The Holy Grail War...
A conflict, spanning hundreds of years, as far back the 1800's. A grand tournament, devised by the Three Great Magi Houses:
Einzbern.
Tohsaka.
Makiri.
These three created the conflict to grant one's ultimate wish. With the Einzbern Family's "Heaven's Feel," it was possible to call forth legendary souls from the Throne of Heroes. Known as "Servants," these Heroic Spirits would be the instrument of a Master's will.
In the Third Grail War, however, a terrible tragedy occurred within the Grail. In the following, that tragedy repeated in a blazing glory of muck and vile sins.
In the Fifth, the conflict was ended by the hands of Three Masters.
However, sixty years later...a new conflict had arisen. The Sixth Holy Grail War.
Issei Hyoudou, the grandson of the magi Rin Tohsaka, and the winner of the Fifth Grail War Shirou Emiya, is made the Master of the Saber-class Servant Altera. However, he is not alone. Among the Masters are the Devils:
Rias Gremory, the heir to the Pillar of Gremory: Master of Lancer.
Akeno Himejima, Queen of Rias Gremory's Peerage: Master of Rider.
Yuuto Kiba, Knight of the Gremory household: Master of Berserker.
Sona Sitri, heir to the Pillar of Sitri: Master of Caster.
And presiding as the mediator and observer of the Sixth Grail War: Caren Hortensia, Master of Archer.
And so the conflict that ended sixty years ago begins once again...
...in the age of man, devils, angels and gods.
Fate/stay night:
Dragon of Dragons
Fourth Night:
Dragon Emperor's Cry - Part I
It was already dusk by the time Issei and Altera had returned to Kuoh. The former had never felt so exhausted in his entire life. His shoulders lagged, his head hurt from processing so much information, and his legs felt like lead. He could swear his bed was calling out to him. While he was at his aunt's house, after awakening to his Sacred Gear, Ilya had taken the liberty of teaching Issei how to awaken all of his magic circuits. According to Altera, he had a portion of them already awaken due to the presence of Boosted Gear in his body.
That said, waking up said circuits, and he cannot stress this enough, HURT LIKE A BITCH.
The process had somehow resulted in his body feeling as if it had been set on fire and electrocuted while being shredded apart all at the same time. He thought he had passed out from the pain when it got too much. Ilya mentioned that his circuits were more or less just as powerful as his own grandmother, which was to be expected given that he was born a Tohsaka. However, like his mother, his had been dormant for some time, so they would naturally be a bit hard to rouse from their sleep.
He wished he knew just how badly it hurt, though! On another note, though, things were looking up for him. It seemed that his grandmother would be more than willing to teach him magecraft alongside his aunt, though it was his decision. He was going to need it if he was going to survive this damn Holy Grail War.
Whether he wanted to be apart of it or not.
It was never a matter of choice for him. He was given these Command Seals because the Grail saw him fit to participate in the war. That being said, he was somewhat grateful for such a thing to happen to him. Because of it, he got to learn more about his mothers side of the family.
'So gramps went missing when Sakura-san disappeared...' he thought, putting a hand on his chin while closing his eyes, deep in thought. 'I guess she must mean a lot to him. Still, why is there a new Grail running if the old one got canned?'
That was the billion dollar question. If the Grail was destroyed, then why is there a new war going on? Did someone remake it? Unfortunately, Ilya did not clarify for him. They simply focused on unlocking his circuits. Come tomorrow, he would have to deal with the storm that would be Rias Gremory and her peerage. Servants included.
"I already hate tomorrow..." he muttered tiredly, causing Altera to stare at him curiously. "C'mon, Saber...let's go home."
"Yes, master." The servant complied. While she was worried for her Master's emotional state, she would trust his judgment and leave him be for now. It was understandable, given how much he went through within the past few hours.
It must not have been easy for him. However, it wouldn't matter. As his sword, she would remain by his side. Any who dared to stand against him would be cut down where they stood.
It is, after all, her duty.
"Slippery snake..."
The warehouse in which Assassin and his master had been holed up looked as if a hurricane had run right through it. It was no longer standing. It was more or less nothing but a pile of steel beams, iron and debris. The only reason why no one came to investigate was because of the Bounded Field Akeno had set up. Sadly, no corpses were found: merely signs of a great battle.
Rias sighed. "I agree." she said in distaste, not happy either. "It is impressive for a mere human, Exorcist aside, to be able to stand against both myself and Akeno while simultaneously fighting my servants. Assassin is no slouch either." A wry smile formed across her face. "Then again, it is a homonculus blessed by Lord Mephisto. Perhaps we should be thankful it was not summoned as a Caster. It would have made this job a lot harder."
"Agreed." Lancer nodded before turning to find his allies tending to their wounds. Berserker and Rider didn't look much worse for wear, though Akeno was found tending to the large gash across Kiba's back. The blonde Knight gritted his teeth, refusing to scream from the immense pain from a holy weapon striking him on the back. "At the very least, though, they still yet breath."
"Agreed." Rias nodded. Despite them outnumbering the rogue exorcist and servant, they still proved themselves to be tenacious opponents. Not only did they escape, they managed to wound one of her Peerage members.
Kiba was fortunate to have reacted in time. If had moved to avoid the blade just a moment later...
Rias' hands clenched into fists. She dared not think about losing someone from her household. She would not allow it to happen.
"Master." Lancer called, looking off into the distance. "It seems Saber and her Master have returned."
"Is that so?" Rias' attention was redirected to where her Servant was looking at. It seems they returned from their excursion. "I wonder where he could have gone?"
