3
3
4. Sakura, Luvia & company
Because I want to see if anything about the Grail War is reaching them. And because why no?
Day 09 – Morning Phase
Unknown Location
Objective: [REDACTED]
[BGM]
It was a long path that lead through a place like hell.
The deep spirals further than even the most illogical mind would believe, hundreds of meters below where the sun shone. The caverns however opened up, welcoming her to her new home. Such a path could only accommodate one at a time which was how Rider preferred to travel. There was no need to create either, for the caves her naturally lit by a green bioluminescence of moss.
“__”
Indeed it was too vibrant for some. A significant amount of life force pulsed throughout these walls, what should have been stale air was like walking through a forest filled with vigour, life and light. Mana so charged up in the air it approached the visible spectrum.
It was a rotten energy, sickly, unnatural. The three youths she brought down here almost vomited at their first entry… Rider found it rather cosy by comparison.
She walked through the dark caverns humming a little tune to herself with almost a skip in her step. Yes, the metal and concrete jungle was abhorrent to her. This ‘land of death’ as her Master had called it was more comforting than any feather bed or those peculiar handheld devices that the men and women of today seemed glued too.
Rider knew what smartphones were and how to use them, the Holy Grail had provided her with the relevant knowledge on the modern society. She just didn’t particularly care for them.
Alas in an era of consumerism, late stage capitalism and instant self-gratification they were a necessary evil.
Rider could see traces of red on the ground. Traces of blood, leading further back. It seemed the third young man hadn’t cleaned up after himself yet again.
“Oh my, I wonder whoever taught that fool manners…”
At its end, the path opens into a cavern. It's about as big as the schoolground. It's too dark for the conventional human eye to make out the ceiling, but Rider’s estimates had it be about ten meters high.
All other lifeforms had fled at the sight of her, however off in the distance she could hear it – muffled shouts, clashing of metal, a sickly smell of blood iron and brimstone intertwined.
“Training again I see?”
[BGM]
Two slender figures of monochrome, one in white & one in black, both charging in unison against the third. The trickle of blood swung like a dancer’s red veil and flames unleashed with an explosion of fist is something of a sight Rider finds.
He in the black – Corrin Charisk, hemomancer, his wrists let fly that crimson veil spinning around in precise circular motions, attacking every angle by his opponents front. With that light of red by his sharp features flying by great speeds he’s almost akin to a shooting star.
But.
A shooting star is but a small light in the sky. The swordsman who Corrin faces, he cannot break through Saber's guard, as he firmly fixes himself on the ground and deflects each and every blow.
Corrin is matched blow for blow. With each movement, her master’s right hand slows while his opponent is unrelenting, each multitude of multidirectional attacks all deflected in a single swing.
Saber is strength, Saber is power.
If Corrin is a shooting star flickering out, Saber is the Black Sun – consuming all light that grows near.
“Stop using standard attacks,” Saber calls out to the young man, his voice held firm but with no malice “use the unorthodox.”
With that Saber was met with a mighty roar and an explosion of flame behind the young man before him -!
Reiner Corvella, heir of his family name and liege lord of Corrin flung himself into the air, swinging his legs in similar circular motions of the blood-veil, the young lord himself swung down a great curved arc of flame from his foot of all things. The flame bursts onward eager to devour.
Flames explosive power is no shield and with both young men using their bodies as catalysts there was no need for incarnations when extending a part of yourself
“Feel the power of the nobility!”
Pompous as always though he seemed, Saber grinned regardless. Those wild aerial motions were not needed, after all it was the will of the magus that ignited the air with a line of explosions but this was new for the lad. He was experimenting for himself.
Most excellent.
With a second swing, Saber wrought his sword skyward with unrelenting power that dispelled the great fire into naught but cinders and ash.
“G-go!”
Everything moves at once and the youths realised it wasn’t enough.
Corrin clicks his tongue murmuring a myriad of blended languages into an incantation, pulling the veil back into himself and retching as he spewed a torrent of red liquid onto the ground and flung it at Saber in a counter clockwise movement!
The arc of acidic-vomit-blood moved upward right to Saber’s unprotected lower half while Reiner had distracted him.
Lowering himself to a meagre distraction? Saber thought. How humble~.
All it took was a step back for the attack to be evaded. Every move being dealt towards Saber should have been a decisive killing blow yet he had deflected every one. All but this…
The difference in power is frank.
“– How often must I tell you two, control my central line.”
Upon the prompt, Corrin retreated and slapped both hands on the ground. The luminescence in the area changed from a verdant green to a sickly candy as shining red globules rose from the ground. Blood, his blood.
“”Aimatirí thýellaΑιματηρή θύελλα
A trap? Rider thought to herself. He must have placed that in advance for instant access release!
Further muttering of a dead language and the ground below Saber erupted in a bloody geyser. Old blood magi, High-Thaumaturgy convergent into modern combat magecraft. Saber was not learned about magecraft in his own life but a spell of such power shouldn’t be accessed to easily for someone of his position in the modern day. He was prepared for someone to attack from multiple angles but for the literal ground to become foe?
“At least he’s finally playing to his strengths.” He mused to himself. Leaping bounds into the air he evaded the lure of the trap into free space of the air. An air that now lit up like firecrackers.
As the sky itself detonated, Saber fell from high and unto the floor hard – the rough ground of the caverns cracked on the force of his feet. There was a blemish of soot upon his cheek, other than that he was hunched over there were no failings in the beauty of his form.
“Good.”
Reiner ran forward arms wide as the sky burned above him seeing his opening. Rushing down after revealing a weakness was the aggressive tactic of a brigand. The smile Saber wore on his face could not hide is disappointment.
The servant swung his closed hand, the back of his hand glacing against the heir’s face. The force was withheld greatly but enough to send Reiners lanky form ragdolling across the cavern depths, tossing and turning in the dirt before landing face in the dirt and legs in the air. A glancing blow, but still with enough to crush all the strength out of a mortal frame. Saber did have a Strength stat of ‘A+’ after all.
Rider tutted. How predictable of these boys.
“Faster now, destroy my focus!.” Saber declares, issuing a command to the two opponents… no, students rather.
Corrin picked himself off the ground and dashed imminently to assist his lord. He wasted precious time and left himself open as he brought the other young man to his feet.
