Fate Stay Night Umbra Bello
VolcanicFlare- It is theoretically possible for someone to figure out the "who's" of what's happening. I'd be surprised however if they uncovered the "how", or the "why".
thewookie1- Indeed. Seeing how Fate likes to change things, it would be almost tradition at this point to change certain details of Arthurian tales. However, I like to think what I'm leading to could, at least partially, be figured out using available canon facts.
Chapter XVIII: A Midnight Dreary…
Date: 02/05/2004
Time: 6:21 pm
Location: Shinto Streets
Meanwhile, during the park battle…
The hound of Chulainn was getting pretty sick of his job.
Granted, he accepted the summoning in the first place because of all the fights he could get himself into, but this was starting to get dull.
That cute girl, his original Master? Yeah, she was dead. Stabbed in the back by an 'Old Friend'.
Some guard dog he was…
And now he was stuck with her murderer as a Master, who didn't even want him to fucking fight! He just wanted him to 'test their capabilities', and 'tie up loose ends'
Which, leads him back to tonight.
Another loose end, one that's proven to be as stubborn as a cockroach, has reared its head again.
Being fairly sure he killed this bitch once, Sentata wasn't a happy camper to learn he missed a spot.
Lancer had been tracking her down all night. She didn't make it difficult for him.
Caster had left a trail of blood wherever she went. A complete 180 from when she had just holed up in that nice, cozy temple.
Most of her victims then got off with measly coma's. Now?
The Lancer had counted thirteen dead in one day. And at least two that had gotten very lucky and might survive with intensive medical care.
Cu Chulainn wasn't sure what led to the change in the ancient mage, but he was sure of one thing.
He was going to enjoy putting her down.
For whatever reason, his Master had decided to put an end to her meddling here and now.
Which is why Lancer had waited patiently near her typical target area, until now.
He'd found her. She was luring some new victims down a dead end alley to drink them in peace.
The drunk pair of human males seemed to be lured in by some promise of promiscuity, rather than hypnosis.
Unluckily for them, this wasn't their night.
Luckily for them, he was here so it wouldn't be their last unlucky night.
Not long before Caster would turn the tables on them, Lancer superhero landed at the alley's entrance.
SLAM
Gaining their attention, he started-
"There once was a man in tights, he was getting sick of the same fight."
The men tilted their heads in confusion while Caster had tried to seem unimpressed.
"The woman he'd poached had carried on like a 'roach."
"Listen pal-!" One of the drunkards started
SLURK
The men grasped at their throats as they realized what had happened.
Blood spilled from their necks as they fell to the ground.
"'till she sliced the last man's throat."
ThemeSong- ENGLISH "Brave Shine" Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (Akane Sasu Sora)
The hooded woman did not change her expression at the threat. Merely staring at her now bloody dagger.
"You put on one hell of a chase. But you should know once my spear is thrown I've sealed your fate. You won't be crawling away this time woman." Lancer declared, twirling his spear around.
"Who… who are you?" she actually trembled.
Lancer paused. Her voice… it didn't sound right.
Thinking it was a trap, he shrugged the feeling off and responded.
"Me? I'm a humble potato farmer, Shamus McFuckyerself." He laughed at his own joke.
Caster still seemed... confused. Like she really didn't know who he was from before.
… or… who she was.
She seemed to be backing up quietly.
"What, cat got your tongue? Did your voice die with your lover?" he goaded her.
When she continued to play dumb he began to think the grief of 'Kazuki Sourichirou' dying might have actually driven her mad.
"... well, whether we're feeling chatty or not, I got a job to do. So, would you kindly let death stick this time? I got a rep to uphold…" he rested his spear into battle position.
She looked around for somewhere to run.
His instincts warned him something was wrong here.
Being a Lancer, perception was pretty much his forte.
So, when he felt something was off, he hesitated.
Beyond acting out of character, this was just… wrong.
Casters have an increased sense of environmental awareness to go along with their magecraft.
Meaning, she ought to have known she was being followed.
