friend, Hatsuyuki Mizuha. It's... it's nice to meet you, Saber."
Saber simply nodded, and Shiori couldn't help but gave an embarrassed smile.
It seems that the compability summon was a success.
=====================
The legendary hero Siegfried spent some time alone with his master after that, with Mizuha finishing the workshop and fortifying the house's defenses. His master asked him his identity, and Siegfried told her his name. She then told him her wish, her reason to participate in the grail war, and how she would conduct it.
Siegfried knew that his master is born as a noble. He also knew that she is a warrior.
But he never expect that she would force herself to be so naive.
However, he did not reject that. He understood, and just like when he was alive, the hero Siegfried offered his hand to help his master.
It was only natural.
After all, his master's wish is a wish worth fighting for.
Last edited by palad1n; January 14th, 2016 at 01:12 AM.
Regalia Hijinks
<Erlkonig|Phone> Why get a gf, when Airen is your waifu?
<Airen|Phone> I'll save everyone, it's fine
<Snaxies> Airen is totally Jesus again
<frantic> I actually hate reading your post because you're so fucking anime
<Reiu> Regalia is a scary place desu...
<Mellon> He who lives by the oneshot, dies by the oneshot
Personal Compliments
<@RacingeR> Pally would be a perfect shoujo lead
<Erlkonig> I would fall for Pally if he was a qt shoujo manga lead girl
Originally Posted by Airen
Only pala is pure, the rest of ya are twisted
Originally Posted by Cheetose
I'm not sure if it's like this generally, but Pala seems to be very good at making naive and innocent, but also strangely bulliable characters.
Lacene Bellecoste & Rider Shopping District 3:32 PM
“A “fake world” where the sky looks normal for once? That’s a first, alright.”
Under the gleaming sunlight, two rather striking figures were walking down the lightly populated shopping street, heading towards the Shinto district. One of them, a redhaired woman of indistinct age, wearing what could only be described as an extremely flashy red and black dress, one more fitting on a ballroom floor, rather then the life or death battle these two were supposedly about to participate in. The other, a man with eyes colder then steel itself, was dressed in a garb of black and red and carrying a rather large black suitcase. Despite his rather normal-looking attire, a sense of almost overwhelming “otherworldliness” radiated from him. No-one, regardless of the clothes he was wearing, would consider this man anything but the monster that he was.
A legendary hero from the past, known only by the moniker of “Rider”.
As they were walking past Yamashiroya, a rather elaborately illuminated toy store, the woman, known more commonly known as Lacene Bellecoste, casually pulled out a pack of cigarettes from the folds of her elaborate dress. The words “Dragon Smoke” could be clearly seen emblazoned on the orange-white packet in oriental characters.
A visage of disgust crossed Lacene’s lovely face as she lit one of the cigarettes and pulled in the first lungful of smoke.
“Horrible. Truly disgusting. I knew I got the bad end in that trade, rarity or no. Damn snake. Last time I help her out with anything.”
Despite her disparaging words, the red-haired woman continued puffing on the thin cigarette as the two of them walked down the sunlit street. Not only that, but she extended her hand towards the serious looking man in a clear offertory gesture.
A dry, acerbic smile appeared on Rider’s face as his eyes fell on the packet of smokes.
“Hmh. Not only do you want me to carry your luggage and dress me up in your foreign attires, but you also want me to help you take out your garbage? Does your capriciousness know no bounds, girl?”
Lacene simply let out a small chuckle, as the packet of cigarettes vanished into the folds of her crimson dress once more.
“That’s what they tell me. After all, it’s the only way to live this nonsensical life, isn’t it Rider? Besides, I thought you of all people should be used to capriciousness. Isn’t it quite a kingly attribute?”
A hint of self-deprecation wormed its way into Rider’s smirk this time.
“Hmh. True that. Many rulers have fallen into that depraved pit over the ages, myself one of them. But you are hardly a king, now are you, girl?”
The assassin in red simply wiggled her finger towards the black-haired Servant, with a bewitching smirk on her face.
“I am a queen of a one-woman revolution, Rider! That alone is more then any "king" can claim, now isn't it?”
The stoic Servant beside her simply let out another sarcastic grunt and focused his piercing eyes into the distance. For the time being, it seemed, the conversation was at an end. Despite the light-hearted nature of their conversation, this was a warzone and they could be struck at any moment. Both of them knew this, even if they hadn't spoken of it aloud. An inherent feeling of tension shared by those who had taken part in the crucible of war. Riders eyes momentarily wavered on the figure of his Master. It seemed that even in these enlightened times, there were those that had left behind peace. Or were left behind by it.
His eyes could make out no enemy Servant or magi, be it near or far. But such a thing was natural after all. He was neither Caster nor Archer. Long range scouting, either through magical or physical means, was never his strength. Or to put it more precisely, it was never a skill he needed to cultivate in life. He simply had others do those tasks for him. Yet despite this, he felt no unease nor tension over the matter, only an almost resounding sense of assurance.
He would win this Grail War, after all. Any other outcome was simply impossible. No, to put it more precisely, Rider simply would not allow any other outcome to manifest itself.
The only path to his salvation lay behind this festival of blood, after all.
Next to him, Lacene took a final drag of her cigarette, before casually discarding the glowing cigarette stub on the street below.
“Well then. I guess we will head towards the Harbour, Rider. Even though the plan has been slightly altered by… the circumstances, the end result should still be the same and that means we have an appointment to attend to.”
“Besides, a little sea air is good for the skin, isn't it?”
Last edited by Mellon; January 14th, 2016 at 02:11 PM.
Where there are questions, I seek answers; where answers already dwell, I seek more questions, expanding the limits of the 'what', the 'where' and the 'why'. Mystery is never-ending, the search for Truth extends beyond human time, and with us, transient, blinded fools... it is only natural that we cannot grasp everything this sublime, grand universe has to give. Or perhaps that we just cannot come to term, or even understand that a meaning to anything only exists when you birth that meaning from your own thoughts.
But who knows? The mere idea of seeking disillusioned enlightenment, wildly running after it like the fool chasing the setting sun... I've always found that naivete entrancing. That is why I do it to this day.
Now, let us find out if this 'mystery' I've decided to investigate shall be my greatest adventure... or my greatest mistake.
Hmm, what was it? Yuzuha, oh yes: "Fill, fill, fill..."
-------
The summoning chant had been completed. The circle on the ground shone abnormally bright, filling the entire basement with light. As prana coursed through the air, giving form to the familiar known as 'Servant', Yuuka could feel a bond being formed between her and this being that she was beckoning.
As the final particles of life force weaved the physical form of her Servant, Yuuka began noticing something strange. Out of this mass of light, shadows and darkness was being born. In fact, all of the light that appeared during the creation of the Servant was being absorbed by that mass of black. Curling around what would've been the Servant's body, this sinister mist was all that Yuuka could see of what she had beckoned.
Something was not right here. Definitely not right. The moment her eyes had sighted that black mist, a certain emotion began filling Yuuka from head to toe. It was dreadful, atrocious, it felt so present that she could literally visualize it pouring into her mouth and possessing her.
But what was that emotion? Why did she feel it? Generally there would be a clear reason that she'd fine, for the girl was quite the introspective one, yet... she couldn't even understand what was happening to her.
This had to be magecraft of some sorts.
Yuuka took a few steps to approach the shadow. It hadn't done anything to her yet, and from within it, she felt like a pair of eyes were scrutinizing her. What kind of hero was this? What had she summoned? Was it even something she could call a hero?
"Hahahahaha... what a lovely Master."
The cloud of darkness laughed. It was't shouting, but somehow, the voice had such a power, such a presence that it reverberated back and forth between the walls of the basement.
