It has begun once again. The cycle continues, as it has done for so many years. A war was being prepared; a battle royale of magus's of different calibers and backgrounds was about to begin, for the sole purpose of attaining one wish. The reward; the Holy Grail, an item stated to be able to grant even the most impossible of requests. However, they shall not go into battle alone, for they will have at their side Heroic spirits from the distant past to aid them in their quest. A war of Masters and Servants, Magi and Spirits. This...is the Holy Grail War.
However, in a dimension from the outside world, in a realm exempt from fate, a revelation was taking form…
The Summoning of the Hero
Blackness. That was all the eyes of his armor registered around him. No sound was present anywhere, no light source found. Just complete nothingness, and the dangerous noxious seithr that was littered in the darkness. Such a horrid place could only belong in the boundary. Even a couple of minutes in this sort of environment would drive any man to the brink of insanity. But he was no ordinary man. His conviction will not allow him to succumb to madness. His drive was the sheer force of his own will. How long has he been floating in this void, he wondered. A year? Two years? Ten years? A hundred years? A thousand maybe? Was this the end of his destiny? It mattered little to him. If this was his fate, he shall deny it.
"At the very least, that serpent shall suffer the same fate as me" he thought to himself. And so, he waited, floating silently through the boundary. Probably for hundreds of years if not millenniums, he waited. Yet his thoughts never wavered, his sanity was always clear, and his soul still shined as bright as a dwarf star. There was still things he needed to do. Evil that needed to be slain. For as long as there is injustice in the world, he will be there to reap the sins from existence with his blade. And so, he continued to wait patiently for signs of freedom.
While his face didn't show it, Kiritsugu was pretty impressed with the relic laid out in front of him. The legendary scabbard of Excalibur, sword of the King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon. There was no doubt in his mind that with this catalyst, a saber class servant will be summoned, given the nature of the relic. Even more so, given how well the scabbard was linked to it's owner, the prospect of summoning the Knight King was more than plausible.
"Acht did well…" Kiritsugu commented as he laid back on the seat in the Einzberg's cathedral. "I doubt the other masters have a trump card this powerful."
His wife, Irisviel gave him a confused smile. "Then whatever could be the problem?" She asked him, continuing to probe his concerns with the summoning.
"Given how perfectly the scabbard is connected to it's owner, the heroic spirit we're after will surely respond to the summoning. The legendary King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon." At least, on paper, it was perfect. In actuality though, he had heard some cases where a summoning bred different results regardless of the catalyst chosen. If thats the case…
"How compatible I am to him is a secondary concern." And what a concern it was. From his understanding of history, the king of England was immensely idealistic. Incredibly so, even to a fault, while he himself is detached from the notions of honor and the falsely inscribed justice the king upheld in his time. Such silly concepts only got in the way of his true goal. True justice will not wait for knightly honor. It must be met with swift execution. And for a servant that values stubborn outdated ideals over justice? In all honesty, he doubted he would like a servant like that under his wing. Honor, chivalry, loyalty, honesty, fairness, valor. Those were qualities he did not need. In fact, those were qualities he despised. Honor was a fool's prize, chivalry limits one's potential, honesty has no place within the battlefield, fairness is a lie, and valor is merely gratification from bloodshed. No, what he valued was conviction. What he needed was a weapon. A Just Sword that will reap the sins of the world without mercy. A force that seeks to cleanse the world of evil before all else. That would be a servant that would be compatible. If that was the case, then it was certainly possible that another spirit would be chosen instead of King Arthur.
But he was getting off topic. His attention drifted back to his wife.
Unbeknownst to him, however, that at that moment, underneath the cuff of his sleeve, his command spell started to dimly glow a faint red hue.
"Hm?" Hakumen mused as he turned his head.
One of the many eyes of the Susanoo armor detected a difference in the atmosphere. A small, but easily noticeable golden light was peeking out over the black horizon. An anomaly that he has not experienced ever since he started to drift in the sea of seithr.
"What is this…?" He wondered to himself.
Before he even had the chance to entertain the thought, one arm started to reach out towards the small orb of light. His body started to move towards it, almost unwillingly. His soul was being pulled in.
The light yearned for him. It beckoned him. It radiated a sense of purpose within himself, something that his soul thirsted.