The Servant of the Spear's eyes narrowed, stroking his beard. "I sense an increase in his magic ability...perhaps he had undergone some training?" A chuckle then escaped him. "If so, this should be interesting. He striked me as the cowardly type, but perhaps he may prove me wrong."
Rias' eyes narrowed in befuddlement. Magus training? Was this why he refused her offer before? He already had a means to prepare himself for the war? Well, even so, despite his training, he wouldn't be able to stand up to experienced magic users such as herself and Akeno. She gave a moment to think before she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I'm sure Sona will tear him apart tomorrow morning anyway." she said, smiling in amusement. "Sometimes I wonder which she takes more seriously, school life or her duties as a Master."
"So comfy..." Issei murmured into his pillow. Not even three seconds after he entered his room did he flop unto it. Any second now, he'd fall asleep. Good thing, too. His mom looked outright pissed he skipped school today and never bothered to explain himself. He'd explain tomorrow morning...if he remembers. "So...tired..."
Altera giggled as she sat next to her master, a hand at her mouth. "Today was rather exhausting, wasn't it?" she asked before she leaned over, ruffling his hair. "Sweet dreams, master."
"Nightey night..." came the dull response. Seconds later, she heard soft snoring. "Zzz..."
Altera smirked in amusement as she watched her Master's sleeping form. He was so strange. Yet so interesting at the same time.
In all honesty, when she had been summoned, she half expected to find a Master who shared her views. A Master who knew only how to destroy everything. A warrior. Instead, she found a young boy, terrified at what he had been thrusted himself into. And also someone who was not ashamed to show off his perversion, if his room was of any indication. Regardless of that fact, she found him also head-strong. He was so...willing to try and throw himself into the fray. He understood nothing of his situation, yet continued to trudge forward.
Not the weirdest she's seen...but definitely the most interesting. And, if she is being honest...the cutest she's seen too. His physical body wasn't anything special, but his face had this charm to it. Ashamed as she was to admit it, she agreed with Illya that he had a most wonderful posterior.
"Mou..." she whispered to herself, pink dusting to her cheeks. "Why must he make me feel this way? What a horrible Master you are, Ise..."
[...heh. Never thought I'd see the day when you would be blushing over a boy. It seems the world has truly changed if its turned you into a school girl, Attila.]
The Saber's eyes widened as the voice reached her ears. She snapped her head toward the source, which just to happened to be the glowing green gem on the back of the boy's left hand.
"...Ddraig..."
[It has been a long time. Truth be told, I never would have thought you would become a Servant. It seems my host is either unlucky to have a troublesome woman at his side...or lucky that one of his predecessors is his guardian.] the voice, deep and rumbling, spoke with a certain fascination. [That Einzbern woman woke me up when she unfurled his Magic Circuits. I must say, he might be the first of my hosts to actually pursue the path of magic, rather than lose himself to his fists.]
Altera's red eyes narrowed dangerously. For a moment, the being within wondered if she would draw her blade and cut off her Master's hand right then and there, just to silence him. "...If I am honest, I had hoped I would never see you again."
[I'm fully aware you don't care for me.] the Red Dragon of Domination huffed. [But unless you know of a way to separate a Sacred Gear from their host without dying, I'm all ears in here.]
Altera but her lip. As much as it pained her to admit, the dragon was right. Sacred Gears are intertwined with the soul. Even if she found a way to remove it, her master's life would be as risk. While she didn't appreciate the dragon's presence...she would tolerate it for her Master's sake.
After all, given what was coming on the horizon, he was going to need Ddraig's assistance.
[That aside...when did you turn into such a softie?] At this, Altera's eyes burned with fury, fingers twitching. [Oh, don't give me that look. I've watched you enough during this entire time to know you have feelings for this new host of mine. Heheh...then again, kid is interesting. Never thought I'd see the day when my host's perversion is practically out in plain sight.]
"Do you really wish to start something, lizard?" She growled threateningly.
[Just stating a fact. Don't get your panties in a bunch.] Ddraig snickered. [Well, I'll be going back to sleep now. Be sure to keep an eye on the boy.]
Altera scowled. "That was already my intention." she said angrily. "Now hurry and make yourself scarce."
She received no response. Instead, the green light faded from his hand. When it did, Altera found herself having a hard time keeping her anger under control. Her teeth were gnashed together, threatening to break and her nails dug deep into her palms, threatening to break the skin.
The source of her Rage? One annoying, red Dragon.
She thought she was free of his existence the moment she perished many years ago. Now, however, she was forced to deal with it again. Only this time, it was apart of her Master. She hoped she didn't have to hear the dragon's voice again, but it seemed as if Fate was going to be rather uncooperative with her. Not surprising.
"I truly do hate it when he calls me by that stupid name." Altera grumbled, her good mood completely gone.
She gave a sigh and stood up, her body dissolving into its spiritual state.
Before his mother could chew him out, Issei left the house while stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth, running as fast as possible. 'Master.' Altera advised. 'If you run any faster, you may trip and hurt yourself. That, and you'll lose your breakfast.'
"I know that!" he said, digging into his toast as quickly as possible. "But I don't want to deal with kaa-chan when she's really pissed! I can deal with it when I get home!" He then gave a grimace, skidding around the street corner and dancing around a man in a business suit, nearly crashing into him in his haste. "Worse, I have to deal with Kaichou too! I'm totally effin' screwed!"
'I'm sure the Student Council President will forgive you for meeting with family.'
"I'm sure they would, if they weren't Sona Shitori!" Mentioning her name, Issei shuddered, no doubt imagining the torture that woman would put him through. Already, he wished his ears were sound proof, for the lecture that awaited him would be long winded and harsh. "Aaah...! Why me?!"