Meaning, she'd laid a trap.
Question is, what will she do when he springs it?
"Bah, whatever. It won't survive this."
He backflipped to gain distance-
"Fetch me the Witch's heart! GAE BOLG!"
Only once the legendary spear was thrown did the Magus move. By then, it was far too late.
sprlch
Trapped by the alley, and fate, Caster had nowhere to go.
Medea of Colchis grasped the spear in her chest. Her reaction being of a screaming horror.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrghhh!"
Lancer sighed as he approached his quarry to confirm the kill.
"I guess ye really were just a washed-up desperate has-been, huh?" He felt disappointed.
… again.
It didn't take long for him to meet her where she was. Her struggling beginning to die down.
"I guess you and me got something in common. Neither of us has any hope with Masters." he admitted, taking out his spear, letting her body collapse gracelessly to the asphalt as she began disintegrating into black feath-.
"... shit." he muttered as the illusion fell away to reality.
In Casters place, there was a dying girl. Barely old enough to attend the highschool his first true battle took place in during this war.
"(n-no… please please… i'm… I don't… i don't wanna die… I -'cough'!)" The brown haired girl coughed up blood.
Sentata had no words.
He could only sigh.
This… it was on him. He should have payed attention to the signs...
The only thing he could do was kneel down and stay with her as she bled out from his mistake.
It didn't take long. Thankfully.
"You're gonna pay for that one y'know." He spoke aloud as he turned.
Caster was now standing where he was moments ago.
He was sure of it this time. She did stand before him now. No illusions.
If she was proud of what she did, it didn't show.
"I thought you'd be used to this, given what happened to Connla." She hit below the belt.
Aaaaand just like that, his rage broke.
"For a woman who cheats death so often, you seem to enjoy sprinting towards it..." he growled before-
BOOM!
He rocketed towards her, spear in hand until-
SLAM
"What the hell!?" He growled, looking to see what grabbed him, disrupting his charge.
One of the dead men. Their hand had been… mutated, for a lack of a better word.
It had grown unnaturally elongated, and pale like a much older corpse.
Of course, it was still a humans body. A meer half-hearted yank sent him flying.
The corpse slammed into the brick wall, where it stilled for a moment before-
"Arrrgh-Aaaaaaaaaaarrriiiiiiiaaa!"
He contorted in a banshee-like scream as his body morphed into in-human shapes.
Lancer turned to the other man, who had begun undergoing similar changes.
"Horrible, isn't it?"
Cu turned to Caster.
"To be turned into something you're not. To be twisted, ripped apart, and pieced together again like some puzzle. To find, in horror, that you don't even recognize your own body as human anymore, as what's left of your nerves scream in agony. To be incapable of understanding what you're becoming. I do pity them. At least now. But... this is a step I'd taken long ago." she monologues while she slowly stepped closer to her victims, and closer to him.
Her confidence in being so close to the spear that ought to run her through gave Lancer pause as she continued.
"Despite how I feel now, it's far too late to turn back. No matter my heart, my many crimes remain. In a way, growing a conscience is an appropriate punishment in and of itself. But as I doubt philosophy is a matter that interests you, let's cut to the chase." she says as she kneels down, and retracts the golden dagger her hypnotized victim used on those men. "Surrender yourself to me, Sentata."
"Why would I want to change the current pain in my ass?" He asked as he backed off slowly, spear resting in battle position.
"Because I will throw you at my enemies until you die. Because when I use you, I will grant you the battle you seek. Because it will spite the man that murdered the only one you'd truly recognize as Master. And because I won't be any worse than the creature you're forced to call Master now." she offered her hand, confidently.
It didn't take him long to respond.
"Ha! You really think you're in any position to force me to switch Masters? Even if you could steal my seals, I'm too sick of this bullshit Musical Chairs! Fuck off ya crazy bitch!" He laughed her off.
She didn't seem too broken up about it.
"No matter. I merely wished to give you the illusion of choice." Caster seemed certain of this.
