Sleepy's Write-In
Slams "Hug" Button
Sleepy's Write-In
Slams "Hug" Button
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
Write-In: Hug Risa immediately. "I missed you too."
"Getting back with your toxic ex" should know its place and remain a meme!
Originally Posted by Faux, July 20th 2019
True Rider
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Write-in: Hug and then ask "Are you okay? Where's Lancer?"
Last edited by zikari8; May 13th, 2020 at 01:38 PM.
Write-in: "Are you okay? Where's Lancer?"
changed my vote to this
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+1
+1
Going with zikari's vote.
Also, Seigi lost his sense of taste? Damn, for someone who loves to cook that's pretty fucked up. Hope we can rectify that sometime.
Day 9 - Midday
Fuyuki City – Einzbern Castle
[BGM]
Sparks fly.
The crimson brave, love filled in her heart retreats from blows filled with nothing but the upmost spirit as she retreats deeper into the forest pursued by the wielder of the strongest demonic sword. Lancer remains just in range for Saber to continually attack in vain.
If the yell is a rip, the sword is like a comet. It overwhelms the opponent and she hesitate but he keeps attacking. The sword keeps moving, it has destroyed rock, cracked the earth and overwhelmed her own Noble Phantasm but…
“Gah!”
Every blow of monstrous strength is parried like a dance, not accepting the blow but merely diverting it – converting the kinetic energy into naught but wasted effort and spent might.
“You’re persistent little Valkyrie, I cannot commend you on that enough!”
Escaping danger; the soot, brimstone and flame seemed to subside as a desolate western castle came into view. An open crisp expanse of unblemished field free from the destruction they had wrought. Lancer leapt out of range into the clear ground to make distance while Saber merely pursued slowly and gradually on foot, filling the quiet crackle of the blazing forest with heavy footsteps and the piercing shriek of metal dragging against a stone pathway.
“So, you’re fighting in the name of your love to your masters? Your utter devotion?” Saber beckoned “You will not beat me; can’t you tell that this is futile?”
Saber shows no fatigue. For him, this battle is entertainment and fulfilment. There must be no fatigue or strain when he knows he is going to win.
Catching her breath, Lancer shook her head. There was no way she would withstand another full-strength attack from Gram. However, plans had already been put into motion within her head, the heroic spirit Yamato Takeru lacked the sheer firepower to overwhelm the strongest demonic sword but it did not mean she couldn’t steal victory from his grasp.
“Humans are selfish creatures and I’m learning how to be one. Seigi Nomikata is my wonderful man. Risa Mol-Undi is my beautiful woman. I cherish them and they are mine. They belong to me, I won’t let you take either of them.
Saber laughed.
“Oh, the girl too? Beautiful? I thought a warrior of your calibre would accept nothing but the most beautiful of women, priestesses, princesses, a whole harem worth of wealthy hedonistic beauties. Isn’t she a little plain?”
Lancer could recall Risa well. The crippling doubt she had masked so well, the obsessive need to grow and prove that she was worthy of love and recognition, the adorable flushed look on her face when embarrassed, the way she had tasted salty tears of joy on her lips when they first kissed… And Saber had the gall to call Risa plain?
“That ‘Plain Girl’ is worth ten princesses to me.”
“That’s how you know she’s a keeper. Look’s fade, crowns and titles ain’t worth shit but people are actually worth a damn.” The swordsman smirked back; a wolfish grin flickered across his face with his sharp canine teeth gritted. “Love is a powerful thing; it’s shaped the tales of my family.”
The smile faded.
“Love won’t stop people dying Lancer, it is good to be loyal to those you love but there should be a limit. He should be killed by Rider or one of our Masters shortly, ya can’t get to him before someone else inevitably puts him in lethal danger. I don’t care for it myself but the kid’s suffering is inevitable.”
“He’s alive, our connection is almost broken but I feel it in my heart. I know it to be true.”
The two pauses as the scraping sound of metal and heavy boots fill the air.
“Lancer, you can’t kill me in the way that you are and he will get killed. If you abandon him you would have a chance to attain the grail. Love is powerful but it is so sorely… limited. It did not save me, my family or any single person I cared about”
His eyes are not laughing. The cheer had long gone. It was a mask he had worn well but this was Saber’s true face.
“But this here, Lancer?”
Saber turned solemn and stern.
[BGM]
“THIS IS POWER! THIS IS MY MEASURE!!”
Dark energy particles sung out from the blade as red light shone into the sky.
The sky pierced by Saber’s bloodied heart and sword turned dark. Clouds quickly formed and circulated around the pillar of light as if the world was bending to the authority of this blade – as it should. Even the grass underfoot began to whither and curl up.
- It’s coming.
Lancer gripped her holy spear. She knew how fast we was and how strong he was. She would be ready for an ultimate blow that would slay any being.
