Chapter 2
I steadily opened the door, only to enter a supply closet. I didn't know why, but I couldn't help but look almost longingly at the piles of books and cabinets full of papers. Maybe I would kind of miss being here, at this school. I wandered around a bit and looked through the yearbooks in the corner, they were all blank. The papers in the cabinets were full of complicated programming code, I didn't know what that meant. Why was I being so sentimental? For a minute, I even felt the desire to turn back and go home, though there was nothing to return to. It was as though I was leaving the place where I was born and raised...
I suddenly heard a clattering noise, and I looked in the center of the room, where an effigy was standing.
"Welcome potential master."
Master...?
"That effigy is to be your sword and shield for the coming test, take it, and use it as your protector..."
The voice sounded familiar. Had I heard it before? I had no idea what it was saying, or where I had heard it, but I had to do what it said. The effigy followed me into a second door, this time a hole in the wall, when I opened my eyes, I saw a long, dark path going through a black void. If I walked down it, I'd find my answer...
I started to run at a steady pace, with the effigy close behind. For a minute, it seemed like I was running for almost an eternity, but as I did, the surroundings started to change. I felt a gust of wind against my face and I could feel my hair being blown back. The road I was traveling on became more and more complex as I kept going further, and finally, the path had developed into a full-fledged dungeon. The floors and walls reminded me of the graph paper I was used to seeing in math class, it was as though I was walking on a giant, gridded, coordinate plane. The place was hollow and dark, it was only filled with the color blue and cold air.
I finally stopped running once I came to a room, the effigy and I stopped in the center, waiting for whatever was going to attack us.
"Welcome potential master..."
The voice talked again, it sounded like it was coming from the sky above. What was it? Was this some sort of God? I wasn't sure.
"If you are looking for answers, you must reach the goal. Now please, step forward."
I saw a narrow path to my left, I steadily walked towards it. At the end of the path, there was a rectangular room, in the center, there was a box suspended in mid-air.
"That is an item folder. It contains a farewell present of sorts for those about to face the coming trial. Now, touch it."
I opened it, and took the healing potion from it, and I made for the next room, but there was a purple colored sphere-like creature blocking my path. It stood still, then blinked at me curiously. The 'eye' in the center of the sphere seemed dull and heavy, as though it was weary from seeing people like me in this dungeon.
"That is an enemy program. Get too close, and you will have to fight. However, now you don't have to. The effigy will fight in your stead. However, if it is destroyed, you will die. Don't worry now though, just do as I say for the time being, fight. I am sure you will come out unharmed, as it can only perform one action, and every action has a command to counter it..."
The enemy program suddenly made a beeping noise and shifted its position. Before, it seemed like it was asleep, but now it was fully alert. It dashed towards my effigy while spinning rapidly.
"Dodge it, now!" I commanded the effigy.
The effigy jumped in the opposite direction and the enemy program crashed into a nearby wall, then it stood still, contemplating its next move.
How was I going to defeat this thing? I remembered the voice saying that a program can only perform one action. This program spun rapidly in our direction, perhaps to attack. However, it was attacking rather recklessly, as though trying to dash at a wall to break through it.
That was when I realized that it was trying to break through something: our defenses. While trying to break through us, it will not pay attention to its own defense, therefore, the program will be open to attack.
"Keep attacking it until it is destroyed!"
The effigy punched and kicked the enemy repeatedly, it kept taking damage until it fell to the floor and disappeared in a flash of light.
Wow... I had no idea I was such a quick thinker...
"Very good. You learn fast. Plan your moves well, and you can defeat your foe. The goal is still far ahead, if you must bask in the afterglow of your victory, do so while moving forward..."
I ran to the next room, and there was another program, except that this one was green. This one kept trying to lunge at the effigy with all its strength.
"Dodge the attacks!"
The effigy moved through the battlefield with lightening speed. Then I thought, if this one was going to keep attacking, I should just block and counter!
"Block and counter each attack!"
The effigy got into a defensive position and blocked the program's attacks, soon after, it would land a blow of its own, just like the last battle, I had won this one.
"Excellent. Now on to the next one..."
