Fate/Closure [IC Thread]

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase

“Ah...” Hiro let out a rather satisfied sigh. One that perhaps was not entirely out of place in a love hotel. It was odd how much better a handful of expired OTC painkillers and a simple half assed wrap made him feel.

Logically, there really shouldn’t be much improvement yet. The pills, even if they had any potency at all, which the slight magus doubted, shouldn’t have hit his system yet. And though the wrapping had been done to a satisfactory level, in theory that shouldn’t effect how he felt right now, it just meant the wound would heal easier.

But he felt better.

Perhaps that was because it would heal now and does he didn’t have to worry about it. The fire spirit told him under no uncertain circumstances should he ever have an exposed wound. That predator spirit would not allow such a sign of visible weakness.

And yet, the boy didn’t think that was truly the cause of his improved outlook. There was something undeniably comforting about the feelings of another person, the touch of someone else’s hands. Somebody wished for his improvement, and his spirit took comfort in that. Not the spirits of the demon, that angry devil that lie within him. No the spirits of the hiro. The spirit of Yamashita.

Despite the constant encroachment of the devil, that which was Yamashita still stood unbowed.

“Thank you again,” the boy said to his temporary caretaker. “ And let me apologize, for the gentleman who owns this… Let’s call it… Fine establishment. Unfortunately sometimes when you are so used to working with tools, after a while, you only see something that needs to be screwed.”

It was then there was a entirely unusual pause to the conversation.

Hiro went silent.

And then miss Luna beheld something in its own way was as rare for the sickly mage she was treating as was the rage of the great spirit within him.

Because Hiro Yamashita blushed all the way from his hairline to the still exposed leg Luna was wrapping. ...it appeared perhaps, only to late, he realized that had been phrased...carelessly.

”Th-that is to say,” he helped, his normally soft voice coming out quite high pitched. “It’s not worth thinking about what he said. Or what I said. Don’t think about what anyone just said!”

Hiro loudly coughed into his open hand for a moment, obviously trying recover some poise.

”At any rate, saving you was something anyone would do, or at the very least something anyone should do. It was something I always would do. Of course I will ask for absolutely no payment because none is either deserved nor warranted, however, I would take it as a kindness if you were to forget everything that you saw or at least not speak of such. Needless to say it would be uncomfortable for me if you things that you saw were to become common knowledge.”

Hiro took a moment to set his throat with some tea they had prepared from packages located in the bed side drawer.

...It went without saying, but they had discovered another small package in the very same drawer as well, but they had certainly left that item alone.

”As you might imagine, explaining what you saw in detail would take far more time then we have tonight. However perhaps I should at least introduce myself a little bit better now that we have some time. I come from a family of mages that not so long ago, was quite wealthy. However, and this is the reason that I was happy to hear about the discount, a few generations back, we made a particular purchase. Now where we once were rich in finances we now possess lore...a special lore. I came to this small town seeking answers. You and I do not know each other very well but I suspect you are seeking something similar as well. Perhaps we could assist each other.”

”...With that in mind...if you are comfortable discussing such with a simple hero...”

”What can you tell me about your certainly very recent arrival to this time...”

”...Because I know a rayshift when I see one”

[hero]

Alicia Rosenkop & (Hiyako Tsurara)
Miyama- Streets
Night Phase

Battle Info

Stamina

Counted from the first round after an offensive action is declared.

Masaki Taichi: 1st turn fighting seriously.
Masaki Tomomi: ... Exhausted-! (Brief respite was not enough to recover stamina).
Alicia Rosenkop: 2nd turn fighting seriously (Brief respite was not enough to recover stamina)
Hiyako Tsurara: 1st turn fighting seriously.
Sakaki Yuuna: Full Stamina.

Saber of the Heavenly Blood: ∞

"Haaaaaaaaaagh-!!"

Letting those feeling pour out into a river of emotions, you unleash a counter-attack. On paper, it's merely a D-ranked application of your magecraft, even in practice it is hardly anything more than countless glass shards held together in the shape of a javelin. And yet, even if that attack is one that will never reach the swordswoman because of its simplicity, it is one that she cannot help but to subconsciously acknowledge, for it is backed up by a powerful sentiment. If anything, that's about the only difference between this projectile and the least.

Yes, nothing will change.

"...!"

However, as if to oppose the idea of failure, Masaki Tomomi chooses to support your offensive one more time. Gathering dust into crystal shards, she places them in a strategic formation before firing them all at once, her body becoming the trigger of a deadly shotgun. And though the result may appear to be rather chaotic to the naked eye, the truth is that it is anything but. Despite the fight that Tomomi is already pushing the limits of her stamina with this, each projectile is accurate and meant to cover the openings left by your own attack. In other words, it ensures the creature will be hit, no matter what. And for your plan to succeed, that might be the only thing that is needed.

Unfortunately, beings that have far surpassed the boundaries of humanity are not bound to such naive concepts. Indeed, heroes who weave miracles with every turn they take will always find a way out of a 'no matter what'-!

And so, each projectile is repelled, no, each projectile is completely reduced to nothing with a single swing of her blade. Ah, it's all in vain... From the very beginning, to approach it like this has been pointless. That should have been left clear after the first exchange.

To repeat the same thing expecting a different result. That is insanity.

Even so...

Mages... Demon-Hybrids... It matters not. This force is a stranger to neither, and both borrow power from it, even now. Because as long as at least one percent of their humanity remains within their soul, they'll continue to apply this method which defies all reason and which challenges the laws of the world itself. Yes, even if each of the ripples they create prove to be ultimately insignificant, they'll keep doing so in a selfish act of resistance. Sadly, that itself might be the reason why humanity acknowledges no one and, in turn, is not acknowledged by any. Sometimes, not even by their own kind.

So even if this one failed, even if it has been proven that this thing has some sort of defense against the type of attack you are using, be it direct or indirect in its application, you'll continue to fire because stopping means to give up and in this situation to give up is to die. If all you can do is being an annoying yet harmless mosquito, then so be it-!

You'll stand proud and reject this fate and the despair it brings while you are at it-!

To oppose that brave resolve... The swordswoman takes a single step forward.

It can feel no emotion, nor perceive the world in the same way humans do, but... It probably understands by now that it has been too long already. She's not the sort of hunter who would delay the inevitable by playing with her prey. No, she just completes a quest in the most efficient manner and then moves to the next without flinching. In other words, now that all the obstacles have been shoved apart, it will direct its hostility towards Tomomi and you, the girls who've first encountered her.

No, wait a moment, there is still one more obstacle that needs to be overcome.

"..."

Namely, the maid who has been quietly watching over the battlefield, a pragmatic warrior much like the opponent she is up against.

Standing in such way that her body would be ready to act the moment the shadow decides to move, she puts the children and the injured behind her, so that the enemy has to go through her if she wishes to inflict them further harm.

Behind her, she can hear Tomomi rushing to assist her injured brother.

Normally, tossing her life away for someone other than her lord would be an act unbefitting of her.

But then again, coming here to rescue Masaki Tomomi has been an order.

So dying in the line of duty is more than acceptable.

That is to say, dying AFTER making sure her task has been completed, is allowed.

In that case...

The air grows tense with each passing second, and then...

"Ah..."

Then something hits you. No, something hits everyone near you. It's not something with a physical form, yet it's just as capable of crushing you. It's a pressure that suddenly invades the streets going uphill, a hammer over your heads but, above all, a proof of heritage. For the source of this overwhelming presence capable of bringing others to their knees, capable of freezing her surroundings solid without a touch, is no other than Hiyako Tsurara. Yes, before the maid and the shadow can engage in combat, the demon-hybrid, who has just recovered from the last exchange, jumps one more time into the fray, baring her fangs without holding anything back this time.

It's insane.

Because no matter how strength you give to an ant, it will never be able to stop a powered chainsaw. And, just like before, there is nothing stopping it from just intercepting the Yakuza girl again. This time, however, Saber will make sure to finish the job. But then, something impossible happens.

Reality resists in agony as an invisible force tries to make it submit to its will.

And for a moment, that force is successful.

For a moment, the demon's arm which should have brought her sword down remains still as if to defy its owners orders.

And, in the time it takes for it to process what has happened, another swordswoman swings her sword without mercy.

An sword clad in demonic ancestry, capable of slaying beings both alive and dead.





An impossible sight.

A being that is merely a shadow should never be able to bleed. Yet the moment the monster retreats after being struck by Hiyako's attack, blood sprays violently from its wound. That image is strong enough to wipe away the fact that her arm should have been removed from its body or at the very least been left unusable.

But you already know how it goes with heroes and no matter whats.

Even if said hero discards their humanity and becomes a demon, as long they have been the incarnation of a legend at some point, that rule will not change.

---!!!---

Alarmed, Saber jumps back, retreating a second time.

And it is a good thing she does, for a moment later, claws stronger than steel cut through the space where she once stood.

There, between Saber and Tsurara...

Is another creature of the night.

A shade, a wolf fighting to defend its territory, one that was presumed defeated, yet was merely hiding in the shadows waiting for the right time. And that had been the right time. If Saber had been one breath too slow, it would have claimed its head right then and there.

Yes, for if there is something this wolf knows to do is to hide.

It has done it so well thus far that only now you are able to notice its presence.

Only now that you can see it.

And, at the same time, it's only now...

That your world finally fades to black.

[RoydGolden]

Alicia Rosenkopf
Miyama- Streets?
Night Phase?




It was white.

As far as the eye could see, a scenery of vacant white surrounded Alicia, seeming to stretch on endlessly in every direction including beneath her.

She was floating, floating, her whole body felt unreal and weightless, like a wisp of cotton drifting through the sky. Her thoughts, too, seemed fleeting and indistinct, shards dancing at the corners of her consciousness that Alicia had to mentally wrench together to form an intelligible shape. Alicia felt like if she lost focus for even a single second, her entire being both body and soul would unravel and join the monotonous nothingness all around her.

"Where... am I?" Alicia asked herself woozily. Her words seemed to echo out endlessly, growing dimmer and dimmer until they were swallowed up by the white void and disappeared entirely. No answer came. Unsurprisingly given this world's sparseness, there didn't seem to be any other occupants.

As bleary as her consciousness was, Alicia did her best to regain her bearings and figure out what had happened. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was that snarling wolflike shade from before leaping in front of her. Almost... protectively? Had it trying to guard her from the demonic swordswoman?

"Ugh," Alicia groaned and rubbed her throbbing temples. She didn't have time to pursue that train of thought right now, not when she was still so disoriented. All her mental energy was better saved trying to understand how she'd gotten 'here' in the first place.

Was she dead? That was the most obvious answer that sprang to mind. She had just been fighting a monster after all, and losing. Perhaps after the wolf's arrival, either it or the swordswoman had lopped her head off before she even had time to react.

No, Alicia hastily dismissed the thought almost as soon as it had arrived. She didn't know much about the afterlife, but a featureless pale void didn't seem like the teaching of any religious tradition. Besides, she felt alive. Alicia was sure of that much. Even if her vitality was only flickering weakly right now, she knew the candle of her life had yet to be truly extinguished.

So... what she was doing here, in this blank purgatory that seemingly lay between life and death?