He desperately wished he didn't have to come to school. Or at the very least, turn into an Astral form like his servant. He wanted to avoid Sona as much as possible to avoid being chewed out. But it seemed like Fate would not allow him to.
In hindsight, he probably should've just talked to his mom about meeting Ilya and have him excused from a day of school. At times like these, he really wished he stopped to think ahead. Now he had to face the consequences.
Speaking of consequences...
'...fuck.' he cursed, biting his lip. 'I'll have to see Gremory-senpai and her Peerage too! They'll be gunning for me first chance they get!'
'I won't let them.' Saber swore to him fiercely. 'If they so much as lay a hand on you, I will kill them.'
'I appreciate it Saber, but we're outnumbered 7 to 2. You may be the strongest servant out of the 7 classes, but they still have 3 servants on their side, plus they're Devils...'
'I have faced stronger opponents.' Altera rebuked his concerns. 'Even if my opponent is of the likes of Vlad the Impaler, he cannot compare to the White Dragon Emperor.'
'Vlad the Impaler?' Issei frowned. He felt as if he had heard that name before. He was about to question what she meant, but no sooner had he entered the front gate did he feel a piercing glare aimed at him. A shiver ran down his spine as he was forced to stop his sprint. Not far from him - right in the center of the courtyard, stood the ever-imposing form of Sona Shitori, President of Kuoh Academy's Student Council and Third member of the Onee-samas of Kuoh. 'Ooooooooh fuck me.'
"Hyoudou-kun..." Sona said, her even voice causing him to shudder as her tone promised nothing but the harshest of punishments for him. "I hope you realize that simply arriving ten minutes early will not excuse you skipping school yesterday." Issei tried to offer some excuse, but he found the words dying in his throat. "Student Council Room. Lunch time. If you do not show up, do expect a 'friendly' home visit."
Knowing better than to defy the ice queen before him, he nodded fridgedly. "H-hai..."
Sona nodded curtly at his response before turning on her heel and walking away. As soon as she was out of sight, Issei let out a breath he had no idea he had been holding and leaned against the school gate. That was a terrifying experience!
As usual...the Iron Queen of Kuoh was as frigid as ever. He was definitely going to have to go during lunch. Even he was not stupid enough to ignore the dangers of the Student Council President. With a sigh, he trudged forward to class, the spectral form of Altera walking behind him. However, in the midst of their walk, she looked up and narrowed her eyes, finding a familiar regal figure standing atop the school.
'Lancer...'
From where she stood, she saw the man smirking, as if recognizing her presence. However, his body soon faded away into black mist, vanishing shortly after. The female's eyes narrowed in suspicion before returning her attention to her master. If the Masters here were going to focusing their attention to him...then she would gladly respond with her sword.
"Soooooo booooooriiiiing!"
Near the city limits, in a surban area within a small welcoming home for a family of four, corpses could be found scattered about in the house. One was mutilated and ripped apart, guts hanging out for all to see while they rested on the steps leading up to the second floor. Another was hanging from the railing, her top ripped open and half of her skull missing - blood and brain matter oozing out. Two young children were in the kitchen, huddled together with holes right where their hearts should be. In the center of this carnage was Freed Sellzan, sitting on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table.
"Stupid fucking bitches and their shitty Servants! So unfair! Why do the Shitty Devils get Servants?!"
From atop his place, next to the dangling corpse on the railing, Assassin giggled. "Who can say?" he said with a grin, cocking his head. "The War this time around is very different. Anything goes, it seems. Still, I'm so sad! I wish I could have taken Rider's head! I think it would have made for a lovely house decoration, don't you think Master?"
"Oh she most definitely would've, same with that red haired bitches head too!" Freed agreed.
A shame he never got the chance to grab their asses or boobs. God damn did they have killer bods. It would have been so much fun to carve them up into bloody bits after he had his bit of fun. First things first, though...he was in a really shitty situation. His employers were dead, the Church was now occupying the town - a Master too from what he learned - and now he's gotta deal with Devil masters on his ass, too.
Again, a real shitty situation.
"Would have been better if I at least had the chance to fuck that little winged bitch." Freed remarked crudely. Raynare was a real piece of work, but fucking hell was her body a thing of beauty. And she obviously knew it, too. Why else would she expose so much damn skin? Shame he never got the chance to have a go at her. "Fuck. How am I supposed to punish Shitty Devil Worshipers when I've got Shitty Devil Masters and those god-worshiping dipshits on my ass? So lame!"
Assassin chuckled, amused by his master's obvious distress, yet at the same time he could feel his own emotions and thoughts. It fueled him with glee. How amazing this man was! However, he soon tensed when he felt something intrude upon his barrier and frowned, looking towards the side. "Master." he called, brandishing his scissors. "We have an...uninvited guest."
"Seriously?" Freed groaned, palming his face in annoyance. "Is it a Shitty Devil?"
"I do wish you wouldn't call me by such a filthy name, Freed Sellzan." a smooth voice called. The former exorcist stood up, hands on his hips as a tall man entered the disheveled living room, wearing a black leather jacket that fell to his shins. Underneath, he wore a pristine business suit with dark red pinstripes, though the dress shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a chiseled frame. His black hair was slight unkempt, reaching down to his shoulders while bearing a rather handsome, yet menacing face with a curled grin, showing off sharp fangs. His eyes were a disturbing shade of dark red. "It is rather...disgusting to be named the same as those filthy creatures."
"Heeeeeh?!" Freed gawked at the man in disbelief. "Who the fuck are you supposed to be?!"
