I do not own Fate/Extra, Fate/Stay Night, or any other title created by Type-Moon. I am only writing about this for fun and not for any kind of profit. So don't anyone get it into their heads to try and sue me when I already put this disclaimer up!
Fate/Extra: System Error
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 1: System Login
I opened my eyes to view the world around me. The sky was dark and filled with stars were littering it like diamonds. Staring at them I admire their glow before I manage to achieve the desire to see more around me. Below me is shrouded mist, looking downright endless as I idly peered at the clouds which I swear I seemed thick enough to support actual weight rather than simply sit there and look pretty. Ahead of me are three massive arched windows that looked like they were from a church, decorated with numerous circles with some kind of designs in them. Rather than actual glass though, the windows looked like they were made of lines of light with absolutely no filling.
Where was I?
How did I get here?
Who was I?
"Your story has now begun."
The voice booms, but at the same time it sounds soft. It also feels like it is coming from all around me, but at the same time directly in front just beyond what I was capable of seeing.
"Before you can write it though, you must choose a vessel of your power."
Something compels me to look up and I see seven of the stars begin shining in the sky. They twinkle as if trying to communicate with me before they started to fall down, aiming at the ground which no doubt existed beneath the mist. The stars flew down like cotton drifting through the air, not looking like falling chunks of doom either. As they drew closer, I saw that they were the roughly the size of baseballs. Each one sparkled brightly but none of them seemed to outshine the other.
"Choose." The voice boomed.
I looked to each of the several stars and tried to think of what to do next. I reached out to the first of the stars and when my fingers touched it, the light dissolved to reveal what looked like a simple card out of a tarot deck. It depicted a knight holding up a sword.
"Servant Saber. The first of the three knight classes. Balanced in all areas and hailed as one of the mightiest of the seven. I foresee a woman with golden hair who bravely wields a unique blade."
I draw my hand back from the Saber card. Curious as to the others, I reached out for another. Like the one before, the light vanished to reveal another card, this one depicting a woman holding a bow with an arrow arched back.
"Servant Archer. The second of the three knight classes. Masters of projectiles and fiercely independent at times. I see a stoic man clad in crimson robes."
Interesting. I looked away from the Archer card and picked another star which was on my right. This time, the star vanished to reveal a card depicting a wizened old man in a robe holding a staff and a book.
"Servant Caster. Master of magic which is ancient and powerful. Perceived as the weakest of the classes. I see a magical fox woman filled with vitality and emotion."
Tempting, but for some reason I pulled back and reach for another star. This one brought forth a card depicting a gangly man with a large sword and a wolf's head.
"Servant Berserker. The mad Servant who trades sanity for power. Often the most difficult Servant to control. Beware the black knight who is filled with remorse.
Intimidating. I turn my attention to another star, with only three left and picked one at random. The card revealed a man in armour who was riding on a chariot.
"Servant Rider. Master of beasts and mounts alike. Their artefacts are not to be underestimated. Stand proud next to he who captains the black ship."
Odd. I reach to the second last star and watch as it reveals a card detailing a man with a large hat and a long spear in his grip.
"Servant Lancer. Last of the three knight classes. The fastest and most agile of Servants. I see the child of a sun god through this path."
Weird. I look to the last star and touch it. What comes out is a card depicting a man dressed in black with sharp daggers and a skull mask.
"Servant Assassin. The master of silent killing. The most difficult to battle fairly. Beware the decadent queen who fills this role."
I draw my arm back and consider what I should do. I had to pick one of them or else I was just going to hang there forever. Still, which one to choose? The voice made them all seem powerful but what was I choosing them for?Which one would be the best one for me? I guess if I wanted to be safe I could pick the ones like Saber who the voice said was the best, but Berserker was likely strong too. Lancer and Rider both sounded quick and might make any trials easier. Assassin and Archer on the other hand would be good for sneak attacks. Then again, I was likely able to do anything if I had Caster. For all the perks though, I had to pick one.
I guess I would pick…
ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR! ERROR!
What? Huh? What was happening?
There was a flash and suddenly everything I could see was glazed with a kind of static which made the world seem fuzzy. My body froze as if locked in place and I was snapped from the soft haze my mind was in to be transferred to a state of panic. I tried to move, but I couldn't! What was happening?-! Did I do this? What was going to happen to me?
ERROR! ERROR! ERR-!
SYSTEM ERROR CONFIRMED! SECURITY MEASURES ACTIVATED!
PROCESSEING…
ERROR LOCATED: DOWNLOADING NEW SOFTWARE
REPAIRS INITIATED
ERROR REPAIRED
CONTINUE PROCESS
The static which polluted my eyes vanished, returning the comforting magical scene of the night, clouds and windows in front of me. The haze which covered my mind returned, making me feel lethargic and tired. The adrenaline which I felt a moment ago vanished in the haze of sleepy security. I looked ahead at the seven cards in front of me. Right, I still had to pick one of these cards in front of me. I raised my arm to reach for one, but then a light caught my eye.
Looking up, I saw an eighth star descending down towards me like the other seven had done. It came to a slow stop in front of me, slightly closer than the other cards as if it were trying to catch my attention. Curious, I reached out to it. My fingers touched the shining surface and like the others, this one revealed a tarot card. The surface of this card depicted a man with long hair who was simply skin and bones chained like a prisoner.