-Suddenly, a presence cut through Alicia's inward musings. A new arrival in her vacant world, its appearance contrasted sharply with the white nothingness surrounding her.

Before Alicia's eyes, a pitch-black wolf whose body seemed to be formed entirely from roiling darkness appeared in front of her. Though at first it was hazy and amorphous as if captured in an out-of-focus camera, the beast's shadowy frame coalesced until it was fully solid and standing before her. Its eyes were the only points of light on its otherwise featureless body, beady gold pinpricks that pierced Alicia with unfathomable intention.

Ah, it's the same. It's just the same beast that had saved her from the swordswoman before and she'd seen right before passing out. But what was it? And why did it seem so overwhelmingly familiar, like a wave of deja-vu was assaulting Alicia's senses every time she looked at it?

"Wh...who are you?" Alicia asked weakly. The wolf ignored her. If it comprehended her intention to communicate, the beast didn't show any response but instead began to lope silently towards Alicia while keeping its golden eyes locked on her own. Alicia just stood there, confusion rooting her to the spot. She supposed she should be scared by a wolf approaching her, but somehow Alicia only felt a curiosity bubbling up from within her as what the creature wanted from her.

No, to begin with Alicia sensed the wolf meant no harm to her, no matter how threatening it appeared.

The beast trod closer to Alicia, crossing the distance between them until its snout was nestled against her waist. It was a tender, almost affectionate gesture, and Alicia couldn't help but respond in turn. Reaching down she placed one hand on the beast's head and began patting it gently. Its inky-black fur was surprisingly soft to the touch and Alicia found herself eagerly stroking her fingers across it. The wolf let out a small, pleased moan and nuzzled closer to Alicia.

Alicia smiled sweetly, continuing to brush the beast's pelt as she spoke. "There's a good boy, you're not going to hurt me are you?" This time the wolf responded to her words, cocking its head up to meet Alicia's gaze. For a moment, Alicia swore she saw some human emotion flicker across its dark eyes.

Then, without warning the wolf opened its mouth wide, and---

Chomp!

-Clamped its jaws down around Alicia's outstretched hand.

"Aaaaaaaagggggghhhhh-!!"

Pain beyond pain overtook Alicia, and she could only scream. She tried to pull her hand back but the beast's grip was too strong, and the effort only sent further waves of agony rippling down her arm. Crimson lifeblood seeped from where the wolf's fangs pierced her skin, dripping into the infinite abyss beneath them.

Alicia felt her consciousness growing weak, until it was barely clinging on to her body. Even the pain that had been formerly ravaging her now felt far away and unreal.

Several last thoughts passed through her mind.

'Is this it?'

'I'm really going to die here?'

'At least, I wanted to see Tomomi's face one last time...'

For some reason, after those thoughts dissipated a sense of surprising calmness and peace washed over Alicia. She looked into the wolf's eyes, finding them devoid of hatred or pity.

Alicia smiled sadly. 'Ah, it's just an animal driven by its own instincts. It doesn't hate me, or want to hurt me, it's just acting based on what it is.' Even though it was in the middle of devouring her, Alicia still feel a strange kinship with the beast. Almost as if they were two halves of the same coin.

"You must be really hungry, aren't you Mr. Wolf?" Alicia murmured sympathetically. "Well it's okay. Feel free to gorge on my flesh and blood as much as you'd like if it'd make you feel better." Letting those words carry her into the abyss, Alicia closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.

"-Let silver and steel be the essence."

A distant voice tugged at the edges of Alicia's fraying consciousness. It sounded beautiful and melodious, like the lullabies her grandma used to sing for her. Her mind was still cloudy but Alicia clung to that voice with all her strength, holding onto it like an anchor lest she slip away from the world entirely.

"Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation."

The sound grew closer and louder, and Alicia suddenly realized it was her own voice chanting it. The words flowed from her mouth without Alicia even comprehending their meaning, like a song she was reciting by memory.

"Let ignorance be the sin I pay tribute to.
Let the flames that were never ours be revered.
Let the nine lost virtues reunite with the tenth.
Let it be filled. Again, Again, Again, and again."

As the incantation continued, her words crackled with power and authority, like the ionized air preluding a thunderstorm.

"---I announce.

I am the one who shall bring your body into existence and you are the one whose sword shall seal my doom.
In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, I order you to cast aside the darkness binding you and answer-!

Here is our oath.

We are the ones who will toss away our lives for salvation.
We are the ones who will claim our lives from damnation."

That's right, Alicia remembered now. She couldn't die here. She had friends, Tomomi and the others who were relying on her. If she went and bit the dust here, who would help them in defeating that daemon? She'd made a promise, to fight together with them, and by golly Alicia was going to keep it!

And that meant staying alive. She'd survive whatever this freaky dream-trial was and return to reality. Then she'd reunite with Tomomi and they could kick that spectral creep's butt together! At least, that's what the heroines in those adventure novels she always read would say.

"For two reckless warriors, this is our last regret.

DEVOUR MY FUTURE AND MANIFEST, Assassin of the Stray Path!"

Her mantra reached a roaring crescendo, as Alicia poured every drop of her newfound resolve into those last words.

---And on that cue, the world itself shattered like glass.


When Alicia came to, she found herself on the same moonlit street she'd been before blacking out for the first time. A quick glance around confirmed Tomomi and the others were still there, frozen in place as if awaiting her return. It was as if while she'd been gone only a single instant passed for the rest of the world. The shadowy wolf remained as well, but it looked... clearer? More tangible somehow? Alicia couldn't put her finger on it.

As she gathered her wits Alicia blinked several times in confusion. Had that whole vision been a dream? A feverish hallucination her adrenaline-addled brain had conjured up in the heat of battle? No, it had been far too real for that. Ah, her arm! Alicia suddenly remembered how the wolf had nearly bitten it off in her... whatever that was.

She looked down at her left hand, finding it much to her relief completely unharmed except for a small red mark on the back of her palm. At first Alicia mistook it for a bite-mark but when she looked closer she saw it was a weird sigil in the shape of several jagged shards fracturing outwards.

"T-this is...!" Alicia stammered in shock. Somehow, even without being able to explain it in words, she immediately knew that mark served to link her to the black beast in front of her. Before she had time to react further the wolf's body began to shift and distort.

It rose upward, taking a more humanoid shape as the shadows coating it were sloughed off like a discarded chrysalis. In their place, stood a tall and slender young woman. She had tanned skin and a curvy but athletic build. Silvery white hair fell down to her shoulders in a wild and untamed mane, and her fierce gold eyes shone with the ruthless intellect of a predator. The woman was totally naked, but thick black fur covered her breasts, crotch and part of her stomach. More fur wrapped her arms and legs in the semblance of elbow-length gloves and thigh-high stockings, only trailing off into wickedly sharp bestial claws. The rest of her body was left bare.

But what struck Alicia most of all, were the black wolf ears emerging from the woman's head and the matching bushy tail sprouting from the small of her back. That fact alone testified to the fact this woman was something beyond human. Even cloaked in the form of a human, the savage and bestial aura the woman emanated had barely diluted from when she was a wild animal.

"The beast who bares its fangs from shadows, Servant Assassin, has answered your call," she recited those words in a carefree tone as if they were only a formality.



Then the woman looked up to face Alicia, flashing a grin full of sharp teeth. "Oi, kid, are you the one calling yourself my Master?"

Alicia couldn't understand what she was saying at all. Assassin? Servant? Master? Those words in this context sounded like just a bunch of gibberish to her. But despite that, Alicia felt the very core of her being resonate with the woman's words, and she instinctively found herself nodding in agreement.

The woman- Assassin, she called herself- broadened her grin, and pointed to the sword-wielding ghoul next to her. "And I take it that's the pain in the ass that's been chasing you? Heh, don't worry about anything Master... just leave all the fighting to me, and I'll rip that thing a new hole."

Alicia was taken aback by Assassin's vulgar words, but she found herself reassured by what the woman was saying. Even after having only just met Assassin, Alicia had the feeling that she'd make a trustworthy and reliable ally.

Assassin turned to the wraith, mustering a fierce glare full of fighting spirit. "Lucky you, you get to be the first prey for me to sharpen my claws against. Pretty ballsy for a prey to run straight into the alpha wolf's territory you know. Then again, I don't mind, that just saves me the trouble of hunting you!"

Taunting words that refused to acknowledge the supremacy of her opponent. Certainly, Assassin recognized the gulf in power and experience between herself and the blackened Saber, but at the same time she didn't care for such things. In battle, a wolf only thought about two things, killing its enemy while avoiding dying itself. There was no need to fret over the superiority of your opponent or your own weakness, just focus on clawing the enemy to death as quickly as possible. That was Assassin's mentality.

---And with those words, Assassin lunged. In a burst of movement that the human eye could only perceive as a blur she kicked off the pavement hard enough to crater it, and launched herself at the swordswoman with claws bared. Assassin could see her opponent's arm had been crippled in an earlier attack, and intended to take the chance to claim her head in the next blow. Normally she was the type who'd prefer to draw fights out to savor them more, but with her Master in peril she would do her best to resolve this one quickly.

"Here I come-!!" And so, claws that glinted azure in the dark, bared themselves as if to declare war against the swordswoman that had long since surpassed humanity. The conclusion of their desperate struggle hadn't been foretold by anyone, but surely both warriors intended to fight to the end with their lives and pride on the line.

[hero]

Aya Alayana
Shinto - Bridge
Night Phase


The flames of the Alayana cannot save. From the moment of their conception, they've been designed to bring about ruin and destruction to everything around them, so to think they can serve any other purpose is merely a self-imposed delusion. This bright and beautiful fire is nothing but a harbinger of the end, an insatiable demon that will feed on the essence of the planet until there is nothing left. It is not that you are evening the odds through overwhelming power, rather, all you are doing is using those flames to devour the future for a minuscule chance of altering the present. It's a nonsensical selfish gamble that is likely to doom everyone standing on the bridge. Yes, for all this approach promises is the demise of everyone but its owner. In that sense, it's also quite the tragedy, is it not? For someone to have to watch everything around them be reduced to ashes over and over, while being spared every single time.

That is the sort of burden those who possess this sort of

curse

gift

must bear.

"..."

Behind you, the three teenagers under your care struggle to leave the vehicle and get back on their feet, still unable to process exactly what is going on. But who can fault them? Some of them may have picked an extraordinary amount of knowledge over the years, but in terms of actual combat experience, they are still newborns. In that sense, asking for their active participation at this time is downright reckless. It's better for you to assume the role of their champion and face this thing on your own, as ridiculous as that sounds. Swallowing down whatever traces of fear remain within your psyche, you raise your gun and pull the trigger two more times. It goes without saying that such a simple tactic will not be enough to corner the creature you are up against, but... That hardly matters at this point. All you know is that if she uses that ranged attack a second time, you will not be able to defend against it, much less protect others from it. You are a Magus who focuses on offense, so pushing forward is all that is allowed to you. Even if the toll for doing so is burning the entire bridge until nothing remains.

