Quest of Fate - Apocrypha Universe Grail War

[zikari8]

2 seems like a horrible idea.

2

[Bird of Hermes]

Mount Enzou Outskirts
Night



After seeing her cry, I immediately move in to soothe her. I may have no idea what I’m doing but I’m not going to let her know that, a friend should be able to care for a friend regardless of actual capacity.

“It’s ok, I’m here for you.”

My arm slides up hers to our bodies closer together. With every inch we approach her I can feel her radiating more heat, breathing faster. With wrap one arm around her in a hug while the second one wipes a tear away.

“I’m here.”

Just as I move my head down to rest on hers, she tilts up to face me and-

We kissed.

It’s strange.

It’s exciting.

It’s new.

We’re locked in a stalemate, completely stationary and waiting for the other to relent and retreat. But neither of us do, eventually we yield and give in to the kiss. Her lips are chapped, rough and salty from her tears. The passion is muted and once the excitement of the new moment ends… it’s awkward. I pull away and given the expression on her face, I think we both gave a silent sigh of relief. Risa’s face is flushed as pink as her hair as her eyes dart to the side, refusing to meet my own.

“Well… that was different.”

“Y-yeah.”

It’s hard forcing the words out of my mouth as the weight of mutual embarrassment suddenly weighs down on me.

“S-s-so,” Risa splutters, words tripping over each other as she tries to speak, “that happened.”

The tension is so bloody thick you could cut it like butter, and not the pleasant kind, it’s just weird.

Fortunately the silence is broken with a familiar voice and footsteps of Lancer approaching.

“

Emperor

Master

, the preparations are ready, is the coast clear?"

“Y-yes it is.”

Five minutes later and I’m getting into a dark box just big enough to be a coffin with enough un-easement rising in my chest already.

“Why is it like this again?” I can’t help but ask as Lancer assists be into the empty keg.

“It’s been described to me like a Trojan Horse, the three of us hide in these kegs which are mixed in with the alcohol to make it harder to find us. We’ll be delivered into the temple however after that point it will be unknown. Even our locations may be unpredictable in nature. We don’t know what we will be facing but neither will they and as we have the element of surprise, we have the advantage.”

“Very well, as there’s no alternative that doesn’t result in all of us dying-”

Before I can finish my sentence, the lid is closed in on me, only leaving me with thoughts. Nothing wrong with my thoughts whatsoever, I have great thoughts. A cheese toastie but with Garlic Bread. My father never loved me, I may have just destroyed the only genuine friendship I have and I’m probably going to die alone which may be very soon.

Oh that got depressing very quick.

[BGM]

The moment I feel the keg stop I burst out screaming, clawing my way out of my self-pitying darkness and I make a solemn promise to myself, if I survive and make it home I will see a therapist. If I recall currently, then Father was located within the darkest depths and call it true sight, instinct or foolishness but I know that if I continue downwards then I should… I should find Father. Staying close to the walls, I move as slowly and quietly as possible for I do not know where I am in the complex but I am currently undetected. My Magical Circuits are primed but I am keeping myself on minimal power as to not set off any potential alarms.

Walking as stealthily as my current state allows I make my way to the end of the hallway where I come to a crossroads, the left has a staircase that goes down, presumably to where Father is, however just before that is a door left slightly ajar. Logic tells me to ignore but curiosity overcomes me.

Inside I see a figure of what appears to be a woman sat in a room all by herself who appears to be on her seco- no third bottle of wine, given the colour and smell it’s either a strong red or a bad rosé. Reiner doesn’t appear to be the sort of person who would bring family into this and his superiority complex wouldn’t allow for someone associated with him to conduct themselves in that matter so it couldn’t possibly be Rider.

Therefore given the nature of the Nomikata ‘Recycling’ ritual I don’t want to imagine what she may be kept here for and in this state.

1). Ignore the woman and go downstairs regardless.
2). Go into the room and talk to the woman and discover why she’s there.
3). Risk exposure and try to save the woman.
4). Kill the woman, it’ll be a favour and you can’t risk anything.
5). Summon Lancer and multitask pick multiple options. (Costs One Command Spell)
6). Write in!

3 Command Spells Remain

================================================== ========

2-3 Weeks for a short update, I know. In my defence my new job is significantly more exhausting both physically and mentally than I could have expected. Don't worry, I won't throw in the towel on this.