"Servant Avenger. The wild-card class. This Servant will emulate the qualities of another so no two will be alike. Expect a man who holds a keen eye and believes knowledge is power."
I draw my arm back again and observe the eight cards which are in front of me. I had so many choices, so many paths to walk on. How was I to choose? Sighing softly, I gently reached out towards the cluster of cards and made my choice. My fingers caressed on the surface of the Avenger card, making the air around it ripple. The other cards vanished as if they were the mist below me while the Avenger card began to shine brightly in front of my eyes.
And all went white…
DAYS REMAINING: 0
MORNING
I open my eyes and find myself walking towards school. It's a sunny day and there aren't any clouds in the air. All in all, it was the perfect day to go out and do something but all I could really feel the urge to do was go to school. Looking ahead, I see a crowd of students at the front of the school. The boys are wearing high school uniforms which are coloured gold and have the crest of the school on the breast pocket. The girls were wearing the same kind of jacket, but with a gold skirt rather than pants and a blue bow tied onto their collars. The boys' uniform matches mine, obviously pointing out that I'm going to the same school, Tsukimihara Academy.
The students act lively, but for some reason they seem so…false. I don't know how else to say it but they people at the gates seem more like stand-ins or temporary actors. They can't stand out in any way even if they tried. They are merely the moving background to the true characters who are the main characters. But…they still seem lively? How could they be false? They were standing right in front of me, proving they were real. Yet when I looked at them, it was like they were simply black and white people who just followed the same schedules like it was programmed…
…thinking about it made my head hurt. Trying to pursue the thought just made the pain worse.
Drawing closer to the crowds, I try to see what was causing everyone to crowd around the school gates when I knew that they should be open. Managing to push through the crowds, I saw a student in a black male outfit standing outside the gates checking them all one by one. He has short black hair and small round glasses. I recognize him immediately. His name is Issei Ryuudou. We're friends. He's the president of the student council. You can always tell who's on the student council since members always wear black uniforms as opposed to the standard gold. I always wondered why that was…but I never seemed to get around to asking…
Looking in my direction, Issei notices me and waves me over. I approach, but doing so causes another bolt of pain to cut through my head. Issei appears to be just as bland and colourless as everyone around me despite his smiling face and how his features were what I would consider human.
"Hi there," he greeted me. "Wonderful weather we're having isn't it?"
"Um…" I frowned, trying to get my thoughts in order despite the dull pain in my head.
"Why the look of surprise?" asked the student council president. "We announced at the last assembly that the council will be taking this month to strictly enforce the rules."
There was an assembly last week? Where was I then? Come to think of it, what was I up to last week?
…ugh…stupid headache was acting up again.
Did Issei really have to say this to me? I already knew it. He had said it everyday to every person. I swear it was like he had been pre-programmed for his role as student president.
Another shot of pain spiked through my head, making visibly flinch with the sudden onrush. Nobody seemed to notice.
Issei certainly didn't seem to notice my slight discomfort as he kept talking, "First, let me check your student I.D. I shouldn't need to remind you but your student I.D. should be on you at all times."
The pain in my head vanishing for the moment, I remove my PDA and allow it to synch up with Issei's. On the screen was my face with brown hair which was cut short in a typical male fashion. My data quickly came up next to my image. I was a student in the class 2-A, I was seated near the back, my teacher was Taiga Fujimura, and it even had my grades marked down in that data. Most prominent of all was my name marked on the spot next to my picture.
Riku Ayase.
That's right…I was of mixed heritage and it showed in everything from my out-of-the-norm brown hair to my name. My birth name was actually Rick, but the pronunciation in Japanese made it sound like Riku. Fortunately, this was a day and age where my heritage wasn't a problem for anyone with a pair of working brain cells. Still, I didn't bother to correct anyone on the pronunciation since it helped me fit in better with my peers.
"Great," Issei nodded, seeing my information. "There's no telling when an emergency might happen so its best if you keep your I.D. on you at all times."
Right, right. Could we get a move on? It felt like I had done this a million times before and it was grating on my nerves.
"Now for the uniform check," the president continued, just like clockwork. "Collar, check! Pant hems, check! Your socks, check!"
Screw this! The feeling of endless repetition was starting to make me queasy. I didn't have the time or the patience to deal with the student council's endless preaching about the adherence to the rules! Shoving past Issei, I began a grumbling march towards the school with my classroom set as my destination. I didn't need to be reminded once again of just how boring and repetitive this machine-like world was!
"And now for the contents of your schoolbag," I hear Issei speak. Blinking at his lack of admonishment towards my actions, I glance back to see if he had moved on. "Textbooks, notebooks, pencil case. Not even a whiff of contraband. Even your nails are cut and you have a sensible haircut. Quite remarkable. You are indeed a perfect example of a Tsukimihara student."
Rather than admonish me for shoving past him or even noticing that I did it, Issei was continuing his inspection as if I were still standing there. He was even going through the physical motions of handing back my schoolbag when I never even handed it to him in the first place! This wasn't right! No one was even noticing that he was talking to air! There was something really wrong here and I was the only one who seemed to notice or even give a damn!
This had to be a dream. I had to do something and wake myself up.