Saber could have thrown his sword at him, he couldn’t block after a spell like that. It was tempting, really temping. The wolfish war master chuckled, saving the image of the spinning hilt spiralling into the butler’s forehead for himself – but he took note of this, they had blown their last chance for this session.
As the two rose, sparks descended as the sky fell. The descend an extended crescendo as one act of the opera move to the final stage. Reiner’s hand’s and feet were ablaze as under the force of his own power he slowly rose into the air.
And a torrent of red began.
As projectiles of blood pinned Saber to his position, Reiner flew into the light where Saber’s vision was obscured. The candy red splashed against the hollow dark of Saber’s light with a spray or red and black. With this Reiner flew in one direction, then the other, every angle he could muster with air superiority. Fire rained down in in union with blood against the metal. He was being ‘kept’ in this position, slowly blinded by distraction as they no doubt approached for the kill.
They were thinking differently, they were working together, he could give them that at least. Despite the advantage of numbers and grounding, Saber kept up with each deflection of his blade effortlessly, one hand on the hilt as the other rested on his hip. A swordsmanship that transcended humanity.
Power was absolute, the law of beasts and gods. Technique of mankind was created to compensate for their physical weakness. When both worked in unison of man’s technique with divine and bestial might – one was unstoppable.
This was not arrogance, it was fact.
“You’re griping to the ground too tightly.” As the two came within arm’s reach, Saber decided he gave them enough chances. Faster than Reiner and Corrin could react Saber grabbed then by the heads and slammed them together, dropping them both like sacks of potatoes. “Now too lightly~.”
With the training now decidedly over, Rider approached the three men and laid out a patchwork blanket on the ground and offered a number of large paper bags to the centre.
“I brought groceries.”
“Thank you dear.”
Corrin and Reiner gave what Rider would like to assume to be groans of thanks though the dirt they found their faces buried in but fortunately it only took a few minutes for her to neaten them both up and they were both ready for the meal.
Despite the group eating in a literal cavern, the food was of rather descent quality. Reiner himself had more than sufficient funding to supply Rider’s shopping trip, Saber had started a small fire separate for cooking and Corrin handled the actual cooking.
Corrin's Mystery Meat Sandwiches
Saber lit up like a dog eyes beaming and a toothy smile stretching all the way to his ears looking at his owner eating a steak. Longing, needing, consumed with desire.
“Meat? I never knew you could cook!”
“Truthfully? But Ser Saber, anyone can cook.” Corrin paused for a moment, a look of genuine befuddlement upon his face. “Regardless a butler should be able to perform any required task; greeting guests, overseeing events, killing attempted assassins, serving all food and drink, breaking the kneecaps of riff-raff, the management of the wine cellar…”
The man in monochrome’s voice trailed off as Saber’s smile started to darken.
“However Ser, it will be my pleasure to attend to your needs as long as my master permits. I hope you like thing’s cooked medium-rare.”
“Of course, do I look like some sort of savage to you?”
At this Reiner chuckled, “Rugged and rough around the edges, certainly but if you’re associating with us then that alone speaks volumes about how exquisite your taste is.”
“Hoh? Is this how you flirt boy? Or are you boasting on the prowess of your man-servant? Though I confess I appreciate the honest and direct approach I am afraid that I will have to decline.”
“Your loss Saber.”
Rider allowed herself to smile at the sight of this. Saber had approached them and boasted on how he was the “Worlds Mightiest Sword Wielder”; he was loud, brash and as her master had said himself a little rough around the edges. She had expected far more quarrel in a clash between their personalities but Reiner Corvella was certainly accommodating and Saber took him under his wing. Perhaps he was a father in his original lifetime? At least Saber had shown that the ‘Noble’ Reiner’s issues with the lower class Nomikata was personal dislike rather than class-based suppression.
Regardless she almost certainly knew Saber’s True Name by now and the only reason he wasn’t talking back to Reiner or Corrin (who had finally started talking of his own volition) was because – there was no elegant way to say it – he was stuffing his face. It wasn’t like a soldier eating a first meal out of the trenches, he was like an animal ravaging a carcass.
“Now what was this about you being civilised?” Rider asked.
“You don’t know how to talk to a man do you?” Saber replied in between bouts of inhaling his food. “In the wilds if you don’t eat you starve, you take too long you become the meal.”
“You say as if I did not know this myself. I am the monster in the woods you would have been fearful of.”
“Nah, wouldn’t ‘av been scared of you back in the day. You’re too beautiful to be scary.”
It was Rider’s turn to judge Saber from his comments. “You appreciate the beauty of the form I have been summoned in? You say that without any comment of my own character? What if my hair was grey wispy and falling out? What if my face was only wrinkles and legs naught but bone? What if my tits sagged down to my knees? Would I still be beautiful then? Would you fear me then?”
Saber answered firstly with a belch.
He then answered with words.
“Nuh-uh.” He raises a finger over his lips in faux-embarrassment before giving a playful punch to Rider’s shoulder. “I’ve known pleanty of attractive people who were filthy as sin, you’re kind, accommodating, don’t let people give shit and I’d say beautiful on the inside. That’s where it counts.”
“Easy to say when I look like this.”
“True, but I’m willing to wager that bottle of European ale you got hidden away in the bottom of those bags that this isn’t your true form.”
Her reply only comes after laughter. Those canine features certainly weren’t for show.
“Many bold assumptions Saber! Very uncouth of a young man such as yourself.” She reached into what was left of her purchases and pulled out an old glass bottle filled with a brown liquid. “So, you would flirt with me even if I was an old woman?”
“I’m not a gentleman but I’m not shallow.”
With that Rider passed him the bottle of ale.
Then got herself a large bottle of wine.
“You see that Corrin, that’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
“Mi’lord I’m not sure this is wise.”
“What is life without a little frivolity in moderation though?” Saber took the opportunity to jump in. However as the relaxed festive part of the day(?) drew to a close, he beckoned in Reiner and Corrin. “Remember what I taught you, if you are to win against the best of magi and even the standard servant – you must have fear, surprise and intimidation on your side. For if any one element is lacking it is best to retreat. You must break them before you engage them.”
His words were cut off by a thud of something hitting the floor close by.
