Disclaimer: I own none of the franchise and the characters. They all belong to their respective owner.
Now, I know that Guest pointed out a few things regarding the compatibility of both worlds. Actually, I also thought of that before writing this fic and actually decided a few ways to get over that obstacle.
But, I actually did wonder, would the Black Beast even be capable of being sent to the Reverse side of the world by the World? The Black Beast is a creature that came from the realm of the Azure, or Boundary so would it be bound by the world's law, when in fact, it was never part of the world?
Anyhow, I found a different way to justify why the Grand Servants were never summoned and why the Black Beast was never sent to the reverse side of the world which will be revealed much later.
As for why the whole Boundary and Root thing, that will also be explained later.
The Queen
?
A lone figure can be seen walking in an empty plain where a light mist made it slightly more difficult to see and the grey sky hung above her head. She wore a black jumpsuit, had purple hair and red eyes. A black cloth covered her mouth and nose as she walked towards her goal. 'Strange,' She thought, 'I would usually be swarmed by the undead by now.' She narrows her eyes as she quickens her pace.
She sensed something strange was going on and while she may not know what, it might have something to do with the lack of attacks she has been used to receiving. As she got closer, she noticed the mist around her was beginning to lighten and replaced by… something.
There was a certain type of energy in the air now. She could not tell what it was but she knew that the closer she got to her destination, the more of this energy was in the air. 'I will have to study this later.'
After a few more steps she saw an apparition coming towards her. The being was humanoid and one of the many she had faced. The woman summons a red spear into her grasp and enters a fighting position until she noticed the being was limping his way towards her with no visible weapon.
The dead being reached out to her in a pleading manner. "Please kill me! Kill me before I-!" The undead collapse as he turns into a clump of darkness that quickly dispersed. The woman looked at what had happened with widen eyes.
"I suppose that was the first time you saw that happening?" A voice whispered into her ear.
The woman quickly turns around and swings her spear…
Just to hit empty air.
'How was he able to get so close to me without my knowing?' The woman wonders as she looked around, her eyes finally settling on a figure that was leaning on a dead tree. The man wore a casual black jeans and red shirt under a black jacket. He also wore a pair of sunglasses and black hair which had a bit of blood red on them.
"You know, it's rude to strike someone with a spear like that?" The man asked as he pushes himself off the tree. "And I thought you were supposed to be the queen around here." The man calmly walks towards her.
"Who are you?" The woman demanded. There was something off with this man. The energy she felt in the air was practically oozing from him. It wasn't just that but she could also sense Divinity coming from him as well.
The man stops ten feet away from her and smirks at her, "I have a lot of names." The man answered. "But here? I am only a mere Servant of the Berserker class so just call me Berserker, Scathach."
The man began to circle around her, "And as for what I am doing here, my Master wanted to collect some research data of this place, somewhere to collect souls and, well, you." The man told her.
"Me?" Scathach repeated.
"Yes, he wants you because he wants to do a few experiments and further his research." The man explained.
Scathach scoffs, "Does he really think he can just take me?" she asked.
"Oh no, he told me to take you 'Alive if possible but dead if necessary'". The man replied casually. He raises both of his fists and pulls back his left leg so that the right leg will be in front of the other one. "Now, we can start this dance if you want."
Scathach summons both of her spears and also enters her own respective fighting stance. She could tell that this fight was going to be a challenge and she couldn't stop herself from smiling a little under her mask.
Back to the duo
Musashi jumps out of the bed with vigour. She smelled something good being cooked and she wanted some of it. She turns to the kitchen area and sees Ragna in an apron cooking up some breakfast. Excitedly, she goes to the table and sits on one of the chairs.
Soon enough, Ragna came with a plate full of fresh breakfast. Musashi looks at the cook as he sets the food across the table and prepares to eat. "Good morning Ragna." She greeted with a smile but Ragna could tell she was looking at what he cooked. The plate had scrambled eggs, bacon and sausages.
"Morning," Ragna answers her. He could tell she was curious as to what they were and more importantly, what they taste like. Too bad he only prepared it for himself.
"Um, Ragna?" Musashi calls out, "Where's my breakfast?" she asked nervously but was actually still looking at the food with her mouth-watering.