Fortunately, since the ammunition you utilize is special, you don't have to worry about shooting with pinpoint accuracy. So long as you can land a hit on its body, it will be set ablaze no matter what. Furthermore, even if it blocks it, the result will be no different. In other words, instead of going for the vitals, you take advantage of her poor footing and lack of a proper stance, and target the most exposed area you can find. Taking into account possible escape routes, the odds of fully avoiding the attack appear to be night impossible.

But then, as if to prove your theory wrong, an unfamiliar voice echoes in the darkness.

"Watc-!"

Glenn Alexander Velvet never completes that sentence. It's only natural, for what happens next occurs in the span of only a second. Making full use of its bat-like wings, the shadow leaps forward at a speed that makes everyone's heart sink, a single flutter of its draconic appendages enough to divert danger elsewhere without having to slow down. This thing...! On the ground its movements are rather clumsy, but in mid-air it's a completely different story. Crossing the distance between you in no more than a heartbeat, whatever hopes of a counter-attack you once thought you had are crushed right then and there. You can't stop this battering ram of a monster with your body, neither can you afford to move out of the way for everyone's sake, not that you have the time to do so anyways. In short...

This is it for Aya Ayalana.

A mighty force collides against you, throwing you off-balance and pushing you backwards with such strength that the world around you becomes a blur and the moment your back crashes against the vehicle that was under your control moments ago, the car is simply thrown out of the way like a powerless piece of rubble. Finally, when the wicked spear finally lets go of you, your body rolls a few times before coming to an abrupt halt, now face down. Needless to say, there is absolutely no way a human can survive such gruesome end, and even if by some miracle the victim were to be still alive, it would not be for long.

"... Aunt Aya-!"

Tohsaka Natsu's urgent call comes from far away. He must be desperately running here. Naturally, you must have traveled a distance of at least 50 meters past the rest of the group making you the one closest towards the exit, not that such fact matters at this point. But it comes with the realization that the survivors of this first real exchange will now have to first move past the shadow if they want to retreat to Miyama. But why are you putting so much thought into it? You are dead anyways.

... Or at the very least, you should be.

But despite the lingering pain, despite the blood coming out of your wound, your consciousness has not faded and your senses remain sharp. Picking yourself up from the ground comes at a great effort but it is not impossible. Curiosity and dread guide your eyes to the point where the spear first came in contact with your body and you quickly find something strange: A curious sigil engraved into your clothing and your flesh. It's a complex drawing that would take an hour at best for an expert, and several times more if drawn over a noncomplying surface such as a human body. Whatever it is and whatever it represents remains unclear, but it is without a doubt what saved you. It has prevented the demonic weapon from digging itself too deep into your body and has prevented it from touching any vital organs and joints. As long as you are mindful about your limits, you will survive. In other words, you are still in the game, but so is your enemy.

Aya Alayana has received 18 HP damage.

Now that it has confirmed the fact that you are still alive, it will surely come again and finish the job.

*Rumble* *Rumble*

The structure supporting the bridge is quickly falling apart. One after the other cables are cut apart as a result of the intense heat and with each loss the bridge moves one step closer to its inevitable doom. To you, and the rest of those trapped there, it feels like a seismic movement of varying intensity that's short, repeated and sudden. As such, remaining on your feet proves to be a really daunting task. Naturally, such meager changes in the environment are of no inconvenience for something that has left the realm of humans behind. Indeed, the devil-looking shadow can move unhindered and, even in a worst case scenario, it knows how to fly.

Spinning its weapon as if it were something akin to a staff, the enemy casually draws closer on your location.

"Ahhh~"

And Magical Energy has already begun to gather in its 'lungs'.

[Airen]

Aya Alayana
Shinto - Bridge
Night Phase
HP: 62/100 MP: 360/400

The moment Aya Alayana registers her own continued existence and stands up again, is the same moment that the place she had fallen explodes into flames.

Things like wounds and explanations are only given a passing glance, the important thing is that her body is still capable of movement; the meaning behind the sigil that had crafted this particular miracle is irrelevant, because if nothing is done with her lingering life, then it is a miracle that will be wiped away by her opponent in but a few moments. It is a bad situation, one in which death seems both prevalent and inevitable, and yet...

"Don't come near me idiot, get out of here while she's dealing with me."

...No fear.

Absolutely none.

Talking to the approaching boy who surely means to come to her side, the young magus shows no signs of pain that would hasten his footsteps; it's an almost eerie calm, something far removed from what the injuries across her body would deem natural, she should at least be biting back the pain of a pseudo-impalement, or looking disoriented from the blow to the head she had taken in the car accident, but...

She doesn't.

Her commanding voice shows no fear as she rises, there is no fear in her voice, no fear in her eyes, and no trembling in her body...

She doesn't have the time for those sorts of things, as one who is experienced in battle, and as one who bears a certain

gift

curse

, there is already a form of casual acceptance about walking the line of death, she always walks the line of death, releasing these flames is the same thing as inviting death out into the world, and thus it holds no special fear in her heart.

---She walks with it all the time.

That is why, when the world around her explodes right as she stands, when she regains a grasp on the situation as the ground begins to quake...

There is no fear.

Her body rockets forward and up, propelled by the force of flames conjured up from beneath her feet; it is an explosive, over-kill method of movement that seems graceless in comparison to her usual movements, but it is certainly one that fits her blunt personality. It might singe her clothes, it might tempt the flames to grasp at her body, but the horse cannot overthrow the king so easily... Her will is a shield they will never be able to overcome, and that beautiful flame, one would certainly burn everything away the moment it got the chance...

Falls in line the moment she commands more to appear, giving her an explosive toss towards the heavens and her opponent that destroys portions of her clothes but nothing more; as strong as it is, it is but a horse, a tool, and she is the rider, the user.

---In that sense, looking at those cursed flames, that unbelievable malice...

...Isn't the person who can control and conquer that flame so easily the scarier force?

After all... That 'power' of the Alayana was not always that of flame, sometimes, it took the form of other things.

But this was certainly it's strongest form, perhaps one could even call it a return to it's original form; regardless, she is different from those that came before, as unlike the others, she is also

the flames

herself...

She is both king and horse, user and tool; that flame is no different from her own heart.

Thus-!

It will never be able to consume her, even on her worst day.

---Her charge is insane, but considering the opponent, and her own specialty as a magus, insane approaches are the only ones possible for her; use of the flames was tricky, as much of a dominant force as she was over it, the damage it would do to everything that was not her was, to put it simply, catastrophic. It is a flame of the beginning and of the end, and attempting to aim it properly within the reality of a shaking bridge was risky, too risky, risky enough that she would rather avoid it altogether, thus...

She had thrown herself into the air at her opponent.

Of course, that was not the only reason; in reality, one could say that she had thought of three different reasons the moment she had first risen to her feet, for instance:

-Second reason, her opponent was charging 'that power' again; thus, she needed to burn it out of her before she was able to release it again; composition of the enemy's body meant this should be possible, after all, the ultimate target of these flames is the "World" in it's entirety, bodies made out of magical energy in any form would be particularly susceptible to it, and third...

Yes, third...

Is a step that exists for a few reasons in and of itself, for one thing, attacking recklessly meant she might hit her allies, thus...

---For this, for a blow that she absolutely meant to kill her opponent in one strike, she needed to be sure she would not hit anyone friendly by accident, or fall into the aftermath of her attack herself, thus...

She needed to pass above her opponent as she 'flew.'

If she could manage that, then...

"You're messing around too much, monster. Is it sadism? Are you trying to frighten me? Or is it something else? Well... Regardless of the reason, I suppose I must thank you for your poor decisions."

...Everything would fall into place on it's own.

"Understand - I give the future and thy soul up to the inferno's embrace-"

---Arias.

For a magus, a rite of self-suggestion that is often used to invoke one's power within the world; considering the strength of the flames that already exist, to hear the woman stop after only a single line should hint at minimal power, and yet...

Fire runs to meet her, called forth by that lone voice.

A beautiful cage of flames that proves her supremacy.

Not a single bit of that fire can resist, as it is pulled to her regardless of it's current intentions.

The result are flames that rise towards the heavens as if they sought to devour the stars, but instead find themselves imprisoned within the flying grasp of the Alayana heir.

That aria is simply a call to the flames that already exist.

For Aya Alayana, there is really only ever a single magic.

Everything she can do originates from a single point.

Therefore, she has to get as much out of that single point as possible; for her, power is not dictated by the length of an aria, her magecraft tears at the world's foundations on it's own, it is a self-perpetuating phenomena that responds to the world's attempts to crush it by devouring the world faster, a hungry flame that knows no limit, the ugly, gluttonous spirit of humanity that devours everything they can their hands on for their own sake... It starts weak, but quickly burns into something horrific, it is fire at it's most cruel and it's most pure-!

Thus...

Calling the flames to her in the preparatory phase can act as an attack in and of itself, considering they will always move to come to her, it is possible to attack an enemy from behind simply by them being in the way, however...

The existence of allies makes this impossible, or rather, since she is not willing to risk hitting any people with this flame, she is forced into acting in more extreme ways to ensure that the danger is minimized, thus...

She had thrown herself into the air.

This results in the cage of flames forming around herself and her opponent, countless streaks of cursed fire 'dancing' through the sky as they are pulled towards her like the center of a burning star.

But that's fine.

A cage is fine, even if it will only last for a few moments, after all...

---It ensures the enemy cannot run away without touching the flames.

And that is all it takes, a touch...

And then it will devour you.

Even so, that flame cage is not the point, indeed, the real point...

---Is the sphere of flames that has formed in her hand; condensed, becoming pure white, like a star in her hands, the flames that have formed up until now are forced into a sphere as the magus flies towards her opponent, and-

She will be attacked.

She knows she will be attacked; the sky is her opponent's territory, and thus this movement to approach her from midair can only be called foolish, even so...

She will oppose her opponent with that sphere, cutting off paths away from the bridge for the shadow, before 'firing' this sphere down at her enemy, down so that it will simply burn through both her and the bridge as it suddenly expands, sending the flames scattering down below towards the water after they sear their way through the center of the construct, hopefully leaving the more critical pieces intact...

Yes.

---It's destructive, perhaps overly so.

But...

Considering her power...

---This was keeping the destruction at a 'tame' level.



----

MP: 240

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase


"Ray... Shift..."

Luna repeats after you, making an honest attempt to recall from memory, so as to understand the meaning behind your inquiry. No matter how well you sugar-coat it, she's being pressed for answers, but she doesn't take it badly. Perhaps it's your natural charisma at work, perhaps it has to do more with her still feeling somewhat indebted to you. Regardless, her initial reaction is enough for you to feel like you are onto something. Unfortunately, her silence would, little by little, erode whatever hopes remained after becoming aware that she supposedly suffered from amnesia.

"I am sorry... I just can't remember. But... The word 'Rayshift' does not ring any bells for me." The blue haired girl claims, strangely convinced that such word is not part of her daily vocabulary. And now, since you have shown that you do in fact know something, it is only natural for her to ask: "... What is a 'Rayshift' even supposed to be?"