The man smirked. "The man who hired you, of course." he said, causing Freed to blink. "Of course, I had Raynare and her consorts contact you in my stead. Allow me to introduce myself properly." To the surprise of the exorcist, eight feathery black wings spread out behind him. "I am Kokabiel. Member of the Grigori, and one of the Cadre of the Fallen. Its nice to meet you in person."
"Ohoh~So a big shot's come to find me, eh?" Freed smirked in amusement. "So...whaddaya want? You here to kill me or something for fucking up the mission?"
"Nono, nothing like that." Kokabiel waved his concerns. "The opposite actually. I'm here...to make an offer..."
"...You have my attention..."
Assassin cocked his head, a wide smile forming across his face. "Oooh, a job offer from the Watcher of the Stars?" he asked, dangling upside down while licking his lips. "Does it involve lots of killing?"
"It may, if the Devils interfere." Kokabiel answered. "You see, there is someone of peculiar interest coming to Kuoh soon. She's in possession of a particularly rare Sacred Gear. Currently, the Church has been tasked with retrieving it. It would be quite a pain if they got their hands on it."
"So, in other words, I get to kidnap a nun?" Freed asked with a wicked grin. "Sweet."
"Not quite." Kokabiel shook his head wryly. "I want her Sacred Gear. I'm not interested in the little girl." He produced a folded up piece of paper, handing it to the crazed maniac. "This location houses the equipment necessary to remove the Sacred Gear. Suffice to say, if any of the Devils or anyone from the Church tries to interfere...cut them down." He paused briefly while Freed was practically grinning like a madman, no doubt enticed by this new job of his. "Also...there is another acquisition I require, if you're capable. Another Sacred Gear. It belongs to the young man who Raynare was tasked with killing."
"Hoh? A target that the bitch failed to kill before kicking the bucket? Sounds like fun..." His lips curled into a malicious grin.
"According to intel...he just so happens to be another master in the Grail War." Kokabiel added. "Consider it a bonus. You retrieve the Sacred Gears, and you gain extra Command Seals."
This, of course, only served to increase Freed's excitement. Getting to kill two people AND more Command Seals?! It's like Christmas came early! Of course he was in!
"You got a deal!"
While it was blasphemous to say, Kokabiel's smile was like that of the devil. "Good."
No one, at this moment, pitied Issei Hyoudou who walked to the Student Council room like a convict heading to the gallows. Many had thought he was being reprimanded for peeping on the girls again and was possibly getting the stern lecture he deserved. Others thought that perhaps he was starting to clean up his act. However, the major consensus as to why nobody pitied him was because of a single thought:
Better him than them.
In response, Issei mentally gave them the middle finger. Fuck them. They weren't the ones who were nearly killed the other day, exposed to the Supernatural, found out that they were descendant of Grail War participants and was now a participant in said war where people actually kill each other.
'Shall I sever their heads from their bodies Master?' Altera asked innocently.
'Wait, what?' Snapping out of his own thoughts, he frowned in disapproval. 'Please, don't.'
'Very well.' she said, albeit disappointedly.
Issei sighed, palming his forehead. This was it. Now or never. Slowly, his hand grabbed hold of the handle and slid the door open. "Kaichou?" he called, stepping inside. "It's me, Hyoudou. On time...as promised."
"You may enter."
Tentatively, Issei slid the door opened and stepped inside. Seated around the Student Council room were the rest of its members, with Sona situated at the large desk at the center of the room. The stern woman's eyes were hidden beneath the glare of her glasses as she adjusted them. Somehow this only served to make Issei squirm further. "You're approximately twenty-two seconds late. Not a good idea...but at least you understand your position."
"W-what?" Issei choked. "But you said when lunch started!"
"Never mind that. Sit."
It wasn't a suggestion. Groaning and fearful for his own safety, he took a seat the opposite end of the table. Meanwhile, the other members went about their work, minding their own business since they knew that Sona was in a particularly foul mood and didn't want to incur her wrath. The blonde male near the end of the table shot Issei a sympathetic look before he returned to his work. It didn't do much to lessen the tense atmosphere, but Issei was glad for it nonetheless as it meant he had obviously been through this treatment himself.
"Now then...down to business. I want to hear why you skipped school yesterday." Sona demanded with a chilling voice. "And please, don't lie. I have a rather immense dislike for people who lie to my face."
'Holy shit she's majorly pissed!' Chibi-Issei wailed, crawling to his corner in fear while the Issei in the real world shuddered beneath her gaze. 'Tread lightly, me! Tread lightly!'
"I-I...I was visiting my aunt from my grandfather's side." he said nervously, not daring to look away lest he found himself under even more trouble than he already was. "S-she said that she had some business she wanted to discuss with me. I-I could have done it after school, b-but a lot of stuff has happened recently, so I wasn't thinking clearly."
Sona huffed. "While I appreciate familial sentiment, that is hardly an excuse." she said coldly as she folded her arms. "Tell me, Hyoudou-kun...do you know what the required average to enroll at Kuoh Academy is?"
"N-no...what is it?"
"It is a GPA of 3.5. A GPA that you are barely meeting." She clarified. Issei's jaw dropped. 3.5?! However, Sona was far from finished as she crossed her leg, finger tapping against her bicep. "From your test results from last year, specifically from your entrance exam, you passed with slightly above average scores. After that, you received relatively average scores, though your..." she purposely paused so that Issei knew what she was referring to when she continued. "...exploits have more or less impacted your studies. If this keeps up, Hyoudou-kun, you're future here at Kuoh Academy may as well be tossed into the garbage bin."