Waiting,
Waiting,
Except that it did not come-
As the clouds darkened and blotted out the sky, what Lancer in this artificial eclipse was not quite a ‘Black Sun’ of destruction as a prelude to creation but rather the absence of light and the humanity that lives in it. Whether it be Gram using a vestige of divine authority of one of the Nordic gods or not, an unnatural chill crawled up her back, a sensation completely alien as servants should not even feel something as mundane as ‘cold’.
However; in a place such as this, Saber’s full strength could be revealed. Artificial though it was, the cold darkness of night was where monsters dwelled. Tremendous fighting aura emanated from Saber’s muscular frame that seemed to slowly swell with the only thing illuminating the surrounding being the twisted red light crackling and twisting from the sick weapon as if it were alive and tearing itself apart!
Gram“Dawn of Ruin”
Using his Noble Phantasm once more, Saber was in the air above her – the red evil light from the demonic blade lighting up the sky, here he had become the blood moon ready to crash down upon her.
Lancer clicked her tongue.
Technique of martial defence would not work; technique was created as a tool of mankind to compensate for their inherent weakness. Divine power and raw monstrous might was nothing but the pinnacle of absolute strength. No martial art or dance of combat would save her.
Savagery for savagery would be the rule.
Lancer kicked the ground from her stance and propelled herself skyward to meet Saber for mid-air combat. For a split second she sees Saber’s face, his true face. Laughing when you can't scream. Smiling because you can't curse. Saber had discarded his mask to meet Lancer with honest eyes.
“No Lancer, the measure of a man is what he does with power. Strength is a choice we make for what is important.” This time Lancer does not falter and rises to the challenge, her great leap followed by a wave of a dozen wind forged blades each set on skewering Saber.
Naturally they cannot compete with the might of a Noble Phantasm, dissipating against his overwhelming magical energy though to Lancer’s merit, or sheer force of will rather, Saber’ non-dominant left arm and leg are pierced by her weaponry. Not enough to kill the beast-man in his domain but enough to certainly slow him.
Calling upon any last trace of Amaterasu’s divinity in her body and spear with her own superior speed, she was able to slip through his weakened defences and impale her true weapon through his gut and out through his back making him cough up blood all over her. The blade still roared as the demonic sword of the sun would do
There was no scream or anger or pain. Just white hot Berserkr fury. Lancer thought to herself that was awfully inhuman of him.
The impalement not enough to put him down, Lancer pulled the great length out of him with rough vigour and twisted to smack him across the skull with the other side of the shaft. With a thunderous crack, Saber flew across the skies of the open plains and crashed into the ramparts of the nearby European styled castle abandoned by a magus family of old.
The ground exploded on impact as Gram detonated when Saber landed, all that expanded magical energy was released with Saber being the only recipient of the blade’s wicked bite.
A clever ploy, but it would not be enough.
[BGM OFF]
Saber was a creature of the twilight. Artificial as though it was, the longer Saber was under the night sky the stronger he would become. Besides, the impalement was through the centre of the chest rather than the heart or head. It would have been foolhardy to believe a man of his might and will could have his spiritual core destroyed with that alone.
“Come. That cannot be all you have.” Lancer gracefully descended to the ground with a gentle tap on the earth and glared, waiting for him to get up.
Then the castle exploded.
Wiseup! Saber
Day 9 - Midday
Fuyuki City – Tohsaka Residence
Character Status
[BGM]
“I’ve finally found you… you’re alive!”
Here she is, standing in the sunlight. The one person who has been at my side since the start and never gave up on finding me, even though I had. That beautiful ingenious girl, my angel, I could almost cry.
I can’t believe it’s her…
“R-Risa?”
Don’t cry.
After all this poppycock, you’ve found your best and possibly only friend.
Don’t cry.
I hesitantly raise a hand and reach out to stroke her cheek, her touch is warm, soft, a little wet and salty from a gentle cascade of tears beginning to form. Oh, fuck I’ve missed how good her skin feels against mine. Even that familiar smell of a bouquet of flowers from her what was it, orchids and lilies? Is that her perfume, why am I only recognising this wonderful fragrance now? She’s always worn this, why am I only recalling it now.
I want to cry.
No. Don’t cry. You’re a dignified rational British gentleman and a magus, you must be poised, calm and not betray yourself. You’re strong Seigi, you can control yourself. You need to be strong; she needs you to be strong.
“I-I I’ve… I missed you.” My words catch in my throat as I try to speak, emotion overwhelming my sense of rationality and calm.
I gently pull Risa closer and hold her tight, wrapping my arms around her supple frame. I can feel her heartbeat racing with mine through our chests.
I’ve missed her so much, I love that silly beaming smile like no one is watching, her fragrance of wonderous wildflowers, her soft touch. I love…
I love… Do I lo-?
Oh.
Oh, shit…
“I missed you too Seigi, so much.” Risa murmurs as she nuzzles her head at my neck.
I feel own my eyes well up in turn with Risa’s. Her whole body begins to ebb as she gently sobs into me and you know what? Fuck it. I’m gonna cry, I’ve earned this. I just focus on holding Risa wholeheartedly as we put aside our masks and let our emotions out unabashedly, crying and bawling as we do so.
