A/N:
Hello there. I am currently writing this story on a whim and whatever I write depends on my mood so I can't really guarantee anything except that I'll try to update as much as I can. I haven't written anything creatively for six months now so this is like my way of reviving my alarmingly deteriorating vocabulary. This isn't a perfect and flawless story so I welcome all sorts of criticisms and comments, provided that they are properly justified and aren't said in a harsh and unforgiving manner. I also do hope that you enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Notes about the story:
This story is like my own version of the Holy Grail War featuring the servants from Fate/Stay Night (except for Archer) but with different masters (OC masters). Good ol' Kotomine will also be here who acts as the intermediary. I hope this doesn't create too much of a confusion for you guys but if it does, please don't hesitate to indicate them in your possible reviews so I could give a much thorough explanation. Thank you very much.
~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o
FATE/ENUMA ELISH
FATE 1: the SUMMONING
Eli gently cradled the almost broken fingers of her right hand. She frivolously let out a somewhat heavy and exasperated sigh as she hoped to ignore a threatening migraine. With eyes burning in a not-so-half-baked rage and desire for vengeance, she once again replayed the earlier scene in her mind which led her to this miserable fate. Clicking her tongue in an intense disgust of her despondent defeat, she softly laid her head on the backside of the church pew she was sitting on. Clad in her usual black trench coat, it made her look like a vampire waiting for her end in the serene tranquility and otherworldly peacefulness of the church. Only that her mind was nowhere near tranquil. For the first time in her life, she had her ass viciously handed to her in an utterly shameful lost. It made such a huge blow in her fulsome ego that she wanted nothing more than to annihilate her enemy without leaving bones nor ashes behind.
Suddenly and without immediate warning, a figure seemed to separate itself from the darkness lurking behind her and took a few silent steps to her direction.
"And what could the strongest mage be doing in my humble abode at this ungodly hour?" He spoke in a tone which made it seem as if he was making fun of Eli's condition.
"What's up with that tone Kotomine? Seems like you're quite jubilant seeing me in this pitiful state." Eli said as she gave the guy who was called Kotomine a fierce scowl.
"Absolutely not princess. I am not the kind of man who would take such pleasure from the misfortune of others." He faked a bow as he proceeded to sit beside Eli.
"That doesn't sound so convincing though."
"Oh really? But enough of that. Let's go directly to the issue at hand. Forgive my rough tone but would you mind giving me a good explanation as to why you, of all people, are here?" Kotomine scrutinized her thoroughly like an honor student scrutinizing an exam with hopes of perfecting it.
Eli took a deep breath as if preparing for a very crucial moment. "I believe I was attacked by a servant."
In one swift but almost awkward moment, Kotomine covered his mouth in an attempt to hide what appears to be a light but insulting chuckle.
"Tsk." Eli clicked her tongue furiously as the left hand which was cradling her broken right hand just moments ago was now grasping an intricate knife in the midst of slitting Kotomine's throat open.
"No need to be so violent princess, I was just a bit… surprised." Kotomine said, eyeing the weapon intrusively.
"Surprised? More like you were amused, you old piece of shit." Eli retorted back as she withdrew her weapon.
"Your words please princess. Do remember that we are in the church."
"This wouldn't have happened if you took what I was saying seriously in the first place." Eli replied matter-of-factly.
"I am taking you seriously, you know. Now, where were we? Ahh, yes. About you being attacked by a servant. Are sure that it was actually a servant and not just some random mage passing by?"
"Mages don't have noble phantasms Kotomine."
"Noble phantasms, huh? Are you sure it was one?"
"Who the hell do you think I am? Do you really think so lowly of me that I wouldn't be able to recognize a noble phantasm the moment I see one?" Eli was now getting overly irritated and flustered. If only it wouldn't cause her much of a problem, she would very well be off burying the mage in front of her six feet below the ground alive.
"Calm down Eli. Why are you such in a bad mood?" Kotomine looked at her questioningly.
"Why do you think?" She peered down at her broken hand.
"Ahh, does defeat really taste that painful princess?" Kotomine sneered.
In one swift motion, Eli's left hand suddenly came in contact with Kotomine neck, in the verge of actually crushing the mage's windpipes.