Ragna smiles as he grabs a roll of newspaper, "What breakfast?" Ragna asked mockingly. Slowly, Ragna could see realisation dawning on Musashi's face as she recalls yesterday. 'Engaging strengthening ars.'
Musashi made a wild grab for the food. Ragna was prepared for that. With his Ars Magus enhanced roll of newspaper, he lightly hits the top of Musashi's head with his choice of weaponry. Well, at least light in his standards.
Musashi backs leans back on her chair with her hands on her head. "Did you… just use magic to make that stronger?" She asked, pointing at the roll of newspaper in his hand. She knew the newspaper couldn't have been that strong.
Ragna shrugs, "Something like that." He admits. Ars and magic were not that different from each other or at least close enough to be categorised in the same group. Ragna sets down the newspaper next to him and prepares to eat his breakfast.
Musashi just stares at him as he savours each and every one of his bite with longing eyes. Ragna internally smirks at her reaction. He could clearly tell she was hungry and watching him eat the way he did was pure torture.
After Ragna finished his food he carried the plate to the kitchen and begins to wash it. Musashi buries her head in her arms as her stomach growls. "Ragna, you are such an evil demon." Musashi mutters.
Ragna glances back at her and sigh.
Musashi was considering on stealing that credit… thing before a strange smell wafted into her nose, followed by a 'ding'. She looks up as Ragna places something in front of her. She looks up at Ragna, who was standing next to her, with a confused look.
Ragna smirks at her before turning around. "I was in a good mood last night and the burger I had was good so figured that you should try some though microwave food usually isn't as great as when you ate it fresh."
He looks back to see the plate was clear and a bit of sauce on Musashi's face which now had a satisfied smile but when she turned towards him, the smile a bit apologetic. "Um… Ragna?"
"… Don't you dare."
"I'm…"
"Don't you say it!" Ragna warned.
"… Still…"
Ragna covers his ears in an attempt to block out the sound of her voice.
"… hungry."
Exactly one minute later
Ragna stares at Musashi as she just finished eating her THIRD helping. She was currently wearing a purple shirt and a pair of dark blue pants that Ragna bought for her. They were both at a nearby restaurant seating at a table. They sat across from each other. Ragna had ordered some coffee while Musashi had been ordering the restaurant's specials.
He sighs. After all this time he still couldn't get rid of his old habit of treating people. After Musashi finished her food was about to ask for another helping but Ragna beaten her. Not even after he treated Taokaka.
"Waiter," Ragna called out in English. The waiter came to him. "Don't come anywhere close to this table when this girl calls. We're on a budget but she still keeps eating. If this keeps up my wallet won't be able to handle it."
The waiter looked at him with some confusion before turning to see how much Musashi had eaten. He then smiles, understanding Ragna's predicament, and nods at Ragna before turning around.
"What did you tell him?" Musashi asks. She didn't know how to speak in English so she didn't know what Ragna told the waiter.
"That you're done eating and we have to get going." Ragna answered. He stood up and walked into the store to pay for the food before Musashi could complain.
Moments later Ragna sat back at his seat. "Now, how about we settle a little problem?" Ragna asked Musashi, which caught her interest. "You don't know how to speak the native language here and I'm going to fix that."
Musashi stares at him before asking, "How? Are you going to use magic on me?" She never heard of something like that. She has heard of magecraft that transfers memories but they usually take some time before the memory settles with the rest and was actually usable. The bigger the memory the longer it takes and even so there was a limit to how much can be transferred. Too much and the person on the receiving end might get an identity crisis.
Ragna sighs. "Just close your eyes and place your left hand at the centre of the table." Musashi does so. "Good." Musashi can feel something grasp her hand, "Now then, information transfer ars… engage."
Information flowed into her mind like a tea filling an empty cup. After a few seconds, Ragna lets go. Musashi blinks her eyes open. "What… was that?" Musashi asked.
"Information transfer ars." Ragna answered, as matter of fact.
"I never heard of that before." Musashi said.
"Of course you haven't. It's something from my world; created from one of the three arts." Ragna answered as he drinks his coffee. "And now you're probably wondering what I am referring to when I say 'Arts'? Ragna guessed.
Musashi nods, "Alright then, in my world during ancient times, humanity developed three Arts which allowed them to fight beings who exist outside logic or, as you would refer to, magical beings." Ragna explained. He had casted a stealth ars as well as explaining the thing in Japanese.