"W-what?!"
"I can understand the need to see family, but do not neglect your studies." Sona advised him seriously. "Do you understand this, Hyoudou-kun?" Slowly, and stunned and disheartened, Issei nodded. Sona then sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Very well...let's move on to another topic. Before that, though, I must ask something of you."
The brunette immediately noticed how the other occupants of the room briefly stopped what they were doing, leveling a gaze at him. "What...what is it?"
"Please have Saber come out of Astral form."
In that one second, Issei's body raged with panic. His breathing hitched, his heart hammered against his chest, and cold sweat ran down his face. 'Oh no.' he thought in terror. 'No no no. Don't tell me...'
Dancing blue aura circled around next to Issei, forming into the stalwart form of Altera, who's ruby red eyes narrowed at Sona. In hand was her faithful sword. "I see..." she said, voice as chilling as ice. "I was not able to notice it, due to the Bounded Field cast over the school, but at this range I can tell. You aren't human." A scowl crossed her features, and aimed her blade at the Student Council President, poised to cut her down where she stood. "You are a Devil. The same as that Gremory wench."
"Please, lower your sword, Saber." a new, smooth voice asked as a figure materialized next to Sona, garbed in white. "We did not come asking for a fight. My Master wishes to speak to young Hyoudou regarding the Grail War."
"And you are?"
"The Caster, Paracelsus von Hohenheim." the Servant introduced himself, much to the Saber's surprise. Revealing his True Name? Right before her? Was he suicidal, or overconfident? Going by the calm and collected look on his face...she'd garner somewhere in the middle. "Please, Saber. Lower your sword."
"Give me a single, valid reason why I should." Altera glared at Caster. "You master called us here, surrounded by her Servants who are no doubt versed in the art of battle and magic. If this wasn't an ambush to kill my Master, then I don't know what is." She pointed her blade at Sona. "You have one opportunity to change my mind before your Master is no more."
Sona, to one's surprise, remained calm as she pushed up her glasses when they threatened to fall. A picture perfect definition of composure. "If I really wanted to ambush Hyoudou-kun, Saber." she said, her voice even. "Don't you think I would have had Rias and her Peerage with me? Though you're of the Saber-class, even you would have trouble facing off against four Servants, along with our Peerages. While we are certainly nowhere near the power of a Servant, we're most certainly not helpless."
Altera glared at the bespectacled Devil, even releasing the tiniest bit of killing intent.
Hearing Sona speak so calmly, all the while with a blade aimed at her throat, brought forth a feeling of amazement from Issei, who managed to calm down. Worried that she might do something rash, Issei turned to Altera. "S-Saber, it's okay." he told her. "She's right. If she wanted to kill me, Gremory-senpai and her peerage would be here." Altera still looked ready to kill Sona, but she obeyed the wishes of her master and lowered her blade, stepping back. Collectively, the members of the Student Council released a heavy sigh while Caster smiled gratefully at the brunette. Sighing, he turned back to Sona. "S-sorry. Altera's...really protective of me."
"Of course she is." Sona said, her composure intact. "It is a Servant's job to protect their Master. Anything less would be disgraceful, given that most Servants of the Sword are chivalrous in nature or value their loyalty to their contractor." She then uncrossed her legs, nodding her head. "At any rate, I thank you for trusting me. After your meeting with Rias, I assumed you would have had a more negative view on Devils. While she honestly didn't meant for you to die, her method of trying to recruit you was rather risky." A sigh escaped her as she shook her head. "I know it may be a bit much, but do try and forgive her, Hyoudou-kun."
"I make no promises...but I'll try..." Issei replied in earnest. While he wasn't quite ready to forgive Rias yet...it doesn't mean he wouldn't. He just needed time for things to settle down a bit. "While we're on the subject since you have your Servant out, I guess you want to talk about the Grail war, right?"
The Devil in front of him nodded. "To an extent. Rias already explained some ideas you already know: Seven masters are chosen by the Grail, and each call forth a Servant. The winner will have their wish granted. Of course, there's a lot more to it than that."
"I know." Issei bobbed his head. "My aunt...she asked to see me so she could tell me the whole story. Sixty years ago, the winners of the Fifth Grail War destroyed the Holy Grail in Fuyuki, and afterwards, it was dismantled by the Magus Association."
"That is correct." Sona confirmed this. "There was a great debate on what to do with the artifact in question, though the majority determined it was too dangerous. Especially since it was corrupted by the Avenger-class Servant summoned by the Einzbern family in the Third Grail War." A thin smile formed on her face, folding her arms. "I'm impressed, Hyoudou-kun. It seems you have a bit of knowledge through your family, after all."
"I-I guess...but there's one thing I don't get. If the Grail was destroyed...why is there still a war going on?"
Caster sighed, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, not even the Church - the mediators in this grand conflict - knows why. The location of the Grail is known to both the Magus Association and the Vatican, which is the highest authority in the Church. When signs of a Sixth Grail War began to appear, it was a frenzy. However, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't figure out why a new Grail had suddenly surfaced, especially since it was obviously not made by the Three Families."
"In other words, the current Holy Grail is an unknown." Sona finished. "Every Faction has been trying to learn where it is, how it came to be, and why it chose now to become active...along with another factor."
Issei frowned. "Another factor?"
"Yes. The fact that Devils were chosen to become Masters." Issei's eyes widened at this while Sona's face remained calm, yet beneath this composure were signs of interest. "Not once, in the entire history of the Holy Grail Wars, have any of the supernatural beings been chosen to become Masters. The Grail has ALWAYS chosen humans and humans alone."