[RoydGolden]

Okay, that kiss was awkward but not actually as bad as I thought. At least Risa didn't slap us or anything. We're really in a conundrum now though. I don't at all trust that the mysterious woman isn't Rider (heck, look at Francis Drake) but on the other hand, if she's a civilian trapped here then ignoring her may very well be condemning her to a horrible death.

Aw heck, what kind of hero would we be if we didn't take risks to save people? 2- talk to the woman. But keep our Command Seals close so we can summon Lancer if anything goes pear shaped...

[You]

Telepathicly confirm Lancer made it to the temple. Then talk to woman.
Ryuudou barrier makes it that summoning from outside the barrier even with a CS possible to fail.
Need to know how fucked we are.

[Rafflesiac]

Telepathicly confirm Lancer made it to the temple.

I agree with this part but ignore the lady. Watch her be Rider with a stealth ability or something.

Also lol at that OST.

[4score7years]

Telepathicly confirm Lancer made it to the temple. Then talk to woman.
Ryuudou barrier makes it that summoning from outside the barrier even with a CS possible to fail.
Need to know how fucked we are.

I’ll go with this plan.

- - - Updated - - -

Also lol at that OST.

agreed

[SleepMode]

You's plan is good, so jumping onto the bandwagon.

[RoydGolden]

I'm onboard with You's plan too. Basically an improvement of my idea...

[Bobin]

I'm in on the plan. The saving option seems quick to assumption though, there's no taking into account experienced drunkards.

[zikari8]

I'm with Raff on this one. Strange women in the enemy's hideout are almost always either traps or evil subordinates. Never works well.

[Zurvan]

You's plan it is

[Bird of Hermes]

Ryuudou Temple
Night



“Calm down Seigi, you’re running around like a headless chicken in a fast food restaurant.”

Before I do anything and get myself killed without achieving anything, I need to see if I have any backup. I’m not entirely certain how this works, so I raise two fingers to my temple like how I’ve seen in mediocre sci-fi films and give a silent call in my mind

Lancer, can you hear me?

Nothing.

Any you there Lancer? Report.

All I each is… I’m not sure how to describe it. The faint noise I hear is a partway between static interference and mumbling. All I’m left to assume is she must still be in transit as Ryuudou’s natural barrier would have cut me off entirely if she’s out of the perimeter. However I don’t know when she’ll be in contact.

Anyways, this woman, this drunk woman, should be within my capacity.

I walk up to the door and she hasn’t even noticed me and I pause for moment, if I walk straight in she might be startled and scared, if she’s alarmed then Reiner and the rest of the Corvella’s will be aware of me.

And we’ll all be dead.

So I do as the stereotypical British Gentleman would do and knock on the door. To no reply.

“Hello?”

And I see the woman.



“Come now dear”, she waves towards me like we’ve been talking this whole time from her table, “sit and drink with me! It’s so much more fun than by myself.”

Considering that realistically, my option list just decreased to a big fat one, I walk up to the woman and sit down in front of her but the time I do so; she’s already finished the
glass.

“Is everything oka-“

“Come on, you have a glass too!”

I can’t help but notice that she has a slight accent to her voice, European definitely but I can’t quite tell… Russian perhaps? But regardless, bound by manners I have no real choice other than to accept her proposal. I sit and let her pour out a glass, it the same she drank from. On a close inspection of the alcohol it was the bottle that was tinted; the liquid itself is a good deep red. I seems initially foolish to drink alcohol but one won’t impede me and frankly I can’t remember the last time I had anything to drink. After she pours me a glass all the way to the brim, she passes it to me quiet hastily causing a fair portion to swirl and fall over the edges. Taking it in my hands I gave it a raise in a ‘cheers’ motion and take a sip.

The taste it tannic, there’s hint of some fruit other than the obvious grape origin but the fruitiness is fait like her accent, overall it’s firm and with a mild bitter aftertaste. As red wine goes, this is rather nice indeed. Tempted as I am to take another I cannot allow myself to get distracted.

I lower the glass and place it in the middle of the table before beginning my assessment of her and the situation.

“Ma’am, are you ok? Is everything well?”

She almost falls over in laughter, tossing wine everywhere.

“You think I am some weak little girl? Zat is so funny, no one can tell me what to do.”

The voice is slipping a little bit, definitely Russian. However it’s clear that whatever information I get from her needs to be taken with a grain of salt. She’s clearly hammered, much like a trophy wife of a lawyer or dentist who found out after two kids he’s been having affairs with either friends or girls half her age for a number of years already.

