Note: This is a reboot of my earlier Apocrypha fanfic, Sable and Crimson. For the various reasons, I decided to reboot this story completely. I wasn't completely satisfied with the previous iteration of this fanfic. Many things got overhauled and some characters replaced. So here it is, the reboot.
So far, this chapter is just the opening introduction. Next chapter will have more character interaction.
I am writing and editing this without a beta, so if anyone is interested in helping as a beta, I would welcome that.
Another Path-Chapter One
''So that's it eh?'' Caules Forvedge Yggdmillennia sighed as he thought about recent events.
The proverbial Rubicon had been crossed yesterday. There was no going back after this. Darnic had committed everything to this enterprise. The Command Spells had already appeared on the chosen participants. It had been only a few days ago when the official declaration of secession was sent to the Association's headquarters in London. Mere hours after that, the fifty-man attack group of hunters was slaughtered by Lancer of Black.
It had been a remarkable and terrifying sight, to witness the power of a Servant in action. It was a sobering reminder that Caules would soon command one of these legendary figures in battle.
The youth stood inside his sister's workshop, preparing for the upcoming summoning that was to take place. His catalyst was in a box in front of him. Fiore has purchased it from a freelance magus through the Wandering Sea. Holy relics and curios like this had been circulating throughout the world ever since the Subcategory Holy Grail Wars became popular.
Caules was all too aware that Grandfather Darnic considered him to be nothing more than filler to round out the seven chosen Masters. As his aptitude as a magus was low, he would probably be put in charge of one of the weaker classes like Assassin or Berserker.
The youth paused, opening the box.
From what information that Yggdmillennia had been able to gather, this particular Heroic Spirit had been summoned in a Subcategory Holy Grail War before, as an Assassin-class Servant in Tokyo. The clan had observers in that war who had taken note of war and gathered information.
''What a pain,' Caules rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked back at the old beaker in the wooden box. It seemed innocuous, but this would summon his chosen hero.
''Caules?'' a calm, bell-like voice sounded from the doorway of the room.
Fiore entered the room, her wheelchair being pushed by a homunculus maid. She had a box of her own in her lap, something that contained her chosen relic. From what Caules knew, she had obtained it from a clan member in India, purchased at great expense.
''Yeah sis?'' Caules glanced up at his sister.
''It's almost time. Grandfather is gathering us in the throne room. Everything is prepared for the ritual,'' she smiled at him.
''I got it. Don't worry; I won't let you down,'' the young man nodded.
''Everything will be fine Caules,'' Fiore nodded at him before she was wheeled out.
Caules watched her leave. He took a deep breath and summoned every scrap of courage he had.
It was time to summon his Servant.
''-For you would be one caged in madness. I shall wield your chains!''
A great torrent of magical energy filled the air as Caules chanted the summoning aria with his fellow Masters. He felt his meager Magic Circuits burn to their maximum limits as the ritual for summoning the Heroic Spirits proceeded to its conclusion. The limited fragment of the Third Magic was now manifesting these epic spirts from another realm.
Behind his back, he could almost feel Darnic's stern gaze on his form. Both the Yggdmillennia patriarch and Lancer were seated in the back. To Caules's right, Caster of Black and his Master Roche had come to witness the Heroic Spirit summoning in the throne room. Assassin of Black had been dispatched on her own mission and as such was absent.
''-From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balance!'' he finished.
It was done. Smoke billowed around the room as the surge of magical energy faded away. Four humanoid figures knelt in the middle of the grand summoning circle.
"In accordance to the summons, we present ourselves - the Servants of Black. Our fates shall be with Yggdmillennia, and our swords shall be as your swords," the chorus of voices echoed.
A series of affirmations sounded from about the room. They had done it. The Masters of Black had summoned their Servants. For Caules, his exhaustion was overtaken by his happiness. The hardest part was now over. The young man observed the majestic forms of the Heroic Spirits, the champions who had surpassed humanity.
The first warrior was a man clad in a dark outfit with pieces of strange silver armor. An intimidating black mask concealed his facial features. He carried a red longsword in one gauntlet as well as several silver daggers at his side. He stood proud and unyielding as he glanced over his surroundings.
The next summoned hero was a dark-skinned young man who wore a white achkan. His gaze was sharp and piercing, like a bird of prey. Despite his slender frame, he seemed to radiate a feeling of immense power.