"Seriously? And this anomaly is what allowed you, Gremory-senpai, and her peerage to become Masters?" He inquired.
"That is correct. We wouldn't have been chosen otherwise. Although, it is a tad strange that so many Devils in this town were selected. In past Grail Wars, mages from all over the world were chosen and then congregated into a single town where the leylines fueled the necessary prana for the Holy Grail."
Caster then continued on. "However, Kuoh has no such leylines. Meaning that the Holy Grail is located in another place."
At this, the human Master frowned. "Wait, so then...we're just fighting in Kuoh by chance?" he asked. "So where is the Grail?"
"If we knew the answer to that..." Sona sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Then we wouldn't be having this conversation. As the nature of this War is unprecedented, both the Maou - the leaders of the Devil - and the Church have agreed that unless ordered otherwise, hostilities between Masters are forbidden. In other words, unless the Church and the Maou have said otherwise, this War is effectively on hold."
Relief washed up against Issei, who made this known through a heavy sigh, sinking in his chair. "Oh, thank you God..." he said, grateful that his life wouldn't be in danger. He also notcied the cringe on the majority of the Devils' faces.
Sadly, Sona ruined this relief for him.
"However, just because such an order is given does not mean it has to be followed." Once again, tension flood the room as Issei's back straightened, panic slowly rising. "The Master of Assassin, a Stray Exorcist by the name of Freed Sellzan, has been killing innocent people in the city. Because he is not a proper magus, he cannot provide his Servant mana, hence using other lives as power sources instead. The Church has ordered his elimination." A cold gaze burned in her eyes as she pushed up her glasses again, creating a glare that made her all the more intimidating. "Under no circumstances can the Grail War be discovered by ordinary people."
"W-why?" Issei asked, afraid the answer he would receive. "What happens if they do?"
Sona's next words made his heart drop. "It would cause widespread panic and would force the Executioners of the Church and overseers of the Clocktower to take measures and eradicated any and all civilians who possess knowledge of the Grail Wars."
Horror. Panic. Terror. Issei wasn't sure what he was supposed to be feeling. His mouth ran dry. At his side, Altera tensed, noticing his distress. "Y-you mean..." he gaped. "You would KILL them?! B-but that's...!"
"It is necessary." She responded coolly. "It is for their own safety. Ignorance is bliss, as they say." She then shook her head. "At any rate, back to the matter at hand. The Church has ordered Freed Sellzan's execution. If he is left alone, people are going to die...among other things."
"A-and you want me to help you kill him?!" Issei asked, voice rising. "As in, actually kill someone?!"
"The two of you are Masters. You're bound to fight each other eventually."
"B-but I...!" Issei lowered his head, hands balling into fists. What the hell was Sona trying to get at? Didn't she realize she was asking him to kill someone?! He didn't even want any part of this! The Grail was the one who chose him on some kind of whim! "I-I can't...!"
Sona sighed. "If you do not accept your role as a Master, Hyoudou-kun...then you only have two options. Allow yourself to be killed, or forfeit your Command Seals."
"What?" Issei looked at her like she grew a second head. He looked at his hand, where the red markings that resembled a dragon. Slowly, his fingers traced against them. The idea sounded so tempting, but...
'Thus, I ask of you...are you worthy of being my master?'
He slowly turned to Altera, who looked befuddled how her Master stared at her in such a way before he bit his lip. Issei then turned his attention back to Sona. "Is...is that all you wanted to discuss, Kaichou?"
"Yes, it is." Sona said as she looked at the clock. "The warning bell for class rings in two minutes. I'd hurry to class if I were you."
"Gotcha." Without another word, Issei stood from his seat and made his way out the room. Altera frowned, watching her master leave before leaving a glare at Sona and her Servant. She then dispersed into Astral form, following her brown-haired contractor. As she left, the Student Council members released a baited breath of relief.
"Holy shit that woman is terrifying." Saji Genshirou said, palming his face. "And we have to fight THAT when the Maou and Church decide to call off the investigation?"
"I'm...gonna have to agree with Saji-kun." Tomoe Meguri said, shoulders shaking. "Saber looked ready to kill us when she popped up."
Caster chuckled softly, a hand at his chin. "Well, that is to be expected. Like many Servants, she is devoted to her Master's safety...though something tells me it is something more. Regardless, I pity the poor lad. While his family obvious has roots to the arcane arts, he himself is lost without any direction."
"Perhaps." Sona said, closing her eyes. "Truth be told, I hope he chooses to bow out. It would leave a bad aftertaste if I'm forced to kill my own kouhai. Especially when he obviously wants no part in this war."
"But will he really bow out of the War? He seemed reluctant to give up his Command seals." Tsubasa Yura wondered.
"It is a rational decision. He has no magical ability and very limited understanding of magic. He would not survive the impending battles."
Tsubaki Shinra merely tilted her head in wonder. "I don't know about that, Kaichou." she said. Sona turned to her, curious. "That look in his eyes..."
School had come to a slow, agonizing end. For the second time in his life, Issei felt emotionally drained. His pace was slow, enough that many students practically sped right by him at normal walking speeds. 'What the heck was Shitori-senpai thinking?' he thought, still troubled by what she told him. 'Killing someone...no way I could do that. Even if this guy is killing people, I...'
'Please, don't think about that woman, Master.' Altera told him, concerned. 'If we encounter Assassin and their Master, I will strike them down.'
'I know you will, Altera, but...'
He was still uneasy about all of this. He understood that this was a Grail war, but he couldn't really stomach the idea of killing someone. Even if that someone is a murderous scumbag.