“Anyway little boy, why iz you here?”

The tone is mocking and snide like a deliberate attack on my masculinity or something, she takes a long drink from the glass leaving just about half of the glass left before passing it back to me. I’m a little resentful over the insult but it’s clearly the intoxication.

I take another sip.

“Do you know Reiner Corvella? I have business with him and one of his guests. Do you know where either might be?”

I tell the truth, there’s nothing to lose – worst case scenario I bail but the alarm will go off sooner or later.

She rolls her eyes in an exaggerated fashion, swaying her whole body as she does so her voice with that slight droll of hers. “I might, I might not,” giving a coy little chuckle as she does so, somehow the laugh is… warming? “But does that explain why you’re sneaking around like a little sneak-thief?”

I take another sip before offering the drink back.

“I’ll be honest,” I take a breath and steel myself, “He’s connected to someone who kills women and children and I think this person is looking for another woman. I know this man is here in the temple with you. I need to find him. Can you please tell me where he is?”

A magus must be poised and elegant at all times, never show weakness. But to be truthful, saying these things for the first time… it hurts, it makes me realise the magnitude of what he’s done in the name of furthering his lineage and magecraft. Over a century of ‘recycling’ all those deaths he and mother caused, all so I could come into the world, after mother died they couldn’t continue. But now he has this poor drunkard in his clutches, he almost had Risa. My friend.

With that, I finally realise the two things he had planned. He had mentioned his disappointment often, when he first told me of the grail war he said there would be a great cost. He would have killed me, put my circuits in her and made this powerful mage with no connections the newest heir of the Nomikata family. The other possibility… I don’t even want to think about it.

“Now, how did you come here? Are you safe?”

I stress these words as carefully as I can, doing my best to let her feel as safe as she can be considering the circumstances. Slowly, I reach my hands to hold onto her –establishing contact should help with a bond.

Silence.

Then her face is stone cold, like the silent fury of karma itself.

“Thank you for telling me the truth about zat man. He’s downstairs, he hasn’t done anything to me… yet.” She takes a long, slow and deep breath, in, and out. Collecting herself, she slowly stumbles up to her feet, almost tripping over her legs as she does so, I reach out and instinctively grab onto her, she reaches out and pulls me close too, our hands are holding onto each others hips and waists for mutual support.

Gently, we correct ourselves and stand on our own to feet but her face is still awash with confusion “Why didn’t you tell me straight awey?”

“I… didn’t want to scare you. Now do you know a safe way out of here?”

The woman reaches over and picks up the bottle, no sense wasting good wine on Reiner and father. She places a hand on my shoulder presses some weight down on me before pulling in close, clearly walking isn’t the best option for her currently.

“Do you know a safe place we can get you?”

She shakes her head, “I don’t remember…”

Damn, Keep calm Seigi I tell myself. The noise may have compromised us so we have to move, upstairs is away from father but I can’t let her blood be on my hands, I am not my father and it’s a slippery slope, I will not become him.

As we make it to the door, the woman stops me and holds onto me with a vice-like grip looking me in the eyes.

“Little boy, when we get out of here. I will find you and thank you proper.”

We need to get you safe fir-

And then she kissed me.

It’s rough and she moves with no control as she swirls her tongue across my mouth and forces her way in taking hold of my hand and placing it assertively on her before just as quickly letting go. With a teasing flick of her tongue, she

“I will do rest to you later.”

And off she goes walking out the door with absolutely no consideration as to her actions. Drunk older women are too much of a handful.

As I chase her out back into the hallways, this time she’s locked absolutely still almost as if she was as if she was petrified, her face utterly transfixed to the figure at the top of the stairs barring our way forward.



[BGM]

“Seigi Nomikata. I cannot allow you to pass any further”

He’s tall, handsome in a late 90’s/early 00’s kind of way, but I feel no warmth from him, no emotion, no pride of a magus. He’s either a bodyguard, a hired gun or something of the like. Regardless it’s clear that he’s a Magus Killer with intent on my life.

“Every breath you have taken for the past two months has been an insult to the Corvella family, your ridicule of the heir shall be paid with blood.”

He raises an arm pointed towards me and in a flash of red, a red liquid erupts from his arm, spiralling and condensing into a single point however it’s not pointed at me but instead-!!

