June 6, 2015

New York City, Manhattan

There was once a little girl.

The girl was a kind, caring little soul almost like a saint.

This girl was terribly ill. She wasn't at death's door, but her sickness was enough to keep her bedridden.

She would lie in that bed day after day with no sign of getting any better.

She had very little to occupy herself with. The only things she had at her side, were fairy tails and various books.

She would read these fairy tales day after day, immersing herself in the worlds that were written. It helped her mind escape from the cruel reality that she lived.

Her father was a very busy man. He rarely paid attention to her and focused on his profession. The girl didn't quite know what it was her father did, but he had many people working under him.

They referred to each other as "Brother" and "Sister" and referred to her father as "Priest".

The "Brothers" and "Sisters" would often visit the girl and take care of her on occasion. Just like they were all one big family. They were caring and nice people to each other and to the girl.

She stayed like this for many years. Her health never got worse, and it never got better. The Brothers and Sisters still watched over the girl the same way since she met them.

Then one day, a new face showed up.

He was an older looking man that wore modest clothing and carried around a bag with him. He never gave his name, but told everyone to refer to himself as "Doctor".

The Doctor visited the girl one day. He asked the girl, "Do you feel alright?" and "How long have you been like this?".

The girl said "For as long as I can remember, I have felt weak and don't have energy. But I'm never in pain."

The girl smiled at the Doctor like she would to any Brothers or Sisters. "You really have a beautiful smile. And you have done well to live like this for a long time." The Doctor said back to the girl.

He reached into his bag and pulled out a needle and a vial. "This will make everything all better. I promise you will be able to go outside after this."

After he finished, the man who called himself "Doctor" left and he wasn't seen again.

Soon after that, the girl started to feel stronger and had more energy. She could stand up and walk around and wasn't as tired all the time. Within weeks, it was like the girl had never been sick to begin with.

She was so happy. She couldn't believe it. Her life had changed in such a short time.

It was then she decided that she had to thank the Doctor who had saved her.

So when she was old enough, she left her Father and her Brothers and Sisters to go find the man and thank him for giving her a new life.


There was once a little girl.

The girl was a kind, caring little soul almost like a saint.

This girl was terribly ill. She wasn't at death's door, but her sickness was enough to keep her bedridden.

She would lie in that bed day after day with no sign of getting any better.

She had very little to occupy herself with. The only things she had at her side, were fairy tails and various books.

She would read these fairy tales day after day, immersing herself in the worlds that were written. It helped her mind escape from the cruel reality that she lived.

Her father was a very busy man. He rarely paid attention to her and focused on his profession. The girl didn't quite know what it was her father did, but he had many people working under him.

They referred to each other as "Brother" and "Sister" and referred to her father as "Priest".

The "Brothers" and "Sisters" would often visit the girl and take care of her on occasion. Just like they were all one big family. They were caring and nice people to each other and to the girl.

She stayed like this for many years. Her health never got worse, and it never got better. The Brothers and Sisters still watched over the girl the same way since she met them.

The girl grew up like this. New faces showed up calling themselves Brother and Sister overtime. And the girl's father finally started to pay attention to her.

He would visit her and he would even read the stories she so loved.

He also started to tell her of what he was doing for a living. He was known as a Priest for the local religion that everybody followed. The "Brothers" and "Sisters" that were all around her were fellow believers.

"My daughter, I believe if you choose to follow our religion, then one day our Savior will bless you and heal you of your sickness. I only want the best for you. There is no other way to cure you I'm afraid." Her Father said.

The girl, wishing to be normal and wanting to spend more time with her father, agreed to his offer.

"That's wonderful my daughter! Then we must prepare you so you can swear your oath."

Later that night, a chosen few Brothers and Sisters entered the room of the girl. It was time for the preparation, for her to welcome the Savior within her.


The man opened his eyes in a flash and he sat up. "What was that..."

The man held his head and tried to focus on what he just saw. "That was...like two different dreams...but the girl in it was the same...that girl was..."

His vision returned to focus and he looked at his surroundings. Various bodies were scattered around the room. Naked bodies of men and women of different ethnicity's and body types lay all over the place. They were sleeping.

The man got up and went to his closet. Three bodies were sleeping on each other inside. The man ignored the bodies and grabbed clothes from inside, then he maneuvered around the bodies and left the room.

He came out into a spotless living room and heard the sound of the front door shutting. He peered at the door and saw a lone figure there. The figure turned and faced him.

"Ah, good morning master. I hope last night was enjoyable."

Alter Ego class servant Kiara Sessyoin stood in front of the door. She had a smile on her face that was both pure and wicked.

The man, Sato Umagami, stared at the servant for a moment. His heart was beating fast and sweat was starting to form on his brow. He quickly turned his head in another direction. "M..morning, Sessyoin."

Sato quickly moved to the kitchen and opened the fridge.

One week ago, Sato had summoned this strange servant. The summoning went wrong when he didn't end up summoning assassin as planned, but something else had gone wrong. The servant itself that was summoned should not be able to be summoned.