Seriously...why did it have to be him? Couldn't this have happened to someone else?
'But...'
His pace picked up. His mind raced back to what he thought when Sona told him he could give up his Command Seals. The image of his first meeting with Saber. Even now, the sight of that beautiful woman, facing him with a terrified Raynare looking on behind them. She was every inch the warrior she looked - a steely face, cold intensity, and killing intent worn on her sleeve.
And yet...beneath those eyes of hers, even if it was just for a moment, he saw something. Something that made him want to keep these damn seals.
'Master?'
A small smile formed on his face. 'It's nothing, Altera.' he told her. 'Anyway, let's head back home. Kaachan must have dinner ready by now.' With a shrug, he then took off in a run.
...all the while unaware of a deathly figure watching him from afar, a sickening grin spread across their face.
"Found you~"
The train ride had, regretfully, come to an end. The crowd of people that spilled out was hard to navigate through, but she managed to step out into the platform. Because of her clothes, she stood out like a sore thumb, especially when they recognized that she was a foreigner.
It was worse when she tried to ask for directions. Admittedly, her Japanese wasn't very good so she still had trouble understanding what they were saying. Even so, she persevered and managed to find her way to her destination, even though it had been hours later than when she first meant to arrive.
She happened upon a small park with a fountain. Coupled with the setting sun, it made the sprinkling water rather beautiful. She found a boy nearby, playing until he scraped his knee by accident. Unable to watch him on the verge of tears, and against the fact that a woman - no doubt her mother - was nearby, she used her Sacred Gear to heal him. Afterwards, the mother pulled him away, though the boy shouted something she didn't understand.
'Arigatou...that means, thank you, right?' the blonde nun thought, putting a finger to her cheek before she smiled. 'Well, at least he is okay!'
She was glad. Glad that she was able to help someone. It always left behind a pleasant feeling, though the look on the mother's face reminded her of the looks of the robed men who threw her away. Her fingers clenched around the only link she had to her parents - the rosary that hung around her neck. She couldn't think about that. She refused.
For now, she must head to the church. Someone was probably awaiting her arrival there.
With a inhale of breath, she took a brave step forward...
"Kyah!"
...and promptly fell face-first into the ground.
"Uuuu..." she moaned in pain as she pulled herself up.
As she rubbed her head, she noticed a hand extended out to her. "You okay?" Looking up, it was a Japanese boy with brown hair and eyes, wearing what she guessed was a uniform.
"Y-yes. I-I'm fine. I just tripped." She accepted the hand and the boy helped her up His hand felt slightly rough, bigger than her own, but slender. She also took notice of the bizarre red tattoo on his hand, which vaguely resembled a dragon. "K-konichiwa..." the young nun bowed her head. "D-did I say that right? I'm looking for the Church. Do you know where I can find it?"
The boy smiled. "Yeah, I do." The blonde blinked. The words coming out of his mouth were not Japanese, but perfectly fluent English. "Are you new to town?"
"Y-yes! I am. I was just transferred here not too long ago."
"I see, well welcome to Kuoh Town."
The boy smiled a bit, extending a hand. "I'm Issei Hyoudou. Nice to meet you."
"And I am Asia Argento." the nun smiled back, taking his hand again. "I must say, though, you're English is perfect."
"Yeah, well...you can blame my youkai of a grandmother for that."
Issei had to admit, his day had gotten slightly better when Asia had fallen down and gave him a good glimpse of her pure white panties. Such a beautiful sight was a welcome grace, given everything that's happened this last few days.
That being said...what was a cute little nun like her, a foreigner no less, doing here in the middle of nowhere? Kuoh was hardly anything special. Not to mention the Church was pretty banged up. It had fallen apart ever since Shido and his parents left, and was left in a state of disrepair.
As far as he remembered, there was no one who ever thought of fixing up the Church for public use. Even the town government forgot about it now that they no longer had a priest.
It was all but abandoned.
It made him a bit suspicious to learn that Asia was being assigned there of all places.
'Wait, what am I thinking?' Issei questioned himself. 'Asia looks too sweet and innocent to be up to something.' After he thought this, he was instantly reminded of Raynare and winced. It was harsh to compare them, but...he once thought the same about Raynare, too. 'Listen to me. I'm starting to get so damn paranoid about everything.'
Altera watched as her Master had a mental debate over Asia, whether he could trust her or not. The Saber felt something...off about the girl. But it was far too early to tell.
She had the makings of a magus. She could feel the power flowing through her circuits, but they were in considerable less number and potency. Nevertheless, she had awakened magic circuits. The question was what type of magecraft she specialized in if any.
"So...what brings you to town?" Issei asked curiously. "I mean, Kuoh isn't really anything special. We're pretty much in the boonies."
"Well, I was recently assigned to the church located here."
"Even though its run down?"
"Yes." She nodded. "Actually, if possible, I want to try and repair it. After all, it is a House of the Lord!"
"Repair it? Isn't that a big job for a single person? I mean, it's been run down for years."
And that was an understatement. Even from where he saw it from a distance on his way to school every day, the building looked ready to fall apart any second. It was a wonder how in the world it was still standing. Well, then again, he supposed a goal like that was pretty admirable. As they climbed up the hill, Issei felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. He wasn't sure why, but...something felt wrong. Why was the air so cold? And why was it starting to become so hard to breath?
'Master!' Altera's voice became urgent, nearly screaming in his mind. 'I sense a Servant nearby! And their Master is with them!'
'What?!'
