Ad astra per aspera
Once upon a time, there lived a king who was loved by everyone.
He ruled above his subjects with kindness and he bestowed his enemies the rightful sentences they deserve. He slayed the beasts that threatened his land and set foot on a journey to find a wish granting cup that'll give his kingdom glory that no one has ever seen.
This King was loved by all and he loved them as much in return.
Yet...
...it is this same love that proved to be his own downfall.
It is this same love that killed the kingdom he held so dearly.
See, the king loved too much. He gave too much. He dedicated his entire life to his kingdom. From the moment he pulled the sword from the stone, he vowed to live for his people and to love them with all of his heart and soul.
"I love you, I love you, I love you." The traitor repeated.
Those words rang in the King's ear as his kingdom burned to the ground. He asks the traitor why has he done this, why must he do this. But all reason seemed to have disappeared and he simply flashed a crazed smile.
"Father," his opponent breathes. "You and me. We shall be together forever."
Forever...
The King didn't have a choice then. He knew what he must he do and he exacted the rightful punishment for the traitor. No matter how hard the decision was, he knew what he must do. And that was to put an end to this. With absolute resolution, his sword pierces the man directly into his chest, impaling his heart and putting an end to this rebellion that he started.
"F-father..." The traitor stutters under his dying breath. He reaches out one bloodied hand to touch the King's face but he never did managed to do so. And as his tears falls, he utters the King's name, father, father, for the last time. Acceptance, Love, and having something that he could call as his.
Those were things the traitor wanted.
Those were the things the King could not give him.
There is a dull pain in her hand as the mark starts to form. She doesn't flinch, nor did she even care. It is to be expected, the girl thinks as she stares at it.
All the preparation she's done her life is for this exact moment. She has been waiting for this red-like ink to graze her hand as a sign that she is worthy of this demented game.
That's right, she has been expecting this.
But it doesn't mean that she likes it. A mark resembling that of a bird who has its wings spread, ready to take its flight to freedom. No matter where she looks at it, this mark is nothing but a mockery of sort.
This entire game is definitely mocking her.
"My lady?" She hears a knock from the bathroom door. "Are you alright? You've been there for an hour. Your mother is worried." The servant continues, her voice slightly muffled.
The girl inhales a deep breath and raises her now marked hand to the ceiling. Has it been that long? She wonders. The water is definitely turning cold but it feel like she just stepped inside the bathtub moments ago.
"Lady Rhys?" The servant calls again, this time her tone is frantic from not receiving a response.
"I'm fine," the girl finally answers. The water splashes everywhere as she rises and reaches for a nearby towel to cover herself. Rhys catches sight of her reflection from the foggy mirror and couldn't help but frown. She barely sees her face and yet she almost picture a pair of golden eyes looking at her with outmost pity.
"It's not too late." A voice whispers. "Severe the bond. Run away. Run away, little girl. Forget them. Forget, forget, forget—"
"Shut up." She growls before throwing a handful of water at the mirror.
Surprise could be seen on Marian's face when Rhys finally opens the door. The younger has a few guesses to why. First she hasn't properly dried herself. A puddle of water is already forming underneath her and her expression is probably still fix in a distress state. Then, the woman's eyes falls down on the mark on her hand and the worry quickly changes into excitement.
"My lady!" The servant exclaims excitedly. "That mark, could it be—"
"Marian," she says her name firmly. "I need to get changed. Please leave."
While the woman's smile falls, Rhys could still see the elation in her eyes. How could she not? Much like everyone else, she's also waiting for this day to come. She was there all throughout the preparation, watching, waiting, and hoping. Just like the loyal servant of the family of Barthomeloi.
"As you wish, my lady." The woman says before turning on her heel and leaving the room, off to tell her mother the great news most likely.
Rhys feels a vile rise up her throat.
"Leave, leave, leave. This isn't your battle."
The voice whispers in her ears as she closes the door. Its dark shadow looming behind her, hands holding onto her bare shoulders and smirking.
"Little girl, run away. Fly, fly, fly, leave this place. Forsake everyone. Forsake them, forsake, forsake—"
Rhys Barthomeloi falls down to her knees in exhaustion. "Shut up," she weakly whispers and rest her head on her now closed door.
There's a storm brewing within the city of Fuyuki.
The sky is entirely covered with dark gray clouds and the wind is strong enough to break some unfortunate soul's umbrella under its wake. While everyone scrambles to find the nearest shelter, a figure is seen leisurely walking the streets, seemingly uncaring of the strong gush of wind and the inevitable fall of rain.
His red coat sways wildly and his dark hair is being ruffled but the boy gives this no in mind. He is not in a hurry and he have no slightest idea where he is going.
All he have in mind is that this is the perfect day to mark the start of the madness that is the Holy Grail War.
His family has been participating in the game for generations now. At some point they even won, and as per tradition it is now his time to take that mantle.
'The Holy Grail will grant any wish of the winner of this battle.' Or so how he understood it.
Tohsaka Kaoru thinks it's strange for the Grail to choose him. After all, you need to have a wish for it to grant, right? He, like the anomaly that he is, doesn't have any. He longs for nothing. He barely understand any of the technical aspect of the Holy Grail. So why him? Shrugging, he brushes the thought aside. It doesn't matter, the boy thinks. After all, all he needs to do is to win, right? And that's exactly what's going to happen.
With a grin, the boy continues his seemingly unending journey in this storm.
Rhys Barthomeloi descends down the stairs clad in the black dress her mother had reserve for this very special day. She still thinks it's excessive but arguing with that woman never goes elsewhere. What her mother wants, she'll definitely get.
So even though going down the mansion's dungeon in a extravagant dress is way too much, she forces her mouth shut.