“I certainly wish you better luck than you had with me, my servant. I am a most terrible student.”
And thus arrived the elephant in the room, the master of Saber. The enigmatic young man who called himself ‘Justice’ or sometimes ‘Nomikata’. Regardless, Rider knew he was a being of pure hatred, nothing more or less.
Reiner lifts his head to face the newcomer as Justice’s words hung in the desolate air
“Haaa, how tiresome of you peasant. Nothing but melancholy as ever. I must thank you for not quoting Shakespeare.”
“You know my favourite poet is William Blake you uncivilised swine.” With that Justice’s attention turned to himself, specifically his body. He let go of the dull weight in his right hand and drew his eyes towards it: clenching and unclenching, stretching his arm, taking deep breaths. He then sat down beside the fire, the light revealing the left side of his body, or rather the lack of is, the left arm was missing and half his torso was eviscerated. “Pay no heed to it, it’ll be back by tonight or at least upon the ‘morrow.”
“Regardless, you gain injuries like it’s going out of fashion.” Retorts the young heir “Broken bones, ruined organs, various bullet wounds and impalements. Also now lost limbs? I dare say how long it will take for you to roll in here having been reduced to just a talking head.”
Saber patted Justice on the back. It was surely meant to be a gentle reassuring gesture but his strength knocked what little air Justice’s weakened frame had much to the amusement of Reiner.
“Don’t be mean to the kid, y’know he had to grow up quick.”
“Yes, I guess you don’t have much of a childhood living in the sewers dressing like a Japanese videogame character do doubt blasting it out to emo music.”
Justice’s sole remaining fist tightened. He restrained himself from latching onto the blatant bait, though sorely tempting as it was.
“I was being literal. I aged rapidly.”
“So, you really are a moody thirteen-year-old in an adult’s body?”
Naturally, Rider had her own plans.
“Gentlemen. If we could all be civil for just five more minutes please, may I remind you that we are all united here because of one man.”
Seigi Nomikata. All three young men hated him for one reason or another.
“My master, you dislike him due to your years of animosity. Corrin follows suite of his lord. You however have not told us anything. How do you expect us to treat you as an equal when you withhold important information from us.”
All eyes turned to Justice now, a squirming and writhing leech in his spot. His eyes flickered left to right as if he was looking for a quick escape. Justice tried to rise up but Saber’s gentle hand turned firm and held him in position. All the wolfish man had to do was nod. It was firm. Absolute.
A King’s Order.
“The story begins decades ago, before any of us walked this earth with a magus called Hiro Nomikata. The man is close to one hundred years old, give or take a decade. The family itself was nothing special, relatively young still with only three generations to their name, truth be told they were nothing till he was born. The Nomikata’s tried to progress in one field but unable to make sufficient progress in one generation they’d switch with the next heir. Hiro however was dedicated. Possessing average circuits, above average ability, precise control and exceptional theoretical knowledge – it was no question he was a prodigy.”
Corrin nodded.
“Despite his class and circuitry the man is exemplar of what the lower classes should aspire to be. Rumour has it that he rubbed shoulders with Kayneth Archibald before the former Lord El-Melloi was killed and even Ambrosius Elliwyn.”
Reiner turned.
“I thought that centuries old old astronomer was dead and he was just a boogieman that students discuss over-”
“We’re getting off topic!” Justice snapped. “This is not the time to marvel at old men, this is the time for context.”
Rider shuffled over, offering her bottle of wine. Justice nodded, and took a swig of what was left before returning the bottle to Rider.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Rider smiled before chucking it over her shoulder, the smash echoing loudly across the depths. That might have been the first time she heard ‘Justice’ say that word but she figured he wouldn’t want the attention.
“Anyways around the time of the third Holy Grail War which he only had a minor role in not even as a Master, he met a magus from the east by the name of Rei. In terms of raw power, she far exceeded him and could no doubt contend against even servants under her own volition for a time. The two had a romance and he discovered the secret to her power. A necromancy ritual where power was transferred into another binding the magical circuits and soul to gain power.”
“It’s your average romance story.” Saber interrupts, “Genius magus meets literal maneater.”
“Shut uuuuuuuppp!”
“Fine.”
“Would you rather tell the story?”
“You know, I really wouldn’t. Especially the next bit”
“Then. Let. Me.”
“By all means, go for it.”
“Very well. Despite their misgivings regarding this, they pursue each other any marry each other just before 1950. They work together and theorise if by consuming souls, the right souls specifically, they would have a connection to both the physical one and the world souls go just before they return to The Root of humanity. See, Rei took what she wanted when she wanted. Now although this meant she had tremendous power, her being was too engraved into the flesh. So they used Spirital Evocation and Necromancy to summon spirits of their families past, warriors from time long gone, grudges of mages still etched onto the world and connect them to their child. It was too much and their child was stillborn. The two accomplished nothing. Nothing aside from b-bringing a corpse into the world with too many of them already…”
His voice was breaking, it was difficult for him now. This was plain to see.
“They began work with another family. Blytheseel. He had a similar method but the path was different. The latter either developed illusions of grandure or picked up an insufferable maid fetish or something, I know not. Regardless they split but Hiro and Rei made sufficient progress.”
Both Corrin and Reiner both were struck silent. Justice was not being his overdramatic self, this was pain.
His pain.
“They tried again to have a child, this time the connection with all the soul’s past were muted. To prevent overload the spirits were reduced into a vegetative state and this time they were blessed with a daughter. March 29th 1960, Aoi Nomikata was born. A child born with a passageway to The Root. They succeeded where all other magi failed. Five years later it became clear she did not possess what was required, whether it be a fighting spirit, aptitude for magecraft or the connection to The Root could not open. Hiro did not want to but Rei convinced him that Aoi had to die so they could have another child with a direct connection to Aoi so the pathway was stronger. Hiro made Aoi’s death quick and did it with his own hands. He had fallen in love with Rei despite the warning signs and this act killed what was left of Hiro’s humanity that day.”
Saber was done already, having picked up his sword and walked away.
“-Pardon Saber, child abuse is something of a trigger for him.”
The three remaining people said nothing.
