NOTICE: Sorry this came out after so much time has passed. I was busy with other stuffs, so I hardly worked on this.
On another note, thanks to Highschool DxD getting a fourth season, I've been thinking about the series a lot, and actually came up with an exciting new story to write about it, but that can wait until I finish this one. I don't want to write multiple stories at the same time, but if I feel like I need to take a break from this, I might just go ahead and start that one up.
Also, I didn't edit this, so there are probably tons of errors. I'll get to it at another time - I need sleeeep since it's nearly 4 in the morning. The italics at the end I had probably messed up from what I had envisioned, so I'll edit that part closely when I do get to editing this chapter, so it might not make much sense right now, sorry about that XD
Chapter 6: Castle Frelia
The journey to Frelia Castle passed without incident. Jack, like always, glued herself to my side, not trusting the others around us, given by her glare directed towards them, especially at Eirika, for some reason. Tana and Eirika walked side-by-side, talking to the other about this and that, probably catching up, as they were friends. Seth rode on his horse ahead of the group, keeping a watchful gaze out to make sure we're not ambushed by Grado soldiers, or brigands, or something - though Jack would certainly tell me before he even began to notice. Gilliam, due to his heavy armor, lagged behind the group, but Franz kept him company, as he walked alongside his own horse, the two having some small-chat as they walked on.
It was only a few hours later, with the sun around the time of five in the afternoon, that we arrived at the castle. Upon arriving, Tana, Eirika, Seth, and Gilliam went to meet with King Hayden, while Franz went to the dining hall to eat something or other, while Jack and I wandered throughout the much larger castle than Border Mulan. Jack seemed to like it a lot as we approached, muttering to herself how 'cool' it was. And even inside, her gaze shined as she looked around.
I merely sweat dropped at seeing this, however. True, she was cute when she was excited about something, but I felt as if I wouldn't be able to eat until we search the entire castle, and that annoyed me. Sighing, I just hoped that the meeting with the King is passing without incident - even though I knew what would happen already in the meeting for the most part. Eirika had asked for me to come along with her, but that was when Jack started to try to pull me away - and succeeded - so I merely waved towards Eirika and said that she'd have to fill me in later. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Jack didn't want me to be around Eirika.
And that is most likely what she was doing. I sighed again. It seems as if Jack has a thing against Eirika. I'll have to ask the girl about it later, but I didn't know when was a good time. Perhaps if I do something with Jack, and get her all happy, then I can try to figure it out, and alleviate her fears and jealousy or whatever? Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. But for now, as my stomach rumbled once again, I had to go on a 'tour' around the castle with Jack. I hope she's at least memorizing where we're going, because if not... I shuddered to think of what would happen if we got forever lost in this large castle.
"Oh, Tana... I'm grateful to see that you're safe and home again!" an old man spoke with a soft smile, pulling his blue-haired daughter into a large hug. Tears stung his eyes, as he pulled back to gaze once more at his daughter, who had a bright smile on her face. "You've no idea how I worried when I heard you were under attack at Border Mulan." His gaze then became stern, and Tana knew that she was in trouble. "You are not to leave again without my permission. Do you understand?" His words came harshly, and Tana could only shrink away from the embrace at hearing them.
However, Tana came with good news, and as such, she could use it to lessen his fury. "D-don't be mad, Father. Look, I come bearing good news. Eirika! Come out now!" Tana turned her head towards the closed door, and shouted out for her good friend to hear. King Hayden was confused, but when the door opened, revealing Eirika, he was shocked to the core. With surprise taking over his body, he hardly heard Eirika speak.
"King Hayden, I am pleased to see you again, even in these sad times." With those words, he finally snapped out of his surprise, and exclaimed with a warm smile on his face.
"Ah, Eirika! It does my heart good to see you safe!"