"The first art is easier to understand. It is called magic or as this world knows it as magecraft though in my world, a few things like teleportation and small level of reality manipulation can be used my mages as long as they worked hard. There are a few beings I can think of who can use something similar to the First True magic and things such as reality, time, causality, probability and traveling through space and dimension is achievable through science." He continued in Japanese, hopping that no one would understand him.
"The first Art, magic, is the use of mana from an external and internal source. We refer to both of it as mana but here the internal source is Od while the external is prana. I think you know the basics of that art. The second is Sorcery. Unlike the Sorcery or 'True Magic' in this world, in mind it is similar to magic but with a few key differences."
Before Ragna can continue, he felt a shift in the air. Narrowing his eyes he turned to his left. "Musashi, there's a shift."
Before she could word out her question, Ragna already got up and ran like any sane person going on a date with Musashi… or Arthuria if they valued their money. Musashi sighs before running of after him. Little did they know everyone at the restaurant and the passer byes were looking at their empty sits in amazement for how they disappeared.
Ragna stopped in front of a pile of thrash. Musashi stopped next to him. "What was that for?" Musashi asks. Ragna wordlessly pointed at the thrash.
She followed his finger to see a woman laid among the trash bags. She had purple hair and wore a black bodysuit. But what really caught his attention were her wounds. She had a few deep cuts and she looks like she had been stabbed by something through the stomach. "Please tell me I did not land on garbage too." Musashi said.
It took a while but Ragna managed heal her wounds a bit with his healing ars, rush back to the hotel and bring the same box he stuffed Musashi in and they both stuffed the woman inside. The two then brought the woman back with them to the hotel room. Ragna had to upgrade their room to a suite due to a hunch and continued healing the woman in their new room.
Currently, Musashi was eating a burger. The woman they picked up was in a bed on a bed in one of the rooms. Ragna, on the other hand, was busy placing ars magus on the walls, windows and doors.
After he was done, he turned to Musashi. "Make sure that lady is alright, I'll go get supplies because something tells me we will need it." He had a bad feeling about going out but that did not mean he could just leave the lady alone hungry.
"See ya." He walks to the door. Musashi waves at him as he leaves.
Ragna walks to the nearest store and buys some supplies there. He then walks to the nearby pharmacies. After making sure everything was done he decided to get back to the hotel. He wanted to visit the Clock Tower on today no matter what.
His trail of thought was however, interrupted by a presence. It felt dark, cold and destructive. He felt like he was in the presence of a dark dragon waiting for its time to wake. He stopped walking and glared defiantly into a pair of golden pupils.
His eyes trail down. The woman in front of him looked as though she was in her teens. Maybe sixteen or seventeen? She wore a black gothic dress. Her skin was so pale he could have mistaken her for a Dead Apostle. "My Master has ordered me to negotiate with you."
Ragna takes two steps forward so that he would be right in front of her, "And if I say, 'piss off'?"
"Then I will have to use force." The woman continued.
Ragna weighted his option. There is powerful servant that may have little to no care for the lives around her. He doubted he can cast the same ars as before to get the civilians to retreat and even if he manages to cast it the civilians may not have enough time to retreat.
Ragna grits his teeth, "Alright, where do you want to talk?" Ragna relented.
The woman smirks, "Meet me at the café two blocks from here tonight." She then turns and leaves Ragna.
Ragna narrows his eyes. He continues his walk back to the hotel. He has to go to meet the woman and, if possible, he would try to negotiate with her but he doubted that they could come to an understanding.
"But just in case it's a trap, I'll need someone to back me up." Ragna thought before shaking that thought away. "No, I can't drag her into this. I do not want someone else to get hurt because I am too weak."
And with that resolve, Ragna walks all the way back to the hotel.
Hotel
"I'm back." Ragna announced as he enters the hotel room. He placed the items he bought on the counter and made his way to his room.
"Welcome back Ragna." Musashi welcomed. She was sitting on the couch, watching TV. "By the way Ragna, your patient is awake." Musashi informed before looking back at the TV.
"My what now?" Ragna asked as he changed his clothes in his room. He took of his clothing and threw them into a flaming wormhole. He then summons another one and reached in to change his clothes.