On instinct, I dive to the side, arm outstretched and pushing the drunk Russian woman out of the way and-

Pain.

I feel the rocket of energy explode from the tip of his fingers like a crack of thunder and it pierces my shoulder, coursing all the way through and erupts out the other end. The wound isn’t big but the pain is sharp and intense.

I slowly raise my arm to guard the presumed hostage and bite my lip to repress my shout of agony.

“Stay low, keep running, don’t wait for me, don’t look for me. And for what it’s worth, thanks for the wine and kiss.”

Another flash, but I’m prepared this time. I flare up my magical circuits, I focus on the pain, focus on the energy, his and mine both.

Divine, Analyse, Destroy.

I channel my formula of Nigredo and it flashes out of my being as I guide my hand into the pathway of the second shot.

Plasma, erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBCs), leukocytes (white blood cells), and thrombocytes (platelets). All the basis of the Magic Focus, entwined with the blood is mana, the curse, the basis of his magecraft.

With a quick flash of light from my hand, the pseudo bullet dissolves into a fine mist.

The man tilts his head to the side in confusion, much like a dog gazing upon his reflection.

“Erasure? Dispelling? Magic Resistance?”

He’s already analysing me and conducting a counter to my counter, whoever this person is he is clearly several steps above ‘Justice’ as a magus. As I can defend against his primary ranged attack he’s likely going to be unorthodox or move into the close range either way, I ought be careful, I’ve no experience in haemomancy, especially weaponised like this, if he weren’t after my head I’d praise the man as a magus. However I need to be careful, if my experience with ‘Justice’ taught me anything I have one big shot in me, a couple of close range attacks and deflections as well, I need to time my usage well. I also need to take the hallway into consideration with the narrow room as well.

The first move is his.

Another flash of red and another bullet of blood erupts from him with a thunderclap this time aimed right towards my face, ready I raise my hand and channel my mana and the blood bullet explodes into a fine mist but it masks my vision, his plan-!

I step away and I see his hand already outstretched, restoring to rudimental elemental magecraft I shoot out a gust of wind to propel myself backwards just out of reach as a slit opens up on his hand and a red blade propels out inches away from my face. With a smirk he retracts it back into his hand – a blood construct.

Contorting his body with unnatural speed and positioning, his coils up and spins with his heel colliding straight into my temple, dazed, I smash into the wall and crack it under my weight. As he moves in I lunge forward channelling Nigredo into my right hand – it was desperate, clumsy but it worked as my hand ricochets against his throat. Blood gushes out as his entire form congeals red and crumples down into a red mass to the ground before returning to a liquid state and moves back to the stairwell.

“So, he can make blood clones.”

No more than 3 safe shots left.

Time to make a statement.

Staring at the man who hasn’t moved, I feel some anger bottled up in me,

“Who are you? Why are you here”

“I am here to kill you.”

Honestly I don’t know what I expected, but it’s time for my counterattack.

I place my hand on the wall and channel my focus into structure and create that which has been in my dreams, shards.

I yell with the earth and the wall cracks, I wave my arm with all my force and it shatters, throwing wind element into the equation and send all the sharp rigid blades flying towards him. With a smile, four thin red tendrils emerge from his back like limbs.

After an explosion of concrete and blood, the smile is gone and he’s covered in cuts and scraps, superficial and nothing serious. However there’s only one whip-like protrusion left and his suit is irreparably ruined. They must have moved fast enough to act like a shield but not enough to stop them all.

2 Safe shots and then I’m at risk of overextending myself. But nothing can be gained without loss; danger is a necessity to grow.

He moves, charging forward like a predator and I attack. I crouch down, place my hand on the ground and swing up discharging chaotic energy and shrapnel, the tendril whips it all away and with a final step he slams his head into mine. I hold my ground and lock head and hands together.

He fires tendrils out from his body and into mine and I maintain the course of Nigredo, causing them all to explode away from me. I focus on the flow of his blood, picturing his body, it’s definitely human but… cold, empty.

He’s empty.

“I’m not going down to Reiner’s lapdog!”

1 safe shot.

His eyes are cold and dark with no emotion as we push each other away.

“Be that is it may, I cannot allow you to pass.”

“Why force yourself, we’re at a deadlock and I actually have a reason to fight. You’re empty.”

“When a man attacks you in the alleyway and stabs you, do you question the will of the knife?”

That analogy makes no sense, is he saying he’s the knife.