"Master." The sweet voice interrupted Sato's thoughts. "What exactly is the plan you have in mind?"

Sato was about to look at his servant and answer, but he stopped before his eyes even had view of her figure. "W..well I don't really have one. I..I'm not in a position to give orders in the first place." He quickly moved to a nearby chair while trying to keep view of the servant far away.

"My my, but that's terrible master. This is a Holy Grail War, we must have a plan of action." Her worried expression changed to a smile. "Or...do you intend to stay here the entire time?"

"Of course not Sessyoin!" He spoke out but quickly calmed himself. "I mean, no, that is not my goal. I...I just don't don't what to do right now."

"Hmm, this is quite a predicament..." The smile on her face faded and she thought for a moment. Then her eyes opened and a smile came back.

"I think I have a solution to this problem. I can go out and search for servants, while you stay here and prepare for an attack on them."

Sato sat silently for a moment. "Y..yes that's a good idea. I can store up my mana for when you really need it..."

The servant could tell that something was bothering Sato. Her facial expression or movements didn't show it, but it was very easy for her to see through the man. She licked her lips.

"Master, what seems to be the problem?" Chills went down Sato's spine and he froze completely.

"No no no no no no no no! I don't mean it like that! Please don't look at me like that my saint! The look in her eyes the look in her eyes! I am worthless. Nothing more than a bug. I can feel it down to my soul. I am not worthy I AM NOT WORTHY! Please forgive me please!"

His thoughts went into overdrive.

This was a repeating event. Sato would freeze and turn almost vegetable like. The servant did nothing to cause this however. All she did was look at him, but that is all it took.

"Oh my saint, why do I do this. I disappoint you and you see through me. You see me down to my very soul. The horrible things I have done! They were for good reason! It was all for you, please understand! My wife didn't but I know you do. PLEASE UNDERSTAND!"

While it's true the servant did nothing to cause him to go into this state, she was capable of doing one thing. She could "see" people.

Not the people themselves, but what was inside. Their soul one could say. How she could do it, Sato didn't understand. He had never heard of Mystic Eyes capable of doing such a thing. The people that lie in his room right now were perfect examples of what his servant was capable of however.

"Let me explain let me explain let me explain! I can tell you what I mean so you can understand! Just please please don't look at me like that! DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT PLEASE!"

The servant closed her eyes and Sato could feel the pressure on him release. He started breathing again and he glanced in the servant's direction. Her nun outfit looked just as pure as the first day he saw it. It was almost too blinding to look at. He averted his eyes quickly.

"U..um...I agree with the plan...but what about the others? We don't know about the other servants..." He stumbled his words and spoke barely above a whisper.

"My my, you don't have to worry about me master. I can handle myself just fine." She gave a very innocent chuckle. "I will be back soon, so just be sure to keep our guests company if they awake." She gave a smile and a wave then disappeared.

Sato finally relaxed when he knew the servant was gone.

He looked out the window at the night sky. It must have been sometime close to midnight he guessed. He got up from his seat and went to the nearby desk, then he turned on the laptop that lay on it.

Sato pushed multiple keys and entered a code of sorts, then a window popped up on the screen. It read: School of Tachikawa-Ryu. It was the homepage of a very strange website. It mostly listed instructions, but numerous photos could bee seen throughout.

Sato scrolled down the page and clicked on various links. "Where is it, where is it..." Then he finally stopped at one and clicked it. It was a post from a site admin. It had text with an accompanying picture. "It couldn't be..." Sato slumped back in his chair and stared at the screen in awe.

This little one could be our real Savior. Thank the priest for such a gift to us! Beneath the text was a picture of a little girl in a white dress. She was laying in a bed while holding some children's books, with the sweetest little smile on her face. And her face looked oddly like the very servant that Sato had summoned.


Manhattan

The bright screen of the phone in his hands illuminated his face. He was currently texting someone.

Sorry honey, but the boss isn't laying off me today so I gotta stay and clean up. Should be home by 2 at the latest. Love you.

He tapped the screen multiple times then started texting again.

I just got off work. Be there in 15. I missed you.

He put his phone in his pocket and did a quick stretch. He had a smug smile on his face and was whistling to himself as he walked down the street.

It was all quite aside from the sound of his footsteps, but his footsteps were much louder than usual. He instinctively looked behind him with the corner of his eye.

He could see a woman's heels walking behind him. "I wonder where she works?" The man thought to himself.

It was then he noticed that there was no one else walking down the street. Not in front of him and not across the road. This was unusual he thought. "The city is never this quiet..."

The sound of the footsteps behind him sounded like they were getting louder. He started to get chills all over his body.

The man had never felt like this before. He was slowly starting to panic.

"Excuse me?" The sound of a sweet voice behind him caused him to halt. He slowly turned around.

A beautiful woman stood there with a concerned face. "I seem to be lost. Could you tell me where I am right now?"

The man's panic vanished just like it had appeared. "Oh, it's just a lost foreigner." He noted she looked Asian. She wore a nun's robe with a very unusual opening around the left leg.

His eyes focused on her face. "Wow, she is stunning." He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Then he slowly examined her body.