MORNING - MIDDAY
I grew increasingly agitated as the day progressed. Going through the motions of the day was like a compulsion. Watching Taiga-sensei trip and fall, hearing Shinji whine about the new kid Leo who would had obviously become more popular than he was. I just sat through it all, feeling this yawning void of emptiness, futility, and exasperation enter my body. As the feelings grew, so did my nausea and headaches. It grew so bad that this static overtook my senses, dulling everything. It messed with my sight so badly it seemed everyone around me was literally black and white with only a few exceptions, notablyTaiga-sensei, Leo, and Shinji.
I glance to the side and spy Shinji Matou. He wears the same uniform as me, but he's modified it to make it look cooler, mainly by leaving the jacket open, sleeves rolled up, and collar of his shirt undone with a silver chain necklace. He has wavy blue hair which looks like it was windswept, but obviously faked. He's good looking and smart, which draws him a lot of attention from the ladies who always come to him for help with problems they have. Of course, he's always snide and talks down on them saying things like it's only natural that peons go to those who are naturally better for help before chiding them for being dumb. Of course the guy isn't as smart as he likes to think. He's gotten questions wrong in the past but whenever someone calls him out on it he throws a tantrum and blames everyone else for distracting him and making him answer wrongly. Responsibility was antithesis to him. If there was ever a textbook example of a spoiled brat, it was definitely Shinji Matoh. He seemed to consider me his friend since I was 'unique enough to be noticed by superiors, but boring enough to remember my place'. I think he just considered me his sidekick to make himself look better in comparison to when he wanted the ladies' attention.
At least I've never added two plus two and came out with five.
Leonardo B. Harwey, or Leo as Taiga-sensei said we could call him, was like a mirror opposite to Shinji. He wore an orange version of our school uniform with the jacket oopen to reveal a vest underneath and also wore gloves and high-class boots. He had short blonde hair and green eyes, looking European in his overall looks. He was both handsome and intelligent, which instantly converted many of Shinji's fangirls. However, he was also humble and very friendly. He happily helped his classmates out with any subjects they were having difficulty with and didn't lord the fact that he was better than they were at anything, something Shinji loved to point out any chance he got. The guy was for all intents and purposes, a prince as far as any of us would concern ourselves. None of us but Shinji could really say anything bad about him.
There was something which made him seem…strange to me.
That strangeness only amplified when he stood up in class without even asking if he could.
"Miss Fujimura," he spoke up, sounding polite and cordial as always but then turned towards us as he acknowledged all of us. "And all of my fellow classmates. It's time for me to leave. We will probably never meet again, so I wish you all well."
The pain in my head spiked at his words…something…was wrong…what…?
Pain…out of…place…
…help…?
Leo said some more words to Taiga-sensei, but I was somewhat out of it by this point so I couldn't make them out. Once he finished the sentence though he just seemed to…fade away. The static thickened in my eyes, making Shinji appear that much more colourful compared to everyone else around me. The blue-haired boy made a snide remark about Leo I couldn't catch but didn't seem too concerned about the disappearance. No one else in the room seemed to have taken any concern with it either. Heck, not even the teacher seemed to really care about what just happened! One of her students vanished into thin air and all she does is tell us to open our textbooks!
Something was seriously wrong here! Couldn't anyone else see that?
…god my head hurt.
MIDDAY - EVENING
The final bell rang for the day as the dipping sun filled the classroom with orange light. Taiga-sensei has said her goodbyes and has left us to our own devices, clubs, and whatnot. The other students milled about like nothing was wrong, but I could see that every damn thing was wrong! Their black and white bodies all show them to be flat and meaningless, like they are made just to sit there and make small talk, go to clubs, or just leave the school for home. I myself on the other hand still feel queasy, feel pain from my head, feel uneasy, empty, and increasingly frustrated. The static in my eyes from Leo's departure only continued to get worse, making me feel I was borderline blind despite how I was still able to see.
What was going on?-! The whole world felt like it was unravelling and no one else was noticing! No, there had to be an answer somewhere! Students vanishing, strange going ons, there had to be an answer somewhere! I'd bet that the answer was lying directly in this school too! With so many weird things going on, the answer had to be here! It just had to be!
Leaving my book bag behind, I stepped out of the classroom and into the second floor hallway. The static still pollutes my eyes, but I can see where everything is well enough. I don't know where I should begin searching though. Did I even have a clue? Well, Leo would be considered one since he seemed to know what was about to happen to him, but he had vanished. Was there anyone else…maybe…SHINJI! Shinji was still in colour just like Leo and Taiga-sensei were. I'd bet that if anyone knew what was going on, it was Shinji! But where to find him? Did he even go to a club or was he the type to go home after school? If he was in the midst of this, I'd bet he wouldn't go home so quickly.
Wait…I heard him mention once how he was the vice-captain of the Archery Club. Well, 'talking about' was a weak statement. It was more like he was whining about how he was 'only' the vice-captain when he felt he should be the captain thanks to his 'superiority.' If he was telling the truth, then the archery range would be a good place to find him. Better yet, Taiga-sensei was the advisor for the archery club so if Shinji wasn't there, she likely would be and since she was the only other person who remained in colour in the room, I could interrogate her too!
Course set, I headed for the stairs, finding the main stairwell. I knew the school was big enough that not only did the first, second, and third years have their own floors, but the school was divided into vertical sections so classes A&B, C&D, E&F and etc. had their own hallways with appropriate staff offices in each hall for the teachers so they wouldn't have to go down several flights of stairs to find a place like the teacher's lounge. Of course, that meant that either the teachers who worked in the selected hallways were either qualified to teach several subjects or there were many teachers for the same subjects in each hallway. I wasn't sure which. I always wanted to see what the other floors were like but…I…just…didn't…
…my head…
I stumble slightly as I head down the stairs to the first floor, but I manage to get a grip on the rail and after a few deep breaths I'm able to keep on moving. The static in my eyes makes seeing the steps difficult at times, but I struggle my way to the first floor.