A certain expression of hers makes it evident that she might be going as far as to think that she, herself, might be Rayshift. After all, it is not like the real meaning behind the word is self-explanatory. And although you may be able to summarize it for Luna, one has to wonder if that would be of any good. Imagine awakening one day with hazy memories of who you are, only to be told minutes later than you might not be from this era, from this timeline... Or something more confusing than that. This type of technology has been kept secret for decades for a reason. Even for those well-crafted in the idea of time-travel, parallel universes and whatnot, the mere confirmation of its existence is enough to open a very dangerous can of worms. Magi do not exactly stand on a moral high-ground, but it does beg the question if you really should expose the young doctor to the things you know.

"I do get where you are coming from, though." Luna confesses, slightly frustrated. "You find me unconscious on some park, with no memories of who I am or how I got there in the first place... And then, there are these injuries to boot... It must sound like a lame story to take advantage of you. Anyone would be suspicious... If our roles were reversed, I'd be really wary as well..."

With the encounter with that Servant at the Fuyuki's Central Park and you getting hurt yourself as a direct result of it, Luna's wounds seemingly moved to the background. Because she is a selfless, hard-working individual, she pushed herself in order to arrive here and hid the pain fairly well. If you remember correctly, she could barely stand the moment you found her. Luckily, she is in no real danger, but those aren't the kind of injuries you can forget about after wrapping a bandage or two around them. They'll take longer to heal.

You've gathered enough information to tell that they are compatible with the process of Rayshifting. After hearing Luna's thoughts, however, your heart has begun to cast some doubts. For instance, it is strange that she does not seem to possess any sort of suit or gear that would imply that she has undergone such procedure. Further, can one really last in a foreign era without support? You were under the impression that someone would need to be observing the Rayshift and act as a proof of the subject's existence. If the answer to the previous question is 'no', then this cannot be what you believe it is. At the same time, if the answer to the previous question is 'yes' then it may mean that the possibility of an independent system that 'becomes the operator monitoring the Rayshift' exists...

The more you dig into it, the more it feels like you are walking into something much, much bigger than you.

"But it's not like I've forgotten it all." Luna admits. "Or rather... I just know some things... Things you would find in an advanced robotics manual. So, personally, if I had to guess my profession, I'd say I am a scientist, a maker, a researcher. Yet, look at this get-up. I must look like a doctor who rushed outside the hospital during working hours. This is... A stethoscope, I think? There is no way a scientist would carry one around."

The girl has doubts of her own, and now she's sharing them with you, one by one.

"Then... There is what I said, back at the entrance... It might sound strange but... A part of me is convinced that I am a married woman. And yet... And yet... I found nothing on myself that would prove such claim to be true. Not even a picture of a loved one. It's almost as if... Almost as if..."

Luna has difficulty finishing that sentence. It has less to do with sharing the truth that she's thought she's found with you, and more to do with she herself coming to terms with it. It is hard to accept. After all, for someone like her, it feels surreal. Yet, at the back of her head, there is a nagging feeling that she might be right, as ridiculous at it sounds.

"Almost as if I was someone else stuck in this body, impersonating someone I am really not."

Worried, confused, scared. Though Luna is a strong woman that does not show those emotions easily, they are all strongly present within herself now. Right about now, she'd love a cigarette, although she has no idea what spurred that thought. Nevertheless, she hands over a particular card she's been keeping inside the front pocket of her coat.

"... This isn't helping my case, is it?"

Then, right on cue and before you can respond...

Someone knocks on the room door...

... Yet makes no effort to identify themselves.

-------

Clue Acquired!

You've obtained Luna's Doctor Card. It contains her 'Real Name', specialty, place of work, ID and assorted misc info. However, because Luna's 'Real Name' might be of importance for the player, yet of little consequence for the character, it will remain hidden until further investigation is carried out. For all intents and purposes, however, Hiro now knows Luna's real name or at least the name of the body Luna is occupying (?). In any case, she would rather Hiro to address her as Luna for now, anyways.

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase

There was a part to Hiro that immediately got ready for a fight. It was only natural. For once the fire devil and the young man agreed on something. The predator inside him saw that something had apparently followed his injured self, and now had him corralled into a small area. There was no way such a thing wouldn’t raise his metaphorical hackles.

Hiro, the boy, immediately processed that he was in an environment without notable nearby allies. His companion (or paramour if you asked the clerk) was suffering from amnesia or something similar. And she had not made any phone calls Hiro was aware of. Put that another way, nobody should know they were there save the aforementioned clerk. Put that together with the fact that whoever it was had very noticeably failed to identify themselves...

That in theory would obviously lead one to feel alarmed and wary.

However, Hiro did not. After an initial mix of fear and aggression, the young boy felt something entirely out of place...or to put that another way, something very appropriate to the current location.

...She smells good...

There was, coming from the door, an utterly intoxicating aroma. There was a feeling of what a lazy cat might feel if a playful fly drifted in front of its nose, begging for an amused swipe. Or perhaps the feel instead of a wolf, hungry but not starving, who came upon a trapped hare, a delicious meal offered up without effort, ready to be devoured. Somehow emanating from that door was a feeling of pure...innocence...that shined and shimmered...and hinted at pleasures unimaginable if consumed. The girl at the door...and Hiro was dead certain that delicious fragrance belonged to a girl...was a delicacy served on a silver platter.

It was only through pure strength of will that Hiro kept himself from straight up licking his chops when that intoxicating scent caught at his nose.

”M’lady luna. I will say, the name you have given me is not one I know. For that, I apologize.” Though the words were calm and urbane, the young lad’s voice had grown a touch husky. “You have my word however, I will do my best to help you gain answers.”

”...After all, I owe you for fixing up my leg.”

After that, the boy went to the door and opened it, anticipation causing his fingers to shiver.

...It goes without saying that the boy was doing his level best not to think about what his family would say if they knew he had welcomed two fresh faced and innocent maidens into a room with him at a love hotel.

[RacingeR]

Hiyako Tsurara
Miyama- Streets
Night Phase

“Ah~ you managed to keep your arm.” A jeering voice. Tsurara stared at the sword-wielding shadow with despise.

Arrogant. Dominant. Like a king staring at a beast that she was hunting down. No matter how much stronger the enemy was, no matter how ineffective the attacks, she will keep this same attitude. Part of the core of her identity.

No.

It’s not quite as simple as that.

“Yeah, that’s what makes this worth. Well… you should’ve let that arm go. You could have walked away with your life, perhaps.”

Words that seemingly lack coherency, but that are said with evident pleasure.

Adrenaline that’s coursing through her veins. An excitement and bloodlust that comes from deep in her being.

Perhaps one of the main differences the Hiyako have with their distant relatives, the Tohno. A berserker nature that thrives on the battlefield.

No human being can emit this much bloodlust. That much is certain.

The white in her right eye is completely gone, replaced by cyan ink.

The left eye merely looks at the wolf that intervened at the last moment, yet another unknown being in a night full of them, before disregarding it. It looks more hygienic than some of her usual allies anyway.

If her companions engage, she will synchronize her attacks with them. If they don’t, she’ll just attack by herself and keep fighting until she is killed. Simple as that. There is no time nor rationality left to care about their nature.

Of course, chances are that she will turn around and murder them the moment their mutual enemy is eliminated. She won’t be able to stop herself. The natural consequence of what she’ll do now might be that.

Inversion Impulse.

That state, probably won’t be able to be avoided.

And yet she cannot stop now. Since if she stops everyone will die anyway, she might as well do it.

Go all out.

For the first time in her whole life.

That shade should truly feel honored.

Throb.

Throb.

Throb. Throb. Throb. Throb. Throb. Throb.

Throb.

Everything else has disappeared in her eyes except her enemy.

The left eye too, is reduced to cyan ink.

Veins throb, one after the other, squirming visibly under her skin. They start to pop out, in her arms, legs as well as her face. Every visible surface of her pale skin starts to be covered by blackish blue lines, the veins that make up the circulatory system of her body in plain sight.

It is ugly.

It is impressive.

It is terrifying.

Azure flame starts to form around her as the temperature drops closer and closer to the absolute zero, walls nearby cracking apart under the sudden pressure of the difference in temperature-

Then-

An unexpected transformation at her side interrupts her own.

Perhaps that was the only thing that would’ve stopped the yakuza princess on her tracks, a shadow wolf-like creature suddenly becoming a naked wolf girl, covered only in her fur, who speaks with human words and engages the enemy with evidently supernatural capacities beyond even hers.

“Yeah, sure. That works.” Tsurara mumbled dryly, the throbbing veins in her skin returning to normal as she cancels ‘that form’, going back to her normal self. Even her eyes have turned back, although even now a disquieting glow remains about them.

… This so-called Assassin. She doesn’t know what kind of creature it is, but it is strong, insanely so, and evidently bonded to this unknown little girl. She has no idea of how far its capacities go, but it may be able to take this shade down or at least force it to retreat.

Which, makes her the biggest risk left after the ‘known’ enemy.

So the ever pragmatic Tsurara steps back from the main battle, towards the main group of the people she came to protect.

No, at least, she came to protect the Masaki siblings and that maid. She is not quite a good enough person to not take precautions: her sword is still unsheathed.

If it comes down to it, if this Assassin turns its fangs towards them, she will decapitate Alicia without the slightest doubt.

[hero]

Interlude - Reality tossed Into the flames

"...!"

A shiver of fear runs down Tohsaka Natsu's spine. Though the scenery is too chaotic for him to catch his caretaker's warning, his advance is halted by the repeated quaking of an agonizing bridge. The fire has spread through the structure at an alarming pace and has made quick work of it despite its apparent resilience. Yes, with so much proof in front of his eyes, he doesn't need anyone to tell him that these aren't normal flames he's dealing with. Normally, he'd praise such power, for its source is someone he knows and respects. Normally, such display of overwhelming presence would relieve him of his doubts and reaffirm the trust he has in his companions. However, staring at that cursed fire that only promises ruin, the only thing he feels is fear. Because a single glance is enough for the prey to recognize its hunter and this blaze of destruction can only be categorized as an enemy of humanity. And so, Tohsaka Natsu is afraid.

But he is afraid for his caretaker more than he is afraid for himself.

Because even if Aya Alayana possesses the ability to command those flames and the immunity to wield them, a part of himself cannot help but worry that she will be eventually consumed by them.

"Aunt Aya...-!"

He calls her name once more, but there are too much obstacles between the two. The distance, the heat, the quaking, the shadow... It would take more than a miracle for him to run through them all in a single heartbeat. Still, he'd do it. He's just that sort of man. But, before he can commit to the stupidity of his plan or rather the lack of thereof, he feels a firm hand plant itself on his shoulder.

"Young Master Tohsaka, I believe we should go." Glenn Alexander Velvet, anticipating the future through a combination of sharp observation and instinct politely advices Natsu to just let go and believe. "Now."

Next to the Clock Tower Lecturer is Matou Kaori, who shares his opinion.

Because at this point all they can do is that: Believe and hope for the best. If they stand between the two combatants here, the outcome will be tragic.

"Tch... Damn it!"

Among the three, he should be the strongest. The most gifted, the most talented. Not the sharpest in terms of mindset and not a complete heir by any means of the word, but Tohsaka Natsu possesses a potential that very few Magi can hope to unlock. Faced with such a simple life-or-death scenario, he should be able to do something to intervene.