The more he looked the more he became entranced in her looks. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. A sly smile grew on his face.

"Of course." The man explained where they were and the local landmarks nearby. "I would be willing to accompany you to your destination. It's late at night after all and a woman shouldn't be alone." The woman smiled at the man's offer and graciously accepted

"Maybe I will have to tell her that I will be late. I have two hours until I need to be home anyway." The man quickly pulled out his phone and texted his thoughts to the woman awaiting him.

"Now, where is it you need to go?" The man slowed down and maneuvered his way next to the woman like a snake. Just like he had done many times before.

When he was close enough, he held out his arm behind the woman, and lightly touched her arm.

The moment he touched her, it was like time froze. His mind went blank and he lost all feeling in his body.

"Fufufu. You are a very straightforward man." He could miraculously hear her voice. But it wasn't sweet. It was like hearing poison directly seep into his ears.

The woman turned to face the man. She had a smile on her face that terrified the man down to his very soul. It was that of a beast looking at it's dying prey.

"Why don't I give you what you desire then, and show you paradise, fufu."

In that frozen moment in time, with nobody to witness it, the man disappeared. Only the sound of a gust of wind, slithering tentacles, and the heavy breathing of a woman could be heard.


June 7, 2015

New York City, Manhattan

It was early in the morning. The Clocktower mage stood in the middle of the destroyed room. There was a look of anger and disappointment on his face. He lifted his left hand and looked at it.

The red marks proving that he was a master of the holy grail war were on the back of his hand. Two of them were still bright red, but one of them had faded and almost disappeared.

"Damn Caster. What was she trying to do?" He looked to a large door at the end of the room on the left side. A flow of magical energy surrounded it.

Steiner walked to the desk at the end of the room and looked at the various papers scattered on it. A small doll was holding a piece of paper and looked like it was reading it. He snatched the paper from the doll and looked at it. What was written on there was a magic formula that he did not recognize.

As he looked at the paper, he recalled the events that led to this incident.

Four days ago, Caster had proposed a plan to Steiner. She offered to teach him some of her magecraft and in exchange, he would stop leaving and scouting out for other servants. Since he started, Steiner had only one clue as to where a master could be.

He knew of a private plane landing in upstate New York and it had unusual passengers, but that was all the info he was able to obtain. And soon after he got that info, Ruler showed up.

Since her meeting at the church, Steiner knew that Ruler would be his enemy. She had no sanctity for the secrecy of the grail war and even said she would use the other masters and servants to her advantage. If anything, Steiner wanted to dispose of Ruler himself.

He had refused the opportunity many times before, but because of this newfound enemy he wanted more strength, so he accepted to be trained by her

Three days ago the training started. His weak magic circuits proved difficult to deal with. Caster, AKA Helena Blavatsky, was well versed in all sorts of magecraft thanks to her extensive knowledge. She even knew magecraft from the Age of Gods, but that was far too much for any modern mage to handle.

This first day of training was starting to seem pointless for Steiner. He tried all different types of magecraft, but it didn't produce results he was happy with. He could use them at half the magic power that a normal mage could.

"I knew this would happen so here!" Then she gave Steiner a potion. "It took a while to find the formula for this, but with so many Olcott's it was easy! This isn't something modern mages can make nowadays, and it wouldn't work as well without the power of Mahatma so this is my very own creation."

Steiner recalled the smile on her face when she handed him the strange potion. Looking back on it now he thought, it felt nice to see that smile, even though he only saw her as his tool.

When he downed the potion, he felt immense pain for a few moments, then he felt full of energy. He noticed the amount of magic circuits in his body had increased.

"Normally this potion would be nothing more than a simple shutdown of the magic circuits, but because of my tweaks it now creates temporary artificial magic circuits! They won't last very long and aren't really powerful, but it makes a whole lot of them!"

What his Caster had done was not only blasphemy, it was also on the level of True Magic. Steiner even thought if a mage from the Age of Gods was capable of doing what she just did. The work of numerous Magic Crests or century long bloodlines, was just artificially created as a simple potion.

He tested out his newfound power.

His magic ability had doubled and he was capable of using magecraft he never could before.

After two hours, the magic circuits disappeared and his magic power went back to normal. But that didn't matter, because now he had something that would benefit him greatly.

Two days ago the second day of training started. Steiner had at this point really started to rethink his original plans for the grail war. After all, he had just gained a newfound power.

"Master, why are you fighting for the Holy Grail?" The question came out of nowhere and Steiner hesitated to answer.

He also realized he had never actually talked to his servant aside from giving orders and discussing plans. He didn't know much about his servant either and she didn't know much about him.

Normally, Steiner wouldn't care to answer the question. A servant is just a tool for him to use after all. But, for some reason, Steiner was feeling differently, and he couldn't quite explain why. Even looking back on it, he still doesn't know why.

"Simple. I want to reach The Root. Every other mage would say the same."

"No not that. You mages all want the same thing. I want to know why you think it is worth fighting in the grail war for."

"What I think?" The question itself had now become confusing.

