A journey to the horizon at the expense of all human history.
The grand plot devised by the one who claimed to be the King of Mages, the Human Incineration Ritual.
It has ended in failure. No, in this World, it had not even begun.
Thanks to the sacrifice of one man, the Incineration of Humanity was avoided, and everyone’s ordinary lives were safeguarded. Without a doubt, humanity will carry on into the future.
However, what that future entails has yet to be decided. The battle isn’t over. The shattered fragments of the Mage King’s plan still remain in the present day, no longer removed from the axis of time.
Ergo, how the future unfolds from here can only be determined by the people of the present.
This is not a battle in the Past in order to reclaim the Future.
This is a battle in the Present for the sake of the Present.
This is the story of the beloved remnants that the Mage King left behind.
This is your…
Epic of Remnant – Armageddon
Welcome to Armageddon.
This is a Fate Quest telling the story of what happens in the timelines where Goetia fails to incinerate Humanity and the Grand Order to reclaim the future is not necessary. In other words, it is also set in timelines that you may already be quite familiar with.
For those who are familiar with the concept, I suspect there is little that is needed to be explained. You will play the role of a Master caught up in the sinister plots that threaten the World and it will be up to you to help save Humanity from certain destruction. This will be an Adventure-type quest where you will be able to go to many places and meet many different characters, Servants and humans alike, with the possibility of convincing them to join your side. In the end, it will be up to you and your allies to direct the Human Order towards its proper course.
What will be the final verdict of Humanity’s trial? Will you stand up to protect the Present or was Goetia right all along? That will be up to you to decide.
Before we can begin, though, please choose a Starting Point for your adventure:
Choose your Singularity
Origin Point:Fuyuki, Japan
Origin Point: Trifas, Romania
Origin Point: Snowfield, USA
Your choice here will also greatly impact the direction of the story, so make sure to choose the one you want the most. From here on, its up to you to infer what the implications of the choices are…
Because Fuyuki haas been revisited at least once in fanworks by anyone who ever touched any Fate material and making a fanwork on Strange Fake when it's still far from unfinished does seem somewhat strange ?
But Apocrypha is despite its many flaws one of my favourite Fate entries for its concepts and I would be curious to see what a writer like Zikari could do with it so you know, let's go with it !
Not jumping at a Sakura banner is hard, but Prussia’s reasoning makes sense and Trifas is good soil to explore as a starting point. Will be curious what you thought up!
Every story starts at the beginning. And for most people, their story usually begins with their mother.
“Yeah, Ma. I just made it to Trifas. Is there anything you want as a souvenir?”
I speak into the phone, just moments after getting off the bus, in order to contact my mother who’s halfway across the world by now.
“Wait, Trifas? I thought it was called Bucharest.”
Her reply comes in her usual strict, sardonic tone.
“No, no, Bucharest is the capital of Romania. I’m at Trifas. It’s a small town north of Sighisoara. I think that’s how you pronounce it.”
“Why on earth are you going to a place like that?”
“I dunno. To sight-see, I guess. I think they have some old architecture, or something like that. I think there’s a big castle nearby too.”
“Since when have you been interested in that sort of stuff?”
“Wh-what? I can’t enjoy some cultural travel?”
“Boy, you can’t fool me with that. Who do you think raised you? I know what your grades in History class were. Which is why I still have no idea why you decided to spend your vacation backpacking across Europe.”
I sigh, already knowing that I was going to have to repeat this same old explanation once more.
“Ma, I told you already. It’s not a vacation. I’m going on an adventure. It’s for training.”
“Oooh, an adventure. Well, I’m sorry. Here I thought you were a man nearing his thirties, but I guess I was wrong. Will you be bringing home some Pokémon as souvenirs too?”
“It’s not a joke, Ma. I’m serious. I’m going to become a Superhero.”
“Again with the Superhero talk.”
I could practically hear her rolling her eyes through the telephone.
“What, Ma? Are you still upset about me being a Superhero?”
“I’m not upset. I’m just wondering when you’ll snap out of this… nonsense.”
