Antartica...? How? The last thing remembered was...
Incinerated.
I can remember it clearly. I was visting Rin's grave and an odd man in green suit approached me an told me that, "The future of humanity is set on stone." It's sinister and I can sense evil in him. He is not a human, but before I can dispatch in instinct I was... incinerated. Yes, that's how I was supposed to die. I looked around and I found out I'm in a plane.
"Why am i here again?" I mumbled loudly.
The passenger beside me stirred and opened her half-lidded eyes who speaks in a voice I am familiar with. "You brought us here remember?"
There is no mistaking who she is. That cloak, that resemblence, she is one of my friends back from where I came. She is Gray. But...
"Yeah, I..."
"Is something wrong?" Of course. The fact memories I never experienced flooded me. I never felt it yet I know it was real. Something must have happened between 2015 and 2016 to cause my memory to be jumbled mess.
The reason I gone to Antartica is because I received a call from my son. He said specifically to brought Gray, Flat, Svin, Reines, Luvia, Ayaka, and Caules. Familiar faces from my past long gone. Luvia can't go since she business to attend and Reines didn't care much for anything about Clocktower right now. It took me a lot of time and many excuses to get past Fuji-nee's suspicion for my sudden travel. Convincing five of El-Melloi's students and even more easier to the current lord(lady?) of Archibalds is easy when I told I am Ritsuka's father. Ritsuka said he has suprise for us. So he told me to go to Antartica, deep in Alpine Tundra where Chaldea Security Organization facility stood, Marisbilly's lovechild or so I thought.
"This facility."
Gray nodded. "I understand your concern, Everything about this facility seems strange from what Ritsuka explained. Even after years involved in Moonlit world."
"I hope what my son says is true." I muttered.
"About the servants?" Gray asked.
"Not just that, everything," If Ritsuka's claim is true, I have right to know about it. What this organization achieves are questionable borderline impossible. "The idea of using technology and magecraft to summon servants from Throne of Heroes are incomprehensible to me."
I added, "Even after years learning about magecraft, such idea seems impossible to achieve."
"I never doubted Ritsuka's claims, but your concern clearly not on the other claim—about alternate universes. The idea still eludes me." Gray expressed.
"Everything he says are true i can assure you that. Except the servants stuff," Being a victim of second magic shenenigans, i can assure her about Zelretch field of expertise.
We didn't talked more after my last statement. We stayed there silently contemplating every information that flooded in. From what I can gather, the source of my memory problem must be from that organization's doings.
I need answers. About that man, especially what he said, and everything about Ritsuka's true mission in Chaldea. I never thought Clocktower would sent him into an infiltration mission just to discover magi's research. Typical nosy Mages. But why that organization, though? What secrets did it contains to the point they have servant summoning machine or something.
Ritsuka never went into details about it.
Then there is Satsuki, who are just a newbie in Atlas. If only Sion is not present, I never allowed her to join at all. Ritsuka said Satsuki is in Chaldea too. Weird, last time I checked she still in Atlas.
I stopped thinking about it when the facility came into view.
"Did you really came from different universe?" Then Gray suddenly asked me this question.
"Yes, we are friends from where I came." And a trusty partner during the Grail Dismantlement mission, but I don't have to say that to her.
"Is he still alive?" It seems in every universe she's fond of El-Melloi.
"Yes."
"Thanks,"
"For what?"
"For telling me he is okay." knowing the fate of this world's El-Melloi, I can't deny her.
"C'mon, wake your boyfriend and Caules. Reines and Ayaka already up so I'll handle Flat."
"Y-Yes"
0=0=0
I remember my reaction when the first time I arrived with Tohsaka in London. I was young back then. The prospect of seeing other country still new to me and being doofus that I am, it's embarassing to admit, I know.
The reaction came from companions—even Reines reminds me of that memory. Mouth agape, staring in disbelief, and expressing excitement. Frankly, me too.
"Whoa," I said, proving my point before.