"You know, the woman we picked up and placed in your bedroom?" Musashi answered.
"Oh yeah, her… wait, WHAT?" Ragna turned his head slowly towards his bed to see the woman they had helped staring at him with a blank expression.
Ragna's face grew hotter as the woman looked up to meet his eyes. "Go on, don't mind me."
After a few seconds Ragna had walked out the room and stood in front of Musashi, "Musashi, I thought she was in your room." Ragna stated, "So why is she in mine?" He asked.
"Heh, well, I kind of felt a bit sleepy earlier and the bed she was on was just perfect for me so I had to move her somewhere so…" Musashi explained. "Besides, it's only for a while so I figured it wouldn't be a big deal."
Ragna sigh, "Fine, just tell me about this kind of things earlier. I was almost completely naked in front of her just now save for my boxers while I was changing." True to his words, Musashi noticed that Ragna now wore a white button up shirt with long sleeves. He also had a pair of white pants.
"Huh, I liked the other one better." Musashi criticised.
"Huh? You think black would be a better fit?" Ragna asked as he looked over his clothes. Musashi nods.
"Okay then." Ragna closes his eyes and the white of the clothes started to bleed out. Musashi watched as his clothes slowly turned black. "There, better?" Ragna asked with a smirk.
"I guess." Musashi answered. "Is that a type of ars magus?" Musashi asked.
"Well, the clothes itself is an ars magus, a very high level one in fact." Ragna responded. "When I was born there was about one or two of them left. A hundred years before I was born this thing was mass produced."
Ragna sigh, "I'll be heading out soon." Ragna announced, "Might be gone for a few hours so I'm going to get ready some food." He got to the kitchen and started cooking. He decided to prepare some food.
"So you're heading out where exactly?" Musashi asks as Ragna was cooking. He had just taken out his ingredients. Ragna was her current supplier and she felt like she needed to know where he was going to be sure of his well-being.
"I'm going out." Ragna answered as he broke a few eggs. Ragna didn't want to get these girls involved with anything bad so he plans to try dealing with all of this himself. He didn't want to have to see more needless death.
"Okay, but where exactly?" Musashi pushed, "You know, just in case of emergency?"
"No need, I've enchanted everything with strengthening ars. Even if the whole hotel was blown to bits by a tactical nuke the room would stay intact… mostly." Ragna informed. "There are even a few alarms set up and if anything happens then you can easily leave. The room keeps people out."
"Ragna… aren't you being a little paranoid?" Musashi teased.
"Musashi, there is an assassin class servant capable of concealing her presence to the point she can be right in front of us and we wouldn't be able to notice her and a warrior type servant and they seem to be serving the same master. If they use the assassin carefully they can find out where we leave and on the possibility they have an anti-army or anti-fortress Noble Phantasm then we will most likely die."
"But then what will all this defence mean?" Musashi ask, "I doubt your ars would be able to block a Noble Phantasm." Musashi said.
"Well yeah, that's why I set up a few stealth ars to conceal this area, might help throw them off and the defence ars would be able to stop an anti-fortress Noble Phantasm of the E- rank and an anti-army of the D-rank… I think."
"You think?" Musashi asks.
"Just have some faith in me okay?" Ragna assured, "But just in case…" Ragna walks towards a drawer and raises his right hand in front of it. A red light shone and a sigil appears on the drawer before it fades away.
While grumbling, Ragna takes out a pair of swords. "Musashi, I am trusting you with this okay?" he turns to see Musashi running towards him at full speed.
"Wait!" Ragna raised his hands and closed his eyes in anticipation of Musashi crashing into him. When it felt too long and he didn't feel any impact he opened his eyes to see Musashi rubbing her face against her swords on the couch.
'Wait, when did she take them?' Ragna wonders as he watches Musashi rubbing her face against her swords while whispering to them because that's not strange at all.
"Okay… well, I'll be heading out now so watch over yourself and Scathach." Ragna told her before turning back to his cooking.
"Eh, so her name is Scathach?" Musashi asked as she turns towards Ragna, "So that's what was the reason you took so long in there… you were talking with her."
"Of course I was… wait, what did you think I was doing?" Ragna demanded.
"Oh, uh, well… hey when did you meet this warrior type servant?" Musashi asked as she attempts to change the subject. "You did not mention meeting another servant."