“Thus began the old cycles of the Nomikata’s. Wanting instant gratification and results, every time a child failed their tests, they’d kill them and recycle their circuitry and souls into the next. March 12th 1988, their spells curses and grudges finally begin to strike back on them and Rei dies in childbirth giving birth to their final child. Seigi. With Holy Grail Wars now prominent across the world, Hiro has the perfect conditions to awaken the pathway within Seigi having grown stronger for decades. The physical and mental trauma cumulates and as of last night, the sole remaining sentient soul within Seigi – the original, Aoi – awoke. Although still temperamental, Seigi can now draw power and knowledge direct from The Root itself.”
Reiner scoffed at this, the tale was becoming too preposterous now – he had to draw the time somewhere, he had to make a statement, too look inside himself and ask ‘What am I willing to put up with today?’.
“Excuse my French, but what the everloving fuck? Seigi’s a damn god or something?”
“No, not a god in the slightest. Human, specifically every human. Given enough time to master it, whether it be decades or even centuries I can guarantee that Seigi Nomikata can become the most powerful human in history. Though he only houses Aoi and the vegative souls of his siblings within him currently, if he gets that far this is certain.”
Rider’s own face goes on a series of journeys; joy, fascination, disgust, before settling on an uncomfortable amalgamation.
“This does not explain why you hate him and wish to murder him with your own t- um, your hands.”
Justice shrugs.
“Hiro Nomikata is the one I hate primarily, Seigi’s just a product of undeserved power built upon the torture and death of children. Every second that he breaths is another second they suffer.”
“And that fake redhead has the gall to say I’m entitled.” Reiner mutters to himself. Not noticing Rider’s curt nod as she kept her eyes on Justice, having pieced a lot of the information together herself.
“Would I be correct in assuming that you are his brother? Someone who has escaped the cycle and now with to avenge your siblings and lay them to rest?”
Justice shook his head.
“Incorrect, quite close but incorrect. Hiro and Rei were rather efficient with their filicide. Whether is be broken necks, drowning, suffocation or a variety of different ways, all their children died. Rei had briefly considered keeping a male alive and seeing if directly breeding with them would improve the process but nothing came of the idea, very fortunate Saber isn’t here. Incest is very much a problem for him too. As for the dead, I am their justice and I am literal when I say this.”
All bar Saber were versed in Thaumatergy. The School of Curses always reflect back on the user, whether it be misfortune or even death. Rei’s own end way one half of it, I was the other. I am their evil made manifest brought into the world when Seigi did.
“So is your name Seigi Nomikata as well?”
“No. ‘I have no name, I am but two day’s old’.”
Corrin open’s his mouth, before closing if, leaving Reiner to speak.
“Ok, I take back everything I said about you.”
“You’re god damn right. Now, the story of my arm – I was going to do some reconisance at Hiro’s base after one of Rider’s familiars scouted it but it blew up. There was his Lancer servant there, a mercenary from a previous Grail War and the woman Hiro desired as a replacement for Rei. I encountered this in the sewer, one of his pet projects no less. I believe that the four of us will be able to get quite a considerable amount of information from this.”
Justice gestured to a cadaver, the lump of flesh he had dragged in with his one arm.
The Corpse
"Let's get to work."
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
---
Beast's Lair Discord Server For Fate Quests
Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
Day 09 – Pre Morning
Fuyuki City – Miyama Town, Emiya Residence
[BGM]
Risa Mol-Undi was a terrible sleeper. Whether it be laying down with perfect alertness, constantly tossing and turning or having intrusive thoughts just as she was about to doze off, she couldn’t switch her brain off.
A pity, she was now over 50 hours without proper rest. Risa could do without the additional headaches.
With sleep proving as illusive as ever, she got out of her now empty bed provided to her by her new, if likely temporary ally and host. The building was distinctly Japanese in architecture but the guest room had a few western touched, namely a ‘proper’ bed rather than a futon. Furthermore a simple workdesk had been left over from the previous guest.
The Guestroom
“Gravitational binding energy is the minimum energy that must be added to a system for the system to cease being in a gravitationally bound state... Gravitation binding… Binding equals ‘U’ as a state. ‘U’ = 3GM2 squared divided by 5R. G is the gravitational constant, M equals mass of sphere and R is radius.”
Through her own research at Clock Tower, Risa knew the earth was not a uniform sphere but for the sake of the equation it could be assumed to be to get the order of magnitude estimate.
M = 5.97 x 1024 kg and r = 6.37 x 106 m, U is 2.24 x 1032 J. However when depth-dependence of density was taken into account, U = 2.487 x 1032 J…
People were complicated, arithmetic was simple.
“The number is big to say the least.”
“Empress, if you don’t sleep you will drop dead.”
The young pink haired woman buried her face in one hand when the most beautiful woman she had ever seen materialised behind her. An imperial beauty, a powerful warrior. She was strong, tall, athletic and draped in the duvet Risa had not been sleeping in.
“Lancer, you’re in company. Please show some modesty.”
“Empress, it is just you and I here. The two of us have shared the same bed, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.”
This was certainly true and although the sheets did cover the majority of her figure, Risa looked over her shoulder and there was just enough that was not covered; a supple slender leg poking out the makeshift robes, a gap revealing a glorious set of toned abs and her chest itself was barely constrained. All it would take would be a single tug for it all to fall apart and reveal the majesty underneath, a majesty she’d had pressed fully against her own mediocre figure before. Diminished was the word Risa used to describe herself when she first saw Lancer, now the word she’d say was frustrated.
“Let me get that for you,” Lancer said, her voice rumbling deep and sultry as she reached over behind Risa's back, fingers grasping at the corner of the page, taking her sweet time in giving it a turn to draw things out and keep her breasts flush against her temporary Master’s back. The ample chest squeezed against her as she sat in her presence, struggling to focus on the book Risa had laid out in front of her now, a distraction that she created she was no longer able to focus on with the temptation of what was behind her.
Risa had concluded that either Lancer had low standards or she was pent up and imagining things that weren’t there.
“Are you trying to come up with further combat strategies or decipher the elder Nomikata’s works?”
“Oh, nothing quite like that. I just needed to distract myself so I did this.”
Risa showed Lancer the little notebook she was working in, not one of her grimoires but a simple scruffy standard issue notebook, missing half the pages and a variety of images doodled on the cover, some innocent and others rather explicit.