Yet, right now he is powerless.

All that is allowed for him is to regret not being able to be of much help.

"Aunt Aya---!!!"

So he settles for yelling her name one more time.

As if doing so could invoke a miracle.

How foolish.

Interlude Out

-------

Aya Alayana
Shinto - Bridge
Night Phase


It only takes a single command for Aya Alayana to become the convergence point of a literal inferno.

It's at this point that it becomes evident that, despite this being an encounter that no one could anticipate, a chaotic battlefield that no one could predict, a battle against unknown characteristics which surpasses everything you've ever encountered in the past... It changes nothing. The preparations are ready and the stage has been set. Even if the curtain has yet to fall, this is the last act, the so-called 'finale', and the fact that you've gotten this far, that you have adapted and survived, is already proof that you are an fighter worthy of praise. Having come this far, it is unfortunate, in a sense, that you cannot simply extinguish the flames that surround your body and accept a swift death. Even if the road of a Mage are paved upon unrealistic ambitions, even a prestigious family would have been proud of being slain after fending off for a while a creature that's left mortals far behind.

But for the Alayana that's a no-can-do.

Forget the kids, the duty to act as a guardian, to be the responsible adult, for a moment.

The Alayana think carefully, then they make a choice and then they move forward with it. That's the only ideology allowed to them, for it's the only one that can justify the nature of their acts and wash away regret. In other words, to stop, to simply give up, is not an option. Besides... To make the impossible possible, that's what the Alayana strive for.

---Even if doing so comes at the cost of everything around them.

As you rocket forward in an explosion of Magical Energy, a sharp pain runs through your entire body, pain that would normally be enough to immediately paralyze a person. Magecraft is a power not meant for humans to wield, so breaking that taboo comes at a price and today that price is extraordinary, for you are pushing your Magic Circuits to their limit with what you are about to do.

But it's fine.

After all, you are no stranger to this sensation.

You are a recurrent sinner, so it's only natural that you would learn to cope with it.

What would render a human unable to move is only a momentary moment of unpleasantness that you can endure.

"...!"

The sudden surge of speed catches it off-guard. Having let its feet touch the ground, perhaps as a means to show off it could handle moving in such an unstable surface, it's reaction is rather clumsy and ill-timed. Had you really wanted, you could have tackled her into the waters with a single motion. Instead, you fly over her head and unleash the flames that have been gathering in your hand, turning them into a fireball and tossing it at the enemy.

No, to call this an ordinary fireball would be an underestimation.

This is an A-ranked spell, the strongest in your arsenal. Forget about it 'leaving critical pieces intact', It will make its way through the bridge like knife through butter and if the shade chooses to remain in place, a similar fate awaits it. Yes, the amount of destruction this chant can bring is only eclipsed by the realization that it is not being used at its maximum output.

To oppose it.

Lancer calls forth more darkness into the already dark world. In a moment's notice, the mortal flames are swallowed by a pitch-black container, a prison devoid of light, a peculiar tool employed for torture an execution. That coffin marks the end of any hope you could have of ever winning this match-up. After all, while all this happened, the monster has been charging the supersonic attack it is able to fire from its mouth and, make no mistake, no matter what speeds you can reach, it will not miss.

An unexpected detonation which shatters reality and bends fate. In other words, a miracle.

Fire escapes from the conjured iron maiden in a explosion that literally blows everyone back, before making contact with the shadow and then the bridge before igniting a second time. The result is not just a massive hole in the middle of the bridge, but the collapse of the nearby area. Now in a 45` angle, it becomes a death trap that successfully manages to catch the fleeing teenagers before they can escape, along cars, rubble and random junk that quickly ceases to be so in order to become deadly projectiles to those below them.

As for you, your gigantic leap ends on a bad note as launching your attack accurately causes you to lose balance and control of your already poor ability to fly, resulting in a terrible landing in the river below that nearly strips you of your consciousness right then and there.

Aya Alayana has received 10 HP damage (Environmental)

By the time you recover, the middle section of the bridge -where everyone was standing on- has already collapsed. Though you make an effort to conceal your worries, the image in itself is enough to bring despair to the heart of anyone who's responsible for the well-being of others.

This is bad...

From here, from this angle, you neither confirm the position of those under your care, nor the status of your enemy.

You are starting to get tired...

But you can't stop now.

[hero]

Alicia Rosenkopf (& Hiyako Tsurara)
Miyama- Streets
Night Phase


"...!"

The asphalt yield as Assassin makes a sudden leap at her enemy. In comparison to those of a normal human, her movements are so fast one might as well say they are invisible to the naked eye. However, at this moment, the hostility she exudes is palpable. Reducing the distance between Saber and her to zero in a heartbeat, she launches a decisive strike meant to remove the warrior's head from her body before she can recover from the injury she sustained moments ago-!

However, because Saber is quick to react, what should have been a exchange of single blows becomes a storm that rapidly tears their surroundings apart. It's only natural, for Saber is knowledgeable in the art of the hunt. That Assassin fights in a straight-forward and rather predictable manner focusing on her vitals just facilitates the swordswoman's work. In the blink of an eye, Assassin unleashes a flurry of attacks. At the same time, Saber repels all of them with one or two swings of her sword. Sparks fly as both try to claim superiority over the other. Easily surpassing Assassin in nearly every category, one may claim that Saber has high odds to win even after miracle after miracle keeps piling up against her. All the shadow needs to put an end to this show is to land a solid hit on the animal warrior.

However, the reverse also applies.

Saber is wounded and, though her cognitive abilities are not yet complete, she can instinctively understand that if she makes a mistake here, if she acts a breath too slow or if the grip of her blade is slightly looser than it should be, the tables will turn very fast. That is to be expected, for this is a battle of Heroic Spirits, a clash with an end that cannot be determined by simply mathematical variables. If for a hero to emerge victorious, a reason to fight is needed, then by far Assassin has the upper hand. For now that the contract has been completed, there is someone she must protect at all costs-!

The battle of the two is like a vacuum. It sucks the air around them and anything that would dare approach them would be surely cut to pieces. But the road and the nearby buildings are not the only things affected by this death-match between legendary souls. From the very moment which Assassin showed up on the battlefield, the dark mist that had descended on the streets of Miyama began to disperse, to retreat, as if Alicia's words had served as a charm to drive it away. That, too, seems to have an effect on Saber's performance.

Even so.

In the face of adversity, a hero simply continues to move forward. At the cost of their emotions, at the cost of their wishes, even at the cost of their futures. Yes, to be a hero, all you need is metal fortitude. If that is the case...

Then even clad in darkness, this Saber will not concede-!

"...!"

A strong current of winds suddenly pushes Assassin back, forcing the wolf to retreat. No, that's just an incomplete description. The howling gale that threatens to throw everyone off their feet is also a torrent of Magical Energy, one that no human present has witnessed ever before. All of a sudden, a chill like thorns fills the streets. And, at that moment, when the air itself is frozen and the winds pushing you back are so strong it's hard to even keep your eyes open, you become aware of one thing. One thing Assassin probably realized the moment the distance between her and the swordswoman widened.

---The next attack will be a fatal one.

"Noble Phantasm..."

Those words absentmindedly escape Assassin's mouth.

You, who have never experienced one should not be able to understand their meaning, however, the feeling of dread that invades you is enough to fill in the blanks. Being small, powerless targets, your existence does not justify the gathering of such insane amounts of Magical Energy. Indeed, once it is released, you won't be the only ones to perish.

... It would be no surprise if the entire block evaporates alongside you.

But there is nothing Assassin can do to oppose those twirling gusts of wind. Alone, she will not be able to interrupt Saber from using her ultimate technique, even if it's only a fraction of its real power. Then, it's only to be expected that you don't have what is needed to change that fate either. A little girl opposing a legend...? That's a story saved for fairy tales.

"Ugh... That's... From above..."

Taichi, who is still struggling to remain conscious after being struck by a violent surge of electricity before, utters those words after staring at Saber's weapon with intensity. Previously, it was mostly covered in darkness much like its wielder, but now a good part of it has been properly unsheathed. And though the boy's words make little sense in whatever time remains before the technique is properly executed, he is not wrong. There is no hostility coming from Saber's sword, just a seemingly never-ending storm of winds that separate her from the reach of mortals and beasts alike.

No, the real threat is above, hundreds of meters above the group, waiting for the command to be unleashed.

A surge of electricity that will obliterate everything below.

And so, at the end, decision must be made.

To attack or to defend.

Both may be equally hopeless.

But a decision must be made.

And, right now, that decision falls upon your shoulders, Alicia Rosenkopf.

The crimson markings on the back of your hand are the proof of it.

-------

Choice!

You have yet to know how to properly utilize this power...
1. But you need to make use of it regardless (Use a Command Seal)
2. So you need to find another way (Refrain from using a Command Seal)

Sometimes, plot events will prompt a particular choice. Normally, these choices do not bring about bad ends for the player, but they will always have lasting consequences. Pick wisely depending on what kind of loses you as a player can afford to take, then write your reponse in accordance to the option you've picked.

[RoydGolden]

Alicia Rosenkopf (& Servant Assassin)
Miyama- Streets
Night Phase


"-Do something, Assassin!"

A cry pierced the frozen night air.

The order escaped Alicia's lips before she had time to consider it. A foolish, irrational, desperate plea born from a young girl merely wishing not to die. Surely, it would be crushed. Surely, such a meager last wish would be snuffed out before amounting to anything. Before the overwhelming destruction promised by Saber's Noble Phantasm, any act of resistance was just as pointless as an ant struggling to lift a mountain.

---However. The unquenching resolve that burned within Alicia Rosenkopf's chest, was something that outshone even the baneful light gathering above her. A will that strove to challenge despair, and open a path towards a brighter future for herself and her friends. For the sake of that fragile hope, Alicia was willing to wager everything she had-!

As if responding to her frantic prayer, the rune-like marking on Alicia's hand began to glow brightly. Like a torch blazing to cut a path through the

despair

darkness

and illuminate the way forward. Alicia didn't understand the newfound power coursing through her, but she knew if she wanted to survive she had to pour every last drop of magical energy she could muster into the wolf-girl who had answered her call. Any other options promised certain death.

Assassin grinned as a sudden surge of power washed over her. Her body felt lighter but more powerful and all her senses seemed sharper. 'So she used a Command Seal unconsciously.' Assassin mused to herself. 'That kid looks like she doesn't have a clue about the Holy Grail War but her desire to lend me her strength was strong enough she managed to evoke one even without knowing what it is. Heh, looks like she really is worthy of being my Master.'

She cocked her head towards Alicia and addressed her. "Roger that, Master. I won't let you die on me this easily." Despite the imminent doom looming over them in the form of the crackling lightning gathering in the sky, Assassin's voice retained its breezy and conversational lilt. Alicia couldn't fathom how the bestial woman stayed so calm in such a dire situation. Was she truly convinced she could weather the swordswoman's ultimate blow? Or was Assassin's cockiness just an act to reassure her? She was a truly kind woman if that was the case, to be concerned with putting on a brave face for someone else when her own survival was so uncertain.