There was a sense of elegance coming through, even with the mysterious distortion that prevented Yuuka from profiling the voice more clearly. There was no tell if this was a female or male talking, and for some reason, reading the emotion in the words was near-impossible. Only that elegance, that undeniable sense of refinement, could be identified.
"I am the Servant Berserker, here to do thine bidding, Master. And you are?"
She could only answer, mustering all of her will to sound as natural as possible.
"My name is Tokisaki Yuuka, an average person with a deep interest in mysteries. It is a pleasure to meet you, Berserker," Yuuka said, giving a courteous bow to the Servant. She sounded natural; in mind and in body, it would be hard to tell that Tokisaki Yuuka at this moment felt fear -- perhaps because she had already grown accustomed to that strange emotion which had been invading her body. But there was truly fear inside her heart, except that alongside it, came unbridled excitement at the prospect of discovering the being before her.
What was it? Why was it in that state? Was there truly something beneath that veil of black and red mist?
The Servant's voice seemed to hold amusement when she commented on Yuuka's introduction, but also, she mentioned someone that Yuuka had totally forgotten about:
"If that isn't quaint, hmm? Well, I suppose that to make that person behind you feel safer, I should take on a more approachable appearance..."
"Huh? Yuzuha?"
During the entire summoning process, and even, during her entire life from the moment she had been adopted by her 'father', Yuuka had been blessed with a lovely caretaker: Yuzuha, the kitsune familiar. She had been observing Yuuka from behind, making sure that all was fine and ready to intervene if needed.
Yuuka had been so captivated by the being she had summoned, that she had not noticed how Yuzuha had rushed to her side, now ready to act in case the Servant tried anything with clear sign of hostiliy. In the kitsune's eyes, mistrust was as clear as light in darkness.
"Young Master... be careful, this thing...--??!!"
Her cautionary words were silenced by a hand that burst out of the black mist. It gently patted Yuzuha's shoulder, but with the force at which it initially appeared, escaping the realm of human recognition, it was clear that a lot more could have happened to the kitsune should Berserker had truly wished for it.
That threatening display was all that was needed to quell any fiery emotion or daring plan the kitsune had to oppose Berserker.
With this act, the mist vanished, and a human form became clear to both the eyes of Yuuka and Yuzuha. This Berserker, 'it' was in fact a 'she'; a woman that bore a certain resemblance to Yuuka, albeit, she was devoid of that childish, still-maturing air Yuuka had. To Yuuka, this felt like she was gazing at a warped image of her own future self.
"Now, now, why am I being called 'thing' by a cowardly familiar? You should watch your words kitsune."
-------
___
Tokisaki Yuuka
Miyama Town - Central Intersection
3:32PM
---
Condition: Healthy --> Light Fatigue Prana Reserves: Full--> Medium
Command Seals: 3
___
Originally Posted by Previous discussion
Yuuka: "Why not go explore the city? I want to find out if this is truly a mere replica, although it could also be that the replica is so well made it feels real."
Yuzuha: "To achieve such a thing though Young Master... call me sceptical about this but..."
Berserker: "There's a reason to go out isn't there? Better that than rot in this hole waiting for someone to find us. We should move, little girl."
Yuzuha: "Young Master, let me remind you that--w-wait!"
Yuuka: "Let's go!"
Yuzuha: "Sigh... she's not even rested yet..."
Everything seemed to be as usual. The people going about, the cars rolling by, the sound of trams and distant engines humming in the background... not a single thing felt fake to Yuuka. If this was an imitation, it was one that rivalled the original to the point where it was nearly impossible to distinguish between the two.
"Is this really an alternate world? Perhaps that we're being fooled into thinking that whatever we do in here has no consequences... but... how to make sure?" Yuuka asked Yuzuha. The latter, having hidden her fox ears with magecraft and put on a much more casual outfit, melded perfectly with the urban environment.
"There is no real way to tell, unfortunately..." Yuzuha answered, giving a tired look at Yuuka. She sighed, before turning her dejected expression into a rather stern one - the typical one Yuuka had become accustomed to, thanks to her natural disposition to run off by herself and do dangerous things. Such antics, especially during her younger ages, were always good to grab Yuzuha's reprimanding ire.
"... but most of all Young Master, why are we not letting you rest?"
A question which Yuuka had seen coming from miles away, and one which she honestly could not bother giving too much effort in answering smartly. Her curious nature had of course, gotten the better of her; she wanted to see this 'fake' world herself, and determine wherever the supervisor's claims were fictive or real. Of course, she couldn't say that, it'd be too boring as an answer.
Playing with Yuzuha's feelings had become a norm for the 'Young Master'.
"Haah... you know very well that lovely walks like this is what energizes me the most!"
"Yes, but who do you think will have to carry you back to the mansion and treat you if you suddenly lose consciousness and end up catching a fever, hmm? Remember what happened last month?"
"Yes, yes... it's all going to be fine. We have Berserker here with us, don't we?"
A reminder about the third person in the group which actually wasn't visible, having entered her 'spirit' form to shadow Yuuka and not raise any suspicion. That reminder had an effect rather different from reassuring Yuzuha however -- instead, it appeared to make her become stressed, stressed to the point where she'd be constantly on guard, and thus, effectively shut up.
Just the way Yuuka would want it.
"I... guess so." she said in a way that showed all but conviction about that statement.
"Hmm? I'm not here to bodyguard you little one, and neither do I care for that fox woman's safety really. I've tagged along because you dying would be most inconvenient, and you invited me for a drink - a charitable way to begin this relationship of ours I'd say~"
Berserker chimed in, still keeping her ethereal form while speaking.
Yuuka didn't seem aggravated at all by her statement, instead, she was smiling at where Berserker would be while answering: "You're quite the blunt one Berserker. Well, let's hope we can understand each other better after drinking a bit."
While the Master and Servant were having that conversation, all that Yuzuha could do was walk along silently. She as always, deplored the carelessness of the one she served and the absurdity of the situation. It didn't feel at all like they were going to some battlefield - even, that they were at the very moment on a battlefield.
Walking towards Fuyuki Bridge was some sort of leisurely activity, Sophia thought. Rather, it didn’t feel as if they were on the warpath, but instead just strolling through the streets, admiring the wonders of modern life. Lancer was quite interested in so many things—even if her guard was allegedly raised, she’d always comment on some boutique or some shop, asking what it was like to go there. Sophia had never doubted that her Servant was feminine, but this was a bit more than she expected.
“What’s that over there, Master?”
“Ah, I think that’s a flower shop.”
“Is it still customary for men to give women flowers these days?”
“It depends on the man, Lancer.”
“I see.”
That was how these exchanges went. Lancer would think about the topic a little bit afterwards, end up with a pleasant, dazzling smile on her face, and she’d switch her attention to something else. A lot of it seemed to revolve around what Sophia would term “date spots,” places for pleasant outings with a loved one. Having heard Lancer’s identity, the fact didn’t surprise her, but it was really quite admirable about how devoted she was…
But even so, despite her questions, Lancer’s eyes never strayed from the path. Even as she’d talk about perhaps taking a detour sometime, her body said otherwise, walking forward with determination, a relentlessness that Sophia doubted could belong to an ordinary person. A marker of a Servant, if any.
Lite hadn’t piped up much either—girly topics didn’t interest her. Instead she bit her lip, her carefree face creased with apprehension. She didn’t need to come, of course—why would some stranger just come along to help her roommate kill people?—but here she was, following them around, occasionally tugging at her sleeves.
“We’re getting close to the bridge, Lite. Still not too late to leave if you aren’t…” Her voice trailed off when Lite glared at her, sticking her tongue out. What was that for? God, her friend could be so confusing at times.
“I’m sticking with you. That’s that. I have to do something.” The little girl crossed her arms, and, head raised high, tried to become the vanguard of the little scouting party, until Lancer stopped her with an arm.