“Pardon me Empress, is that a book you use to draw pornorg-“
“No! no! Nothing of the sort!” said the flustered girl. Risa could not show her embarrassment over the comment, the bag under her eyes were forming bags at this point and she appeared to be in a state of permanent mild discomfort.
She passed the book over and Lancer saw the title Risa had decided to bestow upon in. ‘Dynamics of an Asteroid.’
“This is… calculus on how to destroy the planet?”
“225 million trillion trillion joules of force. All of the nuclear bombs on Earth are only have the force of 2.67 x 10 to the power 19 joules, and it'd be impossible to build the one quadrillion bombs needed to do the job.”
Lancer walks back to [ruby=her=their[/ruby]bed, this time to sit and peruse the documentation given.
“You’ve reference other case material, proofed all your workings, considered a number of variables so the end product is sound. However I must ask the question of why though?”
“Eh, like I said I needed to distract myself, brain wouldn’t switch off so I made it do something else?” Risa swivelled on her chair, grabbing something on the desk before turning and tossing it into Lancer’s lap. “Pocky?”
“Why are you eating chocolate at this time?”
“Told Kerry the same thing. Oral fixation, having something in my mouth helps me focus for some reason.”
“Having you considered that eating sugary snacks in regular intervals instead of set balanced meals may be contributing to your restlessness?”
“You are probably correct but I’m too tired to argue so I’ll just ask you to please not tell Mr Emiya or Adalbert. I’ll just get disappointed dad speeches off them and I would rather not deal with that right now.”
“And you wouldn’t be in that situation if you weren’t working endlessly.” Idly comments the genuine redhead “When we find Seigi, I believe it is imperative that he spend at least a day recuperating. Perhaps you will follow his lead and let yourself sleep. Alternatively we could take him back to your student accommodation and have him spend his days tidying and cooking for you as it’s clearly an art you have not mastered.”
Those few days Lancer had with Seigi had clearly worked wonders with the woman, she was far freer with her words these days, still needlessly formal however.
“Now although I cannot make you, you still need sleep my Empress. Now come to bed, this is your weapon’s orders.”
“If I’m the Empress, does that mean I outrank you and you should let me keep doing this?”
“Risa Mol-Undi. Stop being charming and get in bed with me.”
[BGM]
Well Lancer was nothing if not direct. Risa would have been fine with such an invitation had it been asked a few days ago. Now with Lancer laying on the bed, pulling the sheets up and beckoning her it felt different. Risa bit her lip at the sight; Lancer was tall, strong, beautiful, naked and demanding she get in bed with her.
“My empress, you’ve been standing still for a minute now. Are you well?”
“FINE! Yes, I’m fine. Absolutely fine, nothing to worry about Lancer!”
Risa was not fine.
“So why are you just standing there? Take your clothes off and join me.”
This, this was a lot. A little too much for Risa. Lancer had always been too much for Risa. It wasn’t as if the offer was objectionable or something someone could easily fantasise over but with Lancer positioned like that, and staring at her like that in a way a wild animal stared down its prey. Risa could feel the beat of her heart thumping in her ears, her cheeks flushed as she turned around with her back to face Lancer before hurriedly peeling her clothes off of her more modest figure before scurrying into the sheets and immediately getting spooned by Lancer.
She could feel Lancer’s bare breasts press against her skin now as her strong arms wrapped around her. This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t fair!
“Your heart is racing my dear empress. Just close your eyes, forget your problems and relax. I’m here and I’ve got you.”
Risa, still held in Lancer’s strong grasp, buried her face into her pillow. The words that escaped her lips were faint but the pressure had been building up too much now “You are my problem…”
“Empress. Mast- ak. Risa.” Risa could not bare to look upon Lancer’s face right now but she could only imagine the expression on Lancer’s face. She had disappointed someone else.
Stupid Risa! She told herself. Useless, deadweight, unmarriageable!
“Please my dearest Risa. Since I have been brought into this world you’ve been cold and distant. If I am doing something to offend you please tell me so I can correct my behaviour. Not just as my duty as a weapon but I want to make sure you are comfortable.”
Lancer’s grip weakened as Risa felt weight shift in the bed behind. The magus turned around to face her servant-
It was fleeting, completely by accident.
But Risa’s lips touched Lancers.
“Aahhh~ ” Lancer said, her voice slow and sultry “I understand now.”
Risa’s heart was racing now. Lancer’s arms were strong and supple, her fingers slender and calloused. But Lancer’s lips, Risa though they’d feel rough but they were so soft. It was more magic than she had accomplished her whole life.
“I’ve…I’ve wanted to do that since I saw you.”
Lancer swung around with Risa positioned on her back and Lancer straddling her. One hand holding Risa’s wrists above the girls’ head while the other placed a finger on her lips to silence her.
“Do you need me to stop or do you want to keep going?” Those words were spoken with such tenderness. Risa could only imagine what she looked like underneath Lancer. Terrified? Probably. Unprepared? Almost certainly.
Risa nodded her head. Her plea was quiet but firm. “Keep going.”
Lancer purred with delight as she leaned downward, deliberately letting the gap in the curtains shine the moonlight onto her chest, lighting up her notably larger breasts and firm toned abs. She was excited to feel her tense against her so badly.
Risa didn’t know what tension was until she was pinned underneath Lancer like this, her free finger trailing from her mouth, down her chest, along her flat stomach all the way down to the warmth buried between her legs, all while Lancer blew hot breaths against her ear. Lancer’s grip let go of Risa’s wrists as her other hand slowly dipped into her making Risa release a supressed gasp of absolute pleasure and delight before trailing all the way back to Risa’s lips and plunging her tart damp digits between Risa’s lips which she happily accepted and started sucking on, driving her mouth forward to take the whole delectable length in her mouth and happily gagging as the tips of Lancer’s fingers reached the back of her throat.
Risa hadn’t been lying about the words ‘Oral Fixation’
Lancer purred hungrily once more “Place one hand on my body, another between my legs and suck on my fingers” she moaned. There was something almost forceful and powerful about her words. Not a teacher, certainly not a disappointed parental figure no – this was a dominant lover, ordering one to ravish her and Risa found herself obeying. One hand settling between Lancer’s legs while the other trailed up Lancer’s strong legs, past her stomach one firm ab at a time to where Lancer knew what drew Risa’s attention. “Now long have you wanted to grab at my chest?” Lancer teased and was immediately answered with a nervous determination of Risa’s pumping fingers and eager, loud and sloppy oral treatment as Risa sucked on those fingers that had her own taste.