Alicia's momentary ponderings were cut short when Assassin turned back to the sword-wielding shade and spat in a tone full of bloodlust and pride- "Congrats, you're worth bearing my true fangs against. Since you went to the trouble of going all-out, I'll do you a favor and get a little serious too. Hope you're ready, because I'm about to show you a darkness that'll swallow up that puny lightshow of yours!"

Her bloodlust flared up with those words as Assassin entered a feral stance with her palms planted into the ground and legs spread out behind her. It was obvious Assassin was readying her own ultimate move to counter the enemy's own. Saber payed no mind to the wolf's actions. Implacable and emotionless, the shadow merely continued to hold her sword aloft, certain that her next blow would put an end to this senseless farce.

That arrogance could be her undoing-!

"Bloom forth, oh primeval forest and show this intruder the terror that lies within the darkness!" Assassin cried out in a voice thrumming with ancient power.



As if to punctuate her exclamation thick and gnarled tree roots began to erupt from the ground beneath Assassin. Asphalt buckled and heaved as the roots violently sprouted to the surface. It was said that certain kinds of vine could grow fast enough to tangle parked cars and even prop up pavement, but the extreme growth that was taking place far eclipsed even that in a phantasmal display that defied common sense.

It was nature at its most savage and splendid, sylvan claws and fangs tearing apart the very road like a wild beast digging into a carcass. Within seconds the roots had grown up into a thick grove of trees that completely enveloped Assassin, Alicia and everyone else on the street save Saber herself in its canopy.

This bulwark of trees was Assassin's Noble Phantasm. At its full release it had the power to overwrite the very texture of the World, but right now she was merely letting a sliver of the dark forest encroach upon her surroundings. She didn't have the time nor the Mana to attempt a full invocation, so this was the best Assassin could do for now.

No sooner than the grove had finished its unnatural growth, Assassin could feel the boost from the Command Seal Alicia had given her fading fast. She hoped that had been enough to strengthen the grove until it could withstand Saber's next strike. Even if it got destroyed, if it could at least shield them from the brunt of the damage-!

Of course, the rest of the block would still be obliberated if Saber's Noble Phantasm was half as powerful as it looked. But that couldn't be helped. To begin with, Assassin was the kind of person who only cared about those she personally held dear. Protect the ones you love even if it means piling up a mountain of corpses was her mantra, and she didn't intend to budge on that now. Though she suspected Alicia might chew her out later for such merciless reasoning, that could wait until after they'd both made it out of tonight alive.



"A-Assassin... what's going on?" Alicia asked in a small and shaky voice. The leafy dome seemed to devour all light that entered it, creating a zone of darkness so thick Alicia could barely see a foot in front of her face. Yet somehow, she wasn't scared. The shadows felt almost reassuring, swaddling Alicia like a blanket. At the same time, cries of confusion and fear rang out across the grove as everyone reacted to being suddenly plunged in murky gloom.

"Don't worry Master," Assassin replied gently. "I'm here. I'll protect you." With that she held out her hand for Alicia to grasp. Even in the darkness she sensed the gesture and responded instinctively in kind, their fingers twining together. The young girl's hand was frail and delicate yet thrumming with a strong sense of vitality. Assassin held it close to savor that fleeting warmth.

And then--- hand in hand, the pair waited for the light of judgment to fall.

Praying that their defenses would be enough to outlast it.

Wise-up!

-Alicia Rosenkopf has expended one Command Seal to empower Assassin's Noble Phantasm.

-Assassin's Noble Phantasm has been partially revealed to take the form of a dark forest that seems to cut out all light from the outside world. Just what Heroic Spirit would possess such a thing?

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase


What Yamashita Hiro knows for certain is that, on the other side of the door, an innocent woman is waiting. What he does not, however, is that innocence too can be overwhelming. Case in point, the moment you turn the knob and thus grant her permission to enter the room, the force that crosses the boundary that separates the room from the outside is so dominant that you are stagger back nearly all the way back to the bed where your wounds were being treated moments ago. Sometimes appearances are deceiving and sometimes a fragrance can be tricky as well. The one thing you have been on the spot has to be the assumption that the scene would certainly cause a social commotion within the members of your family. But that thought is barely acknowledged as, for a moment, your body kicks into high-alert and recovers, faced with a sight that would inspire more fear than awe in the eyes of heretics.

"..."

After all, the silver haired woman who now stands at the entrance is wearing an attire that leaves no doubt of her affiliation with the Holy Church.

But she's not the one chosen to oversee this town, she's not Caren Ortensia. Perhaps, it would have been better if she was, because the eyes of this person speak miles of her ability to end the lives of others. And being a more than valid target for her Black Keys, you cannot think of a better reason for an executor to venture into the depths of a love hotel than to beat the living crap out of you. Because it is not hard to see that her fists are her main method of combat. Not when two large gold rings surround her wrists, ominously hinting at the possibility that her punches may be able to move mountains.

Fortunately, your enhanced senses are rarely inaccurate, and this is no exception.

The menacing nun possessed an insurmountable innocence that stands on par with her faith. That much becomes clear with the first few lines that leave her mouth:

"Fifteen minutes. I read that's in some cases enough to consummate the act." A small pause and then. "Good. Looks like the intel wasn't wrong."

Even the most naive individual wouldn't have misunderstood the scene in front of their eyes. The location might be a love hotel but neither Luna nor you are naked, one is not on top of the other and nor are your clothes in disarray. In other words, it wouldn't be hard to conclude that nothing has happened between the two of you, at least not at the time of the intruder's entrance.

However, it would appear that this woman is already taking it for granted that the two of you have 'spent the night together'.

"Then, if you do not mind, I, Theressa Russo, shall be your guide in the upcoming ceremony of Holy Marriage. After all, I am more than prepared for the task."

Once more driven into a strange misunderstanding, Luna face turns red like a tomato and she swiftly covers it with both hands. Within the next few seconds, you can anticipate her crying the words 'B-but I am already married-!'

That would probably lead to an even bigger misunderstanding, if not your own death.

So you...

[hero]

Alicia Rosenkop & (Hiyako Tsurara)
Miyama- Streets
Night Phase


In defiance of Assassin's realm of darkness, the light of judgment gathers up in the sky.

Its true name cannot be invoked and thus its full potential cannot be unlocked. And yet, the amount of Magical Energy that is being called forth is so vast, its forces everyone to acknowledge it even when they cannot see it. Just from instinct alone, one should be able to tell that, while Assassin's Noble Phantasm also exists outside the realm of common sense, it pales in comparison to the swordswoman's triumph card. For while the wolf's grove is a product of nature, the brilliance at Saber's disposal can only be described as 'divine'. To expect anything but the complete annihilation of the former would be an insult to the gods whose power is being borrowed from, but, more importantly, a violation of the rules that regulate this world since ancient times. In other words, it's impossible to survive. The moment the command was given, your fate was sealed.

You would die here tonight.

You and the friends you made both.

It descends like thunder, becoming a divine arrow that's not aimed at one target in particular, but rather at the entire block.

Acting as the embodiment of extinction, its blinding radiance envelops everything without exception. You can only take comfort in the fact that your lives will end instantly and without any pain. You'll be obliterated before your mind and body can understand what even happened. You'll perish together and so that no one will have to burden the pain of loss.

No.

You reject that mercy, you grab the offer of a peaceful, quick death and toss it out of the window. In order to challenge your impending doom and the despair that comes with it, you put everything there is on the line. Awakened by your resolve, one of the Command Seals in your hand burns brightly for a moment, much like a star that has reached the end of the line. And then, the impossible happens:

The light of Judgment meets the sanctuary of the dark and the latter withstands the former instead of being immediately reduced to nothing. Is it a miracle? Is it a coincidence, a fluke? To ask those questions is meaningless in front of someone like Assassin, who has been acknowledged as a hero despite her nature as a beast. If there is a fate that cannot be altered, if there is a tragedy that will occur no matter what, then it's the job of a hero to stand tall and face it, slay the truth with uncertainty and change the future that was foretold.

Unfortunately, it is not as easy as it sounds.

As soon as the two forces collide, a sharp pain assaults Assassin's body, informing her that her defense will not last without additional support. Even after spending a Command Seal, the strength it has acquired is not enough to best thunder, which has been revered a symbol of the Gods in ancient times. Because your existences are, from the moment you made a pact, linked to one another, a part of that pain eventually moves over to you, forcefully draining your Magical Energy like a water pump, and you have to put a lot of effort in order to remain conscious.

But...

But you believe in your Servant's words.

If she could claim her victory with certainty, What is it there to doubt? For you, a kid, her words reflect nothing but the absolute truth.

And so, your fight becomes a joint effort as more darkness is summoned in order to hold back the light.

Your Magical Circuit is burning.

The normal activation of Magecraft is already painful, but this is on a completely different level. As an invisible pressure threatens to crush you under its weight, you feel every part of your body succumb to it, one by one. In reality, you have yet to suffer physical damage, that's just how the whole experience is perceived. It's literally a challenge of will-power, where your desire to live and save everyone is truly put to the test. At some point you find yourself yelling, a desperate plea to summon more courage to endure without giving in. It is at that point that you realize your voice is not the only one born from the depths of darkness.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Out of fear, out of defiance, out of despair, out of hope.

It doesn't really matter.

So long as you can channel that energy into power, its source doesn't matter at all-!

Your united resolve becomes an aura of rebellion that dispels the light and returns to the night what's rightfully hers.

-------

Interlude - Aftermath

The streets are silent.

The wind is gone and nothing makes a sound. The surroundings have not suffered major damage, as Assassin's Noble Phantasm acted as a lightning rod and absorbed most of the damage. Nevertheless, the earth is scorched and small flames can be spotted around the area. Somehow, against all odds, the entire group has managed to survive.

[Everyone becomes exhausted]

"..."

Saber has not moved from the stance that completed her blow. Perhaps she is just dumbfounded by this turn of events, but without a face, she cannot properly express that emotion. So it just feels as if she has suddenly turned to stone. It's no different on your side. Everyone is either too confused or too tired to lift their weapons and attack. So that's how the first encounter ends: With a stalemate. As the mist disperses, so does the Servant of the Sword.

Crack.

An insignificant sound.

Something drops to the ground. Unable to resist any more, the headphones that Alicia has carried with her up to this point fall and break in two. Soon after, its owner collapses, completely drained of energy and unable to remain awake a second longer. Following her are some others who fall to their knees or on their butts, completely exhausted. Even Assassin has to make an effort in order to remain composed. The Yakuza girl and the maid seem to be the least affected by the battle or at least they are the best at hiding it.

"..."

The situation has changed.

A veil of mystery has fallen over the city of Fuyuki.

After the events of tonight, there are several questions that need to be asked.

And the one most likely to bear the answers is standing there amongst them.

A Heroic Spirit. A figure of legend.

---But.

Some are tired, some are wounded, and the night still doesn't feel safe.

It's neither the time nor the place to conduct an interrogation.

So, silently, with the strong carrying those who cannot walk, everyone heads back to the Sleeping Bishop.

It'll be a well-deserved rest.

The best they'll have in the next two weeks.