Reaching the level floors, I look to my right to where the hallway begins and I see a flash of an orange uniform with blonde hair. Leo?-! Did I just see Leo?-! Looking at him suddenly made the void of unease inside of me grow wider, and the feeling of humiliation and unease surrounds me as I watch him go. I feel as if he had caught me doing something bad despite him not even noticing I was there. He just calmly walked down the hall, but the static flashed in front of my eyes and he was suddenly gone again. Grimacing, I rubbed my eyes to reveal the hallway again but this time one of my…classmates was running down it, following him. Like the others, he's black and white but it seems paler than what I would have expected from these inactive people.
I felt like I was getting closer to the truth. I felt that I was on the edge between the false world that I knew and the world that existed behind it all. There had to be a reason for all of this. There had to be a cause for this pain and misery that I was feeling. I wanted…no, needed to know why I was living a lie.
Steeling myself, I headed down the hallway my classmates have gone into. Travelling past the windows and the classrooms, I see the turn up ahead and I also see glimpses of my classmate there. Not wanting to give myself away, I stepped softly and quietly as close as I could to try and hear what they may be talking about. Reaching the corner, I dared to peek around it. Leo's staring at the blank wall in front of him while my classmate is boring holes in his back with his eyes.
"The attention to detail is quite exquisite. Even the surrounding air is surprisingly substantial," Leo comments as if he's looking at a piece of art rather than a blank wall. "If that is the case, then this world is even more real that the real world it represents."
This world? Real world? What was he talking about?
"How about you guys?" he asks suddenly. "What are your thoughts on this?"
Oh man, he knew I was there! My classmate didn't seem to have figured out my presence, but it seemed that he had managed to guess that Leo had figured him out as well. After a moment, Leo turns and keeps his attention focused on my classmate, but his eyes flashed to me. My classmate didn't seem to notice.
"Greetings," Leo nodded to my classmate, but I still got the distinctive feeling that he was talking to me. "I think this is the first time we've had an actual conversation," he smiles in a disarming manner but there was something behind it that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up with shivers running down my spine for good measure. Maybe there was a dark side to Leo that we didn't see before…
"Attending school wasn't half-bad," Leo continued. "I've never been able to go to one before now. In that respect, this has been quite an experience."
It figured a kid like him would have been homeschooled most of his life, but what was he getting at with this?
"…however, the time for games has come to an end," Leo sighed. "I did not come here to play at being a student. No matter how enjoyable a detour, one must always return to their appointed path. And for me, that time has come…" he then turns his back on us to stare at the wall again. "Farewell…no, that's not quite right. I don't think farewell would be accurate in this situation. For reasons I can't explain, I get the feeling that we will be seeing each other once again. I suppose the proper words would be the congenial, 'see you later,'" he punctuates his statement by turning to look back directly at me. So he really did know I was there. He then turned back to the wall. Somehow, my classmate still didn't notice me, was he as dazed and confused as I was? "Now, it's time for me to move on. I wish you the best of luck."
Leo then takes several steps forward and rather than smacking into the wall like one would expect, he seems to vanish again. I feel my body stiffen and shock run through me at the sight, like I had just witnessed a flaw in reality being exploited. While I struggled to try and get my thoughts together again, my classmate stepped forward and touched the same spot on the wall Leo did before vanishing like the foreign boy did. That just sends a whole new wave of shock down my spine, but I am quicker to deal with it than before.
With the scene clear, I step out from my hiding place and try to examine the wall which apparently had swallowed two other people. When I got close enough, I could still only see a concrete wall. Still, there had to be something more to it! Leo and that other guy passed right through it! Raising my hand, I touched it to the same spot my peers had before they vanished. I was half-expecting to be sucked in but instead something else happened. I only blinked for a moment before the wall just…shifted. Like an error in a computer being corrected in a nanosecond, the wall in front of me transformed into a plain door which I would have seen in a gym or something. Still, despite how normal it looked I could feel the unnaturalness of it. The door shouldn't have been there and that went double for whatever was beyond it. Still, the answers to the mysteries that were going on around me were behind that door. I refused to live in a false world any longer. I pushed on the door and stepped inside.
My sight immediately cleared, making everything inside the room seem sharp and detailed when compared to things before. The place looked like a simple storage room like the one on the first floor should look like were students allowed in it. However, there were some very big differences in what I would have considered to be normal. Standing in front of a chest of draws was what looked like a kind of warped mannequin. All of its limbs and its torso looked like that had rings implanted underneath which stretched the material. It had diamond-shaped knees and its arms and legs ended in points. It's head was a simply round ball and bright orange lines spread over the surface of its body.
On the opposite wall through is what I would call…a hole in existence. It was like square sections were removed from the wall until it opened up into the black void. At the edge of the room, strange wisps of blue…I wanted to call it smoke or water or something but I knew that wasn't it. Still, it was secondary to the hole and the mannequin in front of me.
"Welcome potential Master," a voice suddenly spoke out.
"Who's there?-!" I cried, looking for the source in alarm. I was in uncharted territory by this point and it was making me nervous. Strangely though, the voice seemed familiar.