"One more breath of a twisted sarcasm from you and I guarantee you won't be there to witness tomorrow's sunrise." Eli uttered in an obviously angry and hair-raising tone which made Kotomine's steel cold expression waver for a brief moment.
"Look, I don't really give a damn about the current Holy Grail War that's keeping every mage I know busy. All I want to know is the reason why a servant suddenly attacked me out of nowhere and for no apparent reason. I have got nothing to do with the Grail, so why?" She removed her grip of the mage's neck and sat back down in a peculiarly graceful manner. Her expression returning to normal.
Kotomine gently touched the soft flesh of his neck as he cleared his throat audibly. "I take it that you aren't joining the current War?"
"Me? Hopping in on that nonsense War of yours? Why would I?"
"Isn't your name enough of a reason for you to join?"
"My name?"
"For whoever's sake Eli. You are Alexandra Elizabeth Bellefontaine Caelum. The only child of Siegfried Caelum who was considered to be a mage second to none, the strongest mage to have been born in centuries. Isn't that enough of a reason for you to continue where your father left off?"
"Is it actually enough of a reason for me to continue my father's foolishness? To actually continue what brought our family to ruins?"
"He did it all for your sake. For the sake of your family. Is it really that hard to understand?"
"Well, no one asked him too. I just want to live my life normally with him and my mother around. Is it too much of a request? I have got no need for power or all that bullshit. I just need them both to be with me as I try to find my place in the world."
"Your place in the world has long been decided before you were even in your mother's womb. There is no such thing as a normal life for those born in a family of mages. Especially that you were born as a Caelum, considered as one of the strongest mage family in the history of mankind whose existence dates far back to ancient times."
"Well, I didn't asked for all of this. It's not like I wanted to be born as a Caelum." Eli was now shouting at the top of her lungs. Small drops of tears started forming at the corner of her eyes as she felt a hefty pressure accumulating in the core of her chest.
"I am just worried about your future. Your father and I have been good friends since we were children. I couldn't bear to watch all of his efforts go tumbling down as his ungrateful daughter destroys what is left of the family he had spent the majority of his life building into what could be considered as the greatest mage family to ever exist."
"Well, I guess he didn't count the most important thing in the equation. You make it appear as if he was solely concerned of the welfare of our family when in fact, everything he's doing is only for his own self-glorification and satisfaction. He talks about creating a better world for his family when he can't even come to his own daughter's birthday. It's not the family he's trying to build to become better. It's the reputation of the family. The way other mages see the family. Because he wanted to become the most powerful of them all and be feared by many. That's it. Right from the start it's only the immense power that he's after. He' just blindly throwing around nonsense stuff and claiming that he was doing it for the sake of the family to make himself look better. And now he's dead."
Eli panted as if she just ran a marathon. Lots of unpleasant memories suddenly flowed into her as she reminisced everything that happened back when both of her parents were still alive. She tried to shove the thought aside but to no avail.
"Is that why you dismissed all the mages working under your roof and lead a solitary life embraced by the darkness of the underground society when your father died? Is that why you stooped down so low from being a noble and respectable mage into becoming a ruthless assassin? Do you really think that what you did was right? Do you really think that you would find happiness and contentment for doing all of those senseless things after your father's death?"
"Shut the hell up! It's none of your business!"
Eli threw what appears to be a knife at Kotomine's direction which the older mage caught without exerting even the least bit of effort.
"You'd have to throw much harder than that if you want to kill me Eli." Kotomine threw the weapon back at an emotionally unstable Eli and exhaled in exasperation.
"You cannot run away from your fate child. You cannot deny the powerful blood coursing through your veins."
"I will write my own destiny. I will be the one to dictate my own fate." Eli retorted back in defense. She wiped the tears cascading from her eyes like a waterfall and tried her hardest to calm down. She loathed the very fact that she easily snapped when the subject about her father's imprudent and untimely death was brought up as much as she loathed being born in a family of mages, bounded to an absurd and irrational sense of pride and duty. No, she didn't want any of these things. If being able to live a normal life meant losing all the riches and power she possessed, then she's better off being poor but rich in love and adoration by being surrounded by a family that values relationship over every other material things.