“So, you have no will? You’re no better than a defective homunculus with a 1 year battery life.”

I throw a right hook into his face and he staggers back and I shoot forward with Chudan middle punch with Nigredo. The punch sinks into his stomach destroying the skin and tearing away at his muscles, he lurches forward and vomits blood all over me.

With that he screams, he’s angry, scared, he’s emoting. Another headbutt and stumble to the floor and some of the vomited blood rises into his hand making a thin spike, I raise my arm and it pierces through, throwing his body forward, his knees pin me to the floor.

“If you’re just doll then Reiner will just replace you.”

He infuriates me, Justice has a drive albeit childish and misguided but this man has no pride as a magus, no drive as a magus, he’s just an automaton but I finally seem to be getting something.

“I know Reiner better than you, why fight and die for someone who probably doesn’t even know your name! I don’t know your name! You’ll live and die achieving nothing with no one to remember you.”

“CORRIN CHARISK!”

And he bites down.

His teeth pierce my neck and sucks, draining my blood. I’ve lost a notable amount of mana but his spells are cast from his vitatilty and I’ve made him waste a significant amount without even killing me.

My breath is slower, my heartbeat is slower, my strength is weaker.I can’t press him off as he gains more strength.

I’ve one last safe blast, I use it. Channeling it across my body, I detonate it and he goes flying into the ceiling and falls down beside me.

We’re both bleeding out and… I’m warm? I can feel all my wounds stitching back together and the blood retracts in to my, our bodies.

I take a deep full breath and force myself to sit up and I see the woman.

“You learn much about someone with how they treat a stranger and more about someone zey have power over.”

And all the dots click. It would make no sense for her to have been in that situation, it wasn’t a trap.

“A test?”

“Kind, noble and caring. You have good makings, and you were a good guest.”

I raise myself to my feet, fighting against every impulse and pain as the curse of self-healing inflicted still sews away at my body.

“Is that why you didn’t kill me Rider?”

The woman smiles, a genuine smile as she kneels down to attend to my would-be assailant.

“I didn’t kill you because you thanked me for the wine. Now I going to heal this man here. He’s more like you than you think.” As she bends down and lifts him up bridal style, she gives him a peck on the cheek his body begins to glow, “He’s young with much to learn in the ways of the world, he stands taller than the child who calls himself my master, if not for the Command Seals he’s inflicted upon me I would have taught him thusly.”

I find myself awash with relief as the woman walks away, but I’m now indebted to the enemy though honestly with enemies like her who needs friends, “I won’t forget this!”

“Good, now do what you must.”

DIRECTION
1). Go down and face Father
2). Head up and face Reiner
3). Look for Lancer and Risa
4). Ditch everyone and stick with Rider and Corrin
5). Write in!

RESEARCH
A). Must be destroyed, it’s an abomination
B). Must be protected, it’s my families legacy
C). I couldn’t care less
D). Write in!

FATHER
!). I need to rescue him, he’s my father and that still counts
£). Is dead to me, I just want to know the truth
%). I’m prepared to kill him if needs be.
&). Write in!

3 COMMAND SPELLS REMAIN

======================

Sorry for the delay, there was a (for lack of better words) a mental thing going on and work has been kicking my ass. Anyways I'm better now so here is the update. Also congrats as You's strategy thinking and Royd's disposition managed to avoid a dead end.

- - - Updated - - -

Now to edit the OP a lil bit

[Rafflesiac]

ayyyyy knew she was rider

3C£

Were we Ganondorf or Bowser?

[Bird of Hermes]

ayyyyy knew she was rider

3C£

Were we Ganondorf or Bowser?

Yes, you called it and a bit of both

[RoydGolden]

3A£.

[SleepMode]

3A£​

[4score7years]

3A£

[zikari8]

I continue to be surprised by how strong Seigi is in combat. Mostly because of how much Father insults the guy.

3C£

[SleepMode]

Grasping at straws here, but given the Morrigan fc and Russian(?) accent, I'm guessing Rider is Baba Yaga.

Aside from the obvious Caster class, her Chicken-Leg House and Mortar can be her "vehicle."

[RoydGolden]

Grasping at straws here, but given the Morrigan fc and Russian(?) accent, I'm guessing Rider is Baba Yaga.

Aside from the obvious Caster class, her Chicken-Leg House and Mortar can be her "vehicle."

Interesting guess. Her fickle personality and concern for what makes someone a good 'Guest' could also fit with that.