"Thank you. I was able to escape the castle before Renais fell. But I'm not sure if my father..." The girl looked down, tears brimming in her eyes. King Hayden's smile fell, and he looked up, eyes glazing over as he thought of his friend, and the message he had received.
"Yes." He spoke stiffly, devoid of emotion. "I... have received word of your father."
"Your Highness?" The girl jumped at hearing of her father. Her heart beat excitedly at the though of him being well and alive. "Please tell me. Is my father well?"
"...My friend King Fado... did not survive the fall of Renais Castle." The Venerable Sage King answered, head hung low.
Eirika was shocked, and took a step back, tears falling down her eyes. Her voice quaked as she spoke, full of disbelief, fear, and pain. "...No, it cannot be..."
At her side, Seth had no words. He had come in after Eirika, and though King Hayden didn't comment about him, he had sent the knight a nod. Also in the room, was a green haired knight, an old man wearing priestly robes, and Gilliam.
"Rest assured, Grado will be punished for its cowardly act. This is Frelia's promise." the King said slowly, making sure the occupants in the room understood what he was saying. That he would go to war, against Grado, until they pay for their act of attacking Renais. His eyes turned to Eirika, and softened. "Eirika, please stay here and rest. I cannot imagine how exhausted you must be. However, Eirika was silent. After a few moments of said silence, Seth decided to speak up.
"King Hayden. You know of Prince Ephraim's disappearance, do you not?" King Hayden nodded at Seth's words.
"Yes, we hear the prince and his men hound Grado at ever turn. It's said that he's led his forces into the empire itself. Reports suggest he's crossed the border and now fights in Renvall." Eirika looked at King Hayden, surprise evident on her face.
"My brother... He fights on? Even now?"
"Yes. My Pegasus Knights bought this information at a great price. Even though Renais has fallen, he charges into the enemy's heart. he is truly Fado's son... What a valiant youth. I wish that I knew whether he remains unharmed, but I do not."
Eirika breathed in, and then out. She quickly thought about what to do. Her father was dead, but her brother lived on, but he was in a dire spot. If he kept fighting without help, wouldn't he soon fall? Eirika decided on her course of action quickly.
"King Hayden, I thank you for your offer, but I cannot stay. I intend to ride to my brother's side with reinforcements." However, King Hayden denied her words with a stomp.
"I cannot allow it! I know how you feel, but this plan is suicide. I would be betraying Fado's memory if I allowed any harm to befall you. Stay here. Rest and mourn. Leave this war to the warriors."
Eirika shook her head softly. "I know you mean well, Your Majesty. However, I have lost my father, and my twin brother is in peril. My brother, he is a part of me... I cannot rest here in peace while he risks his life."
"No. Renais has no more army. Grado's forces annihilated it. I wish that Frelia could provide you with support, with soldiers, but..." He shook his head, pain on his face. "My son, Innes, is on his way to meet the empire's forces. We cannot spare a single brigade. Your own retinue of knights cannot possibly face Grado alone. Are you so determined to go?"
Eirika's next word was delivered with such confidence and resolve, that even King Hayden, a wizened sage, had no words to combat her. "Yes." Then, the girl giggled slightly. "...With apologies."
After a moment, King Hayden smiled. "...As resolute as your father, eh? What am I to do in the face of such foolhardy determination?" He sighed, and looked towards the three other occupants of the room. "Vanessa. Moulder. Gilliam."
"Here, Your Highness!" the green-haired knight spoke, saluting with her right hand pressed against her left breast.
"You called, my King?" saluted a middle-aged old man.
"Yes, sire?" the other knight, Gilliam, saluted.
"You are to accompany Princess Eirika of Renais into Grado territory. I expect each of you to provide aid and support for her brother."
"Hmm." Moulder hummed. "Quite a grave responsibility you've given us.
"No matter the obstacles, we will perform our duty splendidly." Vanessa exclaimed with hardly a tone shift in her voice.
"Our lives are yours." Gilliam nodded his head towards Eirika, who smiled in return.