“I may be no use against an Assassin, but I am your sword, and the sword should always face its opponent head on. As much as your fervor is appreciated, Lite, I suggest you devote it to keeping my Master safe.” Those words were calm, cool, and collected. Lite sighed, mumbled a stifled “Okay,” and let Lancer make the first steps onto the bridge, as she peered down the street, hunting for an opponent.
Maybe it would take time. Hours, possibly. Who knew? But even so, both girls had their circuits primed, ready at the slightest provocation. Lancer herself had stopped smiling, and simply twirled around a black spear in her hands, trying to figure out the best way to keep the two of them safe. It wasn’t that she doubted their capabilities, but Lancer liked keeping others safe. As safe as possible.
But even so, the trio stood still, waiting for opponents to appear over the horizon.
Wise up!
Lancer
Skills
Grace of God
The greatest body and good looks, a skill denoting the “beauty of royalty.” When in the presence of Servant with this skill activated, enemies find themselves under an enchantment that tries to make them do his bidding. Time will weaken the effect.
- B: At this rank, only high rank mental-warding skills combined with medium rank MGI can ward of the enchantment entirely.
Last edited by Katie; January 14th, 2016 at 05:09 PM.
“Hmm… Maybe we should have gotten a taxi? Probably would have been faster.” Lacene’s eyes narrowed in apprehension. “I hope it wont end too troublesome. She can be a bit of a handful when she is irritated.”
The crimson steel bridge extended into the far distance, its massive frame seemingly even overshadowing the two parts of Fuyuki it was supposed to connect. The massive blue river flowed enticingly in the distance below, almost as if a snake that headed into the far distance. The street leading to the bridge was as akin to that of the ones they had seen in the Shopping District, lazy and almost lifeless looking. Perhaps the replication was not quite as accurate as it seemed in the first place, despite the reassurances of the strange girl they had observed earlier.
A hard hand fell on the red-garbed assassins shoulders, just as she was about to take another step. Rider’s tone was calm and calculated, with nary a shred of emotion. Even the acidic humour that she had heard earlier, was now completely gone, replaced with eyes colder then steel.
A man truly devoid of a heart. Or one that had killed it.
“There is a Servant on the bridge. Waiting for us, by the looks of it.”
A rueful smirk appeared on Lacene’s face.
“Well then, lets not let that kindly given time go to waste then. I’ll leave it up to you, Rider.”
Without even uttering a word, the Servant next to her started walking towards the bridge with measured steps, leaving the large black suitcase behind. A blaze of black and orange surrounded the Servant of the Steed, one almost akin to smoke, as he manifesting the rather strange armour that the peculiar Servant typically adorned. It did not take him long to reach the trio on the bridge. Walking with his Master was for her sake, after all, not his. Well, he shouldn't complain too much. It wasn't too unpleasant an obligation, even if it was mostly meaningless chatter.
In the end, it turned out to be three women.
A lass with pink hair and golden eyes was the first one he saw. A woman that would no doubt be unable to meld into any kind of crowd, especially in this day and age. Yet, despite her rather outrageous features, she excluded a certain sense of naivety and homeliness. One of innocence. An opposite of his own Master in a way, who could only be described as steel wrapped in velvet. This one… was simply all velvet. The steel had not been refined yet.
The second figure with them was a child with blonde hair. The image of her figure was taken in by Rider and almost immediately discarded. Perhaps in another time he would have mourned over the senseless tragedy of bringing a child to a battlefield, but at the moment, Rider simply coldly categorized her as low-threat target. Chances of her being the enemy Master were low, but not non-existent. Even in his time, artificial life and nature spirits often cloaked themselves in the figure of a child. This may very well be the case here as well.
And the third figure was one of the most beautiful women Rider had ever seen.
The weight of her beauty hit him like an invisible wall. At this level, it was less of a matter of physical attraction and more at the level closer to that of a "curse" of beauty. A wave of almost unbidden nostalgia, born on a shore long ago, washed over Rider's armoured body. After all, he had felt something like this once before, long ago. But the figure in front of him was not the figure present in his minds eye. Dressed in blue black, not brilliant white. Azure eyes, not her emerald orbs. And most importantly, hair like the darkest raven, not crimson like the morning sunrise.
A lady of breathtaking, unnatural beauty without peer.
But she was not her. And therefore, she was completely and utterly irrelevant.
Without even bothering to say a word, Rider snapped his fingers.
The space behind him shimmered with azure.
Almost naturally, eldritch lines ran across the warping space, forming an arcane circle of blue. No mage could read the symbols that appeared there. Far older, far stronger then any mortal magecraft, they were from an age when even magic itself was young. It was more then simply magic, of course. It always was, but in these modern times even more so.
It was a harbinger of a legend.
A tale told throughout mankind’s history.
From the rippling circle, a massive torrent of gold and azure exploded forth.
Glowing with an unnatural inner light, the massive tide that was shot forward moved as if with a mind of its own. Unheeding of mortal concepts such as gravity and momentum, the pillar of water flew towards the three girls with the speed surpassing even that of modern firearms. Normally, water would hardly be a threat to a Servant, even at high speeds and pressures, but… the degree of divine nature present in the water was almost sickening, the glow even visible to the naked eye. Not to mention, how could one fight against a torrent with an arrow or a sword?
One cannot stab a wave any more then one can kill the skies.
And so, the massive deluge threatened to wash away the three girls and erase their presence, all of it, from the face of this fictional world.
Evaporation of Emotion (False)
Capacity to suppress strong emotional reactions and behaviour. At this rank, a single minded dedication to one’s goal can be achieved, even at the cost of conventional morality and emotion. Unlike the True version of this skill, emotional suppression in Rider’s case is achieved through sheer force of will, rather than the attainment of a true mechanical mindset.
B(-): At this rank, all mental interference is nullified. In addition, reduces the effectiveness of enemy actions that are based on emotional or sensory stimuli, such as surprise, various types of distractions or sensory overload.
Noble Phantasms
???????????????????????
Rank – E ~ A++
Type – ?
A water based Noble Phantasm. Rider can create ranged attacks ranging from E ~ A++ by shooting water out of a blue multidimensional ripples at high speeds and controlling its movement and flow for attacks and defences. High divine attribute, to the point the water itself glows. Further info unknown.
Seems to bear strong similarities to the treasury of the King of Heroes, but is filled with... water?
At the same time…
“Really. Having a chauffeur, even for a little while, really makes you appreciate how good it is.”
Lacene threw the heavy bag in her hand to the ground and sat down, her back leaning against the dark steel railing. One of the many buildings overlooking the Mion river, the building Lacene had chosen was not the tallest, nor the best sniping position. It was an apartment building, one rather modest in size - only six stories high. While time was also an issue (its not like she could go around scouting for suitable positions), she tended to favor the less obvious choices out of pure professional preferences.
Bodyguards, even magical ones, tended to be at least aware of the best firing locations in the area. As such, they tended to safeguard such spots. Sometimes with rather nasty booby-traps, in fact.
And so a young Lacene Bellecoste had decided not to use those spots ever again.
The suitcase next to the red-haired magi snapped open, almost as if out of its own will. Her slim fingers dug deep into the suitcase and pulled out a small black box. Activating its GPS tracker, Lacene casually discarded it further down the sunlit roof. Parts of a rifle, more specifically those a custom made Steyr IWS 2000, emerged from the suitcase, before seemingly starting to assemble itself midair. Normally, she preferred more subtle weapons, but considering the circumstances, Lacene packed for power, rather then discretion.
Probably a good call, all things considered.
Peering at the bridge through the scope of her rifle, she got a first glimpse of their new adversaries. And nearly threw up, as her eyes took in the figure of the enemy Servant.
“God damn it… an enchantment of divine beauty? Can that even be considered to be physical effect and not a phenomena at this level?”
