Quest of Fate - Apocrypha Universe Grail War

[Ail Don]

The only saint I recall whose relic is famously a finger is Thomas the Apostle, but he doesn't really seem like a productive choice.
Anyway, glad to see this isn't dead.

[Bird of Hermes]

Anyway, glad to see this isn't dead.

The wait wasn't that long was it?.

[SleepMode]

Well then, to the Grail War we go.

Can't wait for the next update, wonder who does the bone belong to, though...

(Initially thought it was Galileo's Finger, but when the 'Femur' plus bloodstains part is mentioned the theory sank like a rock.)

[4score7years]

Not gonna lie I initially forgot which one the femur was

wasted like half an hour looking up mythological and historical people associated with the humerus instead

But yeah now I'm pretty much stumped.

[Bird of Hermes]

Airplane
60 Days Remain

When I think of my Father, he frightens me. He's always been a very physical presence in my life but at the same time, very absent. Honestly the man is very difficult to think of as a parent, he's always been a stern figure of authority rather than affection. With mother becoming an increasingly vague memory being more wraithlike if you will, the bond we had feels as if there is only a phantom of warmth and affection.
Even when imagining his face, I imagine coldness. Literal coldness, not the sound of a heartbeat but the texture of stone. Unyielding. Perhaps that's why the fates have drawn me to Risa, she's the opposite, not standing adamant but moving freely from what I've seen of her. While he is the mountain, she is the river.

He is hard, she is soft. He is cold, she is warm. Naturally it's no surprise we both fell asleep leaning against each other. Just as well, I hate flying. Not that I have any problem with the mode of transportation but I always find the seats are uncomfortable, never enough leg space, the inedible food and the fact you had to wait for hours and hours beforehand. That and the film they decided to air (haha) this flight was absolutely dire. It just makes me more thankful for when I land. Japan, the ancestral home of my family.
Stepping off the plane, I take a moment to take in the cool air and stretch my stiff, crampy legs. At least I can say it wasn't the worst flight I had, but what was the chance of someone trying to being rerouted three times with day one staff trying assassinate my family twice on a plane. Unfortunately the probability wasn't zero but I felt as if I could take my chances. All that was needed was a shuttle bus ride to Fuyuki now but right now, the thrill of being in a new land and seeing a beautiful landscape got my blood pumping. Hopefully this country wouldn't end up becoming my grave.

---

Fuyuki
58 Days Remain

"So, this is your home?"

I grew up in England and spent the whole time in that cultural sphere so this place being 'Home' seems alien to me but anyways, we settle. Unfortunately for me, I don't know a single word of Japanese. I don't know the first thing about how society works here at all. This must have been a part of my Fathers plan for as we begin our studies, I'm all but locked away. So now I'm all but lost in a foreign land with two people I don't know.

---

Nomikata Family Manor
50 Days Remain

The working day begins before dawn and ends after dusk in the family manor.
Risa has essentially become the house maid, making sure everything is maintained, but this also includes various tasks alongside me such as maintaining the Bounded Field of the house, preparation of defensive familiars and wraiths. She also was able to get out of the old family mansion when she had to shopping, allowing her to see the people around us and get to know the locale while sunlight was quickly becoming a luxury for me.

In one of the rare instances of downtime, I find myself drawn to the artefacts other members of my family had made in the past: a Scrying Lens my father forged in his own youth, my grandfathers private alchemy laboratory where he converted human sacrifices into pure magical energy that had since been made redundant by recent advancement by the Galiast family. They're both impressive, especially the lens considering my father was younger than me when he forged it. However I cannot bring myself to read the books on 'recycling', lest they confirm a fear
the Mystic Code of my family lineage. The crystal skull was similar to a wand but closer in essence to a ritual piece due to its essence of 'Amplification'; increasing the raw power of the spells cast originally forged by the founder of our house, my great grandfather and improved upon with each generation.

Meanwhile what have I started?

Even Risa has her private project she works on in that book of hers. But I remember the one thing of took for my own. The catalyst.

---

37 Days Remain

Upon later inspection it is more difficult to deduce than previously expected, even with my father's workshop. The relic is fragile to say the least but through the use of modern science and carbon dating - the bone is just about under 2000 year old. As for the blood, definitely not human and not any creature that currently lives in the world which leads me to believe it may belong to a dragon slayer or someone who killed monsters regularly. A part of me would like to think that it’s the blood of a god - the reason for the bone itself being so well preserved - but I force the intrusive thought from my head, foolish thinking will only get me killed.