"Listen hag, I'm not working for you! Fuck off, suck my spear!" He dismissed her as he got ready to kill her.
The mutating men stumbled into trying to hold him down, but a twirl of his weapon cut them both down.
"If you're gonna try and stop me with your little shop of horrors freakshow, you're going to need a lot more guys." He told her.
But, this part?
This part she smiled at.
"Funny you mention that." she remarks as he heard something on the edge of his range.
"Funny how?"
"A question I'll answer with another question. How many homeless can go missing before someone notices?" she asked him.
The sound grew closer as she backed away back to the streets.
Lancer leapt into the air, and used the walls of the buildings to jump out onto the roofs-
"A lot. The answer is a lot of homeless people." He realized as he gazed upon a large gang of mutated plant men across nearby rooftops. At least a hundred. "You've had a busy day…"
"Even before I'd gained the ability to think again, I began constructing an army." Her now disembodied voice told him. "An old instinct I suppose. Gathering the hopeless. The broken. The dispossessed. Using them as pawns in a cause they could only barely understand. And when the time comes, spending them to achieve something none could accomplish alone."
Something bothering Cu Chulainn finally came to make sense.
"You're not Medea. Are you?" the question hung in the air for a minute before the woman nodded sagely.
"It's an appropriate mask, I think. Our stories, they're not so different. We were both betrayed, and, in turn, became betrayers. We were both blinded by false emotions, until it was far too late to turn back. And, in the end, we both abandoned our humanity when it lost its value." she mused as the small army approached.
"And ya both like to talk my ears off!" Lancer mocked as he attacked.
The gaggle of mutant familiars made way for his first target.
His spear ran two through easily enough. And a twirl set it free from the now-corpses.
The rest swarmed back in. Attacking ten at a time. Gae Bolg tearing them to shreds.
A few tried grabbing his spear, and holding it in place, but lacked the strength. He pulled them along and threw them off.
A dance began. They avoided his charge, sacrificing a small amount of their number, and swarmed in before he pulled his spear free of the pale flesh.
Individually, they were actually stronger than they appeared. Easily stronger than your average human.
Still, to a Servant? They were child's play.
However, when they swarmed in with about eight, or ten of them he was forced to put in some effort.
It was nothing Lancer couldn't handle.
But that had him concerned. This Servant had a plan. She had to know he wasn't going to be stopped by a handful of familiars.
He had an option. His Noble Phantasm, Gae Bolg had another usage. Rather than the anti-unit NP that reversed causality to pierce it's enemies heart, it had an anti-army armament that would crush… well… armies.
Only problem was, it already took a lot of energy the last time he used Gae Bolg tonight. This version? It would leave him defenseless.
So, he continued slaughtering the mutants. And upon finding Caster's silhouette in the distance, he gave chase.
Landing back on the streets, he followed her for over a mile, cutting down her puppets along the way.
He found her again, using a large cargo truck for transportation.
Cutting, and weaving through traffic, he caught up fairly quickly.
Another plant monster tried holding him down by his leg, costing him momentum.
He cut it down, and jumped from vehicle to vehicle.
Caster used wind magecraft to launch a vehicle at him, dooming it's occupants to have Gae Bolg pierced through them as to not lose momentum-
CRACKA-BOOOOOM
"This all you got Caster!?" He goaded her as he grew closer, "I can do this all week!"
He approached the truck, he tried jumping into it, but-
WHOOOOSH
Was blown right off with a mighty gust.
Changing tactics, he ran in front of the truck, and-
Boom!
Stabbed his spear into it's front tires, causing it to lose control and-
SLAM
CREEEEEEEEE!
BOOOOOM!
Fall into its side, sliding into a building as Caster leapt off to the streets.
Lancer gave chase as she ran.
But, that's when the attacks stopped. The familiars retreated.
He found Caster waiting for him.
Caster invited him from the bridge connecting Shinto and Miyama.
This time she stood out in the open, awaiting him.
Jumping from building to building, he landed a hundred feet away from her.
"Alright bitch, you gonna spring your trap, or are you done delaying the inevitable?" He asked of her.