Certainly, this is a truly dignified look I’m sure but I don’t care anymore.
[BGM OFF]
Day 09 – Midday Phase
Fuyuki City – The Church
[BGM]
An enemy that felt no emotion or pain…
An unfavourable matchup. Kiritsugu Emiya was proficient in terminating magi because he knew how they would fight and also how they would think. Reliance on the old ways as well as faux nobility and a self-righteous pride that lead into an egotistical complex for nearly every target. What the former mercenary saw ahead of him was an organic automaton.
“So, can you hear me clone? Do you feel fear?”
The masked figure tilted its head curiously with the entry of the new figure. Kiritsugu gave a grunt as he recalled the firefight in the sewers where he saved Lukas, limited communication skills were allocated to whatever the ‘task’ for the creature was.
Until it wasn’t.
Calling out to the hallway in a hoarse raspy voice, his foe spoke out.
“Doll Unit Zero Three. New target: Kiritsugu Emiya, ‘Magus Killer’. Scanning input query, processing. Results unclear."
Kiritsugu pulled out a cigarette, rolling it up himself before taking out a lighter and taking a long slow drag in the church – a sacrilegious action to be sure – as he started into the clone of this kid all the fuss was out.
Humans were made broken and spent their whole lives looking for meaning. Animals did not possess higher levels of thought but their whole lives were driven with the base desire to survive. Homunculi, who many wrote off as living furniture were so much more…
But this thing, unlike any sort of human or animal… As much as Kiritsugu looked there was nothing in those damn eyes.
No spark of life.
Basically, a living corpse.
With a flick of his wrist, his hand went to the side and as the doll’s empty eyes widened, realising all too late what was happening.
Kiritsugu pulled out his old mystic code, his Thompson Contender with a quick draw and pulled the trigger. A flash of the muzzle and the racket of the gunshot echoed throughout the empty church as a bullet found its way into literally named ‘doll’ head.
Spoiler:
“No. You never felt anything, did you?” Kiritsugu said coldly to the now fully head corpse before giving his cold iron pistol a little twirl in his trained hands and holstering it. Taking out the cigarette with his free hand and flicked it to the limp body.
[BGM OFF]
With that, the mercenary turned back to his new companion.
“You ok, girl?”
York Lancaster had stopped muttering to herself, though slumped against the wall still she had risen to her full height – taller than he was. Still clutching her arm, the blood had stopped at least.
“My magecraft isn’t as effective when I use it on myself as others but I managed to, y’know, not bleed out. So, there’s that.”
Even saying that was exhausting.
Kiritsugu gives her a quick look to the eyes and deduces her current condition, quickly making his way over to help her walk.
“Good job staying alive, I mean it. That thing’s like me, only good for killing mages.” With the older man hoisting Yorkie’s arm, now singular, over himself to take the weight. Yorkie noticed how tired he looked. His voice is weaker on second inspection too. “How did you heal yourself, Ms Mol-Undi said you were an illusionist.”
Yorkie shrugged to the best of her ability.
“Can’t say, same reason how that gun isn’t an ordinary gun.”
“Fair point.”
Both squinted as the walked outside the church to see a motorbike parked outside, thankfully there were two helmets. Despite the change in weather from sunny to cast over black clouds in only a few minutes the lighting felt off to say the least.
“Before we go off,” Yorkie murmured, “Sorry about what I said earlier if I made you uncomfortable. I just-”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to mention it. Ever.”
He stressed that last word. Yorkie was thankful for that.
Gentle lowered to sit on the bike, Yorkie held tight to Kiritsugu as he sat in front of her.
“So, you’re ‘the guy that Risa knows’ I guess. You gonna take me to your hideout so you can all interrogate me? You’ll find me more that compliant after today”
Kiritsugu shook his head.
“No. We’re picking up the boy that all this nonsense is revolving around first. Now, where is Hiro’s son?”
Day 9 - Midday
Fuyuki City – Tohsaka Residence
Character Status
After a blissful eternity, Risa and I let go of each other’s embrace.
“Are you ok Risa?”
She smiles but she looks tired. Not just that she look’s like she’s barely been sleeping but drained on an emotional level.
“A little better now thanks to you,” Risa chuckles to herself dejectedly before giving a deep sight “I won’t lie, the last few days have been rough trying to find you.”
Honestly I feel the same. Rider has done something to rejuvenate my body but yeah, I’m tired too. Everything still hurts and I just want to sit down and stop for a moment with Risa. I want to go home with her.
But I can’t help but notice the trio is lacking our tall gorgeous athlete.
“Risa, where’s Lancer?”
Risa turns away to point to the unnatural grey clouds in the distance blotting out the whole sky, in the distance towards the forest, I can see a beam of light piercing skyward.
“She’s over there, saving our lives.”
Choice
Quest Master’s Note
Last edited by Bird of Hermes; June 4th, 2020 at 09:01 AM.
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
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Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
2.