"These are some of my most trusted and stalwart vassals. They will, no doubt, prove themselves quite valuable on your journey. Remember, you are venturing behind enemy lines. You will need supplies. I will have a supply convoy readied to carry your weapons and provisions by the morrow." The old man smiled warmly towards the younger girl. "It will remain at your side, no matter how far afield you venture. Remember: my gift will always be at your side, so please remember to stay alive."
"King Hayden, I... Thank you." Eirika sniffled, tears threatening to spill. King Hayden shook his head.
"No, save your thanks for your return... with your brother, Prince Ephraim."
"Yes, Your Highness!" The girl beamed, a large smile on her face. She turned to leave, but King Hayden wasn't through with her.
"However..." King Hayden stressed, stopping the girl from leaving. "It is getting quite dark; I think it'd be best to stay the night here, and leave in the morrow. Besides, I need time to gather some supplies for you to leave with."
Eirika chuckled nervously, apparently forgetting about that. "Then, I shall take your word for it." She bowed and then left the room, with everyone else besides the King and Tana following her out and largely going their own separate ways. Tana turned towards her father, and got his attention.
"What is it, dear?" King Hayden asked his daughter.
"Well, there are two others that I want to tell you about..." Tana spoke, a smile appearing on her face.
"Jaaaaaack." I rasped, head lowered. The smaller girl seemed to not hear me, as she continued to drag me forward by the right arm. It has been an untold amount of time since we began our walk throughout the castle. Jack was still eagerly looking around, at the vases, the paintings, the windows, doors, walls, ceiling, and even at the floor. She was very odd, but I won't judge her - as long as she gets me to the dining hall for some food. "Jaaaaaack!" I said once more, this time, stopping Jack. Turning her head around, she looked cutely up at me with a slight tilt of the head. "I know you want to look around, but I'm hungry. Can the rest wait until later?" Jack puckered her lips up in thought, and then nodded.
"You just had to ask, brother!" Then, she turned around, and began to drag me away again, this time, hopefully towards the dining hall. My stomach rumbled loudly, as if it was a dragon snoring. Eventually, we arrived in front of two large doors, and with a kick from Jack, they opened. Inside, was the dining hall... but it was empty. No food was on the tables. With my eye twitching, I felt my soul leave my body. I couldn't even tell that Jack had led me into the room, until a voice spoke up.
"Hm? What are you two doing in here? Dinner is over..." the voice was masculine, signaling a male. I turned my head over towards it, and saw...
"Please!" I screamed out towards the person. "Cook me some food, I'm starving!" Yes, the figure that had appeared, was a chef. Wearing a traditional cooking outfit, the white hat and white apron, I automatically assigned the person into the role of a chef. Even if I was wrong, which I definitely wasn't, then I would probably still get food... eventually.
"Umm... okay? We still have some leftovers, so..." I interrupted the person mid sentence.
"Thank you, my God!" I bowed down towards the powerful individual, with Jack looking on in confusion. The person in question had no idea how to react to this development, so he simply left and began to gather up the leftovers and heat them, while the two of us waited in the dining hall. Sitting down at one of the long tables, we waited for the food to come.
After some time, the guy came back in, carrying a plate in each hand, with an assortment of food on said plate. "Dig in!" He said, placing the two plates down in front of us. Without even identifying what the food was, I began to eat desperately. Jack stared at the way I ate, and then looked at the food. She sniffed it, and slowly ate it. After checking its taste, she began to eat faster.
With Jack hardly eating anything when she was alive, and for me going a couple of hours walking around the castle, plus a few hours of marching, without food, we finished eating in record time. The chef was shocked at our speed, but after we finished, he collected the plates and left back into the kitchen to wash it or something.
Holding in a burp, I stood up and started walking away. Jack followed after me with quick steps. Now, there was only two things left to do. Wash and sleep. However... I had no idea where I was supposed to do either of these things. With becoming lost taking a walk around this damnable castle, I missed out on several pieces of information.