Behind them was a slender, effeminate youth clad in a white cloak and armor. At first glance, one would be hard-pressed to tell if this youth was a man or a woman. This knight had a goofy-looking smile as he regarded his new comrades.
As well as one more:
The last figure was a blonde-haired youth dressed in old-fashioned clothes. His features were pleasant and handsome, the very image of a kind-hearted gentleman.
''…Are you really a Berserker?'' Caules broke the silence. His question was directed to the well-dressed young man before him.
The magus had good reason to wonder. The young man before him was calm and composed, entirely unlike a Berserker. He didn't even seem like a proper Heroic Spirit. Out of all the assembled heroes in this room, he seemed to lack the radiant aura of a Servant, the shining pride of their legend. Instead, Berserker seemed to be like a normal human.
''It's true. I have been summoned as a Berserker,'' the young gentlemen introduced himself politely.
The others could only regard him strangely. Only Darnic and Fiore knew what Heroic Spirit that Caules was going to summon, so they already knew what to expect from Berserker. He was the sort who could only display his madness under certain conditions.
''I must be speaking to Dr. Jekyll then,'' Caules glanced him over. He knew what Heroic Spirit he was summoning of course. Even so, it another thing to see meet him in the flesh.
The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. It was the story of a brilliant chemist who attempted to detach the evil from himself. He created the aspect of ''Edward Hyde,'' who committed numerous atrocities. Eventually, Jekyll self-destructed after falling into madness.
''Yes sir. My name is Henry Jekyll. I'm pleased to meet you,'' the youth nodded to his Master.
''Oh, so I did summon the right one,'' the Forvedge magus muttered to himself.
Caules knew about the reputation of the Berserker class. In various Subcategory Holy Grail Wars, Masters had a difficult time controlling their Berserkers. Due to their Class Skill, it was difficult to form a mutual understanding with them. In regards to that problem, Caules was lucky to summon this sort of man as a Berserker.
''You must be my Master then. I'm pleased to meet you,'' Berserker smiled at Caules and extended his hand in a friendly greeting.
''Ah, yes. My name is Caules,'' the bespectacled boy blinked as he accepted Berserker's hand.
''I'm sorry I seem to have such an underwhelming first impression. Rest assured; I will prove myself on the battlefield-,'' Berserker's words were quickly interrupted.
''Oh our Berserker can talk! It's nice to meet you, Henry!'' an exuberant voice cut through the air.
The pink-haired Rider rushed up to the blonde youth excitedly.
''Err, it's Berserker. I'm sorry but who would you be?'' Berserker blinked in confusion.
''Oh me? I'm Astolfo, one of the Twelve Peers,'' the young Paladin chirped happily.
Duke Astolfo, one of the knights who served the Frankish emperor Charlemagne. A free-spirited adventurer, his tale is told in such ballads as the Orlando Furioso and the Orlando Innamorato. He is famous for the many items he gathered on his journeys.
''Well then, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Rider,'' The bespectacled doctor replied in a kind tone, shaking Rider's hand.
The assembled Masters paused, glancing at each other. Darnic finally cleared his throat.
''We all agreed to share the true names of our Servants. Two of our champions have already done so. The rest of you should introduce yourselves,'' the Yggdmilennia patriarch commanded.
The various Servants looked at their Masters. The masked knight was the first to speak. He glanced back and forth, assessing those around him.
''So I've been summoned by an organization that names itself after Yggdrasil? Interesting,'' the masked man noted in an curt tone before continuing.''I am Servant Saber, Sigurd.''
Sigurd, the legendary hero of the Volsung saga, the great epic of Northern Europe. He accomplished many daring feats, such as defeating the armies of King Lyngi and slaying the evil dragon Fafnir at Gnitaheidr. He's a celebrated great hero, praised around the world as the noble King of Warriors. It was no surprise that he manifested as a Saber-class Servant, given that he wielded the strongest demonic sword Gram.
Next, to the stoic knight, the slender, dark-skinned youth in the white coat glanced over at Fiore with his hawk-like eyes. Fiore had known what to expect, after having the clan's agents search the catalyst at the Hastinapur dig site. Even so, this man's strikingly handsome features seemed to rob her of speech for a bit. Even without her Master's perspective, she could tell that this man was a mighty hero.
''I am Arjuna of the Pandavas. Know this O magus; my bow is at your command,'' Archer of Black bowed to Fiore.