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Aahhh
Tough choice, tough choice indeed - - it's clear this'll be the last time we'll see Lancer, so we have no choice - -
2
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
2.
If it's a climatic battle there's really no reason to keep Seigi and Risa out of it, they're both close enough to Lancer that bringing them in has... narrative weight if that makes sense ? It's the sort of scene that either lead to a joyful (and surely short-lived) reunion or to deep regrets of not having been able/willing to be there, so I don't feel that there's reason enough to be cautious and keep them out to "play it safe". Lancer's arc has been all about learning to love them and to allow herself to be human with them, I kind of feel that if she's going to die then she at least deserves to know that Seigi survived and Risa managed to be reunited with him. Sure they will be in danger but at least they're alive and together, and it's enough to give her hope even if she's dying when it happens.
As for Rider well it could really go in any way. I don't feel that she or Saber would be the kind of people to hunt down and kill ex-Masters after the death of their Servants. If anything I would be more wary of Justice or Reiner coming, because both of them have unfinished business to be concluded with Seigi and... Seigi+Risa against Reiner and Justice together would be the sort of climatic showdown I could see happening by that point ?
If the climactic fight with Saber is next update, is there any benefit to guessing Saber's identity at this point? The clues I remember, in case compiling them helps anyone see it, are:
– Wields Gram
– Seems personally familiar with Gae Bolg
– Refers to "the Greater God", who is probably either Odin, considering Saber wields Gram, or Lugh, given the god is mentioned in the context of Gae Bolg
– Has canine features if I recall correctly, or at least very sharp teeth
– Is "a being of twilight", and powers up under the night sky
– Powers up by destroying dwellings
I don't have any ideas as to what historical figures would connect Celtic and Norse mythology. The reference to twilight combined with the canine features made me think he could be a representation of werewolves, a superstition that Wikipedia tells me started a few centuries into the Common Era. (Twilight ≈ moonrise) I'll throw out a wild guess that Saber is The Big Bad Wolf common to folk stories like Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, etc. Being an evil archetype maybe loosely connects him to the greatest demonic sword? Powering up by destroying buildings can be related to The Three Little Pigs.
Last edited by Pastykake; May 28th, 2020 at 09:04 PM.
Writing for the next update has begun, get in your deductions in Saber’s Identity while you can.
- - - Updated - - -
Also, welcome to the quest Pastykake!
Quest of Fate
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So, QoF Saber's identity! Many candidates have been theorized to be him, amongst them Sinfjötli, Helgi Hundingsbane and even Sigurd himself!
I'll try to discuss them all but center on this answer:
"Saber is Sigmund"
Who?
· Really? *sigh* Sigmund is a character of the Völsunga saga, the eldest son of Volsung, better known for being the father of the hero Sigurd, as well as the other two aforementioned heroes.
Stuff that supports this
· As he repeatedly demonstrated on the last few posts, Saber can make use of Gram, famously known in Nasu as the strongest demonic sword. Only two people have "officially" wielded Gram: Sigmund and Sigurd. Sigrún's sheet introduces the possibility that Helgi'spast life'srunesword is Gram, but I wouldn't bet my money on that, too much of a giveaway imo. And while one could adscribe it to Hermes simply not wanting to spol how utterly sniped he was, the fact remains that the Gram seen in the commissioned art closely resembles that owned by Gilgamesh instead of a reforged version, pointing us to Sigmund, the original owner.
· Lot of emphasis is repeatedly put in the beastial nature of Saber, with him often showing animalistic and in-civlized behavior and dropping comments that evidence he is accustomed to living in the wilderness for a long period of tme. Of the aforementioned heroes, neither Helgi nor Sigurd had to do so. Meanwhile, Sigmund had to do it in order to escape King Siggeir's prosecution, and lived alone for several years.Tho admttedly, Sinfjötli later joins him.
· Saber's characterized as a werewolf, and in fact he and Sinfjötli were cursed with lycanthropy, trait that neither Sigurd nor Helgi shares. In additon, and perhaps tying into the above, he also had to fight a she-wolf shapeshifter, whom he defeated by biting into her tongue and bleeding to death (and we all know what happens when you put monster body parts in your mouth). Both this and the above explain his Monstruous Body skill, as well as the fact that he is called a "creature of twilight, growing stronger with the night"
· Two things are pointedly mentioned as Saber's "triggers": violence against children/offspring, and incest, as well as the disasters they they cause. AFAIK, Sigurd and Helgi simply didn't have to encounter them (which is surprising considering this is Norsedramaland and one of them got to live thrice), and while Sinfjötli can be said to be a recipient/result of both, he arguably didn't have to deal with them. Sigmund, on the other hand, had the full package: first his brothers are tortured and murdered on Siggeir's orders. Then his sister, hellbent on revenge, sends him the sons she has with the king to test/torture them and tells him to slay those who she judges "unworthy". This goes on for an horribly unspecified number of years, until she gets fed up with the lack of "successes", disguises herself as a völva and tricks Sigmund into sleeping with her. That's how Sinfjötli, the instrument of her revenge, is born. Once her revenge is accomplished by the hands of her brother and his son/nephew, she reveals her actions to them both and then kills herself overdramatically, leving them to deal with the trauma. Fast forward a couple of years, he marries Borghild who, for some reason or other, ends up poisoning Sinfjötli, whom Sigmund fails to protect. And finally, due to being killed at war, he fals to see his last son be born. This experience, coupled with what follows, is what convinced me the most of his identity: The Nomikata ritual is basically a much more fucked up version of what Signy made him go through, and he opposes it and supports Justice so strongly because he's not gonna stand by it and let it happen. At least he did it in order to survive and avenge his family. The fact that these people are doing it just for power must sicken him to the core.