Even here, over a kilometre away from the fight, the sight of the enemy Servant made her heart flutter uncertainly. The degree of which Rider is subjected to must be incomparably higher. Yet, looking from here, not even a muscle moved on the stoic Servant’s face as the two Servants started their standoff. In a bid to calm her nerves and beating heart, Lacene’s hands went for cigarette pack in her pocket.
“Horrible or not, I definitely could sure use a smoke.”
And so, with another lit cigarette on her lips, Lacene settled down to perform that duty which is oh so familiar to all snipers around the world.
The tall man had perched himself on a building in what seemed to be the newer district, near the bridge, and was mulling over the possibilities of what to do next. His master, the brown-haired teenager, had stayed at home, seemingly content to follow Archer's wishes. Still, he wished he had ended up with someone a little more. The boy had fine eyes, but he was young, inexperienced.
Archer continued to think, slow and steady, as his eyes watched for idle passerby. He had no desire to see his Master dead, and he was not naive to the thinking of the dishonorable, so he could not count on the goodwill of the enemy to protect the two. He could only conclude that he was making the right call in deciding to briefly engage the enemy, as he saw them, or merely shadow them.
Something in him chafed at the idea of not striding on to the field to declare his name before them and strike at each other without fear, but... perhaps the two were not mutually exclusive? The tall man frowned as his eyes latched on to a group of three making their way through the crowd on the bridge. The two girls hid it well, but both of them were tense as a coiled spring, and the woman in front of them... Archer narrowed his eyes.
She was a tiger, smiling, sharpening her claws as she twirled her spear back and forth. Archer blinked once, twice, pondering what this could mean. If she announced herself so openly, than was this Servant - for such power could clearly only belong to one class of being - a bloodthirsty fighter, eager to kill, or a woman ready to honor her opponent with her skill, to fight with clear eyes and heart?
He shook his head.
Something about her seemed almost to sing to him. She was beautiful, beyond any woman Archer had ever seen. He had to close his eyes and focus on his heartbeat for a moment, counting out measured breaths, before the feelings within him calmed again. He had no desire to engage her in battle, content to observe for now. If no one else appeared, he might announce himself, but - there.
Two more had come.
One was a man wreathed in power, like a flame that drew the attention of all before it. There was no mistaking it, no mistaking that casual confidence inherent in every line of his body. He was a Servant, and the woman next to him... his master? Archer's eyes narrowed. The brands that burned on her hand could not be falsified.
In that fashion Archer watched, watched as the Servant wreathed himself in strange armour, as he unleashed a divine wave of water that could only be his Noble Phantasm. The tall man watched that Servant's master leave his side and begin her own preparations from a kilometer away - well within Archer's range. The Grail had poured the knowledge of this era into his mind, enough that he could see what was known as a 'gun' cradled in the red-head's hands. Interested, Archer shifted his attention to her as the rifle assembled itself, strange magics bending it to its owner's will.
He watched with cooler eyes as she aimed it at the bridge. At best he was only three kilometers away himself, far enough away that he was nearly unnoticeable to sight not as strong as his. As he saw her scope glint int the light, Archer's hands flew before he could restrain himself.
An arrow buried itself next to Lacene's foot, sunk deep into the ground with deadly force, sending a clear message to the woman who resembled velvet hiding steel.
I see you.
Don't interfere.
[12:37] <I3uster> if playing overwatch would save my mother from the deathbed [12:37] <I3uster> id probably flip a coin [12:38] <I3uster> to see if i play or not
[18:23] <frantic> spinach is like a caffeine zombie [18:23] <frantic> in AX he would like [18:23] <frantic> drink 8 shots of espresso [18:23] <frantic> then he'd turn to me an hour later [18:23] <frantic> 'frantic', he'd say, his eyes wild and his lips smug [18:23] <frantic> 'i need coffee'
There is no reason to move until one perfectly understands all of their pieces, and by that same token, there was no point in setting up a base unless one had the intention of using it. It was for those reasons, amongst many others, that the crimson haired magus had chosen not to go on patrol tonight, barring the sudden unexpected appearance of some sort of lovecraftian horror that would inevitably need banishing. Summoning her Servant had simply been the first necessary step towards creating a plan towards winning the war, now that her Servant was known, she could craft her plans around his abilities, set things up in such a way as to only engage the opponent when the cards were almost all in her favor.
She was not foolish enough to think that this simple strategy alone would be enough to make it to the end, heroes that could harm the Knight of the Sun certainly existed after all, but it was a good starting point.
While the more traditional wars had simply utilized Masters and their Servants, this one had introduced the concept of effigies, she had yet to create one herself, but having heard about the powers they supposedly held, the woman had known it would be foolish not to utilize them to the best of her ability.
For that purpose, she would have to get used to their summoning.
In order to do that safely, she would have to finish the preparations on this apartment, and once she had done that, she would no longer possess her full reserves as a magus. There was no point in not fighting at full strength if one could avoid it, so rather than running out like a fool eager for blood, she would sit here and enjoy a mostly normal day with her team, she wasn't particularly looking forward towards killing anyone, so for now, best to just stick to her strengths and wait until she had everything in place.
Yes.
"Here you go Miss Ariel, Sir Gawain."
That was certainly the reason why she had yet to leave the apartments since she had arrived here; it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she hadn't eaten all day, and Maki had spent most of the evening trying to prepare something as a "welcome back to the world," for their Servant.
It had absolutely nothing to do with any of that.
"Thank you Lady Maki."
And speaking of her Servant...
He was exactly the type she had always wanted to have, tall, obviously strong, with a pleasant, unwavering loyalty that was so unlike the occasional sarcastic comeback from Maki. He had yet to flinch at even a single one of her requests, he had sparred with Maki without complaint, pulling his punches so as not to hurt the girl, he had spoken of his past in great detail, revealing his own personal reason for existing here as a Servant, offered to assist the younger girl in the kitchen while Ariel herself was nose-deep in magical texts about how the specifics behind this effigy nonsense, and when she had requested that he wear a suit, purely to see if he would struggle with the idea of parting with his armor.
He had simply bowed and made way to honor her commands at once.
...Thinking about it, it was perhaps a sign that he was too loyal, at the same time, such a thing wasn't something she could honestly complain about in terms of a Servant.
"Tell me Gawain, are you dissatisfied with tonight's activities," one leg crossed over the other, a book in one hand, cup of coffee in the other, the woman comments without any real emotion in her voice, "No thirst for battle exists at all?"
"I am here to serve. If you do not wish to fight, then neither do I, it is no more complicated than that my lady."
Damn.
Searching his face for the tells of a liar...
There had been absolutely nothing there...
Damn Round Table...
"Oh, he said that with a straight face, that's so cool~" Voice sing-song, her far more energetic assistant seemed to have gained a super positive opinion of the Servant in the hour or so they had been together, "Knights are awesome!"
"Didn't you know that already," tossing in a small side comment before she turns her gaze to the side, the red haired magus smiles, "Aren't you a knight yourself?"
"Not like that, I'm not nearly good enough."
"Not really the sort of thing the Queen of said knight wants to hear."
"Oi... Queen... Since when...? Wait... No... Don't spoil her like that Gawain."
"Let him! I like it!"
"Haha..."
A brief chuckle emerges from the Knight of the Sun.
"Oh so you can laugh, huh?"
"Hmm? Did you believe I did not? My apologies."
"Why are you apologizing? I was the one starting to think you were actually some sort of medieval robot, come on, smile more, you're alive again, enjoy it a bit."
"Understood."
"Not really an order..."
It wasn't bad.
Eating dinner like this, going over the effigy process one last time before turning her mind back towards the war.
It wasn't bad.
Not at all.
Exodus (Complete)
Even if the author is silenced, the performance is stilled and the actors leave the stage, the story will never truly end.