Everyone in the room took pause.
Arjuna, the name of a renowned hero with a great legend. He was one of the greatest heroes of the Mahabharata and a central figure in the Bhagavad Gita chapter. The prince was born of the thunder god Indra and a human woman. He had shown incredible martial skill at an early age, mastering all the divine weapons of the gods. Out of the Hindu Heroic Spirits, there is only a handful as famous as Arjuna.
''My name is Fiore. It's nice to meet you,'' she held out her arm in a greeting.
Archer paused, looking unsure of the gesture before he took her hand in his. Archer's hand felt smooth, yet firm and secure.
''Rest assured Master, my skill at archery is unrivaled. I can say with confidence that I'll bring you victory on the battlefield,'' Archer told her. His tone was careful and composed as if he was at a royal court.
Fiore smiled, gazing into the dark pools of his eyes, ''I'll hold you to that,''
''Splendid. Our preparations are complete. All of the Servants of Black are now assembled,'' the deep, commanding voice of Lancer of Black echoed in the room.
The pallid monarch regarded the summoned heroes with his intimidating gaze. This majestic figure is the hero that Darnic summoned two months ago, the man that stood at the apex of Yggdmillennia.
Vlad III. The monarch of Wallachia who had earned his fame by fending off the armies of the Ottoman Turks. He was unquestionably the most famous hero of Romania. Considering the location of this battleground, his appearance was to be expected. It went without saying that Lancer of Black stood at the top of the Black Faction. If he were the king who would lead them into battle, then these Servants would be his subordinates for this war.
All the Servants of Black have now been summoned.
Now, the grand-scale conflict would begin. An unprecedented conflict between Heroic Spirits that eclipsed even the Fuyuki war.
''How is your project coming along?'' Darnic asked Caster.
The leader of Yggdmillennia accepted a teacup from one of the homunculus maids. These artificial humans were different from the type Gordes made. These creations were mass-produced clones who shared a hive mind. In that respect, they were more like robots than anything else.
Caster had been using the same techniques to mass-produce an army of combat homunculi for the Black Faction. Having been coined in a month, they were hulking lumps of white flesh linked by a hive mind and controlled by their maker. The entire basement of the Fortress of Millennia had been transformed into Caster's workshop. To an outside observer, it would resemble a chemical laboratory. Across the room, sturdy glass tanks containing developing homunculi were arranged in rows. Golems moved about, carrying equipment.
''Quite well thank you. The materials you have provided me are suitable,'' Caster nodded.
''I'm pleased to hear that. I hope to have a Philosopher's Stone soon,'' Darnic nodded as he regarded this person with a look of respect.
Caster of Black was a slender, delicate man clad in a white robe. You could say he was more beautiful than handsome. From afar, one could easily mistake him for a woman. Caster's voice was calm and placid, without any trace of emotion.
It was only natural that Caster could create such an incredible Mystic Code. Caster of Black was Paracelsus von Hohenheim, the legendary alchemist. He was a famous doctor who went down in both the magical and mundane worlds as a brilliant scholar. Paracelsus had rediscovered the five elements and codified modern alchemy. Indeed, even today, Clock Tower students still study Paracelsus's teachings. The Azoth blades that he pioneered are yet handed down to apprentices who complete their training.
Caster had been summoned two months ago, around the same time as Lancer. During that time Caster had been busy at work constructing groups of combat homunculi for Yggdmilennia's usage. He was an essential part of the Black camp's preparations.
His Item Creation skill had reached the rank of EX, allowing him to produce a variety of wonders. For example, four of Caster's Elementals floated at the corners of his workshop. Each one was an ether clump formed into a photonic crystal that could cast powerful magecraft. ''Salamander'', ''Gnome'', ''Undine,'' and ''Slyph''.
However, these things paled next to Caster's crown jewel. The lapis philosophorum. The Philosopher's Stone, an essential item in the field of alchemy. It was a symbol of immortality and perfection. For a magus, it was a photonic crystal that could perform calcuations for the use of magecraft. It was something Darnic desired. After all, Darnic desired eternal life. Having the Philosopher's Stone would be invaluable to the Yggdmillennia patriarch. Already Darnic was approaching his limit to his research into immortality.