One, what became of the meeting Eirika had with King whats-his-face. Two, when will we be leaving this bloody castle and continuing with our journey that will push us into despair and near-death situations. Three, where were we supposed to sleep for Christ's sake. And four, my reward for breaking Tana out.
Sure, she was going to be freed anyway. But she didn't know that! So I think I deserve a reward of some kind. Maybe some cash. Maybe a brand new sword that can obliterate mountains and split seas. That would be nice. Can't a guy get something awesome for once? Sure, by "collecting" these orbs, I'm supposed to gain a "power" but how am I supposed to do that, again? Does my strength and the such just get boosted, or is it something else? This sword might be nice, but I don't even know its name! Also! My outfit! Why isn't there something over the shoulders? That is just weird! I did take that cloak to help cover up my shoulders, but I still want something to wear, something that will protect my shoulders! Whether it's just armor or fabric! I suck at rants.
Sighing, I looked down at my right side. Jack had easily caught up, and clutched my hand. She seemed to be fond of holding hands with me. I'm just glad she understood that there was a certain line that couldn't be crossed - by that, I mean bathing together. Though the line for sleeping together was easily destroyed, I'm just glad I persuaded her to take her own bath. Wait, why am I thinking about all of this? Is this foreshadowing the future somehow? No, I'm probably just tired now.
I want to sleep~
Yawning, I turned the corner and nearly bumped into someone, but luckily enough for me, he managed to stop just before the collision, and Jack pulled me back, stopping me just before I walked into him. The man looked to be pretty old, as he had some wrinkles on his face. With long hair, and armor, he was either a senior soldier, or a general.
"Sorry." I spoke, giving him a slight wave with my left hand. The man smiled slightly and shook his head.
"It is alright; neither one of us bumped into the other, so it is fine." His gaze shifted from me, down to Jack, who narrowly glared up at him. I frowned at seeing this, but decided not to comment on it. "May I ask for your names?" The man continued. To be honest, he looked kind of familiar. Was he in the game? I didn't really remember.
"I'm Emile, and this is Jack, my sister." I was still a bit uncomfortable introducing Jack as my sister, but I was becoming more used to it, at the very least. "And you are?"
"Nice to meet you two, Emile, Jack." The man nodded to the two of us. "I am Hayden. Say, would you like to have a chat right now? I know a good place where we can do so." That name sounded familiar, but from where?
I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm a bit tired, but sure." Hayden nodded and turned around. I shared a look at Jack, and then we followed after the man calling himself Hayden.
"I have been told that you rescued Tana before the Princess of Renais got to her. Is this true?" Hayden asked me from where we stood. He had led the two of us over to a balcony, where we had a good view of the land stretching out before the castle. While he leaned against the railing, and peered off into the night, I stood at his side watching Jack balance on the railing with one foot on it, a bored look on her face.
"Yes, that would be correct." I had no reason to lie, so I might as well tell him what had happened too. "The two of us had stealthily entered Border Mulan before Eirika had arrived. By the time we had rescued Tana and guided her out of the place, Eirika had already recaptured the fort."
"And how did you even get in? The front should've been guarded pretty well, and there is no back entrance."
"We got in from a window that was open." More like Jack threw me through it while she jumped after me, nearly breaking my back in the process.
"How did you know where Tana was?"
I shrugged. "I thought she would be placed in the dungeon, and let Jack guide me there." Before Hayden could ask me how Jack knew where it was, I interrupted him. "Jack didn't know where it was either, but she led me there through her senses."
"Senses?" He said, looking over towards the girl who was now doing a one-hand arm stand on the railing. Thankful, her cloak somehow didn't fall past her waist, so the aged man could only see her legs and not her outfit. Thinking about it, I wonder if Jack is simply shy to take off the cloak, even when alone with me? I should probably get something new for her to wear. I think she'd like that. "Well, looking at her, I find it hard to not believe you." He chuckled slightly.