“What!? Ma, this isn’t a phase. I’m not a teenager. This is for real.”
“Yes, yes, how many times do you think I’ve heard it’s not a phase from you over the years? And guess what? It always was just a phase. You know I was talking to my therapist about this the other day and—”
“Wait, what? You talked about this with your therapist? Ma! I told you to keep my powers a secret. It’s called a secret identity for a reason!”
“It’s fine. She’s a therapist. Keeping secrets is part of her job. Besides, she thought you were just making stuff up like a kid anyways. It’ll be fine.”
“I can’t believe this. Fine, I’ll leave it alone, but don’t blame me when a Supervillain kidnaps you later in order to hold you as a hostage against me.”
“Oh, yes, a Super Villain. Plenty of those around. Can’t wait for one to kill me to give your origin story some extra oomph.”
“Oh my goodness… Ma, I don’t get why you’re still so skeptical. I’ve shown you my superpowers. You know I’m not lying. Why can’t you just accept that I need to become a Superhero?”
“Yeah, and what good are they? Is running around fighting crime in spandex going to put food on the table? Will you get a raise at work because you’re an X-men?”
“It’s not about money, Ma. It’s about doing what’s right. With great power comes great responsibility.”
“And what about ditching work to go hitch-hiking across Europe sounds responsible to you? You know who’s a good a Superhero? Batman. His superpower is being rich. If you want to be a Superhero so bad, why don’t you start by becoming a billionaire first?”
“Okay, first of all, being rich isn’t a superpower, unless your powers literally make you rich. Second, Batman is indeed an awesome role model, and he went on a journey to train with the League of Assassins, which is kind of what I’m doing. Third, I’m not ditching. I’m using my paid leave, so it’s fine. I have a lot stocked up anyways.”
“That vacation time is for coming home for Christmas, not gallivanting around Romania. If you just want a break from work, why can’t you just be a normal person and go to Hawaii or something?”
“Because then I’d be on vacation. Not going on an adventure to find my purpose!”
I end up raising my voice louder than I meant to and quickly calm myself before I make a scene. Looking around briefly, there are a few people at the bus stop glancing at me. I give them a friendly smile and wave before pressing the phone closer to my mouth and talking much more quietly.
“Look, Ma. This means a lot to me. I finally feel like I know what I’m doing with my life. I’ve always known that there had to be something more than just being an accountant in Manhattan. And this is it. This is what my life has always been leading towards.”
“Well, what’s wrong with being an accountant? Why can’t that be enough?”
“Nothing’s wrong with it. I just… once I got these powers, I knew I couldn’t just be an accountant anymore. I could hear this little voice in the back of my head telling me I needed to come here. It told me that what fate had in store for me couldn’t be found in a cubicle. That’s why I have to do this.”
She sighs heavily, so much so that I can almost feel the phone increase in weight.
“… all right, I get it. But that doesn’t mean I can’t worry. I’m still your mother. So, just stay safe, okay? Don’t stay up too late fighting crime and be careful not to catch a Captain Cold.”
“Hahaha, okay. Thanks, Ma. I’ll call you again soon.”
“Oh, and find a girlfriend already. Please. You’re 29. Even Superman needs a Lois Lane, right?”
“Okay, okay, bye, Ma. Talk to you soon.”
Before she can say anything else, I hang up on her and am left with the deafening, perhaps even judgmental sound of the tone.
Well, then. Now what?
Trifas
After a moderate trek through Europe, I’ve made my way here to Trifas, Romania. Being a small town with only about 20,000 people, it isn’t exactly at top of any tour guide’s itinerary, but I came here following some gut instinct that told me that something fateful would be waiting for me here.
In my moment of silent contemplation, I briefly glance down and look at the red mark on the back of my hand. Ever since that day two months ago, when I woke up with this mark on my hand and discovered I suddenly had superpowers, I have felt the hands of destiny at work, pulling me here. It told me to go to London and then eventually led me here to Trifas. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing, but I know that eventually Fate will reveal itself to me.