There are still things that you must do…
It spoke to him, and he listened. It's luminescence promised him freedom. He started to float towards the golden light. But as he got closer, it would backtrack further into the distance. Not wavering his resolve, he dived in deeper into the abyss, heading towards the golden light.
"What do you seek from me?"
The light continued to travel through the darkness a little further on, until it eventually stopped. It then grew bigger and bigger, transforming into a glowing golden portal. The portal then shot out a yellow beam of light directly against Hakumen's chest, which then surrounded the knight in a golden aura.
"Hm?!"
Justice…
It seemed to whisper into his soul. A vast wave of foreign information then flooded his mind. A war between mages was about to begin, and by their side are seven Heroic spirits summoned to fight for them, each branded as a specific class; Saber, Archer, Lancer, Caster, Rider, Assassin, and Berserker. The winner of the battle will attain the reward of the Holy Grail, granting the master one wish.
"Ahh, I see now…"
And it seemed that he has been chosen by this mysterious grail. He was then pulled into the golden void, and everything suddenly turned white.
When he finally came to, he found himself standing on a field with a setting sun, reflecting a yellow glow throughout the sky. He quietly marveled at the sad sight in front of him. The field he was standing on was battle torn, with many men in armor scattered on the ground, battered and beaten. There were bodies lying everywhere as far as the eyes on his armor could see. Every single one of them, dead, with a sword in their hand, or one stuck inside them. In fact, there was a small hill of bodies crammed on top of each other. The golden light from earlier zoomed past his head, and flew up towards the hill, beckoning him to follow.
He began to question if he should. Why should he intervene? This war was none of his concern. It was a battle bred on the selfishness of humans, to attain power that they should never hold. The glowing particle flickered in response to the knight's train of thoughts. A sudden question then invaded his mind, demanding an answer from him. Was there anything he wished for in the world? Perhaps a physical object? A goal that he aspired to achieve? Maybe a wrong that he wished to right from the past?
That last sentence resonated more with the man than any other suggestions.
And so, curiosity took hold of his body, and he marched onward. His foot crunched onto the rusted armor of fallen soldiers as he walked forward. It wasn't that he didn't respect the dead, rather there was no other room to step on. He began to take in the details of the fallen. Judging by the armor designs, these men must have been knights from the olden era of Britain. Fascinating. He must have traveled back in time.
He finally reached the top of the hill of bodies. What awaited him was a pitiful scene.
A blonde in blue and silver armor was kneeling with a sword stabbed in the surface of the hill. One quick glance might have been enough to mistake the person for male, but upon further inspection, Hakumen deduced the person to be female.
"Hmm…" Hakumen hummed as he walked closer to the kneeling figure.
The blonde didn't move a muscle as the white knight came closer to her. It was as if she didn't acknowledge his existence. The reason became clear as Hakumen gazed into her distant green eyes. Her eyes held no clarity nor light, but were empty, as if her grasp on reality was torn asunder. Despair has overtaken her soul, the harsh reality of life took everything away from her. He knew this sight all too well, and it vexed him.
"Hmph, miserable creature…"
"..."
The woman stayed silent. Not having the strength nor the will to retort against the man in strange armor.
"Is a simple ceremony like this enough to summon a Heroic Spirit?" Irisviel asked beside her husband, clutching the sacred Avalon in her arms.
In front of them, a magic circle was inscribed on the floor, drawn in perfect detail for the summoning.
"Surprisingly, yes" Kiritsugu replied. "The summoning ceremony does not require an elaborate evocation." Kiritsugu said as he scrutinized over the sigil, double checking every last curve and mark. "The grail is what does the actual summoning. As a master, my job is to anchor the Heroic Spirit to this world once it has appeared and give it enough mana for it to take physical form."
Once he was done triple checking over his symbol, he got up to his feet.
"This should be good. Iri, place the relic on the altar." He turned his gaze back to his wife. "Our preparations will then be complete."
…
A sudden intense wind blew against the two figures atop the hill, as the golden light Hakumen followed turned into another golden portal. Only this time, it was bigger. It's energy was overflowing over the outline of the portal, enticing both the blonde and the walking armor.
It called upon both presences to come forth. The blonde, due to the nature of her relic in the far distant future, and the white knight, due to the nature of his character.
Hakumen turned his head towards the blue swordswoman. "Are you not going to heed it's call?"