"Exactly. What is it you want to wish for in the end, and why is it so important you would risk your life for it?"

Steiner stopped his training and thought for a moment. "Hmm, I would have to say immortality is what I would wish for."

Caster was sitting in a chair at the time and was leaning back as they spoke. When Steiner answered the question, Caster's chair tipped over and she fell on the floor. She quickly recovered, but it left a mark in Steiner's memory. She had never done something so clumsy before.

"I..I see. So that is your wish master."

Steiner noticed the hesitation in her voice. But he decided not to question it. "What is your wish Caster?"

"Hmm, I have many wishes, but they can all be granted by the power of Mahatma. So nothing I can think of at the moment..."

"Hmph, isn't that ironic." Steiner then returned to his training.

Then yesterday happened, which led to the current events. Steiner was sleeping soundly, but was awoken by a loud bang. He jumped out of bed and immediately defended himself. He thought they were under attack.

When he ran out into the main room, they really were under attack. There was a giant monster in the destroyed room and Caster was in its sights.

"Caster! What's going on!"

Caster turned and faced her master. She had a smile on her face. "Oh, good morning master! Sorry about the mess. I thought I would try something different for training today!"

While Caster was really enthusiastic, Steiner looked furious.

He had a back and forth argument with Caster about the monster. She claimed it would help with his training, but he claimed that it would end up destroying the temple. She pouted and started to have a tantrum.

And in the heat of the moment, Steiner did something he regrets. He lifted up his left hand. "By the order of my Command Seal I order you, kill this monster!"

Caster ended up killing the monster quickly and then Steiner proceeded to berate her. When he finished, a door appeared in the place of a bookshelf and Caster darted into it and the door shut. She hasn't come out since, and the communication between master and servant is blocked within that room.

That is how Steiner ended up in this situation. He has been trying to get Caster out of that room since yesterday.

He put the paper down then stood in front of the large door. He did four consecutive knocks then waited for an answer. There was nothing.

He had tried many things to get Caster to answer him, but nothing worked. He was starting to lose motivation. "She is being stubborn. Better off just going out and searching for other servants." He thought.

But he just couldn't bring himself to leave. He felt that was somehow the wrong thing to do. So, he decided to keep himself occupied by practicing the magic he learned.

As he practiced, he felt a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He would even glance at the door more often than he would like to admit. The whole situation was something he didn't really know how to handle.

"I am a mage. I shouldn't have to care about a disobedient tool. Plus, I am the master. I would rather not, but I can use a command seal if she refuses to come out in the next few days." These constant thoughts swam through his head. Yet he wasn't satisfied with this line of thinking and he didn't understand why.

For years, Steiner was just your average mage at the Clocktower. He had no notable accomplishments, his family was slowly on the verge of dying, and he had very few connections with powerful individuals. He was just as simple and basic as mage as one could get.

And a man like him heard of the Holy Grail War one day and decided that he would participate in it. A most bizarre decision.

He was a curt, logical, and almost emotionless individual. He rarely thought of others or what others thought of him. He had very few worries and zero regrets in life. The definition of a pure-blooded mage.

"Why am I concerned about Caster?" The nagging feeling. The complete opposite of who he was a as a person. It wouldn't stop.

In a fit of frustration, he used a particularly powerful spell and launched it at the wall. The impact shook the whole building and left a smoke cloud in the air. He stomped over to the door and raised his clenched fist and slammed it down.

It stopped short of the door, then his fist relaxed. "Caster, we need to talk. Will you come out?" He spoke in a soft tone. It was very uncharacteristic, to the point he had no idea he was even speaking until the words left his mouth. When they did he started to question if it was even him that spoke.

"...what is it?" A sullen voice behind the door spoke.

The unexpected response stunned Steiner for a moment. "Caster. What was the purpose of summoning that monster?" His voice was softer, but it still had a stern tone to it.

"...I wanted you to test your newfound abilities...and I wanted to see if we could have good teamwork together..."

"...I see. But why didn't you discuss this with me before hand?"

"Because I am your teacher!" Her voice went back to the cheery tone for a moment then went back to being low. "It wouldn't be much of a test if you knew what it was going to be about. So a surprise was the only answer..."

Steiner was quiet and had a blank expression. "Caster, you need to discuss things with me beforehand. I am the master and you are the servant." A faint whimper could be heard through the door. And what sounded like quiet sobbing. "We are both fighting for the grail, so we need to be in agreement on what to do."

There was silence for a while. Then the magic on the door faded, and the door made a pop sound then creaked open slowly. Caster's head popped out. Her cheeks were wet and she sniffled for a moment. "You mean...like work together?"

Steiner's face was still expressionless. "Something like that yes. I can handle the other master's, but servants are outside my capabilities. Although I may be able to distract one temporarily long enough for you to strike a lethal blow."

A small smile grew on Caster's face. "So you need my help?"

Steiner hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Yes that's right." The door quickly flew open and Caster had a triumphant pose. She wiped her face with her sleeve and had a beaming smile.