I ran down a long path, and then a third, orange enemy program was floating. This one didn't attack at all, it just stayed there in a defensive position. I just told the effigy to break through its defenses and the program was knocked out in no time.
"Very good, you now know the basics of fighting. The rest is to be learned through valuable experience... now proceed and you'll see what I mean."
I ran down another long path and saw a red colour enemy program.
"All of the enemy programs you've faced so far only used one move, this won't happen in a real fight. Like you, your enemies will choose their actions based on the situation and general observation. At first their actions will be hard to predict, but after facing them multiple times, you can predict their patterns accurately."
I ran into the program and started a fight. This one spun around twice, so it was trying to break through my defenses. So I commanded the effigy to attack it while its defenses were open. Then it curled up in a defensive position, and I broke through it. I attacked it again, and then the program disappeared.
"Good job. Now proceed to the final room..."
What could be waiting for me there? I guess I had to run to find out. I ran down the next hallway and entered a wide room with stained glass windows like a chapel. The walls were as black as night and the floor had a strange circular pattern. It was a giant circle that looked like a clock with three smaller circles in the middle. I made it. At the end of this long road, and after going through the door that appeared in the wall, I'd finally return to the real world...
However, what was this place anyway? Why did I have to fight enemy programs? Was this the only way to get out of here...?
When I looked to my right, I saw a student had collapsed, when I looked closer, it was the boy that was following Leo a while ago. Then I remembered that he went through the door too. It was only a couple of hours before, but it felt like a lifetime ago to me.
"Hey! Wake up! Did something happen?" I call out to him.
There was no response. I went closer to him and shook his shoulders, but I realized that he was stone cold. I was pretty much trying to wake up a lifeless corpse.
I shrieked in horror as I realized that the boy was dead and stared in bewilderment at the effigy, identical to mine, kneeling by his side. Suddenly, it got up and stared at me. It was obvious. This thing was the final enemy to fight. It ran at me without warning and the battle started.
It was so unbelievably fast that it was impossible to see. It was so hard to think of an action to counter my opponents.
"Dodge the attacks!"
That didn't work, the opponent was somehow able to land hits no matter how hard I tried.
"Break through the defenses!"
That didn't work either, my effigy couldn't damage it in the slightest.
"Block and counter!"
No matter how well defended my effigy was, it was unable to avoid its opponent. Every command I had at my disposal seemed to fail... what now? Would I lose this fight after everything I worked for?
Defenseless, my effigy collapsed to the floor, and I felt sharp metal strike my back. I saw a little bit of my uniform had turned red because of the blood lost. I yelled in pain as I fell down with no energy left to stand.
"Hmm... you seem to be lacking as well..."
I could hear that voice taunt me... it just sounded so awful... it made the thought of death even worse...
"The time has come, with your inevitable demise, I will consider this round of the preliminaries to be over. Farewell. I pray you'll find peace in your annihilation."
Preliminaries...? Well, I guess I'll never know what they are... as I'm going to die. I don't even have the power to protest to the voice... I just stared at the floor, thinking about how I'm going to die here. Suddenly, at the edge of my vision, I saw brown coloured lumps rise from the ground. They were there all the time, but I only noticed them now, they were the bodies of students. Everyone who made it here died, and I'd be one of those lifeless corpses soon.
I wanted to cry, but I was too weak to even lament my fate. I was never able get back to the real world. I could never find out who I really was or the reason behind all those dreams. Everyone at school, or what I thought was school, I'd never see them again. I knew I had to close my eyes and let death take me, that was the rational thing to do. Only a fool would think they could move on...
However, there was so much left I had not done. Was I really going to die as a nameless person who failed to make it through their trial? I knew I still had some life left, if I could, what would I do with it? I'd surely get to the bottom of all this. I'd find out my real identity and my reason for existence. I'd break free from this monotonous prison and live a life for myself.
That's when a realization came to me. There was no question about it. I must get to the bottom of all this. I must find out the truth. No matter what, I refuse to give up.
I tried to get up, but I felt like my nerves were being ripped in my body. The pain was so intense, but familiar... like I've felt it before...