"..." The woman did not respond.
"Very well." He respected the woman's indecision. Broken as she may be, her state of mind was too crippled to make any hasty decisions. Perhaps in the next life she would take up the mantle she was destined for. For now though, Hakumen strode up towards the golden gate. What he saw beyond was a man and a woman in a church, preparing the summoning.
"Fill,fill,fill,fill,fill. Repeat five times, but when each is filled, destroy it. Set"
The circle begun to glow a bright blue aura. Kiritsugu prepared himself and got into position. He held up his right hand, the one with the command spell inscribed on his wrist, and begun to chant the summoning rite.
"I hereby propose...My will shall create thy body...and thy sword shalt create my fate!"
As he said those words, the glowing circle started to glow brighter.
"Abiding by the summons of the Holy Grail, if thou dost accede to this will and reason, answer me!"
…
Hakumen listened intently at the man's oath, intrigued by the man's will and strength. He judged each of the words spoken from his mouth, gauging the sincerity of them. He was not disappointed.
"Fascinating…" Hakumen said. "Show me more of your justice."
"I hereby swear…"
As Kiritsugu chanted, his voice started to raise several octaves.
"I will be all that is good in the eternal world…"
"A heavy burden falls upon your shoulders, human. Do you have what it takes?" Hakumen mused as he continued to gaze into the golden gate.
"I will be the disposer of evil in the eternal world!"
Hakumen's shoulders started to shake, and soon, he let out a modest but amused laugh.
"Very good. Show me more of your conviction!"
"You seven heavens, clad in the Great Trinity…"
Now in the final stretch of the summoning, the glowing circle began to sprout magical auras of lightning along the outline.
"Come forth from the circle of constraint, Guardian of the heavenly scales!"
"Very well" Hakumen stepped forward into the golden portal. "Then I hereby shall heed thy call, and shall slay thine enemies with my blade!" He unsheathed his Nox from his scabbard, invoking his place within the class system.
The whole entire cathedral shook, and was soon enshrouded in a field of white light, temporarily blinding all within the church.
Kiritsugu then opened his eyes to see most of the room filled with smoke. Beyond the cloud of smoke stood a strange figure. One that he did not expect at all from the summoning.
"Who…?"
A tall figure in white armor stood in the middle of the circle; his arms folded stoically. Behind him was a long sword held in a red sheath attached to the back of his suit.
"Answer me..." The armor's baritone voice echoed throughout the church. "Are you the one...who shall be observing me?"
Hakumen
Stats for Saber (Hakumen)
True Name: Jin Kisaragi
Also known as: White Knight, The Endbringer, The White Susanooh, Leader of the Six Heroes
Class: Saber
Master: Kiritsugu Emiya
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Parameters
Strength: A (A+)
Endurance: A (A+)
Agility: C (B)
Mana: A++ (E)
Luck: E (D)
Noble Phantasms: A++ (EX)
Information
Gender: Male
Birthday: February 14
Height/Weight: 208 cm/ 155 kgs
Blood type: (Was) A
Place of origin: United Kingdom
Haircolor: (Was) Blonde/ Silver
Eye color: (Was) Green/ Red
Armament: Sword, Armor
Likes: None
Values: Order
Dislikes: The Black Beast, Evil
Talents: Sword fighting, Cutting through Time
Natural Enemy: Angra Mainyu, Irisviel Von Einzbern
Image Color: White
Attribute: Star 星(Heroes of this category are the "hopes of mankind" and a "symbol of overcoming hardships." Given to heroes who became "turning points" in human history, it is an attribute fundamentally given to those that have left behind a great hope in the history of humanity. Simply achieving such exploits is not enough as they also have to be a "shining bright star" among the figures of mankind. It is an omnipotent attribute that possesses no weaknesses towards any other attribute categories.)
Class Skills
Magic Resistance- B (A): Cancel spells with a chant below three verses. Through sheer force of will, Hakumen is able to dispel all magecraft used against him. Only magic in the level of his past partner, Nine, such as High-Thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals, are able to affect him.
Riding- C: During his past life, one of Hakumen's few hobbies included collecting vintage motorcycles and riding them.