· As we have been able to see and Lukas helpfully pointed out, he's a DadI'd Like to Fuck. Of all the candidates for his identity, he is the only one who can truly be said to have "Father" engraved unto his legend. Sure, Sigurd and Helgi had children, some of them famous, even. However, those kids simply... existed, without playing a real part into their fathers' story nor having any true interaction with him, popping up to assure us that our virile protagonist was fertile, thank you very much. Meanwhile, Sigmund took care of Sinfjötli even before knowing his true identity, teaching him how to fight and survive in the wilderness, and was devastated with his death. And his last thoughts were towards the unborn Sigurd. This would explain his paternal attitude towards not only Justice, but also Reiner, Corrin and even Seigi.|
· As an addition to the above, he's shown to be used to train younger boys, even if his method is a bit... brutal. Sinfjötli dies as Sigmund's pupil still, while Helgi and Sigurd are heroes who mostly go around fighting and killing. Meanwhile, Sigmund's specific role according to Sygny's plans was to prepare her chldren to avenge their family.
· He claims to have personal combat experience with Gungnir and Odin himself. While Helgi was killed by a spear lent by Odin which would be fudged into Gungnir and Sigurd received his horse from him, neither have annecdotes of fighting him (outside of Wagner's fantasies, that is). Meanwhile, Sigmund is quite famous for facing Odin in battle, having his sword shattered by Gungnir, and being killed as a result.Again, Sinfjötli didn't get to live long enough to do all these cool things.As a side note, I consider his mention of our beloved Gay Bulge a reference rather than a hint.
Iffy stuff/Stuff that could go either way
· I'm not too clear on the reasoning of the *Night Raider* skill. He and Sinfjötli were known as outlaws and burn Siggeir's castle, but don't feel like that is enough for the skill? Of course, it could be Hermes reinterpreting or drawing upon something I didn't notice, but still...
· The whole love angle and "true love is on the inside" and such stuff he frequently pulls off. I particularly don't see him as a very romantic figure, with some big love that drives him through life or something like that that other heroes are wont to have (Sigurd and Helgi are the type to get into that). But this matter is highly open to interpretation and perhaps reading from the poem/saga instead of Wikipedia conveys feelings that I cannot grasp.
· FUCKING Protection from Fate. Mah boi here is always fucked up by luck and such stuff. First, he pulls out a magic sword which rightly belongs to him and that somehow causes his whole family to be killed. Then his sister sends him child after child for him to kill, until one is good enough to commit vengeance. They do so, but as a result his sister commits suicide, but not before revealing they had fucked and that his nephew is also his son. Then he marries and has kids, but his wife kills his son/nephew. He goes back to his kingdom, remarries and is expecting another son, but then a rival king invades and he has to go to war. As if that weren't enough, ODIN HIMSELF faces him in battle, wounds him and breaks the magic sword. And then, he dies without being able to meet his child. Destiny really really likes to fuck with this man, like, I get it, he's hot, but come on! Then again, the fact that he survived all that to the point Odin is the one who has to stop him perhaps means he actually is lucky, but man that's twisted.
What about Sinfjötli?
· Let's get this out of the way: Sinfjötli is a relatively important and even crucial character to the story, and shares accomplishments with Sigmund but, at the end of it, he doesn't get to do much, possibly on account of dying young. He simply lacks the experiences and annecdotes necessary to be Saber.
What about Sigurd?
· Sigurd is a plausible character, considering this quest predates his canonical debut, and that he shares some traits with Saber. In fact, Hermes could have very well avoided references to the treasures and the benefits he obtained from slaying Fafnir and such other abilities in order to mislead us AKA prevent instant TND.
· However, save for his father's he lacks annecdotes of lycanthropy and, in fact, draconic traits would be expected from him instead.
· An scene mentions that everybody in a given room save Saber were knowledgeable about thaumaturgy. Sigurd was taught the Primordial Runes by Brynhildr and his canon incarnation is good enough at it to qualify as Caster. Even if this version were different, he shouldn't be completely oblivious of that topic due to her teachings.
What about Helgi?