Regardless of the form it takes, as long as there are memories of it's existence, the story will continue on.
In a small ward in the heart of a once devastated town, life carries on as it always has...
Because of you.
Please, remember it warmly.
We'll continue to walk down this path for eternity.
Anyone to intrude into that room at that particular point in time would have certainly been left speechless by the sheer beauty of the scene taking place inside. Unlike other parts of Fuyuki, where the weather was cloudy, the sunshine found no resistance when passing through the windows, bringing with it an air of warmth and safety. Alongside the multiple examples of expensive furniture scattered over the place, however, the whole thing felt almost as if one was stepping over holy ground. And just like in fairy tales, there was one piece, one treasure, which was more sacred than the rest, whose beauty surpassed that of any mortal.
"..."
There, sitting on a fancy chair by the window basking her skin under the sunlight, was a princess. Her eyes were closed and it looked like she was in a deep sleep. Though no stranger could tell how the princess would behave when awake, when she was dreaming her face expressed such innocence that there were no words to describe it. It was simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, the first thing Ariel Labelle's face conveyed as her eyes slowly opened was annoyance and disgust. Even then, there was no denying that her body as a whole was truly alluring, but now that she was awake, no longer would she resemble an angel fallen from the sky.
"... I've must fallen asleep."
Still unable to remember what happened, Ariel reaches that obvious conclusion as she pieces together the fragments of her memories. The war, Arcadia and a speech filled with contradictions. When the princess recalled the face of that orange-haired commoner at the park, her frown became a little more noticeable. At least a few Masters should have been able to figure out the problem with the current situation, while it wouldn't be uncommon to find another bunch that have chosen to forget everything that happened back then. To Ariel there was only one thing she could take from it all: That person, the so called mediator, and perhaps the group she operated with, was no different from another enemy in this competition. Naturally, Ariel wouldn't go out of her way to wage war at them until it was convenient to do so. In the meantime, she would not be foolish enough to forget about their existence.
"Ugh..."
The whole thing was starting to give her a headache. It was then that another figure came into her field of vision and she remembered the rest. The reason for her brief nap had been the summoning of her Servant, Monster. Ariel had never expected the ritual to be so taxing on the body, especially since Monster was someone who wasn't on par with great heroes of legend like King Arthur or Herakles. In fact, the crimson eyed girl that had stepped out of the summoning ring minutes ago was a far cry from any real hero and one could tell from a mere glance. The aura that surrounded her was of a different kind... Just like a real monster, it sometimes felt repulsive to even look at her, despite her skin being rather smooth. IT had more to do with her eyes maybe, or perhaps the deep hatred that those eyes carried for a particular thing in the world. That person, that Servant, that Monster, had been staring at Ariel in her sleep, and now bravely continued to do so after her awakening, something only a few in this world could muster enough courage to do.
"Do you wish to join me, Monster?"
The Master asked as she combed her hair. She put specific emphasis on the word 'monster', mocking a being far outside her league. Even though Monster could be called 'weak' among Heroic Spirits, it went without saying that she could at the very least kill Ariel ten times over in an instant without batting an eyebrow. And yet, there was no display of fear or respect for that superior strength.
"No, I am fine, Master. I don't really enjoy the light very much."
The Servant's answer was reserved and polite, but it was evident that she did not enjoy being called by her class name all the time, as there was no pride to be found in it. Regardless, the dark haired girl had learned from her mistakes in her previous life and remained docile, enduring her Master's blatant display of dominance.
Ariel nodded in satisfaction, as if to say: 'that is how it should be'.
-------
The mediator had said 'What you have on hand and what you can obtain is all you have to work with'.
It was without saying that borrowing the house of a rich person to summon her Servant had always been within the scope of what she could obtain, and so it was easy to accomplish. Sadly, there was other business she had to attend to, so she was left with no choice but to abandon the house for the time being. Maybe next time she would try the more traditional houses of the Old District, possibly more suited for someone with her tastes.
The sound of the sea was so clear, it would have inspired passion in the heart of any sailor.
"Are you finally done, Servant?"
Though Ariel was addressing someone, there was nobody at the docks but her. Monster's presence had completely disappeared, and not even a Servant would be able to detect it without special aid. Presence Concealment, a Class Skill common among those Servants of the Assassin Class, it appeared she had managed to obtain it somehow. It was somewhat troubling not to know where someone so powerful (in comparison to humans) was hiding, but the heir of the Labelle didn't show a trace of fear. No, if anything, there was a hint of impatience in her voice.
"I have scouted the area you asked of me, yes... It fits your description. It's safe to say everything is where you left it."
Finally, a smile spread across Ariel's lips.
It eventually transformed into a boastful laugh.
"Hohoho~"
Before reverting back to a devilish smirk.
"Let's just wait here a little longer, then."
Sudden good mood.
Last edited by hero; January 14th, 2016 at 09:34 PM.
[18:30] RacingeR: Max S.Link with hero is when you promise your daughter to him
[18:31] RacingeR: Which means Airen and me are the only ones that maxed it (I promised Spin to him, and Spin is my daughter)
[18:32] hero: oh shit
[18:32] hero: spincess get
[18:32] hero: suck it fuckers
Perhaps, if it was a mere deluge, water as familiar as that which ran beneath the bridge, she need not have worried. But its nature was quite familiar, in fact. It was an instrument of divine purification, something so radiant that it would erase all that were unworthy beneath its waves. For someone like her, blessed by God, alleged exalt of virtue, it would not be a problem to survive.
But her Master and her friend were an entirely different story.
It would kill them instantly. Nothing questionable about it. And that was simply a possibility she would never let happen. By her virtue as a knight, someone who loved Justice himself until the very end, protecting others was ingrained into her spirit.
In an instant, she braced herself for the coming impact.
In an instant, she twirled her spear, as if to somehow “deflect” the crashing current.
In an instant, she erupted into searing blue flame.
Divine heat met divine current, and while no doubt the water was more entrenched in mystery, what she currently possessed were flames that ate away all sin, that destroyed anything less than a Saint. Divine purification would clash with divine purification head-on, and her body moved faster than she could process, trying to crush the torrent crashing against her with sheer heat and radiance, shielding her Master and her friend in the process.
A haze of steam.
The wind blew, and what was left was Lancer, slightly battered, the two standing behind her, unharmed. No doubt she couldn’t keep bearing the brunt of this forever. But they had time, at least.
“Move,” Lancer said, voice stern. She sounded like a mother ordering a child, her words absolute.
Lite, always quick on her feet, pushed Sophia to jolt her awake, and the two moved back, trying to gain as much distance as possible.
There was nothing shameful about it. They’d get themselves hurt if they stayed here any longer, and the enemy Master was nowhere to be seen.
“Tell me, Servant, he of raging currents, where is your Master? ‘Tis fair that you show up and fight me, but the same cannot be said of the one who bears your Command Seals.”
She glared at her opponent, azure blaze coating ebon spear, pointed straight at him.
Wise up!
Lancer
Stats
STR: ?
END: C -> B
AGI: ?
MGI: C
LCK: ?
Skills
Grace of God
The greatest body and good looks, a skill denoting the “beauty of royalty.” When in the presence of Servant with this skill activated, enemies find themselves under an enchantment that tries to make them do his bidding. Time will weaken the effect.
- B: At this rank, only high rank mental-warding skills combined with medium rank MGI can ward of the enchantment entirely.
Guardian Knight
The skill to increase defensive power when defending others from harm.
- C: At this rank, the servant has increased stamina when protecting an ally from harm and gains a rank boost in END, as long as they are performing defensive actions.
Noble Phantasm
?????????
Rank A
Anti-Unit(?)