The mannequin in front of me suddenly slumped over as if released from some kind of restraint. After a moment, it stood back up under its own power but other than that it didn't seem to do anything more for the moment. Still, it was enough to get my attention placed on it unflinchingly.
"That effigy will be your sword and shield for what lies ahead. It will follow your commands," the voice explained. It put my mind somewhat at ease knowing that the mannequin, or rather effigy would not be ready to attack me. "Now then, please proceed. The truth you seek lies ahead."
I frown as I step closer to the strange void in front of me. The effigy reacts as I walk past and starts walking behind me like a trusted servant. I stop at the edge of the void, considering my options, what few there were. I wouldn't, couldn't go back to the world I was in before. Not with what I know now. That world was false and what was ahead, no matter how strange it seemed just had to be the truth. If I was being offered the effigy for protection, I was likely going to run into some less than friendly things. Hopefully the doll would be enough to protect me. Steeling myself, I step into the darkness.
At first the only light is from the room behind me as myself and the effigy walk. However, that quickly dies down as we head deeper and deeper into the darkness. I fear stepping off of a ledge somewhere since I couldn't see anything around me except myself and the effigy. The light from the lines in its body illuminated that much anyway. We continued walking and soon light began to appear at my feet. On each step, blue pixels would ripple out from where the effigy and I would step like we were walking through puddles. I kept going and soon the ground beneath was lit up with outlines of squared coloured a light blue. They just lit up all of a sudden, but I wasn't going to complain since I could see the path going off into the distance now. Hopefully it remained that way with no hidden pitfalls.
The effigy and I continued in our silent journey as I kept right on walking down the path of light squares. After a certain distance, I stepped onto the next square and suddenly there was a flash of light before the scenery changed. All around me was a spinning vortex of deep blue which looked either like water or smoke with the rest of it vanishing into the darkness both ahead and behind me. Almost like decoration, large grids of squares which would light up at random that hovered around me. The squares I was standing on were now filled with blue light but I could see through them.
"Don't get distracted," I muttered to myself. I pressed on, trying not to get dizzy with the sights around me.
Not that the scenery was making it any easier. As I passed by the grids, wireframe grids would fly by and one even passed through me! Along the sides, cubes would just pop up out of the vortex looking like they were made out of moving particles. Still, I managed to keep my balance and not fall off the side of my path and just kept going. It had to end sooner or later and I was determined to get there. So I continued going, keeping my eye on the horizon line. I kept running forward and stepping onto another one of the squares which brought forth another white flash.
The world around me changed again. I was still standing on connected blue squares of light but on either side were more squares of blue light which made up a hallway around me. It still stretched on forever but now I wouldn't end up falling off of the sides now. That in itself was good since everything around me had turned into darkness again. At least with the soft light of the walls and floor I could see where I was going.
I still kept going through the blue hallway before I finally found an ending to it which opened up into a room with the same blue squares making up the walls and floor. As the effigy and I walked into that room, the hallway behind us vanished to be replaced with another section of wall. I wasn't trapped though. There was an exit which led into another hallway ahead of me.
"Welcome potential Master," the voice from before spoke up again. "If you are searching for your answers, then you must reach the goal. Please step forward."
It wasn't like I had much choice. It was the only way out. Sighing, I began trekking forward into the new hallway. With the walls so close in the hallway though, I could see into the distance even through the soft light of the walls. To my surprise, the scenery looked more like a deep, deep blue rather than black, as if I was underwater or something. I was pretty sure I could see fish, or at least fish bones hovering in the distance. It was hard to tell from my sight.
Moving on from the sight, I continued on to the end of the hallway which opened up into another room. This one actually had something in it. In the centre of the room was a kid of pedestal with had a bolt of energy rising up to hold what looked like a purple wireframe cube with something glowing in the middle.
"Huh?" I blinked at the sight.
"The illuminated cube in front of you is called an Item Folder," the voice explained, as if reacting to my confusion or my presence. "Inside is a farewell present of sorts for those who are about to face the trial. Touch it to open it."
If that voice was any more ominous I would have expected lightning to crash every time the guy made a sentence. Still, if this 'present' was going to be of any use to me for what might be coming up then I was better off in grabbing it. Walking towards the Item Folder, I reached the base before pressing my hand against the glowing surface of the cube. An unlocking sound came from my touch before the top, bottom, and four corners of the cube disassembled to reveal the green orb inside. Reaching inside the cube, I touched the item which promptly vanished. Rather than feel I had lost the item, I felt as if I still had it. I even knew what it was. I had been given an Ether Shard which would recover the health of my effigy should it be needed.
Pulling my hand it back, I turned to leave the room and found that it exited to a ramp which was purple and led upwards. Normally going up wouldn't have been a problem but that was when something usually wasn't in my way. To be specific, a blue ball with a white stripe running vertically through the centre, blue circuit designs on the body and a bright violet optic in the centre.
"What the-?" I blink in confusion. How could I have missed seeing this? I guess the Item Folder had been pretty distracting.
"Before you is an enemy program," the voice explained. "It is programmed to attack on sight. Touching it will initiate battle. However, you are too fragile to fight. The effigy will battle in your stead. If your effigy should be destroyed, you will be vulnerable to harm. In other words you will die so be extremely careful."
"No pressure," I muttered under my breath.