Yes... these strange feelings... I wouldn't call them memories, but feelings that were familiar to me! I knew I needed to find out what they were! I need to find the answers! That's reason to live, that's why I must defy all odds and keep on living! What was the point of all that suffering, those headaches, if I was just going to die and not figure out anything? What was the point of dying a nameless entity with no story to tell? I knew at that point I was going to be the fool. I was going to be the fool who tried to break free from the clutches of death.
"You... you honestly think... you can defeat me?" I managed to say as loud as I could.
The voice didn't answer, but I kept going on.
"Do you really think... I'm going to let... some disembodied voice tell me when I should live or die?"
The pain was horrible, but I had to endure it in order to live. I ignored the blood dripping from my wound in my back and continued to taunt the voice.
"Ha! Well, you know what? I'll show you! I'm going to rise above the pain, above fear, above all of it, to find the truth you've been hiding from me! You're not going to bring me down... because I have yet to fight of my own volition and on my own terms!"
"Your own volition? Your own terms? Hmph... this kind of foolish tenacity is childish... it is as though you desire life more than all else..."
The voice answered me, just as planned, but it was mocking me as well! It was clear that it wasn't going down without a fight!
"Shut up! Shut up! I will defeat you... you will see! Give me my life and memories back! Give me back my own free will!" I coughed up blood as I spoke. I felt the blackness go over my vision, but I fought it all the same.
"Free will, you say? By free will, you mean to live by your own rules and regulations. Some people would twist it to mean selfishness... even hedonism."
"Give it back... give me my life back..."
"Hmm... Selfishness... hedonism... indulging in whatever you wish, even if it means pain for others..."
The voice appeared to be lost in thought... I didn't like it. I was not willing to put up with it buying time. Nor was I ready to listen to its philosophical musings.
"Wait a minute... yes... yes of course. That's perfect. What would be a better choice for someone like you? Of course we all desire what we were deprived from... but then, at the same time, we see these desires as sour grapes."
"DAMN YOU!" I wanted him to stop. I wanted him to stop talking like this... I wanted him to notice my blood and tears and let me live!
"If you desire selfishness so..."
"IT'S NOT SELFISH TO WANT TO LIVE!"
"If you are willing to disregard morals and authority for your own benefit..."
"Please... I beg of you...!"
"...then I know exactly what to do with you."
There was silence, it was like the voice didn't hear me at all. I was exhausted. Trying to defy it probably sucked out most of my life. I didn't like it. All I wanted was the energy to carry on. Then suddenly I heard a chuckle, but I had a suspicious feeling that the voice sounded different.
"Yes, child, you are right. You must embrace your fear of death and fight on regardless of what fate may await you. Your reason for living is to find the answers and seek the truth, and you are willing to pursue it regardless of consequence..."
It did. Even on the brink of death, I knew something was wrong. This wasn't the voice from before. That was a loud, booming, somewhat condescending voice... and it was definitely male. This one... this one sounded lofty, but also high pitched, too high pitched to be that of a man's.
"To know yourself, to uncover your past, to live to see another day, to live your life as you wish it... yes, yes, indeed!. Though your desire is unbelievably simplistic, know that I admire it and respect it!"
The owner sounded high and mighty, even pompous, and irritatingly smug. What? was she mocking my current situation just like the other voice was?
"Now, close your hands into fists and raise your head! Do not despair, for your end has yet to come! In fact, your journey to find the answers you seek begins now!"
I looked up at the stained glass window, and heard the sound of breaking glass accompanied by a light cutting through the gloom. I managed to move my weary body and aching head to see what was going on. I didn't notice it before, but there was something slowly rising up from the floor in the middle of the room.
I soon realized that something, actually, someone, was the speaker. She was obviously female, and we appeared to be roughly the same age. Her blonde hair was tied up in a bun and she had green eyes. She wore a red flashy ball gown which was translucent down the front and greaves on her feet. In her hand was a giant red sword. She looked just as smug as she sounded, much to my dismay.
She looked like a human being, but something was different. The power emanating from her was beyond that of any human being, or even any enemy for that matter. She stepped in front of me, I just kept staring at her, just what exactly did she want?
"Now that I have come to your aid, answer me. Are you my master?"