A blazing Noble Phantasm. Lancer is capable of coating herself with blue flames, divine in nature. Were anyone unworthy to touch them, they would be brunt to a crisp in an instant. The mark of someone truly pure of heart.
Similar to the effect of an Elemental Prana Burst, but does not seem to raise attributes.
Last edited by Katie; January 14th, 2016 at 09:43 PM.
Moving forward through the streets that are so familiar my mind is swirling around and around …like a lava lamp I suppose, around and around as I move ever forward towards, …towards where I’m supposed to. I can’t tell why, I can’t tell where but there’s somewhere I have to be, have to be…
Familiar streets and buildings bleed into unfamiliar ones and I continue ever forward, feels sorta like I’m on a cloud …its nice, fluffy fluff ha ha ha.
Ah I should hurry to reach …where ever it is.
Reaching a dead end I begin to search for a way around or through only for it to open revealing its self to be a door, no maybe it’s a hatch, it’s a little hard to tell honestly. Fuzzy, fluffy, like my head is full of nothing but air and, and my glasses, they keep sliding down. I should fix them… can’t see without them.
Finally reaching my destination I enter a large room full of markings, people and other things whose purpose I can’t figure out. A man stands at the far side shouting happily, can’t really figure out why he’s shouting its not hard to hear here him.
Funny, no maybe its weird I can’t seem to figure out what he’s actually saying, I just keep moving forward to join the others and take a, my place.
Were we having a neighbourhood meeting? I wonder why so many people are together.
My glasses are slipping even more now it’s getting to be a little annoying.
The persons shouting reaches a crescendo and a rush of air swirls around the room and under my chin.
The place starts to glow and fill with red, strange, the other people get red, the floor gets red, I get red and my glasses finally fall off with the rush of wind.
My mind begins to clear and I begin to wobble, its rather hard to stay upright as the heat bleeds out of my body. To late, to late.
Everything starts to get dark but its fine, or at least I thought it would be fine but the red doesn’t stop. Red, wet, unpleasant, its unpleasant to be drenched in blood. The people fall, I fall, the man falls. But the damage is done the blood just won’t stop, strange, is this how I die? I suppose it would end like this for me, unlucky, but …expected with everything.
The world explodes and everything is banished by an all consuming light.
An ephemeral figure stands at its center and it asks me.
What do I wish for, I wish for a happy life, no need for anything special really, just under the sun, If I could have that it would be …nice.
The figure tells me that I shouldn’t blame myself, that it’s not wrong to wish for something like that, he just tells me to be more like him. He reaches out and my begins to burn. And then the light dies and darkness envelopes me.
Archer Location: Magus Workshop Time: Sometime
Annoying, a rather annoying chain of events, a false world, a bloody ritual, a pile of bodies but no matter I must make do, all for his wish. Walking over I gather up his glasses before a voice calls out to me.
In the corner sits a lady, she asks me what she should do now so I tell her the only think I can think of. She should do what she wants, as long as she doesn’t threaten me or my master I can’t say I care what she does with her life.
A surprised expression that becomes a smile as she answers me, I see in that case I shall do what I want and offer this life to you.
Responding with a sigh I begin to walk out as she follows me and once outside I flick my hand and the place behind me disappears in an instant, pulverised and destroyed as if a thousand bombs went off all at once.
With the girl sinking into the floor I begin my journey back home, step, step, step the world rushes past me in an instant as space is ignored.
Finally back at the place that is home I instruct the girl to head inside, I’ll work things out with her later for now all I intend to do is adjust. Moving the houses roof in a single step I sit down amid the shadows that drown the light and watch. Eyes that see to the ends of the world and everything in-between this will be a good chance to get used to this.
What did you see, why did you choose, questions swirl inside me as I observe the city that seems to no longer have any secrets.
Taking a spirit form and exiting his master's bedroom, Saber decided to familiarize himself with the house layout.
It was neither a small nor big house. While it has a second floor as well as a basement, the space is rather minimal, perhaps not to stand out among other houses. The second floor only has 2 rooms, his master's and Mizuha's, while the ground floor has a kitchen and a living room. At the wall beside the stairs is a hidden door leading to the basement where he was summoned.
'The onmyouji should be in the basement.' Saber mused to himself. Curious to the progress of the workshop, Saber decided to pay her a visit. To be polite, he took a corporeal form before descending through the stairs and entering the basement.
...It was like entering another world.
A small torii serves as the 'gate' to the workshop, and within it is a scene straight out of a Japanese shrine. An altar, numerous paper talismans, and in the middle of it all, tending to it is a figure Saber had seen briefly after his summoning. Noticing his presence, she turned from what she is doing, scanning the servant and the lack of a certain someone before asking.
"Where is Shiori?"
"Master said she wanted to meditate. I left as to not bother her."
Muttering a small 'I see,' in response, Mizuha returned her attention to her work while Saber stays silent as he observed the work of the onmyouji. After some minutes of silence, Mizuha deemed that her work is done before she turned to face Saber once again. Noticing that a talk is going to happen, Saber straightened his posture as he met the gaze of his master's best friend.
"What do you think of Shiori?"
"She is kind and polite." Saber said with a small smile. "Despite being a warrior, she gave me an adequate supply of prana. She is a good master."
Mizuha nodded. "Then do you agree with her methods?"
"It's certainly naive." Saber said matter-of-factly. "But it is a servant's job to support his master. As her friend, don't you agree Lady Mizuha?"
The two locked eyes for a while, neither giving in to the other, before Mizuha finally relented and gave a tired smile.
"I don't oppose her views, nor do I consider it wrong. It's... you could say that it's beautiful, and I admire her for that. Shiori has a noble soul, and I don't want that to change."
"But," Mizuha said as she looked at the altar, "The world of magi is cruel. Despite being the heir, Shiori rarely got exposed to the politics of her family, so she doesn't really understand it until that incident happened... No, even after it happened, she still hasn't fully grasp it yet. But I know how low magi can get in order to fulfill their own wishes and ambitions."
Mizuha looked back at Saber, and within her eyes he could see a silent determination. Unwavering, an eye which only belong to someone utterly devoted to someone else; certainly not the eyes he expect to see in someone as young as Mizuha. He understood that the onmyouji would bear that burden so that his master's hand would not be sullied by trickery and deceit.
"Accompany her, Saber." Mizuha's voice rang out, returning Saber's attention to the girl as she gave a small smile. "You're a great hero, and you have a noble soul; you might make her wish come true. Go upfront, challenge the masters and servants fair and square. Let her keep her naivety."
"I will." Saber said, turning to leave the basement before he stopped.
"Lady Mizuha... I sincerely hope you don't have to carry that burden."
The girl gave a hollow smile as she watched the servant left, knowing that the possibility of it happening is close to zero.
=============== Homurahara School Gate
4.30 PM
There isn't actually a plan to go out today, but Shiori had wanted to go around and familiarize herself and Saber with the city. Mizuha relented under the condition that she would stay away from the bridge or New Fuyuki; apparently there is a battle between servants, and to blindly rush in would be foolish. Her best friend still wished her good luck, the onmyouji not coming because she intend to do a recon of the whole city.
Shiori had also tried to create those so-called effigies, and to her surprise its actually quite fast and simple when done within her workshop. She only created one each of the two types she can create, but she felt that it would be enough for a simple tour around Old Fuyuki.
And it is in the middle of her tour that she come across a certain place.
'This is... a school?'
Shiori was fascinated. She had never attend school as she learned everything at home, so the simple sight of the school building is enough to fascinate her. Then her eyes are drawn towards the students, male and females clad in similar brown uniforms, and wonder along with curiosity filled Shiori's eyes.
'So students really wear uniforms! But I wonder why it's a must... There must be a reason...'