"There is no need to be afraid. Just do as I say and you will be perfectly safe for the time being," the voice attempted to reassure me. It failed miserably. "I shall explain battle conduct. As a master, you will only have three possible means of direct battle. Attack, Defend, and Break. Attack is a straightforward means of battle but can be stopped by a suitable Defence. Defend will protect your effigy from most of the damage, but it can be Broken. Break will burst through any defence, but can be circumvented by a suitable Attack."
Attack beats Break, Break beats Defend and Defend beats Attack. Well….it sounded easy enough. Still, it seemed kind of cut and dry in terms of an actual fight. I was no real expert but even I knew that a fight wasn't so clean as the voice was making it out to be. There had to be more to this than what he was saying, but what it was I certainly didn't know. I suppose the only way to be sure was to get into a battle in this place and see for myself.
"This program will only use the Break command. Now, begin!" the voice boomed
The orb came to life, light coming from the optic in the middle. It took one look at me and began to hover towards me. The effigy went on the alert as well and dashed in front of me. The orb kept coming closer, but the effigy had just suddenly frozen as if it didn't know what to do next. I then recalled that the voice told me that there were tree ways to battle and likely the effigy would need something to get it primed up. This ball would only use Break so…
"Attack!" I cried out.
The effigy perked up and charged at the approaching ball. It lunged out with its arm and punched the orb, making it shudder with panels rising up out of its surface. The ball managed to recover and charge again only to receive another punch followed by a third before the effigy lashed out with a rapid kick. The ball seemed dazed for a moment but then art before it began charging yet again. The effigy didn't disappoint before it lashed out with another trio of punches which send the ball crashing into the ground. The ball shuddered for a moment before it turned black and dissolved into black smoke.
"Well done," the voice congratulated me. "However the goal is still up ahead so if you must bask in this tiny victory then do it as you move."
Killjoy the voice was, it was right. I headed forward again and began climbing up the violet ramp. I idly noticed large fish bones hovering in the air beyond the light walls which kept me on my path. Still, I ignored them as I reached the top of the ramp and entered the room waiting for me. Inside of the room was another one of those floating balls, but this one was green instead of blue like the one before me.
"This enemy program is programmed to only use the Attack command," the voice spoke as the ball took notice of me and began to approach. "Begin!"
"Defend!" I cried, remembering what the voice explained before. The effigy leapt forward and crossed its arm in front of it, making a hexagonal field appear in front of it for a moment. The orb charged forward and smashed against the field, but didn't seem to do anything before the effigy managed to kick it back, making it spasm. Whatever the orb was, it wasn't made to be smart since it attacked again despite the effigy having taken a defensive position. The orb smashed against the effigy's defence and got kicked again a second time, then a third when it tried again. As the orb stumbled, the effigy managed to strike with an extra kick. The process repeated itself three more times before the ball dropped to the ground and vanished into a haze of black smoke.
"Very good. Continue," the voice prompted.
I look to see the exit and move towards it. As I move, I was able to see more of the surroundings outside of the walls. Giant bones of what I assume to be prehistoric fish drift around in the space and looks like an ominous warning rather than cool like it had been a moment ago.
I travelled through the hallway which made a sharp bank left, showing off more of those creepy floating bones outside of the walls. Quickly reaching the end of the hall, I saw yet another of the floating balls waiting for me. This one was yellow and I could guess what this one would do as I got closer.
"This enemy program will only use the Defend command," the voice spoke up as I drew close. "Now, begin!"
"Break!" I shouted out.
The effigy heard the command and charged at the ball which had dipped its optic low. It jumped and made a spinning kick which smashed through the faint honeycomb-like shield I saw surrounding the orb and knocked it silly. The construct then continued and lashed out with more devastating kicks which broke through the ball's defence every time. After another devastating kick, the ball dropped to the ground and vanished like the ones before it.
"Good. You have mastered the three basics," the voice spoke as the last of the orb vanished. "Now all that is left is a practical test. Please proceed."
I grimaced at the voice, starting to find it annoying rather than comforting by this point. Still, I obey as I head towards the room's exit to find a ramp heading downwards. Following it, I find another floating ball waiting for me, this one coloured a blood red.
"Before now, all enemies you have faced have used a single command," the voice explained. "This one will not. Use your judgement and best decide your attack pattern. Now, begin!"
The red ball began hovering towards me and I tried to figure out what to do. Since it was flying towards me it couldn't be defending and it wasn't coming in fast so I guessed it was a normal attack.
"Defend!" I ordered.
The effigy leaped forward again and did just that, blocking an attack from the ball before lashing out with a kick which knocked the thing back. The ball recovered and charged again, this time much faster than before.
"Attack!" I shouted, hoping that my timing wasn't off.
It wasn't. The effigy dipped around the Break strike and lashed out with a punch which knocked the orb back a second time. This time, the orb didn't seem to want to move and instead began to dip its optic down. It was trying to defend itself now apparently.
"Break!" I cried.
The effigy obeyed and lashed out with a strong kick which busted the ball's defences and made it drop to the ground. It quickly turned black and dissolved into smoke.
"Good. Your final test awaits," the voice commanded.
I sighed and walked to the door again with the effigy taking its position behind me. I saw the exit to the wireframe room to my right and quickly passed through it into another hallway, the outside nearly packed with the forms of bones floating just beyond the squares of light. At the end of the hallway though was a massive sphere of spinning cloud which my current path vanished into despite the aquatic images which made up the outside scenery. Passing through the hallway without problems, I stepped into the swirling mist.