Expression like this lose its charms when you traveled the world too much. This facility somehow re-ignites it. Everything that've shown to us here is completely unexpected and broke our expectation
"It's so white!" Flat exclaimed, loudly for everyone in the landing bay to hear.
"That's the first thing come into your mind?" as always Svin is there to comment at him.
Before Flat could stray from us like he always does when he get excited, I'd say this:
"C'mon, let's head to the entrance."
But before I can say that, a voice I haven't heard for so long...
"Otou-san!"
Damm, I longed for my children's presence.
"Satsuki?"
"Otou-san, over here!" I saw her there waving her hand while putting that big dumb goofy smile. I love it when she does that. So I ran to what I assume as the entrace of this facility.
When she's in arm's reach, I immediately do what every parent would do to their children. I embraced her.
"It's good to see you again."
She smiled and returned the hug. "Me too, Ritsuka too, but he'll probably too dere to show it."
"That's typical for him."
We let go off each other. She then looked behind me. "Oooh! Who's your company here? No one told me about this!"
Gray steps in first. "I'm Gray, Ritsuka's mentor of some sort in Clocktower,"
"Caules Forvedge, fellow student."
"Sajyou Ayaka, Ritsuka's... friend I suppose."
"Oh! Oh! Ask me!" Flat asked while raising his hand repeatedly.
"You are...?" it's okay, 'Suki. He is not a threat, well, not for everyone here, at least.
"I'm Flat Escardos! A magus and El-Melloi's loyal student! You know, Mr. Big Ben Star"
"Not everyone know of El-Melloi, Flat. I am Svin Glascheit, by the way. Nice to meet you."
"O..Okay..." Satsuki said that while having a suprised expression that says, "God, I know this people."
"...And you are?"
Smirking, the person in question merely says, "Just Reines. You don't have to know much more." jeez, Reines.
"Oi, 'Suki, come here." a voice came from Satsuki's watch, showing Ritsuka's face with number 48 on it. "Coming!" Satsuki gestured us to follow her.
As we walks, I noticed many things in this facility. For starters, I sense many powerful presence from where I stood now—no, that's an understatement, it's everywhere. Even Dead apostle's lair didn't have a presence like this. I can't shake the feeling of being watched.
Second, while there are many human staffs in here, i saw a bunch of steam-themed robots and golems like those in Clocktower. The latter seems more common since I can tell the robots are made by someone recently arrived here—or maybe I am wrong.
Finally, 13 years ago, Marisbilly said Chaldea envisioned as co-operation between science and magecraft. Back where I came, that's a load of bullshit, but I noticed many of the human staffs doesn't even have magic circuits. I can see many advanced futuristic technology I've never seen in my entire life in here too. This place literally futuristic, a place where magic and science can work together to create a better future.
"Marisbilly not kidding about this facility," I said this aloud.
"Funny, Mage Ascotiation love to mock him for this." Reines who walks beside commented.
"It seems he got the last laugh,"
"Heh, not quite, he die-"
"Whoa! Master V is here!" Flat exclaimed while pointing at...
Master V... wait. That's impossible! He shouldn't be here. In front of me now stands Master V himself, Lord El-Melloi II with a giant in red mane—goddamit it's Iskandar.
"Shit!"
"Master?" Gray steps closer to her master, trying to calm him down before he collapsed from shock.
"Why do I have to encounter him in this world too?" El-Melloi recoiled while Gray holds him steady. "Gray? Svin, Caules, and Ayaka too,"
"How...?" Ayaka mumbled.
"Waver, are this the students you speak of?" Iskandar asked.
"Servant!?" Caules shrieked.
"Don't worry. Nobody's going to fight here." Reines glared at El-Melloi while she said this not realizing the man in front of him is a servant. The lord himself sighed in defeat. It seems in every universe he can't stand against Reines eventually.
I can still feel El-Melloi as a human, but I can sense his servant signature.
While amidst this encounter I saw Satsuki fetching Ritsuka... who has a white furball on his head.
"Long time no see, Otou-san. We have a lot to catch up."
"But first, let me welcome you to our humble abode."
What comes behind him is something I dreaded.
0=0=0