"I knew you would see the light of Mahatma! I will gladly work with you so you can experience it too!" She walked past Steiner and the door shut on its own then promptly disappeared. "Wow, I didn't think I made this big of a mess. I'm sorry about that." She walked through the destroyed room.

"Caster, I don't want to have to use another command seal. Be cautious on what you do from now on."

Caster had a nervous smile on her face, but she nodded at Steiner's words. "Oh, but I do have something I want to ask you." Caster turned and faced her master.

"What is it? So long as it is reasonable I will accept it."

Caster pointed her finger at Steiner with a large smile. "Considering I am your teacher, I would rather stop calling you "master" and start calling you "student" instead!"

"No." He said without any hesitation.

"Then how about by your name? Oh, but "Lorenz" just doesn't sound right. "Steiner" should be fine though."

For the first time, Steiner actually moved a muscle and his expression changed. He put his hand on his chin and looked like he was thinking. "Alright, I will accept that."

Caster smiled like a child then held her hand out. "Fantastic! Looking forward to working with you Steiner!"

For just a split-second, Caster could swear she saw a smile flicker on the man's stone-like face. "Just don't forget our roles." He reached out his hand and grasped hers, then both shook with a new found camaraderie.


June 7, 2015

New York City, The Bronx

The flashes were instant. Fast enough to not notice, but vivid enough to remember.

A flash of standing in a white room surrounded by figures in white.

A flash of dozens of bodies. Red with blood but alive, and some that were visibly dead.

A flash of two hands wearing white gloves covered in blood.

A flash of a smiling teary-eyed man staring up at me. I held onto his one remaining arm. His whole right side was covered in blood, yet he smiled at me with tears.

He said one word to me. "Angel."


The sound of loud voices interrupted the dream. The woman who dreamed slowly opened her eyes and her vision was blasted with light. When her sight was clear, she looked around the room. It was just an ordinary bedroom.

She raised her hand and touched her face. Her cheeks were wet. "Tears? What was that..." She wiped her face then got up from the bed. She glanced at the digital clock hanging on the wall to her left. "11:28, it's almost noon already?"

She left the room while stretching. Coming out into the main room, she saw a sight she had slowly gotten used to over the past few days.

A woman wearing a out of style bright red outfit stood in the middle of the room. She was talking (yelling) to the two men sitting on the couch. The sound of utensils and plates being moved could be heard in the kitchen. All the newly awoken girl could do was sigh at the usual sight.

Her memory flashed through her mind briefly.

Five days ago, Marie attempted a joke "magic ritual". It was supposed to be for fun and games, until it summoned the woman currently berating her brothers. Their first meeting wasn't ideal however.

It turned into a hysterical fit between the two girls very quickly. Marie grabbed a knife for protection, the woman in red chased Marie and tackled her multiple times, this was a repeated process that lasted longer than it really should have.

After things calmed down, Marie asked a simple question. "Who are you?" And the red figure responded with this. "That doesn't matter. I'm here to save people even if I have to kill them. So where are the injured?"

Marie didn't know what to think, let alone how to respond to that answer. The back and forth went on for a long time. Marie would ask a question and the woman would respond with a nonsensical answer. She was getting nowhere in finding out what just happened.

Then eventually, a knock came at the door. Before Marie could even think of what to do, the woman in red casually walked over to the door and opened it while saying, "What do you want?"

Marie's two brothers stood dumbstruck at the door. A very awkward conversation happened afterwords. Marie couldn't come up with a lie on the spot, but she didn't have to.

When the brothers asked the woman questions, she responded with easy understandable answers for once. Her name was Florence, her job was to save lives because she was a nurse, and she was summoned by Marie to save people.

Because of the actual answers, Marie was able to come up with a decent lie. "Florence is one of the head nurses at the medical school and I asked her to train me personally. She is a little eccentric but she is very good at her job."

Her brothers believed her and proceeded to drop the subject. tThere was one thing they couldn't let go however. "Why is there what looks like a magic circle in the middle of the room?"

Shortly after the "summoning", Marie's sole focus was to figure out the deal with this woman who suddenly appeared. The whole thing involving the magic circle had left her mind completely. And now she was wondering how to even explain it.

She originally thought it was just a game her brother's did when they were young, but her reasoning was now different. Things felt "off" now and she didn't want to do anything unnecessary. It wasn't that she thought about it, but it was a gut feeling. Almost like an instinctual warning

So she was at a complete loss on what to say. "Oh that, I forgot to clean it up. You were distracting me." Florence said abruptly. She then proceeded to wipe away the "summoning circle". "A filthy mess like this, I will not stand for it at all. So unsanitary."

Marie quickly came up with an excuse. She said Florence made the "magic circle" as kinda like a prayer of sort to wish herself good luck. "She is a little eccentric after all."

Eventually, her mother came home and Marie had to explain the whole situation to her as well. On the surface, she looked like she believed it. But Marie could tell that she didn't in the slightest. Her mother's suspicions was revealed even more when the brothers mentioned that "weird magic circle" that was in the middle of the room.