As Shiori pondered that question, she didn't realize that she had attracted attention of the students. But with her expensive light blue kimono, beautiful pink haori and a pair of katana and wakizashi strapped on her waist it is clear that she is someone with power - perhaps the daughter of yakuza, most assumed - and thus they decided to avoid her. Coincidentally, when she realized that she's being actively avoided, Shiori got the answer to her question.
'I see, so uniforms is a must to lessen the income gap between students. If one is fortunate, they wouldn't be able to flaunt their wealth while the unfortunate ones will not be ashamed by their clothing! Superb!'
Shiori looked at the school building, honestly wanted to explore it, but she doubt that she'd be allowed.
'Maybe if I come at night... But then the doors would be locked and I cannot see the classrooms...'
And so Shiori simply stood there, her mind thinking of various ways she can explore the school while Saber stood guard in spirit form, ready to alert his master of any danger or intercept it if he must.
Last edited by palad1n; January 15th, 2016 at 07:45 AM.
Regalia Hijinks
<Erlkonig|Phone> Why get a gf, when Airen is your waifu?
<Airen|Phone> I'll save everyone, it's fine
<Snaxies> Airen is totally Jesus again
<frantic> I actually hate reading your post because you're so fucking anime
<Reiu> Regalia is a scary place desu...
<Mellon> He who lives by the oneshot, dies by the oneshot
Personal Compliments
<@RacingeR> Pally would be a perfect shoujo lead
<Erlkonig> I would fall for Pally if he was a qt shoujo manga lead girl
Originally Posted by Airen
Only pala is pure, the rest of ya are twisted
Originally Posted by Cheetose
I'm not sure if it's like this generally, but Pala seems to be very good at making naive and innocent, but also strangely bulliable characters.
Nemesis
Time: 6:22PM Location: Kiriyaki Residence (Old Fuyuki)
"Damn! This is amazing!" Nemesis' Servant screamed with a content grin on her face as she continued to devour the plate that her human drones had served her. She truly did not desire for human food on her account, but using her powers to stave off the need for food when it was so readily available would be a waste in energy.
Thus it was with no small amount of distaste that she had joined her Servant for an early meal.
"Hehehe! Saber-chan, you sure eat a lot!" The younger of the humans stated, unnerved by the amount of food in Saber's plate compared to her own humble servings. The annoying schoolgirl might have been called 'cute' by her fellow monkeys, but Nemesis found her high-pitched noises to be repulsive and would have kept her quiet when there was no need to keep up such foolish charades.
However, because of the distaste which Saber had first displayed when she saw the girl alongside her parents stare into empty space as they did the tasks she had commanded, Nemesis had decided to restore a little of their identity even in private.
The girls' parents merely smiled warmly at the scene, their eyes glossing about her seat as if she wasn't even there. They weren't truly aware of her presence, that was the way the Homunculus wanted it after all. That she tolerated their chatter did not mean she would deign a common human, even a fake one, with her attention.
"Yeah! With this, I'll be at full tank when it's time to fight!" The armor-less Saber said cheerfully, patting at her exposed belly as she leaned back on her seat. Nemesis had been surprised when her Servant, initially a knightly figure by all means, had promptly chosen the 'trashiest' clothes from the girl's wardrobe and put them on. She did not care for human trends, but at the very least she understood the concept of modesty as a virtue.
For the moment, Nemesis let her Servant stew on the pleasure of satiating her need for a good meal after spending a timeless period as a metaphysical entity. She had, after all, just finished an important talk with her Servant concerning their goals for the war that would ensure future cooperation between them.
However, for all that her Servant was enjoying her new vessel, Nemesis felt that it was time to advance their plans.
"Saber." She stated quietly, causing the Servant to blink at her. Nemesis snapped her fingers, and the three humans eating with them appeared to slump on their seats, their senses completely blank. "Have you had enough by now, Mordred?"
"Yeah, yeah." She finally admitted, stretching lazily like a playful cat. It was difficult to believe that this petite girl had been the one to best King Arthur in combat, but then again Nemesis knew better than to judge creatures for their appearance. "So, what's the plan, you monstrous excuse of a Master? You gonna rampage around and kill some humans, or what?"
"As much as I would love to," Nemesis smirked for the first time, shaking her head at her Servants' words. "It would be a waste of effort and further utterly detrimental to my aims in this battle. I will not have you killing bystanders until it's necessary to replenish your reserves." She ignored the glimmer of hesitation that Mordred irritatingly tried to suppress, knowing that despite the bitter ending to her story, the fabled Kingslayer still retained some dregs of her chivalry in that brash, belligerent personality of hers.
Their talk concerning the nature of humanity, despite Mordred's own reluctance to discuss it, had been surprisingly fruitful to Nemesis. Far from the knight she expected, Mordred was indifferent to the fate of humanity and appeared to only desire for her wish upon the grail. It was disgustingly human of her, but Nemesis could feel a sort of kinship with her Servant. With how she had slightly prodded at her, she could tell that behind the girl's petty hatred and bottomless rage there was something genuine and pure.
"Alright, Master." Her Servant muttered disinterestedly, fiddling with the gravy-stained cutlery on her plate. "What's the plan, then?"
"I will finish the preparatives on this base, so that we may secure our stronghold." Nemesis gestured towards the inside of the large house, where her own workshop for the war was almost completely done. "Given the hours I invested into shaping up the base, I should be ready to start summoning the Effigies in a few minutes. If all goes well, we'll be ready at dusk..."
She smirked. "Come the evening, I'll send these drones on their way... And we'll head out to have some fun."
Mordred gave a cocky grin in turn. "I dunno about all the rest, but that sounds like my kind of plan."
"Well then." Nemesis stood gingerly, ignoring the slumped humans still bound by her control. "Shall we get started?"
Time: 8:13PM Location: Somewhere in Old Fuyuki
Another shitty day was coming to an end for Hiroto Kazegawa.
It wasn't his fault, really: the world was just out to get him. First a discussion with his arrogant bitch of an aunt over the prolonged issue of his grandmother's inheritance had him losing the better part of the day, he had then been reproached by his boss about another missed deadline he could have done nothing about because he'd needed to call in sick. To top it all off, the little cherry on top of the gigantic turd of a cake he had been served was that he had lost the keys to his car and had to walk home as the night set in.
Despite the hateful sneer on his face, he shivered at the cold winter air. The older Fuyuki was a quiet place by nature, and seeing as most night activities were concentrated on the newer part of the town he was pretty much on his own in the long, winding streets that made up the older residential districts of the city.
Suddenly, he noticed another presence with him in the street. It was a woman, and a very attractive one at that. Hiroto couldn't help but blink at her blond hair, and the piercing green eyes that so exotically captured his gaze. A foreigner in Miyama was a rare thing to see, and he couldn't help the adventurous smirk that sprouted on his face.
"Looking good, miss!" He whistled at the woman as she approached from the other side of the street, but he was harshly ignored. The woman seemed to give him no quarter, and didn't even deign him with a response as she passed by. He leered at her coldness. "What? Can't even say 'hello'!?"
"Fucking bitch..." He muttered to himself, breathing hot air into his freezing hands as he went on his way past another stuck-up whore, much like the ones that surrounded his life.
A second later, a voice carried by the wind reached his ears.
"How pitiful of you." He turned angrily, wishing to give the obnoxious woman a large piece of his mind before he froze in his tracks.
There was nobody there.
Before he knew it, a bead of sweat was running down his brow. Had it just gotten colder all of a sudden? A deep feeling of unease settled into Hiroto's stomach, and he somehow felt as if he was being watched. Maybe he should've kept his freaking mouth shut, and not called out to a random person in the middle of the night who could have been from the yakuza for all he could tell.
Breathing slightly more tensely, Hiroto stepped up his pace slightly. There was something about the unassuming street that felt heavy now, as if the air felt stagnant and trying to choke him. Trying to keep calm, he focused on the tranquil, ambient sounds in the street. From the faint sizzle of the street lights, the loud buzzing of the insects, and the chirping of the cicadas, he tried to focus on them in order to keep a peace of mind.