· Quite surprisingly, Helgi is the one wth the best shot at being Saber barring Sigmund. His diatribes about love and it's nature match the romance-centric nature of Helgi's story. His mention of multiple lifetimes is certainly fitting of someone who reincarnated time and time again. And the fact that he remarks how what matters of one's beloved is not their appearance or the body or role they occupy, but rather the fact that you love them and they love you back, is befitting of somebody who had to reunite with their love with each new life no matter what. This, coupled with the fact Protection from Fate and Night Raider (and some other traits) could very well apply to him, results in an extremely strong candidate in spite of lacking other key traits and, as a result, makes him the perfect red herring.
Last edited by Half-Blood Master; May 29th, 2020 at 06:00 PM.
True Rider
Day 9 - Afternoon
Fuyuki City – Tohsaka Residence
Character Status
[BGM]
If Lancer is out there fighting, then I can’t leave her to whatever fate decides for her. I can’t feel much of a connection between her and myself – not since my abduction a few days ago.
Now I trust Lancer with my life but with our connection between Master and Servant almost severed and if she really has been smacked around running on fumes like Yorkie said, then she’ll need our help.
The problem with running now is…
“Risa, we need to give Lancer support.” I say and am met with an eager nod.
“That’s the idea,” she replies swift enough to cut me off “She’s been feeding off the leylines and I’ve done what I can but if we can restore your connection then she’ll be stronger than ever.
She then raises a hand, twirling a set of silver and small trinkets between her fingers.
“I got some keys to drive us there. I know you can’t so I’ll take us there.”
I look away from Risa and towards the pillar of light piercing the sky and turning it black. It’s beautiful and horrifying, worst of all visible.
“People are going to notice that, do we need to detour and- mmph!”
[BGM OFF]
I’m immediately gagged by a pair of feminine hands pulling me back, covering my mouth and forcibly her middle and ring finger in my mouth.
“Da, darling but don’t worry that pretty face of yours. This is something that I can handle.” A husky alcohol-ridden voice not so subtly whispers in my ear, not as a secret but an aggressive statement.
We’re almost in public so instead of her magical tomes, a furious Risa pulls out a… brick? Where did the girl get a brick?!
I try to say something, instead it ends up being an undignified garbled mess.
“Are you deluded, little girl? What are you going to do, wrestle your man off me, smash my head in with that brick then run off to save your woman?” the older woman scolds Risa directly into my ear to assert her authority, the odour of alcohol on her breath combined with her fingers pushing deeper in my mouth only makes me gag further.
Risa is unimpressed and relents back. Loudly.
“DAMN RIGHT I AM!”
The pink-haired magus looks like she’s legitimately going to beat someone to death in broad daylight. With a brick. The girl’s got guts, I just hope Rider won’t rip them out of her.
After a few seconds, Rider tuts at Risa.
“Now now little girl, where are your manners? Your… friend and I are having breakfast and you are being quite rude in your interruption. Now as I was saying before you ran afoul with your manners, I have no intention of letting the common folk interrupt the battle of Saber and Lancer or having the secret about your precious pathetic little mage association’s existence slip.”
Witch and magus stare at each other for a single second before I hear Baba Yaga smirk.
“It is a simple enough ritual for me at least to awaken the spirits of the earth,” the witch continues. “The common folk, more specifically those without magical circuits, will be induced to sleep across the entire city.”
Risa remains as bold as ever.
“How do I know I can trust you?”
Once again, I try to say something and fail miserably. I wave a hand, gesturing that I want to speak and Rider pulls out of me and I let out an audible gag as my legs go weak.
“Christ woman, give me a warning before you shove something in me!” I lash out, I try to sound intimidating but given I basically collapsed in a breathless red puddle atop Risa I probably look like anything but.
Risa has a firm grip on me, I turn to her gaze and so her shooting daggers at Rider.
“You ok Seigi?” Risa whispers to me with a weak smile. Though still furious with Rider, my well being is a higher priority for her.
I nod, standing on my own two feet.
“It’s okay Risa, she came to me and did not attack. She has her own agenda, after all she gave me a few pointers on magecraft. I’m not sure what her endgame is and although Baba Yaga is many things, she is not a liar.”
“The legendary witch? I had my theories but it makes sense…”
“Da, you see now?” Rider asks. “I understand the reason for your attitude but I still care not for it however I do commend your boldness. Perhaps in another lifetime you were a knight-errant or something of the like.”
Risa seems a little flustered at that comment
“Yeah, everything kinda makes sense now. I thought you were supposed to be all dishevelled and hag-like not all… y’know?” Risa awkwardly gestures to Rider’s visible cleavage and figure. “… Hot.”
“Perhaps I have been teasing the wrong person!” Rider actually cackles at the comment of Risa admitting her attraction, it’s equal parts alluring and unnerving. “I have only appeared in this youthful beauty because the appearance of women was irrelevant to my summoner.”
And Risa’s cheek colour turned from that of her hair to mine. She’s spluttering trying to make a retort but the first flirtation from her has reduced her to an embarrassed flustered mess. Is this why she was so cagey around Lancer initially?
Ah, it makes sense. She’s weak for a particular kind of woman.