Such a creation had Gordes turn green with envy. It went without saying that Caster greatly surpassed Gordes when it came to alchemy. The fat Master was of mixed emotions regarding Caster. On the one hand, Gordes admired Paracelsus as a great alchemist who advanced the art of alchemy. On the other hand, the fat man viewed the Servants as tools.
In other words, Gordes's respect warred with his inborn arrogance.
By contrast, Caster saw the fat man as one of his children. To Paracelsus, all users of magecraft are his precious children who inherited his teachings. If Gordes merely asked for alchemic knowledge, then Caster would happily comply.
''Our preparations are almost complete. The seven on our side have been summoned. I expect the Association to complete their efforts soon as well,'' Caster noted.
''Yes. Our spirit board has already confirmed that their Servants have been summoned. We will encounter our foes soon,'' Darnic clarified.
''Understood. I detest combat, but I am ready for the upcoming battle,'' Caster noted.
The castle and the surrounding area had been transformed into Caster's territory. Having anecdotes as a legendary magus, Paracelsus could construct a Temple-class workshop. If Caster combined his territory with Lancer's stakes, they would have a first-class defensive position.
''I have confidence. After all, my lord is the most famous hero in Romania. Also, our summoned Servants are all quite excellent,'' Darnic smirked.
Saber, Sigurd. Archer, Arjuna. Rider, Astolfo. Berserker, Dr. Jekyll. Caster, Paracelsus von Hohenheim. Standing at the top of that army was Vlad III, the patriotic hero. It was a formidable gathering of Heroic Spirits.
Caster nodded in agreement.
''Now about Assassin-,'' the other man mused.
''Yes, despite our initial problems, she should be able to carry out her mission,'' the alchemist noted.
The Yggdmillennia magus in charge of Assassin, Sagara Hyouma, had thought that there was a limit to what could be achieved with the traditional Assassin. He acquired a catalyst for the legendary serial killer, Jack the Ripper. However, Darnic ended up overruling him and ordering him to summon a Hassan. Darnic wished for a known quantity to command.
Assassin of Black was the Hassan of Serenity, one of the nineteen Hassan chiefs. She was most famous for her unique ability that replicated the legend of the ''Visha Kanya'' from Indian myth. Her entire body was transformed into a weapon. Her toxins could even kill high-ranking Magic Beasts. As one of the nineteen Hassan wraiths, her combat abilities were low, but Yggdmillennia planned to use her as a scout and an infiltrator in this war. She would infiltrate into the enemy territory and subvert their efforts from the inside.
Assassin had been dispatched a short time ago to infiltrate the local population and to observe the arrival of the Red Masters. If possible, she would try to assassinate an enemy Master if the opportunity presented itself.
''Eh? Teacher?'' Roche poked his head around the corner.
''Yes?'' Caster glanced at his young Master.
Though they had practiced different foundations of magecraft, Caster accepted Roche as one of his descendants, treating him as a pupil. Roche employed his golems as assistants and workers around Caster's workshop. The two had even started a plan to possible transfer magic circuits to golems, to create golems who could use magecraft.
''The stone has almost reached the reddening stage, just like you said, teacher!'' Roche told him.
''Excellent,'' Caster rose from the table. ''Do pardon me for the interruption,''
''It's fine. I must confer with my lord,'' Darnic bowed politely and left.
His hand tightened on his cane as he walked out of Caster's workshop. This was it, his tenacity of sixty years has paid off. Everything was for this moment. Yggdmillennia could achieve victory and the Holy Grail. Every preparation had been made.
Darnic smirked in anticipation of the upcoming battles.
Note: Fans with knowledge of Grand Order would probably understand why I choose Jekyll as Caules's Berserker. His materialization as a Berserker here is slightly different from his Assassin aspect. I'm quite pleased to return to writing Jekyll after writing for him in Of Relics of Men.
Sigurd is another character that was released in Fate Grand Order recently, and I've grown to be quite a fan of his character and design. At the moment, he appears as his first ascension. Also, I suppose I should make it clear that Sigurd won't be giving his heart to Sieg in this fic. I plan to take Sigurd on a different direction than what Siegfried did in canon.
I had a few previous questions about Astolfo in an earlier version of this fic. Suffice to say I couldn't find a Rider suitable enough to fulfill the role I had planned out for Black Rider in this fic, so Astolfo got to stay.
Lastly, all the Servant choices in this fic have already been decided beforehand. I won't be taking any suggestions for Red or Black Servants.