There's nothing wrong, nothing sounds wrong at all, hahahaha! All that work's probably driven me up the wall, and I'm just nervous about everything. Yeah, that's it.
...But god damn, that buzzing was driving him crazy!
Wait. At that moment, he realized it.
He'd never heard an insect buzzing so loud before-
It caught him completely by surprise, a black blur so obscure that it was barely noticeable in the dark of the night. The buzzing blur crashed against his face, and the alarmed Hiroto felt six long legs wrap tightly around his head.
There was a red glow, and his world exploded in pain.
"AAAAAAAAAAAH-" His vain attempt to scream for help was silenced when the large, bee-like insect shoved its abdomen into his mouth, muffling his voice and leaving him only able to breathe through his nose. Even as he felt the painful feeling of something trying to get into him, he tried to claw at the insect in an attempt to take him off but his grip was simply too firm, even inhuman in its fierceness.
He could have dealt with it in another position, he knew, it was just an insect. But even in his panicked attempts to pry it off, it was as if the creature had been designed to not let go once it had latched onto a target, for reasons he could not understand. Still, if he tried hard enough, desperately enough, he was sure that he could-
Let go.
-Eh? It felt as if his mind whited out for a second, and his hands slipped from their grip on the insect. He tried to repeat his earlier action, but again it was as if a feeling of weakness overcame him. His eyes widened in horror, as he couldn't even begin to comprehend what was happening. The pain in his mind had faded into a dull ache, but the deep horror remained.
Why was it, that he couldn't just- give up- and get rid of this damn thing on his head! It was like a scene from a horror movie, and he was the frenzied victim! The insect was going to do something terrible, it was going to eat his brain or something, it was- nothing strange at all.
He had to- stop fighting
Damn it, n-no...! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON, I JUST WANT TO- accept this
Accept...!? Accept what?! A monster on my head, no fucking way I- don't care
Fuck, he was- slipping
He couldn't- bring himself to care anymore
...He- was nothing
But his life- didn't matter
nothing matters anymore
everything will be destroyed
there is no point in resisting
embrace the end-
He heard the Siren's call in his mind.
...
The street lights flickered, as the nimble-looking yet fragile insect's wings buzzed after a short while. It flew off the slumped figure on the ground, tracing an unknown path through the dark. It soon disappeared, another shadow melting into the night.
A minute passed, and the man on the ground twitched. He fumbled his way to his feet, movements twitchy and ragged as if he had been asleep for a long time.
He lumbered forwards, an empty expression on his face as his mouth drooled from the side. Soon, his mind would pick itself back up from the damage it had suffered, but he was forever broken, forever corrupted. It was why, unlike the passionate rage of one Hiroto Kazegawa, there was only one thing this man had to say-
"A-ahll... haaaaail... Dark Falz..."
His haunting moans went on, one last warning before the monster was once again hidden in the facade of a man. It was as much an alert, as it was a cry for help-
Time: 8:43PM Location: Shinto District, near the Station Front (New Fuyuki)
"What's that cheeky look for, Master?" The spiritualized Saber inquired as she saw the strangely satisfied gleam in her Master's gaze. Fuck's sake, they had only talked for an hour and she was already sure that her Master was bad news. She couldn't give a flying fuck about what her Master wished for, but a small part of her felt bad for the lives she was going to take at some point or another- Even if they were all fake.
"Imagine, Saber, a single dark flower in a vast hill of fertile soil." Saber raised a metaphysical eyebrow. What was she smoking this time? "At first, the flower is small and frail. Even a strong wind could blow it away. However, the flower manages to hold on against all odds. The bees come, and help pour life into it. Its seeds spread, and soon there are more flowers. Each of these, will one day give the same number of seeds as their parent."
Nemesis, who had been walking unassumingly, suddenly sprouted a beaming smile that looked far too giddy to have an innocent source. "The flowers lead to more and more sproutlings, and these sproutlings blossom into more dark flowers. Eventually, the growth will become too big to control. The bees will come in swarms, and the dark flower's roots will dig trenches into the soil. The single flower will, in time, grow into an impossibly vast forest- And when the forest covers the entire hill..."
The girl slowly ran her tongue across her lips. "Nothing will escape its grasp."
Saber shuddered. Fuck me, she's just as crazy as mom!
"Now then, Saber." Nemesis spoke up, seemingly into thin air, after they had wandered into a dark alley. "While my little bees run around town pollinating some stray flowers..."
Narrowing her eyes, she pointed up towards the looming buildings above, their tall walls looking as if it would obscure them from all incoming light.
"What do you think about taking the scenic route?"
OOC Stuff
For Sei:
-Created 1 Vibrace, and 3 beez
For the rest:
-Nemesis is sending the beez to just fly around isolated areas while staying mostly out of radar, until they come upon someone who's wandering alone at night. At that point they will try to latch onto them, and do what you saw in that post. If you're in Old Fuyuki at night, watch out about being on your own!
(Spoilers you can get rid of them with an auto-attack, lol)
Last edited by Erlkonig; January 15th, 2016 at 12:55 AM.
[20:57] frantic: I can't even remember what opinions I actually hold about the thing compared to shit I made up to piss people off
[17:13] Airen: Its not an airen character unless gay
I was happy with helping Caster set-up things up like a workshop, upgrade some of my stuff, and a cool barrier that stopped prana from leaking out as well making it seem perfectly normal. It's like that one manga... Lyrical Prismatic Magi Shoujo Kyoko where the rich twintails wizard has a barrier that stopped people from noticing that a HUGE badass fight was taking place between her, her butler, and this cool mercenary wizard that involved guns, explosions, and cool hand to hand combat! Man I should focus my levels to become sort of like her!
But first, I should introduce Magi-chan to the city. So I showed her all the important stuff, the movie theaters, restaurants, and finally the park. This should have raised our Lily Rank to 2 or a corresponding level 4 Social Link in the Facade series! At first, she was hesitant with me holding her hand and kept mumbling, but I think she's getting used to me. Soon we'll be not just Master and Servant but Friends. Then eventually Best Friends!
"Master... What exactly happened in this park? It seems evil even in this fake dimension that we're in."
"You see... I once lived 'here' and apparently there was some kind of fire. I don't remember it because I was like really young. But I can remember one thing... The fire consumed everything until the rain happened. It was only until recently I found out that it was due to the previous Holy Grail War. I always said I was the Protagonist who saved others. And I'm not here for the glory, the wish, or just to fight. I came here because I didn't want that event to happen again."
"M-master..."
Smooth Akane. Being the Protagonist that you are. You accidentally brought her to the worst park in all of Fuyuki like some kind of dense harem protagonist and then dragging up your big dramatic backstory! Unacceptable, we're suppose to be the Cute, Quirky Protagonist that saves the world while she gains friends. Quickly before you lose your hard-earned rank!
"Well that and I'm the heroine! I'm here to save the world and meet some cool friends! I'm already half way there."
"Halfway there but how Master?"
"Because I've already made one cool friend! You Magi-chan! So let's do the other half together!"
Suzushiro Residence Upgrades
Suzushiro Residence Barrier: Anti-Stalker Measures!
Caster's Workshop: A workshop for Caster to do magical things!
Effigy Creation:
??? x Sword Effigies
??? x Shield Effigies
Akane and Magi-chan!
Akane the Protagonist
Jacket?
Shoes?
Weapons?
I'm the Protagonist (Rank ???): That's right I'm the protagonist!
Magi-chan
Could create a workshop!
Has a flying broom!
Last edited by Kuroyuki; January 15th, 2016 at 01:35 AM.
Reason: More Memes!
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Originally Posted by Airen