Risa’s head was spinning as she tried to think about a way to handle this like a sensible and decent English lady, but the time for any of that had long since passed, and in its place now was surrender. She succumbed to the craziness of what Lancer was doing to her and she felt damn good about it too.
“Good girl~”
[BGM OFF]
Day 9 - Morning/Midday Phase
Fuyuki City – Tohsaka Residence
Character Status
[/spoiler]
The moment I recover I’m greeted with my old friend, pain. Not just the new seemingly chronic pain that comes with activating magical circuits these days but an uncomfortable dry headache. The sort that comes after a night of sin, having done something you shouldn’t have.
I’m sprawled out on the floor in this basement holding onto this damned thing from earlier that gave me a literal stroke for the fuss. This damned stupid thing…
I close my eyes and breathe, focus.
“Power…”
Focus on the pain, accumulated suffering, the will to continue and power – the need for more.
“More power…”
This is my access point to the beyond, allows me to comprehend what I hold in my hand.
Item Obtained
My brain flickers with imagery of another time. Rin and Sakura standing in a cavern, someone who I presume to be the wizard marshal standing in an expansive field of white flowers at night firing a giant laser beam from this sword to the moon?!
The more I try and focus on what I see, the harder it is to visualise and the pain gets stronger dulling my senses. I bring myself to my feet and look at the hunk of quartz jammed to a sword hilt.
“This is simultaneously the greatest weapon of mass destruction in modern day and a useless paperweight. Christ, just my luck.” I murmur to myself under my breath through gritted teeth, not that it matters, it’s just me here.
I put it in the inner jacket pocket of my suit. It might be useless to me but it could make for a most splendid bartering tool with the Tohsaka’s should I meet them again soon but my senses still feel dull after that incident. Ok, to make sure I have everything to grips, I’ll just line up a number of vague facts about myself no one else knows about me:
- Fact number one, I hear there are comments about me back at Clock Tower that I’m something of a player among the students and faculty after me and Yorkie split, although I have been with both and can be a bit of a flirt, the number of people I have actually slept with is in the single digits.
- Numero deux, I’m very fond of the name ‘Elizabeth’ if I have a daughter I’d probably call her that.
And three, at that masquerade ball I-
“Gah! Fuck!”
Ahh, this damned headache! It’s like I’ve gone out drinking the night before. I have not woken up in a strangers bed surrounded by empty gin bottles, that said I can pick up a faint smell of vodka…
Wait, vodka?!
“Rider, is this you?”
“Da, darling”
[BGM]
A familiar woman steps out of the darkness. The smells precede her; the aroma of the forest and thick ambient energy laced with hard alcohol. Makeshift rough clothing with a slender and curvaceous figure.
Warning! Servant Rider!
Fight or flight kicks in.
I throw myself over to the corner of the room, pull out the small jewelled saber from my jacket and point it towards the servant.
The wild beauty is completely unfazed. She pulls out a small bottle and takes a large swig before casually tossing it to the side and it smashes against the table spreading shards of glass everywhere. She waltzes her way over with a mildly disoriented sway in her hips. Slowly and dreadfully outreaching a hand towards me.
A single finger touches the point of the blade and with a mutter of an alien language my body locks still rendering the weapon and my whole arm now utterly useless.
“Ah, ah, ahh…” She admonishes me before slowly moving my frozen arm back to pin me against the wall. Rider leans forward, pressing her body against mine and the stench of mixed liquor on her breath assaults my senses one hand pinning my hand to the wall and the other pinching my cheeks. “Awful presumptuous to assume the worst little boy. I thought you were a refined gentleman or do you only play the role? Overcompensating for you insecurities with the fine garb and demeanour are you not?”
I trigger the pain and activate my magical circuits, a rough crackle and they spring to life. Only for Rider to do the same. A near visible aura of black flame emanates from her body, merging with the shadows overwhelming me in the darkness. The light of the small connection point in me withers in response. I may be able to access ancient power given time but Rider is that power manifest.
Any action I take with magecraft, Rider matches and overwhelms me.
Let’s try diplomancy, see if I can best her in that school of study.
“You have an awfully keen eye.” I say as best I can through forcibly pursed lips. “I most certainly apologise for the rudeness but I’ve had a rough couple of days so I believe a woman with your wisdom could understand how I jumped to the wrong conclusion, please bear in mind you do have me pinned to the wall now so the assumption is not helped.”
The seeming spell of paralysis is gone now, I am merely held down by her superior strength.
Rider cocks her head to the side and gives a quizzical look, glancing up and down a sly little smile slowly etches itself across her face. Her hand change to a firm grasp before pulling me across the room and sitting me down on the table like a child.
“There you go boy,” Rider calls out in dulcet tones, her face warm but still firm knowing she is fully in control of the situation, in control of me. The shroud of black flame follows her, stretching out across the room. “You are no longer against the wall, you may leave a lonely old woman should you desire to, or you may hear out my proposition.
That said, she has a firm grip on my thighs now, escape is impossible. Rider is merely presenting the illusion on freedom.
“You know you could have just asked me.” I reply with a nervous scratch behind my head.
“I am an evil witch; I have a reputation to uphold. That involves terrifying the local children.”
“So I’m just a child?”
“Da.”
“Does that make you an old woman? Forgive me but you don’t look it.”
“I have been summoned into the form of a youthful woman but you are quite correct, I am a grumpy and wrinkled old crone. I am old, yes. Very old. However, many people treat you differently if you present yourself to be catering to their tastes. You see how a man’s behaviour changes when he wants something from you.”
“Do you mean you’re in your thirties? When a lot of men comment on women being too old for them, they actually mean thirty which is a joke really considering that isn’t even middle aged and those people are, well, you know, the worst. Besides, people who are in their fourth, fifth or even sixth decade can still be hot.”
“Are these the same men who sniff around girls of questionable legality despite being old enough to be their fathers or grandfather and use considerable wealth to bribe the law into looking the other way?”