Stepping through the mist, I found myself stepping onto a brightly light section of floor which had an artistic design on the floor which three spots on the floor. At the edge of the platform in front of me, three large stained glass windows stood tall and brightly in front of me, making me feel like I was in a place of worship all of a sudden. Everything beyond the platform was darkness and not even the path I took to get in here or the mist which surrounded it on the outside was visible. As I admired the architecture I noticed something which was almost shoved to the side. It didn't take me long to recognize them as another effigy and…a DEAD BODY!
I couldn't even scream, cry, or yell out. I just dashed to the body and grabbed the shoulder so to see if they were still alive or if they really were dead. I recognized the uniform as one from my school, which made my heart skip a beat in itself. Touching him, I was met with coldness akin to that of a rock. No question about it, he was dead. Looking at his face though, it gave me a start when I realized that I recognized him! He was the student which had followed Leo through the doorway into this weird place!
What had happened to him?
A creaking sound caught my attention and I turned to see that my classmate's effigy had started to move. Standing up, I backed away from it out off instinct. The other effigy though just seemed to straighten itself out and begin to advance towards me. Just looking at the other effigy, I could just tell from the cold sinking in my gut that it wanted hurt me, do me harm, kill me. My own effigy leapt into action and blocked the path of its twin. I knew I had to start this fight off and end the thing before it got any more out of control!
"Atta-!"
WHAM!
A vicious kick clobbered my effigy's face before I could voice the command.
Crap! I was to slow!
"Defe-!"
CRUNCH!
A straight punch had smashed into my effigy's face, making it stumble back.
This wasn't good!
"DEFE-!"
WHAM!
Another kick, but while my effigy was stumbling the enemy made another move with another brutal kick.
BOOM!
My effigy slammed into the ground with an echoing slam and it didn't get up again. The enemy effigy then turned its attention towards me and began to advance. I tried to will my legs to move, but it was like my muscles and joints were locked. The enemy effigy didn't stop as it reached me before rearing back and unleashing a straight punch at me. With it's pointed limb, it punctured my chest and knocked me to the ground. Pain lit up my world and my mind went into a spiral so quickly I didn't even know what had happened to me at first.
I lay at the foot of the three circles in the floor. I tried to focus my eyes, but as I did I noticed something about the room around me. My classmate which followed Leo hadn't been the only one on the floor. There were several classmates all around me, just as dead and colourless as he was. They must have…ended up in this place…too. Like me…they saw how fake…the world was. Like me…they lost. I can hear that voice…again. It talks about me being…inadequate. Something about preliminaries…and finding peace in annihilation.
Fuzzy…
Dark…
So many….
Like…
…me…
…
…
…no
…no…
NO!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I REFUSE!
I snapped my eyes open, a flash of static filling my vision for just a moment before I begin trying to move again. Fire rips through my body as if some force is just telling me to lay down and die, but I refused to acknowledge it. I didn't come this far, break free from that fake world that I knew to enter only a few steps into this one and just die! I wasn't going to die here! I wasn't just going to let myself lay back and be erased! I wasn't going to die for no reason beyond something else's convenience!
"Well said!" a new voice spoke up, sounding vigorous and strong. "All lives are meant for a purpose be they grand ambitions or for small tasks. No one is born without a purpose. Not me, and certainly not you! You have your own destiny and path to fulfil. I think I'll enjoy walking along this path and seeing just where your kind of logic will lead you."
There is a sudden crash of glass breaking and a flash of light. I managed to pull my head up to see what happened and found that two of the tree windows had shattered, leaving the one in the middle by itself. The darkness around the platform has erupted into a swirling mass of energetic blue that gives new life to the area and gives me some energy to sit up and see what was happening. Not far from me, the effigy which struck me down has turned shock still, as if waiting for new orders. Ahead of me, a light is shining down on the floor on the centre spot in the trio.
From that centre spot a man appears in a flash of light. He stands tall and proud, a man in his twenties at least. He wears a white shirt with a deep brown vest and a blue tie. He also has brown trousers and polished black shoes which shine in the current light. Over his shirt the wears a gray jacket with gold buttons and what appears to be a pocket watch chain sticking out and fastened in one of the button holes of his jacket. He had short light brown hair which ended in long sideburns, matching hairstyles of a bygone era. His features were strongly defined, someone who had absolute confidence in everything he did and had at least planned ahead three to five steps in everything he did. The man took one look at me and approached with an easy smile on his face.
"It seems that you don't truly fathom the situation you're in at the moment," he smiled at me. "Never fear all will be made clear in time. Before we can truly inform one another of the situation and the consequences of our participation there is the matter of our contract to deal with," he reached down to me with an offering hand. "You were the one who called for me, correct?"
I was stunned, but something about this man's confidence inspired my own. At least someone knew what the hell was going on around me. Reaching out, I took his hand and he hefted me to my feet with a strong pull, like I was almost weightless. Still, this man appeared as I struggled for my life after that effigy has hit me with enough force to make me feel like I was dying. Now though, I felt like I could survive this. I was still in pain, but I didn't feel like I was about to die anymore.
"Well…since I'm the only one here…I guess I did summon you," I replied.
"A perfectly logical conclusion," the man nodded, releasing my hand. "Excellent. You'll find that since our contract is still new, my physical skills are not where they should be, but my other skills can more than make up the difference."