Analysis takes me further and I can… for lack of a better word, feel it. Not like the touch of it or whispers in my ear but I'm aware of its presence. In my private hours as I become more attuned to it over the course of the weeks I know not what it is but what it is.
Ok, that's a bad way of explaining it. In the early hours of the morning to Risa and Father, I confide in them that it's more of a container if you will, needing to be filled. So as Risa takes notes, Father and I slowly implement magical energy into it over the days and nights, filling the metaphorical jar it you will. As we do so, It glows and gives off glimmers of light. This is all it does for the most part but on the last day, it switches form, twisting and contorting into the shape of a white feather, still stained with blood. We are a step closer to the figure we can bring forth, something to do with feathers who was human. According to Risa, it was likely the connection to the ley lines that allowed this transformation so the spirit is likely eastern in nature.

And I dream.

Of shards flickering into feathers before falling into flames.

---

22 Days Remain

"Get up."

I hate combat training. Father is stronger and more talented than I but unlike Reiner, he has no superiority complex. Here I learn he is a pragmatist in combat, going all out from the start. I can never seem to land a single spell on him with me mostly resorting to dodging. I can't even get close enough to try and punch him, though to Father it is less a combat lesson but teaching me how to survive against those who will kill me on sight.

Bone break down.
Walls break down.
But I don't break.
I cannot allow myself to break.

---

18 Days Remain

The crest cannot break me, I cannot break the crest.

Like nearly all magi, the first pieces were inserted in my adolescence and then continually afterwards. The pain is great, but a burden that all magi learn to endure, and I must endure and I must keep enduring as more is placed into me now.

But the whispering of the crest is what gets me, the voices of my grandfather and great grandfather before me. I can even see their faces reflected back at me in those shards I see when I sleep, them and more. They don't necessarily look like me, but they resemble me closely enough. My ancestors I know to be knew, but they feel older. Like they're a part of me and always have been.
I feel less like myself and more of a conglomerate. I can't help but wonder this is how every mage feels when they take up their mantle. I become less Seigi and more like Lord Nomikata.

I do take what comfort I can take when I'm with Risa. We rarely have the chance now so I take in my memories of her and make them last. I won't forget her like I did with mother. I take in her smile, she laugh, the way she excitedle tells me everything that's happening in the world, even how she constantly narrates over tv shows that already have subtitles. She's probably the closest thing I'll ever have to a best friend in this life, which may be more than what my father can say.

---

Two months later, I know my level. I am ready for the first day of the war.
Now at this time, for the first time in forever, I have no schedule as father has permitted me some time for freedom. Risa is probably out getting groceries while father is making final preparations.

What shall I do?

1). Go outside and enjoy the god damn sun with Risa.
2). Speak with father
3). Walk about the house and check everything like the catalyst
4). Write in!

-). Write in whatever you wish to speak with them about.

[Bird of Hermes]

Addendum, I added a few more options as I realise I only put in two.

[Rafflesiac]

1

[4score7years]

1

Current Catalyst information update:
1. Broken Human Femur
2. Stained with non-human blood
3. Under 2000 years old
4. Spirit is associated with feathers somehow
5. Spirit is Eastern in origin

and with information #5 I'm gonna have to check out on my potential Spirit guessing. I'm far from knowledgeable on Eastern mythology and history in general. I'm vaguely familiar with a good portion of candidates, but not enough to guess with any degree of accuracy. Even so, I'm interested to find out who it will be.

[SleepMode]

1

Spend some good times with a friend before the Holy Grail War happens.

(Regarding the potential Heroic Spirit, my best guess is Lei Zhenzi...)

[Zurvan]

1

[Bird of Hermes]

Seems pretty unanimous for the moment.

Before I get to work on the next section, I've updated the OP on the master section with more information on Segi Nomikata. Would people be interested if I added sections of Risa, Nomikata Sr and Reiner as well?

[Bobin]

That'd pretty cool. Go for it.

[Rafflesiac]

So did you rename him or have you just been missing the first I in Seigi?

- - - Updated - - -

Also he's a Cause?

I'll assume Seigi's older than he looks then, because Ritsuka becoming a Cause while being underage is marked as an incredible achievement.

[SleepMode]

It's best to add the current cast's info, so it'll serve as a good reference to what we know about them so far.

[Bird of Hermes]

So did you rename him or have you just been missing the first I in Seigi?

- - - Updated - - -

Also he's a Cause?

I'll assume Seigi's older than he looks then, because Ritsuka becoming a Cause while being underage is marked as an incredible achievement.

The latter, also it seems I got Cause and Count mixed up, I'll go fix that.

Thanks for pointing it out.

- - - Updated - - -

Looks like that misspelling of Seigi is frequent. May take me a bit if time.

[RoydGolden]

Not much to say here, so I'll just go with 1 as well. Definitely looking forward to when the Grail War kicks off!

[Bird of Hermes]

'Aight. I should get started on the next segment tonight.

Also I've gone back on previous parts and fixed up the 'Segi' spelling errors (god I am awful with this, also thanks for pointing it out Raff) and also added an up to date profile on Risa thus-far so Wise Up.