“Or insecure lonely men without a shred of genuine kindness who type away on social media or in magazine articles or so called ‘indie novels’ to tear down women’s self-worth to try and make themselves feel better. Whether it’s toxic masculinity or a culture of abuse, yeah.”
“So; say I was a middle-aged woman, short, stout, tired and visibly had a large litter of children. Or better yet an old woman with wisps of white hair and a skin was nothing but dried and shrived leather. Would you still listen to my proposition I am about to gift to you?” Her voice dries and shrills with each passing word, until her voice changes entirely to that of an ancient old witch.
She lets go of me and steps back. The darkness retracts and light comes down from the stairway.
“I’ve had a lot of people say they know me, that they know what’s best for me. Everyone’s been doing this my entire life.” I say, not even beginning to hide my irritation.
“Alas, the fate of the hero is to suffer the whim of the narrative.” She begins, before presenting the doorway. “You are undeniably the hero of this story; the whole war
revolves around you despite being a mediocre magus for you carry the curse of your heritage. My young Master has allied with he who hates you and are seeking ways to eliminate you. The one who calls himself ‘Justice’ knows your whole story and wishes to free the trapped of your brethren and slay your father for his sins, my own master merely wishes to best you.”
“Then why help me when your allies and master wish for me to be, well… y’know?”
I place a finger to my throat. Rider just shrugs nonchalantly.
“I have been the villain of many stories, never the hero. Here I can function as a guide and act as a catalyst for growth. My young master Reiner Corvella, you have indeed been a catalyst for his growth and now he is growing with his manservant and Saber now as a catalyst. Saber approves of my actions as he does not wish for the needless death of a young child like yourself.”
This is all behind Reiner and Justice’s back. Am I sure she’s not secretly a stealthy Assassin servant?
“What our Masters do not know won’t hurt them. I cannot save you, your sister or your companions but I can help your unique predicament.”
I notice the wild woman’s curt nod as she begins to approach me. I look at the shroud of black flame, her beautiful form and her glowing eyes like a predator. She swoops
down unto me once more, taking hold of my thighs once more and spreading my legs for her to take position.
“What do you propose?”
“A lesson.”
Danger! Choice Time!
Servant Deduction!
Last edited by Bird of Hermes; December 26th, 2019 at 12:03 PM.
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
---
Beast's Lair Discord Server For Fate Quests
Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
2- Request to meet later. That'll give us a little more time to get our bearings. This offer is a little too suspicious to just jump in to right off the bat IMO.
1- Yes, save the game first.
And Rider's identity seems to be pretty obviously Baba Yaga at this point. I'm pretty sure of that, unless there's some wild twist and Hermes went with a much less famous but similar figure from another culture...
Myand everyone else's tbhfinal guess on Rider's True Name is Baba Yaga
Evidence:
• Has a Russian accent and peppers her dialogue with Russian words.
• Has special appreciation for good manners on her "guests", even those who technically are tresspassers, and upholds a code of hospitality of sorts, matching how most of her legends are about people coming into her house and her treatment of them.
• Sets up tests to judge people's worth, and then assists/rewards them when they pass, instead of just helping.
• Her mount, which she must summon, is a multi-headed dragon, which matches Chudo-Yudo, her own child according to some legends, her worse and most wrathful shape according to others.
• In spite of her youthful appearance and her own admission she can change it at will, she consistently refers to herself as an Old Woman, and admits that is her true nature
• Describes herself both as a villain and a catalyst to others' grow, matching her usual role in fairy tales as an obstacle that the heroes must overcome in order to be ready to defeat their actual enemy.
• Describes herself as an evil witch who terrorizes children, and her skills match that description.
• Claims to have an advantage at the wilds, calling herself a "monster of the woods" and indeed finds the city aborrhent, while finding the tunnels called a "land of death" cozy.
• In the description of her hypothetical old appearance to Saber, she says her legs would be "naught but bone"
• Is a cougar
- - - Updated - - -
Oh, and for the choices, 1,1
On the one hand, this is how the whole Maid debacle started. On the other hand GIVE US ALL THAT KNOWLEDGES MY PRECIOUS
Originally Posted by Faux, July 20th 2019
True Rider
1,1
You can discussThe OG RequiemConQUEST and other Quests in Discord (disc is much more active here).
Click the image to ConQUEST
1, 1
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
1,1 for me as well.
Hermes Presents:"What Your Favourite Quest of Fate Ship Say's About You"
Tagged for Size
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
---
Beast's Lair Discord Server For Fate Quests
Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
Seigi x Risa x Lancer for me. Not necessarily a threesome, just all three of them in love.
Threesome: Seigi x Risa x Lancer
The day Hermes writes this scene is the day you ascend to a higher plane of existence.
Threesomes are always good.
AlsoThis wasn't correctly bolded.My god they were roommates": Seigi x Reiner
You're happy the protagonist is an openly bi male character, but god damn it you wanna see him kiss dudes. You also think Hermes is too much of a coward two write two dudes in that way (he isn't).
Day 9 - Morning Phase
Fuyuki City – The Church
Objectives: Infiltrate the Church
[BGM]
This was an instant loss. The stalemate of dialogue had turned into an overwhelming advantage in the hands of the servant when action was taken. York Lancaster was pressed against a wall, hand against her throat and all she wanted to do was scream.
The noises that came out of her mouth barely even sounded human, low, guttural, weak, pathetic, unmistakably in pain – like prey being toyed by a predator before being eaten. To fall like this no better than a cornered animal was humiliating but the act of being human itself is a constant stream of embarrassment as she was getting choked out by Archer.
Not even in the hot way either.
The Heroic Spirit before her still held that awful grin upon his face, taunting her. For someone as lazy as he was, his arrogance was infuriating to the magus which only made this even worse than it already was.
“Come now, you were talking all that good shit a minute ago.” He mutters as what little air in the woman escaped her frail frame, his demeanours shifting to the vindictive
Tōei Chikara
“C-can’t…” Yorkie managed to mumble out. “I’m concentrating.”
“Wait, concen-”
Archer realised too late his blunder. Sniper’s don’t gloat or hold pride, they just take the shot. He did not hold the savagery of Lancer within him but for a moment he held his victory, arrogance wouldn’t let him finish her in an instant. Archer needed to revel in one final victory, he didn’t take the shot.