"Foolish words Eli. Foolish words. You're going to come back biting your own hand with that attitude of yours one day." Kotomine said in booming voice that reeks of authority. However, it did nothing to make Eli's resolve falter.
"I don't know why a servant attacked you out of the blue and in all honesty, I fervently wish that it was nothing more than a random act of collecting mana but if it wasn't…" The older mage uttered these words in the tone of a storyteller telling a suspense-filled cliffhanger to his audience.
"If it wasn't, then what?" Eli asked infuriatingly. She undoubtedly doesn't enjoy this kind suspense that Kotomine was unnervingly good in delivering.
"Do not forget that no matter how strong and powerful you might be as a mage, you are still no match for a servant's power." Kotomine declared with a serious look on his face.
"Then what do you suggest I should do? If the attack earlier wasn't just a random act of collecting mana…"
"I suggest that you summon yourself a servant to protect you of course, which reminds me…" Kotomine leaned closer to Eli as if he was about to whisper a very confidential secret that must be kept with utmost care.
"…there is still one slot left. Archer is yet to be summoned."
With that, Eli's eyes widened as a whirlwind of emotions made her insides curd. The feeling that was consuming her very being was something that cannot be easily described by mere words alone. It was something that was threatening to attack her but at the same time, it was something that was protecting her. Her intuitions which had saved her life countless times over, proved to be useless as she plopped on the floor with a loud thud. It was as if something inside her was violently thrashing to get out but at the same time was violently thrashing not to get out. It was such a contradictory and ironically poignant feeling that she couldn't understand. Part of her became increasingly interested with the fact that one servant was yet to be summoned but a part of her was also holding that interest back.
Kotomine laughed with a very pleased expression written all over his face.
"I told you, didn't I? No matter how hard you resist, you are still a mage, you are still a Caelum and you are still your father's daughter. Just give me a call if you happen to be the one to summon Servant Archer by a whimsical twist of fate."
The older mage stood up and proceeded to walk into the sea of darkness, which he had emerged from earlier, leaving a very disoriented and pained Eli behind.
~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o
Staring absentmindedly at the ceiling with her back on the bed, Eli held the book in her left hand tightly. It was the book her father left her which tells of a very effective method of summoning a strong servant for the Holy Grail War. Her family, of course, didn't fail to participate every ten years. However, she was definitely not in the mood of entering a ridiculous fight with a bunch of hoodlums but circumstances dictate that she might probably be off summoning the last servant and completing the cast of masters for the current war. After all, she was being haunted by a very troublesome servant. And as much as she would like to boast her skills and dexterity as a mage, she very well knew that she was no match for a heroic spirit with a noble phantasm.
He didn't dare to mention his real name but deep inside, Eli knew that the servant who attacked her was no other than the Blue Spearman of the Wind. One of Ireland's greatest hero who is said to have the swiftest ability in the use of the spear with a speed that could put even the wind to shame. His glinting red spear was already enough of a giveaway. And the mere knowledge of his identity was already enough of a reason not to take him lightly. He was Cú Chulainn, summoned as the Servant Lancer.
Eli lethargically got up and walked towards her enormous desk situated to the far side left corner of her room. She opened the drawer and got some blank scrolls usually used as tools for summoning. She drew a small portion of her blood from her finger and began inscribing a magical circle using a quill pen. Muttering a brief chant, the circle glowed blood red for a moment and small part of it was smeared slightly. Looking indiscreetly at the circle, Eli began to question her intentions like a lunatic.
The circle she drew was the very same circle found in the book left by her father. It was like nothing she has seen before but the contents in the book convinced her enough that it was something to be used and can be used only by a Caelum mage. It was designed purposely and specifically for their bloodline. It was to be used in summoning a servant for the Holy Grail War.
"This is indescribably ridiculous in so many levels." Eli thought to herself. Just moments ago, she stood firm in her resolve of not joining the War but now here she was, actually inscribing the summoning circle.