'Isn't she trying to change the subject?' Ragna thought "oh yeah, I met her when I went was out buying supplies." Ragna answered, seeing no harm in telling her. "She says that she wants to discuss something and is possible that she is related to Assassin."
"And if she isn't?" Musashi asks, "What if she is just planning to kill you?"
"You think I'm completely defenceless?" Ragna asked, "I'm not an idiot. I know the risk and I can fight for your information." Ragna retorted, "I need you to stay here and look after Scathach. Her injuries haven't healed completely."
"Couldn't you use your healing ars?" Musashi asked.
"I did. If not then her back and ribcage would still be broken, her left arm bent in a really awkward position, her right arm broken and her left leg twisted. Her right lung was also punctured; there was a gaping hole in her abdomen and she lost a surprising amount of blood." Ragna informed her, to Musashi's surprise.
"It was that bad?" Musashi asked in shock.
"Yup, the fact she was able to safely go through a trip through the Boundary in that condition is a miracle." Ragna confirmed, "I was surprised too. I mean, she was the teacher of Cu Chunlain so whoever can take her down like that must be someone ridiculously strong."
"This is why I should go with you, Ragna." Musashi added before jumping of her couch.
"No, you are not coming along." Ragna ordered, "I am not taking you with me, stay here with Scathach. You need to protect her while I try to get a better understanding of what is going on."
"But what if it's a trap and you can't get away?" Musashi asked.
"Then I won't be back by dinner." Ragna replied, "But seriously? I have an escape plan just in case things go south." Ragna answered.
"Okay then…" Musashi relented, "So, how about you continue about where you left of?" Musashi asked as she went over and sat at the counter while watching Ragna cook.
"You mean about the Three Arts? Sure." Ragna replied.
"Now then, the second art is called Sorcery. It is like magic but instead of mana it uses seithr." Ragna continued. "Now then, you're probably wondering 'what is seithr?'. The answer is, I'm not sure but most people say that seithr is the primordial state of everything and there is a limitless supply of it from a place called the Boundary. I might tell you about the Boundary later. Anyway, sorcery is used by those who have the ability to manipulate seithr. Sorcery users are divided into two types."
Ragna turns towards Musashi, "The first is the Sorcerers. These guys can use Sorcery but they need to use charms in order to do so. They're also known to have the ability to perform duties similar to omnyoji. The second type is known as Conjurers. These guys can use sorcery with and without charms."
Ragna then returns to his cooking. "Sorcery and ars shares a strong connection to each other," Ragna said, surprising Musashi.
"How are the two related?" Musashi inquired.
"Well, it's because ars was created through the combination of science and sorcery." Ragna answered. "This way even those who lack the ability to use sorcery can use something similar to it and thus sorcery and magic slowly faded away and barely anyone learns them anymore, if any."
"So, between magic and sorcery, which one is stronger?" Musashi asked.
Ragna scoffs, "Depends on the situation." Ragna answered. "The two uses different source of energy. If they happen to fight at a place with a lot of mana and little seithr then the magecraft user has the advantage but if they fought somewhere with little mana and loads of seithr then the sorcery user wins."
Ragna then stops cooking, "But, if the two were to fight on even grounds with both sides equally good at their own craft then I would have to say the sorcery user has one advantage."
"Why is that?"
"Because… well, that's a secret for now." Ragna answered with a smirk, "I'll tell you latter."
"Alright, how about the third art?" Musashi asked.
"The Drive? Sure but before that, how about we invite our guest, who is hiding behind the wall to, join us?" Ragna called out.
Understanding what he meant, Scathach came out of her hiding place.
"I guess you're legs are better now huh?" Ragna asked.
"I'm impress that you were able to tell I was there." Scathach stated, ignoring Ragna's question, as she walks towards the counter and took a sit next to Musashi. "I can see that you have place quite powerful enchantments on the walls… none of which I am familiar with so it is safe to assume this is either your version of sorcery or ars?"
"Hmph, so you heard that much?" Ragna mutters, "Yeah you're right, this is ars magus." Ragna confirms. "So, ready to tell us about what happened to you? I know how travelling through worlds are and for the Queen of the land of Shadows to be as beat up as you were when we found you… That is good reason to be a bit cautious."