Interlude out

Alicia Rosenkop/Assassin & Hiyako Tsurara
Day 0 (Prologue) End

[Airen]

Aya Alayana
Shinto - Bridge
Night Phase
HP: 52/100 MP: 240/400

---Hitting the surface of the river is a dizzying impact.

When one is high enough, there is little difference between a bed of water and concrete streets; of course, the height of the bridge isn't so much as to guarantee broken bones, the impact is still enough to jar her consciousness once again, as if in response to her crime, the world was punishing her with even more pain... It's a jarring impact that has everything flash white for a moment, white as her spirit struggles to overcome the limitations given by the body, and naturally, once again, she is successful...

---Because she has to be, for a number of different reasons.

It's not just one's duty as a guardian, if nothing else, she cannot allow herself to lose consciousness while the flames still exist in this world; she has to cage them up again first, or a growing monster would be unleashed upon the planet...

That is her duty as one who wields her

gifted

cursed

self as a weapon, she has to bear the responsibility for it's use, and ensure that it always returns to the place from whence it came, but...

---For the first time in the battle, there is actual desperation in her wounded, gasping swim towards the nearby shore, and it's not because she believes the flames are getting out of control...

It's because there is something she needs to confirm, a crime she hoped she had not just committed with her own hands; she cannot see those she had been protecting from here, and the enemy's response to her attack had been something that amped the damage far beyond what she had expected it too, the clean hole she had been hoping to burn becoming an explosion of cursed fire as the flames did what they must to defeat their opponent.

---They hadn't gotten away fast enough to escape the aftermath of the explosion.

She knows that, even if she doesn't want to acknowledge it.

There is a possibility that she had harmed those she had wished to protect with her own hands, it was possible, perhaps even inevitable, the sort of thing that was bound to happen eventually because of who and what she was, and yet-

-she had needed to defeat her opponent.

Attacking so brazenly was the only real way to stop her sonic strike, and more than that-

"Damn...!"

-backing down was not her style.

See it through to the end, that was the Alayana Way.

Otherwise, everything you had done up until then...

Was pointless.

---Even so, she rushes back to the scene anyway, as fast as her legs can carry her; a blade of fire appears within a grip that is beginning to show it's fatigue, that squeezes at the squirming flames as if -just for a moment- she had wanted to throttle it with her own hands, but...

The flames were the same thing as her own self.

If she decides to hate it, then that means she also chooses to hate herself.

"..."

---Therefore, she will simply believe and move as fast as she can; if she can get to them quickly enough, then she can reabsorb whatever remnants of the flame threaten them, in the other case...

In the other case...

Well, she wouldn't put too much thought into it.

From the start she would deny such a thing, it was simply too tragic to come true, but...

In the other case...

Well...

The shadow -if it was still alive in a world where the others weren't- would certainly come to regret it's seemingly eternal existence.

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase


When predator fought predator, both lost.

Media portrayal, sensational stories were all full of grand battles that existed between mighty ranged beasts, red in tooth and claw. This was actually not true. At first glance, if the bear fought the wolf and killed it, the story teller would declare the bear the victor. In reality the bear would likely die later, either from infection or from wounds that prevented it from hunting, leading to starvation. Thus it was the case that usually large predators in conflict would attempt to force the other to leave without it coming to blows, because even the winner might find his victory quite pyrrhic.

This was also somewhat true for predators with large prey. Though the meat of a stag set the wolf’s mouth to slaver, a lone wolf usually would not try to take such game, delicious though it might be. A few good meals was not worth the risk of being seriously gored. Not unless it was starving. Instead the lone wolf either joined with his brethren, forming the pack that could take big game without much risk, or contented itself with lesser hunts, the pheasant, the hare.

But what went through the mind of the hunter that gave into desire and leaped upon the dangerous prey? Such instances were rare, not impossible. Their must be some unique train of thought that led to the most dangerous of kills.

...Whatever that train of thought was, it surely resembled what was passing through the mind of Yamashita Hiro. The executor (an assumption on Hiro’s part, but probably accurate) presented as both delicacy and danger. The predator within was torn between a desire to growl and slink away, and the urge to pounce. The desire to eat fought the desire to live. It had not escaped the jungle demon that a combative member of a church would in a very real sense be a predator or it.

Just as the fire demon was a spirit which ate spirits, so to must their be spirits who ate spirit eaters. Such an existence was standing in front of him now.

She still smells good...

Perhaps the elemental existence could not tear its thoughts away from its primal instincts. Fortunately, there was more to the young mage then the beast within.

”Ok, three things.” Hiro started into the tension filled silence.

”First, fifteen minutes? And I guess that includes time to dress and undress? Foreplay is dead. Second, I find myself having several questions about how you found us, why you were looking for us in the first place, and what you want from us now. And finally...give the poor girl a break!” Hiro said irritably, saving a hand at his compatriot, who still looked like the only reason her rapidly reddening face hadn’t started spewing excuses was sheer shock had momentarily locked her throat.

Hiro had to nerve himself up to step into the aura of the intimidating white haired woman, however he did so, stepping within a foot and raising himself up to his full stature.

...Which perhaps would have been more imposing had he not, even with surreptitious use of his tiptoes, failed to raise himself to beyond the very bottom of the older woman’s rather impressive bosom.

...A neutral observer, who happened to be paying attention, might recognize that perhaps the young lad had a bit of a complex about his limited stature...

”Even someone who is not a Christian, might seek refuge in a church. Would you assume such a person would immediately fall to his knees and offer the most fervent and serious prayers? Even if he was not religious, even if he felt no religious stirring in his heart? Indeed he might, but certainly he might not.”

”...You see, just as one exhausted might seek refuge in the nearest available church, someone weary and injured...as I am...” Hiro said, indicating the bindings on his leg. “Will have a good reason to find the nearest place where he can get rest. And just as one who may or may not choose to pray in a church where he’s seeking shelter, me and the nice young lady have the choice as to whether or not to engage in the most usual activity that would be expected in the environment that we currently find ourselves in.”

Hiro really didn’t like admitting to the injury but put bluntly, any decent combatant, as the agent surely was, would pick up on it almost immediately, so he gave nothing of value.

“Now...to put that another way, you damn pervert, we did not have sex, not did we intend on doing so. Now...what the hell you want?!”

[hero]

Interlude - Premonition of Death (I)

Tohsaka Natsu's world is plunged underwater.

After Aya Alayana's spell hit the bridge, it dealt more collateral damage than expected and ended up swallowing a good part of the structure, that is to say, it completely melted it on contact, causing the surrounding area to crumble as well. Though the boy managed to remain outside the range of the cursed flames, he was not fast enough to escape the collapse that followed afterwards and he was tossed into the river without resistance. The fall leaves him disoriented and, for a moment, he does nothing but stare absent-mindedly at the dephts of the abyss. Because that is exactly what it is... The waters are clad in a darkness not unlike the night and it is hard to see anything farther than a single meter. One thing, however, draws his attention the moment it suddenly enters his field of vision, an event that both spares his life and forces back to his senses. Yes, the vehicle property of the red haired landlord comes only a few centimeters short from mercilessly crushing his body in its descent.

"Ahh-!"

His lungs breath air.

The close call acted as an injection of adrenaline that allowed him to quickly reach the surface.

"Hah... Ah... ah..."

That, however, does little to help fix the situation, it just exposes him to the harsh reality of this ordeal. The strange fog that seems to constantly sap his energy, the fire that still burns and has encircled the area, effectively locking him in with an enemy that's nowhere to be seen, even the cold temperature of the waters he has been tossed into. He can find at least a dozen potential causes of death in this scenario, a few that would be deemed unavoidable and a bunch of others that would only an amateur such as himself would consider a problem.

"Matou-! Mr. Velvet-!"

He calls out their names but there is no response. His mind immediately jumps to the worst case scenario, a bad habit of his. But this time, it's different from before, when he feared Aya's flames would consume her. Indeed, this time, something bad might already have happened without him taking notice of it. Anxiousness causes him to forget about his own situation, as he chooses to place others before himself. It's not the mentality of a hero of justice, but instead that of a scared child afraid to lose the shelter that others have given him.

"Geist... On."

In terms of magical pedigree, Tohsaka Natsu is an outstanding specimen. Even without the right to bear the Tohsaka's Family Crest, his circuit count and quality are leagues above that of the average Magus. His main weaknesses are his lack of experience and his lack of overall knowledge. Having a superb engine can be no different to having a normal one if you don't know how to properly make use of it. So when the young heir seemingly releases Magical Energy into the water, it might immediately appear as if he's just making another amateurish mistake. After all, Magical Energy quickly disperses after it leaves the body. If you don't transform that source of power into a weapon or a tool and instead allow it to escape freely, you are just being wasteful. Mr. Velvet would be more than capable to give a lesson on such matters.

Ah, but there is no way. It is said that the most prominent talent present within Velvet family is the capacity for 'Observation'. So Mr. Velvet would never fall for such a fragile illusion. What's being expelled is not raw magical energy, no, it is been converted to act as a medium and serve a purpose, even if the amount of refinement it has gone through has been minimal. The release of magical energy sends multiple ripples across the surface of the river, each with different frequencies. Then when a ripple meets an object, it sends a signal back to the Caster, which informs him of it's nature and current position. In other words, it's a sensor-type spell that works following the same premise as echolocation. It is still quite wasteful if one tries to use it on such a large body of water, but by limiting its influence to the surface, one is able to exponentially increase its range.

"Hah... hah!... ah...!"

He swims as fast as he can towards the closest possible target.

But no matter how much strength he puts into moving forward, it is futile, as no human should be able to undo what has already happened. That said, naive humans present difficulty in accepting reality unless they are presented with an irrefutable proof of the truth they have to face. In an act of both cruelty and mercy, the world presents Tohsaka Natsu with a truly tragic scenario.

"Mr. Velvet-!"

His body has ceased to move and he's floating face-down in the river. In panic, the boy quickly approaches him and makes a clumsy, desperate effort at turning him face-up, thinking that should be the first to save him from drowning. But there is a problem. By this point the body he is touching is nothing but an empty container, whatever soul resided inside of it has already left towards a better place.

"Ah."

Blood.

There is blood on Mr. Velvet's clothes, blood on the surrounding water and blood on his hands. Natsu was unable to notice at first, but now, trapped in a seemingly endless moment of terror, he can see it clearly. Glenn Alexander Velvet is just a shadow of its former self. Something large, most likely a piece of debris from the collapsing bridge, fell atop of him and the resulting impact was enough to kill him on the spot. Even if one ignored the wound on his head that leaves no doubt of his passing, the wounds present on what remains of his body are also lethal.

"Ah... Ah...!"

Faced with such a despair-inducing scenario, what can a young body do, but to lose his composure and panic?

Once more, Tohsaka Natsu's world is plunged underwater.

Interlude Out

[hero]

Aya Alayana
Shinto - Bridge
Night Phase


"...!"