"Hm… I believe I've bought enough time..." she played the pronoun game. "And if I'm being honest Lancer, the only one here with a sealed fate is you. Oh, yes. You were doomed the moment you stepped in that alley."
"And how do you figure?" He readied another throw of Gae Bolg. One that would kill her this time.
"Because. Not once tonight did you wonder if I was hunting you." she answers vaguely.
Having enough of this, Lancer prepared to throw his spear when-
She fell from the edge, and into the river.
Unamused, Lancer walked out to the edge.
He stared out to the river, and found Caster floating across to the other side, daring him to cross.
Not particularly worried about the freezing cold water, he leapt from the edge out onto the water when-
Whoooosh
Dark tendrils leapt from the water, trying to grab him.
"The hell!?" They were strong. Far stronger than Casters familiars.
He struggled, and forced himself free from their grasp as more took their place.
He slowly forced his way closer, and closer to the other side, pulling, and being dragged by the dark shadowy tendrils.
His spear barely cut through the damned things, as it tried to get him into a death roll.
Still, he'd fight through this. The Grail had shown him enough hentai to know where this was going, and he would have none of it!
Caster watched the Lancer Servant struggle the way across.
"Hm… shame. Looks like he could actually pull himself free. He would have made an excellent pawn…" she mused.
She'd need it. Her Master had summoned her annoyingly late into the Grail War. Far too late to do things with more subtlety like she prefers.
Summoned using the corpse of the original Caster, she at least had a mask to wear to hide her true identity for as long as that secret proved valuable. Not that too many of the Servants knew the original Casters true identity… still, it fooled Lancer long enough. And he was a pest that needed to be dealt with quickly.
"How'd you know Sakura's Shadow would appear here Caster?"
Ah, her… 'Master'.
A creature far baser than his plans would lead you to believe.
Immortality for Immortalities sake. Because he was in constant, horrible pain as a result of his decaying body.
For these reasons, he'd condemed an innocent girl to a life of violation, and torture. Consumed countless other women in a vain attempt to live just a little longer. And, ultimately, turned a city into a warzone, dooming countless innocent people caught up in the conflict.
No doubt, Makiri Zolgen would be horrified, and disgusted to see what he'd become if he ever met Matou Zouken.
In a way, she felt it poetic to be summoned by such a creature.
"You can see my skills Master. Unless you've forgotten how in your old age." she informed him.
"Clairvoyance D hardly seems high enough to predict this." his disembodied voice disagreed. "And you don't leave things up to chance."
"Hm… no, I suppose I don't." She gave a non-answer as she watched Lancer struggle, and extended a hand.
In a flurry of deep black, and ghostly blue particles, a corrupted broadsword appeared.
She pointed the weapon at her opponent, declared its name, and released a narrow, blue beam dealt a lethal blow.
Wounded, his struggling proved to not be enough as he was dragged below the waves.
"That's one thorn removed." she mused. "I hope you're pleased?"
"Hm. It's something. You've already done more to win than the Servant of my parasite of a grandchild, but that'd be a given had you merely survived the first ten seconds of combat." Zouken added sardonically.
"Are we sure he wasn't the adopted one? By virtue of his blood, shouldn't he have lasted longer than the… what was it you called them…."mongrels" that laid his Rider low?" Caster buttered him up.
"I wouldn't be as frustrated if he was." Zouken added snidely. "Let's go before we catch the Shadow's interest."
On that much, Caster could certainly agree with him.
Her understanding of the situation was… dubious at best. Having only been summoned yesterday night, and only becoming fully sentient again around noon after draining the Mana of hundreds of humans, including most of those monks. But from what her Master explained, their survival, and ultimately their victory depended on effective control of the girl, and her shadow cast by fragments of the corrupted Grail implanted in her.
It was not an ideal situation. Putting all of one's eggs in one basket was risky. Especially when that basket could break at any minute.