But that’s all in the near future. For now, I need to figure out what I’m going to do today.
From my brief experience backpacking through Europe, I’ve found that the most important things to do when reaching a new town are finding lodging and gathering information. For lodging, I plan to stay at a local hostel. For information, I’ve found that swinging by the tourist office is an easy way to get the lay of the land even if you’re not a tourist.
So then, what should I do first?
Choice!
1. Visit the tourist office to gather info
2. Relax and grab a bite first
3. Head straight for the hostel
The potential for random encounters is too tantalizing to pass up. Also, actually walking around and observing the town on the way to getting food may be a better way to get the lay of the land than going to the tourist office. But yeah. Random encounters.
Sun Tzu once said that information is half the battle.
Or at least, I think he might’ve said something to that effect once, but I’ve never actually read the Art of War.
Anyways, the point is that it’s good to have more info. So, with that simple moral in mind, I decide to swing by the tourist office to learn what I can about this little city.
The tourist office is a small one, likely a sign of how much traffic the city usually gets. Rather than an office, it might be more fitting to call it a booth. Inside the little office building near the bus station is a single reception desk with three counters. When I arrive, there are only two workers at the desk, one of which is already talking to a guest.
The guest is a woman with long blond hair. Some might call her curls drills, but they look more like twirling ribbons to me. She’s pretty – a bombshell with killer proportions in fact – but what catches my eye is her manner of dress, a fancy, lacey blue ensemble. It might just be my ignorant prejudices, but I can’t help thinking that her attire suits this medieval town more than it does a modern city.
Blonde Woman
From just my brief curious glance, I don’t get the impression that she’s a tourist; she seems to be talking with the greeter at the reception desk about something serious. Perhaps its business? Maybe she works for a local supplier or tour company or something? Well, either way, it’s none of my concern.
I talk to the free receptionist and get whatever information I need from her. She’s very polite and quite decent at English so she’s able to help me get a feel for the town.
The town of Trifas. Located in the historic region of Transylvania, it is a small city of 20,000 people, mostly known for its well-preserved medieval architecture. The city itself is encircled by walls that had been built to withstand Ottomon attacks and have continued to be maintained to this day. Despite these notable features, the town is not a popular tourist attraction, due to the neighboring city of Sighisoara, which is also known as the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. Some call Trifas the little brother of Sighisoara while others just straight up call it the Poor Man’s Sighisoara.
If there’s one thing Trifas does have over Sighisoara, though, it would be its geometry. The entire town has a perfect circular shape, surrounded perfectly by a circular wall. At the same time, it is this shape that prevents the town from growing, lest it ruin its own perfection. When I think about it like that, I can’t help but see the city walls as a sort of eggshell preventing the town within from every truly being born.
After learning all that alongside the more practical stuff like where the major points of interest are and what the local delicacy is, I thank the receptionist lady for her help.
“Oh, one more thing.” I remember just as I’m about to leave. “How do I get to the big castle? You know, the one on the hill.”
“Ah, I’m sorry, sir. The castle is not open to the public. It is a cultural heritage site and is closed to tourism for preservation purposes.”
“Ooooh, I see. Ah, that’s a shame, but oh well.”
So, that big castle isn’t a place you could visit, huh. Here I thought it would make a pretty fancy tourist attraction, but I guess it might be too important for that. Though even stuff like the Hagia Sophia is semi-open to the public, so I wonder what makes this castle so special. Maybe I’ll look it up later today.
Just as I plan to call it there and head out, the reception lady is suddenly called to by her coworker in what I assume to be Romanian.
“I’m sorry, please wait for a second.” She tells me before briefly stepping aside and following her coworker to the back of the office behind a door for a moment.
It is at that moment, when the two workers clear the room, that I suddenly realize someone is looking at me. Of course, it could only be the only other person in the room: the blonde woman at the desk. For some reason, she seems to be eyeing me from the side of her view. If I didn’t know any better, I would feel like she’s looking at me as if I were a suspicious person.