“So…?” I ask, “If me and Risa go now and you give us cover, you’re working with us?”
The great witch shakes her head.
“Net, handsome boy. As you said, I have my own reasons for all this. I hope you enjoyed your meal and gift; I cannot guarantee that I will be peaceful next time we meet or if it will be you who I devour.”
Of course, she’s a cannibalistic witch. I almost forgot.
Remembering the mask that I wear so often my face has changed to fit it, I bow before Baba Yaga. After all, one’s form and decorum are important to this witch.
“Thank you for your charity, you were a wonderful guest.”
I doubt I’ll see Rider again and if so, it will not on friendly terms, so I make sure the memory we share will be friendly enough.
She gives a smile, warm – like how I imagine a mother would give a child or perhaps a teacher to a student before walking inside the Tohsaka mansion and closing the door behind her.
With that, Risa takes my hand and pulls me to a nearby minivan.
“I promised Kiritsugu that I wouldn’t dent this so if anyone asks, the other driver hit us, ok? He owes me one from the last grail war but.”
“Wait, wha-”
The name she spoke is somewhat familiar but before I can ask, the minivan jolts ahead at full speed the moment I fasten my seat belt as Risa proceeds to break every traffic law I can think of. For the next few minutes, I hold onto the internal railing, scream and hope that Risa’s insane driving doesn’t kill me.
Day 9 - Afternoon
Fuyuki City – Einzbern Castle Ruins
Emerging from the destroyed castle an almighty meteor crashes down in the courtyard, the explosion devouring all the residual mana from the leyline. The remnants of the old fortress were caught in the great hurricane-like vortex created by Saber, flying around the battleground in mid-air.
Lancer knew only one man so loud.
Saber Final Ascension!
Saber’s attire changed too… The demonic sword fully charged by devouring the leyline, all strain upon the servant was reduced to naught and his saint graph was unshackled now and at full capacity.
There is now only one condition to fight Saber, to defeat him before he is able to unleash the full power of the demonic sword of the sun. If Saber’s previous dragon slaying blow was enough to overwhelm Lancer’s full defences, this next blow would utterly annihilate her.
In the instant it takes them to move hundreds of meters skyward, they clash numerous times. Each blow heaving with otherworldly power and breakneck speed. The witness of this battle would think they looked like pinballs if they could be seen by the naked eye, leaving only shockwaves and after images in the air akin to the king of storms – a circus of death to any ‘normal’ beings.
But this circus is not what Lance desired, after all she cannot fly and though holding a domain over the wind, she does not rule the skies.
This is no different from freefall. It is just the difference between rising until she loses her speed, rather than falling. So, the expression 'falling into the sky' isn't that far off.
To take a single blow would mean a defenceless fall and an unpreventable final blow.
-But.
This rule applies not to her opponent.
A trace of red and black light attacks Lancer. Swinging from both sides and from above, arcing from every direction, Saberer is not bound by gravity – the blade bequeathed by the Great God held many authorities after all. His long hair and tail sways like a comet's, and her figure is like a sprinting beast.
"…!"
Lancer's feet touch the building. Tilting her body to the side, she kicks off the remnants to head around the side of the swirling storm, looping to return to Saber’s back.
The swinging arcs of the sword slip away, Saber possesses strong bursts of power but his speed is lacking compared to hers’ but now only by a hair’s breadth.
Making space, Lancer kicks upwards. If Saber is a firework, she is a comet.
But Saber expected even that, learning and adapting to her style. The distance between the two does not change. Awaiting the chance the Lancer’s foot to rest of flying debris, Saber brings down his sword in a dreadful arc.
[BGM]
"Kuh…!”
Meeting the blow, Lancer is flicked away by Saber with his sword and the foothold they momentarily shared reduced to dust. With a reduced environment such as this there is a limit to how much she can block Saber's airborne attacks in her weakened state.
There are no decisive blows in this battle.
No, every blow is decisive, they are simply being all blocked or evaded.
Lancer trembled with haggard breaths as she fell to the ground, the full impact slamming against her back as the earth broke down into a mighty crater – certainly not enough to kill as high a being as a heroic spirit but the pain was still there.
An irregular class, an incomplete summoning and her connection to her master almost dead for days… Lancer lamented the multitude of handicaps enforced upon her while Saber was stronger than ever before.
Saber however had reached the end of the circus and upon reaching the height of the suspended ruins, leapt vertically upward with his great might, now higher than the multitude of buildings in the city on the horizon. This was indeed Saber’s ideal point bathed in the artificial moonlight and now somewhere his attack could not be interrupted again.
If Saber’s full power of the blade was what Lancer believes, there was no way to block and on her back in this crater she was the ideal target.
-It cannot be helped.
No longer able to ignore her multitude of wounds, Lancer struggled to her feet using her weapon like a cane as her whole threatened to give up.
“As long… As I still have breath in me… y-you won’t. You won’t touch them…”
Lancer has nothing to spare, breathing with her shoulders.
The sky however is unrelenting as in the dark void created by Saber a new sun now shines.