"What's funny?" I asked him as Jack looked over towards us from her handstand.
"Nothing, much. Well, this has been nice, but I am busy, to we'll have to continue another time." He leaned off from the railing, and turned around, but before he could take a step, he looked back towards me. "Ah, yes. As the King of Frelia, is there anything you wish? For rescuing my daughter, I have to reward you somehow."
I blinked in surprise. He was the King? How do you address a King anyway? Have I offended him by the way I talked? Well, he doesn't look offended, so he must not care, or he wouldn't have offered a reward from rescuing Tana. Then again, he must know that she would've been rescued anyway even if I didn't arrive, so why would he offer me a reward? It doesn't bother me in the slightest, but... Oh, I know! I looked towards Jack, remembering what I had given her. Perhaps he'd be able to help me with collecting them?
"Then, King Hayden. I do have a request of you..." I stopped suddenly, appearing to gather my thoughts as I looked towards the night sky. Then, looking back down towards Hayden, I smiled slightly. "I am collecting these orbs, you see. I'm sure they come in many different colors, but, the one that I have is..." Jack jumped up from her handstand, and landed next to me. She reached into her cloak, and pulled out the orb. It was a cold blue orb, a perfect sphere from what I could see, with no scratches or chinks in its smooth surface. Hayden examined the orb with his eyes, and then leaned forward to get a closer look at it, but I stopped him. "It's a bit more than just an orb. When I had found it, I had been shocked, and Jack too, so if you carelessly touch it..."
"Ah, I see. The orb had Magic done to it, which would cause a reaction to when you touch it - so that's what I was seeing." Oh, yeah. Wasn't King Hayden a Sage, or something? Of course he would know about Magic, and the such. "Hmm." He hummed, scratching his chin, eyeing the orb. "There seems to be something like gold inside, but it is strange. I hardly detect any sign of Magic within, but I do clearly see Magic clinging to the outside surface, though barely. Perhaps when you touched it earlier, it had used up the Magic within? It does have traces of it exiting through something, but... Though it will still shock someone when they touch it, there will be no other effects... Interesting. If memory serves me correctly, there should be a similar orb in my treasury, so I shall search for it. But it will take time."
"Really? Thank you." I bowed my head down, and Hayden chuckled at the sight.
"You need not bow; you have done a great surface to me, and all of Frelia. If anything, I should be the one to bow to you." Releasing his breath, he looked at me with a sharp and hard gaze. "Please help Eirika on her journey. I beg this of you, Emile. Jack." He was about to bow his head, but I stopped him in hurry.
"If I can't bow, then neither can you! Besides, a King isn't supposed to bow down to anyone..." a yawn interrupted my words. "Anyway, I think it's time for me to go to sleep. But, uh... I don't exactly know where...?"
"Ah, of course. I'll have a guard lead you to an empty room. Come this way." Hayden left, and like before, we followed him. However, this time, there was a slight spring in my steps.
When I woke up, the next morning, I was not surprised to find part of my body hotter than usual, or how my right arm was, more or less, numb. I got used to it. What was the cause? It was Jack sleeping next to me, huddling up close to my arm and grabbing it. If I were to pull the sheets up, she would have a smile on her face. Sighing, I stared up towards my left at the ceiling. There was no reason to do this, but I didn't want to wake Jack. Though she didn't need much sleep, I wasn't the type of person to just wake other people up. In fact, I hated it when someone woke me up, especially if I needed the sleep.
But this just brings me back to the conversation I had with Jack a week ago, at the inn in Port Kiris we stayed in.
We had found an inn to stay out, for only a few coins a person. There was a small adjacent room in the room we stayed in that served as a bathroom, where we could wash up. Of course, we had to pay extra for this, but it didn't bother me any; the money wasn't mine, as Jack had stolen it from the pockets, wallets, purses, pouches of random people walking the streets.