From the hand he grabbed to pull me up, a deep burning sensation appeared. Grimacing, I grabbed my left wrist and watched as a crest of some sort appeared on the back of my hand glowing bright red like the most vibrant tattoo I had ever seen. It appears to be a red circle inside of a bigger circle inside of an even larger circle which was connected to a stick. I felt my mind in a while of confusion and pain, having absolutely no clue what this meant or what was going next.
A rattling noise answered that question. The effigy what had struck me and destroyed my own effigy had seemed to get its senses back and had moved into a fighting stance. I couldn't help but flinch at the sight of it ready for a fight again. I remembered how it managed to beat down my effigy before it tried to kill me.
"So this is the one who put you on the brink of death is it?" asked the man who appeared before me. Instead of standing in front of me, he stepped forward so to shield me from the effigy's aggression. "Well we cannot have that. Please stay back while I deal with this puppet, Master."
The man stepped forward and took a boxing stance while facing off against the effigy. The construct didn't seem to care who it fought and charged for a blow. I wanted to shout out a command or something, but the man was already moving long before I even thought of something to say. He raised his arms up in a shielding motion which the effigy's punch collided against. He then quickly retaliated with a straight punch which smashed into the effigy's face, studding it before it received a second punch to the face which made it stumble back. With the construct not as close as before, I could see that it's face had taken some damage from the punches, becoming cracked. The stranger wasn't done yet as he closed the space between the two, but the effigy move to block. It seemed that my saviour had expected it though and unleashed an uppercut which broke through said means of protection and put a huge crack straight through the effigy's head, making it slump backwards onto the ground again.
"As I thought, the main means of function was indeed inside the head," the man nodded, rubbing his knuckles.
I couldn't help but blink at what I had seen. Only three punches…three punches had taken down something which blasted my effigy so ruthlessly. Not only that, but he had managed to dominate the fight from the first step. He countered the first move and then counterattacked to the point where he managed to defeat the thing with minimal movement and from what I saw, effort. However, I didn't have time to ask how he managed it so quickly. The marking on the back of my hand had turned intensely hot to the point it felt like it was searing through my mind as well as my body. What was…happening to me?
"That mark imprinted on your hand is your Command Seal," the voice from before spoke up again. "It is the proof you hold dominion over a Servant. You may use them up to give three orders which must be obeyed. Think of them as temporary strengthening spells. They are also proof of your participation in the Holy Grail War. If you lose them for any reason, you will die."
I pant as the burning courses through me. I manage to concentrate on what the voice is telling me. Holy Grail War. Command Seals. Lose them, I die. Right. I can keep that straight in my mind.
"I must say congratulations for your victory. You have endured much to get here and have managed to achieve your goal," the voice spoke, easily sounding amused. "It was likely the most clumsy attempt I have ever seen, but that is what made it all the more entertaining. I've held this duty a long time and I don't think I've seen a Master as helpless as you. Nonetheless, congratulations. Your decisions brought on by rashness and nerves has brought you this victory."
"Ha ha ha…Jerk," I grunt under my breath.
"Now we shall continue your baptism. For you, the monotony of everyday life has come to an end," the voice continued in a reverent tone. "Your decision to look beyond the accepted and progress means you have earned the right to exist. However, you have but taken the first step. Be jubilant, young knight, for the Holy Grail War begins now!"
The pain sears through me even now, but it was getting easier to listen to the bodiless voice for some reason. It didn't mean that he was any easier to understand though. "Holy Grail? Right to exist?"
"That's right. An object of great power once existed in the world. The power to grant any desire. People called it the Holy Grail and fought endlessly for the sole right to possess it. The war, this system that you find yourself in is an evolution of those struggles. You stand at the entrance of a struggle in which many magi with perish in pursuit of the Holy Grail. Now, fight to the death. The fiery throne of heaven will only accept those with the strongest desire."
My head was filling with both questions and pain. Holy Grail? War? Killing? Magi? Just what the hell had I been brought into the middle of?
"In war, a weapon is needed. That is your Servant. The spear that pierces, the shield that protects. A Heroic Spirit who's purpose is to clear the way to the Grail. That is who stands beside you."
Heroic Spirit? I look to the man who rescued me from the rogue effigy. He merely nods at me, a confirmation of what the echoing voice had said about him.
"It seems you have decided, and with that decision as payment I open the gates to the Holy Grail War."
The Command Seals on my hand flare up and a new level of pain I had never even thought possible lanced through me. I grunt in pain and collapse to the floor. It was too much for me. My mind begins to shut down and everything starts going dark around me. My Servant watches on, unconcerned. I guess…I'll be okay if he's not freaking out over this. As I pass out though, I can hear the last words of the voice which had been my guide until this point.
"Now let the Holy Grail War begin. No matter what the era, deciding who is worthy through battle is the divine providence of man. Magi who have been invited here by the moon; show me your strength"
A/N: Okay,this is my forray into the world of Fate/Extra, what with the release of the game in North America. I decided to stay true to the prologue, but use my own Servant to send the game on a more original path rather than play straight along the script which the game itself would have. I'm sure that other authors would want to do that. No, my System Error path would involve new opponents, new Servants, and a new purpose for the protagonist simply as more than just your regular combatant. Like it? Hate it? On the fence about it? Send a review and tell me what you think.