A misconception.
Saber IS the sun. A sphere of shining mana illuminating the skies, power transcending!
… It is…
“Cry out for your beloved before I send you home ta her!”
A legendary divine mystery, truly worthy of the title “Strongest Demonic Sword”.
The difference in the half-dead woman and the living
Red lights charge instantly. Deploying the wind wrapped around her spear, Lancer creates an invisible wall.
She is instantly blown away.
That which should have nullified any possible impact could not even slow the fragments of the full power of Gram.
“Damn it all… I can’t save them. I’m letting Risa die, I’m letting Seigi die… Just like how I let Ototachibana-hime die…”
To be human was to know pain and for the first time since the death of her wife, Yamato Takeru wept for those she loved, those she lost and those she was.
"I'm so sorry..."
***
An Indefinite Location
[BGM]
Utter bewilderment struck Lancer as she found herself at a new locale, the architecture although familiar was not welcome – indeed it was a place she never wished to see again. However, seeing this place was peculiar as it did not exist like this in the current era.
Not merely where but when.
Before Lancer, the Imperial Palace sprawled out all around her but it is so much more than just the meagre definition of a lowly ‘palace’ but an entire fortified grand city. Built from precious metals and ores like gold, jade and rubies build as decorative and structural parts of the architecture. The grand central palace base was as ridiculously oversized as the skyscrapers of the modern era before it split out into a perfectly organised city scape with large and small buildings splitting up, even having areas clearly more affluent than the other.
It was perfect. Too perfect.
It also held a stench; an otherworldly, inhuman and inherently wrong odour that Saber and to even a a lesser example Caster seemed to possess.
“Divinity…”
Since her overly elaborate suicide at the hands of God on Mount Ibuki, the hero known as Yamato Takeru held something of a personal vendetta against the divine.
This palace was the jewel of the city but Lancer saw wonderfully organised ‘Districts’. Temples venerating a nine-tailed foxy maiden where beautiful and scantily clad people would prostrate themselves before their idols. There were stations for schooling, where children in those peculiar sailor uniforms all gather for equal parts education and socialisation. In other smaller ‘palaces’ Lancer likewise could see bloated individuals being served hand and foot, even here class inequality was evident. Further off to the edges in the less decorated areas Lancer could see drunkards drowning their sorrows at the bottom of a bottle of wine, brawling in the street and whores plying their trade in a back alley. Then there was the heat, as if the palace radiated light to the rest of the enclosed city as if it was the sun standing amongst the common people.
It is a world so similar to what Lancer recalls from her home and yet so incredibly fantastical it defies the laws of reality with its divine whims. One thing remains certain however, despite its inherent wrongness, it still held things that civilisation has to this very day. Albeit warped to an individual's particular tastes.
An individual who certainly wasn't her.
Theof what stood before Lancer was disrupted when she heard a dignified laugh echo at the foot of the palace where she was. A dignified laugh unbecoming of a pure idealistic doll-like maiden, but one worthy of the woman who could shackle the brave of yamato.horroramazement
A laugh that was hardly foreign to Lancer.
“It warms my heart to see you again my beloved.” a familiar yet long lost voice suddenly speaks to her right.
Twisting around on the spot, Lancer was momentarily blinded by radiant glaring sunlight before slowly simmering out to reveal the most beautiful woman Lancer had ever had the joy of knowing.
A beauty that begot strength, a menacing aura was emanated by the familiar face as the light dissipated, revealing her true form. Gorgeous but not the idealistic beauty, flaws that only accentuated the rest of her, letting her form surpass perfection in Lancer’s eyes.
“My strong Yamato Takeru, my wonderous Osu, my beautiful wife. I have missed you so much.”
Lancer wasted no time, dropping her spear which fell soundlessly to the ground as she embraced Ototachibana-hime, feeling her body against her own before passionately kissing her wife before her lips were quickly laden with her own tears and Lancer’s body trembled at seeing her love once more.
“I’m sorry Ota…” Lancer sobbed feebly as the tempered steel of the weapon shattered before the first person to treat her as a person, to hold her, to love her as people love their soulmate. “I failed you. Again.”
Ototachibana-hime shook her head and pulled Lancer, no – Yamato Takeru, no – Prince Osu in and kissed her wife again, far simpler and more chased this time before Ototachibana-hime took her hand and gestured to follow her.
“Hardly, my beloved. You could never fail me. Now let me give you one final gift of destruction.”
Final Chance! Servant Deduction!
Quest of Fate
Apocrypha Universe Fate Quest Project
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Beast's Lair Discord Server For Fate Quests
Hermes Servant Collection Master Post
I'll go with HBM's deduction. Sigmund.
You can discussThe OG RequiemConQUEST and other Quests in Discord (disc is much more active here).
Click the image to ConQUEST
Going with Sigmund as well.
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
EEeeeep I should talk less on Discord and vote more.
Sigmung. I was leaning on Sinfjötli myself but HBM's arguments are convincing so let's go for it !
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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!