When the sun set and the moon rose, Marie's brothers were fast asleep. That was when her mother started the interrogation. So Marie told her mother everything. The entire time, her mother had a dark look on her face. It was a mix of sadness, disappointment, and anger.

When Marie finished, her mother said a very strange thing. "I was afraid of this ever happening."

Marie's mother then proceeded to tell the history of their family. How the family was actually from a long line of "mages" that goes back hundreds of years. How the world actually works and what magic and magecraft really is. She explained that before Marie and her brother's were born, she decided to not live the life of a mage, so she abandoned the family and moved far away.

It worked and she got to live a normal life. Met a man, got married and had children, a perfectly normal life. Until her husband found out about the family secrets. It's what caused Marie's father to leave in the first place.

The whole slew of information that was being poured into Marie's head was almost too much for her to handle. She was finding out that her whole life and her whole family's history was a lie. but her mother wasn't finished.

She said that when Marie's grandparents died, they left all their magical research and the entire family's history to their grandchildren. Marie and her twin brothers were the heirs to a long time mage family.

"The stuff in the guest room belonged to your grandparents. So everything in there is related to magic." This sentence was enough for Marie to start realizing the truth as to what happened to her earlier.

Then her mother told her of an ancient magic ritual called a "Holy Grail War". A life and death battle that mages in the east fought for. Marie's grandparents wanted to participate in one as well, but they never got around to it.

Marie started to panic when she learned about what she just did. She was having a full blown meltdown that lasted for hours until she fell asleep.

The next day, Marie's mother said that she would look into the current situation. She despised magic, "But if its to protect my daughter, I don't care what I have to go through."

The day after that the suspicions were confirmed true. Marie's mother had found the information regarding the Holy Grail War in New York City, and it worried her greatly. She claimed it could screw up everything about magic. The more she said, the more she worried Marie.

Marie wanted out. She never asked to join the war and didn't want to participate in it. Her mother tried to convince her, but she still refused. Marie then holed up in her room for the whole day.

Florence, the mysterious person that suddenly appeared in front of Marie, was the servant of Marie, specifically the Berserker class servant. She was mad to begin with. So Marie's mother ha dot explain that leaving the servant to her own devices, could result in horrible consequences.

Marie wants to become a doctor to save people. with the Holy Grail War being here in the public eye, and the danger of servants and their powers, people's lives are at risk. So she had no choice but to participate.

All these things that happened seemed like a distant memory to Marie now. But the current sight in front of her eyes showed that it was the cruel truth she now lived.

"You two are clearly ill. To eat your food then proceed to just leave the plate sitting there, letting the germs and bacteria grow! I must teach you the proper manners."

The sounds of her new daily life was almost soothing to listen to. But Marie couldn't quite focus on it. Her mind now fully woken up, was focused on what she saw yesterday.

She looked at her left hand and gently rubbed the red marks. She saw those very red marks on the hand of a patient at her medical school. And that means only one thing. "He was a master..." She mumbled under her breath.

Marie had no idea how to handle the situation. She was dragged into this unknowingly after all. She wasn't prepared in the slightest to fight other people that could wield magic. Being within arms reach of an enemy was enough to send her into a panic and come running home.

She tried talking to her servant and her mother about it, but it wasn't any help. Marie could barely sleep last night due to the anxiety of everything.

"Marie, you woke up pretty late today. Did you not sleep well?" The voice of her mother snapped her back to reality.

"Uh yeah. Didn't sleep too well it seems." She gave off a weak smile trying to hide her anxiousness.

Florence suddenly stopped her lecture of the brothers and locked eyes on Marie. With the speed almost like a bullet, she leaped towards Marie. Landing just inches from her face, Florence stared deep into her masters eyes.

"You didn't sleep well you say? That's not good. If you don't get enough sleep it affects your health, and I won't allow that."

Even though Marie was the master in this situation, she couldn't help but feel fear in the face of her servant. The look of determination in her eyes and her unwavering personality was far too much for her to handle.

Her brother's had gotten used to it and her mother was wary around the servant, but they kinda found her endearing in a way. But for Marie, all she felt was the fear of dying at any moment.

"I..its just a one time thing. I couldn't sleep last night after what happened yesterday."

"Yesterday? I don't recall anything important." Florence said in a casual tone.

Marie leaned closer and spoke in the voice of a whisper. "I mean that other injured master I met at my med school."

The air suddenly grew thick. A chill ran through the bodies of every single person in the room. Florence who was previously acting calmly, now had a dark aura and her posture was stiff.

"Did you say he was injured?" Her voice wasn't calm. It was stern and boomed throughout the room.

The pressure was too much for Marie. She thought that if she spoke she might just die, so all she did was nod.

Without any hesitation, Florence dashed to door and left the apartment within a second. It all happened so fast it took a moment for anybody to register what happened.

Marie's mother was the first to speak. "Where did she go?" Marie was just about to respond, but she stopped when she heard footsteps rapidly running though the hall.

Florence entered the room and ran straight to Marie and picked her up. "F..Florence what are y-" Then the servant dashed back to the door. They left the building within seconds and they were out on the sidewalk.