Didn't the voice from earlier call me a potential master? I had no idea what that really was, but I had a feeling she was expecting me to be just that. However, I was suspicious of her. Who was she really? What was with the strange attire? Why did she save me in the first place? Did she want something from me? Had we met before?
"Well?" She was getting impatient, as I had been silent the whole time.
"Okay, first of all, who the heck are you?" I asked, "Why did you save me? What do you get out of it?"
"Is it not the duty of a servant to protect her master?"
I placed a hand on my head for a moment, unable to process all this information. Servants? Masters? What on earth was she on about?
"Wait wait... what's happening? Why are you... what are you-"
"What are you saying? You summoned me here, and I made a contract with you, therefore I will fight at your side! Were you not aware of that, Master?" She sounded exasperated and irritable. She placed a hand on her hip for a moment and scoffed. Perhaps she expected me to know all this information already.
"...So you're saying I'm a witch... and you're my familiar?"
She narrowed her eyebrows and frowned. I didn't know why she would take offense.
"How dare you! I am far more than just a trained animal! I will have you know that I'm-"
"Yea yea, you're a human being, a pretty egotistical one at that."
"I am well deserving of my pride. You must have been quite privileged to have summoned me. What do you call yourself, Master?"
Why do I get the feeling she's exonerating herself more than she's praising me?
"Ayaka." I answered, fatigued.
She held out her hand... suddenly I felt, very, very reluctant to take it, though I knew she was trying to help me. The sight of her hand made me sick. It was as though touching it would give me goosebumps or something.
"What? Do you want to lie here in your own blood?"
I gingerly grabbed her hand as I knew the answer to that question. I shuddered, I didn't know why. Then I felt a warm light touch my back where the wound was, I no longer felt pain there, it appeared I was completely healed. Then I suddenly felt a searing pain through my hand. When I looked down, there were three red marks in my hand, why?
"All right then, who are you really? Stop giving me all this fancy nonsense and tell me your name!"
"That we shall save for a later date."
What? So she's hiding her identity from me? I knew something was shady about her, but I have to trust her at least now. I mean, she's here to help me, and she looks strong enough to make that effigy run with its tail between its legs...
As if on cue, the effigy rose to its feet in a fighting stance. I winced uncontrollably, recalling my previous defeat at its hands. If I couldn't win once, how am I going to win this time?
"What an excitable master I have. Why are you so flustered? Are you remembering your inevitable defeat against this lifeless doll?" She asked me as she walked towards the enemy. There was an air of pride in her voice.
"Flustered...FLUSTERED?! First of all, I'm not flustered, I'm horrified! And second, that isn't just some 'lifeless doll,' it nearly killed me a while ago, and stop talking all high and mighty as though clobbering it is no effort for you!"
She smirked at me and then chuckled, as though she found my previous comment amusing. Though I'm glad she saved me, her arrogance and insensitivity was starting to get on my nerves.
"Worry not, Master. You fought it alone, of course you would have been killed. While I am by your side, have no fear that you may lose your way. Remember that victory is all that matters."
She took another step closer, then got her sword out with a sweeping gesture.
"And of course defeating cannon fodder like this is no effort for me! My blade is the ultimate instrument! Even the Muses themselves would bow before the sound it makes-"
Ugh... did she HAVE to be so over the top?
"Ok, I get it! Your sword is cool and musical and all that and blah blah blah... Now cut the crap and just turn that thing into a corpse already."
"Hmph... I take it you dislike my dramatic flair... well, I can accept that..." I assumed she started feeling the hate too. She was becoming more snappy and cold than she was before.
The effigy ran at the servant while she was off guard, I had to act fast.
"Block the attack and counter!"
She used her sword to block the effigy, then struck a blow at it. It tottered over for a second, and got up.
I could land a hit this time! Maybe we'd have better luck now...
The effigy then tried for a reckless charge attack, leaving its defenses open.
"Now, attack it!"
The servant did just that, and the effigy was pulled back, and this time tried to guard itself.
"Now break through the defenses!"
She spun round with her sword and the effigy was flung to the other side of the battlefield. Then it tried recklessly charging at us again.