Ragna had tried to talk to her earlier the first time they met when she was awake but when he noticed that she was still injured and tired so he had left her alone.
"Yes, seeing that I am in debt of the two of you for your assistance, even if unnecessary, I suppose I shall explain myself." Scathach closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Earlier, before the two of you found me, I was still in the Land of Shadows. I had sensed something was wrong and decided to investigate a specific part of my Kingdome."
She then opened her eyes and looks at them. "I encountered a Servant of the Berserker class." She announced, which caught both of them surprise.
"Another Servant!? How many of them are there!?" Ragna demanded as he slams his fist onto the counter, making a hole. "… Oops." He slowly pulls out his arm.
"… Anyway, as I was saying, Berserker claimed that his master sent him to collect data and myself to further his research. I attempted to defeat him but he was too much for me." Scathach said as her gaze lowered while she remembered her fight with the servant… if it could be called that.
"Berserker was too powerful. He was faster, stronger and was toying with me. My skills were not enough and even my most powerful runes were barely enough to faze him. He broke my body with his bare hands, taking his time, after he made sure I was no longer in any condition to fight back." Scathach continued, describing how the servant had easily overpowered her.
The rest were unsure how to take that. Scathach, the queen who trained numerous heroes and fought many powerful beings, just admitted that she had been easily dominated by someone. "But…" Scathach continued, "What was the most shocking of it was that he blocked my Noble Phantasm with his bare hands."
"Wait, you mean the one that reverse cause and effect?" Ragna asked, wide eyed.
Scathach nods.
"… How did you escape?" Musashi asked after a moment of silence.
"I was saved." Scathach replied, "I remember that after he broke my right leg I saw him blasted away by a stream of multi-coloured light and then… I find myself here."
"A stream of multi-coloured light?" Musashi repeated as she closes her eyes in deep thought.
"I see…" Ragna repeated, "That might have been the same guys that sent me and Musashi here."
"Hmm, so the two of you were sent here against your own violation?" Scathach asked.
Ragna shrugs, "I was, for Musashi, she just jumped into the flaming whirlpool when she saw it."
Scathach glanced at Musashi, who was smiling sheepishly. "I see…"
"Well, I think that one of them has to be the user of the second true magic. I mean, sending people across time and space sounds like a Zelretch thing to pull." Ragna suggested.
"Yes, but do you know which one is Zelretch?" Musashi asked, "From what I heard in your story, there are two of them. If one is Zelretch then who is the other guy?"
"How should I know?" Ragna demanded, "But what I do know is that Zelretch is involved in this mess somehow and so we need to go to the Clock tower to figure this thing out since that is our best bet."
"And why must we pursue this matter further?" Scathach asked. "We were sent here against our will for unknown reasons and not a single hint of what is going on."
"Tch, so you expect us to do nothing?" Ragna asked, "There are three servants running around, peoples are going missing and… I can't turn my back here. Not while knowing something bad might be happening here."
"I agree with Ragna!" Musashi said, "Don't get me wrong, I don't preach about Justice and all that but if innocent lives are being taken then I can't just stand by. I'll fight with Ragna as he is my chef, err, partner…"
"I heard that!"
"And I'll probably get to test my metal against powerful enemies!" Musashi finished.
Scathach studies both Musashi and Ragna. Musashi's eyes shone with determination but Ragna's… there was something else behind his eyes. It held determination as well but there was a tinge of darkness within that shine.
"I understand." Scathach said, "I do not usually intervene with this world's events as I have moved on from this world but seeing as how I was attacked by someone out of my realm I suppose I shall support you."
"Oh, so you didn't notice?" Ragna asked.
"Notice what?" Scathach asked.
"Umm, Scathach, I don't know how to break this to you slowly so I'm going to give it to you straight…" Ragna takes a deep breath, "Scathach, you're human now."
So, how much do you guys want to bet that Scathach is going to attempt suicide again? According to her law she tried to kill herself multiple times but couldn't and now, she can.
Also, Berserker… yeah, I had a fun time planning him and his abilities.
I'll post Scathach's stats on the next chapter because she is not limited by a vessel of a servant thus she would be at almost full power. So I have to figure out how I am going to adjust her stats. Also, you all probably know who the servant that met Ragna was.
Don't worry, even more guests will appear in the next chapter.