The hand that pulls Tohsaka Natsu out of the waters is yours. Blinded by shock, a series of traumatic events and the darkness of the night, he makes an effort to resist, but you quickly best him and throw him on top of the nearest solid surface there is. Normally, that would be pretty far off, seeing as the bridge is made of heavy materials and there is literally nothing around that can both float and be used as a support to remain on the surface. But, in this case, because creating such thing is a feat magecraft can achieve, the boy is merely launched less than a meter away. There, holding on to what looks like a solid body of water kept together by a large magic circle, he finds three other people, or rather, two other people and a corpse.

"..."

For a few moments, the only sound that can be heard is the crackling of fire as the flames continue to consume everything around them.

The first person you found on the way here was Matou Kaori. She had been the one who protected you when the shade attacked, as well as the one responsible of 'building' this makeshift raft. All that you know is that, somehow, she is able to carve complex designs at instant speed and ignoring a number of restrictions associated with it. For instance, keeping together a composite sigil on a unreliable surface such as water should be extremely hard to accomplish, and yet...

"Get it together. You are a Tohsaka, aren't you? Start acting like one."

When she realizes Natsu has begun to cry, Kaori makes sure her words are heard. They may be rather cold, but they are meant to encourage his friend. That said, her words might have not been the same if her eyes had seen the same thing he has.

"But Mr. Velvet... Mr. Velvet is...-!"

Glenn Alexander Velvet's skull was crushed. There was also a large laceration on his back, enough to toss any prospect of saving him to the flames. Tohsaka Natsu knows what he saw. However, there is a mismatch between what he saw then and what he should be able to see now.

"He's just out of it! He'll be fine! This is not what we should be thinking about right now...!"

Something hit Mr. Velvet on the back of his head and knocked him out. A small pebble, perhaps. An unfortunate event, but now that you are all together again, it should be, as Kaori has said, the least of your concerns.

"Just get us out of here, Aya-san." Kaori, the voice of reason, speaks. "Before that thing comes looking for a rematch."

Miyama or Shinto...

Come to think of it, you can't tell which is which. The mist, the darkness and the chaos of the battlefield -alongside that one forceful landing you experienced before- has make it difficult to tell exactly where you are standing.

Then again, any side would be better than here...

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase


"Yeah! What's your problem-?!"

If Theressa's entry has been as brazen as the blade of a samurai once unsheathed, then your counter-attack is like a gatling gun emptying its entire magazine on the enemy without reservation. Even Luna gets somewhat carried out at the end, her composure at its end after a series of bizarre incidents. After the exchange, the only thing that remains is a long curtain of silence, silence that is devoid of either tension or hostility. The reason for that should be only natural: Your opponent has already been brought down. Theressa Russo might have been the one to shoot first in this duel, but Yamashita Hiro proved to be the fastest in the East, firing three bullets in the time that it took her to pull the trigger once.

"I-I..."

It is unthinkable for an Executor to take a step backwards, regardless of the kind of danger one faces. For an Executor to take two steps backwards, well, that is a miracle on par with those seen in Holy Scriptures. But that is not all... In fact, your response was so powerful that it wouldn't be unthinkable for her to collapse and kneel down in defeat right there in front of you.

But, finding courage where there should be none, finding faith where there is only doubt, Theressa Russo's stance becomes firm again. Then, abruptly turning her head to her shoulder in an attempt to keep the words she is about to say under wraps, she places her index and middle fingers right below her ear and...

"Sister Caren... I regret to inform you my cover has been blown... The intel was completely wrong... The situation is dire... Requesting immediate extraction...!"

It almost feels like she's some sort of secret agent communicating with their HQ. Well, some agencies within the Holy Church aren't exactly that far off from being a secret agency. That said, there are two main problems with the image being conveyed. Firstly, despite her best attempts to be discrete, she's being rather loud for the occasion, so you can pretty much hear every word she says. And second...

"... Sister Caren? Tch, don't tell me... The comms are being jammed...? Again...?"

The silver haired woman does not seem to have any communication gear on her, at least not on her ear. While it's true that her outfit gives the impression that she's a warrior prepared for anything, as numerous modifications have been implemented on her nun attire, including a set of extra pockets or pouches to bring additional weaponry -you presume- to the battlefield... It doesn't take the fact that there is still nothing on this ear. To put it into simple words...

Be it willingly or out of sheer naivety, this person is playing the role of something she isn't.

On a completely different note, your eyes cannot help but to fix themselves on the band-aid strangely placed over her nose. Did she get into a brawl recently...?

"Yamashita Hiro-!" Suddenly, the Holy Warrior declares, leaping back into the fields of reality. And now, she's pointing a finger at you (shaped like a gun) in a very unprofessional manner. "I am to bring you to the Church on the Hill on request of the Local Overseer-!"

There is a second pause, this one different from the last.

Now the air does fill with tension, now there is some hostility present in the room, although the feeling that it inspires is not fear of a person ending your life in a second but rather...

The one of a prey about to be caught by its hunter.

"Now... To put it another way, you foolish heretic, I am here to kidnap you-!"

Did she just...

Did she just copy your 'attack pattern' and made it her own?

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase

Yamashshita Hiro was a mage of the classic type. In other words there’s very little difference between him and a scientist. Both believe in the power of logic, taking disparate pieces of information and assembling such into a coherent theory, a deduction.

The thing about a deduction is that you almost always have to assume either that you are right, or that you are wrong. By definition you cannot know for sure, as a result, the most proper kind of logical deduction leads one to undertake an action that most logical people will tell you not to do.

Make an assumption, that which is said to make an ass out of you and me.

Hiro knew this. And yet, he found himself increasingly confident in the burgeoning assumption he was quickly beginning to form.

...Everyone in this crazy frikken town is batshit crazy. What the hell have I even gotten myself into...

In truth it was a bit of a culture shock. Despite the fact that Hiro’s mindset was that of a traditional mage, there was a bit of a problem in that other mages and his family did not get along that well. In a certain sense his family, the Yamashita clan was a bit of a “flavor of the month”. The thrust of their mage craft was built on a fairly new foundation. Not only that, but, they had become super specialized. With the possible exception of Origin users, It would be fair to say that no one a group of mages would be so focused on a singular source of magic. This was especially so for himself, as he literally had no form of magic that was not built upon this special foundation.

So, he was a bit of an odd duck.

So it was pretty clear, and it was a new experience for him to be the most “normal” man, person, what have you in the room.

The long glance that he shared with Luna was so hard, and so solid, that it was legitimately surprising that when finally broken it did not make an audible crack.

A threat of kidnapping should engender many things. Fear. The fight or flight reflex. Anger even depending on the situation.

Fear. The fight or flight reflex. Anger even, depending on the situation.

...falling on your ass, laughing uncontrollably was likely a minority reaction.

And yet, it was with a decidedly ungentlemanly thump, that Hiro fell backwards, planting on his skinny posterior, laughing to the point of tears dribbling past the Pair of hands that helplessly held his forehead over his eyes, that greeted the sight of the chuu-nun’s proclaimed statement of intent.

”Ahaha...ok...wow...this is the weirdest day...you know what? Awesome. I’m down. You’re kidnapping me to see caren? I guess? Assuming you actually know her? You don’t strike me as lying. A pervert yes, but not a liar. Hahaha...I had intended to see lady caren soon enough as it happens, she is a person of interest in my current endeavor. I will say this lady, you try and put me in handcuffs or any kind of magical binding, and we are throwing down. I’ll drag your unconscious body behind me when I hunt her down for healing, call it a courtesy.”

At that Hiro bobbed his back and forward as if debating something before shrugging as if to emote it’s not my decision alone.

”Hey Luna, I actually need to get on this. You are welcome to come, but I won’t drag you into my business if you don’t want to go. Getting mixed up with the executors is and always has been a recipe for trouble.”

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - love hotel district
Night phase


"... Huh?"

With strange words being thrown around and a back and forth that makes it difficult to gauge whether a battle will ensue or not, it is only natural for Luna to be surprised when she is suddenly cast into that exchange. It is not a normal conversation and, as such, it is just impossible for her to give a proper answer. She doesn't know what led her here, nor is she sure that choosing to follow along would help her recall who she is. She isn't sure she wants to know, either. In a way, it's like standing at the edge of a mist-cloaked abyss: She cannot tell whether the fall will be lethal or not, she's just allowed to choose whether to make the jump or not. Even so, her response is automatic, like a calling she cannot ignore. She does shake her head in response to your question, but it is not done as a way to reject the proposal, but rather to affirm her role in this.

"Nu~huh... It's fine. A little trouble may be just what I need to find what I've lost. Besides... You promised you would help me, so I am not letting you off the hook that easily. Is it alright, though...?"

Though it is safe to assume that Luna has some connections to the supernatural side of the world, her mentality is ultimately that of a mundane human because she doesn't remember any of that. Maybe the blue haired girl in a doctor attire just feels weird to be allowed into this madness just like that. Perhaps a part of her, deep down, knows that such thing should not be permitted. That any witness must be put to rest, one way or another.

Looking for approval, her eyes dart towards the holy warrior clad in black, but...

"[...]"

She's too busy whispering to herself again, probably something along the lines of 'The enemy is incredibly shrewd! Miss Caren, your identity has been compromised-!'

Yes, Theressa Russo is the kind of person one would call 'weird'. On one hand, out of all those present in the room, she has to be the least experienced in social interactions, and that makes it simple for someone like you to turn the tables on her during a conversation. Should this be some sort of non-stop debate contest, her odds of winning would never rise above 0%. However, that is also in a way alarming: A social disorder is not hard to find within your field of work, even you can be said to be the result of someone else's selfish ambitions, but there is one thing most people with one have in common, and that is a superb talent in a single field that more than makes up for it. Something which justifies the loss of one's sanity, of one's humanity.

In Theressa Russo's case, the skill that has been refined to perfection has to be the hunting of heretics. The Holy Church doesn't make an executor out of a soldier, it's a position held by elite assassins and killers. So, in a way, telling her what would happen if she tried to lay a hand on you was a pretty daring thing to do. After all, there is no guarantee that things would go as you claim they would. Considering you are also a freak of nature, someone who bears an extraordinary power within and someone who had to pay a price to attain said power, that probably says a lot about how scary Executors can be.

And this one in particular...

---Is by no means a pushover.

"...-!"

Luna nearly falls over in surprise. And who wouldn't? It might have been just an instant, it might have been subtle or it might have been just your imagination, but the floor definitely moved. Maybe it is a warning, perhaps just another way for her to make the scene feel more dramatic. Honestly, there is no way to tell as she's such a klutz.

But the floor definitely moved, and you had a premonition of the earthquake that could have been.

"Alright, it's settled, then." She announced, her voice coming less noisy than before. "We'll be leaving for the Church tomorrow morning. It's a promise, okay?"

There is a reason why she does not take you there immediately.

That much you are able to tell.

"R-Rest well."

Before you can properly respond, the nun turns around, dashes past the entrance and swiftly disappears into the hallways, leaving Luna and you alone, once more, somewhat dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.

Meanwhile, a small cloud of dust descends over the counter at the entrance of the hotel, product of the sudden tremble that took place moments ago. Imagining what could be going on a floor above his head, the clerk draws a smile of amusement that is only interrupted by the sneezing that follows afterwards.

Yamashita Hiro
Day 0 (Prologue) End