I had convinced Jack to take a bath without me, as I didn't want to be labeled a pervert or potential pedo, so I took one after her, making sure to tell her to not enter when I was in. Jack had solemnly agreed and waited outside, on her bed, though that is definitely not where she would later go to sleep at.
After my bath, I had entered a conversation with Jack in order to confirm some things about her.
The first of which, is how she was summoned as my Servant.
"Servant? What is that?" Jack had asked me with a slight tilt of her head. She had no idea of what a 'Servant' was in this context. She then went and said that her existence is more like that of a familiar. It was very confusing for me, but I pressed on. I asked her if she was a Heroic Spirit, in which she replied with a small laugh. "A Serial Killer being Heroic? That is a funny joke." I asked her about the Holy Grail, but she didn't know about that either. I confirmed with her that she was a collection of wraiths, and I even confirmed the name of the city she lived in, which was London. However, all knowledge of the Throne of Heroes, or anything related to Type-Moon, was erased, or changed, in the case of her being my 'Familiar' versus that of a Servant.
It was very strange, and my thoughts had been directed at it almost the entire night - at least until I fell asleep. The Summoning method was different than normal, but something like that couldn't be the reason she didn't know about this, or why she thought herself a Familiar.
Perhaps Ouranos had changed something about her? From my interrogation of her, her abilities remained pretty much the same. I don't know if the quality of her abilities, such as her Strength, or the ranking of her Skills, were changed, but they were practically the same, from what I remembered them being.
Perhaps she was weaker. She was definitely not stronger, but I had no way to figure out. If there was another Servant summoned, I could try and figure out how different she is, in terms of ability, but even then, I doubt I'd be able to.
For starters, that same Servant, or rather 'Familiar', could also have been weakened. I remember reading about the Master being able to see the specs of his Servant, such as their Skills and Parameters, but even when I concentrated while looking at Jack to see something like that, nothing had happened. It was odd. Perhaps I wasn't trying enough, or maybe I didn't know how to do it?
Either way, it was puzzling. Perhaps Ouranos has the answer for this? No, he unmistakably does. He was the one who practically gave her to me, though with that wording, she sounds morel like my slave, than anything else.
There is an underlying meaning to me summoning Jack, and her being in a weaker state. But what is it? But no matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn't come up with an answer.
"Besides," I had latter thought to myself. "Jack the Ripper is still strong. The average person would still be easily killed, and I doubt any ordinary person in this world could match her - unless they're one of the strongest, a dragon, or the Demon God himself. So I don't need to worry about her being in a weaker state."
Nodding at this, I had agreed to stop thinking about it, and when the next day came, the two of us quickly left the inn, and then Port Kiris, as we then began our journey towards our next destination.
Though we had a few run-ins with brigands, Jack had effortlessly taken care of them. If I was alone, I might've died. I had a strange thought - one that I dismissed quickly with a laugh - but I had thought that I was 'given' Jack the Ripper because she wasn't the strongest Servants, and her strength lies in her utility. She was easily manageable, in some ways. For instance, she could protect me pretty easily in this journey, from start to finish even. With hardly an injury to boot. As if Ouranos wanted something to protect me from most dangers, but something that wouldn't be 'too' overpowered. Plus, her main strength lies in her Noble Phantasm that can one-shot females if the conditions are right. It can even be a weakness, as she would be less effective against males, or beings with no gender.
But, with a short laugh, I dismissed this train of thought. It sounded crazy - and it definitely was. And, with that action, I stopped thinking about it completely.
As my eyes traced one of the many cracks in the ceiling, I felt Jack stir besides from me. From what she had told me, she only needed about two hours of sleep, but it seems as if she adapted to sleeping for a much longer time period. At least she wasn't staring at me while I slept. That would be weird.
Smiling slightly, I wondered to what the future could hold for me and Jack.