However, it wasn't as if part of her yearned to win the Holy Grail, a mystic item that is said to grant any wishes to its owner. And it wasn't as if she wanted to join in on the fun either. It was because she was greatly disturbed by Kotomine's words. If Servant Lancer was indeed targeting her some specific reasons other than just obtaining mana, then she is definitely in a very deep shit. Having to make an enemy out of any mage was already troublesome enough on its own but having to actually deal with a servant was another story. She couldn't think of any reason as to why she is to be targeted by someone participating in the War but still, she needed to be prepared. She has to take measures before it's already too late and Lancer's spear already pierced her heart.
Stuffing the scroll inside her pocket, Eli got out of her room and went down the stairs to the kitchen. She left the cirlce intentionally incomplete so that when the time comes, she could easily complete it and summon a servant to protect her, should Lancer be so persevering with hunting her down. But of course, she ardently wished that she would never have the chance to use it. No matter how hesitant she might be, she must be realistic enough to plan ahead and think of a possibility about her getting killed. That's why, albeit reluctantly, she acceded to the idea of carrying an incomplete circle to get herself ready for whatever is to come that is totally beyond her control and capabilities.
The Caelum mansion was enormous and could probably accommodate a thousand people easily and still spare a space for a football game. After her father died, Eli took it upon herself to dismiss all of their servants and apprentice mages and live a solitary life away from people. She covered all the windows with think-black curtains that it didn't really make much of a difference whether its day or night since it's always pitch dark inside. Eli has condemned herself to living like this after becoming an assassin. Being a cold-blooded murderer is a booming business in the underground society and could harbor a lot of money in a short time, but it's not like Eli actually needed the money to support herself and maintain all the properties she has inherited. In fact, the vast wealth she has gotten from her parents are more than enough to give her a luxurious and extravagant life until the day she dies. Becoming an assassin, for her, was more like a door to unlocking the purpose of her existence in the world.
Lost deeply in a stream of thoughts, Eli sat down and placed her cup of coffee on the kitchen counter. Staring blankly into space, she replayed in her mind everything that has happened during her encounter with Kotomine at the church last night. She still found it quite unbelievable that the one thing she despises the most is also the one thing that can save her from ultimate death. Contemplating on other possible options to get out of the mess she has unconsciously involved herself into, she heard a familiar laugh resonate throughout the house.
"To think that I could actually catch the infamous Caelum princess unaware."
Quite startled, Eli shot up from her seat and examined her surroundings. Finding nothing, she darted towards the door that leads to the main hall when suddenly, she found herself being toughly suppressed and bounded by chains which did not only limit her movements but also her magical abilities.
From the corner of the room, she heard someone clapping.
"Well, I have to say this is quite a sight. I never think that I would be able to see you like this."
It was Carlisle Antoinne Bergfalk. The current heir of the Bergfalk mage family which rivals the Caelum's. For a long time, these two families fought for complete supremacy and dominion as the two strongest and most influential mage families in the world. However that was only until Siegfried Caelum, Eli's father assumed authority and lead the Caelum family to much higher and greater heights which the Bergfalk family could only dream of reaching.
Standing in front of a pinned-down Eli, Carlisle smirked with triumphant jubilation. He was about 6 feet tall with a muscular build that made him look intimidating for a normal person. He had a reddish brown neck-length hair, parted to the right side of his face. He was wearing a dark blue trench coat with a white trimming on the collar. He was also wearing a necklace that bears his family's insignia.
"So it's just you, huh?" Eli replied with an evidently bored expression. Even under such a situation, she practically looked unfazed which did a good job of pissing off Carlisle.
"Just me? You do understand the situation that you're in, don't you Eli?" Infuriated, Carlisle got down on his knees and gripped Eli's face tightly in some sort of a warning.
Eli smiled somewhat sarcastically. "Why of course I do. Some second-rate mage has broken into the house and is rejoicing at the fact that he has caught me off-guard for the first time in his life. Well, isn't that great Carlisle?"
"BITCH!" Carlisle yelled as he brought his hand down on Eli's face with such impact that the female mage was sure it made the insides of her head dishevel in virtual disarray.
"Whoa. I didn't know you were into those kind of stuff Carlisle."
Hearing an all-too familiar voice, Eli looked above her and what she saw nearly made her heart stop from beating.