"Why, hello there~"
Both teen's turned to the source of the greeting, one in confusion, the other in shock. Standing before them was a white haired man in white priest robes. However, while he wore the clothes of a priest, the items he held in his hands were not. In one hand was a sword made up of pure white light. In the other, a handgun. Etched over his face was a wide, sickening smile while madness was reflected clear in his mind.
Sona's warnings from earlier came to mind. Instantly, Issei knew who this man was.
The Master of Assassin.
"My name is Freed Sellzan." the Stray Exorcist greeted with a exaggerated bow. "I'm a former member of the Vatican Church. So pleased to make your acquaintence, Mr. Master and Ms. Holy Maiden!"
Asia recoiled, eyes wide. "W-who are you?"
"Oh, I'm so glad you asked!" Freed grinned. "Assassin, how about we give her a proper greeting?"
A rush of wind plowed through the area. Issei's eyes caught of something moving. A sense of wrongness. A sickening distortion that ripped through the air. His eyes widened. It was moving too fast. He could barely keep his eyes trained on it, and it was coming straight for them.
He felt his hand burn as one of the wings on the tattoo glowed before it began to fade. He didn't process the sudden flow of power that went through him, but Altera did. An order registered in her mind, subconsciously given to her by her Master when he saw the cloaked distortion coming straight for them.
Just as it reached them, a scream ripped from Issei's throat. "SABER!"
Silver gleamed through the air, poised to cut through his neck. However, dancing lights slammed against it. A shockwave sent Issei and Asia flying through the air, hitting the soft grass on their backsides before rising to all fours. There, in the middle of the open field, was Altera, garbed in her white dress with ruby eyes locked onto those which were filled with malice.
"Any who dare harm Master shall meet their end by my blade!" she declared as she threw Assassin aside, sending him back to Freed's side. With a swipe of her blade, she aimed its tip at the two. "Prepare yourselves!"
Assassin cackled, licking his lips. "My my, what a pretty little thing you are!" he said gleefully, craning his head to look at Freed. "Say, Master? If you're taking the nun, can I have Saber? Pretty please?"
"But of course, my beloved pal~ She's all yours for the taking...right after we off that Master of her's and take his Command Seals. Then she's all ours!" Freed cackled.
The way they talked so casully about such things - Issei had seen enough hentai with r*pe scenes to know what they were talking about - made the brunette's heart sink with horror. Even more so when Assassin had mentioned Freed wanting Asia. But why? No, nevermind that...he knew how dangerous this was.
These men...they were going to try and kill them both.
"Master." Altera called. "Please leave this to me and flee."
He wanted to object to that, but the fear in his heart told him otherwise. He knew it was foolish to leave her to fight against these madmen. As much as he wanted to help her, he knew how useless he would be. After all, he knew nothing of how to fight.
Cursing, he grabbed Asia's hand and ran as fast as possible. He headed to what he thought might have been the only safe place he could think of in such a panic:
The Church.
"Hey hey hey!" Assassin shouted in dismay. "You can't leave! That's against the ru-ACK!" He was cut off as Altera appeared behind him and stabbed her blade right through his back until the tip protruded from his front.
For a moment, the Servant wondered if she had cut him down. She soon banished the thought when she felt no resistance in her thrust. A scowl made its way to her face when she noticed two blurs coming out from behind her, silver gleaming wickedly. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she twirled on her heel, creating an arc of deadly rainbow lights that cut down the two Assassins. As soon as the light slashed through them, their forms shimmered out of existence.
"Illusions." she deduced with annoyance. "According to the Master of Caster, she claimed you were of the Assassin-class. However, this reeks of the work of magic."
From somewhere, Assassin's laughter rung out, echoing in her ears. "What can I say? Perhaps I'm just greatly talented! Now then, Saber! Dance for me! Dance dance daaaaance~!"
Around her, countless copies of Assassin landed on the ground, all bearing sickening grins with their tongues hanging out, scissors in hand with the intent of slaughtering her then and there. Altera stood in the center of this horde, face calm and sharp as she readied her sword. From afar, she saw Issei and Asia running as fast as possible towards the church, Assassin's Master chasing after them.
'I must deal with this Servant quickly.' she thought. 'Before his Master can kill them!'
And so the Homonculus, granted power by the Devil Mephistopheles, began his onslaught while the Servant of the Sword stood tall, facing her foe head on.
-Dragon Emperor's Cry - Part I: END-
*the appearance of a bow, silent and deadly as the night sky, intercedes upon an act of brutality*
"A Church is a place of worship. Someone as filthy as you doesn't belong here, Sellzan. So do please leave before I shoot you down."
*a blade's solemn vow, brandishing her sword for the sake of the person she seeks to defend with her life*
"No matter what...I will protect you, Master!"
*tonight is but the prelude towards the resounding fury that is a dragon's awakening*
"Don't you dare...touch Asia you son of a bitch!"
*a soul burning green shall resound the determination of a single vow*
Fifth Night: Dragon Emperor's Cry - Part II
Servant Report:
True Name: Paracelsus von Hohenheim
Class: Caster
Master: Sona Sitri
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Base Stats:
-Strength: D
-Endurance: E
-Agility: C
-Mana: A
-Luck: B
-Noble Phantasm: A+
Class Skills:
-Item Construction: EX
-Territory Creation: A
Personal Skills:
-High-Speed Incantation: A
-Elemental: A
-Philospher's Stone: A
Noble Phantasm: Sword of Paracelsus: A+
Author's Note: To Kaiser Dragon, God-King Ghidora, Goji Fan, and Thunder Dragon: can you please stop sending me story ideas? It gets rather annoying, especially when you rant on more and more about your stories than your own thoughts on the chapter, specifically certain segments.