Marie was utterly confused. She started to struggle in Florence's arms. She was surprised by how fast and strong the servant was, but more importantly, why did Florence come back for her?

"Don't open your mouth if you don't want to lose your tongue." The ground cracked and the sound of a sonic boom was heard.

Marie's eyes didn't quite see what just happened. She only heard what happened. But her eyes soon adjusted. She was flying in the air at the height of most buildings in the surrounding area.

She was about to scream as they came crashing down, but another loud crack was heard and then they were up in the air again.

"Is she jumping on the buildings?!" That thought raced across her mind. Marie couldn't see a thing however. The speed was too fast, and the air against her skin was worse than being on a roller coaster.

She could feel the impact against the buildings right before they jumped. It shook her down to the very core with every last impact.

After another jump, they landed very hard on top of a building. Florence let go of Marie and she fell hard. Before she could recover herself, the sound of metal being destroyed was heard, and rapid footsteps.


The Bronx

The man lying in the hospital bed stared with a bored expression at the TV.

He was tapping his finger repeatedly on his leg.

He tried raising his body, but a sharp pain in his lower back caused him to slam back down on the bed.

"God I hate this." He said with anger on his face.

"Master." A figure appeared out of thin air along with the voice.

"Oh Lancer, what is it?" A small smile appeared on the mans face.

"There is another servant approaching fast. What would you like me to do?" Lancer spoke in a calm reserved voice.

Curtis' smile disappeared and his expression turned serious. "Can you fight them?"

"Yes I can. But will you be able to reach a safe area master?"

Curtis thought for a moment. "I'm afraid I can't move by myself at the moment."

"Then I must get you out of here as soon as possible. Please brace yourself master."

Before Lancer could move, a loud bang was heard and the whole building shook. The smile on Lancer's face disappeared and they had a blank expression. "They are here."


Berserker had run down the stairs from the roof. Even though she was nothing more than a mad beast in a sense, she could still feel the concentration of mana that a servant gave off.

She ran down to the second floor and looked down the hall. Various people were staring at her and some tried to talk to her. She ignored all of them and focused her sight on the two figures at the end of the hallway.

Lancer stood there, carrying the young man with a blank expression on their face.

Berserkers eyes locked in like a hawk on the man being carried. She could see a blood stain on his shirt, and underneath could see he was injured.

It was like a super sense. Berserker would be able to spot any type of injury on a person just by looking at them. It was a natural instinct for her.

"You are injured! Go back to bed or I will have to cut off your legs so you can't run away!"

Lancer looked at Berserker with an amused expression. "I see, you must be Berserker."

Three bags and a belt appeared around the waist of the woman in red. She pulled out a old looking pistol from the holster and aimed it down the hall. "Come here so I can treat you!"

The pressure in the air grew thick. The innocent bystanders felt nauseous and terrified at this unusual sight. This was something that shouldn't be happening.

Lancer could feel the blood-lust that Berserker was releasing. But Lancer didn't release any blood-lust. They had to protect their master.

The moment Lancer turned away from Berserker, the gun was fired. The shot was loud enough to burst the eardrums of a few close by people. Lancer dodged the bullet and ran to the end of the hallway and turned around the corner.

"Stop right there!" Berserker did a mad dash to the end of the hall and fired four shots after turning the corner. Two shots hit some people stunned by what just passed them, another shot completely missed, and the final shot grazed the hair of Lancer as they ran up a set of stairs.

Lancer jumped up the stairs with a level of speed and grace that it was like the wind blowing. Lancer made it to the third floor and started running down the hall.

Downstairs, Berserker busted down a door and entered a patients room. The room was empty but the difference didn't matter to Berserker. She jumped and punched the ceiling, launching herself through and ending up on the floor above. It was another empty patient's room.

She pulled a grenade out of the bag on her left hip ad threw it at the door. The explosion was instant. It shook the whole building and was much stronger than one would expect. It blew up the whole wall that was the entrance to the room, but it also blew up the outside wall of the med school.

People outside stopped what they were doing and looked at the explosion. Many started to pull out their phones and started filming or making calls.

Lancer was just a few feet from the explosion, but had jumped back just in time. They looked through the smoke and saw Berserker standing there, holding a hospital bed above her head.

"Stop resisting and let me heal you!" Berserker shouted as she threw the hospital bed at Lancer.

Lancer then suddenly changed. The mana flow inside them was drastically altered, and their body changed shape. The arms that held the young man suddenly grew in size, covering him in a cocoon like shape.

Lancer then dashed towards the oncoming bed with a speed far faster than could be seen. The bed split in half and Lancer suddenly appeared on the wall.

Berserker hadn't seen Lancer even move from the previous spot, but that didn't matter. she leaped at Lancer and prepared a simple right hook.

Lancer then jumped off the wall with that same level of speed, and exited through the large hole leading to the outside.

Berserkers fist collided with the wall Lancer was previously at. It destroyed the wall completely and damaged the surrounding area. she quickly tuned toward the hole and looked outside. Lancer had disappeared, and she could sense no sign of the servant.