Her Mother and Marian are already in the dungeon waiting for her. Marian is still clad in her servant's attire which consists of a black dress and white apron. Her Mother on a different hand is the opposite. Being part of the Barthomeloi family, she carries herself like an aristocrat and it is seen with the way she dresses. She wears this red dress that perfectly hugs her curves and her auburn hair is set in a firm bun.
Upon seeing her, the woman's red painted lips quirks into a smile.
"My darling," She starts as Rhys reaches the last steps. "You look perfect, truly." The woman comments and puts a lock of her daughter's dark hair behind her ear.
"Thank you, Mother." Rhys says, trying not to recoil within the woman's touch. If Bernadette notices her daughter's discomfort, she doesn't show it. Instead she takes the girl's hand and leads her to a mahogany table on the corner.
A large rectangular blue box sits on top of it. It is lined in gold and a Sapphire stone sits just right in the middle. "Your father and I have been preparing for this day." Bernadette starts and unlocks it. "We made sure to get the best catalyst for you. With this, your win is almost certain." The woman continues. She has now fully opened the box and what's inside is displayed in its full glory.
It is a scabbard.
A majestic thing of blue and gold. It shines bright even under the limited lighting of the dungeon, as if it's programmed to be at its best in every occasion. But that's not what catches her attention the most. This scabbard, if it is indeed a catalyst belonging to a great hero of the past, it's old age would be the first thing that anyone would notice.
But no.
This one is strange. No dents, no marks, not a single fleck of dust on it. It is almost as if it have been forged just yesterday.
"It is time," Bernadette says as she gently takes the scabbard from its container. "Come now," the woman smiles at her that brings a shiver down her spine. And with a nod, Rhys follows her mother to the summoning circle they've set in the middle of the dungeon. "This is the day," she whispers and plays the catalyst inside of it. "That you will bring us glory."
'There's still time. You can run. Leave this place, little bird. Leave.'
Rhys bites her lower lips and clenches her fist.
With a one last intake of breath, the girl follows her mother and stands outside of the summoning circle. Bernadette chooses to stay a few feet away from her daughter and crosses her arms under her breast.
The possibility of this ritual failing is almost close to none but it still doesn't help calm her nerves down. It has to succeed. Everything she has is, everything she's worked on, it all depends on the success of this summoning ritual.
She must not fail.
At the same time, the Tohsakas are preparing for a ritual of their own.
Kaoru drowsily stares at the antique clock in their receiving area. He's choosen to do the summoning ritual here than in their workshop for reason just because he never did liked that place. He thinks it's way too stuffy and smells of old men and deceit. Tohsaka Kaoru has always been the type to do whatever he pleases.
And besides... It's not like there's anyone out here to tell him otherwise.
"Well then... Let's start." He says particularly to no one.
Having had the furnitures moved to the corner, he made a summoning circle in the middle of the room and prepared his catalyst. It wasn't easy getting ahold of this one, he'll admit. He paid a hefty amount of money just to get. In the end, Kaoru knows he's choosen the right one.
A pair of horns from the helmet of a hero who ended the tale of a long reigning King. A heroic spirit who embodies the death of everything people worked oh so hard for.
To him, for Tohsaka Kaoru, no other Heroic Spirit better suits him.
"Preparations, ready." He drawls. "Time, good." He adds as his eyes darts to the antique clock. "Wavelength, ideal." Kaoru confirms and massages his neck before raising his hand forward.
It's time.
"Let silver and steel be the essence." Rhys recites from the dungeon of the Barthomeloi's mansion. "Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation."
"Let my great master, Schweinorg be the ancestor." Kaoru says the words with outmost confidence. "Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall."
"Let the four cardinal gates close," She continues. "Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."
"I hereby declare," they say in unison. "Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail." The summoning circles are glowing intensely at this point on but both masters didn't let the overflowing onslaught of mana affect them. "If you submit to this will and reason... Then answer!"
"An oath shall be sworn here!" She exclaims. "I shall obtain all the virtues of all Heaven, I shall have dominion over all evils of Hell." Rhys Barthomeloi swears and laces her words with sincerity.
But Tohsaka Kaoru has a different plan of his own. "Yet, though serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos." He adds to the incantation. "Thou, bound in the cage of madness. I am he who command these chains!"
The intensity of the ritual is at full at full blast. Both parties could almost feel their surrounding shaking and both masters hold their ground as the spirits finally starts to take form.
"From the Seventh Heaven," She exclaims. "Attended by the three great words of power!"
"Come forth from the ring of restraints!" He grins excitedly. "Protector of the Holy Balance!"
A blinding light and a strong gush of wind fills the room, nearly knocking Kaoru from his spot. The boy covers his eyes from it and it almost feels like an enternity before everything dies down.
His heart is beating wildly in his chest.
He's done it.
He knows he's done it.
He could feel the connection between him and the Heroic spirit.
And as he puts his arm down, his guess is then proven right by the sight before him.
Clad in a full body armor of red and silver, Kaoru's grin grows wider when the helmet the spirit is wearing opens up and reconnects with his armor.
"Servant Berserker," the spirit starts. "I ask of you... Are you my master?"
He, with a feeling so overwhelming, is sure that he's going to win this war.
Meanwhile, in the dungeon of Barthomeloi's mansion all three women are astonished of the sight standing in front of her. Even Bernadette couldn't stop the gasp that leaves her mouth as she takes in the form of the Heroic Spirit they, her daughter, summoned.
A Knight of Blue and Silver. He stands before them with a posture that could only belong to that of a royal lineage. His hair gold and seems to sparkle within the lights of the summoning circle. And his eyes resembling that of an expensive jade stone.
"Servant Saber," he starts. "I have come in response to your summon."
Rhys gathers all of her strength to not fall down.
"Through adversity to the stars"
First post yeet. Please be gentle with me.