"Strike at it with all you've got now!"
She attacked it and then struck a finishing blow, and the battered effigy stopped moving. There was no way it would still function after being effectively torn apart.
Wow... she may be a royal pain... but she's strong. I'm willing to put up with this if it saves my life. I wonder why she manages to bring out the worst in me though...
"That wasn't entertaining at all! Considering how long I've waited for such a moment, I am truly unsatisfied."
Really... so this is all a game to you?
I continued to contemplate my situation, but then a searing pain in my hand interrupted my train of thought.
"What the- Why? What is this?!"
"The mark imprinted on your hand is your command seal. It is proof that you hold dominion over a servant." It was the voice from before. I guess it came back after seeing me win.
"You can use it to give three orders that must be obeyed. Think of them as disposable strengthening spells. It is also proof of your participation in the Holy Grail War. If you lose it for any reason, you will die."
"Holy Grail... what? What's going on here? I don't understand it at all! So you just dragged me into some kind of battle royale?"
"Battle Royale...? So to speak, I've never heard of anyone describe it as that before... I see you're some kind of novice. I can understand your confusion, but before I forget..."
Why isn't he answering any of my questions?
"Congratulations. You have endured much to make it here. Now rest for a while: you've achieved your first goal. It was an incredibly clumsy effort to say the least, but that's what made it all the more entertaining. I've had this duty for a long time, but this is the first time I've seen a master as helpless as you..."
"Yea, go and rub salt in my wounds, will you?"
The voice started to laugh.
"Ha! You have quite the acidic tongue, but I'm not mocking you, I'm only stating a fact. Be proud of your achievement though, your quick thinking came as a result of nerves and rashness."
God... he's more smug than my servant is! And that's saying a lot!
"Who are you anyway? Are you too cowardly to show yourself?"
"I'm honored that you're curious about my identity, but I am insignificant. I am merely a part of the system. I am just a guide, tasked with giving a standard message and given the personality of a prior participant. I am no more than words, no more than a mountain you just conquered, no more than a record of the past."
What system? If this guy was so insignificant, then why is he trying so hard to protect his identity?
"Well... this is unexpected, but I commend you. I think it's something about you having a light. I expect good things from you..."
"That seems more like a command than an encouragement..."
"Well, that's your perspective. Now, let us commence your baptism. You have proven yourself worthy of the honour. For most, the monotony of everyday life continues on without end. Your decision to look beyond the accepted and progress means that you have earned the right to exist."
The right... to exist? So does that mean everyone who didn't find this place would be...
"However, you have but taken the first step, and you still have a long way to go. Be jubilant, for the Holy Grail War begins now!"
"When you say 'The Holy Grail'... you can't mean... the real deal... do you?"
"Yes I do. An object of great power that once existed in the world, an object that could grant any desire. That object was known as the Holy Grail, and for eons people have fought to gain sole possession of it. This war- no, the system you find yourself in is an evolution of these struggles. You stand at the entrance of a deadly struggle where many magi will perish in pursuit of the Holy Grail."
"So... what you're saying is... this place is where I have to fight for the Holy Grail... and I have to keep fighting if I want to get out of here?"
"Precisely. Now fight to the death. The fiery throne of heaven will only receive those with the strongest of desires... and in war, a weapon is needed. That is why you have a servant. This girl will protect you and fight by your side. She is a legendary soul whose purpose is to clear your way to the Grail."
A LEGENDARY SOUL?!
"So you're some kind of historical figure?! Why didn't you tell me?" I asked her frantically, but she didn't answer me and was just silent.
"So... young lady, will you fight with this servant by your side?"
There didn't seem to be any other viable option. If I fought in this war, there was a chance that I'd make it out in one piece, but if I didn't, it would be back to groveling on the floor and covered in blood.
"...I'll fight."
"Excellent. It seems you have decided, and now I will open the gates to the Holy Grail War."
I'm going to fight in a war between mages... with a servant by my side, and if I ever lost a battle, I'd die. It was hard to process, but I understood. However, the very idea of it was making my head spin, and the last thing I saw before I blacked out was a silhouette of a young man in a doctor's coat.