I consider saying something to her, but the receptionist returns before I gather the courage.
“Hello, sir. Sorry for the wait. I am, however, happy to inform you of some good news. It turns out that you are our town’s 10,000th visitor this month.”
“What? For real!?”
“Yes. And as a thank you for choosing to visit our humble town, please accept this complimentary gift basket.”
While I’m still stunned in shock, the receptionist hands me a wrapped basket more than twice the size of my head. I really don’t know what to think.
“Oh, wow. This is a surprise… I’ve never actually won one of these things before. In fact, I kind of thought they were just scams— wait, is this a scam? Are you going to ask for my credit card information next?”
“No, of course not. You don’t need to give up any private details. We’d only need your name, country of citizenship, and address where you’ll be staying in Trifas for administrative and survey purposes.”
“Oh, okay…”
I’m still a little surprised and suspicious, but it seems harmless enough. I guess lottery winners do have to exist somewhere; I just never expected to be one of them. Perhaps this too is part of what my new destiny as a Superhero has in store for me.
In the end, I write down the details the receptionist asked for, graciously receive the gift basket, and also end up taking a celebratory picture with it. With such a nice mood, I leave the tourist office, almost completely forgetting about the bad vibes I had been getting from that blond woman.
“Ahahaha, I knew I was right to listen to that voice in my head that told me to come to Trifas. This must be a sign of good things to come!”
Laughing to myself like an idiot, I stroll down the streets of Trifas to my next destination. I had considered taking it easy and maybe grabbing a bite to eat, but the result of my visit to the tourist office warranted a change of plans. The gift basket was a bit too big and unwieldy to lug around town for the whole day, so I figured I would hit up the hostel first, if only to drop this and the rest of my luggage off.
It was during that time that it happened.
I had been at an intersection waiting for the light to cross. It wasn’t too busy a street, but everyone was being a good, law-abiding citizen and not jaywalking. On the other side of the road, I could a handful of people also waiting to cross. Of them was a pair of mother and daughter, the mother watching the light while the daughter bounced a ball up and down. To be honest, the mom was pretty hot, so I found myself looking at her a bit more than I should’ve. But it was because of that that I was able to see it happen.
Someone else suddenly approaches the mother while holding a map – presumably a tourist asking for directions. And in that very interval where the mother was distracted, the kid’s ball bounced off the corner of the curb and flew into the street. And naturally, the kid chased after it.
It all happened so fast. The car that had been smoothly gliding down the street skidded and swerved as the driver slammed the brakes, but it was too late. The mother desperately leapt after her kid, but it was too late. A scream pierced through the sunny, peaceful day. But it was too late.
Everyone was simply too late.
Everyone, except for me.
In an instant, without any hesitation, I spring into action. Those circuit-like nerves in my body that I can’t really explain with words flare into action and the powers I have been gifted come to me all in less than a second. I move without even thinking.
Why?
Because I’m a Superhero.
Choice!
Choose your Super Power:
1. Super Strength
Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. You possess physical abilities beyond human limits, allowing you to punch harder and run faster than any human can achieve through pure effort. A simple but very practical power. (The most basic option. Has the most combat power at the start)
2. Flight
The dream of mankind. The fabled realm humans can only reach through technology now harnessed through your body. You have the ability to freely fly through the air with next to no effort. Whether its leisurely floating through the air or rocketing at super high-speeds, the sky is now your domain. (The expert option. Has less straightforward power but can be very useful in the hands of a competent problem solver)
3. Regeneration
A wise man once said, “the enemy can’t win as long as you never lose”. You have the power of high-speed regeneration, allowing you to heal and recover from both minor and major wounds. You are not completely invincible, but you are certainly a lot harder to put down than your average human. (The easy option. Inherently decreases chance of getting a Game Over and allows more reckless choices)
One part compelling concept to explore in a Nasuverse context, one part allows for clever application, and one part perfect for the Superhero vibe.
With how abnormal it is, wonder if it’s a form of ESP?
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed. Coffee would be nice, though.
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