[Bird of Hermes]

Fuyuki - Nomikata Manor
Morning



Now that dawn has sprung and I'm allowed out for the first time in months, I really have no excuse as to not get out. After some daily stretches of my body and magical circuits, I make my way out. I'm excited, it should be nice to see the outdoors, get some fresh air and good lord that shit is blinding.

So maybe the 60 days of darkness; reading frail old books by candlelight and no sleep probably did a bigger number on my than I would have liked. Even though this Grail War should only be conducted at night, I'd rather not become a recluse in my parents basement yet. I'm only 19 for god's sake. But anyways; shielding my eyes from the sun for a while I eventually attune to the light, it still stings a little but it's better than being nocturnal.

Walking down the street, each breath I take feels like life itself. No humid dusty air clouds my lungs here. It's almost like drinking water for the first time after a rigorous exercise session. Enjoying the rare opportunity to strech my legs, I break out into a little jog and then find myself stopping abruptly to stop myself from quite literally bumping into Risa, bright and cheerful as ever.

"Konnichiwa Seigi! Nice to see you outside for a change."

Over our time here in Japan, Risa has taught me a little Japanese. Funnily enough, I am surprisingly bad at learning languages and have only had the time to learn a few stock phrases.

"Arigato Ms Mol-Undi, how are you?"

"Great! You?"

I'm pretty sure I butchered the pronunciation but I just want to reassure her.

"I'm… er q-quite fine myself." My speech is stifled and broken. I'm also pretty sure I'm not breaking out into a sweat from the jog either. "Yeah… I'll be honest. I'm nervous to say the least."

"Hmm, is anything in particular up?"

I stifle my first reaction. I want to make a proud declaration of the heir of the Nomikata family being unwavering in his leadership and fearlessness but… I'm not that kind of person.

"Risa, there's a very big chance I'm going to end up dead in the next week." I can feel myself trembling from fear. Not the kind I felt when fighting Reiner or talking with Father but dealing with the very strong likelihood my own mortality was going to permanently catch up with me without me contributing anything to the world. "When up against Reiner I wasn't thinking straight. I just wanted to hurt him but… I'm going to be honest. What have I accomplished?"

She looks at me utterly aimless before giving a slight chuckle. "Well for starters, you've proven you can't grow a beard."

I raise my hand to my face and… she's right. I haven't shaved in the last 60 days but I haven't grow a beard. I've an awful set of patchy sideburns and a moustache and soul patch that feel like they're been drawn on by a child. The worst part is that they aren't even connected. It's a hideous disjointed mess. It's so ugly, it's so… funny.

I laugh, as does Risa. And that makes the day that much better.

With the passing hours, Risa shows me about town, probably so I don't get myself lost. Though around midday, she finds a nice grassy hill for us to lay back on and crash, right now it's just us and I want to make the most of it. I roll around so the two of us are facing each other, I've some questions I need to ask her.

"So Risa, why did you come here with us?"

"Because this is the best learning opportunity I'm ever going to have. I have the chance to see and do things I will never have, I mean I doubt I'll actually react The Root but I have the chance to start paving my own road… and who knows, maybe one of my grandkids can make it?"

"Who knows, if this goes well I might beat them to it. The Swirl of the Root is the key to understanding all knowledge in the world and being able to perform the impossible… no wonder all magi seek it, but I have to say that I wasn't sure you were the type"

"A pity that not all of us are special snowflakes that are born with a connection to the darn thing but yes, there's plenty I'd like to keep to myself."

I've heard of certain magi being born with a connection to the Root but I'm pretty sure it's just a rumour… but then again Holy Grail Wars were very much a rumour and now I'm in one myself. Though one of her comments strikes my interest.

"You mean that book of yours?" She says nothing, perhaps I've overstepped by boundaries. Before I can apologise she pulls the book out of her bag.

"Ok Seigi, long story short. I've a project I'm working on and if I can pull it off, I'm set for life. And no, you can't read it."

I can't help but laugh in response "So you'll pull me into your bed but I can't be your beta reader?"

"Oh look at me, big rich old mage who can afford things like metal cutlery and the heating bills."

It then occurs to me the reason for the mess and she mentioned selling everything she had to get it. Perhaps she simply didn't have a penny to her name. No wonder the room was so cold.

And now there's an awkward silence. Great.

As we lay back and watch the clouds float across the sky we seem to have the same idea and switch to basic small talk. She tells me about the locals I can't even talk to and I tell her how my facial hair could scare away children and barbers. You know, that kind of stuff. Eventually we continue making our way till it starts to rain.

1). Return home and make preparations to summon right now.
2). Take refuge in the nearby church.
3). Ask Risa out on a proper date goddamnit.
4). Write in!

[Zurvan]

2. We should meet the overseer as well.

Nothing that can go wrong there

[Rafflesiac]

3

Seigi really needs a shave before he summons though.