So Yorkie did.
Muscles weak, strength ebbing away and vision a haze from the oxygen deprivation but missing at point blank was impossible for her.
“Projection: Force”
Yorkie was not an illusionist on the same level as Merlin or François Prelati who could impose them upon the world itself but they were closer to Cognitive Cursing, Artificial Reality Control. A highly complex magecraft that appears to be reality warping akin to the True Magics, it has humble beginnings in simple illusion. By cursing a given target, one is granted control over their spatial and visual information received by its living target. By taking control of this information, one can install a new “reality” to the target – akin to the placebo effect used in medical trials if the brain perceives it to be true it can have genuine effects. Therefore these virtual realities super imposes upon the target will cause the body to react accordingly, causing illusory injuries to become genuine. However the person(s) targeted by these illusions must perceive the illusion for it to affect them.
Archer looked down as light shimmered in Yorkie’s hand before bursting forth before taking form. Through close range, she could weave her magecraft directly into Archer’s mind and create a weapon she knew he feared and one illusion that would break him.
Wise Up! Projection: Force
The scope of the Noble Phantasm was out of her grasp but she could create the weapon itself. Perfectly balanced, too heavy for her own hands but the imitation alone would be worthy for her need.
“That’s!-”
The Spear of Heroic Spirit Lancer.
Leaving just enough time for Archer to see and confirm the existence of the illusory weapon in his mind, the distraction weakening his grip and giving Yorkie the strength to plunge the weapon into his gut.
Metal met flesh, soft malleable flesh that squished as the blade sank in and forced all the air out of his lungs. Yorkie forced the blade tip further and twisted it in, Archer’s skin shredded and organs slowly penetrated by the spear. Yorkie lacked the physical prowess to match a servant but the function of her magecraft was using her target’s mind against them, Archer may have been a heroic spirit but he feared Lancer and was not specialised in close quarters combat, allowing a single surprise attack to be rather decisive.
With a swift push, Yorkie was able to shove the unprepared servant away from her as they both fell to opposing side of the alleyway. Yorkie now coughing and spluttering as air finally re-entered her lungs and Archer grasping at his wound with broken skin and spewing blood slipping out of his hands now awash in scarlet liquid and a sweet iron tang in the air.
“C-come now…” Yorkie wheezed, breathes bated and weak but words firm and triumphant. “You were talking all that good shit a minute ago.”
“Falling at the hand of the Vessel of Souls or the masterminds great two weapons would be on thing…” Archer’s face was a mix with pain, rage but above all else, confusion. A heroic spirit of his calibur should not have been struck down onto his knees by a simple girl, a girl who spends most of her time shut in studying or playing games of all people. His pride couldn’t allow it, yet here them both were. “Smug little bitch.”
“Takes one to know one seaweed head.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Fuck me yourself coward.”
Archer, full of righteous indignation responded with an obscene hand gesture before using one hand to hold onto the wall and bring himself to his feet before coughing up some more blood on the floor. Reaching at the remainder of the weapon lodged within him, Archer gave out a deep guttural cry of pain before pulling it out and stumbling away a few feet.
“Oh, I’ll see you later. But you won’t see me coming little girl.”
With her breathing now stabalised and the pain around her throat ebbing away, she gave a dismissing little tut as the servant disappeared in a glow of light.
“That’s because you’re a fucking camper.”
When strength arose, Yorkie brought herself up to her feet and walked onward.
All churches seemed to be beautiful in one way or another, whether it was the claiming money of the people in ‘tithes’ to pad their own pockets, bounty of conquests through crusades or genuine love and devotion, these buildings were made of soul.
This was an exception. The splendour was hollow, there was no warmth. The décor felt forced and artificial rather than genuinely holy. This entire damn place had felt off somehow. She couldn’t tell what but Yorkie knew something was fundamentally wrong.
‘Mother Ginevra Bianchi’ whom had been Kotomine’s replacement had resided here too.
“This has to be a safe place.” Yorkie pleaded to no one in particular, she was certain no one up there was listening, or if they were they were ignoring her.
It was a hollow plea.
[BGM]
She opened the door and was immediately greeted by familiar get horrid smells;
Cracked open bone marrow.
Rotting flesh
Blood.
So much blood.
Covering the halls, the walls, everywhere…
And the source was quite clear to be the mangled corpse torn asunder upon the alter with her organs strewn about. Shredded lungs along the benches, heart atop the alter, intestines hung like ornaments.
‘Mother Ginevra Bianchi.’
Archer hadn’t come to her on a whim. Hiro’s operation must have been here beforehand.
Seigi had made multiple visits to this place, enough to draw attention but the two couldn’t have bonded as holy mother had been left alone. Eliminated.
As Yorkie looked down she saw a spherical object roll across the floor to her.
Ginevra’s decapitated head.
Swallowing a lump, a new smell arose. Sewage.
No, no no no no.
“NO!”
"Traitor,"
A figure draped in black and marked with blood, wielding a large cumbersome axe and crossbow now stood atop where the majority of the corpse remained.
“Target sighted. Commencing capture, termination of target approved.”
Danger! Fatal choice!
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
---
Beast's Lair Discord Server For Fate Quests
Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
Art
You can discussThe OG RequiemConQUEST and other Quests in Discord (disc is much more active here).
Click the image to ConQUEST
Arts
Also is that Berserker? Assassin? Ivan's Oprichnik? Hmm
Fight (Arts)
ARTS
2- Fight (Arts). Also, I wouldn't be too surprised if this is only a body-double or something and Bianchi is still alive somewhere. Because it was hinted a while ago that she was more than she let on and it'd seem a waste for her to just abruptly die before any of that can be revealed.
2 - Fight (Arts)
And since as of this writing nobody proposed anything, I suggest Yorkie uses the pews and columns as cover from the crossbow shots, forcing the Oprichnik to leave the full view of the church and allowing for Yorkie to manipulate him into a position advantageous to her.
True Rider
Yeah what that guy ^ said
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
A wise and beautiful woman who exudes an aura of grace. She is a sly, cunning, manipulative person who always gets what she wants, whether through trickery or ruthlessness. Her own fighting abilities are low, but she should not be trifled with. What does she ride? Men, of course!