Personal Skills
Independent Action- A: As a man with great will, Hakumen also possesses a great ego. He is able to utilize his noble phantasm in the world without his master's backup. Arrogant like he was in his past life, he is not easy to control, and has a hard time being under authority. As such, he can easily ignore his master's command. Command spells may force him back under his master's control, but to a man who can deflect causality through sheer force of will, even that is uncertain.
Instinct: A -Refined sixth sense is now close to true precognition. Hakumen is able to effectively and efficiently react to his opponent's attacks.
Clairvoyance- B+: Through the eyes of the Susanooh, none shall be able to take him by surprise, as his view of the battlefield reveals all to him. There are no blind spots, as Hakumen views everything in a 360 degree radius of him.
Protection from Arrows- B: With this rank, Hakumen is able to slash down any projectile, and in it's place, summon a large vacuum crest called Fumajin, which protects him from all other projectile attacks, and remains present longer as more projectiles are absorbed by it.
Divinity - A: As the Sankishin acting has his flesh, Saber can be considered one and the same as the God of Destruction, himself. Although, since he has denounced his name, the rank of this skill has dropped.
Noble Phantasms
-Empty Sky Form: Zanshin-
Type: Barrier
Rank: C/B/A
Utilizing the unique powers of his armor, Hakumen is able to project powerful energy barriers. Once an attack lands on the shield, Hakumen is able to manipulate the force and energy of the attack and direct it back at his attacker. Invoking his own special arts of the Empty Sky Form, through his innate mastery of the Power of Order, Zanshin is also able to deviate into two separate forms. One of this is his iconic Yukikaze, an attack which can charge up to be used as an offensive strike. However, it can also be used as a counterattack by summoning up a special variant of the Zanshin, in of which Hakumen is able to temporarily stop time if an attack lands on the barrier, giving him enough time to land a devastating blow with the Winter's Riposte. His final and most powerful variance of the Empty Sky Form is the deadly Akumetsu. Given enough time, Hakumen is able to charge up this attack in the form of a barrier or a separate attack. Once this Noble Phantasm hits, Hakumen will unleash a small reality marble, turning the world around him into an empty white void, after that he will swing his sword and the victim will be obliterated in a flurry of darkness, rending both the body and soul into nothingness.
-Sankishin-Unit Susanooh -
Type: Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
Rank: A++
An armor that is regarded to be in the ranks of the gods, this armor bestows upon Hakumen incredible fighting prowess as it also provides Hakumen with an infinite reserve of power and energy that he can use for his abilities and Noble Phantasms, allowing his master the luxury of saving prana costs of his attacks in exchange for just providing prana for Hakumen's existence in the world. Hakumen is also able to tap into the circuits in his suit with his forbidden art: Mugen, activating an overdrive state. When this occurs, all of Hakumen's parameters increase by one, increasing his speed and power exponentially. However, his power supply will begin to drain little by little, and will be left exhausted after the duration of the skill for a short while. The suit's true purpose however is stated to be able to cut time itself. However, the true potential of the suit is unknown, as the grail only managed to bring in only a partial of Hakumen's powers from the edge, making his power only a remnant of what it truly can be.
-Interfectum Malus: Ookami
Type:Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
Rank: A++
The sword that is feared by even the immortals. In his past life, Hakumen has been regarded to slay the unslayable. Due to the nature of this sword, all magic that touches the blade is thwarted, disabling regeneration by even the strongest of servants. It is also able to cut the fabric of space and time, which allows Hakumen's strikes to bypass regular durability of all his opponents. This legendary Nox also possesses holy properties, making Ookami deal additional damage to dark attributed servants. As the blade that slayed the legendary beast that devoured half of the world, Ookami has earned the rank of Anti-Army for this legendary accomplishment.
-TimeKiller
Type: Anti-Time Noble Phantasm
Rank: EX
The end has truly come to anyone hit with this noble phantasm. It is Hakumen's strongest ability, but it also heavily drains his energy reserves and leaves him visibly taxed. Once it hits, it erases the person's very existence by destroying the time between the moment they are struck and their future death, forcing the concept of death upon their very soul based on that one moment in time where the person had died.
A/N: Let me share a little something with ya'll. Words cannot describe how dissapointed I am with the lack of Fate crossovers that have Hakumen in it. Words cannot describe how dissapointed I am to find very very very little Hakumen stories here, in general. C'mon FFnet!
Ahh well. This is Pen, signing off for now.