She holstered her gun. An expression of extreme anger was on her face. Then she started running down the hall.


?

The man was staring at the computer in front of him. A website that had the local news was what he was looking at. He clicked play on a video.

"For those of us just joining now, 30 minutes ago there were gunshots and a large explosion at a medical school located in the western side of The Bronx. There were no casualties, however there are a reported 6 wounded, with 2 in a critical condition. Witnesses claim that a woman wearing a red outfit appeared suddenly and started chasing after a person in a white overcoat. Shots were fired and then an explosion happened afterword. The person in white then disappeared and the woman in red then proceeded to attack the injured people. Before police could arrive on the scene, the woman in red escaped and she is now being tracked down."

The man stopped the video and kept scrolling through the website. He pressed play on numerous videos that were taken by people filming the incident from outside.

He watched many videos from many different angles. He kept pausing throughout each video at certain points. In one of the video frames, it was possible to see a white blur jump from the hole in the wall to a nearby building. In three different videos, it was clear to see the woman in red standing by the hole and then proceeding to run away.

The man stopped two different videos on the parts where you could see the mysterious figures. He started to rock his seat back and forth.

"Hmm, which servants are these?" He took off his hat and started juggling it. "I guess the one in red is Berserker. She destroyed a portion of the building and was supposedly acting like a wild beast."

"Now the other one..." He locked his eyes on the paused frame of the figure in white. "It's too damn blurry. Can barely even make out a shape. No idea who or what this is." The man stopped juggling and returned the hat to its rightful place.

He held up his left hand and started counting with his fingers. "So first we got Caster in Manhattan, then we got Archer in Brooklyn, Berserker in Brooklyn, and Ruler roaming around all over the place.

Then he held up his right hand. "No idea where Saber even is. That leaves two final servants, Lancer and that other thing." The man smiled with a mischievous expression.

"The one Berserker fought had to have been Saber or Lancer. No way would the other one choose to come out now. It's not strong enough yet."

The man looked at the watch on his right arm then got up from his seat. "I do wonder what the other thing that was summoned is, and when it is finally going to make its move and turn this whole grail war into a magical cesspit." The man gave a quick chuckle and left the room.


June 7, 2015

New York City, Long Island

The sound of the doors being flung open echoed throughout the church.

"Father Rimon! We need to speak now!" Toris hastily made his way to the altar.

"What is it Toris?" The priest emerged from the back room.

"There was a huge spectacle just now! Servants just fought in broad daylight with the eyes of the masses watching!"

The look of anger on the mans face only got worse when he saw that unchanging smile the priest wore. It was almost enough to make him strangle the priest where he stood.

"But we knew that this would happen. Why are you so alarmed?"

Toris clenched his fists in anger. "That's not the problem here. The problem is we are doing nothing to try to prevent such occurrences! I cannot allow this to continue. I will contact the Church and tell them that we are in need of a prevention force." The man turned around and started walking away.

"But what will that do Toris?" The man stopped. "This is a Holy Grail War. It will not end until all but one Master and Servant are alive to receive the grail. Do you propose you start attacking the Masters?"

"Of course not, we are well aware of the power of servants. I was referring to marking specific spots for battle, or even using a large scale memory manipulation spell. Something must be done."

"So you will ask the Church to send others that will help you in this endeavor?"

Toris turned to face the priest. "Yes, and you cannot stop me. enjoy your position as overseer for now, Father Rimon."

Toris left the church, and the priest stood all alone. He looked at closed door. "Father Toris, I pray for your safety. He will not let you interfere, no matter what.


Servant Profile

Class: Caster

Master: Lorenz Steiner

Name: Helena Blavatsky

Sex: Female

Height/Weight: 145cm (4ft 7in.) 38kg (84lb)

Alignment: Chaotic-Good

Parameters

Strength: E

Endurance: E

Agility: D

Magical Power: A

Luck: A

Noble Phantasm: A

Personal Skills

Magical Energy Tuning: C (Drastically stimulates both the magical energy of herself and those who are in tune her with mana.)

Mahatma: A (Can allow herself to use the power granted to her by beings of a higher order. Able to use many types of magecraft.)

Search for the Unknown: B (The desire to search for the Root/Truth. Can extend her magical power to others and briefly tap into an unknown magical source.)

Class Skills

Territory Creation: A (Creates a "workshop" that is an advantageous position to oneself as a mage. Because she possesses A rank, she can create a "Temple" which is superior to a "workshop".)

Item Construction: B (Allows one to produce devices that contain magical energy. The doll called "Olcott" is one such creation. Olcott does not have any fighting capabilities however.)

Noble Phantasm

『Sanat Kumara』Venusian God - Heavenly Lord of the Flame

Rank: A

Type: Anti-Army

Range: 1-50

Maximum Targets: 150

(A giant clad in shining Ether reveals its form alongside a flying object, before burning the surroundings with flames. Supposedly, this is the "recreation" of the power of Sanat Kumara, the Venusian deity that came to Earth and is among one of the many gods of creation. The unknown flying object that comes with it however, has no explanation.)