"Hello there little princess. We meet again." The man clad in an all blue outfit with a flashing red spear waved at her and smiled a warm smile that made Eli think of those good-looking guys in the television that made girls squeal in delight, every girl except for her that is.
"You sure are late Lancer." Carlisle stood up and glared fiercely at Lancer.
"Lancer is here? So that means… Carlisle was actually the one who ordered him to attack me?"
In just a matter of seconds, everything seemed pretty clear to Eli. Lancer attacked her not because he wants to collect mana. It was because Carlisle, his master, was behind it all. And to think that Carlisle was actually participating in the current war. He must have been very desperate to restore his family to its former glory.
"My apologies boss but I didn't expect it would actually be a little hard to track down Rider's master." Lancer bowed slightly in sincere apology.
"Enough excuses, we'll talk about that in detail later. Right now we have another interesting issue that needs to be discussed." Carlisle turned his attention back at Eli.
"So it's actually you, huh?" Eli eyed the male mage with a rather piercing look on her face.
"Yes princess, it was me."
"The hell? So the first order you actually issued to your servant was to kill me? And I'm not even part of this whole War shit!" Eli raised her voice a little higher which made her vexation a little too obvious.
"I can do whatever I want Eli. There are no rules that restricts me as to how I use my servant. I can only attain absolute magical superiority without you around. And you can very well be Lancer's limitless source of mana as we annihilate every servant and every master we encounter. In a way, that's also like hitting two birds with a single stone, don't you agree Eli?"
"Damn you and your cheap tricks!" Eli struggled as she attempted to break free from the chains but her resistance proved to be futile and only tightened the chains' hold on her.
"Kill her now Lancer, lest we come upon more troublesome things." Carlisle demanded with a strong aura of authority lingering around him. Eli could only take a nervous gulp as she whacked her brains out thinking of a way to get out this mess.
"Kill her?" Lancer directed his question at his master with a hesitant tone. "Isn't that such a waste boss? I mean, look at her. She's young, beautiful and unquestionably powerful. Do you think it's going too far? Can't you think of a much better way to make use of her?"
"You might be right." Carlisle bent down and ran his fingers through Eli's long flowing black locks which made the female mage shiver in complete abhorrence. "If only she wasn't born a Caelum, we might have become good friends. However, that's entirely impossible." Carlisle stood up and faced at the opposite direction. "Just make it quick Lancer. Use the Gae Bolg."
"Aw, how unfortunate. To think that I would actually have to use my noble phantasm to rob a beautiful maiden of her life. But I guess, that can't be help. If that's what my master orders me, then I really have no choice." Lancer turned to face Eli. "I am so sorry little princess. It isn't my style to actually do things like this but my master's orders are absolute."
Beckoning the power of his noble phantasm, Lancer was surrounded by an immense aura of red which filled the entire mansion in just a few seconds. Calling on the river of power that was afforded to him when he was summoned as a servant in the Holy Grail War, Lancer concentrated all of his energy in his spear which made his weapon glow brilliantly red. Speaking the language of his native land, Lancer prepared to strike a powerful blow to Eli's heart when suddenly, a blinding explosion transpired between him and the pinned-down female mage.
"What the hell was that?" Carlisle dashed beside Lancer but before they could even inspect their surroundings any further, a man clad in a royal armor of gold, which was certainly not of this world, appeared before them. The tip of Lancer's spear was held tightly between the thumb and index finger of his right hand which was also encompassed by a glinting gold armor that shines luminously despite the darkness of the mansion. He was tall, even taller than Lancer himself, with golden hair standing up like a blazing flame. His eyes were crimson like blood and gave off a mysterious radiance that could make an ordinary human wither.
"And who is the mortal brave and daring enough to summon the King? Much less, summon me in the middle of a progressing battle. You've got some guts human." The man in an armor of gold announced in a voice that suggested absolute nobility and power. Carlisle and Lancer stood dumbfounded, unable to move an inch from sheer pressure and surprise.
The newcomer turned to face at a careworn Eli and flashed her a sinister smile.
"Are you the one who summoned me? Tell me, human. I am the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, summoned to this War as the Servant Archer. I ask of you, are you my master?"