Zouken believed the girl was sufficiently broken into complete submission. And, to be fair, Caster had seen into her eyes, and found a truly broken human. But, in becoming a monster, he'd forgotten important things about humans.
The broken could be fixed. The damaged mended.
For hope was like a fire. It could be dampened, and put out entirely. However, through sufficient will, it could easily be rekindled.
In his attempts to prevent her from healing, he only opened a door for another to aid her.
In life, Caster would bring harm to others. She would, not unlike Zouken, break them. But, when she was to use them, she'd rebuild them in whatever manner she'd find useful.
Once they had lost hope, she'd fill that void with a fury, vengeance, or lust for power that could only be sated through her.
Caster did not require Clairvoyance to foresee that Zouken would lose control of Sakura completely the moment she gained the power to resist his Crest Worm.
And when they lose control of the girl… they lose the Grail.
Unacceptable.
For now, she'd follow her Master's plan. But this would not last.
Once she had truly gained her footing in this era, she'd find her own means of winning this war.
For starters, she'd have to find a means to form the Lesser Grail without it requiring her death…
Oh yes, she'd figured that one out not that long ago.
It was a simple matter of efficiency. Heroic Spirits were not cheap to summon. And Mages are far from wasteful people. Beyond that, in her entire life, she'd never met a single honorable Magi. So, logically, it wouldn't make sense for them to summon a Servant they didn't need. Let alone give them a wish.
From that deduction, this entire war unraveled. However, one fact remained true.
The Grail was powerful.
Regardless of if it alone had the power to achieve her ultimate goal, it would open the path.
Still, she found it laughably ironic that 'All The World's Evil' was what might be required in the end…
Still… perhaps not.
Time will tell what will, and won't be necessary.
"Indeed… best let things run their course… to whatever bitter end it may bring." she resigned the destined to their fates, before fading into the night in a flurry of black feathers.
ENGLISH "This Illusion" Fate/Stay Night (Akane Sasu Sora)
Dun-Dun!
Dun-Dun!
TAIGA DOJO!
"Lancer ga Shinda!" Taiga exclaimed from another room in the house as she was changing into her costume.
It wasn't human!
"I'm beginning to think halloween is getting to the author…" so says Student Number 1, who was using the 'Ruler' Class Card to dress as Sherlock Holmes.
I did label this story as Horror/Humor, did I not?
Besides, this route is based on Heavens Feel. Horror is a given.
"Really though… that Servant knew about Sakura, and didn't seem to care… is she going to be the main villain this time?" she asked, taking notes on a pad.
A Main Villain, yes.
The Main Villain?
Eh…
I tend to think Servants are only as relevant as their Masters. So, y'know. Think through that lens.
"I see… I see… so, she's like Cursed Arm then?" she emphasized words with her pen.
Exception, not the rule. Hassan was a mook. Caster's a mastermind by her legend.
"Speaking of… who is this mysterious woman, and why does she look like Medea-chan?" The investigator questioned further.
First, that's the question, isn't it?
Second? Well, she explained it herself.
"Interesting… interesting… that'll be all Mr. Author man!" She exclaimed.
Perfect. Now, I know you can't go out, but here's some candy for the spirit of Halloween!"
"Thank yo-"
"EEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHH!?"
Ah, jeeze…
"Nyo Trick or Treating!? Objection! How am I gonna take Illya-chan's candy if she doesn't go out!?" Taiga ran into the room wearing a Jaguar costume.
"That was you last year!?" Illya sounded hurt.
"Of course! It's nyat my fault if adults don't get candy-!"
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M OBJECTING TO YOU LAZY TIGER! GET YOUR OWN!"
Taiga, we are in the a pandemic...
"Nonsense! Chocolate is justice! And justice cannot be contained!"
"Justice is not something you speak of lightly…" Illya nodded sagely.
There's enough in the mix bag for you too-
"...STAY SAFE ON HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!" Taiga agreed to staying in after digging in.
"Great. Now we have to deal with her sugar high…" Illya lamented.
...shit. Didn't think of that…
Stay safe on Halloween everyone, see you soon!
.